Conrad Green

9.6

From mag. This is in a perfect place, no doubt helped by being in Magnum. There’s a soft alluring and subtle nose with lemon oil, hints of peach, a delicate stony minerality, and a touch of salinity. On the palate, this is complex long and still fresh, with a haunting edge. Great stuff. — 17 days ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Joe Fischer

9.2

Still think our review from 2023 is accurate. Very nice Merlot!!! — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Very enjoyable vintage for Dom — 24 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 — 3 days ago

George Hesse

9.9

Absolutely amazing vintage. Courtesy of Ken Wegner. We finished off three bottles!!! — a month ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.2

Deep ruby color. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, floral aromas and dried herbs. Red and black fruit on the palate, herbs and earthy finish.

🏅92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
🏅92 Points - Vinous — 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

Conrad Green

9.1

not showing much on the nose. Rounded and pure. Quiet. In good shape given its age — 17 days ago

with Paul and Ara

Joel Lara

8.9

This is the 2020 Late Bottled Vintage Port. Full bodied, medium sweetness, and alcohol at 19.5%. Alcohol not overly noticeable when served chilled. Notes of cherry, bittersweet chocolate, and almond liqueur, with hints of dried fruits. Enough acidity to provide good balance. Really tasty to drink for dessert, and also makes a good reduction sauce for pan-seared duck breasts. — a month ago

John Pavlovich

9.2

Fully mature with resolved tannins, quite dry, easy going, medium length aftertaste. Very good wine from very good vintage. — 8 days ago

Tam Chambers

9.4

09.12.26 Reims, France yes!!! — a month ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.4

vintage 2010 | Classic and complex. Redbrown rim with opaque colour. Cedar. Laurel. Tobacco. Leather. Comes soft in the mouth. Swallowfactor. Absolutely glorious. — a month ago

Louis Martin

9.5

Fantastic pour from an often overlooked vintage year, smooth, well-balanced, delicate, great on its own and even better when paired with a well prepared steak covered with truffle and mushroom sauce, as presented at our Commanderie de Bordeaux dinner at the Hope Club. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

I started to write a note for the 2014 and then, when I was nearly finished, I recalled that I had previously enjoyed this vintage a few years back. I went back to my notes on May 24, 2023 and I gotta say, my notes still nailed it. Liquid stars. Drink now until your last breath. — 2 months ago

Joe Christenson

8.9

Bright cherry balanced by savory herbs. Black tea tannins play with plenty of acidity. Some forest floor on the nose. It’s good, but I’m longing for a little more integration. Worked great with a maple/ginger/garlic salmon. — a month ago

Kristina Conte

10

very deep and inky, has to breathe for like an hour and really develops. my new fave bottle of wine. — a month ago

Joe Flo

9.7

This vintage from Cristal is outstanding and delicious. 👏👏 — 16 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

Jan A

9.5

Really got going on day two. This particular vintage probably needs another 5-10 years. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at dinner. The wine pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core and a slightly orange rim with considerable variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated fruit: black currants, blackberries, plum, pipe tobacco, capsicum, pencil shavings, a touch leather, organic earth and a mix of dried herbs and some fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Really tasty stuff.

Initial conclusions: this is an old wine, likely 30-40 years old. That being said, it’s still very distinguishable as it’s showing varietal characteristics. This could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend thereof), Cabernet Franc (or a blend thereof), or Merlot (or a blend thereof). I can see this being Napa because the fruit is still showing some generosity. But there’s a lot of non-fruits there too. Regardless, this was giving Left Bank vibes so I could also see this being Bordeaux from a great vintage like 1982. And that’s my call, Cabernet Sauvignon-blend from France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estèphe, from a classified growth like Calon-Ségur. Shucks. But I’m not mad about my choice! Old Opus One’s are tricky to differentiate. Drinking very well right now but this will live well past 2035. — 2 months ago