Phil Kessling

9.1

Big fan of everything that Peter Lauer produces. This is 8% ABV and does have some residual sugar which is well balanced by the high acidity. Complex and delicious. — 6 months ago

Evan Buyze

9.0

Really nice and refreshing. Has some tannins but not overly dry or sweet. Would drink again! — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

1986 vintage. Sampled 5 bottles for a BDX dinner at Mister A's-San Diego. Double decanted and tasted through 5 hours. Rustic and chunky. Zero finesse but it's Montrose. Can hold steady at this quality for another 7-8 years easy. 3.14.24. — 2 years ago

Aaron Rankin

9.2

Very much ‘No Girls’ in that this tells exactly you what it is and how it’s feeling. Feed it simple comforts and it’ll love you forever. Interesting and earnest, if uncomplicated.

Very approachable young while showing the Cayuse funk kiss. This is going to enter my rotation of burger wines. — 4 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.3

Strawberry, black cherry jolly rancher, nutmeg, and earth aromas. Strawberry and cherry palate with great acidity and juicy palate. — 4 years ago

Mark Farrell

9.4

Medium ruby with a nose of black cherries, anise, wet gravel, mocha, pipe tobacco, and toffee. Full-bodied with smooth velvety tannins. I think this wine is in its prime. I love the bold, full mouthfeel on this wine. Nice, smooth finish. Birthday wine! — 5 years ago

Matt Nason

9.5

Beautiful herbs and red fruit, little bit of funk, classic. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

David Miska

9.1

Really like this. — 6 months ago

Keith Pajonas

9.1

needed a few more years but has great structure — 10 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium deep ruby , quite thin garnet rim . Quite a lot of cassis, herbal grafite notes , touch of blackberry , scorched earth , a bit for floral after a while in the glass. On the palate this shows more sweet dark fruit, touch of spicy oak, blackcurrant , dark cherry and cacau . Balanced acidity and sweet slightly grippy tannins , just balanced alcohol . Spicy sweet blackcurrant, grafite tinged finish , decent length. This is still young and quite fruit driven but is enjoyable now with food . Better in 5 years or so and will last well a further 8-10. — a year ago

John pappel

8.9

Picked up 8 cases. At 5.85 CAD a great bargain for a nice rose. A lovely Grenache for the Summer, but full flavoured enough to enjoy year round. A great second bottle after a nice Chardonnay with Thanksgiving turkey. — 5 years ago

John ODonnell

8.9

My tears from this morning requested the compelling allure of wienehe. ...... popapoes. — 5 years ago

Matt Bailey

9.3

Damn good!First sip was a little crisp (maybe still a little young) but for a hott summer evening really hit the spot. Definitely worth buying another and maybe another after that! — 6 years ago

Meg O’Keefe-Plummer

9.0

Amazing balanced blend. Fruity but not over powering. — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2022 vintage. May eventually clamber up to a 9.3 rating but currently coming across as slightly lacking in terms of punch and verve as compared to the last handful of vintages. Let’s give it 8-10 years. 06.18.25. — a year ago

John Willison

9.3

Wine version of Starbucks Honey Citrus Mint tea…bright lime and citrus, herbal mint, and a sweet acidic finish. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

My last Little Wine #8 - see previous notes, from only 17 weeks ago - these will be brief. A blend of 5 vintages of 2015 to 2019 inclusive. Very much the product of ancient vines which it is. Black fruits with plums and dark chocolate with those trademark silky tannins and low acid. One could not help but love this. I see Suckling gave this 97 points. I just took delivery of this year’s allocation which is mainly from the fabulous 2021 vintage in South Australia. — 3 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color, almost inky, with a short purple rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, cooked plums, sweet cherries, cedar, light vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, coffee, light cocoa powder and peppercorn.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, earth, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn and tobacco.

Tangy finish with round tannins and raspberries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Tangy and interesting.

Spicy, rich and extracted, yet elegant. Nicely balanced with a nice mouth feel.

I had the 2018 not too long ago, and it is very consistent.

Very young, but already drinking nicely, after a couple of hours of airtime. A good quality wine that will age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

A good sipping wine that doesn't necessarily need food, but will be great with a big piece of steak as well.

A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Aged in mostly French oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$85. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Just tried another ‘18. Cakebread wine offerings are among my Favs, Chard is no exception, consistent quality year/year. 95% of grapes sourced from Carneros, ‘18 saw 8 months on 1/3 new oak with about 20% of wine going through malolactic fermentation. Aromas of stone fruits, slight & honey scents. On palate complex flavors of apple, peach & lemon zest, balanced with good acidity & great mouthfeel. Long finish ending with fruit, wet stone and toasty character. Very nice, aging well. — 5 years ago