Jeroen Koenen

9.3

Still holding back after 3 hrs in the decanter. The wine’s concentration and tannic structure promise a wonderful future. At the age of 20, this still feels primary and even hibernating… 😳
I’ll let my remaining bottles sleep for 3-5 years. — 8 days ago

"Odedi"

9.5

Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.

Strong nose of black currant, blackberries, black plums, black cherries, cedar, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, light earth, herbs, mediterranean spices, black tea and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, light cedar, earth, cherries, light vegetables, tobacco leaf, black tea, herbs, light vanilla, mediterranean spices and dark chocolates.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced with great complexity.

Needs 2 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient. Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

This 17 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink at its peak, although I'm drinking out of a Magnum.

Showing a beautiful nose with lots of complexity. Rich and extracted, elegant and powerful.

Robert Parker 97 points. Wine Enthusiasts 96 points. Wine Spectator 91 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Aged for 24 months in all new French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

$450 (Magnum). — 14 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 3 months 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. — 4 months ago

Dave

9.0

Solid Sonoma Cab that tastes like Left Bank Bordeaux. Supple feel, dark berries, cedar, graphite, tobacco. A little eucalyptus and a little espresso. Lengthy tannins. Drinkable now and will age for some time.
Listening to Radiohead — 10 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! — 6 years ago

with Brooke

"Odedi"

9.0

This is a nice and easy drinking Zinfandel based red blend from Alexander Valley. Tasty and easy drinking. Well balanced and complex.

Needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.

A blend of 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Aged in American oak barrels for 13 months.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45. — 19 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, mediterranean spices and chocolate notes.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is extremely young and needs 10 years in the bottle to mature properly. Elegant and fruit forward, yet restrained.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, but never had it so young. Not as powerful as some other vintages, but already complex and nicely balanced.

Feels like a good quality Left Bank Bordeaux, and will continue to age nicely, and get better in the next 20 years.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

A good sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$490. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Medium ruby garnet with quite wide garnet rim . Still quite youthful for age . Aromatic from the off, with red plum , cherry , hedgerow fruit , cigar box , scorched earth , dried flowers . On the palate this is medium bodied , with lots of herbal tinged red fruits , tobacco , grafite, with good volume. Perfectly balanced acidity and suave resolved tannins . Long tobacco edged , red fruit finish . Very detailed and aromatic, no need to decant , really pretty and in a lovely spot though don’t see this improving further, as after about 2 hours this particular bottle starts to fade a little , loosing its aroma and showing a touch of rain water and wet rock hints on the nose, and fading a little on the palate . Drink now and over the next 5 years or so to get the best of this . At Restaurante Fasano , Jardins , São Paulo — 2 months ago

Mo

9.2

A superb Zinfandel blend that tastes great now and possesses the requisite structure to age. Ridge sets the standard in American winemaking. Their corpus of high quality wines is unmatched in America and challenges the entire industry worldwide. — 4 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Yet another outstanding vintage (2020) of this consistently excellent Co-Op produced Barbaresco. Aromas of red fruit, dried rose petals and anise. Flavors of bright red cherry and raspberry fruit, mint, Asian spices, minerals and orange zest. Long and earthy/smoky finish. Fantastic balance, structure and depth. Fine grained tannins and a silky texture yet still firm and powerful. So delicious now, but built to age for at least another decade. The quality consistency of this wine vintage to vintage is incredible. Outstanding value! Thanks so much for opening this one, Keith S! Happy 60th Birthday, Karyn! — 7 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Great color in the decanter... medium gold with an enticing perfume. Notes of sweet Meyer lemon, apricot, gravel stone, tan clay, some mint, a little ginger and some sweet marzipan. Has an exotic and slightly musty (desirable) funk. Huge weight with great fruit and solid acidity in the mouth. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking. Awesome juice! If you Google “why should I age white burgundy?”, an image of this 35 year old bottle should be shown... — 6 years ago

Mike Miller

9.7

This wine is old enough to vote! Stunning acidity for its age, great tannin, and it’s smoky. — 6 years ago

with Jason and Anne

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose and full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and already very complex.

Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, light earth, chocolates, tobacco, spices, peppercorn, coffee, cola and licorice.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap District in Napa Valley is already drinking beautifully. Rich and extracted. Fruit forward, elegant and nicely balanced. Soft and smooth.

In your face kind of wine, with a teeth staining color. Bold and beautiful. The high alcohol is still noticeable, but will integrate with time.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after a few hours of airtime.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

Wine Spectator 93 points. Robert Parker 99 points. Wine Enthusiasts 97 points.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 28 months in all new French oak barrels.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$300. — 15 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. — 2 months ago

Ed Ryder

9.5

Fab length and lovely limey/tropical finish into savoury. Not bone dry. Delicious. Would age — 4 months ago

John Micklethwaite

9.2

Great wine. Could have left it to age for another decade really — 6 months ago

Conrad Green

9.6

Deep and intense. Loaded with flavor. Iodine and tarry notes. Astonishing purity given its age — 7 months ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Inseon Hwang

9.5

1982. Mature graphite minerals and organic finish. Great tannin structure for the age. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Rich Ruby in colour. Aromas of mocha oak, plum, cherry and blackberry. Hints of prune and dark chocolate. Great fruit quality - Cabernet 52% from Coonawarra and 48% Shiraz from the Barossa. The percentages are correct - they may tinker with the source from Penfolds vast resources. Dry but polished tannins. Typical of the longevity of nearly all Penfolds Reds, this is the first of 6 bottles at 13 years of age. Richard Hemming MW has a drinking window of 2020 to 2043 so this is just the beginning. Have the next in a few years. — 6 years ago