Mike Saviage

10

Day 2 of WineBoyz Wineapalooza. Tasted blind, but the whole weekend was built around taking down this bottle so we had a good idea this was it. Deep dark reddish color with amber rims. Looks a little like an old Madeira, and darker the 61 Latour next to it. Crazy nose that evolved all day long. Deep and penetrating, very floral. Notes of dark fruit, smoked meat, black truffles, cocoa, hoisin sauce, mushrooms and dark earth. Rich and silky in the mouth. I kept a glass of this in front of me all day long so I could monitor the evolution of it. Peacocks in a way that only a few wines can. My friend got this at an auction where the consignor was the original owner and acquired it directly from the Domaine - so impeccable provenance. Clearly one of the great, all-time bottles. A freak of nature and winemaking. Thanks for sharing, Murray! — 4 years ago

Joe DAscoli

9.3

Corked shredded and didn’t have my Durand. Mess. Wine decanted almost 2 hours and oxygenated. Dense and super full bodied. Really needed food and the Wagyu tomahawks were perfect. Very excited to be collecting these now — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a delicious one.

Deep inky in color with a short purple rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, light vegetables, herbs, tobacco leaf, spices, graphite, peppercorn, pencil lead, dark coffee and earth.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, light vegetables and pencil lead.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Napa Cabernet. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel. Big and bold, rich and opulent.

Balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. A great wine from a great vintage, with great potential.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (2 hours).

Robert Parker 92 points.

Drinking very nicely now and will be even better in the next 5 years.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats, cheeses and light appetizers.

A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. Aged in (81% new) French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$100. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Wednesday Wine Committee from this past week. A fantastic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds, 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind as usual.

I had this wine a year and a half ago...and I think it may be better now! Still hard for me to wrap my head around Hundred Acre tasting and aging like this. Brilliant bright ruby in the glass. Soft cherries, sweet ripe black cherries, sandalwood, nutmeg and added baking spices. Very balanced and elegant on the palate...cherries jubilee and liqueur, sweet kirsch and licorice. Drinking beautifully! I was between old Napa cab and Italian merlot. — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Steve Anderson

9.1

My “open that oversize bottle week”, part 2. Finally getting to a few bottles that languished in the corner of the offsite locker because they won’t fit in the Vinotemp. Turley is the prime example... I’m drinking much less Zin these days, but this was a nice example - raspberry and a touch of pepper. — 7 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.6

Revisiting this just two weeks shy of a year later and my notes are nearly identical. 2 hour decant. Huge nose of blackberry with a faint hint of mint. Dark fruit dominates a voluptuous mouthfeel - liquid silk - sweet tannins. Great balance and in a great drinking spot. The ‘10 of this Spring Mountain beauty was made by Helen Keplinger. So good. — 8 years ago

Paul J

9.5

One of my favorites! Still very young and tight. Decanted 1hr+ and needs much more. Slowly started to come alive after 2+hrs. Dark red color. Nose has dark cherries and graphite. Insane velvety texture. Could swirl in my mouth all day long. Balance of Napa and Bordeaux. Medium plus finish. — 5 years ago

with Brooke

Tom Garland

9.4

Checking in on the hyped 09 vintage.

2 hour decant(fine/cloudy sediment). An astonishing inky dark crimson color. On the nose: Beautiful Margaux nose of ripe berries, floral, wet forest floor, little stewed meat, leather, creme de cassis, and vanilla. Taste: smooth, rich, elegant, brooding wine with blackberry, cassis, espresso, graphite, and a long smokey spice finish. Some slight tannins still present, but drinks well with the decant. Will give it a few more years for my next bottle. — 5 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.2

Like no other Dolcetto I’ve tried. Loads of black cherry fruit yet still rustic. None of the dark ink notes I get in other top examples. Great balance and freshness. I’m still partial to San Fereolo but this may be my new #2 dolcetto. — 6 years ago

with Sarah

Shay A

9.7

Wednesday Wine Committee from this past week. A fantastic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds, 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind as usual.

Looks like I had this wine about three years ago and my experience was pretty much the same. This is hedonistic and powerful Napa cab at its best. My first guess when trying it was Aussie Shiraz...it has such a rich and decadent profile with espresso, blue and black fruits, dark chocolate, and sweet smoke, but it had a peppery/smoked meat note at the finish which took me to Australia Shiraz. However, the longer it opened, the more smooth it got, displaying cassis, currant, baked mixed berry pie all in an opulent profile. To my credit, I called this Shafer Hillside Select but I also mentioned high end Aussie Shiraz. — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Tom Garland

9.6

2 hour decant(lots of chunky sediment). Served a little above cellar temp. A formidable murky dark ruby red with a little bricking. On the nose: bursting from the glass is menthol, cassis, sweet blackberry, wet rocks, cinnamon. Taste: big black cherry, earth, tar, with soft, sweet but still a little there tannins. A vanilla bitter chocolate long finish. Rich and compelling with great structure. Drinking great, but will go another 10 years...probably my favorite of the 06 Bond wines. — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Joanne Levy

9.7

I have been spoiled. All other red wines taste like dreck. Hoarding my last 2 bottles, but there will surely be some reason to celebrate soon. — 8 years ago

Charlie Frago

9.3

Wonderful- took 1/2 to 1 hr and opened up nicely. Even my wife liked. Which is good?
— 9 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.2

Another Killer Wine Night! Theme: awesome. Tasted blind as always.
#KWN Wine 1. Blackberry fruit, with a lot of smoke and BBQ charcoal flavors. Last had 2 years ago; drank young but was fine. This drank hot. Very hot. This improved substantially as the night went on and had been opened for 60-90 min. It is still way too young and can go 10 years without breaking a sweat. But I don't think this bottle is transitioning. I still think there was a bottle issue, especially considering my last tasting notes. I left early so interested to see what my counterparts say after it aired for another hour. — 9 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.3

When we went to Paris a couple of years ago, my wife and daughter had fun shopping but by the end of the trip I had bought nothing for myself. So they (out of mild guilt, perhaps?) urged me to get myself something nice. So on our last day I wandered into @la_derniere_goutte and poked around until this bottle (and its astonishingly good price) caught my eye. So I brought it back and last night opened it with some of our very best wine-loving friends. Never having had a Selosse rosé (not even when I visited Anselme for a tasting) I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was dried orange peel and wet leaves, a touch of toasted brioche, a little salinity and a hint of caramel, all with a soft, slightly fading mousse. It didn’t blow my mind (as Selosse wines often do) so I have a nagging sense that my bottle might have been light struck or slightly oxidized, but as someone who appreciates oxidative winemaking, I enjoyed it a lot. Only one thing to do, and that’s try another bottle sometime. A blend of Chardonnay from Avize and 2 vintages of Pinot Noir from Ambonnay. Disgorged in 2017. — 5 years ago

Aravind A

9.5

Gave this 2 hrs slow ox after reading prev CT notes. (The person whom I buy this from said:."uncork, place in cool cellar for 5-7 days corked, and then try"). This is glorious Meursault, and did not show tight to my palate. On the nose: soft reduction, lime, lemon oil, a hint of vanilla, apple, just so aromatically dense. On the palate: the acidity is unbelievably lively, good density, loads of minerality, lemon/lime...ok, density builds to a beguiling finish. I don't want to wax rhapsodic about this wine because the prices are already so high... — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

@Delectable can you please add the 2003 vintage. I keep getting error message 2000.

It’s a very good night when you have an Allen Brothers Ribcap and an older Pichon Lalande. It is my favorite beef pairing. The 03 is just starting to move into its good phase. I would not open another 03 for at least 5 more years and has another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead.

I decanted it for about 2 1/2...could have used another half hour. Once it was fully open, the body was elegant and the tannins like velvet. The ripe black raspberries & raspberries led the rush onto the palate. Followed by; blackberries, dark cherries and a little strawberries on the long set. Gentle earth of; stones, clay & loamy dry soil, fresh tobacco, graphite, suede style leather, some dark spice, understated baking spices of; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a dash of clove. Dark, red, purple & some blue florals. The acidity was excellent. The creamy, velvety, elegant, well balanced in fruit and earth was harmonious wire to wire.

The pairing causes my eyes to roll and let out an mmmmm.

Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, stainless steel tanks, side garden area of the chateau and their barrel room. — 6 years ago

with James and Christina

Adam Eagan

9.7

One of my favorite wines. This beauty has everything I love about Paso Syrah in excess. Blue/black berry fruit over paso minerality, and booker’s signature aromatic profile. Almost like a coconut root beer spilled on crushed rocks. Much more red fruit and acidity on the palate as well. Almost Saxum like. Absolutely gorgeous. Won’t be opening another for 2 plus years. Still youthfully tannic. Calmed down on day 2:) — 7 years ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.2

Last 2 bottles didn't impress me much, this one did, big time! Off course, my last bottle... — 7 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.4

The aromatics on this are amazing. You can smell this 2-3 feet away from the glass. Super earthy and deeeply concentrated, yet balanced with the right amount of fruit and acid. @Mike R I need to get my hands on more of this. — 9 years ago

with Martin, Mike and 2 others