Dark Horse Wines

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2019

From MAG

2 hour decant. A striking purplish dark garnet color. On the nose: beautiful notes of dark fruit, pencil shavings, herbaceous, vanilla, cloves. Taste: creamy, polished, structured wine with blackberry, dark chocolate, minerals, bell pepper, leather, and a decent herbal/potting soil finish. Drinks surprisingly well with the decant at this age, and sure a few more years will improve. YUM!
— 8 hours ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Tom and 7 others liked this
Paul T HB

Paul T HB

Only about 10-15 years too soon

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Notes of leather and dark fruits on the nose, very smooth on the palette. A lovely cab I can drink all day long. — 7 days ago

DAD liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

Even more fantastic than the previous bottle of 2010 I enjoyed a year ago. Decanted and enjoyed over 7 hours. This was good from first pour but became great and then magnificent over the next 3.5 and 7 hours. It was still full of verve on the last sip! Early only it was more dark fruit but over time the wines softened and became a bit sweeter and rounder. Tremendous length and complexity. — 15 days ago

Tom, Shay and 20 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2021

Decant and pour. Restrained notes of dark fruit, smoke, leather, tobacco, grilled bell pepper. Taste: cherry, blueberry, currants, crushed granite, truffles. A young wine that I would luv to drink again in 15 years. — 4 days ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Somm and 18 others liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Quite light spices , coffee , sous bois , herbal hints . On the palate this has good density and spicy , menthol , dark coffee stained fruit , some slightly gritty tannin . It comes across as quite ripe but with balanced acidity and quite good menthol tinged length . This was served blind from a half bottle . I was putting this in the 80s and Napa , not Bordeaux! This had to do with the texture and quite ripe , generous fruit profile . Drinking perfectly now , I wouldn’t wait any longer — 2 days ago

Ira, Tom and 7 others liked this

Spottswoode

Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

2005 vintage. From magnum. Tasted after 3 hours open. Light-medium body. Drought earth. Coffee grounds. Espresso crema. Dark plum skins. Drinking excellent but like a Napa cab a decade older. And from a magnum!?!? Was expecting a bit more of a delicate fruit presence. Oh well. It was a full moon. 04.11.25. — 16 days ago

Ted, Austin and 8 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2001

Medium ruby garnet , narrow garnet rim . Quite deep spicy tobacco , cassis , redcurrant , grafite , smoky herbal notes on the nose. On the palate this is quite restrained and elegant , with a mix of red and dark fruits , cassis , blueberry , red currant , touch of menthol also . Good refreshing acidity and slightly gritty tannins , good length with grafite and tobacco stained finish . This is showing well and is probably at peak at the moment , no rush as it will stay here for another 8-10 years or so . — 22 days ago

Jeroen, Jan and 11 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (91.3%) and Merlot (8.7%). A bit tight and unexpressive right out of the bottle. After a 45 minute decant, this wine was awake and very alive. Dark ruby color. Aromas of graphite, forest floor, wet gravel and dark black fruit. Flavors of black currant/cherry/berry/plum, tobacco, baking spices, dark chocolate and minerals. Distinct notes of smoky oak and wet earth on the long and lingering finish. Tannins were a bit lighter than expected at first but developed with aeration. Quite savory, rich, full bodied and powerful. Beautiful texture. Exceptional (once it opened up) but not the bottle of near perfection that I had heard so much about. Thanks for sharing, Petey and Happy Birthday, Kase! — 15 days ago

Austin, DAD and 10 others liked this

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2001

Slow ox for 3 hours. Deep ruby, still ruby edges. The pronounced nose was loaded with spices, olives, smoke, smoked meat, anise, clove, peppercorns, mostly tertiary dark red fruits, dried crushed violets. The palate was med+ bodied, medium grain tannin were a tad chewy and grainy, an intense but elegantly persistent palate. A long, spicy finish showed subtle fruit with the tannins showing a touch grainy/chewy and not as integrated here. Still a beauty, though not sure the tannin will resolve at this point. — 21 hours ago

Jan, Zach and 2 others liked this

Stags' Leap Winery

Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2020

Inky and dense, with aromas of violet and dark fruit. Multiple flavors hitting the palate, including blueberry and blackberry with a hint of earth supported by a tannic backbone. Still tight and a bit alcoholic; decanting improved things a bit but needs more time in the bottle. Good but not great. — a month ago