Can definitely tell it was aged in rum casks, has a spice finish. — 8 years ago
Med gold in the glass. Viscous and heavy. Rich stone fruits in the nose. Tell tale mint that says Ramonet. In the mouth the fruit is powerful. Let it under your tongue and your face goes flush. Lemon, honeysuckle, crushed stone, mint in the mouth. Great finish. This is in a great window. — 9 years ago
Sssshhh don't tell any one — 10 years ago
Very interesting. Can't say i could tell this was a chard blind. Still is bright. Pretty cool — 10 years ago
I feel I have found a treasure for which I have been searching for years. My second Chateau Rayas - first a 2000, now a 2006. It is a perfect wine with a delicacy that reminds me of a beautiful burgundy. Perfect balance of fruit and earth, but restrained so that flowers emerge on both the nose and in the mouth. Just magnificent. Should I tell all of you when my birthday is...? — 7 years ago
I love Graves. I think 2 of my favorite 10 wine experiences have been drinking La Mission and HautBrion. The 98 was very complex. A few of the sips seemed equal to the 96 Lafite, but others seemed to tell me that it needs more time. Nice purple fruit, with cigar box, earth, mushroom and leather. A nice example of Haut Brion but a far cry from the amazing 90 which I have always preferred over the 89. 93ish points. — 8 years ago
2009 was a ripe vintage for CdP, for sure. Sophie and Catherine couldn't escape the candied cherry yet still manage to convey their sense of place. Bright fruit, fine tannins, dusty sandalwood and vibrant acidity always tell me "this is Marcoux." A pleasure to have this with my wife's pot roast on a cool fall night. — 9 years ago
Wow don't tell anyone brad & Jolie actually make a good wine — 10 years ago
These guys know Gamay, that I can tell you. Yes, more amply fruited and evocative than many Morgon's, but sensible. Yum! — 7 years ago
A classic from Napa, this 1999 Martha's Vineyard is definitely past its prime, but still a pleasure to drink. The tannins have largely disappeared (but made for a great match with a fantastic cut of filet mignon from the local butcher). Most of the primary aromas are gone, but some great secondary notes of leather and spice remain (the absence of the tell-tale eucalyptus from Martha's was a bit surprising). Color density is still pretty impressive after almost 17 years! Finishes a bit thin, but this wine has held up beautifully. Had an amazing tasting with David Heitz back in 2005 and this brings back all those memories. Cheers to one of the pioneering wine families of Napa Valley! — 8 years ago
This wine was decanted 2 hours prior to consumption. At first taste it was very tight and closed. Better 2 hours in. Nose of tar, smoke, mahogany, and tobacco; inter-mixed with a bit of earth and red fruit. On the palate not very generous but complex. The second glass was better than the first. The next day after leaving the decanter open to the room temp air this became more integrated and the fruit level improved. Classic too young Brunello. Currently 88 pets, better in the future. Currently the Ciacci Piccolomini is better, but it is hard to tell which wine will be better in 5-10 years. — 8 years ago
One of very few bottles made apparently, awkward plummy to start with but converging into utter deliciousness over 1 hour. Lacking the tell tale red burgundy fruit but it has another story/terroir to tell. — 9 years ago
Incredibly fragrant. Weird & captivating. Reminds me of a favorite uncle. You'll probably either love it or hate it. Me? I'll ask it to play a game of checkers & tell me about the old country. This is pretty out there. — 11 years ago
Matthew Beninati
Extremely approachable young California cab. You can tell this was crafted for the impatient. I love duckhorn offerings. — 7 years ago