Ted

9.1

Had a glass last week and forgot about it. Had to buy another bottle. Cool stuff. Nice red cherry fruit. Solid wine — 8 days ago

with Jeni

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

1986 vintage. Tasted through 5 bottles for a Mister A's 1986 BDX dinner. Double decanted and tasted over the spell of 5 hours. Light-medium body. G-L always on the subtle side of things. All 5 bottles fairly light sediment. The mid-palate really shone throughout. No exemplary notes other than performing as G-L do. Cedar, Dust, Mushrooms. Dry Earth. Will likely hang out here for another 4-5 years. 3.14.24. — a month ago

Jan A

9.5

Over three years since I opened up the first bottle. Still young-ish but much easier to drink after a quick decant of half an hour. All the typical scents and taste of C9DP. Very balanced. Clearly from a warm climate but retaining ample freshness. Like it a lot. Hope I can keep my hands off it in the coming years to check in on the remaining bottles every couple of years — 2 months ago

Vino Joe

9.5

Another half bottle that delivered. Dominus is so consistent. Tight on the open. But after about 40 minutes this opened beautifully. Still so young but it is ready for the impatient. Bright fruit. Currants cherry in harmony with lots of earth. A rich wine. — 4 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.5

Vintage 2006 | popped and poured with risotto funghi and truffle | half transparant | cassis cedar eucalyptus leather, still much fruit after 18 years in smell | lush mouthfeel — a month ago

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Another outstanding Picasses that is far more accessible in its youth. Open but with more muscle, austerity, and brooding fruit than the ‘14. Need to revise my other rating up rather than this down. — 2 months ago

Pooneet K

9.1

Not quite up to other years of d’Yquem but still lovely of course. Lacking some acid on the finish. Overall less density and length than I was hoping. But the palate entry and overall aromatics are still incredible. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Not to be outdone, the 1989 Chave Hermitage Rouge showed more brambles than the ’88 along with other desiccated blue and black fruits. Dried flowers, beef, blood, leather and mushrooms. Every time I have the pleasure of drinking old Chave, I’m reminded that these wines have so much character and there is a reason they are so adored. Lovely with grilled lamb and Moroccan spices. Drink now through 2040. — a month ago

Gregory Fulchiero

9.5

Well … shit. With a slight chill this is just sublime. Much better integration of oak than its other Pauillac neighbors. Charcoal ash, subtle pipe tobacco, dark berry compote. Superb. — a month ago

Doug Powers

9.4

Still shows some lovely primary redfruits, cassis, currants, quite tannic as well (characteristic of the 1986s I cellared), long, lingering finish, should show even better after my wife’s grilled lamb and my grilled steak come off the grill. I will say I was nervous when the final 1/8-inch of the cork severed off my old Ah-So cork puller, but not a problem!

Interesting sidebar — I purchased this upon arrival in 1989 at K&L in SF — by that time there were widespread reports of bad corks in Ducru from (at least) 1985 and 1986, so when I visited the shop I explained the situation and committed to purchasing 6 bottles, but only if I knew this batch didn’t have the cork problems — so, I said I’d pay for another bottle and we could open it together in the shop, I’d pay and also buy the other 6 bottles if it was NOT corked, and said if it was corked, then they’d pay for the opened bottle and I wouldn’t take the 6 other bottles — they agreed, we mutually tried the bottle then and there, no cork taint so I paid for 7 bottles total.

Telling the story in part because K&L has always been, IMHO, one of the classiest wine shops in the U.S., and they deserve credit agreeing to my deal (BTW, Wine Advocate had written about the cork taint issue within the preceding 3-6 months, so they were aware of the potential for it) — anyway, they’ve gotten a lot more of my business in the past 35+ years since!! — 2 months ago

with Jim