Jay Kline

9.1

Presented to me, double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours, a slightly hazy garnet color with a near opaque core and significant rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of mostly dried and desiccated fruit: dried brambles, dried cherry fruit leather, coffee, dried flowers, licorice, and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Initial conclusions: this could be a GSM blend, a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend or is Zinfandel from France or the United States. For me, there aren’t any signs of pyrazines so I like this as a GSM blend with a good amount of Syrah. Due to the color, rim, variation, and sediment I believe this has 25 to 30 years of age. Final conclusion, this is Chateauneuf-du-Pape from 2001. Whoa! I haven’t had one of these in a long, long time. OG Kalimna Bin 28! This was showing really well. Drink now but still has life left. — 21 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Cena lider mty @ gand cru — 11 days ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.0

Ten years post vintage, the 2016 shows little sign of age. Dark, warming, smooth and rich. Dusty tannins and the 15.5% alcohol has mellowed as has the typical peppery bite on the back-end of Zins. All around, still drinking great — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.5

I have dreamed of the 1981 Grange for many, many years. Why? Well, it’s quite simple: I’m an ‘81 baby and that year doesn’t have the strongest reputation for producing great wines. Spain and Italy faired better and of course, there were always exceptions. However, most have long been drank or forgotten as it was a tough year in many of the classic wine growing regions. All of that being said, Australia didn’t suffer the same conditions and Penfold’s managed to make a very good expression of Grange in 1981…if only one could find it and then of course, afford it. But, sometimes you just have to put it out into the universe and she answers. Tonight, a dear brother in wine who also happens to share 1981 as a birth year, provided this bottle from his cellar to share. And while my 45th remains a couple months off, we were celebrating life and friendship tonight!

Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1981 pours a deep purple color moving towards a garnet rim and a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and desiccated tart black, red and blue fruits and rotundone: blackberries, raspberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, black olive, cocoa, coffee, eucalyptus, leather, toasted coconut, earth and baking spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is looooong. What a stellar showing and this bottle certainly lived up to hype. Drink now through 2041+. — 3 months ago

Sam Friedland

9.1

Very nice, cherries, mild tannins. — 4 months ago

Diane Heyboer

8.9

Had the 2022 in February of 2026. Blackberry and dark cherry with a barrel forward character on the nose. Not super tannic- berry/cherry throughout. Short finish with hints of tannin on the end. — 5 months ago

with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

Doug Powers

9.2

Such a fabulous vintage and fabulous “weekday drinker” wine, old vine Zinfandel fruit from Morgan and Chris, dark color and dark fruits, great flavors, great acidity, long finish, I adore this Zinfandel!! — 3 days ago

with Jim

Barny

9.4

Wine 1500 🙈 ; opened for World Cup starting 2026 Mexico and South Africa; The cork popped off…; but still managed to get the fine juice out 😉; Vintage 2006, just like the „Summer Fairy Tale“ of the World Cup in Germany; and the wine leaves you wanting more „mehr Lust“, beautifully aged, fine fruit 😋 Wishing everyone a wonderful and peaceful World Cup — 21 days ago

Jonathan Liu

9.4

everything i like about new zealand sauv blanc! grassy, lemony, light, easy drinking — 23 days ago

with Erica

Monica Kalka

9.0

I have a cold, but it has a strong, yet enjoyable flavor. I like how dark of a wine it is. — 2 months ago

Hermes Cuello

9.1

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2015 is a legendary South African natural sweet wine, crafted from Muscat de Frontignan. Rich and opulent, it offers layers of honey, apricot, orange peel, and exotic spice, balanced by vibrant acidity. Lusciously sweet yet fresh and elegant, with a long, refined finish. — 3 months ago

Ali Watson

10

Best ever!!! — 3 months ago

Jason Meneses

9.2

Wow, so big, so fruity, a bit sugary. It’s old school cool, like a true OG CA Zinfandel. — 5 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

My last bottle of 2013 Art Series Chardonnay. This remains one of the top Chardonnays in Australia together with Giaconda and Bindi Quartz Block for mine. As per previous note aromatics of white peach and cashew together with mealy notes. Not as full bodied as other Art Series but certainly doing well at 13 years of age. I often identify a dried pear character and this has hints of that. 98 points from James Halliday. — 11 days ago

Sagee Aran

9.2

Crisp, balanced with tropical fruits. You can not miss it's Cloudy Bay. — 6 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Deep, dark Ruby red color with a fruit forward nose, lots of ripe berries with oaky notes. Jammy big and bold blackberry flavors with some spice, cacao, cedar and leather notes with nice mouthfeel. Big fine tannins with berry fruit carried over to the finish with oak and sweet spice. — a month ago

Meredith Moody

9.0

The lemonade of wines! I am a big sauvignon blanc fan, but my parents never really drink ones from New Zealand, and this made me wish I had known about it sooner. So refreshing and almost makes you pucker with how tart it is. This wine begs to be drank by the pool. Grapefruit forward, but had a grassy and herbal note that kept it grounded. Clean, acidic and crisp. I would serve this colder than class has taught me to because it is a summer delight. — 2 months ago

Jeffrey Trezek

9.2

Beautiful zin with full, silky body. Black and red fruits, plum, and fingers with smooth tannins. Great wine. — 3 months ago

Collin Clark

9.3

It’s a winner? Yea — 4 months ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Light fruity aroma, dark red, medium body, dry and succulent, dark fruit flavor, paired nicely with venison. — 5 months ago