Leo Gentile

9.2

Dang this is drinking well. Subdued fruity nose and rich purple color. Great balance with spice and tons of black fruit. Tempted to say hold but not too long so one can enjoy the fruits — 8 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Served alongside beef short rib, xo sauce, pickled mustard seed, cumin stir-fried asparagus. Yes, the 2003 Dominus is big. However, it is also balanced and showing classic Napa typicity with beautifully ripe and some slightly wizened black and red fruit, tobacco, cocoa, some purple flowers and baking spices. I found this to be quite balanced after all the air it saw. Wonderful structure for continued aging as well. Drink now through 2043. — a year ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

I suppose since this is Castello di Ama I shouldn’t be surprised it’s very good. Gobs of ripe fruit and freshness on the nose, with a nice crushed rock background. In the mouth, it’s dry, fresh as heck, and has good concentration and balance. Totally dry. Phenomenal with Chinese takeout on a warm evening. — 2 years ago

Bruce Leboff

9.3

Purple inky colour, chocolate and a hint of fine leather on the nose. Silky smooth, with elegant tannins and structure Smooth and long finish. #beringer — 5 years ago

with Allan and David

Sipping Fine Wine

9.8

Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. Deep Ruby with purple edges, pronounced aromas of red/black fruits, with hints of cedar, floral, oak & spice. On the palate flavors of concentrated ripe blackberry with cherry and raspberry preserves, pepper spice, leather and savory fine tannins, well balanced and absolutely decadent. Long finish, great structure ending with fruit, spice and earthy mineral character. Truly an outstanding Cab! Will age well! Tasting Sample — 6 years ago

Hailey Bouchard

9.3

Beautiful purple color — 6 years ago

Paul J

9.3

1+hr decant. Definitely drinking young. Dark purple color. Nice mix of Bordeaux and Napa. Seems higher in OH than 13.5%. Nice deep cherry fruit with hints of smoke. Strangely I think it got worse with air. This was better than expected. — 7 years ago

with Brooke

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Mostly Petite Sirah with small amounts of Syrah, Grenache and other mixed Rhône varieties, aged 14 months in American oak, 19% new, very dark Ruby-purple with aromas of ripe dark fruits and an array of spices from cigar box to full spice cake. On the palate flavors of black cherry preserves and blackberry jam, layering in some licorice, leather, tobacco and black pepper spice. Savory grippy tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, oak and earthy character. A powerhouse! Decant first! — 8 months ago

Ted

9.0

Deep deep purple. It was a warm day yesterday I might have chilled this first. Ripe mouth watering juice. — 2 years ago

with Jeni

GaryWEdwards

9.5

Still youthful with dense , purple to the eye and earthy graphite to nose with blackberry on the tongue. Great richness and long finish. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Owned in collaboration with Chris Ringland, Jorge Ordonez, Miguel Gil and others, located in Valley of La Aragona inside the Murcia district of Jumilla. Very dark Ruby, purple edges with floral fruit aromas & floral spice. On the palate blueberry & sweet black cherry flavors, savory with great mouthfeel, 24 months aging on French & American oak, the 70% Monastrell & 30% Cab Sauv has fine soft tannins, well integrated with oak, long finish ending with mineral tones, Will age well! — 5 years ago

Bill Duffy

9.3

From the son of Ken Wright. He does a really good job at making a very good Pinot. Medium to full flavors that are intricate and rounded with a very nice finish. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Second time having this wine this year with consistent thoughts.

It’s delicious and very approachable for a Lafite. Light on its feet.

The nose reveals, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, stewed/spiced plum, raspberries on the glass edges, poached strawberries and hints of blue fruits. Dark chocolate, caramel, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, black licorice, anise, dry stems, crushed dry rocks, dry top soil, clay, rich, dark earth, Indian/Asian spices, limestone, stones with dark, red, purple, candied florals in a field of violets.

The body is round, silky and just full. The structure, tension, length and and balance are astounding. The tannins, light on their feet but, grip with round tarriness. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, stewed/spiced plum, raspberries on the glass edges, poached strawberries and hints of blue fruits. Dark chocolate, caramel, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, black licorice, anise, dry stems, crushed dry rocks, dry top soil, clay, rich, dark earth, chewy leather, cigar with ash, Indian/Asian spices with medium heat, limestone, stones with dark, red, purple, candied florals in a field of violets. The acidity is perfect and holds the higher alcohol well. The finish is very well balanced, polished and persists endlessly. With proper cellaring this flirts with a perfect score in 20 plus years.

Photos of; Chateau Lafite Rothschild, their barrel room, oak aging vats and Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.0

On tap! Guess what State I'm in the second half of this week? It's colder and more snow than home too! — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Of all the American red wines that participated in the Judgement of Paris, it could be argued that Monte Bello has shown the greatest propensity to age. In fact, I would go as far as it requires lengthy cellaring to extract its best. I’ve had the good fortune to drink a number of tremendous vintages of Monte Bello over the last several years and this one has got to be at or near the top of the lot.

Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1991 Monte Bello pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core moving out towards a light ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with gorgeous notes of ripe and tart black currants, mixed bramble fruit, tobacco, some purple flowers, dill, mint, leather, earth, vanilla and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. The structure remains tremendous which again, seems to indicate youth. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and immensely satisfying. This is one of those wines that will outlive most humans. Drinking well now with a short decant but this has the gas to see 2061 with ease. — 9 months ago

Jess

8.9

Deep purple color.
Aromas of roasted cocoa, asparagus, baked black fruit.
Dry. Flavors of baked blackberry, green notes, blackberry leaf, vanilla. Rich velvety tannins. High acidity. The green notes diminish the flavor.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Deep Ruby, purple edges, with aromas of fresh berry fruits, cigar box spice and earthy mineral notes. On the palate rich ripe fruit, blackberry & black cherry with hints of dried spices. Good balance with slightly firm tannins, opened quickly, and lively acidity. Long finish, complex ending with oak, herb, mineral and earthy character. Will improve with short term aging, but don’t wait too long as you might be disappointed! Very nice Shiraz! — 5 years ago

Chris McClellan

9.1

Super solid napa Cabernet with ripe blackberry and blackcherry, still with purple core out to a touch of garnet, smooth but powerful tannins, acid still present, toasty oak with vanilla and the pyrazine presence of mint/spicy jalapeño and long finish... — 5 years ago

Taylor Burnside

9.1

Light-bodied and delicious. Perfect for socializing! — 6 years ago

Keith Lite

9.5

A big bold plumy purple bomb As dense and luscious as a wine can get in a glass. Decanted for 2 hrs and its still a baby with blackberry, dark chocolate licorice and pepper on the nose and on the palate. A long long finish and loads of tannins to sum it all up — 6 years ago

with Bruce