Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Day one too tight,
Day 2 with a 2-3 hour decant is just about right.
Saxum may not be Napa but they know what they are doing,
Best winery in Paso.
Parker Review

RP96 Incorporating more Petite Sirah than normal, and the first time there's been less than 50% Syrah, the 2013 Syrah Broken Stones is made from 48% Syrah, 22% Petite Sirah, 17% Grenache, 6% Mourvedre the rest Tempranillo and Roussanne. Its deep, inky color is followed by a structured, seriously mineral-laced and full-bodied red that offers lots of fruit (cassis, black cherries and raspberries), smoked earth and chocolate aromas and flavors. The tannin is front and center, yet they're beautifully ripe and polished. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy through 2028 — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2019 pours a pale yellow color with medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with intense, ripe notes of Comice pears, baked green apple, mixed fruit cup, lemons, white tree flowers, lanolin, raw almond, tarragon, a touch of raw honey and minerals. On the palate, the wine is off-dry(?) with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is waxy. I questioned the off-dry call because I actually think it’s dry but the power and ripeness of the fruit, not to mention the 15% ABV(!!), give the impression of sweetness. An utterly balanced wine despite the big personality. A wine that gives main character energy. I wish I had a week or more to track the development because this is such a wee babe. Drink now to experience its youth and enjoy through 2049. — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.0

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. — a year ago

Lauren Young

9.0

Funk on the nose- old books. Needed more time than we had to decant. Barely opening at an hour. Lots of earth, tobacco, but thinner than expected — 4 years ago

Vanessa

9.5

Happy 8th Anniversary to the love of my life!! We’re celebrating with a bottle of Krug Vintage 2004

To underscore the unique features of each Vintage Champagne, Krug assembles a blend of expressive, representative wines from the year and then matures the final product for at least 10 years before release. This particular wine spent 12 years on the lees. It was disgorged in 2016.

The 2004 Vintage was named “Luminous Freshness” paying homage to the summer sunrise and vibrant citrus notes it exudes. This blend consists of 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, and 24% Meunier varieties, each playing a role in the final style.

With a golden hue, this wine offers developed aromas of baked apple, lemon peel, grapefruit pith, dried white blossom, blanched almond, brioche, toast, marzipan, and wet slate. It’s balanced and complex, with a lingering finish and delicate, long-lasting mousse.

This wine pairs wonderfully with the slow-cooked halibut in a creamy, fennel and lemon sauce alongside a zucchini and squash salad. The intensity and richness of the wine and food work well in concert. — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Weijie Shi (Jay)

9.7

Epic wine. Great showing of white sesame seeds, tropical fruits and toasted wood. Good acidity. Need decanting for at least 1 hour. Still very young. — 7 years ago

Joe DAscoli

9.5

Opened and decanted for 2 hours before dinner and then really only opened up and truly hit expectations around the 3rd hour when paired with wagyu strip steaks.

This wine was savory tightly wound and tannic at first. Didn’t show much fruit until after the long decant and then it really changed.

With time, the fruits shown through with great complexity and great balance for the savory elements. — 7 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.7

First bottle of the 2010. This is gonna be a really special wine but I think it need another 5-7 years. Tannins and softened, fruit is there, acidity is still strong, and don’t get me wrong it’s great now with a couple hour decant, but in a few years it’ll be really nice. Getting black, blue, and dark red fruit, ripe and juicy. Man so silky in the mouth. Graphite, stone, forest floor, cedar, hints of camphor, black licorice. Wonderful. Nice medium + finish. Really nice, only going to get better! — 9 months ago

Tom Garland

9.7

+2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment) A beautiful deep ruby red color. On the nose: Expressive nose captivates with dark red fruit, espresso, chocolate, floral, menthol, sweet tobacco. Taste: rich, round, intense wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, cedar, tobacco, and a peppery-pencil lead-dried herb long dry finish. YUM! A brilliant wine just entering its drinking window with time to go. — 10 months ago

with Brenda

Joseph W

9.1

Leather and spice up front, with a trace of dill that softens into dark cherry after an hour in the decanter. — a year ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Not sure there are better 13 whites than Raveneau. Lafon also comes to mind. It’s an early drinking vintage (by Raveneau standards) while you wait for 12 and 14, and no Chapelot this year so it’s blended in here. A multi-hour decant has it showing superbly, wafting layers of créme fraîche, baking spice, crushed stones and a touch of botrytis influenced saffron. The palate shows immense power, concentration and depth of waxy yellow fruit chiseled with Chablisen minerality, brilliant tension and racy lemony acids. MDT always hits 🫰🏻 — a year ago

Nik Kannan

9.4

Really incredible wine. Not paired with any food, the wine is flavorful, quenching w/ oak flavor adding the right dryness and notes of plum & vanilla to finish - really well balanced and opened well. Bottled was empty far too quickly : ) — 5 years ago

with Emily

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Starting the long Labor Day weekend in Big Sur the right way with a little N/V Krug Grande Cuvée. @Nepenthe

Happy Labor Day weekend all! 🍾🥂

Noses reveals; heavy bruised red apple, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, lime zest, white spice, sea fossils, deep crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, white & spring flowers & mixed greens.

The palate is, ripe, lush, fresh and lively. The mouthfeel all Krug beautiful. Bruised red & golden apple with hints of cider, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, white stone fruits, lime zest/candy, white spice, sea fossils, crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, cream soda, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, spring flowers & mixed greens. The acidity is near perfect. The long, elegant, well knitted & balanced finish is gentle until the long set when you get a full presence of white spice and minerality that persists for minutes.

This bottle was composed around 2011 and is made from over 120 different wines that span over 10 years. It is 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay & 17% Pinot Meunier. — 6 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1989 vintage. Opened but not decanted. Tasted after one hour open. More structure than the 1990 version tasted side-by-side but leaner with slight, vegetal tones, less fruit and better tannic structure than the 1990. Couldn't find this in my Delectable reviews but feel like I've tasted this once in the last 6 or so years. Apples (1990 version)/Oranges (1989). As with the 1990, the 1989 is in a good place for another few years in the 750ml format but if you want to truly visit a 35+ year old vintage at the height of its' powers, opt-in for a large format experience. 10.10.25. — 8 months ago

Tom Garland

9.5

1 hour decant(some fine/cloudy sediment). A splendid deep ruby red color with some bricking. On the nose: Enticing perfumed notes of dark red fruit, worn leather, herbaceous, floral, mint, stewed meat. Taste: silky, layered with depth and length wine.... opulent red fruit, cassis, damp earth, new leather, green bell pepper, and a long finish with beautifully resolved tannins. YUM! — 10 months ago

with Brenda

romo

9.2

Improved over an hour, balsamic glaze with vegetal bitterness. Lean and friendly. — a year ago

Mary H

9.5

I’m an addict, what can I say? Full mouthful of bright fruit flavor, golden tropical fruit, honey, singing acidity and long finish. — a year ago

Tom Garland

9.4

From MAG

2 hour decant. A striking purplish dark garnet color. On the nose: beautiful notes of dark fruit, pencil shavings, herbaceous, vanilla, cloves. Taste: creamy, polished, structured wine with blackberry, dark chocolate, minerals, bell pepper, leather, and a decent herbal/potting soil finish. Drinks surprisingly well with the decant at this age, and of course a few more years it will improve. YUM! — a year ago

with Brenda

Michael Patrone

9.8

Surprisingly strong tannins for how old it is, but,improved with an extra hour of decanting. — 5 years ago

with Meghana, Carolyn and 1 other

Shawn Summey

9.0

Fruity Golden Ale — 6 years ago