Championship Bottle

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne Chardonnay Pinot Noir Blend 2015

Great bottle, a bit on the oxidative side but very complex and long, we liked it a great deal. — 8 days ago

Jose Roberto Palazzoveronique paillardAdriana Pagliano
with Jose, veronique and 1 other
Adriana, Scott@Mister and 7 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

@"Odedi" comments below are spot on. Gave this bottle 2 hours decant and it was drinking very well. Very approachable, a lighter Napa cab, very well balanced with just ripe dark fruit, medium plush tannins, med acidity. Drinking very well. Really enjoyable. Can’t wait to watch this evolve with many more years left. — 16 days ago

Douglas, Ira and 5 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

@"Odedi" is the man! Always great reviews!

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Really excellent. From half bottle and was worried this would be too far gone. Certainly doesn’t need more time - but still quite together. Pretty minerally (in a nice St Julien way). Lighter bodied at this point but still with a nice lifting acid at the finish. Excellent pairing with a simple roast chicken with lemon. — a month ago

Lyle, Jason and 3 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

David T
9.5

Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years.

From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days.

This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak.

Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds.
— a month ago

Vanessa, Daniel and 16 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1989

[En magnum] Dried redfruits, smooth and mature, relatively clean (very low Brett) bottle, good balance and length, lingering finish, very fine aged Beaucastel. — 5 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Ira, Ray and 13 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Ira Schwartz, agreed. I do still have more 750s and magnums of this wine.
ESF

ESF

I’ll help get rid of some of those 750s & Magnums!

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2014

I had the 2014 Latour a couple of years back. It was from a half bottle and I remember it was rather disappointing. But this wine has really come around. Or maybe it has been developing much better in a full size bottle. Today it’s graceful, with great posture and in perfect balance. A timeless beauty. I had a few 2014 (both left and right bank) lately and I find them very appealing right now. A unsung vintage that turned out pretty good imo. — 23 days ago

Billy, Andrew and 2 others liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2011

Tried 3 years ago, and it was a tannic bottle of disappointment, it's changed for the better.

2 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: dark fruit, cocoa, pencil shavings, floral, cigar box, menthol. Taste: soft, elegant wine with some black/red fruit, currants, crushed stone, and an earthy black tea lean medium finish. Not the depth and power of a great year, drinks well now...not sure how much more this will improve.
— a month ago

Brenda, Shay and 19 others liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Chardonnay 2013

Classic Comtes lemon and brioche, this bottle seemed a little less ebullient than another bottle a few weeks ago, but still very expressive. — 18 days ago

Shay, Ira and 5 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

From 3L bottle

1 hour decant. A majestic dark garnet color with some bricking. On the nose: perfumed fragrant notes of dark plum, currants, creme brulee, herbaceous, eucalyptus, wet forest floor. Taste: silky, creamy, wonderful coat your palate wine with red plum/cherry, that Cos spice, mineral, graphite, worn leather, and a smokey chocolate coffee medium plus finish. YUM!
— 9 days ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Ron and 26 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Tom Garland, very nice. Cracking such a large bottle, what was the celebration? Happy holidays.
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

x Birth year wine for our son. Not sure if he and his friends appreciated all the qualities of an aged Bordeaux, but my wife and I really enjoyed it. Cheers! and happy holidays.
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Wonderful Tom and Brenda. Congratulations to you both and your son. A great way to celebrate for sure…

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2012

#AgedWineTuesday

Pale lemon in color.

Light nose of citrus fruits, minerals and light yeast.

Medium-bodied with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, brioche, earth, light yeast, minerals, spices and herbs.

Long finish with limes and herbs.

This is a very tasty Champagne, albeit still young. Elegant and rich with nice complexity. Crisp and refreshing.

Didn't love it right out of the bottle, and needed 45 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

I've had a few different vintages of this Champagne, and always enjoyed it.

Needs 5 years to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

A blend of 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. Aged for 8 years on its lees.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$275.
— a month ago

Daniel, Ira and 21 others liked this