Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium lemon , light copper hue . Some light but persistent bubbles still. This is quite serious and rich on the nose , with some orange rind , walnut , touch of mushroom and meaty , soy hints . Quite rich , intense and dense on the palate but with good freshness still , long with orange rind and walnut. Perfect now and over the next 5 years or so . At Noble Rot , London , 15th Jan 2026 — 3 days ago

"Odedi"

9.7

#AgedWineTuesday

Celebrating 25,000 followers on Vivino, with this fabulous sweet wine from Bordeaux.

Dark gold in color.

Full bodied and smooth with high acidity.

Sweet on the palate with great complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing lemons, red and yellow apples, tropical fruits, spices, caramel, honey, peaches, lemons, citrus, turmeric and honeysuckle.

Long engaging finish.

This 17 year old Sauternes is drinking exceptionally now, although it will continue to age nicely in the next 30 to 50 years. A delicious dessert wine from a great vintage.

Rich and fruit forward. Beautifully balanced with enough acidity to balance the high sugars. Showing a wonderful nose that I kept smelling on for a long time.

Already showing great complexity, sweet and expressive. Opulent with great elegance.

Wine Spectator 98 points. Wine Advocate 100 points.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, and it is always very impressive.

Good by itself as a dessert wine, or with food. I paired it with blue cheese.

A blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 30 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

97 points.

$700. — 7 days ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.4

Very light pale yellow robe, nose of orchards, limestone and a hint of honeysuckle. Very fresh and rich in the mouth, with lemon zests and mineral notes. Very long. A pleasure now, but hold your breath. A great Dom. Impressive how each year they get it right ! — 3 months ago

with Jamie, Jose and 2 others

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Quite pale lemon yellow colour . Still quite constant fine perlage . Some candied peel , light meaty notes , touch of nutty , yeasty richness . On the palate this is quite intense and fresh still , quite full bodied , with some citrus peel , roasted nuts . This is drinking perfectly now , quite rich but enough freshness to balance . Good length, balanced acidity , with a lightly toasty finish . At Noizé , London , 14th Jan, 2026 — 3 days ago

Doug Griffin

9.0

Not sure, I think it’s a bit maderized. However still giving some grippy tannins, rich cherry, vanilla and wood…375 ml. Kind of played out — a month ago

Ron R

9.6

Not the best of vintage in Bdx, but the winemaker clearly pulled off some acrobatics here.
Nose displays the usual Cos spice-box signature, along with notes of forest floor, sage and mushrooms. Palate is rich and dense showing no signs of age. Nice mature casis profile links up with brambles and sandalwood. Tannins continue to prop up this outstanding example. — a month ago

with Andrew and Rick

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Caymus Special Selection is the flagship Cabernet, crafted only in exceptional years. The 2018 vintage stands tall among recent releases, showing why Chuck Wagner’s vision continues to shape Napa’s most recognized “luxury Cab.” 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor vineyards, it strikes the perfect balance between Caymus’ signature ripe, fruit-forward style and an added layer of structure from a long, balanced growing season.

Aromas & Flavors
A powerful bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, and dark cherries, layered with cocoa nibs, espresso, and baking spices. Subtle hints of licorice, cedar, and vanilla lift the complexity, while a core of lush fruit drives the palate. The oak integration is seamless, giving a supple sweetness without overwhelming the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Rich, opulent, and velvety—yet with surprising finesse. The tannins are silky and well-structured, giving length without heaviness. The finish lingers on black fruit and mocha, balanced by just enough acidity to keep it vibrant.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous fruit selection, long maceration for concentration, and extended aging in new French oak (18+ months). The Wagner hallmark: generous fruit expression wrapped in polished oak for immediate pleasure but with aging potential.

Food Pairing
An indulgent pairing with ribeye, prime rib, or braised short ribs. For a decadent twist, try it with dark chocolate truffles or roasted lamb with rosemary.

Verdict
One of the most impressive Caymus Special Selection vintages in recent memory—showing both lush Napa Valley opulence and refined elegance. A wine that thrills now but promises to shine for years.

Personal Pick Highlight
This 2018 stands as my favorite Caymus of the modern decade—a true benchmark that captures everything people love about Napa Cabernet at its richest and most expressive. Cheers!
— 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 11 days ago

Louis Martin

9.4

Smooth, hint of sour cherry, cigar and leather flavor, bolder than a normal Margaux due to the higher level of Petit Merlot in the blend, paired beautifully with a rich pumpkin ravioli dish. — 2 months ago

Jack Krawczyk

9.6

Still high acid, rich ripe red fruits with a hint of mushroom. Silky. — 4 months ago