Daniel veit

9.9

From magnum, this was a beautiful wine with still many more years of life ahead. Showing black currant, tobacco, dried thyme, squid ink and Chinese 5 spice. Stunner. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

From magnum. No formal notes. The fill was top-shoulder. Underneath the capsule, the top of the cork looked nasty which I wiped down as best I could. About four hours before service, using a Durand (which is almost essential with old bottles) I was able to pull the cork completely intact and decant for sediment. The cork was completely saturated but appeared to have done its job! At this stage in its life, the 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild pours a garnet color but it doesn’t appear particularly tired and the nose supports that. While it’s certainly a vinous wine, there is a lot to like: a mix of red and black cassis, rip and desiccated cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar box, old leather, damp earth, some mushrooms and baking spices. The structure is still sound and while the tannins have integrated and the acid is keeping this very much alive. In fact, this seemed to brighten with air and almost get a second wind! As I find with all great Bordeaux wines once they enter this stage, they seem to live forever. This was a lovely pairing with a Prime, Niman Ranch porterhouse served with corn, squash and porcini. This is squarely in the “drink now” window, not that it will be falling off a cliff anytime soon. Decant for sediment and enjoy through 2030+ — a year ago

Peter Sultan

9.2

I don’t have a stellar track record when it comes to drinking rock star Bordeaux. The hype always lurks, even though I served this blind to my homie. Interestingly, it’s a sweet wine with layers of cedar interspersed with ribbons of gorgeous red and some black fruits, especially high toned cassis. Great intensity of course & felt the tannins were well integrated at 12years. Clearly the mono-sweetness would transition to tertiary flavors with age, but with life so precious these days, I wasn’t waiting. — 3 years ago

with Owen

Jay Kline

9.2

This was a pre-Parson Il Palazzone, back when Mario Bollag (now Terralsole) owned the property. Dick (Parson) invested a lot into Il Palazzone after 2000 and the estate’s reputation today is largely known under his stuardship.

Poured into a decanter about 2 1/2 hours prior to service to remove sediment and give this 28-year old some air. In the glass, the 1996 pours a deep garnet with a brown tinge and a near opaque core. Medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous, with some VA and notes of desiccated, red and black fruit: Morello cherries, strawberries, brambles, figs, along with leather, porcini, forest floor, espresso, and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (fully integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium, and the body is medium. White this freshened up with air (recommended), it is clearly in the sunset of its life. That being said, it has plenty of stories to tell. Drink now with a decant. — 3 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.0

The 2015 Malbec Argentino is purplish-black with lots of plum, vanilla and dark berry in the nose. It’s smooth, with light tannins and the fruit shows through nicely. Delicious, even with some light drying tannins. — a year ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Dark scarlet color with translucent light reddish rims. Old wine nose. Notes of black and red fruit, gravel, barnyard floor, old leather and some old desk wood. Fruit is a bit faded but this has plenty of life with decent acidity and a nice structure. Got better with air and opened up nicely. Better than the last bottle of this lot, despite being a more ragged looking bottle. — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

2012!! 🕰 A marvelous year; the year @deked1 and I reconnected. Two years later we exchanged vows and began our adventure in life together. Tonight, we’re celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary. 💕💕 The honeymoon vibes are still going strong! 🙌

We’re excited about this 2012 Cade that was bottled on June 13th, 2014, just over a month before our wedding. It’s comprised of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. It comes from Howell Mountain AVA in Napa Valley, California. ⛰ 🇺🇸

Howell Mountain AVA is known for producing fuller-bodied and well-structured wines with vines planted at an elevation ranging from 1600 to 2200 ft above sea level and good sun exposure. ☀️ This wine is no exception with its firm tannins, medium acidity, and high alcohol (15.2%); also, its opulent, ripe black fruits such as juicy blackberry bramble, black cherry, crème de cassis, also black licorice, pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, dark chocolate, espresso, clove, and forest floor. It has a long, elegant finish. 👌👌👌

It also underwent 20 months of barrel aging in 100% French Oak 80% of which was new, which explains the noteworthy secondary aromas and flavors that add to the complexity of this wine.👏👏👏👏

Here’s to cherishing the moment with the people you love. Cheers! — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Nathan Renfro

9.5

Lovely wine. Nose of leather, pencil. Ruby red. Silky mouthfeel. Fruit, black, blue and red, all ripe, lush, and juicy. Tannins are silky yet full. Leaving a very long finish. Beautiful wine drinking fantastic now with lots of life left. — 7 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

This bottle of 1982 Gruaud-Larose came direct from the château cellars. It is just pure joy on the nose with fabulous scents of black fruit, hung game (less so than previous bottles), clove and a faint aroma of a stately home. It manages to offer both ample fruit and life-affirming complexity. The palate has aged little since I last tasted it; there's more red fruit here, with freshly rolled tobacco, cedar and a touch more spiciness on the finish than previous tastings, with a sweet yet structured finish. This may well represent the finest bottle that I have encountered. (Neal Martin, Vinous, January 2023) — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; consumed over a matter of a few hours. The 2014 Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignon pours a slightly turbid, deep garnet color with a nearly opaque core. Medium viscosity with some signs of sediment. The nose is very expressive and seems to build in character with exposure to more air. Redolent of red and black cassis with some tobacco and baking spices. On the palate, this is a wine of uncommon structure and seems to channel California from yester-year. From this standpoint, acid takes opening credits with tannin playing a very strong supporting role. The fruit is still primary and there’s an overarching sense of freshness. Five years since my last note, this seems to be tracking quite well towards the long life I expected when I first tried it. Drink now with patience and enjoy well past 2029. For what it’s worth, I’m in no rush to open my remaining bottle. — 2 years ago