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Inventory updated: Wed, Oct 21, 2026 04:02 PM cst
2008 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Reignots
Vintage: 2008
Region: Burgundy Red
Color/Type: Red
Size: 750 ML
Tasting Notes:
BH 93 (1/2011): (the Liger-Belair vines in this small vineyard run from top to bottom whereas the others are situated in segments; Cathiard is on top, Grivot in the middle and Arnoux at the bottom.) The most elegant and coolest of these Vosne 1ers with a plum, violet, rose petal and anise suffused nose that gracefully introduces the detailed, intense and highly refined middle weight flavors brimming with an almost pungent minerality before culminating in a seductively mouth coating and strikingly long finish. Reference standard Reignots. Drink 2020+. Outstanding!
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Burgundy Red |
| Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair |
2013 |
La Romanee Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$27,666.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
La Romanee Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$38,084.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
La Romanee Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$26,010.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2014 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Grandes Vignes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$8,516.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2012 |
Vosne Romanee  |
$898.20 |
3 |
|
| |
| BH 88-91 (1/2014): This is also sufficiently reduced as to render the nose difficult to assess. The elegant middle weight flavors possess a silky mouth feel thanks to the very fine grain of the tannic backbone, all wrapped in a balanced, refreshing, clean and agreeably dry finish. A quality villages. (Drink starting 2019). |
|
|
2011 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$21,177.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2002 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Reignots Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$1,850 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 89 (7/2015): Tasted at the Comte Liger-Belair vertical at the Château de Vosne. The 2002 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots was a little smudged and reductive on the nose, developing savoury and dried meat notes with time. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin on the entry, good weight but missing the tension and precision that subsequent vintage will bring. Tasted June 2015.
BH 92 (1/2005): Curiously, the nose is quite ripe but slightly austere with an airy, pure and superbly elegant breadth of aromas that leads to punchy flavors are full-bodied, rich and delicious with more prominent acidity and a powerful, indeed even explosive finish. The structure is buried and completely buffered by all of the sappy extract and there is an appealing minerality on the extremely persistent finish. This is very classy juice that presently displays a subtle hint of finishing wood. |
|
|
2008 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Reignots |
$2,000 |
3 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (1/2011): (the Liger-Belair vines in this small vineyard run from top to bottom whereas the others are situated in segments; Cathiard is on top, Grivot in the middle and Arnoux at the bottom.) The most elegant and coolest of these Vosne 1ers with a plum, violet, rose petal and anise suffused nose that gracefully introduces the detailed, intense and highly refined middle weight flavors brimming with an almost pungent minerality before culminating in a seductively mouth coating and strikingly long finish. Reference standard Reignots. Drink 2020+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2011 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Reignots (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$35,286.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (1/2014): (the Liger-Belair vines in this small vineyard run from top to bottom whereas the others are situated in segments; Cathiard is on top, Grivot in the middle and Arnoux at the bottom.) The slightly riper nose offers up aromas of black pinot fruit, plum, spice and sandalwood. The intensely mineral-driven flavors possess superb precision and an abundance of underlying tension, all wrapped in a racy, dusty, mouth coating and explosively persistent finish. This is very impressive. Drink 2023+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2014 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Reignots (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$18,532.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 95 (1/2017): (the Liger-Belair vines are the only ones that run from top to bottom.) A highly perfumed, airy and cool nose exhibits an elegant blend of relatively high-toned red and dark cherry fruit, lilac, orange peel, anise and sandalwood scents. This, along with the La Romanee, is the most refined wine in the range thanks to the super-fine but dense tannins that shape the lively, intense and mineral-driven middle weight flavors as well as the impeccably well-balanced, lengthy and youthfully austere finish. This restrained beauty will require at least 8 years of bottle age first. In a word, brilliant. Drink 2026+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2004 |
Vosne Romanee La Colombiere |
$750 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 88 (1/2007): A very fresh, bright and pretty nose of black and spicy pinot fruit that leads to reserved but rich, sweet and textured flavors culminating in a dusty, mouth coating and punchy finish. This is beautifully balanced and while not overly complex just now, this aspect may develop with time in bottle. (Drink starting 2009). |
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|
2009 |
Vosne Romanee La Colombiere (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$28,145.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 89 (1/2012): (a .78 ha parcel of vines between 50 and 70 years of age.) An almost invisible touch of wood sets off spicy, pure and attractively fresh red and dark berry fruit aromas that slide gracefully into delicious, complex and lightly mineral-inflected flavors that are underpinned by very fine tannins and fine length on the balanced finish. This should be quite good as it offers good aging potential as well. Worth a look. Drink 2017+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2014 |
Vosne Romanee La Colombiere (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$10,211.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 90 (1/2017): (a .78 ha parcel of vines between 50 and 70 years of age.) A restrained, indeed almost mute nose only grudgingly offers up notes of various red berries along with hints of plum, lilac and spice. There is a beguiling mouth feel to the generous yet sleek middle weight flavors that are again shaped by refined tannins before culminating in a youthfully austere finish that is firm, balanced and solidly persistent. This is a first-rate Vosne villages and is also worth considering. Drink 2021+. Outstanding! |
|
|
2015 |
Vosne Romanee La Colombiere (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$10,057.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 89 (1/2018): (a .78 ha parcel of vines between 50 and 70 years of age.) This is also sufficiently reduced to require a thorough aeration if you're tempted to sip this in its youth. The medium-bodied flavors possess a slightly finer and rounder mouthfeel while delivering fine length on the slightly more tightly wound and mildly austere finale. This needs at least a few years to round out and mellow. Drink 2023+. Outstanding! |
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| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. du Comte Armand |
2008 |
Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,338.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94 (8/2013): The 2008 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux is far superior to the 2005. It is relatively backward on the nose, but it has startling delineation with open, natural red-berry fruit – predominantly freshly picked strawberries, raspberry and pomegranate. With continued aeration it offers a cheeky hint of white chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, supple tannins. This is very harmonious and feminine with a silky texture that lends it a Vosne-like finish. What a lovely 2008! Drink now-2022+
VM 93 (3/2011): Medium red, a bit less saturated than the Volnay. Sexy, pure aromas of cherry, raspberry and flowers. Tangy and energetic but supple, with perfectly integrated acidity intensifying the cherry, menthol and mineral flavors. This very broad wine coats the cheeks without leaving any impression of weight. Finishes juicy, subtle and very long, with a classical dryness. A very classy Pommard and still a baby. Leroux pointed out that he did a stricter sorting of this holding in 2009 than in 2008 as there were more underripe berries in the later year. Quite splendid for the vintage.
BH 90-93 (4/2010): (the vine ages in this 5+ ha vineyard run from 18 to 75+ years of age. The 2007 Clos des Epeneaux is segregated into 3 different cuvees based on vineyard location and will then be blended in varying proportions. The tasting note that follows is based upon a sample that should reasonably resemble the final blend.) Extremely subtle wood frames more complex and more densely fruited earthy and fresh red pinot, plum and currant aromas that slide gracefully into detailed, intense and big-bodied flavors that possess plenty of dry extract which does its job of buffering the firm tannic spine on the detailed, balanced and strikingly long finish. This appears to have excellent aging potential. Drink 2020+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. Arnoux-Lachaux |
2008 |
Chambolle Musigny |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 89 (6/2010): Smoky Latakia tobacco and bittersweet herbs accent the bright, fresh red berry fruit of Lachaux’s 2008 Chambolle-Musigny, with the decadent side of this appellation revealing itself in suggestions of forest floor, well-hung game, and faded lily inner-mouth perfume. Refined tannins underlie a finish tinged with smoke, fruit pit bitterness, and considerable intrigue for a village-level wine. I would expect this to provide admirable satisfaction for at least a half dozen years.
BH 87-89 (1/2010): Very mild reduction cannot suppress the otherwise lightly spiced high-toned and cool red pinot fruit that gives way to supple but precise flavors that possess ample verve and a touch of minerality on the dusty, long and linear finish. I very much like the mouth feel here and this has the potential to be a very good villages. Drink 2014+.
VM 87 (3/2011): Good medium red. Pure aromas of blackberry and blueberry lifted by mint and menthol. Juicy and supple, with moderate intensity and ripe, harmonious acidity. Nicely balanced wine with a savory finish featuring slightly dry tannins. Pascal Lachaux believes that 2009 will be a "mid-term vintage," while the 2008s "will be good early and late" and may never shut down. |
|
| Dom. Jean Marc Boillot |
2008 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,536.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Pitures (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,060.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Sylvain Cathiard |
2008 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$714.97 |
8 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,995.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Robert Chevillon |
2008 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,030.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92-93 (6/2010): Peat, wood smoke, leather, and soy in the nose of Chevillons’ 2008 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Cailles are joined and complimented by rich cherry and plum on the stubbornly gum-coating palate. A tart fruit skin edge; fruit pit piquancy; brown spices; chalky underpinnings; and saliva-inducing salinity all contribute to the invigoration and vibratory, lip-quivering intensity of a multi-faceted finish. There is certain handsome leanness here - bordering on austerity - but what a lot of energy as well! Lock some away for half a dozen years and expect it to perform impressively until at least age 18.
VM 91-94 (4/2010): (racked in July) Deep, bright red. Superripe, complex nose melds berries, violet, damp earth and a whiff of balsamic vinegar. Wonderfully silky and suave on entry, then spicy and pure in the middle, with a very fresh black cherry flavor dominating underlying earth and floral notes. This spreads out impressively on the back end, with broad tannins saturating the palate.
BH 91-94 (1/2010): (from a 1.12 ha parcel of 75+ year old vines). The most complex array of aromas to this point with an airy, elegant and classy nose brimming with violets, anise, earth and red currant notes that complement to perfection the rich, full-bodied, generous and round medium weight plus flavors that explode onto the hugely long and powerful finish. A wine that manages to pull off the rare feat of being at once imposing yet highly refined. Drink 2017+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. des Chezeaux |
2008 |
Griotte Chambertin Grand Cru |
$195 |
10 |
|
| |
| BH 89 (1/2010): I was somewhat surprised by the flat and uninteresting nose that played on the edge of reduction yet never did lift during the time the bottle was open. Otherwise there was again reasonably good depth and vibrancy to the middle weight flavors they were not what I remember tasting from cask chez Ponsot when it was originally reviewed. In sum, this was a headscratcher of a wine as it simply did not seem to resemble much of anything familiar though to be fair, neither was it overtly flawed. Perhaps this will come together in a few years as there are clearly unresolved tannins present but overall I confess to being disappointed. (Drink starting 2018). |
|
| Dom. du Chateau de Chorey (Germain) |
2008 |
Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons Lightly Scuffed Label |
$45 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 88 (12/2023): Impressively rich and layered for the vintage, the 2008 Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons offers up generous aromas of cherries, berries and vine smoke, marred by some Brettanomyces-derived animal aromas. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with plenty of powdery tannin after over a decade in bottle, it's a characterful wine but one that microbiological faults have prevented from attaining its considerable potential. |
|
| Dom. du Clos de Tart |
2008 |
Clos du Tart Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,157.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Clos du Tart Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,114.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| Dom. Pierre Damoy |
2008 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,136.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Joseph Drouhin |
2008 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,452.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Echezeaux Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,043.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Dujac |
2008 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,028.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Eugenie |
2008 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulees (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,619.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Faiveley |
2008 |
Musigny Grand Cru
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,508.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Fourrier |
2008 |
Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,398.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (6/2010): The 2008 Vougeot Les Petits Vougeots - whose proximity geographically, geologically, and stylistically to Les Amoureuses or Hauts Doix, he says, should have argued for classifying it as a Chambolle - is deeper in color, richer in texture, and sweeter in fruit than the wines that preceded it in Fourrier’s line-up. Its ripe plum and raspberry fruit is still bright and sassy, though, and cherry pit and chalk lend a certain austere undertone.
VM 88-91 (4/2010): Bright, full red. Black raspberry aroma complicated by flinty minerality and lifted by floral perfume. Less precise than the Gruenchers-or is it simply more advanced in its malolactic fermentation? A rounder and more pliant wine, with a dominant flavor of black cherry and good volume. This has the mid-palate fullness to support its tannins. Finishes with good grip. A rather Chambolle style of wine-not surprising, as these vines are not far from Les Amoureuses.
BH 89-91 (1/2010): An extremely pretty and pure red pinot fruit nose leads to minerally, intense and precise middle weight flavors that culminate in a firm, complex and lingering finish. This is really quite refined and its proximity to Chambolle is in evidence. Drink 2014+. |
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| Dom. Michel Gaunoux |
2008 |
Corton Renardes Grand Cru |
$139 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 93 (4/2012): (From a .63 ha parcel). There is a hint of vegetal here that actually adds breadth to the sauvage, cool and wonderfully fresh and complex nose of red currants, earth and humus. The silky yet focused, intense and overtly austere big-bodied flavors possess an excellent sense of underlying tension on the still exceptionally tight finish that is supported by a very firm tannic spine. This is terrific as it has a strikingly sophisticated mouth feel and superb aging potential. Drink 2023+. |
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|
2008 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Epenots (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$975.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 92 (5/2011): A pretty, perfumed and quite elegant nose of liqueur-like red and blue berry fruit aromas is trimmed in soft earth nuances that can also be found on the concentrated, delicious and intense middle weight flavors that possess an attractively textured mouth feel and outstanding length. I like the level of phenolic maturity and this should reward well another decade of cellar time. Drink 2020+. Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. Robert Groffier |
2008 |
Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,844.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Louis Jadot |
2008 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,137.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot |
$198 |
3 |
|
| |
| BH 90 (5/2011): A discreetly wooded nose of ripe but cool red and blue berry fruit aromas trimmed in notes of violets and minerality of which the latter amply suffuses the supple, vibrant and beautifully detailed middle weight flavors that offer excellent length if only moderate depth compared to the usual extremely high standards of this wine. This will require 10 to 12 years to arrive at its full potential. (Drink starting 2018). |
|
|
2008 |
Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,241.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 90 (5/2011): A discreetly wooded nose of ripe but cool red and blue berry fruit aromas trimmed in notes of violets and minerality of which the latter amply suffuses the supple, vibrant and beautifully detailed middle weight flavors that offer excellent length if only moderate depth compared to the usual extremely high standards of this wine. This will require 10 to 12 years to arrive at its full potential. (Drink starting 2018). |
|
|
2008 |
Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru Nicked Label |
$195 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 90-93 (3/2010): Deep ruby-red. Wild, superripe aromas of blackberry, pepper and spices, with an almost C ote-Rotie-like animal character. Sweet and lush but very primary, with a lot of smoky oak showing today. A rather powerful and serious young wine but not yet delineated. (The Latricieres-Chambertin was equally wild but very disorganized, and still showed a hint of malic acidity.) Stephen Tanzer.
BH 89-92 (4/2010): An expressive and somewhat animale nose of red currant, black cherry, stone and plenty of underbrush nuances lead to rich, full and very serious medium weight plus flavors that possess fine power and impressive scale, all wrapped in a long if mildly dry finish that again, I attribute to the significant amounts of CO2. (Drink starting 2020). |
|
| Dom. Michel Lafarge |
2008 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles |
$135 |
1 |
|
| |
| BH 92 (5/2011): A strikingly fresh and highly complex nose is quite cool and restrained and only grudgingly offers up notes of bright red pinot fruit and mineral nuances that characterize the racy, precise and driving middle weight flavors that culminate in a moderately austere finish of beautiful length and impeccable balance. As it typically does, this manages to combine power with finesse. (Drink starting 2020). |
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|
2008 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs |
$259 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 92-93 (6/2010): The Lafarge monopole 2008 Volnay Clos Du Chateau Des Ducs leads with striking buddleia perfume, kirsch, and aromatic intimations of oceanic salinity and crustacean savor. Juicy and vibrant; elegant, tenderly-fruited and polished; this is one of those wines that manages to enervate and caress at the same time, and in which bright ripe fruit is allied to a remarkable depth of elements than can only be explicated in animal and mineral terms. Overt suggestions of chalk and cherry pit lend the buoyant finish a measure of austerity, but it is so saliva-inducing and refreshing that severity is not a risk. It should last for at least 15 years.
BH 91-93 (4/2010): A nose of pure pinot and dissolved mineral notes complement to perfection the detailed and stone-driven medium-bodied flavors that possess fine volume and a gorgeously balanced finish. The harmony here is Zen-like. Drink 2018+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
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|
2008 |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs Slightly Depressed Cork |
$259 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 92-93 (6/2010): The Lafarge monopole 2008 Volnay Clos Du Chateau Des Ducs leads with striking buddleia perfume, kirsch, and aromatic intimations of oceanic salinity and crustacean savor. Juicy and vibrant; elegant, tenderly-fruited and polished; this is one of those wines that manages to enervate and caress at the same time, and in which bright ripe fruit is allied to a remarkable depth of elements than can only be explicated in animal and mineral terms. Overt suggestions of chalk and cherry pit lend the buoyant finish a measure of austerity, but it is so saliva-inducing and refreshing that severity is not a risk. It should last for at least 15 years.
BH 91-93 (4/2010): A nose of pure pinot and dissolved mineral notes complement to perfection the detailed and stone-driven medium-bodied flavors that possess fine volume and a gorgeously balanced finish. The harmony here is Zen-like. Drink 2018+. Sweet Spot Outstanding! |
|
| Dom. Comte Lafon |
2008 |
Monthelie 1er Cru Les Duresses (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,291.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Lucien Le Moine |
2008 |
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,041.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94-95 (6/2010): Brown spices, blond tobacco, sandalwood, and nutmeg mingle with red raspberry confiture on the nose of the Le Moine 2008 Clos De La Roche. A sweet, saline savor of lobster shell reduction wells up on the palate, reinforced by richness of texture. Fine layers of smoky peat and crushed stone add to the complexity and oscillating finishing dynamic of a wine almost certainly destined for 15-20 years of fascination and delight.
VM 92-95 (4/2010): Good full red. Outstanding smoky depth to the wild aromas of game and crushed stone; soil is currently dominating fruit here. Then fat, sweet and savory in the mouth, with an umami-like tex ture and a subtle smokiness that is all about terroir Finishes with Outstanding smoky persistence. This is more Clos de la Roche than pinot noir: I can imagine a wine lover weaned on New World pinot being utterly mystified by this.
BH 92-94 (4/2010): Noticeable wood adds nuance to the otherwise fresh, earthy and relatively somber plum and red pinot fruit where notes of anise, underbrush and a hint of animale are also present. The big and well-muscled flavors possess fine concentration and a seductive texture on the brooding and youthfully austere finish that is not only very firmly structured and generously wooded but delivers Outstanding length. This is a powerful wine in the context of the vintage and one that will need plenty of cellar time to be at its best. Don't miss! Drink: 2023+ |
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|
2008 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,094.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Maison Leroy |
2008 |
Fixin Slightly Depressed Cork |
$450 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Thibault Liger-Belair |
2008 |
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,324.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Michel Magnien |
2008 |
Clos De La Roche Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,577.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Alain Michelot |
2008 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains |
$125 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. JF Mugnier |
2008 |
Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,496.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (5/2011): The 2008 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Marechale offers up black cherries, sweet spices, flowers and licorice, all of which meld together beautifully in a weightless, impeccably elegant style. Floral, minty notes add complexity and nuance on the refined finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020.
VM 90 (4/2011): Good medium red. Ripe, aromatic nose of dark berries, licorice and flowers, complicated by musky leather and earth nuances. Much sweeter and richer, not to mention refined, than the Clos des Fourches, which is made mostly from younger vines in the Clos. Spice and pepper notes contribute to this wine's juiciness, and a whiff of blood orange adds lift. Finishes long and firm but not dry. Youthfully tight but sexy wine.
BH 90 (1/2011): A distinctly earthy and anise-infused mix of sour cherry and blue berry fruit that displays whiffs of crushed herbs and pepper merges into detailed, pure and almost delicate middle weight flavors that possess a sophisticated mouth feel and fine length. I should point out though that while there is no rusticity present, the very firm tannins are not as refined as those of the Fuees. Drink 2016+. |
|
| Dom. Ponsot |
2008 |
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,767.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91-92 (6/2010): Blueberry fruit and citrus oils inform a surprisingly creamy yet also vivacious palate on Ponsot’s 2008 Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes, which displays a textural and tannic refinement; near creaminess; as well as bright length reminiscent of - yet going beyond - those exhibited by the corresponding village cuvee. Saliva-inducing salinity and suggestions of chalk add enticing and intriguing mineral dimensions, while star anise, black tea, and peat add a metaphorically dark aspect. This long-lined, energetic, exuberantly-finishing exemplar of its great site ought to be worth following for at least a dozen years.
BH 90-92 (1/2010): This is a very ripe yet wonderfully elegant '08 with an expressive and densely fruited nose of cassis and black cherry that introduces rich, full and equally serious flavors that are not as firmly structured as the Alouettes but more seductive and almost as long. This too is a fine effort and despite the high level of ripeness, it loses none of it Chambolle character. Drink 2016+. Outstanding! |
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|
2008 |
Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,311.98 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 96 (5/2011): The 2008 Clos de la Roche Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is a silky, elegant wine. Freshly cut roses, dark red fruit and minerals sit on a core of utterly refined tannins. This shows stunning balance in a weightless style that gains energy on the clean, focused finish. This is a fabulous effort from Ponsot. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033. Antonio Galloni.
BH 91 (4/2016): There is a subtle but certainly not invisible touch of brett to the otherwise cool, ripe and complex aromas of plum, red and dark berries, earth and plenty of spice nuances. There is both good volume and energy to the well-detailed broad-shouldered flavors that culminate in an edgy and mildly drying finale. It's hard to know how much of the problem with the finish is attributable to the brett as often there is gas when there is brett which causes the supporting tannins to seem more prominent. My score is a compromise as this is not a bad wine but it's obviously not technically perfect. Moreover it's entirely possible that other bottles would show quite differently if there was no brett. I will have to try another bottle to see if the problem is limited to just this bottle or whether it's systemic. Try from 2023+. |
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|
2008 |
Clos St. Denis Tres Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,540.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Dom. Joseph Roty |
2008 |
Charmes Chambertin Tres Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,597.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94+ (4/2011): Medium red. Closed but pure nose offers dark berries, minerals, flowers, iron and tobacco. Dense, silky and sweet, with terrific floral lift to the middle palate. A wonderfully aromatic, floral midweight of great finesse. Best today on the very long, subtle finish, which lingers with cherry, spices and flowers. This should evolve at a snail's pace.
WA 92-93 (6/2010): Scents of kirsch and almond extract mingle with fresh dark cherry and purple plum in the high-toned, intense nose of Roty’s 2008 Charmes-Chambertin Tres Vieilles Vignes, to which charred meat, marrow, licorice, and peat add complexity that follows on an expansive, almost plush palate. Sizzling pungency of black pepper; hints of caramel from barrel, and persistent black tea and peat-like smokiness serve for both enhanced richness and a degree of enervation. But what one gains in opulence vis-a-vis the Griotte one sacrifices in brightness and a degree of energy. Still, these are early days for this wine sure to be worth following for 15-20 years. |
|
| Dom. E. Rouget |
2008 |
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Cros Parantoux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$34,676.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Gabriel Tortochot |
2008 |
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,077.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Jean & Jean Louis Trapet |
2008 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,244.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94+ (4/2011): Medium red. Blueberry, minerals and spices on the nose, lifted by notes of rose and white pepper. Pure and silky but with terrific inner-mouth tension to the sappy crushed fruit flavors. Denser than the Latricieres, but every bit as vibrant--and more backward today. Finishes with ripe tannins and subtly complex notes of fruit, game and saline, smoky underbrush. Superb.
BH 93 (1/2011): (from a 2 ha parcel that runs from the bottom to the very top of the slope.) A pure, airy and very cool nose of pungent minerality and slightly sauvage red berries is the epitome of aromatic elegance and serves as a graceful introduction to the broad-shouldered and sleekly muscular flavors that possess good freshness and plenty of vibrancy while culminating in an intensely mineral-driven, focused and powerful finish that is wonderfully persistent, linear and extremely tight. This too will need plenty of time to unwind, which I estimate at between 14 to 18 years. Drink 2023+.
WA 92+ (6/2010): Cedar, licorice, ripe dark berries, and raw beef mark the nose of Trapet’s 2008 Chambertin. Berry skin tartness and peaty pungency convey invigoration, while pure sweetness of berry fruit and vivid meatiness vie for one’s primary attention. There is a crushed stone note that lends a hint of austerity to otherwise energetically bright and decidedly palate-staining finishing proceedings. Like several of the 2008s here, this may have been suffering a bit from recent bottling as there is a slight sense of constriction where I would otherwise expect the wine to open up more. Still, this is impressive juice with at least 12-15 year potential. |
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|
2008 |
Le Chambertin Grand Cru (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,762.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94+ (4/2011): Medium red. Blueberry, minerals and spices on the nose, lifted by notes of rose and white pepper. Pure and silky but with terrific inner-mouth tension to the sappy crushed fruit flavors. Denser than the Latricieres, but every bit as vibrant--and more backward today. Finishes with ripe tannins and subtly complex notes of fruit, game and saline, smoky underbrush. Superb.
BH 93 (1/2011): (from a 2 ha parcel that runs from the bottom to the very top of the slope.) A pure, airy and very cool nose of pungent minerality and slightly sauvage red berries is the epitome of aromatic elegance and serves as a graceful introduction to the broad-shouldered and sleekly muscular flavors that possess good freshness and plenty of vibrancy while culminating in an intensely mineral-driven, focused and powerful finish that is wonderfully persistent, linear and extremely tight. This too will need plenty of time to unwind, which I estimate at between 14 to 18 years. Drink 2023+.
WA 92+ (6/2010): Cedar, licorice, ripe dark berries, and raw beef mark the nose of Trapet’s 2008 Chambertin. Berry skin tartness and peaty pungency convey invigoration, while pure sweetness of berry fruit and vivid meatiness vie for one’s primary attention. There is a crushed stone note that lends a hint of austerity to otherwise energetically bright and decidedly palate-staining finishing proceedings. Like several of the 2008s here, this may have been suffering a bit from recent bottling as there is a slight sense of constriction where I would otherwise expect the wine to open up more. Still, this is impressive juice with at least 12-15 year potential. |
|
| Dom. Cecile Tremblay |
2008 |
Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$8,824.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (6/2010): Savory sirloin juices are suggested on the nose and palate of the Tremblay 2008 Chapelle-Chambertin (tasted from bottle) to an extent that makes you shake your head wondering how such a thing could come from grapes. (We’re talking here about especially tiny berries and millerandage-riddled clusters, as is the case every year from these ancient vines.) That said, plenty of ripe cassis, dark cherry, and licorice is present to compliment this wine’s remarkably vivid carnal side. Dense, fine-grained tannin allied to energetic intensity of fresh fruit suggest the rippling of well-developed muscles in a torso that some (including me) would say is inherently testosterone-laden as a matter of terroir. Expect at least 12-15 years of vigor, but don’t look for charm. While few could enjoy the combination of expendable income and luck it would require, a comparison of this Chapelle with that of Claude Dugat will make for a startling combination of truth-in-terroir with stark stylistic divergence.
VM 93 (4/2011): Deep red-ruby. Reticent but pure aromas of dark fruits, smoked meat, minerals, pepper and sexy oak, plus a whiff of garrigue. Concentrated, aromatic and sweet, with enticing herbal and peppery lift to the dark fruit and licorice flavors. Not as fleshy as the Beaux Monts but very pure, scented and long. Always the best-looking grapes along with the Feusselottes, notes Tremblay.
BH 90-93 (1/2010): ( from a .38 ha parcel). Like the Beaux Monts, this is also beautifully complex with an earthy and serious yet elegant nose of red pinot fruit, underbrush and a hint of the sauvage that is also reflected by the pure, detailed and powerful middle weight plus flavors that possess ample dry extract that coats the mouth on the lingering finish. Drink 2018+. |
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| Dom. Comte de Vogue |
2008 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,875.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (5/2011): The 2008 Bonnes Mares is totally classy and elegant. It shows gorgeous inner liqueur-like sweetness, expressive aromatics and a rich, textured finish that is a marvel to behold. The sheer depth, density and incisiveness of the fruit is fabulous. Expressive floral notes round out the finish. This is very much an understated Bonnes Mares from de Vogüe. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (5/2011): The 2008 Bonnes Mares is totally classy and elegant. It shows gorgeous inner liqueur-like sweetness, expressive aromatics and a rich, textured finish that is a marvel to behold. The sheer depth, density and incisiveness of the fruit is fabulous. Expressive floral notes round out the finish. This is very much an understated Bonnes Mares from de Vogue. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048.
BH 94 (1/2011): A more deeply pitched nose of cool and reserved red and black cherry aromas that are quite fresh and pure and are laced more with warm earth than stone though both are present. The focused and detailed broad-shouldered flavors are blessed with ample dry extract that cuts a bit of the austerity on the linear, serious, mouth coating and hugely long finish. As is often the case, this is still quite primary and will need plenty of time to unwind. Drink: 2023+
VM 93 (4/2011): Deep red. Briary raspberry, blueberry, mocha and menthol on the nose, lifted by peppery spices; a real essence of this grand cru. Then creamier and larger-scaled than the Chambolle premier cru, with the sweet berry fruit flavors enlivened by the peppery component and savory soil tones on the back. This really tickles the taste buds on the broad, firmly tannic, very long finish. Steph |
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|
2008 |
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,020.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (5/2011): The 2008 Bonnes Mares is totally classy and elegant. It shows gorgeous inner liqueur-like sweetness, expressive aromatics and a rich, textured finish that is a marvel to behold. The sheer depth, density and incisiveness of the fruit is fabulous. Expressive floral notes round out the finish. This is very much an understated Bonnes Mares from de Vogüe. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95 (5/2011): The 2008 Bonnes Mares is totally classy and elegant. It shows gorgeous inner liqueur-like sweetness, expressive aromatics and a rich, textured finish that is a marvel to behold. The sheer depth, density and incisiveness of the fruit is fabulous. Expressive floral notes round out the finish. This is very much an understated Bonnes Mares from de Vogue. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048.
BH 94 (1/2011): A more deeply pitched nose of cool and reserved red and black cherry aromas that are quite fresh and pure and are laced more with warm earth than stone though both are present. The focused and detailed broad-shouldered flavors are blessed with ample dry extract that cuts a bit of the austerity on the linear, serious, mouth coating and hugely long finish. As is often the case, this is still quite primary and will need plenty of time to unwind. Drink: 2023+
VM 93 (4/2011): Deep red. Briary raspberry, blueberry, mocha and menthol on the nose, lifted by peppery spices; a real essence of this grand cru. Then creamier and larger-scaled than the Chambolle premier cru, with the sweet berry fruit flavors enlivened by the peppery component and savory soil tones on the back. This really tickles the taste buds on the broad, firmly tannic, very long finish. Steph |
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|
2008 |
Musigny Grand Cru Cuvee Vieilles Vignes (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,820.98 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (5/2011): The 2008 Musigny Vieilles Vignes is a wine I could smell all day. The explosive bouquet literally jumps from the glass, followed by deep, beautifully delineated layers of fruit. This shows terrific concentration and depth, dazzling finesse, and a nicely pointed, direct finish. It is an eternal wine. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048.
BH 96 (1/2011): This is also quite reserved at present with an elegant, airy, cool and pure nose that is kaleidoscopically complex as it offers red currant, plum, black cherry and a panoply of floral and spice notes, in particular violet and anise, before marrying seamlessly into mineral-driven and alluring big-bodied flavors that explode on the powerful and almost painfully intense finish that delivers genuinely stunning length. I love the way Musigny can so effortlessly combine a silky palate impression with serious muscle. This should be quite impressive in time though note that it will need a minimum of 18 to 25 years of cellar time. Drink 2028+. Don't miss!
VM 95+ (4/2011): (bottled in April of 2010): Good full medium red. Pungent aromas of wild red berries and crushed stone complicated by mint and pepper. Juicy and extremely intense but youthfully imploded today, showing a medicinal reserve and a crystallized quality to its sharply delineated fruit and mineral flavors. Finishes with serious tannic spine, but the wine's energy and subtle building perfume are utterly captivating. Almost painful today but showed building fruit even in the brief time I had it in my glass. Enologist Francois Millet believes that the freshness of the 2008s "will collapse if the wines are served too warm" as the syrupy fruit character of the vintage is needed to balance its brisk acidity. He suggested a serving temperature of under 60 degrees. |
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| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Ausone |
2021 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) 2021 en Primeur Release |
$1,350 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (4/2022): A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot, the 2021 Ausone is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild blueberries and raspberries mingled with rose petals, violets, exotic spices, vine smoke and blood orange, it's full-bodied, seamless and sensual, with a satiny attack that segues into a deep, layered mid-palate of breathtaking precision and intensity without weight. Built around bright acids and ultra-refined tannins and concluding with a resonant, perfumed finish, this profound young Ausone represents the essence of this great limestone terroir. I am not in the habit of drinking six-month-old Bordeaux cask samples, but this is one wine that would have sorely tempted me to make an exception to that rule if my appointment at the estate hadn't been one of the first of the day!
JA 95 (4/2022): Violet edging, jewel red depths. There is austerity on the tannins here, but also great depths through the palate, with controlled but juicy loganberry and raspberry fruits, and waves of saffron, creamy red-fruit puree, crushed rock, cold ash and salt-cracker salinity. Subdued, with hidden power and complexity. A tough year for this stable of wines - or rather proof of their exceptionally high standards, making a half production of Simard, no Haut Simard, tiny amounts of Fonbel and almost certainly no Moulin St Georges. The last year that Ausone will be recorded as a Premier Grand Cru Classé A, before publication of the new ranking in September 2022. Harvest September 30 to October 6, 100% new oak. In conversion to organic farming since 2020, Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. Average vine age 55 years.
VM 93-95 (5/2022): The 2021 Ausone was picked on September 30 for the Merlot and October 4–6 for the Cabernet Franc, with a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc because some of the Merlot was deselected into the Chapelle. Matured in 90% new oak, this has a fragrant and floral bouquet, more iris than violet, revealing a hint of seaweed in the background. The palate is well-defined, quite strict and focused, certainly one of the more mineral-driven Ausones that I have encountered at this stage. The limestone terroir is evident on the finish. Again, this is a little leaner and less flamboyant than recent vintages. Having tasted Ausone at this prenatal stage for over 20 years, I don’t find the thrilling "drive” or the pyrotechnics of the 2001, 2010, 2016 or 2019. Yet this Ausone is compelling in its own uncompromising way, and I wouldn't want it any different. |
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| Ch. Canon |
2022 |
St. Emilion (3X750ML) 3-Bottle OWC |
$495 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97-99+ (5/2023): Tasted on three separate occasions (and I thought it had the potential to be a perfect wine on one of those), the 2022 Château Canon is an incredible wine in the making, and it might be the finest in the series starting in 2015. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc harvested between August 30 and September 22, it comes from yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare and hit 14.5% alcohol. The élevage will run 16-18 months in just 30% new French oak. As classy as they come, it has a beautiful perfume of red and blue fruits as well as notes of white flowers, truffly earth, woodsmoke, and forest floor. With incredible density, a multi-layered texture, ultra-fine tannins, and integrated acidity, this incredible Canon will evolve for 30-40 years. I finished my rough note on this with "Pure class."
VM 96-99 (5/2023): The 2022 Canon is elegant and sensual, with virtually no sensation of tannin. A wine with no beginning and end, Canon is totally seamless. All the Canon signatures are there, but woven together in an effortless, gracious expression of this site. It's the sort of wine that is about subtlety and nuance more than power. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and spice caress the palate, but ultimately, Canon is above all else a wine of exquisite detail. Haute couture. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 99-100 (5/2023): From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge levels of concentration, vibrant acids and beautifully refined tannins. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this pure, perfumed and ineffably complete Canon is built for the ages, even if its structural polish is such that it will be approachable at a surprisingly early age.
JA 98 (5/2023): The inky intensity of the colour might make you worry that the limestone signature will be swamped, but it is very much guiding proceedings on the palate here. Expect waves of red roses, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, salinity, but also real intensity, there is a depth and complexity that quite stunning as the wine expands through the palate, with creamy blue and black fruits, and a mouthwatering oyster shell finish. 45hl/h, 3.5ph, 50% new oak, with four larger-sized oak casks. A standout in the vintage, more proof of the exceptional level that Canon is playing at right now. 50% new oak. |
|
| Ch. Conseillante |
2018 |
Pomerol |
$212.50 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (4/2019): The 2018 La Conseillante is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with a 3.65 pH and 14% alcohol. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare; Merlot was harvested September 19 to October 1, and Cabernet Franc was harvested on October 4. Very deep purple-black colored, it comes charging out of the gate with energetic notes of wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and warm black plums plus hints of lilacs, damp soil, cardamom and cloves with gentle wafts of cast iron pan and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with elegant black fruit and earthy layers, framed by soft, velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
VM 95-98 (5/2019): The 2018 La Conseillante is magnificent. A wine of real vertical lift and explosiveness, the 2018 is distinguished by its spine of energy, freshness and purity of fruit. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, mocha, lavender spice and mint develop in the glass, but it is the wine's overall sense of harmony that truly stands out. The 2018 showed tremendous vibrancy and vitality, with superb mid-palate richness and phenomenal balance all three times I tasted it. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc. This is the first vintage that includes a touch of wine aged in amphora, just 3%. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-100 (5/2019): The 2018 Château La Conseillante checks in as a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, with a small amount in amphora. Yields here were a light 32 hectoliters per hectare, and the 2018 is a respectable 13.5% natural alcohol. Winemaker Marielle Cazaux commented that the secret to the vintage was to be a lazy winemaker (i.e. hands off). Her 2018 boasts a saturated purple color as well as incredible purity in its blue and black fruits, spice, liquid flower, and violet-like characteristics. Full-bodied, pure and seamless on the palate as well, it’s flawlessly balanced, with building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It's going to flirt with perfection. Hats off to Marielle for another magical wine from this estate, which has quickly risen into the top echelon of estates in Bordeaux.
JS 97-98 (4/2019): This is a forceful red, showing blueberry and blackberry character with violets and light wet earth. Clarity and beauty with so much transparency and focus. Full-bodied, firm and silky with lots of white-pepper and salt undertones. |
|
| Ch. Figeac |
2022 |
St. Emilion (3X750ML) 3-Bottle OWC |
$957 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96-98+ (5/2023): A beautiful wine that, shockingly, reminds me of the 2016, the 2022 Château Figeac checks in as 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that was harvested from the 1st of September to the 25th. Director Frédéric Faye commented that verasion took longer than usual, and they had to do a slight green harvest to get uniform ripeness. The results are stunning. The wine has a vivid purple hue as well as remarkable freshness and purity in its black and blue fruits, which are followed by notes of wild herbs, chocolate, graphite, spring flowers, and a touch of classic Cabernet Sauvignon graphite. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a silky, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This classic, ultra-precise Figeac is going to warrant a solid decade of bottle age and be very long-lived given its purity and balance.
VM 96-99 (5/2023): The 2022 Figeac is a magnificent, super-classic Figeac, as odd as that might sound in this freakish vintage. A wine of sublime delicacy and nuance, the 2022 possesses tremendous aromatic presence, finely sculpted fruit and phenomenal persistence. I especially admire the wine's freshness, energy and clean, mineral finish. The 2022 is a towering Figeac, a wine that brilliantly showcases the unique qualities of this site. Figeac is a rare Right Bank estate with gravel and blue clay soils that are not often found here, planted approximately with equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98-100 (5/2023): A blend of 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Figeac is a brilliant wine with which to celebrate this property's elevation to Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" status. Wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries and cassis mingled with notions of iris, forest floor, cigar wrapper and pencil lead, it's medium to full-bodied, pure and perfumed, with a deep and multidimensional core of fruit, bright acids and beautifully refined tannins. Serious yet civilized, it's the quintessential Figeac, testament to the late Thierry Manoncourt's vision to plant such a large proportion of Cabernet, and on drought-resistant rootstocks. Such is the inherent complexity of Figeac's terroirs that harvest took place sub-block by sub-block between September 1st and 25th. Congratulations are in order for the Manoncourt family, director Frédéric Faye, consulting winemaker Thomas Duclos and all their team.
JA 98 (5/2023): Vibrant damson in colour, edges of gunsmoke and red rose petals on the aromatics, as you so often find in Figeac, with dense cassis, black cherry, incense, graphite, slate, mint leaf, cocoa bean, cappucino and liquorice on the palate. This is creamy but airy, and full of joy. Close to the 2016 vintage in its construction and effortless confidence, no question of the ageing ability of this wine, and a fine vintage to mark the first year as Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Breaking down how they got here, you find inevitably careful winemaking with no pumping over, cool 26C for fermentation, making use of techniques learnt in the hot, dry summer of 2018, from cover crops to minimum green harvesting. Blend finished including 8% press in March, 3.7ph, harvest began September 1, earliest on record, until 26, second vintage in new winery. Frederic Faye director. |
|
| Ch. Haut Bailly |
2016 |
Pessac Leognan (12X750ML) 12-Bottle OWC |
$1,860 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (10/2023): I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it has the opulence and sexiness of a ripe, sunny vintage (à la 2009) paired with incredible purity, concentration, structure, and elegance (à la 2010). Incredible aromatics of cassis, liquid violets, cedar pencil, flowers, and minerals give way to a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered Haut-Bailly offering ultra-fine tannins, flawless overall balance, nothing out of place, and the class to drink well today yet evolve for 30-40 years. Absolute perfection in wine, this is a modern-day Legend from director Veronique Sanders. (Drink between 2023-2063).
WA 98 (11/2018): The 2016 Haut-Bailly is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. The nose opens with beautiful floral notes of violets and lavender accented with earthy notions and sparks of crushed rocks over a core of kirsch, cassis and wild blueberries. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it has layer upon layer of red, black and blue fruits intermingled with earth and mineral hints leading to a very long, perfumed finish.
VM 96+ (4/2022): The 2016 Haut-Bailly is brilliant on the nose with exquisite delineation and focus: blackberries, potpourri, crushed stone and hints of violet petal. This is utterly seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, perfectly judged acidity, very cohesive and almost Pauillac-like towards the finish. This is a very classy Haut-Bailly as you would expect, and the length is stupendous. Tasted at the Haut-Bailly vertical at the château. (Drink between 2023-2055). Neal Martin. |
|
|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (12X375ML) 12-Half Bottle OWC |
$828 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Bailly has developed into an elegant, richly-textured wine with all its elements in balance. Classy and polished to the core, the 2020 is a Haut-Bailly that favors finesse over power. It's a wine of extreme precision and persistence more than anything else. Red-toned fruit, dried flowers, spice and blood orange are some of the many notes that open over time. The 2020 spent 15 months in barrel, with 50% new oak. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96 (3/2023): The 2020 Château Haut-Bailly is a quintessential expression of this terroir and shines for its incredible purity, balance, and elegance. Revealing a ruby/purple hue as well as a terrific bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, Asian spices, smoked tobacco, and leafy herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a layered, seamless mouthfeel. Reminding me slightly of the 2016 with its pure, balanced, classical style, give bottles just 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two to three decades. President and CEO Véronique Sanders continues to do incredible job at this Château, and you won’t find a more classy, elegant wine out there.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): This has incredible power and drive with blackberry, black olive and graphite. It’s full-bodied, yet dynamic and agile, with so much polished and muscular tannin. Yet, it remains in harmony and balance. So much character. The head of the chateau calls it diabolical beauty. 25% less production than the 2019. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Haut-Bailly was harvested from the 9th to 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.3%. Deep purple-black in color, it prances out of the glass with naturally beautiful notions of fresh black cherries, violets, mulberries and boysenberries, giving way to hints of redcurrant jelly, star anise, tilled soil and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate is delicately crafted with velvety/grainy tannins and fantastic freshness framing the perfumed red and black berry layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2022 |
Pomerol 2023 en Primeur Release |
$349.95 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 96-98+ (5/2023): Straight-up gorgeous, I'd put the 2022 Château L'Eglise-Clinet up with the top tier Pomerol in the vintage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpass the 2020 as well. Ripe black cherries, violets, spring flowers, graphite, and tobacco all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Compared to the 2005 by owner Noëmie Durantou (who has done an incredible job taking over the estate after the loss of her father), this rich, concentrated, incredibly impressive Pomerol is going to need 7-8 years of bottle age but will evolve for 30 years in cold cellars.
VM 98-100 (5/2023): The 2022 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked from 3 to 9 September for the Merlot and the Cabernet Franc on 5 and 9 September, matured in 85% new oak. It has an exquisitely-defined bouquet with succinct floral, pressed iris and clay notes percolating through the black fruit. With breathtaking focus, these scents seem to cast a spell over you. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins that frame the mineral-laden, peppery black fruit. There's not a hair out of place, exuding the essence of this Pomerol estate with an exceptionally long, intense and paradoxically tender finish. It's a wine that may leave you spellbound...just like this barrel sample. Neal Martin.
JA 98 (5/2023): Turns the intensity and exoticism of the vintage on its head, unpacking it carefully, and layering up depth and character. Grilled cedar, fleshy damson and casis fruits, this is all about carefully-considered and delivered juice and flavour. Intense, with balance and carefully-extracted juice, and the precision that you want at L'Eglise Clinet, even in such an ovewheming vintage. 85% new oak, harvest September 3 to 9. Noemie Durantou and Olivier Gautrat. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
2022 |
St. Julien (3X750ML) 3-bottle OWC |
$900 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (5/2023): Looking at the Grand Vin 2022 Château Léoville Las Cases, it has an almost Pauillac-like style in its ripe, powerful aromatics of graphite, lead pencil shavings, cassis, and liquid rock-like minerality. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, and powerful on the palate, it nevertheless stays flawlessly balanced, has just about off-the-charts purity, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. This will clearly rank with the truly greats from this address and reminds me slightly of a mix of the 2016 and 2018. It is not, however, going to be for those looking for instant gratification.
VM 98-100 (5/2023): The 2022 Léoville Las Cases is stunning. Fine-grained and nuanced, the 2022 Las Cases is breathtaking. Red/purplish fruit, rose petals, lavender, spice and mocha open gradually but what impresses most about the 2022 is its sublime finesse. Silky, plush and exceptionally beautiful, the 2022 Las Cases is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98-100 (5/2023): One of the wines of the vintage this year is the 2022 Léoville Las Cases, a monument in the making that combines unerring classicism with unusual sensuality and charm by the standards of this estate's sometimes youthfully forbidding wines. Exhibiting deep aromas of dark berries, violets, pencil lead, rose petals and tobacco leaf, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, abundant but refined tannins and a long, vibrant finish. On the several occasions that I tasted it, the 2022 was surprisingly open for a young Las Cases, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were to shut down after a few years in bottle. It's a blend of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot.
JA 97 (5/2023): Heading to Léoville Las Cases in a super ripe year is always a good idea, as the musuclar tannins are balanced by a riper mouthfeel. As quietly confident as you would expect, this is packed with depth and intensity, taking the 2022 vintage and reshaping it in the character of this St Julien powerhouse. Graphite, crushed rocks, liquorice root, cassis, bluberry, slate, saffran, smoked earth, all held in by tannins with grip and length. 3.8ph, and high alcohols for this estate, giving a seductive mouthfeel that is unusual in young Las Cases. 84% new oak, 37hl/h yield. Harvest September 8 to 30. |
|
| Ch. Montrose |
2018 |
St. Estephe |
$189 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2021): A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it's deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there's more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir. (Drink between 2027-2077)
VM 97 (3/2021): The 2018 Montrose is dazzling. Whereas so many 2018s are opulent and broad, Montrose is a wine of vertical explosive power. Ripe Cabernet aromatics soar out of the glass, making a strong first impression. Black cherry, leather, licorice, graphite and menthol develop later as the 2018 starts to open in the glass. The energy, vibrancy and drive here are palpable right out of the gate. Montrose is one of real stars of 2018. Don't miss it! (Drink between 2028-2058). Antonio Galloni.
JA 96 (6/2021): Silky, young, clear spice notes, more so than in any other vintage in the lineup except for the 2003. Plenty of stuffing through the palate, with blueberry, cassis, hawthorn, tumeric, saffron but also caramel and black chocolate flavours. It's beautiful, well balanced, with intent and poise, and very clearly a wine that will go the distance. Having said that, it's the only wine in the lineup when I even think about the alcohol, suggesting there is a trace of heat, and certainly you feel the sunshine of the year in a way that you rarely do in Montrose - this takes it down for me from my initial En Primeur score. Harvest September 17 to October 5.
WA 95+ (12/2023): A hulking monster of power and extraction, the 2018 Montrose offers up rich aromas of mulberries, cherries, dark chocolate and violets. Full-bodied, broad and ample, with a textural attack that segues into a sweet core of fruit framed by ripe but chewy tannins, it's a muscular, dense Montrose with structure to burn, concluding with a lingering, floral finish. While its over 14.5% alcohol is impressively well integrated, Médoc purists will want to gravitate toward the 2016 rather than the 2018. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Estephe |
$205 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2023): Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009.
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Montrose is brilliant and unquestionably in the lineup of the truly greats from this château, including the 1989, 1990, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, and 2019. With an IPT of 80 and a natural alcohol of 13.4%, its deep, saturated purple hue is followed by quintessential Saint-Estèphe notes of pure cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, acacia flowers, and loamy earth. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless stays incredibly pure, elegant, and seamless, with perfectly ripe tannins. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, is shines even today for its purity and balance, and it should be in the early stages of its prime drink window within a decade. (Drink between 2031-2081).
VM 97 (11/2024): The 2020 Montrose has a gorgeous bouquet with black cherries, raspberry coulis, crushed stone and floral scents. It's quite decadent yet nicely controlled. The palate is very structured with layers of blackberry and bilberry fruit and a touch of white pepper, building toward a spicy and very persistent, almost burly finish. This will need serious cellaring. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2032-2065). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2022 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) 2023 en Primeur Release |
$1,425 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (2/2025): Bottled in June of 2024, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild checks in as classic blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that was raised all in new barrels. Incredibly concentrated yet light on its feet and graceful, this inky-hued beauty has sensational notes of cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and chocolate that are to die for. It shows the ripe, opulent style of the vintage yet brings sensational purity, loads of tannins, and a gorgeous finish. For the tech geeks out there, this hit 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.86, and an IPT (tannins) of 76. It has the depth of fruit and texture to offer incredible pleasure even today, yet it deserves a decade of bottle age and will evolve for 50-60 years. It reminds me of a mix of the 2009 and 2010. (Drink between 2035-2095).
JA 99 (2/2024): Inky colour, cassis, cocoa bean, cocoa dusting, crushed rose petals, juice, pep, focus and crystalline character, a serious wine that will power for decades, intense and concentrated but with an oyster shell minerality, delicious quality. A great example of how brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon can be in this part of the world, and why it sets the benchmark globally. This is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy director. 49% of production in the Grand Vin, 27% Petit Mouton. 100% new barrels for ageing, harvest September 1 to 26.
Decanter 99 (1/2025): Spicy liquorice, bitter chocolate, tobacco, cigar, and aniseed on the nose. Round and bright, with juicy, delicate fruit and velvety tannins. Super concentrated yet graceful, layering ripeness, freshness, and stoniness. Controlled power - soft in texture but packed with Cabernet structure. Starts juicy and creamy, then surges with depth and length. Sweet black fruit meets cool, steely minerality, giving complexity and definition. Black liquorice on a sticky finish. Bold for Mouton but outstanding, this is going to deliver for decades. 3.68pH. Ageing 100% new oak. (Drink between 2031-2050).
VM 98 (3/2026): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild has a very expressive, floral bouquet that suggests Margaux, with fabulous delineation and focus. It just seems to billow from the glass. The palate is velvety smooth, with fine acidity and a touch of graphite infusing the black fruit. Restrained and, paradoxically, intense on the finish, this lingers wonderfully in the glass. Deeply impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London. (Drink between 2030-2070). Neal Martin.
WA 97 (3/2025): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is one of the most muscular, almost brutally powerful wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums and sweet crème de cassis mingled with notions of espresso roast, pencil lead and petroleum jelly, it's full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with huge reserves of tannin and fruit. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that represents 49% of the estate's production, this is a prodigious Mouton that's built for the cellar. |
|
| Ch. Tertre Roteboeuf |
2016 |
St. Emilion |
$225 |
7 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is flat-out stunning and also one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses remarkable depth and intensity from the very first taste. The 2016 is exotic, full-throttle and unapologetically hedonistic. At times, Tertre-Rôteboeuf can be a bit rough around the edges, but the 2016 is totally sublime. In a world in which so many wines are copycats, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is an original. And the 2016 is a great, emotionally moving Tertre-Rôteboeuf. This is a magnificent effort from François and Nina Mitjavile. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98 (4/2017): The 2016 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare between 14-18 October. This year I was hosted by François' daughter Nina Mitjavile, who has been working alongside her father for several years. It has a wonderful bouquet, very pure and fresh. I anticipated that François Mitjavile might have been tempted to pick a little later like others, but it was an assiduous decision to have the fruit in the vat by the 18 October and lock in that freshness. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, extremely well judged acidity, the new oak present at the moment but in proportion with the fruit. This is a stylish Le Tertre-Rôteboeuf, very sensual and luxuriant with layers of crushed strawberry, blood oranges and raspberry fruit. In a word...irresistible. |
|
|
2016 |
St. Emilion (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$1,350 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is flat-out stunning and also one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses remarkable depth and intensity from the very first taste. The 2016 is exotic, full-throttle and unapologetically hedonistic. At times, Tertre-Rôteboeuf can be a bit rough around the edges, but the 2016 is totally sublime. In a world in which so many wines are copycats, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is an original. And the 2016 is a great, emotionally moving Tertre-Rôteboeuf. This is a magnificent effort from François and Nina Mitjavile. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98 (4/2017): The 2016 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare between 14-18 October. This year I was hosted by François' daughter Nina Mitjavile, who has been working alongside her father for several years. It has a wonderful bouquet, very pure and fresh. I anticipated that François Mitjavile might have been tempted to pick a little later like others, but it was an assiduous decision to have the fruit in the vat by the 18 October and lock in that freshness. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, extremely well judged acidity, the new oak present at the moment but in proportion with the fruit. This is a stylish Le Tertre-Rôteboeuf, very sensual and luxuriant with layers of crushed strawberry, blood oranges and raspberry fruit. In a word...irresistible. |
|
| Domaine de Chevalier |
2018 |
Pessac Leognan (3X1.5L) 3-Magnum OWC |
$555 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94-96+ (4/2019): This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot to be aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 35% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier starts a little closed before bounding out of the glass with bold expressions of fresh blackcurrants, kirsch, black raspberries and fragrant earth plus nuances of lilacs, Sichuan pepper and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate maintains elegance and sophistication, with a lovely ripe, finely grained frame and plenty of freshness to back up the floral and black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is magnificent. Bright, lifted and wonderfully nuanced, the 2018 has so much to offer. Olivier Bernard turned out a dazzling Domaine de Chevalier in 2018 that speaks to precision and nuance above all else. Rose petal, mint, savory herbs and crushed rocks add striking aromatic top notes to this stunning, breathtakingly beautiful wine. The tannins need time to soften, but I doubt readers will be in a rush. The 2018 is simply majestic - that's all there is to it. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96-98 (5/2019): Possibly one of the finest wines ever to come from the Bernard family’s flagship estate near Leognan, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that hit 13.5% alcohol and will spend 18 months in just 35% new French oak. Its saturated purple/plum color is followed by a mammoth bouquet of cassis, black currants, gravelly earth, smoked herbs, and tobacco. Full-bodied, deep, brilliantly balanced, and seriously concentrated, it has polished tannins, no hard edges, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s a heavenly Graves that will keep for 30+ years.
JS 99-100 (4/2019): Wow. I can’t get over the pureness of fruit in this wine with so much currant, tar and wet-earth character. Flowers, too. So aromatic. Full body, yet pureness and brightness of fruit. Layered. Incredible depth and beauty. 65 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 30 per cent merlot and 5 per cent petit verdot. Greatest ever? |
|
| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2018 |
Pomerol (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$1,650 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2021): The flagship 2018 Vieux Château Certan is based on 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc and was brought up in (I suspect) roughly 50% new French oak. It tips the scale at 14.5% natural alcohol, which is the same as the 2010 (slightly higher than the 2009) and has a pH of 3.78, which is also very close to the 2010. This rock star of a Pomerol offers a kaleidoscopic array of red, black, and blue fruits, white truffle, spring flowers, tobacco, and crushed rock-like minerality on the nose. It has perfectly integrated oak, gorgeous concentration, building yet ultra-fine tannins, and not a hard edge to be found. I was able to follow this bottle for multiple days, and the large Cabernet Franc component became more and dominant, yet it never truly shut down and was always a joy to drink. Nevertheless, a good 7-8 years of bottle age are warranted, and it should evolve for 30-40 years in cold cellars. Again, the Thienpont family produces a heavenly wine that wine lovers should all have in their cellar. Along with Petrus, Conseillante, Lafleur, and a handful of others, it's one of the appellation's most singular wines.
WA 97-100 (4/2019): The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Yields were 40 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has a pH of 3.78, 14.4% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Medium to deep garnet-purple—it has a very vibrant color—it drifts effortlessly out of the glass with wonderfully intense, beautifully delineated scents of red roses, black raspberries, kirsch and Darjeeling tea before the powerful, profound black fruits kick in: baked plums, wild blueberries, molten licorice and mulberries with touches of cigar box, cinnamon stick, tapenade and truffles. Full-bodied, rich, densely packed and revealing layer upon layer of red and black fruits with an incredible array of floral and spicy sparks, it has a high level of super ripe, incredibly fine, velvety soft tannins and fantastic freshness (not just from acid but from bright, crunchy fruit). It finishes very long, marvelously layered and with such jaw-dropping brightness from the fruit, the end is almost electric. Incredible.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is a very pretty wine built more on elegance, finesse and aromatic nuance. Relative to the recent past, the 2018 shows a much more mid-weight structure and less of the creaminess of either 2015 or 2016. Much of that is attributable to a blend that includes 30% Cabernet Franc. Lavender, rose petal, mint and blueberry fruit all grace the 2018. Far from an obvious wine, the 2018 is going to need a number of years to be at its best, as it is a wine of total understatement and class. Fine beads of tannin support the understated finish. In 2018, VCC is a wine of refinement and subtlety more than anything else. I don't see the same visceral thrill as in a number of vintages of the recent past. Perhaps that will come in bottle. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99-100 (4/2019): This is a significant VCC with masses of fruit and juicy tannins. It’s fresh, but impresses you with the rich and powerful fruit. A tower of a wine. Incredible depth and density. Thick and muscular. It is 30 per cent cabernet franc, the rest merlot. |
|
| | Rhone White |
| M. Chapoutier |
1997 |
Ermitage Blanc de L’Oree (1.5 L) |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98-100 (2/1999): It is no secret that I adore Chapoutier's luxury cuvee of white Hermitage called Cuvee L'Oree. Made from 90-year old vines and microscopic yields of 10-12 hectoliters per hectare, this wine flirts with perfection. It is a compelling white Hermitage. Made from 100% Marsanne, it is as rich and multidimensional as the fullest, most massive Montrachet money can buy. It is unctuously textured, yet extraordinarily and beautifully balanced. I suspect it will drink well early in life, and then shut down for a few years. It should last for 4-5 decades. It is a huge, chewy, multidimensional wine with spectacular concentration and richness. Notes of white flowers, honey, minerals, and peaches are present in astronomical quantities. In short, this wine must be tasted to be believed.
VM 92 (2/2000): More polite but superripe aromas of apple and honey. Very rich on the palate, with flavors of apple, honey and hazelnut complicated by suggestions of roasted herbs, grass and white flowers. Fat, dense and satisfying. This is over 14% alcohol with no chaptalization. |
|
| | Madeira & Sherry |
| Bodegas Toro Albala |
1946 |
Don P.X. Convento Seleccion Pedro Ximenez |
$500 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (8/2013): The 1946 Don PX Convento Seleccion produced with Pedro Ximenez grapes dehydrated under the sun at the time of the Second World War, was only bottled in September 2011. This is an extreme wine, my first descriptor was ultra-mega-super concentrated. It is unbelievably powerful, both in the nose and the palate, full of umami, with sweet cinnamon, Christmas cake, camphor, petrol, lemongrass, Belgian chocolate and butter. Incredibly complex and rich, sweet, balanced and smooth in the palate, it is both very sweet and somehow salty, and with time it develops a black olive note. It combines the texture of the 1962 and the elegance of the 1949. It is as decadent as it gets. 825 bottles were produced. This wine will survive all of us. These wines are kept for generations and offered in very small quantities, but it’s amazing that you can still buy and drink something so old, and I’m even tempted to say that it might represent good value for what it is. A real tour de force sweet wine. Drink it if you ever have the privilege to do so from 2013-2060. |
|
| d' Oliveiras |
1899 |
Terrantez Madeira |
$2,500 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 100 (12/2022): The 1899 Terrantez is another iconic Madeira from D’Oliveira. It offers up the classic Terrantez profile of savory herbs and spice, but with tremendous density that has built over a hundred and twenty years in barrel! There’s plenty of acid, too, it's just packed into the wine’s huge frame. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, sage, menthol and licorice build into the huge, palate-staining finish. All the elements are perfectly woven together. Unforgettable. Believe it or not, this is a new release from D’Oliveira! Bottled in 2020. (Drink between 2022-2042). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Alban Vineyards |
2012 |
Pandora Proprietary Blend Lightly Scuffed Label |
$259 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (8/2016): A perfect wine any way you look at it, the utterly profound 2012 Pandora is 100% Grenache that was brought up all in barrel. Massively concentrated and textured, yet ethereal and nuanced, it offers a huge bouquet of black currants, licorice, smoked herbs, chocolate and toasted spice. Bravo to the team at Alban for this incredible, full-bodied, seamless beauty that's easily one of the greatest wines I've tasted from California. |
|
| Araujo Estate |
2002 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$312 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98-100 (2/2005): A sleeper selection, it is by no means a second wine in the pejorative sense of the word. A potential candidate for perfection is the exquisite 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. A 1,650-case blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot made from extremely low yields, it boasts superb intensity, flavor, elegance, and nobility in addition to a marvelously complex nose of minerals, licorice, cedar, creme de cassis, vanilla, and spice. Exceptionally rich, nuanced, and precise, it is a magnificent expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that offers the elegance of a Bordeaux with the power and potency of Napa Valley Cabernet. A tour de force, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for up to two decades.
VM 95 (6/2005): (includes 2.6% cabernet franc and 1.6% petit verdot) Good saturated ruby-red. Superripe, complex, slightly roasted nose combines black raspberry, dark chocolate, smoked meat, maple syrup, toffee, tobacco and licorice. Dense and aromatic in the mouth, with compelling sweetness and suavity of texture. Wonderfully opulent and seamless red wine. This finishes with huge but utterly fine tannins and lush, lingering flavor. |
|
| Bevan Cellars |
2018 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$360 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2021): I always seem to compare great wines from this site with Haut-Brion, and I think the comparison holds here, although it’s a Haut-Brion on steroids! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard reveals a dense purple color as well as a powerful nose of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, earth, coffee beans, and gravelly earth. All of these carry over to the palate, where the wine is full-bodied and has a deep, layered mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Hats off to the talented Russell Bevans for another brilliant, singular wine that’s going to keep for 20-25 years. (Drink between 2021-2046.)
WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard was aged for 19 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant scents of redcurrant jelly, Black Forest cake, blackcurrant pastilles and rose oil with suggestions of cast-iron pan, pencil lead and tilled soil plus a waft of fragrant earth. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, it delivers an incredible mineral and perfumed red fruit firework display finish. Fans of Dr. Crane are going to LOVE this expression, masterfully crafted by Russell Bevan—an absolute must-try! |
|
|
2018 |
Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$360 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2021): I always seem to compare great wines from this site with Haut-Brion, and I think the comparison holds here, although it’s a Haut-Brion on steroids! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard reveals a dense purple color as well as a powerful nose of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, earth, coffee beans, and gravelly earth. All of these carry over to the palate, where the wine is full-bodied and has a deep, layered mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Hats off to the talented Russell Bevans for another brilliant, singular wine that’s going to keep for 20-25 years. (Drink between 2021-2046.)
WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard was aged for 19 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant scents of redcurrant jelly, Black Forest cake, blackcurrant pastilles and rose oil with suggestions of cast-iron pan, pencil lead and tilled soil plus a waft of fragrant earth. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, it delivers an incredible mineral and perfumed red fruit firework display finish. Fans of Dr. Crane are going to LOVE this expression, masterfully crafted by Russell Bevan—an absolute must-try! |
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|
2015 |
Sugarloaf Mountain Proprietary Blend |
$215 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): Another perfect wine from Bevan is the 2015 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Proprietary Red Wine and it’s a Cheval Blanc-like blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot brought up all in French oak. This huge, full-bodied, opulent 2015 carries itself like a ballerina and is elegant, weightless and even graceful, with remarkable purity of fruit. Currants, Blueberries, liquid violets, Asian spices and a distinct minerality all emerge from the glass and it has both incredible complexity and richness. Bravo! (Drink between 2018-2038).
WA 98 (2/2021): Sugarloaf is a cooler site in south Napa, above a quarry. It usually allows for a longer hang time, often lending a minty or herbal lift to this label. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain has a powerful nose of black raspberries, black and red plums and warm cassis with hints of tar, eucalyptus, bay leaves and pencil lead with a waft of cedar. The palate is full-bodied with opulent fragrant earth notes and seducing black berry layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and perfumed. Stunning! |
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|
2018 |
Tench Vyd. The Calixtro Cabernet Sauvignon |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2021): Pure perfection, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard The Calixtro is a vineyard selection from a great site just beside the winery, on the east side of Oakville. Offering a decadent, full-bodied, concentrated style as well as lots of red and blue fruits, spring flowers, spice, and an almost bloody, iron-like character, it’s a heavenly Cabernet that delivers both intellectual and hedonistic pleasure in spades. It already offers pleasure yet should keep for 20+ years. (Drink between 2021-2043.)
WA 99 (2/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard The Calixtro was aged for 19 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's a little closed at this youthful stage, revealing glimpses at warm cassis, boysenberries and plum preserves scents with hints of charcoal, espresso, tapenade and violets. Full-bodied and rich, with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, it finishes very long and minerally. Only 109 cases were produced. Those lucky enough to secure a few bottles will want to put them away for at least 4-5 years and drink them over the next 25+ years.
VM 97 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard The Calixtro emerges from Block 1B, which is home to some of the best dirt on the site. A stunning range of mineral and savory inflections races out of the glass, adding layers of complexity to the intense dark fruit. This is far from an easygoing 2018. Readers should plan on cellaring it for at least a few years. (Drink between 2023-2033.) |
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| Carter Cellars |
2016 |
The G.T.O. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$895 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon The G T O is very deep purple-black in color. Bam! Out of the gate it produces an incredibly alluring nose of freshly crushed black cherries, blackberry compote, blackcurrant cordial and licorice with nuances of violets, fertile loam, black truffles, unsmoked cigars and a waft of beef drippings. Big, full-bodied and powerful in the mouth—without the least bit of heaviness—the palate gives an awe-inspiring array of earth, black fruit preserves and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins, finishing epically long and with fantastic freshness. This is To Kalon giving its all! |
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| Cayuse |
2019 |
Bionic Frog Syrah |
$240 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (7/2022): I always love this cuvée and the 2019 Syray Bionic Frog stands out with its own singular character. Incredible crème de cassis and blueberry fruits, notes of iron, ground pepper, violets, and beef blood, full-bodied richness, perfect tannins, and that rare mix of richness and elegance all define this incredible Syrah. It shows the more elegant, cooler style of the vintage yet still brings incredible fruit and is just a magical expression of Syrah that could come from nowhere else. Hats off to Christophe Baron and his team for another flat-out awesome Syrah that I wish every reader could taste. It needs lots of air if drinking any time soon, and it deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will have 25+ of prime drinking. (Drink between 2026-2054).
WA 98 (10/2022): Outstanding as always, the 2019 Syrah Bionic Frog offers a seductive and generous frame and stemmy notion from having 70% of the stems added back in. The wine is fresh, bright and juicy with flavors of black raspberry, blueberry, blackberry compote and savory essences of dried herbs and peppercorns. Medium to full-bodied, the wine coats the mouth with a round and luscious mouthfeel, displaying its impeccable balance and fine tannic structure. It’s yet another fantastic vintage for the Bionic Frog.
VM 97 (3/2023): Today, the bouquet of the 2019 Syrah Bionic Frog is youthfully moody, showing glimpses of rosemary, flintstone, brined olives, red plum and crushed rocks. It comes to life on the palate, mineral-tinged, yet packed full of vibrant red and black fruits that are energized by stimulating acidity and hints of sour citrus. This leaves a reverberation of zesty tension through the dramatically long finish, lightly structured with framing tannins and nearly salty in character, yet still spry, as nuances of sage and exotic spice slowly taper off. The inner harmony here is something to behold, yet the 2019 is just begging for some cellaring to come fully into focus. It’s totally inward today, yet packed full of potential. (Drink between 2025-2034). Eric Guido. |
|
| Colgin |
2018 |
Cariad Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,050 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2022): What a thrill it is to taste the 2018 Cariad again. Last year the 2018 was magnificent. It is all that this year too. Powerful and explosive, the 2018 is captivating from the very first taste. Healthy dollops of Cabernet Franc and Merlot add layers to this deep, wonderfully vibrant Napa Valley red. In a big morning tasting at Colgin spanning more than a dozen wines, the 2018 Cariad was a stand out. Superb. (Drink between 2025-2043). Antonio Galloni.
JD 98 (1/2021): The 2018 Cariad isn’t far off and has a wealth of blue fruits, musky earth, spice, and floral notes as well as a deep, rich, layered style on the palate. As with all the 2018s here, the tannin quality is incredible, and it has a plush, sexy, already complex style that’s hard to resist. It’s going to evolve for 25+ years. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2021-2048)
WA 98 (3/2024): One thing the 2018s from Colgin have in common is a sense of greater tautness and freshness than the 2016s. The 2018 Cariad—a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot—adds dried sage and redcurrants to a base of black cherries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is energetic, framed by fine-grained tannins and hints of pencil shavings on the long, elegant finish. |
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|
2021 |
Tychson Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$550 |
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. |
|
| Dominus |
1991 |
Estate ex-Domaine |
$795 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 99 (6/1995): As for the 1991, 6,500 cases were produced of this potentially perfect wine. While this vintage of Dominus contains no Merlot in the blend, every time I taste it I am reminded of a great vintage of Petrus such as 1982, 1989 or 1990. Although different, the 1991 Dominus possesses extraordinary intensity, remarkable opulence, and amazing fruit extraction, all welded to a full-bodied structure. The wine's sensational purity and inner-core of depth must be tasted to be believed. The 1991 will be approachable young because of its sweet tannin, yet it exhibits the potential to last for 25 years. Perhaps 1994 will rival it, but for now, the 1991 is unquestionably the greatest Dominus, as well as a potential legend in the making.
VM 96 (11/2022): This 1991 Dominus was poured blind in Meursault and had me guessing Right Bank, perchance Cheval Blanc! Showing light signs of bricking on the rim, the bouquet unfurls gracefully with melted red fruit, cooked meat, ash and very subtle hints of hung game, all exquisitely defined. Mercurial in the glass, the aromatics seem to broaden out. The palate is beautifully balanced, with a perfect marriage of acidity, fruit concentration and harmony—a wine at that liminal point between primary and secondary phases. Quite savory, I suspected there was more Cabernet Franc in the blend than there actually is (around 10%, to the best of my knowledge). Red fruit, cigar box, touches of rosemary and sage open on long and sensual finish. With one foot in Bordeaux and the other in Napa, the 1991 captures the best of both and is at its absolute peak now. (Drink between 2022-2040). Neal Martin.
Decanter 100 (11/2019): One of the first Napa wines that I fell in love with and still going strong at almost 30 years old, with a good long while ahead of it still. This is delicate yet powerful, a wine that just gets better and better in the glass, showing off the black truffle and undergrowth flavours of a fully mature wine with melted tannins, leather, saffron and rich blackberries. It’s intense and balanced, still opulent and sexy. 40% new oak. Harvest in 1991 was October 6 to 18, but even so they harvested a little earlier in those days than they do today. Dominus is in the Yountville AVA (which was granted in 1999) but in 1991 still Napa Valley AVA. (Drink between 2019-2040) |
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| Hundred Acre |
2021 |
Wraith Cabernet Sauvignon |
$675 |
1 |
|
| |
Decanter 100 (9/2024): Hundred Acre owner-winemaker Jayson Woodbridge describes Wraith as the perfect snapshot of a vintage, defined by a blend of all three of his estate single vineyards—Ark, Few and Far Between, and Morgan’s Way. Aged for 40 months in extremely fine, centre-cut French oak barriques with ultra-tight graining, this wine captures the essence of each vineyard while forming a cohesive whole. 'Every vintage of Hundred Acre has a thread that connects it to the first', Woodbridge tells me as I taste this wine, 'Weaving the fabric of each new vintage, Wraith is like a time machine, revealing each vineyard’s unique characteristics in a singular expression. You can sense all three vineyards merging into one entity, creating the masterpiece that is Wraith.' If you were to taste all three Hundred Acre wines, then Wraith, you might pick out the umami-rich character of Few and Far Between, the red-toned, zesty mineral character of Ark, or the brooding muscularity of Morgan's Way. Still, above all, that unmistakable complex fabric of Hundred Acre is evident in each sip. The 2021 Wraith is coiled up, seductive, and red berry-driven, with loads of black truffle and earthy notes. It’s like the Burning Man of wine—rip-roaringly insane, full of energy, magic, and mystery. Yes, there’s plenty of red and blackberry fruit, laced with currants and sweet spices, but the floral nuances and dried perfumed aromatics elevate this wine to something otherworldly. (Drink between 2024-2045)
JD 99 (1/2025): Red, blue, and black fruit, graphite, darker chocolate, sappy tobacco, and spring flowers all define the aromatics of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith, which comes from a blend of multiple vineyards. It's deep, rich, and powerful, yet also weightless on the palate, with silky tannins and a blockbuster of a finish. The idea with Wraith is to highlight the vintage as opposed to a site, and this beauty can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-30 years. (Drink between 2025-2055) |
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| Kinsman Eades |
2021 |
Kaannos Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$475 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2023): Coming from the northern end of Vine Hill Ranch, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaannos is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon raised in 70% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a heavenly perfume of darker, almost blue fruits as well as leafy herbs, flowers, spice cabinet, camphor, and chocolate. I love its complexity on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a remarkable sense of refinement and elegance, fine yet building tannins, and an incredible finish. This magical, majestic, absolutely jaw-droppingly good Cabernet Sauvignon is a legend in the making. Hide bottles for 5-7 years if you can, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30-40 years. (Drink between 2028-2063).
VM 99 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kannos Vine Hill Ranch, 100% Clone 4, is rich, expansive and broad. Dark cherry, mocha, spice, leather and tobacco all wrap around the palate in a positively stunning Cabernet. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of earthy, floral and savory notes that add character. This fruit once went to one of the most pedigreed wineries in Napa Valley. This is extremely elegant, and the purity here is just unbelievable. (Drink between 2027-2041). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (7/2024): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Käännös is composed of Clone 4 from Vine Hill Ranch. Notes of ripe cherries and dried herbs dominate the complex, elegant nose, while the full-bodied wine flows easily across the mid-palate in gentle, rich waves of flavor, finishing long, velvety and tannic. |
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|
2021 |
Kodo Cabernet Sauvignon |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kodo emerges from one of the top sites in southern Oakville—a site I consider as elite as it gets, but that can't be named for the time being. A sensational wine, the 2021 saturates the palate with dense dark fruit, spice, leather and tobacco. But, it’s the textural richness, resonance and persistence that impress most. This is a truly unforgettable wine. I would be thrilled to own it. (Drink between 2027-2041). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (7/2024): Sourced from the M-Bar Ranch (western Oakville, across Hopper Creek from Vine Hill Ranch), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kodo offers up dusty earth notes, mixed red and black cherries, some cassis notes and a hint of dried herbs. It's full-bodied, ripe and rich without being heavy, and it's bright on the long, softly tannic finish. Is there just a touch of alcoholic warmth evident? |
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| Lokoya |
2014 |
Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon |
$349 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is beautifully complete, with a layered, multi-dimensional, elegant profile that's more structured than the Diamond Mountain, yet more seamless and approachable than the Howell Mountain. Crème de cassis, Asian spice, smoked earth, incense and sandalwood note all flow to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannin, incredibly purity of fruit and a great finish. As with all these 2014s, it's not about huge richness and opulence and more about purity, nuance and balance. It's a damn near perfect wine that will only get better with 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for three to four decades. Made by winemaker Chris Carpenter and focusing all on Mountain terroirs, I find the wines from Lokoya to be some of the most compelling, singular, and awesome wines made in the Valley. Unfortunately, the prices are ridiculous and beyond the means of most, myself included. (Drink between 2022-2062)
WA 99 (10/2016): Usually my favorite in many vintages, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is the most backward of the 2014s and actually seems to require 4-5 years of bottle age. The wine has the telltale signs of Mt. Veeder – blackberry and blueberry fruit infused with considerable floral nuances. This wine has all that, then hits the palate with a cascade of glycerin, fruit extraction, and layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit. It is full-bodied and opulent, but finishes with some structure and ripe tannin. This is a magnificent wine – full-throttle, extremely pure, and incredibly well-balanced. Give it 5-6 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades.
VM 93 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is a dense, tightly wound wine. Bright red cherry, iron, pomegranate, chalk, mint and white pepper abound. Deep and layered, in the medium-bodied style of the year, the 2014 exudes Veeder personality and tension. The mid-palate needs time to develop, but this is another highly expressive wine from Lokoya. There is plenty of punch and mountain intensity here. Veeder Peak is the fruit source. (Drink between 2019-2034). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Maybach |
2019 |
Materium Cabernet Sauvignon |
$319 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): If you can believe it, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Materium might be even better, and this beauty tops out my scale. An incredible array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as unsmoked tobacco, iron, hazelnut, and toasty oak all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, ultra-fine, building texture, perfect tannins, and a huge finish. This pure Napa Valley magic is going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and drink brilliantly for another 20-30 years. If this doesn't do it for you, I'd avoid Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon! |
|
| Next of Kyn |
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend |
$275 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Pure perfection, the 2017 No 11 comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View and is 48% Syrah, 24.8% Grenache, 12.7% Mourvèdre, 10.6% Petite Sirah, and the balance a mix of white varieties including Petit Manseng and Roussanne. Fermented with 23% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 68% new French oak, this incredible 2017 boasts a saturated purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, bouquet garni, ground pepper, white chocolate, and cured meats. Incredibly complex, flawlessly balanced, and with a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed, this is a magical blend from California that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years. Hats off to the Krankl family for another truly special wine! |
|
|
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Pure perfection, the 2017 No 11 comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View and is 48% Syrah, 24.8% Grenache, 12.7% Mourvèdre, 10.6% Petite Sirah, and the balance a mix of white varieties including Petit Manseng and Roussanne. Fermented with 23% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 68% new French oak, this incredible 2017 boasts a saturated purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, bouquet garni, ground pepper, white chocolate, and cured meats. Incredibly complex, flawlessly balanced, and with a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed, this is a magical blend from California that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years. Hats off to the Krankl family for another truly special wine! |
|
| Pax |
2016 |
Sonoma Hillsides Russian River Valley Syrah |
$115 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 100 (4/2018): The 2016 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides has been nothing less than stunning on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. A wine of extraordinary purity and depth, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. The richness and power are simply breathtaking. Bacon fat, smoke, grilled herb and lavender are woven into a graceful, seamless core of inky blue/purplish fruit. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 remains remarkably light on its feet. The Sonoma-Hillsides is a blend of fruit from Castelli-Knight Ranch, Griffin's Lair and Walker Vine Hill, done with 100% whole clusters and aged in a combination of concrete and neutral oak, with no SO2. I am not sure how the 2016 will age, but I am also not sure it will matter, as most bottles will be long gone before that is an issue. Quite simply, the Sonoma-Hillsides is a total pleasure bomb and a modern-day benchmark for Syrah in California. Don't miss it! (Drink between 2018-2026). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Quilceda Creek |
2002 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$155 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (4/2006): Unlike some minuscule production “cult" wines or luxury cuvees culled from a winery’s primary product that have earned perfect scores over the years, Quilceda Creek’s Cabernet Sauvignon is the winery’s raison d’etre and is produced in significant quantities (3,400 cases in 2002, 3,425 in 2003). For accomplishing this feat the Golitzens should be doubly proud. Dark ruby-colored and sporting a nose of violets, sweet blueberries, dark cherries, and slight undertones of asphalt, the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon blossoms on the palate to expose a wine of ethereal delicacy yet immense power. Medium to full-bodied, it expands to reveal concentrated layers of cassis, blackberries, red cherries, raspberries, violets, spices, and touches of candied plums. This rich, exquisitely balanced, sweet, and broad wine is harmonious, graceful, and awesomely long. Projected maturity: now-2022. Congratulations Alex and Paul, welcome to the big leagues.
VM 93+ (12/2005): Bright ruby-red. Superripe aromas of cassis, black raspberry, minerals and chocolate. Rich, lush and expressive; superconcentrated but not at all heavy. In fact, this broad, suave wine offers a compellingly silky texture. Finishes impressively rich, dry and long, with firm but fine-grained tannins. |
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|
2003 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$205 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2013): Another wine I’ve had multiple times recently, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot) is pure perfection in a glass and yields off-the-hook aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, tobacco leaf, pepper and licorice. Deep, layered and even elegant, with a seamless texture that conceals the sheer wealth of material present, it builds through the mid-palate, possesses huge amounts of extract and masses of polished tannin on the finish. Despite the overall size, it never loses its Cabernet Sauvignon soul and has an almost Bordeaux-like savoriness and tannic frame. Still young (yet gorgeous none the less), it can be enjoyed now or cellared for another 10-15+ years. Drink now-2028.
VM 95+ (12/2006): (includes 2% merlot and 1% cabernet franc; mostly from Champoux Vineyard) Deep medium ruby. Very deep aromas of currant, minerals, meat and smoke, with complicating notes of chocolate, tar and pastry dough. Tightly wound, penetrating and powerful, with terrific precision to the flavors of dark fruits, graphite and minerals. A very firmly structured wine that finishes with superb length, verve and grip. A stunning Washington cabernet. Paul Golitzin says to start drinking this in 2010. |
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|
2003 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$410 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2013): Another wine I’ve had multiple times recently, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot) is pure perfection in a glass and yields off-the-hook aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, tobacco leaf, pepper and licorice. Deep, layered and even elegant, with a seamless texture that conceals the sheer wealth of material present, it builds through the mid-palate, possesses huge amounts of extract and masses of polished tannin on the finish. Despite the overall size, it never loses its Cabernet Sauvignon soul and has an almost Bordeaux-like savoriness and tannic frame. Still young (yet gorgeous none the less), it can be enjoyed now or cellared for another 10-15+ years. Drink now-2028.
VM 95+ (12/2006): (includes 2% merlot and 1% cabernet franc; mostly from Champoux Vineyard) Deep medium ruby. Very deep aromas of currant, minerals, meat and smoke, with complicating notes of chocolate, tar and pastry dough. Tightly wound, penetrating and powerful, with terrific precision to the flavors of dark fruits, graphite and minerals. A very firmly structured wine that finishes with superb length, verve and grip. A stunning Washington cabernet. Paul Golitzin says to start drinking this in 2010. |
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| Realm |
2015 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): One of the most profound young wines I’ve ever tasted is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane. Of all the high scoring wines in this report, if I had to pick one to put at the top of the heap, this would be it. My notes are filled with expletives, but this majestic, opulent, heavenly red boasts a deep purple color and La Mission Haut Brion-like notes of tobacco leaf, blackcurrants, earthy/rocky minerality, cigar box, blueberries, and Asian spices. Huge, opulent, and voluptuous, with a mid-palate that needs to be tasted to be believed, it has no hard edges, incredible density, ripe tannin, and a great, great finish. Don’t miss it and hats off to winemaker Benoit Touquette.
WA 100 (10/2017): Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard is an absolute stunner, sporting an inky purple-black color and show-stopping nose of crème de cassis and blackberry pie laced with cumin seed, fenugreek, black pepper and cardamom, plus a transporting earthy undercurrent of black loam, moss-covered tree bark and forest floor. The palate delivers a wall of muscular black fruit accented by exotic spices and decadent floral notions, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epic length and many, many layers. Amazing. Just 325 cases were made.
JS 96 (5/2018): Powerful aromas of dark fruit with rust and crushed stones. Oyster shell, too. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. Lots of toasted oak, but tight and focused. Needs time to come together. Try in 2022. |
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|
2019 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$895 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): Pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is all varietal and comes from this remarkable site just outside St. Helena. A wine that offers incredible richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and weightless, it offers up a kaleidoscope-like array of blackcurrants, cassis, tobacco leaf, wildflowers, and scorched earth. As seamless and silky as they come, it has perfect tannins, that rare mix of power and elegance, and a monster of a finish. It doesn’t get any better in this reviewer’s opinion. |
|
| Schrader |
2013 |
MMXIII "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,500 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30. |
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|
2018 |
MMXVIII "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,595 |
1 |
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| JD 100 (1/2021): There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don't merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn't one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of crème de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco, and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won't quit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it's a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuvée! (Drink between 2021-2041) |
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| Screaming Eagle |
2023 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$2,300 |
3 |
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JD 100 (12/2025): The epitome of class and elegance, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon offers pure crème de cassis, liquid violets, crushed stone, graphite, and cedar notes on the nose. It's full-bodied on the palate, with remarkably polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and incredible length. This is never the biggest or richest wine in the vintage, yet the sheer level of purity, structure, and depth is absolutely incredible. Compared to the 2021, this is less powerful and made in a more elegant style, yet it's every bit as profound and compelling. It builds beautifully with time in the glass and already offers pleasure yet won't hit prime time for a decade and will cruise for 50+ years. Drink 2035-2075. (Drink between 2035-2075).
VM 98+ (11/2025): The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a huge bouquet that is immediately captivating. Dark fruit, menthol, licorice, cloves, graphite and dried herbs lend considerable aromatic intensity to play off the wine's deeply layered structure. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. Screaming Eagle is the Lafite of Napa Valley. (Drink between 2033-2053). Antonio Galloni.
WA 98 (5/2026): The 2023 Screaming Eagle is approximately 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. At this young age, the various components haven't yet quite harmonized, such that it's possible to pick out black cherries, graham crackers, redcurrants and faintly herbal notes on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is framed by softly dusty tannins yet shows tremendous focus, energy and length on the finish. Impressive. |
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| Shafer |
2002 |
Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon |
$425 |
1 |
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WA 100 (12/2014): In contrast to the more linear, structured, but massive 2001, the 2002 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is pure fruit-bomb material, but stunningly proportioned, beautifully pure, with notes of melted chocolate, blackcurrant jam, sweet black cherries, licorice, camphor and charcoal. Very full-bodied, like the 2001, but much more lavishly fruited, it is more accessible and hedonistically, as well as intellectually, satisfying. If the 2001 is the long-distance runner, this comes across more like a middle-distancer. It had performed fabulously well since it was released by the winery, and even though it’s still an adolescent in terms of its evolution, this wine is a head-turner in wine tastings, and a spectacular effort from Napa. Drink now or drink in 20-25 years.
VM 94+ (7/2016): Good dark red. Perfumed, liqueur-like aromas of black plum, dark berries, licorice and cocoa powder. Dense, thick and very ripe but still a bit youthfully brooding; shows the darkest fruit character to this point in the tasting. This extremely dense, thick, youthfully brooding Cabernet finishes with serious ripe tannins and good medicinal reserve. If the 2001 is claret-like in the context of this bottling, then the 2002 is classic liqueur-like Napa Cabernet, even if it's in a bit of a shell today. Less detailed today than the 2001 but I'd love to try these wines side by side again in six or seven years. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Sine Qua Non |
2015 |
"E" Eleven Confessions Vyd. Grenache |
$450 |
2 |
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VM 100 (9/2019): The 2015 Grenache E, from Elaine and Manfred Krankl’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard, is stunningly beautiful. Remarkably light on its feet for such a sumptuous wine, the 2015 has so much to offer. Beautifully expressive aromatics make a strong opening impression. Dark red and purplish berry fruit, mint, sweet spice and licorice develop with air, but it is the wine’s overall feel that stands out most. At times, the E is quite powerful, while in other moments it is much more delicate. That contrast makes for an utterly captivating wine. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (6/2019): This is a single-vineyard Grenache-dominated, barrel-selection blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Elaine Krankl’s initial and a portrait Manfred made of Elaine on the label. The blend is 82% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 5% Petite Syrah and 1% Viognier, and 56% was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 28% new.
JD 98+ (10/2019): The 2015 Grenache E comes all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard and spent a whopping 38 months in 28% new French oak, with the balance in used barrels of varying sizes. An incredible effort that offers complex notes of cured meats, graphite, ground white and black pepper, flowers, and cassis, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a purity level that’s just about off the charts. Showing the concentrated, powerful, structured style of the vintage, give bottles 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more. |
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2004 |
Ode to E Grenache (1.5 L) |
$1,399 |
1 |
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WA 100 (6/2014): Leading off with the Grenache-driven efforts, and easily the greatest expression of the variety I’ve ever tasted from California, the 2004 Ode to E (Grenache) is mind-blowing stuff that will stand toe-to-toe with the greatest Grenache-based wines ever made. Coming from Manfred’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard and comprised of 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier, it sports a still vibrant purple color to go with off-the-hook aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, melted licorice, graphite, smoked herbs and assorted meaty nuances. Full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with incredible purity and a perfect texture, it can be consumed anytime over the coming decade.
VM 97 (8/2015): The 2004 Grenache Ode to E is absolutely stellar. There's not too much more to say. Still young, fresh and vibrant, the 2004 is incredibly impressive. Exotic spice, rose petals, raspberry jam all open up in an effortless, nuanced wine bursting at the seams with personality. Exquisitely nuanced and balanced, the 2004 is a gem. Readers who own the 2004 should be thrilled; as it is a magnificent wine by any measure. My favorite age to drink Sine Qua Non wines is around ten years. The Ode to E Grenache delivers the goods, and then some. The blend is 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier, all from Eleven Confessions. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Verite |
2014 |
La Muse (1.5 L) |
$632.45 |
2 |
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WA 100 (8/2016): The 2014 La Muse (2,800 cases ) is a legendary effort. The wine offers an opaque purple color and a gorgeous nose of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, incense, Asian spice, cocoa, plum, and a touch of chocolate and barrique. On the palate, more cassis and blackberry come to the forefront. The wine is unctuous, with adequate acidity and a stunning energy underneath the massive fruit and body. This is a spectacularly fragrant and, at the same time, dense wine, with enough structure (somewhat surprising in this vintage) to last 35-45+ years. The final blend was 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.
JD 97+ (12/2017): A gorgeous effort as well, the 2014 La Muse is a Merlot-dominated cuvee blended with 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. This deep ruby/purple-colored beauty boasts a terrific perfume of black raspberries, cassis, graphite, chocolate, and a beautiful earthy minerality. This isn’t your over the top, opulent Merlot and shows incredible class and purity, as well as full-bodied richness, high, yet integrated tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. It’s not anywhere close to primetime (which is rare for a 2014) and needs 4-5 years at a minimum. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived.
VM 96 (3/2017): A huge, opulent wine, the 2014 La Muse wraps around the palate with tons of super-ripe dark red fruit, chocolate, spice and menthol. La Muse often shuts down after bottling, but the 2014 is still remarkably intense and voluptuous, with soft contours, silky tannins and exceptional balance. The purity of the flavors here is remarkable. Antonio Galloni. |
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| | Australia |
| Torbreck |
2005 |
The Laird Shiraz (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label |
$1,800 |
1 |
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| WA 100 (12/2010): The Laird is Powell’s new baby, coming from a single 5 acre / 2 hectare vineyard of Shiraz in the Marananga sub-region planted in the 1960s that recently became available for contracting. This is a very different wine from Run Rig. What is most striking about it is the combination of power and elegance in this first vintage, coming from a very good year in the Barossa. Matured for 3 years in new Dominique Laurent “Magic Casks” (Troncais French oak barriques with thicker staves designed for the long aging of Shiraz), 2005 The Laird gives a deep garnet color and pronounced nose that shows savory and spice notes over the fruit, with aromas of hung meat, Peking duck, fertile loam, underbrush, tree bark, anise, cumin seed, menthol, dried roses and lavender over warm black cherries, crush blackberries and fruit cake. The tight-knit, full-bodied palate is very fine with a high level of silt-like tannins and crisp acid running through the concentrated fruit and savory flavors, finishing very long with lingering earth and spice notes. At 14.8% declared alcohol, this is by no means one of the biggest wines in the Barossa, but it is most certainly one of the best. It’s an absolute joy to drink now but it is recommended readers give it 4-5 years more in bottle to soften and marry and enjoy it to 2030+. |
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