Excellent. Cork & Board. — a year ago
2014 vintage. Already rocking and a-rolling splishing and a-splashing. No one does silk and gossamer elegance better. Only getting better in the near term and far beyond. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cab Franc and 6% Petite Verdot. Always a top fave. — 4 years ago
Bright. Easy to drink gruner. — 5 years ago
Love it.. Best red so far — 8 years ago
No formal notes . Quite dense ruby . Quite high toned floral character on the nose, very different from all others so far , this had to be the Petrus . More purple fruits , spicy . Spicy and rounded and quite exotic in character . On the palate this shows a juicy note and a rounder , richer riper tannin . Quite round on the finish , but ok generous finish . Floral and charming . This certainly showed exuberance and youthful , though it is also quite elegant and relatively fine boned in style. This can be drunk now and over the next 10 perhaps 15 years — 9 months ago
Beautiful golden color. Aromas and flavors of honey, orange, apricot, creme brulee’, and tropical fruits. Not overly sweet and cloying. Quite exotic. Long finish. Delicate and silky texture. A unique expression of California “Sauternes-Style” wine. Very easy to drink. — 3 years ago
OK, OK, so this is far from my first bottle of this, but boy is it a firm favourite!! — 4 years ago
Quite the birthday dinner. By far the best wine paring I have ever had with a dinner. Now it’s time to go run the Chicago Marathon! Lightning minerality, fresh lemon zest, smell of brioche dough about to go into a warm oven. Great way to start the meal of a lifetime. — 6 years ago
Favorite so far. Great anytime! Yummy and sweet and refreshing. — 8 years ago
Of all the American red wines that participated in the Judgement of Paris, it could be argued that Monte Bello has shown the greatest propensity to age. In fact, I would go as far as it requires lengthy cellaring to extract its best. I’ve had the good fortune to drink a number of tremendous vintages of Monte Bello over the last several years and this one has got to be at or near the top of the lot.
Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1991 Monte Bello pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core moving out towards a light ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with gorgeous notes of ripe and tart black currants, mixed bramble fruit, tobacco, some purple flowers, dill, mint, leather, earth, vanilla and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. The structure remains tremendous which again, seems to indicate youth. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and immensely satisfying. This is one of those wines that will outlive most humans. Drinking well now with a short decant but this has the gas to see 2061 with ease. — 9 months ago
Had w spring pea ravioli and lemon — 2 years ago
The 1980 vintage in Sauternes was challenging to say the least but Chateau D’Yquem has crafted one of the shining stars of the vintage. Aromatically quite expressive, the Sauternes takes the lead with candied ginger, lychee, apricot and shades of bananas foster that all sing in unison. The palate comes off with an unusual combination of sweet and sour tones, with a strong vein of salinity that races through the core of quince, sour apricot, vanilla creme brûlée and roasted pineapple flavors. Texturally elegant, this is far less on the unctuous side of D’Yquem, but has a beautiful feeling of refinement, freshness and elegance. Still humming at the forty year mark, the 1980 D’Yquem will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another five to ten years. Drink 2020-2027- 94 — 5 years ago
Classic unfined, unfiltered with just a hint of funk. — 8 years ago
Stuart Dershaw
Good vintage. Stone fruit on the palette with good salinity. — 8 months ago