Once & Future Wines

Once & Future Wines

Teldeschi Vineyard Frank's Block Zinfandel

Zin is my happy place 🍷 — a month ago

Shay, Ted and 2 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

From magnum. No formal notes. The fill was top-shoulder. Underneath the capsule, the top of the cork looked nasty which I wiped down as best I could. About four hours before service, using a Durand (which is almost essential with old bottles) I was able to pull the cork completely intact and decant for sediment. The cork was completely saturated but appeared to have done its job! At this stage in its life, the 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild pours a garnet color but it doesn’t appear particularly tired and the nose supports that. While it’s certainly a vinous wine, there is a lot to like: a mix of red and black cassis, rip and desiccated cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar box, old leather, damp earth, some mushrooms and baking spices. The structure is still sound and while the tannins have integrated and the acid is keeping this very much alive. In fact, this seemed to brighten with air and almost get a second wind! As I find with all great Bordeaux wines once they enter this stage, they seem to live forever. This was a lovely pairing with a Prime, Niman Ranch porterhouse served with corn, squash and porcini. This is squarely in the “drink now” window, not that it will be falling off a cliff anytime soon. Decant for sediment and enjoy through 2030+ — 5 months ago

Bob, Daniel P. and 18 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Saint-Joseph Syrah 2017

Powerful Syrah that needs a 2-3 hour decant but once opened up there are dark fruits and baking spices to enjoy. It perhaps lacks a bit of refinement but i would buy and drink again! — 9 months ago

Jay, Andrew and 17 others liked this

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2007

Big year. Not perfect but close, nothing new to be said about these wines, just happy to enjoy it once in a while. — 2 years ago

Eddie, Brecht and 9 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

Visiting an old friend. Now I'm down to 2 bottles in my cellar . I bought a case 25 years ago and every once in awhile I enjoy this ageless wine. It still has a soft mid pallet lingering red berry and tannic flavor. The richness of this Cabernet has done nothing but improve over the years. I dare say it will not further improve but hopefully it will linger at this quality level.the mouth feel is an experience in and of its self. What a wonderful treat🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 2 months ago

Ira, Shay and 1 other liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Deeper ruby , narrower more intense ruby rim . Pretty closed , lots in there though not yielding much at first at least . Dark spicy cassis , tobacco and cigar , cedar , grafite, cranberry . Lots of weight and ripe black currant and red currant , cranberry , saline , marine influences. Very fine but quite noticeable tannins , longer with more structure than the 2001 . Wonderful freshness from crisp but balanced acidity. Hugely long on the palate. This needs more time , will improve over the next 20 years and probably maintain over a further 20. This gives a glimpse into what a future it has ahead of it . So complex and statuesque , perfect poise , supremely elegant . Wine of the night for me without a shadow of a doubt . — 6 months ago

Severn, Austin and 19 others liked this
Bob McDonald

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👌🍷👌

Krug

Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

MJ’s cellar is awe-inspiring. Once again, an absolutely pristine old wine from his cold, cold cellar - a 1980’s Krug Grande Cuvée! A first for me and gosh it blew me away. Still so fresh and energetic, yet rich and concentrated, all intensified by time. Complex aromas of orange peel, dried apricot, dehydrated apples, lemon oil, marzipan, and a touch of sherry. Full-bodied, textured, and deep on the palate, with mellow honeyed notes mind-bogglingly juxtaposed against zesty citrus notes; some cream and sweet spices, high acidity, and heaps of salinity. Gosh was this good. — a year ago

Jan, Nicolas and 19 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Lowering the temp (assuming humidity is still high) should only slow the aging process.
Aaron Tan

Aaron Tan Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Jay Kline Agreed. Can be a bad thing too if you want to see the wines develop especially if one has mostly newer wines. Considering how deep and old some cellars in Europe can be, I can see why they’d want it so cold. Often they don’t get to choose how cold they are too, being natural cellars. Haha. @Norman Gennaro I keep mine at about the same. I think how the wine travelled and where it came from probably has a bigger impact these days.
Jay Kline

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@Aaron Tan 💯. My cellar is passive and I’ve had to learn its limitations (and strengths) through years of experience cellaring wine within it.

Ridge Vineyards

Geyserville Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend 2012

David T
9.3

Another great Ridge. There is a bit of v/a - brettanomyces on the nose but the palate is solid. 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane, 7% Petite Syrah, 2% Mataro & 1% Alicante Bouschet. This blend changes year to year but, the quantity is always solid. Once again, I’ve been at this a long time, but I have never opened a bad bottle of Ridge.

Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, boysenberries, raspberries over that hover over the top. Touch a black pepper, dry crushed rocks, volcanic limestone minerals, dark, rich soils, pine tar, melted, dark chocolate, caramel notes, vanillin, some black tar, notes of herbaceousiness, moist clay, violet for days, some lavender, amazing acidity with a well balanced, smooth structure/tension and a beautiful finish that lasts a full minute.

Happy Labor Day weekend!
— 3 months ago

Paul, Ira and 10 others liked this

Once & Future Wines

Oakley Road Vineyard Mataro

JP a genius and so is this wine. 120 year old vines. A beauty — 8 months ago

Tom, Ira and 2 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

had this once before and enjoyed it then…better now, maybe because i appreciate it more? (was a gift from a coworker, best sales guy ever! ). happy ☘️ st pattys! — 9 months ago

Ericsson, LM and 4 others liked this
Ted

Ted

Nice coworker. Good bottle.
Janell

Janell

agreed @Ted he’s a very good human! had this delivered to us during one of the recent ice storms…it had been another long week.