Eldon Sproule

10

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. — 4 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — 5 months ago

with Nellie

Dave

9.4

The mocha is strong with this one. So is the mint. Let's call it a York Peppermint Patty.
Listening to Tripping Daisy. Was never a fan, but they killed it last night and I got to chat up the singer. Their music would be better with Gamay. — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour. Restrained notes of dark fruit, smoke, leather, tobacco, grilled bell pepper. Taste: cherry, blueberry, currants, crushed granite, truffles. A young wine that I would luv to drink again in 15 years. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Vino Joe

9.7

Even more fantastic than the previous bottle of 2010 I enjoyed a year ago. Decanted and enjoyed over 7 hours. This was good from first pour but became great and then magnificent over the next 3.5 and 7 hours. It was still full of verve on the last sip! Early only it was more dark fruit but over time the wines softened and became a bit sweeter and rounder. Tremendous length and complexity. — 8 months ago

GaryWEdwards

9.5

Big lush, dark fruit that has not reached its peak window yet. But she ain’t far away. I was able to obtain a vertical of 01,02,03,& 04. My first foray into that vertical. No rush on this one but very impressed. Leather, pepper, if not cigar leaf here . Suffice it to say, there is a lot going on here and my lack of Cali knowledge has new intrigue — 10 months ago

Mariana Puga

9.7

this is really nice! i notice some floral and strawberry notes — 10 months ago

with Raul

Pooneet K

9.2

Krug is always most welcome, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. This is edition 169. A bit more yeasty and slightly less acidic than previous versions, to my taste. But if you like the Krug style - which we do very much - it hits the spot per usual.

My wife used to work with Fritz Hatton, proprietor of Arietta wines and auctioneer for Zachys. Fritz always says to have a half bottle of champagne waiting in the fridge in case you need a “midnight snack”, and I have to agree with him! — 5 years ago

Joel Armijo

9.0

Solid vintage but didn't age as well as I hoped Still very enjoyable — 9 years ago

Reilly Brock

9.4

Awesome! Everything I love about VT and CDP. Earth and fruit in perfect balance. — 11 years ago

Patrick Forde

8.9

Dark Pinot, med to heavy body, slightly smokey, smooth, I like it. $18 — 13 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2018 vintage. Last tasted 04.08.23 (9.5), 12.01.22 from a 375ml (9.5) and upon release 06.07.21 (9.5). Decanted and tasted after 45 minutes. Mysterious, dark-fruited and dusty nose. Medium body with excellent darkness of night color. Previous baby-fat overtures approximately 90% gonzo. Slimming down and getting more toned. In a state of transition with undeniable tension that can easily be misconstrued as underperforming. Last wine I tasted that was under this sort of metamorphosis at this level was the 1996 Pichon-Lalande about 1.5 years ago. Such a privilege to experience world-class wines in such a vulnerable moment. Everything is laid out bare/naked before you and you can see where the wine is headed and whether it will be following a trajectory that agrees with you. Definitely unusual to find this occurring in a wine this youthful but the 21st Century is smashing the old 20th Century clay tablets and digitizing. For most wine enthusiasts sampling this wine now, expecting some disappointment in the scoring. For myself, this is currently in the perfect symmetry of past, present and future. Will it show critically better in the future according to the accepted trials, palates, judges and juries? Probably. Will they experience the potential, doubts, insecurities and questions? Doubtful. This kid stays in this exact picture for another 2-4 years imho before striking another pose and I would love to taste this again during that time frame. An above and beyond thank you to FLB (Friday Lunch Bunch) regular Todd. 08.15.25. — 4 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Pretty deep garnet ruby , garnet rim . This is pretty open and aromatic, with smoky creme de cassis , grafite , blackberry and cedar , light herbal touches , really quite classic and noble . On the palate this has good balance and density , good freshness also . Ripe , very fine but perceptible tannins . Dark fruits , grafite , tobacco , long and detailed slightly mineral notes on the good length finish . Really elegant , though quite serious and traditional, not easy to pull off. This is drinking perfectly now (Coravin might have helped here , I would certainly decant if I had a full bottle) , though still quite fruit driven with some tertiary complexity coming through . Really harmonious and complex . From now and over the next 15 years, maybe more . At Doppo Restaurant, Soho . — 5 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Trivia at Aldo Sohm wine bar. Our team lost by one point. This wine won by many points. I blind tasted my staff and they converged around Rhone. Great stuff! — 8 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The last of the 2002 in mags brought from the property. Delicious. I would have thought these would have been saved for their member parties. So, a nice surprise.

From The Cellar event at Pebble Beach Food & Wine. — 8 months ago

Claire Mangine

9.0

I asked for a jammy red and that’s what this is !! Not super into these “commercialized” wines, but it does the job for easy drinking. Yum — 10 months ago

Guillermo Gonzalez

9.2

Tart pomegranate, crisp acidity with some minerality. Underappreciated. Incredible for the price. Great way to start off dinner at Vicia. — 4 years ago

Alex Whitcomb

9.3

me likkkkey — 6 years ago

Andrew Davidoff

9.2

Lebanon? Bekka Valley? I wouldn’t have dared try this - but I did - and you should too. Exceeded my expectations. — 7 years ago

with Sammy

David Langstaff

9.4

This wine needed about 3 hours to release. Initially tight with uncomfortable medicinal nose which then totally dissipated. Drinking now next day and you get the age of fully integrated but not fading tannins. Nose has a delightful dark fruit and smokiness. Great fit of nose and taste, meaning - when tastes after smelling the experience is consistent and not jolting. I think the color purple in a subdued way. Very nice. Memo to self: decant and watch for sediment, and enjoy three hours later. — 9 years ago

with Cynthia and Chris

Vanessa

9.3

🍷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. — 4 months ago

with Deked1

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour or so. No formal notes due to the setting. The 2009 seems to break from the reputation of the vintage with a freshness and verve that surprises. The typical quality of Cristal is there with its persistent mousse and attractive texture. Good acid too. Pretty tasty stuff and I’m not sure I would ever turn down a glass of this. Drink now through 2039. — 5 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

From a Napa vintage that I recall as being so-so, this wine shows the Howell Mountain terroir without the normally harsh tannins that were characteristic of Dunn HM wines in the 1980s. But, honestly, this is really lovely, suave, red fruited, with a medium-long finish, and seems way younger than I expected from a 37-year-old Napa Cabernet!! — 7 months ago

with Jim

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.5

94-96. Potente e bilanciato. Molto legno a naso al momento che compre un po’ le ceste di frutta matura che vengono fuori da questo vino. Veramente notevole la maturità del frutto. Forse anche grazie ad appena il 26% di Merlot. Ma i Cabernet sono intensi e maturi. Lungo ed equilibrato sul finale. — 8 months ago

Ron R

8.9

I can’t remember the last time I tasted this brand, and while it’s very approachable, it’s a total construction site. Vanilla and over-sweet brown sugar with resolved tannins. Not my cup-of-tea, but will be enjoyed by others. — 8 months ago

with Andrew and Rick

Fabio Franchella

9.1

Chulaton - potatoes - water - and Elena! — 2 years ago

with Elena

E & K G

9.1

A bit disjointed and not the balanced velvet powerhouse I remember when I had the 2003 vintage. — 6 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.1

What was meant to be a casual dinner with friends over homemade BLTs ended up turning into a full-blown wine dinner.
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Eager to see how this develops over the years. As it stands now it’s syrupy with cloves, figs, molasses, and is pretty extracted. I think the potential is there but it’s going to take some time for it to mature and formulate. — 7 years ago

with Becca, Taryne and 1 other

Peter Molinari

9.5

I would drink this again — 9 years ago

Nick McGlaun

9.0

Great blend! Tried it a few times - pairs well w/ steak & also went well with Italian dishes (pizza, veal or meat based pasta dishes w/ red sauce). Tried 2011 and 12: I prefer the 11 but both are great! — 11 years ago