Mike Saviage

9.3

Dark gold. Heavy like oil in the glass. At open this has an oxidative nose with a heavy dose of apple cider. But the first taste revealed a massive core of fruit with a lot of acidity. Thus with air this opened up to reveal a powerful and rich wine. Notes of ripe apples, uncut lemons, beeswax, stones and tan spice. Some heat suggests this has a fair amount of alcohol too. I liked this but was alone amongst the family in that assessment. I would say drink these up sooner rather than later but it depends how you like your aged white Rhône. — 6 years ago

Mike

9.4

Staying with the 🇮🇹 - Sassicaia means “place of many stones”. Roger that. Star anise, cherry and hints of raspberry. 💣🍷 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This wine has all the makings of being great one day. It’s just about 8-10 years more years away.

The wine is just staring to round out, integrate and show its elegance. Ruby, creamy currants, earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, stones, dark most soil, round acidity and a very well polished finished.

This is my favorite Ribeye wine and it didn’t disappoint...only that is still too young. 95-96 in another decade.

Photos of, the Chateau & grounds, newer tasting room & barrel room and Estate vines that are adjacent to Chateau Latour. — 8 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.5

2004 Vintage. This needs to be served at cellar temperature vs refrigerator temp and kept opening until last sips at almost room temp. Citrus and stones with acidity still to balance the honey notes from 14 years aging. — 8 years ago

Galen Hasler

9.2

Classy subtle oak. Moderate acidity. Beautiful balance and richness — 8 years ago

Pam Starr

Owner/Winemaker Crocker & Starr Wines

9.1

Great start to the evening stones macaroni and opens to fleshy fruit. Decanted and chilled tomperfect 50 f. — 9 years ago

Rob Sternthal

9.5

2011 what???? Wow. From the nose to the finish this is a phenomenal wine. — 9 years ago

with Daniel

Christopher Stadler

9.4

Coffee, olive, vanilla, pepper. Bitter finish but still incredibly complex. — 10 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.5

Silky gunflint lemon pith and crushed stones with a hint of lanolin — 10 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Light to med gold in the glass. Apricot and honeysuckle in the nose with stones. Huge in the mouth. Very rich. Best Niellon I've had. — 11 years ago

Lynn Penner-Ash

Owner/Winemaker Penner-Ash

8.9

Balanced. Good fruit density and structure — 12 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Medium gold, nice heavy weight in the glass. Steely, fruity nose. Notes of Meyer lemon, wet river stones, tan spice, rocky soil, some tangerine and some ripe apricot. Rich and powerful in the mouth. Great overall structure and balance. This is playing up a weight class or two. Feeling Cochey! — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

High fill. Straw gold, noticeably lighter than the 90 Dauvissat Clos. Notes of pit fruit, white soil, white stones, some spice - and with several all hours of air, the honey notes appeared. Started out strong, then went into a funk and was quiet. But returned late in the evening for a solid finish with nice old Chablis fruit and memorable acidity. (Bday dinner 3/13) — 7 years ago

Michael T McAlhaney

8.9

A mammoth wine with dark berries and ripe bramble fruit. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The 09 with our 4th course, Cheese w/ Fruits & Nuts.

The 09 is so soft & easier to drink young but, I won’t open mine for another 10 years. Loads of dark cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries & blue fruit hues. Leathery, dark chocolate, dry stones, crushed limestone, cedar, dark but lighter graphite, medium spice, clove, dry herbs, dark dry soil, dry stems, scorched earth and withering dark florals. The structure, tension, length are there screaming to be magnificent. The well balanced finish is very good now but all I can think about is it in another 15 years plus. — 8 years ago

Justin Hart

9.4

Ah, the Rocks at Milton-Freewater produce such remarkable and distinctive fruit. Morgan Lee’s take on the Stoney Vine Syrah is outstanding. Earthy, gamey, succulent, dark and full stone fruit (plum) that just keeps going. This is good for another 5 years I think. — 8 years ago

with Cherish and Jen

Robert Smith

9.1

Smooth and spicy. Great with a steak and chimichurri Sauce. Affordable. Dark currant and tobacco. Let it breathe. — 10 years ago

Gerald Montoya

9.1

In a very savory place. Green pepper, black pepper, ash and stones. Not a whole lot of fruit at the moment except maybe a touch of underripe raspberry. — 10 years ago

Rich Cocuzzo

9.0

Wow and it's an '11! — 10 years ago

Justin Madol

9.0

Ripe cassis and black berry with bitter chocolate and hints of green pepper. The palette here is nicely balanced between plump cassis, stones, and spice. Well made with excellent integration. Excellent now, better in 8-10 years. — 11 years ago

Austin Beeman

9.1

A spicy stony nose of red fruit. Rich and delicious fruit jelly with ultra ripe blackberry. Mint herbs and stones. $90 — 12 years ago

with Jim

Michael Greene

9.6

Apricot, bread, wet stones. Exceptionally balanced. Coats the whole palate — 6 years ago

Josh Weinstein

9.2

Time exposed to some O2 helps quite a bit. Tons of fruit left. — 6 years ago

with Kristen

Jodi Jennings

9.5

Cherry pie delight! Decanter for an hour and it was delectable. — 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Medium gold color. Nice energy and bubble intensity. Notes of lemon, stones, crisp red apples. Expansive in the mouth. Toasty. More developed and complex than the 96 next to it. BDay dinner 1/12. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

A Coravin taste of this bottle to celebrate our departure to South America. We will be at Catena Zapata on the morning of 23rd...can’t think of a better way to start the day in Mendoza. When I first put this wine to my nose, I experienced vanilla milkshake with a touch of root beer after a 40 minute decant in glass. Strong vanillin notes, dark sweet currants, ripe blackberries, blueberries, sweet dark cherries, slightly underripe black raspberries, black plums, melted dark chocolate, mocha chocolate, touch of pepper, loamy soil & dry clay, violets fields for days and decayed red florals. One of the most engaging noses I’ve experienced in some time.

The body is thick, full and lush and feels like a velvety glove on the tongue. The tannins are still big, yet well rounded & powdery. The palate is beautiful. Dark ripe currants, blackberries, blueberries, black cherries, black raspberries, black plums & creamy raspberries. Amazing florals, lavender, violets and decayed red florals. Vanilla, root beer, dry clay, loamy soils, round powdery volcanic minerals with a slight edginess, dry stems, dry stones, coffee grounds, notes of pepper, sweet tarry notes, leather, tobacco, soft elegant spice, dry stems, very round beautiful acidity, solid structure, big length, perfect tension and rounded balance. The rich, ripe, ruby, candied, fruit, bright floral finish is so close to perfect it boggles the mind and last for minutes. Beautiful wine that I can’t wait to try again in 8-10 years and drink until 2035. Best wine I’ve had in some time and the best Malbec I’ve had to date.

Photos of; Catena Zapata with the beautiful snow capped Andes Mountains in the background, a shot of the Adrianna vineyard soil this wine is grown, Owners Laura Catena Zapata and Nicolás Catena Zapata and their spotless barrel room. — 8 years ago

Sarah Milsow-Guenther

9.4

Love this Syrah. Nice long finish on this one. Young but still fairly smooth. — 9 years ago

Mike Wolf

9.2

Outstanding Bordeaux blend from the relatively unknown Similkameen valley in BC. Dark fruits and an interesting underlying smokiness that lasts in the mouth. Drinking nicely now and will stand up to a few more years in the cellar. — 10 years ago

with Jennifer

Denise Furtick

9.0

Amazing taste, a little oak-like finish. I don't taste the grapefruit like I do with other Sauvignon blanc from this region — 11 years ago

Semyon Nebolsín

8.9

Needs decanting — 11 years ago