Lawrence Bernstein

9.0

5/25 with Howard. Lotsa power. Hard edged at first with lots of structure. Mellowed beautifully. Complex. Became port like. 90 — a month ago

Matthew Goldenberg

9.1

My first experience with a bdx with this type of age. It had a note of green pepper on the nose and had a lot of life left. — 3 months ago

Alan Weinberg

9.2

At first underwhelming, started to gain after 30 minutes and was a fine bottle. Never became amazing. Drink up. — 4 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

No formal notes . Medium ruby . Bit more coffee and roasted character at first , touch of oak perhaps. Quite rich and rounded on the palate at first, good acidity , good length . More red fruit , more delicate after a while , mineral , oyster shell , mineral and leaner on the long finish . Very classic , grafite tinged . This improved with air and really gained in complexity with time . I would be tempted to leave this a little longer or give it a longer decant . No rush here , will continue well for a further 10 years . Tied as my favourite wine of the flight with the Latour. — 5 months ago

Kamall

8.9

Still packing a tannic punch, fruit is very much in the background. A little disjointed at this point? Will wait a while on my other bottles. This was my favorite vintage at first taste. — 7 months ago

Eric Tabas

9.4

Great acidity with plenty of red fruits, cherry, cranberry and plums. Its expressive and refreshing finish reminds me of those outstanding nouveau beaujolis that keeps me reaching for another bottle with friends. — 8 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

My first impressions of the 2020 Pégau “Cuvée Reservée”. I brought this bottle to Tasting Group and presented it double-blind to the crew, for science! The wine pours a deep ruby with a translucent core. Moderate staining of the tears; high viscosity. On the nose: the wine is moderate intensity; developing. Ripe cherry and bramble fruits with some strawberry, anise, exotic spices, garrigue, and lavender. On the palate, the wine is dry, medium+ tannin and medium+ acid and medium+ alcohol. The tannins are super grippy. The finish is long, herby and there is a streak of black pepper. Whoa…this is a gorgeously expressive wine! Some felt it was 1er cru Burg. Other thought something form Italy: Brunello or CCR. Only one, the only Advanced Somm in the group, called CdP, but he called 2016. Having had many 2016’s recently, I can see where he was coming from. But make no mistake, this will age well despite it’s current approachability. Drink now to enjoy its youth before it potentially (likely) shuts down. Otherwise, this will drink well for 10-15+ years. — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Medium lemon colour . Persistent and fine perlage. This is quite restrained at first with lemon oil , toasty baked pastry and oyster shell hints . On the palate this is really quite intense , honied lemon , ginger, toasty yellow fruits , toasted nuts and quite mineral, oyster shell hints. Long and complex on the finish , fresh acidity , intense and complete . Needs a little more time, will show even better in 5 -10 years or so and over the next 10-15 years . — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2012 pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Montmorency cherry, blackberry, dill, toasted coconut, olive, zatar, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This only got better with air and might be my favorite young Tondonia since I first drank the 2006 vintage. Really good stuff already! Drink now with some patience and through 2042. — 3 months ago

Michael Patrone

9.4

First time with Taittinger. Crisp with overall lighter mouthfeel. Taste notes include flesh of white fruit. Maybe would be better with some age on it. — 6 months ago

with Meghana

Anthony Cammarata Jr.

9.3

This old Napa wine was superb. The longer the decanting the more flavorful it became. Spicy at first sip with bursts of flavor from dark berries, leathery tannins, currant, earth and strong blackberry. Gains intensity and shows its depth and concentration on the finish, which is long and detailed. — 6 months ago

with Daniel

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2000 vintage. Last tasted 9.25.23 (9.2) after 1.5 hours decanted. Popped and decanted this for lunch. Great fill and solid cork. Throwing a bit of sed but less than anticipated. Meh nose. Medium body initially. Started off on the rich side of the ledger but not plush. Had some smoothness afoot. Tasted after 45 mins open, 1.75 hours open and 8 hours open. First two were unspectacular. After lounging in the decanter 8 hours, wine had firmed up, thinned out, picked up plenty of secondary flavors and had that previously missing grip. If you're gonna open this during the holidays or anytime soon, do it very very early...otherwise, it'll be a total waste. Wine has miles to go. No rush to crush but just air it out in advance properly. 10.16.24. — 8 months ago

David Leiman

9.4

1984, surprisingly tanic, acidic, and Heavy dried fruit, prunes and dried figs. over oxidized tasting at first but interesting. From producer to cellar at breakers in palm beach. Small leak out the bottle on one side of the cork. Over time it settles and the dried fruit subsides and then the lighter acidic flavors of fresh berries comes forward. — 3 years ago

Vino Joe

9.7

Even more fantastic than the previous bottle of 2010 I enjoyed a year ago. Decanted and enjoyed over 7 hours. This was good from first pour but became great and then magnificent over the next 3.5 and 7 hours. It was still full of verve on the last sip! Early only it was more dark fruit but over time the wines softened and became a bit sweeter and rounder. Tremendous length and complexity. — 2 months ago

Justin Farrar

9.7

All leather and cigars at first, and then the fruit showed up after an hour. Delicious. — 3 months ago

GaryWEdwards

9.5

Big lush, dark fruit that has not reached its peak window yet. But she ain’t far away. I was able to obtain a vertical of 01,02,03,& 04. My first foray into that vertical. No rush on this one but very impressed. Leather, pepper, if not cigar leaf here . Suffice it to say, there is a lot going on here and my lack of Cali knowledge has new intrigue — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A wonderfully balanced Cabinet blend from Bolgheri. Definitely Cabernet notes but so balanced that nothing stands out. Sassicaia is definitely Bordeaux First or Second Growth standard. Understated but irresistible nonetheless. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon; 15% Cabernet Franc. Probably one of the best non Bordeaux Cabernet blends. — 6 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2013 vintage. Both excellent fill and cork. Decanted with infinitesimal sed. Slightly silvery color. Tasted after 1.5 and 2.5 hours open. Medium body. Nose slightly reticent during both tastes. Black tea and eucalyptus prominent first go round with both those still present but minimized second pass. Sprinkle in some cracked black pepper and white sage for round two and we have a winner. Finish lasted over a minute and the concentration was as expected given the decent street cred. No rush to crush but open waay early/decant this if enjoying in the next handful of years. 10.24.24. — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Medium deep ruby with thin ruby rim. Quite high toned ripe fruit at first, cassis, blackberry , violet and dry spice. Quite round and generous on the nose still fruit driven. On the palate Ripe fruits, but with good freshness, with cassis blueberry , blackberry and dark cherry . Suave polished tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity. Overall excellent balance. Long with a sweet cassis tinged finish . Rich , round and hedonistic but well balanced overall, just entering its early drinking window where it will probably remain over the next 15 years . — 9 months ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.1

🚨WINE HACK🚨 If you 1) own a sodastream, but no expensive wine gadgets 2) have a wine which needs to come off sediment but you don’t want to expose to oxygen [eg low/no so2 gamay], try decanting the wine carefully into a clean empty bottle pre-flooded with a few gentle pumps of co2 from your sodastream. Co2 is heavier than air. This works and I swear by it!

The Foillard was beautiful. Licorice, black raspberries, purity and poise that reminds me why I fell in love with Beaujolais in the first place, and affirms what has been an oft-times rocky love affair ever since. — 4 years ago