

NV | Champagne
(100% Pinot Noir)
Marie Demets; Tradition
Extra Brut-Blanc de Noirs
Côte des Bar; Gyé-sur-Seine, France
Tirage 5 March 2022 / Disgorged 7 June 2023
Lot No. T-22/2
(90-92; Drink 2024-30)
On the Lawn at Tanglewood this afternoon with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (the overly talented youth!). Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading IVES (Three Places in New England, Orchestral Set No. 1), BEETHOVEN (Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Opus 37) and STRAUSS (Also sprach Zarathustra, Opus 30...aka 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick❤️).
One of our local treasures, Emanuel Ax on piano for the Beethoven Concerto! — 2 years ago
One of the best California Syrahs. 3% Viognier. Basket pressed. Unfiltered, unfixed. Violets, black fruits, dried apricots. Overture of herbal spices, honey and cocoa. — 4 years ago
Consistent with the Opus lead pencil, dark chocolate, and dark cherry fruit. Tannins are rich and refined. This is delicious. — 5 years ago
40% Barbera, 60% Cab, very interesting, lively and good body&aftertaste — 6 years ago
I had this opened next to a 2007 Opus One. It spent an hour in the decanter. I actually preferred over the opus one. It has a deeper color and provided notes of blackberry, vanilla and pepper. Gravity fed winery, very cool. — 6 years ago
Inspire Napa welcome dinner
at Gamble Estates
VINTNER co-hosts
Dalla Valle ...2012 Maya
Harlan...2019 Harlan estate
Futo...2022 estate cab
Opus...2018 Opus
Screaming Eagle...2023 The Flight
Tench Vineyards...2023 estate cab franc
Vine Hill Ranch...2023 cab
Gamble estates...2022 reserve cab
FOOD
Hog Island oysters
Spring salad
Flannery beef striploin
Mustards Grill Alaskin Halibut
Sugar snap peas
Yukon potato hash browns
Mt Shasta porcini mushrooms
Burnt Basque cheesecake — 2 months ago

2021 opened April 2025. This is a luscious wine, but I can’t help but nitpick. All the individual components are very one-dimensional. That’s not to say they all don’t work together well to make a great wine – but there’s nothing challenging on the palate about this vintage. If you like the monolithic cabs produced by Opus 1, then this wine is for you. However, I’d prefer a little more quirky individualism in my tipples.
The nose is overwhelmingly tobacco. The front is heavy with red fruit. The tannic structure is heavy, smooth, and silky. It has a medium long finish with hints of volcanic minerals. This wine is so perfect that it’s boring. If you like perfect perfection then up my score to 100 points, but I like the little challenges that quirky vintages give me. — a year ago
Opus
竹中さん送別会 — 3 years ago
Nice treat for my birthday. Def a Margaux. All the right tannins and soil yet excellent berry overture from start to finish. Paired with ribeye from Darien Butcher Shop. — 7 years ago
Mondavi wine dinner with:
Carlo Mondavi of RAEN
Tim Mondavi of Continuum
Chiara Mondavi of Sentium
WINES
2022 Sentium sav blanc
2018 RAEN Charles Ranch chard
2023 RAEN lady Marjorie chard
2015 RAEN homefield pinot
2023 RAEN seafield pinot
2014 RAEN Bodega pinot
2023 RAEN Bodega pinot
1991 Robert Mondavi reserve cab..YUM!!!
1980 Opus One (2nd vintage!!!!!!)
2013 Continuum cab
2022 Continuum cab
1968 Madeira, Portugal Boal
FOOD
Sea scallop
Lobster thermidor with wild fennel
Liberty duck
Fresh shelling beans..baked beans in a can for the Mondavi reserve and Opus. Fun
Coal roasted A5 wagyu beef
Medjool date — 8 months ago

2010 | Chardonnay
Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix; Vaillon 1er Cru
Burgundy; Chablis, France
(90-92; Drink 2025-33)
On the Lawn at Tanglewood this evening with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading John WILLIAMS (Violin Concerto No. 2, written specifically for the intended soloist this evening) featuring the violin virtuoso, Anne-Sophie Mutter, STRAUSS (Death and Transfiguration, Opus 24) and then RAVEL (La Valse). — 3 years ago
Well balance red cuvee — 5 years ago
intense aromatics, blackberry, milk chocolate, vanilla bean, licorice, pencil shavings, menthol; dark fruit and sweet fine grained tannins with incredible concentration, density, and persistence; 14.6% ABV; 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Farella Vineyard planted in red volcanic soils, fruit used to go to Opus One; in a fantastic place right now; $150 — 6 years ago
Love this reminds me of opus one — 7 years ago
On the Lawn at Tanglewood this final afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Nashville Symphony director) is leading SCHOENBERG (Friede auf Erde, Opus 13 (Peace on Earth), for unaccompanied chorus) and BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125).
The 9th by Beethoven is always bittersweet for us, as it marks the end of the official Symphony and Pops season for the BSO at their Summer home. It is a wonderful and singularly emotive moving piece, with the full force of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at 250+ singers, conveying the message of a divine spark of joy that makes all people one.
'Freude, schöner Götterfunken!' / 'Joy, beauteous, godly spark!'
Nose has ripe yellow apple, lightly oxidized green apple peel, baked phyllo dough, partially aromatic white flowers and damp rocks. I always get a natural wine vibe here, without the vinegar-like profile, but it seems alive!
Palate has baked green and yellow apple pastry, crisp acidity yet dense, candle wax begins on the finish and ends with dry granite. Great balance, very lengthy finish, clean and not cumbersome, superb vintage, long life ahead. We love you Jean-Jacques. — 7 years ago



Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Been a bit since my last but still do not think much of the style of their Cabernet. Especially, given its price point.
2022 Napa Cabernet’s more than less boil down to when did you harvest, before or after the 10 days of intense heat during the harvest window.
2026 Taste of Oakvile — 5 days ago