Paul K

9.4

Bottle #2 from case and it has gained some structure and opened a bit in the last 1.5 years. Nose is great, reminds me a lot of last nights Pontet Canet on nose. Hint of tobacco, pencil leaf, red fruits currant, kirsch, and red berries. Great mouthfeel, great balance, and good structure. Looking forward to another in 2 years if I can wait! — 6 months ago

Sean Townley

9.4

One of the last years Caymus made good wine — 8 months ago

with Mairead

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2005 vintage. Last tasted 11.23.23 (9.4), 11.15.19 (9.4), 06.01.17 (9.5) Last bottle. Respectable, low neck fill. Used a Durand and excellent cork. Decanted with sticky (to the bottle) sediment and not that much floating loose to navigate. Tasted after 30 minutes. Those inimitable, sexy Cos stylings. Medium/medium heavy (still!?) bod. Richness. Ample fruit. Slight amount of aged George Clinton/Bootsy funk. Highly restrained tannins. Woah. This. Did. Not. Suck. Time to reorder. 9.13.25. — 10 months ago

Guillermo Gonzalez

9.1

From dad during a visit in late 00’s, in my wine loving infancy. Managed to sit on it, curious to see what would happen. Opened with dad last night to celebrate. Dark purple. Stewed fruits, cigar box, faint cocoa. Bordeaux-esque. Mellowed nicely with age. — 5 years ago

with Guillermo

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Sipping Fine Wine

10

To me Shafer is among the worlds best wineries. Aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. Vivid deep purple color, and outstanding aromas of red/black fruits, cherries and blackberries, with hints of cedar, floral oak & spice. Tasting this wine was absolutely magnificent, concentrated dark berry fruit flavors, spices, leather and oak, exploding on my palate. Soft velvety subtle tannins provide a nice deep lingering finish. Truly an outstanding Cab, one of the best. If you can find yourself a bottle, do not hesitate. Should last at least 10 more yrs. — 7 years ago

Merritt Santino Raül Gilé

9.0

Followed the Giovanna with this at our Italian dinner last night. Very nice. — 8 years ago

Mark Freund

9.4

Showing terrific now. Better than last bottle opened 2 years ago. Honeyed richness, good length. Shows class joy would expect from the house. — 10 years ago

with Erin and Ned

Nate Jolly

9.8

Loved it. — 11 years ago

Kathryn Ryan

9.7

Thanks Brad great last wine! — 13 years ago

with Bradley

Bob McDonald

9.5

Last bottle of a dozen - served on Christmas Day. Holding up perfectly after 35 years and would carry on for another 10 years plus although Penfolds say to 2060. If I had more left I would be drinking before 2040 personally. Plum, chocolate, blackberry and mocha. A beautiful textured palate and a joy to drink. Everyone of the past dozen bottles was a pleasure. Thankfully I have 3 bottles of the 1991 left which is also excellent and maybe better. — 6 months ago

Pooneet K

9.2

Thought we’d had our last bottle 4 years ago but then found this one. Probably better then, but still very nice. Definitely quite secondary, but the core of fruit and acid carries through. Wonderful pairing with dry aged strip steaks and wild mushroom risotto for our 10 year anniversary. — 9 months ago

Jan A

9.2

Like the sour mouth watering effect of the wine on the palate. Already my last bottle of the case but this still has years of runway ahead. — 3 years ago

Stas Medvedev

9.3

🏅 Rating 93+/100 (4,35⭐)

Tasted from magnum.

Ruby color with tawny hue showing the age. First nose has a slight touch of iron. Fruit is ripe and sweet. Vegetable scent of tomato stems suggesting presence of Cabernet Sauvignon. Sandy tannins of Sangiovese. Amazing how bottle aging makes the wine so smooth and satin.

Mostly tertiary aromas, but very well holding the age and could last for at least 5 more years without any signs of decline

Elegant expression of famous Tignanello.

1981 was outshadowed by great 1982. It was 10th anniversary vintage and is considered a very fine one.

Key oenological data:
Average sugar content of grapes at harvest 21.00%
Average total acidity of the grapes 7.80%
Alcohol content after fermentation 13.00
Average fermentation temperature 28C
Length of fermentation 13 days
Acidity of wine after malo 5.90
Ageing in 225 litre barrels 20 months
Bottle ageing in our cellars 18 months

======
I have published the article with a story of Tignanello, the emblematic SuperTuscan wine from Antinori.

\- What were the key factors of its success?
\- What makes this wine stand out from many other wines form Tuscany?

Best enjoyed with a glass of Tignanello.

Read the full article at www.stasmedvedev.lv/wine

---
Instagram: @wine_talks_club — 5 years ago

Joe DAscoli

9.2

From the 163rd edition - big dark flavor with very refined bubbles. Very griping champagne. Quite the contrast from last nights Blancs de Blancs — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Just like the African Bush, don’t come to the Egyptian Desert without it.

Celebrating the ending of a great trip on the eve of our last day at The Old Cataract on the Nile River with one of our very favorite N/V Rosé Champange’s.

Photos of; the pano view of the Nile River from our terrace, Sofia holding our other 375ml bottle BSR we brought from the US, the lobby of the Old Cataract and the grounds of the Old Cataract Hotel.

9.3 on the Billecart-Salmon Rosé and a 9.9 on our trip! — 7 years ago

Roy Goble

9.5

My last bottle of 2007! Met Bart & Daphne at a wine dinner years ago, and have always loved their wines. Looking forward to their new offerings from Accendo. — 9 years ago

mattswineworld

9.5

It's 18 months since I last tasted this, and it's developing very nicely. Dried strawberries, figs, prunes, and raisins, with fresh blackcurrants and blackberries. Very nice all-spice flavours too. Perfect with chicken and paprika. — 11 years ago

with Katie

Ted Armbrecht

9.6

1983 vintage. Wasn't sure what to expect and was thoroughly surprised and taken with how well this was drinking. Aromas of mushroom and graphite. Plenty of fruit still here with good tannic grip. Held up in the glass to the last drop! — 12 years ago

Norma Normington

9.5

Got this bottle on my last Virgin Voyage and I had extra $ on my bar tab - a fantastic opportunity to purchase a couple exclusive (expensive) bottles like this. Sassicaia is a known leader in Super Tuscans. My first time trying Sassicaia… opened the bottle only for a couple of hours but a big beautiful bouquet of big jammy goodness that definitely isn’t shy. Wow 🤩 a delicious wine that doesn’t disappoint! — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Deep opaque core, thin ruby rim. Deep slightly spicy creme de cassis , blackberry , charcoal embers , grafite . On the palate this is quite intense but has good freshness , and ripe but firm , quite dry tannins . Creme de cassis , blackberry , grafite , crushed rocks , quite saline and fresh in style , oyster shell and sea breeze hints . Well balanced alcohol and good length grafite , saline tinged finish . This is actually quite enjoyable , though obviously way too young , fresh and detailed with cool fresh dark fruit and grafite nuance. Better in 10 years and will last well a further 10-15 maybe more . Really enjoyed the style and balance of this . — 9 months ago

Thijs Hendriks

9.5

Magnum, last part of the decanted bottelen — 10 months ago

RustyR

9.2

Open. Graphite cedar tobacco currant. Not super dense flavor light on front palate balanced won’t last longer — 4 years ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Beautiful, beautiful wine. The last 96 we had was maybe a smidge more together but it’s marginal. Quite dark in the glass. Deep restrained red fruit on the nose. Tannins are slightly dusty but overall very seamless. Excellent refreshing acid. Perfect with a dry aged strip steak. — 6 years ago

Steven Comfort

9.1

This was the last bottle from a case I bought in about 1997. Over the 29 years since the wine was made, the noteworthy tar and tobacco notes that Pontet Canet is known for softened to an ashy-ness that is a softer version of a Mouton Rothschild. Still plenty of life left in this outstanding vintage, but the wine won't improve much (if at all) from this point. I enjoyed this bottle with Lucas Comfort, a day after his 29th birthday (1990). — 7 years ago

Ben Atash

9.5

9 y/o non-sulfite bottle stored impeccably. What a difference since my last tasting a few years ago. This is cruising at its peak. Soft tannins. Earthy complexity. Trademark garnet color persists, but red fruit subdued and mature. Proof that Marcel was the king of Beaujolais. — 8 years ago

with Elise

John Malcolm

9.4

An excellent wine. Smokey, Rich, powerful, blackberry, currants, and fig. Drinking beautifully now, but will last for years (just sorry I drank my last bottle). — 8 years ago

Kimberly Michelle

9.0

Thank You to my Ex-husband for this like...19yrs of Dom @ all special occasions from our first date to last year together 😊 — 10 years ago

Thomas Hughes

9.5

I was disappointed with my last Caymus Special Selection vintage, but this beauty brought me back to a bottle that won Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year ... Twice!! Incredible fruit and balance. This can be cellared and enjoyed for years to come. Cheers!! — 11 years ago

Justin Hurst

9.1

Less steely than last year's. Still delicious, particularly as it warmed. — 13 years ago