Pooneet K

9.2

Last had this vintage a couple years ago. These obviously have a long life ahead of them. With some nice air, this does open up. Wonderful dark fruit and earth aromas. Tannins are quite present and a bit bitter (not in a bad way at all). Excellent acid on the finish. Delicious pairing with kinderhook pork chops with tutto porchetta seasoning. — 5 months ago

Conrad Green

9.4

So rounded and glossy. High toned with black cherry and some mocha and good acidity. Excellent stuff. — 7 months ago

with Rick

Tom Garland

9.5

1 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark medium garnet with little bricking. On the nose: expressive perfumed nose with dark plum/cherry, currants,milk chocolate, baking spice, floral, wet forest floor, touch of roasted meat. Taste: silky, balanced, elegant wine that is singing at 20 years with dried red fruit, earth, chocolate, cedar, minerals, saline, and a spiced-tobacco-green bell pepper long finish. YUM! — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Flight 2 , wine 1 . Quite deep garnet , less terracotta rim . This had a whiff of oxidation about it at first which seemed to somewhat dissipate with time . Some dark spiced fruits , liquorice and menthol hints , cedar and sous bois . On the palate good ripeness and spiced dark cherry hints . Good acidity and rounded tannin . Nice length also , offering some spiced black fruits and menthol hints . Don’t think this is a pristine bottle but was enjoyable none the less , I was unsure at first if this was Napa , but coming back to it … and reading my notes , it became quite obvious . However I had this down as the Ch Montelena , not the Dominus — 10 months ago

Claire Montgomery

9.1

Part of zin wine tasting. Fav one of the set — 5 years ago

Nic Anderson

9.4

We enjoyed this Zin a lot. Tasting notes include all spice, floral, and strawberries. It’s potent with 15% alcohol. Paired well with dark chocolate and honey/garlic pork chops. — 6 years ago

Brandon Boesch

10

This is perfect for July 4th. Zin that tastes like zin but without the chocolate and oak. Could smell it for days. Palate is strawberry jam with stone, forest, and bright acidic fruit. If you like the minimalist wine movement, you must try this. Especially the 2016. — 7 years ago

Andrew Lubeck

8.9

Rich though lacked some oomph. May have been open awhile (by the glass) — 8 years ago

Mary

9.0

Go too reliable Zin for everyday enjoyment. — 10 years ago

Joseph Moss

9.3

Gamay all day, every day! With some aging on it. Good to drink, still good to keep. — 11 years ago

Ted

9.0

Love the simplicity of the label. Very nice Zin. Medium bodied and has 4 years of age on it. — 6 months ago

with Jeni

Bob McDonald

9.2

From the Downs Club First Growth Lunch last Saturday. Very brief notes. Mid crimson in colour - some bricking at the rim. A meaty note - a lovely red fruited perfume - unmistakably first growth. Just medium weight - a lesser vintage. — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, savory oak and floral notes. On the palate blackberry and cherry currant flavors with hints of cedar and leather, adding some herb notes. Fine dusty tannins, good acidity, well balanced, ending with fruit and earthy mineral notes. Nice! Grab a filet! — 9 months ago

Steve Goore

9.2

Dark fruits, oak, and herbs combine in this zin forward red blend. Great upon opening and excellent day 2. Not familiar with Mataro (only 5%) but blended to perfection. — 9 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

2/2025. #24 on WS Top 100 2024. A nice medium bodied Zin. Paired well with my grilled pork chops. — 10 months ago

Joe Gillies

9.0

Can't beat when on sale for $17. Gives you everything you want in a zin. Well balanced and a great mid-level zin that is not overly jammy. — 5 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.1

Blackberry compote with some plum and vanilla flavors. Lush and full-bodied. It starts out with a bang but settles in nicely with a long, creamy finish. It’s Turley. Of course it’s going to be good. — 7 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.0

100% Zin. Rich with plum, mocha and blackberry notes. Classic style of Zin with high alcohol but enough fruit and acidity to keep from going over the top — 8 years ago

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.3

My mom is in town so I figured it was time to open some nice wine. Like others said here, the 1999 takes some time to open up. No fruit at all at first but then you get this beautiful strawberry and licorice and that beautiful aged subtle American Oak spice blend. Great body and deep dark color that doesn't suggest it's age. — 9 years ago

with Kate

Andy Cochran

9.1

Great bottle of Cab for Pam's 28th bday. Alex Valley is always one of my faves. Lots of depth and great with some steaks. Well balanced - 08 vintage — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.0

This was a well-stored example and the cork was in pretty great shape; extracted with the aid of a Durand. Opened about an hour before service and poured into a decanter. Enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1981 pours a garnet color with a slight orange-ish rim; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with mostly desiccated notes of dark and red fruit: red currants, confected cherry, organic earth, mushroom, leather, eucalyptus, baking spice. Umami AF. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. While showing its age, this is very much alive. The entire bottle was enjoyed by all. Drink now. — 6 months ago

WC Fields

9.1

On target and in the window. What I have drank of Pauillac this was lighter in its feet but the blackberry tobacco cigar wrapper with some nice tannins and acid. This could probably go longer but glad I opened it. — 8 months ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Calm and precise. Soft plummy fruit with some contained and polished fruit. Very good. — 9 months ago

with Paul and Ara

Tom Barras

9.1

Considered by some to be the Wine of the Vintage, the 2005 Léoville-Barton
Is a full bodied mouthful of black currants, minerals, spices, grippy tannins and enough energy to evolve for another decade. — 9 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.9

Tasted blind. Deep purple color. Looks very young, compared to the 45 Margaux next to it. Almost opaque. Notes of black fruit, cracked walnuts, sweet fruit, raspberry and some cedar desk. Super rich in the mouth. Seems young and is firm, but tannins are softened and the mouthfeel is velvet touch. Long finish. It peacocks all night. The walnuts thing leads my guess to Latour, but can this be the 45? Is it a 61 or 82? Could be... I go with it being a 59 given how young it seems. Just an amazing bottle of wine, open for ~9 hours by the time we left, it seemed to effortlessly power along. Thanks Stan! — 4 years ago

Neal Ferry

9.0

Classic; still only a sip — 6 years ago

with Tom

Patrick Bailey

10

Absolutely my favorite zin??? — 8 years ago

Nic Anderson

9.5

Love this wine and at $8-$12 for a price point, it's pretty awesome! — 8 years ago

Robert McCall

8.9

P&P'd this and it paired perfectly with tonites homemade bolognese. A bit disjointed and funky at first but glass time rewarded with some black/red fruit, leather and spice, wrapped around a nice acid streak. — 10 years ago

Rhys Thomas

9.7

Really good reasonable wine- £12 at waitrose — 13 years ago