Brad Taylor

9.0

Full on cherry notes. Nice and tart. — 21 days ago

Blake Anderson

9.2

Order this when you find it. — 3 months ago

with Kaito

Gill

10

Possibly my all-time favorite wine. I teared up the first time I tasted it. — 5 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.7

Can’t believe it’s been over a year since my last bottle. Absolutely love this wine. Gorgeous floral and fruit nose. Black, then blue ripe fruit, camphor, eucalyptus, black licorice, pencil lead. Silky soft tannins, perfectly balanced, incredibly mouthfeel. Full bodied but light on its feet. Long finish. Tasting better now than my last time, so raising the rating. — 6 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Simply stunning! Especially, for a Sonoma, not a Napa Cabernet. 😳

Follow up AB Cowgirl wine after the Saxum. If ever you thought a Sonoma Cabernet could not stand tall with a great Napa Cabernet, have a well aged good vintage of A. Raf..

4 hour decant.

Still medium plus, round, velvety tannins. Lush, rich, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, ripe strawberries, hints of heavenly raspberries, plum, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, steeped fruit tea, mid/dark berry cola, dark, dry Indian/Asian spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon to stick, caramel notes, malt balls, dark chocolate baking bar, black licorice to anise, dry, crushed limestone powder, soft, fresh tobacco, dry, used leather, softened tarry notes, some dry herbs-bay leaf sprinkled with sage, dry crushed rocks/river stone, dry top soil, candied & withering, dark, red, blue flowers framed in violets & lavender, crazy, round, excellent acidity, well structured & balanced for days, elegant, polished and an endless finish. Harmony on the palate.

Find an 07, you’ll thank me later. My highest recommendation for Napa/Sonoma Cabernets.

10-15 years of good drinking left in this 07. — 18 hours ago

Willie Carter

9.4

Simply gorgeous.
A dark purple robe with mild ruby touches. The nose is deep and approachable. Cigar smoke and oak for days. There’s a plethora of dark fruits here with red cherries, blueberries, and the faintest hint of vanilla. Such a treat for the senses.

Steady but exciting. Reliable but thrilling. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. Quite traditional but it’s just so damn good year in and year out. Nice complexity and sturdy in its youth but perfect for aging. Very reminiscent of a nice Bordeaux. So smooth and refined but welcoming. The red fruit on the palate is pure and accompanied by tobacco, earth, and nutmeg. All in all, I could drink this all day everyday. — 6 months ago

Jeanette Bangs

9.2

Delicious Vin de pays 92% Pinot noir 8% Pinot meunier — 2 months ago

Jack Petras

8.9

Had this 2011 a few weeks ago with Beef Daube next to a very aged Mouton. Plummy smooth but not too impressive. Forgot I had a little left in the bottle in a cool corner of kitchen and had it 10 days later and it was more enchanting, somehow fresher more berry fruit with a gorgeous hint of leather in background. — 3 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

Tasting the 1990 Léoville Las Cases just a few days after the 1989, it is clear which is the best vintage…this one. It has a sublime nose of melted black fruit, tar, cedar and bay leaf that shrugs off the heat of that summer better than most others. At 33 years of age, you could just lose yourself in these aromatics. The palate is clearly holding up well: beautifully defined and supple yet with typical Las-Cases backbone and depth. It builds magnificently in the glass toward a harmonious finish that reminds me of the 1985 in terms of its fleshiness. Wonderful. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Consistent throughout. The 2020 Alain Graillot pours a deep ruby with a hit of violet. Medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. Some slight signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is moderate intensity. Fresh black bramble fruit, baked/smoked blueberries, dry oil cured black olives, black pepper, lavender potpourri, dried herb encrusted saucisson, stony minerals and subtle baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry; medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes on the nose. The finish is so long with a streak of minerals. The body is medium but the fruit is so grippy and clings to the palate giving the impression that it’s bigger than it is. Maxime said that they had picked way early compared to previous, recent years and completed harvest by September 3rd; a whole week before their neighbors began harvest. It shows. Remarkably fresh. Lovely. Utterly beautiful. Drink now with patience (and to enjoy the full-send freshness) or enjoy over the next 15+ years. Alain’s legacy seems to be in very good hands. — 8 months ago