Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is an unusual CdP. In the sense that is is dark, thick and like chocolate for water.

My first of three bottles.

The nose shows a very light flaw, some soft VA, bandaid. The core is all dark currants, candied, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums-heavier black, black raspberries, hints of raspberries & wafting strawberries. Chocolate cake w/ fudge frosting, incense, black pepper, black coffee, anise to black licorice, grilled meats, crushed rocks, lime-sandstone, dry herbs with floral candied dark, red flowers with liquid violets wrapped in lavender.

The palate reveals; dark currants, candied, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums-heavier black, black raspberries, hints of raspberries, some pomegranate & wafting strawberries. Chocolate cake w/ fudge frosting, caramel, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, incense, Christmas cake, red & dark cola, olive tapenade, black pepper, black coffee, anise to black licorice, smoke, grilled meats, soy sauce, crushed rocks, lime-sandstone, moist clay, dry herbs with dark, gentle dark spices, red& dark flowers with candied liquid violets wrapped in the same candied lavender, grand, round, rainfall acidity w/ a rich, lush, well balanced, nicely toned/structured, elegant finish that shows length that lasts 90-120 seconds and falls on chocolate cake, clay & spice.

Untypical for a CdP to be so thick, round, rich and a bit of wine candy.

93-95 with the meal.

Drink over the next 7-10 yrs and perhaps a couple to three yrs +. Greatly depends on storage and how you like your wines in age. — 24 days ago

Brandon Boesch

9.5

Bought at auction. First bottle awful. This one is lovely. Needed two hours of air to settle and integrate. Freeze dried strawberries, dried cherries, plum, dust, herbs like tarragon and thyme on nose. I could smell for hours. Palate is bigger than I expected more game and herbs than fruit. Leather with dried cherries. There’s more herbs and plums and cooked/reduced berries but not super sweet. Good tannin still. Pretty good and fun to try at 26 years. I am guessing warm vintage based on abv. — 2 days ago

Paul J

9.4

PnP. Great restaurant value. Dark purple color. Bold wine with great depth. Black fruit with meat and menthol. — 19 days ago

with Brooke

Joe Christenson

9.2

Delicious — fresh strawberry, hints of tropical fruit, mineral, honeysuckle, good acid and subtle white floral notes. Beautifully balanced. Paired well with smoked turkey burgers. — a day ago

William Lauder

9.4

Still drinking well. Great expression of a Rhone — 16 days ago

Lisanne Nijenhuis

9.4

Home alone with wine, snacks and a good movie! — 22 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.2

Casamarena mazf cesar lalo — 22 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

At this point, with this group, a Legends dinner simply wouldn’t be appropriate without at least one bottle of Chave Hermitage.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1994 Hermitage pours a slightly hazy garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with perfumed notes of dried brambles, dried blueberry, dried purple flowers, black olive, mushroom, espresso, leather, stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly sanguine. Delicious with the 5 Spice Cured Duck prepared with marinated Bing cherries, crispy shallot and Olathe corn polenta. It was such a pleasure to taste the ‘94 Chave next to the ‘85 Gentaz. Two Northern Rhône Legends working with their respective terroirs. Where the Gentaz was all about the aromatics of Côte Rôtie, the Chave was brought more of the power from the Hill of Hermitage. Drink now through 2056. — 19 days ago

Jay Kline

9.8

Opened about an hour prior to service. The 2009 Chambertin Clos de Béze pours a brilliant ruby with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, holy shit…this came to party. There’s a mix of ripe and bruised strawberry, Bing cherry, mixed brambles, dried red flowers, sous bois, mushrooms, beautiful warm spices and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Everything is in fantastic balance; generous and yet hitting all the classic notes. It was also my favorite with the foie gras au torchon prepared with grilled Colorado palisade peaches, toasted almonds, aged sherry gastrique, thyme and toasted brioche. Brilliant. Drink now through 2059. — 21 days ago

Her Mir Tage

9.3

Clos Saint‑Jacques is often hailed as the “Musigny” of Gevrey‑Chambertin. It combines the signature power and structure of Gevrey with the elegance and finesse of Vosne‑Romanée, and Armand Rousseau’s bottling has always been remarkably consistent.

2004 was a challenging vintage—a weak year in which many grapes failed to reach full ripeness. Now that it has entered its drinking window, it opens up quite nicely. This is not a flamboyant style; instead, it leans more toward herbaceous notes and bay leaf, with hints of florals and red cherry. It has a mineral quality, yet without the saline or briny character often found in other Gevrey vineyards. The acidity is well‑balanced. The overall bouquet is delicately fresh, reserved rather than exuberant, yet persistent, and it doesn’t evolve dramatically over time. — 15 days ago

Ki Punwar

Owner, California Wine Republic

9.3

Tempier rose never disappoints. Paired with Salmon and Caesar salad — 17 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened three days earlier. The 2023 pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe brambles, lavender pastilles, bacon fat, black pepper, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A delightful pairing with Bison ribeye. Young but showing its potential. Drink now through 2043. — a month ago

Jamie Lauder

9.8

2005 vintage.
Rich black cherries, cocoa spice, orange peel, dark flowers, subois and earthy.
Long generous finish with crisp acidity and fine grained tannins.
This was bequeathed to me years ago at a Celebration of Life for a gentleman who was greatly influential and guiding on my wine journey.
A stunning wine from an incredible individual.
Cheers everyone.
🥂🥂 — a month ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Eugenio b valle encimos#
Mucho mejor — 9 days ago

Conrad Green

9.6

Gorgeous soft lemon fruit. Chalk and fine detailed fruit. Lush but precise. Long intense and classy. Gorgeous — 19 days ago

with Bex

Doug Powers

9.0

The entire intact cork decided it wanted to stay in the bottle rather than come out, so gently-filtered pours will be de rigeur tonight!! Initially this shows mature white wine aromas, some minerality and salinity, still plenty of acidity, actually a pretty solid finish that lingers, often these old Raveneau wines open to show more with 30 minutes of aeration, we’ll see and I’ll add a comment to my note. — 19 days ago

with Jim

Alvaro Bustillos

9.8

Valle de los encino eugenio b lalo o y russel bevan — 11 days ago

Doug Powers

9.0

Initially this shows just a trace of threshold level TCA (?), iodine, raw meat, some smoke aromas as well, rich and complex, seems a little more refined that the 1990 Sorrel Hermitage “Le Greal”, but without the incredible depth and sheer power of that wine, another great northern Rhone Syrah!! — 23 days ago

with Jim

Ron Siegel

9.5

Another great btl that was drinking well with its elegant, perfumed nose of cherry, berry, spice, tea, rose petal & violet. — 10 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.5

Valle de los encino eugenio b lalo o y russel bevan — 11 days ago