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Inventory updated: Fri, Dec 14, 2018 03:35 PM cst
Large Formats - Old World
We sent a great list of domestic large formats yesterday, and today we wanted to highlight our equally impressive selection of big bottles from Europe. It's party season and you know you are going to need more than one bottle of wine for your next party - why not make a splash with a large format (or two)? It's a win-win, you have to open less bottles, and your guests are impressed because big bottles are well, impressive! Choose from a deep list full of top Old World producers like Beaucastel, Gaja, Haut-Brion, Jadot and Ch. Margaux to name just a few. Put a couple of big bottles in your cart and make your entertaining easier - happy hunting!
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Tuesday, December 4, 2018. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Calon-Segur |
2005 |
St. Estephe (1.5 L)  |
$284.99 |
20 |
|
| |
JS 94 (11/2015): Tight and dense still but so integrated and seamless in texture. Aromas of chocolate, hazelnuts, dried spices and currants. Full body, superfine tannins and a texture that is so caressing and beautiful. Drink or hold.
NM 94 (3/2015): Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2005 Calon Segur is on par with the wonderful 2000. The only real difference is that this needs more time in bottle. It has a captivating nose: blackberry and boysenberry fruit coming at you at full pelt; dried blood and bacon fat developing as secondary aromas just behind. There is fine delineation here - an underlying mineralité sure to surface with time. The palate is very intense and disarmingly youthful, almost ferrous on the entry with layers of ripe black fruit that segue into an earthy finish (with a curious light tang of Marmite on the aftertaste!). It is a fabulous Calon Ségur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see.
WA 93 (6/2015): The 2005 is a beautiful Calon Ségur, with sweet mocha, black cherry, leathery fruit, medium to full body, attractive purity, a gorgeous texture, and serious nobility, gravitas and density. Drink it over the next 20-30 years, yet it is surprisingly accessible.
WS 93 (3/2008): Has a beautiful nose of crushed berry, spices and nutmeg, with a hint of coffee. Then turns to licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish of vanilla, berry and cinnamon. Beautifully crafted. Best after 2014. 17,500 cases made.
VM 92+ (6/2008): Deep, bright ruby-red. Deeply pitched aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, leather, smoked meat, earth and menthol. Chewy, brooding and deep, with concentrated black cherry, menthol, mineral and leather flavors framed by a powerful spine of acids and tannins. Really saturates the palate on the tannic back end. I'd give this classic St. Estephe a decade of aging, at which time this wine may well merit an even higher score. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2009 |
St. Estephe (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$248 |
10 |
|
| |
WA 94 (2/2012): The 2009 has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) ever included in a Calon-Segur (the rest is Merlot and Petit Verdot). Completely different from its St.-Estephe brethren, it is more backward and structured with a dense purple color, lots of black cherry, black currant, loamy earth, forest floor and spice notes, excruciatingly high levels of tannin, and a wonderful inner core of sweetness and concentration. It could behave like the 1982, which, at age 30, is just becoming mature. The 2009 is an uncompromising, masculine, massive style of wine that needs 15-20 years of cellaring even in this luscious, flashy, flamboyant vintage. It is super-tight and needs lots of coaxing and aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2050+.
VM 94 (7/2012): Good dark red. Musky, highly complex nose offers plum, blackcurrant, camphor, menthol, violet and lavender. Remarkably silky and fine-grained, combining Outstanding subtle concentration and terrific inner-mouth energy. This very rich but classically dry Saint-Estephe finishes with lush, noble tannins and Outstanding complexity. A great vintage for this estate, and a classic claret in a traditional style.
WS 93-96 (8/2010): Delivers gorgeous aromas of blackberry, blueberry and licorice, with hints of tobacco and spice. Full-bodied, offering a lovely texture and refinement. Very long and beautiful, with tangy acidity and lively fruit. A rich, yet very balanced, Calon. This is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon instead of the normal blend with 40 percent Merlot. The château is now using 100 percent new wood. Like the changes. |
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|
2010 |
St. Estephe (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$269 |
12 |
|
| |
JS 96 (11/2013): Sure pure fruit to this red with a minerality and floral undertone. You can smell the warm stones. Full body, with a beautiful depth of fruit and velvety tannins. Dense and balanced. Layered with a light salty and meaty character as well. Great length. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2017.
WA 94+ (2/2013): The 2010 is performing well,. With Cabernet Sauvignon dominating the blend, the wine has a dense plum/purple color along with notes of underbrush, black currants, plum, licorice, smoky charcuterie and some roasted herbs in the background. Full-bodied, moderately tannic and set for an extremely long life, this will not be a wine to please those looking for immediate gratification. Rather, I would suspect this wine will close down even further in bottle and, despite its full-bodied, powerful, massive size, it will need at least a decade of cellaring before it is accessible. This is another 2010 capable of lasting 35-50 years.
VM 94 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Calon-Segur 2010 has a clean and fresh, classic bouquet with black fruit, leather, scorched earth and bay leaf scents that unfold gently in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, light acidity, very fine harmony and a dash of white pepper towards the long finish. This is classy and sophisticated, a great wine from Francois Millet and his team.
VM 93+ (7/2013): Bright, full medium ruby. Deep aromas of cassis, cigar box, olive tapenade and licorice. Then vinous and penetrating in the mouth, with excellent lift to its complex flavors of dried cherry, cassis, tobacco, flowers, minerals and spices. Wonderfully suave but youthfully backward wine with a very long, smooth finish featuring noble tannins and fresh acidity. This will need a good eight to ten years to expand in bottle and should be long-lived.
WS 89 (12/2013): On the rustic side, with strong bay and chestnut leaf notes and a peppery meatiness up front, followed by slightly chewy black currant and blackberry fruit flavors. Shows lots of charcoal on the dusty finish, while the leafy elements flicker in and out. Displays flesh and dense fruit, but lacks purity and may not be for everyone. The peppery note wins out in the end. Best from 2014 through 2028. |
|
| Ch. Cantemerle |
2009 |
Haut Medoc (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$119 |
10 |
|
| |
JS 95 (2/2012): Gorgeous ripe fruit character, with loads of blueberries, blackberries and flowers. Full body, with velvety tannins and a fruity, fresh, grapefruit aftertaste. Really beautiful. Best ever from here. Best after 2018.
WA 91+ (2/2012): Readers looking for the more ethereal, elegant side of Bordeaux need search no further than Cantemerle, one of the estates in the very southern end of the Medoc. Dense ruby/purple (nearly opaque), this wine offers up notes of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, raspberries and black cherries. The wine is ethereal, medium-bodied, and by no means a blockbuster, but long and intellectual. However, the tannins are present, and the wine is certainly capable of putting on weight with time in the bottle. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25+ years.
VM 90+ (7/2012): Bright, deep ruby-red. High-pitched, inky aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice. Juicy, lively and penetrating, with a restrained sweetness and a distinctly cool quality to its black fruit and graphite flavors. Nicely dense but not a fleshy style of 2009. Finishes with firm tannins and sneaky length, and a light touch. I'd lay this down for five or six years; it should last for a good two decades.
WS 91 (3/2012): This broad, fleshy style delivers toasty spice and tobacco notes up front, followed by dark cocoa, crushed plum and mulled blackberry fruit flavors. This really stretches out nicely in the glass, with alluring dark fruit and a velvety feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2017. 33,330 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Cheval-Blanc |
2007 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,025 |
6 |
|
| |
NM 94 (1/2011): Tasted blind at the 2007 Bordeaux horizontal in Southwold. Very broody and peppery on the nose: ripe Cabernet Franc in excelsis, very fine definition - this has to be Lafleur. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, gritty and tertiary flavours, a touch of spice, almost curmudgeonly towards the finish - but that would be Lafleur! Hints of chestnut and cooked meat towards the finish, this remains a more masculine, Left Bank style of Cheval Blanc but it certainly has class.
VM 92 (8/2010): Bright red-ruby. Perfumed aromas of violet, licorice and smoke. Like liquid silk in the mouth, with captivating inner-mouth perfume of berries, smoky oak and flowers. The broad, dusty tannins reach the front teeth. Doesn't possess the force or dimension of a great vintage but offers the advantage of early sweetness. Not particularly backward today, but there's more to come.
WS 91 (3/2010): Starts off with loads of fresh herbs that turn to black licorice and sweet blackberry on the nose. Full-bodied, with a big, soft, velvety tannin structure. Long and caressing, with wonderful texture. Really builds on the palate. So delicious already. Best after 2012. 4,250 cases made.
WA 91 (4/2010): A strong effort in this vintage, the evolved, perfumed, purple-tinged 2007 Cheval Blanc offers complex aromas of menthol, cedarwood, mulberries, and black currants. Medium-bodied with beautiful fruit, sweet tannin, and a heady finish, this lovely wine should drink well for 10-15 years. |
|
|
2009 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$2,100 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): Utter perfection in wine, the 2009 Cheval Blanc is the complete opposite of the 2010 and has soaring, complex aromatics, an expansive, sexy, full-bodied texture, and building, yet sweet tannin. Kirsch, currants, incense, exotic spices and leather nuances all emerge from this almost over the top, heavenly 2009 that carries its wealth of fruit and extravagant personality perfectly. It’s young, but good lord is it good.
WA 99 (2/2012): It will be fascinating to follow the evolution of the 2009 Cheval Blanc versus the 2010 as well as the awesome 2005, 2000, 1998 and 1990. This famous estate’s vineyard is situated at the juncture of Pomerol and the sandy, gravelly soils of St.-Emilion, facing the two noble estates of L’Evangile and La Conseillante. A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2009 Cheval Blanc tips the scales at just under 14% natural alcohol. Its dense blue/purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary nose of incense, raspberries, cassis, sweet forest floor and a subtle hint of menthol. Opulent and full-bodied with low acidity but no sense of heaviness, this dense, unctuously textured, super-smooth, velvety, pure, profound Cheval Blanc is impossible to resist despite its youthfulness. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050+.
JS 99 (2/2012): This is ethereal. The nose is so perfumed and beautiful, with dried flowers, fresh mint, blueberries and plums that follow through to a full body and incredible power of super fine tannins. It's almost like a Romanee-Conti in texture and length. The fresh acidity makes it bright. It's all about texture. 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Try in 2022.
WS 98 (3/2012): Dense, brooding and richly coated, with a well of steeped black currant, fig paste and roasted plum fruit to draw on while the layers of charcoal, Kenya AA coffee and loam resolve themselves. This displays both breadth and depth, offering a great undercurrent of acidity to match its heft. Should be among the most long-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2017 through 2035. 7,330 cases made.
NM 97 (1/2013): Apparently the final blend of the Cheval Blanc 2009 included 64% Cabernet Franc – perhaps a moot point given just how splendid this Saint Emilion is turning out. It has an extravagant, heavenly bouquet that immediately goes out to make an impression with exuberant wild strawberry, black olive compote, black truffle and minerals. The oak is beautifully interwoven. The palate is full-bodied with super fine tensile tannins, great purity and elegant. This has more tension that its peers: shimmering with complexity and vibrancy. Long and quite profound on the finish, this is a marvellous 2009 – but having tasting it recently – could the 2010 be even better?
VM 97 (7/2012): Bright red-ruby. Flamboyant yet classy aromas and flavors of raspberry, mocha, coffee and herbs. Like liquid velvet in the mouth, but with great lift and perfume giving the wine Outstanding inner-palate verve. Wonderfully rich and classically dry Cheval with noble tannins, strong mineral energy and great lingering aromatic character. Atypically full and approachable for young Cheval Blanc but I'm not complaining. One of the longest wines of the vintage, and among my handful of favorites. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2010 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$2,750 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (2/2013): The 2010 is one of the most impressive two-year-old Cheval Blancs I have tasted in 34 years in this profession. The final blend of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot has the tell-tale berry/floral nose with subtle hints of menthol, blueberry, raspberry and flowers in addition to some forest floor and a delicate touch of lead pencil shavings. The wine exhibits more structure and density than it did from barrel, and it was already remarkable then. The foresty/floral notes seem to linger and linger in this surprisingly full-bodied, powerful Cheval Blanc, yet it possesses a very healthy pH that should ensure enormous longevity. Dense purple in color, and a bigger, richer wine than usual, this is one Cheval Blanc that will probably need a decade of cellaring. I like the description from the estate’s administrator, Pierre Lurton, who said it tasted like “liquid cashmere,” a perfect expression, despite the wine’s structure and intensity. This is another 50-year wine from this amazingly structured, rich vintage.
JS 100 (11/2013): The aromas here are crazy with flowers, mushroom, forest floor, and fruit. It seems like I am walking through a row of the vines in Cheval Blanc when I have my nose in the glass. It's full-bodied, with fabulous layers of ultra-fine tannins and milk chocolate, raspberries, and a phenomenal finish. Truly one of the greatest Chevals ever. Better than 2009. Try in 2020.
WS 98 (3/2013): This is stone-cold shut down right now, but why worry? You'll want to wait at least a decade before breaching a bottle as massively endowed as this, with loads of loamy bass notes thumping along underneath a riveting track of licorice snap, pastis-steeped black currant fruit, maduro tobacco and espresso. And then there's an echo of petrichor at the very end that hints at the aromatic fireworks to come with cellaring. Should compete for wine of the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2040.
NM 98 (1/2014): The stellar Cheval Blanc 2010 has a very precise bouquet, not powerful but exuding a brooding intensity. It is very well defined with hints of honey and dried violet petals in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a wondrous spicy entry, perfectly judged acidity, real weight and heft on the back palate that fans out as if there is no tomorrow. This is a huge wine, totally compelling, a behemoth destined to mature over years rather than decades. Tasted January 2014.
VM 95+ (7/2013): Good bright, deep red. Captivating scents of cassis, violet, minerals, bitter chocolate and wild herbs. Extremely fine-grained but also very dense and chewy for young Cheval Blanc, showing great cabernet franc lift and perfume and a downright velvety texture. This deep, multilayered wine was a bit dominated by its brooding tannins and big structure when first poured, but I found my score going steadily higher as the wine benefited from air. My rating may look too conservative a decade from now--or three or four decades hence. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2012 |
St. Emilion (3.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$2,299 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 98 (3/2011): This has a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts, and spices. It’s pretty much perfect. Full bodied, with beautiful fine tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. Please don’t touch this until 2020.
NM 95-97 (5/2013): The Grand Vin is a blend of 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc, 26th September until the 13th October that comes from 35 different parcels. The picking is done in the vineyard for the first sorting by the pickers and then sorted by hand as they are sure delicate than using optical sorting machine. It has a dense, broody nose that has the looming presence of the Quinault L’Enclos. It veers towards a red fruit profile, with “rocky” aromas, perhaps a touch of marmalade and quince. The palate is medium-bodied but displays very good concentration for the vintages. It feels very harmonious – silky but with a citric acid edge that lends the finish the tension it needs to maintain the freshness. This will probably become a masculine Cheval Blanc that will need a decade in bottle.
WS 95 (3/2015): This wine is gorgeous in all facets, offering a simultaneously loamy and creamy mouthfeel, seamless layers of red and black currant, cherry, raspberry and blackberry fruit, and a long, tobacco-fueled finish that features alluring hints of black tea and incense. The fruit and terroir shine in this broad, deep and defined style. Best from 2018 through 2030. 7,665 cases made.
WA 94 (4/2015): A beautiful wine that always seems to drink well, the 2012 Cheval Blanc has a sweet, fragrant nose of black and red currants, floral nuances and spice. Supple, round and juicy, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for another 15 or more years. |
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|
2012 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,099 |
12 |
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| |
JS 98 (3/2011): This has a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts, and spices. It’s pretty much perfect. Full bodied, with beautiful fine tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. Please don’t touch this until 2020.
NM 95-97 (5/2013): The Grand Vin is a blend of 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc, 26th September until the 13th October that comes from 35 different parcels. The picking is done in the vineyard for the first sorting by the pickers and then sorted by hand as they are sure delicate than using optical sorting machine. It has a dense, broody nose that has the looming presence of the Quinault L’Enclos. It veers towards a red fruit profile, with “rocky” aromas, perhaps a touch of marmalade and quince. The palate is medium-bodied but displays very good concentration for the vintages. It feels very harmonious – silky but with a citric acid edge that lends the finish the tension it needs to maintain the freshness. This will probably become a masculine Cheval Blanc that will need a decade in bottle.
WS 95 (3/2015): This wine is gorgeous in all facets, offering a simultaneously loamy and creamy mouthfeel, seamless layers of red and black currant, cherry, raspberry and blackberry fruit, and a long, tobacco-fueled finish that features alluring hints of black tea and incense. The fruit and terroir shine in this broad, deep and defined style. Best from 2018 through 2030. 7,665 cases made.
WA 94 (4/2015): A beautiful wine that always seems to drink well, the 2012 Cheval Blanc has a sweet, fragrant nose of black and red currants, floral nuances and spice. Supple, round and juicy, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for another 15 or more years. |
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| Ch. Clerc Milon |
2010 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$239 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2013): Gorgeous currants and spices with licorice on the nose. Full body, with super integrated tannins and a long, long finish. The texture and beautiful fruit just wants you to drink this. Give it time but hard to wait. Try in 2016.
WA 94 (2/2013): One the finest Clerc Milons I have ever tasted, and showing better from bottle than from barrel, this blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and the rest a tiny bit of Carmenere and Petit Verdot has a complex nose of cedar wood, red and black fruits, white chocolate and creme de cassis. A very powerful wine at 14.5% natural alcohol (quite high for a Medoc), this wine has impressive purity and texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel, relatively sweet tannin, but an already endearing complexity, length and richness that are hard to ignore. This is a superb effort and one of the wines that is usually reasonably priced among the classified growths.
WS 93-96 (7/2011): Offers a more rounded feel, with cassis, black licorice and plum sauce carried by very supple but substantial tannins and terrific acidity. The long finish has a solid tarry edge. Tasted non-blind.
VM 90-93 (6/2011): (50% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 11% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot and 1% carmenere; 14% alcohol) Deep ruby-purple. Dense, rich nose redolent of cassis, dried herbs and violet, with a refreshing note of mint emerging with air. Smooth, full and rich on entry, with pure, precise black fruit and herbal flavors. Big, strapping tannins are silky and sweet. A very big, expressive Clerc Milon that manages to deploy its considerable power with uncommon charm and refinement. Call me crazy, but I thought I could pick up the green pepper note given by the carmenere. Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, who was previously at Opus One for ten years, has worked for the past two years at Clerc Milon with Philippe Dhalluin (the technical director and general manager of the Mouton estates), and his involvement is starting to show in a string of ever-improving wines from Clerc Milon. And the greater attention to detail can't be a bad thing either, given the difficulties presented by working with such a high-quality but complex site (230 different parcels of vines!). This 2010 struck me as much better than the 2009. |
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| Ch. Clinet |
2010 |
Pomerol (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$349.99 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 97 (2/2013): Gorgeous nose with lots of dark fruit like plum and blueberries. Crushed pepper and chalk with wild strawberries and vanilla. Dense and velvety on the palate with superbly polished tannins and great depth. It's absolutely gorgeous now but needs at least five to six years of bottle age to really shows its great quality.
WA 96+ (2/2013): The blend is largely dominated by 85% Merlot, with some Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Cabernet Franc also included. Inky/purple-colored, the wine has an exceptionally full-bodied, layered, moderately tannic mouthfeel and impressive power. Loads of melted chocolate/fudge and black fruits galore along with some coffee bean, mocha, as well as some background oak are all present in this big, formidably endowed, masculine style of Pomerol that will take longer to shed its tannin than the 2009. I would give this wine 5-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30+ years.
WS 95 (3/2013): This showy, packed and well-endowed Pomerol pumps out notes of warm linzer torte, plum preserves and blackberry reduction, all supported by a broad, charcoal- and ganache-coated structure and deeply embedded acidity. Very muscular on the back end, this boasts a still-chewy feel. Among the most backward of the 2010 Pomerols, this requires significant cellaring. For those who enjoy more power than subtlety. Best from 2017 through 2035. 3,333 cases made.
NM 94 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clinet 2010 has a tempting truffle-scented bouquet with fine delineation - crushed violets developing beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp red berry fruit on the entry, fine angular tannins with a tart but focused, tense finish. This is a fabulous Clinet from Ronan Laborde and his team, although I suspect that the 2009 Clinet may eventually turn out to be the superior wine.
VM 93 (7/2013): Good deep ruby-red. Brooding, superripe aromas of blackberry, plum and coffee. Seriously concentrated and dense, but with juicy acidity giving energy and definition to the thick flavors of dark plum, flowers and potpourri spices. This very suave, plush wine finishes with substantial but noble tannins that dust the front teeth. This big boy has the stuffing and structure for a slow and graceful evolution in bottle. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Figeac |
2010 |
St. Emilion (3.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,099.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 98 (2/2013): This is phenomenal on the nose with blackberries, fresh cep mushrooms, forest fruit, and earth. Turns to hazelnuts and dark berries. Subtle. Breathtaking. It's full-bodied on the palate, with superb tannins that last for minutes. The flavor is subtle yet incredible. Love the texture. It is the same wonderful quality level as 2009. This is so fabulous to taste now, but so much better in 2018.
WS 96 (3/2013): This is very tight, showing a prominent roasted apple wood and bittersweet cocoa frame more today, though the core of dense currant paste, blackberry pâte de fruit and plum sauce waits in reserve. Gorgeous singed spice, anise and toasted fig bread notes flitter through the finish, though this needs some time in the cellar to resolve itself fully. A very distinctive, structured expression of St.-Emilion. Best from 2016 through 2035.
VM 91+ (7/2013): Bright ruby-red. Cassis, blueberry, flowers and clove on the precise, vibrant nose. Then tight and imploded on the palate, with an almost minty, peppery austerity to the black and blue fruit flavors; hardly your typical 2010! This very pure, spicy Saint-Emilion has the structure of a cabernet, and its youthfully forbidding tannins call for at least eight years of patience. It will merit an even higher score if it blossoms in the bottle.
NM 90 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Figeac 2010 has a superb, more classically lined bouquet with tense blackcurrant, raspberry and crushed violets that almost explode from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy ripe black fruit on the entry with a dash of white pepper that leaves the tongue tingling. This is very linear and composed, but there is clearly potential for those prepared to wait. |
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|
2010 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$529.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 98 (2/2013): This is phenomenal on the nose with blackberries, fresh cep mushrooms, forest fruit, and earth. Turns to hazelnuts and dark berries. Subtle. Breathtaking. It's full-bodied on the palate, with superb tannins that last for minutes. The flavor is subtle yet incredible. Love the texture. It is the same wonderful quality level as 2009. This is so fabulous to taste now, but so much better in 2018.
WS 96 (3/2013): This is very tight, showing a prominent roasted apple wood and bittersweet cocoa frame more today, though the core of dense currant paste, blackberry pâte de fruit and plum sauce waits in reserve. Gorgeous singed spice, anise and toasted fig bread notes flitter through the finish, though this needs some time in the cellar to resolve itself fully. A very distinctive, structured expression of St.-Emilion. Best from 2016 through 2035.
VM 91+ (7/2013): Bright ruby-red. Cassis, blueberry, flowers and clove on the precise, vibrant nose. Then tight and imploded on the palate, with an almost minty, peppery austerity to the black and blue fruit flavors; hardly your typical 2010! This very pure, spicy Saint-Emilion has the structure of a cabernet, and its youthfully forbidding tannins call for at least eight years of patience. It will merit an even higher score if it blossoms in the bottle.
NM 90 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Figeac 2010 has a superb, more classically lined bouquet with tense blackcurrant, raspberry and crushed violets that almost explode from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy ripe black fruit on the entry with a dash of white pepper that leaves the tongue tingling. This is very linear and composed, but there is clearly potential for those prepared to wait. |
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| Ch. Haut Batailley |
2005 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$174.99 |
6 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2008): Offers a beautiful nose of crushed blackberry and cherry, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with a lovely balance of silky, caressing tannins and ripe fruit. Very long and minerally, with mint and eucalyptus character. A wonderful wine from this estate. Best after 2014. 7,915 cases made.
WA 92 (7/2016): Tasted at a vertical tasting at the château. The 2005 Haut Batailley obviously has a more intense bouquet than the 2004 with blackberry, wild hedgerow and cold gravel scents. It is still quite tight, but there is very fine precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe earthy black fruit. It is actually more approachable than I was expecting for a 2005 having loosened its tie in recent years. There is great depth here and fine mineralité, completing what is a classy and sophisticated Pauillac that should repay further bottle age. Chapeau!
VM 89 (5/2008): Medium red-ruby. Ripe, smoky aromas of plum and caramel; this smells opulent! Fat and sweet in the mouth, with a slightly roasted character to the supple plum and leather flavors. In a heavier style than the 2006 but with a reasonably fine-grained texture. Finishes with dusty tannins. I find this less refined than the 2006, but there's more material and ripeness here. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2011 |
Pessac Leognan (3.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$2,699 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 96 (1/2014): Lots of subtle redcurrant and berry character, with flowers and sweet tobacco on the nose. Full body, super-integrated tannins and a light shaved-chocolate, berry and cedar character. A decadence and beauty to this that wakes you up. Better in 2018.
WS 95 (3/2014): This packs some serious density for the vintage, with layers of braised fig, blackberry pâte de fruit and dark currant paste, all inlaid with lively briar, tobacco leaf and roasted apple wood notes. Shows lots of energy through the finish, with the grip generating a mouthwatering feel. One of the stars of the vintage. Best from 2018 through 2035.
WA 95 (4/2014): Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2011 Haut Brion has always been an excellent Pessac-Léognan, though recent encounters suggest it does not have the potential of the 2012. It has a gentle and caressing bouquet full of copious dark cherry and raspberry fruit, a touch of saddle leather and a seam of dark chocolate emanating from the oak regime, which needs more time to integrate (though it is not an Haut-Brion that is going to demand years and years in bottle). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and feels gentle in the mouth. It is very well balanced, although perhaps the oak comes through too strongly on the finish, when frankly there is no need. Nevertheless, this is a classic Pessac-Léognan - maybe "mild mannered" and a little conservative compared to more ambitious recent vintages, yet there is no doubting its class and pedigree.
NM 94 (12/2016): Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2011 Haut Brion has always been an excellent Pessac-Léognan, though recent encounters suggest it does not have the potential of the 2012. It has a gentle and caressing bouquet full of copious dark cherry and raspberry fruit, a touch of saddle leather and a seam of dark chocolate emanating from the oak regime, which needs more time to integrate (though it is not an Haut-Brion that is going to demand years and years in bottle). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and feels gentle in the mouth. It is very well balanced, although perhaps the oak comes through too strongly on the finish, when frankly there is no need. Nevertheless, this is a classic Pessac-Léognan - maybe "mild mannered" and a little conservative compared to more ambitious recent vintages, yet there is no doubting its class and pedigree.
VM 92 (7/2014): Deep ruby. Complex, soil-driven aromas of redcurrant, dark cherry and raspberry are complicated by exotic notes of Oriental spices and soy sauce. Rich, tactile and sweet, offering intense, elegant dark fruit and spice flavors lifted by a saline nuance. Finishes with sweet tannins and lingering saline and smoky notes. This is deeper and fleshier than the La Mission. Ian d'Agata. |
|
| Ch. La Tour Figeac |
2001 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$140 |
6 |
|
| |
NM 90 (3/2011): Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. I was very cruel to this wine out of barrel, but at ten years of age it deserves a reassessment and yes, I take back what I said. The nose has very good intensity with raspberry, wild strawberry, boysenberry jam and a touch of sandalwood. The oak is quite prominent at the moment and may need a little more time to subsume. The palate has very good weight, quite an extracted wine with dark berries, wild strawberry, a touch of mint and thyme. Just a little “worked” compared to its peers, but I am happy to award a much higher mark.
WA 90 (6/2004): A property on the rebound now that the winemaking is controlled by Stephane Derenoncourt’s wife, the deep ruby/purple-colored 2001 La Tour Figeac offers up aromas of fresh figs intermixed plums, cassis, licorice, smoke, and cherries. The complex aromatics are followed by a plush, rich, medium to full-bodied, powerful as well as elegant claret revealing soft tannin in its lusty finish. Drink it over the next 12-13 years. |
|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
1977 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L) |
$6,600 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 87 (11/1991): Full of lively cranberry, raspberry and herb flavors, with smoky accents and very firm acidity. Very good wine from an unheralded vintage. Drink now through 2000.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
MB [*] (9/1989): Could be a dashed sight worse. An effort at fragrance and flavour but dry, lean and tart. Not worth pursuing even out of curiosity. |
|
| Ch. Lafleur |
2012 |
Pomerol (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,299 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2015): The nose to this is fascinating with orange peel, mangoes, stones and hints of blanched walnuts. Full-bodied, yet dense and reserved. It shows amazing length and finesse. The finish shows wonderful, subtle and pure fruit. Breathtakingly subtle and complex. Better in 2018 but I love it.
VM 95 (1/2016): The 2012 Lafleur presents a distinctly red-toned profile to match its silky, open-knit personality. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry, plum, mint and spices are all nicely layered throughout. Medium in body, the 2012 nevertheless possesses lovely depth and pliancy, both of which suggest it will provide readers with a long window of exceptionally fine drinking. Proprietor Baptiste Guinaudeau describes 2012 as a cool vintage of open-knit wines and compares his 2012 to the 2001. This is a superb showing and one of the standouts of the year. Readers will find many terrific 2012s, but Lafleur is distinguished by its soul, something that is not to easy to find in Bordeaux. The 2012 is 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94+ (4/2015): Deep ruby to the rim, the 2012 Lafleur possesses beautiful kirsch, sweet raspberry fruit, ripe tannin, and a lushness and roundness. It is medium to full-bodied and complex, with an exceptional texture and purity – all hallmarks of this property. This wine should drink well for another 15 or more years.
NM 94 (1/2016): Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting, the 2012 Lafleur has a very well-defined bouquet that is complex and laden with blackberry, granite, cedar and veins of graphite, all with razor-like precision. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and lovely poise. There are plenty of graphite-infused black fruit interwoven into this Pomerol with a cheeky dab of spiciness on the finish that needs to manifest just a little more precision in order that it attains full potential. As usual, Baptiste, Julie and Jacques Guinaudeau have conjured a serious Lafleur destined for long-term ageing. |
|
| Ch. Latour |
1988 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,299 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 96 (1/2009): So minty, with loads of subtle ripe fruit and eucalyptus undertones. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Caresses every inch of the palate. It's the quality of the tannins that's impressive here. What a great and beautiful wine. Should improve for many years to come.—'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now.
MB [**[**]] (7/1998): My early tastings were not very well timed. First shortly after fining in April 1989, next not long after bottling in September 1990. It was of course very deep: 'mulberry centre, purple rim'. Loads of unsettled fruit; powerful, aggressive and astringent. Two months later, the colour of cherry brandy, more intense than the '89, its nose already settling down, scented cedar and Cabernet Sauvignon. Good fruit, with flesh round its muscles. It is always interesting to see how the first growths compare in style and development ten years after the vintage. Latour was still impressively deep and intense; nose low-keyed but harmonious; delicious flavour; full-bodied of course, with good length and a somewhat hot, crisp finish. Complete. Say 2012-2020.
NM 92 (5/2009): Tasted at Christies’ boardroom dinner. This is perhaps the best First Growth from this vintage. At 20-years of age, this has a delightful, cedar-infused nose with dark berry fruits, a touch of scorched earth, tar and graphite all with excellent definition and vigour. Impressive weight on the palate, firm tannins provided a stern backbone but this Latour has mellowed in recent years, less austere than I recall. Tobacco infused black fruits, a pleasant leafiness on the mid-palate with a slight salty tang that I have not noticed before. Surprisingly rich towards the finish, as if the wine had forgotten its vintage and thought it was a 1990! A great Latour considering the vintage and it should cellar for 10-15 years. Excellent. Drink now-2030.
WA 91 (6/2000): The best showing yet for a wine from this under-rated vintage, the dark garnet-colored 1988 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. A bouquet of melted tar, plums, black currants, cedar, and underbrush is followed by a sweet entry, with medium to full body, excellent ripeness, and mature tannin. It is a classic, elegant Latour with more meaty, vegetable-like flavors than are found in a riper year, such as 1989 and 1990. The 1988 has just begun to enter its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for 25 years. Anticipated maturity: now-2025 |
|
|
2007 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,135 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 92+ (4/2010): The 2007 Latour (the first wine made in the newly renovated cellars) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, expansive bouquet of black fruits and spring flowers interwoven with a striking minerality. The wine’s dense, medium to full-bodied flavors are surprisingly evolved, with soft tannins, an ample, generous mouthfeel, and an endearing texture. Undoubtedly one of the longest lived wines of the vintage, the 2007 Latour should last for two decades or more.
VM 92 (8/2010): Good bright ruby-red. Rather backward nose hints at cassis, black cherry, shoe polish, graphite, minerals and spices. Sweet, broad and rich, but with enticing fresh minerality giving energy to the rather full-bodied middle palate. The wine's cassis fruit is complicated by an almost decadent floral element. Finishes perfumed and very long, with wonderfully lush, supple, fine-grained tannins. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 92 (2/2017): Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Latour was late-released last year, and I reviewed it at that time. This bottle reaffirmed my remarks from a few months ago albeit here within the context of all the other First Growth. I noticed that it has slightly more intensity than the Lafite-Rothschild, a touch of menthol infusing the black fruit, certainly more exotic than the Lafite or Mouton with that subtle hint of black olive. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. There is good muscle and weight to this Latour, with impressive tension and energy on the saline finish. It will drink well over the next 15 years, possibly longer.
WS 90 (3/2010): Offers floral and berry notes, with currant and licorice. Full-bodied, with a sweet core of fruit. There's silky tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. Reserved and balanced. Best after 2012. |
|
|
2011 |
Pauillac (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$5,895 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 96 (3/2014): This has a gorgeous core of steeped plum, boysenberry and black currant coulis flavors, backed by a prominent graphite note that drives through the lengthy finish, where extra hints of anise and sweet tobacco flitter in the background. Regal. Best from 2018 through 2035. 5,835 cases made.
JS 95 (1/2014): The nose is complex, featuring smoke, meat and hints of wood, with currants, olives and berries underneath. Full body with super-velvety tannins. The strong acidity gives the wine an edginess. Love the spicy, subtly fruity finish. Steely. Try in 2020.
NM 94-96 (5/2012): The Grand Vin is a blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, representing 34% of the crop. The nose demands coaxing from the glass with introspective dark berry fruit, mineral, graphite and just a hint of cedar. The palate is classic Latour with tensile tannins in the driving seat and the fruit residing in the passenger. It has finely tuned acidity that lends it freshness and tension. There is superb minerality towards the finish but it retains that strictness and focus without blinking. If you love Latour, you will love the 2011.
WA 93-95 (4/2012): A blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Latour represents only 34% of the crop. It hit 13.1% natural alcohol. One of the vintage's most compelling wines, it possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, open-knit personality with ripe tannin, superb intensity, good purity and harmony, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and lots of crushed rock, floral and black as well as blue fruit notes in addition to hints of ink and forest floor. This beautifully rich, savory Latour will be surprisingly drinkable in 4-5 years, and should age easily for two decades or more.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Inky purple. Closed nose hints at blackcurrant, flint, violet and cedar. On the palate, dark berry and flint flavors are complicated by graphite and cedar. A lovely, very pure, lighter-styled Latour, but the mounting tannins are big and brawny, and the long finish is mouthcoatingly dry. Another 2011 red that currently lacks the flesh to stand up to its tannic spine. Forget about it in the cellar for at least another five years. Ian d'Agata. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Barton |
2004 |
St. Julien (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$214.99 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 92+ (6/2007): This is an impressively endowed vin de garde that should age effortlessly for 20-30 years. How Anthony Barton continues to fashion uncompromisingly primordial Bordeaux that are always among the biggest and densest of all the St.-Juliens is beyond me, but he does it year in and year out. Moreover, when it’s time to set the price, he appears to have the consumer foremost in his mind. The 2004 is a classic Leoville-Barton meant for long aging. Concentrated, with loads of smoke, creme de cassis, forest floor, and earthy notes emerge from this impressive, but oh, so backward wine. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
NM 91 (11/2010): Tasted at the French Embassy in London. At six years of age, the Leoville Barton is developing quite a refined bouquet with brambly red-berried fruits laced with cedar and a touch of sage. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, ripe red fruits, a generous dose of cedar and firm, dry tannins that segue into a dry, aristocratic finish. Conservative, but charming. Drink now-2025.
VM 91 (6/2007): Bright red-ruby. Deep aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, leather, smoke and flowers. Dense but juicy, with lovely finesse and flavor intensity. Notes of mocha, chocolate and leather linger nicely on the lively finish, which features substantial but rather fine tannins. This is excellent.
WS 91 (3/2007): Currant and dark chocolate, with hints of mineral. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Balanced. A more delicate and refined style. Best after 2011. 21,250 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
2012 |
St. Julien (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$329.99 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 95 (1/2018): Standing out for its sheer purity and class, the 2012 Leoville-Las Cases is about as seamless as they come, with medium to full-bodied richness, fabulous notes of crème de cassis, cedary spice, plums, spice and wood smoke, with its oak component pushed well into the background. While not a blockbuster, it is impeccably balanced, with a full, layered mid-palate, building tannin and a rock-solid finish. Give this straight up classy 2012 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles over the following two decades or more.
WS 94 (3/2015): This is very tight at this early stage, with a wall of smoldering charcoal holding the core of dark plum, blackberry paste and cassis in reserve. The sleek finish shows admirable length and a mouthwatering echo of iron. This harnesses the austerity of the vintage to its advantage, and should unwind slowly in the cellar. Best from 2018 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.
WA 93+ (4/2015): The bigger sister or brother of Le Petit Lion, depending on your point of view, the 2012 Leoville Las Cases has gorgeous minerality, plenty of blueberry and blackcurrant fruit that is super-pure, an opaque ruby/purple color, medium body and firm structured, slightly austere personality. This wine is built for the long-term. A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc, it attained 13.5% alcohol, which is substantial for a 2012 Médoc. It has depth and richness, but also a boatload of tannin. Forget it for 8-10 years and drink over the following 15-20.
VM 93 (1/2016): The 2012 Léoville-Las-Cases offers lovely up front voluptuousness, something I am almost shocked to write about one of the Left Bank's most notoriously slow agers. Sweet red cherry, dried flowers and pipe tobacco scents meld into a translucent, mid-weight Las Cases that should drink relatively early by this wine's standard. The silky finish only adds to the wine's considerable early appeal. The blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. Antonio Galloni.
JS 93 (2/2015): So pure on the nose with aromas of blackcurrants, raspberries and licorice. Hints of stones. Full body, polished yet chewy tannins and a long and racy finish. Layered tannins. Citrusy undertones. Bright acidity. Better in 2019. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Poyferre |
2009 |
St. Julien (3.0 L) |
$1,195 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (2/2012): One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.
JS 96 (2/2012): Gorgeous aromas of blueberries and blackberries, with flowers and minerals. Full body, with silky tannins and a bright acidity on the finish. Tangy and chewy. Muscular. Try in 2018.
VM 95 (7/2012): (a blend of 62.5% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2.5% cabernet franc): Bright medium ruby. Classic Saint-Julien aromas of cassis, licorice, tar, minerals and dark chocolate. Lush, sweet and powerful, with a superb glyceral texture to the dark berry and dark chocolate flavors. Huge wine but not at all heavy. The extremely long, echoing finish features utterly noble tannins that saturate the front teeth. Offers a show-stopping combination of sweetness and structure. Built for three decades of life in bottle.
NM 93 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Leoville Poyferre 2009 has a very pure, lifted, almost Margaux-like bouquet with blackberry, raspberry leaf and crushed stone - a certain coolness that is very appealing. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It is quite compact in the mouth, but it is very well focused and displays poise and tension towards the composed finish. Excellent - this is a Saint Julien that is beginning to shed its puppy fat and find its “groove”.
WS 93 (3/2012): Solid notes of steeped black currant, ganache-coated fig and plum eau de vie pump along in this very dark red, but with well-integrated structure. Long and winey through the finish, with the grip extending everything nicely. Best from 2016 through 2026. 17,665 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
2011 |
Pauillac (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$995 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 93 (2/2014): A dense, chewy wine for the vintage, with plum, currant and blackberry character. Full body, polished tannic texture and a bright finish. Very pretty indeed. This needs time to soften. Try in 2019.
WS 92 (3/2014): This has solid guts, with plum, currant and blackberry fruit melded together at the core, while notes of charcoal, warm tobacco and singed iron form the backdrop. Should be very solid when it comes together after some cellaring. Best from 2016 through 2028.
VM 89 (7/2014): Good bright ruby. Dark aromas of cassis, licorice, violet and vanilla. Penetrating and well-delineated, showing a light touch to its intense if slightly lean dark fruit and spice flavors. Finishes with very good grip and length, but a bit tart for me. A wine of very good but not Outstanding concentration. Ian d'Agata.
WA 90 (4/2014): The medium-bodied 2011 Lynch Bages possesses a saturated ruby/purple color as well as beautiful creme de cassis notes, a generous, concentrated, well-made, medium to full-bodied style and supple tannins. A successful effort in 2011, it should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 15+. It is a sleeper of the vintage. |
|
| Ch. Malescot St. Exupery |
2013 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
| JS 93 (2/2016): Very pretty wine with blueberry, currant and mineral aromas and flavors. Full to medium body, ultra-fine tannins and a delicious finish. Drink of hold. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
2011 |
Margaux (3.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$2,295 |
3 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2014): This has a restrained core of steeped plum, blackberry and anise, studded with tobacco and roasted cedar notes. The structure is silky but persistent, with an almost-succulent feel through the finish, while warm bergamot, singed cedar, vanilla and sanguine hints define the finish. Discreet today, but shows the balance and precision to unfold slowly with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.
JS 94 (1/2014): Fabulous aromas of flowers with hints of strawberries and currants. Extremely aromatic. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a racy finish. It is very finely structured but chewy and austere. I like the tension to this. Try in 2018.
WA 93 (4/2014): The renowned Chateau Margaux's 2011 boasts a dark ruby/plum color as well as a fragrant perfume of spring flowers, sweet, supple, well-integrated tannins, medium body, and the elegance and nobility expected from a great first-growth. Although it is not as powerful or concentrated as the 2009 or 2010 (no 2011s are), it possesses finesse, elegance, purity and suppleness. The wine is surprisingly approachable already yet should keep for 15-20 years.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, herbs and licorice. Spicy and taut, with dark fruit and herb flavors offering decent flesh and grip; seems to be shutting down. Finishes long and smooth: this really is a considerable step up from the Pavillon Rouge. I like this wine's tension but hope that it develops more sweetness of fruit and length with another five or six years in the cellar. Ian d'Agata. |
|
|
2011 |
Margaux (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$4,999 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2014): This has a restrained core of steeped plum, blackberry and anise, studded with tobacco and roasted cedar notes. The structure is silky but persistent, with an almost-succulent feel through the finish, while warm bergamot, singed cedar, vanilla and sanguine hints define the finish. Discreet today, but shows the balance and precision to unfold slowly with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.
JS 94 (1/2014): Fabulous aromas of flowers with hints of strawberries and currants. Extremely aromatic. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a racy finish. It is very finely structured but chewy and austere. I like the tension to this. Try in 2018.
WA 93 (4/2014): The renowned Chateau Margaux's 2011 boasts a dark ruby/plum color as well as a fragrant perfume of spring flowers, sweet, supple, well-integrated tannins, medium body, and the elegance and nobility expected from a great first-growth. Although it is not as powerful or concentrated as the 2009 or 2010 (no 2011s are), it possesses finesse, elegance, purity and suppleness. The wine is surprisingly approachable already yet should keep for 15-20 years.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, herbs and licorice. Spicy and taut, with dark fruit and herb flavors offering decent flesh and grip; seems to be shutting down. Finishes long and smooth: this really is a considerable step up from the Pavillon Rouge. I like this wine's tension but hope that it develops more sweetness of fruit and length with another five or six years in the cellar. Ian d'Agata. |
|
|
2011 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$999 |
11 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2014): This has a restrained core of steeped plum, blackberry and anise, studded with tobacco and roasted cedar notes. The structure is silky but persistent, with an almost-succulent feel through the finish, while warm bergamot, singed cedar, vanilla and sanguine hints define the finish. Discreet today, but shows the balance and precision to unfold slowly with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.
JS 94 (1/2014): Fabulous aromas of flowers with hints of strawberries and currants. Extremely aromatic. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a racy finish. It is very finely structured but chewy and austere. I like the tension to this. Try in 2018.
WA 93 (4/2014): The renowned Chateau Margaux's 2011 boasts a dark ruby/plum color as well as a fragrant perfume of spring flowers, sweet, supple, well-integrated tannins, medium body, and the elegance and nobility expected from a great first-growth. Although it is not as powerful or concentrated as the 2009 or 2010 (no 2011s are), it possesses finesse, elegance, purity and suppleness. The wine is surprisingly approachable already yet should keep for 15-20 years.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, herbs and licorice. Spicy and taut, with dark fruit and herb flavors offering decent flesh and grip; seems to be shutting down. Finishes long and smooth: this really is a considerable step up from the Pavillon Rouge. I like this wine's tension but hope that it develops more sweetness of fruit and length with another five or six years in the cellar. Ian d'Agata. |
|
| Ch. Pavie |
2004 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95 (3/2017): This is a beauty, with the singed apple wood and juniper notes fully melded with the core of lush raspberry and blackberry confiture flavors. The edges are rounded off but the spine still drives through. Ends with graphite and ganache accents and a mouthwatering hint. Best from 2020 through 2035. 7,500 cases made.
WA 94 (8/2015): A real sleeper effort from the Perse family, the 2004 Pavie has a dense, bluish purple color and a wonderful, sweet kiss of blackberry, licorice, spice box and roasted herbs. The wine is rich, deep, full-bodied and absolutely remarkable for the vintage. This is certainly a candidate for one of the wines of the year and seems still relatively youthful and promising. Drink it over the next 20 years.
VM 93 (6/2007): Good deep fresh ruby. Vibrant, complex aromas of blackberry, violet, licorice, espresso and minerals. Concentrated, spicy and fresh, with lovely clarity and lift to its penetrating dark fruit and mineral flavors. Densely packed and downright palate-staining for 2004 without any impression of heaviness. This has plenty of fat for the year and finishes impressively dense, with ripe, building tannins. Owner Gerard Perse notes that Pavie has the benefit of three different soil types, while Pavie-Decesse is a single block of old vines on calcaire Thus Pavie is always more complex, he adds, and the portion of younger vines at Pavie brings a fruity quality that's sometimes missing in Pavie-Decesse. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. Rauzan-Segla |
2012 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$169.99 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 94+ (4/2015): The 2012 Rauzan-Ségla (54.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 1.5% Petit Verdot) is a classic Rauzan-Ségla, still relatively backward and tannic, but concentrated and extremely promising. Dense blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit along with some licorice, vanilla, foresty notes and spice are all present in this full-bodied yet structured and big, beefy style of Rauzan-Ségla . It may turn out to be somewhat atypical for this château in its size and masculine structure, but this is impressive wine, and one of the great successes of the vintage. Give it 5-7 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades.
JS 93 (2/2015): A full and silky wine with a slightly hollow center-palate now but it’s very pretty and chewy. Needs two or three years to soften. Very persistent and structured.
NM 92-94 (4/2013): The Grand Vin was cropped between 27th September with respect to the young merlot vines and finished on 20th October with the Cabernet Sauvignon, so it was raining the last two days. The blend is 54.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 1.5% Petit Verdot that is being raised in 75% new oak. It has a very perfumed, very harmonious bouquet that is fresh and vibrant. The palate is medium-bodied with good structure. It is quite compact at the beginning with plenty of mineral-rich, Cabernet driven black fruit that lend it a Pauillac-like finish. The finish has an air of confidence about it, a second sample showing a little more compactness. This will be one of the top Margaux wines.
WS 91 (3/2015): A toasty, fleshy style, with a cocoa note pulling and pushing the core of blackberry, black currant and plum fruit. Picks up more range through the finish, with black tea, alder and loam accents, boding well for cellaring. Best from 2016 through 2024. 8,750 cases made.
VM 87-90 (5/2013): Moderately saturated medium red. Blackcurrant, herbs and a hint of spicy chocolatey oak on the nose. Supple and vinous on the palate, with moderate flesh and depth to the flavors of blackcurrant, dried herbs and tobacco complemented by a wet earth nuance. Shows a slightly green tang on the moderately long finish. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. d' Yquem |
2013 |
Sauternes (9.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$5,299 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 98 (1/2016): Lightly toasted marshmallow and macadamia nut aromas lead the way, followed by incredibly juicy mirabelle plum, green fig, and glazed pear and peach flavors. As big as this is, there are still plenty of honeysuckle, quinine and chamomile notes kicking the finish into yet another gear. This has purity and length to burn, which it will for a couple of generations. Best from 2020 through 2050. 6,665 cases made.
JS 98 (2/2016): Bright aromas of sliced mango, papaya, botrytis, and lemon follow through to a full body, medium sweet and phenolic palate that gives the wine structure and beauty. Electric acidity and freshness yet an impressive energy and length. A severe selection was made. 40% of the production was destined to the grand vin. About 80,000 bottles made. This is 70% semillion and 30% sauvignon. Better in 2018.
NM 95-97 (4/2014): Firstly, you notice the color, which is a touch deeper than recent vintages at this stage. The bouquet is quite honeyed and rich for Yquem at this early juncture, with subtle scents of peach skin, white flowers, and a puff of chalk and frangipane. The palate is viscous on the entry, all about the texture at first, coating the mouth with luscious botrytized fruit. There are touches of Seville orange marmalade, fresh apricot, a hint of spice and passion fruit. This is imbued with impressive depth and weight, perhaps an Yquem that is determined to make an impression after last year-s absence. It might not possess the finesse of a top flight Yquem, but it has immense power and persistency.
VM 94-96 (4/2014): The 2013 d'Yquem is rich, honeyed and voluptuous in the glass, but never excessively heavy. Crème brulee, candied lemon, apricot jam, orange marmalade, sweet spices and almond paste meld together in a Sauternes built on class and finesse What a gorgeous wine this is. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Sauternes (15.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$8,999 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 98 (1/2016): Lightly toasted marshmallow and macadamia nut aromas lead the way, followed by incredibly juicy mirabelle plum, green fig, and glazed pear and peach flavors. As big as this is, there are still plenty of honeysuckle, quinine and chamomile notes kicking the finish into yet another gear. This has purity and length to burn, which it will for a couple of generations. Best from 2020 through 2050. 6,665 cases made.
JS 98 (2/2016): Bright aromas of sliced mango, papaya, botrytis, and lemon follow through to a full body, medium sweet and phenolic palate that gives the wine structure and beauty. Electric acidity and freshness yet an impressive energy and length. A severe selection was made. 40% of the production was destined to the grand vin. About 80,000 bottles made. This is 70% semillion and 30% sauvignon. Better in 2018.
NM 95-97 (4/2014): Firstly, you notice the color, which is a touch deeper than recent vintages at this stage. The bouquet is quite honeyed and rich for Yquem at this early juncture, with subtle scents of peach skin, white flowers, and a puff of chalk and frangipane. The palate is viscous on the entry, all about the texture at first, coating the mouth with luscious botrytized fruit. There are touches of Seville orange marmalade, fresh apricot, a hint of spice and passion fruit. This is imbued with impressive depth and weight, perhaps an Yquem that is determined to make an impression after last year-s absence. It might not possess the finesse of a top flight Yquem, but it has immense power and persistency.
VM 94-96 (4/2014): The 2013 d'Yquem is rich, honeyed and voluptuous in the glass, but never excessively heavy. Crème brulee, candied lemon, apricot jam, orange marmalade, sweet spices and almond paste meld together in a Sauternes built on class and finesse What a gorgeous wine this is. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Ygrec Y du Yquem Bordeaux Superieur ETA Q1 2019 (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$279.99 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (4/2017): No, not a 2016, but since it is the vintage currently for sale, then I will publish my review of the 2015 Ygrec here. The Sauvignon Blanc (75% of the blend) was picked quickly from 25-27 August this year, the Sémillon on 3 and 4 September. It has six grams per liter of residual sugar and the pH, a sizzling 3.20. It has an intriguing bouquet of melted wax, white flowers and hints of sea spray, that marine influence becoming quite strong with aeration. The palate is fresh on the entry with fresh ginger and lemongrass, lively in the mouth with shades of orange rind and sour lemon towards the persistent finish. I would afford this several years in bottle and I suspect you will end up with a very distinctive dry Bordeaux from the most famous Sauternes estate. |
|
|
2015 |
Ygrec Y du Yquem Bordeaux Superieur (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$299.89 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (4/2017): No, not a 2016, but since it is the vintage currently for sale, then I will publish my review of the 2015 Ygrec here. The Sauvignon Blanc (75% of the blend) was picked quickly from 25-27 August this year, the Sémillon on 3 and 4 September. It has six grams per liter of residual sugar and the pH, a sizzling 3.20. It has an intriguing bouquet of melted wax, white flowers and hints of sea spray, that marine influence becoming quite strong with aeration. The palate is fresh on the entry with fresh ginger and lemongrass, lively in the mouth with shades of orange rind and sour lemon towards the persistent finish. I would afford this several years in bottle and I suspect you will end up with a very distinctive dry Bordeaux from the most famous Sauternes estate. |
|
| Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux |
2003 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$499 |
6 |
|
| |
WS 93 (2/2007): Bright aromas of apple, lemon and pie tart. Full-bodied, with a waxy texture and a rich, fruity finish. A solid wine. Best after 2008.
WA 87 (4/2006): Somewhat under most consumer’s radar is the 100% non-malolactic Sauvignon Blanc produced at Chateau Margaux. In some vintages, this beautiful offering can hit terrific heights of quality (i.e., 1999, 2001, and 2004). The 2003, which is not a great vintage for most dry white Bordeaux (because of the heat), is somewhat soft and flat. It reveals honeysuckle, pineapple, and more exotic fruit characteristics than the classic 2004. |
|
|
2006 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$495 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 94 (5/2016): The 2006 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux has always been one of the pinnacle white releases from this First Growth and at ten years of age, I have no reason to change my mind. It has an exquisite bouquet of lemon curd, orange scents and a touch of praline that is very delineated and focused. The palate exhibits fine balance with hints of crème fraiche, almond and even a cheeky dab of marzipan. Funnily enough, it is difficult imagining that this is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and in fact, there is something almost Burgundy-like about this Pavillon Blanc (as I suggested in my barrel tasting note). Irrespective of origin, what it constitutes is a damn glorious white Bordeaux that comes highly recommended. So much so, I would drink this now rather than later. Tasted January 2016.
WS 92 (3/2009): Stone, apple, pineapple and honey aromas follow through to lemon curd and chalk character. Full-bodied, with a lanolin and apple tart flavor. Thick and a little rustic now, but very interesting and stylish. Needs time. Best after 2010. |
|
|
2008 |
Margaux (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$465 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (4/2009): Compared to 2006 and 2007, the 2008 dry white wines of Bordeaux are inferior, but that does not mean they are not very good. They do not possess the flesh, power, or richness of the 2006 and 2007, but they reveal precise, intensely aromatic personalities, lighter bodies, and more noticeable acidity. These remain among the world’s most underrated world-class dry white wines. I will provide full tasting notes once they are in bottle, but following are the dry whites I tasted along with their approximate scores.
VM 89-91 (5/2009): (100% sauvignon blanc; 25 hl/ha; 14% alcohol) Straw-green. Typical pure sauvignon nose of green fig, yellow melon and ripe gooseberry, nicely complemented by hints of chamomile and mint. The delicate fresh flavors echo the aromas in this subtle, aromatically complex white wine. The moderately concentrated but long finish offers a mineral element and a lingering note of green anise. You might say the '08 is back to normalfor Pavillon Blanc, after the flamboyantly rich '07, with its almost 16% alcohol. Ian d'Agata.
WS 88-91 (12/2009): Lemon, light lime peel and mineral aromas. Medium-bodied, with lovely honey, celery and grass on the finish. More subtle and fine than the 2007. |
|
| | Burgundy Red |
| Bouchard Pere et Fils |
2016 |
Beaune 1er Cru Greves Vigne de LEnfant Jesus (1.5 L) |
$239.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 92-94 (4/2018): ( from a 4 ha parcel; in contrast to the other Beaune 1er, Weber noted that this suffered almost no frost losses and came in at <30 hl/ha.) Here too the wood treatment is anything but subtle though it stops just short of completely overshadowing the exuberantly spicy plum liqueur and earth-scented nose. There is good drive and even better detail if not the impressive concentration to the medium weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the ever-so-slightly warm and very firm finish. Again, my predicted range assumes that the wood treatment will be successfully absorbed over time and note as well that plenty of patience will be necessary. Drink 2031+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
| Chateau de la Tour |
2010 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$375 |
3 |
|
| |
BH 94 (1/2013): This is impressively ripe yet superbly fresh with black cherry and floral scents that are trimmed in sauvage hints and a background application of wood. There is excellent mid-palate concentration and richness to the powerful, muscular and energetic large-scaled flavors that possess superb reserves of mouth coating dry extract that serves to impart a seductive mouth feel to the dusty, serious, balanced and strikingly long finish. A genuine knockout. Drink 2022+.
VM 92+ (4/2013): (bottled in May of 2012): Good bright, deep red. Medicinal red cherry, raspberry, spices and mint on the vibrant nose. Sweet and suave but at the same time penetrating in the style of the better 2010s, with harmonious acidity framing and energizing the flavors of red fruits, minerals and medicinal herbs. Sexy earth tones contribute complexity, and the long, youthfully tight finish shows an exhilarating spice character. I would not be surprised if this wine merited a higher rating by 2022 or so. |
|
| Dom. Comte de Vogue |
1990 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$1,500 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 99 (12/1992): A classy, monumental wine, with an impressive deep color and spellbinding complexity. The concentration takes your breath away as the plum, blackberry, raspberry and vanilla flavors coat your palate. Try in 1998. 500 cases made.
WA 90 (10/1992): While the Bonnes Mares is closed, the dark ruby/purple color and the wine's terrific potential are evident. Full-bodied, with a blossoming, black-cherry nose complemented by a judicious use of toasty new oak, this wine exhibits wonderful richness, excellent definition and structure, and a long, dense, concentrated finish. Anticipated maturity: 1997-2010.
BH 88 (11/2007): Complex nose of very ripe aromas and earth and this is already showing strong secondary elements. The flavors are big and rich, indeed even rustic with lots of structure. This does not appear to have the mid-palate depth for the fruit to outlast the structure and while its not necessary to drink up, I have my doubts as to whether it will ever harmonize and it's quite likely it will begin to dry out soon. Still it's quite tasty but the '90 Bonnes Mares clearly needs food to help deal with the tannins. Drink now. |
|
|
1990 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (1.5 L) Very Lightly Wrinkled and Nicked Label |
$1,500 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 99 (12/1992): A classy, monumental wine, with an impressive deep color and spellbinding complexity. The concentration takes your breath away as the plum, blackberry, raspberry and vanilla flavors coat your palate. Try in 1998. 500 cases made.
WA 90 (10/1992): While the Bonnes Mares is closed, the dark ruby/purple color and the wine's terrific potential are evident. Full-bodied, with a blossoming, black-cherry nose complemented by a judicious use of toasty new oak, this wine exhibits wonderful richness, excellent definition and structure, and a long, dense, concentrated finish. Anticipated maturity: 1997-2010.
BH 88 (11/2007): Complex nose of very ripe aromas and earth and this is already showing strong secondary elements. The flavors are big and rich, indeed even rustic with lots of structure. This does not appear to have the mid-palate depth for the fruit to outlast the structure and while its not necessary to drink up, I have my doubts as to whether it will ever harmonize and it's quite likely it will begin to dry out soon. Still it's quite tasty but the '90 Bonnes Mares clearly needs food to help deal with the tannins. Drink now. |
|
| Dom. du Comte Armand |
2012 |
Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux (1.5 L) |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94-96 (1/2014): In most vintages, there are three distinct cuvees that make up the final blend for the flagship Pommard Clos des Epeneaux, but in 2012 there are just two. The first cuvee, from the top of the vineyard, is intensely tannic and structured. Floral notes lead to dark red cherries and crushed rocks in a wine that is all about crystalline purity and delineation. The second cuvee, from the bottom of the hill, presents more depth and volume. A representation of the final blend is striking. Sadly, the entire production will be bottled only in magnums, of which there will be just 4,000 to go around, versus the normal production of about 22,000 bottles. Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Antonio Galloni.
BH 91-94 (4/2014): ( the 5+ ha Clos is composed of approximately 80% Petits Epenots and 20% Grands Epenots; the vine ages run from 18 to 75+ years of age; this will be bottled only in magnum.) An exceptionally fresh and relatively elegant nose features notes of various red berries, earth and a discreet spiciness. There is a beguiling mouth feel to the medium-bodied, concentrated and powerful flavors that are shaped by very firm yet ripe tannins on the palate coating finish that is sneaky long. Note that the suggested initial drinking window is based on magnum format.
WA 91+ (10/2015): Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux from Domaine Comte Armand has more red rather than black fruit on the nose with plenty of wild blackberry and raspberry aromas coming through, though there is some new oak still to be resolved. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannin, good acidity but again, the oak still conspicuous and more expressive than the terroir at the moment. Then again, with knowledge of the producer, I know how this wine sheds its tannins and benefits from several years in bottle. This is one of those Burgundy wines that could go either way, but given the grower, will give it the benefit of the doubt because of those aromatics. Drink 2030+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. Francois Lamarche |
2008 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$299 |
15 |
|
| |
| BH 89-92 (1/2010): (from 3 different parcels, one at the bottom and two at the top but on opposite sides) A beautiful nose combines notes of ripe and pure red berry fruit aromas that are liberally laced with warm earth and oak spice hints that can also be found on the unusually refined broad-shouldered flavors that are rich, delicious and detailed while possessing good mid-palate sap and the structural elements appear to be sufficiently ripe to avoid dryness though there is a touch of tanginess at present that is probably attributable to gas. Drink 2015+. |
|
| Dom. Henri Boillot |
2016 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Chevrets (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$174.99 |
9 |
|
| |
| VM 91-93 (1/2018): (from four parcels of vines between 40 and 60 years of age; fruit in the lower section of the vineyard was wiped out by the frost): Healthy medium red. Slightly reduced nose conveys and medicinal dark raspberry aroma. Then fine-grained and graceful in the mouth, conveying an impression of delicacy to the flavors of raspberry, currant and flowers. Finishes quite suave and long, with very refined tannins. The Boillots made just 10 barrels in place of a normal 30, 3 of them new. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2013 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$199.99 |
8 |
|
| |
VM 90-92 (1/2015): Bright, dark red. Reticent, rather wild aromas of dark cherry and underbrush. Energetic but backward; much tighter today than the village wine and more dominated by its structure. The wild quality carries through on the palate. Best today on the back end, where fine-grained tannins spread out to saturate the palate.
WA 88-90 (12/2014): The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets comes from a single parcel of vines. The nose is well defined, dominated by the new oak at the moment, but there is sufficient fruit underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins, quite dense at the moment with a touch of bell pepper on the masculine finish. Fine - if just a bit predictable.
BH 88 (4/2015): Here too there are discreet floral nuances to the pretty red and dark currant scents that are liberally laced with earth and sandalwood nuances. There is a bit more volume to the medium-bodied flavors that retain a lovely sense of detail on the energetic, dusty and mildly austere finish though in this case there is just a hint of dryness that detracts slightly from the overall sense of balance and harmony. Drink 2020+. |
|
|
2016 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$199.99 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 91-93 (1/2018): (these vines are 25 to 50 years old; from whiter soil that typical yields a harder, more austere style of wine than the Chevrets): Medium red. More discreet and a bit more medicinal on the nose than the Chevrets. Juicy red berry flavors are lifted by spicy high notes but kept under wraps by salty minerality and a medicinal menthol aspect.. Boasts lovely lift and inner-mouth tension and finishes with very fine-grained tannins, but this very promising wine will require at least a few years of bottle aging to loosen up a bit. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Dom. Joseph Faiveley |
2014 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$549 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 94+ (3/2017): Bright, full red. Alluring, terroir-driven aromas of raspberry, minerals, dried flowers, smoky oak and game. Supple on entry, then reticent and taut in the middle, but already showing Outstanding energy and depth, not to mention a slightly musky wildness, to its flavors of raspberry, smoky oak and dried flowers. Between the wine's firm acidity, great mineral verve, strong tongue-dusting tannins and finishing grip, this Outstanding Clos de Bèze is going to require considerable patience and should evolve positively for up to three decades. My bottle held up for days in the recorked bottle. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Dom. Maume |
2009 |
Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$375 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Ponsot |
2008 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$495 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95+ (5/2011): The 2008 Chapelle-Chambertin totally saturates the palate with deep layers of fruit and an enveloping, intense personality. Today the aromatics are rather inward and hard to read, especially as the wine starts shutting down in the glass. The Chapelle is at the beginning of what looks to be a fascinating journey. Antonio Galloni.
BH 92-94 (1/2010): A brooding and recalcitrant nose is composed of a tight nugget of pretty red pinot fruit together with notes of stone, dried berries, jerky and plenty of damp earth that also suffuses the impressively precise medium-bodied flavors that display a subtle trace of minerality on the tension-filled and explosive finish that is balanced, long and overtly austere at this early stage. This will also require time as it's quite backward and it wouldn't surprise me if more time were needed than my indicated window suggests. In short, patience will be required. Drink 2020+. |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2010 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$299 |
4 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (4/2013): ( from En Gémeaux; these are the oldest vines of the entire Jadot portfolio of owned vineyards.) This was quite reduced at first and required more than an hour of aeration to finally reveal fresh, cool and mineral-inflected red berry fruit, earth, game, humus and forest floor aromas. There is superb intensity to the almost aggressively stone and beautifully well-delineated large-scaled flavors that possess an extremely firm, mouth coating and driving finish. There is a real sense of underlying tension with an overt austerity to the very serious and stunningly long finish. The En Gémeaux character of pungent minerality is about as front and center as I have ever seen it. I repeat that this is at present one very, very austere wine and there is absolutely zero reason to open a bottle young. However, if you choose to commit wine infanticide of such an egregious nature, give it 4 to 6 hours in a decanter. I believe based on how the wine evolved over several days that it will in time be genuinely excellent as the underlying material is certainly present but this is most definitely a "bury in the back of the cellar and forget you own it" Chapelle. Drink 2030+. |
|
|
2010 |
Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$475 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru (1.5 L) Nicked Label |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Maison Henri Boillot |
2014 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru (3.0 L) ex-Domaine; Cracked Capsule, Cork Exposed |
$1,095 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94-97 (1/2016): (aging in two new Remond barrels): Bright, dark red. Deep, brooding aromas of black cherry and smoke are currently muted by a bit of reduction. Then wonderfully sweet, silky and seamless on the palate, conveying an incredibly suave texture and great inner-mouth perfume to the complex flavors of dark berries, earth and smoky oak. Very classy juice; Boillot told me he used the same "precise" barrique for the Volnay Champans and that he plans to use more Remond barrels in the future. The rising, subtly spicy finish shows uncanny energy and a lighter touch than the Clos de Bèze. A knockout.
BH 94 (4/2016): ( near the very top of the vineyard and atypically, the rows are planted North-South.) This also exhibits just enough reduction to push the seemingly ripe fruit to the background. As is usually the case this is more mineral-driven still with its big-bodied and overtly powerful flavors that also possess fine mid-palate concentration while culminating in a firmly structured, austere and backward finale. This is certainly a big wine but it's not massive; indeed it is a lovely combination of power and grace. Drink 2026+. Don't miss! |
|
|
2016 |
Volnay (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$114.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 88-90 (1/2018): (an assemblage of multiple parcels): Healthy bright red. Less obviously open on the nose than the Bourgogne, conveying an element of medicinal reserve to its red fruit and floral aromas. Suave and fine-grained in the mouth, offering good energy and definition to its flavors of red fruits, licorice, flowers and menthol. A subtle, classically dry Volnay with lovely saline persistence. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2013 |
Volnay 1er Cru Champans (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$229.99 |
10 |
|
| |
BH 91 (4/2015): Here the nose plays right on the edge of reduction and it's enough to shave the top notes off of the earthy red berry fruit and softly spicy aromas. This too possesses impressive volume to the intense and well-concentrated medium-bodied flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the dense, serious, austere and lingering finish. This is a bit more robust than the Santenots but it is by no means rustic. Drink 2021+. Outstanding!
VM 90-92 (1/2015): (from vines more than 60 years of age): Bright, dark red. Pungent, high-pitched aromas of cherry, mint, licorice and herbs, plus a cool whiff of menthol. Juicy, sappy and perfumed, with the licorice quality carrying through in the mouth. This very youthful, savory wine finishes with lovely lift and thrust, and lingering rose and violet perfume.
WA 88-90 (12/2014): The 2013 Volnay Champans 1er Cru has a slightly more floral bouquet compared to the Fremiets, around the same level of aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm grip on the entry, moderate acidity and quite a dense, blackberry and spice-tinged finish that lingers nicely in the mouth. This is a satisfactory Volnay, though without the nervosité of the Caillerets. |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Dom. Barraud |
2011 |
Pouilly Fuisse Sur la Roche (1.5 L) |
$99.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. des Malandes |
2016 |
Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$79 |
9 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (10/2017): This had just been bottled prior to my visit and not surprisingly notes of sulfur and reduction pushed the fruit to the background. The palate impression of the full-bodied, sappy and relatively powerful flavors exude a fine bead of minerality that adds a bit of lift to the notably firmer, dry and focused finale. In contrast to most of the prior wines, this will need a few years of cellaring first. If you have the patience to wait this is worth considering. Drink 2021+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
|
2014 |
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos (1.5 L) |
$139.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| BH 92-95 (10/2015): (from a .53 ha parcel planted in 1962 and matured in mostly older oak but there is a small percentage of new wood.) There is just enough wood to notice present on the cool, airy and distinctly floral nose that possess a broad range of Chablis characters that continue onto the powerful, delineated and mineral-driven flavors that are supported by a moderately firm acid spine and strikingly good persistence. This is really quite fine and is perhaps best described as a highly appealing blend of power and finesse. Drink 2021+. Don't miss! |
|
|
2014 |
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos (1.5 L) |
$139.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 92-95 (10/2015): (from a .53 ha parcel planted in 1962 and matured in mostly older oak but there is a small percentage of new wood.) There is just enough wood to notice present on the cool, airy and distinctly floral nose that possess a broad range of Chablis characters that continue onto the powerful, delineated and mineral-driven flavors that are supported by a moderately firm acid spine and strikingly good persistence. This is really quite fine and is perhaps best described as a highly appealing blend of power and finesse. Drink 2021+. Don't miss! |
|
|
2015 |
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$139 |
10 |
|
| |
| BH 90-93 (10/2016): (from a .53 ha parcel planted in 1962 and matured in mostly older oak but there is a small percentage of new wood). Moderate pain grillé sets off cool and pure aromas of white flower, lemon rind, tidal pool and quinine that retain a good sense of freshness. There is good richness to the intensely stony full-bodied flavors that possess good power and ample amounts of palate staining dry extract on the youthfully austere and beautifully long finale. This clean and balanced effort is drier than most 2015s and is the best wine in the range this year. Drink 2020+. |
|
|
2014 |
Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$139 |
12 |
|
| |
| BH 92-94 (10/2015): (from a .90 ha parcel planted in 1967 and 1987 and matured in 1 to 5 year old oak.) Here the wood treatment is even more subtle and poses no threat to the transparency of the spice and iodine-inflected aromas of yellow fruit and honeysuckle. There isn't quite the same refinement to the big-bodied flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration that adds to the sense of power present on the almost brutally saline finale. This is a Vaudésir of serous muscle and power. Drink 2021+. Don't miss! |
|
|
2015 |
Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$139 |
12 |
|
| |
| BH 90-92 (10/2016): (from a .90 ha parcel planted in 1967 and 1987 and matured in 1 to 5 year old oak). Moderate wood sets off a moderately exotic mélange of both white and yellow orchard fruit, iodine and citrus scents where the latter element also infuses the more refined middle weight flavors that evidence more minerality on the lingering finish that also displays a hint of wood. Drink 2020+. |
|
|
2016 |
Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$139 |
12 |
|
| |
| BH 90-93 (10/2017): ( from a .90 ha parcel planted in 1967 and 1987 and matured in 1 to 5 year old oak.) Here there is no reductive influence with an elegant and complex nose that combines notes of white flower, ocean breeze and a whiff of the exotic. The mouth feel of the dense medium weight plus flavors is at once rich and refined, all wrapped in an intensely mineral-driven finale that is quite dry but not austere. This beauty should age well over the mid-term. Drink 2022+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
|
2015 |
Chablis Tour du Roy Vieilles Vignes (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$49.99 |
11 |
|
| |
| BH 88 (10/2016): (from vines situated just below Vaudésir). A discreet touch of wood frames more complex and appealing fresh aromas that are quite similar to those of the straight Chablis cuvée. There is definitely more mid-palate concentration on the medium-bodied flavors thanks to the abundant sap that imparts a textured impression to the solidly persistent finish. Drink 2018+. |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2008 |
Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru (3.0 L) |
$2,699 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 93-96 (6/2010): (from a 2.06 ha parcel on the Puligny side.) A perfumed and simply knock-out nose features highly perfumed notes of honeysuckle, acacia blossom, sandalwood and yellow orchard fruit aromas that give way to powerful, rich and dense full-bodied flavors that possess obvious muscle and simply huge length on the overtly austere, deep and palate staining finish. This is a dazzling effort that will only add to the already immense reputation this wine enjoys but note that patience will be required.
VM 93 (9/2010): Very ripe aromas of sweet stone fruits and clove. Very fat, rich and stuffed with fruit; a distinctly round style of Montrachet with an exotic aspect. This mounts impressively on the back end, finishing very rich and very long. The acidity is higher than that of the 2007, notes winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac, but so is the pH. And this is more generous. |
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| Maison Henri Boillot |
2016 |
Meursault (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$114.99 |
26 |
|
| |
BH 89 (6/2018): ( a blend of equal proportions from Narvaux, Tillets, Clos du Cromin and Chevalières.) Notes of mineral reduction, hazelnut, acacia blossom and lemon can be found on the expressive nose. The racy, intense and ultra-pure flavors possess excellent depth and persistence on the notably dry finale. A lovely villages. Drink 2022+. Outstanding!
VM 89-91 (9/2017): Bright yellow. Very ripe apricot and sexy oak on the nose. Plush, thick and concentrated for village wine, conveying an intriguing sweet/salty balance and surprisingly firm acidity and cut. Finishes saline, serious and long; this will probably need a couple years in bottle to harmonize. A very promising village wine. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| | Rhone Red |
| Ch. de Beaucastel |
2010 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$189.99 |
6 |
|
| |
JLL ****** (10/2013): Shiny, full red - the robe has life in it. The nose is starting to close, has a saline, crushed pistachio shells, hay and dry soil statement, grilling, along with licorice and violet. The fruit within resembles black berries. The bouquet gives the sense of an important wine of proper authority. The palate comes forward on sealed, dark fruits, lissom and live tannins, a joyful abundance that delivers a polished, partly mysterious experience, especially on the later stages, where matters start to integrate. It reaches out very well, travelling both forwards and sideways. Its great ace is its harmony and progression, a perfect Everly Brothers duet. Excellent wine - as it should be in 2010. From 2018.
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.
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. |
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|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$148.95 |
39 |
|
| |
WS 97 (2/2018): A stunner from the get-go, with waves of thoroughly seductive boysenberry, plum, blueberry and raspberry reduction forming the core, while roasted apple wood, rooibos tea, bergamot, and anise notes flash throughout. This has plenty of bass, with a Turkish coffee accent and a hint of alder driving underneath. Everything moves in lockstep through the seriously long finish. Best from 2020 through 2045. 12,500 cases made.
JD 96+ (10/2017): The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape checks in as a blend of 30% each of Mourvèdre and Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the rest a mix of permitted varieties, and they’re more and more keeping the stems with the Syrah component. This is a beauty that offers more depth and richness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Blackberry, black raspberries, garrigue, spice and hints of saddle leather all flow to a full-bodied, rich, layered 2015 that has a stacked, concentrated mid-palate, ripe, sweet tannin and an undeniable opulence that’s missing from too many 2015s. Marc Perrin compared this cuvée to 2001, and I can’t disagree with him. Drink this blockbuster beauty anytime over the coming two decades.
WA 96 (10/2017): Bottled in late July, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is an amazing effort, especially when one considers the production volume. Loaded with black cherry fruit and cola-like spice, this full-bodied, richly textured wine never seems heavy or warm, while exotic Indian spice notes linger on the finish. It should drink well for at least 20 years.
JLL ***** (10/2017): Dark robe. The nose has an oak-varnish top air, a good, serene inset of black berry fruit which is stylish, also shows tobacco, white pepper. The palate is crisp, purposeful, holds very good juice running with freedom; it takes on gummy tannins with a touch of firm intent. It ends solidly, surely. There is a good swish of content for the first half. Take your time with this - from 2021. The length is good, very Mourvèdre-inspired. Bottled July 2017.
VM 93-95 (3/2017): Brilliant ruby. Spice-accented aromas of ripe red fruits, candied flowers, earth and smoky minerals; a zesty white pepper quality emerges with aeration. Sweet, expansive and energetic on the palate, offering intense raspberry, spicecake and lavender flavors and a subtle touch of smoke. Completely stains the palate and shows Outstanding clarity on the strikingly long, focused finish, where smooth tannins make a late appearance. Josh Raynolds. |
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| Ch. de St. Cosme |
2007 |
Cotes du Rhone Rouge Deux Albion (1.5 L) |
$30 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 90 (2/2009): The 2007 Cotes du Rhone Domaine des Deux Albions is sensational. A blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and the rest equal parts Mourvedre and Clairette, a domaine wine from a 15-acre vineyard, exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sumptuous bouquet of exotic flowers, blackberries, cassis, and a hint of peaches. This luscious, rich, concentrated, hedonistic as well as complex 2007 should drink well for 3-4 years. |
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| Chimere |
2010 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$2,150 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 98+ (10/2012): Another amazing offering is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Chimere, a blend of 93% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache and the rest white varietals. Packaged in a distinctive Italian glass bottle, this inky/purple-colored 2010 exhibits notes of blueberries, charcoal, roasted herbs and scorched earth. The complex aromas are followed by a full-bodied, super intense, young, unevolved wine that was bottled April 26, 2012, but still resembles a barrel sample. As the wine sits in the glass, aromas of blueberries, licorice and graphite emerge. While the tannins are sweet, they are abundant. This remarkable effort came from one 300-liter foudre. Forget it for 4-5 years and drink it over the following 3 decades. By the way, it is about 16% natural alcohol so it is actually less powerful than the 2011. Kudos to Manfred Krankl, Pascal and Vincent Maurel, and Philippe Cambie for this remarkable effort. |
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|
2012 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$2,100 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 99 (10/2014): We finished the tasting with the inky-purple 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape. A cellar selection by Manfred Krankl (of Sine Qua Non) of mostly Mourvedre, yet with a splash of Grenache and even some white varieties, it was aged in two new 300-liter French oak barrels before being bottled (in magnum only) unfined and unfiltered. It’s a massive, masculine and structured Chateauneuf du Pape that needs to be tasted to be believed. Cassis, creamy licorice, jammy blackberry and crushed flowers are only a few of the nuances here, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, incredible mid-palate depth and a blockbuster finish that just won’t quit. The level of concentration here surpasses just about every other wine in the vintage, and yet it never seems heavy, cumbersome or over-the-top. Give it 4-5 years and drink this spectacular effort over the following two decades. Hats off to Manfred Krankl and the team at Clos Saint Jean (Pascal and Vincent Maurel, and Philippe Cambie) for this incredible effort. |
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|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$1,995 |
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 cuvée 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. |
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|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) |
$2,000 |
3 |
|
| |
| 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 cuvée 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. |
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| Clos Saint Jean |
2012 |
Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous (3.0 L) |
$399 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (10/2014): The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape la Combe des Fous is another gorgeous wine from this estate that offers incredible richness while never seeming heavy, cumbersome or over-the-top. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest Muscardin, Vaccarese and Cinsault, it exhibits thrilling cassis, black raspberry, chocolate, crushed flowers and exotic spice. Full-bodied, seamless and incredibly elegant, it has the polish and balance to drink nicely now, but will evolve for 15 years or more.
WS 96 (10/2014): Dense, offering thickly layered fig, blackberry and black currant fruit, this is still quite primal, with loads of bay, tobacco, ganache and lavender notes waiting in reserve, held in check by loamy grip for now. Serious graphite elements harness the finish. Should be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2017 through 2035. 50 cases imported.
JLL ****[*] (11/2013): Good dark red; reduction shows on the nose which has a broad, even fat aroma, supple black fruit at its heart. It will become expressive and generous in a large glass around 2018-19. The palate offers a tasty broad berry fruit with a sweet piquancy and appealing garrigue herbs inlay. It ends on fine liqueur fruiting, well. Harmony to come here. Has a loganberry, bonny fruit quality that lasts. Genuine. From 2016.
VM 92-94 (2/2014): Vivid ruby. Blackberry, cherry-cola and spicecake on the intensely perfumed nose, with a sexy floral nuance adding complexity. Youthfully primary cherry and dark berry flavors gain sweetness and flesh with air, picking up a gentle vanilla quality and a touch of smoky Indian spices. Finishes with very good grip and focus and lingering dark berry and spice qualities. |
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| Dom. de Mourchon |
2013 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Grande Reserve (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$59.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JLL **** (4/2015): Black-tinted robe; the nose gives a rounded air of black berry fruit, with a note of black olive tapenade and cocoa, so successfully expresses meridional climes. It is on the dark side of the equation, without the softness of really ripe Grenache. The palate holds rolling black fruit with a slightly chalky tannin late moment, ending freshly. Atypical Séguret on the palate, with its notable darkness and upright features. This is long. From late 2016.
WS 91 (3/2016): Ripe and racy, with excellent definition to the cassis, blackberry and raspberry fruit, supported by light bramble and anise accents and driving through the chalk-edged finish. Drink now through 2021. 3,500 cases made.
WA 90 (3/2016): The Outstanding 2013 Seguret Grande Reserve is an old vine blend of Grenache and Syrah that's from higher elevation vineyards and limestone soils located above the village of Seguret. More tight, focused and reserved than normal for this cuvee, it still has fabulous intensity in its black raspberry, licorice, violet and peppery garrigue aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, with ripe tannin, it makes the most of this difficult vintage and will have a decade of longevity. |
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|
2017 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Loubie Rose (3.0 L) ex-Domaine |
$64.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| JLL ***[*] (4/2018): Fine pink, attractive robe. There is some reduction on the nose, so there is a “high” note to the fruit - crushed strawberry, a hint of rose. The palate has more zest than the nose, drinks easily; juicy red fruits criss cross it well, and it lasts nicely into a rounded, sunny finish. It has a really nice point of red fruit, a very tasty focus. Dried herbs, salt show on the aftertaste. |
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| Dom. du Coulet |
2007 |
Cornas Gore (1.5 L) |
$299 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. du Pegau |
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Capo (1.5 L) |
$795 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 96-99 (10/2017): The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Da Capo is smoking good. Blackcurrants, lavender, garrigue, violets, cured meats and saddle leather all flow from this rich, unctuous, incredibly decadent 2015 that has sweet tannin, a huge mid-palate, and more concentration than just about every other wine in the vintage.
WA 95-97 (10/2017): Slated to be bottled in January 2018, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo is an impressively endowed wine by any measure. Aromas? Floral, fruity and spicy. Flavors? Black cherries and plums with hints of meat and licorice. Weight and texture? Ample and silky. Finish? Never-ending and nuanced. This big but balanced beauty should drink well for at least two decades.
VM 95-97 (3/2017): Saturated ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, incense and garrigue , accented by a sexy Asian spice nuance in the background. Plush, seamless and alluringly sweet, offering intense black raspberry, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors that reach every corner of the palate. Smooth, seamless and deeply concentrated but lively as well; velvety tannins add shape to an extremely long, spice- and mineral-accented finish. The interplay of richness and vivacity here is awfully impressive. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Dom. la Barroche |
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Fiancee (1.5 L) ex-Chateau |
$167.99 |
18 |
|
| |
WA 95 (8/2018): Produced from a 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah (the Grenache coming from 100-year-old vines) and aged in demi-muids, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Fiancee features smoky notes on the nose, hints of black olives and black cherries on the palate and a full-bodied, rich, velvety texture. Creamy and plush, the flavors linger on the finish. With production limited to 1,000 bottles, it may be hard to locate, and note that it isn't produced every vintage.
JD 93 (8/2018): One of the top Syrah dominated cuvées in any vintage it’s released, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Fiancée (50/50 Grenache and Syrah) is partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of foudre and demi-muids. It has a deep, dense, gamey style as well as a big, rich, full-bodied profile on the palate. This deeply colored effort shows more and more saddle leather and pepper with time in the glass and is a beautiful effort that has one foot in the Northern Rhône and one in the Southern Rhône.
VM 93-95 (7/2018): Bright violet color. Smoke-accented dark berry liqueur, cherry-cola and floral scents are sharpened by intense mineral and spice flourishes. Deeply concentrated but surprisingly energetic on the palate, offering sweet cassis, cherry liqueur and spicecake flavors that spread out slowly with aeration. Finishes extremely long and broad, with repeating smokiness and steadily mounting tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Pure (1.5 L) |
$239.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 95 (10/2017): Offering more kirsch liqueur, lavender, incense and sweet spice, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure is another gorgeous, balanced, seamless beauty. Fine tannin, full-bodied richness, and solid freshness all develop in the glass, and it has a great finish. Like the traditional cuvée, it's elegant, long, and will keep for 15+ years. This cuvée is always from the same parcel located at the intersection of the le Grand Pierre, le Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits, is fermented all in concrete and spends 18 months in a single foudre. There are only 250 cases produced and it’s year in, year out, one of the greatest Grenache’s made in the world.
WA 95-97 (10/2016): One of the most impressive barrel samples of this cuvée I can remember, the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Pure is always almost 100% Grenache that comes from a tiny parcel of sandy soils located right at the junction of the Grand Pierre, Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits. Partially destemmed, vinified in concrete and aged in a single, ancient foudre, this sensational-looking Châteauneuf du Pape dishes out incredible amounts of ripe cherries, blueberries, crushed rocks and crushed flowers. Big, full-bodied, thick and unctuous, it got a few expletives in the notes, and for all its size and weight, it stays lively, pure and even elegant. My money is on this beauty being one of the top wines in the vintage.
JLL ****[*] (10/2015): Dark colour; has a great nose which is perfumed, and gives expressive fruit. This is beau, really prolonged and both stately and fresh at the same time. It builds tannin on the finish, which is aromatic.
VM 93-95 (3/2017): (most of these vines are now over 115 years old; fermented in large concrete eggs and aged in a large older foudre) Lurid ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh dark berries, cola, incense and potpourri, and a hint of smoky minerality emerges with air. Juicy, penetrating black raspberry, bitter cherry and lavender pastille flavors show superb depth and energy and stretch out to become sweeter on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy lift on a long, sappy finish framed by velvety, slow-building tannins. For such a generous wine, there's no lack of vivacity here. Josh Raynolds. |
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|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Pure (3.0 L) |
$479.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 95 (10/2017): Offering more kirsch liqueur, lavender, incense and sweet spice, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure is another gorgeous, balanced, seamless beauty. Fine tannin, full-bodied richness, and solid freshness all develop in the glass, and it has a great finish. Like the traditional cuvée, it's elegant, long, and will keep for 15+ years. This cuvée is always from the same parcel located at the intersection of the le Grand Pierre, le Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits, is fermented all in concrete and spends 18 months in a single foudre. There are only 250 cases produced and it’s year in, year out, one of the greatest Grenache’s made in the world.
WA 95-97 (10/2016): One of the most impressive barrel samples of this cuvée I can remember, the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Pure is always almost 100% Grenache that comes from a tiny parcel of sandy soils located right at the junction of the Grand Pierre, Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits. Partially destemmed, vinified in concrete and aged in a single, ancient foudre, this sensational-looking Châteauneuf du Pape dishes out incredible amounts of ripe cherries, blueberries, crushed rocks and crushed flowers. Big, full-bodied, thick and unctuous, it got a few expletives in the notes, and for all its size and weight, it stays lively, pure and even elegant. My money is on this beauty being one of the top wines in the vintage.
JLL ****[*] (10/2015): Dark colour; has a great nose which is perfumed, and gives expressive fruit. This is beau, really prolonged and both stately and fresh at the same time. It builds tannin on the finish, which is aromatic.
VM 93-95 (3/2017): (most of these vines are now over 115 years old; fermented in large concrete eggs and aged in a large older foudre) Lurid ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh dark berries, cola, incense and potpourri, and a hint of smoky minerality emerges with air. Juicy, penetrating black raspberry, bitter cherry and lavender pastille flavors show superb depth and energy and stretch out to become sweeter on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy lift on a long, sappy finish framed by velvety, slow-building tannins. For such a generous wine, there's no lack of vivacity here. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Pure (6.0 L) |
$979.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (10/2017): Offering more kirsch liqueur, lavender, incense and sweet spice, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure is another gorgeous, balanced, seamless beauty. Fine tannin, full-bodied richness, and solid freshness all develop in the glass, and it has a great finish. Like the traditional cuvée, it's elegant, long, and will keep for 15+ years. This cuvée is always from the same parcel located at the intersection of the le Grand Pierre, le Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits, is fermented all in concrete and spends 18 months in a single foudre. There are only 250 cases produced and it’s year in, year out, one of the greatest Grenache’s made in the world.
WA 95-97 (10/2016): One of the most impressive barrel samples of this cuvée I can remember, the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Pure is always almost 100% Grenache that comes from a tiny parcel of sandy soils located right at the junction of the Grand Pierre, Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits. Partially destemmed, vinified in concrete and aged in a single, ancient foudre, this sensational-looking Châteauneuf du Pape dishes out incredible amounts of ripe cherries, blueberries, crushed rocks and crushed flowers. Big, full-bodied, thick and unctuous, it got a few expletives in the notes, and for all its size and weight, it stays lively, pure and even elegant. My money is on this beauty being one of the top wines in the vintage.
JLL ****[*] (10/2015): Dark colour; has a great nose which is perfumed, and gives expressive fruit. This is beau, really prolonged and both stately and fresh at the same time. It builds tannin on the finish, which is aromatic.
VM 93-95 (3/2017): (most of these vines are now over 115 years old; fermented in large concrete eggs and aged in a large older foudre) Lurid ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh dark berries, cola, incense and potpourri, and a hint of smoky minerality emerges with air. Juicy, penetrating black raspberry, bitter cherry and lavender pastille flavors show superb depth and energy and stretch out to become sweeter on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy lift on a long, sappy finish framed by velvety, slow-building tannins. For such a generous wine, there's no lack of vivacity here. Josh Raynolds. |
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|
2014 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$84.99 |
13 |
|
| |
JLL **** (10/2015): Dark, full red robe. Pepper-licorice feature in a live, open nose that is full of life, has streamlined black cherry fruit at its heart, and a kind air of flowers such as violets. The palate presents live, pepped up black fruit with salted moments, so it drinks well. There is a small knot of late tannin-tar. This is pacy wine with brio and w.o.w. potential, offering direct, good, coursing fruit . It is 15°, but you wouldn’t know it. It can gain fat as it ages. From mid-2017. “The skins, pips, sugars and tannins all ripened together, which is rare, in 2014. It has expanded since the spring of 2015, has a lot of salinity,” Julien Barrot.
VM 91-93 (4/2016): (fermented in concrete and aged in used foudres and demi-muids): Vivid ruby. Deep, smoke-accented dark berry and floral pastille scents are sharpened by a note of peppery spice. Smoky and sweet in the mouth, offering concentrated boysenberry and cherry flavors and a hint of candied violet. Shows very good power and energy and finishes with excellent focus and length; velvety, late-arriving tannins add shape. Quite serious for an entry-level bottling; I'd bet on this making a solid cellar candidate. Josh Raynolds.
WS 91 (10/2016): Juicy, with plum paste and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors that race along, bolstered by a bright anise note. Stays juicy through the finish, showing hints of plum skin, fruitcake and lightly singed alder. Best from 2017 through 2025. 1,800 cases made.
WA 90 (10/2016): The 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape checks in as a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah and the rest Cinsault, Clairette Rose and Vaccarèse, all of which was raised mostly in older foudre, with smaller amounts in demi-muids and stainless steel. Medium-bodied, focused and lively, with good concentration and a vibrant, Burgundian-like tension and focus, it offers classic Southern Rhône notes of garrigue, Provençal spice, sappy herbs, and black raspberry and cherry fruit characteristics. Drink it anytime over the coming 7-8 years. |
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|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$104.99 |
30 |
|
| |
JLL ****[*] (10/2015): (Syrah from red clay, galet (atypical) soils on Pradel, sugars ended, just devatted now) **** good and dark, notable colour. Has a blackberry fruit air of deep potential, sustained linger. This can be stylish and inviting. The palate is round, rich, holds good, encased tannins, has definite ways to go. This is long and full, is a bright wine with a natural depth. 18 years. 2) (50% Grenache, 50% Mourvèdre, both 2005, from mixed clay, sand on Cabrières) **** extremely dark. Aromtaic dark berry fruit, round and deep nose. Violets and crisp fruit show on the palate. This is good, plucky wine, full of beans: it is wide, and its tannins fit snugly. It holds good, running fruit, and the finish is fresh. 18-20 years. 3) Grenache from Terres Blanches, Cabrières, Palestor, whole bunch, 5 gm of sugar to complete) ****(*) dark robe. Broad, upfront nose. Exuberant fruit comes out off the bat on the palate, with a crunch of tannins connected to the whole bunches at the end. Lively, free running, aromatic after taste. 21 years. 4) (Mourvèdre, 1990, from Les Mascarrons, sugars not yet finished) ****(*) vary dark; has a sturdy nose, several layers of black berry. This is racy, crystalline, expressive; the clarity of the tannins is notable. I like the length, too. 24 years.
JD 92 (10/2017): The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the young Julien Barrot is a perfumed, elegant release that's loaded with notions of currants, kirsch, licorice, and spice. It's silky, elegant, ethereally textured and long, with the freshness and classic style of the vintage. As usual, the classic cuvée is a blend of roughly 60% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre and the balance Clairette Rose, Cinsault, Syrah, and Vaccarèse, fermented all in concrete tanks and aged mostly in foudre. 2,500 cases.
VM 91-93 (3/2017): (fermented in concrete eggs and aged in foudres and stainless steel tanks) Vivid ruby. Highly expressive cherry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by energetic floral and Asian spice nuances. Sappy, sweet and broad in the mouth, offering juicy, densely packed red and dark berry flavors that become deeper as the wine open up. Stains the palate and shows impressive vivacity on the persistent, floral-dominated finish, which is framed by silky, harmonious tannins. Josh Raynolds.
WA 90-92 (10/2016): The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Signature is a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah and the rest Vaccarèse, Clairette Rose and Cinsault. Vinified all in concrete and aged in a combination of foudre, demi-muids and stainless steel, it offers a tight, grippy, medium to full-bodied and beautifully structured style, as well as classic notes of black raspberries, black cherries, crushed flowers and hints of crushed rock. I love its tension, purity and focus, and it has terrific length on the finish as well. |
|
|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature (3.0 L) ex-Domaine |
$229.99 |
11 |
|
| |
JLL ****[*] (10/2015): (Syrah from red clay, galet (atypical) soils on Pradel, sugars ended, just devatted now) **** good and dark, notable colour. Has a blackberry fruit air of deep potential, sustained linger. This can be stylish and inviting. The palate is round, rich, holds good, encased tannins, has definite ways to go. This is long and full, is a bright wine with a natural depth. 18 years. 2) (50% Grenache, 50% Mourvèdre, both 2005, from mixed clay, sand on Cabrières) **** extremely dark. Aromtaic dark berry fruit, round and deep nose. Violets and crisp fruit show on the palate. This is good, plucky wine, full of beans: it is wide, and its tannins fit snugly. It holds good, running fruit, and the finish is fresh. 18-20 years. 3) Grenache from Terres Blanches, Cabrières, Palestor, whole bunch, 5 gm of sugar to complete) ****(*) dark robe. Broad, upfront nose. Exuberant fruit comes out off the bat on the palate, with a crunch of tannins connected to the whole bunches at the end. Lively, free running, aromatic after taste. 21 years. 4) (Mourvèdre, 1990, from Les Mascarrons, sugars not yet finished) ****(*) vary dark; has a sturdy nose, several layers of black berry. This is racy, crystalline, expressive; the clarity of the tannins is notable. I like the length, too. 24 years.
JD 92 (10/2017): The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the young Julien Barrot is a perfumed, elegant release that's loaded with notions of currants, kirsch, licorice, and spice. It's silky, elegant, ethereally textured and long, with the freshness and classic style of the vintage. As usual, the classic cuvée is a blend of roughly 60% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre and the balance Clairette Rose, Cinsault, Syrah, and Vaccarèse, fermented all in concrete tanks and aged mostly in foudre. 2,500 cases.
VM 91-93 (3/2017): (fermented in concrete eggs and aged in foudres and stainless steel tanks) Vivid ruby. Highly expressive cherry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by energetic floral and Asian spice nuances. Sappy, sweet and broad in the mouth, offering juicy, densely packed red and dark berry flavors that become deeper as the wine open up. Stains the palate and shows impressive vivacity on the persistent, floral-dominated finish, which is framed by silky, harmonious tannins. Josh Raynolds.
WA 90-92 (10/2016): The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Signature is a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah and the rest Vaccarèse, Clairette Rose and Cinsault. Vinified all in concrete and aged in a combination of foudre, demi-muids and stainless steel, it offers a tight, grippy, medium to full-bodied and beautifully structured style, as well as classic notes of black raspberries, black cherries, crushed flowers and hints of crushed rock. I love its tension, purity and focus, and it has terrific length on the finish as well. |
|
|
2015 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature (6.0 L) ex-Domaine |
$459.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JLL ****[*] (10/2015): (Syrah from red clay, galet (atypical) soils on Pradel, sugars ended, just devatted now) **** good and dark, notable colour. Has a blackberry fruit air of deep potential, sustained linger. This can be stylish and inviting. The palate is round, rich, holds good, encased tannins, has definite ways to go. This is long and full, is a bright wine with a natural depth. 18 years. 2) (50% Grenache, 50% Mourvèdre, both 2005, from mixed clay, sand on Cabrières) **** extremely dark. Aromtaic dark berry fruit, round and deep nose. Violets and crisp fruit show on the palate. This is good, plucky wine, full of beans: it is wide, and its tannins fit snugly. It holds good, running fruit, and the finish is fresh. 18-20 years. 3) Grenache from Terres Blanches, Cabrières, Palestor, whole bunch, 5 gm of sugar to complete) ****(*) dark robe. Broad, upfront nose. Exuberant fruit comes out off the bat on the palate, with a crunch of tannins connected to the whole bunches at the end. Lively, free running, aromatic after taste. 21 years. 4) (Mourvèdre, 1990, from Les Mascarrons, sugars not yet finished) ****(*) vary dark; has a sturdy nose, several layers of black berry. This is racy, crystalline, expressive; the clarity of the tannins is notable. I like the length, too. 24 years.
JD 92 (10/2017): The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the young Julien Barrot is a perfumed, elegant release that's loaded with notions of currants, kirsch, licorice, and spice. It's silky, elegant, ethereally textured and long, with the freshness and classic style of the vintage. As usual, the classic cuvée is a blend of roughly 60% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre and the balance Clairette Rose, Cinsault, Syrah, and Vaccarèse, fermented all in concrete tanks and aged mostly in foudre. 2,500 cases.
VM 91-93 (3/2017): (fermented in concrete eggs and aged in foudres and stainless steel tanks) Vivid ruby. Highly expressive cherry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by energetic floral and Asian spice nuances. Sappy, sweet and broad in the mouth, offering juicy, densely packed red and dark berry flavors that become deeper as the wine open up. Stains the palate and shows impressive vivacity on the persistent, floral-dominated finish, which is framed by silky, harmonious tannins. Josh Raynolds.
WA 90-92 (10/2016): The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Signature is a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah and the rest Vaccarèse, Clairette Rose and Cinsault. Vinified all in concrete and aged in a combination of foudre, demi-muids and stainless steel, it offers a tight, grippy, medium to full-bodied and beautifully structured style, as well as classic notes of black raspberries, black cherries, crushed flowers and hints of crushed rock. I love its tension, purity and focus, and it has terrific length on the finish as well. |
|
|
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature (1.5 L) ex-Chateau |
$104.99 |
7 |
|
| |
JD 95 (8/2018): The quality of what could be considered the “entry-level” cuvée from Barrot is the equivalent of most estate’s top wine, and the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Signature delivers the goods again. It’s almost too good and certainly not far behind the Pure cuvée. A blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault, Syrah, Vaccarèse, and Clairette Rose, brought up in foudre and demi-muid, it sports a head-turning bouquet of kirsch liqueur, blackberries, crushed herbs, and pepper. With a big mid-palate, full body, ripe tannins, and a rocking finish, it’s a no-brainer purchase that will keep for two decades.
JLL ****[*] (10/2017): Dark, bright, red robe, purple in it. Black olives, prune, clear blackberry and blueberry fruits assemble on the nose - this shows good variety and potential; there are notions of rosemary. The palate offers cosy gras presented with elegant assurance, has free juicing, spontaneous tannins that are ripe, and add late depth. It wooshes through to a more chalky ending on those fine grain tannins and their crunch, which is prompted in part by the inclusion of the stems: this has a good structure to age. “It’s 45% whole bunch overall this year, a lot of the Grenache, plus Mourvèdre from Cabrières,” Julien Barrot. From 2021.
WA 93 (8/2018): A terrific entry-level offering, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Signature is a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah, 6% Cinsault and 2% other varieties. It's full-bodied and intense but silky and almost weightless, delivering wonderful, complex notes of cherries, raspberries and an array of dried spices and herbs. With 2,500 cases produced, it should be fairly widely available and reasonably priced.
VM 91-93 (7/2018): Vivid ruby. Sexy, expansive aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, smoky minerals and candied flowers pick up a spicy topnote with air. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense black raspberry and boysenberry flavors firmed by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows excellent clarity and floral-driven thrust on the impressively long finish, which is framed by supple, harmonious tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature (3.0 L) ex-Chateau |
$229.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (8/2018): The quality of what could be considered the “entry-level” cuvée from Barrot is the equivalent of most estate’s top wine, and the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Signature delivers the goods again. It’s almost too good and certainly not far behind the Pure cuvée. A blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault, Syrah, Vaccarèse, and Clairette Rose, brought up in foudre and demi-muid, it sports a head-turning bouquet of kirsch liqueur, blackberries, crushed herbs, and pepper. With a big mid-palate, full body, ripe tannins, and a rocking finish, it’s a no-brainer purchase that will keep for two decades.
JLL ****[*] (10/2017): Dark, bright, red robe, purple in it. Black olives, prune, clear blackberry and blueberry fruits assemble on the nose - this shows good variety and potential; there are notions of rosemary. The palate offers cosy gras presented with elegant assurance, has free juicing, spontaneous tannins that are ripe, and add late depth. It wooshes through to a more chalky ending on those fine grain tannins and their crunch, which is prompted in part by the inclusion of the stems: this has a good structure to age. “It’s 45% whole bunch overall this year, a lot of the Grenache, plus Mourvèdre from Cabrières,” Julien Barrot. From 2021.
WA 93 (8/2018): A terrific entry-level offering, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Signature is a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah, 6% Cinsault and 2% other varieties. It's full-bodied and intense but silky and almost weightless, delivering wonderful, complex notes of cherries, raspberries and an array of dried spices and herbs. With 2,500 cases produced, it should be fairly widely available and reasonably priced.
VM 91-93 (7/2018): Vivid ruby. Sexy, expansive aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, smoky minerals and candied flowers pick up a spicy topnote with air. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense black raspberry and boysenberry flavors firmed by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows excellent clarity and floral-driven thrust on the impressively long finish, which is framed by supple, harmonious tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Dom. Roger Sabon |
2003 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige (1.5 L) Signs of Old Seepage |
$100 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 95 (9/2005): Dense raspberry, plum, licorice, tar and bacon notes are supported by thick, muscular tannins in this concentrated, showy red. A bit of a brute now (though floral and mineral hints chime in too) so cellar. If you do, you'll have a classic example of the vintage. Best from 2007 through 2025. 1,250 cases made.
WA 92 (2/2006): Broad, expansive, rich, and impressively endowed, the dark ruby/purple-colored 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige is dense, chewy, and meaty with high levels of alcohol, hints of roasted meats, kirsch liqueur, herbes de Provence, creme de cassis, and melted licorice. It is a broad, mouthfilling Chateauneuf du Pape that is classic and substantial. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.
VM 86 (2/2006): Pale ruby color. Meaty, earthy and pungent on the nose, with powerful black cherry and plum liqueur aromas accented by notes of black tea, smoked meat and cracked pepper. Turns riper and more roasted as it opens, the dark fruit qualities becoming hotter and sharper. This clearly displays the roasted character of the vintage. |
|
|
2003 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige (1.5 L) Signs of Old Seepage; Corroded Capsule |
$100 |
3 |
|
| |
WS 95 (9/2005): Dense raspberry, plum, licorice, tar and bacon notes are supported by thick, muscular tannins in this concentrated, showy red. A bit of a brute now (though floral and mineral hints chime in too) so cellar. If you do, you'll have a classic example of the vintage. Best from 2007 through 2025. 1,250 cases made.
WA 92 (2/2006): Broad, expansive, rich, and impressively endowed, the dark ruby/purple-colored 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige is dense, chewy, and meaty with high levels of alcohol, hints of roasted meats, kirsch liqueur, herbes de Provence, creme de cassis, and melted licorice. It is a broad, mouthfilling Chateauneuf du Pape that is classic and substantial. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.
VM 86 (2/2006): Pale ruby color. Meaty, earthy and pungent on the nose, with powerful black cherry and plum liqueur aromas accented by notes of black tea, smoked meat and cracked pepper. Turns riper and more roasted as it opens, the dark fruit qualities becoming hotter and sharper. This clearly displays the roasted character of the vintage. |
|
| Domaine les Goubert |
2012 |
Gigondas Cuvee Florence (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$74.99 |
21 |
|
| |
| JLL ***[*] (12/2013): Dark red; deeply soaked prunes, blackcurrant fruit air with a saline tang, iodine and blueberry - a promising nose. The palate has a good, mixed flavour, involves coffee, tar, date, soaked fruits, raw tobacco. Unfurnished wine whose elements are not as one, but they can probably link together. The tannins and acidity are influences for now. From 2016 or later. |
|
| Le Vieux Donjon |
2000 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (1.5 L) Lightly Nicked Label |
$125 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 93 (5/2010): A textbook Châteauneuf, the 2000 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape exhibits copious garrigue, rusty iron, earth and black cherry fruit on the nose. It’s showing solid complexity but there’s still fresh, ripe fruit. In the mouth, the wine is medium to full bodied with solid underlying structure, a superb texture and a long, quality finish. This should continue to drink well over the next 10 or more years.
VM 92 (2/2003): Full deep red. Highly nuanced nose combines roasted, liqueur-like red fruits, smoke, truffle and spice cake; this reminded me of Vega Sicilia! Then silky but vinous and firm; a bit subdued today but boasts lovely fruit intensity and incipient complexity. Finishes long and subtle, with ripe, suave tannins and a late note of pepper. This should develop beautifully with bottle aging. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 92 (11/2002): Beautiful, silky Châteauneuf terroir aromas: leather, game, truffles, plum, dried herbs, lead pencil. It all swirls around in the palate, a deeply satisfying blend that surprises and harks back to something as simple as a walk in the country on a rainy autumn day. Supple tannins on the balanced finish. Drink now through 2010. 4,165 cases made.
JLL **** (12/2010): Smoky, wispy, latent red fruits aroma at first, then the air brings on a more earthy, fundamental, farmyard display. Pretty, striking red fruit that has real dash about it, big and lovely fruit. There is a lovely ball of intensity in the fruit, and it distributes its favours openly – it is nicely compact, savoury, tasty, even if it lacks a little cut. Very approachable, fine wine. Lingers well on the finish. Good balance overall.
WA 91 (2/2003): The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape represents an educational tour of the southern Rhone, in particular, Chateauneuf du Pape. It possesses all the appellation's classic components ... underbrush, garrigue, licorice, pepper, lavender, sweet black cherries, and incense. Extremely perfumed and heady, this full-bodied, moderately tannic offering comes close to matching the mass and blockbuster power of the 1998. Firm tannin in the finish suggests a long aging curve. Given my experience with Vieux Donjon, most of the classic vintages hit their peak at 7-8 years, where they remain for 5-6 years. Around age 15-16 they begin a slow decline. The 2000 should follow that path. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016. |
|
| Paul Jaboulet Aine |
1990 |
Hermitage La Chapelle (3.0 L) |
$4,950 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (9/2015): The 1990 Hermitage La Chapelle lived up to its reputation on this occasion, and of the three titans (1990, 1978 and 1961), it was probably my favorite. Still inky colored and ruby at the rim, it offers an absolutely profound bouquet of sweet cassis, smoked meats, chocolate, licorice and spice. This is followed by a full-bodied, insanely textured, pure and hedonistic palate that has that perfect mix of still-vibrant fruit and ample secondary nuances. I suspect the '61 was even richer at this stage, but the overall purity and freshness here are incredible. It will continue to evolve for decades, but I'd happily open bottles today.
JLL ****** (3/2011): Very full robe, that is still through all the way through. The bouquet has a sweet air, rich, dried fruits such as dates with a mild floral air, blackberry undernotes, a mixture of oily and very minor damp touches of age. There are both salty and violet contributors, and creamy, brioche airs. What a warm breadth to this - an enormously wide and complete bouquet. The palate combines richness and grain, moves well, and has glints of direct focus. It has a lot more definition than last night’s 1990. Is has a fresh, tight, free run finish. Inside there are fine, fresh red fruits which build up into a final glow, a note of heat. It is more elegant and crisp than last night’s 1990. The finish has sinew in it.
JS 98 (12/2014): Gorgeous aromas of dark berry, dried meat, dried berry, game, wet earth and licorice. Floral. Full body with a wonderful texture of dried fruits, spices and berries. Very dense and muscular with wonderful balance and length. Dense and intense. Blockbuster style.
WS 97 (12/1999): As expected from this ideal vintage, this '90 is sensational. Inky in color and solidly anchored in its terroir, it springs to life with a symphony of flavors, from mineral to wet earth and blackberry. Marvelous balance among fruit, acidity and smooth tannins. Delicious now, but can hold.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2025. 9,400 cases made.
VM 96 (7/2010): Rh?ne lovers were out in full force on this night. Sadly, I only got to taste a handful of the wines being passed around. Still, these were four of the greatest wines I have ever tasted. The 1990 La Chapelle held its own in this grouping, and then some. The purity of the fruit and the wine’s finish were mind-bending. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| | Champagne |
| Canard-Duchene |
NV |
Authentic Brut Champagne (1.5 L) |
$78.99 |
40 |
|
| |
|
| Champagne Jacquesson |
1996 |
Extra Brut Champagne (1.5 L) |
$400 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (11/2005): Light gold. Complex and powerful, with smoky scents of grilled hazelnut, buttered toast, ripe pear and floral honey. This is exceptionally rich but the honeyed orchard fruit flavors are vivid and racy. Finishes with vibrant, concentrated notes of fresh fig and bergamot. A superb all-chardonnay Champagne that should age exceptionally well. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Lanson |
1979 |
Brut Champagne (1.5 L) |
$599 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
1981 |
Brut Champagne (1.5 L) |
$549 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Roederer |
1982 |
Cristal Champagne (1.5 L) Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$1,800 |
1 |
|
| |
| MB [***[*]] (3/1991): In magnum and bottles; lively; firm, still relatively immature. Should be a 5-star mouthful now. |
|
| Veuve Clicquot |
1982 |
Cave Privee Champagne (1.5 L) |
$950 |
2 |
|
| |
| WS 95 (12/2014): Bright, sleek and elegant, with mouthwatering acidity, this is soft and creamy in texture, offering hints of smoked almond and whole-grain toast, accented by dried apple, crème brûlée and dried herb notes. Rich details of grilled nut and oyster shell linger on the persistent finish. Drink now through 2024. |
|
|
1990 |
La Grande Dame Champagne (3.0 L) Very Lightly Scuffed Label |
$1,100 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (12/1999): Rich, multidimensional, highly aromatic nose of pear, red berries, apple, honey, toast and spice. Extremely rich and concentrated, with its medium to full body leavened by bright citrus notes and compelling minerality. Great inner-mouth aromas. Conveys an impression of powerful yet remarkably fine raw materials. The spicy finish offers exceptional persistence and richness.
WA 95 (10/1998): I highly recommend the Veuve Clicquot 1990 La Grande Dame. It is exquisitely rich and accessible, yet bursting with potential.
WS 90 (10/1999): Assertive and buttery style, dry and bold in flavor, but with the lively effervescence and toasty finish for balance. Drink now through 2002. |
|
| | Germany |
| JJ Prum |
2014 |
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsule (1.5 L) |
$219.99 |
8 |
|
| |
WA 95 (3/2016): The gold-capsuled 2014 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese GK (AP #18) represents a botrytis selection and offers highly delicate fruit and flinty-slate aromas, where tropical fruit aromas mingle with wet stone flavors. The attack on the palate is racy and piquant; the wine is complex and very pure, highly elegant and finesse-full, yet intense and concentrated, with ripe pineapple flavors and a pure, salty, very mineral finish. This is highly delicate Riesling with a complex terroir expression.
WS 95 (3/2017): This has flavors of peach pie and apricot tart that are well-honeyed and filled with creamy unctuousness. Pastry notes show midpalate, with a finish that offers savory richness and plenty of minerally accents. A pure and powerful style. Best from 2018 through 2038. 40 cases imported.
VM 95 (11/2016): This non-auction gold-capsule bottling delivers a multifaceted nose featuring candied lime peel, apple and quince jellies, heliotrope and an intriguing meld of yeasty stale bread, florally honeyed and subtly truffly manifestations of botrytis. The creamy, expansive palate reprises all of the aforementioned elements, but also introduces generous parallel juiciness of fresh apple and lime. Displaying wonderful lift and delicacy, the lusciously lingering finish is transparent to stony, crystalline and floral nuances. David Schildknecht |
|
| | Italy |
| Aldo Conterno |
2005 |
Barolo Cicala (1.5 L) Scuffed Label |
$239 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 95 (7/2009): Strawberry pie and cream aromas lead to a full-bodied palate. Very thick and powerful, with big, velvety tannins and masses of fruit. A blockbuster style. Best after 2013. 750 cases made.
WA 93 (4/2009): The estate’s 2005 Barolo Cicala is a transparent, mid-weight wine redolent of dark fruit, spices, minerals and licorice, all of which come together in the glass with superb elegance. Here the tannins are decidedly firmer and bigger than in the Colonello, even though the vineyards are just a few hundred meters apart! This powerful yet harmonious wine is simply radiant in its beauty. All that it needs is a little patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.
VM 89-92 (12/2007): Full red-ruby. Sexy aromas of strawberry, rose petal, marzipan, truffle and licorice, along with balsamic and woodsy nuances. Suave and fine-grained, with good stuffing and verve. Sweet fruit flavors linger nicely on the finish, which features a light dusting of tannins. |
|
|
2008 |
Barolo Granbussia Riserva (1.5 L) |
$899 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 87 (11/2016): Conterno's 2008 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is short, sweet and pruney, with distinctly overripe black fruit and prominent oak. The 2008 is one of the weakest Granbussias I have ever tasted. Super-ripe dark fruit, mocha, spice and sweet vanillin notes from the oak are front and center in a wine that lacks mid-palate depth, and, most importantly, the nobility that has made Granbussia so famous over the last few decades. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2008 |
Barolo Granbussia Riserva (1.5 L) Scuffed Label |
$899 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 87 (11/2016): Conterno's 2008 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is short, sweet and pruney, with distinctly overripe black fruit and prominent oak. The 2008 is one of the weakest Granbussias I have ever tasted. Super-ripe dark fruit, mocha, spice and sweet vanillin notes from the oak are front and center in a wine that lacks mid-palate depth, and, most importantly, the nobility that has made Granbussia so famous over the last few decades. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Allegrini |
1980 |
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (3.0 L) Chipped Wax Capsule, Exposed Cork, Old Signs of Seepage |
$799 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 85 (12/1987): No tasting note given |
|
|
1996 |
La Poja (1.5 L) |
$100 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 88 (7/2001): Intense currants and mint. Full-bodied and velvety, with wonderful length. There are plenty of ripe tannins, but it doesn't have the body of the 1995 or '97. Slightly hollow mid-palate. Drink now through 2003. 1,500 cases made. |
|
| Andrea Oberto |
2011 |
Barolo Rocche dell Annunziata (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$189.99 |
8 |
|
| |
JS 94 (9/2015): A red with dried berry, flowers, stone and dried spices on the nose. Full-bodied, tight and structured. Layers of ripe fruit and tannins. Long and flavorful finish. His vineyard did wonderfully in this hot year. Better in 2017.
VM 93 (3/2015): Oberto's 2011 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata captures all the signatures of this site from its floral, perfumed aromatics to red-fleshed fruit and silky, polished tannins, all delivered with the feminine sensuality that is the truest essence of what Rocche is all about. Freshly cut roses, mint and vivid red berries grace the super-expressive finish. In my view, Rocche is Oberto's flagship. The 2011 has come together quite nicely since I last tasted in barrel. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Angelo Gaja |
2006 |
Langhe Sori Tildin (3.0 L) |
$1,699 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 95 (7/2012): I love the nose to this wine with a floral, blueberry and raspberries. Orange peel. Full-bodied, and chewy with an impressive texture of ripe tannins and a long finish. Very beautiful. Better in 2015.
VM 94+ (11/2009): Good full, deep red. Sexy aromas of minerals, truffle and ineffable rose petal. Suave and lush, showing a surprisingly open-knit texture that partly masks the wine's serious underpinning of fine tannins. Very long and aromatic on the aftertaste.
WA 94 (10/2009): The 2006 Langhe Sori Tildin opens with a gorgeous, nuanced bouquet that leads to an equally expressive core of ripe, red fruits. This medium-bodied Sori Tildin is the most focussed and energetic of these wines. It offers exceptional length and a refined, polished close. As is often the case, the Sori Tildin is also the most delicate and feminine of the single-vineyard wines. This is a very strong effort even if the explosiveness of the finest vintages is missing. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.
WS 92 (9/2009): Displays ripe plum and berry aromas, with hints of fresh flowers, like rose. Full-bodied, with beautiful, clean fruit and a mineral, berry and cherry aftertaste. Balanced and very pretty. Almost drinkable now. Best after 2010. 800 cases made. |
|
| Castello di Verrazzano |
1997 |
Chianti Classico Riserva (1.5 L) |
$50 |
1 |
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| |
| WS 86 (10/2000): Pretty aromas of plums, blackberries and cherries. Medium- to full-bodied, with slightly astringent tannins and a crisp, tart acidity. A bit disjointed right now. Needs time. Best after 2000. 5,000 cases made. |
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| Emidio Pepe |
2002 |
Montepulciano dAbruzzo (3.0 L) |
$750 |
1 |
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| Fattoria Galardi |
2011 |
Terra di Lavoro Roccamonfina IGT (3.0 L) |
$329 |
1 |
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JS 97 (2/2014): Complex aromas of blackberry, stones, cracked black pepper and tar. Full body with soft, round tannins and a juicy, fruity finish. Soulful and refined from this estate. This is a magical wine from Southern Italy.
WS 92 (4/2014): There's drive to this well-meshed, sanguine red, offering flavors of herbs, dried currant, iron and black olive that are deftly layered with sinewy tannins and balancing acidity. Drink now through 2021. 5,000 cases made.
VM 91 (4/2014): (a blend of aglianico and piedirosso): Good full ruby. Ripe red cherry, dark plum, licorice, coffee and spicy oak on the nose. Sweet, plush and very ripe, with plum, truffle and milk chocolate flavors framed by adequate acidity. Complex wine with youthfully chewy, building tannins and excellent breadth. In a riper style than some past vintages. |
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| Giacomo Conterno |
2001 |
Barolo Cascina Francia (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label |
$650 |
2 |
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WA 96 (10/2006): Roberto Conterno continues this strong series with a Cascina Francia that is breathtaking for its elegance, poise and sheer beauty. Even better from bottle than it was from cask, the 2001 Barolo Cascina Francia displays a stunning nose of roses, spices and crushed raspberries with delicate layers of sweet dark red fruit, licorice and menthol flavors on a medium-bodied frame, closing with great freshness and fine, noble tannins. Several recent bottles suggest that this Barolo has put on some additional weight over the last few months. Despite its initially restrained impression there is plenty of structure and body underneath. It will be a fascinating wine to follow over the next several decades. One of the best Cascina Francias I have ever tasted, and among the very finest wines of this great vintage, it sets a new benchmark for the level of sublimeness and finesse that Nebbiolo can achieve. Highly recommended. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2026.
VM 91-93 (12/2004): Medium red. Sappy aromas of redcurrant liqueur and dried rose. Round, fat, lush and seamless; not at all a fruit-dominated style, with intriguing notes of herbs, spices, earth and flowers complicating the plum and strawberry flavors. Doesn't quite match the 1999 for sheer thrust but the wine's sweetness is compelling.
WS 91 (12/2007): Has wonderful aromas of fresh porcini mushroom, subtle ripe red fruits and citrus. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins. Shows lots of berry, blackberry and milk chocolate flavors on the aftertaste. This is just starting to open up. Drink now through 2016. 1,500 cases made. |
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| Paolo Scavino |
2000 |
Barolo Bric del Fiasc (3.0 L) |
$600 |
1 |
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WS 98 (7/2004): Very, very ripe fruit, with strawberries and plums galore. Turns to Indian spices and cedar. Full-bodied, with an exquisite palate of ultraripe tannins that turn to velvet. Long, long finish. Cashmere. Great from barrel, great from bottle. This is the best Bric dël Fiasc ever. Best after 2010. 875 cases made.
WA 92 (8/2005): The 2000 Barolo Bric del Fiasc, powerful and penetrating in aroma with expansive sensations of tar, truffles, and anisette, is dense, burly, and concentrated on the palate, intense on the close, but less sweet and round than unusual. It is built to last, however, and will still be drinking well in 2018.
VM 92 (12/2004): Good full red. Dee p aromas of redcurrant, smoke and earth. Also rather backward, but shows a lighter touch than the Carobric, with sweeter fruit. Intensely flavored but not weighty, with more classic Barolo energy and notes of flowers and tar. Subtle and flavorful Barolo, finishing with serious tannic backbone for aging. |
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| Podere Il Carnasciale |
2013 |
Il Caberlot Toscana IGT (1.5 L) |
$249 |
3 |
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| VM 95+ (10/2016): The 2013 Il Caberlot (Magnum) is a super-classy vintage of this Tuscan thoroughbred. Bold, pungent and intensely aromatic, the 2013 exudes richness and intensity, but in a gracious, mid-weight style. Black cherry, plum, sage, menthol, licorice and smoke meld into the unctuous, super-refined finish. This is one of the most impressive young Caberlots I have tasted. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Sottimano |
2015 |
Barbaresco Cotta (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$129.99 |
12 |
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WA 93 (9/2018): From a celebrated cru in Neive, the 2015 Barbaresco Cottà is a shapely, soft and accessible interpretation of Nebbiolo from a warm vintage. This mid-weight wine boasts a bright bouquet with ruby highlights. Those aromas are alert, tonic and straightforward in delivery. In terms of mouthfeel, this wine is firm and structured. However, the astringency is safely within bounds (for a young Nebbiolo). Some 10,000 bottles were made. Only 10% of the wine goes into new oak and the rest goes into neutral barrique.
JS 93 (9/2018): Very attractive red-cherry, redcurrant, plum and floral nose with discreet oak, then a sleek yet powerful and tannic palate with a lot of structure and some real elegance. Enough fruit for immediate drinking, but this is made for aging.
VM 92 (10/2018): Sottimano's 2015 Barbaresco Cottà is powerful, dense and brooding. Today the big, potent tannins somewhat constrict the mid-palate and finish. It will be interesting to see if the 2015 fleshes out with time in bottle. While that may happen, I expect the 2015 will always remain a bit rough around the edges, certainly within the context of the finest Sottimano Barbarescos of recent vintages. Smoke, grilled herbs, plum and firm, chunky tannins all give the 2015 Cottà its burly potent feel. Antonio Galloni. |
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2015 |
Barbaresco Pajore (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$129.99 |
10 |
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VM 94+ (10/2018): Far from an easygoing wine in this ripe vintage, the 2015 Barbaresco Pajorè is going to need time to come together. Today, the potent tannins are bruising. Even so, there is tremendous depth to the fruit and plenty of character. In 2015 Pajorè shows a much more red fruit-leaning profile and floral notes than its more typical balsamic profile. Antonio Galloni.
JS 93 (9/2018): Intense aroma of cloves, but also rose and earth notes. This rather sophisticated, medium-to full-bodied Barbaresco has bold, dry tannins that are well integrated and a long, dry finish. Drink or hold.
WA 93 (9/2018): Of these various single-vintage releases by Sottimano (including Basarin, Cottá and Fausoni), the 2015 Barbaresco Pajorè is very well integrated and smooth. The tannin management shows an excellent approach, and you don't get the astringency that comes forward in the Basarin. Instead, this expression offers increased focus on the ripe, round and plump fruit of the vintage. Only 5,000 bottles (including magnums) were produced. |
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| | Other White |
| Alzinger |
2007 |
Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd (1.5 L) |
$95 |
2 |
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| VM 92 (11/2008): Pale green-yellow. Subtle orange and juicy peach along with a hint of blossom honey on the rather shy nose. Very precisely structured and delineated, with plenty of juicy fruit bound into a tightly woven texture. The wine's discreet fruit sweetness is already wonderfully balanced by citrus and mineral components. Long on the aftertaste, and built for further development in bottle. Drink 2009 to 2017. Peter Moser. |
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| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Conseillante |
2006 |
Pomerol (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$299 |
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| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2011 |
St. Julien (3.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$535 |
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| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2011 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$119.99 |
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| | Burgundy Red |
| Bouchard Pere et Fils |
2016 |
Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvee Carnot (1.5 L) |
$189.99 |
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| Dom. de la Vougeraie |
2005 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (1.5 L) |
$495 |
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| Maison Henri Boillot |
2011 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens (3.0 L) ex-Domaine |
$449.99 |
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Sold Out
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| | Burgundy White |
| Maison Henri Boillot |
2016 |
Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$194.99 |
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| | Rhone Red |
| Clos Saint Jean |
2009 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina (1.5 L) Nicked Capsule |
$375 |
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Sold Out
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| Jean Michel Gerin |
1995 |
Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places (1.5 L) |
$275 |
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| | Southern France |
| Ch. de Pibarnon |
2016 |
Bandol Blanc (1.5 L) ex-Chateau |
$64.99 |
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| | Loire |
| Dom. Didier Dagueneau |
2002 |
Pouilly Fume Pur Sang (1.5 L) |
$299 |
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| | Germany |
| Weingut Keller |
2016 |
Abtserde Riesling Grosses Gewachs (1.5 L) |
$449 |
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Sold Out
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| | Italy |
| Alfredo Prunotto |
2001 |
Barolo Bussia (1.5 L) |
$159 |
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Sold Out
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| Angelo Gaja |
2000 |
Langhe Sori San Lorenzo (1.5 L) |
$699 |
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Sold Out
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2000 |
Langhe Sori Tildin (1.5 L) |
$799 |
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Sold Out
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| Piero Antinori |
2008 |
Solaia (3.0 L) |
$969 |
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