Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (91.3%) and Merlot (8.7%). A bit tight and unexpressive right out of the bottle. After a 45 minute decant, this wine was awake and very alive. Dark ruby color. Aromas of graphite, forest floor, wet gravel and dark black fruit. Flavors of black currant/cherry/berry/plum, tobacco, baking spices, dark chocolate and minerals. Distinct notes of smoky oak and wet earth on the long and lingering finish. Tannins were a bit lighter than expected at first but developed with aeration. Quite savory, rich, full bodied and powerful. Beautiful texture. Exceptional (once it opened up) but not the bottle of near perfection that I had heard so much about. Thanks for sharing, Petey and Happy Birthday, Kase! — 13 days ago

Willie Carter

9.1

Deep purple with a garnet core. The nose is absolutely ridiculous with jammy fruit and earth. Blue and black berries with just a touch of cranberry for kicks. It’s so pretty.

Warm and inviting, there’s a good bit of finesse and personality here. It takes around an hour for the heat to blow off and once it does it becomes silky and more refined than you’re probably assuming. More berries and earth on the palate with some really nice spice on the finish. A fun surprise of a wine. — a year ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.3

Powerful Syrah that needs a 2-3 hour decant but once opened up there are dark fruits and baking spices to enjoy. It perhaps lacks a bit of refinement but i would buy and drink again! — 2 years ago

Todd Anderson

9.0

Good but still closed (?) at almost 10 years in the bottle. Bedrock and Carlisle bottlings are a different style but have been more accessible up to this age. — a month ago

Hanli Su

9.8

hou yummmm — 9 months ago

with Lanli and Nicolette

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2014 vintage. Big graphite and iron nose. Intense and muscular. Medium-bodied. Complimentary fruit cradled by ridiculous tannins. Grippy and rambunctious. JC Superstar. Till 2048 at least. Not even close to entering “the zone” but so much promise once the tumblers fall into place. 10.21.23. — 2 years ago

Roman Ochocki

9.5

Once a year a bottle of (Ridge) "Geyserville". :) Unfortunately this one is my last from vintage of 2016. — 3 years ago

Todd Anderson

9.3

A very good and fun wine. I was once told that old Zinfandel aged a lot like CA Cabernet, and this finally proved it to me. — 3 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 2018 Vieux Château Certan, which contains 30% Cabernet Franc, has a commendable bouquet given the heat of that season. Blackberry, a touch of damson, scorched earth and light violet scents emerge with aeration. That said, it doesn't fully have the delineation of the previous vintage. The palate is powerful and typically burly for VCC, yet it has a lovely powdery texture (less silky than before) with a vibrant, peppery and persistent finish. Maybe not as opulent as it once was, but it is unquestionably one of the superior Pomerols. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
— 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

From magnum. No formal notes. The fill was top-shoulder. Underneath the capsule, the top of the cork looked nasty which I wiped down as best I could. About four hours before service, using a Durand (which is almost essential with old bottles) I was able to pull the cork completely intact and decant for sediment. The cork was completely saturated but appeared to have done its job! At this stage in its life, the 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild pours a garnet color but it doesn’t appear particularly tired and the nose supports that. While it’s certainly a vinous wine, there is a lot to like: a mix of red and black cassis, rip and desiccated cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar box, old leather, damp earth, some mushrooms and baking spices. The structure is still sound and while the tannins have integrated and the acid is keeping this very much alive. In fact, this seemed to brighten with air and almost get a second wind! As I find with all great Bordeaux wines once they enter this stage, they seem to live forever. This was a lovely pairing with a Prime, Niman Ranch porterhouse served with corn, squash and porcini. This is squarely in the “drink now” window, not that it will be falling off a cliff anytime soon. Decant for sediment and enjoy through 2030+ — 2 years ago