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Inventory updated: Fri, Jun 12, 2026 04:02 PM cst
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Ampelia |
2019 |
Cotes de Castillon (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$191.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Bourgneuf |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$418.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Brane-Cantenac |
2021 |
Margaux (6x750ML) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$407.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 93 (2/2024): I loved the nose on the 2021 Château Brane-Cantenac, which has good intensity as well as the vintage's fresher, vibrant, focused style. Ripe red and blue fruits, violets, tobacco, and a beautiful sense of graphite and minerality all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a supple, elegant, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. The overall balance here is spot on, and while this is approachable and delicious even today, it should shine for two decades. The blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Petit Verdot, with the élevage spanning 18 months in new barrels. (Drink between 2024-2044).
WA 93 (2/2024): The 2021 Brane-Cantenac offers up aromas of sweet dark berries mingled with mint, vanilla pod and spices. It shows its élevage and malolactic fermentation in new oak more prominently than it did en primeur. Medium to full-bodied, with good depth and concentration, it's bright and velvety, with plenty of structuring barrel tannin and a vanillin-inflected finish. The quality of Brane's terroirs and a strict selection shows through, so if it can digest its oak more completely, this will prove exceptional.
VM 92 (9/2025): The 2021 Brane-Cantenac clearly has less fruit than the 2019 and 2020, though it retains delineation and focus as blackberry meets graphite and pencil shavings. It simmers with anticipation, but will never deliver aromatics like the previous two vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and fine delineation, not as complex or as pixelated as the best vintages, but there is plenty of fruit on the finish and a surprisingly sweet aftertaste. Give this four to five years in bottle. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025. (Drink between 2029-2049). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Clerc Milon |
2022 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$611.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 94-96 (5/2023): As to the Grand Vin 2022 Château Clerc Milon, it reminds me of the 2018 with its full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant style. Cassis, graphite, espresso roast, and lead pencil notes define the aromatics, and it has a beautiful spine of acidity, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It shows the ripe, exuberant yet structured style of the vintage beautifully. The blend is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenère, harvested between the 9th and 26th of September, with an alcohol content of 14.5%, a pH of 3.83, and an IPT of 74. The élevage here is 55% new French oak. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes.
WA 93-95 (5/2023): The 2022 Clerc Milon is beautiful, offering up aromas of cherries, raspberries and plums mingled with hints of pencil shavings and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's taut and lively, with a vibrant core of fruit framed by fine, chalky tannins. Its clay-limestone terroir lends it a distinctive signature that sets it apart from the rest of the portfolio.
JA 95 (5/2023): The depths are evident in the velvety texture and colour, and it stretches out through the palate with slow confidence. Plenty of grip and supple tannins that cradle the cassis and bilberry fruit, studded with olive, cocoa bean, white pepper, slate, clear spice, intense phenolics and this is excellent quality. Caroline Artaud technical director. Old vine Carmanère no doubt helps add the spice and eucalyptus edge. 63% of production in this wine, 55% new oak, 3.83ph. 37hl/h yield. |
|
| Ch. Conseillante |
2025 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$1,173 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2025 |
Pomerol (12x375ML)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$1,213 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2025 |
Pomerol (3x1.5L)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$1,181 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2025 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$591 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2008 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,180.99 |
11 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (5/2011): One of the stars of the vintage, and a remarkable achievement in 2008, with impressive richness, this dense purple colored wine is almost as opaque as the 2010. Spring flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis and some subtle oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine that transcends the vintage character in its power, richness, and aging potential. It also exhibits tremendous precision, purity, and depth of character. It is more forward than the 2010 is likely to be, but probably not as sumptuous as the 2009 will turn out to be. This is a wine to buy. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.
JS 94 (12/2010): Wow. This is really impressive for the vintage, with a solid core of raspberry, currants and spices. Full and round, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Superb winemaking for the vintage. Try after 2013.
VM 92+ (8/2011): Ruby-red. Pungent, vibrant aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate and graphite. Silky and seamless, but with terrific lift to the tight core of raspberry, mineral and chocolate flavors. Strong but integrated acidity gives superb vinosity to the wine's racy fruit. Finishes brisk, perfumed and long, with suave, dusty tannins. This wine went into a shell with aeration, suggesting that it will need at least several years of bottle aging. I would not be surprised if it merited an even higher score ten years down the road. |
|
| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2016 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$547.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 94-95 (4/2017): A firm and silky young red with a medium to full body and lovely chocolate, cedar and currant character. Flavorful finish. One of the best in a very long time. |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2009 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,744.98 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 99+ (2/2012): Proprietor Denis Durantou has produced a blockbuster Pomerol from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, tipping the scales at just over 14.5% natural alcohol. A riveting wine, pure, elegant, but at the same time, extremely powerful and concentrated, with stunning texture, opulence and density, the tannins are abundant, and the wine certainly in need of a decade of cellaring. Fabulous creme de cassis and cherry liqueur notes are intertwined with hints of licorice, truffle, and graphite. Full and rich, but still in an infantile state of development, this wine needs to be cellared for 10 years but should keep for five decades or more. This 2009 is absolutely profound.
JS 97 (2/2012): Wonderful aromas of crushed blackberries and blueberries and spices. Rose petals. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a juicy, fruity finish. Beautiful layers of tannins, with hints of acidity. Best after 2017.
VM 95+ (7/2012): Good medium ruby. Essence-of-merlot aromas of bitter cherry, blueberry, boysenberry, dark chocolate, licorice and spices, lifted by a whiff of violet. Dense, thick and sweet, with a saline nuance to the seamless flavors of dark berries, licorice and spices. Wonderfully sweet, subtle and long, finishing with substantial building tannins and a medicinal reserve that bodes well for a slow and graceful evolution in bottle. A great vintage for this estate. |
|
| Ch. Figeac |
2014 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,120.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (2/2017): The 2014 Figeac is shaping up to be a real jewel of a wine. Powerful and structured, with plenty of tannic spine, the 2014 won't start hitting its stride for at least a few years. Even today, though, it is impressive for its energy and overall intensity. Plum, smoke, spice, graphite and leather build into the huge, expressive finish. Figeac is one of the stars of the vintage. There is real density and gravitas here, not to mention considerable personality. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (2/2017): The aromas of blackcurrants and fresh forest floor are evocative. Oyster shells and stones. Turns to blackcurrants. Medium to full body and firm and silky tannins that are polished and coat your mouth. The palate is ever dense and concentrated. Needs four to five years to open but already a beautiful red.
JD 94 (11/2017): The 2014 Château Figeac had a tough act to follow coming after the 2015 yet it showed beautifully, with the finesse, elegance, and purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage. Black fruits, charcoal, truffle, and tobacco notes are all present in this nicely concentrated, medium to full-bodied Figeac which is beautifully balanced and long. Drink it anytime over the coming 20-25 years.
WA 94 (3/2017): The 2014 Figeac builds on its promise from barrel and delivers a very fulfilling bouquet with red plum, crushed strawberry, cedar and light graphite aromas that I suspect will close down for a period after bottling. (The bottle tasted at the château displayed a subtle incense aroma.) The palate is very well defined with a crisp line of acidity, sorbet fresh in the mouth and fanning out towards its structured, tensile finish. It is a great Figeac, a superb forerunner to the brilliant 2015 and it should not be underestimated. Chapeau winemaker Frederic Faye and his team. Tasted twice (both in London and at the property) with consistent notes. |
|
|
2018 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,229.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (3/2021): Reminiscent of the 2016 with its incredible purity and elegance, the 2018 Château Figeac offers a terrific perfume of crème de cassis, redcurrants, dried earth, tobacco, lead pencil, spring flowers, and exotic spice-driven nuances. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it's flawlessly balanced, has silky, polished tannins, and a stunning sense of purity. It doesn't have the sexiness of the 2015, but it's very much in the style of the 2018 vintage with its pure, elegant, haut couture-like style. And it doesn't show a hint of its 100% new oak élevage. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 20-30 years. It's not the biggest or richest Saint- Emilion, yet the balance, finesse, and elegance are something to behold. I think it's going to check in behind the 2015 (and maybe the 2019) when all is said and done, but it's unquestionably one of the greatest Figeac in the past 20-30 years. The blend is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, raised all in new oak. Another big “Bravo” to the talented director, Frédéric Faye!
VM 98 (3/2021): The 2018 Figeac is a regal, aristocratic Saint-Émilion. Vertical in feel, Figeac possesses stunning energy and vibrancy right out of the gate. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, rose petal and spice all open with a bit of coaxing. Figeac is a bit restrained today, but it won't be an issue in another few years' time. Figeac is not an obvious wine, but it is superb. Antonio Galloni.
JA 97 (3/2022): Love this vibrant, succulent and welcoming Figeac, great reflection of an excellent vintage in St Emilion. Has plenty of juicy damson and raspberry fuits on the opening beats, with gourmet black pepper and smoked caramel, and velvety tannins that wrap themselves around the fruit and carry it right through the palate. Drawn out finish also, with flecks of lemongrass acidity and slate minerality. Well balanced yet succulent, a little atypical perhaps of Figeac in its upfront charms, but hard to disagree with - and the mint leaf finish brings things back into line. Harvest Sptember 17 to October 12, 100% new oak for ageing. |
|
| Ch. La Fleur Petrus |
2009 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,800.98 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 99 (11/2011): This is very ripe with loads of sweet fruit with dark and milk chocolate, berries, but then turns to black olives. It’s full and compacted with fabulously fine tannins and a terrific finish. It’s subtle and very, very long. Perfection? Try after 2020.
WA 97 (2/2012): Even with considerable youthful characteristics, this stunning, open-knit 2009 is quite approachable. This fabled terroir sandwiched between Petrus and Lafleur (hence the name) generally produces one of the more elegantly-styled Pomerols, but in 2009 it offers an extra dimension of flavor intensity as well as more texture and concentration. It reveals a super-seductive perfume of mocha, loamy soil, herbs, black cherries and black currants, truffles and licorice, full body and velvety tannins. The overall impression is one of intensity, power, glycerin and richness as well as undeniable elegance and laser-like focus. This 2009 can be drunk now or cellared for another 25-30+ years.
VM 93+ (7/2012): Bright red-ruby. Reticent nose hints at plum. Fat, sweet and voluminous, with mouthfilling plum and cherry fruit flavors complicated by smoke and underbrush. This seriously concentrated and firmly structured wine is most impressive today on the long, insinuating finish, which offers terrific focus for a 2009 Pomerol. |
|
| Ch. de Francs |
2018 |
Francs Cotes de Bordeaux |
$20 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Le Gay |
2015 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$744.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Gazin |
2010 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,633.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (2/2013): Wow! This wine exceeded my enthusiastic barrel tasting notes. A big, back-strapping blockbuster from Gazin, in which the oak seems to be pushed into the background (thankfully), the wine offers up notes of caramelized black cherry and black currant fruit interwoven with mocha, white chocolate, subtle toast and hints of coffee beans and tobacco leaf. The exceptional aromatics are easily followed up by a full-bodied, powerful, broodingly backward, rich, intense wine with multiple dimensions, layers of fruit, and a sensational finish of close to a minute. This is one of the all-time great efforts from Gazin. It should be forgotten for 6-10 years and drunk over the following 30 to 40.
JS 95 (11/2013): A subtle red with ultra-fine tannins that accentuate a palate of chocolate, berries and nuts. Full and very round. It's refined and beautiful. Hard not to drink now but wait at least five years. Top wine from Gazin. |
|
| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2009 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$703.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2012): Performing better from bottle than it did from cask (and comparable to their wines 2005, 2000, 1990 and 1982), this is a great classic from Xavier Borie’s estate situated on the back roads west of the town of Pauillac. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by hints of spring flowers, crushed rocks, black currants, cedar and earth/underbrush. Precise and elegant as well as backward and foreboding, it should put on weight in the bottle and evolve for two decades. Very concentrated as well as velvety-textured, it is a beauty of finesse, balance, purity and nobility. It will benefit from 5-7 more years of bottle age.
VM 95 (3/2019): The 2009 Grand Puy Lacoste is one of the great vintages from this estate in the modern era. It storms from the glass with scents of blackberry, undergrowth, cedar and mint, retaining the classicism of GPL. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious with a gorgeous, lithe, graphite infused finish that lingers in the mouth. Bon vin. Tasted blind at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting. Neal Martin.
JS 95 (2/2012): Complex and decadent. Blackberries and black currants, with fresh herbs on the nose. Tea too. Full body, with soft tannins and an earthy finish. Juicy wine. Turns to pure black currants. Best in 2018. |
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|
2022 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$967.98 |
3 |
|
| |
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.
JA 96 (5/2023): Inky depths to the colour. Violet edging, bitter black chocolate and graphite, can feel the grain of the tannins, and the beautiful balance and juice to damson, cassis and plum puree fruits. Captures just the right amount of drama without sacrificing Pauillac character, this is a wine that is clearly going to age extremely well, with depth of flavour and rich tannic frame that shows how 2022 can succeed in the right hands. 75% new oak, 3.57ph. Harvest earliest ever, beginning on September 7 (2003 was September 15), 60% of production in the 1st wine, Eric Boissenot consultant. 38hl/h yield, a little over the Pauillac average. |
|
| Ch. Haut Brisson |
2021 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$265.99 |
11 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2006 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,516.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (2/2009): The 2006 Haut-Brion performed even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sixty-four percent of the production went into this wine, and while it displays the vintage’s powerful tannins and structure, it possesses superb concentration, and the minerality/scorched earth notes of a great Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied, with perhaps not quite the fleshiness of the 2005 or 2000, it is built more along the lines of the 1998 and 1996. It is a brilliant effort displaying sensational purity, texture, and length that should be exceptionally long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035 .
VM 95 (6/2009): Medium ruby-red. Inviting aromas of plum, warm stones, red licorice and menthol. Suave, gentle and elegantly styled; distinctly sweeter and lusher today than the La Mission, with even more mid-palate depth. Showing more red fruits today as well, with pungent minerality giving the wine lift and juiciness. Finishes with suave but substantial building tannins. Last year this wine was showing its spine while La Mission was more opulent; in bottle it's the other way around. |
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|
2010 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$9,061.98 |
4 |
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WA 99 (3/2020): Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with exuberant notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and baked plums followed by nuances of dark chocolate, licorice and cloves. Full-bodied, the palate has lots of subtle earth and mineral accents with a firm, finely grained texture and great freshness lifting the long finish.
VM 98+ (8/2013): Good full ruby-red. Complex, expressive, very showy aromas and flavors of cassis, menthol, smoke and tobacco complemented by violet, milk chocolate and sweet spices. Fat, sweet and concentrated in the mouth, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness to its highly concentrated, palate-saturating flavors. Finishes ripe and savory, with huge but plush tannins and lingering notes of blueberry and minerals. Stephen Tanzer.
JS 97 (2/2013): This is very spicy with dried mushroom aromas with dark fruits and plum undertones. Sweet tobacco as well. This is full-bodied, with lots of tannins that are chewy and firm. This is muscular for HB and flexing it. Try in 2020. |
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|
2010 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,589.98 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (3/2020): Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with exuberant notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and baked plums followed by nuances of dark chocolate, licorice and cloves. Full-bodied, the palate has lots of subtle earth and mineral accents with a firm, finely grained texture and great freshness lifting the long finish.
VM 98+ (8/2013): Good full ruby-red. Complex, expressive, very showy aromas and flavors of cassis, menthol, smoke and tobacco complemented by violet, milk chocolate and sweet spices. Fat, sweet and concentrated in the mouth, with an almost liqueur-like ripeness to its highly concentrated, palate-saturating flavors. Finishes ripe and savory, with huge but plush tannins and lingering notes of blueberry and minerals. Stephen Tanzer.
JS 97 (2/2013): This is very spicy with dried mushroom aromas with dark fruits and plum undertones. Sweet tobacco as well. This is full-bodied, with lots of tannins that are chewy and firm. This is muscular for HB and flexing it. Try in 2020. |
|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
2006 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,009.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2009): One of the fabulous surprises, although I had suggested last year that it could jump in quality, of my tastings, the 2006 Lafite Rothschild is a great, great wine made from a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. When I tasted it from barrel, it reminded me of their successful 1988, but it is dramatically superior to that vintage. Frankly, it may turn out to be as good as the 2005, which in all of Bordeaux is a far greater vintage than 2006. Lafite’s severe selection process (42% made it into the grand vin) resulted in a full-bodied wine boasting an extraordinary perfume of charcoal, truffles, lead pencil shavings, and sensationally sweet, ripe black currant and cedar notes. A wine of extraordinary intensity, texture, and depth with silky tannins as well as awesome concentration, this has turned out to be a remarkable Lafite Rothschild that should be drinkable much earlier than the 2005, but age for three decades. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2035+.
VM 95+ (6/2009): Good full ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of cassis, graphite and cedar chips, lifted by peppery and floral high notes. Densely packed and superconcentrated but light on its feet, with compelling flavors of spicy berries and minerals. The very long, slow-building finish stains the palate with flavor. Very backward but not austere; and unlike some recent vintages of Lafite, which could appear deceptively light in the early going, this showcases its density and ripeness from the outset. I have the impression that most of the less-ripe fruit was declassified into the far lighter Carruades de Lafite (87), which shows a distinctly cool style for the year. |
|
| Ch. Lafleur |
2000 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$17,418.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2010): An utterly awesome wine, the only problem with the 2000 Lafleur is that I indicated its maturity window would be 2012-2040+. Based on two tastings of it, I would now argue 2020-2060+. Yes, it is that backward, but it has extraordinary potential. Dense ruby/purple to the rim, this fabulously concentrated wine has a sweet nose of kirsch liqueur intermixed with licorice and subtle floral notes as well as a hint of truffle in the background. It is stacked and packed on the attack, with a multi-dimensional mid-palate of unbelievable intensity of concentration and richness, yet at the same time all this power is allied to striking elegance, purity, and depth. This is great Bordeaux, a profound Lafleur, and in about ten years, much of its magic should begin to be unleashed. If you can find it, it is an extraordinary wine, and as expensive as it was a decade ago, it will look cheap compared to prices for more recent vintages.
VM 93+ (5/2003): Bright ruby-red. Huge, superripe, rather sauvage nose combines roasted berries, grilled meat, roasted nuts, tar and tobacco; showing some distinctly uncivilized notes of great Lafleur vintages of the past. A huge wine with impressive fat and volume. Classic superrich Lafleur notes of cherry liqueur, game, truffle and burning tobacco. A bit disjointed on the back today, with big, somewhat harsh tannins. But this outsized wine displays great power and persistence. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. Lascombes |
2019 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.99 |
14 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Latour |
2007 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,016.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92+ (4/2010): The 2007 Latour (the first wine made in the newly renovated cellars) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, expansive bouquet of black fruits and spring flowers interwoven with a striking minerality. The wine’s dense, medium to full-bodied flavors are surprisingly evolved, with soft tannins, an ample, generous mouthfeel, and an endearing texture. Undoubtedly one of the longest lived wines of the vintage, the 2007 Latour should last for two decades or more.
VM 92 (8/2010): Good bright ruby-red. Rather backward nose hints at cassis, black cherry, shoe polish, graphite, minerals and spices. Sweet, broad and rich, but with enticing fresh minerality giving energy to the rather full-bodied middle palate. The wine's cassis fruit is complicated by an almost decadent floral element. Finishes perfumed and very long, with wonderfully lush, supple, fine-grained tannins. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2008 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,087.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (2/2019): The brilliant 2008 Château Latour has the classic stature and regal style of the estate front and center. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, it’s still purple-colored and brilliantly concentrated, offering medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, tobacco, lead pencil, and graphite. Dense, perfectly balanced, with ripe tannins, it’s a few years away from prime time (although it certainly offers pleasure) but will drink well for another 2-3 decades.
VM 96 (2/2018): The 2008 Latour has a more bold and concentrated bouquet compared to the Lafite-Rothschild, scents of blackberry, bilberry, iris, cigar humidor and cold wet stone that all surge from the glass. This is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with firm in tannin, a light marine influence infusing the black fruit, a little spice towards the finish with superb persistency. It is an authorative Latour as usual, one now beginning to enter its stride although naturally it will last for two or three decades with ease. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.) Neal Martin
WA 95+ (5/2011): An extraordinary wine, the classic 2008 Latour (13.5% natural alcohol) is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc (40% of the production made it into the grand vin). Its dense purple color is followed by hints of espresso roast, cassis, burning embers, truffles and graphite. Rich with full-bodied power, beautiful purity and graciousness allied to a voluminous, savory, broad mouthfeel, this beauty will be drinkable in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades.
JS 95 (12/2010): Gorgeous aromas. Sandalwood and flowers, so perfumed and beautiful. Spices and currants with cassis too. Amazing nose. Such beauty and density with an iron and pure fruit character. Solid and racy. Best after 2015. |
|
| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,627.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2023): Lastly, the Grand Vin 2020 Château La Mission Haut-Brion is cut from the same cloth as the La Chapelle, only it brings more of everything. Black raspberries, cassis, ripe cherries, sandalwood, smoked tobacco, and acacia flowers are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless, sexy mouthfeel, remarkable tannins, and a great, great finish. The level of purity, finesse, and elegance, paired with incredible concentration, is something to behold. Give bottles just 5-7 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following half a century. The blend is 48.6% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, hitting a natural alcohol of 14.7%.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): Composed of 48.6% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, the 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion has an alcohol of 14.7%. It needs considerable swirling and coaxing to reveal slowly emerging scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and forest floor, leading to suggestions of violets, baker's chocolate and cardamom with wafts of dusty soil and oolong tea. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with impactful, fresh red, black and blue fruit layers, supported by impressive freshness and fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing very long and fragrant. A stunning expression of this vintage!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion was picked September 7–29. It has a very intense and beautifully defined bouquet of blackberry, wild strawberry, wilted violet petals and hints of orange blossom. It unfolded with aeration as I examined it side-by-side against its neighbor over the course of an hour. The exquisitely balanced palate is lightly spiced on the entry and segues into a very structured midpalate that frames the weight of pixelated black fruit. That spicy theme continues and is exaggerated toward a finish that fans out wonderfully. This is a less alcoholic La Mission Haut-Brion compared to recent vintages, a bit "cooler" and streamlined, yet no less intense and satisfying. An enthralling wine in the making from Jean-Philippe Delmas and his team. Neal Martin.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): This really builds on the palate. Loads of blackberry and iodine with asphalt undertones. It’s full-bodied with tannins that steamroll at the end and keep going. Classic blend. |
|
| Ch. La Mondotte |
2021 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$558.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| La Dame de Montrose |
2025 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$247 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Montrose |
2025 |
St. Estephe (3x1.5L)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$881 |
7 |
|
| |
|
|
2025 |
St. Estephe (3x750ML)
ETA Fall 2028 |
$441 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Palmer |
2009 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,777.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (11/2020): I've been lucky enough to have the 2009 Château Palmer numerous times over the past handful of years, and it continues to be a primordial yet heavenly wine every time, revealing a deep purple color as well as an incredibly powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherry liqueur, smoked tobacco, graphite, crushed stone, and chocolate. Possessing full-bodied richness and a massive, dense, incredibly powerful style (not far off the 2018), it gains elegance and finesse with time in the glass, has ultra-fine tannins, and one hell of a finish. This magical Palmer needs another decade to hit maturity and will evolve for 50+ years or more.
JS 98 (2/2012): This has such class and power. Aromas of blueberries and blackberries, with hints of violets. Full-bodied, with polished tannins and a juicy finish. Solid and extremely pretty. Fabulous finish. Try in 2020.
WA 98 (3/2019): Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Palmer delivers a beguiling array of black fruit—warm plums, cassis and black cherry compote—with kirsch and wild sage sparks plus profound suggestions of fragrant earth, black truffles, iron ore and liquid licorice. Full-bodied, rich and decadently seductive in the mouth, the generous fruit is superbly framed with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
VM 96 (3/2019): The 2009 Palmer has a beautifully defined bouquet with bright black cherry and boysenberry fruit, crushed stone and rose petal. Not as decadent as the bottle poured at the BI tasting, yet precise. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and refined tannin, and crisp acidity. Wonderfully poised with quite a penetrating finish that delivers a payload of multi-layered blueberry and blackberry. This is a very well crafted 2009 Margaux destined for long-term ageing. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin. |
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|
2022 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,935.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97-99 (5/2023): The 2022 Château Palmer is utterly brilliant, so much so that I questioned in my notes if this would challenge the 2018. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare, its mammoth-sized personality offers layers of blue and black fruits, notes of melted chocolate, crushed stone, and spring flowers, building, velvety tannins, and a great, great finish. While many estates commented that they extracted less in the vintage, Palmer went in a different direction and extracted more during the vinifications to provide a solid backbone to match the concentration and power of the vintage. It appears to have worked brilliantly, and hats off to Thomas Duroux for having the confidence to go his own path. He has produced a truly Grand Vin in 2022. The alcohol here is a normal 14.4%, and the pH is a healthy 3.79.
VM 96-98 (5/2023): The 2022 Palmer is a wine of sublime beauty and refinement. Silky, caressing and super-expressive, the 2022 is also one of the most surprising wines of the year in that it does not show the drought or heat of the growing season at all either in its flavor profile or feel. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, spice and dried herbs lend notable complexity throughout. The 2022 starts off rather slow, and then really explodes on the back end. It is a magnificent wine in every way. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97 (5/2023): As is the case at neighbor Château Margaux, the 2022 Palmer is one of the most powerful wines this estate has ever produced. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, it offers up aromas of blackberries, burning embers, violets, iris and sweet soil tones, followed by a full-bodied, broad and expansive palate, its velvety attack segueing into a rich and layered core. Supple, seamless and concentrated, it checks in at 14.4% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.79.
JA 96 (5/2023): Dark brooding fruits, this is intense and concentrated, ripe flavours with an exotic edge, cassis, roasted plum, damson and star fruit with a curl of woodsmoke and tobacco leaf, set against fresher edges of blueberry and iris. This is serious, structured, with everything turned up pretty high, giving the imprint of the vintage in its black pepper, rosemary, turmeric, mandarin peel and clove. 3.79ph, harvest September 7 right through to October 5. Blend done by December, yield 23hl/h. Ageing sees the first year in barrel, then second year in larger sized oak casks to minimise oak impact, something that will be particularly important in a year with these unusually high alcohols. |
|
| Ch. Pavie Macquin |
2015 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,066.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (2/2018): So much violet and lilac aromas to this with blackberry and blueberry character, too. Full-bodied and delivering limestone, chalk and lavender on the palate. Great structure, too. Needs four or five years to soften. Better in 2022.
VM 96+ (5/2020): The 2015 Pavie-Macquin is surprisingly reticent. In the early going, I thought the 2015 would be easy to approach young, but this tasting has made me re-think that. Hedonistically ripe and explosive, with tremendous fruit purity, the 2015 possesses incredible depth along with the structure to match. Readers will need to be patient. Antonio Galloni.
JD 94 (11/2017): Notes of cassis, toasted spice, toasty oak, and crushed flowers emerge from the 2015 Château Pavie Macquin, and it’s a rockin’ effort that marries elegance with full-bodied power and structure. With fine, fine tannin, high, yet integrated acidity, and a great mid-palate, it’s more approachable than either of the other Pavie releases, yet is still backward and unevolved. Give bottles 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following two to three decades.
WA 94 (2/2018): Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pavie Macquin bursts forth from the glass with profound notions of plum preserves, fruit cake, Indian spices and chargrilled meat with touches of black soil, mocha, cedar chest and unsmoked cigars. Full-bodied, voluptuously fruited and decadently styled in the mouth, the packed layers of black fruit preserves and exotic spices are well-matched by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness that sits comfortably in the background, finishing with great length and depth. |
|
| Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux |
2022 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,232.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Margaux (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$632.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
2017 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$904.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (3/2020): Composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, soon revealing floral notes of lilacs and lavender over a core of black raspberries, warm blackberries and forest floor plus touches of star anise and stewed black tea. Medium-bodied, the palate is a bundle of energy and tension with softly played tannins and beautiful floral and black fruit layers, finishing with a long-lingering whisper.
JD 95 (2/2020): Pure elegance and class, the 2017 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande checks in as 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (representing just 50% of the production) that spent 18 months in 60% new barrels. Nicolas Glumineau has done an incredible job at this estate and this wine is consistently one of the classiest, most elegant wines in just about every vintage. Pure Pauillac notes of creme de cassis, lead pencil, green tobacco, and gravelly earth give way to a medium to full-bodied, soft, supple, flawlessly balanced 2017 that shows the more straight, classic style of the vintage. It needs 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully for 25+ years or more. Tasted twice.
VM 94 (3/2020): The 2017 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a dark, powerful, somber Pauillac. Dark fruit, grilled herbs, smoke and licorice add to its distinctly brooding personality. In multiple tastings the 2017 has been incredibly tight and shut down. Readers will have to be especially patient. Estate Director Nicolas Glumineau has overseen a number of showy, majestic wines since he arrived at Pichon Comtesse in 2013. The 2017 appears to be cut from a different cloth, as it is incredibly reticent in the early going. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2019): A tight, compact young Bordeaux with medium body, polished and round tannins and a medium finish. Not a big wine, but some very classy currant and raspberry character and just a hint of lead pencil and polished structure. Drink after 2022. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,077.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande begins on a single, well-defined, wonderfully pure note of ripe blackcurrants, opening out to a melody of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, ripe blackberries and tar, with emerging suggestions of dark chocolate, cardamom, ground cloves and violets, with a waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with loads of fantastically nuanced black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid frame of finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Pichon-Lalande has a backward nose similar to that of its neighbor Pichon-Baron, and so I decanted the bottle for 45 minutes. It then revealed gorgeous scents of blackberry, wild hedgerow, seaweed (Japanese nori) and wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and gentle but insistent grip. Very intense but not ripe; there is a coolness about this Pauillac that I like, while the finish is very classically styled and leaves behind a persistent, slightly briny aftertaste. This is a magnificent, cerebral Pichon-Lalande that will deserve serious aging and the patience of anyone still waiting for The Cure's new album. Tasted three times, including directly from the château. Neal Martin.
JD 98-100 (5/2021): An estate that has been on fire of late, the 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is another brilliant wine in a succession of brilliant wines. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blac currants, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and violets, it hits the palate with an expansive, rich, yet pure, precise texture that carries fabulous tannins, perfect balance, and a stacked mid-palate. Based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, it's an incredible wine that's going to flirt with perfection and is unquestionably one of the finest, if not the finest, Left Banks in the vintage. Bravo. Tasted twice.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): This is extremely structured, but with a level of polish and refinement that highlights the excellence of the terroir. Very long and expansive on the palate, showing class and beauty. Powerful, yet comes across refined and curated at the end. Lovely texture. |
|
| Ch. Pontet Canet |
2008 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$610.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (2/2019): Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac lead pencil notes all emerge from this still youthful, full-bodied, and pure 2008 that’s 4-5 years away from maturity and will keep for 30+ years. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for another awesome wine that ranks up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.
WA 96 (5/2011): A candidate for the “wine of the vintage," Pontet Canet’s 2008 boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious aromas of sweet blueberries, blackberries and black currant fruit intertwined with lead pencil shavings, subtle barbecue smoke and a hint of forest floor. Full-bodied, with fabulous richness, texture and tremendous freshness, this first-growth-like effort is more developed than the uber-powerful 2010. Give it 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades. Bravo!
VM 94 (8/2011): Deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines black cherry, lavender, potpourri spices and graphite minerality; high-toned and slightly liqueur-like. Then dense, seamless and vibrant in the mouth, with firm acidity giving Outstanding energy to the dark fruit, floral and mineral flavors. Really spreads out on the back end and stays a while. Brilliantly delineated, complex wine with superb cut and penetration. Stephen Tanzer.
JS 94 (7/2016): The minerality and floral character to this is really impressive with lots of bark, currant and dried rose character. Full body, chewy yet polished tannins and a mouthwatering finish. Made from biodynamcially grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
|
| Ch. Rauzan-Segla |
2021 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$400.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Rocheyron |
2016 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$409.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Saintayme |
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$382.99 |
23 |
|
| |
WA 90-92 (5/2021): The 2020 Saintayme is 100% Merlot, harvested between the 28th and the 30th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 30% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little coaxing to unlock scents of tar, forest floor and aniseed, over a core of baked black plums, blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherries, plus a touch of dried mint. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a lingering minty note. 63,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JD 91-93 (5/2021): Another gem from Denis Durantou, the 2020 Saintayme should be snatched up by savvy readers, as it’s a year-in, year-out value, and in a vintage where Merlot excelled, it’s a real standout. Black cherries, mulberries, camphor, chocolate, and subtle oak notes all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, balanced, and has a great mix of richness and freshness. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): A gorgeous red with so much black fruit and salty, mineral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy, polished tannins and a long finish. The precision and fine texture is impressive. One of the best I have had for a while. |
|
| La Violette |
2017 |
Pomerol (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,475.98 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94-96+ (4/2018): Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Violette is a little reticent to begin, unfurling to give crushed blackberries and blackcurrants notes with touches of forest floor, truffles, cast iron pan and star anise. The palate is exquisitely balanced and intense, with firm, ripe tannins and seamless freshness framing the rock-solid, muscular fruit, finishing very long.
JS 94-95 (4/2018): This shows substantial fruit and tannin concentration with plenty of dark-berry and dark-chocolate character. Full body, a rounded texture and a delicious finish. A wine that will please in its youth.
JD 93-96 (4/2018): The 2017 La Violette is another silky, elegant effort that has a Burgundian flare. Black cherries, blueberries, violets, white flowers, and spice characteristics all emerge from this seamless 2017 that is as classy, silky and pure as they come. Total class and up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.
VM 89-91 (5/2018): The 2017 Kirwan has a slightly smudged bouquet that does not quite deliver the detail of its peers: raspberry preserve and crushed strawberry at first, then light sous-bois and smoke aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly angular tannin, not as cohesive as I would have liked although I appreciate the cracked black pepper note on the aftertaste. This is a château that I feel can produce great Margaux however, the 2017 does not possess the nuance and complexity of the best examples from the appellation. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2017 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$973.98 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 94-96+ (4/2018): Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Violette is a little reticent to begin, unfurling to give crushed blackberries and blackcurrants notes with touches of forest floor, truffles, cast iron pan and star anise. The palate is exquisitely balanced and intense, with firm, ripe tannins and seamless freshness framing the rock-solid, muscular fruit, finishing very long.
JS 94-95 (4/2018): This shows substantial fruit and tannin concentration with plenty of dark-berry and dark-chocolate character. Full body, a rounded texture and a delicious finish. A wine that will please in its youth.
JD 93-96 (4/2018): The 2017 La Violette is another silky, elegant effort that has a Burgundian flare. Black cherries, blueberries, violets, white flowers, and spice characteristics all emerge from this seamless 2017 that is as classy, silky and pure as they come. Total class and up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.
VM 89-91 (5/2018): The 2017 Kirwan has a slightly smudged bouquet that does not quite deliver the detail of its peers: raspberry preserve and crushed strawberry at first, then light sous-bois and smoke aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly angular tannin, not as cohesive as I would have liked although I appreciate the cracked black pepper note on the aftertaste. This is a château that I feel can produce great Margaux however, the 2017 does not possess the nuance and complexity of the best examples from the appellation. Neal Martin. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Le Petit Cheval Blanc |
2019 |
Bordeaux Blanc (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$457.98 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 93 (4/2022): A wine that I don't get to taste often, the 2019 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc is a stunning white that's certainly worth seeking out, and it actually reminds me of the great white from Château Margaux. Vibrant citrus, white flowers, lime, and chalky mineral notes all emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, has terrific purity, bright acidity, and the balance to evolve for over a decade.
VM 91 (2/2023): The 2019 Le Petit Cheval Blanc feels more Sauvignon-driven on the nose, Granny Smith apples and gooseberry. A touch of wild nettle emerges with time. The palate is well-balanced with fine weight, not quite as complex as the best dry white in the flight, just a bit too toasty towards the finish. But there is sufficient length and freshness, but perhaps not one that will cellar as long as others. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Climens |
2009 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$499.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 97 (6/2016): The 2009 Climens is certainly more expressive on the nose compared to the 2010 Climens with potent honeysuckle, fresh pear and orange blossom that gently unfurl from the glass. Compared to the 2009 Rieussec for example, this is powerful but not quite as flamboyant. The palate is just fantastic, so energetic and tensile with layers of minerally, honeyed fruit laced with spice, sea salt, a touch of licorice and quince. It will be a multi-dimensional Climens that has a very long future ahead, a killer Sauternes that is going to give a great deal of pleasure over many years. |
|
| Ch. Coutet |
2019 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$272.98 |
27 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (2/2023): The 2019 Coutet has quite a flamboyant, Germanic bouquet with petrol-infused botrytized fruit, though it lacks a bit of complexity and nuance. The palate is well-balanced with orange zest, marmalade and quince on the entry. Moderate depth, and quite linear towards the finish. It doesn't quite deliver the panache of the best wines of 2019 and there has been better Coutet's in recent years, but there is potential here. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. (Drink between 2025-2048). Neal Martin. |
|
|
2020 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$272.98 |
26 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2019 |
Pessac Leognan Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,965.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 100 (6/2020): This is crazy quality. The depth and intensity is really something. It is so compact and powerful with such intensity and density. Energy. So structured. Full-bodied. Layered and superb. Like a great Montrachet from a great vintage, but so Haut Brion. Speechless. Perfect wine. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2014 |
Aile d’Argent Bordeaux Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,008.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 94 (2/2017): A dense and flavorful white offering plenty of lemon curd, cooked apples and stones. Full and tropical with a long finish. Gorgeous now.
VM 88 (2/2017): The 2014 Aile d'Argent is laced with the essence of orchard fruit, brioche, dried flowers and chamomile. The higher %age of Semillon, along with the natural personality of the vintage, produced a softer style for this wine than some past vintages. I would prefer to drink the 2014 sooner rather than later. Antonio Galloni.
WA 88 (3/2017): The 2014 Blanc, 57% Sauvignon Blanc and 43% Semillon, was bottled one year earlier (September 2015); it has a fresh grapefruit and lychee-scented bouquet that is well defined, hints of passion fruit and clementine. The palate is fresh and taut on the entry with crisp acidity, very harmonious and with a tensile finish. It is not the most complex Aile d'Argent that I have encountered, but it should drink well over the next decade. |
|
| Ch. Rieussec |
2008 |
Sauternes (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$748.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (12/2011): Tasted single blind against its peers. The Chateau Rieussec 2008 should become an excellent Sauternes for the vintage. It has a floral bouquet with peach, tinned apricot and a touch of marmalade, all with fine delineation, and touches of lemon curd developing with aeration. The palate is mellifluous on the entry, with great depth and a luscious, vanillary note with hints of orange peel, marmalade and quince towards the long finish. Excellent. |
|
| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. Marquis d' Angerville |
2019 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,131.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. du Comte Armand |
2010 |
Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$889.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93-95 (2/2012): I tasted the 2010 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux from three separate lots (corresponding to different vine ages and soils within the Clos) and then in an approximate blend. The 2010 is notable for its energy and sheer class. There is a weightless elegance to the 2010 that is quite striking. The 2010 isn’t as boisterous as it can be, but this is an approximate blend, so we will have to see what happens once the wine is in bottle. In some ways, the separate lots are more exciting than the approximate blend, so there is plenty of potential. Readers who appreciate the focused, taut side of Burgundy will find much to admire. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.
VM 92-95 (2/2012): (I tasted the various elements of this wine, then an approximate blend; winemaker Benjamin Leroux now vinifies several cuvees by geology rather than age of vines): Good bright medium red. Captivating, highly complex aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, cherry, spices, orange zest, flowers, licorice, menthol and vanillin oak (40% new). Silky-sweet but with lovely energy and vinosity. Very suave in texture, expanding impressively on the back half and saturating the mouth with fruit and soil flavors. This classy, pliant wine shows superb balance and finishes with building, subtle length. The bottling won't take place until April, at the earliest. Incidentally, Leroux destems all of this fruit, as he believes vinification with a percentage of whole clusters makes more sense for delicate wines that need a bit more mid-palate oomph. Nor is he enamored with the idea of bottling the oldest vines bottled on their own, as he believes this wine would still be too tannic and hard when the tertiary aromas arrive after 10 or 15 years in bottle.
BH 92-95 (4/2012): ( the 5+ ha Clos is composed of approximately 80% Petits Epenots and 20% Grands Epenots; the vine ages run from 18 to 75+ years of age. The 2010 Clos des Epeneaux is segregated into several different cuvees based on vineyard location and will then be blended in varying proportions. The tasting note that follows is based upon a sample that should reasonably resemble the final blend) The combined cuvees revealed an exceptionally fresh combination of pure and quite elegant red cherry and raspberry aromas liberally laced with warm earth and iron nuances. There is really lovely purity to the gorgeously well-detailed, intense and muscular medium weight plus flavors that brim with dry extract and a caressing mouth feel before terminating in a mouth coating and explosively long finish. This is relentlessly persistent with Outstanding depth on the palate staining finish. Terrific. Drink 2022+. Don't Miss! Outstanding! |
|
| Olivier Bernstein |
2020 |
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,226.99 |
2 |
|
| |
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| Bouchard Pere et Fils |
2016 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,811.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 93-96 (1/2018): (a normal year for Bonnes-Mares, with the same crop level as in 2015; aging in one-third new oak): Dark red with ruby tones. Wonderfully sweet, sappy scents of black raspberry and spicecake. Fat, creamy and full but with lovely inner-mouth tension and lift to the complex, explosive flavors of black raspberry and flowers. I find this much more vibrant and delineated than the 2015 version. The slow-building whiplash of a finish displays noble tannins and building sweetness. Like some other examples of 2016 Bonnes-Mares, this wine transcends its vintage. Stephen Tanzer.
BH 93-96 (4/2018): (from a .24 ha mix of terres rouges and terres blanches but with a bit more of the former.) Here the oak isn't shy though it's not as intrusive as it is in some of the wines as it doesn't dominate the dark pinot fruit that is cut with plenty of earth and spice nuances plus and a hint of the sauvage. There is a seductive mouth feel to the round and velvety full-bodied flavors that brim with an abundance of dry extract while delivering superb depth and persistence on the very firmly structured finale. Once again, patience is strongly advised. Drink 2036+. Don't miss! |
|
| Vincent Dancer |
2023 |
Pommard Les Perrieres (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$479.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2005 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,726.98 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 96 (4/2007): A spicy, ripe and pure nose of floral red pinot fruit and rose petals possesses nuances of menthol, earth and a slight whiff of the sauvage that can also be found on the rich, serious and powerful big-bodied flavors that are sleekly muscled and very firmly structured yet they remain balanced, cool and harmonious on the monumentally long finish. This seems less structured than it really is as the abundant sap renders them less prominent if not invisible. While 15 to 20 years should see this at its apogee, this will still be alive and well at 50 years of age. Drink: 2020+
WA 92 (6/2007): Black raspberry with horehound aromas in Drouhin’s 2005 Bonnes Mares lead to a sappy, intense palate of black raspberry and pungent herbal essence with notes of caramel and cocoa, and to a finish of persistent fruit intensity. Here is another of those cases where imposing richness coexists with bright, indeed almost electrically energetic fresh fruit intensity. This lacks the riveting complexity of the best wines here today but will be a force to reckon with in 8-10 years.
VM 90-93 (4/2007): Medium red. Spicy aromas of briary red berries and blueberry, wild herbs, mocha and pepper. Concentrated, powerful and tight, with a medicinal cast and noteworthy energy to the vibrant flavors of briary berries, herbs and spices. Conveys an impression of firm acidity: this is all about energy and thrust today. Finishes firmly tannic and tight, in need of a good eight to ten years of bottle aging. This could hardly be more different in style from the comparatively creamy Amoureuses. |
|
|
2015 |
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,894.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,619.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Dujac |
2005 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,048.98 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 96 (1/2008): A surprisingly expressive and high-toned nose of blue, black and violet aromas trimmed in touches of smoke, earth and wood precede the supple and exceptionally fresh flavors that are detailed, textured, serious and powerful with huge underlying reserves of material and along with the RSV, the longest finale of the group. This displays the youthful, indeed almost cool austerity one would expect from a classically structured Bonnes Mares and should age effortlessly yet it is not so firmly structured that it will be unapproachable young. In a word, brilliant. Drink 2019+. |
|
| Dom. Faiveley |
2011 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,476.99 |
2 |
|
| |
BH 92-94 (1/2013): (blended from 3 separate parcels). An attractively complex and unusually refined nose speaks of red currant, kirsch, soft earth and a hint of wood spice. There is a refined mouth feel to the larger-scaled flavors thanks to the fine grain of the ripe and well-integrated tannins on the mildly austere and impressively long, indeed even explosive finish. This is terrific and the backend offers the same excellent depth the nose promises. Lovely stuff. Drink 2026+.
VM 90-93 (2/2013): Good bright, deep red. Cherry, rose petal, mocha and game on the nose, plus a hint of metallic minerality. Dense, sappy and youthfully tight; less expansive today than the Echezeaux and more peppery too. Has a serious spine for aging but seems a tad dry in the early going. |
|
| Dom. Jean Grivot |
2011 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,352.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2016 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuees Domaine Louis Jadot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$784.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuees Domaine Louis Jadot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$732.99 |
2 |
|
| |
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| Dom. Francois Lamarche |
2005 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru |
$279 |
1 |
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| |
|
|
2005 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru |
$195 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (3/2008): Good full red. Pungent aromas of cherry, menthol and nutty oak. Sweet, concentrated red fruit flavors are intensified by underlying minerality, giving the wine a real palate-staining quality. A dry, broad wine with a light touch in spite of its strength of material. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2005 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru les Chaumes |
$195 |
3 |
|
| |
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| Dom. des Lambrays |
2017 |
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru |
$329 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Latour |
2016 |
Chateau Corton Grancey Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$713.99 |
19 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (10/2019): The 2016 Corton-Grancey Grand Cru is deeper in colour than its peers with blackberry and raspberry fruit, hints of mulch-like undergrowth and wilted violets. This is quite complex, even if it misses a little joie-de-vivre. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit, a fine bead of acidity, quite precise and classy towards the finish that shows impressive integration of oak and substance. This is a well crafted, very typical Corton that should age with style. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting. (Drink between 2022-2036). Neal Martin. |
|
| Dominique Laurent |
2004 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,661.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Leroy |
2013 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$71,081.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Meo-Camuzet |
2023 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,379.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Ponsot |
2016 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,885.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Georges Roumier |
2009 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$47,843.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$19,704.99 |
1 |
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| |
VM 93 (4/2013): Good bright, full red. Perfumed nose and palate offer very pure raspberry, smoke, minerals and sexy soil tones. Sweet, ripe and utterly suave, showing excellent concentration and intensity but also an exhilarating impression of weightlessness. Classic 2010 style, showing lovely refinement, a light touch, sweet tannins and terrific lingering perfume.
BH 93 (1/2013): (From a 1.75 ha parcel of vines averaging 35 to 40 years of age). An ultra-fresh, cool, airy and admirably pure nose features crystal clear and transparent red pinot fruit and essence of stone. This is a bit firmer than the Combottes with even more evident minerality on the delicious, focused and beautifully well-delineated flavors that terminate in a precise, long, linear and palate staining finish. Terrific and worth a special search to find though be aware that this youthfully austere effort will required extended cellaring. Drink 2022+. Outstanding!
WA 91-93 (2/2012): The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras comes across as delicate and finely knit in this vintage. The hard, firm tannins that are at times present are nowhere to be found. A beautifully expressive, knock-out bouquet melds into a finely knit fabric of red berries. The tannins feel like satin on the caressing finish. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Dom. Rene & Vincent Dauvissat |
2023 |
Chablis (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,528.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Leflaive |
2022 |
Bourgogne Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$956.99 |
10 |
|
| |
| BH 87-90 (6/2024): A very pretty nose freely reveals its aromas of apple, pear and lemon rind. The succulent, delicious and appealingly vibrant middleweight flavors possess a relatively refined texture while displaying fine depth and length for a wine of this level. The 20% addition of young vines from upper-level vineyards clearly helps and overall, this is excellent. |
|
| Dom. Francois Raveneau |
2023 |
Chablis 1er Cru Foret (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,095.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Etienne Sauzet |
2020 |
Puligny Montrachet (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$792.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 91 (1/2023): The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet Village bursts with aromas of pear, white flowers and orange oil. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with racy acids and a long, saline finish, it has turned out very well. |
|
| | Champagne |
| Dom Perignon |
2002 |
Rose Champagne |
$500 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98 (11/2012): Unfortunately there is only one new release from Dom Perignon on the market, but what a wine it is! The 2002 Brut Rose explodes from the glass with endless layers of huge, voluptuous fruit, A big, full-bodied wine, the 2002 is probably the most overly vinous, intense Rose ever made by long-time Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy. Layers of cool, insistent minerality balance the fruit beautifully on the crystalline, vivid finish. The 2002 will be nearly impossible to resist young, but take my word for it; the wine is extremely closed right now. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2032.
VM 95 (12/2013): Bright orange-pink. A heady, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes candied red berries, blood orange, rose oil and buttered toast, with vibrant mineral and Asian spice nuances adding complexity; smells like a high-class red Burgundy from one of the high-rent Chambolle neighborhoods. Sappy, penetrating raspberry and bitter cherry flavors gain sweetness with air, with notes of orange marmalade and succulent herbs adding complexity. Clings with superb intensity on the smoky, minerally, floral finish. |
|
| Pol Roger |
2013 |
Cuvee Winston Churchill Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,447.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Jacques Selosse |
NV |
Lieux-Dits Collection Assortment Case Extra Brut Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,898.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
NV |
Blanc de Blancs Substance Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,648.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2009): The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Substance is 100% Chardonnay from Avize made Solera-style, with vintages dating back to 1987. The December 4, 2008 disgorgement is a rich, liqueur-like wine endowed with layers of roasted nuts, honey, licorice, dried apricots, tobacco and spices. As is often the case, the Substance presents a fascinating combination of the old and the new. The aromas and flavors are that of a wine with age, but the mousse is impeccably fresh. This is a fascinating, contemplative Champagne, and while it can be a difficult wine to grasp, Substance is also incredibly rewarding. Disgorged: December 4, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014.
VM 94 (11/2008): Copper-hued gold. Brooding pear, rose and blond tobacco aromas gain freshness with air, taking a turn to white flowers and dusty minerals. Firm, tightly wound orchard and pit fruit flavors are sweetened by brown butter and candied licorice. The floral notes repeat emphatically on the finish, which simply refuses to let up. This wine is completely from Avize and the blend (Selosse referred to it as a solera) was started with the 1986 vintage. |
|
| | Chile |
| Casa Lapostolle |
2014 |
Clos Apalta (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$655.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (10/2018): The 2014 Clos Apalta is composed of 48% Carmenère, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot and has lots of tannins and some astringency. It really suffers when compared with the 2015, which feels longer and has a different quality of tannins, but I prefer both to the 2013. This matured in 100% new French oak barrels for 26 months. 62,388 bottles were filled in June 2016. |
|
| | Italy |
| Elio Altare |
2001 |
Barolo Brunate Bin-Soiled Label |
$159 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (10/2006): Altare’s 2001 Barolo Brunate adds one more layer of complexity, with notes of licorice, eucalyptus and menthol on the nose, flavors of dark cherries and plums, and softer, more elegant tannins than the Arborina. There is much evolution in the glass and this exquisite wine offers a never-ending finish. It is a superb effort that is consistently among the very finest wines of the region. With a tiny production of around 1,800 bottles Altare’s Brunate is surely one of Italy’s top cult wines. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2021.
VM 94+ (12/2004): Deep, bright red. Very subtle, highly aromatic nose combines kirsch, mocha, tobacco, dried flowers and a minty coolness. Then wonderfully sweet and elegant, with mint and mineral notes contributing to the impression of definition and lift. Very lush, slow-mounting finish features big but fine-grained tannins and superb length. Altare has always modestly described his Arborina (he has now worked this vineyard for 38 years, including the years he helped his father) as the equivalent of a Burgundy premier cru, but this Brunate has grand cru texture and class. |
|
|
2001 |
Barolo Vigneto Arborina |
$179 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Piero Antinori |
2010 |
Solaia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,264.96 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 98 (12/2013): In this context, it is obvious why the 2010 is the greatest Solaia ever made. The 2010 has it all; expressive aromatics, wonderfully nuanced fruit and tons of supporting structure. The 2010 has been magnificent since I started tasting the component wines in 2011. Not that it is in bottle, it is every bit as stunning as I had hoped. Readers will not want to miss this towering masterpiece from the Antinori family. Ideally, the 2010 should be cellared until at least age ten. This mesmerizing, wonderfully complete Solaia represents the height of finesse Antinori started to achieve with the 2004. In time, the 2010 will be recognized as one of the all-time legendary Solaias. Actually, it already is. I can't think of a better wine with which to wrap up this monumental, truly once-in-a-lifetime tasting.
JS 98 (11/2013): A triumph for Solaia: it suggests the greatness of the legendary 1997. This is a wine with very subtle, complex aromas and flavours of currants, licorice and raspberries. Wonderful nose. Full body with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. It lasts for minutes on the palate. The precision of the cabrenet sauvignon comes through here. Better in 2016.
WA 97 (8/2013): The 2010 Solaia puts on an incredible show that hits all the senses and keeps your unyielding attention for as long as there is wine in the bottle. There are various ways to describe the bouquet. First, is the wine’s sweet side, as this beautiful 75-20-5 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc delivers ripe cherry, black currant, baking spice and dark chocolate. After that, the wine becomes redolent of tobacco, balsam, bay leaf, rum cake and dark licorice. The bouquet is all encompassing and complete. A firmly structured backbone is padded generously by the fleshy richness of its consistency. This is a gorgeous wine that will age for decades. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2040.
VM 93+ (9/2014): (75% cabernet sauvignon, 20% sangiovese and 5% cabernet franc): Good dark ruby. Black cherry, blackcurrant, chocolate, fresh herbs and smoky oak on the nose and palate. Highly concentrated, silky and sweet, but also quite taut and energetic in the mouth, displaying perfectly integrated acidity and polished tannins. The subtle, slowly expanding finish features captivating lingering sweetness. Still very youthful: I'd forget about this wine in the cellar for another eight to ten years. |
|
|
2010 |
Tignanello (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,411.98 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (8/2013): Antinori's 2010 Tignanello is stunning, as it has been since I started tasting the component wines in 2011. Firm yet sweet, silky tannins form the backbone for this gorgeous, vivid wine. Dark red cherries, plums, cloves, mint and sage inform a Tignanello that impresses for its delineation, nuance and power. Clean, saline notes support the mineral-drenched finish. The 2010 isn't huge, but rather is a vertical wine endowed with tremendous energy and vibrancy. I can't remember a Tignanello with this much crystalline tension and pure energy. Simply put, the 2010 Tignanello is a magnificent, towering wine from Antinori. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2017 |
Solaia (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$725.99 |
1 |
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| |
JS 97 (8/2020): Extremely aromatic with sage, lavender, blackberries and currants. Full-bodied with chewy and very polished tannins that melt into the wine. Foursquare and slightly austere. Fresh and well framed. A wine that needs five to six years to soften and come together completely. Try after 2025.
VM 95+ (8/2019): Just bottled, the 2017 Solaia is naturally going to need time to come together. Even in the early going, though, it shows all the richness and opulence that is typical of the year, with terrific aromatic expansiveness and tons of persistence. I can't wait to taste it with a bit more time in bottle. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (8/2020): The Marchesi Antinori 2017 Solaia offers a uniquely floral personality with wild rose and lilac that comes as a surprise, especially if you are expecting the more robust and opulent dark fruit associated with this vintage. To use a word that is popular now, the aromas are absolutely lifted. This is a bouquet-driven wine, showing great oak choices that are synergistic with the light and considerably thinner palate. Dried or pressed flowers cede to cherry, blueberry, some red meat char and a light touch of cinnamon. My impression is that the dry extract from the oak ultimately plays a bigger role in the overall flavor profile, preserving its red fruit core nevertheless. The wine is very accessible in terms of mouthfeel, showing a comparatively thinner and shorter approach. With more time in the glass, it offers some of the white soil dust that is a standard Solaia signature. It will be released the first week of September. |
|
| San Filippo |
2018 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Le Lucere (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,053.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Fuligni |
2020 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$351.99 |
20 |
|
| |
|
| Il Marroneto |
2021 |
Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazia (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,272.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Montevertine |
2022 |
Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,575.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Castello Dei Rampolla |
2015 |
Vigna d’Alceo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$630.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Roagna |
2013 |
Barolo La Pira (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$913.99 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 95 (10/2018): The 2013 Barolo Pira is dark and powerful to its core. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2013 is all nerves and muscle. Iron, blood, smoke, cedar, smoke and licorice give the 2013 much of its super-distinctive flavor profile. In the glass, the 2013 is wonderfully deep and exotic, with layers of dimension that open up effortlessly over time. Readers will have to be patient with the 2013, but it is hugely promising. Sadly, prices for the Roagna wines have gone up dramatically in recent years. If there is one wine that readers should absolutely not miss, it is the 2013 Barolo Pira. Antonio Galloni. Drink 2023-2038.
WA 93 (6/2019): The 2013 Barolo Pira sees fruit sourced from a five-hectare plot (with 16,800 bottles made). The Pira vineyard is Roagna’s home-base parcel and is the biggest single vineyard the family cultivates in the Barolo appellation. Pira is easy to recognize in terms of bouquet, thanks to those distinctive aromas of dried rose petal and balsam herb that lift gently from the bouquet. Due to long maceration times, which are the norm here at Roagna, the wine’s color shows medium intensity, but that color should be fixed and stable over the long haul because any remaining material in suspension has since fallen out, thanks to the slow fermentation process. This wine delivers evident structure and a touch of rawness or naked nerve that underlines the wine’s young age (and, consequently, its long future aging potential). Dark fruit and a touch of sweet spice add volume to the finish. |
|
| | New Zealand |
| Burn Cottage |
2020 |
Central Otago Pinot Noir (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$469.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Other Red |
| Ao Yun (Moet Hennessy) |
2016 |
Shangri-La Cabernet Sauvignon |
$230 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Sadie Family |
2023 |
Columella Proprietary Blend (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$963.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Other White |
| F.X. Pichler |
2006 |
Gruner Veltliner M Smaragd |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2006 |
Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd Lightly Nicked Label |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Loibner Steinertal Gruner Veltliner Smaragd |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Port |
| Croft |
2016 |
Port (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$363.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Dom. Henri Bonneau |
2020 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,144.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Jean-Louis Chave |
2023 |
St. Joseph (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$609.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Clos des Papes |
2018 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$511.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (10/2020): Due to devastating yields, there’s not much of the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape to go around, but it’s going to be worth the extra effort to track down. Based on 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah (and a splash of other permitted varieties), it offers a textbook, classic Châteauneuf du Pape nose of mulled red and black fruits, Provençal garrigue, ground pepper, and saddle leather. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied Clos des Papes that has thrillingly polished tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Made in a style similar to the 1999, 2004, and maybe a kiss of the 2006, it has the beautiful elegance (again, a Grand Cru Burgundy comes to mind) paired with plenty of intensity and length. I doubt it will shut down and it’s going to evolve nicely for 15-20 years or more.
WA 95 (9/2020): Bursting with striking red-fruit aromas and delicate cinnamon, clove and star anise notes, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape is another terrific vintage from this estate. While certainly full-bodied and powerful, it's also lithe and silky, with an almost airy feel on the palate that translates into great elegance on the lengthy finish. |
|
| Etienne Guigal |
2007 |
Cote Rotie La Mouline
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$551.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (8/2014): A big step up, the 2007 Cote Rotie la Mouline boasts serious richness and depth, with a still tight, focused and youthful profile that’s begging for another couple of years in the cellar. Giving up plenty of smoked earth, toast, dried flowers, graphite, chocolate and hints of bacon fat, it’s a masculine version of this cuvee that should start to open up in another 3-4 years, and drink beautifully through 2032.
VM 94 (3/2012): Deep ruby. A highly complex bouquet evokes dark berry preserves, potpourri and cola, with a smoky overtone. Juicy and precise, with penetrating black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors firmed by zesty minerality. Rich but light on its feet, with a bright, focused finish that features suave floral pastille and spice nuances. |
|
|
2007 |
Cote Rotie La Mouline (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,087.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (8/2014): A big step up, the 2007 Cote Rotie la Mouline boasts serious richness and depth, with a still tight, focused and youthful profile that’s begging for another couple of years in the cellar. Giving up plenty of smoked earth, toast, dried flowers, graphite, chocolate and hints of bacon fat, it’s a masculine version of this cuvee that should start to open up in another 3-4 years, and drink beautifully through 2032.
VM 94 (3/2012): Deep ruby. A highly complex bouquet evokes dark berry preserves, potpourri and cola, with a smoky overtone. Juicy and precise, with penetrating black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors firmed by zesty minerality. Rich but light on its feet, with a bright, focused finish that features suave floral pastille and spice nuances. |
|
| Dom. du Pegau |
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Capo (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,806.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (8/2019): I was also able to taste the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Da Capo, which comes mostly from older vines in the La Crau lieu-dit and spends an additional year in a large foudre. The 2016 vintage was truly magical for the region, and this Cuvee Da Capo is unquestionably one of the finest vintages for this cuvee ever made, in the same league as, if not surpassing, the 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2010. Sensational notes of cured meats, crème de cassis, crushed violets, ground pepper, tapenade, truffle, and sweet herbes de Provence all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied style that stays seamless, weightless, and as pure as they come. Traditional, classic Châteauneuf Du Pape doesn’t get better. I hate to be the guy who throws out the “best to date” line very often, but this is truly magical stuff.
WA 99 (8/2019): As impressive as the Cuvee Reservee is, the 2016 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo brings an extra level of intensity. Turn that volume up to 11 or even 12. Waves of black cherries, plums and chocolate wash across the full-bodied, velvety palate, lingering nearly forever on the finish. As big and bold as it is, it remains breathtakingly elegant and fine. It should evolve gracefully through at least 2040.
VM 97 (12/2019): Vivid ruby. Intensely perfumed dark berry, cherry preserve and licorice aromas are complemented by hints of game, exotic spices and candied lavender. Deep, sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed raspberry, cola and floral pastille flavors and a strong suggestion of spicecake. Shows superb clarity and power on a ridiculously long, sappy finish that eventually leaves behind cherry liqueur and bitter chocolate notes. Josh Raynolds. |
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|
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$864.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (4/2020): Reminding me of a fresher version of the 2003, the 2016 Chateauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Reservee is another magical wine from Laurence Feraud that could come from nowhere else. I still remember tasting (and loving) this beauty from barrel. It doesn’t quite have the sheer over-the-top decadence of the 2003, but it does have more elegance, while not giving up an inch with regard to texture and opulence. Dark ruby/plum-hued with a monster display of Provençal goodness in its garrigue, lavender, violets, kirsch, plums, and Asian spices, this full-throttle, ripe, sexy Châteauneuf du Pape has silky tannins, flawless balance, and a heavenly texture. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and drink well for at least 20-25 years.
WA 95+ (8/2019): Every year that I've tried the 2016 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee, I've liked it better than the year before, so I've gone ahead and peremptorily added the + sign to this year's rating. Black cherries and licorice pick up a hint of chocolate in this full-bodied, rich, velvety wine that should evolve nicely for at least 12-15 years.
VM 94 (12/2019): Deep ruby. Assertive aromas of black raspberry, potpourri and spicecake pick up a bright mineral nuance and a hint of cured meat with air. Juicy and impressively concentrated, showing real energy and spicy lift to the sappy red berry, bitter cherry, spicecake and floral pastille flavors. Fine-grained tannins build on the finish, adding shape and grip to lingering, spice-accented raspberry liqueur, smoked meat and licorice flavors. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Abreu |
2010 |
Rothwell Hyde Proprietary Blend |
$150 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 94 (10/2014): The sumptuous 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a deep purple color along with notes of incense, white chocolate, mocha, blackberries, blackcurrants, forest floor and barrique smells in the background. This dense, full-bodied 2010 is the richest, most complex of these offerings from Rothwell Hyde. Drink now-2028.
VM 94 (12/2014): Perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay the 2010 Rothwell Hyde, Abreu's rarely seen second wine, is that Brad Grimes served it last in our tasting and it more than held it's own. Sure, there is plenty of vintage 2010 pedigree, along with the typical Abreu textural richness, but it is the wine's overall balance that leaves the most lasting impression. Rothwell Hyde is made from a selection of the wines that don't go into the four main labels and is sold mostly through the mailing list and in a few select restaurants. If you see the 2010, grab it. |
|
| Aratas |
2009 |
Napa Valley Petite Sirah |
$50 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Bougetz Cellars |
2014 |
Amaryllis Cabernet Sauvignon |
$45 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| J. Davies |
2016 |
Diamond Mountain Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$110 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Davis Estates |
2019 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Donelan |
2010 |
Cuvee Christine Syrah |
$55 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Flora Springs |
2007 |
Trilogy Proprietary Blend |
$65 |
12 |
|
| |
WA 93 (12/2009): The 2007 Trilogy might be called a Napa version of St.-Emilion blended with a Margaux. A harmonious blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, it offers undeniable elegance as well as lovely black currant and black cherry notes intermixed with hints of cocoa, roasted herbs, cedar, and licorice. This textured, lush, medium to full-bodied, beautifully constructed 2007 can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years.
VM 91 (6/2010): Bright ruby-red. Complex nose melds cassis, blackberry, bitter chocolate, cedar, menthol and licorice, with tobacco, loam and leathery nuances emerging with air. Sweet, pliant and expressive, with a bit more stuffing to buffer its firm acidity than the basic Napa Valley cabernet. Finishes nicely broad, with a fine dusting of sweet tannins and subtle leather and game notes. Based on this wine and the 2006 Trilogy, as well as the winery's other very successful '07 cabernets, the 2007 vintage marks a breakthrough to higher quality here. |
|
| Foley Johnson |
2013 |
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon |
$35 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Galerie |
2018 |
Pleinair Cabernet Sauvignon |
$45 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Garric Cellars |
2012 |
George Cabernet Sauvignon |
$49 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Leviathan |
2021 |
Red Wine |
$29 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Rivers Marie |
2005 |
Summa Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$79 |
4 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (10/2007): Here the nose is, not surprisingly, quite similar to that of the Old Vines Summa if perhaps not quite as complex and nuanced that leads to balanced, intense and pure flavors brimming with dry extract and excellent length on the youthfully austere finish. This is quite impressive as well and like the Occidental, it should age well. Drink 2011+. |
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|
2006 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
3 |
|
| |
|
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2006 |
Occidental Ridge Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 90+ (6/2008): Bright deep red, the darkest of these three pinots. Enticing aromas of raspberry, mocha and earthy underbrush. A bit more firm and less pliant than the Sonoma Coast bottling, but with more intensity to the raspberry and spice flavors. This boasts excellent acidity and the highest alcohol (14.3%) of this trio of pinots. Not surprisingly, it's tightly wound today; more vertical while the Summa is more horizontal.
BH 90 (10/2008): A really pretty set up of moderately deeply pitched red and dark berry fruit aromas that carry a whiff of underlying earth precedes round and relatively forward middle weight flavors that possess good if not exceptional depth plus a very subtle hint of minerality and fine length. While this will certainly age, it is already accessible and with the right foods, could easily be enjoyed now. |
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|
2006 |
Summa Old Vines Pinot Noir |
$89 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 92 (10/2008): A wonderfully complex nose is highly expressive, offering notes of black cherry and spiced raspberry that lead to equally complex middle weight flavors that possess good detail and a lovely layering effect on the solidly persistent finish. This is not especially dense in the manner of the 2004 and 2005 versions though the extract confers the sense of concentration on the delicious backend. A study in balance and grace. |
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|
2006 |
Summa Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
BH 91 (10/2008): An admirably fresh and beautifully complex nose features spicy deep red cherry and ripe red pinot fruit aromas that complement perfectly the rich, mouth coating and balanced medium weight flavors that benefit from fine levels of dry extract and solid length. While the alcohol is the same as the Willow Creek, there is no undue warmth either. Lovely and absolutely worth a look at this understated, stylish and classy offering. Drink 2010+.
VM 91 (6/2008): Pungent aromas of wild berries, herbs, underbrush and smoke lifted by an enticing lavender perfume. Less fruity but more minerally and bright than the basic bottling, offering a rather silky texture and some attractive high-toned notes of perfumed red fruits. I like this pinot's restrained sweetness and its classically dry finish. Owner/winemaker Thomas Brown told me that the tiny quantities of fruit he had to work with in 2005 were difficult to manage, and that the 2006s were easier to make. Still, yields in the latter year were in the modest 1 to 2.5 tons-per-acre range. |
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|
2006 |
Willow Creek Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$55 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (10/2008): A lovely and nicely deep nose of raspberry, red cherry and touches of both spice and earth lead to round and silky flavors that offer fine intensity and a naturally sweet finish that displays just a bit of backend warmth. It's not enough to upset the balance but neither is it invisible. Overall, I like the sappy and seductive texture and this should age well over the medium term yet drink well early. In a word, lovely. Drink 2011+. |
|
|
2007 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$95 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$79 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2009 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2011): The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a gorgeous, rich wine layered with mint, tobacco, spices, cedar and licorice. It shows gorgeous textural depth and tons of aromatic nuances. This is a fabulous wine loaded with class and personality. It isn’t the biggest wine here, but it is exceptionally polished. Wow! Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. |
|
|
2009 |
Corona Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$90 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (12/2011): The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Roberto Corona Vineyard, from a site on the Oakville bench, is the richest of these 2009 Cabernets from Rivers-Marie. It bursts from the glass with jammy, opulent fruit and a big, full-bodied personality. Blue and black fruit, mint, licorice and sweet spices wrap around the finish. The 100% new oak comes through here. I am not sure this wine needs all the oak and makeup. There is plenty of pedigree already. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. |
|
|
2010 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (12/2012): The estate’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years. Juicy dark berries, flowers, mint and cloves all come together nicely in the glass. Today, the 2010 is open and expressive, with soft, silky tannins and tons of near-term appeal, all qualities entry-level Cabernets should have. The 2010 is mostly valley floor fruit, with dollops of Panek, Corona and GIII. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. |
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|
2010 |
Corona Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2012): The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Roberto Corona Vineyard has come together beautifully since I last tasted it. A rich sumptuous wine, the 2010 caresses the palate with layers of dark fruit, spices, menthol and licorice. The dark fruit and intense spices are pure Oakville. The French oak, which was quite noticeable last year, has integrated beautifully. The Corona is totally different than the Panek, but just as beautiful. In 2010 I have a slight preference for the Corona over the Panek, but both are striking and absolutely delicious. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. |
|
|
2011 |
Gioia Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (7/2013): The 2011 Pinot Noir Gioia Vineyard is one of the more immediate wines in the range. It has some of the brambly qualities found in the Summa, but with more fruit, the result of the warmer micro climate in this parcel. Today my impression is that the 2011 is best enjoyed sooner rather than later, as the fruit will likely start dropping out after a few years, but it is quite pretty today. Licorice, savory herbs, mint and anise are some of the aromas and flavor that add complexity on the finish. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2011 |
Occidental Ridge Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 91 (4/2013): Black cherries, plums, spices and new leather all come to life in the 2011 Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard. Fresh, vibrant and beautifully delineated, the 2011 impresses for its nuance. The 2011 is a bit lighter than most recent vintages, but at the same time, the wine retains a buoyancy and vibrancy that is hugely appealing. Saline notes support the bright finish. This is a gorgeous showing. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. |
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|
2012 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (12/2014): Rivers-Marie's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon brings together the richness of the year along with pretty savory notes that balance some of the more overt fruit. Iron, smoke, cedar and dried red cherries are all laced into the super-expressive finish. This is one of very best Napa Valley Cabernets in its price range. The 2012 was made from three sites; Pellet (Calistoga) and Bourn and Bressler, both in St. Helena. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2012 |
Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 96 (10/2014): The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga is a killer effort. Sweet blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit along with notes of vanilla, toast, licorice, incense and spice box emerge from this full-bodied, classic Napa Cabernet. With good acidity, ripe tannin and a broad, savory, multidimensional mouthfeel, this fabulous wine represents 200 cases of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 75% new oak. The finished alcohol is 14.3%. It should drink well for 15-20 years.
VM 93 (12/2014): The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga emerges from a single block in what is widely considered the best part of the Larkmead estate. Dark black fruit, graphite, game, smoke and pencil shavings wrap around a core of dark fruit in a powerful, explosive Cabernet built on intensity and inner sweetness, although time in the glass brings out the wine's more seductive qualities. This broad, ample Cabernet Sauvignon should drink beautifully for a number of years. This is a strong debut vintage for the Calistoga Cabernet. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2013 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is plump, juicy and expressive. Sweet and open-knit in style, the 2013 is best enjoyed young, while the fruit retains its vibrancy. Sweet red cherry, plum and pomegranate add a final burst of energy on the close. (Drink between 2017-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2013 |
Corona Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$115 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 96 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Corona Vineyard has also turned out beautifully, which is indeed saying something, as Corona is a site that does not perform consistently from year to year. Dark cherry jam, graphite, blueberry compote, tobacco and sweet French oak blossom in a powerful, radiant Cabernet endowed with real breadth and volume. I suspect the Corona will drink well earlier than some of the other wines in this range, specifically the Calistoga and Lore Cabernets. This is one of the very best Coronas I can remember tasting at Rivers-Marie. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (10/2015): Coming from a steep hillside vineyard in the western Oakville hills, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Corona Vineyard is a backward, almost first-growth Pauillac style of wine, with notes of lead pencil, licorice, wet stones, cedar wood and fruitcake. Fine-grained tannins are significant, giving the wine considerable grip and earthiness. This is a big, backstrapping, broodingly primordial style of wine that clearly will benefit from 5-7 years of cellaring and keep for three decades or more. |
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|
2013 |
Panek Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard comes from a five-acre, valley-floor vineyard just north of St. Helena near Vineyard 29's Aida. There are 450 cases of this magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon. Notes of Mediterranean herbs intermixed with licorice, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass of this opaque purple wine. Stunningly proportioned, full-bodied, super-intense, with great purity, structure and depth, this wine will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring and keep for three decades.
VM 93 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard, from a site on the valley floor, shows all the voluptuousness and raciness that is typical of this sector in the northern reaches of St. Helena. Dark red cherry, plum, pomegranate and spice blossom as this full-bodied, racy Cabernet shows off its personality. There is just enough acidity to give the aromatics enough lift to balance the super-ripe fruit. As always, the Panek is a very showy wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2014 |
Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon |
$119 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (10/2016): The Cabernets start with the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is from a single block of the Larkmead Vineyard. This is fabulous – 100% Olmo clone that is the same as the Eisele clone. Opaque purple, this wine was aged 20 months in a relatively small percentage of new oak. Blackberry, cassis, spring flowers and vanilla all jump from the glass of this fabulous, concentrated, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that is dense, pure and terrific. Alcohol levels are relatively modest at 14.3%. Drink it over the next 20 years.
VM 92 (12/2016): A dark, brooding wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga captures the personality of this site nicely. Smoke, scorched earth, tar, licorice and plum give the wine much of its dark, imposing personality. This is an especially virile wine, but Thomas Brown has done a very good job in softening some of the contours. The Calistoga Cabernet emerges from one of the choicest parcels at Larkmead. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2014 |
Corona Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96+ (10/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Corona Vineyard comes from the western Oakville hillside that was once an old gravel quarry. Blue/purple with notes of earth, crushed rock, blueberry and blackberry fruit, this is a relatively tannic, backward style compared to the other Cabernets with plenty of minerality, a muscular structure, full-bodied mouthfeel and loads of blue, red and black fruits. This is impressive and potentially fabulous with a great upside, but needs 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for up to 30 years. |
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|
2014 |
Lore Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$179 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96+ (10/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard is another magnificent wine from the Oakville corridor on the hills near Dalla Valle and the Pedregral Vineyard of David Ramey. Wonderful notes of fruitcake, cedar wood, spice box, blackcurrant and blackberry along with espresso and spice jump from the glass of this terrific wine that is powerful, concentrated and multidimensional, but still somewhat youthful and backward. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25-30 years.
VM 94 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard is the deepest and most explosive of these 2014s. Vivid and chiseled in the glass, the 2014 exudes energy, with tons of intensely mineral and savory overtones. Rose petal, lavender, mint and sage all flesh out nicely in the glass. This collection of small parcels on the eastern hillsides of Oakville often yields wines of notable distinction. That is once again the case in 2014. This is a special wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2015 |
Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (3/2018): Super-ripe red cherry, plum, mint and pomegranate rush onto the palate in the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Calistoga). Even with all its ripeness, the 2015 has quite a bit of depth and textural resonance, not to mention tons of personality. The Calistoga Cabernet emerges from one of the choicest areas in Larkmead. My only hesitation at the moment with the 2015 is the tannins, which are a bit grainy and suggest that ripening was not totally even. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Lore Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$189 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (12/2017): Deep purple-black colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard has a wonderfully expressive, savory nose of char-grilled meat, truffles, sauteed herbs and Bovril with a core of crème de cassis, blackberry tart, menthol, mocha and pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate simply sings with intense black fruits accented with loads of savory layers, framed by grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing with epic length. 232 cases produced. |
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|
2015 |
Panek Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$139 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (12/2017): Deep purple-black, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard gives up compelling notes of fenugreek, turmeric and cumin seed over a core of blackberry compote, chocolate-covered cherries and smoked meat plus a touch of scorched earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features layers of vibrant black fruit plus earth and exotic spice accents, supported by fine tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 300 cases produced. |
|
|
2016 |
Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon |
$145 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Calistoga) is driving and intense, with savory, earthy notes that give the wine its distinctive personality. This powerful Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon possesses tremendous depth and muscle, both signatures of Larkmead, one of the top vineyard sites in Calistoga, and Napa Valley, for that matter. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Panek Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$135 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard has turned out beautifully. There is a sense of energy to the red cherry and plum fruit that gives this wine a natural measure of pure excitement. Red cherry jam, raspberry preserves, mint, spice and pomegranate meld together in a racy, sensual Cabernet that captures all the best vintage has to offer. Two thousand sixteen is a terrific vintage for the Panek. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Panek Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$129 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2021): Dense purple, with a blockbuster styled nose of jammy blueberries, currants, smoke tobacco, violets, and candied orange zest, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard is full-bodied and has a wealth of material, with ripe, silky tannins and the vintage’s more focused, inward, almost backward style. Nevertheless, this is brilliant stuff that needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will evolve for 30+ years. (Drink between 2025-2058)
VM 97 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard dazzles from start to finish. Silky, plush tannins wrap around a core of red/purplish fruit as this opulent, full-throttle Cabernet opens in the glass. The Panek is a very typical Cabernet for this northern sector of St. Helena where the wines are plush and racy. All the elements come together so effortlessly. Bright acids and sweet floral overtones lift the finish. Best of all, the 2018 will be ready to deliver maximum pleasure pretty much upon release. This is the first year in which Rivers-Marie had access to all the fruit. I suspect being able to choose the best blocks explains much of the elevated quality here. In a word: stunning. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96+ (2/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color, offering expressive notes of fresh, ripe red and black currants, juicy plums and Black Forest cake with hints of tilled soil, underbrush, black olives and tar plus a waft of bay leaves. The palate is medium to full-bodied and built like a brick house, featuring very firm, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with long-lingering earthy/savory nuances. |
|
| Clos du Val |
2006 |
Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon |
$69 |
12 |
|
| |
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| | USA White |
| Rivers Marie |
2013 |
Joy Road Vyd. Chardonnay |
$55 |
2 |
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| VM 93 (1/2015): Slate, graphite, dried pear, almonds, crushed flowers and sage emerge from the 2013 Chardonnay Joy Road Vineyard. The flavor profile is quite a bit more floral and savory than the other Chardonnays in the range, with the fruit pushed a bit into the background. The Joy Road is the most subtle and layered of the Rivers-Marie Chardonnays. In many ways, it is the most evocative as well. Antonio Galloni. |
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