Brad Jensen

9.3

Silky smooth nose, velvety and soft, with forewarned black currants, just a LITTLE pepper, dark cherry and maybe a little pine forest floor? Some sediment and still grippy tannin, but starting to really loosen, with prominent ripe red fruits of dark , brooding plum, cherry and dark fruits, with hints of graphite, wood, and smoke over a still zingy finish. — 5 months ago

John W

9.0

Deep ruby coloration. On the nose, forest floor, plum, cherry, currants, spice and bbq. On the palate, blueberry, blackberry, cherry, plum, and high acidity right out of the bottle. After breathing some, notes of cedar, minerals, tobacco, and spice, carrying through to a longer finish of cherry, vanilla and mint. Tannins strong but balanced. — 6 months ago

Jess

9.0

Medium-deep ruby color.
Aromas of dark fruit, buttered toast, spice, herbs.
Dry. Flavors of black plum, licorice, thyme, stewed black cherry. Medium-rich, velvety tannins.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 7 months ago

Jie Ling

8.9

Plum and deep fruits — 7 months ago

John W

9.8

Deep ruby coloration. On the nose, dark berry, cassis, forest floor, minerals and earth, cherry, cocoa powder, plum and vanilla. On the palate, dark berry , blueberry, cherry, Smokey vanilla, and secondary and tertiary notes of oak, espresso. Chocolate. Complex and excellent ful bodied wine with velvet mouthfeel. — 8 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby, aged for 18 months in French oak, about 25% new, aromas of red and blue fruits with spice and earthy scents. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blueberry with some spice and cacao. This full-body wine had velvety smooth tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy character. — 2 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark purple plum skin color from center to the rim’s edge where some scarlet also appears. Opaque. Great fruit forward nose that grabs your attention. Notes of blackberries, ripe plums, violets, tobacco, forest floor and some crushed walnuts. Rich and silky in the mouth. Great balance and texture. Tannins perfectly integrated. Long finish. If a Cal Cab can be seductive, this is it. Still youthful but in a great zone tonight. — 6 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 1988 d'Yquem is almost identical to the bottle I tasted in 2016. This is almost Barsac-like in style on the nose with scents of barley sugar, complemented by marmalade and mandarin, fresh and vibrant with a palpable sense of energy. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous texture but it is not, and has never been, as unctuous as either the 1989 or 1990. However, what the 1988 does possess is a surfeit of vitality and tension. There are layers of blood orange, quince and marmalade towards the finish that as the aromatics suggest, comes across as quite Barsac in style. Superb. Tasted at Château Batailley. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2018) — 6 years ago

Nick Benz

9.3

Tons of dark fruit, roasted plum and black currant, leather and black olives — 7 years ago

Kimberly Anderson

9.2

Licorice nose. Unripe plum and cherry jam. Silky finish — 8 years ago

with Chad

Brett Zimmerman

Master Sommelier, Owner Boulder Wine Merchant

9.7

Bright red flowers, spice, cedar and brown sugar. Dark leafy note, and mushroom. Long, fresh and polished! — 9 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1978 vintage. Great fill with a fully saturated cork. Used a Durand to remove and cork held up but big cork splinters shedding upon removal. Decanted and tasted over the course of an hour. Super silky, not chunky, sed. Light-medium body. Had to coax the nose out a little but revealed cassis, tobacco, dark plum, sandalwood and cherry pits. All these plus a slight, beef broth touch in the flavors. Not improving but can sustain another half-decade in this incarnation. Gorgeous, old BDX. Drink now till 2029. 12.8.23. — 5 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

Bob McDonald

9.3

Dark dark Ruby - call it black. From the ripe 2010 vintage. Black fruits, mulberry, anise, herbs - very full bodied, very Barossa and very Penfolds. At least 10 to 15 years in front of it. As HH said undoubtedly a warm climate style, and it’s so true. On the palate ripe plum, blackberry and liquorice. Oak not as prominent as in previous tastings. Next one in mid 2025. — 7 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.3

Nose was not showing much. Primarily plum, some cassis, earthy, mushroom, log fire, lots going on. Nice mouthfeel, medium finish. — 9 months ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.0

Some plum and blackberry notes supported with graphite backbone. — 4 years ago

with Marilea

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.9

The 2013 Opus One is an absolute stunning release, and is certainly one of most impressive young wines I have ever tasted from this estate. This shows a darker, more forward profile from this warm vintage, and is clearly one to contemplate, as there are so many complexities and working parts to this compelling wine. This instantly impresses as it opens to intense aromatics of crème de cassis, black cherry, blackberry compote and black plum woven together with mocha, sandalwood. The mouthfeel is voluptuous and beautifully concenrated with deep and penetrating flavors of black cherry, créme de cassis, blackberry cobbler, anise, sage and anise, which all resonate beautifully across the palate. This is already extreamly appealing, but try to resist this hedonistic wine for at least another few years, as there is undoubtedly a long future ahead. Drink 2019-2035-99 — 5 years ago

Sabine Freire

9.3

Had the 1988 vintage fantastic mix of ripe plum with touches of prunes, a little green bell pepper on the nose and slight spicy note of black pepper. Well balanced tannins, garnet shade — 6 years ago

Wayne Rodriguez

9.0

A deep fruit, maybe plum. Delicious and smooth finish. EXCELLENT table wine if I was more rich ;) beautiful and fun. Wish there was more tannins however. — 8 years ago

with Edgar

Peter N

9.4

2005 in 3 liter. Perhaps close to its peak; layered, evolving plum and berries, some dried. Some spice and wind-blown seaside plants. Long. #delicious and perfect with the 14-pound lobster @ridgevineyards — 9 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.5

Fan-friggin-tastic, smells of minty clove and graphite with bright berry undertones. In the mouth, dried orange peel, sour cherry, plum, and a sweet minty finish. — 9 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable dark purplish magenta with some bricking. On the nose: some plum, currants, herbaceous, baking spice, touch of tobacco and milk chocolate. Taste: creamy, balanced, savory wine with currants, tobacco, green bell pepper, spiced dark cherry, clove. YUM! — 6 months ago

with Brenda

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The best Phelps Napa I’ve had & had a ton. This 97 was stored perfectly & still just the other side of its peak. Balanced, lovely w/ nothing that bites back. Well worth the $75 or so that I paid. Likely around $25 on release. Now, 24 yrs in bottle better than some other Napa wines I’ve paid $150. The nose is also one of the better Napa Cabernet’s I’ve inhaled. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, poached, dark cherries, spiced strawberries with raspberries hovering. Anise to black licorice, dark Indian/Asian spices, slightly dry tobacco, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, hints of sweet lead pencil shavings, dry & fresh herbaceousiness, charcoal, black tea, hints of menthol, dark, slightly withering florals, framed in lavender & violets.

The palate is lush, ruby, juicy fruits. Those that think fruit is lost at this age, not the case here and in many of the well stored wines I’ve had. Ripe & juicy; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, black plum, plum, poached, dark cherries, spiced strawberries with raspberries hovering. Anise to black licorice, tarry notes, some fig & dates, dark Indian/Asian spices, slightly dry tobacco, dry brush/twig, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, hints of sweet lead pencil shavings, dry & fresh herbaceousiness, charcoal, black tea, hints of menthol, moist volcanic clay, very fine, dry, crushed rocks, dark, slightly withering florals framed in lavender & violets, perfect acidity. The finish is outstandingly; knitted, tensioned, structured, layered, balanced for days that lasts minutes. Outstanding!!!

What a treat. The integration & evolution is epic & everything you hope for in every wine you open. You’ve heard of a velvet wine wrap in an iron fist. This is a velvet wine wrapped in a velvet glove. — 6 months ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Decant and pour. A wondrous garnet color with bricking. On the nose: captivating nose of dark plum, wet forest floor, herbaceous, spice, some funky barnyard. Taste: dark plum, cedar, earth, pencil lead, and a spiced green bell pepper/tobacco medium plus finish with a moderately tight tannic kick....drinks like a younger Bordeaux. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Scott Samlan

8.9

Amazing birthday bottle. Deep plum, cherries, and great tannin structure — 10 months ago

Aaron Schneider

9.8

Truly an elegant expression from aged Napa wine. The notes of cedar and cigar box coupled with some mushroom and earth tones dominate. On the taste, the rich mouthfeels steel shows some fruit notes with deep blueberry and plum notes. I REALLY LIKE THIS WINE! And am glad to still have this in my cellar... — 4 years ago

with Kay and Chuck

Joaquin Martinez

9.0

Wine with great initial plum aromas and crushed strawberries with hints of cedar that slowly become more pronounced. As it breathes you get great smoky aromas. The palate itself has good acidity with moderate tannins and touches of plums, tobacco, rich red fruit and overall a great succulent flavor. — 6 years ago

Chris England

8.9

£99 Magnum that RP said "one of the most disappointing St.-Juliens I tasted 84pts" well I think he should retry the great numpty 😜 Still could do w/ 2-5yrs 👍 Great nose but palate still a little tight

🍇 63% Cab S, 25% Mer, 9% Cab F & 3% Pet V

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Smokey oaky earthy farmyard through shy blackcurrant & spiced plum w/ minerals, leather, musky cellar & wet leaves - fab nose 👍

👄 Med earthy mocha blackcurrant body w/ dry tannins & touch of tart cherry

🎯 Med dry earthy blackcurrant finish — 7 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.1

1990 vintage. From Double Magnum. At Harry's Bar for Jay K's birthday. Immediately on opening, green and vegetal, woody. But blew off fairly quickly with red plum and cedar notes to the fore. On the palate, medium acidity and integrated medium minus tannins. Medium concentration. Finish is medium plus. Let's come back to this in an hour and reassess. An hour on: more earth, twig, forest floor and slight medicinal notes. The wine is starting to becoming tart - not sure decanting was a good idea! Drink up soon - not for keeping. — 9 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.4

This was poured through a Zazzol aerator and just spilled out Cassis, black olive, cigar box and vanilla/brown sugar from the glass. Should she well for another 8-10 years. Delicious! — 9 years ago