Next Door

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2013

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.

Pretty nose of blueberries, cooked black cherries, blackberries, figs, cedar, vanilla, spices, chocolates, earth, herbs, coffee, tobacco, licorice and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, currants, black cherries, raisins, dried figs, vanilla, cedar, cola, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, earth, bitter herbs and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Feels like a Napa Cabernet with a Bordeaux touch. Fruity and rich, yet elegant.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours in the decanter, but it definitely needs longer than that.

What a great mouthfeel. I just love these Napa Bordeaux blends.

Still young and would be better in 5 to 10 years. Could be a 97+ point wine in 10 years. Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.

Thank you John for sharing this with me.

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$500.
— 2 years ago

Trixie, Dick and 29 others liked this
"Odedi"

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@Trixie this is always enjoyable, regardless of the vintage
"Odedi"

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@Eric not cheap 😉
"Odedi"

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@Tommy you let me know when you are in town

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay 2007

Jeremy Shanker
9.3

A baby, tasting this next to the 90 is mind blowing. — 6 years ago

Daniel P., Ryan and 1 other liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2009

Really good given its age. Amazing with roasted Chicken. Drink in the next year. — 6 years ago

Mike, Shay and 2 others liked this

Vidigal

Next Station Douro Red Blend 2015

Nice wine for the price. Bought at Trader Joe’s. — 7 years ago

Next of Kyn

Cumulus Vineyard No. 3 Syrah

No 4 in magnum — 8 years ago

Jill CarneyStephen Carney
with Jill and Stephen
Stanley, Eric and 1 other liked this
Stephen Carney

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From a magnum
9.6

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2006

Geoff Troup
9.4

Such beauty and elegance. I'm sure some of it is the age, but an AOC known for power emitting such elegance...Wow. Anyhow, jammy raspberries and a whole garden of vegetables on the nose. Palate is quite refined with white pepper, rock and all the trademark CDP flavors. Im never a huge fan of that fruit in the front, but the mid and back arr gorgeous. What's truly remarkable is the balance...The ability to isolate any single flavor to ruminate on, how each nuance to perfectly morphs into the next. Still some pronounced tannin in this guy! — 8 years ago

kasimir liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

First taste reminded me of Firenze in that the leather belts and purses were on the nose. Lots of floral arrangements now, solid round, very nice as always. Shout out to my 1 follower @Bill Bender ... it's my birthday and my goal is to be drinking at your level next year!

94 points
— 9 years ago

Bill, Kimberly and 9 others liked this
Lundmark Kvarnstrom

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Happy birthday, mate!
M. Christopher Roebuck

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@Bill Bender by the way, my friends call me by my middle name Chris. So I changed my profile. Nice to meet you!

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Mag- glad I still have a 750 & a 1.5, perfect gift for someone I know who turns 40 next year! — 11 years ago

Dan liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1970

Rob Mondavi
9.9

Drank with my buddies Geoff and Danny. It's amazing. Here is the thing when drinking next to a 70 R Mondavi CS you really see the Bordeaux wooly aromatic thing. Napa is so clean and offering of florals and fruits, yet the Bordeaux had the forest floor and wooly thing. Both awesome but night and day. — 11 years ago

David, Matthew and 5 others liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1962

So floral on opening and just exploded with subtle flavors over the next hour. — 3 years ago

Ridge Vineyards

Geyserville Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend 2018

This baby was given 3 hours in crystal. In classic ridge style the big Cali bomber came off with unexpected elegance. Red berry and supple tannins this wine would be great to watch evolve over the next 10 years. — 4 years ago

Eric, Jay and 17 others liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, blended then aged for 24 months in 50% new and 50% once-used American oak. Deep Ruby color with aromas of black fruit, licorice and minty floral notes. The palate beautifully displays rich ripe blackberry and black cherry, a hint of sweetness, vivid acidity and the right touch of toasty vanilla oak, still youthful in development. The wine has nicely integrated tannins, still holds some grip on a long finish which should give way to let this wine age for the next decade+. Excellent, Tasting Sample! — 5 years ago

Beachin, Shay and 4 others liked this

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

Bolgheri Red Bordeaux Blend 1997

Off the scales elegant, refined and beautifully lifted. Roses and dark cherry with stems on the nose led a seamless and perfectly integrated Orni verging on Burgundy. Restrained power and overt femininity. So lovely from magnum. Drink over next 5 years. — 6 years ago

Shay, Iwan and 29 others liked this
P A

P A

@LM Segal Cheers 🏒
David L

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What a nice Mag

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Somm David T
9.2

When it comes to my B-day, there is only one fit, an old Pichon Lalande with my Ribeye. As a lover of Bordeaux, these two are my favorite pairing. It’s a very slow walk to the finishline. A small bite of steak and a sip of 89 Pichon Lalande. Then, repeat until finished. I had some concerns about this bottle. A slightly slippery and crumbling cork. The first sip was not bad, but not what you want or are expecting. After some time in the decanter, it really started to shine. On the nose; ripe, ruby, floral cassis, blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The body is full, round and silky. Tannins are well resolved at around 80%. The texture, length, tension and length are in a sweet spot. The fruits are ripe, ruby & expressively floral. Blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The acidity is just a little off but still nice. The finish is divided nearly equally in fruit, earth, florals and herbaceous. It’s very enjoyable but falls just a little short in longer, lingering length. This bottle had good storage, not great. Even so, still has another three to five years ahead. A bottle with excellent storage has another five years beyond this one. Photos of; the backside of Pichon Lalande, angled terrace view of their vines right next to Latour, my steak & twice baked potato (so good) and CEO Nicolas Glumineau. — 7 years ago

Sofia, Eric and 22 others liked this
Somm David T

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@Severn Goodwin Would love to get to that region at peak fall. I’ve never done it. Alway wanted to drive the east coast up to Maine.

A. Rafanelli

Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This was a house warming gift from a old friend. Love the nose and legs on this wine. Absolutely great for watching the sun go down next to a fire with your favorite someone! — 8 years ago

Sean and Tetsuko liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

Steve Matthiasson
9.6

1985. Tasting this was like sitting next to a WWII vet on a train...some respect for an old school gentleman...they don't make wines like this any more: herbal, pencil shavings, cigar, tea, lots of acid, grainy tannins, light body, refreshing...let's bring cab like this back! — 10 years ago

Kristen, Michael and 57 others liked this
jason carey DipWSET

jason carey DipWSET

Actually they do, just not Parkerized Bordeaux estates

Ridge Vineyards

Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Blend 2012

A very good Lytton Springs, one of the best I've had in quite a while. Should be interesting to see this one develop over the next few years. — 10 years ago

Mountain Door

Mendoza Malbec 2012

Great tastes of plum, cherry, and spice! — 11 years ago

Austin Hope

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Lovely smooth cab. Mellow, full bodied wine just made for a perfect medium rare filet. I’d bet it has a bit of merlot blended in. Would love to taste it with 5 years of aging but probably give in and drink it with my next hunk of red meat. Very enjoyable! — 3 years ago

Jeremy
with Jeremy

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2004

Having had the coveted 2005 vintage just a few months ago, ‘04 is far more open and rewarding today. So seductive and captivating. Smoked meats, black fruits, balsamic glaze and hints of roasted sage leaves and tobacco. The tannins are integrated beautifully and the finish shows wonderful finesse, elegance and length. Gorgeous now but will continue to improve over the next 8-10 years. — 5 years ago

Ryan, Josh and 9 others liked this

Hill Family Estate

Red Door Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Excellent Napa blend that’s not a typical fruit bomb of cab and merlot. The Malbec really shows through. Very nice acidity and probably has a decade or more of time. Excellent cedar, spice, plum, and a hint of raspberry jam. — 6 years ago

Domaine de la Janasse

Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2014

Tasted next to the 2014 Charvin. This was obviously dark fruited in comparison...and perhaps a bit more ripe? Not quite as tannic. The future isn’t quite as clear on this one but it’s certainly a fine glass at this moment in them. — 7 years ago

Ellen and Daniel P. liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2009

The latest newly released 904 vintage 🎉

What do you folks think of the new more modern label? Personally I find it too modern for an old world wine 😁 but the great news is the contents are still superb 🎉

We killed 3 bottles of this at the weekend & alas I didn’t take notes, so will do so next time, but it had the typical old world LRA 904 nose with a fab well balanced yummy body that should match the 04/05 in quality given a few years 👍

LRA does it again 👏
Incredible quality @£38 ✅
93 going 94-96
— 7 years ago

Chris, James and 31 others liked this
Shay A

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Very nice! Didn’t know when this vintage would make its debut. Glad the contents are still 👌🏼
Chris England

Chris England

@Shay A if you’re a 904 fan you’ll be happy 😎😉👍🍷

Tenuta San Guido

Guidalberto Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013

Sassicaia's little brother delivers delicate violet, black currant, and a dusting of chocolate. Jammy, but also balanced like a classic Bordeaux with lighter tannins. Enjoyable young it will undoubtedly get deeper in the next 4-5 years. — 8 years ago

Spike liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

This wine needed about 3 hours to release. Initially tight with uncomfortable medicinal nose which then totally dissipated. Drinking now next day and you get the age of fully integrated but not fading tannins. Nose has a delightful dark fruit and smokiness. Great fit of nose and taste, meaning - when tastes after smelling the experience is consistent and not jolting. I think the color purple in a subdued way. Very nice. Memo to self: decant and watch for sediment, and enjoy three hours later. — 8 years ago

Cynthia LangstaffChris Langstaff
with Cynthia and Chris
Chris liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2004

2004 vintage from Clape. Deep ruby hue. Violet and floral, very plummy - dark fruits. Hints of sweet spice, nutmeg and cardoman, smokey notes. On the palate, medium plus body, high acidity - integrated and refreshing. Medium plus, plush and ripe tannins. Long finish. The plums to the fore. Still quite primary and youthful. Should develop nicely over the next 15 years. Open in 2025. — 10 years ago

Max liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1986

Very Pauillac like served blind and tasted next to the 86 Mouton. I guessed 86 Dominus as I have had this wine more than a dozen times over the last few years. — 10 years ago

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2010

Faith Wells
9.4

Young and beautiful. Next time, a light decant would be nice. — 11 years ago

Steve liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1994

A nose of dried prunes, 30 second finish with minimal tannins. Nice bouquet. Drink within the next few years. — 12 years ago

V and G liked this
Jay Miele

Jay Miele

As this opens more, increasing tannins. Still soft though. The finish is longer too - clocking it at a minute