Jan de Weerd

9.2

Okay. Again the same dilemma. If a wine does not meet expectation is it basically bad (for me)? 🤔 because in life everything is relative, right? Any thoughts on puzzling matter??The wine was well balanced, dark red fruit flavors, polished, smooth tannins, good intensity and concentration, but limited length and lacking any meaningful complexity… Eight year old left bank Bordeaux. A fourth or fifth growth winery, maybe not, can’t remember for sure. Do remember what I paid though, $120. Definitely too much for what we experienced this evening…. as to our expectations. — 2 months ago

with Tammy

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Not sure there are better 13 whites than Raveneau. Lafon also comes to mind. It’s an early drinking vintage (by Raveneau standards) while you wait for 12 and 14. Also, no Chapelot this year so it’s blended in here. A multi hour advance decant has it rocking, stunningly aromatic, soaring with layers of créme fraîche, baking spice, crushed stones and a whisper of botrytis influenced saffron. The palate shows immense power, concentration and depth of waxy yellow fruit chiseled with Chablisen minerality. Brilliant tension and racy lemony acids provide a seamless balance to its power and richness. MDT always hits 🫰🏻 — 7 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

This wine is absolutely stunning on hour 2+ so that’s where my notes will reflect. Just wish it showed this way longer! After a lengthy decant 2012 Reynard finally comes alive to flaunt explosive, layered and distinctive Allemand aromatics of cassis, violets, olive and crushed stones. The palate has such concentration, depth and fruit intensity that’s seamlessly balanced with its layered minerality. Finish just keeps on going. Love these wines so much. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Love these wines. 2015 is excellent tonight after sufficient air, densely concentrated and a clear child of the solar 2015 vintage, wafting layers of dark fruit, olive tapenade, camphor, bacon fat and black truffle. The palate shows exceptional balance and detail despite the massive concentration and warm vintage with great acidity, melting tannins and superb length. Beautiful wine, but very young. — 3 months ago

web bond

9.4

Absolutely brilliant. Sensational combination of richness, concentration, and freshness. — 4 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.6

I love Penfolds Grange...one of my all time favourite wines. The depth and concentration of flavour of this 33 year old wine is outstanding...i think these will just go forever. Massive wine and a reminder of how excellent Syrah is! — 7 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2000 vintage. Briar, earth and slight brickish nose. Color as if bottled yesterday. Light-medium/medium body. Throwing some serious sed. Decanted for two hours and a little watery on the concentration but plenty of fruit. I suspect this would have fared better with a six hour decant/lounge sesh. Also follows on the heels of last week’s tasting of the massive and undying 1990 vintage so there’s that. — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 2005 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 12 after cool nights had led to a slow accretion of concentration. "There was a lot of drought in 2005," Alexandre Thienpont recalls, "and it was a season a bit like 1982." This has a winsome bouquet, more powerful than the preceding 2004, as you would expect, laden with predominantly red fruit laced with anise and wilted rose petals. Impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, fresh and sapid in style, more open than the bottle tasted four years earlier. It veers towards a more savory finish. Subtle, ferrous, almost meaty notes lend complexity and typicité. Persistent on the aftertaste, this is a VCC that is just getting going. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
— 4 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant(decent chunky sediment). A stunning dark crimson color with little bricking. On the nose: expressive perfumed notes of dark red fruit, creme de cassis, mushrooms, floral, touch of stewed meat and cigar box. Taste: velvety, classy, fresh wine with red fruit, minerals, herbal, earth, pencil lead and a nice peppery cedar/leather medium plus finish. Sure, maybe not the depth/concentration of a classic vintage, but I can sniff/sip this wine all night. YUM! Happy Father's day to me. — 5 months ago

with Brenda

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1990 vintage. Finally...tasted a bottle that confirmed both the excellence of this particular vintage and this particular producer. Was 0 for 10 prior to this with a few 9.0's, 9.1's and a 9.2 being the highest score. Still much more sleek than the '86, '88 or '89 vintages and currently pretty close stylistically to the linear '96 vintage. Soft yet intriguing nose. Light-medium body. Better than good concentration mid-palate and through a 30-second finish. Some of that beguiling cocoa powder and blueberry feminity confirming a beautiful effort. 4.22.23 — 2 years ago