At the Sonoma wine bar attached to lobby — 2 months ago
1 hour decant(lots chunky/fine sediment). A gorgeous inky purplish garnet color. On the nose: dark fruit, forest floor, smoked meat, floral, cigar wrapper, pencil lead. Taste: smooth, rich, creamy mouthcoating wine with blackberry/dark cherry, dark chocolate, earth, tobacco, baking spice, and a cedar/graphite medium plus finish with some slight dusty tannins. Had this 2 years ago, and it's improved. In the beginning of its drink window at 18 years? Wow — a month ago
Slightly muted with age, but still strong, supple fruit dark smoking meat went perfect with smoked reverse, seared ribeye steaks — 2 months ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course two days. Consistent throughout but the rotundone seemed most prominent on the nose, Day 1. The 2022 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe red and black fruits: mixed brambles, grilled meat, black pepper, garrigue, red and purple flowers, a touch of barnyard and a balanced mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, rich and spicy. My early assessments indicated this 2020 vintage to be a banger. It’s still early days and checking in at year five seems to confirm the trajectory. A wine of distinction. Drink now (and best with time to enjoy the transformation in the glass) and through 2050. — a month ago
How did this sneak in here? Considering our penchant for the Rhône, it’s almost inevitable that something like this was getting opened. Popped and poured, the 1997 “La Turque” pours a deep ruby/purple color with a slightly hazy, near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe slightly wizened black and ted fruits: black brambles, black cherry, strawberry, smoked and spiced meat, olives, purple flowers, black pepper, dried herbs, rocky earth, fine wood and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. While this may not be my favorite expression of Côte Rôtie, it is undeniably delicious after nearly 30 years. It still has a long life ahead. Drink now through 2042. — 2 months ago
Ron Siegel
This had black fruits, spice, meat & floral notes that needed some air to develop — 11 days ago