John Malcolm

9.3

Rated this before (at 9.0 several years ago) and said it would likely improve with age, and it has! — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

A 1/4 century in bottle…mmmm. I have had every 90’s vintage of Phelps Napa, except a 90 I think. Many of those multiple times at 15 yrs plus. This 99 is as good as any of the ones I’ve had. 98, not a great vintage but the 98 consistent with the rest and 99 better than many would expect.

Siting it, it has a dark core with little or no brickish edges. The fruit still very lively.

The nose shows; slightly candied to ripe & some slightly plummy fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, pomegranate & raspberries. Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry tobacco, used leather, dry stems, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, graphite, cocoa powder, dark cola, steeped berry tea, moist clay, dark & red bright florals framed I liquid violets with a touch of lavender.

This is still around its peak. M-M+ velvety, round tannins. It’s round w/ elegance defined. Nothing that bits back. Palate confirms the nose. Slightly candied to ripe fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, pomegranate & raspberries. Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry tobacco, used leather, dry stems, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, limestone, dark Asian spices with some palate heat, dry herbs w/ a sage lead, graphite, used charcoal ash, cocoa powder, caramel, dark cola, steeped berry tea, moist clay, dark & red bright florals framed in liquid violets with a touch of lavender, very round, beautiful acidity, well; made, knitted, structured, tensioned w/ excellent length and elegance-balanced finish that lasts minutes & lands on moist clays and ripe, evolved fruit.

Perfect w/ the Prime Ribcap. — 5 months ago

Vanessa

9.5

Château Latour is an iconic estate in the Pauillac commune on the left bank of Bordeaux, achieving coveted ‘First Growth’ status in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.

The estate has roots dating back to the 14th century and derives its name ‘La Tour’ from a fortress tower built during the Hundred Years’ War, which no longer exists but is prominently featured on the label in recognition of its history.

We weren’t sure what to expect, as many have predicted these 1983s are likely past their prime, but this wine was a masterpiece. 🤩

It was medium garnet in color with expressive notes of cedar box, cigar, clove, peat, leather, forest floor, fig, prune, dried black cherry, plum, cassis, blackberry compote, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, dried violet, potpourri, kalamata olive, pencil shavings, graphite, & bacon fat.

It had the most velvety, fine-grained tannins that washed across the palate with ease, with a gentle but notable acidity that maintained lift and balance. It was concentrated, complex, and had a long, elegant finish. — a year ago

with Deked1

Enrico Pallazzo

8.9

Way past it’s prime, edging towards undrinkable. Drank on 4/18/22 — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark reddish tawny. Herbal nose. Heavy tobacco leaf, black cherries, cedar, smoke, plums, and cut Cuban cigar. Angular in the mouth. Needed five hours to find its groove. Big and powerful wine, paired perfectly with smoked prime rib. — 6 years ago

Philip Dobrin

9.1

A little muddled. Great nose but exhibits neither the complexity of a mature wine nor the structure of one its prime. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with a beautiful nose.

Showing black plums, black currants, cedar, dried figs, licorice, dark chocolates, earth, rhubarb, tobacco leaf, light black tea and black pepper.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 32 year old Pauillac is still drinking beautifully, but a bit past its prime. Rich and elegant. Very complex and spicy.

This Second Growth Bordeaux needed 5 hours to open up properly, and was not that special right out of the bottle.

Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel, and still showing enough fruits to balance the earth notes.

Robert Parker 91 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and with food.

A blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200. — 2 months ago

Gage Orion

9.3

Perfect pairing with a Prime ribeye 🤤 blackberry, some toasted coconut, and oak notes. Bold and tannic. Lasting finish. This is great stuff and a fantastic vintage. Happy Valentine’s Day, wineos!! — 9 months ago

Jack Krawczyk

9.2

past prime. fresh soil with some mushroom - still enjoyable — a year ago

Jon Ruddell

9.7

Prime steak place in Marco. Had this and Prisoner. Solid — 4 years ago

Severn G

8.9

2003 | Birthday weekend for my lovely wife.

Green on the nose, is there substantial Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot for the last 25%? Cedar-y cherry notes to the palate, but short finish. Will more air rescue this bottle...?🤞 Double decanted with notes at 5H. (Drink 2005-2007?)

Paired to USDA Prime Strip Steaks (baseball-cut), Allen Bros. Chicago. — 4 years ago

Paul J

9.5

Very nice! 1hr+ decant. Dark red color. Prime drinking time. Nose has dark cherries, coconut, and cedar. Wine is deep and extremely smooth. Medium finish. Classic Napa Cab! — 5 years ago

with Brooke

Paul J

9.4

Happy Christmas Eve!! Slightly past prime but still very good! Went nicely with chicken stuff with mac & cheese. Classic Bordeaux nose followed by dark cherries and pencil shavings on the palate. Medium finish. Wine lacks some depth. — 7 years ago

with Brooke

GaryWEdwards

9.6

This is lovely wine and 10 years later, it’s still not quite ready for prime time. It’s a long runner so no real hurry. The cassis and cocoa will integrate with the dark berry eventually but I’m gonna let this rest another 5-10 years to enjoy as this vintage and this wine deserves. It’s very good now. Don’t get me wrong and it’s perfectly approachable but greater potential lies Ashe’s — 4 months ago

Bobbi Jo Broxson

9.2

Great Brunello to pair with excellent lamb at our favorite restaurant Oqquirh with family — 7 months ago

with Tammy, Emmett and 1 other

Dave Auerbach

9.6

Bright red fruits on the nose, and it follows on the palate. There’s a seriously structured core under there, with hints of vanilla and spice. 2011 vintage is at it’s prime now, and could be ideal for another 2-3 years. Just an outstandingly made wine. — 9 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Medium ruby , hint of garnet , slight narrower rim , more garnet hue . Quite mineral , herbal tinged blackcurrant, seaside scents . Slightly aloof and austere, though this improves with time in the decanter . However on the palate this opens up with classic cedar tinged dark fruits , blackcurrant, grafite , sea shell and saline tinged. Complex , complete , classic , grafite and mineral tinged with pretty long length finish . Still slightly grippy tannins but these are well integrated and quite polished , fresh balanced acidity. This shows very well and is just coming into its prime drinking window, this also held up very well in decanter for the 4 hours we had it open , always retaining great freshness and verve. From now and over the next 10 to 15 years perhaps . — 2 years ago

Peter M. Heidt

9.1

New York Prime Boca. Keith, Kevin and Sal… — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1.5 hour decant(surprisingly just a little cloudy sediment). A prodigious medium dark garnet color with little signs of aging. On the nose: funky stewed meats, blackberry, smoke, plum, minty pepper, creme de cassis. Taste: KABOOM! Rich, silky, full body wine with blackberry, earth, cedar, wet gravel, menthol and a cassis pencil lead long finish with some ashy tannins. In its prime drinking window and this 13.8% alc wine should rock another 10 years. Cheers! — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Cory Bolton

9.6

I have an affinity to Mike Smith wines. Let this baby breathe for a couple hours and it opens up well. Prime for drinking now — bold, dense fruit flavor that you’d come to expect from a Napa cab powerhouse wine maker. Full body and long peppery finish. Still a winner in my book. — 7 years ago