The Freewheeling Few

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Great structure, complex and delicious. Could still use a few more years of ageing but not complaining - it is a Cos afterall. — 15 days ago

Ira, jesus and 2 others liked this

Pio Cesare

Barolo Nebbiolo 2016

Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Good now but a few more years in the bottle will not hurt! — a month ago

Paul, Juan and 5 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2020

Wonderful wine. One of my favorite vineyards. This is always a high quality wine. This one is still young but getting its legs. Vibrant and fresh if not yet rounded out. There is complexity that will only build. The length is good now but I know will be significantly longer in near term. Cherry. Fig. Eucalyptus. Loved this wine. Looking forward to sampling the next few I have over ensuing decade. — 3 months ago

Shay, Joseph and 18 others liked this
Ron R

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When did you take delivery of this?
Vino Joe

Vino Joe Premium Badge

Sorry. Just saw this: ordered in Aug ‘23. Picked up Jan ‘24

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2016

Nice but not quite at the true top level, especially given the price. Decanted 4 hours which is necessary at this point. Nice pairing with a big T-bone steak cooked in the Tuscan style. Could use more acid on the finish. Probably needs a few years to come together. — 8 days ago

Severn, Tom and 3 others liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Chardonnay 2008

OMG…!
This wine is already so unbelievably tasty and juicy and creamy and harmonious…. Breathtaking.
Destined for a perfect score in a few years’ time.
— a month ago

Bob, Tom and 4 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1988

Shay A
9.2

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty.
— 2 months ago

Pinotman, Tom and 18 others liked this

Beaulieu Vineyard

Private Reserve Georges de Latour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Ron R
9.6

This is a large-scale yet compact example of BV’s flagship wine. Displays notes of kirsch, maraschino cherries and tobacco on the nose. The nose gives way to a heady cocktail of maple syrup and moderate toasty oak. Plush tannins add weight on the mid-palate. Exceptional example at the price. Let this unfurl over the next few years. — 5 months ago

Tom, Andrew and 33 others liked this
Jody Scharf

Jody Scharf Premium Badge

how do I get an invite 🤔? beg? ok 👍 I'm begging...
Ron R

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lol. Behave yourself, @Jody Scharf. Will set up a soirée at home, soon. You’ll be the first invitee.

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1964

Paul J
9.0

Short decant. Amazed at the quality after seeing an almost black cork and a very low fill level. Wouldn’t be craving a glass, but for a wine this old it was consumable with a few in the party really enjoying it. Garnet, almost brown in color. Leather and stewed fruit dominate. — 22 days ago

Steve GautierBrooke Weaver Jakubowski
with Steve and Brooke
Jan, John and 7 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano 2010

Decanted this four hours and drank over the next two and it just kept delivering. Easily the best Rioja I’ve had and showed considerably better than the ‘17 CVNE a couple nights before. Looking forward to tasting this vintage again in a few years. — a month ago

Turd and Dylan liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1999

Delectable Wine
9.2

The 1999 Latour has a dark garnet color with little aging on the rim. The nose is closed initially and demands coaxing, eventually revealing blackberry, cedar and light pencil-shaving aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins, displaying some secondary notes of clove, white pepper and a distinct earthiness that comes through on the finish. [Post-script: this is one of the few vintages I identified correctly!] Tasted blind from double magnum at a 20-year retrospective at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2024)
— 3 months ago