Chris Coulombe

9.4

Probably the best Zinfandel I have ever had. Now like a cab. Great aroma, flavor, balance. We had it at the CIA cooking class — 16 hours ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This needed lots of air showing mostly black fruits, menthol, leather, graphite, earth, sweet spice & wet tobacco. Although enjoyable now this will continue to develop for many years — 21 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

My last of three.

The 05 vintage is basically perfect fruit etc…

This started a bit slow from an hour decant. It really pick up steam w/ the Waygu Ribcap.

The Bordeaux elegance & earth profound. The fruits are floral-laden. Dry blackberries, raspberries, both plum, with skin, dark cherries, dry strawberries, baked rhubarb, hints of raspberry, dark chocolate bar, light caramel, dark spice with a little heat, dry limestone. topsoil, dry riverstone, cigar box with ash, old used leather, dark forest floor with leaves, clove, touch of cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of nutmeg sweet graphite, used charcoal, black tea, mid berry cola dark wuthering flowers, hence of lavender and old violets, perfect around acidity with a well-balanced structured, evenly tensioned finish that last minutes and lands on dry earth and spice with florals — 2 days ago

David Kline

9.5

Tight, tannic but decidedly pleasant with its grippy-ness. Black cherry, cassis, black plum and smoky tobacco. Power punch up front and finesse on the finish after some decant.

#ChateauLéovilleBarton #LeovilleBarton #2020LeovilleBarton #Bordeaux #leftbank #SaintJulien #grandcruclassé #grandcruclasséen1855 #deuxiemescru — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.5

Bought at auction. First bottle awful. This one is lovely. Needed two hours of air to settle and integrate. Freeze dried strawberries, dried cherries, plum, dust, herbs like tarragon and thyme on nose. I could smell for hours. Palate is bigger than I expected more game and herbs than fruit. Leather with dried cherries. There’s more herbs and plums and cooked/reduced berries but not super sweet. Good tannin still. Pretty good and fun to try at 26 years. I am guessing warm vintage based on abv. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 2 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.7

Surprised ratings are low on this. I found it absolutely brilliant. Super smooth and great mouthfeel. Silky tannins, wonderfully balanced, ripe black fruit. — 2 months ago

Rick Phillips

9.7

Just peaking in my estimation. May sill have a couple or three years before its decline starts. Opened and sat in the bottle for 2 hours. Poured a glass which sat another hour. Bold forward fruits. Blackberry, Plums, Black Cherry, hints of spice herbs that quickly fade into a smooth, luxurious taste of velvety tannins. Backend is just as the Front, Luxurious Bold Fruit but just a touch of old earth, lite tobacco and chocolate/cherry. — 11 hours ago

with Letha

Jay Kline

9.3

Double-decanted prior to service. The 1988 pours a garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of cassis, brambles, tobacco, capsicum, leather, inorganic earth and a mix of herbs and fine spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium+. The label is beat to hell but the condition of the wine inside the bottle was perfect. Classic, old school Bordeaux from a classified growth. Drink now through 2043. — 9 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Tasted Blind. Again very similar appearance with ruby centre still , slightly thinner garnet rim . Different on the nose and on the palate to the others . Sweeter more toasty notes , earthy also , tobacco touches , bonfire , fire side hints. On the palate this has a spicy note , with a mix of red and black fruits , that earthy fireside hint . Good tobacco tinged finish . Juicier tannins , and balanced acidity . Really poised and pretty , spiced fruits, perfectly balanced . Lovely to drink now , though will give another decade of enjoyment . Haut Brion ? — 25 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, mediterranean spices and chocolate notes.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is extremely young and needs 10 years in the bottle to mature properly. Elegant and fruit forward, yet restrained.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, but never had it so young. Not as powerful as some other vintages, but already complex and nicely balanced.

Feels like a good quality Left Bank Bordeaux, and will continue to age nicely, and get better in the next 20 years.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

A good sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$490. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Better with the Rib-cap. The 08 vintage was spotty to good. This one shows the shortcomings of the 08 vintage. Really good fruit, but lacks typical, depth, mid palate, and length.

The nose is class Bordeaux.Ripe to ruby fruits of, black plum skin, slightly syrupy blackberries, plum, dark cherry liqueur, strawberries, dark currants. Dark chocolate cake with glaze, screaming, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, leather, dry riverstone, limestone marl, forest floor with dry leaves, soft, incense, black, licorice, red, cola, dry herbs, tomato, leaf, with dark and red flowers, framed in violets.

The palate is ripe to ruby fruits of, black plum skin, slightly syrupy blackberries, plum, dark cherry liqueur, strawberries, dark currants. Dark chocolate cake with glaze, screaming, lead pencil shavings, deep, dark spice that expands wide, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, caramel and vanillin, dry tobacco with ash, leather, dry riverstone, limestone marl, dry crushed rocks, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clays, soft, incense, black, licorice, red, cola, savory dry herbs, tomato leaf, dry oak barrel shaving to cedar with dark and red flowers, framed in violets, acidity is ok, just not right, finish is good, not great, it falls hard on spice and is short of a minute.

93 with the Rib-cap. Green Bean from my organic gsrden. Drink now through 2035. — 2 months ago

John Van Trijp

9.6

Half bottle — 3 months ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.0

Strange….
Evolved bouquet, plummy, balsamic notes, mocha, touch of sweetness, dark fruit, low acidity. Made me think 07 chateauneuf.
Although this was certainly enjoyable and intriguing, I couldn’t get past the impression that this was not a representative bottle. — 11 days ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.4

Excellent follow up to the classic 2016 Vintage. Blend of Mourvèdre (30%), Grenache (30%), Syrah (15%), Counoise (10%) and the balance (15%) made up of other approved CDP varietals led by Vaccarese’. Aromas of red and black fruit, garrigue, leather and earth. Flavors of black raspberries, currants and cherries, Asian spices, smoked meat and truffles. Long and lingering (slightly spicy) finish and beautiful balance. Full bodied and dense, but not overpowering. Fine grained tannins and amazing complexity. Great now, but there is another decade (or so) of aging potential. Just incredible. — 21 days ago

Ed Chin

9.5

WOTN resolved tannins and brightness in it acidity. Both red and dark fruit. It gave me this sensation of just comfort. Another example that a poor vintage is not an indication that great bottle can’t be made. — 22 days ago

Andy Krell

9.6

Tastes of plums, dark cherry and rick dark fruits. Love it. Will buy again — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Light golden in color.

Beautiful nose of honeydew, apples, honeysuckle, tropical fruits, spices and melons.

Full-bodied with high acidity and long legs.

Sweet on the palate with apples, citrus, mangoes, spices, honeysuckle, herbs, honey and light earth.

Long finish with sweet honey notes.

This delicious 9 year old Sauternes is drinking beautifully now. Complex and interesting. Elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Feels very fresh, but a bit subdued and earthier right now, compared to other vintages. Will continue to age nicely in the next 40 years.

Loved the nose more than the palate here. So expressive.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Robert Parker 99 points.

A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months. Drank from a 750ml bottle.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$450. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.6

At this point, with this group, a Legends dinner simply wouldn’t be appropriate without at least one bottle of Chave Hermitage.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1994 Hermitage pours a slightly hazy garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with perfumed notes of dried brambles, dried blueberry, dried purple flowers, black olive, mushroom, espresso, leather, stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly sanguine. Delicious with the 5 Spice Cured Duck prepared with marinated Bing cherries, crispy shallot and Olathe corn polenta. It was such a pleasure to taste the ‘94 Chave next to the ‘85 Gentaz. Two Northern Rhône Legends working with their respective terroirs. Where the Gentaz was all about the aromatics of Côte Rôtie, the Chave was brought more of the power from the Hill of Hermitage. Drink now through 2056. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — 3 months ago