Classic Rioja. Dark cherry and blackberry nose with cigar box in the background. More dark cherry, plum, leather and mocha on the palate. Chewy tannins and lingering acid through the finish. Powerful but balanced from start to finish. — 9 years ago
A fantastic 2002, this lovely wine shows once more that today there aren't really bad years in Bordeaux, this Pontet Canet was well structured rich and tempting. Deep red, tempting rich multi layered nose ripe cherries, black current, coffee, cigar box, and tea leaves, full rich body, dry tannins, full of black fruit, high acidity and a long chewy finish. Was worth the wait, my score 90. Drink to 2022 — 9 years ago
What a treat. This wine is tasting spectacular right now. Dried herbal notes, cigar box, faint fruitcake notes, cedar, teakwood, cassis, plums, forest floor. Elegant and lean with a bright, red-fruit driven finish. #leovillebarton #1996 #bordeaux #stjulien — 10 years ago

My new house wine — 11 years ago
Delicious but $16. — 12 years ago
Shiraz (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Merlot (7%)
2009
Padthaway, Australia — 13 years ago
1990, perfection. Wonderful boutique of cedar box, clay, and sage. Medium bodied evolved tannins great depth w long finish — 8 years ago
Lovely secondary elements of sweaty saddle leather, cedar and later some cigar box. Soft, integrated tannins. Long finish and very nice nose. — 9 years ago
Great way to warm up on a 20 degree night! 🍷 — 11 years ago
Great with Thanksgiving dinner! — 12 years ago
Black box merlot !! Yummy — 13 years ago
This wine had some tobacco and earth FUNK after it was opened up. The herbaceous and tobacco ash note on the nose was almost identical to the 1980 Beringer State Lane cab. This did blow off after an hour, but the wine was less fruit than I thought it would have been. Lots of dark figgy jam. Tobacco and cigar box. I'm sure the fruit came back after I left, but this would have been 2 hours after opening and just didn't have the time to see this one though, hence the "NR" rating. Impressed by this wine, and probably one of the older Monte Bello wines I've been able to drink. — 8 years ago
Great taste. Not dry. Smooth with a hint of blackberry. Ideally paired with a medium rare steak. — 9 years ago
Black fruits, cedar box, liquorice, cigar box, menthol. Huge structure, chewy tannin, slightly green on the palate, 30s finish. Need more time. 2012 vintage — 9 years ago
Tasty and inexpensive. — 11 years ago
Cigar box cedar. Slate. Plum. Big tannins, lush plump fruit. Deep and complex. Finish goes forever. — 12 years ago
Matt McMonagle
Great value. Really really drinkable. — 8 years ago