First Glass Wine Cellars

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2016

Pleasant at first pour but underpowered. Needed 45 minutes and decant to start. Improved over time. Darker red than I was expecting. Young wine and quite smooth. Some racy notes at the perimeter but more of an easy drinking succulent Nebbiolo than a brooding one. — 10 months ago

Tom, Jose and 16 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2012

First time we had it, a gift from a friend. Dark rubi color, black fruits and flowers on the nose, very sweet tanins and medium body. Great wine at the price point. — 4 years ago

Adriana Pagliano
with Adriana
Adriana, Severn and 2 others liked this

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2016

Somm David T
9.2

First course. Vegetable soup that has a chicken broth/red wine/port base.

Also, working with 2nd course, pumpkin spaetzle with squash, brown butter, parmesan, sage & crispy brussels sprouts.

Beautiful poached strawberries & cherries with fresh & slightly candied, bright dark & red florals.

Great soup & spaetzle from our friend Chef Hedy! Find her @plateandbottle

Christmas with live Christmas music 🎶 🎵 🎼 Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅🤶🦌❄️⛄️
— 5 years ago

Sharon, Severn and 37 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1992

At first i picked up a lot of acetyl in this relative to the other wines. After an hour that had blown off and this blossomed. Everything you hope for in Monte Bello. — 8 years ago

Shay, Bill and 1 other liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 1998

Charles (Chad) Bucklin
9.9

My first #chateaurayas and now I understand the hype. Very Burgundian in style but this is just a unique wine deserving its own category. This wine had profound complexity and was perfectly balanced. It is so young. #chateauneufdupape #southernrhone #rhonevalley #grenache #ctbucklinwine — 9 years ago

Jacob liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2013

Great subtle gamay. I've always loved this wine (produced organically with no added yeast). I first tried this wine around 1992. Loved it then (bought a case) and it's still great today. This family knows what's it's doing with this wine. — 9 years ago

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This was poured through a Zazzol aerator and just spilled out Cassis, black olive, cigar box and vanilla/brown sugar from the glass. Should she well for another 8-10 years. Delicious! — 10 years ago

Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia

Unico Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend 1961

Tasted blind. Dark reddish tawny. Mostly translucent. Amazing nose. Powerful. A spectrum of notes including red fruit, cola, pencil lead, black truffles, coffee, blood sausage and some dry dark soil. Animalistic. Massive fruit and structure with a long finish. Someone says "honey ham" as a note in the nose and we all agree (first ever note involving the word "ham"). This was a wine where everyone's score or appreciation greatly improved over the evening. A best ever Unico for me. (M's 60th bday 4th of 14) — 4 years ago

Josh, Jan and 14 others liked this
David L

David L Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Quite the year to be born. Damn… Insanity tasting! Happy birthday!!!

Harlan Estate

Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend

B
10

Magnum 2006 Harlan. HB for Barry M. No way to decant, but it opened up a lot in the glass. Drinking great now. — 6 years ago

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1978

Amazing this can still be so intriguing. Fruit has long disappeared but spiced, herbal aromas jump out of the glass. American oak finds its subtle elegance. Yum! — 7 years ago

Severn, Kirk and 12 others liked this
Hugh O'Riordan

Hugh O'Riordan

Fun tasting
David L

David L Influencer Badge Premium Badge

78 what a vintage

Belle Glos

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2014

First bottle of the evening on New Year's Eve. Top rated wine of 2015 in Wine Enthusiast. Available at Target and Trader Joes $19.99 — 9 years ago

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 1990

Coaxing it out of the glass. Needs time to blow off typical barnyard nose, leads way to dark red fruit and really long finish — 10 years ago

Charles Curtis
with Charles
Matt and Doug liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

Needs to breathe a bit at first, but drinks well. Tastes more expensive than it is. Good red! — 12 years ago

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2010

Aroma is uncanny; a perfume of rose petals and coconut cream wafting from the glass. Totally beguiling. Vanilla and marzipan lead the way with fresh and dried red berries, red cherries, dried flowers and orange peel. So polished, but this needs more time for the oak and fruit to integrate. The 2010 Ardanza remains my favorite now for its classical balance. — 4 years ago

Jan, Dan and 31 others liked this
Will Stanley

Will Stanley Influencer Badge

Strongly agree with this Josh. The Ardanza is drinking so well now and I had a hard time with the 904 at this stage.
Josh Morgenthau

Josh Morgenthau Influencer Badge

@Will Stanley read your notes and yes, couldn’t agree more! This wine is great. But the Ardanza ‘10 is just out of control good and probably one of the greatest values I’ve ever come across in wine.
Will Stanley

Will Stanley Influencer Badge

Totally with you on that Josh. Ardanza is crazy good!! I’m still v glad I have a couple of cases of the 904 - just won’t touch them for a few years. Reassuring to hear similar notes from a fellow drinker!

Screaming Eagle

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

B
10

1994 Screaming Eagle. Dinner w J&L B and D&M H while staying with D&M in Santa Ynez. Opened and waited about an hour. Decanted right before serving. Tons of jammy dark fruit. Opened more in the glass. JB mentioned full palate and balance. Great finish. Preferred this to ‘91 Dominus once this opened up. — 5 years ago

J.K. Carriere

Glass Willamette Valley White Pinot Noir 2017

Peter Marks
9.0

Rose petal and violets mixed with fresh nectarine. Medium-full body for a rose and with nice dry texture on the long finish. — 7 years ago

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

First taste reminded me of Firenze in that the leather belts and purses were on the nose. Lots of floral arrangements now, solid round, very nice as always. Shout out to my 1 follower @Bill Bender ... it's my birthday and my goal is to be drinking at your level next year!

94 points
— 9 years ago

Bill, Kimberly and 9 others liked this
Lundmark Kvarnstrom

Lundmark Kvarnstrom Influencer Badge

Happy birthday, mate!
M. Christopher Roebuck

M. Christopher Roebuck Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Bill Bender by the way, my friends call me by my middle name Chris. So I changed my profile. Nice to meet you!

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

An incredible complex layered Bordeaux blend, is better now than when I first experience it out of barrel. @winewatch @cheapwinefinder #WINE @Sassodoro @sociallybrenda @larrywyn — 10 years ago

Erik and Joseph liked this

First Press

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Great wine with pork or chicken — 12 years ago