David T 
Moët & Chandon
Impérial Brut Champagne Blend
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Yellow Label Brut Champagne Blend
Emirates in flight Business Class Lounge.
Again, hoped for better but, just saw a bottle of 09 Dom fly by. I’ll be inquiring about that momentarily.
The VC is nice but, prefer more reductive champagne. Some bruised pear & apple, citrus blend, baked pineapple, brioche, ginger, cream soda, darker, large grainy minerals, gritty chalkiness, sharp acidity and 60% oxidized & 40% reductive, polished, rich finish. — 3 days ago
Pol Roger
White Foil Brut Champagne Blend
Hoped for better!
Lemon, lime, grapefruit, pineapple, lightly bruised green apple, pronounced minerality, understated soft chalkiness, some bread bough, Jasmine & spring flowers, good acidity with a rich polished finish.
@Emirates Lounge SFO. — 3 days ago
Laurent-Perrier
Brut La Cuvée Champagne Blend 1512
In the ski chalet or in this case, the bar- Salmontini that overlooks Ski Dubai inside The Mall of the Emirates. Sofía is skiing and I’m having a glass Laurent-Perrier. Two bad discs don’t make for enjoyable skiing. Perhaps, the worst thing I could do for them. I’m getting the better end of the deal! 😋
We already spent a half-hour playing with King Penguins! 🐧 What fun!
As for the champagne, the nose reveals, green apple, lemon lime, pineapple, some hints of green melon and honey, vanilla, cream soda, beautiful soft chalkiness, sea shells, gentle volcanic minerals, spring flowers, Jasmine and yellow lilies.
The body is nice and glides easily over the palate. Nice mousse and mouthfeel. Green apple, lemon lime, pineapple, some hints of green melon and honey, vanilla, cream soda, notes of ginger, baguette crust, beautiful soft chalkiness, sea shells, more pronounced volcanic minerals than the nose and penetrate into the palate, spring flowers, Jasmine and yellow lilies. Really nice soft acidity and micro bubbles. The finish is rich, elegant, nicely polished and persists minutes.
Happy Good Friday and Easter weekend!
🐣 🐰 — 20 hours ago
Skiing was surprisingly fun- hard to imagine skiing inside when it is 100 degrees outside!
Cheers! 🥂
Ségla
Margaux Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
The nose reveals; some dark cherry liqueur, blackberries, black plum skin, blueberries, black raspberries, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes, cinnamon, some nutmeg & clove, leather, dry top soil, dry stone, underbrush, fresh dark florals & violets.
The body full. The tannins still firm but coming around. The palate show the region and still needs another eight years. The fruits show the ripeness the 2010 vintage delivered. When you taste it, you gets it’s Rauzan’s little brother. It gets better as it opens up but, wait to open any bottles in your cellar. The 2010 vintage is a long cellar and this is no different.
Dark cherry, blackberries, black plum skin, blueberries, black raspberries, strawberries come on as it sits on the palate, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes, cinnamon, some nutmeg & clove, herbaceous notes, touch of black pepper corns, leather, dry black soil, dry stone, dry crushed rocks, underbrush, fresh dark florals & violets. The acidity is nice. There is good structure, length, tension and balance but, again needs time. The finish is nice but, still earth dominate and persistent minutes. — 3 days ago
D.R. Stephens
Premiere Napa Valley IX Lot No. 045 Moose Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
I am going to post this again. I will only say that my previous notes all still apply but, I under scored this wine 2-3 weeks ago.
I find this to very similar to the 08 and 09 Promontory I posted in January. It’s closer in style to the 08. However, if you wanted to buy a bottle of the 08 Promontory today, it would cost you $1300. The wine was $89.99 a bottle. Given this wines quality and price point, it was a very easy decision to purchase a full case of this DR Stephens over a single bottle of 08 Promontory. I’m just glad there was still enough to acquire a case of it.
Not only is it one of the best Napa Cabernet I’ve had ever, it the best Napa Cabernet value I have ever purchased.
This wine is simply amazing on the palate and turns your head inside out over and over. — a month ago
Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Bum
Actually had last minute dinner plans with friends so I opened this & the 92 Heitz and decanted a little, but realized these were not the wines to take to dinner. My wife & our friends like a big bold dark wine which these are not. So recorked and took a Rudius Knockmoore & Carter La Bam to the restaurant instead. I’m trying these out myselfPaul Treadway Huntington Beacher Bum
Good bottle, just couldn’t say the best Napa I’ve had, if this is what older promontory taste like remind me not to open any.I’d say 95 points for me.
I’ll take 96 Heitz, cab 97 montelina, 92 Heitz Trailside 2005 Shafer, 2005 Vineyard 29 & a couple other early 2000’s before this. But I’m an uneducated wine drinker. You’ve had many more tastings than me🤷🏼♂️,
But worth the experience, thanks for the recommendation
Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Bum
Definitely keeping my other two bottles,Vinicola Botter
Emotivo Pinot Grigio 2017
This was a nice Pinot Grigio in the Raffles Club Lounge in Dubai.
The nose is filled with tropical fruits of; pineapple, melon, banana peel, meyer lemon, lime, green apple, bees wax, light honey notes, acacia flowers and yellow flowers.
The body is thick and waxy. Tropical fruits of; pineapple, melon, meyer lemon, lime, green apple, banana peel, bees wax, light honey notes, nicely pronounced mineral & soft, powdery chalkiness, acacia flowers and yellow flowers. Round acidity with a rich, well polished finish. Very good QPR at under $15.
The beef & black bean dish that is shown in the photo was simply delicious & super tender. — 3 days ago
Dom Pérignon
Brut Champagne Blend 2009
Got the attendant to save my palate and grab me a glass of 09 Dom out of 1st Class.
The Emirates experience is very good overall. The car service pick up is excellent. The comfort in Business Class is quite spacious and comfortable. Service is good. The food was hit or miss depending on what you ordered. Overall, it could be better. Where they really missed; there were no hot towels before meals, wi-fi horrific and the Business Class wine list needs to be much better.
Green apple, slightly bruised Bosc pear, lime candy, light color citrus blend, pineapple, ginger soda, baguette crust, beautiful firm pronounced chalkiness, penetrating grey volcanic minerals, well done acidity and an elegant, rich, well balanced finish that goes on & on. — 3 days ago
Matanzas Creek Winery
Alexander Valley Chardonnay 2017
The nose has well pronounced buttery and creaminess that I am not very found of & one can find in some CA Chardonnay’s. Lemon, lime, tropical fruits, limestone, vanilla, just a touch of brown sugar with spring flowers.
The body is thick & full. The palate a touch astringent. Green apple, pineapple, lemon, lime, tropical fruits, weighty volcanic minerality, round acidity, rich finish that doesn’t sit well on my palate. I won’t be giving up my White Burgundy anytime soon for this one.
@Emirates Lounge SFO — 3 days ago
Venge Vineyards
Bone Ash Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Follow up wine to our 07 Bartolo Mascarello on Friday night. Vacuum sealed and re-stored enough to write notes today as we had friends for dinner.
The nose reveals, floral, slightly creamy, candied with hints of stewed fruits; blackberries, blueberries, black plum, dark cherries, plum, boysenberries and dark cherries. There is a little smoke here but, if they named this wine and vineyard because their is ash on the nose and palate, it wouldn’t surprise me. Soft volcanic minerals, some anise, dark rich, turned earth, vanilla, cinnamon, hints if clove, dark spice, limestone, sweet tarriness, used leather, wood shavings, light peppery notes, light mintiness with dark red, fresh & withering dark floral and violets.
The body is full. The tannins are soft, round and velvety. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit a high point but, there is 8-10 years of life ahead. ripe; blackberries, blueberries, black plum, dark cherries, plum, boysenberries and dark cherries. Some smoke, cigar ash, soft volcanic minerals, some anise, dark rich, turned earth, vanilla, cinnamon, hints of clove, very dark spice with palate heat, limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, sweet tarriness, used leather, wood shavings, light peppery notes, light mintiness with dark red, fresh & withering dark floral and violets. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is rich, lush, ripe, well balanced and persists a very longtime.
Photos of, The Venge with Estate vines, inside their tasting room, Winemaker-Owner Kirk Venge and their Bone Ash Vineyard in late Winter or for us in CA, more like Springtime on a non rainy day. — a month ago
David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
At the Emirates Business Lounge in Dubai. Not quite the lounge services they advertise in their Business Class Service video in Dubai on their website. Overall, still ok. I was looking forward to the world’s only Moet & Chandon Champagne Bar and some 09 vintage Moet & Chandon but, I guess that is really only in the First Class Lounge. I’ll have to settle for this Imperial. Any good lawyers out there want to sue them for deceptive advertising? 🤣 Also, the shoe shine was not included. It was the most expensive shoe shine I’ve had. And, never actually included black polish! Hmmm? 🤔
As for the Imperial, not bad but, not the 09 vintage I had hoped for! Oh well! 🤷♂️
The nose reveals, nice light citrus blend, green apple, bruised red apple to cider, pineapple, a little lime candy, tropical melons, some white peach, cream soda, brioche, soft chalkiness, understated minerality, spring & yellow flowers with greens.
The body full and pleasant. Soft understated mousse and delicate on the palate. Light citrus blend, green apple, red apple with a slight lean into cider, pineapple, a little lime candy, tropical melons, some white peach, cream soda, brioche, soft, fine powdery chalkiness, subtle minerality, sea spray, spring & yellow flowers with greens. The acidity not as lively as I would prefer. The finish is rich, elegant but, lacks a certain wow factor. — 5 hours ago