Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1998 vintage. Cork a little dry near the bottom so called out the Durand for a rescue. Less meniscus than expected. Dusty, earthy nose. Medium body. Heaps of allspice/sandalwood, prunes and baking chocolate hovering about in the medicinal/oily nose and (mostly) in the flavor profile. Ridiculously reminiscent of an aged (‘80’s-‘90’s) Branaire-Ducru St. Julien BDX. So much so that, if blind tasting, that is the guess. This is gliding along. No highs or lows to navigate currently. Not a showstopper by any means but one helluva ringer in a blind tasting. Some bretty influences here and there but nothing warranting a red card/dq. Picked up slightly more body and a noticeable cinnamon/clove note on the finish after being open for an hour. Also...some muddiness along with a sudden frontal-palate richness (at the 1.5 hours open mark) reminiscent of Petit Verdot involvement/influence. WTF?!?! Bring it! 4.21.24. — 23 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Quite deep ruby slightly narrower rim . This is more closed than any of the previous wines . Quite austere and more mineral , grafite notes . Quite serious on the palate with mineral and dusty cassis , cedar . Good refreshing acidity , slightly dry gritty tannins noticeable . This probably shows the best balance of the 4 so far , all the parts seem better integrated. Dark cassis , cedar and grafite , though not the marine/seashell influence of the 1995. Better length than all the previous wines . This will go further and is probably in the middle of its drinking window, from now and onwards for another 10 years perhaps ? — 9 months ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.3

Not shy, this one. An upfront riot of aromas and flavour, with citrus, mandarin, nougat and oak influence with good weight and a luscious texture. — 2 years ago

with Sam

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.1

Delicious. Rich style but with bright acid to match. — 2 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

The 2021 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is such a beautiful wine. The appellation Pinot is often one of my favorite wines in this range, as it is again this year. The purity and exuberance of this fruit is compelling. Floral and savory nuances develop in the glass, but earlier bottling and a bit less whole cluster influence work well to accentuate the textural presence and intensity of the fruit. This is such a gorgeous wine. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, September 2023)
— 8 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

Les Romains is a vineyard with its feet in flint to the east of the fault line in Sancerre. The 2020 Sancerre Les Romains begins with a fruity and open welcome, blossoming and silken in the mouth before tying the wine up; the flint influence acts like the belt on a pair of trousers tightening up the middle and leaving a sensation of sinew and length with a fine nettley fragrance. (Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, August 2022)
— 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Ruby red with a tawny rim. Aromas of menthol, mint, black and red fruits with a touch of licorice and tar. Similar notes on the medium to full bodied palate. Finishes with chalky, fine, drying tannins. This producer was one of the early adopters of using small French oak Barriques. This influence was noticeable 4 years ago in my first Delectable note on this wine but now it has all come together and in balance. Looking forward to trying the 3rd one in 2 or 3 years time. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

I haven’t had a lot of experience with Napa Valley Chardonnay but this was most enjoyable. Rich and mouth filling, creamy. Stone fruit and almonds. Barb said white flowers on the nose. Apparently this was picked early and malolactic fermentation was blocked. Oak influence is totally integrated - balanced. I paid $147 AUD in Brisbane in September 2021. A lot dearer than what you might pay in the States I would guess. — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.3

Really nice. Definitely Sonoma coast with a bit of Russian river influence. Strawberries, baking spices galore, decomposing redwood forest, some cherry and maybe a bit of plum. It’s great but similar to a lot of other Pinots from that area. — 2 years ago

Paul J

9.4

Lovely and consistent. Massive French influence with earth and barnyard smells. Medium depth and a rustic flavor. Dark fruit. Medium finish. Excellent QPR. Definitely my style. — 3 years ago

with Steve and Brooke