Black Muscat

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 month 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!

Agharta Wines

Black Label Syrah Blend 2004

Joe Carroll
9.3

A bit too much oak for me but otherwise great. Also drinking much younger than its 21 years — 2 months ago

Rob, Ceccherini and 1 other liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2021

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Nose of red and black fruits with light wood, tobacco and chocolate notes.

Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, light oak, licorice, chocolates, spices and earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Grenache blend is starting to drink very nicely now, with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

Elegant and rich. Interesting and engaging. A very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style.

Well balanced and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of all 13 allowed grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but mostly Grenache. Hand picked and whole cluster. Aged for 2 years in large French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$110.
— 2 months ago

Vanessa, Joe and 17 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

This had red & black fruits, earth, cedar, leather, sweet, savory spice with tobacco — 3 months ago

Jan, Jeroen and 10 others liked this

Klein Constantia

Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Muscat à Petits Grains 2015

Paul K
9.5

Thank you @James K for breaking this special wine out tonight! And for hosting an awesome evening of great food, wine, and friends. Lots of laughs and no children were injured!! — 3 months ago

James K
with James
James, Ira and 11 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Considered by some to be the Wine of the Vintage, the 2005 Léoville-Barton
Is a full bodied mouthful of black currants, minerals, spices, grippy tannins and enough energy to evolve for another decade.
— 4 months ago

Neil, Paul and 4 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Shay A
9.3

(Two previous 1983 vintage wine reviews never made it on here, so copying from CT).

My experiences with 1983s has been fairly positive, and this PL certainly is among the better I’ve had from the vintage. Holding color nicely with deep ruby and slight bricking around the rim. Started off a bit dense and muddled, but hit stride about 30mins later with a mix of red and black berry fruit, cassis, a streak of herbal green down the middle (something I always get with PL). Excellent example of the fruit showing lots of flavor without being overly ripe. Leather, sweet pipe tobacco, graphite, and still some vibrancy at the finish with tannin structure. Clean and elegant at this stage. Showed well over the course of two hours. Drink up and enjoy.
— 4 months ago

Scott@Mister, Jan and 34 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2003

So rounded and glossy. High toned with black cherry and some mocha and good acidity. Excellent stuff. — a month ago

Rick K
with Rick
Jay, Shay and 10 others liked this

Gramona

Gessami Penedès Muscat Blend 2024

What an amazing blend! Imagine your typical Gewürztraminer made subtle by its mixture with traditional Catalan varietals. I’ve found that certain meals—carbonara, some east Asian dishes, and blended soups—need a white wine in a tall, skinny bottle that doesn’t suck. This is it. — 2 months ago

Black Stallion Estate Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Big but still pretty restrainted. — 2 months ago

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

Somm David T
9.4

2010 is a vintage to leave to your children if you bought this at 50 years old forward. This is a 50-60 year wine with proper storage.

The nose shows nice ruby, fruits of; dark cherries, cherries, strawberries with a dark currant center, blackberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Chocolate mousse, melted, milk chocolate, light caramel, moist sage, warm, slightly sweet dark earth with withering dark & red florals.

The palate is warm, inviting & beautiful. Easy to drink. Dark cherries, cherries, strawberries with a dark currant center, blackberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Red cola/licorice, dark chocolate, melted, milk chocolate, light caramel, moist sage, warm, oak barrel shavings, moist, dark earth w/ dry leaves, celery, used leather, moist tobacco, with withering dark & red florals. Perfect acidity with an excellently balanced, nicely knitted, perfect tension & structure with elegance for days the falls evenly on ripe fruits & soft earthiness.

94-96 in another 10 years. Outside chance at 97.
— 2 months ago

Rob, David and 24 others liked this
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Great wine from a great vintage

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Incredible depth and breadth on this 25 year old. Still boasting tannins that are round and firm. Meaty, chewy and impeccable, with a bresaola nose, dried blackberry, cassis, chocolate, espresso, cedar and tobacco. Black cherry, graphite, maduro cigar, blackberry, and bay.


#pichonlonguevillebaron #pichonbaron #bordeaux #deuxiemescru #bordeauxrouge #paulliac
— 3 months ago

Bob, Daniel and 14 others liked this
ESF

ESF

👌

Robert Biale Vineyards

Black Chicken Napa Valley Zinfandel 2022

Pair with the Mongolian Pork Chop — 4 months ago

David, Joseph and 3 others liked this
Joseph Barsky

Joseph Barsky

Love Mustards and Brix!

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

This has stared to show some secondary notes. Black fruits, with nice spice, floral & tobacco. Off their list — 4 months ago

Scott@Mister, David and 10 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Château Latour is an iconic estate in the Pauillac commune on the left bank of Bordeaux, achieving coveted ‘First Growth’ status in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.

The estate has roots dating back to the 14th century and derives its name ‘La Tour’ from a fortress tower built during the Hundred Years’ War, which no longer exists but is prominently featured on the label in recognition of its history.

We weren’t sure what to expect, as many have predicted these 1983s are likely past their prime, but this wine was a masterpiece. 🤩

It was medium garnet in color with expressive notes of cedar box, cigar, clove, peat, leather, forest floor, fig, prune, dried black cherry, plum, cassis, blackberry compote, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, dried violet, potpourri, kalamata olive, pencil shavings, graphite, & bacon fat.

It had the most velvety, fine-grained tannins that washed across the palate with ease, with a gentle but notable acidity that maintained lift and balance. It was concentrated, complex, and had a long, elegant finish.
— a month ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Ted and 18 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

Happy Birthday @Vanessa way to celebrate in style!
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K Thank you for the bday wishes! It was an auspicious and delicious way to start my next trip around the sun ☀️ Cheers! And we hope to reconnect with you guys soon! 🍾🥂
Paul K

Paul K

We will absolutely figure out something this summer!!!

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

This was rich with black fruits, mocha, graphite, cedar, leather, under brush & tobacco — 2 months ago

Ira, Aravind and 11 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

At over 20 years old, the 2004 Opus One is showing beautifully, striking a balance between maturity and vibrancy. On the nose, it opens with an inviting bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, and dark cherries, layered with subtle notes of violet, tobacco, and espresso.
On the palate, the wine is smooth and full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins and a silky texture that coats the mouth without being heavy. The core is rich with dark fruit—black plum, currant, and a touch of blueberry—balanced by earthy undertones and a whisper of leather. Definitely one of my favorites.
— 2 months ago

Michael Cammarata
with Michael

Hugel et Fils

Gentil Alsace Sylvaner Blend 1659

Bright, lively, full of floral notes, honey, a touch of sweetness. Lot of apple/ pear, nice mineraly finish — 3 months ago

Tom liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

Somm David T
9.5

From 375ml. @Lira Restaurant The Chef is the Gordon Ramsey winner.

Resolved, velvety M+ tannins. Ruby fruits of; blackberry pie, black raspberries, blueberries, both plums, dark cherries & raspberries. Dark chocolate bar, slightly moist tobacco, sandalwood to barrel shavings, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry herbs, light cinnamon, clove, vanillin, mocha, dry, volcanic clay, dark, withering flowers, some lavender framed in violets, excellent round acidity with incredible, balance, perfectly tensioned, softly structured, elegance finish that lasts a full minute.
— 3 months ago

Tom, Joe and 14 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1986

Flight 2 , wine 1 . Quite deep garnet , less terracotta rim . This had a whiff of oxidation about it at first which seemed to somewhat dissipate with time . Some dark spiced fruits , liquorice and menthol hints , cedar and sous bois . On the palate good ripeness and spiced dark cherry hints . Good acidity and rounded tannin . Nice length also , offering some spiced black fruits and menthol hints . Don’t think this is a pristine bottle but was enjoyable none the less , I was unsure at first if this was Napa , but coming back to it … and reading my notes , it became quite obvious . However I had this down as the Ch Montelena , not the Dominus — 4 months ago

Anthony, Jan and 8 others liked this