As Voltas

Bodegas Rafael Palacios

As Sortes Val do Bibei Valdeorras Godello 2018

As Sortes from Rafael Palacios is 100% Godello from 50-70 years old vines. This is minerally, fresh but also complex with great length. For an 8 year old white wine this is quite spectacular. — 7 days ago

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush. — 2 months ago

Jose Roberto Palazzoveronique paillardAdriana Pagliano
with Jose, veronique and 4 others
Peter, Dave and 5 others liked this
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush.
Alexandre Pagliano

Alexandre Pagliano Premium Badge

Medium dark rubi robe, nose of top soil, cedar-wood, spices and other secondary notes. Medium bodied, long and with highly polished tannins, this is an excellent bottle, just slightly under the other we got from same 6 bottle case.

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Tasted blind . Médium deep ruby with medium wide ruby rim , slightly younger looking than the rest. Quite spicy dark fruits , touch of pain grillé , mineral , grafite , cedar . On the palate this has a lot of grip and density , but also great balance . Spicy dark fruits , touch of grafite and earthy cedar . Quite rounded mouthfeel. Balanced acidity and grippy ripe tannins . Long balanced finish . Overall this showed well , with a roundness and balance , lovely fruit still , really quite open and fresh . With more time this show a floral character with lovely precision . Of all the wines this though very young is probably showing the most today . Even better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this down as Haut Brion . This took the silver medal . 96
— 2 months ago

Tom, Somm and 2 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Nice notes on what must have been a splendid night of 05 1st Growths.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

2019 vintage. Better than expected as the last few assorted vintage Artemis bottles I’ve had have been less than good. Medium-heavy body. Decent spice and tea flavors on the caboose. 2.12.26. — 4 months ago

Somm, Dave and 15 others liked this
Dave

Dave

I thought 2018 was very good. You?
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego Premium Badge

@Dave 2018 a great vintage along with 2019. 2019 is more approachable tho. Can't remember if I had the 2018 but this steady producer/effort had lost my trust. This example semi-restored my faith.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Marchesi Antinori ownership now.

Shafer Vineyards

Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Delicious. Decadent. Still full of life as an almost 30 year old should be! — 5 months ago

Bryan Heath
with Bryan
"Odedi" liked this

Château Calon-Ségur

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Somm David T
9.4

I haven’t had a Bordeaux in a while. Especially, with a Ribcap. So, why not an 82? The vintage Robert Parker made his career as the only critic who called it correctly.

Very good 80’s Bordeaux were my first true wine love. Their style & 12-13% ABV will always be my cherished infatuation. Wished it had never changed.

Bought this Calon Segur on the secondary market several yrs ago. Tricky cork. Used my Durand. All good. Fill line perfect, no bottle neck tannin burn but plenty of velvety sediment.

If any of you ever wondered why there is a heart on the label. Here is the interesting reason…

It symbolizes the estate's deep-rooted history and the affection of its former owner, the Marquis de Ségur. Despite owning prestigious estates like Château Lafite and Château Latour, he famously declared, "I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon." His sentiment is immortalized by the heart emblem on the label.

Opened it and let it breathe from the bottle for 45 minutes. Tasted it and decanting it in stages. Then, stopped 1/2 way through and poured the bottom half of the bottle from the bottle.

82 is such a grand, classic vintage. For the most part, I drink Calon Segur’s too early, even at 20 yrs of age. I don’t want to say it is a long in tooth as its neighbor, Montrose, but it is close. This 82 is drinking perfectly w/ 41 yrs in bottle and will hold another 5 yrs. Such soft, perfectly darkish spices with elegantly ripe fruits.

This 82 glides over the palate. There is only beautiful elegance, nothing bites back. The fruits are older (not old or past their prime), ripe fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums but lean plum vs black, dark cherries, crazy, outstanding, hoovering raspberries with notes of blueberries & shades of freshly picked rhubarb. Some black cherry cola, anise to understated black licorice, dark chocolate pudding, caramel, layered, gentle baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, touch of sun tea, old leather, dryish to fresh tobacco w/ash, charcoal, elegant graphite, dry limestone powder, dry river pebbles, black, rich earth w/ dry leaves, magical, dark spices, grey volcanics, dry stems, just a hint of dry herbs, dry top soil, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, red roses, grand acidity with perfect; balance, tension, structure and a grand, gentle finish that goes on & on and eventually lands on an amazing soft buffet of earthiness.

This is a wine that is technically a 94, but w/ evolution & style a 97. Amazing bottle that you don’t want to end.

$500 a bottle today through the app. Somewhere around $10 upon release.
— 6 months ago

Somm, Jay and 22 others liked this
Somm David T

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@Jay Kline Grand love for 82 & the Left Bank. Cheers! 🍷
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Peter van den Besselaar Thank you. Happy to bring it. Cheers! 🍷

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

Not quite as good as I remember it, but still excellent. Graphite, pencil shavings, leather, tobacco. 3+ hour decant. needs lots of time but really special.  — 7 days ago

Jan, Serge and 4 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

One of the Greatest Latour s of all time. Could easily go another 60 years. Opened to earthy musky dark fruit but as the evening progressed the flavor became so bold with cherry plum blackberry leather and tobacco. One of my favorites! — a month ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Dave and 19 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

Inky in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, plums, licorice, light cedar, earth, cola, herbs, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, black tea and light garigge notes.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, oak, light licorice, spices, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, cola, herbs, peppercorn and light vegetables.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is already drinking beautifully. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a smooth mouthfeel. Elegant and complex, spicy and tangy.

Delicious now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

The alcohol is nicely integrated already, although not as high as typically from this region.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and this is not my favorite, by far.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$450.
— 2 months ago

Jay, Stephen and 9 others liked this
Jay Kline

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These wines, to my palate, are not particularly interesting this young. After 15+ years from vintage? Way more interesting.
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

@Jay Kline not a great vintage too
Jay Kline

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Personally, I think many have overreacted regarding 2022. Yes, Mother Nature threw some challenges late in the harvest but some made outstanding wines and when you consider the fruit source for Opus One, I’m sure they were on the winning side.

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2019

Already so lovely, but still so young. Medium ruby red in the glass with long, lusty legs and a wide brim. The nose is exactly what you think a classic Left Bank Bordeaux should be. Cassis, plums, and tobacco immediately upon opening. New leather and oak with just the right amount of earth. Very nice.

Big, powerful, and virile. Amazing balance and purity for a wine so young. Still a bit tannic at times but decanting certainly helps with that. Pretty fruit on the palate with blackberries and cherries. Soft vanilla undertones from start to finish along with licorice and more earth on the tongue.

Very impressive with such depth and such personality. As good as this is today it will be so much better if you can show patience. Put these away and try your best to forget about them and you will be rewarded.
— 4 months ago

Douglas, Ruud and 12 others liked this
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Very nice wine

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend 2016

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, cooked cherries, light green vegetables, spices, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old red blend from California is still drinking beautifully. Complex and interesting. Nice to see that it aged nicely.

Showing slight RS on the palate, but I can live with that.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60.
— 5 months ago

Andrew, Ted and 9 others liked this
Dick Schinkel

Dick Schinkel

Big Cheers dear Winefriend 👌🍷

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Presented to me, double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears, and some signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of ripe and desiccated, mostly dark fruits: cassis, black cherry, plum, mixed brambles, old leather, pipe tobacco, pencil shavings, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (that is mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend, Tempranillo (or based blend) or Grenache-based blend from France, Spain or the United States. I feel like this leans more towards its fruit than its structure, even though it is a fairly well balanced wine in both regards. As a result, I am calling this a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain from a producer like Dunn, 2006. Shiiiiiit. To be honest, I’m not terribly surprised since this is Cos and from a warm vintage no less. Drinking well now and should through 2050+.
— 6 months ago

Pooneet, Jason and 23 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

As always, a perfect pairing with steak. — 5 days ago

Sagee and Robin liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1999

1999 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand. Solid cork with approx 50% saturation. Decanted and tasted after two hours. That decided Lynch-Bages medium heavy bod. Has dropped some, not all, of the overt primary fruit load. Pleasant spices and feminine characteristics easily noted and cataloged. Pretty harmonious now tho with a little chunkiness/tannic blessing as more of a fleeting kiss vs a big hug. Could easily go another decade in this ensemble. 6.14.26. — 12 days ago

Daniel, Jeroen and 9 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Tasted blind . Slightly more mature colour than 1 . Ruby with some garnet and a more garnet tinged rim . Cooler more mineral on the nose , touches of grafite and wet rocks , sea spray , with some dark spicy cassis . On the palate this is more dark cassis , spicy grafite , cedar , touch of iron filings . Good roundness on the palate , with dusty tannins and balanced acidity, intense and saline . Long cedar tinged grafite length . Quite intense and stlight sterner overall , a little more aloof , more Cabernet , darker in style. Better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this as Margaux . My 5th placed wine . — 2 months ago

Tom, Somm and 8 others liked this

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1996

Opened to finish off a wine night with friends. Totally delivered on the hype. Beautiful, fun, and memorable as great wines are meant to be — 2 months ago

Paul, Pooneet and 4 others liked this
Pooneet K

Pooneet K

Very nice!!

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2025

Wow ticked all the boxes, had this before as a double magnum which went into my top 3 and this now joins it. — 4 months ago

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 1996

The final bottle for our annual Valentine’s Day and carbonara tradition (this time one day early). We skipped last year as my wife was pregnant, nice to be back. Very good, but definitely in an advanced stage - the nuttiness really comes through. There is still great acid, lemon curd, crispness, soft bubbles.

After the full case, I’d say the ones from 2021-2023 were the best.

On to Krug 2004 next year!!
— 4 months ago

Lyle, Somm and 15 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Definitely 96 color these days. Cheers! 🥂

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

This was a gift from a close friend who worked for Silver Oak as a garden manager until they eliminated that part of their business. Beautiful color in the glass. Ruby with a hint of rust on the edge. Aroma is complex with berries and flint. Also just a hint of pine needles. Christmas trees. Flavors are full and fine. This is BIG BOY wine. Delicious. — 5 months ago

Douglas, Tegan and 10 others liked this

Spottswoode

Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Dark purple nectar as I poured into my wine decanter. The wine did not disappoint. Drank wine over 4 hours over a Christmas Eve dinner. . — 6 months ago

Michael Wong
with Michael