Jakub Kalinowski

9.2

Quite smoky & raw. Gravel & raw cacao. The fruit really hidden right now. Barely hinted. After some time a bit of cassis emerges.
Dense on the palate. And quite burly. Big tannins, juicy yet very present. Great depth. Roast, cacao, very masculine.
This is way too early to drink this, still needs time to settle down. Brilliant but way too young. — 2 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Second Sauternes pairing with my homemade Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Didn’t use the additional crushed pineapple this time. Both preparations are very good. I think I prefer it w/ less pineapple.

In 2014 I attended the Bordeaux En Premiere. One of the six days, we toured 8 Chateau’s tasting multiple vintages at each in Sauternes & Barsac. Then, went back to Chateau Guiraud for dinner. Before the dinner, Bill Blatch then arranged for a Sauternes tasting after tasting at 8 Chateau’s in Saternes & Barsac. We tasted 50 Sauternes in basically in 60 minutes. After that, my hand was like Winne the Poo in the honey jar from dumping. After, my wish wasn’t necessarily for the forthcoming dinner, but rather wished to go to a Dentist for a teeth cleaning I had so much RS in my mouth. None the less, dinner was fantastic and started with warm Foie Gras & gravy. Perfect as is w/ the Pineapple Upside Down Cake tonight.

This 05 is everything that you taste in the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Perfect paring. Newly a quarter century and no fading in its evolution.

Dry; stone fruits, pineapple, orange citrus, pineapple. Marmalade, caramel, saline, limestone, honeycomb, beeswax, coconut, vanilla, saline, round acidity with yellow florals, toasted nuts with round acidity for days. Elegance, balance, structure and round, rich polish that goes in and on. Coravined from 375ml.

Bill Batch (who worked for Cristy’s & owned his own negotiate company) has somewhere around 5,000 bottles of Sauternes. He does a Sauternes & Sausage party bi-annually. Good luck getting a well sought after invitation. There are more people in Bordeaux who want to attend then there are available invitations. — 13 days ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.4

Wifes birth year wine was so impressive. Smoke and leather, very polished. Reminded me of a great Pinot. Great experience — 20 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2009 vintage. Generous fill. Fairy tale cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 mins. Just a little bit of sed. Light-medium body as is the usual Giscours style. Some cherry prettiness melded with dusty earth and appropriate tannic presence. Nose a bit of dark plum that wasn’t forwarded onto the flavor platform-at least at the opportunity I had to enjoy it. Never an explosive style from this Château and this was opened about 5-7 years too early to hit the top of the specific bell curve. Drinking very very nicely now and (easily) for the next decade +. 4.20.24. — a month ago

Norman Gennaro

9.5

Biased but I love this wine. — 9 days ago

Shay A

9.2

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty. — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Youthful when 1st opened that needed some air to develop. This was polished with notes of graphite, cedar, leather, menthol, savory spice & tobacco — 6 days ago

Norman Gennaro

9.5

I’m tasting a bit of greenness and it’s faded but for what it is and its age - nice — 9 days ago

Nathan Renfro

9.5

Dark dark ruby. Tannins holding strong, a bit tight at the open, but loosens up to a wonderful silky mouthfeel. Black fruit in balance with minerality. Lovely wine but tonight I preferred the Pape Clement. — 16 days ago

Doug Powers

9.5

Initially this was incredibly closed, but after 2 hours in the decanter it’s starting to open, tannic, very structured, very 1986 in its leanness, but incredible depth and length, not perfect, but still outstanding!! — 20 days ago

with Jim

Scott Kahn

9.0

Thoroughly integrated tannins in an aged wine that has started its decline. Dark fruit, vanilla oak and cedar on the palette. Classic Bordeaux on the nose. — 12 days ago

AHF

9.1

From half with perfect cork. Very balanced with drying tannins. Much better after two+ hour decant. — 6 days ago

John Van Trijp

9.6

Double Magnum — 5 days ago

Vino Joe

9.5

Dark deep rich color. Lots of perfume and luxury to this wine. It’s very approachable twelve years in. The alcohol is in tune. The fruit is mature and dark. Nice length. It went down very quickly and easily. Stellar wine! — 17 days ago

John Van Trijp

9.9

A potential perfect score in future. Still dark forrest fruit — 5 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Medium ruby , slighter narrower ruby / pink rim , a little less bright . Slightly deeper , darker fruits , blueberry, violets , with scorched earth , mineral and grafite . On the palate , more intensity and power perhaps , more noticeable though still velvety tannin , dark fruits , mineral , saline , fresh cigar. Lovely fresh acidity , balanced alcohol . Long saline , mineral tinged, slightly toasty finish . Needs time obviously , but will be one of the great wines from a great vintage in 20 years, just wait — 20 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

Drinking well can’t see this getting better with a long life ahead showing red fruit, graphite, spice, earth, mint & tobacco — 15 days ago

Norman Gennaro

9.4

This one was up there for me. — 9 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.4

Vintage 1995 | Vanilla, forrest wood, true to type, well balanced but also tannins - very good effort — 18 days ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.8

It take some time to sintonize with it. But once you are there the journey seems having no end. 98-100 — 22 days ago