Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — a month ago

with Nellie

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment (lots of chunky/fine sediment) and pour. A stunning medium ruby red color with little signs of aging. On the nose: big inviting notes of dark fruit/currants, worn leather, herbaceous, smoked meat, funky earth, menthol. Taste: silky, evolved, expressive structure with brambly plum, currants, old leather, dark chocolate, graphite, and a black raspberry-iron-dried herb long finish. YUM! It's what's you want in an aged Napa cab, and glad to have just acquired 3 more bottles. — 3 months ago

with Brenda

Alexandre Czesnat

9.0

Red fruits, black plum, oak, tobacco, smoke, leather, excellent balance. A little too soft for my taste — 8 months ago

Shay A

9.2

I initially expected more based on vintage + producer, but also have to keep context in focus that this is Crozes-hermitage.

Followed over two days and very little changed.

I’m surprised at saying that after 48hrs for a C-H…I think this is in a weird phase/shut down. Powerful/heady aromatics (black fruits, olive, espresso). ABV pokes out a bit up front. Good mid-palate weight with peppered dark fruits, herbs and some iron before a curtain of tannin shuts this down hard. Undeniably Syrah at the finish with a rusticity I normally find in Cornas…dark florals, spice, graphite and some charcoal. A serious and structured C-H. — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1/2hour decant(decent fine/cloudy sediment). A striking still dark ruby red color with some bricking. On the nose: dark fruit, campfire, leather, black olives, floral. Taste: smooth, elegant, lush mouthcoating wine with blackberry/dark plum, dark chocolate, coffee, minerals, little tobacco, and a smokey graphite medium plus finish. YUM! In a nice place with a few more years to go. — 6 months ago

with Brenda

Roman Ochocki

9.1

Very good. Lots of black fruit aromas (a plum, blackberry & black currant), an oak & a vanilla, so I”m a little disappointed. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide brick rim.

Nice nose with red and black fruits, light oak, tobacco leaf, light mildew, cola and dark coffee.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, oak, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, vegetables, forest floor and black pepper.

Short finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 27 year old is still drinking very nicely, although definitely not at its peak anymore. Complex and engaging.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours of airtime.

I Had this same vintage a little while ago, and this bottle drinks much better. At this age, the condition of the specific bottle is very imperative.

Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years. Always nice to drink these kind of old wines.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$250. — a year ago

Shay A

9.4

Anytime an older Heitz Martha’s is open, it’s a treat. I’ve tried to acquire a few random bottles over the years and they have consistently impressed (‘78 and ‘01, specifically). My first early ‘90s vintage.

Quick double decant to simply get the wine off sediment as it wouldn’t be consumed from a decanter at the location I would be at.

In my experience, the distinct and typical eucalyptus notes jump right at pop, but this bottle was a little subdued early on. After an hour with the cork out, the eucalyptus, herbs, cedar and red fruit made their entrance. Compared to the ‘91 Hartwell I opened a few months ago, this was more elegant and less dense on the mid-palate. If not for the eucalyptus, I could see this being called left bank Bordeaux with 30yrs on it. Gained some darker red/underripe black fruit notes the longer it was open. Beautiful length at the finish. Bright acidity and tannin. Not getting better, but a wonderful drinking window to enjoy now. — a month ago

Mike Evans

9.2

A good but not great LLC, classic black current and hints of leather and cedar, but a little rustic, though drinking it next to a lovely 1990 Troplong-Mondot didn’t do it any favors. — 5 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium pale ruby , wide garnet rim . This shows some development with porcini , sandalwood , bitumen , black tea and some sweet blackberry and red cherry . On the palate a bit more of the blackberry , cherry and sous bois , with herbal hints , quite rounded and juicy but with balanced acidity and still gritty tannin. Slightly warming alcohol , so would drink this a little on the cooler side . There is a liquorice and tar like tinge on the good length finish . This is drinking well now, though needs a bit of time in the glass, and will continue to show well over the next 5-10 years or so , perhaps longer . If not the most complex or structured Cascina Francia this makes up for it with its attractive , heart on sleeve personality, and is a great choice to open at the moment . This was still going the day after , bit more dark fruit on the nose and saline , mineral on the palate, still grippy tannins . — 8 months ago