Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Last tasted was ‘11 as there were no ‘12 or ‘13, just tried ‘14 again. Deep Ruby, blend 70% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano & 10% Mazuelo, aged new French oak for 15 months (‘11 was 24 mos). Full red fruit aromas with floral, oak & pepper spice. On palate ripe red fruit flavors, complex with layers of fruit & spice, noting espresso, cacao & licorice. Tannins are still tight and will soften with time. Well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and oak. Decant now, otherwise let sit in the cellar. Nice! — 5 years ago

Phil Gurin

9.2

Smooth and balanced — 7 years ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.3

Rainy Sunday afternoon, home made soup and cookies, cyclocross and...this wonderfull wine. 24 years of age and still going strong!Still plenty of fruit and even some tannin. Very smooth and fresh! Wow! — 7 years ago

Berg

9.4

Good stuff, even better after 24 hours in a decanter, ha! Forgot to post this last night in the excitement of the Caps staving off elimination! #rockthered — 8 years ago

Micah Clark

9.8

Just outstanding. Holds its character even after being open for 24+ hours. Rich and structured drinking like a much younger wine and almost like an elegant, warm year Bordeaux — 9 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

A lot of youthful vibrancy for 24 and oh so elegant and profound, deep lengthy sustaining notes of dark cacao, expresso, burnt fig and worn leather. So cool. — 9 years ago

Amy Lajiness

9.7

Enjoying with some homemade pizzas tonight. Quite smooth, mellow oak, and bursting with fruit. Definitely a fun wine to drink! — 10 years ago

Ash Dewey

9.5

Fruity but light and refreshing — 10 years ago

Nate Jolly

9.8

Loved it. — 11 years ago

Marc Melser

9.1

We had the 2012 Vintage on 10/23-24/20. A terrific Old World wine, but still has plenty of fruit. The tannins smoothed out nicely with aeration. There were tastes of black cherry, leather and plum. Tig is always a winner. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.3

Always reliable amazing QPR NV Rose bubbles @ £30-36 that is our go to Rose next to Bruno Paillard, LP Rose, Billecart Salmon, Perrier Jouet Rose ... oh ok we like too many NV Rose but hey it’s nearly Christmas 🎄🥂 & perfect in Zalto Universal glass 👍

📍 Bollinger Rose NV

🏵 93 points

🍇 62% PInot Noir, 24% Chardonnay & 14% Pinot Meunier with 6% still red

🍷 Peachy salmon glimmering pink

👃 Strawberry cream biscuit w/ raspberry & peach in rock minerals & a citrus mist

👄 Med bodied creamy fresh fine mousse of peach, strawberry, raspberry, red currant & grapefruit w/ red apple & a sweet citrus shortbread biscuit in med acidity

🎯 Long fresh red fruits w/ a dry biscuity grapefruit & red apple finale — 7 years ago

Julia Indik

9.3

Tart cherries, green apple, pomegranate, and spice that overlays it all through the finish. Simple flavors but easy to drink. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.3

Fab year old world Rioja ridiculously well priced £22-24 👍 It's great already buy will age lovely 😁 Short notes as too busy drinking with friends 😁

🍷 Opaque ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Smokey oakey infused vanilla & earthy cherry w/ hints of balsamic

👄 Med bodied creamy smooth dark & red cherry w/ a hit of vanilla & balsamic

🎯 Long cherry, balsamic & vanilla touch dry oaky finish — 8 years ago

Thomas Sorbo

9.2

2013 drinking beautifully. A fitting Super Bowl eve cuvée! — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

A favorite. Dark red color with aromas of ripe fruit, floral notes and perfume spice. Aged for 24 months on French and American oak, the 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon blend shows cherry and blackberry flavors, rich with notes of espresso and oak. Tannins are a bit gritty and savory, good balance carrying fruit to a lingering finish, ending with some earthy tones. Excellent! — 9 years ago

Nicola Morvillo

9.6

On 24/8/16 da Beaufort a Ambonnay — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Decanted for about an hour before we tasted Franco Batzella’s wines. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 to 24 months in French Oak and a further 12 months before release. The wine is Deep Ruby red with aromas of red/black fruits and sweet spices. The palate shows black cherries, blackberries and cranberries with some cacao, leather and vanilla spice. The wine had soft structured tannins, medium length and ended with earthy notes. Drinkable now but a few years would enhance the experience. Very nice! Tasting Sample. — 9 years ago

Carlos Chiti

9.8

24/DEZ/2015 — 10 years ago

Mikey T

9.1

Dark perfumed aromas of blueberry jam combine with cocoa, vanilla cream, and tobacco. The palate is bold, complex and fruitful. Loganberry and blackberry intermingle with dark chocolate, and are seamlessly brought together with perceptible tannins that sustain a long and youthful finish.
Varietal Composition: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec
Barrel Aging: 24 months in French oak, 90% new — 10 years ago

Dirk Pettigrew (Pirate)

Sales Pirate Cru Wines

9.3

Superb Amontillado, quite rare in Australia — 12 years ago

Josh Hirsch

9.0

A delicious Zin. Neither too spicy or sweet. A great balance. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

It's time for #MerlotThursday. Here is a nice one from California.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Pretty nose with blueberries, black currants, plums, cherries, oak, vanilla, spices, licorice, dark chocolates, earth, light vegetables and vinaigrette.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, vanilla, earth, wood, spices, peppercorn, chocolates, tobacco, graphite and dark coffee.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a very enjoyable Merlot from Santa Clara Valley in California. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

I've had this vintage before, and it is showing somewhat differently now, with more blue and black fruits. I'd like to see how it evolves in the next few years.

Needs an hour to open up properly and show tannins and structure.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and olives. Goes really nicely with an aged Brie.

A blend of 85% Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$24. — 6 years ago

Loree Carey

9.4

Yum. This is a very nice blend. Really enjoyed it — 7 years ago

with Freddy

Patrick Derdeyn

9.4

Haven’t had a better Insignia. This was bringing it on all levels. These are made in a bombastic style, maybe the trick to bringing them into balance is that they just need 24 years. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.8

@David A Lentine Absolutely,ridiculously, insanely good.
I'm not exaggerating. Pop., pour and 20 minutes later it Opens up into a Beauty and a Beast. I love dark fruit and the , blackberry in this is loud and proud. It is is definitely thumping it's chest! I looked up the mix & it is :
60% Cab, 24% Merlot, 16% Petit Verdot. This bottle had it all, Nose, Palate (lush and soft) and a rockstar finish.
The wine & mix is stunning. I've never had it before but I'm searching for a case now to throw in my inventory! Philippe Melka is a badass winemaker which figures., since this is definitely Badass in a Glass!! This 12 is drinking beautifully now.....how I could possibly drink better 5 years from now is mind boggling to me. Boy., I'm ecstatic that David didn't hang on to it for that long!!!!
Thanks Bud!!! I owe you one!! 😍🍷🍷😍 — 9 years ago

with Christine

Christine Yasaitis

9.6

To paying the final $.24 of the b school debt - raising a glass with Mom, Dad & Tracy! — 9 years ago

Ryan Carey

Founder Wine Confidential

9.2

2010 B Cellars Blend 24. Described as "hedonistic" and "sexy" by Robert Parker. Bursting with fruit, like an exploding blackberry in your mouth. Immense mouthfeel. Little bit of a mint kick at the end — 9 years ago

Gregg Congleton

9.4

Better than the '12 - the cassis and vanilla come through beautifully - well done Booker and thanks Tom for sharing your allotment ! — 10 years ago

Kit

9.3

Need to breathe, yum. — 10 years ago

with Brian

Stephen Carney

9.4

Open for 24+ hours. Absolutely singing!! — 11 years ago