Ron R

9.3

Look up the word “consistency” in the dictionary, and you’ll see a bottle of this wine. Wifey loves this more than she loves me - well, not quite... 😏 — 8 years ago

with Anne-marie

Rashed Chowdhury

9.3

Dark ruby color, flower and sweet cheese notes on the nose, best balance of fruit and tannins, elegance is the word. This is the best of Emilio Moro's wines. — 9 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.4

Impenetrable, cloudy, dark ruby in the glass. This wine is rich, lush and concentrated, but also shows an amazing softness, finesse, purity and detail. Balance is the key word. Superripe plums and forestfruit, soft spices, humidor, antique and a faint hint of grilled veggies. Truly unique and geeky.

Even improves with a couple hours of decanter time. Getting deeper and darker! Up a notch. — 9 years ago

Mike R

9.5

Key word is smiling - details - Boudreaux blend with 75% cab - Galloni and RP like it and thought I would procure and yes it is a baby but OMG it is damn good right now - I had Ric stuff before and it was good but this is his best of the four vintages I had

This is big bold and beautiful - it jumps at you with intensity and power and energy - and still smooth - please decant as I did for two hours

Dark purplish fruit is blowing away my nose and steering to happiness with the taste and finish - this is an old school taste I remember when I fell in love with Napa cabs - this baby will keep growing as it rest for a long time - bravo Mr Forman - and summing it up - all SMILES — 9 years ago

Dave Schneider

9.5

In one word. WOW — 9 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

One of my favourite Aussie Pinot Noirs. Never disappoints. Spicy sappy cherry aromas. Soft tannins but sufficient acid to cellar. Always a reliable cellaring proposition. Delicious, as a word, can be overused but this is truly delicious and an excellent wine. Gold medal quality. — 9 years ago

Douglas Maitland

10

Oh my word. — 10 years ago

Alex Alan

Wine Director Hotel Delmano

9.2

Haven't opened one of these in a year or two. Leaner & more focused. Burnt orange, hazelnut, and cocoa on the nose. Cocoa & citrus is met with sea salt and walnut shells on the palate. Superdope...yes, that's one word. — 11 years ago

José Ortiz

9.1

One word: #VALUE — 11 years ago

Justin Smith

9.0

Word soup with fun being the first to come to mind. — 11 years ago

winesocialbuzz .

10

Masseto 2006 - Tuscany - one word Heaven! — 11 years ago

Phil Magown

9.8

Only one word: phenomenal! — 13 years ago

Gregory Knaps

9.3

2002. Finesse is the word. So fresh. Luhmesumodis! — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Nicky Hahn, grew up speaking German, his native language, the word ‘Hahn’ means rooster, which is why a depiction of this bird has always graced the label of his wines. Aromas of dark berry fruits and spicy floral notes. On the palate raspberry and blueberry flavors with tea and a touch of pepper spice. Fine soft tannins on lingering finish ending with earthy mineral tones. Nice value. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

In every difficult vintage, anywhere, you will find producers that make exceptional wines. This 91 Palmer is such a wine. I have to thank Clyde Beffa owner of K&L Wine Merchants who has been traveling to Bordeaux for 35+ years for highly recommending two 91 Bordeaux's to me. The 91 Pichon Lalande; which he described as "heavenly." It's just the word I would have used to described it 5 or 6 years ago. Also, this 91 Palmer. He described as, "​I love it-soft and silky." I would strongly agree. You see, critics gave the 91 vintage a horrific review as a whole. Bordeaux had two frosts in April and a cold growing season. These elements didn't prevent either of these producers from making beautifully elegant 1991 wines. I have said it many times and will say it again, taste wines even in difficult vintages. You'll find value and some excellent wines. As for this 91, it's in perfect form. Excellent on it's own and even better with the ribeye. It's so elegant, smooth, beautiful, ripe and well balanced with earth & fruit. The fruits are slightly stewed & baked. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, touch of rhubarb, cherries, strawberries. Dried florals, used leather, tobacco with ash, slight vegetal quality, anise, not too sweet black cherry licorice/cola, figs, dark earth with crushed rocks, dry stones, underbrush, understated spice and perfect acidity that drips over the palate. The length, structure, balance and finish are in perfect harmony & the finish goes on and on and on. As many times as we've been to Bordeaux, we never get tired of the drive on the D-2 through Margaux and Pauillac. Chateau Margaux & Palmer stand side by side in beautiful prodigious history to say nothing of Baron Pichon & Pichon Lalande. Every year, for my B-day, I have a great steak and an old Bordeaux. It just doesn't get any better than that. And as many of those nights I've had, B-day or not, this might have been the best. Perhaps topping or equaling the Ribcap at Bourbon Steak and the 91 Pichon Lalande. To quote Gary Westby, "it steak and claret night." 12% alcohol is so much more enjoyable than 15% plus. ❤🍷🎉🎂 — 9 years ago

with Gary

Martin G Rivard

9.9

Simply incredible, definitely over the top, mid palate blows up, incredibly luscious knows which invites you to partake in the first set. Simply incredible. I absolutely love it. To summit up in one word it is absolutely freaking absurd! — 9 years ago

with Christine and David

Pascal Levensohn

10

From 6 Liter (Imperial). One word: Wow! — 9 years ago

Scott T

VP/Senior Wine Specialist Christie's

9.4

From Magnum. In a word: Huge — 10 years ago

with Christie's and Richard

Stefan Fouant

9.8

One word. Spectacular. — 11 years ago

Immanuel Black

9.5

The "Last Word" in chartreuse. Best cocktail ever. — 11 years ago

Mark Wong

9.8

Fantastic balance and nice finish. Very smooth. Voted #1 wine in the word for 2013 by Decanter magazine — 11 years ago

Zac Melendrez

9.5

A bit surprised by the bretty characteristic. Funk is a good word. — 11 years ago

Douglas Meyer

10

Forget the references about oak, tobacco, pepper etc. One word sums up this juice. Wow, crazy good, fabulous, smooth as silk, scrumptious. Ok, well one word can't do this wine justice. — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A wine I’ve enjoyed mostly upon release or near it. I vowed to wait six years and nearly made it. At least it is 2018...just! It’s worth waiting this/that long for it to develop. On the nose; sweetly, baked fruits of; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, and notes of blue fruits. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium, beautiful spice, black fruit tea, limestone minerals, loamy, dry, brown top soil, fresh dark florals and violets. The mouthfeel is full, rich & lush. The tannins are round, still have some teeth and possess velvety round edges. It’s fruit driven but not a bomb and showing elegance & grace. Fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, notes of blue fruits and dry cranberries dip in and out. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium beautiful spice that is more pronounced on the palate, black fruit tea, touch of melted brown sugar/molasses, limestone minerals, touch of rich dark sweet turned soil, loamy dry brown top soil, soft understated eucalyptus/mint, dry fresh florals and violets. The round acidity is just right, just a slight very small alcohol burn, the length, structure, tension and beautifully balanced finish are in a very good place. Even better in 2-3 more years in bottle; which is when I’ll have my next one. Photos of; the winemaking duo of Gary Franscioni (left) and Gary Pisoni, Rosella’s Vineyard on the right. As well as, Garys’ Vineyard at the bottom. Producer notes and history...The Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is known for its rich, vibrant Pinot Noirs. However, that wasn’t always the case. The first Pinot was planted in 1973, but results weren’t all that great. Chardonnay was the appellation’s early star. Much of the area’s current fame for Pinot Noir arguably can be traced to Gary Pisoni, a free-spirited wine enthusiast who grew up in a Salinas Valley vegetable farming family. Pisoni decided to plant a few acres of Pinot Noir in 1982 on his family’s horse ranch, at the southern end of what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation but his horses started eating the grapes. So, they had to go. His initial planting were limited by a lack of water until he dug a well on the property. Pisoni started planting even more Pinot Noir. The vineyard is now around 45 acres and nearly all of it Pinot. By the late 1990s, word had spread about the success of his vineyard, and a number of Pinot specialists from around California had started lining up to buy his grapes. He started producing his own wine in 1998. Pisoni isn’t the only Gary who has become a force in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Franscioni, a childhood friend, followed Pisoni’s lead by planting grapes and started Roar Wines in 2001. The two of them now have five vineyards between them...all farmed meticulously with the same crew. They are best of friends...sort of a Mutt & Jeff. They have become a formidable presence in the Highlands, attracting interest from top winemakers and Pinot Noir lovers from all over. Franscioni is also from a vegetable farming family; Pisoni figures they’ve known each other since they were 3 or 4. Franscioni saw his friend’s success and once he got some money together, decided to plant grapes of his own. Franscioni’s property is farther north and cooler as it’s closer to the Monterey Bay. He was going to plant Chardonnay. He woke up and Franscioni recalls imitating Pisoni, and shouted, “plant Pinot!” Franscioni planted what became Rosella’s Vineyard, named for his wife, in 1996. He took Pisoni’s advice and planted four acres of Pinot Noir, although he still planted 12 acres of Chardonnay. It’s now a total of around 50 acres with three-quarters of it Pinot Noir. The next year, they decided to become partners and planted Garys’ Vineyard, a 50 acre parcel where they grow Pinot and a little Syrah. Since then, Franscioni has developed Sierra Mar, 38 acres of Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah and a tiny amount of Viognier. The two teamed up again to establish Soberanes Vineyard, 35 acres of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little bit of Chardonnay and Syrah. That last vineyard was developed by Pisoni’s son Mark. The Garys might seem an unlikely pair. Pisoni is colorful character to say the least and has an outspoken manner. Franscioni comes across as more serious- minded. However, the collaboration between the two, who often address each other as “partner,” clearly works well. The two are good on their own, but better together. Pisoni being more gregarious acts as the frontman. He is the Ambassador. He’s a check on the rest to keep the quality high. Franscioni and Mark Pisoni run the farming on their own vineyards and work together on the joint ventures. The family involvement doesn’t stop there. Jeff Pisoni makes his family’s wines, which are under the Pisoni and Lucia brands. Franscioni’s son, Adam, joined the family business in time for the 2011 harvest. He handles sales for Roar and helps his father manage the vineyards. The grapes from all five vineyards are in huge demand, because the two families are such careful farmers, constantly tweaking and improving. Prominent customers include; Testarossa, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Copain and Bernardus. When a new vintner approaches them about buying grapes, the partners examine the winery’s track record and the Winemaker. If they like what they see, the winery is put on a waiting list. There’s not very much movement in their vineyards. When Franscioni planted Sierra Mar, he and Pisoni had 62 wineries waiting to buy fruit. Soberanes was developed with the idea of working with some new winemakers. There was some concern, even among the two families, that quality might suffer as the vineyard operations grew. However, there’s no indication that’s the case. In fact, with each new venture, they build on what they’ve learned in their older vineyards. Eventually, there will be even more vineyards. The Pisonis and Franscionis have purchased a 100 acre cactus farm in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s still a lease on the property. So, prickly pear cactus will continue to be grown for five more years. But at some point, the land will be planted with vines. Both families understand the importance of continuing to build for the future. The Garys looking back tell a story of being in the same spot some years ago and looking at a field of broccoli out back. He told Franscioni that the field would look a lot better with Pinot Noir vines. Now that parcel is part of Rosella’s Vineyard, and it’s planted with Pinot. Everybody thought he was crazy...most people usually think that when someone makes a bold decision. He’s a person who has always had vision and creativeness. He also has tremendous passion. Good things only happen when a person possesses all three of these qualities. Their wines are primarily available by mailing list. However, Nepenthe in Big Sur, CA acts as a quasi tasting room for some of their wines. — 8 years ago

Nico J. Snyman

8.9

Solid example of the GC but to be honest I've never really been impressed with Chartron, they tick a few boxes, but when it comes to a wine that moves you, this isn't the producer I would talk about, mediocrity is a harsh word, but it's what I've found so often, considering the price... — 9 years ago

N C Baldwin

9.4

2013. Not too heavy, very cherry, smooth finish. In a word: yum! — 10 years ago

Tim Herrmann

9.7

This reminded me of the recent 2007 white burgundy I've been calling "my favorite wine ever". What was amazing was tasting the 2012 first, thinking it was somewhat muted, and then tasting this (2010)...for me the word metallic comes to mind, but it's just plain hard to describe wine like this--it's complex, very aromatic, intense, savory, rich, elegant, and delicious. Chardonnay--the so-called neutral grape--can do so much if we let it. — 11 years ago

Olivia Romero-Reed

9.5

Awesome. Word has it that it's even better on day two. — 11 years ago

Carlo Mondavi

Owner/Winegrower RAEN Winery, Partner Continuum

9.1

1975 Chateau D'Yquem. You'll have to take my word for it... In the running of best showing of D'Yquem I have had... — 11 years ago

Eric Cattani

9.6

Daddy like! — 12 years ago