Little Black Dress

Château Léoville Poyferré

Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2011

Silky smooth nose, velvety and soft, with forewarned black currants, just a LITTLE pepper, dark cherry and maybe a little pine forest floor? Some sediment and still grippy tannin, but starting to really loosen, with prominent ripe red fruits of dark , brooding plum, cherry and dark fruits, with hints of graphite, wood, and smoke over a still zingy finish. — 2 years ago

Tensley

Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah 2013

@Shay A inspired me to dig this out of the cellar. Turns out I had a bunch of the 2013, not the 2012. Read his review in concert with this. Bright and clear reddish purple in the glass. Similar to the 2012, this presented notes of bing cherry, plum and black tea but not any of the tobacco noted on the 2012. Good color with no oxidation whatsoever. Balanced acid and fruit on the palate. Little if any tannin. Finish was more cherry with a little herbal thing going on that I could not put my finger on . Overall very pleasant and can go for a few more years. — 4 years ago

Jason, Shay and 6 others liked this
Shay A

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Seems like there were a lot of similarities but less oxidation and less secondary notes. I’ll have to find a 2013 to try!

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

A little bit flat, the 1994 Phelps Backus has seen its best days. Took a little time to open up and a fine licorice note rose to prominence. Black current and leather, dried plums and autumn leaves. It's dark and a touch heavy. Maybe it isn't at its best but what a privilege to try this wine with some age. — 5 years ago

Sharon, Kimberly and 31 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

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Always palate training, even on corked stuff, it's always a beneficial tasting experience. Lucky to try this.
Hugh O'Riordan

Hugh O'Riordan

I have a few older bottles. I think I’ll drink some!

Agharta Wines

Black Label Syrah Blend

Alder Yarrow
9.0

Picked this up for a song a little while back - some library liquidation going on no doubt - and for what I paid, I probably should have bought an entire case. Gorgeous black olive and bacon fat umami going on here along with cassis and blackberry and chopped herbs. Faint, taut tannins hang at the edge of perceptibility. Hints of plum ski. In the finish. Slurp!!!! — 5 years ago

Shay, Martin and 10 others liked this
Greg

Greg

I have more bro!

Michael David Winery

Petite Petit Lodi Petite Sirah Petit Verdot

This Petite Sirah from Lodi is always enjoyable. Big and bold, spicy and tangy.

Good by itself or with food. Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up and shows some tannins.

Showing black fruits, chocolates, coffee, wood, vanilla, licorice, mocha, caramel and peppercorn.

Full bodied with a nice finish. Might be a little sweet for some.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.
— 6 years ago

Dawn, Kirk and 15 others liked this

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

Tasted blind. Dark reddish purple color, opaque. Looks and smells rich. Notes of black berry fruit, tobacco, some cassis and a little anise. Chewy in the mouth. Powerful fruit and structure - this is still young. Easy to guess as a young Cal Cab, althought it wasn't that young. — 6 years ago

Severn, Patrick and 10 others liked this

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1955

Tasted blind. Tawny color, translucent with amber rims. Notes of black cherry, cedar, some spice and a little barnyard floor. Sweet fruit in the mouth, with tannins fully resolved. Guessed 1955 Calon Segur. Perfect looking bottle, the cork revealed this bottle was reconditioned by the Chateau in 2000. — 7 years ago

Shay, Eric and 16 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1959

Dark scarlet color with a deep center. Notes of black cherry, cola, roses, cassis, some spice and a little wood char. Amazing perfume in the nose. Smooth and silky in the mouth. Lots of drama with this one, and many agreed the 59 was better than the 45, the 61 and 82 Latours beside it. Bravo! — 2 years ago

Peter, Tom and 24 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

1.5 hour decant(decent fine/cloudy sediment). A young looking exquisite dark purplish garnet color. On the nose: Subdued hints of dark cherry, dusty earth, graphite, smokey vanilla, cigar wrapper, olives. Taste: soft, smooth, creamy wine glides across the palate with black fruit, tar, chocolate, cedar, and a plumy pencil lead medium finish with a little tannic kick......More time? Will the fruit hold? Got a few more bottles to see if the score will improve. — 3 years ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Shay and 16 others liked this
Shay A

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Got a couple myself that I’ve been curious about.
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

Might want to pop one. Perplexed where this will be going.

E. Guigal

La Landonne Côte-Rotie Syrah 1990

Tasted blind... we're served three glasses from three brown bagged bottles. They all are similar in color: dark reddish tawny. This has black fruit in the nose, along with some prominent wood, some spice, some earthiness, slate stone and dark earth. More masculine than the other two glasses, but also becomes more floral over time. More inky and dense than the other two. We've figured out these are 1990 La La's, so which is this? I guess La Landonne, which it is. This bounced around during the evening from being the best of the three to a step below the other two. I liked the Mouline and Turque a little more tonight but I'm splitting hairs as this was superb and the ranking is more about preference than quality. — 5 years ago

Severn, Alex and 17 others liked this
Mike R

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Awesome 👏

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1984

1984 vintage. Cork difficult to extract, ended up in several pieces. Beautiful deep color, little to no bricking even at this age. Seductive at one hour+ of air with black cherry, raspberry, some vanilla, green pepper, graphite. 12% ABV. From the FIL’s collection. — 5 years ago

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Somm David T
9.1

Main course is a Beef Tenderloin Roast with Rosemary, Crispy Duck Fat Potatoes, Sautéed Greens. The beef is among the most tender (cut it with a fork) & flavorful we’ve had.

From magnum. The nose shows; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, anise, dry soils, dry crushed rocks, some graphite, cigar, dark, rich earth, blue/purple fruit cola, very soft dark spice with blue and purple florals set in lavender.

The body full, lush & thick. The tannins, rounded, tarry and velvety chewy. The structure & tension have hit its stride but, a little leaner than I’m used to in a Phelps Cabernet. The length and balance are exactly what I expect from them. It’s elegant, ripe & juicy. Dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, anise to black licorice, cinnamon, soft clove, vanilla, nutmeg, dry soils, dry crushed rocks, moist clay some graphite, cigar, leather, limestone, dry herbs, dark, rich earth, blue/purple fruit cola, very soft dark spice with blue and purple florals set in lavender. The acidity is a gentle rain shower. The long finish is delicious and persists into a dark spice.

Perfect with Hedy’s Boeuf.

Wine is peaking in Magnum with another 5-8 years ahead.

The “Truth” which, is the very bottom, concentrated part of the bottle is a 9.3.

Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅🤶🎁🦌❄️⛄️🍷
— 6 years ago

Deborah, Brandon and 32 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

Somm David T
9.5

The nose reveals, perfume floral, dark, ripe cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, strawberry flesh, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped, dark, fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry stone, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark spice, rich, moist dark soil, just a hint of herbaceous notes, mint, leather, fresh tobacco, graphite, dark berry cola, fresh, dark red, blue and purple florals with violets.

The body is; rich, lush, gorgeous, sexy, and full. The tannins are; round, velvety, still a little firm and sticky with tarriness. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting harmony. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries, plum, strawberry flesh, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped, dark, fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry stone, wet clay, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark spice with heat, rich, moist dark soil, dry crushed rocks, just a hint of herbaceous notes; mint, bay leaf, thyme, leather, expresso roast grounds, cigar with ash, graphite, dark berry cola, fresh, dark red, blue and purple florals, lavender with violets. The acidity is a fresh water stream. The finish is unbelievably; elegant, well balanced & polished, lush, rich, ruby, gorgeously sexy and lasts minutes.

Warm, ripe Bordeaux’s vintage with roughly two decades of good drinking ahead of it.

Photos of, my favorite Chateau in Bordeaux, their newer barrel room that sits under the bottom photo, field hands harvesting their Estate fruit and the outer building that is their barrel room.
— 6 years ago

Severn, Hermes and 30 others liked this
Sofia Jalilie

Sofia Jalilie

Was an amazing add to our lovely meal tonight at Alderwood in SantaCruz
Sharon B

Sharon B Influencer Badge

The Chateau is beautiful if I ever go to Bordeaux I’m definitely visiting this place!

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1961

Taken to Hawksmoor in NYC for our uncle’s 75th. Decanted in hotel for 7 hrs before dinner. Dark reddish amber edges with dark tawny color center. Opaque. Great aged Bordeaux nose. Notes of black fruit, tobacco and cigar, cassis, old desk wood, saddle leather, some anise, some barnyard and a little mint. Rich and silky in the mouth. Long finish. The bottle (mid shoulder) wasn’t in as good of condition as the one we had a few weeks ago, but the outcome was similar. Family and the Somm all loved it, as did I. — 3 years ago

Peter, Jan and 23 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

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Fine description

Black Saint Peter

Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2019

Smooth and a little sweet. Light bodied. Would get it again. — 4 years ago

Natalie liked this

Château Pavie Macquin

Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2011

Decanted 90 minutes. Very dark opaque colour. Nose with dark fruits, some black currant early on but some spices as well and some oak. Tasted blind the nose seems more CNP then Right Bank. Palate is dense, powerful, nice acidity in the middle, ripe fruit, volume and depth along with a delicious finish with a slight dryness. Very good but there is a little bit of warmth to it caused by alcohol that makes the whole balance very slightly out of sink with the rest. 90-91

Carafé 90 minutes. Couleur foncée et opaque. Fruits noirs, cassis aussi, du bois un peu. Fait plus CNP que Rive Droite au nez. Bouche délicieuse, puissante, dense, du volume, belle acidité en millieu de bouche, finale est assez longue, un peu asséchante et une touche alccoleuse qui affecte un peu l’équilibre d’ensemble. Très bien malgré tout, mais pas certain que ca deviendra grand. 90-91
— 5 years ago

Juan, Vanessa and 19 others liked this

Casella Wines

The Black Stump Durif Shiraz 2019

Nice dark red colour. Blackcurrant on nose.
Ripe berries little bit too much acidity then pepper taste in the middle and silky creamy finish
— 5 years ago

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

A great balance between fruit and funk. In my opinion, this one is right at the peak of drinking, because it is only going to get Bordeaux funky from here. On the nose and entry, lots of black cherry in fig, baking spices give way to haymore weedy and herbaceous sign that turns to a hint of Brett and funk towards the finish. Although this wine is very good, someone who likes this style a little bit more may have rated this a couple of points higher than I did. Very enjoyable wines, and definitely belonged on the table next to a high-profile Napa cab, high profile Australian Shiraz, and twenty-year-old CDP. — 5 years ago

Dan FitzgeraldBradley Davisjoe leatherwood
with Dan, Bradley and 2 others
Jason, Severn and 34 others liked this
Somm David T

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The 2000 Bordeaux vintage is proving to be stubborn in a number of cases. It might be 25-30 plus years before they show their real grace & beauty.

R. López de Heredia

Viña Cubillo Crianza Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2005

A really interesting wine. Even though I know these can be everything from black fruit dominated to more of an ash dominated type of wine, the notes here were a little bit tart and even a little on the sweeter side. Dates, sweet plums. Had a hint of tobacco, very ashy in the middle and finish. There is suggestion that this one may even be on its way down, and I definitely question that now. Left remaining 25%of bottle for 12 hours later and although the nose had markedly improved, the wine had not. This doesn't seem to be a good ager. — 6 years ago

Serge, Ryan and 30 others liked this

Little Black Dress

LBD California Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Tall grass. Smooth, little sweet. Crowd pleaser. Easy to drink on its own. Would buy again — 7 years ago