1990 vintage. Last tasted 10.26.24 (9.3). Bottom neck fill. Opened with a Durand and decanted. Cork about 70% saturated. Throwing a mix of lentil-sized chunky and powdery sediment. Surprisingly dark color. Nose initially had the funk while decanting. Tasting 30 minutes after the open, the funk had blown off. Light body. Coffee grounds and tobacco throughout. Some damp and decaying forest floor matter/earth (but not mud) notes along with a cedilla of lean, dark cherry. Based on this specimen, feel this can hold tight in this phase for another 3-4 years. 2.27.26 — 3 months ago


1990 vintage. Top shoulder fill. Nearly completely saturated cork. Durand used to open. Not decanted. Tasted 2 hours after opening. Light-medium body. WOTD just barely over the 1990 Château Margaux. More of a LMHB than Margaux fan so we'll call it a draw. Beautiful star anise nose and flavor component evident. Based on this sample, this could easily roll another 5-6 years before downshifting. 11.21.25. — 6 months ago


Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7
I appreciate it. It’s not really a celebration but a personal day to remember my wife who I lost last year unexpectedly. But I will not stop my 1990 bottle search’s
1982 vintage. Last tasted 6.1.24 (9.4) and nearly 9 years ago (9.0). Courtesy of Monsieur @Bill Bender. Sweet fill. Opened with a Durand. Cork 95% saturated. A little reticent in the early going and decanted a third of the bottle to see if that would pull the juice out of a sullen funk. It did, so the remainder got decanted whilst throwing much less sed than expected. Medium body still. Slightly brickish and plenty fleshy with well-integrated complexity. Very pleasant and lingering finish. A great bottle with more than could reasonably be expected at this juncture. Thank you, Bill! 4.24.26. — 22 days ago



2001 vintage. Sweet fill. Cork perfect (used a Durand) but more than a bit underwaxed so it was a positively Italian experience during the opening process. I trust those in the know completely understand what the hell imma talking about. Workout! Cork out in one piece and expected amount of sed. Medium body with overtures towards more. Blueberry, tobacco, plum and gravelly, wet earth impressions leading the charge throughout. Grippy tannins providing visible and raised guardrails during. A little editorial...the 2001's were generally emasculated/minimized after the supposed "vintage of the (which one?) century" in 2000. The 2000's have largely failed to deliver the anticipated goods whereas the "meh" 2001's (at vastly reduced prices from the 2000's) are rocking don't bother knocking now. Completely like the guy or girl that was always cute but totally caught fire after high school. A late(r) bloomer and completely underrated. This wine has an easy 20-spot of top-notch drinking ahead. 1.24.26. — 4 months ago
1989 vintage. From a 375ml. Opened not decanted. Great top shoulder fill. Used a Durand. Pristine cork. Throwing slightly less sed than anticipated. Dusty and earthy nose. Tasted 30 minutes and 1 hour after opening. Light-medium body throughout. Front palate a bit thin and watery but back end had some gamey/meaty notes intertwined with dirt clods. Despite the descriptors, maintained elegance for the duration. Seems to be holding the line here for a spell in the 375ml format. 10.17.25. — 7 months ago
1990 vintage. Last tasted 1.29.25 (9.5). Same conditions as then. Reconditioned/Château refurbed bottle with high fill and newish cork (only 20% saturated). That nose tho…H-B fer sure. Opened with a Durand. Not decanted. Tasted after 30 minutes, 1.25 hours and 2.5 hours. Phenomnomenal. Everything. Everything. In its right place. In its right place. A refurbished bottle from Le Château from this vintage in a 750ml format…another decade at this high. For mere mortal bottles, likely half that. 4.17.26. — a month ago
2005 vintage. Nice fill. Opened with a Durand. Perfect cork. Decanted and tasted after one hour and 2 hours. Respectable amount of sed. Barely medium body. Magical. That twenty-year spell that Spring Mountain casts found this casually tossing out espresso crema, grilled dark plum, cassis and sandalwood. Can't see this improving but can it hold steady for a gauntlet of 7-10 years? Hell yes. Contribution to the FLB (Friday Lunch Bunch). 2.13.26. — 3 months ago
Excellent texture, seemed a bit more oxidized than I would have thought given the age - not flawed in any way, just unexpected. — 4 months ago
romo
Approachable in a non-Cornas way. -Deans house — a month ago