Château Le Petit Chaban

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Blend of Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot, & splash of Merlot; estate-owned vineyards Rutherford, Napa, St. Helena & Stag's Leap District. Just opened, 14 years in the bottle after couple of years in the barrel! Still tasting well, young & juicy, should easily last another decade, but nice now. Deep Ruby, dark fruits, spice, complex nose. Palate reflects juicy rich berry fruits, well structured harmonious wine. Fine soft rich tannins, long finish ending with fruit, tobacco and earthy tones. Wow! — 4 days ago

Andrew, Juan and 4 others liked this

Matthiasson

Napa Valley Red Blend 2013

Wasn’t planning to open this tonight but after the first wine I tried was corked, this was up next. Paired with some very tasty chicken thighs off the grill. This is good but not at the same level as some of the previous bottlings I’ve had - including both the same and different vintages. 13.6%, much appreciated, and a nice more refined take on a left bank Bordeaux style blend from Napa. Good acid, but the palate is a bit leathery and isn’t giving much fruit. — 17 days ago

Dave, Tom and 4 others liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore Red Bordeaux Blend 2021

2021 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 45 mins. Chunky and decently power-laden. Hints of finesse here and there. Much too much too early obvs but time, space and the FLB (Friday Lunch Boys) demanded a sacrificial lamb. The oracle at Delphi was on a lunch break apparently so no tea leaves or entrails read but this needs at least 3-4 years to divine the future. 08.15.25. — 6 days ago

Bob, Ruud and 13 others liked this

Château Lascombes

Margaux Merlot Blend 2005

Enjoyed this showing red & black fruits with notes of cedar, leather, spice, earth, floral & tobacco — a month ago

Tom, Shay and 13 others liked this

Château Chasse-Spleen

Moulis en Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

We had it on a diner with friends. Food was a bit of a disappointment considering the reputation (and the price tag) but the bottle was frankly excellent. Tell tale claret which is delivering the goods now but no rush. — a month ago

Jose Roberto Palazzoveronique paillardAdriana Pagliano
with Jose, veronique and 1 other
Adriana, Dave and 5 others liked this

Beaulieu Vineyard

Reserve Tapestry Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

Somm David T
9.4

Every time I have an older BV Tapestry, 15-25 yrs, I am always impressed with their better vintages. 2007 the rule rather than the exception. This when released in 2009-10 was between $35-$40 depending on when & where you purchased it. Having stated the above, these have proven to better than some to many Napa Cabernets costing $125 to $175 with the right long age. Bought in the last six months on the secondary market for $55 if my memory hasn’t failed me.

Tonight from a corvined bottle over the weekend still shows youthfulness but has excellent integration & evolution. Still has 12-15 years of good drinking ahead.

Ripe & lush, touch candied, dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, the darkest cherries, black plum, baked strawberries & haunting blueberries/raspberries. Sweet tarriness, dry twig, powdery limestone, anise to some black licorice, soft, wet herbs, baking soda, dry top soil, nutmeg, soft clove, cinnamon, vanillin, dark spices, withering & candied flowers that are dark, red, blue framed in lavender & liquid violets.

The palate shows lush, ripe with M+ velvety rounded tannins. Lush dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, the darkest cherries, black plum, baked strawberries & haunting blueberries/raspberries. Sweet tarriness, dry leather, used tobacco with ash, lead pencil shavings, dry twig, powdery limestone, anise to some black licorice, moist & dry herbs, baking soda, dry top soil, nutmeg, soft clove, cinnamon stick, vanillin, dark spices, withering & candied flowers that are dark, red, blue framed in lavender & liquid violets, pretty acidity and a finish that is; well balanced/structured/knitted, elegantly polished that last two-minutes and lands evenly on fruits, soft earth notes & deep spices as it sets.
— 8 days ago

Jay, leon and 15 others liked this

Spring Mountain Vineyard

Elivette Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

Paul K
9.5

Happy place. Cribbage, wine, and cabin with good friends. — 19 days ago

Dave, Tom and 14 others liked this
Dave

Dave

That's wonderful!

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

1990 vintage. Previously tasted 3x in the last 4+ years 01.20.23 (9.6), 05.16.21 (9.4) and 09.21.23 (9.5) Top shoulder fill. Excellent cork. Decanted and tasted immediately. Oodles of sediment as expected. Beguiling St. Estèphe nose. This. Was. Phenomenal. Best of the four horsemen/tastings. Enough structure to build the infrastructure for a new city along with a surprising amount of dark fruit. A well-stored, large format bottle of this might just show you the best time you’ve ever had. WoW. 08.14.25. — 7 days ago

Daniel, Ted and 22 others liked this
Jan A

Jan A

Nice!
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

Its indeed wow. Have you tried the 1989 ? Slightly less dramatic and more classical in style but can be as big an epiphany…

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Delicious per usual. Last had 2 years ago and this is in a nice place. Perfect with skirt steak off the grill. A treat. — 12 days ago

Dave, Ira and 4 others liked this
Dave

Dave

A treat, indeed!

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

So for those who don’t know, this wine is a collaboration between one of the most famous California winemakers and one of the most famous Bordeaux wine makers (the grapes are from Napa).

The young expression when I first had it 10 years ago was big bold ripe fruit, probably the quintessential Napa cab.

The aged expression had more secondary and tertiary characteristics, terroir, and represented Baron Rothschild in respects of crafting a wine that could grow and develop and express the care that goes into winemaking as opposed to simply growing good fruit.

The young version of it perfectly expresses Mondavi and Napa. The aged version captures the elegance of Bordeaux winemaking and Rothschild’s fingerprints. You cannot fully experience this wine unless you’ve had it young and old. Unbelievable experience tonight.
— 16 hours ago