| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2016 Château Sociando-MalletHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend more |
12/2/2023 - drivingrain wrote: 90 pointsTook a step back from previous bottles. Ill check on it again in a year. |
| Red |
2015 Vieux Château Certan La Gravette de CertanPomerol Red Bordeaux Blend more |
11/10/2023 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 92 points6-hour decant. Rust rim. Elegant. Medium-light body. A bottle that has seemed to be more aged than expected, but sufficient fruit and body remains to provide enjoyment. Lovely with filet mignon. |
| Red |
2016 Château Sociando-MalletHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend more |
6/18/2023 - drivingrain wrote: 93 points3 hour decant. This is drinking as a powerful, concentrated wine. Its power, which is constrained and not wild, stands out among all other components. I find this sort to be highly useful as in my experience few wines are as powerful as advertised; therefore, this can be deployed into duty with high-quality, high-difficulty pairings such as charcoal-crusted New York strip with deep fried brussels sprouts. I'll buy more if I can. 2nd day edit: leveling out the wine mellows and the fruit shines through; new world echos. Nothing wrong with it, some may prefer day 2, but I prefer day 1. |
| Red |
2018 Château BonalguePomerol Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/26/2023 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 91 pointsThe nose might be the highlight. Fruit is present and works well with the light tannins. Everything works well, but youre left wanting more of it. Lacks power/thin. |
| Beer |
2010 Sint-Sixtusabdij Trappist Westvleteren 12Malt, Grain more |
2/12/2023 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 97 points13 years old now. Heavy, almost black sediment. Deep, brown apple dominates the palate. Sweetness is restrained. Remarkable. |
| Red |
2016 Château Fleur CardinaleSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more |
12/31/2022 - drivingrain wrote: 96 points375ml. 2 hour decant. No need for hesitation. It’s young, but can’t imagine it will get much better than this. Nose, fruit, wood, tannin all integrating beautifully. Perfect with New Years Eve filet mignon and Maitre D’Hotel butter. |
| White |
2012 Domaine de Chevalier BlancPessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
12/24/2022 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 94 pointsRich and unquestionably high quality Bordeaux white. Just opened one this Christmas Eve as my wife and I selfishly kept it to ourselves. As we’ve come accustomed, there is no better match with shrimp scampi. |
| Red |
2010 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill Estate VineyardNapa Valley more |
12/25/2022 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 94 pointsIntensity is the key word here. The finish lingers and is notably less assertive than what is found at the front. Dark berries, cigar box. Zero alcohol/heat. Lacks complexity, but a winner. Stood up to top end NY Strip. |
| Red |
2016 Château Fleur CardinaleSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more |
9/9/2022 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 96 pointsDrinking superbly. Exceptional depth and complexity. |
| Red |
2016 Château Sociando-MalletHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/27/2022 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 92 pointsFirst opening of a full case. 4-hour decant. The nose is still fairly closed down after the decant; yet Havana-seed cigar, smoke and light fruit persist (slightly closed or not). Rounded darker fruit, notably dark cherry, and light lead pencil on the palate. Less wood than other vintages. Full bodied. The tannic presence rushes to the scene and leads into the typified Sociando long, lingering finish. Not quite as complex as one might hope, but the potential is there with more time. Not at all upset that I decided to open this first one this early; it’s good enough to say confidently that’s there is no chance it survives to a tasting on the second day. Final verdict: though far from my favorite Sociando, it is an undeniable QPR winner yet again and sufficiently represents what we have come to know from Sociando. |
| Red |
2018 Château Fourcas DupréListrac-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/11/2022 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 90 pointsMedium-bodied. The merlot asserts itself. Aging potential centers around the tannins, but they're not crying out to be put away for many years. Drink now to 2026. |
| White |
2012 Domaine de Chevalier BlancPessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
12/26/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 94 pointsThe first openings of a one-case purchase. Opened an hour ahead, not decanted. Served with shrimp scampi and then salt encrusted red snapper. The nose is Chevalier Blanc through and through. Rich, creamed-citrus and a gravel-laden finish allowed us to very clearly highlight to Christmas Eve guests the significant differentiators of Pessac-Leognan Blanc vs the white wines they might drink day to day. It is always enjoyable to convert the uninitiated and this bottle fulfilled that purpose. These bottles were ready to drink— |
| White - Sweet/Dessert |
2007 Château La Tour Blanche SauternesSémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
11/12/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 93 pointsSimilar to previous note. Pear nectar, and now a hint of pear skin. Middling acidity. Lacking power, but fresh and not cloying. Enjoyable. |
| Red |
2017 Delas Frères VentouxRed Rhone Blend more |
10/19/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 89 pointsThe light nose is of crushed dark berries and the medium bodied palate is full of olive brine and |
| White - Sweet/Dessert |
2007 Château La Tour Blanche SauternesSémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
10/12/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 93 pointsRipe, refined pear nectar. Balancing acidity. May lack power, but I appreciate the restraint. |
| Beer |
2014 Abbaye St-Remy Trappistes Rochefort 8Malt, Grain more |
2/7/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 91 pointsPours dark nut brown with a lively, thin head that quickly recedes to a thin, but clearly discernible coating. Fragrant nose of white rhum agricole and raisin. On the palette there are notes of port and fig with a long, rose hip and port flavored finish. The port notes don’t suit me, but that’s just personal preference. |
| Red |
2014 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou La Croix Ducru-BeaucaillouSt. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend more |
1/31/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 90 pointsDecanted 2 hours. Open and aromatic after the decant. The attack was more merlot-styled than anticipated for a St Julien-- with smooth, ripe fruit. The intensity/concentration is satisfactory. The medium tannic presence brought balance and saved the wine from from an overwhelming sweetness. It will certainly please a crowd, but connoisseurs will expect more-- second wine notwithstanding. |
| Red |
2015 Jean Luc Mouillard Trousseau Côtes du Juramore |
1/13/2021 - drivingrain wrote: 80 pointsThe bottle was not flawed, but aged faster than the others that were opened recently |
| Red |
2014 Michele Chiarlo Langhe Nebbiolo Il PrincipeLanghe DOC more |
1/3/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 88 pointsAt its peak. |
| Red |
2015 La Reserve d'AngludetMargaux Red Bordeaux Blend more |
1/1/2021 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 91 points4 hour decant. Nose closed down, but plenty to show on the palette. Dark red fruit moves to a hint of dark licorice before a significant dose of tannins kick-in leading to a medium length finish with tannins that hold on for a while. Perhaps a touch more sweetness than you’d expect, but in the totality of the experience it is welcome. A very solid wine offering more power and complexity than the price suggests. Paired with NY strip, frites, onions and mushrooms— where a little more acid would have been helpful. Drink now with a decant or check back in 3 years if you insist on PnP. Potential for 93 if the nose can manage to provide enjoyment with age. |
| White - Sweet/Dessert |
2006 Château ClimensBarsac Sémillon more |
12/25/2020 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 92 pointsPineapple notes, that I usually find too acidic, have a creamy texture that subdues the wine and takes it to a lingering, balanced finish. Dangerously drinkable. A half bottle will not last long on most tables. |
| Red |
2016 Domaine Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend more |
12/25/2020 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 92 points2 hour decant. Medium/heavy body. Tobacco and dark fruit. Light, pleasant tannins. Ready to drink. Substantial enough for the osso bucco it was served with. |
| White |
2011 Château Lamothe Bouscaut BlancPessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
12/24/2020 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 95 pointsStill plenty of life left. Rich, deep and flavorful with balancing acidity. Semillon works its magic here-- an excellent representation of what BDX white can be. My last bottle after an amazingly consistent run for this lot of wine. I wish I had a case more. |
| Beer |
2015 Abbaye St-Remy Trappistes Rochefort 10Malt, Grain more |
9/4/2020 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 91 pointsRed and rusty brown color. Raisin and port like flavors. Very dry finish. |
| Red |
2015 Château BonalguePomerol Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/17/2020 - drivingrain Likes this wine: 92 points4th 750ml in 6 weeks. ~2 hour decant for each. Mold across the cork top on 2 of with no effect. Consistent notes across the 4 bottles. Balanced, |
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- Tasting notes: 90 notes on 68 wines
