Medium deep ruby , quite narrow rim . Touch of earthy menthol , tobacco , spicy blackcurrant, grafite . On the palate quite dusty , with earthy sous bois , blackcurrant, ripe blackberry , grafite and tobacco , cocoa hints. Quite rich but balanced , good acidity, quite dusty tannins . This is probably at peak now though will last well another decade perhaps . — 5 months ago
Wonderful. Opened up beautifully. 2016 and not oxidized at all. Kudos to the wine cellar! — 8 months ago
Had at Smith & Wollensky. — a year ago
Double decant and pour (lots of sediment). A splendid medium tawny red color. On the nose: stewed black plum, nutmeg, forest floor, worn leather, vanilla oak. Taste: soft, lively wine with dried candied cherries, currants, loamy soil, toasty oak, and a spiced mocha medium finish. YUM at 28 years! — 5 months ago
After 35 years I was not expecting much. Especially when the cork disintegrated on opening. Aureated on decanting and was happily surprised. After about 20 minutes opened to dark chocolate, leather but so smooth. The last glass was pure delight. Howell Mountain at its best! — 5 months ago
After missing a ‘70s and ‘80s Heitz vertical many years ago, I vowed to seek out a bottle as all the comments from the tasting were astoundingly positive. My last bottle of Heitz Martha’s was the ‘01 (which was great) a few years ago, but at 46yrs, this was quite the experience.
The ‘78 has a bit of a legendary status, so expectations were high. Upon opening, the cork was in good shape (sigh of relief) and the color was unbelievably dark ruby with some bricking (another sigh of relief). The singular signature menthol/eucalyptus began to fill the glass, alongside aromatics of red berry fruits, espresso, some sort of sweet brown sugar/caramel note, and a savory-graphite type note too. Beautifully elegant on the palate with more red fruit, herbs (bay leaf?), and even some pipe tobacco (subdued, not in your face), but it sports the classical old Napa cab profile that is pure. Spectacular wine, and I could simply smell the wine all day…the aromatics were so powerful the entire time.
Open in bottle for three hours and powered through the entire time. Wish I had another so I could have the same experience! — 6 months ago
[Tasted on July 27, 2024 at l’Ete du Vin with Steve, Ned and Beth]
Black currant and fig fruit, with forest floor notes. — 9 months ago
Another amazing bottle. At the Ken Wegner Hunt 2019. — 6 years ago
First bottle of the evening on New Year's Eve. Top rated wine of 2015 in Wine Enthusiast. Available at Target and Trader Joes $19.99 — 9 years ago
Ripe blueberry, thick and sticky. Chocolate and mocha finish. 14 years and it still got it. — 5 months ago
Ch Neuf Vieux Tele ‘11. Perfection- balanced, nuanced - fulsome yet supple and not cloying. light on its feet, with taste , finish… yes please I’ll have more. Drank 11/19/24 at A Cote, Oaktown — 6 months ago
Enjoyed 2 bottles at the PDC with Meredith and the Houstons. Wow a must repeat. — 6 years ago
Wine of the night. This wine had EXCELLENT fruit, and showed NO VISIBLE SIGNS of decline. Great powerful blackberry. I was guessing 01 Stag's Leap or Rutherford. Turns out it was Caymus SS 01, but I was second guessing myself on the year because it was a very purple color into the decanter and showing well. The wine had great vanilla on the front, blackberry on the front, and a more youthful middle and finish with some herb. This wine has 10 years left in it no doubt. Whoever cut this one off at 2017 has no idea. This one literally showed no signs of decline whatsoever. Drink by date 2007 - 2030. — 8 years ago
Wine at Luly and Rubin's house — 11 years ago
Vino Joe
Tight as a drum at open. Loosened to trampoline tension after 2 hours. Finally was loose after 4. Spicy and hefty. More inward. A sophisticated mix and quite good but as with most Leoville Las Cases it needs to sit longer for the next iteration. — 5 months ago