Money Talks
E. Guigal
Côtes du Rhône Red Rhône Blend
Some fruity and interesting things on the nose. Flavors are very nice. Easy. Like taking money from a bad, drunken poker player, or taking a nap after a hearty meal of stew and warm bread. A go to French red. — 7 years ago
Cresta Velia
Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Another great California Cabernet, dark purple and violet in the glass. Fantastic initial nose, plenty of blackcurrant and mushroom as well as leaf and oak. It takes 30-45 minutes in the decanter to soften and smooth out a little. Taste is blackcurrants and spices with caramel, vanilla and lavender. After an hour there is a distinct rosemary addition to the nose. This wine will age further but current tannin levels are not too intrusive.The price at $80 is good value for money in my opinion. Will get some more to store. — 7 years ago
Caymus Vineyards
Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
92' Caymus Special Selection. Each wine tells a story .
After reading about it in Wine Spectator, in 1995/6, I scraped together some money and purchased a single bottle. This particular one has traveled with me through two apartments, one condominium, and now two homes. I've gotten married and have had two beautiful kids, since purchasing this wine.
I pulled the capsule off this about 15 years ago with the intent of drinking it with a good friend. Going through my cellar this morning looking for a few bottles to stand up for dinner tonight, I pulled this bottle out...the fill was at the bottom of the neck...needs to be consumed. Sometimes you just need to let go.
Wine- Cork was destroyed. It's surprisingly still all there. Drinking wonderfully now. It needed 10 minutes to open. Cheers everyone!
— 9 years ago
Marqués de Murrieta
Reserva Finca Ygay Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2011
Amazing rich red robust rich good deep glavor best money focal i.e. For me in years — 9 years ago
Ferrando Vini
La Torrazza Canavese Rosso Nebbiolo Barbera 2016
We were invited over to a house warming gathering for some friends and they graciously provided some Neapolitan pizzas. We brought three bottles of Ferrando Canavese. This stuff is just so delicious; so easy to enjoy and outrageous quality for the money. Tough to find so swoop it up when you see it. — 7 years ago
Heitz Cellar
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
As I evaluate my wine purchases over time, I consider; quality, pleasure and the price of the bottle of wine. Specifically, how good is the wine vs. the price and others that I’ve had that are certainly better wines but cost over $70-$500 more? In this case, are they worth 3 to 14 times more money? I find the answer more often than not, no. I feel this way about the Heitz & Joseph Phelps regular Napa wines over their higher priced wines for sure. And, many other high end producers. This wine was under $35 and it’s delicious without having reached its peak.
On the nose, stewed; blueberries & black plum, strawberries, ripe black raspberries & dark cherries. Black cherry cola, black licorice, limestone minerals, vanilla, cinnamon, light clove & nutmeg, dark rich soil, understated mint with red, dark & blue florals.
The body is medium full, rich and elegant. The tannins are round, fine and nicely resolved. It’s seamless wire to wire. The structure, tension, length and balance are starting to really jell. stewed, ripe; blueberries & black plum, strawberries, ripe black raspberries, creamy raspberries & dark cherries. Black cherry cola, black licorice, limestone minerals, vanilla, cinnamon, light clove & nutmeg, dark spice, dry stems, used leather, tobacco leaf, graphite, touch of mocha & caramel, dark rich soil, understated mint with red, dark & blue florals. The acidity is near perfect. The finish is beautiful and last minutes. Still a lot of life in the 08...another 10 years plus.
Photos of; the side of their tasting room, transiting Winemaker David Heitz. Still disappointed a Napa pioneering family sold to a corporation. Tasting room terrace, old school basket press and a wide shot of the winery & Estate vines. — 7 years ago
La Rioja Alta
Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 1998
Everyone knows I’m a fan of LRA but I’ve not had the 98 for a long time!
As I just found some @ £68 I had to try & it’s lovely for the money with lots of life left 👍
🍸 Perfect in Zalto Burgundy 😎
🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge
👃 Smoked dark balsamic oak in spiced black cherry w/ vanilla cocoa cream, herbs, smoke, leather, coconut & caramel
👄 Med creamy smooth body of dark cherry bathed in balsamic & vanilla cocoa w/ red berry tones
🎯 Long chocky cherry w/ touch tart balsamic thick linger — 8 years ago
Roederer Estate
Brut Anderson Valley Sparkling Pinot Noir - Chardonnay Blend
Very good, great value for the money. — 9 years ago
Cannonball Wines
California Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Love! $149.00 it is not! For the money great notes! Chocolate, berry. No disappointment.9.5 — 9 years ago
Gargiulo Vineyards
Estate Vineyard Money Road Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Drinking well now. Still nice to aerate for a bit. Plum, dark red ripe fruit. I prefer the 575 OVX but this is nice. — 6 years ago
Love Over Money
Green Eyes Wolfsgraben Grüner Veltliner
Wine club March 2019. Green apple, pear and lime. Light and zesty. 3.14.19 — 7 years ago
Arabella
Western Cape Pinotage 2017
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I didn’t get any bitterness, having decanter it for about an hour. Just an intense hit of fruit that lingered pleasantly. Great value for money. — 7 years ago
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
Will preface this review with saying that I had a healthy tasting but didn’t share a bottle, or eat any food with it. It’s composition is predominant Cabernet. Without looking at the price tag, it’s a great wine. Smells of freshly picked berries. It’s colour is almost black. Very velvety, royal dark fruit that is balanced extremely well with medium tannins. It’s silky smooth. But it lacks a certain “forte” characteristic that I look for wines (if you haven’t noticed yet). If this was a somewhat more affordable wine to buy on special occasions, I would nearly be in love. For the price (2012, $500 euro), and my own personal tastes, I truly think you can save yourself a handful of money and enjoy your best personal favourite wine and not have any fear that you are somehow missing out. Because of the reasons mentioned above, my rating is good, but not breaking 9/10 — 7 years ago
Most quality producers of Bordeaux and 1st Growths are the rule not the exception to my point but, they are simply not that appealing this young.
When you consider the critical drinking window of this wine is from 2027-2060, this may speak to your disappointment. It’s only been in bottle around four years and It’s likely in a shutdown cycle of its evolution.
Additionally, I find even drinking a number of first & second growth producers on the early side of their drinking window distasteful. The general rule of thumb is you don’t open first growth Bordeaux for 20 years even a good vintage, longer for grand vintages. I realize of course this is a Chateau tasting and you not opening your own bottle.
I tasted the 1995 Lafite at the Chateau after it was in bottle for ten years. I found the experience just as disappointing. Maybe, more so.
My long story short, these kind of wines don’t reveal their true beauty for decades. You can judge them on, tannins, structure and acidity etc. for quality while they are young but, your palate isn’t likely going to do the happy dance.
I’ve tasted this vintage while it was in barrel...while it was still fresh and not closed down. From that experience, I would say there are much better experiences down the road for this wine.
@Mark Flesher If the 82 was well stored, you are in for an experience you won’t forget. Cheers all! 🍷
Mike Pepper
Very smooth and silky Merlot, drinks more like a lighter cab. Excellent compliment to the BBQ pork chops — 5 years ago