The Happy Medium

Château Cantemerle

Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Medium garnet , quite wide garnet terracotta rim . Quite mature and with mint , herbal cassis , touch of brown sugar, coffee , sous bois. On the palate this is medium bodied , sous bois , some red fruits , red plum , cassis . Quite spicy but still good volume and roundness on the palate also. Decent acidity , and some herbal touches on the good length finish . This is drinking well and will probably not improve . Now and over the next 5-10 years . — 10 hours ago

Severn, David and 3 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2015

Medium lemon yellow , fine bubbles . Quite restrained and mineral focused on the nose , then lemon confit , quince, touch of orange flowers, with some pastry notes , white flowers , honeysuckle also . Quite intense and mineral on the palate , fills out well with some lemon oil and pastry notes also , but this is reserved and elegant in style , more mineral , chalky and more intense than the 2013 had last week. Really refreshing acidity . Long and complex on the finish , I would imagine this needs more time than the 2013 too. Come back in 5 years , will show well for a further 10-15 years , perhaps longer. Very promising . — a month ago

Ira, Bob and 14 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2007

No formal notes . Medium ruby . Bit more coffee and roasted character at first , touch of oak perhaps. Quite rich and rounded on the palate at first, good acidity , good length . More red fruit , more delicate after a while , mineral , oyster shell , mineral and leaner on the long finish . Very classic , grafite tinged . This improved with air and really gained in complexity with time . I would be tempted to leave this a little longer or give it a longer decant . No rush here , will continue well for a further 10 years . Tied as my favourite wine of the flight with the Latour. — a month ago

Anthony, Andrew and 7 others liked this

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2017

2017 vintage. Extremely difficult to get past the coconut/pickles nose with the aggressive oak. Flavors better than scents currently. Could use an hour or two in a decanter or 7-8 years in the bottle to minimize said oak. Medium body. Will eventually lead the group on an epic hike but not in the next few years. 03.05.25. — 3 days ago

Jan, Ruud and 13 others liked this

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1985

Poured into a decanter about 30min prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1985 was more recently acquired from the chateau and in pristine condition. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium visit with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated dark and red fruits: black currants, mixed brambles, tobacco, pencil shavings, some dried purple flowers, some green bell pepper, mushrooms, leather, some ferrous earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. Elegant and beautiful this was such a fun and rewarding wine to follow as the hours rolled by. A very strong showing at 40 years young and not slowing down soon. Drink now through 2040. — a month ago

Ira, Eric and 15 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2007

No formal notes . Medium deep ruby , thinner rim. Quite deep and spicy nose , dark fruits , quite classic . On the palate quite dense , but rounded and suave tannin . Quite dense and meaty after a while , long and really well balanced , good length and a mineral , slate tinged finish. In this flight this was quite obvious as Latour , just the structure and density marked it out . This is a good Latour to enjoy at the moment , the tannin is polished, good freshness and density. No rush however I expect this to continue well for a least another decade , maybe more — a month ago

Ron, Anthony and 13 others liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2016

Legit delicious and one of the best I’ve had in a while. Mellow and lush, great rounded acids and softened tannins. Good tar, cocoa powder, prunes, stewed mushroom, soil, dried roses and violets, touch of vanilla. Decanted 4 hours before opening. Probably from Flatiron Wines? Happy Valentine’s Day. 02/14/2025 — 22 days ago

Austin, Ray and 9 others liked this

Corison

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Double decant for sediment and pour (lots of chunky/fine sediment). A striking still dark ruby red color with bricking. On the nose: wonderful fragrant nose of brambly red fruit, leather, loamy earth, mint, pencil lead. Taste: smooth, elegant wine with dried red fruit, cedar, dried herbs, tar, smokey earth, gravel with a medium plus finish. YUM! Still hanging in there and a pleasure to drink. — 6 days ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Rick and 13 others liked this

Château Mouton Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2007

No formal notes . medium deep ruby , medium bright ruby rim. Quite spicy a little oak noticeable at first . Mixed dark fruits . A bit more round and juicy on the palate , good acidity , slightly grippy but polished tannins . This becomes a bit more restrained and reserved after a while. Served blind , I actually put this as Haut Brion , due to its generous personality, and polished tannins. Overall showed well in the flight was my top wine (though the Cheval Blanc may well be better in absolute terms) . Can be enjoyed now , though has the substance to last a further decade or so, a good showing for the Mouton. — a month ago

Anthony, Andrew and 10 others liked this

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2007

No formal notes. Maybe slightly less dense ruby, wider rim . More refined and quite elegant , medium bodied , slightly more cooler greener fruits . This quite aromatic initially, mix of red and dark hedgerow fruits . A little more refined and small boned , perhaps a little light a shorter than others . This was impressive out of the gate , aromatic and charming quite mineral also , though it was the only wine that faded a little with time in the glass . This appears to be at its peak though probably will remain here for another 5 -10 years perhaps — a month ago

Anthony, Andrew and 6 others liked this