Vin d’Ottawa

9.0

Sillky smooth blend of Merlot and Malbec from British Columbia’s Similkameen Valley. — 3 months ago

with Gillian

Alan Hense

9.0

Overripe blackberries, dark plum and cassis with baking spices. Ripe tannins and med+ acidity. Leather and anise. — 2 years ago

with Scott

Dave Chambers

8.9

Cracked open this 2027 Cellars Riesling from ‘09 to go with dinner tonight. — 4 years ago

with Heather

Ming L

9.4

The nose is immediate captivating with blueberry, cedar, pinecone, grilled herbs, dark chocolate, black pepper, light lavender, and hint of leather. It’s complex but does not overwhelm. The medium to full body is elegantly sculptured and self assured. Great balance. Sheer joy to drink this.

87/13 CS/CF aged 22 months in 100% new French oak barrel. Aaron Pott is the wine maker. — 6 months ago

Brenda Lambert

9.5

Virginia wine — 3 years ago

Doug Brown

9.4

Enjoyed this red blend very much — 3 years ago

Ainsley

9.1

Strawberries and cream, hint of pink grapefruit, wet stones and gravel undertones. Dry, crisp rosé. Well done Tantalus! #roseeveryday — 4 years ago

Ken Powell

9.5

With Brendan and Penny at Byblos — a year ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

9.0

Seven Directions Fruitvale Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021: Medium-bodied. High acidity. Clean fresh taste. Notes of raspberry, strawberry, lime, green herbs, & gravel. Nice crisp minerality on the finish. Overall, a dry & fruity rosé that leaves your wanting more. A perfect bottle selection after a long day of walking the entire Stanley Park Seawall Path. Evening consisted of a mellow dinner at the hotel with the final glass back in the room. This concludes our truly fun & memorable time in Vancouver. Love this city & all the various local wine offerings. Now the challenge begins to find more BC wines in the US. Great weekend to all! Cheers🍷 — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Every major holiday demands a celebratory wine. This Saturday Labor Day weekend, it’s a 1986 Leoville Las Cases.

The other weekend, we had Ribcap’s with a good Bordeaux & Napa Cabernet but, it was not what I was looking for with an Allen Brothers Ribcap. Allen Brothers steaks are the top 1% of beef in the country.

This 86 Leoville Las Cases started slow but, in short order excelled. The cork (not from my storage) made me hesitate to an extended decant. Even with the Durand corkscrew, it was a little tricky to remove the cork. However, the wine was still sound.

My favorite pairing is a Ribcap & an old Bordeaux. For me, no meal is slower or better. I grew up the youngest in a family of seven...raised by a single mother. My father passed away while I was four months conceived. So, we ate fast and fought for every scrap.

The nose reveals classic Bordeaux notes & style. Ripe, funky barnyard fruits of; cooked; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, black plum, dark cherries, slight dry cranberries, pomegranate, blueberries & rhubarb. Steeped tea, cola/red licorice, anise, golden brown to slightly burnt pie crust, dark, rich, turned earth, dry stones, limestone, cedar notes, old tobacco, underbrush, graphite, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, bay leaf, hints of eucalyptus/mint, old, soft leather, touch of mushrooms, just a hint of band-aid/va, with bright, fresh & withering; dark, red, blue, purple flowers framed is soft violets.

The palate is; smooth, elegant, ripe and juicy. The 86 still shows some baby, slightly tarry & teethe tannins. The structure, tension, balance and length are incredible. This 86 has years of life ahead of it if you enjoy them at this age and older as I do. Ripe, funky barnyard fruits of; cooked; blackberries, dark cherries, black, strawberries, black plum, dark cherries, slight dry cranberries, pomegranate, blueberries, faint raspberries notes, & rhubarb. Steeped tea, cola/red licorice, anise, golden brown to slightly burnt pie crust, crispy toast, dark, rich, turned earth, dry river stones, charcoal w/ ash, limestone/sandstone, dry clay, cedar notes, old tobacco with ash, underbrush, graphite, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, bay leaf, some vegetal characteristics, hints of eucalyptus/mint, old, soft leather, touch of mushrooms, used expresso grounds, dark chocolate, caramel, mocha powder, hints of band-aid/va, with bright, fresh & withering; dark, red, blue, purple flowers framed is soft violets. The acidity is a gentle rain shower and perfect. The long finish defines elegance, balance in fruit & earth, well knitted and goes on for several minutes in perfect harmony ending with dry earth & juiciness over the top.

What a treat it is to drink Bordeaux of this age & older. I love the style of 80’s Bordeaux and really appreciate the 12-13% ABV of that decade. Wish that never changed.

Not sure this makes it to 2060 but, there is still plenty of life in it. Don’t be afraid to decant it 1-2 hours without question on well stored bottles.

Photos of; Chateau Leoville Las Cases, old large wood vats, their archway you see as you enter the property from the D2 & staff working their Estate vines. — 4 years ago