Black Oak

Casella Wines

The Black Stump Durif Shiraz 2024

What’s Durif? Loved the combo with Australian Shiraz. Red and blackberry and cherry with a touch of oak and smoke. This was quite the fruit bomb with mild tannins and medium body. Please sir. . . I want some more. — 7 days ago

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Oak Knoll District Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Kniss 2021 cab modern few not too heavy well balanced very enjoyable will have another  — a month ago

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Aging gracefully. Dark fruited with black cherry, chocolate and tertiary flavors of tobacco and leather. Structure has been worn smooth like an old stone but still intact. Not huge but charming and enjoyable — 2 days ago

Bob, Peter and 1 other liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Somm David T
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.
— 9 days ago

Jay, Scott@Mister and 15 others liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Solid Sonoma Cab that tastes like Left Bank Bordeaux. Supple feel, dark berries, cedar, graphite, tobacco. A little eucalyptus and a little espresso. Lengthy tannins. Drinkable now and will age for some time.
Listening to Radiohead
— 5 days ago

Rick, Serge and 21 others liked this
Dave

Dave

No, the wine was nice! Just pulling the Radiohead song that was on at that moment 😀 But @Anthony De Blasi was going for it!
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Alt/art electro rock + silver oak you can't go wrong with that combo!

Trapiche

Oak Cask Mendoza Malbec 2022

12/20/25 - Steak dinner with spinach nookie & bread roll. — a month ago

Beth Andrew
with Beth

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2004

plush plummy fruit. Rounded with black cherry and soft precision. Lovely — 22 days ago

Paul WoollsAra Aslanian
with Paul and Ara
Tom, Jay and 4 others liked this

Silver Oak

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Enjoyed this wine eight years ago. Wine is so evolved now. Tasting so much better. There’s deep notes of cedar and cooked fruit. — 12 days ago

Rob, Juan and 12 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Nice pull with more cellar years 👌

Penfolds

Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 2022

Referred to as the “Baby Grange,” blend of 51/49 Cab Sauv & Shiraz, aged for 12 months in 36% new American oak, partly in previous-vintage Grange casks. Dark Ruby with aromas of fresh black fruits, complex with sweet spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao, oak and toasty spices. Well balanced with acidity, full firm tannins, long ending with smoky spice, fruit well integrated with oak, drink over next 10 years+, will only get better. Nice! — a month ago

Anthony, Juan and 2 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2004

Pretty and floral. Raspberry and a delicate precision. Drinking really well now. Oak perfectly integrated. — 22 days ago

Paul WoollsAra Aslanian
with Paul and Ara
Tom, Jay and 5 others liked this