Republic Of Wine

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 1998

One of the best wines to sit on. — 2 months ago

Ted, Juan and 10 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

1 hour decant(lots of sediment). A gorgeous purplish garnet color. On the nose: Intoxicating musky notes of dark fruit, potting soil, worn leather, truffles, stewed meat, slight menthol. Taste: velvety, seamless, balanced, intense wine with dark fruit, cassis, earth, tobacco, mineral, herbs, and a chocolate graphite long never-ending finish. YUM! This wine has aged gracefully and has more gas in the tank. Enjoy. — 2 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Tom, Brenda and 12 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Paul K
9.7

This is incredible. Such great balance of so many parts. It’s dense, savory, smoky, floral, and juicy with great acidity. The fruit is there but not pronounced, blackberry and cassis- just a balanced part of the whole. I could drink this every night. — 3 months ago

Tom, Dave and 15 others liked this
Rick Phillips

Rick Phillips Premium Badge

Down to 3 bottles but still one of my favorites!
Paul K

Paul K

@Rick Phillips I’ll trade u one of my kids for a bottle. I have an extra…. 😏

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2023

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2023 (S) pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe strawberry, Bing cherry, red and purple flowers, red rope licorice, rocky earth and cool spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. This vintage of Lapierre shows the warmth of the vintage and oozes generosity. In some ways, this reminds me of the 2015 vintage. Drink now through 2033+. — 3 months ago

Zach, Jae and 14 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Top three producer.
Jay Kline

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@Somm David T They’re up there. Certainly Top 6 for me. Foillard, Metras, Guy Breton, Thivin, Roilette and a few of the new comers are all right up there for me
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

I have some vintages of Metras. Honored 5th to the Gang of Four. Need to open one soon. Definitely, on the list.

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2004

Dining right now. Powerful yet elegant. Expressive nose. Interesting slight scent of menthol. Juicy long long finish. — 4 months ago

David Stein
with David
David, Ira and 1 other liked this

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 32 months in 100% new 60-gallon French oak barrels. Deep Ruby with pronounced aromas of red/black fruits, with hints of cedar, floral, oak, herbs & spice. On the palate flavors of concentrated ripe blackberry, cherry and raspberry preserves, pepper spice, leather and earthy cacao. Fine soft savory tannins, well balanced, long finish, great structure ending with fruit, spice, oak and earthy mineral character. Outstanding! — 4 months ago

Andrew, Juan and 3 others liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2014

Deep, elegant Super Tuscan now firmly in its tertiary phase. Nose leans more to leather, tobacco, dried herbs and balsamic notes, with the red cherry and plum fruit clearly in the background. Medium‑plus body and acidity, fine chalky tannins; savoury flavours of dried red fruit, cedar and spice carry through on a long, resolved finish. Showing peak complexity today and unlikely to improve further with cellaring, so firmly in the drink‑now camp. — 5 months ago

Serge liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers!
— 9 months ago

Ted liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 1990

And then this happened. Oh my days! Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1990 pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of powerful ripe and desiccated brambles, dried purple flowers, beef blood, leather and mushrooms and earth. On the palate, the wine is dry and structure is still going strong with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, to quote “Squints”, the finish goes on, FOR-EV-ER. A monument. Drink now through 2040. — 2 months ago

Tom, Peter and 12 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Nice treat.
Jay Kline

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@Shay A yeah man…this slapped. I’ve had the good fortune of drinking the ‘88 and ‘89 rouge and all three very special…but the ‘90 takes it to a new place
Jay Kline

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@Peter Sultan @Somm David T I still can hardly believe it.

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 2006

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2006 Comtes de Champagne pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of white peach, lemon curd, white flowers, lightly toasted brioche with chalk and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and creamy. This is delicious and fabulously balanced CdC. Drink now through 2036. — 3 months ago

Zach, Jeroen and 14 others liked this
Pooneet K

Pooneet K

Beautiful.

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Out of coravin…it needs to be decanted to show properly. — 3 months ago

Tom, Jan and 5 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2001

This is what I think of when I think of Rioja. Dried cherry and cranberry is what I get right away, and then it has more savory/earthy notes like leather and mushroom. When I tasted it I said “it tastes old.” That is a compliment. Hints of vanilla and spice. Felt elegant with a long finish. Had it with fatty new york strips. Tannins and acidity balanced it well. Not a loud wine, but a great one. — 3 months ago

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend 2016

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, cooked cherries, light green vegetables, spices, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old red blend from California is still drinking beautifully. Complex and interesting. Nice to see that it aged nicely.

Showing slight RS on the palate, but I can live with that.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60.
— 4 months ago

Andrew, Ted and 9 others liked this
Dick Schinkel

Dick Schinkel

Big Cheers dear Winefriend 👌🍷

Beaulieu Vineyard

Private Reserve Georges de Latour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1975

Very pretty. Faded with a touch of balsamic. Poised and pretty. Very light but complete. Pristine for a 50 year old cab — 5 months ago

Naoko Dalla VallePaul Woolls
with Naoko and Paul
Matt, Juan and 16 others liked this
ESF

ESF

historic bottle - 👍

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano

Beautiful tempranillo led wine with 10% graciano from one of the benchmark vintages in the past 25 years. This Gran Reserva has legs for the long run but perfectly approachable now! — 8 months ago

Theodore, Jan and 2 others liked this

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2011

Gilles de Chambure
9.8

Anniversary of Willy’s -44 years with Olivier Clape et Magali Jacob - for release of their book «  a year in the vineyard «  — 8 months ago

Liquid Farm

Vogelzang Vineyard Mourvedre Rosé 2019

Still our fave — 5 years ago

Eric, Shay and 25 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Nice wine - Bordeaux of Napa. Not sure I get the hype or high(er) scores, not exactly a cheap wine though. Mellow tannins and red fruit forward. Quite pleasant — 2 months ago

Tyler liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2012

Opened prior to dinner; enjoyed over several hours. The 2012 pours a light ruby with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of red brambles, red rope licorice, leather, red flowers and purple flowers, and stony minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose the finish is medium+. Textbook, Grenache forward CdP that’s showing quite beautifully. Drink now through 2032. — 3 months ago

Ira, Andrew and 20 others liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Lots of chunky sediment. This was delicious. Could have drank the whole bottle but shared among good company — 4 months ago

Scott@Mister, Tom and 4 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

1 hour decant(decent chunky sediment). A striking medium purplish garnet color with bricking. On the nose: Inviting notes of dried red fruit, currants, pencil shavings, floral, stewed meat, milk chocolate. Taste: fully mature, savory, silky wine with dried plum, ground coffee, earth, minerals, tobacco, and a sour cherry/green bell pepper/graphite long finish. YUM!! Drink em if you got em. — 3 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Sharon and 10 others liked this

Arianna Occhipinti

SP68 Bianco Terre Siciliane Albanello Muscat of Alexandria 2022

2022. Love this wine with oysters and umami rich seafood dishes. Second time having this vintage and loved it even more tonight! — 4 months ago

ESF, "Odedi" and 5 others liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend

I am not a big lover of Bordeaux but this one is quite light in taste, tender and goes perfectly with red meat. — 4 months ago

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2014

Wine of the night and more. An incredible example of how good Morgon can be. Complexity, length, structure, and the rest. — 4 months ago

Sarah Bignami
with Sarah
Doug, John and 16 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2006

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2006 pours a deep straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of slightly bruised apple, white flowers, lemon curd, brioche, slivered almond and a mix of chalk and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and creamy. I wish I could drink this all night long. Alas, only a single 750mL and not a Methuselah. Drinking well now and will only be taking on more secondary and tertiary character. But if that’s your thing (and I can get down), this will deliver well past 2036. — 5 months ago

Tom, Zach and 15 others liked this
Ely Cohn

Ely Cohn Premium Badge

@Jay Kline I’ve been saving this same bottle same vintage. Great review!
Jay Kline

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Thanks @Ely Cohn If your bottle is anything like this one, I think you’ll be in for a treat!

Wines of Substance, LLC

Cs Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon

Pretty light but quite round. Got a feeling of black currant. — 8 months ago

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 2019

Wow. A richer, darker, and more concentrated Picasses than I’ve had in some time. Oak is also a bit more gratuitous than I’m used to for this wine. Blackberries, currant, moss, anise. This can go the distance, but definitely a bit hot. Still one of my favorite wines in the world for consistent quality to price ratio and age-ability. — 9 months ago

romo, Ira and 2 others liked this

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Tim
9.1

Surprised this wasn't more tannic - thought it was very well structured with dark jammy fruits and bell pepper on the nose (actually didn't find the pepper notes unpleasant at all, which I typically steer clear of). Black fruits, charcoal smoke, cracked black pepper all hit high with some light hints of licorice and...jalapeño? All in all a pleasant wine to pair with a homemade Beef Wellington on this anniversary year of the Judgement of Paris. — 10 years ago