Balance

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

This was showing beautifully with good richness, balance, red & black fruits, earth, spice box, cedar, leather & tobacco notes — 4 days ago

Jean-Philip, Joel and 7 others liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Grand Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs 2006

Medium lemon yellow fine , persistent perlage . Quite rich and ripe on the nose with some roasted nuts , lemon peel , some camomile , still quite restrained and a little closed. On the palate again quite full and rich , ripe lemon fruit , orange rind , roasted nuts and a creamy mouthfeel , certainly enough acidity to balance but on the richer side . Good length and lightly toasty finish . This is good now but will probably improve over the next few years and last well a further 5-10 . — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister, Jeroen and 5 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Tasted blind. Medium deep garnet ruby and medium garnet ruby rim . Quite cool and restrained , again lots of grafite and mineral , dark fruits . This is quite deep and dark spicy cassis , blackberry and sea spray , saline . Quite dense and robust on the palate again , lots of fine but ripe tannins. Very long , dense , cassis , cedar grafite saline finish . This is a complete and great example of 2005 , great balance and enormous length , the longest of all on show here. Drinkable now , but surely it’s best days are in the future , wait another 5 -10 years , will last well a further 20 - 25 if not more . The apex of 2005 ? For me this had to be the Latour , and an archetypal example of Latour no less . 1st place and the gold medal . — 2 months ago

Tom, Tom and 9 others liked this

Clos des Papes

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2023

Ok hands up...far too young. Bad planning from me 🙌. That being said...what a wine and I'm so glad I have more!!! Concentration and flavour for days...insane levels of concentration. There is also balance and acidity but oh my what a wine! — 3 months ago

Jan, Ruud and 21 others liked this
Jan de Weerd

Jan de Weerd

The start to an exciting journey! 🙌
Jan de Weerd

Jan de Weerd

The start to an exciting journey! 🙌
Jay Kline

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Yes…but it’s always fun to check into them when they are fresh and then follow the journey.

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

Chateau Montelena

The Montelena Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

good savory fruit. Less sweet. Soft with good balance. Pretty — 5 months ago

Ara Aslanian
with Ara
Tom, Jeroen and 1 other liked this

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Gorgeous. Plush plummy fruit, iodine and salinity. Great balance and pure length. Glossy texture. Complete — 21 days ago

Paul WoollsAra Aslanian
with Paul and Ara
Jay, Matt and 9 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1988

In perfect condition and drinking much more youthful than nearly 40 years!! Paired with grilled chicken thighs which went very well given the tannin structure has mostly receded. Acid still very much keeping things together and in check. Nice balance - still some good fruit, great earth, long finish. Hard to argue! — 2 months ago

Tom, Joel and 11 others liked this

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.

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Paul K
9.7

This is incredible. Such great balance of so many parts. It’s dense, savory, smoky, floral, and juicy with great acidity. The fruit is there but not pronounced, blackberry and cassis- just a balanced part of the whole. I could drink this every night. — 3 months ago

Tom, Dave and 15 others liked this
Rick Phillips

Rick Phillips Premium Badge

Down to 3 bottles but still one of my favorites!
Paul K

Paul K

@Rick Phillips I’ll trade u one of my kids for a bottle. I have an extra…. 😏

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2021

What a find at this restaurant. My first sassicaia. Rich and almost thick, but not overly fruity and in balance. Clearly a special wine. — 4 months ago

Mike MillerAnne MillerChris MacLean
with Mike, Anne and 1 other
Mike, "Odedi" and 8 others liked this

Chateau Montelena

The Montelena Estate Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

gorgeous texture. Black cherry and spice. Lovely fruit and balance. — 5 months ago

Ara Aslanian
with Ara
Tom, Jay and 1 other liked this

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2023

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A benchmark Pauillac delivering depth, precision, and classical balance at a very high level, driven by a 75% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc as a support. The wine shows beautifully layered red fruit, refined structure, and seamless integration, expressing terroir purity and composure from start to finish.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, red cherry, wild raspberry, cassis, graphite, cedar, pencil shavings, subtle tobacco leaf, gentle cocoa and crushed gravel.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus to full-bodied with finely polished tannins, excellent mid-palate density, vibrant yet controlled acidity, elegant grip, and a long, harmonious finish that remains lifted and precise.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, grilled ribeye, rack of lamb, beef Wellington, mushroom-forward dishes, aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A beautifully executed Pauillac that balances power and finesse effortlessly. Everything feels aligned, fruit purity, structure, tension, and length, making this a top-tier reference for the appellation and vintage.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is Pauillac done right, deep fruit, flawless execution, and a finish that feels complete and satisfying rather than forced. A wine that earns admiration through balance and quiet authority. Hard to pass, even harder to forget.
— 5 months ago

Tom, Ted and 4 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1988

Super clean and still quite youthful, this is a GREAT example of a 1980s CdP from a vintage of little surmaturite, so awesome balance and perfect acidity suggests this vintage will easily last another 5-10 years!! — a month ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Scott@Mister, Tom and 5 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

What a triumvirate of CDPs!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, another example of a great bottle outperforming critical reviews — of the 3 CdPs, the ratings given years ago would have been higher for the ‘89 Beau and ‘90 Pegau!!

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 2008

Great balance fantastic fruit hints of lemon peel. Just drinking fantastic. — 2 months ago

Stef, "Odedi" and 1 other liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2020

Yet another outstanding vintage (2020) of this consistently excellent Co-Op produced Barbaresco. Aromas of red fruit, dried rose petals and anise. Flavors of bright red cherry and raspberry fruit, mint, Asian spices, minerals and orange zest. Long and earthy/smoky finish. Fantastic balance, structure and depth. Fine grained tannins and a silky texture yet still firm and powerful. So delicious now, but built to age for at least another decade. The quality consistency of this wine vintage to vintage is incredible. Outstanding value! Thanks so much for opening this one, Keith S! Happy 60th Birthday, Karyn! — 2 months ago

Tom and Dave liked this
Dave

Dave

Yes!

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Vintage 2009 | perfect balance, mocca — 4 months ago

Jay, Rene and 15 others liked this

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2023

Drinking this pre-release bottle of this iconic wine from Bordeaux.

Light gold in color.

Strong nose and Full-bodied.

Sweet on the palate with high acidity to balance the sugars.

Showing melons, tropical fruits, apples, light earth, guava, herbs, spices, papaya and honey notes.

Long finish with herbs and tropical fruits.

This is a gorgeous sweet wine from Bordeaux. Sexy, seductive and fresh. Creamy and buttery.

Showing great potential, but oh so young. Already delicious and complex. Round, opulent and powerful.

Loved the nose once it opened up (20 minutes in the glass).

Rich and extracted. Fruit forward and intense, yet elegant. Well balanced with a soft mouthfeel.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food. Drunk from a Magnum.

A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months.
154 g/l sugar.

14% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

$500.
— 4 months ago

Scott@Mister, Daniel and 16 others liked this

Domaine François Raveneau

Butteaux Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2017

Kevin Arndt
9.3

Still the reigning heavyweight champion for the appellation. A concentration and density with balance that is unrivaled — 4 months ago

Andrew, Neil and 6 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later.
— 5 months ago

Peter, Scott@Mister and 16 others liked this
Bob McDonald

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@Somm David T A wonderful story David and I can see how you could fall in love with that photo of the Chateau.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Bob McDonald Thank you. Cheers! 🍷