Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium garnet , medium garnet rim . Aromatic , and slightly funky nose , with herbal, cedar , sous bois , truffle . On the palate this is slightly strict , quite high acidity , slightly gritty tannin , mix of red and dark fruits , herbal tinges , tobacco and earthy finish . Quite linear and elegant . Perhaps slightly rustic , not particularly ambitious but classic ‘gentleman’s club’ claret. Though this is showing quite a lot of tertiary character it is still drinking well , drink now and over the next 5 or so years — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Flight 2 , wine 1 . Quite deep garnet , less terracotta rim . This had a whiff of oxidation about it at first which seemed to somewhat dissipate with time . Some dark spiced fruits , liquorice and menthol hints , cedar and sous bois . On the palate good ripeness and spiced dark cherry hints . Good acidity and rounded tannin . Nice length also , offering some spiced black fruits and menthol hints . Don’t think this is a pristine bottle but was enjoyable none the less , I was unsure at first if this was Napa , but coming back to it … and reading my notes , it became quite obvious . However I had this down as the Ch Montelena , not the Dominus — 10 months ago

Tomi Kovanen

9.0

CostCo viini — 5 years ago

Steve Gerths

9.1

2015 was great vintage in Napa for Pinot Noir — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.4

Taking one for the community & testing the latest release @ £115 - liking the newly embossed bottles 😁 Obviously don't drink until 2020+

🍇 85% Cab S & 15% Cab F

💨 10 hr

🍷 Dark ruby

👃 Finessed gorgeous aromas of violet, black berries, red cherry, smoke, sweet cedar & herbs w/ spice, earth, tea & minerals 😍

👄 Med body of black berry/current w/ fine dry tannins that need time w/ black tea

🎯 Med dry black/red fruits & black tea

Loaded w/ potential just lighter than the 09/11/12 more like 10/13 👍 — 8 years ago

Rob Shore

9.1

So much structure, tannins still taught. Wished another few hours (years?) was available to breathe/age. — 11 years ago

Michael Thambuswamy

9.3

At Hakkasan — 12 years ago

John Malcolm

9.7

An exceptional, full-bodied wine. Tasted a lot of black cherry, currants, cedar, and creme de cassis. Drinking great now, but should last a long time in the cellar. — 8 months ago

Andrew Belzer

9.5

Magnum! Leather, tart cherry, blackberry, cedar. Chalky tannins with bright acidity. What a treat! — 10 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

Age has done this well. Balanced spice, red fruit. — 3 years ago

Chu Capalleja

9.1

Solid wine- dark cherry note; great aerated — 6 years ago

Patrick

9.5

Tasted 6 bottles back to back with zero bottle variance. Savory, singed cedar, hoisin, and intensely aromatic. Plenty of time left. — 8 years ago

Nicole Ives

9.9

Opened an old one for Mother's Day. It decanted for an hour and it was amazing! — 10 years ago

Anna Sangiacomo

9.3

We are having a flight from 2000 to 2004. A really delicious evening of tasting. — 10 years ago

with Meridith and Darlene Kardum

Tom Garland

9.5

1.5 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable purplish magenta color. On the nose: very aeromatic notes of black & red berries, truffles, loamy soil, worn leather, tobacco leaf, floral, herbaceous. Taste: soft, elegant, balanced, layered mouthfeel wine with blackberry, dark plum, leather, crushed granite, dried herbs, and a spiced cedar long finish with some dusty tannins. YUM! At the start of its drinking window with 20-30 years to go, so no rush. — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.2

If this isn’t the first commercially released vintage for Whitehall Lane, it’s gotta be close to it. With the help of Durand, I was able to extract the cork intact and decanted about an hour prior to service. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with some sediment. On the nose, the wine is surprisingly developing (still!) with a mix of ripe and desiccated fruit with brambles, tobacco, green bell peppers, leather, cocoa, earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and the structure is still firm but well integrated. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and a touch savory. What a lovely, surprising bottle! Well-stored examples can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-7 years. — 2 years ago

Ryan Mullins

9.4

Something about the depth and spice reminds me of tempier — 7 years ago

Patrick Fishman

10

Very good. Smooth & bold — 8 years ago

with Dana

Patrick Herrington

9.5

Chewy Cherry tobacco Yountville sourced Bordeaux like blend with long legs! Wow. More more more! — 10 years ago

Richard Steinberg

9.6

Ridiculous after 2 hours in decanter. Close to perfection. Black fruit. Ever lasting gob stopper of cab. — 11 years ago