Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour.  On the nose:  dark fruit, pencil shavings, green bell pepper, leather, mushrooms.   Taste:  a brooding, still austere, structured wine with dark fruit, cassis, smoked earth, cigar, minerals, crushed stone.  Some pronounced tannins want you to give it more time for a better score in the future.

At Cote, Last Vegas — 5 months ago

with Brenda and

Jay Kline

9.2

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a dull purple/garnet color with a translucent core and significant rim variation, moving towards a rust color. The wine has medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, dried red and purple flowers, old leather bound books, tobacco, a touch of menthol, some earth, old wood and a sprinkle of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Super high quality but a touch thin.

Initial conclusions: Due to the observable characteristics of color, rim variation, sediment, smell and flavor, I think this wine has significant age; 30+ years. However, this is still very alive and showing more than enough markers to give an indication of place. Subsequently, this could be a Cabernet-based blend or a Tempranillo-based blend from the United States, France, or Spain. For me, I’m getting new French oak vibes instead of American so I’m eliminating Spain. I also think this leans more towards its fruit than its structure and since this comes across a little on the thin side, I’m going to say this comes from a tougher vintage. My final conclusion is this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the USA, Napa, 1981. Wow! This showed really well.

It never ceases to amaze me how analogous the 1981 vintage was in both Napa and Bordeaux. I find it equally amazing how well that vintage has held up; particularly when considering its poor reputation, mostly based on the prevailing thought at the time. From my perspective, well stored examples are not going to fall off of a cliff but I would drink now through 2031. — 8 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Poured into a decanter about 30min prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1985 was more recently acquired from the chateau and in pristine condition. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated dark and red fruits: black currants, mixed brambles, tobacco, pencil shavings, some dried purple flowers, some green bell pepper, mushrooms, leather, some ferrous earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. Elegant and beautiful this was such a fun and rewarding wine to follow as the hours rolled by. A very strong showing at 40 years young and not slowing down soon. Drink now through 2040. — 2 years ago

Ben Christen

9.2

Tasty. Light, lemon 🍋. Great Chardonnay — 6 years ago

with Ellen

Tom Kohli

9.2

Our first patio wine for 2020. Our favorite Chardonnay! — 6 years ago

Mike Searby

9.1

Superb oaky and complex — 9 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.5

A classically done wine by a classic producer. This Morgon expression is more on the garden earth/mineral/floral spectrum than the fruit spectrum, which is fine by me. Dense and structured, was singing after an hour in the decanter. — 10 years ago

Salvatore Borzi

9.3

Drank for Sean's birthday. Drinking very well. Beautiful, velvety tannins and acidity. Leather, earth, mushroom, red fruits. — 10 years ago

Martin Diehr

9.0

Unique / Bordeaux style wine. Needs time to open and despite the age, would improve with decanting this wine. Old world nose, well balanced on mid palate with forest notes and wild berries. Medium finish — 11 years ago

Pooneet K

9.4

In perfect condition and drinking much more youthful than nearly 40 years!! Paired with grilled chicken thighs which went very well given the tannin structure has mostly receded. Acid still very much keeping things together and in check. Nice balance - still some good fruit, great earth, long finish. Hard to argue! — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2023 (S) pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe strawberry, Bing cherry, red and purple flowers, red rope licorice, rocky earth and cool spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. This vintage of Lapierre shows the warmth of the vintage and oozes generosity. In some ways, this reminds me of the 2015 vintage. Drink now through 2033+. — 7 months ago

Greg Koslosky

9.2

This bottle was in perfect condition has incredible balance with black and red fruits earth, spice garrigue. As good as you would hope should hold for another five years. Nice juice ! — 9 months ago

Charlie Frago

9.2

Well balanced. Some fruit, but not overwhelmingly very enjoyable.  — 10 months ago

JFP

9.0

2020 vintage in 2024. Fit very well with a smoked chicken. — 2 years ago

Kimberly Jamrozek

9.3

I am in love with this Zin and will definitely join Uncommon Palette's wine club cause they offer the BEST!!! — 6 years ago

Marissa Panton

8.9

Easy drinking wine. No aftertaste. Good table wine. — 8 years ago

Steve Haro

9.5

Hints of menthol and eucalyptus on the nose. Loads of anise and black tea flavors with portobello and grilled game. Fruit flavors taking a back seat to earth but wow, does it have life. Forrest floor and tobacco on the finish. — 9 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. — 10 years ago

Ozlem Ertekin

9.4

beautiful, elegant, fine and delicious! — 11 years ago

Gary Moreno Jr.

10

Always my favorite — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2023 pours a deep ruby/garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. On the nose the wine is developing with heady notes of tart cherry, mixed brambles, spearmint, red and purple flowers, old school permanent marker, licorice, tomato, green herbs, clove and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the body is, ooof…very nice. Another delicious vintage of Cuvée Réservée. Drink now through 2043. — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 8 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.2

Black fruits, cedar, earth, leather, graphite & tobacco — 9 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Great vintage for GL that was fresh & drinking beautifully at 41 yrs showing red & black fruit, earth, cedar, leather with sweet, savory spice & cigar box — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1.5 hour decant(surprisingly just a little cloudy sediment). A prodigious medium dark garnet color with little signs of aging. On the nose: funky stewed meats, blackberry, smoke, plum, minty pepper, creme de cassis. Taste: KABOOM! Rich, silky, full body wine with blackberry, earth, cedar, wet gravel, menthol and a cassis pencil lead long finish with some ashy tannins. In its prime drinking window and this 13.8% alc wine should rock another 10 years. Cheers! — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Pooneet K

9.1

Really nice, and showing quite well with 7 years of age. Medium color, extremely well balanced. Dark earth, black olive, savory notes for sure. Long finish with great acid. Excellent food wine. — 8 years ago

Jonathan Pytko

10

Education wine, awesome earth and acid. Still has time in the bottle — 9 years ago

with Andrew

Nate Miles

9.3

Early nose was austere, even a bit severe, then giving way to sticks and leaves and wet earth - like walking through the woods early in the morning. Light to medium in body. Stones and mushrooms and earth and sweet red fruit - all you can want in a Pinot Noir. I really like this wine. — 10 years ago

Heather Meyer

9.7

Delicious, budget-friendly wine with a long-lasting velvety finish — 11 years ago

Nolan LaBrucherie

9.1

Wild ridge! — 13 years ago