Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby red color with aromas of dark fruits, smoke, spice and earthy herbs. On the palate flavors of blackberry, currants, black cherry, smoky tobacco, cacao and leafy herbs. Fine polished tannins, long finish ending with fruit, cacao, spice and earthy mineral notes. Needs some bottle time. — 4 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Light medium caramel core , light copper rim. Quite mature , with spiced creme brûlée , saffron , burnt sugar , some crystallised orange peel , desiccated coconut . Slightly monochrome . On the palate this is quite light , with quite high acidity and a burnt caramel bitterness . Medium sweetness only , quite refreshing acidity . Slightly bitter orange caramel finish . Drink now qnd over the next few years , won’t improve . — 18 days ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.5

Well super highly rated. Quite fruit driven and juicy. Easily drink now. Hard to pin down / i am a a pinot guy after all. Could age for 15 years or so but would not keep it too long. — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Medium ruby , quite light garnet rim . Lightly herbal on the nose , with grafite , cool cassis , some redcurrant , red plum and violet . On the palate quite spicy and more red fruited , red currant , light cassis , red plum , grafite and tobacco touches . Fresh acidity and medium grippy tannin , with a grafite , cool redcurrant , light cassis finish of reasonable length . Quite light in style , a little green , rustic but refreshing and enjoyable. Don’t see this being particularly long lived but drink from now and over the next 10 plus years . — 15 days ago

Pooneet K

9.4

A knockout left bank Bordeaux. I’ve read that the 2005s may go longer than the potentially even more vaunted 2000s and I might agree based on this bottle. Decanted 5 hours. Cork in perfect shape. Amazing depth of fruit and a ton of Bordeaux earth. Nose goes on and on as does the finish. Was an excellent pairing but a very good but simple roast chicken. — 14 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1985 vintage. Top shoulder fill. Cork 100% saturated so even with a Durand, some cork “splinters” afoot. Decanted with appropriate sed. Tasted 30 mins and two hours post-decant. Nose was initially tight but yielded cedar, tobacco and fudge/Tootsie Roll scents that carried over into the taste side of things at the half hour mark with some baking chocolate impressions casually tossed into the parade. At the two hour mark, the fudge diminished and an orange peel note started to creep in. Not improving but can hold tight for another 2-3 years before dropping down another notch. Drink ‘em if ya got ‘em. 11.21.25. — a day ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby red color with aromas of dark fruits, graphite and earthy herbs. On the palate flavors of blackberry, currants, black cherry, tobacco and leafy herbs. Fine polished tannins, long finish ending with fruit, tobacco, spice and earthy mineral notes. Just starting to drink now! — 11 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

With air this developed nicely showing mostly black fruit, cassis with sweet spices, graphite, cedar, leather & tobacco — 8 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

1989 vintage. Last tasted 3 years ago (9.6). Nice fill. Durand used to open. Cork 95% saturated with extensive bottle rim cleaning involved before pouring. Not decanted. Tight, minty nose throughout along with a decided, lingering zinc note under the tongue at the finish line. Tasted 2 hours after opening. Power but without delineation. Just a consistent, forgettable push. Nothing wrong with the wine...it just needed more air/time and a decant but it wasn't my call. Feel like the zinc flavor would have dissipated/blown off with more time. Good but more memorable for what it wasn't vs what it was. Pity and an entire wasting of what could have been. 11.21.25. — a day ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in French oak, deep Ruby red color with aromas of ripe dark fruits, cigar box spice and herbs. On the palate flavors of blackberry, currants, black cherry, tobacco and herbs. Fine structured tannins, long finish ending with fruit, tobacco, spice and earthy mineral notes. — 11 days ago