Community Tasting Note

• blarmston Likes this wine: 97 points

  November 23, 2022 - With a three hour decant, this was singing.
  
  Benoit strikes again.
  
  Easy 96-97 now with upside.
  
  Mental note- stop sleeping on this bottling and just focusing on the SVD's in their portfolio- for the price point, this wine delivers...

  11 people found this helpful 7,154 views

23 Comments

• JEP007 commented:

  11/23/22, 8:12 PM - Totally agree BA!

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/23/22, 9:16 PM - The bang for the buck is tremendous. No need to spend $100-200 more for a lousy point or two.

• DrBad commented:

  11/24/22, 5:48 AM - Yeah, these are pretty killer. Anyone open a Bard Blair yet?

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/24/22, 6:32 AM - DB, why would anyone buy those when you can get this at half the price?

• DrBad commented:

  11/24/22, 6:36 AM - Mark - good point but I did pick up a few of the Blair out of curiosity. I've got a ton of these '18s and first one I opened in '21 was still pretty young. Time to revisit!

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/24/22, 6:40 AM - My friend, lol.....you gotta stop believing the hype and feeding the insanity in Napa! Nothing but the uber wealthy working to separate you from more of your money.

• Decanting Queen commented:

  11/24/22, 7:00 AM - Glad you enjoyed it. And gave it some air time too.
  So many people opening the current Bards too young, pnp, and then complaining it wasn’t good because it is so mass produced, too many vineyard blends, not what it used to be, blah blah blah. Well, maybe, but it’s a bit too soon to tell I think!
  And I did buy the Blair too, will be curious to compare to a ‘regular’ ‘19 Bard in a few years.

• blarmston commented:

  11/24/22, 8:22 AM - Mark- rest assured that as a Certified Financial Planner and long time student of behavioral economics, I am well aware of the hype and sales tactics of not only Napa but everywhere really. Not saying I am immune of course but perhaps less so than the average joe.
  
  Historically I have purchased the Farella and now their Levensohn because I simply love those two vineyards (bummed the latter is going away) and appreciate the specific sense of terroir.
  
  And my understanding is that the only commonality of the Bard and the Blair is part of the name? Bard is multiple vineyards and Blair is a single vineyard?

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/24/22, 9:41 AM - Yes, Blarm...that's the way I understand it, too. Commonality of name, only. I don't know about you, but I'm finding more and more in Napa, so many wines across so many wineries are just blending together in commonality. Even though the fruit is arising from different vineyards, the palate so often seems the same. Methinks too many winemakers are following the same formula or 'recipe' now, if you will. I'm a little older than you and at this point in my wine life would rather have 2 bottles of a 95-96 pt wine for $300, than one bottle of a 98 point wine at $300. My main bone of contention with Napa pricing is that an extra 2 points isn't worth a doubling of the wine price to me, personally. But everyone's palate and pocketbook can be quite different. Cheers and have a great Thanksgiving!

• Decanting Queen commented:

  11/24/22, 11:56 AM - I thought the hype comments were directed toward Dr B and the Blair…..

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/24/22, 7:16 PM - They were DQ, not you! Though you are equally as guilty! Lol.......if I only had a guillotine!

• Decanting Queen commented:

  11/24/22, 7:48 PM - Mark I ecoect nithing but grief and guillotines from you…and maybe a ‘96 Motoun

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/24/22, 7:59 PM - Lol...you've already had the '96 Mouton......the guillotine is waiting!

• DrBad commented:

  11/25/22, 3:56 PM - Ha ha, and this coming from the guy with probably the most TNs on hyped Beckstoffer Napa Cab!

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/25/22, 4:18 PM - DB......yes hyped(!), but also quite a bit cheaper years ago. It's simply gotten too out of control, now. I have enough in the cellar for gratification for quite a while and have been picking them up for much less lately in backfilling with older vintages. I'll not be partaking in the purchase of anymore new vintages, I don't believe. Except for maybe the BCellars Ehrlich which is less than half the cost of their Becks now and some years scores just as high in points. Hence, my earlier notes above, about value vs point ratings.

• DrBad commented:

  11/25/22, 4:26 PM - Yes, I'm also "trying" to cut back. We'll see how that goes!

• DrBad commented:

  11/25/22, 9:53 PM - And we are in total agreement on the Ehrlich. I think you and I probably the most appreciation of that wine than anyone.

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/26/22, 5:04 AM - Oh, there's quite a few of us here that love that one!

• Decanting Queen commented:

  11/26/22, 7:55 AM - Dr Bad I am also ‘trying’ but you know how that goes…
  But I do like the Ehrlich only BCellars strategy, might have to adopt that myself. But what to do about Realm and all the others?

• DrBad commented:

  11/26/22, 10:07 AM - DQ - My current strategy is purchasing wines that will age well and hold or increase their value. I'm 61, so if there are wines that I can't get to by the time kick the bucket or need to stop drinking for some reason, at least they will be worth something for my kids. So Realm is a no brainer for me as they almost all hold or increaser their value over time.

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/26/22, 11:16 AM - DQ....same strategy applied to Realm, buying the Bard and Tempest only. Nothing else. Twice the price for 2-3 more points just isn't worth it.

• Decanting Queen commented:

  11/26/22, 2:11 PM - Not sure I can give up my other Realm…

• Mark1npt commented:

  11/26/22, 6:06 PM - Well....you have the disposable income stream, I no longer do!

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