Dominik Held

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

Enjoyed with a Cantonese beef stew, dad's recipe. Decanted 3 hours before dinner and it still held tight graphite, cedar, and black fruit notes. A touch closed up or young right now, will revisit my next bottle in 5 to 10 years — 2 months ago

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Medium ruby garnet , garnet terracotta rim. Slightly sweet , roasted nose, with chestnut some sous bois , grafite , slight seaside hints. After a while a touch more herbal. On the palate quite stern dark fruits , mineral , grafite notes , quite dry tannin and ok balanced acidity . Reasonable length and sous bois , grafite tinged finish . This is still quite young though its appearance is slightly more advanced than the 1988 . Needs a decant and held up well over the 5 hours we had it open . Drink now and over the next 5-10 years. A little pedestrian overall and is outclassed by the superior 1988. — 5 months ago

Jan, Anthony and 7 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Interesting. Had the ‘89 a few months ago and thought it was on a whole other level compared to the previous ‘88.
Andrew Cullimore

Andrew Cullimore Premium Badge

Interesting comparison with the 1988 @Shay A , I think the 1989 just didn’t show the complexity or persistence on the palate that the 88 showed, however aroma wise it showed more sweetness and fruit . I was also surprised that the 1989 looked a little older, colour wise, than the 1988. I would be perfectly happy to drink either on any day of the week !

Vine Hill Ranch

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

This wine rocks. Gripping wine.

Raspberry and some black fruits. Very dense and structured.

Held up well with heavy Italian food

Softening with airtime. Around 3 hour mark - provides some interesting elegance with drying tannins.

A winner for the birthday queen
— a year ago

Eric, Ethan and 1 other liked this

A. Rafanelli

Unfiltered Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2018

Have held onto a six pack of these for several years but it’s not been long enough…super sparkly, like it’s a ‘24. Despite decanting two hours! Love the Rafanelli but needs a lot of age. — 2 months ago

Paul liked this

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Cask 23 Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Agree with others’ comments including “chewy” and “lots of tannins left” yet fruit-forward. Kind of reminded me of a Meritage. Very nice with filet. Held up well; needed a little time to open. — 5 months ago

Wellington Vineyards

Karren Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Held it just long enough. Exquisite! — 9 months ago

Bonnie Hodur
with Bonnie
Daniel liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1978

1978 vintage. Great fill with a fully saturated cork. Used a Durand to remove and cork held up but big cork splinters shedding upon removal. Decanted and tasted over the course of an hour. Super silky, not chunky, sed. Light-medium body. Had to coax the nose out a little but revealed cassis, tobacco, dark plum, sandalwood and cherry pits. All these plus a slight, beef broth touch in the flavors. Not improving but can sustain another half-decade in this incarnation. Gorgeous, old BDX. Drink now till 2029. 12.8.23. — a year ago

Ted, Ira and 16 others liked this
Norman Gennaro

Norman Gennaro Premium Badge

Nice pull

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Medium ruby garnet, still quite young looking , garnet rim . Quite sweet sous bois , with some spice , cedar and earthy cigar notes , almost liquorice hint. Touch smoky on the palate , with a more roasted red fruit hint on the palate . Quite rounded sweet tannin , balanced acidity and ok length . This is at the end of its drinking window apparently, still showing ok , and held up quite well in the glass , shows quite a lot of the warmth of the vintage . It reminded me of the 1990 in that respect, though is overall more complex and longer on the palate than that vintage . Drink now and over the next few years , I don’t see this improving from here. — 4 months ago

Daniel, Somm and 10 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

Medium garnet , medium wide garnet terracotta rim . Tobacco , sous bois , touch of ash and coffee . On the palate quite rounded but firm tannins , dark cassis , cedar , sous bois . Good acidity and medium grafite tinged finish . Overall a touch rustic in comparison to the other Leovilles , but this is drinking perfectly now , no rush however as this held up well in the glass,
so now and over the next 5-10 years
— 7 months ago

Tom, Ericsson and 14 others liked this

Chateau Montelena

The Montelena Estate Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Medium to full bodied with nicely balanced tannins and acid, this wine was very drinkable but still young and could be held for many more years. More sediment than I expected with flavors of cherries, mocha, and eucalyptus. — 10 months ago

Amelia Mowry, CSWCristian Mendoza
with Amelia and Cristian
Tom, ARNS and 12 others liked this