Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Flight 2 , wine 1 . Quite deep garnet , less terracotta rim . This had a whiff of oxidation about it at first which seemed to somewhat dissipate with time . Some dark spiced fruits , liquorice and menthol hints , cedar and sous bois . On the palate good ripeness and spiced dark cherry hints . Good acidity and rounded tannin . Nice length also , offering some spiced black fruits and menthol hints . Don’t think this is a pristine bottle but was enjoyable none the less , I was unsure at first if this was Napa , but coming back to it … and reading my notes , it became quite obvious . However I had this down as the Ch Montelena , not the Dominus — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Double decant and pour (lots of sediment). A splendid medium tawny red color. On the nose: stewed black plum, nutmeg, forest floor, worn leather, vanilla oak. Taste: soft, lively wine with dried candied cherries, currants, loamy soil, toasty oak, and a spiced mocha medium finish. YUM at 28 years! — 7 months ago

with Brenda

Rick Phillips

9.6

After 35 years I was not expecting much. Especially when the cork disintegrated on opening. Aureated on decanting and was happily surprised. After about 20 minutes opened to dark chocolate, leather but so smooth. The last glass was pure delight. Howell Mountain at its best! — 7 months ago

with Letha

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Medium deep ruby , quite narrow rim . Touch of earthy menthol , tobacco , spicy blackcurrant, grafite . On the palate quite dusty , with earthy sous bois , blackcurrant, ripe blackberry , grafite and tobacco , cocoa hints. Quite rich but balanced , good acidity, quite dusty tannins . This is probably at peak now though will last well another decade perhaps . — 7 months ago

Jae Cho

9.2

First go with the ‘16 and it’s got the blackberry, plum, tobacco and mineral that just goes on and on. A silky 12.5% it rivals any previous vintage. Drunk over 3 days and it’s still elegant at the last sip. — 3 years ago

B

9.0

3L 1995 Shafer Hillside Select CS. Group dinner at Nmd. Probably should have decanted it longer than the hour we did. It was going through a really funky stage. Just very one-note and dull. — 7 years ago

Nicole Penalva

9.0

First bottle of the evening on New Year's Eve. Top rated wine of 2015 in Wine Enthusiast. Available at Target and Trader Joes $19.99 — 10 years ago

Shay A

9.3

(Two previous 1983 wine reviews never made it on here, so copying from my CT).

Continuing a run of ‘83s over the last 3-6 months, this not only showed quite well, but it was at its best after almost two hours in the bottle. Whereas the ‘83 Pichon was clean and elegant, this was a bit more dense and powerful. Beautifully expressive aromatics of potpourri, espresso, fig and leather with a flavor profile mostly on the red/black fruit side of the spectrum. The mid-palate showed good weight and continued to bulk-up during the evening. Old cherry-tobacco note at the finish. Honestly, this drank like it was more early ‘90s than it was early ‘80s. Good. — 5 months ago

Vino Joe

9.3

Tight as a drum at open. Loosened to trampoline tension after 2 hours. Finally was loose after 4. Spicy and hefty. More inward. A sophisticated mix and quite good but as with most Leoville Las Cases it needs to sit longer for the next iteration. — 7 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2013 vintage. Decanted with a little sed. Great cork. Tremendous power and on the leaner side of the ledger...think bigg vintage Leoville Las Cases or 80's/early 90's Montelena or *gasp* La Jota before the Helen Turley fruit bomb intervention in the early 90’s. Drinking a little "hot" but only at 14.9% ABV. Definite palate-wrecker with tannins for daze. Will take this wine in their lineup nearly every time vs the pricier and smoother Pritchard Hill shizz. The off the charts QPR is easily tasted vs the rest of their Cab/Cab-based lineup. Awesome now but will consolidate even further into a wolverine wine. Be very afraid. If you're looking for a quiet, placid dinner for two, then a rom-com snugglefest, this is not your beautiful house. This is someone else's beautiful wife. 12.01.24. — 7 months ago

Wine Dad

8.9

Had at Smith & Wollensky. — a year ago

Marc vanholst

9.1

At 63 years of age it still displays some freshness - it’s best days are nevertheless over. — 7 years ago

Narun P

9.0

Funky at first but subsequently blown away. Fresh, leathery, flowery, with some structure. Can tell it was once a great bottling. A bit long over due. — 9 years ago

Alexander Bastian Nielsen

9.2

Obviously a great wine but also very hyped and maybe too highly regarded. Tasted at a 2022 Bordeaux Fair and it surely was delicous and quite mesmerising for what it was. But it just lacked that extra panache. — 5 months ago

David White

9.3

It’s 10 years since Serge. Hochar’s death whilst swimming in Acapulco on NYE 2014 and I think it’s appropriate to celebrate his legacy that is the modern Chateau Musar.
I first tasted Lebanese wines in London circa 1986 when I used to go to a couple of Lebanese restaurants in Shepherds Market near Mayfair in London
Al Hamra is still in business
I’ve been to Beirut several times and always stock up at the airport duty free
So a toast to a departed icon of the wine world
Since my last 2011 4.5 years ago (see note) this has aged wonderfully and I’ve up my rating several points
Another few years and it will be further improved
Optimal decant time was around 3.5 to 4 hours
Ethereal stuff — 6 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2005 vintage. Light-medium/medium bod. Rocking don't bother knocking. So good. At the top of its respective bell curve and looks to hang out for quite some time. Maybe an extended residency? Not going anywhere anytime soon. 12.11.24. — 7 months ago

John Chawluk

9.2

Wonderful. Opened up beautifully. 2016 and not oxidized at all. Kudos to the wine cellar! — 10 months ago

with Scotti

George Hesse

9.2

Another amazing bottle. At the Ken Wegner Hunt 2019. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

Wine of the night. This wine had EXCELLENT fruit, and showed NO VISIBLE SIGNS of decline. Great powerful blackberry. I was guessing 01 Stag's Leap or Rutherford. Turns out it was Caymus SS 01, but I was second guessing myself on the year because it was a very purple color into the decanter and showing well. The wine had great vanilla on the front, blackberry on the front, and a more youthful middle and finish with some herb. This wine has 10 years left in it no doubt. Whoever cut this one off at 2017 has no idea. This one literally showed no signs of decline whatsoever. Drink by date 2007 - 2030. — 8 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