So This Happened...

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1993

Label was gone so you'll all just have to believe me that this was a Cheval blanc 🤣. Very far along with leather, mushroom and forest floor flavours. Great wine from a poor vintage — 3 days ago

Dick, Daniel and 10 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits, cedar, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice, light vanilla and black pepper.

Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, cooked cherries, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, cedar, earth, dark chocolates, licorice, cola, spices, vegetables, herbs and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 17 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon feels more like a Left Bank Bordeaux. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Showing great complexity and delicious, but I expected more from this great 2007 vintage. I had the 2001 not too long ago, and it was so much better.

Nicely balanced and good by itself or with food. A good food wine too.

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$350.
— 14 days ago

Paul, Juan and 15 others liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

A physically pristine example from a well established cellar, the cork pulled clean and without so much as a hint of compromise. It was subsequently double decanted several hours in advance. The 2000 Margaux pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. The nose: developing and simply stunning. A cornucopia of cassis, black bramble fruit, purple flowers, tobacco, new leather, cocoa, fine woody notes, dry gravelly earth and gorgeous baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid; the structure acting like the flying buttresses of Notre Dame. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is forever long and impossibly silky. Sensationally balanced.

To my palate, this falls into the very small category of wines that require no additional inquest. It is utterly complete. And, when I consider the company and circumstances, perfect. Drink now with a healthy decant and through 2100.
— a month ago

Peter, Juan and 21 others liked this
Jay Kline

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@Lyle Fass thank you…and I believe it. Were/are you celebrating your 50th?!
Lyle Fass

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@Jay Kline yes sir! 50th is in the books!
Jay Kline

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@Lyle Fass congratulations!!!

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2004

Lovely wine that took about an hour to really open up. Sad that this has gotten so pricy! — 15 days ago

Lauren
with Lauren
Bob, Joe and 8 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Forty-plus years on, people still talk about the greatness of the 1982 vintage in Bordeaux. There are multiple factors that contribute to this and it’s fair to say that Robert Parker’s reaction played a major role in the early popularity; certainly in the States. While some may say that 1982 was merely a “good” vintage by today’s standards, I think history has proven it to be empirically special; there was just so much quality from top to bottom. And yet, even with the high praise of the vintage, the tone shifts to hushed whispers when the 1982 Mouton gets mentioned. Up until that point, the Chateau had sort of underachieved after receiving its unprecedented promotion in 1973. But in 1982, a year full of great wine, they created a legend and firmly cemented their First Growth status. Today, I’m pleased to report the plaudits for the ’82 are all warranted.

Opened and double-decanted earlier in the day. The ’82 Mouton pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core with some sediment; almost youthful when compared to many of the other older wines poured on the night. On the nose, the wine is developing still; loaded with cassis, black berries, leaf tobacco, leather, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with fabulous structure. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and full of power. A stunning wine and well in its prime…a window I expect will remain open for a longtime to come. Drink now with bacchanalian abandon and through 2082.
— 14 days ago

Ira, Jan and 25 others liked this
David T

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I picked the Mouton Merlot in 2012 for a day. At the two harvest lunches I attended, they served the 82. Every time they bottle, they take the remaining barrel juice, filter it and then serve the remains at their harvest luncheons for workers & guests. The second lunch I attended, we were seated at the Baroness’s table may she RIP as she passed in 2014. In 2012, they drank the last of the 82.
Jay Kline

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@David T what an awesome story and experience
Bob McDonald

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@Jay Kline I agree re the 1982 Bordeaux vintage. The Chateau Margaux was one of the greatest wines I have ever drunk whereas the Lafite Rothschild was somewhat underwhelming. Bought at the same time from the same shop and stored the same way.

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

1990 vintage. Excellent fill and halfway saturated cork. Used a Durand but surmise a regular waiter's friend, wielded carefully, could have done the trick with the cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 mins, one hour and two hours. Some obvious sed but not troublesome or overtly noticeable. Original owner-château direct on original release. Super cold cellar because this was lagging noticeably behind other '90's and LB's. Bigger tannic structure (for a generally feminine-styled house) than anything save a Latour, Mouton, Ducru Left Bank property. Even more guts than Lynch-Bages or Pichon-Baron '90's currently stored above 55 or so degrees. Surprising but made sense. Light-medium body. Appropriate color. 3-4 years left in this stage unless larger format in play. Slight, fleeting burst of richness in the frontal palate and a tad brickish and then it just flowed on, without speed bumps. A little cocoa powder and cedar/tobacco. Suspect 750ml specimens not stored as cold/religiously will be showing more in the 9.0-9.1 range and farther down the backside of the bell curve. 10.26.24. — 2 months ago

Ira, Jan and 17 others liked this
Ron R

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Good notes, mate.
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

@Ron R Hey there! It's been a spell.

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

Medium ruby , terracotta /garnet rim. Quite round and ripe , red plum , cigar and ripe blackberry, touch of soy . Touch of cocoa , blackberry and ripe dark cherry , black tea . Quite sweet , rich on the palate, generous for Las Cases , slightly dried fruit , fig and red plum . Pretty decent length , balanced but quite discreet acidity , rounded tannins . This is at peak now and I don’t see much up side from here , so best to drink over the next 5 years or so, though it did hold up in the glass quite well . Atypical for Las Cases with its ripe fruit, quite low acidity , sweet tannin: also this only has 42% Cabernet Sauvignon. Overall probably the least successful of the wines in this tasting , but the level overall was very high. — 15 days ago

Daniel, Jan and 11 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2012

#AgedWineTuesday

Pale lemon in color.

Light nose of citrus fruits, minerals and light yeast.

Medium-bodied with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, brioche, earth, light yeast, minerals, spices and herbs.

Long finish with limes and herbs.

This is a very tasty Champagne, albeit still young. Elegant and rich with nice complexity. Crisp and refreshing.

Didn't love it right out of the bottle, and needed 45 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

I've had a few different vintages of this Champagne, and always enjoyed it.

Needs 5 years to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

A blend of 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. Aged for 8 years on its lees.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$275.
— a month ago

Daniel, Ira and 21 others liked this

Heitz Cellar

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

With a fantastic personal story our host Berry M shared this fantastic 33 year old bottle of Napa Cab. What a treat and experience. The wine still so pure and powerful. Lacking a bit of fruit but steady and gentle tertiary notes kicking in softly (leather…..).
Thanks for sharing!!
— a month ago

Eric Hoepelman
with Eric
Eric, Berry and 3 others liked this

Cantina Bartolo Mascarello

Barolo Nebbiolo 2015

What a wine, so fresh, juicy, harmonious and elegant. This will evolve nicely and gain even more complexity. 97++ — 2 months ago

Lies, Daniel and 6 others liked this