Tom Casagrande

9.2

I don’t know why so many Zin producers these days (not this one) grow and make Zin so that it ends up over 15% AND has residual sugar. This wine does it right. It reflects the stony mountain vineyard it’s grown in very well. Closed at first. After 45 minutes, nose has pure black raspberry fruit, tons of cracked stone minerality, and little leathery, brambly thing, and just a touch of maple syrup. Mouthfilling but bone dry, nice structure to the palate. Really, really good. — 4 days ago

Bob Pratt

9.4

Wow. 1982 vintage , still in very good condition Color and nose still vibrant. Very smooth and resolved. Blueberry, black currant and cedar. Absolutely a pleasure tonight. 2 hour decant. — 15 days ago

David Nicewicz

9.4

Back to 1995 tonight and one of my favorite BDX producers. This Ducru is rich and still drinking very young with huge fruit, black currants, spice and leather with a long finish. Structure is excellent but still has a little oak to smooth out, which I was somewhat surprised by. An excellent wine overall. — 19 days ago

Oliver N

9.5

Wow! Notes of star anise, forest berries, high toned blueberries, black tea, oak, mint, crushed flowers, alpine vibes. Medium bodied, long finish, 12.5 abv. Smooth tannins.
Such a beautiful and pure expression of mountain Cabernet. This is the gold standard! — 24 days ago

Lee Lightfoot

9.6

Spectacular stuff, fruit concentrate can justify the heat. Shiraz grapes provide voluptuous purple and black fruit, the fortifying agent is quality as well. — 8 days ago

with Alex

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

In a great place. This shows the glory of 2015. Smokey meats, olive and granite on the nose. Palate is complex right now and so pure, energetic and fresh. Terrific integration of fruit, tannins, granite, acid. Just so long as well. Black fruits bursting in your mouth slathered in granite. Wow this is long. Really long. Yup. A 9.4. — 23 days ago

Severn Goodwin

9.3

Nose has dried cranberry, ripe cherry, dried green herbs, black peppercorn, ripe blackberries, mushroom, dried mint and cherry jam.

Palate has phenolic cherry, anise, sweet cherry, under-ripe blackberry, leather, with chewy tannins and a lightly spicy finish.

An interesting showing tonight after a +5H decant, not displaying the same pedigree as our prior bottle ~2Y ago.

24H Update:
Nose has ripe cherry, wet grapevine stalks, dried cranberry persists with dehydrated blackberries. Palate is richer today with more sweet cherry and leather notes prominent, tannins diminished but present. Score change from 9.2 > 9.3 today. — 11 days ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.2

People say this was done with lots of Merlot. Maybe. To us it tastes much more like Cabernet. Starting to drink well, with mostly primary black fruit notes, hint of secondary notes, very fresh and balanced, with all the soil signature of St Estephe. Has shed most of the year’s tannins and is civilized and pleasurable drinking now but really no rush. Cool stuff done the old fashion way. — 15 days ago

with Adriana

"Odedi"

9.1

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.

On the nose cooked cherries, red currants, plums, oak, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, earth, light vegetables, metals, Mediterranean spices, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long long legs.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, sweet strawberries, cooked cherries, plums, oak, licorice, chocolates, tobacco leaf, spices, cocoa, earth and peppercorn.

Medium finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Merlot-based Bordeaux is rich, spicy and interesting, with a tangy finish. A little off balance at this point.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime (2 hours).

I had this vintage a couple of years ago, and it feels like it is in its dumb phase. Still young, but already enjoyable.

This 5-year-old from the great 2016 vintage, would age nicely in the next 15 years.

Thank you Elvira for sharing this with me.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$30. — 20 days ago

Makoto Someya

9.3

Leather, oak matured aroma which can makes me enjoy for hours. Concentrated. Balanced, gentle. Black currant. Mushroom, earthy. 2003 @, - Piccola, 210411 — 4 days ago