Pepper & Spice

L'Ecole No. 41

Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016

Oak still not integrated. Good grapes though. — 17 days ago

Sarah Bignami
with Sarah
Doug and Ceccherini liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2016

2016 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 15 minutes and one hour. Mostly front and mid-palate push. Medium body. Some spice. Some chunk. Some fruit. Fairly balanced. Needs to sort out some issues and will likely show better in 3-5 years. 6.12.26. — 15 days ago

Tom, Dave and 7 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Damn, sounds great!!

Mollydooker Wines

The Boxer Shiraz 2023

Deep, dark Ruby red color with a fruit forward nose, lots of ripe berries with oaky notes. Jammy big and bold blackberry flavors with some spice, cacao, cedar and leather notes with nice mouthfeel. Big fine tannins with berry fruit carried over to the finish with oak and sweet spice. — 24 days ago

Juan liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 1997

First pour of this and I was like, “uh-oh”. It was clearly full of flaws (Brettanomyces, VA and maaaaybe some slight TCA) but would they be too much to appreciate the wine? Only time would tell so into the decanter it went. After a lot of air, it became clear this was Brett and VA. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing (still) with notes of blackberries, umeboshi, animale, purple flowers, black pepper, red Flintstone vitamin, horse blanket, wood varnish, and sous bois. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. An elegant, complicated bottle. This is my second time with the 1997 vintage and due to the flaws, a different adventure than previous. That being said, this decidedly grumpy, Burgundian expression of Clape’s Cornas paired really well with the dry-aged steaks. Drink now, with a lot of patience, through 2037? — 2 months ago

Paul, Andrew and 7 others liked this

Thierry Allemand

Cornas Reynard (R) Syrah 2014

This had amazing aromatics showing black cherry, meat, graphite, licorice, savory spice, violets & tobacco — 3 months ago

Jonathan, Severn and 7 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1980

1980 Mag. Cigars and green pepper. — 3 months ago

Ira liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

1 hour decant(decent chunky sediment). A striking medium purplish garnet color with bricking. On the nose: Inviting notes of dried red fruit, currants, pencil shavings, floral, stewed meat, milk chocolate. Taste: fully mature, savory, silky wine with dried plum, ground coffee, earth, minerals, tobacco, and a sour cherry/green bell pepper/graphite long finish. YUM!! Drink em if you got em. — 4 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Sharon and 10 others liked this

Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier

Clos de la Maréchale Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2017

This was showing well with its red & black fruits, spice, orange peel, earth, mineral & floral notes — 9 days ago

Tom, Joel and 9 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

This was showing beautifully with good richness, balance, red & black fruits, earth, spice box, cedar, leather & tobacco notes — 8 days ago

Jean-Philip, Joel and 8 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1986

Poured into a decanter to remove sediment prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 1986 pours a garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, green bell pepper, tobacco, dried purple flowers, earth and fine cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium (integrated) tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. A solid but somewhat demure showing, particularly in the midpalate. Drink now. — 22 days ago

Tom, Jan and 7 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

Decant and pour.  On the nose:  dark fruit, pencil shavings, green bell pepper, leather, mushrooms.   Taste:  a brooding, still austere, structured wine with dark fruit, cassis, smoked earth, cigar, minerals, crushed stone.  Some pronounced tannins want you to give it more time for a better score in the future.

At Cote, Last Vegas
— 2 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda and
Steve, Paul and 10 others liked this

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2010

Anti-roast, all tart cherry and white pepper, gentle tannin, faint horse hair. Wow. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister, Tom and 4 others liked this
romo

romo Premium Badge

Anti-roast, all tart cherry and white pepper, gentle tannin, faint horse hair. Wow.

Alain Graillot

Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2022

Such a beautiful wine leading with a zesty charge of cracked pepper, grilled citrus, and barnyard, while not shying away from fruitiness. Gains weight with air and a darker, more serious stewed intensity of fruit leather and earth. Drank with a friend who really appreciated it, and we both returned to our glasses repeatedly waxing poetic with our expressions. Purchased at Astor. — 3 months ago

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

Still youthful showing red & black fruits, cedar, leather, graphite, spice & tobacco — 4 months ago

David, Dave and 17 others liked this
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Nice age here

Ridge Vineyards

Three Valleys Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend

Ridge Three Valleys 2023
Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A classic Sonoma field blend composed of 71% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro, and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Crafted in Ridge’s signature transparent style, this vintage leans toward a riper and more fruit-driven expression than many of the winery’s other bottlings.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry preserves, ripe plum, black cherry, and raspberry compote dominate, supported by touches of black pepper and baking spice.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and a broad, generous texture. The fruit lingers across the palate with a warm, persistent finish.

Food Pairings
A natural companion for barbecue, smoked meats, burgers, and hearty pizza.

Verdict
While impeccably made, this is one of the few Ridge wines that didn’t quite resonate with my palate. It leans a bit too jammy and overripe for my preference, though lovers of rich, fruit-forward California reds will likely find plenty to enjoy.

Did You Know?
Ridge has long been one of California’s pioneers of ingredient transparency, listing the exact grape composition directly on the label.

🍷 Personal Pick
I truly love Ridge wines, but I’d still reach for Lytton Springs or Geyserville before this bottling. If bold, juicy Zinfandel blends are your style, however, this one could easily become a favorite.
— 23 days ago

Ted, ESF and 1 other liked this

E. Guigal

Brune et Blonde de Guigal Côte-Rotie Syrah

vintage 2015 | spicy, pepper, morelcherries, strict, good acidity — a month ago

Jay, Daniel and 9 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

2023 Vintage. A very pleasant and easy drinking Napa Cab up front. Decent aroma on the nose, vibrant notes of cherry and blackberry, delicately structured tannins, with a very smooth finish. Not chewy or viscous, but still a bold Cab flavor that resonates with the right amount of spice. Would gladly enjoy again. — 2 months ago

Tom, Robin and 2 others liked this

Thierry Allemand

Chaillot Cornas Syrah 2017

Dark fruits with notes of meat, graphite, spice, licorice, mineral & violets — 2 months ago

Joel, Jean-Philip and 13 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

4th wine . medium deep ruby garnet , thinner garnet rim . Quite deep and serious again , spicy with more cassis , touch smoky , mineral with touches of dry spice and cool sea breeze . On the palate this again has more grip a touch more mid palate , quite masculine in style, cassis , tobacco , grafite and resonable length. Polished and quite suave in style , more intensity and density than the others , more generous too. Probably better in 5 years and will last well a further 10. Guessed Mouton on this one . — 3 months ago

Somm, Scott@Mister and 8 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Youthful, structured with red & black fruits, currant, cedar, spice & tobacco — 4 months ago

Joel, Tom and 10 others liked this