Balance

Spottswoode

Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

2018 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 15 mins and one hour. Beautifully feminine and expressive nose leapt out of the decanter. Medium body. Nice balance of dark fruits and tannins but slightly disjointed. A bigg Napa vintage so either another decade or a three hour tour...er...decant would seem to be the ticket here. 01.31.25. — 8 months ago

Ron, Ted and 21 others liked this

Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia

Unico Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend 2004

A top vintage for Unico, and one to live forever, 04 is in an amazing spot, decadently layered and hedonistic with an impeccable balance of both power and elegance. The palate is expansive, silky and rich with melting tannins and massive length. A stellar Unico. — 10 months ago

Joe, Tom and 8 others liked this

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2011

Honoring my marvelous father with a meal and wine he would have appreciated with gusto.  We wish he was here to share it with us, but are deeply grateful that his spiritual presence remains so strong in our hearts today and every day.  💕

This blend is predominantly (78%) Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot.  🍷 It hails from the Haut-Médoc region on the “left bank” of Bordeaux, 🇫🇷 more specifically, the Pauillac AOC.  Pauillac is a highly-regarded commune, with favorable growing conditions, known for producing some outstanding quality wines.  👌👌 This wine is no exception. 😆

🏰 Château Grad-Puy-Lacoste is a cru classé, ranked among, and a neighbor to, the region’s top estates.  It’s incredible to think the first vines planted on this property date back to the 1500s, making it one of the oldest properties in the region.

We decanted this wine for several hours, which helped it soften and release its layered aromatics.  

👁 The color is deep garnet with notable tearing.

👃 On the nose it has medium(+) intensity and concentration of developing aromas.  The aromas include ripe black fruit such as cassis, black cherry, blackberry, and plum, as well as other non-fruit notes like black licorice, pencil shavings, and violet. It has secondary notes of clove, nutmeg, allspice, cedar, also tertiary notes of wet earth, tobacco, leather, meat, fig, and mushroom.

👄 This wine is dry and its flavors on the palate are consistent with the nose.
This wine has balance, complexity, a strong structure, with firm, grippy tannins, and a long elegant finish.  👏👏

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, vintage 2011, ABV 13.5%. 
— 4 years ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Andrew and 41 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine amazed me, I’ve had it before and it’s never shown this well, maybe just hitting it’s stride? Beautiful perfumed floral nose ( never thought I would say that about a Dunn), exquisite balance, the fruit is slightly sweet, the tannins are fully integrated and refined, with just the right amount of acid in the finish. I would never guess mountain fruit or let alone Dunn if tasted blind. Can’t wait to try it again in a couple of years. — 7 years ago

John, Eric and 33 others liked this
Billy L.

Billy L.

@Mike Davila -Great Vintage for Napa! Dunn normally takes bottle age to show it’s stuff with mellowed tannins. Kudos on waiting! Cheers 🍇🍷👍🏻👏🏻

Chateau Montelena

The Montelena Estate Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Perfect full feel and good acidity. It's as expected, delicious old world balance. Fruit and spice on the nice finish.... — 9 years ago

Château Léoville-Las Cases

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

Somm David T
9.6

First, a person has to pause and realize how lucky they are to drink this wine from 3L. Thanks Clyde for opening. This is in a perfect stage. Such evolution, length, balance, structure. Love the lower 80's alcohol levels. It's rich, lush and near perfect. Dark cassis; ripe and resolved blackberries, dark cherries, black plum w/skin, mixed berry liqueur, tobacco leaf, leather so soft you would wish it as a pillow cover, dry pebbles, dark rich earth, perfect acidity and a rich, elegant, ripe dark fruit finish. In 3L, this wine still has 10-15 years. — 9 years ago

Ira, Rory and 16 others liked this
Justin Brilman

Justin Brilman

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Heitz Cellar

Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Very impressive. Wild mint aroma finds seamless balance in mid palate after pure Cabernet attack. Tannins rise subtly on palate and betray their youth only briefly at the resolution. — 10 years ago

Curtis liked this

Justin Vineyards & Winery

Isosceles Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Pretty awesome Bordeaux blend from Justin. Nice balance of flavor and the Cab Franc comes though clearly even though it is only 3%. — 10 years ago

David, Ashlee and 8 others liked this
Vanessa McCaffrey

Vanessa McCaffrey

Blah blah blah, wine. Are you going to San Diego?

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2005

.
9.1

Great nose on this wine, and it has excellent balance. Terrific. — 11 years ago

Gary, Anthony and 1 other liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

"How to get away with ....Cab Sav" nice balance with nice oak finish.... — 11 years ago

Maggie Narrigan
with Maggie

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend 2013

Popped and poured. We enjoyed this as an apéritif so no formal notes but this was absolutely delicious. So easy to love; phenomenal balance. Like so many 2013’s, this is great on the pop and pour and easier to appreciate than the 2012’s which simply need a lot more time. — 9 months ago

Jan, Billy and 15 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

Ron R
9.5

Good god. Peaking right now.
Huge aromatics on the nose. Superb weight, balance and texture. No rush to consume. Cedar and macerated black cherries transition to coffee and hints of maple. Blew me away. In raptures over this. Direct from the winery when I lived in Europe.
— 10 months ago

Mo Salem
with Mo
John, Vin and 48 others liked this
Jody Scharf

Jody Scharf Premium Badge

anytime Ron, would enjoy that
Ron R

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@Jody Scharf, we are ready. Talk to me goose!
Ron R

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@Jody Scharf, how far are you prepared to travel??? I have close friends with a pizzeria in Montclair. It’s BYOB. However. I’m also happy to do a NY location of your choice. Let’s go! 👀

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 1996

This is serious wine. Open and sophisticated. Oyster shells, salinity. Some muted lemon notes. Incredible balance and poise. This is classic Raveneau. Gorgeous. — 6 years ago

Bex GreenDavid Schachter
with Bex and David
Kimberly, LM and 14 others liked this

Corison

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

New leather, licorice, graphite on nose, juicy plum and black fruit on palate, velvet texture, integrated tannins, long finish, balance. — 7 years ago

Shay, Severn and 15 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

Delectable Wine
9.5

One of the most pleasant and unexpected surprises in this tasting, the 2006 Pichon Lalande is gorgeous, which is something I can’t say about too many wines in a vintage marked by climatic ups and downs and irregular ripening. Dark, powerful and intense, the 2006 possesses exceptional balance. A host of black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and menthol flesh out in this decidedly somber, virile Pichon Lalande. In a vintage in which so many wines are so rustic, the 2006 Pichon Lalande is all class. This sleeper Pichon Lalande will drink well for at least the next two decades, perhaps longer. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Oct 2017) — 8 years ago

Severn, Craig and 4 others liked this

Clos des Papes

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Outstanding purity and balance. Prime window now. — 9 years ago

Ron liked this
Ron R

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And the vintage is?
Ron R

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Thanks @Richard Adams I have the 06 in magnum, so I was interested.

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1974

A touch of caramel, pure fruit still. Great balance and acidity. Leather and cherry. Very good — 9 years ago

Tony GarciaMatt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with Tony, Matt and 1 other
Ira, David and 3 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1961

Very good bottle. Pure, restrained. Clear fruit with that funky, leathery thing but real balance. Excellent. — 10 years ago

Howard HorwitzTony GarciaMatt Lichtenberg
with Howard, Tony and 3 others
Christine, LM and 4 others liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 1993

Celebrating MySomm's 1st month of successful business. Absolutely perfect. A wine that was at its absolute peak of balance and perfection. The most perfect wine I've ever tasted. — 10 years ago

Doug and David liked this
Ben Leger

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@Doug Burress what a spectacular bottle my man. Not many people I know can appreciate a champagne like this. The epitome of wine
Doug Burress

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Congratulations!
Lauren Luquet

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Congrats!!

Hirsch Vineyards

San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir 2011

Super drinkable - aawesome fruit nose, dry finish. A hint of heat but fantastic balance. — 11 years ago

La Rioja Alta

Viña Alberdi Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2019

Exotic red fruit notes. Red and black raspberry w exotic spice, earthy flavors. A lot of nice Oak influence. Very nice balance. Quite a lot of tannins. Can use more time in the bottle, but, already delicious.
Fantastic Rioja wine. Love it.
$26
— 9 months ago

Abbas, Ray and 5 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2018

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. No formal notes due to the setting. The 2018 is a fairly classic expression of Beaucastel with a mixed bramble fruit set, underbrush, herbs and spices in lovely balance. Good structure. While still on the youthful side, the 2018 is already showing well and was an awesome accompaniment with a wagyu burger. Drink now through 2038. — 9 months ago

Juan, Vanessa and 16 others liked this

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. — 4 years ago

Jan, Dan and 31 others liked this
Will Stanley

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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

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@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

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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!

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc

1988 vintage
Fantastic balance and complexity.
— 7 years ago

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2002

A softened ruby color. Beautiful balance, everything in harmony. Wet earth, raspberry, cinnamon, a whiff of truffle, intoxicating nose. So much ripe, fresh red fruit on the palate. Such soft tannins, damson plum, a mineral streak running through. Drinking a 15 year old wine for 15th anniversary of diabetes. This is splendid in the moment — 8 years ago

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1992

Love the he nose. Great balance with leather, spice and cigar box. This sill has some life — 9 years ago

Jim BradyAllison DubinChristopher Tracy
with Jim, Allison and 1 other
Jeff liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1900

Spectacular! Mind blowing. One of my top 10 of all time. On every serious wine lover’s bucket list, and here we had a nigh perfect bottle. While aromatically a little recalcitrant, you still got some of the Margaux violets and potpourri on the nose, hints of clove, all trying to shake off their doldrums. But on the palate, it was timelessly ravishing. The finesse, richness, balance and smoothness, with an underlying, almost flabbergasting mixture of complexity and delicacy, was just astonishing. The finish is marvelously sweet and intense, with chocolate and cassis and utterly seamless tannins. This is a miracle of wine making and an exaltation of vintage and terroir besides. Wow! And bravo! We can only pray for an encore of such a wine. — 9 years ago

David, Monica and 28 others liked this
David L

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Holy shit. And that was a phenomenal vintage too. The best posting ever on delectables!!!@Greg Gregory www.vinfolio.com
Greg Gregory

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Moat amazing wine evening of my life and I've been lucky to have said that twice before. More to follow what I've already posted. Four more flights.
Mike R

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Crazy and very jealous

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000

Absolutely excellent. Even with 15 years in the bottle there was some spice, beautiful plum and coffee with fantastic balance. — 10 years ago

Marilea Campomizzi
with Marilea

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2004

Awesome! Everything I love about VT and CDP. Earth and fruit in perfect balance. — 11 years ago

Anthony, Sasha and 1 other liked this

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 2003

Extremely happy with Krug's 03. Great balance of ripe fruit, minerality and acidity. — 11 years ago