At Smith & Wollensky, New York. Very nice — 6 months ago
The 2014 vintage was the last harvest while Serge Hochar was still alive. He tragically drowned while on holiday, NYE in 2014. I have no logical reason to be wary of Musar’s future as the team involved in producing the wines have been in place for some time. However, Serge’s death was for me, the loss of an wine hero. This is my first experience with the 2014 and I can’t help but reflect on the unforgettable experiences I’ve had drinking wines that he produced.
Decanted for several hours prior to dinner, the wine appears a deep purple turning garnet after plenty of air with an opaque core. High intensity, medium+ viscosity, a touch of sediment. On the nose, this is a wild carnival for the senses with cherries, mulberries, rhubarb pie, Twin Bing, harissa, kofta, pipe tobacco, oud, teriyaki, and event canned peaches (though only after some time in the glass). On the palate, things are much more modest with a very compelling cherry compote and bright cranberry notes with some tobacco and baking spices. Very primary at this stage. Medium tannin with medium+ acid. The finish long…forever and a day with dried cherries and dates bringing me home. While still an infant, this is shaping up to be a lovely and long-lived vintage of Musar Rouge. Cheers, Serge. Your legacy lives on. — 4 years ago
2011- gift from a friend. Excellent structure, tannins are very mellow but alcohol is still very hot. Fruit forward, possibly oxidized fruit (port-like fruit). — 11 years ago
Very nice Cab for the price. Another fine vintage from winemaker Joseph Carr. Thanks for the memory! — 11 years ago
A very Happy Holidays... — 12 years ago
Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Nose of red and black fruits with light wood, tobacco and chocolate notes.
Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, light oak, licorice, chocolates, spices and earth.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Grenache blend is starting to drink very nicely now, with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.
Elegant and rich. Interesting and engaging. A very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style.
Well balanced and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with food.
A blend of all 13 allowed grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but mostly Grenache. Hand picked and whole cluster. Aged for 2 years in large French oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$110. — 5 months ago
Laughing when I say this… the first glass tastes just as wonderful as the last glass. Often when we do tastings the last glass tastes good but later we wonder why in the world we liked it so much. This one is enjoyable from the very first sip. Regardless of the crazy label and name, it’s a great selection to enjoy with dinner and a partner. — 9 months ago
I really like this. Very easy to drink. — 6 years ago
Very smooth — 8 years ago
Very easy to drink. Surprisingly smooth Good buy for the price. — 11 years ago
Very nice pinot noir but not traditional by pinot standards. Very clean and complex. Layers of great berry fruit and spice. Interesting textures. Very pleasant finish. — 11 years ago
Has a little brown toast note that is distinctive. Overall very nice and worthy of a graduation celebration. — 6 months ago
With a 2 hour decant (needs 3) the 2000 Lalanden has noticeable Petit Verdot and pales in comparison to its sibling the Baron in this vintage. Still a very good wine! — 9 months ago
Nose is very much Bordeaux. Dark fruits, mushroom and leather with the most amazing smoky finish. Great wine — 5 years ago
The Clark & Telephone Vineyard PN gave me a long lasting impression, and this Las Alturas is very similar in style in its richness and intensity.
Ripe plum, blackberry jam, eucalyptus, fig, black tea, and Chinese medicinal herbs bursting on the nose. Palate has more texture and a more elegant feel with dark chocolate and spice. Firm and a bit dusty tannins. This tastes more like a blend of Zinfandel and Cab. Nice! But again this is not the type of PN I like. — 7 years ago
Still very tannic surprisingly! — 8 years ago
I love this wine. For some reason it is very easy on my digestive system unlike many others. It has a nice price point as well. — 11 years ago
Shared with Galen in SF @ Roys. Very nice — 11 years ago
Kurt Winrich
Apricot dominates. A very ripe, sweet apricot. Very nice, but I expected more honey. — 5 months ago