Double decant and pour(lots of sediment). A splendid medium ruby red color. On the nose: a little stewed red fruit, herbaceous, worn leather, mint, sweet smokey oak, loamy soil. Taste: smooth, elegant, savory wine with a touch of dried red fruit, dried herbs, cocoa, damp earth, minerals, and a spiced iron/meaty medium finish. YUM! Mature and on the long downside, but still drinks nicely at 28 years. — 2 months ago
We had the 2012 Vintage on 7/12-13/25. With 13 Years of aging, all the tannins have been smoothed out. Tastes of blueberry, plum, leather and spice. Medium to full bodied. Still fruit forward. Very good — 3 months ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2017 (S) pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with pretty notes of mostly red, tart fruit: strawberry, raspberry, Montmorency cherry, licorice, dried green herbs, menthol, and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and just a touch mousy but within the acceptable range. Refreshing and a lovely pairing with burgers on a warm Spring evening. Drink now through 2032. — 4 months ago
Slightly medicinal notes. Dark fruit, leather, cedar, plum and bitter cherry. Soft and long. — 5 months ago
Decanted about an hour in advance and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart bramble fruits: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, “Oops All Berries!!”, garrigue, red and purple flowers, black pepper, licorice, a balance of cool and warm spices, river rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from nose; particularly the power and quality of fruit. The finish is long. Early days for the 2022 Cuvée Réservée but holy smokes is it already pretty special. The ABV is a scorching 16% but you would never know it. The power and freshness of fruit with the titanic structure keep everything in balance. Drink now through 2042. — 6 months ago
Been sitting on it for a decade and boy was it worth the wait. It’s everything I’d want in a St. Julien Bordeaux. Silky tannins, elegant mouthfeel, great balance of red fruit and earthy undertones. Sadly, that was my last one. — 8 months ago
Wine 1, with rack of lamb. As my drinking history shows, Raffault is a perennial favorite. 2017 is easy access with medium weight, wild red berry fruit, tomato leaf, and earth. Drink over the next five years. Holding ‘09, ‘14, ‘15, and ‘18 with patience. — 10 months ago
🍷Cheers to this compelling Morgon crafted by one of the region’s luminaries!✨
We’re talking about the ‘Côte du Py’ Morgon (Gamay Noir) by the revered Jean Foillard.
This Gamay hails from Morgon – a “Cru” within the broader appellation of Beaujolais – with a reputation for producing structured & age-worthy wine.
👁️ This wine is medium ruby in color, like a gemstone with the delicate haze you’d expect from an unfiltered wine.
👃 The aromas & flavors are perfumed with ripe red and black cherry, wild strawberry, blueberry, pomegranate, blood orange, mulberry, rosehips, hibiscus, lilac, black tea, rooibos, black licorice, star anise, potting soil, gunflint, & clove.
👄 On the palate, it’s dry with vibrant acidity, warming alcohol, a medium body, fine, ripe tannins, followed by a persistent finish.
In sum, this is a captivating, soulful, & expressive wine; a beautiful representation of Morgon, so deliciously drinkable now, with its layers of lush fruit, florals, & spice, while demurely holding the spine, structure, & intensity to age…
I can imagine it gaining mushroom, earthy, leather, & cured meat dimensions with time.
It offers power and elegance; a wine to sip, savor, & appreciate. — 2 months ago
Last had this vintage a couple years ago. These obviously have a long life ahead of them. With some nice air, this does open up. Wonderful dark fruit and earth aromas. Tannins are quite present and a bit bitter (not in a bad way at all). Excellent acid on the finish. Delicious pairing with kinderhook pork chops with tutto porchetta seasoning. — 3 months ago
This was a well-stored example and the cork was in pretty great shape; extracted with the aid of a Durand. Opened about an hour before service and poured into a decanter. Enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1981 pours a garnet color with a slight orange-ish rim; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with mostly desiccated notes of dark and red fruit: red currants, confected cherry, organic earth, mushroom, leather, eucalyptus, baking spice. Umami AF. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. While showing its age, this is very much alive. The entire bottle was enjoyed by all. Drink now. — 4 months ago
Cedar, sour cherries, and pencil shavings on the nose. Dried fruit on the palate. Still drinking well! — 4 months ago
From mag. Dark intense gravelly fruit. Leather and sour cherry. Serious and bridging still. Great aged Bordeaux. — 5 months ago
Dang this is drinking well. Subdued fruity nose and rich purple color. Great balance with spice and tons of black fruit. Tempted to say hold but not too long so one can enjoy the fruits — 7 months ago
This really over performs, considering it’s just a reserva. Might go down as one of the richest and flavourful riojas I’ve ever had. Absolutely delicious wine. Lots of oak and red fruit. Vibrant. Alive. — 9 months ago
Tons of dark fruit, roasted plum and black currant, leather and black olives — 9 years ago
So for those who don’t know, this wine is a collaboration between one of the most famous California winemakers and one of the most famous Bordeaux wine makers (the grapes are from Napa).
The young expression when I first had it 10 years ago was big bold ripe fruit, probably the quintessential Napa cab.
The aged expression had more secondary and tertiary characteristics, terroir, and represented Baron Rothschild in respects of crafting a wine that could grow and develop and express the care that goes into winemaking as opposed to simply growing good fruit.
The young version of it perfectly expresses Mondavi and Napa. The aged version captures the elegance of Bordeaux winemaking and Rothschild’s fingerprints. You cannot fully experience this wine unless you’ve had it young and old. Unbelievable experience tonight. — 2 months ago
Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — 3 months ago
Anytime an older Heitz Martha’s is open, it’s a treat. I’ve tried to acquire a few random bottles over the years and they have consistently impressed (‘78 and ‘01, specifically). My first early ‘90s vintage.
Quick double decant to simply get the wine off sediment as it wouldn’t be consumed from a decanter at the location I would be at.
In my experience, the distinct and typical eucalyptus notes jump right at pop, but this bottle was a little subdued early on. After an hour with the cork out, the eucalyptus, herbs, cedar and red fruit made their entrance. Compared to the ‘91 Hartwell I opened a few months ago, this was more elegant and less dense on the mid-palate. If not for the eucalyptus, I could see this being called left bank Bordeaux with 30yrs on it. Gained some darker red/underripe black fruit notes the longer it was open. Beautiful length at the finish. Bright acidity and tannin. Not getting better, but a wonderful drinking window to enjoy now. — 3 months ago
Big Napa fruit. — 5 months ago
Boom! From the first sip - this wine was explosive and delicious.
Dark and black fruits come out and then lend to some red fruit and while it has good depth, this wine is very smooth.
Seems like it’s in the drinking window — 4 months ago
Still fresh. The fruit is really ripe. — 6 months ago
Exceptional wine - deep ruby color with a huge bouquet of violet, plum, black pepper, black cherry, licorice, vanilla, clove, prune and dried rose petal. Velvet tannins, the alcohol is well balanced with the fruit and full-bodied texture. Still in its infancy but already delicious, this wine has a stunning future — 8 months ago
Absolutely superb. Youthful color. Lively. Complex. Great fruit. Structure remains. Will go 10-15 more years. — 10 years ago
Inseon Hwang
Delicate with amazing aging. Still taste the licorice and blackberries. Fruit is subtle with age; the oak and earthiness remain. — a month ago