Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.

The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.

Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — a year ago

Joe Flo

9.5

The Petrus of Napa 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet. 2 hrs decanting definitely helped. — 3 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.0

I did a side by side tasting of all of the Moueix projects in Pomerol and St. Emilion (except Petrus) and this was our favorite and is wonderful for the price. It is smooth and elegant. — 4 years ago

with Rosario

Bob McDonald

9.5

Initial aromas of cedar box, fruit and nut chocolate and a herbal nuance. With air a note of violet after about 2 hours. On the medium to full bodied palate absolutely fluid and seamless with that berry and dark chocolate note but largely restrained. Such perfect balance that nothing really jumps out. From my limited experience with Napa Valley Cabernets I have always thought that Dominus is the most Bordeaux like of these Cabs. Not surprising when you know the owner Christian Moueix is the owner of Petrus and other right bank icons. Linda Murphy for Jancis said “Could be Christian Moueix’s best Dominus.” — 5 years ago

Kyle Harvey

9.2

I wish I could have had two more glasses of this laser like focus of citrusy pillowy brioche bread, excellent BdB from your favorite @Scott Petrus — 6 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.2

Beautiful expression of Bordeaux. Aged gracefully with years to go. Graphite, restrained but still present fruit, leather, and coco. Was a favorite for @Scott Petrus and I, but hated by the neophytes. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A rich ruby red. Plummy dusty notes. A slight barnyard manure note. Pipe Tobacco, dark chocolate. Medium plus bodied palate. Smooth supple fine tannins. Part of the Moueix stable. Someone wrote “a feminine counterpoint to Petrus”. Haven’t had enough of either Cuvée to verify that. A wonderful expression of right bank Merlot from a great vintage. 70% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc. Only 1500 cases made. — 2 years ago

Martinez

9.0

Melon de Bourgogne by Jerome Bretaudeau from vineyards on granite soils. Raised in concrete egg for 18 months. Green apple, citrus and minerals on the nose. Quite rich, round, textured, saline. Good length — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

See previous note which was my longest ever Delectable note. This wine has such an interesting story. Virtually unknown and surrounded by Right Bank royalty like Evangile, La Dominique and Petrus. Mainly Merlot with a small % of Cabernet Franc. Dark fruits with blackberry and a touch of vanilla. Only medium weight with soft fine tannins. Quite detuned. Cost $45 and drinks to its price point unlike the expensive wines produced by the neighbours. This tiny 0.4 hectare block’s grapes would normally be absorbed by one of the neighbours and end up in a much more expensive Cuvée. The previous Delectable note is incorrectly called Chateau Vieux Chantecaille but the lengthy description refers to this same wine. — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Looks like peach nectar, with the lightest, looping bubbles in a loose bunch atop, becomes a petri sample of fruit fungus, then all clear to firework lacing and morning mist. Big wood notes, though not as toasty in parts, cigar box, funky softwood of dead forest fall, ripe for mushrooms. Lovely dried lemon peel, orange peel, and dried apricot in cigar boxes, live pineapple and pencil shavings in a clean attic. On the palate, yellow cherry, funky sour pineapple, lime-cedar, lemongrass, savory, dried okra, a drop of orange bitters, nose filling blood orange, and lemon oil for the duration. Fantastic nuances, amazing balance, woody depth. Just fine craftsmanship here, from the old school. — 6 years ago

thomas huston

9.2

juicy and tart pét nat syrah — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Château Lafleur-Gazin is situated between Château Lafleur and Château Gazin, and its immediate neighbor is Petrus - I bet that’s one hell of a neighborhood potluck. Currant, cocoa, fig, graphite, and cedar, with a bitter coffee streak that runs through it. — 7 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.5

Impossible for me to say this wasn't the wine of the night, then the Palari came along. That impossible debate aside, this is an incredible expression of Nebbiolo. Nuanced, elegant, beautifully integrated tannins, and silky smooth finish that seemed endless. Violets, cherry, leather, and tar harmoniously paired together. Special wine, thanks @Scott Petrus. — 8 years ago

with Scott and Kyle

Steven Lee

9.3

xmas 2022 red 6. Close location to Petrus. Owned by some chinese. Stony mineral — 3 years ago

Nicolas Greinacher

9.5

Tasted blind. Totally different in style from the more elegant 1970 Château Petrus, the 1964 Château Cheval Blanc bursts with brettanomyces notes, but aristocratic and interesting rather than off-putting. Once your sense of smell gets past the brett, pronounced aromas of earth, dried plums and figs, cinnamon, licorice and mint emerge. Full-bodied, densely structured, concentrated and powerful, this is a hedonistic, sexy beast of a wine, waiting to be unleashed. Drink now. — 3 years ago

Daron Watson

9.5

Vintage Lambic “which has matured for three years in oakwood barrels and has been selected for its exceptional colour, taste and flavour.”
“Powerful yet elegant, Bruocsella can be considered the missing link between the worlds of wine and beer. Since there is no secondary fermentation in the bottle Bruocsella is a flat, non-sparkling beer.”
“This aristocratic beer is to our national beer patrimony what Mouton-Rotschild, Petrus or Romanée-Conti are to the wines.”

apples, dried apricot, candied ginger, honey, soft cheese rind

addition of artisanal bread, cantaloupe, apricot marmalade ~ ricola

gritty woody breadth w an intense sour acidic mid palate lift
— 4 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.1

Pretty sure Muscadet does not get better — 6 years ago

Jan A

9.1

Merlot dominated Bordeaux blend. Smooth drinker. This winery is located 300m from château Petrus and direct neighbors of château Gazin and Château Evangile. At 20 euro's a bottle excellent qpr. — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The first of three Lafleur vintages. Quite a tiny Vineyard at only 3.75 hectares or 9.26 acres. Blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. Lafleur owes its reputation to the complexity of its terroir. Mainly Gravel on clay and sandy clay it varies across the property into 4 sub-sections which are picked and vinified separately. An annual production of around 1000 dozen. The 2006 is dense, restrained and subtle with a long life ahead. Precise round and generous. Imperious - brilliant wine. Touch of dark chocolate. Our host said that Lafleur has to be caught at the right time whereas Petrus is more forgiving. Probably because of the tiny size of Lafleur. — 7 years ago

Michael McNabb

9.0

Wow!!! Most intense amaro I've ever tasted. — 8 years ago