Pandora's Box

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

Timothy Eustis
9.3

2016 out of magnum. Cigar box. Ripe tannins. Beautiful. — 5 months ago

Jay, Pooneet and 11 others liked this
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

'16 in the zone now

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Ron R
9.6

Not the best of vintage in Bdx, but the winemaker clearly pulled off some acrobatics here.
Nose displays the usual Cos spice-box signature, along with notes of forest floor, sage and mushrooms. Palate is rich and dense showing no signs of age. Nice mature casis profile links up with brambles and sandalwood. Tannins continue to prop up this outstanding example.
— 6 months ago

Andrew MooreRick K
with Andrew and Rick
Paul, Ted and 25 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

I don‘t know. This has so much oak it overpowers everything. Might need another 10 years to be approachable. Cigar box, black berries. Deep, big and profound. I am not sure I would spend 70$ on this. It needs much much more time. Probably needs to be open for 2 days. Out of the machine at the Wine House in LA. — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister, Zach and 5 others liked this
Vin d’Ottawa

Vin d’Ottawa

We have a 2007 Magnum and plan on holding for a few more years. Well-aged Rioja is a treasure

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

This was drinking well with its red & black fruits spice box, leather, dried herbs & tobacco — a year ago

Lyle, Douglas and 19 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Château Latour is an iconic estate in the Pauillac commune on the left bank of Bordeaux, achieving coveted ‘First Growth’ status in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.

The estate has roots dating back to the 14th century and derives its name ‘La Tour’ from a fortress tower built during the Hundred Years’ War, which no longer exists but is prominently featured on the label in recognition of its history.

We weren’t sure what to expect, as many have predicted these 1983s are likely past their prime, but this wine was a masterpiece. 🤩

It was medium garnet in color with expressive notes of cedar box, cigar, clove, peat, leather, forest floor, fig, prune, dried black cherry, plum, cassis, blackberry compote, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, dried violet, potpourri, kalamata olive, pencil shavings, graphite, & bacon fat.

It had the most velvety, fine-grained tannins that washed across the palate with ease, with a gentle but notable acidity that maintained lift and balance. It was concentrated, complex, and had a long, elegant finish.
— a year ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Ted and 18 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

Happy Birthday @Vanessa way to celebrate in style!
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K Thank you for the bday wishes! It was an auspicious and delicious way to start my next trip around the sun ☀️ Cheers! And we hope to reconnect with you guys soon! 🍾🥂
Paul K

Paul K

We will absolutely figure out something this summer!!!

Château Calon-Ségur

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Perfectly evolved & peaking right now.
This is classical Bordeaux heaven!
Sous-bois, dusty wardrobe, pencil shavings, cigar box and (still!) some black currant. Surprisingly fresh on the nose and even fresher on the palate. Light medium body, the tannins completely mellowed and fully integrated, vibrant juicy acidity.
This is poised, so elegant, so drinkable and with amazing depth. And with bright freshness. What a delight!
A singing beauty!!
— 3 years ago

Ira, Lyle and 2 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2023

Château Pichon Baron 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé en 1855. BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A commanding and traditionally styled Pauillac delivering power, precision, and aristocratic structure, driven by a 66% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Semillon support. Dark fruit density, mineral authority, and refined oak integration create a wine that feels impactful today while clearly engineered for long-term evolution and layered complexity.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry, graphite, pencil shavings, cedar, cigar box, crushed gravel, subtle dark cocoa and savory spice.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm yet polished tannins, excellent mid-palate density, vibrant structural tension, tightly knit acidity, and a long, authoritative finish that builds rather than fades.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, lamb rack, beef Wellington, venison, mushroom-forward dishes, aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A textbook expression of elite Pauillac: powerful, elegant, disciplined, and deeply age-worthy. The wine delivers immediate presence while clearly signaling even greater complexity and harmony with time in bottle.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is serious wine, fierce yet controlled, deeply impressive without arrogance, and loaded with finesse under the horsepower. A bottle that earns respect with every sip and promises an extraordinary future in the cellar.
— 5 months ago

Ted, Tom and 4 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

Medium ruby garnet, quite thin garnet terracotta rim . Quite rich , with ripe red fruits , some tobacco , warm spiciness , cigar box , ripe cassis , sous bois , after a while touch of coffee. On the palate this also shows good roundness with ripe red and dark fruits, cassis , red plum , grafite , touch of earthiness . Balanced acidity and rounded sweet tannin . Quite juicy with a grafite edged finish . Pretty good length. This is at peak now . For now and over the next 5 -8 years. Quite generous and showy , ripe but balanced, a good showing. — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister, Ira and 22 others liked this

Château Angélus

St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

This was showing a polished silky mouthfeel with red, mostly black fruits, plum with mocha, graphite, spice box, leather & tobacco — 10 months ago

Tom, Hermes and 10 others liked this

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Cigar box, red pepper, ink, a bit subdued, beautifully balanced, acidity and structure, pressure, gravel path. Needs some oxygen to wake from its hibernation. — a year ago

Jan, Peter and 1 other liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1978

A beautifully aged ducru that had no cork issues and that was punching above its wait class! Typical tertiary flavors of forest floor, leather and cigar box - with livery dark fruit in the glass. This was the first 70’s Bordeaux that brought a smile! — a year ago

Bota Box Vineyards

RedVolution California Red Blend

Great red - especially for the price. — 3 years ago

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1982

Delightful! Cedar box, crushed roses, light cherry. Paired magically with grilled lobster. — 3 years ago

Tom, Shay and 16 others liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Cigar box, cassis, lovely, complex and layered on the palate, long, lingering, very clean and fresh finish, this bottle is hitting on all cylinders, beautiful old Bordeaux to go with the rib roast!! — 6 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Brian and 19 others liked this
ESF

ESF

👀
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

So nice!!

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

2 hour decant. A marvelous medium garnet color (decent fine sediment). On the nose: dark berries, cassis, forest floor, sandalwood, pencil shavings, chocolate, and cigar box. Taste: layered, balanced, still young wine with dark cherry/plum, cedar, dark chocolate, charcoal, and a lingering tobacco/leather finish. YUM! No hurry, a long distance Las Cases. — 7 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Andrew, Iwan and 18 others liked this

Château Léoville Poyferré

Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Youthful, full bodied that is drinking well showing red, black fruits, spice box, graphite, leather & tobacco — 10 months ago

Jeroen, Andrew and 15 others liked this
Dave

Dave

This is the gold standard.

Magic Box Wines

Red Blend 2021

Love this blend!! — a year ago

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Graves Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

This had the classic LM character showing black fruits, a smoky, cedar, leather note along with licorice, spice box, mocha, graphite & tobacco — a year ago

Mario, Aravind and 13 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

So delish! Beautiful and holding strong with notes of blackberry, black currant, clove, star anise, licorice, dried orange peel, black olive, potpourri, tobacco, leather, earth, cured meat, pencil shavings, graphite, spice box, forest floor. Complex and balanced with a long, elegant finish. — a year ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Jay and 16 others liked this
Vanessa

Vanessa

@David T We can see why 😍 Always so delicious!!! 🍷🍷 Cheers!
Daniel veit

Daniel veit

The 01’ is stunning at the moment. I always get squid ink notes as well on these wines.
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Daniel veit Ooh, squid ink! I hadn’t thought of that but could see (& taste) it! We’ll have to keep our eyes 👀 peeled for the ‘01, as well.

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1988

Ok it’s not the greatest year, but this wine is very nice. A real classic Margaux with stil some dark forest fruit, some pencil and a box filled with vanilla stuffed Havana’s. Not a full bodied wine but a real charmer. — 5 years ago

Jan, Peter and 9 others liked this