Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Washington State Syrah from the Wahluke Slope AVA. Dark ruby color with a few black highlights. Aromas of cooked blue and black fruit, wet soil, purple flowers and smoked meat. Flavors of blackberry/blueberry jam, black olives, dark chocolate, dried herbs and roasted nuts. A bit of black pepper spice on the long and deeply concentrated mineral laden finish. Medium-plus body with slightly chewy fine grained tannins. Well balanced acidity and a slightly creamy texture. Quite good. Memorial Day 2026. — a month ago

Stephen Fitzpatrick

9.1

2023 Vintage. A very pleasant and easy drinking Napa Cab up front. Decent aroma on the nose, vibrant notes of cherry and blackberry, delicately structured tannins, with a very smooth finish. Not chewy or viscous, but still a bold Cab flavor that resonates with the right amount of spice. Would gladly enjoy again. — 2 months ago

Hamilton Schwartz

9.0

Passover 26 — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.6

Drinking this pre-release bottle of this iconic wine from Bordeaux.

Light gold in color.

Strong nose and Full-bodied.

Sweet on the palate with high acidity to balance the sugars.

Showing melons, tropical fruits, apples, light earth, guava, herbs, spices, papaya and honey notes.

Long finish with herbs and tropical fruits.

This is a gorgeous sweet wine from Bordeaux. Sexy, seductive and fresh. Creamy and buttery.

Showing great potential, but oh so young. Already delicious and complex. Round, opulent and powerful.

Loved the nose once it opened up (20 minutes in the glass).

Rich and extracted. Fruit forward and intense, yet elegant. Well balanced with a soft mouthfeel.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food. Drunk from a Magnum.

A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months.
154 g/l sugar.

14% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

$500. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a dull purple/garnet color with a translucent core and significant rim variation, moving towards a rust color. The wine has medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, dried red and purple flowers, old leather bound books, tobacco, a touch of menthol, some earth, old wood and a sprinkle of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Super high quality but a touch thin.

Initial conclusions: Due to the observable characteristics of color, rim variation, sediment, smell and flavor, I think this wine has significant age; 30+ years. However, this is still very alive and showing more than enough markers to give an indication of place. Subsequently, this could be a Cabernet-based blend or a Tempranillo-based blend from the United States, France, or Spain. For me, I’m getting new French oak vibes instead of American so I’m eliminating Spain. I also think this leans more towards its fruit than its structure and since this comes across a little on the thin side, I’m going to say this comes from a tougher vintage. My final conclusion is this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the USA, Napa, 1981. Wow! This showed really well.

It never ceases to amaze me how analogous the 1981 vintage was in both Napa and Bordeaux. I find it equally amazing how well that vintage has held up; particularly when considering its poor reputation, mostly based on the prevailing thought at the time. From my perspective, well stored examples are not going to fall off of a cliff but I would drink now through 2031. — 5 months 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

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2022 vintage. From Coravin. The same vintage Overture shows better currently and likely for quite some time. 2022 a fairly pilloried Napa vintage. Feel this could be similar to the 2011's that are finally showing to the best of their abilities now. Give this a decade and a half but don't expect it to eventually show top-notch like the 1987, 1994, 1997, 2001 or 2012. 6.24.26. — 6 days ago

Steve Rura

9.2

Rosé in the best way! Dry and crisp with a bitter citrus peel finish. Pink grapefruit. Saline minerals. Great wine to wind down poolside with a cool breeze. — 3 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

3rd wine . Medium ruby garnet slightly brighter in colour . Lighter garnet ruby rim . Slightly deeper more meaty, herbal in character , more red fruits with cassis , cool blackberry. On the palate this is denser and more saline , quite good dark cassis and tobacco notes, with some red plum too . Lightly grippy tannins , slightly clipped finish , cool saline freshness . A little below the others in length and intensity . From now but will last over the next 10 years or so . Thought this was the Latour , oh dear . — 3 months ago

Mary H

9.3

The definition of aging gracefully; astoundingly lifted and perfectly clean flavor. The weight is extraordinarily light for rioja, solid but not rough, with delicate dried fruit, raisin, spice, leather. No harshness or bitterness, not overtly acidic but enough that just disappears into the background. Medium-long finish. Decanted rapidly for ~30 minutes allowed some of the cellar funk to blow off. — 5 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2014 vintage. Excellent cork and fill. Decanted with minimal sed and tasted after 1.5 hours. One of the few outlier exceptions (Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pichon-Lalande, et al) that proves the general, big and bold, Pauillac rule. Delicate impressions from start to finish with impeccable balance. Medium body. Plenty of flavors and sensations without big, overt commitments to any of them. Playing the field and we are all the better for it. Drinking beautifully now without any perceived or obvious Scylla/Charybdis pitfalls in the next decade. 01.16.26. — 5 months ago

Joan Ziegler

9.2

Very smooth welcome addition to our 2025 Christmas party! What a wonderful gift that all enjoyed. Very smooth. Excellent wine.! thank you Paul. — 6 months ago

Ericsson

9.7

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a two days. Better on Day 2. On the pop and pour, this bottle was backward and really seemed resistant to show much. I didn’t detect any real flaws or faults…just sort of, “meh”. On Day 2, it had opened considerably. The 2017 pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe blackberries, currants, mixed flowers, black tea, ferrous earth and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now with patience and through 2042. — 12 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

I’ll just commence this tasting note to see if it is accepted. Dense Ruby in colour. Blackcurrant and tobacco notes - ripe blue and black fruits - luscious texture. Anytime I’ve had a Napa (or Washington State) Cabernet I have always been impressed - probably better than most good Aussie Cabernets (and more expensive). Has a good future but irresistible right now. Have the last bottle in a year or two. Interestingly reverse osmosis was used to reduce the alcohol. Now at 13.9%. — 2 months ago

Christian Fischer

9.3

Nice wine - Bordeaux of Napa. Not sure I get the hype or high(er) scores, not exactly a cheap wine though. Mellow tannins and red fruit forward. Quite pleasant — 3 months ago

Alden Ridley

8.9

Really good Bordeaux blend. When we heard it was aged in concrete we knew we had to try it since we talked about that method in class this week. Bonus points for being natural! Fruity and smooth and some good age on it — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Léoville Barton 2023 – Saint-Julien, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A classic Saint-Julien expression showing clarity, harmony, and structural polish, driven by a 77% Cabernet Sauvignon–led blend with 20% Merlot Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc as a support. The wine balances ripe fruit concentration with restraint, delivering precision, finesse, and a seamless flow from attack through finish.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, red plum, cassis, graphite, cedar, subtle baking spice, crushed stone, light tobacco and gentle floral lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with finely woven tannins, excellent balance, fresh integrated acidity, supple texture, and a long, graceful finish that feels effortless rather than forceful.

Food Pairings
Herb-crusted lamb, roasted duck breast, grilled filet mignon, mushroom risotto, aged Comté or Gruyère.

Verdict
An elegant, dependable Saint-Julien that delivers purity, structure, and drinking pleasure without excess. Refined, polished, and quietly authoritative, a wine that rewards both immediate enjoyment and patient cellaring.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the kind of wine that wins through composure and precision rather than horsepower. Easy to enjoy today, yet layered enough to keep you leaning back into the glass. Subtle sophistication done right. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented to me, double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears, and some signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of ripe and desiccated, mostly dark fruits: cassis, black cherry, plum, mixed brambles, old leather, pipe tobacco, pencil shavings, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (that is mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend, Tempranillo (or based blend) or Grenache-based blend from France, Spain or the United States. I feel like this leans more towards its fruit than its structure, even though it is a fairly well balanced wine in both regards. As a result, I am calling this a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain from a producer like Dunn, 2006. Shiiiiiit. To be honest, I’m not terribly surprised since this is Cos and from a warm vintage no less. Drinking well now and should through 2050+. — 6 months ago

April Meadows

9.2

Has a nice bite to it that’s very pleasant in the cold. — 7 months ago