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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. — 3 months ago
Odette
Estate Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
2021 vintage. So tasted alongside sister property Cade (and Plumpjack) Howell Mountain Cab. If I weren't so familiar with the Cade HM, woulda sworn this was mountain fruit. This is the leanest, dirtiest SLD effort I've ever had spanning a multiplicity of SLD producers since the 1986 vintage. It's got the underlying structure of Stags Leap District but none of the top layer of richness. It all got scraped off and you are just left with the steak-no sizzle. Comes courtesy of the old old Steltzer property (hadn't heard that winery name in decades and it was the durtiest in SLD!) and the new powers that be turbo-charged it and turned shizz up to 11. Fascinating and phenomenal. Light-medium body and has the color but packs an unexpected Barolo-styled punch. Not your average SLD bear. Watch out for Mr. Ringer...err...Ranger. 10.30.24. — 6 months ago
Ridge Vineyards
Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012
From 375ml. @Lira Restaurant The Chef is the Gordon Ramsey winner.
Resolved, velvety M+ tannins. Ruby fruits of; blackberry pie, black raspberries, blueberries, both plums, dark cherries & raspberries. Dark chocolate bar, slightly moist tobacco, sandalwood to barrel shavings, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry herbs, light cinnamon, clove, vanillin, mocha, dry, volcanic clay, dark, withering flowers, some lavender framed in violets, excellent round acidity with incredible, balance, perfectly tensioned, softly structured, elegance finish that lasts a full minute. — a month ago
Spottswoode
Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
2002 vintage. Nice fill, good cork. Decanted with a respectable amount of powdery sed. Smelled great during decanting. Tasted 1.5 hours after opening/decanting. Expected light body with delicate tendrils. Medium body with a light palate footprint. Holy shazzbaat. This was absolutely firing. Like top of the pops, straight up to number one. Exceptional knitting and in a perfect spot now. Go all the way back to the inaugural 1982 vintage with this winery’s cabernet…thought my all-time fave was the 1991 altho the 1986 and 1987 were special. The 2020, picked early, thus avoiding the fires, is phenomenal as well. This was on another level and have had approx 150 bottles of Spottswoode Cab in the last three + decades. It was probably the best out of all of them. Difficult to imagine Napa Cab better than this. Power and finesse on display. Not improving but can hold this intensity for another 4-5 years. 12.24.24. — 4 months ago
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009
Holy wow! This wine was a unique and memorable experience. It was zinging out from the first glass over the next few hours it only deepened and became more substantial. Very ripe fruit but not aged. It retained vibrancy with complex earthy notes. Absolutely fantastic vintage. Top notch. — 2 months ago
Château Léoville Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Peter van den Besselaar
Vintage 1999 | Top notch, luscious Sauternes | paired with Foie Gras | at restaurant Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger — 12 days ago