Bob McDonald

9.1

Ripe red fruits with cherry to the fore. Also spice and a hint of ginger - smoky. A light to medium bodied palate finishing with ultra fine grained tannins. To be honest not as impressive as I was expecting. This wine seems to be between youthful exuberance but not yet gaining complexity. I did have one a few years ago brought by a friend which was delicious. Try the next in a year or so. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Pale to mid Ruby in colour. Bright red fruits with a sooty stalky earthy note. Barb the gardener thought pansy perfume amongst the forest floor. Earthy savouriness on the medium weight palate with red fruits - red cherry to the fore. Still fresh at 10 years. We both loved it. Even though the Lavaux site is one of the last picked in Gevrey Chambertin ensuring longer hang time and good depth, Jasper Morris MW described it as “fine boned”. A very good Premier Cru from a good vintage. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

At the Come Taste the Stars Dinner hosted by Tyson Stelzer. The 6 th and final Champagne and what better way to finish than with the power of a Vintage Krug. 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 24% Pinot Meunière ; aged more than 11 years on Lees. This is one of the rare vintages of Krug to have more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Malic acid to the fore with crunchy green Apple notes. Tastes amazingly young and fresh - aiming for a long living style. Noticeable acidity finishing very dry. Tyson says at 15 years of age that it needs another 15 to reach its full potential. The French Somm at Montrachet told me this was his favourite of the 6 stellar champagnes. Powerful but retains its elegance incredibly. — 6 years ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.0

Tasting the ‘15 vintage which was great in Bordeaux. Beautiful right after opening. Cassis notes coming to the fore with some air. Re-Tasting 11/13/20: rating affirmed. — 6 years ago

Ericsson

8.9

I don’t know what it is about this wine, or rosé in general for that matter... I want to like it as it feels elegant and fresh on the fore pallet, I want to love it as a matter of fact, but it seems as if there are hallow particles in the liquid after the mid pallet. There is something hiding in it, it is somewhere in there but my pallet just doesn’t grasp it! Then, towards the middle of the glass, bottle possibly, it all comes together like the latter part of a Frank Schubert cello piece and reminds me that I need to try more rosé wine. — 7 years ago

michael pandolfo

9.6

IM impressed. Amazing bouquet - think honeysuckle on a warm sunny day. Perfect weight white peaches and on the back dried apricots. Perfect now. — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.2

2010 vintage. Au Fil du Zinc, Chablis. Pale lemon hue. Minerality to the fore, lemon citrus fruit profile, honeysuckle and white flowers. Chalky crispness. On the palate, high acidity, medium minus body, medium alcohol and medium concentration. Good long finish - tart and crisp. Will age a long time. Drink now until 2036+. — 9 years ago

Mark Howard

9.3

Aromas of dark black fruits - blackberry, plum, blueberry. Bold and big, with soft integrated tannins that draw you into the inner sanctum of the grape varietal. A tinge of age at the ends, but not in the fore front. Nice lovely finish lasting over 30 seconds before it breaks down. Definitely at its peak of performance. Paired well with the bolognese. Even better with the veal chop with figs, pluots, and watermelon radish. As Elizabeth says, this is a gorgeous wine. “It’s a grown up, but not old”. Or as I like to say, like a 40 year old classy lady wearing an evening gown and pearls - just stunning! — 5 years ago

with Elizabeth

Colin Cahoon

9.0

The nose features fresh plum, rose pedals, vanilla, fennel seeds, and cranberry. The palate starts with tart red fruit and licorice. Salinity, oak and minerals come to fore mid-palate. The tart fruit returns in the finish with high tannins and acid. This is a modern style Barolo with not as much pucker factor, but still requires decanting. — 5 years ago

with Susan

Bob McDonald

9.4

Deep Ruby in colour. My last bottle of 6 originally bought. The earlier SO2 from previous bottles have finally diminished. Some stalky raspberry notes with a nuances of coffee. On the medium bodied palate red and black fruits with raspberry to the fore. Easy power. The hallmark of Edelstone is and has always been its fluid silky tannins - the product of vines over 100 years old planted in 1912. Has become expensive in recent years but compared to Hill of Grace good QPR. — 5 years ago

John Landis

9.2

Golden color with intense honey on the nose. As it warms incredible honeyed fruits comes to the fore. In the mouth there is fantastic minerality with great acid. Long lingering aftertaste; wonderful wine!! — 6 years ago

Dan Chavasse

9.5

2003 drinking very well. Structure and length, plums and damsons to the fore.. Beautiful. — 8 years ago

Dom Beveridge

9.3

How to even rate a wine like this? It's 30 years old and still delicious. Unsurprising depth/complexity with tobacco and leather to the fore. Black fruits in there, but seriously...30 years... — 8 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

8.9

@Delectable Wine
2015 Albariño "Stewart Vineyard", Carneros — 9 years ago

with Kurt-Inge

Bob McDonald

9.3

Medium plus crimson in colour. Strong Coonawarra mint on the nose and black currant. After a time eucalyptus/menthol notes. Classic Coonawarra Cabernet flavours with cassis to the fore demonstrating why it has been a great district for Cabernet for over 60 years. More opulent than savoury but still only medium bodied. Drink the last one in the next year or two. — 5 years ago

Ericsson

9.1

Domaine de Panisse CdP Noble Revelation

First off you have to know that I love! Love CdP. This is the 2012 vintage and it is hitting all the right notes...

The hue is red with a dollop of brown if you will. After a two hour aeration the smell is quite pleasant: ripe dark plum is predominant with a slight hint of dried Mediterranean spices. Balanced from beginning to mid-pallet, velvety! On the fore-pallet it feels bold and tannic with a long and savory finish.

There is a very casual non pretentious quality about this CdP which screams “drink me” after each and very sip... Enjoyed with a roasted Frenched rack of lamb and red wine reduction sauce, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes. Selection by the lovely Maria Chantal. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is an insiders wine. You have study, focus and taste a lot wine to know how special this wine can drink. Especially, at its QPR.

There are a lot of people that covet SQN, Caycuse, Horsepower and No Girls. For my palate, these wines either burn the palate with ABV or choke off the fruit with way too much bacon fat and or deeply marinaded grilled meats. Yes, you are drinking expensive, flashy producers but, I would humbly disagree they are better wines than this 2011 Le Clos Du Caillou Vielles Vignes Cuvée Unique. Those other wines should aspire to be everything this 2011 shows and delivers.

This Le Clos Du Caillou has the balance the above wines lack and at a fraction of the price point. I would drink this 2011 over any of the other fore mentioned wines. While this Le Clos Du Caillou is a shade hot, it is not nearly as hot as SQN etc.. Hot ABV alcohol that burns the palate & back of the throat will forever be a fatal flaw in a wine.

The nose reveals, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue & purple fruit mix, poached & back strawberries, black raspberries and both plums. Dark, sweet tarriness, dry, crushed rocks, steeped teas, anise stretching to black licorice, hint of dry herbs with bay leaf leading the way, dry brush, black, dry earth, savory, grilled meats, medium, dark spice, understated baking spices; clove, nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of clove, dark & mid red fruit cola, just a whiff of incense with candied, fresh and withering red & dark florals.

The body is rich and mid full. Tannins just 50% resolved with round, dark tarry teethiness. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious...just before their peak. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue & purple fruit mix, raspberries that haut the center palate on the long set, poached & back strawberries, black raspberries and both plums. Dark, sweet tarriness, dry, crushed rocks, limestone minerals, steeped teas, anise stretching to black licorice, hint of dry herbs with bay leaf leading the way, dry brush, dry black earth, dry stone wrapped in moist clay, savory, grilled meats, some bacon fat, medium, dark spice, understated baking spices; clove, nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of clove, Mix of caramel & mocha powder, dark & mid red fruit cola, just a whiff of incense with candied, fresh and withering red & dark florals. The acidity is phenomenal. The long, ripe, well balanced & textured, elegant finish is memorable and is persistent for several minutes.

Wine paired perfectly with our marinated Tri-tip.

If you are over paying for the above lesser wines mentioned above, you owe it to yourself to seek out and cellar this wine appropriately.

Photos of; Le Clos Du. Caillou, their barrel room, Owners-Sylvie Vacheron & Bruno Gaspard and one of their vineyards. It’s amazing they can grow anything in that stone soil structure.
— 6 years ago

Ashley Kennedy-Foster

9.0

With any other meal, the minerality would be at the fore, but with a rare rack of lamb, the minerals are tamed and the fruit notes are heightened. Clear, slightly brick color with hints of ruby. Smells of roses and leather. Incredibly subtle tannins. — 8 years ago

Mark Oldman

9.5

DRC Echezeaux 1999: started tight, but a few minutes of air brought black cherries and a silky texture to the fore – medium bodied, sweet fruit balanced by a pleasing tug of tannin. Years to go.

— 9 years ago

Stacie Robbins

8.9

Had an opportunity to have this GSM a couple months back, very smooth, well balanced tannins. Cherry, blackberry. A hint of spice but well balanced, this is well done — 9 years ago