Sort This Out Cellars

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1988

Somm David T
9.2

The 88 out of 6 liter.

On the nose; sweet mid red fruit with a pruny character. Cooked blackberries, dark cherries, old plum, rhubarb, vanilla, stones, dry minerals and withering red florals.

On the palate, the body is lean and tannins well resolved. Fruits show a pruny quality. Blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, strawberries, rhubarb, cola, fine powdery minerals, used leather, underbrush, limestone, waterfall acidity and a leaner sort of water back fruit finish. Such a treat to drink these wines these old wines out of big formats.

Photos of the Phelps party.
— 8 years ago

Shay, Eric and 11 others liked this

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 2003

Has improved out of sight in the past year. Suspect this will get better and better and might be worth laying down for a few years. — 9 years ago

Gary liked this

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1999

🇬🇧 Vivino London Dinner - 01 Apr 🇬🇧

Wine 1️⃣1️⃣

d'Yquem 99 from Mami

📝 What a perfect sexual climax to a stunning meal with fab folks 😍

Mami generously brought a 75cl bottle of this god nectar to wash down the cheeses 🧀 I died & went to heaven when I had this with blue Stilton cheese 😍

I think I had more than my fair share of this silky sweet seductive love juice 😎

Too busy enjoying for notes so check out others reviews 😜

Thank you Mami for sharing this superb treat 👍😘
— 9 years ago

P, Bill and 1 other liked this

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

DAG
9.5

Still a little tight and not yet rounded out. This genie need to stay in the bottle a few more years. — 9 years ago

Jody, Greg and 14 others liked this
Jody Scharf

Jody Scharf Premium Badge

Not that the Shafer you had is. Just saying.
DAG

DAG

Happy 4th Jody. Who am I to say what is the proper strategy. I look for opportunities rather that age. I mostly drink Cali and I appreciate them younger and bolder, but all our taste change. Cheers. Happy Birthday
Jody Scharf

Jody Scharf Premium Badge

Thx Dag. Have a great 4th as well. And I also drink mostly Cali and prefer younger.

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

Ryan Carey
9.6

Glorious. Worth bringing out the bad boy decanter for! This '96 Dunn is pure elegance. 19 years in, and it's singing right now. — 10 years ago

Bryan, Ted and 43 others liked this
Kendall

Kendall

Oooh that's my dream decanter, one day!... :)
Ryan Carey

Ryan Carey Influencer Badge

@Kendall Harris thanks! my favorite decanter

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 1984

Great story behind this vintage and fun wine to try. Madeira-like which helps balance out the va--but turning into a very interesting wine. — 11 years ago

Anthony, Marc and 4 others liked this

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This was poured through a Zazzol aerator and just spilled out Cassis, black olive, cigar box and vanilla/brown sugar from the glass. Should she well for another 8-10 years. Delicious! — 11 years ago

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo

Good anise, forest floor, spices to round out the dark fruit. Love the rose petal notes. Tannins are elegant but would love to taste this again in a few years. — 8 years ago

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1961

We were worried this was gonna be cooked. But actually ended up being wonderful, tannins and acid mellowed out, still super balanced, slightly pyrazinic (tomato vine?), still has some leather and black currant. — 8 years ago

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2011

Funny story, we ordered the bottle of wine on the line after this bottle on the menu. The waiter brought this bottle as a mistake which we found out was listed as a $485 bottle of wine! We took one sip and knew that it was too good to be true. Come to find out that this is one of the first super tuscan wines ever made. Even though management took the bottle from our table as soon as it was realized, that was the luckiest and most delicious mistake that's ever happened to us. — 9 years ago

Anthony liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Ok, I know the haters are out there. But seriously in a charming restaurant in a old Wyoming frontier town, and paired with world-class elk tenderloin, this Cab rocked. Or maybe it was the Wyoming Whisky warmup talking... — 9 years ago

Dominic, TheSkip and 3 others liked this
TheSkip

TheSkip

Even though I didn't like this, there is no room for hate on DL! Drink what you like. No shame 😀
Michael Meyer

Michael Meyer Premium Badge

@TheSkip thanks for the support. The wine was a gift (from my Mom no less) and seemed a perfect traveler for my Wyoming vacation. Not a wine I would pursue, but it was in a perfect time/place to enjoy on the road. It's all about the experience, right?
TheSkip

TheSkip

Exactly!

Hirsch Vineyards

San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir

First night dark cherry and a bit too acidic. Second night balances out with layers of character... Spent more time smelling than sipping. So glad to get this piece of quintessential California in Hong Kong. 2012. — 10 years ago

Chris, Jody and 2 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

This is the 1985 Napa Cab and was tasted out of 5 liter. This wine was excellent! Herbal notes with a touch of saddle. I was so surprised by how much red fruit was on the pallet with a wine this old! Amazing! — 10 years ago

MH liked this

Bodegas Faustino

Gran Reserva Faustino I Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2001

A very solid Rioja, meaty, dripping in fruit and spice. Nicely balanced at this point with room to get better. Not sure it deserves the 97 points doled out by decanter, however. Pleasant and the right price. — 11 years ago

Spike and Brad liked this

Beaulieu Vineyard

Private Reserve Georges de Latour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Dry but flat. I think this wine is good to drink now ( not sure how much longer it would stay good). There is nothing that really stands out about this wine. Not very complex. — 8 years ago

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Shay A
9.4

Another great Classic Wine Happy Hour in the books! Always a treat to have a designated day each month where guys can pull out some unique bottles!

Thanks
@Will Adams for opening this! Gorgeous juice. A nod to how Caymus used to operate. Velvet like. Blue and blackberries, vanilla, cocoa, espresso.
— 8 years ago

Mark FlesherBenjamin KeatorWill Adams
with Mark, Benjamin and 1 other
Mike, Ted and 31 others liked this
Mark Flesher

Mark Flesher

This one won the award for "oldest wine drinking like the newest wine." Plus, with it being served in a N*I*C*E decanter, it made it that much better! Thank you Benjamin for bringing out that beast!

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

Lots of color, but not inky, just dark red and the start of a lighter rim. Smells and tastes like black cherry or blackberries, and cedar, and also cocoa powder(?). Fruit is well integrated but a bit quieter at first. This is a more subtle wine, than expected. A little bit of tannin still that needs airing out. The longer it's open the more the fruit emerges, it's got a great body to it. It's delicious. — 9 years ago

Galen, Peter and 5 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

This is the 1996. It was tasting great today. Had out of Magnum — 10 years ago

MH Will Phelps
with MH and Will
MH, Will and 6 others liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1949

This was a fantastic experience, opened and decanted an hour before drinking, retained its character, fruit through out dinner. So glad I opened this for my Birthday — 10 years ago

Joseph Vaccaropeter saverien
with Joseph and peter
John and Eric liked this
Eric Egan

Eric Egan Influencer Badge

Who was this bottled by. Had a few 30s & 40s Margaux from different merchants and this sounds like it's kept up - not always the case!
Joseph Vaccaro

Joseph Vaccaro Influencer Badge

straight fire!

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 1990

The essence of ripe cherries and strawberries invade every nook and cranny of this wine. Extremely silky and smooth in the mouth which produces a finish that reminded me of the horizon when you are looking out from the deck of a boat, just does not quit. — 11 years ago

Richard, Jim and 1 other liked this