At The Wharf in Grand Cayman — 9 days ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Very pretty color of peach with a salmon hue.
Strong nose of apples, citrus, peaches, yeast, light bread and minerals.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and tiny bubbles.
Dry on the palate with raspberries, over ripen strawberries, apples, limes, yeast, sea salt, brioche, spices, minerals, light earth and cardamom.
Long spicy finish with limes and grapefruits.
This 14 year old Rosé Champagne is drinking beautifully already, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Elegant, spicy and rich. Fruity and nicely balanced, complex and engaging.
Wine Spectator 96 points. Wine Advocate 95 points.
Good right out of the bottle, and better when not too cold.
A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Tuna Avocado Tartare.
A blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay, with 5% red wine. Disgorged in 2020.
12% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$200. — a month ago
Drinking well with notes of red & black fruit, orange peel, floral, aromatic spices, crushed rock & fresh cut flowers. — 2 months ago
solaia 2004. leather and plum. probably would’ve been an even higher rating if i wasn’t congested. paired with lamb chops and osso buco — 2 months ago
13.2%. A perpetual favorite. This vintage seems more fruit driven compared to previous renditions. Quite dark. Cherries, raspberries, cranberries and some tea notes, well integrated tannins and dare I say “smooth” mouthfeel. Sadly/unfortunately in a different prize range compared to a decade ago. 75$ or so. Seems high to me. — a month ago
Inspire Napa welcome dinner
at Gamble Estates
VINTNER co-hosts
Dalla Valle ...2012 Maya
Harlan...2019 Harlan estate
Futo...2022 estate cab
Opus...2018 Opus
Screaming Eagle...2023 The Flight
Tench Vineyards...2023 estate cab franc
Vine Hill Ranch...2023 cab
Gamble estates...2022 reserve cab
FOOD
Hog Island oysters
Spring salad
Flannery beef striploin
Mustards Grill Alaskin Halibut
Sugar snap peas
Yukon potato hash browns
Mt Shasta porcini mushrooms
Burnt Basque cheesecake — a month ago

Inky in color with a reddish rim.
Fruity nose of black currants, plums, licorice, light cedar, earth, cola, herbs, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, black tea and light garigge notes.
Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, oak, light licorice, spices, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, cola, herbs, peppercorn and light vegetables.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is already drinking beautifully. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a smooth mouthfeel. Elegant and complex, spicy and tangy.
Delicious now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.
The alcohol is nicely integrated already, although not as high as typically from this region.
Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.
I've had a few vintages of this wine and this is not my favorite, by far.
A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec.
14% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$450. — a month ago


A real favorite. What a value — a month ago
First time tasting the 2019 Bard. Big wine. Big ripe fruit - I’m getting mostly black with some red and hints of blue. Graphite. Lavender. Softened yet big chewy tannins. Acidity holding in strong at this point. Drinking well now with just a brief decant, but I can see this one really hitting a sweet spot in a few more years. — 3 months ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hour. The 2009 pours a deep, slightly dull ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with beguiling notes of strawberry, raspberry, dried red flowers, sous bois, mushroom, licorice, dried green herbs, and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Despite the power of the vintage, this is impressively balanced and only seemed to gain energy as time went on. Drink now with patience through 2059. — a month ago
Ruby in color with medium intensity and a wide reddish rim.
Fresh red berries on the nose and medium in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing fresh cherries, sweet raspberries, light wood, tobacco, black pepper, chocolates, spices, light earth and herbs.
Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This young Pinot Noir from Oregon is starting to drink nicely now, and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Rich and fruity, smooth and spicy. Nicely balanced and complex, soft and elegant.
I've had a few vintages of this Pinot Noir and it is so much better with age. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
Wine Enthusiasts 93 points. Robert Parker 93 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.
A good quality wine. Good right out of the bottle, and better with some airtime.
Interesting, easy drinking and a good sipping wine.
Pinot Noir grapes were aged in (55% new) French oak barrels for 16 months.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$95. — 2 months ago
Bruce Leboff
Excellent. — 12 days ago