Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2023 vintage. PNP. Complicated stuff and not for the uninitiated. Needed at least two hours open/an hour in a decanter. Light body with dirt, earth, shrooms, orange peel so not exactly plushy. Would love to catch this in a half-decade. Pricing was under $25 USD a bottle resto cost on three cases but too far to the right to appeal to the masses or thereabouts even when it "comes around." 01.21.25. — 14 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s a night of first year consecutive decades, 90 & 80. Enjoyed in reverse order

From the same technical team as Leoville Las Cases.

Another great Clyde Beffa direct purchase from the Chateau or Negociant.

Still ripe older Bordeaux fruits with smoothed out lead pencil. Blackberries, black raspberries that lean into pudding, black plum, darkest, cooked cherries, raspberries edges, baked rhubarb and hues of poached strawberries. There is nothing that bites back. Dark chocolate, smooth mocha, caramel, soften baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, old tobacco w/ ash, used leather, dry top soil, limestone powder, black licorice to anise, dry river stone, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, amazing, rainfall acidity and a well; balance, structured, knitted and smartly polished finish that lasts 90 seconds.

Steak slow cooked in the oven at graduating low heats and then seared at 1300 degrees, 30, 30, 30 & 30. .

“The Truth is Inside” is an expression about the very bottom of a bottle of wine. Tannin soaked & it never lies. Typically the best part of the bottle. 93 that lands 94 in truth. I always leave two-three inches of wine in bottle just because it is always slightly better than the rest of the bottle. It is more concentrated. — 6 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Perfect pair with Christina’s Bolognese Sauce.

Italian red are so astringent w/o this kind of age. At this age, it shows its bright fruits rather than all wood plank and barrel toast young. It takes this kind of age to shine. Roughly 18 years in bottle and it is near its peak.

Bright, ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, touch of plum. Dry herbs-sage lead, bay leaf, moist, grey, volcanic clay, sandstone, sandalwood, light dry, tobacco notes, dry brush, dry top soil, powdery dry rocks, some cola, cocoa powder, dark spice, baking spices- clove, light nutmeg, touch of cinnamon, light vanillin, withering red roses, excellent acidity, perfect balance, tension, structure, length and a two-minute finish. — a year ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

So, I have confessed to drinking only Ca Chardonnay in the past. In 2001-02, I had the 99 Pine Ridge Stag’s Leap District and it was the first red wine I gravitated. This 97 Andrus is their flagship wine & a better wine & vintage than the 99 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District that I had so long ago.

I decanted half the bottle and reserved the rest. The decanted was very good, but the reserve is better.

Excellent wine tonight that has sentimental meaning.

I bought 2 bottles on the secondary market for a $100 recently, that included fees & tax. It is like stealing candy from a baby at that price point. This was slightly better two-years ago, but excellent tonight w/ Ribcaps.

The palate is rich, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, sweet me raspberry tones, blue/purple fruit tones, dry, crushed limestone-rock, dry top-soil, some dry herbs, dry tobacco, leather, some black licorice to cola, melted chocolate, some grilled meats, steeped tea to black tea, dry stone, used barrel shavings, withering dark, red, purple flowers round acidity and a well balanced, tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on dry minerality. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Opened 24 hours prior and decanted for sediment before returning to the bottle; enjoyed over the course of two days. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart brambles and plums, green bell pepper, tobacco, leather, all of the decomposing earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, mostly integrated tannins with medium+ acid, borderline high. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Overall, a wine that is a reflection upon the vintage and at 43 years of age, that’s a big compliment. The 1981 is very much alive and will likely live for a very long time. However, it is backward, rustic, and somewhat tough to love unless you’re an old-school masochist. But I’m guilty and this wine is charming despite all of its green character. Drink now and over the next 30 years probably. — 6 months ago

West G. Phifer

9.0

Two words come to mind when tasting this standout of a bottle: “apricots” and “finish.” Tasting notes may be subjective, to say the least, but this deep red beauty brings to mind the brighter stonefuits like apricots and nectarines. Don’t let the full body and enticing nose fool you, this wine has a bit of punchiness to it, and trust me you’re gonna love it. The longer finish you’ll find with Freakshow is exactly as desired, this wine gently sticks square on the top of the tongue. To whom would I recommend Freakshow’s Cabernet of damn near any vintage? Well, frankly, everyone. But if you’re looking to impress that date and the only thing you know about their wine preference is simply the word “red,” then do both of you a favor and grab this bottle. — 2 years ago

Vijay Parikh

9.5

A simply amazing bottle after a two hour decant. Went brilliantly with the mushroom risotto. — 4 months ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Thought we had the last bottle a year ago but realized we had one more. Really very nice - a sort of time capsule wine, taking you back nearly two decades with the depth of amber color and honeyed flavor. So well balanced, with the secondary round fruit giving way to nice acids (more than I recall on the bottle a year ago). Fun one for sure. — 4 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I tasted this at cork pull and it looked & tasted a bit brickish. Waited to decant but it still needed a hour in the decanter. 97 a great Napa vintage. Well stored bottle bought from auction.

The fruits are lush, velvety & ruby; blackberries, black plum, plum pudding, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries & blueberry hues. Dark chocolate, mocha, salted caramel, malt balls on the long decant, black licorice, there is a touch of v/a-bandaid but it’s not spoiling and dissipates some in time, dusty to slightly moist top soil, olive tapenade, herbaceous notes, soft, dark spice, half used, dry tobacco w/ ash, sandalwood, moist, grey volcanic clay, limestone, dry crushed rocks, notes of black pepper, candied, liquid, fresh & mostly withering, dark, red, purple flowers, very round acidity and a very well balanced, tensioned, nicely structured and a smartly polished, round finish that lasts two-minutes.

Second wine to pair with/ Allen Brothers Cover Ribs. — 9 months ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Inky in color with a very short reddish/ brick rim.

Full bodied with medium acidity

Showing black fruits with earth, bell pepper, tobacco, oak, dark coffee, pencil lead, bitter herbs, earth, light roasted bell pepper and forest floor.

Soft tannins on the tangy finish.

This 10 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is probably on its way out. Still very drinkable, but a little unbalanced and showing lots of earth notes.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after two hours of air time.

Showing nice complexity at this point, but a little bitter for my taste.

Although still good, I expected more from this second wine from this producer and this vintage.

90 points.

$80 (current vintage). — 2 years ago