Shay A

9.3

My last of a three pack, and this shockingly drinks almost identical to my last bottle over four years ago.

Lovely deep red in the glass with bricking around the rim. Fig bar, sweet black cherries and tobacco aromatics. Ripe red and black fruits on the palate...not over ripe, but definitely sweet. Channeling more of a cherry liqueur and concentrated mid-palate as it ages. Close to fully integrated. Quite smooth and still a lot of fruit playing a primary role, but it’s not getting any better. More sexy than intellectual (nothing wrong with either).

I’d imagine this will hold in this window for another couple years and then decline, but I didn’t expect it to hold in this same window for almost five years. Drink up. — 4 months ago

JKT

8.9

Well made New world style wood infused dark red fruited balanced wine of half half Grenache and Syrah. Didn’t pair so well with Amah meat balls, kalbi but would have been good with steak. AA value 5! — 3 years ago

Molly Farrar

9.0

Cranberry jelly, a little caramel?, dances on my tongue, some spice like pink peppercorns. Yum! — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.4

This was served during my annual WWC hosting. Typical format of sparkler, three whites, four reds, one dessert, all served blind.

Poured alongside the 2003 Mondavi VHR as a comparison. 60 cab/40 merlot.

Decanted an hour. The similarities between this and the ‘03 Mondavi VHR the first hour was shocking…even as the host, I wondered if I switched the wines. Slight hint of brett but certainly not overpowering. Leather, herbs de Provence, sweet vanilla pipe tobacco, graphite up front aromatically. Dark roast mocha, red and black berry fruit, cassis, really nice vein of acidity and tannin. This remained unchanged during the lunch. Seems like it’s in a peak window (maybe close to the top?) where I imagine it will hold another 5-7yrs easily before turning more tertiary. — 9 months ago

Scott Kahn

9.2

Tar, dark fruit, structured tannins, and nicely integrated vanilla oak - clearly this wine is at the peak which is a nice expression of Pauillac. I cannot imagine a better vintage for this Chateau. — 4 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.7

Very well balanced. This reminds me of Sierra Nevada celebration mixed with a tropical/citrus hazy of the moment. I can only imagine having this 10 years ago and being shocked with flavor similar to pliny. What makes this great for me is the excellent malt backbone that isn’t sweet or boozy. — 4 years ago

Greg Koslosky

9.5

Lower level bottle but still alive and kicking . So elegant and refined with dried red flowers , mulberry , graphite , liquid minerals , burnt sugar blood orange . The palate is elegant yet powerful with tons of dry extract and a little tannins still. I imagine a perfect bottle would be truly incredible but this bottle was pretty darn good . — a year ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.7

Hard to imagine classic Napa Cab from Howell Mountain being much better. Everything you look for in great Cabernet with age. 25byears and it's in the zone, might be peaking but has plenty of life left. — 3 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

9.7

Imagine the aroma when you walk into a bakery, the fresh baked bread. 100 PT wine! Refreshing, elegant and the perfect starter for an amazing lunch with friends! — 4 years ago

with Joe

Pooneet K

9.2

Hard to imagine a more classic / perfect Bordeaux nose. Just screams those dark red fruit with leather and earth on the nose. Would not have guessed it was this old. Hard to say, though, if it will come together more with time versus staying slightly disjointed - the tannins and acid sort of follow after each other without a seamlessness that I’d expect. But still delicious. — 4 years ago