Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

The #Bordeaux 2009 vintage was legendary and this lovely Saint Emilion is another example. Not a big wine, yet delicious, elegant and complex, lovely notes of : oak , tobacco ,plum , cherry cedar wood, cassis, minerals, pencil shavings, graphite, mint and bell pepper, medium to full body with lovely tannins and an elegant finish. Starting to show its full potential. My score 90, drink to 2023 — 6 years ago

Michael Dierberg

9.2

Nice nose. Black currants and tree bark. Finish deprives it of a higher score. — 7 years ago

with JiaMin

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.1

Another visit to this lovely wine and another confirmation that 2008 was a great vintage and most probably one of the best value vintages in the last decade in Bordeaux. The wine is rich, round, elegant and smooth, already ready for drinking, with earthy notes, coffee, black current, wild berries, full round body, lovely tannins, elegant long finish. A pleasure. My score 91, drink to 2025 — 8 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.4

15% alc.

Lots of (French) oak on both the nose and palate.
I could see this score high with certain critics based on the sheer size but I found it somewhat out of balance and have doubts it will ever "find its feet".

Still a VERY good wine but given the pedigree (and price point) I was expecting a bit more. — 8 years ago

with Kurt-Inge

Jan de Weerd

9.1

Nice wine but lacking body for higher score. Oaky upfront and sweet edge at the end. — 9 years ago

with Tammy

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

8.9

The 2000 vintage is a bit controversial , some say it is a great vintage other find it disappointing given the hype of the vintage being a millennium vintage. Sociando mallet is usually a great value wine and I loved 2003 and 2005, this is my first 2000, and it is still young and kicking. Deep red, nose full of green peppers, pencil shaving, a touch of barnyard, black currents and spicy wood, medium to full body with dry tannins and great acidity, long spicy peppery finish. My score 89, drink to 2022 — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

The 90 Pichon Lalande is a wine of controversy between professional wine critics, wine lovers and I'm sure the producer. Parker gave this wine a 79. Neil Martin an 86. Wine lovers give it an average score of around 92 on Cellertracker with some scores as high as 96. The 90 left bank vintage is well respected and certainly Pichon Lalande is a well respected producer. While this producer is one of my favorites, the 90 Pichon Lalande does not live up to the grandeur of the 90 Bordeaux vintage. However, is this a bad wine? No, but it is off for such a quality vintage. The 90 does not have distinct or even bright fruit. The fruit is cooked and it also has a green vegetal character with it's strong presence of cooked green bell pepper. The 90 also lacks mid palate and finish. It is however, still elegant in the style of an older Pichon Lalande. When you taste it, you recognize some of the Pichon Lalande characteristics but it lacks the quality one has grown to expect from them. The conversation will likely be the same for their 05 but additional time will be required to make a fair assessment. Open a bottle and join the debate. — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.1

A fantastic champagne, a tempting elegant nose with pear, yeast, minerals and toast, beautiful light gold color with small little bubbles, crisp precise and smooth. My score 91 — 10 years ago

Alec Jeffery

9.0

Nose a little closed, decanting helped, cherry and black fruits, soft tannins, a little short on the aftertaste, not rich enough for a top score. Worth seeking out. — 10 years ago

Lowell Su

9.8

Perfectly balanced Bordeaux. Shoulder height was a slightly low and the cork wasn't in best condition leading to a not perfect score for me. Otherwise the merlot and Cabernet danced together well in flavor and blend. — 10 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

My last #wine bottle of this lovely #Margaux from the superb 2005 vintage. This beauty is at its peak, lovely balanced, with a nice blend of earth, coffee, oak, plum , blackberry, chocolate tobacco, cedar, dark fruit, blackcurrant graphite, pepper , savory, medium to full body with Nicky integrated tannins and a pleasant finish. My score 90, drink to 2020 — 6 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.3

Spectacular wine truly enjoyed, surprising that it was already accessible, lovely rich complex nose, lots of black fruits and chocolate, multi layered and complex, full body, rich round tannins, lots of depth, great balance and elegance with a good spice of power, a bit like a fist in a velvet glove;-) long long delicious finish. A must try and a great expression of the delicious 2010 vintage. My score 93, drink to 2032 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A Bordeaux blend. Spends 22 months in 70% new 400 liter oak barrels. Nose of fragrant floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum. Licorice, anise, dark chocolate and fresh, dark florals. The fruits are ripe and fresh and match the nose. Black licorice, tarry notes, loamy soils, moist dark soil, lead pencil, cedar, tobacco, underbrush, great acidity and a beautiful long finish. The structure is better as is the tension and length. This bottle needs 8-10 years in bottle for a higher score but for many hard not to dry young. Photos of the view from the Long Shadows patio, another one of the glass blown floor lamps and a concrete fermentation egg...interestingly in an inverted shape I hadn't seen before, no real difference in effect. — 8 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

A fantastic 2002, this lovely wine shows once more that today there aren't really bad years in Bordeaux, this Pontet Canet was well structured rich and tempting. Deep red, tempting rich multi layered nose ripe cherries, black current, coffee, cigar box, and tea leaves, full rich body, dry tannins, full of black fruit, high acidity and a long chewy finish. Was worth the wait, my score 90. Drink to 2022 — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.1

This wine is showing beautifully at the age of 21, deep gold color, lovely nose full dry apricot, honey, orange peels, dates and a touch of flowers scent, full creamy body, not very sweet with lovely supporting acidity, long finish. A truly delicious dessert wine from a reasonable Sauternes vintage. My score 91, drink to 2021 — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

8.9

One of my last bottles of this wine bought 11 years ago, the wind is at is peak, with lots of sediments and character. Color is red with brown rims, nose us complex mature and rich with licorice, coffee, espresso, plums, black cherry and a touch of port, body is full round and tannins are smooth and velvety,acidity is still there and will carry the wine for a few more years, yet my recommendation is go ahead and finish what you have in your stock, as risk of passing peak is high. My score 89, drink up. — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

a lovely super Toscana, still young and has a great potential. The wine is very well crafted with a pleasant balance between the core elements, the color is almost black, the aromas are multi layered with a base full of black fruits that are complemented by notes cedar wood, coffee and chocolate, full body with lavish tannins and wonderful acidity to support aging. Finish is long and delicious. My score 90, drink to 2024 — 10 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

2003, Lovely wine, new world in style, rich intense and lavish. Deep garnet color, tempting nose of licorice, black cherries, leather, wet soil, chocolate, black rip plums, full body with well integrated rich round tannins, lovely acidity that is quit surprising for the extra warm vintage, long delicious dry yet ripe finish. A truly delightful wine, that is underrated in my humble opinion. My score 90+, drink to 2018, perhaps even longer. — 10 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.5

Amazing Merlot!!! Pure pleasure - an extraordinary mix of power freshness and complexity. A masterpiece. Those who know me, know that I don't easily grant 5 stars. But here each star is well deserved!!!

My score 95, drink 2014-2028!

The wine is almost black in color, the nose is seductive and essentially you fall in love with this wine from the first sniff. The aromas are rich and concentrated, plum, black cherry, sweet spices, licorice, coffee, chocolate, blueberry jam and much more. Body is full, chewy, rich intense , rich and extracted, a rare combination of fruit forward and freshness, the tannins are round, smooth and caressing, the light acidity keeps you addicted. The finish is long, and addictive.. Impossible to stop drinking it — 10 years ago

Michael Zari

10

Wow! If the score is about perfection, I have never had a better merlot, even Petrus. Just saying! — 11 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

The second label of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion. A lovely elegant and appealing blend of 56% CS, 39% Merlot, and 5% CF. Delicious and still young, another great example of the nice surprises that the 2008 vintage had to deliver. Full of cassis, earth, chocolate, cedar wood, full body, rich, firm tannins, fruity complex finish. My score 90, drink to 2025 — 7 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 2014 L’Eglise-Clinet has a gentle, understated bouquet at first that takes time to open, eventually offering black fruit, melted tar, truffle and bay leaf aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, rather masculine and thickset at the moment, lightly spiced towards the finish. Much like the Vieux-Château-Certan, this is a little awkward in a blind setting however, it clearly meliorates in the glass and I keep on having to up my score. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2018) — 7 years ago

Norman Gennaro

9.4

Hard to score here given the night, so will defer to others but a great night. Gunja throws the the best parties. Great starter. — 8 years ago

with Rich, Jason and 2 others

Jordan Franceschini

9.4

The real deal. Yes a bit early. Score goes higher. Lyle- love that tannin wall you refer to. Hitting on many notes. — 8 years ago

with Lyle

Reza Oliyai

10

Second bottle of 2008 vintage. Perfect score for a perfect wine. — 9 years ago

Richard Steinberg

9.1

This is still a baby. Over time this could score higher. It's all there but a bit too muscular in its evolution. The stuffing is there. — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

8.9

A lovely robust second wine that needs more time to mature, this blend of 50% CS 50% Merlot has a deep garnet color , very expressive aromas of black current, cedar wood, black cherries, cigar box, tea leaves and plums, an excellent melange of earthiness and fruit, full body with firm dry tannins and great acidity, this wine is still young and needs more time to mellow and show his well masked smoothness, long dry delicious finish, after 8 hours starts to open up and deliver more complexity. My score 89, drink 2016-2022, next bottle in 2017 ;-) — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

This is a truly great Italian Merlot that needs time to shine. It is too young and does not show its full potential. It has a dark purple color, the nose is lovely and elegant, full of character with layers of black fruits and sweet spices, plums marmalade, black cherries, and sweet anis. Full body, fruity, nice acidity, well integrated tannins. Very young, needs time to evolve. My score 90, drink 2017-2028 — 10 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.1

1996, This 1996 blend of 61% CS and 39% merlot, showed beautifully and justifying the 19 years of cellaring.
A truly deep rich and elegant wine. Lavish red appealing color, lovely nose, leather, black cherries, black current, wet soil, mineral, medium to full body, with soft round tannins, smooth, deep, complex, lovely acidity to balance, and a delicious finish, with hint of sweetness. A truly lovely wine. My score 91, drink to 2019. — 10 years ago

Max Bozoghlian

Owner/Wine Director Carlito's Gardel

9.2

Should merit a higher score after a few years in the cellar. — 10 years ago