Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at dinner. The wine pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core and a slightly orange rim with considerable variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated fruit: black currants, blackberries, plum, pipe tobacco, capsicum, pencil shavings, a touch leather, organic earth and a mix of dried herbs and some fine 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+. Really tasty stuff.

Initial conclusions: this is an old wine, likely 30-40 years old. That being said, it’s still very distinguishable as it’s showing varietal characteristics. This could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend thereof), Cabernet Franc (or a blend thereof), or Merlot (or a blend thereof). I can see this being Napa because the fruit is still showing some generosity. But there’s a lot of non-fruits there too. Regardless, this was giving Left Bank vibes so I could also see this being Bordeaux from a great vintage like 1982. And that’s my call, Cabernet Sauvignon-blend from France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estèphe, from a classified growth like Calon-Ségur. Shucks. But I’m not mad about my choice! Old Opus One’s are tricky to differentiate. Drinking very well right now but this will live well past 2035. — 3 days ago

Ming L

9.2

The house style is still here with ripe, slightly over extracted blue fruits, baking spices, cocoa, and a plush velvety palate. But the fruits become less confectionary and some savory components have emerged. Acidity seems more apparent. Really nice integration.

I think Pinot bottlings from Belle Glos are at their best with 5-8 years bottle aging. This is another proof. — 10 days ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Heitz/Stony Hill/Haynes/Burgess
La Paulee Dinner
Guest Chef: Shota Nakajima

WINE:
1997 Heitz Martha Vineyard
2012 Heitz trailside
1987 Heitz Bella oaks
2009 Heitz Martha Vineyard
2021 Burgess blanc de blanc
2022 Haynes Corazon Chardonnay
2022 Ink Grade estate merlot
2022 Heitz Martha Vineyard cab
2023 Stony Hill Cote Rouge cab
2021 Burgess Clos Abeille cab

FOOD:
Mushroom tart, corn tempura, Dashi w/uni
Chawanmushi with crab, sweet corn
Cured Kanpachi
Cedar smoked black cod
A5 waygu
Matcha Turamisu

Home ranch, Napa — 4 days ago

with Brenda

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Dark Ruby red color with aromas of ripe berry fruits, herbs and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry, raspberry and black currant with espresso, cacao, cedar and earthy spice notes. Good balance, lively acidity, fine tannins long ending with fruit and toasty tobacco spice! Nice! — a month ago

Allison Frazier

10

Oh loved loved loved it! Gift from Radek, Piotr, Marcin. — 22 days ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Light golden in color.

Beautiful nose of honeydew, apples, honeysuckle, tropical fruits, spices and melons.

Full-bodied with high acidity and long legs.

Sweet on the palate with apples, citrus, mangoes, spices, honeysuckle, herbs, honey and light earth.

Long finish with sweet honey notes.

This delicious 9 year old Sauternes is drinking beautifully now. Complex and interesting. Elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Feels very fresh, but a bit subdued and earthier right now, compared to other vintages. Will continue to age nicely in the next 40 years.

Loved the nose more than the palate here. So expressive.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Robert Parker 99 points.

A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months. Drank from a 750ml bottle.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$450. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened about two hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1985 pours a deep garnet color with an orange rim and a slightly hazy, near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of dried, desiccated blackberries, pipe tobacco, leather, organic earth and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A lovely, mature wine that should be enjoyed over the next several years. Drink now through 2030. — 13 days ago

Matt Schwartz

8.9

This bottle is a special one because it is the last bottle I have from when I worked at this winery back in 2012. On the nose, there’s dark fruit up front, blackberry, blueberry, currants, layered with leather, tobacco, a little campfire smoke, and a hint of forest floor. On the palate, there’s still a thread of acidity, but the fruit has mostly stepped back. What lingers is a touch of dried cherry and more of those earthy, evolved notes: turned soil and well-integrated oak. — 19 days ago

Joe Flo

9.3

Great improvement from the last btl. Unfortunately my last & not on the top of my list to replace. — 17 days ago

John Harding

9.6

Cherry and berry nose. Fruit forward with a distinctive spice. Tannins and acidity have mellowed. Easily my favorite. Easy to drink. Drank this 2009 in 2026. Probably my favorite vintage. I save it for special occasions, but it’s time to drink it. Bottom of the cork was getting crumbly. — 22 days ago

with Jenny

Mindy Mora

9.3

Easy to drink. Smooth finish. — 12 days ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.2

Beautiful cab. Smooth and elegant. — a day ago

Andy@andyberke.com

9.3

Really excellent. Fantastic with steak. Classic cab — 16 days ago

"Odedi"

9.1

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

Deep purple in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, light cedar, black tea, tobacco leaf, spices and light chocolate notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, currants, oak, light licorice, spices, dark chocolates, bitter herbs and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Merlot from Napa Valley is still very young, but already enjoyable, even by itself. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced and tangy. Showing nice complexity already, tangy and interesting.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 to 10 years, and has good potential to become a 93+ point wine.

Wine Spectator 92 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of 78% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 15 months in (40% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$45. — 7 days ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

8/2026. Bold , good fruit and sits well on the palate.

Mr. Friendly’s — 10 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

2007 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand to open but good cork nonetheless. Decanted and tasted after 15 minutes. JFC...does the oak ever die on this nonsense? Tried to bushwhack through it without success. Even the Alexander Valley product has the good sense to have the oak minimized/integrated/drop off after a decade. Not the case here. There's a reason why I haven't even considered carrying this on a wine list since the late 90's. This go round didn't exactly convert my opinion. 8.16.26. — 24 days ago

Frank Soldano

9.8

Love this wine! Thick long lasting legs. Bouquet rich with raspberry and blueberry, very jammy! Smoooth flavors with a rich finish, slight hints of oak and charcoal on the back end. Great wine!!! — 17 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — a month ago

Joe Flo

9.7

Very good for a difficult & irregular growing season. — 10 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short purple rim.

Red and black fruits on the nose with cedar, chocolates, spices, tobacco, coffee and black pepper.

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

Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, black currants, black plums, cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, coffee, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf and light pencil lead.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink beautifully now. Rich and easy drinking.

Fruit forward and complex, soft and smooth. Spicy and entertaining, powerful yet refined. Showing good balance albeit a little hot at the back of the throat, at this point.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years and shows good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$250. — 2 months ago