Smooth but flavors have switched a lot to non fruit even at that age — 7 years ago
I think this is my favorite wine from steven kent. Would love to try this against some good vintage lineages. It's got a great nose, mouth watering acid and flavors, and enough tannins to get your attention. Not dark dark fruit. More mixed with prominent red fruit. Really in a nice spot. These wines are really meant to have this kind of age on them. — 9 years ago


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! — 9 years ago
On the nose, it comes across as a tightly wound coil , with tart cherries, minerals and exotic spices.
On the palette, the wine stands firm and bold. Tannins are far from resolved (even a touch gritty, perhaps), which was a surprise. It's a strong example which was dense, layered and compact. We popped n poured, to which I plead guilty. — 10 years ago


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. — 11 years ago
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. — 12 years ago
When it comes to my B-day, there is only one fit, an old Pichon Lalande with my Ribeye. As a lover of Bordeaux, these two are my favorite pairing. It’s a very slow walk to the finishline. A small bite of steak and a sip of 89 Pichon Lalande. Then, repeat until finished. I had some concerns about this bottle. A slightly slippery and crumbling cork. The first sip was not bad, but not what you want or are expecting. After some time in the decanter, it really started to shine. On the nose; ripe, ruby, floral cassis, blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The body is full, round and silky. Tannins are well resolved at around 80%. The texture, length, tension and length are in a sweet spot. The fruits are ripe, ruby & expressively floral. Blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The acidity is just a little off but still nice. The finish is divided nearly equally in fruit, earth, florals and herbaceous. It’s very enjoyable but falls just a little short in longer, lingering length. This bottle had good storage, not great. Even so, still has another three to five years ahead. A bottle with excellent storage has another five years beyond this one. Photos of; the backside of Pichon Lalande, angled terrace view of their vines right next to Latour, my steak & twice baked potato (so good) and CEO Nicolas Glumineau. — 8 years ago



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. — 10 years ago
had it for our anniversary dinner. paid corkage fee at great restaurant. even impressed sommelier one of best wines we have ever had. — 10 years ago
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. — 11 years ago
Perfectly balanced, well integrated, and pairs best with good conversation. Even for an Italian, this Tempranillo gives any Nebbiolo a run for its money. — 11 years ago
Very tasteful. First Artemis Stag Leaps. Decanting is even better.
Deep berry flavor
— 11 years ago
An ICON. Superb, even belonging to a big big corporation. — 12 years ago
Holding up very well. Magnum helps. Keeps getting better with time. Not even beginning to fade. Wine Tasting at Andy and Elaine’s. — 7 years ago
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. — 8 years ago
From 6L bottles. One 6L was, very sadly, corked. The other was good though Far from great or even particularly noteworthy. Paled by comparison to the Margaux and Latour 6L bottles tasted contemporaneously. — 9 years ago
Is there a better wine for roast chicken than Loire cabernet franc? Rhetorical question, of course. 2011 so tight, even after two hour decant. It slowly unveils its charms, like Jo Fiennes unwinds Gwen Paltrow in the otherwise forgettable "Shakespeare in Love". Unlike that film, this has staying power. Stash away a case, it will develop beautifully over the next three decades. — 9 years ago

Really delicious. Even better as it opened up. — 10 years ago
Absolutely excellent. Even with 15 years in the bottle there was some spice, beautiful plum and coffee with fantastic balance. — 11 years ago
Certainly better than the 2011. Lower alcohol for a CA red. Medium tannins. Not very complex kinda meh on the Livermore Cabs — 11 years ago
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. — 11 years ago
Magnum drank with big dry-aged steaks. Perfect match as this was big powerful wine that show good penetration and focus even with the steaks! — 11 years ago
Drank the 1986 in 11/2014. Wine was delicious out of the bottle and even better after being in the decanter for over an hour. Wine is holding nicely. Drink soon. — 12 years ago
Arden Barnett
Magnum. Even after decanting around 6 hours the nose was still muted. Structure still there. What a fun treat. — 6 years ago