Brett Vanderbrook

9.7

What is there to say? It’s Dom. This ‘09 is singing. Lemon peel, almonds, sherry, toast. It’s creamy and unctuous while still maintaining bright acidity and focused minerality. It’s expensive, but god damn it’s good. — 3 years ago

with Raina

Mike Saviage

9.3

Tasted blind. Dark reddish brown color, port-like in color and in the nose. Notes of raisins, molasses, tobacco. What is this? While it seems like it could be Madeira, the impact in the mouth and the tastes in no way resemble that. Someone threw out the guess that it could be really old Bordeaux. Yep. Drinking some history tonight! — 5 years ago

Larry Frierson

9.8

Brought by David Speer to Martie’s birthday dinner at our Oregon Beach house. Very strong, complex, edgy. Seems twenty years younger. What a treat! A Krug paradigm. — 6 years ago

with Craig

Jack Petras

9.8

Fortunate enough to have tasted this along with 6 other stunning wines last night during a cellar tasting. This 36 year old 2nd growth was nearly perfect, unusual but very pleasant mint, camphor, crushed sage and rosemary aromas with the same cooling delicate herbal initial palate. Dried but expressive red fruits mid- palate with a great structural graphite element throughout. Whiff of new leather. Changed in the glass showing different mellow facets. Pretty much intercepted at the exact right time. A real privilege to taste such a renowned vintage with folks who appreciates what was in front of them. — 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

Brownish tawny. Regal, clear and almost opaque. Sweet old Bordeaux nose. Notes of cola, cranberry, plums, dried fig, earth, spice and some wood. A bit thin in the mouth at the start but with air it firms up. Decent finish. Grows nicely in volume and impact. The fragrant nose is what you remember. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

A redo after that disappointing 2002 Pichon Lalande two weeks ago on #steakandclaret night. While this is not again what I expect from this producer, it is better than the 02. Nose of cedar, fresh tobacco, stones and dry soil, quiet baking baking spices, ripe & lean; blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, hues of blueberries, light mushroom, soft leather, black licorice cola and fresh red florals. The body is leaner to medium and well resolved. The fruits are fresh & bright. Dark cherries, cherries, lean blackberries, strawberries, cherries, pomegranate & cranberry juice, hues of blue fruits, saddle-wood, sweet suede leather, fresh tobacco leaf, cedar, dry stones, top soil & rich turned dark earth, limestone minerals, dry stems, slight touch of dry herbs, round, mouthwatering acidity and lean, long, well balanced fruit & earth, good structured finish with length. Finish lasts a full minute. Still 8-10 years of good drinking ahead. 9.3 with the ribeye. — 8 years ago

JKT

9.5

What a nose! Fruit but strongly tinged with spice and hints of cigar? Medium body with fruit and acid but latter lingers into finish which RC says should note be for Napa cab and sign of post prime by 5+ years. But still great to drink. Next day under agon the nose lost that spicy note but the palette holding very nicely. More rounded today. — 9 years ago

Tim O'Rourke

9.6

What? So good. All the olive and pepper and leather that you would expect and plenty of game and mushroom as well. I don't suppose I'll have another chance to taste this, so I'll have to rely on memory of something so delicious. — 10 years ago

Mike Shinn

10

Everything it's cracked up to be. What an amazing red blend. Delicious. — 10 years ago

Astrid Lewis

10

1947. Can't actually believe I have rated this in my lifetime. Although it had a significant amount of leakage and oxidisation, it was still bright, still had bags of fruit, tannins, acidity. What am incredibly generous wine to open to celebrate our new little company. Thx guys xxx — 11 years ago

with Pierpaolo and Chris

Nathan Renfro

9.3

Had to try one of these. Obviously young and will need another 5-10 years to hit its stride. But drinking very enjoyably now. Perfectly ripe red fruit with hints of blue and black. Tannins and acidity still strong. Best to aerate for a couple hours. But wow what a long finish. — 4 years ago

Gaurav Tiwari

9.2

This is a classic! Decanted for 3 hrs. Clear watery hue, beautiful pale Garnett in the middle. Medium viscosity, medium alcohol. On the nose, red cherry, strawberries, flowers, spices - thyme, clove, wet cigar, wet leaves. On the palate, confirmed red cherries, strawberries and powerful/rigid but silky tannins and racy acidity to balance it all. Long earthy finish. Elegant yet tough...like a ballerina! Very well balanced and serious wine from a good producer. This is their entry level Barbaresco that punches above its weight for what it costs. Stocking up.. this will drink even better in 5 years. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.6

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

What a total treat. My second glass of this was very different from the first glass. At first, I was getting a lot of honeyed tropical fruits with a good bit of yeast, but then it was more bright, and had caramelized Granny Smith apple notes and classic chalky limestone. This is right down the middle in terms of reductive vs oxidative. I wish I could have enjoyed this all on its own to give it the attention it deserved. I guessed this was ‘06 Le Mesnil. — 6 years ago

with Mark, joe and 1 other

jesus g

Hospitality Schramsberg Vineyards

9.6

I’m really beginning to see this transition where the 2013s-16s of Rhône and Burgundy are already so drinkable and showing ripe fruit. Like they are making them to drink now, this winemaking style is showing a little more fruit extraction and from what I’ve seen here in Napa, you’re sacrificing the ability to age there for the early drinkability. Hopefully I’m wrong and these are all just warmer vintages. I just wanna see these wines reach their potential 10/20 years out — 7 years ago

Scotty L.

9.3

What can I say...
Absolutely Fabulous! — 7 years ago

Tom Wildenhaus

9.5

First time tasting and what a treat. We balanced, subtle with flavors that keep evolving. — 8 years ago

Charles von Breitenbach

9.2

All those intense tannins one associates with Silver Oak have softened into what would pass for a very nice second growth — 9 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.6

What a way to welcome the first night in Reims!. L'Assiette Champenoise is one of the only hotel restaurants to have an agreement to serve Krug by the glass.... The whole bottle is better. Bright, crisp and a great companion! — 10 years ago

with Katherine

David Landrum

9.7

Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were..... Hottubbin' with Christian... Fab juice. 1989 was a good year... 13% cali bord blend... Say what?! — 10 years ago

Eddy Mendez

10

Pretty darn good showing with tons of dark cab goodness and and nice structure early on but as it warmed from cellar temperature and opened the richness of the fruit started to outweigh the acidity and tannin structure. I guess it's a matter of what you want from a Cabernet. The 'Old World' Brother In Law and the rest of his loyal crew who value smoothness over all else thought it was "like buttah". I had to side with the spacewrangler. While this wine was not over the top or over extracted it left me wanting more structure. — 13 years ago

Christian Fischer

9.3

Had an op to re-buy at $115 and wanted to check in on the 2006. What a nice rendition. Perhaps not the best vintage overall, but in really great shape right now with the typical tobacco aromas. Needless to say, I am buying more — 4 years ago

Rob Brobst III

9.8

This could garner a perfect score in about a decade.... gorgeous blackberry, raspberry, cedar and orange sorbet scents that are extremely pure and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very precise acidity and layers of crisp black fruit laced with vanilla from the new oak at the moment. That will be subsumed in time. What you have here is a very precise, multi-layered, almost sensual Montrose that is going to delight many for years to come. This is highly recommended--one of the finest Left Bank wines this vintage. — 5 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.4

What a terrific way to end 2018. Old school Napa at its finest. Tart cherry, Leather, earthiness, cedar, and maybe a little bell pepper? Smooth tannins and after a 3hr decant the finish lasted for forever. Would love to try a Dunn with some age on it — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Night 1 of the Fall WNH event in San Antonio. What a killer start to the extended weekend, all courtesy to Shawn and Jennifer for hosting! Tonight was Italian wines.

Another in the running for WOTN. Maple and rich! Cherry and vanilla tobacco on the nose with herbal spice and a strawberry tart finish. Young and acidic! There is a very underripe red fruit dominant profile here. Crazy how young it tastes for 23yrs old. Bravo @Shawn R ! — 7 years ago

with Mike, David and 5 others

Grant Harmsen

9.6

What a phenomenal bottle! Could not believe just how rich and deep the flavors of red and purple fruits, baking spices and leather was - especially considering the age. Velvety tannins offered a sublime mouthfeel. Don't pass this up if you get a chance to taste it. — 7 years ago

Nadia Kralovic

9.4

🤤 big, juicy, coats your mouth. Exactly what I love — 8 years ago

with Hanif and Joe

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

A wine from Anthony that's finally ready. Just kidding. It's the volatile acidity holding this wine together. Completely resolved tannins. Ripe lean; blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries. It's almost all fruit with just a hint of earth and minerality. Fun to drink. I always like to ask, what were you doing in 1978? Nice of Lilian Barton to model the bottle for my photo. Thank you for bringing this wine. A real treat to try. — 8 years ago

Mitzi Inglis

Marketing/Public Relations, Joseph Phelps Vineyards

9.4

Lots of life left in this wine. What a treat. From 3 liter. #josephphelps biased review — 9 years ago

with Joseph

Ron Siegel

9.9

Mouton Vertical Dinner. This was paired with the 61 and this was the groups 2nd favorite only surpassed by the perfect 45. This was what I was looking for dark ruby color huge nose of sweet red fruits, cassis, chocolate, mint, vanilla, pencil shavings so rich and ripe on the mouth, dense in weight and structure. Great length showing what a great Mouton is all about. — 10 years ago

Aran Healy

Partner Ruby WIne, Carlotta Cellars, Thistle Cellars

10

A perfect 10. What a pleasurable balanced vintage. With so much life. If any soil and earth, it would be black soil, rich and full of life. But the fruit, it's so full and vibrant still. Really hit this on a good year to drink! — 11 years ago