Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 1989 Pichon-Baron repeats its performance from the vertical tasting in May 2018. It storms from the glass, bearing copious blackberry, cedar and perhaps a little more mint than I noticed on the previous bottle. There is so much youthful zeal to this harmonious, refined Pauillac that you would barely guess it is 30 years old. Long and tender with a graphite-infused finish, this bottle might be even better than the ex-château example. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2019) — 6 years ago

Barbie Fiallo

9.0

Even at this super young age you can taste the greatness!!! We decanted for an hour or so as we were dying to try one from the lot. We will be aging these. — 8 years ago

with Jonathan

Henry Fuseler

9.0

Nice when opened. 20 minutes later even better! Brasstown Ribeye on the way — 8 years ago

Kelly Velez

9.5

Awesome even in a not so great year — 8 years ago

with Vicente

Curtis Osborn

8.9

Curtis had this 9 years ago

Roger Lang

9.4

Subtly oxidized, yeasty and filled with acidic complexity over grape and even red fruit flavors. Mushroomy oxidization is beautiful and earthy, with sweet fruit. Delish! — 9 years ago

Joe Rice

9.1

By the glass at the winery. Dark fruit, not stewed, plenty of oak spice, even more to the forefront than the 890. A bit more time to integrate. — 10 years ago

Joe Loughran

9.1

Nice fruit with bright acidity, earth, interesting complexity. Still young but drinking well, even better with food. — 11 years ago

James Jordan

9.6

Slightly sweet, full flavoured, berry notes, velvety smooth. Goes very well with red meats or even a berry themed dessert. Excellent value for the money. — 11 years ago

Rick Baumgarten

9.8

Really really good. Fresh, not even a bit of bricking — 11 years ago

Max Einhorn

9.0

Smooth but flavors have switched a lot to non fruit even at that age — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

D6. Young. Very young. Even though it was decanted and frequently agitated, this one didn't come out to play until almost 2 hr after opening. Nose of Bing cherry and mint. Some red clay must. The entry is very acidic. Black cherry hint but Bing cherry backbone. Herbal middle. Started to show terroir-driven notes to the finish. Youthful and tight tannin. LOTS of life ahead. Be in NO HURRY to drink this one. I'd say optimal drinking time 5 to 10 years. — 7 years ago

Jeff D.

9.3

From a magnum...for a '90 there seems to be no color progression on it at all, even at the edges. There is a minty, herbaceous note to it but it has great blackberry flavors and nice firm tannins on the finish. Really incredible how well this is holding up and an outstanding expression of Napa Valley Cab! — 8 years ago

Kristi Lynn

10

Funny story, we ordered the bottle of wine on the line after this bottle on the menu. The waiter brought this bottle as a mistake which we found out was listed as a $485 bottle of wine! We took one sip and knew that it was too good to be true. Come to find out that this is one of the first super tuscan wines ever made. Even though management took the bottle from our table as soon as it was realized, that was the luckiest and most delicious mistake that's ever happened to us. — 9 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.0

It was too young and overall very tight even with 5 hours of decanting. I think we opened this at an awkward time in its evolution. — 9 years ago

Adam Coy

9.3

Smooth ripe berries. Some nice minerals, easy drinking but can use some some years even at 2006. — 10 years ago

with Kirema and Benjamin

Dave Schneider

8.9

Quite the funk bomb. Needed time to open but when it did it became much softer and even balanced. tasted like a classic older Bordeaux. — 10 years ago

Brandon Luckett

9.0

Very nice! Even better as it opens. — 11 years ago

Kai Chang

9.2

Clear deep purple colour with watery rim. Clean medium intensity aroma with minty black cherry and black currant with hint of oak smokiness and vanilla. Dry on the palate full bodied medium alcohol with medium acidity and high but smooth velvety tannin. Flavours of earthy black currant, black cherry, and vanilla. Flavours last through into its long pleasant finish. Very good quality, drink now but can age for another 3 to 5 years for a even more balanced complexity. — 11 years ago

Stephanie Quirk

10

Yum! Fantastic now and will be even better in a couple of years! — 12 years ago

Mark Geylikman

9.2

Exceptional. Price value ratio, outstanding. Anyone who knows these wines knows that they are traditional, old school style riojas with that extra layer of finesse that sets them apart, but many of the other vineyard bottlings require extensive aging beyond even what the winery sometimes deems appropriate. This, on the other hand, has many of those characteristics we all love, but with the freshness and lift that makes it so drinkable and food friendly today. Having had 2008 and 2009, the 2010 is truly a cut above. — 6 years ago

Matt

9.1

Mature, elegant, harmonious wine that has aged well. Distinctive tertiary notes in the wine give this a definite Old World personality despite having that classic core of fruit even restrained wines take on in Napa. I bet this was singing on its 20th Birthday. — 7 years ago

Kirk F

9.4

Nice to have friends with big time cellars! After an hour in the decanter this wine shows beautifully. One of the best Bordeaux I've had and I'm grateful to even have a taste. Wow! — 8 years ago

with Sonia, Michael and 2 others

Ginger Vintner

9.6

Vanilla baking spice and dried cherry with a leather finish on the nose. On the palate hints of dried cherry, dark Mediterranean pepper with a beautiful balance and a slight vanilla finish. Wow!!!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! And then it open to an even more beautiful wine after an hour, if you can make it last that long! — 9 years ago

Amanda Henry Godino

9.4

Really delicious. Even better as it opened up. — 9 years ago

Christopher Suarez

9.3

This 2008 was cellared for almost five years after purchased in 2012. Consumed Nov 2015, the best way to describe this delight is that "it melts in your mouth". You do not even feel it as it goes down, the taste begins with its scents as soon as it hits your palate. Delightfully fruity with cherry, blackberry and jam. — 10 years ago

Francesca Filippini

9.4

Perfectly balanced, well integrated, and pairs best with good conversation. Even for an Italian, this Tempranillo gives any Nebbiolo a run for its money. — 10 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.2

In a beautiful place for a young LS. Everything in harmony, if a little reserved. You could even call it elegant if you have it with barbecued pork tenderloin. — 11 years ago

Christina Rumayor

10

Yum! 1999 in napa was a great year, did t even need To aerate it that long
— 11 years ago

Logan Smyser

9.6

Not even released and it's a showstopper! — 12 years ago