Were Estate
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1979
Classic Lafite. Hard to put into words. It was delicate yet still powerful. I’ve had the wine in my cellar since a year or so after release. We were stunned at how well it had aged…45?years old and still retained its fruit. It was worth the wait — 4 months ago
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986
Lovely bottle of 1986 Ducru Beaucalliou. A little smoky and not as long as the last bottle but solid with rib chop, sautéed spinach, mushrooms Diane, and Beef Fat Fries at Hawksmoor NYC. Staff said they were going to decant and then did not. I think it would have opened more had they. Next time: insist. — a month ago
E. Guigal
La Mouline Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2004
A bottle I contributed during a trip to Napa’s Premiere Napa Valley week. This was opened at Torc, alongside a ‘97 Leflaive Les Pucelles, ‘11 Leroy Blagny, ‘89 La Chappelle and two young Napa cabs from Simon Estate. La Mouline is always my favorite due to the amount of co-ferment with Viognier.
Deserving of a 1-2hr decant, this got about an hour open in bottle by the time we got to it. I opened the ‘04 La Turque just a few weeks prior, so I had a reference point to work with. Heady aromatics, as expected…dark potpurri, spice, mesquite and mocha. On the palate, the youthful bacon-fat of Cote Rotie was gone and had channeled the classical tangy barbecue profile alongside black olive, peppered red and black berry fruit, and smoked meat at the finish. Whereas the LaTurque was almost Burgundian in profile (elegant, light), this was somewhere in-between the “bigger” LaLandonne and LaTurque…big, but balanced, likely due to vintage. Aromatics and finish here were standouts. Open now with a quick decant or hold another few years. — 7 months ago
Dunn Vineyards
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
From magnum. Cork and wax were a mess. Totally disintegrated and required the coffee filter and everything just to pour and decant the wine
3 hour decant before dinner. Paired with wagyu ribeye steaks. Amazing. This wine was just balanced and smooth. Just delicious. — 2 months ago
Chateau Montelena
The Montelena Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
1998 vintage. Been waiting to taste this one again for over two decades. 1998 wasn't the best Napa Cab vintage. The best 98's were generally mountain fruit-like the Dunn Howell Mountain. When this was released back in the day, it was brawny, taut and tannic but still maintained balance. This Montelena 1998 Estate Cab was better than nearly everyone's 1997 (an acclaimed/excellent across the board) Napa cabs back then. FF 23 years later...surprise! Some things haven't changed. Decanted and tasted after 10 mins, 30 mins and 2 hrs. Excellent fill and cork. Throwing respectable sed. Massive color. Great aged, leathery nose. Still medium heavy bod. Baking chocolate, ripe plum and grilled beef in the flavor profile. Consistent performer through the entry, mid and back palate hoops without drop-off during the ceremony. Tannins still evident but well-integrated with the abundance of fruit. Not improving but this is rock steady and in a very sweet spot/top of the bell curve for at least another decade. It was worth the wait. 6.29.24. — 3 months ago
Domaine du Pegau
Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2015
Oh yes…gimme all them funky cherries and all dat black licorice. There were also Ferrara Red Hots®️and a generous hit of black pepper. I simply adore Pegau; for all of its unapologetic character and authenticity. This 2015 brought the business tonight and was smashing with cassoulet, Toulouse sausage and duck confit. — 6 months ago
Norman Gennaro
I think I preferred the 2015 but ever so slightly and as much as I struggle to believe glasses make a difference they poured the 2016 in a big cab glass and I think that distracted from the flavors that were evident in the tighter 2015 glass. — a month ago