Spice Route

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2016

Beautiful drinking Barbaresco with its red cherry, berry fruit, spice, licorice, dried herbs, rose petal & tobacco. — 18 days ago

Joel, Scott@Mister and 18 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

Amazing! Black fruit, mushrooms, cedar, and spice. I almost cannot believe this is an 82 based on its color and freshness. — 2 days ago

Neil liked this

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1978

This bottle was in perfect condition has incredible balance with black and red fruits earth, spice garrigue. As good as you would hope should hold for another five years. Nice juice ! — a month ago

Ira, Eddie and 1 other liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2014

Deep, elegant Super Tuscan now firmly in its tertiary phase. Nose leans more to leather, tobacco, dried herbs and balsamic notes, with the red cherry and plum fruit clearly in the background. Medium‑plus body and acidity, fine chalky tannins; savoury flavours of dried red fruit, cedar and spice carry through on a long, resolved finish. Showing peak complexity today and unlikely to improve further with cellaring, so firmly in the drink‑now camp. — a month ago

Serge liked this

Penfolds

Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 2019

Referred to as the “Baby Grange,” blend of 53/47 Cab Sauv & Shiraz, aged for 12 months in American oak, partly in previous-vintage Grange casks. Dark Ruby with aromas of fresh black fruits, complex with sweet spice. On the palate flavors of juicy black cherry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao, oak and toasty spices, from cooler vintage. Well balanced with acidity, full ripe tannins, long ending with smoky spice, fruit well integrated with oak, drink over next 10 years+, will only get better. Nice! — 5 days ago

Ira, Daniel and 3 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2023

Château Lynch-Bages 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A powerful, structurally driven Pauillac showing serious depth and long-term ambition, built on a 71% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot support. The wine carries muscular architecture, dark fruit density, and firm tannic authority, currently showing some youthful rough edges but clearly positioned for future greatness with proper cellaring.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis liqueur, blackberry skin, graphite, cedar plank, crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, dark cocoa and subtle savory spice.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm, youthful tannins, strong mid-palate grip, vibrant supporting acidity, dense core concentration, and a long, structured finish that signals serious aging capacity.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, grilled lamb chops, beef short ribs, rosemary-crusted venison, aged hard cheeses, slow-braised meats.

Verdict
A high-potential Pauillac still in its formative phase. The structure, depth, and terroir signature are undeniable, but integration will require time. A climber rather than a polished performer today, patience will be rewarded handsomely.

🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a future star in development, powerful, slightly raw, but absolutely loaded with upside. Not a wine for instant gratification, but one that will evolve into something truly special with time. I’d happily cellar this and revisit around 2029 when the polish finally matches the horsepower.
— 10 days ago

Ted, Tom and 4 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Ron R
9.6

Not the best of vintage in Bdx, but the winemaker clearly pulled off some acrobatics here.
Nose displays the usual Cos spice-box signature, along with notes of forest floor, sage and mushrooms. Palate is rich and dense showing no signs of age. Nice mature casis profile links up with brambles and sandalwood. Tannins continue to prop up this outstanding example.
— 2 months ago

Andrew MooreRick K
with Andrew and Rick
Paul, Ted and 25 others liked this

Domaine Dujac

Morey Saint Denis Pinot Noir 2012

Open & drinking well with dark cherry, berry fruit, earth, mineral, spice & violet — 22 days ago

Tom, Ira and 6 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021

Somm David T
9.5

Fruit is brighter, more brilliant than many other 21’s I’ve had. Texturally & fruit-wise senses more like the 23’s I’ve had. It’s gorgeous. Again, needs a decade or more in the cellar.

Round, lush, creamy blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, poached strawberries, dry, crushed rocks, limestone powder, nice balling spices, caramel, mocha, dry herbs, dry tobacco, lead pencil, dry river stone, leather, melted, dark chocolate, dark spice, fresh & withering dark flowers, red roses, nice round acidity, well balanced, bigger tension & structure, excellent round, excellent finish that last minutes and lands on spice, wet clay and Christmas cake.
— 17 days ago

Tom, Juan and 19 others liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1998

From the start this 1998 Opus had a beautiful nose of cherry and plum, with notes of cedar and herbs. On the palate, the wine is refined and silky, with tannins and flavors of dark fruit and notes of leather, cocoa, espresso, and spice, finishing long and polished. — a month ago

Michael CammarataDaniel Cammarata
with Michael and Daniel
Andrew, Dave and 5 others liked this