GaryWEdwards

9.3

From a 60th Birthday event hosted by a special few in London, . Blackberry to the nose , rich ruby color and hints silky fresh tobacco and leather with a smooth finish. Just coming into it's owm — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I Coravin-ed this bottle awhile ago. I put it back as it wasn’t drinking as I would have hoped. A couple of months later and it’s come around nicely. I been doing short term and longer term tests of Coravin bottles. As much as I love my Coravin, I am a little more skeptical of their research that states their bottles will hold up 9 years after their first Coravin. I believe the Coravin help develop this 04 a little sooner. It’s drinking nicely without food tonight. On the nose; dark currants, expresso, black olive tapenade, cedar, tobacco, sweet soft leather, vanilla, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked black plum, plum, an array of blue fruit mix, light cinnamon, clove, medium spice, mocha chocolate, dark chocolate, stones, rich, moist black earth and dark decayed florals & fresh violets. The palate is medium full. The tannins are not quite 50% resolved. After it opens up with a half-hour in the glass, it’s like velvet in the mouth. The structure, tension, length and balance are starting to develop into a very good place. However, there are many, many years of aging to go. The fruits are ruby, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked black plum and strawberries. Expresso, black olive tapenade, cedar, tobacco, sweet soft leather, tobacco, menthol, graphite, anise, vanilla, light cinnamon, clove, medium spice, mocha chocolate, dark chocolate, dry stems, crushed rocks with dry top soil, stones, rich, moist black earth, volcanic minerals, and dark decayed florals. The acidity is very good for what was deemed a ho-hum vintage. The long finish is; rich, ruby, gorgeous and lasts well over two minutes. I am enjoying it a lot tonight but will still wait another 10 years to open another. I believe at that point, it has all the potential to merit an outstanding score. When I tasted this at the UGC in Bordeaux fresh into bottle, I thought it was one of the top three wines of the day. In the right photo, you get a full sense where the wine gets it’s stoney & rich, dark earthiness. — 8 years ago

Raul Puga

9.3

Love me some Rafanelli Zin. This is the wine that got me into wine. Yes I know it's young but oh so yummy!!! '14 looks like it will be great in a couple of years — 9 years ago

Jimmy Hayes

Estate Director Mayacamas Vineyard

10

86 HM - what else to say other than it's the wine that got me into wine; every time I taste it I remember why I got started in this business.. First tried at 16 years old at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver with my Dad. Today, a couple decades later, got to enjoy it again from 5L surrounded by good friends and family. 10 is for all of it, not just the wine. Grateful to Jason and Sarah Heller for their generosity. #happyeaster — 9 years ago

with Douglas, Helen and 4 others

Lyle Coffield

Sommelier Kokkari, Evvia Estatorios

9.6

OMG. This is the taste that got me into wine. Dee-Effing-licious. — 11 years ago

Pete Tulyathan

9.4

Deep garnet in color. At first, black fruit and roasted coffee dominated the nose, but then it opened up into a surprising scent of beautiful spring flowers, spice box and earth after a couple hours of exposure to air. Tannin was fine, but it did have a nice gripping feel to it that built on after the sip. From an assemblage of 80% Can Sauv and 20% Merlot. This Pichon Baron 2014 has power and concentration without it being overly heavy on the palate. Already pleasant to drink now, but will probably be fun to drink given another 3-5 years in the cellar. — 7 years ago

Bryan Ghows

9.8

The 1982 is drinking superbly now. Very polished and refined. All the elements have integrated into a lovely drink. No edges. — 8 years ago

Michael Martinez

9.4

A brilliantly structured, balanced and complex zin blend, and consistently one our favorites. This year it shows a nose of boysenberry punch with a hint of spice, and a palate of dark berries that started out with some raisins (in a GOOD dried fruit way) that developed into more blackberries. Still showing firm but balanced tannins and acidity, this wine paired beautifully with meatballs Marsala over garlic mashed potatoes and roasted balsamic asparagus. — 9 years ago

with Ken

Jackson Rohrbaugh

9.0

We've veered into old Bordeaux territory here. Big, spicy, and brash, still holding weight, although the fruit has begun to dry slightly. Shared by a generous guest. #insignia #napacab #napavalley #napa — 9 years ago

Mark Papp

10

Breaking into our vertical of this great wine. Reviews say drink by 2013, but a few more years hasn't hurt this at all. — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.1

Lovely Mouton still young and needs time to open up. Deep dark red, this iconic Bordeaux blend is rich elegant and tempting. Aromas of black current, chocolate, coffee, and spicy wood, all blend into a full bodied elegant rich wine, with lovely robust round tannins, splendid with layers of fruit and taste. Long chewy rich finish that stays with you almost 30 min after you finish your glass. The wine was still tight and needed time to open up, through a bit of sediments. My score 91, drink to 2024 — 9 years ago

Kai Chang

9.2

Clear deep purple colour with watery rim. Clean medium intensity aroma with minty black cherry and black currant with hint of oak smokiness and vanilla. Dry on the palate full bodied medium alcohol with medium acidity and high but smooth velvety tannin. Flavours of earthy black currant, black cherry, and vanilla. Flavours last through into its long pleasant finish. Very good quality, drink now but can age for another 3 to 5 years for a even more balanced complexity. — 11 years ago

Molly M

9.1

Just can’t get a bad wine in California it seems! Picked this up at the little mini mart outside Yosemite for $10. Delicious! — 7 years ago

Adam Reinhard

9.9

Damn. Still rockin strong. Like Dave in the good years. I fooled my wife into thinking it might be old world/ that all the praise you need to know. — 8 years ago

LM Segal

9.3

Fruit, acids and tannins faded into the background, initially lost (and thought off and nearly tossed!) due to extreme undergrowth funk. That blew off in 30 mins and what remained was Syrah turned all burgundy, fleshy but light. Not best example, but delicious. — 8 years ago

Rafael Landestoy

9.4

Stayed in the Iberian Peninsula but veered off into Portugal to end the night. Paired gorgeously with the mousse. — 9 years ago

Charles von Breitenbach

9.2

All those intense tannins one associates with Silver Oak have softened into what would pass for a very nice second growth — 9 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.5

Settle into this well worn, comfortable leather club chair. Cigar tobacco, leather, briar berry, and cracked rocks. Velvety tannins, earth, charcoal, autumn leaves, stewed berries. Beautifully light and delicate. A brooding force at one point, now refined over time to elegance. Close your eyes and find yourself in that club chair, a cigar smoldering next to you. And peace in your heart. — 9 years ago

with Diana, Anne-marie and 1 other

Arvind David

9.1

Ok this is turning into a good night — 10 years ago

Regan Meador

9.2

Perfect while watching Fred Lee work that piece of land into submission. — 12 years ago