Emanuel Reitano

9.3

Lovely minerality and acidity. Would buy again and recommend to a friend. stands out among other Santa Barbara sauvblanc. — 7 months ago

Paul T HB

9.1

Not what I was hoping for,
Gave it some air but not too much so that we didn’t lose the sweet spot. Didn’t touch the Shafer until this was finished. Just a typical older Bordeaux blend from Napa but very ordinary considering the price point. Secondary market purchase so who knows prior storage. — 2 years ago

Mark Turner

9.5

Clear purple but not opaque. Petrol, earth and tobacco on the nose. Elegant and smooth with layers of tobacco, boysenberry and led pencil with a long elegant earthy finish. Really elegant. Enjoyed it thoroughly. — 4 years ago

Nick Piccone

9.0

Nutty and cedar to the point we almost thought it was corked — 6 years ago

with Sarah

Adam Crane

9.7

My birth year and the best Oregon Pinot I’ve ever had. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

When it comes to my B-day, there is only one fit, an old Pichon Lalande with my Ribeye. As a lover of Bordeaux, these two are my favorite pairing. It’s a very slow walk to the finishline. A small bite of steak and a sip of 89 Pichon Lalande. Then, repeat until finished. I had some concerns about this bottle. A slightly slippery and crumbling cork. The first sip was not bad, but not what you want or are expecting. After some time in the decanter, it really started to shine. On the nose; ripe, ruby, floral cassis, blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The body is full, round and silky. Tannins are well resolved at around 80%. The texture, length, tension and length are in a sweet spot. The fruits are ripe, ruby & expressively floral. Blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The acidity is just a little off but still nice. The finish is divided nearly equally in fruit, earth, florals and herbaceous. It’s very enjoyable but falls just a little short in longer, lingering length. This bottle had good storage, not great. Even so, still has another three to five years ahead. A bottle with excellent storage has another five years beyond this one. Photos of; the backside of Pichon Lalande, angled terrace view of their vines right next to Latour, my steak & twice baked potato (so good) and CEO Nicolas Glumineau. — 7 years ago

S

9.3

Wow. Smooth. Paris Louvre — 8 months ago

Scott Soren

9.6

Special bottle. Really in its sweet spot. Fragrant nose , with some Mourvèdre funk. Sweet tannins with dark red fruits. Some Tobacco and black olive. Matured further in glass over the hour and a half the bottle was consumed. Just left you want g more — a year ago

Martijn

9.4

Fruit and chocolate and some fancy acidity. This is sit back and relax wine! Great stuff! — 3 years ago

Daniel Taub

9.5

Well worth the wait. Day 2 spot on! — 5 years ago

Andrew S

9.2

A lot of power, plenty of fruit and acidity for days. This is in a nice spot, but still on the way up. There’s a nice dusty/tar note, fennel, a touch of leather, maybe even a hint of violets. Best with a big rich meal. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

On the nose, sweet & sour fruits with a touch of barnyard and fresh red flowers.

The body is medium to full. The fruits are gloriously ripe & slightly candied liqueured. Blackberries, dark plum, dark cherries, strawberries & strawberries. Touch of pyrazines. Ground powdery limestone, leather, soft graphite, dry herbs, dry stems, used leather, cedar, fresh tobacco, cigar ash, cherry cola, black turned earth with bright red florals. Great acidity and a well balanced finish that lasts minutes. It’s in a great spot and will continue to improve for another 8-10 years. — 7 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.5

A beautifully balanced, intense evocation of South of France Syrah. Though the Delectable header doesn't show it this wine is from Chateau de l'Ou and is technically an IGP Côtes Catalanes. Think Northern Rhône on steroids - less minerality but more fruit - cassis, blackberry, mocha and exceptional depth. Very long finish as well and still a few years to grow. Stunning — 7 years ago

Josh Eichorn

9.9

A perfect wine? Perhaps. Not many Napa wines can have this kind of horsepower at 19 years old (I was always told Napa wines fall apart after 15 years). I’ve never had Screaming Eagle or Grace Family or any of the new “premier cru” wines. What I will say, though, is that I have a hard time imagining a wine being better than this. Plush, with a solid core. Very little fade. Let it breathe, but it was drinkable right out of the bottle, rich with refined tannins, so much fruit, so much pleasure. The oak is now seamless with the wine, not an addition, but a part of it. If you had told me this was a more recent vintage, I would have believed you. This was Cosentino’s top of the line and what a top it was. Age has allowed for more complexity (I did taste this when it was newly bottled) and development, but this is a young wine, still. Nothing out of place. It is one of the best wines I’ve ever tasted. Quintessential Napa, the best the valley has to offer. I forget the story of “the secret clone” but knowing what all the steps are in making great wine, having this clone was just one of the many right choices in making this. This one may outlive me. It is in its prime with no end in sight. Perfect? I’m not sure. But I’ve not had better. — a year ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Always hits the spot — 3 years ago

Vin

9.3

Medium body, and another reviewer was spot in with the sour cherry comment. Refreshing. — 4 years ago

William Templin

9.0

Good from the start. Nice as it opened up as well. $20- at Russo’s — 6 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.2

A dusty and earthy Bordeaux like nose. Plums , cherries and currants glide effortlessly in the mouth. This was in a great spot. — 6 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.0

Dry and earthy. — 7 years ago

with Alex

Morten Bagai

9.5

I can’t get enough of this — 7 years ago