Chris McClellan

9.3

Amazing brunello...love this producer...dried red fruit/black fruits, savory, leather and cigar box. Came out of the gate with some VA and barnyard funk which made it fun as the structural elements all there..it blew away in time but overall just perfect. Paired with grandmas pizza! — 5 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.6

Tonight I thought I would open this LMHB as the 2019 was released on futures yesterday. It may be a better wine but you are going to have to wait a long time to find out. The 66 is a wine where I have opened more than 6 cases in the last 5 yrs & consider it one of the great vintages for current drinking showing black fruits, cassis, saddle leather, smoke, tar, graphite, licorice, soy, tobacco & violets. This has been fully mature for 10 yrs & perfectly stored btls will continue to drink well for many years. One of the wines that keeps me searching & drinking old Bordeaux! — 5 years ago

Antonio Favela

9.3

Out of a split. I blew it in not giving it proper decanting time. Probably be a bit higher if I did. Was delicious after time paired with prime rib. — 5 years ago

E & K G

9.3

9.1 last time as I finished the bottle before it could really open up. Learnt my lesson and decanted it for about 30-40mins. It allowed all the dark brooding fruit to jump out of the glass. Liked it before but loving it now especially at the price point! Shows Occhipinti’s range of wine making. — 6 years ago

Madeleine Ray

9.3

We’ve been talking about this producer for a while, so excited to have found the appellation level, even if the vineyard designated bottles are few and far between. Begins with all graphite and granite on the nose, sharp and clean. Opens into reserved fruit on the palate and earthy florals like tulip or orchid. More time in the glass allows for a bit of a saline and meaty character to appear. Whole cluster, but you wouldn’t know it right away, the structure is decidedly not oak tannin, angular, but not overwhelmingly so. Paired with an arrabiata sauce, which softens the white pepper, brings out the red fruit, and surprisingly doesn’t negatively showcase the alcohol content. It’s enticing! Keeps ya checking back for more. — 6 years ago

Jack Badavas

10

Mom and Dad in town. Busting out my favorite wine. Bulletproof every time! — 7 years ago

with Alex

Shay A

9.4

Our monthly 4th Friday event at the storage facility. No requirements, just wine you want to share with others! Always an enjoyable time.

Special place in my heart for this winery. A few months ago, I had an '88 go celebrate my birth year. It was STELLAR. This is pushing forward easily...after an hour of air, the fruit and secondary earth and funk notes came out. So good! Thanks Walter! — 8 years ago

with Mark

Jonathan Wall

9.0

It's ALIVE! Sort of like a handsome young Frankenstein. Tasted over 3 days. Starts out spritzy, snappy, barnyardy... and mellows nicely after some time. — 8 years ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.0

Not as good as the '10 but still exceptional. A little more powerful and less perfumed. This is a lot of wine and needs some time to round out but still excellent — 9 years ago

Jared O'Connell

9.5

What a wonderful wine. Really shines after some time out of the bottle. Saving the last glass of this for tomorrow night. How are there so many reviews for newer vintages on here. Are they errors? Or tasted at the winery? Isn't 2003 the current release? — 9 years ago

Jim Wallick

9.3

Coaxing it out of the glass. Needs time to blow off typical barnyard nose, leads way to dark red fruit and really long finish — 10 years ago

with Charles

Fredrik Finn

9.2

As the summer is slipping out of our hands, its time to to pop those complex reds that we’ve been lastning for. Produttori del Barbaresco is considered one of the best cooperatives in the world and its 2016 Barbaresco is a solid proof of that statement.
Restrained at first and needs a couple of hours in the decanter to reach its climax. True to its provenance its clasically crafted, and puts up complex profile of red cherries, rose hip, strawberries, spice, bitter orange and a volatile dried floral lift over a canvas of wet soil.
An offensive approach on the palate with a high acidity and a generous portion of mouth coating tannins that is well accompanied by a pronounced fruit profile with an evolving finish. Very good indeed, but is a couple of level behind to reach the higher tiers. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

2002 is such a beautiful vintage IMHO. In many ways, I think even better than 07. We’ll see in five years from now as I lack a time machine.

I’ve said this a couple of times over my nearly 4,200 Delectable notes. There is no amount of decanting a young wine that can reproduce the beauty, elegance, florals, integration, balance and finish as long bottle age. If you are buying expensive Cabernets and drinking them young, you are simply short changing yourself out of your deep investment.

This largely under known Napa producer is a shining example of that tonight. Proof in the pudding so to speak.

The nose reveals, sweet, ripe, lush, ruby, slightly baked/liqueured fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum, understated blueberries and baked strawberries haunt the backend. Dark Asian & Indian spices, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, black tea, dark expresso, crushed dry rocks, limestone minerals, herbal notes, mint, incense, graphite, dark chocolate, caramel & mocha, dry top soil, moist clay, dark rich, turn earth with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple, blue flowers & just a touch of violets.

The body is; round, rich & luxurious. The tannins still have baby teeth and show chewy tarriness. The tension, structure, length and balance have hit their peak. It’s not going to improve, it will simply show you descending changes which, can be quite enjoyable but, not necessarily for the ones that appreciate wines young. Interesting, none the less, for the ones that enjoy all sides/aspects of wine evolution. Sweet, ripe, lush, ruby, slightly baked/liqueured fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum, mulberries, boysenberries, more blue fruits than the nose, cherries and baked strawberries haunt the backend. Dark Asian & Indian spices with just the right amount of heat, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, black tea, dark expresso, crushed dry rocks, limestone minerals, herbal notes, mint, graphite, dark chocolate, caramel & mocha, dry top soil, moist clay, dark rich, turn earth, fresh tobacco, suede style leather, saddle-wood with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple, blue flowers & just a touch of violets. The ABV on this wine is really nice given today’s hotter wines. Climate change, it’s a bitch. The round acidy is as good as it gets. The long, excellent, elegant, rich, ripe, ruby, gorgeous, sexy, floral, perfectly balanced finish falls into persistent heaven.

This is a gorgeous example of what Napa Valley is capable of in grand vintages, if you have good storage & can show patience.

Photos of; an arial view of Jones Family Winery, patio tasting area, beautiful Jones Family Cabernet fruit and their amazing vineyards. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for #MerlotThursday. Here's a great one from Columbia Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, black currants, cherries, cooked plums, wood, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, smoke, dark coffee, mocha, earth, leather, coke and black pepper. What a great nose.

Full bodied with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, spices, espresso, chocolates, peppercorn, earth sweet vinaigrette, dark coffee and light mocha.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This 4 year old Merlot from Washington State surprised me.
Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel.

Soft, spicy and smooth. Peaking now, and better now than a year or two ago.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (1 hour).

I paired it with a filet mignon and grilled asparagus.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$20. — 7 years ago

Amy Rodriguez

9.1

Super light body, smooth, blackberry/blueberry, tart but not abrasive at all. Almost citric like a white. Oak comes out as it warms, vanilla. Decant. — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

What a beautiful person inside and out! I'm blessed beyond measure to be able to call him "Dad". Words can't adequately express how much I Love him. We opened a few bottles last night that I will hold near and dear to my heart forever. We are celebrating his completion of 6 rounds of chemo therapy in his battle against Prostate cancer. This is his 3rd time in the ring against this opponent and it appears that he's won with a unanimous decision by knockout at this time!!!!!! Love you dad!!!!! So proud of your strength through this process. My Father was born in 1940. A difficult year to say the least:
Germans entered Bordeaux in June of 1940. As dictated by Hitler himself, it was the sworn duty of each and every commander to search and seize whatever could be used for the advancement of the German cause. Bedlam broke out. Chateaux' were ransacked, wine cellars were looted if not used for target practice. The Chateauxs were forced to continue producing wines. It's poetic justice that Mother Nature provided the Germans with the worst growing season from 1940 to 1944!!!! The Germans left Bordeaux in 1944 to the cheers of the residents "Au Revoir Les Allemands"!!!! The 1940 bottle that we enjoyed this evening survived World War II. It Survived the ransacking, pillaging & plunder of countless German soldiers. It's outer capsule showed evident signs of its struggle but it's inner beauty was unblemished and glorious. I've had many, many vintages of Latour from 1928 and on but none have ever tasted as perfect as the one we enjoyed tonight. This 1940 was perfect. It was a fighter, it never gave up, it never relinquished in the face of adversity. That's my Father, that my role model. He's a beautiful person inside & out. I think 1940 is the best vintage that I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. Special thanks to my good friends Michael Troise whom provided me with much of the insights in regards to the incredibly difficult vintage and David Page whom gifted this bottle to me for our celebration this evening. I will never forget your generosity. It was a glorious evening to say the least!!! Wine has a way of bringing people together and encapsulating an evening and event. I couldn't think of a better way to rejoice in his victory than to open a Father & Son birth year wine. — 8 years ago

with Ryan, Christine and 1 other

John Lin

9.0

Had the 2010 Roll Ranch with Christmas dinner of prime rib, baby artichokes, asparagus, roasted potatoes. Had this after a 1999 Dalla Valle Cabernet. A little thin on first sip and not a as full as the regular cuvée. Losing fruit? Energized and vibrant for an older vintage. After some time in the glass, the wine filled out and is improving. Maybe decant? — 9 years ago

Mike Lee

Beverage Manager/Sommelier Catch Miami

9.0

Nice red, black fruit and cola notes. Savory herbs and organic earth mid-palate and on the finish. High alcohol takes it out of balance a bit. Needs time. — 10 years ago

Brittney King

9.5

Fresh out of the bottle - funky spice aromas. On the palate - bone dry and incredibly tight. Decanted for three hours. I can't tell you how much it opened up in that time. This wine is phenomenal. Incredibly smooth, smokey, surprisingly juicy. Just gorgeous. Must try! — 10 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

10

In my last sighted review of the 2016 Cos d’Estournel, I wrote: "I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth." Perhaps it is already beginning to shut down, because though this wine was deeply impressive, it fell just a notch short of ethereal previous bottles, despite its "pixelated black fruit" on the nose and "sublime balance" on the palate. I tasted the wine twice thereafter, though this time with a 4-6 hour decant, and this revealed the Cos d'Estournel that has amazed since I first tasted it out of barrel. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2020)
— 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Israel.

Inky in color with a short reddish/brick rim.

Fruity nose with blackberries, blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, light cedar, spices, cola, tobacco leaf, black tea, alcohol, coffee, milk chocolates, light herbs and black pepper.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with cooked plums, black currants, coffee, cedar, vanilla, spices, earth, milk chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn and light vinaigrette.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a wonderful Merlot blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity and well balanced with a great mouthfeel. Really enjoyed the nose here, even after a few minutes out of the bottle.

This four year old is already yummy right out of the bottle, but better after a couple of hours in a decanter.

I've had this before, and this time I decided to give it a slight chill, and boy it was delicious.

Nice buttery mouthfeel, even looks buttery when poured. Drinking very nicely now.

Very tasty and fruit forward. Dark, extracted and rich. Feels like a Napa Bordeaux blend.

A blend of 42% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit verdot and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 18 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and Kosher. Mevushal.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 5 years ago

John Van Trijp

10

Oh boy......what can i say....is this a turning point in my life....???.....i hate pinot noir.....there is missing something all the time....and now...this evening....in Düsseldorf Gernany...everything blind.....wooow....out of this world....that colour...no please....help....it can’t be......demasqué.....f..ck! It is.....pinot noir....Burgundy....perfect score.....it happened..... — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Even though we brought spilts with us on our trip, I still missed it. There just aren’t many better starters to kickoff a weekend night. Cheers! 🥂

Many previous notes still apply.

The next time you have BSR as an aperitif and your are having red wine after, save some to close out your night. The BSR ascends from 1080p HD to OLED 4K on your palate. For that matter, any quality Champagne will do. — 6 years ago

Chris McClellan

9.3

Loved this...DEF needed more time to air out. Tart red fruit, smoky campfire, slight grilled meats, whole cluster stinkiness, med plus acid....long finish. Great stuff, mote time in decanter and this is a super star! La La! — 7 years ago

with Justin, Chad and 1 other

GabWine

9.6

When we open from 1987, we expect everything. One thinks of its conservation in cellar, the risk that it is passed or incredible, with the tannins having evolved in this vial ... The cork pulled-out, in perfect state and one knows in advance that one hit the jackpot and that it will be phenomenal. A coppery robe, a complex nose with aromas of black and floral fruits. In the mouth, an explosion of flavors that take the length and makes us go back in time. A very large estate for an incredible wine, to fall 😍🍷 — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.2

Second of the blind wines and gifted to us by @TheSkip. Thanks Steve!

Deep ruby red core and a tad lighter on the edges with a touch of sediment. Layered nose but not overpowering at all like other Bevans, notes of sweet spices, cinnamon and dark berries. Medium plus to heavy integrated tannins (7/10) with a touch of heat. Some jammy black fruits on the palate with some anise and a little vegetal. Full attack but thinned out before the finish. Vegetal notes took some time but blew off being some more dark berries to the palate. Medium to medium plus bodied with a long finish. Solid work in a touch vintage. Drink till 2021. — 8 years ago

with Sean and India

Paul Morrill

9.2

Tastes young and aggressive sixteen years out, like a teenager looking for a good time. Color's great, solid structure. — 8 years ago

with Mads and Kristin

Jeff Denes

8.9

Had it straight out of the bottle, no time to decant. Still a fantastic wine. Can't go wrong with this one. — 9 years ago

Charlie Beatty

Buyer wineworksonline.com

9.5

Wow 1997 Howell Mtn Dunn out of a Magnum brought by Dave N! Thanks Big time. Getting a chance to drink 18 plus year old wine! What a treat. Tannins have mellowed, fruit is still kicking! Great mouthfeel. Awesome Experience! Monday Night Wine Group Dinner — 10 years ago

with larry, Henry and 3 others

Jeff Sidwell

Owner Bon! Gourmet

9.1

Dead sexy oaky says JD. Refined and balanced. Good right out of the bottle after opening can only improve with some time — 10 years ago