Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve everyone! 🎄🎅🤶⛄️❄️🎁🍷

On the nose, leap dark currants & cassis with bright red, dark, blue & purple florals at pop & pour. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals.

The body is; round, ripe, & rich. The tension, structure, length and balance are just beginning their sweet spot. The tannins are; rounding, tarry & still chewy. Plenty of life left in the 09...8-10 years. Dark currants & cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, cherries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry stems, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals. The acidity is round & spot on. The ripe, rich, ruby, elegant, balanced & polished finish is splendid and persists nicely on the palate with mid, dark spice on the long set. So much better with this much age. Really delicious tonight!

A steal now at under $35 upon release at Costco.

This wine is close to its peak and will hover there 3-4 years.

Photos of; the Estate, old large oak vats and David Heitz.
— 7 years ago

Doug Fuchs

9.3

Great wine. Red and black fruits, leather, gravel, good tannins, medium body — 7 years ago

Jason Gelman

9.5

2nd time trying this bottle; this time to celebrate the birth of my baby boy. So delicious and soulful, lots of rustic charm. Definitely needs several hours to open up so waited til day 2 to drink most of the bottle and once again it opens up beautifully. Rich plum, tobacco, earth, gravel. Love it. — 8 years ago

Chris England

9.3

Another fab Talbot @ £89-£112 that’s already gorgeous but will still improve 👍

🍇 70% Cab S, 25% Mer, 4% Pet V & 1% Cab F

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Oozing with enticing spiced black & red fruits bathed in smokey oak, leather, liquorice, pencil lead, minerals & gravel w/ herbs & wet earth

👄 Med body of silky smooth mouth coating creamy dark berry/current fruits w/ red fruit tones, mocha, liquorice & earthy minerals

🎯 Long gorgeous decadent dark fruit explosion w/ light mocha grounds & raspberry liquorice — 8 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.2

The butteriest (is that a word?) sauv blanc I've experienced- first sniff had me thinking it was a chard! Nice enough to grill out. — 9 years ago

with Amy and Dave

Paul Gordon

9.3

Very good GSM blend — 10 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark ruby. Translucent and regal. Floats in the glass. Leather saddle, cedar cigar box, spice, dirt, and gravel notes in the nose. Rich and powerful in the mouth with notes of black fruit, stone, a warmth of cassis. Long finish. Coats the mouth and lingers. Still youthful. In the early part of a very long drinking window. — 11 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.2

5-Oh Bday Dinner... From a half bottle. Deep red and purple color. Mostly opaque and thick in the glass. There is still some good fruit in the nose with gravel and soil notes. Very round in the mouth. The wine hung in there over the hour it was consumed. Nice experience with an 80+ year old wine. — 11 years ago

Knightsbridge Wine Shoppe

9.4

Red cherry, cedar, bit of mint, gravel. Nice texture and finish. Showing quite well and in its prime. — 11 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The 1985 Lafite-Rothschild is only a modest success in the context of the vintage. Here, it is totally outclassed by the 1985 Las Cases. Light, slightly loose-knit red berry fruit on the nose is complemented by warm gravel and smoky aromas, though it lacks a bit of energy. The palate is nicely balanced, not powerful but focused, with adequate freshness. As mentioned in my previous tasting note, this has dispensed with some density in recent years, and if your expectations are modest, it remains enjoyable. Tasted at Hameau de Barbaron in Burgundy. (Neal Martin Vinous, December 2019)
— 7 years ago

Mike

10

It’s been one of those weeks. A perfect “10” for this 10yr old drop of goodness. Smooth. Smokey. Gravel. Leather. 💣🍷 — 7 years ago

Craig Otten

9.3

Happy Birthday Doug W. — 7 years ago

with Felisse

Stanislav Lobanov

9.0

16.5/20 (90/100) Аромат спелых ягод черешни и ежевики, слив, молочного шоколада и конфет. Тельное с умеренной кислотностью и интенсивными, вяжущими, но бархатистыми по текстуре танинами. Типичный Стелленбош. #capewine2018 — 8 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.2

Nice drinking 04 showing the Graves character with red cherry, cassis, leather, gravel & tobacco. — 8 years ago

Chris Paul

Wine Educator Copain Wines

9.1

Balanced and showing both medicinal and herbal notes in its development. Exhibits classic signs of VA, but at a level that’s pleasant and intriguing. Drink up! — 8 years ago

Chris England

9.3

1️⃣9️⃣7️⃣1️⃣

🗞 Intel 1st microprocessor, Disney World, 18 🗳
🎵 Maggie May, Brown Sugar. Ain’t no Sunshine
🎥 Clockwork Orange, Willy Wonka
🗣 I know what you're thinking Did he fire 6 shots or only 5
🌍 3.72B

Fab @ £95 for a 47yr old 😁

🍷 Ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Gravel, gun smoke, soot, pencil lead, minerals & faint dark fruit w/ mocha

👄 Med body of mineral laden faded dark fruit w/ black currant coming to life in the mouth & a mocha & liquorice touché

🎯 Med mineral & dark fruit w/ liquorice mocha

Bonus 🗣 Weebles wobble but they don't fall down 🤣 — 8 years ago

M. Travis

8.9

Very tasty — 10 years ago

GaYoung Kim

Graileys Fine Wines. Sommelier. Broker

9.3

Powerful yet seamless!! Dried dark fruit still present amongst a plethora of earth, gravel, dark spice notes. — 11 years ago

Joseph Colao

9.1

A very good bottle of wine and even better for the price. Price v quality makes it one of the best values in my opinion. — 11 years ago

Matté

Manager The Wine Cellars

9.3

Cedar and gravel dominate on the nose, rose petal and some sweet smokiness, light bacon fat & underbrush, herbal certainly entering it's developed stage as the fruit takes a back seat (light cranberry & redcurrant). In the mouth this has amazing freshness, great acidity and umami notes on the red berry finish, wonderfully drinkable! — 11 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.2

2003 hot vintage, still kicking, leather, gravel, allspice, and stewed red fruits. — 7 years ago

Eric Stec

9.0

2017 on 9/25/19. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

In the ski chalet or in this case, the bar- Salmontini that overlooks Ski Dubai inside The Mall of the Emirates. Sofía is skiing and I’m having a glass Laurent-Perrier. Two bad discs don’t make for enjoyable skiing. Perhaps, the worst thing I could do for them. I’m getting the better end of the deal! 😋

We already spent a half-hour playing with King Penguins! 🐧 What fun!

As for the champagne, the nose reveals, green apple, lemon lime, pineapple, some hints of green melon and honey, vanilla, cream soda, beautiful soft chalkiness, sea shells, gentle volcanic minerals, spring flowers, Jasmine and yellow lilies.

The body is nice and glides easily over the palate. Nice mousse and mouthfeel. Green apple, lemon lime, pineapple, some hints of green melon and honey, vanilla, cream soda, notes of ginger, baguette crust, beautiful soft chalkiness, sea shells, more pronounced volcanic minerals than the nose and penetrate into the palate, spring flowers, Jasmine and yellow lilies. Really nice soft acidity and micro bubbles. The finish is rich, elegant, nicely polished and persists minutes.

Happy Good Friday and Easter weekend!
🐣 🐰 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I only have have a 1/2 dozen bottles of vintages that predate the 2012 vintage when Caymus still made wines in a style I appreciated. More; tannic, spice, earth and complexity.

Now, they are amongst the last to pick fruit, which translates into higher brix levels and much sweeter wines. They pick just as the grapes start to show the slightest raisin shrivel.

I thought I might be early on the 2007. Instead, it’s right around its peak form.

The nose reveals dark black currants. Ripe; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, stewed plum, dark cherries, stewed strawberries and creamy raspberries. Dark spice, black tea, mixed dark berry cola, limestone minerals, rich dark soil, some dry crushed rocks, vanilla, cinnamon, sweet tarry notes, just a touch of eucalyptus with blue, purple and dark red fresh & withering flowers.

The body is full. Tannins round, grainy, tarry, sticky and meaty...60% resolved. Still lots of life in this 07....another 7-10 years of good drinking left. The wine is delicious. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a great spot. Ripe; dark black currants, blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, boysenberries, stewed plum, dark cherries, stewed strawberries and creamy raspberries. Dark spice with some palate heat, soft, understated and well integrated baking spices; light vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Black tea, mixed dark berry cola, black licorice, limestone minerals, rich dark soil, some dry crushed rocks, vanilla, cinnamon, sweet tarry notes, just a touch of eucalyptus with blue, purple and dark red fresh & withering flowers. The acidity is round and perfect. The flavors glorious. The long finish is extremely well balanced, seamless, it glides over the palate effortlessly and last minutes.

Photos of; Caymus Estate vines, the front entrance to the winery, the grounds around their tasting room and their tasting bar.

@The Restaurant at CIA Copia — 8 years ago

Camille Rogine

9.6

Incredible. Everything I've ever wanted! Full, dark fruits, jammy, wonderful!
— 10 years ago

Jordi Pazo

9.2

Bar Charly.
14.12.16 — 10 years ago

Dave Wood

9.1

Really big full Pinot in a detonate Cali style. Lacks some acidity and clocks in at 14.5% so not a great food friendly wine but makes a great cocktail. Cheers. — 11 years ago

Rollie Wright

Sales Wine Spectrum

9.2

Great bang for the buck — 11 years ago

Robert Scholl

8.9

1966- Still with some youthfulness; dark red fruit spectrum with tobacco/leather and gravel. Nice balance and good bottle. — 11 years ago

Miguel Tortosa Iglesias

10

Sabores a frutas silvestres, olores a madera de roble y regaliz. Final largo y muy suave. — 12 years ago