Billy L.

9.8

30th Anniversary Champagne 🍾 🥂@ Restaurant where I met my Wife 👍🏻👏🏻❤️
The Cristal was great!
Etiquette Question: What should the restaurant have done for compensation when our Server dropped my bottle on the floor; She dropped it like an “F1 Podium Scene”Cristal flying everywhere; after removing bottle foil, Cage & cork! Bottle bought upon release, cellared etc. Asking to be informed in case there is a next time! — 11 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Other than the style of well made 80’s Bordeaux’s, 2005 is my favorite modern vintage. It was a grand slam year/vintage for the Bordelaise.

2005’s are drinking beautifully with still room for improvement. Of course, Saint Julien is known for its elegance and this Lagrange is all that. The evolution at this point is sheer beauty.

Round, lush, ripe, soften fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums, black raspberries & slight bake strawberries. Some red & black licorice, dark red, cola, soft used leather, dry tobacco, soft graphite, savory herbaceous notes, beautiful, relaxed, dark spice, dark rich earth with stones & dry leaves, limestone, gentle unstated spice, undertoned; cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Black coffee hues, black tea, red roses, red & dark fresh & withering flowers, perfect acidity, balance for days, elegant, smartly polished, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on spice & minerals.

Delicious today & will drink beautifully for another 15 years.

Winemaking; 46% Cabernet, 45% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot. From 40 year old vines and rested in 60% new & 40% used oak for 21 months. — 18 days ago

Paul J

9.4

1hr+ decant. Great wine and vintage. Dark cherries with subtle tar and cedar throughout. Medium plus depth and great texture. — 12 days ago

with Geoff and Brooke

Jay Kline

9.5

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a brilliant, deep ruby color with a transparent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and faint signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a heady perfume of mostly ripe and some tart fruit: mixed brambles, black cherry, purple flowers (lavender?), animale, some pepper, a touch of olive, a touch of leather, some green herbs, fine warm spices and rocky earth. I believe this has seen oak and it’s beautifully balanced and smells expensive. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium+. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is grippy. This is delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Gamay, a Grenache-based blend or possibly Syrah; from Italy, or France. Immediately after I was presented the glass, I liked this being Sangiovese, however, there was too much new French oak for me to feel comfortable. Besides, the florals were too purple to be Sangiovese anyway (never mind Grenache or Pinot Noir). Then there were the non-fruits: it could be justified by whole cluster Pinot or Gamay…or was this a really impressive Syrah? This wine seemed familiar to me. This could be Chave. I did think this had some age based on color and rim variation. Final conclusion: I’m calling this Syrah, from France, from Northern Rhône, Hermitage, with 20+ years of age, from a decent vintage like 2004. And for the hell if it, I called producer: Jean-Louis Chave. Boom. Bottle No. 3981 — 5 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Dark red cherry, red berry fruit with classic Dujac spice, floral, earth, mineral & violets — 5 days ago

Conrad Green

9.7

Ooh. Super fresh. Dark tangy fruit with a slightly medicinal edge. Plum and iodine. Dried herbs and a bloody, feral intensity. Amazing — 6 days ago

with Walker and David

Vanessa

9.6

Where do I begin… this wine is stunning.

It is positively golden in color with concentrated notes of caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, creme brûlée, dried apricot, yellow apple,peach, nectarine, yellow cherry, kumquat, baked quince, lemon curd, honeysuckle, butter cream, lavender,, dried herbs, fennel, beeswax, honey, chamomile, hazelnut, praline, honey, & wet stones…

It’s textured!!! Waxy & mouth coating, full bodied, round, & opulent.

Alcohol is high at 14.5% ABV — it’s warming but balanced and integrated with the deeply rooted flavors and elevated, vibrant acidity. Yum!!!!!
— 5 days ago

with Deked1

George Chen

9.4

Might be the best St Joseph I’ve ever had to date! — a month ago

Jan A

9.6

First bottle badly corcked, luckily I had a couple of backup bottles 🤣 🤜 🚀 — 4 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2017 vintage. Saint-Julien stands out in 2017. — 10 days ago