Tight Lines

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (91.3%) and Merlot (8.7%). A bit tight and unexpressive right out of the bottle. After a 45 minute decant, this wine was awake and very alive. Dark ruby color. Aromas of graphite, forest floor, wet gravel and dark black fruit. Flavors of black currant/cherry/berry/plum, tobacco, baking spices, dark chocolate and minerals. Distinct notes of smoky oak and wet earth on the long and lingering finish. Tannins were a bit lighter than expected at first but developed with aeration. Quite savory, rich, full bodied and powerful. Beautiful texture. Exceptional (once it opened up) but not the bottle of near perfection that I had heard so much about. Thanks for sharing, Petey and Happy Birthday, Kase! — 22 days ago

Austin, DAD and 11 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

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

Tight as a drum at open. Loosened to trampoline tension after 2 hours. Finally was loose after 4. Spicy and hefty. More inward. A sophisticated mix and quite good but as with most Leoville Las Cases it needs to sit longer for the next iteration. — 4 months ago

Andrew, Daniel and 20 others liked this
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards


Ironically, I just enjoyed a bottle of this in London and fully agree with your assessment. I am looking forward adding to my cellar. I have ‘82, ‘89, ‘01, ‘05, and ‘16 and it’s obvious that ‘09 needs to be in the mix. Only a couple of years for this juice to step to the next level and maybe
even before ‘05 . Nice find
@Vino Joe

Between the Lines

Reserve Cabernet Franc 2012

Niagara Peninsula Cab Franc is hard to beat. More proof of that in this bottle. — 10 months ago

Bonnie Hodur
with Bonnie

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (24%), Petite Verdot (3%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). Dark ruby/purple color. Aromas of plush black fruit, violets, graphite, leather, cedar and wet gravel. Jammy raspberry and blackberry fruit flavors with additional notes of plums, black currants, mocha, coffee, tobacco and baking spices. Beautiful hints of smoke and dusty earth on the long and precise finish. Rich and concentrated with great intensity. Medium-plus body and some noticeable tannins. Still a bit tight, but heading to a very good place. Thank you so much for the wonderful gift, Kasey and Pete! — 2 months ago

Paul, Jamie and 9 others liked this

Château Cos d'Estournel

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Intense cherry with a touch of tar. Iron and dense but very pure fruit. Good stuff but still tight and unyielding — 4 months ago

Bex Green
with Bex
Jeroen, Jay and 14 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2010

Lovely plum and sour cherry. A bit tight. Bright. — 6 months ago

Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with Matt and Paul
Paul, Juan and 9 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

Enjoyed with a Cantonese beef stew, dad's recipe. Decanted 3 hours before dinner and it still held tight graphite, cedar, and black fruit notes. A touch closed up or young right now, will revisit my next bottle in 5 to 10 years — 2 months ago

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2014

2014 vintage. Last tasted 04.20.22 (9.5). Still tight but behind all the subterfuge, clouds, white lies, deception and smoke, there is a fantastic show slowly being assembled. All the performers are there and you've watched plenty of the rehearsals. Another 8-10 years will likely find this in the 9.6 and maybe 9.7 zone when the curtain finally rises. Built for future speed. If you've got the time and ca$hi$h, put a case aside and start tapping in 2035. This goes places wine doesn't have a right to. It's not asking for permission. 01.30.25. — 3 months ago

Jan, Ruud and 18 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! We’re gathered tight in Pittsburgh, cozy familial bonds keeping us cozy. And what better in this city of forged steel than a bricking roasty wine to match? — 5 months ago

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2019

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and cedar notes, blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and spice. Fine grainy tight tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar and earthy mineral character. Very nice, will age well but wait a few more years to really enjoy! — a year ago

Douglas, Anthony and 9 others liked this