Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of 96% Sauv Blanc with 4% Sauv Gris adding an interesting dynamic to the wine & distinctive aromas (prior to ‘18 vintage some Semillon added). Pale lemon color, citrus, tropical & floral aromas. On the palate peach, melon, herb & earthy tones, well balanced with acidity, smooth yet robust on a long finish ending rich with wet stone character. Good value! A Fav!! Very consistent! — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.5

Brilliant ruby. Smoky, mineral-tinged aromas of raspberry, cherry preserves, garrigue and exotic spices show excellent clarity and acquire a gamy nuance as the wine opens up. At once rich and energetic in character, offering well-concentrated red berry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors and a sweetening touch of candied lavender. Shows fine definition and finishes gently, spicy and impressively long, with repeating florality and steadily building tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2021)
— 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Family-owned and operated started in 1999 by Dr John and Karen Bergstrom. Medium Ruby with fresh ripe berry fruit flavors, tea and floral spice notes. On the palate, cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors with complex herb and orange citrus notes. Fine tannins on long finish ending with slight citrus character. Drink now while it’s fresh, will benefit from short-term aging. I like ‘17 better than ‘16. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

A special wine not produced every vintage, BDX presents a different expression of Oakville in a Bordeaux blend of 79% Cab Sauv and 21% Cab Franc (To Kalon fruit), aged in French oak (87% new) for 27 months. Aromas of rich ripe berry fruit with oak spice and cedar notes. On the palate blackberry and cherry flavor with cacao and cedar spice, great balance and structure. Soft tannins with balanced acidity on a lingering finish ending with a tobacco earthy character. Nice! — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.7

The 1990 Cristal is remarkable. Polished, nuanced and light on its feet, the 1990 is all class. Citrus, orchard fruit and floral notes are wonderfully lifted throughout. A slight reductive note adds character on the finely knit finish. I can’t think of a better way to start this tasting. Simply put, the 1990 is a total rock star. Moreover, it is much more delicate than most wines from this ripe vintage. Amazingly, the 1990 tastes like it is still not ready! “Nineteen ninety was my second vintage here,” says Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. “It was ideal. The fruit was just perfect. We blocked the malolactic fermentation completely and only fermented 6-7% of our lots in oak, as opposed to the more typical 20%, in order to preserve as much freshness as possible. The wine was made by my predecessor, Michel Pansu, but I was learning. This was the first year I started working with oxygen by reducing sulfites in vinification to pre-oxidize the Chardonnay musts, as I do know, which allows me to get rid of all the unstable, oxidative compounds. With Pinot, on the other hand, you need a little bit of sulfur at crush or you lose the brilliant fruit. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2018) — 7 years ago

Nina Zie

9.0

Nice blend. Would repurchase. — 8 years ago

Bill Bender

9.0

Somewhat muted and singular in character vs the '86. Reflects the solidity but lack of flair from the vintage. — 9 years ago

Tom Gendall

9.4

Beautiful wine. Thick and unctuous and a delicious spicy phenolic character. — 10 years ago

Patrick Knöfler

8.9

Half-bottle. The wine was medium amber in colour and offered orange peel, apple, honeycomb, caramel, smoke, spices, sherry and a mouldy note on the nose. On the palate the wine showed orange, peach, apple, cane sugar, caramel, smoke, spices, creamy honey, some coffee, a hint of chocolate, sherry, mild black tea and a mouldy note, paired with medium-plus acidity, a creamy honey mouthfeel and very good length. Judged by this half-bottle the wine has just passed its plateau and started its slow journey on the downward slope. A good, medium-bodied Sauternes with lots of botrytis character. Drink now. 89 — 11 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Pale lemon with aromas of pronounced ripe stone and tropical fruits and floral notes wrapped in a frizzante. On the palate flavors of peach, apricot and mango with notes of white floral. Good balance with lively acidity, medium finish ending with ripe fruit character. Nice! — 3 years ago

Aravind A

9.0

Much better than I was expecting...clearly some high toast oak in there, which lent this an almost charry character, but some ripe sweet lemon and citrus behind. Ok acidity, i.e., not nearly as soupy as expected. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of 54% Cab Sauv, 34% Merlot & 12% Cab Franc. Deep Ruby with aromas of pronounced dark fruits, sweet spice, floral and herb notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum with notes of cacao, cedar and subtle herb spice. Well balanced with acidity, fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, cedar and earthy mineral character. Nice! — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Just had to try another bottle!!Ruby with red fruit aromas and spicy herb floral notes, aged for 10 months in 40% new French oak. On the palate fresh black raspberry and cherry flavors with herb tea and earthy tones. Firm fine tannins, balanced acidity, nice mouthfeel, long finish ending with earthy mineral herb character. Nice! Paired well with a spicy seared sushi grade tuna with spicy peanut dressed sesame soy sauce. Wow!! — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Pale lemon-green with pronounce aromas of tropical and stone fruits with herb notes. On the palate flavors of melon, mango, apple, green peppers and a touch of boxwood. Medium+ length, balanced acidity, ending with a fruit and herbal character. Very good to drink now, no benefit from further bottle aging. Tasting Sample. — 6 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.3

Very high quality; utterly complex with a grand cru identity. Concentrated fruit, still showing plenty of primary character, good development in the glass and a defined minerality. Long finish encircled by a fresh and vibrant aura. — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

9.6

No other Rhone varietal compares to Chave Hermitage Rouge for me. Ethereal depth and character. A good deal more youthful than the '04 I had a few months back. — 8 years ago

Taze Rowe

9.2

Solid. Not particularly big, with plenty of Grenache character. No brett in this one. At peak but will hold. — 9 years ago

Ira M. Harmon, MS

9.3

1984 Opus slightly browning but very good ruby. Opening up nose of cedar cassis Tabacco slight vanilla. Taste is definitely showing some age but expressing power of Napa. Med acid med + body. Tannins mature long finish! Very balanced!! A touch of Brett but only enough to give level of character! — 10 years ago

with Jowai

Lewis Chester

9.1

2003 vintage. Citrus - lemon peel and ripe. Medium plus acidity and medium bodied. Little flat to me. It's not good character. Little manufactured. Lacks some concentration. More about freshness and elegance, presumably as an attempt to swerve this difficult vintage. — 10 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.2

Classic CUNE Riserva. Showing very well for a year that is not an excellent vintage. A lovely wine with food. Shows good balance and fruit and character. — 12 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

About 95% of grapes sourced from Carneros, aged about 8 months on 1/3 new oak with 20% of wine going through malolactic fermentation. Aromas of ripe stone fruits with slight honey oak scents. On palate complex flavors of ripe apple, peach & lemon zest, balanced with good acidity & great mouthfeel. Long finish ending with fruit, wet stone and toasty character. Very nice, will age well. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Pale lemon with complex aromas of fresh ripe citrus and tropical fruits with herbal mineral notes. Pineapple and orange citrus flavors adding grapefruit, melon & peach tones, great acidity balance, rich & smooth, long finish ending with rich bright mineral character. Nice! Had this several times, consistent quality. Short-term aging will benefit. Just outstanding — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Made by famous Vega Sicilia estate. Deep Ruby with an array of aromas, dark fruits, spice, floral and some oak, aged for about 14 months in French oak, mostly new. On the palate flavors of juicy ripe blackberry currants, blueberry & plum with mocha, espresso and licorice wrapped in oak. Firm round taut tannins, great balance with acidity, full body, long finish ends with fruit, oak, spice, and mineral character. Almost starting to open, definitely needs more time! Will age a decade or more!! — 4 years ago

Mark Turner

9.3

Another trip around the sun, another “66 Bordeaux. This time it was the Cos d’Estournel. Clearly the best of the “66 vintage I have tasted over the last several years on my birthday. It started with salami and spice on the nose. Mid palate it morphed into this lovely soft earthy red fruit and finished with leather and spice. No hint of the typical Cos pencil lead. This wine still had depth and character. I was surprised by the richness and depth of color. It started to fade after about 45 minutes but wow, were those minutes an amazing wine experience. — 5 years ago

Kyle McGrotty

9.5

Napa meets Europe. Old world character and ridiculously good. — 7 years ago

David Fernandez

9.2

Always a nice surprise on this one, nice peppery and okay flavors ...
Lots of black fruits and a medium body.
Remind me of a cab franc very earthy. — 7 years ago

Douglas Braun

8.9

A little sulfide aroma which decreased but never went away leesy but nice melon honey character Med bodied — 9 years ago

Geoffrey Luce

9.0

2003. Warm vintage perhaps created a slight raisiny character — 10 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.5

This wine spends 9 years on the lees 70/30 Pinot noir and Chardonnay. This is all grand cru. A good amount of nutty a character with rich tree fruit. A big and rich wine with a good amount of pear and a host of nutty any yeasty character. Finish 50+. Most excellent+ — 10 years ago

Mark Freund

9.5

Drinking great now. Showing a little ripeness of the vintage but balanced, with nice toasty notes and expressive earthy Pinot character. B-Day girl, Erin calls it über-yummy. I agree. — 11 years ago