Jay Kline

9.2

Opened three days earlier. The 2023 pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe brambles, lavender pastilles, bacon fat, black pepper, and fine 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+. A delightful pairing with Bison ribeye. Young but showing its potential. Drink now through 2043. — 6 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Beautiful, whip-smart Northern Rhône Syrah with blackberry, violets, granite and, after air, a gorgeous olive note running through both the nose and palate. The texture is sleek and refined, with excellent freshness, fine tannins and a long, elegant finish. Not quite as complete or tightly composed as the monumental 2019, but still an exceptional Gonon and a brilliant expression of the vintage. — a month ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.0

Ugrch @ metropolina amarillo tx — 7 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2019 vintage. Last tasted 10.30.24 (9.3). Popped for the staff as part of the usual Saturday Slurp. Previous visit was ridiculously delicious but undisciplined. All over the map and that was much of the charm...that rusticity and authenticity...but at Woodstock with 500K in attendance and the LSD-spiked punchbowl that ambushed The Who still found them nailing their set. Kinda similar to that. Yeah. So tonight's viz finds this bad boy relatively behaved with frontal palate richness and savory chocolate note along with a plushiness that was previously hinted at but unfulfilled. Gaminess gonzo for the most part as this seems to have settled into middle-age. Say it ain't so! Was crazy excellent in the punk rock era. Still excellent in the arena rock era. We'll see what happens in the crooner/standards era. 6.27.26. — 2 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was youthful with rich cherry, red berry fruits, earth, baking spices, mineral & floral tones — 2 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.2

Clean fruit. Mixed peppercorn. Tasty old world Syrah. — 4 months ago

Ryan Douglas Wells

9.0

Almost effervescent with acidity, bright, with tart cherries, the funk and slight brine of olives, and a pleasant mid-mouth weight. — 4 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

My first of nine bottles. Good first look. 13 such an excellent & big vintage. This is still midway to the top of the bell curve. 15-20 yrs plus depending on storage & taste.

The 2013 fruit clusters had small berries that were nicely ripened by the season, which meant more skins vs berry that gave it tannins, structure & depth.

Epic vintage.

The nose reveals; a lift of sage & rosemary. Black currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherry liqueur, anise core to black licorice, sage, soft rosemary, dark chocolate to pudding, mixed cola, steeped tea, some black pepper, limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, dry twig, grey volcanics, withering to dry; dark, red, purple flowers.

The palate is round, lush & thick. M+ dry, velvety tannins that penetrate deeply w/ teeth. Black raspberries, black plum, dark cherry liqueur, anise core to black licorice, sage, soft rosemary, dark chocolate to black plum pudding, caramel, dark spices w/ heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon to stick, vanillin, mixed cola, steeped tea, some black pepper, limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, dry twig, moist clay, grey volcanics, leather, graphite, moist tobacco, oak barrel shavings, withering to dry; dark, red, purple flowers, round, rainfall acidity with a rich/lush, nearly balanced, still strongly toned/structured, elegant finish with length & teeth that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earthiness.

It is still a baby. Plenty of life ahead. It has much more to offer. 15-20 yrs depending on storage and age taste. Add 1-2 points in 10 yrs. — 13 hours ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

While this showed nice dark mid berry fruits and very beautiful bright florals on the nose, it just didn’t check all the other boxes I want a red burgundy. Just an ok experience. — 20 days ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Classic Chablis, vibrant acidity, with notes of green apple and stone fruit, balanced the creamy sweet richness of a summer corn chowder at Dunbar Tea House. — a month ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Forever favorite — 2 months ago

Ming L

9.0

Aromas of kirsch, dried cherry, old wood, leather, and warm spice lead into a broad, supple palate. The fruit is ripe and generous, with earthy undertones and hints of black olive and dried herbs. Structure comes more from fine tannins than visible acidity, giving a smooth, gently weighted flow rather than lift. The finish is savory and persistent, marked by a candied touch.

A nice traditional CdP, but it does not show the fruit purity and freshness that’s one of the hallmark of the great 16’ vintage. — 3 months ago

Michael Dierberg

9.4

Great wine. Will improve but not a bad time to open. Aromatics started with a distinctive smoky or reductive note that I couldn’t quite place but dissipated and morphed. Good structure. — 4 months ago

with JiaMin

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — 15 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.0

Geras en santi — 7 days ago

Mattias Söderberg

8.9

Fantastic Montrachet with a buttery yet fresh citrusy pallet! Love it — 19 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

The nose gives this away as a Burgundy rather than a new world Pinot - at least to my nose. Earthy and red fruited with mushrooms on nose and palate. The palate is restrained - and totally balanced between richness and restraint. Great terroir and well made. I note Jasper Morris MW comments about Les Cazetiers - “gives a feeling of refinement and precision “. — 2 months ago

Joe Fischer

8.9

Ruby with aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, licorice, and tobacco. Very cherry on the bud with a long smooth finish. — 2 months ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.6

Cata winegeeks cdjr @ardeo magnum — 4 months ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.3

Not the deepest nor the most complex wine ever, but it charmes with its lovely purity and extravert personality. Vanillin, sweet oak, white peach, dash of lemon oil. — 5 months ago