Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2018 “S” pours a slightly hazy garnet/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of pomegranate, cranberry, strawberry, licorice, purple flowers, green herbs and crushed rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium+. I love me some Lapierre. Drink now through 2038. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Ruby in color with a wide purplish rim, and medium plus intensity.

Pretty nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, chocolates, mediterranean spices, eucalyptus, tobacco, herbs and black pepper.

Medium plus in body and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, blueberries, blackberries, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, light earth, herbs, chocolates, spices and peppercorn.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Fruit forward and elegant. Spicy and entertaining.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime.

Complex and engaging, with a soft mouthfeel. Really enjoyed the nose here.

This 5 year old Cabernet based Bordeaux blend is already drinking beautifully, and will continue to age nicely in the next 7 to 10 years.

I've had a few different vintages of this Cabernet and it is very consistent.

Wine Enthusiasts 92 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.

A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 22 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$55. — 6 months ago

Joe DAscoli

9.6

From magnum at Acker birthday auction. Incredibly fresh and light colored. No oxidation. Really nice — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1989 vintage. From a 375ml. Opened not decanted. Great top shoulder fill. Used a Durand. Pristine cork. Throwing slightly less sed than anticipated. Dusty and earthy nose. Tasted 30 minutes and 1 hour after opening. Light-medium body throughout. Front palate a bit thin and watery but back end had some gamey/meaty notes intertwined with dirt clods. Despite the descriptors, maintained elegance for the duration. Seems to be holding the line here for a spell in the 375ml format. 10.17.25. — 10 months ago

"Odedi"

9.0

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Nice nose of blue and black fruits with light wood, spices, licorice, light earth, vegetables, herbs, tobacco leaf and dark coffee.

Full-bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cherries, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, coffee, tobacco leaf, earth and black pepper.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins, raspberries and peppercorn.

This 7 year old Merlot from Bordeaux is peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years. Complex and interesting.

I had this vintage 3 years ago, and it hasn't changed much, except that the nose has become noticeably prettier.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly so be patient.

Good by itself and better with food. I paired it with grilled picanha.

A blend of 71% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$25. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Zwebner Estate Vineyard Judean Mountains 35.6.18 Red 2017, Bethlehem

#KosherWineSunday

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, black plums, currants, raspberries, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, coffee, tobacco leaf, herbs, earth, peppercorn and black tea.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 6 year old red blend from the Judean Mountains in Israel, is showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel. Elegant and spicy.

Fruit forward right out of the bottle, and even better after an hour of airtime.

This Single Vineyard is good by itself or with food. A great sipping wine.

I Had the 2015 a few years ago, and it is very consistent. Delicious stuff.

A blend of Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Kosher.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1982 vintage. From magnum. Decanted for approx 3 hours before tasting. Better color than expected. Good amount of sed on the decant. Decent amount of color along with a light body. Nose not overwhelmingly fantastic but respectable. Plenty of cocoa flavor along with tobacco spices on the finish. Pretty solid concentration remaining. This was in the maximized pleasure zone but feeling it being closer to the end than the start of the zone. Out of maggie, maybe another 4-5 really nice years. From a 750ml example? Thinking drinking now. 3.2.23. — 3 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Earthy nose with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, Indian spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, earth, dark chocolates, green vegetables and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, oak, dark chocolates, coffee, spices, earth, black tea, light green vegetables and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a young Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced. Fruit forward and complex, with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Left Bank Bordeaux.

Needed 3 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

I've had a few different vintages of this wine and this vintage seems to be more approachable at this young age.

Delicious by itself, and paired beautifully with the beef brisket.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Beautiful gold in color.

Strong nose of citrus, lemons, over ripe apples, marzipan, nuts, cedar, spices, light vanilla and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and fat legs.

Dry on the palate with apples, pears, light earth, spices, nuts, light honeysuckle, light bitter herbs and white pepper.

Long finish with light almonds and limes.

This 12 year old Chardonnay from Sonoma County is still drinking beautifully. Elegant and rich. Spicy and oily. Nicely balanced with a buttery mouthfeel.

Needs 30 minutes to open up properly, but good right out of the bottle too, and better when not too cold.

Wine Advocate 91 points. Wine Enthusiasts 94 points.

I've had a few vintages of this Single Vineyard Chardonnay, and it is always delicious with age.

Really enjoyed it as a sipping wine, but good with food too.

100% Chardonnay grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$100. — 6 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Pale lemon in color.

Strong nose of apples, lemons, limes, minerals and light diesel notes.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with a touch of RS to balance it out. Showing citrus, apples, pears, light earth, light diesel, limes, light grapefruits herbs and sea salt.

Tangy finish with limes and herbs.

This 4 year old Riesling from Spring Mountain is starting to drink nicely now, but needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Spicy and entertaining.

I've had a few vintages of this wine, and so far the 2018 vintage is my favorite one.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and interesting.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food. Crisp and better when not too cold.

13.2% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$40. — 9 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim. Doesn't show much age.

Beautiful nose with red and black fruits, chocolates, tobacco leaf, vegetables, forest floor, black tea, earth, coffee, herbs, spices, black pepper and wildflowers.

Full bodied and soft with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, cherries, black plums, currants, oak, light chocolates, coffee, mushrooms, licorice, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs and spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a gorgeous 24 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Saint Julien. Rich and elegant. Spicy and very complex. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Drinking at its peak now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.

A great sipping wine that is so much fun to drink by itself.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in (33% new) French oak barrels for 18 months.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$150. — 10 months ago

Kaitlin Petrone

9.1

Beautiful light red color. Refreshing and fruity, some earthy and slightly funky notes. Enjoyed this as a fresh pairing to some Indian food with friends, and looking forward to trying more from this Sicilian winemaker! — 3 years ago

with Kathy and Tbone

Jay Kline

9.4

When a bottle of wine is this old, one can never have too high of expectations. There are far too many variables to consider when it comes to whether it will even be drinkable, let alone enjoyable. Particularly when it’s a wine from an unheralded vintage like 1953. As someone who has been fortunate enough to have tried many old bottles over the last ten or so years, I have had my share of duds; even bottles from a good vintage with strong provenance. However, every now and again, a bottle will surprise and this 1953 Barolo from Pio Cesare went way beyond my expectations. It had many stories to tell.

There was a tremendous amount of sediment but I had allowed that to settle to the bottom by leaving it upright for a couple of days. We pulled the cork few hours before service and decanted. The cork was very typical of wines from the region at the time; short and stubby. With the help of a Durand, we were able to extract in one piece and, to my astonishment, the cork was only 1/3 saturated. And then, whoa…what a lovely perfume. It was alive! The ’53 pours a light copper color and has a largely transparent core. On the nose, the fruit is still playing a major role however it was almost completly desiccated now: cherry, apricot, prune, tar, dried roses, dried leather, and mushrooms. On the palate the tannins are almost imperceptible and completely resolved. The acid is lovely; the preserver of life. The notes from the nose were confirmed and there was a long, satisfying finish. There was substance and a real energy about it. Old…and yet so full of life! I want to be absolutely clear, this wasn’t just a novel experience. This was a practical one as well as it paired perfectly with tajarin tossed with shiitake mushrooms as well as a bit of bone-in Wagyu New York Strip from Morgan Ranch. Everyone at the table was smitten by this septuagenarian of a Barolo; even those who had no prior experience with old wines. Drink now.

For what it’s worth, I’ve had this bottle in my cellar for a little over a year, when I was fortunate to have come across one with decent provenance. This is a wine I will very likely never see again but it was so wonderful to have had the experience and I’ll cherish this memory forever. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened prior to dinner; enjoyed over several hours. The 2012 pours a light ruby with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of red brambles, red rope licorice, leather, red flowers and purple flowers, and stony minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose the finish is medium+. Textbook, Grenache forward CdP that’s showing quite beautifully. Drink now through 2032. — 5 months ago

"Odedi"

9.6

Drinking this pre-release bottle of this iconic wine from Bordeaux.

Light gold in color.

Strong nose and Full-bodied.

Sweet on the palate with high acidity to balance the sugars.

Showing melons, tropical fruits, apples, light earth, guava, herbs, spices, papaya and honey notes.

Long finish with herbs and tropical fruits.

This is a gorgeous sweet wine from Bordeaux. Sexy, seductive and fresh. Creamy and buttery.

Showing great potential, but oh so young. Already delicious and complex. Round, opulent and powerful.

Loved the nose once it opened up (20 minutes in the glass).

Rich and extracted. Fruit forward and intense, yet elegant. Well balanced with a soft mouthfeel.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food. Drunk from a Magnum.

A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months.
154 g/l sugar.

14% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

$500. — 5 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Purple in color with a purplish rim.

Fresh fruits on the nose with cedar, licorice and chocolates notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, light oak, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice, light vegetables, tobacco, light earth, herbs and black pepper.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious 5 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Pauillac. Elegant, fruit forward and rich.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Wine Advocate 94 points.

Still young, and a tad subdued at the moment, but with good structure and nice complexity. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

Already showing a great mouthfeel, nicely balanced and good by itself or with food.

A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot. Aged in (75% new) French Oak barrels.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$90. — 8 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The 2006 Bordeaux vintage. The vintage while wasn’t Bordeaux’s best, it certainly wasn’t one of its worst. It had the unenviable position of following a grand 2005 vintage. I think better than 2000, maybe 09 & 10? Jury is still out. The Bordelaise also got greedy and raised their prices from 05. That was a mistake when it came to selling the 2006 vintage and it laid another layer of bad taste in consumers minds.

I really enjoy Pichon Lalande’s style/craft. The 06 is good, not great. In fact, I enjoyed this better w/o the lamb.

The fruits are just ripe. Velvety, rounded M+ tannins. Brambly blackberries, dryish black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, some raspberry hues, oak barrel shavings, graphite, dry soils, dry tobacco & leather, dry clay, soft but dark spice, some dry herbs, soft baking spices- clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, light milk chocolate, caramel hues, black tea, anise, some mid berry cola, dry & withering, dark & red flowers, violets, decent, round acidity, balanced, neatly structured/tensioned with an elegant finish that lasts just over 90 seconds and falls on dry earth and soft, dark spice.

Still acceding and has 15 plus yrs of good drinking ahead. Could make a case for rounding up to 93.

Paired w/ Grilled Rack of Lamb, Served with Rosemary Jus, Fondant Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli.

@EK148 — 10 months ago

Ed Chin

9.3

I was skeptical thinking because it was from Chile that it would be a dud. I was pleasantly surprised and think it can hold its own against some classified growths. Perfumed depth balance light bodied and a fairly long finish. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Full bodied, smooth and soft, with medium acidity.

Showing black fruits with cedar, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, black pepper, dark chocolates and light herbs.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a really nice Cabernet Sauvignon from Atlas Peak in Napa Valley. Fruit forward and spicy. Rich and elegant.

Still very young, but already delicious. A good quality wine that will continue to improve in the next 10 years.

Tangy and entertaining with nice complexity. A good sipping wine.

Nicely balanced and good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in (40% new) American and French oak barrels for 15 months. Only 900 bottles made.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$80. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.2

The 2009 Lynch-Bages is very well defined on the nose, yet powerful with ample fruit to spare: blackberry, wild strawberry, cranberry mixed with cedar and a light mint touch. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and lightly spiced with superb focus. It exerts a gentle grip from start to finish, then delivers an engaging, spicy finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent. Tasted at the Lynch Bages vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2023) — 3 years ago