First Press

Château Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1997

From the Downs Club First Growth Lunch last Saturday. Very brief notes. Mid crimson in colour - some bricking at the rim. A meaty note - a lovely red fruited perfume - unmistakably first growth. Just medium weight - a lesser vintage. — 7 months ago

Shay, Ira and 24 others liked this

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

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 1981

🏅 Rating 93+/100 (4,35⭐)

Tasted from magnum.

Ruby color with tawny hue showing the age. First nose has a slight touch of iron. Fruit is ripe and sweet. Vegetable scent of tomato stems suggesting presence of Cabernet Sauvignon. Sandy tannins of Sangiovese. Amazing how bottle aging makes the wine so smooth and satin.

Mostly tertiary aromas, but very well holding the age and could last for at least 5 more years without any signs of decline

Elegant expression of famous Tignanello.

1981 was outshadowed by great 1982. It was 10th anniversary vintage and is considered a very fine one.

Key oenological data:
Average sugar content of grapes at harvest 21.00%
Average total acidity of the grapes 7.80%
Alcohol content after fermentation 13.00
Average fermentation temperature 28C
Length of fermentation 13 days
Acidity of wine after malo 5.90
Ageing in 225 litre barrels 20 months
Bottle ageing in our cellars 18 months

======
I have published the article with a story of Tignanello, the emblematic SuperTuscan wine from Antinori.

\- What were the key factors of its success?
\- What makes this wine stand out from many other wines form Tuscany?

Best enjoyed with a glass of Tignanello.

Read the full article at www.stasmedvedev.lv/wine

---
Instagram: @wine_talks_club
— 5 years ago

Severn and Ira liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Dark ruby. Opaque. Notes of dark plums, cassis, rhubarb, tobacco. Has a green element to it. At first it’s very linear and one dimensional in the mouth but rounds out with air. Nice for the vintage. — 7 years ago

Jonathan, Brian and 7 others liked this

Slow Press

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

I snuck aboard the space station and made my way to the holding cell where I was told the princess was being held. Upon breaking down the door, I was confronted by a short person in a diaper and odd headdress who said "I'm sorry, but the princess is in another death star".

About that time all the alarms in the space station started going off.

After some brief firefights I found myself cornered, my only escape to done down a shoot into a garbage compactor. So I did. Once in the trash compactor I met a friendly monster called a Dianoga. We shared a lovely bottle of Slow Press while the walls of the compactor slowly closed in on us.

Fortunately for me, I'm the hero of this tale and, as such, made a timely escape, rescued the princess (eventually), and managed to do it all without realizing I had spilled wine on myself.
— 8 years ago

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2004

Somm David T
9.4

I have to say this is my favorite Chateau to stand in front of and gaze. On the nose, spice, wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, mint, tobacco leaf and dark fresh & dry flowers. It's drinking nicely with silty medium-medium + tannins & full bodied. Ruby, ripe wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, crushed dry minerals, mint, tobacco leaf and violets, dark fresh & dry flowers. The acidity is round and mouthwatering. The long finish has great elegance, beauty, length, tension & balance. It's just starting to hit it's stride and has plenty of life ahead of it. Another 15-20 years. Who said 04 was a difficult vintage? This will continue to improve and will stun with another 10 years in bottle. Photos of the the exterior Chateau front & side, tasting room and Christian Seely Managing Director. Chateau Pichon Baron and Chateau Pichon Lalande were originally part of the same estate. Pichon Baron got it's name when Therese, daughter of the founder, received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville the first President of the Bordeaux Parliament. Chateau Pichon Baron changed because of the Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. He took over managing Pichon Baron when he was only 19 years old! When the Baron passed away at 90 in 1850, he divided his Pauillac estate. The sons were awarded what became Chateau Pichon Baron and the daughters were given what later became Chateau Pichon Lalande. Pichon Baron went through three rough decades in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Part of the issues were, lack of investment and they machine harvested. The first really great vintages for them were 89 & 90 after Jean Rene Matignon, Jean-Michel Cazes join them and AXA Insurance Company purchased them adding capital. The 73 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. However, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are reserved exclusively for the second wine. The terroir is mostly deep gravel, sand clay soils. Pichon Baron uses 80% new French oak and rests in barrel 18 months. @ FogoDeChao

— 8 years ago

Severn, Sofia and 34 others liked this
Kimberly Anderson

Kimberly Anderson

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@TheSkip I've also make 11 market trips to Bordeaux.
David From The 504

David From The 504

Will read this on my next flight

Gros Ventre Cellars

First Born Pinot Noir 2013

Magnum...love it! — 10 years ago

Rachel Caggiano
with Rachel
Rachel liked this

Château de Saint-Cosme

Little James' Basket Press Vin de Pays d'Oc Viognier Sauvignon Blanc

Last bottle! Being discontinued at the restaurant — 12 years ago

Gina liked this

First Press

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Great wine with pork or chicken — 13 years ago

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1995

5/25 with Howard. Lotsa power. Hard edged at first with lots of structure. Mellowed beautifully. Complex. Became port like. 90 — 7 months ago

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

All leather and cigars at first, and then the fruit showed up after an hour. Delicious. — 9 months ago

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 2013

First time with Taittinger. Crisp with overall lighter mouthfeel. Taste notes include flesh of white fruit. Maybe would be better with some age on it. — a year ago

Meghana Kaloji
with Meghana
Jan, Ira and 5 others liked this

Georges Dubœuf

First Wine of the Harvest Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay 2020

Red berries on nose. Strawberry, blackberry, plum and leather with bright acidity and assertive tannins. Too tannic on its own, but excellent with Thanksgiving dinner — 5 years ago

Rockford

Basket Press Barossa Valley Shiraz 2002

Holy smokes. This is the best of Australian Barossa valley wine. This Shiraz was gifted to me 13 years ago by a good friend, Ron Candy - a gentleman of gentleman. A true Ozzie with a heart of gold. It was on this date too, while I was living in Sydney, 13 years ago that I lost my friend, my golf buddy, my business partner and father-in-law Herb Schimeneck to the wicked complications and consequences of cancer. If you’re drinking tonight, and so moved, raise a glass to Ron, and especially to Herb - two great men that helped me became a better version of myself than I could have imagined or hoped for. Cheers to you all.....my friends today and of tomorrow. — 8 years ago

PJ MirvissSonia JonczykJeff larson
with PJ, Sonia and 5 others
Kirk, Rick and 10 others liked this
Rick Zywotko

Rick Zywotko

Moving tribute Mikey..... one of the reasons we all hold onto special bottles; fond remembrances.
Michael Mathews

Michael Mathews

Thank you.....we need to get our crew together soon! Ciao!

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Mike R
9.0

Road wine so ease off me please and I usually enjoy stag leap but last night so so

First off o smiled but because I drank entire bottle

Color was fine smell was aromatic but from there the other things were off

Taste was not what I expected as was too much heat and alcohol and finish was weak

Sadly I have a few and will be handing off as gifts to people I really don't know when needed - sorry to al future gift receivers
— 8 years ago

Mike, Jonathan and 38 others liked this
Weijie Shi (Jay)

Weijie Shi (Jay) Influencer Badge

Agree. Got some heat attack as well last time I tried it.

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

This lost the papal battle due to jamminess but it was the first indication of greatness for this 2000 vintage — 9 years ago

Anthony, David and 1 other liked this
David Mayfield

David Mayfield Influencer Badge

99s are much more to my liking than 00s--I agree with you. Too ripe.

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2008

First time tasting Jamet. Nice deepness on this hard vintage. Hints of smoky lard, cumin and pepper with a touch of flower. Ready to drink. — 10 years ago

Martine liked this

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 — 11 years ago

Erik and Joseph liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1966

My first experience with a bdx with this type of age. It had a note of green pepper on the nose and had a lot of life left. — 9 months ago

Ron, Jay and 7 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2012 pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Montmorency cherry, blackberry, dill, toasted coconut, olive, zatar, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This only got better with air and might be my favorite young Tondonia since I first drank the 2006 vintage. Really good stuff already! Drink now with some patience and through 2042. — 9 months ago

Daniel, Peter and 12 others liked this

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2015

First try of Foillard and it does live up to the (high) reputation. There’s such a lovely tamed softness here with exceptional integration and length on the palate that I don’t feel the need to qualify that in the context of the grape/region. This is a sophisticated wine that I’m happily drinking now but will surely age well for 5-10 years. — 5 years ago

Slow Press

Monterey County Chardonnay

Medium yellow color. Tropical and vanilla on nose. Oak With something I can’t distinguish.. maybe some salinity? Bright pineapple. Then rich buttery creaminess. Slight vanilla into an oak finish. Slightly dry — 5 years ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Red raspberries, cherries, tobacco, and cedar? Delicious. Decant a solid hr first — 8 years ago

Trent Tishkowski
with Trent
Ron and Kim liked this

Screaming Eagle

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

My first ever "Eagle" and it delivers ! Clear 100 pointer for me - beautiful !
— 8 years ago

Dick, Stef and 5 others liked this

Slow Press

California Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Legs for days. I let it breathe for two hours very nice drinking wine.
— 9 years ago

Corison

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

The first Napa Valley Cabernet that I fell in love with. — 9 years ago

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

Drank this over the course of 6 days using Coravin...still too young, but the wine really opened up by the last day. Smells and tastes like a Grand Bordeaux St. Julien wine as it should. I used to this wine to test the Coravin. It is clear that oxidation starts right after the first pour. — 9 years ago

Harlan Estate

Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 1990

The first vintage release from Harlan estate. Now I can say I have been lucky to try every vintage of this wine. Long finish, with a lot less of a ripe attack than anticipated. Long life ahead of this wine made in a different era in napa. #timetraveling — 10 years ago

Drew, Maxence and 8 others liked this
Jason Heller

Jason Heller Influencer Badge

Have you had the 1987-1989?
Marty Winters

Marty Winters Influencer Badge

@Jason Heller I have had the 89 but no 88 or 87 yet.

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! — 13 years ago