Peter Sultan

9.3

Broke out one of my cellared Raffaults for my homeboy who graced me with a home cooked Tuscan styled flank steak w rosemary & arugula, as well as Israeli cous cous w chickpeas, charred tomatoes, feta, & herbs. Light Cadmium red hued & strong color though ( good cork- not a guarantee w Raffault!); dense Hibiscus, fresh raspberry & some bramble on nose; on palate very clean & smooth mouthfeel, with the initial flavors repeated but a deeper blend of red fruits & a stronger presence of under brush. Super fresh & integrated. Elegant, & the Burgundy echo was hard to ignore. Not Uber complex but not monolithic either, which this line of Raffault can be in its youth ( or as it ages). Very impressive, & accessible now. Curious how my ‘02 & 07s will fare… — 7 months ago

with Owen

Colin Cahoon

9.0

Tart and tangy. Exhibiting cedar, oak, and juniper notes along with white pepper, cranberry and tart strawberry Medium alcohol, moderate plus tannin, and high acid. Excellent value wine. — 5 years ago

with Susan

Mike Swann

9.3

Knew that ass was real when I hit, it bounce back. — 6 years ago

with KBM

Mike Saviage

9.7

Tasted blind. Dark reddish tawny, almost opaque. "Wild ass nose" my notes say. Notes of red fruit, plums, spice, moist earth, a little mocha and some old leather. Lively fruit matched with a nice structure. I'm in old Bordeaux land with my guess of 61 Mouton. Table talk points out how ultra rare this bottle is, with those in the know viewing it as one of the best CA cabs ever made. Hard for me to argue that as it sits next to the 74 Heitz MV and goes toe to toe with it all night. — 2 years ago

Jeff Orlowski

9.5

Broke this out for some friends who came over. Dry, full bodied. Classic, outstanding Napa Cab from nose to finish. — 4 years ago

with Michael and Joe

Andy Hall

9.6

Fuck yeah! Finally broke down and opened one of my scarecrows! — 5 years ago

with Jerry

Grace Blea

8.9

Complex, slight sweetness, fairly dry, enjoyable — 6 years ago

Collier S. Wiese

9.2

Quintessential to the history of South Dakota was homemade rhubarb wine! This is a great representation of what tartness can do to balance the sweetness inherent in some of the non-grape wines. Like the tart cherry wines of Michigan, this is iconic of South Dakota. Love it! — 3 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

V18 April 2020 disgorgement....nice developed color...tiny pinprick bubbles...still a bit tightly wound. Ripe red apple/pear notes. Ethereal and weightless...with lively bright acidity. Far more complex and nuanced than all the big house NV bubbles. And the texture, taste and finish ramp up as it warms in the glass. Early Christmas quaff with great cheese, olives, and an ass-kicking local sourdough/green olive boule. Merry Christmas and peace on earth! — 4 years ago

Dawn E.

9.2

So happy to be able to go out to lunch Monday in Iowa..been a long time! Broke a tooth on chips & salsa...Dentist Tuesday..little Periodontist surgery 8 am this morning!! So happy to get off of pain med..codeine gives me a migraine! A glass of wine to ease the day as I relax to 60's folk music.
This Bourgogne is really delicious! Smiles....its been a long day! 🦷🤐 getting better... temporary crown next week!
Update..we finished this wine with a shrimp salad with dinner...this Chardonnay is stunning. New World in style...great fruit..balanced by minerals..slight hints of tropical fruits and a nuttiness all at the same time..presents with a bit of lanolin too! Love this wine! — 5 years ago