Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Liquid gold with age or without! 2014 en double magnum 💛 — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

It has been 15 years or so since I’ve had a Silver Oak. Thought I check in. Nothing has changed, every vintage basically tastes the same. It almost like they add flavoring. 🤷‍♂️ One red you could not fool me blind. Short Rib was excellent.

At Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2025.

The ticket to this event has a pretty big price tag. But when you consider what a Napa etc. tasting or two and lunch would cost you, you are pretty much there and there is so much more than that. It ends up having great value. It’s wine, spirits and food candy land. — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby garnet , quite wide light garnet rim. Quite round sweet red cherry , spiced strawberry , blackberry , quite fruit driven still . With some tobacco and earthy hints . On the palate this is more red fruited , quite spiced cherry and strawberry with iodine hints and seaside notes . Good fresh acidity and quite rounded ripe tannins . Not particularly dense or intense on the palate , but well balanced and elegant with a reasonable , iron filling tinged finish . This is showing well now , and will continue to do so over the next 5-8 years. From magnum — 7 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2018 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 15 mins and one hour. Beautifully feminine and expressive nose leapt out of the decanter. Medium body. Nice balance of dark fruits and tannins but slightly disjointed. A bigg Napa vintage so either another decade or a three hour tour...er...decant would seem to be the ticket here. 01.31.25. — 9 months ago

Kevin Hoctor

9.4

Great for an Aperol Spritz or neat in a glass. — 3 years ago

Todd Anderson

9.0

Delicate & nuanced, like Pinot noir. Chicken or pork chop, not red meat, wine. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.5

A friend had a “reduction party” as he was needing to thin out his cellar. Definitely a party I’m happy to attend!

Had the 2012 Odette Reserve or 2012 Bryant Family not been on the table, this may have won the night. Whereas the other two were drinking deliciously, this displayed more youthful notes than I expected. The fruit here was really bright...candied black cherries, fresh blueberries and blackberries, baking spices, toasted oak, and savory charcoal. Nicely compact on the palate...bing cherries dusted in dark chocolate shavings, Black Forest cake, sandalwood, and smoked meat. If opening now, decant for a few hours. — 6 years ago

with Mark and Weston

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Medium lemon colour . Persistent and fine perlage. This is quite restrained at first with lemon oil , toasty baked pastry and oyster shell hints . On the palate this is really quite intense , honied lemon , ginger, toasty yellow fruits , toasted nuts and quite mineral, oyster shell hints. Long and complex on the finish , fresh acidity , intense and complete . Needs a little more time, will show even better in 5 -10 years or so and over the next 10-15 years . — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby garnet , narrow garnet rim . Quite deep spicy tobacco , cassis , redcurrant , grafite , smoky herbal notes on the nose. On the palate this is quite restrained and elegant , with a mix of red and dark fruits , cassis , blueberry , red currant , touch of menthol also . Good refreshing acidity and slightly gritty tannins , good length with grafite and tobacco stained finish . This is showing well and is probably at peak at the moment , no rush as it will stay here for another 8-10 years or so . — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two hours. It’s been almost a year since my last visit with the 2018 vintage and it’s in a very pretty spot right now. All notes previously apply though I should point out that the florals are especially showy right now. The nose is simply beautiful to experience. The fruit remains fresh and mostly red fruited. The structure is still firm. Very, very easy to enjoy on its own or with a meal. Drink now through 2038+. — 7 months ago

Kayla Watson

9.0

Really good and smooth. Very drinkable with or without food — 8 months ago

Karen B Song

10

2021 well balanced acid fruit slight pepper. Dry. Great nose dark Cherry. Easy going down. $26 at Mannys — 2 years ago

Jerry Raphael

9.2

What a wine and did not show it’s 43 year age at all. The color was very dark with no brick edge. The nose was a bit subdued but had the typical berries, herbs and meat notes that carried over to a very tasty wine. The finish was okay not super long but long enough.

I started buying Beaucastel maybe a few years before this 1978 vintage and in Parker’s reviews of the 1978 vintage was a consistent hold but he did change his mind years down the road and said it was over the hill; well not by a long shot. I constantly purchased 2 or 3 bottle of every vintage till the price was out on my reach in 2001. I also had visited the winery in about 1990. The real kicker with this vintage is the current price estimates of $150 to about $250, current vintages run $80+ and I purchased this bottle for $11.99.
— 4 years ago

with Matt and Barbara

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

When in doubt, a sure bet is a well aged, good vintage Heitz. @Eric Shanks

I intended to grab an 06 but, mistakenly grabbed an 07. I’ve not had one of my 06’s yet...next weekend.

The one thing I do every time I open one of my ten year or older Heitz Napa Cabernet’s is smile & think, this was sub $35 at Costco. It’s the wine feeling/definition of stealing candy from babies.

The nose is a beautiful harmony of fruit, earth and florals. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, dark spices with violets palate heat, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay, understated herbs & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, some sage & bay leaf, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is splendid. The long, ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well crafted balance of fruit & earth is delicious and persists endlessly with a dark spice on the long set.

The body is; delightful, ripe, rich, lush & full. The structure, tension, length and balance are woven in a perfect tapestry. This 07 has another 10-15 years easily. The tannins are rounded, smooth but, still have a dark, chewy, tarriness with baby teeth. The beauty of the vintage is on full display. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied ; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is perfect. The finish is; rich, ripe, ruby, candied, well balanced fruit & earth, elegant and long sets into velvety, round tannins and mid dark spices.

Photos of; the winery, tasting patio, old basket press and wide shot of the winery & Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

It is really no surprise that this 05 is incredible and yet still extremely youthful. This 05 will out live almost anyone 50 years old. It is good for another 45 years.

I had their 16 La Dame last weekend & commented it should not be opened for another 10 years.

The core on the nose is dark velvet black currants. There’s a bit of melted dark chocolate-mousse. Ripe but subtle blackberries, black raspberries, black plum-plum pudding, very dark cherries, some mulberries, mocha powder, dark, rich earth, dry river stone, limestone, anise, mix of dry/fresh herbs, fine, undertone of baking spices, moist grey clay, slightly dry tobacco, sandalwood, mild, elegant spice, just the slightest hint of mint, very, slightly candied, dark, withering flowers & red roses.

The palate is rich, round with velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark fruits blended in melted dark-mocha chocolate. Blackberries, black raspberries, both plums w/ heavy skin, dark cherries, poached to slightly baked strawberries & raspberries over the top. Dry bay leaf-sage, moist clay, rich, dark, turned earth, dry river stone, limestone powder, stem inclusion, red licorice/cola, anise to black licorice candy, sandalwood to soft cedar, slightly moist tobacco, used leather, mild, dark spice, a touch & just a touch of tomato leaf, hints of cardamom, dark/red withering flowers with just a touch of violets, perfect acidity and a very well knitted, tensioned, balanced, structured, elegantly polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on nice earthiness & softly muddled spice.

Paired w/ their bone-in Ribeye. Best steakhouse steak that I’ve had out and not made by friends and or myself. Rich fat, tender and nice flavor. Lacks a bit of char and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com.

Open in another 15-20 years.

A real shot at a 💯 in another 15-20+.

@Delmonico Steakhouse Las Vegas — 6 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.3

Deep purple color. Aromas of raspberry, cherry cola and cedar. This one is still young and a little tight- definitely needs more time or decanting. Very good flavors of red fruit, spices and oak finish.

95.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.1% Merlot, 1.4% Cabernet Franc, 0.7% Petit Verdot, 0.6% Malbec

🏅94 Points- Decanter — 7 months ago

Jason Chiu

9.2

Enjoyed with a Cantonese beef stew, dad's recipe. Decanted 3 hours before dinner and it still held tight graphite, cedar, and black fruit notes. A touch closed up or young right now, will revisit my next bottle in 5 to 10 years — 8 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2016 vintage. Cantemerle is always a good idea if you want value for money. Like many left bank Bordeaux in this great vintage, it tends to close down a bit, so give it some time in the glass or decant. The nose slowly develops after an hour, with a mix of black and red fruit, classy cedar notes, and flowers. As usual, it's all about elegance, but it doesn't lack power either. Still needs a few more years to reveal all its complexity, but very good already. Ab. 13%. — 10 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.9

Tasted blind. Deep purple color. Looks very young, compared to the 45 Margaux next to it. Almost opaque. Notes of black fruit, cracked walnuts, sweet fruit, raspberry and some cedar desk. Super rich in the mouth. Seems young and is firm, but tannins are softened and the mouthfeel is velvet touch. Long finish. It peacocks all night. The walnuts thing leads my guess to Latour, but can this be the 45? Is it a 61 or 82? Could be... I go with it being a 59 given how young it seems. Just an amazing bottle of wine, open for ~9 hours by the time we left, it seemed to effortlessly power along. Thanks Stan! — 3 years ago

Tom Wildenhaus

8.9

Young and vegetal but strong red and black fruit. All of the wine is in the front and in you face. Should have decanted long or waited 5 years. — 6 years ago