Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2019 vintage. 65% merlot. 30% cab franc. 5% cab sauv. Medium-medium/heavy body. Good earthiness throughout the nose and flavor profile. A bit chunky with some immediate richness at the start and dwindling softness at the end. Solid effort. Not spectacular by any means but reminiscent of a friend’s labrador. Just won’t stop trying to become your new best friend and enough personality and performance to possibly succeed. 9.4.25. — 9 months ago

Vanessa

9.5

Happy New Year’s Eve to you all! 🎉

To celebrate the holiday, we’re popping this special bottle of bubbles we’ve been eager to try. 😝

It’s Champagne Philipponnat’s 2004 vintage champagne made with 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay hailing from a single clos – Clos des Goisses – surrounded by a traditional stone wall in the Village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.  🍾

Talk about a singularity of place!  It was first produced as a single vineyard wine in 1935, a pioneering approach for a Champagne House in a land known for regional blending.

After fermentation, this wine aged on the lees for 10 YEARS in Philipponnat’s historic cellars in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ; a Premier Cru Village of the Grand Vallée de la Marne, located on the southerly flank of the Montagne de Reims, where Pinot Noir dominates like in the Grande Montagne.

Okay for the tasting note!  Wow. 🤯 It has pastry, brioche, nougat, and marzipan for days, next to toasted almond, lemon curd, white peach, baked yellow apple, dried chamomile, blossom, and wet slate notes. Despite its unequivocal richness, it has a spine of acidity lending balance and brightness.
 
Cheers to 2025; may it be filled with hope, health, joy, adventure, and amazing sips! 🍾🥂 — a year ago

with Deked1

JKT

9.2

At Oginos post Thanksgiving. Thumbs up! 35/65 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir and it shows, creamy almost velvety texture tingling with fine bubbles. 5.5g dosage. 40/60 2012/2013 harvest, disgorged 1-2016. All on back label! — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

It is time for a delicious Cabernet for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep inky in color with a short purple rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, black cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, chocolates, herbs, light eucalyptus, black pepper, herbs and black tea.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, figs, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This 8 year old from the great 2014 vintage, is drinking very nicely now. Fruit forward, rich and extracted.

Showing great complexity already, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.

This Single Vineyard is opulent and very smooth. Gorgeous with generous fruit.

Good right out of the bottle and better after an hour of airtime.

Wine Enthusiasts 93 points. Robert Parker 97 points.

A great sipping wine to have with friends. Good by itself and will pair nicely with a big piece of steak too.

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

$225. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

My first bottle of the 2019 Contra Costa County “Red Table Wine”. The “Red Table Wine” designation from Sandlands is a bottling that I look forward to with each Sandlands release.

This years version from CCC pours a very pretty translucent ruby with a magenta rim and medium viscosity. Medium+ intensity. Initially, I found the nose to be a little reductive but the wine really begins to express itself and come alive after about 20 minutes of air. As with previous iterations, there’s an overwhelming impression of freshness. An extremely bright mixed fruits set with red, blue and black fruits, red and purple flowers and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Again freshness is everywhere. Confirming the mixed fruits which comes across extremely bright and almost crunchy. The wine is spicy with lovely minerals with an almost crushed gravel characteristic too. Finish is medium+ and works so well with a variety of meals. The body seems to gain some weight with air. Good now but probably better in 2025. 65% Carignan and 35% Mataro. 11 barrels produced. — 5 years ago

Doug Powers

9.1

[65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon] Medium-dark purple color, mineral and dark fruit aromas and flavors, also quite structured and tight, very good depth and length, drinks well but seems to want another 5-10 years of cellaring (2016 vintage effect?). . . . — 10 months ago

with Jim

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, aged in French oak 65% new and 35% 1 year old, fruit sourced from Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruit, earthy and floral spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and tart cherry flavors, with vanilla, licorice, citrus and herb spice. Fine tannins, well balanced long finish ending with tart fruit and a sweet earthy mineral character. Nice! A Fav! — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, spices, oak, vanilla, licorice, chocolates, light earth, light vegetables, herbs, tobacco leaf and black pepper.

Medium finish with grippy tannins and raspberries.

This 15 year old, Fifth Growth Bordeaux, is still young and tight. Needs 5 to 10 years in the bottle to mature properly.

I gave it 90 minutes in the decanter, but it probably was not enough.

Robert Parker 96 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Grippy and rich.

Definitely needs food at this point, like a big piece of steak.

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

13% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$125. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2014 vintage. 65% cab. 30% merlot. 5% petite verdot. Plushy. Grippy. Lingering. Medium-heavy bod…unusual for a Graves/PL. 3.2.23. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

A blend of 65% Cab Sauv, 20% Cab Franc & 15% Merlot, note more CF and no Petit V as in prior years. Deep Ruby with aromas of black and red fruits and sweet vanilla cedar aromas. On the palate black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors with vanilla, tobacco and oak spice. Smooth and refined tannins, long ending with sweet earthy tones. Wow!! Need to decant! Tried twice, Wow! — 4 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.1

On Christmas Eve another wine we opened was the 2008 Château LaLande-Borie. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc from Saint-Julien on the Left Bank in Bordeaux.

On the nose was black cherry, blackberry, licorice, leather, tobacco and dusty crushed stone.

On the palate there was black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, spice, leather, oak, woody notes, earthy and crushed stones

This wine is full bodied with a smooth velvety mouthfeel medium+ acidity and medium to medium+ smooth rounded tannins that seamlessly move into a long earthy finish. I wish each and everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas and that we all have a exceptional start to the New Year ahead. Stay safe and healthy into this New Year. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Aromas of poached pears, verging on tropical fruits. The palate is luscious and delicious of medium plus intensity. A blend of Pinot Blanc (35%) and Auxerrois (65%). The latter originates from the Pinot Blanc (just like Chardonnay) but they are quite different. Auxerrois has less acidity, ripens to a higher alcohol level and is more aromatic than Pinot Blanc They complement each other well. This wine is a real crowd pleaser and excellent value. Finishes dry. Tasted again 55 weeks later on 12th November 2022 with similar notes. Poached pear notes on nose and palate. Wonderful QPR. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon in blend, aged 9 months in oak, pale lemon with delicate aromas of citrus, stone fruits and floral note. On the palate flavors of apple, pear and lime citrus with notes of pepper and spice. Medium+ finish, slight cedar notes, vivid acidity and ends with herb mineral spice. Nice! — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of 65% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 14% Petite Sirah & 5% Mataro. Deep Ruby with aromas of red fruits, oak and spicy and scents. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with pepper, cacao, espresso, floral and smoky oak. Well balanced, fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, smoke and dried spice. Will age. — a year ago

Adam Kincaid

9.1

65% Kratošija / 35% Vranec.

Im not too familiar with these varietals but this drinks like a hearty california syrah. Clear deep ruby color, with a masculine nose featuring cut wood, nuts, plums and cherries. There’s a bit of heat from high alcohol and strong acidity levels, medium tannic structure, but a good feel. Lots of ripened fruit, chocolate, and spice. Long warm finish. — 2 years ago

with Jillian

Boris Mathiszik

8.9

Interesting blend from the Languedoc. 65% Chenancon, 20% Mouvedre, 15% Carignan. Well balanced and really wants you to pair this with food right away. — 2 years ago

Ruud Verhagen

9.1

65%CS, 20%M & 15%CF. A lot of oak, smoke, incense, very floral and earthy. Red and blackfruit (blackberries, blackcurrant), some green notes also. Very dark red with firm structure, needs time. Second day better integrated. 91+ — 4 years ago

Joanne Levy

8.9

Very smooth and pleasant wine for summer. Hints of green apple. — 4 years ago

Dave Minkel

8.9

Quite nice, not a big fan of French, but this one is good. 65% Syrah, 35% Cab — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Time for a good Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Washington State.

Deep purple in color with a short purplish rim.

Nose of black plums, cedar, chocolates, coffee, cooked cherries, leather, light vegetables, earth, licorice, black tea, tobacco and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cherries, chocolates, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, light vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Merlot from Columbia Valley. Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel. Another delicious wine from Michel Rolland.

Still young, but already tasty. Drinking very nicely now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years.

Good by itself or with food. Good right out of the bottle, but better after an hour of airtime, as the complexity comes in. Showing nice complexity already.

Wine Enthusiast 89 points.

Tangy and interesting. A Delicious wine.

A blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Aged for 22 months in (85% new) French Oak barrels.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 5 years ago