Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Dark Ruby color with aromas of berry fruits, herbs and earthy oak spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry, raspberry and currants with espresso, cacao and earthy notes. Well balanced, lively acidity, fine tannins long ending with fruit, oak, mineral and tobacco spice! Very Nice Napa Cab! — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Something for my Wagyu Burger.

I do enjoy this producers style/craft. Also, enjoy the elegance of St. Julien. 2012 is a vintage Sofia & 1 worked harvest at Clerc Milon. So, the 2012 vintage will always be a special vintage for me, even if it was only one that was good to very good for the right terroirs and producers. Just wasn’t special like; 00, 05, 09, 10, 16 or 19 etc..

Having said all that, this Ducru is not the 2012 star of the region. It’s elegant but falls short on depth, character & umpf, which are things I have grown to expect and have experienced from this producer in many vintages.

The palate shows, soft, round & velvety M-M+ tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, some of both plums, slightly baked strawberries & circling raspberries. Slightly dry tobacco w/ ash, soft leather, sandalwood, mid, dark, rounded spice, nutmeg, clove, some cinnamon & vanillin, dark most earth with clay & dry leaves, herbaceous notes, very soft & elegant graphite, a touch of of mid berry cola/licorice, dark withering flowers, red roses, nice acidity with nicely balance, good tension/structured, elegant finish that last nearly two minutes and long sets on rounded dark spice.

@EmiratesLoungeDubai — 7 months ago

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! — 9 months ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.5

Classic color, fragrances, and dark cherry on the palate. If you drink this wine at less than 5 years old, you might be disappointed. But at 7 years old, it is amazing. August 2025. — 10 months ago

Joseph W

9.1

Leather and spice up front, with a trace of dill that softens into dark cherry after an hour in the decanter. — a year ago

Julie Gorsline Perry

10

Black cherry and spice with a chocolate finish — 6 years ago

Patrick Devine

9.2

Great for dessert, chocolate. Somewhat sweet. — 7 years ago

Ming L

8.9

The Clark & Telephone Vineyard PN gave me a long lasting impression, and this Las Alturas is very similar in style in its richness and intensity.

Ripe plum, blackberry jam, eucalyptus, fig, black tea, and Chinese medicinal herbs bursting on the nose. Palate has more texture and a more elegant feel with dark chocolate and spice. Firm and a bit dusty tannins. This tastes more like a blend of Zinfandel and Cab. Nice! But again this is not the type of PN I like. — 8 years ago

Mandy Capehart

9.1

Excellent stand alone red! — 12 years ago

Scot Walker

9.4

Mixed berries in the nose with dark fruit and black tea in the palate. Paired well with cheese and salami — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

From a 5 Bordeaux grape blend: 81.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.8% Merlot, 1.8% Petit Verdot, 1.4% Cabernet Franc & 0.4% Malbec, aged 24 months French oak, 85% new. Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral and toasty spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and plump blueberries with notes of herbs, baking spice and toasty notes. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with cacao, toasty oak, fruit and earthy mineral tang. Very nice, aging well, but time will reward! — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Medium deep ruby , quite thin garnet ruby rim . Cassis , blueberry , blackberry , iris , pain grillé. On the palate this is quite dense and rounded , with more dark fruits , cassis , blackberry and a savoury , saline seaweed tinge on the finish . Fine but noticable , sweet tannins , and fresh acidity , quite rounded and richly fruited but very balanced . Good length with grafite , mineral and creme de cassis . Polished and quite decadent but all elements very balanced . Just drinkable now with time in decanter , really fruit driven still, but will improve well over the next 10 or more years and last well a further 10-15 . This shows some of the ripeness and exuberance of 2009 paired with the flamboyance of Mouton , makes for quite a pairing a very promising future ahead. — 8 months ago

Doug Powers

9.3

Great Beaucastel, dark fruits, still a little structured, long finish, excellent!! — 9 months ago

with Jim

Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour. Nose: enticing perfumed dark fruit, mint, pine, floral, pencil shavings. Taste: creamy, balanced, savory wine with blackberry, milk chocolate, earth, leather, graphite, and a lingering long finish with some slightly grippy tannins. YUM!! No hurry, time to go. — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Jason Phillips

9.0

Dark ruby. Aged in American Oak. Full bodied on the palate with mild tannins. — a year ago

Leslie Fort

9.0

Interesting and fun with a good steak and brussel sprouts. Dark dark dark. Smooth in the sip and light in the swallow. — 5 years ago

Nedas Ka

10

Ritch oily smoothness😉 — 7 years ago

Mark Turner

9.0

Solid down the middle of the fairway. Fruit forward. Nice balance. Dark fruit, currant, a little spice in the finish. — 8 years ago

Jose Rico

9.2

Dark fruits, intense colour, great legs. A real bargain. — 8 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant. A marvelous medium garnet color (decent fine sediment). On the nose: dark berries, cassis, forest floor, sandalwood, pencil shavings, chocolate, and cigar box. Taste: layered, balanced, still young wine with dark cherry/plum, cedar, dark chocolate, charcoal, and a lingering tobacco/leather finish. YUM! No hurry, a long distance Las Cases. — 6 months ago

with Brenda

Conrad Green

9.5

Tangy dark fruit. Bloodiness with a dark plum and iron. Rounded and resolved but intense. Very good — 7 months ago

with Matt and David

Tom Garland

9.3

Pop and pour 375ml bottle. Dark ruby red color. On the nose: dark cherry, toasty oak, licorice, floral. Taste: young and tannic, give it time. — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Anthony Cammarata Jr.

9.4

What a great refined wine. The 2018 Insignia opens with aromas of dark fruit, florals, and spice. On the palate, blackberry, mocha, and plum come through with a nice texture and tannins. The finish is long, savory, and elegant. Wow! — 9 months ago

with Daniel and Michael

Ron Siegel

9.3

Showing lots of dark fruits, smoke, meat, savory spice, mineral & violets. — 9 months ago

Tom Garland

9.5

+1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A splendid medium dark garnet color. On the nose: perfumed notes of red fruit, herbaceous, eucalyptus, mushroom, smoked meat, ripe olives, sweet tobacco. Taste: rich, velvety full wine with brambly dark cherry/plum, coffee, dark chocolate, orange peel, and a peppery- dried herbs- gamey long finish. YUM! A nicely aged and elegant wine with soft tannins and good acidity!! — 10 months ago

with Brenda

Conrad Green

9.5

From mag. Dark intense gravelly fruit. Leather and sour cherry. Serious and bridging still. Great aged Bordeaux. — a year ago

with BOT, Paul and 1 other

Sipping Fine Wine

10

To me Shafer is among the worlds best wineries. Aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. Vivid deep purple color, and outstanding aromas of red/black fruits, cherries and blackberries, with hints of cedar, floral oak & spice. Tasting this wine was absolutely magnificent, concentrated dark berry fruit flavors, spices, leather and oak, exploding on my palate. Soft velvety subtle tannins provide a nice deep lingering finish. Truly an outstanding Cab, one of the best. If you can find yourself a bottle, do not hesitate. Should last at least 10 more yrs. — 7 years ago

Marc vanholst

9.9

Not too much to say....power in a silky glove...close to perfection. — 8 years ago

Tricia

9.0

Very rich with flavor. More flavor then the regular red ménage a trois. Both are great! — 8 years ago