Aaron Tan

9.1

I joined this white wine blind tasting session for a taste of the illustrious Chard duo from Catena Zapeta, despite knowing full well that white wine condition in my area has a pretty lacklustre record; and I’m pretty glad I did. The White Stones, thankfully, was [mostly] singing. Yes, there was a touch of honey and musk in the back end, but I felt it didn’t distract from the general message. Perhaps the reticent winemaking style here helped give it a little more resilience against the arduous travel. On the nose, there was nearly no fruit at the start - just sulphurous, flinty aromas. It does eventually yield to heavy swirling in the glass, revealing some pear and nutty notes. The palate was textural, sharp, and mineral. In fact the name could not be more apt. It was like licking stones, all covered in salt, lime juice and chopped sage. I really enjoyed it, but the wine that could have been still lingered on the back of my mind. One to revisit for sure. — 6 months ago

Ruud Verhagen

9.3

great malbec with an incredible, deep nose of floral, herbal, chocolate and ripe black cherry fruit and still it is so fresh and mineral with some chalkiness. Superb p/q round 20€, more of this please…Yum! — 6 months ago

Trish Cereda

9.5

One of my favorite Pinots. Full of flavor but not too heavy. Great with food. Had it with a BLT and was in heaven! — 6 months ago

Will Stanley

9.3

It’s been a few years since I opened one of these, a perennial ‘cellar defender’ to open on a whim when duty calls. Sadly, this is my last – but my word, I must buy more! This was absolutely sensational, a wine that punches well above its weight and provides the sort of value only a select few wines in the northern Rhône can muster up.

A doppelgänger for rock-solid Cornas, and inky purple in colour, the nose is effusive with dark cherry, blackcurrant, kirsch, smoked bacon, iron and sweet balsamic – all of it fresh, and no trace of alcohol at 13.5% from a hot vintage. The palate is sappy, vibrant, detailed and harmonious with quite good concentration and a sneaky long finish.

I would love to see this thrown into a blind tasting with wines four times its price. At six years of age, this is on fabulous form now and may improve with further time in the cellar.

93 points – but 100 for value!
— 6 months ago

Conrad Green

9.8

What an incredible nose. Lifted limestone and lime with pear and a salinity. The slightly oily texture of CC but sophisticated and powerful and lifted. Still a baby but really delicious now. A monster, but a beautiful silky monster. Wow — 6 months ago

with Tony and David

Aravind A

9.3

Pop and ppur yesterday. Notes from 24 hrs open unrefrigerated on the counter. On the nose: olive brine, cabbage, garrigue, blackberry, vaguely like a (WA/OR) Rocks district syrah. On the palate: lovely acidity, solid density, blackberry, earth, stewed cabbage. The juiciness is intense on the finish, almost overpowering the soft grainy tannin. A gorgeous btl. Yum. — 6 months ago

Frank Artale

9.5

Gorgeous wine. Almost 20 years and going strong. Black cherry dried fig mint earth tar sweet tobacco. — 6 months ago

Ericsson

9.6

Excellent Bordeaux probably one of the most approachable examples despite its young age. Bright red and dark fruit with good crescendo balanced by velvety tannins and soft notes of vanilla, nutmeg and wet dirt. Medium bodied and medium alcohol with balanced acidity. Cheers. — 6 months ago

Big Wave Dave

9.3

Lived up to their reputation. Tannins were prominent but fine and integrated and not overbearing due to the fruit intensity. Balanced and long once it breathed for 1+ hr — 6 months ago