Eric Urbani

9.4

LF always impresses — 14 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a purple rim.

Beautiful nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and light green vegetables.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This iconic Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Santa Cruz Mountains in California is still very young, but already delicious, even by itself.

Needs a few hours to open up properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 30 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Lamb chops.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in American oak barrels for 20 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$300. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

1988 vintage. Medium body. Lighter Sauternes color. Plenty of golden/ripe notes along with exquisite caramel influence but it was the acidity that stole the show. Didn’t even have to cross the fingers, hold my breath or “pretend” it was still alive. Fully mature and raring to go. Not improving but not declining either. So much life ahead. I think “Woof!” accurately sums it all up. 3.20.26. — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

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. — 7 months ago

Nik Kannan

9.4

Really incredible wine. Not paired with any food, the wine is flavorful, quenching w/ oak flavor adding the right dryness and notes of plum & vanilla to finish - really well balanced and opened well. Bottled was empty far too quickly : ) — 5 years ago

with Emily

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Starting the long Labor Day weekend in Big Sur the right way with a little N/V Krug Grande Cuvée. @Nepenthe

Happy Labor Day weekend all! 🍾🥂

Noses reveals; heavy bruised red apple, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, lime zest, white spice, sea fossils, deep crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, white & spring flowers & mixed greens.

The palate is, ripe, lush, fresh and lively. The mouthfeel all Krug beautiful. Bruised red & golden apple with hints of cider, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, white stone fruits, lime zest/candy, white spice, sea fossils, crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, cream soda, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, spring flowers & mixed greens. The acidity is near perfect. The long, elegant, well knitted & balanced finish is gentle until the long set when you get a full presence of white spice and minerality that persists for minutes.

This bottle was composed around 2011 and is made from over 120 different wines that span over 10 years. It is 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay & 17% Pinot Meunier. — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short purple rim.

Red and black fruits on the nose with cedar, chocolates, spices, tobacco, coffee and black pepper.

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

Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, black currants, black plums, cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, coffee, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf and light pencil lead.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink beautifully now. Rich and easy drinking.

Fruit forward and complex, soft and smooth. Spicy and entertaining, powerful yet refined. Showing good balance albeit a little hot at the back of the throat, at this point.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years and shows good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$250. — 14 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

More golden in color and triple the brioche since I had it 3-4 yrs ago.

Happy Birthday to me. — 4 months ago

ESF

9.5

Outstanding — 6 months ago

Chad Powell

9.6

Highly rated for a reason. It’s quite good. — 7 months ago

Brennan Roy

9.0

Golden honey with legs. Can’t get enough of that apricot blossom and honeycomb nose. Complex but balanced with a smooth, silky mouthfeel. Sweet, but not overpoweringly so, with a delightfully long finish. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

From magnum. Opened and decanted 4 hrs before serving. Reddish tawny, regal color with lighter rims. Great old Bordeaux bouquet. Notes of dried cherries, tobacco leaf, cola, some rhubarb, forest floor and some old cherry wood. Well balanced and suave in the mouth. Paired well with steaks, and a great contrast to the younger Napa cabs. — 6 years ago

JKT

9.2

At Cindy’s with Fing. Mistaken bottle. Golden color, clearly aged with touch of oxidation but lots of complex aromatics. Excellent — a month ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.7

2017 vintage. Another spectacular Suduiraut. The 140 g/l residual sugar is balanced by the fresh acidity. Michael Broadbent used to say that Suduiraut always looks older than its age, but this bright golden colour shows no signs of age. Beautifully complex nose with pineapple and vanilla, flowers, beeswax, cinnamon and lemon confit. Opulent, rich and fresh at the same time, impressively layered and intense, with an extraordinarily long finish. A fabulous meditation wine that is amazingly affordable too. Abv. 14%. — 2 months ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.2

Golden color. Green apple and vanilla (light oak) on the palate. Age worthy. April 2026. — 3 months ago

Damian

9.2

Medium golden color. Right after opening, a honeycrisp apple, citrus, grapefruit and mineral notes on the nose and palate are evident. After some breathing, wine shows plenty of oxidative notes. It has a medium rich, creamy mouthfeel. First vintage to go through malo — 5 months ago

Conrad Green

9.3

From mag. Golden in color. Soft bubbles. Dried apricots, hazelnut, toast. Very secondary and soulful. Drink up — 10 months ago

with David, Bex and 1 other

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Celebrating our wedding anniversary, with a Vintage Champagne from the same year.

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

Strong nose of bread, spices, earth, wet leaves, herbs, yeast, white pepper, lemons, yellow apples and river rocks.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and soft, small bubbles.

Dry on the palate with light citrus, over ripen apples, spices, yeast, bread, river rocks, herbs and white pepper.

Short finish with limes.

This 28 year old Champagne is still delicious, although probably on its last leg.

Showing great complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Soft and elegant.

Not much fruit is left, but enough to make it tangy and interesting.

Thank you Judy for sharing this with us.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with caviar and good friends. Very tasty, especially with the caviar.

12% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$550. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Our friends deck coming along nicely. The kitchen bar & lighting is in.

Tastes really good tonight. Showing more of the right kind of oxidative notes I enjoy.

Golden & green apple, braised pear, overripe pineapple, lemon, lime juice, nougat, some apple cider, vanillin, yeast, bread dough & crust, sea fossils, grey volcanics, limestone, white spice, gentle, powdery chalkiness, micro oxygenation, excellent with spring flowers, yellow flowers & withering white lilies. Excellent acidity. The finish is rush, smartly balanced, elegant and persistent. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James