Martijn

9.4

With a fantastic personal story our host Berry M shared this fantastic 33 year old bottle of Napa Cab. What a treat and experience. The wine still so pure and powerful. Lacking a bit of fruit but steady and gentle tertiary notes kicking in softly (leather…..).
Thanks for sharing!! — a month ago

with Eric

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

96 that leans deep into 97. Always stunning from this producer regardless of vintage. Producer trust.

This still has dark, round, meaty, backbone tannins, dark currents w/ Indian/Asian spices. Ruby, lush; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum w/ dry skin, darkest of cherries, raspberry hues, purple fruits hues, deep baking spices, dark chocolate bar, mocha, caramel, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, dry tobacco/leather, dry herbs-bay leave/sage, dry, slightly candied to withering flowers framed in violets/lavender, excellent, round acidity with a finish that is well structured, balanced, nicely tensioned & elegantly polished finish that falls onto dry earth & lasts minutes.

This 2001 is still youthful & has at least another decade well stored. — 5 months ago

Eric Urbani

9.3

Simply one of the best domestic Syrahs, from the storied Bien Nacido vineyard. — a year ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.1

What a special treat. First time trying a post WWII 1949 Bordeaux. Color is a cloudy tawny port. Nose - red fruit, currants, wet musky soil, herbaceous and a hint of mint. Taste - ripen plum-strawberry, dried herbs, old worn leather and baking spice with a short medium finish. Making history in my wine tasting experience. — 2 months ago

with Leslie, Karin and 1 other

Brandon Boesch

9.4

Needed about 3 hours of air to open a bit. Huge dark fruit, cocoa powder, pepper, baking spice, blackberry jam, a touch of herb jam, maybe jalapeño, but a lot of fruit and chocolate. Lovely. — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.4

Still shows some lovely primary redfruits, cassis, currants, quite tannic as well (characteristic of the 1986s I cellared), long, lingering finish, should show even better after my wife’s grilled lamb and my grilled steak come off the grill. I will say I was nervous when the final 1/8-inch of the cork severed off my old Ah-So cork puller, but not a problem!

Interesting sidebar — I purchased this upon arrival in 1989 at K&L in SF — by that time there were widespread reports of bad corks in Ducru from (at least) 1985 and 1986, so when I visited the shop I explained the situation and committed to purchasing 6 bottles, but only if I knew this batch didn’t have the cork problems — so, I said I’d pay for another bottle and we could open it together in the shop, I’d pay and also buy the other 6 bottles if it was NOT corked, and said if it was corked, then they’d pay for the opened bottle and I wouldn’t take the 6 other bottles — they agreed, we mutually tried the bottle then and there, no cork taint so I paid for 7 bottles total.

Telling the story in part because K&L has always been, IMHO, one of the classiest wine shops in the U.S., and they deserve credit agreeing to my deal (BTW, Wine Advocate had written about the cork taint issue within the preceding 3-6 months, so they were aware of the potential for it) — anyway, they’ve gotten a lot more of my business in the past 35+ years since!! — 9 months ago

with Jim

Ben Tang

9.0

A solid young gamay. Bramble and tart blackberries strong on the taste buds and a hint of pomegranate. Potting soil and forest floor at the end. Med+ acidity, low-med tannins, med+ body. — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.5

So freaking good, huuuugggee! It’s so amazingly different from tribute to Grace which I’ve been drinking lately, but I love them both in each way. But only want to drink this one a few times a year. So much fruit, cigar box, cherry, apple jam, herbs, lavender, a bit of flowers, meat, so rich. — 3 months ago

Eric Urbani

9.2

In magnum. Still one of my faves from Russ and always fun to tell the story (wine club gets to submit grade school photo and if you win, you get to be on every bottle for the vintage). lol. 100% Grenache from Paso. 15.8% ABV so drink responsibly. — 8 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

Dark tawny center with amber color and clear rims. Barely translucent. Massive nose of tobacco and Cuban cigar with notes of sweet black fruit, moist dark soil, unsweetened chocolate, pencil lead, old cedar desk wood and a little barnyard. Great mouth feel and texture. Very much alive. Opened and slow-ox’d for a few hours, then put in a decanter an hour before. This powered up all night. Last sip was the best. I’ve probably had more LB than any other Bordeaux (young and old, mostly old), and this was head and shoulders better than any previous bottle. Great juice! — 2 years ago