Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted about an hour in advance and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart bramble fruits: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, “Oops All Berries!!”, garrigue, red and purple flowers, black pepper, licorice, a balance of cool and warm spices, river rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from nose; particularly the power and quality of fruit. The finish is long. Early days for the 2022 Cuvée Réservée but holy smokes is it already pretty special. The ABV is a scorching 16% but you would never know it. The power and freshness of fruit with the titanic structure keep everything in balance. Drink now through 2042. — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Opened and double decanted several hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1996 pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a lovely combination of ripe and desiccated fruit: cassis, brambles, horse blanket, cigar box, old leather, earth and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Another lovely and immensely charming Poyferré. Drink now with a decant and through 2046. — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

It was Father’s Day and I had decided on grilled rack of lamb for dinner so I selected this bottle of 2011 Chateau Musar rouge from our cellar. According to Musar’s records, the 2011 vintage was one of the most challenging since the early 1990’s. It was ultimately a late-maturing vintage with harvest taking place on October 13th, the latest since the 1983 vintage!

I decanted this bottle about eight hours prior to dinner. It should be noted that immediately upon opening, the bouquet was strikingly gorgeous with powerful aromatics that were obvious from several feet away and this trait carried through until dinner time.

In the glass, the wine presents a deep garnet color. Slightly turbid with a near opaque core. On the nose, black plums, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, organic earth, exotic spices, leather, spiced meat, and pomegranate. I detect a touch of VA as well. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the nose with an added bit of red rope licorice. Lovely, long, savory…amazing. This was a brilliant compliment to the lamb (which was served with beets and goat cheese and fattoush) and everything I wanted in a Musar tonight. Drinking well now with a hefty decant and I expect well cellared examples to drink well past 2035. — 2 years ago

Dan Cobb

9.5

Decanted 1 hr. 2001 vintage. Still had decent fruit. Dark chocolate on the nose. Had lost some of its structure and tannins. Very good pairing with the steaks tonight. w Michelle Carr — 6 years ago

Keith Lite

9.5

A big bold plumy purple bomb As dense and luscious as a wine can get in a glass. Decanted for 2 hrs and its still a baby with blackberry, dark chocolate licorice and pepper on the nose and on the palate. A long long finish and loads of tannins to sum it all up — 6 years ago

with Bruce

Christopher DiPalmo

9.1

Amazingly preserved, needed to be decanted for an hour but tasted the whole way through and what an experience. Perfect pairings for an evening at Kitchen a Bistro to celebrate my brothers birthday. — 8 years ago

Bill Carroll

9.1

Decanted for 3 hours. Barn floor, rustic raspberries, cow hide, smoke. Acid is balanced but solid funk. Great steal for $40 — 9 years ago

Eric

9.5

This took a loooong time to show up. Opened for 6 hours, then double decanted. Still needed two more hours to show its colors. Tannic monster with amazing black fruit. Bright acidity suggests 15+ years ahead of it. Bad ass wine! Tastes several other vintages at the winery last summer. This was by far the best. — 9 years ago

with S.R.Alexander

Jack Clare

9.5

Decanted, it was outstanding all evening...not early or late, in its prime! — 10 years ago

Tim Herrmann

9.4

Decanted and drunk over a few hours, this was accessible right away but kept getting better. Full of roasted and spiced ripe red plums, roses, violets and darker coffee, fennel, and licorice notes, the intense flavors were supported by a moderate body, enough acid to provide freshness, and a moderate amount of dusty tannins that are still holding on. There's a lot more fruit here than I'd guess for a 20+ year old Merlot! That and the tannins make me want to check on how much more savoriness develops in 5-10 years. Couldn't have been better last night with steak and friends, though. — 10 years ago

with Rajiv

Dave Keatley

9.0

Great as usual! Decanted this wine but might not have needed it. 2021 was a lower tannin more supple vintage. Classic Jamet aromas of lavender and charcuterie, great acidity and moderate tannin — 8 months ago

David D

9.3

Legit delicious and one of the best I’ve had in a while. Mellow and lush, great rounded acids and softened tannins. Good tar, cocoa powder, prunes, stewed mushroom, soil, dried roses and violets, touch of vanilla. Decanted 4 hours before opening. Probably from Flatiron Wines? Happy Valentine’s Day. 02/14/2025 — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Opened and double-decanted several hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of three hours. The 1996 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core. On the nose, the wine is developing and loaded with currants, pencil lead, 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 super grippy; slightly bitter and earthy. A lovely, classic expression of Bordeaux and drinking well in its prime. Drink now through 2046. — a year ago

Andrew Turner

9.5

Our 10th anniversary wine. Excellent once decanted. — 4 years ago

B

10

1994 Screaming Eagle. Dinner w J&L B and D&M H while staying with D&M in Santa Ynez. Opened and waited about an hour. Decanted right before serving. Tons of jammy dark fruit. Opened more in the glass. JB mentioned full palate and balance. Great finish. Preferred this to ‘91 Dominus once this opened up. — 6 years ago

Charles Garrison

9.5

Rich, without being heavy; elegant and balanced; darker fruits with a wonderful finish; decanted 90 minutes and continued to improve through the evening — 6 years ago

Jim Enloe

9.1

Very nice, different from the traditional Napa cab. Firm tannins, should be decanted. Last glass the next day did better (under vacuum) — 8 years ago

Warren Grossman

9.4

Decanted, still in sweet spot. Very much enjoyed — 8 years ago

Matt Brock

9.3

I've had this bottle in the cellar for a LONG time (probably past peak)...waiting for the right occasion. Here is to ten eventful years of Builders Bargain. Jammy, delicate flavor. 13 years of aging has given this a very earthy quality. Decanted for 90 minutes but should get even more spectacular through the evening. Cheers! — 9 years ago

with Jennifer

Bill Bender

9.0

Loved the funk and ripe sweat on the nose, like that time I climbed the rope in gym class....I was expecting resolved tannins and a softer entry but this is quite closed up. This was not decanted so I'd definitely suggest air and a little agitation to wake it up. — 9 years ago

Jason Chiu

9.2

Enjoyed with a Cantonese beef stew, dad's recipe. Decanted 3 hours before dinner and it still held tight graphite, cedar, and black fruit notes. A touch closed up or young right now, will revisit my next bottle in 5 to 10 years — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2018 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 15 mins and one hour. Beautifully feminine and expressive nose leapt out of the decanter. Medium body. Nice balance of dark fruits and tannins but slightly disjointed. A bigg Napa vintage so either another decade or a three hour tour...er...decant would seem to be the ticket here. 01.31.25. — 9 months 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

John Malcolm

9.5

Blueberries, herbs, and cedar. Complex, elegant, and intense. Such a lovely wine. Decanted for about four hours and served with lamb — a magnificent combination. — 3 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

Geoffrey Green

9.9

Still balanced, harmonious, & concentrated at 22+ years. Has at least 5+ years of vitality. Double decanted & aerated for 5 hours. Beautiful. — 7 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.3

Take this with a grain of salt because at this point in the night my taste buds were a little scorched. Very fragrant red fruit on the nose. Initially this was still tremendously wound up. I wish we had opened it and decanted for longer as after two hours it was still slightly tight but the lovely fruit flavors persisted over cocoa and tobacco leaf undertones. All in, I wish I had let this rest for a few more years, but still drinking pretty well now. — 8 years ago

with Scott and Kyle

Marvin Liu

9.3

Decanted over 1hr, drank really well for a 29yr old wine. Paired with rack of lamb and NY steak. Starting to@like these older bordeaux. — 9 years ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Really, really nice. Decanted for 1.5 hours and this guy is ready to go. Definitely a touch more fruit forward than expected, but still an excellent core of acidity that keeps it super lively. Very silky tannins at this point, no point to wait longer but also not at all over the hill. — 9 years ago

Jane Shiverick

Partner Langdon Shiverick Imports

9.1

Decanted YESterday — 10 years ago