Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

A tribute to the crest called Rattlesnake Hill, highest point of Monte Rosso Vineyard, famous for rattlesnakes living among the vines, seeking sunshine by day and coiling around the vines at night. Dark Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, tangy herb, pepper and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and ripe cherry with black pepper spice, vanilla and earthy sweet herbs. Soft chewy tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy oak. Nice! — 4 months ago

Peter Wassam

9.4

Stellar. Tasted a bit over the hill at first (just a touch of raisination) but the color and tannin are from a 2015 or thereabouts. It’s continually developing. Black tea, xmas spice, black cherry, cacao nib but really dark, idk if descriptors do it justice honestly. Was worried cause of vintage/storage/reviews but this is hitting. Btw idk if delectable has it right but it’s the Michel Bonnefond bottling made by Roumier. Texture is honestly seductive — 3 years ago

Martinez

9.5

Napa at its best. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (22%) and Petit Verdot (18%) from the estate on Pritchard Hill in Oakville, (not far from Colgin and Bryant Family), including fruit from the Mondavi family’s famed and controversial To Kalon vineyard. Silky, opulent, balanced. Well integrated oak. Dried fruit. Hints of vanilla, chocolate — 5 years ago

Joel Brunk

9.2

Needed a good amount of time to open. Liked this wine - good classic Nebbiolo fruit, nice weight, liked that not a ton of earth and oak but are present and introduce good complexity - but also had strong acidity/bite and above average dryness.

Had at favorite Seattle Italian spot on hill. — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine is a deep garnet color a near opaque core and some significant rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous and showing some signs of maturity. There are fascinating notes of tart, ripe and dessicated black and red fruits: blackberries, black currants, tart red cherry, accompanied by some tobacco, cigar box, green bell pepper, some leather and beautiful baking spices. It smells like money (expensive, lavish oak treatment). On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (well integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with some coffee and cocoa also showing up to the party. The finish seems to go on forever. This is a very balanced wine in a very fun spot.

Initial conclusion: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend, a Tempranillo or Sangiovese-based blend from the United States, France, Spain or Italy with 25+ years of age. However, the fruit was kinda the star of the show so, final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine from the United States, from California, from Napa; vintage 1990. Ha!! 1992 Bryant Family!? Suhhhhweet! This is in the zone. Drink now through 2032. — 6 months ago

Alex Chang

8.9

Sip of wine after dinner at home, plumper style, plush red-berried fruits, generosity of flavour and supple ripe tannins. It has structure fresh cranberry, red currants and a sweetness
It’s reminiscent of red liquorice and white chocolate. Raspberries and strawberries initially combine, a generosity of energetic red fruits. Pink peppercorn spice is scattered amongst the fruit and a violet-based floral allure. The palate features red plum, exotic aniseed and candied fennel adding to the vibrant fruit mix that the nose suggests and unsurprisingly carries through to the palate. A slipperiness in texture, a succulence in acid profile and an elastic bounce on the palate. Subtle brioche/croissant pastry-like texture we have to assume is evidence of oak-derived maturation but still taste of tannins — 4 years ago

David Bettencourt

9.7

2008 vintage. Currant, limestone, cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of subtle oak and leather. Super silky and velvety mouthfeel with no bite at all. Finishes long and smooth with blackberries and tobacco. Phenomenal wine. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

See several previous tasting notes for this wine. This was made back in the day when Hunter Valley reds had strayed from their medium bodied, savoury, sweaty saddle origins to being riper and more full bodied like a South Australian Red. This was declared in a speech by Chief Winemaker at the time, Jim Chatto, at a dinner I attended at the winery. Also plenty of oak still evident at 15 years of age. I prefer the original Hunter Valley style which Mount Pleasant has wisely reverted to utilising the wonderful old vine fruit at its disposal. Tasted again 35 weeks later on 26th March 2022. Nothing to add to the note here. A Hunter Valley wine trying to look like a South Australian wine back in 2006 with ripe fruit and oak. Thankfully HV reds have returned to the medium weight savoury long living style that Maurice O’Shea made in the 1950’s. — 3 years ago

Aravind A

9.5

Well, wow. Unlike any GG I've ever had. Yeah, the evidently high-toast oak might be controversial, but the results shouldn't be: this is a stunning btl. On the nose: toasted wood, lemon oil, almond, lemon peel, wet stone...those descriptors don't do justice to the heavenly aromatics. On the palate: fantastic acidity, and just so unctuous, leather and lempn oil, savory and vibrant at the same time...and the length on the finish is stunning. Just, wow. — 4 years ago

Sam Lee

9.0

…”Length of flavor aftertaste with buttery flower peach melon oak lots of oak here
Orange apricot at mid palate
Layers of flavor brings with citrus pale gold on visual, a delicacy…”
🌻
Perfume like aroma
Zesty tropical citrus blossom, like a floral garden
🎠 with merry go round
👱🏻‍♂️
— 5 years ago