Head High Wines

Orin Swift

Mercury Head Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Heavens to Betsy this is delicious! I don't like using the word "smooth" to describe wine, but this Cabernet Sauvignon is Miles Davis. It's so good. Hard to pin down the fruit... blackberry, blueberry, cherry, tobacco, sweet cream, vanilla. A bit of lavender. Such soft, lingering tannins on the finish. Makes your teeth purple! I really love this wine, but I can't afford it.
Listening to Ralph Stanley, who I miss dearly
— 22 days ago

Barny, Andrew and 35 others liked this
Ray Vanderhoff

Ray Vanderhoff

Consistently brilliant vintage after vintage.
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

What's the abv on that there winning contender? 🏆
Dave

Dave

This one clocked in at 15.5 @Tegan Marriott

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1981

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a dull purple/garnet color with a translucent core and significant rim variation, moving towards a rust color. The wine has medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, dried red and purple flowers, old leather bound books, tobacco, a touch of menthol, some earth, old wood and a sprinkle of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Super high quality but a touch thin.

Initial conclusions: Due to the observable characteristics of color, rim variation, sediment, smell and flavor, I think this wine has significant age; 30+ years. However, this is still very alive and showing more than enough markers to give an indication of place. Subsequently, this could be a Cabernet-based blend or a Tempranillo-based blend from the United States, France, or Spain. For me, I’m getting new French oak vibes instead of American so I’m eliminating Spain. I also think this leans more towards its fruit than its structure and since this comes across a little on the thin side, I’m going to say this comes from a tougher vintage. My final conclusion is this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the USA, Napa, 1981. Wow! This showed really well.

It never ceases to amaze me how analogous the 1981 vintage was in both Napa and Bordeaux. I find it equally amazing how well that vintage has held up; particularly when considering its poor reputation, mostly based on the prevailing thought at the time. From my perspective, well stored examples are not going to fall off of a cliff but I would drink now through 2031.
— a month ago

Lyle, Pooneet and 17 others liked this
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego Premium Badge

Frankly find Latour more "interesting" in lesser vintages with subtleties/nuances often lost in the bigger vintages. The big vintages amply feature the power and the lesser vintages feature the glory. Probably in the minority here tho.
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego personally, I don’t have enough experience with Chateau Latour to have a feeling, one way or another. That being said, I’ve had enough experience with 1st growths in general (including Latour) to more or less understand your take. And logically, I have no reason to doubt your position

Brassfield Estate Winery

Eruption Proprietary Volcano Ridge Vineyard Malbec Blend 2021

Brassfield estate Eruption 2021 red blend High Valley appellation, Volcano ridge vineyard.

This is a dry red wine. Jammy nose. Full bodied, medium acidity, high alcohol but not tasting like a high alcohol wine. Enveloping tannins. Flavors of blackberries, blueberries, dried herbs, bay leaf, earthy, long finish.
Cab, syrah, malbec, petit sirah, mourvedre, zin.
$14.9% alcohol.
Lake county.
— 2 months ago

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2009

#AgedWineTuesday

Celebrating 25,000 followers on Vivino, with this fabulous sweet wine from Bordeaux.

Dark gold in color.

Full bodied and smooth with high acidity.

Sweet on the palate with great complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing lemons, red and yellow apples, tropical fruits, spices, caramel, honey, peaches, lemons, citrus, turmeric and honeysuckle.

Long engaging finish.

This 17 year old Sauternes is drinking exceptionally now, although it will continue to age nicely in the next 30 to 50 years. A delicious dessert wine from a great vintage.

Rich and fruit forward. Beautifully balanced with enough acidity to balance the high sugars. Showing a wonderful nose that I kept smelling on for a long time.

Already showing great complexity, sweet and expressive. Opulent with great elegance.

Wine Spectator 98 points. Wine Advocate 100 points.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, and it is always very impressive.

Good by itself as a dessert wine, or with food. I paired it with blue cheese.

A blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 30 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

97 points.

$700.
— a month ago

David, Anthony and 19 others liked this
Hermes Cuello

Hermes Cuello Influencer Badge

@"Odedi" congrats on the 25k, what a privilege having that amazing wine!
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

@Doug Powers thank you 😍
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

@Hermes Cuello much appreciated

High West Distillery

Midwinter Nights Dram Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys 2025

I've bought this for the past 4 years, and this bottling is the most fruit forward. Candied fruit- apricots, cherries, and dates. The price has gotten out of hand, but it's yummy!
Listening to CSNY
— 2 months ago

Peter, Tom and 17 others liked this
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Mayhaps they be! 😼
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Dram it on up!!!
Dave

Dave

We drammin', I hope you like drammin too.. @Tegan Marriott

Piattelli Vineyards

Reserve High Altitude Malbec 2023

Christmas dinner 2025. Mary liked — 2 months ago

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2011

Our (not so) little (anymore) princess her birthday so time for our yearly 2011. After having rated two previous bottles not as high as you would expect this one actually delivered. Very elegant, in balance and clearly at peak. Quite some years ahead — 2 months ago

Michael, Andrew and 11 others liked this