Fruit & Vine

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2020

Yet another outstanding vintage (2020) of this consistently excellent Co-Op produced Barbaresco. Aromas of red fruit, dried rose petals and anise. Flavors of bright red cherry and raspberry fruit, mint, Asian spices, minerals and orange zest. Long and earthy/smoky finish. Fantastic balance, structure and depth. Fine grained tannins and a silky texture yet still firm and powerful. So delicious now, but built to age for at least another decade. The quality consistency of this wine vintage to vintage is incredible. Outstanding value! Thanks so much for opening this one, Keith S! Happy 60th Birthday, Karyn! — 3 months ago

Tom and Dave liked this
Dave

Dave

Yes!

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2023

Very nice and layered CDP, nose is a nice combination of red fruit, flowers and graphite. On the palate, the fruit hits first and then somewhat quickly gives way to the graphite/mineraly flavors, which last and develop on your palate in an interesting and pleasant way that avoids making me think I just licked a rock. Tannins aren't too powerful but what's there is grippy, could easily lay down for a few years and really develop. Overall this strikes a nice balance between approachable and interesting, easy to like for anyone who's into Rhone reds! — 4 months ago

Tom, Joel and 8 others liked this
Dave

Dave

Legendary

Oak Ridge Winery

OZV Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2022

Wow, so big, so fruity, a bit sugary. It’s old school cool, like a true OG CA Zinfandel. — 5 months ago

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2007

Dry(ish) January now over, time to get back to business!
Leathery, earthy, yet smooth and well balanced black fruit concentration. Not a bad start to 2026….
— 6 months ago

Neville Weston
with Neville
Andrew, Bob and 9 others liked this

Klinker Brick

Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2021

This is delicious!
😋. Wine Enthusiast gave this a 94! Presents with boysenberry, black licorice, blackberries, tar, garrique,...a lot going on in this glass!
— 6 months ago

Paul, Dave and 8 others liked this
Sharon B

Sharon B Influencer Badge

@Dawn E. Hi Dawn! I hope you’re staying warm! If it’s been 21 degrees in the morning here in central Florida I can only imagine how cold you are.
Dawn E.

Dawn E.

x we have had -35 windchill!? Stay warm Sharon! Cheers!
Sharon B

Sharon B Influencer Badge

Omg you too Dawn!

Broc Cellars

Vine Starr Sonoma County Zinfandel 2024

End of my Broc holiday shipment. Light and very tart zin. Blackberry, plum, and craisins. A bit of earthy spiciness, and faint char on the nose. 12.5% abv. With Gouda and mini toasts. One last indulgence before going back to the daily grind. — 7 months ago

Dave, ESF and 5 others liked this

Seghesio Family Vineyards

Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel 2022

Bought at Seghesio 10/2025. Always a great go to wine. Full bodied, full fruit, balanced with tannins. — 9 months ago

Beaulieu Vineyard

Private Reserve Georges de Latour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Deep ruby color. Red fruit, black currant, and cedar on the nose. Dry and bold. Flavors of blackberrt, chocolate, oak, and coffee. Medium+ tannins and acid with a great finish. Number 2 in top 100 in Wine Spectator. — 9 months ago

Bob, Ron and 2 others liked this

Oak Ridge Winery

Ancient Vine Lodi Zinfandel

Rich, thick, smooth, just yummy!!! A smoky essence that was surprising. Had it with grilled chicken and tomatillo salsa. Divine. would be awesome with a steak or lamb. 8/10/18 — 8 years ago

Lynn Derbyshire

Lynn Derbyshire

Oh, and I forgot...blackberries!

Predator

Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2013

One of my favorites — 11 years ago

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Nice wine - Bordeaux of Napa. Not sure I get the hype or high(er) scores, not exactly a cheap wine though. Mellow tannins and red fruit forward. Quite pleasant — 4 months ago

Tyler liked this

Klinker Brick

Old Ghost Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2011

Beautiful zin with full, silky body. Black and red fruits, plum, and fingers with smooth tannins. Great wine. — 4 months ago

Gnarly Head

Old Vine Zin Lodi Zinfandel 2023

It’s a winner? Yea — 5 months ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2020

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Both days outstanding but slightly different experiences. Day 1 was about power. Day 2 was about balance. The 2020 “Cuvée Réservée” pours a brilliant garnet with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady, slightly funky notes of ripe brambles, garrigue, red & purple flowers, bacon fat, licorice, and dry rocky earth. On Day 2, everything was more open nit and the fruit showed more bruised with a slightly stewed profile. Lavender was the predominate floral profile too. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is textbook Pégau and I love it. Drink now through 2045+ — 5 months ago

Joel, Tom and 5 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later.
— 6 months ago

Peter, Scott@Mister and 16 others liked this
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Somm David T A wonderful story David and I can see how you could fall in love with that photo of the Chateau.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Bob McDonald Thank you. Cheers! 🍷

Bogle Family Vineyards

Essential Old Vine California Zinfandel Blend 2011

Very Good ..... Buy again at Total Wine — 8 months ago

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1967

Decanted and really opened up in little more than half an hour. 54 years and still has vitality. There’s still some fruit but it is mixed with subtle acidity and soft tannins. A delight to drink and share with friends. Our friend was given the wine and wanted to share it. We all were quite happy.👍🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Joe Becerra
with Joe

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1985

Velvet texture and finish and really integrated structure. Lots of American oak and tobacco cedar notes. Fruit has faded a bit but opened up with time. Cool experience — 11 years ago

Andreya liked this

Ravenswood Winery

Vintners Blend California Old Vine Zinfandel 2012

I love this Old Vine bottle: perfect for a summer evening! And I like a spicy Zin: what's the point w/o the spice? — 12 years ago

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

1 hour decant(lots of sediment). A gorgeous purplish garnet color. On the nose: Intoxicating musky notes of dark fruit, potting soil, worn leather, truffles, stewed meat, slight menthol. Taste: velvety, seamless, balanced, intense wine with dark fruit, cassis, earth, tobacco, mineral, herbs, and a chocolate graphite long never-ending finish. YUM! This wine has aged gracefully and has more gas in the tank. Enjoy. — 4 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Tom, Brenda and 12 others liked this

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2023

Very nice choice by the Sommelier at Pastis in Nashville to pair with both grilled Branzino and Boeuf Bourguignon. (I know.). Bright, a bit astringent, fruit forward, with some structure but not too much. — 4 months ago

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

1 hour decant(decent chunky sediment). A striking medium purplish garnet color with bricking. On the nose: Inviting notes of dried red fruit, currants, pencil shavings, floral, stewed meat, milk chocolate. Taste: fully mature, savory, silky wine with dried plum, ground coffee, earth, minerals, tobacco, and a sour cherry/green bell pepper/graphite long finish. YUM!! Drink em if you got em. — 4 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Sharon and 10 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2007

Mary H
9.3

The definition of aging gracefully; astoundingly lifted and perfectly clean flavor. The weight is extraordinarily light for rioja, solid but not rough, with delicate dried fruit, raisin, spice, leather. No harshness or bitterness, not overtly acidic but enough that just disappears into the background. Medium-long finish. Decanted rapidly for ~30 minutes allowed some of the cellar funk to blow off. — 6 months ago

Ira liked this

Diseño

Old Vine Mendoza Malbec 2023

Nice easy Malbec. Had with Sarah with pizza — 6 months ago

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Pretty deep ruby garnet , medium wide garnet rim . Aromatic and really classic with a mix or red and dark fruits , tobacco , grafite and cedar . On the palate this is quite linear , again with the red and dark fruits from the nose, cedar and grafite and quite rounded resolved tannins . Fresh acidity , good cedar with grafite length , very classic in style . Enough density and fruit to cover the rest of the structure. In a perfect place now at least in this format , and probably will be over the next 10 years . This was from an Imperial , at BBR in London . — 6 months ago

Bob, David and 11 others liked this

Paul Jaboulet Aîné

La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah

Rod
9.4

Opened up very well; earthy from age but still some complexity and fruit. — 7 months ago

Brent and Thomas liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2017

So silky, pepper and herbs balance the glou glou of the fruit and refined gentle but present tannins — 9 months ago

Jae liked this
Jae Cho

Jae Cho Influencer Badge

I haven’t opened this since 2021, but your note gives me a sense I should soon.

Bedrock Wine Co.

Ode to Lulu California Old Vine Rosé Blend

13.5% ABV Salute to Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier in France. Lulu’s father owned the vineyard , and she along with her husband took it over. Sadly we lost her in October 2020 at the age of 102 y/o. This is a blend of old vine Mataro and Grenache. Light salmon color, watermelon initially , later apple. Very nice! — 4 years ago

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine amazed me, I’ve had it before and it’s never shown this well, maybe just hitting it’s stride? Beautiful perfumed floral nose ( never thought I would say that about a Dunn), exquisite balance, the fruit is slightly sweet, the tannins are fully integrated and refined, with just the right amount of acid in the finish. I would never guess mountain fruit or let alone Dunn if tasted blind. Can’t wait to try it again in a couple of years. — 8 years ago

John, Eric and 33 others liked this
Billy L.

Billy L.

@Mike Davila -Great Vintage for Napa! Dunn normally takes bottle age to show it’s stuff with mellowed tannins. Kudos on waiting! Cheers 🍇🍷👍🏻👏🏻