Tom Garland

9.5

+1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A splendid medium dark ruby red color with bricking. On the nose: Tantalizing perfumed notes of stewed plum/cherry, worn leather, smoke, forest floor, stewed meat, cedar, eucalyptus. Taste: creamy, elegant, with power and depth wine...plum, currants, smokey earth, graphite, saline, dusty crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, and a nice medium plus finish. YUM!! — 12 days ago

with Brenda

Her Mir Tage

9.0

First Time Trying "Calon Segur" 1995 – Tasting Notes

Background:
- Wine:Château Calon-Ségur 1995 (Third Growth, Saint-Estèphe)
- Blend:Bordeaux Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot)

Tasting Notes
Appearance
- Color:Ruby-red with a "pigeon blood" hue, still vibrant for its age.

Nose (Aroma)
- Initially:Tight and powerful upon opening, dominated by cedar, oak, and smoky notes, with subtle earthy undertones. Fruit and floral aromas were restrained.
- After 30 mins of decanting:Began to open up—blackcurrant, raspberry, and a savory, almost "natural wine" minerality emerged.
- After 1 hour:Evolved further with liquorice, dark chocolate, and a touch of tobacco.

Palate (Taste)
- Tannins: Softened nicely but still present (typical of aged Bordeaux).
- Acidity:Noticeably high, giving freshness but slightly dominant early on.
- Flavor Profile:Balanced but not overly complex—black fruits, earthy notes, and oak spices in harmony.

Structure & Finish
- Body:Medium-full, elegant but not heavy.
- Finish:Moderate length, ending with lingering cedar and dark fruit.

Impressions & Comparisons
- Balance:Very well-integrated—no single element overpowers (aroma, flavor, acidity all upper-medium tier).
- Lacking Distinction? In a blind tasting of Bordeaux, this might blend in—no standout "wow" factor(e.g., missing the rose petal florality sometimes associated with "Calon’s romantic charm"). — 2 months ago

Mo

9.2

WS: 93. Baked cherry, raspberry ganache and warm fig flavors are ripe and expressive, with a pleasing counterpoint and added detail from rich notes of loamy earth and leather, plus accents of bay leaf, vanilla and red licorice. There's a supple generosity on the palate, trimmed nicely by fine-grained tannins and a tang of orange peel acidity. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2032. 35,000 cases made, 9,000 cases imported.

Alison Napjus
Issue Date: Aug 31, 2024
Release Price: $45/750mL — 5 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Showing well at 50 yrs, still fresh with good acidity. Classic LB with red & black fruit, currant, cedar, leather, graphite, spice & tobacco leaf — a month ago

"Odedi"

8.9

Pale reddish in color. Pretty color.

Fruity nose and medium in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with mild complexity.

Showing raspberries, cherries, red currants, earth, light chocolate notes and spices.

Tangy finish with soft tannins.

This is a very tasty Grenache blend from Columbia Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Southern Rhone red.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

A blend of 77% Grenache, 13% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah. Aged in used French oak barrels for 21 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$48. — 2 months ago

Ericsson

9.3

Third growth? Or third treasure! If you can hold out. — 5 months ago

Ron R

9.5

Really enjoying this super third from Harlan. Blueberry cobbler on the nose and palate. Weighty and voluptuous. Loving the regal tannic structure. Clean, long extended finish with pumping acidity.
From Drew’s cellar. — 7 months ago

with Andrew

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!
— a month ago

MysticMtnMama

9.5

Soft, floral aroma with hint of peach and pineapple Refreshing! Would make good peach sangria — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep inky in color with a short purple rim.

Beautiful nose of blueberries, black currants, cooked cherries, light oak, vegetables, licorice, earth, chocolates, Indian spices and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with plums, currants, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, coffee, light tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, earth and black tea.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux. Showing a nice mouthfeel. Fresh, complex and rich.

This second growth wine is still young, but already enjoyable, even by itself.

Drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years. Would be nice to revisit it in 7 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

Well balanced, and good by itself as a sipping wine. A good food wine too.

A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$215. — 5 months ago