Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.
The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.
Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.
The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.
Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago
Wasn’t expecting “much” of 88 Margaux but 😳 , it was a killer ! Plush, sexy, multilayered, everlasting finish, great oak integration and vivid acidity. Love the cedar-camphor- dry eucalyptus nose. This wine got it all right and had a truly great evolution. — 8 years ago
Wow. Really impressive go at Basque cider from Shacksbury, which has quickly become one of my favorite cider producers in the US. Bone dry, great acid, perfect amount of volatile vinegar-y funk, with a great savory side. Delicious essence of tart, slightly bitter apple. I believe this is actually done in collaboration with a Basque producer using local apple varieties. Definitely captures a very similar character to what I expect from Basque cider. Great stuff. — 8 years ago

I have been drinking this for years and each year it has different notes. Great wine, great buy. — 5 years ago
Yum yum gimme some. A perfectly crisp and slightly funky cider. You bet yer sweet tuchas I’d buy it again. — 6 years ago
A nice light flavor — 8 years ago
With regina and Ken at wild olive — 8 years ago
Balanced. Nice blend of acidity, vanilla. — 9 years ago
Perfectly balanced white blend! Not too sweet, tart, acidic, etc. Would be a total crowd pleaser, and would repurchase — 5 years ago
Rice vodka. Nice flavors — 7 years ago
This is amazing. Unlike any sort of Rose I’ve seen. Not dry. Rich I color. — 7 years ago
dry, funk, farm, creamy finish — 8 years ago
Loved this Pinot Noir. — 8 years ago
So drinkable. Great for summer. — 9 years ago
A glass of wine to finish up the night...good age, nice evolution and an extremely good value at $25. Recent direct Chateau purchase. While the 1998 Bordeaux vintage was panned by the critics as a whole on the Left Bank, Pessac-Leognan shined better than most on the Left Bank. It was Right Bank Saint Emilion that had the great year. This 98 Haut-Bergey is not quite the wine the 98 Haut-Bailly is. However, it is delicious for $25. Nose of; blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, strawberries leather, cedar, tobacco leaf, dry stones, vanilla, dark moist soils and fresh red florals. The body is medium to lean. Tannins are completely resolved. Ripe, lean, shining; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries & cherries. Black moist earth, touch of funk, soft chewy leather, stones, crushed dry rock powder, cedar, tobacco leaf, steeped fruit tea, cola, dry underbrush, fresh & dry red florals, liquid violets with raining acidity. The finish has lean, bright mid red fruits, earth and dark spices. Nice wine for the $. While this will hold another 3-5 years, it's not going to continue to improve. So, drink em. Photos of; the Chateau, barrel room, view inside the Chateau and their shiny stainless steel fermentation tanks. — 9 years ago
Diane Is Moving To CellarTracker
Pears and flowers, like roses and marigolds. Fun stuff! A real find at my local Wegmans ❤️🍶🍐 — 4 years ago