Holding Thumbs

Paradigm

Estate Bottled Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Classic aged Napa Cabernet, holding its own at 15yrs. Never imagined it would have paired so well w/ Thai chicken & Thai salad w/ peanut sauce — 4 months ago

Chateau Montelena

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

In the glass, it’s a deep, opaque ruby, promising something serious. The nose has blackcurrant, cedar, and graphite, with a hint of dried herbs, dust and cigar box, like stepping into an old library. There’s restraint here, almost old school. No overripe fruit, no excess; just balance, precision.

On the palate, it’s all about structure. The tannins are firm but refined, holding together layers of dark fruit, espresso, and a touch of cocoa. The acidity is just enough to keep it fresh, cutting through the richness of it all. As the wine opens up, there’s a shift; an earthy, almost savory depth that lingers on a long, seamless finish. Could have saved it but it is peaking and paired perfectly with a thick cut of ribeyes over mesquite charcoal with great company and conversation.
— a year ago

Neil, Andrew and 11 others liked this

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2018

100 year anniversary ... not of the winery, but of the acquisition of the winery by the Cordier family--France is unreal! Deeply extracted, royal purple, opaque, medium plus to full bodied. Red cherry dominated on open but after an hour blackberry has taken over. Spices and a hint of vanilla in the background. Medium plus alcohol 14.5. Medium acidity. Tannins are still biting a bit. Super long length. I would recommend holding this at least another 2-3 years. The tannins will soften, and I suspect we will enjoy some tertiary flavors from the spiced vanilla that remains.

93 points
— 4 years ago

Shay, Eric and 12 others liked this
Carter White

Carter White

Great photo! 🖼

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

One of my favorite drinking GL’s with notes of red & black fruits, cedar, leather, graphite, licorice & cigar box. This has always showed well that has been fully mature & holding well. — 5 years ago

Iwan, Severn and 12 others liked this

Château Prieuré-Lichine

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Holding up well. Sweet fruit. Some lanolin. — 6 years ago

Keith and Mike liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Pretty deep garnet core , showing a little age as expected , the rim is quite thin and with a light garnet hue. Impressive aromatic nose straight from opening , leather , grafite , creme de cassis, truffle. Very masculine and aristocratic! Still holding a lot back and developing in the glass. In the mouth , quite dry and grippy tannins , the fruit is sweeter , very long on the palate nicely balanced acidity . Blackcurrant , coffee , mineral , creme de cassis . A very big wine , drinkable now though will no doubt improve over many years . Barely changed a day later after a night in the vacuvin . More spicy tobacco and soy showing , still marvelous length, showing there is still so much to give. — 8 years ago

Byron, Severn and 10 others liked this

Penfolds

Grange Hermitage Bin 95 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

Last bottle of a dozen - served on Christmas Day. Holding up perfectly after 35 years and would carry on for another 10 years plus although Penfolds say to 2060. If I had more left I would be drinking before 2040 personally. Plum, chocolate, blackberry and mocha. A beautiful textured palate and a joy to drink. Everyone of the past dozen bottles was a pleasure. Thankfully I have 3 bottles of the 1991 left which is also excellent and maybe better. — 6 months ago

Somm, Severn and 16 others liked this
Jan de Weerd

Jan de Weerd

🙌🎉🙌
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Cue up the Jaws theme song, now @Bob McDonald is going there — casually dropping Penfolds Grange vintage!! Love it!! Cheers.

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

Way too early. I have a few 375mL bottles and was curious to learn how a wine like this might be even though it was well before it’s suggested drinking window. The bones and structure are evident and this should grow into a monster. It was still a very pleasant wine it was just holding back the whole time. Unfocused fruit and a bit too sweet but I think this score will be significantly higher for round 2. — 3 years ago

Somm, Shay and 19 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1978

Holding up well showing notes of berry fruits, plum, cedar, leather, earth, spice box with sweet tobacco — 4 years ago

Ira, Severn and 14 others liked this

Fisher Vineyards

Wedding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

This is the bottle of wine we gave to our bridesmaids and groomsmen as a gift at our wedding. Fred and Juelle Fisher were kind enough to sign the bottles for us after we had them etched. It is still holding up ok. Not many tannins showing any more but it was pleasant on the nose and soft red fruit in mid palate. The sentimental value makes it the perfect wine for our 20rh anniversary. — 6 years ago

Shay, Eric and 38 others liked this
Aaron Hamrock

Aaron Hamrock

Happy anniversary!!!!
David L

David L Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Happy 20th Anniversary.
Tim McCarthy

Tim McCarthy

Congrats

Pax Mahle Wines

Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah 2016

Shay A
9.6

Annual Man Cave dinner. 80+ wines accompanied by zebra, oryx, buffalo, bison and any other African meat you can imagine.

I bought some of these earlier this year but have been holding them. Luckily, someone brought a bottle so that I could check in on them. The nose on this blew me away...reminded me of a Sami-Odi wine in the way it was heavy, without being overbearing. Floral (violets, lavender) but also fruit (ripe, fresh squeezed blackberries) and smoked meat (mainly peppered strip). Love the low ABV (<13%). This is likely best enjoyed over the next 5 years. Wonderful bottle from
@Arden Barnett .
— 8 years ago

Arden BarnettJack ThompsonBenjamin Keator
with Arden, Jack and 2 others
Arden, Jack and 36 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend

1961 vintage. Holding up pretty well for the vintage of the century. — 8 years ago

Andrew and Ira liked this

Château Bel-Air Lagrave

Cru Bourgeois Moulis en Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

JKT
9.0

Balance and soft textures thirty years! Say ten years after acquiring from JR whose email says matriarch passing freed up this library holding back then. — 8 months ago

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1971

1971 vintage. Top shoulder fill. Used a Durand but fully saturated cork still required some clean up on aisle 7. Decanted and tasted after 5 minutes. Threw much much less sediment than expected. Decent color with a little browning. Tertiary nose gave way to similar flavors with it being very slightly brickish. In a holding steady phase where there is no shining light to chase after-everything is consolidated and filed away so you're tasting the interpretations of history. Instructive. 6.13.24. — 2 years ago

Lyle, "Odedi" and 14 others liked this

Kosta Browne

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2012

A family gathering was a good excuse to enjoy an old Kosta Browne. Holding up well, no need to wait any longer. — 3 years ago

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo

A good brick red plenty of tannic strength holding it together — 5 years ago

Ceccherini, Alex and 22 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1998

1998 vintage. Lots of blue fruit still evident. Not a great vintage for Napa but you’d never know it by tasting this. Holding up rather nicely. — 6 years ago

David, Ron and 3 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Pulled this from the cellar for an international guest. Still holding up well; much better than the 1983. — 7 years ago

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1987

1987 vintage holding up excellently, despite a weathered label on this particular bottle. — 8 years ago

Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Crazy good - guessed Medoc bordeaux - really holding up for an 83-85 pt vintage #SommCon 68% french oak — 8 years ago