Fully Loaded

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2005

It is a great rayas almost at par with 2007 and 2010. Fully mature with this typical feminine Grenache taste. Wow happy to drink it once more. — 4 years ago

Peter, Andrew and 3 others liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

Outrageously delicious. Fruit still holding up and loaded with green leaf tobacco and cigar ash. — 5 years ago

David Barker
with David
Daniel P. and Guy liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Classic vintage for GL that is fully mature showing red fruits, cassis, cedar, leather, sweet spices & pipe tobacco. — 6 years ago

Shay, Severn and 9 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

The 2004 at 15-years of age is still youthful! Well balanced as always, just a wonderful blend, love the fruit with tea notes, oak is fully integrated in the wine pure silk! Held up well against Harlan, Scarecrow, Morlet, Hall, & Rudd Cabs. Just a. Lass act! — 6 years ago

bill wunderDebbie Wunder
with bill and Debbie
David liked this

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1955

Tasted blind. Tawny color, translucent with amber rims. Notes of black cherry, cedar, some spice and a little barnyard floor. Sweet fruit in the mouth, with tannins fully resolved. Guessed 1955 Calon Segur. Perfect looking bottle, the cork revealed this bottle was reconditioned by the Chateau in 2000. — 7 years ago

Shay, Eric and 16 others liked this

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

Richebourg Pinot Noir 1991

Very proud and round red and blue fruit. Lovely loaded acidity- fleshy yet balanced. A touch of sour on the finish. Excellent — 7 years ago

Tony GarciaMatt Lichtenberg
with Tony and Matt
Martin, Shay and 6 others liked this

Beringer Vineyards

Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Ultra marathon runner. Been decanting for 2 hours and still hasn’t fully opened. Cassis, Red currant, bramble, tar, ink, charred cranberries and raspberries. Has the tannins of a -13. Awesome! — 8 years ago

Shay, Kirk and 24 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Up and down their portfolio - just great.
Eric

Eric Premium Badge

True dat @Ron R

Château Margaux

Pavillon Rouge Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

A beautiful vintage for Pavillon that is fully mature showing the elegant & feminine side of Margaux with berry fruits, floral notes, spice, leather & tobacco. — 5 years ago

Deborah, Eric and 15 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1987

Home alone for 24 hrs! The perfect time to open something older. Fully mature Bordeaux... I mean Napa! Dried fruit and tobacco, there is still a frame of tannins but they are well integrated and slightly chalky in texture. Enjoyable but more mature than I prefer. — 5 years ago

Paul, Eric and 2 others liked this

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Graves Red Bordeaux Blend 1979

Classic La Mission that is fully mature showing red & black fruits with notes of smoky tar, leather, cedar, forest floor & cigar box. — 6 years ago

Iwan, Eric and 13 others liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

Incredible potential loaded in this top St Julien from a top year @ £145 paid now £200-235 this is a monster 😈 superb now but wow in 10-20 years juice of the gods 😍 Had eased back since a year ago as it was more full on then 😉 This wine will outlive me 😁

📍 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010

🏵 97-98 points w/ 100 potential in time 👍

🍇 90% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Merlot

🍷 Opaque blackened deep ruby

👃 Heady intense hit of blackcurrant, mint leaf, dark plum & violet w/ soft oak, minerals, mocha, liquorice & fresh cedar

👄 Med+ body of mocha infused creamy smooth plump blackcurrant w/ cocoa, damson compote & blackberry jam

🎯 Long mocha & liquorice blackcurrant smack in the choppers 💥 w/ a mineral & blackberry kick
— 7 years ago

Chris, Daniel and 31 others liked this
Greg Ballington

Greg Ballington Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Sounds like a beautiful wine @Chris England. Love your notes.
Bret Barker

Bret Barker

Whoa nelly! What a bottle.

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1978

Great drinking vintage that is fully mature showing the classic Margaux style with red & black fruits, plum, earth, tobacco, dried herbs & flowers. — 7 years ago

Craig, MICHAEL and 20 others liked this
Ron Siegel

Ron Siegel Premium Badge

Hey Michael, hope all is well! I have plenty of great 78’s for you on your next visit. Cheers!

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

Fab @ £63 & doesn’t disappoint but 05 nicer for a little more 💵

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Smokey torched oak, leather, gravel, minerals & pencil lead through spiced dark berries & plum

👄 Med body of dark ripe plum & blackcurrant w/ a touch of bitter mocha, liquorice & blackberry

🎯 Med+ plummy blackcurrant mineral loaded linger
— 8 years ago

Chris, James and 29 others liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2014

I just love piedmont and this barbaresco was great. Let it breath for 2 hours to fully appreciate it. — 8 years ago

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1953

From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 5 years ago

Tom, Alex and 28 others liked this
Iwan

Iwan

Amazing
David L

David L Influencer Badge Premium Badge

One hell of a pull

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

A marvelous wine in an absolutely beautiful place. The first sip gave me goose bumps. Just such a classic Bordeaux in the best sense. No decant, slight chill, this is ready to go and fully integrated. Blackcurrant on the nose and palate. Incredible freshness and acid. Completely mouth filling and balanced. Certainly one of the best Bordeaux’s I’ve had in a long time. Amazing with grilled dry aged ribeyes. — 5 years ago

Severn, Jason and 12 others liked this
Jason Gelman

Jason Gelman

😱😱😱

Kongsgaard

Napa Valley Chardonnay 2011

It is highly challenging not to be drawn to the intense golden hue of this brilliant cold vintage Chardonnay. Needing an hour in the decanter to fully evolve, this stunning wine opens with an intense bouquet of roasted pineapple, apricot and Pazazz apple with wild mushroom undertones that all shine brightly in the glass. The soft and downright silky mouthfeel impresses as this gracefully glides across the mid-palate. Bright honeydew melon, pineapple upside down cake, vanilla cream and damp earth tones round out the palate. The combination of weight and tension in the glass is really thrilling. While gorgeous at the eight year mark, this beautiful wine still has a decade or more ahead of it. Drink 2019-2031- 95 — 6 years ago

Severn, Daniel P. and 19 others liked this

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2001

Fab GPL reaching peak drinking window @ £75-£90 always a lovely wine 👍

📍 Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2001

🏵 92-93 points

🍇 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot & 2% Cabernet Franc

🍷 Deep alight garnet ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Heady smokey oak through black currant & berry loaded with minerals, pencil lead & flint stone w/ dark plum, red berry, leather & damp cellar

👄 Med body of smooth touch dry mineral infused black berry fruits w/ a touch of red berry & cocoa

🎯 Long slight dry black fruit mineral bomb w/ a mocha liquorice kick
— 7 years ago

Chris, P and 22 others liked this

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1983

Another great btl of this vintage showing sweet red & black fruits, cassis, cedar, leather, with graphite & tobacco. This is rich bodied, fully mature & should drink well for many years. — 8 years ago

Tom, Shay and 5 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1987

1️⃣9️⃣8️⃣7️⃣

🗞 🌎 Stock 📉, Kings Cross 🔥, Simpsons, -1 second
🎵 Faith, Livin' On A Prayer, With or Without You, I Just Can't Stop ❤️ You
🎥 Three Men & a Baby, Fatal Attraction, Good Morning Vietnam, Lethal Weapon
🗣 Nobody puts Baby in a corner
🌍 4.98B

Stunning Cos @ £180 - RP83 🤣

🍷 Deep ruby

👃 Gravel, flint, minerals & soggy earth through black berry fruits w/ herbs, soot, smokey oak & mint

👄 Med body of smooth b/berry loaded w/ mocha, liquorice & minerals

🎯 Long linger of ⬆️ w/ black tea
— 8 years ago

Chris, Somm and 31 others liked this
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Ha! We so think alike tonight. The '86 was in a good spot, just needed a few hours to open.
Chris England

Chris England

@Severn Goodwin we are spoilt 😁 great minds 👍🍷😎👏