I Crinali

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2024

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — 10 months ago

Nellie Bauman
with Nellie

Raventos i Blanc

de Nit Rosé Cava Blend

Tart pomegranate, crisp acidity with some minerality. Underappreciated. Incredible for the price. Great way to start off dinner at Vicia. — 4 years ago

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2011

A bit disjointed and not the balanced velvet powerhouse I remember when I had the 2003 vintage. — 7 years ago

Sharon, Michael and 7 others liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2007

Lebanon? Bekka Valley? I wouldn’t have dared try this - but I did - and you should too. Exceeded my expectations. — 8 years ago

Sammy Davidoff
with Sammy
David, Ron and 2 others liked this

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1962

I would drink this again — 10 years ago

Matthew liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

This is the 1985 Napa Cab and was tasted out of 5 liter. This wine was excellent! Herbal notes with a touch of saddle. I was so surprised by how much red fruit was on the pallet with a wine this old! Amazing! — 11 years ago

MH liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1988

Amazing smooth and full wine. Wish I had more — 12 years ago

Jason liked this

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 2009

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour or so. No formal notes due to the setting. The 2009 seems to break from the reputation of the vintage with a freshness and verve that surprises. The typical quality of Cristal is there with its persistent mousse and attractive texture. Good acid too. Pretty tasty stuff and I’m not sure I would ever turn down a glass of this. Drink now through 2039. — a year ago

Lyle, Jeroen and 17 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1988

From a Napa vintage that I recall as being so-so, this wine shows the Howell Mountain terroir without the normally harsh tannins that were characteristic of Dunn HM wines in the 1980s. But, honestly, this is really lovely, suave, red fruited, with a medium-long finish, and seems way younger than I expected from a 37-year-old Napa Cabernet!! — a year ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Tom, ESF and 9 others liked this

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Rosé Champagne Chardonnay Blend

This is wonderful - a nose of fresh ripe sweet red strawberry, morphs into some raspberry. Acid builds perfectly into a balance of fruit and acid with the prevailing strawberry note at the center. Finishes also fruity with just a tinge of green fruit but just a hint, and a I mean a hint, of chalk. This balances the finish beautifully. Really world class rose. — 7 years ago

Shay, Ira and 1 other liked this
Taavi Davies

Taavi Davies

Always loved Billy, always will
James Webb

James Webb

@Taavi Davies Shall we go taste there?
Taavi Davies

Taavi Davies

Yeah let’s do it!

Caymus Vineyards

40th Anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

fruity, smooth...@Mason McDavid and I even thought it was better than the 2010 Caymus Cab — 10 years ago

Mason McDavidDouglas Profenius
with Mason and Douglas
Nick and Reed liked this

Apothic

Winemaker's Blend California Zinfandel Blend 2013

This wine is inexpensive, kind of sweet, and good for unwinding. I was happily surprised! — 12 years ago

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

The mocha is strong with this one. So is the mint. Let's call it a York Peppermint Patty.
Listening to Tripping Daisy. Was never a fan, but they killed it last night and I got to chat up the singer. Their music would be better with Gamay.
— a year ago

Tom, Daniel and 26 others liked this
Norman

Norman Premium Badge

Very cool

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2023

Trivia at Aldo Sohm wine bar. Our team lost by one point. This wine won by many points. I blind tasted my staff and they converged around Rhone. Great stuff! — a year ago

Tom, John and 5 others liked this

Krug

Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Krug is always most welcome, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. This is edition 169. A bit more yeasty and slightly less acidic than previous versions, to my taste. But if you like the Krug style - which we do very much - it hits the spot per usual.

My wife used to work with Fritz Hatton, proprietor of Arietta wines and auctioneer for Zachys. Fritz always says to have a half bottle of champagne waiting in the fridge in case you need a “midnight snack”, and I have to agree with him!
— 5 years ago

Severn, Michael and 13 others liked this
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Reminds me, I need a Krug split in the fridge!

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

This wine needed about 3 hours to release. Initially tight with uncomfortable medicinal nose which then totally dissipated. Drinking now next day and you get the age of fully integrated but not fading tannins. Nose has a delightful dark fruit and smokiness. Great fit of nose and taste, meaning - when tastes after smelling the experience is consistent and not jolting. I think the color purple in a subdued way. Very nice. Memo to self: decant and watch for sediment, and enjoy three hours later. — 9 years ago

Cynthia LangstaffChris Langstaff
with Cynthia and Chris
Chris liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2004

Awesome! Everything I love about VT and CDP. Earth and fruit in perfect balance. — 11 years ago

Anthony, Sasha and 1 other liked this

Belle Glos

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2011

Dark Pinot, med to heavy body, slightly smokey, smooth, I like it. $18 — 13 years ago