Pooneet K

9.4

A knockout left bank Bordeaux. I’ve read that the 2005s may go longer than the potentially even more vaunted 2000s and I might agree based on this bottle. Decanted 5 hours. Cork in perfect shape. Amazing depth of fruit and a ton of Bordeaux earth. Nose goes on and on as does the finish. Was an excellent pairing but a very good but simple roast chicken. — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

See several previous Delectable notes for this Cuvée. I have 2 bottles left after this one. Penfolds have a whopping drink window up to 2045. The colour is a pale mid crimson with a tawny rim. Mocha, dark chocolate and blackberry notes on the nose. From a low yielding cool vintage which is made for long cellaring. Absolutely superb at the moment. Great palate intensity (mulberry, black berry and dark chocolate) with mellow resolved tannins and a very long persistent finish. No wonder Penfolds tasting book is called The Rewards of Patience. — 9 months ago

Peter Collins

9.1

The nose was weirdly muted and indiscernible. Also a bit tight but the finish was full and nice. It’s good but for the price and time in the bottle, it just left me unimpressed — 6 years ago

Bruce Leboff

9.4

A beauty with great depth. Lovely. Great balance and well interested tannins. Lovely. But lots of life left. — 7 years ago

with Michael and David

Paul J

9.6

Now this is what I’m talking about! Wonderful! Dark purple color. 1+ hour decant and could use even more. Drinking beautifully but still has years left in it! Massive cigar box on the nose. Wine is very Bordeaux like as it is deep, well structured, and has an excellent balance of fruit and smoke. If you drink it fast it tastes like the best bbq in the world! Long finish. Absolutely love this and it will only get better!! — 7 years ago

with Brooke

Brian Stotter

9.6

PnP at a friend's house. Wonderful nose of blackberry, black currant, dried blueberries, cedar, eucalyptus, and tobacco that keeps intensifying with time in the glass. Full body with fully-integrated tannins and a long complex finish that fluctuates between black fruits, organic earth, and eucalyptus. Everything about this wine is in perfect harmony right now but it still has plenty of life left. — 8 years ago

Cameron Parry

9.4

Just hitting its stride. Rich nose, lush black cherries on the palate, silky tannins. Still has a long time left. — 6 months ago

Nick Jouras

9.4

Double magnum still has a lot of life left we sure enjoyed it with the crowd!! — 7 months ago

i2

9.0

This was interesting... Imagine swishing rusted nails in blackberry juice and taking a healthy sniff and sip. I hope you’re up to date on your Tetanus shot, because this bag of metal will punch you in the throat…in a good way. Pair with something lightly flavored. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Classic Cabernet descriptors of Cedar, Tobacco, Red and black fruits and a herbal note. Lovely on the palate, drinking at its peak with excellent balance - smooth, fluid, resolved tannins. One could easily pick this as a Left Bank Bordeaux in a blind tasting. Shows more French restraint than the full blown Napa style for me. Medium + weight palate with balance and concentration. Probably my favourite Napa Valley Cabernet though admittedly I have not tried some of the big guns like Harlan. Post script: A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. No Merlot was used in the blend for 2004. — 5 years ago

B

10

1961 Cos D’Estournel. Tasting dinner at Charc w MnD, B&K K. Still had some life left, but a very light wine. M’s favorite. — 7 years ago

Sara Stuckey

9.1

I’d never heard of “White” Pinot Noir before, but I’m sitting in a restaurant and it was on the “by the glass” list, so here we are.

This does not suck. It’s quite refreshing, actually. I’m a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc and I’d say this splits the difference between the crisp fruitiness of the Sav Blanc and the über-lightness of a Pinot Grigio.

Also, is it weird that I seem to detect a hint of blue cheese in this wine. (A good thing, I think). I don’t know the vintage of this bottle, but I could recommend it! — 8 years ago

Melinda Lafferty

10

Perfect for breakfast/brunch.....light crisp taste — 8 years ago

David Wanek

9.6

In a great place right now. Plenty left in the tank but drinking really well. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

In typical Calon-Segur fashion, still kinda of a baby. Nice evolution but plenty of life left in this warm vintage Calon-Segur. — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Blend of 69% Shiraz, 16% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from McLaren Vale, deep Ruby color with aromas of berry fruits and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and cherry with notes of vanilla, spice, licorice and tobacco. Fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, sweet spice and earthy notes. — 8 months ago

Will Stanley

9.4

The 2016 Chateau Musar, the winery’s latest vintage on release, is much less forthcoming on the nose than the 2013 and ‘15 that I’ve tried recently, despite - or perhaps because of - the fact that the Hochars consider 2016 to be a successful and very ageworthy vintage.

The nose is quite dense and tightly wound, much like a left bank Bordeaux presents in its youth, not yet revealing its cards besides aromas of cedar, steeped plum, smoked beef and cinnamon. The palate, however, is open for business - powerful and saturated, striking that wonderful Musar balance between dark fruit and tangy acidity, expanding towards a puckering finish with good length.

The lasting impression here is of a very modern rendition of Musar, with great clarity and purity to the fruit, fine tannins, refreshing acidity on the palate and great drinkability now (though equal potential to age). My preference of late remains the 2013, but that’s now quite hard to buy - so I’d happily have a case of this instead.

94+ — 4 years ago

Kirk F

9.2

Special birth year bottle for a milestone birthday this week. The cork was almost entirely intact and we double decanted to catch all the sediment. A beautiful brick color in the glass, evolving over 4 hours and drinking nicely. Plenty of fruit left and I also picked up a little salinity/olive savoriness. Glad a few friends popped by to share this with me #50inquarantine #socialdistancing 🍷😷🙌🏻 — 6 years ago

Jack Petras

9.1

1995 vintage. Still deep purple red, subtle earthy leather aromas with a burst of fresh red raspberries mid palate. Lots of herbal hints like anise and tarragon. Finished with graphite and iron. Changed with each sip. Very nice mature and fully approachable left bank beauty. — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

9.3

After a spirited tussle between myself and the Durand vs a dry and crumbly cork I was able to double decant this and segregate away the remnants of floating debris. I was immediately struck by the bouquet which was unmistakably borne from Cabernet Franc (and I believe this blend is less than 10%). It was a positive sign. The wine is completely intact and boasts ample fruit albeit waning acidity. Simple Concord grape, bruised black plum and sweet oak flavors are holding on 2 hours in. This has some time left, but not much. This is a testament to Opus One quality in the early days (I believe this was the 3rd or 4th vintage) and while I think the ‘87-‘97 era was their best, this is an profound example of an exemplary wine at age 37! — 8 years ago