Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley, with caves that extend for over a mile. Pale lemon color with aromas of stone and tropical fruit, sweet oak, spice and floral scents. On the palate flavors of ripe peach, melon and apple, with vanilla spice, creamy texture. Medium+ finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with mineral notes. — 7 months ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.5

Our (not so) little (anymore) princess her birthday so time for our yearly 2011. After having rated two previous bottles not as high as you would expect this one actually delivered. Very elegant, in balance and clearly at peak. Quite some years ahead — 8 months ago

Lee Lightfoot

9.4

Phenomenal balance Syrah character dominates, lush perfume and rich dark fruit. Crushed after a 30 min decant, could have used a lil more development time but too delicious to complain about how it was consumed — 5 years ago

Benny

9.2

One of my favorites. — 6 years ago

Amit Kumar

9.5

like a neighbor with a seductive surprise...
like strawberry on a summer evening...
its like wow, where did you come from...
is that juniper is smell...oh who cares?
great wine... — 6 years ago

Kate Whitney

9.2

Drinking with some serious wine lovers in Westchester. This one rocks as hard as the crust across the top. — 9 years ago

Bryandon R. Johnston

8.9

Great hints of spice, mocha and chocolate. Enjoyed it so much I finished it and needed a second bottle! Haha — 10 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.3

Leather and sous bois and one brambles. Lovely and balanced. Still solid. Buy. — 10 years ago

Denise Collins

9.5

My love for Krug knows no bounds. Bready, yeasty notes jump out of the glass towards you but quickly soften into those of honey butter. Ginger and spice notes. Lees driven but well integrated with medium high acid. This champagne is so complex that it's almost impossible to truly detect where one note of flavor ends and the other begins. — 11 years ago

Glenn D

9.1

Spicy, soily like the aroma of fresh dirt & chocolate sprinkles. I just enjoy this wine. — 12 years ago

Phil Magown

9.8

Only one word: phenomenal! — 14 years ago

Brian S

9.6

Showing amazingly, in a perfect place. Open one tonight if you have it! — 7 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.2

Pale salmon color, small, delicate bubbles. Aromas of strawberries, lemon zest and grapefruit. What a solid NV champagne, red berry flavors, lemon and stone fruit on the palate.

🍇45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier.

🏅96 Points- Wilfred Wong
🏅93 Points - James Suckling
🏅92 Points - Robert Parker — 8 months ago

with Chad

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1990 vintage. Last tasted 11.19.25 (9.6)…yes…two days ago! Someone’s gotta do the dirty work. Comparable experiences with the cork, fill and flavors from the 11.19.25 visit. Not decanted. Tasted one and two hours after opening. After one hour open (not decanted)...a 9.4. two hours...a 9.5. Perhaps decanted, surmise it could have touched 9.6 but we'll never know. This specimen slightly more advanced but still ridiculously phenomenal. 11.21.25. — 9 months ago

G

9.6

2009 is perfect! And, I love these tiny bottles! — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

10

To me Shafer is among the worlds best wineries. Aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. Vivid deep purple color, and outstanding aromas of red/black fruits, cherries and blackberries, with hints of cedar, floral oak & spice. Tasting this wine was absolutely magnificent, concentrated dark berry fruit flavors, spices, leather and oak, exploding on my palate. Soft velvety subtle tannins provide a nice deep lingering finish. Truly an outstanding Cab, one of the best. If you can find yourself a bottle, do not hesitate. Should last at least 10 more yrs. — 7 years ago

Ethan Lundgaard

9.3

First orange wine. I must investigate further. — 9 years ago

Kyla Guyette

9.0

Celebrating 4 years with my hunny! — 10 years ago

with Luke

Robin

9.6

I like this one. Not too sweet — 10 years ago

Julie Freeman

10

One word.... Fabulous! — 11 years ago

Richard Etter

9.5

My reading speech for itself. I enjoy it very much — 12 years ago

Athena Caroline

9.4

I was a strict pinot grigio drinker and never used to enjoy red wines until I tried this one. — 14 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later. — 7 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Great color in the decanter... medium gold with an enticing perfume. Notes of sweet Meyer lemon, apricot, gravel stone, tan clay, some mint, a little ginger and some sweet marzipan. Has an exotic and slightly musty (desirable) funk. Huge weight with great fruit and solid acidity in the mouth. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking. Awesome juice! If you Google “why should I age white burgundy?”, an image of this 35 year old bottle should be shown... — 5 years ago

Ryan Richter

9.2

One of my fav pinots — 8 years ago

with Shannon

Patrick Kelly

9.6

One of the greats — 9 years ago

Charles von Breitenbach

9.2

All those intense tannins one associates with Silver Oak have softened into what would pass for a very nice second growth — 10 years ago

Morgan

9.0

One of my favorites. Big bold red. — 11 years ago

Lia Zavisho

9.0

Delicious! Very fruity and a mouthful! Yum — 11 years ago

Mike Trupiano

9.5

One of the single best California Cabs I have ever had — 13 years ago