Picked up 6 on auction and they were all flawed. Heavy chemical smell & taste. So disappointing but not overly surprised given the plastic corks Behrens used back then.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped for a small taste...nail polish was the first thought...we decided to decant and after a few hours a bit of fruit came through, but still dominated by chemicals and heat...fascinating that others are having complete 180 experiences and enjoying their bottles...I would sell my last bottle if anyone would take it, but would feel bad if they had a similar experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Huge, really huge, crowd pleaser. Let breathe for about two hours. Inky black. Big bold black blue and red fruit. Still pretty ripe. Integrated. Long finish. Probably should have saved for a more intimate time in the winter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perhaps I have been lucky with the B&H synthetic corks but it would appear others have not based on the number of "flawed" comments. B&H wines are best drunk young and I think the "Fruit Bomb" tag is usually well earned but I do like their blend stylings. This wine has held up well given the amount of sugar/alcohol. I found this vintage to be soft and lush without being flabby or tawny as some B&H offerings can be after too much time in the bottle. Lots of dark fruit, cassis, glycerin and viscosity on this blend. I do think it is probably rolled over a bit from the first time I tried it. I have some more recent vintages and will most likely enjoy them before they get this long in the tooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We found this undrinkable. Disjointed, fruity but not good fruity in any way, just nothing at all to recommend it even after 13 years. Just awful. The CT comments are polarized. Some of us agree this is awful almost amateur wine. Others like it. I'm open to Napa fruit bombs. To me this is just poorly made. So maybe there is enormous bottle variation. But I've found similar flaws in other B&H wines. Some are good, but Parker comments that the winery was a hippie commune come to mind. And I wonder what they were smoking. I'm boxing all our B&H and giving away. Anyone want?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark red, dense black current bouquet with a hint of stewed plums, a bit port-like. Of course it was totally dry, the high alcohol was not really noticeable due to the dense fruit and tannins were integrated. A big over the top wine that matched a big juicy rib steak but lacked the complexity or sophistication one would hope for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour, drunk over 3+ hours. Not as syrupy as many B&H, this is a mature version of their house style. While at first smell I feared I had a cooked wine, this was fortunately not the case. Still rich, fruit-driven and very sweet, its age makes it more approachable but its still high in alcohol. Seems a little disjointed, with a mature mouthfeel but flavors that don't quite mesh. Chocolate, plums, raisins in a brandy bath. Not this much like a dessert wine, but these are the individual flavors as I dissect them.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tough to get past the nose, as it has a good dose of VA. The palate is actually very nice and not too hot, showing a lot of richness but not cloying. Serve cold and don't inhale.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Having read the Cellartracker reviews, I was alarmed that I might have some bad wine. This was not the case. The color was very brownish and the fruit was sweet, but the wine was robust and without flaws from start to finish. I did not evolve like RP predicted and was not worth the price. I purchased it from B&H and it was in my cellar until tonight. Like others, I do not order wines from B&H any more. I have, and still have, really good wines from them, but I am not willing to play craps with my dollars in order to bet on a dark horse; none of their wines will turn into Harlans. (Great label and bottle heavy enough to use as a pie rolling pin)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow was this awful. The now classic B&H nose of VA/paint thinner/turpentine/nail polish with faint hint of fruit barely noticeable. Palate was worse. Not corked. Undrinkable. My worst example of B&H gone wrong to date.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really pleasurable, hedonistic and heavy! Incredible power, but still showed finesse. Oak, mocha, vanilla, berry and other red fruits led to a glorious drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fight Night at J-P's (J-P's place in Yaletown, Vancouver): This wine was really weird and universally considered the worst wine of the night. Strange nose with some mint but also paint and high VA. A sickly sweet medicinal palate with distinct flavours of blue curacao. WAY too sweet/surmature. Not my style at all. When the contributor suggested a blender might help, I replied that a time-machine might help to go back and pick the fruit before it started to rot. The bottle shape is copied from Haut-Brion...too bad the wine wasn't.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for three hours prior to sampling. Consumed over three more. Classis B&H color, a little thicker than usual. Far less fruit-forward than their typical offering, I can see the RP analogy that thishis their version of bordeaux. Few flavors really stood out (though some plum and leather were evident); this is just an outstanding well-blended offering from the king of fruit bombs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/7/2021 - Christieluvwine wrote: flawed
Picked up 6 on auction and they were all flawed. Heavy chemical smell & taste. So disappointing but not overly surprised given the plastic corks Behrens used back then.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2017 - hanasowner wrote: 72 Points
Popped for a small taste...nail polish was the first thought...we decided to decant and after a few hours a bit of fruit came through, but still dominated by chemicals and heat...fascinating that others are having complete 180 experiences and enjoying their bottles...I would sell my last bottle if anyone would take it, but would feel bad if they had a similar experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2017 - warrenpeace Likes this wine: 95 Points
Probably the best B&H wine I have ever had. Great fruit and balance. Still 5-10 years of life left
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2017 - bonedocnine Does not like this wine:
This is either flawed or just suffered from the weird synthetic cork but not good...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Huge, really huge, crowd pleaser. Let breathe for about two hours. Inky black. Big bold black blue and red fruit. Still pretty ripe. Integrated. Long finish. Probably should have saved for a more intimate time in the winter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2016 - Vitis Maximus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perhaps I have been lucky with the B&H synthetic corks but it would appear others have not based on the number of "flawed" comments. B&H wines are best drunk young and I think the "Fruit Bomb" tag is usually well earned but I do like their blend stylings. This wine has held up well given the amount of sugar/alcohol. I found this vintage to be soft and lush without being flabby or tawny as some B&H offerings can be after too much time in the bottle. Lots of dark fruit, cassis, glycerin and viscosity on this blend. I do think it is probably rolled over a bit from the first time I tried it. I have some more recent vintages and will most likely enjoy them before they get this long in the tooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2015 - veniceslug1 wrote: flawed
Horrible va
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2014 - davidandrose Does not like this wine:
Undrinkable. Poured down the drain.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2014 - capacious Does not like this wine: 75 Points
We found this undrinkable. Disjointed, fruity but not good fruity in any way, just nothing at all to recommend it even after 13 years. Just awful. The CT comments are polarized. Some of us agree this is awful almost amateur wine. Others like it. I'm open to Napa fruit bombs. To me this is just poorly made. So maybe there is enormous bottle variation. But I've found similar flaws in other B&H wines. Some are good, but Parker comments that the winery was a hippie commune come to mind. And I wonder what they were smoking. I'm boxing all our B&H and giving away. Anyone want?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2014 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
Very dark red, dense black current bouquet with a hint of stewed plums, a bit port-like. Of course it was totally dry, the high alcohol was not really noticeable due to the dense fruit and tannins were integrated. A big over the top wine that matched a big juicy rib steak but lacked the complexity or sophistication one would hope for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2013 - rdfech01 Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Flawed nose. Chemicals. Overextracted, manipulated? Another disappointment from B&H.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2012 - davidandrose wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour, drunk over 3+ hours. Not as syrupy as many B&H, this is a mature version of their house style. While at first smell I feared I had a cooked wine, this was fortunately not the case. Still rich, fruit-driven and very sweet, its age makes it more approachable but its still high in alcohol. Seems a little disjointed, with a mature mouthfeel but flavors that don't quite mesh. Chocolate, plums, raisins in a brandy bath. Not this much like a dessert wine, but these are the individual flavors as I dissect them.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2012 - Michael Moore wrote: 92 Points
Great wine..no problems
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2012 - peterk wrote: 92 Points
Dark, dense, rich, viscous, decently integrated. A "heavyweight" in all respects.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2011 - hanasowner wrote: 91 Points
Viscous and port-like with dark fruit in the background.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2011 - llink wrote:
Tough to get past the nose, as it has a good dose of VA. The palate is actually very nice and not too hot, showing a lot of richness but not cloying. Serve cold and don't inhale.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2011 - gondrik wrote: 93 Points
Having read the Cellartracker reviews, I was alarmed that I might have some bad wine. This was not the case. The color was very brownish and the fruit was sweet, but the wine was robust and without flaws from start to finish. I did not evolve like RP predicted and was not worth the price. I purchased it from B&H and it was in my cellar until tonight. Like others, I do not order wines from B&H any more. I have, and still have, really good wines from them, but I am not willing to play craps with my dollars in order to bet on a dark horse; none of their wines will turn into Harlans. (Great label and bottle heavy enough to use as a pie rolling pin)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2010 - veniceslug1 wrote:
va
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2010 - vinocerus wrote: flawed
Wow was this awful. The now classic B&H nose of VA/paint thinner/turpentine/nail polish with faint hint of fruit barely noticeable. Palate was worse. Not corked. Undrinkable. My worst example of B&H gone wrong to date.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2009 - keithgg wrote: 80 Points
Over ripe. Over rich. Awful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2008 - patwjr wrote: 92 Points
Drank over 2.5 hours. A heavyweight of fruit, dense, but not too tannic or high alcohol. Drinking well now, yet still has time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2008 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2007 - winestem wrote: 93 Points
Really pleasurable, hedonistic and heavy! Incredible power, but still showed finesse. Oak, mocha, vanilla, berry and other red fruits led to a glorious drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2006 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2005 - Blair Curtis wrote: 79 Points
Fight Night at J-P's (J-P's place in Yaletown, Vancouver): This wine was really weird and universally considered the worst wine of the night. Strange nose with some mint but also paint and high VA. A sickly sweet medicinal palate with distinct flavours of blue curacao. WAY too sweet/surmature. Not my style at all. When the contributor suggested a blender might help, I replied that a time-machine might help to go back and pick the fruit before it started to rot. The bottle shape is copied from Haut-Brion...too bad the wine wasn't.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2005 - jonphillips wrote: 78 Points
When should a bordeaux blend taste like apple cider? I am DONE with B&H.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2004 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Dark, heavy and rich. Lots of crushed berries, spice, vanilla and alcohol. A bit too hot to be completely harmonious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2004 - davidandrose wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for three hours prior to sampling. Consumed over three more. Classis B&H color, a little thicker than usual. Far less fruit-forward than their typical offering, I can see the RP analogy that thishis their version of bordeaux. Few flavors really stood out (though some plum and leather were evident); this is just an outstanding well-blended offering from the king of fruit bombs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment