Trail Mix

Château Léoville-Las Cases

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

Tight as a drum at open. Loosened to trampoline tension after 2 hours. Finally was loose after 4. Spicy and hefty. More inward. A sophisticated mix and quite good but as with most Leoville Las Cases it needs to sit longer for the next iteration. — 2 days ago

Andrew, Daniel and 15 others liked this
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards


Ironically, I just enjoyed a bottle of this in London and fully agree with your assessment. I am looking forward adding to my cellar. I have ‘82, ‘89, ‘01, ‘05, and ‘16 and it’s obvious that ‘09 needs to be in the mix. Only a couple of years for this juice to step to the next level and maybe
even before ‘05 . Nice find
@Vino Joe

Château Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1997

Girl. Sup? Shoot. This was utterly brilliant tonight. Classic Bordeaux yet, even at 26 years young, somewhat precocious still. A beautiful mix of deep, dark and red fruit with currants, blackberries and cherries with chocolate, purple flowers, green pepper, tobacco, earth, leather and awesomeness. Plenty of structure to keep this strutting for years to come. Fabulous balance and complexity. Drink now through 2047+. — 3 months ago

Bob, Ceccherini and 14 others liked this

Marietta

Game Trail Yorkville Highlands Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Delectable Wine
9.6

The 2021 Game Trail exudes finesse from the very first taste. Crushed flowers, dark red-toned fruit, cinnamon, leather, menthol and dried rose petal build effortlessly as the 2021 shows off its undeniable class. Cabernet Sauvignon at 1,400 feet in the Yorkville Highlands is utterly sublime in this bottling from Marietta. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, July 2024)
— 6 months ago

Rob liked this

Trail Marker Wine Co.

Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2021

Dan K
8.9

A bit like Sandhi outstanding PQR — 9 months ago

Paul liked this

A. Rafanelli

Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Poured into a decanter about two hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity and significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with a lovely mix of dark and red fruits, cassis, black and red brambles, tobacco, eucalyptus, leather, cedar box, green herbs, some cocoa, and beautiful baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The texture is silky, in fact, down right sexy. Brilliantly balanced. This is a profoundly sensual wine and one of the best young Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve had in many years. These will age for a very long time and I can only imagine how epic the 2021 Terrace Select is going to be. Drink now with an extended decant and through 2051+. — 25 days ago

Tom, Douglas and 12 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Douglas Braun worth seeking out. I think their Cabernet’s are as good as any in California.
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Go back with the Rafanelli Cabs to the 1988 vintage. Always workmanlike, solid and with plenty of rusticity/authenticity. Have consistently placed them at the top of Sonoma Cabs. Only producer from Sonoma I found that topped them consistently was the old Laurel Glen Sonoma Mountain Cabs with Patrick Campbell at the helm...and his Cabs were a definite ringer in CA Cab tastings. Sadly, that property doesn't seem to fire in the same way in my semi-frequent tasting visits. Rafanelli Cabs are a welcome change from the flightiness of the Napa brethren. Have zero experience with the reserve/select offerings as they are rarely seen in these parts.
Jay Kline

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@Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego those Rafanelli’s from the 80’s are still holding strong too. In fact, the 1988 was awesome this past spring when I presented it as part of a vertical spanning three decades of their Cabernet.

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2010

Very interesting wine. Nice mix of earth tea and lingering mouthfeel with cherry and fruit. Nice drinking window now. This was muscular and bursting. — 6 months ago

Ira, Jose and 13 others liked this
jesus g

jesus g Influencer Badge

2010 was an amazing vintage for Spain
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards

Amazing vintage and this wine is among the great values. I always keep the juice around. But i don't have the 2010. Thanks for the heads up..

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

Part of a Chateau Mouton Rothschild vertical from 1988-1990. This was my second time enjoying the 1990 vintage and, much like my previous experience, this was rather quiet early and then came on with the business, late. As before, a mix of red and black cassis, ripe and desiccated cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar box, old leather, damp earth, some mushrooms and baking spices. After two similar experiences, I believe this vintage needs a lot of patience and a lot of air to wake up. Without either, it will be misunderstood. Drink now through 2040+ — 2 months ago

Jan, Ira and 14 others liked this

Raul Pérez

Ultreia Saint Jacques Mencía 2020

Something around a mix of blueberry and raspberry but jammy & with some black pepper. — 4 months ago

Gillian Koh
with Gillian
Ron, Doug and 2 others liked this

Château Malescot St. Exupéry

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

David T
9.4

2nd Ribcap wine. Delicious!

2006 followed the grand 2005 vintage. It was overpriced based on 2005 & critically reviewed as a difficult vintage. I can tell you 06 was overpriced, but still a good to very good vintage depending on the region & producer.

The fruits are classic Bordeaux…nicely ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, very dark cherries, black plum, plum, mix of strawberries & red cherries. Wet, volcanic clay, lead pencil for days, slightly, dry tobacco, dark spices, mix of mostly dry & fresh herbs, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & vanillin, volcanic ash, used leather, sandalwood to cedar, forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry river stone, steeped, dark fruit tea, withering, slightly candied; dark, red florals with hints of violets, round, fresh, river stream acidy, a plush, round, elegant, nicely; tensioned, structured, balanced and elegant polished finish that last 90 seconds.
— 6 months ago

Bob, Paul and 18 others liked this