| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2015 Le Clarence de Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/5/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 pointsOrthodox Easter |
| Red |
2019 La Dame de MontroseSt. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/28/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 pointsI can't remember if I bought this from B-21 or Costco but I do remember paying some ridiculous price (under $40 USD). Regardless, terrific entry-level St. Estèphe, the 2nd wine of Ch. Montrose and to be frank a much better deal than the grand vin considering the outstanding quality and drinking experience vs the enormous price delta between the two. I opened this on Saturday night and found it was wound pretty tight, closed off nose, palate everything so I pulled out the vacu-vin it and put into the fridge. On Sunday all that shifted and what presented itself was a rich, captivating wine that's dark & brooding in the glass with a pronounced bouquet and velvety mouthfeel. Loads of red/dark red/purple fruit mixed with herbs and notes of earth & tobacco. Tannins already nicely integrated; Finish lingers for 30-40 seconds. This is still young and can easily age another 3-5 years if properly stored. I know this is a 2nd wine but with a few more years of age I'd wager in a blind test it wouldn't drink like it. |
| Red |
2010 Château Bel Air-Marquis d'AligreMargaux Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/23/2024 - brennan18 wrote: 90 pointsIt took a loooong time for this to open up. Mostly red-fruit driven profile with tobacco, herbs and some minerality. It felt somewhat 'vintage' and I'm not sure that's the right description but seemed like an old wine even though just a 2010. I bought this on a whim from B-21 as it had a good year and the price was very decent for an aged Bordeaux. Admittedly I don't know anything about the producer - maybe I should have done some research first. Wine was good and enjoyable but not my favorite style. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2010 Château Smith Haut LafittePessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/21/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 96 pointsThis was incredible, hands down best wine I've had in 2024 and perhaps in the last 5 years with the possible exception being a '96 Chateau Margaux I had at a friend's dinner party in 2021 (the SHL is a close contender tbh). No detailed notes but the previous review captures the essence of the '10 SHL perfectly. The wine was fresh, vibrant and full of life with a razor sharp acidity and a finish that lingered for nearly a minute. A silky magenta in the glass with a bouquet that just leaps at you (we could smell the wine amidst everything going on in the restaurant - Rumi's Kitchen here in Houston - on a very crowded Saturday night). My friend at dinner could not stop marveling how good this was. Just an uplifting experience. We opened at the restaurant and decanted for about 45 minutes prior to drinking over the course of 2 hours. Kept getting better down to the last drop. Has many, many years of life ahead but you only live once.... 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2016 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou La Croix Ducru-BeaucaillouSt. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/16/2024 - brennan18 wrote: 93 pointsGarnet in the glass & very tight upon opening with a strong profile of red fruit on the nose & palate. I agree with previous comments this wine needs 2.5-3.0 hours to unfurl and show it's stuff. I decanted into an ehrlenmeyer flask and tucked into the fridge for 2 hours before redecanting back into the bottle. Poured a glass and waited 30 minutes. Cherry, plum and dark fruit with spice, very balanced with fine tannins and a soft structure. You can tell this is the close relative of a grand vin. Spec's was running a special a few weeks ago and I picked this up for around $50.00 and at that price it's a bargain. I think it's ready to drink if decanted like above. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3) |
| Red |
2020 Château La Croix du CassePomerol Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/8/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 90 pointsFloral bouquet with herbs & tobacco, bright red fruit on the palate with more herbs, some chocolate, leather and a faint hint of minerals. Medium body, medium/low acidity & fine tannins that leave a slight chalky feel in the mouth. Finish lingers for about 25-30 seconds. |
| Red |
2016 Château Lynch-MoussasPauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/5/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 pointshad this over a dinner and universally everyone thought it was excellent. Deep ruby in the glass with a near transparent pink-hued rim the wine is fragrant and fresh with an alluring bouquet. On the palate you get more freshness coupled with a typical Pauillac profile of black & dark red fruit, tobacco, some oak, herbs and graphite. A very pleasurable wine to drink. I went back to Spec's the next day and bought 3 more for around $45.00 -- a steal for this vintage & quality. Good chance I will buy more next week. I think it's ready to drink. Just pop/pour and let it open up in the glass for 10-15 minutes. Was good right out of the gate and pretty linear across the evening. |
| Red |
2019 Château Pontac-LynchMargaux Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/2/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 90 pointsvery good value Margaux, this winery was sold to d'Issan so I think the 2019 might be its last vintage. Medium ruby in the glass with a fragrant bouquet of rose, black & dark red fruit. Very bright on the palate with more of the black / red fruit, some zest of blood orange, a bit of oak and anise; silky mouthfeel. Open and ready to drink from the outset this is a pleasant, everyday Bordeaux at a great price-point that's designed to be consumed young so I would drink these now. I got this last weekend at Spec's for around $33.00 and that's a very fair price. |
| Red |
2019 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Les MitansPinot Noir more |
3/31/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 91 pointsAgree with the previous note which describes the wine perfectly. Bright ruby color with a soft, elegant appearance. Medium body, medium acidity, bright red fruits, violets and pleasant tones of minerals/crushed stones on the finish. Easy to drink & I like the label too. |
| Red |
2011 Château Haut-BaillyPessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/30/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 91 pointsThis wine was very closed upon opening so we decanted for 90 minutes prior to drinking and that definitely helped it to come around. Dark ruby in color and elegant in the glass with an aromatic nose and legs that coat the sides for 30-40 seconds. On the palate you get a pleasant acidity & mouthfeel coupled with fine tannins, red currants, bing cherry and a hint of black stone fruit with a subtle, but noticeable, graphite element and a faint amount of cedar & spice. Initially I was going to score this a 90 but the wine got better as dinner ran on and was exposed to more airtime so settled on 91.0-91.5. The local Spec's was running an Easter Weekend deal on these and even though I'm not a huge fan of Pessac-Leognan I bought them and they worked well with our dinner. 2011 was a difficult year in Bordeaux and it shows in this wine which is extremely well-made, but suffers under the difficult circumstances of the vintage. I think it's ready to drink - esp. if decanting for a decent amount of time - but can probably also keep another 3-5 years if properly stored. That said, I doubt it gets any better from here. |
| Red |
2013 Decades 5 Petit Verdot Stagecoach VineyardNapa Valley more |
3/29/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 94 pointsThis was fantastic. A dense purple wine that coats the glass and has loads of rich black fruit, tobacco, oak and a hint of sweet vanilla on the finish. Giving it 94 points and I think it's pretty much at its peak right here. I am going to try to find more of this super interesting and delicious wine. |
| Red |
2015 Captûre Wines Cabernet Sauvignon RevelationAlexander Valley more |
3/28/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 94 pointsThis was absolutely delicious, drinking better than previous. Very fresh bouquet and on the palate with sweet, fine tannins. Dominant flavors of blue and dark red fruit, cassis, crushed stones/mineral tones with a minty finish. This was fabulous and I will drink my remaining 2 bottles within the next few months. No need to wait - it's basically in its prime. |
| Red |
2016 Kukeri Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veedermore |
3/26/2024 - brennan18 wrote: 92 pointsNo detailed notes but wine was smooth and balanced with a pronounced freshness on the palate.... Nice red fruit profile with a minty finish... 92 points... I really like this winery, very well made products. Has the potential to age another 3-5 years if properly stored |
| Red |
2018 Château Laroque St. Émilion Grand CruRed Bordeaux Blend more |
3/24/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 93 pointsa young St. Emilion, magenta in the glass with a fresh and inviting bouquet. Medium to full body on the palate with smooth tannins, cassis, black fruits, violets and a pleasant herbal undertone. Very balanced this wine has tons of freshness and class and is drinking great right now. For ~$50.00 this is a steal and I can see why it garnered such high ratings from the mainstream press. I didn't decant or anything... just popped the cork and let it open up in the glass over 10-15 minutes. I think it's ready to go but I tend to like my wines young. 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4) |
| Red |
2020 Château FontenilFronsac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/22/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 93 pointsyoung but drinks amazing and can easily sit another 5 years undisturbed and advance another point, possibly two. all the notes previous to mine describe the wine perfectly. my only comment would be to let it open up for 20-30 minutes. I don't think a decant is necessary per se, just pour into the glass and let it sit undisturbed for about half an hour. This is really magnificent stuff -- drinks far above it's mundane price point. I happen to enjoy Michel Rolland's style and this encapsulates it perfectly. I got a deal on this from B-21 Wines (< $30) and I am definitely going to buy more for my cellar. Easily outperforms wines 2-3x the price. |
| Red |
2015 Fossacolle Brunello di MontalcinoSangiovese more |
3/21/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 pointsyoung, but definitely easy to drink. Ruby in the glass with a strong, fresh nose & nice acidity amid a medium body/tannins & legs that take 45 seconds to run. |
| Red |
2016 Château LassègueSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/18/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 93 points1 day later after opening this is really starting to sing with beautifully integrated cherry, blackberry, dark red plum, tobacco and oak. Adding a point to my previous score as this bottle has matured nicely from my last tasting. Terrific nose and mouthfeel... very pretty in the glass with a nice ink color that coats the sides. Highly recommended and ready to drink. |
| Red |
2010 Château Malescot St. ExupéryMargaux Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/5/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 93 pointsDrank a few weeks ago at a private dinner and this delivered exactly what we were looking for with its typical Margaux profile of dark red / black fruit, smooth tannins and flavors of earth, tobacco with hints of dark chocolate and a finish that lingers for nearly a minute. Excellent wine that needs to decant at least an hour to unfurl. Rich, nuanced and fulfilling - glad I have a few more bottles. IMO this is ready to drink now but careful cellaring will yield at least 5-7 more years of pleasant drinking before it starts to peak. 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2016 Galerie Cabernet Sauvignon PleinairNapa Valley more |
3/3/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 pointsI agree with the previous tasting note. Garnet in the glass with medium+ body. Ample dark red & black fruit with spices and a nice earthiness. Tannins are more or less integrated, balanced acidity. This is a terrific wine made more in the European style and competes well against Napa offerings at 2x the price-point. Highly recommended. Drink now and/or within next 2 years. |
| Red |
2016 Attilio Ghisolfi Barolo Bricco VisetteNebbiolo more |
3/3/2024 - brennan18 wrote: 92 pointsstill firing on all cylinders... this is ready to drink and if properly stored has another 10+ years ahead of it (and maybe another point or two of improvement). Excellent value Barolo |
| Red |
2015 Agricola Marrone Barolo PichemejNebbiolo more |
2/11/2024 - brennan18 wrote: 88 pointsMixed on this bottle. I found it to be a bit heavy vs other barolos. Previous review describes the wine perfectly, I just didn't enjoy as much. 88 points |
| Red |
2016 Clos du MarquisSt. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/14/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 points92+ -- not really different from my last outing. This is drinking extremely well right now. Decant for 1 hr and consumed over an hour at dinner with friends. At it's price point represents excellent value. |
| Red |
2017 Clos Apalta Le Petit ClosRed Bordeaux Blend more |
1/28/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 93 pointsTremendous wine and *way* better than the bottle I tried 3 years ago which was green and disjointed. This wine is now more or less fully integrated with a deep, luscious nose of dark red & black fruit, cedar, cigar/tobacco and savory herbs. Dark garnet in the glass with a medium body and silky texture; legs take over a minute to run down. On the palate fine tannins, more red & black fruit with notes of tobacco, herbs, a pleasant minerality and oak. Very enjoyable wine that is smooth on the palate and has balance & class. Finish lingers for over a minute.... Great value @ $40.00-50.00 USD. Totally ready to drink but has structure to go another 2-4 years easy. I don't think this is too far behind it's big brother and for the $ represents terrific value. |
| Red |
2018 Château d'ArmailhacPauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
1/15/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 pointsMagenta in the glass with long legs that take more than a minute to run down. Very dense and concentrated with nice gripping tannins and a tart acidity that pierces the tongue. |
| Red |
2019 Silvio Grasso BaroloNebbiolo more |
1/7/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 91 pointsgood value Barolo from an esteemed producer. Medium garnet in the glass with notes of sour cherry, blood orange & tart cranberry on the nose and palate. Medium body with medium plus acidity. This wine needs to decant for 30-60 minutes prior to consumption for the tannins to calm down and is drinking very nicely right now or can be set aside for another 5-10 years if properly kept. 91 points -- a good bet if you can find for $30-40 USD. |
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- Tasting notes: 110 notes on 84 wines
