Tom Casagrande

9.3

My friend @Dave had this recently and said it was drinking well so I pulled one of my bottles. I struggle to find food that good Bordeaux shines with. Maybe our cooking wheelhouse doesn’t click with it. In any event, AFTER dinner this wine seemed really good. Nose is developing some nice complexity, with dark cassis, roasted Persian spices, cedar, moist gray clay, a bit of sweet wafty smoke. Rich and softening nicely in the mouth, with cigar box and cassis/plummy flavors, and some flinty minerality in the finish. I almost always like wine with food better than just wine, but not this. This is really fine to sip and contemplate. Great value. — 5 hours ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was rich, ripe that was approachable showing dark cherry, berry fruit, mineral, orange peel, spice & violets — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

And then this happened. Oh my days! Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1990 pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of powerful ripe and desiccated brambles, dried purple flowers, beef blood, leather and mushrooms and earth. On the palate, the wine is dry and structure is still going strong with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, to quote “Squints”, the finish goes on, FOR-EV-ER. A monument. Drink now through 2040. — 10 days ago

Leslie

9.3

On first opening and a short decanting the nose was quite muted. It was still lovely on the palate but obviously needed to breathe a while. Fast forward an hour and this wine came to life with all the dark fruit, vanilla and tertiary notes of a Bordeaux from St Emillion. We enjoyed it with our friends who we are going to France with in a couple of months. This beautiful wine has made us look forward to the trip even more. — 8 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

vintage 2006 | Needs a few hours to open, very classic with laurel, tobacco, eucalyptus in smell, even chocolate. Balanced taste. Paired with a wagyu burger and zuchinni. Many years to go. — 9 days ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.7

1985. 40 years young. Gave it an hour to open up before dinner (paired orange ginger glazed duck with pistachio apricot farro). Thankfully my partner is a master of the Durand. There’s very little for me to compare this too - most aged whites are preserved by acid; Chave relies on glycerol here. It gives the wine gravitas but also life and freshness. Pleasant wood veneer/wood shop notes, dried apricots at first (become fresher with time), yellow plum, truffled earth. Salty poached apricots and timelessness. In a perfect world, we’d be sharing this with my dad. Strange & sensational. — 8 days ago

Diane Heyboer

9.2

Had the 2018 on Easter Sunday, 2026. Let it decant for close to two hours. Full body, silky smooth tannins with hints of cocoa, blackberry, raspberry and a hint of vanilla. Had a touch of leather near the end. Was really tasty. Was a gift from our kids and absolutely fantastic with dinner this evening. — 8 days ago

with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

Michael Dierberg

9.6

Might have guessed it was Californian but captivating aromatics and great concentration without being over the top. — 5 hours ago

with JiaMin

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, chocolates, toast, licorice, spices, earth, tobacco and herbs.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Bordeaux. Rich and extracted. Nicely balanced and complex.

This 16 year old is starting to drink at its peak now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Wine Advocate 96 points. Wine Spectator 96 points.

I've had the 2012 a few years ago, but this 2010 vintage is showing so much better.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so be patient.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.

A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 17 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and unfined.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$180. — 18 days ago

Jan A

9.4

The tasting group thought it was 20 years older. You learn everyday... — 2 days ago