A. Salmon

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend 2016

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, cooked cherries, light green vegetables, spices, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old red blend from California is still drinking beautifully. Complex and interesting. Nice to see that it aged nicely.

Showing slight RS on the palate, but I can live with that.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60.
— 4 months ago

Andrew, Ted and 9 others liked this
Dick Schinkel

Dick Schinkel

Big Cheers dear Winefriend 👌🍷

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2010

Cannot go wrong with this winery…Still quite young for a bottle of 15 years old — 6 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 🤩

Folie à Deux

Ménage a Trois California Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016

My old chap cried a single tear of gooey joy drinking this beauty. — 7 years ago

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. — 4 months ago

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Réserve Champagne Blend

Xmas day and my mother in law likes champagne with cooking. What’s not to like about that :) — 5 months ago

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!
— 8 months ago

Ted liked this

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. — 4 months ago

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

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 2011

Light and precise. Chalky with lemon. A little simple compared to the best — 6 months ago

Bex Green
with Bex
David, Juan and 10 others 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! — 10 months ago

Paul, Dave and 12 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