Risky Business

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

L'Hermitage Syrah 2007

07 is in a fabulous place, expressive, detailed and defined wafting layers of creme de cassis, camphor and violets with a vibrant and velvety palate with soft tannins and a long mineral inflicted finish. An absolute classic and an elegant rendition in 2007, and fully open for business! — 22 days ago

Jan, Bob and 6 others liked this

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2016

The Beaujolais 16’s are genereally very open for business. This wine has a clean nose with strawberry and cherry. Nice acidity, no red candy notes that I have come to really dislike with too young wines. Will be good for a handfull of years ahead. — 3 years ago

Josh, Ira and 3 others liked this

Domaine Dujac

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2007

This was drinking beautifully, open for business showing bright red cherry with the classic Dujac spice, earth & perfumed floral tones — 4 years ago

Aravind, Severn and 8 others liked this

Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru)

St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2018

2018 vintage. Berry and cherry cough syrup nose with subtle mint and dill accents. Light bodied. Some caramel. Some finely ground black pepper. Plum and raisin fruit backbone. Super silky pajamas tho. Going down with a tealike/forgotten office black coffee flourish like nobody’s business. The finish (currently) is already accelerated to that of a 12-15 year aged Bordeaux. Too seductive now to say no. Mais oui. — 4 years ago

Ericsson, Shay and 18 others liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2020

Ming L
9.3

Quite approachable at this young age. 30 minutes decant and it’s open for business. Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, sweet spices, cocoa, and lightly roasted nuts. The depth of flavors and elegant medium to full body show the pedigree. If blinded, I would not be able to tell this is a Sangiovese dominant blend. Would prefer a bit more acidity. But who am I to complain. — 5 months ago

Tom, Bob and 7 others liked this

Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga

Riserva Rancia Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2006

Nothing wrong with the classics. Dark garnet, juicy, broad, morello cherry, dank earth, porcini, open for business but could go longer — 3 years ago

Iwan, Lyle and 13 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

First time I opened one of these 1.5 years ago it was totally closed. Now it’s back open for business and lovely. If blindfolded, based on the perfume alone I would have guessed a Margaux like Palmer as it threw off tons of violets, graphite and blue fruits - gorgeous but a tinge of rough edge that blew off after about an hour. Palate still tasted young but had the complexity you look for in an older claret - spice, leather, graphite, blue fruits and a long finish. This is in a great drinking window but easily has decades of life ahead of it. — 3 years ago

Ira, Shay and 10 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2010

Truly benchmark Rioja, La Rioja Alta’s ‘904’ Gran Reserva from the 2010 vintage - as fabled in Rioja as it is in Bordeaux - is a disarmingly gorgeous wine with superb ageing potential. I first tried this wine over two years ago, and found it a little closed at the time and was underwhelmed by the palate. The nose was terrific though, and that holds true today - it’s simply breathtaking, the sort of wine you spend ten minutes sniffing before taking your first sip. Today’s palate, however, is well and truly open for business. What a veritable explosion of flavour; a kaleidoscopic array of the best of both traditional and modern Rioja, all of it fresh, none of it tired, with a pure and ethereal presence of black and blue fruits, flowers, vanilla bean, clove, clementine and macerated cherry. When wine folk talk of a long finish, this wine gets a nod - it leaves an imprint on one’s palate that lasts minutes. I’m quite amazed by the improvement that two years has afforded this wine, both bottles bought at the same time and stored side-by-side in my cellar. At last, this has begun to show its potential and I cannot wait to see how it develops in the coming 20, 30, 40 years.

In the meantime, do not sleep on the 2010 Viña Ardanza, a wine that I have enjoyed many a time in the last two years, and one that would be included in my all-time list of value fine wines, were anyone to ask!

96+
— 2 years ago

Severn, Bob and 3 others liked this
Josh Morgenthau

Josh Morgenthau Influencer Badge

Great notes. Looking forward to trying this again!
Will Stanley

Will Stanley Influencer Badge

@Bob McDonald it’s a wine that rarely misses, so any vintages you have I’m sure are well worth having!
Will Stanley

Will Stanley Influencer Badge

@Josh Morgenthau in a good spot for sure!

G.D. Vajra

Albe Barolo Nebbiolo 2014

Nice and ready for business — 4 years ago