Daron Watson

9.5

what a phenomenal job the crew did with what Mother Nature threw them ~ this is an elegant & approachable example of Sassicaia ~ upon pulling the cork Mediterranean scrub & herbs fill the nose and flavors of red licorice and Razzles pop on the palate ~ in time the red fruits become less candied and the the scrub & herbs, along w tobacco leaf & hints of gravel, finish the flavor ~ though a samurai sword of acidity slices through!

If you’re looking for breadth this doesn’t have it ~ but what is there is focused and sings! — 5 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Youthful & drinking like a 10 yr old Cab. Lots of red & black fruits, cassis, menthol, cedar, leather, licorice & tobacco leaf. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

There is nothing like taking a $31 bottle of Napa Cabernet and turning it into liquid gold. All you have to do is buy a good producer’s decent vintage or better and hold it in bottle for nearly 10 years or longer. Bottle age can’t be accomplished in a decanter, no matter how long you decant it. It simply will not round out the wine, make the tannins well resolved, integrate all the flavors that equate to a nice complex wine.

I was saddened to see a quality Napa Valley Pioneer recently sell its winery. I am sure somewhere Joe Heitz is beside himself. However, nothing stands for forever. We’ll see what the new owners do with it. Certainly, the last free quality free tasting in Napa Valley is gone forever. To be continued...

The nose reveals; dark currants, ripe, ruby, slightly candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries and cherry kirsch. Sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned soil, anise, steep fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry crushed rock, underbrush, soft leather, hints of dry herbs, moist clay with candied, bright, dark, red, blue florals and violets for days.

The body is full, very round and gorgeous across the palate. The tannins are about 80% resolved but, still showing some teeth. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit the top of the bell curve and will hold there awhile longer. There is nothing in this wine that bites back or is astringent. Dark currants, ripe, ruby, slightly candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries, raspberries on the high palate and long set with cherry kirsch. Sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned soil, anise, steep fruit tea, caramel, some milk chocolate, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, underbrush, soft leather, touch of graphite, hints of dry herbs, moist clay with amazing candied, bright, dark, red, blue florals and violets for days. The acidity is like a palate waterfall. The long finish is; delicious, gorgeous, ruby, well balanced, elegant with polish that persists nicely for minutes.

Photos of; Heitz vineyard, tasting bar/room on Hwy 29, sitting area outside the tasting room and Heitz winery and Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Rob Mayes

9.7

Outstanding. Winner of the weekend. — 8 years ago

Rose’s Cafe

9.1

Nice! Juicy with notes of oak and vanilla. 😀🍷 — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Dry light fruit perfume nose with herbs. Fruits have turned to rustic figs, prunes and dates, dry cranberries/rhubarb/pomegranate, dark cherries that have taken on a slight liqueur quality, ripe strawberries, spiced plum cedar, soft used leather, tobacco leaf, powdery crushed rocks, anise and a lean dry, high acid fig, date, prune and cooked light to mid red cooked fruit finish. Out of magnum. — 9 years ago

Christopher Legere

9.1

Good cab with fruit flavors — 10 years ago

Kari Johnson

9.6

Smooth flavor, fruity, sweet but not too sweet — 10 years ago

Michael Descamps

9.1

Beautifully layered aromatics of crushed ripe plum, tinder box, tobacco leaf, and sandalwood. Palate is very closed still with very pronounced tannin. This is going to be a really nice wine in a couple years. — 10 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.4

2011. Blanc. No one drinks enough of this. That's because there are so few things to which its a good partner, but it would be an incredible cheese-and-charcuterie wine. Broad and oily, there's just enough acid to keep you coming back for more. Sun-baked yellow orchard fruits dominate, but there's more exotic fruits too (mango and dried pineapple) yellow flowers, tons of almond husk bitterness, green olives, bay leaf, oregano, tarragon, white cheddar. Oak is assertively present but not overwhelming. Place dominates over grapes here, as it's a mix of Clairette and Grenache Blanc and a hodge-podge of other things. — 11 years ago

Shay A

9.5

WNH Montelena Estate virtual tasting. Others represented were the ‘94 (evidently corked), ‘01, ‘03, ‘07, ‘15.

I may be an outlier here, but Montelena is one of the few wineries where I not only don’t care for them young, I just honestly don’t enjoy them at all (and that’s coming from someone who enjoys the likes of Myriad, Bevan, Rivers Marie, etc on the young side). For my preference, they are just so vastly better with 15+yrs of age to them. YMMV.

After standing this upright for about two weeks, I gave this about a 45min decant. Starting off fairly thin and having some funk to blow off, it really bulked up after an hour and a half. Dark ruby/tawny in the glass. Reminiscent of left bank Bordeaux (leather, herbs de Provence, only a hint of tobacco), but a sweet cherry liqueur and dried cranberry on the nose bring this back to possibly New World. On the palate it sports underripe and dried black cherries, red clay, cedar, bay leaf, and earthy tertiary notes. Gripping, tannic finish with balanced acidity. In harmony here. I’d say this likely has another 3-5yrs in this beautiful drinking window before evolving more. — 5 years ago

Sidney Jackson

9.0

Not bad for the price def drink again! — 5 years ago

Lynn Gowdy

9.0

La Rioja Alta 2007 Grand Reserva 904- cherry, forest spice, forest red and black berries, cinnamon, slight leather, mushrooms, bay leaf, dried herbs, sousbois, smooth drying resolved tannins that are fondue like, a small element of astringency. The color has fallen out yet very traditional style Rioja. — 7 years ago

William Hughes

9.3

Aging beautifully! Still loads of currant and lavender. Add a touch of iodine and some more black fruit, mix with lean tannins and fine acidity. Here is to Maryland wines! — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Mid crimson with a garnet rim. Lovely aromas of Tobacco and dried leaf. Beautiful balance on the palate with M intensity. Great effort for a difficult hot vintage. Great wine given the conditions. No need for further cellaring. As good as you could expect from a 15 year old 2nd growth in a hot vintage. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

First, a person has to pause and realize how lucky they are to drink this wine from 3L. Thanks Clyde for opening. This is in a perfect stage. Such evolution, length, balance, structure. Love the lower 80's alcohol levels. It's rich, lush and near perfect. Dark cassis; ripe and resolved blackberries, dark cherries, black plum w/skin, mixed berry liqueur, tobacco leaf, leather so soft you would wish it as a pillow cover, dry pebbles, dark rich earth, perfect acidity and a rich, elegant, ripe dark fruit finish. In 3L, this wine still has 10-15 years. — 9 years ago

Kelsey Redd

9.0

Chardonnay: tropical fruit, butterscotch, pineapple, peach, nectarine. Oak character. Rich texture and a creamy mouth-feel. — 9 years ago

Lili Brock

10

Excellent. Sweet but not overbearing. — 10 years ago

Mark Calkin

9.2

#wsetschool Deeply ruby coloured top level Rioja with large quantity of Graciano given it that deep intensity. Pronounced nose of black cherries, red currants and cranberries, with wet leaf notes. There are smoke and toast, cinnamon and cedar from its time in oak, and of course there are tertiary aromas from bottle ageing, like: tobacco, game, leather and dried fruits. This has medium (+) tannins and acidity and an excellent long finish. — 10 years ago

Hum

9.7

2002 vintage...profound tomato leaf, graphite, old leather, cassis, wet tobacco... Silky yet firm on the palate. A little taut but still drinking so well right now. Really, a treat. — 10 years ago

DAL 9000

9.1

Very smooth initial flavor. Light bodied plummy that fills the nose with red berries after swallowing. More intense after it breathes. — 12 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Merry Christmas 🎄 to those celebrating.

Homemade pizza calls for a delish Tuscan, Sangiovese-based blend.

This wine is deep ruby. It has medium(+) intensity in aromas. Aromas are developing and include primary notes of black cherry, blackberry, plum, violet, tomato leaf, black licorice, black pepper, and dried mint, secondary notes of cedar, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, and tertiary noses of tobacco, leather, and barnyard.

This is a dry wine. It has medium (+) acidity, a full body, medium alcohol, medium tannins, and medium intensity of flavors that mirror those on the nose. The finish is medium(+).

Tignanello, Marchesi Antinori. Toscana, IGT. Vintage 2014. ABV 13.5%. — 5 years ago

with Deked1

Mike Saviage

9.7

From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The nose reveals, ripe, brightly floral dark & red fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, prune notes, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, allspice, used leather, limestone minerals, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets.

The body is medium to full. The tannins round, nicely softened but still a little tarry. The structure, tension, length and balance are are harmonious and starting its climb to their peak. The mouthfeel is gorgeous and sexy. Brilliantly, bright, laced; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, dark medium spice with heat, allspice, used leather, some sweet tarriness, limestone minerals, rich dark soil, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets. The acidity was very good and the finish showed it’s Saint Julien elegance. It’s a beautiful wine now and over the next 15-20 years.

Photos of, Chateau Leoville Barton, the “Gentleman of Medoc”, Anthony Barton, harvest work of their Merlot and their barrel cellar.

An hour and a half in decanter.
— 7 years ago

WineMascot

9.1

1982, amazingly this needed time to open up. Menthol and tobacco leaf lead with the finish of warm blue fruit. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This is the most picturesque Chateau in Bordeaux. Oh...and they make a pretty amazing Bordeaux. It's a good first look at the 03 vintage from my five bottle set. There are steak wines and then there are steak wines. This was a 10 pair with the T-bone...Heaven. The tannins have softened but have many years ahead to get to that perfect place. The mouthfeel is full, round, creamy and elegant. The fruits have a not too sweet liqueur style. They are; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, sweet tobacco leaf, anise, used leather, black tea, used coffee grounds, rich wet black turned earth, stones, dry red florals, spice; clove, nutmeg, baking spices; very light vanilla, touch of caramel, dark chocolate and acidity that pours over the palate. There is the start of harmony in the structure, length, balance and tension. The finish lasts a full two-minutes and it crushed with the T-bone. Next bottle in 5-7 years. For the legions of you on Delectable crushing only young Napa Cabernet, you have no idea what you're missing in aged Bordeaux...forget about it...even vs. well aged Napa Cabernet. Respect!!! 3-4 hour decant and it needed every second of it. — 9 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

Black & red fruits, plum, cedar, leather and truffle, floral with smoke and tobacco leaf. Beautiful vintage of this wine that is drinking well. — 9 years ago

Craig Williams

9.0

1.5 L bottle Other than a really poor quality cork that crumbled upon removal, this wine remains a youthful dark red with black currant, tobacco leaf-savory soy aromas. In good shape for such a modestly extracted wine. Demonstrates the strength of quality harvest conditions, which '94 was in many ways. — 10 years ago

Nathan Evans

9.0

Delicious! Very aromatic and sweet! — 10 years ago

Lesa Gough

9.1

Garnet with rim variation turning brick/terracota, corn on the cob, dill, molasses. — 10 years ago