Higher Ground

Solid Ground

California Pinot Noir 2017

Bright Red Cherry front to clove and finishes with light smokers oak. Soft tannins & youthful acidity that worked well with fatty meat. We enjoyed it with Chuck Burger topped with Provolone, Avocado, Tomato, Mayo on Egg Bun and side of Root Veggie fries🍷 — 6 years ago

William Hill Estate Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Here is my #fridaycabernetfix ! Not sure of the "somewhat low ratings" on this! This wine is really good! Super Smooth...dark fruits..molasses..sage..leather...vanilla..nice long finish! I picked this up for $40..pretty comparable ..previous purchases at a much higher price point.

Update..post 4 days vacuum pumped and in Refrigerator..this wine has lost some ground ..once being opened. Not bad..but heavy on the oak..and loss of acidity present post 1 hr. Decant. Not bad....just different....
— 6 years ago

Dennis, Neil and 14 others liked this
Trixie

Trixie

Happy weekend! Like your photo props.
Dawn E.

Dawn E.

@Trixie Thank you! Hope your weekend is fun as well! ☺

Château La Croix St. Georges

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

A review of 9️⃣’s for fun 😁

The 2009 was made 9 years ago @ £39 & 19 years after the 1990 @ €90 😁 so I thought it would be fun to compare how my favourite Pomerol has evolved 😁

💵 Oh & Petrus next door to this Chateau is 90 times more expensive 🤣

🥊 So 90 vs 09

🏵 90 - 97-98 points
🏵 09 - 94-95 points

🍷 90 - Garnet opaque ruby w/ bricking
🍷 09 - Opaque ruby

⏩ scroll for colour pics on Instagram ⏩

👃 90 - Bordeaux nasal sex of soggy earth, sooty underground 🚇, char-smoked oak, old leather, damp musty cellar, mushroom, mirabelle plums, damson compote, obliterated blackcurrant, herbs, toasted fig, bitter mocha & liquorice
👃 09 - Dark jammy plum & blackcurrant through smokey oak, choc mocha, flint, pencil lead, soggy earthy leaves & wet rock minerals

👄 90 - Med body of creamy earthy smooth silk dark plum & berry bathed in ground mocha & liquorice
👄 09 - Med+ creamy smooth ripe dark plum & blackcurrant body w/ a mocha infusion & mineral tone

🎯 90 - Long mocha liquorice dark fruits mouth filling linger w/ a big happy smile 😃
🎯 09 - Long smooth ripe dark fruit, minerals & rich mocha linger - oh & still big happy smile 😀

⏰ 09 I can’t wait to revisit you in 19 years 😘

👏 @josephjanoueix @jeanphilippejanoueix 😍
— 7 years ago

Chris, Peter and 26 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Nice idea, but I think 2009 will become awesome too 🤨😉

Le Macchiole

Messorio Toscana Merlot 2004

Dry, tannic, higher sugar, coffee. Tasted blind and completely missed the mark on this one. Thought is was a high end Cali Cab — 8 years ago

Jake StroudColby SirattWeston Eidson
with Jake, Colby and 1 other
Shay, Jody and 11 others liked this

Ground Effect

Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Ripe fruit gives way to baking spices baking spices baking spices. Jammy but not overly so. This is a unique little number, very interesting and agreeable — 8 years ago

Joshua liked this

Château Giscours

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Blackberry, grilled meat, freshly ground coffee aroma. Black fruit and dark chocolate with a hint of Orange peel carry through onto the silky mouth feel. Drink this while your 2010s sleep. — 9 years ago

Shay, Mike and 5 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Good stuff.

Baron-Fuenté

Grande Réserve Brut Champagne Blend

Somm David T
9.1

Pretty sure I haven’t had a better bottle of Champange at $24.99 and even some higher.

The nose reveals; bruised green apple & Bosc pear, lemon meringue, overripe & slightly sour pineapple, lime zest, nougat, vanillin, soft honeycomb, oysters, sea spray, baguette crust, grey volcanic, pleasant chalkiness, whiffs of herbaceousiness, spring flowers, mixed greens and yellow lilies.

The entry is clean, fresh, rich and lively. Bruised green apple & Bosc pear, lemon meringue, golden apple, overripe & slightly sour pineapple, lime zest, nougat, vanillin, caramel, soft honeycomb, sea fossils & spray, baguette crust, nice white spice with some palate heat, grey volcanic, pleasant chalkiness, whiffs of herbaceousiness, spring flowers, mixed greens and yellow lilies. Crisp lively acidity. The finish is refreshingly delicious, well balanced, good, seamless, delineation, nice polish and persists with spice for several minutes on the long set.

Photos of; The House of Baron Fuentes, grapes at harvest, Proprietor Eric De Brisis and one of their Grand Cru vineyards.
— 6 years ago

Brian, Ryan and 30 others liked this
Paul T HB

Paul T HB

Agreed, bought some when K&L had it on sale for $17.99 definitely double delivers

Remhoogte

Honeybunch Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016

Unctuous nose with ripe, bruised fruits. Peachy and macerated. Floral qualities and an alluring dash of freshly ground white pepper. Good rich texture with a calcareous finish and a little suggestion of light nectar or thistle honey. — 7 years ago

Greg liked this

Cakebread Cellars

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Cakebread wines are all amazing. You can drink the cab by itself and by yourself. So Smoothe on the pallet. Pair it with food cast iron grilled salmon or fillet mignon is asking for trouble. Do not open this bottle if you have any task left to complete. After 2 glasses you will not return to any work left undone. I would rate it higher if the price were lower. — 7 years ago

Hall Wines

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Great wine at a great price. Not a big fan of their higher end labels but this consistently over delivers for the scratch. — 8 years ago

Shay, Jason and 18 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Agreed 👍🏼

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 1997

Charlie Abbott
9.1

Maturing nicely. Would rate higher but couldn't shake bitter espresso character...these wines are certainly marked more by oak than other traditional houses imho — 8 years ago

Château Cantebau

Labastide Dauzac Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Wow. Beautiful. Totally disagree with the ratings here....much better, much higher quality wine. Earthy. Dark, luscious. The nose is strong and over powering at times, but the taste and finish are elegant, smooth and sexy. Just awesome! — 8 years ago

Brad SkeelMike RettkeRick Z
with Brad, Mike and 3 others
Brad and Kirk liked this
Brad Skeel

Brad Skeel

Sweet!! Bordeaux is my all time fav...
Rick Z

Rick Z

Ya know your talking my game Mikey! Nice find....ENJOY!!
6.0

Peter Michael Winery

'La Carrière' Knights Valley Chardonnay 2013

A very nice bottle of wine. I would say this one is drinking the way it was intended to drink. Ready to go. Full throttle for a Chardonnay. Nose of dried herbs, kettle corn, youthful fruit, minerals. Entry a lot of peach, guava, popcorn kernel. Lots of stone ground fruit, dried herbs, dense. Powerful. I don't think this one could drink any better than it is now. Opened to thank a friend for serving an excellent lineup of Peter Michael and Colgin four days before! This one is at the top of the hill right now. — 6 years ago

Dan Fitzgerald
with Dan
Shay, Serge and 20 others liked this

Girard Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Color of beautiful of ruby, clear with grapefruit note on the rim. Nose is plenty with dried strawberries, aldehyde, oak, leather, spice, feels like high quality armarone or CduRh. Taste follows the nose with right amount of tannins, acidity, peppery, yet a bit too much bittersweet. Aftertaste of some more oak, juicy grapes, lingering flavors. Just slightly off balanced to miss even higher ranking. — 7 years ago

Hermes, David and 5 others liked this

Montevertine

Le Pergole Torte Sangiovese 1985

ground rule double — 7 years ago

Steve and Keith liked this

T-Vine Cellars

Hallowed Ground California Red Blend

Chocolate and cherry on the nose, lots of depth both in the glass and in this poetry reading @amysaulderby #wizardtower — 8 years ago

Stuart, Ron and 14 others liked this

Matthiasson

Red Hen Vineyard Merlot 2013

Had higher expectations for this... will need to try another bottle. — 8 years ago

Peter Michael Winery

Estate Vineyards Les Pavots Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2002

Very extracted - lush and fruit driven - a heart 15.1 % alcohol offered on the label but my sense is that it is higher — 8 years ago

Bell Wine Cellars

Canterbury Vineyard Syrah 2014

Nice smooth body 😉.
Jokes aside was shocked how good this Syrah is. Full bodied, chocolate covered in cherries (yes that way around) with a hint of cherries covered in chocolate mixed in with some plums (tastes like ripen in plum barrels?). Good intensity!

Goes well with spicy food , it stands it's ground in regards to density and volume. And taste. love it!

— 9 years ago

Bergström Wines

Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013

Celebrating a friend's new house! Fresh and bright is how I would sum up this wine. Fresh cloves, marjoram, thyme, and cinnamon mingle with fresh, early season raspberries and field mushrooms. Fresh, black currants and red-blackberries glide onto the palate, unfolding into ripe pomegranates and grapefruit pith and finishing in pot roast, fresh ground white pepper, and caraway seed. Sexy tannins on the end with a medium finish. Could cellar longer, but excellent with food now. — 9 years ago

Deborah liked this