3/29/2024 - KVM wrote:

Very dark red. Cork is in pristine condition.

Nose of blackberries, oak, flowers, tobacco.
The palate is silky, more than medium body and the alcohol shows just a little.
Flavours of blackberry, cherry pie, tobacco. Very long finish with tobacco bitterness. This is classic, lovely and now in its drinking window.

3/25/2024 - Lord Rodney wrote:

It’s braking up - this wine seems to continue it’s downward spiral. The plums keep turning into prunes and dried fruits. The palate is the worst though. Drying dark berries and dusty chocolate- even a little harsh. Think this wine was just too extracted and couldn’t handle it. the alcohol is seriously showing up - drink up. This was my 5th bottle out of 6.

3/20/2024 - TWSA Does not like this wine:

Nose: blackcurrant, hints of nail polish, tobacco leaves
Notes: the 2005 vintage has always been and probably will continue to be (at least for another decade) mysterious, full, well structured and unready. Very jam like and tannic still, this wine is not very enjoyable right now. Personally I have never been a fan of Pontet Canet and given this great vintage I am still unable to spot anything interesting or promising at this very moment, I think this may require another 10 years to develop and mature so I would advise owner of this bottle to lay it down and forget about it for a while.
Drink: 2034+
Rating: 87

9/3/2022 - zpearson Does not like this wine:

I saw some CT notes saying dark and uncommonly structured, and to decant. So I did. I ultimately gave this 4 hours in a decanter and something was wrong here. It's very dark garnet and smells like raspberry liqueur and tannins. It's hard and unpleasant, and while it did get a bit softer, this was supremely atypical for this producer (e.g. not light, elegant, balanced, aromatic), so judgement reserved. I've got one more and I'm just going to forget about it and hope. But tonight, I am depressed.

2/16/2024 - KL1975 wrote:

Flawed bottle? Notes of rum pot and baked notes, port-like, alcohol very dominant, disappointing. Hope it was a defective bottle, because I have two bottles left…

2/4/2024 - fmginc Likes this wine:

Deep rich garnet color and big round fruit notes

2/4/2024 - 559308 wrote:

Drinking well now. Do not hold.

12/22/2023 - SMagowan wrote:

Mildly concerned. This was not as good as previous bottles. No taint; just flat and dull. Dumb phase?

12/18/2023 - Labrador Does not like this wine:

This particular bottle was very different from my previous bottles, which I have enjoyed. This one was off. It was not flawed but was definitely not good.

12/9/2023 - cubswinws Likes this wine:

In a perfect place and I would drink up

12/8/2023 - Magicviking wrote:

Year 2015, drank dec 2023 - really beatiful wine, seems like its ready to drink. What a positive experience

11/6/2023 - R_Manhattan wrote:

RP

10/11/2023 - pdadams66 wrote:

JBEI Annual Meeting

10/4/2023 - C&A Wine Does not like this wine:

Could not believe how this tasted. Literally like nothing

9/1/2023 - Hector Salazar-Reyes wrote:

Gifted

8/28/2023 - peebal wrote:

I don’t think it’s a flawed bottle. I just thing old Beaucstel is and has largely always been overrated Plummy nose, flabby on the palate, and short. I had this bottle ten years ago and it was fun. This is not.

8/11/2023 - Olivier Portet wrote:

Aging. Drink up

5/1/2023 - johnwine wrote:

62% Napa and 38% Sonoma

5/1/2023 - johnwine wrote:

77% Napa and 23% Sonoma

4/21/2023 - Grinner wrote:

Reading the notes below, this wine is obviously polarizing. Or there's serious bottle variation; a batch with ultra-light TCA perhaps?
As someone who has taken decades to come around and appreciate Italian wines and their ACIDITY, I'm still surprised when I enjoy one like this. I've also learned to never taste these next to a big fruity New World wine.
Splash decanted 1/2 hr before dinner and served in Riedel Pinot glasses. With time and coaxing, there's bright red cherry, spice, leather and floral notes that carry to the palate. Really lovely with prosciutto and cheese ravioli. Backbone of acidity and tannins asks for food, it's not a sipper. Really good QPR. Longer decant or wait: 2024-2028.

4/21/2023 - EC_Merenda49 wrote:

Emailed to pick up at 4:30 4/21 AG

4/14/2023 - Bechtel's Liquid 401K wrote:

X

1/30/2023 - bill wrote:

Elisa 3 bottles

1/26/2023 - stuartwh wrote:

bentelys with Harris Jones

1/16/2023 - Toobusy2clean wrote:

Good Bottle

1/16/2023 - ItsNotMe Does not like this wine:

This is as thin as Popeye’s Olive Oyl. No substance, high alcohol. Gosh, I hope this improves. Disappointing.

Updat: I’m chalking this one up to significant bottle variation. Something was off.

1/14/2023 - Mortgage92 Likes this wine:

There are much better California cabs, but for the $100 price, this is OK. I will wait to try my remaining bottles.

Please see my previous tasting notes.

1/12/2023 - MamaG514 wrote:

98pts-Wine Advocate

12/25/2022 - glou.sf Does not like this wine:

Very, very ripe nose with spices, cloves, vanilla, and chocolate. This is just too much, too modern, and not at all my style.

2/28/2022 - NikkiPistol wrote:

In wine box under buffet

12/25/2022 - salcorn wrote:

Unnecessary Preface to various trolls on this original thread, who have sought to enlighten us with their vast knowledge:

Yes, we know this is a young left bank Bordeaux. That is why the drinking window is 2022-2075.

Yes, we know you would like it to be highly rated because you own it.

Yes, I have tasted 2010 Bordeaux before—in fact nearly all of the first and second growths at various points in their development. Because that's what wine judges do.

Yes, I like old Bordeaux. I also like many other kinds and ages of wine, and am aware of how they develop.

Now, with that out of the way, on to the original review:

Surprisingly unapproachable, even after eight hours of air. Not much fruit in the nose or on the palate, and never really did develop. Just tight and tannic. Perhaps this will come around in a few years, but I'm in no rush to open another.

Epilogue: If you own this, I suggest a drinking window at least beyond 2030.

12/25/2022 - NZLTJ Does not like this wine:

Alcohol. Leather. Flat and big. Not so great

12/24/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:

A point better than my last tasting of this 18 mos ago. Drinking so well right now. Red fruited, smooth, soft new baseball leather, nice acid but everything balanced. This is fantastic right now but will continue to evolve. I’m enjoying the journey but nothing wrong with drinking them up now as they are.
Went nicely with lamb chops and loved by all at the table

4/3/2022 - fcdary Likes this wine:

3.5 stars

12/12/2022 - pdxwine wrote:

N/A

11/15/2022 - Bangkok2018 wrote:

Take it for a drink at Swirl

12/31/2021 - Alan Ross Likes this wine:

I'm a financial services guy (and not in the wine business) that has purchased cheap cars and expensive wines for over 40 years. This is my first post in this space (sorry for the length).
My first Bottle was a gift, so I looked it up in CellarTracker. Two reviews ; a 93 and a 63 that stated "You would be better off mixing yeast with Welche's grape juice". So given the disparity, I brought it to New Years Eve as a goof to see what was up. Each of the three of us that are long time buyers with sophisticated pallets all agreed that:
It was formidable on opening and exceedingly surprising as to quality, especially given the $26 price (case $22 - I bought two). We all thought it was quite a find and really do not know where the "grape juice" comment came from. We compared nicely with the other California Red Blend we drank; 2018 Corner 103 Cuvee, which is double the price and also stunning for the price. And the C&T keeps extremely well overnight. It's a little gummy and alcaholic (16% !) at first, but smoothes out in an hour (undecanted). And it keeps extremely well overnight. It should last - dare I say -5 or more years.
So, Mr. Stevens, you might want to give it another chance.

7/20/2022 - becassine wrote:

Wow,
No word!!!
I am drunk!
Hahahahahahaha
Very nice wine
No need to wait longer!
My first Fleur Cardinale!

7/5/2022 - Hazeo wrote:

This bottle seemed quite advanced and the texture was very smooth. However, the nose was mostly nonexistent and it also lost a lot of its complex charm from my previous bottles. It is still a nice wine but I hope this bottle was an anomaly

6/24/2022 - Richkniles wrote:

Tahoe…..

6/16/2022 - MuddyBear Does not like this wine:

From the Coravin Extracted oaky fruit bomb. Old style Napa that was never my thing. Maybe it will resolve as the fruit fades, but not sure it has the backbone. I’ve enjoyed some vintages of this wine, but not this one.

5/27/2022 - SCM Fan Likes this wine:

Purchased from Culver City Costco years ago, tonight decided to have Burgers N Bordeaux with this bottle. Decanted 1/2 hour before serving. Poured into glasses for myself and wife. Slight bricking at rim. Deep ruby color. Nose was enjoyable but muted a bit- not corked though. Wine was pleasant with burgers, just wanted a bit more punch for the price paid for this Pauillac. Might be OK for another year or so.

4/12/2022 - Grinner wrote:

After a 1 hr decant, this bottle was classic. Great depth of red fruit, spices, mineral, leather, tar and tea notes. Balance excellent, with tannins in check and acid not overboard. Now-2031

4/11/2022 - Winesneauxb wrote:

4.6

3/30/2022 - Red Ed wrote:

$54.00

2/26/2022 - tphilca Likes this wine:

Unlike other recent bottle which was absolutely fantastic, this one was muted and never opened up after hours. Didn't taste corked but clearly some significant bottle variability with this bottle.

2/28/2022 - MS86 Does not like this wine:

Clear, medium- ruby, significant fading at rim

Quite evolved. Lots of earth, miso, mushroom stock. Background of dusty black cherry, worn leather and tar.

Soft and thin. Missing any tannic backbone.

Flavours are bitter and hot with sour black cherry and raisin.

Not my style and past prime.

2/23/2022 - Bill L wrote:

Dinner w/ Aunt Katie, Debi and Martin

2/4/2022 - Grinner wrote:

"Old Bordeaux" = '86! (Old Home of Woodward): Another great bottle, 96+ and my second fave. Open for business in every way with a sexy nose, great depth, and superb balance including the most obvious tannins of the night. Red and black fruit, tobacco, spice, and cedar. Guess? '90 Pauillac. Now-2036.

2/10/2022 - Aberson Likes this wine:

90