Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.7

Absolutely gorgeous nose of cedar, wood shavings, pine, cigar, cassis and florals, with classic Margaux perfume and extraordinary depth. The palate has really smoothed out since my last bottle, with creamy cassis, unbelievable juiciness, tiny-berry concentration, sweet velvety pointillist tannins and beautiful minerality carrying an enormously long finish. Still structured and angular enough to age, but now far more integrated. One of the great Bordeauxs. — 7 days ago

romo

9.2

Gained sweetness w air. - at Archer — 3 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

A pair of 16’s off of Buccan’s list in PB. Way too young but started to develop slowly with air. I enjoyed both but leaned more to the Beausejour Duffau. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.6

As if it wasn’t enough to experience three separate vintages of Noël Verset; I now get to follow it up with Thiérry Allemand’s Sans Soufre! Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 “Sans Soufre” pours a deep ruby/purple with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with wild notes of pure blue fruits, blueberries and figs, mixed brambles, Fun Dip stick, purple flowers, spiced meat, chanterelle mushroom, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. The structure remains monumental giving me the impression that this could easily see its 50th birthday. Drink now with some patience through 2051. — 5 months ago

Carter White

9.1

Pristine fruit 🍒 — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

1989 vintage. Last tasted 3 years ago (9.6). Nice fill. Durand used to open. Cork 95% saturated with extensive bottle rim cleaning involved before pouring. Not decanted. Tight, minty nose throughout along with a decided, lingering zinc note under the tongue at the finish line. Tasted 2 hours after opening. Power but without delineation. Just a consistent, forgettable push. Nothing wrong with the wine...it just needed more air/time and a decant but it wasn't my call. Feel like the zinc flavor would have dissipated/blown off with more time. Good but more memorable for what it wasn't vs what it was. Pity and an entire wasting of what could have been. 11.21.25. — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 9 days ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Soft and good secondary notes. Quite subtle. Delicate lemon and oyster shells. Calm and pretty. Slightly disappointed but changing a lot with air in the glass — 3 months ago

with Gregg and Rick

Guy Acheson

8.9

Clean. Interesting. — 5 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Another great btl that improved with air showing mostly black fruits, full bodied with notes of currant, mocha, cedar, leather & tobacco — 8 months ago

Steve Reiss

9.0

Merry Christmas Y'all 🎅 — 8 months ago

Andrea Watt

8.9

Violet, blackberry, licorice, and cedar. Lighter than I expected given how dark it is. — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Served alongside beef short rib, xo sauce, pickled mustard seed, cumin stir-fried asparagus. Yes, the 2003 Dominus is big. However, it is also balanced and showing classic Napa typicity with beautifully ripe and some slightly wizened black and red fruit, tobacco, cocoa, some purple flowers and baking spices. I found this to be quite balanced after all the air it saw. Wonderful structure for continued aging as well. Drink now through 2043. — 2 years ago

Nancy Schnur

9.1

Total Wine, must breathe first — 2 months ago

Shay A

9.3

Love FBalthazar’s Chaillot Cornas but never had his SS offering. I’d rather catch most SS wines in their youth to not roll the dice and get them super fresh.

Splash decanted; followed over two days.

Deep purple in the glass with hallmark Cornas aromatics…smoked meat, charcoal, dark potpourri/florals, cassis, blackberries. On the palate, the typical Cornas rusticity is more elegant, with peppered black fruits, sweet smoke, mocha, savory spices. It undoubtedly has a very “pure” profile, showing Syrah without any sort of mask. Good acid and tannin. Day two showed the mid-palate lose steam a bit, which isn’t a big surprise. Lovely bottle. If I could guarantee its evolution, this seemed like it would cruise another 7-10yrs, but who knows with SS! — 3 months ago

Jack Petras

9.2

Had zero expectations for this wine at a party featuring lost bottles from your cellar. It was like a raspberry preserve that you canned 10 years ago and still has the essence of that years growing season. An unexpected joy. — 4 months ago

David Valenti

9.0

This one's 11 old and still has it. Nose on the downside, but it still has it. Amazing palate, full of smoke, wood, meat and tobacco. Lingers playfully, with a pinch of acidity in the aftertaste. — 7 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.6

Best wine on Christmas Eve. Such great balance. Tons of fruit and earth and minerals and goodness. Great with food. — 8 months ago

Galen Hasler

9.2

Rich full body, lovely acidity, stone fruit with hints of nut and sherry, soft tannins — 9 months ago

David Gutglass

9.2

Needed some air , after that wonderful and typical LB perfume. Not super long finish — 2 years ago