Jay Kline

9.4

It’s been a couple years since I last enjoyed the 1996 and based off this experience, it’s continuing to age gracefully.

Double decanted the night before. The wine pours a garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, kirsch, purple flowers, tobacco, dried herbs, green pepper, old wood and gravelly earthy. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and sanguine. So much soul, it could make Marvin Gaye blush. Drink now with patience (and a long decant) through 2041. Thanks for the assist @Lyle Fass — 10 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Moraga Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 1999
Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A remarkable bottle of 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Moraga Estate, located in the rolling hills of Bel Air. Despite its 25+ years of age, this wine has defied time, showing incredible vitality and freshness. A rare showcase that Sauvignon Blanc, under the right terroir and winemaking, can achieve serious longevity.

Aromas & Flavors
Notes of preserved lemon, dried apricot, lanolin, and beeswax unfold gracefully, interlaced with hints of chamomile tea and subtle nutty oxidative tones. The acidity remains vibrant, keeping the palate lifted, with a saline, mineral edge that speaks of its unique site.

Mouthfeel
Still taut and structured, with an oily richness balanced by a linear, mouthwatering acidity. The texture is round yet precise, with a finish that lingers beautifully.

Food Pairings
Ideal with aged goat cheese, seared scallops, or roast chicken with lemon and herbs. A wine this nuanced also shines solo, worthy of quiet contemplation.

Verdict
Astonishing endurance from a varietal not usually associated with long-term cellaring. This is more than a wine, it’s history in a glass.

Did You Know?
Moraga Estate is one of the only commercial wineries operating within Los Angeles city limits, with vineyards planted in the limestone-rich canyons of Bel Air facing south west. Its wines have long been a hidden treasure, often snapped up by Hollywood insiders.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This bottle was a revelation, proving that California Sauvignon Blanc, under the right conditions, can rival the ageability of Old World whites. A true collector’s gem and a memorable experience. — 3 months ago

Lisa Gdowski

9.2

So tasty from Costco pack of Bordeaux. — 11 days ago

Carter White

9.1

Pristine fruit 🍒 — 2 months ago

Ted

9.0

Solid. Blueberries with a touch of earth. — 7 months ago

with Jeni

Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2016 vintage. You can't go wrong with the Domaines Martin wines these days, and they have made some of their best wines in this excellent vintage ( Gloria 2016 might well be the best ever!). This Cabernet Sauvignon dominated Haut-Médoc features a deep dark red colour, and a nose with cassis, cedar and dark chocolate. In the mouth it shows impeccable balance with the juicy black fruit balanced by fresh acidity and well-tamed tannin. Terrific value too. — 3 years ago

Steve Ambrusko

9.0

Delicious berry with faintest hint of sweetness, but still gently robust. — a month ago

JKT

9.0

Balance and soft textures thirty years! Say ten years after acquiring from JR whose email says matriarch passing freed up this library holding back then. — 4 months ago

Matt Waring

8.9

Really nice St. Emilion satellite wine. After 30 min the palate is ripe with red and black fruit and vegetation. The tannic bite on the back end is soft and smooth. Great QPR — a year ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

8.9

As with the same vintage and vineyard as the Taupenot-Merme enjoyed alongside this, it seems to have everything but finesse. — 4 years ago