Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2018 vintage. Oodles of structure and tight as nails currently. Hopefully, you’ve got plenty of time to wait this one out because it’s in zero rush to dance with you. 4.19.23. — 3 years ago

Doug Powers

9.2

A tad less intense than the 1998, also dark cherry, a tad softer, probably needs another 5 or so years in the cellar. — 5 years ago

with Jim

Jeremy.Buss

9.1

Our third and final bottle from an order that unfortunately felt the effects of extreme cold weather back In February. This was a bit more what I expected a 5+ vintage to be. . . Light, more ethereal, balanced flavors, and soft tannins. I still like the art on this bottle and would have this again. Just recommend not receiving a shipment with sub zero temperatures. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.7

WNH virtual Insignia Tasting. Vintages featured were ‘95, ‘96, ‘00, ‘01, ‘02, ‘09, ‘13 and ‘14.

This was the Wine Spectator wine of the year and received a 100 point score from Wine Advocate (for those interested in accolades and scores).

Knowing the pedigree here, I knew to expect some fireworks and tried to prepare accordingly. I gave this 24hrs upright after pulling from the cellar, and then decanted about 90mins, before consuming from the decanter over the course of the evening. The cork came out perfectly via the Durand and had absolutely zero seepage up the cork. My glass of choice was the new Glasvin Expression. Really like their glasses.

My first sip after opening had me looking at my wife saying “this is 18yrs old and is insanely youthful”. When hearing from my friends about their mid/late ‘90s, and for the ‘01, those offerings had basically zero merlot. The ‘00 had a similar amount to this (14%), and I think that component really elevated this to a more “elegant” style. The oak here comes across as a mix of French and American (though it’s all French)...the oak has such a distinct sweet note to it that I associate with American oak on Cali wines, yet isn’t full on coconut. Aromatically, it’s a beautiful display of cherry tobacco, black cherry cordial, violets, and elevated heady notes of black cherry pie. On the palate, there is creme de cassis, espresso, cocoa powder and mellowed red fruit before a finish that has surprisingly grippy tannin. This drinks like a bigger style left bank Bordeaux with how wonderfully integrated it is. Zero chance I’d call this 18yr old Napa cab if tasting blind. This easily has 5+yrs in this drinking window, and another 5-10 in the next evolution journey before really starting to slide. If opening now, decant 1-2hrs. One of the best expressions of aged Napa cab I’ve had this year. — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2014 Sangiovese from Leonetti was Sourced from the Seven Hills, Loess, Mill Creek Upland and Serra Pedace vineyards, and incudes a small percentage of Aglianico (5%). This absolutely stunning Sangiovese opens with intense aromatics of red cherries, raspberries, cigar box and rose petals. The palate has wonderful minerality and shows impressive mid-palate weight, with flavors of dark cherry, red raspberries, pipe tobacco, milk chocolate, mint and pencil shavings that expand effortlessly. The astringency is absolutely wonderful, as is the long, mineral and dark fruit driven finish. This wine will cellar exceedingly well for a decade or more as this is a tremendous showing by Chris Figgins who has carefully crafted one of the most compelling examples new world Sangiovese that you will find. Drink 2019-2029- 94 — 7 years ago

Boxer Briefs

10

I don’t have a list in front of me but could swear Bouzy is GC for Pinot Noir...this thing sings 🍏 and I would never expect it was all red fruit. Insane racy acidity, zero dosage. Can you be both crazy complex and super straightforward at the same time? In the grand scheme of things this is great wine but I need 5 years. Probably just disgorged — 8 years ago

Aaron Means

9.2

Deep dark berry fruit, dark cherry. Muscular and powerful Pinot. The Gevrey Chambertin to Sandhi's Chambolle Musigny. A tinge of oak? Wound up tight. This will unveil like a flower with 5-10 yrs. My older vintages are singing right now. The only Eola-Amity producer I like. @June's All Day, Austin TX — 9 years ago

JKT

9.0

First try of an interesting Corsican wine from K. Lynch. 35% Niellucciu, 30% Grenache, 15% Sciaccarellu, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, anything else left? Practically screams fun from nose through palate to finish, red fruited and lively at seven years in bottle. Great with Evan’s ribs. — 3 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.3

Green fruit esthers, quince, pear, chalky minerals, on the nose. Lots of pretty green and yellow fruit on the open knit palate, with pleasant bit of contrasting bitterness and sweetness on the finish, and enough acid to carry the bubbles. This is great, planning to hold a few bottles for 5-10 years.
Incidentally, handily beat the Lassaigne side by side, at a third the price. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa.

Inky in color with a very short reddish rim.

Gorgeous nose of wildflowers, black plums, cedar, cooked cherries, chocolates, dark coffee, earth, licorice, blackberries, vanilla, light graphite and black pepper.

Full-bodied and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, light coke, earth, coffee and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This is a great Cabernet Sauvignon from Atlas Peak in Napa Valley. Nicely balanced with nice complexity. Already drinking very nicely with a great mouthfeel.

Needs time to open up and after two and a half hours in a decanter, it just blossomed and surprised me. Changed completely, so be patient with it.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and good with food too.

A Good quality wine, and still young with lots of potential to become a 95+ point wine. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years. Will age nicely in the next 15 years.

I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A very small production of only seven barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$75. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

Yes, that is a 3L of ‘87 Dunn Howell in a gorgeous etched bottle. I think the bottle may have outshone the wine, and that was no easy feat! Compared to the ‘88 I opened a year and a half ago, the vintage and larger format here have kept time hostage as this has aged beautifully. Dusty aromatics of brambly fruits, cassis, currant, graphite, fig, leather and even some baking spices remained. The profile on the palate is warm and soft...ripe baked blackberries, peppercorn, old graham cracker and cedar shavings. Integrated at this stage, but this powered through 5+hrs in bottle and in decanter with zero drop off. Still sporting Dunn’s classic Howell power. — 6 years ago

with Jid, joe and 2 others

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.7

Sourced from the Loess, Seven Hills, Holly Roller, Serra Pedace, Mill Creek Upland and Leonetti Old Block Vineyards, the red blend was aged for 22 months in French oak before bottling. The final blend is a smaller than usual portion of Cabernet Sauvignon (73%) and an unusually high portion of Malbec (22%) with just a touch of Cabernet Franc (5%). This wine needs a two hour decant before enjoying. Once aroused, this slowly unveils green bell pepper, blueberry compote, creme de cassis and sagebrush tones that fill this highly perfumed nose. The palate is decadent, revealing an exceedingly plush texture. With bright acidity and serious weight, the wine expresses copious dark fruits with sweet pipe tobacco, blueberry compote and dark chocolate shaving flavors. Seductive in its youth, this stunning new bottling will have an exceedingly long life ahead of it. Try to resist this beauty for at least another year. Drink 2020-2045- 97 — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Not ready to go yet. Has all the bones and has great structure, but has a lot of astringency on the finish. Black, purple and blue fruits. Finishes with stiff oak tannin but had a decent amount of black pepper spice on the finish as well. This wine was very pleasant to drink, and by the time I got around to it I think that it had been open for about 3 hours or so which definitely did help. Still, I think the best years of this wine are at least 4-5 years ahead, and think this one will drink well for 10-15 years. — 7 years ago

Gregory Fulchiero

9.2

Beautiful Syrah - zero carbonic - lovely spice and extraction. At 5-6 years this is aging gracefully. Blackberry, bramble, cracked pepper. — 3 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Nice 👍🏼, definitely a 4 hour decant or 5-10 year hold $150. 00 on release but it has the stuffing of a $250.00 bottle, Parker 98 + review This is the second vintage from Seven Apart—a blend coming from Stag's Ridge vineyard, located up on Atlas Peak, and Base Camp vineyard, located seven miles down the mountain (hence the name). The winemaker here is Andy Erickson, formerly at Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate and currently also consulting winemaker at Dalla Valle (among others). The upper vineyard (Stag's Ridge) is planted to mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Seven miles down the road, where Soda Canyon Road meets the Silverado Trail, is the four-acre Base Camp vineyard, planted in the mid-1990s to Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Base Camp was planted in 1994 and 1998. Opaque purple-black in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Expedition erupts from the glass with explosive scents of boysenberry preserves, blueberry pie and Black Forest cake, plus suggestions of molten chocolate, licorice, tar and violets, with a waft of sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is full-on rich and decadent, exuding layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruit preserves with bags of exotic spice accents and a long, fragrant finish. Pure hedonism. It is tantalizingly delicious right now, but give it 3-4 years in bottle to blow off that puppy fat, and drink it over the next 25 years+. — 5 years ago

Jeremy Krantz

9.4

Absolutely delish and oh so smooth. Huge notes of cherry right off the bat and then washes away with some raspberry and cranberry. Low tannins and ultra clean finish. Delightful on all fronts and super interesting to see so many grapes in this blend (5 different grapes) — 5 years ago

Nathan Old

9.0

Light and zesty yet full bodied. Zero sour aftertaste. Delightful and incredible value for under £5 a bottle. — 6 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.2

Its no Peter Michael, but not bad. Winery notes, Hunter region their home since 1960. Joss and Anna De Iuliis followed their family passion for wine and chose a property in the Lovedale Road region of the Lower Hunter Valley, converting a grazing property into a 20ha vineyard with the first vines planted in 1990. Australian wine critic James Halliday has been rating De Iuliis Wines a 5 star winery since 2010. The 2011 Aged Release sémillion is kept at the winery and aged in bottle for an additional seven years, allowing it to develop beeswax and honey characteristics while maintaining a fresh citrus palate. This is sémillion the way it is meant to be, without having to invest cellaring space. Only 250 cases produced.
You also might be interested in... click to collapse contents — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.1

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 4), HK GRUBER (Aerial, Concerto for trumpet and orchestra) with the amazing Håkan Hardenberger as the trumpet soloist and then STRAUSS (“Dance of the Seven Veils” from Salome). Andris and Håkan happen to be friends, and both are trumpet players, I expect to see some playful nature to their interaction this afternoon. Mr. Hardenberger is a world renowned and virtuousic player, we're always glad to hear him, this will be his 4th Tanglewood appearance in 5 years. We expect various mutes to be employed over the work, a cow horn (yes it is want you think) and then finishing with piccolo trumpet, exciting to have a soloist work multiple instruments over his appearance

Nose has strawberry-banana smoothie, light crushed red raspberry and freshly washed cherry.

Palate has red currant, red raspberry, slight grassy note and faint wet sandstone.

Exciting to get back to this bottle. Our last experience was directly off tank (Fall '18) which was tapped by Morten for us, very cloudy then, but flavors were beginning to come together. 100% Pinot Noir. — 7 years ago

Duff Mahan

9.0

Have zero recollection of specifics (time since drinking, not inebriation), but I know I liked it and was pleasantly surprised how well it aged in just 5 years — 9 years ago