Down To Earth

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Paul K
9.3

One of my favorite Napa cabs. This vintage continues to improve. Last had in ‘21. Not a ton of oak or alcohol. The fruit isn’t bombastic yet not austere either. Closer to austere, but not at all simple. It’s earthy, berry, cherry, and tobacco with round tannins. Love this! I wish more Napa cabs went down this route. — 3 days ago

Ray, Juan and 15 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 1988

The 1988 Chave Hermitage Rouge came out guns blazing and super primal with mushrooms, organic earth, rotundone, loads of coffee, and even some spinach accompanying the dried fruit set. Complex doesn’t even begin to describe and it seemed as if it was just getting started. A classic pairing with grilled lamb and Moroccan spices. Drink now through 2040. — a month ago

Eric, Severn and 8 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2001

#AgedWineTuesday

This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Napa Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a brick rim.

Full bodied and smooth.

Dry and fruity on the palate with medium acidity.

Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vegetables, coffee and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 23 year old is elegant and powerful. Rich and extracted, with a nice mouthfeel.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. Well balanced with great complexity. I just love these Napa Bordeaux blends.

Robert Parker 98 points. Wine Enthusiasts 94 points.

A great quality wine that will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

A blend of of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

$400.
— a month ago

Stephen, Bob and 25 others liked this
Stephen Redenbaugh

Stephen Redenbaugh Premium Badge

Brilliant owner, wine, vineyard, and wine-making…these wines age so gracefully.
Tom Casagrande

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Wow! Cheers!!

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1994

This magnum has been laying down for 30 years and is fully mature, medium bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with blackberry, tobacco, earth, coffee and black cherry on the nose. Soft textured, with no tannin remaining, the wine ends with a cherry. An Easter treat. — 23 days ago

Adriano CammarataDaniel CammarataMichael Cammarata
with Adriano, Daniel and 1 other
Tom, Douglas and 6 others liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

2016 vintage. Always understated style. Lean throughout. Light-medium body with dedicated, yet delicate, push. Distinctive producer. Enduring delivery currently. Obviously not for everyone but for those that get it, borders on obsession. Mushrooms. Drying earth. Light cedar. Cassis. Subdued sandalwood. Very close to being the Burgundy of St. Julien. Last tasted 9.20.21 and scored same. 3.16.24. — a month ago

Ted, Jan and 19 others liked this

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 2017

Another outstanding Picasses that is far more accessible in its youth. Open but with more muscle, austerity, and brooding fruit than the ‘14. Need to revise my other rating up rather than this down. — a month ago

Spencer, romo and 5 others liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1998

#AgedWineTuesday

Beautiful ruby in color, with a very wide reddish rim. Bricking at the very top.

Light nose with red and black fruits, light cedar and tobacco leaf.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, cherries, earth, black coffee, oak, herbs, vegetables, spices, tobacco leaf, dark chocolates and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 26 year old from the great 1998 vintage in Southern Rhone is drinking beautifully now. Soft and smooth, elegant and earthy.

Not so good right out of the bottle, and needed 90 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 94 points.

Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

Showing nice complexity and good balance.

I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

14% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$120 (current vintage).
— 3 months ago

Jose, Martijn and 24 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a wide brick rim

Earthy nose with light oak, black fruits and tobacco.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red and black fruits, wood, earth, vegetables, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, licorice, dark chocolates, black tea and black pepper.

Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 35 year old is still drinking beautifully. This Second Growth Bordeaux is nicely balanced and complex.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10+ years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 4 hours. I did not decant it, but let it open up in the bottle.

Wine Spectator 96 points.

A good food wine that I paired with beef brisket. Gorgeous.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$275.
— a month ago

Bob, Doug and 22 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@"Odedi", great pull!!

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

We visited there in the early summer of 2015 and now we got to try the fruits of their labor in the vineyard we witnessed at that time. A bio-dynamic vineyard with horse and plow 😁. Their wines are fantastic. This wine was richer in fruit and more expressive than perhaps characteristic for the Pauillac region. But the layers of earth infused flavors and the most subtle hint of ‘barnyard’ made it a sensation. Topped off with a grippy finish keeping the flavors lingering in your throat. www.spokenwines.com. — a month ago

Tammy de Weerd
with Tammy
Peter, Ted and 13 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Great fill, foil and label. Perfect cork. From a top-notch cellar. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Volcanic ash-styled sed vs chunky-style. Big funk on the nose that resolved after 7-8 minutes. Wine was showing decently (in the 69-72 degree range) but lacking any tannic structure. Placed the decanter atop an ice bucket bath to drop the temp down to 60 degrees or so. Took about 20 minutes but the tannins kicked in the door to say hello. Fruit components stayed constant. Pauillac tendencies were all there. As is the case often with older BDX, the decaying matter/leaves at the onset transitioned to graphite/lead pencil and espresso flavors. This was a superior bottle in great shape. Top of this wine’s specific bell curve. Comparable bottles would look to be drinking this well for the next 5-7 years without dropoff. Out of larger format…could possibly push this into 9.4 status. 2.5.24. — 2 months ago

Ron, Jan and 17 others liked this
Ron R

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Gonna do a “fly by” one of these days. Buckle up…
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

@Ron R Let me know if you’re headed to SD. E-mail me at: scott@asrestaurant.com
Ron R

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