Vanessa

9.2

Honoring my marvelous father with a meal and wine he would have appreciated with gusto.  We wish he was here to share it with us, but are deeply grateful that his spiritual presence remains so strong in our hearts today and every day.  💕

This blend is predominantly (78%) Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot.  🍷 It hails from the Haut-Médoc region on the “left bank” of Bordeaux, 🇫🇷 more specifically, the Pauillac AOC.  Pauillac is a highly-regarded commune, with favorable growing conditions, known for producing some outstanding quality wines.  👌👌 This wine is no exception. 😆

🏰 Château Grad-Puy-Lacoste is a cru classé, ranked among, and a neighbor to, the region’s top estates.  It’s incredible to think the first vines planted on this property date back to the 1500s, making it one of the oldest properties in the region.

We decanted this wine for several hours, which helped it soften and release its layered aromatics.  

👁 The color is deep garnet with notable tearing.

👃 On the nose it has medium(+) intensity and concentration of developing aromas.  The aromas include ripe black fruit such as cassis, black cherry, blackberry, and plum, as well as other non-fruit notes like black licorice, pencil shavings, and violet. It has secondary notes of clove, nutmeg, allspice, cedar, also tertiary notes of wet earth, tobacco, leather, meat, fig, and mushroom.

👄 This wine is dry and its flavors on the palate are consistent with the nose.
This wine has balance, complexity, a strong structure, with firm, grippy tannins, and a long elegant finish.  👏👏

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, vintage 2011, ABV 13.5%.  — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Lewis Chester

9.6

2010 vintage. Tasting at Magill Estate with Peter Gago. The star of the show. Blockbuster that has everything. Complex and balanced nose of a great Grange. Black fruited, some leather and spice. Savoury. On the palate, great concentration while not being too big. Medium plus body and alcohol. Medium acidity. Long finish. Exceptional. I enjoyed it now. But best to wait for another decade and enjoy for a further 20 years plus. — 9 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

Old school...talk about label wear!

"1989...the number, another summer...get down...
Sound of the funky drummer!"

Still in the driver seat, this is gorgeous and yes it's old but the wine blossomed after 30 minutes and now at 2 hours open its singing and going strong.

1989 Joseph Phelps "Insignia", Napa Valley

Ruby-garnet edges, a deep core of red color.

The nose started out super funky, but blew off to a nose of mature cedar, forest floor, dried red cherry and cassis. The palate is old, but like the nose gained strength with air, it gained depth and concentration. Mulled spices, red fruits, plum, cedar and red fruit skin.
#josephphelps #insignia #napavalley — 9 years ago

Michael Greene

9.5

Sour cherry, thyme, lavender, and hints of smoke. To me, this has a concentration and depth of texture that is only matched by Dutraive's wines in Beaujolais. Foillard is always a pleasure but this is really special. — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.5

2002 vintage. Medium ruby hue. What a nose. Quite pronounced. Earth, smoke, cranberry, raspberry and mix of crushed berry notes. Slight mineral character. Complex. On the palate, very balanced. Medium plus acidity, medium body, medium alcohol and medium tannins - slightly chalky. Great length and concentration despite being fairly ethereal. Drinking very well, but might improve further. Drink now until 2026. — 9 years ago

Robert Cappelli

10

Doesn't get better than this. Floral, Fruity, woodsy, complex. Smooth. Completely knitted together at this point. Perfectly balanced and harmonious. Amazing concentration. Super long finish. Absolutely delicious...Great white buffalo — 10 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.4

2004 vintage. Lunch with Gerard Basset at Hotel TerraVina. 1 hour decant. Dark ruby hue. Wonderful nose of leather, sweet spices, roasted meats, mulberry and blackberry, dark chocolate and licorice. Although developing still very fresh and youthful despite the obvious complexity of aromas. On the palette, the tannins hit you hard - grippy; high acidity that starts off quite searing but with air becomes rounder and attractive. Medium plus body and full concentration. Long finish. Gerard loved it and so did I! — 10 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.4

1999 vintage. Medium garnet. Bright and clear. Medium plus intensity of aromas. Black fruits - blueberry and blackberry, mainly fresh. Hints of wood smoke and cinnamon from the oak. Some game and leather development. Hints of chocolate. On the palate, the wine has medium plus acidity, medium alcohol and medium fine-grained tannins, almost plush. The flavour intensity is on the medium plus side. Fruit flavours of blackberry, black currant and herbal savoury notes. Leather, tobacco and smoke. There's less depth of flavours than on the '07, and the finish is a tad shorter too. Very elegant. Less power than the '07. Very good, but lacks the concentration of some other Sass vintages. NB: after 2 hrs, this wine has changed. It's gained weight, roundness and complexity. It's now ahead of the 07. It's got a sweet long finish. Herbs and a medicinal note to the fore. — 11 years ago

Jeffrey Lew

9.9

Amazing concentration, deep dark and beautiful. Worth all the points it received. — 11 years ago

Mark S.

9.0

2016, but 3 hours decanting created enough concentration and smoothness. Black currant flavor. Good match with beef! @4800, Lawrys, 210329 — 5 years ago

Jim Nelson

9.3

Rare and perfect mix of concentration and acidity. Translates to: Muscularity that’s as light as a feather! Feels like it could last many decades.. — 8 years ago

with Camille

Hao Feng

9.0

Not fully opened, but having great concentration and density — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.6

1986 vintage. Chrismaka lunch at the house. Served after 3.5hr decant (which was probably a few hours short of what I would do next time round). Medium garnet hue - the only true sign of age I found in the wine. Strong pencil sharpening, creme cassis and smoke. Cedar. Very youthful. A lot of fruit. Amazingly youthful. Complex. On the palate, medium plus acidity and tannins - ripe. Medium alcohol. Medium plus concentration of flavour. Balanced. Very long finish. Depth and balance. This is so young still. Don't open for another 10+ years. Drink 2026-2056+. Wonderful potential, but still a baby. Is there a wine on the planet built for the long term better than Las Cases? NB: this is superior to the 1982 I had a month ago. — 9 years ago

Charles (Chad) Bucklin

Owner and founder of C. T. Bucklin Wine Advising

9.2

Powerful and young with roasted fruit and spice. Great intensity and concentration. More restrained on the palate than the nose. Youthful and balanced. #dow #vintageport #port #portugal #ctbucklinwine — 9 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

Love this vintage. Great minerality and such great concentration. Bought from Fass selections. — 9 years ago

with Dan and Lyle

Fernando Nunez

9.0

This is a rich and creamy Champagne with a lively mousse, giving it a forward fruit character. Slowly the depth and concentration of the wine come through, with a white fruit flavor and hints of grapefruit and toasty yeast, which all promising good aging. — 10 years ago

Philippe Dauguet

9.1

Joli caractère fumé en plus d'une belle acidité et d'une belle concentration — 10 years ago

Will Costello MS

Master Sommelier, Wine Director Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas

8.9

Thought it was from the USA based on color and concentration. Great Value — 11 years ago

Swii Yii Lim

9.5

Like an older version of the 2004 I tried in April. Concentrated coffee, milk chocolate and smoky fruit, with hints of struck match minerality. Good concentration and tannic grip; could still keep. Tried blind, and guessed it was a Pauillac or Leoville Las-Cases. — 11 years ago

Ian Burrows

Sommelier Atelier Crenn

9.6

Ripe & semi-mature VP. Lots to like, including structure being fully integrated. tannin, fruit concentration and spirit nicely balanced. — 12 years ago

Shay A

9.5

WNH event number two. Rhône varietal wines with TX BBQ...a match made in Heaven!

Enjoyed this towards the end of lunch as it seemed to be on he heavier side. If I tasted blind, I may have gone with WA state Syrah...there was a richness to this that translates to bacon, ripe black and blue fruit. Less red fruit and spice but more fig, bayleaf and blackberry. Not herbal or funky (olive like) but the concentration and power here is impressive. Youthful. Will be dreamy stuff in the next few years! Well done @Bill Bender . — 7 years ago

with Mike, David and 4 others

Lewis Chester

9.4

2008 vintage. At Au Fils du Zinc in Chablis. Just pop and pour - no decanting. Bright pale cherry hue. On the nose, typical crushed raspberry with earthy farmyard meaty notes. Enticing. On the palate, like walking up stairs - different levels of flavour and intensity as it rolls through the tongue. Medicinal and herbal but in a balanced and interesting way - a crescendo of concentration on the back of the palate. Medium minus acidity and medium body. Slightly warm alcohol and a huge finish. Another wow wine from a wow trip. Young? Drinking very well despite its youth. Might develop a little more from here. Drink now until 2025+. — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.5

1997 vintage. Pale golden hue. On the nose, lemon (fresh), slightly yeasty, honey suckle and vanilla leaf. Fresh and surprisingly youthful. On the palate, high and fresh acidity, medium minus body, medium alcohol and medium concentration. Great length. Amazing balance and freshness despite age and vintage. Could last for a decade plus. Very impressive. — 9 years ago

Vito Polosa

9.3

Traditional cabernet concentration, darker prune, tobacco violet cassis — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.2

2006 vintage. Medium ruby hue. Cedar, blackberry, black currant, some black liquorice, white pepper. Reasonably complex despite youthfulness. On the palate, medium minus body and medium acidity, medium plus concentration of flavour. Medium alcohol. Medium minus tannins - soft. Good length. There's a slight dilute, light feel about this wine. It might gain weight with a bit more age or some proper decanting. Very enjoyable. Drink now until 2026+ — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.4

1990 vintage. At Cabotte in London. Medium golden hue. Wonderful nose of nutty, old oak, and stone fruits. Some oxidation. Slight anti septic aromas, but pleasant. Complex. On the palate, rich and silky, with real body and high concentration of flavour. Good length. Classic. Drink now until 2020+ — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.6

Ridge Monte Bello 1991 vintage. Amazing nose - spicy, menthol note, crushed rock minerality, stewed plum, cedar and leather. Very complex. On the palate, medium body, medium acidity, medium minus chewy tannins. Good concentration and long, fine finish. Superb. Alongside the 2001, the best Monte Bello I have had. 25 years young. Will be good for at least another 10 years although clearly drinking at or near its peak now. — 10 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.5

2006 vintage. Deep ruby hue. This is a big wine. Pronounced aroma intensity. Roasted berries, smoke, ripe oak, vanilla. The wine is developing nicely. Full bodied and ripe plush tannins. Ripe plum, sweet spice, leather and some roasted meats. Some garrigue and herb. Alcohol is on medium plus side. Long complex finish. Very good concentration and depth of flavour. A really lovely wine and a star of the vintage for me. — 11 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.7

1986 Vintage. Butteaux. Dark lemon in colour. Very mature. Mushroom. Oxidative. Lanolin. Earthy undergrowth. Crushed nuts. Ripe baked apple and tarte tatin. Botrytis here. Minerality strong as wine develops in the glass. Dry with sweet impression. Like an old Chenin or Viura Rioja or old Riesling. Waxy and honey and savoury. Huge concentration. Full body. Great acidity keeps this wine powering on. Long finish. — 11 years ago

Adam Jesberger

9.8

Excellent bottle. The 01 is supposedly a better vintage but im not sure when it comes to this producer. Clear, day bright, garnet and orange brick like color, medium - concentration, orange/peach rim variation, slight sediment, low viscosity. Nose: sound, moderate intensity, stewed cherries/strawberries/raspberries, floral, spicy and lots of dill pickle and slight game. A mushroom note as well. Palate: dry, med- body, stewed plums over ripe cherries/strawberries, lilies, dill, vinegar, leather, button mushrooms, game, mulch with some cedar and coconut. Very complex. Med- tannins, medium alcohol, high acid, long finish. Between the 01 and the 98 its a tough choice of which one to put in the wine cooler to store. — 11 years ago