Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Something for my Wagyu Burger.

I do enjoy this producers style/craft. Also, enjoy the elegance of St. Julien. 2012 is a vintage Sofia & 1 worked harvest at Clerc Milon. So, the 2012 vintage will always be a special vintage for me, even if it was only one that was good to very good for the right terroirs and producers. Just wasn’t special like; 00, 05, 09, 10, 16 or 19 etc..

Having said all that, this Ducru is not the 2012 star of the region. It’s elegant but falls short on depth, character & umpf, which are things I have grown to expect and have experienced from this producer in many vintages.

The palate shows, soft, round & velvety M-M+ tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, some of both plums, slightly baked strawberries & circling raspberries. Slightly dry tobacco w/ ash, soft leather, sandalwood, mid, dark, rounded spice, nutmeg, clove, some cinnamon & vanillin, dark most earth with clay & dry leaves, herbaceous notes, very soft & elegant graphite, a touch of of mid berry cola/licorice, dark withering flowers, red roses, nice acidity with nicely balance, good tension/structured, elegant finish that last nearly two minutes and long sets on rounded dark spice.

@EmiratesLoungeDubai — 10 days ago

Christian Fischer

9.4

Ah yes, what I needed after a long week. Crisp and clean like this Chardonnay champagne should be. Hits the mark — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers! — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

My two-day Pork Chop marinade. I have found the Long Shadows Poet Leap to be the perfect pairing.

Here is the recipe. Try it sometime.

4-6 thick cut bone-in pork chops

- 1 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of Tamari soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of Lee Kim Kee brand chili sauce
-1 1/2 teaspoons of ginger finely chopped (I triple this)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic finely chopped (again.
I double this)
- 3/4 cup of cilantro finely chopped (no stems)
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
— 3 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

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. — 3 months ago

with Nellie

Pooneet K

9.2

Last had this vintage a couple years ago. These obviously have a long life ahead of them. With some nice air, this does open up. Wonderful dark fruit and earth aromas. Tannins are quite present and a bit bitter (not in a bad way at all). Excellent acid on the finish. Delicious pairing with kinderhook pork chops with tutto porchetta seasoning. — 4 months ago

Ericsson

9.5

Classic. Just classic on the color and nose. On the palate it has finer tannins, lifted acidity, and a long, polished finish that lingers on cassis and earth. One of the oldest Lafite’s I’ve tasted and feels like in last another couple of decades. Easy. — a month ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (19%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petite Verdot (3%). Dark garnet/ruby/purple/black color. Aromas of ripe black fruit, rose petals, cigar box and smoked meat. Flavors of blackberry, black currant and black plum fruit with additional hints of tobacco, black olives and cloves. Long lasting velvety finish. Full bodied with noticeable (but well integrated) tannins. Beautiful freshness. Rich and powerful but so well balanced. Consistently outstanding vintage after vintage. Could continue to age for decades! — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Bright medium ruby , quite thin violet rim . Quite discreet and fine, reserved on the nose . Red cherry , cassis , mineral tinged blackberry, after a while pomegranate. On the palate this is very detailed and precise , great freshness and with more red fruit, cherry , red plum , blackberry , wet slate , saline oyster shell with very fine tannins . Long mineral finish . Very young obviously but incredibly elegant and fresh . Will need time , this closed up quite a lot after time in the decanter . Better in 10 -15 years , will last well a further 10-15 . Incredibly promising . — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Léoville Poyferré 2014
Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A distinguished Deuxième Cru Classé (Second Growth) from Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Poyferré has been elevated under the stewardship of the Cuvelier family and Michel Rolland’s consultancy. The 2014 vintage is a classic Bordeaux blend comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. This cooler year yielded wines with notable polish, freshness, and age-worthy structure.  

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive and refined, the bouquet opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and plum, framed by cedar, graphite, violets, and aromatic spice. The palate is layered with ripe red and dark fruits, along with hints of tobacco, pepper, and soft oak—a harmonious reflection of balanced ripeness and terroir depth.  

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied, with smooth yet structured tannins and vivid acidity. The finish is long and mineral-tinged, echoing Saint-Julien’s limestone terroir while expressing both strength and grace.

Winemaking Notes
Vinified traditionally and aged in French oak barrels (predominantly new), the 2014 benefits from meticulous attention to extraction and maturation, resulting in elegant concentration and finesse.  

Food Pairing
Wonderful with roast lamb, herb-crusted beef, or rich mushroom dishes. Decanting for an hour enhances its layered complexity.

Verdict
A classic expression of Left Bank finesse and depth, Château Léoville Poyferré 2014 strikes an artful balance between fruit, structure, and refinement. Enjoy now with decanter or cellar it to explore its evolution over the next decade.Cheers! — 2 months ago

Ericsson

9.7

1st Growth Bordeaux comparison. A young poet full of art and glory. Deep ruby colour, with scents of raspberry and red currant with graphite and even leather. Imposing on the palate yet balanced and elegant. Full bodied, high alcohol, fine grain tannings, medium acidity, with a long finish and notes of ripe red fruit. Wine with great aging potential. — 3 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Pretty deep garnet ruby , garnet rim . This is pretty open and aromatic, with smoky creme de cassis , grafite , blackberry and cedar , light herbal touches , really quite classic and noble . On the palate this has good balance and density , good freshness also . Ripe , very fine but perceptible tannins . Dark fruits , grafite , tobacco , long and detailed slightly mineral notes on the good length finish . Really elegant , though quite serious and traditional, not easy to pull off. This is drinking perfectly now (Coravin might have helped here , I would certainly decant if I had a full bottle) , though still quite fruit driven with some tertiary complexity coming through . Really harmonious and complex . From now and over the next 15 years, maybe more . At Doppo Restaurant, Soho . — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim. Doesn't show much age.

Beautiful nose with red and black fruits, chocolates, tobacco leaf, vegetables, forest floor, black tea, earth, coffee, herbs, spices, black pepper and wildflowers.

Full bodied and soft with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, cherries, black plums, currants, oak, light chocolates, coffee, mushrooms, licorice, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs and spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a gorgeous 24 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Saint Julien. Rich and elegant. Spicy and very complex. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Drinking at its peak now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.

A great sipping wine that is so much fun to drink by itself.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in (33% new) French oak barrels for 18 months.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$150. — 24 days ago

Brett Vanderbrook

9.0

I think the excitement for this every year is a bit overblown but it’s tasty stuff. Melon, strawberries, peach, and grapefruit. Quite dry and high acid. Keeps you coming back for another sip. Better than the flagship rose. — 2 months ago

Doug Powers

9.3

Great Beaucastel, dark fruits, still a little structured, long finish, excellent!! — 2 months ago

with Jim

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

The sleeper vintage, one at this time I bet to be even more showy than the illustrious 2000. It’s simply just ready to go after a short decant wafting from the glass with layers of cassis, black truffle, violets and licorice. This is a wine of texture and elegance, as Margaux should be—It’s liquid cashmere in the mouth with melting tannins and a black truffle and mineral inflicted finale that keeps on going. Superb showing tonight, with still a long life ahead. — 2 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour. Nose: enticing perfumed dark fruit, mint, pine, floral, pencil shavings. Taste: creamy, balanced, savory wine with blackberry, milk chocolate, earth, leather, graphite, and a lingering long finish with some slightly grippy tannins. YUM!! No hurry, time to go. — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Tom Garland

9.5

+1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A splendid medium dark garnet color. On the nose: perfumed notes of red fruit, herbaceous, eucalyptus, mushroom, smoked meat, ripe olives, sweet tobacco. Taste: rich, velvety full wine with brambly dark cherry/plum, coffee, dark chocolate, orange peel, and a peppery- dried herbs- gamey long finish. YUM! A nicely aged and elegant wine with soft tannins and good acidity!! — 3 months ago

with Brenda

"Odedi"

9.1

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Nose of red and black fruits with light wood, tobacco and chocolate notes.

Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, light oak, licorice, chocolates, spices and earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Grenache blend is starting to drink very nicely now, with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

Elegant and rich. Interesting and engaging. A very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style.

Well balanced and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of all 13 allowed grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but mostly Grenache. Hand picked and whole cluster. Aged for 2 years in large French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$110. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2004 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart mixed fruit: Blackberries, black cherry, dill, olives, leather, toasted coconut, some vanilla, dried green herbs and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is in a very lovely place. Drink now through 2044.  — 4 months ago