Fine Form

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

1 hour decant(lots chunky/fine sediment). A gorgeous inky purplish garnet color. On the nose: dark fruit, forest floor, smoked meat, floral, cigar wrapper, pencil lead. Taste: smooth, rich, creamy mouthcoating wine with blackberry/dark cherry, dark chocolate, earth, tobacco, baking spice, and a cedar/graphite medium plus finish with some slight dusty tannins. Had this 2 years ago, and it's improved. In the beginning of its drink window at 18 years? Wow — 2 months ago

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

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Love this JP vintage!

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Dark Ruby with aromas of ripe berry fruit and floral spice, pure Caymus signature style, easy drinking, approachable as always. On the palate flavors of ripe blackberry, black cherry and currants with complex spice showing notes of cacao, cinnamon and rich vanilla oak. Fine soft tannins, nice mouthfeel, great balance with acidity, long finish, ending with notes of oak and mineral notes. Nice! — 3 months ago

Veronika, Paul and 1 other liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1989

[En magnum] Dried redfruits, smooth and mature, relatively clean (very low Brett) bottle, good balance and length, lingering finish, very fine aged Beaucastel. — 5 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Ira, Ray and 19 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Ira Schwartz, agreed. I do still have more 750s and magnums of this wine.
ESF

ESF

I’ll help get rid of some of those 750s & Magnums!

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits, cedar, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice, light vanilla and black pepper.

Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, cooked cherries, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, cedar, earth, dark chocolates, licorice, cola, spices, vegetables, herbs and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 17 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon feels more like a Left Bank Bordeaux. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Showing great complexity and delicious, but I expected more from this great 2007 vintage. I had the 2001 not too long ago, and it was so much better.

Nicely balanced and good by itself or with food. A good food wine too.

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$350.
— 5 months ago

Paul, Juan and 15 others liked this

Louis Roederer

Brut Premier Champagne Blend

Excellent champagne with fine bubbles and effervescence. Had at Cru champagne tasting 11/21/24. — 6 months ago

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2023

So elegant Montrose. It builds up an epic journey in the aftertaste. Rich and opulent as usual but with a fine touch of incredible level.
Softer extraction resulted on a fruitier, more sapid and rounder wine than usual. It feels it’s going to be approachable in its youth.
— a year ago

Peter liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 1996

One of the best bottles of champagne I’ve ever had. Annual one for Valentine’s Day - 2 left from a case we bought years ago. Getting better each year. Has a bit of a caramel apple mixed with lemon curd thing developing now. Very fine bubbles. Just fantastic. — 2 years ago

Severn, Andrew and 15 others liked this
Jason Gelman

Jason Gelman

looks like my schedule just cleared up for valentine’s day next year ! 💘💝

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend 2002

At first underwhelming, started to gain after 30 minutes and was a fine bottle. Never became amazing. Drink up. — 2 months ago

Ron, Lyle and 11 others liked this

Silver Oak

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

From a 5 Bordeaux grape blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 2.3% Petit Verdot & 0.3% Malbec, aged 24 months French oak, 85% new, Deep Ruby with aromas of ripe dark fruits, cedar and floral spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry and currants with notes of herbs, pepper spice and earthy notes. Fine sweet tannins, long finish ending with cacao, smoky oak, fruit and mineral tang. Very nice, aging well, but time will reward! — 2 months ago

Helen, Juan and 7 others liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Blend 95% Cabernet Sauv, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, splash Petit Verdot, blended before being aged 24 months in American Oak, 50/50 new and second used. Deep Ruby color with aromas of black fruits, spice and hints of sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry and currants with licorice, cacao, vanilla and savory herbs. Fine tight tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice and savory mineral character. Nice! — 3 months ago

Paul, Juan and 2 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Quite deep ruby garnet core and medium ruby garnet rim. This is showing more development, with cedar , cigar box , cassis and blackberry richness , aromatic and enticing from the very beginning . On the palate with is well balanced with a good mineral backbone , grafite and blackcurrant hints , really good symmetry and balanced , refreshing acidity , polished fine tannin . Long finish . Showing well now , in a really good spot where this has development on the nose but no lack of fruit of backbone on the palate . Will certainly continue at this level for another 10- 15 years . — 5 months ago

Daniel, Jan and 12 others liked this

Achával-Ferrer

Quimera Mendoza Malbec Blend 2021

A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, aged in French oak 65% new and 35% 1 year old, fruit sourced from Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruit, earthy and floral spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and tart cherry flavors, with vanilla, licorice, citrus and herb spice. Fine tannins, well balanced long finish ending with tart fruit and a sweet earthy mineral character. Nice! A Fav! — 5 months ago

Anthony, Tom and 1 other liked this

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay 1999

From mag. Fresh and clear. Lemon and limestone and fine light floral notes. Precise and pretty — 7 months ago

Matt LichtenbergAmanda Crawford
with Matt and Amanda
Bob, Shay and 9 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Medium ruby garnet core . Quite austere , red and dark , charcoal tinged berries . On the palate better with a mix of ripe ed and dark fruits , touch of mineral and grafite , quite long and well balanced . This is fine now with time in decanter , though might just need a little longer in bottle to show its best — 2 years ago

Daniel, Tom and 13 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

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Oh wow, greatness here.

Château Léoville Poyferré

Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2018

Blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak, deep Ruby color with aromas of ripe berry fruits, cedar, floral and earthy spice notes. On the palate flavors of blueberry, cherry and blackberry with vanilla, licorice, tobacco and toasty oak notes. Long rich finish on fine juicy tannins, drinking ok now but has room to age. Very Nice! — 2 months ago

Paul, Tom and 8 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2015

Medium lemon yellow , fine bubbles . Quite restrained and mineral focused on the nose , then lemon confit , quince, touch of orange flowers, with some pastry notes , white flowers , honeysuckle also . Quite intense and mineral on the palate , fills out well with some lemon oil and pastry notes also , but this is reserved and elegant in style , more mineral , chalky and more intense than the 2013 had last week. Really refreshing acidity . Long and complex on the finish , I would imagine this needs more time than the 2013 too. Come back in 5 years , will show well for a further 10-15 years , perhaps longer. Very promising . — 3 months ago

Ira, Bob and 14 others liked this

Pol Roger

Réserve Brut Champagne Blend

Peg
9.0

Fine bubbles. More complex. More depth — 4 months ago

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Forty-plus years on, people still talk about the greatness of the 1982 vintage in Bordeaux. There are multiple factors that contribute to this and it’s fair to say that Robert Parker’s reaction played a major role in the early popularity; certainly in the States. While some may say that 1982 was merely a “good” vintage by today’s standards, I think history has proven it to be empirically special; there was just so much quality from top to bottom. And yet, even with the high praise of the vintage, the tone shifts to hushed whispers when the 1982 Mouton gets mentioned. Up until that point, the Chateau had sort of underachieved after receiving its unprecedented promotion in 1973. But in 1982, a year full of great wine, they created a legend and firmly cemented their First Growth status. Today, I’m pleased to report the plaudits for the ’82 are all warranted.

Opened and double-decanted earlier in the day. The ’82 Mouton pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core with some sediment; almost youthful when compared to many of the other older wines poured on the night. On the nose, the wine is developing still; loaded with cassis, black berries, leaf tobacco, leather, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with fabulous structure. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and full of power. A stunning wine and well in its prime…a window I expect will remain open for a longtime to come. Drink now with bacchanalian abandon and through 2082.
— 5 months ago

Ira, Jan and 29 others liked this
Somm David T

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I picked the Mouton Merlot in 2012 for a day. At the two harvest lunches I attended, they served the 82. Every time they bottle, they take the remaining barrel juice, filter it and then serve the remains at their harvest luncheons for workers & guests. The second lunch I attended, we were seated at the Baroness’s table may she RIP as she passed in 2014. In 2012, they drank the last of the 82.
Jay Kline

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@David T what an awesome story and experience
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge

@Jay Kline I agree re the 1982 Bordeaux vintage. The Chateau Margaux was one of the greatest wines I have ever drunk whereas the Lafite Rothschild was somewhat underwhelming. Bought at the same time from the same shop and stored the same way.

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2004

+1 hour decant(some fine/chunky sediment). A splendid crimson red color. On the nose: wonderful bouquet with plum, stewed meat, cassis, sweet tobacco, funky earth, leather. Taste: silky, finessed, balanced wine with red berries/plum, coffee grounds, cedar, tobacco, and a nice peppery pencil lead long finish. YUM! Pure class in a glass. — 8 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Vino and 22 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1998

Medium ruby core, garnet rim . More leafy and crunchy cassis, slightly foursquare , cooler slightly mint touches . Crunchy dark fruits on the palate , more tobacco , cedar , grafite notes , fills out on the palate pretty well. Good refreshing acidity , moderate quite fine tannins, slight green notes on the ok length . Good to drink now and probably won’t improve very much , now and over the next 10 years. — 2 years ago

Tom, Anthony and 9 others liked this