Central Valley Merlot

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

Le Volte Toscana Sangiovese Blend 2022

A great “uncork and pour” Toscana IGT Rosso, with a blend ratio of 51% Cab Sauv, 44% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. A truly traditional Bolgheri-styled super tuscan, known for versatile, bright and uplifting wines.

The v.2022 displays fruitier and juicy aromas on the nose driven by blackberries and cherry medley, with some peppy notes as well. The palate welcomes a fresh fruit-forward with medium-less textured tannins, once it opens for about 30 mins shows more subtle ripen red fruits and becomes smoother. Mouthfeel has a soft-end thanks to the MLF in steel tanks. However, the wine was aged for 10 months, partly in barriques used previously for its Ornellaia wines and partly in concrete tanks, to attain a nearly-perfect balance between the structure of its tannins and the fruit-forward expression.

Had this wine in a traditional “Trattoria-style” Ristorante known for Central Tuscany-cuisine. Simply Marvelous!
— 10 days ago

Ted and Serge liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

Somm David T
9.4

2010 is a vintage to leave to your children if you bought this at 50 years old forward. This is a 50-60 year wine with proper storage.

The nose shows nice ruby, fruits of; dark cherries, cherries, strawberries with a dark currant center, blackberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Chocolate mousse, melted, milk chocolate, light caramel, moist sage, warm, slightly sweet dark earth with withering dark & red florals.

The palate is warm, inviting & beautiful. Easy to drink. Dark cherries, cherries, strawberries with a dark currant center, blackberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Red cola/licorice, dark chocolate, melted, milk chocolate, light caramel, moist sage, warm, oak barrel shavings, moist, dark earth w/ dry leaves, celery, used leather, moist tobacco, with withering dark & red florals. Perfect acidity with an excellently balanced, nicely knitted, perfect tension & structure with elegance for days the falls evenly on ripe fruits & soft earthiness.

94-96 in another 10 years. Outside chance at 97.
— 7 days ago

Rob, David and 23 others liked this
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Great wine from a great vintage

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1952

tart and tangy. Red cherry. Blood and light floral notes. Very petty. Light — 3 days ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Ceccherini, Bob and 5 others liked this

Smith & Hook

Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Deep purple color. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice and oak. Black fruit on the palate, blueberries and nice tannins on the finish. — 3 days ago

Tom, Daniel and 6 others liked this

Duckhorn Vineyards

Napa Valley Merlot 2022

Not normally a fan of California Merlot, but this one surprised me. Very drinkable, but with enough complexity. Excellent with a bowl of seafood stew. — a month ago

Masseto

Toscana Merlot 1998

A big wine! Four hour decant was just right for this 1998 edition! — a month ago

Tenuta San Guido

Guidalberto Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020

At an Italian Restaurant on the Gold Coast having a nice pasta dish of Rigatoni with Lamb Shoulder. This wine by San Guido where their top Cuvée is the famous Sassicaia. This wine is 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Oak maturation is well balanced using a combination of new and used oak. The nose shows obvious Cabernet traits and shows again how suitable Bolgheri is to Bordeaux blends - plummy notes. A good match with the dish. A dry finish. — 25 days ago

Andrew, Ron and 18 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Sounds like a great meal, complimented by a nice wine, in an amazing place, Gold Coast! 👍 ☀️
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge

@Somm David T Agreed David. All I needed was a win on the blackjack tables which sadly did not happen 🤨🤨

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.5

It is really no surprise that this 05 is incredible and still extremely youthful. This 05 will out live almost anyone 50 years old. It is good for another 45 years.

I had their 16 La Dame last weekend & commented it should not be opened for another 10 years.

The core on the nose is dark velvet black currants. There’s a bit of melted dark chocolate-mousse. Ripe but subtle blackberries, black raspberries, black plum-plum pudding, very dark cherries, some mulberries, mocha powder, dark, rich earth, dry river stone, limestone, anise, mix of dry/fresh herbs, fine, undertone of baking spices, moist grey clay, slightly dry tobacco, sandalwood, mild, elegant spice, just the slightest hint of mint, dark, very, slightly candied, dark, withering flowers & red roses.

The palate is rich, round with velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark fruits blended in melted dark-mocha chocolate. Blackberries, black raspberries, both plums w/ heavy skin, dark cherries, poached to slightly baked strawberries & raspberries over the top. Dry bay leaf-sage, moist clay, rich, dark, turned earth, dry river stone, limestone powder, stem inclusion, red licorice/cola, anise to black licorice candy, sandalwood to soft cedar, slightly moist tobacco, used leather, mild, dark spice, a touch & just a touch of tomato leaf, hints of cardamom, dark/red withering flowers with just a touch of violets, perfect acidity and a very well knitted, tensioned, balanced, structured, elegantly polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on nice earthiness & softly muddled spice.

Paired w/ their bone-in Ribeye. Best steakhouse steak that I’ve had out and not made by me & friends. Rich fat, tender and flavor. Lacks a bit of char and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com.

Open in another 15-20 years.

A real shot at a 💯 in another 15-20+.

@Delmonico Steakhouse Las Vegas
— 10 hours ago

Peter, Paul and 6 others liked this
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

The Montrose stuff is a true force of nature. That'90 vintage will outlive us all combined. Ridiculously fresh once you get past the brett.

Peter Michael Winery

Estate Vineyards Les Pavots Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1996

1996 vintage. 6% Cab Franc but 50+% Cab and remaining % Merlot. Last tasted 9.29.24 (9.5) and 8.2.24 (9.6). This specimen nice fill and halfway saturated cork. Decanted and throwing appropriate sed. Tasted 30 mins post-decant. Light-medium body. Dark cherry and milk chocolate nose. Cocoa powder and chocolate-covered cherry in the flavors. Tannins primarily on the back palate. More than holding up and getting by. This has a few more years afoot. Gonna say it again for those in the back…this is the best wine they’ve ever made-white or red. Get off my lawn. 05.07.25. — 2 days ago

Ted, Bob and 10 others liked this

Belle Glos

Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021

This is amazing we have had this several times always amazing! — 8 days ago

Blake Gifford
with Blake