Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

On the nose; flint/sulfur, cut dry grass, green apple, lemon, lime, notes of overripe pineapple, honeysuckle, green herbs Jasmine and yellow lilies. On the palate; green apple, lemon, lime, overripe pineapple, green dry herbs, flint/sulfur, honeysuckle, Jasmine & yellow lilies, grainy minerals, good chalkiness, saline, nice round acidity and round, rich, long finish. Photos of; Domaine Guy Amoit et Fils, their barrel cellar and Guy & Thierry Amiot and a picturesque shot in Chassagne-Montrachet. Producer notes and history...Domaine Amiot was founded in Chassagne-Montrachet in 1920 by Arsene Amiot when he acquired select parcels of vines or “climats” in Chassagne including Vergers, Caillerets, Clos St. Jean and in what is today Le Montrachet. Under Arsene, Domaine Amiot became one of the first Domaines in Burgundy to bottle their own production. In the 1930’s, the domaine passed to Aresene’s son, Pierre, who continued to add top sites such as Champsgains, Macherelles, Maltroie and their tiny parcel in Puligny, Les Demoiselles. Pierre’s son, Guy, took the reins in 1985 and solidified the reputation of the Domaine for producing wines of exceptional quality from an impressive array of top vineyard sites. Guy’s son Thierry took over the winemaking in 2003 and continues the tradition of expressing the unique character of each vineyard site while constantly seeking to improve the quality of the wines. Les Macherelles is located on the farest side of Chassagne-Montrachet close to Puligny-Montrachet. — 8 years ago

Chris England

9.4

Bend me over a spank me 😁 92 going 94-95 with age

One of my fav St Em in top year @ £67

Drinking great already but a long life ahead in this bad boy 👍

🍇 85% Mer, 14% Cab F & 1% Cab S

🍷 Deep opaque ruby

👃 Deep smokey oak & prune infused mocha & thick plum bar w/ earthy liquorice, mineral & blackcurrant

👄 Med+ ripe chewy soft silky punchy slight sweet black berries & dark fat charred plum w/ touch of cherry, prune, liquorice & mocha

🎯 Long dark & red berry/cherry/plum smooth linger w/ hint of dryness — 8 years ago

Chris England

8.9

£99 Magnum that RP said "one of the most disappointing St.-Juliens I tasted 84pts" well I think he should retry the great numpty 😜 Still could do w/ 2-5yrs 👍 Great nose but palate still a little tight

🍇 63% Cab S, 25% Mer, 9% Cab F & 3% Pet V

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Smokey oaky earthy farmyard through shy blackcurrant & spiced plum w/ minerals, leather, musky cellar & wet leaves - fab nose 👍

👄 Med earthy mocha blackcurrant body w/ dry tannins & touch of tart cherry

🎯 Med dry earthy blackcurrant finish — 8 years ago

Nico J. Snyman

9.2

This is looking solid, I think the '96's are going to develop in a great way, they're starting to give back some great earthiness/complexity right now. — 9 years ago

Eric Adams

9.0

A good buttery Chardonnay — 9 years ago

John Stafford

8.9

Like many 1996's, still tightly wound with a core of acidity running through. Needs more time! — 10 years ago

Andrew Z. Scharf

9.6

1985. Don't care what ppl say. This s a phenomenal wine — 10 years ago

with Alex

Stanislas Violet

9.2

Now it´s a porto — 11 years ago

Chris England

9.2

Top value St Julien @ £37 paid that's drinking well now to next 10yrs 👍 could do w/ a few more yrs to soften sweetness 😉

🍇 75% Cab S, 17% Mer & 8% Cab F

🍷 Opaque deep ruby w/ purple tint

👃 Warming blackcurrant & dark plum through soft oak w/ sweet blueberry, dark cherry, raspberry liquorice & earth

👄 Med body of cocoa covered sweet blackcurrant in fine dry tannins w/ a sweet liquorice, blueberry, dark plum & cherry kick

🎯 Med sweet black/black currant, plum, creamy cherry & liquorice touch dry — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.7

This run of about 13 PHENOMENAL wines I'm posting are from the SQN wine dinner/WNH interview I did at @Shawn R 's house last night. I was like a kid in a candy store on Christmas. What an absolutely EPIC night! Love ya brother!

We weren't poppin '90 Latour like @Martin G Rivard and the WNH were last month at 12-1AM, but we did open this up! This was just a small contribution from me that I wanted to bring as I know Shawn enjoys PH. And I may be leaning toward enjoying Dr Crane wines over To-Kalon. Crazy enough, this still has maybe 2-3yrs until it even begins peaking. At pop and pour, it was big on the nose with smoky cedar, blueberries and cassis. Not as dark as expected on the palate as it mixed in red fruits, but the finish was insanely long. Texture felt so incredibly pure and lush. It went too fast once it was opened! — 8 years ago

with Shawn

Paul J

9.3

Dark and inky out of the bottle. A little funk on the nose, so it might need more air, but it reminds me of the smell of all the great Napa caves we have visited! I don't drink, own, or ever see that many petit verdots but this one isn't bad. Nice cherry fruit, with a nice subtleness on the palate, and just a hint of spice on the finish. Quite lovely and a nice change from white wine Sunday's....moving it up 2pts as the additional air did wonders and it paired beautifully with lemon, pepper pork tenderloin, white rice, and collard greens with garlic! — 8 years ago

with Brooke

Jimmy Hayes

Estate Director Mayacamas Vineyard

9.3

This bottle was great - maybe he tiniest whisperer of TCA but it was good enough not to matter. For me 70's have been in such a nice place for coming on 10 years now - so many of the wines I have tried are supple, sweet and open. I'd have expected they would decline much more quickly then they have. Prices are right, too! This GL was so pretty and soft. A joy to drink. — 9 years ago

David L

9.6

07' Vineyard 29 Estate Cabernet. Decanted for 1+. Dark brick red/purple in color. My humble opinion it's one of the best 2007's. Close to a one minute finish! It has 20+ years in it!
Grace family previously owned these vineyards. I wonder if they regret selling them? — 9 years ago

Big Bob Dillon aka G-Somm

9.0

Lush and sexy , a little green but just a baby, Aaron Pott s style shines through — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose, bright, lean, ripe cherries, dark cherries, strawberries, cranberries, pomegranate juice, vanilla, cinnamon, very light spice, wood shavings, loamy soils, dry stones, and bright red fragrant florals. The mouthfeel is lean for Bordeaux. The tannins are lighter than dusty...so resolved. You can tell this is 70% Merlot & 20% Cab Franc as the cherries are singing in harmony better than the group America on the album "Horse with No Name" or for you kids "Fifth Harmony." The rest of the fruits are equally amazing, bright, lean, ripe; cherries, dark cherries, strawberries, cranberries & pomegranate juice. Vanilla, cinnamon, very light spice, wood shavings, loamy clay soils, dry, crushed, fine powdery rocks, dry stones & bright red roses/florals. This wine is pictured in the dictionary under pure elegance. The soft, round, acidity pours over the palate. The fruit driven finish goes on and on. I'm not sure this is going to continue to improve. I think it has about 5 years of good drinking left. Producer notes...Chateau Fleur Cardinale was purchased by Dominique and Florence Decoster in 2001. Prior to buying their first Bordeaux wine estate, they were in the fine porcelain and China business in the Limoges region of France. Chateau Fleur Cardinale is located next door to Valandraud & Rol Valentin & near Chateau Faugeres. Fleur Cardinale takes its name from the myriad of roses and other flowers that are planted around the estate. The 24.5-hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Fleur Cardinale is planted to 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The oldest Merlot vines are 60 years old and vineyard average is 40 years. The soils of their terroir are clay over limestone. Since 2013, the vineyard is farmed using organic, self-sustainable techniques. For the vinification, the juice undergoes a cold maceration at 5 degrees Celsius for 5 or 6 days. This is followed by alcoholic fermentation and a warm maceration for 2 to 3 weeks. All the pumping over is done by gravity, which avoids stirring the musts and stressing the yeasts. Chateau Fleur Cardinale is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes. It is also good paired with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta. Photos of, the Chateau and estate vines, beautiful fruit waiting to be delivered to the Chateau and pressed, the gate entrance and barrel room. The 05 vintage is as beautiful as advertised and drinking better than the 2000's I've had in the last two years. This 05 is a steal for just under $50 when I purchased it in 2007.
#SteakandClaretNight — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

First, a person has to pause and realize how lucky they are to drink this wine from 3L. Thanks Clyde for opening. This is in a perfect stage. Such evolution, length, balance, structure. Love the lower 80's alcohol levels. It's rich, lush and near perfect. Dark cassis; ripe and resolved blackberries, dark cherries, black plum w/skin, mixed berry liqueur, tobacco leaf, leather so soft you would wish it as a pillow cover, dry pebbles, dark rich earth, perfect acidity and a rich, elegant, ripe dark fruit finish. In 3L, this wine still has 10-15 years. — 9 years ago

Andres Montoya

9.3

Cigar box, leather, iron, smoke and dried herbs. Absolutely delicious and exciting to smell! A throwback to the other 'classy' 60's bordeauxs' I've had the pleasure of drinking: gun flint, tar, black tea, baking spice: reminds me of freshly toast bread sprinkled with graphite powder. — 9 years ago

with Paula

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.2

Took a Coravin sample. Light on its feet elegant. I would think drink now no need to keep the 2008's. Acidic tannins mellowed out. A great wine. Black currant. Tasted again tastes almost like northern climate Syrah. — 10 years ago

Mike Beltran

8.9

Wonderful soft mixed fruit that have blended into classic claret. Decanted three hours and it was solid food wine all evening. Our 40th anniversary pre-wine. Not tannic like most '75's- mid weight with a nice aromatic finish - a joy to drink. — 10 years ago

Jay Rosen

9.1

Nice nose of dark cherry and coffee Very soft on the palate showing plums and fig to go along with the cherries. Very soft an elegant. Has shed its youthful tannins and is in a perfect spot right now. Start drinking those 03's. — 10 years ago