Anna's Way

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 2002

Another night, another insane Krug. Tessa’s palate has certainly been calibrated for this because the blind was instantly untangled by her - this is Krug… 02’ perhaps? Boom! Thanks for sharing this, Toni. Typical Krug opulence, yet so energetic. Just starting to mature, it combined ripeness, great structure, and phenolic grip, with deep mineral drive and acidity. Just hitting it’s stride, but I reckon it still has a long way to go. Love it! — 2 years ago

Josh, Nicolas and 13 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

Severn Goodwin Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Damn 🤤

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2010

Aroma is uncanny; a perfume of rose petals and coconut cream wafting from the glass. Totally beguiling. Vanilla and marzipan lead the way with fresh and dried red berries, red cherries, dried flowers and orange peel. So polished, but this needs more time for the oak and fruit to integrate. The 2010 Ardanza remains my favorite now for its classical balance. — 3 years ago

Jan, Dan and 31 others liked this
Will Stanley

Will Stanley Influencer Badge

Strongly agree with this Josh. The Ardanza is drinking so well now and I had a hard time with the 904 at this stage.
Josh Morgenthau

Josh Morgenthau Influencer Badge

@Will Stanley read your notes and yes, couldn’t agree more! This wine is great. But the Ardanza ‘10 is just out of control good and probably one of the greatest values I’ve ever come across in wine.
Will Stanley

Will Stanley Influencer Badge

Totally with you on that Josh. Ardanza is crazy good!! I’m still v glad I have a couple of cases of the 904 - just won’t touch them for a few years. Reassuring to hear similar notes from a fellow drinker!

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

This is unquestionably Cabernet at its best. Perfect in every way. Enough said. — 5 years ago

Jacques Selosse

Initial Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay

2013 Disgorgement. Great way to start 2019. — 5 years ago

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1975

Picked up in auction. Label is trashed but decent fill. So deceiving. Nose from bottle yuck. Nose from glass oh my. This is beautiful. Soft. Some tobacco. Some fruit like an old blackberry but not in a bad way. Giving no it a 8.9 bit could move it up a notch. — 6 years ago

Bedrock Wine Co.

Weill A Way Vineyard Mixed Blacks Red Blend 2013

Dark dark dark fruits. Soft, consistent, silky. Love these guys. Always delish. — 6 years ago

Shay, P and 21 others liked this

Krug

Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Demi bottle & perfect split for two ! Great way to begin the evening. — 2 years ago

Shay, Ron and 3 others liked this

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Way too young. Still pretty tough after a 5-6 he decant. There’s is a lot of structure here and the dark roasted fruit plays well with the other aromas / flavors like charcoal, pencil lead, and soil. Not my go-to style of wine, but decent with prime rib. — 2 years ago

Ericsson, Ron and 6 others liked this

Château Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1926

Tasted blind. Dark reddish brown color, port-like in color and in the nose. Notes of raisins, molasses, tobacco. What is this? While it seems like it could be Madeira, the impact in the mouth and the tastes in no way resemble that. Someone threw out the guess that it could be really old Bordeaux. Yep. Drinking some history tonight! — 4 years ago

Tom, Alex and 17 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2013

What a way to celebrate my brother’s 70th! We quaffed this along with Cow Girl Creamery Red Hawk and P’tit Basque cheeses. Heavenly... — 5 years ago

Dan Rosenheimcindy salans rosenheim
with Dan and cindy
cindy, P and 3 others liked this
cindy salans rosenheim

cindy salans rosenheim

Deeelicious! says the white-winer of the bunch. Opus One also represented a few blessed calm moments in a whirlwind of family commotions. On to Opus Two!

Sans Liege

Long Way Home Syrah 2014

If this winery is not on your radar it needs to be. Slight primal notes mixed with new world fruit. Wonderful! — 6 years ago

Ryan, Mike and 22 others liked this
Shawn R

Shawn R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

I never joined either.
Shawn R

Shawn R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Was just there and could buy per bottle.
TheSkip

TheSkip

Sigh. Unfortunately the website won’t let you do anything unless you’re a club member

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1967

Still with some life after 50 years. Nice with hazelnut espresso chocolate pot de creame. Nice way to end the 50th birthday dinner. — 6 years ago

David Gobberdiel
with David
David, David and 1 other liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1940

What a beautiful person inside and out! I'm blessed beyond measure to be able to call him "Dad". Words can't adequately express how much I Love him. We opened a few bottles last night that I will hold near and dear to my heart forever. We are celebrating his completion of 6 rounds of chemo therapy in his battle against Prostate cancer. This is his 3rd time in the ring against this opponent and it appears that he's won with a unanimous decision by knockout at this time!!!!!! Love you dad!!!!! So proud of your strength through this process. My Father was born in 1940. A difficult year to say the least:
Germans entered Bordeaux in June of 1940. As dictated by Hitler himself, it was the sworn duty of each and every commander to search and seize whatever could be used for the advancement of the German cause. Bedlam broke out. Chateaux' were ransacked, wine cellars were looted if not used for target practice. The Chateauxs were forced to continue producing wines. It's poetic justice that Mother Nature provided the Germans with the worst growing season from 1940 to 1944!!!! The Germans left Bordeaux in 1944 to the cheers of the residents "Au Revoir Les Allemands"!!!! The 1940 bottle that we enjoyed this evening survived World War II. It Survived the ransacking, pillaging & plunder of countless German soldiers. It's outer capsule showed evident signs of its struggle but it's inner beauty was unblemished and glorious. I've had many, many vintages of Latour from 1928 and on but none have ever tasted as perfect as the one we enjoyed tonight. This 1940 was perfect. It was a fighter, it never gave up, it never relinquished in the face of adversity. That's my Father, that my role model. He's a beautiful person inside & out. I think 1940 is the best vintage that I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. Special thanks to my good friends Michael Troise whom provided me with much of the insights in regards to the incredibly difficult vintage and David Page whom gifted this bottle to me for our celebration this evening. I will never forget your generosity. It was a glorious evening to say the least!!! Wine has a way of bringing people together and encapsulating an evening and event. I couldn't think of a better way to rejoice in his victory than to open a Father & Son birth year wine.
— 7 years ago

Ryan CallahanChristine Joey Stein
with Ryan, Christine and 1 other
Martin, Stanley and 72 others liked this

Bollinger

Special Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Love this champ!!! Wow! No headaches, not sweet. Crisp and downed way too fast. — 2 years ago

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2010

Too young, should get to 90-91 with more time...classic. Way better on night 2 under Coravin but cork pulled night 2. — 3 years ago

Daniel P. and Tom liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Chardonnay 1996

painfully intense in a very good way, bright fresh dense fruit all lifted by a well-integrated acid backbone. Superb creaminess, fine mousse, long future. Damn, makes me want 08 even more. Blows away 04 and 06. — 4 years ago

Josh, Shay and 8 others liked this

Hundred Acre Vineyard

Ancient Way Vineyard Summer's Blocks Shiraz 2004

Shay A
9.3

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

These can be polarizing wines due to their massive and rich profile, but they are certainly decadent, delicious and approachable young. That being said, this was probably at peak 3-5yrs ago. It didn’t seem tired, but the fruit has started to show some sappy qualities, as well as baked fig and cherry liqueur. Stewed black cherries, dark chocolate dipped blueberries and ripe blackberries. It drinks with good acidity and tannin, as well as cinnamon, graham cracker and more liqueur type notes at the finish. Still hedonistic in style.
— 4 years ago

Eric, Rob and 37 others liked this
David T

David T Influencer Badge

I knew they made this but, it never caught they made this w/ Barossa fruit.

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1971

Fresh mushroom, savory spices. On its way out but pleasant tonight. Nice wine, holding up well. Drink up! — 6 years ago

Shay and Mike liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2015

One of my favorites. Great way to start the night. — 6 years ago

Shay, David and 16 others liked this
Eric

Eric Premium Badge

👌
David T

David T Influencer Badge

Mathieu makes great stuff.

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend

Quite nice but clearly way past it's prime for this half bottle — 7 years ago