Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1978 vintage. Great fill with a fully saturated cork. Used a Durand to remove and cork held up but big cork splinters shedding upon removal. Decanted and tasted over the course of an hour. Super silky, not chunky, sed. Light-medium body. Had to coax the nose out a little but revealed cassis, tobacco, dark plum, sandalwood and cherry pits. All these plus a slight, beef broth touch in the flavors. Not improving but can sustain another half-decade in this incarnation. Gorgeous, old BDX. Drink now till 2029. 12.8.23. — 5 months ago

jochen rueckert

9.1

Pretty dope — a year ago

Randy Fuller

9.1

This is a dark wine. It looks dark, smells dark and tastes dark. The nose brings blackberry, plum, coffee and black tea. There is very little oak in the aroma package, if any. The palate shows dark fruit as well, with a clean and healthy tannic structure. The finish is not terribly long, but it is juicy and flavorful. — a year ago

Makoto Someya

8.9

Aroma includes Oak, fig. Still tannic and acidic. It is better to decant it. Dry. Red fruits. It is not party wine, but the one enjoyed by taking time. 2015 @1400, wine plus, 221104 — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Early valentine's dinner (oysters are done)... now reverse seared rib cap steaks.

1 hour decant (decent chunky sediment). A grand dark burnt crimson color with decent bricking. On the nose: Bingo!!! That delicate aged sweet perfumed cab nose burst from the glass with dark berries, creme brulee, mint, sweet tobacco, stewed meat. Taste: velvety smooth, full body wine with earth, dark berries, sandlewood, cocoa and a spiced cassis medium plus finish. Holding up great, but don't wait to try!! Its what you want in an aged Napa cab. — 3 years ago

with Brenda

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I’ve eyeballed this 05 over the last couple of years...thinking, I should drink this up. One thing about Heitz wines made by the Heitz family is they will age very well. We’ll see what happens to their wines now that they have been sold to corporate owners.

This 05 was pulled from my secondary cabinet storage; which means not EuroCave.

I spent three days sending 200 plus bottles to auction and rearranging my collection. So, this was standing free. Time to drink up, right? Nope. This still has another 5-7 years plus of good drinking ahead even if I laid it down in a dark closet with added humidity. I can, because I live in a cool climate. So, it would be just fine.

The nose reveals, ripe, still fresh fruits of; dark currants, blackberries & black raspberries. Black plum pudding, black cherries, baked strawberries and beautiful blue fruits that always come out nicely in older Heitz wines. Anise to black licorice, steeped dark fruit teas, purple & blue fruit liqueur/cola, limestone minerals, crushed rocks, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel, mocha, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, touch of nutmeg, dark spice, dry & fresh herbs, mint, some soft leather & dry tobacco, graphite notes, dark, rich, black, earth with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple flowers with violets and hints of lavender.

The body is; full, ripe, lush and has beautiful texture. Velvety, dark, tarry, tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are where I love them...just over the top of the bell curve. This is still so fresh. Dark currants, blackberries & black raspberries. Black plum pudding, black cherries, baked strawberries & rhubarb shine on the long open & palate set with beautiful blue fruits. Anise to black licorice, steeped dark fruit teas, purple & blue fruit liqueur/cola, red licorice, limestone minerals, river stone, crushed rocks, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel, mocha, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, touch of nutmeg, dark spice with just the right amount of palate heat, dry & fresh herbs, mint, some soft leather & dry tobacco, graphite notes, dark, rich, black, earth with fresh & withering; brilliant, dark, red, purple flowers with violets and hints of lavender. The acidity is round and perfect. The long finish is; very well balanced fruit & earth, rich, lush, ripe, elegant, delicious and dances on the palate with long persistence.

It’s a steal today considering I paid $29 in 07/08. Delectable tracks it at $130. Beautiful wine tonight.

Photos of; their tasting bar on Hwy 29, sign and tasting room vines in Saint Helena, tasting room building and sitting area just outside their tasting room. — 5 years ago

Kathleen Duffy

8.9

Beautiful pairing with goat cheese. This onechad lovely hints of apricot and settle spices, fun! — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Medium plus Ruby in colour - when swirled a tawny note shows. Dusty berry derived aromas - cassis/blackcurrant on the medium weight palate; cedar/cigar box with a touch of capsicum. A very good mature left bank Bordeaux from an excellent vintage. I had a bottle of this 3 years ago and received some commentary from other Delectable users that I was drinking this too early. It does have a longer life than I said 3 years ago but I am more than happy to drink it now. As LM Segal said about this wine on Delectable, “If you’ve got em drink em”. As always with Lynch Bages it deserves a higher rating than 5th Growth - but in summary not overly complex. — 9 months ago

Mike Lev

9.1

Wow. Not your sister in laws Pinot Grigio. Tropical and stone fruit, creamy, bread dough, medium to full body. Pretty pronounced flavor. Like. — a year ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Straw gold color. Blend of Malvasia (45%), Rhein Riesling (40%) and Friulano (15%). Intensely floral on the nose with a hints of apricot, honey and a touch of petrol. Green apple, pear and minerals fill the pallet. Spicy and citrusy finish. Clean and rich. Intense acidity. Outstanding food wine. — 2 years ago

Ellen trappey

9.0

Really delightful wine. Paired nicely with grilled branzino. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2010 is an excellent vintage but, it is for the later part of your life or your children.

This is drinking beautifully with a 4 hour decant. The structure & tension are just starting to their softening stage. The length and balance are in the forget about it range and will just get better & better. Ripe, stunning fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum & a touch of blue fruits. Moist clay & top soils, stones, mint, graphite, fresh tobacco, dark cola, anise to black licorice with stunning, withering floral bouquet. Acidity is perfect. The finish is everything you want in a Bordeaux.

Definitely a 99-100 point wine in 15 years plus.

Served with the Cheese Plate; Red Hawk, Hop Along & Roquefort. @Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing, Veronique talking terroir/vintages & dinner guests. — 4 years ago

Wulf Losee

9.8

This is a sneaky little wine. Mint and leather on the nose, but not in high degree. Dried cherries on the front, but not enough of those flavors to make it fruit forward. A light to medium tannic structure that is neither puckery nor velvety. Ending with lingering soft high notes. At first I wasn’t really paying attention to its unpretentiousness, but then I realized that every landmark in my mouth was pleased and smiling. It’s like one of those subtle Grand Cru Bordeauxs that, once every decade or so, give us something brilliant and memorable. Well, after that spiel, I should probably give it a 10.0, but I’ve never tasted a 10.0 — so I’m giving it a 9.8. I can’t think that I’ve given anything more than 9.6. So take it from me that this is a pretty fooking great wine! — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Decant and pour. A wondrous garnet color with bricking. On the nose: captivating nose of dark plum, wet forest floor, herbaceous, spice, some funky barnyard. Taste: dark plum, cedar, earth, pencil lead, and a spiced green bell pepper/tobacco medium plus finish with a moderately tight tannic kick....drinks like a younger Bordeaux. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Barberry Garden

9.3

A bit restrained yet nuanced bouquet of pear, bread, cinnamon, dried fruit, white flowers and green hazelnut. Medium-bodied, it's sharp and focused with racy acidity and chalk minerality. Mind-blowing flavours of fermented rice. Overall, demanding style. Even today, it feels too young. A meditative wine for hikikomori.

Disgorged in April 2019
120 months on lees

Tasted on 2023-07-06 — 10 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant(decent fine/chunky sediment). A majestic purplish dark magenta color. On the nose: bursting from the glass are notes of red and black fruit, charred wood, milk chocolate, some mint, touch of cigar box. Taste: smooth, delicate, elegant wine with red berries/plum, leather, gravel, herbaceous, mocha, and a spiced tobacco medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant, but no hurry, time to go. — a year ago

with Brenda

Kamall

9.1

I love this lighter weight, more aromatic Grenache. Well worth a look. — 3 years ago

Tom Garland

9.2

04 was an uneven growing season, maybe a little underrated since stuck between 03 & 05...good en primeur pricing for the 04s...Got this for around $150.

1.5 hour decant (decent chunky sediment). A captivating dark crimson color with a slight bricking. On the nose: sweet red fruit, cassis, floral, cedar, smoked meat, and mint. Taste: fresh, nice acidity, good structure, med to full body wine with blackberry, dried herbs, spice box, pencil lead, with a plum vanilla medium plus finish and a little tannic kick at the end.....few more bottles in the cellar to follow over the next few years. Cheers! — 4 years ago

with Brenda

EatSommThings (Jimmy)

9.3

Warm Anjou pear with that warms you inside. — 5 years ago

Laura Beth

9.0

6.12.19 ~ Girls night before Denver 5:30am flight — 5 years ago