Birthday. Great buy. Mellow and great finish. — 19 days ago
Not particularly noteworthy but good I’ve it has had a chance to breathe. Dark berry etc. — 6 months ago
Equipo vaquero — 9 days ago
With a three hour decant still very tannic and stemmy. Probably needs another five plus years — 18 days ago
Are there many/any better Pauillac second growths?
2003 a ripe, warm vintage.
Soften medium plus tannins. It’s Bordeaux lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum that leans into pudding, dark cherries, ripe strawberries, hues of purple & blue fruits. Dark spice w/ palate heat, nutmeg, clove , cinnamon notes, mid berry cola, some black licorice, vanillin, dark, rich forest floor with a touch of dry leaves, lead pencil shavings, dry tobacco, sandalwood to cedar, 1/2 used leather, limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry herbs, dry to moist, grey, volcanic clay, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, framed in lavender & liquid violets, excellent acidity with excellent; tension, structure, balance and elegant finish that goes on and on.
First wine w/ an Allen Brothers Ribcap.
Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande, library cellar and estate vineyard. — 7 months ago
1990 vintage. Excellent fill and halfway saturated cork. Used a Durand but surmise a regular waiter's friend, wielded carefully, could have done the trick with the cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 mins, one hour and two hours. Some obvious sed but not troublesome or overtly noticeable. Original owner-château direct on original release. Super cold cellar because this was lagging noticeably behind other '90's and LB's. Bigger tannic structure (for a generally feminine-styled house) than anything save a Latour, Mouton, Ducru Left Bank property. Even more guts than Lynch-Bages or Pichon-Baron '90's currently stored above 55 or so degrees. Surprising but made sense. Light-medium body. Appropriate color. 3-4 years left in this stage unless larger format in play. Slight, fleeting burst of richness in the frontal palate and a tad brickish and then it just flowed on, without speed bumps. A little cocoa powder and cedar/tobacco. Suspect 750ml specimens not stored as cold/religiously will be showing more in the 9.0-9.1 range and farther down the backside of the bell curve. 10.26.24. — 25 days ago
Spoto Family wine dinner under the stars: always a fun night with Stuart and family!
DINNER WINES
2021 Spoto Oakville cabernet rose
2019 Spoto Godfather red....a blend you can't refuse.
2019 Spoto cuvee Christiane
2018 Spoto Beckstoffer amber Knolls malbec
2018 Spoto family reserve cabernet
2015 Spoto late harvest viognier
Also:
2004 Las Cases
2005 Pichon Baron
2009 Cos d'estournel
2012 La Mission Haut Brion
2005 Spottswood
1989 clerc milon
2005 Spoto private reserve
2001 clos du val
FOOD
Oysters, lamb lollipops, feta skewers
Tomato and nectarine panzanella
Ricotta, summer pea and corn agnolotti
Wood fired gulf prawns
Five spice grass-fed short rib, Yukon potato
Apricot and vanilla custard tartelette — a year ago
Mark S.
Violet Pichon Baron 19 @34980, Pieroth, 241115 — 5 days ago