KP

9.4

I would absolutely buy this one again! Especially at the $20-$25 price point.
Delicious blueberry and rhubarb pie on the nose. Silky tannins with low acidity, and a long vanilla finish with mild oak. Well balanced and very enjoyable. — 2 months ago

Joe Gillies

9.3

Excellent! Has the body and fruit of a Cali pinot but balanced with the earthy and acidity of a burgundy pinot. Go Braves! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The nose reveals, bright red and dark ripe, floral fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, blackberries, black plum, sweet tarry notes, black licorice, vanilla, steeped black tea, funky earthiness, dark berry cola, dry crushed rock powder and dark red florals and violets.

The body is medium with tannins that are teethy, tarry and a little meaty. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, blackberries and black plum. Sweet tarry notes, black licorice, vanilla, steeped black tea, funky earthiness, dark berry cola, dry crushed rock powder, grainy volcanic minerals, rich black earth, dark red florals with violets. The acidity bright & lively. The finish is leaner than in most Napa Cabernets, well balanced, fresh and nicely polished.

Photos of, their Estate property, our tasting, barrels not rocked by the 14 earthquake and another on of their Napa vineyards. — 7 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.5

2014 Napa Earthquake survivor. She survived the fall, cushioned by her comrades around her. Some did not make it back to base. With that, we salute you. — 8 years ago

with Mark

Ryan Keith

9.5

This wine was spectacular. Very dense and textural with lots of black fruits. Could age for a few more years. Wish I had more. Pardon the label, it survived the Napa Earthquake of 2014
— 8 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

1994 was a big year in California... the Northridge earthquake, OJ, Apple's Power Mac, Netscape Navigator, Green Day's Dookie, and this Cabernet from Stonestreet. This is the only one that's still relevant today.

Upon opening I could tell there was plenty left in the tank. I had my concerns, though, with how brett-y and damp the initial funk it gave off was, but the fruit was showing through. It needed 45 minutes before it was noticeably better. The surprise was how much it continued improving over the next two hours, leveling off at style reminiscent of 1989 Left Bank Bordeaux... an entanglement of dried black cherry, coffee, graphite, pipe tobacco, and dried herbs with an edge of pine, but with a slightly more pronounced oak influence. The hint of damp earth remains to linger in the background. I'm not sure I'd risk it, but this could probably go another decade. Superb. — 9 years ago

Tripp Borstel

9.7

Totally awesome but not for everyone. Massive wet river stone minerality and dried tropical fruits. 2013 was the Napa earthquake tossing and apparently upped the oxidation. A beautiful deep deep gold color. — 10 years ago

Anthony Kluska

9.2

This is what new world should be. Pepper fruit oak. — 4 months ago

J

9.2

Pinkish Italian wine, very well developed. Reminds me of a rombauer or earthquake zin. Solid. Only drink if you want something deep, rich, and complex. Pairs very well with green grapes and crackers, but not a dry aged steak or seafood. Not a heavy drinking wine.

$80
— 3 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.1

You gotta give this bottle some time. After the cork was popped, this one had a pretty funky tart characteristic to it and a metallic kind of character and acidity that was a little off-putting. After 30 minutes, totally different wine. Just ripened black cherry and oregano notes dominate the palate and the entry. Medium bodied wine. Not really all that complex. Nide acidity on the finish..some black pepper and cola. Went much better with Asian StirFry than it did alone. I think I will try to save the other bottle for a couple of years. — 7 years ago

Rachael Humerickhouse

9.5

Great wine! Merry Christmas! — 7 years ago

Carolyn Herlihy

9.0

A fantastic Costco find. When a landslide and earthquake meet...amazing cab, smooth, pies well with cheese and salami
Thanks Izzy!! — 8 years ago

Remi Barrett

9.4

Always love Lamborn Zin! Seemed appropriate to choose the earthquake vintage... lol — 9 years ago

David Dunphy

9.0

A surviving bottle from the earthquake. A pleasant surprise how wonderfully this has aged. Better than it was in earlier days. Mature but fresh Chardonnay flavors. No edginess of maderization at all. Recently we are rethinking the drinking window of all of chardonnays because they are proving to be quite long lived. — 9 years ago

Meeter B

8.9

Definitely needs to open up. Was sweet on the first sip. Significant fruit tones at the outset and got dry as it opened. I would give it a good half hour and drink and enjoy. Solid choice. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.

The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.

Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Whenever I have a really older bottle of wine, I think, what was I doing in this case 1989?

About this time of year, I was walking into Candlestick Park for the Bay Bridge World Series while this wine was fermenting. I was walking through the parking lot when the 89 earthquake hit. It was like Godzilla was a Gopher tunneling under my feet. The stadium erupted with a resounding cheer. Earthquake during the World Series...yeah! It wasn’t until an hour later that hard reality set in.

This Chateau Lynch-Moussas is a recent direct purchase from the Negotiant. 89 was a pretty good Bordeaux year. So, why not see how a 5th Growth producer wine evolved over 30 years. It’s a treat to enjoy wine with this much age.

While Lynch-Mousses has improved vastly in more recent vintages, back in the day, they made some nice wines but, not great. This wine shows beauty & elegance but, it lacks fundamental elements of high quality. However, its fruit and structure have held up nicely over the years.

The nose reveals a fair amount of; barnyard, mushrooms, ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & strawberries on the edges of the glass. Black plum skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, black earth, stones, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals.

The body is still full and round. The fruits are still ripe & slightly candied. The wine is still holding an interesting drinking window, it’s on the decline. While that sounds not good, I find them in this phase infinitely more interesting. Ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & some strawberries. Black plum with skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, vanillin, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, forest floor, mushrooms, stones, touch of limestone minerals & crush rocks, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals with violets. The acidity is round & excellent. The long finish is; rich, ripe, well balanced & intergraded with long drier but, very floral persistence.

Excellent with our steaks. Still has another 5-7 years of good drinking ahead with excellent storage. I also miss the 12-13% ABV of the 80’s Bordeaux’s.

Photos of; the entrance view of Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland and Chateau founded in the 1800’s, the owner/operator since 1961 - Emile Casteja and their barrel room.
— 7 years ago

John T

9.0

Nice Zin. But I like earthquake Zin better. — 8 years ago

Meagan

9.2

Amy's favorite! — 9 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

@Steve Matthiasson talking about his background, the evening's wines, and and interesting aside on why the 2013 Ribolla Gialla came out a bit more orange than planned due to the 2014 Napa earthquake. The wine was a nice pair with the Gnocchi. — 10 years ago