July 1, 2023 - Respectable for the vintage for sure but disappointing in the context to Rousseau CSJ (as shown in this vertical 0f 88/94-99 and 07), clearly the weakest wine of the evening. Some pepper and red fruit, but a touch dilute overall and just lacking the fireworks.
August 22, 2021 - The vintage has been criticized for not having much “stuffing” but the Rousseau CSJ has found a pleasant drinking plateau. There is color bricking and the fruit is a thinner mature red fruit compote, plums, blueberries with soft, dusty tannic grip yet this belies a svelte middle weight profile and a surprising aromatic lift with notes of cocoa, sous bois and camp fire complemented by a fresher saline mineral backbone. The wine lacks a little precision and has a yolky aromatic note yet there are pleasures here relative to some of the lower scores on record.
August 1, 2020 - From magnum. Somewhat dry and short. Certainly drinkable as far as '94s go today.
October 19, 2016 - Rousseau '92 and '94 Dinner (Scottsdale, AZ): A step down from the '92 this has some sour and bitter notes on the finish. While not ethereal like the '92 it's good -- it's denser and deeper than the '92, but just seems clunky by comparison with a dry finish.
February 26, 2016 - From magnum. Lovely subtle nose with raspberry and spices (cloves). Some rhubarb? Such lightness of tough showing - Rousseau really is a class apart in CSJ. Just lacks fruit due to the poor vintage. Finishes a bit tart. Another great job by Rousseau in a poor vintage, which whispers its quality rather than shouting about it.
December 26, 2012 - Surprised very significantly on the upside. Corked soaked through 80% but it and the bottle generally otherwise in great shape. Bricking as to be expected. Very lively mix of surprisingly vibrant fruit, earth and various secondary components on the nose. Very interesting transformation over time on the palate -- starts absolutely (and stunningly) weightless and ethereal with pure fruit, then starts to show more acidity and minerality. Always very well-balanced with great mouthfeel. Overall the wine is in a nice spot right now, but the freshness of the acidity suggests that it should have a few years of life left.
December 3, 2004 - Very good all the way through - enticing nose, lovely balance of fruit, fragrance, acidity and grip on the palate, decent for the vintage.