Big Sipper

Hall Wines

Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It's my birthday so it was time to open this gem. Inky black out of the bottle. Abundantly raisiny. Loads of black cherry, spice, and raspberry from the glass. Nice supple tannins. Big bold and opulent. This has aged well. Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot — 9 months ago

Dave and Shay liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Rattlesnake Rock Syrah 2018

Wow! Even better than a few months ago. Olives, blueberries, game, forest, pepper, plums. It’s interesting having this a few days after storm Syrah. Very similar. Love that there are more of these us syrahs with good fruit but balance. Central coast style. — 10 months ago

Scott@Mister and Tom liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 1 hour. Still, big nose and frontal palate. Dwindles somewhat in the closing chapters. Fairly harmonious and alive for the majority of another decade. Feel there could be some bottle variation here so wouldn’t surprise me if someone posted a 9.2-9.4 tomorrow. S’life. 9.20.23. — 3 years ago

Bob, Severn and 12 others liked this

Far Niente Winery

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This bottle was a big tease. Intoxicating nose and delightful on the front palette. Gets your mind thinking of great things for the finish like depth, complexity layers etc. It never comes. The finish is completely lacking. Such a tease. — 4 years ago

Shay, Milissa and 1 other liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1994

Dark reddish tawny. Herbal nose. Heavy tobacco leaf, black cherries, cedar, smoke, plums, and cut Cuban cigar. Angular in the mouth. Needed five hours to find its groove. Big and powerful wine, paired perfectly with smoked prime rib. — 5 years ago

Paul, Shay and 20 others liked this
Stephen Redenbaugh

Stephen Redenbaugh Premium Badge

Love this vintage of Dominus...

Big Smooth Cellars

Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

Enjoying a glass at Joseph Adler Inn and I’m quite pleased. Definitely buying a bottle on my next trip. — 7 years ago

Two Hands

Bella's Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz

Nice. Big fruit, but not as ripe as what I expected from a barossa Shiraz. Evolved with air. Finish only slightly herby. — 8 years ago

Eugene Ruyle
with Eugene

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1994

Medium ruby garnet , quite thin garnet rim , quite youthful in appearance. Quite exuberant and open from the off blackcurrant , cedar , tobacco , touch of earthy sous bois and grafite, still really quite alive . On the palate this is quite fine boned and elegant , cassis , cedar , blackberry and grafite notes . Refreshing acidity and resolved tannin , with quite reasonable length and good saline balance . Really quite classic , and though not a big , or intense wine , it is well balanced and at peak . Now and over the next 5 - 10 years. Surprises positively for a 1994. — 9 months ago

Dave, Jan and 14 others liked this
Rob Brobst III

Rob Brobst III Influencer Badge

@Andrew Cullimore I am very surprised that you found this Wine so expressive yet it’s only a 9.1? Normally, a wine of that caliber has notes of red fruit or dark fruit or cassis and that’s it. Nevertheless, this is an excellent wine.
Andrew Cullimore

Andrew Cullimore Premium Badge

thanks for your comments @Rob Brobst III , I think overall it’s a commendable wine given the vintage , and is showing really quite well still , certainly at peak drinking . However within the context of other vintages of Mouton it certainly would suffer if there was a direct comparison, which we didn’t have yesterday. It is not long or intense on the palate , and probably is at its most interesting on the nose . I think the score reflects a solid, well made wine in a difficult vintage , I would certainly have no problems enjoying more bottles of it !

Austin Hope

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Incredible big red wine that isn’t so heavy that it lingers like port but is fulfilling and balanced with oak and dark touches. Had it at Emirates lounge at LAX and I would buy a case of this! — 4 years ago

LM, Paul and 4 others liked this
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

Smoke & mirrors on this one.
$20.00 bottle from distributor, a lot of additives.

Big Basin Vineyards

Homestead Red Rhone Blend

Faint hint of brett, rustic but still fruity, pizza friendly GSM, with nice tannin once a bit aerated. Quite enjoyable. — 5 years ago

Michael David Winery

Petite Petit Lodi Petite Sirah Petit Verdot

Dark, inky color. Aromas of boysenberry jam, licorice and mossy forest floor. Black and red fruit on the palate, mocha and tobacco finish. Big and bold. — 6 years ago

Mike, Tom and 10 others liked this
Trixie

Trixie

Nice selection of wines!🍷

Yellow Tail (Casella Wines)

Big Bold Red Blend

Very smooth like a cab. Great for the price. — 8 years ago

The Prisoner Wine Company

Saldo California Zinfandel

Great zin!! Big and bold, but not as fruity as many zins. Had it with a beef sausage Blue Apron dish. — 9 years ago

Michael Anderson
with Michael

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

So for those who don’t know, this wine is a collaboration between one of the most famous California winemakers and one of the most famous Bordeaux wine makers (the grapes are from Napa).

The young expression when I first had it 10 years ago was big bold ripe fruit, probably the quintessential Napa cab.

The aged expression had more secondary and tertiary characteristics, terroir, and represented Baron Rothschild in respects of crafting a wine that could grow and develop and express the care that goes into winemaking as opposed to simply growing good fruit.

The young version of it perfectly expresses Mondavi and Napa. The aged version captures the elegance of Bordeaux winemaking and Rothschild’s fingerprints. You cannot fully experience this wine unless you’ve had it young and old. Unbelievable experience tonight.
— 9 months ago

Dave liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Decant for sediment (lots of chunky/fine sediment) and pour. A stunning medium ruby red color with little signs of aging. On the nose: big inviting notes of dark fruit/currants, worn leather, herbaceous, smoked meat, funky earth, menthol. Taste: silky, evolved, expressive structure with brambly plum, currants, old leather, dark chocolate, graphite, and a black raspberry-iron-dried herb long finish. YUM! It's what's you want in an aged Napa cab, and glad to have just acquired 3 more bottles. — a year ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Deborah and 18 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Another tip: I keep a bottle in the fridge to pour decanted sediment dregs into, and use it (except for the muddy bottom part) for cooking. That way my coq au vin or daube is braising in really good stuff from my cellar!
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

x Tom C, good notes. Thanks for the tips. Cheers!
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

x x I find the sediments can be bitter and usually try to remove them so they don't impact the wine. Hate them all over the side of the glass. Cheers!

Orin Swift

Papillon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

A great drinking wine on its own- wouldn’t say it flourishes with food. Super dry, big, bold, mouth full. — 5 years ago

Big Churn

California Chardonnay

Dry white with fruity notes — 6 years ago

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Paul K
9.1

Nose is cedar, herb, and leather. Medium body. Raspberry, red currant, and dark chocolate with really nice tannin throughout. Long finish is currant and cranberry. This wine is delicate. Overpowered by aged Gouda. Drink with Brie and French bread.
I pulled a classic and was just a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, still great, but for the anticipation... I have one more bottle that I’ll wait a long time and hope there’s a big payoff.
Interesting note, the 2013 Heitz Cellar in the background was remarkably similar in fruit, weight, and profile. 1/3 the price and I’m giving it a 92.
— 7 years ago

Mark, Vanessa and 13 others liked this

Big Table Farm

Sunnyside Vineyard Pinot Noir

As good as it gets in Oregon PN. Lots of bright r fruit, spice ant the finish goes on and on. Just a great, enjoyable wine. — 8 years ago