Ron Siegel

9.3

Showing well at 50 yrs, still fresh with good acidity. Classic LB with red & black fruit, currant, cedar, leather, graphite, spice & tobacco leaf — 2 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.1

Nose of baked plums. Dark fruit, cassis, plum, hints of iron, cedar, slight oakiness. Very nice mouthfeel, suave fine tannins, holding together very well. Enjoyable. — 2 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Another great drinking older Cali showing red, black fruit, plum with cedar, leather, sweet, savory spice & tobacco leaf — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Pretty nose with wild flowers, black fruits, light cedar, earth, Indian spices, dark coffee, tobacco leaf and herbs.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cedar, cooked cherries, spices, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn and earth.

Long finish with grippy tannins and tangy cherries.

This delicious Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Margaux is still so young, but drinking beautifully already. Rich and soft. Complex and interesting.

Showing good structure with a spicy nose. Needed a long time to open up properly.

This 2nd Growth Margaux is Complex and nicely balanced. Ripe and delicious now, but in your face kind of wine.

I had the 2018 not too long ago, and it was drinking better. Needs a few years to relax in the bottle. Would be nice to revisit it in 7 years, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.

A good sipping wine, that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and a touch of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Aged in (60% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$90. — 2 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — 4 months ago

with Nellie

Her Mir Tage

9.0

First Time Trying "Calon Segur" 1995 – Tasting Notes

Background:
- Wine:Château Calon-Ségur 1995 (Third Growth, Saint-Estèphe)
- Blend:Bordeaux Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot)

Tasting Notes
Appearance
- Color:Ruby-red with a "pigeon blood" hue, still vibrant for its age.

Nose (Aroma)
- Initially:Tight and powerful upon opening, dominated by cedar, oak, and smoky notes, with subtle earthy undertones. Fruit and floral aromas were restrained.
- After 30 mins of decanting:Began to open up—blackcurrant, raspberry, and a savory, almost "natural wine" minerality emerged.
- After 1 hour:Evolved further with liquorice, dark chocolate, and a touch of tobacco.

Palate (Taste)
- Tannins: Softened nicely but still present (typical of aged Bordeaux).
- Acidity:Noticeably high, giving freshness but slightly dominant early on.
- Flavor Profile:Balanced but not overly complex—black fruits, earthy notes, and oak spices in harmony.

Structure & Finish
- Body:Medium-full, elegant but not heavy.
- Finish:Moderate length, ending with lingering cedar and dark fruit.

Impressions & Comparisons
- Balance:Very well-integrated—no single element overpowers (aroma, flavor, acidity all upper-medium tier).
- Lacking Distinction? In a blind tasting of Bordeaux, this might blend in—no standout "wow" factor(e.g., missing the rose petal florality sometimes associated with "Calon’s romantic charm"). — 4 months ago

Bill Mowry

9.0

Plum, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and cedar. Very little if any tannins. — 5 months ago

with Amelia and Cristian

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Léoville Poyferré 2014
Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A distinguished Deuxième Cru Classé (Second Growth) from Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Poyferré has been elevated under the stewardship of the Cuvelier family and Michel Rolland’s consultancy. The 2014 vintage is a classic Bordeaux blend comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. This cooler year yielded wines with notable polish, freshness, and age-worthy structure.  

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive and refined, the bouquet opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and plum, framed by cedar, graphite, violets, and aromatic spice. The palate is layered with ripe red and dark fruits, along with hints of tobacco, pepper, and soft oak—a harmonious reflection of balanced ripeness and terroir depth.  

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied, with smooth yet structured tannins and vivid acidity. The finish is long and mineral-tinged, echoing Saint-Julien’s limestone terroir while expressing both strength and grace.

Winemaking Notes
Vinified traditionally and aged in French oak barrels (predominantly new), the 2014 benefits from meticulous attention to extraction and maturation, resulting in elegant concentration and finesse.  

Food Pairing
Wonderful with roast lamb, herb-crusted beef, or rich mushroom dishes. Decanting for an hour enhances its layered complexity.

Verdict
A classic expression of Left Bank finesse and depth, Château Léoville Poyferré 2014 strikes an artful balance between fruit, structure, and refinement. Enjoy now with decanter or cellar it to explore its evolution over the next decade.Cheers! — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

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. — 2 months ago

Ericsson

9.8

1st Growth Bordeaux comparison. Mind blowing. I mean, from a weak Bordeaux vintage comes this masterpiece which can be enjoyed now or saved for decades to come. Beautiful nose and almost perfumed with roses and black cheery and blueberry, cedar, and pencil shavings. The palate is pure bliss full of complexity, intensity yet balanced and the finish just goes on and on. Cheers. — 4 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Decanted to separate the sediment. Haven’t given it much air time but it’s already showing very nicely. Nose has lots of rich, gravelly earthy scents, competing with dark berry and cassis fruit. Cedar and underbrush notes too. Still hasn’t totally relaxed on the palate. Probably needs a few more years ideally. There’s a certain tightness to it but it’s nevertheless showing well. Nice flavor concentration, with fruit initially but getting tight and savory as the lengthy finish progresses. Lots of fine-grained tannins, and nice acidity. This seems pretty old-school in feel, not jammy and huge. 9.2 for now but let’s see what happens over the next hour or two.

UPDATE (night 2): This has developed nicely since yesterday evening. A lot more very pure cassis fruit showing on the nose, and the texture seems softer. Upping score from 9.2 to 9.3. — 4 months ago

Will Stanley

9.3

A fine example of Pauillac from an overlooked vintage, the 2012 d’Armailhac (from half bottle) offers a potent punch of graphite, fresh black fruits, leather and cedar. The palate has ample concentration and good harmony, with flecks of sweet fruit leading to a long and gratifying finish. This is pure, precise Pauillac and in a beautiful spot at 13 years of age.

June 2025
94 — 4 months ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Slightly medicinal notes. Dark fruit, leather, cedar, plum and bitter cherry. Soft and long. — 6 months ago

with BOT, Paul and 1 other

Ron Siegel

9.3

Youthful showing mostly black fruits with cedar, graphite, mocha, spice & tobacco — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers! — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Mid crimson with a tawny rim showing its age. Just as impressive as the 2000 vintage which tends to get the accolades. This blend is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. Aromatics of an old flower arrangement that had dried off with mature black fruits and cedar. My last bottle at 24 years of age but many say this could carry on until the mid 2030s. A classic Bordeaux living up to its “Super Second” standing. — 3 months ago

Tom Garland

9.7

+2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment) A beautiful deep ruby red color. On the nose: Expressive nose captivates with dark red fruit, espresso, chocolate, floral, menthol, sweet tobacco. Taste: rich, round, intense wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, cedar, tobacco, and a peppery-pencil lead-dried herb long dry finish. YUM! A brilliant wine just entering its drinking window with time to go. — 3 months ago

with Brenda

Tom Garland

9.3

+2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable dark magenta with some bricking. Nose: Captivating savory notes of dark fruit, herbaceous, funky earth, worn leather, pencil shavings, cedar, smoked meat, maybe a touch of bandaid(brett). Taste: A savory wine with class and elegance... dark currants, tobacco, graphite, saline, cedar, and a spiced earthy minerally medium plus finish. YUM! — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Tom Casagrande

9.0

This is nicely done. A bit on the “in your face” side, it’s got loads of rich, plummy Merlot fruit, a fair whack of French oak, and loamy earth notes. Rich, darkly fruity, a bit chocolatey in the mouth. Still a fair amount of soft, side-of-the-mouth-clingy tannin left. More youthful than its 12-year age. 15% alcohol. I prefer a slightly more reserved style, but this is impressive in its own way. — 5 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.2

Pretty big wine. Good tannin. A lot of cedar, tobacco, red berry, maybe some flowers, shaved dark chocolate, cherry compote. Will be interesting to see how it evolves. — 6 months ago