Front Porch

Quilceda Creek

Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 opened April 2025. This is a luscious wine, but I can’t help but nitpick. All the individual components are very one-dimensional. That’s not to say they all don’t work together well to make a great wine – but there’s nothing challenging on the palate about this vintage. If you like the monolithic cabs produced by Opus 1, then this wine is for you. However, I’d prefer a little more quirky individualism in my tipples.

The nose is overwhelmingly tobacco. The front is heavy with red fruit. The tannic structure is heavy, smooth, and silky. It has a medium long finish with hints of volcanic minerals. This wine is so perfect that it’s boring. If you like perfect perfection then up my score to 100 points, but I like the little challenges that quirky vintages give me.
— 2 months ago

Ira liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

2020- very smooth finish, slight pepper hint on the front. After airing it is quite smooth and a beautiful treat. — 2 years ago

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 1995

Taken to Bicyclette in Carmel. Gave it 5 hrs in a decanter. Dark but bright red color. Amazing nose. Notes of black and red fruit, slate stone, spice, menthol and dark soil. Perfect balance of fruit, structure and acidity in the mouth. Tannins mostly softened. This was in the zone. Easily had 10-15 more years of peak enjoyment in front of it. Bravo! — 2 years ago

Douglas, Shay and 22 others liked this
Douglas Braun

Douglas Braun Influencer Badge

Fun place / amazing 🍷 wine

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Opens up nicely. Heavy cherry on the front and some chocolate. Oak, on the back end. Medium tannin, medium body — 5 months ago

"Odedi" liked this

Château Musar

Hochar Père & Fils Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2019

My first #chateaumusar - taciturn black fruit, cassis, sous bois on the nose. Palate with conspicuous acidity up front, sturdy tannins mid-palate on the finish. Delicious wine now but easily could cruise 10 to 15 years longer. Fascinating 50% #cinsault 40% #grenache 10% #cabernetsauvignon — 2 years ago

"Odedi" liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2019

Lovely oak on the nose and palette to complement bright red fruit on the front palette. — 2 years ago

Douglas, LM and 1 other liked this

Casa Silva

Los Lingues Vineyard Carménère

Can taste the jalapeño notes, front of mouth tannins, mild and not overpowering. — a year ago

Chris
with Chris

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Great aging cork in good shape. Decanted and tasted immediately, after 30 mins and after 2 hours. Decent amount of sed. Slight brickish color. Initially and generally throughout, reticent nose and flavors. Very tightly wound overall. Eventually able to coax a small amount of black olive out of the nose along with minerals for days. Some dark cherry and plum allied with baking chocolate in the transition from mid-palate to finish. It was tough sledding in the frontal palate. Super dry with summer earth/dirt at the start. Obvious class but never really flashed more than a few cards to play. Perhaps a different bottle shows a little more love? Producer is always on the leaner side so unbridled optimism on that front is likely wasted energy. 10.25.23. — 2 years ago

Ted, Andrew and 9 others liked this

Faust

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Nice, full body in this 2019. Berries up front with mocha flavor at back end. Low tannin. — 2 years ago