Bob McDonald

9.1

2nd attempt to write this note after the first note was never accepted 24 hours ago. I drank this last weekend. A bit muted to begin with. With air savoury notes with earth and black cherry - a hint of bacon fat developing. M+ palate intensity. The first bottle I had 4 years ago was too early. This is very upmarket for a Côtes du Rhône with a drinking window through to 2030. — 22 days ago

WC Fields

9.1

On target and in the window. What I have drank of Pauillac this was lighter in its feet but the blackberry tobacco cigar wrapper with some nice tannins and acid. This could probably go longer but glad I opened it. — 5 months ago

GaryWEdwards

9.5

Big lush, dark fruit that has not reached its peak window yet. But she ain’t far away. I was able to obtain a vertical of 01,02,03,& 04. My first foray into that vertical. No rush on this one but very impressed. Leather, pepper, if not cigar leaf here . Suffice it to say, there is a lot going on here and my lack of Cali knowledge has new intrigue — 7 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

This was on the youthful side that is just beginning to enter its drinking window, silky, polished on the palate with hidden tannins showing dark fruits, plum, cassis, graphite, mocha, spice & tobacco — 10 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Deep garnet with a tawny rim. A savoury earthy mushroom note coming through - also balsamic notes. Fading red cherry on the palate. An excellent Brunello from a good vintage, travelling well at 15 years. A fabulous food wine with homemade fettuccine. I will probably drink my last bottle in 2027/28 although I have a drinking window through to the early 2030s. — 12 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

See several previous Delectable notes for this Cuvée. I have 2 bottles left after this one. Penfolds have a whopping drink window up to 2045. The colour is a pale mid crimson with a tawny rim. Mocha, dark chocolate and blackberry notes on the nose. From a low yielding cool vintage which is made for long cellaring. Absolutely superb at the moment. Great palate intensity (mulberry, black berry and dark chocolate) with mellow resolved tannins and a very long persistent finish. No wonder Penfolds tasting book is called The Rewards of Patience. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.8

Forty-plus years on, people still talk about the greatness of the 1982 vintage in Bordeaux. There are multiple factors that contribute to this and it’s fair to say that Robert Parker’s reaction played a major role in the early popularity; certainly in the States. While some may say that 1982 was merely a “good” vintage by today’s standards, I think history has proven it to be empirically special; there was just so much quality from top to bottom. And yet, even with the high praise of the vintage, the tone shifts to hushed whispers when the 1982 Mouton gets mentioned. Up until that point, the Chateau had sort of underachieved after receiving its unprecedented promotion in 1973. But in 1982, a year full of great wine, they created a legend and firmly cemented their First Growth status. Today, I’m pleased to report the plaudits for the ’82 are all warranted.

Opened and double-decanted earlier in the day. The ’82 Mouton pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core with some sediment; almost youthful when compared to many of the other older wines poured on the night. On the nose, the wine is developing still; loaded with cassis, black berries, leaf tobacco, leather, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with fabulous structure. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and full of power. A stunning wine and well in its prime…a window I expect will remain open for a longtime to come. Drink now with bacchanalian abandon and through 2082. — 10 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.8

Another stunning Chambertin from the Burgundy dinner in Sydney 6 weeks ago. An absolutely gorgeous nose. Interestingly 100% new oak but the powerful fruit just swallows it. A little Animale/Feral note which adds interest. The medium plus bodied palate shows a savoury and sinewy texture. This has got the lot and still with a long window up to the early 2040s. Surpassed the 2002 in my book. — 17 days ago

Tom Garland

9.4

1 hour decant(lots chunky/fine sediment). A gorgeous inky purplish garnet color. On the nose: dark fruit, forest floor, smoked meat, floral, cigar wrapper, pencil lead. Taste: smooth, rich, creamy mouthcoating wine with blackberry/dark cherry, dark chocolate, earth, tobacco, baking spice, and a cedar/graphite medium plus finish with some slight dusty tannins. Had this 2 years ago, and it's improved. In the beginning of its drink window at 18 years? Wow — 7 months ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened and double decanted several hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1997 Grange pours a deep purple color with an opaque core moving towards a ruby rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black, red and some blue fruits: blackberries, raspberries, Fig Newtons, tobacco, purple flowers, cocoa, coffee, some mint and other green herbs as well as earth and baking spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is so long and there is remarkable density. I would say this is entering its early drinking window, but just barely. I find these wines need decades to shed their fat and really start to strut. Regardless, this is delicious now with a healthy decant and should drink well through 2057 without breaking a sweat. — 9 months ago