Ed Chin

9.3

What a difference a little time and air makes 🤪. A little game a little iron and pepper and black fruit that became more expressive as time passed. Light and elegant. I think I got lucky. — 19 days ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment (lots of chunky/fine sediment) and pour. A stunning medium ruby red color with little signs of aging. On the nose: big inviting notes of dark fruit/currants, worn leather, herbaceous, smoked meat, funky earth, menthol. Taste: silky, evolved, expressive structure with brambly plum, currants, old leather, dark chocolate, graphite, and a black raspberry-iron-dried herb long finish. YUM! It's what's you want in an aged Napa cab, and glad to have just acquired 3 more bottles. — 5 months ago

with Brenda

Mike Saviage

9.8

Dark scarlet color with a deep center. Notes of black cherry, cola, roses, cassis, some spice and a little wood char. Amazing perfume in the nose. Smooth and silky in the mouth. Lots of drama with this one, and many agreed the 59 was better than the 45, the 61 and 82 Latours beside it. Bravo! — 2 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.7

First bottle of the 2010. This is gonna be a really special wine but I think it need another 5-7 years. Tannins and softened, fruit is there, acidity is still strong, and don’t get me wrong it’s great now with a couple hour decant, but in a few years it’ll be really nice. Getting black, blue, and dark red fruit, ripe and juicy. Man so silky in the mouth. Graphite, stone, forest floor, cedar, hints of camphor, black licorice. Wonderful. Nice medium + finish. Really nice, only going to get better! — 2 months ago

Mike Evans

9.2

A good but not great LLC, classic black current and hints of leather and cedar, but a little rustic, though drinking it next to a lovely 1990 Troplong-Mondot didn’t do it any favors. — 7 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1/2hour decant(decent fine/cloudy sediment). A striking still dark ruby red color with some bricking. On the nose: dark fruit, campfire, leather, black olives, floral. Taste: smooth, elegant, lush mouthcoating wine with blackberry/dark plum, dark chocolate, coffee, minerals, little tobacco, and a smokey graphite medium plus finish. YUM! In a nice place with a few more years to go. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The 1999 Bordeaux vintage for many was not stellar. However, if their was one region that excelled, it was Pessac-Leognan. I actually spent two nights at this beautiful Chateau during En Premier in 2014.

The nose is soft & subtle. Mid fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, cooked pomegranate, poached strawberries, black plum with heavy skin, & haunting blueberries. Well cooked toast-not burnt, soft lead pencil shavings, dry top soils, limestone minerals, used tobacco, old leather, dry river stone, dry black earth, vanillin, gentle spice, steeped tea left in the glass for an extended period with withering dark, red florals with dry lavender.

The palate is dry with fruits that are cooked yet juicy. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, cooked pomegranate, poached strawberries, black plum with heavy skin, & haunting blueberries. Cherry cola/licorice-cherry nibs, well cooked toast-not burnt, soft lead pencil shavings, dry top soils, limestone minerals, used tobacco, old leather, dry river stone, moist black earth with dry leaves, mint, dry herbs, charcoal, vanillin, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, gentle dark Asian spice, steeped tea left in the glass for an extended period with withering dark, red florals with dry lavender. The acidity is delightful. The finish is well balanced, structured, same wire to wire with a slight dry end that lasts two minutes.

She’s pretty with Tri-tip. — 3 years ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — 3 months ago

with Nellie

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Mid 20th century fashionable country resort, popular with Hollywood due to 1892 stone Manor House & historic gardens. Blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Malbec, rest other Rhone varieties, aged 20 months in 37% new French oak. Dark Ruby, aromas of ripe berry fruits, herbs & spice. On the palate flavors of cherry and black currant with vanilla oak and earthy notes. Well balanced, fine tannins long finish ending with fruit, espresso notes and sweet spice! Nice now and will drink well over next decade. — 8 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 2008 Cheval Blanc is one of the go-to wines of the vintage. Now at 15 years old, it has retained the energy and focus it displayed from the outset: black fruit, crushed stone, wilted violet petals and touches of forest floor cohere wonderfully in the glass. The Cabernet here is more expressive. The palate has a slight chewiness on the entry, but it "relaxes" in the glass. It shows off its delicate lattice of tannins and perhaps a bit more backbone than I have observed on previous bottles. It's very intense on the finish where, as before, the Cabernet Franc takes charge. Superb. Keep it another three to four years if you can. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 2 years ago