Jordan Wardlaw

9.3

An exceptionally elegant, old school Chianti with a great combination of power and finesse. Intensely palate-coating black cherry, violets, cinnamon, anise and peppermint candy. Very long and vibrant finish. Some subtle nuances of orange rind, menthol and fresh herbs. This wine is supercharged with acidity and freshness, making it very hard to put down. Absent from my notes was any palpable sense of new oak. Those who appreciate this style will want to drink the whole bottle. Bravo! — 6 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.5

Well...when you & your wife find out you’re (unexpectedly) pregnant there’s only one wine that comes to mind for making the announcement. Cheers to Baby V coming in 2019 🥂🙌🏻 #unexpectedlyexpecting — 7 years ago

with Krystal

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Steak, Frites & Claret. I am in heaven this New Year’s Eve. While 03 was a very warm & ripe vintage; which will drink well younger, this still needs 5-8 years. The nose still shows a fair amount of earth & some funk even after an hour & half in the the decanter. Sour dark cherries, ripe blackberries, black plum, roasted strawberries, raspberries haunt the background, light vanilla & cinnamon, light, soft, spice, black cherry cola/licorice, light volcanic minerals, dry stones, rich turned earth, black tea, anise, dark fresh florals with a hint of violets. The body is medium, lush and beautiful. Tannins have baby teeth. Sour & sweet dark cherries, ripe blackberries, black plum, roasted strawberries, blueberries, raspberries haunt the background, light vanilla & cinnamon, light, soft, spice, black cherry cola/licorice, light volcanic minerals, dry stones, rich turned dark earth, dry crushed rock, hints of graphite, cigar tobacco, used leather, black tea, anise, dark fresh florals with a hint of violets. The acidity is round and near perfect. The length, structure, tension and balance are all in good company. The finish is long & beautiful with nice balance, but just a shade more earthiness on the long set. Here a little trivia for your next game of “Wine Trivial Pursuit.” What was the first wine brought into space? In 1985, the 75 Lynch Bages was brought into space by a Frenchmen. Of course, right? I wonder if that drove up the bottle price? I think Lynch Bages is still currently closed for visits as it’s under renovation. They are making serious improvements to their facilities. Should you ever visit, make your appointment either side of lunch and eat at their Bistro...Cafe Lavinal. It’s very good, close and owned by Lynch Bages. Library vintages of Lynch Bages are available by the glass. It’s a very short walk from the Chateau. They also have great accommodations in walking distance, the Cordeillan Bages. The hotel is very nice and has a two star Michelin Restaurant. One of our favorite meals ever! Wish you all peace, success and many nice bottles in 2018!!! Happy New Year! 🎊🎈🎆 🍾🥂 🎉 — 8 years ago

Bob Miller

9.4

Ripe black cherry, tart plum, a bit of chewy road tar. Very juicy. Medium bodied, but very round, viscous mouth feel. Im making homemade chicken Marsala, and this should mail it! — 8 years ago

with Christine

Abby Echiverri

9.2

pasta making class with Wareheim! — 9 years ago

Hanif Perry

9.2

Great wine and has a little age making it spectacular. — 9 years ago

with Shafiq and Nayef

Russ W

9.0

Very green wine, lacking fruit but making up for it with graphite; agree that good wine is made in off vintages. A pleasure. — 10 years ago

with Krystal

Justin Hansohn

9.4

Magnum. Company party. Cherries and concentrated mineral water. The pork ramen and this wine are making hip hop beats together. Prolific. I hope you haven't missed it...as soon as you open a bottle you better stay close to it, especially in good company. This is benchmark bomb diggz. — 10 years ago

with Arturo

Marshal White

9.3

Making what, 30k cases?, of wine this good is a great achievement. — 11 years ago

Drew DiMatteo

9.2

@RidgeVineyards making structured, delicious and age worthy wine while providing all info on the label. #wine — 11 years ago

Chris England

9.7

The 2001 Clos Mogador was stunning aged drank in 2017 but this 2013 @ £65, now £80-£100 as a 98 Parker pointer, has massive potential 😁 Beautiful now but give this 10+yrs & you have a fab priced 98+ point wine in the making 😍 28k bottles so buy if you can 👍

📍 Clos Mogador 2013

🏵 97 points w/ 99+ potential I’d say

🍇 49% Grenache, 25% Carignan, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon & 16% Syrah 😍

🍷 Opaque deep ruby w/ purple hue

👃 Rich mocha infused spiced dark cherry/berry bang w/ minerals, pencil lead, herbs, soggy earth, raspberry coulis, hint of prune, soft smoked oak & crushed violets

👄 Med+ to Full bodied ripe creamy smooth dark berry/cherry oozy chocy mocha infused silky boom choc raspberry gateaux fest w/ a rock mineral stoney backbone

🎯 Long deep dark fruits & cocoa linger w/ a raspberry slap & mineral kiss - choc cherry gateaux in a glass 💥 😍

🧀 Paired w/ aged Manchego & Iberian ham 🐷 — 6 years ago

Charlie Evans

9.4

Pepe making some of the absolute best sparkling coming out of Spain. This was so high toned with an insane amount of minerality coming through with some saline qualities on the back end. Just stellar. — 7 years ago

David Zimmerman

9.1

Michael Cruse making life easy for us — 8 years ago

with King

Meeter B

8.9

Nice subtle cherry & tobacco notes. Dull flavour that is making its way to my heart. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

In every difficult vintage, anywhere, you will find producers that make exceptional wines. This 91 Palmer is such a wine. I have to thank Clyde Beffa owner of K&L Wine Merchants who has been traveling to Bordeaux for 35+ years for highly recommending two 91 Bordeaux's to me. The 91 Pichon Lalande; which he described as "heavenly." It's just the word I would have used to described it 5 or 6 years ago. Also, this 91 Palmer. He described as, "​I love it-soft and silky." I would strongly agree. You see, critics gave the 91 vintage a horrific review as a whole. Bordeaux had two frosts in April and a cold growing season. These elements didn't prevent either of these producers from making beautifully elegant 1991 wines. I have said it many times and will say it again, taste wines even in difficult vintages. You'll find value and some excellent wines. As for this 91, it's in perfect form. Excellent on it's own and even better with the ribeye. It's so elegant, smooth, beautiful, ripe and well balanced with earth & fruit. The fruits are slightly stewed & baked. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, touch of rhubarb, cherries, strawberries. Dried florals, used leather, tobacco with ash, slight vegetal quality, anise, not too sweet black cherry licorice/cola, figs, dark earth with crushed rocks, dry stones, underbrush, understated spice and perfect acidity that drips over the palate. The length, structure, balance and finish are in perfect harmony & the finish goes on and on and on. As many times as we've been to Bordeaux, we never get tired of the drive on the D-2 through Margaux and Pauillac. Chateau Margaux & Palmer stand side by side in beautiful prodigious history to say nothing of Baron Pichon & Pichon Lalande. Every year, for my B-day, I have a great steak and an old Bordeaux. It just doesn't get any better than that. And as many of those nights I've had, B-day or not, this might have been the best. Perhaps topping or equaling the Ribcap at Bourbon Steak and the 91 Pichon Lalande. To quote Gary Westby, "it steak and claret night." 12% alcohol is so much more enjoyable than 15% plus. ❤🍷🎉🎂 — 8 years ago

with Gary

Samuel James

9.1

Camomile and sage. So good, I feel like making martinis!! — 10 years ago

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.0

Lively and fragrant marking clear Burgundian notes, unmistakably PN. Bright red cherry (quite sweet) sweet spices, quite gravelly-mineral, smoky, oak, earthy. Showing good terroir. Still quite undeveloped on the palate, firm grainy tannin, lively vibrant acidity. Lovely length of meaty, smoky, oaky, red fruit, but still not resolved initially. Needs 3-4 years. Great wine in the making. Quite sour cherry. This will be 92+ in a few years — 10 years ago

Nicholas Horbaczewski

10

Just delicious. Realm is quietly making some of the best wine in Napa. — 10 years ago

Andrew Benn

9.1

2005
RP 90
Fantastic nose and Classic Tuscan flavor elements
Illustrates so well why a second label from a great winemaker still has all the wine making craft of a first wine
Enjoyed with truffled cheese from Napoli and 15 month manchego with the Krantzmans in Tahoe before do the blackout — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

I haven’t had the 2005 Chateau Musar Rouge since it was released whilst living in the Middle East. Recently, I picked up a half case each of the 2005 Rouge and Blanc since it’s an anniversary wine for Holly and I. One thing is certain, no one could ever accuse Serge (and now Gaston) for making boring wines. Decanted for five hours prior to drinking. This had a crazy bouquet of grapefruit, brambles and strawberries, pipe tobacco, wild flowers, horse blanket. Delicious red fruit, spices and earth on the palate. Tannins are still present but much more integrated than when I had this on release. Examples like this bottle will continue to age gracefully for years to come. QPR is through the freaking roof. — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

This 59 was Rocking and Rolling. Firing on all cylinders and showing gloriously. My contribution to this evening’s wine gluttony!!!!
It’s absolutely mind blowing how these wines can hold up and pass the test of time. Bravo to old world wine making!! — 7 years ago

with Christine and Kirk

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

In 2005 Marie and Frédéric Chauffray came across the perfect plot of land—25 acres on the plateau of Arboras in Terrasses du Larzac, situated in the Langeudoc. They sold the prestigious wine shop they owned outside Paris and embarked upon the dream of making wine, together founding Domaine de La Réserve d'O. Berry fruit and cacao notes. Cherry and mocha with spice and fine tannins. Lingering finish with ending with mineral notes. — 8 years ago

Mark S.

9.0

Amazing! Zinfandel blend, but fruity and elegant rather than juicy. Aroma making me feel the said taste is good. @1380, WinePlus-ACut, 170605 — 8 years ago

Anders Johnson

9.5

A beautiful example of talented wine making. — 9 years ago

Monica O

9.7

Baby but a blockbuster in the making. — 9 years ago

with Jeffrey and Ira

Buddy G

9.4

WOW!! Find this gem. Tastes like you would smell after eating beef jerkey all day while making chocolate wearing your favorite old leather jacket. — 9 years ago

Matthew Beckman

9.3

Was curious after reading several articles about Dunn as of late, and the son making the wine more approachable in youth. Drinkable today, gained depth with air. A bit more fleshy than I would expect — 10 years ago

Paul Einbund

Wine Director/Sommelier Frances

9.7

Holy shit who's making wines as good as coche? — 10 years ago

Jon Therkleson

9.0

A powerhouse of concentrated red and black fruit flavours tempered by smoky, sweet spice, wood and tar. Full and round but still managing to deliver complexity and finesse. Excellent wine making from sub-drenched Toro — 11 years ago

Marika Reuling

Vintner/Partner Reuling Vineyard

9.7

Making Monday a Fun Day!! — 11 years ago