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Inventory updated: Fri, Apr 10, 2026 04:02 PM cst
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Angelus |
2000 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,695.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (8/2015): Approaching perfection, this wine is inky, bluish/purple-colored to the rim, offering up notes of incense, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, licorice, graphite and spring flowers. A touch of roasted espresso bean is also present. The wine has great concentration, a magnificent, full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity, and well-integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood. This beauty seems to be in mid-adolescence with at least 25-30 years of life ahead.
JS 95 (5/2012): Furnished with wonderful richness, this has notes of amazingly dark fruit and dark chocolate on the nose. Full-bodied and soft, this has a lovely velvety texture and a chocolate and coffee character. This is extensive and fresh, with hints of mint and spice on the finish. Don’t drink this for another five years, pull the cork in 2015.
VM 93 (5/2003): Impressive saturated ruby. Black fruits, shoe polish, licorice, truffle, leather and a hint of game on the nose; at once superripe and fresh. Fat, sweet and deep, but retains lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and precision of flavor for such a rich wine, thanks to sound acidity. Effortlessly carries its 14% alcohol. This builds impressively on the back end, finishing with strong but lush tannins (the index of polyphenols was 92!) and powerful fruit. This wine was racked a total of three times. |
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2013 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,981.97 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Ch. d' Armailhac |
2017 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$393.97 |
4 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Ausone |
2016 |
St. Emilion (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,805.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2018): The 2016 Ausone is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's quite closed at first glance, slowly unfurling to reveal the most incredible perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, warm black plums, Black Forest cake and roasted nuts with suggestions of charcuterie, wood smoke and cedar chest. The medium to full-bodied palate offers a quiet intensity of flavors that grow in the mouth to unveil layer after layer of black and red berries intertwined with beautiful savory notions framed by firm yet velvety tannins, finishing with epic length and amazing energy. It practically tingles on the palate!
JD 98 (2/2019): The 2016 Château Ausone is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and isn’t far off the thrilling 2015, although it shows a more seamless, elegant character. Loads of spice, crushed violets, floral notes and subtle oak give way to a full-bodied beauty that has thrilling cassis and black raspberry fruits, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. This thrilling Ausone needs 4-6 years of bottle age but will keep for 30 years or more.
VM 97+ (8/2020): The 2016 Ausone initially left me nonplussed, and so I left my glass for 10 or 15 minutes before returning to a different wine. The nose had opened up to reveal red cherries, wild strawberry, rose petals and touches of crushed stone and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and perfectly matched acidity. This is very refined and fleshy, almost Burgundian toward the finish, with just the right amount of bitterness. A brilliant wine, but it needs time. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JS 98 (1/2019): Very exotic and fascinating with dark-berry, floral and violet aromas that follow though to a full body that is tight and polished with ultra-fine and driven tannins. They really are amazing. A wine with such strength and finesse at the same time. Confident and real Ausone. A blend of 50 per cent merlot and 50 per cent cabernet franc. Better after 2025. |
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|
2020 |
St. Emilion (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,534.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Batailley |
2008 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$832.98 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 90 (5/2011): Wood spice, earth, black currant and sweet cherry characteristics are found in this elegant, medium to full-bodied, surprisingly rich, well-textured effort. From the bottle, it confirms the high quality I noted two years ago from barrel. More forward than usual for Batailley, it is a dark plum-hued wine that requires 2-4 years of bottle age, but should easily last 15+ years. |
|
| Ch. Beau-Sejour Becot |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$433.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): Displaying a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot prances out of the glass with showy scents of preserved plums, chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries and raspberry preserves, plus suggestions of rose oil, ground cloves and licorice. The elegantly crafted, medium-bodied palate shimmers with energy, offering a fantastic intensity of crunchy red and black fruits, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed. Simply stunning.
VM 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot was picked 8 September until 30 September, but mostly between 8-12 September, around 70% of the production. It is one of the highest percentages of Merlot in recent years partly due to restructuring of the vineyard and also higher yields (47-48hl/ha) compared to the Cabernets. With no SO2 used during fermentation and matured in 55% new oak (20hl Stockinger and Taransaud foudres and regular barriques) it is tightly wound on the nose, so I afforded the sample an hour to really open. It offers predominantly red berry fruit, wild mint and traces of dried honey, more floral scents emerging, violet and iris flower blossoming with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, very well judged acidity, a very graceful and unpretentious Saint-emilion, harmonious with a touch of white pepper enhancing the precise finish. This is a classically styled Beau-Sejour Becot that conveys a brooding intensity, so I would give it several years in the cellar. Neal Martin.
JD 94-96 (5/2021): The vivid purple-hued 2020 Château Beau-Sejour Becot is another ethereal, incredibly perfumed, mineral-laced Saint-Emilion, which is common from wines from the upper, limestone plateau. Gorgeous cassis and black cherry fruits as well as floral notes, violets, and chalky minerality all define the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, has wonderfulness and purity, and reveals a liqueur of rocks-like minerality on the finish. It’s another thrillingly complete wine from this team that shines for its purity, elegance, and complexity.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): This has a fantastic finish with crushed blackberries and raspberries and salt undertones. It’s full-bodied, yet really racy and polished with such fine, intense tannins. Love the length to this. Very distinguished and toned. Excellent energy. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon. |
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| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2011 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,594.99 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 92 (4/2014): This tiny jewel of a property, situated close to La Mission-Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion, has turned out one of the stars of the 2011 vintage. A deep dark ruby/purple color is followed by hints of graphite, charcoal, creme de cassis and Christmas fruitcake. This medium-bodied Pessac-Leognan is gorgeously concentrated with impeccably well-integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and oak. An authoritatively long finish adds to the class and nobility of this wine. Drink it over the next 15 years.
JS 92 (2/2014): An Outstanding wine from the 2011 vintage, with blueberry and chocolate character. It’s full-bodied, with velvety tannins and an intense finish. Shows powerful structure. Extremely well done from here for the vintage; shows the hand of the new owner. Better in 2016.
VM 89+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Smoky, spice-accented aromas of candied dark cherry and redcurrant, with vanilla and violet nuances emerging with air. Enters velvety and open-knit, with appealing sweetness to its spicy red fruit, cola and floral flavors, but turns more austere on the back end. Finishes long, with repeating floral notes and assertive but noble tannins. |
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| Ch. Cheval-Blanc |
2005 |
St. Emilion (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$13,601.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): The 2005 from Cheval Blanc is a quintessentially elegant, beautiful, deep bluish/ruby-colored wine from St.-Emilion, with raspberry, blueberry, and floral notes, impressive density, great precision, freshness and purity. Full-bodied, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot.
VM 100 (11/2015): The 2005 Cheval Blanc is another wine that is utterly mesmerizing from the moment it is opened. Exquisite in its aromatics, the 2005 Cheval is sublime on the palate, where the interplay of Merlot and Cabernet Franc proves to be captivating. In a night of truly spellbinding wines, the Cheval makes a deep impression because of its overall finesse and nuance. Along with the Margaux and Haut-Brion, the Cheval speaks to total refinement and polish. The Cheval is of course not one of the bigger, more imposing wines of the night, but it is among the most complete, which makes it the perfect wine to close out an incredible night. When we first opened the 2005, I thought it might very well be the wine of the night. A few hours later, it was every bit as impressive. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (11/2015): Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to leave it alone until 2020 but so hard not to revel in its splendor now. |
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|
2021 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,470.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95-97 (5/2022): The 2021 Cheval Blanc was picked between September 22 and October 14, and for the first time in many years there is a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc. This has a lovely bouquet, very clean and precise, featuring black cherry, wild mint, sous-bois and orange sorbet, all vivacious and very focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, quite structured and very linear and strict. A bit like Ausone, this is an uncompromising Cheval Blanc, very saline and marine-influenced. While not as flattering as the 2020, it will appeal more to those who prefer a cerebral Cheval Blanc. One of the stars of the Right Bank in this challenging growing season. Neal Martin.
WA 95-97 (4/2022): A terrific achievement, the 2021 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of raspberries and cherries mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, vine smoke, rose petals and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with an elegantly muscular chassis of ripe, powdery tannin and lively animating acids. Long and penetrating, this is a serious, rather structured young Cheval Blanc that will require and reward patience. |
|
| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2016 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,444.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Cos d’Estournel was a bona fide showstopper out of barrel, the best that I had encountered in over 20 years of visiting the estate during en primeur, so my expectations were piled high when I returned to find out how it performs in bottle. Deep, almost opaque in color, it sports a very intense but broody bouquet with fathomless deep black fruit tinged with blueberry and violet. The aromas almost seem to envelop the senses. The palate is medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannin that I have never witnessed in any other vintage of Cos d’Estournel. There is a beguiling symmetry to this Saint-Estèphe, as well as unerring mineralite. The persistent, tobacco-tinged finish can be felt 60 second after the wine has departed. This is a monumental, benchmark Cos d’Estournel that will give not years but decades of pleasure, though I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth, hence my drinking window. 13.07% alcohol. Neal Martin.
WA 100 (11/2018): The 2016 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged in 65% new and 35% two-year-old French oak for 15 months. Bottled in July 2018, it is deep garnet-purple colored and starts off a little closed and reticent, opening out slowly and seductively to reveal beautiful lilacs, rose hip tea, crushed stones and camphor nuances over a core of crème de cassis, kirsch, wild blueberries and mocha plus wafts of incense and wood smoke. The palate is simply electric, charged with an energy and depth of flavors that seem to defy the elegance and ethereal nature of its medium-bodied weight, featuring super ripe, densely pixelated tannins that firmly frame the myriad of fruit and floral sparks, finishing with epic length. Just. Magic.
JD 99 (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Cos d'Estournel checks in as 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc that saw 70% new French oak. One of the more seamless, pure, elegant versions of this cuvee out there, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a monster nose of pure crème de cassis, gravelly, rocky minerality, tobacco leaf, crushed violets, and lead pencil shavings. One of those “iron fists in a velvet glove” wines, with full-bodied richness and beautiful structure that’s covered by thrilling levels of fruit and texture, it stays tight, compact, and incredibly focused on the palate. It’s already brilliant given its purity of fruit and balance, but it deserves a decade of bottle age and will keep for 4-5 decades.
JS 100 (1/2019): This is muscular yet so well defined and toned. Full-bodied with deep and dense fruit on the palate, yet powerful and rich at the same time. So much sandalwood and blackberry character. Chewy and rich at the finish. This is a warm and generous wine, but the alcohol is just over 13 degrees. Not that high. Love the finish. Extravagant. Magical. Try from 2025. |
|
| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2010 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,407.97 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 96 (2/2013): Dense purple, with classic notes of cedar and lead pencil shavings as well as gobs of back currants and licorice, the wine has a full-bodied mouthfeel with fabulous precision and density. It also possesses a long, silky finish with moderately high tannins, but they are ripe and well-integrated. The wood is clearly pushed to the background in this dense, full-bodied Pauillac, which should drink beautifully for 30+ years.
JD 94+ (12/2017): Like a lot of 2010s, the 2010 Duhart-Milon-Rothschild is tight and backward, yet has serious potential. Sporting a deep ruby/purple color and classic notes of currants, lead pencil shavings, cedarwood and saddle leather, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a tight, firm focused texture and beautiful concentration. Its tannins are present, yet ripe and integrated, and it has the purity and freshness that’s the hallmark of this great, great vintage. Give bottles another 2-3 years and it should keep for two to three decades.
VM 93 (4/2020): The 2010 Duhart-Milon has a backward nose that is going through a dumb phase. There is plenty of fruit here but it is “locked down” at the moment. The palate is very well defined with crisp acidity, fine-boned tannins and superb balanced. It is not a deep or grippy Pauillac, but it feels...streamlined, athletic and wonderfully poised on the graphite infused finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Neal Martin.
JS 93 (2/2013): A wine with an intense sous bois, fresh tobacco and dried flower character on the nose and palate. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and an attractive finish. It's structured yet polished with a beauty and stature. Try in 2015. |
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2010 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$730.99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (2/2013): Dense purple, with classic notes of cedar and lead pencil shavings as well as gobs of back currants and licorice, the wine has a full-bodied mouthfeel with fabulous precision and density. It also possesses a long, silky finish with moderately high tannins, but they are ripe and well-integrated. The wood is clearly pushed to the background in this dense, full-bodied Pauillac, which should drink beautifully for 30+ years.
JD 94+ (12/2017): Like a lot of 2010s, the 2010 Duhart-Milon-Rothschild is tight and backward, yet has serious potential. Sporting a deep ruby/purple color and classic notes of currants, lead pencil shavings, cedarwood and saddle leather, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a tight, firm focused texture and beautiful concentration. Its tannins are present, yet ripe and integrated, and it has the purity and freshness that’s the hallmark of this great, great vintage. Give bottles another 2-3 years and it should keep for two to three decades.
VM 93 (4/2020): The 2010 Duhart-Milon has a backward nose that is going through a dumb phase. There is plenty of fruit here but it is “locked down” at the moment. The palate is very well defined with crisp acidity, fine-boned tannins and superb balanced. It is not a deep or grippy Pauillac, but it feels...streamlined, athletic and wonderfully poised on the graphite infused finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Neal Martin.
JS 93 (2/2013): A wine with an intense sous bois, fresh tobacco and dried flower character on the nose and palate. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and an attractive finish. It's structured yet polished with a beauty and stature. Try in 2015. |
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| Ch. La Fleur Petrus |
2017 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,244.99 |
2 |
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| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2009 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$9,306.98 |
1 |
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WA 100 (2/2012): What a blockbuster effort! Atypically powerful, one day, the 2009 Haut-Brion may be considered to be the 21st century version of the 1959. It is an extraordinarily complex, concentrated effort made from a blend of 46% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc with the highest alcohol ever achieved at this estate, 14.3%. Even richer than the perfect 1989, with similar technical numbers although slightly higher extract and alcohol, it offers up a sensational perfume of subtle burning embers, unsmoked cigar tobacco, charcoal, black raspberries, wet gravel, plums, figs and blueberries. There is so much going on in the aromatics that one almost hesitates to stop smelling it. However, when it hits the palate, it is hardly a letdown. This unctuously textured, full-bodied 2009 possesses low acidity along with stunning extract and remarkable clarity for a wine with a pH close to 4.0. The good news is that there are 10,500 cases of the 2009, one of the most compelling examples of Haut-Brion ever made. It requires a decade of cellaring and should last a half century or more. Readers who have loved the complexity of Haut-Brion should be prepared for a bigger, richer, more massive wine, but one that does not lose any of its prodigious aromatic attractions.
JS 100 (2/2012): Aromas of forest floor, currants and blueberries, with hints of fresh tobacco and sliced mushrooms. Turns to orange peel and blueberries. Full-bodied, with incredible structure. This is so powerful in tannins, yet so polished. This is the most structured Haut-Brion that I have ever tasted. This has 15% Cabernet Franc, which is more than normal and perhaps giving the wine a little more tannic structure. A monumental Haut-Brion made to age for centuries. I have never tasted a young Haut-Brion, with such spellbinding power and depth. A modern 1945 or 1961 HB? Better than the legendary 1989? Try in 2021.
VM 97+ (7/2012): Vivid deep ruby. Knockout fruity nose offers blackcurrant, strawberry, rosemary, truffle and a stony note. Then very closed in the middle, with cabernet sauvignon-dominated flavors of cassis, cigar box, cedar and minerals. Finishes long and deep, with massive but smooth tannins and a lingering note of violet. This will need plenty of time in the cellar but should be an Outstanding, memorable Haut Brion. Offhand, I do not recall a better pair of wines from any estate in 2009: millionaires will have a lot of fun trying to choose between La Mission and Haut Brion in 20 years' time. |
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2011 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,553.98 |
1 |
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JS 96 (1/2014): Lots of subtle redcurrant and berry character, with flowers and sweet tobacco on the nose. Full body, super-integrated tannins and a light shaved-chocolate, berry and cedar character. A decadence and beauty to this that wakes you up. Better in 2018.
WA 95 (4/2014): Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2011 Haut Brion has always been an excellent Pessac-Leognan, though recent encounters suggest it does not have the potential of the 2012. It has a gentle and caressing bouquet full of copious dark cherry and raspberry fruit, a touch of saddle leather and a seam of dark chocolate emanating from the oak regime, which needs more time to integrate (though it is not an Haut-Brion that is going to demand years and years in bottle). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and feels gentle in the mouth. It is very well balanced, although perhaps the oak comes through too strongly on the finish, when frankly there is no need. Nevertheless, this is a classic Pessac-Leognan - maybe "mild mannered" and a little conservative compared to more ambitious recent vintages, yet there is no doubting its class and pedigree.
VM 92 (7/2014): Deep ruby. Complex, soil-driven aromas of redcurrant, dark cherry and raspberry are complicated by exotic notes of Oriental spices and soy sauce. Rich, tactile and sweet, offering intense, elegant dark fruit and spice flavors lifted by a saline nuance. Finishes with sweet tannins and lingering saline and smoky notes. This is deeper and fleshier than the La Mission. Ian d'Agata. |
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2015 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,508.99 |
1 |
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| Ch. d' Issan |
2016 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$861.99 |
2 |
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JD 94+ (2/2019): I loved the 2016 Château d'Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It’s a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that’s very much in the style of the vintage.
VM 94 (1/2019): The 2016 d’Issan, matured in 50% new oak and bottled at the end of May, was impressive out of barrel, and thankfully, it is the same in bottle. The very well defined bouquet features blackberry, tobacco, pressed violets and a subtle estuarine tang, almost a marshland scent of salty air. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, good focused and just the right amount of salinity. My feeling is that this Margaux will close up for a while, so cellar it for several years if you can. Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
2021 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,702.99 |
1 |
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| Ch. Lafleur |
2018 |
Pomerol
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,179.99 |
3 |
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JD 100 (3/2021): The Grand Vin 2018 Château Lafleur from this magical terroir checks in as 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot that comes only from the more gravelly soils of the vineyard and spent 15 months in 25% new French oak. It's as good as any wine can get and has a layered, multi-dimensional style that marries power with elegance as only this estate can do. Offering notes of black raspberries, tobacco, truffly earth, spring flowers, and chocolate, it's full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, but nevertheless is as weightless as they come, offering this "je ne sais quoi" character that's hard to describe. It's more backward and reserved than the Pensees and is going to take a decade of bottle age to hit maturity, but it's a desert Island wine if there ever was one.
VM 100 (3/2021): The 2018 Lafleur is mesmerizing. What a wine! The aromatics alone are spellbinding. There is no need to actually taste the 2018 to know how profound it is. Silky and caressing, with phenomenal persistence, the 2018 is a total knock-out. Spice, cedar, blood orange, sage, mint, rose petal and kirsch all race out of the glass, saturating the palate with a dazzling concoction of aromas, textures and flavors. Readers lucky enough to find it should not hesitate. Antonio Galloni.
JS 100 (1/2021): So subtle and complex with blackberry, blueberry, fresh bark, fresh black truffles and light wet earth, as well as forest floor. Full-bodied, yet linear and so long with an amazingly polished and refined tannin structure and finesse that draws you deep and down in the palate. It opens incredibly in the glass. What a wine. Goes on for minutes. A real beauty. Something so true and ethereal here. Try after 2026.
WA 98+ (3/2021): The 2018 Lafleur is a blend of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose absolutely shuts down upon first pour. After a lot of air, it slowly unfurls to reveal alluring scents of fresh black cherries, ripe blackberries and redcurrant jelly, leading to suggestions of sandalwood, pencil shavings, lilacs and forest floor, with emerging, heady wafts of camphor, iron ore and Indian spices. The rich, full-bodied palate is equally slow to read, offering whispers and murmurs of earth and exotic spice-laced black fruits with glimpses at a fleeting floral undercurrent, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and beautifully knit freshness, finishing with an edifying perfume. This is liquid poetry, but I would touch it for 7-8 years, at least. Should you be around in 40 years' time, expect it to blow your mind. |
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2022 |
Pomerol
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,207.99 |
2 |
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WA 100 (3/2025): The 2022 Lafleur has turned out even better in bottle than I anticipated. Wafting from the glass with exotic aromas of mulberries, potpourri, iris, blood orange and incense, it's full-bodied, dense and layered, with a deep and multidimensional core of sweet, succulent fruit underpinned by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, expansive, rose-inflected finish. Élevage has brought a sense of harmony and classicism to the volume and richness that were already apparent en primeur, delivering a Lafleur for the ages.
JD 98+ (2/2025): The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lafleur checks in as 51% Bouschet (an older selection of Cabernet Franc) and 49% Merlot brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a ripe, incredibly powerful Lafleur that has a rare mix of voluptuousness as well as a dense, structured core. Red and black currants, iron, bloody meats, truffly earth, and violet notes are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel, tons of ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for a solid decade but will evolve for 30-40 years. (Drink between 2035-2075).
VM 98 (2/2025): The 2022 Lafleur was a deeply impressive Pomerol when tasted from barrel. As Baptiste Guinaudeau mentioned, the 2022 vintage was driven by energy and not dominated by the sun, which differentiates it from the 2019 or 2020. The 2022 possesses incredible purity on the nose, with layers of black fruit, graphite and just a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied and quite linear in style, with firm tannins, strong pencil box notes and a sharp and precise finish. It lingers temptingly in the mouth, yet at the same time you know this will need many years to reach its peak. Awesome. (Drink between 2032-2075). Neal Martin. |
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2023 |
Pomerol
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,031.99 |
1 |
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| Ch. Latour |
2011 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,084.98 |
1 |
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JA 97 (2/2021): A delicious wine that stands out from many in the vintage. A ton of personality, with a sappy, raspberry, autumnal berry fruit as it opens and travels through the palate, with rose petals on the edge that give a beautiful uplift along with the classic trace of mint. Its tannins are a little more angular than you find in the 2010 and 2009, but it is starting to lengthen and open, although this was a vintage that was not immediately impressive in the way that the previous two had been. A stately Latour, one that needs another few years to really show its place. The last Latour to be sold en primeur in the old system. 34% of overall production. Harvest September 12 to 26.
JS 95 (1/2014): The nose is complex, featuring smoke, meat and hints of wood, with currants, olives and berries underneath. Full body with super-velvety tannins. The strong acidity gives the wine an edginess. Love the spicy, subtly fruity finish. Steely. Try in 2020.
VM 95 (4/2022): The 2011 Latour is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, bilberry, cedar, hoisin and a touch of mint. There is impressive intensity here, regal and convincing. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. There is a solid backbone to this wine, plenty of freshness, quite powerful towards the finish with superb persistence. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. Neal Martin.
WA 93-95 (4/2012): A blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Latour represents only 34% of the crop. It hit 13.1% natural alcohol. One of the vintage's most compelling wines, it possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, open-knit personality with ripe tannin, superb intensity, good purity and harmony, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and lots of crushed rock, floral and black as well as blue fruit notes in addition to hints of ink and forest floor. This beautifully rich, savory Latour will be surprisingly drinkable in 4-5 years, and should age easily for two decades or more. |
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| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
1996 |
St. Julien (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,137.97 |
2 |
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WA 98 (10/2016): The 1996 Leoville-Las Cases is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc picked between 25 September and 10 October (for fascinating insight, read Robert Parker's remarks about the blend with Michel Delon in the original tasting note). Now at 20 years, it has evolved into an absolutely stunning Saint Julien, clearly one of the best wines from the estate this decade. The bouquet is beautifully defined with intense black cherries, cedar, mint and a touch of oyster shell that seems to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is seamless from start to finish, extraordinarily pure, the 70% new oak totally assimilated of course, impressive weight and power allied with genuine finesse and tension towards the silky smooth finish. It stands as one of the best wines of the vintage without one iota of doubt and it will last 30-40 years without problem. You might call it "proper Claret." You might call it "delicious."
VM 96+ (7/2002): Saturated bright, dark ruby. Perfumed, vibrant, very youthful aromas of cassis, violet and bitter chocolate. Dense and powerful, with great clarity of flavor thanks to a terrific spine of acidity. Almost painfully structured wine but not at all hard. Finishes very long and gripping, with a note of bitter chocolate. Drink 2012 through 2040. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Margaux |
2003 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,828.99 |
1 |
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WA 93 (3/2017): Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2003 Margaux is fully mature on the nose. There is ample fruit here, well defined for the vintage with blackberry and cedar, this bottle demonstrating a subtle fungal character that I have not discerned in previous bottles. There are faint scents of rust iron piping that develop with further aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly dry tannin, offering more fruit than the 2003 Valandraud it was paired with: feisty black pepper and allspice finish with a decent aftertaste. There might be better bottles than this, even so, there is probably not another Margaux that touches this First Growth. I see no harm in broaching bottles now and over the next ten years. Tasted December 2016.
VM 93 (9/2007): (70% monastrell and 30% cabernet sauvignon) Ruby-red. Sharply focused raspberry, cassis and floral aromas are complicated by zesty minerals and a suave cocoa quality. Sweet red berry and cherry flavors are strikingly pure and deep, with fine-grained tannins adding shape and firmness. The mineral character repeats on the impressively long, juicy finish. There are plenty of $100 wines that can't match this.
JS 97 (3/2011): A wine with spices, meat, and very ripe fruit on the nose, with hints of dried flowers. Full bodied, and deeply layered, with loads of fruit and spices. Long and decadent, very complex. |
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2009 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,435.98 |
3 |
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JS 99 (3/2019): This marathon runner is currently in the no-man's land between youthful vitality and mellow maturity. There's a very serious tannin structure here, but it needs a lot longer to fully resolve. Very tight and closed. A perfect wine usually. But not today. Try in 2020.
WA 99 (2/2012): A brilliant offering from the Mentzelopoulos family, once again their gifted manager, Paul Pontallier, has produced an uncommonly concentrated, powerful 2009 Chateau Margaux made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As with most Medocs, the alcohol here is actually lower (a modest 13.3%) than most of its siblings-. Abundant blueberry, cassis and acacia flower as well as hints of charcoal and forest floor aromas that are almost Burgundian in their complexity are followed by a wine displaying sweet, well-integrated tannins as well as a certain ethereal lightness despite the wine's overall size. Rich, round, generous and unusually approachable for such a young Margaux, this 2009 should drink well for 30-35+ years.
VM 97 (3/2019): The 2009 Château Margaux is blessed with a stunning nose that delivers intense blackberry and cranberry scents, crushed rose petals and touches of slate. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, taut and quite linear with an effortless and precise finish that is a pure joy. You have the sense of a Château Margaux that is only beginning to show what it can do. Brilliant. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting. Neal Martin. |
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2010 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$8,692.98 |
1 |
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JS 100 (2/2013): This was phenomenal from barrel and remains so. The aromas are spellbinding. It smells like a bouquet of pink roses and then goes to currants, berries and citrus. Full body, with wonderfully refined tannins. It starts discretely and then grows to different levels and dimensions like a slow but big high tide. The texture is so beautiful. Try it in 2020 or beyond.
WA 99 (2/2013): The 2010 is a brilliant Chateau Margaux, as one might expect in this vintage. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend hit 90%, the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and only 38% of the crop made it into the Chateau Margaux. Paul Pontallier, the administrator, told me that this wine has even higher levels of tannin than some other extraordinary vintages such as 2005, 2000, 1996, etc. Deep purple, pure and intense, with floral notes, tremendous opulence and palate presence, this is a wine of considerable nobility. With loads of blueberry, black currant and violet-infused fruit and a heady alcohol level above 13.5% (although that looks modest compared to several other first growths, particularly Chateau Latour and Chateau Haut-Brion), its beautifully sweet texture, ripe tannin, abundant depth and profound finish all make for another near-perfect wine that should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
VM 95+ (8/2013): Saturated ruby-red. Deep aromas of blackberry, licorice and bitter chocolate, complicated by nuances of loam and coffee extract. Dense, thick and sweet, but with harmonious acidity giving shape and lift to the pungent cassis, spice and tobacco flavors. Youthfully chewy wine with terrific underlying structure and a very long, sappy finish featuring broad tannins and a hint of licorice. This has improved considerably since the Primeurs, but I still think the 2009 Margaux is the superior wine. |
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| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2019 |
Pessac Leognan (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$749.97 |
1 |
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| JS 99-100 (6/2020): A tight and structured La Mission that takes you deep into the glass with super intensity and power. The tannins are omnipresent and envelop the palate. It’s full-bodied yet agile and complete. Iodine, sweet-tobacco and blackberry character. It seems never to finish. Another WOW wine that reminds me of some of the great classics of this estate, such as the 1955. |
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| Ch. Montrose |
2015 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,010.99 |
1 |
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JD 95 (11/2017): Another wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Montrose is a certainly the wine of Saint-Estèphe in 2015. Notes of cassis, damp earth, violets, and graphite/lead pencil notes all flow to a beautifully pure, elegant and multi-dimensional 2015 that has fine, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great finish. The 2015 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, all of which was brought up in 65% new oak. This isn’t a blockbuster yet is pure class all the way. It will be better in 4-5 years and keep for 2-3 decades.
WA 95 (2/2018): The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Montrose opens with broody black fruits, menthol and anise notes with a core of cassis, blueberries and mulberries plus a touch of cedar chest. The medium-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with a good core of muscular fruit and a long, earthy finish.
VM 95 (7/2019): The 2015 Montrose has a very intense bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis, iodine and violet scents that blossom in the glass, demonstrating more exuberance than (what transpired to be) the 2015 Meyney. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very well judged acidity, taut and linear with satisfying freshness and poise on the finish. Maybe this just has the edge over the Meyney. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin.
JS 98 (1/2018): Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024. |
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| Ch. Palmer |
1989 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,618.98 |
1 |
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WA 95 (2/1997): Palmer's 1989 is one of the vintage's great successes. The wine exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, a sweet, jammy nose of black fruits, intermingled with floral scents, licorice, and a touch of truffles. Full-bodied and supple, with low acidity, copious quantities of ripe fruit and glycerin, and a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, harmonious, seamless texture, this is a gorgeous Palmer. It may turn out similar to this estate's brilliant 1962 and 1953. Although approachable, it will improve for another decade, and last for 20-25 years.
MB [****[*]] (10/1999): At its best. Many notes from glorious, generously endowed in cask to the Grand Awards 'Super-seconds' tasting in New York. Now maturing; rich, ripe (52% Merlot in '89), open, biscuity; sweet, delicious fruit and flavour. Still tannic. Drink now-2015.
JS 91 (1/2011): I find this a little austere with mineral, tar, and currant character. It’s a little subdued. Full and silky on the palate, it’s firm and bright, even tight. Served from imperial bottle. |
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| Alter Ego de Palmer |
2017 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$637.99 |
1 |
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| VM 92 (3/2020): The 2017 Alter Ego is pliant, textured and supple. Expressive floral notes add inner perfume and freshness to a core of dark red berry fruit, mocha, new leather, spice and menthol. A wine of striking textural richness, Alter Ago also remains light on its feet and wonderfully nuanced. The 13% alcohol, low by present-day standards, adds to a feeling of freshness. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Ch. Pavie |
2009 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,913.99 |
2 |
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JD 100 (3/2019): Similar in style to the blockbuster 2005, the 2009 Pavie is another magical, legendary wine from the Perse family that tops out on my scale. Made from 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 80% new French oak, its saturated purple color is followed by a massive bouquet of blackcurrants, scorched earth, chocolate, graphite, and lead pencil, with an incredible sense of minerality. Deep, full-bodied, and remarkably concentrated and intense, it still stays perfectly balanced and weightless, with building yet sweet tannins. It’s still a baby yet is a magical drink today given its opulence, purity and balance. Drink this magical wine any time over the coming 50-60 years.
WA 100 (8/2015): While the Perses may think the 2005 is the summit of winemaking at Pavie, this vintage certainly gives serious competition to both the 2005 and 2000. It is certainly the most opulent and luxuriously rich wine Pavie has ever made (and that is saying something). Pavie’s style of low yields, ripe fruit and serious extraction does produce, even in lighter vintages, a very concentrated and dense wine, but in the great years, the results are legendary. This wine has an inky purple color and a stunningly sweet, ripe nose of mulberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, licorice and incense. The oak still has some presence in the aromatics, as well as in the full-bodied, very concentrated, skyscraper-like mouthfeel and texture. This wine feels almost as if you could lose your palate in it, it is so dense and deep, yet at the same time it possesses silky tannins and rather remarkable purity, balance, and a good 60-second-plus finish. This is an amazing wine and probably will be drinkable in 5-10 years (although actually it could be drunk now because of the vintage’s voluptuous texture), and again, seems to have 50 or more years of longevity. It is clearly a modern Bordeaux legend.
JS 98 (4/2012): This is a powerful wine with mineral and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with firm tannins yet they are very polished and beautiful. It goes on for minutes. It is so layered and deep. It needs at least 10 years before opening. It is a dense and deep wine.
VM 96 (3/2019): The 2009 Pavie has a gorgeous bouquet, very pure and refined with seamlessly integrated oak and wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, perfectly judged acidity. Fine grip with compelling tension on the finish. This shimmers with energy. Easily, this is the best bottle that I have encountered over the years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
2014 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$908.99 |
1 |
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VM 97 (10/2017): One of the highlights in a dark horse vintage for Bordeaux, the 2014 Pichon Lalande is absolutely exquisite. Aromatic and silky on the palate, with bright, finely sculpted fruit and mid-weight structure, the 2014 is a picture-perfect example of the best 2014 has to offer. I have always adored the 2014 Pichon Lalande. This tasting only serves to reinforce that feeling. Ideal conditions in September extended the harvest and yielded perfumed, silky wines. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (11/2017): Showing the hallmark elegance and seductiveness of this terrific estate, the 2014 Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is deeply colored (especially in the vintage) and delivers a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, ripe plums, graphite, cedar pencil, roasted coffee, and tons of building minerality and liquid rock-like nuances. Incredibly pure, textured, full-bodied, and with a seamless integration of its fruit, tannin, and acidity, it’s already approachable but will keep for two to three decades.
WA 93 (3/2017): The 2014 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has an expressive bouquet with lively blackberry, cedar, flint and graphite aromas that are not powerful, yet display admirable precision. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, the Merlot content lending this Pauillac its trademark fleshiness and roundness, yet there is clearly structure here (not always a trait of this Pauillac growth). It will develop more complexity and personality with bottle age, but at the moment you can sit back and just admire the cohesion and superb length. Winemaker Nicolas Glumineau has overseen a quite wonderful Pichon-Lalande, one with inbuilt longevity.
JS 92 (2/2017): Aromas of cassis bush and shaved chocolate with berries. Full body, velvety-textured tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tangy undertones with fresh acidity. Drink in 2020. |
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| Ch. Pontet Canet |
2010 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,884.97 |
2 |
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WA 100 (2/2013): An absolutely amazing wine, from grapes harvested between the end of September and October 17, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has close to 15% natural alcohol. It comes from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux, but you are likely to see many more, given the success that Tesseron seems to be having at all levels, both in his vineyards and in his fermentation/winemaking. An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more often associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes. The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing or astringent. The freshness, laser-like precision, and full-bodied, massive richness and extract are simply remarkable to behold and experience. It is very easy, to become jaded tasting such great wines from a great vintage, but it is really a privilege to taste something as amazing as this. Unfortunately, it needs a good decade of cellaring, and that's assuming it doesn't close down over the next few years. This is a 50- to 75-year wine from one of the half-dozen or so most compulsive and obsessive proprietors in all of Bordeaux. Is there anything that proprietor Alfred Tesseron is not doing right? Talk about an estate that is on top of its game! Pontet-Canet's 2010 is a more structured, tannic and restrained version of their most recent perfect wine, the 2009. Kudos to Pontet-Canet!
JS 100 (2/2013): The aromas to this are incredible with blueberry, minerals, dried flowers, and stones. It goes to dried meat and spices. Full body and incredibly integrated with blackberry, licorice, and minerals. There's a wonderful purity to this. It goes on for minutes. The quality of tannins is amazing. Seamless. There's an amazing transparency that shows you all the elements of the wine's unique terroir. Try after 2018.
JD 98+ (10/2018): The 2010 Pontet-Canet lags behind the 2009, but these two vintages can be hard to compare due the drastically different styles. Where the 2009 is broad, expansive, and showy, the 2010 starts our more reserved and classic in style, with beautiful notes of cassis, cedarwood, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and damp earth all developing with air. Deep, beautifully concentrated, full-bodied, and powerful, it’s built for the long haul and needs 5-7 years of bottle age, but I suspect will see its 50th birthday in still fine drinking form.
VM 95+ (8/2013): Bright ruby-red. Superripe, soil-driven aromas of currant, plum, cherry pie, mocha and minerals; almost liqueur-like in its ripeness, in a 1947 way. Then huge, sweet and plush, with great volume and depth to its flavors of cassis, flowers, minerals, game and olive. Finishes with big, ripe, horizontal tannins and great mounting length. This remarkably thick wine is actually a bit youthfully stunted today and should really be cellared for ten years. It should go on for three or four decades in a cool cellar. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Rauzan-Segla |
2018 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$621.98 |
5 |
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JD 99 (3/2021): Reminding me of the 2016, the 2018 Château Rauzan-Segla reveals this beautifully fresh, complex bouquet that still has serious richness and depth. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, raised in 65% new barrels, it offers a dense purple hue to go with gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, spring flowers, cigar wrapper, and sandalwood. A quintessential Margaux with its spicy, complex, floral character, it's full-bodied and has a supple, elegant texture, no hard edges, a solid spine of acidity, and a great, great finish. This is a brilliant, heavenly 2018 to enjoy over the coming 30 years or more.
WA 98+ (3/2021): The 2018 Rauzan-Ségla is composed of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The wine has 14% alcohol, and it was aged for around 18 months in barriques, 65% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes galloping out of the glass with powerful, energetic scents of crushed black cherries, blackcurrant cordial and mulberries, plus suggestions of violets, star anise, chocolate mint and crushed rocks with a touch of tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruit layers, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with fantastic length and loads of earthy sparks. This is a thoroughbred Margaux, for sure, possessing amazing power in a very sleek, sophisticated package. Give it 5-7 years in bottle to unlock all those earth, floral and mineral nuances and drink it over the next 40 years or more. An incredible achievement that adeptly sidesteps the potentially overwhelming stamps of this extreme vintage. Bravo to Technical Director Nicolas Audebert and the team at Rauzan-Ségla!
VM 97+ (3/2021): The 2018 Rauzan-Ségla is fabulous. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 offers tremendous depth and soaring intensity. Super-ripe red cherry, cedar, tobacco, mint and spice all build over time, framed by incomparably silky, polished tannins. Today, the 2018 is dense and packed. I expect it will develop into a stunning Margaux in another 10-15 years or so. Actually, it already is. Antonio Galloni.
JA 97 (11/2020): I very much enjoyed this en primeur and I am happy to see it living up to billing. There is real nuance here, with a ton of great fruit - layers of cassis, bilberry, charcoal and saffron spice. This really stands out for me as having balance, complexity and the potential to grow. These were tasted blind and I genuinely have to say congratulations to Nicolas Audebert and his team for calling it right in a year in which handling oak over ageing has proved difficult in many cases. 3.8pH. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. |
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| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2012 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,239.97 |
1 |
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JD 97 (3/2024): The 2012 Vieux Château Certan is absolutely brilliant, but it shows a more Cabernet Franc-dominated style in its pure cassis, spring flower, graphite, green tobacco, and lead pencil-like aromas and flavors. These carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium to full-bodied, with a focused, pure, precise mouthfeel carrying ultra-fine tannins, remarkable purity, and a rare mix of freshness, elegance, and persistence. Where current vintages are more about incredible opulence without any sensation of weight, this is more about fineness, purity, and precision. It’s a sensational Pomerol that is just now in its early prime drinking window and has another two decades of longevity. (Drink between 2024-2044)
JA 96 (10/2023): Tasted at the Duquesne club in Pittsburgh during a wonderful event to celebrate their 150th anniversary. Still young at 13 years old, but the tannins are beginning to melt into the raspberry and redcurrant fruits, and the violet aromatics that you can spend years searching for in Pomerol uncurl out of the glass with barely a coaxing. Fine but plentiful tannins suggest this has decades ahead of it. Particularly special because George Thienpont bought the estate in 1924, meaning that next year in 2024 they are celebrating their 100th anniversary in the family. 50% new oak.
WA 95 (1/2016): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux tasting. The 2012 Vieux Château Certan has a potent, smoke, cooked meat, Cabernet Franc-scented bouquet that is beautifully defined—quintessentially Pomerol. You want typicité? Come right here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite gentle as it sashays across the mouth. The acidity is very well judged and leads to an elegant tobacco tinged finish. Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont have produced one of the finest wines of the Right Bank in 2012, one that is up there with the greats. |
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| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. Climens |
2009 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$502.99 |
1 |
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| 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. |
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| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. Arnoux-Lachaux |
2019 |
Vosne Romanee (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,982.99 |
1 |
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| Dom. Philippe Charlopin |
2009 |
Bourgogne Rouge Franc de Pied |
$125 |
3 |
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BH 89-91 (1/2011): A perfumed and highly complex nose of very ripe earth-infused red berry fruit aromas complements the dense, mouth coating and palate staining flavors that possess outstanding length. It's rare to find a Bourgogne at this quality level, expensive or not. (Drink starting 2019).
VM 87-89 (5/2011): The 2009 Bourgogne Franc de Pied is made from vineyards in Marsannay vinified with 30% whole clusters. It comes across as taut, focused and lean, with limited expressiveness in its fruit. Then again, Charlopin poured this after the Chambertin, which may not have been fair to the wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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2010 |
Bourgogne Rouge Franc de Pied |
$125 |
2 |
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| BH 87-89 (6/2012): Strong reduction renders the nose unreadable though I very much like the detail and energy of the attractively rich, complex and serious flavors that deliver impressive length for a wine at this level. Note that this is built to age and will need it and there are not many examples from this appellation that need up to a decade of cellar time to reach their apogees. (Drink starting 2018). |
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2010 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru |
$450 |
2 |
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BH 91-93 (6/2012): A spicy, cool and ripe nose of wild raspberries, plum and red berry fruit liqueur aromas leads to highly energetic, detailed and refined medium-bodied flavors that possess fine depth and length on the mouth coating finish. This is quite good if not genuinely sensational. (Drink starting 2022).
VM 91-93 (2/2012): The 2010 Echézeaux (from Combe d'Orveaux) is simply impeccable. Crushed flowers, spices and sweet red cherries are all woven together effortlessly in this sensual wine. The 2010 is all about finesse and elegance. Slight elements of fragility come through on the finish, but the vulnerable side of the wine is equally compelling. I look forward to tasting this once it is in bottle. There is an element of mystery and intrigue in the glass that in many ways sums up so much of what Burgundy is all about. (Drink between 2018-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Dom. Bruno Clair |
1995 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru |
$325 |
1 |
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VM 93+ (3/1998): Red-ruby color. Deep aromas of blackberry, white pepper, menthol and spicy oak. The sweetest of these '96s but kept under wraps by its firm, minerally structure. Juicy and very intensely flavored; pungent and urgent yet reined in. Finishes with great thrust and explosive fruit. Really stains the palate. Tannins are firm but even. Stephen Tanzer.
BH 90 (8/1997): This is an extremely dense wine from the initial wonderfully complex yet quite reserved nose to the firmly tannic yet balanced, impressively concentrated flavors of excellent length. At present, the wine is backward to the point of revealing very little but there is clearly great potential here but it's also a wine for the very patient as this is no "charm school" Burgundy. |
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| Dom. Confuron-Cotetidot |
2018 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,160.99 |
1 |
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| Dom. Coquard Loison-Fleurot |
2023 |
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,388.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2014 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,193.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Griotte Chambertin Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,063.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Drouhin-Laroze |
2013 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,480.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Claude Dugat |
2022 |
Bourgogne Rouge (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$708.98 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,800.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Dujac |
2006 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru |
$600 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 90+ (3/2009): Bright, dark red. Black cherry, smoked meat, mocha and underbrush on the soil-inflected nose. Lush, broad and sweet, with noteworthy complexity of flavor. A substantial wine that finishes with serious tannins. Needs at least five to seven years of patience.
WA 91 (12/2009): The tender, ripe cherry fruit; marrowy, clean meatiness; and subtle creaminess of its immediate palate impact mark the Dujac 2006 Charmes-Chambertin as a contrast with the corresponding Combettes. Vanilla and licorice add allure. This lives up to its name until a point where some faintly drying tannin creeps into its finish. That said, it should prove memorably perfumed and delicious in the proper contexts over the next 4-5 years.
BH 90-93 (1/2008): (from both Charmes proper and Mazoyères). This is shut down tight with thick reduction blocking any reasonable evaluation of the nose though the relatively big and weighty flavors are concentrated, serious and solidly structured. This seems quite promising as the underlying material is impressive but note that this will not be a precocious example of Charmes. Drink 2016+. |
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|
2006 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru Scuffed Label |
$600 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 90+ (3/2009): Bright, dark red. Black cherry, smoked meat, mocha and underbrush on the soil-inflected nose. Lush, broad and sweet, with noteworthy complexity of flavor. A substantial wine that finishes with serious tannins. Needs at least five to seven years of patience.
WA 91 (12/2009): The tender, ripe cherry fruit; marrowy, clean meatiness; and subtle creaminess of its immediate palate impact mark the Dujac 2006 Charmes-Chambertin as a contrast with the corresponding Combettes. Vanilla and licorice add allure. This lives up to its name until a point where some faintly drying tannin creeps into its finish. That said, it should prove memorably perfumed and delicious in the proper contexts over the next 4-5 years.
BH 90-93 (1/2008): (from both Charmes proper and Mazoyères). This is shut down tight with thick reduction blocking any reasonable evaluation of the nose though the relatively big and weighty flavors are concentrated, serious and solidly structured. This seems quite promising as the underlying material is impressive but note that this will not be a precocious example of Charmes. Drink 2016+. |
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|
2006 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Gruenchers |
$525 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 90-93 (1/2008): (from 50+ year old vines.) A very Chambolle nose of high-toned raspberry and cherry aromas complements well the sweet, round and seductively textured flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration and Outstanding depth on the punchy and palate staining finish. There is ample dry extract here and this should age very well as it's both balanced and blessed with impressive raw materials. Drink 2014+. Outstanding! |
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2007 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts |
$600 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 90 (1/2010): A subtly spiced and exuberantly fruity red berry suffused nose displays notes of soy, anise and clove that slide gracefully into fresh, balanced, minerally and precise barely middle weight flavors that are utterly delicious and solidly complex but despite all the elegance and purity of expression, it comes across as just a bit light with touches of herbal and austerity on the finish. This is a wine of discretion and would be easy to overlook blind. Drink 2015+.
VM 89-91 (4/2009): Medium red with a pale rim. Dark berries, violet and minerals on the nose and in the mouth. Nicely creamy in the middle, with a silky texture, but quite understated today. This rather reserved wine finishes with tangy red berries and a spicy, peppery tang. Vinified mostly with whole clusters. I suspect this is better than it's showing today. |
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|
2016 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,068.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,991.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Morey St. Denis (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,178.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,111.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Clos St. Denis Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,383.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Faiveley |
2017 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,892.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Forey Pere et Fils |
1999 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts |
$275 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 87 (3/2018): (made entirely from destemmed fruit): Fresh, dark red. Aromas of redcurrant, cedar, mocha and spices come across as distinctly Bordeaux-like and suggest strong extraction. Rich and chewy but muscular and dry, showing limited appeal and vineyard character. More tannic than Forey's wines today, and with a more rustic oak element that robs the wine of any sweetness it may once have possessed. Forey, who is always remarkably forthcoming about how he might have approached a given vintage differently with the benefit of hindsight, told me he was doing much more extraction in 1999. This was his first year in his new cellar, in which it was so much easier to work that he worked too much, doing three punchdowns per day during the fermentation. This wine will likely endure in bottle for a good while but is unlikely to soften or gain in sweetness. (I recall that I found it to be quite severe when I tasted it shortly after the bottling.) (Drink between 2018-2026). Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2002 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (1/2005): Very fresh and bright spicy black pinot fruit aromas introduce linear, tight and very backward at present with subtle spice notes and an angular, muscular, somewhat robust flavor profile. There is really lovely complexity and a long floral finish of impressive elegance. I like this. (Drink starting 2010). |
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2009 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts |
$245 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (5/2011): The 2009 Vosne-Romanée Petits Monts is soft and sumptuous in this vintage. Most of the wine's appeal is immediate, as the intensity drops off markedly on the mid-palate and finish. This is quite a bit less interesting and complex than the best 2009s here. (Drink between 2017-2027). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Dom. Jean Grivot |
2019 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,535.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95-97 (12/2020): The 2019 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru has, as I anticipated given the Premier Cru in question, the most generous and opulent bouquet among Grivot’s range, featuring precocious, vivacious red cherries, blueberry, violet and orange sorbet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. A voluminous and extravagant Les Suchots delivering layers of sorbet-fresh black fruit on the persistent finish. There is a thrilling crescendo, a bravura about this Les Suchots. Neal Martin.
BH 92-95 (1/2021): A wide-ranging nose freely exhibits its array of soy, hoisin, star anise, sandalwood and blue pinot fruit aromas. The lavishly rich but focused full-bodied flavors possess excellent mid-palate concentration while displaying excellent power on the mouth coating, sappy and compact finish where the supporting tannins are firm to the point of inducing austerity while making it clear that this too is built for long-term aging. Most impressive. |
|
| Dom. Robert Groffier |
2013 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,315.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 92+ (3/2016): (50% new oak, 50% vendange entier): Bright, dark red. Captivating perfume of black raspberry, rose petal and orange zest, plus a wild leathery quality. Quite plush and thick, conveying a noble rusticity to the blackberry and violet flavors. At once powerful and suave, with a fine-grained texture given cut and shape by excellent acidity. Finishes brisk and long, with late hints of fresh blood and leather as well as a slight bitter edge that calls for patience.
WA 92 (12/2015): The 2013 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Amoureuses has a well defined bouquet with detailed black cherry and blueberry aromas, quite harmonious with a touch of lemon rind in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, well judged acidity, and there is a little tightness perhaps here. There is a fine seem of acidity, though perhaps the elegance of the 2014 means that it does not quite reach the same heights. Nice saline finish though -- drink this over the next 10-15 years. |
|
| Dom. Alain Hudelot-Noellat |
2009 |
Romanee St. Vivant Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,803.98 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 95 (1/2012): This also sports discreet wood influence on the intensely floral and kaleidoscopically spicy nose of blue berry and black cherry aromas that introduce rich, intense and naturally sweet middle weight flavors that are lacy, pure and almost delicate before culminating in a suave, explosive and magnificently long finish. This is just terrific and the balance is impeccable. Note however that like the 2010 version, the ultra-fine tannins are also quite dense and this will also require 15 years or so of cellar time before it will be ready for prime time. Drink 2024+. |
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|
2010 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,981.98 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 92-94 (1/2012): (from two separate parcels, one to the left of the Château and another situated to the right by the Meo-Camuzet vines; the 2010 was vinified with about 10% whole clusters). A very mild floral hint adds elegance to the ripe red berry fruit and distinctly earth-inflected nose. There is excellent richness to the impressively scaled and overtly powerful flavors that possess fine balance and focus on the lingering finish. Lovely juice with a bit less youthful austerity than I typically find with this wine. Drink 2022+
VM 92-94 (2/2012): Good bright red. Black cherry, menthol, licorice, coffee, mocha and violet on the nose, with a high note of blood orange. Then silky and dry in the mouth, with a wonderfully refined texture for a young Clos-Vougeot. Plenty of power here as well. Really spreads out to saturate the palate on the back end, finishing with a savory, subtle perfume and terrific tactile persistence.
WA 91-93 (2/2012): The 2010 Clos de Vougeot is quite open and radiant at this stage. This is a totally gorgeous Clos de Vougeot that captures plenty of finesse with none of the austerity or angularity that can sometimes plague wines from this site. A pointed, mineral-drenched finish balances the wine beautifully. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030. |
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|
2010 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaumonts (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,061.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (2/2012): The 2010 Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts blossoms on the palate with tons of class and finesse. I especially like the restrained style, but at the same time there is no shortage of personality and depth in this totally sexy, voluptuous Beaux Monts. Persistent saline notes lend brightness to the well-articulated finish. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030.
BH 91-93 (1/2012): This had just been racked and not surprisingly was quite closed though aggressive swirling coaxed grudging aromas of spice, wet stone and cassis. The pure and intensely mineral-inflected flavors are shaped by exceptionally fine-grained tannins as well as excellent length on the pure, balanced and energetic finish. This is a wine of finesse and while it's notably finer than the Suchots, it's not as complex or at least not yet. Drink 2018+. Outstanding!
VM 91-94 (2/2012): (racked a week before my visit): Bright red. Very pure, high-pitched aromas of red fruits, flowers, blood orange and citrus zest. Silky, pretty and sharply delineated, but not showing its texture today. This intense, very pure wine really saturates the mouth with flavor and vibrates on the tangy finish. Notable more for its perfume than for its weight and finishes with very suave, fine-grained tannins. |
|
| Louis Jadot |
1996 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$350 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92-95 (3/1998): Rather delicate aromas of crystallized berries, smoke and sandalwood. Velvety and very sweet in the mouth, with pungent oak spice and a firm mineral underpinning. Ripe acids are in harmony with the wine. Great concentration. No hard edges. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
1996 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot Scuffed Label |
$199 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (8/1998): This wine is often of grand cru quality. Medium-to-dark ruby-colored and offering lovely aromas of roses, currants, and raspberries, this wine is admirably expressive yet introverted - it's made for the long haul. It is a feminine, highly-structured, and vibrant wine filled with super-sweet red and black fruits. This focused, defined, and classy offering also possesses an extraordinarily long finish. Projected maturity: 2004-2010.
VM 91-94 (4/1998): Very saturated red-ruby. Bright, sweet black raspberry and cassis nose. Very sweet and intensely flavored, but bracing acidity gives the wine great dynamism and cut. Really explosive in the mouth. Very long, vibrant finish. Grand cru quality. |
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|
1997 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot |
$199 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (10/1999): Readers fortunate enough to have bottles of the 1990 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques squirreled away in their cellars will be ecstatic to learn that Lardiere hit another home-run with the 1997. Harvested at a whopping 13.8% natural potential alcohol, this stunning, dark ruby-colored wine displays mouth-watering, blackberry, smoked bacon, and stone-like aromas. This full-bodied, hugely dense, powerful, and highly expressive offering is jam-packed with licorice, mint, eucalyptus, and cherry syrup. Impeccably balanced, opulent, forward, yet restrained and exceptionally well-structured, this massive, refined wine will provide exceptional drinking over the course of the next 12+ years.
BH 92 (4/2007): Big, rich and complex yet it retains a certain finesse and a lovely minerality. It is quite ripe but by no means over the top and the tannins, while still firm, are beginning to mellow. This will likely peak in 3 to 5 years and drink well for another 5 to perhaps 10 after that. Most impressive for the vintage. Note: I have tasted this wine several times with consistent results save for one brett-riddled bottle that was literally undrinkable, at least for me.
VM 92 (4/2000): Saturated ruby-red. Roasted red berries, black cherry and dark chocolate aromas complicated by tangy mineral and spice notes; aromatically complex and compelling. Lush, sweet and pliant in the mouth; very rich and expressive, but the wine's minerally underpinning gives it superb precision of flavor. Finishes very long and ripely tannic, with strong soil tones. With extended aeration, the flavors became blacker (crystallized black cherry, licorice), and the wine tightened up considerably, showing off its solid backbone. |
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|
1998 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot |
$250 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 92 (4/2001): Deep red. Superripe aromas of redcurrant, cocoa powder, mint and game. Tangy, crystallized red berry flavors offer a penetrating sweetness, but firm acids are currently keeping the wine quite tight. Impeccably balanced grand cru, with powerful extract, powerful structure and terrific grip.
BH 89 (2/2001): Beautifully complex, spicy black fruit aromas introduce remarkably supple, medium weight flavors that display plenty of pinot sap and a wonderfully broad range of flavors. This is very intense and quite long with a clear sense of breed to it. This is very young with excellent potential and while this will probably never be a truly great Jadot Bèze, it should be a lovely wine in 10 years or so. Try from 2008+. |
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2006 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot |
$295 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 96 (4/2009): Bright, full red. Vibrant but brooding nose shows a medicinal austerity to the pungent aromas of raspberry, flowers and botanical herbs. Penetrating, high-pitched and brilliantly delineated, with uncanny energy and lift to the red berry, floral and mineral flavors. This saturates every square millimeter of the palate, then explodes with perfume on the expanding aftertaste. The overall impression is of pure soil-driven energy in a rather uncompromising style, but when I drank the second half of my bottle two days later with food, it showed a deep cherry flavor and compelling sweetness. Splendid Clos de Beze.
WA 95 (12/2009): The 2006 Chambertin Clos de Beze is in another league from Jadot's other 2006 vintage Chambertin grand crus, or for that matter any wines that went before it in that collection. A complex and classic Clos de Beze nose of rose petal, black raspberry, peat, licorice, dark chocolate, and smoked meats leads to a correspondingly multi-faceted palate of silken textural refinement, underlain by savory, saline minerality. In the best manner of the vintage, this marries soothing and invigoration, concentration and elegance, finishing with lift and refinement as well as riveting, vibratory interplay and extraordinary reach. It should be exciting to plug into a bottle of it anytime over the next 15 years, if not longer.
BH 94 (4/2009): Here the nose is as reserved as the Latricières and only grudgingly gives up glimpses of the spicy and earthy red pinot fruit nose that is quite cool with obvious minerality, which continues onto the textured, intense and nervy big-bodied flavors that are textured and classy with highly sophisticated tannins on the long finish. Despite the reserved character of the nose, I was very pleasantly surprised at the relative accessibility this already displays due to the ample buffering sap yet make no mistake, the '06 Bèze will successfully age for years. A knockout that is noticeably better in-bottle than it originally showed from cask. Drink 2018+. |
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|
2006 |
Richebourg Grand Cru |
$895 |
3 |
|
| |
| BH 91-94 (5/2008): A wonderfully broad nose features a panoply of red, blue and black fruit plus spicy floral aromas that are in perfect keeping with the rich, full and generous big-boned flavors blessed with ample mid-palate sap that renders the tannic structure almost invisible at present though make no mistake, there is a very firm structural spine here and will require 12 to 15 years for this to be at its full on best. (Drink starting 2018). |
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2007 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot |
$295 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 92-94 (4/2009): An intensely spicy red berry fruit nose is expressive to the point of exuberance while introducing the hugely rich, full, intense and broad-shouldered flavors that possess real energy and drive on the sappy, mouth coating and stunningly long full-bodied flavors that display Outstanding depth. There is a serious amount of dry extract that makes this appear less structured than it is in reality. A most impressive effort that is less mineral-driven but a bit tighter than the Chambertin, at least at this early stage. Drink 2017+. |
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2009 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot |
$325 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 96+ (4/2012): Bright medium red. Knockout soil-driven nose combines red cherry, cocoa powder, brown spices, dried flowers, lavender and minerals. The palate offers compelling high-pitched flavors of red fruits and flowers complemented by strong saline soil tones. Conveys a powerful impression of extract without any fat. This youthfully imploded wine magically combines power and finesse, finishing with Outstanding sappiness and thrust. It was hard to scrape this off my palate--not that I tried.
WA 95 (4/2012): The 2009 Chambertin-Clos de Beze is unusually open and seductive. It flows with extraordinary finesse and pure elegance. White floral notes, cassis and spices wrap around the palate, adding tons of nuance. The firm tannins don’t quite allow the fruit to be fully expressive, but all that is needed here is time.
BH 93-95 (5/2011): A strikingly complex nose features an intense spiciness to the otherwise ripe, elegant and nuanced red berry liqueur aromas that are in keeping with the equally spicy and intense broad-shouldered and tautly muscular flavors, all wrapped in a mouth coating and very firm finish that delivers stunning persistence. I like the underlying sense of tension that adds vibrancy to the moderately austere and mineral-driven finale. This should be excellent in time. Drink 2024+. |
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2010 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot |
$450 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 96 (4/2013): This is consistently one of Jadot's finest wines and 2010 is no different, in fact it would appear to have even greater ultimate potential than the Musigny, which isn't always the case. The spicy, ripe and exceptionally complex nose of airy, pure and cool red currant, plum and stone aromas gracefully merges into the powerful but sophisticated medium-bodied flavors that possess seemingly buckets of dry extract that almost forcefully pushes the very firm tannic spine to the background on the markedly austere, compact and very tight finish. As intense and powerful as this is, the mouth feel is almost lilting and this is a classic example of a wine exhibiting what I call power without weight. In a word, stunning but note well my suggested optimal drinking window as this will not be for the impatient. Drink 2030+. |
|
| Dom. Michel Lafarge |
2008 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles |
$135 |
5 |
|
| |
| BH 92 (5/2011): A strikingly fresh and highly complex nose is quite cool and restrained and only grudgingly offers up notes of bright red pinot fruit and mineral nuances that characterize the racy, precise and driving middle weight flavors that culminate in a moderately austere finish of beautiful length and impeccable balance. As it typically does, this manages to combine power with finesse. (Drink starting 2020). |
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|
2008 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs |
$259 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 92-93 (6/2010): The Lafarge monopole 2008 Volnay Clos Du Chateau Des Ducs leads with striking buddleia perfume, kirsch, and aromatic intimations of oceanic salinity and crustacean savor. Juicy and vibrant; elegant, tenderly-fruited and polished; this is one of those wines that manages to enervate and caress at the same time, and in which bright ripe fruit is allied to a remarkable depth of elements than can only be explicated in animal and mineral terms. Overt suggestions of chalk and cherry pit lend the buoyant finish a measure of austerity, but it is so saliva-inducing and refreshing that severity is not a risk. It should last for at least 15 years.
BH 91-93 (4/2010): A nose of pure pinot and dissolved mineral notes complement to perfection the detailed and stone-driven medium-bodied flavors that possess fine volume and a gorgeously balanced finish. The harmony here is Zen-like. Drink 2018+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
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|
2008 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs Slightly Depressed Cork |
$259 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 92-93 (6/2010): The Lafarge monopole 2008 Volnay Clos Du Chateau Des Ducs leads with striking buddleia perfume, kirsch, and aromatic intimations of oceanic salinity and crustacean savor. Juicy and vibrant; elegant, tenderly-fruited and polished; this is one of those wines that manages to enervate and caress at the same time, and in which bright ripe fruit is allied to a remarkable depth of elements than can only be explicated in animal and mineral terms. Overt suggestions of chalk and cherry pit lend the buoyant finish a measure of austerity, but it is so saliva-inducing and refreshing that severity is not a risk. It should last for at least 15 years.
BH 91-93 (4/2010): A nose of pure pinot and dissolved mineral notes complement to perfection the detailed and stone-driven medium-bodied flavors that possess fine volume and a gorgeously balanced finish. The harmony here is Zen-like. Drink 2018+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
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|
2008 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chenes |
$199 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 94 (5/2011): ( from 45+ year old vines that sit just above Champans.) This too serves up a remarkably layered if extremely reserved nose that displays plenty of earth and spice as well as very fresh and cool aromas of red and blue pinot, floral notes and an obvious mineral influence that continues onto the tautly muscular and overtly powerful big-bodied flavors that are long, serious and focused on the presently austere finish. It's interesting to compare the quality of the tannins between this and the Caillerets - here they are denser but less fine and as a consequence, this will need a few extra years of cellar time. Drink from 2023+. Outstanding!
WA 93 (5/2011): The 2008 Volnay Clos des Chenes is a powerful, intense Burgundy. There is a weightless energy to the Clos des Chenes that I find hugely appealing. Beautifully delineated aromatics and fruit are nicely framed by the clean, saline finish. This is an impeccable wine from Lafarge. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.
VM 93+ (4/2011): Good deep red. High-pitched aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and crushed stone. Like liquid silk on entry, then concentrated, primary and penetrating in the mid-palate, with beautifully integrated acidity accentuating the wine's dark, medicinal aspect. At once broad and lively on the finish, with rich dark fruit flavors building slowly and staining the palate. I might have picked this blend as a Cote de Nuits wine. |
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|
2009 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs |
$265 |
7 |
|
| |
BH 94 (4/2012): This is aromatically a bit less elegant than the Mitans but it is more complex with cool red and blue pinot fruit, violet, earth and stone nuances introducing attractively rich and equally pure middle weight flavors that exhibit real verve on the mouth coating and exceptionally persistent finish. As usual, this is a classic Volnay that is built to age and will need every bit of 12 to 15 years to be at its best. In short, this is a knockout. Outstanding! Drink: 2021+.
WA 93-95 (5/2011): The estate’s 2009 Volnay Clos du Chateau des Ducs saturates the palate with its deep, persistent fruit. The aromas and flavors build in the glass towards the rich, multi-dimensional finish. This shows marvelous staying power and fabulous overall balance. The Clos du Chateau des Ducs is more overtly fruit-driven and structured but perhaps a touch less aromatically expressive than the Mitans. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.
VM 92 (4/2012): Rather pale red. Highly aromatic, expressive scents of redcurrant, cherry, spices and flowers. Wonderfully suave and fine-grained, in the typically feminine style of this wine--and classic Volnay. Lovely pliant red fruit and licorice flavors saturate the mouth, with a saline element adding interest on the long finish. Shows an attractive light touch and supple tannins. This will go truffley with bottle aging. |
|
| Dom. Comte Lafon |
2023 |
Volnay 1er Cru Champans (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,046.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. des Lambrays |
2015 |
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,537.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 94 (1/2018): (produced from two large parcels of differing vine age - one that is approximately two-thirds of the blend and is now 50+ years of age and a second, smaller group of vines that is approximately 25+ years of age; made with 100% whole cluster.) Here too the nose is quite ripe yet very fresh with its layered array of spicy and markedly floral-inflected black cherry and plum scents that are trimmed in both discreet wood and menthol nuances. There is impressive size, weight and power to the more mineral-driven and refined medium-bodied flavors that are shaped by a distinctly firm tannic spine on the wonderfully persistent and mildly austere finale. This is first-rate and one serious wine in 2015 and thus be prepared to allow it at least 10 to 12 years first. Drink 2027+. |
|
|
2015 |
Morey St. Denis (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$842.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 90+ (1/2018): Moderately saturated medium red. Very ripe but not roasted on the nose, with its raspberry fruit complicated by spices and sexy earth tones, plus a slightly metallic whiff of cassis bud reduction. Juicy, spicy and savory but still a bit youthfully imploded for village wine. At once less sweet and less floral than the 2016 version, but if that wine is more fun, this one is deeper. Finishes with a firm tannic spine. (Drink between 2022-2029). Stephen Tanzer.
BH 90 (1/2018): A notably ripe yet agreeably fresh nose offers up notes of various dark berries, spice, floral elements and discreet earth nuances. The notably rich medium-bodied flavors possess a lovely mouthfeel thanks to the solid mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a velvety yet punchy and refreshing finale that is sufficiently firm to warrant holding this for at least a few years first. Recommended. (Drink starting 2022). |
|
| Dom. Meo-Camuzet |
2008 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru |
$450 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 92 (6/2010): Meo’s 2008 Clos Vougeot smells of charred, roasted red meats; smoky-sweet machine oil; metal shavings; and blackberry preserves. A correspondingly dark; sweet; smoky; subtly caramelized and bitter palate impression takes on aspects of medicinal herbal concentrate and saline, savory soy as you aerate the wine in your mouth. This is plush to an extent that covers over its tannins until they emerge grippingly in a finish whose sappy, subtly oily, sweet intensity no one is likely to deem “elegant," but which is certainly impressive in its powerful way. Look for 12-15 years of high performance from bottles of this.
VM 91+ (4/2011): Medium red. Sweet cherry, spices, chocolate and earth on the rather tight nose and palate. Distinctly less open and more tannic than the Nuits Boudots, with strong peppery acidity currently keeping the fruit under wraps. This will need several years of aging. Assistant enologist Coralie Allexant agrees that the 2008s need time, but believes they will probably be best for mid-term aging.
BH 90-92 (1/2010): (from a huge 3 ha parcel superbly placed high on the slope, across from the Château). This is aromatically quite pretty with a perfumed and floral nose of fresh and solidly nuanced crushed wild red berries that slide gracefully into precise and tension-filled middle weight flavors that offer a discreet sense of minerality on the firm and ever-so-slightly edgy finish that should round out in time as there is good underlying sap. Drink 2018+. |
|
|
2009 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Chaumes |
$375 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (5/2011): The 2009 Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes shows lovely intensity in its dark fruit, licorice, menthol and sweet spices, all of which come together nicely in the glass. The Chaumes captures the essence of the vintage, especially in its open, textured finish. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Dom. JF Mugnier |
2009 |
Musigny Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$11,070.99 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 98 (1/2012): As brilliant the nose of the Amoureuses might be, this ups the ante considerably as this offers fireworks in a glass with its positively kaleidoscopic array of spice, violets and ripe fruit elements that if anything are even fresher. The rich, dense and overtly powerful broad-scaled flavors possess a tight muscularity yet remain elegant and refined with a linear, palate staining and explosive backend that delivers simply huge length. An incredible effort that should live for a very long time indeed. The word fabulous does not do this monument in the making complete justice. Drink 2029+.
WA 98 (4/2012): The 2009 Musigny is a huge, structured wine within the context of the domaine. Big, tannins support a highly expressive core of dark fruit, smoke and licorice. This is a decidedly powerful, almost extreme style of Musigny that will require considerable patience to settle down. An explosive, mineral-drenched finish lingers on the palate. The 2009 is flat-out dazzling. Wow. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.
VM 93-95 (2/2011): Good deep red. Very dark, complex aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice, lifted by a peppery nuance; slightly liqueur-like. Then powerful and large-scaled, with confectionery dark berry and pepper flavors saturating the entire mouth. With so much baby fat here, I don't yet find a great deal of detail. Mugnier notes that this is 14.5% alcohol. |
|
|
2014 |
Musigny Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$17,277.99 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 93 (1/2022): This is aromatically quite discreet with its subtly perfumed nose that is composed of plum, dark cherry, violet, lavender and orange pekoe tea plus the first hints of secondary development. This is at once silky but powerful with plenty of minerality characterizing the velvet-textured big-bodied flavors that coat the mouth with dry extract that also serves to buffer the markedly firm tannic spine on the balanced and hugely long but presently compact finish. This classy and very stylish effort is still sufficiently backward to need close to another decade in a cool cellar though with that said, it's not so tightly wound as to be completely impenetrable if decanted for an hour first. I would add that I will want to see how the fruit evolves relative to the structure because based on this bottle, the nose is a bit more evolved. Drink starting 2029.
VM 96.5 (3/2017): Bright medium red More expressive on the nose today than the Amoureuses, offering ineffable scents of black raspberry, lavender and flinty, smoky minerality By far the plushest and deepest of these 2014s but still with outstanding definition and verve This wonderfully fine-grained, classically dry Musigny boasts bulletproof fruit and finishes with impressive medicinal reserve Beginning with the 2013 Musigny, Mugnier will be delaying the release of his top bottling for a minimum of two years--and possibly several years more than that--as he finds this wine especially hard to read in its extreme youth. Drink between 2026-2040. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2014 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$8,941.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Georges Roumier |
2023 |
Bourgogne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,473.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Jean & Jean Louis Trapet |
2010 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,775.98 |
10 |
|
| |
BH 96 (1/2013): (from 3 different parcels that total 2 ha.) A reticent, even shy but highly complex nose features intensely floral aromas of pure wild red berry fruit, wet stone, underbrush and a whiff of the sauvage. This is a big and powerful wine which makes for an interesting contrast with the silky palate impression of the well-muscled and large-scaled flavors that are underpinned by very ripe tannins and that lovely sense of tension on the wonderfully energetic and persistent finish. This should age well for years to come, though once again, note well that this will require ample bottle age before it can deliver all of its full, and considerable, potential. In sum, this is a stunningly good Chambertin. Drink 2027+.
VM 96+ (3/2013): (about 50% vendange entier): Good full, deep red. Profound nose offers red and darker fruits, smoked meat, rose petal, minerals and complex soil tones; shows similarities to the Latricieres but is less expressive today--and a bit wilder. Big, rich and mouthfilling but without any undue impression of weight; sweetness is restrained today. Huge, classically dry wine with a broad, palate-staining finish that throws off notes of licorice, spices and white pepper. Perfectly ripe but not a bit overripe. Trapet told me his grand cru vineyards produced about 25 hectoliters per hectare in 2010. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 95-97 (12/2011): The 2010 Chambertin is arguably the most complete of the Trapet Grand Crus. The Chambertin is distinguished for its seamless, generous fruit and totally inviting personality. Crushed flowers, sweet spices and licorice are some of the many notes that develop in the glass, adding complexity and depth to the expansive, creamy finish. The 2010 Chambertin was stunning a year ago, it is stunning today and my impression is it will always be magnificent, even if it is likely to go through a stubborn period somewhere along the way. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2045. |
|
| Dom. de la Vougeraie |
2020 |
Musigny Grand Cru
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,096.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Musigny Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,252.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Maison Henri Boillot |
2016 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,491.99 |
1 |
|
| |
BH 96 (6/2018): (100% from Aloxe fruit in Le Charlemagne.) A distinctly smoky nose combines notes of mineral-reduction with those of green apples, lavender and spice. The super-intense and well-muscled flavors seem to be built on a firm base of minerality before culminating in an explosively long finish. Note well that like the Montrachet, this presently taciturn effort is very clearly built-to-age and is going to require a minimum of 7 to 8 years of cellaring first and reward far longer. Drink 2031+.
VM 93-96 (9/2017): (75% new oak; 4.4 grams per liter acidity; from vines in Aloxe, which Boillot picked last in 2016 before starting on Pinot Noir): Bright light-medium yellow. Subtly complex, musky aromas of peach, caraway seed, nutmeg, mace and hazelnutty lees. At once densely packed and penetrating, with a stony citric pungency giving precision to the seamless middle palate and cutting through the wine's texture. Wonderfully pure and energetic for this cuvee, finishing tactile and unflagging, with terrific citrus lift. This has the palate-staining length and structure for a slow and graceful evolution in bottle; it's also the only 2016 here that struck me as tannic, but then classic Corton-Charlemagne typically shows structure more like a red wine. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Dom. Jean Marc Boillot |
2023 |
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,135.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Francois Carillon |
2020 |
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,662.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 91-93 (6/2022): A cool, pure, airy and restrained nose grudgingly reveals its aromas of essence of white orchard fruit, citrus and plethora of floral wisps. The equally pure and utterly delicious middle weight flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel while displaying very fine length on the bitter lemon-inflected finish. This lovely and understated effort should also age gracefully over the next decade. Drink 2027+. |
|
| Dom. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey |
2019 |
Chassagne Montrachet Vieilles Vignes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,277.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2020 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,957.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2020 |
Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes Domaine Louis Jadot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$733.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Jacques Prieur |
2018 |
Le Montrachet Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,653.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Ramonet |
2014 |
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Boudriotte Bin-Marked Label |
$325 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 92 (9/2017): Very pale, bright yellow. Rather wild scents of lemon, lime, white flowers and crushed rock. Fat, savory and sweet, with captivating salty minerality enlivening the chewy flavors of white peach, citrus zest and smoky oak. Wonderfully tactile yet smooth wine with superb subtle length and salinity. Shows more dimension than the 2015 version. No shortage of sweetness here but has lovely supporting acidity. (Drink between 2019-2028). Stephen Tanzer.
BH 91 (10/2022): As was the case when I originally reviewed the '14 Boudriotte, there is still a mild touch of reduction that isn't sufficient to mask the otherwise mature, ripe and cool aromas of rosemary resin, apple, pear and citrus peel. There is fine volume to the delicious and generously proportioned flavors that manage to retain solid delineation on the focused and lingering finale. This is not an especially elegant effort (though Boudriotte rarely is) but I do like the balance. This is surprisingly forward in the context of the vintage and while it should continue to hold, it is unlikely to improve from here. (Drink starting 2022). |
|
|
2014 |
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Boudriotte Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$325 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 92 (9/2017): Very pale, bright yellow. Rather wild scents of lemon, lime, white flowers and crushed rock. Fat, savory and sweet, with captivating salty minerality enlivening the chewy flavors of white peach, citrus zest and smoky oak. Wonderfully tactile yet smooth wine with superb subtle length and salinity. Shows more dimension than the 2015 version. No shortage of sweetness here but has lovely supporting acidity. (Drink between 2019-2028). Stephen Tanzer.
BH 91 (10/2022): As was the case when I originally reviewed the '14 Boudriotte, there is still a mild touch of reduction that isn't sufficient to mask the otherwise mature, ripe and cool aromas of rosemary resin, apple, pear and citrus peel. There is fine volume to the delicious and generously proportioned flavors that manage to retain solid delineation on the focused and lingering finale. This is not an especially elegant effort (though Boudriotte rarely is) but I do like the balance. This is surprisingly forward in the context of the vintage and while it should continue to hold, it is unlikely to improve from here. (Drink starting 2022). |
|
| Dom. Roulot |
2016 |
Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Boucheres |
$500 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (9/2018): Bright, light yellow. Inviting musky aromas of yellow peach and hazelnut. Intensely flavored and sweet, with harmonious acidity energizing the flavors of lemon, orange oil and spices. Finishes suave, savory and aromatic, with surprising energy. The Charmes possesses more grip but this wine is more charming today. A very good choice of harvest date here! The first vintage for this wine was 2011, and since 2015 the estate has begun to reap the benefits of the work it has done in these vines, which were planted in the 1950s, the 1980s and around 2000, according to Eric Baudin. (Drink between 2021-2029). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2016 |
Meursault Les Luchets |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (9/2018): Pale bright yellow. Musky leesy complexity to the aromas of white peach and saline minerality. A step up in personality and mineral pungency from the Vireuils, with its element of fruit sweetness buttressed by a rocky quality. Flavors of citrus fruits, white peach and minerals carry through a long, spicy, gripping finish, which shows noteworthy calcaire lift. (Drink between 2021-2028). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2016 |
Meursault Les Tessons, Clos de Mon Plaisir |
$400 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 91+ (9/2018): Green-tinged yellow. Piquant lime zest and mineral aromas. Lively and sharply delineated but also displays excellent depth and salty minerality, with its limey acidity giving it a compellingly juicy character. Finishes tactile and long. Lots of potential here. These vines, planted between 1958 and 1962, produced just under 30 hectoliters per hectare in 2016, which assistant Baudin described as "not a disaster in terms of yield in 2016." He noted that the wine Roulot makes from this favored site is typically between the estate's lieux-dits and premier crus in quality. (By the way, Roulot pulled up his Meursault Les Tillets for replanting after the 2015 harvest.) (Drink between 2022-2029). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Jean-Marc Roulot |
2016 |
Meursault Les Vireuils |
$350 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Roulot |
2016 |
Meursault Les Vireuils |
$375 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (9/2018): Pale, bright yellow. Distinctly more soil-driven than the basic village Meursault, with its apple and spice flavors lifted by a calcaire element. A step up in intensity and spicy concentration as well, with apple and spice flavors framed by ripe acidity and enlivened by mineral verve. With less frost here, the estate made a bit more than 30 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine comes across as more energetic than the basic village bottling. (Drink between 2020-2027). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| | Champagne |
| Agrapart & Fils |
2012 |
Mineral Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,306.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom Perignon |
2003 |
P2 Plenitude Champagne (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,026.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2012 |
Brut Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,328.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (6/2022): Incredibly complex nose of dried green apples, grapefruit pith, preserved lemons, toast, oyster shells, cloves, sourdough, salted caramel and quince. Layered, refined and so sleek, with salty minerality and a toasty edge to the dried citrus. Structured and tense, yet elegant and almost endless. Drink or hold.
WA 96 (8/2022): The 2012 Dom Pérignon is developing very nicely on cork, exhibiting a complex bouquet of pear, confit citrus fruits, honeycomb, buttered toast, iodine and nuts framed by a deft touch of youthful reduction. Full-bodied, rich and muscular, with a layered core of fruit and a pillowy mousse, it's a vinous, vibrant Champagne that concludes with a saline finish. |
|
| Pol Roger |
2012 |
Cuvee Winston Churchill Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,322.98 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (11/2021): Pol Roger's flagship Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill is fabulous in 2012. Rich, open-knit and seductive, the 2012 will drink well right out of the gate, although it certainly has the pedigree to age well for decades. Lemon confit, chamomile, dried flowers, mint, spice and a kick of brioche infuse the 2012 with notable textural richness and resonance. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous aromatic lift to round things out. The 2012 is classy and polished all the way. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Roses de Jeanne (Cedric Bouchard) |
2018 |
Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine Champagne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,469.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| | Germany |
| Robert Weil |
1994 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Auslese |
$200 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
1994 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Auslese Heavily Wine-Stained Label |
$200 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1994 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Auslese Bin-Soiled Label |
$200 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1997 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$85 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2007 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (1/2009): Pale golden yellow. Musky aromas of apricot pit, wild herbs and oyster shell. The smoky, candied fruit flavors are quite creamy but at the same time clear, precise and long. This is deeper than the spatlese but I prefer that wine for its crisp flavors and elegance. Joel B. Payne. |
|
|
2012 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese |
$120 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (12/2013): High-toned aromas of glazed apricot, cinnamon and vanilla. Rich, full-bodied papaya flavor complicated by mineral salts. A spicy crispness keeps the palate fresh in spite of this riesling's weight. Joel B. Payne. |
|
|
2013 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese |
$130 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94+ (1/2015): Lovely pure and mineral on the aristocratic quartzite nose the 2013 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese offers much more refined fruit aromas (pineapples) than the Rheingau Spätlese Tradition. Picked at 96° Oechsle and bottled with 77 grams per liter of residual sugar and a beaming acidity of almost 10 grams per liter this is a stellar Spätlese with finest Riesling and Gräfenberg flavors on the nose as well as a noble, aristocratic performance on the palate. Full-bodied, sappy and piquant rather than sweet, this is a very precise, elegant and extremely well balanced Gräfenberg ambassador of great finesse. It is lovely to drink now but you better don't drink its huge aging potential away too early. Even for professional tasters it is really hard to spit this Gräfenberg Spätlese that will still fascinate people in 30 or 40 years.
VM 92 (3/2015): Enticing aromas of white peach, sweet lime and lemon cress. Succulent nectarine fruit is animated by vibrant, salty minerality. The deep, spicy finish is both alluring and cerebral. In its balance, this is perhaps the purest expression of the 2013 vintage at this estate. Joel B. Payne. |
|
|
2013 |
Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Spatlese |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese |
$150 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (7/2018): Lusciously ripe peach mingles with grapefruit, salted caramel and marine minerality on the nose and delicate yet lush, glycerol-rich palate of this formidably-concentrated and impeccably balanced bottling. It comes off as both riper (in effect, more Auslese-like) and more citric than the Turmberg, finishing with terrific energy to accompany its richness. But the hauntingly, intriguingly and flatteringly floral and animal elements that characterize Turmberg at its best aren’t in evidence here. (Drink between 2018-2040). David Schildknecht. |
|
| | Italy |
| Piero Antinori |
2008 |
Solaia
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$405.96 |
6 |
|
| |
JS 96 (9/2011): Wonderful pure Cabernet character, with currants, spices, flowers and violets. Velvety and fresh. Long and intense. Less austere than the 2007 with very sweet and ripe tannins. Such beauty. This is really powerful. Give it three to four years before trying a bottle.
WA 93 (8/2011): The 2008 Solaia is richer and darker than the Tignanello, but it isn’t an appreciably more complex or complete wine. It shows gorgeous depth and textural richness to match an expressive core of blackberry jam, smoke, scorched earth, crushed rocks and cassis. This is a beautiful wine, but not as great as I had hoped. The 2008 Solaia is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged in 100% new oak. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.
VM 92 (12/2013): I have never loved the 2008 Solaia, and that impression is reinforced on this night. If anything, the 2008 suffers in this setting, where the differences between vintages is stark. A mid-weight Solaia, the 2008 looks like it will drink best over the near and medium-term. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Produttori del Barbaresco |
2017 |
Barbaresco Asili Riserva |
$79 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (2/2022): The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is a real stand out. It captures all the sensuality of the year while retaining the translucence and freshness of Nebbiolo. Rose petal, crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon and spice develop with a bit of coaxing. This is another gorgeous wine from the Produttori. Asili is widely regarded as one of the best vineyards in Barbaresco, maybe the best. This wine shows why. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2017 |
Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (2/2022): The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a potent, searingly tannic wine that will need a few years to come together. Brooding and backward, even for young Rabajà, the 2017 is painfully young today. It will be interesting to see what time brings. Today, the 2017 is a real powerhouse. Black fruit, menthol, licorice, melted road tar, game and menthol develop in the glass, but only with great reluctance. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Dott G. Cappellano |
2014 |
Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$439.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM NR (2/2019): The 2014 Barolo Barolo Rupestris is a very pretty, fragrant wine. In this vintage, the Rupestris is a bit more ethereal than it usually is, and yet there is a lovely underpinning of structure that gives the wine its shape. Beautifully perfumed and gracious, the 2014 Rupestris opens with enticing scents of sweet tobacco, mint, dried herbs, orange peel, dried cherry, cedar and rose petal. The 2014 should drink well with minimal cellaring, but I expect it will also age gracefully while retaining its somewhat delicate feel. (Drink between 2020-2034) |
|
| Cavallotto |
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Boschis (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$571.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Giacomo Conterno |
2010 |
Barolo Cascina Francia (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$956.98 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93-95 (11/2013): Good medium red. Wild strawberry, smoked meat and a whiff of leather on the nose. Lush on entry, then juicy, tight and youthfully imploded in the middle, with firm minerality supporting the sappy raspberry and crushed cherry flavors. Showing less middle-palate texture today than the Cerretta, almost certainly due to a recent racking and sulfiting. Finishes with ineffable notes of candied cherry and minerals, with tannins well under control. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Aldo Conterno |
2016 |
Barolo Bussia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$733.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Cantine Florio |
1989 |
Aegusa Marsala |
$145 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (12/2018): I tasted bottle number 1,797. The 1989 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco Aegusa has aged in oak casks for 14 years. A little certificate of authenticity is packaged with each 750-milliliter bottle. This is an Ambra-style Marsala Superiore that pours from the bottle with dark copper intensity. The name Aegusa refers to the best Marsala wines made by Vincenzo Florio. This is a powerful, full-bodied fortified wine (made with 100% Grillo) with 19% alcohol. It offers enormous intensity with a bouquet that is heavily endowed with maple syrup, toasted chestnut, brown sugar, caramel, dried fig, porcino mushroom and spicy tobacco. You feel that high alcohol in the mouth, but that heat is beautifully absorbed by the fleshy intensity and richness of the mouthfeel. This wine is almost 30 years old, but thanks to all that ageless fruit, it hides its age very well. I previously reviewed the 1994 vintage, but other great editions include 1974, 1964, 1952 and 1941. |
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1994 |
Aegusa Marsala |
$115 |
1 |
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| WA 97 (8/2016): This is a very rare and precious wine from the historic Cantine Florio estate at the heart of Marsala, Sicily. The 1994 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco Aegusa (750 ml) is a very special Riserva that represents the best of the winery's production and was created by Vincenzo Florio who only poured the wine for his most important guests. This is one of very few vintages made. The wine shows a dark amber color with distant copper highlights. Its consistency is thick and beautifully concentrated with substantial weight and power. The bouquet is redolent of Marsala in all its full generosity and distinctiveness. It's hard to define what Marsala smells like. There are elements of brown sugar, maple syrup and caramel mixed in. This wine delivers all of that with unbeatable abundance. |
|
| Angelo Gaja |
2010 |
Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,586.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2015 |
Barbaresco Costa Russi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,856.99 |
1 |
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| |
VM 96 (10/2018): The 2015 Barbaresco Costa Russi is once again striking in 2015. Vertical and lifted, with tremendous energy, the 2015 has so much to offer. Once the most easygoing of the three Barbaresco crus, Costa Russi has inched up in quality in recent years. The 2015 shows the suave mid-palate and raciness that is so typical of this wine, and yet it also has much more obvious structural underpinnings than once was the case. I can't wait to see how it ages. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (6/2018): The 2015 Barbaresco Costa Russi was about to be bottled before I tasted it. Like the other wines from this warm vintage, you are treated to extra plushness and roundness with dark berry fruit intensity. This wine also offers unexpected mineral tones that come off as crushed oyster shell and talc powder. These add to the drying, almost nervous, tension you feel in the mouth. |
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2015 |
Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,156.99 |
1 |
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2015 |
Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,057.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2015 |
Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,119.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2021 |
Barolo Dagromis (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$735.99 |
10 |
|
| |
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2022 |
Barbaresco (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$930.99 |
3 |
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| |
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2023 |
Langhe Sito Moresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$479.99 |
15 |
|
| |
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| La Gerla |
2020 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$417.99 |
40 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$435.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Brunello di Montalcino (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$445.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Tenuta dell' Ornellaia |
1999 |
Ornellaia (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$939.99 |
1 |
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WA 95 (4/2007): I was blown away by the 1999 Ornellaia. Still fresh and youthful, it reveals a powerful, authoritative personality in its layers of primary fruit, with its opulence beautifully balanced by its big yet polished tannins. Another year or two of bottle age is probably called for but readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gorgeous wine. Given its considerable structure it should have no problem aging for another dozen years. In 1999 the blend consisted of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 95/Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019.
VM 94+ (10/2004): Full ruby-red. Youthful, perfumed nose hints at cherry, flowers, licorice and lead pencil. Dense, brooding and powerful, with superb depth and clarity of cherry, cassis, mineral and floral flavors. An aristocratic, backward, gripping Ornellaia that finishes with explosive length and building tannins. If the '98 is feminine, this is distinctly masculine. Still an infant. |
|
| Giuseppe Rinaldi |
2021 |
Barolo Le Brunate (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,038.96 |
2 |
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| |
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| Tenuta San Guido |
2013 |
Sassicaia (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,560.99 |
1 |
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JS 98 (7/2016): Fabulous structure for a Sassicaia with powerful, polished, chewy tannins and ripe, subtle fruit. Aromas of blueberry, black currant, rosemary and lavender. Full body, bright acidity and a savory finish. Juicy and lively. Better to drink this beginning in 2020 but so impressive now.
WA 97 (4/2017): I had reviewed this wine just a few months prior and my impression has remained pretty much the same. One difference I did notice at this more recent tasting of the 2013 Bolgheri Sassicaia is the bouquet. It has shifted to slightly more delicate and finessed aromas of pressed flower and blue violets. You do of course get that solid core of dark fruit and spice that characterizes this famous Tuscan blend. But that extra time in the bottle has awarded wiggle room for profound precision and focused detailing. The wine's complexity emerges slowly with subtle notes of savory spice and tobacco. There is power and depth here, especially in terms of the mouthfeel. As the wine evolves in the glass, it begins to show ethereal tones of road paving, tar and licorice. This Sassicaia should go straight into the cellar.
VM 92 (11/2016): The 2013 Sassicaia is a wine of grace and understatement. Silky, perfumed and medium in body, the 2013 is one of the most delicate young Sassicaias I can remember tasting. At times, the 2013 does not taste much like a wine from Bolgheri at all. That is not positive nor negative, but simply an observation. Scents of lavender, sage and menthol wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit. There is good definition to the aromatics, but several recent bottles haven't been as impressive as barrel samples were last year. Antonio Galloni. |
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2015 |
Le Difese (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$239.99 |
1 |
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|
2021 |
Sassicaia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,239.99 |
18 |
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WA 100 (1/2024): Here it is: A quintessential Sassicaia that represents the excellence of the vintage and also respects the unique taste profile of this distinguished Tuscan blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia offers impeccable balance, excellent freshness and absolutely no signs of over-ripeness. The fruit balance is ideal with a hint of crunch and lasting tension from pulp and skins. The tannins are deftly managed with firm grip and enough velvetiness to add volume and length. There is no greenness on the bouquet that instead offers mulled herbs and spice, with cinnamon and clove, layered delicately between mostly red and some purple berry fruits. Redcurrant, blueberry, sweet pomegranate and Rainier cherry run strong in this vintage. A fragrant hint of heritage rose emerges with time. The oak tones are geared toward gingerbread, hazelnut, cigar, sandalwood and something like a grilled sweet red pepper. To the palate, it offers nice weight with no heavy glycerin, and a rinse of acidity that adds to the wine’s natural energy, brightness and viscosity. That marked freshness opens the wine up to long aging potential, but you still need to give it more time in bottle.
JD 99 (3/2025): The 2021 Sassicaia is remarkable for being simultaneously complex yet transparent. In the glass, it displays a bright jeweled ruby red hue. On my second tasting of this wine, the nose was much more expressive than in my initial tasting the previous day, offering pure aromas of raspberry, pretty lifted spices and lavender, dusty earth, and fresh Mediterranean herbs, and as it opens, it develops notes of rhubarb, incense, and sandalwood. The palate is pure and expressive, with well-defined, ripe tannins, seamless acidity, and refreshing saltiness, but its shining pure fruit is what stands out and will shine for decades to come. (Drink between 2025-2045). Audrey Frick.
VM 98.5 (2/2024): The 2021 Sassicaia is one of the best young Sassicaias I can remember tasting, certainly on par with anything in recent memory. The preference here is picking on the earlier side relative to many neighboring properties, which is one of the reasons Sassicaia is always a wine of refinement more than opulence. At the same time, Sassicaia can be light. Not in 2021. All the elements came together during a long growing season to produce a rich, deep wine that marries textural intensity with classicism. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and spice all race across the palate. Time in the glass brings out the wine's textural intensity and sheer power. The 2021 is one of the most concentrated Sassicaias on record. That allowed for long macerations, as long as 20 days for some Cabernets. Aging was 25 months in French oak barrels (95% French, 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian wood), 40% new, 40% once-used barrels and 20% in twice-used barrels. One of the recent developments here is some bâtonnage in aging, which is used to build texture. That approach worked well in 2021. In a word: magnificent. (Drink between 2029-2051). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tenuta di Trinoro |
2019 |
Trinoro IGT (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,467.99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 100 (10/2021): This is a stunning wine and one of the best in this report covering the icons of Tuscany. The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from the very best parcels, and the blending formula changes according to vintage and the style desired by vintner Andrea Franchetti. These vineyard parcels vary in altitude, ranging from 400 to 600 meters above sea level, and the soils are quite varied with pockets of clay, sand and rock. The Trinoro is profoundly deep and pure with a solid core of black fruit that is framed by an elegant contour of spice, tobacco, smoke and crushed stone. To the palate, the wine is long and the finish can be counted in minutes, but the entire experience is beautifully streamlined and velvety. This vintage saw an important freeze event on the 7th of May, and 9,000 fire candles were lit in the lower vineyard blocks to fight off frost damage.
VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a surprisingly reticent wine. That's not a descriptor I find myself reaching for often here, but it seems appropriate. Medium in body and quite nervy, the 2019 is going to need time to come together. The tannins are a bit severe at this stage. And yet there is plenty of Trinoro intensity waiting to emerge. Time brings out hints of dark-fleshed fruit, spice, mocha, licorice and incense. There's plenty to look forward to. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| G.D. Vajra |
2022 |
Barolo Coste di Rose (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$519.98 |
5 |
|
| |
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2022 |
Barolo Ravera (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$610.98 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| | Lebanon |
| Ch. Musar |
2012 |
Bekaa Valley Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$698.99 |
20 |
|
| |
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| | Other White |
| Sadie Family |
2024 |
Skerpioen White Wine (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$716.99 |
2 |
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| |
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| | Rhone Red |
| Dom. Thierry Allemand |
2020 |
Cornas Les Chaillots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,034.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| Ch. de Beaucastel |
1994 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin |
$319 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (1/2003): The 1994 is the odd man out in this mini-vertical, revealing an animal-styled personality with notes of beef blood, animal fur, wet dog, mushrooms, tree bark, licorice, spice, black currants, and cherries. Medium to full-bodied and rich, but slightly awkward compared to its siblings, it should be drinkable between 2006-2020. Hindsight suggests this might not have been a vintage in which to produce a Jacques Perrin. |
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|
2001 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin |
$395 |
5 |
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WA 99 (2/2004): The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Counoise, and 10% Syrah. Full-bodied, excruciatingly backward, and nearly impenetrable, it boasts an inky/blue/purple color in addition to a promising nose of new saddle leather, melted asphalt, camphor, blackberries, smoky, roasted herbs, and Asian spices. A huge lashing of tannin as well as a formidable structure result in the antithesis of its more flattering, forward, and voluptuous sibling, the classic Beaucastel. Readers lucky enough to come across this cuvee should plan on waiting at least a decade before it begins to approach adolescence. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.
VM 95+ (2/2004): (a blend of 60% mourvedre, 20% grenache, 10% syrah and 10% counoise) Saturated ruby-red. Highly complex, very primary, inky nose hints at blackberry, black cherry, licorice, spicecake and tree bark; dominated by the mourvedre. Then dense, thick and sappy in the mouth, with brooding black fruit and mineral flavors and superb precision. Hints of meat and leather lurk, but, like the regular release, this is extremely backward and dominated by dark fruits. Offers superb thickness without any excess weight, and a wonderfully seamless, elegant texture. Finishes extremely long, with very fine tannins. A unique critter: a Chateauneuf du Pape with just 20% grenache. Likely to develop in bottle for two decades or more. |
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2004 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin |
$325 |
4 |
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WA 96 (2/2014): Still youthful, and even slightly backwards, the tiny production 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin (60% Mourvedre and the balance other permitted varieties) took the better part of the evening to unwind. Offering deep, layered aromas of black currants, blueberries, leather, truffle and steak tartare, it flows onto the palate with a concentrated, yet seamless and gorgeously focused profile that carries ample tannin, good acidity and blockbuster length. One of the gems of the vintage, it needs another 3-4 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully for a decade or more past that.
VM 96-98 (2/2007): Saturated ruby. Remarkably deep nose combines cherry, raspberry, licorice, smoked meat and mineral notes, all lifted by an intense floral quality. A stunning example of freshness and precision married to power, with deep cassis, bitter cherry and candied licorice flavors enlivened by zesty minerality and framed by firm but harmonious tannins. "This is not about extraction," notes Perrin. The endless finish echoes the mineral and floral tones, showing a persistent lavender note. This was not yet bottled when I tasted it. |
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|
2009 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin |
$425 |
1 |
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JD 99+ (9/2011): Easily one of the top wines of the vintage and an utterly profound wine, the just bottled 2009 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin, 70% Mourvèdre and the rest an even split of Grenache, Syrah, and Counoise, aged all in foudre, delivers a brilliant array of pure blackberry, blueberry, meat, truffle, and licorice-like characteristics on the nose. Intense and yet focused at the same time, this shows astounding purity of fruit as well as background complexity. Full-bodied, massively structured and fruited on the palate, the wine is perfectly balanced, possesses a huge, mouth filling texture, amazing focus and precision, and a blockbuster finish. This cuvee is surprisingly accessible in its youth, but doesn’t start to develop its true character until around the age of 20 (the ’89 is still a baby). Gorgeous stuff to say the least.
WA 99 (10/2011): Potentially the wine of the vintage, the 2009 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin had just been bottled two weeks before my visit. A wine of extraordinary density, richness, precision and unreal flavor intensity, it reveals abundant gamey, meaty notes intermixed with smoked duck, Provencal herbs, blueberries, blackberries, kirsch and licorice. This loaded, multidimensional, massively concentrated 2009 is much softer than most Hommages. It should be drinkable in 3-4 years and keep for 30-40 years thereafter. Kudos to one of the world’s great winemaking families!
VM 96 (2/2012): (70% mourvedre and 10% each of grenache, counoise and syrah, all raised in foudre): Glass-staining purple. Hypnotic bouquet of black and blue fruits, potpourri and exotic spices. Broad, sappy and strikingly pure, with intense blackberry and boysenberry flavors that reach ever corner of the palate. Rich but lithe wine with a seamless texture and superb finishing clarity. This wine's marriage of power and vivacity is something else. |
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|
2010 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$782.99 |
1 |
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JD 96 (10/2012): Showing consistently with the barrel review, the 2010 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape (30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the remainder an assortment of varieties) is a classic Beaucastel that has both richness and elegance. Showing loads of black cherry, new leather, licorice, pepper, and hints of flowers on the nose, this full-bodied, structured, yet surprisingly elegant and polished 2010 has fantastic purity of fruit, superb balance, and knockout length. Showing more and more structure with air, this needs 3-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve gracefully for upwards of two decades or more.
WA 95 (10/2012): Interestingly enough, even though many of the 2010 Perrin et Fils selections from the southern Rhone were scheduled to be bottled right after my visit, the 2010 Beaucastel had already been put in bottle. This is a gorgeous wine, a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance the other permitted varietals in the appellation. Deep purple, with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich and showing even better than it did last year. I still think it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and it should last for 25-30 years, as most of the top vintages of Beaucastel do.
VM 94 (2/2013): Bright ruby. Sexy, spice- and mineral-accented aromas of red and dark fruit preserves and garrigue. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering vibrant black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors, a hint of smokiness and intense minerality. Tannins come on late and are quickly sucked up by this wine's intense fruit. Rich and lively, with excellent finishing clarity and length. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| M. Chapoutier |
2011 |
Ermitage Le Pavillon (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$612.99 |
2 |
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2020 |
Ermitage Le Meal (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,488.99 |
1 |
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| |
| JD 98+ (12/2022): Another wine that flirts with perfection, the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal comes from the steep, south-facing slope right in the heart of Hermitage hill. All destemmed and brought up in the standard 20% new barrels and demi-muids, it has a more tight, straight, almost reserved profile than usual yet doesn't lack for density, mid-palate depth, structure, and concentration. Blackberries, redcurrants, spice, dried flowers, and loamy earth all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, has ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for at least 5-7 years but will evolve for three decades. |
|
| Dom. du Pegau |
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$448.98 |
1 |
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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. |
|
| Dom. St. Prefert |
2019 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Collection Charles Giraud (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$594.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| | Rhone White |
| M. Chapoutier |
2017 |
Ermitage Blanc de L’Oree (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$392.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| | Spain |
| Vega Sicilia |
2013 |
Unico Ribera del Duero (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,038.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (9/2022): This has a polished and complex nose of poached plums, dark cherries, tea leaves, graphite, milk chocolate and a touch of caramel. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm yet creamy tannins. Caressing, seductive and ripe, but with underlying freshness. 97% tempranillo and 3% cabernet sauvignon. Tasted from magnum. The normal bottle will be released 2023 and the magnum in 2025. Try after 2023.
WA 97 (1/2023): I had already tasted the 2013 Único from magnum in a vertical tasting of all the magnums ever produced and was quite impressed by it (and the still unreleased 2014 that should be available in 2024). 2013 saw a rainy harvest, and the wine is subtle, elegant and fresh, complex, silky and with precision. The wine matured in 225-liter barrels in an initial phase and then in 22,000-liter oak vats until it was bottled in June 2019. This year, the final blend was 97% Tinto Fino and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon with a little less alcohol, 14%, and a pH of 3.78 and 5.2 grams of acidity, fresh and balanced, more elegant and subtler. Único often transcends the character of the vintage and doesn't follow the norm in the region, and the 2013 is a good example of that. It was a very rainy and complicated vintage; they harvested quite quickly to avoid botrytis, and while other people waited for concentration, they did not, and their approach clearly paid back. It's aromatic and floral, less dense than the 2012, subtler, more expressive and more elegant. It's clean and fresh, tasty, with very fine tannins. It's a big surprise for the vintage and one of the finest Únicos in the last few years. 76,476 bottles, 3,658 magnums and some larger formats produced, the shortest crop since 2009. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Ramey |
2006 |
Annum Cabernet Sauvignon |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (9/2019): Deep ruby-black in color, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum, blended with 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, opens with tertiary aromas of baked plum, nori, raisin, cedar, dried tobacco, licorice, pencil shavings, cocoa and old leather with dried red and black currants and cherries plus a dusty earth note—this is one of those magical wines that brings back fleeting images of childhood as the aromas, difficult to name, flesh out. Medium-bodied, it's silky and fully tertiary in the mouth, with lovely savory and mineral layers. The tannins are firm and lightly chalky, the acidity still juicy and the finish long and nuanced. This is drinking just lovely right now! 872 cases produced. |
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|
2006 |
Larkmead Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$95 |
16 |
|
| |
VM 93 (5/2009): (includes 4% petit verdot, 3% cabernet franc and 2% malbec) Glass-staining ruby. Deep, youthfully brooding cassis and dark cherry on the nose, with a strong licorice note building in the glass. Sappy black and blue fruit flavors are framed by dusty tannins and energized by a tangy mineral note. The licorice quality repeats on the finish, which is broad, sappy and impressively persistent. For a big boy, this is pretty graceful. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 92+ (12/2008): Although backward, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Larkmead Vineyard (3,820 cases) is extremely promising. Its inky/ruby/purple color is followed by a gorgeous perfume of smoke herbs, graphite, creme de cassis, coffee beans, and toasty oak. With sensational fruit on the attack and mid-palate, and a finish filled with power, glycerin, depth, and impressive structure, this 2006 will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and should evolve for two decades or more. |
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|
2006 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 91 (5/2009): (includes 11% merlot and 2% each of cabernet franc and petit verdot) Bright ruby. Cherry and red berry aromas are complicated by dried rose, tobacco and fresh herbs. Juicy and intense, with gently sweet red and dark berry flavors and slow-mounting tannins. Becomes more floral with air and finishes with impressive clarity and spicy persistence. Eighty percent of the vines that provided this fruit are planted on steep hillsides, Ramey told me. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 90 (12/2008): The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bigger, deeper effort revealing austere tannins in the finish, but also plenty of chocolaty, black currant fruit intermixed with licorice, roasted herbs, and underbrush. It has shut down in bottle, and requires another year or so to open. |
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2007 |
Claret |
$55 |
18 |
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| WA 91 (12/2010): The 2007 Claret, which is Ramey’s easiest to drink and appreciate wine, is a seductive blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec included. Its dense ruby/purple hue is followed by a velvety textured, plush, round, generous wine with lots of texture and fruit. This high quality effort should be drunk over the next decade. |
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2007 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$135 |
3 |
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| WA 92 (12/2010): A stunning yet reasonably priced, high end Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. The final bottling from the extraordinary Larkmead Vineyard, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of blueberry and black currant fruit intertwined with licorice, bay leaf, cedar and fruitcake notes. Full-bodied and opulent, this precocious 2007 is drinkable now and should evolve for another 15+ years. |
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2008 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
5 |
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| WA 95 (2/2012): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon impresses for its layers of dark, plush fruit. Hints of cassis, grilled herbs, tobacco and cedar develop in the glass, adding further complexity and depth. Firm tannins frame the long finish. This is a very classic and beautiful Cabernet. In 2008 the blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, sourced from a number of sites, including Somerston, DeSantis, Lamoreaux and Snowden. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028. |
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2008 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$125 |
3 |
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| WA 95 (2/2012): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon impresses for its layers of dark, plush fruit. Hints of cassis, grilled herbs, tobacco and cedar develop in the glass, adding further complexity and depth. Firm tannins frame the long finish. This is a very classic and beautiful Cabernet. In 2008 the blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, sourced from a number of sites, including Somerston, DeSantis, Lamoreaux and Snowden. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028. |
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2009 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
4 |
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| WA 93 (4/2013): The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent choice for readers who want to drink a Ramey wine without waiting the decade or so it takes most of his wines to truly open up. Dark red berries, savory herbs, mint and licorice all jump from the glass. A large-scaled, voluptuous wine, the 2009 is juicy, expressive and wonderfully resonant. Layers of fruit continue to build to the rich, enveloping finish. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is quite a mouthful! Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029. |
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2010 |
Annum Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$189 |
1 |
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| WA 95 (9/2019): Deep ruby-black, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum, made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, gives up notes of baked plum and black raisin on the nose with crème de cassis, fenugreek, star anise, dried blue flowers and Jamón iberico plus graphite, cedar shavings and wonderful exotic spices at the core. Medium to full-bodied, it offers plenty of mineral, savory fruits with a sturdy frame of very fine, very ripe, very plush tannins and good freshness, finishing very, very long and layered. Yes! This is drinking beautifully right now. Only 200 cases were made. |
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2010 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
4 |
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| VM 91 (5/2014): (63% new oak): Opaque ruby. Intense cherry, blackcurrant and vanilla aromas are complemented by licorice, pipe tobacco and woodsmoke. Plush, velvety black and blue fruit flavors pick up mocha and peppery spice nuances with air. The vanilla quality repeats on the persistent finish, which is firmed by dusty, building tannins. Shows its structure with air but doesn't come off as hard or edgy. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2010 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$189 |
1 |
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| VM 91 (5/2014): (63% new oak): Opaque ruby. Intense cherry, blackcurrant and vanilla aromas are complemented by licorice, pipe tobacco and woodsmoke. Plush, velvety black and blue fruit flavors pick up mocha and peppery spice nuances with air. The vanilla quality repeats on the persistent finish, which is firmed by dusty, building tannins. Shows its structure with air but doesn't come off as hard or edgy. Stephen Tanzer. |
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2010 |
Pedregal Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$275 |
1 |
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WA 98 (12/2013): As usual, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is a fabulous effort. The debut vintage of this cuvee was 2004, which is still quite young (I recently rated it 95). From the Oakville appellation, it is aged in 100% new Taransaud barrels, but sadly, only about 260 cases are made. The 2010 boasts beautiful notes of fruitcake, espresso roast, chocolate and black currants in its complex, full-bodied, concentrated, multi-dimensional personality. There is a huge up-side to this beauty as the tannins have not yet fully resolved. Give it another few years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades or more.
VM 93 (5/2014): (includes 15% petit verdot; 100% new oak): Inky ruby. Pungent black and blue fruit aromas show an exotic peaty quality and suggestions of incense, violet and Indian spices. Deeply pitched cassis and blueberry flavors are braced by juicy acidity and pick up a suave floral pastille nuance with aeration. The spice and blue fruit notes dominate the finish, which is firmed by youthful but harmonious tannins. While I have no doubt that this wine is built to age it's pretty showy already. |
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2012 |
Annum Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
1 |
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| WA 95 (9/2019): The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum contains 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc. It's deep ruby with wonderful aromas of laurel leaf, beef drippings, prosciutto, star anise, fenugreek, crème de cassis and crushed black cherries with dried flowers and a sanguine/iron streak. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers that Ramey lushness, fully fruited, spiced and rounded in the mouth with wonderfully ripe, fine-grained tannins and good freshness, finishing very long and layered. This seems to have only just shed its baby fat. 675 cases were made. |
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| Woodward Canyon |
2004 |
Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
2 |
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| WA 94 (8/2007): The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – Old Vines (35 years of age) elevates the bar. Composed of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, it is opaque purple-colored and delivers a superb perfume of pain grille, scorched earth, espresso, black currants, and blueberries. This is followed by an extracted wine with richly flavored dark fruits, outstanding concentration, and great balance leading to a 60-second, pure finish. Give this powerful wine 4-6 years of additional bottle age and drink it through 2035. |
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2005 |
Special Selection Red |
$125 |
2 |
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| WA 95 (10/2009): The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection (a cuvee made only in the finest years) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Champoux Vineyard and 13% Petit Verdot and 12% Merlot from the Estate vineyard. Opaque purple/black in color, it delivers a brooding bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, crushed stone, incense, black currant, and blackberry, Layered and thick on the palate, it has tons of fruit and structure but remains tightly wound. Stylistically, it is reminiscent of a high level Pauillac from a top vintage. Give it 10-12 years of cellaring and drink it from 2020 to 2040. |
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2007 |
Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
2 |
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| WA 93 (8/2010): The purple-colored 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series contains 1% Petit Verdot. The fruit was sourced primarily from the famous Champoux Vineyard in which the winery is a partner and the Sagemoor Vineyard, one of the oldest in the state. The Sagemoor fruit for this wine was taken from vines planted in 1972. The wine delivers a splendid nose of smoke, mineral, Asian spices, violets, black currant, and blackberry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with a velvety texture, excellent depth, savory flavors, plenty of volume, and a lengthy finish. It will continue blossoming for another 3-4 years and should provide pleasure through its 20th birthday. |
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2007 |
Columbia Valley Merlot |
$55 |
3 |
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| VM 89+ (12/2010): Good medium red. Plum, spices, mocha and nutty oak on the lively nose. Juicy, tight and penetrating, with good purity and lift and an attractive subtle sweetness. The oak element is in harmony with the wine's plummy fruit. Will this very firm merlot blossom and gain in pliancy with some bottle aging? Stephen Tanzer. |
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2007 |
Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon |
$79 |
2 |
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| WA 94 (8/2010): The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines is 100% varietal with the fruit sourced from the Champoux (74%) and Sagemoor (26%) vineyards. It was aged in 100% new French oak. Deep purple-colored, it gives up a brooding bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, truffle, Asian spices, incense, violets, black currant, and blackberry. On the palate it is full-bodied, incipiently complex, silky textured, and impeccably balanced. Give it an additional 5-7 years of bottle age and drink it from 2016 to 2032. |
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2008 |
Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$115 |
1 |
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| WA 93 (8/2011): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (which contains 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Syrah) has a superb pedigree with 76% of the fruit coming from the Champoux Vineyard in which the winery is a partner. It is a layered, savory, impeccably balanced effort that will continue to develop for another 3-4 years and drink well through 2023+. |
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2008 |
Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$149 |
1 |
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| WA 94 (8/2011): The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines is a full-bodied, rich, mouth-filling, heavyweight of a Cabernet that offers a drinking window extending from 2015 to 2028. |
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2009 |
Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
3 |
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| WA 92 (12/2012): Woodward Canyon’s Walla Walla 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from their estate with just a 7% contribution from DuBrul, and, rather surprisingly, incorporates small amounts of Syrah and Mourvedre as well as the more predictable Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Iodine and cherry pit intriguingly and successfully serve-up counterpoint to seamlessly rich, ripe cassis and cherry. A vaguely toasty, resinous sense from the 50% new wood is subtly integrated into the rich folds of fruit, and this finishes with a superb sense of energy and invigoration as well as sheer length. It ought to be well worth following for at least a decade. |
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2010 |
Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
10 |
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| WA 94 (6/2013): More refined and elegant, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series #19 is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and was aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. Very classic on the nose, with plenty of black currant, tobacco leaf, chocolate, cedar and herbs, it is medium to full-bodied, seamless and perfectly balanced, with a light fresh texture that conceals underlying ripe tannin. Enjoy it over the coming 12-15 years. Drink now-2028. |
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2011 |
Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
6 |
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| WA 94 (6/2014): One of the standouts in the vintage, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series comes from a number of vineyards throughout Washington (mostly from, Champoux, Canoe Ridge and Sagemoor) and spent 22 months in French oak prior to bottling. Full-bodied, seamless and layered, with fabulous mid-palate, it offers up classic creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, black raspberry, toast and dried soil like aromas and flavors. Count me a fan. This beautifully balanced effort will evolve gracefully for 15 to 20 years. |
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2012 |
Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
11 |
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| WA 93 (6/2015): A beautiful Bordeaux blend, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series checks in as a blend of 100% Cabernet, from a number of vineyards (mostly Woodward Canyon, Champoux and Spring Creek), that spent 21 months in 50% new French oak. It’s a classy, full-bodied, seamless and sexy 2012 that exhibits lots of black cherry, black raspberry, toasted spices, licorice and dried herbs. The most approachable and forward of the Bordeaux blends, it will still have two decades of longevity. |
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2013 |
Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
7 |
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| JD 94 (4/2018): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series checks in as a blend of 92% Cab Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 60% new French oak. Like all the wines here, it's inky colored. Exhibiting a great bouquet of fresh blueberries, leafy herbs, violets, and wet stone, with subtle background oak, this beauty is full-bodied, wonderfully pure, layered, and textured. It's one of the standouts in the lineup. |
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| | USA White |
| Ramey |
2016 |
Rochioli Vyd. Chardonnay |
$59 |
1 |
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JD 95 (6/2019): One of my favorite releases from Ramey, the 2016 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard comes from a Grand Cru site in the Russian River and has incredibly classic notes of white flowers, tart citrus, and subtle orchard fruits. It’s one of those wines that’s both powerful and elegant, with medium to full body, a great mid-palate, integrated acidity, and just everything in the right places. It’s a beautiful, layered, age-worthy Chardonnay to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years. (Drink between 2019-2034).
WA 94+ (4/2019): This is the second vintage of a Rochioli vineyard-designate Chardonnay made by Ramey. Grapes were sourced from vines planted between 1989 and 2005 and were fermented in barrel with bâtonnage, then aged in 21% new French oak for 20 months. The nose of the 2016 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard opens with Meyer lemon, pulverized stone, lime peel and soft white flowers with touches of nuts and cream. Medium to full-bodied, it offers wonderful savory flavor layers of honeycomb and hazelnut with a gorgeous velvety texture and great length plus lots of mineral sparks coming through on the finish. 901 cases were produced, which will be released in June of 2019.
VM 94 (5/2019): The 2016 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard is powerful and dense in its first impression. It is also one of the more phenolic, structured Chardonnays in the range. There is a real sense of weight and textural resonance that runs through the fruit. Hints of lemon confit, dried flowers and dried pear meld into the creamy, layered finish. (Drink between 2020-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
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