Joe DAscoli

9.2

Used the Durand on the cork - soaked to the edge. Decanted for 2 hours.

This wine had some gaminess. Smooth. Fruit was a bit wild and overpowered by the savory flavors.

Paired well with the chicken skewers and onions. Needed complex flavors in the food to pair well.

Good but quite a bit below the Beaucastel — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s a night of first year consecutive decades, 90 & 80. Enjoyed in reverse order

From the same technical team as Leoville Las Cases.

Another great Clyde Beffa direct purchase from the Chateau or Negociant.

Still ripe older Bordeaux fruits with smoothed out lead pencil. Blackberries, black raspberries that lean into pudding, black plum, darkest, cooked cherries, raspberries edges, baked rhubarb and hues of poached strawberries. There is nothing that bites back. Dark chocolate, smooth mocha, caramel, soften baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, old tobacco w/ ash, used leather, dry top soil, limestone powder, black licorice to anise, dry river stone, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, amazing, rainfall acidity and a well; balance, structured, knitted and smartly polished finish that lasts 90 seconds.

Steak slow cooked in the oven at graduating low heats and then seared at 1300 degrees, 30, 30, 30 & 30. .

“The Truth is Inside” is an expression about the very bottom of a bottle of wine. Tannin soaked & it never lies. Typically the best part of the bottle. 93 that lands 94 in truth. I always leave two-three inches of wine in bottle just because it is always slightly better than the rest of the bottle. It is more concentrated. — 2 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.2

To me good wine stands out from average wine when I can sense three things from it: time, place and intention.
This rustic garnacha clearly carries these three indices.
The top layer of smell is rustic- farm, soil. Sticking my nose in the glass I'm greeted with a maraschino liquor soaked cherry wood barrel.
The palate tells me it's been maturing and mellowing for three quarters of a decade - this is mature but eagerly waiting to be opened. There aren't layers to this- it's straight forward, direct, open and expressive. Elegant in it's simplicity but certainly not posh. Dry, but very much alive, like the garrigues that was once rooted where this vineyard now stands. This is central Spain. — 4 years ago

Eric Kememes

9.0

Reductive nose touch of some candy i can’t peg, touch extra skin gives it more complexity than typical citrus soaked Soave very fun ride — 5 years ago

Matt

9.5

Drinking beautifully with a Northern appellation feel to it, more Brune and schistous to me. Would love to know all the lieu dits that contribute and their proportion in the final blend. Its darken fruit profile, meaty/smokey and forest notes make the argument that it’s of northern origin. Its opening up for now there’s a rich stream of dark black fruits reminiscent of Black raspberry liquor, soaked plums, almost prune, and overripe black berry/cherry. There’s still freshness to the fruit however, nothing ox’d or decaying. Singed cedar, leather, ash, roasted meat and animal come next, followed by the garrigue and bacon fat. Threads of eastern spices and of course pepper. It elusive now, the aromas coming and going. Palate has some lovely richness and bones to accompany it well, never pushy, always with restraint and nerve. Reminds me of Barolo. Great “basic” cuvée for Rostaing this vintage. Day 2 this really got going, much more harmony and focus on the nose. Loads of bitter root and pastille notes developing among its dark content. Very delicious — 6 years ago

Matt

9.3

Tar, raisin, soaked fig, cherry pit, wilted violet, hung meat, boudin noir, leather, cinnamon, cocoa powder, honey, truffle, scorched earth, roasted herbs, camphor, black tea. Wears the vintage well. More moderate frame (relatively speaking) showing some consistent grip throughout, surprised by the acid support this has, makes for a plausible argument about whether or not to continue aging. So tertiary and savory right now. — 7 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2013 | Deep colour, brown rim. Lovely classic Bordeaux smell with leather, autumn forrests, cedar boxes, cinnamon. A bit astringent in first taste, but softens with food. I like the mature tones. Paired with a pork roll, mushrooms and garlic, stuffed potato and carrots. Soaked plums with the pork roll, so comforting. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Hints of Maple Syrup in the nose.

This is still very fresh. Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, black plum pudding, strawberries, notes of blue fruits, dark spice, black licorice, mid berry cola, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, anise, cedar to sandalwood, dry herbs, mint/eucalyptus, used leather, dry, crushed, rock powder, notes of maple syrup, caramel, dark, red withering rose petals with violets, waterfall acidity and an elegant, balanced, softly tensioned, well knitted, smartly polished finish that lasts minutes.

Color is still dark. Cork came out whole with a Durand but was completely soaked.

What a treat to drink well stored old Napa Cabernet. Will hold another 3-5 years.

Bottle semi-recently acquired from the property via a Somm buddy. — 2 years ago

Mitch G

9.3

Happy Valentine’s Day! Cork was soaked from top to bottom but came out intact. Deep golden color. Complex nose of pears, apricots and honey. Great acidity. Long finish of caramel and ripe apricots. Delicious! — 3 years ago

Andrew Liguori

8.9

Young and too bold, needs another year or two. Dark inky purple with concentrated black fruits and black currant aromas. Hints of mocha and Applewood bacon. Medium acid, full body, svelte tannins. Blazing 15% soaked up by some oak infusion. — 4 years ago

Aravind A

9.4

Pop (with a durand) and pour. Cork soaked 95% of the way through and slightly pushed out. Notes from 45 min open. On the nose: lovely aged brunello, with roses galore, leather, dried blood orange and raspberry, strawberry and tomato leaf, cola... On the palate: good acidity, black raspberry, dark blood orange, soft bitter notes, good density and a tangy finish with a wisp of finely grained tannin. Very good. — 6 years ago

S.S. Mandani

8.9

Deep magenta hues.

A wave of tobacco soaked cinnamon scent on the nose.

Forward kick of black pepper spice, culminating in a dark cherry mid palate, and ending with a welcome coupling of plum and star anise.

Its good. It’s fruity. It’s spicy. It’s dry. It’s not focused. — 6 years ago

Matt

9.2

Succulent red fruits, layered with spice and floral notes, firm mineral notes throughout. Lots purity across the board, love that. Theres an approachability and balance of tannin that suggests plenty of life ahead with great pleasure in the glass right now. Soaked cherry, licorice, cinnamon, clove, hung meat, finely crushed rock, sous bois. — 7 years ago

Diane Withrow

9.3

Ripe pear and pineapple on the nose. Rich buttery mouth feel. Mango, baked apples, sun soaked hay. Delicious! — 7 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.4

2007 vintage. Tasting 17+ years later... On the nose, this is blackberry syrup and black cherry flesh... On the palate, there is an acidic wispiness of cherry much like the kirschiness of cherry pits soaked in vodka... A big body here though as this plays above a powerful leatheriness that extends well through the long finish. Tannins still have something to say. Grippy. I haven't had this vintage in a few years and it will be interesting to see whether the amazing-in-youth '08 also carries this well into its elder years. This '07 was a very nice treat so many years on. — a year ago

with Anita

Ira Schwartz

9.1

Stopped off at a lifelong friends apartment. He likes wine but it does not go beyond that. Says to me after pulling several bottles ( including 2 Rockford BP) from the corner of a very warm room, “What should I do with these wines?” Trying to remain calm, I said , “I think you need to open one.”
Surprisingly, the cork was intact, but totally soaked to the top. What we encountered was a red/purple wine that looked like it was bottled a few years ago. The nose was big and full of dark fruit along with some oak but zero alcohol Taking a small taste I was absolutely taken back by the juiciness & deep plummy flavors swirling around my mouth. I noted very little secondary flavors but the level of acidity shocked me. Tannins were soft and the fish was modest. — 2 years ago

Paul J

9.6

Awesome! Cork appeared soaked through but didn’t seem to impact the wine. Rich flavors of butter, cream, and vanilla. Very white burg like. Great QPR! — 4 years ago

Jan de Weerd

9.5

Excellent. So expressive, starting with a refreshing aroma of dark cherry soaked in rose water. Intense fruit, layers of spice framed by a nice tannin edge that gave it a lingering finish. — 6 years ago

with RoAnne and Tammy

Matt

9.2

Love the life and energy these wines have, proof you can grow wines in dramatic climates like Priorat and still craft wines of place, balance and perfume. Black raspberry, soaked black cherry, exotic spice, scrubland herbs, dried flowers, leather, clove, apple, hung meat, crushed rocks. There’s a beautiful layer of Brett, this has natural leanings but its soulful and not lacking in character. — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.6

The 2016 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is a stunning wine from this famed estate. Needing more than an hour decant to fully develop, this starts off with beeswax, brandy soaked pear, nutmeg, and ripe banana that impress, as the intoxicating bouquet continues to bring you back to the glass. On the palate, the unctuous mouthfeel entices the senses. Silky smooth gliding through the palate, flavors reminiscent of baked pear, marzipan, banana bread and honeydew melon move through, leading to an exceeding long and satisfying finish. The salinity and light stony character of the wine further pushes this into the upper echelon of this prestigious region in the Rhone Valley. Enjoyable now, this wine will cellar well for decades. Drink 2019-2035- 96 — 7 years ago