6/2/2023 - facchair Likes this wine:

Exceptional nose, bold, full bodied, good fruit, good tannins Will cellar for quite a while.

1/1/2022 - facchair Likes this wine:

After 70 years this wine rocked it! Shared with my family for my 70th!

3/28/2021 - facchair Likes this wine:

unbelievable at 35+ years.

3/26/2021 - facchair Likes this wine:

Near perfect wine with just 8 years of age. Should last a long time but no need to wait on this one.

12/11/2020 - facchair Likes this wine:

Thought I should try one of my six to see if price is justified. Decanted for 8 hours, drank over two hours on Zoom call with good friends. Paired w/pistachios and good conversations! Not as bold as the Colgin regulars but a nice start on a second wine. Floral, complete, not sure what mineral means but might meet the definition. Good move to keep me engaged and not spending $500/btl. D

5/30/2020 - facchair Likes this wine:

Still drinking well at 31. Good color, dark fruits, identifiable Montelena taste. Has some time left!

3/26/2020 - facchair wrote:

Wow, this is a big disappointment for $500. I decanted for 6 hours, and found the wine unimpressive. This is the third bottle of my 3 bottle pack and none justify the price. Hopefully the 2012 forward will be better.

3/1/2020 - facchair wrote:

Hour decant, was very tight, fruity, unimpressive. At this price point, you expect better!

8/20/2019 - facchair Likes this wine:

Enjoying this wonderful wine at my place in Vail. I had the pleasure of knowing Don Ross and I consider him my friend. I wish Don could have had the opportunity of drinking his 2007 in 2019. Joann, if you still have some, I hope it brings you the same satisfaction! Dave OToole

3/2/2019 - facchair Likes this wine:

Lots of fruit, drinking well now but can hang on for many years. Special bottle of wine.

11/25/2016 - facchair Likes this wine:

My Final '84 Daniel and the best one I have had. Great color, young legs, just modestly barnyard, dark fruits, asphalt, maybe a little amber with good tannins and a long finish for a 32-year old Cali wine. Great job Mr. Moueix and company. This is a special bottle of wine and was obviously a great bridge to today's Dominus.

11/25/2016 - facchair wrote:

- Slow forming legs with a light/medium body.

11/10/2016 - facchair Likes this wine:

Perfect condition from a great vintage!

6/19/2016 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs with a light/medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish.

5/1/2016 - facchair Likes this wine:

Dark fruit, well balance. full bodied, just an average finish though.

4/24/2016 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs with a medium/full body.

4/16/2016 - facchair Likes this wine:

Fabulous Chardonnay made by a great man . Thank you Don Ross, you were a good friend!!

4/16/2016 - facchair Likes this wine:

We celebrated Don Ross's life last night with this bottle of wine and his highly acclaimed Cardonnay. Great wines and great man. Thanks Don!!

2/14/2016 - facchair Likes this wine:

Very nice time for this wine. Short decant but opened quickly. Last bottle ��

2/13/2016 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs. It's unbalanced with a light/medium body. Coarse texture with a short finish - Really weak effort for Lewis. Must have been the worst of the worse grapes in the valley!

1/13/2016 - facchair wrote:

Decanted for an hour and drank with filet. Disapointed in the wine as very red fruit forward, thin and unbalanced with a average finish.

12/25/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish.

12/23/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs with a light/medium body with a short finish.

12/5/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Light/Medium body. Narrow texture - 3.0 L bottle opened and after a hour of burn off, drank exceptional.

9/10/2015 - facchair wrote:

Loved it. Once it blew off, it was silky and full.

9/10/2015 - facchair wrote:

In great shape. May have another 5-10 left!

9/7/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs.

8/28/2015 - facchair wrote:

A little thin. Decanted for an hour. Expect more from this wine

7/31/2015 - facchair wrote:

Vail 2015

6/14/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a light/medium body. Flabby texture with a medium finish.

5/30/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Medium/Full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish.

5/22/2015 - facchair wrote:

- It's somewhat balanced with a light/medium body. Narrow texture with a short finish.

4/19/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Light gold color.

4/15/2015 - facchair wrote:

Drink now, near the end

3/31/2015 - facchair Likes this wine:

Like the 05-WS 97 and 12-WS 96, this (11) is a fabulous wine too, maybe the best Chard label in CA ever. White burgandy in the U.S. Great job Don Ross and TRB!!

3/31/2015 - facchair Likes this wine:

This is clearly the best Chard made in CA. 96-05, 96-12 and the 2011 deserves the same WS great rating. The only great white burgundy like wine made in the US!!!

3/7/2015 - facchair wrote:

- Light/Medium body with a short finish.

12/30/2014 - facchair Does not like this wine:

Drank side by side with 2005 Sympa. No contest, Sympa far better now. Can't get my taste buds around the Montelena. I think is a mess! :(

12/30/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

Last of my 05s and best ever. Dark fruit, clove, Balanced with medium finish. Great now, so don't wait any longer

12/23/2014 - facchair wrote:

- Aromas of blackberry, black currant and violet and has flavours of black pepper and cloves with a medium/full body with a medium finish.

12/13/2014 - facchair wrote:

- Medium forming legs with a medium body with a medium finish.

12/13/2014 - facchair wrote:

- Light/Medium body with a medium finish.

12/7/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

Incredibly balanced and delicious wine.

11/26/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

Drank along with a Duckhorn Three Palms. Dark fruit vs red fruit. Both velvety. The Leonetti will last longer but today they are both exceptional.

11/26/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

Velvety, red fruits very nice. Will likely drink like this for a few years. Exceptional merlot!!

10/29/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like plum. It tastes like clove. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.

10/26/2014 - facchair wrote:

- Garnet color.

8/15/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle.
It smells like plum.
The body is full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.

7/20/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like violet. It tastes like mushroom. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.

5/12/2014 - facchair Likes this wine:

Wine was exceptional with 25 years of age. Cork in good condition, good color, lots of dark fruit should continue for a few more years.