Jim Lyons

9.7

For what it’s trying to do, and at the price, it’s really fucking good.

Dry with some nice suddle peachy sweetness on the front. — 6 months ago

Paul Benson

9.3

Very smooth flavorful Pinot noir. Good vanilla notes. Great inexpensive table wine. — 4 years ago

Daniel Sullivan

9.2

Lovely with the prime rib:)
Has a good 10 years of life yet? — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark tawny and opaque, darker than the 82 Gruaud Larose next to it. Similar complex nose with notes of black cherry and tobacco, old cedar cabinet, black earth and some dark fruit. Powerful in the mouth, and with 5+ hours of air, this was singing. In a good drinking window, but this easily has 10+ years of life ahead of it. Paired with the 82 GL, it was interesting to find how much these wines resemble each other. — 6 years ago

Will Stanley

9.5

Arghh, wow. Staggeringly youthful. Hits you with a bright, orange zesty palate with fresh acidity and dusty tannin. Very smokey on the nose, with a hint of lavender by the second day. There’s a lot of dried red fruit. Long finish that - surely the sign of any great wine - seems to lengthen with every sip.

Rich, lively and no doubt at the early stage of a long life ahead. Completely different to the 2002 I tasted last, more so than merely the four years between them - if anything, this is somewhat less elegant and more robust. All in good time... — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with short brick rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, blueberries, plums, light vanilla, forest floor, tobacco, earth, light oak, dark chocolates, black pepper, spices, wet leaves and graphite.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, sweet cherries, plums, over ripen strawberries, raspberries, earth, light vanilla, wood, leaves, river rocks and spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a great CDP from a good vintage, that is drinking very nicely now. Very tasty and easy to drink. Well balanced with a nice mouthfeel and nice complexity.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly. Tangy, tasty and interesting.

At the beginning of its drinking life, and will age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years. If you can find the 2015 vintage, grab it.

I paired it with cheeses, meats, olives and light appetizers.

A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Cinsault and 10% Syrah.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70. — 7 years ago

Bob Dylan

9.7

Dry floral funky so good — 8 years ago

Pooneet K

9.2

Don’t drink a ton of Napa cab but it’s nice to have a nice one made in a somewhat more restrained style. 13.5%. Definitely young, the air helps - would wait several years or give a big decant. But even without a ton of that still very good with deep berry fruit, oaky dusty tannins that are relatively balanced. Great acid on the long finish. Excellent pairing with steaks and lamb chops at Sammy’s Ye Olde Cider Mill. — 7 months ago

Brandon Boesch

10

I think this is now my favorite cider ever. So f-Ing good. Every time I drink this, it seems to be better than the last. Maybe this is my Pliny the elder of cider! — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

9.1

Consistent excellence. Pure gold in the glass with a creamy mousse and a ton of tiny, fine bubbles. On the intoxicating nose you’ll find some smoke, apple cider, and orange peel. Tasty honey and apricots make their presence known here. Just hints of the yeast and toasted nuts for now but will be more present as time goes on. Oak, dark fruit, and some really lively violets top this off.

So much richer and more voluptuous than most similar offerings, Bollinger always stands out from the pack. Quite the vivacious champagne, this is full of life and full of power. Muscular in nature but still has more than enough finesse with a velvety mouthfeel. The complexity and depth is definitely a step above, due to the amount of reserve wines used in the blend.

The palate pleases with chalk, apple pie, and lemon rind. More orange and the thought of warm biscuits to go with baking spices and pears. Long finish featuring spice and cream. How many other entry level bottles from the other big champagne houses can compare? Excellent champagne, a beautiful journey. — 6 years ago

Ming L

9.0

Can’t go wrong with a dependable winery in a great vintage. Delicious black fruits commingled with cedar, mocha, herbal spices, and touch of smoke. Delft use of oak. Round acidity. Good balance. Ultra smooth tannins.
Long life ahead. — 7 years ago

Rob Russell

9.0

Just had this in Bordeaux a few weeks ago. Like most wines of this vintage it took a bit of imagination to fully appreciate. It is clearly time to drink this wine, it may be on the downhill side of life. Overall a good experience for what was not noted as a premium vintage, but is a very solid wine. — 7 years ago

Mike R

9.7

Just about as beautiful as wife and her friend - what a brilliant wine - pop this wine when life is good and reward yourself - bravo Bill — 8 years ago

Greg Koslosky

9.2

A little more advanced then the last time I tasted it . Very good but close to the third phase of life now. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.

The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.

A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.

The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.

The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.

Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — a year ago

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.2

2014 vintage. Good combo of fruity and savory. Red currant, black cherry, sage, white pepper, tree bark, sandalwood. Lots of life left. — 5 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.8

Absolutely outstanding performance by the 2011 Opus One. Dense and concentrated with a mesmerising complexity, a fresh and vibrant core that keeps the wine very much alive with a penetrating sensation through an everlasting finish. The nose shows an multidimensional complexity, ranging from cassis, blackberries, lavender, through cedar, pencil shavings, coffee, cocoa powder before finishing with a gravelly sensation. The palate is marked by its high, yet powdery tannins with a good acidity with an athletic stamina that holds the complex profile a length that lasts for minutes. Drinks well right now but with plenty of life ahead. — 6 years ago

David Shaw

9.2

I drink so much local cider in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s good to benchmark occasionally versus the Old World standards. More head on the initial pour than cider in the glass; the head looks more like a malt syrup ale than a clean cider. After dampening down, the cider shows moderate carbonation with steady flow of pinpoint bubbles through ultra clear golden brown. Funk and maybe butter, but a dense apple profile on the nose. Frothy but lightly flavored in the mouth, rich, tending semi dry with a frothy finish. Buttery, malic and slightly perfumed aftertaste. Mild pulp astringency and flavor emerges with repeated tasting. Product is 5.5% alc/vol, unfiltered, unpasteurized. Subtly textured mouthfeel overall and lightly flavored, nuanced and totally delightful, unexpected excellence as it tastes so good in characteristics I did not anticipate it would display. It’s just not crafted as most New World ciders are, in all the best ways. Calling it rustic misses most of the positives, at least of this vintage; there’s much more complexity going on here. Great value and a delightful companion on a chilly early fall evening. — 7 years ago

Mike Evans

9.5

A little nutty, a hint of butterscotch, a touch of lemon, still vibrant and fresh, surprisingly crisp but with good richness. It has years of life left, but is a treat now. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Is there any meal better than steak (Ribeye) and well aged Claret? This is another 1991 Bordeaux experiment of mine. 1991 was a vintage with horrible frosts and a less than favorable growing season, right? A vintage critically panned. This is my 3rd recent 91 from a good producer. And again, it didn’t disappoint. Like 97 and 07, it’s better with the right bottle age than young. Magic evolution happened in the bottle way down the road. This 91 is in great form with a fair amount of life ahead of it. On the nose; a little ripe fruit funk, wonderful dark & lighter red cassis, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plums, hues of blueberries, black raspberries, dry cranberries, vanilla, light cinnamon, rich, black turned earth, cedar, soft leather, dry stones, dry top soil, notes of dry herbs and fresh & dry red flowers. The body/palate is medium, round, ripe & still fresh. The tannins nearly completely resolved. Ripe, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plums, hues of blueberries, black raspberries, dry cranberries & half cooked rhubarb. Vanilla, light cinnamon, touch of clove & nutmeg, rich, black turned earth, cedar, soft leather, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, notes of dry herbs, a little band-aid and fresh & dry red flowers. The acidity drips over the palate and the long, well balanced, still structured, nice tension, good length finish lasts over a minute. Again, love & appreciate the 12.5% alcohol. What a beauty with and without the steak. Next time you’re in your fine wine retail shop and see a quality producers 91 that’s been well stored, buy it and have it with a Ribeye. Photos of; their exotic Estate, Chateau interior, newer barrel room and their vines as viewed from the front of the Chateau that are across the road. Producer notes and history...Cos d’Estournel has a long distinguished history in the St. Estephe. Louis Gaspard d’Estournel, gave his name to the estate after founding in 1811. It did not take long before Cos d’Estournel became famous with wine lovers and royalty all over the world. In those early days, Cos d’Estournel did not sell through Negociants. The owner preferred selling his wine directly to his customers. In fact, Cos d’Estournel was exported to numerous countries across the globe, with a large portion of the production being sold to India. It was that connection to India that inspired much of the unique, east Indian design we see at Cos d’Estournel today. Cos d’Estournel was one of the first Bordeaux Chateaux’s to bottle, label and sell their own wine. This practice continued until the death of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel in 1852. If you’re at the property, the statue on the bench in the front courtyard is of the founder, Louis Gaspard d’Estournel. The Estate was then purchased by an owner that sold their wines on the Place de Bordeaux using the negociant system. If the Chateau was not selling their wines through the negociant system, it would never have been included in the 1855 Classification. Imagine that! So, it turned out to be a fortuitous decision. Cos d’Estournel was sold to the Charmolue family owners of the neighboring Estate of Chateau Montrose. They continued to own the estate until 1917, when it was bought by Fernand Ginestet. This purchase was the beginning of the next major step in the development of Cos d’Estournel. Decades later, the grandchildren of Fernand Ginestet, Jean-Marie Prats, Yves Prats and Bruno Prats took over ownership and management of Cos d’Estournel. In 1995, Bruno Prats sold the property to the Merlaut family, owners of the Taillan Group. The next era in the development of Cos d’Estournel took place in 2000, when Cos d’Estournel was bought by the industrious and wealthy Michel Reybier, who earned his fortune in the food industry. Michel Reybier hired the son of Bruno Prats, Jean-Guillaume Prats to manage Cos d’Estournel. Things further improved with the efforts of Jean-Guillaume Prats who helped design the most modern wine making at that time. A complete renovation of Cos d’Estournel took place in not only the wine making facilities and cellars, but in parts of the Chateau as well. While the wine making facilities are completely modern with their 100% gravity design, the outward appearance retained the original design and feeling that has always been a part of Cos d’Estournel. On October 15, 2012, Jean Guillaume Prats announced he was leaving Cos d’Estournel to join LVMH (Pichon Baron). Jean Guillaume Prats was replaced by Aymeric de Gironde. Following the departure of Aymeric de Gironde in 2017, the owner, Michel Reybier took over managing the Estate. What makes the remodel special is that the cellars of Cos d’Estournel are entirely operated by gravity. There are no pumps of any kind to force the wine. The purpose is to allow a gentleness to the wine and improve its purity and allow for the expression of their terroir. It set a new benchmark for cellars not only in the Left Bank, but in all of Bordeaux. Perhaps, the most inventive part of the cellars is the four 100 hectoliter lift tanks or wine elevators that replace the pumps used in the traditional pumping over and the racking off processes, which introduce air and often destabilize the marc. From the moment the grapes arrive, everything travels by the flow of gravity. Jean Guillaume Prats called this process a “pumpless pump over.” The 91 hectare vineyard of Cos d’Estournel is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is located extremely close to the border between Pauillac and Saint Estephe at the southern tip of the Saint Estephe. The Estate has very old Merlot vines as well, which date back more than 100 years. Part of the terroir is situated on the hill of Cos, which is at a high elevation for the Medoc at 20 meters. They also make a second wine called Pagodes de Cos. This is a great wine to buy in very good vintages. Especially, if your budget prohibits you from purchasing their first wine. — 9 years ago