Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

Touch Brettanomyces, aka horses ass but otherwise flawless and very tasty. 13.5%. Comes across as a red Burgh. NSG. Inky and dark. Tannins fully resolved. Velvety, Blackberry, dark 🍒. Leather. — 2 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2022 vintage. The warmer vintage suits the wine well. Very ripe, but good freshness. Intense and long. Abv. 14%. — 3 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Hints of Maple Syrup in the nose.

This is still very fresh. Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, black plum pudding, strawberries, notes of blue fruits, dark spice, black licorice, mid berry cola, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, anise, cedar to sandalwood, dry herbs, mint/eucalyptus, used leather, dry, crushed, rock powder, notes of maple syrup, caramel, dark, red withering rose petals with violets, waterfall acidity and an elegant, balanced, softly tensioned, well knitted, smartly polished finish that lasts minutes.

Color is still dark. Cork came out whole with a Durand but was completely soaked.

What a treat to drink well stored old Napa Cabernet. Will hold another 3-5 years.

Bottle semi-recently acquired from the property via a Somm buddy. — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1978 vintage. Great fill with a fully saturated cork. Used a Durand to remove and cork held up but big cork splinters shedding upon removal. Decanted and tasted over the course of an hour. Super silky, not chunky, sed. Light-medium body. Had to coax the nose out a little but revealed cassis, tobacco, dark plum, sandalwood and cherry pits. All these plus a slight, beef broth touch in the flavors. Not improving but can sustain another half-decade in this incarnation. Gorgeous, old BDX. Drink now till 2029. 12.8.23. — 2 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2021 | Note to self: móre Rousanne. After tasting I put half a bottle in the fridge for 48 hours. Drank it with a baked dab, cichory and baked potatoes. Makes me happy. The wine is Rousanne 40 Grenache 30 and Clairette 30. Much violets in smell and a perfectly balanced taste. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1990 vintage. Excellent fill and halfway saturated cork. Used a Durand but surmise a regular waiter's friend, wielded carefully, could have done the trick with the cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 mins, one hour and two hours. Some obvious sed but not troublesome or overtly noticeable. Original owner-château direct on original release. Super cold cellar because this was lagging noticeably behind other '90's and LB's. Bigger tannic structure (for a generally feminine-styled house) than anything save a Latour, Mouton, Ducru Left Bank property. Even more guts than Lynch-Bages or Pichon-Baron '90's currently stored above 55 or so degrees. Surprising but made sense. Light-medium body. Appropriate color. 3-4 years left in this stage unless larger format in play. Slight, fleeting burst of richness in the frontal palate and a tad brickish and then it just flowed on, without speed bumps. A little cocoa powder and cedar/tobacco. Suspect 750ml specimens not stored as cold/religiously will be showing more in the 9.0-9.1 range and farther down the backside of the bell curve. 10.26.24. — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2004 vintage. Decanted and tasted after two hours. Used a Durand but cork was great. Top-notch fill. Super chunky sed..like vintage port. Nose good, not great, but biggie structure and balance all there. Medium body. Not a personal fave but may hafta pick up a few more of these for those inclined to partake. There will be 2004 Insignia going steady for quite some time. 12.22.23. — 2 years ago

Joe DAscoli

9.5

Procured via auction. Have had bad bottles before but cork looked solid (used Durand to take no chances).

This bottle was excellent and the wine developed nicely in the glass over about 1.5 hours. Kept in my ETO.

Nice black and dark fruits with a little muscle. Oak integrated and not overpowering.

Lovely pairing with steak. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

1971 vintage. Top shoulder fill. Used a Durand but fully saturated cork still required some clean up on aisle 7. Decanted and tasted after 5 minutes. Threw much much less sediment than expected. Decent color with a little browning. Tertiary nose gave way to similar flavors with it being very slightly brickish. In a holding steady phase where there is no shining light to chase after-everything is consolidated and filed away so you're tasting the interpretations of history. Instructive. 6.13.24. — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

1982 vintage. Great, upper shoulder fill. Long, aging cork fully saturated but removed with a Durand. Splintered a little upon removal. Decanted and threw less sed than expected. Decaying leather, cedar, hot gravel and lightly roasted button mushrooms in the nose. Light-medium/medium body. All this + some undying cherry and plum flavors mixed in amongst remaining tannins. More thrust and fruit than anticipated with expected structure firmly in place. Really beautiful specimen. Based on this bottle, can hold steady without dropoff for another 4-5 years. 1.12.24. — a year ago