Great Southern Wines

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2008

Rayas 08 exceeded my expectations — it was in great condition. We decanted it at 3 PM and started drinking at 7 PM. In the first phase, it showed sweet red fruit notes. In the second phase, herbal/vegetal notes emerged. In the third phase, a cooling mintiness appeared.

This bottle wasn't as explosively aromatic as the 07 I opened last time — that 07, after two hours of decanting, unleashed an incredibly rich and enchanting floral bouquet. It was like the scent of a garden transitioning from summer into autumn — grand and opulent, with a hint of fading beauty. Notes of black cherry, rose, and blood orange intertwined, and the aromas kept evolving over time — garrigue, incense — complex and alluring, with a grand structure and a rich, round palate.

The 08, on the other hand, feels more like a refined lady from a scholarly family — graceful, gentle, intellectual, with no aggressive edge.
— 5 days ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2022

2022 vintage. Medium-heavy body. Needs time/patience but shows pretty well currently if you're out of either/both. 6.3.26. — a month ago

Jan, Ruud and 10 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Red Rhône Blend 1998

Fully mature, still shows some primary redfruits, good acidity, longish finish, really a fine CdR!! — a month ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Tom, Dave and 8 others liked this

Domaine de la Janasse

Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2018

Chris Albin
9.1

Beautifully fruity and funky — a month ago

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2022

Great wine. Could have left it to age for another decade really — 2 months ago

Pao, Sagee and 3 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1961

Broad and supple. Very fresh fruit still. Great character. Smooth and pure. Excellent — 2 months ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Ira, Jay and 5 others liked this

Famille Perrin

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2024

2024 vintage. Consistent producer but not exactly the cheapest chicken on the ranch these daze. Will hold out for library releases or for what can be scoured in the gray/grey market. — 8 days ago

Joel, Douglas and 9 others liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

Télégramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2016

Lovely sweet Grenache based fruit in an excellent vintage. Sweetness is the over riding palate descriptor reflective of the ripe vintage - red currant. A long persistent flavour profile. Telegramme is the second wine of Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe. — a month ago

Shay, Ray and 13 others liked this

Château de Trinquevedel

Tavel Grenache Rosé 2024

A classic! Got to love the color on Trinquevedel. Candied apple, watermelon. Great wine, friendly price. — a month ago

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Clairette Blend 2017

Medium straw yellow . Quite rich on the nose , some toasty notes with some wax and yellow fruits , citrus peel, vanilla . On the palate this is all about the texture , quite round but enough balance , blanched almonds , peach. Waxy notes . Good length . Drink now and over the next few years , in a perfect place . — a month ago

Tom, Shay and 6 others liked this

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2014

2014. Enjoyed a small splash at the end of a great birthday meal at The Oven!
Such pure stone fruit and honeyed aromas and flavors with balanced sweetness and acidity.
— a month ago

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 2008

Great balance fantastic fruit hints of lemon peel. Just drinking fantastic. — 2 months ago

Stef, "Odedi" and 1 other liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

Inky in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, plums, licorice, light cedar, earth, cola, herbs, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, black tea and light garigge notes.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, oak, light licorice, spices, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, cola, herbs, peppercorn and light vegetables.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is already drinking beautifully. Rich and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a smooth mouthfeel. Elegant and complex, spicy and tangy.

Delicious now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

The alcohol is nicely integrated already, although not as high as typically from this region.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and this is not my favorite, by far.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$450.
— 2 months ago

Jay, Stephen and 9 others liked this
Jay Kline

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These wines, to my palate, are not particularly interesting this young. After 15+ years from vintage? Way more interesting.
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

@Jay Kline not a great vintage too
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Personally, I think many have overreacted regarding 2022. Yes, Mother Nature threw some challenges late in the harvest but some made outstanding wines and when you consider the fruit source for Opus One, I’m sure they were on the winning side.

Château de Saint-Cosme

Côtes du Rhône Syrah 2024

100% Syrah showing opaque purple in the glass. Inky and aromatic with pepper and pomegranate. Killer pairing for ribeye au poivre in Torrey, Utah. 14.5% abv. but not hot. — 2 days ago

Scott@Mister liked this

Château La Nerthe

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2024

Very fresh. Nice fruit and finish. — 6 days ago

Quinn liked this

M. Chapoutier

Belleruche Côtes-du-Rhône Grenache-Syrah Blend

2024 vintage.
Grenache and Syrah blend.
Bright ruby colour.
Medium bodied, spicy, lively and juicy.
Plums, cherries, raspberries and currants with a woodsy, slightly earthy and a white pepper finish.
— 2 months ago

Bob and Tom liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Tasted blind. Medium deep garnet ruby and medium garnet ruby rim . Quite cool and restrained , again lots of grafite and mineral , dark fruits . This is quite deep and dark spicy cassis , blackberry and sea spray , saline . Quite dense and robust on the palate again , lots of fine but ripe tannins. Very long , dense , cassis , cedar grafite saline finish . This is a complete and great example of 2005 , great balance and enormous length , the longest of all on show here. Drinkable now , but surely it’s best days are in the future , wait another 5 -10 years , will last well a further 20 - 25 if not more . The apex of 2005 ? For me this had to be the Latour , and an archetypal example of Latour no less . 1st place and the gold medal . — 2 months ago

Tom, Tom and 9 others liked this