5/19/2023 - rickswan wrote:

21st birthday!

11/16/2023 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Still enjoyable but past its prime

10/28/2023 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Enjoyed with Vace pizza with friends

10/15/2022 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Solid daily drinker. Paired nicely with a shrimp gumbo.

3/26/2022 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Third of a flight of 8 … and the last we drank this night. Better than the 2005 but not quite up to the 2004, and nothing like the 2010 that has been our everyday drinker for years.

3/26/2022 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Second in a flight of 8. This wine is just past it’s prime and on the way down.

3/26/2022 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Drank with friends at an Italian dinner.

12/31/2021 - rickswan Likes this wine:

A 2006 Brunello with a fancy hamburger for New Year’s Eve … absolutely

8/7/2021 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Still perfect 6 years later. My sweetheart and I enjoyed this bottle at a birthday celebration with friends. Four Leo's, a great meal, and a perfect bottle.

8/7/2021 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Beautifully preserved 60 year old Bordeaux from one of the greatest vintages of the century. Lighter than modern day Bordeauxs, it paired perfectly with a seared tuna and lobster course. What a great birthday treat to share with my sweetheart and our friends.

5/16/2021 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Enjoyed this Absolutely delicious and insanely overpriced ($315) bottle at Gravitas in DC.

1/1/2021 - rickswan Likes this wine:

It’s been almost 5 years since I tried this little gem. It’s still got a few more drinking years left. Looking forward to the last bottle in 2025.

12/31/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Took a while to open up but once it did ... wow.

12/31/2020 - rickswan wrote:

Hard to tell as it was mildly corked

12/15/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Much better than I expected. This could have paired with a great steak or other grilled meat. Loved it.

10/20/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Wow, what a delicious Syrah. This tasted for all the world like a mid level Hermitage, only for 1/4th the price. Paired beautifully with a grilled pork chop.

10/15/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Delicious Chianti Classico at a great price point. Not too different from a decent quality BDM.

3/8/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Huge wine, it will be hard to wait and see how it develops. Paired perfectly with a dry aged rib eye we enjoyed with friends.

4/26/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Took a long time to open up. Good pairing with a bolagnese

3/27/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious. Paired it with pork belly adobo, and amazing enough it worked. Plenty strong enough to break through the luscious layers of fat and spice.

3/16/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Wow, what a profile. Absolutely delicious, it goes on and on. Even an odd pairing with a beef stew went well.

1/25/2020 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Nice full bodied CCR, and at a $15 price point it makes a great every day drinker.

5/1/2019 - rickswan Likes this wine:

I disagree with the prevailing opinion, this is a very decent wine. On day one the tannins were flaky and overpowering, but on day two it held up well and paired perfectly with Korean short ribs.

4/28/2019 - rickswan Likes this wine:

A very solid Rioja, right in the middle of its drinking window. A good deal of umami earthiness on the nose, and rioja spice on the tongue. Paired perfectly with an open faced tostado with chorizo, veggies, and a poached egg.

4/20/2019 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Light for a BDM, but after reading other reviews we paired it with a shrimp and andouille gumbo. Sounds like a strange pairing. It worked really well. All in all a good value for what it is.

3/26/2019 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Light enough to work well with a spinach and bacon quiche.

2/2/2019 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Delicious, approachable, and just entering it’s drinking window. Paired perfectly with a bone in pork roast.

1/17/2019 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Nice every day drinker

11/22/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Really delicious BDM that’s still a little bit too young. Full of dark cherries, and that Brunello earthiness. Very happy that the rest of the case will be enjoyed over the next decade or two.

11/22/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Enjoyed this fully mature Calon Segure with friends over a thanksgiving feast. Wow, rich fruit and tannins with the right balance of acid in the mix. Decanted for an hour and it continued to open in the glass.

11/16/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Delicious Brunello. Paired perfectly with a nice warm bowl of crazy delicious chili on a cold night.

8/4/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

My son and I purchased this wine together 10 years ago on a birthday trip to Beaune. Enjoyed this bottle while making a birthday dinner of shrimp and grits. Great backbone of Pinot with earthy cherry notes and a distinct acidity. Memories? The wine? Doesn’t matter, we had a great time.

6/2/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Amazingly enough this still needs more time. I opened the bottle 4 hours before dinner. It didn’t show itself fully until day 2. Classic Pauillac nose, deep fruits, long finish. Will wait a few years for the next bottle.

3/9/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Delicious super Tuscan

2/19/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious. Paired perfectly with a spicy curry.

1/26/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

VCB is a long time favorite and 2015 doesn’t disappoint. Just the right balance of mature fruit, acidity, and fine tannins.

1/1/2018 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Enjoyed this at a restaurant with friends. Paired beautifully with my Bison filet. Still young, but the tannins are already starting to soften. Give it at least 30 to open up.

12/20/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Liked this Malbec much better this time. Still a bit more fruit forward than I prefer, but definitely nice.

12/7/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Excellent Brunello. A little young but drinking very well.

12/2/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

My absolute go to, every day Bordeaux. At $20 this is an incredible wine.

12/5/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

very nice St. Romain style chardonnay. Paired great with seared scallops and an arugula salad.

12/3/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Very nice Pinot. A CA that tends towards a Burgundy style but with lighter acidity. Paired perfectly with a Coq au vin.

11/23/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Really nice balance and richness. Notes of dark fruit, figs, and a slight smokiness paired well with our Thanksgiving cassoulet.

11/23/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Very nice Chateau Neuf. Paired perfectly with a thanksgiving cassoulet. The balanced acidity cut through the richness of the duck confit in the cassoulet.

11/3/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Nice balance, perfect acidity. Paired nicely with a roasted pork loin.

10/16/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Fantastically balanced, dry and fruity. Paired perfectly with a pork roast and salad.

10/14/2017 - rickswan wrote:

So, so, Merlot based Bordeaux with little depth or complexity

10/14/2017 - rickswan wrote:

The deep dark fruit of the Corvina paired perfectly with a blue cheese and bacon burger.

8/12/2017 - rickswan Likes this wine:

Opened 2 hours before the meal which seemed just about right. Lighter than expected bouquet of dark cherries, tobacco, and fall leaves. Gorgeous, full bodied, and nicely balanced Brunello with a long finish. Paired perfectly with a dry aged New York strip. Great special occasion wine.

7/19/2017 - rickswan Does not like this wine:

Nice nose and that's where the nice ends. Overly fruity with little underlying structure. Probably at its best right now. Not a repeat buy.