I. Et S. Bernaudeau
Jones Family Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997
I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.
I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.
The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.
The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.
What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 7 months ago
Château Potensac
Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
I had a number of 1997’s of this late. A good wine & value in 97’s courtesy of Clyde Beffa. 2005 such a splendid vintage and still youthful.
Decanted around 11:45a today, poured around 8:30p with an Allen Brothers Ribcap and it is simply velvet in the mouth.
Recent spilt auction purchase with @Paul T- Huntington Beach for $35-$36 a bottle…in OWC. From the same Technical Team as Leoville Las Cases. Different terroir but, excellent experience.
Excellent, ripe candied fruit of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, raspberries, baked strawberries, dark spices, black licorice core, mid & dark colas, river stone, limestone alluvials, dry crushed rocks, dry tobacco, leather, saddle-wood, dark, rich, forest floor with dry leaves, some tree sap, tea leaves, soft, round, fresh herbs, dark, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, blue florals framed in violets & lavender. The acidity is excellent. The finish has length, balance, polish for days that falls on excellent soft earthiness.
2007 Bordeaux’s are already following suit as the 97’s in a lot of cases…only better. Value vintages in Bordeaux if you go looking. — 5 years ago
Azienda Agricola Roberto Voerzio
Vigneti S. Francesco Fontanazza Langhe Nebbiolo 2012
It’s been around four years since my previous bottle, it was a bit harsh back then, but it’s totally singing now. Still a lot of fruit, but also leather and forest floor. Such a good balance between young and old, I would say it can age for longer due to a lot of tannins, but this is a great time to drink it. — 6 years ago
Vice Versa
Le Petit Vice Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
At home. Bought two bottles at $70 each. An OK wine but a bit disappointing at this price point. I suspect I wasn’t in the best tasting position when I had this s bottle. Hoping for a better experience with the next bottle. — 6 years ago
Tolaini
Valdisanti Tenuta S. Giovanni Toscana Red Blend 2014
2014 vintage, imbibed Aug/2019. Needed decanting ... very closed at first, practically no nose at all. Began to open up after a half hour to 45 minutes. Eventually - good fruit, big body, but tannins well controlled. I had my doubts at first, but ended up really enjoying with a hearty beef dinner. — 7 years ago
Enderle & Moll
Buntsandstein Pinot Noir
Bottle variation oh yes. Lyle Fass’s version is a tad better upon opening (more tomorrow stay tuned). Did he import these in 2009/10? I am on a mission now. And will taste the E&M‘s up to 2014 over the next months. Tasting these older vintages is always let’s say a “pan” on the Ass. Because I am so worried I will get it wrong. So I try over days. And often pop additional bottles to be sure. And while the 2009‘s E&M are super interesting wines and challenge me like no others - I am holding firm after tasting (a total) of 6 bottles of both the Muschelkalk and the often richer Bundsanstein - these should be consumed in the next 3-6 months. Some bottles might surprise on the upside based on your taste buds but for me <. — 4 months ago
Château Calon-Ségur
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1982
I haven’t had a Bordeaux in a while. Especially, with a Ribcap. So, why not an 82? The vintage Robert Parker made his career as the only critic who called it correctly.
Very good 80’s Bordeaux were my first true wine love. Their style & 12-13% ABV will always be my cherished infatuation. Wished it had never changed.
Bought this Calon Segur on the secondary market several yrs ago. Tricky cork. Used my Durand. All good. Fill line perfect, no bottle neck tannin burn but plenty of velvety sediment.
If any of you ever wondered why there is a heart on the label. Here is the interesting reason…
It symbolizes the estate's deep-rooted history and the affection of its former owner, the Marquis de Ségur. Despite owning prestigious estates like Château Lafite and Château Latour, he famously declared, "I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon." His sentiment is immortalized by the heart emblem on the label.
Opened it and let it breathe from the bottle for 45 minutes. Tasted it and decanting it in stages. Then, stopped 1/2 way through and poured the bottom half of the bottle from the bottle.
82 is such a grand, classic vintage. For the most part, I drink Calon Segur’s too early, even at 20 yrs of age. I don’t want to say it is a long in tooth as its neighbor, Montrose, but it is close. This 82 is drinking perfectly w/ 41 yrs in bottle and will hold another 5 yrs. Such soft, perfectly darkish spices with elegantly ripe fruits.
This 82 glides over the palate. There is only beautiful elegance, nothing bites back. The fruits are older (not old or past their prime), ripe fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums but lean plum vs black, dark cherries, crazy, outstanding, hoovering raspberries with notes of blueberries & shades of freshly picked rhubarb. Some black cherry cola, anise to understated black licorice, dark chocolate pudding, caramel, layered, gentle baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, touch of sun tea, old leather, dryish to fresh tobacco w/ash, charcoal, elegant graphite, dry limestone powder, dry river pebbles, black, rich earth w/ dry leaves, magical, dark spices, grey volcanics, dry stems, just a hint of dry herbs, dry top soil, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, red roses, grand acidity with perfect; balance, tension, structure and a grand, gentle finish that goes on & on and eventually lands on an amazing soft buffet of earthiness.
This is a wine that is technically a 94, but w/ evolution & style a 97. Amazing bottle that you don’t want to end.
$500 a bottle today through the app. Somewhere around $10 upon release. — 6 months ago
Wendouree
Shiraz 1996
Initial impressions - Earthy, Herbal, Soy. Cherry complex and long. Much intestinal fortitude ie. guts. Thankfully not overly menthol/eucalyptus (just a trace) as you often get with all Wendouree Cuvées. Amazing the intensity provided by those old vines going back to the 1890’s. Could easily last another 5 to 10 years but pretty much at its peak right now. This is as good as Australian Shiraz gets - up there with Grange and Hill of Grace and recognised as such by Langtons. With time in the decanter, like all great wines, they develop and change. I was getting raspberry and mineral after a few hours. An exceptional wine and in the top 5 or so wines I have had this year. In good vintages I don’t think Wendouree Shiraz should be approached at under 20 years of age. — 4 years ago
Still 96 shiraz what a wine🙏🙏🍷🍷
Cheers
Ps personally nowadays Hill of Grace and Wendouree are a touch above Grange, but i know you might disagree🧐
Château Margaux
Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1926
Tasted blind. Dark amber/tawny color. Notes of brown sugar, hickory, earth, saddle leather and some cola. Sweet to the taste with lots of complexity. Fruit is still present, with tannins fully resolved of course. Guesses by the boyz are 50’s Bordeaux, but I think it’s older. I’ve had two really old bottles of Chateau Margaux from the 20s and 30s, and I think it’s in that camp so I go with a guess of Margaux from the 20’s. Bingo. We’re told this was given many hours in the decanter and then we consumed it over 3 hours… it was alive from start to the last drop. What a great experience to drink grape juice that is nearly 100 years old. Bravo and thanks Stan! — 5 years ago
Château Musar
Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2008
Nice wine. Although "young" compared to the others I've had which are in the 80's and 90's, this wine is a really nice change of pace. Nose still has the brambly, fruit and tobacco and almost 'foresty' notes that the older ones have a bit more of (and, to me, have QUITE a bit more of). Yet, on the palate this is a combination of sweet and tart fruit. Plum, hint of raisin, tobacco, hint of herb with nice bracing acidity on the finish. I think this wine would go very nicely with a myriad of foods, without trying to compete or outdo those foods. Seems IMO to be more in balance than the ones with 10-20 more years. — 7 years ago
Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2001
2001 vintage. Sweet fill. Cork perfect (used a Durand) but more than a bit underwaxed so it was a positively Italian experience during the opening process. I trust those in the know completely understand what the hell imma talking about. Workout! Cork out in one piece and expected amount of sed. Medium body with overtures towards more. Blueberry, tobacco, plum and gravelly, wet earth impressions leading the charge throughout. Grippy tannins providing visible and raised guardrails during. A little editorial...the 2001's were generally emasculated/minimized after the supposed "vintage of the (which one?) century" in 2000. The 2000's have largely failed to deliver the anticipated goods whereas the "meh" 2001's (at vastly reduced prices from the 2000's) are rocking don't bother knocking now. Completely like the guy or girl that was always cute but totally caught fire after high school. A late(r) bloomer and completely underrated. This wine has an easy 20-spot of top-notch drinking ahead. 1.24.26. — 5 months ago
Masi Agricola Spa S. Ambrogio
Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Corvina Blend 2020
I’d forgotten how very yummy Amarone was. Italian restaurant in Rome - they didn’t have the primitivo I wanted so tried this Classico 2020 instead. Very quaffable, rich notes went well with my lasagna. Bit like a warm hug and relatively low tannins. Now to see if I can find anything similar back in UK. — 6 months ago
Azienda Agricola Stanislao Radikon
"S" Slatnik Venezia Giulia Chardonnay Tocai Friulano 2021
At first it reminded me of a Normandy craft cider. Then I poured some in my glass and the colour struck me. It's orangey and clearly turbid. Not your casual chardonnay Sunday evening pour. The nose is verrrryyy complex, pear, apple, honey, elderflower, white pepper, some slight apricot touch and some yeasty notes too (?). The palate is great too, good acid drive, pear and apple, honey, good width, soft mouthfeel that turns into a tannic wall in the rear that caresses the tongue before powering a multi-layered finish with honey, apricot, apple, pear, a savoury, salty touch. Wow this is wild. It's absolutely not the same wine nor the same tastes and varietals but this reminds to some extent of Joly's wines from la Coulée de Serrant. Extremist in the approach somehow. These guys will die on that hill with their ideas. — 2 years ago
Domaine du Pegau
Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2018
One of the few producers that I purchase each and every vintage. I find that Laurence Feraud’s wines are consistently some of the more interesting and enjoyable wines made in all of Chateauneuf du Pape; particularly when value comes into play. This bottle is my first experience with her 2018 vintage and the first bottle of a small tranche that I swooped up upon release. Popped and poured; consumed over 5 hours. The color is deep ruby with a near opaque core; glossy and gorgeous to behold. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, this is classic Pegaü with loads of dark cherry and bramble fruit, a veritable hillside full of garrigue, lavender, black pepper, and something that reminds me of old books. On that palate, the fruit is equally generous, brambles and cherries, exotic spices, Herbs de Provence and a somewhat sanguine-like character to it. Substantial structure, though it seems to be a notch lower than the previous three vintages at this point in its young life. The tannins are very sneaky. Almost imperceptible for the first hour and yet, by hour four, they were very much making themselves known (in the Medium+ range). Acid is also Medium+ indicating these have an exciting life ahead. The finish lasts for well over a minute. All in all, another lovely Pegaü that will likely live in the shadow of some of the more heralded vintages in the last ten years however, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a stunner. Absolutely lovely stuff and I very much look forward to enjoying these well into the 2030’s. — 5 years ago
Castellare di Castellina
I Sodi di San Niccolò Toscana Sangiovese Blend 2001
2001 I Sodi Di S. Noccolo. Castellare Di Castellare
Since I tried their seductive 2006 vintage, I’ve been looking for other vintages. Finally, I got to try their 2001. This was not as memorable as their 2006, it still brought me back the memory of the wine. Garnet color. Dark fruits with leather and spices.
2006年があまりにも印象に残っていて、他のビンテージを探していたところ2001年を入手。あの時の感動の再来を願って試しました。2006年ほどの感動はありませんでしたが、レザーやスパイスの香り、熟成したフルーツ感も十分感じられるワインでした。 — 6 years ago
Gargiulo Vineyards
G Major 7 Study 575 OVX Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2011
Having 3 of these I figured it would be a nice time to see how this one is doing. Well, I think that this one has probably reached the very front of the optimal drinking window. Took about 15 minutes of air. The nose was red fruit, mint, red licorice, raspberry and oak. Lossa lossa oak. Entry is a little acidic, minty, flinty, red fruit dominant. Middle of this wine tones down a bit and really finds a nice little groove. Finishes with a lot of astringency (say what?) for a 2011. Structure is what. Quality is what. And I think this one has the power to go another 15 years and be juuuust fine, which I'm not sure I could say about many 2011's from the Napa floor. Drink with 30 minute decant or hold for another 5-10 years. — 7 years ago
Bindi
Block 5 Pinot Noir 2016
I like Michael, his philosophy, and in most cases, his wines, but the 2016 Block 5's far too ripe for me. It's dark fruit dominant, very sweet, and although, not much new oak (35%), quite oaky. Chocolatey, spicy, and quite tannic for a Pino. As usual, the structure and density are impressive. For me, this wine's just unbalanced at the moment and it needs time. That said, I don't think even Michael escaped the blistering heat of 2016. — 7 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
A 1/4 century in bottle…mmmm. I have had every 90’s vintage of Phelps Napa, except a 90 I think. Many of those multiple times at 15 yrs plus. This 99 is as good as any of the ones I’ve had. 98, not a great vintage but the 98 consistent with the rest and 99 better than many would expect.
Siting it, it has a dark core with little or no brickish edges. The fruit still very lively.
The nose shows; slightly candied to ripe & some slightly plummy fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, pomegranate & raspberries. Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry tobacco, used leather, dry stems, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, graphite, cocoa powder, dark cola, steeped berry tea, moist clay, dark & red bright florals framed I liquid violets with a touch of lavender.
This is still around its peak. M-M+ velvety, round tannins. It’s round w/ elegance defined. Nothing that bits back. Palate confirms the nose. Slightly candied to ripe fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, pomegranate & raspberries. Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry tobacco, used leather, dry stems, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, limestone, dark Asian spices with some palate heat, dry herbs w/ a sage lead, graphite, used charcoal ash, cocoa powder, caramel, dark cola, steeped berry tea, moist clay, dark & red bright florals framed in liquid violets with a touch of lavender, very round, beautiful acidity, well; made, knitted, structured, tensioned w/ excellent length and elegance-balanced finish that lasts minutes & lands on moist clays and ripe, evolved fruit.
Perfect w/ the Prime Ribcap. — a month ago