David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years.

From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days.

This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak.

Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds. — 2 days ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (6.5%) and Petite Verdot (5.5%). Aromas of dark berry and plum fruit, menthol, graphite and violets. The palate is full of black berry/currant/plum/cherry fruit with hints of dark chocolate, dried herbs and minerals. Long and lingering finish with well integrated oak. Medium/plus bodied. Smooth tannins and quite a silky/creamy texture. Excellent balance of fruit and tertiary notes. Drinking well now, and should continue to improve over the next few years. Thank you for sharing, James W. — 5 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite floral with plummy cassis, creamy blackberry and a touch of pencil lead, crushed rocks . On the palate this has quite good freshness , ripe cassis and blackberry , but with dusty firm tannins . Mineral , seashell hints of on the good length finish . Quite richly fruited but well balanced overall . This needs more time but for 2018 is promising, balanced with good freshness . Come back in 10 -15 years and will show well a further 10 — 2 days ago

Mark Farrell

9.1

Brick colored with a nose of blackberry, anise, a bit of raspberry, and slight flower bouquet maybe even potpourri. Good structure still in this wine. Tannins are still present. Definitely a more earthy, old world wine. Would pair nicely with Coq au vin. — 13 days ago

Tom Garland

9.1

Tried 3 years ago, and it was a tannic bottle of disappointment, it's changed for the better.

2 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: dark fruit, cocoa, pencil shavings, floral, cigar box, menthol. Taste: soft, elegant wine with some black/red fruit, currants, crushed stone, and an earthy black tea lean medium finish. Not the depth and power of a great year, drinks well now...not sure how much more this will improve. — 2 days ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Blend of primarily Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (45%) supported by small amounts of Petite Verdot (4%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) blended in. Dark ruby color with slight hints of purple. Aromas of graphite, blackberry, anise and forest floor. Dark berry and plum fruit flavors along with hints of mushroom, minerals and baking spices. The finish is a little tight. Medium-plus body and quite concentrated. Tannins are present but not overwhelming. This wine is quite good right now but will improve with bottle age. Outstanding value! I am looking forward to revisiting this one. — 5 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby , garnet rim . Nice juicy , cassis , blackberry and some red plum , red cherry notes . On the palate quite rich and round, with sweet summer fruits and a spicy tobacco tinged , grafite note . Quite sweet and decadent on the palate , quite rich . Balanced acidity and grippy , grainy tannin . This needs a bit more time , come back in 5-10 years and should show well a further 10 . — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium ruby , with garnet ruby rim . Quite cool spicy cassis , mineral grafite nose . Blackberry , seashell , mineral notes . On the palate good richness with ripe blackberry , cassis and grafite . Lovely ripe , fine tannins and really good freshness . Good grafite , cassis tinged length. Shows a lot of potential , young still , needs time .. come back in 10 years and will last well a further 10 . — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby with a ruby garnet rim . Quite spicy and aromatic cassis , blackberry and grafite touches . Quite a lot more mineral on the palate , tobacco , ripe blackberry and cassis , good density , touch of mint . Nice length and richness , rounded but still pretty grippy tannins , balanced acidity . Nice grafite and tobacco tinged length . This is beginning to drink quite well but will continue to improve over the next 10 years and last well a further 10. Successful for the vintage — 2 days ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Really excellent. From half bottle and was worried this would be too far gone. Certainly doesn’t need more time - but still quite together. Pretty minerally (in a nice St Julien way). Lighter bodied at this point but still with a nice lifting acid at the finish. Excellent pairing with a simple roast chicken with lemon. — 3 days ago