Eric Shanks

9.7

Old school battle. Blankiet takes it easily. Perhaps a vintage disadvantage for Dalla Valle? Haven’t had many 2000’s. Hour 2 update: both wines have calmed down and the Dalla Valle has improved considerably. Both wines are fully mature, smooth, integrated, and complex. Dead heat. — 3 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for my Friday's Cabernet fix. delicious Napa Cab.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, figs, raisins, light alcohol, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, light cloves, chocolates, mocha, coke and dark coffee.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, blueberries, sweet strawberries, oak, vanilla, chocolate cake, coffee, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead, tobacco and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is delicious. This is from a great vintage (2012) and it is showing. Rich and extracted with nice complexity and mouthfeel. I liked the tangy ending.

This 7 year old is drinking very nicely now and will be good in the next 5 to 7 years. Needs 3 hours to open up properly, but good right out of the bottle.

A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 18 months in (30%) New French oak barrels.

Thank you Wendy for sharing this with me.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$90. — 4 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Had this 2 years ago. Special wine not produced every year, BDX presents a different expression of Oakville, Bordeaux blend of 91% Cab Sauv, 8% Cab Franc & 1% Petit Verdot. The wine sat on French oak (55% new) for 28 months. Aromas of rich berry fruit with sweet oak, spice & cedar notes. On the palate blackberry & sweet cherry flavor with cacao & oak spice, great balance & structure. Smooth tannins, great mouthfeel, balanced acidity on a long finish ending with a slight tangy pepper character. Great value! — 4 days ago

"Odedi"

9.0

This week #MerlotThursday is a nice surprise. A unique Merlot blend from Napa Valley.

A pretty color of dark ruby with a nice reddish rim.

Fruity nose of cherries, plums, red currants, oak, smoke, vegetables, vanilla, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, licorice, graphite, bitter herbs and minerals.

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

Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, blueberries, wood, cloves, spices, vegetables, tobacco, peppercorn and espresso.

Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This 6 year old Merlot/ Sangiovese blend is very tasty. Nice and engaging with nice acidity. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Tangy and rich.

A good food wine and good by itself as well. Needs a couple of hours to open up properly. Would benefit from another few years in the bottle.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Sangiovese.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$30. — 5 days ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Double decant (lots of fine sediment). A beguiling Deep Purple [Machine Head rules]. On the nose: black fruit, earthy, floral some slight barn yard funk which I luv. Taste: silky, nice balance with black cherry, pencil lead, spice and cedar with a long finish...drink em now or over the next 8 years!! — 18 days ago

Shay A

9.4

Monthly WTF group recap. Theme this month was “bring something special”. Normally we taste all of the wines blind, but we decided to do a relaxed night with amazing wines at a great restaurant. Spectacular evening!

I consistently find these wines to be very soft and plush. A very approachable mix of dark fruits with sweet spice and oak on the nose. Velvet like on the palate with red, blue and black fruits alongside baked fig. The finish has nutmeg, sweet cocoa and baking spices. Thanks @Ryan G . — 12 days ago

with Michael, Jack and 8 others

Mark Flesher

9.2

Playing a little catch up.... I have some younger Archive, which I was going to open within a couple of years. However, this GSM blend crafted in a year arguably more difficult has really made me rethink my decision. This wine is doing just fine tonight. Took about 45 minutes for some of the oddities to blow off. Started with an orange rind kind of note which did resolve. The nose at first was brambleberry, ginger, tangerine, herbs, black cherry and flowers. The entry after 30-45 minutes was more on the black cherry and brambleberry side. Wildflowers. The nose never quite blew off that tangerine note, but the palate went solid red and herbal and even drew some green olive and tobacco to the middle. Good acidity from front to back. These wines are very well made. I do not believe that this one is on the way down, but it certainly isn't going to get any better so this is the time to start enjoying these if you have not done so already! — 12 days ago

Paul Hoffert

9.2

I have said it before and I am saying it again. This is a good wine. Pop and sniff shows highlights of blackberries and a touch of fall leaves. All of which remain after decanting for over an hour. On the palate you will get blackberries, cigar box, hints of chocolate, dry soil and tobacco. The finish it lovely. — 6 days ago

Tree Kilpatrick

8.9

Lighter color. Kinda rosy. Smells like fruit danish, syrup, or pies perhaps. Hint of mineral oils. Rhubarb and Aussie licorice. Flavor is stem-y and tart. Dry, but juicy as well. Clean and elegant. Plenty of goose, rasp, and currant berries. A nice red blend that shows effortless class. — 16 hours ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

From small Napa producer. Mostly Cab Sauv 63% and Merlot 32% with added Cab Franc & Petit Verdot, aged 22 months in 80% new French oak, deep Ruby, aromas of red/black fruits with sweet floral notes. On the palate blackberry and black cherry fruit with notes of licorice and vanilla, beginning to show nutty like character. Fine smooth tannins, medium+ finish ending with sweet oak character. Nice balance and mouthfeel. — 9 days ago