David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s a night of first year consecutive decades, 90 & 80. Enjoyed in reverse order

From the same technical team as Leoville Las Cases.

Another great Clyde Beffa direct purchase from the Chateau or Negociant.

Still ripe older Bordeaux fruits with smoothed out lead pencil. Blackberries, black raspberries that lean into pudding, black plum, darkest, cooked cherries, raspberries edges, baked rhubarb and hues of poached strawberries. There is nothing that bites back. Dark chocolate, smooth mocha, caramel, soften baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, old tobacco w/ ash, used leather, dry top soil, limestone powder, black licorice to anise, dry river stone, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, amazing, rainfall acidity and a well; balance, structured, knitted and smartly polished finish that lasts 90 seconds.

Steak slow cooked in the oven at graduating low heats and then seared at 1300 degrees, 30, 30, 30 & 30. .

“The Truth is Inside” is an expression about the very bottom of a bottle of wine. Tannin soaked & it never lies. Typically the best part of the bottle. 93 that lands 94 in truth. I always leave two-three inches of wine in bottle just because it is always slightly better than the rest of the bottle. It is more concentrated. — 2 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

First, if you haven’t had this producers wines at 15-20 years of age, you’re missing some spectacular juice. I bought this at auction for $38-$40 a bottle and because I was unaware of its storage, I was prepared to short decant it. Well…until I pulled the cork, smelled it and saw the color. This nearly 20 year old bottling is still big but with nice integration & evolution. I would say it has another 5-8 years of good life in it.

The palate fruit is ruby, ripe and lush; blackberries, boysenberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum. Mid berry cola, dark chocolate to pudding, mocha powder, wet clay, light, black pepper, Asian spice, dry-ish tobacco, black licorice, some dry herbs-sage dominate, limestone, dry top soil, dry brush, used leather, sandlewood, fresh to slightly withering, dark, purple, red florals set/framed in violets and lavender. The acidity is near perfect. The well balanced, structured, knitted finish is excellent and lingers minutes. Steal for the price. Another excellent gourmet burger wine. Beef Patties from El Salchichero. — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby with aromas of ripe dark fruits, flinty spice, floral and oak for this Tempranillo. On the palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry & plum with hints of espresso, cacao and licorice wrapped in earthy oak. Firm tannins, still grippy, great old world balance with acidity, full body, long finish ends with fruit, oak, spice, and earthy mineral character. Just outstanding, needs more time! — 3 years ago

Randy Fillingim

8.9

First, let’s start with the fact that it’s 36 years old! The initial sip said it was possibly over the hill. But after about two hours of aeration, it slowly mellowed out quite nicely. Still quite drinkable. Pretty impressive from this venerated label. — 4 months ago

Brian Hearty

9.1

2020. Saw that the 2023 Rosé was in the latest Wine Club allocation, so I checked what vintages were still in the cellar and had two of the 2020’s, a 2021, and a 2022. Enjoying this 2020 to even things out. Perfect on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. — 5 months ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Inky in color with a very short reddish/ brick rim.

Full bodied with medium acidity

Showing black fruits with earth, bell pepper, tobacco, oak, dark coffee, pencil lead, bitter herbs, earth, light roasted bell pepper and forest floor.

Soft tannins on the tangy finish.

This 10 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is probably on its way out. Still very drinkable, but a little unbalanced and showing lots of earth notes.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after two hours of air time.

Showing nice complexity at this point, but a little bitter for my taste.

Although still good, I expected more from this second wine from this producer and this vintage.

90 points.

$80 (current vintage). — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Twice this venomous viper has evaded review. She jumps out and thrashes, coils round and inculcates. A devil of a bite too! Seductive, deceptive nose of caramel creme, rosemary, bay leaf and cinnamon roll. Palatal acupuncture ensues, as you slowly succumb to the hot cinnamon oil and scotch bonnet burn of the first phase. Phase two brings cinnamon and grilled peach with brown sugar cobbles and scotch bonnet honey. And finally the nose and close converge in satin vanilla, cinnamon, cracked black pepper and ginger. .
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#willett #willettrye #willettfamily #willettfamilysmallbatch #willettdistillery #smallbatch #smallbatchwhiskey #Kentuckywhiskey #Kyrye #ryewhiskey #rye #rarerelease #estatebottled — 3 years ago

with Courtney

RJ Stefanski

9.4

Stunning. Delicious. One of my fav wines of the last 1.5 years. Godello aged under flor that competes with white Burgundy/ Sonoma Coast chards that cost double. Sourced from two tiny plots of 80-100 yr old vines. 80% old foudre, 20% amphora under flor, no malo, no stirring. Sunny bouquet, honeycomb, Asian pear, gun flint, crushed stone, brisk, seamless, cool and classy. $55. — 6 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.9

Revisiting the ‘20 Old Vines after a year or two in the cellar. Dusky clear purple. Sweet cherries and earth on the nose. Smooth, rich, almost no tannin. A lovely creamy, dark finish like plum pie with ice cream. These Old Vine blends are some of the best values in the Turley line up if not all of CA Zinfandel. — 7 months ago

Adriana Fabbro

8.9

@Delectable Wine oddly enough this is a Blanc de Cinsault, one of the silver linings of 2020.

When the fires hit early in harvest 2020, Will and Karen hedged their bets by pressing some of the 100+ year old vine Cinsault from the legendary Bechtold Vineyard immediately, and the result is a joy: pear, pomello, white grapefruit, some pith and white pepper on the finish. Fragrant and light.

In good news, the regular Cinsault from the vintage also turned out beautifully and isn’t showing a trace of smoke taint—or at least when I tried it a few months back. — 2 years ago