90% merlot. Oak has integrated and lends a creamy mouthfeel to the dark purple plum, blackberry and cassis. Faint green complexity on the palate. Medium acidity. But ultimately a bit plummy and lacking complexity, but not all the way jammy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice wine, fruit seems to be fading, there is a little more green character on the palate but not offensive. I don't think this will get much better with time but very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting notes consistent with last bottle consumed on 3/1/2010 and rated 97 points. Lower rating this time probably because of the extreme summer heat. Just don't enjoy the big reds as much when it is 97 degrees out!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1 hour and consumed over 7 hours. Was ready after 2 hours, but seemed to settle into itself at hour 4. I would call this a drinking wine rather than a nose wine. A bit reserved on the nose, but what’s there is rustic and is a nice preview of what’s in store for your mouth. Earthy-forward style with some background dark fruit and some nice, palate-coating intensity. Tannins are grippy, but very smooth and is balanced perfectly with the fruit; suggesting that this is in a perfect place right now. Only the “lightness” on the nose holds this back from being extraordinary. 93 pts for intensity, balance, and a fantastic terrior expression that you only get from old vines from great areas. Super value at $45, and is the equivalent to most $100+ Bordeaux's. Will probably stay at this peak through at least 2016.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Originally had a 6 pack. Last tried 10 years ago. Superb then, as it is now. Decanted for 1/2 hr before travelling to Prime 112. A good bit of sediment in the strainer, and also fine sediment passed through to the decanter. At dinner it started out superbly with excellent bouquet, tactile sense and perfumed finish. As dinner went on it seemed to pick up weight and lose finesse. The INAUGARAL VINTAGE for a great wine, the 2005 was WS WOTY in 2008. Have 1 bottle left which I plan to pair with the 05 and otyher WS WINES OF THE YEAR at auction in the Fall(94 Taylor Fladgate, 95 Ducru Beaucaillou, 96 Chateau St John Cinq Cepages, 98 Ornellia, 01 Rieussec 1/2 & Magnum, 02 Insignia, 05 Clos des Papes).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle was simply amazing. Years of patience has paid off. Elegant and perfectly balanced like the finest of well aged Pomerols. Incredible nose of cassis liqueur along with ripe blackberry and black cherry. Stunning layers of black and red fruit coated the palate. Amazingly it did not overpower the palate with gobs of massive fruit as it did earlier in life. This was the fourth and last red wine of the evening and a 97 score is conservative because our palates were already worked over. In summary this wine took our breath away and I would try it now even though it may get better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Dark almost black cork. Fairly full bodied but very smooth and balanced. dark cherries, soft leather, oak and mellow tannins all working together. Much like a bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Five years since last opening a bottle of this. Still the greatest Chilean wine I have ever enjoyed. Beautifully mature. One more bottle in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
NSMFOW December '08--BYO Yankee Swap (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Purple opaque with a hint of bricking at the edges. Nose of deep berries and smoke. Palate of blackberry, plum, tar, smoke, some earth and cedar. Nicely integrated tannins. Still youthful. Guessed CA Merlot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
If tasted blind, I would have guessed Bordeaux. Mature, balanced, and full bodied; blueberry, blackberry and cassis on the attack, spice and blackpepper follow with black tea and minerals on the finish. Layers of pure flavors make this one outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Will drink at peak for another few years- easily. very dark ruby, blueing at rim. brush and tobacco/ tight ant tartness at first, then opened up in ten minutes, never flagged in four hrs. vanilla. cassis liquer. lovely, seductive nose with sweet cedar, daisies, and mocha. if it fit more easily in NWC, would have saved one..refreshing but concentrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still holding on and in fact maturing. Had my doubts early on, but now believe this could go a few years more. Thick and dark, but despite the extracted style carries the material well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still showing amazing purity of fruit and focus. Black licorice, tea, and black fruits dominate. Quite simply, still the finest Chilean wine I have ever tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/7/2020 - SARED wrote: 92 Points
92-93
90% merlot. Oak has integrated and lends a creamy mouthfeel to the dark purple plum, blackberry and cassis. Faint green complexity on the palate. Medium acidity. But ultimately a bit plummy and lacking complexity, but not all the way jammy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2017 - Peech Likes this wine: 91 Points
decanted for 30 minutes prior to serving. Sweet fruit, a little inky, with grilled meat notes. Surprisingly tannic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2013 - PANYC Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine, fruit seems to be fading, there is a little more green character on the palate but not offensive. I don't think this will get much better with time but very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Farewell to a Friend...With Some Wines He Would Have Enjoyed (A Tavola - Chicago IL): Not exactly my style of wine with more hints of liqueur than of a subtle, balanced, nuanced red wine. Others enjoyed this style far more than I did tonight.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2012 - Mr. Muga wrote: 95 Points
Tasting notes consistent with last bottle consumed on 3/1/2010 and rated 97 points. Lower rating this time probably because of the extreme summer heat. Just don't enjoy the big reds as much when it is 97 degrees out!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Dinner Party w Berkshires Crew: Lauren & Cliff Wohl, Geri & Roy Liemer, and Sondra Simon & Sy Goldman (Home: ICON BRickell, 465 Brickell Ave, #3303, Miami, FL): With Cheese Course. Double decanted and rebottled. This bottle showed NO sediment!(?) It seems to be losing its fruit, and drifiting into secondary development. I will never know, as last botlle from original 6 pack of the Inaugural Vintage of this great Chilean Wine by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and Michel Rolland.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2012 - pinothoarder wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour and consumed over 7 hours. Was ready after 2 hours, but seemed to settle into itself at hour 4. I would call this a drinking wine rather than a nose wine. A bit reserved on the nose, but what’s there is rustic and is a nice preview of what’s in store for your mouth. Earthy-forward style with some background dark fruit and some nice, palate-coating intensity. Tannins are grippy, but very smooth and is balanced perfectly with the fruit; suggesting that this is in a perfect place right now. Only the “lightness” on the nose holds this back from being extraordinary. 93 pts for intensity, balance, and a fantastic terrior expression that you only get from old vines from great areas. Super value at $45, and is the equivalent to most $100+ Bordeaux's. Will probably stay at this peak through at least 2016.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2011 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
Originally had a 6 pack. Last tried 10 years ago. Superb then, as it is now. Decanted for 1/2 hr before travelling to Prime 112. A good bit of sediment in the strainer, and also fine sediment passed through to the decanter. At dinner it started out superbly with excellent bouquet, tactile sense and perfumed finish. As dinner went on it seemed to pick up weight and lose finesse. The INAUGARAL VINTAGE for a great wine, the 2005 was WS WOTY in 2008. Have 1 bottle left which I plan to pair with the 05 and otyher WS WINES OF THE YEAR at auction in the Fall(94 Taylor Fladgate, 95 Ducru Beaucaillou, 96 Chateau St John Cinq Cepages, 98 Ornellia, 01 Rieussec 1/2 & Magnum, 02 Insignia, 05 Clos des Papes).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2010 - Mr. Muga wrote: 95 Points
Still has the fruit, power, elegance, and balance. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2010 - Mr. Muga wrote: 97 Points
This bottle was simply amazing. Years of patience has paid off. Elegant and perfectly balanced like the finest of well aged Pomerols. Incredible nose of cassis liqueur along with ripe blackberry and black cherry. Stunning layers of black and red fruit coated the palate. Amazingly it did not overpower the palate with gobs of massive fruit as it did earlier in life. This was the fourth and last red wine of the evening and a 97 score is conservative because our palates were already worked over. In summary this wine took our breath away and I would try it now even though it may get better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2010 - drgrape wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Dark almost black cork. Fairly full bodied but very smooth and balanced. dark cherries, soft leather, oak and mellow tannins all working together. Much like a bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2009 - drgrape wrote: 92 Points
Deep inky color, just beginning to see an amber rim. Full flavored and earthy, smooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2009 - mjayer wrote: 94 Points
Five years since last opening a bottle of this. Still the greatest Chilean wine I have ever enjoyed. Beautifully mature. One more bottle in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2009 - mugginsthedog wrote: 94 Points
Simply superb. Elegant and silky. Smoke and berries on the nose. Continues to improve and feels young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2008 - cgrimes wrote: 93 Points
NSMFOW December '08--BYO Yankee Swap (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Purple opaque with a hint of bricking at the edges. Nose of deep berries and smoke. Palate of blackberry, plum, tar, smoke, some earth and cedar. Nicely integrated tannins. Still youthful. Guessed CA Merlot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2008 - JScott wrote: 89 Points
Nicer now on the nose than the palate, which is still decent but fading. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2007 - Cahill wrote: 93 Points
If tasted blind, I would have guessed Bordeaux. Mature, balanced, and full bodied; blueberry, blackberry and cassis on the attack, spice and blackpepper follow with black tea and minerals on the finish. Layers of pure flavors make this one outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2006 - jdtonic wrote: 94 Points
Will drink at peak for another few years- easily. very dark ruby, blueing at rim. brush and tobacco/ tight ant tartness at first, then opened up in ten minutes, never flagged in four hrs. vanilla. cassis liquer. lovely, seductive nose with sweet cedar, daisies, and mocha. if it fit more easily in NWC, would have saved one..refreshing but concentrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2006 - JScott wrote: 92 Points
Still holding on and in fact maturing. Had my doubts early on, but now believe this could go a few years more. Thick and dark, but despite the extracted style carries the material well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2004 - mjayer wrote: 93 Points
Still showing amazing purity of fruit and focus. Black licorice, tea, and black fruits dominate. Quite simply, still the finest Chilean wine I have ever tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment