Vineyard At Gruene

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2008

Gained sweetness w air. - at Archer — 4 months ago

Peter, Jonathan and 8 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

1982 vintage. Last tasted 6.1.24 (9.4) and nearly 9 years ago (9.0). Courtesy of Monsieur @Bill Bender. Sweet fill. Opened with a Durand. Cork 95% saturated. A little reticent in the early going and decanted a third of the bottle to see if that would pull the juice out of a sullen funk. It did, so the remainder got decanted whilst throwing much less sed than expected. Medium body still. Slightly brickish and plenty fleshy with well-integrated complexity. Very pleasant and lingering finish. A great bottle with more than could reasonably be expected at this juncture. Thank you, Bill! 4.24.26. — 5 months ago

Bill Bender
with Bill
Douglas, Tom and 9 others liked this
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

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@Tom Casagrande @Bill Bender said he tried but the app was down (as it has def been challenging in the last few months).
Shay A

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@Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego @Bill Bender : Bravo on the Prevost and the Mouton!
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

😱FOMO

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2022

Can you spot the difference? 2012 v 2022. Rebellion or Progression? At Cheval Blanc estate in Saint Emilion Bordeaux. — 6 months ago

Sagee, Daniel and 13 others liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2024

2024 no sulfite“n”. Loved it at Nancy! — 7 months ago

Somm, Dave and 3 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later.
— 8 months ago

Peter, Scott@Mister and 16 others liked this
Bob McDonald

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@Somm David T A wonderful story David and I can see how you could fall in love with that photo of the Chateau.
Somm David T

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@Bob McDonald Thank you. Cheers! 🍷

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha

CDG
9.0

Smooth! Tasted at Capital Wine School. — 8 years ago

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 1982

Jen
9.1

At formentos. Quite nice — 9 years ago

Heitz Cellar

Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Heitz has still got it baby, 1998 Napa cab standing up nicely at 18 years old. The color is only just showing signs of age. The nose is full of mint and lamb. In a strange spot since its not especially lush or fruity and yet hasn't fully developed the tertiary notes you would expect. But has the bones to go longer still. — 10 years ago

Belle Glos

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2013

Bright acidity. More raspberry than cherry on the nose. Tannins stick primarily to the tip of the tongue and dies quickly at the back. — 11 years ago

Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia

Unico Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend

Very refined and lovely. But not quite at the epic scale for me. — 12 years ago

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2014

2014. Enjoyed a small splash at the end of a great birthday meal at The Oven!
Such pure stone fruit and honeyed aromas and flavors with balanced sweetness and acidity.
— 4 months ago

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Slight younger looking , a little more ruby both in the core but still mostly garnet rim.
This is high toned slightly redder fruit , less dense than the preceding 3 . Cherry , red plum , cedar, seaspray . On the palate this is again quite elegant and refined , cherry , red plum some cassis , red plum , cigar box . Not overly weighty with perhaps a little less noticeable tannin than some of the others . Long vibrant , spicy grafite tinged finish . Very elegant , reserved and I suppose very Lafite , this grows during the experience but was actually voted in last place by the group , that somehow doesn’t surprise me, at the end of the day one wine did have to come last, and this was relatively discreet only showing its real breeding and class with time in the glass. Needs time , but is very promising , probably another 5-10 years (as with almost all the others ) , will last well a further 20 if not more . The elegance and style of this wine is fantastic , this really grows in the glass . Had to be Lafite for me . Bronze medal here .
— 5 months ago

Jan, "Odedi" and 4 others liked this

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 2004

Medium lemon straw , some fine lightly persistent perlage . Quite steely and minerally on the nose , some lemon pith , orange rind , white flowers , buttered brioche . Quite classic and lean in style. This has drive and persistence on the palate , electric acidity , with intense mineral , lemon rind , chalky depth . Still pretty young , taught , with good freshness and long length . With time drinking well but will improve over at least the next 5 years and last well a further 5 - 10 — 5 months ago

"Odedi", Jeroen and 9 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

Still tasting fresh and alive at 40 years! Black fruit present along with mushroom, cedar, and vanilla spice. Tannins are softened but still providing a structure for the wine. — 7 months ago

Joel liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2013

Decanted for around an hour, the recently released 2013 Grand Vin from Chateau Musar is an enormous wine at present in its youth. Gradually, it opened into a gorgeous, exotic and utterly unique product of this unlikely corner of the wine world. There’s plenty of Bordeaux-like character in the form of dark fruit and cigar box, but there are notes too of cranberry, liquorice, clove, mandarin and five spice. The mouthfeel, as a whole, has a quasi Brunello quality to it, with its bright cherry fruit and mouthwatering acidity. But woe is anyone to compare this wine to any other, for it is incomparable. One of Serge Hochar’s last vintages before his passing in 2014, and one that will doubtless have a long life. — 5 years ago

Josh, Jason and 1 other liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1955

Great vintage for DB that is still showing up at 65 yrs with notes of dried cherry, berry fruits, cedar, leather, savory spices, dried herbs, forest floor, lead pencil & tobacco leaf. — 6 years ago

Ira, Severn and 22 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Had it at casbah. Very bright and complex full bodied red — 9 years ago

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine of the night. This wine had EXCELLENT fruit, and showed NO VISIBLE SIGNS of decline. Great powerful blackberry. I was guessing 01 Stag's Leap or Rutherford. Turns out it was Caymus SS 01, but I was second guessing myself on the year because it was a very purple color into the decanter and showing well. The wine had great vanilla on the front, blackberry on the front, and a more youthful middle and finish with some herb. This wine has 10 years left in it no doubt. Whoever cut this one off at 2017 has no idea. This one literally showed no signs of decline whatsoever. Drink by date 2007 - 2030. — 9 years ago

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2005

Classic Gran Reserva. Nose is leather and oak. Complex in the mouth with leather, oak, clove, cinnamon, tobacco, fig and a hint of blue cheese. It finishes with more oak, medium acid and chewy tannins. A lovely dark, blood red color to boot. At a meal, this is the main course. Me gusta. — 10 years ago

Susan Cahoon
with Susan
James liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2002

Crazy good paired with dipping into gamba al ajillo (emphasis added), at Napa's groovy/real Zuzu, catching a classic deeply dirty nose while still sporting sun-drenched fruit that initially reworks one's first blush front mouth with an iodine edge that morfs into red and black fruit edgy with acid/tannin slow dancing to the depths and begging for another pinch of broth soaked chewy freshly baked bread and the associated next swig of this sweet juice...rhythmically stellar by day or by night😎🌌👣🍷🌀🎼

PS hit Zuzu (friendly, delicious and real...

— 11 years ago

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Yummy, smooth, flavorful, and not too heavy. Had at Josh's — 5 months ago

Iwan, "Odedi" and 1 other liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1966

It’s nice to be born just inside of a great vintage across Europe. Sound and fim, still. at Laurelhurst — 5 months ago

Brian, Tom and 2 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

I’ll just commence this tasting note to see if it is accepted. Dense Ruby in colour. Blackcurrant and tobacco notes - ripe blue and black fruits - luscious texture. Anytime I’ve had a Napa (or Washington State) Cabernet I have always been impressed - probably better than most good Aussie Cabernets (and more expensive). Has a good future but irresistible right now. Have the last bottle in a year or two. Interestingly reverse osmosis was used to reduce the alcohol. Now at 13.9%. — 5 months ago

Jeroen, "Odedi" and 12 others liked this
Jose Lorenzo

Jose Lorenzo

One of the finest California vineyards. Especially to sit on for a while. Cheers
Joshua Fisher

Joshua Fisher Influencer Badge

This is a top producer for Napa Valley.

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2011

Ridge Vineyards Wine Mixer at Thyme Restaurant. Drinking very well at the moment. — 8 months ago

Tom, Ira and 8 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2021

What a find at this restaurant. My first sassicaia. Rich and almost thick, but not overly fruity and in balance. Clearly a special wine. — 7 months ago

Mike MillerAnne MillerChris MacLean
with Mike, Anne and 1 other
Mike, "Odedi" and 8 others liked this

Justin Vineyards & Winery

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The delicious, smoothly textured, 2021 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) is intensely colored, nicely balanced, and well structured; medium>full, with an abundance of aromatic and flavorsome black fruits (Bing cherry, blackberry); refined with barrel aging notes (spice, vanilla, toast); and framed with medium acidity and smooth tannins at the mouth cleansing finish. Tasty stuff, and should be ideal with tonight’s wine-braised, beef short ribs and potato pancakes, Happy New Year from Napa Valley! — 9 months ago

Daou Vineyards

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

At Oak Steakhouse — 6 years ago

Otto, Bill and 5 others liked this

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Unbelievable cab, perfect pairing with an excellent steak at one of the best chop houses in the country — 8 years ago

Bryan, Matthew and 2 others liked this

Corison Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Somm David T
9.2

On the nose, stewed fruits of; black plum, blackberries, dark cherries, plum and blueberries. Mocha, chocolate, mixed berry cola, sweet spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, loamy mineral soils and dry dark florals. The mouthfeel is less concentrated than other vintages of Corison but that's indicative of the 10 Napa vintage generally. The tannins are nicely resolved with another 5-8 years before they are completely resolve. The fruits are; dark cherries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, blackberries with strawberries that dance around the rest of the fruit. There's nice barrel toast, vanilla, nutmeg, light clove, cinnamon, touch of wood shavings, liqueur notes, caramel, mocha chocolate, mix berry cola, loamy soils, dry crushed rocks, bramble, dry stems with nice soft round acidity. The finish is a little lean but tasty. Good balance of fruit and earth with long, rich elegance. Cathy slightly overachieved the 10 vintage as a whole. Photos of; her estate building, Cathy in her vineyard, grapes coming in at night (better to harvest when the fruit is cooler) and her estate vineyard in all it's glory. Producer notes and history...Cathy Corison grew up in Riverside, California. She studied biology at Pomona College and was on their men's diving team, because the school didn't have a women's team. In 1972, she had to take an extracurricular class. She signed up for a trampoline class, but changed her mind upon seeing a sign-up sheet for a wine tasting class. This class was the catalyst that sparked her interest in winemaking. After graduation in 1975, she moved to Napa Valley in California. She received her Master's degree in Enology from University of California, Davis. Upon moving to Napa, she started working in the tasting room at Sterling Vineyards and at a wine shop. During this time, she was getting her Master's degree at the University of California, Davis. She was told by her professor that she would not get a job in Napa Valley because of being a woman. However, if she wasn't the first Napa Valley female Winemaker, she was certainly one of the first. She tried to get a job at Freemark Abbey and was denied because they believed she could not work in the cellar. She almost took a job at Christian Brothers in the enology lab. However, she decided not to take the job and in 1978 she became an intern at Freemark Abbey and eventually became their Winemaker. She joined Chappellet in 1983 and was their Winemaker for nearly ten years. She founded Corison Winery, in 1987. The winery is located in St. Helena, California in a barn built by her husband, William Martin. Corison makes Cabernet and Gewürztraminer. They produce about 3,500 cases a year depending on the vintage. The winery makes a Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and as well as a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The Kronos is an estate wine that is made from organic grapes. The vineyard is dry farmed. The grapes come from one of the oldest vineyards in Napa Valley. The Napa Valley Cabernet comes from Rutherford. The Gewürztraminer is called Corazón and comes from the Anderson Valley. — 9 years ago

Eric, Trixie and 40 others liked this
Eric

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Checking this out later this month
Somm David T

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@Eric S Corison is a pleasant visit. They also do a nice harvest party on Sunday afternoon in September.
Severn G

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@David T Nice write up again David. I'm intrigued to find her connection with one of my favorite producers, FAW. I'll drink vintages crafted under her care with a renewed perspective. Thank you.