Lindsey King

9.2

Lean and precise. Cranberry sauce when it's not Thanksgiving. An accent you can't quite place but revel in the cadence and timbre of. Charred sage and rosemary. — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured. Judging from this bottle and a few others that I have had the pleasure to try, I would have to say these 2014's are already in outstanding form. If there is a single word that best describes this vintage of Rafanelli's Zinfandel, it has got to be "balance". I mean, everything seems to be in the right place and in the right amounts. I think these are going to be very fun to drink over the next 10-15 years and I'm looking forward to their evolution. Drink now or Hold. — 9 years ago

Doctor No

9.3

A classic, old school Bordeaux in a classic year. Decanted x5h. Still bright ruby, nose is mild barnyard with black cherry, leather, graphite on the attack with a lingering sense of tobacco and dried herbs. Tannins are resolving well with a bit of dry dust on the finish. Lively acidity and very youthful overall. — 9 years ago

Michael Meagher MS

Chairman/Founder Boston Sommelier Society, Beverage Director Cafe Escadrille

9.6

One of the best 1997s I've had in years. Racy acid, exotic spice, turmeric, cumin and tannins still firmly in place — 9 years ago

with Brahm and Kathy

Jordan Gianelli

9.5

Loved it at Press in St Helena after Albariño and Pinot Noir. Strong but soft, my happy place when one begins to describe older characteristics in a wine without the wine becoming a dead piece of acid without elegance and all you are left with is a sharp sensation and a longing to have opened the wine 10 years ago. Anyhow- beautiful wine and definitely the time to drink it!! — 9 years ago

Ken Pahlow

9.0

Surprise given the vintage's heat. Dark fruits, decent sense of freshness & structure for a few more years. I would drink it up though. — 11 years ago

with Andy and Erica

Tom Kobylarz

9.9

My 4th bottle, the best and my last, this absolutely killed it and is why I love Napa Valley Cabernet, especially #Spottswoode. 12 years old this easily has another 10 to go but is in a beautiful place right now. Open or decant for 30 minutes, though I did not decant. A deep resold color, not a sign of brick as one would expect. Shows the importance of provenance (bought from winery). A complex set or aromas and flavors of creme d'cassis, currants, sweet and sour cherries, sweet cedar, and graphite. Palate wise the textures are all in alignment, with medium to full body, ample acidity and medium grain slightly chewy tannins that may be it's only flaw. #2002 — 11 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.7

Pichon-Lalande is the single hottest property in the Médoc right now. Although the Chateau has a long and esteemed history, a Second Growth in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, no less, it is the winemaking today that is taking the property to new heights. If you are looking to treat yourself with a wine that is truly world class in every sense, then look no further. The wonderfully nuanced, finessed 2014 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande exudes pedigree. Crème de cassis, licorice, lavender and sweet spices are front and center, while beams of supporting tannins and acidity give the wine its energy and overall tension. All of the elements are simply in the right place. Powerful and also remarkably delicate, the 2014 Pichon Comtesse might very well be the wine of the vintage on the Left Bank. Don't miss it! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Feb 2017) — 8 years ago

Gil Krakowsky

9.7

Can't say enough about a wine this serious at this price point. Absolutely stunning, elegant, and even (in a chinon way) powerful. Floral aromatic dominate - lavender and a bit of rose. Graphite, dusty chalk, red pepper, some raspberry. Fresh yet not primary. Hints of savory notes as well. Incredible spine of minerality runs through the palate. Great acidity and structure. Coiler and energetic. Finishes long and bright with refreshing pyrazines for days. In an incredible place now, so no fault in drinking but has a long, long life ahead. One of the best values in the wine world. Just exceptional — 9 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.8

If there were ever an archetypical Syrah, Jamet's Cote-Rotie would be a strong candidate. To me this is a pure expression of a classic Northern Rhone Syrah. It is not a single site, but a blend of terroirs, encompassing over 20 sites mostly from hard rock schist bedrock with little to no topsoil. There is NO Viognier in this wine like one might expect from most Cote-Rotie that might have 1-5% co-fermented.

Importantly, there is also a lot less of the oak character that can dominate and overwhelm many Northern Rhone wines. The oak maturation, while not short at 22 months, only uses 15% new oak with no trace of it on the palate as it is perfectly integrated. Grape bunches are whole cluster fermented and macerated for up to 3 weeks.

The 2007 we have here was drinking superbly for a young wine, showing lively and racy layers of peppercorn spice, roast beef, and warm blackberry and currant fruit from the hot 2007 vintage. While from a warm vintage, not a hair is out of place. Density and purity exude from the nose and hint at what a brilliant future this wine has. Perfect acidity and fleshy ripe tannin provide the backbone structure for father time to peel back the layers of this beauty. I will be chceking back in 5 years at the earliest. — 9 years ago

Brandon Carneiro

Co-founder & CEO SommSelect.com

9.7

One of the best Pepe wines I've ever had. Drinking like a beautiful grand cru burg with its own special sense of place. This is one of the best wines in the world. #sommselect — 10 years ago

James K

9.6

Deserving of RPs high rating. Wine of the night? — 10 years ago

with Alejandro, Jen and 1 other

Magno González

9.2

'09 shed most of its baby fat and is at a good place right now. Pure Joy! — 11 years ago

Rob Moose

9.0

A nice debut for my case of 2011. This is in a happy drinking place for sure. No fireworks, but a great example of an approachable Nebbiolo that you can drink during summer! — 8 years ago

Timothy Wong

9.4

This wine is dark, in every sense of the word. Great mouthfeel, silky and lingering. Representative of a solid Bordeaux. — 9 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.8

Megan's wine of the night.
Absolutely superb. Definitely old world versus New World. Layers upon layers of deep and rich spice, prune and perhaps some type of herb that I could not place my finger on. you felt a kicking in on the back palate. It had so much going on that you relished every sip. This has another 20 years in front of it easily. It was just a baby tonight. No Decant!!!! Just popped and poured and it was sublime!. Thank goodness I have one left!!!!! Megan is developing an incredible Palate! She knew exactly what she did and did not like this evening. This immediately struck a chord and placed first. In all honesty, we are splitting hairs when it comes to the wines that we poured this evening. This was in my top three as well. Bravo Megan!!! This 100 point beauty definitely lived up to its hype. — 9 years ago

with Ryan and Christine

LM Segal

9.4

Big round and massive mouthful of cocoa, leather and espresso bean. Blue and black fruit on a structured finish of oaky tannins suggesting a very long way to go. I'm in such an Oreno place these days. — 9 years ago

Jaume

9.4

29 years old and drank incredibly well. What a treat. The big fruits have softened but in their place is now a brooding torrent of notes which evolved from sip to sip. Quite a remarkable wine. — 10 years ago

Alex Pitts

Cellar Master Scholium Project

9.5

2012. Intense and lush but also translates a sense of place. — 11 years ago

Amy Morgan

9.1

A medium + intensity of Black fruits (black cherry, black currants) dark chocolate, mint, tobacco and cedar. Nose and palate matching in flavor profile and complexity. Still tight and will just get better with age. — 11 years ago