Sipping Fine Wine

9.8

Blend of Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot, & splash of Merlot; estate-owned vineyards Rutherford, Napa, St. Helena & Stag's Leap District. Just opened, 14 years in the bottle after couple of years in the barrel! Still tasting well, young & juicy, should easily last another decade, but nice now. Deep Ruby, dark fruits, spice, complex nose. Palate reflects juicy rich berry fruits, well structured harmonious wine. Fine soft rich tannins, long finish ending with fruit, tobacco and earthy tones. Wow! — 18 days ago

Vanessa

9.3

🍷Cheers to this compelling Morgon crafted by one of the region’s luminaries!✨

We’re talking about the ‘Côte du Py’ Morgon (Gamay Noir) by the revered Jean Foillard.

This Gamay hails from Morgon – a “Cru” within the broader appellation of Beaujolais – with a reputation for producing structured & age-worthy wine.

👁️ This wine is medium ruby in color, like a gemstone with the delicate haze you’d expect from an unfiltered wine.

👃 The aromas & flavors are perfumed with ripe red and black cherry, wild strawberry, blueberry, pomegranate, blood orange, mulberry, rosehips, hibiscus, lilac, black tea, rooibos, black licorice, star anise, potting soil, gunflint, & clove.

👄 On the palate, it’s dry with vibrant acidity, warming alcohol, a medium body, fine, ripe tannins, followed by a persistent finish.

In sum, this is a captivating, soulful, & expressive wine; a beautiful representation of Morgon, so deliciously drinkable now, with its layers of lush fruit, florals, & spice, while demurely holding the spine, structure, & intensity to age…

I can imagine it gaining mushroom, earthy, leather, & cured meat dimensions with time.

It offers power and elegance; a wine to sip, savor, & appreciate. — 21 days ago

with Deked1

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

From 375ml.

A very good Rhone producer visited in 2015.

At pop & pour, the fruits almost had a mid berry bubble gum character. That toned down almost immediately. Fruits are ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, baked plums, raspberries, dark cherries, juicy strawberries, chocolate bar to fudge, grilled, smoked meats, black pepper, dark spice, nutmeg, clove, iron pan, black tea, a touch of rubber toy, slight tarriness, dry herbs, roasted chestnuts, tobacco leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, hints of mint, dark, red flowers, violet’s, nice acidity with a well balanced-structured, stiffly tensioned with a lush finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on earthiness & spice.

Plenty of life left in this 2012, even in 375ml. — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Opus One 2011
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A Bordeaux-style blend from one of Napa’s most iconic estates, co-founded by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The 2011 vintage was a challenging, cool year in Napa, producing wines of lower alcohol, more restraint, and higher acidity compared to the opulent, sun-soaked vintages before and after. Blend typically centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Aromas & Flavors
Opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and dried cherry layered with graphite, violets, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar and espresso. As it evolves in the glass, notes of leather, savory herbs, and cocoa powder emerge.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied compared to more powerful Opus vintages, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and balanced, showing more finesse and structure than richness. The finish lingers with red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of earth.

Winemaking Notes
Aged in French oak for 18 months. The cooler season resulted in smaller yields, but a style closer to classic Bordeaux restraint rather than plush Napa ripeness.

Food Pairing
Beautiful with herb-crusted lamb, grilled duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like Comté.

Verdict
A vintage that divided critics due to its lighter profile, but for those who enjoy elegance and classical structure, the 2011 Opus One is a refreshing outlier. Drink now, though it still has a few years of graceful life ahead. Cheers!
— 20 hours ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.7

Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This needed a couple of hours decant to shed some of its tannin structure & open to show mostly black fruits, spice, earth, leather, pepper & tobacco — 2 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

7/2025. Good juice. Just the right amount of spice. Nice on the palate. — a month ago

Ross Bathgate

9.6

Still bright red and vibrant, preserved by a perfect cork. Oozing chocolate and spice backed by glorious tannins. Fabulous with our hangar steak on the bone! — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

This was youthful needing some air to open showing black fruits, graphite, leather, licorice, spice box & tobacco — 2 months ago

Jason Phillips

9.3

Spicy nose. Nice and bold. Black cherry and baking spice. Wonderful! — a month ago

with Max