Conrad Green

9.2

What a treat. Showing its age. Darker than you’d expect given it’s a war vintage. Tea colored at the edges. Soft, faded fruit. Orange rind, some dried herbs, mushroom, black tea, cured meat. Some dried wood, dried roses. A slight tart tang. Softening out and adding done delicate sherry notes with time in the glass. An amazing wine given the age. Certainly not a powerhouse but really special- a taste of history — 3 years ago

with Walker, David and 1 other

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 2018 Montrose delivers on the promise that it showed from barrel. I gave this a three-hour decant before broaching, since Montrose is always backward, albeit far less ferociously than even just a decade ago. It offers copious blackberry and blueberry scents on the nose, plus pressed violets and a light estuarine scent that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky-smooth texture. Finely chiseled tannins frame multilayered black fruit infused with crushed stone, and it has retained that subtle graphite element that lends it a Pauillac-like personality, though less so than out of barrel. This is a beautifully defined Montrose with entrancing symmetry, and it should drink earlier than other recent vintages thanks to a little more pliancy. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2021)
— 5 years ago

Will Stanley

9.3

Easily one of the finest aromas I’ve experienced in a Rioja, and indeed any wine, in the past year, truly a beguiling and complex experience that begs your nose to remain in the glass. I must note for my own posterity that on the palate I was initially a little underwhelmed. I’m not sure why. I think because this is such a subtle and elegant Rioja, and that I’m so out of the habit of drinking wines from this region and perhaps even, by extension, subtle and elegant wines as a whole. But the more I tasted it, the more I enjoyed it. I had a similar experience with the Viña Ardanza 2010 (which at the moment I prefer to this). But this 904 Gran Reserva is a beautiful, medium to light-bodied Rioja, very fruit-forward with Burgundian delicacy and a charm so typical of the finest wines of this region. A melange of coconut, vanilla, dried cherry and Mediterranean herbs are followed by an impressively saturated palate with medium orange peel acidity and very fine, resolved tannins. I must admit I cannot yet calibrate this wine with the notes of prominent critics, who talk about power, acidity and tannin, but maybe time will tell. This should be a terrific wine to follow over the next ten to twenty (plus) years. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Israel.

Inky in color with a short reddish/brick rim.

Fruity nose with blackberries, blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, light cedar, spices, cola, tobacco leaf, black tea, alcohol, coffee, milk chocolates, light herbs and black pepper.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with cooked plums, black currants, coffee, cedar, vanilla, spices, earth, milk chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn and light vinaigrette.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a wonderful Merlot blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity and well balanced with a great mouthfeel. Really enjoyed the nose here, even after a few minutes out of the bottle.

This four year old is already yummy right out of the bottle, but better after a couple of hours in a decanter.

I've had this before, and this time I decided to give it a slight chill, and boy it was delicious.

Nice buttery mouthfeel, even looks buttery when poured. Drinking very nicely now.

Very tasty and fruit forward. Dark, extracted and rich. Feels like a Napa Bordeaux blend.

A blend of 42% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit verdot and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 18 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and Kosher. Mevushal.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 5 years ago

John Van Trijp

10

Oh boy......what can i say....is this a turning point in my life....???.....i hate pinot noir.....there is missing something all the time....and now...this evening....in Düsseldorf Gernany...everything blind.....wooow....out of this world....that colour...no please....help....it can’t be......demasqué.....f..ck! It is.....pinot noir....Burgundy....perfect score.....it happened..... — 6 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.3

Elegant Cubillo from the 07 vintage. Plenty of spicy/oak notes on both nose and palate. More finesse than other LDH bottles I’ve had, but no complaints here. One of my favorite producers in the world. Enjoyed alongside a curiousity, The Groderdeck Whipperjenny which is a spaced out jazz funk effort led by David Matthews who was also James Brown’s arranger and band leader at the time. Great stuff all around here. — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Inky in color with a very short reddish/ brick rim.

Full bodied with medium acidity

Showing black fruits with earth, bell pepper, tobacco, oak, dark coffee, pencil lead, bitter herbs, earth, light roasted bell pepper and forest floor.

Soft tannins on the tangy finish.

This 10 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is probably on its way out. Still very drinkable, but a little unbalanced and showing lots of earth notes.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after two hours of air time.

Showing nice complexity at this point, but a little bitter for my taste.

Although still good, I expected more from this second wine from this producer and this vintage.

90 points.

$80 (current vintage). — 3 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a tasty one from Mount Veeder.

Deep ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black plums, black currants, dark coffee, oak, spices, pencil lead, vanilla, tobacco, licorice, earth, light herbs and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, coffee, vanilla, spices, cola, licorice, mint, black pepper, bitter herbs, vegetables and earth.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins, cranberries and peppercorn.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is starting to drink nicely now, although it needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly.

Showing nice complexity, elegant and spicy, with lots of earth notes.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour of airtime.

Smooth, elegant and tangy. Feels like a young Bordeaux, and will age nicely in the next 10 years.

Good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats. I paired it with a Brie cheese and crackers.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 30 months in French oak barrels (50% new). A tiny production of only 125 cases.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$95. — 4 years ago

Chris McClellan

9.3

Amazing brunello...love this producer...dried red fruit/black fruits, savory, leather and cigar box. Came out of the gate with some VA and barnyard funk which made it fun as the structural elements all there..it blew away in time but overall just perfect. Paired with grandmas pizza! — 5 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.2

As the summer is slipping out of our hands, its time to to pop those complex reds that we’ve been lastning for. Produttori del Barbaresco is considered one of the best cooperatives in the world and its 2016 Barbaresco is a solid proof of that statement.
Restrained at first and needs a couple of hours in the decanter to reach its climax. True to its provenance its clasically crafted, and puts up complex profile of red cherries, rose hip, strawberries, spice, bitter orange and a volatile dried floral lift over a canvas of wet soil.
An offensive approach on the palate with a high acidity and a generous portion of mouth coating tannins that is well accompanied by a pronounced fruit profile with an evolving finish. Very good indeed, but is a couple of level behind to reach the higher tiers. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

2002 is such a beautiful vintage IMHO. In many ways, I think even better than 07. We’ll see in five years from now as I lack a time machine.

I’ve said this a couple of times over my nearly 4,200 Delectable notes. There is no amount of decanting a young wine that can reproduce the beauty, elegance, florals, integration, balance and finish as long bottle age. If you are buying expensive Cabernets and drinking them young, you are simply short changing yourself out of your deep investment.

This largely under known Napa producer is a shining example of that tonight. Proof in the pudding so to speak.

The nose reveals, sweet, ripe, lush, ruby, slightly baked/liqueured fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum, understated blueberries and baked strawberries haunt the backend. Dark Asian & Indian spices, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, black tea, dark expresso, crushed dry rocks, limestone minerals, herbal notes, mint, incense, graphite, dark chocolate, caramel & mocha, dry top soil, moist clay, dark rich, turn earth with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple, blue flowers & just a touch of violets.

The body is; round, rich & luxurious. The tannins still have baby teeth and show chewy tarriness. The tension, structure, length and balance have hit their peak. It’s not going to improve, it will simply show you descending changes which, can be quite enjoyable but, not necessarily for the ones that appreciate wines young. Interesting, none the less, for the ones that enjoy all sides/aspects of wine evolution. Sweet, ripe, lush, ruby, slightly baked/liqueured fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum, mulberries, boysenberries, more blue fruits than the nose, cherries and baked strawberries haunt the backend. Dark Asian & Indian spices with just the right amount of heat, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, black tea, dark expresso, crushed dry rocks, limestone minerals, herbal notes, mint, graphite, dark chocolate, caramel & mocha, dry top soil, moist clay, dark rich, turn earth, fresh tobacco, suede style leather, saddle-wood with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple, blue flowers & just a touch of violets. The ABV on this wine is really nice given today’s hotter wines. Climate change, it’s a bitch. The round acidy is as good as it gets. The long, excellent, elegant, rich, ripe, ruby, gorgeous, sexy, floral, perfectly balanced finish falls into persistent heaven.

This is a gorgeous example of what Napa Valley is capable of in grand vintages, if you have good storage & can show patience.

Photos of; an arial view of Jones Family Winery, patio tasting area, beautiful Jones Family Cabernet fruit and their amazing vineyards. — 6 years ago

Madeleine Ray

9.3

We’ve been talking about this producer for a while, so excited to have found the appellation level, even if the vineyard designated bottles are few and far between. Begins with all graphite and granite on the nose, sharp and clean. Opens into reserved fruit on the palate and earthy florals like tulip or orchid. More time in the glass allows for a bit of a saline and meaty character to appear. Whole cluster, but you wouldn’t know it right away, the structure is decidedly not oak tannin, angular, but not overwhelmingly so. Paired with an arrabiata sauce, which softens the white pepper, brings out the red fruit, and surprisingly doesn’t negatively showcase the alcohol content. It’s enticing! Keeps ya checking back for more. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Pretty nose of currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, earth, leather, chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs, eucalyptus, peppercorn, alcohol, black tea and violets.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, coffee, oak, vanilla, licorice, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, earth, pencil lead and light mint.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot based Bordeaux blend from South Africa.

This 6 year old is starting to drink very nicely now. Nicely balanced with a smooth mouthfeel. Spicy and opulent. Fruit-forward and elegant with nice complexity.

Gets tangier as it opens up, and feels like a Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon.

Good right out of the bottle, and much better after 90 minutes in the decanter. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Wine Enthusiasts 91 points. Robert Parker 90 points.

A blend of 54% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$45. — 3 years ago

Alan Weinberg

9.2

V 18, very young and fresh—disgorged 4/20. Currently very linear and lean. Needs time to flesh out but all the constituents are there. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Light gold. Bright and young looking, which is encouraging given a recent bottle of this came across as much darker and tired. Powerful nose. Huge bouquet of spiced apricots, white dusty earth, lemon, gravel stone and some floral notes. In the mouth, the fruit comes out and there is plenty of acidity to make this very enjoyable. Stony with abundant minerality. Missing just a little bit in the mid palate. But I love it when you hit a great rebound bottle like this after a bad one. BTW, this isn’t the first time a home run has been hit with a 94 white burg vintage... there are some gems if you get lucky — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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10

In my last sighted review of the 2016 Cos d’Estournel, I wrote: "I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth." Perhaps it is already beginning to shut down, because though this wine was deeply impressive, it fell just a notch short of ethereal previous bottles, despite its "pixelated black fruit" on the nose and "sublime balance" on the palate. I tasted the wine twice thereafter, though this time with a 4-6 hour decant, and this revealed the Cos d'Estournel that has amazed since I first tasted it out of barrel. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2020)
— 5 years ago

Mono Head

9.1

Wax was hard to get off. Essentially scrapped it off. Before cork even came out I could start smelling the wine. I thought it would be corked. Cork melted off even with an ah so. First sip just had a little bit of funk but overall very drinkable. Much like a French Bordeaux. Fruit is muted, dry. Dark fruit finish. Smell definitely is dry and has an older funk, herbal, medicinal - not in a negative way. Would have loved to seen how it would have done decanted but had no time. — 5 years ago

Antonio Favela

9.3

Out of a split. I blew it in not giving it proper decanting time. Probably be a bit higher if I did. Was delicious after time paired with prime rib. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Even though we brought spilts with us on our trip, I still missed it. There just aren’t many better starters to kickoff a weekend night. Cheers! 🥂

Many previous notes still apply.

The next time you have BSR as an aperitif and your are having red wine after, save some to close out your night. The BSR ascends from 1080p HD to OLED 4K on your palate. For that matter, any quality Champagne will do. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Second course...Chestnut Soup with a tiny hint of warmer spices (cardamom, clove, fennel) with a tiny tang and nut flavor with Madeira Cream. One of the best pairings I’ve done in some time.

Notes apply from last weekend.

Check out Chef Hedy’s Pop Up Dinner business @plate&bottle on Facebook. — 7 years ago

with James and Christina