Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The start of watching NFL Football 🏈 in the backyard for the dog days of summer. Reason enough to break out the BSR. Still my favorite N/V Rosé Champagne. Really refreshing on a hot day for our neck of the woods, 83 degrees and 90 plus in the sun.

Happy Friday & weekend all! Cheers 🍾🥂! — 7 years ago

Chris Bensick

9.1

Christmas present to ourselves! This Is a fine, mature wine from a ripe year. Not as overripe as some, not yet drying out, makes one wish for a cellarful of oldies to drink every day! — 9 years ago

with Alex and Jonathan

Craig Stanfield

9.2

The sun came out again today in Houston and for an August day it feels like the middle of October. This is a solid wine. — 9 years ago

Diane Withrow

9.2

Pear, stone, oak, more spring than autumn. A breezy spring day with a few dry leaves still blowing down the walkway. Buds on the branches. Glad I'm wearing a sweater. Here comes the sun. Another sip... take a deep clean breath. The grille comes out of the shed for that lovely white fleshed fish with lemon and olive oil. Crusty bread. Asparagus. Jazz or just the birds? Me humming? — 9 years ago

Jeff Collins

Owner Peabody's Wine & Beer Merchants and Benchmark Provisions

9.2

Amazing for its age. Complex and elegant. Wish they still made wine this good. — 10 years ago

Charlie Abbott

Sommelier Casa Mono

9.2

This poor bottle has been with me for years, in several different locations (closet, refrigerator, basement, wine fridge...) figured I'd put it out of its misery finally. Seemed like I killed it on opening, but really blossomed with air. Ripe concentrated cassis and dark herbal elements. Wish I could have (properly) held on to this a little longer — 10 years ago

with Ian

A. R.

9.4

Really nice BDX. Perfectly aged for me, but could easily go for another 10 years. Pencil shavings, dark fruit on the nose, tobacco, dark fruit and oily leather in the mouth, long finish. Yum. Wish I had more to see the evolution over the next few years. Perfect with the prime rib at #houseofprimerib in San Francisco. — 10 years ago

Johnna Gonzalez

9.4

Had this on my wish list & my boyfriend got it for our anniversary. It was so smooth & flavorful. — 11 years ago

Jose Lopez

9.3

Great nose on this vintage. Bright and happy with great acidity and delicate tannins. Spicy stewed dark cherry fruit. Wish I would've waited longer for it to open up a little more, but I couldn't wait!!! — 11 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.4

2011. Blanc. No one drinks enough of this. That's because there are so few things to which its a good partner, but it would be an incredible cheese-and-charcuterie wine. Broad and oily, there's just enough acid to keep you coming back for more. Sun-baked yellow orchard fruits dominate, but there's more exotic fruits too (mango and dried pineapple) yellow flowers, tons of almond husk bitterness, green olives, bay leaf, oregano, tarragon, white cheddar. Oak is assertively present but not overwhelming. Place dominates over grapes here, as it's a mix of Clairette and Grenache Blanc and a hodge-podge of other things. — 11 years ago

Steve Cunneen

9.7

An amazing wine. Delicious aromas of green and yellow stone fruit with some nice minerality. Smooth, clean finish that is refreshing and complex at same time. A perfect wine to pour for people who say they don't like Chardonnay. I wish I had a case. — 7 years ago

Rease Kirchner

9.0

Amazing value from Trader Joe’s! Really great red blend for only $7 — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

This one was served pop and pour, and I really wish that I had double decanted earlier in the AM as this wine was a touch too young. Even after 3 hours, the wine was still not completely open. But it was showing what it has to offer in the FUTURE, and for that I'm glad that the other bottle is in long term storage because that's exactly where it needs to be. Cocoa, black cherry, black tea, medium+ density wine. Lots of black cherry and coffee bean in the middle. The finish is darker, and did show very well after 3 hours to include a lot of blackberry and black pepper in the finish. At the time that this one was completely GONE was the time when we should have started DRINKING on it. Lots of tannin still on the finish. This wine will be beautiful in 5 years, and will hold another 15 quite easily. — 9 years ago

Kyle Harvey

8.9

This was a little underwhelming for the price tag and why I wish I had more access to growers champs. The maceration process seemed to overwhelm the finesse and chalk I was hoping for in a vintage bottle. I wish I would have over chilled and then let rest for about 15 minutes as the last glass was by far the best. — 9 years ago

Rob Brobst III

9.3

This was the real reason a midweek lunch date was needed! Wow. Being above the fog line in Napa pays off for Tim Mondavi. More sun and warm weather produced a ripe dark black current and kirsch flavor with smooth voluptuous tannin. Ready now. — 9 years ago

gino CapitalG

Round Pond Wine & Olive oil educator/sales

9.6

Deliciously funky. Earthy and beautiful. A sense of place for sure. I was thrilled by the slight eeprvesence and change from anything I usually drink. Beautifully floral and deliciously great. I wish I could get more. Thank you so much Mr Baron for giving this to Chase and I. — 10 years ago

Meg

9.2

Do you ever drink at lunch? Me neither......weeeelll, rarely...and sometimes in retrospect I wish I had. It relaxes you and certainly loosens things up. I did this weekend post race. We caravan'd down to Charleston for bridge run weekend. Enjoyed this cab outside upon return to DI. This Darioush 2nd label is always solid and doesn't break the bank. Luckily some car dancing with my stepdaughter playing DJ on the caravan back burned off some drinking calories ;) — 10 years ago

Drew Baker

9.4

Aromas like woah. I could only wish for acid. — 10 years ago

Justin Williams

9.2

Wish I had an IV hooked up to my arm for this wine. It is seriously fleeking amazing - if that's a thing... — 11 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.0

Capri sun?! No! I can barely believe my nose and taste buds right now. This is happily following my Mondeuse experience with equal ante to this sensual party. This juice is wonderfully tasty with little to no backbone...all forward feminine flavor and fun and still quite interesting. The deep dark purple is deceiving, bright and saturated berries showing a hint of serious soil. Nice lubrication for a great time, no thinking required at all. — 11 years ago

Stephen F Laga MD

9.6

This 2005 vintage is really smooth. Perfect for dinner with family and or friends. No after taste. Great legs. I wish there was more. — 7 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Can’t start a diet on Wednesday, especially on wine Wednesday free corkage ,
Wish I had time for the normal mandatory 4 hour Shafer decant, but last minute grab off the wine rack. — 8 years ago

Gareth Best

9.6

Essentially the perfect wine for my palette. Beautiful feminine floral nose, pretty, ethereal cherries and bright red raspberries, along with anise and tobacco. Weightless mouthfeel with a rich consistency; like having your tongue wrapped in liquid velvet. However those earthy Sangiovese tannins show up just in time to add a remarkable masculine balance. This wine sang a song about food. Gosh I wish I had another.... — 9 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

My favorite birth year wines are usually Burgundy or Bordeaux's since the hold up so well over time. Unfortunately, the 1965 growing season is known for Cold weather, Rain an Rot!!!! The 1965 vintage is Atrocious!! Michel Broadband called the 65 Bordeaux wine "Mean, Acidic and Short". Robert Parker was even tougher on the vintage!! Everyone that I spoke to and the research that I did pointed me to this Beauty!! 1965 Vega Sicilia Unico. I opened this last night for my wife's birthday. This bottle was in pristine condition with an original price tag of $4.80 on it!! Too funny!! I love finding beauties like this. I wasn't sure what to expect after reading so much in regards to the terrible growing year. This had a gorgeous earthy dried fruit which lightly caressed our palate. It wasn't the typical huge kid on the block with depth, character and conviction that we've enjoyed previously from other vintages. It was actually really cool to enjoy age, grace and playful Beauty. The finish.was relatively short but there it was still very good and somewhat robust. I just wish it lingered a little longer but oh well., it simply made us pick up the glass that much faster!! The wine was Very, very good. The family and friends that we enjoyed it with are awesome!!
The Love that I have for my wife on her birthday and every other day of the year is Priceless!!!
Happy Birthday Babe!!! — 9 years ago

with Christine, Robert and 2 others

Jimmy Miramontes

10

Had this wine as part of our 19 year wedding anniversary meal. At 19 years from vintage, this wine is showing incredibly well. Tannins are still firm and there is an excellent, overall, structure that I would say should hold for another 5-10 years. I wish I had another bottle or two to try in that timeframe. — 10 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Oh heck. I wish I had more. I don't know Aussie wine but don't think that would make a big diff in how to interpret this oner. It is an individual and a nice one at that.
It is smooth and merlot Berry then POW there are your Gewurtztraminer spices and whoa. Despite my hatred of the color of yellow I can dig it. Yowza. — 10 years ago

Mitchell Robertson

9.5

Gets better every time - wish I had the patience to wait for it to age more. — 11 years ago

Simon Haidamous

9.3

I wish I had the restraint to lay some of these down for years. Just so good. — 11 years ago

Sara Fay K

9.0

The kind of depth I always wish for in a Pinot, but rarely find. — 11 years ago

Adam Baker

9.9

Drank for Christmas dinner - 2014. With Elissa, Paul, Mom, Andrew, Grant, and Keiren.
Elissa made pork loin with fig sauce. Excellent wine. Wish I had more. — 12 years ago

with Elissa