Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Both days outstanding but slightly different experiences. Day 1 was about power. Day 2 was about balance. The 2020 “Cuvée Réservée” pours a brilliant garnet with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady, slightly funky notes of ripe brambles, garrigue, red & purple flowers, bacon fat, licorice, and dry rocky earth. On Day 2, everything was more open nit and the fruit showed more bruised with a slightly stewed profile. Lavender was the predominate floral profile too. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is textbook Pégau and I love it. Drink now through 2045+ — 3 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! — 7 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.2

Cleaning out my cellar for a move or at least reduce what i have. All 3 E&M‘s 14,15,16 Liaisons should be consumed within 30 minutes upon opening they are good to go drink up! Within 2 hours they loose appeal. I stand corrected - this one went through a down phase and then came back after 24 hours. The freshest and brightest of my recent trifecta of E&M and also the most pale. Still quite tannic. Touch peach? Sour raspberry, hint lime 🍋‍🟩. Crushed marble. Quite acidic. The 14 was the clear winner. In all cases the cork was quite soft and almost all the way moist to the top. — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Best on Day 2. The 2017 Caravina pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of cassis, blackberries, plum, tobacco, violets, cocoa, well-oiled leather baseball glove, Poblano pepper, 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 ashy. It’s been almost 5 years since my last 2017 and I’m just as excited about it today as I was back then. Drink now with some patience through 2037. — 3 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.1

I don‘t know. This has so much oak it overpowers everything. Might need another 10 years to be approachable. Cigar box, black berries. Deep, big and profound. I am not sure I would spend 70$ on this. It needs much much more time. Probably needs to be open for 2 days. Out of the machine at the Wine House in LA. — 7 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.0

Plenty of tannins left. 25bucks. Those were the days! 14%| Quite classic. Browne tinge. Needs at least 2-3 hours of air. Quite harsh and astringent. Roses, earthy and dusty, very dry. Hint of truffles. - Not super exciting at first (15min) so wait. Will last another 10 years - but i do worry about the fruit component if you need space in your cellar - i would suggest drink up. I will. Some folks tend to hype these wines i don’t - after all this is their most basic version with a large production volume. Total volume is 500,000 bottles a year at this cooperative. My guess they to make a lot of this one. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Happy New Year! 🍷

Perfect pairing w/ my Dutch oven braised short-ribs & horseradish mashed potatoes.

Dark currants, brambly blackberries, dark cherries, brilliant cherries, strawberries, iron pan, dry shale, dry herbs-sage lead, dry crushed rocks, limestone, volcanics, roasted chestnuts (a signature of this producer), some black coffee, tarriness, dry top soil, dark spices, some red to mid berry cola, red, dark flowers, violets, excellent, round acidity, balance for days, nice structure/tension with elegance that lands squarely on dry earthiness. — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

From a 5 Bordeaux grape blend: 81.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.8% Merlot, 1.8% Petit Verdot, 1.4% Cabernet Franc & 0.4% Malbec, aged 24 months French oak, 85% new. Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral and toasty spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and plump blueberries with notes of herbs, baking spice and toasty notes. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with cacao, toasty oak, fruit and earthy mineral tang. Very nice, aging well, but time will reward! — 6 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot, deep Ruby color with aromas of red and black fruits with tobacco and spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry with smoky tobacco, black pepper and herb notes. Medium+ finish, fine tannins, ending
Fruit, spice and spice. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years.

From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days.

This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak.

Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds. — a year ago