Joe Flo

9.9

This is a crazy great wine. Realm worked there magic. — 6 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

The first couple times I tried 08 I was definitely too quick to judge. It needs a ton of air, and it’s different from the rich, oxidative, nutty house style of the past, particularly the warm and ultra forward 2006, the previous release. 2008 is indeed young, tightly wound with a pulsating core of energy.

The first glass offers very little. Subdued, austere and youthfully reserved. But ensuing pours eventually unleash its core of powerful clean orchard fruit, coffee bean and grilled nuts. On the palate it continues to become so much more textural with crazy gains in weight, depth and fruit intensity as the night goes on. It really fills the mouth, saturating the palate with a satin-like texture, ripping citrusy acids and saline laced minerals that follow deep into its finish. Enjoyable now with enough air (needs 2 hours), but no doubt one to hold. To live forever. — 4 years ago

Brad Jensen

8.9

Lemons and crisp minerality on the nose, lemon heavy on the front flavor, with a crisp minerality on the mid-palate. Heavy citrus, it's delicious. — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Carolin sent me cask samples of the 19 GG’s and wow. This is insane. A nose so pretty and so pure one needs new words to describe it but I will try with my mere old words. A beautiful perfume that is transcendent. In every way. An amazing caramel nougat. Airy, gorgeous, perfumed and insanely clear minerality. Just sick. Some smoke. Wood shavings. Not oak, but woodshop. Some clearly defined citrus. Wet stones and earth. It reeks and I mean reeks of terroir. The palate has a very serious and very major core. Insane citrus that is driving me crazy. So pure. So ephemeral. So clean. The nose or the palate. What is better? I can’t stop asking myself. It’s even. The core of fruit, minerals and saltiness is unreal. This has elite elegance to it. It’s backwards but beautiful. Not many wines are like that. It has PERFECT balance. I’m between 9.8 and 9.9 now. The level of complexity and texture might push it over the edge. But then the salt kicks in. And the lingering of the finish. Fuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkkkk. — 6 years ago

Joe Weinberger

9.0

Breakfast wine. Fun stuff. — 7 years ago

George Chen

9.5

Gents, Ladies...this is great example of bottle variance. Shitty label belie a neck fill and evenly moist cork from a Durand. Sweet lush core from the beginning and tight structure throughout (not a lot of swirling) and drank phenomenally for 1.5 hours. Hugely unusual for a heavily Cab based St Estephe...fabulous! Why I love wine! Read my past reviews! Crazy — 7 years ago

Aji

9.4

Great wine — 2 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.2

Lovely balanced nose. Crazy spice panapoly as it opens. Cinnamon. Nutmeg.

Palate is dark cherry fruit. Spice. Very fresh.

Fass selections. — 4 years ago

Tee nic

10

Smooth, Dry. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 6 years ago

Brad Jensen

9.3

A nose of heavy citrus with an under pining of fresh cut grass. The flavor is heavily citrus on the palate, dry, with a minerality and flavors of lemon, peach, and high acidic fruits. The finish is slightly vegetal and surprisingly dry, but very tasty. Paired with Thai food. — 6 years ago

Briggs Donaldson

9.0

A nice well rounded Zen. Didn't drink it with meat, just chocolate and it paired well. — 7 years ago

Greg Koslosky

9.6

Bordeaux of the vintage candidate power elegance depth and refinement . Cassis black berry minerals tobacco spice shoe polish wow ! — 8 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.8

(Disgorged 1/19)- Always my favorite of the Lieux-Dits and without question one of the very best Blanc de Blancs Champagnes on the planet, it’s stunning tonight, rich, powerful and intense with crazy depth to its layers, unfurling in a Burgundy glass to reveal its complex core of rich orchard fruit, roasted nuts, gun smoke, old rum barrels and candied white flowers, all with seamless integration and balance. The palate is generous and detailed, with racy acids, waves of saline laced chalky Le Mesnil minerals and a finish that just keeps going. For me, the BdB benchmark. — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Wow. Ginger. Pumpkin. Spice. Wow. So exotic but a lean exotic. Mineral. Saline. Spicey. Crazy spicey. Juicy and lean. This is like Frank. So juicy. So pure. Elegant. Textured. Stunningly pure. — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

This bottle was hand carried from the Middle East, seven years back, and my first time enjoying the 2002 since release. Cork was perfect. On the nose, some VA but nothing crazy. Notes of balsamic, teriyaki, sandalwood and charred meat. On the palate, still quite primary with dark cherries and dried dark fruits being predominate. Plenty of structure. The texture is remarkably fine and silky. Quite classy actually! Nevertheless, this isn’t the most soul stirring vintage of Musar Rouge. At nearly 19 years of age, this bottle still comes across as youthful with developing vinousity. Perhaps time will coax more out...but I suspect, as others have previously stated, that the 2002 is more of a modest wine by their standards...which is still quite delicious and enjoyable in its own right. This will easily live for another 10+ years. — 6 years ago

Joe Stepniewski

9.6

So crazy Gewurtz Ja — 6 years ago

with Philippa

Justin Hart

9.3

Wow! Still bright, chalky, and full of youthful grip. Red plum, raspberry, lichee and white pepper notes are most dominant. This could easily go another few years and not be at its peak. — 6 years ago

with Cherish and Jen

Brit Young

9.0

Day after Christmas, very good for the price!! Cab from dad’s club, very balanced. — 7 years ago

Cameron Myhrvold

9.6

2011 Jamet Cote Rotie
Stunning wine with crazy flavors yet totally different from almost any other syrah I have had. Lean and austere yet very full flavored. A unique wine. The opposite end of the spectrum from a Saxum or Alban or Barossa Valley Syrah. — 8 years ago