Black Currant

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

Mostly black fruits with plum, graphite, vanilla oak, spice, leather, & tobacco. — 18 days ago

Shay, Jeroen and 9 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1982

Decanted prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1982 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and some rim variation; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a mix of tart, ripe and dried, mostly black fruits: cassis, blackberries, tobacco, dried flowers, grilled Poblano, leather, dry gravelly earth, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. One of the earliest vintages of Opus One, this is showing really well at the moment. Drink now through 2042. — 4 days ago

Scott@Mister, Dave and 14 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Somm David T
9.6

I think if you read this nonsense I post, you know how I feel about this producer, past & present. This 07 is outstanding & top of its bell curve. It is so good to revisit these great vintages of Caymus Classic.

This is fresher than the 97. It is rich/lush, cassis to currents, ripe, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, raspberries & strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, classic, beautiful, Caymus Classic spice that I miss dearly in their new wines, black licorice, fudge, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, most top soil, limestone, dry herbs, dry tobacco, barrel shavings, taut leather, volcanic grey clay, dark, fresh & slightly withering flowers, violets, beautiful round acidity, balance, structure, nice tension and elegant finish that last minutes and falls on spice and evoluted earth tones.

This bottle is in fine shape. Still strong and will last another 10 years of fine drinking. Phenomenal vintage and time to enjoy.
— 25 days ago

Rob, Vanessa and 14 others liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

This had lots of black fruits, sweet spice, leather, cedar & tobacco — 19 days ago

Jan, Andrew and 7 others liked this

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

Drinking well with its black fruits, graphite, sweet spice, wet earth, & tobacco — a month ago

Jan, Andrew and 15 others liked this

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2017

Getting ready to leave France, so let's go out with a bang! It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, black cherries, tobacco, cedar, light vegetables, licorice, chocolates, coffee and light peppercorn.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, cherries, plums, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, light vegetables, black pepper, tobacco leaf, earth and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old Merlot based blend is still very young. In most vintages, it is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend, but in the 2017 vintage it was a little different.

Spicy and entertaining. Well balanced and complex, but a little tight and restraint right now. Much earthier than I expected it to be.

Needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.

A good food wine right now, that will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (70% New) French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$450.
— a month ago

Dave, Jose and 22 others liked this

Château Léoville Poyferré

Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Such a deep and youthful colour!! Black fruit, ink, leather, cedar. Still tight and tannic, yet sufficient fruit, freshness and stuffing to go on for another decade…
Remarkable wine.
— a month ago

Dave, Jan and 7 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2013

We had the 2013 Vintage on 6/28-29/25. Nice bouquet black fruit and cedar. The palate had blackberry, plum, tobacco, leather and spice. Medium bodied, terroir driven. Old World and very good — 4 days ago

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1966

From back when Mouton was still a Second Growth. Decanted prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1966 pours a garnet color with significant rim variation; medium viscosity with light staining and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated red and black fruits: cassis, blackberries, green pepper, tobacco, leather, old wood, organic earth 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 medium. This was a good showing for the ‘66 and certainly has life left in it however, there’s no need to hold out. Drink now. — 4 days ago

Jan, Dave and 15 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2004

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a brilliant, deep ruby color with a transparent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and faint signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a heady perfume of mostly ripe and some tart fruit: mixed brambles, black cherry, purple flowers (lavender?), animale, some pepper, a touch of olive, a touch of leather, some green herbs, fine warm spices and rocky earth. I believe this has seen oak and it’s beautifully balanced and smells expensive. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium+. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is grippy. This is delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Gamay, a Grenache-based blend or possibly Syrah; from Italy, or France. Immediately after I was presented the glass, I liked this being Sangiovese, however, there was too much new French oak for me to feel comfortable. Besides, the florals were too purple to be Sangiovese anyway (never mind Grenache or Pinot Noir). Then there were the non-fruits: it could be justified by whole cluster Pinot or Gamay…or was this a really impressive Syrah? This wine seemed familiar to me. This could be Chave. I did think this had some age based on color and rim variation. Final conclusion: I’m calling this Syrah, from France, from Northern Rhône, Hermitage, with 20+ years of age, from a decent vintage like 2004. And for the hell if it, I called producer: Jean-Louis Chave. Boom. Bottle No. 3981
— 4 days ago

Dave, Tom and 7 others liked this
Daniel M

Daniel M

Great call!
Jay Kline

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@Tom Casagrande @Daniel M thanks gents. Even a blind squirrel can find a nut every now and again.
Jay Kline

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@Lyle Fass I wonder if climate change has something to do with it? Anyway, I’m holding out hope that the 2021 vintage brings it back to the old school. First impressions seem promising