High Guard

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2015

A high quality champagne just not the style of DP I seek out. I found this vintage hedonistic versus serious. Obviously very young. I wish I had the skill set to speculate on how this will turn out with time. — 12 days ago

Tyler, Jan and 34 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Across many of my favorite producers, the 2015 vintage isn’t my favorite expression. It’s good, but like you said, it’s pretty flashy.

Bodega Catena Zapata

High Mountain Vines Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

It worked great with the Brazilian barbecue. Punches well above its weight. Good stuff. And the restaurant has a deal on south american wines on Mondays and Tuesdays. — 3 months ago

Jose Roberto Palazzoveronique paillardAdriana Pagliano
with Jose, veronique and 1 other
Adriana liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1981

Opened 24 hours prior and decanted for sediment before returning to the bottle; enjoyed over the course of two days. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart brambles and plums, green bell pepper, tobacco, leather, all of the decomposing earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, mostly integrated tannins with medium+ acid, borderline high. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Overall, a wine that is a reflection upon the vintage and at 43 years of age, that’s a big compliment. The 1981 is very much alive and will likely live for a very long time. However, it is backward, rustic, and somewhat tough to love unless you’re an old-school masochist. But I’m guilty and this wine is charming despite all of its green character. Drink now and over the next 30 years probably. — 3 months ago

Bob, Ira and 12 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

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Pontet Canet was underachieving big time in 81. The 82 was great (I bought futures!). And after that it was a gradual climb back to the high quality level that had been lacking in the 70s.
Jay Kline

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@Tom Casagrande ‘81 was tough but they are still alive to tell the story. Agree that they have been on the ascendency since then.

Yangarra Estate

High Sands McLaren Vale Grenache 2016

A highly awarded Grenache from Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, possibly the best terroir for the varietal in Australia. Its gnarly old bush vines were planted in 1946. It is dry farmed on a 1.7 hectare block sitting on the deepest sand with the lowest vigour and yield. Not as raspberry as many Australian Grenache - more balanced, restrained and excellent. Wine of the Year at the 2020 Halliday Wine Awards receiving 99 points. On the medium weight palate red berries and cherry finishing with ultra fine tannins. Jancis made the comment, “Might give the odd cult Spanish wine a run for its money too.” — 2 months ago

Ray, Tom and 20 others liked this
ESF

ESF

I met Allister back in like 2005 or so - had a wild few weeks in the Barossa & Eden Valley
Jan de Weerd

Jan de Weerd

If you have an hour, James Lindner and Jonathan Bitter with Langmeil winery, both phenomenal story tellers, give you a beautiful perspective of the history of the wine industry in Barrosa including the booms and busts of the Australian wine industry. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/Rj1pxFdSCvM
Bob McDonald

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Thanks for sending the link Jan.

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1990

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark golden/ brownish in color.

Sweet nose with lots of flower notes, over ripen apples and spices.

Full-bodied with high acidity.

Sweet on the palate with pears, overripe citrus fruits, spices, apricots, tropical fruits, earth and bitter herbs.

Tangy finish, but too earthy for my taste.

This 34 year old is delicious, but a touch unbalanced, with too many earth notes for the fruits.

I've had a few vintages of this gorgeous wine, but none of them were this old.

I let it breathe for an hour, but it still wasn't as good as I hoped. It could just be this specific bottle, though.

A blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Drank from a 375ml bottle.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$500.
— 4 months ago

Bob, Vino and 24 others liked this

G.D. Vajra

Albe Barolo Nebbiolo 2020

Garnet-colored. Hits like it might be astringent but immediately smooths out and rolls across your tongue leaving a layer of tannins that diffuses nicely. If you swish it around, it will make you pucker. Very dry but buttery if you keep it centered in your mouth. I bought it because of an average rating of 9.3 for this 2020 vintage but I don’t think I’d rank it that high. Maybe a 9.0, a little disappointing for $50. — 5 days ago

Bodega Catena Zapata

High Mountain Vines Chardonnay 2022

A very expressive, a bit more intense Chardonnay, a great representation of high elevated vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina with compelling complexity. Has a great mouthfeel, with more weight and beautiful finish. Love it with shrimp scampi or any chunky grilled fish. — 2 months ago

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2019

This is on fire right now—always super impressed with how high the quality is for the $$$ on these wines — 2 months ago

Ira, Ely and 4 others liked this