The Estate

Sea Smoke

Southing Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2015 “Southing” pours a deep ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and bruised strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, red flowers, mushroom and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Drink now through 2035. — 5 days ago

Tom, Paul and 9 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2017

Fancy stuff for the World Cup. Maybe the best champagne I’ve had. Smells toasty and slightly bread like. Flavors are citrus and saline. Bright and delicate. Lovely. — 4 days ago

Daniel, Douglas and 5 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Somm David T
9.5

There are a number of things I can say about Leoville Barton. For me, it is a storied property and experience.

To this point, I have had quite a few 2000 Bordeaux’s, none of them ready as this one. Given what I know about Anthony & his legacy, most of his good vintages were made for your children. So, color me surprised.

While this 2000 is drinking well, it is far from its precipice. There is another 20 yrs plus of road here.

Sofia and I have had the pleasure of dining at the same table with Anthony Barton and his wife in the early teens of 2000. He was a salt of the earth gentleman. His wife, lovely. At dinner that night, he told us a story I will not forget. A story prompted by a question from my wife. He and his wife drove from France to Switzerland. They were stopped at the border and asked to get out of the car as they had a case of wine with them. At that time and maybe still now, you can’t take wine over the border into Switzerland. The border guard called the powers to be and recanted the story of them trying to bring wine into Switzerland. He told them their name. The person on the other end of the phone said, who? They said, Anthony Barton. The reply, was let him through. That’s respect!!!

His daughter Lilian has taken the helm. She is also salt of the earth and a great Bordeaux Ambassador. May Anthony RIP.

This 2000 is classic Bordeaux in every way.

The nose shows steeped & candied fruits that are; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, black cherries, purple & blue fruit hues (classic Barton). Graphite, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry limestone bits, dark Asian spices, dry herbs, dry river stone, dark, rich, forest floor, anise to black licorice, mid colas, fresh, candied to withering florals that are; dark, red, blue and violets.

The palate shows, M+ rounded, fine grain tannins. The nose mirrors the palate in many ways. Steeped, candied, ripe, juicy fruits that are; brambly blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, black cherries, raspberries, purple & blue fruit hues. Leoville Barton shows purple & blue fruits more than most other left bank producers. Graphite, dry tobacco, cedar, dry leather, dry limestone bits, dry top soils, saline, caramel, mocha powder, German chocolate cake, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, dark Asian spices w/ some heat, dry herbs, touch of black pepper, grilled meats, dry river stone, dark, rich, forest floor, anise to black licorice, black tarriness, mid colas, fresh, candied to withering florals that are; dark, red, blue and framed in liquid violets, acidity is grand, well balanced/structured, highly toned, elegant & smartly polished finish that lasts minutes and settles on earth & dark spice.

Decanted 90 minutes and enjoyed over nearly three hours.

Appreciated the 12.5% ABV. Many would say that is not possible in the modern wine era. Anthony says otherwise w/ his 2000.

95-96.
— 20 days ago

Tom, ESF and 12 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Love the story

Araujo Estate

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Still really young for 14 yrs old — a month ago

Dave, Ted and 3 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a purple rim.

Beautiful nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and light green vegetables.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This iconic Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Santa Cruz Mountains in California is still very young, but already delicious, even by itself.

Needs a few hours to open up properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 30 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Lamb chops.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in American oak barrels for 20 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$300.
— 20 days ago

Jay, Tom and 11 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

Saldo California Zinfandel

Good. Fruity but won't drink well the next day. Crush in a single evening — a month ago

Harlan Estate

Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2004

Opened and decanted for about 2 hours

Evolved from being tight and Bordeaux like to eventually giving off some red fruits and having a kirsch like flavor

Fairly robust and a lot of depth.
— 3 days ago

Bob, Tom and 4 others liked this

Realm Cellars

The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021

Somm David T
9.6

The label I read showed 2019, my host assured me that it was 2021.

The 2021 coming along nicely and showing some beautiful development. Because of its nice integration, I believe this really was 2019. 🤷‍♂️
— 11 days ago

Tom, Rob and 10 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

At Wolf by Vanderpump with the Palomino Supper Club, July 10, 2026 — 8 days ago

Jimmie, Sagee and 1 other liked this

Spottswoode

Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

2018 vintage. From magnum. Last tasted 3.19.26 (9.4), 12.5.25 (9.4), 1.31.25 (9.4) and 10.26.23 (9.5). Decanted and tasted after one hour. Yeahhh. 7.1.26. — 22 days ago

Jeroen, Ted and 14 others liked this
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

Great wine! Cheers!

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1998

A bit faded but still an excellent pizza wine — 13 days ago

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Delicious @caymus with wife m. The bartender Steve let me know that this is what 90% of people come in for and it’s incredible. Super smooth. — 5 days ago

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

2022 vintage. From Coravin. The same vintage Overture shows better currently and likely for quite some time. 2022 a fairly pilloried Napa vintage. Feel this could be similar to the 2011's that are finally showing to the best of their abilities now. Give this a decade and a half but don't expect it to eventually show top-notch like the 1987, 1994, 1997, 2001 or 2012. 6.24.26. — a month ago

Jan, Bob and 14 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Complete agreement.
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

🔥🔥🔥

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

2010 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately. Lean and mean. Medium body but only because of the concentration. Dark fruits and plenty of espresso influence evident. Slightly less delicate than other P-C efforts fortunate enuff to taste. Tighter than the outstanding 2009 upon initial impressions. Needed more time to coddle this one but couldn't carve it out. ***EDIT 6.27.26***Delectable was having a moment during the review process and couldn't access previous wines/research properly, so went with memory. Ha so bad. It WASN'T the 2009 I thought I previously had. Actually confused vintages and had this exact 2010 vintage on 12.5.25 (9.6) with enough time to appreciate properly. The 2010 quickie was still nice at 9.4 but not nearly as good as being 9.6 romanced properly. 6.20.26. — a month ago

Joel, Jeroen and 14 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

I might have exited the planet by the time the well made 2010 Bordeaux’s peak.

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2018

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2018 “S” pours a slightly hazy garnet/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of pomegranate, cranberry, strawberry, licorice, purple flowers, green herbs and crushed rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium+. I love me some Lapierre. Drink now through 2038. — 7 days ago

Somm, Tom and 10 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Jay Kline Did you grow those veggies? Looking good.
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Somm David T the tomatoes, yes. The peaches were grown by a friend. We made a burrata peach salad with the latter.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Got my garden in late. So, waiting. But garden grown tomatoes & burrata, 👌.

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2022

Couldn’t get enough of the 2013 so opened this split of 22. Has years to grow with its floral raspberry & hint of the boldness it will achieve. Just hope Im still around to still taste it in 10 years! — 8 days ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Ted and 14 others liked this

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012

Upon opening, this seemed a bit disjointed, with muted fruit flavors and strong herbal notes. Decanting didn’t seem to help much, but day 2 it finally opened up nicely, with nice complexity and intensity on the palate. Cherry, raspberry, cassis, bay leaf, dried Italian herbs, anise, cloves, vanilla, cedar, earth, and balsamic notes all come through. Really tasty, but maybe a bit too intense. I can see this improving with a few more years of aging so the flavors coalesce and soften a bit more. — 5 days ago

Dave, Barny and 4 others liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2000

2000 vintage. Ancient. Otherworldly. Eternal and undying. The ultimate vampire wine. $101 a bottle resto cost. Picked up a 6-pack and we’ll see how it does. You either get it or you don’t. 7.8.26. — 15 days ago

Ted, Paul and 18 others liked this
Daniel Bloom

Daniel Bloom

I used to sell @ChateauMusar to unsuspecting customers at an airport wine bar with a forward thinking mgr.
Snuck it into flights of three samples and then watched as whole glasses were ordered and minds widened.
Now…I’m taken aback at what these beauties command.
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego Premium Badge

@Daniel Bloom For the pricing of a 25 year old wine that kicks absolute tuckus and blows minds, it’s ridiculously affordable.

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2019

2019 vintage. FLB collateral damage. Opened and decanted. Tasted after 20 mins, 1 hour and 1.5 hours. No noticeable development(s) during that time. Medium/medium-heavy body. Some chunk. Some refinement. Obvious quality evident. Similar to the 2016 vintage tasted 6.12.26. Very, very nice but ultimately incapable of reaching the stratosphere that multiple vintages of this wine have reached...and breached. Seek out the 2018 vintage of this noww and thank me later. 6.26.26. — a month ago

Somm, Jay and 16 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Phenomenal wine. Tannins are completely softened with dark fruits. Incredibly enjoyable. The 2009 still going strong 17 years later. This can easily stay in bottle another 5-10 years. — 11 days ago