Very little wine is produced (about 400 cases) from this tiny 5-acre vineyard, but it is always among the most concentrated and richest of Bordeaux. The inky/purple-colored 2007 offers sweet cassis fruit notes interwoven with... Read More
The wine is not as powerful as one might expect, given the owners and winemaking team, coming in at 14.3%. A sensational, rather massive example for a 2010, this opaque purple wine offers up notes of subtle barbecue smoke, blackberry... Read More
Beringer's 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve possesses excellent concentration, a smashing bouquet of smoky, unctuously-textured black and red fruits, sweet, generous, decadently rich flavors, low acidity, and a voluptuously... Read More
Beringer's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve comes from the top selection from all their different holdings, with each vineyard aged separately for close to two years, then blended for quality. This blend of 95% Cabernet... Read More
Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 20 months in 83% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve sings of crème de cassis, kirsch, blackberry... Read More
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Berliquet gives up expressive notes of baked plums, blackberry preserves and mulberries with hints of licorice, crushed rocks, chargrilled meat and wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has... Read More
A barrel sample to be bottled in January 2019, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Harbison Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color and a little reduced on the nose with earthy and tar aromas over blackcurrants, dark chocolate and... Read More
A barrel sample to be bottled in January 2019, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Sentinel Ridge is very deep purple-black in color with an earthy, meaty nose with aromas of black fruit, yeast extract and tapenade. The palate is medium... Read More
Aged in Taransaud (75%) and Darnajou (25%) oak, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Tin Box is more backward than the perfect 2011 was last year, but it reveals similar decadence, opulence and velvety texture. Its opaque blue/black/purple... Read More
Another proprietary red wine, in this case a blend of 55% Petit Verdot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, is the 2013 Two Dog Knoll, which comes from the Oakville site. Normally with this much Petit Verdot, I would be worried about rustic... Read More
The 2016 Beychevelle is comprised of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months aging in 50% new and 50% second use barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little... Read More
The 2016 Beychevelle is comprised of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months aging in 50% new and 50% second use barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little... Read More
The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Beychevelle wafts sensuously from the glass with fragrant Black Forest cake, potpourri, star anise and black tea scents over a core of black raspberries, warm blackcurrants and kirsch with touches... Read More
The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Beychevelle wafts sensuously from the glass with fragrant Black Forest cake, potpourri, star anise and black tea scents over a core of black raspberries, warm blackcurrants and kirsch with touches... Read More
Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits,... Read More
Billecart-Salmon is one of my favorite Champagne houses, and their non-vintage Rose (Lot #L85547401905M) is a consistent winner. A delicate pink color is accompanied by gorgeous sweet cherry, strawberry, and mineral-like scents,... Read More
Disgorged during the second quarter of 2022 with a dosage of 3.75 grams per liter, the 2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied,... Read More
The 1999 Proprietary Red, made from Cabernet Sauvignon with only a dollop of Cabernet Franc blended in, boasts a saturated purple color along with complex, smoky aromatics consisting of espresso, licorice, blackberry, cassis,... Read More
The dense ruby/purple-colored 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Hills Estate reveals notes of cocoa, coffee, chocolate and creme de cassis. It cuts a bigger swath across the palate than the Merlot, but with no hard edges. Deeply... Read More
For the 2012 Pinot Noir The Coast, the winemaking team went for muscle, structure and density with the Calera, Mt. Eden and Swan clones. It exhibits a dense ruby/purple-tinged color as well as a sweet bouquet of raspberries, black... Read More
The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Melbury, which comes from a hillside vineyard site near Lake Hennessey, is showing even better than it did in its youth. Probably years away from full maturity, the wine has an extraordinary aromatic... Read More
The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Melbury comes from Pritchard Hill and is aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. (About 600-700 cases of each of these wines are produced.) The 2004 Melbury is showing even better than it was early on.... Read More
The 2005 Melbury offers lovely aromas of cedar, creme de cassis, licorice, and smoked/roasted herbs as well as good underlying acidity, full-bodied power, and stunning concentration, but also unmistakable elegance and harmony.... Read More
The 2003 St. Eden comes from an 11-acre rocky knoll on the northern side of the Oakville Crossroad that consists of pure red soils. It is the most evolved and forward of these 2003 Bond wines. Lots of cedar, chocolate, roasted... Read More
The 2008 St. Eden is one of the richest, fleshiest and best-balanced of the 2008s in the Bond portfolio. Dark red fruit, flowers, minerals and spices are some of the notes that take shape in the glass. The 2008 has the mid-palate... Read More