The Wine Cellar

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

So, my long time wine group buddy brought this bottle from his cellar, absolutely stunning 36-year-old Bordeaux, but honestly, it tasted like a 10-year-old wine, so fresh and so amazingly long on the finish, honestly needs another 25-30 years in the cellar, nigh perfect!! — 5 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Jonathan and 17 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Dave, that Palmer and Margaux were opened in part due to two of my wine group guys and our wives being present — one of the wives is unfortunately having quite serious medical issues, and I said to my buddy who brought the 1989 Margaux that I was bringing the Palmer for her to taste, so he one-upped me (which I was thrilled with), so just a special occasion. Some of the other recent special bottles are my response to pulling older bottles these past 3-6 months that have disappointed me, I figure it’s better to drink some of these a few years too early than keep being disappointed.
Dave

Dave

Sounds like a special time!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Dave, it was, and I’ll always be glad for it!!

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Cask 23 Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Decant and pour. On the nose: blackberry, forest floor, currants, herbaceous, smoked meat. Taste: velvety, balanced wine with brambly blackberry, earth, currants, spice, leather, graphite, and a medium plus dry finish. YUM! — a month ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Shay and 20 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Hate to be a typical wine drinker, but there was a smooth and velvety taste with a continuous bite at the end. Completely coats the tongue with flavor from start to finish. — a month ago

Dave, Robin and 2 others liked this

Heitz Cellar

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Don’t drink a ton of Napa cab but it’s nice to have a nice one made in a somewhat more restrained style. 13.5%. Definitely young, the air helps - would wait several years or give a big decant. But even without a ton of that still very good with deep berry fruit, oaky dusty tannins that are relatively balanced. Great acid on the long finish. Excellent pairing with steaks and lamb chops at Sammy’s Ye Olde Cider Mill. — 20 days ago

Zach, Dave and 13 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

A 2012 Latour with a 90 minute decant showed what a first growth could be post its first growth stage. With the usual Latour signature it was very drinkable considering its relative youth. One more bottle in the cellar — 18 hours ago

Château Palmer

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1983

Violets, violets and more violets aromatically, after sitting in the decanter for 15 minutes, this wine decided to show its still youthful tannin, likely to inform me that it was still way too young to drink, long finish, but ideally needs more cellaring, one of my favorite Bordeaux ever, I have some more bottles so will wait on those, amazing!! — 5 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Andrew, Jonathan and 14 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Never had the ‘83! (I had no $$ when these futures were offered or when released 🤷) Said to be legendary!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, I purchased a case of this on futures after some of the wine guys I knew in NYC in the 1980s touted Palmer — one guy was a doctor who had cellared Palmer for decades served 1961 & 1966 Palmer in splits at a wine dinner in the Village, blew my socks off, he said the 1983 would be the next GREAT Palmer and I just listened and bought (as you know, those 1980s Bordeaux were not super expensive). I opened one of these 3-4 years ago with 1982 Pichon-Lalande and a few other outstanding 1980s Bordeaux, and that bottle of 1983 Palmer blew everything away — this bottle showed more tannic structure, though amazing violet aromatics, and definitely needs more cellaring. I LOVE Palmer!!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Tom Casagrande, one other LOL about this Palmer yesterday — I asked my wine friend to open and decant, he pulled out his Durand — and the bottom 1/4 of the cork decided it’d rather stay in the bottle!! That’s why I like the olde English tradition of super-heated Port tongs to take the glass above the neck off that way!! 🤔🤷😂

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

1990 Chateau Lynch Bages in Nebuchadnezzar. At a Lynch Bages dinner for the Commanderie de Bordeaux NY Chapter. Paired over the course of three courses vs the 1995, 1996 and 2000. The 1998 was also served earlier in the evening. So youthful, given the large format. Still got to experience different stages of evolution of the wine as it was poured throughout the night. Well balanced and beat out the other wines that night, with rhe 1996 showing more pepper and spice but also green bell pepper from the Cab Franc. The 2000 also showed strongly, but could not outshine the 1990. — 4 days ago

Ira, Andrew and 14 others liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo

Floral notes on the nose — roses, hibiscus, plus mint, and the dry fragrance of sun-bleached wood. Strawberries on the front. Medium tannic structure. Black tea high notes with hint mint on the mid palate. Citrusy finish with long acidic afterburn. My description fails in that it makes it sound like a light and floral wine. But taken altogether, this is wine is rock solid, and it hasn’t even begun to develop. — 4 days ago

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

2 hour decant. A marvelous medium garnet color (decent fine sediment). On the nose: dark berries, cassis, forest floor, sandalwood, pencil shavings, chocolate, and cigar box. Taste: layered, balanced, still young wine with dark cherry/plum, cedar, dark chocolate, charcoal, and a lingering tobacco/leather finish. YUM! No hurry, a long distance Las Cases. — 18 days ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Andrew, Iwan and 16 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

I purchased this wine for $60 as a Bordeaux future offering from MacArthur’s in DC, with the hope of opening it when my younger son—born in 1982—was old enough to share it. We finally did just that this Thanksgiving, celebrating both him and the bottle.
The fill was mid-shoulder, but the family was together and it felt like the right moment. I gave it about an hour in the decanter before dinner. Early on it showed blackberries, a touch of veg, lead pencil, cedar notes and a smooth elegant finish. As the evening went on it opened a bit more, gaining some depth.
A few hours later I revisited the small amount I’d saved and found it had dried out some—but that was expected for a 43-year-old First Growth. Ultimately, it was a wonderful experience and a memorable way to share both the wine and the moment with family.
— a month ago

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Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Fantastic and great story. Thanks for sharing!