4/13/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Complemented our turkey meatballs and spaetzle nicely. Not memorable but contributory to evening’s enjoyment

3/31/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Went well with Easter ham, sweet potatoes, fruit, hot cross buns, green beans and deviled eggs.

3/31/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Went well with Easter ham, sweet potatoes, fruit, hot cross buns, green beans and deviled eggs. So did 2016 Dr. Heyden Oppenheimer Pinot.

2/10/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Great auction buy for $10 and provided a nice something a little different from first red on table (burgundy) for Turkey Dinner. Decanted in AM thanks to earlier reviewers.

2/10/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Nice red with Turkey Dinner. Decanted in AM and poured first glasses to aerate on table a couple hours before seating.

2/10/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Good pairing with salad, turkey dinner, and dessert including cheese plate. Complemented premier cru burgundy red alongside it on table.

1/28/2024 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Drank first of two bottles from auction. On the way out, for sure, with pronounced acidity, but still enhanced Bolognese pasta dinner…. 2nd bottle addendum 2-3-24: Ditto with soup, salad, sandwiches.

11/25/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Very nice with Thanksgiving leftovers dinner. Slightly tart, acidic currant notes. As noted by others elsewhere, different from French or New World Pinot Noir. Decanted one hour. Unfiltered but I didn’t catch any sediment with wine sieve.

11/11/2023 - Sacramento Geezer wrote:

This bottle was a little flat, with a slight bitterness on the aftertaste that continued on each glass. Some dark fruit—blackberry, currant—notes. Not fully enjoyable. Was expecting more as appeared pristine, and hopefully my second bottle will live up more to the positive reviews.

2nd bottle 20 Jan 2024–Past prime but still quite better than drinkable, from my perspective as a lover of old claret.

My two auction bottles may not have had optimum care of handling in whatever their Bordeaux to Sacramento journey history was—perhaps too much sun heat in transport or storage.

2nd bottle and probably first imported by Seagram Chateau & Estate Wine Co. NY NY and shipped by Vignobles Internationaux s.a. Bordeaux.

10/29/2023 - Sacramento Geezer wrote:

Light, elegant, refreshing crowd pleaser. I didn’t get anything chalky or crunchy. Opened & decanted six hours ahead.

7/9/2023 - Sacramento Geezer wrote:

Decanted in AM and poured tasting amounts into our glasses an hour before sitting down. Curious what we would find given the conflicting reviews. I noted Jeff Leve panning it as un-integrated, compared to what he likes and I can’t afford. This was a quality Bordeaux nevertheless. Residual sharp tannins quickly resolved and tasted no more as the wine elevated the dinner.

7/2/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Decanted in AM and found it delicious at dinner. Ditto earlier reviews, which are also consistent with The Emperor of Wines’ comment about it being more medium-bodied and quaffable like a St.-Julien. Not a pow pow pow wine making big impression in tastings that wowed Parker. Tannins resolved, but barely a trace of sediment.

6/11/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

A younger person might cellar for another 10 years or more, but I opened and decanted night before to give it the equivalent of that time of oxygen seeping through the cork.

Could have done that two nights before! This is a big, dense Bordeaux probably accurately described as modern style or Parkerized, but not overly so. Blueberry, raspberry and chocolate notes apparent to me on nose and taste. Presumably with greater aging the fruit would dissipate and those wonderful 2nd & tertiary Bordeaux terroir notes would play their symphony.

Best with food. Not an aperitif or after-dinner drink.

6/3/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Some pro reviewers rate this like the RP fabled 1990 and it has all the dense fruit and structure. If I were younger I’d give it another decade or so. As it is, I pulled the cork and decanted at 8:00 AM and double decanted before dinner. Clearly a superior wine and could have decanted more or even with an aerator. Maybe the night before. A little too dense and bold post dinner without food. My own guess is I’d perhaps enjoy undistinguished vintages of this chateau as more representative of the house and terroir and perhaps more quaffable. That’s a tip from the technical director of Cheval Blanc, who recommended holding his own 2010 until 2024 (interestingly, he saw little confidence/foundation in collector/connoisseur drinking windows).

5/27/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Based on reviews, prior experience, and preference I opened and decanted at breakfast. Nose was a wonderful blueberry, chocolate and saddle. Double decanted before dinner and it was delicious first taste. Yes, definitely Parkerized. More Napa than classic Bordeaux. AFWE that I am I still liked this wine but would always go for the more subtle terroir-expressive reds that may not stand out to Parkers when they’re “tasting” 100 wines in a sitting.

5/7/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Ordered at The Kitchen restaurant in Sacramento. The sommelier removed saturated cork with Durand, tasted, and poured. Wonderful Bordeaux blend. Old wines often taste somewhat like a sherry or liquerish to me, but this was wine. Bottle clearly well cellared.

4/29/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

My bottle well provenanced. Fill remained medium neck and cork came out nicely with Durand just before dinner. No tannin but nice red fruit. Still worth the risk for old wine aficionados. Thank you Benchmark Group.

4/23/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Went well with grilled sword fish dinner. PnP without decanting or airing though I’ve thought in past whites benefit from that as well.

4/18/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Wary but Duranded well-curated bottle just before dinner. Quality cork probably would have cooperated with waiter’s tool. Old but good. Velvety smooth red fruit. Tannins all resolved. Nice acidity. Like the Transylvania Count, I appreciate old wine. Those unaccustomed might not. Moderate brickage in appearance. Pleasant aroma. Held quality throughout evening.

3/4/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Opened in AM and decanted 4-5 times during day before dinner, opening the wine nicely to a noble, most balanced, long taste. Tannins still significantly drying on the aftertaste. If younger myself, I’d cellar this for another 15-20 years but we all don’t have that luxury.

2/25/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Popped and decanted in AM, double decanted and poured tasting amount into 2 glasses to further open before soup, bread, salmon and salad dinner. Lovely wine midway in masculin-feminine range. Red fruit, cocoa, cedar notes on palate. This seems to be a Tinto, not Crianza or Riserva, and with good aeration this offered the futuristic fresher, not-so-bold taste that I can’t wait 20 years for.

1/28/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Picked up single bottle in excellent condition on auction. Durand got cork out in one piece right before dinner to reveal a deep amber, almost syrupy wine expressing caramel. Nice old wine throughout dinner. Only slight sediment that was very fine. Thank you, Mr. Mondavi.

1/21/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Opened my half bottle from The Spanish Table for two Sherry ladies who have never had a really good one, and they were in heaven. I enjoyed too, and will resemble the positive prior reviews. Hope balance of half bottle lasts well in decanter.

1/21/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Opened/decanted at 11:00, and double decanted at 6:30 after first taste showed wine in very strong place. The three of us all enjoyed, marveled with charcuterie and antipasto.

This was distinctly different from any Left or Right Bank I’ve ever tasted—deeper, more solid, lasting, intense—je ne sais quois. I’ll default to Wine Enthusiast Barrel sample: “The freshness of 2006 is here in abundance. But because it is Pétrus, those deliciously lively black fruits are backed up with a formidable battery of tannins and concentration. But never extracted, always properly restrained.”

Likely my only lucky day with St. Peter but one for the memories.

1/7/2023 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Great find direct from the Domaine by Justin and Tom of Fine Wines International. Currant and raspberry notes on the palate. No need to aerate. Just decanted but only slight sediment.

12/31/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Our New Year’s Eve red with turkey and ham leftovers from the Holidays. Good wine, good bottle, and I’m a Bordeaux drinker. I like the heritage, idea and taste of this little known gem. As usual, double decanted in AM.

12/31/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Very nice wine everyone expressed delight.

Double decanted in morning it was ready for dinner.

Nevertheless, for Bordeaux Blend my personal go to would be Bordeaux, where they’ve got it down after centuries of making claret.

12/25/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Double decanted in the morning for late afternoon Christmas appetizers and dinner. Delicious wine, with red cherry predominating initially on the palate with an aftertaste of pleasantly peppery terroir and tannin. . . . No doubt can hold for years but not an option for the over-70 crowd.

12/24/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Balanced, integrated, smooth, mellow, well-rounded and tasty Sangiovese that went deliciously with our Christmas Eve turkey dinner. One critic had this at 100 points when I bought it several years ago.

12/11/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

The Château’s trophy wine. Following my philosophy decanted at 10:00, double decanted into serving decanter and first two glasses one hour before 7:00 dinner. Excellent. Terroir and fruit. More complex and interesting, and better with food, than non-Bordeaux. Claret! Air it out to get it drinking well tonight, not better next day. Cannot give it too much oxygen. Not 100-year old that has 20 minutes of life after popping.

11/26/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Used Durand on saturated cork in AM, poured first two glasses just before dinner and decanted rest as seemed to want a little more airing. No sediment whatsoever. Tasty little red surprisingly good for big-box Total Wine buy from small-parcel Burgundy.

11/13/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

PnP using Durand just before dinner on high shoulder bottle that gave fruity aroma even before decanting thru sieve. Only slight sediment but tannins resolved. Delicious wine proving maturity more important than ratings. Enjoyed much more than 2005 noble & well-structured Latour from last week. Slight initial barnyard. Among the usual suspects I also tasted olive. Last sip during dishes showed wine was spent. So still drinking nicely but I wouldn’t give a lot of airing.

11/5/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Gave it six-hour double decant. First taste from glass presented fine dusty tannins and opened quickly into a delicious, deep and balanced claret. As we learn by drinking our collection of single bottle trophy wines I think of the tremendous escalation of prices since the early 1980s. This wine was superb, but $1,200?

11/2/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Mine was old and good. P&P&Drink.

10/29/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Decanted at 12N and again at 4:00, at which time it was finally opening and giving nice aroma from decanter. Classic dark Bordeaux. Saved two glasses in open decanter for the 30th that were okay but probably should have been vacuum sealed. Someone had over-rated this at 100 points when I bought it several years ago. Vintage charts and barrel tastings beware.

10/22/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

PnD 5 hrs before dinner yet it still was opening up in glass. A nice wine but, really, I’ve enjoyed some $30 91-93 pointers as much. Wished we’d gone to one of those after 1st glass leaving two glasses for today. Suspect it would be better. The craze Robert Parker unintentionally initiated with 1982 vintage has so distorted fine wine pricing. Good for the top chateaux.

8/14/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

James Suckling spot on again, and thanks to prior reviews I followed my belief in decanting mid-morning for 7:00 dinner. Perhaps missed evolution but delicious, had I not been so glutinous any remaining would probably be even better day after. Elegant, balanced beauty on first taste and wonderful with dinner.

8/6/2022 - Sacramento Geezer wrote:

Got more of Al’s notes than of Ben’s. I gather this is a relatively new experiment—grand cru Blanc in Corton. And not the top grand cru vineyard.

7/30/2022 - Sacramento Geezer wrote:

Opened, decanted and poured tastings into two burgundy glasses half hour before dinner. Disappointing. Made me read more conflicting advice about decanting grand cru burgundy, which in past I have found benefited from lots of air time.

Agree was quite vegetal. And tart. Drank okay with food but a $15 table wine would have been better.

Also confirms my judgment to buy burgundy only from selective buyers like Fine Wines International, not from a big-box Total Wine that has to buy large volume in a tiny plotted terroir.

7/23/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Pulled cork night before and decanted midday to open this young St-Julien as much as possible. A hefty claret with just a whiff of inviting barnyard on the first nose and taste. Hearty but went well with salad and soup dinner.

7/16/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Slow-oxed over night and decanted midday for 19:00 dinner. Very nice with ground turkey stuffed zucchini.

7/9/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Popped and decanted 6-7 hours before dinner without tasting until then. Was quite nice medium-bodied Pauillac with some complexity. Elevated our simple dinner of turkey-based, July 4th leftovers. Last glass seemed deadened, perhaps I decanted too early (?), which I believed unlikely with a 2014. A notch above my workaday table wine.

7/2/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Very nice with dinner. Slightly buttery with lemon notes.

6/25/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Fine Wines International found a good village wine here that drank like a 1er Cru. Nearing end of its window.

6/19/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Very nice with brunch after a Pimm’s Cup. Lemon curd taste note. A Go To white Bordeaux to go with food.

6/11/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Decanted in AM and then again one hour before dinner pouring two glasses at same time. Nose was rich and complex and first sip had all that plus a nice acidity. Both black and red fruit.

5/28/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Popped and decanted 4 hours prior and double decanted 2 hours before. On a redo, I’d open night before and decant in AM. Some might want to taste the evolution towards opening but my preference is fully open, rarely finding a modern wine not benefiting from lots of air. If we hadn’t finished it off, I bet the remainder would today be a grade above what it was yesterday.

5/14/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Thanks to prior reviews I chose to pop, decant and pour first glasses only one hour before we began meal. Its opening was just emerging into drinking zone at first bite and it drank like the best of Bordeaux through dinner.

4/24/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Decanted 4 hrs before dinner and double decanted when setting table. So missed the evolution but enjoyed the wine as it was meant to be.

4/9/2022 - Sacramento Geezer Likes this wine:

Opened one of my two bottles in afternoon and double decanted before dinner. First taste on sitting down was delicious and wine in the glass was voluptuous, perfectly balanced. Definitely in its zone. A unique, hard to describe Bordeaux taste but can’t say I’ve ever had a better dinner wine. Wine sieve for the sediment.

Addendum: 2nd bottle 5-21-22, ditto the above.