Lyn Farmer

9.4

Opened long before it will actually show its true depth this is still a stunning bundle of black fruit. The oak and cedar overwhelm the bouquet at first, then cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and plum emerge. The palate is rich and creamy with very ripe tannins giving a hint of the longevity this wine possesses. Mint, cigar box and forest floor are beginning to show but many more notes will emerge with time. Lovely wine, classic Napa black fruit. Cabernet with just a dollop of Petite Verdot (5%) and Malbec (2%) for complexity. — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.2

I’m between a 91-92 (same as I was for the Brut Reserve). After going through 6 of these and 6 brut reserve over the last year, I feel confident in the longevity of these Blanc de Blanc champagnes.

For a Blanc de Blanc, this shows plenty of yeasty/toasty notes with fleshy characteristics. Sea salted flaky honey buttered biscuits with lemon scone and honeysuckle aromatics. While the palate is similar, the finish is so drastically different than the rest of this champagne…almost too tart. Palate profile is rich with yellow fruits, kiss of nougat, and some classical limestone. The finish is just crazy underripe and again, tart. Razor sharp acidity. I think this is a champagne that benefits from time, whereas the Brut reserve is perfectly fine to consume now. — 4 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.0

V17. Over delivers, great value. Opaque color. Soft olive, white pepper and cedar nose. Fresh black currant, blackberry with hints of plum fruit. Smooth, mocha and soft leather finish. Well done! — 5 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.4

Ok... I admit it... this straggler Spanish Albariño lost it’s way in my cellar. 10 years old for a grape not altogether known for longevity... what do I expect? Medium gold in the glass... clear...broken cork. Amazing aroma of pineapple, lychee, and peach. The wine is still alive.. still offering up bright acidity and round weighted fruit. Poured too cold, the aromas intensify as it warms. The wine is rich, round and complex...playing with your palate. I was prepared to dump, had a lessor wine at the ready. But... hell no. This wine rocks. Mr. Perez is often referred to as a trail-blazing maverick...what do I know. The wine is a wonder! — 6 years ago

Stephen Mandy

9.4

Smokey cedar and leather nose, dark berry and cassis flavors, lengthy finish. Wonderful now but great longevity ahead. — 7 years ago

Jack Chester

9.2

This burly beast has gained weight, incredibly, since last tasting. Lots of big brambly berry fruit, firm tannin, hints of asphalt, coffee grounds, and white pepper. Balanced, but lingering. Significant bottle life ahead, but as this wine has only existed since the '04 vintage, it's hard to guess the longevity. Drink or hold. — 8 years ago

Joe Weinberger

9.0

Best on day 3! Had this wine a number of times but was most impressed with the longevity of this most recent bottle. — 3 years ago

Conrad Green

9.3

This is dark and primary still. A tarry nose with a medicinal twist (Benadryl?). The palate is ripe and blocky. Few signs of its substantial age- deep and rich. Like an old school Cornas. Apparently these has 3-6 months contract with skin with minimal punching down which explains their unusual longevity. Amazing stuff. — 4 years ago

with Tony, Walker and 2 others

Bob McDonald

9.5

Rich Ruby in colour. Aromas of mocha oak, plum, cherry and blackberry. Hints of prune and dark chocolate. Great fruit quality - Cabernet 52% from Coonawarra and 48% Shiraz from the Barossa. The percentages are correct - they may tinker with the source from Penfolds vast resources. Dry but polished tannins. Typical of the longevity of nearly all Penfolds Reds, this is the first of 6 bottles at 13 years of age. Richard Hemming MW has a drinking window of 2020 to 2043 so this is just the beginning. Have the next in a few years. — 5 years ago

Gene Buonviri

8.9

Cannonau di Sardegna wines have been linked to heart health and have attracted attention for their association with longevity.
Cannonau grapes are thought to have originated on Sardinia and are the orgin of Grenache grapes. Taste the sunshine of Sardinia, red berries light finish of tannins and granite. Drink and repeat. — 5 years ago

Will Stanley

9.2

This really came into its own on the second night (on the first I decanted for an hour or so, but still felt quite austere). The wine shows no sign of its nine years of age, a fairly rustic expression of the (predominantly Merlot-based) blend with enough fruit to give it longevity. Very full, well balanced and enjoyable. Would enjoy revisiting in eight years. Even the ‘lesser’ wines from 2010 continue to impress. — 7 years ago

Heidi McKinney

9.2

Just enough tannin to cleanse the palette but a beautiful finish that leaves wonderful dark fruit and spice essence. Drank June, 2018. A slight amber ring can be seen in the glass. Will have longevity And I believe just become rounder. — 7 years ago

DCH

9.1

Still young, but with balance and richness to suggest longevity. — 8 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.1

Rich and mature. Hmmm. Makes me second guess the sponti talk on Mosel rieslings - I reckon it's probably to do with SO2. Quite a bit younger than the german rieslings in our little study the other day, but so much more advanced. Or maybe it's the sugar that helps with longevity in the german stuff.

Waxy, honeyed, floral, petrol notes, with the green apple and pear fruit playing second fiddle. Hint of aldehydes. Mineral and weighty. It was delicious! — 9 years ago

Paul T HB

9.6

Inexpensive enough to pop one straight off the truck after its week long journey from the east coast. Right there with the 16, less botrytis than the 14 & 15 which is what I was hoping for.

VM94
Rated 94 by Vinous Media
The 2017 Viré-Clessé, which will be bottled at the beginning of 2022, has a killer nose with an almost Germanic feel, intense nectarine, melon and damp earthy scents with just a hint of petrol. The palate is beautifully balanced with a line of acidity keeping everything taut and linear. The 2017 is a little waxy in texture with orange rind, stem ginger and white pepper furnishing the very persistent finish. This is superb - a Viré-Clessé with genuine substance and longevity.
Winery
100% Chardonnay. Bongran is Thévenet's original home estate (Domaine de Roally, also in Viré-Clessé, was added later). Cuvée Tradition is its single bottling of dry white wine (in certain vintages, a sweet botrytized wine is made). The old vines are organically farmed and harvested manually and notably late at a very high ripeness level. The grapes are pressed very slowly and gently. After settling, the juice is fermented in tank with indigenous yeasts, very slowly, taking up to two years to finish; there are often a few grams of residual sugar remaining in the wine. The wine is aged in tank only, then in bottle for several years before release. It has an extraordinary richness of flavor and texture along with firm acidity and minerality. — 4 years ago

Erik Longabardi

9.3

Strength. Longevity. Dig it — 5 years ago

Joe Uranga

10

Wonderful acidity. Morello cherry in the mid palate but subtle. Longevity with a bright finish — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Deep Ruby - dark for a Pinot Noir. Dense, very rich - dark cherry and spices. Medium plus bodied palate. Amazing to say it is latent for an 8 year old Pinot but I have had Freycinet Pinots that are 15 years old - they are made with longevity in mind. So rich it could have come from Central Otago. Leave the last one for at least another 3 years. — 5 years ago

Justin Hart

9.1

It lives up to it’s name. Though 2010 wasn’t the best year, probably the worst of this decade actually, this wine is still very drinkable and has stood this short test of time very well. Profile is dominated by the cab (37%) at this stage as the Merlot (40%) has faded a little. The Malbec and Petit Verdot making up the rest are subtle/hiding. Dark brambly berries/black cherry, faint cola notes, tobacco and wet stone/pencil shavings are the prominent flavors and aromas. It is probably good for at least a few more years. :) — 7 years ago

with Cherish and Jen

Natalie Ridsdale

9.0

I like this better tonight than I did at the winery. Really easy drinking blend that has enough acid to work with food -- steak or lasagna would be great. But also great on its own. — 8 years ago