Clay Bullwinkel

9.2

Jack London’s hearty legacy. Fine Zinfandel. — a month ago

Bob Rodgers

9.7

Dark purple; a tight nose leads to woodsy, cedar box and slight smoke. Full tannins give way to dark brambly fruits like blackberries and currants. It lingers as a fine wine should. A gem from Kenwood. 2005 a fine vintage. — 7 months ago

Paul J

9.7

Our last bottle in London before we move back! Thank you to my team for the awesome gift!

1hr+ decant. Red color with brownish orange edges. Nose contains cedar, graphite, and green elements. Complex wine that has a nice balance of tannins and depth. Very lively and probably at the perfect drinking age. Long finish. Definitely a top echelon wine! — 4 years ago

with Brooke

Michael Mugmon

9.5

Brought this home from the office before the lockdown. I carried this back from London, where this is one of the main gins they serve at the Dukes Bar for their legendary martinis. Hope I can get back there again. — 5 years ago

Jeffrey Woo

8.9

Medium ruby hue. Aromas of caramel, cassis, jam, pepper, plum, strawberry, tar, vanilla. Palate adds more baking spice and strawberry. Medium body, medium tannins, medium-plus acidity. Plus-length finish. 57% Syrah, 33% Petit Verdot, 10% Malbec. Versatile red blend. — 3 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

I tasted the 1982 Lynch-Bages twice within a month, both at a private dinner in London and at the château, from bottle and double-magnum on separate occasions. Both vindicate an exceptionally fine 1982, perhaps a bit overlooked in a vintage full of stars. Curiously, the bottle in Bordeaux does not fully deliver the mesmerizing freshness and energy compared to the bottle in London: pencil-lead-tinged black fruit intermixed with clove and freshly-rolled tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, perhaps just a little austere compared to its peers. Yet, indeed, the bottle in London exudes class and composure with a detailed, mineral-driven vintage belying that year's unseasonably warm period. Superb. Tasted both in London at a private dinner and at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2023) — a year ago

Alex F

9.2

Nice base for a summer drink. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The bottle of 2014 Pontet-Canet showed better than the previous one at the 10-Year-On tasting in London. This offers much more restraint on the nose. It's quite precise, with greater mineralité seeping through the black cherry and cassis fruit. The palate has a sorbet-fresh entry, fine tannins and a silky sheen. The oak is fully subsumed after a decade, plus there is a little more depth on the finish compared to previous showings. This is a fine example of the vintage, and bottles should drink well over the next 12 to 15 years. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Pontet-Canet dinner in Washington DC. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 5 months ago

Philip Patston

9.3

Very solid London Dry Gin. Cant go wrong in martini or other cocktail. I like it more than Beefeater, although it’s in the same sort of flavor range along with the less expensive Gordon’s. Worth having in the liquor cabinet. — 4 years ago

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10

The 1945 La Mission Haut-Brion from the château cellar is transcendental. It is blessed with the most beautiful bouquet you can imagine, effortless and natural, featuring woodland, red-berried fruits, a minerally quality and a faint touch of leafiness; given time to settle, it develops a lovely gamy note. The palate is medium- rather than full-bodied and sublimely balanced, upholding that effortless grace with an elegant, bittersweet, dried orange peel finish. One of the most harmonious wines I have ever consumed. Perfect. Tasted at the La Mission Haut-Brion vertical in London in September 2009. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2020)
— 5 years ago