Jay Kline

9.5

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet with an opaque core and some rim variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, blackberry, black plum, tobacco, menthol, leather, and mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is really delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend or other Bordeaux-styled blend or a Tempranillo based blend from the United States, France or Spain. This saw French oak so I eliminated Spain. I thought the fruit was outshining the structure…so I liked the USA over France. And, based off the appearance, I thought this probably had 30+ years of age. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from the United States, from California, Napa, Rutherford; 1994. Ugh…the 1990 vintage in Bordeaux has bit me twice now recently. Really awesome stuff! Drink now through 2040+. — 3 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 19 days ago

GaryWEdwards

9.7

Drinking even more beautifully than 18 months ago. Beautiful nose, big fruits, and that whole cigar leaf thing going on, with hints of chocolate. But the reward here is the generously long finish. Wow! — 19 days ago

Ed Chin

9.2

A nice comparison to the Baron though it fell short in complexity and ease to drink. — a month ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Blend of Merlot (59%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (41%). Dark purple color. Fruit forward aromas of black fruit, sweet oak, violets and baking spices. Bright and ripe dark berry and plum flavors mesh nicely with touches of spices and minerals. Long and lingering finish. Smooth tannins. Excellent balance and freshness. Nicely layered and precise. — a year ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Spoto Family wine dinner under the stars: always a fun night with Stuart and family!

DINNER WINES
2021 Spoto Oakville cabernet rose
2019 Spoto Godfather red....a blend you can't refuse.
2019 Spoto cuvee Christiane
2018 Spoto Beckstoffer amber Knolls malbec
2018 Spoto family reserve cabernet
2015 Spoto late harvest viognier
Also:
2004 Las Cases
2005 Pichon Baron
2009 Cos d'estournel
2012 La Mission Haut Brion
2005 Spottswood
1989 clerc milon
2005 Spoto private reserve
2001 clos du val

FOOD
Oysters, lamb lollipops, feta skewers
Tomato and nectarine panzanella
Ricotta, summer pea and corn agnolotti
Wood fired gulf prawns
Five spice grass-fed short rib, Yukon potato
Apricot and vanilla custard tartelette — 2 years ago

with Brenda

James symons

9.4

Deliciously smooth and creamy, pairs perfectly with comte — a month ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

After 10 years in the bottle, a decidedly savory second wine from this storied Second Growth château. Meaty, almost Northern Rhône character after uncorking. After a day in wine fridge the charcuterie notes ease a bit, blackberry, stewed cassis start to edge forward, classic #pauillac graphite and mineral notes that carry through on palate. Lovely tension on the palate and persistent fine tannins through the finish. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1990 vintage. Excellent fill and halfway saturated cork. Used a Durand but surmise a regular waiter's friend, wielded carefully, could have done the trick with the cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 mins, one hour and two hours. Some obvious sed but not troublesome or overtly noticeable. Original owner-château direct on original release. Super cold cellar because this was lagging noticeably behind other '90's and LB's. Bigger tannic structure (for a generally feminine-styled house) than anything save a Latour, Mouton, Ducru Left Bank property. Even more guts than Lynch-Bages or Pichon-Baron '90's currently stored above 55 or so degrees. Surprising but made sense. Light-medium body. Appropriate color. 3-4 years left in this stage unless larger format in play. Slight, fleeting burst of richness in the frontal palate and a tad brickish and then it just flowed on, without speed bumps. A little cocoa powder and cedar/tobacco. Suspect 750ml specimens not stored as cold/religiously will be showing more in the 9.0-9.1 range and farther down the backside of the bell curve. 10.26.24. — a year ago

Shay A

9.4

This was served during my annual WWC hosting. Typical format of sparkler, three whites, four reds, one dessert, all served blind.

My goal was to compare this 2003 next to the 2003 Pichon Baron. I’ve had the 2002 Mondavi VHR a few times and have been floored how good they’ve been. Read a review from WA and it said the 2002 was a spitting image of the 2002 Pichon Baron, so I figured I’d see if the 2003 was worthy of the same comparison.

Decanted an hour. Whoa! Much more Bordeaux like than the ‘02, and a touch lighter. Mushroom, pipe tobacco and fig, with mineral/graphite note on the nose too. Mocha dusted red and black berries, currant, herbs and saddle leather. At the end of the lunch, this eventually turned to a more resolved (and deeper core of fruit) with the tannins integrating beautifully. Really enjoyable. Pop and enjoy. — 3 years ago