David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot. — 7 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

Taken to Hawksmoor in NYC for our uncle’s 75th. Decanted in hotel for 7 hrs before dinner. Dark reddish amber edges with dark tawny color center. Opaque. Great aged Bordeaux nose. Notes of black fruit, tobacco and cigar, cassis, old desk wood, saddle leather, some anise, some barnyard and a little mint. Rich and silky in the mouth. Long finish. The bottle (mid shoulder) wasn’t in as good of condition as the one we had a few weeks ago, but the outcome was similar. Family and the Somm all loved it, as did I. — 2 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Last night in MT at the lake. Gave this several hours of air. Nice dark tawny color. Vibrant in the glass. The nose is great right away and stayed on point through the evening. Notes of black cherries, warm raspberries, old cedar, some plums and a little leather saddle. Rich and silky in the mouth. Velvet glove. Long finish. Great wine. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.1

Definitely more hop influence on this one. Definitely believe the 64 IBU rating. Floral hop with a little bit of Tangerine. Nice malt but is not overpowering. Just a little sumpin sumpin on Sunday night — 6 years ago

Mike Matteucci

9.2

2014 a little soon, but couldn't wait to try for 5 more years — 7 years ago

Greg Gregory

10

Spectacular! Mind blowing. One of my top 10 of all time. On every serious wine lover’s bucket list, and here we had a nigh perfect bottle. While aromatically a little recalcitrant, you still got some of the Margaux violets and potpourri on the nose, hints of clove, all trying to shake off their doldrums. But on the palate, it was timelessly ravishing. The finesse, richness, balance and smoothness, with an underlying, almost flabbergasting mixture of complexity and delicacy, was just astonishing. The finish is marvelously sweet and intense, with chocolate and cassis and utterly seamless tannins. This is a miracle of wine making and an exaltation of vintage and terroir besides. Wow! And bravo! We can only pray for an encore of such a wine. — 8 years ago

Martin Frowde

9.2

Drinking the 1991 in 2016 after over 2 hours of decanting. Wonderful light sherry type nose with a hint of pepper and quite brick red colour around the edges. Such a soft texture on the tongue though still a little astringency on the finish. Very good. — 9 years ago

with Georgina

Alfonso Faustino

9.7

This is an excellent wine. Full, robust, and had a little spice to it. — 10 years ago

Kamall

9.0

Drinking pretty well for a baby B — 8 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.4

Deep purple in color; plums, black cherries, and oak on the nose; high acidity; high tannins; a little hot; tastes like black plums, licorice (I think), and blackberry jam with a long peppery finish. Nellie likes it. I do too, but it's more fruit forward than what I prefer lately, but very good — 9 months ago

with Nellie

Chris Dickerson

9.5

2014. Just really good. May have aged a little longer, but definitely drinkable right now. — 4 years ago

Lamar Hannah

9.0

Finally had. Very little to no acid. Went great with Carmel dessert — 5 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.3

Tonight’s nightcap 🥃

During our stay at the hospital for the birth of our son some dear friends of ours brought my wife & I a care package. In it were all manner of goodies and treats, as well as a bottle of champagne and this scotch. They know us all too well 🤫🤷🏻‍♂️
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Caramel, creme brûlée, charred orange peels, and Christmas spice cake on the nose. Mild notes of moss on the palate with a pronounced but welcome warmth on the way down. Smooth and perfectly suitable for ending the day with. — 5 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.5

21 April 2017. Rouge Tomate, New York, NY. — 7 years ago

Peter Lutz

9.1

What can I say? I love a granache. — 7 years ago

Nick N

10

Wow. Like a berry pie with a little spice — 8 years ago

Robert Torretti

9.0

Had over the course of a couple of nights. First night was a classic Chinon on the nose and palate, although a little lighter bodied than many other Olgas I have had. Good spice on the palate and barnyard on the nose. Second night the nose was similar but the palate mellowed. A solid Chinon but not the best I've had. Still a good value in the high-20s. — 8 years ago

Ncb

9.3

2890@vinos well balanced — 10 years ago

Rhys Thomas

9.7

Really good reasonable wine- £12 at waitrose — 11 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

From a just opened owc purchased on release. This needed a little air to show mostly black fruits with spice box, dried herbs, earth, leather & tobacco notes. — 9 months ago

Mary H

9.1

Finally busting this one out… Happy 2023! Toasty and a little funky. Superfine bubbles and lemon brioche loaf. — a year ago

with George

Yuki Watanabe

9.0

Dark ripe fruits, hint of cigar. Well balanced tannin warms the whole mouth. Pleasant warmth lingers in your throat. Excellent blend! — 3 years ago

Kimberly Anderson

9.3

Beautiful scents of black plum and a little vanilla. On the feminine side for a Napa Cab. Precise flavors of black fruit, tobacco, leather with an under layer of smoke. Nice smooth finish — 5 years ago

with Chad

Mike Saviage

9.4

Tasted blind. Tawny color, translucent with amber rims. Notes of black cherry, cedar, some spice and a little barnyard floor. Sweet fruit in the mouth, with tannins fully resolved. Guessed 1955 Calon Segur. Perfect looking bottle, the cork revealed this bottle was reconditioned by the Chateau in 2000. — 6 years ago

Keith Fisher

9.7

As you would expect from Manfred. After a while you just run out of superlatives and just sit there with a Syrah stained smile on your face. Rich dark fruit with beef blood smell (that term doesn’t do justice to how interesting and delicious the combination really is). Tremendous finish, dark color to the edge. Just a great wine experience. My only bottle. I have no clue how long this wine could go before peaking. — 6 years ago

Robert

9.2

Excellent choice of wine — 8 years ago

Quinton L DuBose

9.0

Oaky, but not too much, very full flavor with a velvet finish. A little bit of pecan, and a tart cherry flavor. VERY good. — 8 years ago

Rejeana Scarpello

9.5

Night in with Biag — 8 years ago

Barb Anderson

8.9

A little sweet, easy drinking red blend. — 9 years ago

Alejandro Artigas

9.9

It's still a puppy and needed a good amount to open up. From start to finish one of the best American Pinots I've had. Elegant and complex, red fruit and a lot of earth notes. — 10 years ago