Saddle Creek

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2018

Cornas AOC is a small and distinctive appellation in the Northern Rhône of France. 🇫🇷 Unlike its neighboring appellations, Cornas wines must be made with 100% Syrah. 🍇 This makes it a singular expression and benchmark in the world of Syrah. 🍷🍷

This particular wine is pronounced with harmonious aromas and flavors spanning the spectrum from primary to secondary to tertiary …

Offering generous notes of blackcurrant preserves, ripe black cherry, boysenberry, violet, cured meat, peat, forest floor, dark chocolate truffle, mocha, black peppercorn, star anise, fennel, cardamom, spice box, tobacco, cigar, clove, & saddle leather.
— 2 months ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Brian and 23 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

@Vanessa remember when you and @Deked1 shared this! Was soo good! Cheers! Also figured out I can’t work with @J Greene to get us together. More to come from @ K Greene! 😉
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K @J Greene Oh we absolutely remember that night & the blind tasting 💯 Having this again reminded us of that fun get together. We are 1,000% in on a part deux.

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Recent notes suggested this wine was declining and the fruit fading.This was cause for concern as have a few of these I’ve been patiently cellaring. Well, I’m very happy to report this bottle, a Martine’s import, was stellar. To my palate, the wine is in a perfect place. Tertiary aromas and flavors dominate. Very complex aromas of sous bois, herbs de provence, wet saddle and red fruits. The palate is vivid and lively. Extraordinary depth and length that never faded. I can’t say enough great things about this wine. There’s no chance this bottle was fading or won’t last several more years. I don’t think it can improve as it’s almost perfection right now. Simply a stunner. — 3 years ago

Conrad Green
with Conrad

Mount Pleasant Wines

Rosehill Limited Release Hunter Valley Shiraz 2006

See several previous tasting notes for this wine. This was made back in the day when Hunter Valley reds had strayed from their medium bodied, savoury, sweaty saddle origins to being riper and more full bodied like a South Australian Red. This was declared in a speech by Chief Winemaker at the time, Jim Chatto, at a dinner I attended at the winery. Also plenty of oak still evident at 15 years of age. I prefer the original Hunter Valley style which Mount Pleasant has wisely reverted to utilising the wonderful old vine fruit at its disposal. Tasted again 35 weeks later on 26th March 2022. Nothing to add to the note here. A Hunter Valley wine trying to look like a South Australian wine back in 2006 with ripe fruit and oak. Thankfully HV reds have returned to the medium weight savoury long living style that Maurice O’Shea made in the 1950’s. — 4 years ago

Ceccherini, Scott and 17 others liked this

Château Trotanoy

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

Classy showing red, black fruits with sweet savory spices, fine, silky tannins, saddle leather, graphite & tobacco — 3 months ago

John, Bob and 18 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

This was fresh, showing well with red, black fruits, cedar, earth, saddle leather, savory spice & tobacco — a year ago

Tyler, Tom and 13 others liked this

G.A.E.C. Bonneau & Fils

Réserve des Célestins Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2009

We first tried a bottle of Celestins in a restaurant in Gigondas some years ago, and for me it was a WOW Wine. Had this latest bottle on Sunday with Roast Pork. Medicinal to begin with which blew off. Barnyard aromas - horse manure. In hindsight this could’ve been Brett but the overall impression and tasting was impressive and memorable. Glad I have 3 left. Showing a medium to full bodied palate. This is textbook CdP in the old school genre. The tannins are silky and sexy - a liquorice note together with saddle leather. Henri Bonneau passed away in 2016 and the wine making is now carried out by his son, Marcel. A visit to his archaic cellars was keenly sought after and rarely granted. Mould all over the walls, rickety stairs light bulbs dangling from the ceiling and a floor which stuck to the soles of your shoes was how one visitor described his experience in the cellar. Nevertheless this is a CdP up there with Rayas and the top Cuvée from Beaucastel. The blend is usually 90% Grenache with the balance made up of around 4 or 5 different varieties. — 2 years ago

Jose, Douglas and 26 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1976

Still fresh showing the classic LB character with red & black fruits, cassis, earth, saddle leather, menthol, sweet spice & cigar box — a year ago

Tom, Juan and 9 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Gor
9.5

Saddle leather, cedar, spice, lingonberry, plum, hint of licorice. Full bodied and structured with a long finish. Great stuff. — 2 years ago

Ira, Ron and 14 others liked this

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

Deep tawny color with a red, scarlet center. Opaque. Earthy nose with notes of red and black fruits, leather saddle, cuban cigar and some dry brush. Silky and smooth in the mouth. In a great spot. — 3 years ago

Andrew, Eric and 19 others liked this

Mount Pleasant Wines

Maurice O'Shea Hunter Valley Shiraz 1994

A solid rich Ruby red with no tawny rim. Looks way younger than 27 years. An earthy, plummy leathery perfume with same earthy, plummy and minerally medium to full bodied palate - a sweaty saddle classic old Hunter Valley style. Medium plus intensity of flavour with great persistence. Demonstrates the amazing longevity of old vine Hunter Valley Shiraz. I think you could safely drink this into the late 2020s. Honouring the Hunter Valley legend, Maurice O’Shea, who made great wine in primitive conditions In the late 1940s and 1950’s. About 15 years ago I had a 1952 Mount Pleasant Shiraz made by the great man - just medium bodied and still full of energy. — 4 years ago

Dawn, Ira and 26 others liked this