Tasted blind. Deep purple color. Looks very young, compared to the 45 Margaux next to it. Almost opaque. Notes of black fruit, cracked walnuts, sweet fruit, raspberry and some cedar desk. Super rich in the mouth. Seems young and is firm, but tannins are softened and the mouthfeel is velvet touch. Long finish. It peacocks all night. The walnuts thing leads my guess to Latour, but can this be the 45? Is it a 61 or 82? Could be... I go with it being a 59 given how young it seems. Just an amazing bottle of wine, open for ~9 hours by the time we left, it seemed to effortlessly power along. Thanks Stan! — 3 years ago
Lots of fun bottles were popped at Al’s hosting this past weekend for his birthday celebration. All were served blind. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 6 reds and 1 dessert wine.
Out of all the wines from the night, this one changed the most. At first, it was very reminiscent of South African blends with a smoky rubbery like note. Odd. After about two hours, it shed that and was showing a lot of sweet cassis, baking spices, ripe red and black fruits. Balanced and smooth on the palate with graham cracker, dates, dark cocoa and mixed berries. I called this Napa cab but couldn’t pin point a producer. Props to Weston for calling this Shafer HSS! — 6 years ago
Our first Morgon and oh, so good! The first bottle didn’t make it past the appetizer, so we had another. Explosive aromas of dark berry, violets and a little orange peel coax you to sip, again and again. A long supple finish, tinged with spice and a lovely sweetness. Delicious. Last night in Paris. South tomorrow! — 7 years ago
Wine of the night. This wine had EXCELLENT fruit, and showed NO VISIBLE SIGNS of decline. Great powerful blackberry. I was guessing 01 Stag's Leap or Rutherford. Turns out it was Caymus SS 01, but I was second guessing myself on the year because it was a very purple color into the decanter and showing well. The wine had great vanilla on the front, blackberry on the front, and a more youthful middle and finish with some herb. This wine has 10 years left in it no doubt. Whoever cut this one off at 2017 has no idea. This one literally showed no signs of decline whatsoever. Drink by date 2007 - 2030. — 8 years ago
My last bottle…
A few years back I bought 3 bottles. Now can’t find another 2017 on the inter-webs.
Soft mouth feel with a kick not from tannins, per se, but from a strong peppery finish. Just loved.
36% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 31 mourverdre…
After 2017 they jacked up the Grenache and it hasn’t been the same. Not sure the vineyard is even still around.
Was fun while it lasted…. — 7 months ago
1975 vintage. From magnum. Decent fill and cork. Decanted and tasted after two hours. Medium body. Nose remained angular and sharp throughout but flavors vacillated between finesse and brutish. Not the star of the night, yet impressive nonetheless. Out of magnum, looks to have 5-10 more years left of quality in store. 3.5.24. — a year ago
We enjoyed this bottle last night, but this is a much cooler picture. Earlier this year my sister was invited to a fundraiser in LA where a friend purchased every seat at Thomas Keller’s table. Not only did her friend invite her to come with her boyfriend, but he also invited her to bring our parents. After Christmas I wanted to let her take a bottle back to LA for the dinner. It was a hard decision, but I went with some old world class. It turns out that he knows the producer well and is a big fan! Phew! I’ll be honest, I was blown away by Alban’s Reva, but then we opened this and it just screamed class. Such a refined and elegant beast. Balanced/Seamless. — 5 years ago
Fortunate enough to have tasted this along with 6 other stunning wines last night during a cellar tasting. This 36 year old 2nd growth was nearly perfect, unusual but very pleasant mint, camphor, crushed sage and rosemary aromas with the same cooling delicate herbal initial palate. Dried but expressive red fruits mid- palate with a great structural graphite element throughout. Whiff of new leather. Changed in the glass showing different mellow facets. Pretty much intercepted at the exact right time. A real privilege to taste such a renowned vintage with folks who appreciates what was in front of them. — 6 years ago
Inky in color, jammy, big, plums, light no tannins. Not balanced but big. Steak tasting night at home — 8 months ago
Such a great way to finish the night — 9 months ago
Dark ruby. Decanted 30min, needs to open up a bit tight out of the bottle. Opens up very nicely. Dark fruit - cassis, blackberry, black cherry and maybe not of blueberry. Oak. Grippy tannins and nice finish. Always a good night when a bottle of Realm is opened. — 2 years ago
Last night in MT at the lake. Gave this several hours of air. Nice dark tawny color. Vibrant in the glass. The nose is great right away and stayed on point through the evening. Notes of black cherries, warm raspberries, old cedar, some plums and a little leather saddle. Rich and silky in the mouth. Velvet glove. Long finish. Great wine. — 6 years ago
What a find on half price wine night! Such a deal, especially with so much bottle age! — 6 years ago
Magnum 1991 Joseph Phelps Insignia CS. Dinner at T w neighbors. Drank alongside the '90 Latour out of magnum. We didn't decant this as long as the Latour and out of the gate, this wine was a little tight. However, by the end of dinner, this was the clear winner. Just held up and got better as the night progressed. — 8 years ago
Jay Kline

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2023 “Date Night…” Sauvignon Blanc is made more in the Sancerre style than the Bordeaux Blanc style. It’s bursting with grapefruit and verbena; herbal and grassy. There is some lovely acid and minerals too. This is a very strong example of this style in a New World way. Drink now. — 7 months ago