Fifth Note Cellars

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

Delectable Wine
9.0

This bottle of 1990 Lafite-Rothschild replicates the one poured at the château several months earlier. The bouquet offers black fruit, a little dustiness, leather and light marine notes, but again, it never slips into fifth gear. It just lacks vivacity. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly hard tannin, modest fruit concentration and a monochromatic finish that feels suppressed by that summer’s warmth. To reiterate, there are Super Seconds that clearly outperform this First Growth in 1990. Tasted at Noble Rot's “Xmas” dinner. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2019)
— 4 years ago

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1999

Celebrating our daughters Christmas homecoming after two years. Pipe tobacco drenched in dark dry fruit with an herbal under note of thyme and basil. Earthy organic hints of barnyard. Well integrated tannins. High acid and it took a while before it fully integrated. We decanted it for one hour. Could use two hours. — 5 years ago

RoAnne de WeerdTammy de Weerd
with RoAnne and Tammy
RoAnne and Skip liked this
Skip Smyser

Skip Smyser

A real home run🍷
RoAnne de Weerd

RoAnne de Weerd

Thanks for sharing ❤️

Krug

Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Big citrus rind note ona very weighty fran. Big and delicious...as usual. — 6 years ago

David liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay

Medium ruby color and a pronounced nose of raspberry, violet and a spice note reminiscent of sandalwood incense. Lovely medium body with silky texture. Good acid balance for food pairing and a long lovely finish. Wonderful evocation of serious Beaujolais — 7 years ago

Douglas and Greg liked this
Douglas Heye

Douglas Heye

I remember when you first had that!
Lyn Farmer

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You have a very good memory!

Langmeil

The Fifth Wave Grenache 2013

Stunning fruit filled flavour. Good depth and joyous with BBQ pork ribs + apple sweet potato bake! — 7 years ago

Chateau Montelena

Napa Valley Chardonnay 2013

Very complex and delicate Chardonnay. Nice front push, dry with slight note that comes through — 8 years ago

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2006

Light straw color. Floral nose with sweet apricot and white flower note. Rich and glycerol in the mouth. Some acidity but this is very fruit forward today. Needs to shed its baby fat. — 8 years ago

Alan Weinberg

Alan Weinberg

baby killer! but not premoxed, at least.
Greg Gregory

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Very rare I've had a premoxed Rav.

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Probably the best of the six or seven bottles I've had from the same case. A bit of a musty note on the nose blows off to reveal pencil, cassis, a little sandalwood. Deep and broad on the palate, this has some stuffing but still good acidity which gives it a lift. On this evidence there's more to come but other bottles from the same case have suggested more immediate drinking. The '96. — 9 years ago

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 2006

look: pale ruby red core with slightly garnet rim.  medium viscosity.

smell: medium intensity aromas of roasted red bell pepper, allepo pepper flake, raspberry sauce, roasted jalapeno.  overall, sweet and ripe fruit smells followed by slight iron-like gravel note.

taste: medium + acidity, nearly high acidity, medium - tannin, flavors of smoked tomato, sour cherry, ending with a note of sweet dried/roasted pepper.  

profile: flavor is 'bursty' and drops out quickly and then hangs in a very subtle low way on the palate.  
purchased with Somm Select. honestly, it could have cellared a few more years.
— 9 years ago

Seven, Julia and 11 others liked this
Madeline Puckette

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France Loire Chinon Olga Raffault 2006 'Les Picasses'
Julia Weinberg

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Love these wines!

High Note

Elevated Uco Valley Malbec 2012

Slight fruit up front, dry finish — 10 years ago

Alessandro Viola

Note di Rosso Terre Siciliane Red Blend

Cherry fruit and bright acidity. Short,
spicy finish.
— 5 years ago

Jacques Selosse

Initial Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay

So so goo! Just needs a bit of air in the glass to take on volume and toasty note. — 5 years ago

Severn, Patrick and 7 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2002

Color : Red
Wine estate : Tenuta San Guido
Designation : Bolgheri
Name : Sassicaia
Country : Italy
Vivino : 5/5
Note : Opening of this Magnum 2002 that had not moved from its individual wooden case in special. Always so many emotions to take out such a wine and please the family. Perfect time to open it and we are on a silky red robe blood with shards garnet. The typical nose of Sassicaia with flavors of black fruits, pepper, copper and cigar. Once in the mouth, the aromas explode and the final is long, greedy, structured and elegant. Excellent.
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Ouverture de ce Magnum 2002 qui n’avait pas bougé de sa caisse individuelle en bois. Toujours autant d’émotions à sortir un tel vin et faire plaisir la famille. Moment parfait pour l’ouvrir et nous sommes sur une robe soyeuse rouge sang avec des éclats grenats. Le nez typique du Sassicaia avec des saveurs de fruits noirs, poivre, cuivre et cigar. Une fois en bouche, les arômes explosent et le final est long, gourmand, structuré et élégant. Excellent.
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👍🏻Vivino, FB : GabWine | IG : gabriel_dvl 🥂
— 6 years ago

Sharon, P and 8 others liked this
Sharon B

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Sounds delicious!
GabWine

GabWine

Very delicious @Sharon B ! If you like my reviews, feel free to join the community on Facebook (GabWine) or instagram (gabriel_dvl) cheers 🥂

Domaine François Raveneau

Butteaux Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 1986

1986 vintage. At Au Fils du Zinc in Chablis - thank you Fabian for picking the best white wine experience of the year. This was a wine that Mr Raveneau didn't release because he thought there was too much oak and sulphur. Only recently did they realise they had a gem. Medium golden hue. Honeyed, white peach, lemon pieces, iodine and crushed rock minerality. Slight bovril note and sea shell with air. Amazing complexity. On the palate, perfect balance between fresh acidity and body, highly concentrated and layers of complexity. Very very long. Outstanding. Still fresh enough to last another 7-10 years at least. — 7 years ago

Evan, Ira and 3 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2004

Inviting & open aromatics. Has a pronounced vanilla note which follows to the palate, but is tempered with dark, spiced plummy fruit. Grippy texture, yet loosely knit at this early stage. Beautiful stuff with a NY strip. — 7 years ago

David, Carla and 62 others liked this
Chris MacLean

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@Anthony Lombardi, you are in Seattle, right? If so, can you recommend a few good wine stores? I'm passing through on the way to a ski trip, and want to pick up a bottle or 8...
Anthony Lombardi

Anthony Lombardi

If you are downtown, park at Pike Place market & you can hit both Delaurenti's market and Pike & Western. Both are great shops, Delaurenti has a great Italian section & Pike, although small has fantastic stuff. McCarthy & Schiering is also really good & has 2 locations. If you are driving north on I-5, their Ravenna location is right off the highway. @Chris MacLean
Chris MacLean

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Thanks very much @Anthony Lombardi !

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1991

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. — 8 years ago

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Jimmy Smith
9.4

2001: going into a black olive, black truffle note. Rich meaty notes, vibrantly meated, smoky, leather, tobacco, cigar. Towards full, complex, chewy. Light liquorice, light black truffle. Tip top. — 9 years ago

Scarpetta

Timido Fifth Edition Spumante Rosé Colli Orientali del Friuli Rosé Blend

Simple and enjoyable. We do not need food for this. Refreshing rate is high with just the perfect amount of berries and LSD in my mouth. Pink wine with bubbles for this price is a novelty and just so barely acceptable even the bubbles and color do enough justice to just keep them coming...please more yes please thank you this balancing act is easy. — 9 years ago

Arturo Enciso
with Arturo
Anthony and Velma liked this

G.D. Vajra

Albe Barolo Nebbiolo 2010

Great vintage, no doubt. Wild strawberry, with an almost Oriental spice note that emerges with an hour of air-one might think Burgundy. This shows great texture and nuance, certainly beyond the Nebbiolo from the same vintage. — 10 years ago

The Fifth Empire

Abstracto Tupungato Cabernet Sauvignon

Joe F.
8.9

Full bodied with a good amount of spice and dark fruit flavor..,paired well with grilled NY strip steaks with sweet potato. — 5 years ago

Laurene Feriozzi
with Laurene

Aubert

Eastside Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2012

Fabulous contribution from @Steve Anderson for a day after 4th of July celebration to honor the talented Toronto tasting note king from Berserkers Mike Grammar. I’m a big fan of the Eastside. It’s more balance and compelling verve than the in your face opulence of some of the other SVDs. Fresh pear rather than the honeyed pear of the Sugar Shack, clean lines, fresh honeysuckle. A great start to the night. — 6 years ago

Daniel, Velma and 47 others liked this
P A

P A

@Bill Bender @Steve Anderson Cheers 🇺🇸🇨🇦
David L

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Nice !

Alessandro Viola

Note di Grillo

Wonderful Sicilian natural wine! Deep gold (let’s call it light orange) in color. Hints of grilled lemons with a hint of smoke. Beautifully “funky.” A true winner! Great with appetizers! Thank you Franky Bella for this selection. — 6 years ago

Kasey Vanderhoff
with Kasey

Tendril Wine Cellars

C-Note Whole Cluster Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2013

My favorite Pinot in a lineup from Tony Rynders. — 7 years ago

Doug Sayed
with Doug
Doug Sayed

Doug Sayed Premium Badge

Punching way above it's vintage wieght, the whole cluster fermentation really stands out in its structure. Bravo.
9.2

E. Guigal

Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2010

Kids down - Exploring French wine with Jen out of town! Muted nose of blueberries and currants. Gamey taste with notes of anise and cherries. Nice mouthfeel if a bit one-note. — 7 years ago

Raul Pérez

Ultreia Saint Jacques Mencía 2012

Killer juice. Blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, delicious fruit. High acid, moderate tannin. There's a savory note here as well. A fantastic wine with food--paired with steak. That, plus A1, was a match made in heaven. — 8 years ago

Brooke Barnett
with Brooke

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay 1997

AJ 95/100 - Sboccatura tre anni, e questo aiuta la straordinaria freschezza insieme al fatto che diversamente da altri questa annata non ha fatto malolattica. Giallo paglierino limpidissimo, naso intrigante con attacco balsamico, note di mandorla, fiori di montagna, lieve pietra focaia, perlage finissimo e persistente, entra in bocca con incredibile freschezza e acidità, incredibilmente il tartarico mostra ancora i muscoli, forse anche un po' troppo per una simile annata: si perde un po la corrispondenza con il naso. Finale di grande persistenza. — 8 years ago

Aldo liked this

Heitz Cellar

Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1977

Max Kogod
9.7

1977. Floored by extreme caramel note on nose and palate completely backed up by gorgeous purity of fruit, acid, levity and all the tertiary elements that make Martha's Vyd what it is. — 9 years ago

Anthony, Bill and 11 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Wow! The nose reminds me of a full litter box, not appealing descriptor, but the flavor is floral, almost spicy but stops immediately and goes a different direction. The. You get hit with that Classic French fruit. Very developed. Mid-note tannins, finishes dry and clean, keeps you coming back for another taste. — 10 years ago

Eric liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo

Kevin Walsh
8.9

2008. Dried cherry, black tea, dried mushroom and rose, prosciutto. Minerality is reminiscent of standing on a dry, dusty dirt road. Only criticism is that it falls off in the mid palate, but finishes with a nice gamey note. — 10 years ago