I never would have anticipated drinking my birth year of Cheval Blanc out of a Solo cup yet, here we are. The ‘81 is ruddy still; deep garnet color with some browning towards the rim and loads of sediment. The nose shows some of the telltale green-ness of vintage but everything has found harmony: the fruit has blossomed and structure has integrated. Dark fruited with tobacco, dried purple flowers, mushrooms, herbs and soft eastern spices. Charming! No particular rush to drink these but lovely now. — 9 months ago
Really drinking well now. — 2 years ago
I love trying and exploring wines, but then I open this and wonder why I just don’t drink this forever. So fresh, so pretty, good acidity, tannin, and fruit, all of it balanced. Year after year this is my favorite broc wine. — 4 years ago
Excellent value and nearly everything you want in an entry level Oregon Pinot noir. A bit darker and more robust than I expected, and at 13.7% labeled abv. But quite balanced with darker red berries, some spice / chocolate notes, and slightly noticeable tannins. Lacking just a bit of acid on the finish for the freshness I’d love. — 5 years ago
Nice and light — 6 months ago
One of the best Chardonnays on the planet. Typical of Iron Horse. — 7 months ago
9.2 Good Pinot with depth and smooth finish. Nice match for Thanksgiving dinner. 2021 vintage — 7 months ago
Wow. Smooth. Paris Louvre — 10 months ago
heavy pencil shavings and cigar smoke on the nose. black olive and green bell pepper too. color is definitely what you’d expect in a 20 year old wine. palate is consistent with nose, very bordeaux-lite. heavy cigar box. a lot of olive and herb tapenade character. some black pepper on the finish too. very savory overall. — 2 years ago
Tarragon, cherry smell, magenta, acid, sorrel, grass, cranberry, cherry — 4 years ago
Bright, deep ruby. Ineffable scents of dark berries, graphite, minerals, licorice, violet, dark chocolate and sage. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and plush but light on its feet, and every bit as complex in the mouth as on the nose. Really impeccably balanced, classy wine with uncanny precision and inner-mouth aromatic lift and a resounding, endlessly building aftertaste that leaves the taste buds quivering. A wine of great finesse and energy, not to mention noble palate-saturating, fully ripe tannins. This is more about subtlety than weight, but is still hard to scrape off your palate. This already coats every square millimeter of the palate but may yet expand further. All of this fruit was harvested in October. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, May 2020)
— 5 years ago
While not as intense as on release this is no where near a shrinking violet. The nose is starting to strut with scents of apple , brioche and nuts.That first taste still makes you recoil and salivate. Lemons , limes , biscuits, and a touch of butterscotch. Very long finish . Developing into everything I hoped for. — 6 months ago
Smoking’ good!! — 9 months ago
Excellent on a stand alone basis or in mimosas!! Slight brioche, caramel, butter, and a hint of apricot. Just as good at bottle opening as it was a couple hours later! — 2 years ago
Still young, but definitely earthy and fruity. — 4 years ago
Lightly sweet with green apple and honeysuckle, lime and tropical fruit. — 5 years ago
Dry, complex, dynamic food pairing — 5 years ago
Michelle Beer
V Day wine, dangerously drinkable, fruity — 5 months ago