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Inventory updated: Sun, Mar 23, 2025 10:54 AM cst
Go BIG - When 1 Isn't Enough
Too often I open 1 and wish I had opened a Mag... Or I want to open fewer bottles... Or I want to take 1 bottle to dinner and a 750 isn't enough... Or I want to challenge the Corkage policy? Can't remember the last time I regretted opening a mag! Order up - Great values here. There are half a dozen in here i am going to buy! From $45 - $4500 Happy Hunting
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Ausone |
2021 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L)  2021 en Primeur Release |
$1,385 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (4/2022): A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot, the 2021 Ausone is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild blueberries and raspberries mingled with rose petals, violets, exotic spices, vine smoke and blood orange, it's full-bodied, seamless and sensual, with a satiny attack that segues into a deep, layered mid-palate of breathtaking precision and intensity without weight. Built around bright acids and ultra-refined tannins and concluding with a resonant, perfumed finish, this profound young Ausone represents the essence of this great limestone terroir. I am not in the habit of drinking six-month-old Bordeaux cask samples, but this is one wine that would have sorely tempted me to make an exception to that rule if my appointment at the estate hadn't been one of the first of the day!
VM 93-95 (5/2022): The 2021 Ausone was picked on September 30 for the Merlot and October 4–6 for the Cabernet Franc, with a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc because some of the Merlot was deselected into the Chapelle. Matured in 90% new oak, this has a fragrant and floral bouquet, more iris than violet, revealing a hint of seaweed in the background. The palate is well-defined, quite strict and focused, certainly one of the more mineral-driven Ausones that I have encountered at this stage. The limestone terroir is evident on the finish. Again, this is a little leaner and less flamboyant than recent vintages. Having tasted Ausone at this prenatal stage for over 20 years, I don’t find the thrilling "drive” or the pyrotechnics of the 2001, 2010, 2016 or 2019. Yet this Ausone is compelling in its own uncompromising way, and I wouldn't want it any different. |
|
| Ch. Brane-Cantenac |
2023 |
Margaux (1.5 L)
Futures- ETA TBD2024 en Primeur Release |
$124.95 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95-97 (4/2024): Readers looking for one of the hidden gems in the vintage should jump on the 2023 Château Brane-Cantenac, an incredibly impressive Margaux that does everything right. Cassis, graphite, violets, lead pencil, and leafy tobacco notes all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with classy, integrated oak, flawless balance, and fine tannins. I love its overall purity, as well as its balance, and it should need just 4-5 years of bottle age to show its potential. Tasted twice.
WA 93-95 (4/2024): The 2023 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot (which saw some saignée), 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenère and 1% Petit Verdot, and it completed its malolactic fermentation in barrels as has been the rule at this estate since the 1990s. Offering up aromas of dark cherries, cassis and spices framed by creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a creamy core of fruit and a long, gently lactic finish. |
|
| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2022 |
Pessac Leognan (1.5 L) 2023 en Primeur Release |
$699 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95-97 (5/2023): While I don't see the 2022 Château La Mission Haut-Brion matching the legendary wines from this address at this early stage, it's nevertheless a gorgeous wine in the making. Based on 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, it has a pure, elegant, lengthy style as well as classic cassis and darker cherry fruits, some smoky, tobacco, scorched earth nuances, medium to full body, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great finish. I love its tannins, and it's a forward, seamless, balanced beauty that will shine with just short-term cellaring.
VM 97-99 (5/2023): The 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Dark, powerful and imposing, with compelling inner sweetness, La Mission is positively striking. The purity of the flavors is striking, but the wine's statuesque personality might be even more impressive. Time in the glass brings out all sorts of savory and mineral notes that add complexity. The balance here is just mind-blowing. What a wine! Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96 (5/2023): A rich and muscular wine that reflects the warmth of the vintage, the 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion reveals aromas of dark berries, cherries and crème de cassis mingled with licorice, spices, incense and spring flowers. Full-bodied, broad and concentrated, it's surprisingly lively despite an elevated pH of 4.0, exhibiting a seamless, broad-shouldered profile with an ample core of fruit framed by rich, powdery tannin. It's a blend of 51.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.2% Merlot and 5.1% Cabernet Franc. |
|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
2020 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) Ex-Negociant |
$1,550 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Lafite-Rothschild is a sensational effort checking in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that hit 12.8% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.94. As Lafite as Lafite gets, this ultra-classic reveals a dense ruby/plum hue as well as a tight, yet layered bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and subtle spice. Flawlessly balanced, deep, concentrated, and layered, it has an incredible mid-palate, building, perfect tannins, and a finish that leaves you salivating. Refined, elegant, and perfection are the buzz words here. Unfortunately, it's not for the instant gratification crowd, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this require 15 years to hit the early stages of its prime drinking window. It will probably hit its 100th birthday in fine form.
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Lafite-Rothschild, which contains the highest proportion of Merlot since the 2016, hit the bull's eye from barrel. Revisiting the wine in the bottle since July, it still bursts from the glass with copious blackberries, touches of blueberry and juniper, pencil lead and a hint of crushed stone. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins, quite linear and "correct" - a quintessential Lafite-Rothschild in many ways. It gently builds in the mouth while keeping a restraint on things, finishing with fine sapidity yet a little more juiciness than you would have found a decade or two earlier. This has the potential to evolve beautifully over several decades. Neal Martin.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): Rather ethereal and so refined with finesse, focus and brightness that provides incredible energy and pedigree. It’s full-bodied with ultra fine tannins that go on and on. Superb presence with tannins that melt into the wine. This is 12.8%. I love the wine. Lots of dark fruit and fresh tobacco. Lead pencil, too. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot and 1% petit verdot.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): Displaying a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Lafite Rothschild takes a little swirling and coaxing to unlock scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries and spiced plums, followed by emerging nuances of red roses, raspberry preserves, underbrush and unsmoked cigars, with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance and finesse, featuring tightly wound layers of red and black berries and loads of mineral sparks, framed by finely grained tannins and well-poised tension, finishing with fantastic length and the most stunning perfume. Magnificent achievement. This 2020 is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, coming in at 12.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.9. |
|
| Ch. Marsau |
2022 |
Francs Cotes de Bordeaux (1.5 L)
Futures- ETA TBD2023 en Primeur Release |
$49.99 |
24 |
|
| |
| WA 92-94 (5/2023): This medium to full-bodied 2022 Marsau is an attractive wine produced from 100% Merlot. It has a delightfully pure bouquet of peony, violet, iris, menthol and cassis, followed by a crunchy and juicy yet fresh texture and then by a mineral-driven finish of remarkable purity, expressing elegant notes of licorice and pencil lead. Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier have produced a red wine that punches above its weight. Bravo! |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2001 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,299 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2004): Very smoky, with berry, coffee and tobacco aromas. Full-bodied, with polished velvety tannins, plenty of fruit and a cedary aftertaste. Tight and compacted. This is better than the 2000 Mouton. It's a baby 1986 Mouton. Solid and very, very fine. Persists for a long time on the palate. Best after 2009.
VM 91+ (6/2004): Good full ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackberry, mint and minerals. Juicy but quite tightly wound today; much more austere than the comparatively pliant Clerc-Milon-not to mention firmer and less fleshy than it appeared from barrel a year ago. Juicy acidity contributes to the impression of structure. Unlike most 2001s, this seems already to have gone into a shell. This penetrating, mostly cabernet sauvignon (86%) Mouton will need at least a decade of bottle aging.
WA 89 (6/2004): A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the opaque purple-colored, chunky 2001 Mouton-Rothschild does not possess the finesse and stature often achieved by this first-growth. It offers a tell-tale cassis-scented nose, and a monolithic, medium to full-bodied style with relatively high, austere tannin in the finish (a characteristics I also noticed in cask). A dry, angular, backward effort for the vintage, it should be forgotten for at least a decade. Let’s hope the fruit continues to expand and sweeten, but that’s no sure thing. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025+. |
|
|
2022 |
Pauillac (1.5 L)
Futures- ETA TBD2023 en Primeur Release |
$1,399 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (5/2023): Moving to the flagship, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild is a massive, full-bodied, incredibly powerful 2022 that takes no prisoners with its ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, graphite, and smoked tobacco-driven aromas and flavors. Deep, unctuous, and concentrated, with velvety tannins, this legendary Mouton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that's still resting in new barrel. It will unquestionably play with the top wines in the vintage. Harvest here began the 1st of September and finished on the 26th, and the final wine hit 14% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.89 and an IPT of 76.
VM 96-98 (5/2023): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-99 (5/2023): A brilliant wine that likely sits somewhere between the 2019 and 2020 in quality, the 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Unwinding in the glass with complex aromas of minty cassis, cigar wrapper, violets and subtle hints of loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit and a fleshy, elegantly muscular profile. Broad-shouldered and seamless, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. This year the grand vin represents some 49% of the estate's production. |
|
|
2023 |
Pauillac (1.5 L)
Futures- ETA TBD2024 en Primeur Release |
$875 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96-98 (4/2024): Pulled from just 40% of the production, the 2023 Château Mouton Rothschild is based on 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot that will see 18 months in new barrels. Tasting like the blood of Cabernet with its smoky red, black, and blue fruits, tobacco leaf, graphite, and cedar-driven aromatics, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a pure, polished, layered mouthfeel, beautiful concentration, and ripe, velvety tannins. Not the massive style of the 2022, it’s more in line with the 2016. This rich, elegant, seamless 2023 will need a decade to hit its prime.
VM 96-99 (4/2024): The 2023 Mouton Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintages on the Left Bank. Its balance of intense, super-concentrated fruit and equally imposing structure is spellbinding. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, pencil shavings and dried herbs gain intensity in the glass. I especially admire its vertical build and overall energy. This is an exciting young Mouton endowed with palpable dynamic energy. It's a superb effort from the team led by Technical Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96 (4/2024): Aromas of crème de cassis and dark berries mingled with pencil shaving, espresso roast and violets introduce the 2023 Mouton Rothschild, a medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy wine with a creamy core of ripe but lively fruit, sweet tannins and an expansive finish. In terms of parcels, the 2023 is quite different in origins from the 2022, favoring plots that are better-drained rather than those resistant to drought. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, without either Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot featuring in the blend, and it attained 13.3% alcohol. |
|
| Domaine de Chevalier |
1990 |
Pessac Leognan (1.5 L) |
$658 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 93+ (4/2013): (a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 12.4% alcohol): Amber-tinged red; this seems almost too evolved for its age. Expressive aromas of dark cherry, spicy forest floor and graphite. Shows more spicy nuances on the palate, with very deep, ripe red cherry, cassis and tobacco flavors lingering nicely on the finish. Tannins are well buffered by the wine's mid-palate material. Great stuff, and still very young in spite of its color. Probably best from 2016, and should last for decades beyond that.
WS 93 (8/2000): Gorgeous aromas of tobacco, meat and dried fruits. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a fresh fruit and earth finish. Another winner from Domaine de Chevalier. --1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2003. 7,000 cases made.
WA 90 (6/2009): The fully mature 1990 Domaine de Chevalier exhibits some sweet currant, loamy soil, roasted herb, and spice box notes in its surprisingly complex and noble, but evolved aromas. Medium-bodied with supple tannins as well as very good concentration, it should be consumed over the next 5-8 years. |
|
| Les Griffons de Pichon Baron |
2023 |
Pauillac (1.5 L)
Futures- ETA TBD2024 en Primeur Release |
$79 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 91-93+ (4/2024): The slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant 2023 Les Griffons De Pichon Baron is more serious, with a focused, straight, structured style. Cassis black raspberries, spice, and graphite all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied and focused, with plenty of structure and outstanding length. I think it will be longer-lived than the Tourelles, but both of these so-called second wines are beautiful.
VM 92-94 (4/2024): The 2023 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is superb. Silky, elegant and wonderfully refined, the Griffons is all class, all the way. I admire its mid-weight structure and polished feel. All the elements are so nicely balanced. Plum, blood orange, cinnamon and rose petal linger effortlessly. Antonio Galloni.
WA 90-92 (4/2024): Based around 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron reflects the style of the grand vin, offering up aromas of cassis, sweet red berries, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate with a deep core of fruit, sweet powdery tannins and a long, penetrating finish. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. d' Yquem |
2022 |
Ygrec "Y" du Yquem Bordeaux Superieur (1.5 L) Ex-Negociant |
$340 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Les Pagodes de Cos |
2019 |
Bordeaux Blanc (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$97.99 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux |
2009 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$599 |
10 |
|
| |
| WS 94 (3/2012): This really sneaks up on you, with laserlike focus to the blanched macadamia nut, honeysuckle, white peach and creamed yellow apple fruit flavors. Very sleek and restrained, with a long, stone-framed finish that's as pure as freshly fallen snow. Best from 2013 through 2023. |
|
| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. Debray |
2010 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Pitures (1.5 L) |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. des Lambrays |
2008 |
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$795 |
3 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (1/2011): (produced from two large parcels of differing vine age - one that is approximately two-thirds of the blend and is now 45 years of age and a second, smaller group of vines that is approximately 20+ years of age.) The deeply pitched nose evidences obvious earth and floral influences on the mostly ripe red pinot fruit aromas that complement the rich, pure and detailed medium weight flavors that culminate in a dusty and mouth coating finish where the supporting tannins display a clear stem influence. This is an excellent wine though it may not be to everyone's taste due to the obvious stem character. Drink 2020+. |
|
|
2014 |
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$695 |
7 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (12/2015): The 2014 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru is matured in 50% new oak and is 100% whole bunch fruit. It is blessed with a winsome bouquet. As usual, there is something very natural, unimposing and refined on the nose: blackberry and briary, a hint of graphite, a subtle leafiness maybe, and yet delineated and very pure. The palate is lively and energetic with crisp tannin, black rather than red fruit, linear and very classic in style with what you might call a "cool" marine-influenced finish that has fine salinity. What a great Clos des Lambrays that will put a smile on the face of those that adore refined Burgundy.
VM 92-94 (1/2016): (Taupenot makes less than a barrel of wine annually from a tiny parcel planted in 1975 at the bottom of the Clos des Lambrays): Slightly hazy medium red. A deep earthy perfume complements aromas of raspberry, spices and dried flowers. A bit imploded but surprisingly fresh and vibrant on the palate, with flavors of raspberry and flowers tweaked by a pungent blood orange note. The very long, slowly mounting finish features slightly tight tannins, a subtle saline quality and considerable finesse."This is never a powerful style, but more about length and charm," noted Taupenot. Still, this beauty will need at least seven or eight years of bottle aging.
BH 91-94 (1/2016): (produced from two large parcels of differing vine age - one that is approximately two-thirds of the blend and is now 50+ years of age and a second, smaller group of vines that is approximately 25+ years of age; made with 100% whole clusters.) A notably spicy, fresh, cool and floral nose displays mostly red berry fruit scents that are trimmed in discreet wood notes. There is excellent cut and definition to the nicely rich and attractively textured flavors that culminate in a presently austere finale though I doubt that austerity will persist. This is a relatively fine and forward vintage for Clos des Lambrays and one that should be approachable after only 7 to 8 years of bottle age. Drink 2026+. |
|
|
2014 |
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$723.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (12/2015): The 2014 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru is matured in 50% new oak and is 100% whole bunch fruit. It is blessed with a winsome bouquet. As usual, there is something very natural, unimposing and refined on the nose: blackberry and briary, a hint of graphite, a subtle leafiness maybe, and yet delineated and very pure. The palate is lively and energetic with crisp tannin, black rather than red fruit, linear and very classic in style with what you might call a "cool" marine-influenced finish that has fine salinity. What a great Clos des Lambrays that will put a smile on the face of those that adore refined Burgundy.
VM 92-94 (1/2016): (Taupenot makes less than a barrel of wine annually from a tiny parcel planted in 1975 at the bottom of the Clos des Lambrays): Slightly hazy medium red. A deep earthy perfume complements aromas of raspberry, spices and dried flowers. A bit imploded but surprisingly fresh and vibrant on the palate, with flavors of raspberry and flowers tweaked by a pungent blood orange note. The very long, slowly mounting finish features slightly tight tannins, a subtle saline quality and considerable finesse."This is never a powerful style, but more about length and charm," noted Taupenot. Still, this beauty will need at least seven or eight years of bottle aging.
BH 91-94 (1/2016): (produced from two large parcels of differing vine age - one that is approximately two-thirds of the blend and is now 50+ years of age and a second, smaller group of vines that is approximately 25+ years of age; made with 100% whole clusters.) A notably spicy, fresh, cool and floral nose displays mostly red berry fruit scents that are trimmed in discreet wood notes. There is excellent cut and definition to the nicely rich and attractively textured flavors that culminate in a presently austere finale though I doubt that austerity will persist. This is a relatively fine and forward vintage for Clos des Lambrays and one that should be approachable after only 7 to 8 years of bottle age. Drink 2026+. |
|
| Dom. Henri Boillot |
2023 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Chevrets (1.5 L)
ETA Q2 2025Ex-Domaine |
$199.99 |
9 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets (1.5 L)
ETA Q2 2025Ex-Domaine |
$199.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Pierre Bertheau & Fils |
2010 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses (1.5 L) |
$1,500 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (1/2013): A wonderfully, even exuberantly spicy mix of red currant, plum and floral nuances gives way to rich, elegant and impressively refined middle weight flavors that possess impeccable balance on the mineral-driven and utterly delicious finish. This understated and beautifully concentrated effort is a stunner of an Amoureuses that possesses a mouth feel of silk and lace. Drink 2020+. |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
1995 |
Musigny Grand Cru (1.5 L) Bin-Soiled Label, Signs of Old Seepage |
$1,500 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 93 (5/2007): A marvelously complex nose that is just beginning to display the first hints of secondary aromas (though no sous bois) leads to concentrated black cherry flavors with firm but harmonious tannins underpinned by firm acidity and excellent length where the structure comes across as a dusty element. This is a big wine by the standards of the domaine and is very classy juice that continues to positively evolve and as such, I have extended my suggested drinking window. Drink: 2012+.
WA 90-92 (6/1997): The day I tasted the dark-colored Musigny, it was extremely muted aromatically. On the palate it revealed tightly wound (almost nervous), super-delineated and polished fresh cherries, cassis and violets. Medium-to-full bodied, supple and very long, it is obviously an Outstanding wine but it is closed. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2010.
WS 90 (1/1998): Sexy and racy, with wild raspberry, rose petal, violet, mocha and white chocolate character. Full-bodied, with ripe but firm tannins. Nice finesse. Drink now through 2010. |
|
| Maison Henri Boillot |
2023 |
Bourgogne Pinot Noir (1.5 L)
ETA Q2 2025Ex-Domaine |
$89.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (1.5 L) ex-Domaine; 1-magnum OWC |
$1,099.99 |
3 |
|
| |
BH 94 (4/2024): An exuberantly spicy and quite floral-suffused nose features notes of wild currant, cherry and a gamy hint. The super-sleek and even finer yet more powerful larger-bodied flavors display impressive power on the even more complex, balanced and highly persistent finale. This is a big wine yet the balance is such that it could be approached after only 5 to 7 years. Drink 2034+.
VM 93-95+ (1/2024): The 2022 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru is an imposing young wine. A blast of blue fruit, lavender, licorice, gravel, crushed rock and menthol saturates the palate. This bruiser is going to need time to be at its best, but it is pretty impressive, even in the early going. Neal Martin. |
|
| Maison Mommessin |
1993 |
Clos de Tart Grand Cru (1.5 L) Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$1,150 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 84 (11/1995): Distinctively smoky and toasty, sporting lovely, silky texture and nice wood. The finish is a bit diluted and alcoholic. Could use more fruit concentration. Try in 1999. |
|
|
1996 |
Clos de Tart Grand Cru (1.5 L) Signs of Old Seepage |
$1,250 |
6 |
|
| |
| BH 89 (3/2013): I have had two distinctly different experiences with this wine. The most recent example was notably better than the first as it displayed none of the acidic dryness of the first and while, like most '96s, the flavors are not especially dense, there was excellent depth, length and overall balance. Moreover there was a really lovely perfumed and highly complex character to the nose. An excellent Clos de Tart and one that has basically arrived at its peak. For those who might be interested to read how the first bottle performed, please see the big Clos de Tart Progress Report that appeared in Issue 37. Drink Now+. |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Bouchard Pere et Fils |
2009 |
Le Montrachet Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$1,200 |
5 |
|
| |
BH 94-96 (7/2011): This is also notably ripe yet remains very fresh; indeed there is noticeable restraint to the cool, pure and quite dense floral, citrus and orchard fruit aromas that included spiced pear, apple and both yellow and white peach. The powerful and almost painfully intense flavors ooze dry extract that buffers the quite firm acid spine that shapes the driving and explosively long finish where ample minerality surfaces. This is a sizeable but not truly massive effort that remains exceptionally well-balanced despite its density. Terrific potential.
VM 94-97 (10/2010): Pale yellow. Aromas of very ripe peach and pineapple enlivened by more delicate crushed stone. Rich, fully ripe and hugely deep, with great complexity to its flavors of stone fruits, flowers and spices. Near-perfect phenolic maturity here (the potential alcohol was 13.2% and the wine finished close to 13.5%). The finish boasts outstanding palate-staining persistence and an ineffable floral character. One of the longest 2009s I tasted in Burgundy on my spring tour, and not at all an austere style of Montrachet. According to Prost, Bouchard has been picking its Montrachet later and later, and DRC earlier and earlier. "In 2009, we picked on the same day," he told me. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. de Fuisse |
2022 |
Pouilly Fuisse Tete de Cuvee (1.5 L)
ETA Q1 2025 |
$99.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Francois Raveneau |
2008 |
Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre (1.5 L) Cracked Wax Capsule |
$1,695 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 94 (10/2010): (from a huge parcel of 2.5 ha though this figure includes the surface area in Chapelot). A more elegant as well as more refined but also much more reserved nose of white flower and salt water aromas is very much in keeping with the equally refined, pure and silky middle weight flavors that possess excellent detail and precision on the textured and seductive finish that displays grand cru level persistence. This is not quite as rich as the Butteaux but it's finer as the chiseled flavors are flat out gorgeous. In a word, stunning. Drink 2016+. Outstanding!
WA 93-94+ (10/2010): Iris, narcissus, peony, heliotrope, lemon, white peach, and litchi combine for the knockout nose of Raveneau’s 2008 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre. Uncannily combining a sense of textural richness, underlying extract, and decisively stony, alkaline, chalky, oyster shell minerality that go beyond its fellow premier crus in this collection. Yet this preserves a vintage-typical core of primary juiciness that helps convey lip-smacking appeal. Musky, sweet floral notes cling to the prodigiously long, expansive, finish of this almost certainly relatively un-evolved wine. Give it several years in bottle and expect to be rewarded for over a decade.
VM 93-94 (8/2010): Pale, green-tinged color. Discreet aromas of citrus rind and crushed oyster shell. At once penetrating and sweet, with surprising pliancy to the concentrated mineral and lemon flavors. Not a particularly powerful style but refined and very long. In fact, this really explodes and echoes on the aftertaste. A superb premier cru. |
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| Dom. Guy Amiot & Fils |
2013 |
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Macherelles (1.5 L) |
$169 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (10/2015): (from 20 to 25 year old vines planted in deep clay on SO4 rootstock.) This possesses quite an interesting nose as it's comprised by notes of resin, smoke, dried herbs and phenolic nuances (like olive oil) on the mostly white and yellow orchard fruit aromas. There is a textured, even caressing mouth feel to the delicious and generously proportioned medium-bodied flavors that exhibit very good if not truly excellent complexity on the balanced and beautifully persistent finish. Note that this should also drink well young if desired. Drink 2019+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2013 |
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers (1.5 L) |
$225 |
4 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (10/2015): There is plenty of resin and exotic tea character to the citrus peel and yellow orchard fruit scents. Here too there is a lovely sense of energy to the caressing medium weight flavors that are shaped by a firm acid spine before terminating in an intensely saline, balanced and lingering finish. Drink starting 2019. |
|
| Dom. Henri Boillot |
2023 |
Meursault 1er Cru Clos Richemont (1.5 L)
ETA Q2 2025Ex-Domaine |
$369.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
1995 |
Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru (1.5 L) Very Lightly Nicked Label |
$1,699 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (4/1997): To no one's surprise, the Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche is Drouhin's finest 1995. Made entirely in 1st year oak (oak barrels that have been used once, not new oak), rich honeysuckle aromas burst from the glass with a touch of honeyed spice. The wine is extremely viscous and fat (my notes say: "wouldn't legally be considered a liquid") and has very ripe flavors of rich, toasted and roasted, lively fruits. This full-bodied, beautifully delineated wine exemplifies Montrachet, as it combines Batard's forward, sultry fruit and Chevalier's elegance and precision. Drink it between 2005-2012.
WS 93 (4/1997): Subtle and classy, this wine is supple with near-perfect balance and spice, ripe fruit, toasted bread and mineral flavors that linger for minutes on the great, racy finish. Full-bodied; try around 2005. |
|
| Maison Henri Boillot |
2022 |
Batard Montrachet Grand Cru (1.5 L) ex-Domaine; 1-magnum OWC |
$1,899 |
2 |
|
| |
BH 96 (6/2024): (one contiguous parcel measuring about .24 ha is spread evenly between Chassagne and Puligny; Boillot calls it his Bâtard du Milieu.)
VM 95-97 (1/2024): The 2022 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru emerges from holdings that straddle the Chassagne and Puligny sides. Super-elegant and refined, Boillot's Batard has a ton to offer, even if it is rather reticent at this stage. White flowers, mint, spice and light pastry overtones add layers of nuance. The 2022 is unctuous, but not at all heavy. This really opens beautifully onto its explosive finish. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2023 |
Bourgogne Chardonnay (1.5 L)
ETA Q2 2025Ex-Domaine |
$89.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Bernard Levet |
2012 |
Cote Rotie Maestria (1.5 L) |
$155 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (2/2015): Vivid purple. Deeply pitched aromas of black and blue fruits, olive paste, tobacco and black pepper, with a hint of candied flowers in the background. Juicy, focused and energetic, offering vibrant blackberry, bitter cherry and violet pastille flavors that gain sweetness and spiciness with air. The smoky note comes back on the long, spice-accented finish, which is framed by fine-grained, gently gripping tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2015 |
Cote Rotie Maestria (1.5 L) |
$175 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (4/2018): Bright purple. Intensely perfumed aromas of dark berry liqueur, cherry compote, olive, licorice candy and smoky bacon show excellent focus and mineral lift. Stains the palate with intense, appealingly sweet blueberry and fruitcake flavors that become deeper and spicier with air. Distinctly rich, in the style of the years, but this wine comes off surprisingly graceful and precise and finishes with wonderful persistence and chewy, slowly emerging tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Ch. de Beaucastel |
2010 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$239 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 96 (10/2012): Showing consistently with the barrel review, the 2010 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape (30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the remainder an assortment of varieties) is a classic Beaucastel that has both richness and elegance. Showing loads of black cherry, new leather, licorice, pepper, and hints of flowers on the nose, this full-bodied, structured, yet surprisingly elegant and polished 2010 has fantastic purity of fruit, superb balance, and knockout length. Showing more and more structure with air, this needs 3-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve gracefully for upwards of two decades or more.
WA 95 (10/2012): Interestingly enough, even though many of the 2010 Perrin et Fils selections from the southern Rhone were scheduled to be bottled right after my visit, the 2010 Beaucastel had already been put in bottle. This is a gorgeous wine, a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance the other permitted varietals in the appellation. Deep purple, with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich and showing even better than it did last year. I still think it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and it should last for 25-30 years, as most of the top vintages of Beaucastel do.
WS 96 (10/2013): (WS #6 wine of 2013) Dark, dense and very closed now, this has a tremendous core of crushed plum, linzer torte and blackberry confiture waiting in reserve. Ample singed cedar and mesquite, warm paving stone and black tea notes lurk in the background and glide through the finish. Features serious grip, but wonderful integration. Should cruise in the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2035. 7,500 cases made, 4,500 cases imported.
VM 94 (2/2013): Bright ruby. Sexy, spice- and mineral-accented aromas of red and dark fruit preserves and garrigue. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering vibrant black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors, a hint of smokiness and intense minerality. Tannins come on late and are quickly sucked up by this wine's intense fruit. Rich and lively, with excellent finishing clarity and length. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Chimere |
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$2,000 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 97 (2/2018): The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Chimère is a selection of Mourvèdre made by the Maurel brothers of Clos Saint Jean, oenologist Philippe Cambie, and Sine Qua Non genius Manfred Krankl. I believe there’s a touch of Grenache in the blend, as well as some Clairette and other varieties, but the bulk of this cuvee comes from the famed la Crau lieu-dit and is brought up all in demi-muids. It offers a beautiful perfume of sweet kirsch and blueberry fruit intermixed with loads of licorice, sweet spice, violets, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, super intense, sweetly fruited, perfumed, and complex, it’s a gorgeous 2015 that does everything right. Forget bottles for 4-6 years and it should keep for 2 to 3 decades. |
|
|
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$1,295 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 99 (4/2019): The 2016 Chimere is another brilliant wine made from a collaboration between Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl and the Maurel Brothers of Clos Saint Jean. The 2016 is a blend of 93% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache, and 2% Grenache Blanc, all from the famed La Crau lieu-dit, that was brought up in new 300-liter barrels. It offers an incredible, singular style in its sweet blackberry and blueberry fruits, incense, crushed flowers, ground pepper, and smoked herb. This lavish, powerful, super-intense effort is nevertheless perfectly balanced and seamless, and it shows the purity and vibrancy of this vintage beautifully. Given its sweet tannins, it's already approachable and delivers incredible pleasure, yet it's going to keep for 20-30 years. |
|
|
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$1,899 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 99 (4/2019): The 2016 Chimere is another brilliant wine made from a collaboration between Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl and the Maurel Brothers of Clos Saint Jean. The 2016 is a blend of 93% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache, and 2% Grenache Blanc, all from the famed La Crau lieu-dit, that was brought up in new 300-liter barrels. It offers an incredible, singular style in its sweet blackberry and blueberry fruits, incense, crushed flowers, ground pepper, and smoked herb. This lavish, powerful, super-intense effort is nevertheless perfectly balanced and seamless, and it shows the purity and vibrancy of this vintage beautifully. Given its sweet tannins, it's already approachable and delivers incredible pleasure, yet it's going to keep for 20-30 years. |
|
|
2017 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$799 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (6/2020): The 2017 Chimère reminds me a little of the 2011 with its more elegant yet still powerful style. Beautiful notes of black cherries, blueberries, cured meats, pepper, tree bark, and new leather all emerge from the glass, followed by a rich, medium to full-bodied, tight, backward and unevolved Mourvèdre that needs forgotten for 4-5 years. As always, this cuvee is primarily Mourvèdre (it’s normally blended with Grenache and other varieties, even some white varieties) and there are a scant 100 cases made. While I don’t think this beauty hits the heights of the 2016, it’s still a brilliant, singular wine that will evolve for 20 years or more. |
|
|
2017 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$825 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (6/2020): The 2017 Chimère reminds me a little of the 2011 with its more elegant yet still powerful style. Beautiful notes of black cherries, blueberries, cured meats, pepper, tree bark, and new leather all emerge from the glass, followed by a rich, medium to full-bodied, tight, backward and unevolved Mourvèdre that needs forgotten for 4-5 years. As always, this cuvee is primarily Mourvèdre (it’s normally blended with Grenache and other varieties, even some white varieties) and there are a scant 100 cases made. While I don’t think this beauty hits the heights of the 2016, it’s still a brilliant, singular wine that will evolve for 20 years or more. |
|
|
2018 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$800 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 96 (8/2021): A challenging year for the appellation, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a Mourvèdre dominated release that's put together by California superstar Manfred Krankl and the incredible team at Clos Saint Jean. Released only in magnum (it's a tiny production cuvée), it reveals a translucent ruby/purple hue to go with a beautiful perfume of black raspberries, kirsch, orange blossom, candied violets, and peppery garrigue-like nuances. Gorgeous on the palate as well, it shows a medium to full-bodied, incredibly seamless style carrying polished tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, good overall freshness (I'm sure the acidity is low), and a great finish. It unquestionably ranks with the top wines in the vintage and should drink brilliantly over the coming 10-15 years. |
|
|
2019 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$895 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$750 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Clos des Papes |
2020 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$185.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96-98 (5/2022): Proprietor Paul-Vincent Avril expects to bottle 100,000 bottles of something approximating this "final blend," tasted out of foudre. A blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah and other permitted varieties, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape looked exceptional on this day, offering up scents of framboise and kirsch alongside dried flowers and Asian spices. Full-bodied yet weightless, silky and long, this is special stuff, complex and balanced.
JD 94-96 (11/2021): Looking at the reds, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a silky, elegant wine that shows the vintage to a T. I was able to taste through all the foudres of the cuvee as well as one that’s a final blend, with all showing beautiful red and black fruits, peppery garrigue, and floral nuances. The purity of fruit is remarkable, and this will be a medium to full-bodied, finesse-driven, yet still concentrated vintage for this cuvee that readers will love. |
|
|
2022 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$188.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 97-99 (10/2023): The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape reminds me of the 2007 with its incredible sexiness and seamless, elegant texture. Black cherry liqueur, Provençal herbs, flowers, and licorice are just some of its nuances, and it's full-bodied, with a layered mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. Tasted from multiple foudre, this is unquestionably up with the finest in the vintage, and as I’ve written in the past, it’s almost impossible to have too much Clos des Papes in the cellar!
WA 97-99 (9/2023): The 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape is a richly concentrated effort, dark-fruited and loaded with black cherries and blackberries, yet it's not without nuance, as it includes hints of asphalt, truffle and dried spices. Full-bodied (15.4% alcohol), deep and velvety, with a long, softly dusty finish, it looks to be a real beauty, capable of aging up to two decades. |
|
| Dom. Chante Cigale |
2010 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (1.5 L) Heavily Wine-Stained Label |
$115 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (10/2012): The greatest wine I have ever tasted from this estate (and I don’t think that’s an overstatement) is Chante Cigale’s 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. A blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre from 65- to 125-year-old-vines, it was aged 40% in foudre, 30% in concrete and 30% in a combination of old and new small oak. This wine boasts off-the-charts intensity, full-bodied power and abundant notes of roasted Provencal herbs interwoven with lavender, creme de cassis, kirsch, black raspberry, truffle and smoked meat-like characteristics. Rich, full-bodied and extraordinarily structured and massive, this 2010 begs for 4-5 years of cellaring. It should keep for 25-30+ years. Bravo! |
|
| Dom. de la Janasse |
2000 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (1.5 L) |
$300 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (8/2014): The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is even better, with another layer of texture and depth. Chocolate-laced fruits, cured meats, spice, crushed rock and sweet spice all show from this perfumed, up-front, sweetly fruited Chateauneuf, and it still has a core of concentrated fruit and solid tannin structure. I see no reason to hold off, but it too will thrill over the coming 3-5 years.
JD 97 (11/2009): A real Wow bottle of wine, the 2000 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is just packed with deep, rich and fresh aromas of blackberry, licorice, meat juice, smoke and graphite. I was literally swooning over the aromatics on the second day and the wine is full bodied with awesome purity, precision and balance. Still very young, this has a long life ahead of it.
VM 93 (1/2003): Dark red-ruby. Distinct surmaturite on the nose: roasted red fruits, roasted herbs, chocolate, earth and minerals. Lush, sweet and layered, with classic superripe grenache flavors of chocolate and spice cake. Very smooth wine, finishing with toothcoating tannins and the quintessential warmth of a wine from the South. "In an Outstanding vintage like 2000, I tried to preserve freshness of fruit and finesse, and thus did not try to do a big extraction," noted Sabon. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 89 (8/2002): Thick and ripe, with lovely terroir and a fat texture that makes it taste opulent and generous. Full-bodied and aromatically open, with interesting mineral, blood orange, iron and plum notes that linger on the chewy, firm finish. Needs time. Best from 2004 through 2010. 830 cases made. |
|
| Dom. de la Vieille Julienne |
2018 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources (1.5 L) |
$144.99 |
33 |
|
| |
VM 92 (6/2023): The 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is showing wonderfully, opening in the glass with dark cherry and plum aromas, strawberry, leather and a dash of white pepper. Full-bodied, concentrated and framed by slightly drying tannins it is well-balanced by refreshing acidity, closing with a savory finish. Due to the presence of mildew, only half the normal amount of production was achieved. Nicholas Greinacher.
JD 95 (10/2020): True to form, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Trois Sources is a softer, more elegant wine than the Les Hauts-Lieux and offers a gorgeous perfume of black cherries, black licorice, tapenade, violets, herbes de Provence, and jus de viande. Deep, full-bodied, and beautifully layered, it gains weight with time in the glass and is going to benefit from just short-term cellaring. It doesn’t have the concentration for any long-term cellaring yet my money is on it evolving nicely for a solid 10-12 years. |
|
| Dom. de Vieux Telegraphe |
2001 |
Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau (1.5 L) Wrinkled Label; Bin-Soiled Label |
$195 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (2/2004): The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau is gorgeous, structured, impressive. Full-bodied and backward, with great depth, purity, and heady aromatics, this 20,000-case blend of 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and 15% miscellaneous amounts of the other permitted varietals will easily rival the 1998. A deep ruby/purple-tinged color is accompanied by a sweet perfume of salty sea breezes, seaweed, melted licorice, kirsch liqueur, creme de cassis, and iodine ... a classic Vieux-Telegraphe aromatic display. Powerful as well as firmly structured, this is a wine to lay away for 4-5 years. It should prove to be uncommonly long-lived, lasting a minimum of two decades. It gets my nod as the greatest Vieux-Telegraphe since the 1998.
VM 89+ (2/2004): Full red. Aromas of candied red fruits, gunflint, minerals and pepper. Then subtly sweet in the mouth, with intriguing garrigue notes, moderate stuffing and harmonious acidity. Still a bit youthfully clenched, and a tad dry on the back end, but there's also enticing sweetness and length.
WS 88 (12/2003): Delicate style of Châteauneuf, but attractive. Clean, pure fruit, smoke and grilled flavors. It lacks the sheer ripeness of the best '01s, but the raspy tannins should soften when it's served with the right foods. Best from 2005 through 2010. 15,000 cases made. |
|
| Dom. du Grand Tinel |
2007 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Alexis Establet (1.5 L) |
$178 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94 (3/2017): I loved the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Alexis Establet, and this 100% old vine Grenache beauty gives up classic notes of roasted herbs, black licorice, loads of sweet Grenache fruit and that savory, meaty characteristic reminiscent of caramelized pan drippings. Full-bodied, layered and decadent, with sweet tannin and no hard edges, it’s beautiful today but will keep for another decade or more. Drink between 2012-2032.
JD 93 (5/2010): More serious and deep than the traditional, the 2007 Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Alexis Establet sports loads of southern Rhône flare with licorice, earthy, mineral notes and smoke all supported by gorgeous Grenache fruit. Medium to full bodied, fresh, balanced and with a tannic, long finish, this stunning Châteauneuf will drink well over the following 12 to 15 years. Drink between 2010-2025. |
|
| Dom. du Tunnel |
2021 |
Cornas (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$124.90 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 92-94 (12/2022): The 2021 Cornas showed amazingly well, and it brings more ripeness and texture than just about every other Cornas out there. Ripe blackberries, mulberries, spicy herbs, and earth all emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with terrific mid-palate depth and ripe tannins. This cuvée comes from a mix of terroirs and will spend 14 months in used barrels. |
|
| Dom. Jamet |
2003 |
Cote Rotie (1.5 L) Signs of Old Seepage |
$700 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (4/2014): A gorgeous Cote Rotie that does everything right, Jamet’s 2003 Cote Rotie, which was harvested very late for the vintage, offers complex kirsch, framboise, incense, liquid flowers and spiced meat-qualities to go with a full-bodied, layered and seamless profile on the palate. Still youthful and lively, with fabulous density and concentration, this beauty can be enjoyed anytime over the coming 10-15 years. |
|
| Dom. JL Colombo |
2003 |
Cornas Les Ruchets (1.5 L) Wine-Stained Label |
$150 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91 (2/2006): The 2003 Cornas Les Ruchots exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a big, rich bouquet of espresso roast, blackberries, plums, licorice, and spice. Aged in small barrels, of which 50% were new, it is a full-bodied, opulent effort displaying a seamless integration of tannin. It will drink well for 10-12 years.
VM 90 (1/2006): (50% new oak) Violet with a bright rim. Ripe but energetic blackberry aroma lifted by rose, violet and Asian spices. Sweet and lush in the mouth, with concentrated plum jam and creme de cassis flavors that betray no rough edges or overripeness. Rich and powerful through the finish, with big but well-integrated tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Dom. Thierry Allemand |
2005 |
Cornas Reynard (1.5 L) |
$1,000 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2008): This is essentially the Chaillot with the addition of old-vines Reynard) Opaque purple. Explosive, room-filling bouquet of ripe blue and black fruits, fresh flowers, Asian spices and smoky minerals. Deep, sweet and velvety, with bracing cassis and boysenberry flavors, amazing mineral lift and hefty but fine-grained tannins. Extremely impressive and built to repay extended cellaring. Josh Raynolds.
JD 94 (5/2023): Mature but in the middle of its prime drinking window, the 2005 Cornas Reynard from Allemand shows the inherent elegance and purity of this address and has a great bouquet of ripe plums, iron, spring flowers, bacon fat, and hints of leather that develop nicely with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has the vintage’s more focused, firm, borderline austere style yet has solid mid-palate depth, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. This classic, complex Cornas will continue drinking well for another decade and, I suspect, have a gradual decline after that. Drink starting 2023-2033.
WS 96 (2/2009): Densely packed, with tar, olive and maduro tobacco notes up front, holding the massive core of braised fig, plum sauce and tar at bay for now. The muscular finish shows flashes of iron, garrigue and graphite. Very, very long. Best from 2011 through 2024. |
|
| Etienne Guigal |
1999 |
Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde (1.5 L) |
$350 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 92 (2/2003): Bright ruby-red. Superripe, expressive aromas of raspberry, coffee, roasted herbs and pepper; shows a slightly porty surmaturite. Rich, round and lush; a wonderfully ripe and full-blown yet fresh wine with substantial, solid tannins and superb persistence. This has a lot of all the key elements, including acidity. A superb vintage for this wine - and there are more than 27,000 cases of this stuff!
WA 89 (6/2003): The 1999 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde (25,000 cases) includes 5% Viognier in the blend. It is a fragrant, soft, medium-bodied effort revealing notes of violets, licorice, and jammy cherry as well as currant fruit presented in a sweet, medium to full-bodied style. Seductive and lush, it is impossible to resist. Consume it over the next 10-12 years.
WS 88 (8/2002): Lovely. Both elegant and intense. Medium-bodied, with floral, red berry and mineral notes. Subtle and fruity finish, with smooth tannins, but the intense finish suggests it might improve with age. Drink now through 2006. 25,000 cases made. |
|
| Jean-Luc Jamet |
2018 |
Cote Rotie Terrasses (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$154.99 |
8 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (12/2022): I loved the 2018 Côte Rôtie Terrasses, which is slightly more supple and elegant than both the 2017 and 2019. Offering darker red, almost blue fruits as well as peppery game, violets, and crushed stone-like minerality, it's medium to full-bodied, has the vintage's pure, balanced, harmonious style, supple tannins, and a great finish. It doesn't have the structure or mid-palate density of the 2019, but is a gorgeously complex, nuanced Côte Rôtie that needs another 3-5 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully. |
|
|
2020 |
Cote Rotie Terrasses (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$144.99 |
21 |
|
| |
JD 93 (5/2024): The 2020 Côte Rôtie Terrasses is terrific and shows the forward, sexy style of the vintage while still being classic Côte Rôtie! Black raspberries, peppery herbs, spring flowers, and a kiss of game all define the bouquet, and it's medium-bodied, with a supple, silky mouthfeel, soft tannins, and a great finish. It stays light on its feet and has a good sense of freshness, and it should evolve gracefully for a decade or more.
WA 91-94 (1/2022): Tasting through several parcels/barrels, the 2020 Cote Rotie Terrasses looks to be a solid effort, marked by slightly vegetal notes up front and almost sherbet-like red fruit flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with decent texture and length, it should be approachable young, with the ability to age at least a decade. |
|
| Le Vieux Donjon |
2020 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$124.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 95 (11/2022): The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is another winner from this team, and readers can’t go wrong here. Based on 75% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvedre, with the balance Cinsault, it was partially destemmed and brought up all in foudre. This beauty just about jumps out of the glass with its Provençal aromatics of ripe cherries, ground pepper, saddle leather, garrigue, and spice. These carry to a medium to full-bodied wine that has the vintage’s charming, pure character front and center, yet still brings good mid-palate density and ripe tannins. Buy a case, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.
WA 94 (9/2023): Vieux Donjon's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is a balanced, harmonious effort that offers up pretty aromas of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, accented by hints of crushed stone and dusty earth. It's full-bodied and supple, with a long, silky-textured finish. Richer and riper than the 2021, it shows great harmony and texture. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.
VM 94 (6/2024): Vieux Donjon's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is a balanced, harmonious effort that offers up pretty aromas of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, accented by hints of crushed stone and dusty earth. It's full-bodied and supple, with a long, silky-textured finish. Richer and riper than the 2021, it shows great harmony and texture. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes. Nicholas Greinacher. |
|
|
2021 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$119.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Marie et Pierre Benetiere |
2017 |
Cote Rotie Cordeloux (1.5 L) |
$225 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (12/2022): Bright ruby. Spice- and herb-accented red and blue fruits and a cured meat quality on the pungent nose. In a taut, nervy style, offering bitter cherry, redcurrant, smoked meat and green olive flavors that show a bit of weediness and a cracked pepper flourish. Dusty tannins add grip to the firm finish, which echoes the cherry and herb notes. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Paul Jaboulet Aine |
2020 |
Hermitage La Chapelle (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$385 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 96-97 (3/2022): At first this feels like you’re standing in front of a set of locked gates. Huge power and structure without that much weight, thanks to the wonderful freshness that’s intertwined with the tarry depths of this Hermitage masterpiece. As it aerates smoked bacon, menthol and licorice notes develop, but I’d need much more space to give you all the aromas! The huge tannins at the finish are finely chiseled, suggesting this has decades of life ahead of it. From 40 to 100-year-old syrah vines. From biodynamically grown grapes.
JD 94-96 (6/2022): A barrel sample that was shipped to my office in Colorado, the 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle reveals a deep purple, almost blue-tinged hue to go with a terrific nose of blue fruits, scorched earth, violets, and charcoal. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated barrel sample that stays fresh and lively, with solid mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's certainly showing better today than from the domaine, and this is one that, if the trajectory continues, is certainly going to be an impressive Hermitage.
WA 93-95 (1/2022): After the past several vintages, the 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle will need to add significant richness and concentration if it is to compete at that level. That said, it is still an excellent wine, with classic aromas of crushed stone, cassis, espresso and black olives. It's full-bodied, fine and silky, giving an impression of great elegance on the lingering finish. |
|
| | Rhone White |
| Clos des Papes |
2023 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc (1.5 L) |
$179.95 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 95 (9/2024): Crafted from six permitted varieties in equal proportions, co-fermented and cold-settled for one night, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc from Clos des Papes exhales a delicate, complex bouquet of fennel, verbena, pear, iodine, herbs and acacia blossoms. Medium to full-bodied, pure and seamless, it's built around bright acids, a layered, lovely structured texture and a long, ethereal, saline finish. The phenolic aftertaste adds a racy profile that I find particularly appealing.
JD 94 (10/2024): The 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is a richer, opulent wine from Vincent that offers beautiful pear, ripe citrus, licorice, and honeyed flower notes in its medium to full-bodied, richly textured, layered style. It's beautifully done and probably best drunk in its first decade of life. |
|
| Dom. du Tunnel |
2023 |
Saint Peray Cuvee Prestige (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$109.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| | Southern France |
| Ch. de Pibarnon |
2023 |
Bandol Rose (1.5 L) |
$74.99 |
18 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Grange des Peres |
2004 |
Vin de Pays de l’Herault (1.5 L) |
$950 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (10/2007): The latest installment of Laurent Vaille’s justly-celebrated if also expensive red offers a surprisingly developed, but for that reason all the more fascinating nose of red raspberry, sage, mint, sealing wax, and smoked meat. Bright raspberry fruit laced with bacon fat and tinged with candied ginger, sage, salt and cherry pit inform a texturally creamy palate. Fresh berries, soy, smoked meat, pungent-sweet citrus rind, and herbs dominate a finish of striking brightness and savory intensity in this wine that (abstracting from its textural refinement) slightly resembles a cross between Zinfandel and Cote Rotie. |
|
|
2011 |
Vin de Pays de l’Herault (1.5 L) |
$850 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (4/2017): Tasting like a top-flight Chateauneuf du Pape, the 2011 Grange des Peres is a supple, beautifully polished and voluptuous red that shows the warmth and sun of the vintage. Kirsch, sweet cherries, dried Provencal garrigue and Asian spices all emerge from the glass, while this medium to full-bodied effort has no hard edges and sweet tannin. Drink it anytime over the coming 7-8 years. |
|
| | Alsace |
| Dom. Baumann |
2010 |
Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg (1.5 L) |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Marc Kreydenweiss |
1998 |
Alsace Clos du Val d’Eleon (1.5 L) Heavily Wine-Stained Label |
$120 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
1989 |
Pinot Gris Grand Cru Moenchberg Vendanges Tardives (1.5 L) Very Lightly Wrinkled Label |
$135 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Marcel Deiss |
2001 |
Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru (1.5 L) Cracked Wax Capsule |
$195 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (6/2017): Dressed in a golden-apricot robe, the 2001 Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim has a clear, fresh and spicy, stewed-peach aroma with minty and refreshing green and earthy flavors. On the palate, this is a concentrated, precise, fresh and elegant, highly finessed, but also tension-filled, Altenberg. It has concentrated apricot and peach aromas, a remarkable acidity, grip and great freshness as well as a long, crystalline, sweet, piquant and salty finish. The 2001 is another gorgeous Altenberg that is highly elegant and seductive in its ripe and concentrated fruit and crystalline, salty, highly stimulating character. Drink between 2017-2060. |
|
| Dom. Trimbach |
2000 |
Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle (1.5 L) Signs of Seepage; Heavily Bin-Soiled Label; Corroded Capsule |
$175 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 91 (6/2001): Musky aromas of orange oil, minerals and hazelnut. Very ripe, concentrated and deep, but comes across as just off-dry thanks to sound acids and the substantial alcohol. Rather bracing tokay, with the balance and backbone to last well in bottle. The Trimbachs thinned the crop in early August and again in early September, ultimately bringing in just 45 hectoliters per hectare. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 90 (12/2001): The 2000 Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle is a richer, riper, denser, and more powerful version of the Reserve model. Medium to full-bodied and sporting a smoky mineral-scented nose, it coats the palate with velvety-textured layers of white peaches, smoke, minerals, and spices. This is an extremely well-made wine for consuming between 2005 and 2014. |
|
| Dom. Weinbach |
2008 |
Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Clos des Capucines Cuvee Laurence (1.5 L) Exposed Cork; Cracked Wax Capsule |
$90 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dopff au Moulin |
2008 |
Riesling Schoenenbourg Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$75 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Gustave Lorentz |
1989 |
Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim (1.5 L) Signs of Old Seepage; Bin-Soiled Label |
$85 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
1999 |
Tokay Pinot Gris Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim (1.5 L) Very Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1989 |
Tokay Pinot Gris SGN (1.5 L) Wine-Stained Label; Nicked Label |
$175 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Josmeyer |
1985 |
Gewurztraminer Les Archenets (1.5 L) Ullage 5 cm; Heavily Bin-Soiled Label; Nicked Label; Cracked Wax Capsule |
$119 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Klipfel |
1999 |
Gewurztraminer Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru Clos Zisser (1.5 L) Bin-Soiled Label |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1999 |
Gewurztraminer Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru Clos Zisser (1.5 L) Bin-Soiled Label; Nicked Label |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1990 |
Gewurztraminer Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru Clos Zisser SGN (1.5 L) |
$100 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1997 |
Pinot Gris Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr (1.5 L) |
$50 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
1997 |
Pinot Gris Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label; Signs of Old Seepage |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1997 |
Pinot Gris Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr (1.5 L) Signs of Old Seepage |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1999 |
Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg (1.5 L) |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1999 |
Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg (1.5 L) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1999 |
Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg (1.5 L) Bin-Soiled Label |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Champagne |
| Taittinger |
2006 |
Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne (1.5 L) |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 97+ (7/2015): The 2006 Comtes de Champagne is striking, especially in the way it brings together elements of ripeness and freshness in a hypothetical blend of the 2002 and 2004. Smooth and creamy on the palate, the 2006 is all about texture. There is a real feeling of density and weight in the 2006, qualities I expect to see grow with time in the bottle. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. The 2006 has been nothing short of magnificent both times I have tasted it. Comtes de Champagne remains the single best value (in relative terms) in tête de cuvee Champagne. I suggest buying a case and following it over the next 20-30 years, which is exactly what I intend to do. There is little doubt the 2006 Comtes de Champagne is a magical Champagne in the making. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2006 |
Comtes De Champagne Rose (1.5 L) |
$449 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (4/2018): The 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé is at once rich and refined, a simply fabulous Champagne Rosè I won’t soon forget. Intensely perfumed, with the Pinot Noir-derived red berry and cranberry flavors that are not just concentrated, but also remarkably pure. It is one of the better Rosé bubbles I have had in the last year. Ian d'Agata. |
|
| | Germany |
| JJ Prum |
2022 |
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese (1.5 L) |
$134.99 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (10/2023): The 2022 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is rather shy. The palate tingles with tangerine, ripe, rounded, aromatic, and full of tangy, zesty, sweet, ripe citrus. Wonderfully expressive on the mid-palate and with a subtle finish, full of those vivid aromatics. Anne Krebiehl. |
|
|
2022 |
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett (1.5 L) |
$87.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2023): The 2022 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett has the slightest crackle of flint on the shy nose. Fennel and nutmeg appear before orange peel joins in. The palate is light, with a lovely, smooth, lithe backdrop of sweet mandarin and clementine. The 2022 is tart, sweet, ripe, aromatic and rather serene with just a touch of zestiness. Lovely length and much charm. Anne Krebiehl. |
|
|
2022 |
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (1.5 L) |
$139.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (10/2023): The 2022 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese opens with a notion of baked peach, especially baked peach skin, aromatic, slightly caramelized with concentrated fruit. Peach compote sweeps onto the palate, ripe and still with bite, just as cooked peach flesh appears, expressive and sweet but not overdone. This entire flight is a lesson in restraint. The long finish and aftertaste are tempered with citrus, corralling that expressive peach. Lovely, restrained, elegant. Anne Krebiehl. |
|
|
2022 |
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett (1.5 L) |
$99.99 |
5 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2023): The 2022 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett does not really want to show itself on the nose. But the palate presents immediate clarity and poise. This is laser-straight elegance, stone and citrus. This shows such pedigree, such clarity. So poised, so mouth-watering, so stony. Anne Krebiehl. |
|
|
2022 |
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese (1.5 L) |
$114.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| 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. |
|
| | Italy |
| Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa |
1998 |
Barbaresco Asili (1.5 L) Lightly Nicked Label |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (12/2001): Giacosa's 1998 Barbaresco Asili needs 4-5 years of cellaring. It exhibits a dark ruby color along with a big, sweet nose of dried herbs, cedar, tobacco, tar, and red fruits. Opulent on the attack, with moderately high tannin as well as good underlying acidity, this is a fragrant effort for Giacosa. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020.
VM 92+ (12/2002): Amber-edged medium red. Very sweet but vibrant nose combines cherry, redcurrant, marzipan, brown spices and a whiff of game. Wonderfully sweet and sappy in the mouth, with perfectly integrated acidity giving the wine compelling vinosity. Lifted by a strong floral perfume. Finishes with firm, fine tannins and terrific length. Another '98 with a near-perfect balance of fruit and acid.
WS 90 (11/2002): Refined red. Plenty of berries and roses on the nose. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a pretty berry and leather character. Rather chewy finish. Best after 2005. |
|
|
2014 |
Barolo Falletto (1.5 L) |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (6/2018): This wine was made in 2011 and 2012 but not in 2013. The 2014 Barolo Falletto (white label) is fascinating to taste right after the Barbaresco Riserva Asili from the same vintage. There is no doubting the extra muscle mass and power that is obtained in the Barolo appellation, and from the Serralunga d’Alba township specifically. This dramatic Barolo delivers darkness and density. It shows a beautiful appearance with faint highlights of dark ruby that add a subtle sparkle. At this point in its drinking cycle, the wine shows all the characteristic traits of its youth. This means it is more closed and rigid at present. That nervous tightness needs to be factored in when assessing the cellar longevity of this vintage. Hints of the wine’s inner complexity, sheer determination and textural fortitude are already bubbling up from deep inside this firmly layered Nebbiolo. I wanted to mention the tightness of the tannins now. These will undoubtedly serve to carry this wine forward over the coming decades. |
|
| Caprili |
2015 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ad Alberto (1.5 L) |
$239 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 97 (3/2021): Expressive and lush, this red shows ripe cherry, plum, earth, tobacco and leather notes, backed by a rigid backbone of tannins. This is vibrant too, leaving a long aftertaste of fruit, mineral and savory accents, with fine harmony and complexity. Best from 2025 through 2050. 300 cases made, 150 cases imported.
WA 96+ (11/2020): Tasted from an unfinished shiner bottle, the Caprili 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva AdAlberto is a single-vineyard expression that has drawn its fruit from the same site since 2010. The wine is dedicated to the paternal figure Alberto Bartolomei (grandfather to the current owners) who planted these vines in 1965. You can definitely taste the age and authentic character of those plants in the concentration and richness of the fruit, presented here with the abundance that only the 2015 vintage affords. The wine is smooth and enduring, and the tannins just need a few more years of bottle age. This is a small-production wine with just 4,000 bottles made.
JD 96 (3/2021): The 2015 AdAlberto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is ripe with black cherry fruit, sassafras, and anise. The palate is fruit-forward and approachable up front, with notes of black raspberry, tea leaf, and clove, and its more classic structure coming through on the finish. This wonderful wine has freshness while expressing the sunny character of the 2015 vintage. AdAlbreto was not produced in 2013 or 2014, and this is a welcome return from winemaker Giacomo Bartolommei. Drink 2022-2036.
JS 96 (11/2020): Lots of dried and sour cherries on the nose with earth and dried leaves. Smoke and cigar box, too. It’s full-bodied with ultra fine tannins and delicious orange peel and a touch of leather on the finish. Really impressive texture. Drink after 2024.
VM 95 (11/2020): The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Ad Alberto Riserva from Caprili harnesses the ripeness of the vintage and melds it beautifully with savory earth tones. There are masses of dark florals and sweet herbs, as mineral-laced wild berry fruits come forward. With further coaxing notes of licorice, brown spice and baker’s chocolate evolve in the glass - does it ever end? It’s silky and pliant, providing an initial burst of ripe dark berries before giving way to a mix of sour citrus and fine tannins. Its structure is formidable, yet so are its primary fruits, coming across as perfectly balanced and full of potential. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ad Alberto (1.5 L) |
$239 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 97 (6/2022): A taut, linear red, hallmarked by cherry, strawberry, green olive, rose, sanguine and iron aromas and flavors. This is packed with fruit, backed by a solid matrix of tannins and an aftertaste of wild herbs, fruit and tobacco. Best from 2026 through 2045. 400 cases made, 200 cases imported.
VM 96 (12/2021): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ad Alberto is sultry and dark captivating the senses with its mix of crushed stone wild herbs red currants dried roses and ashen earth. The textures here are like pure silk seamless and polished with potent black fruits and savory spices that penetrate deeply as fine tannins mount under an air of tobacco and dark inner florals. It leaves the palate reeling with a combination of residual acids tart berries and sour citrus all held firm in youthful poise. The 2016 Riserva Ad Alberto is absolutely stunning but it will require a number of years in the cellar to reveal all of its charms. Eric Guido. |
|
| Castello di Ama |
2019 |
Chianti Classico Bellavista Gran Selezione (1.5 L) |
$399.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| JS 96 (8/2022): Blackberry, brambleberry, bark and mushroom aromas follow through to a full body with deep and chewy tannins and a long finish. This is very structured. Needs time to soften. Drink after 2025. |
|
|
2019 |
Chianti Classico La Casuccia Gran Selezione (1.5 L) |
$449.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto La Casuccia is stunning. What a wine! In this vintage, the aromatics are huge and expansive, a theme that comes through on the palate as well. Cedar, tobacco, dried leaves, incense and blood orange all race out of the glass. The 2019 is mind-blowing in its intensity, pedigree and overall balance. It's the wine of the vintage in Chianti Classico. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (2/2023): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia is a wine of intensity, volume and power. Yet it also shows impeccable balance thanks to the deft hands of the estate winemaking team. I find this edition of la Casuccia, with fruit from a steep vineyard that faces the Castello, to be especially full and rich. Fruit weight and concentration is indeed a characteristic of this classic growing season, and this wine wears it well. You are treated to plenty of blackberry, spice, tobacco and grilled herb. |
|
|
2018 |
Gran Selezione San Lorenzo Chianti Classico (1.5 L) |
$99.99 |
7 |
|
| |
VM 94 (9/2021): The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is a deep, potent wine. Black cherry, gravel, smoke, licorice, chocolate, spice infuse the San Lorenzo with tons of dark Sangiovese character. A heady, muscular wine, the 2019 exudes tremendous richness. I would give it a few years. The 2018 is a wine of aromatic intrigue and intensity. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94+ (10/2021): The Castello di Ama 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo is one of the most distinctive wines in the ample portfolio offered by this estate. I always seem to find a balsamic note in the San Lorenzo Sangiovese (a blend of some of the property's best fruit, with a touch of Merlot and Malvasia Nera thrown in), and it definitely comes through in this vintage with grilled rosemary and even a touch of black olive. This wine is truly Mediterranean in spirit and it boasts an all-Italian identity. Its supple, mid-weight texture is amplified by elegant fruit and spice. And the wine's fresh acidity makes it the ideal pairing partner with your favorite Tuscan pasta or pici recipes. |
|
|
2019 |
Gran Selezione San Lorenzo Chianti Classico (1.5 L) |
$89.99 |
3 |
|
| |
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. |
|
| Dott G. Cappellano |
2004 |
Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Franco (1.5 L) |
$1,400 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM NR (7/2016): The 2004 Barolo Piè Franco-Michet is very closed at first and needs quite a bit of air. Even so, a slight bit of funk never blows off and remains in the wine, masking the fruit. At this point, it's hard to tell if slight signs of oxidation are creeping in, or, if I suspect, a whiff of old cask has tainted the wine. Either way, the 2004 does not appear to be an especially refined version of this wine. My last two bottles have been disappointing. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Fattoria di Felsina |
2013 |
Berardenga Chianti Clasico Gran Selezione Colonia (1.5 L) |
$350 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (1/2018): Volume, power and breadth are the signatures of the 2013 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia. This is the first vintage in which Colonia falls in line with the rest of the Fèlsina range from a stylistic standpoint. Among other things, the use of French oak is much more measured than it was in Colonia's first vintages. Next to the flagship Rancia, Colonia is a sleeker, and perhaps a bit more polished, although it doesn't quite offer the same direct expression of Sangiovese. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Margherita Otto |
2018 |
Barolo (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$229.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Barolo (1.5 L) Ex-Domaine |
$233 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 96 (5/2024): Medium red with a tinge of orange, the 2020 Barolo is fresh and spicy, with aromas of raspberries, mint, anise, and fresh leather. Medium-bodied, it has ripe tannins, fresh acidity, and a long, clean finish. Its fruit perfume lasts long on the back palate, and it has a weightless feel. A very pretty and elegant red, give it another year or two and drink over the following 15 years. Audrey Frick. |
|
| Pio Cesare |
2011 |
Barolo (1.5 L) |
$250 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 95 (4/2015): This is a fabulous young Barolo with a purity and beauty that is breathtaking. Full body plus a deep and subtle center palate of strawberry, light cherry and hints of citrus. Really superb. Drink or hold. |
|
| Sottimano |
2013 |
Barbaresco Riserva (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$599.99 |
12 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (11/2019): Sottimano's 2013 Barbaresco Riserva, a blend of old vines from Cottà and Pajorè, is off the charts gorgeous, and also one of the best wines I have ever tasted here. Rich, dramatic and sweeping, the 2013 possesses stunning inner perfumes, tons of mid-palate richness and exceptional balance. The 2013 is just beginning to show the first signs of aromatic development as it moves into its first plateau of maturity. Spice, lavender, menthol and licorice develop in a positively thrilling Barbaresco that hits so many high notes. The 2013 needs to be opened well in advance. Readers should expect a searingly intense Barbaresco with distinctly old school leanings. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tenuta San Guido |
2001 |
Sassicaia (1.5 L) |
$850 |
6 |
|
| |
| WS 94 (10/2004): Beautiful aromas of summer fruits and hints of cream. Then turns to dried Provençal herbs, such as rosemary. Well-defined Sass. Full-bodied, with sleek, refined tannins and a silky finish. All in finesse. Classy wine. Almost chewy. Reminds me of the excellent 1997, but this is slightly better. Give it time. Best after 2008. 15,000 cases made. |
|
| Ultima Pietra |
2020 |
Merito (1.5 L) Ex-Domaine |
$330 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Merito (1.5 L) Ex-Domaine |
$330 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Toscana Rosso (1.5 L) Ex-Domaine |
$176 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Toscana Rosso (1.5 L) Ex-Domaine |
$176 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| | Port |
| C. da Silva |
2000 |
Presidential Port (1.5 L) |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | USA Red |
| Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards |
2015 |
Signature Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$259 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Aubert |
2017 |
UV Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (12/2018): Aubert's 2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is pliant, open-knit and super-expressive. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mint, earthiness, dried flowers and cherry fruit are all laced together in this very pretty, nuanced Pinot. Despite its recent bottling, the 2017 UV is bright, lifted and super-expressive. The blend of Calera and Vosne-Romanee clones works beautifully. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
UV Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is the darkest and richest of the three Pinots in Mark Aubert's lineup. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice and herbs are all broad and ample in the glass. The UV is a Pinot of gravitas, power and textural intensity. Ideally, readers should give it a few years in bottle, as the tannins are pretty imposing at this stage, just a few months after bottling. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2017 |
UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$295 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94+ (12/2018): The 2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most backward and tannic of the three Aubert Pinots. Dried herbs, cedar, tobacco and menthol add striking aromatic nuance, but today it is the wine's tannin profile that makes the strongest impression. This hillside site above Occidental yields Pinots of real distinction. I imagine the UV-SL will be the slowest of these wines to reveal itself, but it has plenty to say. Lavender, rose petals, blood orange and spices add an exotic flair to this embryonic Pinot. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (1/2021): The 2019 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard brings together some of the aromatic breadth of the UV with the textural resonance of the CIX. Rose petal, lavender, spice, menthol, kirsch and dark cherry fruit build in a Pinot that balances density, power and energy. Rich and layered in the glass, with striking inner perfume, the UV-SL is superb. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Beaulieu Vineyard |
2013 |
Rarity Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$895 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (1/2022): Here in its first release, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rarity is a new flagship bottling sourced from BV's iconic #1 and #2 ranches. The blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot yields a wine of tremendous depth and concentration. Dark fruit, leather, tobacco, lavender, espresso and mocha all build in the glass. It is interesting to taste the 2013 next to the 2016, as it was done at a time in the estate's history when concentration and heavy extraction were more central to the winemaking philosophy than they are today. Give this a few years to come around. Bottled only in magnums. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Bergstrom |
2015 |
Homage Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$299 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
Le Pre du Col Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (12/2016): Limpid ruby-red. Vibrant, sharply delineated aromas of raspberry, Asian spices and potpourri are lent urgency by a strong mineral flourish. Juicy, spicy and focused on the palate, with showing vibrant cut and mineral lift to the red berry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors. Finishes impressively long and aromatic, with resonating florality and silky tannins sneaking in late to contribute shape. There's a lot of immediate appeal here, but I'd give this sexy Pinot at least a few more years of rest. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Bond Estates (Harlan) |
2014 |
Melbury Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,295 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (10/2017): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Melbury is profoundly scented of crushed plums, black cherries and cassis with hints of dark chocolate, black pepper, black soil and licorice plus a hint of iron ore. Full-bodied, rich and earthy in the mouth, it has a lovely fine-grained but firm backbone with plenty of freshness, finishing long and peppery.
JD 95 (12/2017): The 2014 Melbury comes from a site just north of Lake Hennessey that consists of unique, oceanic and clay soils. It’s a pretty, perfumed, seamless beauty offering loads of black cherry and cassis fruit, hints of chocolate and earth, medium to full-bodied richness, no hard edges, and beautiful tannin. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.
VM 95 (1/2018): The 2014 Melbury is bright, perfumed and wonderfully lifted in the glass. Soft, silky tannins add to the wine's considerable appeal. Medium in body and gracious, the 2014 is absolutely exquisite today. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal and mint grace the supple finish. This is a super-refined wine from BOND. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2014 |
Quella Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,150 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96+ (3/2018): The 2014 Quella is showing beautifully. Floral and savory overtones give the wine its energy and tension. The 2014 has really come along over the last six months. Today it is vibrant and full of life, with an understated sense of power that is compelling. The 2014 has developed very nicely since I last tasted it, but it still has room to grow. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96 (10/2017): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Quella is scented of blackberry preserves, fruitcake and crushed rocks with hints of cigar box, dried Provence herbs and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm backbone of grainy tannins and great freshness lifting the black fruit and earth layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note.
JD 95 (12/2017): The 2014 Quella is one of the most aromatic and complex in the lineup. Coming from more seabed and volcanic soils (similar to the Melbury) and sporting a deep purple color and lifted notes of spice cake, black cherries, blueberries, violets and iron-like minerality, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, elegant, has bright acidity, and a great finish. Drink it anytime over the coming 20+ years. |
|
|
2014 |
St. Eden Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,095 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (12/2017): The Oakville release (yet it’s from a steep hillside vineyard), the 2014 St. Eden has lots of graphite and dusty earth character as well as classic dark fruits, white chocolate, and toasty oak notes. It’s a big, full-bodied, elegant, multi-dimensional beauty that has everything going for it. It’s up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.
VM 96 (3/2018): As it often is, the 2014 St. Eden is a showy, racy wine. A rush of dark red cherry, plum, mocha, espresso and grilled herbs gives the wine its opulent, flamboyant feel. Even so the St. Eden shows the natural restraint and mid-weight structure of the year. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96 (10/2017): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 St. Eden offers up expressive crème de cassis, black cherry compote and blueberry pie notes with hints of cedar chest, baking spices, menthol and pencil lead. Full-bodied, tightly packed, taut and muscular, it has a solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and lovely vivacity coming through on the long, earthy finish. |
|
|
2003 |
Vecina Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$750 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 93+ (6/2006): Good medium ruby color. Roasted black fruits and a suggestion of almost port-like ripeness on the nose. Lush, superripe and powerful, with superb density of flavor. With notes ranging from black olive to dark chocolate, this shows a wider range of ripeness than either the highly promising young 2004 or the remarkably lush and sweet 2002 (which I scored 95 on this latest occasion).
WA 93 (12/2006): More difficult to evaluate than its siblings, the 2003 Vecina, which comes from a site near Harlan Estate, is a firm, tannic, backward wine displaying a gravelly, scorched earth, hot rock, black currant, licorice, and herb-scented bouquet. In the mouth, it is tight, rich, and ruggedly constructed with medium to full body as well as a boatload of tannin. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring, and consume it over the following 15. |
|
|
2014 |
Vecina Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$995 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (10/2017): The 2014 Vecina displays a deep garnet-purple color and has a broody, baked blueberries, cassis and anise-laced nose with suggestions of garrigue, dusty earth and bay leaves. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and powerful in the mouth, it offers a lot of latent layers and promises great, great things to come with an incredibly long, layered finish. It needs a bit of time but should cellar beautifully for a good 25 years+.
JD 97 (12/2017): Another awesome wine is the 2014 Vecina and it’s from a vineyard on the western side of the valley, right up next to Harlan Estate. This deep, full-bodied, seriously concentrated 2014 gives up loads of plums, currants, toasty oak, chocolate, and chalky minerality. It picks up a touch of violets with time in the glass, but the theme here is deep, dark fruit and minerality. With the forward, supple style of the vintage, it still has serious concentration and structure, and is going to be long-lived.
VM 97 (3/2018): One of the most expressive wines in this range, the 2014 Vecina is powerful, dense and explosive. Despite its obvious intensity, the 2014 has quite a bit of detail and nuance. Time in the glass unleashes the wine's natural intensity, volume and power. The huge, savory and mineral-drenched finish only adds to the wine's immeasurable beauty. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Vecina Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$950 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 99 (1/2020): The 2016 Vecina got a few expletives in my notes, and it’s one of the more powerful, structured, inward wines in the lineup. From a site on the western side of the appellation (not far from Harlan Estate), its deep purple color is followed by stunning notes of crushed rocks, violets, chocolate, graphite, and cold steel. It’s an incredible, insanely good Cabernet that’s going to benefit from a decade of bottle age and keep for 30 years or more. |
|
| Buccella |
2014 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (3/2018): Buccella's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a total knock-out. In fact, the 2014 is one of the best – possibly the best – wine I have ever tasted from Buccella. Deep, ripe and intense, with striking persistence, the 2014 is delineated, precise and complete. There is plenty of the textural richness that is such a Buccella signature, but the 2014 has an extra degree of energy that balances things out. Hints of bittersweet chocolate, lavender, red cherry jam and exotic spice infuse the vibrant, sculpted finish. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Carter Cellars |
2014 |
The G.T.O. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$595 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (5/2023): Lastly, and I think the star of the show in 2014, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard The G.T.O. (which included some Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon for the first time) is a bigger, richer, more powerful wine offering pure cassis and currant fruits, some leafy herb, tobacco, chocolate, and Pauillac-like lead pencil nuances, a stacked mid-palate, ultra-fine tannins, and a thrilling finish. As with the other 2014s here, it's drinking brilliantly today and is going to have 20-30 years of overall longevity.
WA 96+ (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon The G.T.O. is a tiny lot of 25 cases, in magnum only. An intense wine with almost the essence of blackberry and cassis intermixed with charcoal, scorched earth, fruitcake and tobacco leaf. Great opulence on the attack, terrific velvety tannins and a long, layered finish make for a spectacular wine and another great example of this phenomenal Napa Valley vineyard. Drink it over the next 25-30 years. |
|
|
2017 |
The G.T.O. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (5/2023): The clear standout in 2017 is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard The G.T.O., a deeper, richer, incredibly impressive wine from a challenging vintage. As always, a blend of the three parcels, this deep purple-hued beauty offers a full-bodied, rich, concentrated style as well as beautiful cassis and darker fruits, some complex notes of iron, violets, white pepper, and flowery incense, perfect tannins, and an expansive, layered, opulent profile that's hard to find in this vintage. It's an incredible wine.
WA 97+ (10/2019): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon The GTO springs from the glass with bold crème de cassis, blackberry pie, preserved plums and cigar box scents with hints of incense, underbrush, Chinese five spice and tree bark. Big, rich, opulent and full with firm, grainy tannins and bags of spicy black fruit, it has a velvety texture and long, layered finish. |
|
| Chappellet |
2015 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$295 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$479 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 99 (5/2018): A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill gives gregarious crème de cassis, baked blackberries, black cherry compote and mocha notes with touches of camphor, star anise, violets and oolong tea. Full-bodied and packing a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, with great freshness supporting the powerful, muscular fruit, it finishes very, very long. This should live forever.
JD 98 (2/2023): A beast of a wine on release, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill has shed plenty of its copious baby fat and is now showing more elegance and nuance. Cassis, graphite, sagebrush, iron, and tobacco all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a silky, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It's certainly in the early stages of its drink window, yet I suspect it will evolve gracefully for another two decades.
VM 96 (10/2015): A deep, inky wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill exudes richness and concentration. Blackberry jam, crème de cassis, graphite, mocha, smoke and spices meld together as this ample, structured Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its personality. The Pritchard Hill is made in a ripe, concentrated style that is quite typical of the vintage. At the same time, the impact of heavier extractions and more new oak also shapes the wine to a significant degree. I am not sure the Pritchard Hill is meaningfully more complex than the Signature, but it is quite striking just the same. As good as the 2013 is today - and it is terrific - my sense is that it would be even better with less oak influence. This is an especially somber, virile Cabernet Sauvignon from Chappellet. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2014 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$435 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 99 (5/2018): Made up of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is deep garnet-purple in color with an incredibly youthful, primary fruited nose of crushed blackcurrants, blackberries and plums with touches of chocolate box, espresso, cinnamon stick, cloves and menthol. It's a big, blockbuster, rich style with the full-bodied palate sporting tons of black and blue fruits, structured with a solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long.
VM 97 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is every bit as magnificent today as it was last year from barrel. Inky, concentrated and regal in its pedigree, the 2014 is all class. The 2014 is not as bombastic or huge as the 2013. Instead, it is a wine of total finesse and elegance. The purity of the fruit is simply striking. This is a mesmerizing, utterly compelling wine from the Chappellet family. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2014 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (5/2018): Made up of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is deep garnet-purple in color with an incredibly youthful, primary fruited nose of crushed blackcurrants, blackberries and plums with touches of chocolate box, espresso, cinnamon stick, cloves and menthol. It's a big, blockbuster, rich style with the full-bodied palate sporting tons of black and blue fruits, structured with a solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long.
VM 97 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is every bit as magnificent today as it was last year from barrel. Inky, concentrated and regal in its pedigree, the 2014 is all class. The 2014 is not as bombastic or huge as the 2013. Instead, it is a wine of total finesse and elegance. The purity of the fruit is simply striking. This is a mesmerizing, utterly compelling wine from the Chappellet family. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$469 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (5/2018): A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot and 8% Malbec, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill has gone a little reticent at this stage, offering quiet notions of blackberry pie and blueberry tart with sparks of dried herbs, earth and savory/meaty suggestions. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated with a built-like-a-brick-house structure framing the massive fruit, it finishes long with exotic spices coming through.
VM 96+ (2/2018): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is dense, powerful and voluptuous in the glass, and yet it very much retains a classic sense of structure that is one of the signatures of Chappellet wines. Dark red-toned fruit, licorice, smoke, dark spice and dried flowers all meld together. Sumptuous and forward, with terrific depth, the 2015 has a lot to offer. The 100% new French oak is beautifully integrated, even at this early stage. A year ago, the 2015 was hugely tannic. Since then, the tannins have softened and the 2015 has developed into a much more elegant wine. Antonio Galloni.
JD 100 (12/2017): Also inky colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill comes from the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill and spent 22 months in new French oak. It has a similar level of purity, as well as incredible minerality, to go with notes of crème de cassis, scorched earth, crushed rock, and graphite. Reminiscent of liking a rock with its insane level of minerality, this full-bodied beauty is tight and closed on the palate, yet is just loaded with potential. It’s only for those with cold cellars and needs forgotten for 7-8 years, but will keep for 4-5 decades. Bravo! |
|
|
2017 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$459 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$465 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2021): Always one of top wines in a vintage, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is another gorgeous wine with a more plush, supple texture that hides solid underlying structure and tannins. Beautiful notes of blueberries, new leather, camphor, violets, and smoked tobacco all flow to a full-bodied, seamless, gorgeously textured beauty that's very much in the style of the vintage. Possessing remarkable purity, flawless balance, and building tannins, give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years.
VM 96+ (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is bright, punchy and structured. Blackberry jam, grilled herbs, lavender, menthol and crushed rocks all come alive in the glass. This searingly tannic, mountain Cabernet needs a good deal of time to open, but when it does, it dazzles. Bright floral notes, blood orange and slightly redder tonalities of fruit develop over time. The Pritchard Hill is a wine for readers who can be patient. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2020): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 100% new French oak for 22 months. The alcohol weighed in at 14.5%. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with bold expressions of warm cassis, wild blueberries and black raspberries, plus hints of chocolate box, menthol, tapenade, smoked meats and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bursting with vibrant black fruits, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. |
|
|
2018 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$489 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2021): Always one of top wines in a vintage, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is another gorgeous wine with a more plush, supple texture that hides solid underlying structure and tannins. Beautiful notes of blueberries, new leather, camphor, violets, and smoked tobacco all flow to a full-bodied, seamless, gorgeously textured beauty that's very much in the style of the vintage. Possessing remarkable purity, flawless balance, and building tannins, give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years.
VM 96+ (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is bright, punchy and structured. Blackberry jam, grilled herbs, lavender, menthol and crushed rocks all come alive in the glass. This searingly tannic, mountain Cabernet needs a good deal of time to open, but when it does, it dazzles. Bright floral notes, blood orange and slightly redder tonalities of fruit develop over time. The Pritchard Hill is a wine for readers who can be patient. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2020): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 100% new French oak for 22 months. The alcohol weighed in at 14.5%. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with bold expressions of warm cassis, wild blueberries and black raspberries, plus hints of chocolate box, menthol, tapenade, smoked meats and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bursting with vibrant black fruits, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. |
|
|
2019 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$495 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2021): A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is another wonderfully evocative triumph from this family-owned Pitchard Hill pioneer. Deep garnet-purple colored, it storms out of the glass with profound scents of crème de cassis, blackberry preserves, licorice and mulberries, plus hints of unsmoked cigars, wild sage and tar. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers fantastic intensity and great poise, offering fine-grained, ripe tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
JD 98+ (3/2022): The flagship from this great estate is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill, which checks in as a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. It has an incredible nose of pure blue fruits as well as flowers, crushed stone, fresh thyme, tobacco, and graphite. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it's nevertheless weightless and light on its feet, with wonderfully integrated acidity, polished tannins, and a great finish. This classic, quintessential Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20, 30, if not 40 years if stored correctly. 3800 cases.
VM 92 (1/2022): The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is a potent, massively tannic wine. Black fruit, graphite, licorice, spice, menthol, chocolate and dried herbs abound. A huge, tannic beast, the 2019 is all brawn today and not terribly finessed. This is not a particularly distinguished vintage for Chappellet's flagship. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Chimney Rock |
2001 |
Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$95 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 90 (11/2004): Smooth, ripe and polished, with a pretty core of spicy plum and currant fruit and a touch of blackberry, it wins points for its elegance and grace, finishing with a long, smooth, flavorful finish. Drink now through 2009. 13,600 cases made.
WA 87 (12/2003): The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap exhibits a medium deep ruby color along with a pretty nose of red and black currants, spice, and cedar. Medium-bodied, subtle, clean flavors of earth and wood are also present. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. |
|
|
2002 |
Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$89 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 90 (6/2012): The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon blended with small quantities of Merlot and Petit Verdot. A classic example of the Stags Leap District, it is an elegant, finesse-styled Cabernet with a deep ruby/purple color as well as an attractive nose of plums, black cherries, currants, cedar, loamy earth and roasted herbs. Medium to full-bodied, rich and close to full maturity, it should hold for another decade. |
|
|
2004 |
Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$159 |
2 |
|
| |
| WS 90 (8/2014): Serves up fresh, ripe, snappy cherry, blackberry, mocha, licorice and light cedar notes, ending with firm, gravel-laced tannins that keep the flavors lively. Rivals fellow Chimney Rock 2004 reds. Drink now through 2020. 17,710 cases made. |
|
| Continuum |
2014 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$395 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 97 (3/2018): A stunning wine, the 2014 Continuum exudes balance and class. Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch, mocha, menthol and rose petal infuse this beautifully layered, fragrant wine. The 2014 is layered and nuanced to the core, all while maintaining sublime finesse. At the outset, the 2014 is gracious and light on it its feet, but time and air bring out the wine's fruit density. Healthy dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot complement the Cabernet Sauvignon nicely. Two thousand-fourteen is also the first vintage that incorporates co-fermented lots. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 99 (2/2019): The 2016 Proprietary Red is blended of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 18% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it emits an incredible array of seductive floral notes—violets, lavender and rose hip tea—with a core of warm cassis, redcurrant jelly, dark chocolate, cigar box, tapenade and crushed rocks plus hints of bay leaves, beef drippings and yeast extract. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with vivacious black fruit sparked by red fruit, herbal and mineral accents. It is framed with a rock-solid line of firm, grainy, super ripe tannins and finishes with fantastic fragrance and freshness. Wow! |
|
|
2017 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$485 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96+ (1/2020): The 2017 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard comes across as remarkably primary. Bright red-toned fruit and floral notes give the 2017 striking freshness as well as nuance. Deep and layered on the palate, with superb depth, the 2017 Continuum is easily one of the wines of the year. Even in the early going, it is truly magnificent. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$495 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (1/2022): The 2018 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard is another magnificent wine from the Mondavi family. Soaring and regal in its intensity, the 2018 possesses breathtaking aromatic presence and tons of the pedigree that have made wines off this site so compelling pretty much since the beginning. Vibrant dark fruit, lavender, sage, mint and mocha build into an impossibly long, silky finish. The 2018 is a flat-out stunner. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (12/2021): Coming all from the Sage Mountain Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, the 2018 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot. This is classic 2018 with its dense, concentrated, slightly backward, yet full-bodied and incredibly impressive style. Offering lots of ripe black (black cherry, currant) fruits, scorched earth, graphite, and chocolate-like aromatics, it has terrific concentration, ripe, building tannins, a terrific sense of freshness, and a great finish. It's going to need 5-7 years of bottle age but will have upwards of three decades of overall longevity. |
|
| Dana Estates |
2012 |
Hershey Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$795 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (10/2014): The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard comes from an 1,800-foot elevation and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon harvested October 19-22. This is a sensational superstar from Howell Mountain with an inky purple color, notes of mocha, mulberry, crème de cassis, graphite and spring flowers. It is dense, full-bodied, opulent and concentrated with sweet but moderate tannin. This is a stunner that should drink well for another 25 or so years.
VM 95-98 (12/2014): Graphite, smoke, dark spices, gravel and blue/purplish fruit emerge from the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard, Dana's Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The flavors are wonderfully vibrant and alive in the glass. A host of spice, menthol, pine and crushed rocks add nuance on the powerful, driving finish. The 2012 Hershey is shaping up to be gorgeous. Tasted from barrel in October 2014, it appears to have a very bright future. This is the first year the See Clone has entered the blend.
VM 93-96 (5/2014): Bright ruby. Tight nose hints at cassis, blueberry, licorice, minerals and menthol. Densely packed and youthfully medicinal, with brooding flavors of black and blue fruits and crushed stone. This classic Howell Mountain cabernet went into a shell in my glass. Finishes with huge, chewy tannins that are well supported by the wine's Outstanding depth. Holds out great potential. |
|
|
2013 |
Hershey Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$750 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (10/2016): Two wines that I did not see from bottle have turned out to be close to perfection. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard has unbelievable richness, a profound opaque purple color and enormous notes of lead pencil shavings intermixed with blackberry liqueur, white flowers and crushed rock. The wine is full-bodied and dense with moderately high tannin, but the tannin is integrated and silky. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and look for it to evolve for 30-35 years.
VM 98 (12/2016): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard opens with striking, beguiling aromatics. The bright salinity and tannin of Howell Mountain gives the Hershey its energy, but at the same time, the wine has softened and become relatively accessible for the vintage, something winemaker Chris Cooney ascribes to a greater focus on dry farming. Pine, menthol, chocolate, spice and dried flowers give the wine its distinctive aromatic signatures. A dark, brooding wine, the Hershey is also a terrific example of the vintage. Dramatic, intense and utterly beguiling, the 2013 is a majestic, soaring Cabernet Sauvignon. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (1/2016): The aromas of tar, slate, and graphite with dark fruits such as blackberries are so prevalent here. Licorice too. Smoked meat. Full-bodied, very layered, dense and profound. Mouth-filling and structured. A wine that is fascinating now but even better in 2020. 282 cases.
WS 88 (7/2016): Well-built, featuring taut, gritty tannins and a mix of charcoal, graphite, cedar and dark berry flavors, with charry oak dominating. Best from 2020 through 2032. 282 cases made. |
|
| Dancing Hares |
2003 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$250 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Del Dotto |
1999 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$139 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 93 (10/2002): Dark and intense, with a tight, rich, concentrated beam of spicy black cherry, blackberry and currant fruit. Remarkably focused, with excellent structure, depth and length. Best from 2004 through 2012. 1,200 cases made.
WA 87 (8/2002): The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon is a tight, structured, Bordeaux-styled offering. The aromatics consist of sweet black currants, new oak, earth, and a hint of mushrooms. A medium-bodied, ripe attack is followed by an angular, tannic finish. Give it 1-2 years of cellaring and drink it over the next 10-12 years. |
|
| Diamond Creek |
2019 |
Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$595 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Doubleback |
2018 |
Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Eisele Vineyard |
2015 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$995 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2017): Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon charges from the gate with exuberant red and black cherries notes, black currants and mulberries with a beautiful roses and lavender perfume, plus hints of sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Full-bodied, concentrated and downright explosive in the mouth, it is still wearing loads of gorgeous puppy-fat fruit flavors, offering suggestions of the complex, multilayered blockbuster that it will emerge into. The structure deserves its own mention: wonderful, seamless freshness and oh-so-fine, pixelated tannins, with an extraordinary persistence of fruit and mineral nuances. Wow. |
|
| Fairchild Estate |
2016 |
G III Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$675 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (1/2019): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Fairchild G-III, which is from a well-known Beckstoffer property in Rutherford, is heavenly juice. Seeing an extended maceration and 20 months in 80% new French oak, it boasts awesome notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, crushed rocks, and violets. This all flows to a blockbuster styled beauty that has fabulous purity, fine, silky tannins, and incredible opulence paired with purity and elegance. This beauty got more than a few “wow” comments in the notes and should keep for two decades or more. |
|
|
2017 |
G III Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Sigaro Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 97 (12/2017): Very deep inky-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Sigaro delivers ripe cassis, black plums and fragrant earth notes with touches of bay leaves, mossy bark and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of wonderfully fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, it has a great core of vibrant black fruit flavors, finishing long and pure. 210 cases were made. |
|
|
2016 |
Sigaro Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$480 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2019): Also thrilling, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Fairchild Sigaro comes from a site north of Lake Hennessey and is 100% clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 20-22 months in 80% new French oak. Black currants, crushed rocks, graphite, and lead pencil notes all flow to a powerful, tight, backward Cabernet that has incredible minerality and depth. It’s in a much more austere, focused style compared to the Fairchild G-III release, but it’s unquestionably at the same level of quality. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 2+ decades.
WA 96+ (10/2018): From fruit on Pritchard Hill, aged for 20 months in 85% new 225-liter French oak barrels, the deep garnet-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sigaro opens with somewhat shy notes of warm blackcurrants, dried mulberries and wild blueberries with hints of plum pudding, spice box, cardamom, wood smoke, black pepper and hoisin. Full-bodied and tightly wound in the mouth, the fruit vibrates with compelling energy and a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins with just enough freshness, finishing long and minerally. 640 cases produced.
VM 95 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sigaro emerges from Fairchild's estate vineyard in Conn Valley. Racy and pliant, with tremendous intensity, the 2016 is impeccable in it balance. As with all of Larry Fairchild's wines, the Sigaro is quite big, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. The Sigaro offers striking aromatic complexity and layered fruit for such a big wine, with tannins that are both prominent and yet very well polished. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Stones No. 1 Perrarus Block 1 Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$625 |
1 |
|
| |
|
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2015 |
Stones No. 2 Perrarus Block 1 Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$675 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Stones No. 3 Perrarus Block Tench Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$695 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Stones No. 3 Tench Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$650 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (1/2018): Fairchild's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 emerges from the Tench vineyard, which is the heart of the valley floor in Eastern Oakville. Dark, sumptuous and explosive, with all of the resonance that is typical of the wines from this district in Oakville, the Tench has much to offer. This heady, full-throttle Cabernet is another winner from Larry Fairchild and Philippe Melka. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Stones No. 3 Tench Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$645 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2019): This full-bodied, remarkably pure, seamless Napa Cabernet comes from the Tench Vineyard outside St. Helena and reveals a saturated purple color as well as sensational notes of blueberries, currants, camphor, scorched earth, and hints of lavender and violets. Deep, layered, still tight and backward, yet with incredible purity and focus, it’s a monumental beauty that’s going to benefit from at least 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 2-3 decades. Hats off to winemaker Philippe Melka and the team at Fairchild Wines for this incredible wine.
VM 97 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 is another superb wine from Larry Fairchild. Dense, powerful and explosive, with tremendous depth, the 2016 captures all the magic of this Oakville site. Black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol infuse this sumptuous, extravagantly rich Cabernet Sauvignon. Sweet, ripe tannins add to the wine's considerable immediacy and sheer appeal. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Fantesca |
2012 |
All Great Things- Duty Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
All Great Things- Freedom Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
All Great Things- Freedom Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$345 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Far Niente |
2000 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$225 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2005 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$289 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 87 (7/2015): The dusty herb and loamy earth notes show a tarry side. Though the structure is Bordeaux-like in terms of restraint and tightness, this ends a little too clipped.—2005 California Cabernet blind retrospective (September 2015). Drink now through 2021. 14,700 cases made. |
|
| Freemark Abbey |
2009 |
Bosche Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
Bosche Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Gundlach Bundschu |
2011 |
Vintage Reserve Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Scuffed Label |
$135 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Vintage Reserve Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Slightly Depressed Cork |
$185 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Harlan Estate |
2015 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,900 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2019): The 2015 Harlan Estate is a beast of a wine that shows the sexy, opulent style of the vintage married to the classic structure and depth of this estate. A downright smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, crushed rocks, graphite, smoky camphor, cured meats, and dried tobacco aromas all emerge from the glass, and it shows the deep, concentrated style of the vintage yet still has awesome complexity and nuances. Deep, powerful, and structured, yet opulent and incredibly sexy on the palate, it reminds me of the 2002. A brilliant wine from this estate, it's already approachable given its wealth of fruit yet has the tannic backbone and density to keep for 3-4 decades or more.
WA 100 (10/2018): Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Harlan Estate is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal black cherries, crème de cassis and plum pudding with nuances of potpourri, baking spices and tilled soil plus wafts of garrigue and wild sage. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated with exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and fantastic poise and depth with a long, decadently fruited finish.
WS 97 (10/2019): A huge red, with powerfully rendered dark fig, macerated black currant and steeped boysenberry fruit framed by a bittersweet chocolate note. With time in the glass, the fruit unwinds slowly, allowing anise and loam accents to fill in on the fleshy finish. There's some serious heft here through the back end too, with a long echo of smoldering tobacco and a great tug of dark earth. Best from 2022 through 2040. 1,839 cases made.
VM 97 (12/2018): The 2015 Harlan Estate has developed into an arrestingly beautiful wine. Racy and sumptuous, the 2015 is already quite showy, with tons of dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice, spice and tobacco character. Today, the 2015 comes across as a bit brooding and hard to read, although some of the rougher edges in the tannins I saw last year have softened. Even so, I would prefer to cellar 2015 for at least a few years. There is so much to look forward to. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99 (12/2018): Incredible aromas of fresh flowers, such as roses and violets, and blackcurrants. Full body and defined levels of fruit and tannins too. Love the brightness and texture. An excellent finish. Production was down by a third because of bad berry set. Try in 2021. |
|
|
2017 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$2,200 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97 (1/2021): The Grand Vin is the 2017 Harlan Estate, and this beauty just about jumps from the glass with its pure cassis and blackcurrant fruits as well as notes of tobacco, graphite, crushed stone, and spice. With a full-bodied, expansive mouthfeel, building, velvety tannins, and a layered, seamless style that offers way more pleasure than just about every other wine in the vintage, bottles can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-25 years.
VM 96+ (1/2021): The 2017 Harlan Estate is superb. Deep, inky and wonderfully expressive, the 2017 is impeccably rendered. All the elements come together effortlessly. The nervous tannins of the vintage are evident, but there is also plenty of sumptuousness. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of red-toned fruit and floral notes that are surprising for a year with massive heat spike. The 2017 is polished and sophisticated to the core. In a word: impressive. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Heitz Cellar |
2001 |
Trailside Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Water/Wetness-Stained Label |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (4/2023): The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside is a dark, powerful wine with bruising tannins and plenty of intensity. Dark-fleshed fruit, scorched earth, leather, tar, licorice and cloves add to an impression of burly intensity. The 2001 is not especially polished, but it has aged well, better than many wines in this vintage. Drink between 2021-2028. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2001 |
Trailside Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (4/2023): The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside is a dark, powerful wine with bruising tannins and plenty of intensity. Dark-fleshed fruit, scorched earth, leather, tar, licorice and cloves add to an impression of burly intensity. The 2001 is not especially polished, but it has aged well, better than many wines in this vintage. Drink between 2021-2028. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Joseph Phelps |
2012 |
Backus Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96+ (10/2014): As you drive down the Silverado Trail it is hard to miss the steep, striking Backus Vineyard across the street from Screaming Eagle. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard (93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot) is a 2,800-case cuvee that tips the scales at 14.9% natural alcohol. Its dense purple color is followed by notes of acacia flowers, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, smoky charcoal and graphite, and a lavish, full-bodied, powerful, concentrated style with a boatload of tannin. This cuvee is never the most precocious of the Phelps Cabernet Sauvignons, but patience is rewarded. Give this 2012 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25-30+ years. |
|
|
2001 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$595 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (11/2013): Still a young wine at age 12, the 2001 Insignia exhibits a dense purple color along with a sweet bouquet of camphor, blackberries, cassis, incense and spring flowers. Full-bodied, rich and heady with sweet tannin, stunning concentration and a fabulous finish, this remarkable Insignia has 25 or more years of life ahead of it.
VM 95+ (4/2016): (from an early harvest, like 2015; the first vintage of a ten-year spell without any Cabernet Franc): Dark red with ruby highlights. The aromas of currant, graphite minerality and dark chocolate convey an inviting warmth. Wonderfully suave, fleshy and sweet, especially for its 13.9% alcohol. Deep, broad flavors of raspberry, sandalwood and soy are energized by a subtle mineral quality and harmonious acidity. Outstanding intensity and tight grain here. Finishes with serious but integrated tannins that spread out horizontally on the very long finish. This wonderfully balanced, still-young wine has clearly benefited from the firming influence of its 8% Petit Verdot element, the highest to this point. Incidentally, this was the last vintage of the Insignia with measurable brettanomyces--but it works for me!
WS 88 (6/2011): Enticing aromas of mixed berries, mocha, cedar and tobacco. Full-bodied, focused and intense, with touches of mature flavors that turn simpler and fade on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now. 18,000 cases made. |
|
|
2003 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Scuffed Label |
$375 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (12/2006): The 2003 Insignia (15,000 cases) performed much better this year than last, when I tasted it right after bottling. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec and Merlot, it offers up attractive aromas of licorice, black currants, espresso roast, and background toasty oak. Full-bodied, opulent, and rich with Outstanding depth, purity, and harmony, sweet tannin, and a long finish, it is approachable now, but will easily last for 20 years.
VM 92 (6/2006): (a blend of 84% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot, 3% merlot and 3% malbec) Full ruby-red. Slightly jammy aromas of blackberry, mocha and dark chocolate. Not especially dense or fleshy but has an attractive juicy quality and good life. Dominated by a flavor of black raspberry. Finishes with big, firm, rather fine tannins.
WS 90 (10/2006): Supple, polished and harmonious, though not in the class of the 2002. Nonetheless, delivers a complex range of rich currant, berry and cherry fruit, cedary oak, hints of anise and sage, and a persistent, lingering finish. Mildly tannic. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. Drink now through 2011. 12,000 cases made. |
|
| Kosta Browne |
2019 |
Cerise Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$289 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (7/2022): Medium ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard is rustic to begin, with accents of tar, tobacco and bay leaves over an intense core of dark red fruit. The palate is full-bodied with abundant, gently chewy tannins, bright freshness and a long, earth-laced finish. |
|
|
2020 |
Cerise Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$269 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (7/2023): The 2020 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard pours a rich ruby hue and reveals aromas of anise, red cherry, and pine. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and ripe notes of cranberry cocktail, clove, and orange peel, give it another year and drink 2024-2030. Audrey Frick. |
|
|
2021 |
Keefer Ranch Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$259 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (6/2024): The 2021 Pinot Noir Noir Keefer Ranch takes on great foresty aromas of pine needles, Asian spices, toasted cedar, and dried strawberries. Medium-bodied, it feels more linear through the palate, with refreshing, even acidity, fine tannins, and a long finish, with notes of blood orange through the palate. It’s very well-defined and is going to do its best with another year or so in bottle. Drink 2025-2037. |
|
| Lail Vineyards |
2014 |
J Daniel Cuvee Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$415 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95 (10/2016): The flagship wines include the 2014 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon, which comes from three sources – the family vineyard called Molehill at a 1700-feet elevation on Howell Mountain, the Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard and Heimark Vineyard in Calistoga. A gorgeous 2014, with notes of graphite, mulberry and blackcurrant, this full-bodied, opaque purple wine offers terrific fruit purity, sweet tannin, and a long finish of a good 45+ seconds. It was aged 19 months in 75% new French oak and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. There are 1,064 cases, and it can be drunk now or cellared for another 25 years.
VM 94+ (5/2019): Bright medium ruby. Youthfully medicinal aromas and flavors of black fruits, licorice and bitter chocolate. Densely packed and fine-grained, conveying terrific purity of fruit framed by harmonious acidity. Quite full but less thick and extractive than the '13, and a bit less port-like than that big boy. Still, this brooding, backward, slightly unsettled wine is difficult to taste today. With its element of reserve and powerful finish, it calls for extended aging. It may well eventually merit an even higher rating. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2018 |
J Daniel Cuvee Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$495 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (1/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 75% new. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with seductive notes of crème de cassis, blueberry preserves and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of espresso, yeast extract, black truffles and charcoal plus a fragrant waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and opulently fruited in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of black fruit preserves, earthy nuances and savory sparks, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. 1,290 cases were made.
JD 100 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee comes from a mix of terroirs (Howell Mountain, Stags Leap, Oakville, Calistoga) and is brought up in 75% new French oak. Heavenly notes of red and black currants, dried tobacco, sandalwood, flowers, and spice give way to a full-bodied, concentrated, yet weightless texture that carries awesome tannins, no hard edges, and just flawless balance. This majestic, regal wine is going to drink brilliantly for 25 years or more.
VM 96 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée is quite restrained in this vintage. Silky and medium in body, with lovely red berry fruit character, the 2018 has a lot to offer. I would cellar it for a few years, as the tannins are pretty clamped down today. As always, the J. Daniel Cuvée is a blend taken from a handful of top sites in Napa Valley. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2007 |
Mole Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$375 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
Mole Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$525 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
Mole Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$545 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Larkmead Vineyards |
2015 |
LMV Salon Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$300 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 92+ (8/2019): Bright medium ruby. Muskier and less exuberant on the nose than the 2015 Solari; a bit lower-toned. Shows excellent punch if not quite the personality and early sex appeal of the Solari, with its plum and spice flavors underpinned by minerality. Not quite the early balance of the Solari, as the wine's serious spine of acids and tannins will require patience. Ultimately a bit drier on the back half. Stephen Tanzer.
JD 94+ (12/2017): A blend of 60/40 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2015 LMV Salon is a cuvee that’s moving towards being a Cabernet Franc-dominated release as the estate plants more Cabernet Franc. Cassis, spring flowers, chocolate and a rocky, river bottom-like earthiness all flow to a full-bodied, concentrated, tannic 2015 that has exceptional purity and a great finish. Give bottle 3-5 years and enjoy over the following 15+. |
|
|
2017 |
LMV Salon Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$225 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (12/2019): A blend of 52% Cabernet Franc and 48% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 LMV Salon (White Label) has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is scented of chocolate-covered cherries, fresh blackcurrants, kirsch and black raspberries with touches of bouquet garni, forest floor, charcoal and black olive. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is filled with ripe red and black fruits and a firm, rugged texture, possessing just enough freshness to deliver a long, earth-laced finish. 470 cases were made.
VM 92+ (1/2020): Cabernet Franc, with its bright, high-toned aromatics, takes the lead in the 2017 LMV Salon. Sweet dried red cherry, mint, tobacco and wild flowers are all nicely lifted throughout. Supple and racy with tons of immediacy, the 2017 is already inviting, although it will develop more nuance with time in bottle. Even just a bit of air brings out an attractive fleshiness. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Lazy Susan Ranch (The Vineyardist) |
2009 |
Diamond Mt. District Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Diamond Mt. District Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Lazy Susan Ranch, also 100% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from clones 33 and 169 and slightly higher yields of 1.5 tons of fruit per acre, is an even smaller cuvee of 145 cases. The wine emerges from a different parcel of red Aiken iron-rich soils, as opposed to the volcanic tufa and fractured bedrock of its sibling. This wine offers loads of cedar wood, cr?me de cassis, licorice and forest floor in a full-bodied, opulent style. The fruit is beautifully pure, the oak well-integrated, and the wine gorgeous. It’s top, top-flight, clearly world-class and should drink well for 20-25 years. |
|
| Leonetti Cellars |
2013 |
Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$235 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (6/2016): Leading off the 2013s, the 2013 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon comes all from estate vineyard and is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 7% Malbec, all of which spent 22 months in new and once used French oak. It’s vibrant purple color is followed by classic notes of crème de cassis, violets, tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings and graphite. This full-bodied, ripe, yet still elegant Cabernet (which checks in at 14.7% alcohol) has terrific purity, ripe, polished tannin and a great finish. It has the purity and finesse to drink beautifully today, but it will have 20-25 years of overall longevity.
VM 93 (11/2016): (70% new French oak): Bright red-ruby. Very sexy aromas of blueberry, dark raspberry, pomegranate, mocha, cola and top-quality oak, lifted by violet and mint high tones. Very rich, deep, creamy wine, with its intense, vibrant red and darker berry flavors accented by spices. Slightly edgy acidity and youthfully clenched tannins call for patience; I would not be at all surprised if this seriously structured but plush and very long wine eventually merited an even higher rating.
WS 92 (8/2016): Broad and expressive, with a sense of elegance to the savory-accented black cherry, berry and underbrush aromas and flavors, wrapped in fine, firm tannins. Best from 2018 through 2023. 2,876 cases made. |
|
|
2018 |
Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$218 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Walla Walla Merlot (1.5 L) |
$199 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (5/2021): The 2019 Merlot is juicy and up-front, with lots of black cherry and blue fruits as well as medium to full body, ripe, soft, ultra-fine tannins, a good sense of freshness, and classic tobacco, graphite, and spice aromas and flavors. Drink this sexy beauty over the coming 10-15 years. |
|
| Myriad |
2013 |
Georges III Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$425 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (12/2015): An absolutely fabulous wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard has an inky bluish/purple color, extraordinary nose of graphite, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, forest floor and spring flora. The wine hits the palate with a full-bodied richness, stunning purity and an absolutely magnificent texture and length. It would be difficult to want more in a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon than this. Drink it over the next 25 years. |
|
| Next of Kyn |
2016 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 10 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$774 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (10/2019): Just about pure perfection in a glass, the 2016 No 10 Cumulus Vineyard is an incredible mix of 46% Syrah, 19% Grenache, 18.3% Petite Sirah, and the rest Mourvèdre and Petit Manseng that was mostly destemmed and brought up in 75% new French oak. Awesome notes of blackberries, ground herbs, violets, loamy earth, and chocolate notes give way to a full-bodied, powerful red that has moderate acidity, flawless balance, sweet tannins, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s another off-the-charts, singular wine from an incredible winemaker.
VM 95+ (9/2019): The 2016 No.10 Cumulus Vineyard is rich, sumptuous and racy to the core. Surprisingly open for a wine that has just been bottled, the 2016 is curvy and inviting, with tons of breadth and fleshiness that fully emerge with a bit of air. Hints of mocha, spice and new leather are laced into a core of dark cherry and plum fruit. The 2016 boasts superb concentration, but it also appears to have a bit less energy than some prior vintages, the 2015 in particular. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 10 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$925 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 99 (10/2019): Just about pure perfection in a glass, the 2016 No 10 Cumulus Vineyard is an incredible mix of 46% Syrah, 19% Grenache, 18.3% Petite Sirah, and the rest Mourvèdre and Petit Manseng that was mostly destemmed and brought up in 75% new French oak. Awesome notes of blackberries, ground herbs, violets, loamy earth, and chocolate notes give way to a full-bodied, powerful red that has moderate acidity, flawless balance, sweet tannins, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s another off-the-charts, singular wine from an incredible winemaker.
VM 95+ (9/2019): The 2016 No.10 Cumulus Vineyard is rich, sumptuous and racy to the core. Surprisingly open for a wine that has just been bottled, the 2016 is curvy and inviting, with tons of breadth and fleshiness that fully emerge with a bit of air. Hints of mocha, spice and new leather are laced into a core of dark cherry and plum fruit. The 2016 boasts superb concentration, but it also appears to have a bit less energy than some prior vintages, the 2015 in particular. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,095 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Pure perfection, the 2017 No 11 comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View and is 48% Syrah, 24.8% Grenache, 12.7% Mourvèdre, 10.6% Petite Sirah, and the balance a mix of white varieties including Petit Manseng and Roussanne. Fermented with 23% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 68% new French oak, this incredible 2017 boasts a saturated purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, bouquet garni, ground pepper, white chocolate, and cured meats. Incredibly complex, flawlessly balanced, and with a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed, this is a magical blend from California that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years. Hats off to the Krankl family for another truly special wine! |
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|
2018 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 12 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$820 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (8/2021): As with the 2017, the 2018 No 12 Cumulus Vineyard is as good as wine gets. Based on 47.7% Syrah, 23.4% Grenache, 21.3% Petite Sirah, 5.6% Mourvèdre, and the remaining 2% a mix of white varieties, aged 32 months in 34% new barrels, its vivid purple hue gives way to a full-bodied blockbuster of a wine that’s loaded with cassis and blue fruits as well as notes of gravelly earth, graphite, ground pepper, and spring flowers. Flawlessly balanced, deep, super-rich, and unctuous, yet with incredible purity, give bottles a year of two and enjoy over the following 15 years or more.
WA 99 (8/2021): This cuvee comes entirely from the Krankl’s “home” vineyard—the Cumulus vineyard in Oak View, just south and inland from Santa Barbara, on the road to Ojai. There are now just over 12.5 acres planted at Cumulus. The first plantings of Syrah, Grenache and Roussanne took place in 2004. A little more Grenache was planted in 2005. Then in 2008, small blocks of Petite Manseng, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah were added, including 3.5 acres on its own roots.
VM 95 (10/2021): The 2018 No. 12 Cumulus Vineyard is a big wine. Black fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice are all dialed up. The tannins remain a bit coarse, which makes the wine feel not totally put together. Perhaps the brutal heat spikes in July caused a slight stoppage in ripening, or it could be the stems aren't totally integrated just yet. To be sure, the 2018 doesn't quite have the same textural lushness of most vintages. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the coming years. The 2018 was done with 41% whole clusters and spent 32 months in French oak, 34% new. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2012 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 6 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$745 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (8/2016): A wine that flirts with perfection, the 2012 Cumulus Vineyard #6 is an interesting blend of 38% Syrah, 37% Grenache, 17.4% Petite Sirah and the rest Mourvedre that saw 33 months in 54% new French oak. There’s a tiny 191 cases made, and it’s one of the most singular, exotic wines I’ve tasted. Spice, cedar, chocolate, exotic flowers and an assortment of dark fruits all emerge from this full-bodied, layered blend that hits the palate with serious richness and depth. Yet, like all truly great wines, it’s light, ethereal and never, ever heavy. There’s big structure here as well, so forget bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 15+ years.
VM 98 (9/2016): The 2012 No. 6 - Cumulus Vineyard might very well be my favorite of Manfred and Elaine Krankl's 2012s, including naturally the wines of Sine Qua Non. This is the warmest site the Krankls work with and the need to harvest on the earlier side seems to also preserve a bit more verve than is often found in some of the other Sine Qua Non wines. A host of cherry jam, pomegranate, sweet spice, rose petal and mint open up effortlessly, all with striking energy that keeps the wine vibrant and wonderfully alive. The blend is 38% Syrah, 37 % Grenache, 17.4% Petite Sirah and 7.6% Mourvèdre, done with 36% whole clusters and aged in 54% new oak. Sold in cases of 3 bottles and 1 magnum at the price of $1,200.00 per case. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 7 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Mixed OWC |
$735 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (8/2017): The 2013 Cumulus Vineyard #7 (45% Syrah, 29% Grenache, 15% Petite Sirah and the balance Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional and Roussanne) is a killer wine that delivers the that rare mix of hedonistic and intellectual pleasure that’s almost impossible to find outside of this address. Notes of cassis, violet, iris, toasted spices and caramelized cherries all emerge from the glass. Full-bodied, unctuous and decadent, yet seamless and silky, with no weight, it has ultra-fine tannin and a finish that won’t quit. This is a tour de force in wine that deserve 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for another decade or more.
VM 99 (9/2017): The 2013 Next of Kyn - No. 7 Cumulus Vineyard is a real stunner. Rich, explosive and overwhelmingly beautiful, it takes hold of all the senses and never lets go. Even with all of its power and richness, the 2013 retains striking aromatic lift and energy. I would give it another few years to settle down, but it is superb today. This is an extraordinary wine by any measure. Don't miss it. In 2013, the blend is 45% Syrah, 29% Grenache, 15% Petite Sirah, 5% Mourvèdre, 4.5% Touriga Nacional and 1.5% Roussanne, done with 58% whole clusters and aged for 30 months in French oak. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2014 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 8 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$725 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 99 (8/2017): Bottled in May of this year, the 2014 Cumulus Vineyard No 8 is a match for the sensational 2013. Made from 38% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 16% Touriga Nacional and the balance Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah, fermented with 43% whole clusters and aged in close to equal parts new and used French oak. There’s only 400 cases of this elixir and it offers killer notes of black raspberries, blueberries, violets, licorice, exotic spices and flowers. Perfumed, complex and nuanced, and dare I say, singular, this full-bodied red has a thick, opulent texture, beautiful freshness and sweet tannin on the finish. While it shows the 2014 vintage’s forward fruit characteristic, this puppy has backbone and length. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades.
WA 98+ (9/2017): Composed of 38% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 16% Touriga Nacional, 7% Mourvèdre and 6% Petite Sirah, using 43% whole clusters, the 2014 Cumulus Vineyard #8 has a deep garnet-purple color and slightly reticent nose to begin of black cherries, mulberries and black soil with suggestions of menthol, tobacco, incense, sandalwood and chocolate box, plus a fragrant undercurrent of violets. Firm, grainy tannins frame the full-bodied, muscular palate with stacks of flavor layers, finishing with great delineation and finesse. Forget this beauty for three to four years and enjoy drinking it over the next 20+.
VM 95 (9/2017): The 2014 Next of Kyn - No. 8 Cumulus Vineyard is a dense, powerful wine. Next to the 2013, the 2014 comes across as quite supple and downright accessible. A blast of dark red cherry, plum, spice, menthol, lavender and licorice infuse the beautifully layered finish. I imagine the 2014 will drink nicely with just a few years in bottle, although if past vintages are an indication, the wine will need longer than that to be at its very best. The blend is 38% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 16% Touriga Nacional, 7% Mourvèdre and 6% Petite Sirah, done with 43% whole clusters. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2015 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 9 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$595 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 98+ (10/2018): A wine that’s going to flirt with perfection in another handful of years, the 2015 No 9 Cumulus Vineyard checks in as a complex blend of 45% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 16.8% Mourvèdre, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Touriga Nacional, and the rest Viognier that saw 42% stems and 34 months in 40% new French oak. Sensationally perfumed, with powerful notes of blackberries, graphite, crushed rocks, black pepper, and dark chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and incredible purity of fruit. This beauty has everything – richness, acidity, density, tannins, and length. Give it a handful of years and it will keep for 10-15 years. |
|
|
2015 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 9 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$725 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 98+ (10/2018): A wine that’s going to flirt with perfection in another handful of years, the 2015 No 9 Cumulus Vineyard checks in as a complex blend of 45% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 16.8% Mourvèdre, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Touriga Nacional, and the rest Viognier that saw 42% stems and 34 months in 40% new French oak. Sensationally perfumed, with powerful notes of blackberries, graphite, crushed rocks, black pepper, and dark chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and incredible purity of fruit. This beauty has everything – richness, acidity, density, tannins, and length. Give it a handful of years and it will keep for 10-15 years. |
|
|
2015 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 9 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$745 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 98+ (10/2018): A wine that’s going to flirt with perfection in another handful of years, the 2015 No 9 Cumulus Vineyard checks in as a complex blend of 45% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 16.8% Mourvèdre, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Touriga Nacional, and the rest Viognier that saw 42% stems and 34 months in 40% new French oak. Sensationally perfumed, with powerful notes of blackberries, graphite, crushed rocks, black pepper, and dark chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and incredible purity of fruit. This beauty has everything – richness, acidity, density, tannins, and length. Give it a handful of years and it will keep for 10-15 years. |
|
|
2018 |
Numero Quatro Touriga Nacional (1.5 L) |
$619 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (8/2021): I was able to taste two new releases from the Krankls’ Next of Kyn release. Starting with the 2018 Touriga Nacional Numero Quatro, which also includes 9.1% Syrah, 7.2% Grenache, 6.2% Petite Sirah, and 1.5% Roussanne, it’s a full-bodied, deep, rich monster of a wine that still stays balance and elegant, with a terrific perfume of blue fruits, violets, gravelly earth, and peppery spice. It has building tannins, but the balance is as good as it gets, and it has a finish that won’t quit. Fermented with 35% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 60% new French oak, it’s going to keep for a solid 15 years or more.
VM 98 (10/2021): The 2018 Touriga Nacional – Número Quatro is sourced from Elain and Manfred Krankl's estate vineyard in Oak View. It is a wine of tremendous character and personality. Sadly, production remains tiny, at just over 130 cases. Copious black cherry, plum, bittersweet chocolate, new leather, licorice and spice build in an deep, powerful wine that is loaded with personality. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Numero Quatro Touriga Nacional (1.5 L) |
$789 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (8/2021): I was able to taste two new releases from the Krankls’ Next of Kyn release. Starting with the 2018 Touriga Nacional Numero Quatro, which also includes 9.1% Syrah, 7.2% Grenache, 6.2% Petite Sirah, and 1.5% Roussanne, it’s a full-bodied, deep, rich monster of a wine that still stays balance and elegant, with a terrific perfume of blue fruits, violets, gravelly earth, and peppery spice. It has building tannins, but the balance is as good as it gets, and it has a finish that won’t quit. Fermented with 35% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 60% new French oak, it’s going to keep for a solid 15 years or more.
VM 98 (10/2021): The 2018 Touriga Nacional – Número Quatro is sourced from Elain and Manfred Krankl's estate vineyard in Oak View. It is a wine of tremendous character and personality. Sadly, production remains tiny, at just over 130 cases. Copious black cherry, plum, bittersweet chocolate, new leather, licorice and spice build in an deep, powerful wine that is loaded with personality. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2017 |
Numero Um Touriga Nacional (1.5 L) |
$995 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Neyers |
2013 |
AME Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$163.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
AME Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Nicked Label |
$163.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Oakford Vineyards |
1998 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$195 |
2 |
|
| |
| WS 87 (12/2000): Shows-off lots of oak, with toasty vanilla and anise scents, picking up black cherry, coffee, cedar and mocha, finishing with well-integrated tannins. Drink now through 2009. 550 cases made. |
|
| Ovid |
2012 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (2/2017): The 2012 Ovid belongs to a group of vintages that includes 2007 and 2009 where the main characteristic is bold, racy fruit. A host of red cherry, pomegranate, smoke, licorice and tobacco wrap around the palate. Juicy, racy and flamboyant to the core, the 2012 needs a few years to lose some baby fat and develop aromatic complexity, but it is impressive. The 2012 is distinctly red-toned and floral in character, as so many wines are in this vintage. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94 (12/2015): The 2012 Proprietary Red is a 625-case cuvée made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wine displays blueberry and blackberry fruit, some violets, a hints of charcoal embers and graphite. It is pure, full-bodied, ripe and already dramatic and ostentatious. This is a beauty to drink over the next 15 or so years. |
|
|
2013 |
Hexameter Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (12/2015): Their exercise with a Cabernet Franc-dominated wine, the 2013 Hexameter (a 500-case blend of 64% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot) is pushing perfection. Its beautiful notes of acacia flowers, forest floor, blackberries and blueberries interwoven with touches of barrique, licorice and spice are followed by an even more intense and complex palate with silky, ripe tannins, opulent, full-bodied texture, and beautiful purity. A “wow” wine in so many different aspects, this multi-dimensional classic should age beautifully for 20 or more years.
VM 96+ (10/2015): Ovid's 2013 Hexameter is dark, sumptuous and super-expressive, even at this early stage. In 2013, the blend has a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc than the 2012, which brings more aromatic top notes to match the dark red and bluish hued fruit notes. Mocha, violet, blueberry and dried herbs add the final shades of nuance. Surprisingly open for such a young wine, the 2013 impresses for its sublime balance. |
|
| Paul Hobbs |
2009 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (6/2012): Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Napa Valley) Inky purple. Complex, heady bouquet evokes red and dark berry preserves, incense and dried flowers, with star anise and allspice overtones gaining strength with air. Juicy, palate-staining black raspberry and cassis flavors show excellent depth, with chewing tobacco and vanilla nuances contributing complexity. Finishes seamless and sweet, with outstanding energy and persistence. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2011 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$359 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 91 (10/2013): One of my personal favorites, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard possesses flinty, wet stone-like characteristics, more rugged tannins and an overall more masculine personality than the Las Piedras. Its concentration is impressive for a 2011, the tannins are ripe, and the wine is beefy and mouthfilling. Although it may lack some of the nuances typical for this site, it is definitely a star of the vintage. It should drink well for 10-15 years. |
|
|
2016 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$650 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is bright, lifted and sensual, as is so common with wines from this site in St. Helena. Floral overtones, expressive red-toned fruit and silky tannins are some of the signatures in this very pretty and inviting mid-weight Cabernet. Today, the Dr. Crane is perhaps a touch linear, so readers should be prepared to cellar it for at least a few years. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2009 |
Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$699 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (7/2019): Saturated red-ruby. Licorice, black cherry, red- and blackcurrant, sexy soil tones and violet on the nose; conveys a strong impression of site character. Densely packed, full and youthful, conveying strong inner-mouth lift but still a bit monolithic and in need of patience. The wine's inky dark fruit, spice and graphite flavors are firm but not at all hard or spiky. Made from vines picked on the late side, this big boy may not be as graceful as the 2010 but its firm tannic structure should ensure a long, slow evolution. And this classically dry Cabernet boasts excellent definition and inner-mouth tension. Give this wine some time in a decanter if you plan to open a bottle anytime soon. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2014 |
Nathan Coombs Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$595 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 98 (12/2017): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Nathan Coombs Estate is on another level. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a site in Coombsville which is a cooler terroir in the southern part of the Valley and spent 20 months in all new French oak. Sporting an inky purple/blue color and incredible notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, damp earth and leafy herbs, it incredibly concentrated, opulent and decadent, yet always balanced and pure. It's a real “Wow” wine that's going to knock your socks off over the coming 2-3 decades. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Pillar Rock |
2001 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$245 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 91 (6/2004): Supple, with rich mocha and brownie flavors and lively currant and spice. While the flavors are concentrated and the wine is well-structured, it offers a sense of finesse and complexity. Drink now through 2010. 580 cases made.
VM 88 (2/2005): Bright red-ruby. Aromas of bitter cherry, espresso and mint, with a light leafy quality. A bit herbal and green yet creamy-sweet in the middle, with a firm shape. Finishes with sweet tannins and good grip. |
|
| Plumpjack |
2000 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$205 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 91 (7/2003): Wonderful harmony, intensity and concentration, with sweet, juicy currant and blackberry fruit at the center, shaded by cedary oak, which gives off a taste of sage and olive. The tannins are a bit raw but not out of line for a young wine. Best from 2005 through 2012. 10,200 cases made.
WA 87-89 (8/2002): The only 2000 I tasted was the Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. It reveals the vintage's charm, sweet tannin, and lovely ripe fruit, but those characteristics are slightly negated by the fact that it does not have the depth, persistence, layers, or concentration of a great Napa vintage. It should firm up after bottling, and be at its finest between 2005-2015. |
|
|
2006 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$279 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 91-93 (12/2007): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Estate possesses a dark ruby/purple color, firm tannin, a dense constitution, and plenty of sweet black fruit characteristics intermixed with notions of new oak and scorched earth. It is more broodingly backward than the 2005, and appears to have a longer time line. |
|
|
2000 |
Oakville Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$210 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Pott |
2014 |
Actaeon Quixote Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$229 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Actaeon is one of the most complete wines in this tasting. Sweet layered aromatics, pliant fruit and silky tannins are the main signatures. All the elements are nicely balanced throughout. Actaeon is sourced from the Quixote vineyard in Stags Leap. This is very nicely done. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Actaeon Quixote Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$285 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
Kaliholmanok Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$265 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaliholmanok, from a vineyard on Spring Mountain, is the most complete and deeply satisfying of these Cabernets from Aaron Pott. Pliant, creamy and super-expressive, the 2014 offers terrific depth and intensity through to the finish. A host of dark stone fruit, licorice, leather and mint notes are finely-knit in this expressive Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The Kaliholmanok makes its case more with finesse than power. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Predecessor |
2015 |
Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$395 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Howell Mountain Red Lake Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$425 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Pride Mountain Vineyards |
2012 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$225 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (10/2015): Pride's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, creamy and voluptuous. Sweet cherry, rose petal, mint, plum, cinnamon, new leather and cedar open up effortlessly in the glass, with silky tannins that add to the wine's sheer appear. The Cabernet Sauvignon captures the open-knit, radiant personality of the vintage to the fullest. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$319 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95+ (12/2018): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is going to need a few years in bottle to come into its own. Despite its obvious ripeness and inner sweetness, the 2015 is presently dominated by its firm tannins. A host of blackberry jam, leather, smoke, spice and earthy notes meld together effortlessly, while truffle, spice, dried flower and leather overtones add a distinctly wild, exotic character. Flamboyant and potent to the core, the Reserve clearly needs time to be at its best. There is plenty to look forward to, that much is obvious. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Provenance |
1999 |
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (5/2002): Deep ruby-red. Aromatic nose combines currant, plum syrup, licorice, cedar and tobacco, plus a whiff of dried herbs. Shapely and fairly intense, with subtle sweetness and rather Graves-y flavors of currant, roasted meat and tobacco. Finishes firmly tannic, with a slight dryness emerging with aeration. |
|
| Ramey |
2007 |
Annum Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$269 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (12/2009): From Diamond Mountain, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum possesses a dense purple color, full-bodied power, and lots of scorched earth and loamy soil notes intermixed with smoked herbs, creme de cassis, and blackberries. This rich, but backward Cabernet Sauvignon needs 4-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for 25+.
WS 95 (8/2010): A bold, rich, expansive style, offering tiers of opulent blackberry and wild berry flavors, with touches of black and red licorice and a notable rustic hot brick wall earthiness, all of it dense, focused, complex and concentrated. Ends with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2020. 1,700 cases made.
VM 92 (4/2018): A rush of black cherry, smoke, torrefaction, new leather and licorice make a strong opening statement in the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum. Rich, powerful and heavily extracted, the 2007 shows the style that was in vogue a decade ago, and yet also retains tremendous depth. It will drink well for another decade or more. The Annum is the most overtly ripe wine in this range. At times, the alcohol peeks through. Otherwise, the 2007 is nicely rendered. Fruit sources are J. Davies and Larkmead. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Realm |
2013 |
The Bard Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) OCB |
$825 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2015): The perfect 2013 The Bard is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot, coming from four vineyards that Realm uses consistently -- B Weitz, Houyi, Blair and of course, the Beckstoffer Dr. Crane in St. Helena. There are 950 cases of this extraordinary wine, which has it all. Notes of graphite, blackberries, roasted espresso and chocolate are followed by a wine of enormous, massive extraction, richness and intensity, but no hard edges. This seamless work of vinous haute couture is staggeringly rich, very long, but not the least bit heavy or overbearing. This is a killer effort that's already showing enormous complexity but should age effortlessly for 15 or more years.
VM 93 (10/2015): The 2013 The Bard is the most intriguing of the three Realm blends because it has enough freshness and overall energy to balance the more overt elements. Inky blue and purplish fruit, spices, new leather and savory herbs flesh out in a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend that is both opulent and also vibrant, with plenty of detail and nuance, not to mention enough underlying tannin to drink well for the better part of the next decade, perhaps longer. Most of this fruit emerges from Blair, a site in Calistoga. Antonio Galloni.
WS 92 (11/2016): Delivers a powerful combination of dark berry, dried herb, underbrush and stylish oak. Most impressive are the licorice and blackberry flavors on the finish, revealing extraction, tension and character. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2020 through 2030. 950 cases made. |
|
| Rhys |
2014 |
Horseshoe Vyd. Syrah (1.5 L) |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (8/2017): The 2014 Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard is a magical wine. Interestingly, the Syrah shares much with the Pinot off this site in its structural feel and dark flavor profile. Inky blue/purplish fruit, herbs, crème de cassis, spice, lavender and mint are all beautifully delineated. Beams of supporting tannin give the wine its shape and overall intensity, yet the 2014 retains a super-classic, Santa Cruz Mountains feel of almost deceptively mid-weight structure. The 2014 was done with 100% whole clusters. Malolactic fermentation was done in steel, the wine then spent a year in barrique followed by a year in 25HL cask. What a gorgeous wine this is. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Rudd |
2018 |
Samantha’s Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$299 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (1/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Samantha's was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 68% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it slips slowly out of the glass with captivating scents of black raspberries, Morello cherries, black currant pastilles and rose oil, followed by suggestions of cedar chest, pencil lead and black olives. The full-bodied palate is charged with amazing energy, featuring vivacious red and black berry layers and a firm backbone of grainy tannins, lifted by refreshing acidity and bags of crunchy fruit on the long finish. 617 cases were made.
VM 95 (1/2022): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Samantha's is hollow, lacking in fruit and abrupt on the finish. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Scarecrow |
2017 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,800 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (1/2020): The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is more closed and backward, yet has stunning currants, roasted coffee, smoked tobacco, and gravelly minerality and shows more violet and floral notes with time in the glass. Full-bodied, powerful, and structured on the palate, this is an elegant, tight, closed Scarecrow that's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age. It's going to age beautifully, though.
WA 97 (10/2019): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Scarecrow opens with notions of warm cassis, baked plums, black raspberries and boysenberries with accents of dried mint, pencil shavings and fragrant soil plus a waft of cast iron pan. Full-bodied, firm and grainy, it has a solid backbone of fantastically ripe tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
VM 97 (1/2020): The 2017 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon is stunning. Seamless on the palate, with remarkable depth and richness, the 2017 has so much to offer. Black cherry jam, blackberry, chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol build in a rich, sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon that hits all the right notes. Best of all, the 2017 will drink well with only minimal cellaring. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Antonio Galloni.
WS 93 (11/2020): A rich, enveloping wine, built on warmed fig, boysenberry and plum compote flavors, while melted licorice, menthol, tar and Turkish coffee notes push through. For fans of the powerful style. Best from 2022 through 2032. 1,450 cases made. |
|
| Schrader |
2019 |
MMXIX "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,299 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
|
|
2019 |
MMXIX "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,450 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
|
|
2016 |
MMXVI "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$2,050 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long. |
|
| Sean Thackrey |
2010 |
Sirius Eagle Point Ranch Petite Sirah (1.5 L) |
$165 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 92+ (5/2014): Deep, bright ruby. Lovely expressive aromas of black raspberry, violet, licorice and bitter chocolate. Concentrated, dense and sweet, with excellent inner-mouth energy and lift to the flavors of dark berries, dark chocolate and flint. Perhaps most impressive today on the very long, ripely tannic back end. Long on personality for the variety. Showed eucalyptus and licorice pastille notes after 72 hours in the recorked bottle without losing its verve. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Seaver Vineyards |
2017 |
GTS Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$995 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (1/2020): The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon GTS is powerful, dense and brooding, with massive tannins that may never be balanced. Game, licorice, tobacco and graphite add layers of complexity, but it is hard to get past tannins that are huge and overpowering, even within the context of Diamond Mountain. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
GTS Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
GTS Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$650 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Silver Oak |
2001 |
Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$150 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 90 (2/2005): The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley (by the way, all of the Alexander Valley offerings are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon) has a big, sweet, oaky nose and a seductive panoply of spices from cedarwood to plum pudding and fruitcake notes. It is a sexy, sensual, broad, flavorful Cabernet lacking serious depth, but offering attractive fruit, plenty of ripeness, and a big wallop of American oak. Drink it over the next decade. |
|
| Sine Qua Non |
2019 |
Eleven Confessions Vyd. Syrah (1.5 L) |
$749 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 99 (6/2023): The 2019 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard is elegant and perfumed and includes 13.1% Grenache, 3.3% Petite Sirah and just a splash—0.8%—each of Viognier and Muskateller (a.k.a Muscat). It was crafted with 13% whole clusters, matured in 66% new French oak for around 39 months and was bottled in January 2022. This gorgeous Syrah opens over several days and never seems to diminish. It offers pure aromas of crème de cassis, tar, salami and ringing tones of violet. The full-bodied palate is incredibly velvety in texture, and despite its concentration and powerful style, it manages noticeable freshness and detail, with that magical violet perfume echoing across the long finish. This will develop gracefully in the cellar over the next two decades or more. 968 cases and 240 magnums were made. |
|
|
2014 |
Piranha Waterdance Syrah (1.5 L) |
$695 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (9/2017): Blended of 81% Syrah, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Touriga Nacional and 1% Graciano, sourced from 34% The Third Twin, 35% Eleven Confessions and 31% Cumulus (all estate vineyards), the provocative, inky purple colored 2014 Syrah Piranha Waterdance was made using 26% whole cluster and hits the scent scene with exuberant, pure crème de cassis, blackberry cordial and blueberry coulis notes with hints of espresso, licorice, garrigue and menthol, plus a gorgeous underlying perfume of red roses. The full-bodied palate is oh-so-elegant and pretty, revealing very finely pixelated tannins that beautifully frame the almost electric intensity, culminating in an epically long, licorice and chocolate-laced finish. Too stunning for mere words and rude to even try-just drink it. 1,839 cases and 600 magnums were produced.
VM 95-97 (9/2016): A striking, vibrant wine, the 2014 Syrah Piranha Waterdance is beautifully focused and energetic from start to finish. Plum, blueberry, lavender, mint, violet and sweet spices all take shape in the glass. This is an especially nuanced, sculpted Syrah long on class and personality. There is so much to like here. The 2014 is 81% Syrah, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Touriga Nacional and % Graciano, done with 26% whole clusters, all from Sine Qua Non's estate vineyards: 35% Eleven Confessions, 34% Third Twin and 31% Cumulus. Antonio Galloni.
WS 94 (9/2017): Rich, ripe and powerfully built, with deep and expressive smoky beef, cracked pepper and currant flavors that charge like a bull toward big but polished tannins. Best from 2019 through 2025. 1,800 cases made. |
|
|
2014 |
Shakti Grenache (1.5 L) |
$725 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (8/2017): One of the more elegant, ethereal releases from this incredible address, the 2014 Grenache Shakti checks in as blend of 88% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Petite Sirah and the rest Touriga Nacional that was fermented with 42% whole clusters and aged 21 months in just 6% new French oak, with the balance in neutral barrels. Its ruby/purple semi-opaque color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of black raspberries, black olive tapenade, leafy herbs, pepper and spring flowers. It’s not a small wine by any measure, yet it’s graceful, lively and elegant on the palate, with a full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet, polished tannin, no hard edges and a gorgeous finish. Drink this beautiful Grenache anytime over the coming 15+ years. I loved the 2013s from Manfred Krankl, and these are reminiscent of the 2010s (as are the 2015s). The 2014s are more plush and sexy, with a forward style that’s already impossible to resist. The 2015 reds were all tasted as barrel samples, and these show the firm, structured style of the vintage and I suspect are going to require bottle age to show at their best. I’ve also included the “The Third Twin” releases here, and it, like the Next Of Kyn releases, are released under a separate label and focus on the estate The Third Twin vineyard located outside of Los Alamos.
VM 95-96 (9/2016): The 2014 Grenache Shakti wraps around the palate with sumptuous fruit. Dark red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and new leather flesh out as this totally seductive Grenache from Sine Qua Non. Striking aromatics, super-expressive, bright fruit and silky tannins are some of the signatures in a delicious, delicate Grenache that is totally alluring. I suppose the 2014 is not the most structured or complex Grenache ever from Sine Qua Non, but it is a total pleasure bomb. The blend is 88% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Petite Sirah and 2% Touriga Nacional, done with 42% whole clusters. Vineyard sites are 51% Cumulus, 21.5% Eleven Confessions, 18% Third Twin and 9.5% Bien Nacido. I tasted the 2014 from tank just prior to bottling. Antonio Galloni.
WS 90 (7/2017): Dark and brooding, this showcases ripeness and intensity, offering notes of licorice, smoky pepper, beef and dried currant. Tannins frame the finish. Drink now through 2023. 1,150 cases made. |
|
|
2012 |
The Writing on the Wall Petite Sirah (1.5 L) |
$4,495 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (8/2015): The 2012 Petite Sirah The Writing on the Wall is beyond beautiful. Wonderfully delineated and nuanced, with none of the edginess or rusticity Petite often shows, The Writing on the Wall is a real stunner. Bold red cherry, pomegranate, spice and sweet floral notes are all underpinned by veins of acidity and tannin that give the wine its freshness and polish. The 2012 is 94% Petite Sirah and 6% Viognier, done with fully destemmed fruit and aged for 23 months in French oak, 20% new. Vineyard sources are 80% Third Twin, 14% Cumulus and 6% Eleven Confessions. Manfred and Elaine Krankl take Petite Sirah into a whole new realm. Unfortunately, The Writing on the Wall is also one of the rarest wines Sine Qua Non has ever made. Just 350 magnums were sold, all of them in the Sine Qua Non art label book box set. That is a real shame, as most readers will never have a chance to experience just how moving the 2012s is. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97-100 (8/2014): The 2012 Petite Sirah The Writing on the Wall should be the greatest Petite Sirah to ever come out of California (or the world?). Made from 94% Petite Sirah and 6% Viognier and aged in 80% old hogsheads and 20% in new French oak, it’s bottled only in magnum and will be sold along with the new Sine Qua Non label art book. A massive, full-bodied effort that offers incredible depth and richness without ever seeming heavy or cumbersome, it offers up blockbuster-styled aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, crushed rocks, beef blood and licorice. It should age for decades. |
|
| Somnium Cellars |
2014 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$165 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$260 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$260 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Spottswoode |
2006 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (12/2009): The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, which has taken on much greater complexity and intensity since I tasted it right after bottling, is largely all Cabernet Sauvignon with just a small amount of Cabernet Franc in the blend. The owner’s daughter, Beth Novak, and her assistants, Rosemary Cakebread and Jennifer Williams, made an intelligent decision in bottling this wine later than normal to resolve some of the tannin issues, and they have certainly succeeded. This wine, which I believe will evolve for 25 or more years, has a gorgeous nose of violets, black currants, licorice, camphor, and a hint of graphite. Layered, rich, and full-bodied, the wine has an opaque purple color as well as wonderful purity and balance. It could be considered the wine world’s version of haute couture at a top address in Paris. It’s a beauty, perfectly balanced and as flawless and seamless as a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa can be. Drink it over the next 25 years.
WS 92 (4/2010): Drying herb, mineral and graphite join grilled meat and dried currant in this taut, tannic, structured and backward youngster. Firmly tannic and chewy, very concentrated and tightly wound. Best from 2011 through 2018. 2,743 cases made.
VM 90 (6/2009): Deep ruby-red. Superripe aromas of black fruits, licorice, mocha and espresso; not currently showing the classic floral character of this wine, despite the presence of 12% cabernet franc. Big, broad, chewy and dry, with cassis and boysenberry fruit flavors currently in the background. Finishes quite tannic and a tad dry. This was bottled late, in December of '08, owing to its tannic structure and its tightness in barrel, according to winemaker Williams. (I once again scored the wonderfully fleshy yet suave 2005 estate cabernet 93 points. This wine may yet shut down in bottle but was smooth, sweet and captivating in March.) |
|
|
2008 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$399 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (12/2010): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a glorious perfume of spring flowers, blueberries and black currants, good acidity and serious tannins as well as concentration. It is slightly more restrained and backward than the seamless, compelling 2007, but the 2008 possesses lots of stuffing as well as elegance married with purity, power and rare equilibrium. Drink it over the next 2-3 decades.
VM 90-92 (6/2010): (includes 6% cabernet franc) Good medium ruby. Blackberry and bitter chocolate aromas perked up by violet, mint and a hint of pepper. A fruity, supple midweight with precise cabernet character and excellent purity of flavor. The tannins begin quite fine but mount with air, ultimately cutting off the wine's lingering dark fruit flavors. Still, this young cabernet has the edge over the estate's 2006 today. Winemaker Jennifer Williams extended the skin contact during the vinification by 7 to 10 days in 2008 (up to 41 days for some lots) and believes that this approach resulted in a softening of the tannins in the tank. The big challenge in 2008, said Williams, was to pick in multiple passes and then sort carefully. |
|
|
2009 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$595 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97 (12/2012): Another super-impressive effort, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts stunning depth and sheer power. Black currants, pencil shavings, mocha, incense and melted road tar are all woven together gracefully in this powerful, opulent wine. The tannins remain firm, so another few years of cellaring is a must. There is serious density and sheer power to burn. Today the 2009 is a touch less vibrant than the 2010, but more overt and voluptuous. A brooding, muscular finish rounds things out beautifully. The 2009 is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
WS 96 (10/2012): (WS #80 wine of 2012) This beautifully crafted red is marked by a distinctively complex and subtle mix of dried herb, baking spices and floral scents, with a tight core of currant and blackberry flavors. Finishes with a surge of flavors that build and expand. Best from 2014 through 2028. 2,992 cases made.
VM 94 (5/2012): Full ruby-red. Cassis, dark chocolate and violet on the lively nose. Seamless and lush in the style of the year, showing the roundness and finesse of the best Spottswoode vintages. Finishes with toothcoating sweet tannins and a complete absence of rough edges. This doesn't show the tannic mass of the more backward and powerful 2008 but it's suaver and has plenty of structure for a graceful evolution in bottle. |
|
|
2017 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$399 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97+ (10/2019): Made of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color and prances out of the glass with vivacious blackberries, crushed black cherries, warm black currants and red currant jelly scents plus exotic hints of cassia, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise with a waft of underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic energy and beautiful poise, with bags of bright, crunchy black and red fruit plus a firm, fine-grained texture, finishing long and spicy.
JD 96 (1/2020): Looking at the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which was bottled two months prior to my tasting, it too has a Château Margaux-like complexity and elegance, with beautiful notes of crème de cassis, sandalwood, dried flowers, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil. Harvested all pre-fire, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and remarkable purity, all making for a quintessential Spottswoode that’s going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20+ years.
VM 96 (1/2020): Spottswoode's 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has been simply tremendous on both occasions I have tasted it so far. Sweet red cherry, red plum, flowers and mint give the 2017 striking freshness to complement its decidedly mid-weight structure. The intense heat of the vintage caused ripening to slow down and yielded a wine with just 13.7% alcohol, which is low for both the estate and Napa Valley in general. Spottswoode was one of the first estates in the valley to adopt a more moderate approach to farming and that really paid off in 2017, as a wine of this level in that year could have only resulted from impeccable farming. In a word: magnificent! Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (10/2019): A soft, velvety red with dark-berry, blackcurrant and plum aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and delicious. Pretty tension of fruit and tannins. Very refined. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. Drink or hold.
WS 95 (11/2020): Features a sleek and racy edge, with damson plum, bitter cherry and black currant fruit working together, revealing pinpoints of savory, sage and iron scattered throughout. The mouthwatering finish shows the vintage's slightly brambly grip, but with superior integration and energy to most of its peers. Best from 2022 through 2038. 4,019 cases made. |
|
| Staglin Family Vineyards |
2017 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$550 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 94+ (12/2018): The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an attractive, racy wine with plush fruit, soft contours and tons of sheer immediacy. Sweet red berry fruit, floral notes, spice and mint are all nicely lifted in this enticing, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon from Staglin. The 2017 offers lovely freshness and aromatic presence in a medium-bodied Cabernet that can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| T-Vine |
2012 |
Doc Gold Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Teachworth |
2001 |
Manzanita Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$179 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2001 |
Rattlesnake Ridge Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$179 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Terlato Vineyards |
2008 |
Episode Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2009 |
Episode Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$199 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
Episode Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$269 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (4/2014): Dense and powerful, rustic and tannic, offering a core of dark berry, mocha, cedar and tobacco, marked by chewy, grainy tannins that give the flavors traction. Needs time. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2015 through 2028. 1,000 cases made.
WA 88 (10/2013): The 2010 Proprietary Red Episode (44% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot) is a more Pomerol-styled effort displaying a deep ruby color, lots of mocha and black cherry notes, soft tannins and a round, hedonistic appeal. This elegant, pure 2010 is ideal for drinking over the next 5-6 years. |
|
| Tor |
2019 |
Black Magic Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$750 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (5/2022): A best-blend, best-barrel selection, Tor's 2019 Black Magic offers up waves of cassis, black cherries, dark chocolate and dark loam. It's full-bodied and rich, expansive, plush and velvety. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc, there are 300 cases of this incredibly seductive effort. The only question well-heeled buyers will have to consider is whether it is really that much better than some of the single-vineyard efforts.
VM 97 (1/2022): The 2019 Black Magic is a fabulous conclusion to this tasting with Tor Kenward and Jeff Ames. Ample and flamboyant to the core, the 2019 Black Magic captures all the natural intensity of the Tor house style. Layers of dark fruit, chocolate, espresso, licorice, sweet spice and copious new oak build over time. Black Magic is the flagship wine in this range, but it is a bit pushed in style and not my personal favorite in the range, for what that is worth. Antonio Galloni.
JD 98 (12/2021): Based on co-ferments of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Petit Verdot (15%), and Cabernet Franc (9%), mostly from the To Kalon and Vine Hill Ranch vineyards, the 2019 Black Magic is a stunning wine that flirts with perfection, and I'd put it up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. It offers a kaleidoscopic array of red, blue, and black fruits, notes of sandalwood, graphite, iron, and tobacco leaf, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and a monster of a finish. The balance here is spot on, it has the supple, round, classic 2019 mouthfeel, and while it's already a sensational drink, it's going to evolve for 25+ years. It's another incredible wine from this team. |
|
|
2015 |
Napa Valley 2 Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$350 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2018): The 2015 Red Wine is a blend of 44% Petit Verdot from Vine Hill Ranch, 44% Cabernet Franc from To Kalon and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kalon. Dark, rich and explosive, the 2015 hits the palate with serious intensity and brooding power. Gravel, graphite, smoke, and black cherry infuse this persistent, super-intriguing wine. The Red Wine is eccentric and massively tannic, but also very long on class. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2014 |
Napa Valley Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$350 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Verite |
2014 |
La Joie Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$599 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (12/2017): The estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon dominated release is the 2014 La Joie and it’s an incredible wine based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot. Reminding me of a top vintage of Ducru-Beaucaillou (the 2010?) with it’s incredibly classic Cabernet character, it offers thrilling notes of crème de cassis, exotic flowers, liquid rock-like minerality, and graphite and lead pencil nuances. Deep, concentrated, and backward, it has perfect balance, good acidity, and an undeniable Bordeaux-like weight and texture. It’s nowhere near primetime and needs 5-7 years of cellaring and is going to keep for three decades.
VM 97.5 (3/2017): The 2014 La Joie exudes freshness, energy and intensity. Black cherry, plum, licorice, lavender espresso and expressive spiced notes are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Raspberry jam, wild flowers, mint and gently spiced notes are laced into the super-expressive, silky finish. A final kick of Cabernet Sauvignon intensity adds lift in the 2014 La Joie, Vérité's Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (8/2023): Deep ruby-garnet, the 2014 La Joie is alluringly tertiary on the nose with tones of iodine and truffle, old cigars, dried tobacco and blackcurrant. The medium-bodied palate is velvety and seamless, and the wine is showing a structural harmony and ideal balance of fruit and umami character. It's drinking beautifully! |
|
|
2014 |
La Joie Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$625 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (12/2017): The estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon dominated release is the 2014 La Joie and it’s an incredible wine based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot. Reminding me of a top vintage of Ducru-Beaucaillou (the 2010?) with it’s incredibly classic Cabernet character, it offers thrilling notes of crème de cassis, exotic flowers, liquid rock-like minerality, and graphite and lead pencil nuances. Deep, concentrated, and backward, it has perfect balance, good acidity, and an undeniable Bordeaux-like weight and texture. It’s nowhere near primetime and needs 5-7 years of cellaring and is going to keep for three decades.
VM 97.5 (3/2017): The 2014 La Joie exudes freshness, energy and intensity. Black cherry, plum, licorice, lavender espresso and expressive spiced notes are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Raspberry jam, wild flowers, mint and gently spiced notes are laced into the super-expressive, silky finish. A final kick of Cabernet Sauvignon intensity adds lift in the 2014 La Joie, Vérité's Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (8/2023): Deep ruby-garnet, the 2014 La Joie is alluringly tertiary on the nose with tones of iodine and truffle, old cigars, dried tobacco and blackcurrant. The medium-bodied palate is velvety and seamless, and the wine is showing a structural harmony and ideal balance of fruit and umami character. It's drinking beautifully! |
|
|
2013 |
La Muse Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$665 |
2 |
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| |
| WA 96 (8/2023): The 2013 La Muse is maturing gracefully and offers noticeable detail at this stage. Deep garnet in color, its dried wild black and blue berry fruit is complemented by umami-like wafts of shiitake, steak sauce and aniseed. The full-bodied palate is softening and fresh, with a generous core of juicy fruit, heightened complexity from savory notes of maturity and a singular, umami-and-berry finish. It's drinking wonderfully, although it's not quite at its peak. |
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2014 |
La Muse Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$695 |
2 |
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WA 100 (8/2016): The 2014 La Muse (2,800 cases ) is a legendary effort. The wine offers an opaque purple color and a gorgeous nose of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, incense, Asian spice, cocoa, plum, and a touch of chocolate and barrique. On the palate, more cassis and blackberry come to the forefront. The wine is unctuous, with adequate acidity and a stunning energy underneath the massive fruit and body. This is a spectacularly fragrant and, at the same time, dense wine, with enough structure (somewhat surprising in this vintage) to last 35-45+ years. The final blend was 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.
JD 97+ (12/2017): A gorgeous effort as well, the 2014 La Muse is a Merlot-dominated cuvee blended with 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. This deep ruby/purple-colored beauty boasts a terrific perfume of black raspberries, cassis, graphite, chocolate, and a beautiful earthy minerality. This isn’t your over the top, opulent Merlot and shows incredible class and purity, as well as full-bodied richness, high, yet integrated tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. It’s not anywhere close to primetime (which is rare for a 2014) and needs 4-5 years at a minimum. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived.
VM 96 (3/2017): A huge, opulent wine, the 2014 La Muse wraps around the palate with tons of super-ripe dark red fruit, chocolate, spice and menthol. La Muse often shuts down after bottling, but the 2014 is still remarkably intense and voluptuous, with soft contours, silky tannins and exceptional balance. The purity of the flavors here is remarkable. Antonio Galloni. |
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2013 |
Le Desir Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$675 |
2 |
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| WA 99 (10/2015): The 2013 Le Desir represents 2,500 cases. This is the softest of the three wines in 2013, and this blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec emerges with more than half of the cuvée coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 37% from Chalk Hill and the rest tiny dollops from Bennett Valley and Knights Valley. Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine is showing incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and incredible finish, with incense and licorice. This is magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Vérité was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength. |
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|
2014 |
Le Desir Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$675 |
2 |
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JD 99 (12/2017): A blend of 53% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Malbec, the 2014 Le Desir is monumental stuff that has a Château Ausone-like character that’s hard to describe. its vibrant purple color is followed by a to-die-for bouquet of blackcurrants, black raspberries, cedar, tobacco leaf, and charcoal. This gives way to a concentrated, rich, yet incredibly delineated wine that has fine, fine tannin, notable freshness and purity, and a great finish. While blockbuster stuff, it’s for consumers with cold cellars and lots of patience. I’d hide bottles for 7-8 years and it’s going to keep for another 3+ decades.
VM 97 (3/2017): The 2014 Le Désir is the most inward of these 2014s from Vérité. Dark raspberry jam, wild flowers, spice, pencil shavings, mocha, lavender and licorice infuse this deep, powerful, structured Cabernet Franc-based blend. The interplay of dense, sumptuous fruit and aromatic freshness makes for an absolutely compelling wine.
WA 98 (10/2016): The 2014 Le Désir (53% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec) has an inky purple color and a sweet kiss of chocolate, black truffle, forest floor, black raspberry and black currants. Opulent, but again structured and super-dense and pure, this is another massively concentrated wine meant for the long haul (and for our grandchildren). Give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 35-40 years. Remarkably, Pierre Seillan told me that 2014, while a drought year, was not actually that hot in the micro-terroirs he was working, but in terms of quality, it turned out to be the most surprisingly positive vintage he’s ever witnessed. |
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2018 |
Le Desir Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$675 |
2 |
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JD 98+ (7/2021): The Cabernet Franc blend of the trio, the 2018 Le Desir is 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Malbec, and as with all these wines, it was brought up in new barrels. Ruby/purple and not completely opaque, it offers up a classic Cabernet Franc nose of mostly red fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, cedary spices, and truffle. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its incredible elegance and purity more than outright power, yet it still brings plenty of richness. With ultra-fine tannins, perfect balance, and one heck of a great finish, it's another great, great wine from this estate.
WA 97+ (7/2021): Composed of 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Malbec, the 2018 Le Désir was aged for 16 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to offer glimpses at notes of kirsch, raspberry preserves and mulberry scents, plus hints of cedar chest, crushed rocks, bay leaves, Sichuan pepper and lavender with a waft of sandalwood. The medium to full-bodied palate has tons of freshness to support the melange of preserved red and black fruits, textured by grainy tannins, finishing with a lingering peppery kick. It may require just a little more time to come around than the La Joie and La Muse, and then I suspect this beauty is going to reward the patient. |
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| Viader |
1996 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$149 |
1 |
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VM 90 (6/1999): Good deep ruby-red. Very complex, slightly roasted aromas of plum, cassis, cedar, tobacco and smoky oak; has a liqueur-like ripeness. Large-scaled, soft and harmonious; not as dense or deep as the '97 but quite lush and plummy for the vintage. Finishes with firm, tongue-coating tannins.
WA 88 (12/1998): A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Cabernet Franc, from Viader's beautiful hillside vineyards, this 1996 is made in a polished, graceful style. Medium-bodied, with lush, herb-tinged, raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with mineral and lead pencil notes, this lovely, stylish, restrained offering already provides pleasant drinking, yet should keep for 10-12 years. |
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| Vineyard 29 |
1999 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$255 |
1 |
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| WA 89 (8/2002): The 1999 exhibits cassis and licorice characteristics, along with considerable smoky new oak. Although the finish is angular and tough, everything else is impressive, including pure, ripe, concentrated fruit, medium body, Bordeaux-like, austere tannin, and good density, sweetness, and richness. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the following decade. |
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| Williams Selyem |
2020 |
Estate Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$245 |
2 |
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| | USA White |
| Donelan |
2015 |
Venus Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$119 |
1 |
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| JD 88 (6/2019): The 2015 Venus is cut from the same cloth yet doesn’t have the texture or density of the 2014. White currants, white peach, and citrus notes as well as a touch of salty minerality all emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant, streamlined white that’s going to continue drinking nicely for another 7-8 years (probably longer). |
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| Peter Michael Winery |
2022 |
Cuvee Indigene Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$375 |
1 |
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| WA 97-100 (2/2024): I tasted the 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène from tank as bottling was taking place at Peter Michael Winery. Brown sugar and meringue aromas give way to intense peach cobbler and jasmine underpinned by stony notes. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated, shimmery citrus and spice flavors, and its luxurious, satiny texture drives a hauntingly long finish. |
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2018 |
Point Rouge Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$725 |
1 |
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| WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Chardonnay Point Rouge is composed of the best barrels from the entire estate. Floral notes of citron blossoms and honeysuckle leap from the glass, over a core of grapefruit, yuzu and ripe pears with hints of struck match, almond croissant and lime zest. The medium to full-bodied palate has a racy backbone supporting the tightly wound citrus and pear flavors with a lovely creaminess to the texture and a very long finish packed with tension and bursting with fruit. While it is tempting to drink now, it’s going to really impress with another 2-3 years in bottle and drink for a further 15 years+. |
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| | Australia |
| Hundred Acre |
2005 |
Summer’s Block Ancient Way Shiraz (1.5 L) |
$895 |
1 |
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| VM 93 (8/2014): Opaque ruby. Deeply pitched dark fruit preserve aromas show a superripe, decadent character, with notes of candied flowers, olive paste and pipe tobacco adding complexity. Broad, fleshy and smoky on the palate, offering an array of dark fruit liqueur and exotic spice flavors and a touch of candied licorice. Finishes with serious cling, plush tannins and resonating smoke and berry compote notes. Josh Raynolds. |
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| Torbreck |
2005 |
The Laird Shiraz (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label |
$1,500 |
3 |
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| WA 100 (12/2010): The Laird is Powell’s new baby, coming from a single 5 acre / 2 hectare vineyard of Shiraz in the Marananga sub-region planted in the 1960s that recently became available for contracting. This is a very different wine from Run Rig. What is most striking about it is the combination of power and elegance in this first vintage, coming from a very good year in the Barossa. Matured for 3 years in new Dominique Laurent “Magic Casks” (Troncais French oak barriques with thicker staves designed for the long aging of Shiraz), 2005 The Laird gives a deep garnet color and pronounced nose that shows savory and spice notes over the fruit, with aromas of hung meat, Peking duck, fertile loam, underbrush, tree bark, anise, cumin seed, menthol, dried roses and lavender over warm black cherries, crush blackberries and fruit cake. The tight-knit, full-bodied palate is very fine with a high level of silt-like tannins and crisp acid running through the concentrated fruit and savory flavors, finishing very long with lingering earth and spice notes. At 14.8% declared alcohol, this is by no means one of the biggest wines in the Barossa, but it is most certainly one of the best. It’s an absolute joy to drink now but it is recommended readers give it 4-5 years more in bottle to soften and marry and enjoy it to 2030+. |
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| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2023 |
Pessac Leognan (1.5 L) |
$789 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
1996 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) |
$750 |
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Sold Out
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| | Burgundy Red |
| Joseph Drouhin |
1995 |
Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches (1.5 L) |
$275 |
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Sold Out
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| Maison Henri Boillot |
2022 |
Bourgogne Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$89.99 |
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Sold Out
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| | Burgundy White |
| Dom. Guy Amiot & Fils |
2013 |
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets (1.5 L) |
$500 |
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Sold Out
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| | Rhone Red |
| Dom. Chante Cigale |
2010 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (1.5 L) |
$125 |
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Sold Out
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|
| | Italy |
| Castelgiocondo (Frescobaldi) |
1997 |
Brunello di Montalcino (1.5 L) |
$315 |
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Sold Out
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| Piero Antinori |
1985 |
Tignanello (1.5 L) |
$795 |
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Sold Out
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| Pio Cesare |
2019 |
Barolo (1.5 L) |
$139.99 |
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Sold Out
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| Sottimano |
2017 |
Barbaresco Pajore (1.5 L) |
$129.99 |
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Sold Out
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| |
|
| | USA Red |
| Amuse Bouche |
2014 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$399 |
|
Sold Out
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| Au Sommet |
2014 |
Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$450 |
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Sold Out
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| Ch. Montelena |
2015 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$150 |
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Sold Out
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| Continuum |
2013 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$399 |
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Sold Out
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| Dana Estates |
2013 |
Helms Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$850 |
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Sold Out
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| Dominus |
1994 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$950 |
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Sold Out
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2012 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$475 |
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Sold Out
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2018 |
Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$625 |
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Sold Out
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| DuMol |
2000 |
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$50 |
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Sold Out
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| George Wine Company |
2016 |
Ceremonial Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$150 |
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Sold Out
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2009 |
Hansen Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$125 |
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Sold Out
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| Heitz Cellar |
2001 |
Trailside Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$249 |
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Sold Out
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| Justin |
2008 |
Isosceles Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$120 |
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Sold Out
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| Kosta Browne |
2019 |
Kanzler Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$215 |
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Sold Out
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| Rhys |
2013 |
Alpine Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$145 |
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Sold Out
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| Robert Foley Vineyards |
2008 |
Howell Mtn. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$349 |
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Sold Out
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| Saxum |
2006 |
Booker Vyd. Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$285 |
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Sold Out
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| Sequoia Grove |
2012 |
Cambium Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$245 |
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Sold Out
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| Shafer Vineyards |
2015 |
Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$595 |
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Sold Out
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| Sine Qua Non |
2019 |
Distenta I Syrah (1.5 L) |
$599 |
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Sold Out
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2021 |
Distenta III Syrah (1.5 L) |
$549 |
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Sold Out
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| Stag's Leap Wine Cellars |
2002 |
Fay Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$159 |
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Sold Out
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|
| | USA White |
| Kosta Browne |
2015 |
Special K Bootlegger’s Hill Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$215 |
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Sold Out
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