Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby with aromas of blue & black fruits, sweet spice & slight mineral character. A blend of mostly Cab Sauvignon with small amounts of Malbec, Petit Verdot & Cab Franc from their estate-owned Napa Valley vineyards, aged 18 months French (62%) & American oak (38%) (about 50% new). Palate, complex flavors, blackberry, plums & cherry with sweet spice, oak & tobacco notes. Well balanced with good acidity & developing tannins. Full-bodied, long finish ending with pepper & wood spice. Nice! — 10 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, earthy oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry and cherry flavors with hints of licorice and leather, adding some minty notes. Fine dusty tannins, good acidity, well balanced, ending with fruit and earthy mineral notes. Nice! Grab a ribeye! — 2 years ago

Lizzy Toreev

9.7

Beautiful! So bright and is just a happy wine. Tastes like a sophisticated cherry jolly rancher in the best way. — 3 years ago

with Greg

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

Mother Mary of God! Just give me the bottle and a crazy straw. I want all my wine to taste this way.

The nose is; ruby and velvety elegance. Creamy, candied, ripe; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum & poached strawberries. Red licorice, candied, bright, florals for days. Dry crushed rocks, limestone, light, round granite, black licorice, sweet tarriness, expresso roast, dry leather, cedar, dry stems, vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, light clove & nutmeg, beautiful, soft, herbaceous notes with crazy beautiful fields of; red, purple and blue flowers.

The body is full, round and the definition of elegance. The dark, tarry tannins are well rounded and have baby teeth. The structure, tension, length and balance are perfectly knitted together. Magnificent! Creamy, candied, ripe; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum & poached strawberries. Red licorice, candied, bright, florals for days. Dry crushed rocks, limestone, light, round granite, black licorice, sweet tarriness, expresso roast, dark, intense, spice with palate heat, dry leather, cedar, dry stems, vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, light clove & nutmeg, saline, dry tobacco with ash, beautiful, soft, herbaceous notes with crazy fields of; red, purple and blue flowers. The acidity is round-elegant and like a warm shower. The finish is simply a forget about it experience. It is gorgeous & sexy and a wine I will never forget. This is a 100 point wine in short order. Don’t be foolish enough to open a bottle now unless you have at least 3-5 more. You’ll be robbing yourself of heaven.

Photos of; Chateau Palmer, their barrel room, a photo of their vineyard soil structure-if you didn’t know where all that earthiness comes from, a picture is worth a thousand words and their tasting room. — 6 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.7

Dark ruby/black in color. Dark berries, earth, and smoked meat on the nose. Complex and multilayered on the palate with rich dark berry fruit, cinnamon, licorice, and primal, gamy notes. Fine grained tannins give a lovely texture leading to a long finish. Blend of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault with all the remaining permitted red Rhône varieties rounding out the balance. Just about a perfect wine which seems to be at the top of it's game now. — 9 years ago

with Kelly

Bob Busch

9.2

Delicious. Dark ruby red color, very balanced (enough of everything), and a full bouquet. A taste of cinnamon. — 10 years ago

with Winston

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

From a 5 Bordeaux grape blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 2.3% Petit Verdot & 0.3% Malbec, aged 24 months French oak, 85% new, Deep Ruby with aromas of ripe dark fruits, cedar and floral spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, black cherry and currants with notes of herbs, pepper spice and earthy notes. Fine sweet tannins, long finish ending with cacao, smoky oak, fruit and mineral tang. Very nice, aging well, but time will reward! — 10 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and cedar notes, blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and spice. Fine grainy tight tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar and earthy mineral character. Very nice, will age well but wait a few more years to really enjoy! — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

The Antinori family of Florence, one of the world's oldest and most distinguished wine producers, has lived in Tuscany since the 14th century. Blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cab Sauv & 5% Cab Franc. Deep Ruby, aromas of black berry fruit aromas with herb, mint and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and cherry with cacao, vanilla and aromatic spice. Fine graceful tannins, long finish, well balanced, savory ending with oak and juicy earthy mineral tones. Very Nice! — 3 years ago

Chris England

9.4

This is the first wine that made me fall in love with Chile 🇨🇱 wines back in early 2000 when it was around £25-£30 😍 Now at around £60-£65 does it still deliver? Oh yes baby this is delish now but in 5-8 years a 😈

Tomorrow I’ll post my newest love from Chile to wrap up a week of my 🇨🇱 favourites - darn I forgot Ocio Pinot Noir to 😊 Have you enjoyed my week of my personal Chile favourites ❓

📍 Concha Y Toro Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard - 2013

🏵 94 points w/ much more potential having had these aged 😉

🍇 91% Cabernet Sauvignon & 9% Cabernet Franc

🍷 Deep dark opaque ruby

👃 Dark smokey plum dragged through a dark berry bramble bush then swished into the soggy earth w/ lashings of melted cocoa & a dollop melted raspberry & blackcurrant liquorice

👄 Med+ body of creamy smooth rich dark berries, dark plum & raspberry w/ a touch of cherry all bathed in gloopy cocoa cream

🎯 Long ripe blackcurrant, dark plum & raspberry cocoa silky slight herby linger

— 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

One of the better-known Crus Bourgeois of the Medoc.
Had another ‘11 in cellar. Dark Ruby with aromas of black and blue fruits with tobacco spice. Palate displays blueberry and blackberry with cacao and earthy herbs. Smooth characteristics, well balance full body wine with velvet tannins. Not a satisfying wine. Prrfect now. Consistent wine! — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.6

This may be the smoothest Hermitage I've had @ £83 it's like a pig rolling in velvet 🐷 so smooooth 😍 Great now but 97+ over next 5-20yrs 😎

🍷 Ruby w/ purple hue

👃 Cloves, Olives, thyme & piggy 💩 through blackberry w/ touch of liquorice & minerals

👄 Med+ body incredibly super smooth olive tapenade, blackberry & dark cherry - surprisingly well balanced @ this age 👍

🎯 Long dark fruit & olive pure silk finish — 9 years ago

Dick Schinkel

9.8

Deep ruby red in color.
In the nose: Wowww, a very nice bouquet of Sun riped dark fruit with black berries and wild cherry, pepper, nicely integrated wood, tobacco, autumn forest.
In the mouth: powerful. Soft acidity, with existing but butter soft tannins. Huge concentration. Great long finish. Beautiful mature wine.
The interplay of fruit and tannins that sooo mouth caressing and super fruit-mineral-berry finish, and a snowflake of dark chocolate................. gorgeous!!!
Now optimal mature 97 DSP
— 11 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

No formal notes. Maybe slightly less dense ruby, wider rim . More refined and quite elegant , medium bodied , slightly more cooler greener fruits . This quite aromatic initially, mix of red and dark hedgerow fruits . A little more refined and small boned , perhaps a little light a shorter than others . This was impressive out of the gate , aromatic and charming quite mineral also , though it was the only wine that faded a little with time in the glass . This appears to be at its peak though probably will remain here for another 5 -10 years perhaps — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Dark Ruby with aromas of ripe berry fruit and floral spice, pure Caymus signature style, easy drinking, approachable as always. On the palate flavors of ripe blackberry, black cherry and currants with complex spice showing notes of cacao, cinnamon and rich vanilla oak. Fine soft tannins, nice mouthfeel, great balance with acidity, long finish, ending with notes of oak and mineral notes. Nice! — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

The estate of Sette Ponti lies in the heart of the Chianti zone, 15 miles northwest of the city of Arezzo, past the village of San Giustino Valdarno. Crognolo, aged in French Allier barriques, deep Ruby with red fruit aromas and floral notes. On the palate blackberry and sweet cherry flavors, blossom notes, spice and fine dusty tannins. Good balance, long finish ending with some oak and mineral tones. Nice! Try in 2022. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.8

My favourite Pomerol in a great year 🏆 now sells @ £250-£285 😱 On its 6th try & it’s now much better integrated & drinking lovely but will age more 😉 A New Year’s Eve delight 😍 enjoyed with Lasagne 🍝
.
📍 Vieux Chateau Certan 1998 Pomerol
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🏵 98 points for 1998 😁 & should improve
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🍇 90% Merlot & 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
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🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge
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👃 Nasal Nookie Gang Bang of creamy dark spiced damson plum in soft smoked oak & light cedar w/ soggy earth, wet leaves, liquorice, rock minerals, cracked pencil lead, dirty gravel, cocoa, black berry fruits, charred soot embers, mint & herbs - nasaltastic baby 😍
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👄 Med earthy body of silky smooth ripe dark plum & black berry fruits w/ red cherry, raspberry liquorice & choc mocha in slight dry rock minerals
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🎯 Long deep plum & dark berry earthy soft liquorice mocha choca cherry & a light dry mineral oaky seductive smack in your chops — 7 years ago

Luca Lerario

8.9

4h decanting
Dark ruby color, creamy
Dark berries, leather, tobacco at nose. Earthy notes
Medium long at palate, good acidity, full body — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.4

I’m a huge Ygay fan so getting hold of the latest 09 @ £85 was like a kid gone wild in a candy store 😁 It’s showing fabulous already but time will definitely bring immense happiness 😉

Needs 4-5 years to shine more 👍

📍Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay 2009

🏵 93-94 with 96-98 potential

🍇 81% Tempranillo & 19% Mazuelo

🍷 Opaque deep ruby

👃 Buttery cocoa vanilla bathed dark cherry in light soft smokey oak w/ balsamic, red fruit tones, subtle blueberry & raspberry liquorice

👄 Med+ body of rich ripe dark cherry bathed in cocoa cram w/ a dry balsamic vanilla backbone

🎯 Long dark cherry & red liquorice cocoa smooth creamy balsamic linger w/ a touch dry end — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

8.9

Dark ruby red with a purplish hue. Good dark fruits on the nose with some forest floor and truffles. Light bell peppers in the finish. Moderate tannins (5.5/10) and medium bodied. Lots of soft dark fruits and damp leaves. Medium plus finish. Great restaurant wine and solid Sonoma Cabernet. Drink till 2022. — 9 years ago

with Sean