Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and cedar notes, blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot. On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and oak. Fine grainy tight tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar and earthy floral mineral character. Very nice, will age well but wait a few more years to really enjoy! — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured, enjoyed over two hours. The 2006 “Faustino I” Gran Reserva pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and no obvious signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of dark, cherry, dried leather, cigar paper, organic earth, pencil eraser, mocha, and a hint of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The body is silky and lean. The finish is tart and long. Tasty now but should drink very well over the next decade. Definitely a more traditionally made Rioja and I’m here for it. Bottle No. 1629/247680. — 7 months ago

Vino Joe

9.3

Way too early. I have a few 375mL bottles and was curious to learn how a wine like this might be even though it was well before it’s suggested drinking window. The bones and structure are evident and this should grow into a monster. It was still a very pleasant wine it was just holding back the whole time. Unfocused fruit and a bit too sweet but I think this score will be significantly higher for round 2. — 8 months ago

Kevin Dale

9.6

Let it open up for about an hour and a half. Tasted well even out of the bottle, but the extra time made it worth it. — 9 months ago

Guillermo Camacho

9.1

Classic example. The oak is not as coconut and dill heavy and the fruit is a bit more forthright than some other Rioja producers. Nose of cigar red and blue berries. Palate of bright fruit with medium acid and tannin. Drinking well now, but this still has plenty, plenty of life. — 2 years ago

Adam Nesto

9.3

Took about 10 minutes to open up, but well worth the wait. Soft tannins, minimal res fruit, oak, and leather. -En Magnum — 5 years ago

with Douglas and Lee

Paul Stefani

9.3

The oak has subsided since the last time I've opened a bottle. Black current and blackberry blend well through a nice finish with integrated tannins. — 9 years ago

Bill Mowry

9.2

Red and black fruits with a hint of black liquorish. Well balanced and very smooth finish. — 6 months ago

with Lou, Amelia and 3 others

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Another excellent purchase from the Benchmark Bin Sale. I love these 15-20 year Heitz Napa Cabernets…97 the rule, not the exception. It had perfect storage and is at its peak and will hold for another 1-2 years and diminish over the following 3-5 years.

The nose is floral dark cherry kirsch. Both plums, blackberries, black raspberries, pomegranate, strawberry liqueur notes, steeped tea, red & dark cola/licorice, dark rich earth, sharp, dry herbs, black pepper, dry twig with dark & red fresh & slightly withering florals.

The palate is ripe fruits well balanced with earth. Perfect evolution & integration. Soft, elegant w/ nothing bitty. Dark currents with ripe, leaner, juicy, slightly liqueured; blackberries, black raspberries, late spring dark cherries, both plums, orange rune, raspberries & poached strawberries. Heavy Asian & Indian, dark spices, black licorice/cola, pure anise, steeped, black tea, touch of black olive, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, dry tobacco, dry Provence herbs, barrel shavings, dry pipe tobacco/ash, some lead pencil, leathery, moist, grey, volcanic clay, crumbled limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry brush, grilled meats-Châteauneuf-du-Pape characteristics w/ ragging, withering florals that are dark, red, purple, rainfall acidity with excellent; structure, tension, balance, polished finish that does not end. Wire to wire consistency. Lucky to enjoy a well stored bottle of 97 with this age. — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Served to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a slightly orange rim. Medium+ viscosity and some moderate staining of the tears. There appears to be some sign of sediment as well. On the nose, the wine was intense with notes of dark cherries, a mix of red and black bramble fruits, licorice, some leather and dried gravelly earth. I don’t detect any use of barrique but maybe some large format oak. This has an old world nose to it that was really lovely. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose and while the fruit had some power, it came in a body that was pretty fit and tidy. Alcohol is medium+. The finish is long and had some stoney minerals too. I called Brunello di Montalcino from a warmer vintage like 2009. Whoa…2007 Beaucastel! Damn, they hit so different than most other CdP’s. So much more restrained! But now that it has been revealed and I’ve allowed more time for it to breathe in my glass, I totally get its sense of place. One of my big takeaways is that I need more experience with these wines, particularly with age because that’s when they become more interesting to me. This is drinking well now but I expect it will continue to do so through 2032 with ease. — 9 months ago

Horacio Laredo

9.2

A rare dark berry color wine, well blended wine structure and with earth berry end taste that exposure it exquisite complexity of well done California wine. — 2 years ago

Bruce Leboff

9.3

Elegant and polished. Drinking well. Hint of chocolate and black fruit. Lovely. — 2 years ago

with David

Michelle Baker

8.9

A great buy for the price, not a lot of length but tasty/slurp able. Pairs well with Presidential Debates — 8 years ago

Michael Herzig

9.5

The most harmonious, well rounded I’ve had. Served in magnum for Thanksgiving 2023 — 6 months ago

John Fiehrer

9.6

Amazing and holding up so well, got all the right things going on! — 6 months ago

Stephen F Laga MD

9.5

1994 vintage well cellared in my personal collection. A classic Mouton Rothschild. Featured with steak. Family gathering with son and daughter in law. Perfect timing — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot, aged in French oak for about 18 months, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruit, sweet spice and herbs. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with tobacco spice, toasty oak and floral notes. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, oak and mineral character, Nice, should age well. — 8 months ago

Rana Sahni

9.7

A solid wine that is drinking so well with charcoal grilled ribeye steak — 9 months ago

Robert Torretti

9.4

A lovely bottle of classic Lafite Rothschild. Ordered with old friends and new at Waldhaus Sils on the fourth anniversary of my father’s death. He was biased to Cabernet Sauvignon / Left Bank Blends, and appreciated his Lafite, even if he stopped buying them as prices got out of hand. 1995 was chosen in honor of the year that I met my friend Julian, with whom I have worked at two companies across 20+ years and now count as a dear friend and peer in our industry. The bottle was in great shape, likely bought en primeur and stored in the Alpine retreat’s cellars (tour tomorrow!). Oscar, the manager and sommelier has been at the Waldhaus for 32 years, so it was purchased in his early days. The tannins were very well integrated, with some dark fruits, delicious tobacco and cedar, and a long finish. — 10 months ago

Clark Beaty

9.0

Second bottle of 78 I've had this year. The fruit is still present but soft, this wine has surprisingly held up beautifully and is drinking very well. — 8 years ago