Shay A

9.3

This was my contribution for a big white wine theme, where all bottles were served blind.

Placed in the exact middle of the lineup, I considered this as my wine but wasn’t fully confident. Similar to the 2016 Belle Cote I opened earlier this year, I’m somewhat nicely surprised that this is as beautifully balanced as it is. Some of these wines have a reputation for “large and in charge”, but this was supremely balanced, toeing the line between Sonoma and white burgundy with richness. Aromatically it revealed sugar frosted stone fruits, white peach, caramel dipped golden delicious apples and baking spices. It has a beautifully textured palate that is almost creamy before snapping back with good acidity. Added notes on the palate of powdered lemon bar, floral honeysuckle, and whipped lemon cream. This will age effortlessly for another 7-10yrs, but it sure is giving now. — 6 years ago

Lindsey King

9.3

A serious tone, a confident hand. — 7 years ago

Galen Hasler

9.0

Young benefits from decanting. Reflects Santa Barbara terroir — 8 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.1

Caramel candied apples, fresh hot kettle corn and stewed vanilla pears saunter over the rim of the glass while summertime drunken peaches delight those caramel apples as they sashay across the dance floor of your palate. Sweet sea salty kisses on the confident finish. A bolder white to conclude a sultry summer day. — 8 years ago

Johnno Harris

9.5

So bold, rich and confident. Great stuff! — 8 years ago

Craig Stanfield

9.7

So, so young but delicious. Comes out light and bright with delicious red fruit and plum. Has Asian spice and cedar. Confident that by day 2 (and 3 if it makes it that long) it will have added weight just with oxygen. Absolutely wonderful wine. After four hours this developed so superbly. Day 3 and this was really singing. Shows perfectly what is to come with bottle aging — 8 years ago

Lyssa Taves

9.9

Delicate and confident. Refined acidity, subtle white lilac, roast pepper depth, garrigue in all its quiet glory. Lingering the polite amount of time- just long enough to invite you back for another sip. — 9 years ago

Daragh Hoey

9.3

This wine is uncomplicated, possibly even unrefined. But f&$k me is it confident and damn sure of itself. Clear as a whistle and citrus to the hilt. I'll take that every damn day. Here's to simple sub $20 acid bombs. — 9 years ago

Dr.Meandor

9.0

Sensual, captivating, caressing, stupendous & utterly fresh 100%Viognier aged in inox for 7 months.
Dedicated 4ha plot at at foothills of Caucasian mountains (5km to Black Sea).

Pale lemony, light emerald glitters.
Refined and delicate yet confident nose of saturn peach, mango, white plum pith, wet stones, thyme, apricot, pear, canned pineapple, white currant leaf, white grapefruit, blooming lemon, lily of the valley, with very touch of white pepper.
Crisp and focused palate. Medium body (12.5%), vibrant acidity. Decently mineral of limestone. Sweetie, green apple, white currant, rhubarb, feijoa, carambola, white plum scents.
Persistent and refined finish of white currant peels, pippin apple, pomelo and sea minerals.
Paired Faroe salmon steak.
90/100 — 6 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.3

Tastes great; less filling. Once again, it’s the confident, relaxed and precise benchmark for what all Catalan reds should be, combining an almost ferrous minerality with a pure expression of Grenache and Carignan that walks the line between reductive and oxidative. And once again, far too many of us will fall for the high-octane, vaguely-Rhônish, Prisonerized, nondescript slop that seems to be all the rage. — 7 years ago

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

9.5

Always a treat to drink legendary wines like this one. Served blind in the garden at my parents house, the settlements weren’t perfect, but still the true quality shone though. Developed dark berries, partially dried and framed by bitter chocolate notes and pronounced minerality. Great finish, broad and self confident. In a perfect spot already. — 8 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.0

Ripe strawberry and cherry perfume with confident spiced fruit. A pleaser of a pinot to pair with bbqed pork chops and bacon tossed veggies. — 8 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.4

The 1997 is incredibly elegant and confident. Graceful impact and gentle attack. The most Burgundy-like of the Musars I’ve tasted. Still has a ton of youthful vigor, focus and energy. Zero palate weight. Elevated VA is allowing the aromatics to really take off. The most refined and beautiful Musar I’ve had yet, covering the broad spectrum of red berries, herbs, leather, spices and minerals. Funky yet refined. — 8 years ago

Jason Lee

9.2

Very oak forward. feels big but without being overly confident still very easy to drink — 9 years ago

John McCarroll

Sales Rowan Imports

9.3

Clean, confident, v solid and pretty. — 9 years ago

Ana Maria Fernandez

9.0

Great story! and bold cab! definitely having this bottle again — 6 years ago

Georgina McDonald

9.5

Drank over the course of three days; just like Mufasa, this fine drop from Anjou was dignified and imposing until the end. Surprised that any sniff of oxidation - and there was near none - was in reality a welcomed influence. Would happily order a case of this medium bodied blend of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon. A mouthful of ripe strawberries and plums, a little perfume, low acid (but enough so it wasn’t flabby), soft tannins with a slightly jammy concentration at the tail. Confident this would be a pleasure to have any day, at any hour, meal or no meal, friends or no friends, in bed, at a table, or on the floor. A beautiful wine beautifully made. Bravo J. C. Garnier. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

As a Sommelier, it’s interesting to read professional reviews. Something you need to keep up on for what consumers will be looking to buy.

As someone who attends a lot of tastings, you get to get to do your own comparisons. For me, a lot of Bordeaux. It’s my true love. I’ve been to Bordeaux eleven times. Two of them En Premiers.

When I tasted this so called critically difficult/bad vintage from Chateau Belle-Vue, I saw its potential and wasn’t wrong. Now, eleven years later, this wine is singing. While the critics haven’t tasted this wine as recently as this year, they would tell you this wine was average. It is anything but! If I put this wine in a blind tasting, I am confident many would call higher end Napa Cabernet and this is a Bordeaux producer from an ancillary region, under the radar known producer and a difficult vintage.

If I’ve learned anything about wine, it’s in all difficult vintages anywhere, there are producers who still make good wine. This one is magic for around $20 upon release. I’ve had $100 a bottle plus Bordeaux and Napa Cabernet that weren’t this good.

The nose shows, ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, black licorice, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, purple flowers, violets and faint lavender.

The body is full, round and lush. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious. The tannins are dark, round, soft, velvety and slightly tarry. Ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, tarry notes, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, dry top soil & clay, black licorice, dark cocoa powder, cinnamon, dark spice, some vanilla, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, graphite, burnt charcoal, suede leather, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, violets, dark red florals and faint lavender. The acidy round & beautiful. The finish is; ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well balanced between fruit & earth and persistent for minutes.

The well know professional critics would tell you this wine is old or late. I will tell you, from my storage, it’s has another 7-10 years of life ahead of it.

Have it with a good butchered Ribeye (not store bought) seasoned with coarse ground garlic salt & pepper.

Photos of, a modest Chateau Belle-Vue, the beautiful backside of the chateau, barrel cellar and Estate vines.
— 7 years ago

Casey Curbow

Sales Associate Windsor Wine Merchants

9.3

A confident depth of strawberry, straw and flowers. Delicate power of length and freshness. Certainly settling well but still has more years to develop yet. — 9 years ago

Dmitri

9.4

Very strong on opening, needs a confident food pairing. Much smoother after being open (with a cork) for a few days it smoothed out and became mellow and very pleasant. — 9 years ago