Little Black Stone
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2014
The bottle of 2014 Pontet-Canet showed better than the previous one at the 10-Year-On tasting in London. This offers much more restraint on the nose. It's quite precise, with greater mineralité seeping through the black cherry and cassis fruit. The palate has a sorbet-fresh entry, fine tannins and a silky sheen. The oak is fully subsumed after a decade, plus there is a little more depth on the finish compared to previous showings. This is a fine example of the vintage, and bottles should drink well over the next 12 to 15 years. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Pontet-Canet dinner in Washington DC. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 4 months ago
E. Guigal
La Turque Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2004
Opened as part of a 2-day tasting with Alex Macdonald while he was in town. Day two was a small group of us with killer wines (2010 Chave Hermitage, mag of ‘02 Krug, Selosse Substance, 1996 Latour, 2003 Mouton, 1992 Dominus).
Quick one hour double decant to prep this beauty. While La Mouline is my favorite, La Turque still incorporates the co-ferment with Viognier. 93 Syrah/7 Viognier.
Beautiful translucent ruby in the glass. As I get with certain Cote Rotie wines (especially Guigal), barbecue and bacon fat can be overwhelming when young, but this has channeled a really balanced profile. Aromatic notes of smoked meat, cherry liqueur, and espresso. Beautifully rich yet elegant on the palate. Great nerve of acidity with a finish sporting plenty of tannin to carry this a while. Black peppered raspberries, black fruit on the palate with a little bacon and a hint of sweet/tangy barbecue sauce note (delicious). Enjoy now with a short decant or hold another 5yrs. — 8 months ago
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave
Hermitage Syrah 2001
This bottle was a library release from the Chave cellars. Decanted about an hour prior to service (but could have benefited from more time) and enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2001 Chave rouge pours a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of charred blueberry pie, mushrooms, scorched earth, grilled meat, coffee, black pepper and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and super complex. With more and more air, this really came into its own. Totally Chave. Totally Hermitage. Totally awesome. Drink now with a little patience and through 2041. — 3 months ago
Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
The 2005 Latour is a huge wine predestined for long-term aging. Noticeably deep in color, it has a showstopping bouquet with intense black fruit, graphite and touches of dried blood and tobacco as it considers moving into its secondary phase. But that's going to be slow coming...it's in no hurry. The palate is medium-bodied and unapologetically classic in style. I notice this bottle is a little grainy in texture, the salinity perhaps heightened as it enters adulthood. The finish has a tangible sense of tension, but it remains backward and swarthy. Immense. Tasted at Woo Cheong Tea House dinner organized by Paulo Pong. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2024)
— 7 months ago
Château Cheval Blanc
St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
The 2008 Cheval Blanc is one of the go-to wines of the vintage. Now at 15 years old, it has retained the energy and focus it displayed from the outset: black fruit, crushed stone, wilted violet petals and touches of forest floor cohere wonderfully in the glass. The Cabernet here is more expressive. The palate has a slight chewiness on the entry, but it "relaxes" in the glass. It shows off its delicate lattice of tannins and perhaps a bit more backbone than I have observed on previous bottles. It's very intense on the finish where, as before, the Cabernet Franc takes charge. Superb. Keep it another three to four years if you can. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 9 months ago
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2004
The 2004 Léoville Las Cases has a noticeable mintiness on the nose that actually complements the red fruit, though it deviates away from what you might call Saint-Julien typicité. After ten minutes, it coheres with ash and black tea aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a rounded texture on the entry. The 2004 shows fine acidity and is lightly spiced with cracked black pepper towards the finish. A little conservative, but it acquits itself well considering the vintage. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 4 months ago
Château Léoville Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2004
The 2004 Léoville Barton is less opulent on the nose than the Langoa but offers a little more refinement and terroir expression. A touch of seaweed develops with time. The palate is fresh on the entry. It is one of the most saline Léoville Barton that gets the saliva flowing. It is classic old-school Anthony Barton with a judicious dab of black pepper and menthol furnishing the finish. Excellent. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 4 months ago
Flora Springs
Trilogy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021
Inky in color with a short purplish rim.
Strong nose with black fruits, cedar, licorice, chocolates, light vegetables, wild flowers and peppercorn.
Full-bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, currants, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, herbs, licorice, dark chocolates, light earth and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Napa Valley is already delicious.
Rich and engaging. Powerful and dark. Still a little unforgiving. Spicy and fruit forward.
Much earthier on the nose than on the palate. Only after 2.5 hours it balances out, so be patient.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years, and has good potential to become a 94+ point wine. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years.
I Had a few vintages of this wine and it is very consistent.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food. Will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec. Grapes were handpicked and aged for 18 months in mostly French oak barrels.
14.2% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$95. — 7 months ago
Château Léoville Poyferré
Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2011
Silky smooth nose, velvety and soft, with forewarned black currants, just a LITTLE pepper, dark cherry and maybe a little pine forest floor? Some sediment and still grippy tannin, but starting to really loosen, with prominent ripe red fruits of dark , brooding plum, cherry and dark fruits, with hints of graphite, wood, and smoke over a still zingy finish. — 9 months ago
"Odedi"
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.
Fruit forward on the nose.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, spices, oak, licorice, vanilla, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth and light black tea.
This 24-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is still delicious, though I had hoped it would be even better.
Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel, but it feels a little tired.
Needed 2 hours to open up properly, and remove the mildew notes.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will pair nicely with food too.
A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc.
13.9% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$100. — 2 months ago