Jay Kline

9.5

Double decanted two nights before service. The 2004 Haut Brion pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. One the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe dark fruit: Black currants, blackberries, tobacco, pencil lead, purple flowers, gravelly earth and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid; the structure is very well integrated. Confirming the notes from the nose with the addition of Flintstones vitamins. The finish is long and ferrous. This continued to build in the glass and had such a fabulous nose! Drinking well now (after a lot of air) but this has a long life yet ahead, 2054 with ease. — 4 months ago

Daniel veit

9.9

From magnum, this was a beautiful wine with still many more years of life ahead. Showing black currant, tobacco, dried thyme, squid ink and Chinese 5 spice. Stunner. — a year ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Dark scarlet color with translucent light reddish rims. Old wine nose. Notes of black and red fruit, gravel, barnyard floor, old leather and some old desk wood. Fruit is a bit faded but this has plenty of life with decent acidity and a nice structure. Got better with air and opened up nicely. Better than the last bottle of this lot, despite being a more ragged looking bottle. — 3 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

The story of Domaine Serene harks back to Minnesota, where Grace met the late Ken Evenstad, and the couple’s partnership in life and business first began. 💕@domaineserene

With a faith in the terroir of Willamette Valley, Oregon, this pioneering couple purchased land in the Dundee Hills AVA, establishing Domaine Serene in 1989, crafting their first vintage in 1990.🇺🇸🍇

Since then, Domaine Serene has grown, expanded, and rightfully garnered critical acclaim for producing some of the finest expressions of Pinot Noir from this region. 👏👏👏👏👏 Due to their thoughtful dry-farming and sustainable practices in the vineyard, meticulous micro-cru vinification processes, pursuit of blending, judicious use of oak, and aging prior to release, a consumer may come to expect a unique, consistent experience with a glass of this beautiful wine.🍷 In our experience, it never disappoints as a special wine to be shared during the holidays or celebratory moments. 🎉

Here is the Domaine Serene, Evenstad Reserve, Willamette Valley, Vintage 2017, ABV 14.4%. It has a strong structure, and balance, backed by high acidity, medium tannins, high alcohol, and vibrant fruit aromas such as cherry, kirsch, and blackberry. It also offers complexity in aromas and flavors with not only red / black fruit, but also violet, licorice, clove, vanilla, cola, saddle leather, nutmeg, and forest floor notes. The finish lingers.👌👌👌👌

In 2015, the Evenstads made their dream a reality by purchasing Château de la Crée in Santenay, Burgundy, France, an estate that dates back to the 15th Century. 🇫🇷 Their story is inspiring and their wines are delicious. We hope to someday visit their estates in Willamette and Santenay.

Until then we will continue to enjoy their wines and remember their story, pioneering spirit, partnership, and pursuit of excellence in their craft. Cheers! ✨✨✨ — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Jay Kline

9.3

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2006 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black and red currants, black and red, bramble fruit, tobacco, leather, cocoa, earth, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. Despite the character and quality, I didn’t find this to be a powerhouse rather, this was quietly confident. The finish is long, lovely…very demure. Looking great at 18 years young and there’s a lot of life left. If this is any indication of longevity, the 2006 “Terrace Select” might live forever. Drink now with a decant for air and sediment and enjoy through 2036 easy. — 4 months ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.6

This bottle of 1982 Gruaud-Larose came direct from the château cellars. It is just pure joy on the nose with fabulous scents of black fruit, hung game (less so than previous bottles), clove and a faint aroma of a stately home. It manages to offer both ample fruit and life-affirming complexity. The palate has aged little since I last tasted it; there's more red fruit here, with freshly rolled tobacco, cedar and a touch more spiciness on the finish than previous tastings, with a sweet yet structured finish. This may well represent the finest bottle that I have encountered. (Neal Martin, Vinous, January 2023) — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

2012!! 🕰 A marvelous year; the year @deked1 and I reconnected. Two years later we exchanged vows and began our adventure in life together. Tonight, we’re celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary. 💕💕 The honeymoon vibes are still going strong! 🙌

We’re excited about this 2012 Cade that was bottled on June 13th, 2014, just over a month before our wedding. It’s comprised of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. It comes from Howell Mountain AVA in Napa Valley, California. ⛰ 🇺🇸

Howell Mountain AVA is known for producing fuller-bodied and well-structured wines with vines planted at an elevation ranging from 1600 to 2200 ft above sea level and good sun exposure. ☀️ This wine is no exception with its firm tannins, medium acidity, and high alcohol (15.2%); also, its opulent, ripe black fruits such as juicy blackberry bramble, black cherry, crème de cassis, also black licorice, pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, dark chocolate, espresso, clove, and forest floor. It has a long, elegant finish. 👌👌👌

It also underwent 20 months of barrel aging in 100% French Oak 80% of which was new, which explains the noteworthy secondary aromas and flavors that add to the complexity of this wine.👏👏👏👏

Here’s to cherishing the moment with the people you love. Cheers! — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Will Stanley

9.1

The 2019 Poujeaux, tried here for the first time from half bottle, continues the trend of wines that I’ve enjoyed from this vintage – being austere, deep, full bodied and demanding considerable bottle age. With no decant, the wine is almost impenetrable on the nose, offering little other than gravel, singed tobacco, and espresso. Gradually, though, things open up in the glass and after an hour it’s fairly expressive. It remains dark, tannic and laden with coffee, chocolate and steeped black fruit, but doubtless there’s a promising wine somewhere here that’ll likely begin to emerge in five years or so – Poujeaux tends to have a long life, and I’d expect that to be the case here. — 7 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The one thing I get from this wine w/ this age is cognac notes and the 07 is just starting cognac notes on the long set. Still, rounded, medium plus, velvety tannins.

The fruits are ripe, juicy, lush; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, darkest cherries, & red cherries on the long set, strawberry hues. Chocolate/ cake/pudding/mousse, dark berry cola, mocha, dark chocolate, caramel, dark spice, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise core to black licorice, dark spice w/ palate heat, dry, crush rock, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, liquid, dry herbaceous notes, fresh to withering; dark, red, slightly blue flowers framed in a field of violets & lavender, round, summer rainfall with a softly tensioned state, tall structure, well balanced, finely but deeply knitted & evenly polish finish that is nearly endless.

If you can have patience, Tapestry is one of the best Napa Cabernet for the money & this one has plenty of life ahead. 10 plus years.

Photos of; sunset on a BV vineyard, their tasting from many vantage points & old Victorian House. — 8 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.2

I don’t have a stellar track record when it comes to drinking rock star Bordeaux. The hype always lurks, even though I served this blind to my homie. Interestingly, it’s a sweet wine with layers of cedar interspersed with ribbons of gorgeous red and some black fruits, especially high toned cassis. Great intensity of course & felt the tannins were well integrated at 12years. Clearly the mono-sweetness would transition to tertiary flavors with age, but with life so precious these days, I wasn’t waiting. — 4 years ago

with Owen