Ron Siegel

9.3

Still going strong with a little funkiness when 1st opened that quickly blew off showing red & black fruits, savory, brambly spices, earth, graphite & sweet wet tobacco — a year ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Reddish tawny. Youthful nose. Notes of black currants, blackberries, herbs and spices and some menthol. Silky in the mouth, although at first it comes off as delicate. With more air, some spice and white pepper notes develop, and this goes full on Chave and Hermitage power on you... Not bad for Syrah that's pushing 40 years in age! — 4 years ago

Pierre Gourinchas

8.9

A bit disappointing, for a Leoville Barton. Probably needs more time. I was also coming off tasting the 2009! — 5 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.4

Very young at this point...medium gold in glass with hints of tobacco and leather notes from oak. A bit tight initially, the wine opens expansively in the mouth with apple, banana, brioche, and juicy ripe pear. Huge future predicted, but on this day was an also-ran. Hands off for a few years. — 6 years ago

Jonathan

9.3

Berry. Guessed this but was 2 years off. — 6 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.1

Must needs about an hour to blow off. Then bright cherries in the nose terrific acidity on the palate. Tooth coating tannins. This needs another year or two. Acidity makes it great with rich foods like the braised lamb shoulder I had it with. — 8 years ago

with Lyle

Jordan Franceschini

9.5

And this is supposed to be an off vintage? — 9 years ago

Mark Rosse

9.4

Liked this one quite a bit. Showing off the Grenache more and makes for a different experience for older Beaucastels. — 2 years ago

Willie Carter

9.3

Oh my, what an absolute joy. This right here sings the song I want to hear. A pale old gold color in the glass. Perfectly precise perlage with a plethora of tiny, fine bubbles and showcasing innate creaminess. The nose is slightly intense opening with aromas of hazelnut, chalk, and lemon zest. Warm buttered brioche takes over for a moment full of bliss then a bit of smoke. Juicy peaches and pears commingle with fresh herbs and spices.

100% Chardonnay from the five Grand Cru villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Oger, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. The tête de cuvée of Champagne Taittinger and it shows. It’s a very noble, prestigious champagne that matches complexity with downright deliciousness. The juxtaposition between luxury and comfort is evident here. Like coming out of a bath and slipping on your finest robe. The racy acidity and exquisitely dry nature of the wine belies the dosage of 9 g/l.

Very creamy in the mouth and though it starts off a bit demanding, it soon becomes so inviting after some time. Every sip demands the proper time and contemplation. Chalky and rich, positively bursting with citrus fruits. Apples and toast everywhere along with gun flint and more smoke. Medium long finish with traces of spice. A powerful, graceful champagne that’s full of finesse. This can go for decades longer but if you open it now sit with it for a while. Give it the proper time. You might fall in love just a little. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.7

Bright, deep ruby. Ineffable scents of dark berries, graphite, minerals, licorice, violet, dark chocolate and sage. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and plush but light on its feet, and every bit as complex in the mouth as on the nose. Really impeccably balanced, classy wine with uncanny precision and inner-mouth aromatic lift and a resounding, endlessly building aftertaste that leaves the taste buds quivering. A wine of great finesse and energy, not to mention noble palate-saturating, fully ripe tannins. This is more about subtlety than weight, but is still hard to scrape off your palate. This already coats every square millimeter of the palate but may yet expand further. All of this fruit was harvested in October. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, May 2020)
— 5 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.5

Omg....
So I was given this as a blind tasting. I was able to surmise that is was 1) spectacular 2) cab dominant and 3) 2014... Was off by a year. I wish I had better metrics on my performance, but I knew I had never tasted this before.

95 points — 6 years ago

LM Segal

9.3

Fruit, acids and tannins faded into the background, initially lost (and thought off and nearly tossed!) due to extreme undergrowth funk. That blew off in 30 mins and what remained was Syrah turned all burgundy, fleshy but light. Not best example, but delicious. — 8 years ago

Ki Punwar

Owner, California Wine Republic

9.2

Very drinkable now. Light and lively and pure -loving the off vintage of the Reserveé — 9 years ago

Delectable Wine

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10

The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that's a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 4 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Always a great choice for a 2nd btl off the list to finish lunch. Lots of berry fruit, citrus, pastry dough in a creamy finish — 4 years ago

Brent Clayton

9.3

Crazy asparagus rotten vegetables note on the nose that burned off. Beautiful waxy yellow fruit on the palate. — 5 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

ID 314057 (just off one digit from pi)
Golrious balance. Cork was compressed and showing age, though I stored this in my cold cellar. Nose of yellow fruits and flowers. All of a piece, though feeling a bit spendy.
Happy Mother's day to my wife, paired w almond croissants and truffled eggs. — 5 years ago

Rob Kiley

9.2

Maybe the best expression of Riesling I’ve had from Ovum, certainly Oregon. Off-dry, orchard fruit, tropical fruit, minerality and slight petrol — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

This was the one in the tasting that received guesses ranging from Pinot Noir from US to Burgundy. Definitely a little off from the traditional. Candied black cherry and raspberry, cola, herbal influence in the middle and a little bit of mint on the finish. Improved only slightly in a 4 hour decant window. Still a baby. Looking for this one to improve quite a bit over the next 10 to 20 years. — 8 years ago

Joel Pennington #❤️🐢🍷

Owner/Winemaker Slow Turtle Vineyard

9.4

Too good. Dry, full of life, tight effervescent. Categorically unique - and refined - Muscat Blanc from Willamette Valley, OR. — 8 years ago