3/13/2015 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Think, rich, almost unctuously honeyed. Very light pink color with very subtle bubbles at this point. Drank a bit warmer than we normally would drink champagne and it was delicious.

12/24/2014 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Spectacular, still muscular, deep dark fruit -- can go much longer. Absolutely loved it

10/22/2014 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Infanticide. Hold off. By the third day in the decanter it was coming to life, but this is baby. WAIT

11/30/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Special. The most memorable chardonnay I've tasted in some time. Steely, citrus, and yet full bodied and rich. Delicious!

8/16/2013 - mappleton wrote:

A special bottle. Beautifully aged. Rich and ripe with still powerful oak. Quite surprising that it still shows this well given the ripeness of '97. Bravo!

6/29/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Excellent. Subtle earthiness and still powerful fruit. Amazing how this wine has changed over the years. Going strong with years of life ahead of it. Delicious

6/16/2013 - mappleton wrote:

Two Words: Dave Powell

@torbreckbarossa

5/24/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

An elegant beauty. "Margaret Thatcher" maybe? Elegance and strength. Power and Beauty. Delicious. Still in awe of most of these 94's. What a year

5/4/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Unfortunately getting tired. Side by side with the '94 and no contest. The '94 is still an incredibly beautiful wine that seems to have years ahead of it. The '93 has rolled over since the last visit. Drink up

4/11/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Aged but still vibrant. Another excellent 96

4/5/2013 - mappleton wrote:

WAY too soon. After an hour in the decanter it began to give a little. Lots buried here but years away from ready.

3/13/2013 - mappleton wrote:

Soft and very forward. Raspberry and fruit driven rather than the typical earthiness more typical of Beaucastel.

1/14/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Shockingly rich for a 13.0 wine. VERY young and in need of time but incredible structure here. Give it at least a couple of years.

1/13/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Powerful and robust. Surprisingly much more going on than in the 97 Spottswood. Not going to get any better but still some life in this one.

1/13/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Drink up.

1/11/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Drinking well with much life left. Consistent with past bottles. These mid-late 90's shiraz are showing an entirely new side after the initial sledgehammer of fruit followed by a period of flatness. Exciting stuff

1/9/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Drinking wonderfully. Dominated by the cabernet in a good way. Very well integrated fruit. Would NOT have called this as having both shiraz and grenache in it. Going much stronger than expected. At least 5 if not more years of life left in this. Exciting!

1/5/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Young and powerful. Tannins still very young and tight but much much potential here. Hold off for a couple more years.

1/5/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Seemed to be more Cabernet Sauvignon powered than cab franc. Showing its age (2000 vintage) much more than many older Maya's. good but not as interesting as hoped.

1/1/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:

A special wine that has seemingly put on weight and body since last tasted. Rich and powerful with a beautiful toasted bread nose. The last bottle of 2012. Exciting wine.

12/29/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Not at all what I expected. Subtle and Rhone like. Lots of pepper and violets and beautiful soft tannins.

12/27/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

A touch sweet with beautiful bubbles. Very straightforward and enjoyable

12/25/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Yeasty, lemony, unctuous, creamy, dreamy, happy, yummy. Merry Christmas

12/25/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Still showing that amazing deep purple color with very little signs of lightening. Still good fruit showing, but the big primary sweetness is all gone. Fruit, eucalyptus, earth. WOW

12/23/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

A special wine. Delicate and subtle with delicious red fruit undertones. An absolute delight now, but seems to have the backbone for years to come.

12/23/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Needs time to develop. Powerful and austere but not much subtlety here yet.

12/22/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Mind blowing to be exact. Nose was almost entirely earthy, forest floor, with very little fruit coming through. On the palate, nearly the opposite. A light bodied wine with sweet raspberry fruit. Soft, yet still very much alive. Blown away by this bottle

12/22/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Rich and unctuous with a solid mineral backbone.

12/15/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Delicious. Very approachable with ripe red fruit, a touch of sweetness and a beautiful light rose color.

12/15/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Subtle and stony with some ripe fruit undertones. In its prime but easily goes a few more years. ***

12/6/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Absolutely fantastic. Earthy, woodsy aromas. Silky, elegant and subtle. WOW. Ken Wright!

11/30/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Surprisingly young, tight, and very, very dark. Needs time or air or both. Lots of potential burried in here but not at all like most 97's I've tasted.

11/27/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

The wine looks Light gold colored. It smells like Peach, and Pear. It tastes like Pear, Butterscotch, and Stoniness. The body is Medium. The wine has Round texture.

11/3/2012 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Fantastic '02. Very well balanced -- full of body and richness, with plenty of acidity to suggest it has years to go. We were very impressed. Earthy, cigar box nose, and a luscious, rich mouthfeel.

Not sure it can get any better, but definitely enough life to keep going for another 3-5 years++

9/29/2012 - mappleton wrote:

First impression -- incredible nose of earth, fruit, and pencil shavings. Tannins smooth but still alive. As good of a syrah as I've tasted in some time

12/31/2011 - mappleton wrote:

Lively and robust. Definitely mature but still vibrant, rich, and delicious

9/15/2011 - mappleton Likes this wine:

Tight on night 1 and still seeming quite young. Lots of barnyard throughout. Day two more fruit coming through.

4/24/2011 - mappleton wrote:

Beautiful at 10 years old. Absolutely no sign of the 15%+ alcohol level. Rich and forward, but very well balanced.

4/9/2011 - mappleton wrote:

- Flavours of dusty and black currant - Just fantastic. Much more rustic and balanced than many other over the top 97's. Stunning

3/20/2011 - mappleton wrote:

Following the Bolly RD and the Krug 2 nights before, this was like the middle bear. "Just right". Lovely rich texture with a good bit of lemony acidic zing. Young too, but not nearly as tight as the Krug

3/20/2011 - mappleton wrote:

Shockingly young and tight. After the Bolly RD the night before, I wouldn't have guessed this was from the same vintage. Lots behind the curtain -- after warming up a bit and being open quite awhile, but going to hold off for quite awhile before opening another.

3/20/2011 - mappleton wrote:

Spectacular. Rich, honeyed and vibrant. Of the 96's tasted, the most evolved.

1/28/2011 - mappleton wrote:

hot, disjointed, unbalanced and generally distressing.... over the hill and fallen apart.... sad

1/8/2011 - mappleton wrote:

A bit over the top initially, -- a little hot and raisiny. Settled down as dinner went on but definitely still a big, burly baby.

12/24/2010 - mappleton wrote:

A beautiful wine. The fruit remains strong as the first impression but the earthy finish was to die for. I've always loved the mid-90's Insignias and this one was no different. Going amazingly strong with years and years of life ahead. Merry Christmas!

11/13/2010 - mappleton wrote:

Delicious! Excellent dark violet color. Lots of smoky minerality on the nose and great length. 13.5%? wow, they don't make them like this anymore

12/12/2008 - mappleton wrote:

Delicious! The aromas exploded out of the bottle as soon as the cork was popped. Fresh yeasty bread! Great acidity and very full bodied with a great long finish. Rich and full. A wonderful BDB

11/29/2008 - mappleton wrote:

unfortunately my last bottle. This was clearly a shiraz / cab blend with the shiraz fruit and the cabernet structure and finish. Definitely quite ripe, but not at all over the top.

2/14/2009 - mappleton wrote:

Very subdued. I don't think its dead but came across somewhat flat/tired. Not sure where this is going.

8/22/2008 - mappleton wrote:

delicious and oddly familiar. not sure what i was expecting but would likely have picked this as a cabernet with fairly high acidity