Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Château covers 170 acres separated from Château Lafite, along the southern edge, by a stream. Blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep Ruby color with aromas of ripe berry fruits and earthy spice notes. On the palate flavors of blueberry and blackberry with licorice, tobacco and toasty oak notes. Long rich finish on soft juicy tannins, drinking well and still has room to age. Very Nice second label! — 18 days ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.1

Beefy, savory and feral. Tasty rustic Italian red. — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Sourced from 5 parcels spread throughout 95 acres. Vines date back as far as 1962 and soils are primarily clay and limestone. Dark Ruby color with aromas of red fruits and gentle spice. On the palate flavors of cherry and raspberry with herb and peppery spice. Fine tannins, medium+ finish, well balanced, ending with fruit and mineral character. — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Small production. RSV has under 200 acres of vineyards in 5 Carneros locations & a winery in the Stags Leap District. The wines are 100% organic. Ruby with berry, cherry & spice aromas. On the palate flavors of wild strawberry & cherry with complex spice, citrus, oak and balanced acidity. Fine soft tannins, good balance, long finish with an earthy characteristic ending with notes of vanilla spice. Nice! — 3 years ago

Brad Jensen

9.3

Very rustic and musty, from what I hear this amount of time must have really softened its rough edges because this has some refinement to it. Amber red color, with slight coppery hints, the nose is musty like an old felt book binding, or some velvet church pews, with prominent fruit as it’s allowed to open up, and even some hints of dusty bubble gum and deep floral notes towards the edges. Looong legs on a medium body, the tannins are well integrated and grippy, with a strong foundation, but melt after a little while. There’s serious graphite and minerality here, but that opens into some savory notes, black currant and olive, as well as some balsamic, but after the tannin let go you get some serious cacao or dark chocolate notes, even some tobacco smoke, with fig and blood orange at the finish. I don’t know why people dog on this wine, it just needs time to mature, more than folks realize. Paired with spek, sheep’s milk cheese, and the film “A Prophet”. — 12 days ago

with Tiva

Jay Kline

9.1

Opened 24 hours prior and decanted for sediment before returning to the bottle; enjoyed over the course of two days. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart brambles and plums, green bell pepper, tobacco, leather, all of the decomposing earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, mostly integrated tannins with medium+ acid, borderline high. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Overall, a wine that is a reflection upon the vintage and at 43 years of age, that’s a big compliment. The 1981 is very much alive and will likely live for a very long time. However, it is backward, rustic, and somewhat tough to love unless you’re an old-school masochist. But I’m guilty and this wine is charming despite all of its green character. Drink now and over the next 30 years probably. — 7 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.3

Yum. A great balance of acidity and earth. mineral and hay. — 3 months ago

Martin Mazner

9.5

Unbelievable petite still delivers huge burst of fruit albeit a bit more restrained than bottles consumed last year. Beautiful bouquet of berries and earth promise great depth of flavor. The wine is brilliantly balanced and perfectly complemented pork tenderloin at Midway Mercantile. Enjoyed the dinner and wine immensely! — 3 months ago

with Naveen

Jerry Raphael

8.9

Been drinking this over a few nights and very nice — 2 years ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

Another great Saxon brown expression of chard. Lively, malo action going on, orange rind and some spice with a few floral hints. — 3 years ago

with Natasha