Shay A

9.6

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

The insane champagnes continued with this also from @joe leatherwood . I think this may be the best Dom I’ve had to date (up there with the 2000 P2). Where the Selosse was oxidized and powerful, this was more finesse and layered. Still retaining a lot of those warm/fresh baked bread notes as well as honeyed stone fruits, this showed more chalk, limestone, and “lift” to it. A streak of minerality was noticeable down the middle of the palate. Caramel nougat, and a wonderful balance of floral notes highlight the finish. Bravo! — 5 years ago

with joe

Shay A

9.5

Wow. This is aged Australian Shiraz at its finest. So rich, dense, voluptuous and flavor packed...all at 17/18 yrs old! As it was being poured, you could smell the eucalyptus/mint notes from half a table away. Incredibly perfumed, alongside dark chocolate covered cherries and blue and black fruit compote. On the palate it retained the Andes mint-like sweetness with black cherry liqueur, tar, mixed berry pie and fig. Sporting an ABV of 16.5% (!), it didn’t come across hot at all. Powered through being open a couple hours without a problem. No rush here. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing @joe leatherwood . — 5 years ago

with joe

Bryan Kesting

9.5

This is a continuation of the wines that were at the fourth Friday gathering in Fort Worth, TX. As @Shay A mentioned there were too many wines to taste them all. Here are a few other great ones that Shay did not post.

I thought this was drinking great with no signs of decline. Thank you for opening @joe leatherwood — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.7

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

Insert expletive here. Wow. So beautifully bright and clean. Total balance. Dark ripe black cherries, dark chocolate dipped blackberries, and baked rhubarb tart. So much red and black fruit here! Definitely some fig, cherry cordial and truffle on the palate. It’s powerful without being overbearing. Tough call, but I ended up settling on early ‘00s Bordeaux. Is this the pinnacle of merlot? — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.4

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

En mag. Blown away that this was a 17yr old chard. Incredibly powerful and youthful. It was more floral than most Cali chards, but it still had sea salt, rich mango and a dense mid palate full of juicy stone fruits with a very round finish. CHeintz vineyard Chardonnays are some of my favorites and I normally can identify them fairly easy but with its age, I didn’t get any of the bright and ripe guava I normally get from CHeintz. I still guessed this was Cali chard, but was shocked it was holding up this good with the age on it! — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.6

July 4th Friday was a total blowout! Killer bottles one after another. Here are just a few of the bottles we all enjoyed!

Such a treat to compare this against the ‘08 Schrader To Kalon and the ‘09 Chappellet Pritchard Hill. This was decidedly more dusty. Dark cocoa dusted dates, cassis, and black cherry compote over toasted graham crackers. This was decanted about an hour+ before we got to it and it was still powering through hours later. Thanks, @joe leatherwood . — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.5

This is one of the best Italian wines I’ve had, and it’s coming on the heels of trying the ‘11 vintage of this a few months back. Lots of similarities. A more ripe/modern/New World style. Super ripe dark fruits, cocoa dusted dates, sweet pipe tobacco, and a powerfully tannic finish. Mid palate is dense and seductive with outrageous texture and flavor. This could be a monster in a few years. What a wine, @joe leatherwood ! — 6 years ago

with Dan, Mark and 3 others

Janice Leung Hayes

9.3

Complex and thoroughly enjoyable. Floral, a little ripe stonefruit, rich honey (reminiscent of leatherwood in water), hinting at cream but not quite. Very fine and sparse bubbles. Dark gold. (Bought in Hong Kong) — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.6

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

Starting off OTBN with this stunner from @joe leatherwood . Selosse may be my favorite champagne producer as they are so unique and command attention anytime they are on the table. Outstanding aromas of candied ginger, fresh baked scone, orange blossom, and honeyed sea salt. They always show an oxidative profile arguably better than anyone else...toffee, espresso, dried mango and lively acidity. Just wonderful. — 5 years ago

with joe

Shay A

9.2

Fun wine. Aromatics of cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, ripely squeezed raspberries, blueberries and blackberries with some Mexican vanilla on the nose. Unabashed and no prisoners on the palate...a flavor bomb that has mellowed as it’s a bit stewed, but it’s smooth and integrated at this point. Drink up. Thanks @joe leatherwood — 5 years ago

with Dan and joe

Shay A

9.5

November’s 4th Friday was a big hit. There is no way I’ll be able to upload all the wines, nor give them the reviews they deserve, but there were a few worthy of mentioning!

Wow! A stunner at this age, just as good as the ‘03 right now but with more in reserve. Powerful. Floral aromatics with a streak of yeast down the middle. Great mousse and extremely energetic on the palate. Lightly buttered English biscuits, powdered lemon bar, classic crushed limestone with warm fruits like golden delicious apples. Just beginning to open. Thanks @joe leatherwood — 5 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.6

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

Young, but a real joy to see how impressive this is currently and to imagine how much of a monster it will be in 20yrs. Intoxicating nose that oozes of honey roasted cashews, orange marmalade, and honey coated mango. Very dense and rich in the middle right now, but it has the classic minute long finish already. I waffled between this being either ‘01 Rieussec or mid-‘00s D’yquem. — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.6

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

In. The. Zone. The first of five mind blowing reds. This, to me, epitomizes first growth version of Bordeaux. In fact, I called this Napa royalty style first growth style. It is dusty and just starting to channel some herbal and leather notes, but the density and purity/softness of the fruit (still quite dark, hint of red fruit), scream older Napa Cab. Added notes of fig, leafy tobacco, and truffled dark cocoa. Wonderful! — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.6

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

What a total treat. My second glass of this was very different from the first glass. At first, I was getting a lot of honeyed tropical fruits with a good bit of yeast, but then it was more bright, and had caramelized Granny Smith apple notes and classic chalky limestone. This is right down the middle in terms of reductive vs oxidative. I wish I could have enjoyed this all on its own to give it the attention it deserved. I guessed this was ‘06 Le Mesnil. — 6 years ago

with Mark, joe and 1 other

Shay A

9.5

Such a great expression of this vineyard. Tar, smoke, cassis, blackberries and roasted plum aromatics. I’ve always gotten a streak of mineral/graphite down the middle of the palate from LPV and this was no different. Gorgeous texture. This is very powerful, even at 9yrs, and needed every bit of the decanting it received...and probably an additional 1-2hrs extra. Just wonderful. Thanks for opening @joe leatherwood — 6 years ago

with Mark, Weston and 2 others

Peter Scudamore-Smith MW

9.2

Excellent mature Eden Valley riesling from the venerable S Smith & Son family company known in cuddly terms as Yalumba, based in Angaston for 165 years; pale gold wine; ultra dry; lime juice acidity; nose of burnt toast, brioche, leather, leatherwood honey. — 10 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

Technically a MV blend. Not dissimilar to Krug in style...warm profile with baked fruits and some savory versus sweetness battle towards the finish. It has that ginger note I always associate with Krug, as well as toffee and sea salt. Honeyed stone fruits, limestone, good acidic backbone with warm baked bread consistent throughout. Delicious stuff. Thanks @joe leatherwood . — 5 years ago

with joe and Dan

Shay A

9.4

A few fun bottles from last Friday.

Another example of a producer I seem to forget about but am always pleasantly surprised when I am able to enjoy a bottle, especially with age. These can go from good to marvelous if you give them some time! This drank like a modern style left bank Bordeaux. Black cherry and vanilla pipe tobacco, dates, plums, scorched earth and herbs de Provence on the nose. The core of this wine was so pure and powerful. The palate revealed a touch of leather alongside red and black dried fruits, fig and a rich note of espresso. Very good and getting better. Thanks @joe leatherwood . — 5 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.4

I was surprised when I realized I’d never had anything from Lewelling. I know of their quality and hear praise often about them, so I was very excited when @joe leatherwood brought this down to open.

Even in ‘06, this was sporting 15.3ABV! To their credit, it doesn’t come across hot at all. Blend of French and American oak, but I didn’t detect the American oak. Very aromatic, showing ripe and candied black cherry, sandalwood, baking spices and red licorice. Nicely integrated on the palate...juicy without being a fruit bomb. Chocolate dipped cherries, espresso and towards their finish there is a mint-like flavor. Very good. — 6 years ago

with joe and Jason

Shay A

9.6

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

Out of the lineup of the five reds, this had the aromatics that kept me going back for more. Initially, it reminded me of an older Ridge Monte Bello as I thought I got the slight hint of American oak, but it dissipated, allowing the bright black cherry, sandalwood, and herbs to shine. Gained some power as the lunch went on. Pipe tobacco, bay leaf, dusty blackberries and leather. The fruit was still tart (in a good way), showing how impressive this can age. I guessed this was early ‘00s Bordeaux. — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.7

An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind.

One of the best examples of champagne I’ve ever had. The moment I saw it in the glass, I was sold. Then I smelled it, and I was in love. Just absolutely mind boggling. I was between Jacques Selosse or older vintage Krug, and eventually felt very confident in my JSelosse guess. Supremely and beautifully oxidized. Sherry, candied ginger, honey drizzled stone fruits with orange marmalade covered scone. Nutty too. I can’t get enough of this style of champagne. — 6 years ago

with Mark, Dan and 1 other

Shay A

9.4

A splendid wine. QC flexing its incredible age-ability muscles with this 18yr old powerhouse. I had this about 6-7 months ago and this actually seemed better than the previous bottle. Youthful. A harmonious medley of blackberry, black cherry, plum accompanied by dark cocoa shavings and dates. The oak takes a back seat and compliments the fruit and secondary cedar/baking spice notes wonderfully. Great bottle, @joe leatherwood . — 6 years ago

with joe and Dan

Keith Fisher

9.8

Always the most interesting champagne on the table and today was WOTN (IMO slightly edging out Dan’s ‘96 Marcassin Chardonnay). How do you balance lively and oxidative in champagne? I don’t know, but Selosse clearly does. Thanks Joe Leatherwood. Very generous as always. — 6 years ago

TM Guanciale

9.3

Eaay drinking wine! — 9 years ago