Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby , quite wide garnet , terracotta rim . Quite spiced tobacco , red focused sous bois , warm spice , coffee and cacao , a little foursquare , rustic perhaps . On the palate better , quite juicy and rounded , spiced red plum , dark cherry , dry spice . This becomes more saline with time in the glass, balanced acidity and some slightly gritty tannins. This is probably in the middle of its drinking window , and will remain here over the next 5-10 years perhaps. Within the context of Haut Brion , this perhaps is just a little below par . — 10 months ago

Susan Hanners

9.1

Cranberry/currant on the nose, bizzare color, 1st sip raspberrish second taste apricot yet tart — 5 years ago

Susie Reinecke

9.4

Zippy and delightful! — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Nice golden hue, looks heavy and rich in the glass. Honeyed fragrant nose. Notes of sweet apricot, mango, lemon, white clay, tan spice, and stones. Nice intensity in the mouth, with gobs of fruit matched against acidity that built over the afternoon. Telltale aged Raveneau honey, exotic today but not over the top. I brought this and it was the best of the couple or so bottles of it that I've had. Was at its best with ~5 hours of air, and leftover was still singing the next morning. — 6 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.8

The 1978 La Mission Haut-Brion is a candidate for the greatest Bordeaux wines produced during the 1970s. Without question, it is the highlight of the vintage. I have tasted it several times over the years and each time, my appreciation is heightened further. Still youthful in appearance, the bouquet soars from the glass with almost high-toned blackberry, cigar humidor, warm gravel and that signature trait of black olive. You could nose this all day. The palate is medium-bodied yet there is much more density than you will find on other 1978s. Notes of black fruit, bay leaf, graphite and earthy tones, the latter emphasized with aeration. Decanting is strongly advised because it responds to a long opening, deepening all the time, developing a sustained cedar tincture that lingers in the mouth. It is a fabulous La Mission Haut-Brion that at 40-years continues to give so much pleasure. Tasted at a private dinner in London (ex-château bottle). (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2018) — 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Fresh, light gold. Bright and vibrant in the glass. Even more vibrant in the nose. Exotic, notes of lemon peel, wet river stone, petrol, slate, apricot and spice. Great rich fruit matches some impactful acidity. Long finish. This is great juice, still young, and has some more to give down the road. — 7 years ago

Jason Chang

Proprietor NINE SUNS Winery, HOUYI Vineyard

9.3

I feel as if this would be amazing if not following the Rayas. Great nose but pretty wound up and tight still. Didn't open up much after being in glass an hour. Need to revisit. — 9 years ago

with Wai, Chris and 2 others

Mark Hammond

10

Wow! Great Petit Verdot and Merlot blend. We bought it when we were in Sonoma in 2015. — 10 years ago

with Liz

John Trinidad

Wine Blogger SFWineBlog

9.0

2013 gam gam to pair with thanksgiving bird. Wo needs cranberry sauce when you've got this scrumptious was in your glass? — 11 years ago

E & K G

9.0

Elegance and punch both mixed well in this bottle. First Sine Qua Non! — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

It was Father’s Day and I had decided on grilled rack of lamb for dinner so I selected this bottle of 2011 Chateau Musar rouge from our cellar. According to Musar’s records, the 2011 vintage was one of the most challenging since the early 1990’s. It was ultimately a late-maturing vintage with harvest taking place on October 13th, the latest since the 1983 vintage!

I decanted this bottle about eight hours prior to dinner. It should be noted that immediately upon opening, the bouquet was strikingly gorgeous with powerful aromatics that were obvious from several feet away and this trait carried through until dinner time.

In the glass, the wine presents a deep garnet color. Slightly turbid with a near opaque core. On the nose, black plums, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, organic earth, exotic spices, leather, spiced meat, and pomegranate. I detect a touch of VA as well. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the nose with an added bit of red rope licorice. Lovely, long, savory…amazing. This was a brilliant compliment to the lamb (which was served with beets and goat cheese and fattoush) and everything I wanted in a Musar tonight. Drinking well now with a hefty decant and I expect well cellared examples to drink well past 2035. — 2 years ago

Oliver Seaman

9.1

Fressssshh — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Last night in MT at the lake. Gave this several hours of air. Nice dark tawny color. Vibrant in the glass. The nose is great right away and stayed on point through the evening. Notes of black cherries, warm raspberries, old cedar, some plums and a little leather saddle. Rich and silky in the mouth. Velvet glove. Long finish. Great wine. — 6 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.0

Rose petal and violets mixed with fresh nectarine. Medium-full body for a rose and with nice dry texture on the long finish. — 7 years ago

with Adrienne

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This is a sample of the 16 Insignia still in barrel.

On the nose, the dark fresh florals exploded. The fruits are very dark currants and well extracted. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries and blue fruits hues on the edges of the glass. Sweet tarry presence, loads of baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark spice, black tea, pipe tobacco, dark rich soil, core of anise and fields of violets.

The body is thick and full. The wine still very fresh. The tannins big, meaty and chewy. The dark fruits are quite floral. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries with blue fruits. Sweet tarry presence, loads of baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Dark spice, black tea, pipe tobacco, dark rich soil, crushed dry rocks, river stones, tough leather, cedar, core of anise with red flowers and fields of violets. Very good round acidity. The long, big, ruby, lush, well balanced finish is beautiful.

The fruit, tannins and acidity all speak to it being 95+ and a long cellar.
— 7 years ago

David L

10

89' Perfect! Close to.. Decant for an hour or two. One of the best wines... ever!! First glass was a 9.3. Last glass was WOTN ? — 8 years ago

with Bill, Mike and 16 others

Bobby Gilbane

9.1

Precocious talent. — 9 years ago

with Molly

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.3

Lovely fruit. Drinking well. Fades with time in the glass however — 9 years ago

Daniel Gillard

9.6

Amazing wine. If it's drinking this good this soon, I can't imagine how good it will be in three, five or ten years! — 10 years ago

Patrick Knöfler

8.9

The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour. On day one it offered red fruit, cherry, balsamic vinegar, cola, leather, mushroom, earthy and vegetal notes and a wet sewer component on the nose. On the palate the the wine showed red fruit, cherry, blackberry, tobacco and earthy notes, the acidity was quite pronounced, the wine became slightly drying and even more acidic after some time in the glass, and the fruit faded a bit. Two days later, on day three, the medium-bodied wine was more balanced and showed red and dark fruit, some chocolate, some tobacco, spices and earthy notes on the nose, and red fruit, cherry, leather, tobacco, earthy and balsamic notes on the palate, with just a faint touch of greenness, paired with medium-plus well-integrated tannin, medium-plus acidity and very good length. I had almost written-off the wine on day one and then, surprisingly, it showed much better the third day. Holding-up well. 90 — 11 years ago

Deborah M

9.3

This wine paired perfectly with wagyu short ribs that I had smoked all day. In the glass it looks like a light wine, but it’s definitely not light. Well integrated tannins, subtle fruit, and a hint of earth. Really lovely. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

The wife is making fish so I oblige with this pull. Amber gold, a bit darker than past bottles of this which I’ve had several times. Viscous and heavy in the glass. A nice nose, it doesn’t appear to come across as old on the first smells. Notes of apricot, white stone, some spice and a little citrus. Great acidity and texture in the mouth. With a few hours of air it even gets a bit chewy and more powerful in its impact. Great showing for the color. — 4 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.0

Not exactly my style but it’s done well, so it’s good. Actually ended up enjoying this more than 75’s Cab. — 6 years ago

with Krystal

Tom Hamilton

9.0

First glass w Coravin, drank w duck. Took a while to open up. Pleasant but not remarkable. — 6 years ago

Conrad Green

9.8

A treat. Dark in color, slightly cloudy. A powerful nose with dark, very mouton fruit. Incredibly aromatic, blackcurrant, mint,graphite, dried herbs, eucalyptus. The palate is extraordinary. So dense and powerful for a wine of almost 70 years. Dark fruit with a savory undertow- leather, thyme, sour cherry, dark chocolate. Really precise flavors and long. After an hour or two in glass there’s notes of coconut and soft wood. Extraordinary. Clearly there’s a lot of age on this but the sheer quality makes for a really dynamic wine. An exceptional bottle, and a teal treat. — 7 years ago

with Howard, Tony and 1 other

Jim Enloe

9.1

Very nice, different from the traditional Napa cab. Firm tannins, should be decanted. Last glass the next day did better (under vacuum) — 8 years ago

Mike Mayer

9.3

Who says 2011 was a bad year? Beautiful garnet from the glass. Elegant floral and blue fruit on the nose. Deep blueberry, black berry and currant tastes on the palate. Excellently structured with sweet tannins and beautiful acidity. These grapes come from a great Oakville neighborhood. Great family owned winery! — 9 years ago

Michael Mugmon

9.4

With homemade pesto and fresh garbanzos. — 9 years ago

Nichole Mao

9.0

Dark berries, cherry, dried herb,
Same palate as nose, cigar box, coffee, high tannin, high but well balanced tannin, full body — 10 years ago

Nicole Holden

10

Sooooo good!! 👍👍 — 11 years ago