Jay Kline

9.3

Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service. The 2005 pours a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black and red fruits: black and red brambles, cassis, tobacco, green pepper, graphite, espresso, earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is silky. For what it’s worth, there were a number of nice wines at the table and I kept coming back to this which, now that I think about it, also Léoville-Poyferré seems to always deliver more than expected. The 2005 is in the zone and I don’t expect it fall off anytime soon. Drink through 2045. — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Completely alive!
Quite deep still , medium garnet core , medium narrow garnet rim . Rounded smoked plum , undergrowth , touch floral . Plump and round in the mouth , mix of red and dark fruits , quite elegant and medium bodied , pretty good length . Still a touch of noticeable but very fine tannins, though very much integrated into the wine. Elegant and well balanced acidity . Based on this magnum , the wine is fully mature but with a lot of life left. Not the most complex or large scale Petrus by any means , however it has great texture and elegance , harmonious powder fine tannins , just a joy drink now and over the next 10 years perhaps. This was opened and then decanted just before service , followed over 2 and a half hours and was still going strong at the end. Magnum had a level of bottom neck . Drank at Noizé, London . — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

You would never pick this as a 26 year old red wine from the colour. A rich Ruby red with no tawny rim. This has the Penfolds DNA of ripe plum, mocha, coffee bean and chocolate - a trace of liquorice. The palate is medium plus weight, balanced and harmonious maintaining that core strength. Those initially firm tannins have become supple. Drinking at its peak but could stay on this plateau for a couple more years. My last bottle of the 96 but I still have a few more bottles of the Bin 707 from 1996 which was a huge wine. — 4 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This is a sample of the 16 Insignia still in barrel.

On the nose, the dark fresh florals exploded. The fruits are very dark currants and well extracted. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries and blue fruits hues on the edges of the glass. Sweet tarry presence, loads of baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark spice, black tea, pipe tobacco, dark rich soil, core of anise and fields of violets.

The body is thick and full. The wine still very fresh. The tannins big, meaty and chewy. The dark fruits are quite floral. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries with blue fruits. Sweet tarry presence, loads of baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark spice, black tea, pipe tobacco, dark rich soil, crushed dry rocks, river stones, tough leather, cedar, core of anise with red flowers and fields of violets. Very good round acidity. The long, big, ruby, lush, well balanced finish is beautiful.

The fruit, tannins and acidity all speak to it being 95+ and a long cellar.
— 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.3

Deep garnet red with ruby core. Tasted blind. Very tight and dark on the nose with dark cocoa, dark spices and soft dark berries. Heavy tannins (8/10) and full bodied. Very dark palate as well with black cherries, cassis, black currants, dark cocoa and a little woody. Long and lingering finish. Thought this was a bit older than a 2013 but powerful, needs some time to fully develop. Drink till 2032. (93+) — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

LM Segal

9.3

Dusty sour cherry and cocoa nose on a beautiful dark cherry, sour plum and dark chocolate core. Long, fine tannins. One of 2 bottles was off but the "on" one more than made up for it! Not one of those super-long-term Flacc's, but quite yummy, very much a food wine. — 9 years ago

with Mark, Joe and 1 other

Mike Blom

9.0

1982 wasn't rated highly as a vintage but this 5.0 liter shows great producers can still provide a solid wine.

Red rim and deep red core. Violets and red currants. Toffee, leather, coco bean in the initial flavors. Enough acidity to keep the finish lively. — 10 years ago

Neil Johnston

9.0

Nice big balance of berries, earth and velvet finish. — 12 years ago

Jay Kline

10

A physically pristine example from a well established cellar, the cork pulled clean and without so much as a hint of compromise. It was subsequently double decanted several hours in advance. The 2000 Margaux pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. The nose: developing and simply stunning. A cornucopia of cassis, black bramble fruit, purple flowers, tobacco, new leather, cocoa, fine woody notes, dry gravelly earth and gorgeous baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid; the structure acting like the flying buttresses of Notre Dame. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is forever long and impossibly silky. Sensationally balanced.

To my palate, this falls into the very small category of wines that require no additional inquest. It is utterly complete. And, when I consider the company and circumstances, perfect. Drink now with a healthy decant and through 2100. — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Bright Ruby with aromas of red/black fruits, floral and sweet notes. On the palate flavors of ripe blackberry, cherry, and currants with notes of licorice and sweet figs. Fine dusty tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit and toasty mineral character. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Had a bottle year ago. Blend of 95% Cab Sauv, 4% Merlot, rest Petit Verdot, Malbec & Cab Franc, blended then aged for 24 mos in 50% new & 50% once-used American oak. Deep Ruby, youthful aromas of black fruit, sweet cacao & complex spice. Palate shows flavors of rich ripe juicy berries & cherries, core of sweet fruit with oak & vanilla notes. Nicely integrated firm, graceful tannins, long finish, displays primary fruits on ending, developing some secondary aging, nice. Excellent. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.8

The 2005 Palmer has been absolutely magical both times I have tasted it recently. Still wonderfully deep to the core, the 2005 is dense, packed to the core and luxuriously opulent. Even with all of that intensity, the 2005 remains vibrant. Lush red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and sweet spice build into the towering finish. The 2005 is an epic wine that will have no problem reaching its fiftieth birthday. It is a rich, dramatic Margaux that checks all the boxes, and then some. I rated a second bottle even higher. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2021)
— 5 years ago

Chad Thompson

8.9

Might be the bottle but just a bit past its prime. Still good - sweet core, good acid, dark fruits. — 7 years ago

LM Segal

9.0

Delicate, feminine but with an elegant core of bright cherry and stemmy notes. Fresh tannins. Could stand a few years. — 7 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.7

Quite a young looking colour , ruby core still with garnet rim. Lovely expressive nose . Ripe blackberry , Asian spice, licorice , leather lots of complexity . On the palate rich and rewarding , sweet tannins and balancing acidity . Lovely ripe fruit , real length also , goes on and on. Lovely wine . — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.3

Super fun wine to get us ready for the Bordeaux Masters Class this afternoon.

Medium garnet core with bricking in the edges. Layered nose with some definite bret, not off putting at all. Notes of barnyard, leather and dried red cherries. Well integrated and balanced. Moderate tannins (6/10) and medium bodied. Very rustic on the palate with some dried red cherries, forest floor and cedar. Long finish. Enough finesse to go another year or two but why wait, drinking well right now. Drink till 2019. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

LM Segal

9.4

Great breeding trumps a below-average vintage. Blind, the nose alone gives away the DNA of this phenomenal wine. This Merlot-dominated Cheval has a beautiful core of cocoa powder, prune and plums. Structure from sweet oak and cab franc skins come through on the finish. Excellent, but a world away from the 2000 that's a palate-reference for me. Don't wait on this one, this well-stored bottle felt past its apex. — 10 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.5

Regrettably the one Bodega I missed from a stomach bug on my trip last week, though I still love love you Spain and look forward to going back. Now back to the wine....
A beautiful ruby core with some orange and pink at the edges.
The nose is elegantly fruited, with dry flowers, cherry and American oak notes of coconut, dill and toast.
The palate is elegant, refined, while masterfully complex and persistent at the same time. The finish is long and crazy silky. One of the few GR from a very older producer that uses only proprietary fruit.

— 10 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.4

2008 very light color cigar box spice fresh earth coffee very pretty and classic bouquet. Fresh and lively on the tongue with a spicy finish tangy red currant berry fruit fonish40 very good + 2009 herb fresh loam peppery spice and a good hand of red currant berry fruit toffee coffee very fresh nice core of red currant berry fruit zesty spice coffee and herbs long finish very elegant wine finish 50 most excellent 2010 ripe currant berry fruit toasty oak spice very youthful a bit musty pnthepalate with good grip with firm tannins and along finish classic pitching contessw finish 50+ most excellent — 13 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Double decanted before service; enjoyed over a several hour period. The 1988 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and significant signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with dried dark fruit, tobacco, mocha, grilled meat, mushrooms, damp earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry. At this point, the tannins have integrated completely and are perceived as medium; acid is similar. Finish is medium. This leaned towards the more rustic, old school style of Bordeaux and I’m all for it. While this isn’t falling off a cliff, I would drink now. — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Medium deep ruby core , pretty narrow garnet rim , youthful and bright . Slightly funky at first but this blows off to release concentrated spicy cassis , blackberry, red currant , cigar box , wood smoke , truffle. On the palate very rounded with fresh dark blackcurrant and red currant fruits , well balanced acidity. Rounded but quite noticeable tannins. Long sweet red fruit finish with touches of charcoal, grafite and a saline nuance. This is lovely now, and maintained well in the decanter for 5 hours , and will surely last on this high plateau for another decade at least as it appears so young, plump and fruit driven. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Initial is the most produced in quantity and can be referred to as the “entry level” bottling for Selosse but really, it is anything but, and should not be overlooked. Particularly so with some bottle age. 2018 disgorgment is in a great spot and wafts from the glass with distinctive Selossien aromas of caramelized stone fruit, roasted nuts, honeycomb, gun smoke and floral undertones. The palate is rich, powerful and deep with racy acids and a chalky mineral core. It has both freshness and oxidative complexity yielding a complete, balanced and utterly seamless Champagne. Selosse perfection for me is 5-6 years post disgorgement and this is entering that window in great fashion. Always a treat. — 3 years ago

Mark Grammer

9.4

Delicious. Fruit well balanced with a bit of earth and mocha. Tannins soft on this 08. — 4 years ago

Eric Guido

9.4

I'm floored.. Seriously... Dark and brooding with masses of dried black cherry and cedar up front, yet beneath it, notes of exotic spice, tobacco, dried flowers, crushed raspberry, and undergrowth gained volume and depth with time in the glass, until they permeated the senses entirely. On the palate, soft, silky textures, which seem to hover on the senses, offset by a tart acid core, yet also complemented by enveloping bittersweet cherry, quinine, spice, and inner earth tones. The finish is incredibly long with saturating dried cherry fruit, sweet inner florals, hints of gruff tannin--yet juicy and fresh, with a note of hard red candies and licorice which seemed to literally last for minutes on the mid-palate. — 5 years ago

Bill Bender

9.6

Fine integrated tannins combined with a plush core of blackberry fruit, lead pencil, coffee grounds and sweet licorice. This was truly phenomenal. Not fading in the least. Powerful and dense with a velvet smooth sexy finish. — 7 years ago

Dimitri Fedotov, C.S.

Sommelier Osteria 177

9.2

Gorgeous. Complex. Nice tannin trap at the end. — 8 years ago

George Chen

9.1

A little bready now but still sweet core and melted tannins. Cork was dry though but wine seemed fine. — 9 years ago

Eric Egan

9.5

Another level... Still dense at the core, with steady, attractive bricking: Wonderfully dense nose of blackcurrents, pencil shavings, fine tanned leather, and a hint of woodland floor (fine moss, leaves, and fresh soil after an autumn shower). Velvety tannins and great acidity. Along with the '66 this is one of my all-time favourite Bordeaux vintages. Seems to be keeping up better than the '61s I've had over the last few years!

We drank half of it from the coravin before waxing the top in case the cork had lost too much elasticity to self-seal. I'll have the rest with my brother in a few weeks' time! — 9 years ago

Robert Scholl

9.3

1990- Dark ruby/purple with aromas of ripe dark red and blue fruit and grilled notes. Big and creamy mouthfeel. Nicely textured and plush core. Still youthful. — 11 years ago