Jerry Raphael

9.5

Hosted a tasting for a wine group I’ve been part of for over 40 years. I came across this 56-year-old Port in my cellar and felt it was time to drink it—and with exactly the right people to share it.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Right after decanting, my first taste was mostly alcohol, but then it just kept opening and opening. Everything came into balance—nose, palate, and finish were all excellent and incredibly smooth.
Loaded with dark dried plums, figs, cherries, and brown sugar, along with spice and a touch of pepper. I served it with apple pie and blue cheese crumbles, which turned out to be a great match.
— a month ago

James

9.0

Well balanced and good mouthfeel. Nice light and gentle fruits for a light easy drinking wine with class — 6 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.4

2020 vintage. General manager Laure Canu states that Cantemerle has never followed trends and will always be a wine of elegance, never showy. And that is exactly what it is. After 15 minutes in the glass, it displays bright cassis fruit, mixed with flowers and cedar wood. Medium-bodied, fresh, and elegant, with more complexity and more refined tannins, compared to the 2018. Very good length too.This is the finest Cantemerle I have ever tasted. Incredible value too. Abv. 13,5 %. — 2 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.0

Dark rubi robe, nose of anise, blackcurrant, dark cherries and top soil notes. Very complex and balanced, ready to go but will last a long time. We had had from Magnum. Gotta be the best vintage we had recently. Among the finest values in Bordeaux red. — 3 years ago

with Adriana

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Dark Ruby with aromatic nose of fruit, oak and nutty notes. On the palate big fruit flavors of blackberry and tart cherry with cacao and licorice. Firm dry tannins with good balance on long finish ending with a nutty ripe fruit character. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Chappellet – Cabernet Franc – 2022
Napa Valley AVA · Pritchard Hill · California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A refined Bordeaux-inspired blend anchored by 76% Cabernet Franc, supported by 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. The vines, planted in 1989, thrive in the volcanic soils of Pritchard Hill, yielding concentrated fruit with remarkable aromatic lift. Aged 22 months in French oak (60% new), this wine shows both the elegance and mountain intensity that define Chappellet’s signature reds.

Aromas & Flavors
Beautifully expressive with cedar, graphite, sage, red currant, rose petal and a hint of sandalwood. As it opens, deeper tones of black cherry, anise, white pepper and subtle earthiness reveal themselves with grace.

Mouthfeel
Velvety and layered, with seamless tannins and a poised structure. The palate shows depth without heaviness, leading to a long, complex finish that carries dark fruit, spice and a gentle mineral echo.

Food Pairings
Perfect with herb-roasted poultry, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, grilled vegetables or aged semi-firm cheeses. Anything savory or herb-accented will meet this wine beautifully.

Verdict
Elegant, balanced and quietly powerful. This Cabernet Franc stands as one of Napa’s finest expressions of the grape, capturing both sophistication and mountain character.

Did You Know?
Cabernet Franc is one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon (crossed with Sauvignon Blanc), giving this wine a noble lineage and distinct personality on Pritchard Hill.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
A wine I reach for when I want tradition, depth and grace in one glass. This is the “big papa” of Cabernets, and sometimes the best pairing truly is myself. — 3 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2019 vintage. A blend of 47% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Special label to celebrate the 160th harvest by the Miailh family at Siran.This must be the finest Siran I have ever tasted. Textbook elegant Margaux with exemplary purity of fruit, complexity and velvety tannin. Long finish. Abv. 14%. — 3 years ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Absolutely excellent. Such a treat at 55 years. At first a real medicinal note which blows away with a bit of time and air. Incredibly deep and dense with great pruney fruit. Excellent acid hanging in at this age and the finish is very long. Nice wine for a weekend of Thanksgiving related meals! — 3 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Showing so well! So juicy and pure and straight silk on the palate. Village at its finest. — 9 months ago

Nishith Jobanputra

9.5

One of YT’s finest wines I’ve had, 4 hour decant transformed it and continued to evolve while drinking. Wow. — 3 years ago

with Mehul