Ipa Blend

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2006

2 hour decant. Shredded cork. Filtered the wine.

Wow. This was just gorgeous and smooth. Tannins very well integrated and the fruit was excellent.

One of my favorite vintages with some age
— 14 days ago

Somm, Dave and 9 others liked this
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Yeah, the 2006 is top of the pops currently. Miss it.

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Medium deep ruby , quite thin garnet ruby rim . Cassis , blueberry , blackberry , iris , pain grillé. On the palate this is quite dense and rounded , with more dark fruits , cassis , blackberry and a savoury , saline seaweed tinge on the finish . Fine but noticable , sweet tannins , and fresh acidity , quite rounded and richly fruited but very balanced . Good length with grafite , mineral and creme de cassis . Polished and quite decadent but all elements very balanced . Just drinkable now with time in decanter , really fruit driven still, but will improve well over the next 10 or more years and last well a further 10-15 . This shows some of the ripeness and exuberance of 2009 paired with the flamboyance of Mouton , makes for quite a pairing a very promising future ahead. — 22 days ago

Tom, Ira and 13 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

This seemed to be in a perfect spot showing red & black fruit, graphite, cedar, sweet savory spice, leather & tobacco — 16 days ago

Dave, Jean-Philip and 11 others liked this
Dave

Dave

Awesome

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 1999

Medium deep garnet core , medium wide garnet rim . This shows very well still with some sous bois , dried herbal hints and cherry . On the palate this shows good freshness , red cherry again, freshly cut herbs , touch of tobacco and black tea . Balanced acidity and lightly dusty but resolved tannins . Good length and presence on the palate , with enough fruit still , good balance and a black tea stained finish. This is at peak , and will probably stay here for a few more years , so no immediate rush, but is unlikely to improve further . — a month ago

Tom, Rob and 12 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

I just really love everything this producer makes. So smooth and delicious — 8 days ago

Mariana Puga
with Mariana
Raul, Dave and 14 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2018

Wine Spectator #1 wine dinner. By far the crowd favorite. — 7 days ago

Rob, Sagee and 10 others liked this

Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia

Unico Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend 2010

Layered exotic and supple. This is definitely in the zone. There is a lot going on. Rich dark fruit. Ripe currants, smoke and earthy. Decanted. Give it 20-30 minutes to open. — 23 days ago

Austin, Tom and 20 others liked this
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards

Great wine and vintage. In its infancy

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

1990 vintage. Last tasted 12.11.22 (9.6) and 8.20.16 (9.2-slightly off bottle). Tasted side by side with the 1989 (9.4) version of this wine. Ridiculous 1-2 heavyweight punch. Opened but not decanted. Tasted at the conclusion of lunch after an hour open. Not much in the nose but bringing it in the flavors. Still heavy bits of ripe plum and cherry with a substantial mid-palate. Larger format of this wine likely clocks in as a 9.6/9.7 but this was a 750ml. In the 750ml format, not improving and it's drink now and until 2028. Still, most likely, the best wine this producer has ever made. The 1989 has a case as well. Like the Lebowski rug, this one just tied the late-80's/early-90's BDX room together. 10.10.25. — 9 days ago

Daniel, Jeroen and 24 others liked this
Paul T HB

Paul T HB

Our anniversary year. I need to get a bottle

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend 2014

Medium light lemon straw colour , very fine constant bubbles . Quite restrained and mineral on the nose , with some light toasty notes , white flowers , lemon oil . Quite closed . On the palate this is really quite intense and mineral , oyster shell , chalky , limestone hints . Some lemon pith and a lightly toasty with a saline hint , fresh acidity , long and detailed , refined and very balanced . Really young still , needs time to open and will be long lived . Better in 5- 10 years and will last well a further 5-10 years — 9 days ago

Ira, Jan and 17 others liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2000

Strawberry, red candy, plum and eucalyptus. Feminine and polished.

Drink now.
— 5 days ago

Juan liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

Birth year tastings, evening 4.
Polished leather, nuts, ecoline, grilled red pepper, tomato leaf, gingerbread, pepper, salty savoriness, tannins still present, still youthful, lots of future. Muscular! Beautiful.
— 15 days ago

Jan and Eric liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

Full bodied with mostly black fruits, sweet spice, cedar, leather & tobacco — 22 days ago

Jean-Philip, Jeroen and 10 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2006

Black figs, raspberries, mesquite, tobacco and cacao nibs. — 9 days ago

Juan and Ira liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

Another great 08 showing mostly black fruits, sweet spices, cedar, leather, graphite & tobacco. — 9 days ago

Tom, Ira and 8 others liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2005

2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately and over the course of 4 hours. Medium body with a continually morphing nose. Super-impressive bouquet throughout the night. Overt fruit fallen off the framework and replaced with secondary attributes/complexities. @Bill Bender remarked twice about a lack of “heat”since the usual CDP ABV range seemed underwhelming One might think that would present issues but, rest assured, it did not. Great wine possibly at its’ zenith/top of the bell curve and living its’ best life now. Backed up the hype and then some. Tied for WOTN along with the 2006 Krug Clos du Mesnil Champagne (missed a picture for that one) for both myself and @Shay A 09.21.25. — a month ago

Shay ABill Bender
with Shay and Bill
Scott@Mister, Shay and 25 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

🙌
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Effing banging. Thank you @Bill Bender !!
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

My first Rayas! So grateful to @Bill Bender for the experience (as well as the other wines) to finally check this off the list. I’d say that between the five wines of the evening, this and the ‘06 Krug CdM evolved the most. This is the most powerful and aromatic CdP I’ve ever had. The red/black cran-raspberry profile was like a missle on the palate…so youthful, even tangy the beginning. A lot of CdPs have this dirty/figgy profile but this was so clean and pure. Verve for days. Probably still rocking in another 5+ before evolving to the next stage. Epic.
9.7

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1989

Tangy dark fruit. Bloodiness with a dark plum and iron. Rounded and resolved but intense. Very good — 7 days ago

Matt LichtenbergDavid Schachter
with Matt and David
Jay, Bob and 14 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1997

Thought we’d had our last bottle 4 years ago but then found this one. Probably better then, but still very nice. Definitely quite secondary, but the core of fruit and acid carries through. Wonderful pairing with dry aged strip steaks and wild mushroom risotto for our 10 year anniversary. — 15 days ago

Zach, Tom and 5 others liked this
Seth Masterson

Seth Masterson

One of our local stars.
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

❤️👍🏼
Jason Gelman

Jason Gelman

happy 10 and lucky find!

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Still young. Needs some aging. Should peek at 99-100. — 16 days ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Tom and 6 others liked this

Krug

Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Magnum Jahren 70/80 — 22 days ago

Roman, Jan and 11 others liked this