Be.

Gaja

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2011

Paul K
9.3

I think this may be my first ever Barbaresco. Decanted for four hours. Having alongside short rib bolognese home made all the way.
Medium body. Transparent garnet with tawny edge. Lots going on with the nose! Strawberries, spice, flowers, dusty stone, just a hint of leather, and cedar. On the palate pomegranate, cherry, strawberry, cranberry, and sweet tobacco. Will not be my last Barbaresco!
— 16 days ago

Tom, Daniel and 20 others liked this
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K Happy New Year to you and your family!! We love Barbaresco wines!! Best approach to it is to visit the region during white truffle season, drink locally, and bring copious amounts of it home with you 😂 A few producers we recommend trying are Sottimano, Roagna, La Spinetta, Vietti, Bruno Rocca… obviously you’ve discovered Gaja 💕😆
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K P.S. An insanely good QPR can also be found with Nebbiolo Langhe wines, made with the same grape, but in a more youthful, early-drinking style at a fraction of the price. For example GB Burlotto’s Nebbiolo Langhe is stunning!! 😍 Cheers, friend!! We look forward to hearing what you think on this journey! 🍷🍷
Anthony De Blasi

Anthony De Blasi

@Paul K also my best wishes to you! I recommend: Produttori del Barbaresco, Moccagatta, Pelissero, La Ca’ Nova, Ca’ del Baio

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Bit more lightening on the rim , more garnet . Touch more herbal on the nose with cedar , and grafite, much more lean and mineral on the palate. This takes quite a while to find its feet and benefits from quite a lot of air . In some ways a little unfortunate to be served between the 2000 and 1990 , which are a fuller , and more showy in style . However after a while this does show quite good length and balance , refreshing acidity . This is quite lean and mineral , focused and still pretty young . From now over the next 10 years. A little austere in style , reminds me a little of the 2005 in that aspect , though without that vintage’s intensity or density . — a month ago

Daniel, Jan and 8 others liked this

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1966

Opened earlier in the day and double-decanted to be served several hours later. The 1966 pours a pale garnet color with a transparent core. This is red fruit heavy and sanguine with ferrous earth, leather, and old wood. The tannins are firm still. An almost evergreen St-Estèphe that’s iron clad and tough as nails. Better than good but at nearly 60 years old, will it ever relax? Hard to say. It would likely survive another 60 years but it’s hard to imagine it evolving a lot considering where we’re at today. So...drink now, I guess? — a month ago

Lyle, Jan and 14 others liked this
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Ain't getting better. Tasted two bottles in 2023. Holding up more than expected but time's a ticking...
"Odedi"

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👏 👏

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2020

Ming L
9.3

Quite approachable at this young age. 30 minutes decant and it’s open for business. Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, sweet spices, cocoa, and lightly roasted nuts. The depth of flavors and elegant medium to full body show the pedigree. If blinded, I would not be able to tell this is a Sangiovese dominant blend. Would prefer a bit more acidity. But who am I to complain. — 2 months ago

Tom, Bob and 7 others liked this

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2021

Okay this wine was amazingly delicious but was undoubtedly quite young in this present moment.

There is so much more potential to unveil over time.

It has concentrated plum, fig, red currant, pomegranate, boysenberry notes next to licorice, meat, earth, peat, clove notes. Tannins and acidity are firm.

With time, we anticipate edges will be soften and complexity will be deepen with more tertiary notes and we cannot wait to revisit this wine down the road again.
— 16 days ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Ira and 19 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

2021 was such an outlier from the previous seven vintages in the Rhône, which were all warmer and made fairly powerful wines. For the record, I love the ‘21’s as they remind me of the 2014 vintage which I found to be more Burgundian and showed more of the rotundone I adore in Syrah.
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Jay Kline Thank you for your note! We can see what you mean. It was elegant, refined, with classic spicier notes. We are fans! We’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for the 2014s, too. 👀 Cheers!

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2011

You're not 40 every day and I wanted a special wine to celebrate that special day. Fortunately the wine bar / open kitchen restaurant we went to had that special wine, amongst 400 references, that I had been desperate to taste for a long while. I didn't take notes so it's all from memory, but the nose is what I liked the most. Coconut notes, leather, cherries, coffee... I spent probably 15 minutes in total smelling that wine. The palate was great with some acid drive, some matter but not in an overwhelming way, some gentle, well integrated tannins in the rear, before a long finish with savoury notes, red fruits, coconut and that gentle grainy tannic layer. A great experience to top up a day to remember.
Oh and if you happen to be in Warsaw, Poland and be looking for a great wine place, make sure to check out Kontakt - wino & bistro.
— 23 days ago

Scott@Mister, Ira and 14 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Congrats Daniel! Fine experience.
Paul K

Paul K

Happy Birthday @Daniel M ! Great wine! Great review!
Daniel M

Daniel M

@Paul K thank you, Sir !

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2012

#AgedWineTuesday

Pale lemon in color.

Light nose of citrus fruits, minerals and light yeast.

Medium-bodied with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, brioche, earth, light yeast, minerals, spices and herbs.

Long finish with limes and herbs.

This is a very tasty Champagne, albeit still young. Elegant and rich with nice complexity. Crisp and refreshing.

Didn't love it right out of the bottle, and needed 45 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

I've had a few different vintages of this Champagne, and always enjoyed it.

Needs 5 years to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

A blend of 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. Aged for 8 years on its lees.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$275.
— 2 months ago

Daniel, Ira and 21 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021

Was handed a glass of this and without even knowing anything was incredibly impressed. Thought it to be a French wine too, had no inkling it was Napa Cab. Beautiful purple colors that showcases a robust and complex bouquet of blackberries, dark cherry, tobacco, and chocolate. Has some spices too but they are pinned back by the fruit. Medium tannins with medium+ acids, super smooth and well balanced. Vanilla cola, cedar, black currants and more tobacco and chocolate give it a robust and lively blend. Great finish! — 14 days ago

Andrew, Vin and 2 others liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2011

It’s 10 years since Serge. Hochar’s death whilst swimming in Acapulco on NYE 2014 and I think it’s appropriate to celebrate his legacy that is the modern Chateau Musar.
I first tasted Lebanese wines in London circa 1986 when I used to go to a couple of Lebanese restaurants in Shepherds Market near Mayfair in London
Al Hamra is still in business
I’ve been to Beirut several times and always stock up at the airport duty free
So a toast to a departed icon of the wine world
Since my last 2011 4.5 years ago (see note) this has aged wonderfully and I’ve up my rating several points
Another few years and it will be further improved
Optimal decant time was around 3.5 to 4 hours
Ethereal stuff
— 13 days ago

ESF, Bob and 1 other liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Forty-plus years on, people still talk about the greatness of the 1982 vintage in Bordeaux. There are multiple factors that contribute to this and it’s fair to say that Robert Parker’s reaction played a major role in the early popularity; certainly in the States. While some may say that 1982 was merely a “good” vintage by today’s standards, I think history has proven it to be empirically special; there was just so much quality from top to bottom. And yet, even with the high praise of the vintage, the tone shifts to hushed whispers when the 1982 Mouton gets mentioned. Up until that point, the Chateau had sort of underachieved after receiving its unprecedented promotion in 1973. But in 1982, a year full of great wine, they created a legend and firmly cemented their First Growth status. Today, I’m pleased to report the plaudits for the ’82 are all warranted.

Opened and double-decanted earlier in the day. The ’82 Mouton pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core with some sediment; almost youthful when compared to many of the other older wines poured on the night. On the nose, the wine is developing still; loaded with cassis, black berries, leaf tobacco, leather, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with fabulous structure. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and full of power. A stunning wine and well in its prime…a window I expect will remain open for a longtime to come. Drink now with bacchanalian abandon and through 2082.
— a month ago

Ira, Jan and 29 others liked this
David T

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I picked the Mouton Merlot in 2012 for a day. At the two harvest lunches I attended, they served the 82. Every time they bottle, they take the remaining barrel juice, filter it and then serve the remains at their harvest luncheons for workers & guests. The second lunch I attended, we were seated at the Baroness’s table may she RIP as she passed in 2014. In 2012, they drank the last of the 82.
Jay Kline

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@David T what an awesome story and experience
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge

@Jay Kline I agree re the 1982 Bordeaux vintage. The Chateau Margaux was one of the greatest wines I have ever drunk whereas the Lafite Rothschild was somewhat underwhelming. Bought at the same time from the same shop and stored the same way.