Michael Wehner

9.2

Floral nose. Pepper, red fruit, some gravel — 14 days ago

with Margaret

Bernard Benninghoff

9.4

Great tasting, Fruit forward Cab — a month ago

with Brenda

Robert Torretti

9.5

I do love Musar. The bottle variations can throw you for a loop, but this one came out with a beautiful nose and a great palate. I sampled it by CoraVin the morning before taking it to Eulalie in Tribeca for dinner with old mates visiting from London who love Musar as much or more than I do. It had beautiful color and was translucent. I must have jostled it too much on the subway downtown because when we opened it, it was cloudy and had some fine sedement. Did not decant but allowed it to evolve over a couple of hours. I have a couple more bottles and will look forward to trying them. Enjoyed with lamb dishes and quail stuffed with foie gras and other offal. Delicious! — 12 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at dinner. The wine pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core and a slightly orange rim with considerable variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated fruit: black currants, blackberries, plum, pipe tobacco, capsicum, pencil shavings, a touch leather, organic earth and a mix of dried herbs and some fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Really tasty stuff.

Initial conclusions: this is an old wine, likely 30-40 years old. That being said, it’s still very distinguishable as it’s showing varietal characteristics. This could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend thereof), Cabernet Franc (or a blend thereof), or Merlot (or a blend thereof). I can see this being Napa because the fruit is still showing some generosity. But there’s a lot of non-fruits there too. Regardless, this was giving Left Bank vibes so I could also see this being Bordeaux from a great vintage like 1982. And that’s my call, Cabernet Sauvignon-blend from France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estèphe, from a classified growth like Calon-Ségur. Shucks. But I’m not mad about my choice! Old Opus One’s are tricky to differentiate. Drinking very well right now but this will live well past 2035. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — 3 months ago

Jan A

9.6

Soft and round, a point for my palate.

I've had limited experience with first growths until now and I always was blown away by how young these first growths presented themselves (70's/80's). Most were much older than the 1996 of today, so I was pleased to see that this was so approachable. — 5 months ago

Matthew W.

9.3

Dark fruits, light woodiness, smooth finish. — 18 days ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.6

In great shape. Muscular and serious, still has that lovely boisterous edge and balanced personality which I adore in high quality Napa wines. — 7 days ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.0

Fill was 3cm below the cork and there were signs of seepage, so I assume this was better a few years ago, — 10 days ago

Doug Powers

9.1

Smells like a dead ringer for Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc on initial pour, a little swirl instead leans mineral with just an undertone of grassy SB, shows nice richness on the palate and good length, lingering finish, this is quite good! — 2 months ago

with Jim

Ron Siegel

9.4

This btl was still fresh & in perfect condition. I am always amazed how well the 66’s show especially the La Mission HB. — 2 months ago

Joel Lara

9.4

Upon opening, this seemed a bit disjointed, with muted fruit flavors and strong herbal notes. Decanting didn’t seem to help much, but day 2 it finally opened up nicely, with nice complexity and intensity on the palate. Cherry, raspberry, cassis, bay leaf, dried Italian herbs, anise, cloves, vanilla, cedar, earth, and balsamic notes all come through. Really tasty, but maybe a bit too intense. I can see this improving with a few more years of aging so the flavors coalesce and soften a bit more. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a two days. Better on Day 2. On the pop and pour, this bottle was backward and really seemed resistant to show much. I didn’t detect any real flaws or faults…just sort of, “meh”. On Day 2, it had opened considerably. The 2017 pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe blackberries, currants, mixed flowers, black tea, ferrous earth and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now with patience and through 2042. — 4 months ago

Tareyn

10

Special housewarming wine from Dr Blease. Enjoyed with mom and sisters after dress shopping for tris — a month ago

Sharon B

9.5

A gift I thoroughly enjoyed! — 12 days ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.0

Strange….
Evolved bouquet, plummy, balsamic notes, mocha, touch of sweetness, dark fruit, low acidity. Made me think 07 chateauneuf.
Although this was certainly enjoyable and intriguing, I couldn’t get past the impression that this was not a representative bottle. — 7 days ago

Christian Fischer

9.6

I am torn with the rating here. We had this after the Dom Rose and man did this need a lot of air. Very closed and tannin forward upon opening and decanting, then slowing opening up - an hour was not enough. It really came together after 3-4 hours and then had an amazing balance. Evolved from 9.0 to something 9.6 through the course of the evening. — 9 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

I started to write a note for the 2014 and then, when I was nearly finished, I recalled that I had previously enjoyed this vintage a few years back. I went back to my notes on May 24, 2023 and I gotta say, my notes still nailed it. Liquid stars. Drink now until your last breath. — 2 months ago

Mark S.

8.9

Cherry red. Black Fruity matured. Good concentration. Black pepper is not much. Fermented flavor.
Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M Tannin M Soft Bitterness M Body M Finish M %
Balanced Concentrated M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila Hait Occultum Lapidem Syrah Blend 20 @1000, city, 260629 — 4 months ago

Suneal Vishnupad

9.6

Not quite as good as I remember it, but still excellent. Graphite, pencil shavings, leather, tobacco. 3+ hour decant. needs lots of time but really special.  — 4 months ago