Two Vines

Dry Creek Vineyard

Heritage Vines Sonoma County Zinfandel

Deep purple hue. Mouthfilling plum, blackberry and raspberry, with some spice/ pepper in there. Not a fruit bomb. There’s nuance here. Had this with grilled porterhouse. Excellent. Finishing it solo- equally good. — 6 days ago

Barny and Tom liked this
Angelo Casagrande

Angelo Casagrande

Getting a lot of chocolate as it opens up

Bodegas Ateca

Atteca Armas Calatayud Old Vines Garnacha 2022

Great wine that needs a bit to open and express its fresh fruit and balance. — 2 months ago

Feudi di San Marzano

Sessantanni Old Vines Primitivo di Manduria 2019

Perfumed nose. Rich, deep cherry and tar layers. Firm structure but forward. Heaviest 750 ml bottle I've ever held! — 2 months ago

Foxen

Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2024

2024 vintage. Last tasted 9.3.25 (9.3). Still a fave CA white-especially for the price. A touch of class. 3.12.26. — 3 months ago

David, Ted and 18 others liked this

Two Hands

Gnarly Dudes Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021

Had the 2021 in February of 2026. Lots of blueberry and vanilla with some spice with this one. Enjoyed this one more with food rather than sipping alone. — 4 months ago

Two Hands

Sexy Beast McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Powerfull well rounded blueberry and black currants. Soft tannins carrying pepper leather and tobacco. Well balanced with acidity that rounds out the red fruit flavors the wine is abundant with. — 8 months ago

Bodegas Volver

Tarima Hill Old Vines Monastrell

On s’en va là l’automne prochain! C’est un 2018, belle maturité- fruits murs et belle longueur d’un vin corsé et complexe. — 2 years ago

Andrew Will

Two Blondes Vineyard Merlot Blend 2007

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and dried, mixed fruits: brambles, plum, blueberry, purple flowers, leather, earth 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 long and rich. Alcohol is medium+. Pretty tasty stuff.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Merlot (or blend thereof), Cabernet Franc (or blend), Cabernet Sauvignon (or blend), Shiraz (or blend) Tempranillo or Syrah from the United States, France, Australia or Spain. The fruit is the star here so I’m taking this to the “new world”. Plus, there is a generosity and elevated alcohol that gives me Aussie vibes (though I find the wine balanced). I also think this has 15-20 years of age. Final conclusion: this is a Shiraz blend from Australia, Barossa, 2005. Daaaaaang. Andrew Will! I don’t hate my call but I should have probably done better with this one since I’m very familiar with these wines. Still much to learn. Drink now through 2037.
— a month ago

Lyle, Zach and 8 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

I miss the days where I lived in a city where I had fellow wine geek friends and had blind-tasting gatherings like this!
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Tom Casagrande In eastern Nebraska, the Somm community hosts one every Monday afternoon. It’s super chill, organized by one of my wine mentors, an Advanced Somm. Everyone brings a bottle in a bag. The only criteria is that the bottle is testable at the Advanced level by the CMS. Everyone gets an opportunity to run through the grid and then we discuss. The participants range from the serious collector, to the aspiring wine professional, to the Sommelier trying to advance in their certification(s). It’s pro…but we have fun and learn a lot because there is a lot of functional knowledge in our group.

Two Hands

Angels' Share McLaren Vale Shiraz

Had the 2022 in February of 2026. Blackberry and dark cherry with a barrel forward character on the nose. Not super tannic- berry/cherry throughout. Short finish with hints of tannin on the end. — 4 months ago

Matthew HeyboerEthan HeyboerJody Wycech
with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others

St. Francis Winery

Sonoma County "Old Vines" Zinfandel 2021

Very dark with a robust taste. I would buy it again. — 8 months ago

Mollydooker Wines

Two Left Feet Shiraz Blend 2021

Blend of 69% Shiraz, 16% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from McLaren Vale, deep Ruby color with aromas of berry fruits and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and cherry with notes of vanilla, spice, licorice and tobacco. Fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, sweet spice and earthy notes. — 9 months ago

Tom, Paul and 2 others liked this

Domaine Lafage

Tessellae Old Vines Côtes du Roussillon Red Rhone Blend

Nose is vanilla ice cream and and raspberries. Tastes beautiful at first with more fruity raspberry and vanilla cream goodness. As it develops it gets drier and more leathery. Delicious. — 4 years ago

Turley

Old Vines California Zinfandel 2016

Ten years post vintage, the 2016 shows little sign of age. Dark, warming, smooth and rich. Dusty tannins and the 15.5% alcohol has mellowed as has the typical peppery bite on the back-end of Zins. All around, still drinking great — a month ago

Bodega Catena Zapata

High Mountain Vines Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Me encantó súper suave al paladar muy delicado, recomendadisimo — 18 days ago

Cakebread Cellars

Two Creeks Vineyards Pinot Noir 2023

Ruby red color with red fruit aromas and spicy floral notes, aged for 10 months in 40% new French oak. On the palate flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry with tea and earthy tones. Fine smooth tannins, well balanced with acidity, nice mouthfeel, long finish ending with earthy toasty oak character. Very fresh will continue to age! Nice! Pair with with a grilled chop! — 2 months ago

Joel, Rob and 7 others liked this

Cline Cellars

Ancient Vines Contra Costa County Mourvèdre 2022

Lot of dark fruit: blackberries, blueberries, and a tinge of spice. Dark, the wine smells like it tastes. Good value. — 3 months ago

Dave, Tom and 1 other liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Seriously, has there ever been a disappointing red wine from Contra Costa? Every red vine there is over 100 years old on ungrafted roots in 20 feet of pure sand. What kind of jerk can fuck that up?

Noble Vines

337 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Wood Ranch yummy dinner on a very windy night before NY Eve, almost the end of 2025. Thanks to Mitch and Krista for Xmas gift card here. — 6 months ago

Lois liked this

Scherrer Winery

Scherrer Vineyard Old and Mature Vines Zinfandel 2002

ESF
9.8

Last bottle — opened for an old friend and like the PN alongside, this was a stunner, nearly flawless. Intact cork, bunch of sediment, and after only half hour in the decanter it was game time. Had PN and this alongside gorgeous ribeye — 9 months ago

Tom, Bob and 3 others liked this
Tom Elliot

Tom Elliot Influencer Badge

Spoken from first hand experience, Scherrer’s are one of the few good Zinfandel bets for extended aging into very special wine. Good young too.

Two Hands

Lily's Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

Somm David T
9.4

First, if you haven’t had this producers wines at 15-20 years of age, you’re missing some spectacular juice. I bought this at auction for $38-$40 a bottle and because I was unaware of its storage, I was prepared to short decant it. Well…until I pulled the cork, smelled it and saw the color. This nearly 20 year old bottling is still big but with nice integration & evolution. I would say it has another 5-8 years of good life in it.

The palate fruit is ruby, ripe and lush; blackberries, boysenberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum. Mid berry cola, dark chocolate to pudding, mocha powder, wet clay, light, black pepper, Asian spice, dry-ish tobacco, black licorice, some dry herbs-sage dominate, limestone, dry top soil, dry brush, used leather, sandlewood, fresh to slightly withering, dark, purple, red florals set/framed in violets and lavender. The acidity is near perfect. The well balanced, structured, knitted finish is excellent and lingers minutes. Steal for the price. Another excellent gourmet burger wine. Beef Patties from El Salchichero.
— 3 years ago

Dawn, Shay and 12 others liked this