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Inventory updated: Fri, Jan 17, 2025 04:02 PM cst
Over 95pts Under $95
Today at Flickinger Wines we are pleased to offer an array of excellent scoring 95pt wines that are all below $95. Treasures abound, happy hunting!!
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Monday, January 6, 2025. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Canon La Gaffeliere |
2022 |
St. Emilion
Futures- ETA TBD  2023 en Primeur Release |
$83.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95-97 (5/2023): The 2022 Château Canon-La-Gaffelière is brilliant stuff and should be snatched up by readers. Black cherries, iron, tapenade, and exotic floral notes all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a layered, opulent mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and no shortage of mid-palate depth or length on the finish. A blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that will see 40% new oak, it's a flawlessly balanced, incredibly impressive Saint-Emilion that will have no problems competing with the 2019 and 2020.
VM 94-96 (5/2023): The 2022 Canon La Gaffelière is bright, punchy and full of character. Blood orange, rose petal and spice overtones brighten a core of red/purplish fruit in Saint-Émilion that impresses with its saline intensity, energy and focus. If tasting this blind, I would never say it is a wine from a warm, drought year. It will be interesting to see if the 2022 retains its youthful vibrancy through élevage. This is super promising. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96 (5/2023): A blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Canon la Gaffelière exhibits aromas of raspberries and plums, complemented by notions of iris, rose petals, incense and burning embers. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's supple, suave and sophisticated, with a lively core of fruit, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish. |
|
| Ch. Giscours |
2010 |
Margaux (375 ML) |
$55 |
8 |
|
| |
JS 95 (11/2013): Aromas of mint and currants with hints of fresh herbs. Then turns to plum jam. Full body, with well-integrated tannins and pretty fruit. Long and caressing. This is really Outstanding. Better in 2017.
WS 94 (3/2013): Features a lightly firm, singed alder frame around a core of dark plum, cherry and cassis bush notes. Taut tar and warm paving stone notes fill in on the finish. Shows serious, well-embedded grip, and the core of fruit is spot on. This has the range, length and cut for the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2030.
NM 93 (6/2015): Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2010 Château Giscours is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot picked between September 27 and October 14. I contrasted this directly against the superb 2009, but I still maintain that this has the upper hand, albeit in a different style. The aromatics are very focused with black fruit, violets, fig and mineral scents that are very well defined. But you need patience - this is not as immediate as the previous vintage. The palate delivers, delivers and delivers brilliant delineation and poise, more freshness than it knows what to do with, an intensity that is supremely well focused and length in the mouth. There is even a dab of mint chocolate making a surprise appearance on the aftertaste. This is a very impressive Giscours.
VM 90+ (7/2013): Bright ruby-red. Cassis, blackberry and licorice pastille on the nose. Then sweet, juicy and energetic in the mouth, with complex flavors of plum, currant, cedar, tobacco and spices along with a gamey nuance. Firmly built but not hard. Finishes with serious but fine-grained tannins and a note of licorice. Still a bit strict today, this wine has the structure to repay aging. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2022 |
Margaux
Futures- ETA TBD 2023 en Primeur Release |
$64.99 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 94-96 (5/2023): Clearly one of the finest vintages from this château, the 2022 Château Giscours reveals a dense purple hue to go with beautiful Cabernet-driven aromatics of smoky blue fruits, iron, lead pencil, and spring flowers, as well as an almost marine-like character developing with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has silky, perfectly integrated tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. It's a serious, age-worthy, incredibly impressive wine in the making.
VM 95-97 (5/2023): The 2022 Giscours is a regal, sophisticated wine. Succulent red cherry, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal lend notable vibrancy and freshness throughout. Most surprisingly, the 2022 remains light on its feet, especially for a wine made from such low yields in a warm, dry year. Over the last few years Giscours has been one of the most improved properties in the Médoc. The 2022 is another step in that direction. Sublime. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96+ (5/2023): With the 2022 Giscours, this estate takes another step up, delivering a deep and characterful wine redolent of cherries, dark berries, violets, peony and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, broad shouldered and layered, it's deep and elegantly muscular, with impressive concentration, abundant but refined tannins and a structural authority reminiscent of the great Giscours vintages of the 1970s. Why is it so good? There are many reasons, but one is the high proportion of old vines—almost 60% of the blend deriving from vines that are over 50 years old—in a vintage that favored vines with deep, well-established root systems. Another is the increasing precision of harvesting at this address: Giscours's old vines are frequently co-planted with younger replacements that have filled any gaps in the ranks over the years; so, blocks are now picked in two or three passages instead of all at once, with the younger vines picked first. |
|
| Ch. Gloria |
2019 |
St. Julien
ETA Q1 2025 |
$53.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (4/2022): Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it's just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there.
VM 94 (2/2022): The 2019 Gloria personifies classic Saint-Julien, offering blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and tobacco scents, maybe a little conservative in style, but unashamed about that. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. Fresh and saline, this gets the saliva going with a precise, persistent finish and leaves hints of graphite on the aftertaste. Excellent. Neal Martin.
WS 94 (3/2022): Rock-solid, with a mouthwatering roasted apple wood and mesquite frame around a well-layered core of black currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavors. The finish features dots of tobacco and tar that add range, but the real driver is a long bolt of iron, which gives this a throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038.
JS 94 (1/2022): Sweet berry and cherry aromas with violets, following through to a medium to full body with creamy, linear tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight and curated, in a structured way. Try after 2027.
WA 93+ (4/2022): The 2019 Gloria has turned out very well, delivering aromas of blackcurrants, plums, burning embers and a deft framing of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated, with a vibrant core of ripe and fleshy fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, this shows considerable promise. |
|
| Ch. Langoa Barton |
2020 |
St. Julien 2020 en Primeur Release |
$44.95 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (3/2023): Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2020 Château Langoa Barton comes from a mix of different sites in Saint-Julien, which makes it a great representation of the vintage and appellation. The blend is 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a beautiful bouquet of red and black cherries, currants, leafy tobacco, and cedar pencil, with a touch of damp earth that emerges with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth and richness, velvety tannins, and a great finish. This plush, up-front, expansive, wonderfully textured Saint-Julien will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and cruise for two decades. It's the finest example from this château I've tasted. Bravo!
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Langoa Barton has quite a plush, violet-tinged bouquet, higher-toned than the Léoville Barton, though without the same unerring complexity. This just wants to go out and have fun. The palate has an irresistible rondeur, velvety smooth with black plum, hints of cassis and a sweet and persistent finish. Joyful. Neal Martin.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): Very pretty blackberry and blueberry character with blackcurrants and mint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with linear, tight tannins that are polished and fine. |
|
| Ch. Laroque |
2022 |
St. Emilion
Futures- ETA TBD 2023 en Primeur Release |
$34.89 |
16 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (5/2023): Another impressive performance from this estate, the 2022 Laroque offers up aromas of sweet berries, violets, iris and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered palate with a rich core of fruit that's framed by lively acids, concluding with a taut, chalky finish. Once again, it's the result of a strict selection that sees only 45% of the production released as the grand vin.
VM 92-94 (5/2023): The 2022 Laroque is bright, focused and full of energy. In this vintage, Laroque is especially refined. Dark plum, graphite, licorice, spice, lavender and mocha are nicely laced together in this gracious, finely cut Saint-Émilion. Bright saline accents lend notable brightness throughout. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95-97 (5/2023): Clearly one of the new superstars in the appellation, Château Laroque is located on the cooler, eastern edge of Saint-Emilion and consists of pure, classic upper plateau limestone soils. The estate covers a whopping 54 hectares, which gives director Davie Suire ample flexibility when putting together the Grand Vin. Looking at the 2022 Laroque, it's a blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare, representing just 45% of the total production, and it will spend 16-18 months in 50% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a classic Saint-Emilion bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has incredible purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It’s unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this chateau that readers will love. |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
2017 |
Pauillac (375 ML) |
$65 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 95 (2/2020): A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Lynch-Bages sports an inky color as well as a powerful, full-bodied style. Rocking blackcurrants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and obvious minerality all emerge from this beautiful, concentrated wine that has building tannins, the more elegant, silky style of the vintage, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. It's going to hit the ground running in about 5-7 years and cruise 20 years or more in cool cellars.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Lynch-Bages is such a pretty and engaging wine; as always, it is a wine of pure and total seduction. Lush, open-knit and very pretty with ripe red and purplish fruit. There is a slight bit of edginess in the tannin that needs to be resolved, but cellaring should take care of that. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (3/2020): This leans toward the austere side of Pauillac, with a slightly bracing iron and chalk frame around a core of red and black currant fruit, liberally laced with savory and cedar notes. Exhibits ample length and cut, showing really pure and beautifully defined currant flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.
JS 95 (12/2019): This is a focused and tight Lynch with beautiful blackcurrants, slate, graphite and lead pencil. Medium to full body. Very fine tannins and brightness. Linear line of tannins that runs nicely through the wine. A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. |
|
|
2022 |
Pauillac (375 ML)
Futures- ETA TBD 2023 en Primeur Release |
$71 |
36 |
|
| |
JD 96-98+ (5/2023): The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lynch Bages checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2019, and while it's a classic Lynch Bages powerhouse, it has beautiful balance and purity. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with terrific tannins and a layered, incredibly impressive profile that continues to open and evolve with time in the glass. Tasted twice with consistent notes.
VM 95-97 (5/2023): The 2022 Lynch-Bages shows all the classic Lynch layers, but dialed up to the maximum. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2022 packs tremendous punch. Sweet dark cherry, spice, leather, menthol, licorice, plum and mocha all open with time in the glass. The tannins are imposing, and yet there is more than enough fruit to balance things out, at least to some degree. I expect the 2022 will need a decade to shed some of its tannin, but it is formidable, even in the early going. Impressive. Tasted two times. "This is the third time in history we are above 14% in alcohol, the others were 2018 and 2019" Jean-Charles Cazes explained. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93-96 (5/2023): One of the vintage's most powerful, muscular wines is the 2022 Lynch-Bages, a full-bodied, broad-shouldered Pauillac that unfurls in the glass with aromas of cassis, cherries, mint, pencil shavings and petroleum jelly, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Liberally extracted, its deep core of fruit is underpinned by an imposing chassis of rich, powdery tannin and lively acids. Always rather forbidding from barrel, Lynch Bages always seems to come together in bottle, and the 2022 has the makings of another success for this address. |
|
| Ch. Malescot St. Exupery |
2016 |
Margaux
ETA Q1 2025 Ex-Negociant |
$73 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 97 (1/2019): A stunning red with currants, blackberries, roses and violets. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and polish and finesse to the powerful tannins. A real stunner. Better than 2015. Take a serious look at it, beginning 2024.
JD 96 (2/2019): The ruby/plum-colored 2016 Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry comes from vines in the heart of the Margaux appellation and is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s a total rock star of wine and has fabulous notes of crème de cassis, barbecue smoke, graphite, and sandalwood that build beautifully with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, layered, and seamless, it’s incredibly impressive and I’d wager up with the finest vintages ever from this estate. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following 20-25. Bravo!
WA 95 (11/2018): Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Malescot St. Exupery sings of cassis, fragrant earth, tobacco and lilacs with a compelling waft of mocha. Medium to full-bodied and strutting loads of expressive fruit layers at this youthful stage, it's framed by ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing with great length and depth.
VM 95 (1/2019): The 2016 Malescot Saint Exupéry is fabulous. Powerful and explosive on the palate, the 2016 offers serious intensity, but it also appears to be holding back quite a bit of its potential. Moreover, what impresses me most is that in 2016, intensity is delivered more with finesse than with the brutish power that is such a signature of Malescot. Deep and resonant, but also remarkably polished, the 2016 Malescot is a winner. Hints of iron, smoke, cedar, tobacco and scorched earth add nuance, but it is the wine's sense of poise that is most remarkable. I loved it. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
WS 93 (3/2019): This opens slowly, showing a slight woodsy bent, with alder and mesquite notes leading off, but as it does the core of red currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavor fleshes out nicely, soaking up the woodsy element while adding in light savory detail and black tea and violet notes. A long mineral echo chimes through the finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 9,975 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Pape-Clement |
2019 |
Pessac Leognan (375 ML) ex-Negociant |
$44.99 |
36 |
|
| |
JD 98 (4/2022): As to the Grand Vin 2019 Château Pape Clement, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with stunning aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencils shavings, scorched earth, and tobacco. Beautifully balanced, with flawless tannins, this full-bodied Pessac has that rare mix of elegance and power, a great mid-palate, and again, perfect balance. It's one of the gems of the vintage and has some accessibility today given its purity and balance, yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for 20-25 years or more in cold cellars. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, brought up in two-thirds new French oak.
VM 97 (2/2022): The 2019 Pape Clément is just as impressive as it was en primeur. It shows all of the textural richness that is so typical of Bernard Magrez's wines, but with an extra kick of freshness that provides energy as well as a sense of proportion. A wine of stature, the 2019 is so classy. Succulent black cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and licorice are all beautifully delineated. But more than anything else, I find the wine's energy really impressive. This is a fabulous vintage for Pape Clément. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94 (4/2022): The 2019 Pape Clément has turned out well in bottle, delivering a rich bouquet of cherries, blackcurrants, plum liqueur and blackberries mingled with notions of burning embers, licorice and a nicely integrated framing of new oak. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's a layered, fleshy wine, with a deep core of ripe but lively fruit, plenty of powdery tannin and a long, expansive, discreetly heady finish. This is a powerful, dramatic Pessac with a transatlantic accent and will drink well with only a few years' bottle age. |
|
| Ch. Prieure Lichine |
2016 |
Margaux
ETA Q4 2024 |
$57 |
10 |
|
| |
VM 96 (1/2019): The 2016 Prieure-Lichine is all class. Floral, silky and nuanced to the core, the 2016 is a wine of pure and total seduction. Freshly cut flowers, vibrant red fruit and creamy tannins all add to the wine's undeniable allure. In 2016, Prieure-Lichine is all class, not to mention one of the sleepers of the vintage. Don't miss it! Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 93 (1/2019): A very suave, polished Margaux that delivers iodine and dark-stone aromas and a wealth of ripe, plush dark fruit that follows through to the palate in attractive, fleshy and juicy mode. Try from 2022.
WS 92 (3/2019): A restrained style, with a beam of cherry, cassis, lilac and sandalwood flavors, revealing a good fleshy feel and solid depth throughout. Light perfume and tobacco hints give the finish some added range. No fireworks here, just balance and focus. Best from 2021 through 2032. 19,167 cases made.
WA 92 (3/2019): The 2016 Prieure-Lichine has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and a bold, intensely scented nose of warm blackcurrants, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of cedar chest, tobacco, dried herbs and iron ore. Medium-bodied, the palate has bags of class with lovely, vibrant black berries flavors and earthy sparks framed by ripe grainy tannins, finishing long and refreshing.
JD 88 (2/2019): The medium ruby-colored 2016 Château Prieure-Lichine is a touch lean and firm, yet has impressive notes of spring flowers, damp underbrush, and loads of minerality. Possessing both red and black fruit, present tannins, and good balance, it’s a solid, enjoyable effort that would be even better with a touch more flesh. |
|
| Ch. Troplong Mondot |
2018 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$92.99 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 93-95+ (4/2019): The 2018 Troplong Mondot is blended of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.56. Deep garnet-purple in color, it begins slowly with bold, bright black raspberries, ripe black plums, fresh blackberries and Morello cherries notes, giving way to underlying scents of tobacco, wild sage, Sichuan pepper, black olives, truffles and Marmite toast with hints of crushed stones and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers wonderfully fresh, energetic black fruit with a downright racy line of freshness (uncommon for this vintage) and firm, rounded tannins, finishing long with lots of mineral, earth and dried herbs layers giving beautiful electric sparks.
WS 95-98 (4/2019): This offers a lovely display of boysenberry, cherry and plum fruit, yet stays refined and focused, relying on purity as this glides through. Has weight but feels silky, with a flinty mineral hint adding cut on the finish.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Troplong Mondot is a remarkable wine. All the elements fall into place in a stunning, aromatically intense Troplong Mondot that is full of character. There is a level of precision and vibrancy in the 2018 that is simply breathtaking. Black cherry, raspberry, mocha, flowers, mint and spice all meld together in this captivating, arrestingly beautiful Saint-emilion. New oak is 60%, with lower toast levels than what was common just a few years ago. The blend is 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Antonio Galloni.
JD 94-96 (5/2019): Deeper colored, the 2018 Troplong Mondot is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak. Its vivid purple color is followed by a beautiful perfume of black raspberries, cassis, crushed flowers, and beautiful earthy minerality. Medium to full-bodied, ultra-pure, balanced on the palate, it has a beautiful chalky minerality on the finish. While the style has changed dramatically with the arrival of Aymeric de Gironde, the quality is nevertheless world-class.
JS 97-98 (4/2019): The focus to this wine sets a new standard for Troplong Mondot with density and minerality that I have not encountered for decades. Lots of slate and white-pepper character. Tight and very dense. Full body. Balanced. Wild mineral character and freshness here. Precise. |
|
| Ch. Trotte Vieille |
2019 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$78.99 |
6 |
|
| |
| JS 96-97 (6/2020): A really classy, beautiful red with seduction and force at the finish. Aromas and flavors of currants, wet earth and truffles, as well as mushrooms. Full bodied, tight and tannic. Toned and steely. A new, traditional style. 49% cabernet franc, 48% merlot and 3% cabernet sauvignon. |
|
| La Dame de Montrose |
2022 |
St. Estephe
Futures- ETA TBD 2023 en Primeur Release |
$42 |
36 |
|
| |
JD 93-95 (5/2023): The second wine of Château Montrose, the 2022 La Dame De Montrose, tastes like a Grand Vin. More Merlot-dominated (71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc), the terrific purity in its cassis and blue fruits give way to complex floral, forest floor, and violet aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant, I'd be happy to drink a bottle any time over the coming 15 years.
VM 92-94 (5/2023): The 2022 La Dame de Montrose is deep, pliant and rich. All of the intensity of this warm, very dry vintage comes through in the wine’s sheer size and ripe, dark profile. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, spice and espresso are all amplified in this decidedly intense, concentrated La Dame. Qualitatively, there is little question this could have easily been a Grand Vin in a preceding generation. The 2022 is a stunning La Dame. Antonio Galloni.
WA 92-94 (5/2023): A second wine that would embarrass numerous classified growths, the 2022 La Dame de Montrose unfurls in the glass with aromas of blackberries, violets, rose petals, charcoal and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy palate of striking concentration, energy and dimension. Seamless and complete, it's a blend of 71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. Myrat |
2003 |
Sauternes |
$32 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95 (3/2006): Incredible nose of honey, apple pie, toffee and spices. Intense. Layers of fruit. Full-bodied, thick and very sweet. Pure honey. Better than the 2001. Spread over buttered toast ... just joking. Best ever from here. Best after 2010. 3,330 cases made.
VM 88 (8/2006): Bright yellow-gold. Exotic aromas of roasted apricot, toffee and smoky oak. Fat and forward, with an almost confectionery sweetness to its exotic flavors of apricot, toffee and marzipan. Just this side of cloying and in need of a bit more life and spine, but will give early pleasure. Very 2003 in style.
WA 86-88 (4/2004): It is against my better judgment to taste the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes at such an early age, as I find they typically require at least 12 months to reveal the definition/delineation so essential in these creamy, creme brulee, and honeysuckle-flavored offerings. Nevertheless, because this vintage is so highly regarded, I tasted through most of the top estates. The 2003s appear to be somewhat in the style of the 1990s, with high levels of residual sugar (higher than 2001 for the most part) as well as botrytis, low acidity, and fat, full-bodied personalities. This region’s harvest began extremely early (early September), and was completely finished within three weeks. It does not appear that the nobleness and racy richness of the 2001 vintage will be found in the 2003s, but readers who like the big, flamboyant, over the top style of the 1990s will enjoy the 2003s even more than I did. |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Dom. Coursodon |
2020 |
St. Joseph Rouge l’Olivaie ex-Domaine |
$48.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (12/2022): Inky magenta. Heady aromas of fresh black and blue fruits, incense, exotic spices, violet and olive paste. Densely packed and energetic on the palate, offering intense dark berry preserve, cherry-cola, floral pastille and salty olive flavors, plus a hint of minerality and building spiciness. Finishes subtly chewy, focused and impressively long, with well-knit tannins adding grip to echoing dark fruit and floral notes. Roughly 15% new oak here. Josh Raynolds.
JD 94+ (12/2022): Brilliant stuff, the 2020 Saint Joseph Olivaie comes from older vines in the southern part of the appellation. Its deep purple/plum color is followed by a great bouquet of cassis and ripe blue fruits as well as spice, leather, and flowery incense. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it's already hard to resist yet will evolve gracefully for a solid decade or more. A brilliant Saint-Joseph, it reminds me slightly of a great Le Méal from Hermitage. |
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|
2020 |
St. Joseph Rouge Paradis St. Pierre ex-Domaine |
$69.99 |
36 |
|
| |
VM 96 (12/2022): Vivid purple. Powerful, smoke- and spice-accented blackberry, cherry-cola and violet aromas show excellent delineation and pick up olive and allspice notes with aeration. Sweet and broad in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated dark berry liqueur, vanilla, smoked meat and floral pastille flavors and a suggestion of exotic spices. The impressively long finish features bright mineral and floral notes and velvety, even tannins that sneak in late. Two-thirds whole clusters and about 10% new oak. Josh Raynolds.
JS 95 (2/2022): Very pure forest-berry and violet aromas. Beautiful interplay of sweet fruit and generous, fine tannins, plus delicate spice make this a stunning St.-Joseph. Very graceful with a long, refined finish that pulls you back for more of this masterpiece. Sustainable. Drink or hold.
JD 93-95+ (2/2022): The flagship from this estate, the 2020 Saint Joseph Le Paradis Saint Pierre comes from a single parcel of old vines and granite soils and will spend 15 months in demi-muids. It's always the most granite-influenced wine in the lineup, and the 2020 has a deep purple hue as well as a tight, focused, mineral-drenched style in its ripe black and blue fruits as well as peppery herbs, violet, and smoked game-like aromas and flavors. I love its overall balance, and it has plenty of structure and a great finish, as well as the focused, elegant style of the vintage. It's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15+. |
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|
2020 |
St. Joseph Rouge Sensonne ex-Domaine |
$69.99 |
25 |
|
| |
VM 96 (12/2022): Saturated ruby. Deeply pitched blackberry, cherry-cola, cassis, vanilla and pungent floral qualities on the intensely perfumed, mineral-accented nose. Sappy and densely packed yet energetic as well, offering kirsch, dark berry preserve, mocha, licorice and candied violet flavors and a hint of salty olive. Shows superb clarity, a repeating vanilla note and an emphatic mineral lift on a youthfully tannic finish that hangs on with strong, dark fruit-driven persistence. Josh Raynolds.
JD 95 (12/2022): One of the flagships from this estate, the 2020 Saint Joseph La Sensonne is 100% Syrah from old vines, aged entirely in new barrels. Its deep purple hue is followed by a great nose of smoked meats, violets, ground pepper, and both cassis and blackberry-like fruits. With full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, background oak, and a great finish, this tour de force from Saint Joseph is more Hermitage than Saint Joseph. It will keep for 10-15 years in cold cellars.
JS 94 (2/2022): Full-on smoked-bacon and dry-earth aromas are married to a slew of forest berries and damson plums. Excellent balance of generous fruit and plush tannins on the full body. The tannins build to a crescendo at the long, complete finish. Sustainable. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.
WA 94-96 (1/2022): Jerôme Coursodon was not entirely sure this barrel and its neighbors would be bottled on their own as the 2020 Saint Joseph la Sensonne, but he indicated there was a strong possibility. Sourced from old vines, matured entirely in new oak from Taransaud (in this case) and Chassin, this cuvée features strong overtones of toast and mocha, but there is also plenty of cherry fruit. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, with tremendous length and vibrancy on the finish, it looks to be another hugely successful wine from this family estate in Mauves. |
|
| Dom. de la Vieille Julienne |
2019 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hauts-lieux |
$79.98 |
36 |
|
| |
| JD 98+ (11/2021): The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux includes slightly more Mourvèdre and comes from a cooler parcel in the northern part of the appellation. It has another level of purity and precision compared to the Trois Sources and has extraordinary notes of blueberries, cassis, black licorice, violets, and crushed stone-like minerality. Incredibly concentrated, massive, and yet perfectly balanced, it has no hard edges and is just an incredible tasting experience. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 20-25 years. |
|
|
2019 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources |
$66 |
36 |
|
| |
| JD 96+ (11/2021): More cassis, morello cherry, Asian spice, and a beautiful sense of minerality and loamy earth emerge from the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Trois Sources, a full-bodied, concentrated blend of 60% Grenache, 15% each of Cinsault and Syrah, and the balance Mourvèdre. Coming all from the estate’s sandy soils in the northern part of the appellation, this incredibly concentrated, textured wine has perfect balance, building tannins, and a great finish. Give this beauty another 4-5 years in the cellar and drink it over the following two decades or more. |
|
|
2020 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources |
$64.95 |
7 |
|
| |
| JD 96 (11/2022): Leading off the three Châteauneuf du Pape releases, the 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Trois Source comes from three different terroirs located in the northern part of the appellation, just across the street from the domaine. Roasted Provençal garrigue, black licorice, black raspberries, Asian spices, and a hint of cassis all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a layered, medium to full-bodied profile that has silky tannins and no hard edges. It's much more up-front and approachable than the more structured Les Hauts-Lieux and is going to drink fabulously well over the coming 15+ years. |
|
| Dom. des Bosquets |
2022 |
Gigondas La Colline |
$59.99 |
28 |
|
| |
JD 92-94+ (10/2023): The 2022 Gigondas La Colline should be outstanding, yet it certainly doesn't have the opulence or richness of prior vintages. Beautiful black raspberries, spring flowers, camphor, and loamy earth notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, elegant, pretty Grenache (it's 100% Grenache) with ripe tannins and a great finish. It's another 2022 that will demand bottle age.
VM 94-96 (1/2024): Grenache-lovers: Buckle up for the promising 2022 Gigondas La Colline. This bold and time-demanding wine combines fragrant floral, red fruit and spicy aromatics with terrific structure and remarkable intensity. Vinified with 40% whole clusters and coming in at 15.3% alcohol, this layered 2022 red needs a few years in bottle to settle down. Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
|
2022 |
Gigondas Le Lieu Dit |
$59.99 |
32 |
|
| |
JD 94-96 (10/2023): Coming from a cooler terroir of pure sand soils just beside the estate, the 2022 Gigondas Le Lieu-Dit (100% Grenache) offers up loads of ripe strawberry fruit supported by floral, camphor, and loamy soil nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a seamless mouthfeel, this is a Burgundy lover’s Grenache that will benefit from just a few years in the cellar and evolve for 15+ in cold cellars.
VM 93-95 (1/2024): The gorgeous 2022 Gigondas Le Lieu Dit dazzles right away. Pronounced raspberry and strawberry notes mingle with scents of mango, fresh mint and a dash of white pepper. Look out for this single-varietal Grenache—it bursts with personality and complexity. Despite its 15.4% alcohol and full body, this 2022 red feels remarkably light on its feet. This cuvée emerges from 60-year-old vines grown on a parcel with a distinctive cooling influence, derived from its northwestern exposure at the edge of a forest. Fermentation included 30% whole clusters. Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
| Dom. du Tunnel |
2020 |
Cornas ex-Domaine |
$53.99 |
36 |
|
| |
VM 94-96 (12/2022): Saturated violet. Highly fragrant, mineral-accented boysenberry, cherry liqueur, candied violet and allspice aromas are complemented by a smoky mineral nuance. Offers palate-staining dark berry, candied licorice and bitter chocolate flavors that pick up notes of candied flowers and exotic spices on the back half. Powerful but surprisingly lively as well, finishing very long and smooth, with sharp delineation and gently gripping tannins. Josh Raynolds.
JD 94-96 (2/2022): The 2020 Cornas shows the vintage’s ripe yet fresh style. Lots of red and blue fruits, a kiss of minerality, medium to full body, and ripe tannins all make for a beautiful, impeccably made Cornas that will have two decades of longevity. |
|
|
2021 |
Cornas Vin Noir ex-Domaine |
$79.99 |
27 |
|
| |
| JD 93-95 (12/2022): The 2021 Cornas Vin Noir is even better and clearly a candidate for the wine of the appellation. Ripe blackberries, smoked herbs, cured meats, iron, and spice all flow to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, balanced Cornas offering ripe, velvety tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. Bravo. |
|
| Dom. Duclaux |
2020 |
Cote Rotie Maison Rouge ex-Domaine |
$74.99 |
36 |
|
| |
WA 92-95 (1/2022): The 2020 Cote Rotie Maison Rouge comes from 1.5 hectares in the gneiss-laden northern portion of the lieu-dit, and includes no Viognier. Purple raspberries and black olives cavort on the nose, framed by subtle notes of baking spices. It's medium to full-bodied, expansive, rich and silky, with a long, elegant finish. It should be drinkable on release, yet cellar well for at least a decade.
JD 91-93 (2/2022): The 2020 Côte Rôtie Maison Rouge is terrific, offering ample black raspberry and darker berry fruits as well as spring flowers and peppery spice nuances. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium-bodied and has a supple, seamless texture, impressive tannins, and a great finish. It's unquestionably an outstanding wine, and I'd be happy to drink a bottle any time over the coming 10-15 years. |
|
| | Alsace |
| Albert Mann |
1998 |
Muscat Altenbourg Le Tri SGN (375 ML) |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (6/2000): The 1998 Tokay-Pinot Gris Altenbourg Selection Grains Nobles "Le Tri" was harvested on October 21. The fermentation and elevage occurred in new Allier barriques. Aromatically, it offers hints of oak spice amidst a yellow fruit-dominated nose. On the palate, crushed raspberries, cherries, and other assorted red berries are found in this magnificent, complex, broad, medium to full-bodied wine. It is deep, intense, elegant, and immensely flavorful. While difficult to resist, it should be at its peak of maturity between 2006 and 2020.
VM 94-96 (7/1999): Slightly cloudy color. Extravagant aromas of toffee, banana, fresh apple, peppermint and vanilla, plus a suggestion of game and a slight roasted walnut character bordering on vin jaune Incredibly sweet and thick, and not for the fainthearted; exotic flavors of brown butter, roasted hazelnut and caramel are perked up by a flavor of ripe apple. Lower in alcohol than the other cuvee (11.6%, vs. 13.7%) but considerably sweeter (170 g/l, vs. 117). Not as pure as the "regular" SGN in comparison, this is in a distinctly oxidized style?but a force of nature. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Dom. Bott-Geyl |
2000 |
Sonnenglanz Grand Cru Pinot Gris VT (500 ML) |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (10/2002): Sweet chamomile is interwoven with botrytis in the aromatics of the 2000 Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz Vendanges Tardives. Medium-bodied, complex, and powerful, this raisin, poached pear, and apricot-flavored wine is exceptionally harmonious. Drink it between 2005 and 2020.
VM 89-91 (7/2001): Subdued but tangy aroma dominated by peach. Thick and generous, with ripe, well-integrated acidity nicely framing the pit fruit and brown spice flavors. A long, pliant fruit bomb. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| | Loire |
| Bernard Baudry |
2018 |
Chinon La Croix Boissee |
$49 |
20 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (10/2021): The ripeness of the 2018 vintage gives an almost Syrah/Viognier character to the Chinon La Croix Boissee, which offers sweet black fruit and a creamy apricot note. Sumptuous yet never ever opulent, it's almost as if the wine's just done a yoga class. Plentiful tannins give the inside of your cheeks a chalky rub, while there's surprising freshness considering the ripeness, leading to a lengthy finish. This is a baby that will turn out to be a great adult. Rebecca Gibb. |
|
|
2019 |
Chinon Le Clos Guillot |
$39 |
19 |
|
| |
| VM 95-97 (10/2021): Just outside the village, Clos Guillot sits on a slope on clay over limestone. The 2019 Chinon is a serious barrel sample that melts in your mouth with its silken texture. No crushing, very little remontage and a year in used barrels all lend a very gentle touch. The tannins build gradually, coating the mouth with the finest of chalky textures. Excellent acidity keeps things fresh through the finish. Rebecca Gibb. |
|
| | Germany |
| Fritz Haag |
2020 |
Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$49 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (9/2021): The 2020 Juffer Sonnenuhr GG is excitingly clear, fresh and precise on the nose. Lush and round on the palate, this is an intense and tensioned, finely grippy, long and salty JSU whose energy, precision and freshness is outstanding. Tasted in Wiesbaden in August 2021. |
|
|
2019 |
Juffer Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$55 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 95-97 (4/2020): The 2019 Brauneberg Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Trocken GG is very fine, flinty, delicate and charming on the precise and beautifully articulated slatey and herbal nose that also displays highly refined and discreet tropical fruit aromas. However, the nose is remarkably shy at this early stage. On the palate, this is a lithe Juffer Sonnenuhr with great finesse and a pure, mineral, persistently salty and crunchy finish that doesn't show much fruit and power at this stage. This seems to be a rather ascetic yet piquant and salty Riesling, and I am curious how the wine will develop over the next six months. The finish is very long, intense and still dominated by yeasty notes. This will develop to a spectacular JSU with time. |
|
| JJ Prum |
2022 |
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese
ETA Q4 2024 |
$54.99 |
30 |
|
| |
| JS 96 (12/2023): Here’s a very classic Mosel Spatlese with exactly the combination of richness, elegance and delicacy that makes this category unique. Such delicate white peach and sliced pear, rose and honeysuckle aromas. Very long finish that is as succulent as it is refined. You just want to linger there for as long as you can. Drink or hold. |
|
| Peter Lauer |
2020 |
Kupp Fass 18 Grosses Gewachs |
$54.99 |
6 |
|
| |
JS 95 (7/2021): Complex nose of wet ferns, wild berries and smoke. As cool and still as it is deep in the woods, this concentrated, tightly wound wine is just beginning to open up. Very classic, stony finish with noble austerity. Drinkable now, but best from 2023. Screw cap.
WA 92+ (9/2021): Lauer’s 2020 Kupp GG Fass 18 shows a clear and pure yet intense, still a bit yeasty bouquet. The palate is quite rich and powerful but elegant, revealing a Kupp that needs some years to develop more finesse and charm. The wine is quite intense and lush and provided with tannins that still dry the palate a bit. Tasted in Wiesbaden in August 2021. |
|
| Schafer-Frohlich |
2020 |
Stromberg Riesling Grosses Gewaches |
$85 |
5 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (8/2022): The 2020 Stromberg GG is incredibly clear, bright and fresh on the coolish, northern nose, as if this was a young wine from the recent vintage. Full-bodied, refined and lush on the palate, with crystalline, mineral and saline acidity and fascinating tannin grip, this is an outstanding dry Riesling with great terroir expression yet also juicy, finessed and aromatically intense. The finish is long and powerful, very energetic and salivating. Together with the 2021, the 2020 is one of the modern Nahe Riesling legends. |
|
| Weingut Emrich-Schonleber |
2022 |
Monzinger Fruhlingspatzchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs
ETA Q4 2024 |
$69.99 |
21 |
|
| |
| VM 93-95 (9/2023): The 2022 Riesling Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Grosses Gewächs opens with a sunny, friendly creaminess, and a slight overtone of mango sets an accent. The palate is serene, bright, absolutely focused on lemon and a little lemony pith, but with a luminous, slender creaminess. The textural aspect holds spice, which is not apparent yet but will reveal itself. It also gives structure to this light, bright, filigree wine. Subtle length extends that lovely, gentle pithiness. Anne Krebiehl. |
|
|
2020 |
Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$74.95 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 97 (9/2021): A breathtaking wine that has all the mineral depth and concentration you associate with a Grand Cru, but also a wide spectrum of very fine citrus and berry aromas. Then it splash lands in an explosion of fresh-herb aromas. Drink or hold.
WS 96 (8/2021): The 2020 Frühlingsplätzchen GG is very pure and fresh on the precise and stony, pretty reductive and herbal nose that needs lots of air to open up. Crystalline and pure on the palate, this is a bone-dry, refined, enormously salty and piquant Riesling from partly red slate, loam and quartzite plots. The finish is pure, fresh and precise, very long and expressive. Tasted from a bottle that was opened three days earlier, it is much more charming and open on the nose, showing an intense and complex bouquet of crushed stones, lemons and white fruits. The palate is round and elegant, much lusher and long, but it still has long-lasting salinity on the finish. A gorgeous Frühlingsplätzchen that today comes from stonier plots than in the beginning of the GG saga. 12.5% alcohol. Tasted at the domain in July 2021. |
|
|
2019 |
Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$89 |
6 |
|
| |
JS 98 (8/2020): A bundle of brilliant contradictions make this exotic, smoky, very concentrated but also light-footed dry riesling a masterpiece. Very serious and complex finish that doesn't want to let go. Drink or hold.
WA 95-96+ (8/2020): Schönleber's 2019 Halenberg GG is ripe and intense on the nose and indicates a rich and powerful yet elegant and complex Riesling with darker tones and flinty aromas that become more evident with aeration, while the initially intense fruit aroma gets reduced. On the palate, this is a rich and textured, pretty juicy but structured Halenberg with fine tannins and a long and intense finish. Compared to the Frühlingsplätzchen, the Halenberg is always late in its development, but as in 2018, I tend to prefer the former from the 2019 vintage at least in its very youth. For now, the Halenberg seems to be very ripe and rich and is structured by tannins rather than the crystallinity of the terroir. Tasted as a sample in May 2020 and I’m already excited to learn how the wine will develop in the coming weeks.
VM 93 (6/2020): Crushed stone and sea breeze along with zesty lime and grapefruit characterize both the pungent nose and the formidably concentrated palate impression. Firmer in feel than the corresponding Frühlingsplätzchen and with sharper, more clearly defined citricity and stony inflections, this shares sense of fullness (at something over 13% alcohol) with the present collection’s other dry wines, but evinces no heaviness and at most the merest hint of heat. Mouthwatering salinity and a shimmering sense of crystalline stony impingement rather unexpectedly rise to the occasion on a finish whose sheer fruit intensity is so prominent. David Schildknecht. |
|
|
2019 |
Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$99 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 98 (8/2020): A bundle of brilliant contradictions make this exotic, smoky, very concentrated but also light-footed dry riesling a masterpiece. Very serious and complex finish that doesn't want to let go. Drink or hold.
WA 95-96+ (8/2020): Schönleber's 2019 Halenberg GG is ripe and intense on the nose and indicates a rich and powerful yet elegant and complex Riesling with darker tones and flinty aromas that become more evident with aeration, while the initially intense fruit aroma gets reduced. On the palate, this is a rich and textured, pretty juicy but structured Halenberg with fine tannins and a long and intense finish. Compared to the Frühlingsplätzchen, the Halenberg is always late in its development, but as in 2018, I tend to prefer the former from the 2019 vintage at least in its very youth. For now, the Halenberg seems to be very ripe and rich and is structured by tannins rather than the crystallinity of the terroir. Tasted as a sample in May 2020 and I’m already excited to learn how the wine will develop in the coming weeks.
VM 93 (6/2020): Crushed stone and sea breeze along with zesty lime and grapefruit characterize both the pungent nose and the formidably concentrated palate impression. Firmer in feel than the corresponding Frühlingsplätzchen and with sharper, more clearly defined citricity and stony inflections, this shares sense of fullness (at something over 13% alcohol) with the present collection’s other dry wines, but evinces no heaviness and at most the merest hint of heat. Mouthwatering salinity and a shimmering sense of crystalline stony impingement rather unexpectedly rise to the occasion on a finish whose sheer fruit intensity is so prominent. David Schildknecht. |
|
|
2020 |
Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$83 |
6 |
|
| |
JS 99 (7/2021): Enormously fine and subtle nose. The ravishing but very delicate apricot aroma pulls you into the profound mineral depths of this dry-riesling masterpiece. The salty minerality at the finish just doesn’t want to stop and gives you a great feeling of how the most dramatic landscapes of this region look. Drink or hold.
WA 96 (9/2021): The 2020 Halenberg GG is pure, precise and fresh on the nose that offers flinty notes of crushed stones, herbs and lemons. Crystalline, refined and juicy on the palate, this is a dense and intense, tightly structured and persistently salty Halenberg with fine tannins and great purity. Tasted from a bottle that was opened three days before, the bouquet is deep and intense but pure and salty with ripe lemon and crushed stone aromas. The palate is full, dense and tight, with serious tannin structure and lingering salinity. The combination of both wines is amazing and combines purity and freshness with complexity and elegance. The salty finish is the leitmotiv of all three versions. 12.5% alcohol. Tasted at the domain in July 2021. |
|
| Weingut Georg Gustav Huff |
2020 |
Hipping Riesling Alte Reben |
$39.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| JS 96 (11/2021): So much star fruit, pink grapefruit and white peach on the nose, knocking you back slightly in the first moment. As bright as a rocket leaving the launch-pad in the direction of Mars, this dry riesling from the red soils of one of Nierstein’s top sites is super-straight and focused, the breathtaking, fresh finish intensely citrus and mineral. Drink or hold. |
|
| | Italy |
| Azelia (Luigi Scavino) |
2000 |
Barolo San Rocco Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95 (7/2004): Full-throttle style of Barolo with prune, leather, grilled meat and spices on the nose. Full-bodied, chewy and ultraripe, with wild vanilla and intense fruit on the palate. Voluptuous and showy. Best after 2007. 950 cases made.
WA 91 (8/2005): The 2000 Barolo San Rocco, from an historic vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba possesses a powerful and alcoholic nose of herbs and tobacco, tar and licorice, and its long and concentrated palate. It will last another dozen years.
VM 88+ (12/2004): Medium red. Aromas of plum and spicy oak. Sweet flavors of plum, marzipan and oak. Showed good texture and depth to support its wood, but still comes across as rather sweet-oaky in character. The initially sweet tannins showed a dry oaky edge with aeration. In an awkward stage today. |
|
| Caparzo |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino La Casa
ETA Q4 2024 |
$67.99 |
36 |
|
| |
JD 95 (2/2024): Ripe and inviting, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna La Casa pours a deep ruby/red color and reveals intertwining notes of kirsch, fresh leather, dried roses, and sweet Mediterranean herbs. It’s elegant and full-bodied, with ripe tannins, a plush texture, and wonderful length that floats away gently. It’s a very attractive wine with a weightless feel and has an open window for enjoyment over the coming 10-12 years.
WA 95 (12/2023): The Caparzo 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa offers a balanced presentation of candied cherry, dried fruit and toasted spice. This is a lovely and joyous wine with velvety soft tannins and good inner energy that adds dimension and depth to the mouthfeel. Vigna La Casa is a contemporary expression from Montalcino with extra fruit concentration and structure, and the results are carefully balanced throughout. Some 14,000 bottles were made. |
|
| Caprili |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino |
$44.99 |
30 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is remarkably pretty, wafting up with a blend of violets and lavender before giving way to steeped plum lifted by mint. This is racy and sleek, with cooling acidity and mineral tones that excite the palate. Juicy acidity enlivens tart wild berry fruits. The 2019 finds its center through the finish, as fine tannins emerge and a crunchy sensation lingers. Licorice and bitter blackberry notes taper off slowly. In a word, fantastic. The balance of complexity, structure and energy places the 2019 very high in my book. Eric Guido. |
|
| Carlo Giacosa |
2019 |
Barbaresco Montefico |
$44.99 |
12 |
|
| |
| WS 95 (2/2023): A dense and tightly structured red, this reveals cherry, strawberry, iron, tar and eucalyptus flavors. Beefy tannins uphold the finish, where the lasting impression is a beam of cherry. Well-proportioned, needing time to integrate. Best from 2025 through 2043. 650 cases made, 185 cases imported. |
|
| Casanova di Neri |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino
ETA Q4 2024 |
$68 |
33 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (12/2023): The Casanova di Neri 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows thick fruit fabric with stitchings of underbrush, pressed rose, bright cherry, tobacco and balanced oak spice. This wine definitely has a special groove. It offers a ripe, round texture with good acidity followed by fine, chalky tannins. This is impressive quality for 109,600 bottles produced. In fact, this is one of the best village Brunellos from Giacomo Neri and his family made so far. |
|
| Castellare di Castellina |
2019 |
I Sodi di San Niccolo Toscana IGT
ETA Q4 2024 |
$94.99 |
34 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (8/2023): The 2019 I Sodi di San Niccolò is another fabulous wine from Castellare. At this stage, the 2019 is an infant. The purity of the fruit is compelling. Despite its considerable intensity, the 2019 appears to have less forbidding tannins than in many years, which should allow it to drink well with minimal cellaring. Blood orange, sweet spice, leather and cedar linger on the stylish finish. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Castello Dei Rampolla |
2019 |
Sammarco |
$69.98 |
36 |
|
| |
WA 96 (9/2023): A blend of (organic and biodynamic) Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, the 2019 Sammarco is more austere and even robust compared to the punchier style prized throughout this portfolio. This is a firmly grounded wine, with a bigger baseline of aromas, spanning black fruit, baked plum, spice, tobacco and crushed limestone. You feel the natural concentration of the 2019 vintage and beautifully managed tannins in this wine. This is a release of 25,837 bottles and 292 magnums.
VM 94 (8/2023): The 2019 Sammarco is a very pretty, elegant wine with gorgeous aromatic intensity from the Cabernet Sauvignon that makes up the majority of the blend this year. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, dried cherry, incense and crushed leaves lend notable aromatic presence to this young, nascent Sammarco. Time in the glass brings out striking inner perfume and sweetness. In 2019, Sammarco is more finesse than power. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Castello del Terriccio |
1999 |
Lupicaia |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (8/2003): 90% cabernet sauvignon with 10% merlot) Dark ruby with a violet core; quite opaque. Incredibly sweet and sensuous aromas of crushed dark berry fruit. Intense blackberry fills the mouth, along with bittersweet chocolate and mint; very concentrated. The big, round tannins are leavened by a layer of refreshing acidity and the very long finish is sustained by a distinct mineral element. A wine of compelling richness.
WS 89 (9/2002): Lots of currants and berries, with hints of smoke and minerals. Medium- to full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long, succulent, ripe fruit aftertaste. Refined. Ridiculous price. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best after 2004. 2,500 cases made. |
|
| Castello di Ama |
2019 |
Gran Selezione San Lorenzo Chianti Classico |
$44.99 |
36 |
|
| |
WA 95 (9/2023): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo draws its fruit from various sites selected throughout the estate, and for that reason, it is often the most representative wine from Castello di Ama (despite its more approachable price). This vintage is especially interesting, showing a more formal quality of tannins for longer aging potential and softly extracted dark fruit that sets it apart. Vintner Marco Pallanti likens 2019 to 2004 or 2016, some of the best vintages in recent memory. The wine is partially aged in new oak, and the percentage of new barrels used depends on the vintage conditions. This edition sees 20% new oak, medium toast and fine grains. The team is working with lower temperatures during fermentation with more numerous pump-overs for the first couple of weeks, then the wine is left alone. Fresh cherry fruit, blackberry, spice and grilled herb emerge.
VM 94 (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is a wild, beautifully layered wine. Touches of Merlot and Malvasia Nera lend striking complexity and dimension to a mid-weight yet fleshy Gran Selezione. Iron, cured meats, spice, leather and dried leaves all take shape in this deceptively mid-weight yet deep, highly expressive Gran Selezione. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Gran Selezione San Lorenzo Chianti Classico (1.5 L) |
$89.99 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 95 (9/2023): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo draws its fruit from various sites selected throughout the estate, and for that reason, it is often the most representative wine from Castello di Ama (despite its more approachable price). This vintage is especially interesting, showing a more formal quality of tannins for longer aging potential and softly extracted dark fruit that sets it apart. Vintner Marco Pallanti likens 2019 to 2004 or 2016, some of the best vintages in recent memory. The wine is partially aged in new oak, and the percentage of new barrels used depends on the vintage conditions. This edition sees 20% new oak, medium toast and fine grains. The team is working with lower temperatures during fermentation with more numerous pump-overs for the first couple of weeks, then the wine is left alone. Fresh cherry fruit, blackberry, spice and grilled herb emerge.
VM 94 (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is a wild, beautifully layered wine. Touches of Merlot and Malvasia Nera lend striking complexity and dimension to a mid-weight yet fleshy Gran Selezione. Iron, cured meats, spice, leather and dried leaves all take shape in this deceptively mid-weight yet deep, highly expressive Gran Selezione. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Cavallotto |
2018 |
Barolo Bricco Boschis ex-Domaine |
$68.99 |
28 |
|
| |
JD 95 (5/2023): The 2018 Barolo Bricco Boschis pours a deep ruby and has spiced and enveloping aromatics of cigar box, leather, pure red cherry, and turned earth. This medium-bodied red is approachable and graceful, with moderate tannins and good concentration in its notes of Earl Grey tea, blood orange, and raspberry liqueur. Drink 2024-2044. Audrey Frick.
WA 94 (6/2022): The Cavallotto 2018 Barolo Bricco Boschis (a certified organic wine) is a lovely expression with fruit from one of the most beautiful sites in Castiglione Falletto, measuring 7.3 hectares. The wine is streamlined and tight with forest berry, blackcurrant and spice. It is taut and silky, showing fruit that has been shaped by cool nights and warm days. Bricco Boschis always delivers a special sense of sharpness and focus. Production is 23,747 bottles and 1,333 magnums.
VM 92+ (2/2022): Cavallotto’s 2018 Barolo Bricco Boschis is a powerhouse. A blast of sweet dark cherry, menthol, licorice, gravel and incense hits the palate. Youthful and quite strapping in terms of its presence, the 2018 holds quite a bit of promise. That’s the good news. But readers will have to be patient, as the tannins are quite searing at this stage for a wine that has typically been a bit more forthcoming. This is an especially serious edition of the Bricco Boschis Barolo. Antonio Galloni.
WS 92 (9/2022): A firmly structured, dry Barolo, with a core of cherry and plum shaded by earth and tobacco elements. Turns austere, picking up an underlying mineral streak on the finish. Best from 2025 through 2038. |
|
| Elvio Cogno |
2017 |
Barolo Cascina Nuova |
$53.99 |
31 |
|
| |
JS 95 (3/2021): Attractive dried strawberry with cherry and tar on the nose. Full-bodied with powerful tannins that are dusty and intense. Very flavorful and long. Solid as a rock. Needs at least three or four years to soften and come together.
WA 93 (6/2021): This wine is a sure bet from Elvio Cogno and such a steal. The 2017 Barolo Cascina Nuova delivers ample intensity and power. In this regard, it keeps faithfully in line with the expectations of a hot vintage that rendered more concentrated and sweeter fruit. However, the expert winemaking team at this estate has been able to manage any excesses or hints of over-ripeness. These are solid results with 20,000 bottles available.
JD 93 (5/2021): The 2017 Barolo Cascina Nuova is perfumed with ripe cherry, licorice, tar, and dried roses. The palate is ripe and refreshing, with a fairly classic build noted by red plum, tobacco leaf, and turned earth. This wine is beautiful and inviting out of the gates or drink 2022-2036.
WS 93 (11/2021): This is focused and almost creamy in texture, boasting cherry, strawberry, almond, tar and earth flavors. Multifaceted and just when you think it's accessible, the dense, dusty tannins emerge. Fresh and long. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,700 cases made, 500 cases imported. |
|
|
2017 |
Barolo Ravera |
$84.99 |
22 |
|
| |
JD 97 (5/2021): The 2017 Barolo Ravera makes a statement with its intense aromas of licorice, kirsch, pipe tobacco, and spice. Revealing a balanced and chiseled structure, the palate conveys dried raspberry, blood orange, and dried herbs. A great wine from the 2017 vintage, it feels like it will hold up to the test of time. Drink 2024-2042.
WA 94 (6/2021): The Ravera cru is seeing renewed energy and interest, thanks to the hard work of the Elvio Cogno team. They believed in Novello from the very beginning, and today a wine like the 2017 Barolo Ravera shows special confidence and pride. This pretty Barolo made with a blend of Nebbiolo clones (Lampia and Michet) reveals a slow succession of aromas with dark cherry and blackberry. The results are lasting, contoured and beautifully focused, thanks to mineral notes of rusty iron or brick. Nuanced notes of licorice and campfire ash round off the finish. Production is 13,000 bottles.
JS 94 (3/2021): Cherry and candied strawberry with flowers and some dried earth. Full-bodied, layered and chewy. Lots of wet earth and mushroom to the red fruit. Tight now. Try after 2023.
WS 93 (11/2021): A tightly wound, linear red, this reveals steeped cherry and plum flavors, with shadings of tar, eucalyptus and licorice. The dense matrix of tannins rules the finish, yet this shows nice equilibrium overall. Best from 2025 through 2043. 1,100 cases made, 350 cases imported. |
|
| Girolamo Russo |
2020 |
Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo |
$62.08 |
12 |
|
| |
WA 95 (6/2023): The Girolamo Russo 2020 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo opens to a hint of salinity or minerality that is specific to this site. Those linear aromas tend to frame a tight core of wild fruit, white cherry, apricot and mountain flowers like blue bonnet or Sicilian ginestra, which grows with yellow blooms on the flanks of the volcano. The wine's interesting saltiness cedes directly to the mouthfeel. The tannins are more prominent in this vintage. You should get very good aging potential from this bottle.
VM 93.5 (9/2023): The remarkably pretty 2020 Etna Rosso Feudo d'Mezzo opens with a whiff of sweet spice that gives way to dried roses, cinnamon and clove. This is surprisingly juicy and energetic in feel, with crisp red fruits propelled by vibrant acidity as citrus adds cheek-puckering tension toward the close. The 2020 finishes dramatically long with a saturating concentration and edgy tannins that curl the tongue as sour cherry hints fade. This is deceivingly open and giving yet remarkably complex. I suggest checking in on one for its primary fruit but then cellaring the rest to unveil their underlying power. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2021 |
Etna Rosso San Lorenzo |
$66.99 |
5 |
|
| |
| WA 96+ (6/2023): The Girolamo Russo 2021 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is a very exciting wine with so much energy and verve. It opens to lean-bodied concentration with a brilliant ruby shine. The wine shows a long array of wild fruit and tiny berry aromas backed by crushed white pepper and crushed stone. San Lorenzo is one of the most impressive interpretations of Etna. I highly recommend you try and cellar this wine. |
|
| Livio Sassetti |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Pertimali |
$67.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a spice box of a wine, opening with a burst of camphor and dried flowers, giving way to crushed blackberries, sage and cloves. This is surprisingly energetic and racy in style. Vibrant acidity propels depths of dark red fruits and inner floral as salty minerals saturate. The 2019 finishes structured and long yet still lively, leaving violet inner florals and hints of currant to taper off slowly. The combination of power, depth and energy makes this impossible to ignore. Eric Guido. |
|
| Luigi Pira |
2017 |
Barolo Marenca |
$59.85 |
12 |
|
| |
JS 96 (6/2021): Really gorgeous aromas of dried strawberries with hazelnut and cedar undertones, following through to a full body with real density of fruit and dusty, chewy tannins that finish long and intense. Vivid transparency at the end. Try after 2025.
WA 93 (6/2021): The Luigi Pira 2017 Barolo Marenca reveals a bright note of sweet cherry or redcurrant that pops first from the bouquet. That pretty red fruit intensity is quickly followed by spice, earth, toasted hazelnut and candied orange peel. This is a graceful and smooth expression from a site in Serralunga d'Alba that is almost exclusively farmed by the Pira family, mostly replanted in 1990 and is said to be noted for its powerful Barolo.
JD 93 (6/2021): Floral and perfumed, the 2017 Barolo Marenca is laced with crushed rose petals, cherry lozenge, and fresh earth. On the palate, this red is inviting and pure, offering notes of raspberry, and black tea before showing its true Serralunga character and noble structure beneath. It’s finesse and elegance up front leads to a deceiving desire to say it would be for youthful drinking, though it will be worth holding out for 2-5 years to enjoy 2024-2042. |
|
| M. Marengo |
2017 |
Barolo Brunate |
$68.99 |
25 |
|
| |
JS 95 (6/2021): A red with lovely ripe strawberry, spice and some flowers and leather. Dried orange peel, too. Full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins that are slightly mouth-puckering. It’s structured and rather powerful. Needs time to soften. Give it three or four years to soften. Try after 2024.
VM 94 (2/2021): The 2017 Barolo Brunate shows why this is such a highly-regarded site. Powerful and deep, the 2017 has enough fruit and pedigree to keep the formidable tannins in check. Blue/purplish fruit, spice, leather, licorice and menthol gain volume as the 2017 opens in the glass. This brooding Barolo needs time in bottle, but it is pretty compelling, even in the early going. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94 (6/2021): With fruit from La Morra, the 2017 Barolo Brunate presents a taut and tight bouquet of candied cherry, violets, orange peel and iron ore. The aromas are fluid and agile, yet they are also quite polished and focused. Indeed, this Brunate offers the greatest degree of complexity and sheer depth in this portfolio from the Marengo family of La Morra. Again, we see those extra tight tannins that are such a common feature of Barolo wines from the hot and dry 2017 vintage. This was a release of 4,800 bottles. |
|
| Poderi Colla |
2017 |
Barolo Dardi Le Rose Bussia |
$59.99 |
11 |
|
| |
| VM 94+ (10/2021): The 2017 Barolo Bussia Dardi Le Rose is superb. Classy and poised, the 2017 captures all the personality of Bussia. The Colla Barolos typically need a few years to shine. I imagine that will be the case here as well. As attractive as the 2017 is today, the best is yet to come. Crushed flowers, spice, sweet pipe tobacco and incense lend considerable nuance to a core of sweet Nebbiolo fruit. What a pretty wine this is. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Produttori del Barbaresco |
2020 |
Barbaresco
ETA Q1 2025 |
$34.95 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (8/2023): The 2020 Barbaresco boasts an ample set of aromas with wild cherry, blue flower, sweet spice and crushed limestone. As always, the wine paints an exciting and authentic portrait of Nebbiolo, albeit with a little more richness and texture in this vintage. This is especially true in terms of the palate, where the wine offers mid-weight intensity with melting tannins. This ambitious release of 300,000 bottles is slated to hit the market in fall 2023.
JD 93-94 (5/2023): Just off the bottling line, I was the first in the world to taste the 2020 Barbaresco from bottle with Aldo Vacca. It pours a jewel ruby, which Aldo thought was probably pre-bottle shock. A pretty wine with aromas of ripe raspberry (almost liqueur), sweet licorice, and fresh violets, it is medium to full-bodied, with pure, ripe fruit of red cherry, blood orange, dusty earth, and pressed flowers. This is a lovely wine out of the gates, and it will be interesting to see how it settles. Audrey Frick. |
|
| Sottimano |
2020 |
Barbaresco Cotta ex-Domaine |
$67 |
36 |
|
| |
VM 96 (10/2023): The 2020 Barbaresco Cottá is another fabulous wine in this range from Sottimano. Dark and super-classic in bearing, the 2020 has tremendous stature along with a darker and more somber personality than usual. The balance here is just mind-blowing. Scorched earth, leather, tobacco and incense infuse the finish with tons of nuance to complement its muscular personality. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96 (5/2023): Moving to the 2020 Barbaresco Cotta, fantastic mineral-tinged aromas of crushed stones, pencil shavings, and blackberry are followed by a medium-bodied red with a ripe yet linear feel and crunchy red fruits of red plum, orange rind, and clove. I liked this for its more tension-packed and energetic feel and stony texture. Drink 2025-2040. Audrey Frick.
WA 94+ (8/2023): A wine from Sottimano that also draws its fruit from the village of Neive (and Barbaresco, because these 2.8 hectares of vines are on the border), the 2020 Barbaresco Cottá shows an austere character with pronounced rust or iodine aromas that are neatly layered into dark fruit and dried cherry. The wine sports a generous, medium-weight texture that offers a good amount of textural firmness to the palate. Give this pretty wine a little more time to flesh out. 9,000 bottles were produced. |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Curra ex-Domaine |
$84 |
36 |
|
| |
WA 96 (8/2023): Released one year later than the other Barbarescos in this portfolio, the Sottimano 2019 Barbaresco Currá brings the intensity up a notch and not just in terms of dark fruit and cassis. The wine's mineral profile is more pronounced and, in careful moderation, so is the oak toast and spice delivery. There are more distinct elements here, all played forward with great intensity, that ultimately reach a place of excellent balance and endurance. Sadly, only 2,000 bottles emerged from this 1.6-hectare vineyard site in Neive.
VM 94 (10/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco Currà is another stellar wine in this range from Sottimano. Deep and authoritative, the 2019 possesses tremendous depth and textural intensity. Incisive Currà tannins are present, but they are pretty much buried by the sheer richness of the fruit. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2020 |
Barbaresco Fausoni ex-Domaine |
$67.89 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 97 (10/2023): The 2020 Barbaresco Fausoni is one of the most captivating wines I have ever tasted here. Bright, focused and vertical in bearing, the 2020 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Macerated red cherry, mint, white pepper, tobacco and cedar add lift and energy throughout. Moreover, the typically incisive Fausoni tannins are beautifully integrated. . Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (5/2023): The darkest-fruited of all the wines presented by Sottimano, the 2020 Barbaresco Fausoni is from 50-year-old vines grown at the lowest elevation of the estate (220 to 240 meters). The wine is generous with aromas of blackberry, lavender, and candied licorice. Full-bodied and ripe with ample tannins, it is expansive with red and black raspberry, tea leaf, and turned soil. It has wonderful depth without being heavy, with a seamless structure. It will benefit from another year in bottle before drinking over the coming 10-15 years. Audrey Frick.
WA 93 (8/2023): The 2020 Barbaresco Fausoni offers a lot of brightness and an especially linear style that can be traced to bright berry flavors and dusty mineral notes of crushed limestone. This wine gives us a good peek at the compelling nuance that can be coaxed forward with Nebbiolo aged in large oak casks, even in a hot and sunny growing season such as this. The wine concludes on a dry note. Some 5,000 bottles were made. |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Pajore ex-Domaine |
$66.99 |
30 |
|
| |
WA 95 (8/2022): Here's a beautifully elegant and fine expression of Nebbiolo from Treiso. The Sottimano 2019 Barbaresco Pajoré shows an earthy personality with crushed stone and potting soil that frame a pretty core of red and purple fruits. I love the depth and complexity of this wine and the slightly more structured tannins that give this wine power and importance.
VM 93+ (10/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco Pajorè is dense and quite closed in on itself. Then again, that is Pajorè. There's terrific depth and density here, but not quite the power of some recent releases. That's not a bad thing, as the more restrained style allows the nuance to come through. This is an especially refined edition of the Pajorè. Today, the Pajorè is quite compact and a bit of a bruiser, but there's terrific fruit intensity that just needs time to blossom. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2020 |
Barbaresco Pajore ex-Domaine |
$65.89 |
36 |
|
| |
VM 97 (10/2023): The 2020 Barbaresco Pajorè is deep, sensual and mysterious, as wines from this great site tend to be. Black cherry, lavender, new leather and balsamic overtones infuse the Pajorè with tremendous complexity and textural resonance. The 2020 is still an infant, but its potential is evident. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96 (5/2023): Pouring a rich garnet, the 2020 Barbaresco Pajore is fleshy and ripe, with a pleasant touch of rustic aromas of saddle leather, black cherry, and balsamic herbs. This medium to full-bodied red is ripe with meaty tannins, rounded black raspberry fruit, potting soil, and mouthwatering salinity on the finish. It is a ripe yet very attractive wine to hold another 6-12 months and drink 2024-2040. Audrey Frick.
WA 94 (8/2023): The Sottimano 2020 Barbaresco Pajoré (with 6,000 bottles made) is a tight and elegant wine with mid-weight structure. The bouquet is very expressive with dried cherry, blackcurrant, iron ore and blue flower. Sottimano succeeds in crafting very linear and precise wines, and that is certainly the message delivered by this wine from the Pajoré Vineyard in the village of Treiso. It ends on a dry, chalky note. |
|
| Tenuta San Leonardo |
2015 |
Vigneti Dolomiti |
$65 |
5 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (7/2020): The 2015 San Leonardo is a classic in the making. The bouquet is wonderfully perfumed with peppery florals, mixing tart cherry and blueberry with white smoke, hints of graphite and shaved cedar. Silky textures race across a core of juicy acids and minerals, making for a ripe yet cool-toned and pleasurably tactile expression. Youthful tannins slowly make themselves known toward the close. Long, structured and spicy, the 2015 finishes with a crescendo of tart blue and black fruits, tapering off to notes of subtly sweet spice. As good as this is today, it will only get better over time. That said, it doesn’t appear that this is going to shut down anytime in the immediate future, so it’s certainly worth checking on a bottle or two before forgetting the rest in your cellar. Eric Guido. |
|
| | Port |
| Delaforce |
1997 |
Quinta da Port Heavily Wine-Stained Label |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95 (2/2000): A fruit bomb. Superb single-quinta wine. Excellent dark color, with intense currant, berry and claretlike aromas. Full-bodied, with a big, racy backbone of tannins. Lovely, sweet finish. Best after 2007.
VM 87 (6/2000): Full ruby. Grapey aromas of black cherry, cassis and menthol. Concentrated but rather hard-edged, with solid structure for aging. A gutsy rather than elegant style of port, in need of patience. Finishes with somewhat coarse tannins. |
|
| Quinta de Roriz |
2000 |
Port |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 95 (5/2003): This is really fantastic. Wonderful aromas of grapes, berries and cherries. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with wonderfully refined tannins and a long, long finish. A gorgeous wine. Best after 2014. 2,000 cases made. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Arietta |
2002 |
Variation One Proprietary Blend |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2005): The stunning 2002 Variation One (70% Merlot and 30% Syrah) exhibits an exotic, opulent personality with a deep purple color, and sweet aromas of cocoa, new saddle leather, black raspberries, cassis, and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, with beautifully integrated oak (all of these wines are aged in 100% new French wood), wonderful sweetness, tremendous delineation, and laser-like clarity and transparency of character. A beauty, it is ideal for drinking over the next 10-15 years.
VM 93+ (5/2005): ((100) Good medium ruby. Brooding, medicinal aromas of inky black fruits. Tougher today than the 2003 from barrel, but offers Outstanding flavor intensity and clarity, with notes of black raspberry, spice, licorice and chocolate emerging with aeration. Less obviously sweet today than the 2003 (I might have picked this blind as a classic Bordeaux blend including petit verdot and cab franc), but finishes with superb breadth of tannins. "The H Block is an homage to more refined Old World wines," notes Kongsgaard, "while this is more California exotic." |
|
|
2002 |
Variation One Proprietary Blend Bin-Soiled Label |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2005): The stunning 2002 Variation One (70% Merlot and 30% Syrah) exhibits an exotic, opulent personality with a deep purple color, and sweet aromas of cocoa, new saddle leather, black raspberries, cassis, and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, with beautifully integrated oak (all of these wines are aged in 100% new French wood), wonderful sweetness, tremendous delineation, and laser-like clarity and transparency of character. A beauty, it is ideal for drinking over the next 10-15 years.
VM 93+ (5/2005): ((100) Good medium ruby. Brooding, medicinal aromas of inky black fruits. Tougher today than the 2003 from barrel, but offers Outstanding flavor intensity and clarity, with notes of black raspberry, spice, licorice and chocolate emerging with aeration. Less obviously sweet today than the 2003 (I might have picked this blind as a classic Bordeaux blend including petit verdot and cab franc), but finishes with superb breadth of tannins. "The H Block is an homage to more refined Old World wines," notes Kongsgaard, "while this is more California exotic." |
|
| Behrens & Hitchcock |
2003 |
Kenefick Ranch Cuvee |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (2/2005): The 2003 Kenefick Ranch Cuvee (a 400-case lot of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) exhibits an inky/ruby/purple color along with a gorgeous perfume of smoke, blueberry liqueur, creme de cassis, white chocolate, and espresso roast. Dense, opulent, and full-bodied, with a terrific texture as well as palate penetration, and a 40-45 second finish, it is capable of lasting a decade or more.
VM 91+ (6/2005): Medium ruby. Cool, pure aromas of cassis, licorice and violet. Juicy, dry and lively, with excellent flavor intensity and enticing floral lift. I would have guessed this had some cabernet franc. Quite tightly wound after the bottling, and currently showing its tannic side. But this will almost certainly merit a higher rating with four or five years of additional bottle aging. In this vintage, Les Behrens used a mechanical punchdown tank for the Kenefick Ranch cabernet sauvignon-an approach that was used for more wines in 2004. |
|
|
2003 |
Kenefick Ranch Cuvee Torn Label |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (2/2005): The 2003 Kenefick Ranch Cuvee (a 400-case lot of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) exhibits an inky/ruby/purple color along with a gorgeous perfume of smoke, blueberry liqueur, creme de cassis, white chocolate, and espresso roast. Dense, opulent, and full-bodied, with a terrific texture as well as palate penetration, and a 40-45 second finish, it is capable of lasting a decade or more.
VM 91+ (6/2005): Medium ruby. Cool, pure aromas of cassis, licorice and violet. Juicy, dry and lively, with excellent flavor intensity and enticing floral lift. I would have guessed this had some cabernet franc. Quite tightly wound after the bottling, and currently showing its tannic side. But this will almost certainly merit a higher rating with four or five years of additional bottle aging. In this vintage, Les Behrens used a mechanical punchdown tank for the Kenefick Ranch cabernet sauvignon-an approach that was used for more wines in 2004. |
|
| Booker Vineyard |
2017 |
Oublie Proprietary Blend |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (10/2019): The 2017 Oublie is a blockbuster, ranking with the finest wines in the vintage. Based on 56% Grenache, 22% Mourvèdre, 22% Syrah, brought up in 50% neutral barrels, its vivid purple color is followed by a full-bodied, powerful, yet elegant red that has a great nose of cassis, blackberries, white flowers, leafy herbs, and hints of pepper. It packs some muscle yet stays flawlessly balanced. Drink it over the coming decade.
VM 95 (2/2020): Saturated ruby. Deeply perfumed, spice-tinged aromas of black raspberry, floral oils, smoky minerals and vanilla; a mineral nuance builds in the glass. Juicy and densely packed but energetic as well, conveying a suave blend of power and finesse to the sweet red and blue fruit, violet pastille and spicecake flavors. Delivers a serious punch but comes off lithe, showing outstanding clarity and floral drive on an extremely long, gently tannic finish. 45% new puncheons. Josh Raynolds.
WA 92 (2/2020): The 2017 Oublié is a blend of 56% Grenache, 22% Syrah and 22% Mourvèdre aged in 35% new French oak. Medium to deep ruby, it has broody aromas of black cherries, underbrush, cured meats, dried red currants and dried cranberries with touches of graphite. The palate is medium to full-bodied and earthy with firm, grainy tannins and great freshness to lift the long, dense finish. This needs time! |
|
| Donelan |
2013 |
Cuvee Christine Syrah |
$75 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 96 (7/2017): There’s just over 900 cases of the 2013 Syrah Cuvee Christine and it’s 100% Syrah made with the idea to highlight the variety from Sonoma County. It has more minerality and savoriness than the Kobler Family as well as a darker, ruby color and incredible notes of gamey meats, black fruits, wood smoke, charcoal and pepper. With full-bodied richness, ripe tannin and a killer finish, this beauty has sensational purity of fruit and continues to gain depth and richness with time in the glass. It’s just another sensational Syrah from this team that rivals anything coming out of France or California today. |
|
|
2015 |
Obsidian Vyd. Syrah |
$95 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 95+ (6/2018): The 2015 Syrah Obsidian Vineyard is another structured, tannic, backward 2015 from this estate. Smoked earth, Graves-like cold fireplace, lots of meatiness and ample dark fruit all emerge from this medium to full-bodied effort that has serious tannin, integrated acidity, and a great finish. The cellar is going to be your friend. |
|
| J. Rochioli Vineyards |
2017 |
Big Hill Pinot Noir |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (5/2019): The 2017 Pinot Noir Big Hill is another fabulous wine in this range. Rich, sumptuous and explosive, it possesses stunning intensity in all of its dimensions, along with striking textural depth and resonance. Dark cherry, lavender, rose petal and exotic spice notes build in a Pinot that screams with personality and character. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (12/2019): The 2017 Pinot Noir Big Hill is pale to medium ruby in the glass with aromas of citrus peel, black tea leaves, woodsmoke, underbrush, rose petal and a core of perfumed cranberry, raspberry preserves, wild blackberry and cherry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and intense with floral and earthy layers, finely grainy tannins and juicy acidity on the long finish. |
|
| Linne Calodo |
2019 |
Rising Tides Proprietary Blend |
$59 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97 (9/2022): The more Grenache-dominated 2019 Rising Tides reveals a mostly opaque ruby hue and a seamless, pure, graceful style in its black raspberry and cherry fruits as well as toasted spice, garrigue, and subtle leather-like aromas and flavors. The balance is spot on, it has silky tannins, and a great finish. The blend is 67% Grenache, 26% Syrah, and the rest Graciano, and it was aged in mix of new and neutral barrels.I was only able to taste a few of Matt Trevisan’s Linne Calodo releases, but these continue to be terrific wines that are overflowing with character. The wines are almost always blends and focus either on Rhône varieties or Zinfandel-based blends. I loved both 2019s I was able to taste, and the 2020s showed well, although the 2020 Nemesis seemed to have some influence in the aromatics, so it’s one to watch, and I would drink that bottle in its youth.
VM 97 (7/2022): Saturated ruby. Intensely perfumed aromas of red and dark berry preserves, licorice, cola and exotic spices are complemented by a strong floral overtone. Sappy, finely detailed Chambord, cassis and blueberry flavors utterly stain the palate and turn spicier with air. Finishes smooth, lively and exceptionally long, with resonating florality and polished tannins that add subtle closing grip. Josh Raynolds.
WA 94 (3/2022): The 2019 Rising Tides is a pretty blend of Grenache (67%), Syrah (26%) and Graciano (7%). Medium ruby-purple, it features alluring wild berries, rooibos tea, dried rose petals and dark spices on the nose, gaining more aromatic nuance as it opens in the glass. The medium-bodied palate has fine, grainy tannins and balances intense, spicy fruits with addicting juicy uplift, finishing long and layered. |
|
| No Girls |
2014 |
Walla Walla Valley Tempranillo |
$95 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (6/2017): Deeper ruby/purple in color, the 2014 Tempranillo la Paciencia is vinified in concrete tank, then moved to take tank for malolactic fermentation, then into 20% new French demi-muids. Charcoal, beef blood, black currants, roasted herbs and smoked meats all emerge from this rich, full-bodied, concentrated and tannic beauty that has incredibly finesse, elegance and length. It's another wine that builds with time in the glass, has ample fruit authority, and is going to keep for two decades. |
|
| Reynvaan Family Vineyards |
2015 |
The Stonessence Syrah |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 96 (4/2018): The most expensive Syrah from Matt is the 2015 Syrah Stonessence and there’s a scant 325 cases made. Its deep ruby/plum color is followed by a salty, bloody Syrah that has loads of complexity, full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and a big finish. Black raspberries, peppery herbs, dry aged beef, and hints of lavender all emerge from the glass and while it’s already singing, it’s going to evolve gracefully for 10-15 years. |
|
| Rhys |
2012 |
Horseshoe Vyd. Syrah |
$65 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 95 (7/2015): A more savory style of Syrah (relative to the Skyline) emerges from the 2012 Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard. Grilled herbs, rose petals, iron and a host of ferrous notes make a strong first impression. Here the flavors are rich, broad and expansive, mirroring the wine's large-scaled frame. The 2012 is quite impressive today, but it won't be ready to drink for at least a few years. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94 (4/2015): A stunner, the 2012 Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard sports an inky ruby/purple color to go with loads of back raspberry, cassis, licorice, toasted spice and sappy flowers. Deep, rich, full-bodied and textured, with good acidity keeping it honest, this bares more than a passing resemblance to a top-flight Cornas. It needs 2-3 years of cellaring and will keep for over a decade. |
|
| Sojourn Cellars |
2014 |
Georges III Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$79 |
8 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (3/2017): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III opens with notes of crème de cassis, baked blackberries, spice box and pencil shavings with hints of dried herbs, cloves and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with black and blue fruit layers, framed by firm, impeccably ripe tannins and finishing with persistent spice notes. |
|
| Stonestreet |
2015 |
Monolith Cabernet Sauvignon |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96+ (6/2018): Crème de cassis, cedarwood, graphite, and crushed violets all define the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith, which is medium-bodied, concentrated, and moderately tannic on the palate. It’s nicely balanced and certainly promising, but I wouldn't open bottles for at least 4-5 years. This cuvée comes from vines planted in 1989 and spent 20 months in just under 50% new French oak. 257 cases. Stonestreet falls under the Jackson Family umbrella and focuses on higher elevation, mountain sites. The wines, made by Lisa Valtenbergs, are rock-solid across the board.
VM 92 (7/2018): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith is powerful, deep and concentrated. There is no shortage of intensity in the 2015, but the chunky, big tannins do convey and impression of wildness and rusticity. Aside from living up to its name, the 2015 is also very young. It will be interesting to see what a bit more bottle age adds. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93+ (2/2019): Made of 100% Cabernet aged 20 months in 47% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith opens with bold notions of black cherry preserves, black raspberries, blackcurrant cordial and mocha with hints of tar, licorice, wild sage and cedar chest. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and built like a brick house with firm, grainy tannins and great freshness supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and earthy. |
|
| Tensley Wines |
2007 |
Colson Canyon Vyd. Syrah |
$45 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95 (8/2009): The brilliant 2007 Syrah Colson Canyon is Tensley's biggest production single vineyard Syrah. Like the other wines, it is aged in 80% neutral and 20% new French oak barrels, and is bottled with no fining or filtration. This blockbuster effort is as black as a moonless night. It offers up stunning notes of graphite, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis, licorice, barbecue smoke, and a deep meaty character. The layered palate feel as well as the enormous richness and length result in one of the finest Syrahs being produced in California's Central Coast. It should evolve over the next 10-15 years.
JD 94 (11/2009): The largest scaled and most hedonistic of the Tensley wines I was able to taste, the 2007 Tensley Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is packed with freshly crushed berries, jam, earth, subtle meat and spice aromatics. Big, sweet and intense, the wine is full bodied on the palate with a silky, light texture and a long, decadent finish where gobs of fine grained tannins come out. The sweetness to the fruit and the upfront, lush texture will make this hard to resist young.
WS 94 (2/2009): (Wine Spectator #22 wine of 2009) Firm and musclebound, with rich, chewy tannins. Full-bodied, this is the most complex and potent of the 2007 Tensleys, offering layers of earthy wild berry, sage, mineral, dried currant and floral scents. Drink now through 2016. 1,259 cases made. |
|
| Turley Wine Cellars |
2001 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah Scuffed Label |
$85 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (8/2003): The 2001 Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard’s black/purple color is accompanied by a compelling bouquet of black fruits, graphite, and white flowers reminiscent of a top-flight Hermitage. Tremendously rich, full-bodied, and viscous, with 13.2% alcohol, sweet tannin, and well-integrated wood, this profound Petite Syrah will be at its finest between 2008-2020+. This is truly magnificent stuff with great purity, length, and intensity. |
|
|
2003 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$79 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 93-95 (2/2005): The 2003 Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard displays the telltale squid ink-like color with some purple hues, and a stupendous nose of pure, black fruits intermixed with minerals, licorice, and incense. Full-bodied, with massively extracted flavors but incredibly well-balanced and vibrant, this wine needs 5-10 years of bottle-age and should age effortlessly for a quarter of a century. |
|
|
2003 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah Scuffed Label |
$79 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 93-95 (2/2005): The 2003 Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard displays the telltale squid ink-like color with some purple hues, and a stupendous nose of pure, black fruits intermixed with minerals, licorice, and incense. Full-bodied, with massively extracted flavors but incredibly well-balanced and vibrant, this wine needs 5-10 years of bottle-age and should age effortlessly for a quarter of a century. |
|
|
2006 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$75 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 93-96 (12/2007): Never disappointing, and usually one of the finest Petite Syrahs made in California, the 2006 Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard once again hits on all cylinders. A blockbuster Petite Sirah, inky purple in color with a glorious nose of charcoal, black raspberry, blueberry, creme de cassis, licorice, and crushed rocks, it is very full-bodied, powerful, with sweet tannin, decent acidity, and a 45+-second finish. This is an infantile wine that will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and last 25-30+ years.
VM 92-93 (6/2008): Saturated ruby. Exotic berries, fruity peppercorn, bitter chocolate, flowers, mocha and wet slate on the nose. Wonderfully sappy and fruity in the mouth, with terrific definition to the flavors of crushed dark berries, pepper and spices, along with a suggestion of exotic apricot. The pepper and spice elements linger impressively on the seriously tannic finish. |
|
|
2007 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah Nicked Label |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95-97 (12/2008): A colossal Petite Syrah is the 2007 Hayne Vineyard. Its opaque purple color is followed by an extraordinary perfume of graphite, blackberries, blueberries, licorice, camphor, and crushed rocks. It is enormously endowed and extremely powerful, with teeth-staining extract, and an amazing finish that lasts nearly a minute. This is truly great Petite Syrah, but purchasers should be prepared to cellar it for 8-10 years, and watch it unfold brilliantly over the following 25-30. |
|
|
2015 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah Slightly Raised Cork |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93-96 (12/2016): The 2015 Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard possesses a gorgeous structural spine to balance the intense, inky fruit. Chocolate, plum, spice and succulent red cherry notes abound in this creamy, super-expressive Petite. In 2015, the Hayne is ample, deep and beautifully rendered. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (9/2018): The 2016 Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard is the most perfumed and elegant of Turley's Petite Syrahs (they don't spell it "Sirah") this year, unfurling in the glass with a pure and fragrant bouquet of cassis, dark plums, rose petals and pencil lead. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a deep core of vibrant, juicy fruit, satiny but abundant tannins and a long finish. It's an exceptional wine from a singular vineyard. |
|
|
2009 |
Library Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94-96 (12/2010): It was difficult to chose a favorite although the 2009 Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Ridge, Hayne Vineyard and Library Vineyard are the three greatest in terms of concentration, depth and potential complexity. As I have said so many times, Petite Sirah is by far the most underrated varietal in California, so it is reassuring to see how many producers continue to make remarkable wines with around 13-14% alcohol as well as 20-40+ years of aging potential. |
|
|
2014 |
Library Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (4/2016): Noticeably floral with blueberries and blackberries is the 2014 Petite Syrah Library Vineyard, from a site adjacent to the Hayne Vineyard on the back streets of St. Helena. Again, this has civilized tannins that are silky and well-integrated, followed by a wine with an enormous wealth of fruit, lavish concentration, and extravagant texture and richness. It is always hard to peg when these will hit full maturity, but this one has a good 5-10 years of development and should keep for three decades as well. |
|
| | USA White |
| Ceritas |
2018 |
Heintz Vyd. Chardonnay |
$75 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 94+ (7/2020): The 2018 Chardonnay Charles Heintz is youthfully shy, hinting at nutty tones, citrus, petrichor and white blossoms. The medium-bodied palate has lovely energy, silky, fresh and with an array of flavor layers—from floral to earth and back to stone—finishing very long and nuanced. This is still painfully young, but with time in bottle, it could be one of Ceritas's most successful Chardonnays in 2018.
VM 92 (1/2020): The 2018 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard marries the tension that is such a Ceritas signature with that extra kick of textural unctuousness that is the single most identifiable attribute of all Heintz Chardonnays. Orchard fruit, lemon confit, white flower, mint and chamomile all grace this super-expressive Chardonnay from Ceritas. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| DuMol |
2014 |
Clare Chardonnay |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (3/2017): The 2014 Chardonnay Clare has a white peach, preserved lemons and yuzu-scented nose with underlying touches of cedar, buttered toast and shaved almonds. The palate is bold and intensely fruited with a pleasant oiliness, yet it is medium-bodied, finishing long with lovely purity.
VM 94 (3/2017): The 2014 Chardonnay Clare Hyde Vineyard is gorgeous, but it is also tightly wound and reticent. Readers will have to be patient here. Smoke, slate, graphite, earthiness and dried herbs wrap around a core of orchard fruit. This is a decidedly virile, powerful style, but all the elements are very nicely balanced. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Eisele Vineyard |
2017 |
Sauvignon Blanc (375 ML) |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94+ (10/2018): Bottled in late July, the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is a real step up from previous vintages, springing from the glass with vibrant lime cordial, orange blossom and grapefruit notes with touches of allspice, honeysuckle, ripe pears, white peaches and struck flint. Medium-bodied with a suggestion of satin to the texture and a fantastic intensity of exuberant citrus fruits and mineral notes, it delivers a very long, refreshing finish. This should age beautifully! |
|
| Morlet Family Vineyards |
2012 |
Ma Douce Chardonnay |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (12/2014): The 2012 Chardonnay Ma Douce reminds me of a classic Bâtard-Montrachet produced by Michel Niellon in the mid-1980s. Lots of brioche, honeysuckle, caramelized citrus and buttery pear notes are found in this long, full-bodied, beautiful white. Ripe and full-bodied with terrific acidity as well as freshness, this cuvée comes from a vineyard planted at a 1,300 foot elevation, and was bottled with indigenous yeast fermentation and no fining or filtration. Drink now-2024. |
|
|
2012 |
Ma Princesse Chardonnay |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (12/2014): The 2012 Chardonnay Ma Princesse, which comes from Goldridge soils in the Russian River, is a relatively large cuvée of 550 cases. It exhibits copious notes of orange marmalade, pineapple, white peach and melted caramel in its deep, rich, light gold-colored, full-bodied style. With great acidity, precision and complexity, it should drink well for 10+ years. |
|
| Perchance |
2022 |
Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Chardonnay Ex-Domaine |
$95 |
36 |
|
| |
JD 95-97 (2/2024): The 2022 Chardonnay Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard is stunning stuff, and this is one I can't wait to taste from bottle. Reminding me of a great Chardonnay from Aubert with its ripe pineapple, lemon oil, candlewax, and honeyed flower notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and that rare mix of richness and freshness. This will spend 15 months in barrels, and there are roughly 150 cases.
WA 93 (10/2024): Composed of Clone 96 planted in 1995 and barrel fermented in 100% new French oak, half of the 2022 Chardonnay Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard underwent malolactic fermentation. It boasts a subtle honeyed element, plus ripe melon and pear notes. Full-bodied, plump and generous, with a long, richly textural finish, it's a beauty to enjoy over the next several years. |
|
| Peter Michael Winery |
2012 |
La Carriere Chardonnay |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 97 (12/2014): The sexy 2012 Chardonnay la Carrière reveals notes of honeyed brioche, orange marmalade, tropical fruit blossoms and caramelized citrus. Broad, savory and full-bodied, this stunning Chardonnay should be consumed over the next 5-10 years. |
|
| Rhys |
2013 |
Alpine Vyd. Chardonnay Signs of Old Seepage |
$94 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (10/2015): The star of the whites was the 2013 Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard. Tasting like a Grand Cru Chablis with its incredibly pure lemon curd, flinty minerality, brioche and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, laser focused, crisp and crystalline on the palate. It's a stunning Chardonnay that will compete with the creme de la creme of Chardonnays.
VM 93 (7/2015): The 2013 Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard is gorgeous from the very first taste. Chiseled and finely cut, the 2013 boasts considerable energy, tension and focus. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint and white pepper are all given an extra kick of brightness. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| | Argentina |
| Cheval des Andes |
2020 |
Mendoza Red Wine
ETA Q4 2024 |
$83 |
36 |
|
| |
WA 98 (8/2023): The 2020 Cheval des Andes was harvested from the last of February for the first time ever. They now harvest using cold trucks (for the first time), and they also started earlier in the morning, which he reckons was very good for the precision of the wine. The final blend was 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, which makes a comeback as it was not used since 2016. This is slightly riper than 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and with very good structural tannins but saving the freshness, and it has the spicy side from the Petit Verdot (Gabillet talks about white pepper). The wine has the ultra sleek and polished texture and the elegance and the balance that is the signature here; the wine is very clean and precise. I see very good regularity across the three vintages I tasted next to each other—this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, this is a triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage.
JS 97 (7/2023): Ripe, baked dark cherries with spices and some violets. Hints of graphite, cocoa powder, incense and black pepper. Dried rose petals. A slightly fuller Cheval des Andes with tense, silky tannins and a lingering, generous finish. Ripe, but still has lots of restraint and precision. 49% malbec, 49% cabernet sauvignon with a 2% petit verdot. 24% of the malbec comes from Altamira and all the rest of the fruit come from Las Compuertas. Drink or hold.
VM 96 (9/2023): The 2020 Cheval des Andes is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot from Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley and Las Compuertas in Luján de Cuyo. Aged in French oak barrels, it’s purple in the glass with a garnet sheen. The nose reveals a well-judged approach to the warmth of 2020, featuring ripe plum, redcurrant, mint and hints of white pepper over a bed of bay leaf and cedar. It’s dry and velvety on the palate, with rich, polished tannins that deliver a juicy, balanced mouthfeel. The balsamic notes and rich palate reflect the year’s character, while the finish is dynamic and long-lasting. Joaquin Hidalgo |
|
|
2021 |
Mendoza Red Wine
ETA Q1 2025 2024 Ex-Domaine |
$90 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 98 (8/2024): The finest vintage of this wine I've tasted, the 2021 Cheval Des Andes is based on 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, and the balance Petit Verdot. It has a decidedly Bordeaux-like nose of ripe currants, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and a kiss of flowers, with perfectly integrated background oak. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has this remarkable sense of purity and class, and while it's incredible today (especially with a decant), I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve gracefully for two decades.
WA 97 (8/2024): The 2021 Cheval des Andes is seductive and savory on the nose, leading with pure, earth-tinged aromas of pipe tobacco, turned soil, dried herbs and rich yet composed dark fruits. Exotic, dark spice notes and a pleasantly integrated framing of new oak accents appear with further aeration. The palate is deliciously supple and impressively layered, with a harmonious, long and ever-expanding finish that highlights extreme delicacy. The tannins are persistent yet composed, gently yet persistently lengthening the finish and melding nicely with the vibrant acidity underneath—a beautiful combination of savory charm, serious depth and focused intensity. It's a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot that spent an average of 12-13 months in 50% barrique, 30% demi-muid and 20% foudre.
VM 97 (5/2024): Light and elegant, the 2021 Cheval des Andes is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. It achieves a feat that only cool years can provide: smooth texture, agile palate and just the right amount of freshness for a nuanced build. As it breathes, it begins to reveal notes of fresh cherry and plum, with a hint of menthol, maraschino cherries and a touch of pepper. It opens further with aromas of sandalwood and oak that complete the framework. This is a somewhat leaner, more ethereal Cheval than other years, but it has a higher level of precision. It's a wine inspired by Bordeaux, executed in a Bordeaux style, with Mendoza terroir. A wine without edges, it’s a polished red in the early stages of a long, balanced life. (Drink between 2026-2040). Joaquin Hidalgo. |
|
| | Other White |
| Franz Hirtzberger |
2006 |
Hochrain Smaragd Riesling |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (6/2008): The 2006 Riesling Smaragd Hochrain smells beautifully of fresh lemon and lime, pungent hedge flowers and herbs. As so often, this wine has a clarity and class all its own. Citrus, yellow plum, distilled red fruits, almond extract, flowers and herbs billow across the palate, and an expansive, juicy finish offers both more sheer refreshment and more intriguing interplay than possessed by any other wine in this collection. Enjoy this beauty anytime over the coming decade. |
|
| Kracher |
1998 |
TBA #10 Nouvelle Vague Grande Cuvee (375 ML) |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 98 (6/2001): Complex and ethereal. Concentrated and thick, yet lighter than air, this sweetie combines apricot, caramel and vanilla flavors with a velvety texture and vibrant acidity. Picks up a smoky note on the finish. Beautifully done. Drink now through 2010. 330 cases made. |
|
|
1999 |
TBA #6 Nouvelle Vague Grande Cuvee (375 ML) Bin-Soiled Label; Signs of Seepage |
$85 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (6/2002): The aromatically demure 1999 #6 Grande Cuvee Nouvelle Vague Trockenbeerenauslese has the texture of 10-W-40 motor oil, yet has exquisite balance. Tangy peaches, apricots, butter, and tropical fruits can be found in this prodigious wine's personality. Projected maturity: 2005-2030+.
WS 90 (9/2002): A well-integrated sweetie, combining rich, caramel and citrus flavors and a vibrant structure. Although intense, it shows more grace than power. Drink now through 2008. 1,400 cases made. |
|
|
1999 |
TBA #6 Nouvelle Vague Grande Cuvee (375 ML) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$85 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 96 (6/2002): The aromatically demure 1999 #6 Grande Cuvee Nouvelle Vague Trockenbeerenauslese has the texture of 10-W-40 motor oil, yet has exquisite balance. Tangy peaches, apricots, butter, and tropical fruits can be found in this prodigious wine's personality. Projected maturity: 2005-2030+.
WS 90 (9/2002): A well-integrated sweetie, combining rich, caramel and citrus flavors and a vibrant structure. Although intense, it shows more grace than power. Drink now through 2008. 1,400 cases made. |
|
|
2000 |
TBA #6 Nouvelle Vague Grande Cuvee (375 ML) Bin-Soiled Label |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (10/2003): Spices, new French oak, and super-ripe pears can be discerned in the aromatics of the magnificent 2000 #6 Grande Cuvee Trockenbeerenauslese Nouvelle Vague (9.5% alcohol, 233 grams residual sugar/liter, and 7.8 grams/liter total acidity). Aged for 24 months in new oak barrels, this tangy, lively, medium- to full-bodied effort has superb balance. Candied apples, jammy apricots, red currants, and hints of citrus zests are found throughout its flavor profile and extensive finish. Drink it over the next 25-30 years. |
|
|
2005 |
TBA #7 Nouvelle Vague Grande Cuvee (375 ML) |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95-97 (12/2007): Medium golden yellow. Aromas of ripe yellow apple, dried fruits, discreet blossom honey, wild raspberry, subtle roasted oak and cinnamon spice. Orange, apricot, apple and chocolate flavors saturate the entire mouth, and strong minerality extends the finish. An elegant acid structure gives this wine sharp definition. Offers tremendous potential for further development. Drink from 2010 to 2030.
WA 94 (6/2008): The Chardonnay-Welschriesling blend 2005 #7 Grande Cuvee Trockenbeerenauslese Nouvelle Vague offers impressive aromatic complexity, suggesting brown-spiced apple and quince jellies, glazed pineapple, dried apricots, honey, musk, and truffle. Tactile spice and surprising fresh fruit character derive contrast in the mouth from creamy, oily textural richness and suggestions of nut brittle and chocolate. This finishes with uncanny freshness and lift for a wine so rich and nobly rotten. Look for a good two decades of interesting evolution here.
WS 93 (6/2008): Rich glazed apricot and pineapple flavors fill this fruity dessert white. Concentrated spice and glazed mango notes carry through to the creamy finish. Drink now through 2018. 312 cases made. |
|
|
2000 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #4 Welschriesling (375 ML) |
$59 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (10/2003): The 2000 #4 Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen (11% alcohol, 212.4 grams residual sugar/liter, and 7.3 grams/liter total acidity) reveals smoky, botrytised peaches and spices in its aromatic profile. A syrupy, mango and passion fruit-flavored effort, it is an assertive, medium to full-bodied wine with a lively acid streak to give an appealingly zesty character. Anticipated maturity: now-2030. |
|
|
2000 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #5 Scheurebe (375 ML) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (10/2003): The massive, full-bodied 2000 #5 Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen (11.5% alcohol, 212.8 grams residual sugar/liter, and 6.5 grams/liter total acidity) bursts from the glass with peppery yellow fruit, spicy, and botrytis aromas. Armed with the density and depth of 10W40 motor oil, it is a syrupy, jammy, viscous effort. Loads of jammy apricots, cherries, and peaches can be discerned in its spice-laden personality. Projected maturity: now-2030. |
|
|
2002 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #5 Scheurebe (375 ML) |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (8/2005): #5 Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen displays vividly Scheurebe-typical aromas of sage, peppermint, grapefruit and honey. Startlingly bright and juicy on entry, this builds strength and powers to intense, scintillating flavors of grapefruit, candied citrus rinds, honey and high-toned sweet herbal distillates joined less by the typical cassis than by a lovely note of Maine blueberries. The feel is creamy yet at the same time the wine remains invigoratingly sharp. The endlessly reverberating finish pulls out all the stops from a rich, nut oil-flavored, malty low register through the range of vivid citrus and blue fruit to high-toned distilled berry and herb notes. #5, Kracher explains, was racked early and then rushed, reductively, into bottle. You might say it’s Scheurebe with a look over his shoulder at (long-time Muller-Catoir winemaker) Hans-Gunter Schwarz.
WS 93 (5/2006): This is a moderately thick sweetie, with plenty of pure grapefruit, fig, almond and spice flavors all wrapped inside an inviting texture. There's also a freshness that extends onto the finish. Fig and vanilla cream linger on the long aftertaste. Drink now through 2015. 37 cases imported.
VM 91 (12/2005): Medium yellow-gold. Expressive aromas and flavors of grapefruit zest, mandarin orange and flint. Quite silky on the palate, with sweetness wonderfully countered by soft vegetal spiciness and a lemony underpinning. This uncomplicated, very approachable, precise sweet wine will gain complexity with extended bottle aging. Drink now to 2020. |
|
|
2002 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #6 Scheurebe (375 ML) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$65 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (8/2005): #6 Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen offers quite a contrast to the #5, sublimating the obvious Scheurebe varietal character. Peach jam, lemon, honey, pure botrytis and mysteriously high-toned esters shimmer from the glass. The palate is bright and clear, impressively polished, creamy and viscous. There is an almost statuesque character to the wine, yet it is upliftingly bright and elegant. (We have descended from around 9.5% alcohol in the four previous wines to 8.5% here.) The peach jam obtains counterpoint from bitter suggestions of peach kernel. Layering of lemon flavors – candied, fresh, zesty pip – also offer complex counterpoint. Still, the overall effect here is not so blazingly bright and dynamic as in #5, yet there is a sedate underlying richness and peachy, nutty depth that leads to enormous length and intriguing hints as to where this will go in the future. #6, Kracher explains, was allowed the sort of leisurely evolution in tank and exposure to skin, lees and oxygen that typified winemaking in his grandfather’s day. |
|
|
2004 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #7 Welschriesling (375 ML) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (11/2006): Deep golden yellow. Juicy stone fruits, honey, tobacco and a piquant hint of grapefruit on the nose. Powerful but juicy palate-coating flavors of apricot, hazelnut paste, white pepper, white tea and marshmallow. This opulent wine should go on for decades. Drink from 2010 to 2040. Peter Moser. |
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2007 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #7 Welschriesling (375 ML) |
$55 |
1 |
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| VM 95 (11/2009): Medium golden yellow. Sharply defined aromas and flavors of apple and pear. Unctuous in its texture, with flavors of lemon verbena and prune and a subtle note of sponge cake. In spite of its extreme sweetness, this round wine is quite juicy thanks to a solid core of acidity and plenty of chalky minerals. Has a long and very promising life ahead of it. Peter Moser. |
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2000 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #8 Welschriesling (375 ML) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$65 |
2 |
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| WS 95 (7/2003): Not as showy today as some of its peers, yet this promises plenty in the future. Thick and full of apricot, coconut and citrus notes, intensely sweet and offset by a lively structure, it's balanced and complex with a wonderful sense of harmony. The finish just melts away. Best from 2004 through 2012. 130 cases made. |
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1999 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #9 Scheurebe (375 ML) |
$75 |
1 |
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| WA 98 (6/2002): Flowers, spices and apricots are found in the nose of the 1999 #9 Scheurebe Zwischen Den Seen Trockenbeerenauslese. Lovers of apricot jam will adore this hyper-concentrated, jellied offering. Its immense size and depth is gorgeously buttressed by zesty acidity. This wine is as thick as the United States Government's annual budget proposal. Drink it over the next 40+ years. |
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2005 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #9 Scheurebe (375 ML) |
$69 |
1 |
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| VM 97 (11/2007): Medium golden yellow. The nose is complex, sweet and inviting, offering notes of grapefruit zest, spiced pear, honey, flint and lichee. Juicy gooseberry, lichee and passion fruit flavors are given definition and brilliant vibrancy by brisk lemony acidity. An impeccably balanced and bracing wine that finishes extremely long, with a powerful impression of extract. Offers tremendous potential for aging. Peter Moser. |
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2005 |
Zwischen Den Seen TBA #9 Scheurebe (375 ML) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$79 |
1 |
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| VM 97 (11/2007): Medium golden yellow. The nose is complex, sweet and inviting, offering notes of grapefruit zest, spiced pear, honey, flint and lichee. Juicy gooseberry, lichee and passion fruit flavors are given definition and brilliant vibrancy by brisk lemony acidity. An impeccably balanced and bracing wine that finishes extremely long, with a powerful impression of extract. Offers tremendous potential for aging. Peter Moser. |
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| Prager |
2007 |
Achleiten Riesling Smaragd |
$69 |
1 |
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WA 95 (2/2009): A site-typical concentration of fresh white peach, buddleia, iris, lime, and pungent mineral suggestions greets you from the glass of Bodenstein’s 2007 Riesling Smaragd Achleiten. This also displays the amazing, Achleiten-typical interplay of pit fruit, citrus, nut oils, and stony, savory, mysteriously pungent elements that taste as though they must have been mined from the earth. A certain cool restraint, yet amazing subtle length puts me in mind of the supernal 1997, once that wine hit its stride. I would expect 8-10 years of wonder.
VM 94 (12/2008): Medium green-yellow. The typical smoky flint of the Achleiten is displayed in the bouquet along with yellow peach and delicate blossom honey. Very elegant and yellow-peachy in the mouth, with a veritable peacock's tail of finishing fruit harmoniously supported by vibrant acidity. Rich extract lends texture and finesse. Already quite attractive but has the potential for further development in bottle. This paired wonderfully with sole in a crayfish and Pernod sauce with fennel and red beetroot. Drink now to 2022.
WS 91 (12/2009): Rich and zesty, with an enticing array of peach, apple and tropical fruit flavors that are powered by lip-smacking spice and cream notes. Very lush and plush. Drink now through 2012. 75 cases imported. |
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| | Spain |
| R. Lopez de Heredia |
2016 |
Vina Gravonia Blanco |
$43.99 |
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Sold Out
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| | Italy |
| Fontanabianca |
2000 |
Barbaresco Sori Burdin |
$45 |
|
Sold Out
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| Fuligni |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino |
$89.99 |
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Sold Out
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| |
|
| | USA Red |
| Kosta Browne |
2021 |
Giusti Ranch Pinot Noir |
$85 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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| Long Shadows Wineries |
2018 |
Pedestal Merlot |
$56 |
|
Sold Out
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| |
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| Turley Wine Cellars |
2012 |
Hayne Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$89 |
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Sold Out
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| |
|
| | USA White |
| DuMol |
2021 |
Lorenzo Vyd. Chardonnay |
$59 |
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Sold Out
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2022 |
Lorenzo Vyd. Chardonnay |
$69 |
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Sold Out
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| |
|
| | Australia |
| Clarendon Hills |
2005 |
Roma’s Vyd. Old Vines Grenache |
$59 |
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Sold Out
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| Poonawatta Estate |
2002 |
Shiraz |
$59 |
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Sold Out
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