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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
Red

2012 Harlan Estate

 Oakville Red Bordeaux Blend more
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3/28/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 95 points

Opened next to ‘12 Screaming Eagle to compare and contrast.
It hard to argue against the fruit and structure of the Harlan wines. My first encounter with Harlan also remains one of my greatest wine moments (‘94 vintage at a restaurant in Wilmington, DE in 1999). That being said, the ‘12 is not my favorite vintage for this stellar wine. The tannins are a bit “dusty” and the wine just never comes together into harmony. By all means - it’s still a delicious, fruit forward wine with an intensity few others can match, but it’s just not stellar like you expect from Harlan.
The ‘12 Screaming Eagle was the WOTN for me and most others (including fkacondor).

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Red

2012 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon

 Oakville more
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3/28/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 98 points

Opened this next to the ‘12 Harlan to compare and contrast. This was my first Screaming Eagle and I didn’t know what to expect.
The first sip out of the bottle was concerning. Nose was pleasant with red and dark fruit but when tasting the wine the mid-palate was very “stemmy” and tannins seemed unresolved. It was a “uh-oh” moment. After an hour in the decanter, most of these unpleasant flavors were dissipated, and after two hours the wine was silky smooth. Whereas the Harlan had more upfront fruit, the SE had great balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity. There was also a crispness and purity of fruit that was just wonderful. (My friend, fkacondor, aptly described one of the fruit flavors as candid cherry.)
Is it worth $3,000? Is any wine? Not in my opinion. But should it be on your bucket list of wines to try? Absolutely. For those of you out there who are on the Screaming Eagle mailing list and have these in your cellar - enjoy! I’d give the ‘12 another 5 years in the cellar before opening. It’s still very young.

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White

2020 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte

 Chardonnay more
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3/22/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 95 points

I thought this wine was fabulous. Perfect balance between acid, minerality, and fruit - white stone fruit and citrus. The mouthfeel is velvet and aftertaste long. Very easy drinking. Enjoyed with seabass.

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White

2017 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières

 Chardonnay more
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3/23/2024 - MariusA wrote: 89 points

I suppose I would rate this higher if I sat at a restaurant in France slurping oysters in the sun. It has acidity to spare but what I miss most is some fruit - any fruit - to balance it all out. The mouthfeel is crisp, tart, a bit short, and made my cheeks pucker. My friend, Bob, commented that it had “the nose of Chardonnay (it’s 100% Chardonnay of course) but tasted more like Sauvignon Blanc”. I kinda agree. Tasted over two days with similar impressions both days.

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Red

2007 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

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3/4/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 95 points

Pleasantly surprised by this great Mt. Veeder cabernet. I always thought the '07 Napa cabs drank magnificently when young but I've had mixed results as they aged. Not so with this bottle of O'Shaughnessy! It's vibrant with great fruit, nice acidity, and well-integrated tannins. My wife and I enjoyed it with homemade "steak frites" and emptied the bottle in record time. Yum!

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Red

1998 La Mondotte

 St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more
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3/3/2024 - MariusA Does not like this wine: 88 points

I suspect this is a polarizing wine, which is quite obvious when you read Neal Martin and Robert Parker's widely different take on this bottle in the same publication. I purchased three bottles in 2016. This was the last of the three bottles and I must admit none of them gave me much drinking pleasure. In fact, they were all rather consistent in that aspect. Last night's bottle seemed harsh, unbalanced, and still relatively tannic. It seemed to me that this wine just never mellowed out.

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Red

2014 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick

 Walla Walla Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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2/19/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 90 points

Solid wine. Tannins continue to be strong and a little dusty. Fruit still present and in balance. Agree with other comments that it’s probably time to drink up.

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Red

2005 Château Cos d'Estournel

 St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend more
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2/17/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 89 points

Opened this bottle after having a flawed bottle of '02 La Tache. This bottle wasn't singing like the others I've had. Tannic and just not open for business even after a couple of hours of decant.

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Red

2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche

 La Tâche Grand Cru Pinot Noir more
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2/17/2024 - MariusA wrote: flawed

Acetone nose. Volatile acidity. Flawed. Poured half the bottle down the drain.

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Red

2007 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve

 Napa Valley more
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2/10/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 95 points

Surpringly delicious! Did not quite expect this. Pnp

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White

2021 Kosta Browne Chardonnay One Sixteen

 Russian River Valley more
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1/8/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 92 points

I continue to enjoy the refreshing acidity in this wine.

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Red

2012 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select

 Stags Leap District more
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1/8/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 93 points

I continue to be underwhelmed by the Hillside Select. Tried two bottles of the '12 with friends and we were all "okay it's good but meh". It never helps a bottle when expectations are set high and maybe this was part of the problem. The good side is that the '12 is in early drinking window and have plenty of time left. I can see this improve over time and easily last 20 years.

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Red

2010 Château Palmer

 Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/8/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 95 points

Just way too young right now. Delicious fruit and structure but will surely improve with age. Opened bottle for 6 hrs then decanted for 90 minutes. Better on day two.
Will try again in three years.

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Red

2012 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

 Columbia Valley more
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1/7/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 94 points

What a fantastic surprise! Turns out I had three bottles left of this wine and it’s delicious. It’s smooth and fruity but not flabby. The other two will not last long…..

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Red

2005 Château Cos d'Estournel

 St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/4/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 95 points

Absolutely delicious. Needs an hour + of decant.

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Red

2004 Antinori Tignanello

 Toscana IGT SuperTuscan Blend more
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12/30/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 92 points

My last bottle of six purchased. Great nose - extremely perfumed and with some added funk (which I love). JMOORE431 mentioned in the review that "everyone thought it was Bordeaux" and I can see why.
I felt like the wine fell short of expectations once I started drinking it. Highly enjoyable but not memorable. Fully mature.

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Red

2010 Château Pape Clément

 Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/2/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 94 points

I was a bit worried about this wine given all of the Parker references in the other notes, and whereas I'm a big admirer of Robert Parker, I'm quite sure "parkerization" is not meant as a complement to any winemaker or chateau. As it turns out, my concerns were overblown and I was pleasantly surprised by the bottle I pulled out of the case (my first). [The wine was purchased upon release and stored in the owc.]

Big? Yes of course.
Intense black fruit? Yes
Tannic? Yes but not harshly.
Secondary notes? Some
Is it a 100 point wine? Not in my opinion but I'm also not qualified

Overall, my wife and I thought this was a very pleasant bottle of Bordeaux. In my experience, the delicious Pape Clement '05 has not improved with age and I would suspect the '10 will not either. The wine is open for business and will probably mellow for some time before it starts fading. If you own multiple bottles, it might be time to try it out.

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Red

2014 Continuum Proprietary Red

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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12/1/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 90 points

From magnum. Opened and decanted 1.5 hrs. Somewhat disappointed in this bottle. Tasted “flat” and not consistent with other bottles of Continuum.

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Red

2002 Abreu Madrona Ranch

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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11/4/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 94 points

Agree with all the other notes that highlight the youthfulness of this wine. It's dark, concentrated, and almost syrupy. However, what I really miss in this bottle is the acidity and structure to go with it. When I first had this wine four years ago, it was all there and it was a 100-point wine for me. I've since had three other bottles of the '02 trying to chase the first experience but it just hasn't been the same. It could be bottle variation but it could also suggest that it's hit its peak. I have seven bottles left in the cellar and will keep you updated if anything changes.

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Red

2010 Abreu Cappella

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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11/3/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 97 points

Absolutely gorgeous! Great fruit, nice balance, and ever so slightly dusty tannins. Decanted two hours and enjoyed with a Wagyu NY Strip from Snake River Farms. I don't see this improving any further - just wonderful right now.

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Red

2000 Château Angélus

 St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more
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10/21/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 97 points

One of my favorite wines. 1 hr decant and ready to go.

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Red

2010 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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10/13/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 96 points

Enjoyed this bottle alongside '13 Peter Michael Les Pavots and '10 O’Shaugnessy Mt.Veeder. I’ve had the pleasure if drinking a fair number of Pahlmeyers over the years and I must say that the one we had last night ranks among the very best. Wonderful balance of bright red fruit, acidity and tannins. Served with Beef Bourguignon. My WOTN.

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Red

2013 Peter Michael Les Pavots

 Knights Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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10/13/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 93 points

Enjoyed this bottle alongside '10 Pahlmeyer and '10 O’Shaugnessy Mt.Veeder. Compared to the two other wines, the Les Pavots came across as more of an overripe pure fruit bomb lacking a bit of acidity and structure. (My bottle must have been quite different from the one described by CARLSCHMIDT below.) Very enjoyable. Served with Beef Bourguignon. Decanted for 1 hr. My #3 of the evening. WOTN was the '10 Pahlmeyer, which is drinking wonderfully right now

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Red

2010 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

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10/13/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 94 points

Enjoyed this bottle alongside '10 Pahlmeyer and '13 Peter Michael Les Pavots. This wine has nice structure and seem to be in a great drinking window, where it will remain for some time. Wonderful bright red fruit - cherries / raspberries. Served with Beef Bourguignon. Decanted for 1 hr. My #2 of the evening. WOTN was the '10 Pahlmeyer, which is drinking wonderfully right now.

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Red

2016 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon

 Oakville more
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9/22/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 94 points

This is a crowd pleaser.

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  • Tasting notes: 71 notes on 68 wines

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