This £126 Talbot feels a few years past its peak but still enjoyable; mainly on the aromas 😉 prefer 03, 05 & 86 but better than 81 😁
🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge
👃 Gravel, soot & burnt smoked oak driven mineralised herby faded dark berry fruits w/ melted liquorice, dry cured meats, gravel, pencil lead & dirty earth
👄 Med body of liquorice infused dark fruits w/ a red berry undertone & dry mocha blackcurrant tickle
🎯 Med earthy liquorice charred dark fruit silky finale w/ a red berry kick — 6 years ago
Odd plastic aroma quickly blew off. ~30 mins of decanting and this was showing incredibly. Honey-like aroma and taste, a touch of salinity, just beautiful. The drinking window was pretty short as it started to lose its edge after about an hour and a half. — 7 years ago
With Wendy and Jerry — 8 years ago
My favorite Napa field blend. Huge dark fruit nose., not for the faint of heart!! It is drinking incredibly well. Decanted 6 hours prior to drinking... was silky smooth yet with incredible intensity and depths of flavored. 😍 love it! This was the 3rd wine opened — 8 years ago
Delicate yet dirty and funky in good ways. Grew on me the more I sipped. — 8 years ago
Great nose and very pleasant overall — 9 years ago
This fantastic 2000 Cabernet was an anniversary gift from my father in law. The bouquet was full with undertones of pepper and earth. Completely without edge in the mouth, I was left with tastes of tobacco and dark chocolate. Obviously loved it, as did the rest of my family...a winner! — 9 years ago
Just a great Sonoma Pinot. Always consistently good. Great fruit both on the nose and palate. — 10 years ago
Stone Edge Farm 2004 — 12 years ago
4th wine of the night. Opened 6 hours prior and this vintage is in full stride. Simply beautiful and drinking very, very well. Definitely pick up in the dark fruit, mocha and espresso. Loved it!! May I have some more please!! — 8 years ago
Pour this by the glass at Contra, unfortunately this bottle is over the edge and destined for some short ribs tomorrow. — 8 years ago
1986 vintage. From Jay. The bottle was decanted about one hour before being poured. Crimson/purple in colour. Very slight bricking on the edge. Some taint but luckily this blew off while the wine was breathing in the decanter. Cedar and cassis on the nose along with some dung. Hints of violets and eucalyptus. Tannins have become very soft and polished. Lovely freshness of fruits. Good viscosity. Coats the mouth with a certain exuberance. This is a wine that has matured with both grace and elegance. Finish is long, profound and classy. A lovely lady that is ageing with charm. One hour in the decanter, however, was too long - 30 mins next time. 94/100. Will last a little longer but I see no compelling reason to wait. Drink now until 2025. — 9 years ago
Haven't had this one in a while. I like, but where's @Marysol Castro ? — 9 years ago
Light ruby with a brown edge. Everything you expect on the nose from a mature Bordeaux, tobacco, pencil, plum and touch of smoke. Medium complex fruit in the mouth that leads to a rounded finish. — 10 years ago
😍 @ £31 this Musar is top & I’ve reviewed a few times 👍 personally i find it the best of many vintages I’ve had & not as funky as others 😉
🏵 495 points
🍇 Cab S, Cinsault & Carignan
🍷 Garnet cherry w/ brick edge
👃 Smokey oaky spiced leather infused cherry choc gateaux, red potpourri, prune compote, red berry jam, barnyard, mushroom risotto & herbs - gorgeous in a Zalto Burg 😎
👄 Med balanced body of earthy smooth red cherry in mocha, date & prune sauce w/ strawberry & redcurrant tones
🎯 Med+ earthy red berry/cherry gateaux💥 — 6 years ago
Road trips deserve respites. Beaufort, SC’s Old Bull Tavern spinning Marvin, Jimmi, and Stevie while casually offering up perfect garlicky oil bathed snails set upon crazy freshly baked chewy sour dough simply screams for, oh yeah, the wine. This fine Pomerol waits, wanting , her dangerously dark scarlet skin shimmers as she spins in the early evening tempted by the tunes revealing her marooning shades, darker bleeding berries, showing lighter in the wafting inconsistency of candle light. Another spin , a tilt, a voyeur’s gaze, a twirl, and a first kiss’ earthy wet spice on the front succumbs to plum its well-balanced acid clutches begging another spin, The I sip slow seductive deep kiss as she floods forward - I swallow, but she clings slowly, gradually, teetering touching sliding slowly, stealthy, soothingly, seductively signaling - have another hit... Don’t miss this wine or place, both picture perfect dripping southern edge and charm with a French accent and kiss🍷🌀 — 6 years ago
03' Spottswoode Cabernet. Having had the 2001 and 2002...this was a tough act to follow. Spottswoode rarely let's you down!
The brick red color in this glass is still vibrant, all the way to the edge. I'm amazed how youthful this wine is. I initially popped & poured this cab. Quickly found out it needed a decanting. 30 minutes later, it's ready to drink. We just wanted another 🍷 of wine.
Full-bodied Cabernet . The palate has got a floral nose & taste (front of the palate) to it. Black cherry, blueberry. A touch of cola, tobacco & oak 😬. Spottswoode seems to always have these polished tannins to it. A moderate backbone of acidity. I'm certain after a little longer decanting 👏...drinking in it's prime now. Many more great years in front of it.
Edit- We only had half the bottle. I'm certain the management staff enjoyed the rest of that Cabernet.
— 8 years ago
From magnum with low shoulder fill. Dark ruby and opaque. Black cherries, forest floor, warm berry pie fruit in the nose. Very heavy and rich in the mouth. Everyone guessed 82 Bordeaux. If I'm judging, the perfectly balanced 55 Mouton tonite gets the slight edge because the fruit in the 59 Margaux was a bit more dominant than the less evident tannins, structure and acidity. Really good wine experience. — 8 years ago
Complex and opens into a spectacular wine with richness across fruit balance and depth of body including a tannic edge. Wish I had a few more in the cellar. — 9 years ago
Agree with the road tar comment, also pencil lead, and earthy flavors still a dark wine, slight bricking around the edge, well resolved tannins — 9 years ago
Crazy good paired with dipping into gamba al ajillo (emphasis added), at Napa's groovy/real Zuzu, catching a classic deeply dirty nose while still sporting sun-drenched fruit that initially reworks one's first blush front mouth with an iodine edge that morfs into red and black fruit edgy with acid/tannin slow dancing to the depths and begging for another pinch of broth soaked chewy freshly baked bread and the associated next swig of this sweet juice...rhythmically stellar by day or by night😎🌌👣🍷🌀🎼
PS hit Zuzu (friendly, delicious and real...
— 9 years ago
Jan de Weerd
Our favorite Figgins blend. 2011. A tough year but Chris Figgins turned it into a gem. Minerally. Full body, rich mid palette with a sweet edge, evolving into a dry, grippy finish with with minerals edging the experience. Perfect with aged Gouda cheese. — 5 years ago