Department 66

90 Ninety + Cellars

Steep Slopes Lot 66 Mosel Riesling 2024

Really enjoyed this Riesling - it has been a long time since sipping a glass of this. Smooth, not too dry, great mineral notes. — 4 months ago

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2023

Château Pichon Baron 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé en 1855. BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A commanding and traditionally styled Pauillac delivering power, precision, and aristocratic structure, driven by a 66% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Semillon support. Dark fruit density, mineral authority, and refined oak integration create a wine that feels impactful today while clearly engineered for long-term evolution and layered complexity.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry, graphite, pencil shavings, cedar, cigar box, crushed gravel, subtle dark cocoa and savory spice.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm yet polished tannins, excellent mid-palate density, vibrant structural tension, tightly knit acidity, and a long, authoritative finish that builds rather than fades.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, lamb rack, beef Wellington, venison, mushroom-forward dishes, aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A textbook expression of elite Pauillac: powerful, elegant, disciplined, and deeply age-worthy. The wine delivers immediate presence while clearly signaling even greater complexity and harmony with time in bottle.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is serious wine, fierce yet controlled, deeply impressive without arrogance, and loaded with finesse under the horsepower. A bottle that earns respect with every sip and promises an extraordinary future in the cellar.
— 5 months ago

Ted, Tom and 4 others liked this

Pride Mountain Vineyards

Reserve Claret Sonoma County Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Sweet nose of red and black fruits with cedar, tobacco and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, oak, vanilla, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, bitter herbs, dark chocolates, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead and black pepper.

Long finish with soft tannins and bitter herbs.

This is a delicious Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Sonoma County and Napa Valley.

This 11-year-old is drinking very nicely now. Elegant and rich. Complex and fruit forward.

Needs an hour of airtime to open up properly.

I Had the 2013 not too long ago, and it was better.

Robert Parker 98 points. Wine Spectator 93 points.

Good by itself and with food.

A blend of 66% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in (40% new) French oak barrels for 22 months.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$135 (at release).
— 3 years ago

Tom, Severn and 17 others liked this

Tablas Creek Vineyard

Esprit Blanc de Tablas Roussanne Blend 2018

Blend of 66% Roussanne, 21% Grenache Blanc, 8% Picpoul Blanc, 3% Picardan & 2% Clairette Blanch, aged in French oak (20% new). Pale to medium lemon color with aromas of stone fruits, flower blossoms and nutty spice. On the palate flavors of ripe apple, baked pears and citrus zest with touches of honeysuckle and sweet oak. Long finish, good mouthfeel, well balanced with acidity ending with fruit, nutty notes and pronounced mineral character, very nice! — 5 years ago

Daniel P., Dawn and 3 others liked this

Fulldraw Vineyard

Paso Robles Rosé Blend 2017

Shay A
9.3

One of the best rosés I’ve had in quite some time. 66% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre. Bigger style with lots of complexity and depth to it. It’s as though someone took two of my favorite rosés, Arnyca (lighter style) and Antica Terra (super heavy style) and combined them. In the glass it has an absolutely gorgeous deep ruby color. Aromatically, it has spicy red fruits like rhubarb with watermelon, peppercorn and sea salt. It tastes remarkably like a gummy version of rhubarb, showing more spice at the finish. Not made in the crushable style, this deserves and commands some thought (and food)! My thanks to @Bill Bender for the wine and introducing me to the potential of this producer. — 6 years ago

P, Eric and 44 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@P A : Cheers to you, and I hope 2020 is wonderful for you and yours!

@Jake Rubash : I’m sold on this for sure. I need to try their other wines.

@Deborah M : If you enjoy the bigger style rosés, you will love this. Best at cellar temp, almost treating it like a light bodied red!
Bill Bender

Bill Bender Influencer Badge Premium Badge

I’m stoked you liked it as much as me @Shay A the props go to @Connor McMahon I’m pretty confident you’ll dig his big polished reds as well
P A

P A

@Bill Bender Bill From Canada Happy New Year Cheers 🥂

Department 66

Others Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Red Blend 2018

A really great choice for a wine with our apple-onion (not pickle) pizza at Marble+Rye. A little air, and it was delicious. — 4 months ago

Bonnie Hodur
with Bonnie
Douglas, Doug and 5 others liked this

Domaine Santa Duc

Gigondas Grand Grenache 66 2009

Lovely balanced mature grenache . Hint of cherries and dark fruit. — a year ago

Schramsberg Vineyards

North Coast Brut Rosé Blend 2017

A blend of about 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, light Salmon color with aromas of berry and citrus fruits with floral notes on soft mousse. On the palate flavors of strawberry and raspberry, creamy with lemon citrus texture. Youthful, lively acidity, long finish ending with yeasty spice and mineral notes. — 2 years ago

Rob, Juan and 2 others liked this

Anne Hubatch

Whoa Nelly! White Blend 2022

Cooler Shades of Pinot, 66/34 blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Willamette Valley. Pale golden, excellent clarity. Floral and citrus aromas, good acidity, rich mouthfeel, stone fruit, citrus flavors, lemon and lemon peel finish with length. Very well crafted — 3 years ago

Doug, Daniel P. and 1 other liked this

Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils)

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2018

Blend of 66% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties, Medium Ruby with aromas of ripe black fruits and earthy pepper spice. On the palate complex rich flavors of cherry and blackberry, with oak, leather, cacao and earthy spice. Full body, well balanced, fine tannins, long finish, perfect now but will last another decade. Outstanding! — 3 years ago

Jay, Anthony and 7 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

I love the wines of Beaurenard

Dandelion Vineyards

Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling 2012

Enjoying some wonderful aged Australian Rieslings from my cellar currently. This from the Eden Valley was almost as impressive as the Eldredge from the Clare a few days ago. Pale Lemon in colour. Nose of mandarin rind, pith and flesh, dried flowers but no Kero. The palate is showing Mandarin juice, a touch of sweetness and low acid. This wine has blossomed with cellaring, becoming delicious after the austerity of its youth. The vineyard was planted in 1912. Colin Kroehn as at 2012 has tended this vineyard for 66 of his 86 years. — 6 years ago

Eric, Ericsson and 17 others liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Obaideh Merwah 1998

Vila. Tast Chateau Musar. 66% Obsideh, 33% Merwah. 70,00.
27.05.19
— 7 years ago

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1966

Always a great La Mish experience drinking their 66. This was in perfect condition drinking half its age showing red & black fruit, smoke, cedar, leather, sweet savory spices with cigar ash & tobacco — 5 months ago

Andrew, Bob and 12 others liked this

Department 66

D 66 Côtes Catalanes Grenache Blend

Winestules bottle. Very vibrant and deep — 6 months ago

Meadowcroft

River Trace Grenache Blend 2021

Purple in color with a purplish rim.

Strong nose of black and blue fruits, cedar, vanilla, licorice and chocolates.

Full bodied and soft with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blueberries, cedar, licorice, cola, chocolates, tobacco, spices and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty GSM blend from Chalk Hill in California. Fruit forward and elegant. Spicy and entertaining.

Showing good balance with nice complexity, and a soft mouth feel.

Good right out of the bottle, and good by itself as a sipping wine.

I had it before, and this time I gave it a light chill and had it by the pool.
Paired nicely with the French Brie cheese.

A blend of 66% Grenache, 21% Syrah and 13% Mourvèdre. Aged in Hungarian oak barrels. A small production of only 2,600 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$52.
— a year ago

Tom, Bob and 9 others liked this

Kopke

Kopka Colheita Port Blend 1966

Very young and very attractive 66. 20.9 abv! (I added water). @Bill Bender — 3 years ago

Lyle, Sharon and 6 others liked this

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot & 3% Petit Verdot, deep Ruby with aromas of black fruit and floral aromas. On the palate blackberry, currant and plum flavors with cacao, tobacco and oak notes. Fine tannins, long finish, good balance ending with fruit, cacao, tobacco, earthy herbs and toasty cedar notes. Will age another 10 years! — 4 years ago

Juan, Paul and 9 others liked this

Concha y Toro

Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

The signature wine from the exquisitely tended Puente Alto vineyard, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits and espresso notes, a blend of 91% Cab Sauv and 9% Cab Franc, aged for 15 month in French oak (66% new). On the palate pronounced flavors of black cherry and plum with herb notes. Firm grippy tannins, long finish ending with herb tobacco notes, still tight needs time. Tasting Sample! — 6 years ago

Daniel P. liked this

Clos du Val Wine Co.

Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

18 mos in flFrench oak - 66% new. — 7 years ago

Laura, David and 7 others liked this

Gramercy Cellars

Lagniappe Red Willow Syrah 2014

The 2014 Lagniappe is an outstanding bottling from Gramercy Cellars, this Syrah was sourced from the Forgotten Hills, Red Willow and Minick Vineyards. The wine underwent 66% whole cluster fermentation and was aged for 18 months in used puncheons prior to bottling. This shows wonderful aromatics of dried herbs, red cherry, red raspberry, rose petals, Parma ham and blood orange. There are ripe flavors of black cherry, Chinese black tea, mint, coffee grounds and hints of orange rind and anise. This dense Syrah needs a two hour decant for full expression and drinks even better on the second day. Lithe and light on its feet, this will cellar well for at least another ten years. Drink 2019-2029- 93 — 7 years ago

Shay, P and 11 others liked this