1989 vintage. From a 375ml. Opened not decanted. Great top shoulder fill. Used a Durand. Pristine cork. Throwing slightly less sed than anticipated. Dusty and earthy nose. Tasted 30 minutes and 1 hour after opening. Light-medium body throughout. Front palate a bit thin and watery but back end had some gamey/meaty notes intertwined with dirt clods. Despite the descriptors, maintained elegance for the duration. Seems to be holding the line here for a spell in the 375ml format. 10.17.25. — 7 months ago
Yummy as it opened up over four hours. Good particularly for a seven year old Napa Pinot. Spring Mt. — 7 years ago
I usually tend toward Pinot Noir, but when I want something just a bit bolder, Gamay hits the spot. I have really been enjoying this 2015 vintage. — 8 years ago
Good fruit while still having an olive and herbal edge. Nice freshness, smooth on the palate. Actually a bit on the lighter side than expected. Not the best vintage or showing from a great house but still a good wine overall. I have had better vintages. — 8 years ago
I don‘t know. This has so much oak it overpowers everything. Might need another 10 years to be approachable. Cigar box, black berries. Deep, big and profound. I am not sure I would spend 70$ on this. It needs much much more time. Probably needs to be open for 2 days. Out of the machine at the Wine House in LA. — 7 months ago
Zwarte bessen, stevige body, klein zoetje in afdronk. Heerlijk met stoofvlees. — 5 years ago
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
The 96 is a nice surprise add from Clyde’s cellar. Thank you Clyde.
This 96 is beautifully floral. The evolution is right around its peak. The body is medium full and the tannins soft. It’s an elegant beauty.
The fruits are ripe and delicious. Leaner blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries and shades of raspberries. Soft earth; dry top soil, dry rock, limestone minerals, old tobacco, soft leather, cedar with dry and withering red & dark florals. The acidity is like a waterfall. The long finish is well balanced fruit & earth and in a sweet spot.
Photos of; our dinner group, tasting room at Pontet Canet, the horse plows they still use in the fields and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 7 years ago
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
[En Magnum] This is absolutely a beautiful, 30-year-old, Beaucastel Rouge in large format, mostly clean (just a trace of Brett), red fruits, still some structure, but not tannic, balanced, complex layers of flavors, long finish, really a top-notch Beaucastel with old school ABV (13.5%)!, lovely!!! — 7 months ago
2002 vintage. Nice fill, good cork. Decanted with a respectable amount of powdery sed. Smelled great during decanting. Tasted 1.5 hours after opening/decanting. Expected light body with delicate tendrils. Medium body with a light palate footprint. Holy shazzbaat. This was absolutely firing. Like top of the pops, straight up to number one. Exceptional knitting and in a perfect spot now. Go all the way back to the inaugural 1982 vintage with this winery’s cabernet…thought my all-time fave was the 1991 altho the 1986 and 1987 were special. The 2020, picked early, thus avoiding the fires, is phenomenal as well. This was on another level and have had approx 150 bottles of Spottswoode Cab in the last three + decades. It was probably the best out of all of them. Difficult to imagine Napa Cab better than this. Power and finesse on display. Not improving but can hold this intensity for another 4-5 years. 12.24.24. — a year ago
A very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates, tobacco and herbs.
Bone dry on the palate, and full bodied with medium acidity.
Needs time to open up properly.
Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly.
Wine Advocate 92 points.
Spicy and tangy finish with firm tannins.
14.2% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$43. — 6 years ago
My current FAVORITE table red. Fruity with adequate tannins and excellent finish. Pairs with everything from steaks to Italian. — 7 years ago
Drank at Kirk’s House with Jess and Beth. Really good. Better with food. — 8 years ago
Sean Townley
Some funk up front. Better on day 2 — 5 months ago