Jay Kline

9.3

Opened and decanted about an hour prior to service and presented double-blind. The wine appears deep yellow nearing gold in color; medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is vinous and super floral with peaches and marzipan and some signs of oak, a portion new French oak. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium- acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, weighty with a pronounced oily texture. Alcohol is elevated. I called Marsanne/Roussanne blend from France, Northern Rhône, Hermitage Blanc with 15+ years of age. Close! The florals and elevate alcohol should have steered me to Condrieu but that’s hindsight. Regardless, this was a delicious reminder to allow Northern Rhône whites to age. Drink now. — 25 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Earthy aromas with savoury red fruits. A good balance between acid and tannin. Oak is absorbed as you would hope at 14 years of age. Doesn’t scream Hunter Valley because of the ripeness of the fruit but that earth and spice leads you there. In hindsight I opened this too early contrary to my previous tasting note 5 years ago. This still has a solid core of potential which will enable the wine to last another 10 years where it will develop leathery notes. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Night and day difference in showing from this bottle in March. In hindsight, I think the last one may have had travel shock. Tonight, 2013 CSJ coming from 100+ year old vines is superb after a lengthy slow ox, soaring from the glass with crazy aromatic intensity showing a delicate oak framed red and blue fruited profile with winter citrus, cocoa bean and red roses. The palate shows Grand Cru depth, stunning elegance and purity with fine grained tannins and a penetrating salty mineral laced finale that goes on and on. It’s still young, but 13’s from the big dogs are really starting to shine. Hold the reductive 12’s and tannic 14’s and pop the elegant 13’s. — 2 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

My gut feeling on the identity of this blind was a young Brunello or Rosso with new oak. In hindsight, if I had been a little more methodical, the identity would have been obvious - the stickiness of the tannins as it hits the palate on the tongue was a dead giveaway of the Merlot (49%) component, while the directionality of the tannins as it moved across the palate along the gums (on the base of teeth) can clearly be attributed to Cabernet Sauvignon (51%). Flavours again tripped me. The Morello cherry aroma, sheen of volatile acidity, fresher fruit ripeness, elegant medium body, and tart acidity just never put me onto Bordeaux… but of course it was a Margaux.

This was a really elegant example of Bordeaux, but does come off a little simple - just juicy fruits (red on the nose, black on the palate) and new oak, which leaves you yearning for more complexity to fill the “void” between the flavours. It is perhaps still a little young at this stage (my notes came after 3 hours of aeration; started off real tight according to RL), so could offer more with cellaring. Notably, I enjoyed this without much palate fatigue, although the new oak still irks me. A huge victory for young Bordeaux in my books. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine presents a straw color moving towards a silvery rim; medium viscosity with no signs of particles or gas. On the nose, the wine is bright with notes of lemon/lime citrus, some tropical fruits, cashews, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+, bordering high acid. The finish is medium+ and there was a textural thing that was sort of giving me woolly vibes. Initial conclusions: this could be a Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay or Albariño from France, the United States or Spain. Because the non-fruit and structure seemed to show the most and I sensed some French oak, I was leaning towards France. I kinda liked Chardonnay but the combination of texture and higher acid had me debating on Chenin, and I went with that. Chenin Blanc from France, from the Loire, Vouvray Sec 2018. In hindsight, I should have thought a bite more about 1er or GC Chablis as an option. Whatever, this was tasty stuff. Drink now through 2030 with ease. — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

We first tried a bottle of Celestins in a restaurant in Gigondas some years ago, and for me it was a WOW Wine. Had this latest bottle on Sunday with Roast Pork. Medicinal to begin with which blew off. Barnyard aromas - horse manure. In hindsight this could’ve been Brett but the overall impression and tasting was impressive and memorable. Glad I have 3 left. Showing a medium to full bodied palate. This is textbook CdP in the old school genre. The tannins are silky and sexy - a liquorice note together with saddle leather. Henri Bonneau passed away in 2016 and the wine making is now carried out by his son, Marcel. A visit to his archaic cellars was keenly sought after and rarely granted. Mould all over the walls, rickety stairs light bulbs dangling from the ceiling and a floor which stuck to the soles of your shoes was how one visitor described his experience in the cellar. Nevertheless this is a CdP up there with Rayas and the top Cuvée from Beaucastel. The blend is usually 90% Grenache with the balance made up of around 4 or 5 different varieties. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Poured into a ship’s decanter about an hour before service. The 2015 “Les Chailles” pours a ruby color with a translucent core; moderate staining. On the nose, powerful intensity with developing red fruits, brambles, pomegranate, black fruits, orange zest, purple flowers and just a whiff of leather. Shaquille O’Neal is also there… as this wine is not “faking the funk on a nasty dunk”. Translation: this does have a feral quality to it but it’s just wonderful. On the palate, it’s bone dry, with medium+ tannin and acid. Medium alcohol. Long. Ass. Finish. Overall, you just want to drink this wine as there is just so much to like. That being said, this is still quite the baby…even if this is considered Voge’s “generic” Cornas. Drink now with some extended air (in hindsight, I would have audouzed the night before) but probably better after 2025. Easily has the stuffing to be enjoyable past 2030. NOTE: I left about one glass in the bottle and came back to it two nights later and it was still outstanding with only slight evolution. I suspect the aging potential of these wines is well beyond what is advertised. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

My last 2007 Mentelle Cabernet - last of the old white label. Very dense in colour - a dark Ruby. Cassis and blackcurrant. See previous Delectable notes. Not overly herbal like most Margaret Cabernets. Cedar and black olive notes as well. Amazing vitality and concentration for 16 years - in hindsight could have left it for longer. A ripe powerful Cabernet - more like a South Australian Cabernet in structure and fruit ripeness. An excellent vintage in Marg River which hardly ever has a bad one…..2006 comes to mind. Wish I had consumed this when 20 years of age. PS. Nick Stock said one of the greatest Cape Mentelles of all time. Only 800 cases made. — a year ago

Shengli Hu

9.3

Love the purity of red strawberry, red cherry. Hints of whole cluster aromatics. Called it Oregon Pinot Noir in blind tasting. In hindsight this is clearly Sonoma as the fruit is squarely red. No cola nuts! ;) — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deeper ruby color with a transparent core. Medium+ viscosity; slight staining of the tears. On the nose, dark cherry, dried herbs and baking spices…it smells Italian. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with monumental structure. The fruits and non-fruits are confirmed. I gotta say this is painfully primary. It took half a day of air to even budge. I vacillated between Sangio and Nebbiolo…the color didn’t quite seem right for Nebbiolo but the structure was beyond what I would expect for Sangiovese. So, I called Barolo from 2017, from a modern producer. Welp…I got the Italian part right! In hindsight, I should have trusted the color. If you have these, slow-ox for at least 12 hours before service. This will drink nicely, well past it’s fifteenth birthday. — 3 years ago