Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured, no formal notes. Despite its relative youth, the 2017 Sassicaia is showing very nicely right now. To my palate, this does as good a job as any in deftly straddling New and Old World…and just leans enough towards its structure and non-fruit characteristics to give it a sense of place. To be clear, there is plenty of fresh and delicious fruit, it’s just that the structure and the firmness of the tannin and acid is so “favoloso”. Drinking well in its youth but should drink very well through 2042. — 8 months ago

Fredrik Finn

9.5

Holy cow, what a home run! This my friends its the taste of terroir. Dense and muscular, with a focused minerality that is keeping the beat.
Despite its youth it is very expressive and not holding back on its complexity. François Cotat La Grande Côte, a marvelous piece and an act in the magic of wine.
Pronounced intense aromas with a layered depth Lemon juice, kiwi, boxwood, dandelions almost reaching towards honey with a prominent Limestone mineraliy that is keeping the beat.
High piercing acidiy that cuts through the smooth and ripe edges. Dense and athletic on the mid palate with a layered complexity, salty backbone as it expands before closing up in a long tightening finish. — 3 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

This is now the second time in the past ten months I’ve had the chance to visit the 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel. Just as good as the first time I tried it, the 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel Rouge is a nothing short of a scintillating wine from this historic estate. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre with Counoise, this comes off as a touch more heady than most vintages with layers of ripe boysenberry and black cherry with dried thyme alongside lovely savory tones and salty, stony terroir. The length here is quite impressive, as is the soft texture and bright acidity that brings you back to the glass for more. Wonderfully seductive in its youth, this has two decades of life in front of it. Drink 2022-2038- 95 — 3 years ago

Fabian Kühlhorn

8.9

Sour cherries along a dusty gravel road. A bit muted. Some herbs and violet. Polished tannins, good acidity, medium plus finish. Sad to realize this might be over the hill as I have several bottles still waiting. It had such an enchanting perfume in its youth. — a year ago

with John, Axel and 3 others

Martin Sher

9.5

Kongsgaard - always a privilege and pleasure. Such complexity even in its youth. Full on Burgundian textures multi layered palate with flinty entry and beautiful full bodied orchard fruits on the palate. Virtuoso stuff. — 3 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.2

With five and change years on it, this wine is beginning its transformation. What were bright and juicy lemon and quince in youth are starting to take on more steely, herbal notes as savory and saline elements come to the fore. The color, if anything is even more youthful than before, holding a greenish tinge along with its blonde highlights. Killer acidity still reigns supreme here for complete refreshment. Gonna save a bottle or two and see where it goes in another 5 years. — 3 years ago

Lee Lightfoot

9.0

Floral elements more subdued, fruit blossoming. Softer then when enjoyed in its youth and less complex and crunchy. — 3 years ago

Tyler Felous

9.4

Similarly austere to the 09, the youth showed in slightly more tightness. Shared with Cameron to celebrate his beautiful son Palmer — 2 years ago

Mike Obley

9.0

Even though this bottle went from SoCal to CT to NorCal on a moving van in its youth was not flawed! — 3 years ago

with Lauren

Will Stanley

9.5

Decanted for around an hour, the recently released 2013 Grand Vin from Chateau Musar is an enormous wine at present in its youth. Gradually, it opened into a gorgeous, exotic and utterly unique product of this unlikely corner of the wine world. There’s plenty of Bordeaux-like character in the form of dark fruit and cigar box, but there are notes too of cranberry, liquorice, clove, mandarin and five spice. The mouthfeel, as a whole, has a quasi Brunello quality to it, with its bright cherry fruit and mouthwatering acidity. But woe is anyone to compare this wine to any other, for it is incomparable. One of Serge Hochar’s last vintages before his passing in 2014, and one that will doubtless have a long life. — 3 years ago