Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Casa Madero – V.3 Red Blend 2013
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo – Valle de Parras, Coahuila, Mexico 🇲🇽

Overview
Casa Madero holds a unique place in wine history as the oldest winery in the Americas, established in 1597. The V.3 is a flagship blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Tempranillo, showcasing the depth and elegance of Valle de Parras, one of Mexico’s most historic and promising wine regions.

Aromas & Flavors
Dark berries, plum, and cassis layered with notes of cedar, tobacco, and subtle spice. With age, tertiary notes of dried fig, cocoa, and leather add complexity.

Mouthfeel
Rounded and balanced, the 2013 vintage has matured beautifully. Polished tannins integrate seamlessly with a silky texture, giving both structure and finesse. The finish is long, smooth, and deeply satisfying.

Winemaking Notes
Aged in oak, this wine reflects both modern technique and centuries of winemaking heritage. Casa Madero’s use of high-altitude vineyards allows vibrant acidity to balance richness, a hallmark of its style.

Food Pairing
Ideal with grilled ribeye, lamb shanks, or mole negro. For a more traditional match, pair with carne asada or aged Mexican cheeses.

Verdict
A remarkable red blend that not only delivers balance and longevity but also carries the weight of history. The 2013 still shows vitality, proving how Mexican fine wines can age gracefully.

Personal Pick Highlight
Tasting Casa Madero feels like stepping into history — each glass connects back to 1597, when New World winemaking was just beginning. An unforgettable blend of heritage and pleasure. Cheers! — 4 days ago

Dick Schinkel

10

And then it became quiet at the table……………………
Wow what a wine…..
100 DSP
💯 — a month ago

Veronica S

9.1

Faint fuscia and apricot on the nose, fruity on the palate. Medium full body. Delightful. — 4 months ago

Tegan Marriott

9.2

Liquid Ember's from Italy's northwesternly, tiny subregion?Yes, please! — 10 days ago

Dave

9.0

A fairly ambitious Malbec blend with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Dry on the palette with flavors of plum, blackberry, licorice, bitter tobacco, earth, coffee, with raisins and cherry Ludens on the finish. With each sip I can pick out every grape, if I try real hard. Quite tannic, and my 2nd glass will be in an hour or more, after it catches its breath.
A very enjoyable bargain!
Listening to Oasis. — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Heidi and Bo Barrett wine dinner
Lazy Bear Restaurant

WINE
2024 La Sirena Muscat
2009 Montelena Chard
1994 Paradigm merlot
2019 La Sirena cab/syrah
1985 Montelena cab
2008 Montelena cab
1983 Buehler cab
1990 Dalla Valle cab
2015 Barrett & Barrett cab
20-year Montelena ruby port

FOOD
SF Bay halibut salad
Monterey spot prawns
Liberty duck
Morel au poivre
Coal roasted wagyu A5 ribeye
Dandelion chocolate — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Jen Resnick

8.9

Character and earth — 5 months ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.0

Revisiting an old friend. From one of Europe’s highest vineyards. Pure, clean citrus fruit hits you right away like a freshly melted alpine stream in spring. As the bottle warms up, unexpected tropical notes emerge - coconut and pineapple (aka nuances of piña colada). — 2 days ago

Vanessa

9.4

Cheers to experiencing Apalta’s beauty in the glass! 🇨🇱 🍷

💯 This is the 2018 Clos Apalta, an iconic wine produced by Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle.

Apalta is located in the Colchagua Valley, which stretches from the Pacific coast 🌊 to the Andes mountains 🏔️ , offering a wide diversity of microclimates from west to east.

It benefits from a long growing season that is generally warm & dry, with plentiful sunshine ☀️ , supporting development of color in the grape skin, ripening of tannins, & accumulation of sugar (that will become alcohol through fermentation)… 🍇

The subregion of Apalta is nestled into a south-facing amphitheater, capturing cool breezes from the west, which, together with a higher elevation, help preserve acidity in the grapes lending freshness & balance to the final wine. 🍷

This is a Bordeaux blend made with 64% Carménère, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, & 18% Merlot grown on one of the oldest vineyards for Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère in Chile. 😮

Fermentation took place in a blend of 75% large French oak vats and 25% new French oak barrels. 🪵

It also matured 25 months in a combination of new and second use French oak barrels, imparting vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, chocolate, clove, and sweet baking spice notes, next to violet, black cherry, cassis, plum, mulberry, graphite, kalamata olive, leather, tobacco, roasted bell pepper, & tarragon. 🎶 — a month ago

with Deked1

Donald Williams

9.3

Worth waiting for. Nice Malbec. — 4 months ago

with Bonnie