David T 
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Fay Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
Mind numbingly gorgeous. Believe the hype on the great Bordeaux producer’s 2009 vintage.
It is simply one of the best Bordeaux’s this young I’ve ever had. It’s is silky on the palate. The structure, tension, length and balance are stunning and this vintage is just getting started in its better evolution. The fruits are some of the very best Bordeaux fruits I’ve had. Ripe, ruby, lush; blackberries & dark cherries. Both chocolate, soft, layered baking spice, soft soils, understated; leather, tobacco, graphite, ruby, candied purple, blue/dark fresh and withering florals. The acidity is dead on. The finish is well balanced & glorious. This is an amazing wine that will blow your hair back at 25 years of age.
Photos of; our dinner group, tasting room at Pontet Canet, the horse plows they still use in the fields and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2006
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
The fruits are dark & muted. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, plums with strawberries come on late. Lots of moist clay, dry soils, deep dark spice, crushed, rock powder, graphite, black, dry soils, hints of green bell pepper, dry herbs with blue, dark withering flowers. The acidity is round but could be better. The long finish is balanced but, for me, comes up short and a little flat.
Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
Ferren Wines
Rose of Pinot Noir 2018
The nose reveals, notes of cotton candy, candied & floral; strawberries, watermelon, cherries, some tangerine, black raspberries/cherries & raspberries. Cola & licorice, mid fruit roll ups, beautiful volcanic minerals, powdery chalky notes, very light dry herbal notes, saline, candied fruit blossoms and pink roses.
The body is full, thick and slightly gummy with just a smidge of frizzante. It’s delicious. Cotton candy, candied & floral; strawberries, watermelon, cherries, white peach, some tangerine, black raspberries/cherries, pink grapefruit w/ a touch of sugar & raspberries. Cola & licorice, mid fruit roll ups, beautiful volcanic minerals, powdery chalkiness, faint crushed rocks, limestone, very light, dry herbal notes, saline, candied fruit blossoms and pink roses. The acidity is round and like a waterfall. The long, delicious, well balanced finish is nicely persistent.
Happy Friday the 13th & full Moon! 🌕
@Paul T- Huntington Beach FYI.
Photos of; two aspects of their Silver Eagle Vineyard, Winemaker-Matt Courtney and summer sunset in Sonoma. — 7 days ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
What a great vintage. Its tannin structure will outlive the 09 and anyone 45 and older. The 2010 is a forever vintage and while different than 09, it will undoubtedly be just as great. It’s just going to take a lot more bottle age than the 09.
The body is full and round. The tannins have rounded but are still big and chewy. It’s more concentrated than 09. The fruit is really beautiful and again perfectly ripe. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, dark plum, poached strawberries with hints of raspberries. Soft soil structure; dry top soil, moist clay, medium intensity dark spice, fresh tobacco, dry herbs, crushed rock powder, with dark, withering florals with violets. The texture is velvety. The structure and tension are big. The length and balance are worthy of its perfect score. For me, it’s just not there, yet! The acidity is really good. The long, lush, ripe, well balanced, polished finish is deliciously persistent.
Photos of; our dinner group, tasting room at Pontet Canet, the horse plows they still use in the fields and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
The fruits are ripe, ruby. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, raspberries & strawberries. Dark rich soils, dark spice, crushed dry rocks, black licorice, tobacco, soft leather, graphite, Great balance fruit and earth. The body is velvety and statin. The structure, length, tension and balance are just coming around. The texture is gorgeous. The acidity is round and excellent. The finish delicious and persists nicely.
Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
Launois Père et Fils
Veuve Clemence Mesnil-Sur Oger Blanc Blancs
To borrow a page from @Anthony Lombardi postings, today Eddie Money passed away @ 70 years of age. Too soon!
So many childhood memories to his music. Was he the GOAT of Rock N Roll? Not exactly. But, he left his mark none the less. I find it’s memories that make music & wine greater.
So Eddie took his “Ticket to Paradise” and got himself “Home Tonight!” For all the great music and memories, I raise a glass of this appropriately choicen Champagne because of its bottling designation and say, cheers to Eddie Money. RIP Eddie. 💰 🎷 🎸 🎶🥂 — 7 days ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
The 96 is a nice surprise add from Clyde’s cellar. Thank you Clyde.
This 96 is beautifully floral. The evolution is right around its peak. The body is medium full and the tannins soft. It’s an elegant beauty.
The fruits are ripe and delicious. Leaner blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries and shades of raspberries. Soft earth; dry top soil, dry rock, limestone minerals, old tobacco, soft leather, cedar with dry and withering red & dark florals. The acidity is like a waterfall. The long finish is well balanced fruit & earth and in a sweet spot.
Photos of; our dinner group, tasting room at Pontet Canet, the horse plows they still use in the fields and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
When beauty arrives, it moves every sense in the body. This is what happens when you have the 05 after 11, 12, 13, 06 & 08. The 05 would be great anytime, not just after lesser vintages.
The body is silky, satin and velvety. The fruits are round, ripe and lush. They truly show the greatness of the vintage. It’s great tonight but, this is a long way from being truly ready. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, hint of blue & purple fruits & strawberries. Medium dark spice, soft baking spices, black licorice, both chocolates, moist clay, limestone, dry crushed rocks, old tobacco, graphite, dry herbs, rich dark soils, dry stones, bright, candied, red, dark, blue florals. The acidity is excellent and the long finish is well balanced, nicely polished and persists nicely with a dark spice long set.
Excellent with our lamb chops.
Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
2016 is such a beautifully, ripe and elegant vintage. The 16 stands tall from the other vintages we tasted.
The body is rich, bold and thick. Beautiful dark fruits of ripe, ruby; blackberries, plum, dark cherries, strawberries and amazing blue fruits shine as it sit on the palate. There is more balance in the 16...fruits and earth. Saddle-wood, tobacco, leather, dry soil, dry & moist clay, dry stone, rich dark earth, lead pencil, bright, fresh, red, blue, dark flowers with violets. Very nice acidity with a beautiful finish.
Don’t even touch a bottle for 15 plus years. This nice now but, you will only be cheating yourself out of a very special wine 15 plus years from now.
Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 13 days ago
David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
For me, there is one Napa winery that was great in the pioneer days and lost their edge for a time but, has seriously reclaimed it. That winery is Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. It is largely overlooked with so many modern quality producers rising in the Napa Valley.
This 09 Fay is outstanding in a way that is truly unique to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
The nose reveals, dark currants/cassis, deeply extracted; blackberries, black raspberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries with faint, creamy raspberries on the high nose & glass edges. Dark expresso roast, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, black licorice to anise, medium intensity dark spice, limestone minerals, dark, rich earth, dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, steeped tea, fresh tobacco, graphite, dark liqueur notes, Provence herbs with dark, florals, fresh & withering, candied florals with bright violets.
The body is full, silky and velvety. The tannins are rounded, soft yet tarry and teethe, 40% resolved. There are 10-20 years of life ahead depending on how you enjoy & store wine. The tension, structure, length and balance are just starting to climb to its peak. Dark currants/cassis, deeply extracted; blackberries, black raspberries, black raspberries, black plum with skin, black cherries with faint, poached strawberries & creamy raspberries. Dark, well pressed, expresso roast, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, dark, Asian & India spices with heat, black licorice to anise, medium intensity dark spice, limestone minerals, dark, rich earth, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, steeped tea, fresh tobacco, touch of black pepper, graphite, dark liqueur notes, Provence herbs with dark, florals, fresh & withering, candied florals with bright violets and lavender. The acidity is phat, round and fountain drippy. The long finish is; big, round, elegant, ripe, ruby, well balanced and persists deeply for minutes.
Photos of, their tasting room & Estate vines, barrel room, non-stop swinging pendulum ball and aerial view of their Estate. — 7 days ago