French Libation

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush. — 10 days ago

Jose Roberto Palazzoveronique paillardAdriana Pagliano
with Jose, veronique and 4 others
Peter liked this
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush.
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

Medium dark rubi robe, nose of top soil, cedar-wood, spices and other secondary notes. Medium bodied, long and with highly polished tannins, this is an excellent bottle, just slightly under the other we got from same 6 bottle case.

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2014

2014. Enjoyed a small splash at the end of a great birthday meal at The Oven!
Such pure stone fruit and honeyed aromas and flavors with balanced sweetness and acidity.
— 16 hours ago

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1988

Super clean and still quite youthful, this is a GREAT example of a 1980s CdP from a vintage of little surmaturite, so awesome balance and perfect acidity suggests this vintage will easily last another 5-10 years!! — 3 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Scott@Mister, Tom and 5 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

What a triumvirate of CDPs!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, another example of a great bottle outperforming critical reviews — of the 3 CdPs, the ratings given years ago would have been higher for the ‘89 Beau and ‘90 Pegau!!

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2008

Jeremy Shanker
9.7

A baby but so good — 3 days ago

Jay, Juan and 4 others liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1966

It’s nice to be born just inside of a great vintage across Europe. Sound and fim, still. at Laurelhurst — a month ago

Brian, Tom and 2 others liked this

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

What a fantastic vintage! Casis, oyester and tobacco, go get it! — 10 days ago

Pao, Sagee and 6 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Opened 5 hours ahead and decanted for 2. Absolutely delicious. Still quite youthful but singing nicely so no need to wait in my opinion. Perfect hot dog wine 😉 — 18 days ago

Jay, Tom and 3 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2022

Beyond beautiful! Immediately soft upon opening—had planned to decant for 4-6 hours but decided against. Open and had small taste with Maggie Harrison around noon. Decided to re-cork it and decanted at 4PM.
At noon I got (very unexpected) cranberry notes on the nose and the palate was considerably more gentle than expected.

After two hour decant: Soft (cat tongue), integrated tannins, pomegranate, black cherry begins to emerge. Herbs, smoky/meaty notes emerge


Tasted: 5.20.26
Attendees: Mark Cerimele, Maggie Harrison, Steve Pfancuff, Lorne McClelland, Andy McCray, Denise Casino, Randy Nelson
— 4 hours ago

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

A pair of 16’s off of Buccan’s list in PB. Way too young but started to develop slowly with air. I enjoyed both but leaned more to the Beausejour Duffau. — 15 days ago

Tom, Peter and 2 others liked this

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 1990

Golden in color. Soft with apricot and peach. Unlike most Rav this is like aged spatlese. Delicate with tea etc. Pretty — 25 days ago

Walker StrangisDavid Schachter
with Walker and David
Juan, Jay and 3 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Deep garnet, dark fruit - plum, black cherries, blackberries. Organic forest floor, some river stones, mushroom. Slight tobacco. — 18 days ago

Bollinger

La Grande Année Brut Champagne Blend 2012

#AgedWineTuesday

Very pretty color of peach with a salmon hue.

Strong nose of apples, citrus, peaches, yeast, light bread and minerals.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and tiny bubbles.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, over ripen strawberries, apples, limes, yeast, sea salt, brioche, spices, minerals, light earth and cardamom.

Long spicy finish with limes and grapefruits.

This 14 year old Rosé Champagne is drinking beautifully already, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Elegant, spicy and rich. Fruity and nicely balanced, complex and engaging.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Wine Advocate 95 points.

Good right out of the bottle, and better when not too cold.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Tuna Avocado Tartare.

A blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay, with 5% red wine. Disgorged in 2020.

12% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200.
— a month ago

Jose, Daniel and 9 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

Paul K
9.2

Actually kindof fell apart after 3 hours. Nose and palate were better 30 mins in. Chalking it up to odd bottle. — 16 days ago

Dave, Ray and 16 others liked this

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Rosé Champagne Chardonnay Blend

Very nice sipping wine. Fruit forward with a slightly sweet finish. — 10 days ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1990

Another absolutely fabulous older CdP, I saw @Jay Kline’s excellent tasting note from a few years ago on the 1990 (thanks for the info, @Jay Kline!!), this is amazing, amazingly a little better than the 1989 Beaucastel, what a trio of 1988-1990 CdPs!!! — 3 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Jay, Scott@Mister and 6 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Of course Doug! Laurence has some magic in her.
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Jay Kline, my brother and I visited Laurence once, in 2005, what a phenomenal lady she was, climbing all over barrels to get samples, we finished with the very youthful 2004, we both thought it great, and she said she wasn’t sure at that point about the 2004!! Great visit!!

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Tasted blind. Medium deep garnet ruby and medium garnet ruby rim . Quite cool and restrained , again lots of grafite and mineral , dark fruits . This is quite deep and dark spicy cassis , blackberry and sea spray , saline . Quite dense and robust on the palate again , lots of fine but ripe tannins. Very long , dense , cassis , cedar grafite saline finish . This is a complete and great example of 2005 , great balance and enormous length , the longest of all on show here. Drinkable now , but surely it’s best days are in the future , wait another 5 -10 years , will last well a further 20 - 25 if not more . The apex of 2005 ? For me this had to be the Latour , and an archetypal example of Latour no less . 1st place and the gold medal . — a month ago

Tom, Tom and 9 others liked this

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

The purity is great. Lovely clarified fruit. Glossy and perfectly balanced. Wonderful stuff. — 25 days ago

Walker StrangisDavid Schachter
with Walker and David
Bob, Juan and 7 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Whoa.

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996


Evolved & aromatic
Cedar wood, cigar box and a touch of cassis with some earthy, gravelly undertone.
Evolved and yet very pure. And very enticing.
Beautiful, simply beautiful on the palate. Firm yet polished and ultra fine tannins, juicy acidity, juice creamy black fruit on the mid palate. Elegant with nice depth and great length.
Beautiful juicy austerity. Classic benchmark left bank Bordeaux. And delish!!!
— a month ago

Tom liked this