From Sunday
R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2004
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2004 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart mixed fruit: Blackberries, black cherry, dill, olives, leather, toasted coconut, some vanilla, dried green herbs and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is in a very lovely place. Drink now through 2044.  — 4 months ago
Château Léoville Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1998
Last bottle. Time to drink is now, don’t think this will improve from here. Needed a bit of air to come together, but overall remained somewhat muted. — 5 months ago
Château Montrose
Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005
It is really no surprise that this 05 is incredible and yet still extremely youthful. This 05 will out live almost anyone 50 years old. It is good for another 45 years.
I had their 16 La Dame last weekend & commented it should not be opened for another 10 years.
The core on the nose is dark velvet black currants. There’s a bit of melted dark chocolate-mousse. Ripe but subtle blackberries, black raspberries, black plum-plum pudding, very dark cherries, some mulberries, mocha powder, dark, rich earth, dry river stone, limestone, anise, mix of dry/fresh herbs, fine, undertone of baking spices, moist grey clay, slightly dry tobacco, sandalwood, mild, elegant spice, just the slightest hint of mint, very, slightly candied, dark, withering flowers & red roses.
The palate is rich, round with velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark fruits blended in melted dark-mocha chocolate. Blackberries, black raspberries, both plums w/ heavy skin, dark cherries, poached to slightly baked strawberries & raspberries over the top. Dry bay leaf-sage, moist clay, rich, dark, turned earth, dry river stone, limestone powder, stem inclusion, red licorice/cola, anise to black licorice candy, sandalwood to soft cedar, slightly moist tobacco, used leather, mild, dark spice, a touch & just a touch of tomato leaf, hints of cardamom, dark/red withering flowers with just a touch of violets, perfect acidity and a very well knitted, tensioned, balanced, structured, elegantly polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on nice earthiness & softly muddled spice.
Paired w/ their bone-in Ribeye. Best steakhouse steak that I’ve had out and not made by friends and or myself. Rich fat, tender and nice flavor. Lacks a bit of char and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com.
Open in another 15-20 years.
A real shot at a 💯 in another 15-20+.
@Delmonico Steakhouse Las Vegas — 6 months ago
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
Even more fantastic than the previous bottle of 2010 I enjoyed a year ago. Decanted and enjoyed over 7 hours. This was good from first pour but became great and then magnificent over the next 3.5 and 7 hours. It was still full of verve on the last sip! Early only it was more dark fruit but over time the wines softened and became a bit sweeter and rounder. Tremendous length and complexity. — 7 months ago
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and half a % each of Malbec and Merlot, aged 15 months in 33% new French oak, 51% of fruit from Atlas Peak District, deep Ruby with aromas of vibrant dark fruit, sweet spice and herbs. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with tobacco spice, toasty oak, cinnamon and floral notes. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, spice, cedar, mocha and mineral character, Nice, should age well. — 9 months ago
Ca' del Grifone
From Old Vine Zinfandel Primitivo
I drank this after using an aerator. Immediately scent of braised beef and fresh rubber on the nose. Meaty flavor on the way down. Truly is best wine under $5 at TJ's — 9 years ago
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2009
From magnanimous. With ribs. — 9 years ago
B Side
From the Flip Side of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Night in with Biag — 10 years ago
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991
From magnum. From my daughter Adrienne's birth year and beautifully crafted by my buddy Rob Davis. Good luck to Adrienne as she starts a new page in her life in Atlanta! — 11 years ago
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave
Hermitage Syrah 2004
Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a brilliant, deep ruby color with a transparent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and faint signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a heady perfume of mostly ripe and some tart fruit: mixed brambles, black cherry, purple flowers (lavender?), animale, some pepper, a touch of olive, a touch of leather, some green herbs, fine warm spices and rocky earth. I believe this has seen oak and it’s beautifully balanced and smells expensive. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium+. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is grippy. This is delicious.
Initial conclusions: this could be Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Gamay, a Grenache-based blend or possibly Syrah; from Italy, or France. Immediately after I was presented the glass, I liked this being Sangiovese, however, there was too much new French oak for me to feel comfortable. Besides, the florals were too purple to be Sangiovese anyway (never mind Grenache or Pinot Noir). Then there were the non-fruits: it could be justified by whole cluster Pinot or Gamay…or was this a really impressive Syrah? This wine seemed familiar to me. This could be Chave. I did think this had some age based on color and rim variation. Final conclusion: I’m calling this Syrah, from France, from Northern Rhône, Hermitage, with 20+ years of age, from a decent vintage like 2004. And for the hell if it, I called producer: Jean-Louis Chave. Boom. Bottle No. 3981 — 4 months ago
Spottswoode
Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Boom! From the first sip - this wine was explosive and delicious.
Dark and black fruits come out and then lend to some red fruit and while it has good depth, this wine is very smooth.
Seems like it’s in the drinking window — 5 months ago
Château d'Yquem
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1975
From mag. Lovely supple fruit. Tangy marmalade and lemon honey with toasted notes. Mellow and intense with lovely acidity. In a great place — 6 months ago
Dunn Vineyards
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1988
From a Napa vintage that I recall as being so-so, this wine shows the Howell Mountain terroir without the normally harsh tannins that were characteristic of Dunn HM wines in the 1980s. But, honestly, this is really lovely, suave, red fruited, with a medium-long finish, and seems way younger than I expected from a 37-year-old Napa Cabernet!! — 6 months ago
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2002
The last of the 2002 in mags brought from the property. Delicious. I would have thought these would have been saved for their member parties. So, a nice surprise.
From The Cellar event at Pebble Beach Food & Wine. — 7 months ago
Corison
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Young, red and black fruits. Wonderfully balanced. Brought a smile to my face and a 'wow' to my mouth. Splendid from such a difficult vintage, and can't wait to taste it again with a few more years on it. — 10 years ago
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1964
Decanted prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1964 pours a garnet color with significant rim variation; medium viscosity with light staining and significant signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with mostly tertiary notes at this point: cherry fruit leather, actual leather, decomposing log. On the palate, the wine is dry with tannin fully integrated and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Alive…but this bottle is old and tired. Drink now. — 4 months ago
Marcel Lapierre
Morgon Gamay 2017
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2017 (S) pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with pretty notes of mostly red, tart fruit: strawberry, raspberry, Montmorency cherry, licorice, dried green herbs, menthol, and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and just a touch mousy but within the acceptable range. Refreshing and a lovely pairing with burgers on a warm Spring evening. Drink now through 2032. — 4 months ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982
This was actually the first wine we had at the Bordeaux first growth lunch last Saturday (which wasn’t a First Growth). No notes taken but it did show the quality of the 1982 vintage particularly from Paulliac, and was still going strong. — 6 months ago
La Rioja Alta
Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2017
WS: 93. Baked cherry, raspberry ganache and warm fig flavors are ripe and expressive, with a pleasing counterpoint and added detail from rich notes of loamy earth and leather, plus accents of bay leaf, vanilla and red licorice. There's a supple generosity on the palate, trimmed nicely by fine-grained tannins and a tang of orange peel acidity. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2032. 35,000 cases made, 9,000 cases imported.
Alison Napjus
Issue Date: Aug 31, 2024
Release Price: $45/750mL — 6 months ago
Domaine du Pegau
Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2022
Decanted about an hour in advance and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart bramble fruits: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, “Oops All Berries!!”, garrigue, red and purple flowers, black pepper, licorice, a balance of cool and warm spices, river rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from nose; particularly the power and quality of fruit. The finish is long. Early days for the 2022 Cuvée Réservée but holy smokes is it already pretty special. The ABV is a scorching 16% but you would never know it. The power and freshness of fruit with the titanic structure keep everything in balance. Drink now through 2042. — 7 months ago
Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 1989
Outstanding! There is the perfect moment for a bottle to be opened and tonight was it. It was the wine equivalent of a album that you can listen to from start to finish. — 9 years ago
Belle Glos
Meiomi Pinot Noir 2011
This Pinot is a blend from three California counties. Tons of fruit and a bit of pepper made this an instant delight. — 13 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
From 375ml.
A very good Rhone producer visited in 2015.
At pop & pour, the fruits almost had a mid berry bubble gum character. That toned down almost immediately. Fruits are ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, baked plums, raspberries, dark cherries, juicy strawberries, chocolate bar to fudge, grilled, smoked meats, black pepper, dark spice, nutmeg, clove, iron pan, black tea, a touch of rubber toy, slight tarriness, dry herbs, roasted chestnuts, tobacco leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, hints of mint, dark, red flowers, violet’s, nice acidity with a well balanced-structured, stiffly tensioned with a lush finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on earthiness & spice.
Plenty of life left in this 2012, even in 375ml. — 4 months ago