Tree Kilpatrick

9.3

Still very dark for a 15 year old red. Smells like berry-plum sauce and leather. Bit of wet gravel and flint. Flavors are lovely and elevated. Black currants. A hint of cola nut. Licorice drops. This is quite an elegant and lovely red. Could age longer. Beefy but with a velvet glove. — 6 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Medium ruby color with a lighter rim. Aromas of red berries, violets, wet gravel and pine resin. The pallet is full of red cherry and blueberry fruit with additional notes of baking spices, black tea and dried herbs. Crisp acidity, plush and medium bodied. A bit of grippy tannin. Always very consistent. — 8 months ago

Joel Lara

9.2

Initially, the wine seemed pretty closed so let it decant for about an hour and a half to open up. Smooth mouthfeel with nice acidity and beautiful long finish. On the palate primarily roasted strawberries with subtle hints of spice, but finish is amazing with some beautiful floral notes contrasting with black tea, and some herbal notes for good measure. Nicely well integrated, nuanced flavors. — 10 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Medium Ruby color with layered aromas of fresh berry fruits with floral and earthy spice notes, aged 10 months in 20% new French oak. On the palate flavors of strawberry and raspberry with cigar box, oak, tea, citrus and earthy herb notes. Well balanced, savory fine rustic tannins, long finish ending with oaky earthy notes. Nice! — 2 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.3

Very nice amber wine, one of the few producers we’ve found that make well-structured natty that aren’t overpowered by cidry funk and “off” aromas. Strong herbal overtones. Black tea. Massive desiccating tannins. At the same time the palate has an appealing softness. Lovely work. — 5 years ago

with Alsu

Colin Cahoon

9.3

Dark cherry, and charred fruit on the nose. The palate displays more dark cherry, rhubarb, cigar box, black tea, and oak. Moderate plus tannins, medium alcohol, and high acid. The long finish is tart red berries and acid sizzle. A fresh and bold Chianti that should age nicely. — 6 years ago

with Susan

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had another bottle, aged well. Steve & Paula Black pursued a dream in 2003 and purchased a 110-acre vineyard located in the Red Hills of Dundee creating The Four Graces, named after their four daughters. Medium Ruby with surprisingly complex aromas of red fruits, herb and spice. On the palate cherry and raspberry flavors with tea and espresso notes adding a bit of pepper spice. Well balanced acidity with fine tannins, medium(+) length, ending with earthy notes. Nice value! Tasting Sample! — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Ruby with bouquet of berry fruit and herb floral notes, aged for 10 months on French oak. On the palate strawberry and black cherry flavors with sweet spice, tea and earthy tones. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with earthy herbs, cedar, dried fruits and mineral tones. — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Ruby core still , quite wide garnet rim . Still quite young looking . This is quite exotic at first with some Asian spice , rose water , floral hints and after a while red cherries , red currant and blackberry . On the palate this has more of the darker fruits , dark cherry , blackberry with some spicy , wet slate and , lightly herbal , tobacco notes . Fresh acidity and fine but noticable tannins . Quite long and detailed , saline with spiced tea tinged finish . Quite reserved and understated but enough fruit and mid palate to cover the structure . This is drinking well now with time in the glass , and will continue at this level for another 10 years or so . So exotic and enticing on the nose , and with great poise and freshness on the palate, really great showing. — 7 months ago

LM Segal

9.5

Beautiful in all respects, gently wafting black tea, red flowers. Layers of light and fully resolved red fruit, lots of secondary aromatics. Perhaps a bit past it’s prime but even so, obvious royalty. — 3 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Nose of black tea, portobello, baked plum and soft, unctuous cherry. Kirsch-chocolate, blood orange, French roast, marigold, ferromagnesian elements. Coffee, baking chocolate, black cherry skin, cigar smoke, venison jerky, char, cassis, and vine charcoal.


#cdp #châteauneuf #chateauneufdepape #chateaudebeaucastel #2004cdp #rhonewine #rhonereds #rhoneblend #familleperrin #appellationcdpcontrôlée #œnothèquechâteaudebeaucastel #pierredebeaucastel #crudebeaucastel — 4 years ago

LM Segal

9.5

Stunning nose of brambly dark red fruit and black tea. Bacon fat and scorched clay on the entry followed by a broad beam of melted tannins and fig, iron, Provençal spices and lavender. 45+ second finish. Outstanding, another great bottle though now at its apogee (but likely to stick around and turn to burgundy over time). — 5 years ago

Dan R

9.5

Smoking good, with a savory character and silky smooth, velvet texture. So harmonious and complete, with all elements in place and perfect balance. Red apple skin, pennyroyal and black tea and a sous bois finish. A delicious pinot that reaches rarified heights of sophistication and elegance — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The 2006 Bordeaux vintage. The vintage while wasn’t Bordeaux’s best, it certainly wasn’t one of its worst. It had the unenviable position of following a grand 2005 vintage. I think better than 2000, maybe 09 & 10? Jury is still out. The Bordelaise also got greedy and raised their prices from 05. That was a mistake when it came to selling the 2006 vintage and it laid another layer of bad taste in consumers minds.

I really enjoy Pichon Lalande’s style/craft. The 06 is good, not great. In fact, I enjoyed this better w/o the lamb.

The fruits are just ripe. Velvety, rounded M+ tannins. Brambly blackberries, dryish black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, some raspberry hues, oak barrel shavings, graphite, dry soils, dry tobacco & leather, dry clay, soft but dark spice, some dry herbs, soft baking spices- clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, light milk chocolate, caramel hues, black tea, anise, some mid berry cola, dry & withering, dark & red flowers, violets, decent, round acidity, balanced, neatly structured/tensioned with an elegant finish that lasts just over 90 seconds and falls on dry earth and soft, dark spice.

Still acceding and has 15 plus yrs of good drinking ahead. Could make a case for rounding up to 93.

Paired w/ Grilled Rack of Lamb, Served with Rosemary Jus, Fondant Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli.

@EK148 — 7 months ago

Scott E. Becker

9.1

[Tasted on August 9, 2025 at answer in Nashville with Linda]

Cherry and cranberry fruit, with black tea and spice. — 9 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Light garnet color. Very interesting nose and palate of red fruits, rose petals, dried herbs, black tea, bergamot and sweet baking spices. Hint of eucalyptus on the long, complex and earthy finish. Smooth tannins. Lively, bright and very well balanced. Nice concentration for a light bodied wine. Excellent! — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Dusty cherry and dense Christmas pudding nose features baked blueberry and dried red currants with blue spruce, Connecticut cigar wrap, sunflower, marigold and tea. There is ample black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and lacquered oak. Silky smooth and incredibly well-integrated layers of aforementioned spices with a surprisingly green tobacco note. Cedar and dried blackberry atop baked raspberry and peppercorn tart. Simply delicious and unwaveringly structured.

#chevalblanc #cheval #châteauchevalblanc #1ergrandcruclassé #1986 #stemiliongrandcru #appellationsaintemiliongrandcrucontrolée #misenbouteille #misenbouteilleauchâteau # — 4 years ago

Bill Mowry

8.9

46% Tempranillo, 31% Grenache and 23% Graciano. Light tannins with dark cherries. — 5 years ago

with Steve

Eric Grasser

9.4

Aristocratic for a 15 year old American Pinot. Has all the hallmarks of Savoy: lush bing cherry, sandalwood, licorice root, black tea leaf and forest floor. Light tannins falling out. The core of the color totally remained intact with just a ring of brown near the edge. Seems in a near perfect place at the moment — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Joseph Phelps Party and the 83 Insignia from magnum.

The nose reveals; floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits; strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, cedar, old leather & tobacco, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with dry & withering dark, red florals.

The body is medium full with a fair amount of tannins in a wine with this age. The structure, tension, length and balance are still quite sound with harmony. Floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits, strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, dark spice with some heat, cedar, old leather & tobacco, cedar, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with some funkiness. withering dark, red florals. The acidity is nice. The long finish still show ripeness, good balance but, has leaned and shows nice persistence. — 7 years ago