Paul J

9.4

Honeymoon wine, with our 7yr anniversary two weeks away. 45min decant. Deep, dark purple color. Black cherry, subtle blueberry, and oak dominate the nose. Great fruit, big tannins. Powerful wine, but refined and high quality. Finish seems to never end. Love Gargiulo!!!!! — 6 years ago

with Brooke

Bret Barker

9.4

I love barton so I might be partial here. Dark ruby and full bodied. Decanted for 45 minutes and a big hit. Powerful wine but not over powering like barton tends to do. Rich and well balanced with smoke, currant and little bit of leather. This bottle went fast! — 6 years ago

Raul Puga

9.1

#drinkcaliforniawines Love this wine and producer. Perfect blend of spice with sweet jam but neither are over the top. — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

I completely forgot to post this. My brother from another mother Kirk Alexander uncorked these 2 Absolutely Phenomenal 100 point beauties for us to enjoy just because I came over!!!!!! ! Damn., I’ve got to go to his house more often!!!!!! All kidding aside., we were celebrating Veronica’s (his beautiful wife) birthday and what a truly special Evening.it was. There’s nothing better than uncorking a special bottle with friends that have become like family.
We love you Veronica!!! And put up with Kirk just because of you🤣😜🤣
— 7 years ago

with Dov and Christine

Martin G Rivard

9.5

I've written about this wine before. Ron's wines never cease to amaze me. Uncorked and poured, at 1st glance it seemed extremely closed and unforgiving BUT give it 30 minutes and it blows up!!!! Lush dark fruit, some leather and on the back palate a touch chocolate. This is drinking like a badass rockstar., Big, bold & unapologetic but has a touch of class that seduces you into taking another sip....at which point the roller coaster starts all over again. Outstanding!! Just what I love in a Napa cab!! Buying a case is like having front row seats., you won't be disappointed!! 👌🍷🍷👌@Andrew Donovan @Megan Callahan — 8 years ago

with Christine and Gina

Rocket Rod

9.2

Was apprehensive at first as last time I had this (a year ago with Big Wave Dave) it was the cliche Oz Shiraz fruit bomb with high alcohol bordering on over extraction. On the second outing a lot more complex. Still classic cassis fruit and choc/tobacco overtones but not over the top and with some nice acidity still. Less spice than typical. Nice underlying tannin backbone. Lovely mouthfeel and medium body and finish. A little time has done its work nicely. — 8 years ago

with Big

Drew DiMatteo

9.1

I met Michael Twelftree of @twohandswines about a year ago at a American Football tailgate of all places, told him I've enjoyed his wines. This one is new to me, a late harvest #Sémillon from #BarossaValley . Very good dessert wine, green apple flavors and not overly sweet. — 8 years ago

Ron R

9.3

On the nose, jam compote, cut roses and vanilla

On the palette, the wine is dense, but well proportioned. Copious amounts of cassis, white pepper, mushrooms and capsicum glide over the tongue. Tannins are pronounced, but suave.

This is a well made and deftly balanced full-throttle blend. I'm impressed as I thought our palettes would be overwhelmed. Works well with and without food. I'd love to take another look at this 3 years from now. — 8 years ago

with Anne-marie

Tim Herrmann

9.4

This was one of those wines that you could drink like punch or ponder like old Bordeaux--each time I took a sip it seemed to change! No mistake, this is a savory wine with barnyard and wild herbs and chalk going on. Even though it was aromatic and open from the start, the flavors developed more complexity over a couple of hours and revealed some nice raspberry fruit. I've always liked Nero d'avola--I'd love to stash some of this away and watch what happens. — 9 years ago

Eric

9.4

This 2006 once again astounded and astonished me with its grace and elegance. Paired with Sunday gravy it presided over our meal with soulful decadence and the queen of Tuscana. I'm in love. — 9 years ago

BaroloDude

9.2

Best "Bordeaux blend"'for the money imho

Always great and love the Franc dominance in the blend — 9 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 6 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.4

I found this to be a very enjoyable wine. I was hoping for a little bit more Oak. I'm not quite sure how it would evolve over time. I always find these to be a great pop and pour wine. I never hang on to them too long in my cellar.
I would love feedback from anyone that has aged some of these to see how they evolve.@Ron R @Mike Rowe @David A Lentine @Howard Greenfield — 8 years ago

with Christine

John Libonatti-Roche

9.2

This is proper NZ SB. Absolutely love it once the worst chill left the glass. Distinct flint on the nose, followed by gooseberry, grapefruit, grass and (I'm not mad) nuts & boiled potatoes. A lovely mouthful with a long lasting finish. Paid a shade over £20 but happy that its better value than the Greywacke (2015) that I tried beside at £18. My new favourite NZ Sauvingnon Blanc. — 8 years ago

Kyle Groombridge

9.1

Always a right-bank favorite of mine.. first time trying the '12. A touch leaner than previous vintages, but same overripe, richly textured palate I love. Mocha, oak, and blackberry dominate the palate while it lives up to every other '12 bordeaux with seamless tannins that are as smooth as ever. A whif of smoke and charcoal linger in the background.. A great drink for the money. — 8 years ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.3

Always love comtes de champagne blanc de Blancs. Although this 05 is a baby, it is already a great wine. It offers a beautiful salinity, toasted brioche, almonds and mandarin orange. I would hang onto it for at least a few years and enjoy over the next decade or more — 9 years ago

Shane M. Nicholson

9.0

Re runs of Baywatch. Hot dogs. Slip n Slides. Aint nothing wrong with celebrating and proudly admiring the gratuitous and guilty pleasures in life. This stuff is great! After all.....no reason to be a "prisoner" to over priced gunk. Nor regard something as a "special selection" when its mass produced to the tune of 45000 cases. Less than 15k made of this bad boy! And did I mention.... A glow in the dark label!? Genius! Mustache rides anyone? — 9 years ago

with Jason

Josh Luhn

Luhn Wine Consulting Owner, Luhn Family Wines

9.4

Get this. Wonderful balance. It's about to release. If you love Corison style, great red and dark fruits without being over ripe, you'll love this. Seamless tannins from grape to oak, good acidity. I tried after it was open for a day. — 9 years ago

Christopher Hoel

Sommelier/Senior Wine Advisor Soutirage

9.8

Really love where this wine is right now. So, so good for the money — 10 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I Coravin-ed this bottle awhile ago. I put it back as it wasn’t drinking as I would have hoped. A couple of months later and it’s come around nicely. I been doing short term and longer term tests of Coravin bottles. As much as I love my Coravin, I am a little more skeptical of their research that states their bottles will hold up 9 years after their first Coravin. I believe the Coravin help develop this 04 a little sooner. It’s drinking nicely without food tonight. On the nose; dark currants, expresso, black olive tapenade, cedar, tobacco, sweet soft leather, vanilla, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked black plum, plum, an array of blue fruit mix, light cinnamon, clove, medium spice, mocha chocolate, dark chocolate, stones, rich, moist black earth and dark decayed florals & fresh violets. The palate is medium full. The tannins are not quite 50% resolved. After it opens up with a half-hour in the glass, it’s like velvet in the mouth. The structure, tension, length and balance are starting to develop into a very good place. However, there are many, many years of aging to go. The fruits are ruby, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked black plum and strawberries. Expresso, black olive tapenade, cedar, tobacco, sweet soft leather, tobacco, menthol, graphite, anise, vanilla, light cinnamon, clove, medium spice, mocha chocolate, dark chocolate, dry stems, crushed rocks with dry top soil, stones, rich, moist black earth, volcanic minerals, and dark decayed florals. The acidity is very good for what was deemed a ho-hum vintage. The long finish is; rich, ruby, gorgeous and lasts well over two minutes. I am enjoying it a lot tonight but will still wait another 10 years to open another. I believe at that point, it has all the potential to merit an outstanding score. When I tasted this at the UGC in Bordeaux fresh into bottle, I thought it was one of the top three wines of the day. In the right photo, you get a full sense where the wine gets it’s stoney & rich, dark earthiness. — 6 years ago

TheSkip

9.3

Full tilt! This is over the top non-traditional Bordeaux cuvée with the addition of petit Syrah.

I love Herman Story! For those of you looking for over the top, look no further. — 7 years ago

Ariodante D'Antilio

9.2

Was this an awesome Rose? Yes. But not worth the money. Take away the Jay Z label and you just have a very good but over priced rose not worth more than 100 bucks — 7 years ago

Sam Fromartz

9.3

I love Huet and have been drinking the 2010-14s over the past couple of years but scored this 2004 in a cellar sale and am very impressed. The sometimes hard mineralogy has mellowed, lemon shows through a bit with apricot and I get a long, lingering finish. A really wonderful #cheninblanc that tastes at a peak though wonder what a few more years might bring. — 8 years ago

Keith Eddleman

9.9

Night number 2 on this one. This is the de facto standard for what people mean by "Big Napa Cab" it's rich, it's velvety, it's 100% Cabernet. Would love to cellar this for years but irresistible. — 8 years ago

with Jill

Lara H

9.0

This has all the markings of a big, extracted wine that Americans love. A bit over-extracted but I am a sucker for that kind of stuff! Coconut oil nose and ripe blackberries. — 8 years ago

Liz Bird

8.9

While I fell in love with this wine over a decade ago, recently I have found the vintages to be very inconsistent in what I'd come to expect with The Prisoner... No holds barred body with a complexity of cherry, berry, oak and grit. This 2013 vintage redeemed recent bottles. — 8 years ago

Sohrob Farudi

9.0

Best Pinot for the money hands down. Heavy for a Pinot, drinks more like a cab. Buy it, open it up and let it sit an hour, love your life. — 8 years ago

with Cyrus and Diana

Christine Havens

9.2

'Les Picasses' lies along a riverbank on a fairly steep slope that is primarily alluvial clay overlaying chalk and limestone. The vines are over 50 years old and the site is known to produce wines with fabulous purity and minerality. As such the Olga Raffault 'Les Picasses' Chinon 1989 has had time to mellow, the aromas are quite lovely—lavender, game, worn leather, a touch of barnyard, and cellar dust. There is a throaty, sensual wildness to this wine, punctuated by a vein of bright acidity and minerals. Everything I love in Loire Valley Cab Franc. — 9 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.4

Another fantastic "little" old tawny, a beautiful port with a small oxidative rancid touch, nice balance, good acidity, it's rich but not over warming - a top value for money and a lovely perfect present to offer to someone born on this year 😄🍷😋 — 9 years ago