Mark Rosse

9.4

Napoleon knew what he wanted on his death bead ... the elixir! — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Was introduced to Spoto Wines officially today, though @Mark Flesher has sung their praises to me for a while, and even gifted me this very same bottle. Spoto Wines is the epitome of family...all owned, operated and it very much feels that way. Really love that style. I was pleased to meet Stuart Spoto as he was pouring. Quick review of their wines:
-2015 Viognier- The best Viognier I've tasted. "Summer in a bottle" they say. Tropical notes but not super citrus like. A minty finish which I loved.
-2014 Oakville Cuvée- From the historic Oakville Station part of To-Kalon. Merlot dominant. The most "Bordeaux"-esque of the lineup to me. Balance of red fruits and earthy herbs. Spice finish.
-Godfather Part II- My favorite of the tasting based on approachability. This is pop and pour. Red and black fruit medley, cinnamon, cassis. 80/20 Merlot/Malbec
-2013 Oakville Private Reserve Cabernet- I'm stoked to have one of these out away in the cellar. Also from the Oakville Station To-Kalon Vineyard. This is age worthy but could be popped today if you give it a 1.5-2hr decant. Very black fruit dominant. Plum rush, blackcherry and mocha. — 8 years ago

with Cody and Mark

John Hubbell

9.4

Love the he nose. Great balance with leather, spice and cigar box. This sill has some life — 8 years ago

with Jim, Allison and 1 other

Peter Heidt

9.6

....ahhhhh. So; it's my 15th wedding anniversary and I want to crack something good. Picked this up recently from Mr. King you took delivery of this bottles from the futures he purchased when I was a senior in highschool... He had had it in his cellar since then and kept my Margaux safe and dark in his dank 58 degrees... Can't write enough superlatives about this bottle... Think I would have spent $1500 at Peter Lugers for this... Anyway... Surrounded by family and transported back nearly 20 years, as we dated and cracked this same bottle with GA and Deb... Simply excellent... — 9 years ago

Zach Ship

9.4

Tastes like red starburst and I mean that in the best way. Nunca he tratado un vino de Madrid pero todo lo que crean en Madrid es el mejor desde el fútbol ⚽️ hasta el....VINO 🍷🍇. Hala Madrid Y NADA MÁS — 9 years ago

with Eve

Trevor Maskell

9.5

Jimmy Watson winning beauty here. Adelaide Hills style Syrah. The layers are perfect. Such depth of fruit yet it's not blousy or overdone. Pannell is knocking them dead with every thing he touches. This is bordering on perfection. So drinkable but years in the dungeon will do it no harm at all. — 9 years ago

Nena Madonia

9.4

I liked. Andrew didn't although I thought he would. It was outstanding — 10 years ago

Jeff Hennike

9.3

Fantastic nose. My good friend Mumbles bought this and I'm glad he "badgered" me to have a glass. If I weren't driving tonight I would have had the whole bottle. — 10 years ago

Ian Blackburn

9.8

1987-he best Opus I have ever opened — 11 years ago

Doug Kahn

9.1

Look out for this producer. Very impressed — 8 years ago

Chris England

8.9

£99 Magnum that RP said "one of the most disappointing St.-Juliens I tasted 84pts" well I think he should retry the great numpty 😜 Still could do w/ 2-5yrs 👍 Great nose but palate still a little tight

🍇 63% Cab S, 25% Mer, 9% Cab F & 3% Pet V

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Smokey oaky earthy farmyard through shy blackcurrant & spiced plum w/ minerals, leather, musky cellar & wet leaves - fab nose 👍

👄 Med earthy mocha blackcurrant body w/ dry tannins & touch of tart cherry

🎯 Med dry earthy blackcurrant finish — 8 years ago

romo

9.4

Finally popped my cherry w #dirtyandrowdy. This is @Hardy Wallace when he had ONE pair of glasses. Super fresh and light w steak and green beans. — 8 years ago

Maria Adams

9.1

A bit too fruity for Mike but I loved it. Bold but smooth. This was in one of the baskets he received at work. — 8 years ago

Michael H

9.2

Who is Orin Swift and why does he make such great wine? — 9 years ago

Michael Horkay

10

One of renes last vintages where he used New oak at a higher percentage you can tell everything is integrated and delicious. This cote rotie is animal like with blue fruit and Smoke all integrated.... Whoa baby. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

One of the best California Cabernets, including all the Cult Cabs. It is pure elegance even at this still young age. It most certainly will only get better over the the next five to eight years. The hardest part is waiting as it's so good now. Blackberries, blueberries, blueberries and blueberries. Black plum, raspberries paint the background, liquid violets, milk chocolate, it's juicy to dry, underbrush, herbs, dry crush rocks, just a touch of baking spices, sweet leather and dry soft minerals. Smooooth! The fruit is perfect. Chuck really knows how to farm fruit and the exact time to reel it in. He is one of the most underrated Winemakers in CA. — 9 years ago

Eric Egan

9.2

This wine is just unmistakeable. I served it blind and, after guessing that it was Cabernet dominant and about 20 years old, I told my dad that he was right and that, despite his immediate uncertainty, I would have been able to identify this myself blind. After which he said, ah yes, so it's not from France, it's from the Lebanon! The cinsault is so evident in this - completely muddling, but at the same time enriching the wine, adding complexity, depth, and delicate spice. The Carignan adds a wonderfully peppery fragrance and binds it all together beautifully! — 10 years ago

Brandon Weaver

9.6

A guest brought this in to e smith to celebrate business success. In lieu of a corkage fee he offered to share. #ummmmmyesplease — 10 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.0

This wine is really showing nicely opening up as the night goes on with a good amount of cigar box spice black earth 3/4 red mountain fruit but it changes every year both have red willow merlot far western Yakima I'm he foothills the sours are the omers and they built a chapel on the hill and buried a bottle of hermitage there in honor of the oldest Syrah vineyard in Washington — 11 years ago

Chris Scanlan

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

8.9

Blind wine #2. Cartwright pretty much nailed it on the head. Everything but the vintage- which he guessed 2006. — 12 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Australia's premium Shiraz Viognier blend and Tim Kirk says this is the best one he has ever made. I have been buying since the 2001 vintage. This is a cracking cool climate Shiraz blend showing florals Spice and a hint of pepper. Palate is restrained - more the weight of Pinot than Shiraz. Intensity without weight- Fluid, beautiful finishing with fine persistent tannins- 15 years stretching ahead of it. More whole bunch than the early vintages like many Aussie Shiraz producers these days. David Le Mire MW said whole bunch serves to lower the alcohol and increase the pH. Gives a "Tea" character with Stem tannins adding to the finish. — 8 years ago

Anthony Pro

9.3

Father in law casually opens this up in on a Sunday. What is he sick in the head?! Solid wine... still a baby. Give it time to mature and it'll rock your socks. So much is going on here: floral on the nose, and dark ripe berries on the palate. I can still taste it 15 mins later... — 8 years ago

Cody Short

9.6

Phenomenal way to start off our Napa trip! This is a rock star in the making and I can't say enough good things about Bruce and the wonderful job he and the crew are doing at VHR. First class operation and this was certainly one of the best wines of the trip. — 8 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.8

My wine of the night and one of the best wines I've ever had the pleasure to try. The legendary Phillip Togni. He built his wines the old fashioned way - 25 years in the bottle was the plan when it was made and it is absolutely epic right now. — 9 years ago

Curtis Osborn

9.5

Curtis had this 9 years ago

George Chen

9.3

This 34 was bit worrisome as level was mid-low shoulder and cork was tad crumbling. But the wine sang LATOUR out of the bottle like Genie out of the bottle and then he escaped rather quickly as the wine's bloom did not last. Still sweet in the core with wet leather, spiced nuts kind of notes...still a wonder of a wine. Sediment was heavy! — 9 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.3

Gang of Four son. Started his own thing at 22. He knows how to treat Gamay. Looking forward to growing old with these. — 9 years ago

Lily Davis

French Wine Specialist at Ottorink Weinbar

9.5

This was really the pièce de résistance - 1990 comtes and @Steve Pollack 's last bottle to boot which he generously shared with us. Wow! — 10 years ago

Nestor Tsioustas

9.3

I love Dan Standish. He is one of the best winemakers. Lovely wine, very young. Blueberry and Red silky fruit. Full Bodied but not overly alcoholic, heat isn't obvious in this wine. Great length and layers of flavours. Big points from me 95 points. A producer I highly recommend! Typical sweet Barossa fruit, very seductive... — 10 years ago

Sean Kelly

9.1

Birth year vintage for my brother. I preferred this, he preferred the '87 Médoc Baron Philippe. — 11 years ago