Cruz Alta

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age.
— 5 days ago

Ted, Sagee and 9 others liked this

Mount Eden Vineyards

Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

Delicious, full and smooth. Maybe a bit young but my kind of cab. Full and lacking any annoying intensity abrasive tannins. Would never d&d on this one — 6 days ago

Montes

Montes Alpha M Santa Cruz Apalta Single Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2013

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose with a black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, dried fruits, chocolates, cedar, light vanilla, licorice, tobacco, light earth, herbs, light vegetables, indian spices and black tea.

Full-bodied and fruit forward with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, black currants, cooked cherries, plums, oak, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, earth and mediterranean spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 12 year old Single Vineyard Bordeaux blend from Chile is drinking beautifully now. Nicely balanced and complex.

I had this vintage 4 years ago, and it is still drinking beautifully. Rich and fruit forward with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing a very complex nose, at this point. Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

Wine Spectator 91 points. Wine Enthusiasts 94 points.

Showing good structure and needs a couple of hours to open up properly, but good right out of the bottle too. What a gorgeous sipping wine.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$100 (current vintage).
— 10 days ago

Ted, Hermes and 9 others liked this

Podere Poggio Scalette

Il Carbonaione Alta Valle della Greve IGT Sangiovese 2012

From a double-magnum. The 2012 “Il Carbonaione” pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing and initially reticent. After almost an hour of air, the bouquet emerged to reveal some funky cherry, red flowers, bergamot, horse blanket, green herbs, old wood and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium+. After plenty of air, this became really tasty stuff but the large format has really retarded the aging process. Similar bottles likely need well into the next decade to enter the zone. Killer with food. — 21 days ago

Tom, David and 1 other liked this

Rhys Vineyards

Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

Love Alpine Pinot. Think this needs more time to be stellar, but still great now. — 7 days ago

Ridge Vineyards

Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Dark red pomegranate, mushroom, bramble, light, enough acid to counter light tannins. Excellent cab. — 19 days ago

La Rioja Alta

Viña Ardanza Reserva Selección Especial Tempranillo Blend 2017

Bloody hell! Rich, powerful, complex, balanced and fresh.
Complex on the nose; chocolate, fruitcake, blackcurrant, tobacco.
Bright, fresh and well structured on the palate with load of rich red fruit.
Fabulous
— 4 days ago

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

An icon for a reason. Exactly what you want from a California Cab. Balanced yet bold, powerful yet refined. Amazing. — 16 days ago

Marc, Andrew and 10 others liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

Unlike most other Cabs they use American Oak

Ridge Vineyards

Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

Bought at Pine Orchard 11/25 $70 after tasting at Ridge in 10/25. Less expensive here. The 2023 is rated at 100 pts. Absolutely delicious. Floral aromas, lightly crisp, subtle oak, smooth finish. — 17 days ago

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 890 Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2010

Vintage 2010 | Bottled elegance and finesse | paired with veal cheeke stew and frites — 20 days ago

Rob, Somm and 17 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

❤️
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Wow, fantastic pull, @Peter van den Besselaar!!!