Mark Flesher

9.5

WOTN, pretty much unanimous. So, so big. Lots of darker fruits but this one had everything from cola to licorice, black cherry to blackberry, herbal notes quite apparent, pepper finish. Still has 10 years left easily. Almost left this one in the locker, and glad I brought it along! — 8 years ago

David Langstaff

9.4

Perfect Granache nose. Needs air to develop fully. Dark fruit and pepper. This bottle (2012) high in alcohol at 15.5%. Apparent on nose and taste. Wish it had dialed back a bit. A bit hot. Should have it in 5 years. But... this granache delivers. — 8 years ago

with Nicole, Cynthia and 1 other

Howard Roselinsky

9.0

Dark fruit presence but earth and spice definitely more apparent. Well balanced. — 9 years ago

Christopher Guerrero

9.0

Lacked a little acidity for me, but tones of tropical notes and an intense nose. Apparent oak program but well balanced. — 9 years ago

Roel van der Burg

Sommelier at Restaurant Entrepot

9.3

Brilliant Aligoté, one of the great examples of this grape. Made by the heir of Henri Jayer. — 10 years ago

with Aisha

Brent Mayeaux

Production Burn Cottage Vineyard

9.1

My favorite of recent vintages. Less in your face with red fruit, ripeness, and oak. More floral and mineral. Wet shale and dusty minerality across all the BCV wines, but most apparent here.

The only one that I would say approaches "elegance." — 10 years ago

Richard Steinberg

9.5

This wine is in such a good place. Hedonistic black cherry fruit. No apparent heat — 10 years ago

with Robert

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

APPEARANCE
Clear, medium intensity ruby color, sediment more apparent (but not intrusive) in the final 2 glasses of wine.
NOSE
Clean, with medium+ aroma intensity of cherry, mocha, cola, licorice, and cassis with a developing nose
PALATE
Dry, medium acidity, medium+ tannin and body, and high alcohol, with pronounced flavor intensity of graphite, cassis, bing cherry, black raspberry, and mocha, this was a complex, and layered wine with deep flavor intensity and a long finish.
CONCLUSIONS
Very good quality, this is "par for the course" with Paul's wines as he acheives a high flavor intensity while still managing depth and freshness, Ready to drink now, but can benefit from 5-10 years more aging
— 10 years ago

Peter 0'Neill

9.3

Ready to drink but still on the young side, bright notes of eucalyptus and blue/black fruits on the nose. tannins are still apparent but not overly-obtrusive, the palate is anchored by a spine of acidity that holds it all together and keeps it restrained yet beautifully balanced. No rush on this one. Wish I had some of this to age further. — 11 years ago

Josh Eichorn

9.5

What merlot should be. Black and brooding, this monster needs some air time to show. No apparent loss in 10 years. Black fruit and cedar with some herbals hints with mineral. A complete wine. Could make a strong run at being a Pomerol in a ripe year. Cannot recommend highly enough. Especially if you find it at a good price. — 13 years ago

Michael Herzog

9.1

Blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, cassis, grilled meat on nose.

Tasting - Still has some time left. High alcohol level not apparent. Eucalyptus? Nice wine and good finish. Good acid there. Better than expected. — 8 years ago

Brent Bracamontes

9.0

Pronounced ripe fruits and sweet spices on the nose. Mildly oxidative. Cooked Granny Smith apples, lemon curd, ginger. Heavy cinnamon and nutmeg. Fruit much less pronounced on the palate, but firm acidity and more oxidative notes. Reminds me of a mix between a fino sherry and a young Rhône white, especially with its apparent lack of glycerol on the palate. Medium finish. Incredibly interesting wine. — 8 years ago

Neil Shah

8.9

Past its prime but the bones of greatness were apparent. — 9 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

A great crisp, lemon & floral wine. Volcanic ash very apparent — 9 years ago

.:;2):’kicndnebxhjd

9.1

Well developed with varieties of fruit and grass that mix well with the heavy acidity. Stone was apparent, no oak, all steel. Nice subtle minerality mixes in for a refreshing taste. Slight cinnamon/brown sugar mix in for a jelly bean taste. Crisp soft body. — 10 years ago

Diabolus In Vino

9.0

💸💸💸 Infanticide... 14.5 abv is apparent. For the impatient, 2009 is in a better place. Poor man's Petrus 🤑 — 10 years ago

Michael Kotrady

9.0

The ripeness of the vintage is still apparent after a dozen years. Just entering its drinkable window, and perfect for those of us who like Port on the young side. — 10 years ago

Nick Lyons

9.3

Very bold on the beginning of the taste, the Tempranillo really shines through, then the flavors balance out for a nice moderately tannic ending. Very apparent old world style, being on the funky side of fruity. Very approachable and oaky with a rounded but spicy finish. — 10 years ago

Maggie Ehler

9.4

The heat is still apparent on the front . The fruit is still strong and rich. Such a treat. — 11 years ago

Davis Smith

Sommelier Acquerello

9.2

Apparent, but judicious use of oak. Mineral and rich while still remaining fresh and clean — 11 years ago

Jeff D.

9.1

Hard to transition to after an '81 Cab since tannins were chewier and wine overall was bigger but the pedigree of this wine was apparent. Needed a good half hour to open up for smooth sipping. All smiles on this wine! — 8 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.4

2nd bottle of this; trying to study it a bit more this time. This is a partnership between Rothschild and Concha y Toro. It was spectacular! 12 years of age is apparent. The color is brick brown. Full bodied with sediment. The nose initially gave off a common licorice but after a 1 hour decant--arguably could be longer--that has subsided. Now it had some barnyard aromas.

On the palate, it's perfectly balanced. Spherical. Some spice and pepper, plenty of aged red fruit. And the tannins are subtle but firm. I'm critical as hell. This hits the top of my scale (to date).

A solid 94 points, maybe even 94+ — 8 years ago

Matt

9.2

This bottle was more expressive than the last. More concentrated fruit tones, heady aromas, lengthier finish. Same descriptors and structure just more vibrant and apparent. Would love to lay a few down for the 3-5 year drinking window — 9 years ago

Chris Cass

9.5

Heir to Jayer, everything Pinot should be with 09s generosity — 9 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

8.9

Nice nose, classical. But nothing happens in the mouth.... No apparent flaws, but also no evolution in taste nor depth or complexity. I suppose this was an off-bottle. — 10 years ago

Marshal White

9.5

This wine used to have a lot of apparent oak, but it's folding in nicely. Mineral, not a ton of fruit, but with good richness, probably helped by a touch of RS. Less tannin than some years, but sneakily high acidity. Starting to develop some interesting funk, roasted nuts, lanolin, and there's a whiff of salt air tang. This is one of the best bottles of SCM Chardonnay I've tasted. — 10 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.1

2011. R&D continued. Tasting 20 hours after opened. Amazed by that jerky nose. Apparent in the finish as well. Nicely opened. — 10 years ago

BJ Simmons

9.0

2013 vintage lots of fruit, spice. Apparent oak influence benefit from item. Give it 10 to 15 more. — 10 years ago

Christine Havens

9.0

The Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris 2014 has the most beguiling, sparkly salmon robe—something not at all apparent from the packaging. I think that makes pouring it a lovely and surprising experience. While the nose is not overtly expressive, I adore the texture of this orange wine, thanks in part to skin contact during a prolonged cold soak, it has marvelous apricot pit notes interspersed with hibiscus flowers, and fine minerality, like talcum powder and a pinch of spice. The finish is extraordinarily long. — 11 years ago

Ed Merrison

9.0

Nose of hay, just-ripe lemon, hint of orchard blossom and very subtle tropical, honeydew lemon hint. Delicate, green-white fruit which leads onto a restrained, savoury palate. Medium-bodied, the delicacy and just-ripe fruit tones have more strength, lift and energy than is first apparent. The finish is clean, floral, grassy and lemon pippy in a precocious young Semillon way, but it lasts and is delightful while it lingers. Tight, refreshing and geared for food. — 11 years ago