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. — 8 months ago

Judi Kruse

8.9

Great red - especially for the price. — 2 years ago

Willem Booij

9.2

Ok it’s not the greatest year, but this wine is very nice. A real classic Margaux with stil some dark forest fruit, some pencil and a box filled with vanilla stuffed Havana’s. Not a full bodied wine but a real charmer. — 4 years ago

Phil Castellano

9.1

Great IPA to start a Monday evening! #cigarcitybrewing — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 1982 Chateau Léoville-Barton red wine is a stunning bottling from this famed vintage in Bordeaux. Generously shared by some friends, and needing very little time in the decanter to evolve, the 1982 Léoville-Barton opens with a captivating nose of sour red cherry, cigar box with shades of white truffle and a striking herbaceousness. There is a wonderful, seamless quality to this wine that evokes a harmonious balance on the mid-palate. A bright saline streak dashes through this incredible wine. Showing a wonderfully soft mouthfeel, the wine slowly unveils layers of sour red fruits, exotic spices, red bell pepper, anise and hints of wild blackberry that all marvelously combine with the toasty oak. While absolutely delightful now, this stunning wine will has more than a decade of life left. Drink 2019-2035- 95

— 6 years ago

Laura Diefenderfer

9.0

Great taste. Not dry. Smooth with a hint of blackberry. Ideally paired with a medium rare steak. — 9 years ago

Angie Albrecht

8.9

Classic fave that brings back great memories of hanging out with Chef @David Bland Good times! — 9 years ago

Lisa Hallgren

9.6

1976 Vintage. Pretty amazing. Iron & earth, tobacco, cigar box, straw, dried prunes, and dried savory. All the good stuff. — 10 years ago

PJ

9.5

Great way to warm up on a 20 degree night! 🍷 — 11 years ago

Rachel Hughes

9.0

Shiraz (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Merlot (7%)
2009
Padthaway, Australia — 13 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Rich dark fruits, sweet on the palate, spice box, graphite, mocha & tobacco — 8 months ago

Jessica Knickerbocker

9.0

Very nice drink. Lingers in the mouth nicely with a smooth feel. — 9 months ago

Guillermo Camacho

9.1

Classic example. The oak is not as coconut and dill heavy and the fruit is a bit more forthright than some other Rioja producers. Nose of cigar red and blue berries. Palate of bright fruit with medium acid and tannin. Drinking well now, but this still has plenty, plenty of life. — 3 years ago

William Goldsmith

9.7

Elegant as Bevan goes. Not quite Parker 100 but quite good, esp for 2011. I’ve raised the rating twice. — 5 years ago

with Harry and Ryann

Bill Bender

9.2

Moving fuel. 42 year old Tempranillo and a uniquely American delicacy to celebrate Independence Day 🧀 🇺🇸 I’m unpacking boxes and listening to the Padres vs Dodgers so other than the wine I’m full throttle Americana today. The Vina Todonia cork dropped in to the bottle immediately upon contact from the Durand so I was not hopeful....but it’s totally intact and it presents with significant bricking in the decanter with expected brown and red tones and is chock full of secondary notes of burnt fig, savory smoke, cigar and soil. Soft tannins and waning acidity but it seems to be putting on “weight” as the afternoon progresses. Another solid showing from this producer at an advanced age. Great stuff. Happy 4th of July to all!! 🍎 ⚾️ 🍷 ☀️ — 6 years ago

Guillermo Camacho

9.2

Wine held up extremely well for age, maintained concentration but still complexified. Dark blue/red fruit, spice box, and chocolate on the nose. An ensemble of fruit on the palate with an amazing acidity that continued to tease out nuances. Extra .1 for showing it’s ability to age gracefully. — 7 years ago

Kyle Groombridge

9.3

"I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon"... I can see why Nicolas Alexandre Marquis de Segur said these iconic words after having this wine in my glass. The nose is so inviting with warm spice, cigar smoke, embers, and toast. Raspberry syrup, plums, vanilla, and toffee on the palate. Nice thread of smoke throughout with nice balancing fresh fruit. What an enjoyable wine! 20 months in new oak - obviously the more accessible style the new owners are going for... the Pinot the other night gave an experience, this one tells a story. — 9 years ago

Holly Orchard

Certified Sommelier, President of Savvy Cellar Wines Inc.

9.0

Surprisingly good- 13.9% but feels a little hotter. The tannins are noticeable but not too bold.This is classic California cabernet, but time has allowed it to become more integrated and balanced- notes of ripe dark fruits, boysenberry, cassis, plum, cedar, violets, cedar box, and unfortunately a touch of "steminess". Not a fantastic wine, but a really solid domestic classic, which went great with our beef filets and creamed kale. — 10 years ago

Sean Fischa

9.1

My new house wine — 11 years ago

Jarrod McCann

9.7

Beautiful St Estephe 23 yo and not yet peaked. Fresh berry fruit, red and blue, chokecherry, cigar box,mocha, thyme, cinnamon, crushed granite, — 9 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Rustic old school styled Bordeaux with black fruits, cedar, leather, earth, graphite & cigar box. A wine I have had many times that is just hitting its prime with many years ahead — 9 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant(decent fine/chunky sediment). A majestic purplish dark magenta color. On the nose: bursting from the glass are notes of red and black fruit, charred wood, milk chocolate, some mint, touch of cigar box. Taste: smooth, delicate, elegant wine with red berries/plum, leather, gravel, herbaceous, mocha, and a spiced tobacco medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant, but no hurry, time to go. — 2 years ago

with Brenda

Mattias Söderberg

9.2

Red fruit, lesthery nose!! — 5 years ago

with Andreas

Jonathan Toobi

9.3

Love this unfiltered red blend, gallivanter, nice acidic start and berry finish, light to medium bodied, really tasty and easy drinking, — 5 years ago

Paul Koplitz

9.0

Best box wine I’ve had. Worth every penny. — 7 years ago

Alex Tso

9.2

A classic. — 7 years ago

Matt

9.4

Dusty, cigar ash, R. Apple skins, dried earth, spices, dried herbs, smoke. Structurally this wine is very sound with vibrant acid and tannin still holding on. Almost Nebbiolo-like in texture and elegance. Very pretty and beautiful. — 9 years ago

Michael Descamps

9.1

Beautifully layered aromatics of crushed ripe plum, tinder box, tobacco leaf, and sandalwood. Palate is very closed still with very pronounced tannin. This is going to be a really nice wine in a couple years. — 10 years ago

Can Huynh

9.1

The crushed herbs, cigar smoke tickle the top palate. Savoury dark chocolate intermingled dark fruits play around but the tannins are big and slide across your tongue like a thick leather belt. Needs time. With fillet mignon and mushroom sauce. — 10 years ago

Lisa Kinser

10

Great with Thanksgiving dinner! — 12 years ago