Central Valley Merlot

Masseto

Toscana Merlot 1995

Medium red garnet , quite narrow ruby garnet rim . Quite open with tobacco , spice , charcoal , plum, cassis , truffle , cedar . Good cedar , cassis and blackberry , dusty tobacco . Well balanced acidity and quite dusty tannins . Good tobacco , dusty cassis tinged finish . Perfect now and over the next 5-10 years , at least in magnum . At Noble Rot , London , 15th Jan 2026 — a day ago

Tom, Jeroen and 8 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2023

Château Lynch-Bages 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A powerful, structurally driven Pauillac showing serious depth and long-term ambition, built on a 71% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot support. The wine carries muscular architecture, dark fruit density, and firm tannic authority, currently showing some youthful rough edges but clearly positioned for future greatness with proper cellaring.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis liqueur, blackberry skin, graphite, cedar plank, crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, dark cocoa and subtle savory spice.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm, youthful tannins, strong mid-palate grip, vibrant supporting acidity, dense core concentration, and a long, structured finish that signals serious aging capacity.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, grilled lamb chops, beef short ribs, rosemary-crusted venison, aged hard cheeses, slow-braised meats.

Verdict
A high-potential Pauillac still in its formative phase. The structure, depth, and terroir signature are undeniable, but integration will require time. A climber rather than a polished performer today, patience will be rewarded handsomely.

🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a future star in development, powerful, slightly raw, but absolutely loaded with upside. Not a wine for instant gratification, but one that will evolve into something truly special with time. I’d happily cellar this and revisit around 2029 when the polish finally matches the horsepower.
— 3 days ago

Ted, Tom and 2 others liked this

Château Lascombes

Margaux Merlot Blend 2005

Black fruit, dried flowers, tobacco. Dry. Dry. — 15 days ago

Vanessa, Tom and 8 others liked this

Duckhorn Vineyards

Napa Valley Merlot 2022

Love this Merlot… — 14 days ago

Dave, Tom and 3 others liked this

Daou Vineyards

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Ted
8.9

Nice soft Cabernet. Used most of it for my northern Italian stew. Just pop the cork and away you go — 5 hours ago

Sharon, Jose and 2 others liked this
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Peter Michael Winery

Estate Vineyards Les Pavots Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim. Not showing age at all.

Beautiful nose of black currants, blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, light eucalyptus and licorice.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, light earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, black pepper, spices and cola.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Knights Valley in Sonoma County. Rich and elegant. Fruit forward and very complex.

Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Napa Cabernet based Bordeaux blend.

Good right out of the bottle, and much better after 45 minutes in the decanter. Really gorgeous once it opens up.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Wine Advocate 95 points. Wine Spectator 93 points.

Great by itself as a sipping wine or with food, like a big piece of steak.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

15% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$175.
— 16 days ago

Ron, Jose and 14 others liked this

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2023

Château Talbot 2023 – Saint-Julien, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A youthful yet promising Saint-Julien showing early elegance, fine balance, and clear upward trajectory. The blend delivers freshness, precision, and layered fruit while still carrying a few youthful edges that signal excellent aging potential.

Aromas & Flavors
Red currant, black cherry, raspberry compote, graphite, cedar shavings, crushed herbs, light cocoa dust, subtle floral lift.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with fine-grained tannins, lively acidity, polished mid-palate, slightly angular finish that tightens at the end, a clear marker of youth and future integration potential.

Food Pairings
Herb-roasted chicken, duck breast, pork tenderloin, grilled mushrooms, mild aged cheeses (Tomme, young Comté).

Verdict
A high-quality, early-showing Saint-Julien that already flashes elegance and balance, but will benefit significantly from a few years of cellaring to soften edges and broaden complexity.

🍷 Personal Pick
The talent is obvious, can be enjoyed now. I’d happily cellar this and come back when smooths out a bit more and when aromatics stretch their legs.
— 3 days ago

Tom, Ted and 2 others liked this

Continuum

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

Paul J
9.6

PnP. Dark, deep wine. Nose is dominated by coconut and vanilla. Lots of sweetness on the palate with a silky texture. This exceeded expectations although the bottle variation continues! — a day ago

Manish NagarBrooke Weaver Jakubowski
with Manish and Brooke
Manish, Paul and 7 others liked this

Justin Vineyards & Winery

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The delicious, smoothly textured, 2021 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) is intensely colored, nicely balanced, and well structured; medium>full, with an abundance of aromatic and flavorsome black fruits (Bing cherry, blackberry); refined with barrel aging notes (spice, vanilla, toast); and framed with medium acidity and smooth tannins at the mouth cleansing finish. Tasty stuff, and should be ideal with tonight’s wine-braised, beef short ribs and potato pancakes, Happy New Year from Napa Valley! — 23 days ago