4/27/2024 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Still deep color red brick. Tertiary notes developed on the nose. Interesting burnt barbecue meat aroma. Nice balance between fruit and acidity. Hints of smoke, herbs and dark berries. Silky, hint of firm tannin on the finish. Medium length. Not sure this is going to improve any further, nice time to enjoy.

2/9/2024 - wine65 wrote:

Golden yellow. Restrained nose of caramel and light toast. Meyer lemon, green apple, slightly oxidized notes of caramel and light toast. Drinking nicely but I would recommend drinking up at this point before the inevitable decline occurs.

1/23/2024 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Medium yellow. Nose reserved revealing hints of toasty oak. Rich mouthfeel, light acidity keeps the wine in balance. Pear, pineapple and well integrated hints of toasty sweet oak in the finish. Drinking beautifully currently.

10/20/2020 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Deep red. Floral nose with sweet herbs. Medium body. Cherry, sweet herbs and thin firm tannins in the finish. Getting close to drinkability would revisit in another 3 years

6/22/2019 - wine65 wrote:

Rich almost thick wine. Good fruit some almost oxidative qualities in the finish.

6/22/2019 - wine65 Likes this wine:

No formal notes. This wine has improved over the last few years. I thought it might be declining a couple years back but this bottle proves that assessment wrong. Definitely more barnyard and leather notes adding to the complexity.

7/7/2018 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Medium yellow color. Moderate amount of fine bubbles. Lightly floral, saline and a hint of musk. Nice acidity considering age. Poached pear, slighly nutty with a little bitterness at the end. Drinks younger than it’s 22 years would suggest a very nice mature Champagne.

6/14/2017 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Still primary, velvety tannins. Hold another 5 years.

5/24/2017 - wine65 wrote:

Color dark ruby no fade. Dark fruit dried flowers on the nose. Medium weight nice acidity throughout, dark berries, a little sweet spice in finish.

3/31/2017 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Not overly complex but drinking nicely with about an hour of air time

3/31/2017 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Drinking very nicely at present. Just beginning to enter maturity.

3/31/2017 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Dark red no fade. Herbal, cedery notes on the nose. medium-full body, slightly reticent at the start after 2-3 hours cherry notes emerge. Still needs time revisit in 4-5 years.

2/16/2017 - wine65 wrote:

A little funk good fruit. Drink or hold

2/16/2017 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Drinking well now

2/4/2017 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Nice balance between fruit and acidity no rush to drink

12/13/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Agree with previous note no vegetal notes detected in this wine. Enjoyable but not that memorable

11/20/2016 - wine65 wrote:

Dark red color. Nose of dark dark stewed fruits, spice a whiff of tar. Ripe sweet blackberries, raspberry and cherry. Light spice, oak and well integrated tannins on the finish. This is a flamboyant wine, right in line with what one expects from this producer and vintage. Well done!

9/1/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

From memory - tight, dark berries on palate, smokey notes presumably from oak. Will revisit in about 5 years

6/28/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Really drinking well, better than my previous bottle 6 months ago - no formal notes. Burgundian, nice complexity, good fruit but not overwhelming.

5/14/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Golden yellow color. Floral sweet nose. Apple, pear, meyer lemon slight oak spice at the end. This is a large scaled wine but perfectly balanced. Drinking very well now.

5/12/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Beautiful wine. Nice rich mouthfeel, good fruit, the oak influence is felt at this point. Improved on day 2. I don't find this vintage that much better than previous vintages. Its a wine I enjoy with each new release.

4/19/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Bright fruits, good acidity, faint honeyed notes. Went really well with hard cheese. Drinking nicely but no rush.

4/12/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Floral nose. Dark berries, herb, minerality and firm tannins on the finish. Drinking nicely after 90 min decant. Would hold 3-5 years and revisit

4/5/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Deep red color no fade. Nose of herbs and crushed red fruits. Notes of dark berries, bitter cherry, green pepper, herbs and tobacco on the finish. Slightly drying firm tannins. Would hold another 5 years.

4/3/2016 - wine65 wrote:

medium purple-red color. Nose slightly subdued herbs and a little musk. Dark fruits, velvety palate. Highly enjoyable.

3/22/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Color - medium yellow. Nose of nuts and polish. Oxidative notes of a dry sherry such as an amontillado with the brightness of a lean styled chardonnay. Has a nice rich mouthfeel. Very interesting but not for everyone, enjoyed as an aperitif with olives and cheese.

2/7/2016 - wine65 wrote:

No formal tasting notes- great balance between fruit, acidity and tannin. drinking very well currently.

1/25/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

From memory - barnyard notes, leather, dark fruits garique, this wine has it all. Very burgundian in nature. Drinking well but would not hold for too much longer. Interestingly a bottle of 1990 drank shortly before this, seemed younger by comparison.

1/25/2016 - wine65 wrote:

Golden yellow color. Yeasty toasty nose. Nice balance between aged notes of toasted nuts and fruit. Nice acidity on finish keeps wine lively. Drinking perfectly now

1/19/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

From memory - nice complexity, leather, graphite, dark fruits, beginning to drink well.

1/19/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

note from memory - a little one dimensional, voluptuous dark fruit drink or hold

1/11/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Dark in color, floral and spice nose. Sweet dark berries on palate, not much complexity but very enjoyable for its full intense fruit. Tannins well integrated.

1/9/2016 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Dark purple color. Smoke and herbs on the nose. Restrained palate, hints of dark fruit, herb, mineral and earth. Firm tannins on the finish. Needs at least another 5 years

12/15/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Deep ruby color. Nose is fresh lightly floral saline and a whiff of menthol. Palate sweet berries, slight spice and earth, light tannin in the finish. Nice acidity, freshness marks this wine. Very enjoyable now but no rush to consume.

12/14/2015 - wine65 wrote:

Deep color, nose of match sticks, rotten eggs and sweaty feet. The reduced notes blew off after about 45 min of aeration. Dark berries, minerality and earth and firm tannins on the finish. Very Very young but needed to try. I wonder if the reduction affected the overall aroma and fruit of this bottle even after it blew off to undetectable levels. Slight improvement in fruit quality on second day.

11/29/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Sweet floral nose, color - unable to assess in dimly lit room. Palate, velvety mouth feel, cranberries (maybe its the season), tart cherries, mineral, fine tannin at the end. Lots of flavor while still light on its feet. Drinking surprisingly well now, much better than the more backward 2009, but will improve with some time in the cellar.

11/10/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Deep purple color. Soaring floral - fruit aromas with just a hint of leather and spice. On palate dark berries, leather and minerals which persist in the long finish. Just a hint of animal peaking thru the fruit, firm tannins and nice acidity in the finish. Perfect balance between fruit, tannin and acidity. Will revisit in another 5-7 years, although the nose and fruit are really enjoyable at present.

10/24/2015 - wine65 wrote:

No formal note. Drinking wonderfully nice stage between fruit and tertiary notes of garigue, leather..

10/24/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Pale yellow color, fresh floral nose, richer mouth feel than the nose and palate would suggest. Palate citrus fruit, minerality and nice acidity in the finish. Really a pleasure to drink after so many rich overblown California chardonnays. This wine really begs to be consumed with food. I did not find the acidity too great for current drinking but will hold 2-3 years to see how it develops.

10/2/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Color Dark purple. Nose: light smoke, floral dark fruits. Palate: nice body, dark berries good fruit but not overly so, smoke and earth on the finish. Drinking nicely now but a bit young, aromatics improved with about 45 min of air.

8/30/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Similar to previous note, slightly honeyed undertones drinking nicely.

8/11/2015 - wine65 wrote:

Lean acid driven style, better with food but still left unimpressed

8/10/2015 - wine65 wrote:

similar to 2/4/15 tasting but did notice this bottle improved (fruit became more vibrant) with about 30 min of air time

7/28/2015 - wine65 wrote:

Color pale yellow. Nose reticent faintly floral, bread dough and an unexpected hint of rye. Palate nice body upfront brightness with tart dark berries follows with green apple and a touch of honey on the lingering finish. Very nice.

7/17/2015 - wine65 wrote:

Color dark red no fade. Nose floral, leather and a hint of seaside campfire. On palate dark fruit, nice acidity, leather and herb on finish. Enjoyable interested to see how it evolves over the next few years.

7/7/2015 - wine65 wrote:

Color pale yellow. Nose floral with wood spice. Palate lime, Meyer lemon, nice acidity good body spice notes on finish. Nice would hold a couple more years to let wood influence better integrate.

7/7/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Color golden yellow. Light, fine mousse. Nose toast, yeast and a hint of sherry. Palate rich fruit, baked apples, honey, hints of nuts and toast in finish. Note from memory of last night. One of the better aged champagnes I've had.

7/5/2015 - wine65 wrote:

I tend to prefer Leonetti Merlot on the younger side. Dark red color, nose of dark fruit, oak spice. On palate dark fruit, vanilla, sweet spices with chocolate and velvety tannins on the finish. Will give 2-3 years to better integrate

6/28/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Color deep red no fade. Nose of sweet herbs, cherry and a hint of menthol.
The palate echos the nose with spice, cherry, a hint of menthol and nice acidity. Drinking much better than a few years ago.

6/23/2015 - wine65 Likes this wine:

Brick red color. Floral nose. Medium bodied, raseberries, tart cherry, plum nice acidity with light herb and tannin in the finish. Showing really well much better than the bottle I had a couple of years ago. Those that held onto a bottle will be well rewarded.