1985 Diamond Creek - Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (94 pts)

ℹ️ The wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Petit Verdot from the Volcanic Hill single vineyard in Diamond Mountain AVA of Napa Valley, California. The vines were planted in 1968 on ashy soil of the south-facing hillside estate vineyard. The wines were aged in 💯 new French oak.

👁 Deep ruby color with a pale garnet rim. Incredibly youthful appearance.

👃 An expressive nose that didn't show its true potential until the end of a long evening. The nose started with ripe to overripe black fruit and pen ink, but with air showed rosemary, lavender, pen ink, sweet baking spices, and dried leaves.

👄 The palate is dry, high acidity, medium+ brawny tannins, moderate alcohol (12.5%), and medium+ body. The palate had a ton of primary fruit that was ripe but not jammy. Quite dense and mouth coating but quickly cut by the beautiful acidity. Medium+ length finish of black fruit, garrigue, and integrated oak spice.

🔔 When will the Diamond Creek wines from the 80s be ready? Well, no one really knows exactly. If you get a well-stored bottle like this one, don't be afraid to decant it or open it a day in advance. The Volcanic Hill started as my least favorite wine of the trio, and by the end of the night, it was challenging the Dominus. These wines are almost impossible to catch at their peak due to their backward nature. Yes, yes, it was beautiful, but the patience required to enjoy these wines in the modern era is almost inconceivable. I haven't had a young Diamond Creek in ages, but it seems like I should be drinking their wines from the 70s now.

 1985 Diamond Creek - Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (94

If you’re like me and haven’t had the greatest experience then I can highly recommend Campbell’s The Barkley… this is a totally different proposition! It feels like a proper wine, if that makes sense at all. Super expressive nose of dark fruits and savoury spice, big but not “wow here comes a headache” big. On the palate it is rich, opulent, and elegant with a velvety texture. Plenty of ripe dark fruits, blackberries and black cherry, followed by graphite-like, leathery, liquorice savoury layers. One for the cellar, but also very fun now!

 What’re your thoughts on Durif? If you’re like me and

If you could pick one to try, which would it be? Lamella, Relic, Schubert Theorum, or The Standish?

In my opinion these Standish Wine Co wines are amongst the best Australian examples of Shiraz I’ve been lucky enough to stumble across in recent years. With 4 different expressions covering Eden Valley / Marananga / Greenock and a Shiraz Viognier, the only challenge is picking which one to drink!

 If you could pick one to try, which would it be? Lamella

What’s the oldest wine in your collection?

The 1993 Eileen Hardy Shiraz is my oldest wine, the wine that started my collection and subsequent compulsion. Considering it’s now getting close to 3 decades old I really should find an excuse to open it! Fingers crossed it’s still in good shape!

 What’s the oldest wine in your collection? The 1993 Eileen

Wendouree’s Malbec varieties never fail to disappoint. These two, the Shiraz-Malbec 2000 and Cabernet-Malbec 2005, were absolutely bang-on. Only showing the first signs of age with the colour starting to shift. The fruit, still there in buckets, dark and brooding. Fine, slightly grippy tannins and good acid hold them  together and they finish long, very long. Plenty of life left in these two!⁣

 Wendouree’s Malbec varieties never fail to disappoint

One of the best examples of Yarra Valley, cool climate, Cabernet Sauvignon I’ve had in a bloody long time! -

Made only in standout vintages Rob Dolan’s signature series are exceptional wines. This 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon has a nose of rich cassis, exotic spices, leather and just a touch of oak. Very balanced and expansive on the palate. Super elegant with dark fruit flavours intermingled with exotic spices, chewy tannin and toasty oak toward the finish. Cool climate Cabernet doing the business. There’s no substitute for experience, and Rob has buckets of it. Stunning!

 One of the best examples of Yarra Valley, cool climate

Grange, perhaps the eternal benchmark for Australian wine on the world stage. Ultimately there’s no questioning the history, age worthiness, and the undeniable fact that year-upon-year it’s consistently of stunning quality. But... do I want a consistent wine seemingly made to a formula to achieve an outcome? Or do I want a wine that reflects its environment and the conditions of a vintage? Personally I’m a fan of variation. I love the charm of a wine that reflects the conditions of its journey from berry to bottle and from time-to-time a sip of something world class... case in point! -

 Grange, perhaps the eternal benchmark for Australian wine

What was the last wine that surprised you? -

My nomination is this Barossa Boy Little Helper GSM which, despite not being a huge GSM fan, is absolutely smashable. It’s packed with a core red fruits, dark berries, and a touch of dried herbs on the nose. Super lush on the palate with plenty of texture as the fruit comes to the fore before the savoury earthy and oaky notes wrap it up. I’d happily wrap my chops around this any time!

 What was the last wine that surprised you? - My nomination

The Old Block, the top dog of the St Hallett range has always been a favorite of mine. No disappointment here, I’m pleased to report. -

Dark cherry, cola, plums and soft oak on the nose. Really very silken and svelte. Powerful and controlled on the palate, very balanced and harmonious. Cherry cola meets plums and prunes, gentle clove, anise going on here as well. It’s beautifully concentrated and finishes very long. It’s a quality wine, very very nice.

 The Old Block, the top dog of the St Hallett range has

in style with the ridiculously good Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz. How good is it? Well... this is the last bottle of the 6 I had in the house! Thank god the remaining bottles aren’t at home because with 5-10 years under its belt it’ll be insanely good. The future is bright, very bright for this beauty from the

. Add it to your Xmas lists if you’ve not tried it!! -

 Seeing out the #weekend in style with the ridiculously good

Well this was an absolute treat and won’t be forgotten for a while! Sami-Odi HD 2018 and Little Wine No.9 tasted and as expected they’re about as close to drinking perfection as you get (for me). There’s a magic to these wines highlighted by the way they evolve right before your eyes, constantly revealing new dimensions and layers of flavour. In a word, spellbinding! -

 Well this was an absolute treat and won’t be forgotten for

So this is why I try to avoid wine shops as much as possible... Hunter Valley Royalty! -

 So this is why I try to avoid wine shops as much as

1967 Prunotto - Barbaresco Riserva (94 pts)

🙋🏼‍♂️ Do you have a favorite Barbaresco Producer❓·

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Nebbiolo from the Barbaresco region in Piedmont, Italy. Barbaresco was granted Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) status in 1966 and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status in 1980. This wine was aged for a minimum of 4 years before release, but realistically probably even longer at that time. This wine was made by Beppe Colla who is considered one of the Patriarchs of Barolo and Barbaresco. Prunotto was sold to the Antinori family in 1994 as Beppe Colla retired from such a large scale operation. In 1994 Beppe Colla, Tino (brother) Colla, and Frederica (niece) started Poderi Colla. Beppe Colla passed away in January 2019 at 88 years old and 2019 would have marked his 70th harvest·

👁 Medium garnet core with a pale tawny rim·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried cherry, dried redcurrant, prune, tobacco, menthol, sage, sous bois, earthy, cedar, and dried roses·

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, medium- resolved tannins, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium body. A long length finish of dried red fruit, dried flowers, and sage·

🔔 I could not have asked for a better bottle. If you come across these bottles from a good vintage, it is worth the investment. 1967 is a great vintage, and the wines of Prunotto under the ownership and winemaking of Beppe Colla are legendary for those in the know. This wine was enjoyed over 4 hours, and each 30-minute taste exposed more and more of this wine's potential. This wine is clearly at peak if not even a bit beyond it, but still stellar none the less·

 1967 Prunotto - Barbaresco Riserva (94 pts)

⚜️ Giovanni Corino started as a vinegrower selling grapes to wine Producers. In the mid-1980s, they started bottling their wines. In 1987 the company took an innovative road in the wine-making process. They then experimented with shorter, temperature-controlled fermentation and aging in small French oak barrels·

🍇 While in the vineyards, they started green harvesting to achieve superior quality. In 2006, Giovanni's estate was amicably split between his two sons. His eldest son Giuliano kept his father's brand

 while his younger son Renato started his label Renato Corino·

🍷 Giachini is a small 3.5-hectare cru located to the east of Rocche dell’Annunziata·

 ⚜️ Giovanni Corino started as a vinegrower selling grapes to

🍇 Nebbiolo is such an age-worthy grape. Opening an aged Barolo never fails to amaze me at how young these wines can taste after so many years in the bottle. This bottle shows that you don't need to put away crazy expensive wines to have them blossom into something beautiful with age. Detailed tasting notes coming soon. 🍷📝·

🍷 1989 Giovanni Corino - Vigna Giachini Barolo·

 🍇 Nebbiolo is such an age-worthy grape. Opening an aged

Testing out my new wine cradle from Portae and using the Durand at the same time.

🇵🇹🍷 Maiden voyage is with an old (1980) bottle of Portuguese wine that I hand-carried back a few years ago.

 Testing out my new wine cradle from Portae and using the

_ldf by donating and earn raffle tickets to fabulous wines donated by the

 in the US. Take action to make a change ✊·

🎟 For details on how to participate in the charity raffle go to 👉

⚠️ This raffle is limited to people in the continental US·

🔔 Hurry up the raffle closes in 24 hours·

 Support the @naacp _ldf by donating and earn raffle tickets

Interview with Mike Dunn of Dunn Vineyards. We walked through four decades of Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2014.

 Interview with Mike Dunn of Dunn Vineyards. We walked

1971 Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Trier - Serriger Heiligenborn Riesling Spätlese (90 pts)

❓What was the last wine you tasted that was over the hill❓·

ℹ️ Tasted blind at a German winetasting. 1971 is a legendary vintage and many of the wines I have tasted from that vintage have blown me away. This wine was clearly past it's prime, but was still charming. A few months back I tasted a different vineyard from the same producer. It was a 1975 and Auslese·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of mushroom, leather, all spice, clove, dried apple, and persimmon·

👄 The wine is medium-dry, high acidity, low alcohol, and medium- body. When you taste it you realize that the sugar flavors have morphed into something totally different. Tasting formerly sweet wines is quite interesting. A lot of spice on this wine that came to life with food. Medium- length finish·

🔔 I am sure that 5-10 years ago this was excellent. While interesting and complex, this would not be everyone's cup of tea. I think if this wine was an Auslese or higher this may have faired better·

 1971 Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Trier - Serriger Heiligenborn

1989 Giovanni Corino - Vigna Giachini Barolo (93 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Nebbiolo from Barolo in Piedmont, Italy. In the mid-1980s, Giovanni Corino started bottling their wines. In 1987 the company took an innovative road in the wine-making process when they experimented with shorter, temperature-controlled fermentation, and aging in small French oak barrels·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of stewed cherries, dried raspberries, dried rose, tobacco, cedar, menthol, leather, lavender, star anise, smoke, and dried leaves·

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, medium fine-grained tannins, medium+ alcohol (14%), and medium body. Medium+ length finish of stewed red fruit, tobacco, and menthol·

🔔 This wine is deemed "modern" especially at the time it was made due to the use of French oak barriques. However, after such a long time in bottle, the oak notes have melted into the background. There is more depth of color and concentration of fruit than many more "traditional" Barolo wines. At 31 years old, this wine is still showing remarkably well. Based on this bottle and a tasting note from a few years ago, this seems to be at the peak and on a plateau. A great example of a reasonably priced Barolo cellaring for three decades. I would be curious to check in on a more current release of the wine·

 1989 Giovanni Corino - Vigna Giachini Barolo (93 pts)

🤔 Sometimes you just get mesmerized by a wine. After being trapped in a bottle for so long this need air to come alive. The next thing you know the bottle is empty and I almost forgot to take notes. The key word is "almost"·

🎥 There is a filter on the video. The full post with notes will be unfiltered·

 🍷1964 Gaja - Barbaresco · 🤔 Sometimes you just get

🍷🗝 Sometimes you just need the right tool for the right bottle. It is hot out, and I love aged German Riesling.

🇩🇪🍷 The lower alcohol levels make the wine a joy to drink. Also, there is something about long-term aging that somehow changes the perception of residual sugar on the palate. I realize the residual sugar is the exact same, but it just tastes "less sweet". If anyone knows the science behind this please let me know. Even a Spätlese can be aged beautifully for almost 50 years.

💪💪💪While some people prefer to leverage their corkscrew skills as a show of prowess, I prefer just to get the cork out as cleanly as possible, so I can get to enjoy those finely aged wine.

 🍷🗝 Sometimes you just need the right tool for the right

We are getting ready for the Vertical Tasting of Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

 will be walking me through four decades of wines on Instagram Live. Join us at 5 pm PST. We will be tasting the 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2014 vintages. I am excited 🤩🤩🤩 , and I hope you join us!·

 We are getting ready for the Vertical Tasting of Dunn

🇮🇹🍷A few months back, Flatiron Wines

offered up aged Italian gems from a cellar that they acquired at pretty reasonable prices. I took the opportunity to pick up a few aged Gattinara wines. I haven't had a Gattinara with so much age on it (1964). I was able to pick up a Nervi Riserva and a regular bottling

. It should be interesting to open up this piece of history. This seems like a perfect job for the Zwiesel Conterno Sensory Glass

 🇮🇹🍷A few months back, Flatiron Wines @flatironwines offered

Do you try to drink birthyear wines every birthday?

Tomorrow marks another journey around the sun for me. 🌎🔁☀️

I always celebrate with good wine and friends. This year I'm focusing on the wine 😜, not necessarily by choice.

Finding birthyear wines is becoming more and more difficult as I get older, but the hunt is part of the fun.

🇪🇸🍷 1978 López de Heredia - Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva

🇮🇹🍷 1978 Giacomo Borgogno - Barolo Riserva

 Do you try to drink birthyear wines every birthday?

🙏 A giant thank you to everyone that has interacted with me in the comments, sent encouraging feedback in DMs, liked my posts, watched my stories, and corrected me when I got something wrong. 🙏·

🍷 The wine community is flourishing on Instagram, and I am delighted to be a part of it. From the expert to the novice, we can all learn from each other, and that is what keeps me engaged everyday·

🥂 Cheers to more friends, more debates, and of course more wine 😍·

 🎉 30,000+ Followers 🙌· 🙏 A giant thank you to everyone that

López de Heredia is the stand bearer for classic Rioja in the region. As they say, ”Tradition and conviction are life-long attitudes.”. One would argue that these attitudes are multi-generational

1983 was considered a good vintage, according to the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja. There are two levels higher: Very Good and Excellent. However, López de Heredia is a top producer known for age-worthy wines. Even though this is only a Crianza level wine, it can still be age-worthy·

 López de Heredia is the stand bearer for classic Rioja in

1964 Luigi Calissano - Barolo Riserva Speciale (92 points)

ℹ️ Luigi Calissano was one of the pioneer wine Producers in Piedmont, Italy. In 1872 he established Luigi Calissano & Figli. They made Barolo, Barbaresco, other Langhe red wines, and sparkling wines. They are best known for their vermouth. At the turn of the 20th century, they were one of the largest Producers and opened up international markets by supplying wine to cruise ships crossing the Atlantic. Today, this winery is no longer in business. This wine was purchased at auction despite knowing very little about the producer based on the excellent fill levels, outstanding color, and the reputation of the 1964 vintage in Piedmont.

👁 Pale garnet color with a slight tawny rim.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of loads of dried red cherry, dried cranberry, dried strawberry, forest floor, wilted violets, wilted roses, tobacco, menthol, and leather.

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, low resolved tannins, medium alcohol (13.5%), and medium- body. The palate still shows fresh tart red cherry in addition to the flavors mentioned on the nose. A medium length finish of dried red fruit, dried flowers, and leather.

🔔 This wine is a little piece of history in the bottle. I love the old school label and had fun trying to find some background information for this post. The wine is a little past peak and on the slow decline. Wines of this age that still show life and charm resonate for me. I have a few more bottles left that I plan to open over the next few years. I love finding little gems like this at auction.

🍷 Several people requested notes on the wine glass. Tasted with the Conterno Sensory wine glass from

 and this glass is absolutely amazing. Probably one of my favorite stems.

 1964 Luigi Calissano - Barolo Riserva Speciale (92 points)

19 years old. The last bottle of an original case from

After some reminiscing, I realised that this bottle of wine had been through a lot. Actually 17 years of my life. I think I bought it around 2004. Living side by side. Sure I forgot about it and didn’t treat it as best I could.

I’m sure for the first few years it stayed in the original cardboard box, while in living 1 bedroom flat (when did flats become units and units become apartments? anyway back to the wine)

It was only a toddler when it moved to an actual wine rack under the stairs of a townhouse. During its preteens, it was placed in a very basic wine fridge. It was a bit like your first car. It worked (sometimes) and wasn’t that good but it saved a lot of wine during those

A couple of moves in between and during its mid teens it moved to a climate controlled walk in cellar. Now that was living, 5 Star all the way. A constant 14 degrees.

A couple of years ago, it made its last move. Lets call it a downsize and ended up in 160 bottle

I honestly though this was well past its drinking, so without any fanfare I cracked it open.

I don’t think this wine was originally made for be callared for 19 years and I didn’t plan to keep it for 19 years, but when you collect anything, things become sentimental. Instant memories. Just one of those I never opened.

The result, vinegar? Lifeless? Old and boring? Heatstroke?

No, it was bloody beautiful. So why was I disappointed? It was my last one…simple…

 Scarborough Wine Co. Shiraz 2002 From the Cellar 19 years

2005 Henschke Keyneton Estate Euphonium 🍷

One of the first wines I really started to collect. After a cellar door visit in the early 2000's, I fell in love with Henschke.

I have been collecting the Keyneton since 2002 vintage and in my opinion this is one of the best entry level premium Australian wines you can really start to collect and cellar. These days I am pushing my limit to buy 6 of them (damn mortgage), but they never disappoint.

So, how was the 2005 after 14 years? Velvet smooth with an elegance that makes to stop and think, "I wish I bought more". It is thick and luscious that appeals to all my senses.

I only have 1 more of the 2005 vintage and believe it is the best Keyneton Euphonium Henschke have made (ok maybe the 2002, but it has been a while since I had one of those)

 From the Cellar 2005 Henschke Keyneton Estate Euphonium 🍷

This wine is like an Aston Martin, an impressive history, attention to detail, well balanced, elegant but it has all the power to really excite you.

I know there are some amazing Grenache wines at the moment. But add this to the list. 🍷

For the extra detail, this wine is sourced from Stonegarden vineyard in Eden Valley where the vines were planted in 1857. They were then fermented and aged in a ceramic egg 🥚. This is truely is “Old Vine”. 🍷 .

 Massena Stonegarden Grenache 2017 Rating: A- Price: $65 Buy

Before I get into the wine, if you haven’t been to

cellar door, you must. Add it to your list next time you visit the beautiful

 That’s a is not paid recommendation, it’s just one of my favourites.

Time in the cellar has calmed this beast. Thick saturated flavours with are very concentrated and nearly tawny sweetness. Dark burnt sugar with that deep, caramelized flavour just like the first spoonful of crème brûlée...simple...