Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Clear and brilliant , medium ruby garnet with a light garnet ruby rim . This is showing quite a lot of tobacco and , sous bois , some dusty cassis , sweet red cherry , red plum , coffee and beef jus . After a while a touch of old wood and grafite . Quite intense and certainly alive . On the palate this is elegant and with more dusty, coffee tinged sweet red fruit , red plum , cherry. Dusty cassis. Good density and really elegant acidity and fine , resolved tannins . Good length with some coffee and cocoa on the finish . Mature obviously but showed well and opened up over an hour or so in decanter . Drink now and over the next 5-10 years perhaps , though won’t improve . — 2 months ago

Willem Booij

9.6

This is the 1997 collection, not a Blanc de Blanc but equal parts of Chardonnay, Pinot Munier and Pinot Noir. 20 years on its leas this is a fine example of a beautiful aged champagne. Nice gesture from my colleagues to celebrate my 60th birthday😋 — 2 years ago

with Rick and Yvo

Gary Nishimura

8.9

Fine wine. A light Zin. — 3 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.4

Deep Ruby, pronounced aromas and flavors of blackberry, plum, cassis, black cherry, cedar, vanilla, tobacco leaf and forest floor. Already showing some tertiary notes. Lovely balance of fruit and savory elements, ripe fine-grained tannin and a very long finish. Wonderful wine, easy to appreciate now but with 5 or 10 more years ahead. — 3 months ago

David Shaw

9.1

Fine light drinking red with an assortment of heirloom varietals you would see in a Sandlands release. Down the middle table red style with good acid but lighter in alcohol and tannins. — 5 months ago

George M Wood

9.3

Yet another Napa Quake survivor. Probably my favorite winery and wine (really the Cabernet Franc) this old friend (was going to gal, but trying stay under the radar) held up just fine. @LaJotaVineyards — 3 years ago

with Nury

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Blend 52% Petit Verdot, 26% Malbec & 22% Cab Sauv, deep Ruby with aromas of red and black fruits with notes of black pepper. On the palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry and ripe plum with cacao, leather and pepper. Fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with cedar, vanilla and black fruits. Good value. — 3 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.2

[Consumed from a classic white wine glass] Beautiful rose gold; fine persistent bubbles. Inviting nose of dried apples and toasted coconut. Confirmed on the medium, surprisingly lush, palate which adds a finish of bitter almond marzipan. Finish is very short, but the size on the palate makes it not missed. A very good value Champagne from Lidl. Great for when you want the real thing but don't want to shell out the big bucks. Drink it when you buy it. — 4 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 1976 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate from Clos du Val is the most interesting of all the wines. The estate was founded by John and Henrietta Goelet in the early Seventies when the couple challenged recently graduated winemaker Bernard Portet to create a Bordeaux-inspired estate in Napa. Clos du Val attained global recognition when its inaugural 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the wines poured blind by Steven Spurrier at the epochal The Judgement of Paris, so this bottle of 1976 was one of their earliest bottlings that, incidentally, came directly from Clos de Val’s apparently meager reserves. It is very elegant and perfumed on the nose, typical old school, classic Napa Cabernet in all its unfettered glory, beautifully defined with wilted rose petals and a light fish scale element. Supple, very pliant tannins define the palate. There remains ample freshness and poise, a fine silver thread of acidity and a clove-tinged, rounded, exquisitely balanced finish that would surpass practically every other Bordeaux from this vintage. Outstanding. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
— a year ago

Matt Nason

9.2

Citrus. Almonds. Vanilla. Oxidation. Cool little wine. One in a Semillion. — 3 years ago