Great Western

Leeuwin Estate

Art Series Margaret River Chardonnay 2016

Unscrewed and poured; no formal notes. These friggen Chardonnays from Margaret River. I’ve been blinded on them too many times to count and I never call it right. Instead, I always seem to call a high acid grape like Riesling of Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit is sometimes tropical, always with citrus and sometimes is shows green apple and always with awesome minerals. Acid is squarely in the high category. They are lovely wines that just seem to throw me for a loop. If Chablis, the Mosel and Sancerre had a love child. Drink now and through 2036 easy. A fabulous pairing with lamb massaman, larb and papaya salad. How can they hide the 100% new French oak so well?! — 21 days ago

Jeroen, Ira and 10 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Dark rubi robe, nose of tobacco, cedar, blackcurrant and asian spices. Very elegant and complex, great now, no rush. We loved it, enthusiastically recommended in particular if you want to try Pichon Comtesse with less than 20 years. — 14 days ago

Jose Roberto PalazzoAdriana Pagliano
with Jose and Adriana
Severn and Scott@Mister liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Can’t tell if not in a great spot or maybe some slight heat damage—but leaning to the latter. Tasty, but not as good as it should have been — 2 months ago

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1979

Dark rubi robe with bricking at the rim. Nose of asphalt, cedar, liquorice and asian spices. Very mineral, medium bodied, complex, good length, very polished tannins. Cork was not perfect and bottle was low shoulder. Still excellent which makes us think pristine bottles might taste even better. Great stuff. — 6 days ago

Jose Roberto PalazzoAdriana Pagliano
with Jose and Adriana
Peter, Rob and 6 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2011

I am biased for Rioja but this is a very good demonstration of why. Great balance ripe reserved fruit in harmony with some slight puckering length. Better in 10 years. Totally fine now. — a month ago

Ed, Shay and 21 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Gor
9.5

Saddle leather, cedar, spice, lingonberry, plum, hint of licorice. Full bodied and structured with a long finish. Great stuff. — 2 months ago

Ira, Ron and 14 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2016

Youthful and filled with promise of a great wine for decades to come. Benefits from generous decant to bring the lavender and dark berry together. — 16 hours ago

Logan Edwards
with Logan
Andrew, Joe and 1 other liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Dark and brooding with great rich fruit. Dark plum, leather, cedar, a whiff of iodine. Still tight and pure. Very good. Years ahead. — 16 days ago

Garth AncierMatt Lichtenberg
with Garth and Matt
Shay, Jan and 13 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

Delectable Wine
9.6

The 2012 Insignia is in great shape today. Bright acids lend tremendous energy to a mid-weight Insignia that is more about finesse rather than power. Sweet red-fleshed fruit, cedar, tobacco, mint and rose petal are all beautifully delineated. There's not much left to say. The 2012 offers tons of pure pleasure. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2024)
— 15 days ago

Thomas liked this