Classic Vines

Dry Creek Vineyard

Heritage Vines Sonoma County Zinfandel

Aromas of dark cherry and black licorice. Spicy but decadent on the palate. Bold and dry finish. Very nice. — 9 days ago

Bodega Catena Zapata

High Mountain Vines Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Me encantó súper suave al paladar muy delicado, recomendadisimo — 2 months ago

Turley

Old Vines California Zinfandel 2016

Ten years post vintage, the 2016 shows little sign of age. Dark, warming, smooth and rich. Dusty tannins and the 15.5% alcohol has mellowed as has the typical peppery bite on the back-end of Zins. All around, still drinking great — 2 months ago

Cline Cellars

Ancient Vines Contra Costa County Mourvèdre 2022

Lot of dark fruit: blackberries, blueberries, and a tinge of spice. Dark, the wine smells like it tastes. Good value. — 4 months ago

Dave, Tom and 1 other liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Seriously, has there ever been a disappointing red wine from Contra Costa? Every red vine there is over 100 years old on ungrafted roots in 20 feet of pure sand. What kind of jerk can fuck that up?

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Pretty deep ruby garnet , medium wide garnet rim . Aromatic and really classic with a mix or red and dark fruits , tobacco , grafite and cedar . On the palate this is quite linear , again with the red and dark fruits from the nose, cedar and grafite and quite rounded resolved tannins . Fresh acidity , good cedar with grafite length , very classic in style . Enough density and fruit to cover the rest of the structure. In a perfect place now at least in this format , and probably will be over the next 10 years . This was from an Imperial , at BBR in London . — 6 months ago

Bob, David and 11 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Stone-cold classic — 8 months ago

Tom, Andrew and 5 others liked this

Noble Vines

337 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Medium dry with a nice finish — 9 days ago

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Somm David T
9.5

There are a number of things I can say about Leoville Barton. For me, it is a storied property and experience.

To this point, I have had quite a few 2000 Bordeaux’s, none of them ready as this one. Given what I know about Anthony & his legacy, most of his good vintages were made for your children. So, color me surprised.

While this 2000 is drinking well, it is far from its precipice. There is another 20 yrs plus of road here.

Sofia and I have had the pleasure of dining at the same table with Anthony Barton and his wife in the early teens of 2000. He was a salt of the earth gentleman. His wife, lovely. At dinner that night, he told us a story I will not forget. A story prompted by a question from my wife. He and his wife drove from France to Switzerland. They were stopped at the border and asked to get out of the car as they had a case of wine with them. At that time and maybe still now, you can’t take wine over the border into Switzerland. The border guard called the powers to be and recanted the story of them trying to bring wine into Switzerland. He told them their name. The person on the other end of the phone said, who? They said, Anthony Barton. The reply, was let him through. That’s respect!!!

His daughter Lilian has taken the helm. She is also salt of the earth and a great Bordeaux Ambassador. May Anthony RIP.

This 2000 is classic Bordeaux in every way.

The nose shows steeped & candied fruits that are; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, black cherries, purple & blue fruit hues (classic Barton). Graphite, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry limestone bits, dark Asian spices, dry herbs, dry river stone, dark, rich, forest floor, anise to black licorice, mid colas, fresh, candied to withering florals that are; dark, red, blue and violets.

The palate shows, M+ rounded, fine grain tannins. The nose mirrors the palate in many ways. Steeped, candied, ripe, juicy fruits that are; brambly blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, black cherries, raspberries, purple & blue fruit hues. Leoville Barton shows purple & blue fruits more than most other left bank producers. Graphite, dry tobacco, cedar, dry leather, dry limestone bits, dry top soils, saline, caramel, mocha powder, German chocolate cake, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, dark Asian spices w/ some heat, dry herbs, touch of black pepper, grilled meats, dry river stone, dark, rich, forest floor, anise to black licorice, black tarriness, mid colas, fresh, candied to withering florals that are; dark, red, blue and framed in liquid violets, acidity is grand, well balanced/structured, highly toned, elegant & smartly polished finish that lasts minutes and settles on earth & dark spice.

Decanted 90 minutes and enjoyed over nearly three hours.

Appreciated the 12.5% ABV. Many would say that is not possible in the modern wine era. Anthony says otherwise w/ his 2000.

95-96.
— 17 days ago

Tom, ESF and 12 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Love the story

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Classic bordeaux flavours. Highly elegant and layered. Perfect drinking window for me — 5 months ago

Tom, Peter and 23 others liked this

Deutz

Brut Classic Champagne Blend

My first Deutz. And it was good!! — 6 months ago

Xenia Zollinger
with Xenia
Andrew and Tegan liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age.
— 7 months ago

Ted, Sagee and 9 others liked this

St. Francis Winery

Sonoma County "Old Vines" Zinfandel 2021

Very dark with a robust taste. I would buy it again. — 8 months ago

Feudi di San Marzano

Sessantanni Old Vines Primitivo di Manduria 2019

DUFRY/SP - SLF - Jul/2025
Álcool 14,5%.
— 3 months ago

Sergio L Figueiredo

Sergio L Figueiredo

DUFRY/SP - SLF - Jul/2025
Álcool 14,5%.

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1994

Classic La Mission nose that is in a perfect spot showing red & black fruits, cedar, leather, earth, graphite, spice box along with sweet tobacco — a month ago

Joel, Jean-Philip and 5 others liked this

Bodegas Ateca

Atteca Armas Calatayud Old Vines Garnacha 2022

Great wine that needs a bit to open and express its fresh fruit and balance. — 3 months ago

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

5th wine . medium deep ruby , touch more garnet . Slightly wider rim . Quite cool and mineral again , more grafite with some cool cassis , blackberry. On the palate this is slightly lighter in body , leaner perhaps but very elegant , fresh and quite saline, tobacco , grafite and herbal tinges on the finish . Reasonable saline length. Fine lightly grippy tannins , good acidity . This is showing quite well though would perhaps benefit from a few more years . Better in 3-5 years and drink well a further 7- 10 . The next day this actually shows a little better , elegant and refined, nothing showy , very Lafite , so I’m glad I guessed this correctly ! Overall this was a very interesting tasting , there is nothing showy or remarkable about the 2006 1st growths , they are quite classic and also showing quite a lot of structure still , with good freshness though they perhaps lack a little stuffing and intensity . They were quite even quality wise, with the high points being the Mouton (though the Lafite improved the following day to upgrade its score and draw level ) and the low point being a relatively disappointing Margaux . The vintage will continue to improve over the next 5 perhaps 10 years in general , though they may always just lack a little density and excitement . — 3 months ago

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Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

2006 the yr that had to follow the grand 2005 vintage. It wasn’t their best. Made worse having to follow the 2005. The Bordelaise also kept their prices high as many felt they underpriced the 05 vintage. Not a great strategy for a successful 06 vintage. For me, Lafite is the 1st growth that requires the most cellar aging. Even in an ok vintage, 25-30 yr in the cellar to start seeing its best form. Looks like a great dinner. Cheers! 🍷

Nyetimber

Classic Cuvée Sparkling White Blend

If I win the lottery I just will be drinking this. — 6 months ago

Iron Horse Vineyards

Classic Vintage Brut Sparkling Blend 2020

More residual sugar than I remembered. Brioche finish, delicate bubbles — 8 months ago

Dave liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2017

Classic:)
Won’t peak for another 10-20 years.
— 9 months ago

Tom liked this