Jay Kline

9.2

It’s been a few years since I last checked in to the 2011 vintage of LdH Viña Bosconia and, to my palate, time has been kind. This is far more balanced and open than my previous experience. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2011 pours a ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe cherry, dill, toasted coconut, leather, tobacco, dried earth and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Delicious. Drink now through 2036. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Double-decanted the night before; enjoyed over several hours out of red Solo cups. It’s been several years since my last experience with the 2005 Blanc. The extended air treatment ahead of service is now customary for me with the Blanc and Rosé in particular. The entire bouquet has a chance to unfurl. The wine pours a deep golden color. On the nose, the wine is vinous and recalls my previous experience with the 2005 Blanc: redolent of ripe stone fruits, some dried citrus, wild flower honey, echinacea, marzipan and butterscotch. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with slightly bitter, testa/skin coat sort of flavor. Fabulous texture. At this rate, I expect well stored cellared examples to drink well beyond my original assessment several years ago. Drink now through 2045+ — 9 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby/Inky in color with a wide reddish rim.

Stinky nose, as expected, and dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Full-bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Showing black fruits with wood, earth, vegetables, spices, barnyard, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, tar, black tea and bitter herbs.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a unique Syrah from Walla Walla Valley. Rich and extracted. Soft and elegant. Very much 'in your face' kind of wine.

This 7 year old is still young, and needs a few hours to open up properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

This Single Vineyard is nicely balanced and complex with a nice mouthfeel. Not my usual style, but very tasty.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it always delivers.

Wine Spectator 94 points. Wine Advocate 96 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Syrah with a touch of Viognier. Only 859 cases produced.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$120. — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2013 La Mission Haut-Brion has a light tertiary bouquet with black pepper and wild mint touches. It's elegant, even if it misses some vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and fine acidity. The 2013 is cohesive with a dash of white pepper. Moderate in terms of length, this is a very decent showing in a difficult vintage. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
— 3 years ago

Bobbi Jo Broxson

9.3

Haven't had one of these in a while, great with our grilled salmon — 5 years ago

with Brian

Joe D'Angelo

9.8

The 2016 ‘Insignia’ is an absolutely incredible showing, and is amongst the most compelling vintages I have yet to taste from the Estate. Composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec which spent 24 months in 100% new french oak. As this unwinds in the glass it begins to release its seductive aromatics of ripe dark currants, crème de cassis and blueberries along with fresh violets, pencil shavings, wild sage brush and exotic spices. On the palate this is full-bodied, with a gorgeous rich, opulent texture that is beautifully balance by a lovely touch if underlying acidity keeping it fresh and inviting all the way through the long enveloping finish. Displaying a remarkable combination of both power and precision, the 2016 is a total stunner and will go on to have a marvelous future for many years to come. — 7 years ago

Jim Stehli

9.4

I just kind of want to live down the road and grab one daily. Absolutely perfect Sonoma Pinot. Dark cherry and berries with a balanced full mouth. Can’t have enough imho. Doctor, doctor… pls! — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.6

What a special treat to have an entire flight dedicated to the one and only Noël Verset. All three wines were opened prior to dinner and serially enjoyed over the course of a few hours. Stylistically, all three wines were similar and most importantly, sound! The 1999 pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with slightly desiccated, wild, mixed, mostly red brambles, some horse blanket, dried purple flowers, cracked black pepper, Kalamata olive tapenade, old leather bound books, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Tonight, the 1999 seemed like a younger, bassier version of the 1992. It was a profoundly deep and guttural wine with the most substantial structure of the three. Drink now through 2039. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2017 San Valentino pours a slightly hazy, ruby color with medium+ viscosity and light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart, red fruit: sour Montmorency cherry, wood varnish, horse blanket, black licorice, old wood, and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and zippy. One of the more wild vintages of San Valentino I’ve ever had and this bottle wasn’t quite as good as the one I had a couple years back. Drink now and enjoy what nature gave to Paolo and Giampiero. — a year ago

Ron from VA

9.0

Even though 18 was a dramatically wet vintage, Michael knows how to coax enough tannin and acid from the rain logged clusters. Sorting must’ve been the real key here as the blend retained quite a bit of structure associated with other quality vintages. While a bit mellow and buttery, it was still very pleasant with the floral component. — 2 years ago

Carlos Gonzalez

9.5

My kind of Cali cab. — 5 years ago

Michael Jennings

9.1

Not the kind of wine we usually drink. Still massive After 16 years. Delicious, rich with glycerin, but not notably complex. — 6 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

A wine of subtlety and restraint. Green apple and ripe pear notes with not much power or length. Shows better with grilled halibut, mushroom jus, and butter ‘shrooms. No noticeable oak, not a rich buttery style. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Located in the western end of Dopp Road where the Chehalem Mountains converge with Ribbon Ridge, medium Ruby with aromas of red fruits and enticing spice. On the palate flavors of raspberry and wild cherry with pepper, toasty spice and earthy notes. Young with fine integrated tannins, well defined, elegant with underlying richness, long finish ending with oaky notes. Nice value, will age well! — 3 months ago

Ericsson

9.7

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age. — 6 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Opus One 2011
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A Bordeaux-style blend from one of Napa’s most iconic estates, co-founded by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The 2011 vintage was a challenging, cool year in Napa, producing wines of lower alcohol, more restraint, and higher acidity compared to the opulent, sun-soaked vintages before and after. Blend typically centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Aromas & Flavors
Opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and dried cherry layered with graphite, violets, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar and espresso. As it evolves in the glass, notes of leather, savory herbs, and cocoa powder emerge.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied compared to more powerful Opus vintages, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and balanced, showing more finesse and structure than richness. The finish lingers with red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of earth.

Winemaking Notes
Aged in French oak for 18 months. The cooler season resulted in smaller yields, but a style closer to classic Bordeaux restraint rather than plush Napa ripeness.

Food Pairing
Beautiful with herb-crusted lamb, grilled duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like Comté.

Verdict
A vintage that divided critics due to its lighter profile, but for those who enjoy elegance and classical structure, the 2011 Opus One is a refreshing outlier. Drink now, though it still has a few years of graceful life ahead. Cheers!
— 10 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.1

Since Fass is offering the 2019 as a cellar release from the winery i went back to taste the vintage. 2018, 19, 20, 21 are all excellent and different. The 18‘ is more wild and rich, the 19‘ quite elegant and the 20‘big while the 21‘ is probably my favorite a combination of 19‘ & 20‘. The 19 is classic E&M i would drink the vintage and not keep it. Light and elegant, dark cherries, lime, chalk and this hard to define E&M signature best described as black forest meadow with thyme and other herbs. I could drink this by the bucket. — 3 years ago

Gordana Josovic

9.5

Fabulous! A long life ahead it of, complex, wild, personality for days. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Le Parc at Les Crayeres in Reims. Deep dark ruby color, opaque. Wild nose with notes of black cherry, violets, menthol, slate stone and some mocha. Very perfumed. Rich and silky in the mouth. Tannins integrated. This is ready for consumption. — 7 years ago

Kyle Groombridge

9.2

This is just an annoyingly good wine. This has so much going on and yet it is so gulpable. This wine is fermented on its skins with the native yeast in ancient amphorae, giving a beautiful dank, earthy, musky dried floral aromatic. Sour wild cherries, slight brown sugar, a touch of red licorice, and stunning high toned cranberry-like acidity. Nothing is lost here. It has earth and fruit mixing beautifully. This wine truly is the epitome of my favorite descriptor of wine: funky fresh. I think I’m in love with this Cos lineup. — 8 years ago