Peter H. Kaufmann

9.3

French macebeu madness. Coffee? Banana and almonds. Creamy and complex. — 4 years ago

with Guy and Tabea

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Right Bank Bordeaux. Blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Ripe dark fruit aromas and flavors, but not jammy at all. Hints of cranberry. Plush but not over extracted. Graceful and elegant. Long finish and smooth tannins. Excellent. Nice Surprise. Thanks Keith S. Revisited in January 2024. Still expressive and beautiful. The fruit aromas and flavors are dissipating. Expressed more dark chocolate and tobacco notes. — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Interesting Super Tuscan. 60% Sangiovese with the balance a blend of Cab Sauv and Merlot. Powerful but bright. Nice red fruit notes. — 6 years ago

ShayShayShaylyn

9.1

Nice sweet white. Tastes exactly like this blend should. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Drinking so well and was improving the longer it was open. So fragrant and aromatic...crushed potpourri, cherry pipe tobacco and baked blackberry pie. Dusty on the palate and still youthful. Dark cocoa dusted dates, roasted plum, blackberry and raspberry pie with strong acidity and tannin. A great drinking window. Thanks @Keith Fisher — 6 years ago

with Weston

Jack Duckworth

9.0

2013 vintage. Serious stuff. Hunter Valley Shiraz. Bottle #1520 — 7 years ago

John Hagood

9.0

From WF with Bonstra 7/7/18. Recommended by Keith to pair with chile con carne. Wonderful 2016. — 7 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Aromas and flavors of dried black cherries, dried currants and prunes. Hints of minerals and Forrest Floor. Long (but a bit astringent) finish and smooth tannins. Good structure. Revisited in March 2023. This bottle was less astringent. (Thanks Keith!) Taking rating up to 9.0. Revisited again in October 2023. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.6

A few wines from last week’s 4th Friday event!

The sheer opulence of this is astounding. Obviously young, this was actually my first Realm BTK courtesy of @Keith Fisher . When thinking back to the last stunning 2016 BTK I had (MacDonald), where the MacDonald is more dusty, slightly more herbal and full of tightly coiled BTK power, this was an embarrassment of rich dark fruits, baking spices and sporting a creme de cassis like profile. Classic To Kalon power, with so much to unpack. Thank you, Keith! — 5 years ago

Connor Smith

9.2

Sanlúcar de Barrameda was the port that Christopher Columbus set off from in 1492. Just 1 year earlier, duties on wine exports from Sanlúcar had been abolished to take advantage of English merchants desperate for new supply after the loss of Bordeaux.

It began a centuries-long romance between Sherry and English wine lovers, as immortalized in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 2, when Falstaff glorifies sturdy Spanish 'sack' over thin Bordeaux 'claret' and Rhine 'hock'.

But the honeymoon, quite literally, was not to last. Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon drove a wedge between England and Catholic Europe, and left English wine lovers in need of a new source once again. But Sherry fanatics wouldn't have to go entirely without. When Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cádiz and burned the Spanish fleet in 1587, he carried away 2,900 butts of Sherry - enough to supply London for years - as his most famous prize.

(This is adapted from notes for Le Dû’s Wines ‘History of Wine 1453AD-Present’ seminar, where this wine was poured) — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.5

The balance here is impeccable! Sweet oak, red, blue and black fruit, plum and nutmeg on the nose. Cascading dark chocolate/Andes mint on the palate to go with ripe fruit and mocha...youthful tannins. Just wonderful. Thank you @Keith Fisher — 6 years ago

with Dan

John Del Bello

9.0

Bright, fruit driven, blanc sparkling, vibrant, zesty, and perfect pairing for most foods... — 7 years ago

Doctor No

9.0

Ripe black cherry, a bit of tart raspberry, green tobacco leaf and green pepper. Lovely intensity of savory/herbal with a background of fruit on the nose. Pencil shavings on back. Palate leans taut, mineral and still a fair bit of tannins. Not as polished as @Keith Levenberg ‘s bottle, but maybe in a more awkward phase with a bit less baby fat. — 7 years ago

JKT

9.2

Everytime I somehow recall an underwhelming tasting of Lumpp and I open one and then it's oh this is really good! That Burgundian autumnal Forest floor and leaves and ripe black berries and fruit. Good texture balanced acidic complex palate carrying to finish. Great with amahs hock. Faith restored — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.4

Incredibly fresh tasting for a wine of its age. Aromas of fig, black plums, dried cherries, purple flowers and iron. Same on the pallet along with hints of leather and tobacco. Plush, full and round. Deep garnet color. Amazingly youthful expression of Agloanico. Pleasant surprise. Outstanding!! Thank You Keith S. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Great pull by Keith. My first Relic. Up front, holiday baking spices, eucalyptus/Andes mint, and sandalwood aromatics. The palate was rich without being dense or flabby, showing chocolate dipped blueberries and blackberries, ripe jam over graham crackers, cocoa, and some sweet tobacco. Delicious. Thanks @Keith Fisher — 5 years ago

with Dan and joe

Ted Corvey

9.1

Third time I’ve had this, each time I’m almost staggered by the nose. Floral and light red and blue fruits pour out of the glass. This is an old world nod being a 85/15 blend of Syrah and Viognier, and although it hints towards brooding it remains delicate and vibrant on the palate. Really pretty wine. Everything from Day I have had has been great. — 6 years ago

Victor Hwang

9.2

88 mouton with Keith harding art work. The nose upon opening was sublime. As it decanted and opened, it was a bit disjointed. Has a lot of potential but at this age I think it’s not going to come together. The nose weakened, and the body to finish is a bit jarred. — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Medium plus body and medium plus intensity. Fuller bodied and less herbaceous than the normal Moss Wood Cabernet. Black currant notes. I heard an interview recently with winemaker and owner Keith Mugford who said he is trying to avoid green notes in the wine and would prefer to pick a little later and err on the side of ripeness. I think that’s what happened here and probably more so the following year in 2009. Still a lovely wine. The first of 6 - next one in a year. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

8.9

A little tired. Some black fruits here, but a lot of vegetal notes as well. Didn't really do so hot especially sitting right next to an 01 Colgin that pretty much wiped the cab competition right outta the park. I definitely believe bottle variation is in order here, as 97 was a pretty darn good year for Napa cab overall and I would love to see what the bottle that was aging right next to this one tastes like. Love Seavey wines, and muchos gracias to Keith for opening this one. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Shay and 1 other