Big Cork Vineyards

Big Smooth Cellars

Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

Hearty and full-bodied — 4 days ago

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.

Strong nose of black currant, blackberries, black plums, black cherries, cedar, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, light earth, herbs, mediterranean spices, black tea and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, light cedar, earth, cherries, light vegetables, tobacco leaf, black tea, herbs, light vanilla, mediterranean spices and dark chocolates.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced with great complexity.

Needs 2 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient. Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

This 17 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink at its peak, although I'm drinking out of a Magnum.

Showing a beautiful nose with lots of complexity. Rich and extracted, elegant and powerful.

Robert Parker 97 points. Wine Enthusiasts 96 points. Wine Spectator 91 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Aged for 24 months in all new French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

$450 (Magnum).
— a day ago

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1999

1999 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand. Solid cork with approx 50% saturation. Decanted and tasted after two hours. That decided Lynch-Bages medium heavy bod. Has dropped some, not all, of the overt primary fruit load. Pleasant spices and feminine characteristics easily noted and cataloged. Pretty harmonious now tho with a little chunkiness/tannic blessing as more of a fleeting kiss vs a big hug. Could easily go another decade in this ensemble. 6.14.26. — 5 months ago

Daniel, Jeroen and 9 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush. — 6 months ago

Jose Roberto Palazzoveronique paillardAdriana Pagliano
with Jose, veronique and 4 others
Peter, Dave and 5 others liked this
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush.
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

Medium dark rubi robe, nose of top soil, cedar-wood, spices and other secondary notes. Medium bodied, long and with highly polished tannins, this is an excellent bottle, just slightly under the other we got from same 6 bottle case.

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend

I am not a big lover of Bordeaux but this one is quite light in taste, tender and goes perfectly with red meat. — 9 months ago

Ovum Wines

Big Salt Elkton White Blend

Great white blend. Nice blend of tart and dry, finishes very clean. Would be better in Summer — 9 months ago

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose and full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and already very complex.

Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, light earth, chocolates, tobacco, spices, peppercorn, coffee, cola and licorice.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap District in Napa Valley is already drinking beautifully. Rich and extracted. Fruit forward, elegant and nicely balanced. Soft and smooth.

In your face kind of wine, with a teeth staining color. Bold and beautiful. The high alcohol is still noticeable, but will integrate with time.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after a few hours of airtime.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

Wine Spectator 93 points. Robert Parker 99 points. Wine Enthusiasts 97 points.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 28 months in all new French oak barrels.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$300.
— 3 days ago

Dave, Juan and 8 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, mediterranean spices and chocolate notes.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is extremely young and needs 10 years in the bottle to mature properly. Elegant and fruit forward, yet restrained.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, but never had it so young. Not as powerful as some other vintages, but already complex and nicely balanced.

Feels like a good quality Left Bank Bordeaux, and will continue to age nicely, and get better in the next 20 years.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

A good sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$490.
— 2 months ago

Dave, Dick and 14 others liked this

De Bortoli

Noble One Botrytis Sémillon 2016

Quite good with toffee, apricot, honey, almond, and marmalade. — 5 months ago

Belle Glos

Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019

Big ol’ Pinot… if by name only

Heavy body….. deep ruby color.
Musty, earthy nose
Powerful Friit - maybe black cherry
A touch earth / bitter lingers. A touch of oak.
Zin / Cab vibes
Nice glass of wine…
(Remedy 21)
With Sue and Riley
— 6 months ago

Dave and Ted 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. — 6 months ago

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

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego Premium Badge

@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

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

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

Neil Valenzuela

😱FOMO

Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post

Cork Dancer Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021

Classic Pinot and perfect with grilled Alaskan sockeye salmon and ahi tuna. — 9 months ago

Stags' Leap Winery

Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2020

Big fan of jamminess, plum, settle dry finish stops where you want it — 9 months ago

Darioush

Signature Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Dark ruby in color.

Full bodied and soft, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and complex.

Long finish with fine grained tannins.

This is a very young Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.
Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after a couple of hours of airtime.

Not the best vintage, but delicious nonetheless. Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

Robert Parker 91 points.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 21 months in (75% new) French oak barrels.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$135.
— 12 days ago

Tom, Sagee and 7 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Beautiful wine had at Isidore San Antonio with clients. Great big bold cab had with steak. — a month ago

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1986

Big and dense. Olives. Otherwise mostly what one would expect. Quite dark.
.
— 4 months ago

Scott@Mister, Zach and 3 others liked this

Mollydooker Wines

The Boxer Shiraz 2023

Deep, dark Ruby red color with a fruit forward nose, lots of ripe berries with oaky notes. Jammy big and bold blackberry flavors with some spice, cacao, cedar and leather notes with nice mouthfeel. Big fine tannins with berry fruit carried over to the finish with oak and sweet spice. — 5 months ago

Juan liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Rattlesnake Rock Syrah 2018

Everybody seems to have glowing opinions of this, but mine was just a good wine and all the complexity in depth that I’m hearing about here I just didn’t get. A very good balance of strong flavors drank it across three days, dark pepper, and tobacco notes and ripe fruit and I will say without any overwhelming attendance. The structure was just incredible. Very good wine, maybe I’m just different than the other reviewers.  — 6 months ago

Tom liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Somm David T
9.4

I have written a few times regarding my tale of Caymus & Caymus Classic. Their vintages post 2011 and their vintages pre 2011.

I have at event tastings that Caymus was pouring, encouraged their staff to talk with Chuck to make both Caymus & Caymus Classic. Recently, I emailed them to pass on my thoughts to Chuck asking him to make both. If you liked Caymus the way it was, I encourage you to do the same. There is a dwelling amount of older, well preserved Caymus Classic vintages. info@wagnerfamilyofwine.com should you be so inclined.

Their post 2011 Caymus Cabernets are picked at higher brix and syrupy sweet. I get why Chuck changed. Many like sweeter Cabernets that drink easy young. That is not my wheelhouse.

In my intermediate wine days, I aged and enjoyed many pre 2012 vintages. This perfect bottle bought on the secondary market at around $70 is extremely well stored. The cork when I cut the foil looked slightly depressed, when I pulled it with an Ah-so was next to new.

I enjoyed this with a Ribcap, not the best wine for that steak but, ok. This 07 is more filet or NY Strip.

The nose shows; a very dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush-blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, mellow dark spices, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry tobacco, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender.

This bottle now nearly 18 years in bottle has not faded. It is at its precipice and will hold a few yrs. 2007 a grand Napa vintage. Decanted a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next 90-120 minutes. With this experience, another hour in the decanter is even better.

M-M+ velvety, rounded, tannins. The palate is round, ripe, lush, ruby fruits of; dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush; blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, stewed plum, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries with notes of liqueur overtones, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, black licorice, dark berry cola, distinct dark, Caynus Classic spices w/ palate heat, herbaceous notes, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone/rock, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry river stone, charcoal, notes of menthol, dry tobacco, leather, dry oak barrel shavings, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender, perfect, round acidity with an incredibly; balanced, well knitted-toned-structured, elegantly/smartly polished finish that goes on and on and long sets on beautiful earth & spice.

94+ This experience is becoming rarer & rarer.
— 8 months ago

Andrew, Rick and 9 others liked this
Joe DAscoli

Joe DAscoli Premium Badge

The 07 such a great wine