Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Blend of about 65% Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot and rest Petit Verdot. Deep Ruby with aromas of berry fruit aromas and herb notes. On the palate black raspberry and blackberry, currant-like, with tobacco, leather and smoky oak notes. Fine tannins, medium finish ending with fruit and earthy mineral tones, drink now. — 2 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Mostly black fruits, full bodied with cedar, leather, sweet spices & tobacco — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Clos Fourtet 2023 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 1er Grand Cru Classé. BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A profoundly complete and multi-layered Saint-Émilion delivering depth, finesse, and seamless balance, driven by a 86% Merlot-dominant blend with 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon support. The wine unfolds progressively in the glass, revealing complexity and polish without heaviness, combining power with docility and precision in a remarkably composed expression.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry compote, ripe blackberry, plum reduction, crushed limestone, violet petals, dark cocoa, subtle espresso, sweet spice, graphite and gentle herbal lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus to full-bodied with a silky, luscious texture, ultra-fine tannins, beautifully integrated acidity, layered mid-palate density, and a long, velvety finish that glides effortlessly while continuing to evolve.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, dry-aged ribeye, duck breast with cherry reduction, truffle risotto, mushroom bourguignon, aged Comté or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Verdict
An elite-level Clos Fourtet showing precision, complexity, and harmony at a very high register. It delivers both immediate pleasure and serious aging potential, balancing richness with clarity and refinement. A reference-point Saint-Émilion for the vintage.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is my kind of wine, layered, progressive, luxurious yet disciplined, and dangerously easy to drink. Silky, luscious, and perfectly balanced, it feels like a bottle that disappears far too quickly because every sip invites the next. My stamp. No pit stop needed, full throttle to the checkered flag. A simplified winner 🏆 — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of dark brambles, purple flowers, pastureland, black pepper, olive tapenade, animale, granitic earth, some licorice, and a mix of cool and 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 and the rotundone is particularly apparent.

Initial conclusions: this could be Syrah, Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon (or based blend), Merlot (or based blend), Tempranillo or Malbec from France, the United States, Australia, Spain or Argentina. However, given the color saturation and the wild nature of this wine, I can’t place this classically in the New World. Furthermore, I detect the use of some French oak so I like this being from the Northern Rhône or Beaujolais. Final conclusion, this is Syrah, from France, from the Northern Rhône, from Cornas, 2017. Dang! Scoring points but I need to get better differentiating between some of these Northern Rhône AOC’s. This showed really well and still has a long life ahead. Drink now through 2045. — 5 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Great vintage for this showing lots of red & black fruits, spice, earth, mineral & violets. A wine I buy every year that always delivers — 6 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby red color with aromas of dark fruits, graphite and earthy herbs. On the palate flavors of blackberry, currants, black cherry, tobacco and leafy herbs. Fine polished tannins, long finish ending with fruit, tobacco, spice and earthy mineral notes. Just starting to drink now! — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed from red Solo cups over the course of a few hours. This bottle of the 1966 came to party! The wine pours a garnet color with a near translucent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and loads sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of black and red currants, Montmorency cherry, tobacco, Poblano pepper, pencil shavings, old leather bound books, espresso, loads of organic and inorganic earth, and a pleasant mix of cool and 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. What a fantastic performance by the ‘66. Drink now though similarly stored examples won’t be falling off a cliff anytime soon. — 7 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Youthful, structured with red & black fruits, currant, cedar, spice & tobacco — 2 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This needed some air to open to reveal red & black fruits, menthol, sweet savory spice, earth, graphite & tobacco leaf. — 4 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.1

Aging gracefully. Dark fruited with black cherry, chocolate and tertiary flavors of tobacco and leather. Structure has been worn smooth like an old stone but still intact. Not huge but charming and enjoyable — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Talbot 2023 – Saint-Julien, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A youthful yet promising Saint-Julien showing early elegance, fine balance, and clear upward trajectory. The blend delivers freshness, precision, and layered fruit while still carrying a few youthful edges that signal excellent aging potential.

Aromas & Flavors
Red currant, black cherry, raspberry compote, graphite, cedar shavings, crushed herbs, light cocoa dust, subtle floral lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with fine-grained tannins, lively acidity, polished mid-palate, slightly angular finish that tightens at the end, a clear marker of youth and future integration potential.

Food Pairings
Herb-roasted chicken, duck breast, pork tenderloin, grilled mushrooms, mild aged cheeses (Tomme, young Comté).

Verdict
A high-quality, early-showing Saint-Julien that already flashes elegance and balance, but will benefit significantly from a few years of cellaring to soften edges and broaden complexity.

🍷 Personal Pick
The talent is obvious, can be enjoyed now. I’d happily cellar this and come back when smooths out a bit more and when aromatics stretch their legs. — 4 months ago

Damian

9.4

Nose of dark and red fruit, tar, baking spice and some floral notes. Medium acidity plus acidity, long finish, plum, black pepper, well integrated tannins that is present but not in your face, black tea. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2023 pours a ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with an explosion of smoked blackberry pie, purple flowers, bacon fat, olive, black pepper, and subtle warm spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however, the wine finishes much more elegant than the nose would suggest. The bouquet might lead one to think this is possibly over the top. However, on the palate, it was far more elegant. Another vintage, another stunning Gonon. Drink now through 2043. — 6 months ago

John Hagood

9.0

Probably from last Chambers sampler. 11/8/25 Cold Night. Very dark pour, potent scent out of bottle. Black fruits on nose. Moderate tannins. Solid sediments on second day. — 6 months ago

Steve Goore

9.0

I liked the uncharacteristic subtle sweetness from plum and dark fruits. Add a touch of leather and vanilla, soft tannins, and this one was smooth. Good stuff! — 3 months ago

Chris Wheaton

9.4

Always great to stop through Hong Kong which is kind of Wine Tourism at its best out of region…. Picked up this very youthful bottle to evaluate: saturated almost black/purple in the glass; nose somewhat mute at first but after a day or so all blackberry and plum; first sip almost painfully intense, great acidity and velvet tannins. Long haul wine and great but not outstanding. I’m more in line with NM than AG’s 100 points. — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Canon 2023 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 1er Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A poised and beautifully balanced Saint-Émilion showing depth of fruit, polished texture, and quiet structural authority, driven primarily by Merlot 70% with Cabernet Franc 30% support. Dark fruit concentration is layered with mineral tension and refined oak, delivering a wine that feels complete yet still evolving in the glass, inviting extended exploration.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, ripe plum, blackberry compote, crushed stone, violet, subtle cocoa dust, graphite whisper, gentle spice and refined cedar.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with supple entry, fine-grained tannins, excellent mid-palate density, seamless acidity integration, and a long, resonant finish that lingers with freshness and precision.

Food Pairings
Roast duck, lamb loin, mushroom risotto, beef tenderloin, truffle pasta, aged Comté or Gruyère.

Verdict
A composed, terroir-driven Canon showing purity, balance, and textural polish rather than brute force. The finish is especially compelling, signaling strong aging potential and classic limestone-driven Saint-Émilion finesse.

🍷 Personal Pick
This one pulls you back for a second lap, deep fruit framed by elegance, not excess, with a finish that keeps unfolding. It feels confident, grounded, and quietly powerful, exactly the kind of wine that rewards patience and attention. — 4 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim. Not showing age at all.

Beautiful nose of black currants, blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, light eucalyptus and licorice.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, light earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, black pepper, spices and cola.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Knights Valley in Sonoma County. Rich and elegant. Fruit forward and very complex.

Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Napa Cabernet based Bordeaux blend.

Good right out of the bottle, and much better after 45 minutes in the decanter. Really gorgeous once it opens up.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Wine Advocate 95 points. Wine Spectator 93 points.

Great by itself as a sipping wine or with food, like a big piece of steak.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

15% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$175. — 4 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Just beginning to enter its drinking window showing red, black fruits, savory spice, earth, underbrush, mineral & violets — 6 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Purplish in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Mourvedre from Bandol. Rich and fruit forward with nice complexity. Elegant with lots of fruits and chocolate notes.

This 5 year old is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 25 years.

A good sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 90% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache. Aged in used French oak barrels for 18 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50. — 6 months ago