This is high up on the totem pole, and it shows on all senses. The nose is complicated and dense, which then leads into a rich variety of notes such as tobacco, cedar, coffee and cherries. While it seems to have already evolved into its drinking window, powerful tannins and good acidity provide the hallmarks of a wine that will hold its own for a long time. — 3 months ago
Decanted for 2 hours. This dark colored Cabernet has a beautiful bouquet and is full of heavy flavors including oak, spice, tobacco, black cherry and plenty more. The more it sits the bigger the flavors become. A good Thanksgiving dinner choice. — 17 days ago
The weakest vintage of Dom I’ve had in a long time — 15 days ago
Celebrating with a couple of fun bottles tonight. 2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A stunning dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: lightly fragrant notes of stewed red fruit, cassis, floral, little cigar box, herbaceous. Taste: silky, elegant, soft wine with a great mix of dark plum, currants, iron, scorched earth, tobacco, and cedar/bitter chocolate medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant and more time to go. — 2 months ago
Lafite Rothchild and Harlin Estate side by side tasting. Both are 2008 vintages
Lafite Rothchild - A magenta color. Initial aromas of dark black cherry and currants with beautiful floral and subtle vanilla notes. Herbaceous and leather secondary notes. Taste - blue-black fruit, licorice and cedar/tar coat the palate followed by crushed rock, minerals and mocha giving it dry med-long finish. 9.3 rating
Harlin Estate - color is a dark garnet. Nose - notes are restrained and muted. Dark fruits, perfume and dark chocolate followed by notes of graphite and planting soil. Taste - creamy and coats the palate with notes of dark fruits, chocolate espresso, pencil lead and cedar with a long dry finish. Tannins are still present giving the wine more time to age. 9.3 rating
— 4 months ago
2003 vintage. Last tasted 10.16.22 (9.1) and a relatively disappointing showing then. This time round, decanted and tasted multiple x's after 1.5 hours-3 hours. Decent sed yet less than expected. Good fill but cork seemed a tad dry. The blueberry, cocoa powder nose was there with the quintessential, P-L hallmarks. Light-medium body. A billowing, smoky initiation, then plum along with graphite and touches of cedar + espresso crema. Left me wanting just a little more and thinking a different bottle of this same P-L vintage just might yield a 9.5. This and La Mission Haut-Brion fave two red BDX producers and this did nothing to change that. Hopefully, another P-L 2003 cycles through soon enough to prove my theorem. Thanksgiving 11.23.23. — 16 days ago
Medium dark robe, nose of steak tartare and cedar. Very complex and elegant in the mouth, great acidity and balance, licorice, dried flowers, a hint of dry port. Finishes on a beautiful acid note and is such a companion. Truly great bottle. You can barely tell the vintage. — 2 months ago
1990 vintage. Last tasted 01.20.23 (9.6) and 05.16.21 (9.4). This slots in just between. Tastes as if from a colder cellar because this specimen was as fresh (too fresh) as a daisy. Decanted and tasted after 2 hours. Tannins for tannins sake. And I love big tannins. Less evolved than the January visit and drinking better than the 5.16.21 visit. Still bleeping massive as it ever was upon release back in the day. Very little has changed. This wine and the 1989 Gaja Sorí Tilden Barbaresco the two biggest, uncompliant wines with years to go before really revealing those hidden charms that I've tasted in recent memory. Getting closer but not quite ready to settle down any time soon. Out of a larger format bottle, must be positively overwhelming…like jumping to hyperspace accidentally…or on a boozy dare. 9.21.23. — 3 months ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately and through 3 hours. Great fill/appropriate aging cork. Medium sed. Noticeably dark color. Any trace of the usual Cos baby fat for the first decade+ after release long gone geek. Interesting. This was a lean, mean, street-fighting machine with "minerality" to spare. Intense. Compact. Unsure if it will continue to menace in the next decade of life or retreat into a reclusive, "turtling" period. Best guess? Street-fighter par excellence. Regardless of taking the high or low road, it's not devolving into a drink 'em if you got 'em any time soon scenario. Thanksgiving 11.23.23. — 16 days ago