Life In The Woods

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Opened earlier in the day and double-decanted several hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of three hours. The 1982 pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) and slightly green compared to the ’82 Mouton that was poured alongside. Cassis, purple Chewy SweeTarts, green bell pepper, old wood, some earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and has massive structure still. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly bitter. Drink now with a long decant but there are decades of life left. — 13 days ago

Ericsson, Ron and 28 others liked this
Vino Joe

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Good to know! How long was your decant? And over how long a window did you enjoy it?
Jay Kline

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@Vino Joe great questions; I have answers. Note updated!

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Showing very well after 2 hours in the decanter but this is still very young and unresolved. Very enjoyable still but a long life ahead. — 6 months ago

Byron, Vino and 17 others liked this

A. Rafanelli

Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over period that lasted a few hours. The 2008 pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with mostly fresh, tart, vibrant red fruits: red brambles, red currants and tart cherries with some pyrazines, tobacco, some cool herbs, dry earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and bordering high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and the body is perceptibly leaner than both the 1988 and the 2018. That being said, I love its transparency because it is clearly telling part of the story of the vintage. The frost was merciless in Dry Creek in the spring of 2008. So far, the evolution seems slow to me. Drink now with a decant but considering the structure, this has a long life ahead. If I had another bottle, I would open my next after 2028. — 8 months ago

Ira, Aaron and 7 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2001

Bright, fresh and vigorous aromas of cherryfruit, pomegranate, rosehip and brown spices like cinnamon. Also touches of caramel, coconut and dried leaves/flowers. Soft acidity, medium-plus body and a long, smooth finish. Drinking great at age 20. Certainly a decade of life left in this wine.
Tremendous stuff.
— 3 years ago

John, Thijs and 27 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016

Okay. Again the same dilemma. If a wine does not meet expectation is it basically bad (for me)? 🤔 because in life everything is relative, right? Any thoughts on puzzling matter??The wine was well balanced, dark red fruit flavors, polished, smooth tannins, good intensity and concentration, but limited length and lacking any meaningful complexity… Eight year old left bank Bordeaux. A fourth or fifth growth winery, maybe not, can’t remember for sure. Do remember what I paid though, $120. Definitely too much for what we experienced this evening…. as to our expectations. — 3 months ago

Tammy de Weerd
with Tammy
Jan, Andrew and 13 others liked this
Dawn E.

Dawn E.

@Jan de Weerd from reviews not personal experience. Most let this wine age twenty plus years?

Martin Woods

Hyland Vineyard Riesling 2022

Lyle Fass
9.6

Pfalz nose, peach, apricot, huge minerals, oeach fuzz, wow what a nose, so so aromatic. wow huge fruit and acidity but also round like elite riesling. So so deep, cuts a swath across the palate. There’s honey but more will come with age. Inner mouth confectionary, killer, so deep and such a long finish. Wow. Amazing acidity and so ultra long. Juicy and delineated. Needs air and I will be back. Unreal grip and tannin and so explosive. Just stunning. American GG in the house. Now after 9 hours the nose is more complex with wet stones and more pronounced peach and apricot. So juicy and energetic and huge citrus. — 4 months ago

Pinotman, Vanessa and 8 others liked this

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

1989 vintage. Tasted 5.5.23 (9.5), 4.4.23 (6 different btls-avg 9.4) and 12.9.22 (9.6). Above average fill for the age and impressive cork (about 70% saturated). Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Threw a decent amount of powdery sed. Medium nose slightly muted for the first 10 minutes or so but then came roaring to life. Yes, still the hallmark blueberries and cocoa powder along with a dash of raspberry but bigg graphite with this bottle. Drank consistently great for 1.75 hours, then seemed to lose a little steam at the very end. Not improving but still think cellar dwellers need to be popped in the next five years to enjoy the magic before it fades. 3.28.24. — 9 months ago

Andrew, Paul and 16 others liked this

Martin Woods

Jessie James Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022

Lyle Fass
9.8

Wow. The nose is neutral. OMG that palate is decadent and severely structured and the most velvety tannins that are squeezing out unreal tiny fruit intensity. This is the most epic Pinot in Oregon. This is a french Grand Cru wine being made in Oregon. Unreal structure, high acid, Inner mouth aromas. Judgement deferred. 9.6 based on past notes. I will follow this over the next few days. After 7 hours nose is more decadent but still not yielding what it can. This will be better tomorrow. Lovely spice but I know what this wine can be. The texture on the palate though is really coming through. Juicy and supple but still clipped finish. But long. 9.6 to 9.7. but I can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s so juicy and so layered. Impressive. Palate is so supple and dense on day 2. Unreal tannins, depth, sweetness and power. 9.7 to 9.8. — 4 months ago

Matthew, Spencer and 6 others liked this

Beaulieu Vineyard

Reserve Tapestry Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2007

David T
9.4

The one thing I get from this wine w/ this age is cognac notes and the 07 is just starting cognac notes on the long set. Still, rounded, medium plus, velvety tannins.

The fruits are ripe, juicy, lush; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, darkest cherries, & red cherries on the long set, strawberry hues. Chocolate/ cake/pudding/mousse, dark berry cola, mocha, dark chocolate, caramel, dark spice, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise core to black licorice, dark spice w/ palate heat, dry, crush rock, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, liquid, dry herbaceous notes, fresh to withering; dark, red, slightly blue flowers framed in a field of violets & lavender, round, summer rainfall with a softly tensioned state, tall structure, well balanced, finely but deeply knitted & evenly polish finish that is nearly endless.

If you can have patience, Tapestry is one of the best Napa Cabernet for the money & this one has plenty of life ahead. 10 plus years.

Photos of; sunset on a BV vineyard, their tasting from many vantage points & old Victorian House.
— 6 months ago

Bob, Ira and 16 others liked this

Pétrus

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1967

Completely alive!
Quite deep still , medium garnet core , medium narrow garnet rim . Rounded smoked plum , undergrowth , touch floral . Plump and round in the mouth , mix of red and dark fruits , quite elegant and medium bodied , pretty good length . Still a touch of noticeable but very fine tannins, though very much integrated into the wine. Elegant and well balanced acidity . Based on this magnum , the wine is fully mature but with a lot of life left. Not the most complex or large scale Petrus by any means , however it has great texture and elegance , harmonious powder fine tannins , just a joy drink now and over the next 10 years perhaps. This was opened and then decanted just before service , followed over 2 and a half hours and was still going strong at the end. Magnum had a level of bottom neck . Drank at Noizé, London .
— 2 years ago

Severn, Anthony and 11 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

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What a treat!