Steve S.

8.9

Surprised by this. Not generally a fan of carignane. This blend works well perhaps because of the petit Syrah. Probably because the winemakers know what they’re doing! — 7 years ago

Lindsey King

9.3

Love this! Funky on entry, nice confected quality to the fruit, a little earth there too! Cru bojo vibes coming out of Saint Roman. Fun and crushable structurally. Laugh with your friends and add your portrait to the label. — 8 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.4

Just a portrait of elegance. You could sniff the cedar & red currant perfume all night long. On the fuller side of medium bodied, structure yielding to secondary complexity, elegance and power working in harmony. — 9 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.3

A portrait of elegance & charm. 2005, with generosity & lush red berries. Structured & full of long life. A wonderful example of balance. — 10 years ago

Jim Wagonfeld

9.0

An elegant Bordeaux blend from older Champoux vineyards vines. The label portrait of the late Annie is by Randy Hayes, a Seattle based artist. — 11 years ago

with Judy

Christine Havens

9.0

Richly robed in gold, not unlike Gustav Klimt's portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the Sylvain Dussort
Meursault 2011 has both contrast and curves. On the nose, aromas of lush, bruised pear, golden apples, almond puff pastry, and honey. And on the palate, a lovely interplay of silken, glycerol-drenched orchard fruit layered into moderate acidity and discreet minerality. It strikes all the right notes, and the oak is quite restrained. — 11 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.3

Big red berries on the nose and through the palate. Some darker fruit enters as it opened up. Just a great portrait in purity of fruit and freshness. Mencia and I should get together more often. — 7 years ago

Ron from VA

9.2

This is man’s CF...rich and robust! Loads of forest and spice surround a dark cherry portrait. Wonderful mid-palate and generous finish… I wish I had more as I opened this one prematurely – thinking I was opening the 2015 vintage. Nevertheless, tremendously delicious and shows great promise for future vintages based on Sebastian‘s style of cab Franc! — 9 years ago

Marshal White

9.0

Broad/waxy. Oak. Something of a wallflower — 9 years ago

Ryan M

9.1

Cashed in a gift card today and got the 2 signature red wines by CH. (Lux Cabernet and Lux Meritage) Also trying out the new portrait mode on iOS 10 - tricks the eyes with a crisper picture. Back to the wine...pleasantly surprised with this one, hence my rating. This is a very drinkable juice that exploded when I popped it open. Much lighter than what I'm accustomed too and incredibly soft. I'll be honest I was expecting a cheap wine sting, but only got a zing of huckleberry. The molasses and leather come through with a vanilla finish. The nose is a bit one noted though - tobacco. — 10 years ago

with Larissa

Christine Havens

8.9

A portrait in lushness and silken texture, the 2013 Davies Nobles Vineyard Pinot Noir offers red-fruited and fleshy aromas of cherry clafoutis, roasted strawberries, vanilla bean, and spice. On the palate, density and balance, one feels that the fruit expression is very pure, in fact the main element, with round, fine tannins and the merest touch of spice and roasted meat on the finish. I've had heavier Pinot from Sonoma Valley to be sure, this one is a sort of mid point between that and the Willamette. — 11 years ago

Rajiv Ayyangar

9.0

Elegant, translucent, and floral. In the mouth, like a stained glass portrait. Nine of the bretty clove funk I remember from the last Pleiades I tasted in 2009. — 11 years ago

Emily Holmes

9.7

Love! Very jammy — 14 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Flavored with saffron, toasted fennel, star anise. Golden brown, excellent clarity. Light carbonation, head disappears quickly after pour, pinpoint bubbles. Apple, anise and saffron-floral notes in nose. Anise flavor in first sip, followed by mix of apple and anise flavors. Saffron comes through as light perfumed note throughout. Slightly tart malic aftertaste, with mix of apple pulp and saffron astringency. The cider here is a medium for showing off the botanical additions, much of the apple character gets lost in its role as the canvas, with the cider maker in the role of the painter. The botanicals are the colors at play in this, er, painting. (Belabored, ain’t it? Basically it’s a portrait in contrasts). Pleasant enough but not my favorite since so many of their ciders soar by comparison. Well made and interesting in an analytical way, however. — 7 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.4

Vacation wine night 2. A portrait of balance between elegance and power. Fresh and inviting fruit with detailed texture on the palate. — 9 years ago

Christine Havens

9.0

Fruit takes a back seat in the 2012 Elk Cove Roosevelt Vineyard Pinot Noir. This is a portrait in savoriness. Aromas of Spanish roof tile, sun dried tomato, cigar box and sage seamlessly merge into tart cranberries and dried cherry notes. Firm, dusty tannins hem in high-toned red fruit and taught acidity that terminates with a flourish of dried herb and bay leaf. This is the sort of Oregon Pinot Noir that will reward patience. I've love to revisit it in a decade or so. Sample — 11 years ago

Not an expert

9.2

A stunner...So seductive. Hiding behind the world's least sexy label (Is that an Edwardian-era banker?) lies a breathtaking wine. Exquisite depth, and balance. Vanilla, butter, fleshy red fruit, toned minerality...it all sings on the palate. Worthy of carrying the portrait of the founder of Château Mouton Rothschild...and from the same producers that joint-ventured in California & Chile to create Opus One & Almaviva. They know a thing or two about wine. It is so good. I'mready for a top up. :) Cheers! — 11 years ago

Christine Havens

9.1

The Suenen Champagne ÀCramant Brut Rosé is a blend of 93% Chardonnay and 7% Pinot Noir. Orangey-salmon in the glass, the nose is as delicate and subtle as the perlage, with dewy cherry blossoms, wild strawberries and mineral notes. Clean, exact and precise, everything about this stunning Cramant communicates elegant balance and a portrait of the soil. Raspberry sorbet, orange zest, and rhubarb gracefully intertwine with crushed limestone and fossilized shells, sea foam and salinity. Disgorged 1.14.14 — 11 years ago