Jay Kline

9.5

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours and it needed it. The 2017 Bienvenue Bâtard-Montrachet pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, this was initially quite shy but after a couple of hours, the nose exploded into a veritable cornucopia: apples, pineapple, passion fruit, stone fruit, lemon curd, honeysuckle, flint, gentle warm spices and a mix of limestone minerals and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with a chalky texture. A banger. Drink now with patience; better after 2027 and through 2042. — 2 months ago

Kerri

9.1

Delicious, great with meat. — 4 months ago

Adam Kincaid

9.4

Just an incredible 19 year old bottle with plenty of life left but drinking perfect tonight. Inky and dark purple. Raspberries and cherries, but with lots of dark fruit, spices, caramel, and gamey scents that develop more deeply when stirred and sipped. Elegant balance of tannins and fruit. Medium+ body. 5 min or longer finish. Robust but not overwhelming. — 4 months ago

with Jillian

Paul J

9.4

Bright gold color. Apple, minerals, stone fruit, and camomile on the nose. Same on the palate. Very rich, deep wine. Drinking well now. — 6 months ago

with Brooke

romo

9.2

Even better than the real thing. — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2014 vintage. Excellent fill and cork. Not decanted. Tasted after 1.25 hours open. The best red I’ve ever tasted from Paul Hobbs (and have had approx 125 samples over the years-including the high-end bleep). In a really admirable place currently between integration and balance, fruit and tannins. Will it improve? Doubtful. Can it hold steady for a spell? Definitely. Not exactly the biggest fan of what consists of To Kalon/Tokalon juice/interpretation these days vs the 60’s/70’s/80’s/earlyish 90’s but this was phenomenal. Medium body with respectable sed. A mullet wine…all business up front with a party on the back palate. Color me surprised and impressed. 11.8.24. — 10 months ago

romo

9.2

Earthy and tense with dried leaves and old board game. Life. — 3 months ago

J-Philippe Chartier

9.5

2005 bu en 2025. Un magnifique cabso qui a de beaux tannins un peu plus soyeux. Wow! — 4 months ago

Karen Lowenstein

9.3

This was rich and delicious especially with a tasty steak kabob. — 4 months ago

Mark Eastom

9.0

Cherry/strawberry, fruit roll-up, wild herbs de Provence,, iron, sage, hint of licorice, medium tannin and nice acid. Great wine. 2020 vintage. Couldn’t wait longer to open it with a steak. Hopefully I’ll have more patience next time. :) — 5 months ago

Hayley Sykes

9.1

A delicious birthday wine gifted by the lambertys — 7 months ago

with Kristi and Arika

Christian Fischer

9.1

Nice floral acidity. Very pleasant to drink right now — 8 months ago

with Jonathan

Robert B

9.0

There isn’t a better Cote du Rhone for the price. — 2 years ago

Kelley Raymond

8.9

It was fine - decently crowd pleasing — 3 months ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Forgot to take detailed notes, but this was nice. Not really any carbonic / natural / “new agey”notes, just a solid classically made gamay. Definitely has some structure, opened 4 hours before serving which was good. Didn’t sing on any one dimension of fruit / earth / acid / length / texture but was nice overall. — 4 months ago

Victor Charcan

9.2

Impressed by the delicate nose, sour cherries, almond blossom, good volume, freshness, good moment of consumption. — 4 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.

The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.

A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.

The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.

The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.

Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — 6 months ago

Jose Lorenzo

9.6

Just spectacular!! — 9 months ago

Byron Hewett

9.3

2 different bottles of the same wine. One from an East Coast Importer and one from the West. The one from the East Coast Importer was more fresh and expressive. — 2 years ago

Rebecca Graham

9.0

Delicious. About $25 from Liner & Elsen — 3 years ago