Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2009 is such a beautifully elegant, almost creamy vintage that will just keep getting better & better & better. It stuns the moment it hits your palate.

The fruit, silky texture and length are simply stupidly good. The elegance & beauty only happen a few vintages in a lifetime. The fruits are perfectly ripe, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries and hints of blue fruits. Used leather, graphite, fresh tobacco, mocha powder, dark chocolate, stones, fresh, rich earth , medium dark spice, layered baking spices with beautiful, fresh & slightly withering; dark, red, blue and purple flowers framed in soft violets.

100 point Parker wine that will get there with another 8-10 years in bottle.

Served with the Cheese plate; Red Hawk, Hop Along & Roquefort. @Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing, Veronique talking Terroir/vintages & dinner guests. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Last night in MT at the lake. Gave this several hours of air. Nice dark tawny color. Vibrant in the glass. The nose is great right away and stayed on point through the evening. Notes of black cherries, warm raspberries, old cedar, some plums and a little leather saddle. Rich and silky in the mouth. Velvet glove. Long finish. Great wine. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I corvined this last weekend and put it back in storage for tonight. I had a very different experience & thoughts on this wine last weekend un-decanted. This is wine comes from a period when I loved Caymus. After 2011 when they started picking later and at higher brix’s, they lost me but, got higher Parker scores and rave words from people that like sweeter Cabernet that drinks young.

Last weekend without a decant, very dominate bright cherries and vanilla.

Tonight, the nose reveals, dark, slightly syrupy currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy, black raspberries, blueberries, black plum with lots of skin dominate, baked strawberries, black licorice, vanilla, some clove and a touch nutmeg, underbrush, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, volcanic minerals, black tea, touch of black coffee expresso, liqueur/dark berry cola, used leather, hints of graphite with ruby, fresh, dark, fresh, dark, red, blue florals with violets.

The body is full, sexy, gorgeous and voluptuous. The structure, tension, length and balance are at the start of its high point with another 7-10 years of good drinking ahead. Dark, slightly syrupy currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy, black raspberries, blueberries, black plum with lots of skin dominating, baked strawberries, black licorice to deep anise, vanilla, some clove and a touch nutmeg, caramel, mocha, dark chocolate, dark spices with just a touch of palate heat, underbrush, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, volcanic minerals, black tea, touch of black coffee expresso, liqueur/dark berry cola, used leather, hints of graphite with ruby, fresh, dark, fresh, dark, red, blue florals with violets. The acidity is like a needed waterfall shower. The long finish is, deep, dark, well balanced, elegant, ruby, ripe, polished and persists endlessly.

It’s been awhile and I’ve missed it. This is a very good example of why I used to adore Caymus. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Needless to say, we slayed some dragons tonight. Let the birthday week continue!

This was the one wine that was poured blind from the evening. I guessed Napa (check), I guessed early 2000s (check), but figured it a petite sirah, mainly due to the amount of lively fruit in this! Since my experience with Caymus is limited to the 40th anniversary, you can imagine how my eyes were opened. At 16yrs old, this was blueberry pie, cassis, chocolate liquor and great oak integration. Tannins were PERFECT at this point. Open if you have it! — 9 years ago

with Mark

B

10

2007 Peter Michael Point Rouge Chardonnay. HB w MnD and J&D B. We loved this wine wine so much at the Heart concert and we loved it tonight. Floral, along with notes of buttery brioche and oak. However, somewhat surprisingly, as we drank this in comp to the 2013 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay, it did not win out. Still such a great wine that we really, really enjoyed. — 10 years ago

Lynn Penner-Ash

Owner/Winemaker Penner-Ash

8.9

Dark fruit w hints of green tea — 10 years ago

Mick

10

This wine suited my tastes perfectly - a bold fruity nose, a medium sweetness up front, a smooth full body of cherry, blueberry, leather and blackberry to finish. Mild tannins. — 11 years ago

Austin Beeman

9.1

Wildly funky nose of cauliflower, Cheerios, wet ferret, and charred pork rinds. Palate is big with black stone, a touch of heat, and lemon kiwi. For wine geeks only. $35 — 12 years ago

with Jim and Dale

Jenn Hagan

9.5

One of my favorite French pinots — 7 years ago

Jam

9.6

One of my favorite rieslings we sampled in the finger lakes! — 7 years ago

E & K G

9.1

A funky end to our France trip. Color was in between a light red and orange with some orange wine type dry-ness. Tons of funk so not for everyone but went well with different food. As the caviste described it “ca c’est plus rock n roll!” — 7 years ago

Paul J

9.6

Loved it! Needs a multiple hour decant and has many years ahead of it. Very Bordeaux like and reminded me of the ‘05 Chateau Dassault’s I have been drinking, although this is at a slightly higher price point. Rustic, Smokey nose. Great power and balance between fruit and tar. Higher OH at 14.5% for a red blend and definitely higher than most Bordeaux’s. Paired great with Pork Chops and pumpkin grits. — 8 years ago

with Brooke

Mark Flesher

9.2

This wine poured an inky black into the glass. Nose of youthful blackberry and spice with some oak. Entry of this wine is rich and dense. Lots of youthful, chalky black fruit and baking spice. The middle is really more of the same. This wine seems to lose some style points and it is not really all that complex in the middle. The finish is toasted oak tannin and black pepper. I do believe that this wine sort of stays flat in the middle as of now. I look forward to that improving over the next few years. If you have this bottle, I don't think I'd particularly be in a great hurry to drink it. I can see this one appreciating to 93/94 at full maturity. As for now, solid 92 and that definitely isn't bad. — 8 years ago

Heather Venard

9.3

Oh, I absolutely love this. Such a great balance of cherry and tart, with some awesome Farmhouse and Funk the end. Fantastic wine at an easy price point. — 8 years ago

Peter N

9.0

Beautiful color; minimal sediment. Consistent with online notes, but seemingly mishandled at some point; flat but with moments of beauty. — 9 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

So fragrant. Acid, minerality and some good stuffing for a Sauv Blanc. 13.9% ABV — 10 years ago

Dakota Hewlett

9.2

A fun sculpin series. Good beer with a touch of pineapple, great stuff! — 10 years ago

Paul J

9.3

Great wine!! Deep, powerful nose that opens up strong flavors of apple, caramel, and pear. A little too acidic, but lingers on the palate quite nicely. Glad I have 3 more bottles!! — 10 years ago

with Brooke

Ray Isle

Executive Wine Editor Food & Wine Magazine

9.3

Plenty of time left, but I don't think it qualifies as infanticide when the wine tastes so damn good now... — 11 years ago

Alec Jeffery

9.0

This is why France trumps the rest when it comes to a Cabernet blend that has history, complexity and place of origin at a great price point. A great vintage does help 😊 — 7 years ago

Carla D

9.5

Best ever Blackboard!!! Fragrant nose with dark berries on the palette; nothing you’d expect at this price point. A relatively full-bodied wine with a hint of chocolate says it all. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I had this a number of times but, have never written notes. 🎶Tonight’s the Night!🎶

The nose reveals; lemon custard to candy, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, light stone fruits, green melon, lychees, cream, vanillin, light ginger, cream soda, mixed nuts, bread dough to baguette crust, light green herbs, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, sea shell fossils, volcanic minerals, yellow lilies, jasmine with mixed greens.

The body is; full, round, rich and slightly creamy. Lemon custard to candy, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, light stone fruits, green melon, lychees, cream, beeswax, vanillin, light ginger, white spice with some palate heat, cream soda, touch of caramel, toffee notes, nougat, marzipan, mixed nuts, bread dough to baguette crust, light green herbs, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, sea shell fossils, volcanic minerals, yellow lilies, jasmine with mixed greens. The acidity is crisp and sharp. The long finish is; rich, polished, elegant, nicely balanced, delicious and persists endlessly. Very good at its price point.

Photos of; the House of Piper Heidsieck, the train cave ride as Champange caves can run for miles and miles, artful cellar entrance and one of their Grand Cru vineyards. — 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Tasted blind. Dark gold. Aromatic honeyed nose with notes of brown sugar, cardamom spice, and something like warm orange sauce. Long lasting finish. This was much darker than the last bottle we had of this. Maybe a storage issue at some point. Still, a great end to an amazing evening. A birthday dinner where the guests get the presents. Thks Murray! — 8 years ago

Ichiro Kawachi

9.6

High point of the evening. No bubbles here - just beautifully layered jasmine tea, orange blossom .....1983 vintage. Last of two bottles in the store cellar — 8 years ago

David Fry

9.2

Drinking great, but the tannins creep up on you and point out that maybe you should wait a few years before opening another. Spectacularly floral, red cherry and a mouthful of rose petals. — 10 years ago

Martin Grisolle

9.1

One of my favorites — 10 years ago

Hum

9.1

Beautiful place and nice wine. Balanced. — 10 years ago

Olivia Teutschel

9.5

Thanks NZ, this wine is just as I remembered! Freshly roasted coffee beans, bright minerality, rich mouthfeel cut with nice acidity and delicate layers of oak. — 11 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

10

One of the Best IPA's on the Planet gets brewed with Grapefruit Juice, and is Freakin Awesome, Outstanding, Southern CA offering only at this time, so hard to find if you are not here in Southern CA, This takes Sculpin and brings in up a notch or 2, So Great!!' — 11 years ago

Jon Maxwell

Founder Veritas Wine Consulting

9.0

Nice IPA. Floral and peachy. Hint of pepper? — 13 years ago