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Inventory updated: Sat, Oct 25, 2025 11:02 AM cst
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Angelus |
2021 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,693.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Belgrave |
2017 |
Haut Medoc (6x750ML) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$353.99 |
10 |
|
| |
JS 90-91 (4/2018): This is very cabernet sauvignon with a tight palate of ripe fruit and firm and chewy tannins. Medium-to full-bodied, compacted and driven. All the merlot was hurt by the frost here. Juicy finish.
WS 88-91 (4/2018): This has a fleshy feel, with red and black currant fruit melding nicely with singed vanilla and tobacco notes. Offers modest tannins and fresh acidity.
VM 87-89 (5/2018): The 2017 Belgrave offers crisp blackberry and tobacco scents on the nose, a touch of gravel developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannin, masculine and rather austere towards the finish where I would have liked more flesh. A second showing towards the end of my tasting did indicate a wine developing more fruite towards the finish and my score reflects anticipated amelioration during its barrel maturation. Neal Martin.
JD 87-89 (4/2018): Offering lots of black (and some blue) fruits, charcoal, and graphite, the inky-colored 2017 Château Belgrave is firm and tannic on the palate, with nicely integrated acidity. I’d like a touch more flesh on these bones, but it’s certainly a serious effort that I suspect will benefit from short-term cellaring. |
|
| Ch. Branaire-Ducru |
2016 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$782.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 96 (3/2019): (WS #16 wine of 2016) The core of this red is loaded with pure plum, blueberry and black currant fruit flavors. The polished structure is integrated, with alluring ganache, anise and sweet tobacco notes throughout, all in a polished and balanced frame. A very classy red that isn't shy about its power but pushes its purity to the fore. Best from 2024 through 2039. 15,000 cases made.
JS 95 (1/2019): The best vintage of this wine since 2009! Effusive, fresh redcurrant and cassis aromas give this St.-Julien terrific drive and energy, the elegant, dry tannins beautifully married to the medium body, right through the long, agile finish. Drink or hold.
JD 92+ (2/2019): The 2016 Château Branaire-Ducru checks in as a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. This medium to full-bodied, downright pretty Saint-Julien has a complex, layered style in its mulberries, blackberries, saddle leather, and forest floor aromatics, with hints of graphite developing with time in the glass. Possessing terrific tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish, I’d certainly be happy to have bottles of this in the cellar. Give it a few years and it promises to shine for 20-25 years. |
|
| Ch. Calon-Segur |
2009 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,944.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (2/2012): The 2009 has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) ever included in a Calon-Segur (the rest is Merlot and Petit Verdot). Completely different from its St.-Estephe brethren, it is more backward and structured with a dense purple color, lots of black cherry, black currant, loamy earth, forest floor and spice notes, excruciatingly high levels of tannin, and a wonderful inner core of sweetness and concentration. It could behave like the 1982, which, at age 30, is just becoming mature. The 2009 is an uncompromising, masculine, massive style of wine that needs 15-20 years of cellaring even in this luscious, flashy, flamboyant vintage. It is super-tight and needs lots of coaxing and aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2050+.
VM 94 (7/2012): Good dark red. Musky, highly complex nose offers plum, blackcurrant, camphor, menthol, violet and lavender. Remarkably silky and fine-grained, combining Outstanding subtle concentration and terrific inner-mouth energy. This very rich but classically dry Saint-Estephe finishes with lush, noble tannins and Outstanding complexity. A great vintage for this estate, and a classic claret in a traditional style.
WS 93-96 (8/2010): Delivers gorgeous aromas of blackberry, blueberry and licorice, with hints of tobacco and spice. Full-bodied, offering a lovely texture and refinement. Very long and beautiful, with tangy acidity and lively fruit. A rich, yet very balanced, Calon. This is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon instead of the normal blend with 40 percent Merlot. The château is now using 100 percent new wood. Like the changes. |
|
| Ch. Canon |
2014 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$960.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (3/2018): The 2014 Canon has an intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, briary and light tobacco scents, gradually gaining more precision with aeration yet remaining classic in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, harmonious and poised with a structured yet precise finish that is pure class. Perhaps you might argue that it lacks some charm at this early stage but at the same time, I am fascinated to see how it will age. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
WA 94 (3/2017): The 2014 Canon has a very well-defined, precise bouquet with ebullient raspberry and wild strawberry scents infused with minerals. The aromatics here are utterly captivating. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and very well-judged acidity. There is tension and poise to this Saint Emilion, gently fanning out with a delicate spicy finish that lingers long in the mouth. Though surely destined to be over-shadowed by the extraordinary 2015, this Canon deserves a berth in your cellar.
WS 94 (3/2017): A fresh, pure style, with lots of floral and black tea notes out front, followed by a tightly focused beam of red currant, plum and raspberry coulis flavors. The finish sports a mouthwatering chalky spine and lovely perfume that should develop more with time. For fans of minerality. Best from 2022 through 2032. 6,665 cases made.
JS 96 (2/2017): Intense aromas of minerals, chalk, bright cherries and stones. Full-bodied, tight and silky; very linear. Like a straight shot. Give it three to four years to soften. Vibrant is the word. |
|
| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$737.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (2/2023): The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a total stunner. For the first time I can remember, Les Carmes Haut-Brion marries all of its elements so well that nothing stands out. In the past, the high percentage of Franc and/or the whole clusters were evident. The 2020 is the first modern vintage in which all the elements are so well balanced. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint, lavender, dried herbs and incense all build in a ravishing Pessac-Léognan that will take your breath away. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): Exotic fruit aromas of blackberry, blueberry, peach and orange peel. It’s full-bodied with a vertical flow of layered, chewy tannins that are integrated and intense. Extremely polished and focused. Crushed stone to the fruit in the aftertaste. Some bark and forest flowers, too. Great potential.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): On another level, the flagship 2020 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one heck of a dense, backward, concentrated wine that’s going to require bottle age. Coming in with the same technical analysis (acidity and alcohol) as the 2018, this full-bodied beauty offers a thrilling nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, charcoal, and gravelly earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with a terrific mid-palate and wonderful purity, it holds things close to its vest yet has flawless balance, impeccable purity, and just a great, lengthy finish. Nevertheless, this is one big bruiser of a wine that’s going to demand bottle age. Do your best to hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three to four decades.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion issues forth a beguiling array of savory scents—black olives, charcuterie, bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper—over a core of bright redcurrant jelly, black cherries and cassis scents, plus fragrant hints of rose petals and preserved mandarin peel. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing and elegantly styled yet with a rock-solid backbone of firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. This is a stunning expression of the vintage that should be long lived and age with fantastic grace. |
|
| Le Clarence de Haut Brion |
2015 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$701.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Clarendelle |
2016 |
Bordeaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$217.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Bordeaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$207.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2018 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,398.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-99 (4/2019): The 2018 Ducru-Beaucaillou is composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, to be aged 18 months in 100% new barriques. It has a pH of 3.7, 14.5% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 95. Very deep purple-black in color, it prances out of the glass with flamboyant, showy scents of cinnamon stick, wilted roses, star anise, fallen leaves and Ceylon tea with a core of blackcurrant cordial, black cherry compote, violets, chocolate mint and espresso plus a waft of crushed rocks. Full-bodied, opulent and decadently fruited with layer upon layer of black/blue fruit and floral nuances, it has an exquisitely ripe, fine-grained frame and fantastic freshness supporting the multifaceted, beguiling fruit, finishing with tons of fragrant flowers and mineral sparks. At once beautifully elegant and wonderfully bold. About 7,000 cases of the grand vin will be produced, really focusing on the area around the estate.
WS 96-99 (4/2019): Another rock 'em sock 'em St.-Julien here, brimming with nearly exotic blackberry, plum, blueberry and açaí berry reduction notes, bristling with brambly energy and racing through a graphite-edged finish. Shows gorgeous perfume throughout, despite the fairly obvious level of concentration.
VM 95-98 (5/2019): The 2018 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a wine of pure and total sensual beauty. Layers of intense fruit nearly cover the massive tannins that lurk beneath. Sweet floral notes, spice, mint, lavender and rose petals all grace a sublime Ducru that is long on class and character. In most recent vintages, Ducru has been a tannic behemoth, but the 2018 is remarkably silky, sumptuous and nuanced. In 2018, Ducru is not an obvious wine, but it is exceptionally beautiful. The 2018 is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. New oak is 100%. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-100 (5/2019): The grand vin of this terrific estate, the 2018 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that will spend 18 months in new barrels. It’s as classy as they come, boasting a deep purple/blue color as well as awesome notes of pure crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, crushed rock-like minerality, and violets. Haute couture at its finest, with full-bodied richness, building structure and tannins, and remarkable purity, it’s certainly in the same ballpark as the magical 2016. It will be approachable in just 4-5 years yet keep for 40+.
JS 98-99 (4/2019): This is so layered and beautiful with incredible tannin quality. Full-bodied with a caressing texture that reminds me of the finest cashmere. So layered. You want to swallow this. Brings a smile to the face. Wow. So well crafted. |
|
|
2019 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,302.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (6/2020): This year the blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. The alcohol weighed in at 14.2%, while the pH is 3.8 and the IPT is 88. It will mature for 18 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Opaque purple-black in color, the 2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and plum preserves plus hints of candied violets, dark chocolate, licorice, wild fungi, crushed rocks and tilled soil with a touch of mossy bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a tightly wound coil poised to spring out with layer upon layer of minerals, rich black fruits and floral notes, framed by very firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and electric freshness, finishing long and incredibly layered. WOW!
VM 96-98 (6/2020): I tasted the 2019 Ducru Beaucaillou four times in 12-hour intervals from opening. It has a splendid bouquet centered around black fruit laced with graphite, Montecristo cigars and hints of sage and cedar. This is one of the most Pauillac-like Ducrus that I have encountered at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, pitch perfect acidity and a sensual, satin-like texture that could seduce from miles away. There is a sense of completeness surrounding this Second Growth, charming you surfeit with nobility and outstanding in terms of persistence. Fabulous. Neal Martin.
JD 97-100 (6/2020): Just as concentrated yet more elegant, the flagship 2019 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou checks in as a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot raised in new French oak. It offers a gorgeous bouquet of pure crème de cassis and blueberry fruit that just screams of Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple-hued, with plenty of lead pencil, graphite, and floral notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, straight-up awesome tannins, and a monster of a finish. It's another magical wine in the making from this château. Give bottles a decade in the cellar if you can (it's going to be incredibly enjoyable in its youth as well), and it will evolve for 40-50 years or more.
JS 99-100 (6/2020): A very powerful Ducru with intense tannins and backbone, showing blue fruit, black tea and tobacco. Full-bodied with impressive structure and so much tannin. It goes on for minutes. Very traditional. Owner Bruno Borie said it is a wine to last forever and I have to agree. 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot. |
|
| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2009 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,499.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2012): A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it displays an inky/blue/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice, lead pencil, cedar and subtle barrique smells. Viscous and full-bodied, it is the most concentrated and broadest example of this cuvee I have tasted in over three decades. It will be ready to drink in 5-7 years and should last for three decades or more. Consumers looking to maximize value should be checking out Duhart Milon, as this may be the single smartest purchase in this great and historic vintage!
NM 96 (7/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. To the astonishment of our group of experienced palates, the Duhart-Milon '09 took on all-comers under blind conditions and triumphed. I always regarded it as a fantastic Pauillac but this good? I mean ... it received a higher average group score than almost every Grand Vin. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, mulberry, quince and a touch of dried flowers picked from down in Margaux. There is a slight meaty tincture suggesting some Cabernet Franc? The palate is medium-bodied but with superb fruit concentration. Again, there is a beguiling sense of precision and harmony that lends the finish weightlessness and poise. This is an effortless wine and a benchmark Duhart. Bravo! Tasted January 2013.
JS 95 (2/2012): This is superb, with so much beautiful subtle fruit and wonderful flowers. Full and very lively, with super fine tannins and a lively finish. Very exciting. Best ever from here. Try in 2018.
WS 92 (3/2012): This takes a fleshy, rather toasty approach, showing roasted plum and black currant fruit, with a smoked mesquite note on the loam-tinged finish. There's more breadth than depth, but this has the latent minerality to last a long time in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2027. |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2013 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$729.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (8/2023): The 2013 L'Eglise-Clinet has a clean and precise bouquet with black fruit, sous-bois, shavings of black truffle and hints of morels. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry, red fruit laced with mocha and delicate acidity with a harmonious, if simplistic (for this estate) finish. Fine. Neal Martin. |
|
| Petit Figeac |
2016 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,092.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Les Forts de Latour |
2003 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,423.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 93 (3/2006): Beautiful aromas of berry, currant and toasted oak. Intense currant character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, intense finish. This is very structured and superclean. Excellent stuff. The second wine of Latour. Best after 2011. 7,000 cases made.
WA 92 (4/2006): The 2003 Les Forts de la Tour possesses a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to notions of cold steel, lead pencil shavings, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied, opulent, heady, rich, and lush, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. What can one say about proprietor Francois Pinault and his manager, Frederic Engerer? A strong argument can be made that in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Latour produced the wine of the vintage, although it has plenty of competition in the Northern Medoc in 2003. Moreover, the bargains are the estate’s least expensive cuvee, Pauillac, followed by Les Forts de Latour, Latour’s second wine which continues to increase in quality.
VM 91 (6/2006): Deep ruby-red. Wonderfully vinous and sappy for the vintage, with aromas of redcurrant, mineral and spice. Sweet, rich, lush and exotic but with good spice character giving lift to the flavors. A very fine-grained wine that will give relatively early pleasure, but it can't match the 2004 or 2005 for backbone. Finishes dry and classic, with plenty of richness. |
|
| Ch. Giscours |
2015 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$798.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2018): Plenty of violets and dark berries on offer here. This has a striking sense of purity as well as an energetic, regal palate. The structure is impressively groomed with effortless depth and length. A standout wine. Try from 2022.
VM 95 (7/2019): The 2015 Giscours has a beautiful, clean, pure bouquet of generous ripe black cherry, raspberry and crushed violet aromas that could only come from Margaux. The medium-bodied palate is quite dense but wonderfully poised, offering sappy red fruit and very fine tannin and delivering impressive detail on the bay leaf and tea leaf finish. Alexandre van Beek oversaw one of the best Giscours in recent years. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin.
WA 94+ (2/2018): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Giscours opens with expressive cassis, blackberry and red currants on the nose with touches of cedar chest, roses and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied with a good core of muscular fruit and firm, grainy tannins, it finishes long.
WS 93 (3/2018): Polished and rounded in feel, with a solid core of plum and blackberry compote flavors, lined with light hints of charcoal, tobacco and violet. Nice perfumy tobacco and warm tar notes show on the finish. Very well-integrated, making this approachable now, but there's no rush. Best from 2020 through 2035. 23,333 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Gloria |
2016 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$709.98 |
12 |
|
| |
VM 96 (1/2019): The 2016 Gloria is one of the undisputed stars of this vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, menthol, licorice and dried rose petal all add complexity. In 2016 Gloria is a real head-turner. It should be a fabulous value as well. There is not much else to say. Antonio Galloni.
JD 94 (2/2019): I was lucky enough to taste the 2016 Château Gloria on multiple occasions and it’s unquestionably the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 42% new French oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful, medium to full-bodied wine that has thrilling purity in its ripe black and blue fruits, tobacco, and graphite-laced aromas and flavors. Deep, layered, with ripe tannins and the purity and freshness that makes the vintage so special, this is a brilliant Gloria to drink over the coming 20+ years.
WA 93 (10/2022): The 2016 Gloria is showing brilliantly and appears to be entering the beginning of its drinking window. Offering up a deep bouquet of sweet crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with sweet spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with fine concentration, ripe tannins and bright acids, it's a vibrant, precise wine from this sometimes rather flamboyantly styled estate, impressing for its purity of fruit and structural seamlessness. Gloria in excelsis! |
|
| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2013 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$809.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 91 (2/2016): Dense and silky with lots of flowers and black currant character. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a long finish for the vintage. Drink now.
WA 90 (10/2016): The 2013 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and cedar fruit, nicely composed and delineated, not complex but harmonious. As usual, there is a conservative element to the aromatics in keeping with this estate's style. The palate is medium-bodied with appreciable mineralite on the entry. I like the edginess here, the framework and in particular the finesse that is not always apparent at Grand-Puy-Lacoste, at least at this early juncture. It might not be a long-term proposition, but it is certainly one of the finest Pauillac wines of the vintage courtesy of Xavier and Emeline Borie.
WS 90 (3/2016): This has good vibrancy, with red and black currant fruit carried by brambly tannins. Light charcoal and tobacco leaf notes on the finish give this an old-school edge. Should meld pleasantly with modest cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2023. 9,167 cases made.
NM 90-92 (4/2014): The Grand Puy Lacoste is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot picked at 31hl/ha from 30 September until 11 October, matured in 75% new oak. It has a fragrant red berry fruit on the nose: raspberry leaf and cranberry, undergrowth and a touch of tobacco. It is very classic G.P.L. style but dialled down from previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well judged acidity, harmonious with cedar and tobacco on the finish. There is not the usual structure compared to recent vintages, although it is cohesive and for want of a better word...honest. And what more can you ask from a wine?
VM 88-91 (5/2014): Dark ruby. Perfumed aromas of blackcurrant and violet. Rich and sweet on the palate, offering juicy flavors of dark plum and blueberry. Finishes smooth and persistent, with a lingering note of cedar. Ian D'Agata. |
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|
2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$347.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 91 (2/2016): Dense and silky with lots of flowers and black currant character. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a long finish for the vintage. Drink now.
WA 90 (10/2016): The 2013 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and cedar fruit, nicely composed and delineated, not complex but harmonious. As usual, there is a conservative element to the aromatics in keeping with this estate's style. The palate is medium-bodied with appreciable mineralite on the entry. I like the edginess here, the framework and in particular the finesse that is not always apparent at Grand-Puy-Lacoste, at least at this early juncture. It might not be a long-term proposition, but it is certainly one of the finest Pauillac wines of the vintage courtesy of Xavier and Emeline Borie.
WS 90 (3/2016): This has good vibrancy, with red and black currant fruit carried by brambly tannins. Light charcoal and tobacco leaf notes on the finish give this an old-school edge. Should meld pleasantly with modest cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2023. 9,167 cases made.
NM 90-92 (4/2014): The Grand Puy Lacoste is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot picked at 31hl/ha from 30 September until 11 October, matured in 75% new oak. It has a fragrant red berry fruit on the nose: raspberry leaf and cranberry, undergrowth and a touch of tobacco. It is very classic G.P.L. style but dialled down from previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well judged acidity, harmonious with cedar and tobacco on the finish. There is not the usual structure compared to recent vintages, although it is cohesive and for want of a better word...honest. And what more can you ask from a wine?
VM 88-91 (5/2014): Dark ruby. Perfumed aromas of blackcurrant and violet. Rich and sweet on the palate, offering juicy flavors of dark plum and blueberry. Finishes smooth and persistent, with a lingering note of cedar. Ian D'Agata. |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,801.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): I finished my trip through Bordeaux with the 2020 Château Haut-Brion, and it was certainly a fitting cap to the trip. Revealing a deep ruby/plum hue, the 2020 exhibits extraordinary aromatics of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, cold fireplace, and acacia flowers. An absolute blockbuster on the palate, this structured, full-bodied, massively concentrated Pessac builds incrementally, with ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Richer and more concentrated than both the 2018 and 2019 (there are some similarities to 2010), this is a legend in the making. The blend is 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all of which will spend 15-18 months in 77% new French oak. Hide bottles for a decade, and it should evolve for 50-75 years.
JS 100 (4/2021): This is a superb Haut-Brion with incredible tannins that are wonderfully fine-grained. It’s really powerful. This is very primary with so much grape-generated tannin structure. Very, very long, going on for minutes. Seductive and friendly at the start and then takes you on at the finish with so much structure. Wine of the vintage?
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Brion is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Substance, depth and textural intensity elevate Haut-Brion into the realm of the sublime in 2020. All the elements are so wonderfully balanced. Inky dark fruit, gravel, lavender, violet and dark spice build as the 2020 gradually opens with some aeration. Wow. Neal Martin.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Haut-Brion is a blend of 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, with an estimated alcohol of 15% and a pH of 3.8. Opaque purple-black colored, it leaps from the glass with a first wave of vibrant black raspberries, ripe blackberries and mulberries scents, followed by a powerful core of warm cassis, dark chocolate and violets, before bursting into an array of crushed rocks, iron ore, tree bark and black truffles notes. The concentrated, densely packed, full-bodied palate is not in the least bit heavy, delivering a refreshing backbone of red berry and dried herbs suggestions, framed by seamless acidity and very finely grained tannins, finishing on an epically long, fragrant earth note. Simply stunning. |
|
| Ch. Lafleur |
2016 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,482.99 |
1 |
|
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| JS 99-100 (4/2017): This is a young wine that just kicks off at the end with fantastic depth of fruit and intensity. Full-bodied, yet very tight and closed at first. Compact and powerful. Incredible power and structure. |
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| Ch. Latour |
2006 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,500.98 |
1 |
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WA 95 (2/2009): The 2006 Latour performed even better from bottle than from barrel. Only 38% of the production (10,000 cases) made it into the grand vin, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. From barrel, I thought it was a modern day version of the 1996 or 1986, and certainly the 1996 comparison still holds. I thought it was somewhat austere from barrel, but that is no longer an issue. This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour boasting a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet, smoky, charcoal, cassis, graphite, and forest floor-scented nose, full body, an attractive freshness, and sweet, noble tannins. This layered Latour is one of the vintage's top dozen or so wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.
VM 95 (5/2009): Bright full ruby. Slightly stern aromas of cassis, graphite, licorice, incense and flowers. Then dense and penetrating, with terrific energy to the subtle dark fruit, licorice and mineral flavors. There's a coolness to the fruit that makes this wine dramatically different from the Forts de Latour. Finishes with big, building tannins and a powerful sense of structure. A fairly large-scaled Latour but not particularly sweet in the early going. In fact, this went into a shell with 24 hours in the recorked bottle. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 95 (3/2009): Offers a pure nose of currant and blackberry, with crushed fruit. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and very polished, refined tannins. Long and classy. Best after 2016. |
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| Ch. Leoville Barton |
2015 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$679.99 |
1 |
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JD 97 (11/2017): I absolutely loved the 2015 Leoville Barton and this has everything you could want from a Left Bank Bordeaux. Cassis, smoked earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and thrilling amounts of minerality all emerge from this inky colored, full-bodied, power-packed, brut of a Saint-Julien that holds everything together and stays pure, balanced and elegant on the palate. It has a lot of tannins, yet more than enough fruit. The 2015 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak, and it needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will shine for 2-3 decades. Bravo!
VM 96+ (2/2018): A dense, powerful wine, the 2015 Leoville-Barton is going to need quite a bit of time to come together, as it is massively tannic and structured at this stage. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (2/2018): This is a very focused Barton with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and chalky. It drives through the center palate with currant and berry character. Full-bodied, polished and straightforward with driving tannin. Love the texture. Class. Yes. Drink in 2021.
WS 95 (3/2018): This delivers some serious wow, dripping with warm fig, blackberry and boysenberry reduction notes, along with melted black licorice and fruitcake flavors. Shows ample grip but remains beautifully polished, letting the fruit sail on. Don't worry though, as long echoes of roasted apple wood and tar signal that this is built for the long haul. Best from 2025 through 2042. 11,667 cases made.
WA 95 (2/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Leoville Barton offers up notions of warm red currants, black raspberries and dark chocolate with wafts of cigar box, violets and bay leaves. Elegant, medium-bodied and sporting great freshness, the taut, tightly wound palate of intense red fruits and floral accents is well-framed with firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note. |
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| Ch. Leoville Poyferre |
2015 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$689.99 |
1 |
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VM 97 (2/2018): The 2015 Leoville-Poyferre is spectacular. Inky, dense and explosive, the 2015 possesses off the chart richness, with soft contours, no hard edges and exceptional balance. All the elements are simply fused together. inky blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, new leather, blueberry jam, exotic spice and violet notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. Fresh, vibrant and totally sexy, Leoville-Poyferre is one of the wines of the vintage. Don't miss it! Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97 (11/2017): The 2015 Leoville Poyferre is cut from the same cloth as the 2016, yet is more sexy, rounded and opulent. Notes of cassis, licorice, crushed rocks, lead pencil shavings and graphite all emerge from this unctuous, ripe, pedal-to-the-metal beauty that's absolutely loaded with fruit and texture. Reminding me of the 2003, yet only fresher, don't miss this beauty. It should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 3-4 decades.
JS 96 (2/2018): A rich and intense red with blackberries, tar and spices. Black tea and blueberries. Full-bodied, very layered and multi-dimensional. Very long and flavorful. Such great texture. A dynamic and superb red. Drink in 2023.
WS 95 (3/2018): Dark plum cake, blueberry reduction and açaí berry fruit tilts this to the exotic side of the ledger, with warm ganache, melted black licorice and tar notes providing the spine through the lush finish. Displays some serious latent grip, so there's no rush despite the showy fruit. Best from 2022 through 2040. 18,439 cases made.
WA 94 (2/2018): The 2015 Leoville Poyferre is deep garnet-purple colored with a nose of grilled meats, baked plums, crème de cassis and baker's chocolate with nuances of dusty soil and iron ore plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and muscular in the mouth, it is built like a brick house with a mineral-tinged finish. |
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| Ch. Malescot St. Exupery |
2017 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$598.99 |
1 |
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| VM 93+ (3/2020): The 2017 Malescot Saint Exupery has really come together nicely over the course of its elevage. In this vintage, Malescot is a bit more fruity and less structured than it has been. Cedar, licorice, dried herbs, menthol and scorched earth notes give the 2017 a distinctly savory feel to match its somber, virile personality. The 2017 is a wine that keeps getting better each time I taste it, and that makes me very hopeful for the future; it will be interesting to see what happens here with aging, and, specifically, if a bit more structure emerges. This is a wine of great personality and character. |
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| Ch. Margaux |
2010 |
Margaux (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,116.99 |
2 |
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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.
WS 98 (3/2013): A mouthwatering tobacco leaf note leads the way, quickly followed by steeped black currant and fig fruit, with dark tar and ganache on the back end. Roasted alder and juniper hints hang in the background. Extremely backward, with a firm, tannic structure, this is girded for the long haul. Judging from the finely beaded acidity and lilting echo of lilac that peeks in now, this should acquire sensational aromatics and incredible grace with age. Best from 2018 through 2040.
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. Mouton-Rothschild |
2015 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,246.99 |
1 |
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JD 99 (11/2017): The crème de la crème from the northern Medoc is the 2015 Mouton Rothschild and this incredible wine flirts with perfection. Made from 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, this inky purple-colored effort offers sensational Cabernet flare in its crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, floral, and Asian spice aromas and flavors. It is full-bodied, dense, and incredibly concentrated, yet still has the sexy, opulent, seductive style of the vintage front and center. It will be a candidate for perfection in 10-12 years and is going to be one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. Hats off to Philippe Dhalluim and his team for this incredible effort that’s a step up over just about every other northern Medoc out there!
JS 99 (2/2018): Decadent and rich aromas of black cherries and plums with wet earth and sandalwood. Turns to dried mushrooms. Full-bodied, tight and closed with big, polished tannins, yet this is very closed and shy right now. Despite this, underneath it shows such depth and beauty. Tangy acidity. This is a combination of 2005 and 2009. Try it in 2024.
WA 98 (2/2018): The 2015 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak with a mid-July 2017 bottling. Deep garnet-purple colored, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention. Give it a good 7-8 years in bottle, at least, and drink it over the next 30+ years.
VM 97+ (2/2018): In 2015, Mouton Rothschild is fabulous. A big, towering wine, the 2015 makes its presence felt with layers of super-ripe dense fruit and striking textural resonance that carries all the way through to the finish. The 2015 is much more reticent from bottle than it was from barrel, which is not at all surprising, but is something readers should take into account. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 Mouton is a wine of classically inspired proportions. I can't wait to taste it in another 15-20 years. The 2015 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc that spend 19 months in 100% new French oak. Antonio Galloni.
WS 96 (3/2018): Offers a prodigious core of steeped fig, black currant and blackberry compote flavors, enmeshed with notes of smoldering tobacco, charcoal and licorice. Broad, deep and long, with a deep foundation of graphite through the finish. Despite the heft, this manages to show off some purity too. Best from 2025 through 2045. |
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| Ch. Palmer |
2015 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,969.98 |
2 |
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JS 100 (2/2018): I am breathless with the dark-berry, lavender and burnt-orange aromas. Some salt. Just so formidable and deep. Stunningly sexy on the palate with a density and power, yet it leaves things so clean and bright. You want to drink it and enjoy it now, but it has the structure to last forever. Drink in 2022.
JD 98 (11/2017): One of the gems in Margaux is unquestionably the 2015 Palmer. Possessing more elegance and purity, as well as concentration, than the Alter Ego, it offers up a gorgeous bouquet of crème de cassis, caramelized cherries, charcoal, and graphite, with just a hint of spring flowers in the background. A final blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot that was brought up in 70% new oak, this full-bodied, ripe, incredibly polished 2015 is already hard to resist given its elegance and purity, yet should be at its best from 2023-2043. If you have more than one bottle, it's sensational today as well.
WA 98 (2/2018): Bottled relatively late in mid-September 2017, the 2015 Palmer is a blend of 44% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon with a small portion of Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it offers vibrant red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries, earth and mineral characteristics to begin, with slowly unfurling floral notes of violets and dried roses plus compelling baker’s chocolate and fragrant earth layers. Medium to full-bodied, generously fruited and possessing firm yet very, very fine-grained, mind-blowingly ripe tannins, the multifaceted palate features something of a skip in its step in terms of freshness, while it goes beguilingly earthy on the finish with some mineral hints. Very classy, elegant and sophisticated, this vintage is downright regal in its juxtaposition between poise and audaciousness. Think 2005 Palmer with a tick more fruit intensity, perfume and passion.
NM 97 (2/2018): The 2015 Palmer is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot with around 14.1% alcohol, a little higher than usual. It is much more backward on the nose than the Alter Ego and demanded coaxing from the glass, eventually revealing scents of blackberry, cassis, boysenberry, crushed stone and a touch of vanilla pod, beautifully defined with a brooding sense of power. I suspect that this will be no shy and retiring violet when it reaches full maturity. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins that caress the mouth on the entry, and it is a voluminous Palmer, not heavy but multifaceted. Black fruits are laced with oyster shell, hints of allspice and crushed stone, delivering a crescendo toward an intense finish that this château has specialized in under winemaker Thomas Duroux. It will require at least a decade in bottle, but I probably agree with the estate that it will last many decades. Superb...but only for the patient.
VM 97 (2/2018): The 2015 Palmer is a wine of total refinement and class. All the elements are wonderfully meshed together, as they always have been from the very start. Dark black cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, spice and leather notes are all seamless in the glass. The tannins are present, but they are silky and pretty much buried by the sheer luxuriousness of the fruit. Palmer is one of the most complete and harmonious wines of 2015. This is a brilliant effort from Thomas Duroux and his team. Antonio Galloni.
WS 96 (3/2018): This is dark and muscular in style, brimming with bramble, warm tar and paving stone notes that are matched by the deep layers of fig, blackberry and cassis fruit. A gorgeous bittersweet chocolate detail adds spine to the finish while violet and iron elements lurk in reserve. Another large wave of fruit and dark earth courses through the finish. Best from 2025 through 2045. |
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|
2016 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,168.97 |
1 |
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JD 100 (2/2019): The finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing the 2009 and 2010, the 2016 Château Palmer is a blend of 47% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 65% new French oak. This magical effort reveals a saturated purple color as well as a huge nose of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, and spring flowers, and it develops beautifully with time in the glass. Full-bodied, deep, incredibly concentrated and powerful, it nevertheless just glides over the palate with flawless purity and balance, present, ripe tannins, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is Bordeaux at its most regal and classic. It will be drinkable with just 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for half a century.
VM 100 (1/2019): Technical Director Thomas Duroux and his team made one of the most brilliant wines of the 2016 vintage. Palmer is simply exceptional. Rich and dramatically sweeping in the glass, the 2016 is breathtaking. All the elements simply fall into place in a wine of mesmerizing beauty. The counterpoint of dark, sumptuous fruit and floral notes makes for an utterly compelling Palmer that will take its place among the estate's finest vintages. Dark cherry, lavender, spice and mocha are some of the many notes that build into a deep, substantial finish that is truly unforgettable. In a word: magnificent! Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2018): The 2016 Palmer is a blend of 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Opaque garnet-purple colored, it slowly glides out of the glass with compelling notes of blueberry compote, warm cassis and kirsch with emerging hints of violets, cigar box, black tea, sandalwood and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, wonderfully rich, concentrated and packed with latent energy, the palate literally grows in the mouth, revealing layer upon layer of black, blue and red fruits and tons of floral sparks, framed by super ripe, incredibly fine-grained tannins and finishing with epic length. It’s a wine that makes you wanna drape yourself languidly over a chaise lounge, glass of Palmer in hand, sighing with deep satisfaction, “This is so wonderfully Palmer.”
JS 98 (1/2019): Such attractive fruit and alluring ripeness that it draws you in from the get-go. The discreet power here is delivered with a very astute touch. Assorted dark-berry aromas, as well as red plums, abound on the nose. The richness and depth in the mouth is stunning. The tannins are super polished and layered and they draw pristine dark fruit flavors deep into the finish in effortless mode. This is a star of the vintage. A blend of 47 per cent merlot, 47 per cent cabernet sauvignon and six per cent petit verdot. Try from 2024.
WS 94 (3/2019): This is a very solid rendering, with a core of steeped blackberry, black currant and fig fruit flavors that are juicy and well-defined. The back end picks up lots of graphite, tobacco, anise and violet notes while maintaining focus and energy. Shows latent depth as the fruit echoes steadily. Best from 2023 through 2038. |
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| Ch. Pavie |
2009 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,008.97 |
1 |
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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.
WS 98 (6/2012): This is massively rendered, with powerful notes of dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit intertwined with ganache, maduro tobacco and tar. Yet the overall impression is both polished and driven, with a buried graphite edge and lingering spice notes that hint at the reward for extended cellaring. It's amazing to see the results when ambition and execution are equal. Best from 2020 through 2040. 7,080 cases made.
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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| Les Aromes de Pavie |
2015 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$456.99 |
1 |
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
2016 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,097.99 |
1 |
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JD 100 (2/2019): Coming from the genius winemaking talent of Nicolas Glumineau, the 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande matches the 1982 and is a perfect, legendary wine in the making. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new oak, it's not the most powerful Left Bank but offers perfect balance and thrilling intensity as well as heavenly aromatics of crème de cassis, leafy herbs, jammy blackberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened lead pencils as well as more violets and minerality with time in the glass. Possessing a deep, full-bodied, singular character, the purity of fruit that's the hallmark of the vintage, building tannins, and a sense of class and elegance that's hard to describe, it's a 50-year-wine. While this cuvee has included a fair chunk of Merlot in the past that gave it more upfront appeal, it's important for readers to know it's much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated today, and while it is slightly more approachable than some of its neighbors, it shuts down rather quickly with time in the glass. (I followed this wine for multiple days.) I suspect a solid decade of cellaring is warranted.
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is every bit as regal as it has always been. Towering and spectacularly rich in the glass, the 2016 captures every ounce of potential is showed from barrel. The 2016 is a vivid, dramatically sweeping wine that will leave readers week at the knees. Beams of tannin give the 2016 soaring intensity that is matched by a host of aromas and flavors that open up in the glass. Blackberry jam, graphite, spice, menthol, licorice, pencil shavings and spice are all finely sketched in a bold, savory Pauillac that hits all the right notes. The 2016 Pichon Comtesse has been riveting on each of the four occasions I have tasted it from barrel thus far, making it easily one of the wines of the vintage. Nicolas Glumineu and his team turned out an epic Pichon Comtesse in 2016. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2018): The 2016 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is blended of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 60% new oak. Deep purple-black in color, it is a little mute, slowly unfurling to reveal a core of crushed blackcurrants, blueberry compote and black raspberries with nuances of cinnamon stick, violets, star anise, menthol and pencil shavings plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied and super intense in the mouth, the palate bursts with black fruits and savory layers, complemented by red fruit sparks and framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing very long with a lingering suggestion of minerality.
JS 98 (1/2019): Glorious aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and flowers, from violets to roses. Iron and rust undertones. Full-bodied, dense and very layered with loads of richness. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of the 1986. Best in decades? Take a first look at it in 2025.
WS 97 (3/2019): (WS #97 wine of 2019) Saturated with dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors, this has a fleshy, nearly glycerin feel at first before stretching out to reveal singed cedar, tobacco leaf, dark earth and cassis bush flavors. A terrific tug of cast iron emerges at the very end. Deliciously juicy dark fruit keeps rolling throughout. Best from 2025 through 2040. 12,000 cases made. |
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| Le Pin |
2005 |
Pomerol Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$2,900 |
1 |
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| JD 98 (4/2024): ) The 2005 Château Le Pin is all Merlot from a tiny vineyard just across from Vieux Château Certain and was raised in new barrels. It has a massive nose of ripe blackberries, kirsch, saddle leather, smoked tobacco, and Mediterranean herbs that turns more floral and violet-laced with air. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced on the palate with ultra-fine tannins, it has an almost Burgundian-like elegance and seamlessness as well as incredible length. It’s not the biggest example from vineyard yet it shows the inherent quality and elegance of the Chateau. Drink bottles over the coming 15-20 years. |
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| Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte |
2016 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$791.98 |
1 |
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WA 98 (11/2018): Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot and matured in 60% new oak for 18 months, the 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a very deep garnet-purple color, opening with sensuous scents of warm black cherries, blackberry pie, star anise and fragrant lilacs with hints of chocolate box, cigar box and pencil lead plus wafts of truffles and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seductive, it completely fills the palate with perfumed black berry preserves and superbly plush tannins, finishing epically long and beautifully layered.
JD 97 (2/2019): Moving to the reds, the 2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in 60% new oak. It’s undeniably a more elegant, reserved style from this estate, yet it still offers full-bodied richness and depth, with a classic perfume of cassis, black currants, cold fireplace, wood smoke, and tobacco. Deep, nicely concentrated, seamless, and, again, incredibly elegant, it’s going to flesh out nicely with short-term cellaring and keep for 20-30 years.
VM 95+ (8/2020): The 2016 Smith Haut-Lafitte has an opulent, lavish bouquet with layers of black cherry, Christmas cake, dark chocolate and vanilla. This wants to make an impression. The palate is very seductive, featuring lush red berry fruit, brown spices and saturated tannins. Some new oak is evident on the finish, but that will be subsumed with bottle age. I can see this aging well. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Tertre Roteboeuf |
2018 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$779.99 |
2 |
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VM 93-96 (5/2019): The 2018 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is a real powerhouse. Rich and explosive, the 2018 possesses stunning depth and fabulous textural intensity. Dark fruit, chocolate, spice, leather, tobacco and cedar add aromatic nuance, but more than anything, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is a wine that captures the heady, ripe personality of the year in spades. Alcohol approaches 16% and yet is not all that evident. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.” Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-99 (5/2019): The 2018 Tertre Roteboeuf is another powerful, opulent wine from this estate that reminds me a little of the 2005 with its density and tannic structure. Cassis, graphite, black raspberries, and tons of classy oak all emerge from this full-bodied beauty that has tons of fruit and texture, a stacked mid-palate, and a big finish. It’s a massive, sumptuous, and lavishly oaked and fruited wine that’s going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25-30 years. |
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| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,710.99 |
1 |
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JD 100 (3/2023): Moving to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan is another legendary wine from this vintage, ranking with the best Bordeaux ever produced. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 65% new French oak, it has a deep, powerful, full-bodied style as well as incredible purity and precision in its darker cassis, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco-driven aromatics. With perfectly integrated oak, again, incredible purity, and perfect, ultra-fine tannins, it deserves 8-10 years of bottle age and will be a 40- to 50-year wine.
VM 99 (2/2023): The 2020 Vieux Château Certan is a wine of total harmony and finesse. Absolutely nothing is out of place. Supple and seamless, the 2020 is an infant, but it is so impressive. Crème de cassis, lavender, mocha and licorice are some of the many notes that emerge from the glass, but more than anything else, the 2020 is a majestic Pomerol that will thrill those lucky enough to own it. There's not much else to say. The 2020 spent 18 months in barrel, 65% new. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Vieux Château Certan is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, picked on the 14th to the 24th of September for the Merlot, then on the 28th and 29th of September for the Cabernet Franc. The pH is 3.77 and the alcohol is 14.5%. Deep purple-black colored, it needs considerable coaxing, swirling and a lot of patience before it finally lets rip an intoxicating perfume of ripe, juicy black plums, Morello cherries, candied violets, black truffles and crushed rocks, giving way to hints of black tea, molten licorice and Sichuan pepper, plus a waft of dusty red soil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers achingly ripe, silt-like tannins and shimmering freshness that melds with the black fruits and earthy layers with jaw-dropping seamlessness, finishing with layer upon layer of mineral and savory suggestions and, finally, a gorgeous floral whisper. There are going to be two ways to approach this: 1) Just let the remarkably sensual, inexplicable beauty of it wash over you or 2) Try to unravel all those intricate layers and have it blow you mind. Either way, this is simply an incredible achievement—bravo Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont!
JS 98-99 (5/2021): Extraordinary clarity and brilliance on the nose with ink and iodine, blackberry and blueberry. Really perfumed already. Full-bodied with fine tannins and superb depth and length. I love the complexity and the great texture. Energetic finish. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. Climens |
2011 |
Barsac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$436.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 97 (3/2014): Still tight, with an energetic core of white peach, creamed pineapple, persimmon and white ginger flavors. The backdrop of orange blossom and singed almond notes adds extra dimension on the finish. This will go a long way in the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2035. 4,025 cases made.
JS 96 (1/2014): A dense, racy, sweet white with dried-apple, apricot and honey character. Full, very sweet and fresh. Tangy, spicy aftertaste. Shows lots of subtle, intense botrytis-spice character on the finish. Better in 2016.
VM 96 (7/2014): Bright gold-tinged yellow. Knockout nose combines lime, pineapple, honeyed peach and cinnamon, complicated by very pure floral botrytis. Dense and ripe but vibrant too, with strong spice character and harmonious acidity enlivening the wine's highly expressive lemon and tropical fruit flavors. Finishes broad, tactile and very complex, with terrific length and a lingering spicy nuance. A star of the vintage. Ian d'Agata.
WA 94 (6/2016): The 2011 Climens repeated its performance from a few months ago. There is a tangible richness on the nose, touches of honeycomb and chalk infusing the honeyed fruit before those fig-like scents begin to emerge. The palate is beautifully balanced, unctuous in the mouth with a lovely salinity coming through on the long finish. It is way too young to strut its stuff at the moment, so afford it at least a decade in bottle. Tasted April 2016. |
|
| Ch. Raymond-Lafon |
2009 |
Sauternes (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$347.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. d' Yquem |
2009 |
Sauternes (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,394.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (3/2019): Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 d'Yquem bursts from the glass with gregarious crème caramel, allspice, dried apricots, mandarin peel and pineapple upside down cake scents plus a fragrant undercurrent of fungi, acacia honey, candied ginger, musk perfume and frangipani. Full-bodied and full-on hedonic in the mouth, the rich, tightly wound layers are still amazingly youthful with bags of citrus sparks and an incredibly long, perfumed finish. Possessing a residual sugar of 157 grams per liter and 13.6% alcohol as well as a laser-focused line of freshness, the rock-solid structure and through-the-roof opulence here is simply mind blowing. Pure perfection.
WS 98 (11/2014): The aromas are closed today, but the core is loaded with apricot, nectarine and orange notes, bolted by a citrus zest spine and backed by toasted almond and piecrust accents on the finish. A large-scale Yquem that shows the richness of the vintage.—Non-blind Yquem vertical (July 2014). Best from 2020 through 2050. 10,000 cases made.
JS 98 (4/2012): The length to this is exceptional with an intensity yet subtlety. Full and medium sweet with bright and exciting acidity. It's all in balance here. Creme brulee, pineapple, and papaya. Lasts so long on finish. It's so fabulous now. It will age forever but it's already a joy to taste, even drink. Better in 2020.
VM 97 (3/2019): The 2009 d'Yquem is a vintage that I have awarded perfect scores to in the past however, neither bottles merit that on this occasion. The first bottle feels scalped, so much so that a second bottle is checked. This has a very refined and sophisticated bouquet with wild honey, brioche, vanilla pod and light orange blossom aromas, beautifully refined. The palate is very well defined with fine acidity, very elegant in style with pure botrytised fruit and superb acidity on the finish. Ah...that is more like it. However, on this occasion it does not quite hit the high notes. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin. |
|
| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. Marquis d' Angerville |
2012 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$540.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
|
2013 |
Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$679.99 |
1 |
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| |
WS 93 (5/2016): Aromas and flavors of black pepper highlight the black cherry and black currant fruit in this beautifully integrated red. Firms up, yet remains long and spicy on the fresh aftertaste. Best from 2019 through 2030. 30 cases imported.
WA 91-93 (12/2014): The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiet has a very seductive, effortless bouquet that unfolds in the glass with raspberry, wild strawberry and a distant scent of pine cones that is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle but insistent grip. There is an abiding sense of symmetry here with very good length in the mouth. Tightly coiled at the moment, it will repay four or five years in bottle. This is a refined Volnay.
BH 90-92 (4/2015): ( from a 1.57 ha parcel.) There are hints of tea and violets to the dark currant liqueur-like aromas. There is an excellent sense of energy to the overtly mineral-inflected middle weight flavors that possess a dusty texture on the ever-so-slightly warm and austere finish. At present this is not perfectly well-balanced but I suspect that this will harmonize with 7 to 10 years of cellaring. Drink 2021+.
VM 90-92 (4/2015): The 2013 Volnay Fremiets is one of the more floral, mid-weight wines in this lineup. Cherry pit, crushed flowers mint and white pepper all take shape in the glass. A bit more pliant on the mid-palate than the aromatic suggests, the Fremiets is another wine where balance rules the day. Distinct stony and saline notes add the final layers of nuance. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Dom. de L' Arlot |
2008 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forets St. Georges (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,534.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 91 (1/2011): ( from an enormous 7.5 ha parcel of vines planted in the early 1950s.) The fresh and densely fruited dark berry nose is quite ripe with an intensely earthy and sauvage character that extends to the impressively rich, even opulent full-bodied flavors that possess so much extract that there is a chewy aspect to the mouth coating and concentrated mid-palate, all wrapped in a long, powerful, rustic and dramatic finish. This is an impressive effort though note that patience will be required. Drink 2018+. Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. Arnoux-Lachaux |
2021 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Corvee Pagets (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,243.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Vosne Romanee Les Hautes Maizieres (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,121.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Olivier Bernstein |
2020 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,444.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,935.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Henri Boillot |
2018 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,442.99 |
1 |
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| |
WA 93 (1/2020): The 2018 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets exhibits lovely aromas of raspberries and cherries mingled with orange rind, spice and raw cocoa. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and fine-boned, from more calcium-rich soils than Les Chevrets and built around bright acids and fine, chalky tannins.
BH 91 (4/2020): A restrained if clearly ripe nose is comprised by notes of cassis, black cherry, violet and pretty rose petal hints. The sleeker and more refined is perhaps not quite as concentrated flavors also possess a seductive texture and even more minerality, all wrapped in a mildly warm and youthfully austere finale that is slightly firmer. This too is lovely. Drink 2028+. Outstanding! |
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| Dom. Bruno Clair |
2018 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,940.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| Dom. Confuron-Cotetidot |
2009 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,293.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Bernard Dugat-Py |
2018 |
Gevrey Chambertin Coeur du Roy Tres Vieilles Vignes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,139.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Dujac |
2016 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,962.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Duroche |
2018 |
Gevrey Chambertin (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$644.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Henri Gouges |
2013 |
Nuits St. Georges (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$499.99 |
2 |
|
| |
BH 89-91 (1/2015): (from 4 different parcels scattered above and below the 1ers and the blend of vines averages about 35 years of age.) Reduction flattens the nose but there is good freshness and energy to the supple and round medium-bodied flavors that also possess only a touch of backend rusticity on the complex, balanced and impressively persistent finish for a villages level wine. This is really quite good for what it is and worth your attention. Drink 2019+. Outstanding Top Value!
WA 86-88 (12/2014): The 2013 Nuits Saint Georges Village had a slight reduction on the nose. The palate is supple in the mouth with crisp red cherry and strawberry fruit. There is decent depth here, a little disjointed at the moment but it should marry together nicely by the time of bottling in January.
VM 86-88 (1/2015): Healthy bright red. Slightly reduced aromas of bitter cherry and lees. Sweet but reduced, with cranberry and raspberry fruit flavors complicated by earthy and saline traces. Boasts good lift but finishes with slightly tart-edged acidity. |
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| Dom. Jean Grivot |
2013 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,444.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$742.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2020 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,400.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Lignier Michelot |
2018 |
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,249.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Maison Mommessin |
1993 |
Clos de Tart Grand Cru (1.5 L) Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$749 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 84 (11/1995): Distinctively smoky and toasty, sporting lovely, silky texture and nice wood. The finish is a bit diluted and alcoholic. Could use more fruit concentration. Try in 1999. |
|
|
2015 |
Clos de Tart Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,563.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Mongeard Mugneret |
2021 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,216.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. de Montille |
2020 |
Beaune 1er Cru Les Greves (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$584.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Joseph Roty |
2020 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Fontenys (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$579.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| Dom. Armand Rousseau |
2011 |
Gevrey Chambertin (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,043.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Gevrey Chambertin (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,737.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 89-92 (1/2020): A similar if slightly fresher nose offers notes of various red berries along with newly turn earth and sauvage nuances. The medium weight flavors possess a slightly finer mouthfeel with even better vibrancy, all wrapped in a complex, long and balanced finale. This is an excellent Gevrey villages and worth checking out. |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Dom. Bonneau du Martray |
2015 |
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,184.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (10/2020): The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a powerful, dense wine. It possesses tremendous richness and tons of intensity. Radiance and phenolic intensity are two of the signatures. That's about all I can tell you, as the 2015 is nowhere near ready to drink. It does have tremendous potential though, that is clear. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni.
BH 93 (9/2023): This is exceptionally fresh in the context of the ripe 2015 vintage and a wine that is maturing nicely with its evidently cool aromas of white peach, passion fruit and citrus confit where a hint of secondary fruit lurks in the background. The relatively sleek and solidly concentrated middle weight plus flavors possess both fine volume and richness while exhibiting first-rate length on the stony, mildly austere, lemony and agreeably dry finale. This is clearly still on the way up and while it could easily be enjoyed now, I would hold in the hopes of obtaining more overall depth. Tasted twice in the last year with consistent results (and no premox). (Drink starting 2025).
WA 93 (4/2018): The 2015 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru from Bonneau du Martray reveals a youthful nose of citrus zest, white flowers, tart pineapple and struck flint, framed by some spicy new oak. On the palate, this full-bodied wine reveals tension and definition that it seemed to miss in barrel, its glossy attack now backed by a nicely chalky structure and a deep, properly reserved core. This will need some time in the bottle to integrate, but its evolution is very promising, and while this is unusually rich and concentrated those qualities don't come at the expense of terroir. |
|
| J.-F. Coche-Dury |
2023 |
Meursault (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,421.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2023 |
Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,889.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,813.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Leflaive |
2018 |
Bourgogne Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$842.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Laurent Ponsot |
2021 |
Bourgogne Blanc Cuvee du Perce-Neige (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$317.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Jean-Claude Ramonet |
2022 |
Chassagne Montrachet (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,379.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Francois Raveneau |
2018 |
Chablis 1er Cru Chapelots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,601.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Jean-Marc Roulot |
2022 |
Bourgogne Blanc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$904.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Etienne Sauzet |
2021 |
Le Montrachet Grand Cru
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,698.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Bienvenues Batard Montrachet Grand Cru
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,046.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Champagne |
| Bollinger |
2012 |
V.V. Brut Francaises Champagne
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,239.97 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Roederer |
2012 |
Cristal Champagne (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$758.97 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 98 (12/2019): The 2012 Cristal is another absolutely stellar wine this flight of recent releases. Rich, vinous and beautifully textured, the 2012 has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. In the glass, the 2012 is radiant and luscious, yet it possesses remarkable transparency and striking aromatic depth. Light tropical notes develop in the glass, giving the 2012 a real feeling of exotic beauty. The 2012 is the first vintage of Cristal done with 100% organically-farmed fruit, an approach introduced gradually starting with the 2007 that has profoundly changes Cristal, especially in its aromatic breadth. Two thousand twelve is the vintage where endless trials and experiments in farming and winemaking are fully realized. The 2012 is just stunning. It’s as simple as that. Dosage is just over 7 grams per liter, the lowest it has even been for Cristal. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (7/2019): Such attractive, fresh, floral aromas here with fine bread, hints of white almonds and a lemon edge. White cherries and strong, chalky minerals, too. The palate has a very composed feel. Seamless and quite silky texture with effortless length and flow. Very fluid and composed. Very late, warming almond flavors. This is very long and smooth with a velvety finish. Super long pinot weight. Resolved and drinkable, but will age so well.
WA 97+ (12/2019): Aromas of clear honey, crisp green orchard fruit, white peach, pastry cream and dried white flowers introduce the 2012 Cristal, a full-bodied, concentrated and powerful wine that's built for the cellar. Broader, more textural and more muscular than the 2008 Cristal, with seemingly even greater reserves of structuring dry extract, the 2012 is incisive and searingly chalky. This is the first Cristal produced exclusively from organically farmed fruit, and it marks the opening of a new chapter for Louis Roderer. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, vinified without malolactic fermentation and disgorged with 7.5 grams per liter dosage. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once again excelled himself. |
|
| Salon |
2007 |
Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,935.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,117.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| | Germany |
| Egon Muller |
2018 |
Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,234.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Italy |
| Piero Antinori |
2021 |
Tignanello (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,131.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Produttori del Barbaresco |
2013 |
Barbaresco Pora Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$599.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (10/2017): The 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is soft, pliant and enveloping. In many vintages, the Pora can be a bit light. Not in 2013. The wine is rich and deeply textured, with layers of fruit that continue to build with time in the glass. The tannins are present, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. This is an especially powerful, brooding edition of the Pora. Although impressive today, the 2013 will drink well for decades to come. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,052.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (6/2021): This is usually the last wine in this series of nine, representing the most powerful and concentrated side of the Nebbiolo spectrum as interpreted by Produttori del Barbaresco. The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano (with 12,516 bottles released) is rich and darkly saturated, with a plush and opulent bouquet that is redolent of red berry, dried raspberry and candied orange peel. This is a blend of fruit from vineyards owned by the Gonella, Maffei, Marcarino, Rivella, Rocca and Vacca families. You feel the density of the wine on the palate, thanks to firm tannins and lots of extra fruit weight and texture. Despite that extra muscle (and the usual 15% alcohol content), Montestefano also shows a soft and especially enriched personality.
VM 98 (10/2020): The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is another profound wine in this lineup. There is virtually no perception of tannin, as the fruit is so rich and so voluptuous. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and a whole range of balsamic inflections grow as the Montestefano shows off its class. This profound Barbaresco will thrill readers for years to come. (Drink between 2024-2041). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,688.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (6/2021): This is usually the last wine in this series of nine, representing the most powerful and concentrated side of the Nebbiolo spectrum as interpreted by Produttori del Barbaresco. The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano (with 12,516 bottles released) is rich and darkly saturated, with a plush and opulent bouquet that is redolent of red berry, dried raspberry and candied orange peel. This is a blend of fruit from vineyards owned by the Gonella, Maffei, Marcarino, Rivella, Rocca and Vacca families. You feel the density of the wine on the palate, thanks to firm tannins and lots of extra fruit weight and texture. Despite that extra muscle (and the usual 15% alcohol content), Montestefano also shows a soft and especially enriched personality.
VM 98 (10/2020): The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is another profound wine in this lineup. There is virtually no perception of tannin, as the fruit is so rich and so voluptuous. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and a whole range of balsamic inflections grow as the Montestefano shows off its class. This profound Barbaresco will thrill readers for years to come. (Drink between 2024-2041). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tenuta di Biserno |
2013 |
Biserno Toscana IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$926.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Cerbaiona |
2010 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,552.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 100 (12/2015): The 2010 Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino brings the evening to a rapturous finish. The most anticipated wine of the night, the Cerbaiona shows why it belongs in the pantheon of the most epic wines ever made in Montalcino. A Brunello with no beginning and no end, the 2010 Cerbaiona just is. Every aroma, every shade of nuance, every texture is just.perfect. The 2010 has been nothing less than thrilling every time I have tasted it, going back to the days when it was a young wine in cask. It is every bit as magnificent on this night. |
|
| Dal Forno |
2008 |
Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$926.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Angelo Gaja |
2013 |
Barbaresco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,497.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (10/2016): The 2013 Barbaresco is fabulous. In fact, this is one of the best Barbarescos I have tasted at Gaja in many years. Vibrant, perfumed and beautifully sculpted in the glass, the 2013 possesses tons of understated intensity. Sweet red cherry, mint, white pepper and anise are all lifted in the glass. The 2013 is an almost shockingly classic Barbaresco from Gaja. The translucent color, vibrant Nebbiolo fruit and austere but noble tannins represent a move towards a much more traditional style. For readers who can find it, the 2013 is simply a must-have wine. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2021 |
Gaia & Rey Chardonnay |
$295 |
2 |
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| |
WA 94 (1/2025): The Gaja 2021 Langhe Gaia & Rey is a blend of Chardonnay from five hectares planted in 1979 in Treiso and five hectares in Serralunga d'Alba planted in 1989. However, the Gaja family counts on adding fruit from their new property in Alta Langa to "bring out the high tones," Giovanni Gaja explains. They are waiting for the vines to get older. This wine is currently in a timid phase, although it is quite explosive in terms of mouthfeel with bright peach, citrus and hints of crushed stone. They worked hard to achieve the creaminess of the mouthfeel and have gradually moved toward 60% botte grande and 40% smaller oak vessels (with aging from 12 to 18 months).
VM 93 (10/2023): The 2021 Gaia & Rey (Chardonnay) is bright and beautifully textured. Lemon confit, marzipan, spice and a kick of French oak all meld together effortlessly. The 2021 needs time in bottle to fully open, but it is quite attractive. Vineyard sources remain sites in Treiso and Serralunga. (Drink between 2023-2031). |
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| Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa |
2014 |
Barolo Falletto Vigna le Rocche Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,987.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Bartolo Mascarello |
2022 |
Barbera d’Alba (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$445.99 |
2 |
|
| |
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| Fattoria le Pupille |
2013 |
Saffredi Proprietary Blend (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$433.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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|
2018 |
Saffredi Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$206.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96+ (1/2021): The 2018 Saffredi is a regal, elegant, supremely polished wine. It may very well be the most refined Saffredi I have ever tasted. Silky in its first impression, with striking aromatic presence and exceptional balance, the 2018 is a total knock-out. Sweet red cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and cinnamon accents develop over time, but it is the wine’s overall balance and poise that are so impressive today. The 2018 is an absolutely gorgeous Saffredi. It spent 20 months in French oak barrels, about 65% new. Don’t miss it. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97 (7/2020): A fantastic nose to this with currant, sage, rosemary and rose-petal character. Sweet tobacco and spicy chocolate, too. Very complex. The palate shows lovely depth of fruit with blackberries, blackcurrants and fine tannins. It’s racy and refined with a direct, focused palate. Just a baby. A blend of cabernet sauvignon 60%, merlot 32% and petite verdot 8%. This needs at least two or three years to soften. Try in 2023.
WA 96 (11/2020): The Fattoria le Pupille 2018 Saffredi borrows quite a bit from all of the grapes that make up the blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot). These balanced results open to a round bouquet of dark fruit, black cherry and plum. As the wine warms in the glass, it shows spice, cured tobacco and campfire embers. This is a full-bodied expression, but not excessively so. It puts forth immediate elegance with carefully measured tannins and a fitting postscript of fresh acidity. This newest vintage of Saffredi should be hitting the market now, but if you buy it, you should plan on cellaring it. |
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| Le Ragnaie |
2015 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$489.99 |
19 |
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| |
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| Salvioni |
2010 |
Brunello di Montalcino Cerbaiola (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,919.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (5/2016): One of the many highlights in this vertical, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is exceptionally beautiful. Today, the 2010 comes across as refined and polished, with veins of bright acidity that give the wines its sense of energy, drive and polish. Over the last few months, the 2010 has begun to close in on itself. I can't say that is surprising given how much stuffing there is. Readers lucky enough to own the 2010 are in for a real treat. When all is said and done, the 2010 is profound and riveting in every way. (Drink between 2018-2040). Antonio Galloni.
WA 98 (3/2016): Salvioni makes stunning wines that appeal to die-hard Brunello fanatics. The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino La Cerbaiole shows enormous purity, varietal personality and beautifully balanced intensity. The wine hits all of your senses at once. The bouquet offers red cherry, licorice, dried rosemary, ginger and cola. You taste the most elegant, delicate and ethereal notes that can be extracted from Sangiovese. The tannins are super fine and the texture is silky and supple. This is an iconic wine. |
|
| Luciano Sandrone |
2013 |
Barolo Le Vigne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$884.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 98 (2/2017): Sandrone's 2013 Barolo Le Vigne is a real stunner. Powerful, ample and deep, the 2013 exudes class from start to finish. The addition of Serralunga fruit in the blend has added depth and structure in all of the wine's dimensions. Dark red cherry, plum, mint, rose petal, tar and licorice build into the huge, voluptuous finish. Readers who can find the 2013 should not hesitate, as it is outrageously beautiful and also one of the clear wines of the vintage. Vineyard sites are Baudana, Villero, Vignane and Merli. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) |
2010 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$592.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2011 |
Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$971.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Tenuta San Guido |
2010 |
Guidalberto (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$516.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 92 (8/2012): Intense aromas of dried cherries and plums with hints of rose stem. Full body, with fine tannins and a crisp and delicious finish. Very yummy. Drink now or hold.
VM 91 (9/2012): Purple-tinged ruby-red. Primary aromas of cassis, ripe black cherry, licorice and ink, with a welcome violet note adding freshness; much darker and riper than the Le Difese. Smooth, dense and full, with impressively concentrated dark fruit flavors lifted by harmonious acidity. Finishes with a trace of heat and a repeating blackberry note. Another very serious Guidalberto, though this strikes me as being a good deal riper and bigger than some more perfumed, refined versions of years past. Still, insiders know that this is a sure-bet restaurant choice as it's usually as good as, but much less expensive than, some of the Tuscan Coast's big names.
WS 90 (10/2012): Cherry, black currant, violet and iron notes mingle in this medium-bodied, intense red, which tends toward a lean, sinewy profile, yet remains long and persistent. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2013 through 2020. 15,000 cases imported.
WA 90 (6/2012): The 2010 Guidalberto comes across as cool and inward in this vintage. Most recent Guidalbertos have been delicious upon release, but this is a wine that will need another year or two before it starts opening up. There is plenty of energy and vitality in the glass, but readers will need to be patient. Dark red cherries, flowers, licorice and a hint of tobacco are layered into the firm, structured finish. In 2010 the blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. |
|
| Roberto Voerzio |
2012 |
Barolo Cerequio (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,218.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| | Loire |
| Dom. Francois Cotat |
2023 |
Sancerre Les Caillottes (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$798.96 |
1 |
|
| |
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|
2023 |
Sancerre Les Monts Damnes (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$979.96 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Sancerre La Grande Cote (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$979.96 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Nicolas Joly |
2022 |
Clos de la Coulee de Serrant Savennieres (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,482.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Ch. de Beaucastel |
2001 |
Chateauneuf du Pape (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,402.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (2/2004): Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.
VM 92+ (2/2004): Bright ruby-red. Liqueur-like raspberry, licorice and a medicinal quality on the nose. Then quite backward in the mouth, with very primary dark berry and black cherry flavors hinting at great ripeness. Quite primary today and less animal than usual for a young Beaucastel. Elegant, slow-building finish features fine-grained tannins and excellent grip. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 93 (11/2011): This has fleshed out nicely, beginning to show secondary notes, with mesquite, incense and black tea now emerging from the fleshy, bundled core of plum sauce, cassis and blackberry preserves flavors. A dark tarry note on the finish is offset nicely by a mouthwatering sanguine hint. Drink now through 2021. |
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| Dom. Henri Bonneau |
2018 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,151.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| M. Chapoutier |
2022 |
Chateauneuf du Pape La Bernardine (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$359.99 |
15 |
|
| |
|
| Auguste Clape |
2022 |
Cornas (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,746.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Courbis |
2020 |
Cornas Les Eygats (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$390.98 |
5 |
|
| |
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| Yves Gangloff |
2022 |
Cote Rotie La Sereine Noire (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,991.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Etienne Guigal |
2006 |
Cote Rotie La Mouline (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$959.97 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 96 (2/2011): Vivid red. Black raspberry, blood orange and Asian spices on the expressive, hypnotically perfumed nose. Juicy, focused and floral, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors, a strong note of floral pastilles and a firm mineral underpinning. Finishes with superb focus and length, showing remarkable freshness and lingering minerality.
WS 95 (9/2010): Really perfumy and alluring, with espresso, sandalwood and black tea notes all mingling together, while velvety crushed plum, fig and blackberry fruit glides in behind them. Hints of mesquite and iron play out on the well-integrated finish. Accessible, but will cellar easily too. Best from 2011 through 2032. 415 cases made.
WA 94 (2/2011): The 2006 Cote Rotie La Mouline displays fragrant aromas of forest floor, bacon fat, spring flowers, cassis and black raspberries. Always the sexiest, most supple and elegant of the three single vineyard Cote Roties, the 2006 is no exception. Full-bodied, dense and delicious, it should continue to drink well for 10-15 years.
JLL ****[*] (7/2010): Bright, full red; careful bouquet, not really out, reflects oak and tight red, fresh fruits and also shows a grounded, earthy air. Vanilla flavour, a woven wine with oak prominent - this is more strict than many Moulines. The fruit is typically red, the palate upright and tight. Ends on oak. Bottled end Jan 2010. From 2013-14. “It has a nervous side, and is not an easy drinking Mouline - it`s one of character," Philippe Guigal. |
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| Dom. du Pegau |
2021 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$864.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. des Tourettes (Delas) |
2021 |
Hermitage (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$357.99 |
1 |
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|
| | Spain |
| Vega Sicilia |
2012 |
Unico Ribera del Duero (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,407.98 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 97 (8/2021): Berry, smoke, violet and sandalwood aromas follow through to a full, layered palate that shows super polished tannins that are caressing and long. It’s tight and very long. Give it two or three years to soften. Drink after 2023.
WA 96 (12/2021): The 2012 Único is released 10 years after the harvest. They produced it with the grapes from 40 of the 210 hectares of vineyards they have, with a total of 55 separate plots and 19 different soils. It's mostly 95% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that are cooled down for 24 hours and then fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation was in stainless steel and the aging in 225-liter oak barrels and 20,000-liter oak vats for a long time as this was bottled in June 2018. 2012 is a concentrated year, warm and dry with some rain at the end of September that helped the end of the ripening process of healthy grapes with lots of color and ripe tannins. The wine has a ripe nose, with intoxicating notes of black fruit, fresh meat and blood, a spicy touch from the American oak and an earthy twist. It's a voluptuous and decadent vintage for Vega Sicilia, for those that favor years like 2006, a bit atypical, or 1999. The wine finished with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.88 and 5.1 grams of acidity (tartaric). 88,188 bottles, 3,537 magnums, 328 double magnums, 55 imperials and five Salmanazar produced. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Abreu |
2015 |
Las Posadas Howell Mtn. Proprietary Blend |
$350 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2019): The 2015 Los Posadas comes from an estate vineyard on Howell Mountain that lies at 2,000 feet in elevation, above the fog line. This singular effort has a flamboyant, mineral-laced bouquet of black and blue fruits, forest floor, camphor, chocolate, and exotic flowers, and is an incredible expression of this mountain terroir. With great, great intensity, beautiful purity of fruit, and again, this savory, mineral-driven character, it has enough tannins to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age and will keep for 4-5 decades. This cuvée is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot and Malbec. (Drink between 2021-2061).
VM 97 (12/2018): The 2015 Las Posadas is dark, sensual and totally inviting. Plush fruit and silky tannins push the black plum and blackberry fruit forward. Deep and resonant on the palate, the 2015 exudes class from start to finish. Like the rest of the other Abreu 2015s, the Posadas will drink well upon release. Hints of lavender and spice meld into the pliant, inviting finish. There is so much to like here. (Drink between 2023-2040). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Bella Oaks |
2021 |
Proprietary Red |
$275 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (12/2023): The 2021 Proprietary Red Wine is exquisite. A wine of exceptional balance and class, it hits all the right notes. Specifically, the 2021 shows the finesse of the year, but it also possesses an extra kick of mid-palate resonance that sets it apart from so many other wines in this vintage and places it among the most elite wines of the year. A dollop (5%) of fruit from Ecotone rounds out the blend. Tasted two times. (Drink between 2028-2041). Antonio Galloni.
JD 98+ (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon can perhaps be thought of as a mix of the 2018 and 2019 or a more concentrated 2018. Cassis, darker currants, graphite, crushed stone, and hints of violets all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a concentrated, deep, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and outstanding length. This tiny site in Rutherford has again delivered a world-class wine that I think will surpass the 2018, and probably merit a perfect rating at maturity. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and it will evolve for at least two decades. Bravo! (Drink between 2027-2047).
WA 98 (4/2024): The final blend of the Bella Oaks 2021 Proprietary Red Wine ended up at 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. With a compelling nose of dusty earth, dried spices and mixed red and black cherries, this full-bodied wine boasts an elegant texture somewhere between silk and velvet with a gentle wash of silky tannins on the long, mouthwatering finish. |
|
| Bond Estates (Harlan) |
2021 |
Pluribus Proprietary Blend |
$590 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 98 (12/2024): The 2021 Pluribus is just as exceptional as it was from barrel. Complex, dynamic and ever-changing in the glass, the 2021 coveys tons of mountain structure. Graphite, crushed rocks, mint, spice, licorice and lavender are all laced together in a dramatic, dense wine endowed with tremendous pedigree. This site on Spring Mountain yields Cabernets loaded with character. (Drink between 2028-2041). Antonio Galloni.
JD 96+ (1/2025): Usually one of the most structured wines in the lineup, the 2021 Pluribus is more medium to full-bodied and elegant, with a terrific perfume of black and blue fruits intermixed with exotic flowers, violets, and graphite nuances. It has a certain exotic edge, is beautifully balanced, has fine tannins, and a great finish. It's another seamless, elegant, very classically built Cabernet Sauvignon from this team that deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will be long-lived. (Drink starting 2029). |
|
| Caymus |
2001 |
Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon |
$225 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (6/2011): Caymus has been around for so long there is a tendency to under-estimate their wines. However, they have a brilliant track record as evidenced by the decade old 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection. Abundant chocolaty, black currant, licorice and coffee aromas soar from the glass of this perfumed wine. It exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color, wonderful opulence, a deep, full-bodied mouthfeel, fabulous depth and not a hard edge to be found. While seemingly fully mature, the supple tannins, expansive fruit and glycerin, depth and overall balance suggest it will keep for another 15+ years.
WS 95 (6/2004): Lots of aromatic complexity, with ripe plum, blackberry, mineral, slate and cedary oak flavors that are rich and concentrated, with ripe, polished tannins and a long, full-bodied finish that echoes mocha and berry flavors. Keeps revealing vivid and thick flavor nuances. Another amazing Caymus Special Selection. Best from 2005 through 2013. |
|
|
2012 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.0 L) Signs of Old Seepage; Torn Label |
$150 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (10/2014): They appear to be immune to some of winedom’s less than intelligent trends and fads that we see from time to time, and the result is a spectacular 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary offering. Its dense purple/black color is followed by copious quantities of crème de cassis and blackberry fruit, silky tannins, a voluptuous texture and stunning purity as well as length. This full-bodied effort is a fabulous example of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a tribute to this amazing family. It is so good now, why wait? However, I’m sure that like most vintages of Caymus, it will last for 20-25 years. Amazing!
VM 85 (10/2014): The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary from Caymus hits the palate with a rush of dark cherry, plum, Coke, chocolate, brandy, spices and sweet new oak. There is good texture, viscosity and immediacy to the fruit at first, but the sickly sweet new oak and vanillin become overpowering soon after, totally covering the fruit and attenuating the mid-palate and finish. Thankfully, the finish is short. Even by today's standards in Napa Valley, this is a decidedly sweet style of Cabernet Sauvignon quite unlike pretty much anything else I tasted this year. (Drink between 2014-2020). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2014 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.0 L) |
$149 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley has a dense opaque purple color, a kiss of blackberry and cassis fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel with ripe tannin and a long finish. It is very Caymus in its immediate accessibility, but has plenty of staying power and depth. This is lush, full, intense and pure. Drink it over the next 15 or so years.
WS 90 (6/2017): Supple and fruit-forward, this is designed to win broad appeal, with easygoing plum, black cherry, loamy earth and blueberry flavors, supported by vanilla bean-accented oak. Features just enough tannins to remind you of its pedigree. Drink now through 2026. 125,665 cases made.
JS 88 (5/2017): Lots of raisin character with berry and vanilla flavors. Full-bodied, slightly fluid and a fruity and off-dry on the finish. Not my style but some may like it. Drink now. |
|
| Colgin |
2021 |
Tychson Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$590 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (3/2024): Supremely rich and concentrated, Colgin's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard nevertheless remains vibrant and energetic. Hints of bay leaf perk up scents of dark chocolate and black cherries on the nose, while the full-bodied, plushly textured palate glides easily into a prolonged finish redolent of loamy earth and red raspberries. Like so many of the world's greatest wines, it's a series of seeming paradoxes—in this case, ripeness and freshness, fruit and earth, density and vibrancy—that complement each other and emerge as an elegant, harmonious whole. |
|
| Fe Wines |
2022 |
26 Red Wine |
$190 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (2/2025): Marked by scents of mountain bay, sage and black cherries, Fe's 2022 26 is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec, all aged 20 months in approximately 75% new French oak. It's medium to full-bodied and taut yet velvety, with what seems like ample concentration, but it seems to lose impetus on the finish. I have to admit to being (just) slightly disappointed relative to the barrel sample last year. The wine was bottled in June 2024, so perhaps it was still in a bit of a funk when I tasted the bottled wine in November.
VM 89 (12/2024): The 2022 26 is a soft, plummy wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Crushed flowers, pipe tobacco, leather, incense and dried flowers build nicely into the open-knit finish. (Drink between 2024-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Horsepower Vineyards |
2022 |
Sur Echalas Vyd. Grenache |
$129 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Sur Echalas Vyd. Syrah |
$129 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Kinsman Eades |
2021 |
Aphex Ecotone Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$390 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Aphex Ecotone Vineyard is a potent, dense wine. Dried herbs, spice, tobacco and earthy notes lend tons of savory nuance. This wild, structured Cabernet is going to need a number of years to come together. It shows tons of energy and depth, even if all the elements aren't totally in harmony at this stage. Nigel Kinsman has done a tremendous job in taming tannins that can be quite fierce at this site. Time in the glass is especially beneficial here. (Drink between 2027-2041). Antonio Galloni.
WA 96 (7/2024): A co-ferment of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc from Ecotone Vineyard, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Aphex is dark and plummy, combining black cherries and some earthy notes with a hint of dark chocolate. It's full-bodied, concentrated and rich yet harmonious, with a degree of elegance, no excess weight on the palate and a lingering, softy tannic finish. |
|
| Realm |
2022 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$375 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (1/2025): I love the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, which might be the finest 2022 from this estate. Darker berries, red plums, tobacco, incense, and chocolaty nuances all shine here, and this beauty is full-bodied, has a rich, layered mouthfeel, sweet, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It shows the early pick dates with its fresher, vibrant style yet still brings beautiful depth, richness, and concentration. It will keep for 15+ years. (Drink between 2025-2040).
WA 95 (6/2025): The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard incorporates 6% Cabernet Franc into the assemblage. Complex aromas range from cedar, loam and dried spices to restrained black cherries and black olives. It's full-bodied, supple, savory and long, with a slightly tannic edge to the finish. It could be a touch more concentrated, but that's nitpicking at this quality level.
VM 92 (12/2024): The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard is supple and juicy, qualities that will be best appreciated on the early side. It offers tons of forward appeal, if not quite the dimension, power of intensity of the best years. There's no way to get past the challenges of the brutal heat here. (Drink between 2025-2032). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Saxum |
2022 |
James Berry Vyd. Proprietary Blend |
$139 |
1 |
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VM 95 (7/2024): The 2022 James Berry Vineyard is impossible to ignore. A cascade of violet and rose tones gives way to mentholated herbs and sour cherries. This is full of zesty energy, with racy acidity and crisp red and blue fruits that slowly saturate toward the close. Tactile mineral tones combine with crunchy tannins and hints of licorice. The 2022 finishes with dramatic length and hints of salted licorice. The energy here is off the charts despite the warmth of the vintage. This darling will win a lot of hearts. (Drink between 2026-2034). Eric Guido.
WA 95 (6/2024): The 2022 James Berry Vineyard is a blend of 48% Grenache, 34% Mataro, 8% Syrah, 8% Counoise and 2% Carignan aged 22 months in a mixture of 300-liter and 600-liter barrels with 12% concrete amphora. It opens with a beaming, energetic nose of red berry compote, citrus rinds and mulberry jam. The palate is rich and powerful but elegant and charming, balancing plush ripeness with coiled reserves of tension. The finish takes a savory and meaty turn, braced with quenching acidity and swelling, precise and fine tannins. Harvested before the late-vintage heat waves, this wine beautifully displays its signature deft touch and will be fascinating to watch develop in the cellar. |
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| Shafer Vineyards |
2000 |
Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon |
$199 |
1 |
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| WA 93 (2/2005): The 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select was performing even better this year than it was last year. While not as weighty and ageworthy as some of the more hallowed vintages, it is a seriously endowed wine. Deep ruby/purple to the rim, with a gorgeous nose of creme de cassis, licorice, graphite, spice, and cedar, it is more forward than most vintages, but full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully seductive. Drink it over the next 15 or so years. |
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| Venge |
2018 |
Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$139 |
1 |
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JD 96 (2/2023): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve is a touch more perfumed and complex, with a beautiful mix of both red and black fruits as well as flowery incense, smoked tobacco, sandalwood, and exotic herbs. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is full-bodied and concentrated, with an elegant, seamless mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, a great core of sweet fruit, and no shortage of length on the finish. It's another brilliant, singular wine from this estate that readers will love. Drink this beauty any time over the coming 15+ years. (Drink between 2023-2039).
WA 96 (11/2021): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon explodes with crème de cassis, baked plums and Black Forest cake scents, plus hints of candied violets, clove oil, cedar and unsmoked cigars. Big, full-bodied and richly fruited, the palate has a firm and grainy frame to support the generous black fruits and spicy accents, finishing very long. |
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| Vineyard 29 |
2019 |
"29 Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon |
$175 |
1 |
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VM 98 (1/2022): The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon 29 Estate, 100% Cabernet, shows just how special this site in northern St. Helena planted in 1989 with Grace clone Cabernet is. Copious blackberry jam, espresso, chocolate, licorice and cloves saturate the palate. Readers will find a truly distinctive Cabernet built on aromatic intensity, huge fruit and equally potent tannins. Give it a few years to soften. (Drink between 2025-2039). Antonio Galloni.
WA 97+ (3/2022): The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon 29 Estate, from the original vineyard on an east-facing slope just north of the town of St. Helena, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 85% new French oak. It's less opulent and more classically styled than the Aida, with hints of thyme, sage and bay leaf lacing through cassis and blackberries. Full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins—but plenty of them—it's both mouthfilling and mouth-drying, with a long, gently dusty finish. Again, it could use some time in the cellar, and then it will drink well for two decades or more. |
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| | USA White |
| CHEV |
2022 |
Russian River Valley Chardonnay |
$45 |
3 |
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| Futo |
2022 |
Seta Sauvignon Blanc |
$125 |
2 |
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| VM 93 (12/2023): The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Seta is terrific. Lemon peel, mint, white flowers and crushed rocks abound in a gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc that offers tons of depth and varietal character while avoiding excessively green notes. Sage, tomato leaf, mint and lemon peel linger. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Peter Michael Winery |
2018 |
Point Rouge Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
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| WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Chardonnay Point Rouge is composed of the best barrels from the entire estate. Floral notes of citron blossoms and honeysuckle leap from the glass, over a core of grapefruit, yuzu and ripe pears with hints of struck match, almond croissant and lime zest. The medium to full-bodied palate has a racy backbone supporting the tightly wound citrus and pear flavors with a lovely creaminess to the texture and a very long finish packed with tension and bursting with fruit. While it is tempting to drink now, it’s going to really impress with another 2-3 years in bottle and drink for a further 15 years+. |
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2022 |
Cuvee Indigene Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
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| WA 98 (3/2025): The 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène is pure and complex, unfolding from white peaches and green guava to vanilla panna cotta, tropical flowers and seamlessly integrated new oak spice. The palate is stunning! A luxuriously satiny texture complements expansive, detailed flavors that grow in intensity with every sip. Its tremendous depth of flavor is balanced by a crescendo of refreshing acidity, and it has a hauntingly long finish. |
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