Brian Borsook

9.9

An extremely well-cellared bottle with pristine cork. Deep, complex, full-bodied and tasting like it still has many good years. Notes of black cherry, currant, leather and spice. Comparable to the best left bank Bordeaux. — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, & Charbono. Deep Ruby color with aromas of ripe berry fruits and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of cherry, blackberry and plum with cacao, baking spice and vanilla. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice and tobacco notes. — 3 months ago

Jeremy.Buss

9.1

Very good Nebbiolo with hints of cherry, spice, licorice, and pepper. Enjoyable with our meal or simply sipping. — 4 months ago

Paul K

9.3

I think this may be my first ever Barbaresco. Decanted for four hours. Having alongside short rib bolognese home made all the way.
Medium body. Transparent garnet with tawny edge. Lots going on with the nose! Strawberries, spice, flowers, dusty stone, just a hint of leather, and cedar. On the palate pomegranate, cherry, strawberry, cranberry, and sweet tobacco. Will not be my last Barbaresco! — 4 months ago

Jess

9.1

Deep ruby color.
Aromas of blackberry/raspberry compote, spice.
Dry. Flavors of black cherry, leather, peppercorn,
Espresso, roasted red pepper, roasted herbs. Rich, chewy tannins.
Intensity: 3/5
Complexity: 4/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 7 months ago

Jody Scharf

9.1

Strawberries, light cherry, some floral.
Color rose red. Nice vino — 7 months ago

Marc Melser

9.4

We had the 2007 Vintage on 8/10-11/24. This has all the scents and flavors of a great Brunello: black cherry, strawberry, leather tobacco and spice. Medium to full bodied. Nice finish. — 9 months ago

Jon Ebsworth

9.2

Light and supple with earthy cherry finish on the palate. — 2 years ago

.

9.4

This was a late addition to a tasting of 2007 Tuscan wines I held last week, and was the only Brunello in the bunch. It was served last. Everyone really enjoyed this wine. After almost 4 hours of decanting, it delivered a silky mouth feel, terrific black cherry fruit, and perfect balance of acidity, fruit, and tannins. A sweet spice accent showed up in the finish. This was one of the best bottles of Il Poggione I’ve had to date. Delicious. — 6 years ago

Eric Guido

9.4

The nose was dark with woodsy floral tones offset by red berry, leather, hints of clove and star anise. It was soft with silky textures on the palate. Youthful but not tannic with perfectly balanced acidity enlivening flavors of tart cherry, spice, and minerals. The finish showed it's youthful structure with dried red fruits, inner floral tones and hints of cedar. This is beautiful and just entering what is sure to be a long drinking window. — 9 years ago

Shay A

9.3

(Two previous 1983 wine reviews never made it on here, so copying from my CT).

Continuing a run of ‘83s over the last 3-6 months, this not only showed quite well, but it was at its best after almost two hours in the bottle. Whereas the ‘83 Pichon was clean and elegant, this was a bit more dense and powerful. Beautifully expressive aromatics of potpourri, espresso, fig and leather with a flavor profile mostly on the red/black fruit side of the spectrum. The mid-palate showed good weight and continued to bulk-up during the evening. Old cherry-tobacco note at the finish. Honestly, this drank like it was more early ‘90s than it was early ‘80s. Good. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over four days and fairly consistent throughout. The 2020 Riserva pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart red fruit: raspberry, Morello cherry, red plum, black tea, red flowers, dried green herbs, and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now through 2035 easy. — 3 months ago

Lea

9.2

Stunning. Cherry cola with a tinge of leather. Soft and magically complex. Love. — 4 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Youthful that will benefit with air, drinking beautifully with its bright red cherry, berry fruit, dried herbs, leather, savory spice, rose petal & tobacco notes — 5 months ago

Jess

8.9

Deep ruby color.
Aromas of tobacco, cherry, tomato leaf.
Dry. Flavors of tomato leaf, tobacco, leather, dried cherry. Rich, chewy tannins.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 4/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 7 months ago

Victor Hsu

9.0

A good, solid California Cab but what’s all the fuss about? I’m seeing ratings of 98, 99, even 100 from JS. Really? No way. This is a clear case of praise crossing over into hype. Granted, still a bit young and not at its peak but after five years in the bottle and an hour of decanting it needs to be more than just fine if it wants to justify stratospheric scores. This wine compares unfavorably to Ridge Monte Bello, Stags Leap Cask 23 and other peers. It lacked sophistication and poise—where’s the promised minerality, graphite, cedar shavings, oak, leather, blackcurrant, cherry, and complex balance of fine grained tannins, fruit, acid and alcohol? Where? We chose this wine for a birthday dinner at Lawry’s Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. Not a disaster but a disappointment given our high expectations (and the high price).
— 7 months ago

Pooneet K

9.2

Really quite nice, and a perfect pairing with a Tuscan style bistecca. Have wanted to try Isole e Olena for a while but I think this was the first time. Dark cherry, some dusty restrained tannins, excellent acid of course. Another nice 2020 Chianti. — 10 months ago

Kai Wright

9.4

For a 2020 tree trimming, a trip to 1968 felt appropriate... and it’s got staying power.... Leather, woody herbs, prunes and dried cranberry, funky mid palate, a long cherry finish, bright acid. An elegant old guy. — 4 years ago

with Jedd, Kris and 1 other

Neal Ferry

9.2

tu es magnifique dans les robes — 7 years ago

with TwiLea

Jiga Hitorn

9.6

Cherry tobacco, good acidity. Like a top Bordeaux — 10 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and half a % each of Malbec and Merlot, aged 15 months in 33% new French oak, 51% of fruit from Atlas Peak District, deep Ruby with aromas of vibrant dark fruit, sweet spice and herbs. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with tobacco spice, toasty oak, cinnamon and floral notes. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, cedar, mocha and mineral character, Nice, should age well. — 3 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Dark Ruby with aromas of ripe berry fruit and floral spice, pure Caymus signature style, easy drinking, approachable as always. On the palate flavors of ripe blackberry, black cherry and currants with complex spice showing notes of cacao, cinnamon and rich vanilla oak. Fine soft tannins, nice mouthfeel, great balance with acidity, long finish, ending with notes of oak and mineral notes. Nice! — 3 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.3

Wow this is too young! Opened it, had a glass, then left it on counter for 24 hours. Better, but still needs more air. Cassis, dried meats, cherry, herbs, a bit of wood, more red fruits. It’s all there just need to open it in a decade. — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Medium Ruby color with aromas dark red fruits, black tea and ample floral spice, aged in 20% new French oak for 10 months. On the palate flavors of black cherry, blackberry and plum with tobacco, cedar, black pepper, tea and vanilla spice. Soft fine tannins, long finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with fruit, herb, spice and earthy wet stone character. Nice! — 5 months ago

Will Stanley

9.4

A gift from my old man for my thirtieth birthday this year. My last experience with this wine was the 2001, enjoyed around ten years ago. I described then how the wine lived up to its popular reputation. Happy to reaffirm that feeling with this 1994, that is an absolutely gorgeous, captivating wine that ticks every box one may have for older Rioja. It marries sweet with sour in that way that the best wines from this region do, a medley of ripe blueberries with sour cherry; bitter orange, coconut, balsamic, tobacco and cranberry. The finish is long, with flecks of sweetness that beg you for another sip. I would imagine that Faustino produce in excess of a million bottles of this stuff, given the size of their holdings, which only impresses me even more that it turns out so well. — 6 months ago

Byron Hewett

9.1

This is a beauty. Sour cherry, mineral backbone with herbal savory hints. 11% abv. — 8 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

8.9

Medium ruby color. Aromas of cherry, cranberry, baking spices and hint of cedar/cigar box. Flavorful, cherry and cedar on the finish. Magnum bottle with MTG night. — 9 months ago

Colin Cahoon

9.3

Nose is dark red fruit with blackberry, blueberry, and cooked strawberry. Palate is dark cherry, cooked strawberry, ripe blackberry, rhubarb, ripe fig, caramel, cola, oak, cedar, mushroom, green pepper, cinnamon, and truffles. Medium tannins, high acid, medium alcohol, and long finish. An outstanding Chinon. — 2 years ago

with Susan

Alex Hughes

9.3

Intense dark cherry with a long finish. Oak is well integrated + well developed tertiary aromas/flavors. Tannins were surprisingly soft for a Dunn this young. — 6 years ago

Nöel Turner

9.0

Smooth and mellow. Fruity. — 10 years ago