Andrew Davidoff

9.4

Awesome. I am in love. Candy Candy Candy. Jammy sweet and sticky on your palate. It's almost gone but I am looking all over. The sweet tooth begs for more. — 10 years ago

Scott Baker

9.0

Needs time to breathe but once it's opened up, it's a very good wine. Vintage 2004 — 11 years ago

Thomas Hughes

9.5

My favorite Brunello and 1 of my favorite Italian wines. In 2008, visited the vineyard in Montalcino. 2010 is suppose to be exceptional for Brunello, so looking forward to trying their latest release. Needs to be decanted and let be for about an hour. But once it opens, it's magical. Find it, let it sit for 5 years, then open ... You will not be disappointed. Cheers!! — 11 years ago

with Heidi

Stephen Brandow

9.4

Once this wine opens up it's wonderful- stark, deep color- definitely adding to the buy list — 11 years ago

Dongming Yin

9.1

Ripe by still vibrant and delicate. Acidity hard to discern but it's never gone. — 11 years ago

Rory Post

9.7

On vacation had one glass of the 1908 amazing how long this stuff lasts and still retains it's flavor- once in a lifetime — 11 years ago

Davis Smith

Sommelier Acquerello

10

One of the great wines of my life this far. I was tasting this 10 minutes after it was gone. My mom's birth year too so it's extra special — 12 years ago

Susan Lin

Business Development Belmont Wine Exchange, WSET Diploma candidate

9.1

1959 and still with strong fruit, a powerful, finessed body, and beautiful structure - great acidity to balance the strong body. Smooth with a vibrant kick, but definitely some expected musty earth with this age. Fruit is a bit raisinated but present and persistent. Don't dally once it's open - enjoy! Truly a well made wine. Tasting this was a wonderful reward after sweating through getting the cork out safely! — 10 years ago

with Steven

Bram Wessel

9.4

Many other Beaujolais I've had smell like bubble-yum or bananas and have some weird, flatness, like club soda. Not burnt, but just, I don't know, like you're tasting the carbon. This is clean and direct. It's tart and sour-cherry, but mysteriously has almost no aftertaste. There's no oak flavor to speak of, (it's vinified in large-format neutral oak) but (once you let it develop) it still seems to have depth and richness like a wine that sees new oak. It needs about an hour of air for the acidity to calm down. — 11 years ago

Bernard Rethore

Owner, Fion Wines

9.1

Back in 2006, I had the good fortune to invest in a box of the Neal vineyard designated bottlings pre-release. They have been sleeping in my cellar ever since. Last night, Tony the Fish, who is a frequent contributor to these pages, arrived with a bottle of the 2010 Neal cab sav. It was a solid effort and Mrs Fish quite enjoyed it. As we finished the bottle I remembered I had some of the 2003 vineyard designated wines in the back of the cellar and figured it was time to check in on them. We started with the Second Chance from Atlas Peak. Generally I am a mountain fruit guy, and like the volcanic soil that yields low yielding structured wines. There was plenty of stuffing left after 11 years, and a nice contrast to the 2010 cab sav blend. We then moved to Chafen. Another mountain- Howell this time, slightly lower elevation vineyard. This wine was bigger than the Second Chance with mouthfuls of ripe cassis, berry fruit and coffee- almost a cocoa powder character to it. The final wine of the night - and best of show - was the Howell Mountain Estate. Dark rich tannins with intense velvety chocolate cake flavors. This was a fun night going from the 2010 blend to the all 2003 single vineyard designates. Most of us aren't patient enough or buy them as a group so you can taste them altogether at once. Everyone should do this from to time. It reminds me at least of how different climate and soil can be in the same year. It's even better with friends. Thank you Mr Fish for the inspiration. — 11 years ago

with Susan

Dan Pugh

9.6

Really nice Pinot. Earthy and rich in the nose, fruity and floral on the tongue. A little barnyard but not too much. Well rounded and very drinkable. Enjoyable with cheese and crackers. Definitely would drink again. Maureen says "too bad it's gone." — 11 years ago

Bertus van Zyl

Assistant Winemaker Regusci Winery

9.4

It's jut so good, once it hits your lips... — 12 years ago

Shawnda Stovall

9.6

Over and Out! It's all gone!!! — 13 years ago

H

9.3

I really like this. The fruity primary aromas it once had are gone now and what's left are these herbal earthy tones. The acidity is stll there which makes this wine a beauty for me. — 11 years ago

Chip Stryker

9.0

This fresh, crisp, and nervy Sancerre has never disappointed me. It's my go-to for sauvignon blanc and a great benchmark for the region.

As usual, the label declares a wide scale for alcohol percentage (11-14), but 2013 would seem to be at the lower end highlighting the elegance of this wine. Nose is powerful, vibrant, and assertive with layers of citrus (lime, grapefruit, under-ripe orange, etc...it's all there), grass, custard, creme brulee, and a bit of the ever mysterious petrichor-wet stone aroma that hallmarks the appellation. I'd have been happy to bury my nose in the glass, fully content to simply sniff without ever taking a sip. I would have rated the higher if only the mid-palate complexity was in sync with the nose. While it finishes long, the depth and nuance of the aromatics was not matched once sipped with the acidity displaying a few hard angles...perhaps due to its youth. Can't wait fot for time to round it out and bring it all together.

— 11 years ago

Matt D

9.5

Cracked this open January 2015 and at first I was worried it was rubbish, but after leaving it over night it's gone smooth with the cherry taste coming through. Loving it! — 11 years ago

Leslie Moore

9.0

Chosen for it's label as a Halloween treat! Delicious for a red blend. — 11 years ago

Dave Smigielski

10

Holy Fricking wow. Starts out with barnyard. And opens up to belt leather. Classic Cos nose once it settled down. This was clearly WOTN. It's #2 woty behind 96 pichon lalande — 11 years ago

Dave O'Brien

9.3

More than just the name of the wines, it's a well deserved prediction once you get it started. — 12 years ago

Nicole Dodson

9.7

It's like a man that comes on strong to try and impress, yet once it hits your lips, his feminine side starts to show and he wins you over with his balance of manhood and sensitivity. — 13 years ago