Domaine La

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Upon opening, this seemed a bit disjointed, with muted fruit flavors and strong herbal notes. Decanting didn’t seem to help much, but day 2 it finally opened up nicely, with nice complexity and intensity on the palate. Cherry, raspberry, cassis, bay leaf, dried Italian herbs, anise, cloves, vanilla, cedar, earth, and balsamic notes all come through. Really tasty, but maybe a bit too intense. I can see this improving with a few more years of aging so the flavors coalesce and soften a bit more. — 9 days ago

Dave, Barny and 8 others liked this
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Ever try vintage 2010 for this particular?
Joel Lara

Joel Lara

No I haven’t. This is actually the my first Lopez de Heredia. Have you tried it?
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

I have tried their bosconia & cubillo. Haven't tried the tondonia reserva, but do have the 2010 in my cellar.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

Échézeaux Pinot Noir 2001

Mathew king robert pavlovich thatcher courtney clayfu feng @rvr — 13 days ago

Juan liked this

Paul Jaboulet Aîné

La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah 1964

Happy birthday to my favorite mother in law! — 10 days ago

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2005

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core and some moderate rim variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of ripe and slightly dried black and blue fruits: dark brambles, plum, fig, purple flowers, leather ball glove, something spicy and green that has me debating between rotundone or pyrazines (but which?), rocky earth and fine baking warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. What a beautifully made wine.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties), Cabernet Franc, Merlot (blended with associated Bordeaux varieties) or Syrah from France, the US or Australia. This is older; probably 20+ years of age based on the secondary characteristics or dried fruit and old leather. While the fruit plays a starring role here, the alcohol seems almost modest so I can’t place this in Australia or the US. The problem I’m having, are there pyrazines or rotundone? I don’t get a lot of black pepper or animale, or olive for that matter…so I’m leaning towards this being Bordeaux. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine with a blend of Bordeaux varieties, from France, Bordeaux, Pulliac, from a classified growth, 2004. Whoa!!! 2005 Clape?! What a treat! I feel like I should have nailed this wine. Alas…I still have to get better at differentiating between pyrazines and rotundone with age. Drink now with a decant, through 2045+
— 24 days ago

Somm, Zach and 12 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Vintage???
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Somm David T 2005. Sometimes Delectable seems to drop the vintage when I input it. That’s probably the least of the app’s issues these days, 😂

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

Richebourg Pinot Noir 2012

Precheval troigoss Bilky — a month ago

Jan and Juan liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 1973

Touch of over the hill but still OK. Lost color. More for the geeks and aficionados - than the casual wine drinker. So this review is for you guys. — a month ago

Zach, Daniel and 11 others liked this
Vin d’Ottawa

Vin d’Ottawa

How long do you think the 2007 can run for? I’ve been aiming to open a magnum in 2030. Perhaps I am being too hasty!
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

Always good.
Rob Brobst III

Rob Brobst III Influencer Badge

I’m your guy Andreas!! I geek out over older vintages.

Domaine Roulot

Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay 2020

So good! Showing notes of lemon, citrus, wet stone, mineral, flint & racy acids — 19 hours ago

Daniel, Jean-Philip and 3 others liked this

Bollinger

La Grande Année Brut Champagne 2008

This is a pleasant stunner of citrus zest and tart apple. Whoa! Note to self: 12 is not sufficient supply. — 19 days ago

Ira liked this

Domaine Serene

Evenstad Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021

Smooth, light, oaky — 4 days ago

Joel, Stephen and 2 others liked this

Domaine Armand Rousseau

Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2013

Mathew king robert pavlovich thatcher courtney clayfu feng @rvr — 13 days ago

Jan, Juan and 1 other liked this

Domaine Coche-Dury (J.F. Coche Dury)

Meursault Chardonnay 2019

Reduced and young, very serious. Not your book club Chardonnay. - at Laurelhurst — 9 days ago

Jean-Philip, Sharon and 4 others liked this

Vincent Dauvissat

La Forest Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2020

Magnum en maximo mex vs ecua — 23 days ago

Juan liked this

Bollinger

Special Cuvée Brut Champagne

Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV – Champagne AOC, France 🇫🇷

Overview
One of Champagne’s enduring benchmarks, Special Cuvée combines approximately 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier, with a significant portion of reserve wines contributing depth and consistency. Rich, layered, and unmistakably Bollinger, it delivers remarkable complexity at a price point that remains accessible compared to many prestige bottlings.

Aromas & Flavors
Golden apple, ripe pear, citrus zest, baked brioche, roasted nuts, and subtle spice unfold in layers. Notes of fresh bread dough and orchard fruit intertwine with hints of honey and toast.

Mouthfeel
Vibrant and energetic with a creamy mousse and impressive depth. A delicate kiss of yeast adds texture and contrast, while the wine’s concentration and freshness remain beautifully balanced through the finish.

Food Pairings
Lobster, seared scallops, roast chicken, truffle dishes, aged Comté, oysters, or simply enjoyed as a celebratory aperitif.

Verdict
A richly textured and multi-layered Champagne that continues to justify its reputation as one of the region’s benchmarks. Complex, expressive, and consistently rewarding, it offers a level of sophistication that punches well above its category.

Did You Know?
Unlike many large Champagne houses, Bollinger ferments a portion of its wines in old oak barrels and maintains an extensive reserve wine program, helping create the signature richness and depth that define Special Cuvée.

🍷 Personal Pick
Few non-vintage Champagnes deliver this combination of richness, complexity, and value. The layered fruit, subtle autolytic character, and vibrant texture make Special Cuvée one of my favorite benchmark Champagnes and a bottle I never hesitate to revisit.
— 2 months ago

Freddy, Tom and 1 other liked this

Domaine Tempier

Bandol Rosé Blend 2020

Paul J
9.7

Awesome as always! Fruit forward, rich, and refreshing. High quality. Beautiful salmon color. — 16 days ago

Brooke Weaver Jakubowski
with Brooke
Tom, Jan and 4 others liked this

Bodegas Faustino

Gran Reserva Faustino I Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2009

Vanilla! But once it calms down, good round tannins, good body, super smooth at this point, perfect for the obligatory Father’s Day steaks — a month ago

Sagee, Tom and 2 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2019

Jj Joe
9.5

What a surprise, good for korean foods and chicken too — a month ago

Ruud, Tom and 1 other liked this

La Crema

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2023

Light bodied. Very good — 5 days ago

Dom Pérignon

Brut Rosé Champagne 2010

Just think Dom Perignon is a solid consistent Champagne house. — a month ago

Jan liked this

Domaine Tempier

Bandol Mourvedre Blend 2014

Paul J
9.7

Wow!! This was amazing. PnP. Earth, barnyard mixed with lovely cherry fruit and subtle herbs. Great texture and depth. One of my best bottles of this. Paired great with BBQ. — a month ago

Brooke Weaver Jakubowski
with Brooke
Paul and Scott@Mister liked this