Tree Kilpatrick

9.3

Still very dark for a 15 year old red. Smells like berry-plum sauce and leather. Bit of wet gravel and flint. Flavors are lovely and elevated. Black currants. A hint of cola nut. Licorice drops. This is quite an elegant and lovely red. Could age longer. Beefy but with a velvet glove. — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Slightly lighter garnet core , lighter terracotta rim . Quite muted on the nose , quite herbal and spiced notes, some red plum and floral sous bois , black tea . After a while this opens up slightly , showing a bit more detail , but never jumps out and grabs your attention as other bottles have. On the palate this is better , with the roundness and slightly sweet , red plum , summer fruits , sous bois and lightly herbal , grafite tinged , saline finish of reasonable length . Quite refreshing acidity and suave tannins . On this basis drink now and over the next few years. However , there are better bottles out there . This was disappointing compared with other bottles I’ve had , though the palate was more sound and it wasn’t flawed. A bit of a perplexing bottle. — 2 months ago

Scott E. Becker

9.1

[Tasted on August 9, 2025 at answer in Nashville with Linda]

Cherry and cranberry fruit, with black tea and spice. — 5 months ago

Wulf Losee

9.3

Floral notes on the nose — roses, hibiscus, plus mint, and the dry fragrance of sun-bleached wood. Strawberries on the front. Medium tannic structure. Black tea high notes with hint mint on the mid palate. Citrusy finish with long acidic afterburn. My description fails in that it makes it sound like a light and floral wine. But taken altogether, this is wine is rock solid, and it hasn’t even begun to develop. — 12 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The 2006 Bordeaux vintage. The vintage while wasn’t Bordeaux’s best, it certainly wasn’t one of its worst. It had the unenviable position of following a grand 2005 vintage. I think better than 2000, maybe 09 & 10? Jury is still out. The Bordelaise also got greedy and raised their prices from 05. That was a mistake when it came to selling the 2006 vintage and it laid another layer of bad taste in consumers minds.

I really enjoy Pichon Lalande’s style/craft. The 06 is good, not great. In fact, I enjoyed this better w/o the lamb.

The fruits are just ripe. Velvety, rounded M+ tannins. Brambly blackberries, dryish black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, some raspberry hues, oak barrel shavings, graphite, dry soils, dry tobacco & leather, dry clay, soft but dark spice, some dry herbs, soft baking spices- clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, light milk chocolate, caramel hues, black tea, anise, some mid berry cola, dry & withering, dark & red flowers, violets, decent, round acidity, balanced, neatly structured/tensioned with an elegant finish that lasts just over 90 seconds and falls on dry earth and soft, dark spice.

Still acceding and has 15 plus yrs of good drinking ahead. Could make a case for rounding up to 93.

Paired w/ Grilled Rack of Lamb, Served with Rosemary Jus, Fondant Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli.

@EK148 — 2 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Medium ruby color with a lighter rim. Aromas of red berries, violets, wet gravel and pine resin. The pallet is full of red cherry and blueberry fruit with additional notes of baking spices, black tea and dried herbs. Crisp acidity, plush and medium bodied. A bit of grippy tannin. Always very consistent. — 4 months ago

Joel Lara

9.2

Initially, the wine seemed pretty closed so let it decant for about an hour and a half to open up. Smooth mouthfeel with nice acidity and beautiful long finish. On the palette primarily roasted strawberries with subtle hints of spice, but finish is amazing with some beautiful floral notes contrasting with black tea, and some herbal notes for good measure. Nicely well integrated, nuanced flavors. — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Ruby with bouquet of berry fruit and herb floral notes, aged for 10 months on French oak. On the palate strawberry and black cherry flavors with sweet spice, tea and earthy tones. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with earthy herbs, cedar, dried fruits and mineral tones. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

These are so good 15 yrs plus. In fact, insanely given the price point.

Again, a touch of bandaid on the nose that doesn’t affect the palate.

Grainy, fine M+ tannins.

It is rich, lush, ripe; blackberries, plum, dark cherries, raspberry hues & hints of strawberries & blueberries. Berry cola/licorice, mocha, caramel, black licorice, soft, layered baking spices, espresso, oak barrel powder, black tea, tobacco w/ ash, used/soft leather, excellent, soft, dark spices, melted dark chocolate to pudding, crushed rocks powder, dry rock, limestone/sandstone, some dry twig, candied dark, red flowers framed in violets with lavender hints, rainfall acidity, balance for days, nicely structured/tensioned, elegant & smart polish that lasts minutes and falls on fine grain minerals & dry top soil. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Ruby core still , quite wide garnet rim . Still quite young looking . This is quite exotic at first with some Asian spice , rose water , floral hints and after a while red cherries , red currant and blackberry . On the palate this has more of the darker fruits , dark cherry , blackberry with some spicy , wet slate and , lightly herbal , tobacco notes . Fresh acidity and fine but noticable tannins . Quite long and detailed , saline with spiced tea tinged finish . Quite reserved and understated but enough fruit and mid palate to cover the structure . This is drinking well now with time in the glass , and will continue at this level for another 10 years or so . So exotic and enticing on the nose , and with great poise and freshness on the palate, really great showing. — 3 months ago