Bob McDonald

9.5

A pale lemon yellow in colour - quite youthful looking for a 12 year old Chardonnay. Aromatics of white peach - mealy and nutty notes, still with a nice acid cut at the finish. Drinking at its peak. Fuller than some Marg River Chardonnays I’ve had lately like Xanadu and Fraser Gallop. I have had richer Art Series Chardonnays but personally I love the balance in this. Tasted in May 2025 the first bottle. Had my 2nd last bottle on 20th September 2025 and it was utterly delicious. Stone fruit and dried pear character to the fore. I will have my last bottle in the coming summer or early 2026 and will make a fresh Delectable note. — 6 months ago

Jason Case

9.8

Favorite bottle of Saxom I’ve tried. Lovely ripe fruit, balance medium body, lingering finish. — 10 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Pale lemon with aromas of pronounced ripe stone and tropical fruits and floral notes wrapped in a frizzante. On the palate flavors of peach, apricot and mango with notes of white floral. Good balance with lively acidity, medium finish ending with ripe fruit character. Nice! — 4 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.3

Dark, opaque, brooding... and yet so smooth at the same time.
Elegant and fresh, with pure black fruit, amazing minerality and fresh, juicy acidity balancing it all out. Smooth, complex, elegant.
A beautiful wine. — 4 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Light gold. Looks young. Took 5 hours to open up and show its stuff. In hour 6 this was cruising. Saline and sea shells, wispy lemon fruit, some honey, some white stone. The guesses from the fellas were 2002 Rav Clos and 1996 Rav Valmur. Shows how these properly stored aged Raveneaus can age effortlessly. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Nice regal gold hue. Amazing pit fruit and wet stone nose. Plus notes of apricot, white clay soil, salty ocean breeze and some Raveneau honey on the finish. Rich and powerful in the mouth. Coats the palate with lots of fruit and fine grained acidity. I’ve had this a few times and this was at its best. Great Raveneau at age 30 is an amazing treat. — 6 years ago

Veronica Castro

9.0

Floral aromatics. Citrus, saline, stone fruit on the in-take. Medium-bodied, good acidity. Elegant without being reticent. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Established in 1997 by the partners of Far Niente. Medium lemon color with aromas of tropical and stone fruit with citrus and toasty oak notes. On the palate flavors of apple, pear and peach, lemon zest, vanilla oak and wet stone notes. Nice balance with tangy acidity on long finish ending with fruit, oak and rich minerality. Classic, very nice! — 6 months ago

Mario Zillner

9.5

June 2024 disgorgement; would’ve preferred to pop this +12 months (vs. 6), as it would certainly benefit from some time. A grower BdB favorite; of course made from 100% Chardonnay, coming from several Grand Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs. The Cuvée de Réserve is a blend of more than twenty vintages, dating back to 1988 (via the solera method)! Peters considers this their “flagship” champ, even at the NV price point.

Firm upfront with a rather long finish. Sharp acidity; strong lemon, pale stone fruit, orange zest, and young tangerine notes. Medium body with pillows to carry you through. Steel vs. wood. 12% ABV. Simply delicious. — 10 months ago

Jason Keefer

8.9

In case the name and label color didn’t give it away, this is an orange wine! Beautiful color, actually pretty clean with light minerality, a little stone fruit, some floral tones, and just a smidge of the Riesling petrol. Fun food wine. — 4 years ago

with Natasha

David Shaw

9.1

24/15/12/10/9/7/7/6/6/4 blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Carignan, Touriga Nacional, Charbono, Corvina and Barbera. Inky purple red, lots of pigment extraction. Plum, prune, black cherry, black currant, blackberry flavors with lots of seed character and a eucalyptus finish. Despite that, medium seed tannins, not astringent really, just cool black fruit heaven in your mouth. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

A beautiful Chardonnay! Only 15 acres planted with grapes grown in Rutherford (warmer with rich ripe fruit) & Oak Knoll (cooler with fresh acidity in grapes). Pale lemon, with fresh & crisp citrus & stone fruit aromas, no malolactic ferm. Palate shows peach, apple & Asian pear flavors, with lemony & toasty notes, lively acidity & balance with touch of vanilla oak (9 months of French oak aging (25% new & 1-year old, remainder neutral oak). Long finish ending with fruit, spice & biscuit notes. Nice Value! — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

Yellow gold. Good weight. Fruit forward nose. Lemon curd, apricot, white clay, cardamom and powdered stone. Rich and fat. Has the stuffing for many years of future enjoyment. — 6 years ago

Peter Hladun

9.2

Wonderful balance of oak, minerality and stone fruit. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

A Fav! Medium lemon color with aromas of stone fruits, spice, floral, cedar, biscuits and citrus. On the palate flavors of apple, pear & ripe apricot with citrus zest, honeysuckle and nutty toasty oak notes, rich with creamy tones. Smooth, long finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with fruit and integrated creamy oak. Nice! — 9 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley, with caves that extend for over a mile. Pale lemon color with aromas of stone and tropical fruit, sweet oak, spice and floral scents. On the palate flavors of ripe peach, melon and apple, with vanilla spice, creamy texture. Medium+ finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with mineral notes. — 9 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Taken to Selby's in Redwood City. Young and fresh with great energy. Notes of citrus, wet stone and some red fruit. Great silky mousse texture. In a perfect spot although still in a youthful stage. — 3 years ago

Kevin Mullally

9.0

Extremely good. Minerals, not much citrus at all. Pears? Stone fruit? Slightly effervescent. — 4 years ago

Douglas Braun

9.1

2017 Vintage - stone fruit , peaches , nectarines ,creamy , honey , maybe slight background of kerosene , medium bodied 14%abv but seems balanced -nice — 4 years ago

Chris Shultz

9.5

Yellow plums and a range of stone fruit, especially the fragrant skins, and excellent wet stone minerals, like a very clear cool country pool in the morning. Very round mouthfeel, round acids like green grapes, gooseberry, rounded out with kiwi. It’s super green and yellow in tasting color spectrum, somewhat violet purple in a synesthesia way. It’s really ripe and really tight, like a pro athlete just hitting her peak. See @Lyle Fass notes — 5 years ago

with Lyle