Somm David T 
Promontory
Penultimate Napa Valley Red Blend 2013
Beautiful wine that showed great elegance & style. HBTM. — 8 days ago
Franco Fiorina
Barolo Nebbiolo 1961
Perhaps the most interesting & intriguing older wine/Barolo I’ve had in memory. It showed its tannin profile and fruit. Tart and just gently sweet cherries, tomato leaf, soft, almost sweet tarriness, light tobacco & leather. Group intrigue. Special.
Happy birthday to me. — 8 days ago
Vilmart & Cie
Grande Réserve Brut Champagne Blend
70% Pinot Noir & 30% Chardonnay. Fermentation & maceration 10 months in large oak vats. Disgorged 2/25.
Entry cuvée for Vilmart & Cie but still very nice and one I buy in 375ml for restaurant occasions, dinner starter for two.
There are nice Rainer cherries, green apple, Anjou pear, lime pulp, lemon w/ pith, white grapefruit, kiwi, topicals, quince, nice white spice, gritty chalk that presses the palate, brioche to baguette crust, sea fossils-spray, limestone marl, dry volcanic minerals, sunflower & white spring flowers with greens, crisp-racy acidity, nicely balanced with tension and elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and lasts on spice and minerals.
Photos of my 10/23 visit to Vilmart-entrance, stained glass in their tasting area made by the owner and worthy of what you see in centuries old churches and wood barrels. They incorporate more wood than many other champagne producers. — 2 days ago
Etienne Sauzet
Puligny-Montrachet Chardonnay 2022
Absolute over achiever. Pure beauty & elegance. Dead center of my wheelhouse. — 8 days ago
Hundred Acre Vineyard
Kayli Morgan Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Delicious and worthy bottle a bit lost in a buffet of special wines. 💯 RP wine. HBTM. — 8 days ago
Taittinger
Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 2007
Just really starting to hit its perfect drink window. Really excellent Blanc de Blanc. Green apple, lime pulp with zest, amazing freshness & acidity. — 8 days ago
Piper-Heidsieck
Rare Millésimé Brut Champagne 2013
Always great. Fresh and delicious. Deserves more time in the cellar. Another 5 yrs before opening another. — 8 days ago
Château Calon-Ségur
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1982
Took a little coaxing in the decanter but became my wine of the night. Happy birthday to me. — 8 days ago
Billecart-Salmon
Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart Brut Champagne Blend 2002
More golden in color and triple the brioche since I had it 3-4 yrs ago.
Happy Birthday to me. — 8 days ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
This is one of the values you buy in futures in excellent vintages (2005 is) and hold it until now & the next 5 yrs for its best. Yet, will drink another 5 yrs. 2005 I believe is the best Bordeaux fruit in nearly three decades I’ve noted.
Also, this one is not to be confused with the same name Chateau that is Pomerol. Think this was around $20 on release.
If you note the Right Bank map I posted, you’ll see the region of Cotes de Castillon is an outlier region just east of St. Emilion. While a lesser region than SE, it still makes some nice wines like this one.
This bottle has been well stored for nearly 20 yrs. Cork like new with next to no wine stain on its side. One of the prettier 91’s I’ve had in memory.
The color is still deep opaque with a lighter glass edge. No brickish tones.
The nose shows ruby, floral, candied; dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries, black plum, poached strawberries & raspberry hues,, dark tarriness, black licorice, mid berry cola, steeped tea, coffee, some lead pencil, dry tobacco, dry river stone, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, light caramel with understated/layered baking spices & soft dark spices, red, dark florals framed in liquid violets.
The tannins are medium, well rounded, plush & velvety. Palate shows a more pronounced ruby quality, floral to just candied; dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, poached strawberries & raspberry hues, dark tarriness, black licorice, mid berry cola, steeped tea, dry crushed limestone, moist herbs w/ a sage lead, coffee, some lead pencil, dry tobacco, dry river stone, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, charcoal w/ ash, warm, dark chocolate sliding into milk chocolate, light caramel with understated/layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin & soft dark spices, red, dark florals framed in brilliant, liquid violets, perfect acidity, balance for days, softly knitted, mid tension, very good length with an elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and long sets on gentle, mid spices and beautiful earthiness.
It is an elegant beauty. It’s a gentle, even palate tug of war with the wine & Wagyu Ribcap. 91-92 with the Ribcap. More 92 w/ the steak. — 2 days ago