3/1/2024 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Decent value that is still in stores for $45-50. Drinking great. Soft on the palate, nice dark fruit that lingers nicely.

2/24/2024 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Great color. A bit unique. Nice dark fruit, with some Asian spice notes. Very soft on the palate. (Too soft?) Drinking great.

1/26/2024 - rcg62 wrote:

Brought a bottle out to a steakhouse last night. Only time for a relatively brief decant (30-45 min?), but I’d say it was drinking great, regardless. Good color, nose really came through. And very classy, and class-ic, in profile. Notch below the better vintages in terms of power, but pretty darn good.

1/5/2024 - rcg62 wrote:

Wow wine. Youthful looking still, and the palate is plush and feels young in the same way. Feels like there are many years ahead. Huge nose, so tart and red-fruity and floral. Fruit bomb palate that lingers and still coats the teeth. Dare I say it? It will improve the next five years or so. (Admitted bias. I love Monte Bello!)

12/24/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Very light in color, and showing some age. Subtle cherry and raspberry notes on the nose. Very much traditional in style. Austere but nice red fruit comes through, with rose, leather, and some mineral flavors. Quality, but not special. Only was able to open 20 minutes or so before drinking, and I suspect with a longer decant it may have showed better. Drinking well, no need to wait.

12/22/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Drinking great. Nice rich color, looks young. Nose not giving a lot but there’s dark berry and graphite there. Nice tart dark fruit on the palate, with some classic cedar and leather there as well. A bit flabby on the palate, maybe? But flavors persist nicely.

12/15/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Nice gold color. Nose terrific, with loads of honey and floral notes. Very California in a way, with its (subtle) butteriness, but also with some of the slate and mineral that brings Chablis to mind. Got better as it warmed. Drinking great. 94-95?

12/12/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Good stuff. Classic in style. Nice dark berry palate with hints of charcoal and slate. A little tannic still. May still soften up a bit but I wouldn’t hesitate to open. Definitely a value.

12/2/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Color still amazing, purple-red with only limited signs of age. I’ve always thought this wine outperforms and it was good again tonight. Nice nose of blueberry, plum, cedar, smoke. Nice soft palate bringing more of the same. Very classic Pauillac.

12/1/2023 - rcg62 Does not like this wine:

Overwhelming reductive nose. All sulphur. Writing this after trying to let it breath for 1/2 hour but no change. Not much better on the palate. I have never had this experience with an Aubert. I’m not going to rate it, but this one barely drinkable. Would be wary.

(Note: Later reached out to Aubert. They said I was tasting “reduction” but it shouldn’t be so prominent. No offer of a refund. Ha.)

11/17/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Very light and pale in color. Improved quite a bit in the glass, probably was worth a decant, in hindsight. Waxy nose, with soft hints of buttercup and lime. More citrus fruit there on the palate. A bit light. Wouldn’t buy again ($59 from winery!)

11/1/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Very light color. Opened up nicely as it sat. Great nose: blueberry, tar and earthy notes. No need to wait. Nice plum and sweet fruit flavors. Good slurping wine, and a little chill is beneficial. I’m a fan.

10/30/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Dark color for Nebbiolo. Big nose that wasn’t there a year ago. Loaded with rose petal, with an undercurrent of currant (ha) and berry scents. Quite tannic still, with a heavier palate than I’d like, but some nice tangy fruit there still. Nose better than the drinking, right now. Sadly last bottle.

10/21/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

This bottle showed some age. Lots of bricking. Nice big nose though. Lots of raspberry fruit, but also with secondaries like cedar, tobacco and leathery notes. I liked it but maybe lacked that first growth grandeur?

9/8/2023 - rcg62 Does not like this wine:

Nice pale gold color. There’s just something odd about this wine. I’m not sure it’s flawed, per se. There’s some promising green apple notes on the nose and palate, but I also get an odd finish that I can’t quite place, ever-so-slight sulphur (rubber?) note, maybe? Too much reduction? Drinkable, not super enjoyable. Maybe I’m over-sensitive as others with me thought it was fine. For me, my 90 score is generous.

9/8/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Pale gold. Honey and white fruit nose. Juicy and delicious. Light-ish to some degree but has a nice big citrus and honeyed palate. Well-made. Was thinking Aubert second wine as I drank it.

8/31/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Decanted a couple hours. Color not bad, still pretty ruby overall. Nose is big: red raspberry tart fruit, cedar, leather notes, maybe some green pepper as well (cab franc in the blend?) Great palate too. Nice and soft, with more tart berry, pine needle. Very classy. IMO drinking great, right now, but 10 yrs of peak left.

8/27/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Light gold. Lots of honey and white flowers on the nose. More of the same on the finish, maybe some tropical fruit and buttery notes. Nice and juicy though. Killed with lobster tonight. Pretty good value in a world of $100+ chards! Maybe overall a tad more on the buttery-chardonnay side for me to score higher, but v nice.

8/21/2023 - rcg62 Does not like this wine:

Good color but oxidized. Total cr@p. Very annoyed as I bought direct and it’s been cellared.

8/19/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Deep color. Nose is light but there’s charcoal and dark berry. Pretty tannic still, got better with some air. Some nice raspberry fruit waiting in the wings, but this one was still a bit tight. At $25 or so a bottle, fair.

8/12/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Amazing how youthful this remains. Color is beautiful. Lots of structure. We pretty much popped and poured, and in hindsight, I think an hour or so decant would have improved it, as it softened over time. Lots of blue/black fruit on the nose and more there on the palate. Probably a notch below “excellent” (less of the soft fruit I associate with other top St Juliens) but despite being 28 years old, I think this one improves and has a long life ahead. Very much enjoyed it.

8/12/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

This really performed tonight. Color still pretty deep albeit clearly aged. Nose is so good, and the cab franc there really singing. Long palate, loads of red cranberry and raspberry, green bell pepper, some cedar, and some subtle, darker slatey notes on the finish.

6/4/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Delicious, Aubert always seems to deliver. I’d put this one maybe a slim cut below their better offerings. Nose not giving a ton, leans to tropical fruit, kiwi maybe, small hint of lime. Nice juicy palate, just misses some of the minerality and acidity that defines some of the best of this producer.

6/3/2023 - rcg62 wrote:

Nose was promising, thinking juicy red berry coming on the palate as it’s there on the nose, although subtle. But less joy drinking. Got dark berry fruit there, some tobacco and earthy notes, charcoal. For me pretty tannic and dense. Maybe better in a couple of years but lacked some of the fruit I’d hoped for.

5/16/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Relatively ruby and dark in color for nebbiolo. Nice nose, dark berry and rose petal. Fairly tannic and would benefit from a couple more years in the bottle. But tasty, lingering palate. Nice. May rate better.

5/12/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Blueberry fruit nose. Light bodied. Lip-smacking fruit palate. I’d chill slightly. Different grapes but has that Beaujolais feel. Nice wine for a summer night. Tasty.

5/12/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Lightish ruby, great color. Nose isn’t big. Somewhat lighter palate than I’d expected as well. Opened up over time though, and an hour decant would benefit. Nice raspberry and other tart red fruits, and flavors linger. Very good steak wine! Nice, maybe hoped for more from the producer and vintage. 92.5! (-;

4/19/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Not “special”, but drinks great today. And classic Bordeaux. For $33 or whatever, a super value. Great dinner wine when you’ve got a crowd!

3/30/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

In a great place. Lots of red cranberry and raspberry like fruit with nice acidity on the finish. Very enjoyable. Lots of life left.

2/13/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Very nice right now. Nose has big floral notes like violet. Definitely some blueberry there too. Palate on the medium side. Soft, almost ‘pretty’ fruit there, on the dark fruit spectrum. Should benefit the next 3-5 years but fine here.

1/30/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Such a great value ($35?), another one adding to why Bordeaux is king. Very tasty, lip-smacking dark and tart fruits with some length in the finish. Still in stores (‘15s) and drinking fantastically right now. Very happy purchaser!

1/18/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Was drinking great tonight. Restaurant order, and followed an 08 Gloria that was pretty blah. I don’t have notes but thought it had nice fruit and acidity and was a good food wine. Not adding a rating here, but it was a low 90s for sure. (91/92?)

1/14/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Light/medium ruby. Funky manure note initially which blew off quickly. Nose quickly opened up with raspberry, and dried herb scents. Soft, almost viscous palate. Red fruits, almost some sweetness. Got better and better as it sat in the glass over the evening. Lip-smacker, and would seem to have years of good drinking ahead.

1/12/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

This is nice, and a value. No doubt can age a bit, but delicious right now. Beautiful color, plum, blueberry, leathery nose. Not super nuanced but nice acidity, fruit, mineral, and even some length, on the finish. Thought a tiny bit barnyard initially but blew off. 92+

1/7/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Dark ruby color. There’s some cedar in the nose with some dark cherry. Nice palate. Plum, blueberry maybe. A lot of comments in this site about oak. I can maybe get a tad of that but I think it’s integrated. Nice.

1/7/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Drinking great. Looks youthful. A bit new world relative to other pauillacs, but tasty. I think it’s drinking perfectly, plenty of life.

12/25/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

Double magnum. Two hour decant. Color still great. Honestly, looks young. Blueberry, plum, maybe some tobacco and earthy nose. More juicy dark berry on the finish. Very nice. A cut below the better years but drinking really well. Maybe bottle size helps but this one feels should have a decade of peak left.

12/24/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

From magnum. Quick decant (restaurant). This is drinking great. A bit of barnyard funk initially but gone fast. Nice dark berry fruit, anise, plum palate.

12/16/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

This was a pop and pour. Impressive. Medium color, maybe slight signs of age. Subtle but nice nose, lots of floral scents there. A lot going on in the palate. Some barnyard but not in a bad way. Red fruits seem to dominate (different than I recall), again a lot of the floral bit come through. Really soft and subtle , like a Burgundian cab if there could be such a thing. Had the 2001 right before. Preferred this one tonight. Drink up though.

12/16/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

Disappointing to a degree as I’d been blown away by previous bottles. Opened two. Both bought at auction. One was just off. Let it decant for a couple of hours but there were odd chemical notes that never blew off, and the wine was off as well. Second bottle (rated here) much better. Color great. Lots of good fruit still. Medium bodied. Only nit is palate, while not ‘short’ just doesn’t linger with a lot of big flavor. (Opened a 2002 right after, much more promising.)

12/7/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

Double decanted to take to a restaurant. Honestly I think I got overly freaked out by all the advice on this site re multiple hour decants. It was way better at first opening, than after 2 hour decant and time in the glass later. I feel it flattened out and lost something after all that. Tasty raspberry fruit, and super soft palate. Per usual, well integrated and no sense of the high-ish alcohol. But meh, for this producer.

12/6/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

Not a lot on the nose initially, but there are some soft floral notes there, with some plum. There’s much more on the palate. Nice juicy acidity beneath red raspberry dominated fruit. Good “house” wine. Tasty. Maybe a bit of a metallic undertone in the aftertaste? I like the Sandlands wines; always well-made and decent value.

12/5/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

I’ve rated this previously (92), so won’t add to that. But had another. Better day 2. First day a little too soft and light, day two really begins to show. Great nose. Long palate. Loads of raspberry, tart red fruit, nice acidity. Paid $30, hard to beat for a quality Bordeaux that’s ready to drink.

12/3/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Nose dominated by red fruits, but there are floral, violet notes and some plum too. A bit of a different palate profile for a Chianti. Medium bodied. Soft mouth feel, more plush than acid. Some blueberry fruit in the mix as well. A bit odd in a way, but it works as it’s quite tasty, and in a good place age-wise. Great value.

11/18/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Pale straw color. Nose has wet stones, honeysuckle and pear. Pretty mouthwatering. Really nice. Nice and dry yet has that chenin honeyed note, along with lingering white fruit, mineral, ginger. Quite tasty. Drinking great, and should be good for 5-10.

11/18/2022 - rcg62 wrote:

Dark color for a burgundy. Nose started with a lot of barnyard, but nice fruit notes came through after an hour or so. Drinking really well, loaded with red fruit, nice acidity, and really lingers. Tasty stuff. Would seem to have a lot of life ahead — color is great, and still brings a fairly big palate. Maybe lacking some of those tertiary notes still, that may still be on the come? 93+

11/15/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Light color, looks more (light red) pinot than (red/orange) nebbiolo. Nose is not giving a lot, there’s some dark cherry there but not much comes across. Palate much more giving: tart red berry dominates, lots of acidity, and palate lingers nicely. Maybe could use a little more ‘finesse’? Drinks fine now but should soften and improve the next 2-3 years.

10/29/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Looks young. Great nose, loads of dark fruit, cedar, leathery notes. More of the same on the palate, with additional mineral/gravel flavors. Well balanced. Long finish. Drinking well now although probably early end of the window and may soften a bit as well. Pretty terrific.

10/26/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Drinking pretty well right now, certainly not tannic. Unique nose, some clear mineral notes, and dark berry. Nice, soft and long palate, would have thought Merlot a bigger part of the mix. Not classic in the Bordeaux sense, but enjoyable. Tasty, almost-candied fruit palate.

10/20/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine:

Fun California Nebbiolo. Color much more ruby than typical, looks more like a gamay. It’s a baby, bet it’ll be even better tomorrow night. Rose petal, maraschino cherry, raspberry, maybe a little smoke on nose. All tart berry finish, and some tannin for sure. Juicy and delicious.