Ross Dickinson

9.5

What a nice find ! I’m Leary of the 2020 vintages from Napa due to the fires, but this vintage was excellent. A dark purple well balanced Cabernet shows itself well . At $70 per bottle this is a solid value . Complex and a nice finish , it reminds me of some of my favorite California cabs . Of course , having a link from Duckhorn and Winemaker of the year Tony Biaggi always helps ! — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

No formal notes - this is the last of 6 bottles. Notes of mandarin and honeysuckle - luscious - the perfect Winter white. See previous Delectable notes. A regular purchase for me. More than 50% Viognier together with Roussanne and other Rhone white grapes. Amazing consistency considering Guigal makes over 700,000 bottles per year. — 2 years ago

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9.7

The 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with time in the cellar. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks and sage meld together in a bright, crystalline Champagne endowed with terrific purity. The 2006 is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, mostly done in steel, with just a touch of oak, around 5%. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Originally published in August 2020) (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, November 2020) — 3 years ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.8

This has been my WOTN in blind tastings before and yet again Ausone came out on top for me. What a wine! Dark cherries, cassis, licorice, lavender, fine wood. It has everything. Tension, texture and a weightless silky sensation that is so irresistible. You can tell a lot of effort has been put it to making this wine. Very luxurious. The vineyards are planted with a a crazy high vine density of 12 600 vines per hectare. The quality of the fruit is through the roof. — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Ripe grapefruit, almost peachy - a little funk which blew off. Enough palate cleansing acidity to make this very moreish. A delicious wine which is amazing value at only $21.50 per bottle from one of the best Chardonnay producers in the New World. A big statement I know but try his premium Mate’s Vineyard and see what you think. Had my last one 31 weeks later on 28th January 2023 at Paros on the Gold Coast with consistent notes. A few days previous we had Leeuwin Estate’s 2nd wine called Prelude which was about 50% dearer than this Kumeu Village. We preferred the Kumeu. Astounding value for money and an annual purchase for me. — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, many of you have not had the pleasure of having Dan’s wines. It is largely due to the fact he doesn’t have a US importer. He sells all his mid production level wines through his mailing list. That makes importing from his mailing list as restrictive as the import fees. They are equal to the price of the wines you order. Not something you’ll do. I didn’t. You need to find his wines on the secondary market to be cost effective.

We had the privilege of visiting his Cellar Door in the Spring of 2017. What a fantastic visit and walk of his Estate with him. The age of his Estate vines are 100 plus years old and their yield is less than a ton per acre which, does not make for a lot of wine but, instead a very concentrated wine.

Dan traveled to and worked in many of the key wine regions before settling in as Torbreck’s Winemaker and then marching to his own drum doing his own thing as “The Standish”, his way. No compromises.

The first thing you need to know about Dan’s wines is you can drink them early but, that would be a huge mistake. This 03 is sensational now but, is worthy of more cellaring. It has 10-20 years of life ahead of it...proper storage of course.

This is a second night wine for us and it is still big.

The nose reveals smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous, dry crushed rocks, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender.

The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The tannins are still big, round, tarry & meaty. The structure, tension, length & balance are just there & yet still not there. It is still a monster on day two. Smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, grilled meats, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous-sage & rosemary, used charcoal, graphite, dark spice with palate heat, burned ambers, incense, rubber toy, dry crushed rocks, moist clay & top soil, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender. The acidity is round and a rushing river. The extremely long finish is, big, round, elegant, floral, well balanced, runs juicy to dry with persistence for days falling onto earthiness & dark spice on the long set.

Photos of, a plaque that hangs above my kitchen sink that speaks to me always, Dan Standish, his Cellar Door and surrounding buildings. — 3 years ago

Ed Chin

9.4

Much like the Per Sempre this a unique expression of merlot for me. A lightness and mineral driven merlot that I find drawn to. The price however is extremely prohibitive. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

The first of 12 and an annual purchase for me. Must be the best value red wine on the planet - $24 AUD per bottle. 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre. I don’t know what the annual production would be but it would have to be well over a million bottles. I love Phillipe Guigals philosophy in that he says the CDR is the most important wine they produce because it is the wine most people will first be introduced to the Estate. Fresh savoury red fruits with raspberry to the fore. Quaffable and smashable. — 2 years ago

Gary Nyman

9.3

For a Merlot, I expected darker and stronger. Instead I got a wine that is light and medium body at best. Not to say it’s bad; not at all! Easy to drink and enjoy without being tortured by excessive tannins and after-taste. Fruity on the nose and pleasant on the palate makes this bargain wine a winner for me. $12 or less per? I’ll take a case any day. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, if it’s my birthday celebration, there is a juicy ribeye & some old(er) Claret.

My only disappointment with this bottle is as good as it is, there are better things still down the road.

The nose reveals classic Claret. There are earthy, funky fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, baked strawberries with shades of raspberries. Steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, stones, black, rich earth, clay, dry herbs, dark berry cola, cedar, leather, not quite fresh tobacco, underbrush, graphite, gentle, dark spice, slight peppery notes, clove, touch of nutmeg & cinnamon & vanillin, anise to black licorice, eucalyptus notes with fresh & slightly candied florals of, red, dark, blue, purple & violets.

The body is medium full with rounded, nicely resolved, tarry tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance are really singing. It would be good to have another 2001 LMHB in ten years. While 2001 wasn’t a critically acclaimed vintage, I think LMHB over performed the vintage. As well, it followed a grand 2000 vintage which, handicapped it from the start. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, baked strawberries, bright cherries, rhubarb, figs, with shades of raspberries. Steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, stones, black, rich earth, clay, dry top soil, dry herbs, dark berry cola, cedar, leather, not quite fresh tobacco, underbrush, graphite, gentle, dark spice with soft heat, slight peppery notes, clove, touch of nutmeg & cinnamon & vanillin, anise to black licorice, eucalyptus notes with fresh & slightly candied florals of, red, dark, blue, purple & violets. The acidity is excellent...like a gentle rain shower. The long finish is elegance defined, extremely well balanced ending in soft, round, dry, dusty tannins with beautiful spice.

Photos of; Chateau La Mission Haut Brion & estate vines, beautiful barrel room, pond & Roman columns and the back vow of the Chateau.

Please indulge me while I post some history on this grand producer. As much as I love the wine, I love the history & people that do the hard work to bring us such great wines.

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is not quite as old as Chateau Haut Brion. However, they are opposite side of the road neighbors. La Mission Haut Brion dates back to the late 16th century. The property came into being after it was purchased by Jean de Pontac in 1533. US winery history is a baby compared to France.

In 1607, the estate changed hands. It was inherited by Ms. Olive de Lestonnac. What an inheritance!

In 1815, something rare happened. Chateau La Mission Haut Brion became the property of an American owner, the Chiapelle family. At the time, the family was already involved in the Bordeaux wine trade. In fact, they knew about the business as they had managed a myriad of different estates including Chateau Cos d’ Estournel.

La Mission Haut Brion continued to change hands until it was finally sold to another American family, the Woltner’s. Frederic Woltner purchased La Mission Haut Brion in 1919. The also became owners on Howell Mountain.

It changed hands one final time in 1983 when it was purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon, the owner of neighboring, Chateau Haut Brion. They renovated the entire property, starting with replanting the vineyards which, was completed in 1987.

The 26 hectare vineyard of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is planted to; 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.8% Merlot and 10.4% Cabernet Franc. 3.5 hectares of vines are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux.

To produce the red wine of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, the wine is vinified in large, 180 hectoliter, temperature controlled, stainless steel vats and aged in 100% new, French oak for an average of 22 months. The annual production of La Mission Haut Brion averages between 6,000 and 7,000 cases per year. — 4 years ago