Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 1998 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with positively charming notes of plum, brambles, grilled Poblano pepper, pipe tobacco, dried mixed flowers, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, fine wood and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. This is about as traditional as it gets and was simply brilliant tonight. Squarely in the zone. Drink now through 2038+. — 18 days ago

Vitaly Domnenko

9.2

Bm. Tm. Am+. Fm. — 4 months ago

Rufus King

9.3

Delicious Merlot from Bordeaux, enjoyed with seared tuna at The Banks, Back Bay, Boston — 5 months ago

Hiroshi Tominaga

8.9

Pleasant drinking. — 6 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Blend of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Franc (15%), Cabernet Sauvignon (14%) and Malbec (1%). Medium ruby core that turns more garnet closer to the rim. Aromas of ripe red and black fruit with hints of tar and roasted coffee. Flavors of red cherry, raspberry, black currant, figs,and mocha. Just a touch of baking spices on the long finish. Satiny texture and very fine tannins. Medium bodied and very soft. Good example of where proper aging can benefit a wine. Solid. Thanks for sharing, Chris B. — 10 months ago

Sam C

9.3

Fruity smell and flavor. Slightly dry.

blend of 90% Merlot and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon — 5 years ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.2

The 2015 BDX continue to amaze and this Fronsac fits the bill. No decanting necessary. Jumping out of the bottle with beautiful red fruit and cassis notes, silky, and nicely balanced and integrated tannins, at such a young age, I am amazed. Feels like drinking a Grand Cru from a slightly lesser vintage. Great value too. If I can find it, I’ll buy a case. Hopefully two. — 6 years ago

Anil Saxena

9.1

Excellently succulent. Great mix of dry and subtly fruity. Like dried fruit set in butter. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

Atherton Wine Imports 2026 tasting at République, Los Angeles. 2022 vintage. Better, longer finish than the 2021 version. Dark plum and cassis ruling the roost here. 3.18.26. — 3 months ago

Peter Heyboer

9.0

Wish I could decant this. Oak on the nose, but it hints at the fruit and tobacco/chocolate you're about to taste. Palate has noticeable but not assertive tannins and blends really nicely with the aforementioned flavors. Paired well with dinner but this feels like a pre-dinner sipper. Would buy again. — 5 months ago

with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

michael pandolfo

9.0

Delicious. Drink now. — 6 months ago

Lauren Golanty

9.0

Good! Medium weight but felt substantial. Black cherries. — 10 months ago

Lauren Young

9.0

Earthy and balanced — 4 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.0

Juicy black fruit, firm tannins, iron and red twizzler nose, perfect with ribeyes. Always been a bargain of a wine — 6 years ago

David Koenen

9.4

Gingerbread, cigar box, shoe polish, red bell pepper, fireplace, tobacco leaf, wet earth. Balanced and distinguished. A very chic and classic glass. Beautiful in it’s transition from summer notes to autumn. Drink now. — 2 months ago

Marc Melser

9.0

We had the 2019 on 2/17-18/26. An herbaceous bouquet with hints of tobacco. Tastes of blackberry, mocha, and oak. Medium bodied, Old World. Very good. — 4 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Dark ruby color with a brick colored meniscus. Aromas of graphite, ripe black fruit, violets and mint. Bold blackberry/black currant/black cherry fruit flavors with additional flavors of tobacco, iron, vanilla and sweet baking spices. Well integrated toasted oak on the long and luxurious (slightly bitter) finish. Soft tannins and well integrated acidity. Aged perfectly. — 5 months ago

Brian Lenich

9.3

Amy and Brian steak sandwich dinner — 6 months ago

Douglas Braun

8.9

2018 Vintage - 100% Merlot at of Fronsac aged in cement cuvée for 12 months - certainly a controversial wine to me not a great wine to have on its own ( vegetative and acidic) but is nice with charcuterie has other interesting aromatics berry/ cherry fruit nice earthy character — 2 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

8.9

Upon opening I got slapped in the face with spoiled milk. With time it has subsided. Nose now is licorice, flint, wet leaves, clove, white pepper, very faint blueberry pie but it's waning. Drink 'em if you've got 'em. Out of balance a bit for me, tannins are sharp, bitterness on the finish. 0 for 2 tonight. And, after a closer look it's even a bit cloudy.

89 points — 6 years ago