Brian Hearty

9.2

2021. This wine caused the most discussion during our dinner. Complex dark fruits, leather, and blood aromas did open up a bit and it paired better with some of the lamb dishes than others. — a month ago

Ed Chin

9.3

What a difference a little time and air makes 🤪. A little game a little iron and pepper and black fruit that became more expressive as time passed. Light and elegant. I think I got lucky. — 8 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Opus One 2011
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A Bordeaux-style blend from one of Napa’s most iconic estates, co-founded by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The 2011 vintage was a challenging, cool year in Napa, producing wines of lower alcohol, more restraint, and higher acidity compared to the opulent, sun-soaked vintages before and after. Blend typically centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Aromas & Flavors
Opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and dried cherry layered with graphite, violets, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar and espresso. As it evolves in the glass, notes of leather, savory herbs, and cocoa powder emerge.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied compared to more powerful Opus vintages, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and balanced, showing more finesse and structure than richness. The finish lingers with red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of earth.

Winemaking Notes
Aged in French oak for 18 months. The cooler season resulted in smaller yields, but a style closer to classic Bordeaux restraint rather than plush Napa ripeness.

Food Pairing
Beautiful with herb-crusted lamb, grilled duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like Comté.

Verdict
A vintage that divided critics due to its lighter profile, but for those who enjoy elegance and classical structure, the 2011 Opus One is a refreshing outlier. Drink now, though it still has a few years of graceful life ahead. Cheers!
— 10 months ago

Shawn R

9.3

@Joe Lucca was gracious to set up a virtual tasting for the Wine Nerd Herd with the team from Texture. It was a great evening. The 16 Lucky Well spent over two hours in the decanter-it needed more time. Tightly wound wine that need time to uncoil. Striking texturally with high acid and touches of oak on the finish. I found the almond paste and orchard fruit profiles very pleasing. I taste the attention to detail in this wine. — 6 years ago

John Malcolm

9.8

This wine was opulent, elegant, and simply spectacular. Milk chocolate, black cherries, and cassis. If you are lucky enough to have a bottle, you are in for a treat. — 7 years ago

David L

9.1

Zippy. Lime, guava, pink grapefruit, plenty of acidity. Nicely made wine. — 7 years ago

Richard Alfred

9.5

Ate leftovers from Dry Creek Kitchen dinner on 5/28/19 in our room (16) at Farmhouse Inn. Lamb chops, kale salad, mushrooms, pasta salad, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. All delicious. Wine perfect pairing. — 7 years ago

Jim Lyons

9.1

Another mustardy joy from the GOAT (or more like duck I suppose) — 3 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Léoville Barton 2023 – Saint-Julien, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A classic Saint-Julien expression showing clarity, harmony, and structural polish, driven by a 77% Cabernet Sauvignon–led blend with 20% Merlot Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc as a support. The wine balances ripe fruit concentration with restraint, delivering precision, finesse, and a seamless flow from attack through finish.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, red plum, cassis, graphite, cedar, subtle baking spice, crushed stone, light tobacco and gentle floral lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with finely woven tannins, excellent balance, fresh integrated acidity, supple texture, and a long, graceful finish that feels effortless rather than forceful.

Food Pairings
Herb-crusted lamb, roasted duck breast, grilled filet mignon, mushroom risotto, aged Comté or Gruyère.

Verdict
An elegant, dependable Saint-Julien that delivers purity, structure, and drinking pleasure without excess. Refined, polished, and quietly authoritative, a wine that rewards both immediate enjoyment and patient cellaring.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the kind of wine that wins through composure and precision rather than horsepower. Easy to enjoy today, yet layered enough to keep you leaning back into the glass. Subtle sophistication done right. — 5 months ago

Karissa Reynolds

9.5

Definitely on the sweeter side. Could be too sweet depending on the person. Would by again from Duck Walk — 5 years ago

Jaclyn McHugh

9.5

Perfectly balanced white blend! Not too sweet, tart, acidic, etc. Would be a total crowd pleaser, and would repurchase — 6 years ago

David MacMillan

9.5

Beautiful wine, fruit, alcohol, subtle chalk and incredibly balanced, just kept getting better and better, went really well with the fois and duck. Really getting into 2003 Bordeauxs — 7 years ago

Murray Tarvis

9.3

STWC. Sweet Black fruit and cassis aroma. Strong Ribena and blackcurrant ice cream on tip of tongue very bold tannins. Not subtle but I love this. Wonder if it ages? — 7 years ago

Gene Harlow

9.3

Wonderful Chateauneuf form 2006 paired with grilled duck breast finished in a white wine fig sauce . — 7 years ago

David Hale Smith

9.9

Lucky to sit with a friend who bright two bottles of this beauty to share at Bordeaux Fest Near perfection from a magnificent special bottle. The year the wall came down with label art that looks to the future. Believe the hype. — 4 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Slightly lighter ruby with a wider ruby garnet rim . More reserved and cooler , more elegant , spicier fruits than the Mouton , less plush. Cassis , violet , blackberry , red cherry , roasted red pepper , grafite and oyster shell . Quite detailed and mineral. On the palate this is finer boned and elegant with refreshing acidity , cassis , tobacco , grafite and that briny , sea shell note . Saline and very fine , but also very noticable tannins on the palate , long grafite , tobacco , cassis tinged finish . This comes across as very classic Lafite , with drier , cooler fruit; more introvert than the extrovert Mouton. It doesn’t shout, there is no need , its refinement and pedigree are clear to all. Still young but beginning to show some development, better in 5-10 years and will last well another 10-20 , and being Lafite , perhaps even longer . As an aside this was paired with seared duck breast , port wine sauce and roasted figs , a combination that really worked with the wine , it was just a fantastic combination. — 9 months ago

Steve Rura

9.3

Wow so good! Natural sparkling rosé with lotttsss of sediment. Juicy orange character makes this very drinkable. I love how inventive Portuguese wines are lately. — 4 years ago

Simone M

9.5

Delicious! Jammy, not overly acidic — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Deep Ruby with concentrated aromas of ripe black fruits and earthy floral spice. The palate shows rich blackberry and tart raspberry, complex, good acidity, balance and depth with ultra-smooth tannins. The long finish ended with an earthy and woody spice, cacao, and mushroom, very smooth. I am guessing that this wine is at its peak, so if you are lucky enough to find a bottle, get the corkscrew! — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday to my beautiful wife. I am so lucky.

Thoughts on notes tomorrow. It’s a special day and dinner! Cheers! 🍾 🥂 — 7 years ago