Jay Kline

9.3

I sort of forgot that today marked the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris and this was the best I could do to celebrate in the moment; a wine from a participating producer but in the red category, instead of white. From magnum, the 2010 “Elivette” pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and significant sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, Fresno chili, dried purple flowers, purple SweeTarts, tobacco, some dried herbs and fine spices with minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ viscosity and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes form the nose. The finish is long with ferrous minerals. Tasty stuff. Drink now with some patience and through 2040. Bottle No. 095/900 magnums. — 3 hours ago

Mark S.

9.0

Always good ample aroma including black currant, berry and cherry. Leather. Slightly solid. Better to wait for years. Rafon Rochet 17 @3080, Galeri, 260518 — 6 days ago

Bruce Leboff

9.4

Excellent. — 3 days ago

with David

Jay Kline

9.3

From a 1ha parcel of vines nearing 100 years old. If memory serves me correctly, Catherine and Pierre had introduced biodynamic practices the previous year (1994).

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 1995 Les Perrières pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of brambles, Poblano pepper, purple flowers, graphite, leather, a touch of horse blanket, some fine warm spices and gravelly minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, grippy and mineral laden. Delicious. I love where this wine is at today. Drink now but well stored examples will likely live well past 2035. — a month ago

Jan A

9.7

At first I scored this 99 points, flirting with perfection just like the 1999 Dunn Howell Mountain we had in our glass moments before. However after 15-20 minutes in the glass it began to fade and aged characteristics like tea leaves and Maggi began to emerge and the color went much more brown. Still a very good wine. — 17 hours ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Inspire Napa welcome dinner
at Gamble Estates

VINTNER co-hosts
Dalla Valle ...2012 Maya
Harlan...2019 Harlan estate
Futo...2022 estate cab
Opus...2018 Opus
Screaming Eagle...2023 The Flight
Tench Vineyards...2023 estate cab franc
Vine Hill Ranch...2023 cab
Gamble estates...2022 reserve cab

FOOD
Hog Island oysters
Spring salad
Flannery beef striploin
Mustards Grill Alaskin Halibut
Sugar snap peas
Yukon potato hash browns
Mt Shasta porcini mushrooms
Burnt Basque cheesecake — a month ago

with Brenda

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1988 vintage. Feminine-styled. Ran into some resistance back in the day with the (re-) emergence of this Château and the massive 85/86 and 89/90 efforts. Eff all that. The 1989 AND 1990 vintages probs the best this Château has ever realized. The 1988 slid in then and performed delicate magick. That cocoa powder and blueberry combo still coming forth with undeniable impressions. Whereas those four “bigger” vintages rocked harder, all four have had more noticeable drop off. This 1988 just doing its best La Mission Haut-Brion/Haut-Brion impression and pulling it off. No rush to crush. 5.13.26. — 9 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

2020 vintage. Espresso crema galore. Front and middle 2/3rd's nice...back end/finish/last third just meh. Medium heavy body. 4.29.26. — 25 days ago

Damian

9.2

Medium dark ruby color, medium high acidity, tannins are there but pleasant after 3 hours in open bottle. Nose of dark fruit, dark chocolate, espresso. Taste of dark fruit, oaky flavors. — 22 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2023 vintage. $120+ a bottle resto cost. I mean it’s nice but for that pricing and what I’d hafta charge for it? Hard pass. The new Antinori stuff (don’t ask about the whites) not working for me. Praying that their purchased property-Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars-has current offerings showing better for the pricing. Not holding my breath tho. 4.29.26. — 25 days ago