Ace & Able

Armand de Brignac

Ace of Spades Brut Rosé Champagne Blend

Because it’s Sunday….and celebrating the new baby girl. Mom deserved something good. This fit the bill. More serious champagne than just popping bottles in da club. Strawberry preserves over little mini biscuits. Roses on the nose, fresh strawberries and cream with angel food cake. Bright red hue. — 6 days ago

Dave and Sharon liked this

Realm Cellars

Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Shay A
9.5

I brought this to a big 2012 retrospective tasting of Napa Cabernet but wasn’t able to stop by my offsite in time to get a ‘12.

Cork came out terribly. Double decanted 30-45 mins. 100% Cabernet. Sporting a deep purple color even at 15yrs. Just shy of explosive aromatics…ripe red and black fruits, mocha, cocoa powder. Sheer To-Kalon power on the palate with the velvet glove approach…layered dark fruits, black currant, cassis, charcoal and graphite. Mid-palate here has great depth and the finish is beautiful. This has evolved wonderfully. Pop now but no rush.
— 2 years ago

Joseph, Jason and 29 others liked this

Armand de Brignac

Ace of Spades Gold Brut Champagne

Amazing aroma which makes me forget all of the thing. Creamy, white fruits, nuts, yogurt etc. @, Boboli, 220310 — 4 years ago

Aaron, Martin and 4 others liked this

Beaulieu Vineyard

Reserve Tapestry Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Don’t let this score away you. This is a wonderful wine. Very well balanced, tons of complexity and down right nice to drink. I called it wrong in a blind tasting but was so glad to be able to finish the glass. — 5 years ago

E. Guigal

La Mouline Côte-Rôtie Syrah 1990

1990 vintage. Decanted and tasted after one hour. Medium body. A shade darker than the 1990 La Turque tasted alongside. Deeper smoky, gamey nose. Meaty, gamey, smoky and beef broth/sous bois in the flavors. Super savory. This was phenomenal. Should be able to sustain this performance for the better part of a decade before noticeable drop off. Wowzers. Last tasted 3.24.23 with the same score. 3.15.24. — 2 years ago

Shay, Jan and 19 others liked this
Shay A

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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+ — 2 years ago

Bob, Daniel P. and 18 others liked this

Château Lilian Ladouys

Saint Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Shay A
9.2

WNH 2009/2010 Bordeaux tasting.

I was able to find a couple of these 2-3yrs ago locally at a great price, so I’ve opened one a year since then, and this was my last bottle.

My familiarity with this producer isn’t extensive, but this 2009 shows so much character from that warm, powerful vintage while also providing a bridge to those who enjoy new world Bordeaux blends. 60/40 cab/merlot. I followed this over two days. I decanted almost two hours the first day and had half a bottle, then vacuumed and had the second half the next day. Funny enough, this wine was more tannic the second day! The aromatics here sport a more modern, ripe profile of toasty oak and roasted fruits (blue and black fruits, plum, fig). Even the palate mirrors much of that with added bitter dark chocolate and only a kiss of herbal flair. Zero brett. A mix of mocha/espresso on the finish with structure that really flexed muscles on day two. My initial reaction was enjoy over the next five years, but this has ten in it easily.

As an aside, I tried this out of my new Grassl 1855 glass and loved it, even more so than Zalto’s Bordeaux glass. Weight and balance are impeccable.
— 4 years ago

Joe, Jason and 39 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Great aging cork in good shape. Decanted and tasted immediately, after 30 mins and after 2 hours. Decent amount of sed. Slight brickish color. Initially and generally throughout, reticent nose and flavors. Very tightly wound overall. Eventually able to coax a small amount of black olive out of the nose along with minerals for days. Some dark cherry and plum allied with baking chocolate in the transition from mid-palate to finish. It was tough sledding in the frontal palate. Super dry with summer earth/dirt at the start. Obvious class but never really flashed more than a few cards to play. Perhaps a different bottle shows a little more love? Producer is always on the leaner side so unbridled optimism on that front is likely wasted energy. 10.25.23. — 2 years ago

Ted, Andrew and 9 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2002

The years have been kind. Solid and superb. A true treat to be able to taste this beauty again. Thanks so much J! — 3 years ago

Brent, Peter and 11 others liked this

Matassa

Ace of Spades Les Myrs Carignan Mourvedre 2020

I think this could benefit from a year or two in bottle at the moment. A little primary but the stuffing is there for it to develop into something much better. — 4 years ago