David Nicewicz

9.3

Birth year Bordeaux and this has been excellent. Very old school nose of copious tobacco, forest floor and dark berries. Medium bodied but gaining intensity over the course of 2 h - tannins completely melted. Bricking is apparent on first pour but the color grows darker with time. Perfect bottle that is a little past it’s prime but fun to step back in time. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Ron R

9.3

I’ve always had a sweet spot for this producer. When I saw the WS rating, I had to try it.
It’s my sort of Napa cab, without the nosebleed at the checkout. Rich, plush nose of coffee and maple syrup. Presents with depth and texture on the palate. Tannins are ripe, indicating longevity. I’m going back to the well! — 8 years ago

with Mo

Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.0

The most generously fruity of Ridge Zins. Black berry and stewed fruit in the front, young and opulent at first compared to their other wines. More resolved and firm in the back with a near perfect juxtaposition of acidity and tannin. White pepper in the finish. A bit hot and jumpy at this time. Great potential but needs some softening time still. — 8 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.4

Back upstate and starting with a quick split and caviar to get things back on track. The softest bubbles, brioche, yeasty, toasted almonds. Yum. Great balance to the brine. Christmas Carols have switched to George Michael. Can this year please end already?!?!? — 9 years ago

Doreen Sylvia Dunlevy

9.1

This wine was a gift from friends staying at our condo. You are welcome back anytime. Rich, robust red wine, great with pasta! Perfect! — 10 years ago

Nate Baker

9.1

Damn good. Heavy, sweet on the back end. Pretty awesome. — 11 years ago

Thomas Hughes

9.5

I was disappointed with my last Caymus Special Selection vintage, but this beauty brought me back to a bottle that won Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year ... Twice!! Incredible fruit and balance. This can be cellared and enjoyed for years to come. Cheers!! — 11 years ago

c l b

9.0

First night stand (with my coravin).

This was my first love (in the wine world) shortly after popping my wine-cherry. But didn't appreciate it to its fullest till now. Maybe it just aged well, maybe my awareness of all the different characteristics got better...in any case, I fell in love all over again...

Nose: Perfectly ripe blackberries and deep ruby cherries. Nice baking spices. The 2012 Faust smells like a $5-bottle in comparison (even though it cost about the same price the times that I became proud owners of both, especially with this particular bottle back when I was a poor graduating college student). Maybe that's how 9 years of experience affects your maturity...maybe I just need to drink more wine and edumacate myself, which I don't mind.

Tongue/mouth: Even though it's 12 years old, the tannins hold on for dear life to your taste buds (hasn't really incorporated itself to the rest of the nicely developed parts of its body). Drink with something fatty (like my short rib I happened to have). Then you can really enjoy the berriness of the wine.

I'm just so purely happy that I can enjoy a taste of it without the guilt of having to commit to it fully and leave it [the bottle] feeling empty. Thank you, Cory. — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

This bottle was hand carried from the Middle East, seven years back, and my first time enjoying the 2002 since release. Cork was perfect. On the nose, some VA but nothing crazy. Notes of balsamic, teriyaki, sandalwood and charred meat. On the palate, still quite primary with dark cherries and dried dark fruits being predominate. Plenty of structure. The texture is remarkably fine and silky. Quite classy actually! Nevertheless, this isn’t the most soul stirring vintage of Musar Rouge. At nearly 19 years of age, this bottle still comes across as youthful with developing vinousity. Perhaps time will coax more out...but I suspect, as others have previously stated, that the 2002 is more of a modest wine by their standards...which is still quite delicious and enjoyable in its own right. This will easily live for another 10+ years. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.7

Incredible potential loaded in this top St Julien from a top year @ £145 paid now £200-235 this is a monster 😈 superb now but wow in 10-20 years juice of the gods 😍 Had eased back since a year ago as it was more full on then 😉 This wine will outlive me 😁

📍 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010

🏵 97-98 points w/ 100 potential in time 👍

🍇 90% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Merlot

🍷 Opaque blackened deep ruby

👃 Heady intense hit of blackcurrant, mint leaf, dark plum & violet w/ soft oak, minerals, mocha, liquorice & fresh cedar

👄 Med+ body of mocha infused creamy smooth plump blackcurrant w/ cocoa, damson compote & blackberry jam

🎯 Long mocha & liquorice blackcurrant smack in the choppers 💥 w/ a mineral & blackberry kick — 7 years ago

MaJ CappS

8.9

¡Feliz día de los muertos!
Time to scare the dead back to the beyond.
A wine from gnarled Vince’s should do the trick.
Smells of gun powder tea.
decanted for 4 hours, and the fruit is lush with dark ripened berries, and heavy handed spices. the burn will not blow off so one must integrate it into the tasting. High octane.
Expensive for a Zin, yet so well crafted, as we know Turley does.
The lingering acids seething with the alcohol burn. Enjoyable still.
— 8 years ago

Steve Haro

9.5

Hints of menthol and eucalyptus on the nose. Loads of anise and black tea flavors with portobello and grilled game. Fruit flavors taking a back seat to earth but wow, does it have life. Forrest floor and tobacco on the finish. — 9 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.7

Where to begin. We ordered a bottle of 1982 Heitz Bella Oaks, which was corked. It was also their only bottle. We went back to the well and decided on this '83 Dunn HM, and we're not disappointed. All of the red fruit and cedar you expect, but tons of mint and cocoa as well. Really solid bottle. One of my top 5. — 9 years ago

Eric Egan

9.2

Super-weird bottle. Mid-shoulder, crumbly cork, and the colour of freshly pressed strawberry juice - extremely pale as slightly cloudy! The immediate scent was quite off-putting but after 30 minutes it stormed back! Scents of autumn mulch, burning vine roots, sour cherries, and raspberry compote. A weird sourness and heady acidity on the front of the palette but it still keeps together well. Clearly badly kept but still really interesting to drink! A true testament to The quality of Mouton under the stewardship of the late Baron. I wonder if this is what some of the better kept bottles might be like in 100 years' time!? — 10 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.1

At Redstone w/Shelly. Just back from Orlando w/Rettke. #pro — 11 years ago

with Rick, Jeff and 2 others

Tom Riley

9.2

Twelve years in and this wine is so damn perky. Let me get back to you in another hour. Maybe it will be a tad less exuberant and a bit more relaxed. No matter what happens it's still gonna be delicious. These folks are so delightfully reliable. 13.0 abv — 11 years ago

Chris Danner

9.0

loving the tapas at this place. we feel like we are back in madrid. the shafer is solid. — 11 years ago

with Cortney

Cal Peng

9.9

Drank at Ed's. For Alan and Marian's farwell party. Heading back to Taiwan. 8/17/2013 — 13 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

BV grapes were first planted back in 1900, by founder Georges de Latour. A blend of mostly Cab Sauv with a bit of Petit Verdot. Outstanding! Deep Ruby with complex berry fruit aromas adding in toasty floral spice. On the palate big full flavors of blackberry, cherry and sweet plum flavors with licorice and cacao, adding some cedar notes. Soft velvet tannins, young, long finish, well integrated and nicely balanced, a joy to drink. Will Benefit from long aging. — 6 years ago

Ron Lear

9.1

Spectacular fruity back finish with lovely tannins. Soft and velvety throughout! — 7 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.7

Pretty deep garnet core , showing a little age as expected , the rim is quite thin and with a light garnet hue. Impressive aromatic nose straight from opening , leather , grafite , creme de cassis, truffle. Very masculine and aristocratic! Still holding a lot back and developing in the glass. In the mouth , quite dry and grippy tannins , the fruit is sweeter , very long on the palate nicely balanced acidity . Blackcurrant , coffee , mineral , creme de cassis . A very big wine , drinkable now though will no doubt improve over many years . Barely changed a day later after a night in the vacuvin . More spicy tobacco and soy showing , still marvelous length, showing there is still so much to give. — 8 years ago

GabWine

9.6

When we open from 1987, we expect everything. One thinks of its conservation in cellar, the risk that it is passed or incredible, with the tannins having evolved in this vial ... The cork pulled-out, in perfect state and one knows in advance that one hit the jackpot and that it will be phenomenal. A coppery robe, a complex nose with aromas of black and floral fruits. In the mouth, an explosion of flavors that take the length and makes us go back in time. A very large estate for an incredible wine, to fall 😍🍷 — 8 years ago

Rupesh Parikh

9.2

What a great cab; structured yet fruity; minimum tanins in the back end; loved it — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

This wine had some tobacco and earth FUNK after it was opened up. The herbaceous and tobacco ash note on the nose was almost identical to the 1980 Beringer State Lane cab. This did blow off after an hour, but the wine was less fruit than I thought it would have been. Lots of dark figgy jam. Tobacco and cigar box. I'm sure the fruit came back after I left, but this would have been 2 hours after opening and just didn't have the time to see this one though, hence the "NR" rating. Impressed by this wine, and probably one of the older Monte Bello wines I've been able to drink. — 9 years ago

with Benjamin

Allison Muma

9.2

Loved this Zin. Hubby and I drank the bottle in one sitting. — 10 years ago

Andy Wedge

9.2

all fruit, some herbal on the back, pyrazine, big tannin and acid — 11 years ago

Scottie Upshall

9.5

Crushed this bad boy w/ a buddy from Back home and his comment was "oh so this is what Real wine tastes like!" Lol. Love it. — 11 years ago

Francis Plante

9.4

Wow - you know I had my biggest wine disappointment with a 1998 Beaucastel and this 2005 brings me back on why i pay so much for Grenache. It was an amazing experience and it is still so very young. I unfortunately broke my decanter with this wine but it was worth it. I am glad i still have 2 in my cellar. See you in 6 years brother. — 11 years ago

Austin Ferrari

Wine Director Hillside Supper Club

9.6

Real wine! Lapierre takes me back to the chez days! — 12 years ago

with Aran