Tom Garland

9.4

1 hour decant(lots chunky/fine sediment). A gorgeous inky purplish garnet color. On the nose: dark fruit, forest floor, smoked meat, floral, cigar wrapper, pencil lead. Taste: smooth, rich, creamy mouthcoating wine with blackberry/dark cherry, dark chocolate, earth, tobacco, baking spice, and a cedar/graphite medium plus finish with some slight dusty tannins. Had this 2 years ago, and it's improved. In the beginning of its drink window at 18 years? Wow — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Jakub Kalinowski

9.4

Expressive, enticing, aetheric.
Dusty cherries, tobacco leaf, leather, (very) dark chocolate, wood finish, a hint of cigar box. So fresh, so uplifting, so youthful!
On the palate amazing purity, zingy cherry acidity, a hint of orange peel, present, juicy yet very, very fine tannins. After a few hours this shows a darker, richer side. Really nice flow and great energy!
Brilliant, just brilliant. And amazing vale, for this quality! — 4 years ago

Deborah M

9.0

Blackouts are not “rolling” in Dallas. Power is just out forever. Opened this to make the evening a little better. I have power now, but I know it won’t last long. This wine is helping. A little funk on the nose. Herbal notes with a hint of spice on the finish. Don’t hold these for much longer. — 5 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.2

You’ll have to look far for a Napa Cab of this standard at the modest price of ye good ‘ol Frog’s Leap, which does not leave you wish for anything more. The ‘15 is showing a wonderfully ripe, dense and energetic fruit profile aligned with the well placed oak profile and trademark dusty graphite complexity. Round and ripe textured tannins with a nice grip is bringing the palate throughout a long, though not exceptional — 7 years ago

Sean Grullon

9.5

Okay - fine. It’s a good, probably great wine. Overpriced? Yes. Opus is filled with pretentious douchbags? Double yes. But this is a well-made wine bridging a gap between Napa and Boudreaux. Dusty nose with menthol, earl grey tea, tobacco, flowers, cassis, and creamy dark fruits. It has a really nice velvety finish. — 8 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was fuller bodied & more primary than the LM with dark red cherry, plum, dusty leather & tobacco. — 8 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.4

Deep ruby color. Dark berries and cherry liqueur on the nose with undertones of red licorice and garrigue. Concentrated dark, brambly fruit and light, dusty tannins on the palate with a long finish. — 8 years ago

with Kelly

Ivor

9.1

My go to Bordeaux classic. Small black fruits, tobacco, cigar boxes and the ever present stubborn dusty bitter note. — a year ago

David Kline

9.4

Lovely nose of slow cooked beef and heirloom pork, red and black roses, brown bread stuffing, fine tabak, vanilla-in-bread, dusty black cherry, dried black currant and espresso powder. Black olive rounds the palate in a textural wave that intensifies to charred grape gravy, very sharp forest berry, lavender, holly, pine nettle, and sage. Younger offering here but fully integrated and freshly offering dark bark and dark castings with lively fruit and floral punctuation.


#chateaupontetcanet #2014 #bordeaux #pauillac #grandcruclasséen1855 #appellationpauillaccontrôlée #misenbouteilleauchateau #leftbank — 3 years ago

David Nicewicz

9.7

Birth year vintages are a roll of the dice but luckily I landed on a pretty solid classic - 1978. So for my birthday this year, we opened an LLC and wow was this perfect. The sommelier was surgical in removing the cork which split in half but he managed to extract it. The nose on this wine was a 10 - loads of cassis, licorice, dusty library and leather. Palate was extracted cassis, leather and great acidity and liveliness, just like my 44 year old self. It’s just pure magic when bottles this old perform - happy Friday everyone. — 4 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.4

Dusty, earthy nose of tea leaf, humidor, caramel-latte, leather and damp soil. The structured palate echoes the nose but also reveals cedar, graphite, beef blood and dark forest fruit. Tannines are wonderfully rounded and ripe. Medium to full-bodied, this is a gorgeous 95-leftbanker. 🤙🏻 — 6 years ago

Joe Kaiser

9.3

What a true expression of the Rutherford terroir, it had dusty notes with tons of dark blue fruit, still very young at 10-years of age, I think I might open one of my four left in 2024. So one of our friends needs to celebrate something special I 2014! — 6 years ago

with Debbie and bill

Nikki Goddard, DWS

9.3

Dusty earth, liqueur cherries, candied violet petals, pomegranate, stewed strawberries, leather, anise; acidity is still super bright, fine, powdery tannins. — 7 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.3

Tonight’s wine club gathering was extra special due to the fact that each selection put forward for tasting had a unique and special story behind it; each wine had a “near and dear” element to it that made tasting it all the more enjoyable while the stories surrounding them were told.

This selection and vintage holds special meaning for me. The memories associated with it are truly sweet. So elegant and beautiful; once the funk blew off after about an hour in the decanter the true nature of the wine blossomed. Savory notes of molasses, plum, and fig married with the cool, intoxicating aromas of eucalyptus and mint laced in dark, sweet, dusty fruits. So delicious. I’m thankful I have a few more of these in the cellar. — 8 years ago

with Krystal

Daniel Bloom

9.3

Ya know it’s Tempranillo, but damn, that nose could be Garnacha.15 % really comes to the fore.It’s iron bloody, w hints of soil. Jammy roses?
It’s big bodied, but full of acidic lift, cherries, dusty earth, always brawnier than the brother Tondonia.fills your mouth with deep redness.
I’ll always have room for these.
Thanks@TRWC


— 2 years ago

Daniel M

9.3

Opened yesterday and 2/3rd of the bottle was left to rest. Yesterday the nose was made of tar, cigare, cedar and oaky notes. There was very little fruit. 24 hours after the same notes are still showing but I can smell some cassis, some meat juice and a tiny peppery note. This is very concentrated and intense. The palate is very well made with a very strong acid drive, some very nice matter on the sides, a great width, a plush mouthfeel, some cassis and meaty, salty touches, a great mid palate with grainy, dusty tannins that power up a very long finish that tend to expand on the rear: there is that grainy, dusty layer of tannins that carries on for a very long time, these cassis notes that bring a bit of tanginess, and some smoky, oaky notes linger for a while too. This is an aristocratic wine and my last bottle will rest for another 10 years at least. Off vintage but great bottle — 3 years ago

Ian Staub

9.0

What a wine, and an incredible value. Organic Chianti Classico is hard to come by and at $20 I can't imagine it gets much better than this. It's got all the hallmarks - snappy red cherry fruit, sweet florals, dusty earth, musky leather, herbs, all layered in an incredible complete package. Beautiful texture, with high acid and generous tannin, somehow this drinks well today but shows it can surely go for a couple decades. I'm looking forward to seeing where this ends up. — 5 years ago

Kimberly Anderson

9.3

Purplish black with heady scents of mocha, blueberry and herbs. Pomegranate, dusty plum, and espresso. Black tea notes on the finish. Plush but not over the top. A 30 minute decant made a big difference with this wine. — 7 years ago

with Chad

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Started in 1972 with a simple philosophy - to focus production on only one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot & 0.5% Malbec. Dark opaque Ruby with aromas of red fruits, oak, sweet herbs and spice. On the palate raspberry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao and espresso. Fine dusty tannins, satisfying acidity on lingering smooth finish ending with sweet oak tones. Nice! — 8 years ago

Narun P

8.9

48 M, 38 CS and 14 CF with 7.3% vin de presse.

Intense garnet, transparent, compact rim.

Leafy cabernet aroma intermingling with subtle floral spices. Only slightest sign of hot vintage ripe fruit.

On the palate, it shows dusty tannin, med plus acidity, med bodied. Classic Bordeaux profile with dark cherry, cassis, gravel soil tone, hint of smokiness.

Very pretty wine that can be kept for 10 more years at least, though no reason to wait. 89. — 8 years ago