Bill Bender

9.3

Cedar and tar on the nose. Black rasberry fruit, white pepper, the end cut of of a herb crusted roast. Dense, chewy and substantial. Almost all the elements are there but there was an ever so slight chalky, sour milk after taste that keeps it from reaching the upper echelon for me. — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

A very good 2nd tier Margaret River Cabernet which is less than half the price of the top echelon and achieving about 80% of that quality. A slightly detuned Moss Wood. Great value. — 9 years ago

Rick Baumgarten

9.1

Just a tad below the top echelon of Loire SB. Great value. — 10 years ago

Dade Thieriot

10

Is there a better vintage over the past 30 years or so in Burgundy than these gorgeous '99s???Drouhin, always amongst the finest, most consistent of the top echelon of negociants in Beaune, has produced a classic Chambolle from my favorite site that in a magnum was still very youthful--FORMIDABLE! — 10 years ago

with Petra, Andrew and 1 other

Andrew Benn

9.1

Le Grand Vert 2012 from Monts et Merveilles
White Languedoc
Upper echelon of wine - Petit Bouchon - we had at Baccaretto the night before
Comes from 2 hectares near vineyard entrance; 19€
Dry; powerful but refined; LMB ok — 11 years ago

Brad Ball

Sommelier/Wine Director Social Wine Bar

9.1

New producer for me and I'm digging it. Not in the upper, upper echelon but strong showing. — 11 years ago

with David

Tracie Kuczkowski

9.5

excellent! — 13 years ago

Bill Bender

9.4

This is a massive wine. Dense, chewy and on the edge of over extracted but still has round inviting tannins and sweet mountain fruit that seduces. Decanted 4 hours but a prickly, spicy tightness still exists and keeps this from being upper echelon right now. I would most definitely hold 3-5 years minimum. I had an '01 last Summer that was singing. I'm pretty confident this will be a world beater with more maturity. — 8 years ago

Ian Abraham

9.8

Pleasantly Sweet and strawberry/blackberry berry jam, the 2012 vintage is still a little bit young and would open up with a little age very nicely,a bit of alcohol is forward on the palette because of this. Still one of the best and the sweetness is well integrated with a very gentle and subtle tannin. Still one of my all time favorites. Rated 97+ Points, Robert Parker. Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Lots of blueberry and black raspberry fruit with a hint of mocha and background oak are all present in this full-bodied, opulent, absolutely spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a long-distance runner and,it is loaded with potential promise, and as Kathryn Hall says so frequently, “Magic.” .Kathryn Hall’s winery is certainly one of the more dramatic as well as up-and-coming superstars of Napa Valley. It seems every effort is made to propel these wines into the very top echelon of quality. $179.99 a bottle. — 9 years ago

Dade Thieriot

10

#Roumier red #Burgundies are now considered to be amongst the very top echelon of #Pinots from anywhere on earth. His #Musigny is virtually unaffordable along with the top DRCs, but the queen at his court is this Bonnes-Mares, and a very worthy royalty it is. Drinks now but will continue to improve for another decade...if you can find it. #2002 — 10 years ago

with Petra and Wietske

Randis Gallaway

9.0

Smooth and tastes good. Easy to drink. — 11 years ago

Rob Lateiner

9.8

This is perfectly balanced. Not a very high level of phenolic complexity or whatever but this is perfectly ripe. Maybe the purest red cherry fruit I have had from a wine. Sweet fruited and fresh. This beats a lot of higher echelon burgundy in my book. — 11 years ago

Michelle Butler

9.1

Very light!! Strawberry and very cherry flavored! — 12 years ago

Josh Spurling

9.5

One of the biggest Merlots I've ever encountered. Night 1, it was in an "inward" state.......dark, tannic, not so friendly, but with tons of potential. Came back to it 2 days later and it's a pleasure bomb if a wine. Deep cassis, sweet plum, graphite, and more. Mouthfeel had loosened up, but this still has a long life ahead of it. Arietta's wines are some of the best deals out there imho when it comes to that upper echelon of producers. — 9 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.1

The Octogan is the flagship wine of the well respected winery Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia, South near Charlottesville.
One of the most coveted red wines from Virginia, this is in the upper echelon of quality.
Finesse and old world charm are what define this wines style, with a restrained set of fruit aromas, some earth tones of soil dust. The palate is medium to medium + bodied and the structure is fine and elegant.with good acids. — 9 years ago

Stuart Robinson

9.6

Exemplary Merlot/Franc blend. Pretty high octane, but the oak/fruit/tannin structure is a tour de force. Upper echelon Aussie wine. — 10 years ago

Gareth Best

9.4

This is absolutely upper echelon WA wine. Fantastic acid, bright fruit, cab franc really brings the goods. Wow. — 10 years ago

Dade Thieriot

10

Pierre Morey wines are undoubtedly amongst the upper echelon of white Burgundy--firmly structured, intensely mineral and so good now at the ripe young age of three--CLASS ACT! — 10 years ago

with Andrew, Lisa and 2 others

CJ A

9.1

Berry forward, balanced, lush. A versatile, welcoming Pinot from Russian River. Paired quite nicely with 'Luke's' organic/ gluten free Black pepper multigrain & seed crackers, topped with a pinch of Kerrygold Irish aged cheddar soaked in Irish whiskey. I imagine this Pinot would complement either a robust cornmeal crust/ italian sausage pizza, or a light Brie/green apple sandwich. Altogether complementary and accommodating feel to this vino... — 11 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.3

The 2010 is another fascinating ‘Las Flors’ from La Pèira and there no question on its place is among the top echelon of Languedoc wine. — 11 years ago