Fields Of Red

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Deep ruby; medium plus aromas of new leather, coconut, cocoa nibs, ripe red and black plums; high alcohol, high tannins — 2 months ago

Juan, Dave and 1 other liked this

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 2019

Wow. A richer, darker, and more concentrated Picasses than I’ve had in some time. Oak is also a bit more gratuitous than I’m used to for this wine. Blackberries, currant, moss, anise. This can go the distance, but definitely a bit hot. Still one of my favorite wines in the world for consistent quality to price ratio and age-ability. — 4 months ago

romo, Ira and 2 others liked this

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

1990 vintage. Previously tasted 3x in the last 4+ years 01.20.23 (9.6), 05.16.21 (9.4) and 09.21.23 (9.5) Top shoulder fill. Excellent cork. Decanted and tasted immediately. Oodles of sediment as expected. Beguiling St. Estèphe nose. This. Was. Phenomenal. Best of the four horsemen/tastings. Enough structure to build the infrastructure for a new city along with a surprising amount of dark fruit. A well-stored, large format bottle of this might just show you the best time you’ve ever had. WoW. 08.14.25. — 4 months ago

Daniel, Ted and 23 others liked this
Jan A

Jan A

Nice!
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

Its indeed wow. Have you tried the 1989 ? Slightly less dramatic and more classical in style but can be as big an epiphany…

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 1990

An explosive supple nose with rose, hints of tar, gnarly intense fruit in the middle. Fresh and powerful still. Spectacularly complex. Iron and salinity on the finish. Wow — 5 months ago

Jan, Ira and 10 others liked this

Mollydooker Wines

Carnival of Love McLaren Vale Shiraz 2010

As you can see from my previous Delectable notes I normally drink Mollydooker reds, particularly Carnival of Love, on cold nights in Winter. This certainly worked. Aromatics of black plum and other black fruits. The palate is ripe, sweet and full bodied - quite thick and textured. Has come together somewhat after 15 years but still a very powerful McLaren Vale Shiraz. Jeb Dunnuck’s comment of “full bore and hedonistic “ sums it up. This was the #2 wine in Wine Spectators Top 100 of 2012. — 6 months ago

Daniel, Dave and 20 others liked this

Belle Glos

Meiomi Pinot Noir

Heavy Pinot noir than expected but welcomed on the pallet. Fragrant and enjoyable to the tip of the nose. Full bodied. — 7 months ago

Dave liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2015

Absolutely singing at 10 yrs. Beautiful weight. Age coming thru with beeswax and acacia with plenty of acidity to back it up. — 9 months ago

Pooneet, Tom and 7 others liked this

Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Medium bodied, aromas of plum, blackberry and a oak. Fruit and subtle tannins. — 9 years ago

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars – Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Artemis is the gateway wine of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, one of Napa’s most iconic producers, remembered for its Judgment of Paris triumph in 1976. The 2014 vintage sits in a sweet spot: accessible, polished, and still carrying the hallmarks of Napa’s valley-floor fruit. This blend is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with small percentages of Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot layered in for balance.

Aromas & Flavors
Inviting notes of ripe blackberry, cassis, and black cherry lead the way, accented by cedar, vanilla, and hints of graphite. Subtle secondary notes of mocha and baking spice emerge as it opens in the glass, showing both freshness and depth.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with supple tannins and balanced acidity. Polished, silky textures glide across the palate, finishing with a long echo of dark fruit, oak spice, and a touch of savory herb.

Winemaking Notes
Aged around 15–20 months in French oak, Artemis strikes a balance between power and approachability. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ style is always about elegance over sheer force, and this vintage highlights that philosophy.

Food Pairing
Perfect with grilled ribeye, herb-crusted lamb, or hearty mushroom risotto. Its elegance also makes it a great match with aged cheddar or gouda.

Verdict
A graceful Napa Cabernet that proves why Stag’s Leap remains a benchmark. The 2014 Artemis is in a perfect drinking window now—refined, approachable, and still true to the estate’s legacy of elegance.
— 3 months ago

Ted, ESF and 1 other liked this

Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia

Unico Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend 1995

Vintage 1995 | topnotch, a treat. Paired with a Tournedos, sheer perfection. First impression: truffle! Layers of other impressions: tobacco, leather, porcini. Is drinking at its prime now | at Bistro C | Thanks @Liselotte Brouwers just as old as the wine… — 4 months ago

Dave, Eric and 21 others liked this
Jan de Weerd

Jan de Weerd

Nirvana! 👍

Corison

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Double decant and pour(lots of sediment). A splendid medium ruby red color. On the nose: a little stewed red fruit, herbaceous, worn leather, mint, sweet smokey oak, loamy soil. Taste: smooth, elegant, savory wine with a touch of dried red fruit, dried herbs, cocoa, damp earth, minerals, and a spiced iron/meaty medium finish. YUM! Mature and on the long downside, but still drinks nicely at 28 years. — 4 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Dave and 16 others liked this
Dave

Dave

Wow!
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Nice!!!

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2012

This is spectacular. That roughness that is characteristic of Rioja is prominent but exists alongside a beautifully dry, luscious dark cherry 🍒 and oak flavour. And even with all its complexity, it’s a nice sipper too. — 6 months ago

Gillian Koh
with Gillian
Doug, Ron and 1 other liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Decant for sediment (lots of chunky/fine sediment) and pour. A stunning medium ruby red color with little signs of aging. On the nose: big inviting notes of dark fruit/currants, worn leather, herbaceous, smoked meat, funky earth, menthol. Taste: silky, evolved, expressive structure with brambly plum, currants, old leather, dark chocolate, graphite, and a black raspberry-iron-dried herb long finish. YUM! It's what's you want in an aged Napa cab, and glad to have just acquired 3 more bottles. — 7 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Deborah and 18 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Another tip: I keep a bottle in the fridge to pour decanted sediment dregs into, and use it (except for the muddy bottom part) for cooking. That way my coq au vin or daube is braising in really good stuff from my cellar!
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

x Tom C, good notes. Thanks for the tips. Cheers!
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

x x I find the sediments can be bitter and usually try to remove them so they don't impact the wine. Hate them all over the side of the glass. Cheers!

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2001

Big lush, dark fruit that has not reached its peak window yet. But she ain’t far away. I was able to obtain a vertical of 01,02,03,& 04. My first foray into that vertical. No rush on this one but very impressed. Leather, pepper, if not cigar leaf here . Suffice it to say, there is a lot going on here and my lack of Cali knowledge has new intrigue — 9 months ago

Vino, Andrew and 5 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

A good wine. Oak, a bit of chocolate, dark fruit and cherry. Pretty dry but smooth enough that easy to drink. — 3 months ago

Doug and "Odedi" liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers!
— 3 months ago

Ted liked this

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2022

🍷Cheers to this compelling Morgon crafted by one of the region’s luminaries!✨

We’re talking about the ‘Côte du Py’ Morgon (Gamay Noir) by the revered Jean Foillard.

This Gamay hails from Morgon – a “Cru” within the broader appellation of Beaujolais – with a reputation for producing structured & age-worthy wine.

👁️ This wine is medium ruby in color, like a gemstone with the delicate haze you’d expect from an unfiltered wine.

👃 The aromas & flavors are perfumed with ripe red and black cherry, wild strawberry, blueberry, pomegranate, blood orange, mulberry, rosehips, hibiscus, lilac, black tea, rooibos, black licorice, star anise, potting soil, gunflint, & clove.

👄 On the palate, it’s dry with vibrant acidity, warming alcohol, a medium body, fine, ripe tannins, followed by a persistent finish.

In sum, this is a captivating, soulful, & expressive wine; a beautiful representation of Morgon, so deliciously drinkable now, with its layers of lush fruit, florals, & spice, while demurely holding the spine, structure, & intensity to age…

I can imagine it gaining mushroom, earthy, leather, & cured meat dimensions with time.

It offers power and elegance; a wine to sip, savor, & appreciate.
— 4 months ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Dave and 18 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

One of my absolute favorite producers of Grand Cru Gamay. Cheers! 🍷
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Somm David T Jean Foillard is an icon! And this wine 🍷 was a beautiful example of his deep talent & craft. 😍 Cheers!

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1998

Last bottle. Time to drink is now, don’t think this will improve from here. Needed a bit of air to come together, but overall remained somewhat muted. — 7 months ago

Ira liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2021

Decant and pour. Restrained notes of dark fruit, smoke, leather, tobacco, grilled bell pepper. Taste: cherry, blueberry, currants, crushed granite, truffles. A young wine that I would luv to drink again in 15 years. — 8 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Somm and 20 others liked this

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

A love this. Ultra luxurious. Great concentration with refined textures. The texture is just liquid silk and it slowly but surely builds through the palate. You get your money’s worth when this style of cab is this well made. — 9 months ago

Joe, Ron and 8 others liked this