2019 Continued Notes

1990 Château Figeac

Score: 96 Points

Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Location: Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France

Blend: 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot

This illustrious red wine had a gorgeously developed bouquet of blackberries, cherries, plums, truffles, cigar tobacco, iron, forest floor, crushed minerals, and sweet oak. The wine was full bodied with matured tannins that softly gripped the palate to uncover a masterful and splendid array of complex layers. This wine presented a welcoming bounty of plum, dark berry fruits, tobacco, iron, dusty earth, dried herbs, truffle, and a delicately subtle hint of chocolate on the finish. The wine is drinking outstandingly right now and is in its plateau of maturity, but has not yet started going into decline. This is truly a beautiful wine that had aged perfectly. Extremely Highly Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019

1988 Château Haut-Brion

Score: 98 Points

Classification: First Growth in 1855

Location: Pessac Léognan, Bordeaux, France

Blend: 55% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 20% cabernet franc

This magnificent dark red wine was brilliantly aged and had a classic bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, currants, plum, cigar box, truffles, cut flowers, caramel, tar, dried herbs, earth, and smoky cedar. The wine was full bodied with velvety tannins that gave way and painted the palate with luxurious notes of sweet cherries, black raspberries, currants, licorice, truffles, tobacco, pepper, tar, herbs, toasted oak, and a subtle hint of salted caramel blended with a supple earthiness on the finish. The wine is complex with lavish layers of fruit and earth that are restrained; thus, giving elegance and sophistication to its lovely structure and balance. There is harmony and beauty that is woven into the backbone of this wine, and it is outstandingly impressive. The wine is showing no signs of going into decline, but is in a perfect spot right now. Extremely Highly Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019  

2016 Petroni Vineyards Chardonnay Moon Mountain District

Score: 93 Points

Location: Sonoma County, USA

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

This beautiful golden straw color wine had a lovely bouquet of ripe peaches, fig, warm apples, burnt popcorn, salted butterscotch, herbs, and chalky minerals. The wine was medium + in body with nice acidity and a palate painted with notes of stone fruits, soft baking spices, brine, burnt popcorn, chalky minerals, and hints of crisp citrus. The wine was nicely balanced with complex harmonizing layers. There is a simple beauty to this wine that I found compellingly attractive, as it effortlessly coated the palate with its tapestry of earthy minerals and fruits. Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019

2014 Petroni Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown

Score: 93+ Points

Location: Moon Mountain District, Sonoma County, USA

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

This deep dark reddish purple wine had an enticing bouquet of blackberries, black cherries, plums, cassis fruit, vanilla, warm baking spices, burnt sugar, eucalyptus, and toasted oak. The wine was full bodied with rounded tannins that gave way to concentrated notes of crème de cassis, dark berry fruits, cocoa powder, mint, anise seed, sweet oak, and a soft hint of molasses on the finish. The wine is complex with savory layers of earth that harmonize beautifully with the dark berry fruits. The wine is absolutely delicious but requires patience, and will reward those that give it another 5 to 8 years. There is an elegant backbone to this wine, with its graceful sophistication. Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019

 2014 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon 

Score: 96 Points

Location: Napa Valley, California

Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot

This splendid dark opaque beauty had an exuberant bouquet of blackberries, cassis fruit, blueberries, black currants, burnt sage, salted caramel, coffee, tobacco, tar, and toasted oak. The wine was full bodied with plush gripping tannins that gave way to a luxurious finish displaying hints of ripe blackberries, cassis fruit, blueberries, black tea, brine, sage, dusty minerals, mocha, and sweet toasted oak. The wine was rich and powerfully decadent, yet carried finesse and sophistication with each complex layer that was beautifully balanced. There is a solid core of elegant dark fruits that harmonizes perfectly with the supple terroir. The wine was showing exquisitely outstanding and although it is approachable now, it will continue to evolve and mature for those with the patience to do so. Extremely Highly Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019

2015 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon

Score: 94 Points

Location: Napa Valley, California

Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot

This lovely dark beauty had an expressive bouquet of blackberries, cassis liquor, black cherries, black tea, anise seed, licorice, orange blossoms, salted caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak. The wine was full bodied with rounded tannins that painted the palate with a plush luxurious tapestry of blackberries, black currants, cherries, vanilla, brine, tamarind, anise seed, cedar, dried herbs, and cocoa powder. The wine is complex with lavish layers of dark fruits and exotic spices that beautifully harmonize together. There is a nice level of acidity that adds restraint to the wines backbone and decadent boldness. The wine requires time in the cellar and should reach its plateau of maturity in about 5 years. This wine should continue to evolve nicely past that over the next 15 years; thus, it is truly a beautiful wine. Highly Recommended!

Date: December 2019

 2016 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon 

Score: 98 Points

Location: Napa Valley, California

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon

This powerful dark purple beauty had a concentrated bouquet of blackberries, black cherries, cassis fruit, plum, violets, salted caramel, sage, bay leaves, baking spices, pencil shavings, and sweet toasted oak. The wine was full bodied with gripping tannins that painted the palate with lush ripe dark berry fruits, savory herbs, exotic spices, dusty earth, vanilla, and toasted oak. The wine is beautifully complex with sexy layers of fruit and earth that bleed into one another in a seductive and harmonious manner. There is a powerful core to this wine that is subdued by its sophistication; thus, the palate is luxuriously concentrated yet remains stunning balance with a symphony of fruit and earth that unify perfectly. The wine is approachable now but will continue to evolve beautifully for those with the patience to cellar this one. This should drink well over the next two decades. Extremely Highly Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019 

2014 Delectus Winery Cuvee Julia Knights Valley

Score: 93 Points

Location: Sonoma County, California

Blend: Red Wine Blend

This seductive dark beauty had a lovely bouquet of blackberries, cherries, sandalwood, molasses, smoldering sage, caramel, and sweet toasted oak. The wine was full bodied with plush gripping tannins that painted the palate with notes of dark berry fruit, charcoal dust, salted caramel, soft earthiness, burnt sugar, herbs, and toasted oak. The wine was complex with lovely layers of fruit and earth that complimented one another. There was wonderful balance to the wine and a smooth mouth feel, which was elegant yet flirtatiously bold. The wine is approachable now but will blossom for those with the patience to cellar it for another 5 to 8 years. Highly Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019

   2004 Château Montrose 

Score: 93 Points

Classification: Second Growth in 1855

Location: St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France

Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot

We had a magnum bottle and it was decanted hours before approaching, and when we did it exuded a wonderful bouquet of blackberries, currants, plums, tobacco, tar, animal fat, soft spices, chocolate, olive paste, earth, and toasted oak. The wine was full bodied with rounded tannins that gave way to a lovely palate painted with hints of plum, black currants, black raspberries, tar, tobacco, soft spices, mocha, dusty earth, and soft notes of cedar. The wine is complex with supple layers of fruit and earth that intertwine nicely together. There is a beautiful sophistication and elegance to this wine that makes it quite alluring. Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019

  2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Score: 96 Points

Location: Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France

Blend: Rhône Blend

This elegant yet powerful wine had an expressive bouquet of blackberries, boysenberry, cherry liquor, licorice, black tea, exotic spices, mocha, herbs, iron, and earth. The wine was full bodied with plush tannins that gave way to a lovely finish displaying hints of wild berries, red currants, raspberries, black tea, Asian spices, cherry liquor, chocolate, ground coffee, and dusty earth. The wine is complex with lush layers of supple terrior notes that harmoniously intertwine with the layers of fruit. The wine is elegant and sophisticated yet rustically bold; thus, it is showing beautifully right now. The wine seems to be in a sweet spot right now and I don’t anticipate more time will yield additional benefit, so I would enjoy this now! Extremely Highly Recommended!

Tasted: December 2019