Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Consistent throughout. The 2016 pours a deep garnet/purple color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of cassis, blackberries, tobacco, pencil shavings, Poblano pepper, dried flowers, a mix of organic and inorganic earth along with some cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A lovely, classic left bank Bordeaux with all of the characteristics I want. I love the sense of place these wines deliver. Drink now through 2056. — 10 days ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

The most showy bottle I’ve had of this wine, 95 Mouton is in a terrific place, and an absolute classic, with Paulliac power and concentration, fine grained tannins and hugely persistent finish. Fantastic with the legendary EMP duck! — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1989 vintage. Opened but not decanted. Tasted after one hour open. More structure than the 1990 version tasted side-by-side but leaner with slight, vegetal tones, less fruit and better tannic structure than the 1990. Couldn't find this in my Delectable reviews but feel like I've tasted this once in the last 6 or so years. Apples (1990 version)/Oranges (1989). As with the 1990, the 1989 is in a good place for another few years in the 750ml format but if you want to truly visit a 35+ year old vintage at the height of its' powers, opt-in for a large format experience. 10.10.25. — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

The first of my small tranche of 2019 Cuvée Reservée’s and I figured it would be fun to share with the Tasting Group. Popped and poured and presented double-blind. The wine pours a translucent, deep ruby with magenta rim, near opaque core, medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine was clean with macerated raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate fruits. There were purple flowers, some black pepper and rocky minerality along with a slightly gamey note which was quite charming. Both the fruit and non-fruit characteristics were confirmed on the palate. The wine finishes dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. There’s a compelling sense of power and energy in this wine. Everyone was in the Rhône but most were in the North; from Saint Joseph to Cornas, citing that they believed this was Syrah. However, two in the group called Châteauneuf du Pape and one actually called producer (!!) but missed on vintage (2016). Universally, the wine was fawned over and the dude who called Pagaü thought he actually favored the 2019 over the 2016 he had a while back. While I’m not sure I would go that far, the 2019 is truly quite stunning already and seems to have the guts to see a very long and wonderful life ahead. These are currently enjoying their customary early drinking window however, that window will likely close within a year or so and then I could see this shutting down pretty hard until 2025 — 4 years ago

Mark Howard

9.4

From beginning to end, this case of wine has been a fabulous. The last bottle is even better than the first. Bright dark berry fruits, leather, eucalyptus, showing place in spades. This is Napa front to back. Soft tannins and an elegant finish of 1.5 minutes. Yum is an understatement. Shoutout to Heidi, what a spectacular wine! — 6 years ago

with Blake, Elizabeth and 1 other

LM Segal

9.5

Nose of an old Pauillac, cigar box and dried mushrooms. Rich and completely resolved blackberry fruit. In a perfect place. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Tasted blind. Reddish tawny, almost opaque. Big shoulders in the nose. Complex. Notes of briary brush, raspberry, hickory, pepper and tobacco leaf. Mellow in the mouth, especially when compared to the big nose. Sweeter fruit finish. Took some deductive time with my guess... 82 Margaux which freaked out my friend who brought the bottle. This is in a good place, not sure if it will improve with more age. But it’s in no danger of declining anytime soon. — 6 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.8

Tasted blind. Medium deep garnet ruby and medium garnet ruby rim . Quite cool and restrained , again lots of grafite and mineral , dark fruits . This is quite deep and dark spicy cassis , blackberry and sea spray , saline . Quite dense and robust on the palate again , lots of fine but ripe tannins. Very long , dense , cassis , cedar grafite saline finish . This is a complete and great example of 2005 , great balance and enormous length , the longest of all on show here. Drinkable now , but surely it’s best days are in the future , wait another 5 -10 years , will last well a further 20 - 25 if not more . The apex of 2005 ? For me this had to be the Latour , and an archetypal example of Latour no less . 1st place and the gold medal . — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Pretty deep ruby garnet , medium wide garnet rim . Aromatic and really classic with a mix or red and dark fruits , tobacco , grafite and cedar . On the palate this is quite linear , again with the red and dark fruits from the nose, cedar and grafite and quite rounded resolved tannins . Fresh acidity , good cedar with grafite length , very classic in style . Enough density and fruit to cover the rest of the structure. In a perfect place now at least in this format , and probably will be over the next 10 years . This was from an Imperial , at BBR in London . — 6 months ago

Conrad Green

9.7

In a great place. Toasty with hazelnut, fine lemon oil, a touch of honey. Beautifully balanced, complex and resolved. Great — 9 months ago

with David and Matt

Richard Adams

9.7

25 yrs in NYC. This ‘98 in a good place, plenty of acidity. — 3 years ago

with Ksenia

Ming L

9.7

The 3rd and final bottle of the 11’ vintage (a underestimated vintage IMO), and it keeps getting better. The slight green note from the previous 2 bottles is no longer present. At a great place now. While it does not have the usual richness and power, it’s impeccably balanced, fresh, seamless, and graceful, which is preferable to me.

And I can’t thinking of a better bottle to pair with Pekin duck.

Almost perfect!

— 4 years ago

Vanessa

9.3

In my mind, there’s no better way to celebrate another trip around the sun than with loved ones, watching the sunset, while sharing a delicious meal and wine pairing. This evening hits the mark!

This wine is a 2nd growth Saint-Julien from the Médoc, left bank, region of Bordeaux, France. When I say 2nd growth, that means the Château from which this wine hails received the second highest quality designation as of part of the “1855 Classification” that took place during the Universal Expedition in Paris in 1855. This quality designation remains intact today despite the centuries that have passed.

This wine is clear with a deep ruby hue and garnet rim variation. On the nose this wine has medium intensity(+) of developing aromas with a large focus on blackberry, fig, cassis, prune, potpourri, incense, anise, cedar, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, earth, leather, and tobacco. On the palate this wine is dry. It has medium acidity, a medium(+) body, medium alcohol, high tannins, and medium intensity in flavors consistent with the nose. The finish is long.

Interestingly, the fermentation took place in various vessels, including those made from oak, steel, and concrete and then this wine aged in oak barriques (small oak vessels) until it was ready for bottling.

It was also cellared at the Château from harvest until shipping in 2015.

Château Léonville, Grand Vin de Léonville du Marquis de Las Cases, Saint-Julien, Médoc. Vintage 2005. ABV 13%.

This wine has complexity, balance, structure, and length. It’s outstanding. I’m not surprised to see a 100-point rating from Wine Spectator. Thank you @Deke for the amazing Birthday selection! — 5 years ago

with Deked1

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Slight younger looking , a little more ruby both in the core but still mostly garnet rim.
This is high toned slightly redder fruit , less dense than the preceding 3 . Cherry , red plum , cedar, seaspray . On the palate this is again quite elegant and refined , cherry , red plum some cassis , red plum , cigar box . Not overly weighty with perhaps a little less noticeable tannin than some of the others . Long vibrant , spicy grafite tinged finish . Very elegant , reserved and I suppose very Lafite , this grows during the experience but was actually voted in last place by the group , that somehow doesn’t surprise me, at the end of the day one wine did have to come last, and this was relatively discreet only showing its real breeding and class with time in the glass. Needs time , but is very promising , probably another 5-10 years (as with almost all the others ) , will last well a further 20 if not more . The elegance and style of this wine is fantastic , this really grows in the glass . Had to be Lafite for me . Bronze medal here . — 2 months ago

David Kline

9.5

Rim to rim no waver. Slightest bricking. Nose of earth, chocolate, cedar, violet. Palate showing grainy tannins and bing cherry shrouded in black currant with red currant emergent. Black mushrooms have a showy cameo with a chocolate-tobacco high kick. The wine is slightly green and just slightly aggressive though thoroughly enjoyable in every sense. Give this one a couple more years, even if most 10s are showing. Enormous energy with black cherry riding out the sunset.

#ChsteauCosdEstournel #cosdestournel #SaintEstéphe #leftbank #bordeauxrouge #bordeaux #deuxiemecru — 8 months ago

Eric Vishria

9.0

05 tannins are still tough and inaccessible. In some ways reflective of the vintage but I worry the 05 won’t get there or there isn’t enough fruit. Did this side by side with the 09 which was a wow wine in an amazing place. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

It was Father’s Day and I had decided on grilled rack of lamb for dinner so I selected this bottle of 2011 Chateau Musar rouge from our cellar. According to Musar’s records, the 2011 vintage was one of the most challenging since the early 1990’s. It was ultimately a late-maturing vintage with harvest taking place on October 13th, the latest since the 1983 vintage!

I decanted this bottle about eight hours prior to dinner. It should be noted that immediately upon opening, the bouquet was strikingly gorgeous with powerful aromatics that were obvious from several feet away and this trait carried through until dinner time.

In the glass, the wine presents a deep garnet color. Slightly turbid with a near opaque core. On the nose, black plums, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, organic earth, exotic spices, leather, spiced meat, and pomegranate. I detect a touch of VA as well. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the nose with an added bit of red rope licorice. Lovely, long, savory…amazing. This was a brilliant compliment to the lamb (which was served with beets and goat cheese and fattoush) and everything I wanted in a Musar tonight. Drinking well now with a hefty decant and I expect well cellared examples to drink well past 2035. — 3 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

At first this was thin and lacking some depth, but over a few hours it arrived in a very nice place putting on weight, depth and deepening nuances of dried red fruits, spice and pyrazine notes. Length is a little short but overall in a good spot and likely having peaked so drink up. — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2008 R. Lopez Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia Reserva’ Rioja is a marvelous effort from this challenging vintage in La Rioja. The wine is a complex blend of Tempranillo (75%), and Garnacho (15%), with Graciano and Mazuelo (5%) that was aged for six years before bottling. The wine is might be showing a bit more depth and concentration than the ’07 bottling while the ’07 is slightly more geared towards finesse. Deep white truffle and wild blackberry notes combine with shades of cinnamon, orange rind and sour kirsch on this gorgeous bouquet. The palate is wonderfully viscous and concentrated. Layers of sour red and ark fruits collide with minerals, smoky terroir and shades of blood orange zest and peat moss on this simply gorgeous palate. Rich and layered, yet having a sterling sense of tension, this magical new wine will cellar well for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2020-2038- 95 — 6 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.2

Chateau D’Ampuis is a delight across vintages.
The 2006 vintage is really superb! The wine is smooth and elegant, and seems to be all about balance and complexity.
At 14 the wine is rich and vivid and all the pieces just fall in place.
The nose is enchanting with notes of black fruit, earthiness, barnyard, chocolate, a touch of violets and a hint of floral notes.
Full round body, remarkably elegant with lovely acidity and a long delicious finish.
My score 92, drink to 2026 — 6 years ago