Red Rhône Blend

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2008

Rayas 08 exceeded my expectations — it was in great condition. We decanted it at 3 PM and started drinking at 7 PM. In the first phase, it showed sweet red fruit notes. In the second phase, herbal/vegetal notes emerged. In the third phase, a cooling mintiness appeared.

This bottle wasn't as explosively aromatic as the 07 I opened last time — that 07, after two hours of decanting, unleashed an incredibly rich and enchanting floral bouquet. It was like the scent of a garden transitioning from summer into autumn — grand and opulent, with a hint of fading beauty. Notes of black cherry, rose, and blood orange intertwined, and the aromas kept evolving over time — garrigue, incense — complex and alluring, with a grand structure and a rich, round palate.

The 08, on the other hand, feels more like a refined lady from a scholarly family — graceful, gentle, intellectual, with no aggressive edge.
— 17 hours ago

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1959

Double decant and pour(decent sediment).  A remarkable still murky dark garnet with bricking.  On the nose:  Intoxicating perfumed notes of dark fruit, worn leather, smoked meat, touch of barnyard, tobacco leaf, mushrooms, mint.  Taste:  silky, fresh, regal, powerful wine with sweet red fruit, meaty, dried herbs, tobacco, mineral, and a earthy orange rind lingering finish with a slight tannic kick.  Amazing!!! YUM! — 14 days ago

Tom, Ira and 13 others liked this
Tom Garland

Tom Garland

@Tom Casagrande Great Bordeaux year to be born. The 59s and 61s are terrific, but unfortunately I was born in 1960. Hope you get a chance to try a 59 classified. Cheers!
Jan A

Jan A

@Tom Garland you were still made in '59 😎
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

That’s on a few people’s bucket list. Very nice.

Harlan Estate

Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2022

Somm David T
9.2

Two things were true tasting this 2022, it wasn’t their best bottling & it was no near ready to drink. Hard to tell which is more true. Maybe, it improves in time?

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 Oakville.
— 9 days ago

Tom, Scott@Mister and 8 others liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2016

2016 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 15 minutes and one hour. Mostly front and mid-palate push. Medium body. Some spice. Some chunk. Some fruit. Fairly balanced. Needs to sort out some issues and will likely show better in 3-5 years. 6.12.26. — 14 days ago

Tom, Dave and 7 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Damn, sounds great!!

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Savory and game. Great rich and pure plummy fruit with a hint of spice on the nose. Inky and balanced with iron and graphite. Stunning and balanced — 24 days ago

Paul WoollsAra Aslanian
with Paul and Ara
Jay, Jan and 2 others liked this

Bodegas Faustino

Gran Reserva Faustino I Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2009

Vanilla! But once it calms down, good round tannins, good body, super smooth at this point, perfect for the obligatory Father’s Day steaks — 6 days ago

Sagee, Tom and 2 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2022

2022 vintage. Medium-heavy body. Needs time/patience but shows pretty well currently if you're out of either/both. 6.3.26. — 24 days ago

Jan, Ruud and 10 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

2010 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately. Lean and mean. Medium body but only because of the concentration. Dark fruits and plenty of espresso influence evident. Slightly less delicate than other P-C efforts fortunate enuff to taste. Tighter than the outstanding 2009 upon initial impressions. Needed more time to coddle this one but couldn't carve it out. 6.20.26. — 7 days ago

Joel, Jeroen and 12 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

I might have exited the planet by the time the well made 2010 Bordeaux’s peak.

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1990

Decanted for 4 hours and was floral with hints of spice. Smoothed out over the evening to lush flavors of plum, cherry, blackberry and blueberries. Finished with lite taste of tobacco and old leather. — 11 days ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Bob and 5 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

2022 vintage. From Coravin. The same vintage Overture shows better currently and likely for quite some time. 2022 a fairly pilloried Napa vintage. Feel this could be similar to the 2011's that are finally showing to the best of their abilities now. Give this a decade and a half but don't expect it to eventually show top-notch like the 1987, 1994, 1997, 2001 or 2012. 6.24.26. — 3 days ago

Jan, Bob and 8 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Complete agreement.
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

🔥🔥🔥

Château Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

Super interesting – barbecue, smoke and green pepper really different but enjoyable. Quite a distinct flavor.  — 8 days ago

Jan liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1978

A touch dusty on the nose with gnarly dark fruit and some spices and wood notes. Soft on the palate and fully resolved. Pretty and lightly inky — 24 days ago

Paul WoollsAra Aslanian
with Paul and Ara
Shay, Jay and 7 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2022

Beyond beautiful! Immediately soft upon opening—had planned to decant for 4-6 hours but decided against. Open and had small taste with Maggie Harrison around noon. Decided to re-cork it and decanted at 4PM.
At noon I got (very unexpected) cranberry notes on the nose and the palate was considerably more gentle than expected.

After two hour decant: Soft (cat tongue), integrated tannins, pomegranate, black cherry begins to emerge. Herbs, smoky/meaty notes emerge


Tasted: 5.20.26
Attendees: Mark Cerimele, Maggie Harrison, Steve Pfancuff, Lorne McClelland, Andy McCray, Denise Casino, Randy Nelson
— a month ago

Pierre Gonon

Saint-Joseph Syrah 2019

Dark red cherry, berry fruit with notes of meat, savory spices, licorice, violets & tobacco — 6 days ago

Ira, Juan and 5 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1986

Not quite as good as I remember it, but still excellent. Graphite, pencil shavings, leather, tobacco. 3+ hour decant. needs lots of time but really special.  — 8 days ago

Jan, Serge and 4 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2008

This was showing beautifully with good richness, balance, red & black fruits, earth, spice box, cedar, leather & tobacco notes — 7 days ago

Jean-Philip, Joel and 7 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Yes. Very correct and young. Error on the side of age-ing. - at AR Valentien — 13 days ago

Scott@Mister, Chris and 2 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Did you give aeration and how long?
romo

romo Premium Badge

Opened at the table and decanted outdoors 30-45 mins. To your point, last sip was the best.

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1999

1999 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand. Solid cork with approx 50% saturation. Decanted and tasted after two hours. That decided Lynch-Bages medium heavy bod. Has dropped some, not all, of the overt primary fruit load. Pleasant spices and feminine characteristics easily noted and cataloged. Pretty harmonious now tho with a little chunkiness/tannic blessing as more of a fleeting kiss vs a big hug. Could easily go another decade in this ensemble. 6.14.26. — 13 days ago

Daniel, Jeroen and 9 others liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2012

The 99 Chenin was oxed but the Clape was glorious. - at Archer — a month ago

Peter, Scott@Mister and 5 others liked this