Dr. Owen Bargreen 
Château Le Pin
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2011
L'Ecole No. 41
Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
The 2016 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon by L’Ecole No. 41 is a gorgeous new effort from this warm vintage. Intense sandalwood aromas with creme de cassis, mocha and shades of blueberry pie all mingle together in the glass. The palate has a great combination of power and elegance as blackberry pie, black tea, exotic spices and shades of dark chocolate all come together in the glass. Fantastic in its youth, this beautiful wine will have at least a decade ahead of it. Drink 2019-2029- 92
— 11 days ago
Viña Almaviva S.A.
Almaviva Puente Alto Red Blend 2016
The 2016 Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon is a seductive, dense and chewy effort from this historic project in Chile. Aromatically a bit reticent and needing some time in the decanter to unwind, this beautiful Cabernet slowly unveils exotic spice aromas that parade with suggestions of creme de cassis, green bell pepper, and huckleberry pie. The silky mouthfeel really entices and captivates the senses. While obviously rich, this has a brightness and good sense of minerality that runs through the core of intense dark fruit, milk chocolate, pipe tobacco and dried herbal flavors that all push the envelope in intensity and decadence. While a delight to enjoy at this stage in its development, the 2016 Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon will cellar well for the next two decades. Drink 2019-2038- 96 — 17 days ago
Robert Mondavi Winery
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
The 2015 ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon is showing marvelously at its early stage in development. Needing a one hour decant to fully arouse, the wine slowly reveals ripe dark currants with tar and anise aromatics that take shape in the glass. The palate shows a excellent power and acidity with intense dark fruits, and shades of creme de cassis and Turkish coffee. Enjoyable now in its youth, this will continue to evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2019-2033 — a day ago
Figgins
Estate Red Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016
The 2016 Figgins Red Wine is a stunning new bottling by superstar winemaker Chris Figgins. On the nose you can really smell the Petit Verdot undertones as this shows off gorgeous blackberry compote with blueberry pie, sagebrush and green pell pepper aromas that all build marvelously in the glass. The palate is gorgeous, showing a silky texture and wonderful sense of minerality. A bright beam of salinity runs through this beautiful wine, slowly unveiling bright black cherry and Turkish coffee flavors that collide with blueberry pie and Chinese black tea flavors. Polished and layered, this is seriously good in its youth but it will evolve well for decades to come. Drink 2020-2040- 95 — 8 days ago
Hall Wines
Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
The 2016 'Kathryn Hall' Cabernet Sauvignon is a show-stopping wine from winemaker Steve Levesque. Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot with the core fruit sourced from a barrel selection from the Sacrashe Vineyard. Simply captivating, this opens to inviting aromas of ripe dark currants and blueberry compote that collide with violets, tar and shades of sweet pipe tobacco that all sing in the glass. On the palate this is soft and plush, with beautifully round polished tannins and a gorgeous seamless quality, as well as wonderful weight that truly entices. It continues to deliver layers complex flavors including blueberry compote, leather, mocha, creosote and shades of Asian spices that all build up to the long multidimensional finish. While a delight in its youth, the 2016 'Katheryn Hall' Cabernet Sauvignon should also go on to provide enjoyment for twenty years. Drink 2020-2038- 97 — 18 days ago
Yao Ming
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
The 2016 Yao Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon was soured from a host of Napa Valley vineyards ranging from their bench land site in Yountville to Northern St. Helena. The wine is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that weighs in at 14.6% alcohol. Classic creme de cassis, red bell pepper, thyme and suggestions of cocoa powder with dusty terroir complete the gorgeous aromatics of the wine. The palate is soft and generous, creating a silky texture and a racy sense of acidity. Black Forest Cake, creme de cassis and mocha flavors all marvelously combine with the bright sense of mentality on the palate. Dense, layered and highly polished, this silky effort will cellar well at least for another fifteen years. Drink 2019-2033- 93
— 6 days ago
Concha y Toro
Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
The smoky and earthy undertones are lovely which collect momentum with the green bell pepper, tar and black licorice aromatics that all take shape in the glass. The palate is plush, unveiling a silky mouthfeel that entices. Black tea, Asian spices, sweet pipe tobacco and rich dark fruits all collide on the palate. The freshness imparted here is really excellent. Dense and layered, with tremendous nerve and tension, this stunning wine will cellar well for two decades. Drink 2020-2038-96 — 12 days ago
Long Shadows Wineries
Pirouette Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016
The 2016 ‘Piroette’ Red Wine is a stunning new release by superstar winemaker Phillipe Melka. A blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (68%) with smaller portions Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, the wine was aged for 22 months in 75% new French oak prior to bottling. Showing off its inky core this opens with a bouquet of green bell pepper, mocha, tar and anise that all come together in the glass. The silky texture creates gorgeous appeal, delivering blackberry cobbler, espresso bean and shades of blueberry pie with lovely herbal undertones. Highly structured, with soft tannins, this stunning effort will cellar well for decades. Drink 2020-2038- 95 — 19 days ago
Seavey Vineyard
Napa Valley Merlot 2004
The 2004 Seavey Merlot is showing marvelously now at the fifteen year mark. Aged in 40% new French oak, the wine is a silky blend of 75% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Petit Verdot (10%). The earthy tones aromatically are really nice, as this shows dusty terroir that has settled with the black fruits and black tea aromas that all come together in the glass. The palate is soft, rich and downright elegant. Black fruits collide with shades of creme de cassis and mocha, with the lovely damp terroir terroir that round out this beautiful palate. This is absolutely singing at the fifteen year mark but has another ten years left. Drink 2019-2029- 92
— 21 days ago
Dr. Owen Bargreen
Ethereal, silky and marvelously poised, the 2011 Le Pin (WWB, 97) is sourced from an extremely small estate is located in the commune of Pomerol. It is amongst the world's most expensive red wines, as this was very graciously shared by my colleague Dr. Hong. I was most impressed by the opulent, pillowy texture of the wine, which is still quite primary now at the eight year mark. Elegant tannins line the massive core of dark fruits, all leading the breathtaking, near minute-long finish. This true heavyhitter really needs another ten years of bottle age to hit its stride and will provide drinking enjoyment past my lifetime. Drink 2025-2055- 97 — 14 hours ago