The Little Penguin

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1998

Rating refers to the last glass, which was the best. Our foul… upon opening it was almost a little thin and flat. But as we swirled it got better and better until there was quickly none left. Last glass had bramble, earth, caramel. Nice 1998! — 5 months ago

Ira, Shay and 10 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Plush and blowsy. Plum, violets, strawberry, black cherry. A pretty open knit fruit bomb. Quite high alcohol and a soft finish. Lacks a little structure and personality. — 7 months ago

Mark, Shay and 5 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend 2021

Deep purple in color; plums, black cherries, and oak on the nose; high acidity; high tannins; a little hot; tastes like black plums, licorice (I think), and blackberry jam with a long peppery finish. Nellie likes it. I do too, but it's more fruit forward than what I prefer lately, but very good — 8 months ago

Nellie Bauman
with Nellie
LM liked this

J. Rochioli

Little Hill Pinot Noir 2008

2008 vintage. Had never come across the "Little Hill" until today. Light-medium body. Decanted and was fairly musty for 2-3 minutes before it started to blossom. Some blue fruit/menthol/eucalyptus throughout the experience. Demonstrative spice component on the back end. Could really only ding this on being slightly "watery" on the front palate. Otherwise, this is kicking now and has plenty of life and love to give. 5.27.23 — a year ago

Andrew, Severn and 13 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

A little thin at first, but then got going after an hour or so being opened — 2 years ago

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1967

Decanted and really opened up in little more than half an hour. 54 years and still has vitality. There’s still some fruit but it is mixed with subtle acidity and soft tannins. A delight to drink and share with friends. Our friend was given the wine and wanted to share it. We all were quite happy.👍🍷🍷 — 3 years ago

Joe Becerra
with Joe

Ameztoi

Rubentis Getariako Txakolina Hondarrabi Beltza Hondarrabi Zuri Rosé Blend

A really nice dry rose. At times felt a little sparkly — 4 years ago

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2019

Tastes like cab but a little fruity maybe — 5 months ago

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

David T
9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot.
— 7 months ago

Jason, Bob and 18 others liked this

Apothic

Winemaker's Blend California Red Blend 2020

Really smooth wine, leaves a lovely aftertaste, not too sharp and an easy drinker (the wine not me).

In my local corner shop I paid £9.99, a little expensive, I'd expect to see these prices in BP/Marks and Spencer or waitrose, however I like to support my local independent shop so I took a chance and glad I did!

BTW I'm not drinking in my local park, it's the only option near my house 😁
— 9 months ago

Michael liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1961

Taken to Hawksmoor in NYC for our uncle’s 75th. Decanted in hotel for 7 hrs before dinner. Dark reddish amber edges with dark tawny color center. Opaque. Great aged Bordeaux nose. Notes of black fruit, tobacco and cigar, cassis, old desk wood, saddle leather, some anise, some barnyard and a little mint. Rich and silky in the mouth. Long finish. The bottle (mid shoulder) wasn’t in as good of condition as the one we had a few weeks ago, but the outcome was similar. Family and the Somm all loved it, as did I. — 2 years ago

Peter, Jan and 23 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Fine description

Château Calon-Ségur

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend

Had two bottles on Thursday, August 5th. The party had a different dishes including lamb chops, ribeye steak and one had soft shell crabs. Solid wine with some remaining fruit (but in 3-5 years the fruit may have passed), and good amounts of tobacco, cedar and leather. The first bottle was a little green bell pepper, as you would expect with some under ripe cab franc. The second bottle was better integrated, but had fewer fans at the table. — 3 years ago

James Thomas
with James
James liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

2014. Just really good. May have aged a little longer, but definitely drinkable right now. — 4 years ago

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

+2 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable purplish dark garnet with a little bricking. On the nose: perfumed notes of dark fruit, eucalyptus, spice, herbaceous, floral, just a hint of funky earth. Taste: silky smooth, chalky, savory wine with dark cherry, cloves, pepper, leather, and a cedar-mineral medium plus finish. YUM! — 5 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Eddie and 24 others liked this
Michael Younkins

Michael Younkins

Great picture!
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

@Michael Younkins Thanks. Have a Merry Christmas!

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

From a just opened owc purchased on release. This needed a little air to show mostly black fruits with spice box, dried herbs, earth, leather & tobacco notes. — 8 months ago

Severn, Vino and 17 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Slightly deeper ruby garnet , narrower rim . Deeper and younger , touch of wood smoke then quite ripe black fruits , rounder with better definition on the nose than the 1994 . More degraded cassis and grafite noticeable than the wine before, tobacco , touch of seashell , marine influence comes though . On the palate the fruit fills out better than the 1994, quite dark and serious , grafite , tobacco and cedar , however the tannin is less rustic and better integrated . Nice balancing acidity. This has quite good length and is showing well now though could age a little longer. Probably is best drunk over the next few years — 9 months ago

Tom, Severn and 6 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2005

Mary H
9.1

Finally busting this one out… Happy 2023! Toasty and a little funky. Superfine bubbles and lemon brioche loaf. — a year ago

George Moraru
with George
George liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2017

Another one from last night’s birthday dinner. I had a little left to revisit on day 2 and it is still amazing. What a classic. I could sit with this for a long time. The smokey, deep dark fruit/licorice, and velvety mouthfeel, all make this wine shine. This one will definitely improve with more age. Easily one of the top 5 wines of the year for me. — 2 years ago

Ira, Shay and 19 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

Severn Goodwin Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Belated happy birthday 🎉

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2016

Another excellent btl, a little more than a year since my last. On the nose, wild strawberry doused in sugar, cotton candy, lovely green stem notes bring this back down to earth, then nice earthy notes. On the palate, fantastic acidity, soft strawberry, herbal notes, dark cherry, some bark and earth notes, and attenuated tannin on the clean and slightly spicy finish. Yum. — 4 years ago

Chris, Severn and 7 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Beautiful scents of black plum and a little vanilla. On the feminine side for a Napa Cab. Precise flavors of black fruit, tobacco, leather with an under layer of smoke. Nice smooth finish — 5 years ago

Chad Anderson
with Chad
P, Dom and 27 others liked this