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. — 5 months ago

John W

9.0

Deep ruby coloration. On the nose, forest floor, plum, cherry, currants, spice and bbq. On the palate, blueberry, blackberry, cherry, plum, and high acidity right out of the bottle. After breathing some, notes of cedar, minerals, tobacco, and spice, carrying through to a longer finish of cherry, vanilla and mint. Tannins strong but balanced. — 6 months ago

Jie Ling

8.9

Plum and deep fruits — 7 months ago

John W

9.8

Deep ruby coloration. On the nose, dark berry, cassis, forest floor, minerals and earth, cherry, cocoa powder, plum and vanilla. On the palate, dark berry , blueberry, cherry, Smokey vanilla, and secondary and tertiary notes of oak, espresso. Chocolate. Complex and excellent ful bodied wine with velvet mouthfeel. — 8 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant(decent fine/chunky sediment). A majestic purplish dark magenta color. On the nose: bursting from the glass are notes of red and black fruit, charred wood, milk chocolate, some mint, touch of cigar box. Taste: smooth, delicate, elegant wine with red berries/plum, leather, gravel, herbaceous, mocha, and a spiced tobacco medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant, but no hurry, time to go. — a year ago

with Brenda

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blueberry with some spice and cacao. This full-body wine had velvety smooth tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy character. — 2 years ago

Aaron Schneider

9.8

Truly an elegant expression from aged Napa wine. The notes of cedar and cigar box coupled with some mushroom and earth tones dominate. On the taste, the rich mouthfeels steel shows some fruit notes with deep blueberry and plum notes. I REALLY LIKE THIS WINE! And am glad to still have this in my cellar... — 4 years ago

with Kay and Chuck

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark purple plum skin color from center to the rim’s edge where some scarlet also appears. Opaque. Great fruit forward nose that grabs your attention. Notes of blackberries, ripe plums, violets, tobacco, forest floor and some crushed walnuts. Rich and silky in the mouth. Great balance and texture. Tannins perfectly integrated. Long finish. If a Cal Cab can be seductive, this is it. Still youthful but in a great zone tonight. — 6 years ago

Sabine Freire

9.3

Had the 1988 vintage fantastic mix of ripe plum with touches of prunes, a little green bell pepper on the nose and slight spicy note of black pepper. Well balanced tannins, garnet shade — 6 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.1

1990 vintage. From Double Magnum. At Harry's Bar for Jay K's birthday. Immediately on opening, green and vegetal, woody. But blew off fairly quickly with red plum and cedar notes to the fore. On the palate, medium acidity and integrated medium minus tannins. Medium concentration. Finish is medium plus. Let's come back to this in an hour and reassess. An hour on: more earth, twig, forest floor and slight medicinal notes. The wine is starting to becoming tart - not sure decanting was a good idea! Drink up soon - not for keeping. — 9 years ago

Andrew Goldstein

9.8

Black berries, plum, light, chocolate, spicy finish. — 11 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and cedar notes, blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot. On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and oak. Fine grainy tight tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar and earthy floral mineral character. Very nice, will age well but wait a few more years to really enjoy! — 5 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The best Phelps Napa I’ve had & had a ton. This 97 was stored perfectly & still just the other side of its peak. Balanced, lovely w/ nothing that bites back. Well worth the $75 or so that I paid. Likely around $25 on release. Now, 24 yrs in bottle better than some other Napa wines I’ve paid $150. The nose is also one of the better Napa Cabernet’s I’ve inhaled. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, poached, dark cherries, spiced strawberries with raspberries hovering. Anise to black licorice, dark Indian/Asian spices, slightly dry tobacco, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, hints of sweet lead pencil shavings, dry & fresh herbaceousiness, charcoal, black tea, hints of menthol, dark, slightly withering florals, framed in lavender & violets.

The palate is lush, ruby, juicy fruits. Those that think fruit is lost at this age, not the case here and in many of the well stored wines I’ve had. Ripe & juicy; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, black plum, plum, poached, dark cherries, spiced strawberries with raspberries hovering. Anise to black licorice, tarry notes, some fig & dates, dark Indian/Asian spices, slightly dry tobacco, dry brush/twig, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, hints of sweet lead pencil shavings, dry & fresh herbaceousiness, charcoal, black tea, hints of menthol, moist volcanic clay, very fine, dry, crushed rocks, dark, slightly withering florals framed in lavender & violets, perfect acidity. The finish is outstandingly; knitted, tensioned, structured, layered, balanced for days that lasts minutes. Outstanding!!!

What a treat. The integration & evolution is epic & everything you hope for in every wine you open. You’ve heard of a velvet wine wrap in an iron fist. This is a velvet wine wrapped in a velvet glove. — 6 months ago

Scott Samlan

8.9

Amazing birthday bottle. Deep plum, cherries, and great tannin structure — 10 months ago

Lyn Farmer

9.4

Opened long before it will actually show its true depth this is still a stunning bundle of black fruit. The oak and cedar overwhelm the bouquet at first, then cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and plum emerge. The palate is rich and creamy with very ripe tannins giving a hint of the longevity this wine possesses. Mint, cigar box and forest floor are beginning to show but many more notes will emerge with time. Lovely wine, classic Napa black fruit. Cabernet with just a dollop of Petite Verdot (5%) and Malbec (2%) for complexity. — 2 years ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.0

Some plum and blackberry notes supported with graphite backbone. — 4 years ago

with Marilea

Calvin Liang

9.4

Forest floor, crushed gravel, crushed black plum, fig compote, lavender, and mocha. Many layers and nuances. Delicious! -2003 Vintage — 5 years ago

Joaquin Martinez

9.0

Wine with great initial plum aromas and crushed strawberries with hints of cedar that slowly become more pronounced. As it breathes you get great smoky aromas. The palate itself has good acidity with moderate tannins and touches of plums, tobacco, rich red fruit and overall a great succulent flavor. — 6 years ago

Kimberly Anderson

9.2

Licorice nose. Unripe plum and cherry jam. Silky finish — 8 years ago

with Chad

Mark Yandle

9.1

A bit past it's prime, but delicious regardless. Leather and mild cigar on the nose along with subtle floral notes. Fruit flavours were very light blackberry and plum. Very warm earthy tones. Tannins were all but gone. A great way to celebrate a birthday! — 10 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable dark purplish magenta with some bricking. On the nose: some plum, currants, herbaceous, baking spice, touch of tobacco and milk chocolate. Taste: creamy, balanced, savory wine with currants, tobacco, green bell pepper, spiced dark cherry, clove. YUM! — 6 months ago

with Brenda

Jess

9.0

Medium-deep ruby color.
Aromas of dark fruit, buttered toast, spice, herbs.
Dry. Flavors of black plum, licorice, thyme, stewed black cherry. Medium-rich, velvety tannins.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 6 months ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Decant and pour. A wondrous garnet color with bricking. On the nose: captivating nose of dark plum, wet forest floor, herbaceous, spice, some funky barnyard. Taste: dark plum, cedar, earth, pencil lead, and a spiced green bell pepper/tobacco medium plus finish with a moderately tight tannic kick....drinks like a younger Bordeaux. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Nathan Renfro

9.3

Nose was not showing much. Primarily plum, some cassis, earthy, mushroom, log fire, lots going on. Nice mouthfeel, medium finish. — 8 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.4

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Verdot. Dark purple color throughout. Aromas of dark cherry, plum and balsamic vinegar. Pallet is lush with dark cherry, plum, baking spices, dark chocolate and fresh herbs. Nice mineral note on the finish that goes on for miles! Slightly chewy tannins and outstanding balance. Rich and dense. Totally fantastic! Thank You Keith S! — a year ago

David Weaver

9.3

Deep ruby in color. Dark fruit (blackberry, plum), baking spice, vanilla, brown sugar, cedar, a floral note, and licorice that is on the medicinal side. Nondescript dark fruit, pepper, and some alcohol heat on the palate. Moderate acidity and silky tannins. Tart cherry and bitter cocoa on a lingering finish. — 3 years ago

Leslie Bedolla

9.4

1979 held ip super well after travelling from France to the US then to Germany for the uncorking. Notes of dark cocoa, deep plum, cherry, saddle leather — 4 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.9

The 2013 Opus One is an absolute stunning release, and is certainly one of most impressive young wines I have ever tasted from this estate. This shows a darker, more forward profile from this warm vintage, and is clearly one to contemplate, as there are so many complexities and working parts to this compelling wine. This instantly impresses as it opens to intense aromatics of crème de cassis, black cherry, blackberry compote and black plum woven together with mocha, sandalwood. The mouthfeel is voluptuous and beautifully concenrated with deep and penetrating flavors of black cherry, créme de cassis, blackberry cobbler, anise, sage and anise, which all resonate beautifully across the palate. This is already extreamly appealing, but try to resist this hedonistic wine for at least another few years, as there is undoubtedly a long future ahead. Drink 2019-2035-99 — 5 years ago

Nick Benz

9.3

Tons of dark fruit, roasted plum and black currant, leather and black olives — 7 years ago

Julio Gallo

9.3

Dark, full bodied Pinot. Very smooth. Hints of plum and cherries come thru. Very good. — 9 years ago