Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Crafted by Joseph J. Wagner, 4th generation winemaker, with winemaking roots in the Napa Valley since 1906. Deep Ruby with red berry fruit aromas, tea and sweet spice notes. On the palate flavors of jammy blackberry and cherry with pronounced sweet vanilla oak, cacao and pepper spice notes. Soft tannins and bright acidity, well balanced, with mineral tones on a long finish ending with toasty spice! Nice! — 5 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.0

Deep ruby color. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and boysenberry with hints of mocha. Licorice, dark chocolate and oak flavors. — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

No formal notes . Pretty deep Amber , copper colour . Intense marmalade , saffron , creme caramel . Rich on the palate with rich marmalade , saffron notes . Good acidity , but rich. Good length . This is drinkable now and shows quite an advanced colour , though due to its richness will probably carry on delivering for another 20 years , perhaps longer .

This was a rather fascinating evening put together by our incredibly generous host. All 2007 reds were served blind in two flights: 1st Mouton, Haut Brion, Cheval Blanc , La Mission Haut Brion then Latour , Lafite , Petrus and Margaux . Overall the wines showed well , and were mostly enjoyable to drink now , though there is no rush . This somewhat maligned vintage can give a lot of enjoyment in the right environment, I certainly wouldn’t hold back from opening or purchasing any of these wines . They mostly show good density of fruit , personality and elegance , with good freshness. These are not powerful wines , and at times perhaps the fruit can be a little cooler or greener but I was pleasantly surprised by the way they performed , just goes to show you should never write off a vintage without trying the wines ! — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Double decanted two nights before service. The 2006 pours a deep, slightly hazy garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of desiccated fruit and funky umami notes: bruised and desiccated strawberry, red rope licorice, nori, Cherry Dr. Pepper, cracked black pepper and leather. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is forever long and saline; it just hangs around forever. Initially, this came across as bit backward but it really gained power and character the more time it spent in the glass. Drink now with patience and through 2036. — 9 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Deep, dark Ruby with a big fruity nose and lots of ripe berries with oaky notes. Jammy big and bold blackberry flavors with some spice, cacao, cedar and leather notes with nice mouthfeel. Big fine tannins with berry fruit carried over to the finish with oak and sweet spice. Nice! — 10 months ago

Sam Agami

10

AMAZING! This is well above my price range, but was a wise choice for a splurge bottle. Deep structure, blackberry, vanilla and leather. This is a super-premium cab and worth the C note... — 5 years ago

Cecil Ramirez

9.2

2013 vintage. Vibrant ruby color, med bodied, soft mouthfeel & tannins. Bright cherry, cola, plum, strawberry, vanilla notes. Nice lasting finish. — 6 years ago

Paul J

9.1

I just can’t get into Italian reds for some reason. This needed a lot of air and is very young. Harsh on the palate but did open up with nice, deep fruit. Overvalued in my mind. — 7 years ago

Courtney Nichols

9.0

Very full bodied/deep in color/richer than expected. Easy to drink but has more depth than a typical Pinot Noir. — 8 years ago

Matt Wilson

9.2

Deep concentration, dried cherries and plum. Licorice, leather and charcoal. An icon — 10 years ago

with Kyle

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby with aromas of blue & black fruits, sweet spice & slight mineral character. A blend of mostly Cab Sauvignon with small amounts of Malbec, Petit Verdot & Cab Franc from their estate-owned Napa Valley vineyards, aged 18 months French (62%) & American oak (38%) (about 50% new). Palate, complex flavors, blackberry, plums & cherry with sweet spice, oak & tobacco notes. Well balanced with good acidity & developing tannins. Full-bodied, long finish ending with pepper & wood spice. Nice! — 5 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Slightly deeper ruby with a little narrower , less garnet rim . This is quite deep and slightly more herbal on the nose, floral perhaps , a little more austere. Spicy Cassis , tobacco , herbal touches . On the palate this is slightly more velvety with a riper dark fruits , mixed with a touch of dark cherry , spice and subtler , riper tannin . Quite ripe , more polished tannin. A bit bigger and riper in style , alcohol a bit more noticeable . Quite good dark cherry , dark chocolate, cassis finish . This is a little more polished , but probably needs a little more time , better in 5 years and will last well a further 10 . Overall a good showing , a classy , polished performance — 6 months ago

Jane Nuss

9.0

Deep ruby with medium intensity. Black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, ripe black plum, black pepper, licorice, vanilla, leather. Full-bodied with high tannins and vibrant acidity. Opens beautifully with an hour or longer decant. Long finish with lingering spice. Overall good, and I’m sure this wine will improve with time.
— 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Double decanted two nights before service. The 2013 Insignia pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing but still quite youthful with notes of tart and ripe dark fruit: dense brambles, purple flowers, tobacco, vanilla and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. At 11 years of age, this remains tightly coiled and needs more time to open up and tell more of its story. All that being said, this is very good now…but to my palate, better after 2027 and through 2043. — 9 months ago

Conrad Green

9.4

A slightly austere and blocky front to the nose., graphite and ink. Very savory and deep. Salinity and iron. Surprising. Very good. I think, atypical — 9 months ago

with David

Nandita Bhagwat

8.9

Deep and delicious — 4 years ago

DelectableWino

9.6

Excellent cab. Chocolate nose and finish, dark cherries on the palate. 2014 — 5 years ago

Sathya Nouth

9.1

Deep and dark red the color of a mature wine, aroma of dark fruit and dark chocolate, full bodied and smooth. It’s quite an enjoyable wine. For $85 in Suvarnbhumi airport it’s well worth the money. — 7 years ago

Jared Silvia

8.9

Deep Purple! Lovely full bodied red wine and a great value. The blackberry and blue berry notes pair with the vanilla and hints of cocoa. Think pie with cookie dough ice cream. The taste is smooth, spicy. — 7 years ago

with Brandi

Mary Lanham

9.9

Fruit forward, deep red purple color. Mouth feel is awesomely smooth all the way through the finish. This is a favorite of mine! — 10 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.6

Not very often do I post European wines. I do drink them from time to time but so much to explore in California! 1999 “Unico” brought by master sommelier Jay Fletchers to Cache Cache in Aspen. Richness and restraint with a deep almost coffee-like intensity. — 6 months ago

Ericsson

9.5

In the glass, it’s a deep, opaque ruby, promising something serious. The nose has blackcurrant, cedar, and graphite, with a hint of dried herbs, dust and cigar box, like stepping into an old library. There’s restraint here, almost old school. No overripe fruit, no excess; just balance, precision.

On the palate, it’s all about structure. The tannins are firm but refined, holding together layers of dark fruit, espresso, and a touch of cocoa. The acidity is just enough to keep it fresh, cutting through the richness of it all. As the wine opens up, there’s a shift; an earthy, almost savory depth that lingers on a long, seamless finish. Could have saved it but it is peaking and paired perfectly with a thick cut of ribeyes over mesquite charcoal with great company and conversation. — 6 months ago

Jocholla

8.9

Solid Napa Cab. Good fruit, slightly thinner than I’d hoped for but would buy again. — 7 months 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. — 9 months ago

Scott Strickler

9.5

Dark fruits and well balanced tannins highlight this excellent wine. More in the medium to full body Pinot noir‘s which I prefer  — 3 years ago

R. David Liebers

9.0

Pleasant aroma, fruity on the tongue with a dry finish. — 5 years ago

Amit Srivastava

9.0

Magnum. This is one of the best Paso has to offer. Deep purple and just a delightful taste . Full, big ! — 6 years ago

Frank Soldano

9.7

Drinking the 2013 in 2018. Deep rich color with good clarity. Bouquet is big, full of dark fruit. Thick long lasting legs. Smooth flavor with hints of plum, cassis and blackberry and an earthy finish. — 7 years ago

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

Chris Madrid

9.6

Had the magnum. Very smooth with dark fruit, oak and deep structure. — 11 years ago