Joe DAscoli

9.5

Excellent wine

Comes out with a lot of spice and depth out of the bottle and a bit tannic.

With some air time - we just did glass and open bottle - it mellowed and was excellent paired with steak and potatoes. — 3 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.6

2018 vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon ( 60%), Merlot (32%) and Cabernet Franc. This estate has been making very good wines for a long time, but if this 2018 is an indication they are upping their game in recent vintages. This is a spectacular effort with black and red fruits , roses, coffee and cedar wood jumping out of the glass. It has a powerful round mouthfeel with thick layers of fruit, while maintaining elegance with an impeccable balancing acidity and a big ripe tannic backbone. Impressive length too. Still affordable for this quality too. — 3 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.2

This wine is a powerhouse for sensations. 90% Tannat and 10% cab sauv. Horse blanket, violets and balsamic jumping out of the glass. Great nose and refreshingly different.
Powerful in the mouth - hard for me to describe- meaty, savoury, it remind me of a meatloaf that has well browned red onions in it! And a salty (!) tannic finish
Paired perfectly with Szechuan and Taiwanese style meat dishes. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

See several previous notes. My last of these Cuvées from Kangaroo Island South Australia and owned by the French Lurton family of Cheval Blanc fame. Savoury plum with earthy overtones. With air the aromas were almost intoxicating. Quite bold and full bodied on the palate - oak has integrated. Rich and spicy yet cleansing and moreish. Touch of camphor finishing with fine sandy tannins. — 4 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.6

2018 vintage. Merlot 71%, Cabernet Franc 16%, Cabernet Sauvignon 9%, Carmenère 2%and Noir de Pressac (Malbec) 2%. The 2009 tasted yesterday was very good but I believe this 2018 is even better. Very attractive nose with red and black fruit mixed with complex spices jumping out of the glass. Layered and intense with an impressive finish. Terrific value too. Abv. 14,5 %. — 5 years ago

The Pretentious Gentleman

8.9

Did not improve my jumping ability. Once I got past the disappointment, what I was left with was a decent blend that was sort of mellow and understated with low acidity. It seemed as though it was trying not to provoke me but that, in itself, set me off a bit. It was a B-level ambassador of a wine. — 6 years ago

Mike R

9.5

Fantastic wine — 7 years ago

Tom Garland

8.9

Pop and pour. A splendid ruby red color. On the nose: jumping from the glass is candied cherries, earth, clove, smokey oak, floral, cola. Taste: smooth, creamy wine with just a slight dark cherry, tea, fig, dried herbs, minerals, and a spiced earthy medium finish. Fan of Boars View pinots, but there are better vintages. — a year ago

with Brenda

David Kline

9.6

Jumping spider eye bubbles mass in a parabola foam while smaller bubble sheens fill the bursting absences, until the whole becomes an espresso foam, and equally oiled. Unction lacings lean Hebraic but ultimately are the dream fonts writ by the hand of G-d. Mene Mene Tekel Parsin they seem to say before fluttering away as constellations on a starling’s back. Fair warning as this is a heavy purse to carry. Six years in and taking stock. Figs, dates, treacle, raisins, carob, caramel, vanilla bean, sweet potato casserole, bacon fat, mincemeat. Rich on the palate with milk chocolate, molasses, Turkish coffee, gingerbread, candied date, and espresso-tobacco finish. Gloriously integrated and complex complexions.



#oldstockale #oldstock #2016 #northcoastbrewing #bièredegarde #agedbeer #bier #beer #birra #biere #cerveza #northcoast — 3 years ago

Al Doyle

9.3

Still so good. Jumping out of the glass. Loving Venice again 🥰 — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

California Syrah the way I like it. And I do definitely like it. A really pretty deep dark purple with a wide brim and little cherry red flecks. This nose is just plain silly good and exciting. Plums and raspberries abound here. Blackberries with a touch of fennel go a long way. The olive aromas are jumping out of the glass and my goodness it’s special. There’s a rich meaty, fatty aspect to the nose that just blows me away. Stupendous.

Every wine I have from Big Basin is just as good as the next one. All so good and so well crafted. Hailing from the Rattlesnake Rock vineyard in Santa Cruz and definitely fruit forward. At this age, it’s drinking with more refinement than you may expect. Classy and stylish but never forgets about the fun. A lesson in how to make a big and bold Syrah without even coming close to going overboard. Smoke and grilled meat in the mouth to go with the vibrant red and blue fruits. Black pepper and menthol. The finish is long and fulfilling. Don’t listen to me, seriously don’t. Just go taste it. — 4 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

Stuart Scheff

9.2

Smoother than a baby’s ass. Cranberry, cherry, strawberry 💥 jumping out of the glass. — 7 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

First wine of 2025 and had to open something fun! From Mag.

1 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red color. On the nose: jumping from the glass is ripe dark fruit, currants, mint, floral, wet forest floor, truffles, and some roasted meat. Taste: smooth, soft, silky, seductive wine with plum/cherry, earth, cedar, minerals, and a medium plus smokey spiced chocolate finish. YUM! — 2 years ago

with Brenda

DANIEL SMITH

9.4

Juicy tasty tangy and just what I needed. Want to get this juice again. — 3 years ago

Nicolas Owens

9.6

Just sublime and jumping out the glass with leafpile, honeysuckle, and gym socks like only bourgognes can do. — 4 years ago

with Anne

Bob McDonald

9.3

See previous notes. My last bottle - purchased at the winery on Kangaroo Island. 100% Cabernet Franc. Herbs , Tea leaves, Charcoal, Black, fruits, a touch of caramel oak. Quite a full bodied opulent wine showing those black fruits. A product of the warm 2008 vintage in South Australia. A classy wine balancing the ripe fruit with the right amount of oak treatment. Very polished as you would expect from a $150 wine. Shows Jaques Lurton’s (Cheval Blanc) experience with the Cabernet Franc grape. — 4 years ago

Jason

9.2

Never had a Kangaroo Island wine but I was impressed. Earthy volcanic tones like some Malbecs. Good mouth feel with no harshness. Would buy again. — 5 years ago

Sarah Oettel

9.7

Holy F, this is amazing!!! The color, the nose, just about every element is hitting the mark and then (somehow) jumping even higher. — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Jumping back into the pond with the Frog!(took 2 lifetimes plus 15 years to get a 3 btl allocation). 2 hour decant(some cloudy sediment). An astonishing inky dark red color. Kaboom!! An amazing elegant and powerful syrah at only 13.4% alcohol!!! On the nose: raspberry, floral, black olives, smoked meat, and that Cayuse funk. Taste: raspberry, iron, soil, chocolate cherries, with a smokey bacon long finish. — 6 years ago

with Brenda