Off The Hook
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
First off. You have heard about decanting.... This is a great example. Open and it tastes flat, give it time to breath and the flavors come out. The nose has a nice oak, smokey texture. Taste has a predominant black cherry flavor with nice ripe fruit flavors. Oak remains throughout the taste from start to finish with american oak flavors. An almost cigar smokiness hits immediately with a slight spice....not sure where to compare this to because it's not like a Zinfandel pepper, but more like an allspice. The overall feel is medium bodied with rich cherry flavors and well balanced for a smooth feel. This is a great introduction to Stags Leap without spending $150. — 11 years ago
Hook & Ladder
Estate Bottled Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2010
Thanksgiving 2013. Mom, Dad, Grandmother, Aunt Betty Sue — 12 years ago
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1978
Great for off vintage. On its last legs — 10 years ago
Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2001
Great great earthy tea dark fruits and meaty aromas. Started off thin and acidic on the palate but filled out nicely with air and great with lamb and Claypot rice — 11 years ago
Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia
Unico Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend 1986
En magnum and off the hook!!! — 12 years ago
Éric Texier
Rouletabulle Off Dry Pétillant Naturel Chasselas 2011
Sparkling Chasselas very limited and like many things that are hard to find the reward is great — 13 years ago
Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1968
"Off-vintage" Latour, always a pleasure — 10 years ago
Château Margaux
Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1986
The bottle was off. =( — 11 years ago
Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 1983
The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour. On day one it offered red fruit, cherry, balsamic vinegar, cola, leather, mushroom, earthy and vegetal notes and a wet sewer component on the nose. On the palate the the wine showed red fruit, cherry, blackberry, tobacco and earthy notes, the acidity was quite pronounced, the wine became slightly drying and even more acidic after some time in the glass, and the fruit faded a bit. Two days later, on day three, the medium-bodied wine was more balanced and showed red and dark fruit, some chocolate, some tobacco, spices and earthy notes on the nose, and red fruit, cherry, leather, tobacco, earthy and balsamic notes on the palate, with just a faint touch of greenness, paired with medium-plus well-integrated tannin, medium-plus acidity and very good length. I had almost written-off the wine on day one and then, surprisingly, it showed much better the third day. Holding-up well. 90 — 11 years ago
Jeffrey Lew
Ex-Chateau bottle. Testament to perfect storage. Light Amber edge with a darker core. Started off full of toast and just a whiff of brett. Slow ox for 2 hrs then poured. Amazing life for a 54yr old wine still in its stride. Light and dark fruit with seamless integrity and polish. Classic old BDX. After the initial funk blew off it kept developing in the glass. I could drink this all night long. Awesome — 10 years ago