Benchmark Wines

Grant Burge

Benchmark Shiraz

A fortified wine [Tawny]. Wow, smooth, not overly sweet - absolutely delicious. — 10 days ago

Jacques Selosse

Lieux Dits Les Carelles Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay

Disg. 2/14 (07 base)…Always my favorite of the Lieux-Dits and without question one of the very best Blanc de Blancs Champagnes on the planet, it’s particularly special to have with some bottle age. It’s absolutely as stunning as hoped—rich and powerful with crazy depth to its layers with a deep, complex core of caramelized orchard fruit, roasted nuts, old rum barrels and candied white flowers, all with seamless integration. The palate is generous and detailed, with racy acids, waves of saline laced, chalky Le Mesnil minerals and a finish that just stays with you. A BdB benchmark, legendary bubbles. — 4 months ago

Tom, Dave and 7 others liked this

Benchmark Wines

Criterion Reserva Valle de Colchagua Carménère

Josh ❤️ - Casa de surf 🏄‍♂️ — 10 months ago

Cullen Wines

Kevin John Margaret River Chardonnay 2015

3/6.75/9.75 = 19.5 out of 100 say 98
Eight year Kevin John - lovely with pear on the nose and pear with perfectly balanced acid on the palate. Sets a high benchmark for all premium Chardonnay.
— 2 years ago

Château Suduiraut

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2023

Château Suduiraut, 2023, Sauternes BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
Premier Cru Classé Sauternes delivering pure botrytis luxury blend of 80% Semillon, 15% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Sauvignon Gris with remarkable tension and precision. Lush honeyed richness balanced by vibrant acidity and a beautifully layered texture that feels both decadent and weightless. Sensual, polished, and deeply expressive, this is a dessert wine that seduces rather than overwhelms.

Aromas & Flavors
Orange blossom, acacia honey, apricot confit, ripe peach, saffron, candied citrus peel, subtle vanilla bean, almond paste, and a whisper of ginger spice. Floral lift intertwines with botrytis-driven sweetness and fresh citrus brightness.

Mouthfeel
Silky, viscous, and coating without heaviness. Glycerol richness glides across the palate while acidity keeps the wine lifted, focused, and endlessly drinkable. Long, luxurious, and caressing finish.

Food Pairings
Foie gras torchon, blue cheese (Roquefort or Stilton), apricot tart, almond pastries, honey-drizzled chèvre, citrus-based desserts, or simply enjoyed solo as a contemplative finale.

Verdict
Sublime, sexy, and impeccably balanced. A masterclass in tension between sweetness and freshness, delivering pleasure, elegance, and emotional impact in equal measure. A benchmark nightcap wine.

Did You Know?
Château Suduiraut sits adjacent to Château d’Yquem and shares similar gravelly terroir and noble rot influence, often delivering First Growth-level finesse at a more approachable price point.

🍯 Personal Pick
This wine feels like a French kiss, seductive tension, velvet weight, and honeyed decadence wrapped in electric freshness. The viscosity caresses the palate while the acidity keeps everything irresistibly alive.
— 13 days ago

Vanessa, Ted and 5 others liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2018

Cornas AOC is a small and distinctive appellation in the Northern Rhône of France. 🇫🇷 Unlike its neighboring appellations, Cornas wines must be made with 100% Syrah. 🍇 This makes it a singular expression and benchmark in the world of Syrah. 🍷🍷

This particular wine is pronounced with harmonious aromas and flavors spanning the spectrum from primary to secondary to tertiary …

Offering generous notes of blackcurrant preserves, ripe black cherry, boysenberry, violet, cured meat, peat, forest floor, dark chocolate truffle, mocha, black peppercorn, star anise, fennel, cardamom, spice box, tobacco, cigar, clove, & saddle leather.
— 6 months ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Brian and 23 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

@Vanessa remember when you and @Deked1 shared this! Was soo good! Cheers! Also figured out I can’t work with @J Greene to get us together. More to come from @ K Greene! 😉
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K @J Greene Oh we absolutely remember that night & the blind tasting 💯 Having this again reminded us of that fun get together. We are 1,000% in on a part deux.

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1983

The belle of the ball, what an extraordinary bottle of Napa Cab. I wish we still made them like this one, 12.5% alcohol and beautifully cellared, this wine was really shining. Elegant, balanced, classic and beautiful in every way. With some really interesting wines on the table, we kept going back to this one. I wish more people had the pleasure of tasting aged Cabernet from a benchmark winery like Phelps to experience how great they can be. Thanks, Mom for buying great wine and laying it down for nights like this. — 3 years ago

Andrew, Ed and 1 other liked this

La Rioja Alta

Gran Reserva 904 Rioja Tempranillo Graciano

Beautiful tempranillo led wine with 10% graciano from one of the benchmark vintages in the past 25 years. This Gran Reserva has legs for the long run but perfectly approachable now! — 4 months ago

Theodore, Jan and 2 others liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2020

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2020 Classico pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Morello cherry, pomegranate, red flowers, old wood, and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. My first time trying the 2020 vintage of Produttori’s Classico and it’s another really lovely, benchmark example of Barbaresco. Drink now through 2040. — 6 months ago

Ira, Pooneet and 19 others liked this
Zach D

Zach D

Nice. 2020 more approachable now than the 2019s from what I remember

Pattes Loup (Thomas Pico)

Vent d'Ange Chablis Chardonnay 2020

Very muted in the nose… hardly anything at first, fresh saltiness, barely a hint of green apple & lemon peel. And yet, fresh & enticing.
And then, on the palate this sings! Simply beautiful! With a touch of roundness & creaminess on the palate but also vibrant acidity, salinity, stony minerality. Ripe yellow apple & lemon. Vibrant, juicy and quite complex. Great depth & length.
A benchmark for Chablis & delish!
— 2 years ago

Ira, Pinotman and 3 others liked this
Daniel M

Daniel M

I keep seeing this producer posted on here a lot but I must confess I had never heard of it while I was still living back home. Now I want to discover it 😊 thank you for sharing!