Dominik Held

Château L'Evangile

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1997

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing currents, plums, cherries, oak, wet leaves, herbs, black pepper, tobacco leaf, earth, dark coffee and black tea.

Short finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 26 year old Merlot is still drinking very nicely. Showing a nice mouthfeel with nice complexity.

Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years, but will not improve from here on.

Needs an hour to open up properly, so be patient.

This was not a good vintage in Pomerol, but it held up pretty well.

Good by itself or with food.

A blend of mostly Merlot with Cabernet Franc. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$250.
— 2 years ago

Vanessa, Ted and 19 others liked this
Daron Watson

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Love when people appreciate 97 Bdx that were dismissed after 95 and 97 ~ like wine can’t be “good”, only great and bad
Daron Watson

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Sorry meant 95 and 96

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Held up well over the 21 years. Complex red and dark fruits, smoke, white pepper. A little Brett that eased with air and ended up adding to the complexity. — 4 years ago

Tenuta Caparzo

Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 1997

Surprised it's held up. Lots of licorice and all those old aged flavors like leather and tobacco. Jammy dark fruit, still alive. — 5 years ago

Daniel liked this
David Richter

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Looks like it sat under the prosciutto in the wine cellar at Beppe 😛

Heitz Cellar

Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Wonderful after a bit of time in the decanter. Could easily have held it a few more years. — 7 years ago

Bonnie Hodur
with Bonnie

William Hill Winery

Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1986

Great wine. Held up well. Stong tannis. Great finish. — 7 years ago

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1986

Very funky when open. The full was low in the neck and cork just crumbled, so not expecting much. But very rich about 30 minutes later and held on through the evening. Really nice. — 8 years ago

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1987

Perfectly aged in large format bottle. Tannins have held up over time but don't overwhelm. Aromas: dried roses, burnt blackberry. Flavors: currant, dried cranberry, juniper. Beautiful wine. Once in a lifetime opportunity to taste it! — 8 years ago

Lauren liked this

Peay Vineyards

Estate Scallop Shelf Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007

Last of our ‘07 Peays. Wow. This bottle was spectacular, held better than our other Peay SS ‘07. — 2 years ago

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 1998

Had it next to a 86 Lynch Bages and held its own…. nuff said. Vibrant. — 3 years ago

Rob liked this

Terreno

Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 1996

Chewy. Held up amazingly well (96) — 4 years ago

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

For the fifth and sixth wines of the week, it’s time to raid the cellar. Drinking the ‘05 Cos d’Estournel next to the ‘05 Montrose. For me, aged Cos d’Estournel is the ultimate expression of Bordeaux. Big, tannic, and layered - a wine you don’t think about touching for 15 years. Perhaps because it was my first introduction to fine wine way back in the early ‘90s, Cos has always held a special place for me and, my oh my, the ‘05 does not disappoint. At 78 Cab / 19 Merlot, the wine has the highest proportion of Cabernet in recent memory and is just now entering its ideal drinking window. Deep ruby in color with a bit of bricking, the bouquet opens after a bit of air. Ripe black currants, plum, tobacco leaf, cedar box, and leather on the nose. Also noticeable are prominent hints of incense, a characteristic that is unique to Cos in the best vintages. The entry on the palate is rich and layered evolving with each sip. Layers of ripe black fruit, black tea, graphite, chocolate-covered cherries, and graphite are evident. The tannins are strong but smooth, and hold the layers together in beautiful harmony.. The finish is long and pervasive with strong notes of cassis lingering. Honestly, St Estephe doesn’t get any better than this. A wine to savor over many hours. It has a long life ahead and will improve further with proper cellaring. 2005 vintage on April 20, 2020 — 5 years ago

Jeff, Jason and 31 others liked this

Seven Stones Winery (USA)

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Somm David T
9.8

Seven Stones was the wine of this market visit to Napa. For me, it is the very definition of why I drink wine. Great fruit that is not overworked and is the Webster’s Dictionary of elegance, even at this young age.

On the nose; beautiful dark & medium red cassis. Ruby in style with amazing florals. Blackberries, dark cherries, raspberries & blue fruit mix. The red florals are so engaging, They possessed me for quite sometime before getting to tasting the wine. Soft baking spices with understated vanilla.

The body was medium full. Tannins unbelievably soft, silky and elegant for such a young wine. The fruits picked at the perfect ripeness. Such elegance! Creamy and ruby fruits of; cherries, dark cherries, creamy raspberries and wafting blue fruits. Soft spices, dry crushed rock powder, delicate volcanic minerals, touch herbaceous, whiff of black olive, dry soils, beautiful red roses and violets. The structure firm yet delicate as was the tension. The length and balance in perfect harmony. The long, polished finish simply amazing. Especially, in a wine this young.

Photos of; the property with the seven stones from Yosemite that are held together by gravity and weight 100,000 pounds, and two other artworks from the owners amazing art collection and the view from their terrace.
— 7 years ago

Shay, Douglas and 23 others liked this
James Forsyth

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Nice wine. Aaron Pott always does a good job. Cool property too with an unbelievable view over the valley.
Somm David T

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Extremely well educated & fortunate owners. Who knew there was this kind of $ in Food Science.
Beachin Wino

Beachin Wino

@David T thanks for the tip! Done!

Kosta Browne

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2014

Surprisingly held its own side by side with the Camille giroud latricieres chambertin. Very classic CA but we'll done. Long finish, plenty of bright tart cranberry. — 8 years ago

David and Darren liked this
Darren Dittrich

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I'll be opening our 2014s soon...

Bodegas El Nido

Clio Jumilla Monastrell-Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2011

Needed to open up, but held up great with a lot of dark ripe fruit, leather, oak, mild tannins, and great depth of flavors. — 2 years ago

Diamond Creek Vineyards

Volcanic Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

Not sure how the hell I held onto a 2000 vintage of this beauty — 4 years ago

Camille Puglia
with Camille
Camille liked this

Cadence

Cara Mia Vineyard Camerata Cabernet Franc Blend 2012

This one has held up beautifully. Went very well with our steak dinner last night. — 5 years ago

Paul and Laura liked this

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1979

1979 held ip super well after travelling from France to the US then to Germany for the uncorking. Notes of dark cocoa, deep plum, cherry, saddle leather — 5 years ago

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Steakhouse dinner at home. Was the star of the show. Held up nicely to some hefty meats and buttery potatoes. — 6 years ago

John Ruvolo
with John
John liked this

Paloma

Napa Valley Merlot 2012

Followed a pretty big cab and held its own. Very fruit forward with flavors of plum, blueberries, vanilla, chocolate and an herbal touch to the finish. — 7 years ago

Eric, Daniel P. and 29 others liked this
Shay A

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One of the best merlots out there 👌
Bill Bender

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Spring Mountain merlots are the shizz
Bill Bender

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@Carl Fischer your posts aren’t showing up on my feed 😩 I have to go to your profile and then like

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1989

1989 vintage. One of the best Dunn’s I’ve had. Has held up great with that trademark dark cherry core still intact, and fruit followed by layers of earth and leather. Tannins are still there even after nearly 30 year but a great, layered and integrated wine. Excellent. — 8 years ago

Joel liked this