Domaine Loïc Durand

Loïc Mahé

Sables & Schistes Savennieres Chenin Blanc

Beautiful dark yellow, minerals — a month ago

Loïc Massart

Opale Cairanne White Rhone Blend

Vintage 2021 | — 3 months ago

Paul, Lies and 11 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

1982 vintage. Great, upper shoulder fill. Long, aging cork fully saturated but removed with a Durand. Splintered a little upon removal. Decanted and threw less sed than expected. Decaying leather, cedar, hot gravel and lightly roasted button mushrooms in the nose. Light-medium/medium body. All this + some undying cherry and plum flavors mixed in amongst remaining tannins. More thrust and fruit than anticipated with expected structure firmly in place. Really beautiful specimen. Based on this bottle, can hold steady without dropoff for another 4-5 years. 1.12.24. — 4 months ago

Joel, Jan and 25 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

Severn Goodwin Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Fantastic, a favorite BDX of ours, but no '82 in the cellar.

Château Vannières

Bandol Mourvedre Blend 1998

1998 vintage. Cork a little dry near the bottom so called out the Durand for a rescue. Less meniscus than expected. Dusty, earthy nose. Medium body. Heaps of allspice/sandalwood, prunes and baking chocolate hovering about in the medicinal/oily nose and (mostly) in the flavor profile. Ridiculously reminiscent of an aged (‘80’s-‘90’s) Branaire-Ducru St. Julien BDX. So much so that, if blind tasting, that is the guess. This is gliding along. No highs or lows to navigate currently. Not a showstopper by any means but one helluva ringer in a blind tasting. Some bretty influences here and there but nothing warranting a red card/dq. Picked up slightly more body and a noticeable cinnamon/clove note on the finish after being open for an hour. Also...some muddiness along with a sudden frontal-palate richness (at the 1.5 hours open mark) reminiscent of Petit Verdot involvement/influence. WTF?!?! Bring it! 4.21.24. — a month ago

Jan, Ted and 7 others liked this

Nicolas Durand

Domaine Des Bruyeres Les Capitans Julienas Gamay 2020

@Chris MacLean and @Eli Barton , Vicki really liked this gamay!!! She didn’t know what it was when she tasted it at first. — 4 months ago

Vicki Sliwa
with Vicki
Mike liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1978

1978 vintage. Great fill with a fully saturated cork. Used a Durand to remove and cork held up but big cork splinters shedding upon removal. Decanted and tasted over the course of an hour. Super silky, not chunky, sed. Light-medium body. Had to coax the nose out a little but revealed cassis, tobacco, dark plum, sandalwood and cherry pits. All these plus a slight, beef broth touch in the flavors. Not improving but can sustain another half-decade in this incarnation. Gorgeous, old BDX. Drink now till 2029. 12.8.23. — 5 months ago

Ted, Ira and 16 others liked this
Norman Gennaro

Norman Gennaro Premium Badge

Nice pull

Domaine Durand (Eric & Joel Durand)

Les Coteaux St. Joseph Syrah 2021

Dense ripe plum, raw liver, clay and olive wafting from the glass.. Blackberry, marjoram funkiness luscious acidity. — 2 months ago

Loïc Cailbourdin

Les Cris Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Nervous acidity and strong minerality, but elegantly refined. A rock on the label makes sense! (Les cris means the vines are planted in pebbly limestone) Solid versatile white. — 4 months ago

Severn, Austin and 1 other liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

2004 vintage. Decanted and tasted after two hours. Used a Durand but cork was great. Top-notch fill. Super chunky sed..like vintage port. Nose good, not great, but biggie structure and balance all there. Medium body. Not a personal fave but may hafta pick up a few more of these for those inclined to partake. There will be 2004 Insignia going steady for quite some time. 12.22.23. — 5 months ago

Severn, Jan and 17 others liked this