A. Bender

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2020

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Both days outstanding but slightly different experiences. Day 1 was about power. Day 2 was about balance. The 2020 “Cuvée Réservée” pours a brilliant garnet with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady, slightly funky notes of ripe brambles, garrigue, red & purple flowers, bacon fat, licorice, and dry rocky earth. On Day 2, everything was more open nit and the fruit showed more bruised with a slightly stewed profile. Lavender was the predominate floral profile too. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is textbook Pégau and I love it. Drink now through 2045+ — 2 months ago

Joel, Tom and 5 others liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

St Julien in a perfect drinking now and for a couple of decades to come. Brilliant juice — 3 months ago

Tom, Tom and 18 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Grape juice. In a good way. — 3 months ago

Tom liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 2006

Aromas of lemon zest, white peach, and chalky minerality are layered with hints of toasted brioche and hazelnut. On the palate, vibrant acidity with a creamy, seamless texture. The finish is long and precise. A confident elegance. This bottle makes you yell , “Why don’t I own magnums?” — 3 months ago

Pooneet, Somm and 39 others liked this
Jay Kline

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I think that every time I have a great bottle of Champagne.
Severn G

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Agree, Mags on Champagne are different than 750, maybe a dose of grandeur, and maybe some producers (Pierre Peters) have been known to dosage the 750/1500 ml proportionally different, but Taittinger to my knowledge is straight. A favorite in our house as well, we tasted the 2006 initially on premise at the Domaine, a wonderful experience that I'll encourage to anyone in the area.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

11/2025. Still a good medium bodied Cabernet. Good flavor. Sit well on the palate. — 5 months ago

Ted, Ed and 1 other liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2010

Cannot go wrong with this winery…Still quite young for a bottle of 15 years old — 5 months ago

Tom, Tegan and 11 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

It’s been many years since I’ve had any Musar wines, I have very fond memories drinking them in the 1980s when we lived in NYC and they were pretty easy to find at retail!!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Anthony De Blasi, BTW, do you know what the cepage is in this wine?
Anthony De Blasi

Anthony De Blasi

@Doug Powers indeed, it’s a great winery with iconic wines. The cepage is Cab Sauv, Cinsault and Carignan. I still have the 2011 in magnum for my daughter her birthyear 🤩

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne

From mag. Delicious- sweet with bright light citrus, fresh corn, a lush mouthfeel. Very sexy and long — 6 months ago

Matt Lichtenberg
with Matt
Eric, Jay and 4 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

It was fine. Maybe a bit immature but it was unfocused and limited vs expectations. Strong tea notes. Limited fruit and more alcohol than typical. — 7 months ago

Tom, Jeroen and 20 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Such a great wine. All of the Viña Todonia wines are AMAZING!!! — 8 months ago

Ted, Dave and 12 others liked this
Dave

Dave

Yes they are

Folie à Deux

Ménage a Trois California Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016

My old chap cried a single tear of gooey joy drinking this beauty. — 6 years ago

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2007

Decant for sediment and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red color. On the nose: jumping from the glass are port drenched cherries, pencil shavings, tobacco, toffee, balsamic, and cinnamon. Taste: silky, balanced, still fresh wine with currants, little dried cherry, tobacco, earth, dried herbs, and a spicy saline graphite satisfying finish. YUM! In the home stretch, drink. — 3 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Ira and 16 others liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Pretty deep ruby garnet , medium wide garnet rim . Aromatic and really classic with a mix or red and dark fruits , tobacco , grafite and cedar . On the palate this is quite linear , again with the red and dark fruits from the nose, cedar and grafite and quite rounded resolved tannins . Fresh acidity , good cedar with grafite length , very classic in style . Enough density and fruit to cover the rest of the structure. In a perfect place now at least in this format , and probably will be over the next 10 years . This was from an Imperial , at BBR in London . — 3 months ago

Bob, David and 11 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Presented to me, double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears, and some signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of ripe and desiccated, mostly dark fruits: cassis, black cherry, plum, mixed brambles, old leather, pipe tobacco, pencil shavings, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (that is mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend, Tempranillo (or based blend) or Grenache-based blend from France, Spain or the United States. I feel like this leans more towards its fruit than its structure, even though it is a fairly well balanced wine in both regards. As a result, I am calling this a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain from a producer like Dunn, 2006. Shiiiiiit. To be honest, I’m not terribly surprised since this is Cos and from a warm vintage no less. Drinking well now and should through 2050+.
— 3 months ago

Pooneet, Jason and 23 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2001

Measured aroma, silky smooth texture, blackberry and cedar notes, grew more complex as the night wore on, probably still on the young side but still a special treat to have with a short rib and polenta dish. — 4 months ago

Dave, Andrew and 1 other liked this

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2012

Smoking! Vibrant fruit, but drink up, starts to fade after a couple hours open — 5 months ago

Joe, Peter and 2 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1995

[En Magnum] This is absolutely a beautiful, 30-year-old, Beaucastel Rouge in large format, mostly clean (just a trace of Brett), red fruits, still some structure, but not tannic, balanced, complex layers of flavors, long finish, really a top-notch Beaucastel with old school ABV (13.5%)!, lovely!!! — 5 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Steven and 5 others liked this

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000

With a short decant , drinking with long finish after a fragrant nose. — 6 months ago

Ceccherini, Theodore and 4 others liked this

Belle Glos

Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Very fruity on the nose and full bodied with medium minus acidity.

Dry to off dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black currants, blackberries, cooked plums, oak, vanilla, dried fruits, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, light herbs and peppercorn.

Short finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County is still drinking very nicely, but will not get better from this point.

Complex and easy drinking. Fruit forward with a touch of RS. Rich and extracted with a mouth coating feel.

A nice sipping wine.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50.
— 7 months ago

Ron, Tom and 13 others liked this
Ron R

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That’s a weird looking bottle 👀😀

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2017

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2017 (S) pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with pretty notes of mostly red, tart fruit: strawberry, raspberry, Montmorency cherry, licorice, dried green herbs, menthol, and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and just a touch mousy but within the acceptable range. Refreshing and a lovely pairing with burgers on a warm Spring evening. Drink now through 2032. — 10 months ago

Ceccherini, Lyle and 14 others liked this

Belle Glos

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2011

This Pinot is a blend from three California counties. Tons of fruit and a bit of pepper made this an instant delight. — 13 years ago

Drew Stiles
with Drew

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

Still tasting fresh and alive at 40 years! Black fruit present along with mushroom, cedar, and vanilla spice. Tannins are softened but still providing a structure for the wine. — 2 months ago

Joel liked this

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2019

This full bodied reserva wine offers big aromas of cherry, black licorice and black pepper. It was tight upon opening but I let it breathe in the glass for an hour which allowed vanilla aromas to come through as well. It offers silky tannins that keep the structure and mellow out on the persistent finish. This wine has flavors of ripe cherry, black pepper and leather. This is a beautiful and complex wine that I think will be even better in a few years. — 2 months ago

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Rosé Champagne Chardonnay Blend

Pale salmon color, small, delicate bubbles. Aromas of strawberries, lemon zest and grapefruit. What a solid NV champagne, red berry flavors, lemon and stone fruit on the palate.

🍇45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier.

🏅96 Points- Wilfred Wong
🏅93 Points - James Suckling
🏅92 Points - Robert Parker
— 3 months ago

Chad Biscardi
with Chad
Dave, Tom and 15 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age.
— 4 months ago

Ted, Sagee and 9 others liked this

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

2000 Cheval Blanc. Soaring palate sensation but also very delicate and fine texture. Still very fresh, great drinking window. A real treat. — 5 months ago

Rob, Pooneet and 19 others liked this

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 2011

Light and precise. Chalky with lemon. A little simple compared to the best — 5 months ago

Bex Green
with Bex
David, Juan and 10 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2018

Jan A
9.5

Needs a lot more time! — 5 months ago

Scott@Mister, Martijn and 15 others liked this
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards

I have 2010 and 2013 .. Just n the edge of very good. A great offering from Cali.

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers!
— 7 months ago

Ted liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2015

Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — 9 months ago

Paul, Dave and 12 others liked this