Oak Cross

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Delicious. Good amount of caymus fruit and oak but integrated well enough to deliver an outstanding wine — a month ago

Tom, Ethan and 3 others liked this

Silver Oak

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Lighter nose than AV. Smoother than AV with more balanced tannins. Really nice wine but will take the AV version for the price. — 2 months ago

Max Phillips
with Max

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2021

Vanilla, oak and spices on the nose that beautifully integrates with tart cherry, blackberry and soft tannins on the palette. Very young wine that is of exceptional quality that would certainly benefit from aging to have tertiary flavors and aromas develop. — 3 months ago

Dave, Andrew and 9 others liked this

Penfolds

Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 2010

Dense dark crimson - almost black in colour. Red and black fruits, choc/mocha; and wild mint. An inner core of strength, concentration and intensity. The following night - Blackberry, rich, ripe fruits. A powerful 389 which will live for decades. My first of 11. Destined for greatness. 100% American Oak. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon; 49% Shiraz. — 5 months ago

Tom, Dawn and 25 others liked this

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Oak Knoll District Chardonnay 2023

Beautiful and light on its feet. Dry - very well made! Fantastic fruit. Very fresh. Honey. Meyer lemon, mandarine, just a faint touch of 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) aka Diesel. Touch bitter on the back palate. As a chemist i just had to bring this up. At 24 suns in Oceanside. 2 Michelin Chefs cooking. Grab this bargain before it is gone!!!!!! — 7 months ago

Tom and Shay liked this

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Oak Knoll District Dry Riesling 2023

Bright silver/gold color. Aromas of lemon candy, apple, white flowers and lime. Expressive flavors of lemon, tropical fruit, Granny Smith apple and peaches. Hint of fresh herbs on the medium-plus finish. Mouth watering acidity and excellent balance. Pleasant mouthfeel and aftertaste. So flavorful, bold and well crafted. Heard very good things about Trefethen Dry Riesling and I am glad I finally tried it. Unique Riesling style. — 8 months ago

Austin, Tom and 3 others liked this

Leeuwin Estate

Art Series Margaret River Chardonnay 2016

Presented double-blind. The wine pours a light straw color with medium viscosity and no signs of particles or gas. On the nose, the wine is developing with tart and ripe notes of apple, pear, underripe pineapple, lemon curd, nuts and minerals. I felt like there was some deft use of oak. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+, bordering on high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and chocked full of minerals. My immediate impression was Bourgogne Blanc and I was having a hard time getting away from it. So I called Chardonnay, from France, Burgundy, Chassagne-Montrachet with 3-5 years of age. Gosh dammit! Margaret River strikes again!!! Blind, I always seem to call these Chablis or some other high quality white Burg. And I adore the Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnays. They always impress me. Drink now through 2036. — 8 months ago

"Odedi", Jeroen and 11 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2011

Opus One 2011
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A Bordeaux-style blend from one of Napa’s most iconic estates, co-founded by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The 2011 vintage was a challenging, cool year in Napa, producing wines of lower alcohol, more restraint, and higher acidity compared to the opulent, sun-soaked vintages before and after. Blend typically centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Aromas & Flavors
Opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and dried cherry layered with graphite, violets, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar and espresso. As it evolves in the glass, notes of leather, savory herbs, and cocoa powder emerge.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied compared to more powerful Opus vintages, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and balanced, showing more finesse and structure than richness. The finish lingers with red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of earth.

Winemaking Notes
Aged in French oak for 18 months. The cooler season resulted in smaller yields, but a style closer to classic Bordeaux restraint rather than plush Napa ripeness.

Food Pairing
Beautiful with herb-crusted lamb, grilled duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like Comté.

Verdict
A vintage that divided critics due to its lighter profile, but for those who enjoy elegance and classical structure, the 2011 Opus One is a refreshing outlier. Drink now, though it still has a few years of graceful life ahead. Cheers!
— a month ago

Ira, Ted and 9 others liked this

Oak Ridge Winery

Reserve Ancient Vine Zinfandel

Jammy dark fruit, some barrel aromas and flavors. Pretty complex and enough tannin to keep you from getting overwhelmed. Great sipper for the price point! Would buy again. — 3 months ago

Matthew HeyboerEthan HeyboerJody Wycech
with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2012

This is spectacular. That roughness that is characteristic of Rioja is prominent but exists alongside a beautifully dry, luscious dark cherry 🍒 and oak flavour. And even with all its complexity, it’s a nice sipper too. — 3 months ago

Gillian Koh
with Gillian
Doug, Ron and 1 other liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Bosconia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2013

Tasting notes during visit to the winery where absolutely everything is done in-house by hand; preserving centuries old winemaking traditions. Bosconia is a delicate wine highlighted by persistent tones of red berries and bright acidity with integrated tannins closing with medium but lingering finish.

No stainless steel here. The juice is fermented in old large wooden “tinas,” then transferred to American oak barrels (made in house to lighter toast specifications), underground in their +100 year old cellars for at least a year. After that it is bottled and stored in the same underground cellars and finally released about ten years later. Learning about their curated winemaking process was inspiring.
— 7 months ago

Ted, Paul and 12 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Deep ruby color. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and boysenberry with hints of mocha. Licorice, dark chocolate and oak flavors. — 8 months ago

Tom, Tom and 6 others liked this

Rombauer Vineyards

Carneros Chardonnay 2022

Founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley, with caves that extend for over a mile. Pale lemon color with aromas of stone and tropical fruit, sweet oak, spice and floral scents. On the palate flavors of ripe peach, melon and apple, with vanilla spice, creamy texture. Medium+ finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with mineral notes. — 8 months ago

Tom, Anthony and 4 others liked this

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Oak Knoll District Merlot 2021

Gratifying Oak Knoll #napavalley #merlot - medium plus body, calibrated acidity, some vanilla and toasty oak notes so it’s pretty young but well executed Merlot. My hot take - Merlot at the $50 retail mark will outperform Cabs at this price point. — 3 months ago

Dave liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2015

Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — 2 months ago

Paul, Dave and 12 others liked this

Oak Ridge Winery

OZV Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2013

Dark in color. Super fruity on the nose. Blackberry and plumb notes. Peppery, leathery, earthy finish. — 3 months ago

Trefethen Family Vineyards

HãLo Hillspring Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Excellent cab great depth tannins not overly fruit for just spectacular  — 6 months ago

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2011

In its prime, tannins are rounded, good body. Just a little too much vanilla/oak for my taste. — 7 months ago

Tom and Ira liked this

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Reserve Oak Knoll District Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Deep ruby color. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and earthy notes. Plum, cherry and oak on the palate. So good! — 8 months ago

Tom, Ron and 8 others liked this

Marqués de Riscal

Reserva Herederos del Marques de Riscal Rioja Tempranillo 2020

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2020 Reserva pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart dark fruits: blackberry, black cherry, toasted coconut, dill, vanilla, wood, and associated baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Already balanced but the oak is playing a significant role at this stage (this is traditionally made Rioja Reserva we’re talking about). There is plenty of stuffing however and I expect this will become even more balanced with some time on its side. Want to see a wine under $20 that can age for 30 years? Welp, here you go. Drink now through 2050. — 8 months ago

Douglas, Juan and 13 others liked this