Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted about an hour in advance and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart bramble fruits: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, “Oops All Berries!!”, garrigue, red and purple flowers, black pepper, licorice, a balance of cool and warm spices, river rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from nose; particularly the power and quality of fruit. The finish is long. Early days for the 2022 Cuvée Réservée but holy smokes is it already pretty special. The ABV is a scorching 16% but you would never know it. The power and freshness of fruit with the titanic structure keep everything in balance. Drink now through 2042. — 9 months ago

Jason Gelman

9.0

heavy pencil shavings and cigar smoke on the nose. black olive and green bell pepper too. color is definitely what you’d expect in a 20 year old wine. palate is consistent with nose, very bordeaux-lite. heavy cigar box. a lot of olive and herb tapenade character. some black pepper on the finish too. very savory overall. — 3 years ago

Melissa Housman

9.1

Some pepper, nice acidity, almost no tannins. Had at cotogna w Morgan. Paired really nicely w the pasta and the salad due to acidity — 4 years ago

Mark Eastom

8.9

Drinking way above CDR. Pepper, spice, ash, earth, boysenberry, chalk, anise, dried herbs, ripe plum and a great soft finish. Worked great with the ribeye. — 6 years ago

Rose Martin

9.2

Pepper, nice balance, long finish, dry herbs — 8 years ago

with William

Murat Rakhimzhan

9.3

Gorgeous wine with light ruby color!
Delicate aromas cherries, redcurrants, plums, red pepper, tobacco and bit of spices.
Perfect acidity and still young tannins.
In a taste cherries, redcurrants, meat, black pepper, strawberry jam, spices. — 8 years ago

Colin McCartney

9.1

Great nose of graphite, rose petals, white pepper, and oak....silky mouthfeel with plum, fig, and a subtle meatiness...tannins are in the background at first, but then take hold and give a lasting grip... — 9 years ago

Neal Ferry

9.0

Extremely well done — 10 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.5

V13. Very good today, great tomorrow! Very nice cedar bouquet, deep blackberry and plum fruit with a spicy and very slight green pepper finish . Wine is really good today , but there is a slight "newness" that will eventually round out. Enjoyable dinner wine. — 10 years ago

Knightsbridge Wine Shoppe

9.3

In a fantastic spot. Dark red berries, game and black pepper. Wonderful acidity. — 11 years ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.2

Medium ruby in color; plums, blackberries, and dried herbs on the nose; medium plus acidity; medium tannins; tastes like plum sauce, strawberries, and white pepper with a long finish. Nellie likes it. I like it too. — 9 months ago

with Nellie

Hwee Ling Ho

9.4

Light red. Light wooden tannins. oak chocolate black fruit faint tobacco. Light meaty smelll. Taste of oak blackberry plum cherry chocolate raspberry black cherry licorice blackcurrant cedar strawberry fig light pepper Very deep I smell and taste. — 2 years ago

Manny Abascal

9.4

Floral, black pepper, paired with ribeye with peppercorn. The pairing was a 10. At home on NYE. Hoping 2022 will be safer and more social than 2021. HNY to all my Delectable friends. — 4 years ago

Michael Seely

9.3

Spank my ass and call me Sally, this wonderful 2008 hits the spot in aces! Very present, very alive. Pleasure sure! — 6 years ago

with Jeff and Joe

Robert May

9.6

Drank at Loam, Galway, Co. Claire Ireland amazing pepper — 8 years ago

Doctor No

8.9

Classic, if a bit foursquare. Subtle meaty notes, slightly faded black fruit, hints of white pepper, a little soil. — 8 years ago

Patti Gamboni

8.9

Pepper, grippy, lightly perfumed on the palate, good acid, light fruit. — 9 years ago

Sean Genn

9.2

Complex nose of leather, hay, dried cherry, raspberry preserves, dried rose petals, star anise and white pepper. The Brett is there but not overwhelming. Tannins still lingering on the finish. Slightly passed its peak but still enjoyable. — 10 years ago

Caleb Pietrafesa

9.4

Cherry, black currant, vanilla, earth, hints of oak and bell pepper. On the palate, cherry, ripe berries and balanced oak. Medium body. Medium, balanced tannins. Stays on the palate. — 10 years ago

Pat Lomelo

9.2

Slightly better than the 05 with longer finish and more fruit — 11 years ago

Matthew Goldenberg

9.1

My first experience with a bdx with this type of age. It had a note of green pepper on the nose and had a lot of life left. — 9 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Crafted by Joseph J. Wagner, 4th generation winemaker, with winemaking roots in the Napa Valley since 1906. Deep Ruby with red berry fruit aromas, tea and sweet spice notes. On the palate flavors of jammy blackberry and cherry with pronounced sweet vanilla oak, cacao and pepper spice notes. Soft tannins and bright acidity, well balanced, with mineral tones on a long finish ending with toasty spice! Nice! — 9 months ago

Mark Eastom

9.0

Love this wine and producer. Boysenberry, crushed rocks, fennel, pepper and great acid. — 3 years ago

John McDermott

9.2

Loads of black pepper on the nose, with hints of clove, eucalyptus, and plum. Black pepper carries through to the palate with the addition of sour cherries, black tea, slate, and a nice chalkiness. Decent acidity and a medium finish. Overall, an interesting and layered wine; one that would shine better with food rather than on its own. — 6 years ago

K Brooks

8.9

Pleasant aperitif. Moscato style presumably from Muscat grape, but varietals in blend not specified. A low alcohol (7.5), little sweet and little sparkling, fruit-forward wine. — 7 years ago

Paul J

9.3

Steve G's Retirement Celebration!! — 8 years ago

with Steve

Joel Hammett

9.1

Old world savory Syrah. Lots of black pepper. Dark fruit. Little bit of funk/barnyard. What's not to like? — 9 years ago

Keith Herrick

9.3

Great wine! Screams Loire cab franc, but on another level. Made the mistake of not giving it time to breath, as the first sip was overly green with bell pepper and paprika. By the end of the glass the green had become largely integrated with the fruit. The transparency of these wines is unmatched in the grape. — 10 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.6

The first Galante I ever had was this vintage, 2003, Blackjack Cab. I was hooked. Nine years later and it still pulls me in. The years have mellowed the wine and given it more depth, but the telltale pepper and leather nose still makes me swoon even before the spicy and mineral concoction hits my mouth. The finish is smoother now leaving pleasant clove, cinnamon and mineral notes. The leather and pepper predominate throughout, though. What a treat. — 10 years ago

with Susan

Kevin Kaley

9.4

nice wine, smooth, nice fruit undertones and some pepper spice. enjoyed for Christmas dinner with smoked ribs and pinwheel steaks. — 11 years ago