Happy 8th Anniversary to the love of my life!! We’re celebrating with a bottle of Krug Vintage 2004
To underscore the unique features of each Vintage Champagne, Krug assembles a blend of expressive, representative wines from the year and then matures the final product for at least 10 years before release. This particular wine spent 12 years on the lees. It was disgorged in 2016.
The 2004 Vintage was named “Luminous Freshness” paying homage to the summer sunrise and vibrant citrus notes it exudes. This blend consists of 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, and 24% Meunier varieties, each playing a role in the final style.
With a golden hue, this wine offers developed aromas of baked apple, lemon peel, grapefruit pith, dried white blossom, blanched almond, brioche, toast, marzipan, and wet slate. It’s balanced and complex, with a lingering finish and delicate, long-lasting mousse.
This wine pairs wonderfully with the slow-cooked halibut in a creamy, fennel and lemon sauce alongside a zucchini and squash salad. The intensity and richness of the wine and food work well in concert. — 4 years ago




The 08 Hayne Zin has developed wonderfully and is still packed with flavor. Blackberry jam, some fresh red berries, maybe a hint of mint and enough subtle tannin to provide structure. Even some port-like qualities between the sweetness of the fruit and some dried fruit flavors. Excellent and drinking well. UPDATE: still drinking great 12/24 — perfect with a steak au poivre! — 5 years ago
A delicious Zin. Neither too spicy or sweet. A great balance. — 6 years ago
Had to get a bottle for holidays. Beautiful dark color, blend of Tempranillo, Graciano & Mazuelo, aged in new French oak for 24 months. Concentrated red fruit aromas with light oak and spice. On the palate ripe red fruit flavors, complex with layers fruit & spice, noting espresso, cacao and toasty oak. Tannins are a bit biting now but should softer with time. Lingering, great balance on the finish ending with . Decant to drink now, otherwise let this baby sit in the cellar. No ‘12 or ‘13, so grab ‘10 & ‘11 now — 7 years ago
12/24 superb dry champagne. 91 — a year ago
We had the 2006 Vintage on 7/27-28/24. A nice Old World, medium to full bodied wine with a long finish. Scents and a palate of blackberry, black cherry, plum, graphite and camphor. The tannins were fine and smoothed out with aeration. A very good wine. — 2 years ago
My Father passed away at 100 and we had the viewing this evening. We celebrated with this earth stopping red wine. A carmelized tannin flavor leads the parade of complex tastes .A long lingering taste profile that is hard to verbalize. How a 24 year old wine can be this big is incredible. Tobacco, granite, huge nose. Not browning at all. Deep ruby red color still. A fitting tribute!!!🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 4 years ago
Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! Tried several bottles! — 5 years ago
Pop and pour. The density this has shown has just increased in the last few years. On the nose: spicy red fruit, a hint of savory licorice, lovely intensity. On the palate: lovely acidity and density. Fills the mouth with lovely red fruit, earthy spice and a touch of herbs. Attenuated tannin on the finish. Yum. — 5 years ago
Wow. No way I would have placed as 24 year old wine. It was every bit as fresh and bubbly as a much more recent vintage. Interesting compared to the 96 P2 which I had a few months back. That had so much more density and nuttiness. Anyway, excellent. Could drink a lot of this! — 6 years ago
It's time for #MerlotThursday. Here is a nice one from California.
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Pretty nose with blueberries, black currants, plums, cherries, oak, vanilla, spices, licorice, dark chocolates, earth, light vegetables and vinaigrette.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, vanilla, earth, wood, spices, peppercorn, chocolates, tobacco, graphite and dark coffee.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a very enjoyable Merlot from Santa Clara Valley in California. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel.
I've had this vintage before, and it is showing somewhat differently now, with more blue and black fruits. I'd like to see how it evolves in the next few years.
Needs an hour to open up properly and show tannins and structure.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and olives. Goes really nicely with an aged Brie.
A blend of 85% Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
89 points.
$24. — 7 years ago
The 2016 showed nice ripe fruits and falls into style of the other 2016’s I have tasted. Not as complex as the other vintages but a nice elegant wine.
Photos of Dana Estates 9/14/24 Onda release party. Estate fruit about 10 days to two weeks from picking. Akaushi New York Yorkshire Pudding. — 2 years ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Here is a fabulous 99 point wine by Robert Parker.
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Great nose of blueberries, blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, earth, vanilla, Mediterranean spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.
Full bodied, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, figs, cedar, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, herbs, light earth, cola and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley.
Showing nice balance and a great mouthfeel. Round and rich. Elegant and smooth.
This 22 year old still has a lot of power in it, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours of airtime.
So soft and powerful, with a great nose. This is a gorgeous wine right now.
A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months.
13.9% alcohol by volume.
96 points.
$250. — 3 years ago
Delicious with rack of lamb ($24) — 5 years ago
So...I had a birthday a couple weeks back and due to scheduling, my regular bottle finishing team wasn't available until now, so we're finally doing it up in my grand, unique style.
Notes possibly tomorrow, scores honestly tonight.
Decanted 6H.
24-Hour Update:
Nose has cedar, over-ripe cherry, crushed red currant, crisp red pepper slice, old leather, blackberry jam, over-ripe cranberry, black pepper and dry garden soil.
Palate has strawberry jam, tart cherry, dried cherry, orange zest, blackberry fruit gummy, dried tangerine, volcanic rocks and warm molasses cookie.
In a fine spot, anyone holding this in proper storage could probably expect this to live to a 10th birthday. — 5 years ago
I’m always excited to try a new vintage of Tondonia and earlier this week, I got to try the 2007 for the first time. A significant departure from the 2006 which was (and remains currently) open for business with very little coaxing, the 2007 is austere and loaded with VA. Some aggressive decanting was able to get the VA to blow off and slowly but surely it started to open up, revealing some high quality and seriously dark cherry fruit. A heady, serious wine that needs loads of patience right now if this bottle is representative. Hold or decant for 24 hours. — 6 years ago
Kevin Blix
May have had a little funk. Would like to try again. — a year ago