Matt

9.1

Has a cool vintage personality to it, the acid is elevated and tannins are still firm albeit softening from the wines upbringing. Im a fan, there’s a lot of complexity on the nose, taking this classically-styled Rioja beyond what archetypal things might come to mind with this benchmark wine. Soulful and almost old school Bordeaux-like. Current, dried raspberry, stewed plum and dried black cherry, gravel pushing into graphite, tobacco, sous bois, wet leaves, juniper, leather, American oak, pipe smoke. Considerable freshness for such a tertiary wine. The elevated VA could be a problem for some, I enjoyed the lift. — 5 years ago

Charles Denois Lito

9.5

1988 vintage
Fantastic balance and complexity. — 7 years ago

Jon Ruyle

9.6

Amazing complexity. Dark fruit, and a finish in which herbs dominate minerals. Tons going on throughout the finish. — 8 years ago

Ebbe Bonde Soerensen

9.5

A wonderful color, nose fantastic multiplex, a hint of oak but also minerals and fatness, taste delicious velvet fullbodied Chardonnay , is approachable but needs more time to develope more complexity. — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.2

Deep garnet red with lots of bricking on the edges. Light cassis and dark cherries on the nose with some tertiary notes like earthiness and damp leaves. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of complexity with light cassis and dark cherries, a little bit of tomato leaves and earthiness. Very well rounded and integrated with a long finish. This will only keep losing fruit and get earthier with time. Drink now. — 8 years ago

with Sean and India

Austin Beeman

9.7

Tasted with finest provenance - direct at the winery. A beautiful and perfect mature version of Monte Bello that has transformed into the kind of secondary aromas and flavors you most likely find in fine Bordeaux. The color is an attractive medium-light red with a hint of amber at the edges. The nose is all red apple skins and the bright earthy aromas of the forrest floor in Fall. Palate is herbal with tea and rose petals, herbs, and tobacco. Fruit isn't gone, but overwhelmed by the complexity of the other elements. Finish in long (about 60 seconds) and echoes the complexity of the palate.One of the finest "Old California" wines I've yet tasted. A revelation that shows Monte Bello to be a European wine trapped in a California label. $400 Winery Retail. www.austinbeeman.com — 9 years ago

Haley Rowland

10

Terrific nose, good fruit, wonderful complexity, lingering finish. — 10 years ago

DrinkBordeaux

9.6

Impressive complexity and concentration. Nose of dark ripe fruit, truffle, and violet. Silky smooth palate, round tannins. Enjoyable now, but will really improve with time! — 10 years ago

Mark Gunning

9.2

Classic Musar complexity on the nose. Not as tannic as the 2005 and a bit more approachable than the last vintage. Lots of black fruits. Still lots of ageing potential. — 11 years ago

Peter Windred

9.6

4 yrs in oak, 4 yrs in bottle, 10% gracriano for acid and ageing, 90% temp
C:Garnet, med int,
A: med + int, cooked straw, chocolate, choc, tobacco, leather hints, aniseed, cloves, complex, vanillin obvious,
P: quite conc, long length, lovely rubber temp finish, soft tannins. spice, strawberry and mocha flavours persist.
Great classic wine with lots of concentration from a great year suggesting much more potential to come. 35 Euros.. Good value. Fab wine. Fully expect more tertiary flavours and complexity to come in time. — 6 years ago

Karen Larson

9.5

Great nose! Lots of berry, spice and pepper on palette. Velvety too! Need to order more 😋 — 6 years ago

with Bob and Craig

Ron Siegel

9.5

This wine has it all! Great purity, complexity & elegance from the master of Cornas. — 8 years ago

Benjamin Keator

9.7

Fuck me! I have never had a Leoville Barton at this level! The nose actually made me hard. Probably smelled it for 15 minutes before my wife told me to eat my damn dinner. This is one sexy bitch. Total balance. Great complexity. Wanting for nothing. Give it a 30 minute decant and sit back and enjoy. I'd happily trade a 2010 Hundred Acre for another one of these. Not going to bullshit you with hints of truffle and smoke and other bullshit...this is just damn fine wine...thy I have had way too much of tonight😳 — 8 years ago

Christanna Honer

10

Can't say enough about the depth and complexity. Brûlée, dulce de leche, saffron, cumin, cashews, touch of coconut, kaffir, ginger. Silence-inducing on the palate.

This is perfect. — 9 years ago

Ming L

8.9

Delicious, silky and mellow. But where is the complexity and backbone? Nevertheless an enjoyable wine. — 9 years ago

Ryan Bonnici

9.3

Delicate and rich with meaty nuttiness. A superfine bead, there is plenty of toast, dried fruit and hazelnut complexity. Magnificent! — 9 years ago

David Singer

Sommelier/Wine Educator LibationEducation

8.9

Who knew B.Gros could age? Oak has integrated, cranberry,
Forest floor, cola, sandalwood, Alc is almost unbalanced, fine grain tannin. Solid complexity/finish — 10 years ago

John Skupny - Lang & Reed Wine Company

9.6

Expressive without being effusive - great complexity - a joy with Bar Terra slices of Toro & Lobster ravioli! — 10 years ago

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.2

What a difference an extra five years on the lees and a drop in dosage makes! This wine is a huge improvement on the regular release, with elegance and complexity to spare. — 11 years ago

Fernando Cabanillas

9.1

Tried the 1991. Medium body with complexity. Good persistence. — 6 years ago

with Marian

Frank Chen

8.9

Not that impressive..light bodied tart red fruit driven old world Pinot...does have subtle complexity but too young and not vibrant enough to balance the tart fruit — 6 years ago

Michael Patrone

9.2

Well balanced tannins. Decent amount of alcohol. Mild complexity. — 7 years ago

Thomas Brenner

9.7

It is only through benevolent souls and their ability to share something so fine and rare that I would be able to taste and review an '89 Chateau Morgaux.
This vintage was awarded 100 points by wine spectator. Unbelievable concentration and complexity which only under the best conditions can deliver so smooth and long lasting an impression. This is a wine I will always remember. — 8 years ago

with Rick

Alex Xu

9.8

Sublime depth and complexity, mushroom, leather, black pepper, charcuterie, intergrated with beautiful red and black fruit. Beautiful texture and weight - rounded but with good heft. Lots of oomph — 8 years ago

Charles (Chad) Bucklin

Owner and founder of C. T. Bucklin Wine Advising

9.9

My first #chateaurayas and now I understand the hype. Very Burgundian in style but this is just a unique wine deserving its own category. This wine had profound complexity and was perfectly balanced. It is so young. #chateauneufdupape #southernrhone #rhonevalley #grenache #ctbucklinwine — 9 years ago

Rebecca Fletcher

9.8

Mint, chocolate, and black fruit. Has a peppermint patty characteristic. M acid, m silky round tannin, m+ body, finish and complexity. Iconic and incredible. — 9 years ago

David Speer

9.4

Powerful wine with lots of complexity and depth. — 10 years ago

Justin Mahoney

9.7

Rich tobacco and leather nose with a strong cassis, barnyard, baking spice and stewed tomato aromas. Great complexity and smooth elegance. It has the structure and complexity to go another 10 to 20. Deeeelicous! — 10 years ago

Kai Chang

9.2

Clear deep purple colour with watery rim. Clean medium intensity aroma with minty black cherry and black currant with hint of oak smokiness and vanilla. Dry on the palate full bodied medium alcohol with medium acidity and high but smooth velvety tannin. Flavours of earthy black currant, black cherry, and vanilla. Flavours last through into its long pleasant finish. Very good quality, drink now but can age for another 3 to 5 years for a even more balanced complexity. — 11 years ago

Victor Charcan

9.6

Great wine. Good color intensity, dark cherries, spices, cigar box and Back fruit notes. Good complexity and extraordinary length with Well tamed tannins. Ridge always delivers — 12 years ago