Marc Melser

9.0

We had the 2012 Vintage on 12/1-2/23. A real RRV PN with tastes of blackberry, black raspberry, baking spices and cinnamon. Medium bodied and well balanced. New World, but not overly fruity — 6 days ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.4

This was really impressive. My first try of Virginia wine and what a great example of the potential. Mesmerizing aromatics. Berries, herbs, coffee beans, rosemary, underbrush. Silky on the palate with a fresh and tannic finish. It’s a shame Virginia wine is almost impossible to find in Europe. If I could, I’d explore more. — 6 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. Matured in two-thirds new oak, it has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, estuarine scents, touches of liquorice emerging with time. It is higher-toned than the 1995 with iodine evolving with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fresh acidity, quite sweet in the mouth and maybe like the 1995, just missing that complexity and terroir expression that I think has defined recent vintages from this estate. Maybe it is slightly compromised by some Merlot (25%) that was picked a but later, but still, there is a lot of pleasure to be found in this 1996. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2022)
— a year ago

Ira Schwartz

9.5

Finally lost my Heitz MV virginity. One word, wow. The mint-eucalyptus was there on the nose. A very powerful wine that smelled powerful and tasted powerful. Besides the mint , hints of earth & cigar notes but clearly in the background. I was having a hard time trying to grasp how youthful and balanced the wine was on the palate. I found the fruit was on the darker side with lingering tannins. I left this in the decanter for three days. The nose really never diminished, the palate grudgingly. If I had to nitpick I felt it was lacking some of the complexity that I would have expected at this stage. — 2 days ago

Austin Cookson

9.2

We've had a lot of bad luck picking random bottles lately, but we have finally found a good one. Deep and well-balanced. Velvety body. Overall just great. — 10 months ago

Andy Rykowski

9.2

30 mins after opening I was drinking a Chianti... vacuumed it and revisited the next evening and found myself drinking an exquisite Chianti! It become dynamic and as such, I recommend this wholeheartedly especially if you’re staring down a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs with your homemade red sauce. — 3 years ago

Victor Hsu

9.0

1949 vintage (!!!). Very special half bottle, but more than half the volume lost to evaporation. Opened this gem at Totoraku yesterday to go with two full bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1996 and 1952 (!!). This Temple of Beef demands special occasion wines. Cork fell apart in the bottle so we poured it all in a decanter but did not wait to sip. Pale strawberry-orange color, surprising tart fruit nose, supremely delicate taste with just a bit of fruit and life left. Not the best bottle on the table but certainly not the undrinkable. Interesting experience. Would gladly do it again in the name of science. Oldest Red Bordeaux I have ever tasted. — 22 days ago

Jess

9.0

Medium ruby color.
Aromas of ripe black cherry, plum, oak spice.
Dry. Flavors of ripe black fruit, cherry, plum, raspberry, cinnamon, oak spice. Smooth, moderate tannins. Soft acidity. Very easy drinking.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 6 months ago

Barry Grossman

9.1

Rich, smoky, meaty, but well balanced. — 2 years ago

Tania Vetluzhskikh

8.9

Tasted in 2020 — 3 years ago