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Inventory updated: Fri, Jan 30, 2026 04:02 PM cst
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Australia |
| Penfolds |
2018 |
Grange (6x750ML) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,622.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (7/2022): This wine comes with high expectations—as does the vintage. The 2018 vintage across South Australia (and cheekily, we could probably extend the accolade to all of Australia) was excellent. It was warm, but without incident, and responsible for powerfully ripe, serious wines. Many producers made some of their best wines in this vintage. So here, to the 2018 Grange: there is spiced raspberry, lashings of salted licorice, red curry paste, layers of forest berries, rendered lamb fat and crushed pink peppercorns to start. In the mouth, the tannins close around the fruit with the same polish and seamlessness as the 2008, possibly the 2004? Very different vintages, but there is a textural similarity for me. This is polished and glossy and so very pretty. It contains 3% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, and 69% Barossa, 18% McLaren Vale and the balance from Clare Valley. Each of the regions brings with it its own characteristics. Barossa brings the red dirt, blood, deli meat and rust. McLaren Vale brings the plush purple fruits with a side of meat and licorice. Clare brings the polish, the opulence and the velvet texture. With their powers combined, this is an extraordinary Grange. One of the true greats, which will only get better as it ages.
VM 98 (9/2022): Inky, bright-rimmed violet. A kaleidoscopic, penetrating bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruit preserves, espresso, cola, incense, coconut and Moroccan spices, along with a smoky mineral topnote. Shows superb clarity and mineral lift to the sweet, deeply concentrated black currant, bitter cherry, dark chocolate, fruitcake and mocha flavors, which are sharpened by a spicy element. A vein of juicy acidity adds support and drives a wonderfully long, smoky finish that leaves a suave floral note behind. Josh Raynolds. |
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| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Angelus |
2010 |
St. Emilion |
$495 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99+ (8/2015): This is another magnificent wine. How much fun will it be to have the 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010 in future tastings to see which vintage comes out on top? They are all candidates that will flirt with perfection, depending on the state of their evolution. The 2010 has a similar color to the 2009, but is perhaps even more opaque, which seems almost impossible. Subtle barbecue smoke, graphite, blackberry liqueur, licorice and chocolate jump from the glass, and the wine hits the palate with a thunderous cascade of sweet, velvety, full-bodied, concentrated black fruits, nice definition from the tannins and decent acidity. The wine has a majestic, multilayered finish that goes on for a minute. This magnificent wine is still frightfully young and still somewhat unformed, but every bit as prodigious as its older sibling, the 2009. This will probably end up evolving on a slightly slower evolutionary track. However, it has 50 years of longevity in it.
JS 99 (2/2013): The nose is impressively rich with an opulence and sexiness with earth, berry, spice and chocolate character. Black truffles! Full body, with seamless tannins and beautiful richness. It goes on for minutes. The layers of fruit and ripe tannins are phenomenal. This is the greatest Angelus ever for me. Try in 2018.
WA 98 (2/2013): An absolutely spectacular wine from this estate, run with meticulous precision by Hubert de Bouard, the opaque bluish/purple 2010 Angelus offers up a beautifully sweet smorgasbord of aromas ranging from blueberry pie to espresso roast, white chocolate, creme de cassis, licorice, truffle and a touch of lead pencil shavings. There is even a floral underpinning to this extraordinary, highly-scented, full-bodied wine. Rich, layered and built like a skyscraper, this multi-dimensional Angelus has lavish concentration and moderately high tannin, but it is sweet and well-integrated, as is the oak. Just enough acidity provides focus and delineation to this exceptionally well-endowed wine, which should hit its prime in 7-10 years and last 30-40.
WS 97 (3/2013): Got patience? You'll need it to wait this brute out fully. A chunk of tar sits between you and the core of black currant, hoisin sauce and roasted Black Mission fig fruit flavors, while the back end is a road-paving machine laying down a smoldering tarry track of tobacco and freshly ground coffee. And there's an iron note too, as if this needed it. One of the most backward wines of the vintage. Best from 2017 through 2040.
VM 95 (7/2013): (15.5 alcohol!): Good deep, bright ruby-red. Extravagantly rich aromas of black raspberry, blueberry, bitter chocolate and coconutty oak. Like liquid silk in the mouth, but with Outstanding verve to the huge, palate-saturating flavors of blueberry, violet, espresso and minerals. This is almost too much of a good thing today in a Napa cult wine way, but the wine's molten, slowly building tannins and Outstanding finishing power promise a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 95 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Angelus 2010 has a rounded, more feminine bouquet that its peers with vivacious red cherries and wild strawberry scents. There is well-integrated creamy oak all with an alluring seamlessness and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity and slightly powdery tannins. It is very well focused with super tension and structure on the finish. Excellent. This Angelus seems to be settling down nicely. |
|
| Ch. Bernadotte |
2014 |
Haut Medoc (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$344.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Brane-Cantenac |
2008 |
Margaux (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$681.98 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 92 (5/2011): This stunning, evolved, dark plum/ruby-hued 2008 reveals aromas of forest floor, sweet black and red currants, licorice and roasted herbs. Classic, elegant and medium to full-bodied, it provides a sexy, complex, intellectual as well as hedonistic turn-on. Drink this delicious Margaux over the next 12-15+ years.
NM 91 (1/2012): Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. The Brane-Cantenac 2008 continues to show well in bottle after being such a “broody bugger" in barrel. I feel that this nose does not quite have the complexity or intensity of a truly great Brane-Cantenac, since it appears to lack a little vigour on the nose compared to its peers with delicate, understated notes of cedar and a little graphite. The palate has a saline entry with touches of shellfish. It has rather abrasive earthy tannins (typical of Brane-Cantenac) but it displays fine definition towards the finish. It remains somewhat difficult to taste now, but it offers natural charm at this early stage.
VM 90+ (8/2011): Full red. Aromatic nose of raspberry, plum, currant, licorice and menthol lifted by a floral element. Vibrant and light on its feet, with strong but harmonious acidity giving energy and lift to the flavors of currant, fresh herbs and flowers. Dry, classic claret with a note of fresh herbs on the subtly long aftertaste. I'd cellar this for three or four years.
WS 87 (3/2011): Tangy and fresh, with lilac and red currant flavors laced with sweet tobacco and a lively iron note on the finish. Drink now. 11,000 cases made. |
|
| Le Clarence de Haut Brion |
2010 |
Pessac Leognan |
$175 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2013): Quite jammy on the nose with lots of fruit. Plums, berries and jam. Full body, with a fluid center palate and chewy tannins. Round and rich. Seems more upfront and friendly than the second wine of La Mission. 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Better in 2018.
WA 93 (2/2013): The second wine of Haut-Brion is now called Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, and the 2010 is among the finest I have tasted there. It is a broad, powerful and more muscular wine than its cross-street rival, La Chapelle de la Mission, but all the same, it is wonderfully fresh and precise, with notes of blueberry and boysenberry as well as hints of smoke and wet stones. Endowed with gorgeous fruit, texture, purity and elegance, this relatively dense second wine demonstrates how draconian the selection process has become for the top estates in Bordeaux in recent years. The blend of this wine is 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Cabernet Franc with just a touch of Petit Verdot. I would expect it to last at least 20 years, which is remarkable.
WS 93 (4/2013): Intense, with a bold, roasted apple wood note out front and anise-infused plum and blackberry fruit surrounding the core. Lots of bramble, tar and warm stone accents course through the finish. Displays impressive range and grip. Best from 2015 through 2030. 7,200 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Clauzet |
2022 |
St. Estephe (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$262.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. La Fleur Petrus |
2018 |
Pomerol (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,925.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Gloria |
2019 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$350.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (4/2022): Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it's just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there.
VM 94 (2/2022): The 2019 Gloria personifies classic Saint-Julien, offering blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and tobacco scents, maybe a little conservative in style, but unashamed about that. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. Fresh and saline, this gets the saliva going with a precise, persistent finish and leaves hints of graphite on the aftertaste. Excellent. Neal Martin.
WS 94 (3/2022): Rock-solid, with a mouthwatering roasted apple wood and mesquite frame around a well-layered core of black currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavors. The finish features dots of tobacco and tar that add range, but the real driver is a long bolt of iron, which gives this a throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038.
JS 94 (1/2022): Sweet berry and cherry aromas with violets, following through to a medium to full body with creamy, linear tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight and curated, in a structured way. Try after 2027.
WA 93+ (4/2022): The 2019 Gloria has turned out very well, delivering aromas of blackcurrants, plums, burning embers and a deft framing of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated, with a vibrant core of ripe and fleshy fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, this shows considerable promise. |
|
| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2022 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$902.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96-98 (5/2023): The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say, the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential. Neal Martin.
WA 95-97 (5/2023): A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a brilliant classic in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that exhibits beautiful structural refinement and purity of fruit. Classy and integrated, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day and less forbiddingly structured version of this estate's brilliant 1982. |
|
| Ch. Haut Bailly |
2000 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,612.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (6/2020): Showing beautifully and now fully mature, the 2000 Château Haut-Bailly has a Lafite-like cedar note as well as incredible elegance and purity, which certainly seems to be the hallmark of this terroir. Red and black currants, tobacco leaf, forest floor, truffle, and lead pencil notes all emerge from the glass, and this more medium-bodied, elegant 2000 has resolved tannins, no hard edges, and a beautiful finish. It’s drinking at point today yet will certainly evolve for another decade and have a gradual decline after that. This is for lovers of classically styled, elegant Bordeaux.
JS 94 (6/2013): Still very youthful but starting to show its wonderful depth, structure and complexity. It’s full-bodied with silky tannins and a pretty fruit character that goes from currants to sweet earth. A wine to enjoy now and in the future.
WA 91 (7/2017): It has been a little while since I last tasted the 2000 Haut Bailly. Now at 17 years of age it does not quite deliver the authority and the pedigree of the 2005 or 2010, moving into secondary notes with cedar wood, smoke and a touch of undergrowth, though it has lost a little cohesion. The palate is medium-bodied with a very well balanced opening. Hints of clove and black pepper infuse the black fruit, and it exerts a gentle grip in the mouth with quite a persistent finish. You can broach this now although it should continue to drink well for another 15-20 years. |
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|
2015 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,410.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (10/2023): Reminding me of the 2009, the 2015 Château Haut-Bailly has a riper, sunny, sexy style that nevertheless stays nicely grounded and elegant, with ample classic Haut-Bailly character. Sweet crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, loads of spicy, loamy earth, and cedar pencil, full-bodied richness, ripe, velvety tannins, and flawless balance all characterize this incredible wine. It actually already offers pleasure today given its texture, balance, and purity, but it’s going to evolve for 30+ years.
WA 97+ (2/2018): Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Haut-Bailly offers up a tantalizingly savory nose of smoked meats, chargrill, tapenade, unsmoked cigars and black truffles with a core of black currants, black cherries and wild blueberries plus wafts of iron ore and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and yet wonderfully plush with a powerful core of fruit—this vintage is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove. The finish goes on and on with persistent earthy/minerally notes and savory/sweet fruit. Although it is tempting and indeed delicious right now, the wine still possesses many restrained layers and should handsomely reward the patient.
VM 95 (6/2025): The 2015 Haut Bailly was first tasted at the Farr Vintners tasting, although I felt that this bottle did not show as well. Another at the Vinous Icons event in New York is more representative. Vibrant red berry fruit intermixes with blueberry and cassis on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied and retains a bit of puppy fat. Rich for the vintage, yet very well balanced, it delivers lovely black truffle and tobacco notes on the finish. This is very fine, but it needs further age in bottle. Neal Martin. |
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|
2018 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$654.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (4/2019): The 2018 Haut-Bailly is blended of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Grapes were harvested September 17 to October 9, and the wine has 14.4% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it opens slowly with profound notions of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis, roasted nuts and black olives, unfurling to reveal notions of menthol, crushed rocks, molten licorice and chargrilled meat plus a hint of lilacs. Full-bodied, rich and densely laden with layer upon layer of vibrant black fruits and mineral nuances, it has a solid backbone of firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long with compelling restraint and exciting energy.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Haut-Bailly speaks with real authority and class. Deeply spiced notes lead into a core of red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, licorice, new leather, menthol and tobacco. Vivid and dramatic in bearing, the 2018 possesses striking resonance from start to finish. There is plenty of tannin as well, but it is pretty much buried by the sheer luxuriousness of the fruit, while the mid-palate and saline-infused finish show terrific freshness as well as purity. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-100 (5/2019): A wine that's going to flirt with perfection, the 2018 Château Haut-Bailly is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 5% Each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, brought up in 60% new French oak. Hitting 14.5% alcohol, its deep purple color is followed by a fabulous bouquet of pure crème de cassis, crushed violets, white flowers, graphite, and damp earth. An incredibly powerful, opulent wine, it nevertheless has sensational purity as well as the freshness and elegance that's the hallmark of this terrific estate. It will drink well in just a few years yet keep for 20-25 years or more.
JS 97-98 (4/2019): Incredible depth of fruit to this with a center palate that shows superb character and texture. I love the hazelnut and coffee-bean undertones to the beautiful fruit, which shows great finesse. Full-bodied yet compact and tight, giving a sense of agility and flight to the wine. Extremely tight and polished tannins. |
|
| Ch. Langoa Barton |
2006 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$872.98 |
1 |
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WS 91 (3/2009): Shows violet and blackberry, with hints of raisin. Full and velvety, with lovely-textured tannins and plenty of ripe fruit on the finish. Balanced and rich. Best after 2013. 4,710 cases made.
WA 89+ (2/2009): This tastes more like a Pauillac than a St.-Julien with its big, beefy, tannic overlay and aromas and flavors of black currants, asphalt, leather, and damp earth. Tannic, full-bodied but almost impenetrably closed and broodingly backward, this is a long-term prospect for those with patience. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030+.
VM 88+ (6/2009): Bright red-ruby. Currant, black cherry, licorice, tar and minerals on the nose. Juicy, tightly wound and penetrating, with very good intensity but a distinct austerity to the medicinal dark fruit and mineral flavors. Brisk and delineated wine, finishing with firm, building tannins that call for five or six years of patience. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Barton |
2006 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,176.98 |
1 |
|
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WS 94 (3/2009): There's a great dark color to this, with intense aromas of cedar, wood, new leather and crushed blackberry. Full-bodied, with loads of fruit and a firm, powerful palate. Long and mouthpuckering. A muscular baby. Best after 2015. 18,750 cases made.
NM 92 (1/2010): Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. The nose has opened up since 2008, the fruit very vibrant and lively with aromas of black cherry, kirsch, briary and a touch of blueberry, though it would benefit from more delineation that should develop with time. The palate is rounded on the entry, quite opulent and seductive compared to Gruaud ’06, slightly lower acidity, plush in texture, but very pure with a dense, slight herbaceous finish that needs time to meld together.
VM 91+ (6/2009): Good bright ruby-red. Pretty aromas of black cherry, cassis, tobacco leaf, minerals, licorice and violet. Chewy, rich and deep, with good dense mid-palate fruit and excellent concentration. Fuller and sweeter than the Langoa. Finishes long and delineated, with powerful tannic clout and terrific mineral thrust. A serious 2006 for the cellar.
WA 91+ (2/2009): Not surprisingly, this wine is closed, masculine, but super-rich, with a denser, more complete and full-bodied style than its sibling, Langoa Barton. Some toasty vanillin is apparent in the black currant aromas intermixed with tobacco leaf, cedar, and spice box. The wine is full-bodied and has a boatload of tannin, not unusual for this estate, as well as an impressively pure, long finish. Everything is here, but this wine, made with uncompromising vision, is meant to be cellared for an exceptionally long period of time. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035. |
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|
2008 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,159.98 |
1 |
|
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JS 93 (12/2010): What a nose! Chocolate, berry, meat and spice aromas. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This is solid and rich for the vintage. A beauty. Try it after 2013.
VM 93 (8/2011): Bright ruby. Sexy, ripe nose combines cassis, Cuban cigar tobacco, licorice and minerals. Sweet, tactile and intense, with concentrated, sharply delineated flavors of dark fruits and minerals. Densely packed, ripe and deep. Offers a lovely combination of silky texture, firm structure and the aromatic lift and nuance of the vintage's best examples. Should age gracefully for at least 15 years.
WA 92 (5/2011): Typically extracted and powerful (which is atypical in a vintage such as 2008), this offering may lack charm, but it is “locked and loaded" with plenty of background oak, huge black cherry and black currant fruit, medium to full body and a boatload of tannin. Forget it for 8-10 years and drink it over the following three decades.
NM 91+ (1/2012): Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. The Leoville Barton 2008 has a very ripe, opulent bouquet that reminded me of Poyferre! It has impressive definition and purity; very good lift but there is a lot of oak to be subsumed. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent, velvety entry that disguises its serious tannic backbone. It is very stylish and suave, although there is just a touch of dryness towards the finish. I think it will improve with another decade on the clock.
WS 91 (4/2011): Alluring, with warm fig sauce, plum and currant paste notes liberally laced with espresso bean and dark roasted vanilla bean notes. Fleshy but focused, with the roasted edge adding definition and length. Drink now through 2019. 16,665 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
2000 |
Pauillac (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,262.98 |
1 |
|
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WA 97 (8/2011): Beginning to open magnificently, the still dense purple-colored 2000 reveals a blossoming bouquet of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully over the last eleven years, this wine is still an adolescent, but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance. One of the all-time great examples of Lynch Bages, the 2000 is just beginning to drink well yet promises to last for another 20-25+ years.
WS 96 (7/2016): This has a dense but well-defined core of currant and fig paste flavors supported by a gorgeous graphite spine. Long and authoritative, with notes of bay, pepper, leather and juniper slowly emerging on the finish. Terrific structure and integration give this a chiseled feel. No rush here.—2000 Bordeaux blind retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2033.
JD 95 (4/2021): Finally rounding the corner, the 2000 Château Lynch-Bages is mature, with classic Pauillac darker currants, lead pencil, tobacco leaf, and spice-laced aromatics. With a deep plum color and slight lightening at the edges, it's medium to full-bodied and has a layered texture as well as integrated tannins. A classic, elegant, yet still powerful Lynch-Bages, it delivers plenty of sweet fruit and a great finish. It benefits from an hour of air and will certainly hold at this stage for another 10-15 years with no issues.
JS 95 (4/2014): Another wonderful 2000 coming out of its long sleep. Beautiful aromas of berry, tobacco, herb and spice that follow through to a full palate with round, textured tannins and lots of fruit.
VM 94+ (1/2012): (71% cabernet sauvignon, 16% merlot, 11% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot; 5.5 g/l total acidity; 13.3% alcohol): Deep ruby-red. Knockout aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, mocha and cedar complicated by scorched earth and tobacco. Big, ripe and dense, with flavors similar to the aromas and a seamless, rich texture. Though powerful and rich, with a sensual mouthfeel, it maintains a graceful, light-on-its-feet quality. Finishes with ripe, fine-grained tannins and excellent length. Still an infant, but clearly a great vintage for this property. Ian d'Agata. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$9,469.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (11/2010): The nose on this seems more concentrated than the 2000, and the purity of fruit is stunning, with blueberries, raspberries, fresh flowers, and hints of licorice. This is perfect and complete. Full bodied, with notes of forest berries and wild raspberries, this is thick and velvety with perfectly polished tannins. You can really feel the density on this, more than the tannic structure. This is a sleeping beauty that will be utterly captivating when it awakes. Don't touch this until after 2015.
VM 99 (4/2021): In two recent tastings the 2005 Château Margaux has been nothing less than magnificent. A wine of stunning perfume and inner sweetness, the 2005 gradually opens to reveal layers of red-toned fruit intermingled with floral accents. It's as if all the classic Margaux signatures have been amped up in a huge way. Dehydration on the vine concentrated the fruit, but also the impression of tannin and acid, such that the 2005 retains huge fruit density along with plenty of brightness as well. Vibrant and beautifully layered, the 2005 Grand Vin is off the charts and easily one of the wines of the vintage. Readers who own it or can find it are in for a real treat. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (6/2015): The first-growth 2005 Château Margaux (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot), a lavish fragrance of blackcurrants, velvety new saddle leather, spring flowers and spice soars from the glass. The wood is already totally concealed beneath the cascade of fruit in this medium to full-bodied, pure and majestic wine. This concentrated, dense, but nevertheless strikingly elegant, multi-layered wine has a finish of 45+ seconds. It builds incrementally to a crescendo and finale. This is a stunner that can be approached already, but promises to be better in another 5-10 years and last at least 25 or more years.
WS 97 (12/2017): Still very tight, but there are whispers of alder, bay leaf, tobacco and singed sandalwood aromas here. They give way to a beautifully silky and refined, but extremely concentrated, core of cassis and blackberry fruit that has gained a lightly mulled hint. The long finish shows echoes of dark earth and iron that bring you back for more. A beauty, with a long way to go. Best from 2025 through 2045. 10,833 cases made. |
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|
2016 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,503.99 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.
JS 99 (1/2019): It’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers, such as roses, and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.
VM 98 (8/2020): The 2016 Château Margaux has an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed stone and subtle cedar aromas that enrapture the senses; hints of pencil box and sous-bois emerge with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and a touch of bitterness lends tension on the finish. Impressive – very impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JD 97+ (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.
WS 97 (3/2019): Beautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
1996 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,108.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97+ (10/2019): The last time I tasted the 1996 Mouton Rothschild (maybe a couple of years ago?), I recall it was a bit broody and closed. This showing was anything but! Deep garnet in color, it sashays out of the glass with lavishly dressed, gregarious crème de cassis, baked blackberries and plum pudding scents plus touches of menthol, fenugreek, star anise and sandalwood with fleeting glimpses at dried rose petals and oolong tea. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited, opulent and oh-so seductive, with bags of youthful black fruit and lovely finely grained tannins, finishing with fantastic freshness and length. This was tasted from jeroboam in September 2019.
WS 96 (12/2007): Incredible nose of ultraripe fruit, it's yet subtle and complex. Full-bodied, with very ripe, almost sweet fruit and a long, long caressing finish. Superb. This is edging out the 1995.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010.
VM 95 (12/2019): The 1996 Mouton-Rothschild is the high point of what in retrospect was an inconsistent decade for this First Growth. It has a very attractive, classic Pauillac bouquet: predominantly black fruit laced with cedar, freshly rolled tobacco and light graphite scents. It is not lavish, but tightly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, though not as fine as recent vintages under Philippe Dhalluin. There is satisfying density and gentle grip toward the finish, which feels fresh and contains enough energy to suggest that it is only just reaching its plateau. Tasted from an ex-château jeroboam at the Palace of Versailles charity dinner. Neal Martin.
MB [[*****]] (3/2001): As with the other first growth Medocs, one has to book a precise date and time to taste. I usually fall in with Steven Spurrier, so in September 1998, we were allowed to taste their Medoc 'stable', d'Armailhac, Clerc-Milon and the grand vin of the two vintages, '96 and '97. We discussed the wines with Herve Berland who told us that the cepages mix of the '96 grand vin was Cabernet Sauvignon 77%, Merlot 13%, Cabernet Franc 10%. It had an extraordinary nose, toasted mocha; sweet, full, rich, lovely Cabernet flavour and end taste. Indeed I gave it my top mark at the MW tasting in November 2000. Rich extract; a ripe, wonderfully fragrant, 'manifold' nose. Lovely. The following spring, 'mocha' noted again; sweet, chunky, a touch of tannic bitterness. But a fine wine. Drink 2012-2030. |
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| Alter Ego de Palmer |
2020 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$558.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Pauillac de Latour |
2021 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$569.98 |
60 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Pavie |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,415.99 |
1 |
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WA 97-99 (5/2021): Composed of 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Pavie weighs in with an alcohol of 14.82% and a pH of 3.61. It is aging in French oak barriques, 75% new. Opaque purple-black colored, notes of plum pudding, blueberry pie and dark chocolate-covered cherries charge out of the gate, followed closely by hints of eucalyptus, star anise, unsmoked cigars and fertile loam with a hint of cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house, offering very firm yet wonderfully ripe, velvety tannins and seamless freshness to support the densely laden, muscular black and blue fruits, finishing very long and with loads of mineral-laced layers. As hedonic as it is cerebral this year, it is a beautiful paradox.
VM 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Pavie was picked September 21–30 at 31hl/ha and matured in 75% new oak, the rest one year old. It continues to see greater emphasis on Cabernets – 34% Franc and 16% Sauvignon, the Merlot reduced to half the blend. This gradual rejigging of the blend is borne out on the nose, which features hints of damp loamy soil and bell pepper infusing vivid blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, becoming more and more citrusy with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sauteed tannins that gently grip. Powerful, but the 14.82° alcohol is neatly disguised on the finish (at least in tasting measure) with fine delineation. Cohesive and focused. I would like to see a little more personality develop during elevage, but this remains an impressive Saint-emilion and a Pavie with a long future ahead. Neal Martin.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): A wine that’s going to flirt with perfection, the 2020 Château Pavie is another magical wine from the genius of Gerard Perse and is 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up in 75% new French oak. The style here has unquestionably shifted from the blockbuster style of the 2000, 2005, 2009, and 2010 to a more elegant, refined style today that still brings plenty of fruit yet certainly stays more focused and precise. Is the new style better? I’m not sure, and there are certainly times I miss the opulence and decadence of the old style. Nevertheless, the wines today are magical Saint-Emilion that still show a rare mix of power and elegance. The 2020 is full-bodied and beautifully concentrated on the palate, offering a mouthful of cassis, black cherry, and mulberry fruits as well as a liqueur of rocks-like minerality, leafy herbs, and truffly earth. It doesn’t lack structure and has silky, polished tannins and flawless balance. Give bottles at least 7-8 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 3+ decades.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): The aromas are already exceptional, showing crushed-stone, limestone and salt character to the dark fruit and bark. It’s full-bodied, yet agile. Floats on the palate, then kicks in with loads of ultra fine tannins. The intensity and verve of this wine promises true greatness. |
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| Ch. Peby Faugeres |
2018 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,065.99 |
1 |
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JD 98 (3/2021): The 2018 Château Péby Faugères is another brilliant wine from this talented team. Based on 100% Merlot from vines in the eastern side of the appellation, it was brought up in 65% new French oak, which has been the norm for the past couple of years. (The 2015 saw 90% new oak.) Deep purple-hued, with a glorious bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spices, violets, vanilla, and a touch of chalky minerality, this full-bodied, super-rich, incredibly sexy Saint-Emilion builds with time in the glass and has a great mid-palate and flawless balance. It has a modern style, yet I still find plenty of classic Saint-Emilion minerality. It's already beautiful, but smart money will give bottles 3-5 years and it should keep for two decades.
WA 95+ (3/2021): Made of 100% Merlot, the 2018 Péby Faugères has a deep garnet-purple color and bombastic scents of plum preserves, baked black cherries, cedar chest and blueberry pie with an undercurrent of menthol, black olives, charcuterie and Indian spice, plus a waft of oolong tea. The seductively rich, full-bodied palate (15.5% alcohol) delivers mouth-coating black fruit preserves with a velvety texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy yet with a touch of oak poking through. It will need a good 5 years in cellar for the oak to settle in, then drink it over the next 20 years or more. |
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| Le Petit Haut Lafitte |
2010 |
Pessac Leognan |
$59 |
1 |
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| |
| WS 91 (3/2013): Very engaging from the start, with a blast of boysenberry and blackberry fruit that grabs your attention, while notes of licorice snap, violet and black tea fill in the background. Open, pure and ready to drink now. Drink now through 2021. |
|
| Le Pin |
2005 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$24,429.98 |
1 |
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| |
| JD 98 (4/2024): ) The 2005 Château Le Pin is all Merlot from a tiny vineyard just across from Vieux Château Certain and was raised in new barrels. It has a massive nose of ripe blackberries, kirsch, saddle leather, smoked tobacco, and Mediterranean herbs that turns more floral and violet-laced with air. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced on the palate with ultra-fine tannins, it has an almost Burgundian-like elegance and seamlessness as well as incredible length. It’s not the biggest example from vineyard yet it shows the inherent quality and elegance of the Chateau. Drink bottles over the coming 15-20 years. |
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|
2022 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$14,014.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 99 (2/2025): Wow, the 2022 Château Le Pin is absolutely stunning and has a heavenly perfume of black raspberries, spicy wood, flowers, incense, and camphor that develops beautifully with time in the glass. With sensational elegance, full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and flawlessly integrated oak, it's one of the 2022s that's just about impossible to resist. As always, this cuvée is 100% Merlot from a tiny parcel not far from Vieux Chateau Certan, and the 2022 was raised in 65% new French oak. While this wine is frightfully expensive and hard to find, it certainly brings the goods in 2022! (Drink between 2029-2059).
VM 98 (2/2025): The 2022 Le Pin was certainly more closed than the L'Hêtre or L'If upon initial taste, so I gave my decanted glass another decant, pouring from one glass to another several times. That helped to reveal a very perfumed bouquet with black cherries, raspberry, hints of cigar humidor and a light anise scent in the background. This has razor-sharp delineation. The palate boasts a silky texture on the entry that immediately caresses the mouth. There is very fine depth here, displaying a mixture of red and black fruit mixed with marmalade and allspice as it fans out wonderfully toward the finish. If you intend to drink this, a) decant it, and b) invite me. Otherwise, cellar this for several years before broaching. (Drink between 2032-2060). Neal Martin.
WA 95 (3/2025): The 2022 Le Pin has turned out very well, retaining impressive energy for such an early-ripening, well-draining site in so warm a year. Offering up aromas of sweet cherries, berries, licorice and violets, framed by a creamy patina of new oak, it's full-bodied, layered and exotic, with a sweet core of ripe fruit, polished tannins and a layered, seamless profile. |
|
| Ch. Pontet Canet |
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$576.99 |
1 |
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| |
JS 98 (1/2023): Aromas of blackcurrants and black cherries with hints of crushed walnuts, grilled thyme, cocoa powder and graphite. It’s full-bodied with layers of ultra-fine, silky tannins that elegantly coat your palate, allowing the juicy and vibrant fruit to shine. Delicate and pristine, yet compact with lots of energy and power to uncover in the coming years. It lasts for minutes and is delicious now. The purity of fruit is really impressive. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae. Try after 2027.
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this estate, the 2020 Château Pontet-Canet is a beauty based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new oak, with 35% in amphora. Deep purple-hued with a great nose of dark currants, plums, tobacco leaf, and truffly earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel and a great finish. The higher Merlot content here really shows in its overall sexy, supple, seamless style, and while this already offers pleasure, it's going to be one for the ages as well.
VM 94+ (2/2023): The 2020 Pontet-Canet is a potent, brooding wine that really seems to reflect the richness of the year in its flavor profile and overall feel. Today, the 2020 is quite dark and somber, although aeration gradually brings out floral top notes that convey freshness. The 2020 is an exotic Pontet-Canet that that will require time. The 2020 spent 14-16 months in the cellar, in the combination of 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): The 2020 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new French oak barriques, 35% concrete amphorae and 15% in one-year-old barrels. Harvest began on the 14th September for the Merlot, and the final lot of Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on 30th September. |
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| Ch. Siran |
2018 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$262.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Tertre Roteboeuf |
2011 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,027.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2004 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,335.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2007): Fabulous aromas of crushed berries, vanilla and chocolate, with pure fruit. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. All in texture. A gorgeous and seductive young wine. This is 25 percent Cabernet Franc (normally it's 15 percent). Best after 2009. 4,585 cases made.
WA 93+ (6/2007): This stunning blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc boasts a dense ruby/purple color along with a big, sweet bouquet of black cherries, licorice, roasted herbs, smoke, and cassis. Elegant, medium to full-bodied, pure flavors reveal moderately high tannin, but superb concentration and richness. Vieux Chateau Certan should be one of the longer-lived and most complex wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.
VM 93 (6/2007): Good red-ruby. Highly complex, cabernet franc-dominated aromas of berries, dark chocolate, leather, tobacco and spices. Dense and fat but with a firm edge of acidity leavening the wine's layered texture. A lush and creamy wine with terrific spine. Classic VCC, finishing with Outstanding spicy persistence. It's hard to find this style of right-bank Bordeaux today. I've had a letch for this wine since the outset. |
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| | Bordeaux White |
| Les Pagodes de Cos |
2020 |
Bordeaux Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$459.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. de Rayne-Vigneau |
2016 |
Sauternes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$399.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| JS 92-93 (4/2017): Lovely density and richness with a good amount of botrytis character. Medium to full body and a bright finish. |
|
| Carmes de Rieussec |
2018 |
Sauternes (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$199.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. d' Yquem |
2011 |
Sauternes (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,469.99 |
1 |
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| |
WS 99 (1/2014):
JS 98 (1/2014): Crazy minerality to this, with lots of dried mango, pineapple and papaya on the nose. Botrytis-spice and nutmeg undertones. Full body, very sweet, with superb depth of fruit and richness. It goes on for minutes. Turns dense and concentrated on the palate. Speechless. Better in 2019.
VM 98 (7/2014): Luminous golden yellow. Cool, pure aromas of white peach, honeyed mango, guava nectar, white flowers and saffron are complicated by elements of crushed stone and spicy lemony botrytis. Suave and intensely flavored, with mineral-spiced apple, mango, passion fruit and grapefruit flavors offering Outstanding purity, precision, and depth. The brisk but harmonious acidity gives this great Sauternes a penetrating quality and provides a powerful spine to the very deep flavors, making it seem less opulent than it really is. This Yquem has the depth of the 2007 but boasts even greater purity and focus. Finishes bright and extremely long, with repeating suggestions of white flowers and lemony botrytis. Though it lacks the depth of the 2001 or the opulence of the 2009 at a similar stage of development, this is one of my favorite young Yquems ever: it will age spectacularly well.
WA 96 (3/2014): Served from an ex-chateau bottle. Bottled in October 2013, the 2011 Chateau d’Yquem is reticent at first, a little stage fright perhaps. It soon recovers and offers gorgeous scents with fresh white peach, nectarine and fresh apricot that are beautifully defined, although there is a veneer of new oak that will need to be subsumed. The palate is well-balanced with superb structure. There is a light spiciness here with great symmetry, and although there is not the persistency of a top flight Yquem, it has a penetration that is compelling. |
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| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. Simon Bize |
2017 |
Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,901.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
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2018 |
Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,083.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Henri Boillot |
2013 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Chevrets (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,540.99 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 91-94 (1/2015): Deep, bright red. Subtly complex nose melds redcurrant, black cherry, minerals, violet and earth. Wonderfully sweet and intense, showing a distinctly crunchy fruit character and lovely inner-mouth lift. From old vines and tiny grapes, and it shows. Finishes juicy, pure and very long, with firm but very suave tannins. The crop level here was just 14 hectoliters per hectare, according to Boillot--and 7 in 2014!
BH 91 (4/2015): (from 25+ year old vines) An airy, fresh and distinctly cool nose displays an elegant melange of dark cherry, essence of raspberry and plum along with hints of spice, floral and tea. The mouth feel of the silky and refined middle weight flavors is notably finer and I very much like the vibrancy that continues onto the balanced and lingering finish. The overall impression of refinement is enhanced by the notably fine grain of the tannins and this is really lovely, indeed it's very Volnay. Drink 2020+. Outstanding!
WA 88-90 (12/2014): The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru les Chevrets errs more toward red fruit than black fruit, unlike Henri Boillot’s other premier cru. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, touches of mocha and leather emerging toward the finish where the new oak is conspicuous at the moment. Give this a couple of years in bottle. It just feels a little conservative compared to others at present. |
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| Dom. Clos de la Chapelle |
2014 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 90 (4/2016): A more elegant and wonderfully pure nose offers up airy notes of red currant, spice, lilac, rose petal and all but invisible wood. There is equally good purity to the attractively rich and vibrant medium-bodied flavors that also exude a fine bead of minerality on the beautifully refined and persistent finish. This is also dusty but not edgy as the tannins possess better phenolic maturity. (Drink starting 2021). |
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|
2017 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Epenots |
$95 |
1 |
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| |
| BH 93 (4/2019): Here the wood influence is a bit more discreet though it must be said that it's far from a background element on the red and blue pinot fruit-scented nose that is trimmed in copious earth and spice characters. The delicious, supple and caressing yet powerful medium-bodied plus flavors coat the palate with good amounts of dry extract on the moderately austere and built-to-age finish. This offers excellent aging potential and is a wine that will need extended patience. Drink 2023+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. de Courcel |
2017 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,304.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2012 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,719.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Dujac |
2003 |
Clos St. Denis Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$18,990.98 |
1 |
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| |
WA 92 (8/2005): While slightly reductive, the 2003 Clos St.-Denis admirably displays its enormous concentration and depth of fruit. Copious quantities of dark berries are intermingled with notes of herbs, licorice, and red cherries in its complex, and lengthy character. Projected maturity: 2008-2017.
VM 90+ (4/2006): Good full, deep red. Musky, decadent aromas of red fruits, flowers, truffle and sweet oak. Concentrated, superripe and broad, with atypical weight for this cuvee Rather firm and unforthcoming today. Very horizontal on the finish, with fine tannins coating the palate.
BH 89 (1/2006): There is better freshness here with a nose of mocha and very ripe plum that leads to flavors that are fresh, intense and beautifully textured as the sap buffers the firm and ripe tannins. This is a big wine by the usual standards of Clos St. Denis with ample power and volume culminating in a palate staining finish and noticeable warmth. Drink 2013+. |
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|
2004 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$17,417.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 92+ (4/2007): Medium red-ruby color. Sappy, nuanced nose combines red cherry, fresh herbs and minerals. Wonderfully vibrant in the mouth, with sappy, sweet cherry and mineral flavors lifted by a note of cinnamon. This really coats the mouth with dusty extract. Conveys an impression of very even ripening. Finishes with suave tannins and noteworthy energy. This strikes me as very Chambolle in style. This is more harmonious today than the Clos la Roche but will be even better with seven or eight years in the bottle.
BH 92 (1/2007): A more deeply pitched nose of dark and blue berry fruits laced with earth and a lovely and distinct violet note that is followed by very rich, dense and serious flavors that finish with noticeable austerity. As it usually is, this is a powerful wine that possesses huge length and is sufficiently well structured that it will require the better part of a decade to really open up and reveal its full, and considerable, potential. The best of these '04s. Drink 2014+. |
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2022 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,987.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
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2023 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,954.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,430.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
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2023 |
Clos St. Denis Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,589.98 |
2 |
|
| |
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2023 |
Morey St. Denis 1er Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,592.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Fourrier |
2019 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieilles Vignes (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,481.99 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 96 (12/2023): The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru, which I never tasted from barrel, has a sublime bouquet that is the paragon of Pinot's transparency. Perfumed with joyous red fruit, crushed stone and a touch of wilted rose petal, the aromatics whisk you to the famed walled vineyard. The palate is beautifully balanced with slightly chalky tannins and a surfeit of energy and tension. It’s quite linear and strict toward the finish that just loses its initial crystalline quality. But still, this is a very great wine from Jean-Marie Fourrier. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. Neal Martin. |
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| Dom. Jean Grivot |
2017 |
Nuits St. Georges Les Charmois (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,516.99 |
2 |
|
| |
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2018 |
Nuits St. Georges Les Charmois (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,428.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
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2018 |
Nuits St. Georges Les Charmois (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,789.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
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2018 |
Vosne Romanee (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,506.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Anne-Francoise Gros |
2012 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,299.99 |
1 |
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| |
BH 91-93 (4/2014): (From a .26 ha parcel of vines planted in 1931 in the climat Champs Traversin, which is occasionally referred to as Le Petit Citeaux.) Here the wood treatment is notably more discreet if not completely imperceptible as it allows the spice melange of red and black pinot fruit, plum, earth and sandalwood hints to be easily appreciated. There is fine volume and density to the velvety, mouth coating and seductively textured flavors that possess so much dry extract on the balanced finish that this could easily be enjoyed now though note well that there is plenty of development potential. This is really quite good. Drink 2022+.
WA 89-91 (12/2013): The 2012 Echezeaux Grand Cru comes from 80-year-old vines and it is being raised in 80% new oak. It has a delightful, feminine bouquet with hints of white chocolate infusing the red berry fruit profile. It is a playful, quite joyful nose. The palate is well-balanced with fine tannins and a mixture of red and black fruit on the entry. It gathers weight towards the middle and then just steps off the gas towards the linear finish. It maintains fine balanced and there is an attractive tobacco note on the long aftertaste. Three to five barriques produced this year. |
|
| Dom. Michel Gros |
2016 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulees (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,660.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Anne-Francoise Gros |
2017 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Chanlins (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,748.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Savigny les Beaune 1er Cru Le Clos des Guettes (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,599.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Anne Gros |
2019 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru Les Loachausses (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,850.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2010 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuees |
$175 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 92 (4/2013): There is a discreet application of wood to the elegant, pure and lightly spiced nose of layered black raspberry and cassis nose that is also barely visible on the mineral-driven, intense and tension-filled medium-bodied flavors. There is excellent volume and plenty of mid-palate stuffing because while this is certainly a wine of finesse, it does not lack for character or seriously impressive persistence on the gorgeously balanced if distinctly austere finish. A wine of class and grace that will need plenty of cellar time as it has already begun to shut down. Drink 2022+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2010 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru les Petits Monts |
$175 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Corton Pougets Grand Cru |
$149 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94+ (2/2019): Bright medium red. Wonderfully pure, inviting nose combines strawberry, raspberry, rose petal, spices, white pepper and blood orange: I might have picked this essence of Burgundy as a Chambolle-Musigny! Plush, silky and fine-grained but tactile and substantial as well, boasting terrific energy for its vintage. (The vines benefited from the cooler temperatures and well-timed rainfall in August, which enable the wine to retain freshness, noted Frederic Barnier.) The wine's very primary red berry, spice and floral flavors display seductive sweetness but a strong element of saline minerality accentuates the overall dry impression. A great wine in the making, showing an almost peppery vibrancy today; I would not be surprised if this shut down in the bottle in the near future. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Dom. Francois Lamarche |
2018 |
Vosne Romanee (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,880.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Lucien Le Moine |
2018 |
Corton Perrieres Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,669.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Leroy |
2011 |
Pommard Les Vignots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$16,680.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/2013): The 2011 Pommard Les Vignots was bottled December 2012. It has a complex, slightly earthy bouquet with subtle marine influences, defined and focused with hints of black olive emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine focus, imbued with an Oriental edge (hoisin) which is folded into a fine silky finish. Drink now-2020.
BH 89 (4/2013): There is a soft touch of wood to the notably ripe yet cool and airy aromas of plum, cassis and wet stone. There is excellent volume and mid-palate concentration to the medium-bodied flavors that brim with dry extract on the detailed finish that exudes a fine minerality. This balanced effort delivers fine depth and length for its level. Drink 2018+. |
|
| Thibault Liger-Belair |
2011 |
Corton Renardes Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,669.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Hubert Lignier |
2008 |
Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Clos Baulet (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,633.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Frederic Magnien |
2015 |
Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Les Ruchots (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,725.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Michel Magnien |
2019 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,161.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Meo-Camuzet |
2018 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Chaumes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,563.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Mongeard Mugneret |
2019 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,939.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Georges Noellat |
2013 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cer Les Boudots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,069.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$9,394.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Ponsot |
2020 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,761.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Armand Rousseau |
2018 |
Gevrey Chambertin (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,258.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 89-92 (1/2020): A similar if slightly fresher nose offers notes of various red berries along with newly turn earth and sauvage nuances. The medium weight flavors possess a slightly finer mouthfeel with even better vibrancy, all wrapped in a complex, long and balanced finale. This is an excellent Gevrey villages and worth checking out. |
|
|
2019 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,071.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$18,638.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 94-96 (1/2023): Intricately layered aromas of spice, earth, dark berries, underbrush, dried floral hints and leather are trimmed in just enough wood to merit pointing out. The texture of the medium-bodied flavors is ultra-fine yet there is plenty of power and punch, particularly on the intensely mineral-inflected, youthfully austere, serious and amazingly persistent finish that really fans out as it sits on the palate. In particular, the complexity is already remarkable, and this beautifully balanced effort should amply repay mid to longer-term keeping. Drink 2038+. |
|
|
2022 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,810.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Serafin Pere et Fils |
2017 |
Gevrey Chambertin (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,378.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,397.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Comte de Vogue |
2018 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,586.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (1/2021): Deep ruby color. A beautifully broad-ranging nose reflects liqueur-like notes of black raspberry, cassis, exotic tea, violet and a hint of sandalwood. Here too the opulent medium weight flavors possess a notably sleek mouthfeel along with outstanding intensity and detail, all wrapped in a dusty, serious and youthfully austere finish. This powerful but balanced effort is even firmer and is a wine that will need at least 6 to 8 years to be approachable. |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Dom. Jean Marc Boillot |
2022 |
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Canet (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$786.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Bouchard Pere et Fils |
2017 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,741.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (6/2019): A cool and admirably pure nose displays notes of green apple, floral, citrus and a hint of wood toast. There is excellent volume, power and punch to the well-detailed and overtly stony broad-shouldered flavors that coat the palate on the impressively long finish that also reflects a bitter lemon nuance. While this is a classically styled CC, it remains relatively refined and should drink reasonably well after only 5 years or so of bottle age. Drink 2027+. |
|
| Dom. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey |
2019 |
Bourgogne Chardonnay (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$595.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Jean Paul Droin |
2018 |
Chablis Grand Cru Valmur (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,523.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2019 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,720.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 92-94 (6/2021): (from a .33 ha parcel in Les Languettes.) Prominent aromas of mineral reduction and floral elements are laced with hints of wood toast, citrus peel, apple and anise. The sleekly muscular and stony big-bodied flavors are also nicely refined yet powerful while possessing excellent delineation on the youthfully austere finale. This is clearly ripe yet manages to retain the style of a classic CC. Drink 2031+. |
|
| Guffens Heynen |
2023 |
Macon Pierreclos Juliette et Les Vieilles de Chavigne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,473.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2017 |
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,022.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 91-93 (6/2019): Slightly more elegant aromas speak of acacia blossom, pear, spiced apple and the barest trace of wood influence. There is really fine intensity to the solidly concentrated and slightly stonier medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a bone dry and moderately austere finish. This very serious effort also makes it clear that this will require at least some patience to open and most of a decade to realize its full potential. Drink 2025+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
|
2020 |
Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,213.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Leflaive |
2019 |
Bourgogne Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$863.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Bienvenues Batard Montrachet Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,242.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Batard Montrachet Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,242.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Bernard Moreau |
2019 |
Chassagne Montrachet (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$675.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (1/2021): The 2019 Chassagne-Montrachet Village wafts from the glass with notes of orange oil, white flowers, Anjou pear, mint and nutmeg. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's bright and lively, with fine concentration, tangy acids and a nicely defined finish.
BH 90 (6/2021): Hints of matchstick character and petrol add breadth to the white peach and citrus confit scented nose. The dense, vibrant and appealingly textured medium-bodied flavors are notably less refined but more powerful while exhibiting fine length on the compact, long and serious finale. This is a very good Chassagne villages and worth considering. |
|
| Dom. Marc Morey |
2019 |
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,611.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Ponsot |
2017 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,469.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Rapet |
2018 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,167.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Etienne Sauzet |
2016 |
Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$10,066.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,198.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Chassagne Montrachet Enseignieres (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,012.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| | Champagne |
| Agrapart & Fils |
2015 |
Mineral Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,329.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Mineral Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$816.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Mineral Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,018.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
N.V. |
Terroirs Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Champagne (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$672.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Bollinger |
2004 |
R.D. Extra Brut Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,298.97 |
24 |
|
| |
|
| Delamotte Pere et Fils |
N.V. |
Brut Champagne (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$343.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom Perignon |
2002 |
P2 Plenitude Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,189.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97+ (7/2018): The 2002 Dom Perignon P2 is surprisingly, almost shockingly, austere and tightly wound. That almost surely bodes well for the future. Today, though, the 2002 is very hard to taste. Stylistically, it is also much less available than the original release. Readers lucky enough to own the 2002 should plan on being patient. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96 (3/2019): The 2002 Dom Perignon P2 is still a youthful wine, but it is beginning to develop appreciable complexity, wafting from the glass with notes of of iodine, warm bread, ripe orchard fruit, peach, citrus oil, smoke and peat, which in Geoffroy's words "are on the verge of aromatic over-ripeness." On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a textural, voluminous profile, pinpoint bubbles and a chalky, phenolic finish. This is a ripe and powerful Dom Perignon that finds its closest stylistic analogy in the 1990 vintage, and it is considerably less evolved than the more tertiary 2000 P2 today. While the P2 is a bit drier and more precise on the finish than the original release, given the wine's slow evolution the difference between the two is less pronounced than it has been for any vintage since 1996. |
|
| Jacques Selosse |
|
Brut Initial Champagne Disgorged 2015 |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2008): The NV Brut Blanc de Blanc Initiale sparkles on the palate with soft, creamy textured fruit framed by silky tannins and notes of salinity on the finish. The wine reveals an expansive, mysterious personality with a level of depth to the fruit that renders the mousse extremely delicate. This is great Chardonnay first, and a profound Champagne second, but made in a slightly richer style than the Originale. Whereas the Initiale is made from the steeper parcels, the Initiale is made from plots on the lower slopes of vineyards in Avize, Cramant and Oger, where a component of clay is more prominent. This year the wine is a blend of equal parts 2003, 2002 and 2001. 2003 is a small harvest of rich, concentrated juice, which contributes to this wine’s weight. This bottle was disgorged January 18, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2014. |
|
|
|
Brut Initial Champagne Disgorged 2020; Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$550 |
1 |
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| |
| WA 94 (12/2008): The NV Brut Blanc de Blanc Initiale sparkles on the palate with soft, creamy textured fruit framed by silky tannins and notes of salinity on the finish. The wine reveals an expansive, mysterious personality with a level of depth to the fruit that renders the mousse extremely delicate. This is great Chardonnay first, and a profound Champagne second, but made in a slightly richer style than the Originale. Whereas the Initiale is made from the steeper parcels, the Initiale is made from plots on the lower slopes of vineyards in Avize, Cramant and Oger, where a component of clay is more prominent. This year the wine is a blend of equal parts 2003, 2002 and 2001. 2003 is a small harvest of rich, concentrated juice, which contributes to this wine’s weight. This bottle was disgorged January 18, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2014. |
|
|
NV |
Rose Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,644.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 97 (6/2023): I was blown away by the NV Brut Rosé, not so much for its quality and personality, both of which I expected, but by its freshness, considering it was disgorged a few years ago. Bright citrus, floral and cranberry race across the palate in an airy, weightless Rosé that delivers all the goods, and then some. It’s a gorgeous wine to enjoy with canapés to kick off this remarkable dinner. The blend is almost all Chardonnay, with just a few drops of still Pinot that is purchased from Francis Egly. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
NV |
Blanc de Noirs Sous le Mont Extra Brut Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,610.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Germany |
| Weingut Hermann Donnhoff |
2017 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$886.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Italy |
| Allegrini |
2020 |
Palazzo della Torre Valpolicella Classico Superiore Bin-Soiled Label |
$16 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (2/2024): The 2020 Palazzo della Torre impresses with a seductive bouquet of exotic spices, cedar shavings, lavender and dried black cherries. This is soft textured and racy in style, with sleek red and blue fruits that flow across a core of brisk acidity. It leaves a staining of bitter dark chocolate, along with a primary concentration that puckers the cheeks as edgy tannins resonate. The 2020 packs a punch and will require some time to settle down. (Drink between 2024-2026). Eric Guido. |
|
| Altesino |
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$956.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94+ (12/2021): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is so incredibly dark and inward that it prompted me to open a second bottle just to confirm that impression. After an hour, the bouquet started to come to life, with hints of menthol and mint giving way to nuances of black currant and animal tones. It’s much more expressive on the palate, where silky textures are cooled by vibrant acids, and tart wild berry fruits mix with salty minerals and inner violet florals. The 2016 is long and structured, showing balsam herbs, black licorice and a flourish of inner sweetness. This is such an interesting showing as, other than the bouquet, all of the ingredients are here and well proportioned for a long, steady evolution. I’m very intrigued to see where this understated beauty is going over time. Until then, I chose to remain somewhat conservative. Eric Guido. |
|
| Piero Antinori |
2007 |
Solaia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,336.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (9/2011): This is a subtle and racy wine. Balanced, with vibrant fruit and bright acidity and chocolate and spices. Full and racy. Very long. Austere. Fascinating. Very closed right now. Give it five or six years minimum now. Winemaker Renzo Cotarella says that Solaia is more reserved in character than the Antinori's Guado al Tasso from Bolgheri, which is more flashy. Makes me smile.
VM 94 (10/2010): Fully saturated inky ruby. Knockout nose of blackcurrant, mocha, coffee and nutty oak, plus strong soil tones of tobacco and herbs. Wonderfully ripe and full but with a sappy menthol lift to the utterly pure, drop-dead gorgeous flavors of blackcurrant, tobacco and minerals. Compared to the 2007 Tignanello, which currently comes across as a baby Solaia, this has more of everything, especially including sweetness and flesh. One of the better versions of Solaia of the last decade: it offers plenty of upfront charm and fleshy creaminess, but it may not prove to be as long-lived as the 2004 or the 2006.
WS 94 (10/2010): A racy wine that offers so much currant and blackberry character. Full and very silky. Goes on and on. Fascinating. Best after 2012. 6,500 cases made. |
|
| Castello Banfi |
2015 |
Brunello di Montalcino Poggio all’Oro Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$862.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| G.B. Burlotto |
2015 |
Barolo Monvigliero (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,072.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2019): The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine's frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto's Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate! Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (6/2019): I mentioned that slightly wild side of Verduno in a previous review for Comm. G.B. Burlotto. For further clarity on this point, put your nose into the beautiful 2015 Barolo Monvigliero. This is a subdued and graceful wine that grows in intensity the longer it stays in the glass. The wine offers blue flower aromas with violets, wild rose, cumin seed, saffron and crushed mineral. This wine plays its best cards when you focus on the smallest details, and then suddenly, those tiny brush strokes explode into a big-picture, panoramic view of one of the most celebrated vineyard sites in Barolo.
JS 94 (11/2019): The swirling, aromatic nose is entrancing here. The flowery charm is undeniable and the palate has an ethereal frame of fine tannins, carrying beautifully defined, ripe red-cherry flavor. The use of whole clusters works very well here, adding life and lift to this riper vintage. This is a beautiful 2015. Drink or hold.
WS 94 (1/2020): Aromatic, offering juniper, green olive, sandalwood and cherry scents. The fruit components expand in the mouth, but this red is savory overall. Firm, supple and elegant, with a lingering aftertaste of mineral and spice. Best from 2022 through 2040. 583 cases made. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Acclivi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,906.99 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 94 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Acclivi is a very serious wine in this range. It possesses a gorgeous core and tons of supporting structure. I would give the 2019 at least a few years in bottle, as it really needs that time to release its aromatics. I have seen this wine blossom with cellaring, and imagine that will be the case here as well. Today, the Acclivi is quite closed, but time in the glass releases gorgeous red fruit and blood orange character. Although the Acclivi is not as coveted as the Cannubi or Monvigliero, it is an important wine in its own right, as several recent bottles of the 2006 showed. Think of it like Rousseau's Clos Saint-Jacques relative to the Chambertin and Beze. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Elvio Cogno |
2012 |
Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,729.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Giacomo Conterno |
2016 |
Barolo Arione (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$612.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Angelo Gaja |
2004 |
Barbaresco (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$993.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (12/2007): Good medium-deep red. Perfumed aromas of raspberry, truffle, flowers and earth, with a whiff of Burgundian funk. Silky and elegant, with a seamless texture to its red fruit and mineral flavors. Finishes long and suave, with fine-grained tannins. Lovely Barbaresco. |
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|
2007 |
Darmagi (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$956.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Le Macchiole |
2017 |
Scrio IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,416.99 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Il Marroneto |
2013 |
Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,538.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2018): Sangiovese-whisperer Alessandro Mori has delivered another superstar wine with the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie. The bouquet is detailed and fine with bright accents of fragrant red rose, red currant, cola, licorice, grilled herb and crushed white peppercorn. The bouquet is loose, light and buoyant, with a smooth and natural progression of building aromas. The mouthfeel, however, is direct, important and determined. It's that playful juxtaposition between the wine's soft side and its stern side that makes this such an interesting and sensational wine to drink. Only 5,993 bottles were produced, and that's the bad news.
VM 95 (3/2019): Vibrant medium-deep red. Expressive, complex nose combines raspberry, strawberry, and violet, plus hints of truffle and dried herbs. Lovely extract and flavor intensity for its color, offering a strong savory quality to its strawberry, floral and herb flavors. A stylish, midweight Brunello with a seamless texture, uncanny sweet juiciness and outstanding inner-mouth energy that builds on you. Ian d'Agata.
WS 93 (6/2018): A ripe style, displaying macerated cherry, plum and rose hip tea flavors. This is supported by a firm backbone yet feels balanced and stays long on the finish. Leather, earth and tobacco notes round this out. Best from 2021 through 2035. 500 cases made. |
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| Bartolo Mascarello |
2021 |
Barolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,926.99 |
3 |
|
| |
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| Mastrojanni |
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$475.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Miani |
2023 |
Malvasia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$848.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Tenuta dell' Ornellaia |
2002 |
Ornellaia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,821.99 |
2 |
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| |
WA 92 (4/2007): The estate’s 2002s show why Tenuta dell’Ornellaia is one of Italy’s premier properties. Those obsessed with points will chase the higher rated 2003s and 2004s, but consumers who buy wines to drink them would do well to consider these 2002s especially given that pricing should be favorable. The 2002s are by no means the equal of the estate’s top wines but they will offer useful drinking while the more important vintages reach maturity. The 2002 Ornellaia (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot) is an astoundingly good wine considering the vintage. A vibrant dark ruby/violet, it offers suggestions of herbs, tobacco, earthiness and dark red fruit with excellent length and notable structure. Although it doesn’t have the concentration or length of the best vintages, it displays terrific overall balance and is undoubtedly a huge overachiever for which General Manager/Agronomist Leonardo Raspini and his entire team deserve much credit. 92/Anticipated maturity: 2008-2017.
WS 90 (10/2005): Aromas of currants, plums and hints of fresh herbs, rosemary in particular. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a subtle, refined finish. Very nice indeed for the vintage. Best after 2006. 9,640 cases made.
VM 89 (10/2006): Medium-deep red. Very intense flavors of dark plum, asphalt and gunflint, with a touch of herbal smokiness. The wine's fine-grained texture and harmonious acids bring its fruit and mineral flavors into focus, but this is a delicate, restrained version of Ornellaia. Finishes smooth and adequately long. Offers excellent potential in the context of the vintage. |
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|
2009 |
Masseto Proprietary Blend (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,438.99 |
1 |
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| |
JS 98 (10/2014): I have always been impressed with the depth and grace to this wine since I tasted it from barrel. It's full-bodied with super integrated tannins and so much intense currant, berry character. A classic quality in this pure merlot wonder; feels like Pomerol from a top year like 2009. Try in 2017.
VM 96 (9/2012): Good full ruby. Superripe, pure aromas of blackberry, cassis, violet, minerals, milk chocolate and exotic spices. Superconcentrated, rich and seamless, offering explosive sweetness but also great verve, thanks to bright acidity that provides wonderful lift and clarity to the blackberry, blueberry and black cherry flavors. Finishes with ultra-suave tannins and a kaleidoscope of violet and Oriental spice flavors. A very great Masseto from a hot year, when I would have expected the merlot to suffer a bit. But unlike in 2003, when it wasn't just hot but dry as well, Masseto's unique microclimate allowed the merlot to avoid major stress in 2009. As good and refined as the Ornellaia is in 2009, I think the Masseto has an extra layer of complexity and depth. Ian d'Agata.
WA 94+ (6/2012): The 2009 Masseto bursts from the glass with dark red berries, blackberries, flowers, licorice and tar. It shows lovely up-front juiciness and expressive inner perfume in a surprisingly accessible style for this wine. Like the Ornellaia, the 2009 Masseto has quite a bit of freshness, although it, too, is medium-bodied in structure. In this vintage the Ornellaia team was especially selective and only used part of the three vineyards that typically go into Masseto. I have been fortunate to taste every vintage of Masseto, most more than once recently. Masseto has a great track record for aging, even in the smallest, least promising of vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.
WS 93 (10/2012): An effusive aroma of ripe black cherry announces the seriousness of this red, which is concentrated and intense, with shadings of plum and spice from the toasty, smoky oak. Though broad-shouldered, there's a sense of harmony, followed by an expansive finish. Just a bit brawny on the finish. Best from 2015 through 2030. 400 cases imported. |
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|
2010 |
Masseto Proprietary Blend (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,244.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Giuseppe Rinaldi |
2019 |
Langhe Freisa (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,008.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Roagna |
2012 |
Barbaresco Crichet Paje
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,685.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera |
2012 |
Toscana Sangiovese (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,259.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Toscana Sangiovese (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,330.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Sottimano |
2016 |
Barbaresco Fausoni (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,073.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (11/2019): The 2016 Barbaresco Fausoni is another superb wine in this lineup of 2016 Barbarescos from the Sottimano family. Bright floral and citrus overtones give the 2016 a vibrant, chiseled feel. Sweet red/purplish berry fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol rose petal and lavender are some of the many notes that flesh out in this super-expressive, mid-weight Barbaresco from Sottimano. Aromatically lifted, dense on the palate and also very structured, the 2016 is a very complete Fausoni. The 2016 finishes with tremendous persistence and a classic sense of austerity that is compelling. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (6/2019): The Fausoni zone provides sandy and clay soils, and you get more power here than from the other locations. These vines are 35 to 40 years old, and the 2016 Barbaresco Fausoni lets fly those menthol notes that are so characteristic of this vineyard in Neive. Slightly more balsamic in its aromatic profile than the other Barbarescos, this expression of Nebbiolo, sitting sur lies for two years, shows a very different tannic feel in a wine that offers surprising freshness and purity. Those minty Neive notes, its direct and linear nature, plus the very precise and sharply managed tannins make this cru a winner in my book. Some 6,000 bottles were made.
JS 93 (8/2019): Delicious, lifted notes of incense and candlewax envelop dried rose petals and cedar. Tannic and structured, full-bodied and powerful, this remains an elegant Barbaresco with a sheen of iridescent acidity and a buffed, polished texture. Drink from 2021.
WS 92 (2/2020): Plum and cherry fruit is accented by licorice, leather and tar notes in this tightly wound red. The tannins are on the severe side today, yet this finds equilibrium in the end. Best from 2023 through 2043. 450 cases made, 200 cases imported. |
|
| Tenuta di Trinoro |
2019 |
Le Cupole Rosso (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$283.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Valdicava |
2015 |
Brunello di Montalcino (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$291.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$982.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2023): Deep ruby-colored with a light purple tinge, the 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Madonna Del Piano takes on another gear with its rich perfume unfolding with lavender, black cherry, cassis, fresh leather, licorice, fresh soil, and sage. The wine is full-bodied, with a ripe velveteen texture, while maintaining freshness, and it is elegantly rounded through the mid-palate, with notes of black plum, Earl Grey, scorched earth, and tea leaf. This seems to be moving at a glacial pace in its evolution and certainly warrants at least a few more years in cellar. Drink 2026-2050.
WS 98 (6/2022): Expressive yet complex, this red is already revealing tertiary hints of truffle, fading roses and spice. Features cherry, raspberry, iron, eucalyptus and anise flavors allied to a firm, compact structure. Balanced and long, with fresh fruit, spice and mineral accents lingering on the endless finish. Best from 2025 through 2045. 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.
WA 96+ (12/2022): The Valdicava 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano impresses for its intensity, its balance and its freshness. The wine is medium to full-bodied with a good amount of fruit weight and power that is offset by acidity and the lifted, vibrant quality of the bouquet. If balance is the objective, this wine meets it goals, although like with many of its peers, you certainly won't miss the deep inner power of this determined Brunello.
VM 96 (12/2021): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is totally captivating: deep, dark and viral. It smolders up from the glass, with a thrilling mix of cherries and plums complemented by notes of black tea, balsam herbs and ashen stone. With each return to the glass, this seems to expand further, adding nuances of smoke and animal musk. The 2016 is packed full of energy but also youthful tension, showing the radiance of the vintage with its citrus-tinged fruits and depths of minerality. Through it all, energizing acidity maintains harmony, just as fine tannins slowly saturate, resulting in a long finish that resonates on licorice and purple-tinged inner florals. The 2016 is one of the most balanced, yet also prettiest, expressions that I have ever witnessed from Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano. Eric Guido |
|
|
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,052.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2023): Deep ruby-colored with a light purple tinge, the 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Madonna Del Piano takes on another gear with its rich perfume unfolding with lavender, black cherry, cassis, fresh leather, licorice, fresh soil, and sage. The wine is full-bodied, with a ripe velveteen texture, while maintaining freshness, and it is elegantly rounded through the mid-palate, with notes of black plum, Earl Grey, scorched earth, and tea leaf. This seems to be moving at a glacial pace in its evolution and certainly warrants at least a few more years in cellar. Drink 2026-2050.
WS 98 (6/2022): Expressive yet complex, this red is already revealing tertiary hints of truffle, fading roses and spice. Features cherry, raspberry, iron, eucalyptus and anise flavors allied to a firm, compact structure. Balanced and long, with fresh fruit, spice and mineral accents lingering on the endless finish. Best from 2025 through 2045. 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.
WA 96+ (12/2022): The Valdicava 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano impresses for its intensity, its balance and its freshness. The wine is medium to full-bodied with a good amount of fruit weight and power that is offset by acidity and the lifted, vibrant quality of the bouquet. If balance is the objective, this wine meets it goals, although like with many of its peers, you certainly won't miss the deep inner power of this determined Brunello.
VM 96 (12/2021): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is totally captivating: deep, dark and viral. It smolders up from the glass, with a thrilling mix of cherries and plums complemented by notes of black tea, balsam herbs and ashen stone. With each return to the glass, this seems to expand further, adding nuances of smoke and animal musk. The 2016 is packed full of energy but also youthful tension, showing the radiance of the vintage with its citrus-tinged fruits and depths of minerality. Through it all, energizing acidity maintains harmony, just as fine tannins slowly saturate, resulting in a long finish that resonates on licorice and purple-tinged inner florals. The 2016 is one of the most balanced, yet also prettiest, expressions that I have ever witnessed from Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano. Eric Guido |
|
|
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$495.99 |
12 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2023): Deep ruby-colored with a light purple tinge, the 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Madonna Del Piano takes on another gear with its rich perfume unfolding with lavender, black cherry, cassis, fresh leather, licorice, fresh soil, and sage. The wine is full-bodied, with a ripe velveteen texture, while maintaining freshness, and it is elegantly rounded through the mid-palate, with notes of black plum, Earl Grey, scorched earth, and tea leaf. This seems to be moving at a glacial pace in its evolution and certainly warrants at least a few more years in cellar. Drink 2026-2050.
WS 98 (6/2022): Expressive yet complex, this red is already revealing tertiary hints of truffle, fading roses and spice. Features cherry, raspberry, iron, eucalyptus and anise flavors allied to a firm, compact structure. Balanced and long, with fresh fruit, spice and mineral accents lingering on the endless finish. Best from 2025 through 2045. 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.
WA 96+ (12/2022): The Valdicava 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano impresses for its intensity, its balance and its freshness. The wine is medium to full-bodied with a good amount of fruit weight and power that is offset by acidity and the lifted, vibrant quality of the bouquet. If balance is the objective, this wine meets it goals, although like with many of its peers, you certainly won't miss the deep inner power of this determined Brunello.
VM 96 (12/2021): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is totally captivating: deep, dark and viral. It smolders up from the glass, with a thrilling mix of cherries and plums complemented by notes of black tea, balsam herbs and ashen stone. With each return to the glass, this seems to expand further, adding nuances of smoke and animal musk. The 2016 is packed full of energy but also youthful tension, showing the radiance of the vintage with its citrus-tinged fruits and depths of minerality. Through it all, energizing acidity maintains harmony, just as fine tannins slowly saturate, resulting in a long finish that resonates on licorice and purple-tinged inner florals. The 2016 is one of the most balanced, yet also prettiest, expressions that I have ever witnessed from Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano. Eric Guido |
|
|
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$908.99 |
10 |
|
| |
JS 98 (10/2020): Attractive aromas of balsamic, tea, dark berry, walnut and coffee bean. Full-bodied, yet tight and very intense with ripe tannins that are fine and reserved. Racy and polished. Beautiful length to this wine. Needs at least two to three years to come. Try after 2024.
JD 97 (3/2023): The 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a rich ruby hue yet remains transparent, with savory, layered aromas of red cherry, saddle leather, cedar, damp forest floor, and wild herbs. It is medium to full-bodied, with a ripe yet structured feel, ample tension, and notes of red plum, currant, dried roses, orange rind, and white pepper. Persistent and linear, with a long finish, it will continue to mature into more umami tones of shitake and tea leaf. Drink 2025-2045.
VM 96 (11/2020): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is one of those young wines that, from the moment you put your nose to the glass, you know you’re in for a treat. A sweetly alluring and remarkably fresh bouquet of crushed cherries, strawberries and plums is further complicated by hints of clove, spiced orange peels and mint. It’s velvety-smooth and radiant with a display of dark red fruits, all tightly wound up in a web of minerals, with an air of savory herbs and inner florals that develop toward the close. Try to keep your hands off for another four or five years, and then reap the rewards for a decade or more. Eric Guido.
WS 95 (6/2021): Fleeting aromas of cherry, cedar, sanguine and leather give way to a beam of ripe cherry, berry and earth flavors in this elegant red. Firm and resonant, with a matrix of dusty tannins on the long finish. Best from 2024 through 2045. 3,400 cases made, 1,400 cases imported.
WA 95 (11/2020): The Valdicava 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows a subtle bouquet that needs extra time to open. In fact, I suggest you open your bottle about four hours before serving. This Brunello takes its time, but it inches over the senses with carefully increasing intensity. Wild cherry, toasted almond and even a touch of sweet apple or orange peel distinguish the bouquet. The tannins are firm and young, but all they need is extra time to evolve. This wine is like being introduced to a stranger who takes his time to reveal his personality, but who then turns into a true friend and confidant. Patience is required when approaching this 40,000-bottle release. |
|
|
2016 |
Brunello di Montalcino (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$330.99 |
12 |
|
| |
JS 98 (10/2020): Attractive aromas of balsamic, tea, dark berry, walnut and coffee bean. Full-bodied, yet tight and very intense with ripe tannins that are fine and reserved. Racy and polished. Beautiful length to this wine. Needs at least two to three years to come. Try after 2024.
JD 97 (3/2023): The 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a rich ruby hue yet remains transparent, with savory, layered aromas of red cherry, saddle leather, cedar, damp forest floor, and wild herbs. It is medium to full-bodied, with a ripe yet structured feel, ample tension, and notes of red plum, currant, dried roses, orange rind, and white pepper. Persistent and linear, with a long finish, it will continue to mature into more umami tones of shitake and tea leaf. Drink 2025-2045.
VM 96 (11/2020): The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is one of those young wines that, from the moment you put your nose to the glass, you know you’re in for a treat. A sweetly alluring and remarkably fresh bouquet of crushed cherries, strawberries and plums is further complicated by hints of clove, spiced orange peels and mint. It’s velvety-smooth and radiant with a display of dark red fruits, all tightly wound up in a web of minerals, with an air of savory herbs and inner florals that develop toward the close. Try to keep your hands off for another four or five years, and then reap the rewards for a decade or more. Eric Guido.
WS 95 (6/2021): Fleeting aromas of cherry, cedar, sanguine and leather give way to a beam of ripe cherry, berry and earth flavors in this elegant red. Firm and resonant, with a matrix of dusty tannins on the long finish. Best from 2024 through 2045. 3,400 cases made, 1,400 cases imported.
WA 95 (11/2020): The Valdicava 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows a subtle bouquet that needs extra time to open. In fact, I suggest you open your bottle about four hours before serving. This Brunello takes its time, but it inches over the senses with carefully increasing intensity. Wild cherry, toasted almond and even a touch of sweet apple or orange peel distinguish the bouquet. The tannins are firm and young, but all they need is extra time to evolve. This wine is like being introduced to a stranger who takes his time to reveal his personality, but who then turns into a true friend and confidant. Patience is required when approaching this 40,000-bottle release. |
|
| | Loire |
| Charles Joguet |
2012 |
Chinon Clos de la Cure (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$294.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Clos Rougeard |
2015 |
Saumur Champigny Le Bourg (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,090.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Saumur Champigny Le Bourg (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,307.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Saumur Champigny (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,682.99 |
5 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (8/2022): Released in November 2021, after its customary five year stay in the cellar, the 2016 Le Clos is a wine that makes you say 'God this is good' as soon as you put a drop in your mouth before you sink into it. While it is already starting to open up and could be approached by the impatient wine lover, this has the tannins that will leave you licking your lips and abundant acidity making your mouth water. In combination with the fine concentration of fruit and long length, there's no hurry to open. On the drawn out finish, cherry, tea leaf and mushroom flavors linger on and on. Rebecca Gibb. |
|
|
2017 |
Saumur Blanc Breze (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,015.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Saumur Champigny Le Bourg (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,472.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Saumur Champigny Les Poyeux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,501.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | New Zealand |
| Kumeu River |
2018 |
Estate Chardonnay (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$490.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Coddington Chardonnay (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$325.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Estate Chardonnay (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$464.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Mates Vyd. Chardonnay (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$558.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Patrick et Christophe Bonnefond |
2016 |
Cote Rotie Les Rochains (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,977.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Le Clos du Caillou |
2013 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$769.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| M. Chapoutier |
2014 |
Ermitage Les Greffieux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,270.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Ermitage Les Greffieux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,252.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 97 (12/2019): More blackcurrants, black olives, garrigue, and smoke game notes emerge from the 2017 Ermitage Les Greffieux, one of the more opulent, seductive and sexy Hermitage in the lineup. Full-bodied, powerful, and structured, it has a smoking good mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. There are just 350 cases produced, but it’s a stunning Hermitage to drink over the coming 25-30 years. |
|
| Jean-Louis Chave |
2010 |
Hermitage (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,669.98 |
2 |
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WA 100 (12/2012): Pure perfection, the 2010 Hermitage reminds Jean-Louis Chave of their 1990. It appears to be a richer, fresher example of what I remember the 1990 tasting like in 1992. The wine exhibits an opaque purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of sweet blackberry fruit intermixed with creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, acacia flowers, bouquet garni, meat and crushed rocks. Full-bodied and stunningly rich with laser-like precision, this is a powerful, massive yet exceptionally well-balanced wine that should be forgotten for a decade and drunk over the following 30-40 years.
JLL ****** (11/2012): (1st tank, pre-assembly) dark red. Close-knit, deep mass, solid bouquet. There is a lot on the palate - it builds up big scale tannins, has a roasted, thorough heart - and will live a very long time - 36 years. (2nd tank) notably ripe fruit, really ripe fruit air - red fruit that is mulled, shows fates as well. The palate is broad, muscular, ptofound, gives a spark of late tannin, It is very dense, but also ends with grip, crunch. 31 years. (3rd tank) dark; this has a lot of Meal, so it gives a full red berry, has solid tannins, a sunny and layered totality. The nose is compact, deep, shows the density of jam in its fruit aroma. The best so far. Storming. 36 years. (4th tank) powdery air. This is Meal/Beaumes and the nose has a raspberry. Flinty mix. The palate is stylish, has an intricate mystery, is smoky, fresh, and long. The finish is sizeable. Intellectual wine. 33 years. (5th tank) dark red; Bessards content here - compact nose, shows licorice, smoked bacon. The palate is steely - has real good grip and carry. Gusto here, proper fruit, has great spine - Bessards saves the world! OVERALL ****** this is going right on track, as per previous expectations. It is due for bottling in Jan/Feb 2013. The wine works on all fronts - depth, persistence, pockets of fragrance, is very long, nuanced. Très Grand Vin. 2049-2055
VM 96-97 (4/2013): Inky ruby. Intensely perfumed, heady bouquet displays an array of candied dark fruits, floral pastille and spicecake aromas. Powerful cherry and raspberry preserve flavors stain the palate and show remarkable depth, with bright acidity adding lift and cut. Finishes with bright, spice-accented cherry and candied licorice flavors and superb persistence. |
|
| Ch. de St. Cosme |
2018 |
Gigondas Hominis Fides (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,275.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Ferraton Pere & Fils |
2014 |
Crozes Hermitage Les Picheres (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$223.99 |
4 |
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| |
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| Yves Gangloff |
2023 |
Cote Rotie La Sereine Noire (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,792.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Jean Michel Gerin |
2016 |
Cote Rotie Champin Le Seigneur (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,072.99 |
1 |
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| |
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| Paul Jaboulet Aine |
2018 |
Crozes Hermitage Domaine Raymond Roure (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$337.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 93-95 (12/2019): From a great, granitic terroir, the 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Roure reveals a deep, saturated purple color as well as notes of juicy black fruits and crème de cassis intermixed with notes of graphite, ground herbs, and spring flowers. It’s full-bodied, has plenty of granite character and minerality, and a great finish. |
|
| Dom. Jamet |
2015 |
Cote Rotie Fructus Voluptas (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,041.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Dom. des Tourettes (Delas) |
2020 |
Hermitage (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$457.99 |
2 |
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| |
|
| | Rhone White |
| Ch. de Beaucastel |
2013 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,299.99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 97 (10/2014): Similar in color to the classic white, the 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is deeper and richer, with more viscosity, glycerin and minerality. Loaded with notes of buttered citrus, flowers, orange marmalade and crushed-rock nuances, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied power, juicy, lively acidity and terrific length. Like the classic white, this does not go through malolactic fermentation, but sees slightly more oak (some new) in its elevage, which always gives it slightly more richness, as well as hints of vanilla in its youth. It’s unquestionably the greatest white wine coming from the Southern Rhône, and while I prefer to drink it in its first 4-6 years, it can evolve for decades.
WS 96 (11/2015): Ripe and bright, with gorgeous creamed peach, pear and ginger notes forming the core, while verbena, chamomile and honeysuckle accents create the frame. Lush through the finish, where a light salted butter hint emerges. Drink now through 2023. 500 cases made.
VM 93 (4/2016): (aged in a 50/50 blend of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels for eight months): Light, vivid gold. Intensely perfumed aromas of poached pear, orange, candied fig and jasmine slowly acquire a hint of fennel. Smooth, sappy and expansive on the palate, offering rich, mineral-laced orchard fruit and pit fruit flavors that show a suave blend of richness and energy. Finishes very long and sappy, displaying excellent clarity and building mineral and floral notes. Josh Raynolds.
JLL ***** (2/2015): Yellow, shiny robe. Soaked pear, banana aromas - a nose that isn’t quite plush, but is generous, and also trails a little finesse; it prolongs well, with style. The palate is adorned by a firm apricot, dried fruits flavour, with steel and some tannin underpinning it. This is seriously structured, is broad and long, and will age much like a red wine, with a period of closing down. This is up there as one of the best Vieilles Vignes from Beaucastel - it combines freshness with complete matter, a touch of tangerine and nut as it ends. Best to swerve this during its youth, I feel. Take your time with it. From 2022. |
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| | Spain |
| Vega Sicilia |
2009 |
Unico Ribera del Duero (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,492.99 |
4 |
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WA 98 (1/2019): I tasted a bottle of the 2009 Único blind and was taken by the freshness, the red fruit notes and the Burgundian-like characteristics of this vintage, which on paper was quite warm and dry. I also tasted the 2009 Valbuena, which is always more approachable, and was blown away by its aromatics. With time in the glass the Único opened up and got closer to the character of Valbuena but with more depth and clout, while showing extremely elegant. I tasted it again in the context of all the wines from the group, and it delivered all that I saw when I tasted it blind. It takes some time to unfurl its aromatic palette, and it feels young and somewhat undeveloped, younger than it is. It has a touch that made me think of the old vintages of Único on the nose but with very polished tannins and a soft mouthfeel that provides elegance. This is a wine that ages for no less than ten years before it's released. 2009 seems like a great vintage for Vega Sicilia, much better than what I anticipated. It should develop nicely in bottle. 74,274 bottles, 3,390 magnums, 209 double magnums and 22 imperials were produced. It has been in bottle since June 2015.
JS 98 (12/2018): The elevage is complex, building from smaller barrels to larger barrels over a period of six years, finishing in larger vats. Then four years in bottle. Non-sequential releasing with the 2005 and 2006 being released after the 2007 and 2008. This 2009 has good ripeness and deep fruit-presence on the nose with rich red and dark plums, subtly earthy spice, cedar and fresh tobacco. There’s terrific concentration on the palate and very ripe dark-plum, blueberry and cherry flavors. The tannins are fresh, very long and carry flavors deep. Natural freshness and effortless power, too — a hallmark of Unico! Very open-knit and approachable now, this will age for two decades easily, and then some more. |
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|
2020 |
Valbuena (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$421.98 |
3 |
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|
| | USA Red |
| Araujo Estate |
2008 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (375 ML) |
$150 |
1 |
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WA 97+ (12/2011): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is breathtaking. Everything is in the right place in this dazzling, superb Cabernet Sauvignon. Layers of dark fruit, plums, camphor, licorice and espresso emerge from this effortless, gracious wine. The integration of fruit, tannin and French oak (100% new) is simply phenomenal. There is a dark, brooding quality to the 2008 that is immensely appealing. This is a stunning wine from Araujo. The 2008 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028.
WS 97 (11/2011): Dense, rich and enormously concentrated, mixing power with finesse. Pure, ripe, riveting aromas of blackberry, blueberry, currant, sage, cedar, espresso and mocha lead to a full-bodied palate, firming beautifully on the finish, where the flavors glide along and gain traction. Drink now through 2028. 1,392 cases made.
JS 96 (2/2011): This is very aromatic, with mint, bay leaves, laurel, lavender, raspberry, and currants. Fruit at the forefront but restrained. Wonderful fruit with a vanilla bean, floral, and blueberry after taste. This is exciting stuff with loads of energy. A nice combination of the power of 2007 and the complexity of 2006.
VM 94+ (6/2011): (89% cabernet sauvignon, 6.6% cabernet franc and 4.4% petit verdot): Ruby-red. Reticent but pure aromas of black cherry, black tea and flowers. Densely packed and youthfully tight, with juicy, high-pitched flavors of sweet dark fruits, leather and licorice. At once lush and perfumed, showing lovely vibrancy for a wine from this hot site. The long, building finish displays the firm tannic structure for a graceful evolution in bottle. This has turned out very well. |
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|
2009 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (375 ML) |
$125 |
1 |
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VM 95 (5/2012): (bottled in September of 2011; 99% cabernet with homeopathic doses of cabernet and petit verdot): Dark red-ruby. Musky, deep nose offers crushed blackberry, cassis, graphite and coffee. Wonderfully sweet and rich, displaying an uncanny combination of textural thickness and verve. Strong crushed rock minerality gives this beauty an extremely youthful quality. The very long, palate-staining finish features big but suave tannins and Outstanding harmoniousness. The pH of 3.73 is "not too high" for this consistently superb wine, says winemaker Nigel Kinsman.
WA 94-97 (12/2010): From a cooler year, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard was completely harvested before the rains arrived. It should be a normal blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. More chocolate aromas appear in the wine’s perfume as well as notes of flowers, cassis and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied with striking purity and a seamless, well-formed style, this beauty is, surprisingly, potentially better than the 2007. Moreover, the 2009 should drink well early on and last for 20-25+ years.
JS 93-94 (7/2011): This is just one component of the final blend. It is a vineyard that was planted in 1964. It is block 3, and it was always i the Eisele Vineyards and it went into the 1971 Ridge and 1974 Conn Creek. Joe used to call it gold. This is full bodied and rich with a beautiful sea shell and olive character. Very fine on the palate with chewy tannins. Complex and beautiful, with loads going on.
WS 92 (11/2012): A firm, rustic red, tight and dense, with extracted tannins wrapped around a core of dark berry, currant, cedar and crushed rock. Best from 2014 through 2028. 1,600 cases made. |
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| Arnot-Roberts |
2005 |
Bugay Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$40 |
1 |
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2005 |
Clajeux Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
2 |
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2006 |
Clajeux Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
3 |
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2007 |
Bugay Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
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2007 |
Clajeux Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
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2007 |
Fellom Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
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2013 |
Clajeux Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
1 |
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2013 |
Fellom Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
2 |
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2013 |
Montecillo Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$105 |
3 |
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| Chappellet |
2005 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
1 |
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2006 |
Signature Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
3 |
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WS 94 (7/2009): Assertive herb, anise, blackberry and wild berry fruit is tight, firm, tannic and well-structured, picking up depth and length on the finish. Best from 2010 through 2016. 7,650 cases made.
VM 89 (6/2009): Full ruby-red. Aromas of currant, tobacco, graphite and crushed rock. Sweet, plush and nicely deep, with a silky texture to the flavors of plum, currant and spicecake. Quite sweet, even a bit exotic, for this bottling. Finishes with substantial broad, dusty tannins and plenty of spicy, chocolatey oak. |
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2007 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$209 |
2 |
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2008 |
Signature Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
3 |
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2009 |
Signature Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
3 |
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|
| Epoch Estate Wines |
2008 |
Paderewski Vyd. Block B Syrah |
$65 |
1 |
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2009 |
Paderewski Vyd. Block B Syrah |
$65 |
1 |
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2009 |
Authenticity Proprietary Blend |
$65 |
2 |
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2009 |
Paderewski Vyd. Veracity Proprietary Blend |
$60 |
2 |
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| |
| VM 93 (11/2011): (36% grenache, 32% mourvedre and 32% syrah, aged in 38% new French barrels and the rest in puncheons; 15.7% alcohol): Bright purple. Intensely perfumed aromas of blackberry, blueberry, anise and violet, with a touch of cinnamon in the background. Juicy, palate-staining red and dark berry flavors show excellent clarity and depth, with a suave floral pastille quality on the back half. The red fruit element carries through on the smooth, very long finish. Josh Raynolds. |
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2010 |
Authenticity Proprietary Blend |
$75 |
2 |
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2011 |
Paderewski Vyd. Block B Syrah (1.5 L) |
$75 |
1 |
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2011 |
Authenticity Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$75 |
1 |
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2012 |
Paderewski Vyd. Block B Syrah |
$60 |
2 |
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2012 |
Authenticity Proprietary Blend |
$60 |
2 |
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2012 |
Estate Proprietary Blend |
$35 |
1 |
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2012 |
Paderewski Vyd. Veracity Proprietary Blend |
$65 |
1 |
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2012 |
Paderewski Vyd. Zinfandel |
$35 |
2 |
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|
| Gramercy Cellars |
2006 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
1 |
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2006 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
2 |
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| VM 89 (12/2008): ( blended with 3% viognier; fermented with 40% whole clusters) Full, dark red. Aromas of boysenberry and fruity peppercorn, plus a whiff of licorice. Supple and velvety but adamantly dry, with pungent herb and spice flavors currently dominating the berry fruit in the mid-palate. Plump in the middle but quite firm on the back end, with a hint of bitter fruit skin. A grown-up style that should be flexible at the dinner table. |
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2007 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
3 |
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2008 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
2 |
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2008 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
2 |
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2009 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
2 |
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2010 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
3 |
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| VM 91+ (11/2012): (13.9% alcohol, vs. 14.2% for the Lagniappe): Medium red-ruby. Deep, brooding aromas of musky black fruits, spicecake, pepper, smoke, brown spices and black olive. Rich, suave and fine-grained, with lush, seamless flavors of raspberry and olive perked up by pepper and herbs on the end. The biggest and richest of the 2010 syrahs from this producer but I find a bit less personality and definition today than the Lagniappe is currently showing. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2010 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
3 |
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| WA 95 (6/2013): More rich, full and voluptuous, while still not losing the house style, the 2010 Syrah Lagniappe is a knockout Syrah that easily matches the brilliant 2009. Perfumed, intense and complex, with Northern Rhone-like aromas of wild berry fruit, smoked bacon, lavender and black pepper, it flows onto the palate with a classically constructed, firm mouthfeel that carries vibrant acidity, beautiful richness and a great finish. A 100% Syrah from Red Willow, Minick and SJR vineyards that spent 23 months in 14% new French oak, it builds brilliantly in the glass and will thrill for 10-12 years. Drink now-2022. |
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2011 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
2 |
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2012 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
3 |
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2012 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
4 |
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| VM 94 (12/2014): (14.2% alcohol; mostly from Red Willow fruit; vinified with 50% of its stems; aged in 9% new oak): Bright ruby-red. Knockout perfume combines black raspberry, violet, bacon fat and smoke, plus a whiff of game. Densely packed and intense, boasting terrific clarity and thrust to its dark fruit, floral and spicy oak flavors. Really seductive pliancy and sweetness here, not to mention impeccable balance. The classically dry, slowly building finish leaves the palate saturated with flavor. As impressive a Syrah as I’ve tasted to date from Gramercy Cellars, probably because it’s not as low in alcohol as previous vintages. Clearly, Harrington is no longer as obsessed with making low-alcohol “sommelier wines.” As he now puts it, “every vineyard has its sweet spot” for ripeness. A great Washington Syrah. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2012 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$85 |
3 |
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2013 |
John Lewis Reserve Syrah |
$75 |
1 |
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| VM 93+ (11/2015): (made entirely with whole clusters; 13.5% alcohol): Deep red-ruby. Wild, musky aromas of dark raspberry, graphite, licorice, brown spices, dried flowers, crushed rock and peppery herbs. Wonderfully fine-grained and savory in the mouth, showing outstanding tension and peppery lift to the raspberry, black olive and mineral flavors. A very subtle, sharply delineated Syrah with a restrained sweetness and a long, slowly building finish featuring suave, palate-dusting tannins. I find this more complex and much easier to taste than the 2012 at a similar stage of its evolution. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2013 |
Lagniappe Syrah |
$59 |
4 |
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| WA 95 (6/2016): Slightly more fruit driven than the meaty, peppery John Lewis release, the 2013 Syrah Lagniappe is a drop dead gorgeous Syrah that does everything right. Its almost opaque purple color is followed by a complex, layered bouquet that includes ample black and blue fruits, ground pepper, lavender, olive and hints of bacon fat. This gives way to a medium to full-bodied, layered, silky 2013 that has a great mid-palate, juicy acidity and a great finish. I’d happily drink it today, but it should be at its best from 2018-2028. |
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2013 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$95 |
1 |
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| WA 95+ (6/2016): The 243-case 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a beautiful, elegant Cabernet that incorporates 12% Merlot and comes from the Bacchus, Phinny Hill and Loess vineyards. Aged 22 months in 65% new French oak, it offers tons of toasted bread, espresso roast, lead pencil shavings and dried herbs to go with a core of black cherry and darker currant-like fruits. Medium to full-bodied, seamless, impeccably balanced, and with terrific length, it shows the more streamlined style of the vintage, yet has enough density and depth to reward short-term cellaring, and drink well for two decades or more after that. |
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| Lamborn Family |
2005 |
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon |
$69 |
4 |
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2006 |
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon |
$79 |
4 |
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2007 |
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
3 |
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| Lillian Winery |
2006 |
Blue Label Syrah |
$69 |
1 |
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2006 |
Syrah |
$59 |
2 |
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WA 94 (8/2009): The second release from Maggie Harrison, previously an apprentice at Sine Qua Non, the 2006 Syrah from Lillian is even better than the excellent 2005. Totally sourced from the White Hawk Vineyard, and aged in 65% new oak for 23 months, there are 508 cases of this beautiful Syrah. Notes of creme de cassis, blackberries, spice, incense, flowers, ground pepper, licorice, and subtle smoke are followed by a full-bodied, layered, multidimensional, big (15.6% alcohol) Syrah. Beautifully balanced, elegant, and pure, it should age gracefully for a decade or more.
VM 92 (11/2009): Inky purple color. Exotic, powerfully scented bouquet of boysenberry, cherry-cola, vanilla, sandalwood and dried rose. Deep, sweet and smoky, offering palate-coating dark berry liqueur, bitter chocolate and candied vanilla flavors, with strong spiciness and florality providing lift: nothing remotely shy about this wine. The finish echoes the vanilla and smoke notes and clings with velvety tannins and great tenacity. A real head-turner, and even more baroque than the excellent 2005. This needs a peppery piece of grilled red meat. Josh Raynolds. |
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2007 |
Syrah |
$65 |
4 |
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JD 95 (3/2011): Missing from the Rhone Ranger report last November was the 2007 Lillian Winery Syrah. Sporting stunning purity and depth on the nose, the wine possesses decadent blackberry and cassis fruit aromas that are complemented by subtle meat, pepper, tar, and wild herb nuances that come through more with air. Layered and complex on the nose, the wine is full bodied on the palate with a gorgeously rich texture, perfect balance, superb mid-palate depth, and a very long, focused finish. Very pure, and showing solid complexity even at this young stage, this classic California Syrah should evolve over the next 3 to 6 years, and drink well for 15+ years.
VM 94 (12/2010): Opaque purple. A kaleidoscopic bouquet evokes black raspberry, cola, incense and olive tapenade, with a sexy floral quality that gains power with aeration. Lush, palate-staining dark berry preserve flavors are complemented by exotic spice and violet pastille qualities and are lifted by zesty minerality. Gains weight with air but retains its energy, finishing spicy, smoky and with Outstanding persistence. |
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2008 |
Syrah |
$59 |
6 |
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| VM 94 (10/2011): Glass-staining purple. Deeply pitched aromas of black and blue fruits, incense, olive tapenade and fruitcake, with smoke and violet notes gaining power with air. Rich and broad but almost shockingly energetic, offering sweet, liqueur-like blackberry and boysenberry flavors and exotic spice and floral pastille qualities. Intense and focused on the extremely long finish, which strongly repeats the floral and spice notes. I had the chance to retaste the 2007 Lillian this fall, and while it appears to have closed down a bit since this time last year, it is still a complex, compelling and extremely alluring wine. As rich as it is, it doesn't come off as overblown or overtly decadent. |
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|
2008 |
Syrah (1.5 L) |
$125 |
1 |
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| VM 94 (10/2011): Glass-staining purple. Deeply pitched aromas of black and blue fruits, incense, olive tapenade and fruitcake, with smoke and violet notes gaining power with air. Rich and broad but almost shockingly energetic, offering sweet, liqueur-like blackberry and boysenberry flavors and exotic spice and floral pastille qualities. Intense and focused on the extremely long finish, which strongly repeats the floral and spice notes. I had the chance to retaste the 2007 Lillian this fall, and while it appears to have closed down a bit since this time last year, it is still a complex, compelling and extremely alluring wine. As rich as it is, it doesn't come off as overblown or overtly decadent. |
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2009 |
Syrah |
$55 |
1 |
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| Robert Mondavi |
2006 |
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
3 |
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| WA 91 (12/2008): The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville reveals more licorice, spice, box, cedar, black cherries, and black currants in its complex, moderately intense aromatics. Full-bodied with outstanding concentration and moderate tannin, it displays the potential to improve for a decade, and last for 15-20 years thereafter. |
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2007 |
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
6 |
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2008 |
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
15 |
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| Pahlmeyer |
2005 |
Proprietary Blend |
$149 |
4 |
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WA 95 (6/2015): As for the 2005 Proprietary Red, it is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% each Petit Verdot and Malbec. While this might not be the blockbuster one would expect, there is Outstanding depth, purity and overall texture and ripeness. Again, terrific acidity gives the wine vigor and precision, despite a lofty 15.2% alcohol. The wine is fresh and pure, with black raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, some white floral notes, and the telltale forest floor. This is a wine to drink over the next 10-15+ years. Pahlmeyer’s wines age well, as I am still working off the 1995 and 1996 Proprietary Reds, which remain in great shape.
VM 94 (6/2008): 84% cabernet sauvignon with 10% merlot, 4% cab franc and 1% each petit verdot and malbec) Good saturated red-ruby. Pungent aromas of cassis and violet, with a whiff of smoked meat. Densely packed, layered and thick; a step up in depth from the merlot. This boasts a chocolatey richness to its sweet dark fruit flavors. Finishes supple, lush, broad and long, with substantial sweet tannins and a lingering note of chocolate.
WS 94 (10/2008): Ripe, rich and complex, with layers of black cherry, wild berry, currant and cherry kirsch flavors that are bold, rich and persistent, ending with a long, intense yet elegant aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now through 2015. 6,245 cases made. |
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|
2006 |
Proprietary Blend |
$135 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2008): There are 7,000 cases of the prodigious 2006 Proprietary Red Wine (a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec). Most of the fruit comes from the Stagecoach Vineyard and the Waters Ranch. Sweet, smoky, meaty aromas interwoven with melted asphalt, camphor, blackberry, cassis, and charcoal scents emerge from the complex aromatics. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied, displaying sweet tannin, a concentrated mouthfeel, and a long, heady finish with substantial fruit, glycerin, and extract. It should drink beautifully for 20+ years.
VM 93 (6/2009): Good medium ruby. Musky aromas of black raspberry, mocha and smoke. Ripe, lush, seamless and deep; broad for the vintage, with plenty of mid-palate stuffing to support its tannins. This, too, is still youthfully unevolved and will need longer to express its inherent sweetness. Like the 2006 merlot, this merited a score at the high end of my original projected range. |
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|
2007 |
Proprietary Blend |
$150 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (12/2009): The sensational 2007 Proprietary Red Wine (a 7,000-case blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) is slightly more restrained aromatically than the Merlot, but there is no doubting its extraordinary bouquet of subtle smoked meats, oak, mountain wild flowers, blueberries, blackberries, coffee, and cassis. Super-rich and full-bodied with noticeable, but stunningly sweet tannins, it possesses a rare minerality and definition, characteristics that seem to be found across the board in Napa’s 2007s. This dense, powerful red needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and should have 25 years of life ahead of it.
WS 95 (9/2010): A rich, explosive style, packed with layers of currant, blackberry, wild berry and black cherry fruit woven together in a tight way. Full-bodied, turning supple and polished on the finish, where the fine-grained tannins are ripe and let the fruit flavors flow freely. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now through 2020. 6,400 cases made.
VM 93 (5/2010): Full ruby-red. Slightly syrupy dark fruit aromas complicated by truffle and earth, with an element of minerality providing lift. Then surprisingly ripe and lively in the mouth, with very intense, rich black fruit, licorice and mint flavors. Offers a lovely combination of sweetness and lift and a real impression of small-berry concentration. |
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|
2010 |
Merlot |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 93 (12/2012): A firm core of tannins provides the underlying structure for the 2010 Merlot. This juicy, dark, yet wonderfully sophisticated and polished wine impresses for its balance and overall sense of harmony. The 2010 is impossibly young now, and it needs time, but is hugely promising. Layers of fruit flow effortlessly to the long, voluptuous finish. The blend is 89% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.
VM 92 (11/2013): The 2010 Merlot is rich, round and seductive for the year. Dark red berries, flowers, sweet spices and menthol all flesh out in a seductive, expressive wine loaded with class. Mocha, licorice and dark raspberries all flesh out on the inviting, textured finish. There is a lot to like in this generous, expressive Merlot. The 2010 is mostly estate Merlot, with 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2010 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$55 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2012 |
Merlot |
$89 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (12/2014): White truffle, smoke, licorice, tobacco and iron are some of the notes that emerge from the 2012 Merlot. Today, it is the wine's ferrous/savory notes that are most prominent. On the palate, the wine is a bit less generous, with firm tannins that remain unyielding. Readers need to give the 2012 at least a year or two in bottle to soften. Dollops of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon round out the blend. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2013 |
Malbec |
$69 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Merlot Bin-Soiled Label |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2015): The 2013 Merlot is dark, powerful and also quite tannic, all signatures of the vintage. Black cherry, mocha, graphite, plum, smoke, licorice and menthol are bold and intense in the glass, but the 2013 is only showing a hint of its potential. Far from an easygoing Merlot, Pahlmeyer's 2013 is going to need time to be fully expressive. This is a rare vintage that is 100% Merlot. Most of the fruit in the 2013 is estate grown, with a dollop of grapes (15%) from Rancho Chimiles in Coombsville. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Merlot |
$79 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Merlot |
$99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Merlot |
$95 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Pax |
2002 |
Griffin’s Lair Syrah (1.5 L) Cracked Wax Capsule |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (12/2003): From a cool site on the Sonoma Coast comes the deep ruby/purple-colored 2002 Syrah Griffin’s Lair. Wild blueberry and floral aromas give it a distinctive style. More acidity is noticeable, and the wine is less massive and more restrained than several of its siblings. An earthy terroir character permeates its blue and black fruit flavors. The finish reveals moderate tannin as well as crisp acidity, resulting in vigor and liveliness on the palate. Give this 2002 1-2 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 10-12.
WS 92 (2/2005): An open-knit, juicy, fleshy style, with layers of ripe stewed plum, pepper, spice and beef notes, it holds its focus through the finish, ending with a dash of white pepper and lots of dark berry fruit and toffee flavors. Best from 2006 through 2012. 138 cases made.
VM 91+ (6/2004): (from a south-facing vineyard in a cool, breezy spot, planted on coarse sand and gravel) Good full, saturated ruby. Liqueur-like aroma dominated by candied blackberry. At once cool and superconcentrated, with penetrating black fruit flavors complicated by mint, pepper and licorice, as well as wilder smoke and bacon notes. Here the tannins come across as a bit rough and in need of a couple years of bottle aging. Along with the Obsidian bottling, this has the lowest pH among these 2002 syrahs, at 3.76. |
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|
2003 |
Griffin’s Lair Syrah (1.5 L) |
$150 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (12/2005): Lovers of bacon fat, roasted meat juices, herbs, pepper, and spice will enjoy the extroverted, exuberant 2003 Syrah Griffin’s Lair. Superb richness and density along with loads of lard and bacon fat characteristics dominate this complex, aromatic, full-throttle Syrah. It can be drunk now or cellared for 7-8 years. |
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|
2003 |
Obsidian Vyd. Syrah (1.5 L) |
$200 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2005): From Knight’s Valley, the 2003 Syrah Obsidian (named for the area’s Obsidian soils) boasts a dense blue/purple color in addition to big, opulent, concentrated, heady aromatics, massive body, and abundant amounts of blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice and flowers. It’s a gorgeous Syrah that needs a bit more time in the bottle to strut its stuff. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020.
VM 93 (6/2005): ( from a high, rocky vineyard rich in volcanic deposits from Howell Mountain Full, deep ruby. Aromatic, somewhat exotic nose features blackberry, purple flowers, flint, tar, licorice and smoke. Comes across as fatter than the Kobler syrah but not quite as precise. But the sweetness of the powerful, deep black fruits is almost shocking. This has terrific depth of flavor and an exotic, liqueur-like aspect. Has the sweet fruit to buffer its big, broad tannins. This may be even better than the excellent '02 release. |
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|
2005 |
Obsidian Vyd. Syrah (1.5 L) |
$200 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (12/2007): The 2005 Syrah Obsidian Vineyard is from Knight’s Valley. This is steep hillside vineyard stuff with a dense, dark purple color, a phenomenally rich nose of brioche, acacia flowers, blackberry, and blueberry jam intermixed with some white chocolate and perhaps hints of fig and truffle. The wine is spicy, full-bodied, incredibly opulent, and thick, even unctuously textured, with great purity and richness. Moreover, the glycerin and viscosity cover up some huge tannins. This is an amazingly big, thick wine, but it still cascades over the palate like a waterfall. This wine should come into its own in several years and drink well for 10-15.
VM 94 (6/2007): Inky ruby. A huge, room-filling bouquet of dark cherry, blackcurrant, candied violet and licorice offers enormous sex appeal and great clarity. Lush, inky and powerfully built, with impressively energetic dark berry and cherry compote flavors. Very fine tannins add support but this is almost too big for its pants. Lovely boysenberry and mulberry flavors are given focus by subtle minerality, with the finish showing Outstanding focus and persistence. I was really struck by the mix of ripeness and freshness here.
WS 88 (3/2008): Spicy, with savory, beefy pepper, sage and leather flavors that veer to dryness, ending with a loamy earthiness. Loads of tannins. Best from 2009 through 2013. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 625 cases made. |
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|
2006 |
Cuvee Keltie Syrah (1.5 L) |
$150 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2008): The 2006 Syrah Cuvee Keltie, a 100% whole cluster Syrah that sees no new oak, is a serious, backward offering meant for long-term aging. Its dense purple color is accompanied by notes of roasted meats, ground pepper, damp earth, truffles, underbrush, and forest floor. This superbly complex, full-bodied wine possesses high tannins as well as surprisingly fine acidity despite an elevated technical pH of 3.93. Drink this intriguing, complex Syrah over the next 10-12 years. |
|
| Purple Hands |
2021 |
Haakon Lenai Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$64 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Ciel Du Cheval Vinyards Cabernet Sauvignon |
$60 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Dundee Reserve Pinot Noir |
$39 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Freedom Hill Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$54 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Haakon Lenai Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Kropf Vinyard Pinot Noir |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Latchkey Vinyard Pinot Noir |
$49 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Le Nouveau Monde Prestige Pinot Noir |
$90 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Shea Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$59 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
West Wind Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$55 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Realm |
2010 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$259 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
Farella Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 91 (6/2013): Elegant, with a firm backbone of fine-grained tannins, offering a deep, rich mix of currant, tobacco, loamy earth and cedar flavors that fan out nicely on the finish, with a good tannic grip. Drink now through 2022. 315 cases made. |
|
|
2013 |
The Absurd Proprietary Blend |
$950 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2015): Another perfect wine (but very limited in production at 200 cases) is the 2013 The Absurd, a blend of 17 components dominated by 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Benoit Touquette told me that this wine is produced with no rules and no restrictions, and is considered their super-blend of the best they have in any given vintage. (I guess I would look stupid if I didn't give it 100 points, given the fact that two other Realm wines already hit that maximum score.) There is something different in this wine, with an opaque purple color for sure, but then there's the cassis, the blackberries, the roasted meats, some spicy pepper, and then an extravagantly rich, cascading palate that seems to be built like a skyscraper, but without one hard edge. This is a seriously endowed, super-rich, incredibly well-balanced wine that should drink well for 25 or more years.
VM 95 (10/2015): A dark, unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Absurd is a terrific example of the Realm style at its best. Surprisingly open for such a young wine, the 2013 offers gorgeous textural richness and voluptuousness. Sweet dark cherry, blackberry, mocha, spices and crushed rocks are laced into the powerful yet seamless finish. The Absurd is remarkably nuanced for a wine with this much intensity. Antonio Galloni.
WS 93 (11/2016): Smoky, toasty oak provides the framework and an alluring flavor, yet the emergence and presence of riveting blackberry, wild berry, black cherry and plum add flavor nuances, joined by dusty, cedary oak and loamy earth scents that are tightly focused. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 200 cases made. |
|
|
2013 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is another perfect wine. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot (400 cases produced) aged in 100% new French oak, this gravelly site produced a wine with notes of wet pebbles, Haut Brion-like scorched earth and volcanic notes, some smoke, dark chocolate, forest floor, and massive amounts of blueberry and blackberry fruit. A wine of great intensity, depth and richness, if somehow Bordeaux's Haut Brion were injected with steroids, it might taste like this monumental effort from Napa. This is pure perfection and should drink well young as well as 30 years from now. Bravo!
JS 99 (1/2016): So intense and aromatic with spices, blueberries and blackberries. Incredible nose. Then turns to dried mushrooms. Full body, extremely layered and beautiful. Powerful. Turns to iodine and oyster shell. Goes on for minutes. Superb. Try this in 2020, but so irresistible already. 225 cases.
VM 96 (10/2015): One of the signature wines here, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is one of the more voluptuous, racy wines in this lineup. Deep, powerful and intense, the Dr. Crane captures the silkiness and spherical creaminess that is such a signature of this great site. Racy, voluptuous and totally seamless on the palate, the Dr. Crane captures the best of the Realm style. Raspberry jam, sweet spices, mocha and licorice add shades of nuance, but the Crane is all about texture and feel. The 2013 shuts down quickly in the glass, which is probably a good thing for the future, but something readers should keep in mind if opening the wine young, which, by the way, I do not recommend. Antonio Galloni.
WS 93 (11/2016): Delightfully rich and layered, with savory herb and underbrush aromas amid the dark, extracted berry, mocha, anise and cedary flavors. Thick and persistent on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 225 cases made. |
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|
2013 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$339 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (9/2016): This is extraordinary on the nose with cold stones, minerals, wet earth and fresh spices. Full body, incredible backbone of tannins, and great length. It really lasts for minutes. When you taste it, it brings you down to the root and soul of the wine. Extraordinary. This is what To Kalon is supposed to taste like. Pure cabernet sauvignon. 450 cases.
WA 98+ (12/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and again aged in 100% new oak. The production is slightly higher than the Dr. Crane at 500 cases. This opaque colored wine offers up blueberry liqueur, crème de cassis, coffee bean, roasted meats, and a floral note. It is rich, powerful, dense and primordial, but wow, is it spectacular! Produced from clones 4 and 337 of Cabernet, this is another 30-year effort and a great classic.
WS 94 (11/2016): A bold, rich, layered expression of cedary oak—shaded Cabernet, with powerful loamy earth, dark berry and spice notes that are deftly balanced but a long way from full maturity. The finish opens to reveal tightfisted black and green olive flavors. Best from 2020 through 2033. 350 cases made.
VM 91 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard is an example of where ripeness and intensity are pushed too far. There is a good amount of To-Kalon character here, but the bitter tannins suggest overextraction while the alcohol is elevated. This is a rare miss from Realm. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
The Falstaff Proprietary Blend |
$269 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
The Bard Proprietary Blend |
$128 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 99 (12/2021): The 2019 The Bard checks in as 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, and it’s another dense, rich, powerful wine from this team that readers are going to absolutely love. Coming from throughout the valley (it’s always a great representation of the vintage), it offers up a brilliant nose of crème de cassis, ripe plums, graphite, scorched earth, and chocolate. About as seamless as they come on the palate, it’s full-bodied and has a thrilling texture, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s one of those wines where I feel like I’m overusing adjectives, but it’s warranted.
WA 97 (9/2021): A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the fruit for the 2019 The Bard fetches from Calistoga to Coombsville, including portions from illustrious vineyards such as Dr. Crane, Moonracer, Houyi and Larkmead.
VM 96 (1/2022): The 2019 The Bard is classy and elegant from start to finish. Inky blueberry jam, lavender, spice, rose petal and blood orange lend brightness to this beautifully layered, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from Realm. Silky and creamy, The Bard is a winner in 2019. Core vineyard sources are Blair, Houyi and Upper Range for the Cabernet Sauvignon, Farella and Orchard for Merlot and Dr. Crane for Petit Verdot, spread across a total of about 20 separate lots. (Drink between 2024-2034). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$395 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): Pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is all varietal and comes from this remarkable site just outside St. Helena. A wine that offers incredible richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and weightless, it offers up a kaleidoscope-like array of blackcurrants, cassis, tobacco leaf, wildflowers, and scorched earth. As seamless and silky as they come, it has perfect tannins, that rare mix of power and elegance, and a monster of a finish. It doesn’t get any better in this reviewer’s opinion. |
|
|
2019 |
Moonracer Proprietary Blend |
$229 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (12/2021): The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Moonracer comes from south-facing blocks on the estate in Stags Leap and is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. The tannins here are a step up, and this beauty boasts a gorgeous nose of red and black fruits, tobacco leaf, violets, and spice. It’s a more elegant, medium to full-bodied, seamless wine, accurately described as an iron fist in a velvet glove by winemaker Benoit Touquette. The balance is spot on, and it has plenty of up-front appeal, yet it’s going to evolve gracefully for 20-25 years with no issues. |
|
| Scarecrow |
2019 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$750 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2022): Pure perfection from Napa Valley, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is, as always, all Cabernet Sauvignon from an incredible site in Rutherford that spent 21 months in 70% new French oak. Incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, darker currants, smoke, tobacco, and assorted floral notes all define the bulk of the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, with a multi-dimensional, layered texture, ultra-fine tannins, and perfect balance. This is such a magical site, and this wine consistently checks in with the greatest wines of the world. It already offers pleasure yet should have 30 years of overall longevity. Hats off to winemaker Celia Welch and the team at Scarecrow.
WA 100 (10/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2019 Scarecrow hits the ground running with bold expressions of crème de cassis, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries plus hints of dried herbs, tilled soil and crushed rocks with a fragrant undercurrent of Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with layer upon layer of tightly packed mineral-sparked black fruit flavors, framed by super plush tannins and absolutely seamless freshness, finishing long, long, long. This expression of the venerable J.J. Cohn vineyard—including vines planted in 1945 by John Daniel and dry farmed—is pure magic. 2,000 cases were made.
VM 99 (1/2022): The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon towers in this vintage. A Cabernet of majestic proportion and soaring intensity, the 2019 dazzles from start to finish. The pedigree of this Rutherford site comes through loud and clear. Wild cherry, leather, blood orange, tobacco and earthy nuances lend complexity, but it is really the textures and overall balance that are most impressive. This luxurious, opulent Cabernet is a real head-turner and without question one of the highlights of the year. Don't miss it. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2021 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$700 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2023): Moving to the Grand Vin 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, red wine simply doesn't get any better, and I never cease to be amazed at what winemaker Celia Welch accomplishes with this incredible terroir. Deep ruby/plum-hued, with a kaleidoscope-like array of crème de cassis, jammy blackberries, spicy oak, graphite, and smoked tobacco, with a kiss of background chocolaty nuances, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a multi-dimensional, layered mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a flawlessly layered, concentrated, balanced profile that has to be tasted to be believed. Given its wealth of fruit and texture, as well as purity and balance, it already offers pleasure, yet smart money will give bottles 4-6 years in the cellar, count themselves lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following two decades.
VM 98 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with captivating aromatics that are immediately alluring. Blackberry, camphor, dried herbs, incense, licorice, chocolate and lavender are so suggestive. On the palate, the 2021 is dark, brooding and quite mysterious. There's a somber intensity to the 2021 that is incredibly appealing. Harvest took place over three weeks from September 5 to 26, and yields were down by nearly 50%. The more positive news is that the 2021 is one of the very finest Scarecrows in some time. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (1/2024): The 2021 Scarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard on the western edge of Rutherford, nestled back against the Mayacamas range. Boasting a fabulous nose of deep, dark, black cherries and earthy-spicy notes accented by a touch of mocha-like oak, this full-bodied wine is ripe, rich and velvety. There's ample density and concentration, but the wine still retains a sense of freshness on the long, elegant finish. |
|
|
2022 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$695 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2025): Cassis, graphite, smoked tobacco, and hints of chocolate all define the 2022 Scarecrow, and this sensational effort shows what can be achieved in challenging vintages with incredible terroir, old vines, and a brilliant winemaker. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, balanced, and with velvety tannins, it has a layered mouthfeel and terrific length on the finish. It's a more forward, sexy example of this cuvee than normal but is just a sensational effort in this challenging vintage. As with most 2022s, it has plenty of upfront charm and appeal, yet this has the depth and density to evolve for over two decades. The 2022 is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec, all of which spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. This is easily in the top 2-3 wines in the vintage. (Drink between 2025-2045).
VM 96 (3/2025): The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, seamless and polished. Winemaker Celia Welch turned out a sublime wine in this incredibly challenging year. A wine with no hard edges, the 2022 is impeccable from start to finish. Sumptuous dark red fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, new leather and incense all build beautifully in the glass. This is a terrific 2022. (Drink between 2026-2034). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Spottswoode |
2005 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2008): The utterly profound 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc) will benefit from several years of bottle age, and should keep for 25-30 years. This extraordinary effort exhibits notes of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, licorice, and forest floor. Beautifully pure and full-bodied with excellent overall harmony as well as superb purity, it reveals a Chateau Margaux-like personality. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2030.
WS 92-94 (8/2006): Chewy and rustic, with plenty of smoky oak, lead pencil and graphite evident in the aroma. The currant, mineral, sage and cedary notes are tight and concentrated, firming up on the finish where the tannins are more evident. |
|
|
2008 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (12/2010): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a glorious perfume of spring flowers, blueberries and black currants, good acidity and serious tannins as well as concentration. It is slightly more restrained and backward than the seamless, compelling 2007, but the 2008 possesses lots of stuffing as well as elegance married with purity, power and rare equilibrium. Drink it over the next 2-3 decades.
VM 90-92 (6/2010): (includes 6% cabernet franc) Good medium ruby. Blackberry and bitter chocolate aromas perked up by violet, mint and a hint of pepper. A fruity, supple midweight with precise cabernet character and excellent purity of flavor. The tannins begin quite fine but mount with air, ultimately cutting off the wine's lingering dark fruit flavors. Still, this young cabernet has the edge over the estate's 2006 today. Winemaker Jennifer Williams extended the skin contact during the vinification by 7 to 10 days in 2008 (up to 41 days for some lots) and believes that this approach resulted in a softening of the tannins in the tank. The big challenge in 2008, said Williams, was to pick in multiple passes and then sort carefully. |
|
|
2010 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$295 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2013): The brilliant 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts an inky/purple color as well as glorious aromas of spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, licorice and a multitude of wild mountain fruits, in particular black raspberry, blackberry and cassis reminiscent of a French Pauillac (although I always think of Spottswoode as the Chateau Margaux of Napa). With a flawless integration of tannin, wood and acidity, it comes across like a liquid version of haute couture from the house of Chanel. It should drink well young yet age for 25 years.
WS 93 (10/2013): Notably rich and generous, with a complex array of dark berry, currant and cassis flavors, delivering subtle herb, spice and cedar notes and ending with a dash of loamy earth. Most impressive on the finish, which sails on and on. Best from 2014 through 2024. 2,586 cases made.
VM 96+ (11/2013): The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is drop-dead gorgeous. Over the last 12 months the 2010 has fleshed out beautifully. Today, the 2010 is rich, full-bodied and intense. The structure is that of a cold vintage, but the fruit and density are those of a year marked by three heat spikes. I imagine the 2010 will enjoy a long drinking window, starting in another few years, even if today the fruit is really popping. The 2010 is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. This is a dazzling wine from Spottswoode. |
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2011 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$139 |
2 |
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| WA 90 (10/2013): A surprisingly strong effort, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits hints of black olives and tapenade as well as copious notes of creme de cassis, licorice and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied and atypically concentrated for a 2011, this is another tour de force from Spottswoode that boasts beautiful fruit and a long finish. It should drink well for 8-12 years. Kudos to the Novack family! |
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2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$229 |
3 |
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JS 98 (1/2016): Glorious blueberries, blackberries, violets and hot stones. Cloves and other spices. Even sliced mushrooms. Full body, very firm tannins and persistent and savory finish. A tight and polished young cabernet.
VM 96 (10/2015): Vivid, nuanced and explosive, the estate's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon possesses remarkable intensity and pure power. The 2013 is one of the most precise wines I have tasted here in some time. Dark blue and black fruits, cedar, lavender and leather are all vivid and beautifully articulated throughout. The flavors build effortlessly to the huge, dramatic finish.
WA 95+ (12/2015): The flagship wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which in this vintage is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot aged 20 months in 60% new French oak. It is elegance personified. Dark blueberry and black raspberry fruit with crème de cassis, licorice and spring flowers emerge from this juicy, medium to full-bodied wine with everything in ideal balance. The acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are subtle and disguised. This is another beauty from Spottswoode. Slightly less dramatic than the 2012, but classic, it offers 20-25 years of aging potential. |
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| Switchback Ridge |
2006 |
Peterson Family Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
3 |
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WS 93 (10/2009): Wonderful purity of Cabernet fruit, intense and concentrated, with a medley of black currant, blackberry, dark plum, spice and black licorice. Firm and focused, with chewy tannins. The core flavors are deep and persistent, ending with a touch of heat. Best from 2010 through 2017. 942 cases made.
WA 92 (12/2008): That is not the case with the dense ruby/purple-hued 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard. Beautiful aromas of sweet blackberries, cassis, forest floor, and spring flowers jump from the glass of this full-bodied, opulent, moderately tannic wine. Its textured, layered mouthfeel displays no aggressiveness. Drink this beauty over the next 10-15 years.
VM 92 (6/2009): Bright, moderately saturated ruby-red. Currant, tar, smoke and violet on the nose. Dense and superripe, with an almost exotic quality to the dark berry, spice and forest floor flavors, but also harmonious framing acidity. This is really stuffed with fruit. Finishes with substantial but fine tannins. A big boy with very good texture and depth. |
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2006 |
Peterson Family Vyd. Merlot |
$52 |
2 |
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WS 92 (11/2009): Sleekly structured yet builds in intensity. Offers aromas of currant and mocha and rich, layered flavors of black cherry, exotic spice and toasty oak. Drink now through 2014. 948 cases made.
VM 89 (6/2009): Medium red. Superripe but subdued plummy aroma. Ripe, lush and moderately concentrated, but with a classically dry, restrained quality. A serious, minerally and youthfully tight style of merlot, evolving slowly: give it plenty of air if you plan to open it anytime soon.
WA 87 (12/2008): The 2006 Merlot Peterson Family Vineyard reveals an evolved dark plum/garnet color followed by notes of animal fur intermixed with chocolate and ripe berry fruit. In the mouth, the wine is soft and supple, but tails off in the mid-palate and finish, revealing some lightness as well as shortness. While charming and sensual, it lacks concentration. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. |
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2007 |
Peterson Family Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
4 |
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WS 94 (10/2010): Rich and flavorful, with tiers of ripe plum, black cherry, mocha, herb, cedar and dill. Full-bodied, focused, pure and well-structured, gaining nuance and substance on the finish, where the flavors sail on and on, ending with black licorice and raspberry touches. Best from 2011 through 2021. 1,079 cases made.
WA 92+ (12/2009): No such issues emerge with the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard. Opaque purple with lots of creme de cassis, creosote, charcoal, blackberry, and espresso roast, this wine again has a chocolatey edge, full-bodied flavors, and loads of fruit, depth, and power. Drink it over the next 15+ years.
VM 91 (6/2010): Saturated bright ruby. Livelier on the nose than the merlot, with showy aromas of crushed cassis, black cherry, licorice and violet. Then juicy and energetic in the mouth, offering captivating sweetness and good grip to the dark berry and dark chocolate flavors. I find much more definition and structure here than in the 2007 merlot. Finishes with substantial tongue-dusting, building tannins. Serious wine for aging. |
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2007 |
Peterson Family Vyd. Petite Sirah |
$50 |
2 |
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WA 95+ (12/2009): The monster 2007 Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard is a massively concentrated, huge, tannic wine that needs a good 7-8 years of cellaring and should keep 20 years. It will be another legend for Petite Sirah, but unless you are a patient connoisseur, few people will ever get to see it at its best.
WS 92 (12/2011): Extremely dense, with a chunky mouthful of black cherry, blackberry and dried fig flavors that are accented with toasted nut, pepper and dark chocolate details. Wrapped up in velvety, thick tannins, full of intensity and detail. Drink now through 2017. 541 cases made.
VM 91 (6/2010): Opaque ruby-blue color. Brooding aromas of black fruits and licorice. Dense, powerful and sweet; a black hole of a wine, with powerful tannins spreading out to saturate the entire palate. This serious, broad, highly concentrated petite sirah is a bit chunkier than the cabernet and will require a lot of patience. Has the sheer fruit to outlast its tannins, but will it become more interesting? |
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2010 |
Peterson Family Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$139 |
1 |
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VM 91+ (6/2013): Good bright, dark red. High-toned aromas of crushed cassis, cocoa powder and licorice. Silky and elegant on the palate, with ripe, intense flavors of cassis, coffee bean and minerals underpinned by strong acidity. Lovely mid-palate lift here. Finishes with notes of licorice and fennel and serious tannic clout. From a blend of two blocks: mostly clone 7, which gives the wine its black fruit element and muscle, and some 337, which contributes bright acidity and more aromatic red fruits.
WS 91 (11/2013): Deftly balanced, with an enticing mix of light, mocha-laced oak and a core of dark berry. Supple-textured, featuring notes of dusty earth, cedar and crushed rock, this ends with a long, sustained finish. Drink now through 2022. 1,096 cases made. |
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2010 |
Peterson Family Vyd. Merlot (1.5 L) |
$65 |
1 |
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| WS 90 (11/2013): Offers a dense core of minerally tannins, framed by rich black currant fruit and marked with accents of grilled herb, olive and spice. Hands off for now. Best from 2015 through 2020. 896 cases made. |
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