Jason Brater

9.0

Never disappointing, this is a standard in our house. Lime, peaches, grapefruit, and some herbaceousness. — 6 years ago

with Heather

Sam Agami

10

Wow, old school perfection! California wine from a forgotten age. Pure Italian-American greatness. Reminds me of the wine my childhood landlord would make from the vines that grew behind our house just upstate from NYC. Dark fruits abundant, soft acidity and tanins, nice touch of oak, without obscuring the graps as so many California wineries are obsessed with doing for some reason these days. Found this at a random liquor store on a road trip, will seek it out now. Even better than the Cribari Chianti or Coppola Rosso, which were my previous favorite in this genre, the wonderfully underappreciated "backyard" wine... — 7 years ago

Rufus King

9.3

Smooth, light bodied, dark fruit Pinot Noir at author’s reception at the Hampshire House in Boston — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.3

I know this was in the midst of a Confrerie dinner (crazy one), but I believe this was post No. 1000!

Confrerie Des Chevaliers du Tastevin Sous-Commanderie d'Albany, Annual Pauleé Dinner; 30 September 2018 at Vintage House NY, Albany, NY — 8 years ago

Chris Hughes

9.2

Pretty damn good, got better and better — 8 years ago

TJ Girsch

9.0

Complex but light and easy to drink. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

I completely forgot to post this. My brother from another mother Kirk Alexander uncorked these 2 Absolutely Phenomenal 100 point beauties for us to enjoy just because I came over!!!!!! ! Damn., I’ve got to go to his house more often!!!!!! All kidding aside., we were celebrating Veronica’s (his beautiful wife) birthday and what a truly special Evening.it was. There’s nothing better than uncorking a special bottle with friends that have become like family.
We love you Veronica!!! And put up with Kirk just because of you🤣😜🤣
— 9 years ago

with Dov and Christine

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

This is still very good but was likely peaking 2-3 years ago. It's still drinking nicely...just better a couple years back. On the nose, stewed, candied fruits with a shade of tartiness. Blackberries, plum, dark cherries, cherries, extracted pomegranate, cranberries, raspberries, whispers of baking spices, dry limestone earth, dark volcanic minerals and decayed dark florals. The medium body is waning. Tannins completely resolved. The fruits match the nose with a touch of pruniness but still show nicely. There's more dark spices on the palate than the nose. Light baking spices with vanilla leading the way, gritty dark minerals, rich black earth, decayed dark florals & nice round acidity that rains on the palate. The finish is soft, ripe, round and elegant with spices that give a light sting on the long finish. Photos of; one of the Kistler vineyards, the Trenton Road House, the front entrance and estate patio. If you own the 01 Sonoma, it's time to drink up. — 9 years ago

boyd

9.1

Definitely on the road to fully oxidized, but alive enough to still be a very enjoyable bottle to drink. Soft almost pillowy texture with lemon and caramel. Smell was a dead ringer for grandmas house and Werther's Originals. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, if it’s my birthday celebration, there is a juicy ribeye & some old(er) Claret.

My only disappointment with this bottle is as good as it is, there are better things still down the road.

The nose reveals classic Claret. There are earthy, funky fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, baked strawberries with shades of raspberries. Steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, stones, black, rich earth, clay, dry herbs, dark berry cola, cedar, leather, not quite fresh tobacco, underbrush, graphite, gentle, dark spice, slight peppery notes, clove, touch of nutmeg & cinnamon & vanillin, anise to black licorice, eucalyptus notes with fresh & slightly candied florals of, red, dark, blue, purple & violets.

The body is medium full with rounded, nicely resolved, tarry tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance are really singing. It would be good to have another 2001 LMHB in ten years. While 2001 wasn’t a critically acclaimed vintage, I think LMHB over performed the vintage. As well, it followed a grand 2000 vintage which, handicapped it from the start. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, baked strawberries, bright cherries, rhubarb, figs, with shades of raspberries. Steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, stones, black, rich earth, clay, dry top soil, dry herbs, dark berry cola, cedar, leather, not quite fresh tobacco, underbrush, graphite, gentle, dark spice with soft heat, slight peppery notes, clove, touch of nutmeg & cinnamon & vanillin, anise to black licorice, eucalyptus notes with fresh & slightly candied florals of, red, dark, blue, purple & violets. The acidity is excellent...like a gentle rain shower. The long finish is elegance defined, extremely well balanced ending in soft, round, dry, dusty tannins with beautiful spice.

Photos of; Chateau La Mission Haut Brion & estate vines, beautiful barrel room, pond & Roman columns and the back vow of the Chateau.

Please indulge me while I post some history on this grand producer. As much as I love the wine, I love the history & people that do the hard work to bring us such great wines.

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is not quite as old as Chateau Haut Brion. However, they are opposite side of the road neighbors. La Mission Haut Brion dates back to the late 16th century. The property came into being after it was purchased by Jean de Pontac in 1533. US winery history is a baby compared to France.

In 1607, the estate changed hands. It was inherited by Ms. Olive de Lestonnac. What an inheritance!

In 1815, something rare happened. Chateau La Mission Haut Brion became the property of an American owner, the Chiapelle family. At the time, the family was already involved in the Bordeaux wine trade. In fact, they knew about the business as they had managed a myriad of different estates including Chateau Cos d’ Estournel.

La Mission Haut Brion continued to change hands until it was finally sold to another American family, the Woltner’s. Frederic Woltner purchased La Mission Haut Brion in 1919. The also became owners on Howell Mountain.

It changed hands one final time in 1983 when it was purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon, the owner of neighboring, Chateau Haut Brion. They renovated the entire property, starting with replanting the vineyards which, was completed in 1987.

The 26 hectare vineyard of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is planted to; 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.8% Merlot and 10.4% Cabernet Franc. 3.5 hectares of vines are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux.

To produce the red wine of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, the wine is vinified in large, 180 hectoliter, temperature controlled, stainless steel vats and aged in 100% new, French oak for an average of 22 months. The annual production of La Mission Haut Brion averages between 6,000 and 7,000 cases per year. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Boom💥...there it is! Might as well be my 3,500 post. Not many better ways to kick off a Friday night. Cheers! 🥂

Love the leaner, ripe & slightly sour fruits of, strawberries, cherries, white peach, tangerine, watermelon near the rhine, black cherries, powdery razor sharp chalkiness, gritty grey volcanic minerals, sea shell/spray, baguette crust, pink rose petals, beautiful acidity and rich, round reductive, long beautiful finish.

Photos of, the House of Billecart, cellar with the bottles A-framed racked and ready to be riddled, cellar-hand crushing grapes and the best time to be in wine country, harvest. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.3

After my first sip, my words were “I wish I had more of this.” Holy smokes. This is hands down one of the best rosés I’ve had out of Cali (alongside the Arnyca rosé). The acidity is so sharp out of the bottle. Love that! So many rosés are flabby and creamy. Kiwi and strawberry in the nose. Watermelon, cantaloupe, and plum skin on the finish. This is the epitome of refreshing rosé. I need to give credit to @Shawn R for gifting me this bottle from when we were together at his house a few months ago. Loved it, brother! Perfect by the fire pit. 👌 — 9 years ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.0

Nice color, amazing aromas of cherries, cigar box, mild eucalyptus... very aremoairc. A nod to Sideways. Have to visit the steak house now. — 9 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

8.9

Young yet, and still showing more of D&G house style than its own idiosyncrasies. Tasty, but should prove more interesting down the road. — 10 years ago

David Walser

9.4

On a road trip to Napa and stopped in San Francisco on our way. Nice Italian food to enjoy with this wine. Today was the Pina open house so I thought it was appropriate to enjoy one of their wines, even though we couldn’t be there. — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nothing better than a well aged Chardonnay and fatty, cold water fish. This bottle is our go to pairing for grilled steelhead trout.

Nose is evolving since my prior post, oxidized green apple peel and cold caramel.

Palate is lightly sweet lemon curd/custard, baked red apple, cooked lemon, warm granite dust and a zing of acidity on the close.

Our feline house managers pestered for comfortable portions on the trout, they are good boys and girls, generally, so we endulge.

Great night listening to Hugh Masekela and Mongo Santamaria on the HiFi, everything complimented!

One bottle left, then we move along to the next vintage. — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.8

A Great night to say the least:
Magnum of Gargiulo money ranch road,
2000 Bryant, 25 year Macalllan. Totally forgot to post this pick from a few weeks back!
The Bryant drank as good as any French Bordeaux that I’ve ever had. The money ranch toad was mediocre in comparison and the 25 year Macallan was 2nd only to the amazing company we had in our house that night!!
Great times to say the least!
— 8 years ago

with Christine

Ross Vick

9.5

Post Lent Wine Adventure (after 46 days of sobriety!) lovely with oysters and grilled seafood...a new house white?! Yep. — 8 years ago

Jérôme

8.9

Janvier 2018 - Agréablement surpris par ce vin. Jeune et déjà puissant et plein d'arômes. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Pichon Lalande is my favorite 2nd growth with a steak. Yup...it's #SteakandClaret night to quote my buddy Gary Westby. Further, it's certainly one of my favorite producers period. I've waited for this wine to be in the bottle for 10 years before finding out definitely how good it was or wasn't. You see, the 05 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional. It's drinking right now better than 00. 00 may turn out to be better, but not for some time. The real issue was the division of scores between RP & NM. Parker had this as low as an 86 and now has it at 89. Neil Martin has been consistently at 95-96. I found it simply inexplicable that Pichon Lalande could have bombed in such a great vintage. Tonight, I know they didn't. This wine is beautiful. Although, I don't believe it will cellar as long as their some of their very best vintages and many others I've enjoyed. On the nose, bramble, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries, graphite, baking spices, cedar, lightly perfumed violets and dark, fresh & dry red flowers. The body is medium-medium plus, tannins nicely resolved with 10 years to be completely resolved. Fruits of; ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries and pomegranate with a whiff of spice. There's notes of dry bramble, soft leather, fresh violets, graphite, cedar, dry stones, dark rich earth, limestone, tobacco, spice-box, vanilla, very light cinnamon & nutmeg. The finish is very long, elegant, ripe, round, smooth, good acidity and beautifully elegant...50-50 earth & fruit. I bought more bottles of this at $85 after it's was first released in futures and I do not regret it. $85 is proving to be a steal for this wine when it normally sells for between $100-$150 a bottle and higher. Might heavy up further after tonight if I find more around the same price. Oh yes...I'm with NM on the scoring. Photos of the Chateau, estate vines, newer tasting room & the Virginie de Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Forgive my long post, but my passion and love for this producer is profound. Producer history and notes...as I wrote in an earlier post for Pichon Baron, Pichon Baron and Lalande started as one entity. The first mention of what is now called Chateau Pichon Lalande was the creation of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is responsible for forming many of the top Bordeaux estates today. Pichon Lalande was given its name when Therse, the daughter of the founder received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville. Pichon Lalande was essentially managed by three women, Therese de Rauzan, Germaine de Lajus and Marie Branda de Terrefort. On the eve of his death in 1850, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the property between his five children. His three daughters received Pichon Lalande and his sons Pichon Baron. What happened next was Virginie, the wife of the Count of Lalande took over the management of the estate under the name of Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 she commissioned the popular, architect Duphot to build a residence inspired by the Hotel de Lalande, located in Bordeaux. Without heirs, Pichon Lalande passed down from aunts to nieces. Following World War I, the Miailhe brothers, bought Pichon Lalande in 1925. They were the ones who planted even more Merlot. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe became the new owner and general manager of Chateau Pichon Lalande in 1978. She expand the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to it's current 89 hectares. Chateau Pichon Lalande remained in the same family for more than 250 years! In fact, over three centuries, only two families have owned Pichon Lalande. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagnein in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud who owned several other wine estates in Bordeaux; Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez, Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. He sold Chateau Bernadotte in December 2012. In February, 2011, Sylvie Cazes was named the director of Chateau Pichon Lalande. She replaced Gildas d’Ollone. Sylvie Cazes was replaced in 2012 by current Director Nicolas Glumineau, who was previously at Chateau Montrose. In 2012, Pichon Lalande renovated the estate with a budget estimated at over 15 Million Euros. The new facilities included; building of a new underground barrel aging cellar and several new buildings...one that houses their new tasting room as shown. This renovation provided numerous improvements in their wine making. Most importantly, in the vinification. They created a new, triple tiered, cellar where everything moves by gravity. They also added numerous new, stainless steel, temperature controlled, double skinned vats. These new vats allow Pichon Lalande to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis as well as get much softer & gentle extractions. The 89 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande is located adjacent to Chateau Latour and and across the road from Pichon Baron. The terroir of Chateau Pichon Lalande is deep gravel with clay and limestone soil and is planted to; 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. — 9 years ago