Severn Goodwin

9.6

Happy Father's Day 2020 to all; I'm posting pictures of our fur-kids, an independent and somewhat self-interested bunch. Two boys (9) and two girls (3), all rescued from various locations across the East Coast of the US. They generally bring the utmost of joy to my life on a daily basis.

Nose has blackberry jam on moist leather, minor cedar, very light barnyard notes, grilled blackberry,
blueberry compote, brewed dark roasted coffee, wet garden soil, chocolate vines candy and dried orange peel.

Palate has over-ripe blackberry, wet tanned leather, dark chocolate syrup, dehydrated black cherry, chocolate covered blueberry and moist cedar.

Silky smooth, intense finish running +2m, still showing tannins. Expect this bottle to easily hold another 10+ years without concern, in proper storage.

Decanted ~5h. Paired with well salted (in advance), medium-rare, grilled NY strip steaks from my favorite, local farmer in Columbia Co. NY (Kinderhook Farm) and sauted, early season, baby squash in ozro with our garden herbs.

INAUGURAL vintage on this wine, I certainly didn't realize that fact when we bought it in September 2005! This has been in storage for the prior 15 years, just coming back home in January 2020.

Merlot 50% / Cabernet Sauvignon 40% / Petit Verdot 10% — 4 years ago

J Ferrugia

9.2

Not as big as the ‘90 but a beautiful wine. The nose was very earthy when uncorked. Open after 40 minutes of decanting, cedar & spice emerged with cherry. This is a balanced, full wine that still has plenty of life. I am happy to have several more bottles! — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.4

Always a treat to enjoy these excellent NV pink bubbles @ £50 👍 one of our favourites 😍

📍 Billecart Salmon NV

🏵 93-94 points

🍇 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir & 30% Pinot Meunier

🍷 Shimmering pale peachy salmon pink 😍

👃 Sweet biscuit & brioche through peach, strawberry, red currant & grapefruit with mineral & sweet red apple tones

👄 Crisp med fresh soft fine lively bubbled mousse of citrus, grapefruit zest & dry minerals w/ sweet strawberry, raspberry & red apple fruity undertones

🎯 Med sweet & dry almond sugar biscuit, sour grapefruit, sweet strawberry, peaches & red apple mineral loaded finish
— 6 years ago

Philip Cook

9.7

Decanted for approximately 40 minutes. Blend of Syrah, Grenache, and a smidgen of Mourvèdre. The best vintage of this I think I’ve had. Generous with the red and black fruits, soft but firming tannins on the back end and posses a long finish. Great structure and balance. Surprised that I found a vintage of this age for a basic CDR at a grocery store and it is showing really well. Fantastic QPR. $14 @ H-E-B. — 6 years ago

Frank Kuo

9.2

Color of dark amber. Nice nose of green apple, spice, mint, ripe banana, and aldehyde. Taste of condensed brown sugar, toffee, a bit spice, a bit minty, and very smooth. Nice green apple and black tea aftertaste on the tongue. A good bottle with decent mix of sweetness and spice. A bit lack in complexity but overall very enjoyable and easy to drink. — 7 years ago

Richard Lewis

9.5

Delicate, yet quite complex. — 8 years ago

with Lynne

Joseph A. Smak

9.8

Dinner with Ashkenazi at Oceanaire in Minneapolis, best Port that I have ever tasted. Superb!!! — 9 years ago

Jim Westby

9.3

Cedary and curranty with a long and very firm tannic finish. At 40 it is still youthful. The 1975 Bordeaux can lack charm, but the Gloria only shows its austerity at the end. — 9 years ago

Floyden Mugford

9.4

Nice peppery 60 Malbec 40 bonarda — 9 years ago

Dan Iliff

9.6

Smooth. No bite. (Eat with beef and Roast). Nothing unique. — 11 years ago

Emily Heyward

10

The most special of wine experiences. 40 years tastes great. Thank you, Ben, for the idea and selection! — 4 years ago

with Jessica

Joe Gillies

9.5

I wish I bought more of this at $40! This easily out punches its weight class.
Pnp and drinking extremely well. Enticing Black fruit and cocoa aromas. BlackBerry,plum, chocolate, and a touch of mint. Highly recommend! — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2015 Clos Mogador is a absolutely stunning release from this historic Priorat estate. Located in Gratallops, in the heart of the Priorat hills, René Barbier, one of the founders of the Priorat revolution, crafts an incredible blend of 40% Garnacha (lauched from 80 year old vines), 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah and 5% Morvedre, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. This immediately reveals seductive aromas of red cherry preserves, rose petals and roasted figs. On the palate this is ripe and intense, yields bright flavors of orange rind, red cherry and red raspberry with wild thyme and garrigue flavors. Intoxicating and beautifully structured, this beautiful wine will evolve gracefully for many years to come. Drink 2019-2040- 95 — 5 years ago

Avi Das

9.3

Toasty and almonds on the nose, lots of fine bubbles, lemon and lemon zest on the palate, lemon pith on the finish, a very nice bottle but not my favorite bereche — 6 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.5

Classic Cristal with Fine bead, lovely aroma of brioche, baked apple and almond and a from palate with crisp acidity, lemon shortbread, brioche and a hint of hazelnut. The cépage is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay but it is the Chardonnay that gives the wine its propulsion. Still youthful and vibrant with
stunning length. — 6 years ago

Matthew Beckman

9.1

My goto sub-$40 and accessible sparkler. Crisp, light on its feet and beats most anything else in its class by the big guys — 7 years ago

Jean-Francois Pelletier

9.3

Garnet-brown color. Fully mature, with nose of pencil lead and sous-bois. Medium+ body, good acidity and long finish. Nice to try 40 years after the judgment of Paris. The second bottle we opened had more funk than the first one.Drink now. — 8 years ago

with Frankie and Matt

Aron Caruso

9.2

Really enjoyed this. Heavy vanilla and oak. Reminded me of circus peanuts in a good way. I love this f*in wine. Wish it wasn't $40/bottle. — 9 years ago

Rich Friedland

9.0

Very jammy on the open. Let it breathe about 40 minutes and the beast starts to become a beauty. Lots of floral notes. — 9 years ago

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.5

It was a treat to get a visit from Antoine Billecart! The 1999 Nicholas Francois Billecart is composed of 60% Pinot, 40% Chardonnay and sees about 10% wood fermentation. This silky, refined Champagne has the kind of perfect texture that says "the expensive stuff!" — 9 years ago

Ryan McGrath

9.0

40 year port. In celebration of mm's p's anniversary. — 11 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The reason I fell in love with Bordeaux is because I had one of the greatest mentors one could have, Clyde Beffa Jr. - Owner of K&L Wine Merchants. I could never thank him enough or show enough gratitude for the kindness he has shown me. He has been going to Bordeaux multiple times a year for 40 plus years and shown me the greatness of well made Bordeaux’s enjoyed at the age of 25 years plus!

Many who open well made Bordeaux’s young will never know the absolute Heaven they bring to the palate and even more so with a great steak. You only rob yourself of perfection when you open them inside of 25 years. Sure you can check em at 10-15 years for longevity but, you need to have/save bottles for 25 years plus.

Also, an old Bordeaux at 95 is not nearly the same as a young 95. At this age, technical scores are simply not the same as young wine. The enjoyment is completely different.

The nose reveals; a slight touch of funk, dark, ripe, currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, strawberries on the edge of the glass, anise, cedar, graphite, used leather, just a whiff of green pepper, vanilla, caramel, mocha, dark Asian spice, incense, dark & mid berry cola, dark, rich earth, underbrush, limestone, dry stone, hint of sweet tarriness, light, dry herbaceousness, black tea, with dry, withering, fresh, dark, red, blue candied flowers and violets and lavender for days.

The body is round, soft and full. The 90 is the definition of elegant and floral. The structure, tension, length and balance are perfect with another 5-10 years of pleasure to give. It’s gorgeous and sexy. Dark, ripe, currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, some blueberries, strawberries on the long set, anise, cedar, graphite, soft, used leather, vanilla, caramel, mocha, dark chocolate, salted, milk chocolate, dark Asian spice with just a touch of palate heat, a hint of green pepper, savory meats, incense, dark & mid berry cola, dark, rich earth, underbrush, limestone, dry crushed minerals, dry stone, hint of sweet tarriness, light, dry herbaceousness, black tea, with dry, withering, fresh, dark, red, blue candied flowers and violets and lavender for days. The acidity is perfect like a warm gentle rain shower. The finish is a “forget about it.” It’s; gorgeous, sexy, lush, ripe, just the right amount of earthiness, elegant, well balanced and will persist until you go to sleep.

13% ABV. I sure miss the 12–13% ABV of the 80 & early 90 Bordeaux’s.

Photos of; the majestic Chateau Cos d’Estournel and Estate vines, their barrel room with translucent floor to walk above, their library cellar that most would love to raid and their sitting salon.
— 5 years ago

Stephen Pierron

8.9

Not the CDP that I was expecting, but it was still enjoyable. A lot of barnyard funk, earth, and dark fruit on the nose. It was ruby in color and was filled with dark currant, dark black fruit, and had a short finish on the palate. 40% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah. — 5 years ago

Jim McCusker

10

The last glasses we have of the best scotch Vanessa and I have ever had. Period. — 6 years ago

with Vanessa

Matt

8.9

Great as always, carrying more spice and starchy components, still weighty, nice power. 60 PN 40 CH; 12/2016 Disgorgement; 2.6g/L dosage. — 6 years ago

Reg McGhee

9.3

Very smooth California meritage. Lingering finish, soft tannins. — 7 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.2

Bright ruby red in color. A fierce attack on the palate of acid and tannin. A wash in sour red fruits, this is a great counter point to food and only gets better with it. Aged in clay terracotta amphora, this is extreme on the unique scale, yet very much a well made wine. A 40/60 blend of Frappato and Nero d'Avola. — 9 years ago

Thiago Martins

9.7

Best Malbec ever — 9 years ago

William Schimmel

9.1

Preparing to turn 40. That, at least, is the excuse. Usual DP style. Very dry with long finish. Somewhat tight though. Probably needs 3-5 years minimum and score could go up. Paired perfectly with smoked oysters. — 9 years ago

Pascaline Lepeltier, MS

Master Sommelier, Wine Director Rouge Tomate New York

9.0

Very good Brut, 60% PN 40% C all from Bouzy Grand Cru - a lot of energy for 2009 — 10 years ago