Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Sergio Zenato and his wife Carla began to produce quality wines from an indigenous varietal, Trebbiano di Lugana, and passed down through the generations. A blend of 80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta and Croatina. Medium Ruby with aromas of dried berry fruits, sweet and smoky notes with pleasant herb spice. On the palate flavors of ripe currants and sweet blackberries with cacao, spice, oak and nutty tones. Fine tannins, long complex finish ending slightly creamy with cedar notes. Starting to drink well now, enjoy over next 4-5 years. — 4 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.5

Hot damn! A beautiful, graceful monster of a wine. Nose of dried blueberries, tobacco and flowers. Big black fruit, Sweet red plums, licorice, and freshly tanned leather all hit you at once with an intensity only attributable to some of the best in the game. Lingering finish of dark red fruit and maybe some kind of citrus? Extremely fine tannins and really nice acidity danced harmoniously with each other. Great with a prime NY Strip. While never my first choice, it is always such a treat to enjoy a bottle of Opus! — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Family-owned and operated since 1985. Found a ‘16 vintage in my cellar. Grapes sourced from several vineyards, complex aromas of fruits, citrus & sweet spice. On the palate ripe fruits, apple, pear and peach with lemon citrus and vanilla adding toasty oak. French oak aging, great balance, lingering ending with toasty oak finish. I continue to have this wine as a staple in my cellar for a number of years. Enjoy! Great value, compared to Chards costing more! — 6 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.4

It’s me again, still lovin’ it — 6 years ago

Patrick Nolan

9.1

Honey Gin from Father IL — 6 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.3

Super silky tannins and with that ripeness that surely was meant to appeal to many palates including my own several years ago.

This is a solid and very good wine in no immediate danger of falling off the cliff.

However as with many of the high octane Napa cult CS that I started to stock up on 15+ years ago I’ve realized that I’m often lacking a bit of “personality” over time and would suggest to pop the corks and enjoy this over the next 1-2 years. — 7 years ago

James Forsyth

9.4

Sushi and Champagne is one of my favorite combinations. Indeed, almost all celebrations that @Cara Zimmerman and I enjoy together will include this duo. This was somewhat of a step up from our norm as Sushi Zo is a world apart from our usual delivery order of tuna and salmon rolls (with free edamame). Likewise this 1975 DP was rather more elevated than our weekly fizz.

Dark golden color with rich, brioche and mature elements. A touch too advanced but enormously attractive and retaining terrific purity and energy. Sushi and Champagne has rarely been such a treat. — 8 years ago

with Cara and Daniel

Tony Chen

9.4

Pretty good Bordeaux, I actually enjoy more than Chateau Mouton, more content, delicious. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Champagne is for celebrating & today is a day most worthy of celebration. The Ruinart N/V Rosé is always solid at a 92 on the palate but, today its celebration value is a solid 10.

I will let my many previous notes stand while we enjoy celebrating! Cheers all! 🍾🥂 — 5 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.5

Christmas-Eve we had family over so it was time to enjoy some nice wine. Out of my wine room I started us out with this gem the 2008 Château Pontet-Canet a beautiful expression of Pauillac on the Left Bank. Totally a reason why I have come to love Bordeaux.

On the nose there is black cherry, red raspberry, black currant, licorice, chocolate, some pencil lead and earth.

The palate is still very expressive with black cherry, raspberry, black currant, green bell pepper, graphite, soft oak notes, cassis and earth.

This is a medium to full bodied wine with a smooth velvety mouthfeel, medium + acidity and medium + polished smooth tannins that lead right into a long dark fruit finish. What a lovely wine this is from the 2008 vintage. Happy Holidays to everyone, enjoy your time off with loved ones and stay safe. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 6 years ago

C. Robinson

9.2

This is a really good flavorful solid gin. Perfect on one large rock with a lime. — 6 years ago

Greg Helmer

9.3

This is classic Cab. It should be for the price. Deep rich full, but just not as flavorful as a $75 bottle should be. I’ve got more to enjoy in the cellar and I’ll get another case when the time comes. — 6 years ago

Danielle Risley

10

Drank on 1/21/18. Awesome, super creme brûlée and caramel taste. Enjoy this with dessert.
— 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

What a beautiful person inside and out! I'm blessed beyond measure to be able to call him "Dad". Words can't adequately express how much I Love him. We opened a few bottles last night that I will hold near and dear to my heart forever. We are celebrating his completion of 6 rounds of chemo therapy in his battle against Prostate cancer. This is his 3rd time in the ring against this opponent and it appears that he's won with a unanimous decision by knockout at this time!!!!!! Love you dad!!!!! So proud of your strength through this process. My Father was born in 1940. A difficult year to say the least:
Germans entered Bordeaux in June of 1940. As dictated by Hitler himself, it was the sworn duty of each and every commander to search and seize whatever could be used for the advancement of the German cause. Bedlam broke out. Chateaux' were ransacked, wine cellars were looted if not used for target practice. The Chateauxs were forced to continue producing wines. It's poetic justice that Mother Nature provided the Germans with the worst growing season from 1940 to 1944!!!! The Germans left Bordeaux in 1944 to the cheers of the residents "Au Revoir Les Allemands"!!!! The 1940 bottle that we enjoyed this evening survived World War II. It Survived the ransacking, pillaging & plunder of countless German soldiers. It's outer capsule showed evident signs of its struggle but it's inner beauty was unblemished and glorious. I've had many, many vintages of Latour from 1928 and on but none have ever tasted as perfect as the one we enjoyed tonight. This 1940 was perfect. It was a fighter, it never gave up, it never relinquished in the face of adversity. That's my Father, that my role model. He's a beautiful person inside & out. I think 1940 is the best vintage that I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. Special thanks to my good friends Michael Troise whom provided me with much of the insights in regards to the incredibly difficult vintage and David Page whom gifted this bottle to me for our celebration this evening. I will never forget your generosity. It was a glorious evening to say the least!!! Wine has a way of bringing people together and encapsulating an evening and event. I couldn't think of a better way to rejoice in his victory than to open a Father & Son birth year wine. — 8 years ago

with Ryan, Christine and 1 other

Sean Peay

9.2

About to enjoy a great dinner at The Food Market in Columbia — 4 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.5

Nose has ripe plum, mashed blackberries, dark chocolate powder, strawberry jam on leather, molasses, molasses cookies, wet soil, nutmeg and vanilla bean.

Palate has blackberry compote, black cherry reduction, partially dried plum, wet baking spice, wet+dry leather, dark chocolate shavings, (light) oak/vanilla influence remains. Extended finish, really starting to pick up incredibly at 3-4H in the decanter.

Paired with Allen Bros. ribcap (USDA Prime version) tonight, unfortunately our grill has a 4ft. snow drift in front presently so the best I can muster was a super hot cast iron pan from the oven, then onto stove with lots of butter and in 7m total we had beef to die for...Which I had some competition for dining this evening.

This bottle was a very generous gift from my West Coast brother @David T from earlier in the year. My work travel schedule was hectic and never found a good time to settle in on a weekend with the wine or pairing, until now. (I've lost track of the amount of COVID tests I've done in the past 5M, but all have been negative 🙏 to date.) A fabulous gift to enjoy now that I'm hopefully relaxing for the next 2w...
Happy Holidays to everyone.🎄 — 5 years ago

Shawn R

9.2

Such a fun bottle to enjoy with friends. While 77 is not the prized vintage this really shined. Fruit stills shines, touch of acid. Drink now. — 6 years ago

with David and Ron

James Forsyth

9.1

Consistently excellent Nebbiolo to enjoy while the big boys age. Strawberries, red cherries, sage. Goes down easily. The acidity also makes it a dream with food. — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.3

Heavy tannins at 9 years but also significant fruit purity and depth. An astonishingly well made wine. Enjoy now or reward yourself with patience. 5 years will ratchet this up approachability wise two fold. — 6 years ago

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.5

Local mosquito bites call for a local cure. — 8 years ago