Ron Siegel

9.4

A perfect way to end your meal, Krug! — 5 years ago

Carlos Toro

9.8

Had it to celebrate my 50th b-day. Wow, what a treat! After about 5 minutes open it really exploded in flavor in a big way. What a wine! — 6 years ago

LM Segal

9.5

Leathery and red floral nose. After 1 hour decant, opulent, lightly spiced and earthy-red palate infused with dried mushrooms, iron and throughout with notes of garrigue. Punching way above its weight in a meh vintage...just entering a window that will last 10+ years. — 8 years ago

Manny Abascal

9.4

Rich, vibrant, exciting. Pear, apricot, rich mousse, mineral, precise, sharp. Way too young... — 8 years ago

Christian Ford

9.0

Quite nice but clearly way past it's prime for this half bottle — 8 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

I kept coming back to this wine. Usually stands out in a lineup like this because it's a BDB, but tonight it fits right in and is drinking beautifully. The best Comtes I've had to date, I need to find some of these with more age. — 9 years ago

P Plusquellec

9.4

Very good now, what a fun way to end the week. I feel likely to improve to excellent over next 5-10 yrs. — 10 years ago

B

10

1985 Sassicaia. Second red wine at Redd Wood lunch w A, S, and K. This wine was perfect. Epic. We could not believe how perfect this wine was drinking. Thoroughly enjoyed it- it was enjoyable the way truffles are- hard to describe, but pleasing to all relevant senses. — 10 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

Peter Hunken

9.0

A favorite, 2012 is a beaut. Check back in 5 years or so. Merry Christmas! — 11 years ago

with Amy

Ron R

9.3

Visually, bricking has begun. The nose presented a hint of musty cardboard, at that point, my sphincter started twitching - had I left this too long?
Palate displays spice notes initially, followed by anise, cinnamon and cloves. Mature cherries are also in the foreground with moderate tannins. Finishes with leather, olives notes and moderate sweetness. This is perched on a plateau, and should be consumed now.
The story behind the label is a broken bottle of a 2003 Leoville Las Cases, which pissed it’s pants (so to speak) in my eurocave, back in the day... — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I corvined this last weekend and put it back in storage for tonight. I had a very different experience & thoughts on this wine last weekend un-decanted. This is wine comes from a period when I loved Caymus. After 2011 when they started picking later and at higher brix’s, they lost me but, got higher Parker scores and rave words from people that like sweeter Cabernet that drinks young.

Last weekend without a decant, very dominate bright cherries and vanilla.

Tonight, the nose reveals, dark, slightly syrupy currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy, black raspberries, blueberries, black plum with lots of skin dominate, baked strawberries, black licorice, vanilla, some clove and a touch nutmeg, underbrush, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, volcanic minerals, black tea, touch of black coffee expresso, liqueur/dark berry cola, used leather, hints of graphite with ruby, fresh, dark, fresh, dark, red, blue florals with violets.

The body is full, sexy, gorgeous and voluptuous. The structure, tension, length and balance are at the start of its high point with another 7-10 years of good drinking ahead. Dark, slightly syrupy currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy, black raspberries, blueberries, black plum with lots of skin dominating, baked strawberries, black licorice to deep anise, vanilla, some clove and a touch nutmeg, caramel, mocha, dark chocolate, dark spices with just a touch of palate heat, underbrush, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, volcanic minerals, black tea, touch of black coffee expresso, liqueur/dark berry cola, used leather, hints of graphite with ruby, fresh, dark, fresh, dark, red, blue florals with violets. The acidity is like a needed waterfall shower. The long finish is, deep, dark, well balanced, elegant, ruby, ripe, polished and persists endlessly.

It’s been awhile and I’ve missed it. This is a very good example of why I used to adore Caymus. — 7 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. — 8 years ago

with Benjamin

Lauren Ross

9.0

Nice way to ring in the new year! — 10 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.1

At Redstone w/Shelly. Just back from Orlando w/Rettke. #pro — 10 years ago

with Rick, Jeff and 2 others

Matthew Jauregui

9.4

Great way to finish a tasting a nice champagne blend. Opens very well, in a beautiful pale salmon color. Chalk full of fruit fresh wild strawberries, pairs, apple, and lots of cherries. — 11 years ago

Alexis A

9.4

1996. Boom. Amazing. Full on. A wine. Way heavier than the Dom 1996. — 11 years ago

Katie Canfield

9.7

Fantastic pairing with a bit of Manchego & Mahon quesos. Well on it's way in terms of maturity but has a few more years yet of tantalizing taste buds. — 11 years ago

with mattswineworld

Samantha Cave

9.8

fruity aroma. black cherries and oaky. smooth and rich. full-bodied. the perfect way to end a vacation — 12 years ago

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

Joe D'Angelo

9.8

The 2016 ‘Insignia’ is an absolutely incredible showing, and is amongst the most compelling vintages I have yet to taste from the Estate. Composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec which spent 24 months in 100% new french oak. As this unwinds in the glass it begins to release its seductive aromatics of ripe dark currants, crème de cassis and blueberries along with fresh violets, pencil shavings, wild sage brush and exotic spices. On the palate this is full-bodied, with a gorgeous rich, opulent texture that is beautifully balance by a lovely touch if underlying acidity keeping it fresh and inviting all the way through the long enveloping finish. Displaying a remarkable combination of both power and precision, the 2016 is a total stunner and will go on to have a marvelous future for many years to come. — 6 years ago

Dave Wood

9.0

Still with some life after 50 years. Nice with hazelnut espresso chocolate pot de creame. Nice way to end the 50th birthday dinner. — 8 years ago

with David

Michael Mcdermott

9.6

Opened 1998when power went back on in Sonoma! Wow this was solid. Well kept with mid neck ullage, dark plum no brick colors of oxidation. As you would expect a earthy woody old Bordeaux nose, soft tannins but still strong 19 years on. After an hour open and decanted this was wonderful. — 8 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.2

Hep! Step up to the value plate and come back for seconds. — 8 years ago

with Mark

Andrew Notarfrancesco

8.9

Almost on its way out but not bad — 10 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.1

Mature and very pleasant, it has way time to get even better, complex, fruity light notes with tobacco, olives and oaky notes - keep on evolving a great way — 10 years ago

Ray Isle

Executive Wine Editor Food & Wine Magazine

9.6

From magnum. Kept changing every time I went back to it. Spectacular wine. — 10 years ago

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

Austin Ferrari

Wine Director Hillside Supper Club

9.6

Real wine! Lapierre takes me back to the chez days! — 11 years ago

with Aran

Jeremy Giesbrecht

9.6

Oh. My. Goodness. What a wine! Tight as a drum but opened up after a few hours... All the charm of 09 with more serious structure and back-bone. An iron fist in a velvet glove... — 11 years ago

with Eric and Will