Brendan Baker

9.3

Wild strawberries, black cherry, warm earth, med body, med + acid 😜🥰 — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Beautiful ruby in color, with a very wide reddish rim. Bricking at the very top.

Light nose with red and black fruits, light cedar and tobacco leaf.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, cherries, earth, black coffee, oak, herbs, vegetables, spices, tobacco leaf, dark chocolates and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 26 year old from the great 1998 vintage in Southern Rhone is drinking beautifully now. Soft and smooth, elegant and earthy.

Not so good right out of the bottle, and needed 90 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 94 points.

Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

Showing nice complexity and good balance.

I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

14% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$120 (current vintage). — 4 months ago

Kevin Dale

9.4

Wasn’t a fan of the super Tuscans at first, but growing on me more and more. — 5 months ago

Ira Schwartz

9.5

Finally lost my Heitz MV virginity. One word, wow. The mint-eucalyptus was there on the nose. A very powerful wine that smelled powerful and tasted powerful. Besides the mint , hints of earth & cigar notes but clearly in the background. I was having a hard time trying to grasp how youthful and balanced the wine was on the palate. I found the fruit was on the darker side with lingering tannins. I left this in the decanter for three days. The nose really never diminished, the palate grudgingly. If I had to nitpick I felt it was lacking some of the complexity that I would have expected at this stage. — 5 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot. — 6 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Celebrating with a couple nice wines tonight

2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). An imposing dark magenta color. On the nose: very aromatic with dark cherry, currants, herbaceous, smokey earth, floral, pencil shavings. Taste: soft, silky, dry tannin wine with black fruit, pencil lead, cedar, tar, crushed rock, and a minerally mocha dry medium plus finish. YUM! More time to go. — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Roberto Carli

9.1

Now I see how this wine can be so divisive. LOTS of brett at first, more band-aid than barnyard. Takes a while to get past it and then lots of exotic spices show up. But after 40 minutes in the glass still nothing primary. It’s got the funk I can appreciate in some good left bank Bordeaux but also feels somewhat single-threaded. — 3 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.4

At first i picked up a lot of acetyl in this relative to the other wines. After an hour that had blown off and this blossomed. Everything you hope for in Monte Bello. — 7 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.4

An earth driven nose with overtones of garrigue. This wine was terroir driven vs fruit driven. Compared to the other vintages I found this wine benefited the least from air. — 9 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

+1 hour decant(some fine/cloudy sediment). A prodigious medium ruby red color. On the nose: red fruit, licorice, herbs, sandlewood, smoked meat. Taste: Still youthful and energetic with red raspberry/plum, dark currants, tea, earth, and a clove/dark chocolate med plus finish. YUM! — 3 months ago

with Brenda

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a cloudy reddish/ brick rim.

Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, earth, wet leaves, herbs, light vegetables, coffee, eucalyptus, mediterranean spices and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 28 year old is still drinking very nicely. A great Second Growth Bordeaux.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 45 minutes of airtime.

Complex and engaging. Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Aged in (65% new) French oak barrels.

13% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200. — 4 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

A pretty color of ruby, with a wide brick/ reddish rim.

Full bodied and elegant.

Dry on the palate with medium acidity.

Showing red currants, plums, cherries, wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and black pepper.

Medium finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 15 year old Rioja Reserva is drinking very nicely now. Showing nice complexity at this point.

Still young and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. A very tasty aged Rioja, and a good food wine.

Robert Parker 95 points.

I Had this vintage a year ago, and it feels pretty much the same.

A blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano. Aged in used American oak barrels for 6 years.

13% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$55. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three days. Best on Day 3. The 2011 “Bosconia” pours a ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of sour cherry, dill, leather, dried earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium++ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, elegant and leans towards the bitter side of the spectrum. Good on its own but I think these really excel with food. I’ve probably covered this before in previous TN’s but the wines of LdH might not be for everyone but I find them to be truly special and while there tends to be quite a bit of variation, they are always full of soul. Drink now with patience and through 2036. — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Celebrating with a couple of fun bottles tonight. 2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A stunning dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: lightly fragrant notes of stewed red fruit, cassis, floral, little cigar box, herbaceous. Taste: silky, elegant, soft wine with a great mix of dark plum, currants, iron, scorched earth, tobacco, and cedar/bitter chocolate medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant and more time to go. — 7 months ago

Lori K

9.2

Todd really likes, great vanilla and current blend, good mouth feel — 9 months ago

Pratt Rogers

9.0

I️ love this bottle - wish I’d let it air out more. Second glass was better than first with a higher vanilla compliment. — 9 months ago

Caleb Krell

9.3

A little thin at first, but then got going after an hour or so being opened — 2 years ago

Jennie Mass

9.4

1999. Beautifully showing. Nice balance of fruit, earth, and freshness. Pretty finish. — 6 years ago

Tom Wildenhaus

9.5

First time tasting and what a treat. We balanced, subtle with flavors that keep evolving. — 7 years ago

Robert Gray

9.2

Funk on the nose. A little juice, earth, minerality, and balanced acidity. Smells like your grandparents basement. — 9 years ago

Jan de Weerd

9.1

Yeah, what can I say. Nice wine for sure, but for some reason when I see the Silver Oak label my expectations rise. Realizing this is the Alexander Valley version. But 2011! Thirteen years old. Still rather single note, strong oak tannins still overshadowed what maybe underneath it. A bit disappointed I am afraid. We pulled it out with my first ever Tomahawk ribeye… so yeah. — 3 months ago

with Tammy

Mike McGovern

9.0

7th Anniversary 2023 - first anniversary with Aidan. — 4 months ago

with Amber

Tom Garland

9.5

2005 Wine Spectator wine of the year.

1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A thrilling dark garnet with some bricking. Nose: beautiful aromatic notes with cherry, old leather, wet earth, floral, licorice. Taste: velvety smooth, creamy, balanced wine with dark berries, cedar, licorice, spice, espresso, dark chocolate, and a nice satin long finish. YUM! Just gonna sit back and enjoy the ride tonight. Paired with a Christmas prime rib roast dinner. Cheers! — 5 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Still remarkably youthful, it’s rich, dense and dark fruited, layered with classicism of cigar box, cedar and spices. The palate is concentrated and powerful with a silky texture and incredible length. 95 is nowhere near its peak. Many more years to go. And while I’ll never be a real Bordeaux lover, it’s clear what makes these first growths special. — 6 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

Drinking beautifully. Blackberry, strawberry, musky earth, pepper, anise. Should hold just fine — 6 months ago

Phoebe Li

9.4

Quite savoury when first opened, earthy and leathery, decant in bottle for 2.5 hours and it started to blossom with a lot of red fruits and vanilla taste (from oaks). Silky smooth tannin. Absolutely stunning — 7 months ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.5

A very nice showing from a somewhat overseen vintage of Sassicaia. It is a very elegant, fragrant yet full bodied wine that is really showing it’s best sides today. Complex and balanced. Currants, flowers, earth, spice and a mineral and fresh finish. — 9 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.5

My first bottle of the ‘16. This is drinking really well right now, and I can’t wait to see it in 10 years. Fruit is ripe, tannins are tight but approachable. Black and red fruit. Acidity still strong but also approachable. Overall well structured and integrated. Just gonna get better with time, but like I said, it can be pnp, but with patience it’ll be fantastic. I agree with WS 95 rating. — 9 months ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.0

First time we had it, a gift from a friend. Dark rubi color, black fruits and flowers on the nose, very sweet tanins and medium body. Great wine at the price point. — 3 years ago

with Adriana

Matthew Hughes

9.2

Yes. So tasty but better than that, it reminds me of the steak dinner when I tried these in late vintages for the first time.... — 7 years ago

with Jay and Ed