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.
— 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

The 2012 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is comprised of of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot made by François-Xavier Borie, oenologist Christel Spinner and consulting oenologist Eric Boissenot. The vines at Grand-Puy-Lacoste are 38 years old and are set on gravel soils. The wine needs more than a two hour decant to unveil ripe creme de cassis, anise and graphite flavors with lighter earthy tones. Bright and focused, this is just an infant now. Drink 2022-2040- 93 — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.2

Great value Larose @ £60 that’s ok now but time will definitely help to soften the dry tannins into a 😈 - leave 5+ years 😉

🍇 66% Cab S, 28% Mer & 6% Pet V

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Lead pencil, gravel & minerals through charred cedar & light oak in shy dark spiced black berry/currant fruit w/ herbs, smoke, earth & fresh roses

👄 Med+ body of mineral infused ripe blackcurrant & berry in mocha w/ a soft liquorice touch in fine dry tannins

🎯 Med+ dry blackcurrant & mocha finale — 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

Jordi Pazo

9.2

Bar Charly.
14.12.16 — 9 years ago

M. Travis

8.9

Very tasty — 10 years ago

April Wang

9.5

Dark ruby to garnet. Sweet, candied cherries, hints of gravel, toasted tea leaves. — 10 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. — 10 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

10

Well balanced , jammy dark cherry, black pepper, soft rounded edges. — 11 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

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)
— 6 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

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. — 7 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

Camille Rogine

9.6

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

Maxwell Burns

Hospitality Kenwood Vineyards, Winemaker GARA

9.6

Fresh turned earth and gravel, deep dark red fruits. This wine needs a few more years. — 9 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. — 10 years ago

Rollie Wright

Sales Wine Spectrum

9.2

Great bang for the buck — 10 years ago

Hermine Benard

9.0

Brick, light robe. Haut Medoc, same area as Lafitte-Rothschild. Leather, tobacco, dry red fruit. Great with filet mignon, no sauce. Grown on deep gravel = perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon. Very good — 10 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.4

In perfect drinking condition, excellent. Forest floor, iron, the smell of a cracked cacao bar, savory spice and believe it or not a tad of blue cheese. Good palate intensity that is precise and controlled, medium to fine tannins caress the haunting dried fruit and savory long and fresh finish. #bluesheeseinmywinearoma #stestephe #lafonrochet — 12 years ago

Eric Stec

9.0

2017 on 9/25/19. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The 13 was a brutal tannin vintage when I tasted it at En Premier. The tannins are still bitty but, nothing like they were out of barrel.

The fruit in the 13 shows the difficulty in the vintage. They are duller and it’s really stands out from other vintages and not in a good way.

It’s lean and there is nothing that really draws you in. Fruits are; dark cherries, rhubarb, blackberries, some blueberries@and the strawberries show some ripeness the other do not. Lots of dry earth, dry stones, some herbs, dark withering florals, decent acidity and a uneventful dry finish.

Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 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 — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.2

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 England

9.4

This 22yr old Montrose @ £115 is drinking lovely right now - Forget nasal sex, this is a nostralic-orgy 😍

🍇 63% Cab S, 31% Mer, 5% Cab F & 1% Pet V

🍷 Dark garnet Ruby

👃 Delicate minerals, gravel, earth & wet leaves through stewed spiced blackcurrant, prune, date & plum w/ farmyard, liquorice, herbs, smoke, leather, mocha & black tea - yummy 😉

👄 Med body of incredibly smooth silky blackcurrant, plum & red berry in dark mocha & black tea

🎯 Med earthy dark aged mashed fruit soaking
— 9 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Classic Graves with plum & red fruits, cedar, graphite, gravel & mineral notes. Good complexity with floral, pepper and herbal spices. This is one of my favorite vintages of SHL for current drinking. — 9 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. — 10 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. — 10 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

Miguel Tortosa Iglesias

10

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