Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (45%) and Petite Verdot (9%). Dark garnet/ruby color with a noticeable brick colored rim. Aromas of black fruit and berries, leather, rose petals and tobacco. Flavors of ripe black plums, black currant, black cherry, graphite and iodine. Long, earthy and softly textured finish that features a nice amount of oak. Well integrated and very soft tannins. Medium to medium-plus body. Still fresh and concentrated on it’s twentieth birthday. So easy to drink. Thanks for sharing this impressive bottle, Kase and Pete. — 12 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2003 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of ripe and slightly desiccated black and red fruits: cassis, mixed brambles, dark cherry, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, leather, graphite, some earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. This is/was a rather unique vintage through Europe and yet, this is showing extremely well. Drink now with a brief decant and through 2038. — 21 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

Vintage 2018 | Tasted blind | Deep dark colour with a cardinalred rim, rich smell with wagon loads of cherries, still tannins and a promising attraction. Charmer. — 19 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Blend of 84% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby with rich fruit aromas, aged for 14 months in 15% new French oak. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants, with notes of licorice, tobacco, some floral and cedar spice. Fine tannins, long finish, ending with fruit, vanilla, oak and spice. Nice but needs more bottle age, should last another 10 years. Nice! — 15 days ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

When 78 Ducru is on it’s an amazing example of aged Bordeaux but they’re incredibly inconsistent. This was a stunning bottle but two were corked before it. A perfect pairing with black truffle tagliatelle. — 15 days ago

Tom Barras

9.1

Considered by some to be the Wine of the Vintage, the 2005 Léoville-Barton
Is a full bodied mouthful of black currants, minerals, spices, grippy tannins and enough energy to evolve for another decade. — 19 hours ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.6

Rich, intense and mineral. Still overly oaked but gave the perception that it can really get integrated fairly quick. — 20 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Blend of 60% Cab Sauv, 35% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral and spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry, currant and blueberry fruit with cigar box, cinnamon and floral notes. Lively acidity, elegant fine tannins, well balanced, long finish ending with slight earthy notes, plenty of depth, good now and will continue to develop. — 15 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.2

This has stared to show some secondary notes. Black fruits, with nice spice, floral & tobacco. Off their list — 10 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby , thin slightly pink ruby rim . Quite dark fruit with cassis , blackberry , grafite . On the palate quite ripe and juicy , but with good balance , slightly gritty but ripe tannins , good cassis tinged , grafite finish . Overall this shows well , with good density and juiciness , sweet but importantly with a very balanced , refreshing personality. Enjoyable now , fruit forward , but no doubt can age well over the next 10 years. Enjoyable and moreish . — 22 days ago