Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This has improved nicely since I last had it in 2020. Blossomed. 2005 such an amazing vintage. I understand why the Bordelaise said they underpriced the vintage. This was $25 or less on release.

The nose is; dark chocolate cake to pudding, black currants, blackberries, dark cherries to liqueur, both plums, black raspberries & strawberry edges, core of tarriness, herbaceous notes, lightly and beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mocha powder, caramel, moist volcanic clays, steeped black fruit tea, charcoal, candied graphite, moist understated tobacco, dry top soil, dry river stone, candied to just withering; dark, red flowers with liquid violets.

The palate shows; well softened & rounded M-m+ tannins. It is thick, lush, plush heaven. black currants, blackberries, dark cherries to liqueur, both plums, black raspberries & strawberry edges, dark chocolate cake to pudding, a core of tarriness, herbaceous notes, lightly and beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mocha powder, caramel, moist volcanic clays, steeped black fruit tea, charcoal, candied graphite, moist, understated tobacco, dry top soil, dry river stone, dark mid spice, candied, dark, red florals with brilliant liquid violets, excellent, rainfall acidity, balance and elegance for days with a long, lengthy finish that lasts minutes and lands on earth & spice.

93-94. Beautiful wine and extreme value.

Still has 7-10 yrs ahead w/ proper storage. Peaking. — 24 days ago

Daniel M

9.1

After a month off of any type of ethanol content to prepare for a marathon that I ran and finished earlier today, it's about time for me to come back on here. My first entry post break and race is a celebration post. And what better way to celebrate than with a proper bubbly?
The nose shows some reductive notes of sour apple, along with green apple, brioche and croissant. It's very inviting. The palate is very dry and acid driven but shows again these superb notes of croissant and some lemon curd too. The bubbles are subtle and complement the pastry notes very well. The finish is fresh, lemony, zingy and quite long. It's really a great champagne and it's been a while since I last tasted such a quality one. Great stuff and perfect way of celebrating a sport achievement ✌🏻 — 3 years ago

Aravind A

9.1

Still solid Rocks district syrah. — 4 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.2

Proper claret. Dark fruit, leather, mineral. Nice structure—balanced acidity, softening tannins, medium finish. Aging lesser bottles can really pay dividends. — 4 years ago

with Alsu

S.R.Alexander

8.9

Really unique and proper dry indeed. Very delicate with the lightest hint of apple. Refreshing and low abv. — 6 years ago

Jay Root

9.1

Peppery, acid, lighter on the fruit. This would pair really well with chili or a similar dish — 8 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.4

From 3L. Bought in 1996 by the host. Waited all these years for the proper event to unbutton that cork. #freundfest2018 — 8 years ago

with Mark and Rob

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château Garraud 2016 – Lalande-de-Pomerol
Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
From the esteemed Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC, this Merlot-dominant blend (~70–75% Merlot with Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon) captures the vintage’s hallmark: ripeness, balance, and solid structure. 2016 was an excellent year in Bordeaux, producing wines with both plush fruit and age-worthy backbone. Garraud delivers an approachable yet refined style, a softer counterpart to neighboring Pomerol but still layered and complex.
(Educational edge: Lalande-de-Pomerol sits just north of Pomerol proper—sharing similar gravel and clay terroirs, yet offering more approachable, value-driven wines compared to the iconic Pomerol greats.)

Aromas & Flavors
Plum compote, ripe cherry, and blackberry unfold with notes of cocoa, tobacco leaf, and baking spice. The Cabernet lift adds touches of cedar and graphite, giving the fruit an elegant frame.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Polished, silky, and structured—more depth than younger vintages, with a long, persistent finish carrying spice and dark fruit.

Winemaking Notes
The estate’s clay-gravel soils provide richness while oak aging (in French barrels) adds finesse and integration. With 2016’s concentration, this vintage has the balance to age gracefully for another 5–7 years.

Food Pairing
Roast duck, grilled lamb chops, or seared ribeye. Also works beautifully with mushroom risotto or semi-soft cheeses like Tomme de Savoie.

Verdict
An outstanding vintage expression of Lalande-de-Pomerol—plush, elegant, and structured. Drink now for its approachability, or hold a few more years to see added depth and nuance. Cheers! — a year ago

Katy McMullen-wendt

9.1

Very crisp and light. Would be delicious on a summer day. — 4 years ago

Severn G

9.4

Nose has ripe plum, cedar shavings, dried blackberry, over-ripe black cherry, crushed black currant, menthol syrup and dried violets.

Palate has dried black currant, moist soil, cedar shavings, moist cigar, ripe blackberry, dried black cherry, rose hip tea with light tannins.

A beautiful cork, almost no soak; pulled clean with a standard screw. This is really in the zone tonight after a 6H decant. Drink 2022-2028 from proper storage.

Paired to Allen Bros USDA Prime Hanger with Dijon/Rosemary/Garlic/Lemon Zest marinade. Grilled to great 130° centers, 10m rise/rest to absolute perfection.
(I was honestly fighting with two cats to eat dinner tonight.) — 4 years ago

Luke Kilcup

9.1

Completing a 16,17,18 vertical Syrah tasting at Proper in WW. Very bright fruit! — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 2018 Grand Puy Lacoste has a quintessential Pauillac nose of intense black fruit infused with graphite scents, pencil shavings and a very discreet marine influence. It is beautifully defined, less opulent than the 2018 Lynch Bages tasted alongside, yet maybe more complex. The palate is medium-bodied and taut, offering sappy black fruit, gritty tannins and a lot of crushed stone. The focused, graphite-driven finish could only come from this appellation. Superb. A wine to correct those bemoaning that Bordeaux no longer makes "proper Claret." (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2021)
— 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

7.5 years ago, I bought this from a local bottle shop for 55 bucks. And I'm not really sure how I held on to this one for so long except maybe I had a similar vintage and thought it was nowhere near ready. Well, this one was ready tonight. The front has a nose of sweet oak, herbs, blackberry. The entry is blackberry with a touch of pencil shaving. Medium to full-bodied. The middle goes a little bit darker with some perfectly ripe plum and figs. Perfectly aged blackberry in the background as the core and backbone of this wine. Finishes actually with pretty sweet oak tannin and really not a lot of pepper spice. This went very well with non-spicy Asian cuisine which was the fare tonight. I think this wine would go perfectly with anything that isn't too spicy as I was not really picking up a lot of acidity, spice, or pepper notes on the middle and finish. This is drinking at its height right now and probably will for the next three to five years with proper cellaring. — 6 years ago

romo

9.1

Slow attack but strong finish. Proper Rias Baixas but a nod to the new world. — a year ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Rich but bright, passionate and full of color and flavor. The proper volley between fruit and baguette. Serious but doesn’t take itself so. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Along with 02, 04 and the majestic 2010, 08 is one of my absolute favorite vintages from Raveneau and it’s absolutely rocking tonight showing superb weight, density and waxy yellow fruit that’s layered with stony minerality and piercing lemony acids. 08 Raveneau is all about that Chablisian balance: proper levels of richness and acid, ripeness and minerality. Code yellow ftw 🙌🏻 — 3 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.4

Sticking with St. Emilion for the night. This wine is quite different from the last. Deep dark stewed blue fruits and figs, pencil lead, quite extracted, nose and palate in harmony transmitting similar notes. Even the darker color forshadows the darkness to follow. This wine is oppulent, but without the big fruit forward New World bravado. It stays true to Bordeaux but pushes the limits. Medium plus alcohol and body, slightly drying tannins, long finish. I regret that I have finished my steak because this wine craves a proper food pairing. Excellent and it will only get better.

94 points — 4 years ago

A D

9.2

Proper. Deep. Dry. Delicious. Hint of mint. Beautiful deep purple. — 4 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nose has neverending crushing of flint/granite, warm lemon curd, salted yellow apple slice, cool Asian pear and old, crystalline cheddar.

Palate has ripe pineapple, over-ripe yellow apple, moist chalk/limestone, dried coconut shreds, faint butter notes, table salt with medium acidity. A great wine, slow oxidation for 2H then decanted 3H, so many years in front of this amazing bottle. Drink this 2026-2030 from proper storage.

Pre-birthday dinner for our dear COVID bubble friend; we've only allowed one of our close friends into the house for almost the past year, tonight we're celebrating that he's one year older than me. 😉 — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

I have never really taken the time to explore the wines of Germany. In fact, I have more experience drinking the wines further to the south, in Austria. I have no proper excuse other than to say that I have been distracted by other regions. Bottles like this are making that excuse harder to accept. This was flat out awesome. Koehler-Ruprecht is a very traditional producer that practices a very strict, non-interventionist approach. No irrigation. No fertilizer. No herbicides. No enzymes. Nothing added or subtracted from the wine save for minuscule amounts of sulphur post fermentation and prior to bottling. This Pinot Noir is gorgeous, in a slightly more rustic sense. The appearance is a touch cloudy but far from murky. There’s a fresh, beautiful, lifted perfume of crushed strawberries, cranberries and ferrous minerals. Some stone, flowers and dust too. The palate is bright and racy with predominately red fruits and minerals. Fine tannins. The acid provides a long finish that forces a smile. There is some real vigor in this! A truly compelling wine. If I don’t make a better effort to spend the time exploring the great wine producers in Germany, well then, shame on me. — 6 years ago