Tier Vintage

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

Vintage Brut Champagne Blend 2002

David T
9.4

This is their 2002 Vintage Brut but the top of the bottle reads 250 ANS? Maybe, an anniversary bottling. I do seek out Veuve Clicquot as much of what I’ve tried from them hasn’t to my liking. There are simply producers I enjoy more at or under their price points. But, this was quite good & the best offering I've had from them. Enjoyed it. Better than all the vintages of Grande Dame I've had. Having said that, it is not on the same par as the 02 Rare and 02 Billecart.

It was showing the right spot to starting drinking it. More reductive than oxidative. Lively, fresh acidity. Citrus blend, some of both apples, a little white stone fruit, nice brioche, soft playful yeastiness, excellent fine chalkiness, alluvial limestone, spring flowers and well done, balanced, structured, tensioned, elegant and not overly polished finish that lasted 90 seconds.

Pour at the Saturday Pebble Beach Food & Wine walk around “From the Cellar” dinner
— 13 days ago

Shay, Brian and 10 others liked this

Taylor Fladgate

Vintage Port Blend 1963

Sublime. Still youthful. Elegant softness. Prune, perfectly balanced nuances with a super long finish — a month ago

Laura liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2019

First time tasting the ‘19 vintage, and the Produttori edged out one of my fave under the radar barolistas this early on. Maybe because it released sooner? Both red fruited with sour cherries and elegant tamed tannin/acid, but the Produttori had another gear of sweet incense and hard candy. The vintage does remind me of a more approachable’13 from a tannin perspective. — 21 days ago

Lyle, Serge and 16 others liked this
Jay Kline

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I feel like Giacomo Fenocchio’s single vineyard Barolos need a lot of time (although Villero is usually a bit more approachable young)
Jae Cho

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@Jay Kline yep, agree 100%. I have a few to lay down but I usually open one at release to see how many I want to buy.

Krug

Vintage Brut Champagne Blend 2004

Delectable Wine
9.8

The 2004 Vintage is a gorgeous Champagne that is just beginning to enter its first plateau of maturity. Dried flowers, brioche, mint, marzipan, tangerine peel and spice lend notable nuance throughout. A hint of reduction adds intrigue. As always, the 2004 is a linear, focused Champagne endowed with terrific energy. It is impeccably done. There's a bit more Chardonnay and Meunier than usual in this vintage, and that very much comes through in the wine's personality and overall feel. The blend is 37% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay and 24% Meunier as opposed to the more classic 50%/35%/15% blend. Disgorged: Summer 2018. Krug ID: 318031. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2024)
— 16 days ago

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2017

Transparent, singing. Ripe but tense. Truly top tier fruit. — 21 days ago

Jan, Peter and 26 others liked this

Charles Krug

Vintage Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Cork fell apart for the 2nd time on the same wine Juice was great though — 3 years ago

Dow's

Vintage Porto 2000

A lighter style of vintage Port. — 4 hours ago

Ruud and Jan liked this

D'Oliveiras

Vintage Madeira Boal 1908

Rich with roasted nuts & honey — a month ago

Shay, Jan and 5 others liked this

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2007

What’s not to like? Vibrant vintage coming into its own. Rich sweetness, tropical notes. Beautiful capper. — 7 days ago

Raul, Joe and 26 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.
— 8 hours ago

Pinotman, Tom and 7 others liked this