Eliot Hamerman

9.5

Bright fruits. So smooth. Not tired. Still drinking impeccably. — a month ago

Nathan Renfro

9.3

Lovely wine. Dark fruit, lots of minerality. Still needs some air to open up. Tannins still strong, matched nicely with a ribeye for dinner. — 2 months ago

Christian Fischer

9.3

Some specials on today at the Chelsea lounge at JFK. Thought I’d ask and look what we got. It doesn’t have as much of the typical Dom taste for me and it is still very very young, definitely still a baby. Great nose and packs a lot of citrusy flavors - they will certainly mellow over the years. Not a bad rendition, not quite hitting the super high marks with me right now, but very pleasant early p.m. bubbly on this holiday — 2 months ago

Stuart Pollack

9.9

Beautiful wine. So earthy, leathery, and powerful. This wine still has years of life left. A nearly perfect Cabernet Sauvignon blend with a Mediterranean twist. It tastes like an extremely high-end Chateauneuf-du-Pape dominated by a high-end Napa Cabernet. Perfect with my Greek lamb chops. I wish I could have left it open longer but I consumed it at my favorite BYOB Greek restaurant. If you find this wine at a reasonable price, buy it. At $90 a steal. — 2 months ago

Conrad Green

9.6

Structured and balanced. Very in place and lightly sophisticated. The fruit is all in check as is the alcohol. Still a long life ahead, but very god right now. You need to lean in a bit to feel it — 3 months ago

with Peter and Gregg

Ron Siegel

9.3

Still mostly primary that will need more time. Great future — 4 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot. — 6 months ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.4

A bit closed on the nose and still some alcoholic heat which proves that additional cellaring is needed. Besides that a fantastic wine. Quite some acidity which surprised me for a Napa wine. If you have this wine I would keep it at least another year or two before opening it — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

No formal notes on this one , but really shows well . Drinking well with nice spicy blackberry and herbal touches on the nose. Fills out well on the palate too with good dark fruits touch of menthol and herbal finish . Very well balanced , quite light weight for a Chave Hermitage but as there is no comparison this evening the wine is just a joy to drink . Now but will still be going strong over the next 5 - 10 years . — 9 months ago

Evan Bloom

9.3

What a treat. From the company to the antics of the cork removal, all was fantastic. Not surprised with some immediate mustiness on the nose, giving way to a rich but smooth aged blue cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, earth, and just a faint hint of dried red fruit. Over the next 20 minutes the glass development was out of control, changing with each and every whiff and sip. Earthy umami, oxidative, and and slightly stewed reds to begin quickly opened to nice dried strawberries on the palate and nose, and advancing to moderately subdued ripened strawberries and cranberries- after 61 years and still kickin with fruit! Amazing. Then after about 20 minutes of rapid metamorphosis, it gave in and decided to fade to a very pleasant sipper...awesome. — 8 years ago

with Rajiv and Tim

Conrad Green

9.3

Polished and complete. Good fruit. Rich still with good acidity. Correct rather than wow — 2 months ago

with Paul and Ara

Vino Joe

9.5

Decanted and simmered for hours. By Hour 3+ this broadened into a deep and luxurious wine. Ripe fruit - currant blackberry. Nice mouthfeel with some mineral residue. Not a long tail on this but it did linger still. Not particularly fragrant. A bit inward overall but all the pieces good and bad kinda fit together and it was nonetheless quite enjoyable. — 2 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

A 3 hour decant has 05 Montrose showing beautifully, wafting layers of cassis, cedar and mocha with a silky and vibrant palate and fine grained tannins. Still so young but in a real nice spot. — 2 months ago

Jan de Weerd

9.1

Yeah, what can I say. Nice wine for sure, but for some reason when I see the Silver Oak label my expectations rise. Realizing this is the Alexander Valley version. But 2011! Thirteen years old. Still rather single note, strong oak tannins still overshadowed what maybe underneath it. A bit disappointed I am afraid. We pulled it out with my first ever Tomahawk ribeye… so yeah. — 3 months ago

with Tammy

Shay A

9.3

My last of a three pack, and this shockingly drinks almost identical to my last bottle over four years ago.

Lovely deep red in the glass with bricking around the rim. Fig bar, sweet black cherries and tobacco aromatics. Ripe red and black fruits on the palate...not over ripe, but definitely sweet. Channeling more of a cherry liqueur and concentrated mid-palate as it ages. Close to fully integrated. Quite smooth and still a lot of fruit playing a primary role, but it’s not getting any better. More sexy than intellectual (nothing wrong with either).

I’d imagine this will hold in this window for another couple years and then decline, but I didn’t expect it to hold in this same window for almost five years. Drink up. — 4 months ago

Conrad Green

9.6

The noise in this is amazing given its age. Dark plum, mocha, some funk, some wild brambly fruit, a hint of acetone. In the palate this is still rich and has some iodine and dark minerality. Unbelievable given its age. What an incredible testament to Unico. Delicious — 5 months ago

with Tony and David

Vino Joe

9.3

Way too early. I have a few 375mL bottles and was curious to learn how a wine like this might be even though it was well before it’s suggested drinking window. The bones and structure are evident and this should grow into a monster. It was still a very pleasant wine it was just holding back the whole time. Unfocused fruit and a bit too sweet but I think this score will be significantly higher for round 2. — 7 months ago

Alan Weinberg

9.4

always great and still with an acid spine. No danger of decline. — 9 months ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.6

Perfectly evolved & peaking right now.
This is classical Bordeaux heaven!
Sous-bois, dusty wardrobe, pencil shavings, cigar box and (still!) some black currant. Surprisingly fresh on the nose and even fresher on the palate. Light medium body, the tannins completely mellowed and fully integrated, vibrant juicy acidity.
This is poised, so elegant, so drinkable and with amazing depth. And with bright freshness. What a delight!
A singing beauty!! — 10 months ago

John Van Trijp

9.2

Still quite young. Sleeper vintage? — 9 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1982 vintage. Respectable fill and cork. Decanted and tasted after two hours. A bit prunish in the nose but that didn’t translate into the flavor profile. Medium body. Still lots of ripe fruit with a decent amount of acidity. Much better than anticipated. Holding strong. 3.5.24. — 2 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Worth a check in at 10 years. Always an outstanding nose. Needed hours of air and still pretty shy, fruit in particular is closed. Paired with NY strip tonight. Have half a case left of this vintage and will check in again in a couple years. — 2 months ago

Pooneet K

9.1

Not quite up to other years of d’Yquem but still lovely of course. Lacking some acid on the finish. Overall less density and length than I was hoping. But the palate entry and overall aromatics are still incredible. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Flight #2 of our 1997 Retrospective and these were the thoroughbreds. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #1 had great color, was developing, and probably the earthiest of the group but still had a lovely fruit profile. A really nice balance of fruit and non-fruits. Robust structure. Notably, this was the only bottle in the flight that had Brettanomyces…and while I found it to quite charming, this is what ultimately got me hung up on whether I thought this was the Dominus or the Monte Bello. Ultimately I called the later. I really dig this and wish I could afford more Dominus in my life. Drink now and through 2035. — 3 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Happy New Year! Had to go out with a fun year end wine.

Decant and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A majestic dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: Eucalyptus, perfumed red fruit, floral, soil, herbaceous. Taste: silky, creamy, fresh wine with some still there red cherry, tobacco, earthy, shaved graphite, and a peppery cedar long finish. YUM! What a treat to drink as a our final wine this last night of the year.
Cheers!
ELLA Restaurant,  New Year's Eve:
Cavier Beignet
Dungeness crab bisque
Roasted Liberty duck breast
72 hour braised short ribs
Chocolate midnight cake — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2001 vintage (great Napa cab year). Good, upper-shoulder fill. Dryish cork. Decanted with plenty of sed. Lots of color. Tasted immediately. Smoky plummy nose. Still medium-heavy body. Showing well with plenty of front-palate richness evident in the gums. Overt "oakiness" gone with only complimentary, flattering oak framing the composition at this point. A hint of tannins on the finish but you've got to know where to look. Summer-school hedonism. Slightly better than expected. 11.30.23. — 5 months ago

romo

9.2

Brought this to Spain from Italy yesterday. Still holding on, but fading. At peak likely 3-5 years ago, but still sound and mysteriously sneaky on finish. — 7 months ago

with Chris

Nathan Renfro

9.5

My first bottle of the ‘16. This is drinking really well right now, and I can’t wait to see it in 10 years. Fruit is ripe, tannins are tight but approachable. Black and red fruit. Acidity still strong but also approachable. Overall well structured and integrated. Just gonna get better with time, but like I said, it can be pnp, but with patience it’ll be fantastic. I agree with WS 95 rating. — 9 months ago

Eric

9.1

Super complex nose with figs, olive juice, roasted dark nuts, funk, and black licorice. Following that is a bit of a let down. Palate starts strong with dark fruit and charred earth but the watery finish (that I feel like is a vintage thing) leaves me hangin. Doubtful more time will help. Still a good showing. — 7 years ago

Rick Magnello

10

Still vibrant as hell #bombassvintage — 9 years ago