Champagne Blend

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 1996

Gentle wild strawberry and limestone. Really delicate and fragrant and delicious. So pretty and poised. I’d guess this is at peak — 6 days ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Tom, Jan and 11 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2021

Popped and poured. The 2021 “Cuvée Réservée” pours a deep ruby color with a deep but transparent core; medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe red and black brambles, spiced meat, black pepper, some purple flowers and stony minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This comes across lighter and more Burgundian than the last handful of vintages; almost giving me some 2014 vibes (which is a vintage in the last decade that I adore). It’s really good and shows a bit more elegance that I quite like. Looking forward to tracking this vintage as time goes on. Drink now with some patience and should be cracking through 2041 with ease. — 17 hours ago

Ira, Severn and 6 others liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

Still shows some lovely primary redfruits, cassis, currants, quite tannic as well (characteristic of the 1986s I cellared), long, lingering finish, should show even better after my wife’s grilled lamb and my grilled steak come off the grill. I will say I was nervous when the final 1/8-inch of the cork severed off my old Ah-So cork puller, but not a problem!

Interesting sidebar — I purchased this upon arrival in 1989 at K&L in SF — by that time there were widespread reports of bad corks in Ducru from (at least) 1985 and 1986, so when I visited the shop I explained the situation and committed to purchasing 6 bottles, but only if I knew this batch didn’t have the cork problems — so, I said I’d pay for another bottle and we could open it together in the shop, I’d pay and also buy the other 6 bottles if it was NOT corked, and said if it was corked, then they’d pay for the opened bottle and I wouldn’t take the 6 other bottles — they agreed, we mutually tried the bottle then and there, no cork taint so I paid for 7 bottles total.

Telling the story in part because K&L has always been, IMHO, one of the classiest wine shops in the U.S., and they deserve credit agreeing to my deal (BTW, Wine Advocate had written about the cork taint issue within the preceding 3-6 months, so they were aware of the potential for it) — anyway, they’ve gotten a lot more of my business in the past 35+ years since!!
— 9 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Severn, Bob and 12 others liked this
David T

David T Influencer Badge

K&L is the gold standard Wine Merchant example for the rest of the country!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@David T, I cannot disagree!!
Jay Kline

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@Doug Powers great story. Thanks for sharing!

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 1996

warm hints of apricot, lovely tension and depth. Mature now. Very good — 6 days ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Tom, Jan and 7 others liked this

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Rosé Champagne Blend

Several years in the cellar have done good things to this bottle. — 5 days ago

Shay liked this

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay 1996

Really pure and light and lifted. Soft floral notes and a steely spine underpinning it. Long and tense and perfectly balanced with a purity and deftness that is gorgeous. The best 96 I’ve had from them. — 6 days ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Tom, Jan and 9 others liked this
Alan Weinberg

Alan Weinberg

I bought a bunch on release—$200–and love this wine. Guy in NY bought 500 six bottle cases on release—imagine it’s a daily drinker for him. Amazing stuff.
Alan Weinberg

Alan Weinberg

It was Rob Rosania.
Conrad Green

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That figures. Good for him. I have a few bottles but it’s always been too tight when I’ve tasted it to think of opening it. It’s singing now though

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend

Good birthday dinner with outstanding wines. 2014 Cristal, 2013 marcassin chardonay, cos d’estournel 1982, figeac 1990, 2019 nuits St. George’s clos de la marechale mugnier. Cos unfortunately corked. — 9 days ago

Billy, Jan and 1 other liked this

Bollinger

Special Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Outstanding PN dominant Champagne giving up tons of green apple and toast, with pleasant richness and tons of bubbles. — 8 days ago

David, Joseph and 4 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

1986 vintage. Ripped through six bottles (one corked) for a 1986 BDX dinner @ Mister A's-San Diego. All bottles appropriately aged fill and decent+ corks. Double decanted and tasted over the course of 5 hours. Mix of powdery and stubborn (non-chunky) sed amongst the 6 bottles. Light-medium body throughout. Somewhat muted experience overall. None of the bottles (with variation) shone/sung. Wine is firmly on the downside of the bell curve with best days behind it (based on the 5 + corked bottle examples). There was none of the usual P-L flavor markers but the body hung in there. Pains me to say this but drink up now unless you've got a larger format bottle. Maggie (+) would probably yield a higher score. 3.14.24. — 4 days ago

Paul, Lyle and 6 others liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

Oh 😥. Sounds like a bust.
David T

David T Influencer Badge

While I respect, own many vintage from them, as well as, one of my favorite non 1st growth producers and love the style of 80’s Bordeaux (82, 86, 89) I don’t believe this vintage from them ever lived up to expectation or critics reviews.
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

@David T To be fair, had a few examples of this particular wine and vintage that ticked off the 9.6 mark for me. Don’t rate anything above a 9.7. When it was at the top of the bell curve and just on either side of that summit, it didn’t suck. Life rolls on.