Ron Siegel

9.3

Purchased on release from the winery drinking much younger than its age showing good balance with plum, dark berry fruit & spice — 3 days ago

Joel Lara

9.4

Initially, this was a bit closed with fruit notes dominating, but after an hour long decant it opened up nicely. The nose has mostly cassis and herbal flavors, and on the palate, cassis, tobacco, bay leaf, dried sage, dark chocolate, and graphite notes come through nicely. Has good acidity, and tannins are well integrated. Super tasty and paired well with rosemary and thyme roasted rack of lamb with potatoes and eggplant. — 9 days ago

Tom Garland

9.8

Harlan Estate:  A Historic Retrospective.
With: Antonio Galloni, Will Harlan and winemaker Cory Empting.  At Angler restaurant, San Francisco.

Vintages:  all from magnum
1989 Harlan Estate....rare never released
1990 Harlan  Estate.....1st release, savory elegance
1993 Harlan  Estate ..fading
1994 Harlan Estate....a savory beauty, classic style
1995 Harlan  Estate..beautiful, classic style
1997 Harlan Estate ..flat(maybe the bottle), vintage that jumps to the riper style.
2001 Harlan Estate ...beautiful
2002 Harlan  Estate ..beautiful
2006 Harlan  Estate...drink
2010 Harlan  Esta...drink or hold
2011 Harlan  Estate...meh
2013 Harlan  Estate ..drink or hold
2016 Harlan  Estate ...hold
2019 Harlan  Estate  ...hold
2020 Harlan  Estate ...meh
2021 Harlan  Estate ..hold

FOOD:
Bluefin tuna
Slow grilled hen of woods mushrooms
Whole pastured chicken roasted in wood oven
A5 Australian striploin
Chefs selection of cheese

@Angler, San Francisco — 17 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

1989 vintage. 10.16.26. — 17 days ago

Tom Garland

9.2

+1 hour decant(decent chunky sediment). A striking dark ruby red color. On the nose: Enticing notes of dark red fruit, pencil shavings, floral, little barnyard funk, worn leather, tobacco leaf. Taste: Silky-smooth, creamy, rich(not your old school Bordeaux) wine with blackberry/dark cherry, currants, licorice, glycerin, dried herbs, dark chocolate and a peppery cedar long dry finish. YUM!! — a month ago

Sam Friedland

9.1

Very pleasant, liquorish, mild tannins. Went well with venison pot roast — 11 days ago

AEL

9.3

Great year for this one. Really layered and granular, with a light lemon note offsetting the distinct dark fruit notes. Celebrating dad and Bogie, with mom in FL. — 10 days ago

Steve Collins

9.3

High qpr super Tuscan, this was under $30 @ costco — 9 days ago

Tom Garland

9.6

1 hour decant(lots of chunky sediment). A splendid deep dark ruby red color. On the nose: expressive Intoxicating perfumed notes of dark red fruit, smoked meat, forest floor, herbaceous, leather, and soy sauce. Taste: silky, opulent, pure wine with cherry/red plum, currants, dark chocolate, smokey spice, and a graphite raspberry long finish. YUM! — 19 hours ago

with Brenda

Her Mir Tage

9.2

Masseto 2022
· First impression & decanting: It was my first time trying Masseto. Since it’s a young wine, I put half the bottle into a decanter and kept the other half for the next day. It only started to open up after about an hour of decanting, showing dark fruit aromas.
· Second-day explosion: On the second day, the aroma fully opened up. I poured just a little into the glass, and the aroma instantly filled the entire bowl. Intense blackberry and plum, with hints of tobacco and cocoa.
· Palate: Tannins are velvety smooth; full-bodied, with good acidity and plenty of power.
· Summary: A very classic top-tier “Super Tuscan.” In its youth it is very tight and needs a lot of patience with decanting or further aging. But once fully open, it is absolutely stunning.

Gaja Gaia & Rey 2022
· Aroma: Fresh citrus, white peach, and pear, with light oak-derived notes of toast, vanilla, and minerality.
· Palate: Round and full-bodied, with a distinct creamy texture, bright acidity, and a clean, mineral finish.
· Summary: A very elegant top Italian Chardonnay. Excellent balance—it retains fresh fruit while showing the complexity of oak aging. Drinking perfectly now.

One-line summary: One red, one white; one powerful, one elegant—a fantastic pairing! — a month ago

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.2

2018. Cigar box and some lavender on that too. Great acidity and tart tannins. Really splendid wine this. In the best setting. — 11 days ago

Rick Phillips

9.8

Floral note’s of blackberry and blueberry, baking spice, cedar, tobacco and dark chocolate. It has plush, velvety tannins that enhances the smooth finish. — 14 days ago

with Letha

Rick Phillips

9.5

Decanted for 3 hours. Dark chocolate with rustic earthy notes. Deep plum, old leather, tobacco and hints of black berry and pepper. Has a lot of life left! — a month ago

with Letha

Kate

9.2

I was craving old school Merlot. Wasn’t on restaurant list. Bought this across the street at a local grocery school. Amazing that the store stocked this. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Inky in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose of black fruits with tobacco, vanilla, licorice, cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, cola, vanilla, cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, spices, earth, light black tea, tobacco and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel, big and juicy. Complex and entertaining, elegant and rich. Fruit forward and extracted.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

Bold, good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$150. — 18 days ago

John Bratincevic

9.0

A little tired, but still grownup wine. Earthy, mammalian (ha! am I the first to use that? I mean it has a bit of furry animal to it!), old fruit and iron. Just squeaks into a 90. — 3 days ago

Beth Novak

10

Deep and dark, a cool minerality. Bright fruit. Packed, is dense. Beautifully held. Great texture and structure. A stunner! — 19 hours ago

Jason Gelman

9.3

Love this wine. Still young ish but very nice drinking window. Love the texture and tannin structure. Long finish. — 8 days ago

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Purple plum red.

Aromas of beets, tomato leaf, blue and black fruits, stewed.

Iron, tomato, blackberries, dark cherry.

After an hour of decanting, develops that cocoa nib character that is pleasant and adds a richness along with more pronounced red fruits. The tobacco and earthiness calms and the fruit character develops — 24 days ago

Ming L

9.3

I opened this 2015 after the 16’ Branaire-Ducru.

The fruits are riper and slightly jammy with plum, blueberry, and blackcurrant, but it’s the savory expression that really sets it apart. Rich palate without excessive weight with lively acidity and fresh herbal lift. Kong savory finishes. Beautiful Bordeaux blend with Napa mountain fruits. — 2 days ago