Dominik Held

Freemark Abbey

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Lordy. Talk about QPR. Bought this awhile ago and held onto it as it is our son‘s birth year. opened tonight it is at its prime. Drinking beautifully. Everything you’d want is there. It was enough that my wife inquired about joining the wine club, which I told her was not necessary. Let me know if I’m wrong. — a month ago

Paul, Shay and 1 other 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. — a year ago

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

Château L'Evangile

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1997

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing currents, plums, cherries, oak, wet leaves, herbs, black pepper, tobacco leaf, earth, dark coffee and black tea.

Short finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 26 year old Merlot is still drinking very nicely. Showing a nice mouthfeel with nice complexity.

Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years, but will not improve from here on.

Needs an hour to open up properly, so be patient.

This was not a good vintage in Pomerol, but it held up pretty well.

Good by itself or with food.

A blend of mostly Merlot with Cabernet Franc. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$250.
— 2 years ago

Vanessa, Ted and 19 others liked this
Daron Watson

Daron Watson Influencer Badge

Love when people appreciate 97 Bdx that were dismissed after 95 and 97 ~ like wine can’t be “good”, only great and bad
Daron Watson

Daron Watson Influencer Badge

Sorry meant 95 and 96

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1948

My dad bought this through the Commanderie de Bordeaux in the late 70s or early 80s. Stored in his cellar since, Wonderfully alive and fresh, great nose. In the conditions of his cellar, this might have held up well for another 20 years. — 2 months ago

Ellen Dierberg MilneJiaMin Dierberg
with Ellen and JiaMin

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1988

Shay A
9.2

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty.
— 2 years ago

Pinotman, Tom and 18 others liked this

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Cask 23 Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Cathy Corison
9.1

5/21/23 Tasting group. Group 1st, my 1st. Vestigial red fruit. Getting tired but lively in the group. Drink. Held up pretty well overnight. — 2 years ago

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 — 8 months ago

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. — 9 months ago

Paul liked this

Wellington Vineyards

Karren Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Held it just long enough for perfection. — 2 years ago

Bonnie Hodur
with Bonnie

Peay Vineyards

Estate Scallop Shelf Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007

Last of our ‘07 Peays. Wow. This bottle was spectacular, held better than our other Peay SS ‘07. — 2 years ago