Lot 49
Château Palmer
Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1996
Medium garnet , medium garnet rim . Aromatic , and slightly funky nose , with herbal, cedar , sous bois , truffle . On the palate this is slightly strict , quite high acidity , slightly gritty tannin , mix of red and dark fruits , herbal tinges , tobacco and earthy finish . Quite linear and elegant . Perhaps slightly rustic , not particularly ambitious but classic ‘gentleman’s club’ claret. Though this is showing quite a lot of tertiary character it is still drinking well , drink now and over the next 5 or so years — a month ago
Produttori del Barbaresco
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2012
Plenty of tannins left. 25bucks. Those were the days! 14%| Quite classic. Browne tinge. Needs at least 2-3 hours of air. Quite harsh and astringent. Roses, earthy and dusty, very dry. Hint of truffles. - Not super exciting at first (15min) so wait. Will last another 10 years - but i do worry about the fruit component if you need space in your cellar - i would suggest drink up. I will. Some folks tend to hype these wines i don’t - after all this is their most basic version with a large production volume. Total volume is 500,000 bottles a year at this cooperative. My guess they to make a lot of this one. — 9 days ago
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012
An exceptional, full-bodied wine. Tasted a lot of black cherry, currants, cedar, and creme de cassis. Drinking great now, but should last a long time in the cellar. — 2 months ago
Opus One
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012
Medium deep ruby , quite thin garnet rim . Quite a lot of cassis, herbal grafite notes , touch of blackberry , scorched earth , a bit for floral after a while in the glass. On the palate this shows more sweet dark fruit, touch of spicy oak, blackcurrant , dark cherry and cacau . Balanced acidity and sweet slightly grippy tannins , just balanced alcohol . Spicy sweet blackcurrant, grafite tinged finish , decent length. This is still young and quite fruit driven but is enjoyable now with food . Better in 5 years or so and will last well a further 8-10. — 2 months ago
Penfolds
Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 2010
Dense dark crimson - almost black in colour. Red and black fruits, choc/mocha; and wild mint. An inner core of strength, concentration and intensity. The following night - Blackberry, rich, ripe fruits. A powerful 389 which will live for decades. My first of 11. Destined for greatness. 100% American Oak. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon; 49% Shiraz. — a month ago
Caymus Vineyards
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Drinking a 3L from 2013 in late ‘24. Love the big format bottles and aging potential. This could go a lot longer I think but is also fine to drink now.
Standard Caymus flavors and aromas that made the brand known. Dark inky crimson color. Blueberries and blackberry fruit mixed with vanilla alongside the tell-tale signs of wet band-aid. Great tannins, medium-to-big acidity, good long finish. Really nice. — 5 months ago
David Peifer
As a nod to Karen (who some will remembered worked at Louis M. Martini decades ago—and is the nicest and best person to ever work in the wine industry) we opened this for my birthday. Paired it with a Tri Tip. It was a nice pairing. Good cab. It was better a couple years ago but still nice to drink for a special occasion. — a month ago