5th Note Cellars

Alessandro Viola

Note di Bianco Grillo

Unripe peach, maybe a little melon, nice minerality, good with arugula! — 2 months ago

Cloudy Bay

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Another solid vintage of this NZ Sauvy B. Bright golden color with green highlights. Aromas of citrus, fresh herbs/grass and tropical fruit. Flavors of grapefruit, lime,passion fruit with a mix mineral/wet stone based backbone. Distinct saline note on the long and crisp and clean finish. Bright acidity and medium body and alcohol (13.5%). Solid freshness and precision. Enjoyed with Asian food at Youyu in the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. — 3 months ago

5th and Bowie

Bourbon Barrel Aged Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

This full-bodied wine is loaded with blackberry, bramble, baking spice, vanilla, molasses and black pepper, integrated tannins leading up to a long smooth finish. — 9 months ago

Bass Phillip

Reserve Pinot Noir 2012

Always a tasting highlight having a Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir the leading Pinot Noir in Australia although the competition is coming. See previous Delectable note. It pours a medium red with a distinct tawny edge. Barb said red fruits (cherry) and bunchy. I certainly agree on both counts. All BP Reserves are special but the 2012 is not one of the greats. - perhaps a little bunchy, to be ultra picky. — 2 years ago

Ceccherini, Ira and 19 others liked this

Continuum

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

Paul J
9.2

Similar to my last note, strange and somewhat disappointing.

1hr+ decant. Dark red color. Dark fruit, almost stewed in nature on the nose. Wine starts out spicy, settles down, and loses its strength. Not sure what to make of this.
— 2 years ago

Brooke Weaver Jakubowski
with Brooke
Tom, Vanessa and 8 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2019

Opus One tasting

2019 Opus
2017 Opus
2012 Opus

The 12 drinks really well with time to go but hard to imagine it gets a lot better, the 17 was uninspiring with muted nose and subdued taste, the 19 has good potential in 6-9 years. Note: Pours were a little light for the price, so buyer beware!
— 3 years ago

Karin BlazonaBrenda Terzich-Garland
with Karin and Brenda
Brenda, Milissa and 22 others liked this

Grant Burge

5th Generation Barossa Shiraz 2018

Worth waiting for three hours — 6 years ago

Bass Phillip

Crown Prince Gippsland Pinot Noir 2016

Pale to mid crimson and a little cloudy - a characteristic one used to see occasionally in Bass Phillip as they are bottled unfiltered which adds to the flavour intensity. A beautiful perfume of whole bunch notes, sous bois and a touch of toffee. Amazing intensity for Bass Phillip’s 5th ranked Pinot Noir cuvée. Sweet and savoury fruits. Delivers more fruit on the palate than one would expect from the nose. For short term drinking but still delivers the Bass Phillip stamp of quality. — 6 years ago

Paul, Daniel P. and 13 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1990

Another absolutely fabulous older CdP, I saw @Jay Kline’s excellent tasting note from a few years ago on the 1990 (thanks for the info, @Jay Kline!!), this is amazing, amazingly a little better than the 1989 Beaucastel, what a trio of 1988-1990 CdPs!!! — a month ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Jay, Scott@Mister and 6 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Of course Doug! Laurence has some magic in her.
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Jay Kline, my brother and I visited Laurence once, in 2005, what a phenomenal lady she was, climbing all over barrels to get samples, we finished with the very youthful 2004, we both thought it great, and she said she wasn’t sure at that point about the 2004!! Great visit!!

Château du Tertre

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2018

Château du Tertre, Red Blend – 2018
AOC Margaux – Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷
5th Growth, Grand Cru Classé en 1855

Overview
A historic Margaux estate, Château du Tertre sits on a prominent gravel “tertre” (hillock) that gives the château its name. The 2018 vintage was a warm and generous year, producing wines with depth, richness, and polished tannins. The estate’s blend for the V.18 crafted Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Merlot 30%, Cabernet Franc 25%, and Petit Verdot 5%, delivering the quintessential Margaux elegance.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, blackberry, and ripe plum layered with graphite, cedar, and cigar box. Hints of violets, licorice, and cocoa weave through the bouquet, adding complexity.

Mouthfeel
Elegant yet bold: medium to full-bodied with polished and structured tannins, a silky mid-palate, and a long, harmonious finish. A wine showing its prime with youthful vibrancy and well-integrated oak.

Food Pairings
Roast lamb with herbs, beef Wellington, duck breast, Truffle risotto, porcini pasta, mushroom burgers, aged Gruyère, Manchego, or Brie de Meaux.

Verdict
The 2018 vintage is a standout for Margaux, and Château du Tertre shines with a balance of power and finesse. Dark-fruited, silky, and aromatic, this wine embodies the elegance that Margaux is celebrated for, approachable now, yet cellar-worthy for another decade.

Did You Know?
Château du Tertre shares historical ties with Château Giscours (also in Margaux), once under the same ownership. Its elevated gravel terroir provides excellent drainage, making it ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon’s deep root systems.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight: For me, the 2018 du Tertre is the sweet spot, Margaux elegance meets ripe, modern Bordeaux style, without sacrificing finesse and within a reasonable price point. Cheers!
— 8 months ago

Daniel and Ted liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 1996

Medium lemon colour . Lovely lemon, buttered pastry nose , still so fresh and lively . Mineral with a honeysuckle note , touch of blanched almond . On the palate quite rich and complex , with high acidity and mineral , honied , brioche notes , still quite fresh though with lots of creamy lemon hints. Long mineral tinged finish . Lovely now and over the next 5-10 years . — 2 years ago

Tom, Bob and 13 others liked this

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1981

Terrific eucalyptus note — 2 years ago

Ira and Severn liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2017

Read the reviews on the 2017 and was intrigued. Opened in the morning and sampled throughout day while raking leaves. Finished at dinner. The wine is precise, balanced and interesting. The tannins dominate and are refined, supple and then linger. The fruit is primarily plum with cherry. Tobacco comes a bit later. No clues how this will evolve but. note to self, wait till 2024 or later to rake the leaves again. — 5 years ago

Ron, Byron and 5 others liked this

Fifth Note Cellars

Merlot Blend

In Jin
9.1

This is very good wine for price. Good tanin full body not strong in acid but enjoyable — 6 years ago

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

1st wine. Medium garnet with quite thin , garnet rim . Some herbal touches , with earthy terracotta note , touches of dry spices, grafite . On the palate this has good freshness and of tobacco and earthy cassis , quite grippy, dry tannin. A bit foursquare , but quite good length and balance . This probably needs a bit more time , 5 -8 years and will last well a further decade . Had this down as the Haut Brion. — 3 months ago

Neil, Somm and 15 others liked this

Rivers-Marie

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Dark ruby, dense black fruit aromas of kirsch and sassafras w a lingering high note of bergamot. Intense black fruit flavors long finish showing a bit of alc — 5 months ago

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

slight tobacco & cedar - hits the ripe blackberry note — 9 months ago

Château Batailley

Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

A very good left bank classed growth (5th growth) from a good vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant aromatics (74%). Blackcurrant and cedar - a little tomato bush. A good wine but to state the obvious does not have the class and complexity of the higher classed growths. For example 3rd growth 2009 Chateau Palmer is a stunning wine - very rich, complex with a long life in front of it - very much superior to Chateau Batailley. — a year ago

Juan, Ceccherini and 19 others liked this
Ceccherini Cristiano

Ceccherini Cristiano Influencer Badge

@Somm David T i must apologise, but when we say Napoleon i only think of the guy sinking his hand in his jacket, the one that got defeated in Waterloo. Monsieur Napolene Bonaparte born in Corse. My bad, my views are limited. Napoleon the 3rd is indeed still a Napoleon...sorry😬
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Somm David T Thanks for your comments David. Yes, I can imagine any change to the Bordeaux classification would be very political and expensive with self interest often driving the ship. At the end of the day I guess it boils down to what the punters (us) are prepared to pay for any given bottle of wine regardless of its hierarchy in any classification. Eg. Is Leroy Musigny worth $50K? Or does it become the plaything of billionaires and 3rd world dictators who only buy it because of its inflated price? Probably a debate for another day!
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Bob McDonald @Ceccherini Cristiano I should have said the III. Just assumed it was implied. My bad as well. Bottle prices are quite insane lately and yes it is up to us what we paid. I would add that the wine industry is and has been challenged. More recent gen’s are not buying wine like my gen and there are no easy answers for the industry. We’ll see what happens w/ bottle prices going forward. Especially, given the rollercoaster markets. Good discussions. Cheers! 🍷

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

Classic Cabernet descriptors of Cedar, Tobacco, Red and black fruits and a herbal note. Lovely on the palate, drinking at its peak with excellent balance - smooth, fluid, resolved tannins. One could easily pick this as a Left Bank Bordeaux in a blind tasting. Shows more French restraint than the full blown Napa style for me. Medium + weight palate with balance and concentration. Probably my favourite Napa Valley Cabernet though admittedly I have not tried some of the big guns like Harlan. Post script: A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. No Merlot was used in the blend for 2004. — 5 years ago

Shay, Ericsson and 22 others liked this
Greg Gosselin

Greg Gosselin

World-class vino. Nuff said.
Ron R

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Nice pull, mate!

High Note

Uco Valley Malbec

Just a total surprise for a screw cap. Very smooth. No wierd finish. Just right. — 6 years ago