David Shaw

9.0

73/13/7/5/2 blend of Garnacha, Syrah, Monastrell, Graciano and Piquepoul Blanc. Pink to red rose petal in color (it’s not just the artwork) light cherry aroma, Good tangerine-cherry-white pepper flavor consistent with two main red varietals here. Not quite bone dry but close. Nice acidity and mineral finish. Muted flavors overall but a fine wine for sipping on a hot day. Paired so well with a Bianco Verde pizza al fresco last week at Pizzeria Bianco that I went out and bought a bottle. — 5 years ago

Al Doyle

10

Just sending a shout out to my wine folks to stay strong in these testing times. I’m on the whisky sours...
(Makes two)
2 measures whisky (Woodfords is great for this, but Yamazaki is what I had in)
1 measure lime juice
1/2 measure sugar syrup (or more to taste)
1/4 measure Nardini Acqua Di Cedro
Dash bitters

Shake with plenty ice until you can’t feel your hands. Serve over big ice cubes.

Good luck out there ❤️
— 6 years ago

Ryan Wofford

9.4

After less than 1/2 hr decanting, already showing beautifully. Deep, rich, silky tannins. Ripe fruit with a tart finish. Drink Em if you’ve got em! — 7 years ago

Ian Burrows

Sommelier Atelier Crenn

9.4

Needed 2+ hours to fully reveal ripe berries, plum, leather, substantial, fine. — 8 years ago

Sanjay Parmar

9.3

After Bistro Byronz with Dena, Al, Stacey & Jaclyn — 8 years ago

Brandon Loper

9.1

Organic and juicy Cab Franc. Effervescence in every sip with a delicious cherry presence. Imported by International Wines in Birmingham, Al. $13.99
Day 2 notes- bell pepper and cherries. — 8 years ago

Fredrik Johansson

Winemaker Staglin Family Vineyard

8.9

Disgorged 13/04/2015. Of the bottles of this wine that I have had, this one came across a bit brut-al... a little hard-edged and angular, severe on the finish. Things had opened and softened by say 2... — 9 years ago

Mike R

9.6

One of favorite boutique Napa winery - decanted 2 hours - love the 09, 10 and 12 - not tried the 13 yet - singing in prefect pitch - color is deep red and stunning, smell is intoxicating, taste is with every sip reminding me to smile and the finish is damn right runway model sexy - in honor of @Carl Fischer and the amazing Christmas carol story last night and as a tribute to all delectable folks including the WNH gang - my 2nd seasonal posting is an adaption from Home Alone 2 - "hold it right there - and you respond by saying "this is wine drinkers everywhere" - I say knew it was you as I could smell you near my cellar - you were at my cellar last night and You been drinking with everybody and not always smiling - you been drinking with "Snuffy. Al. Leo. Moe, with the gimpy leg. Cheeks. Boney Bob, Cliff" - you say "I am mistaken and have been not drinking with everybody and when you drink your wine you do smile" - so I say I believe you but tommy gun don't so I going to give to the count of three to pour a glass of wine and start smiling one two and wait you are smiling so keep smiling and Merry Christmas you wine drinking animals!!!! — 9 years ago

Willem Booij

9.3

Remarkable wine, 30 years old and still singing. This wine is at the first snif and sip al little tertiair, but is this strange 🤷‍♂️ after 2 hours the wine is smooth and great to drink. Delicious💪 — 5 years ago

with Kees

Martijn

9.5

Fantastic wine that is in a great spot now.
Deep dark purple color. A nose full of huckleberries. Some spices as cinnamon and 5 spices. Bay leaf and cedar.
A mouthful of joy. That then even lasts for minutes. I took a full hour for my first glass.
Will finish the bottle with friends on dat 2. — 6 years ago

Steve Somermeyer

9.4

Opened first bottle of mixed case to celebrate anniversary for 3rd decade (cheated a bit as this was 29 years with wonderful bride Kim. Lots of dark fruit with just a touch of tannic finish. We visited Al on our honeymoon to pass muster before he sold a case futures. Quite a character! btw, Groth & Girard were Cans for first 2 decades. — 6 years ago

Peter Van Dorn

9.8

Al is a beer drinker and was DD this night but had a sip. “Wow that’s amazing”. His wife is a red wine lover and was also amazed. The 2 of us swirled and sniffed every sip. Left every drop in our mouths to linger as long as we could only to comment “ fantastic beautiful can’t even taste the tannins or alcohol”. A perfect fusion of the two followed by a supple mouth of deliciousness. — 7 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.3

Clear, Deep Gold, long slow tears.
Clean oxidized nose with brine, celery and tumeric, caramel.

Dry on the pallet, med acidity, medium body 13% ABV, dry cider apples, celery, clay, wet ground, earthy clay pottery.
Quicker finish.

I would of guessed either, Sherry or Kvevri , in a blind tasting. Production was 9 months al fresco in glass demiohn (Banyuls!)

55% Grenache, 23% Mourvedre, 10% Roussanne, 7% Cinsaut, 3% Carignan, 2% Grenache Blanc.

I love Mourvedre.
“This blend features a good portion of Mourvèdre; that variety seems to work best for this style”. I vote for 100% Mourvedre, small batched, three shades of Banyuls (white, rose, red).

Geeked. Exciting wine.
Could easily pair with the flavors of India, Spain, and Middle East.
— 8 years ago

Guillermo Vargas

9.0

Sabores frutales, suave al paladar. Aromas agradables. — 9 years ago

RobertoS

9.1

Quite nice - decant 1-2 hours before. — 9 years ago

Michael Sinowitz

9.3

Gave it about a 2 hour decant. Still pretty young. No bricking and tannins come through pretty strongly on the finish. Still, it's pretty delicious. Very aromatic, dusty tannins, dark fruits and hints of cigar box notes. — 9 years ago

with Robin

Douglas Staple

9.0

Really delicious, interesting wine. Deep magenta. High density. Dark fruit. Very little oak on the nose, no vanilla etc. Flavor is well balanced and somewhat inscrutable. High acid, medium+ tannin.

Round 2 with this wine. Deep ruby, surprisingly turbid. More acidic than I remember. Mostly merlot, plus cab, raboso, et al. Would rate 8.5 today. — 5 years ago

Willem Booij

9.3

I had my fare share of chateau Latour the last 2 decades, and every time it surprised me that this a wine that never gives up. Strong in good years en without fear in the so called “bad” vintages. With my hand on my heart I can tell you that Latour is my al time favourite, based on on at least a dozen time’s for as far is I remember I tasted it. Mostly by the generosity of good friends from the past and present. The same I can say about LFDL, but quit surprising not about this third wine of Latour, made in the same area from a different plot but by the same skilled crew and under the same conditions. So what’s there to tell about this wine? Is it good or is it not good, and the other big question is it worth the price asked for, its not a cheap wine! The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. The colour is perfect as it is, just as a great Bordeaux red bastard must be in its youth. Then the nose: The flavours fly out of the glass, notes of beautiful ripe Forrest fruit an blackberries, a hint of my humidor and some deep dark flowers. In the mouth it’s not a heavyweight champion but more a well structured delicate wine, some nice fruit and all ready very drinkable at this moment. Well balanced and still potential to soften a little bit more and give more flavours in the nearby future. But overall it’s a true to type Pauillac that satisfied my curiosity. I can easily drink a few bottles of this wine this decade but it’s not a bargain! But it’s from Latour so I think it’s going over the 93 point I rated it now in some years. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

@Delectable Wine this is Preciado Cabernet 2016. Inaugural vintage released a few months ago. It was not in your database. Gemstone tasting graciously arranged by Al Buis tonight! I don't know if I should really be putting a number rating to this wine. Its best days are definitely ahead of it. This is a combination of coombsville, outpost, and gemstone Vineyard fruit. At the price this inaugural vintage fetches, this wine rates a 98. Reeling it back in, reality tells me that this is a 94 right now, which means that I feel this one should be able to go 10 years, but not entirely sure as it is extremely approachable now. I do believe it will age well for the first three to five years. It has a lot of sweet black fruit right on the opening. I was getting a little bit of molasses, chocolate in the middle, herbs toward the Finish. Very solid chalky youthful black backbone. Finishes with a lot of heft, and a lot of tannin. I recorked and took one bottle that had about 50 ml missing. I plan on opening that in 2 days to see how this develops. — 7 years ago

with Benjamin, Keith and 2 others

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.0

Wine #2 In Italy. We are in Venice and this is the second Valpo Ripasso (last night I didn't have a workable phone). Light to Medium bodied. Aromatic. These wines have both paired really nicely with branzino. Still jet-lagged, with be here for 16 days. Challenging with kids; thus wine will be a necessity.

I'm open to suggestions @Bill Bender @Shay Aldriedge and others. We will hit Tuscany and considering a swing up to Barolo at al.

90 points and rising — 8 years ago