Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Mid 20th century fashionable country resort, popular with Hollywood due to 1892 stone Manor House & historic gardens. Blend of 81% Cab Sauv, 11% Merlot, 4% Malbec, rest other Rhone varieties, aged 20 months in 37% new French oak. Dark Ruby, aromas of ripe berry fruits, herbs & spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry & black currant with vanilla oak and earthy notes. Well balanced, fine tannins long finish ending with fruit, espresso notes and sweet spice! Nice now and will drink well over next decade. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Opened another recently, legendary wine, said that in the 18th century was introduced to Sultan of Constantinople's palace b/c of its clarity and called "mineral water from Carbonnieux", defying Islamic law. Pale lemon with pronounce aromas of tropical and stone fruits with herb notes. On the palate flavors of melon, mango, apple, green herbs and a crisp mineral edge. Medium+ length, balanced acidity, ending with a fruit, citrus mineral character. Nice, aging well. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

History of Chapoutier family dates back to the early 19th century when current owner Michel Chapoutier’s great-, great-, great-grandfather Marius purchased estate & famous l’Hermitage vineyards. Medium Ruby with aromas of rich red/black fruits and spice. On the palate raspberry, cherry & black currant flavors with notes of oak. Firm tannins, well balanced ending with fruit, spice and cedar. Very nice! Tasting Sample. Has lots of room to bottle evolve. — 5 years ago

jacqueline

9.4

Dry finish. Light fruity. Not too spicy. Great for sipping, the bite isn't too sharp. Would go well with red meat. The spiciness would cut fattier dishes well. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had this about 10 months ago, still very nice. Located halfway up the hill dominating the principal valley of Barolo, supported by steep slopes lined by orderly vineyards, lies the 15th century Abbey of Annunziata. Dark Ruby with ripe berry fruits and pepper spice. On the palate cherry and strawberry, some spice, well balanced with savory chewy tannins on a medium finish ending with mineral notes. Great value. Tasting Sample. — 6 years ago

Rob Krapf

9.0

Cherry and pepper. Still holding up after a quarter century. — 7 years ago

Stephen Pierron

9.8

Beautiful wine! 2009 Margaux from Château D'Issan ...even more enjoyable knowing that we have actually visited and toured the 15th century Château....one of the few actually surrounded by a moat!

Will post tasting notes soon, but this bottle opened up beautifully. 😀🍷🇫🇷 — 8 years ago

with Jen

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Located halfway up the hill dominating principal valley of Barolo, lined by vineyards, lies a precious 15th century Abbey of Annunziata. Medium Ruby with complex aromas of berry fruits, oak and fresh floral scents. On the palate dried cherry, tobacco, licorice, espresso and fresh herbs give this full-body wine grace and elegance. Soft fine dusty tannins, with earthy notes, on a well balanced frame makes this hot vintage wine approachable today as well as have room to run over the next decade. Very Nice! — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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10

The 1955 La Mission Haut-Brion is not only one of the best vintages ever made at the estate, but also represents one of the top five Bordeaux wines of the 20th century. This was my fourth bottle and to give it a perfect score was easy. Clear in color, it sports a bouquet that is unbelievably intense and yet refined, delivering a kaleidoscope of aromas: black fruit, crushed rock, freshly rolled tobacco and shaved black truffles (but not the aniseed note I noticed in previous examples). The palate is exquisitely poised, brimming over with tension and energy undimmed by the passing years, and symmetrical on the finish. Hints of blood orange linger tantalizingly on the aftertaste. You almost laugh at the unequivocal perfection. Tasted at the La Mission Haut-Brion dinner at Amuse Bouche in Hong Kong. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2021)
— 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Founded at end of 1800 when Lavinio Franceschi, Florence land owner, visited the area. Over a century later, Tenuta covers an area of 530 hectares (140 planted with vines; 50 with olive trees). Aged in French oak for 36 months, 100% Sangiovese hand picked from 20-year old vines. A Gem! Deep Ruby. rich berry fruit aromas with complex spice. Palate has rich berry fruit flavors, baked cherry, with tobacco, cacao & subtle spice. Soft tannins, long finish ending with seductive earthy tones. Nice, aged well! — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

An 18th century chateau, overlooking the Isle valley, facing Pomerol and the Saint-Emilion limestone hillsides, belonged to the same family for three centuries took over by Michel Rullier in 1955, and his daughter Brigitte took the helm in 2002. Dark Ruby with an array of berry aromas and smoky scents. On the palate plum and cherry flavors with cacao, tobacco and smoky cedar notes with herb spice. Firm chalky tannins, long finish ending with earthy mineral notes. Still tasting ok, but drink now! — 6 years ago

John Bjorklund

9.1

Wonderful 9 year old wine. Soft and supple and dances on the tongue. Perfect by itself. Corked it and it was skunked in 24 hrs. 😣 — 7 years ago

Jeff Loo

9.2

Always fun to drink this with fellow wine lovers, such a fun wine but sad to see the price tag that you have to pay for it now. — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

Poured from a 375. This wine, even from 375, was really firing on all cylinders and maybe even a bit locked up for the first hour, just shows you that any vintage in the 21st century really should be locked up in the vault, not seeing the light of day for another 10 years from 375. This wine had a classic Pauillac nose. My initial thought was a young Pichon however even Pichon young seems to have more mushroom, more earthy loam and gravel and this one was just so damn smooth in its earthy notes. The wine was robust on the front, lots of earth, mushroom enhancing the youthful blackberry notes. Finished with some peppery notes. Great terroir notes. This wine was awesome, and I think I probably drank half of this while Walter drank the Spoto :) — 8 years ago

with Dan

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Family history dates back to the 16th century. Name of Grand-Puy, mentioned in documents from Middle Ages, comes from ancient term "puy" means "hillock, small height". Since 16th century, property was passed from generation to generation, until 1920s when the Borie's bought the property.  80% Cab Sauv, 80% new oak, aromas of ripe red fruits with floral spice. Palate shows blackberry and cherry fruit, well balanced, nice oak integration, chewy tannins ending with spicy mineral tones. — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.4

64% Cab 30% Merlot 3 % cab franc 3 % Petit Verdot 90 points across the board on release, time heals all wounds!
K&L notes as follows.
Another $45.00 Steal

I often imagine the vine as a family tree, stretching back centuries, in this case, to 1550 or so, when La Louvière acquired its name from the many hungry wolves (louves) that roamed the deep forests of the Graves, well before the construction of the elegant 18th century chateau that adorns the label of this flagship wine. This brief history lesson makes me appreciate even more the imposing qualities of the 2005 La Louvière, a wine with a lot of time on its hands. Firm and taut as a young wolf, with the strong heart to endure and improve for a decade or more, gracefully maturing into a benchmark Pessac-Léognan, stylish and fleshier, more supple and savoury as the willful tannins are further seduced by the dark and persuasive fruit. If you really can't wait, then bite the cork, figuratively, and decant for an hour before enjoying with gently-braised lamb shanks. — 5 years ago

Brett Owens

8.9

Very good for price — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Foot of the Andes Mountains on banks of Maipo River in Upper Maipo Valley, 650 meters above sea level, vineyard dates back to mid-19th century, when first pre-phylloxera French varieties were brought to Chile, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits & mineral notes, a blend of 92% Cab Sauv & 8% Cab Franc, aged for 15 month in French oak (65% new). On the palate flavors cherry & blackberry with powerful tannins, long finish, very tight, ending with mineral and tobacco notes. Needs ten years. Tasting Sample! — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

History of Chapoutier family dates back to early 19th century when current owner Michel Chapoutier’s great-, great-, great-grandfather Marius purchased estate & famous l’Hermitage vineyards. Deep Purple (with a little smoke on the water), 100% Grenache with aromas of dark fruit and complex exotic spice. Plum, berry & current flavors with nutty tobacco develops into sweet licorice. Tannins a bit grippy but will soften, lingering, balance ending with fruit and spice. Nice!
— 7 years ago

Jason McLaren

9.2

Medium fruit. Some earthiness. Never their best year after year — 7 years ago