Liam James

8.9

Delicious ‘syrah’ style shitaz from McLaren Vale. Not overdone; lovely balanced structure with blueberry and plum fruit. — 24 days ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.4

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (24%), Petite Verdot (3%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). Dark ruby/purple color. Aromas of plush black fruit, violets, graphite, leather, cedar and wet gravel. Jammy raspberry and blackberry fruit flavors with additional notes of plums, black currants, mocha, coffee, tobacco and baking spices. Beautiful hints of smoke and dusty earth on the long and precise finish. Rich and concentrated with great intensity. Medium-plus body and some noticeable tannins. Still a bit tight, but heading to a very good place. Thank you so much for the wonderful gift, Kasey and Pete! — 2 months ago

ESF

9.1

What’s not to like about this BDX blend from WA! Not overdone or overextracted (oak definitely there but integrated) but very generous aromatics & flavors on palate. Red & black fruit, warm spice, distinct cassis, minerality & earthiness like loam & soil goodness. Sturdy tannins, bit hi ABV - sometimes lumbering, but a really impressive & persistent finish. Bump for QPR — 4 months ago

Colin Cahoon

9.4

Inky dark color. Tomato leaf, coffee, and mint on the nose. More pyrazine notes on the palate along with cocoa, cranberry, leather, black pepper, molasses, raisins, coffee, tobacco, and dark cherry. High acid, high alcohol, medium plus tannins, medium plus body, and long finish. Despite all the tertiary notes, drinks vibrant and fresh. Drink now or hold. — 25 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Mostly Petite Sirah with small amounts of Syrah, Grenache and other mixed Rhône varieties, aged 14 months in American oak, 19% new, very dark Ruby-purple with aromas of ripe dark fruits and an array of spices from cigar box to full spice cake. On the palate flavors of black cherry preserves and blackberry jam, layering in some licorice, leather, tobacco and black pepper spice. Savory grippy tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, oak and earthy character. A powerhouse! Decant first! — 2 months ago

Samantha LeeAnn Sanders

10

Not too dry, and has a smooth finish. Great berry flavor. — 4 months ago

Joe L.

9.3

Sexy beast - cab sauv bright red fruit sour cherry high acid, supple tannins, lingering finish — 5 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Everything about this wine is DARK. Deep ruby/purple color bordering on black. Aromas of black and blue fruit, Asian spices and coffee. Flavors of cooked black berry/plum/currant fruit, bakers chocolate, tar and espresso. Hint of black pepper on the long, lingering and silky finish. Extremely concentrated with lively acidity. Tannins are firm but in harmony. This is a wine you quickly take notice of. Probably at (or just past) its peak. Thanks for the wonderful gift, Petey P! — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Dark Ruby with dark berry fruit aromas adding earthy spice and cedar. On the palate this wine has complex flavors of blackberry and blueberry with licorice, cacao, oak and vanilla. Fine dusty tannins, peasant mouthfeel, full-bodied, long ending with a nice earthy spice finish. Aging well, good now, has room to run over short term. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Of all the American red wines that participated in the Judgement of Paris, it could be argued that Monte Bello has shown the greatest propensity to age. In fact, I would go as far as it requires lengthy cellaring to extract its best. I’ve had the good fortune to drink a number of tremendous vintages of Monte Bello over the last several years and this one has got to be at or near the top of the lot.

Opened and poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1991 Monte Bello pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core moving out towards a light ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with gorgeous notes of ripe and tart black currants, mixed bramble fruit, tobacco, some purple flowers, dill, mint, leather, earth, vanilla and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. The structure remains tremendous which again, seems to indicate youth. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and immensely satisfying. This is one of those wines that will outlive most humans. Drinking well now with a short decant but this has the gas to see 2061 with ease. — 4 months ago