1/2 hour decant(decent sediment). A gorgeous still dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: seductive perfumed notes of dark fruit, smoked meat, funky earth, cigar box, pencil lead, vanilla oak. Taste: savory wine with dried dark fruit, graphite and gravel, iron, and a kinda astringent smokey tobacco finish. Not my cup of tea...maybe bottle flaw. — 2 days ago

Just peaking in my estimation. May sill have a couple or three years before its decline starts. Opened and sat in the bottle for 2 hours. Poured a glass which sat another hour. Bold forward fruits. Blackberry, Plums, Black Cherry, hints of spice herbs that quickly fade into a smooth, luxurious taste of velvety tannins. Backend is just as the Front, Luxurious Bold Fruit but just a touch of old earth, lite tobacco and chocolate/cherry. — 7 days ago
Tight, tannic but decidedly pleasant with its grippy-ness. Black cherry, cassis, black plum and smoky tobacco. Power punch up front and finesse on the finish after some decant.
#ChateauLéovilleBarton #LeovilleBarton #2020LeovilleBarton #Bordeaux #leftbank #SaintJulien #grandcruclassé #grandcruclasséen1855 #deuxiemescru — 2 months ago
2007 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand to open but good cork nonetheless. Decanted and tasted after 15 minutes. JFC...does the oak ever die on this nonsense? Tried to bushwhack through it without success. Even the Alexander Valley product has the good sense to have the oak minimized/integrated/drop off after a decade. Not the case here. There's a reason why I haven't even considered carrying this on a wine list since the late 90's. This go round didn't exactly convert my opinion. 8.16.26. — 3 months ago
Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 2 months ago
This is a delicious Riesling from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley.
Rich and fruit forward, elegant and nicely balanced. Feels like a Mosel Riesling. Fresh, crisp and easy drinking.
Already drinking beautifully, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
100% Riesling grapes.
11.7% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$25. — 11 days ago
Lemon, brioche, oak, and green apple. Crisp and bright. — 16 days ago
Tastes of plums, dark cherry and rick dark fruits. Love it. Will buy again — 2 months ago
Surprised ratings are low on this. I found it absolutely brilliant. Super smooth and great mouthfeel. Silky tannins, wonderfully balanced, ripe black fruit. — 2 months ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a two days. Better on Day 2. On the pop and pour, this bottle was backward and really seemed resistant to show much. I didn’t detect any real flaws or faults…just sort of, “meh”. On Day 2, it had opened considerably. The 2017 pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe blackberries, currants, mixed flowers, black tea, ferrous earth and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now with patience and through 2042. — 4 months ago
Probably the best Zinfandel I have ever had. Now like a cab. Great aroma, flavor, balance. We had it at the CIA cooking class — 8 days ago
Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.
Strong nose of black currant, blackberries, black plums, black cherries, cedar, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, light earth, herbs, mediterranean spices, black tea and peppercorn.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, light cedar, earth, cherries, light vegetables, tobacco leaf, black tea, herbs, light vanilla, mediterranean spices and dark chocolates.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced with great complexity.
Needs 2 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient. Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.
This 17 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink at its peak, although I'm drinking out of a Magnum.
Showing a beautiful nose with lots of complexity. Rich and extracted, elegant and powerful.
Robert Parker 97 points. Wine Enthusiasts 96 points. Wine Spectator 91 points.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Aged for 24 months in all new French oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
95 points.
$450 (Magnum). — 2 days ago
My last of three.
The 05 vintage is basically perfect fruit etc…
This started a bit slow from an hour decant. It really pick up steam w/ the Waygu Ribcap.
The Bordeaux elegance & earth profound. The fruits are floral-laden. Dry blackberries, raspberries, both plum, with skin, dark cherries, dry strawberries, baked rhubarb, hints of raspberry, dark chocolate bar, light caramel, dark spice with a little heat, dry limestone. topsoil, dry riverstone, cigar box with ash, old used leather, dark forest floor with leaves, clove, touch of cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of nutmeg sweet graphite, used charcoal, black tea, mid berry cola dark wuthering flowers, hence of lavender and old violets, perfect around acidity with a well-balanced structured, evenly tensioned finish that last minutes and lands on dry earth and spice with florals — 9 days ago
Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.
Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing red and black fruits with cedar, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, mediterranean spices and chocolate notes.
Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.
This Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is extremely young and needs 10 years in the bottle to mature properly. Elegant and fruit forward, yet restrained.
I've had many different vintages of this wine, but never had it so young. Not as powerful as some other vintages, but already complex and nicely balanced.
Feels like a good quality Left Bank Bordeaux, and will continue to age nicely, and get better in the next 20 years.
Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.
A good sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months.
14% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$490. — 2 months ago
Love this wine! Thick long lasting legs. Bouquet rich with raspberry and blueberry, very jammy! Smoooth flavors with a rich finish, slight hints of oak and charcoal on the back end. Great wine!!! — 2 months ago
"Odedi"
This is a very elegant Chardonnay from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley. Very tasty and easy drinking, without the oaky Chardonnay feel.
Nicely balanced and complex, but doesn't show like a Napa Chardonnay.
Wine Enthusiasts 91 points.
Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.
I had the 2023 vintage not too long ago, and this vintage is drinking better.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
100% Chardonnay grapes were aged in (9% new) French Oak barrels for 9 months.
12.8% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$30. — 3 days ago