At first pass, this was super fruity and almost too accessible. The edges were round and it was displaying a predominantly red-fruited cherry-berry profile (not always my favorite). However, as I…
This was one of those wines that seemed somewhat reluctant to express itself wholly and was perpetually stuck in the land of unreciprocating interest. No romanticism here..yet? I sensed dark fruit…
Linear, primary, tannic, and a little annoyed (or maybe that was me being annoyed at it), the 2015 was a wine I had Coravin'd the day prior to sample it to see just where it was at. Peeved was where…
Black fruit. Black rock. Black fruit. Black rock. and a bit of booze on the tail that didn't let up (ok, so a point or two off for that). But otherwise, this was totally in my wheelhouse. The profile…
Having this 1961 next to its great, great grandson the 2018 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was like watching Twins with hieroglyphic subtitles, or more accurately, looking at…
This was drinking rather beautifully, perhaps much in part to its handler's decanting protocols prior to arrival. Bravo for that! Medium bodied flavors of red raspberries, cedar, earth, old cinnamon…
Much more expressive than the 2016, the 2018 Ducru wasn't the belle of the ball for me necessarily, but it was certainly not in booboo mood the way its 2-year-older brother was behaving. That said,…
This was wound a bit tight tonight in my opinion, never fully expanding or offering up the goods. The 2018 Ducru served next to it was by far more expressive and giving, especially on the front end…
This was probably my wine of the night. It's just so darn yummy and expressive, with a spine that is so focused and intense without overpowering the fruit or the focus. Black and beautiful fruit that…
Notably less in the funk locality than the 2005 VCC, this 2010 displayed a red berry-meets-cedar profile that was further complimented by some darker attributes, adding to the perception of depth and…
Both the 2010 and 2005 VCC were bumping 'We Got the Funk' more than any of the other wines at the table. Not surprisingly, this 2005 carried a greater display of the heady old world profile over the…
As soon as Napa-acclimated tasters (a category into which I likely fall) hear the word "classical" attributed to a wine's profile, they typically dismiss it as an overly lithe, red-currant and…
Alluringly smooth and polished for such a young wine, the 2018 L'Eglise-Clinet shows purple and red berry fruit on the initial pull of the cork, primary and linear as one might expect, with a finish…
If you long for grandma's hope chest filled with cigarette butts and old dusty diaries with yellow-stained pages, then best venture elsewhere, because this vintage of Pavie is front-loaded with super…
A lot of high scores here, so I of course had to open one of these to see what all the fuss was about. Upon the first pull of the cork, you might as well have just poured this down the drain and…
An obvious youngster, but with the heralded 2010 vintage backing an already top-notch first growth classification, the 2010 Lafite was destined to offer an A-lister performance. On the first pop of…
Though I'm typically not a Sauternes aficionado on the regular, who could pass up the opportunity to check this little beauty out, from the 2001 vintage no less. As hoped, this was a succulent…
This bottle took a little more mechanical influencing to get into a state of notable expression. At first, muted and linear, this Enclos Tourmaline was a boring date on the initial pickup. A few…
A rockstar virtuoso with a Hall & Oats soft soul (or perhaps One Republic - for you Gen Z'er hipsters out there), the Pichon-Longueville Baron presents lovely round edges that caress the black cherry…
Boy, this thing was popping off like a fruity Napa cherry bomb for the first few hours of consumption. And...the heat wouldn't quit. Frankly, it was a bit blasted and kinda wonky on first pass.…
Checking in on this wine after a couple of years, I was somewhat surprised how agreeable it was showing. There is a gentle firmness encapsulating the steeped plum and black cherry flavors, but the…
Seemingly shut down and strikingly less exuberant than its flashier showing back in 2019. Best advice is to leave this alone for a few years. It's a $20 buck chuck (or 'Charles' I suppose, since we…
This bottle was a shy guy throughout most of consumption. After three hours with the cork off and swirling in the glass, it found depth and a dollop of richness. Otherwise, it was in the friend zone…
A great vintage and a solid Sauternes. Honey, apricot, lamp oil, quince jelly, and lemon and orange marmalade. The only elements missing for me would be some additional floral or herbaceous notes.…
