Bare Bottle

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2007

Impressive depth after a previous flawed bottle. Baking nose with firm length. PdB benchmark. — 3 months ago

Andrew, Andrew and 7 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2007

My second time drinking this vintage. The first time I had a small sip and absolute love it. This time I decided to have the whole bottle. It was gorgeous. Herbal, dried fruits and elegant like grass jelly. — 4 months ago

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Rosé Champagne Chardonnay Blend

Enjoyed this bottle on NYE. did not disappoint. Interesting subtle tangerine tastes lingered on the tongue that I’d forgotten about. This one n/v was bottled in early 2022. Been in my possession about 2 years. — 5 months ago

Ira liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2003

A bit of a disappointment on the bottle of LB. The nose was enticing with nice dark fruit and a hint of tobacco. Wine was tannic and a tad dry on the palate - and mouthfeel was not well rounded. Finish felt quite short Not a well balanced wine — 5 months ago

David Stein
with David
Tyler and LM liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

A 2012 Latour with a 90 minute decant showed what a first growth could be post its first growth stage. With the usual Latour signature it was very drinkable considering its relative youth. One more bottle in the cellar — 5 months ago

Ira and David liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1955

My late grandfather’s bottle. Stored poorly but showing well. Watching it turn from rust and come alive. A little higher acid than expected but not vinegar! — 6 months ago

Rob, Ira and 5 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021

Aidan’s 21st bday. amazing bottle of OPUS ONE — 6 months ago

Ted, Dawn and 1 other liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2015

Sweet and Smokey. Loved this. Perfect mix of ripe dark fruits and kick. Great length. Half bottle. Awesome! — 7 months ago

Dave, Jean-Philip and 22 others liked this
Audrey Nadeau

Audrey Nadeau

Wine Glory!

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 2016

Elegance in a bottle. Bright, pale straw color, with big bubbles. Nutty, ripe peach, lemon and chalk aromas. Grapefruit, lemon and a mineral finish. Superb!

🏅96 Points - Wine Spectator
— 3 months ago

Billy, Doug and 24 others liked this
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Des bulles pour la vie!!!

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later.
— 4 months ago

Peter, Scott@Mister and 16 others liked this
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Somm David T A wonderful story David and I can see how you could fall in love with that photo of the Chateau.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Bob McDonald Thank you. Cheers! 🍷

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2021

Got this bottle on my last Virgin Voyage and I had extra $ on my bar tab - a fantastic opportunity to purchase a couple exclusive (expensive) bottles like this. Sassicaia is a known leader in Super Tuscans. My first time trying Sassicaia… opened the bottle only for a couple of hours but a big beautiful bouquet of big jammy goodness that definitely isn’t shy. Wow 🤩 a delicious wine that doesn’t disappoint! — 5 months ago

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

So, my long time wine group buddy brought this bottle from his cellar, absolutely stunning 36-year-old Bordeaux, but honestly, it tasted like a 10-year-old wine, so fresh and so amazingly long on the finish, honestly needs another 25-30 years in the cellar, nigh perfect!! — 5 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Jonathan and 22 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Dave, that Palmer and Margaux were opened in part due to two of my wine group guys and our wives being present — one of the wives is unfortunately having quite serious medical issues, and I said to my buddy who brought the 1989 Margaux that I was bringing the Palmer for her to taste, so he one-upped me (which I was thrilled with), so just a special occasion. Some of the other recent special bottles are my response to pulling older bottles these past 3-6 months that have disappointed me, I figure it’s better to drink some of these a few years too early than keep being disappointed.
Dave

Dave

Sounds like a special time!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Dave, it was, and I’ll always be glad for it!!

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Popped and poured; enjoyed from red Solo cups over the course of a few hours. This bottle of the 1982 showed very well today. It pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of black currants, black plum, mixed brambles, tobacco, some green pepper, graphite, leather, earth, and soft warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. 1982: the vintage that keeps on giving. Drink now through 2042+. — 7 months ago

Zach, Paul and 11 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Nice treat. 👍🍷

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 1996

The final bottle for our annual Valentine’s Day and carbonara tradition (this time one day early). We skipped last year as my wife was pregnant, nice to be back. Very good, but definitely in an advanced stage - the nuttiness really comes through. There is still great acid, lemon curd, crispness, soft bubbles.

After the full case, I’d say the ones from 2021-2023 were the best.

On to Krug 2004 next year!!
— 3 months ago

Lyle, Somm and 15 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Definitely 96 color these days. Cheers! 🥂

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2001

It’s been a couple of years since I last encountered the 2001 vintage of Chave’s Hermitage. That bottle was a library release from the domaine and so is this example. Splash decanted directly before service. The 2001 pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous and a total umami bomb: Koji beef broth, dried and baked brambles, dried purple flowers, black pepper, Kalamata olive, organic and inorganic earth along with fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Looking back on my notes from 2024, there’s a common theme: the 2001 is all about dat bass. Drink now with some patience and through 2041. — 4 months ago

Brian, Lyle and 15 others liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1978

This bottle was in perfect condition has incredible balance with black and red fruits earth, spice garrigue. As good as you would hope should hold for another five years. Nice juice ! — 5 months ago

Ira, Eddie and 1 other liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1998

This 1998 Napa wine’s bouquet is complex and savory with hints of cherry, plum and leather. The palate is silky with tannins and fruit and hint of cocoa. All this greatness yet the finish was mellow. Maybe too long in the bottle but a winner nevertheless. — 5 months ago

Daniel CammarataMichael Cammarata
with Daniel and Michael
Andrew and "Odedi" liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Cigar box, cassis, lovely, complex and layered on the palate, long, lingering, very clean and fresh finish, this bottle is hitting on all cylinders, beautiful old Bordeaux to go with the rib roast!! — 5 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Brian and 19 others liked this
ESF

ESF

👀
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

So nice!!

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 🤩