Deep ruby coloration. On the nose, forest floor, plum, cherry, currants, spice and bbq. On the palate, blueberry, blackberry, cherry, plum, and high acidity right out of the bottle. After breathing some, notes of cedar, minerals, tobacco, and spice, carrying through to a longer finish of cherry, vanilla and mint. Tannins strong but balanced. — 7 months ago
A great Syrah from Hermitage. After one hour... smooth, delicate perfumed with fine nuances. Dark Ruby brilliant color. On the palate, gentle spices, dark fruit long finish. An experience... — 7 months ago
Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 89% Tempranillo & 11% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak. On the palate flavors of jammy dark berry fruits with spice & smoky earthy notes on ripe full soft tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — a year ago
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. — 5 years ago
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 — 6 years ago
🎅 Advent 📆 Day 2️⃣4️⃣
💥 It’s the big £195 halfy I’ve been waiting for & wow what an Epic bottle of a top vintage Opus One 💯 Suckling Pointer 😍 Mrs E has outdone herself here 🕺 Great but needs 10yrs to shine as too overpowered 👍 95 going 98-99
🍇 79% Cab S
🍇 7% Cab F
🍇 6% Merlot
🍇 6% Pet V
🍇 2% Malbec
🍷 Inky black ruby
👃 Sticky toffee pudding covered in blueberry jam w/ blackcurrant, fig & rich cocoa cream
👄 Full+ bodied rich toffee, blueberry pancakes, blackcurrant & caramel velvet chocolate sludge
🎯 Long gloopy teeth staining dark & blue fruit caramel lip sticker w/ violet after-burn — 6 years ago
I'd love to rate this but I can't remember what it tasted like...my mate said it was really good and I think I trust his judgement!!! — 9 years ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Full bodied with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, spices, oak, vanilla, licorice, chocolates, light earth, light vegetables, herbs, tobacco leaf and black pepper.
Medium finish with grippy tannins and raspberries.
This 15 year old, Fifth Growth Bordeaux, is still young and tight. Needs 5 to 10 years in the bottle to mature properly.
I gave it 90 minutes in the decanter, but it probably was not enough.
Robert Parker 96 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.
Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Grippy and rich.
Definitely needs food at this point, like a big piece of steak.
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
13% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$125. — 6 months ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Here is a fabulous 99 point wine by Robert Parker.
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Great nose of blueberries, blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, earth, vanilla, Mediterranean spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.
Full bodied, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, figs, cedar, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, herbs, light earth, cola and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley.
Showing nice balance and a great mouthfeel. Round and rich. Elegant and smooth.
This 22 year old still has a lot of power in it, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours of airtime.
So soft and powerful, with a great nose. This is a gorgeous wine right now.
A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months.
13.9% alcohol by volume.
96 points.
$250. — a year ago
I corvined this last weekend and put it back in storage for tonight. I had a very different experience & thoughts on this wine last weekend un-decanted. This is wine comes from a period when I loved Caymus. After 2011 when they started picking later and at higher brix’s, they lost me but, got higher Parker scores and rave words from people that like sweeter Cabernet that drinks young.
Last weekend without a decant, very dominate bright cherries and vanilla.
Tonight, the nose reveals, dark, slightly syrupy currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy, black raspberries, blueberries, black plum with lots of skin dominate, baked strawberries, black licorice, vanilla, some clove and a touch nutmeg, underbrush, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, volcanic minerals, black tea, touch of black coffee expresso, liqueur/dark berry cola, used leather, hints of graphite with ruby, fresh, dark, fresh, dark, red, blue florals with violets.
The body is full, sexy, gorgeous and voluptuous. The structure, tension, length and balance are at the start of its high point with another 7-10 years of good drinking ahead. Dark, slightly syrupy currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy, black raspberries, blueberries, black plum with lots of skin dominating, baked strawberries, black licorice to deep anise, vanilla, some clove and a touch nutmeg, caramel, mocha, dark chocolate, dark spices with just a touch of palate heat, underbrush, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, volcanic minerals, black tea, touch of black coffee expresso, liqueur/dark berry cola, used leather, hints of graphite with ruby, fresh, dark, fresh, dark, red, blue florals with violets. The acidity is like a needed waterfall shower. The long finish is, deep, dark, well balanced, elegant, ruby, ripe, polished and persists endlessly.
It’s been awhile and I’ve missed it. This is a very good example of why I used to adore Caymus. — 5 years ago
11’ Realm Bard. This can’t be the same wine I had three years ago!?!
Slightly tight & needs a short decanting.
Color- Purple/ dark ruby. Big ,lush & graceful... all at once.
Dark berries, white chocolate, graphite. Soft tannins & moderate acidity. What an exceptional effort from this 2011 beauty. Drink them up in them next 6/8 years. What a wonderful surprise! — 6 years ago
VCC is my favourite Pom & @ £130 this shows how great an off vintage can be 👍 Great now but will improve 😍
🍇 83% Mer & 17% Cab F
🍷 Garnet ruby
👃 Soft oaky smokey spiced plum, damson, cherry & blackcurrant in damp earth, prune, vanilla, honey, liquorice, flowers & dark mocha - divine 😎
👄 Med creamy silky smooth body of chewy spiced plum & blackcurrant in liquorice mocha
🎯 Long stewed dark plummy fruit earthy mocha linger — 7 years ago
17.5 . 1989. Deep ruby, some brown only at the rim. Surprising tobacco on nose. Still good fruit. M+ length. Not showing much age, but should be drunk. Great with grouse. — 8 years ago
Deep ruby color.
Aromas of barnyard, earth, leather, subtle cherry.
Dry. Flavors of black cherry, cassis, leather, earth, clove, black pepper. Rich, chewy tannins.
Intensity: 5/5
Complexity: 4/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 6 months ago
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! — 7 months ago
Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits and espresso notes, a blend of 92% Cab Sauv, 6% Cab Franc, 1% of each Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged for 15 month in French oak (66% new). On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry with currants, herb, tobacco, fig and smoky oak spice notes. Firm tight tannins, long finish ending with fruit, cacao and toasty spice, needs time to develop, cellar a while, try in 2025! — 10 months ago
Beautifully fragrant, this medium ruby colored Napa Cab is very herbal and fresh on the nose. Medium to full bodied with well defined flavors of blackcurrant, ripe black cherries and blueberries, cedar wood, cloves and chocolate, it doesn’t have the rustic appeal of previous vintages and is actually quite polished. Drink now until 2040. — 2 years ago
Visiting again this splendid Paulliac from the 2011 vintage. 2011 vintage was labeled as mediocre in Bordeaux and this lovely wine showed that it is actually a classic vintage with some great wines, so trust the chateau not only the vintage. The nose is tempting with notes if coffee, earth, oak, cassis, black fruits and hints of chocolate, the body is full with round tannins, acidity is splendid and finish is long. My score 92, drink to 2026, perhaps longer — 5 years ago
Dark garnet red with a ruby hue. Aged characteristics on the nose with some tobacco leaves, anise, damp leaves and dark berries. Medium tannins (6/10) and full bodied. Quite earthy on the palate with some dried cherries, cigar box and some light leather. Long finish with solid acidity. Drink till 2023. — 6 years ago
As usual, the blend is a better buy than the single clones. This wine is too young but still shows ok. Deep ruby color, black fruits, nice tannins and good balance on acidity. — 6 years ago
Tasted blind, from magnum. Old dark ruby color. Amber rims. Notes of black cherry, spice, earth and something like pencil lead. Ok in the mouth, refined, but lacking energy. With the meal this was enjoyable but was somewhat sleepy all night. Likely at peak and given the magnum format, it's time to drink up 750s. Guessed 62 Latour. — 6 years ago
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. — 8 years ago
Quite possibly my favorite wine ever!!! — 8 years ago
Surprisingly that these '84s held up so well 30 years later. But that's what you expect from a premier grand cru, oui? Dark ruby color has turned toasty brown. Fruit notes are now woody or tobacco vs. currants or cherries. A lovely wine aging elegantly. — 10 years ago
Tim Lee
Deep intensity with ruby color. Nose medium with notes of black fruit. Notes of vanilla from the oak. Full body with a great mouth feel. — 5 months ago