Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Happy Birthday to me!

When I tasted the 2013 & 2014 vintages upon release, I said I wouldn’t open one for 10 years. True my word. Beautiful Napa Cabernet made by Thomas Rivers Brown. Just now starting its good drinking window with another 15 years ahead and perhaps some change years beyond. — 7 days ago

Jason

9.2

Deep purple with light orange / brown tinge. High alcohol. Dark berry, strawberry, peppery scent. Strong punchy chocolate, moss, dark fruit flavour. Heavy body. Lingering chocolate tannin feel. Good for punchy flavour. — 3 years ago

Jason Li

9.0

Red brown colour. Tannin fully resolved. Good balance.
Tobacco and coffee on nose and palate. Typical Bordeaux. Not as complex as expected — 5 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.1

Technically sound and classic in style, though it doesn’t quite deliver the excitement one might expect from this famed vineyard. On the nose, aromas of red and black fruits, violets, forest floor, earthy tones, subtle spice, and a touch of meaty savoriness. Mid-weight and silky on the palate, with an underlying stoniness. Elegant and admittedly enjoyable, but it honestly doesn’t fully showcase the pedigree of its origin, which aligns with my broader experience of this producer’s wines. — 4 months ago

Shuhui Ng

9.2

Reddish brown, dark fruits, liquorice, tobacco. Vanilla oak. Very manageable tannins! Very ready to drink after 16 years :) — 3 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2014 | Brown rim with cardinalred colour. Nice bouquet with sweet cherries, laurel, vanilla and cacao. Multi layered. Fine texture and mouthfeel after aeration, some tannins still. Good acidity and balance. Fine spicyness. Excellent drinking now. | Paired with lambs saddle and aspargus. | At restaurant Pikaar in Hilvarenbeek — 3 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.6

I thought I would open another LLC tonight. The 86 is one of my favorite drinking vintages. This was classic & old school that has a burly, muscular style & is starting to enter its drinking window with many years ahead displaying black fruits, cassis, graphite, iron, leather, forest floor, brown spices & tobacco. This btl was in perfect shape showing how monumental this wine can be. — 5 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2019 vintage. A totally different style compared to the more classic 2019 Cantenac Brown, but every bit as good. A more flashy, opulent style, flirting with overripeness, but every bit as good. — 5 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

The 2003 Léoville-Poyferré has always been one of this infamous vintage’s success stories. Perhaps in recent years it has lost some of its vigour on the nose with black plum, brown spices, leather and that light Bovril aroma, but there is better delineation than many others. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and quite savoury. It is beginning to show some dryness and little monotony on the finish. I wonder whether its best days are behind it? Still a very decent showing however. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 3 years ago

Brian Hearty

9.1

2015. Double decanted by our waitress and we really enjoyed it with our meal. Spicy dark red fruit, and a solid earthy base. Velvety tannins. — 4 years ago

with Bryan