Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2020 vintage. An excellent introduction to the grand vin at a fraction of the price. Highly recommended. Abv. 14%. — 11 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2022 vintage. Deep dark red colour. Raspberries, flowers and cedar. Concentrated, intense. Combines power and elegance. Many Crus Classés would be very satisfied with this quality for their grand vin. Henri Lurton stated that he made his best wines ever in 2022 (which is saying a lot given the track record of this Château), and you can see why with this Baron de Brane. One can only imagine the quality of the grand vin in 2022! Anyway, this is one of the finest wines one could encounter for 30 euros. Abv. 14%. — 3 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

8.9

Clear, medium ruby to garnet in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced intensity primary and secondary aromas of black cherries, cassis, and graphite; on the palate, it's dry with high acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and intense primary and secondary flavors of blackberries, black cardamom, and wet gravel with a medium finish. This wine is simple, but balanced. Overall, I rate this wine as good. — 4 months ago

with Nellie

James Pendergrass

9.5

Wine dinner in LA. Best wine of the evening. — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Lovely aged red Rhone, this wine has 15 varietals (red and white) co-fermented and aged 12 months in oak barriques, 14% ABV, though no hint of too much, great balance and complexity, lingering finish, very fine and Special!! — 6 months ago

with Jim

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Barón de Ley – Varietales Tempranillo – 2014
Rioja DOCa – Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
A 100% Tempranillo from Rioja’s esteemed Barón de Ley Varietales Collection, crafted to highlight the noble face of the region’s flagship grape. Although structured in a crianza style with a projected drinking window of 10–12 years, opening it in 2025 revealed the wine perched right on the twilight edge of maturity. This is bottle #04400, now showing the soulful evolution that Rioja Tempranillo is famed for.

Aromas & Flavors
Initially faint cherry fruit, now firmly in the tertiary spectrum: leather satchel, dried rosemary, forest floor, and faint cigar box. Gentle hints of balsamic and dried fig linger in the background.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with softened, polymerized tannins. Acidity remains fresh enough to carry the wine, but fruit presence has largely faded, leaving savory and earthy notes to dominate.

Food Pairings
A fine match for aged Manchego cheese, braised lamb shank, mushroom-stuffed peppers, or even a rustic stew where earthy and herbal notes harmonize.

Verdict
This Tempranillo no longer plays its youthful cherry trumpet but rather resonates like the old violin sound of Rioja—mellow, textured, and contemplative. A fascinating study in maturity, best enjoyed with reflection rather than exuberance.

Did You Know?
Rioja wines are often classified not just by grape but by aging designations (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva). This bottle leaned into crianza timing, showing beautifully at first but demonstrating how Tempranillo gracefully transitions from fruit-driven vibrancy to complex tertiary elegance. — 8 months ago

Nicolas Greinacher

9.5

The 2019 God Only Knows Grenache from wizard winemaker Christophe Baron is a radiating beauty. Pale ruby-colored, it displays fragrant aromas of violets, blood orange, exotic spices, raspberry liqueur, ripe cranberry, forest strawberry and crushed rocks. Medium bodied and layered, the ever-so-silky tannins and balancing acids contribute to a seamless mouthfeel so characteristic of Barons wines. It ends with a bright finish and should provide ample drinking pleasure over the next 15 years. — 3 years ago

Doug Powers

9.1

Moderately rich and ripe, solid acidity to balance, lots of old vine Lirac fruit provides very nice complexity, medium-long, lingering finish, lovely Lirac!! — a month ago

with Monique and Jim

Paul K

9.7

This is incredible. Such great balance of so many parts. It’s dense, savory, smoky, floral, and juicy with great acidity. The fruit is there but not pronounced, blackberry and cassis- just a balanced part of the whole. I could drink this every night. — 4 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of red fruits with earth, light wood, coffee, spices, dark chocolates and peppercorn.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, chocolates, light oak and licorice.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 8 year old GSM blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is delicious now. Complex, well balanced and entertaining. Elegant and fruit forward.

I had the 2020 vintage not too long ago, and this one drinks so much better.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Robert Parker 93 points.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre. Aged in large French oak barrels for 18 months.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$55. — 5 months ago

William Lauder

9.5

One of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve ever had. — 6 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Almaviva – Red Blend – 2022
Puente Alto – Chile 🇨🇱

Overview
A “pure evil” expression of ultra-fine winemaking produced by the collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Viña Concha y Toro. The 2022 Almaviva blends precision and power from Chile’s premier terroir in Puente Alto.
Varietal Composition: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 

Aromas & Flavors
Cassis, blackberry liqueur, violets, graphite, cedar spice, and a touch of mocha, all densely packed but beautifully lifted.

Mouthfeel
Velvety, deep, and resolute. Superb tannin refinement with a long, elegant finish that balances richness with precision.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, lamb chops, charred mushrooms, or a luxurious truffle risotto.

Verdict
Expressive, beautiful, and undeniably classy. A solid, velvety powerhouse that is enjoyable now or will age with grace.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
The finest expression I’ve tasted from Chile’s greatest terroir, Puente Alto, with roared potential and impeccable balance. — 7 months ago

Joy Hammons

9.7

Excellent! It took very little time to breathe which was unexpected for a 2011. We will be buying more of this if we can find it. — 2 years ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Last bottle of this I opened 3-4 months ago was marred by a bad cork, but this bottle was very fine, up to expectations for this “Lirac” in Côtes du Rhône clothing that I’ve reported on a few times previously!! — 2 months ago

with Jim and

Ted

9.4

The oldest of a 4 bottle vertical I bought a few weeks ago. In a perfect window. Made a vodka sauce and wow. Great compliment. Fresh herbs after an hour of being open. Can’t wait to try the other 3 years. — 4 months ago

with Jeni

Doug Powers

9.3

[60% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, 5% Mourvedre] Still very grapey and primary, I actually tasted this wine in barrel in May of 2019 at the Chateau, and it tastes like it’s barely evolved since then, great acid, ripe, round tannins, long, lingering finish, this should easily age another 10 years based on my history of tasting this cuvée since the 1998!! — 4 months ago

with Jim

GaryWEdwards

9.7

Drinking even more beautifully than 18 months ago. Beautiful nose, big fruits, and that whole cigar leaf thing going on, with hints of chocolate. But the reward here is the generously long finish. Wow! — 6 months ago

Ivor

9.1

Great wine combining southern burgundy richness, use of luxurious oak, great acidity and low alc levels. Wonder how this ages.. Tx @Jan A for pointing this one out!. — 7 months ago

Sagee Aran

9.3

A big Rioja. Surprisingly ready to drink, tanins have softened, still powerful. Dark garnet color, aromatic nose of earth and herbs. Round Palate balanced and tasty. Recommended. Great VfM. — a year ago

Anne Richardson

9.1

A delicious Sauv Blanc! Recommended by a friend - we will buy it again! Flavors of citrus, green melon and mineral. — 3 years ago