Conrad Green

9.6

From mag. meaty with dark plum and beautiful fresh balanced fruit. So bright and intense, with iodine, deep plum, salinity. Gorgeous stuff and an immaculate bottle. — 6 months ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Andrew McIntyre

9.5

Silky silky smooth...so well made. Still young but very enjoyable. Has a long future ahead — 7 months ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Really just stunning. So nimble, so tight, so compact, so elegant. Brilliant! Didn’t taste the 89 sadly. — 8 months ago

Shay A

9.3

(Two previous 1983 vintage wine reviews never made it on here, so copying from CT).

My experiences with 1983s has been fairly positive, and this PL certainly is among the better I’ve had from the vintage. Holding color nicely with deep ruby and slight bricking around the rim. Started off a bit dense and muddled, but hit stride about 30mins later with a mix of red and black berry fruit, cassis, a streak of herbal green down the middle (something I always get with PL). Excellent example of the fruit showing lots of flavor without being overly ripe. Leather, sweet pipe tobacco, graphite, and still some vibrancy at the finish with tannin structure. Clean and elegant at this stage. Showed well over the course of two hours. Drink up and enjoy. — 8 months ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Presented double-blind. The wine appears straw in color with medium viscosity and, apparently, there lots of tiny bubbles so there are signs of gas, LOL. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady notes of ripe orchard fruit, red forest berries, marzipan, lemon curd, fresh brioche. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acidity. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish lasts for an eternity. The texture is ever so creamy. Wow…well, I was drinking something special. Had to be Champagne. Maybe vintage? Maybe a tête de cuvée? The style was similar to Krug. Called Champagne from a producer like Krug. OMG…the 1996 Vintage Brut?! Sheesh…someone was feeling generous! Admitted, I don’t often get to drink vintage Krug (for many hundreds of reasons!) so my experience is obviously limited. However, there’s clearly no question in this being true to house style and, now that I know the vintage, this is showing why 1996 is so special. As others have noted, this is fresher than the 1995 I had some months ago (though, that was very special too) and had greater acid. I would like to think this provides a crystal ball for the 2008 vintage that is sure to follow a similar trajectory. Drinking very fine indeed, right now and should continue to do so through 2046…depending on how you like to drink your Champagne. — 10 months ago

jesus g

Hospitality Schramsberg Vineyards

9.6

I’m really beginning to see this transition where the 2013s-16s of Rhône and Burgundy are already so drinkable and showing ripe fruit. Like they are making them to drink now, this winemaking style is showing a little more fruit extraction and from what I’ve seen here in Napa, you’re sacrificing the ability to age there for the early drinkability. Hopefully I’m wrong and these are all just warmer vintages. I just wanna see these wines reach their potential 10/20 years out — 7 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.1

Barnyard worn and matured leather aromas so delicious and intoxicating. Raspberry and soft black berry flavors with an extremely smooth finish, very little acid. So quaffable, but that nose....mmmmmm....not pictured is the 2010 by its side, same kind of thing with a stronger taste to it and just a bit more bright balance. — 10 years ago

Rachael Ryan

Sommelier Quince Restaurant

9.5

Why is this wine so good? Fantastic value. Wondering why there isn't more Gamay in the US. — 11 years ago

Mac Riding

9.8

Probably my most favorite! Not inexpensive at restaurants ($65-$76), but pairs so well with just about anything. Year after year it is consistently great. It's hard not to share it, but then you must keep multiple bottles in stock! — 11 years ago

with Heidi

Doug Powers

9.2

From a Napa vintage that I recall as being so-so, this wine shows the Howell Mountain terroir without the normally harsh tannins that were characteristic of Dunn HM wines in the 1980s. But, honestly, this is really lovely, suave, red fruited, with a medium-long finish, and seems way younger than I expected from a 37-year-old Napa Cabernet!! — 6 months ago

with Jim

Tom Garland

9.5

1.5 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable purplish magenta color. On the nose: very aeromatic notes of black & red berries, truffles, loamy soil, worn leather, tobacco leaf, floral, herbaceous. Taste: soft, elegant, balanced, layered mouthfeel wine with blackberry, dark plum, leather, crushed granite, dried herbs, and a spiced cedar long finish with some dusty tannins. YUM! At the start of its drinking window with 20-30 years to go, so no rush. — 7 months ago

with Brenda

Lyn Farmer

9.8

At 23 years of age And 22 years on the lees, this wine has loads of toasty autolytic flavors combined with lemon drop, dried orange rind, dried raspberry, baked apple, toast, pastry, honey, hazelnut and acacia. Soft but persistent mousse and an extremely long finish. — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

No formal notes . medium deep ruby , medium bright ruby rim. Quite spicy a little oak noticeable at first . Mixed dark fruits . A bit more round and juicy on the palate , good acidity , slightly grippy but polished tannins . This becomes a bit more restrained and reserved after a while. Served blind , I actually put this as Haut Brion , due to its generous personality, and polished tannins. Overall showed well in the flight was my top wine (though the Cheval Blanc may well be better in absolute terms) . Can be enjoyed now , though has the substance to last a further decade or so, a good showing for the Mouton. — 9 months ago

David White

9.3

It’s 10 years since Serge. Hochar’s death whilst swimming in Acapulco on NYE 2014 and I think it’s appropriate to celebrate his legacy that is the modern Chateau Musar.
I first tasted Lebanese wines in London circa 1986 when I used to go to a couple of Lebanese restaurants in Shepherds Market near Mayfair in London
Al Hamra is still in business
I’ve been to Beirut several times and always stock up at the airport duty free
So a toast to a departed icon of the wine world
Since my last 2011 4.5 years ago (see note) this has aged wonderfully and I’ve up my rating several points
Another few years and it will be further improved
Optimal decant time was around 3.5 to 4 hours
Ethereal stuff — 10 months ago

Mike Evans

9.5

Purchased on release around 2003 and from the cork code of M251, it appears to have been disgorged September/October 2002. A little nutty and lemony, but with piercing and intense minerality, still fairly young. I've had the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Krugs in the last month or so and this was comparable in quality to the 1996 and drinking better than the 2000 and 2004. A spectacular Champagne and proof of the ageworthiness of the Grande Cuvée, I've had it at least 15 years and have no doubt it will continue to excel for at least another 15.
An added bonus is that it has the beautiful old gold label, which I much prefer to the current iteration, so it looks as good as it tastes. — 7 years ago

with Kevin and Stan

Pierre Arneaux

9.2

Wow. More flavor, much better than their regular cab. Silky, velvet, smooth. Chocolate. Rich fruit. Big, full flavor, lots of flavor. Not old world style for sure, not subtle. It's a big bomb. We would pay up to $75 for this so a bit overpriced to us.
— 9 years ago

Tim O'Rourke

9.6

What? So good. All the olive and pepper and leather that you would expect and plenty of game and mushroom as well. I don't suppose I'll have another chance to taste this, so I'll have to rely on memory of something so delicious. — 10 years ago

William Goldsmith

9.4

So good. These wines are my new obsession. — 11 years ago

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.7

Still so sweet! — 12 years ago

with Cleora

John Van Trijp

9.4

So Classic — 6 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.6

Wow. What a deep and complex story here. Very serious and austere, as usual. But this guy is gonna reveal so much interesting aroma with some evolution. — 6 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.6

Wow! So glad I bought a bottle of this. Funky on opening. After 2 hours it is so good. Violets, roses, cherry, baking spice is in background, there’s an earth/herbal component I cannot pinpoint. It is so drinkable but evolves with almost every sip. Need more Pinots like this in my life. — 8 months ago

Paco Suro

9.4

Outstanding. A little light in body. But wow. So delicious. — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

No formal notes . Medium deep ruby again. This is a bit greener , spicier , with some red pepper , smokier and darker fruit on the nose . Spicier and a bit more plush on the palate . This actually improved a lot in the glass and was changing quite a lot , became more floral with crunchy fresh dark berries . Polished tannin but nice fresh acidity , quite velvety on the palate . No lack of weight either . Really quite liked this and will no doubt age gracefully even if it is enjoyable today with time in decanter. For enjoyment over the next 10 years or so. — 9 months ago

Maxie McCoy

10

So good! Kate/Gale/Richard Brunch — 2 years ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

9/2023. My dessert at Chive Blossom, Pawleys Island SC. Nice full flavor with good caramel. Not too sweet either. — 2 years ago

Chris Trapp

9.9

Wow! So perfect — 8 years ago

Steve Gerths

9.3

Ah! Silver Oak. Drank while watching Packers lose. So enjoyable. This is the Alexander Valley Cab from 2008. Great vintage, smooth cherry/dark berry fruit. Love 2008 vintage with its burst of fruit and subtle licorice finish — 10 years ago

Emily Hauptman

10

Loved this wine!! So smooth!! — 10 years ago

Matthew Iaconis

Owner/Winemaker Brick & Mortar

9.1

Over the hill but so intriguing. — 11 years ago

with Alexis