The Advocate

Realm Cellars

The Tempest Napa Valley Red Blend 2018

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark inky in color with a short purplish rim.

Fruity nose and full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and very fruity.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, dried figs, cedar, vanilla, cooked raisins, chocolates, light earth, herbs, spices, dark coffee, peppercorn and licorice.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Fruit forward and extracted. Rich, and in your face kind of wine.

Still young, and needs 7 years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

This 8-year-old is nicely balanced and dense, with enough acidity for the fruits. Complex with a nice mouthfeel. Big, bold and beautiful, with a teeth staining color. Not a good choice for a first date.

Wine Advocate 94 points.

The blend varies with each vintage. I've had the 2014 vintage a year ago, and loved it even more.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$160.
— 3 months ago

Dave, Jose and 14 others liked this
Dave

Dave

First date gets Vodka.
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Virginie de Valandraud

St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, earth and black tea.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old Merlot from Saint Emilion still feels young. Drinking very nicely now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

This second wine is good right out of the bottle, and much better after a couple of hours of airtime.

Wine Spectator 91 points. Wine Advocate 92 points.

A nice sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 22 months in all new French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50.
— 7 months ago

Tom, Chris and 6 others liked this

Dyer Vineyard

Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Deep purple color. Aromas of plum, raspberry, dried rose and violet petals, currants and licorice. Amazing dark and red fruit, cigar and a long finish.

🏅96 Points - Wine Advocate
🏅96 Points - Antonio Galloni
— 2 years ago

Doug, Ted and 9 others liked this

Albert Boxler

Alsace Sylvaner

Pale gold color. Aromas of orange blossoms, white peach a hint of citrus and granite notes. Superb! So crisp and refined!

🏅90 Points - Wine Advocate
— 3 years ago

Tom, Shay and 11 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

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Great producer

Guerrieri Gonzaga

San Leonardo Marchese Red Blend 2008

Nice bbq chicken 🐓 bottle Wine Advocate review & rating 92 points, be released in 2015, the 2008 San Leonardo is a wine in its infancy. The nose is immediately redolent of dark cherry, blackberry, leather, tobacco, mint and eucalyptus leaf. You will also appreciate the floral tones of pressed rose and almond blossom that lift from the glass. The harvest schedule played out on time with Carmenère coming in at the end of September and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon towards the beginning of October. The 2008 vintage is especially marked by a duality of floral and menthol notes that rise from the glass with brilliant intensity. The 2008 vintage needs ten year or more to find its proper footing. — 5 years ago

Tom, Severn and 16 others liked this

Betz Family Winery

La Côte Rousse Red Mountain Syrah 2017

Impressive scores: Advocate 96, Jeb 95, spectator 94, enthusiast 94. This comes off as very finessed, extremely fresh, and with good minerality. — 5 years ago

Peter, Eric and 19 others liked this

Devil's Advocate

California Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Firstleaf, another good wine. — 6 years ago

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Who am I argue with 100 point rating from Dunnuck and Wine Advocate? And it is a youthful beauty. I typically find the great vintage of ‘09 approachable earlier than ‘05, also a great Bordeaux year. This is perfectly enjoyable right now but I’ll SAVE at least 6 of these because this baby is a distant runner with lots of legs left. Wow! — 5 months ago

Tom and Andrew liked this

Peter Michael Winery

Estate Vineyards Les Pavots Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim. Not showing age at all.

Beautiful nose of black currants, blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, light eucalyptus and licorice.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, light earth, herbs, chocolates, black tea, black pepper, spices and cola.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Knights Valley in Sonoma County. Rich and elegant. Fruit forward and very complex.

Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Napa Cabernet based Bordeaux blend.

Good right out of the bottle, and much better after 45 minutes in the decanter. Really gorgeous once it opens up.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Wine Advocate 95 points. Wine Spectator 93 points.

Great by itself as a sipping wine or with food, like a big piece of steak.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

15% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$175.
— 6 months ago

Ron, Jose and 14 others liked this

Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf

Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

#AgedWineTuesday

Beautiful color of dark ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, dried fruits, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco and herbs.

Full bodied and soft, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, black plums, cherries, cedar, spices, dark chocolates, licorice, coffee, peppercorn, light eucalyptus, herbs, light vegetables, earth and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 20 year old Merlot from Saint Emilion is absolutely fantastic now. Elegant, chocolatey and rich.

Drinking beautifully right out of the bottle, extracted and complex. Nicely balanced and powerful, with a great mouthfeel.

Wine Advocate 98 points.

Drinking it with the wine maker, from his personal cellar, makes it even more special for me.

Drinking at its peak, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.

Fruit forward and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Aged in New French oak barrels for 18 months.

94 points.

$350.
— a year ago

Dave, Daniel and 22 others liked this

Domaine Le Roc

La Folle Noire d'Ambat Fronton Negrette 2020

Also, when back home, always go for the (great) local stuff 😍. Another biased review delivered to you courtesy of your local Toulouse / Fronton advocate 😅 — 3 years ago

Severn, Peter and 11 others liked this
Peter Sultan

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Vive negrette!! @Daniel M
Daniel M

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@Peter Sultan I second that!

Devil's Advocate

California Red Blend 2018

Cherries and tannins and berries, oh my! — 5 years ago

Château Clos de Sarpe

Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Football & Steak 🥩 wine. Didn’t realize this winery goes back almost 100 years. I see some 1937 out there still.
Parker 96.
Even at 20 years old it needs a 2nd day 3 hour decant.
Parkers review,

189, The Wine Advocate

Readers who require immediate gratification will dislike this wine, which is one of the most concentrated behemoths and tannic blockbusters of the vintage. This is very much in keeping with the proprietor’s intention to make wines such as they made in the 19th century, and ones that can last 50+ years. Still young, with plenty of noticeable new oak, this 2000 tastes like a 3 to 4-year old St.-Emilion. Plenty of barbecue smoke, graphite, blackberry, and plum characteristics are present in both the aromatics and flavors of this broodingly backward, massive monster. While fascinating, it is not for everybody. I originally gauged its maturity to be around 2010, but I would push that back to 2015-2040+.
— 5 years ago

Tom, Zarina and 30 others liked this
Severn G

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Go Packers, or Buccaneers (Brady)!
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

I like Brady just because he gave New England a big 👎🏼
ESF

ESF

Sold this wine for years - had vintages going back to early 90s and it so exceptional thru vintage - classy outfit they got there. Cheers!

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2009

#AgedWineTuesday

Celebrating 25,000 followers on Vivino, with this fabulous sweet wine from Bordeaux.

Dark gold in color.

Full bodied and smooth with high acidity.

Sweet on the palate with great complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing lemons, red and yellow apples, tropical fruits, spices, caramel, honey, peaches, lemons, citrus, turmeric and honeysuckle.

Long engaging finish.

This 17 year old Sauternes is drinking exceptionally now, although it will continue to age nicely in the next 30 to 50 years. A delicious dessert wine from a great vintage.

Rich and fruit forward. Beautifully balanced with enough acidity to balance the high sugars. Showing a wonderful nose that I kept smelling on for a long time.

Already showing great complexity, sweet and expressive. Opulent with great elegance.

Wine Spectator 98 points. Wine Advocate 100 points.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, and it is always very impressive.

Good by itself as a dessert wine, or with food. I paired it with blue cheese.

A blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 30 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

97 points.

$700.
— 5 months ago

David, Anthony and 19 others liked this
Hermes Cuello

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@"Odedi" congrats on the 25k, what a privilege having that amazing wine!
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@Doug Powers thank you 😍
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@Hermes Cuello much appreciated

Domaine Eric Herault

Chinon Cabernet Franc 2023

Vintage 2023 | this family run domaine in Panzoult - since 1953 - has 27 hectares. Son Pierre has entered the company and he is an advocate for Chinon red wine. So he features as Superman in a label, modern marketing with a wink. Very energetic red. — a year ago

romo, Eric and 9 others liked this

Domaine de la Charbonnière

Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2013

The description: "Flavours of garrigue, black cherry, blackberry, ground herbs and crushed-rock-like minerality. It has a traditional feel, yet does not lack for purity, balance or polish either." Wine Advocate 93/100

The opinion: actually brilliant value (125 per bottle) I have tasted much worst at a lot more. This is brilliant! I am going to buy a couple more bottles
— 2 years ago

Forja del Salnes

Goliardo Tintos de Mar Caiño 2020

Amy
8.9

bleu cheese, big nose. funky but enjoyable wine. internet says $38, wine advocate gave 95 pts. had at press club wine bar in sf — 2 years ago

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel.

Showing black fruits with earth, vanilla, cedar, leather, licorice, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, pencil lead, dark coffee, spices and dark chocolates.

Nice length on the finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

What a great Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Saint Julien.

This gorgeous wine feels much younger than it is right now. Complex and tasty.

This 18 year old will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 4 hours in the decanter.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Wine Advocate 97 points.

Thank you Robbie for sharing this with me.

The 2005 vintage was outstanding, and it's really shining through right here.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. Will pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot. Aged in 100% new French oak barrels.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$325.
— 3 years ago

Shay, Ted and 31 others liked this

Clos Saint Michel

Cuvée Reserve Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2018

Medium purple color. Floral aromas, raspberries, candied cherry and baking spices. Delicious, baked red fruit and spice box finish. Merry Christmas 🎄🎁

🥇 95 points - Wine Advocate
— 6 years ago

Sharon, Tom and 12 others liked this
Sharon B

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Merry Christmas!
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

Merry Christmas @Sharon B ! Wishing you a speedy recovery on the injury.
Sharon B

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@Neil Valenzuela thank you so much!

Bodegas y Vinedos Ponce

P.F Manchuela Bobal 2018

95 p i Wine Advocate för 179,-
91 p i min bok. Kul med Bobal
— 6 years ago