Shay A

9.5

Day 2 of Napa in the books!

20yrs young! This was also served to us blind and we all guessed it was mid-late 2000s Seavey Cab. All the red and black fruit notes are still present with mellowed out tannin. Very smooth and polished. Big note of baked mixed berry (cherry, blackberry) pie that is covered in a cloud of sweet vanilla pipe tobacco. Ripe & rich up front, savory in the middle, balanced finish. Incredible for its age. — 7 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.2

Beautiful expression of Bordeaux. Aged gracefully with years to go. Graphite, restrained but still present fruit, leather, and coco. Was a favorite for @Scott Petrus and I, but hated by the neophytes. — 8 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.2

My first of the big Antinori wines, and as a birthday present to myself, popped the cork this year.

A fog laden forest of chestnuts and cedar form a vapor lock around this vegetable and herb stew slowly cooking over the campfire. All of these tastes, and smells swirl in this wine. Decanted 3+ hours. Going deeper..

When a wines finish lasts for longer than 5 minutes... Wow. — 9 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.5

Pulled this 13 year old bottle to celebrate our 13th anniversary. Besides a cork that disintegrated, the wine was excellent. Aromas of cedar and wood on the nose, bright fruit and cassis flavors dominated the palate, medium bodied with tannins still present but well-integrated. This bottle was extra special as it was the first "high-end" wine we ever purchased so fun to drink it and compare to what we like today. It showed strong! — 10 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.6

A stunning example of quiet composure and authenticity. Smoky dark berry & earthy character wraps around the astonishing, still-present acidity. Draws you in like listening to Sketches of Spain. Fantastic and full of life. — 10 years ago

Clark Beaty

9.0

Second bottle of 78 I've had this year. The fruit is still present but soft, this wine has surprisingly held up beautifully and is drinking very well. — 10 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.8

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 1989 - Decanted 4.5 hours prior to drinking but with stopper affixed to the decanter. From Jay. Stopper was pulled from the decanter 30 minutes prior to pouring. This bottle was part of a case of 12 that went ex. Chateau seven years ago and has been professionally stored ever since. Inky purple in colour. Strong black fruits on the nose. Blackberries, Cherries, and blueberries all interwoven in a thick, lush, and seamless manner. Elements of wet tobacco are also present. The attack is strong but the mid palate is huge with incredible fruit levels. This a big full bodied Claret in every sense of the word yet in no way is it lacking in balance - a true multidimensional wine. To belabour the point, there is no over extraction here. From its colour all the way to the massive finish this wine makes no apologies for its masculinity and sheer presence. It's a hyper refined slugger! There will be decades of life left in well stored bottles of this wine but it's approachable now given sufficient air. Drink now to 2040 and probably beyond. 98/100.


— 11 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.4

2011. Blanc. No one drinks enough of this. That's because there are so few things to which its a good partner, but it would be an incredible cheese-and-charcuterie wine. Broad and oily, there's just enough acid to keep you coming back for more. Sun-baked yellow orchard fruits dominate, but there's more exotic fruits too (mango and dried pineapple) yellow flowers, tons of almond husk bitterness, green olives, bay leaf, oregano, tarragon, white cheddar. Oak is assertively present but not overwhelming. Place dominates over grapes here, as it's a mix of Clairette and Grenache Blanc and a hodge-podge of other things. — 11 years ago

Scott T

VP/Senior Wine Specialist Christie's

9.5

Amazeballs! Half btl. Base neck. True '61 character still present. Needed 1hr to fully blossom. About twice the color of the Lafite 70 and 3x the complexity. A testament to great storage. Only one owner. (cellar inspection for upcoming online auction) — 12 years ago

Velma Cooper

9.4

Velma had this 8 years ago

Maurizio Abbà

10

One of the highest quality Italy can offer at present time. Dark ruby with brick endings, it looks as powerful and as majestic straight from the beginning. After several years of aging in bottle, the flavors are able to express at heir best: from a start of black cherry we go to licorice, passing through wet leaves, tobacco, and finishing with a slight hint of cedar wood. Palate is deep, powerful, yet perfectly round, with silky tannins creating a perfect harmony of sensation. An incredible product — 8 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

Spending our anniversary with a classic. Never disappoints. Toasty, yeasty, oxidative style, but lots of fruit in the 04 at present. Tasty now but should drink well on its 20th (and maybe ours too). — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Domaine de Mondot belonged to Father de Seze, who had the present-day chateau built in 1745. Very much taken by the estate, Raymond Troplong purchased it in 1850 and constituted the vineyard as we know it today. A blend of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, dark red with black fruit aromas and exotic spice. On the palate cherry and plum with oak, coffee and pepper spice. Big tannins need some time for this beauty to develop for the long term, but it's enjoyable now. — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep ruby red with concentrated aromas of ripe black fruit with subtle nutty spice and bitter chocolate. The wine is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. The palate offers flavors of dark fruit, sour black cherry and dried blackberries, with a firm touch of oak and leather. Tannins are present, but soft due to the age of the wine. The finish is elegant with a slight dry mineral tang, medium in length. Very Nice. Should last a few more years, but why wait, it’s perfect now! — 10 years ago

Eric Egan

9.4

I suspect this didn't get quite enough air. Not quite pop and pour but it was only open for 45 mins before we drank it (we were perhaps over-concerned about the mid shoulder level). Lovely (and lively) russet core with long legs as a ruby rim; nose of pencil shavings, cigar tubes (hint of metal with lots of tobacco), blackberry stalks, and lingering aromas of compté cheese rind and venerable (on-the-edge) rose petals; long and satisfying - persistent tannins and well integrated but still present acidity. From half bottle - need to give the next one more time!!! — 10 years ago

Brett Vanderbrook

9.0

In honor of Raina's 31st birthday, we open this 31 year old wine. Nose has the classic dead leaves and cigar box. Faintest touch of soy sauce, in the best way. Pours a surprisingly dark purple with a rim of brownish brick red. Surprisingly fresh for being 3 decades old, and even more surprisingly there are still some tannins present. Drinking really well right now, but I don't think I'd hold it any longer. — 10 years ago

with Kieran and Raina

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.4

Lovely luncheon claret- not for the cult cab lover. The tannins are resolved and the body light to medium and the breed of the site is present- yum! — 11 years ago

Rob Lateiner

9.6

Chave Rouge 06. Plenty of heat and a little oak too it seems (could be wrong). Oak will integrate, heat is surprising. Serious peppered beef and teriyaki jerky. Some black red fruit - black cherry. Hints of jello tease overripeness but this remains sharp and poignant. The pure jello influenced fruit makes me think few stems here, too. Oak seems to present itself not as vanilla thankfully but in a beautiful hazelnut quality that matches the fruit perfectly and uniquely to syrah. Again, this could be something else other than oak. This definitely shows some jello/jelly, no doubt. Totally ripe red cherry actually. Importantly, this has no heaviness in terms of weight or thickness yet is pungently aromatic as first, smoked, peppered meat and second as fruit. This wine makes me think of, all in the same vein, concrete vats, minerality and tiny berries. The teriyaki quality makes me think these are high toast barrels? This should continue to integrate better and better over the coming years. I can't say I ever got the "bacon fat" thing before in N Rhone but this really has Benton's bacon fat to it. Amazing all this umami while still maintaining a bright ripe red-fruited cherry core. Prefer the '06 Jamet right now for its lower alcohol but certainly love the transparency and uniqueness of flavor here. This is likely a bit more structured than the Jamet. Again, I think time will treat this well. This is dried meat while the Jamet was about the long pepper spice. So interesting how different these expressions of syrah are. — 12 years ago

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

9.3

A bit angular a first. Needed lots of time. Obvious oak even after 4 hours, shading its powerful fruits and serious minerality. At present, it lacks details. The ugly duckling of the 3 today... heat on the finish too. 93+ — 8 years ago

Tony Capone

9.5

Wow, this wine was fabulous, Dark rich color, black plums, licorice and some light tobacco, a very dense wine, tannins are still present, this wine is still aging beautifully, the finish was long and elegant. Only two left. — 8 years ago

Eldon Sproule

9.2

Black liquorice on the nose is delightful. Spicy black fruit, very present tannins and huge body. Inky, deep purple colour. The finish is exceptionally long, where many of the secondary flavours appear (cedar, caramel, hot apple cider). Unbelievable for a young wine, and will get better and better with age. — 9 years ago

Mark Grammer

9.3

Nose had some funk with leather, mineral and a hint of red liquorice. Evolved nicely with fruit coming out after an hour or so. Blackberry, blueberry were present after the earthy start. — 9 years ago

Jen El

9.2

Was a long ago present from Theo. Drank with daveed on his 51st birthday in point Reyes. May have lost some its fruit but the nose is beautifully rich, old word woody and the taste has a bright cherry compote with deep wooden tones. Lovely. Year: 2000 — 10 years ago

Justin Anthony

10

i can't even comment. 2009. cherry is present strong still. earth is subtly playing 3rd fiddle. love this — 10 years ago

with Tim

Paul Stroud

Sommelier/Wine Director

9.5

I thought this was perfect. Thanks Dad. Bought on current release and cellared until now. Plenty of plum, vibrant acidity, tannis present on the end. Great complex finish. I'm happy there are 6 more in the cellar — 10 years ago

GaYoung Kim

Graileys Fine Wines. Sommelier. Broker

9.3

Powerful yet seamless!! Dried dark fruit still present amongst a plethora of earth, gravel, dark spice notes. — 11 years ago

Alexis Davis Iaconis

Hospitality Director Copain Wines

8.9

Bretty! Soft and still fruit present — 11 years ago

Steven Spencer-Steigner

10

Absolutely LOVE! Great holiday present from my generous partner. — 11 years ago

Thomas Droumenq

8.9

This delectable taste of a fine old Bordeaux, a bit musty, tannins still very present, some complexity but most surprisingly so much length. Perfect with the veal chops in oregano and rosemary sauce. — 12 years ago

D J

9.9

Caymus Vineyards 2006 Can Sav - 26th BDay present from Dave and Val — 13 years ago