Fiona Riley

10

Amazing wine — 2 years ago

Brandon T

9.6

My favorite in the TOP lineup hands down. Always great and paired well with shrimp and grits. — 3 years ago

Jonathan Toobi

9.3

Love this unfiltered red blend, gallivanter, nice acidic start and berry finish, light to medium bodied, really tasty and easy drinking, — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

It is really not fair to have their 06 after their 09. It’s good but, all you can think about is the 09.

The nose reveals, slightly stewed to cooked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb and bright cherries. Steeped tea, limestone, licorice, dry crushed rocks, cedar, dry tobacco, soft, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, underbrush, dry stems, dry top soil, understated baking spices, light graphite, dry herbs, light, dark spice and withering red & dark florals.

The body is lean, not quite full. The structure, tension, length and and balance are just ok to good and reveal the shortcomings of the 06 vintage. slightly stewed to cooked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb and bright cherries. Steeped tea, limestone, licorice, dry crushed rocks, cedar, dry tobacco, soft, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, underbrush, dry stems, dry top soil, understated baking spices, some v/a or bandaid, light graphite, dry herbs, light, dark spice with some heat across the palate and withering red & dark florals. The finish is nice and elegant but, lack the fullness and beauty of most really good vintage Palmer’s. It finishes with nice persistent dark spice on the long set. Just give me another taste of the 09. 😜

Photos of; Chateau Palmer, their barrel room, a photo of their vineyard soil structure-if you didn’t know where all that earthiness comes from, a picture is worth a thousand words and their tasting room. — 6 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

9.1

Such a reliable wine - sour cherries, cedar tobacco box with slight ash. Simply fantastic! — 9 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.4

Classic Rioja. Dark cherry and blackberry nose with cigar box in the background. More dark cherry, plum, leather and mocha on the palate. Chewy tannins and lingering acid through the finish. Powerful but balanced from start to finish. — 9 years ago

Mark Howard

8.9

This vintage shows more oak than in prior vintages. Big, bold, version of California chardonnay. Missing the elegance of last year. Still enjoyable. Just me splitting hairs. — 9 years ago

with Elizabeth

PJ

9.5

Great way to warm up on a 20 degree night! 🍷 — 11 years ago

Lisa Kinser

10

Great with Thanksgiving dinner! — 12 years ago

Rachel Hughes

9.0

Shiraz (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Merlot (7%)
2009
Padthaway, Australia — 13 years ago

FabianG

8.9

#unitedpolaris — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2002 Vintage. Decanted for approx 1.5 hrs. Throwing a decent amount of sed. At the top of its’ particular bell curve-not getting any better. Drink up time. — 4 years ago

Hanibal

9.1

The best of the trio 08, 09 and 10. Lots of cigar box, red fruits, tobacco...a beautiful young wine that should improve in time — 5 years ago

Andrew Anthony

10

Sharing some wonderful GSM with family! — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

From a great old looking bottle with a top shoulder fill and solid cork. Old light brick color, translucent. Notes of tart cherry, cola, some wood and some dry earth. Rustic. Still has reasonable fruit and structure. This bottle was better than the last one. — 7 years ago

Paul Koplitz

9.0

Best box wine I’ve had. Worth every penny. — 7 years ago

Charles Rivas

9.2

Herbacious with cigar box notes and evolved fruit. A showing beautifully right now. — 9 years ago

Weijie Shi (Jay)

9.0

Black fruits, cedar box, liquorice, cigar box, menthol. Huge structure, chewy tannin, slightly green on the palate, 30s finish. Need more time. 2012 vintage — 9 years ago

Christopher Suarez

9.4

Worth the wait!! Top year 2007 consumed June 2016. Well worth packing for Arubs — 9 years ago

Francesco Pilo

9.5

Really one of the top! Elegant, really long finish, well balanced tannins, fresh dark fruit, fragrant and sweet! — 12 years ago

Jose Merino

9.7

This was a vertical of 38 vintages to celebrate Joseph Phelps Insignia 40th anniversary! The 74' and 77' were the wines that came on top from the 70's vintage. — 12 years ago

Judi Kruse

8.9

Great red - especially for the price. — 2 years ago

William Goldsmith

9.7

Elegant as Bevan goes. Not quite Parker 100 but quite good, esp for 2011. I’ve raised the rating twice. — 5 years ago

with Harry and Ryann

Delectable Wine

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10

The 1945 Haut-Brion is poured against the legendary 1945 Mouton and might just have come out on top. It is difficult to put this wine into words. Showing modest bricking, it presents a sublime bouquet of vibrant red fruit, warm gravel, wilted rose petals and a hint of earthenware. It is crystalline in terms of definition. The palate follows suit with pitch-perfect acidity, a very slight, refreshing hint of balsamic, and finely chiseled tannins. Beguiling in every way, this is a profound Haut-Brion that is absolutely flawless. Tasted at Koala's 1945 dinner. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2020)
— 5 years ago

Kirk F

9.4

Amazing after 2 hour decant. @Stanley Barrios great recommendation. Stunning wine. — 6 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.3

Fairly fruity on the nose. Hint of black pepper and something earthy/mineral. Flavor is very dry. Dried strawberries and red vines. Classic jammy Zin thing. Some pomegranate molasses perhaps. Fresh and zinfulliciuos. Plenty of tannin to give it more bite than Zin usually achieves. Complex. True. Enjoyable. — 7 years ago

Greg Wright

9.2

Dark red, a bit rustic and burly. Red currant, slate, and spice box unfold in a wine that is aging at a glacial pace. Will probably be better in another 5 to 10 years. — 7 years ago

Greg Gregory

10

Spectacular! Mind blowing. One of my top 10 of all time. On every serious wine lover’s bucket list, and here we had a nigh perfect bottle. While aromatically a little recalcitrant, you still got some of the Margaux violets and potpourri on the nose, hints of clove, all trying to shake off their doldrums. But on the palate, it was timelessly ravishing. The finesse, richness, balance and smoothness, with an underlying, almost flabbergasting mixture of complexity and delicacy, was just astonishing. The finish is marvelously sweet and intense, with chocolate and cassis and utterly seamless tannins. This is a miracle of wine making and an exaltation of vintage and terroir besides. Wow! And bravo! We can only pray for an encore of such a wine. — 9 years ago

George Chen

9.3

A shocker for a 94! Better than any Bordeaux 94 I can remember. Lush mouth feel of top Pomerol and sustained elegant richness throughout. Only slightly dried out after 2 hours and drank the bits of sediment. — 10 years ago

Red Wine Lovers

9.6

Cigar box cedar. Slate. Plum. Big tannins, lush plump fruit. Deep and complex. Finish goes forever. — 12 years ago