Irina Georgieva

9.3

Elegant, with lots of potential. Will be at its prime in 1-2 years — 4 months ago

Deborah M

9.2

I opened this 2012 Chateau Pontet-Canet last night and it was stellar. The Pontet-Canet is a 5th growth classification that hits way above that tier. The estate of Pontet-Canet is located in the northern end of the Pauillac commune, across the road from Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The grape variety is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. I describe this one as a restrained elegant beauty. @55Seventy — 3 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.2

Balletto Pinot showdown no. 1
Best in the mouth.
Light ruby-garnet. Visually appears to have age beyond it's 4 years to me.
Not a great nose- overripe fruit, some blue notes, oaky spice- maybe has seen new American oak?
Mouth: wow, great full++ mouth feel, a really nice roundness here, unexpected.
This wine is ready to drink right now! — 4 years ago

David Vielhauer

9.2

Maybe not my favorite RM Chardonnay, still high quality wine, of course very young. Almost Big League Chew bubble gum flavors on night #1, My wife didn’t get that at all, oh well. Some toasty notes. — 5 years ago

Leonard Huot

9.1

1st release and production for 1 mille road on the naramata bench. Excited to have ordered and tried. Excellent winemakers who started laughing stock and have ventured to a single varietal production. This Pinot noir is wonderful will look forward to more of the rich smooth wine. @P A have to try — 6 years ago

Carlos Mussali

10

Ovalie cendree Loire valley aged goat cheese. Chile crunch. Dalmatia fig jam. 1/2 rye sourdough= ultimate pairing — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured. Day 1, this was okay. Day 4, this was okay. While this is clearly a traditional, well-made wine, I’m just not terribly impressed by this particular bottle’s showing. Cherries, strawberries, Earl Grey tea and dried herbs...all of which I love!!...but this never really generated any “oompf”. To be honest, this came across more like a really good RdM in terms of quality. I have another bottle that I will hold and see if it delivers more down the road. Maybe I’m missing something 🤷‍♂️? Don’t get me wrong, this is a good wine and better with food but it just doesn’t stir my soul right now and it doesn’t live up to the hype it’s been getting. — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2023 – Pessac-Léognan, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A beautifully balanced Pessac-Léognan red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 65% · Merlot 30% · Cabernet Franc 4% · Petit Verdot 1% that delivers finesse, aromatic complexity, and immediate approachability while maintaining classical structure and aging potential. Cabernet Sauvignon provides backbone, graphite tension, and dark fruit depth, Merlot softens the palate with plush texture and generosity, Cabernet Franc adds lift and floral spice, while Petit Verdot contributes subtle color, grip, and savory edge. A textbook expression of modern-classic Pessac harmony.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, blackberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry layered with cedar, graphite, cocoa nib, tobacco leaf, crushed gravel, and subtle floral lift. The fruit feels vibrant and pure with beautifully integrated oak and savory mineral nuance.

Mouthfeel
Medium-to-full bodied with finely polished tannins and excellent balance between freshness and density. Silky entry, energetic mid-palate, and a long, clean, gently savory finish. Elegant rather than massive, delivering precision and drinkability without sacrificing depth.

Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, lamb chops, duck breast, mushroom-based dishes, herb-roasted poultry, aged hard cheeses, and classic French bistro fare. Equally rewarding with refined meals or elevated casual cooking.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is exactly the kind of Pessac that keeps you reaching for another glass, delicate yet layered, polished yet expressive, and dangerously easy to enjoy young. Immediate gratification today, with the structure and balance to reward cellaring down the road. A beautiful testament to classical Pessac elegance done right.

Did You Know?
Château Smith Haut Lafitte is known for its gravel-rich soils in Pessac-Léognan, which drive freshness, mineral tension, and aromatic lift in both red and white wines, helping maintain balance even in warmer vintages. — 5 months ago

muoi Mulry

8.9

Fresh crisp taste with a hint of tobacco. Light but best after 1/2 hour of airing. Bit pricey as other pinots from the area is just as good half the cost. — 5 years ago

Jan de Weerd

9.2

Nice, fresh and vibrant Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. Gooseberry (reminded me of growing up on the farm at home) and hints of subdued grapefruit. Beautiful light gold color, crystal clear. Not from Marlborough on the northern end of the South Island but Martinborough on the North Island. Very interesting region that grows all their grapes on a strip of 3-4 miles long and 1-2 miles wide raised tectonic plate of alluvial gravel. Pinot noir is king in this region, but this Sauvignon blanc was also very nice. — 5 years ago

with Tammy

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.2

White Rhône blend. Unfiltered turbidity. After 1 hour aeration, aromas of wet rocks. Grown in cobblestones. Farmed organic. 12.9 alc. Well done. Decant and drink now if you have some. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Classic RRV Chard served for Thanksgiving 2019. Nose of herbs and butter. Entry of honeysuckle, mango, wildflowers. Middle gains a limestone grit. Finishes with brighter acidity than I would have expected given that the entry of this wine is quite a bit more rounded than I expected it to be. Hint of walnut. Very balanced. These wines are built for an extremely long haul, 1 to 2 decades. Drink or hold. — 7 years ago

Corinne Walters

9.7

At Total Wine tasting 1/19 - sweet, but with a little acid just at the end. Very drinkable, pulls at my tongue, top wine of the tasting — 7 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.0

Fresh and bright. Well balanced with nice acid. Expressive on both nose and palate. — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

If you’ve been following me on CT or Delectable for while, you’ve probably read some of my tasting notes on the Pinot Noirs from McHenry Vineyard. Few are aware that this special vineyard, way up on Bonny Doon Road, even exists. Fewer probably know that the McHenry family have been quietly producing wine from this vineyard for over 40 years. It has never been easy. Not only are the vines own-rooted, they have also had to deal with some devastating fires over the years. And yet, despite the challenges, the McHenry’s remain committed to growing Pinot Noir and making truly special wine.

As I have mentioned in the past the winery was destroyed by the CZU Lightening Complex Fire in August of 2020. The vines survived but no wine from the vineyard was made that year (obviously). While the winery gets rebuilt, the fruit from the McHenry Vineyard has been made with care by their neighbor, Ryan Beauregard. The McHenry’s are still making a lot of the decisions but they are working around the Beauregard’s schedule. 2021 represents the first year of this collaboration and the results are nothing short of incredible.

Popped and poured; consumed over the course of a week with the help of a “Repour” stopper. A little austere on Day 1 but it was obvious the quality was super high and unmistakably McHenry. As hilarious as this may read, this was best on Day 7. The 2021 Swan Clone pours very pretty ruby with medium viscosity and no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with beguiling aromas of the tiniest forest strawberries, dark cherries, anise, some tomato leaf, some beets, a touch of clove, a mix of red and purple flowers, limestone minerals and some beautiful, soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish lasts forever and it’s got a lovely savory thing going on. This is a wow wine with a long, bright future ahead. You can drink now with patience but this will drink best after 2026 and probably be stunning through 2040. How will I keep my hands off my remaining bottles? Only 100 cases were produced.
— 2 years ago

Neal Ferry

9.2

I brought it I won with it… you always win when you bring the goods… landslide # 1 — 5 years ago

Te

8.9

Both you and Liz liked this one quite a bit. Rich, acidic. Really very good. Everything you like about Riesling. — 6 years ago

John pappel

9.6

Decanted for 1/2 an hour. A beautiful rich yet smooth syrah. Great fruit still apparent. Enjoying with grilled lamb — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

And just like that, my Gargiulo inventory has been reduced about 33%. This wine is in a good spot, although not quite as black fruit dominant as the one I opened up about 18 months ago but more reminiscent of the one I opened up 3 months ago. This is the end of the road for my 2010 Gargiulo MRR Cabs. This one was 1/2 sweet black cherry cough drop, 1/2 blackberry. Herbal, dried wildflowers, rose petals, dried nuts, and finished with softened yet still present oak tannin. Out with a bang! — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Cedar And Blackcurrant aromas with fresh Herbs. A classic 10 year old Margaret River Cabernet. Blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon; 3% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. A perfect match with Porterhouse Waygu grade 5-6. Medium weight and still with a future but I would be drinking my remaining 5 bottles by 2025. One of the Top Cabs in the Margaret River in the dress circle Wilyabrup sub district over the road from Moss Wood. Sandy fine Tannins. A touch of menthol/eucalypt after a few hours in the Decanter. — 8 years ago