Conrad Green

9.4

Very soft and open. Violets, cherry, dried herbs. Charming and gentle. Totally resolved and tannins enveloped in the gentle fruit. Lovely — 3 years ago

with Bex, Naoko and 1 other

Jeff Murray

9.0

Excellent blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Tempranillo instead of Syrah. Works very well. I saw this described as “dusty fruits” which I take to mean earthy, and just slightly subdued. Relatively smooth and opens up nicely with air time. Will keep the other bottles for a while to see how the evolve. Another good effort from ONX wines out of Pasa Robles. Cheers — 6 years ago

WC Fields

9.3

Winner! Blackberries, violets, anise, wild herbs. Nice acid and smooth tannins. Nice to have 2 left. — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

More notes later. Stunning. So smoky and sweet. Ethereal.

Nose of smoke, mesquite, sweet raspberry fruit, violets and other flowers. Unreal.

Palate is soft and sweet and spreads to every nook and cranny. Unreal purity, length and delicacy. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The 14 Insignia out of 750ml.

On the nose, very dark currant/cassis. Expresso roast, nice backing spices; vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Dark spice, black tea, red florals, violets, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, dry crushed rocks, black, rich soil, volcanic minerals and some black licorice.

The body is full. Tannins are big, rounded, sticky/chewy with a dusty dry long palate set. The fruits are ripe and less dark than the nose. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, cherries, dry crushed rocks, black, rich soil, volcanic minerals, black licorice, expresso roast, backing spices; vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Dark spice, black tea with bright red florals & violets. Good waterfall acidity. The structure, length, texture and balance are well executed. The finish is beautiful, floral fruits and lasts minutes.

The wine is starting to close down and should slumber for 15-20 years. — 7 years ago

michael pandolfo

9.0

Very good. Crushed violets/roses in the nose. Smoked meat with tea leaves on the palate. Would like to see it in a few years — 9 years ago

Greg Koslosky

9.2

Earthy meaty gamey iron with menthol , violets and red fruits still some tannin. A little rustic but very good . — 10 years ago

Joseph C Burke

9.1

Do red w/ brick edges; nose of sweet red licorice, violets, and sweet tobacco; silky attack of dusty ripe cherry, with a drying but pretty fruit finish that lingers. — 10 years ago

Nathaniel Jones

9.2

Delicious! Violets and berries. Hints of vanilla, intensely good — 11 years ago

Mike Kim

9.8

Chateau Marmont — 12 years ago

Sara Thomas

9.0

This mencia has personality! Blackberry, boysenberry, violets, loamy earth, touch of stemmy greenness. Slightly rustic but it all comes tog harmoniously - really like this wine — 4 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.4

This is killer. Slow to reveal its perfume, really needs a decant or slow ox actually. But berry liqueur and violets emerge, some baking spice, then palate has supple texture, super fine and gentle tannins, really nice acid. Truly a wine of pleasure. This wine, like the best from the vintage, combines perfect ripeness with classic elegance and lift. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

2016 is such a beautifully, ripe and elegant vintage. The 16 stands tall from the other vintages we tasted.

The body is rich, bold and thick. Beautiful dark fruits of ripe, ruby; blackberries, plum, dark cherries, strawberries and amazing blue fruits shine as it sit on the palate. There is more balance in the 16...fruits and earth. Saddle-wood, tobacco, leather, dry soil, dry & moist clay, dry stone, rich dark earth, lead pencil, bright, fresh, red, blue, dark flowers with violets. Very nice acidity with a beautiful finish.

Don’t even touch a bottle for 15 plus years. This nice now but, you will only be cheating yourself out of a very special wine 15 plus years from now.

Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Emily Kresie-Harrington

8.9

2016 vintage. Black plum, black raspberry, black cherry, violets, little bit of sanguine-iron, dusty tannins. — 7 years ago

Michael Gallegos

Sales & Hospitality Red Car Winery

9.1

2003 is still 10+ years young. Plenty of tannins from both oak and fruit, and gobs of ripe black fruit. A "manly" wine and has some metalicism, iron, plums, blackberries, violets, and pepper. — 8 years ago

K J

9.3

Spicy Fruity. Violets. At Frenchie wine bar — 9 years ago

Rebecca Fletcher

9.8

Black berries, savory, smoked meat, violets, M+ intensity. M+ acid, complexity and finish. M tannin. M+ acid. M body. A bit tart. Very fresh and elegant. Just awesome! — 10 years ago

Marla Shelton-Watts

9.3

Purchased in Bend, Oregon from local wine shop. What a surprise! Very smooth and light....not jammy at all. — 10 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.2

It has been a long week of meetings and job visits, so I am treating myself to a Loire beauty a Loire Valley Chinon. At first opening a bit pungent, but I like that with lots of good aromas. I am getting big notes of black currant, rasperry, violets and graphite. On the palate the raspberry comes through with plum and the typical vegetal notes, bell pepper. There is also earthy components, medium acidity, medium tannins with a long dying finish. Very nice and I like it. — 10 years ago

Karen Daenen

9.7

Violets, aroma that jumps out and grabs you — 12 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.1

(From a .375, decanted in the glass for 30 mins) A very expressive bouquet of dark fruit and violets. The palate told you this was an infant. Lots of intense silky fruit, medium acid and prominent tannins. Cassis, a slight hint of olives, and pepper but no signs of bacon fat. All the parts are there but they need to fraternize. Good upside. — 4 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Youthful & structured with dark cherry, mineral, earth, dried herbs & violets that will need more time. — 5 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.2

Dark cherry, kirsch, earth, wild herbs, black olive, pepper & violets. Still somewhat primary that is approachable now but still needs more time. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The nose reveals, ripe, brightly floral dark & red fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, prune notes, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, allspice, used leather, limestone minerals, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets.

The body is medium to full. The tannins round, nicely softened but still a little tarry. The structure, tension, length and balance are are harmonious and starting its climb to their peak. The mouthfeel is gorgeous and sexy. Brilliantly, bright, laced; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, dark medium spice with heat, allspice, used leather, some sweet tarriness, limestone minerals, rich dark soil, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets. The acidity was very good and the finish showed it’s Saint Julien elegance. It’s a beautiful wine now and over the next 15-20 years.

Photos of, Chateau Leoville Barton, the “Gentleman of Medoc”, Anthony Barton, harvest work of their Merlot and their barrel cellar.

An hour and a half in decanter.
— 7 years ago

Valerie Kathawala

9.1

'12. Savoring these pre-acquisition Vietti's while I can. Brilliant aromatics, palpable, pleasing tannins, spice, violets and a thrilling partner to pork loin with cherry vinaigrette and bitter field greens. — 8 years ago

Scott Taddeo

9.5

Such complex aromas that benefited with a bit of air that lead to aromas of sandalwood and smoke, tea leaves, tart red fruits, violets, spice, damp earth and herbs. Long in length with cat tongue like tannin and perky acidity. So so good. — 10 years ago

Michelle Steiner

9.0

Great wine - smooth, robust, affordable! — 10 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

Man this was sexy, displaying so many aromatics, red & black fruits, violets, bacon fat, earthy, leather and spice box. Mouline has always been my favorite of the La La's — 10 years ago

Paul Hogan

9.8

Mad Men of Riesling 2012 great southern Australia — 12 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

Floral nose, with apple skin, blackberry, and violets, leather adds to the palate as this is drinking really well right now with youth and maturity playing tug of war with the palate. Best Mourvèdre ever for me so far! — 12 years ago