Silent Way

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

A pair of 16’s off of Buccan’s list in PB. Way too young but started to develop slowly with air. I enjoyed both but leaned more to the Beausejour Duffau. — 2 months ago

Tom, Peter and 2 others liked this

Hundred Acre Vineyard

Ancient Way Vineyard Summer's Blocks Shiraz 2005

Dark
fruit
sweetness

This wine had great depth.

Decanted for 2-3 hours and this wine was excellent
— 3 months ago

Andrew, Scott@Mister and 2 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Drinking this way too early, but it sounded good and it is good. Chewy, tart cherry juice, cedar, silky tannins. Happy Friday, friends!
Listening to Black Eyed Peas
— 5 months ago

Dawn, David and 31 others liked this
Tegan Marriott

Tegan Marriott

Which Black eyed peas album/song did you pair with the tondonia?
Dave

Dave

I got a feeling. Loading a playlist to DJ a wedding 🎶 @Tegan Marriott

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Great way to end 5 days at the Cayman Cookout 2026 at The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. Wonderful Food experience with some awesome Chefs and some spectacular Wines! — 5 months ago

Sherre SichkoLetha Phillips
with Sherre and Letha
Rick liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

I purchased this wine for $60 as a Bordeaux future offering from MacArthur’s in DC, with the hope of opening it when my younger son—born in 1982—was old enough to share it. We finally did just that this Thanksgiving, celebrating both him and the bottle.
The fill was mid-shoulder, but the family was together and it felt like the right moment. I gave it about an hour in the decanter before dinner. Early on it showed blackberries, a touch of veg, lead pencil, cedar notes and a smooth elegant finish. As the evening went on it opened a bit more, gaining some depth.
A few hours later I revisited the small amount I’d saved and found it had dried out some—but that was expected for a 43-year-old First Growth. Ultimately, it was a wonderful experience and a memorable way to share both the wine and the moment with family.
— 7 months ago

Jay and Joel liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Fantastic and great story. Thanks for sharing!

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

Superb. Great way to ring on 2025 — a year ago

David Stein
with David
LM liked this

Bedrock Wine Co.

Weill A Way Vineyard Mixed Blacks Red Blend 2017

Presently surprised as I never know what I’m going to get with a Bedrock wine. Very dark color to the edge, nice dark fruits throughout and nice long smooth finish. Busy evening with friends over for dinner and everyone enjoyed the wine. — 2 years ago

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2003

A lovely way to toast an Anniversary!
2003 drinking well. Golden color, subtle bubbles with hints of citrus.
— 4 years ago

Domaine Tempier

Bandol Rosé Blend 2021

I've squeezed all the mystery out of Tempier Rose' over the years. Consistently good. Consistently consistent.

Familiar salmon rose gold. Orange zippy bitter pith and grapefruit sours. Herbs de provence and mild tannin in a syrupy Bandolian texture.

Always hits...in exactly the same way.
— 2 months ago

Michael, Tom and 6 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Somm David T
9.4

I have written a few times regarding my tale of Caymus & Caymus Classic. Their vintages post 2011 and their vintages pre 2011.

I have at event tastings that Caymus was pouring, encouraged their staff to talk with Chuck to make both Caymus & Caymus Classic. Recently, I emailed them to pass on my thoughts to Chuck asking him to make both. If you liked Caymus the way it was, I encourage you to do the same. There is a dwelling amount of older, well preserved Caymus Classic vintages. info@wagnerfamilyofwine.com should you be so inclined.

Their post 2011 Caymus Cabernets are picked at higher brix and syrupy sweet. I get why Chuck changed. Many like sweeter Cabernets that drink easy young. That is not my wheelhouse.

In my intermediate wine days, I aged and enjoyed many pre 2012 vintages. This perfect bottle bought on the secondary market at around $70 is extremely well stored. The cork when I cut the foil looked slightly depressed, when I pulled it with an Ah-so was next to new.

I enjoyed this with a Ribcap, not the best wine for that steak but, ok. This 07 is more filet or NY Strip.

The nose shows; a very dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush-blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, mellow dark spices, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry tobacco, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender.

This bottle now nearly 18 years in bottle has not faded. It is at its precipice and will hold a few yrs. 2007 a grand Napa vintage. Decanted a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next 90-120 minutes. With this experience, another hour in the decanter is even better.

M-M+ velvety, rounded, tannins. The palate is round, ripe, lush, ruby fruits of; dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush; blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, stewed plum, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries with notes of liqueur overtones, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, black licorice, dark berry cola, distinct dark, Caynus Classic spices w/ palate heat, herbaceous notes, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone/rock, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry river stone, charcoal, notes of menthol, dry tobacco, leather, dry oak barrel shavings, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender, perfect, round acidity with an incredibly; balanced, well knitted-toned-structured, elegantly/smartly polished finish that goes on and on and long sets on beautiful earth & spice.

94+ This experience is becoming rarer & rarer.
— 4 months ago

Andrew, Rick and 9 others liked this
Joe DAscoli

Joe DAscoli Premium Badge

The 07 such a great wine

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Violets, violets and more violets aromatically, after sitting in the decanter for 15 minutes, this wine decided to show its still youthful tannin, likely to inform me that it was still way too young to drink, long finish, but ideally needs more cellaring, one of my favorite Bordeaux ever, I have some more bottles so will wait on those, amazing!! — 6 months ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Jonathan and 19 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Never had the ‘83! (I had no $$ when these futures were offered or when released 🤷) Said to be legendary!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, I purchased a case of this on futures after some of the wine guys I knew in NYC in the 1980s touted Palmer — one guy was a doctor who had cellared Palmer for decades served 1961 & 1966 Palmer in splits at a wine dinner in the Village, blew my socks off, he said the 1983 would be the next GREAT Palmer and I just listened and bought (as you know, those 1980s Bordeaux were not super expensive). I opened one of these 3-4 years ago with 1982 Pichon-Lalande and a few other outstanding 1980s Bordeaux, and that bottle of 1983 Palmer blew everything away — this bottle showed more tannic structure, though amazing violet aromatics, and definitely needs more cellaring. I LOVE Palmer!!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, one other LOL about this Palmer yesterday — I asked my wine friend to open and decant, he pulled out his Durand — and the bottom 1/4 of the cork decided it’d rather stay in the bottle!! That’s why I like the olde English tradition of super-heated Port tongs to take the glass above the neck off that way!! 🤔🤷😂

Château Cheval Blanc

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1988

jesus g
9.4

Way better from large format — 2 years ago

Shay A
with Shay
Shay, Vanessa and 32 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

This makes me want to cry.

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

MRM
9.6

Pleasing in every way. Lots of fruit remaining. — 2 years ago

Iwan, Paul and 16 others liked this

Domaine Coche-Dury (J.F. Coche Dury)

Meursault Chardonnay 2007

Surprisingly reticent with no reduction getting in the way. A heavy tension and dense richness that still feels light. Full-bodied bananas foster brown butter yellow-submarine. — 3 months ago

Martin, Daniel and 9 others liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2012

These used to be cheap - not any more 40$ for the new vintage this was 26$. Classic and super elegant. A ton of tannins left: 14%. Fermented dark olives. Dark cherries. Way better than the 2013 chianti reserva I popped for our italian dinner club. These are the wines kids should try - but hey our brillant marketing 🤡 priced them out of trying quality nebbiolo so they switch to cocktails and beer! Well done. Will go for 5-10 more years with ease. — 3 months ago

Daniel, John and 9 others liked this
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

@Pinotman /// Andreas always so good. The single vineyard ones used to be the best high end values in the world imho. Not anymore. Still great though.

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later.
— 5 months ago

Peter, Scott@Mister and 16 others liked this
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Somm David T A wonderful story David and I can see how you could fall in love with that photo of the Chateau.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Bob McDonald Thank you. Cheers! 🍷

Enderle & Moll

Liaison Pinot Noir 2016

Cleaning out my cellar for a move or at least reduce what i have. All 3 E&M‘s 14,15,16 Liaisons should be consumed within 30 minutes upon opening they are good to go drink up! Within 2 hours they loose appeal. I stand corrected - this one went through a down phase and then came back after 24 hours. The freshest and brightest of my recent trifecta of E&M and also the most pale. Still quite tannic. Touch peach? Sour raspberry, hint lime 🍋‍🟩. Crushed marble. Quite acidic. The 14 was the clear winner. In all cases the cork was quite soft and almost all the way moist to the top. — 10 months ago

Scott@Mister, Lyle and 9 others liked this

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay

Sharp and citrusy. I loved the mineral chalky texture and the lightness of the wine. Great length Fruit is plentiful but relaxed (in a good way). Perfect for a snowy indoor holiday evening. Cheers! — 2 years ago

Tom, Scott@Mister and 15 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2023

Beautiful subtle aroma from Merlot makes it pretty. Its free spirit nose makes you feel what the wine is going to be about. Drinkable and fresh. Apparently missing weight but it doesn’t miss a bit all the way thru the tasting. The aftertaste is long and very, very pleasant after one minute. — 2 years ago

Peter liked this

Krug

Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne Blend

Demi bottle & perfect split for two ! Great way to begin the evening. — 4 years ago

Shay, Ron and 3 others liked this