Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.2

The 2010 ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza Rioja is a compelling blend of 65% Tempranillo, and 25% Garnacho, with equal parts Mazuelo and Graciano. This single vineyard Rioja opens with an intense bouquet of sandalwood with pipe tobacco, leather and red fruits that align with the citrus zest and peat moss undertones. The palate revels in its silky texture and soft mouthfeel. Generous red fruits dance with exotic spices, and shades of orange infused black truffle on this exotic palate. Marvelous now at the nine year mark, the 2010 ‘Vina Cubillo’ will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2019-2029- 92 — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Mid to deep ruby red. 65% Cabernet 35% Merlot so the minty Cab influence from Coonawarra not as noticeable as usual. A detuned Cedary nose with red and black fruits. On the palate smooth and supple - seamless with largely resolved tannins. My last one of 6, but if I had more they would last another 5 years +. A very good wine made by Brian Croser. — 6 years ago

Samuli Jokipaltio

9.3

Wonderful and unusual 65/35 blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera. Ready to drink. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.1

2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣7️⃣

🗞 Tesla, A380, 1st iphone, Madeleine McCann
🎵 Girlfriend, Umbrella, Big Girls Don't Cry
🎥 Transformers, 300, AvP, Zodiac
🗣 This is Sparta!
🌍 6.6B

Paid £65 now £210+ nice but overpriced - I’d leave until 2025 or sell em 😁

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Chocolate covered blackcurrant in soft smoked oak w/ dark cherry, fine blackberry, cedar & herbs

👄 Med+ body of creamy mocha dominated black fruits that need more time

🎯 Long dark 85% mocha & ripe ninja fruit sludgy linger & green stalky kick — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Decanted for about an hour before we tasted Franco Batzella’s wines. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 to 24 months in French Oak and a further 12 months before release. The wine is Deep Ruby red with aromas of red/black fruits and sweet spices. The palate shows black cherries, blackberries and cranberries with some cacao, leather and vanilla spice. The wine had soft structured tannins, medium length and ended with earthy notes. Drinkable now but a few years would enhance the experience. Very nice! Tasting Sample. — 9 years ago

Thomas Porter

9.2

Monte De Oro 2010 Synergy 65 blend (Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel). Flavors of cherries, current, creme de cassis, blue plums, and hints of vanilla, creme mocha, and spice. — 11 years ago

Jill James

9.9

Refreshing sweet — 12 years ago

with Mandy

Mark Presswood

9.1

Sharing with Trey, Jessica, and the Wife at Waters in Fort Worth, crisp, clean, with the beautiful methode classique notes and rose color is beautiful — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.7

The 2001 Clos Mogador was stunning aged drank in 2017 but this 2013 @ £65, now £80-£100 as a 98 Parker pointer, has massive potential 😁 Beautiful now but give this 10+yrs & you have a fab priced 98+ point wine in the making 😍 28k bottles so buy if you can 👍

📍 Clos Mogador 2013

🏵 97 points w/ 99+ potential I’d say

🍇 49% Grenache, 25% Carignan, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon & 16% Syrah 😍

🍷 Opaque deep ruby w/ purple hue

👃 Rich mocha infused spiced dark cherry/berry bang w/ minerals, pencil lead, herbs, soggy earth, raspberry coulis, hint of prune, soft smoked oak & crushed violets

👄 Med+ to Full bodied ripe creamy smooth dark berry/cherry oozy chocy mocha infused silky boom choc raspberry gateaux fest w/ a rock mineral stoney backbone

🎯 Long deep dark fruits & cocoa linger w/ a raspberry slap & mineral kiss - choc cherry gateaux in a glass 💥 😍

🧀 Paired w/ aged Manchego & Iberian ham 🐷 — 6 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.7

One of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Domaine de Chevalier has turned out even better than I expected. Bright floral notes give striking aromatic lift to the rich, sumptuous fruit. A marvelously complete wine, the 2015 is racy and silky on the palate, yet also has tremendous freshness. Bright red cherry, blood orange, white pepper, spice and dried flowers build into the super-expressive finish. The 2015 has been nothing less than stunning the three times I have tasted it so far. This is a tremendous showing from proprietor Olivier Bernard and his team. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Tasted three times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Feb 2018)
— 7 years ago

Chris England

9.3

Superb €38 now £65 personal fav from St Em in top year 👍 w/ fab QPR & a soft spot for me as I had this same vintage from the barrel 😍 93 going 95-96

🍇 71% Merlot & 29% Cab F

🍷Opaque ruby w/ purple hue

👃 Chocolate coated black cherry, berry & plum through smokey oak, liquorice & wet crushed mineral rock w/ violets

👄 Med+ creamy silky mocha dark berry plum bang w/ liquorice & minerals

🎯 Long mocha berry plum slight dry mineral linger purple teether — 7 years ago

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.3

2012: 80% Roussanne. Quite opulent, floral, sweet, stone fruit apricot and peach. Vanilla. 65-70 year old Roussanne vines. Very creamy, almost ice-cream, vanilla, stone fruit, lovely opulence and good balanced acidity. Good length, complex and long. — 10 years ago

Megumi Gotoh

8.9

TARLANT Cuve Louis
樹齢65年 瓶内熟成12年
ドサージュ2g/L Ch50%,PN50%
¥10368/本
熟成したブーケ。複雑で余韻長い。感動はないがとても良いシャンパーニュ☆ — 11 years ago

Giampiero Nadali

Wine Blogger Aristide

9.3

Garnacha 65%, Carignan 25%, Syrah 10%, old vines (80yrs. old), 12 months in barrels. Elegant, excellent! — 12 years ago

Chris England

9.4

II’ve loved all the Sandhi 2012 range of whites & this £65 S&B is superb 👍 Paired with enough curry to get a small village going regular for a week 🤣 💨 sorry I didn’t take pics of that feast 😁

📍 Sandhi Sandford & Benedict Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2012 @sandhiwines

🏵 94 points

🍷 Golden yellow

👃 Chopped pineapple, crushed rock mineral, lemon oil, key lime pie, honey gloop & white jasmine flowers w/ light oak, vanilla & apple

👄 Med+ body of creamy refreshing clean tropical & citrus yummyness without being overly syrupy & a hit of green apple, pineapple, honey & minerality in med acidity

🎯 Med+ fresh apple, citrus & tropical trickle w/ a dry mineral honeyed pineapple slapette — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

(koo dah foo drah) - The moment when "lightning strikes" or something unforgettable occurs. A blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cab Franc & 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months on new oak. Fresh berry fruit aromas and exotic soft spice. On the palate sweet blackberry & cherry with vanilla spice and oak tones. Lingering ending with well balanced fruit spice and oak. — 7 years ago

Jessica Thompson

9.4

Screw top 13.5% great taste — 7 years ago

Eric

9.5

65% Semillon/35% SB. Wafty layers of apple, Carmel, light roasted nuts, lemon oil, and butterscotch. Looong oily finish. Probably in my top 3 lifetime white wines. — 7 years ago

David L

9.3

09' Booker Alchemist . 65% Syrah, 15% CB, 10% PV, 10% Grenache. A short decanting of an hour does wonders for this . After an hour it all comes together.

The nose just sells this wine with inviting black cherries & black raspberries. Palate- Sweet black raspberry, cedar, toast, healthy amount of spices. Long & lingering finish. Medium + bodied & drinking in it's prime now. Edit- Much better then it was just a few years back. Note to self- BUY MORE BOOKER- — 8 years ago

V M

9.6

Big bold blend of 65 percent cab sav and 35 percent cab franc. Where most napa vintners struggled with their 2011s Russell Bevan did just the opposite and thrived. Inky black with a deep ruby red around the edges. This wine has a big nose of strawberries and dark berry liquor with a hint of underbrush. — 11 years ago