Marc Melser

9.0

We had the 2014 Vintage on 2/27-28/26. Tastes of candied apple and bing cherry. A very good wine. The tastes now are different from when I had the same wine 6 years ago. Interesting. The remarkable comment is how this wine is sailing four years after the notes say it should be consumed — 7 months ago

Sarah

9.2

Medium bodied, little dry, fruity. Would be good with steak. — 6 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.0

Toasty, lush, virile and opulent. Manages to retain some acidity despite the hot vintage, but overall I found this far too young to enjoy thoroughly. The oak is rather dominant. — 8 years ago

Carl Tominberg

9.2

Dark ruby color. Bold and rich tasting. Found it to be excellent. Glad I bought 2. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.5

I truly am not a silver oak Fan but their old stuff has some Kung pow to it. It actually evolved after being opened in the glass for an hour. I prefer it to a new vintage hands down, no questions asked. This actually surprised me and is definitely the WOTN between these two. Truly, truly surprised me. Can’t go wrong for this price point! I found this one for sale for 80 bucks. Winner, winner chicken dinner in my book! — 8 years ago

with Christine

Tom Hamilton

9.5

1/2 bottle, decanted and left for 30mins. But from first glass thru to 1 1/2 hours later it was terrific! Even lost the cork in the bottle while decanting... — 9 years ago

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9.3

The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. Matured in two-thirds new oak, it has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, estuarine scents, touches of liquorice emerging with time. It is higher-toned than the 1995 with iodine evolving with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fresh acidity, quite sweet in the mouth and maybe like the 1995, just missing that complexity and terroir expression that I think has defined recent vintages from this estate. Maybe it is slightly compromised by some Merlot (25%) that was picked a but later, but still, there is a lot of pleasure to be found in this 1996. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2022)
— 4 years ago

Cameron Parry

9.0

Wood got in the way of the fruit... otherwise totally solid. — 6 years ago

Steve Kersting

9.5

I've really grown to love chianti lately and this is the best value I've found yet — 8 years ago

Jack Gyben

9.9

A Bordeaux that we found in its perfect drinking moment. Fruit, age, elegance all in one place. Oh my! — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Light app tonight for dinner. Burrata, roasted garlic, two different cherry tomatoes picked tonight from the garden, pesto sauce, olive oil and Tondo balsamic vinegar. The only balsamic to use. Found it in Tuscany years ago and it’s all we use. You can order it on Amazon but, not inexpensive. All over, crostini’s drizzled with smoked olive oil. Soooo good!

The nose reveals, sweet & sour dark cherries, dark berry mix, stewed dark plum, blue fruit hues, touch of baked strawberries, tomato with leaf, sweet tarry notes, limestone minerals, dark rich soil, light baking spices and dark & blue fresh florals.

The body is medium full. Soft, round, tannins 70% resolved. The structure, length, tension has hit a high point. Ripe; sweet & sour dark cherries, dark berry mix, stewed dark plum, blue fruit hues and a touch of baked strawberries. Tomato with leaf, sweet tarry notes, on the long decant, add malt & light caramel, used leather, saddle-wood/cedar, limestone minerals, dark rich soil, medium dark spice, light baking spices and dark & blue fresh florals. The acidity is nice. The finish is good, balanced and lasts minutes.

Photos of, the tasting room at Produttori which is just under and to the right of the clock tower in the arial photo, arial view of the hilltop town of Barbaresco and our delicious small plate.

Producer note...Produttori is the third largest co-op in all of Europe. Be that they are a co-op, they still make some exceptional wines as well as great QPR wines. 🇮🇹 — 8 years ago

Jay Miner

9.0

The 2015, the other half of the night's comparison. Less subtle, more floral. Jasmine, rose petal, honey. All powerful, but all a bit separate and distinct. I think this could lie down for a good while. Will be pleased to try another bottle in a few years. — 9 years ago

Barry Grossman

9.1

Rich, smoky, meaty, but well balanced. — 5 years ago

Tania Vetluzhskikh

8.9

Tasted in 2020 — 6 years ago

James Forsyth

9.2

Nicely balanced, red fruit, plums, smoke, graphite. Good mouthfeel. Clearly all the stops are pulled out to make this. Impressive given Virginia has otherwise been short notable wine for quite a few centuries. — 7 years ago

Joey Kee

9.2

Ha! The comments on this wine are amazingly varied. I found it very overt on a chocolate tip, and more robust on the fruit side than your usual PINOT...but I really enjoyed it, would buy again.... — 8 years ago

Barb Anderson

9.2

A fantastic right bank blend of Cab Franc and Merlot! — 8 years ago

Natalya Pemberton

9.0

A little too much vanilla for me, but it was beautifully balanced by the acidity. Very delicious wine. — 9 years ago

Stephen Jackshaw

8.9

At this price it has a great place on a dinner table. Stood up to a semi-spicy rub very well. Red fruits, bright acidity, very moderate tannins. Pleased everyone.

Note: for the Texans keep an eye out for Lost Buddy spices — 9 years ago

Ki Punwar

Owner, California Wine Republic

9.4

Wow. Sounds weird but in a hot day, YES — 9 years ago