Jay Kline

9.5

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet with an opaque core and some rim variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, blackberry, black plum, tobacco, menthol, leather, and mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is really delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend or other Bordeaux-styled blend or a Tempranillo based blend from the United States, France or Spain. This saw French oak so I eliminated Spain. I thought the fruit was outshining the structure…so I liked the USA over France. And, based off the appearance, I thought this probably had 30+ years of age. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from the United States, from California, Napa, Rutherford; 1994. Ugh…the 1990 vintage in Bordeaux has bit me twice now recently. Really awesome stuff! Drink now through 2040+. — 5 months ago

Doug Powers

9.1

After giving up on the flawed 1990 Clos des Papes, this rich, lovely Lirac is beautiful tonight, with promise for 5+ more years of positive development, very fine! — 5 months ago

with Jim

Tony Machi

9.0

Riserva 2011 Baron’ Ugo Monteraponi Chianti Classico, better 2017-2019 — 6 months ago

James symons

9.4

Deliciously smooth and creamy, pairs perfectly with comte — 6 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, bitter herbs, spices, light vegetables and black tea.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 5 year old GSM blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is elegant and nicely balanced. Not as big as I expected it to be.

Complex, soft and elegant. Precise and inviting.

Robert Parker 92 points. Wine Spectator 94 points.

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

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

A blend of 45% Grenache, 45% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Aged in large French oak barrels for 18 months.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 7 months ago

Rufus King

9.4

Delightful Margaux with light cherry notes and and fine tannin, Bloom Brasserie, Dublin also, Lower Falls) — 8 months ago

Conrad Green

9.7

Wonderful deep and rich wine. This is in great shape. Dark plum and blakcurrant with iron and bloody intensity. Great tension and complexity. So fresh. This is great — 5 months ago

with Bex and David

Nicole

9.3

Light, mineral, oak, berries. Perfect with any food. — 5 months ago

William Lauder

9.5

One of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve ever had. — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Lovely aged red Rhone, this wine has 15 varietals (red and white) co-fermented and aged 12 months in oak barriques, 14% ABV, though no hint of too much, great balance and complexity, lingering finish, very fine and Special!! — 6 months ago

with Jim

Andrew McIntyre

9.6

Had this vintage almost a year ago and was highly impressed...something that remains the same. Complex, nuanced and refined. Great wine — 7 months ago

Neal Krishna Devaraj

9.3

Excellent juicy grapes and plums — 7 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Barón de Ley – Varietales Tempranillo – 2014
Rioja DOCa – Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
A 100% Tempranillo from Rioja’s esteemed Barón de Ley Varietales Collection, crafted to highlight the noble face of the region’s flagship grape. Although structured in a crianza style with a projected drinking window of 10–12 years, opening it in 2025 revealed the wine perched right on the twilight edge of maturity. This is bottle #04400, now showing the soulful evolution that Rioja Tempranillo is famed for.

Aromas & Flavors
Initially faint cherry fruit, now firmly in the tertiary spectrum: leather satchel, dried rosemary, forest floor, and faint cigar box. Gentle hints of balsamic and dried fig linger in the background.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with softened, polymerized tannins. Acidity remains fresh enough to carry the wine, but fruit presence has largely faded, leaving savory and earthy notes to dominate.

Food Pairings
A fine match for aged Manchego cheese, braised lamb shank, mushroom-stuffed peppers, or even a rustic stew where earthy and herbal notes harmonize.

Verdict
This Tempranillo no longer plays its youthful cherry trumpet but rather resonates like the old violin sound of Rioja—mellow, textured, and contemplative. A fascinating study in maturity, best enjoyed with reflection rather than exuberance.

Did You Know?
Rioja wines are often classified not just by grape but by aging designations (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva). This bottle leaned into crianza timing, showing beautifully at first but demonstrating how Tempranillo gracefully transitions from fruit-driven vibrancy to complex tertiary elegance. — 8 months ago

Miguel Silva

9.2

Full body, berries mild tannins. Go well with game or lamb. Delicious for a Friday night for 2 — 5 months ago

GaryWEdwards

9.7

Drinking even more beautifully than 18 months ago. Beautiful nose, big fruits, and that whole cigar leaf thing going on, with hints of chocolate. But the reward here is the generously long finish. Wow! — 5 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

After 10 years in the bottle, a decidedly savory second wine from this storied Second Growth château. Meaty, almost Northern Rhône character after uncorking. After a day in wine fridge the charcuterie notes ease a bit, blackberry, stewed cassis start to edge forward, classic #pauillac graphite and mineral notes that carry through on palate. Lovely tension on the palate and persistent fine tannins through the finish. — 6 months ago

Ed Chin

9.2

A nice comparison to the Baron though it fell short in complexity and ease to drink. — 6 months ago

Ivor

9.1

Great wine combining southern burgundy richness, use of luxurious oak, great acidity and low alc levels. Wonder how this ages.. Tx @Jan A for pointing this one out!. — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

[40% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Counoise] Fresh, crisp, lively red fruits in this lovely old vine CdR (fruit from Lirac, aged 12 months in small oak barrels), unlike the 2007 (compromised by a so-so cork), this 2009 shows very well, long, lingering finish, this drinks great tonight but should hold or possibly further develop for 3-5 more years. Served with Buffalo NY strip steaks!! No music accompaniment, though — sorry @Dave! — 7 months ago

with Jim

James K

9.3

Impressed this held up for so long. Has zero hope or expectations when our neighbor brought it over. — 10 months ago