Red Blend
Anita und Hans Nittnaus
Comondor Red Blend 1997
Eigentlich als Absacker gedacht bei so nem alten Wein, Erwartung war sehr pessimistisch. War sehr überrascht über die volle Würze und Reife, welche sofort in den Mund knallt. Höchstens 3-4 Jahre drüber... ganz ehrlich aber, mit das komplex Geilste was ich von Niettnaus bisher trinken dürfte 💪🏻 — a day ago
Bryant Family Vineyard
DB4 Napa Valley Red Blend 2010
I get a lot of heat here, both on the nose, which delivers an explosion of chambord and stewed cherries, and in the mouth with its heavy syrupy Vick’s cherry cough drop flavors and clipped warm stinging finish. This is an agitated hottie right now. Too much of too much. I respect a big wine, but I appreciate when I can look past the muscle and appreciate the dexterity and heart. This is all baby rattlesnake at present—biting indiscriminately. I hope it matures and smooths out the rough edges in it’s teens. I wouldn’t touch for 5 years but I’m not confident of improvement based on what I see right now.
DAY 2 UPDATE: after being open for 24 hours the heat has subsided substantially but it still exists. Softer edges now and the finish is markedly longer and fuller. I’ve bumped my score 3 points. I still say hold but if you open audoze in the morning and decant 2 hours before consumption. — 14 days ago
Viña Almaviva S.A.
Almaviva Puente Alto Red Blend 2009
After last weekends 2014 success I discovered the 2009 lurking in a local liquor store. Firstly there was a cork emergency as it broke while trying to remove. I have read other reviews mentioning this for the 2009 so beware. No drama, the wine is fine but it might make me think twice about buying any more to lay down. First thirty minutes out of the bottle is no go, disjointed and harsh flavours. After an hour in the decanter the wine comes to life, visually some browning around the edges and great aromas of dark fruit, tobacco, earth and oak. Nose develops lavender, green pepper and chocolate as time goes on. Palate is rounded, with a complex blend of all of the above plus lead pencil (I never understood that one until today), tar and cherry. Great, fragrant finish. Real quality, two vintages on two Saturdays ‘14 slightly better than the ‘09 in my opinion but both really good. I see that the ‘15 is available now; next weekend? — 15 days ago
Cashmere Cellars
Black Magic Alluring Dark California Red Blend 2015
Deep purple in color with a short purplish rim.
Fruity nose of blackberries, blueberries, sweet cherry pie, wood, vanilla, licorice, light vegetables, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky, earth, vinaigrette, spices and black pepper.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked strawberries, oak, licorice, cloves, chocolates, earth, vanilla, spices, alcohol, tobacco, light vegetables and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a great red blend from California. Well balanced with nice complexity and mouthfeel. The palate was much more interesting than the nose.
Peaking now, and good right out of the bottle, but much better after 2 hours when the tannins come in and bring in more structure. I had it last year, and now it's much better. The tannins calmed down and it is much more balanced.
Wine Enthusiasts 88 points.
A blend of Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache. A yummy blend with a nice mouthfeel.
15% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$16. — a day ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
The 2000 is delicious but, it is evolving at a glacial pace. Out of magnum.
On the nose, touch of barnyard, glycerin, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, dark,,turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals.
The body is full, round & sexy. Dry softened, sweet tannins. ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, fresh tobacco leaf, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, dark, turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is magnificent. The structure, tension, length and balance are sensational. The finish is drop dead gorgeous. I’d still hold mine another 5 years as long as you have 3-4 bottles for more 5 year increments.
Photos of, their Estate vines, Clyde Beffa-Owner of K&L Wine Merchants, Owner of Chateau Lynch Bages - Jean-Michel Cazes, guests of the dinner and a sunset view from their Estate.
Producer notes and history...Lynch Bages takes its name from the local area where the Chateau is located in Bages. The vineyard of what was to become Lynch Bages was established and then expanded by the Dejean family who sold it in 1728 to Pierre Drouillard.
In 1749, Drouillard bequeathed the estate to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Lynch. This is how the estate came to belong to the Lynch family, where it remained for seventy-five years and received the name Lynch Bages. However, it was not always known under that name.
For a while the wines were sold under the name of Jurine Bages. In fact, when the estate was Classified in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the wines were selling under the name of Chateau Jurine Bages. That is because the property was owned at the time by a Swiss wine merchant, Sebastien Jurine.
In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who restored the estate’s name to Chateau Lynch family.
Around 1870, Lou Janou Cazes and his wife Angelique were living in Pauillac, close to Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. It was here that Jean-Charles Cazes, the couple’s second son, was born in 1877.
In the 1930’s, Jean-Charles Cazes, who was already in charge of Les-Ormes-de-Pez in St. Estephe agreed to lease the vines of Lynch Bages. By that time, the Cazes family had history in Bordeaux dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century.
This agreement to take over Lynch Bages was good for both the owner and Jean Charles Cazes. Because, the vineyards had become dilapidated and were in need of expensive replanting, which was too expensive for the owner. However, for Cazes, this represented an opportunity, as he had the time, and the ability to manage Lynch Bages, but he lacked the funds to buy the vineyard.
Jean-Charles Cazes eventually purchased both properties on the eve of the Second World War. Lynch Bages and Les-Ormes-de-Pez have been run by the Cazes family ever since. In 1988, the Cazes family added to their holdings in Bordeaux when they purchased an estate in the Graves region, Chateau Villa Bel Air.
Around 1970, they increased their vineyards with the purchase of Haut-Bages Averous and Saussus. By the late 1990’s their holdings had expanded to nearly 100 hectares! Jean-Michel Cazes who had been employed as an engineer in Paris, joined the wine trade in 1973. In a short time, Jean Michel Cazes modernized everything at Lynch Bages.
He installed a new vat room, insulated the buildings, developing new technologies and equipment, built storage cellars, restored the loading areas and wine storehouses over the next fifteen years. During that time period, Jean Michel Cazes was the unofficial ambassador of not just the Left Bank, but all of Bordeaux. Jean Michel Cazes was one of the first Chateau owners to begin promoting their wine in China back in 1986.
Bages became the first wine sent into space, when a French astronaut carried a bottle of 1975 Lynch Bages with him on the joint American/French space flight!
Beginning in 1987, Jean-Michel Cazes joined the team at the insurance company AXA, who wanted to build an investment portfolio of quality vineyards in the Medoc, Pomerol, Sauternes, Portugal and Hungary.
Jean-Michel Cazes was named the director of the wine division and all the estates including of course, the neighboring, Second Growth, Chateau Pichon Baron.
June 1989 marked the inauguration of the new wine making facilities at Lynch Bages, which was on of their best vintages. 1989 also marked the debut of the Cordeillan- hotel and restaurant where Sofia and I had one of our best dinners ever. A few years after that, the Village de Bages with its shops was born.
The following year, in 1990, the estate began making white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages. In 2001, the Cazes family company bought vineyards in the Rhone Valley in the Languedoc appellation, as well as in Australia and Portugal. They added to their holdings a few years later when they purchased a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape.
In 2006, Jean-Charles Cazes took over as the managing director of Chateau Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes continues to lead the wine and tourism division of the family’s activities. Due to their constant promotion in the Asian market, Chateau Lynch Bages remains one of the strongest brands in the Asian market, especially in China.
In 2017, Chateau Lynch Bages began a massive renovation and modernization, focusing on their wine making, and technical facilities. The project, headed by the noted architects Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, the sons of the famous architect that designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre in Paris as well as several other important buildings.
The project will be completed in 2019. This includes a new grape, reception center, gravity flow wine cellar and the vat rooms, which will house at least, 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes allowing for parcel by parcel vinification.
The new cellars will feature a glass roof, terraces with 360 degree views and completely modernized reception areas and offices. They are not seeing visitors until it’s completion.
In March, 2017, they purchased Chateau Haut Batailley from Françoise Des Brest Borie giving the Cazes family over 120 hectares of vines in Pauillac!
The 100 hectare vineyard of Lynch Bages is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, chalk and sand soils.
The vineyard can be divided into two main sections, with a large portion of the vines being planted close to the Chateau on the Bages plateau. At their peak, the vineyard reaches an elevation of 20 meters. The other section of the vineyard lies further north, with its key terroir placed on the Monferan plateau.
They also own vines in the far southwest of the appellation, next Chateau Pichon Lalande, on the St. Julien border, which can be used in the Grand Vin. The vineyard can be split into four main blocks, which can be further subdivided into 140 separate parcels.
The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
Lynch Bages also six hectares of vine are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Lynch Bages. Those vines are located to the west of the estate. They are planted to 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. On average, those vines are about 20 years of age. Lynch Bages Blanc made its debut in 1990.
To produce the wine of Chateau Lynch Bages, vinification takes place 35 stainless steel vats that vary in size. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 30% French, oak barrels with the remainder taking place in tank.
The wine of Chateau Lynch Bages is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 15 months. Due to the appellation laws of Pauillac, the wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc, because Pauillac does not allow for the plantings of white wine grapes.
For the vinification of their white, Bordeaux wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages is vinified in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 20% in one year old barrels and the remaining 30% is vinified in vats. The wine is aged on its lees for at least six months. The white wine is sold an AOC Bordeaux wine.
The annual production at Lynch Bages is close to 35,000 cases depending on the vintage.
The also make a 2nd wine, which was previously known as Chateau Chateau Haut Bages Averous. However, the estate changed its name to Echo de Lynch Bages beginning with the 2007 vintage. The estate recently added a third wine, Pauillac de Lynch-Bages.
— 7 days ago
Fossil & Fawn
Do Nothing Red 2017
💯% Mondeuse from the Willamette Valley. Pretty comfortable in saying that this is the only one that exists. This wine was just bottled and needs some time to settle into itself, don’t think it’s been released to the market yet but will sell out immediately. It’s an amazing food friendly, pairing wine. BlackBerry juice, maybe some trapped CO2, leads to really nice texture and a bit of grip. Endless possibilities of what this wine can be drank with at lunch or dinner. — 11 hours ago
Kuleto Estate
India Ink Napa Valley Red Blend 2015
Dark purple in color with a purple rim.
Fruity nose with cherries, plums, blackberries, black currants, vanilla, licorice, spices, oak, leather, earth, chocolates, coffee, light vegetables, graphite and black pepper.
Full-bodied and smooth with medium-plus acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, spices, wood, vanilla, cloves, dark coffee, chocolates, bitter herbs, cola, earth, vegetables and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a nice Napa red blend. Still young, but already enjoyable even by itself. Needs a year or two to balance itself out. Showing nice complexity and a great mouthfeel. A little bitter on the ending, which will disappear in time. This is very enjoyable.
Needs 2 hours to open up properly and show some tannins.
A blend of 60% Petite Sirah, 20% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 5% Zinfandel and 3% Syrah.
14.8% alcohol by volume.
89 points.
$23. — 12 days ago
Corte de Signori
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2008
Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim. Not showing age at all.
Fruity nose of blackberries, blueberries, cherries, licorice, oak, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead, wet leaves, spices, coffee, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate and fruity with blueberries, cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, vegetables, green herbs, mint and tobacco leaf.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a great wine. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing great complexity and a great mouthfeel. This is a wine that you want to talk about while drinking.
Needs 2 hours to open up a properly. This 10 year old still has many years in it, and it is beginning to drink nicely now. Tasty and delicious.
A blend of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. Aged for 30 months in large Slovenian oak barrels.
15% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$60. — 9 hours ago
Cielo Wineyards
Woodstock Collection Black Widow
Let's go swimming in a deep sea of red licorice delight. And never come up for air.
So long as you can safely chisel through the half inch of bulbous red wax, this wine is definitely worth your patient knifework.
Next day, it is black forest cake. Don't go longer than one day. — 7 days ago
Greg Ballington
Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog
First time trying these Malbecs from Jesse Katz and Devil Proof. Thanks Lauren for cracking these for us! Lush purplish red that completely coats the glass. Rich and dark on the nose with spices, dark cocoa, a bit smoky, mocha and black cassis. Heavy smooth tannins (8/10) and full bodied. Love the texture on the palate with layers of lush dark blackberries, blueberries, cassis, sweet spices and a bit spicy too. Long finish. Drink till 2038.
Wow. This is the best Malbec we have ever had from the United States and possibly even from any other wine region. Excellent work Jesse! This is made up of 100% Malbec from the Rockpile Ridge vineyard which is managed by the Mauritson Family and dry farmed. It is aged in 100% new French oak barrels and comes from an elevation of 1,100 feet.
First stop (Aperture Cellars and Devil Proof Vineyards) on our very first trip to Sonoma, and we were not dissappointed. The wines made by Jesse Katz have a ton of finesse, power and character, but the wines under his Devil Proof Label are at another level. Definitely a Malbec that needs to be on any wine collector's radar. The photo for the label was taken by Andy Katz, Jesse's father, back when he was commissed by the Cuban Government to take photos of their way of life. We love the saying for the label "Live well, drink well, and the devil can't get you". We do not know about you but we will follow her lead and hopefully become a little bit Devil Proof. — 21 days ago