5/23/2016 - johnh1001 wrote:

Subtle nose of dark fruit, asphalt, wet stone and flowers. Beautiful balance. Love the minerals. Easy and open now but will improve of course

7/6/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Rich creamy bright red fruit, chocolate and vanilla.

9/3/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Somehow I liked this even more than the Syrah we had a couple weeks back. Thrilling nose of violet, dark and red fruit, hint of fresh herbs. Wonderful purity and balance on the palate. Seamless layers of rich fruit and this did not come across as heavy or alcoholic. I like these wines younger and while this will benefit from a little more time in the bottle I hope to open another one soon. Long, pure, silky finish.

7/19/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Full and rich nose of dark fruit, chocolate and new oak. Round and smooth in the mouth. Some espresso. Medium finish. Nice and forward.

3/28/2021 - johnh1001 wrote:

For me, 2001 is the last great traditional Rioja vintage. So many became so modern after. Really enjoyed this wine on day one and day two. Quiet on the nose but great cedar on the palate. Still young.

8/10/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Drank at home over 2 hours. I probably should have waited longer to try this. Very forward and dense nose of dark fruit, vanilla, roses and truffle. Great silky tannins. Lots of red, blue and black fruit on the palate. Great purity. What took away from this wine was the noticeable alcohol on both the nose and the palate. Heat on the nose and burned a bit on the finish. I should probably try this again at some point.

10/11/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Wow. Like candy. Caramel, chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit, red fruit and a wonderful creamy texture. Great balance. Sweet, forward and easy. Good now and will evolve. Like the wine but the 1L bottle is pretty funky. I was looking for the "30% MORE FREE" banner across the top.

7/10/2023 - johnh1001 wrote:

Could not help but have another bottle. Amazing and more open than the 2016 right now.

1/20/2024 - johnh1001 wrote:

Spicy red and blue fruit. Light but powerful. Bracing and vibrant. Love the green olive backdrop.

6/25/2023 - johnh1001 wrote:

My first time with this producer. Deep complex nose of dark fruit, raspberries, dried roses, spice, orange peel and white pepper. Full and smooth on the palate. Held up well on day two.

3/4/2024 - johnh1001 wrote:

Quite enjoyed this tonight. Smooth. Fresh. Oak. Long life left.

8/23/2023 - johnh1001 wrote:

Olives, saline, red and black fruit. amazing depth and extremely well balanced. Long and silky finish. there is a harmony to this wine that I did not get from the Rinaldi‘s we had next to it.

10/17/2022 - johnh1001 wrote:

Wonderful flavor and texture. Outstanding balance. Even better on day two

3/23/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Open nose of dark fruit, oak, cedar and pine. Loads of cedar and oak on the palate intermixed with creamy dark fruit and some strawberry. Very young, this needs time. I just hope it stays in balance.

7/30/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Outstanding nose of roses, plums, mint and hint of tar. This carried through to the palate with sweet red and black fruit, subtle earth and tar. Dense, perfect balance and complete. I wish this acidity were a bit brighter and more tension but overall delicious.

6/8/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Purchased at one of my favorite wine shops in St Emilion. Drank over 4 hours. I had never heard of this Chateau but the owner of the shop said he recently tasted vintages back to 1925 and all were great. A wonderfully mature nose of old wood, iodine, wet band aids earth and with time more and more sweet red fruit. This became more youthful with every sip. Narrow and bright. Lots of minerals. Bright sweet red fruit and violet. The finish lingered for minutes. Im sure no one will read this note but this wine was special and an amazing surprise.

12/29/2015 - johnh1001 wrote:

Lovely, full, plush, soft and full of plum, roses, dark fruit and a touch of tar. Outstanding balance and in a great place right now.

6/11/2016 - johnh1001 wrote:

I found this smoother with more emphasis on the fruit and the bottle 3 years ago.

8/23/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Drank half the bottle on day 1 and half on day 2. Absolutely outstanding nose of perfumed ripe, sweet red and black fruit. Ripe and concentrated on the palate and this flirts with being slightly overdone, but stops just at the right point. Beautifully pure fruit on the palate with notes of tar and fresh flowers. Silky texture, but just the right amount of structure and grip on the finish to remind you this is a Barolo and not a Musigny. Really delicious and was even better on day 2.

3/28/2021 - johnh1001 wrote:

Super pleasant. I love 2009s. This was no exception. Dark fruit, oak, earth. A tad sweet but wonderful balance.

7/19/2021 - johnh1001 wrote:

More restrained on the nose. Nice dark fruit and asphalt with that 2009 balance and softer texture that I love.

8/22/2015 - johnh1001 wrote:

Dark fruit, graphite, leather, cigar box and touch of herbs on the nose and palate. Wonderful balance and glossy texture. Open and ready to go today, but still very youthful and this will develop a lot more character with time--but it won't be too long lived. Medium finish

12/14/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Nice nose of sweet red and black fruit, pepper, cedar and touch of mustard seed. Earth, cassis and strawberry in the mouth. Round and well balanced. Medium finish. Good Value.

3/17/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Drank half on day 1 and the other half on day 2. I was worried opening this as many of the young CdP's I have tried lately, though very good, were starting to run together as big, over extracted monolithic fruit bombs. While this displayed great, clean black fruit along with herbs and meaty notes on the nose and palate, it was not as over the top as other bottles. Nice smooth, well integrated texture. This didn't change much from day 1 to day 2. Nice medium plus finish although it displayed some heat. A nice wine.

12/7/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Pungent nose of dark fruit, leather and tobacco. Dense and chewy on the palate. More dark fruit and tobacco on the palate. Softer in the mouth than the nose would suggest. Slight bitterness on the medium finish. Nice, but will benefit from a few years of age.

9/1/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

No sulphur this, time and really enjoyed the fresh and forward raspberry and blackberry notes. Easy to enjoy now, but this has a long way to go.

2/3/2024 - johnh1001 wrote:

The best bottle of this wine I’ve had in a long time. Full and glossy. Amazing.

5/29/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Dark fruit, smoke and some cedar the nose. More on the palate. Beautiful texture and great balance. Dark and silky long finish. Already good.

6/28/2023 - johnh1001 wrote:

Wow. Not as much fresh ripe red fruit as the 2016, but still wonderful strawberry, mint, lemon and white pepper. I just love the balance and creamy texture. Super long finish with a firm grip. I am a huge fan.

11/29/2020 - johnh1001 wrote:

Super juicy and forward dark fruit, loads of chocolate and touch of maple syrup. Lush and very well balanced on the palate. For sure this would pass as a Napa wine, but there is a hint of earth and restraint that lets you know are in still in BDX.

12/10/2023 - johnh1001 wrote:

Wonderfully bright red fruit and rose petal notes. Smooth, open and balanced after about an hour of air. Not as layered or complex as the Monvigliero, but delicious

8/13/2023 - johnh1001 wrote:

Deep, dense and dark fruit. Long and polished but a bit closed even on day 2. Will be amazing.

3/17/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Tasted over two days. Lots of oak, cedar and dark fruit on the nose and palate. Dense and creamy. Nice depth and great balance already. Powerful yet not over done. Medium finish.

5/29/2015 - johnh1001 wrote:

Tasted at the Domaine. Similar to the 2012, I am amazed and how powerful and expressive this is. Amazing spice and detail on the nose and palate. These wines today have been so impressive and to me they somehow have the detail and finesse of DRC but with the sexy power of Leroy. That's a damn good combination and I am now a confirmed buyer of these wines.

1/25/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Nice pretty nose of strawberry, meats and herbs. The palate matched and was light but took on weight with time in the glass, well balanced and easy to drink. Medium finish.

8/2/2020 - johnh1001 wrote:

Rich dark fruit and vanilla. Tobacco, touch of wet stone. Polished finished. Really enjoyed this. Of course super young and primary but excellent even now.

12/29/2022 - johnh1001 wrote:

Better than I remember. Forward and beautiful dark fruit with spice. Great energy. Perfect spot for my taste.

5/29/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Same as the last bottle. Big on the oak.

10/30/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Very pretty. Raspberries, touch of plum and fresh roses on the nose and palate. Not much depth, but really pleasant. Good value.

12/28/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

I have had mixed experiences with this wine, but this bottle was probably the best I have ever had. Outstanding nose of ripe red and black fruit, earth, herbs and the telltale green pepper note. Although, because of the ripeness, the green note was definitely in the back ground. Drank over a few hours this continued to evolve and both the palate and the nose became more and more expansive with time.

1/7/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Dark fruit, wood, caramel, chocolate and wet stones on the nose. The palate matched with more red fruit and some floral notes. This is very very firm and even with the giant fruit, the tannin is still quite present on the long finish. I prefer other 09 Pomerols to this, but no doubt this is an excellent wine and while the flavor profile is great, it lacks the finesse of other 09 right bank wines.

3/22/2015 - johnh1001 wrote:

From magnum. We were all blown away by how well this showed tonight. Outstanding nose of sweet dark fruit, weedy tobacco, some leather and more pronounced red fruit after an hour. This all carried through to the bright and fresh palate. Great balance and long smooth finish. GL not usually a favorite of mine, but this was a great St Julien.

4/21/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Decanted and drank over 4 hours. When RP said charcuterie in his review he wasn't kidding. Major spicy meat on the nose and palate with a background of strawberries, flowers and black fruit. Nicely sweet and smooth on the palate. Already very complex. Obviously young, with some tannin on the long finish.

11/26/2012 - johnh1001 wrote:

Decanted and drank over two days. As expected from a cult CA cabernet: Huge blackberry fruit, coffee, brown sugar and pepper emerge from the nose. Very ripe and sweet on the palate. Not as long as other vintages and actually pretty tannic on the finish. But still lingers for a long time. The alcohol is present and I am concerned this may fall apart in time but this is certainly a hedonistic wine that can be consumed now or in the next few years.

4/13/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

1990 ANYTHING Dinner (Our house): Drank over 3 hours. Brilliant showing for this wine. Bright red fruit, violets, rose petals and some earth on the nose and palate. Incredibly fresh and just danced over your tongue. Long finish. Great grip and energy.

1/7/2024 - johnh1001 wrote:

More mature than my last bottle but awesome flavors of coffee, sweet dark fruit, weedy tobacco and earth. Smooth and open in the mouth but without the glossy texture I recall. Still a wine in its prime.

8/15/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Drank over 3 hours. Elegant and restrained nose of red and black fruit, plum, hint of tar and roses. The palate absolutely beautiful and perfectly integrated. This wine is so pretty and the fruit match with the tannin is sublime. Full and round in the mouth. Smooth finish with a unique subtle power that really gets you thinking. Just the right amount of tannin lets you know this has a long life ahead. Delicious.

11/13/2014 - johnh1001 wrote:

Another delicious bottle from a different source. Intense nose of nutmeg, cinnamon, other spices, tar and lots of dark fruit. Full and open on the palate. This is really lovely, but has a very specific flavor profile. Long finish.

3/18/2020 - johnh1001 wrote:

Earthy and smooth. Plenty of life left

12/9/2012 - johnh1001 wrote:

Decanted and drank over 6 hours. No doubt I am influenced by the hype surrounding this wine. I actually tasted this from barrel with Alfred Tesseron, who was just so charming. At the time I liked the wine, but wouldn't have put it in my top 10 of the trip. Anyway, the nose is great with deep dark fruit, crushed stone, asphalt, dark chocolate and herbs. The palate matches and even with plenty of air is still dense and tight with a core of dark fruit. The balance and texture are wonderful as this just glides across your tongue. The tannin is evident on the finish and every so often you get a little bit of heat on the nose. All that said it will clearly age and I'm looking forward to drinking the rest of the case.