So This Happened...

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++ — 14 days ago

Lies, Daniel and 6 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2001

I had this a week ago but didn’t take any notes at all at a friends tasting last Sunday afternoon. Have always been a huge fan of Dominus and this was from an exceptional vintage. I recall an excellent left bank Cabernet dominant style but presented as a Napa style - rich and plush but not overly so. Thoroughly enjoyable. — a month ago

Jan, Tom and 27 others liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Like a lot of the older SO this Alexander Valley didn’t last long. Opened to lots of bright fruits but died quickly. — 3 months ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Shay and 4 others liked this

Paul Jaboulet Aîné

La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah 1989

Found a box of this the other day in the cellar, the original Jaboulet box was damaged and so I’d moved it to a non-Jaboulet box 7-8 years ago. Further, this was the only bottle showing any real ullage (about 1.5”), so opened it first (I do have more, and will report when I open the next bottle).

Color is medium-dark ruby, some bacon fat and meaty aromas, lovely fruit still, structured has softened, long finish, but I’m sure a pristine bottle will show even better!!
— 4 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Ira, jesus and 6 others liked this
Ira Schwartz

Ira Schwartz Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Doug Powers A good find 😁
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

I will look at my non-Jaboulet boxes to see if I’m so lucky, but since I never bought this, I’m thinking probably not. 😐
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, you never know, so good luck!!

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2006

Served alongside beef short rib, xo sauce, pickled mustard seed, cumin stir-fried asparagus. This bottle of 2006 was throwing a ton of sediment. Showing mostly red fruits with red currants, new leather, tobacco, earth, forest floor, baking spices…a touch green. Hello Cabernet Franc!! Good structure. The finish is long. Every time I have the opportunity to enjoy Sassicaia, I am reminded why it’s one of the great wines of Italy. I just wish it wasn’t so expensive. Drink now through 2036. — 20 days ago

Ira, Jan and 15 others liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Medium deep ruby with ruby pink rim. Spicy cassis , dark blackberry , violets , red pepper. A touch herbaceous with tobacco and graphite. On the pallet, nice volume, ripe blackberry , dark cherry, cassis, with that herbal touch from the nose. Quite firm sweet tannin and balanced acidity . Medium length graphite and cassis tinged finish. This is still quite young but approachable, will last well over the coming 10 years or so. — 2 months ago

Tom, Shay and 10 others liked this

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend 2015

Light straw , very young looking . Constant very fine perlage . Quite closed at first then crushed rocks , lemon peel , ginger , white flowers , brioche . On the palate good richness and intensity , lemon , orange rind , buttered bread , touch of roast nuts . Very fine mineral tinged , intense finish . This needs time and will improve over the next 10 years or so and last well a further 5-10 . A good follow up to the 2014 , this shows more backward and will take even longer to reach its peak. Perhaps a little less detailed and precise than the very mineral 2014 but that might just be a question of needing more time in bottle. — 3 months ago

Ira, Tom and 15 others liked this

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. — a month ago

Ira, Jan and 17 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

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

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

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

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2017

I started my visit to Opus one with this 2017 vintage.

On nose its peppery, spices, some tobacco, leather, Dried sweet fruit, Black Cherries

On palate, its so elegant. The Acidity and Tannins, its covers your mouthfeel yet sharp and warm Napa Style carbenet. Its Long, with well balanced Intensity. Surprised how 2017 can deliver this performance. CHEERS!
— 3 months ago

"Odedi" and Ericsson liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. High fill and great cork. Used a Durand. Opened but not decanted. Throwing slightly less sediment than expected. Tasted one hour after opening. Medium body. Cassis, graphite, dark plum and spring mud in the nose. All this plus an appearance of cedar and relatively fresh tobacco notes in the tasting profile. Tapered and muscular with zero fat. No flighty components evident so nothing to wax/wane over the next decade. Fairly unified now and for the foreseeable future. 8.16.24. — 3 months ago

Jan, Ira and 16 others liked this