Tom Kobylarz

9.8

If there were ever an archetypical Syrah, Jamet's Cote-Rotie would be a strong candidate. To me this is a pure expression of a classic Northern Rhone Syrah. It is not a single site, but a blend of terroirs, encompassing over 20 sites mostly from hard rock schist bedrock with little to no topsoil. There is NO Viognier in this wine like one might expect from most Cote-Rotie that might have 1-5% co-fermented.

Importantly, there is also a lot less of the oak character that can dominate and overwhelm many Northern Rhone wines. The oak maturation, while not short at 22 months, only uses 15% new oak with no trace of it on the palate as it is perfectly integrated. Grape bunches are whole cluster fermented and macerated for up to 3 weeks.

The 2007 we have here was drinking superbly for a young wine, showing lively and racy layers of peppercorn spice, roast beef, and warm blackberry and currant fruit from the hot 2007 vintage. While from a warm vintage, not a hair is out of place. Density and purity exude from the nose and hint at what a brilliant future this wine has. Perfect acidity and fleshy ripe tannin provide the backbone structure for father time to peel back the layers of this beauty. I will be chceking back in 5 years at the earliest. — 9 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.4

Smell like fucking fried chicken grease. Light CO2. Definitely carbonic. Gamey but still has that gamay fruit purity thing. Gamey/Gamay. The most caressing of tannins. Licorice taste slightly off putting. Is it growing on me or am I just getting drunk? — 10 years ago

Max Coane

9.2

Big, curvy but she still had se tension. It's like we both knew how the evening would end but we still wanted to act out the chase — 11 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.1

Dense and elegant with great structure - a nice wine - still need time to mature in the cellar - one of the most attracting 2012 I tasted — 11 years ago

Sean McPhillips

9.0

Love this Pinot Noir. More full bodied than most Pinot. Tasty lovely finish. — 11 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.4

A very rich and complex bouquet roasted nuts Carmel very complex dried fruits candied ginger and tongue tingly acidity very long layered finish tangy very long finish 50+ most excellent — 11 years ago

Antoine Pin

Wine Buyer Kroger/QFC

9.8

Probably one of the most sophisticated Napa Howell Mtn Cabs ever made. Absolutely beautiful! — 12 years ago

TheSkip

8.9

Winner of the most obnoxious wax job this year. And to boot, adding a pull tab?

I was expecting better things from this wine. To me, it wasn't appreciably different from Meomi. If I had paid the same as Meomi, I'd be singing a different tune. But the #QPR is poor here.

You can tell a mile away that this is a Wagner family wine. There is the over extraction and sweet vanilla oak that dominates. I really thought with Pinot Noir things would be different. Now I'm thinking that they really only know how to make one style of wine and bending the grapes to fit the style. That, or they're just adding the Mega Purple to everything. — 10 years ago

Claire Voorhees

9.9

Tasted 2005 - photo is of different tasting. Tasting notes 2005: Absolutely to die for. Perfect tannic structure, ripe and round
Could age 20 more years but still wonderful
North of medoc and you'd expect deep and dark, but actually the most feminine and elegant and beautiful of poulliac wines
Black currants
Balanced finish
Not overpowering at all — 10 years ago

Big Sky Guy

9.4

Like I drink most wines, I poured a glass full to the brim and then took it down in one swig. You don't really taste wine when you do it like I do, but I can attest to its alcohol content, because after two bottles, I was thoroughly over-served. Very nice vino — 10 years ago

Eduardo Bolaños

Sommelier Terroni Downtown LA

10

Will most likely in my life never have again. First vintage of Lopez de Heredia 1913 — 11 years ago

David

9.6

I owned a case of this and consumed most of it way too early. The last couple of bottles were perfectly aged and this was a superb Bordeaux. — 11 years ago

Andrew Benn

9.0

RP 94
Described as elegant
Agree though a little disappointed
Great wine but wanted a bit more
Unique flavor profile
Had at the Battery in SF — 12 years ago

Gabriella Macari

9.2

96 Vega in mag -- the most elegant tempranillo, could have lived much longer — 13 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.3

Really on point. Brett and vegetal quality actually find great balance in this challenging vintage. Perhaps a function of better fruit making it to the pavilion. Either way I imagine this is what most young Bordeaux tasted like pre-1980s. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose on this wine is stunning baring the alcohol heat. Perfumed red florals and candied dark and lighter red fruits. While the wine is truly elegant, the alcohol is seriously burning the back of my throat. The bottle reads 14.1 but I think over 15 degrees. Maybe, they wanted to save on the higher alcohol tax. The wine starts so beautifully only to burn the back of my throat. The fruits are ripe, elegant and beautifully soft. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, faint back palate of strawberries, sweet/soft leather, black licorice, violets & roses, rich delicate & sweet wet black earth, soft light baking spices, caramel, milk chocolate, figs & dates, amazingly sweet dark minerals, touch of black tar, touch of spice and a rich long elegant dark fruit liqueur finish. I would score this wine higher if it didn't punish my palate and throat with the burning alcohol finish. — 10 years ago

Dade Thieriot

10

One of most sensational #Rhône wines we've ever encountered--with all the grace and finesse of a great Burgundy it dazzled us all last Sunday at @ZuniCafe! #1990 #ChateauRayas #Reserve — 10 years ago

with Petra

Eugênio Oliveira

10

The most perfect champagne — 11 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

85 Heitz Martha's Vineyard served blind with 85 phelps Insignia & 85 Caymus SS. Group preferred the Insignia though they all showed well. Most guessed Bordeaux. — 11 years ago

Mac Riding

9.8

Probably my most favorite! Not inexpensive at restaurants ($65-$76), but pairs so well with just about anything. Year after year it is consistently great. It's hard not to share it, but then you must keep multiple bottles in stock! — 12 years ago

with Heidi