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Inventory updated: Wed, Sep 09, 2026 04:02 PM cst
2018 Arterberry Maresh Old Vines Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2018
Region: USA Red
Color/Type: Red
Size: 750 ML
Tasting Notes:
WA 94+ (12/2020): Pale ruby-purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Old Vines has an alluring perfume of blueberries, violets and dark cherries with accents of earth and amaro. The medium-bodied palate offers intense, broody fruits framed by muscular tannins and bright freshness, and it finishes long and full of flavor. It's still youthfully coiled and may improve with another year or two in bottle.
VM 94 (2/2022): Brilliant garnet. Powerful, spice- and mineral-accented red and blue fruits, potpourri and incense on the nose, which shows superb clarity and a touch of savory herbs. Vibrant and sharply focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet raspberry, boysenberry, bitter cherry, spicecake and candied rose flavors braced by a spine of zesty acidity. Shows superb definition and floral lift on the persistent finish, which is given shape by silky, slow-building tannins. (Drink between 2022-2031). Josh Raynolds.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Arterberry Maresh |
2007 |
Dundee Hills Pinot Noir |
$65 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2011 |
Juliard Vyd. Pinot Noir  |
$40 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94 (10/2013): Intense and seductively bittersweet floral perfume as well as an unusually firm structure and invigorating sense of grip to Maresh’s 2011 Pinot Noir Juliard Vineyard all point toward his inclusion – for the first time in an Arterberry Maresh wine – of stems. The impetus for this approach – or, really, the thing that broke through a mind-set on Maresh’s part that purity of Dundee Hills fruit demanded de-stemming – was the “amazing” experience of David Lett’s last wine, the 2007 South Block (about which I wrote glowingly in Issue 202), for which Lett elected – despite never having done this, and after already having destemmed the grapes – to toss stems back into the fermenter. “If there’s a vineyard to test out stems on,” says Maresh, “I thought: Juliard – savory, meaty, rugged.” Well, this wine is at least two of those things, yet at the same time preserves the buoyancy, vibrant brightness and outright refreshment potential inherent in 2011. The combination of palpable density with levity, fluidity, and energy is quite remarkable. Juicy fresh cherry and red currant inflected by cinnamon and their piquant pits and crunchy seeds are mingled with salted veal stock and meat juices that serve for saliva-inducement, leading to a subtly chewy and invigoratingly, crunchily incisive finish. As this stands open for an hour it takes on a more polished texture while losing none of its dynamic appeal. Expect excitement through at least 2025. “You know what,” Maresh exclaims, “Juliard might be the best vineyard in the whole ----ing Dundee Hills, and I believe in its full potential.”
VM 92 (7/2014): Light, bright red. Intense redcurrant and raspberry aromas show impressive precision and gain weight with air, picking up notes of Asian spices, blood orange and smoky minerals. Brisk, sharply focused red berry flavors stain the palate, showing excellent purity and lift. Floral pastille, cinnamon and star anise flavors dominate the long, nervy finish, which is framed by harmonious silky tannins. Josh Raynolds.
BH 87 (10/2014): A trace of menthol adds a top note to the otherwise very fresh nose of primarily red pinot fruit, briar and discreet floral scents. There is good detail and ample punch to the medium weight flavors that possess a slightly drying and clipped finish that cuts the persistence short. While I like the complexity I fear that this may dry out in time and thus I would suggest drinking it on the younger side with an appropriate dish. (Drink starting 2016). |
|
|
2008 |
Maresh Vyd Pinot Noir |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (12/2024): 2008 was an extraordinary vintage in the Willamette Valley. "It was the best growing season ever and the one I’d like to see again the most,” Jim Maresh says. The season was moderate and lots of shatter in the spring resulted in very low yields of around 1.5 tons per acre. Although the grapes ripened by the first week of October, “the weather stayed at 68 degrees,” he continues. "We had sunny, blue skies for the next three weeks. Why pick if your sugars aren’t going up but your flavors are going up? So, I harvested everything in the third week of October.”
VM 93 (7/2011): Hazy medium red. Raspberry, cherry-cola and spices on the nose, with a sexy floral quality adding complexity. Red and dark berry flavors show impressive intensity and become spicier with aeration, picking up notes of cherry pit and rose pastille. Really stains the palate but there's no excess weight here. The finish is spicy, pure and very long, with a heavy emphasis on sweet red fruit. This is lovely right now. Josh Raynolds.
BH 92 (5/2011): This is more elegant still though noticeably more reserved with excellent complexity to the pretty red and dark pinot fruit cut with briar notes. The rich, full and quite generous flavors possess admirably good mid-palate density as well as a seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a sappy, dusty and lingering finish. This is overtly austere at present and is very much in need of cellar time as this is indisputably built to age. (Drink starting 2016). |
|
|
2008 |
Maresh Vyd Pinot Noir Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$59 |
8 |
|
| |
WA 97 (12/2024): 2008 was an extraordinary vintage in the Willamette Valley. "It was the best growing season ever and the one I’d like to see again the most,” Jim Maresh says. The season was moderate and lots of shatter in the spring resulted in very low yields of around 1.5 tons per acre. Although the grapes ripened by the first week of October, “the weather stayed at 68 degrees,” he continues. "We had sunny, blue skies for the next three weeks. Why pick if your sugars aren’t going up but your flavors are going up? So, I harvested everything in the third week of October.”
VM 93 (7/2011): Hazy medium red. Raspberry, cherry-cola and spices on the nose, with a sexy floral quality adding complexity. Red and dark berry flavors show impressive intensity and become spicier with aeration, picking up notes of cherry pit and rose pastille. Really stains the palate but there's no excess weight here. The finish is spicy, pure and very long, with a heavy emphasis on sweet red fruit. This is lovely right now. Josh Raynolds.
BH 92 (5/2011): This is more elegant still though noticeably more reserved with excellent complexity to the pretty red and dark pinot fruit cut with briar notes. The rich, full and quite generous flavors possess admirably good mid-palate density as well as a seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a sappy, dusty and lingering finish. This is overtly austere at present and is very much in need of cellar time as this is indisputably built to age. (Drink starting 2016). |
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|
2012 |
Maresh Vyd Pinot Noir |
$45 |
5 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (3/2015): The 2012 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1978, therefore some of the oldest in the Willamette Valley (65% and 35% Pommard and Wadenswil clone respectively). Jim Maresh described it as the "prettiest Pinot I work with." Matured for 22 months in used barrel, the bouquet is very well defined and intense with darker fruit than the Juliard: blackberry, fig, smoke and Provençal herbs, especially wild fennel. The palate is sweet, pure and intense on the entry with animated red and black fruit interlaced with rosemary and sage notes. I love the focus here, the personality encased in this Pinot Noir. This is pulled out from the top drawer, a superb Pinot that should age without too much trouble over the next decade, though it will need a year or two in bottle just to shave off those rough edges. Around 600 cases produced. |
|
|
2015 |
Maresh Vyd Pinot Noir |
$79 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2018): Vivid red. Sexy, high-pitched red berry, incense and candied rose scents are complemented by a smoky mineral aspect and a hint of star anise. Sappy and focused in the mouth, offering energetic raspberry liqueur, bitter cherry, blood orange and floral pastille flavors that put on weight and become sweeter with air. Conveys a suave blend of power and vivacity and closes on a subtly tannic note, displaying outstanding focus and floral-driven persistence. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2016 |
Old Vines Pinot Noir |
$65 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (6/2019): Bright red. A highly perfumed bouquet displays mineral-laced red berry and floral aromas that are complicated by suggestions of exotic spices, incense and savory herbs. Stains the palate with energetic raspberry preserve, blood orange, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that become sweeter and deeper. Shows superb energy, sharp delineation and solid, mineral thrust on the extremely long finish, which is framed by silky, slow-building tannins. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2018 |
Old Vines Pinot Noir |
$49 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94+ (12/2020): Pale ruby-purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Old Vines has an alluring perfume of blueberries, violets and dark cherries with accents of earth and amaro. The medium-bodied palate offers intense, broody fruits framed by muscular tannins and bright freshness, and it finishes long and full of flavor. It's still youthfully coiled and may improve with another year or two in bottle.
VM 94 (2/2022): Brilliant garnet. Powerful, spice- and mineral-accented red and blue fruits, potpourri and incense on the nose, which shows superb clarity and a touch of savory herbs. Vibrant and sharply focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet raspberry, boysenberry, bitter cherry, spicecake and candied rose flavors braced by a spine of zesty acidity. Shows superb definition and floral lift on the persistent finish, which is given shape by silky, slow-building tannins. (Drink between 2022-2031). Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Adamvs |
2018 |
Teres Cabernet Sauvignon |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 90 (2/2023): The first vintage with only estate fruit, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon TERES comes from mostly younger vines and it’s a solid effort, with some smoky darker fruits, graphite, and mineral notions in a medium to full-bodied style. I would drink bottles over the coming decade. (Drink between 2023-2033). |
|
| Arietta |
2018 |
Variation One Proprietary Blend |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (1/2021): The 2018 Variation One is positively stellar. Deep, inky and explosive, with striking depth, the 2018 is a meaty, powerful wine loaded with character. Black cherry fruit, chocolate, game, licorice and dried wild herbs infuse the 2018 with tremendous density. Co-fermented Syrah and Merlot are magical here. The 2018 opens beautifully with a bit of time in the glass, but its best days clearly lie ahead. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Arnot-Roberts |
2018 |
Peter Martin Ray Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$65 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (1/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Peter Martin Ray Vineyard is an incredibly intriguing wine. Irregular ripening might actually be a plus in giving the Pinot myriad shades of complexity. Floral, savory and bright, the Peter Martin Ray Pinot is so expressive and full of character. On the palate, the 2018 is perhaps a bit rustic, and yet it has so much to say. (Drink between 2020-2033). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| David Arthur |
2018 |
Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon |
$175 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vine is a huge, dramatic wine. Dark and virile in the glass, the 2018 is endowed with terrific presence. My impression is that the Old Vine, like all of these 2018s, has really gained depth in bottle, which bodes quite well for the future. Black cherry, sage, lavender, menthol and licorice are all finely knit. I would give the 2018 at least a few years in the cellar, as the tannins are pretty incisive at this stage. This is a superb showing. (Drink between 2024-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| B Cellars |
2018 |
Beckstoffer Georges III Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$225 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$225 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$225 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Bridgeline Vyd. Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon |
$155 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Ehrlich Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$155 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (1/2021): Moving to the single vineyard releases, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Ehrlich Vineyard comes from a site in Oakville and is 100% varietal that was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Its inky purple color is followed by a gorgeous yet unevolved bouquet of red and blue fruits, graphite, toasted spices, leather, and crushed rock-like minerality. It’s more giving on the palate, offering a full-bodied, expansive texture that carries plenty of ripe, velvety tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. Give this exuberant, plush, impressive Cabernet Sauvignon 3-4 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades. (Drink between 2024-2045). |
|
| Bella Oaks |
2018 |
Proprietary Red (1.5 L) |
$559 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (1/2021): The 2018 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slips slowly, sensuously out of the glass with expanding notions of blackcurrant pastilles, fresh, ripe blackberries and preserved black cherries with suggestions of iron ore, garrigue and dusty soil plus a waft of black olives. The full-bodied palate is tightly coiled with tons of black fruit and earthy layers supported by firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. A highly energetic wine with an amazing array of bright sparks—this is an absolute jaw-dropper!
JD 98 (12/2023): I loved the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, a remarkably complex, elegant wine that has so much to love. Cassis, black cherries, hints of black olive, chocolate, and ripe tobacco all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with a concentrated, multi-dimensional character offering beautiful tannins and a great finish. Coming from a tiny site in Rutherford (east of Staglin) that was made famous by Joe Heitz’s single vineyard releases, this world-class beauty is based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was aged in 70% new oak. It’s approachable today yet I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve for 30+ years if well stored. Nigel Kinsmen has been the winemaker here starting in 2017. (Drink between 2023-2053).
VM 98 (1/2021): A majestic, totally riveting wine, the 2018 Bella Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon soars out of the glass with breathtaking aromatics. The 2018 reveals layer after layer of complexity with time in the glass in a stunning display that is hard to fully describe. Dark cherry/plum fruit, mocha, dried herb and floral notes build into the sensual, utterly riveting finish. This is a mind-blowing debut from proprietor Suzanne Deal Booth and winemaker Nigel Kinsman. Wow!! (Drink between 2026-2043). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Beringer |
2018 |
Knight’s Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$40 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley Reserve is a beauty and is all Cabernet brought up in 51% new French oak, which is on the lower end for this estate. Its deep purple color is followed by a classic, nicely structured Knights Valley Cabernet with lots of savory red and black fruits, loamy earth, tobacco leaf, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. With beautiful richness and mid-palate depth, ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length, it’s going to drink nicely for 10-15 years. (Drink between 2021-2036).
VM 92 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley Reserve is super expressive right out of the gate, which is unusual for a young Knights Valley wine. Crème de cassis, gravel, sage, menthol and licorice give the 2018 much of its dark, somber personality. The winemaking team has really pulled back on the extraction than in the past. The purity of the fruit is striking. (Drink between 2021-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| 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! |
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|
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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|
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.) |
|
| Brilliant Mistake |
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$155 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (1/2021): This estate continues to produce brilliant wines. Their 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 100% Cabernet aged 21 months in 65% new oak, reveals a dense purple color as well as pretty, nuanced notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, spice box, and flowers. I love its purity of fruit, it’s full-bodied, has wonderful tannins, and is just a beautiful wine that’s going to evolve for two decades. (Drink between 2021-2041)
WA 96 (11/2020): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color, rolling reluctantly out of the glass with tar and earthy notes to begin, giving way to compelling notions of baked plums, warm cassis and wild blueberries plus wafts of dried sage and tilled earth. Full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid structure of grainy tannins supporting the muscular, crunchy black fruits, finishing long and lively. 300 cases were made. |
|
| Cakebread Cellars |
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 90 (11/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 88.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.2% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1.1% Syrah, .5% Malbec, .5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Petite Sirah. Deep garnet-purple in color, it offers up vivacious scents of warm cassis, juicy blueberries and Black Forest cake with hints of dried herbs and tilled earth. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black fruit preserves flavors with a soft, approachable texture and plenty of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift. |
|
| Ceritas |
2018 |
Elliott Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Elliott Vineyard is one of the more nervous, edgy wines in this lineup. Readers will want to give it a few years to soften, as it is reticent and tightly wound in the early going. Bright mineral and savory notes drive a core of sweet red berry fruit. When I taste the 2018 I think of a lyric tenor voice that, while maybe not big in size, has the resonance to be heard all the way in the cheap seats. The Elliot is a cool, introspective Pinot that will reward those who can spend some time with it. (Drink between 2022-2033). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Chappellet |
2018 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Franc |
$100 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (1/2021): A smoking value, the 2018 Cabernet Franc has textbook Cabernet Franc darker, almost blue fruits as well as gorgeous floral, leather, spice, and incense aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, it has a similar supple elegance that conceals solid underlying tannins and concentration. It can be drunk today with plenty of pleasure, yet a good 3-4 years of bottle age will do it well, and it should evolve gracefully over the following 10-15 years. (Drink between 2024-2040)
WA 95+ (11/2020): The 2018 Cabernet Franc is a blend of 75% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec. It was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. The alcohol weighed in at 14.5%. Deep garnet-purple in color, bright, cheery red and black fruit notes of red currant jelly, blackberry pie, Morello cherries and boysenberries spring from the glass, followed by nuances of pencil shavings, red roses, raspberry leaves and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays compelling purity, featuring bags of crunchy black berry flavors and ripe, finely grained tannins to support, finishing with a lively skip in its step.
VM 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Franc is a potent, heady wine. Dried herbs, tobacco, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice, crème de cassis, spice and chocolate are all laced together in the glass. I would give the 2018 a few years in bottle to shed some of its baby fat. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2018 |
Pritchard Hill Estate Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$423.15 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2021): Always one of top wines in a vintage, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is another gorgeous wine with a more plush, supple texture that hides solid underlying structure and tannins. Beautiful notes of blueberries, new leather, camphor, violets, and smoked tobacco all flow to a full-bodied, seamless, gorgeously textured beauty that's very much in the style of the vintage. Possessing remarkable purity, flawless balance, and building tannins, give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years.
VM 96+ (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is bright, punchy and structured. Blackberry jam, grilled herbs, lavender, menthol and crushed rocks all come alive in the glass. This searingly tannic, mountain Cabernet needs a good deal of time to open, but when it does, it dazzles. Bright floral notes, blood orange and slightly redder tonalities of fruit develop over time. The Pritchard Hill is a wine for readers who can be patient. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (11/2020): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 100% new French oak for 22 months. The alcohol weighed in at 14.5%. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with bold expressions of warm cassis, wild blueberries and black raspberries, plus hints of chocolate box, menthol, tapenade, smoked meats and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bursting with vibrant black fruits, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. |
|
| Cirq |
2018 |
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir |
$175 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 97 (7/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir sports a medium ruby, plum, almost opaque hue as well as a killer bouquet of ripe black raspberries, redcurrants, roasted herbs, loamy earth, and sandalwood. Rich, almost full-bodied, and beautifully textured, with silky, polished tannins, this is another rock star of a Pinot Noir from Michael Browne that will deliver the goods over the coming 7-8 years, probably longer, although I have no idea why you would delay gratification! |
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| 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. |
|
| Continuum |
2018 |
Proprietary Blend |
$248 |
27 |
|
| |
VM 98 (1/2022): The 2018 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard is another magnificent wine from the Mondavi family. Soaring and regal in its intensity, the 2018 possesses breathtaking aromatic presence and tons of the pedigree that have made wines off this site so compelling pretty much since the beginning. Vibrant dark fruit, lavender, sage, mint and mocha build into an impossibly long, silky finish. The 2018 is a flat-out stunner. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (12/2021): Coming all from the Sage Mountain Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, the 2018 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot. This is classic 2018 with its dense, concentrated, slightly backward, yet full-bodied and incredibly impressive style. Offering lots of ripe black (black cherry, currant) fruits, scorched earth, graphite, and chocolate-like aromatics, it has terrific concentration, ripe, building tannins, a terrific sense of freshness, and a great finish. It's going to need 5-7 years of bottle age but will have upwards of three decades of overall longevity. |
|
| Daou Vineyards |
2018 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon |
$115 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 95 (9/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is made entirely from free-run juice and was aged 21 months in 100% new French oak. Deep ruby in color, it offers up pure violet and Morello cherries, pipe tobacco and graphite, blueberry and blackcurrant liqueur with a classy frame of warm spices. The palate explodes with ultra-perfumed, ultra-layered black and blue fruits with ubiquitous, pixelated tannins that serve to support the plush fruit, replete with juicy freshness that continues to call you back for another sip on the very long, perfumed finish. It's a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon that will age well in the cellar but is approachable straight from the bottle.
JD 93 (9/2021): Rocking levels of blackberry and cassis fruits as well as textbook tobacco, earth, lead pencil, and camphor all emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, a medium to full-bodied, seamless, elegant Cabernet with silky tannins, no hard edges, and outstanding length. It's going to have 10-15 years of prime drinking. (Drink between 2021-2036). |
|
| DeLille Cellars |
2018 |
Four Flags Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96+ (5/2021): All Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (78% new French oak), the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags showed brilliantly, offering a Pauillac-like nose of smoky red and blue fruits, lead pencil, and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and concentrated, it has lots of velvety tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. It ranks with the top Cabernets from the appellation and is a stunning wine. Drink bottles over the coming 20-25 years.
WA 94+ (10/2021): Displaying a magenta core, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags blossoms in the glass with elements of cinnamon-spiced cherries, crème de cassis and plum reduction with a floral and dusty essence. Medium to full-bodied, this 100% Cabernet is ripe with a firm tannic edge while offering flavors of blackberry jus and a steady mineral-laced sensation across the mid-palate. The wine glides to an elongated finish with lasting flavors of graphite, black plum and dusty flowers.
VM 94 (3/2022): Already quite nicely evolved, the 2018 Four Flags evokes black tea, exotic spice and chocolate aromas alongside a great wall of dark fruits. Full-bodied and intense, with sagebrush and scorched earth undertones, this is drinking beautifully right now and will continue to cellar well for another 15 years - or more! (Drink between 2021-2035). Owen Bargreen. |
|
| Detert |
2018 |
Cabernet Franc (1.5 L) |
$279 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (1/2021): Detert's 2018 Cabernet Franc is fabulous. It may very well be the single most expressive and distinctive Cabernet Franc in the valley. Deep and inky in the glass, the Detert Franc is marked by soaring aromatics and beams of saline minerality that distinguish it from the Cabernet Sauvignon in this range. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, menthol, licorice and cloves build into the huge, resonant finish. (Drink between 2026-2043). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Emeritus Vineyards |
2018 |
Hallberg Ranch Pinot Noir |
$45 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Pinot Hill Pinot Noir |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Fe Wines |
2018 |
Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon |
$265 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (1/2021): The flagship is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Fe, and it's 100% Spring Mountain Cabernet. As with the Red Wine Blend, it has a notable freshness in its aromatics and offers impressive blue fruits, cedar, forest floor, bouquet garni, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. These carry to a concentrated, full-bodied mountain Cabernet that has terrific mid-palate depth, building tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. It's structured and tannic, and needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but this beauty is going to age like a great Bordeaux and keep for 30 years or more. (Drink between 2025-2058).
VM 96+ (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from a six-acre vineyard on Spring Mountain just outside of St. Helena planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Rich, powerful and structured, with tremendous nuance, the 2018 hits all the right notes. A whole range of feral, savory and floral notes add striking aromatic nuance, with beams of mountain tannin that give the wine energy. Fe is one of the most exciting debuts of the last few years. What a knock-out! (Drink between 2026-2043). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Galerie |
2018 |
Pleinair Cabernet Sauvignon |
$45 |
6 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (1/2021): Made by Gianna Kelly, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pleinair comes from a handful of vineyards and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 65% new French oak. Its deep purple hue is followed by a rich, concentrated, nicely balanced 2018 with loads of ripe dark fruit, chocolate, and tobacco aromatics, medium to full body, a solid spine of acidity, and just wonderful overall balance and purity, which is the hallmark of this great vintage. Building nicely with time in the glass, it shines for its balance, elegance, and purity more so than sheer power, and it’s already a joy to drink. Nevertheless, it should easily evolve for 15-20 years. This smoking value is well worth seeking out. (Drink between 2021-2041) |
|
| Maggy Hawk |
2018 |
Unforgettable Pinot Noir |
$59.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Unforgettable is built on texture and creaminess. It offers a bit more mid-palate structure than some of the other wines in the range. The mix of mostly Pommard and Wadensvil clones works so well here. Silky and open-knit, the 2018 can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Hundred Acre |
2018 |
Wraith Cabernet Sauvignon |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (2/2023): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith is one of those wines that would be a perfect example of the expression “iron fist in a velvet glove.” Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it has that classic 2018 frame that carries pure darker currant and cassis fruits as well as complex notes of leather, licorice, and spring flowers. This layered, multi-dimensional, perfectly balanced 2018 will reward 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-25 years. (Drink between 2026-2052)
WA 97+ (5/2023): A blend of fruit from the three single vineyards, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith offers up more cherries and cranberries beautifully complemented by deep loam and mocha undertones. It's full-bodied, lush and velvety in texture, with a long, vibrant finish. It's even a bit tart. |
|
| Institution |
2018 |
Erba Vyd. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$175 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 94+ (1/2021): Coming from a steep, higher elevation vineyard and made by Russell Bevan, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Erba Vineyard offers a smoky bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, smoke tobacco, chocolate, charred barrel, and rocky, earthy minerality. This rich, full-bodied, powerful 2018 has some chewy tannins and a dense, backward, mineral-laced style that's going to benefit from bottle age. Do your best to hide bottles for 3-5 years, and it should evolve for two decades. (Drink between 2024-2046). |
|
| Italics Winegrowers |
2018 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon |
$85 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Placemark Red Wine |
$85 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Kenzo Estate |
2018 |
Suzu Sparkling Rose |
$160 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Kosta Browne |
2018 |
Keefer Ranch Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (5/2020): Starting off the Pinot Noirs, the 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley was mostly destemmed and brought up in 31% new French oak. Its ruby/purple hue is followed by a wonderful bouquet of black cherries, darker raspberry, spice, and hints of earth and forest floor. It's a darker, spicy Russian River Valley effort that's medium to full-bodied and has terrific balance, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It shows the purity and class that now defines this estate. It's well worth seeking out and is going to keep for at least a decade. |
|
|
2018 |
Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (8/2020): Brought up in 20% new French oak, the 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands offers a terrific, complex bouquet of spiced cherries, raspberries, spring flowers, and dried herbs. Beautifully balanced, elegant, and seamless on the palate, it shines for its complexity, texture, and length and is a stunning Santa Lucia Highlands release! |
|
|
2018 |
Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir |
$69 |
4 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (8/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills was 90% destemmed and brought up in mostly neutral oak (French and Austrian). Its ruby/purple hue is followed by a beautiful bouquet of ripe strawberry and raspberry fruits interwoven with plenty of spice, flowery incense, and violet nuances. Ethereal, medium-bodied, and elegant on the palate, it has a terrific sense of balance, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's not a blockbuster Pinot by any measure yet has complexity, balance, and length. I'm a big fan. |
|
|
2018 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$75 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (5/2020): Brought up mostly in French oak, with a small amount in concrete, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast has that classic Sonoma Coast pretty red fruit-driven style as well as subtle white flower, spice, and even a kiss of minerality. It's beautifully balanced and medium-bodied, with an elegant, ethereal style that still has solid structure. It will drink well for a decade. |
|
|
2018 |
Treehouse Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| Decanter 95 (8/2021): A show-stopping Pinot Noir from Nico Cueva, fermented in concrete, oak and stainless steel, including 6% whole-cluster fruit, then aged in separate lots for 16 months in 40% new French oak, before blending and an additional four months in neutral oak and steel. High-toned, heady aromas of dark cherry and sarsaparilla, pine bark and tangy grapefruit zest, towing the line between haughty decadence and controlled restraint. Savoury and sweet flavours emerge in waves, backed by fine-grained cedar tannins and gentle acidity, then lingering notes of crème brûlée, pine, cocoa and rose petals. (Drink between 2021-2036) |
|
| Charles Krug |
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon Bin-Soiled Label |
$25 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Larkmead Vineyards |
2018 |
Dr. Olmo Cabernet Sauvignon |
$129 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (11/2020): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Olmo (Black Label) is produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in French oak, 56% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with scents of black currant cordial, kirsch, red currant jelly and wild blueberries plus suggestions of dark chocolate, bay leaves and pencil lead with a touch of cardamom. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has loads of delicately framed nuances among the red and black fruits with a soft texture and energetic finish.
VM 95 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Olmo has really come together nicely over the last year. A dark, brooding wine, the Dr. Olmo is imbued with so much character. Black cherry, plum, scorched earth, leather and game reveal a wine of considerable nuance and complexity. There is so much going on here. The 2018 finishes with notable substance and feeling of sheer pedigree that is impossible to miss. (Drink between 2026-2040). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Firebelle Red Wine |
$90 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (1/2021): The 2018 Firebelle (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon) is gracious and beautifully lifted in the glass. Crushed red berry fruit, spice, cedar and tobacco are all laced together in this attractive, mid-weight red. This is an unusually elegant, restrained style for Calistoga, where the wines are often bigger. Savory Cabernet aromatics and the bright acids of 2018 linger. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Solari Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 96 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is all Cabernet and was brought up in mostly new French oak. A gorgeous wine from this estate, it has incredible notes of blackcurrants, camphor, new leather, and dried tobacco. It takes some air yet gets even more complex, with ample licorice and loamy soil notes developing as it sits in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific overall balance, lots of underlying structure, and a great, great finish. It's going to need 5-7 years for these tannins to melt away, but this is a beauty.
WA 94+ (11/2020): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari (Black Label) was aged in French oak, 92% new. It sports a deep garnet-purple color and fragrant notions of boysenberries, black and red cherry preserves and black currant pastilles with hints of garrigue, sautéed herbs and tobacco leaf plus a waft of charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegant and refreshing, features a racy backbone and has finely grained tannins that support the intense red and black fruits, finishing with refreshing herbal lift.
VM 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari is laced with the essence of wild cherry, tobacco, licorice and a whole range of earthy, savory notes. Dark and inward, but medium in body, the 2018 is a bit tightly wound today. I would give it a few years to soften. Like all the 2018s at Larkmead, the Solari is a wine of transparency and nuance. Its resonance is more implied than overtly stated. (Drink between 2026-2040). |
|
| Paul Lato |
2018 |
Ora et Labora Bien Nacido Vyd. Grenache |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 93 (8/2020): All destemmed Grenache aged 22 months in 30% new barrels, the 2018 Ora et Labora Bien Nacido Vineyard offers up a juicy bouquet of Bing cherries, black raspberries, sappy herbs, licorice, and ground pepper. Nicely textured, medium to full-bodied, and silky on the palate, with great tannins, drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.
VM 93 (8/2020): The 2018 Grenache Ora et Labora Bien Nacido Vineyard is gorgeous. Bright red cherry fruit, mint and blood orange all grace this super-expressive, mid-weight wine. Bien Nacido is a famous site, and that pedigree definitely comes through in the wine's energy and character. (Drink between 2020-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Linne Calodo |
2018 |
Rising Tides Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 97 (12/2020): Opaque ruby. Ripe red/blue fruits, potpourri, incense and exotic spices on the deeply perfumed, expressive nose. Stains the palate with sweet boysenberry, Chambord and floral pastille flavors, which are sharpened by energetic mineral and white pepper flourishes. Shows serious depth and power but comes off lively and delivers strong floral thrust on the extremely long, spicy, gently tannic finish. (Drink between 2023-2033). Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Long Shadows Wineries |
2018 |
Chester Kidder Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$110 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 94+ (7/2022): The 2018 Chester-Kidder Red Wine is based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 30 months in 85% new French oak. It's another brilliant wine from this team and has vibrant plum and darker, almost blue fruits as well as spicy oak, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth aromas and flavors. Balanced and medium to full-bodied, with a terrific sense of freshness as well as building tannins, it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and have two decades of longevity. |
|
|
2018 |
Feather Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$135 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (5/2021): The classic 2018 Feather (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) comes from the Weinbau and Wallula Vineyards and spent 22 months in 90% new French oak. It has a wonderfully pure nose of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, dried flowers, and tobacco that carries to a medium to full-bodied, seamless Cabernet with a wonderful sense of purity, balance, and elegance, all while bringing plenty of fruit and structure. I actually like it today, yet it has enough tannins to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and should be long lived. (Drink between 2023-2038) |
|
| MacDonald |
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (3X750ML) |
$2,400 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (1/2021): Flirting with perfection, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from this tiny family estate shows the pure, elegant, yet concentrated style of this vintage to a T. Darker currants, cassis, olives, violets, and spring flower notes all flow to a full-bodied, concentrated, ultra-classic, flawlessly balanced Cabernet. The tannins are present yet polished, it has wonderfully integrated acidity, and is one of those wines that keeps you coming back to the glass. Count yourself lucky if you’re able to snag any bottles. It will ideally be given 4-6 years of bottle age and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more.
VM 97+ (1/2021): The 2018 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon is positively stellar. Crème de cassis, blueberry, lavender, graphite, spice, sage and licorice all open effortlessly in the glass. At this stage, the 2018 reminds me of the 2012 in its mid-weight structure, but with darker fruit and a more somber personality. Like the 2012 has, I expect the 2018 will flesh out in the middle over the next handful of years. It is a super-impressive wine with a bright, bright future that only slightly misses the thrilling heights of some previous editions. Then again, brothers Graeme and Alex MacDonald have set a very high bar since they started bottling their wine a little more than a decade ago. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Mayacamas Vineyards |
2018 |
Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon |
$150 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Maybach |
2018 |
Amoenus Cabernet Sauvignon |
$174 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 98+ (1/2021): Looking at the two 2018s, the 2018 Amoenus comes from the Blossom Creek Vineyard outside of Calistoga and was brought up in new French oak. Both 2018s are concentrated, powerful wines. The Amoenus possesses a beautiful sense of freshness and purity, yet backs that up with a huge, opulent profile that carries incredible black and blue fruits. Showing more chocolate, tobacco, graphite, and foresty, earthy notes with air, this full-bodied beauty has ample ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It certainly shows the more brooding, backward, powerful style of the vintage and is built for the long haul. Hide bottle for 5-7 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 40 years or so. |
|
| Memento Mori |
2018 |
Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$259 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 99 (1/2021): Lastly, I was blown away by the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard, which comes from a great vineyard in Oakville. Beautiful blue fruits, liquid violets, graphite, and white flower notes all emerge from the glass, and it builds beautifully on the palate, with a full-bodied, layered, seamless texture. It’s one of those wines that just screams Cabernet and offers a terrific sense of density and richness yet still just glides across the palate, with no heaviness or rusticity. This is a gorgeous Cabernet in every way. Give bottles 3-5 years if you can and enjoy over the following two decades or more. Hats off to Sam Kaplan for a tour de force lineup of Napa Valley Cabernet! (Drink between 2024-2047) |
|
| Meyer Family Cellars |
2018 |
Peterson Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$119 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Myriad |
2018 |
100% Whole Cluster Las Madres Vyd. Syrah |
$45 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 96 (2/2020): Even better than the Esther Block, the 2018 Syrah Las Madres Vineyard 100% Whole Cluster offers beautiful notes of jammy blackberries, mulberries, smoked game, ground pepper, and violets. These all flow to a medium to full-bodied Syrah that has a wealth of beautiful California fruit, present yet ripe, sweet tannins, and a fabulous mouthfeel and finish. It’s slightly more rounded and opulent on the palate compared to the Esther Block yet still doesn’t lack for structure. Give it a year or three and enjoy over the following decade. It’s another wine from Mike Smith that has classic Syrah characteristics yet stays firmly planted in California. It’s a beautiful wine. (Drink between 2022-2032).
WA 93 (11/2020): Made from 100% Syrah and 100% whole cluster, the 2018 Syrah Whole Cluster Las Madres Vineyard reveals a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It drifts effortlessly out of the glass with the most beautiful perfume of red roses, fragrant earth, bouquet garni, Ceylon tea, Sichuan pepper and star anise with a core of black cherry compote, blueberry pie and dark chocolate. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with fragrant black fruit layers, framed by ripe, rounded tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing long and lifted. A real head-turner! |
|
|
2018 |
100% Whole Cluster Sangiacomo Vyd. Syrah |
$45 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (2/2020): From the same vineyard in the Petaluma Gap yet not destemmed, the 2018 Syrah Sangiacomo Vineyard 100% Whole Cluster is an incredible wine that shows how compelling cool-climate Syrah from California can be. Revealing a medium ruby, slightly translucent color to go with Côte Rôtie-like raspberry and framboise fruits are interwoven with lots of spring flowers, sagebrush, white pepper, and hints of game, it’s fabulously balanced, medium-bodied, and ethereally textured on the palate. This beautiful wine never puts a foot wrong and while stunning today, will evolve for over a decade. There are less than 100 cases made, so there’s not much to go around, but it’s well worth the extra effort to track down. (Drink between 2020-2030). |
|
|
2018 |
Esther Block Las Madres Vyd. Syrah Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$40 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (2/2020): The Syrah Las Madres Vineyard Esther Block always shows well, and the 2018 is no exception. Revealing a medium ruby/purple hue as well as a Côte Rôtie like notes of black raspberries, spring flowers, peppered game, and sappy underbrush, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a tight, sappy texture, ripe tannins, good acidity, and an excellent finish. It’s a rockingly good wine that needs 2-3 years of bottle age and will impressive for over a decade. (Drink between 2022-2032). |
|
|
2018 |
Sangiacomo Vyd. Syrah |
$40 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (2/2020): From a site in the Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast, the 2018 Syrah Sangiacomo is all Syrah brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It’s another beautiful Syrah from this estate that has a wild, gamey style yet still shows rocking levels of California fruit and texture. Black raspberries, smoked herbs, bouquet garni, new leather, and ample white pepper notes all emerge from the glass, and this beauty is medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, has ripe tannins, and an exceptional finish. It’s ready to go with just a short decant and is going offer load of pleasure over the coming 7-8 years, probably longer. (Drink between 2020-2028). |
|
| de Negoce |
2018 |
OG N. 109 Fair Play Syrah |
$15 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
OG N. 111 Fair Play Tempranillo |
$15 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
OG N. 118 Chalk Hill Malbec |
$15 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
OG N. 143 Horse Heaven Hills Petit Verdot |
$15 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
OG N. 162 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$15 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
OG N. 319 Santa Barbara County Barbera |
$15 |
9 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
OG N. 90 Merlot |
$15 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Next of Kyn |
2018 |
Numero Quatro Touriga Nacional (1.5 L) |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (8/2021): I was able to taste two new releases from the Krankls’ Next of Kyn release. Starting with the 2018 Touriga Nacional Numero Quatro, which also includes 9.1% Syrah, 7.2% Grenache, 6.2% Petite Sirah, and 1.5% Roussanne, it’s a full-bodied, deep, rich monster of a wine that still stays balance and elegant, with a terrific perfume of blue fruits, violets, gravelly earth, and peppery spice. It has building tannins, but the balance is as good as it gets, and it has a finish that won’t quit. Fermented with 35% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 60% new French oak, it’s going to keep for a solid 15 years or more.
VM 98 (10/2021): The 2018 Touriga Nacional – Número Quatro is sourced from Elain and Manfred Krankl's estate vineyard in Oak View. It is a wine of tremendous character and personality. Sadly, production remains tiny, at just over 130 cases. Copious black cherry, plum, bittersweet chocolate, new leather, licorice and spice build in an deep, powerful wine that is loaded with personality. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Numero Quatro Touriga Nacional (1.5 L) |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (8/2021): I was able to taste two new releases from the Krankls’ Next of Kyn release. Starting with the 2018 Touriga Nacional Numero Quatro, which also includes 9.1% Syrah, 7.2% Grenache, 6.2% Petite Sirah, and 1.5% Roussanne, it’s a full-bodied, deep, rich monster of a wine that still stays balance and elegant, with a terrific perfume of blue fruits, violets, gravelly earth, and peppery spice. It has building tannins, but the balance is as good as it gets, and it has a finish that won’t quit. Fermented with 35% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 60% new French oak, it’s going to keep for a solid 15 years or more.
VM 98 (10/2021): The 2018 Touriga Nacional – Número Quatro is sourced from Elain and Manfred Krankl's estate vineyard in Oak View. It is a wine of tremendous character and personality. Sadly, production remains tiny, at just over 130 cases. Copious black cherry, plum, bittersweet chocolate, new leather, licorice and spice build in an deep, powerful wine that is loaded with personality. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Nickel and Nickel |
2018 |
Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89 |
17 |
|
| |
|
| Occidental |
2018 |
Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir |
$125 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (7/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental comes mostly from younger vines at the Occidental property but is made with the same attention to detail as the other wines in the portfolio, using free-run juice. Its nose is an aromatic well, offering crushed blueberries, charcuterie, Earl Grey tea leaves, graphite, saline, bitter orange peel and potpourri aromas. In the mouth, it explodes with lush fruits that give way after their initial rush to bitter, citrusy, minerally accents. It has a fine grain, seamless freshness and long, layered finish. It's enjoyable now but will age well over the next five to eight-plus years.
VM 94 (1/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Freestone Occidental is a truly remarkable wine. Maybe that is the vintage, or the added complexity the vines are acquiring with time, but the 2018 Freestone Occidental makes me incredibly curious to taste the rest of the 2018s. Bright, focused and beautifully sculpted, the 2018 is a wine of total elegance and finesse. Moreover, it captures the savory, energetic, saline style that is so typical of this part of the Sonoma Coast. (Drink between 2023-2039). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Occidental Station Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$159 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 98 (7/2021): Medium ruby in color, the 2018 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard has intense, liquid-like raspberry and boysenberry aromas, layered with notes of dusty earth, Earl Grey tea leaves, salted licorice and graphite, continuing to blossom with time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate merges intense, detailed fruit character with seamless freshness and a finely pixelated texture. It finishes with tremendous detail and perfumed flavors that seem to hang on forever in the mouth. Wow!
VM 98 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Occidental Station is a dense, packed Pinot. Its huge core of fruit gives the Occidental Station tons of inner strength. Readers will have to be patient. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of inky red fruit, blood orange, exotic spice aromas and flavors, with swaths of tannin that wrap it all together. As always, the Occidental Station is quite a different beast from the other wines in the range, as it emerges from a site about fifteen miles from the winery that is quite a bit warmer and therefore lends a decidedly more exotic, ripe personality to the flavors. Even so, there is plenty of supporting structure and minerality to balance things out. (Drink between 2024-2038). Antonio Galloni.
JD 97 (7/2021): Slightly deeper hued, the 2018 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard has a rich, spicy nose of cassis and ripe black cherries supported by beautiful bouquet garni and floral nuances. It has background oak, medium to full body, ripe yet building tannins, and just a beautiful purity as well as freshness that keeps you coming back to the glass. It has enough tannins and acidity to benefit from short-term bottle age, but it has a rounded, elegant texture as well and is far from unapproachable today. It should have 15 years of longevity. (Drink between 2021-2036). |
|
| Outpost |
2018 |
True Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$209 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (1/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color, prancing out of the glass with flamboyant notes of stewed plums, crème de cassis and baked blackberries, plus touches of bay leaves, lavender, unsmoked cigars, pencil lead and tilled earth. Full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins and a lively line, finishing long and lifted.
JD 95 (1/2021): A big step up, the single vineyard 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard has beautiful cassis and blue fruits as well as plenty of foresty notes, pine, bay leaf, chocolate, and earthy minerality. This classic Howell Mountain Cabernet is medium to full-bodied and has a focused, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's going to evolve for 20-25 years. (Drink between 2021-2046).
VM 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard is loaded with crème de cassis, chocolate, spice, licorice and sweet French oak. Floral overtones emerge over time, adding lift and a hugely appealing upper register to this luscious, opulent Cabernet. Polished, racy and silky to the core, the True Cabernet is a winner from Outpost. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Patz & Hall |
2018 |
Alder Springs Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| La Pelle |
2018 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$55 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 97 (1/2021): The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve comes from a blend of the Ceniza, Red Hen, and Alluvium vineyards and is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It saw slightly more new oak, spending 21 months in 80% new barrels. A classic Napa Valley nose of crème de cassis, toasted spice, graphite, unsmoked tobacco, and chocolate gives way to a full-bodied 2018 offering gorgeous purity of fruit, ripe, velvety tannins, a great mid-palate, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This is another magical wine from this estate that has plenty of upfront appeal yet is going to evolve gracefully for two decades or more. |
|
| Pride Mountain Vineyards |
2018 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2022): Pride's flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is going to need a number of years to come around. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, licorice, lavender and mocha all open with a bit of time. This deceptively mid-weight Cabernet packs plenty of mountain punch. The Reserve is not an obvious wine, especially in comparison with what these wines were like a few years ago. (Drink between 2025-2038). Antonio Galloni.
JD 94+ (5/2022): Lastly, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve can be thought of as the top cuvée, and in 2018 it's 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Its deep purple hue is followed by a powerful, medium to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that builds beautifully in the glass, with ripe yet present tannins and integrated acidity all giving it an age-worthy feel. Classic crème de cassis, graphite, scorched earth, and tobacco all define the aromatics. The balance is spot on, but like many 2018s, the cellar is going to be your friend. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it's going to drink brilliantly for two decades. (Drink between 2026-2047). |
|
| Provenance Vineyards |
2018 |
Fortitude Cabernet Sauvignon |
$70 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Quivet Cellars |
2018 |
Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$142 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (8/2020): From a great site outside of St. Helena, there are 175 cases of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, which has a killer bouquet of black raspberries and crème de cassis intermixed with beautiful spring flowers, unsmoked tobacco, and spice. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and with incredible elegance and purity, it offers building tannins, flawless balance, and stunning length. A gorgeous wine in every sense, it's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and just sing for 20-25 years or more. (Drink between 2023-2048).
VM 91 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is a wild, potent wine. Inky dark fruit, grilled herbs, licorice, spice, espresso and game give the Piedras its decidedly exotic personality. The 2018 is at once intensely ripe and savory, with strong oak accents that add sweetness. Those elements don't feel fully meshed together at this stage. (Drink between 2022-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Reverie |
2018 |
Special Reserve Proprietary Blend Lightly Nicked Label |
$95 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ridge Vineyards |
2018 |
Monte Bello |
$229 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 96+ (5/2022): The 2018 Monte Bello is ridiculously young. There's plenty of energy and drive, but writing a note at this point is rather superfluous. Readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. Early tastings suggest the 2018 is a Monte Bello built on linear, savory intensity more than volume. I very much like the energy here. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (12/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello comes from a cooler, even, drought year and is based on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. I believe it was aged all in American oak as always (I wouldn't be surprised if there was a French barrel in there) and hit 13.7% natural alcohol. Beautiful, and classic Monte Bello, notes of plums, cassis, and blueberries all give way to more vanilla oak, tobacco, cedar pencil, and violet aromas and flavors. A more elegant, streamlined, medium to full-bodied Monte Bello, it has beautiful tannins, perfect ripeness (not overripe nor underripe), flawless balance, and a great finish. It doesn't have the sheer grandeur or dimension of the 2017, but it's a seamless, incredibly elegant, compelling Monte Bello that will benefit from 4-6 years (it's stunning today with a healthy decant) and will certainly have 30 years of prime drinking. |
|
| Rivers Marie |
2018 |
Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (2/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga is deep garnet-purple colored, charging out of the gate with savory notions of sautéed herbs, beef drippings and truffles with a core of crème de cassis , baked plums and mulberries. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it has a solid backbone of firm, velvety tannins and really compelling earthy undertones to all that decadent black fruit, finishing long and layered. |
|
|
2018 |
Lore Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$159 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98 (2/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from a single vineyard in Oakville. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal tantalizing scents of boysenberries, chocolate-covered cherries and crushed black and red currants with hints of menthol, tobacco leaf, violets, cinnamon stick and cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with perfumed black fruits, backed up by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. Just stunning. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20 years+.
JD 97+ (1/2021): From a great site in Oakville, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard boasts a rich, full-bodied style offering ripe, polished tannins, terrific balance, and textbook Cabernet notes of ripe black currants, cassis, smoked tobacco, loamy soil, and chocolate. I love its overall purity as well as its balance, and while it's already accessible today, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2023-2045).
VM 97+ (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard is magnificent. Strong savory and mineral notes add aromatic complexity to play off the dense, plush fruit that is typical of these wines. Intriguing and complex, the Lore captures all of the magic of this site in Eastern Oakville. The tannins need a bit of time to soften. Even in the early going, the Lore is superb. It is, as always, the most structured Cabernet in the range. (Drink between 2025-2033). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Saddleback Cellars |
2018 |
Old Vines Zinfandel |
$39 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Scherrer Winery |
2018 |
Scherrer Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$65 |
12 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (8/2023): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Scherrer Vineyard opens with intense, penetrating aromatics. Intensely earthy and savory, the Scherrer Vineyard Cabernet packs plenty of punch in its dark fruit, leather, game, tobacco, incense and herb flavors. I would prefer to drink this over the next handful of years, although it has the stuffing to go longer in a cold cellar. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Schrader |
2018 |
Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$375 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (1/2021): This “Schrader” label comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from clone 4 grown on the C2 block. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has a wonderfully perfumed nose of potpourri, baking spices and dusty soil over a core of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and flamboyant Indian spices. Full-bodied, super firm with super ripe tannins and lovely freshness, it delivers layer upon layer of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, finishing long and beautifully poised. Give it a good 3-5 years in bottle to really strut its stuff and drink it over the next 30+ years.
JD 98+ (1/2021): A powerful, backward, and concentrated wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader exhibits a dense purple/plum color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco leaf. It takes plenty of air to show at its best, and I suspect 3-4 years of bottle age are warranted, but this full-bodied, multi-dimensional 2018 has flawless balance, building tannins, and is just loaded with potential. |
|
|
2018 |
Heritage Clone To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$279 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 97+ (1/2021): This is the very first vintage of this new label for Schrader. True to Schrader form, the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a single block in the southern part of Mondavi’s section of To Kalon vineyard. The “Heritage Clone,” a.k.a. clone 39, is pretty much exclusive to Mondavi To Kalon, with the exception of some cuttings Robert Mondavi may have given out. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown noted that this clone produces very small bunches and tiny berries, equating to super intense fruit. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mondavi Heritage Clone To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of stewed blueberries, plum preserves, Chinese five spice and fragrant earth, giving way to hints of beef drippings, iron ore, espresso, tobacco leaf and dried roses. Medium-bodied, it has a firm, chewy texture and loads of bright, lively freshness lifting the densely packed berry preserves layers, finishing very long and very spicy. This is certainly a singular style—somewhat atypical for the 2018 vintage, but nonetheless compelling. |
|
|
2018 |
MMXVIII "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,595 |
1 |
|
| |
| 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) |
|
|
2018 |
RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon Bin-Soiled Label |
$279 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (1/2021): Schrader’s RBS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from 337 clone grown on blocks B1, B2 and E2. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with gregarious exotic spice scents—cumin seed, cloves and star anise—over a core of Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and black currant pastilles plus a waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with spicy, open-knit black fruit preserves flavors, marked by bright red-fruit accents. Supported by great tension and velvety tannins, it finishes on a lingering cinnamon toast note. 1,715 cases were made.
JD 99 (1/2021): Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, balance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years.
JS 97 (1/2021): Aromas of red fruit, plums, herbs and dark chocolate with some bark and forest-floor notes. Full-bodied, yet very finely crafted and poised. Lots of fresh and dry herbs to the dark fruit at the finish. Lasts a long time. Try after 2024. |
|
|
2018 |
T6 Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$269 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 97 (1/2021): Rocking levels of blueberries, creme de cassis, exotic spices, tobacco, cigar wrapper, and candied violets emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6, which is full-bodied, has a ripe, concentrated mouthfeel, and lots of building tannins. There's no shortage of structure here, yet the tannins are sweet and polished, it has nicely integrated acidity and just beautiful overall balance, although it remains relatively tight and doesn't have the same opulent, expansive mouthfeel found in the CCS, RBS, and Schrader releases. Regardless, it's an incredibly impressive bottle of wine. Give bottles 4-5 years, and it's going to cruise for 20 years or more. |
|
| Sea Smoke |
2018 |
Southing Pinot Noir |
$95 |
5 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (8/2022): The 2018 Pinot Noir Southing is laced with bold dark-fleshed fruit, menthol, licorice, spice and mocha. A wine of volume and depth, the 2018 offers tons of allure, with plush contours and impeccable overall balance. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Southing Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$199 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (8/2022): The 2018 Pinot Noir Southing is laced with bold dark-fleshed fruit, menthol, licorice, spice and mocha. A wine of volume and depth, the 2018 offers tons of allure, with plush contours and impeccable overall balance. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Ten Pinot Noir |
$95 |
5 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (8/2022): The 2018 Pinot Noir Ten is a classic Sea Smoke wine. Dark, ample and enveloping, the 2018 possesses notable richness and volume right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit cherry, plum, mocha, lavender and sweet spice all meld together, framed by supple, silky tannins that add considerable immediacy and overall appeal. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Ten Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$199 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (8/2022): The 2018 Pinot Noir Ten is a classic Sea Smoke wine. Dark, ample and enveloping, the 2018 possesses notable richness and volume right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit cherry, plum, mocha, lavender and sweet spice all meld together, framed by supple, silky tannins that add considerable immediacy and overall appeal. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Seaver Vineyards |
2018 |
GTS Cabernet Sauvignon |
$139 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon GTS is remarkably elegant, especially for the appellation. This well-exposed site at around 1,600 feet allows for full ripening of tannins. Medium in body and gracious, with superb balance, the GTS Cabernet is terrific in 2018. Crème de cassis, lavender, dried herbs, spice and new leather are all laced into the silky, polished finish, which is where the mountain origins are felt most. Hints of graphite, scorched earth and cassis linger nicely. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
GTS Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$279 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon GTS is remarkably elegant, especially for the appellation. This well-exposed site at around 1,600 feet allows for full ripening of tannins. Medium in body and gracious, with superb balance, the GTS Cabernet is terrific in 2018. Crème de cassis, lavender, dried herbs, spice and new leather are all laced into the silky, polished finish, which is where the mountain origins are felt most. Hints of graphite, scorched earth and cassis linger nicely. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
NLS Cabernet Sauvignon |
$119 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Senses |
2018 |
Day One Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96+ (7/2020): From the Hillcrest Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast, the 2018 Pinot Noir Day One is another darker, earthy, spicy effort from this team. Aged 10 months in 25-40% new French oak, it offers lots of mulled red and black fruits, smoked herbs, Asian spices, and dried flowers. Rich and medium-bodied, with bright acidity and ripe tannins, it's another age-worthy 2018 Pinot Noir from this estate that shows the quality of this great vintage.
VM 93 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Day One marries richness, power and aromatic presence. Succulent black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice and dried herbs mesh together in the glass, supported by bright acids that add energy. Like all of these wines, the Day One is racy and fleshy in style. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Silver Oak |
2018 |
Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon "H/W Harris Williams" engraved on bottle |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
| Decanter 94 (6/2025): Rich and alluring, with ripe currant and red berry fruit, pressed flowers and loamy earth. Framed by taut, mineral-rich tannins with layers of currant fruit woven around black truffle. The lengthy finish sees those firm tannins beginning to resolve, turning increasingly earthy. A wild herb character and an overall freshness factor leave a lasting impression. 94.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.2% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. (Drink between 2025-2042). |
|
| Slacker (Linne Calodo) |
2018 |
Self Esteem Scuffed Label |
$35 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Somnium |
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a powerful, brooding wine with huge mountain tannins and a virile, almost somber personality. Graphite, cured meats, licorice, cloves, scorched earth, black pepper and mocha give the 2018 its distinctly feral, mineral, savory quality. I would give the 2018 at least a few years in bottle, as it is pretty searing today. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$150 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a powerful, brooding wine with huge mountain tannins and a virile, almost somber personality. Graphite, cured meats, licorice, cloves, scorched earth, black pepper and mocha give the 2018 its distinctly feral, mineral, savory quality. I would give the 2018 at least a few years in bottle, as it is pretty searing today. (Drink between 2023-2038). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Stag's Leap Wine Cellars |
2018 |
Heart of Fay Cabernet Sauvignon |
$125 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| T-Vine |
2018 |
Black Sears Vyd. Zinfandel |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Tensley Wines |
2018 |
Colson Canyon Vyd. Syrah |
$46.75 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| The Third Twin (Sine Qua Non) |
2018 |
Third Twin Vyd. Nuestra Senora del Tercer Gemelo |
$195 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (10/2019): The 2016 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo, named after Our Lady of Guadalupe, is based on 53% Mourvèdre, 16% Syrah, 14% Grenache, and the rest Petite Sirah, Graciano, and Viognier, aged 31 months in 42% new French oak. It boasts a huge, powerful bouquet of ripe currants, white chocolate, white pepper, and graphite. This carries to a full-bodied wine that shows more Mourvèdre spice and meaty notes with time in the glass, has a stacked mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. This is a big, rich wine yet, like everything from the Krankls, it stays incredibly balanced and weightless. Mourvèdre can shut down quickly, so I’d lean toward trying bottles on release or giving then a good 4-5 years in the cellar. |
|
|
2018 |
Third Twin Vyd. Nuestra Senora del Tercer Gemelo |
$215 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (10/2019): The 2016 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo, named after Our Lady of Guadalupe, is based on 53% Mourvèdre, 16% Syrah, 14% Grenache, and the rest Petite Sirah, Graciano, and Viognier, aged 31 months in 42% new French oak. It boasts a huge, powerful bouquet of ripe currants, white chocolate, white pepper, and graphite. This carries to a full-bodied wine that shows more Mourvèdre spice and meaty notes with time in the glass, has a stacked mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. This is a big, rich wine yet, like everything from the Krankls, it stays incredibly balanced and weightless. Mourvèdre can shut down quickly, so I’d lean toward trying bottles on release or giving then a good 4-5 years in the cellar. |
|
| Thomas |
2018 |
Dundee Hills Pinot Noir |
$145 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Three Wine Company |
2018 |
Old Vines Field Blend |
$15 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Turnbull |
2018 |
Analogy Red Wine |
$75 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Upchurch Vineyard |
2018 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Verite |
2018 |
Le Desir (1.5 L) |
$614.25 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (7/2021): The Cabernet Franc blend of the trio, the 2018 Le Desir is 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Malbec, and as with all these wines, it was brought up in new barrels. Ruby/purple and not completely opaque, it offers up a classic Cabernet Franc nose of mostly red fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, cedary spices, and truffle. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its incredible elegance and purity more than outright power, yet it still brings plenty of richness. With ultra-fine tannins, perfect balance, and one heck of a great finish, it's another great, great wine from this estate.
WA 97+ (7/2021): Composed of 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Malbec, the 2018 Le Désir was aged for 16 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to offer glimpses at notes of kirsch, raspberry preserves and mulberry scents, plus hints of cedar chest, crushed rocks, bay leaves, Sichuan pepper and lavender with a waft of sandalwood. The medium to full-bodied palate has tons of freshness to support the melange of preserved red and black fruits, textured by grainy tannins, finishing with a lingering peppery kick. It may require just a little more time to come around than the La Joie and La Muse, and then I suspect this beauty is going to reward the patient. |
|
| Vice Versa |
2018 |
Houyi Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$259 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Vincent Wine Co. |
2018 |
Willamette Valley Pinot Gris |
$19.99 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Vineyard 7 & 8 |
2018 |
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon |
$180 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 97 (1/2022): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a great example of this site. Rich and explosive in feel, the 2018 hits the palate with serious intensity. Blackberry, chocolate, spice, leather, licorice and dark spice give this powerhouse Cabernet much of its brooding intensity. A few more years in bottle is an absolute must. (Drink between 2026-2028). Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (5/2022): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is all varietal and saw over two years (26 months) in new French oak. A deep, powerful, concentrated Spring Mountain Cabernet, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with powerful black currant and black cherry fruits as well as notes of licorice, chocolate, espresso, and new leather. As with the Block Six, it has lots of oak, yet the tannins here are sweet, it has a beautifully layered mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish. It’s not for those seeking instant gratification (or the oak adverse) and this beauty demands cellaring. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and it should last for 2-3 decades. |
|
| William & Mary Wine Company |
2018 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$92.65 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Williams Selyem |
2018 |
Bucher Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$69 |
2 |
|
| |
BH 89 (4/2021): A vague whiff of bitter chocolate lurks in the background of the ripe but distinctly cool aromas of red cherry, dark pinot fruit and spiced tea. The sleek, well-detailed and energetic middle weight flavors possess a mildly tangy, dusty and bitter cherry pit-inflected finale. This is a bit one-dimensional today and is a wine that also seem mildly awkward at present though I suspect that a few years of bottle age set things right. (Drink starting 2026).
VM 75 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Bucher Vineyard is a bold, pungent wine. I find the strong game, manure and feral aromas to be highly unpleasant. Searing tannins don't do anything to make the wine any more charming. (Drink starting 2021). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Central Coast Pinot Noir |
$65 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (4/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir (Central Coast) is bright, punchy and nicely lifted. Freshly cut flowers, mint, white pepper, hard candy and red berry fruit give the 2018 lovely energy to match its mid-weight, gracious personality. The Central Coast Pinot is an absolute joy in 2018. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Eastside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir |
$69 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Eastside Road Neighbors is a gorgeous, super-expressive wine. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint and crushed flowers lift a core of bright red berry fruit. Vibrant and beautifully delineated, the Eastside Road Neighbors packs a lot of punch in its mid-weight frame. I would give this a good bit of air. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Ferrington Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$99 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Fearrington Vineyard is one of the many highlights in this range. It possesses tons of fruit and inner perfume to match its exuberant, explosive personality. Wild cherry, mint, cedar, pipe tobacco and menthol meld into the substantial finish. Give the tannins a few years to soften. (Drink between 2026-2038). Antonio Galloni.
BH 89 (4/2021): A restrained nose reluctantly reveals its aromas of red raspberry, cranberry and lavender. There is once again good energy to the delicious and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that conclude in a dusty, moderately austere and mildly lean finish that also flirts with dryness. Again, I suspect that the finish will better harmonize with time in bottle and as such this is not likely to make for especially interesting early drinking. In any event, if you're tempted anyway, I would suggest serving it with a proper dish. (Drink starting 2026). |
|
|
2018 |
Foss Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Foss Vineyard is supple, polished and elegant. Blueberry, spice, menthol, licorice and lavender all meld together in the glass. Silky tannins give this mid-weight, juicy Pinot tons of sheer appeal. Best of all, the 2018 will drink well right out of the gate. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Olivet Lane Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (4/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Olivet Lane Vineyard is one of the more reserved wines in this flight of Williams Selyem Pinots. Bright, medium in body and nicely focused, the Olivet Lane is built more on energy rather than volume or fleshiness. I very much like the tension here. I imagine the 2018 will be even better with another few years in bottle. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir |
$85 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (4/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) is plump and juicy, with a lovely sense of immediacy that runs through it. Sweet red/purplish berry fruit, wild flowers, mint and cinnamon are all nicely kicked up in this mid-weight, gracious appellation-level Pinot from Williams Selyem. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 89 (4/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) captures all the delicacy of this, admittedly large appellation, nicely. Brisk, perfumed and finely cut, the 2018 has so much to offer. I very much like the sense of energy here. White flowers, chalk, mint and lavender infuse the Sonoma Coast Pinot with terrific character and nuance. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Sonoma County Pinot Noir |
$75 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (4/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir (Sonoma County) is laced with the essence of cherry candy, kirsch, flowers and a kick of sweet vanillin. Light to medium in body and racy, the Sonoma County Pinot is a stylish wine to drink now and over the next few years. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Vista Verde Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Vista Verde Vineyard offers terrific depth right out of the gate. Blueberry, sage, mint, lavender and spice all open in the glass. This mid-weight Pinot has a real core of strength and understated power lying in reserve, with plenty of supporting. minerality adding vibrancy. I would cellar it for a few years and see what happens. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Weir Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (1/2021): The 2018 Pinot Noir Weir Vineyard, from a site in the Yorkvillle Highlands, presents a whole range of floral and savory notes to play off its mid-weight structure. Crushed flowers, mint, sage, dried cherry and autumn leaves are all nicely balanced throughout. This is an especially ethereal style. |
|
|
2018 |
Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir |
$89 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (4/2020): The 2018 Pinot Noir Westside Road Neighbors is racy and overt from the very first taste. Succulent dark cherry, plum, cola, spice, vanillin, mint and lavender infuse the 2018 with striking depth and resonance. I would prefer to drink this juicy, flamboyant Pinot over the next decade, give or take. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Zena Crown |
2018 |
Conifer Pinot Noir |
$69.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Baron de Brane |
2019 |
Margaux Ex-Negociant |
$32.99 |
29 |
|
| |
VM 92 (2/2022): The 2019 Baron de Brane is a gorgeous second wine. Succulent black cherry, plum, spice and leather are front and center. This racy Margaux offers a compelling interplay of bright red-toned fruit and silky contours. Drink it over the next handful of years. Tasted two times.
JA 89 (10/2026): Inky plum colour, deep and rich damson and raspberry fruits, with touches of peony aromatics. This is good quality, confident stuff. An upscore from En Primeur.
JD 88 (4/2022): The second wine of Brane-Cantenac, the 2019 Baron De Brane is more Merlot-dominated and has a fleshy, medium-bodied, supple style as well as rock-solid aromatics of black cherries, cedar pencil, and chocolaty herbs. It's already drinking nicely yet should keep for a decade. |
|
|
2023 |
Margaux ex-Negociant |
$35.99 |
55 |
|
| |
JA 92 (4/2024): Baron de Brane once again sets the bar high once again in terms of 2nd wines, with fragrant floral aromatics, nuance and depth from the attack and continuing through the mid palate, firm tannins and concentrated black fruits. 20% new oak.
Decanter 92 (4/2024): Ripe and floral notes on the nose, really quite expressive and open aromatically. There’s a richness to the scents with ripe blackcurrants, cherries and touches of rose and violets too with some milk chocolate. Supple and tart, high acidity, juicy and ripe fruit, with crunchiness, quite lean but there’s great length with freshly picked mint and some cedar and herbal aspects. Crisp and clean, lovely purity and precision. Not so layered or plush but it’s fresh and inviting with lift and a lovely mineral undertone. Accessible. Ageing 12 months, 20% new oak. 14.5 press wine. Almost 100 IPT. 40% of production. (Drink between 2027-2038) |
|
| Ch. Boyd-Cantenac |
2020 |
Margaux |
$49 |
58 |
|
| |
| JA 95 (11/2025): Inky purple in colour with a fist of toasted oak on the aromatics, but here it is skilfully coupled with a punch of cassis and blueberry fruits, and a lift of violet flowers, and creamy smoked caramel. It's exceptionally good, for me the best of the lineup, with clear precision on show. One to look out for, easy to recommend. 80% new oak. Lucien Guillemet owner and winemaker. No external consultant. |
|
| Ch. Capbern |
2019 |
St. Estephe Ex-Negociant |
$32 |
32 |
|
| |
JD 94 (4/2022): I love the nose on the 2019 Château Capbern, a medium to full-bodied, spicy, rich, tobacco and cedar pencil-filled beauty with ripe yet building tannins, a great mix of richness and freshness, and a blockbuster of a finish. It's incredibly impressive, and while it offers pleasure even today, it deserves 5-6 years of bottle age, and I can't imagine it not evolving for two decades. (Drink between 2027-2042).
VM 89 (2/2023): The 2019 Capbern has improved since I tasted it just after bottling. Finally, it has developed a more elegant bouquet, mainly black fruit fused with cedar and undergrowth scents. It has mustered more classicism. The palate is medium-bodied with a strong graphite element on the entry, fine depth, quite fresh with a structured, gritty finish. Fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. (Drink between 2025-2045). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Cos Labory |
2018 |
St. Estephe ex-Negociant |
$49 |
16 |
|
| |
VM 93 (3/2021): The 2018 Cos Labory is fabulous. An extra kick of richness from the warm year and a bit more Petit Verdot than usual result in a Cos Labory that is wonderfully savory, powerful and layered. Black cherry, plum, cloves, chocolate and dried herbs build as this potent, exotically ripe Saint-Estèphe opens in the glass. Today, the 2018 is dark, brooding and in need of cellaring. Cos Labory is a bit wild, but that just adds to its considerable allure. (Drink between 2025-2043). Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (3/2021): The 2018 Cos Labory has a deep garnet-purple color, bursting from the glass with bold notes of warm cassis, blackberry compote and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of roses, unsmoked cigars and tree bark. The medium-bodied palate has a very sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins and tons of freshness supporting the rather delicately played fruit, finishing long and earthy/minerally. The structure stands out a little now, which I enjoy, but for those preferring softer, rounder expressions, give this a good 3-5 years in the cellar and drink it over the next 15-20 years.
JD 90 (3/2021): Lots of rich red and black currants, tobacco, savory spice, and new leather notes emerge from the 2018 Château Cos Labory, a medium-bodied Saint-Estèphe with terrific overall balance, ripe, velvety tannins, lots of character, and outstanding length. It's well worth cellaring and drinking any time over the coming 15+ years. |
|
| Ch. de Francs |
2018 |
Francs Cotes de Bordeaux |
$20 |
12 |
|
| |
| JD 88 (3/2021): Bright cherry and mulberry fruits, a touch of cedary oak, and tobacco all emerge from the 2018 Château De Francs. Medium-bodied, with good overall balance and a clean finish, this is a solid, bistro-style drinker to enjoy over the coming 4-6 years. (Drink between 2021-2027) |
|
| Ch. de Pez |
2019 |
St. Estephe |
$44.99 |
18 |
|
| |
JD 93 (4/2022): Currants, plums, new leather, and cedar pencil notes all emerge from the 2019 Château De Pez, a nicely balanced, medium to full-bodied Saint-Estèphe that has plenty of classic character as well as class. With ripe, polished tannins and terrific purity, it can be drunk any time over the coming 20-25 years. (Drink between 2022-2047)
VM 92 (2/2022): The 2019 de Pez has gained tremendously in weight, power and substance. A wine of breadth and pure power, Pez possesses tremendous resonance and intensity, right out of the gate. Scorched earth, incense, plum, menthol and tar hit the palate. This rich, heady Saint-Estèphe has a ton to offer. Antonio Galloni.
WA 92-94 (6/2020): This year's blend is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 de Pez comes tumbling out of the glass with an astonishingly beautiful perfume of lilacs, black cherries and black raspberries over a core of stewed plums, clove oil, dark chocolate and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is jam-packed with energetic black fruits, supported by a firm foundation of ripe, grainy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and perfumed. I love where this once-malingering château is headed—bravo to winemaker Nicolas Glumineau from Pichon Lalande! |
|
| Ch. Fonbadet |
2019 |
Pauillac (375 ML) Ex-Negociant |
$22.99 |
22 |
|
| |
JD 93 (4/2022): Blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and some cedary, spicy, lead pencil notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Fonbadet, a medium to full-bodied, rich, mouth-filling Pauillac with plenty of tannins, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, good concentration, and outstanding length. It will evolve for 20+ years if stored properly. (Drink between 2022-2044).
VM 93 (2/2022): The 2019 Fonbadet, impressive from barrel, has a delineated bouquet of blackberry, bilberry and touch of licorice that gains intensity with aeration; this is a Pauillac with ambition. The palate is medium-bodied with grip and density, broad shoulders and a very saline finish. This should age supremely well. (Drink between 2025-2050). Neal Martin.
WA 90 (4/2022): From a 12-hectare estate sandwiched in between Pontet Canet, Pédesclaux and Lafite, the 2019 Fonbadet offers up aromas of cassis, plums, cocoa nib and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, lively and creditably concentrated, it's built around powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully chewy finish. |
|
| Ch. Haut Simard |
2012 |
St. Emilion ex-Negociant |
$39.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (1/2016): The 2012 Haut-Simard offers good mid-palate depth for the vintage, with a distinctly gamy, pleasantly rustic personality that distinguishes it in the Vauthier family's range of wines. Tobacco, savory herbs, leather and dark-fleshed fruits open into the finish. The tannins are a bit rough around the edges, but otherwise this is a fine effort. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Joanin Becot |
2018 |
Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux ex-Negociant |
$29.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JD 93 (3/2021): Emerging from the team of Beau-Séjour Bécot, the 2018 Château Joanin Bécot is based on 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc coming from the limestone soils of the Côtes de Castillon region. Lots of black cherry and redcurrant fruit as well as leafy herbs, dried flowers, chalky minerality, and camphor emerge on the nose. This carries to a medium-bodied, seamless 2018 with terrific overall balance, ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length on the finish. Tasting like a topflight Saint-Emilion, it will benefit from a year or so in the cellar and impress for at least a decade. Readers looking for a brilliant Right Bank wine to put in the cellar should jump on this beauty. (Drink between 2021-2033).
WA 92 (4/2023): A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Joanin Bécot exhibits delicate aromas of blueberries, flowers and violets with touches of tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, it’s a lively, rather delicate wine with a fleshy core of fruit and a crystalline texture overlaid with a fresh, penetrating finish that has racy acidity. The wine will offer a broad tasting window.
VM 89 (3/2021): The 2018 Joanin Bécot has retained the earthy, cedar-tinged bouquet that takes a few swirls of the glass to emerge. There is crisp black fruit here, pine fresh. The medium-bodied palate delivers fine grip on the entry and dusky black fruit mixed with tobacco and sage. Almost Left Bank in style toward the graphite-tinged finish. This is fine Joanin that should drink well for 8–10 years. (Drink between 2021-2030). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. La Gurgue |
2016 |
Margaux |
$39 |
26 |
|
| |
| JS 93-94 (4/2017): Tight and chewy with currant and blueberry character. Medium body, a lovely center palate and a subtle finish. Pretty continuation to the 2015. |
|
| Ch. Labegorce |
2016 |
Margaux ex-Negociant |
$42.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JA 94 (3/2023): Concentrated but restrained with old school charm and an abundance of muscular tannins, it's easy to feel the heart of this wine, packed with liqourice, slate, black chocolate, cassis, brambled hedgerow, aniseed and fennel, with plenty of grip. Years ahead of it, an impressive wine in this exceptional vintage, offering good value. Harvest September 4 to October 21. 50% new oak, technical director Marjolaine de Coninck.
JD 94 (2/2019): From an estate on the uptick and showing beautifully on two separate occasions, the 2016 Château Labégorce is a head-turner of a Margaux that’s based on 52% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that was brought up in 45% new oak, with the balance in once-used barrels. Sexy notes of blackcurrants, black raspberries, crushed flowers, sandalwood, and incense all flow to a medium to full-bodied, fabulously textured Margaux that carries ripe tannins, loads of fruit and richness, and a great finish. Since arriving in 2009, Marjolaine de Coninck has resurrected this estate and the wines now play with the top in the appellation. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more. (Drink between 2022-2042)
WA 93+ (11/2018): The 2016 Labégorce is composed of 52% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aged in 45% new and 55% one-year-old French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps out of the glass with gregarious cassis, kirsch and black raspberries, candied violets, dark chocolate and spearmint. Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and with exciting intensity, it delivers a fantastically long, fragrant finish. 12,000 cases produced.
VM 93 (4/2026): The 2016 Labégorce has a very pretty nose with blackberry, briar, cedar and well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins, a little more acidity than its peers, segueing into a savoury, black pepper-tinged finish that shows admirable persistence and sapidity. This is a classy Margaux that is ageing with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. (Drink between 2027-2042). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Lilian Ladouys |
2018 |
St. Estephe ex-Negociant |
$27.50 |
60 |
|
| |
JA 93 (7/2021): Owed by Jacky Lorenzetti (new owner also of Ch Lafon Rochet in the same appellation), this is one of those surefire estates that delivers St Estèphe power with a touch of luxury. There are layers of ripe black fruits and chewy tannins here, so it will benefit from a few more years in bottle or a serious carafing before drinking. 48hl/h yield, 35% new oak with both 225l and 400l barrels. Converting to organic farming as of 2020.
VM 92 (3/2021): The 2018 Lilian Ladouys is showing nicely now that the wine is in bottle. It has a riper bouquet compared to, say, the Calon-Ségur, more lush – a 2018 with wider appeal, featuring blueberry and cassis scents that soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that disguise the backbone of this Saint-Estèphe. It is not the most powerful Lilian Ladouys in recent years, safeguarding its linearity and strictness all the way through to the finish. But it conveys a sense of classicism and has abundant freshness that should see it age well over the next two decades. (Drink between 2023-2040). Neal Martin.
JD 92 (3/2021): A year-in, year-out value, the 2018 Château Lilian Ladouys checks in as 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that was brought up in 35% new oak. Jammy blueberries, ripe cherries, damp earth, tobacco, and spicy wood notes define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a plump, rounded texture, opulent aromas and flavors, and a great finish. (Drink between 2021-2036) |
|
| Ch. Marsau |
2019 |
Francs Cotes de Bordeaux |
$29.95 |
60 |
|
| |
| Decanter 93 (1/2022): A svelte, seductive and seriously appealing 100% Merlot grown atypically on clay-dominant soils on one of the highest points of the Francs Côtes de Bordeaux. Wild strawberries, Morello cherries and subtle spices on the nose and palate, softly sweet, generous, round, plump, juicy and mouth filling, all harmoniously packaged and carefully balanced with freshness from start to finish. Complete and evocative with purity of expression. Seek it out. (Drink between 2023-2031) |
|
|
2022 |
Francs Cotes de Bordeaux 2023 en Primeur Release |
$29.95 |
12 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (5/2023): This medium to full-bodied 2022 Marsau is an attractive wine produced from 100% Merlot. It has a delightfully pure bouquet of peony, violet, iris, menthol and cassis, followed by a crunchy and juicy yet fresh texture and then by a mineral-driven finish of remarkable purity, expressing elegant notes of licorice and pencil lead. Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier have produced a red wine that punches above its weight. Bravo!
JA 92 (5/2023): Floral notes on the aromatics, shows the heavy spice of the vintage with black pepper, rosemary and turmeric notes, begins to lift through the palate as it opens. An unusual spot in Franc Côtes de Bordeaux with a lot of clay in the soils, and this is powerful and concentrated, with a flash of heat on the finish. 12ha vineyard, entirely clay, entirely Merlot, organic since 2018, no till farming, 25hl/h yield. Harvest September 7 to 12, to be aged 80% large oak casks (no new oak), 10% one year old, 10% neutral oak and amphora. |
|
| Ch. Pibran |
2020 |
Pauillac Ex-Negociant |
$39 |
18 |
|
| |
JD 93 (3/2023): Based on 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon that saw 50% new oak, the 2020 Château Pibran is a classic wine in the vintage that has a pure, layered, medium to full-bodied style as well as textbook notes of darker berries, cassis, irone, and tobacco. With ripe tannins, a good spine of acidity, and plenty of texture, it's going to evolve for 15-20 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2023-2043).
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Pibran is a potent wine. Black cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and chocolate are nicely dialed up in this rich, heady Pauillac. Soft, plush and exuberant, Pibran is a total charmer. Best of all, it will be ready to drink with minimal cellaring. Bright acids and floral notes lift the finish. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni.
WA 90+ (4/2023): Aromas of cassis, raw cocoa, licorice and loamy soil introduce the 2020 Pibran, a medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety wine framed by powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. |
|
| Ch. Sociando Mallet |
2020 |
Haut Medoc |
$38 |
48 |
|
| |
JS 94 (12/2022): This has a pretty nose with dark spices, nut shell and cedar notes with a dark fruit backbone, following through to a medium body with firm and finely polished tannins that go on and on. Refined and nicely balanced with velvety texture. Lingering and chalky finish. Try after 2026.
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Sociando Mallet has retained its impressive aromatics from its showing in barrel with beautifully defined blackberry and raspberry fruit, pressed violet and light cedar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm backbone, a little powdery in texture, fine backbone with ample freshness and tension towards its graphite-infused finish. Bravo! Neal Martin. |
|
| Clos Sainte Anne |
2018 |
Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux ex-Negociant |
$16.99 |
40 |
|
| |
|
| Esprit de Chevalier |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan ex-Negociant |
$28.99 |
26 |
|
| |
VM 92 (11/2024): The 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier has a tad too much wood influence on the nose, but there is sufficient fruit to absorb it. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, fleshy, lively and detailed, with a dash of white pepper toward the finish. This is another delicious, classically styled Pessac-Léognan. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2026-2042). Neal Martin.
JD 91 (3/2023): The 2020 L'Esprit De Chevalier is more restrained aromatically, yet has outstanding purity in its red and black fruits as well as notes of dried herbs, tobacco, chocolate, and damp earth. It's a medium-bodied, elegant, balanced, and certainly delicious second wine that will benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and shine for a decade. (Drink between 2023-2033)
WA 90 (4/2023): Fleshy and demonstrative, the 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier bursts with aromas of sweet berries, plums and petals. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with polished tannins and an expansive finish, it will drink well young. |
|
| Fleur de Pedesclaux |
2019 |
Pauillac ex-Negociant |
$32.95 |
25 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (2/2022): The 2019 Fleur de Pédesclaux, matured in 30% new oak, has been increasing its Cabernet Sauvignon since 2009, when it was pure Merlot (and also undergoing organic conversion since 2013). Raspberry, blackberry, cedar and light tobacco scents unfurl in the glass. The palate is still quite fleshy and rounded, and lightly spiced, retaining that hint of Chinese five-spice toward the tender finish. A lovely second wine. (Drink between 2023-2033). Neal Martin. |
|
| G. d' Estournel |
2020 |
Medoc ex-Negociant |
$32.99 |
39 |
|
| |
JA 92 (1/2023): So interesting tasting this against a wide range of AOC Médoc wines. It's a more expensive bottle than many of them, but it is confident, crafted and full of personality. Cocoa bean, espresso, plentiful berry fruit, touches of mandarin peel and lemongrass to lift things on the finish, slate texture tannins, good stuff.
JD 89 (2/2023): A terrific wine, the 2020 Goulee By Cos D'Estournel sports a healthy ruby/purple hue as well as ripe aromatics of currants, sandalwood, damp earth, and leafy tobacco. This medium-bodied, silky, juicy, ready-to-go Médoc is perfect for enjoying over the coming 7-8 years. (Drink between 2023-2031)
VM 89 (2/2023): The 2020 Goulée by Cos d'Estournel is very pretty and aromatic. Élevage has filled out the layers nicely, but this remains a decidedly aromatic, mid-weight vintage for the château's Médoc. Sweet pipe tobacco, leather, mint, cinnamon and dried cherry build nicely in the glass. The 2020 has come together nicely. (Drink between 2024-2035). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Le C des Carmes Haut Brion |
2022 |
Pessac Leognan ex-Negociant |
$44.95 |
60 |
|
| |
WA 94 (3/2025): The 2022 Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion is punching above its weight this year. Unfurling in the glass with a gourmand, lively and vibrant bouquet of raspberry, mulberries, rose, violet and cassis, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered with refined, velvety tannins and a deep core of fruit, concluding with a harmonious, elegant profile that avoids any excess, enhancing its distinctive personality. Guillaume Pouthier, Guillaume Deschepper and their team have done a fantastic job at this address, delivering an exceptional wine.
JD 94 (2/2025): The 2022 C Des Carmes Haut-Brion is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the rest 1% Petit Verdot that was fermented with 30% whole clusters and aged 12 months in a new foudre (there's a small part in used barrels) followed by four months all in concrete tanks. There are fewer stems in this cuvée as the vines are younger, and it has a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a spicy, peppery, complex perfume of darker berry and plum fruits, spring flowers, tobacco leaf, and a beautiful sense of minerality. Medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, elegant, and loaded with character, it's a singular Pessac-Léognan that will have two decades of longevity. (Drink between 2025-2045).
VM 92 (2/2025): The 2022 Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) from gravelly soils, will be kept for one year in bottle before release. It has 13.3% alcohol, reduced by the 30% whole cluster contribution with infusion rather than maceration, using a coffee plunger concept to push down the cap in the vat. It aged for one year in barrel and one year on foudres. The nose presents blackberry, clove and curry leaf aromas, with a touch more mint than before. The medium-bodied palate has slightly chalky tannins and is fresh thanks to the whole bunch contribution. Quite linear and a little Syrah-like towards the finish, this lovely wine will age well over the next 12 to 20 years. (Drink between 2028-2048). Neal Martin. |
|
| Les Fiefs de Lagrange |
2010 |
St. Julien (375 ML) |
$32 |
58 |
|
| |
| WA 89-91 (5/2011): A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot, this has a very fine nose of blackberry, briary and a touch of black tea. Good definition and purity. The Petit Verdot add a little edginess to this wine that has fine tension if lacking a little length on the saturated, slightly chewy finish. Very good purity and precision though. |
|
| Les Griffons de Pichon Baron |
2019 |
Pauillac Ex-Negociant |
$49 |
20 |
|
| |
JD 94 (4/2022): The second wine of this great estate, the 2019 Les Griffons De Pichon Baron is a more Merlot-dominated release and is 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Sauvignon that saw 40% new oak. It has a gorgeous nose of ripe blackcurrant and darker cherry fruits as well as tobacco, smoked herbs, violets, and freshly sharpened pencils. Vibrant, pure, and complex aromatically, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, has the vintage's pure, elegant character, terrific depth on the mid-palate, and outstanding length. It's a wonderful, already approachable Pauillac that will deliver the goods over the coming 20+ years. (Drink between 2022-2044).
VM 90 (2/2023): The 2019 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron has a slightly evolved nose, red fruit mixed with melted tar and mixed herbs. The palate is better with firm tannins, fine acidity, quite a solid wine with admirable grip on the finish. Enjoy this over the next 10 to 12 years. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. (Drink between 2025-2035). Neal Martin. |
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| | Bordeaux White |
| Baron de Brane |
2023 |
Bordeaux Blanc ex-Negociant |
$25.95 |
32 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. de Rayne-Vigneau |
2014 |
Sauternes (375 ML) ex-Negociant |
$34.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 95 (2/2017): A rich, exotic Sauternes, the 2014 de Rayne Vigneau exudes class. A mélange of apricot jam, wild flowers, mint and lemon confit fills out the wine's frame effortlessly. Ample, powerful and super-inviting, the 2014 shows beautifully today. This is one of the more over, extroverted Sauternes of the vintage. (Drink between 2017-2029). Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96 (4/2015): The Château Rayne-Vigneau 2014 could be one of the standouts of the vintage. It was showing a little new oak on the nose, though readers should note that this sample was taken from a new Burgundy barrel. There are touches of vanilla infusing the honeyed fruit. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry. This is very balanced and poised with superb tension, energetic but classy, a sophisticated Sauternes that feels persistent and long in the mouth. Talented winemaker Anne Le Naour has crafted another beauty from this estate that deserves more respect. |
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| Ch. Rieussec |
2024 |
"R" de Rieussec Bordeaux Blanc Sec ex-Negociant |
$39.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JA 94 (4/2025): This is succulent and precise, definitely one to look out, plenty of energy and lift through the palate, elderflower, citrus, white pepper, sage, lime zest, apricot, nectarine, saffron, steel and slate. Great stuff from Rieussec in this vintage. 3.15ph. |
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| | Burgundy Red |
| Dom. Michele and Patrice Rion |
2023 |
Bourgogne Bons Batons ex-Domaine |
$39.95 |
22 |
|
| |
VM 88-90 (1/2025): The 2023 Bourgogne Rouge Bon Baton comes from a parcel adjacent to Ghislaine Barthod's on stonier soils, aged mostly in one-year-old barrels. Lightly perfumed on the nose, this conjures raspberry, strawberry and wild hedgerow scents, more complex than your common or garden Bourgogne Rouge. The palate is medium-bodied with satisfying concentration, not weighty or dense but light on its feet with commendable purity and grip on the finish. Traces of tobacco emerge on the aftertaste. Village Cru in quality. (Drink between 2026-2031). Neal Martin.
JM 87-89 (10/2024): An even purple colour. A very attractive stylish perfumed floral nose, with a little more body than the regular. Not massively concentrated but distinguished in its length. Sound acidity. The flavours stay with you. Drink from 2026-2030.
BH 86-89 (1/2025): A slightly riper and more deeply pitched nose features aromas of dark cherry, poached plum and freshly turned earth. The delicious if not especially dense flavors do possess a lovely sense of underlying tension before culminating in a youthfully austere, lingering and mildly austere finale. This is also very good for its level and worth checking out. Drink 2027+. Outstanding! |
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| Dom. Patrick Javillier |
2023 |
Pernand Vergelesses Rouge ex-Domaine |
$39.99 |
50 |
|
| |
BH 89 (4/2025): Here too there is a mentholated top note to the fresh and more deeply pitched nose of poached plum, dark berries and more subtle earth nuances. There is better volume to the solidly concentrated middle weight flavors that possess both a finer texture and a discreet bead of minerality on the balanced, youthfully austere and slightly firmer finale. This is a quality Pernand villages. (Drink starting 2028).
JM 87-89 (12/2024): An even light crimson colour. While there is less fruit evident on the nose, there is more concentration than expected on the palate, with a certain density towards the back, in a crunchy strawberry raspberry style. Once the bouquet develops this will, become an interesting wine. |
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| Patrice Rion |
2023 |
Bourgogne Pinot Noir ex-Domaine |
$32.99 |
44 |
|
| |
JM 86-87 (10/2024): A fine red to crimson colour, with an agreeable immediate red fruit nose, no great concentration but nicely made. Perfumed with some cherries, a slight hardness at the finish still needing time to soften – recently racked – and good acidity. Some young vines in this. Drink from 2026-2028.
BH 86-89 (1/2025): (from Chambolle vines.) An expressive and fresh nose offers up notes of red and blue pinot fruit laced with earth and discreet spice nuances. The supple, delicious and fleshy middle weight flavors conclude in a refreshing and long finish where a touch of rusticity eventually surfaces. Solid quality here. Outstanding! |
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|
2023 |
Cotes de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes ex-Domaine |
$39.95 |
32 |
|
| |
VM 89-91 (1/2025): The 2023 Côte de Nuits-Villages comprises two-thirds fruit purchased from Clombanchien, and the rest Domaine fruit from En Luret lieu-dit. Blackcurrant and raspberry combine nicely on the nose, not concentrated per se, yet showing decent clarity and purity. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly granular texture on the entry, lightly peppered though there are no stems in the blend. Focused and harmonious toward the finish, this is a worthy follow-up to the 2022. (Drink between 2027-2037). Neal Martin.
JM 89-90 (10/2024): A mix of their own vines, one third from Au Leurey, and the rest purchases in Comblanchien. There is more depth to the purple colour here. A perfumed nose with a more sensual and floral bouquet redolent of the sunshine. Good acidity behind, medium density, some length. Drink from 2027-2030.
BH 88-91 (1/2025): (mostly from Belle-Vue in Comblanchien with small amounts of Les Loges, Les Leurey and Vaucrains.) This is aromatically similar to the Bon Bâtons but with notably more spice influence. The supple, delicious and energetic medium weight flavors possess a highly seductive, even velvety, texture while displaying very good length and depth on the balanced bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. Drink 2028+. |
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| Pierre Boisson |
2023 |
Hautes Cotes de Beaune Rouge |
$39.99 |
12 |
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| |
|
| | Burgundy White |
| Anne Boisson |
2023 |
Bourgogne Aligote |
$33.95 |
24 |
|
| |
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2023 |
Bourgogne Blanc Les Clous Perrons |
$47.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Bessin-Tremblay |
2023 |
Chablis ex-Domaine |
$37.99 |
47 |
|
| |
BH 89-91 (10/2024): Cool and airy aromas include those of Granny Smith apple, citrus rind and ample Chablis character, especially seaweed. The delicious middle weight flavors possess a lovely texture, especially for a villages Chablis, while displaying a subtle materiality on the youthfully austere and lingering finale. Lovely. (Drink starting 2027).
JM 88 (6/2025): Bottled in March 2025. Pale lime green. Fresh and chiselled nose, some lime blossom all as minerals, Plenty of energy, not at all too fleshy, backward. Drink from 2025-2027. |
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| Dom. des Malandes |
2023 |
Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu Ex-Domaine |
$49.95 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 91 (7/2025): The 2023 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru has a well-focused, quite animated bouquet that unfolds in the glass with touches of orchard fruit and grassy meadow. The palate is balanced with a fine bead of acidity. This is lightly spiced but just needs a little more tension on the finish. Overall, it's a very well-made Mont de Milieu that should age nicely in bottle. Tasted blind at the BIVB offices in Chablis. Neal Martin.
BH 88-90 (10/2024): (from a parcel of .26 ha). A funky nose of leesy reduction and lactic character. By contrast there is good freshness to the rich, generously proportioned and succulent medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a delicious if somewhat short finish. This should improve once it’s racked but it’s awkward today. Drink 2027+ |
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|
2023 |
Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey Ex-Domaine |
$46.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 90 (7/2025): The 2023 Chablis Vau de Vey 1er Cru, aged 50% in used oak, has a light, fresh apple blossom- and pear-scented nose with hints of pressed white flowers. The palate is well balanced with slightly honeyed citrus fruit and modest weight, though it needs more Neal Martin.
BH 89-91 (10/2024): (from a 3.52 ha parcel aged in 30% wood). A fresh, ripe and expressive nose reflects good Chablis typicity that includes quinine, sea breeze, lemon rind and cool white fleshed fruit. There is fine density to the delicious, intense and solidly voluminous flavors that offer better depth and persistence on the youthfully austere finale. Drink 2028+ |
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| Dom. Patrick Javillier |
2022 |
Bourgogne Cuvee des Forgets ex-Domaine |
$43.99 |
60 |
|
| |
BH 87 (6/2024): Bright aromas of just sliced citrus, white peach and pretty floral nuances are complemented by delicious middleweight flavors that are supported by lemon-tinged acidity on the vibrant, lingering and refreshing finale. Moreover, this is not your usual 'pop and pour' Bourgogne as it has the legs to repay 4 to 7 years of keeping. Worth checking out. Drink 2027+. Outstanding Top Value!
JM 87-89 (10/2023): A similar colour, pale primrose perhaps. A little bit crisper and more classic in bouquet. Delicious white fruit, very balanced, feel the limestone, enough flesh yet with precision as well. A longer and more mineral finish than Forgets. |
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|
2023 |
Bourgogne Cuvee des Forgets ex-Domaine |
$41.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JM 89-91 (12/2024): To bottle in the New Year. A fine mid lemon yellow with an engaging generosity of fruit already apparent on the nose. The Javilliers have manged to harness freshness with ripeness in a most engaging fashion. Apple and plum fruit throughout, with a fine long finish. Drink from 2026-2029.
BH 87 (6/2025): Smoky aromas include those of apple, pear and a pretty floral top note. There is fine density, particularly in the context of the 2023 vintage, to the attractively textured and punchy flavors that conclude in a supple and lingering finish that is perhaps a bit less dry than usual. Even so, this is lovely and worth considering. (Drink starting 2026).
VM 87 (3/2025): The 2023 Bourgogne Côte d'Or Cuvée des Forgets has a light grass clipping- and apple blossom-scented nose. The palate is fresh with admirable weight, more expressive than the aromatics at the moment, with citrus peel and a hint of apricot on the finish. Drink over the next five years. (Drink between 2025-2030). Neal Martin. |
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|
2023 |
Bourgogne Cuvee Oligocene ex-Domaine |
$39.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 89 (3/2025): The 2023 Bourgogne Côte d'Or Cuvée Oligocène has a little more evidence of oak on the nose and a touch more yellow fruit than the Cuvée des Forgets. The palate is fresh and lively, mixing citrus lemon with orange rind and a dash of lemongrass towards the finish. Great value as always, this comes recommended. (Drink between 2025-2032). Neal Martin.
JM 89 (12/2024): Bottled end November. A slightly paler lemon yellow. Oligocene proposes a more cerebral aspect after the joyous Forgets. Ther is still an excellent concentration of ripe fruit, with a clear limestone backbone. Very good tension here with some lime notes as well as ripe lemon. Balanced and classy. Drink from 2026-2029.
BH 87 (6/2025): A more layered nose is comprised by notes of petrol, various white orchard fruit, acacia and a whiff of citrus confit. There is a bit more volume to the vibrant and utterly delicious middle weight flavors that retain a fine sense of detail on the drier, longer and more complex finale. This is an excellent Bourgogne and warmly recommended. (Drink starting 2027). |
|
| Dom. Potinet-Ampeau |
2018 |
Bourgogne Aligote ex-Domaine |
$29.99 |
59 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Bourgogne Blanc Ex-Domaine |
$44.99 |
28 |
|
| |
|
| Patrice Rion |
2023 |
Bourgogne Chardonnay ex-Domaine |
$32.99 |
60 |
|
| |
BH 86-88 (6/2025): Fresh and bright aromas include those of pear and apple compote, citrus rind and a hint of spice. There is equally good verve to the delicious and acceptably dense flavors that possess a succulent mid-palate that contrasts mildly with the youthfully austere and balanced finale. This could use better depth so a year, or perhaps two, of cellaring should help. (Drink starting 2026).
JM 86-87 (10/2024): A fine red to crimson colour, with an agreeable immediate red fruit nose, no great concentration but nicely made. Perfumed with some cherries, a slight hardness at the finish still needing time to soften – recently racked – and good ac |
|
| Pierre Boisson |
2022 |
Macon-Villages au Poirier Chanin |
$46.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Macon-Villages Blanc |
$31.99 |
24 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Rully Blanc Les Cailloux |
$42.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| Pierre Morey |
2023 |
Bourgogne Aligote |
$31.99 |
20 |
|
| |
VM 88 (3/2025): The 2023 Bourgogne Aligoté, which had been bottled, offers lilting citrus peel and clementine scents on the nose that just need a little coaxing from the glass. The palate is well balanced with an underlying sapidity, slightly viscous in texture with veins of lemongrass towards the persistent finish. This is a fine upstanding Aligoté from Anne Morey. (Drink between 2025-2030).
BH 87 (6/2025): A textbook aligoté nose is comprised by notes of various citrus elements, spice and ripe green apple. The seductive, even suave, middle weight flavors possess excellent punch as well as an almost pungent minerality that seems to build on the bone-dry, youthfully austere and borderline rustic and tannic finale. This is an old school effort that will need a year or two of keeping first. A quality aligoté. (Drink starting 2027). |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Dom. Coursodon |
2021 |
St. Joseph Rouge l’Olivaie ex-Domaine |
$39.99 |
60 |
|
| |
Decanter 92 (9/2022): Sparky herbal notes on the nose, with thyme and rosemary. There’s some roundness on the palate thanks in part down to the oak, which isn't overly dominating. Good presence on the palate thanks to the firm tannins, and a fairly long finish. A good option in 2021. 60-year-old vines, all destemmed, 15% new oak.
JD 90-92 (12/2022): The 2021 Saint Joseph L'Olivaie is rock-solid, offering pretty darker cherry and fresh fig-like notes as well as spice, game, and flowery incense nuances. This medium-bodied, supple, nicely balanced, and textured effort has outstanding potential and will certainly drink nicely right out of the gate. |
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|
2022 |
St. Joseph Rouge l’Olivaie ex-Domaine |
$41.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JD 93 (5/2025): All Syrah aged 15 months in barrel (15% new), the 2022 Saint Joseph Olivaie offers red and black fruits, leafy herbs, sappy flowers, and spicy wood. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with ripe tannins, it's a layered, elegant, and impressively made wine in a classic style. Drink bottles over the coming 8-10 years. Drink 2025-2035.
VM 91 (1/2025): The 2022 Saint-Joseph L'Olivaie mixes leafy accents with graphite, black cherry and a touch of cedar on the elegant aromatic profile. Medium-bodied, round and refreshing, the 2022 is a delicious Saint-Joseph that’s already starting to drink well. Drink between 2025-2030. Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
|
2023 |
St. Joseph Rouge l’Olivaie Ex-Domaine |
$49.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JD 93-95 (5/2025): All Syrah, the 2023 Saint Joseph L'Olivaie brings another level of concentration, offering cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and classy oak on the nose. It has terrific purity, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great finish. The overall balance and purity here are exceptional.
VM 90-92 (1/2025): Cedar, black cherry, wood smoke and pencil shaving introduce the 2023 Saint-Joseph L'Olivaie, a medium-bodied, deeply hued Northern Rhône Syrah. Touching the palate with elevated flavor concentration, the 2023 handles the oak well. I look forward to tasting the bottled version. Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Joseph Rouge Silice ex-Domaine |
$31.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 93 (12/2022): Saturated violet color. Displays fresh-mineral-accented aromas of fresh red and blue fruits and candied flowers, with hints of savory herbs and black pepper in the background. Juicy and lithe on the palate, offering appealingly sweet cherry and boysenberry flavors and a touch of licorice. Finishes long and smooth, with resonating red fruit character and round, even tannins that come on late. Josh Raynolds.
JD 91 (12/2022): A great introduction to the wines of this terrific vigneron, the 2020 Saint Joseph Silice has classic darker berry fruits as well as peppery herbs, violets, and some obvious minerality on both the nose and palate. These carry to a medium-bodied effort with good acidity, firm yet ripe tannins, and outstanding length.
JS 91 (2/2022): An interesting nose of blackberries and blueberries with some graphite and leather adding interest. Robust structure for a St.-Joseph with plenty of pepper and spice, but the fruit is more than adequate to carry all this. Good length, if not tremendously complex. Sustainable. Drinkable now, but best from 2023. |
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|
2021 |
St. Joseph Rouge Silice ex-Domaine |
$28.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JD 91-93 (12/2022): The 2021 Saint Joseph Silice is also beautiful, with a round, supple, layered style that shines in the vintage. Black raspberries, spice box, dried flowers, and hints of violets give way to a medium-bodied, up-front, charming, layered 2021 that certainly stands out in the vintage.
Decanter 91 (9/2022): Neat, well-balanced and fresh, with sappy acidity. It's a relatively light St-Joseph, as is common for the vintage, but they've found a good balance and reflected the vintage as well as it could be. Gently herbal streak and a touch of juniper. |
|
|
2022 |
St. Joseph Rouge Silice ex-Domaine |
$29.99 |
28 |
|
| |
JD 94 (5/2025): Showing the least amount of oak in Coursodon's lineup, the 2022 Saint Joseph Silice offers blackberries, peppery herbs, damp earth, and sappy flowers, all with remarkable purity and complexity. All Syrah, destemmed and aged 12 months in barrel, this cooler-fruited effort is terrific. Drink bottles over the coming 8-10 years. Drink 2025-2035.
VM 92 (1/2025): The 2022 Saint-Joseph Silice unfolds with ripe black cherry, pencil shaving, black tea, crushed violet and gently leafy subtleties. Medium-bodied at most, the 2022 is a classic, age-worthy Silice that’s gently structured by ripe tannins. Drink between 2025-2035. Nicolas Greinacher. |
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|
2023 |
St. Joseph Rouge Silice Ex-Domaine |
$31.99 |
60 |
|
| |
JD 92-94 (5/2025): The 2023 Saint Joseph Silice shows beautifully, with a pure, balanced, medium to full-bodied style as well as classic Saint Joseph minerality, the vintage's ripe red and darker, almost blue fruits, lots of spice and floral nuances, integrated oak, and outstanding length. All Syrah, destemmed and aged 12 months in barrel, it should shine right out of the gate
VM 90-92 (1/2025): The 2023 Saint-Joseph Silice evokes a classic aromatic profile so typical of the appellation. This accentuates its Syrah elegance through delicate graphite, red and black plum notes as well as spicy subtleties. The medium-bodied 2023 is shaping up to be a refreshing Saint-Joseph, closing with a resonant echo on the bright finish. It is very complete, even at this early stage. Drink between 2025-2033. Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
| Dom. de Mourchon |
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Family Reserve Grenache ex-Domaine |
$36.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (2/2025): Almost all Grenache the 2022 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Séguret Family Grenache was totally destemmed and spent 18 months in wooden conical trunk vats and barrels. It's a ripe, sexy, concentrated Grenache that has a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, black cherries, sandalwood, and peppery herbs. Reminding me of a great Gigondas, it offers medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It will shine over the coming 10-12 years. |
|
|
2023 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Family Reserve Grenache ex-Domaine |
$36.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (11/2025): This is gorgeous stuff offering black raspberries, violets, blood orange, and tons of peppery garrigue, as well as a beautiful sense of minerality. Based on 98% Grenache and aged 18 months in 600-liter oak containers, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Seguret Grenache Family Reserve is medium to full-bodied and has a pure, layered mouthfeel with remarkable purity and fine tannins. It will stand up to just about anything in the region, and there are 375 cases produced. Drink 2025-2040. |
|
|
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Family Reserve Syrah Ex-Domaine |
$36.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (11/2025): A bigger, richer wine, the 2022 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Seguret Syrah Family Reserve offers blackberries, chalky minerality, pepper, and gamey, meaty nuances. Based on 98% Syrah from vines planted in the 1950s and aged 18 months in oak barrels, it's medium to full-bodied and has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel with ripe tannins. It will continue to drink nicely over the coming decade, and there are 333 cases produced. Drink 2025-2035. |
|
|
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Grande Reserve Ex-Domaine |
$27.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 92 (2/2025): The 2022 Cotes du Rhone Villages Segurey Grande Reserve is based on 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. Black raspberries, peppery herbs, spicy wood, and some meaty nuances all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a broad, layered mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a great finish. I love it today yet it's going to have a solid 10-12 years of prime drinking. |
|
|
2025 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Loubie Rose ex-Domaine |
$16.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2024 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Nana ex-Domaine |
$17.50 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2025 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Soubois Rose ex-Domaine |
$22.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Tradition Ex-Domaine |
$18.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 89 (2/2025): Blackberries, darker cherries, peppery garrigue, and plenty of curshed stone-like notes define the 2022 Cotes Du Rhone Seguret Tradition, a medium-bodied, structured, yet elegant Seguret that has tons of character. |
|
|
2023 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Tradition ex-Domaine |
$18.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 88 (11/2025): The classic cuvée of this terrific estate, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Seguret Tradition offers red and black fruits, crushed stone, garrigue, and pretty floral nuances. Based on 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah and aged 20% in trunconic oak vats with 80% in concrete vats, it's medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, with fine tannins and a good finish. This charming, balanced, elegant Seguret will keep for 5-7 years, and there are roughly 3,250 cases produced. Drink 2025-2032. |
|
|
2023 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Tradition (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$41.99 |
24 |
|
| |
| JD 88 (11/2025): The classic cuvée of this terrific estate, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Seguret Tradition offers red and black fruits, crushed stone, garrigue, and pretty floral nuances. Based on 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah and aged 20% in trunconic oak vats with 80% in concrete vats, it's medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, with fine tannins and a good finish. This charming, balanced, elegant Seguret will keep for 5-7 years, and there are roughly 3,250 cases produced. Drink 2025-2032. |
|
| Dom. Duclaux |
2020 |
Cote Rotie La Chana ex-Domaine |
$44.99 |
29 |
|
| |
JD 89-91 (2/2022): Starting with the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Chana, which includes 7% Viognier, this has a ripe, up-front, charming style as well as classic Côte Rôtie black raspberry fruits mixed with spice and bacon fat nuances. It's going to drink nicely right out of the gate.
WA 89-91 (1/2022): Blended from several parcels and barrels for my evaluation, the 2020 Cote Rotie La Chana usually contains approximately 7% Viognier and sees no new wood. It shows attractive aromas of raspberries and apricot on the nose, a medium to full-bodied feel on the palate and a savory finish that nicely balances mouthwatering acids and softly dusty tannins. It should drink well for the rest of this decade. |
|
|
2022 |
Cote Rotie La Chana Ex-Domaine |
$49.99 |
53 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Cote Rotie La Germine ex-Domaine |
$46.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| Decanter 92 (10/2022): Spiced raspberry fruits on the nose, with a touch of blood orange. A dry, neat, compact style that will drink well young. Fine tannins reveal a gentle, light-bodied style with a good sense of freshness, if not concentration. Vines on gneiss, blonde soils. 20% whole bunch. Vinified in open concrete tanks. |
|
|
2022 |
Cote Rotie La Germine Ex-Domaine |
$48.99 |
44 |
|
| |
JD 93 (5/2025): Incorporating 3% Viognier, the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Germine reveals a concentrated, rich, nicely structured profile of ripe black and blue fruits, crushed stone, and floral, sappy, gamey nuances. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish, it was vinified with 20% whole clusters and aged 20 months in barrels and demi-muids (15% new). It, too, should have 10-15 years of longevity. Drink 2025-2035.
VM 89 (1/2025): The 2022 Côte-Rôtie La Germine evokes a fairly simple aromatic profile, opening with red and black cherry notes alongside touches of violet and spice box. Medium-bodied and refreshing, the 2022 is an elegant, early approachable Côte-Rôtie culminating with brightness on the moderately long finish. (Drink between 2025-2030). NIcholas Greinacher. |
|
| Dom. Vincent Paris |
2020 |
Cornas Granit 30 |
$44.99 |
20 |
|
| |
JD 93-95 (2/2022): Starting with what could be considered the entry level cuvée, the 2020 Cornas Granit 30 comes from further down the slope, from vines closer to the village. That's obviously not a bad thing, since this plump, full-bodied, beautifully textured Cornas has remarkable purity and elegance as well as richness. Blackberries, blueberries, subtle smoke, graphite, and violets all emerge from the glass, and it has a seamless, incredibly elegant texture.
VM 93 (12/2022): Dark violet color. Dark berry preserve, licorice, olive and exotic spice aromas, with a hint of espresso in the background. Sappy and broad on the palate, offering spice-tinged cherry-cola, blueberry and candied violet flavors with a spicy snap of black pepper. The floral note carries through a very long, dark fruit-driven finish, where gently chewy tannins add shape and closing grip. Josh Raynolds.
Decanter 93 (10/2021): Very herbal, with leafy herbs like tarragon alongside woody herbs such as rosemary. Blueberry and liquorice too. Middleweight style, good concentration of fresh, juicy berry fruit and good persistence. Fresh, intense, gently saline and well-balanced. A good value pick this year. From 10-year-old vines, all destemmed. (Drink between 2022-2028) |
|
| Domaine les Goubert |
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet ex-Domaine |
$16.99 |
30 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Gigondas Cuvee Florence ex-Domaine |
$44.99 |
37 |
|
| |
| JD 91-93+ (10/2023): Slightly deeper hued, the 2021 Gigondas Cuvée Florence has a terrific nose of darker berries, sandalwood, white chocolate, and pepper. It's a concentrated, medium-bodied, balanced 2021 offering solid mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. Based on Grenache and Syrah that sees an extended élevage in barrels, it should benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and have a solid decade of prime drinking. |
|
|
2024 |
IGP Vaucluse Principaute d’Orange Miss Grenouille ex-Domaine |
$19.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| Jean-Luc Jamet |
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Rouge l’Enclave Ex-Domaine |
$34.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Cotes du Rhone Rouge l’Enclave ex-Domaine |
$35.99 |
33 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
IGP Collines Rhodaniennes Rouge Syrah Valine Ex-Domaine |
$29.99 |
28 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Vin de France Syrah Valine ex-Domaine |
$31.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Mourchon |
2022 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Ex-Domaine |
$45.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 92 (11/2025): A cuvée whose quality has soared over the past four to five years, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a brilliant effort in an arguably more challenging, heatwave-driven vintage. Sporting a ruby translucent hue, it boasts a brilliant perfume of ripe black cherries, redcurrants, peppery garrigue, and loamy earth with beautiful aromatic complexity. On the palate it's medium to full-bodied, has a ripe, layered mouthfeel, soft tannins, and a great finish. It's very much in the ripe, forward, sexy style of the vintage yet stays pure, graceful, and is just impossible to resist. It's not a long-term ager, so drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years. Drink 2025-2032. |
|
|
2023 |
Cotes du Rhone Ex-Domaine |
$14.99 |
54 |
|
| |
| JD 92 (11/2025): Lots of peppery red and black berry fruits, garrigue, and spice-driven aromatics emerge from the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône, with a hint of flowers. It's medium to full-bodied, has a round, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a juicy finish. It's one seriously good Côtes du Rhône that you could pretty much put up against anything in the appellation – count me impressed. This should have 10-12 years of prime drinking as well, and I'd be happy with a case in the cellar. Drink 2025-2037. |
|
|
2024 |
Cotes du Rhone ex-Domaine |
$14.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| | Rhone White |
| Dom. Coursodon |
2021 |
St. Joseph Blanc Silice ex-Domaine |
$29.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 92 (12/2022): The 2021 Saint Joseph Silice Blanc has a Burgundian-like sense of reduction as well as beautiful quince, white flowers, honeyed minerality, and a kiss of background spice and toastiness. It's medium-bodied and has a clean, classy style that's going to evolve for 7-8 years in cold cellars. |
|
|
2023 |
St. Joseph Blanc Silice ex-Domaine |
$43.99 |
44 |
|
| |
JD 92 (5/2025): Based on 100% Marsanne, the 2023 Saint Joseph Silice Blanc reveals melon, honeyed flowers, spice, and toasted notes, showing impressive purity and cleanliness. It's fleshy on the palate, with beautiful balance and good purity, and while it has a slightly hazy color, it remains an impressive white. Drink bottles over the coming 4-6 years. Drink 2025-2031.
WA 91 (3/2025): Fresher and livelier than its Paradis Saint-Pierre counterpart, the 2023 Saint-Joseph Silice Blanc reveals aromas of confit citrus, spring blossoms and pear. Moderately weighted and delicately enveloping, it's juicy and layered with bright acids, concluding with a mouthwatering, floral finish.
VM 90 (1/2025): Flinty elements introduce the 2023 Saint-Joseph Blanc Silice, accompanied by notes of cedar, ripe pear, white peach and lemon flesh. Full-bodied, round and generous, the 2023 bundles vibrant energy and checks out with persistence on the sapid finish. This is an exquisite white Saint-Joseph. Drink between 2025-2027. Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
|
2024 |
St. Joseph Blanc Silice Ex-Domaine |
$38.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. de Mourchon |
2024 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Soubois Blanc Ex-Domaine |
$22.99 |
20 |
|
| |
| JD 90 (11/2025): Based on 90% Viognier and 10% Roussanne and aged in demi-muids with weekly bâtonnage for six months, the 2024 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Seguret Soubois Blanc shows a light gold hue and offers crisp stone fruit, honeyed flowers, and a hint of orange blossom. It's medium-bodied, fresh, focused, and crisp, with terrific purity and balance. There are 191 cases produced. Drink 2025-2029. |
|
|
2025 |
Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Soubois Blanc ex-Domaine |
$22.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. du Tunnel |
2024 |
Saint Peray Cuvee Prestige Ex-Domaine |
$48.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 97 (2/2026): Honeyed melon, crushed stone, mint, and hints of orange blossom all define the 2024 Prestige, an incredibly pure Saint-Péray that has so much to love. It's medium-bodied, has undeniable minerality, and outstanding length. You could put this up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, and while it plays in the fresher style of the vintage, it brings tons of character. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years. Drink 2026-2041. |
|
|
2024 |
Saint Peray Marsanne Ex-Domaine |
$37.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (2/2026): All Marsanne, the 2024 Saint-Péray Marsanne offers a gorgeous nose of honeyed quince, sappy white flowers, spice, and crushed stone. It's medium-bodied and has a focused, juicy, yet still nicely concentrated mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and outstanding length. It plays in the fresh, juicy, focused style of the vintage and will evolve gracefully over the coming decade. Drink 2026-2036. |
|
|
2024 |
Saint Peray Roussanne Ex-Domaine |
$45.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (2/2026): Orchard fruits, honeyed mint, and sappy herb/floral nuances emerge from the 2024 Saint-Péray Roussanne, which is medium-bodied, juicy, fresh, and focused on the palate. I love its overall purity, and it picks up a beautiful sense of salinity with time in the glass. It has another decade or more of longevity ahead of it. Drink 2026-2036. |
|
| Dom. Duclaux |
2021 |
Condrieu Les Caillets ex-Domaine |
$46.99 |
26 |
|
| |
|
| Jean-Luc Jamet |
2021 |
Cotes du Rhone Blanc Couzou ex-Domaine |
$25.99 |
12 |
|
| |
| JD 89 (5/2024): The 2021 Côtes du Rhône Couzou Blanc is based on Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier, all from more granitic soils. It has a light gold hue as well as a subtle nose of ripe stone fruits, honeyed orange, and spice, and it's medium-bodied, nicely textured, and nicely balanced on the palate. It has a good sense of freshness, but it's certainly a rich white that's going to shine on the dinner table. |
|
|
2022 |
Cotes du Rhone Blanc Couzou Ex-Domaine |
$26.99 |
43 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Cotes du Rhone Blanc Couzou ex-Domaine |
$34.99 |
36 |
|
| |
|
| Mourchon |
2024 |
Cotes du Rhone Blanc La Source Ex-Domaine |
$16.99 |
25 |
|
| |
|
|
2025 |
Cotes du Rhone Blanc La Source ex-Domaine |
$16.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| | Southern France |
| Ch. de Pibarnon |
2020 |
Bandol ex-Chateau |
$44.99 |
15 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (7/2026): Under seven years of age, this 2020 Bandol Pibarnon keeps all its promises. It has taken time to develop and grow more complex, with delicate oak notes and others more smoky and typical of the terroir: sour cherry jam, leather, and precious wood. The texture is frank, coating, broad, and round, and the balance will confirm itself over the next 10-15 years. Best from 2027-2035. Antoine Petrus |
|
|
2021 |
Bandol ex-Chateau |
$46.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (5/2026): The 2021 Bandol leans fully into a classical style, opening with licorice, dried herbs, blackberry and peppery undertones as a beautiful spiciness grows steadily in the glass. Medium- to full-bodied, it is shaped by gently chalky tannins that lend real composure. The savoury finish is marked by pepper, subtle fleshiness and understated authority. (Drink between 2028-2046). Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
|
2021 |
Bandol ex-Chateau |
$46.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (5/2026): The 2021 Bandol leans fully into a classical style, opening with licorice, dried herbs, blackberry and peppery undertones as a beautiful spiciness grows steadily in the glass. Medium- to full-bodied, it is shaped by gently chalky tannins that lend real composure. The savoury finish is marked by pepper, subtle fleshiness and understated authority. (Drink between 2028-2046). Nicolas Greinacher. |
|
|
2023 |
Bandol Blanc ex-Chateau |
$49.99 |
27 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (7/2024): The elegant and perfumed 2023 Bandol Blanc from Château de Pibarnon is a real success this year, despite a challenging vintage in the region. It evokes aromas of citrus, spring flowers, curry leaves and white fruits mingled with spicy notes. Medium-bodied, perfectly balanced and fleshy, it has a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and a long, mineral and saline finish. This blend of 55% Clairette, 30% Bourboulenc and the rest of a mix of other white grapes is an outstanding wine. |
|
|
2022 |
Bandol Rose ex-Chateau |
$36.99 |
60 |
|
| |
WA 93 (6/2023): The citrusy, mentholated 2022 Bandol Rosé was crafted with a blend of 65% Mourvèdre and 35% Cinsault and matured six months in barrels. It displays aromas of pomegranate, citrus, spring flowers, iodine, jasmine and crushed stones, followed by a beautifully defined texture, a fleshy core of fruit and racy acids that underpin a delicate, well-delineated and calcareous finish. It's going to drink nicely in its youth, but I suspect it will also age gracefully over the next 2-5 years.
VM 91 (5/2023): The 2022 Rosé is savory and sweet with a rich blend of rosemary, sage and tomato leaf, giving way to dried cherries. It's silky-smooth and round with a buzz of minerality and brisk acidity up front as ginger-spiked nectarine forms toward the close. This tapers off with a salty flourish. Spice and citrus notes keep the mouth watering. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2023 |
Bandol Rose ex-Chateau |
$34.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 93 (5/2025): The 2023 Bandol Rosé is a powerful, classy Rosé that delivers the proverbial “iron fist in a velvet glove.” Deep and rich, the 2023 takes its time in the glass, gradually unfurling layers of waxy cherry fruit, Mediterranean herbs, raspberry liqueur, , crushed oyster shell and dried apricot. There’s an impressive phenolic core and a wealth of complexity here, not to mention a long, long finish. This is a very serious wine with the stuffing to improve in the cellar. Billy Norris.
WA 92+ (7/2024): A blend of 65% Mourvèdre and 35% Cinsault, the 2023 Bandol Rosé from Château de Pibarnon offers up a delicate, complex bouquet of spices, licorice, red berries, lemon, spring flowers and herbs. Medium-bodied, enveloping and beautifully structured, it’s round and juicy with a delicate, lively core of fruit and a mineral, calcareous finish. This is a classical rosé wine from Bandol. |
|
|
2024 |
Bandol Rose ex-Chateau |
$37.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (6/2025): The 2024 Bandol Rosé is another stunning wine from Provence. Revealing a complex, fresh bouquet of red berries, pomegranate, grapefruit and spices, it's medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and round, with a supple, elegant core of fruit supported by moderate tannins, finishing long and delicately saline. |
|
|
2021 |
Bandol Rose Nuances ex-Chateau |
$47.99 |
14 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (7/2026): With the 2021 Bandol Nuances, Pibarnon produces a near-perfect rosé. The pale ruby color leads into spiced, smoky aromas of white pepper, redcurrant jam, and peppery touches, while numerous fine tannins coat the palate to provide power, character, and length. Drink now. Antoine Petrus. |
|
|
2022 |
Bandol Rose Nuances ex-Chateau |
$46.99 |
40 |
|
| |
|
| Dom. Le Roc des Anges |
2016 |
Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes Asterolide |
$31 |
15 |
|
| |
|
| Les Restanques de Pibarnon |
2021 |
Bandol ex-Chateau |
$38.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Bandol ex-Chateau |
$38.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| | Alsace |
| Klipfel |
2012 |
Riesling Cuvee Louis Klipfel |
$18 |
18 |
|
| |
|
| | Champagne |
| Charpentier |
NV |
Tradition Brut Champagne |
$38.99 |
57 |
|
| |
|
| | Other France |
| Dom. Richard Rottiers |
2023 |
Moulin a Vent Ex-Domaine |
$24.99 |
54 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (4/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent was bottled a month before my visit. This has fine purity on the nose. The 20% used oak knits everything together nicely, though not as powerfully as the 2022. The palate is medium-bodied and silky, with fine tannins and red cherry and crushed strawberry notes leading to a smooth, easy-drinking finish. The 2023 is very fine. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2023 |
Moulin a Vent Champ de Cour Ex-Domaine |
$26.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 92 (4/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent Champ de Cour was bottled one month before my visit. It has a lifted and more intense bouquet than the Mortperay, with floral scents of rose and violet emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied and well balanced, with supple tannins and a precise, graceful finish that lingers in the mouth. The 2023 is superb. Neal Martin.
WA 90+ (3/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent Champ de Cour, aged in oak barrels, stands out as the most lavish offering of the lineup, showcasing deep sappy notes of prunes, cherries, licorice and cacao powder. However, it maintains a poised balance thanks to a refreshing edge of ginger spice and graphite. Full-bodied and with ripe acidity, the wine exhibits a firm structure that signals its aging potential with tightly woven, youthful tannins. |
|
|
2023 |
Moulin a Vent Dernier Souffle Ex-Domaine |
$27.99 |
59 |
|
| |
VM 93 (4/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent Dernière Souffle is bottled a couple of months later than other cuvées. It has redcurrant and cranberry aromas on the nose, with light earthy scents in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red berry fruit, more grip than the Champ de Cour and more substance on the finish. This positively brims with potential. Neal Martin.
WA 91 (3/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent Dernier Souffle is a luscious fruit-forward wine, yet one of refinement, with notes of rose petals, juicy cherries, vine smoke and sweet spices. It's full-bodied, with ripe acidity and a concentrated, sappy-fruited core. This richness is framed by smoothly integrated tannins that impart a velvety texture, with a dimensional finish toned with graphite. This is a generously proportioned wine that will undoubtedly benefit from time in the bottle or, at the very least, a spell in the decanter to unwind. |
|
|
2022 |
Moulin a Vent Mortperay ex-Domaine |
$24.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (4/2024): The 2022 Moulin-à-Vent Mortperay comes from clayey soils just below Fleurie; the vines here are 70 years old. It aged in old barrels sourced from Chablis. It has another mineral-driven nose but with more roundness and depth than the classic bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, very well-balanced and poised, touches of freshly rolled tobacco on the finish. Excellent. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2023 |
Moulin a Vent Mortperay Ex-Domaine |
$26.99 |
60 |
|
| |
VM 90 (4/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent Mortperay comes from a parcel next to Fleurie on clay soils. It was bottled in January and offers Morello cherry, rose petal and cassis scents on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with finely knit tannins. This is pure and elegant in style, with touches of sour cherry and raspberry . Neal Martin.
WA 90 (3/2025): The 2023 Moulin-à-Vent Montperay, slated for release in 2025, comes from 80-year-old vines located at the periphery of the Clos de la Roilette in Fleurie. The wine unfurls with a lush bouquet of stewed blueberries and cherries, accented by mocha spice and sweet soil. On the palate, the layered wine unfolds along a horizontal trajectory with subdued acidity that imparts a certain softness and density to its texture. |
|
| Pascal Aufranc |
2018 |
Julienas Les Cerisiers ex-Domaine |
$15.99 |
15 |
|
| |
|
| Richard Rottiers |
2023 |
Brouilly Ex-Domaine |
$24.99 |
20 |
|
| |
VM 89 (4/2025): The 2023 Brouilly comes from purchased fruit grown on granite soils. Pretty red cherry and crushed strawberry aromas blossom in the glass. The palate is well balanced and transparent, with light tannins. It's a little fleshier than expected, featuring brambly red berry and bergamot notes on the finish. It's lovely, though not long-term. Neal Martin.
WA 89 (3/2025): The 2023 Brouilly, from purchased grapes near Odenas, is a classic bistro wine. It's juicy, with notes of lilacs, raspberries and plums and tones of crushed stones that give the wine some dimension. It's medium to full-bodied, with a balanced density of fruit and bright acidity that keep it fresh. |
|
| | Germany |
| Weingut Georg Gustav Huff |
2020 |
Niersteiner Hipping Riesling Trocken |
$39.99 |
20 |
|
| |
|
| | Italy |
| Antonio Vallana & Figlio |
2020 |
Gattinara |
$43.99 |
22 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (2/2025): Vallana's 2020 Gattinara is powerful, rustic and a bit rough around the edges, and yet it conveys so much genuine, uncomplicated character. Dark fruit, new leather, licorice, dried herbs and mint are some of the notes that take shape as this rambunctious Gattinara gradually opens in the glass. Don't look for finesse here. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Cantina Tibaldi |
2023 |
Langhe Favorita ex-Domaine |
$23.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2024 |
Langhe Favorita ex-Domaine |
$24.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Langhe Nebbiolo ex-Domaine |
$25.99 |
19 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Roero Arneis Bricco delle Passere Riserva ex-Domaine |
$24.99 |
29 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Roero Arneis Bricco delle Passere Riserva ex-Domaine |
$26.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Roero Roccapalea ex-Domaine |
$29 |
34 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Roero Roccapalea ex-Domaine |
$33.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Caprili |
2023 |
Rosso di Montalcino |
$21.99 |
21 |
|
| |
| JD 90 (1/2025): The bright ruby 2023 Rosso Di Montalcino jumps from the glass with bright mixed berry fruit, peaches, crushed flowers, and sweet tea. The palate is juicy, with a snap of fresh acidity, fine tannins, and a clean finish. This is a total charmer of a Rosso to drink now or over the next 5-6 years. (Drink between 2025-2031). Audrey Frick. |
|
| Cavallotto |
2022 |
Barbera d’Alba Superiore Vigna Cuculo ex-Domaine |
$36.95 |
33 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Barbera d’Alba Superiore Vigna Cuculo ex-Domaine |
$44.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (4/2026): The 2023 Barbera D'Alba Superiore Vigna Cuculo pours a youthful red/purple hue and was fermented in stainless steel before aging 18 months in large Slavonian oak casks. It opens with wild black cherries, delicate rustic earth, incense, and violets. Medium-bodied, it’s vibrant and well-balanced, with fine tannins and a savory citrus lift that carries through the finish. A traditionally raised Barbera with both energy and structure, about 8,000 bottles were produced. Drink 2026-2036. Audrey Frick. |
|
|
2022 |
Langhe Nebbiolo ex-Domaine |
$37.99 |
55 |
|
| |
|
|
2023 |
Langhe Nebbiolo ex-Domaine |
$42.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 91 (4/2026): The 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo is aged for 18 months in large Slavonian oak casks and pours a youthful ruby red color. It offers a ripe perfume that’s a bit shy, but the palate really shines, offering ripe red berries, a bit of rustic earth, fresh tobacco, and incense. Medium-bodied, zesty, and refreshing, with a good balance of sunny pure fruit, fine tannins, and refreshing acidity, it’s a very appealing Nebbiolo to drink now or over the next 8-10 years. A star in this category, no doubt, it’s delicious and I would snap it up. Drink 2026-2036. Audrey Frick. |
|
| Luigi Maffini |
2021 |
Cenito Cilento Aglianico |
$43.99 |
14 |
|
| |
| VM 93+ (5/2024): Wilted violets and ground cloves complicate a burst of dried wild blueberries and exotic spice as the 2021 Cenito smolders up from the glass. This is pure elegance—silky and polished, yet lifted and energetic, with a textural wave of ripe red and black fruits that flow across a stream of vibrant acidity. A caking of salty minerals mingles with fine tannins as the 2021 tapers off with staining length and youthful structure, leaving a tart blackberry concentration that puckers the cheeks. (Drink between 2026-2034). Eric Guido. |
|
|
2024 |
Kratos Fiano |
$24.99 |
45 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (8/2026): Quite mineral-driven in style, the 2024 Fiano Kratos wafts up with salty sea air, crushed rocks and lemon-spiked green apples. The palate is zesty, with a bump of riveting acidity on the entry to energize its tart orchard fruits. It tapers off with sour lime and a saline saturation. Eric Guido. |
|
| Sottimano |
2023 |
Langhe Nebbiolo ex-Domaine |
$23.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2025): The 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo, all young vines from Basarin, is terrific. Pliant and expressive, the 2023 is a superb choice for readers looking for a wine that overdelivers. Macerated cherry, plum, lavender and blood orange open first. Exotic floral and spice overtones develop with a bit of time in the glass. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the wine's textural depth and balance. The 2023 was done a modified, light style of submerged cap maceration for about a week that worked wonders. Élevage was nine months in cask. And the young vines are now nearly 30 years old! Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2023 |
Langhe Nebbiolo (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$49.99 |
20 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2025): The 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo, all young vines from Basarin, is terrific. Pliant and expressive, the 2023 is a superb choice for readers looking for a wine that overdelivers. Macerated cherry, plum, lavender and blood orange open first. Exotic floral and spice overtones develop with a bit of time in the glass. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the wine's textural depth and balance. The 2023 was done a modified, light style of submerged cap maceration for about a week that worked wonders. Élevage was nine months in cask. And the young vines are now nearly 30 years old! Antonio Galloni. |
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| Tenuta Cocci Grifoni |
2024 |
Tara Pecorino |
$15.99 |
37 |
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| |
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| Tenuta di Carleone |
2022 |
Chianti Classico |
$34.99 |
20 |
|
| |
WA 94 (10/2025): This is one of the most original wines from the appellation. The Tenuta di Carleone 2022 Chianti Classico sees partial whole-cluster fruit and up to three months of extended fermentation. The wine opens to a medium-garnet color with a shiny element to its appearance. The bouquet is similarly bright and punchy with lots of tart red and blue fruits. Fruit for this 55,000-bottle release is sourced from across this 32-hectare estate in Radda in Chianti. This wine is extremely giving and bright at the moment.
VM 92 (7/2025): The 2022 Chianti Classico is gracious, elegant and polished, as these wines so often are. Crushed flowers, herbs, mint, pine and light citrus overtones exalt the natural brightness of Sangiovese. This translucent, weightless Chianti Classico is a real beauty. (Drink between 2025-2037). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Tenuta Santome |
NV |
Prosecco Brut |
$13.50 |
28 |
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| |
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| Ultima Pietra |
2025 |
Gemina Rose |
$40 |
23 |
|
| |
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| | Port |
| Quevedo |
2006 |
Late Bottled Vintage Port |
$29.99 |
52 |
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| |
|
|
2010 |
Quinta Vale d’Agodinho Port |
$49.99 |
15 |
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| |
|
| | USA Red |
| Behrens Family (Erna Schein) |
2005 |
Herrick-Moulds Cabernet Sauvignon |
$50 |
14 |
|
| |
| VM 91-94 (6/2007): Medium ruby. Aromatic nose combines currant, iron, mocha and pepper. Sweet, silky and pliant, with a captivating sugar/acid balance. This really vibrates on the palate. Finishes with suave tannins and terrific sappy, peppery length. This has the suavity and balance to age gracefully for a decade or more. |
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| de Negoce |
2017 |
OG N. 123 Napa Valley Merlot |
$15 |
12 |
|
| |
|
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2022 |
OG N. 480 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel |
$15 |
12 |
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| |
|
| DeLille Cellars |
2011 |
Doyenne Grand Ciel Vyd. Syrah |
$25 |
12 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (6/2014): Slightly richer and more concentrated than the Signature Syrah, yet still playing in the elegant, seamless style of the vintage, the 2011 Doyenne Syrah Grand Ciel Vineyard is 100% Syrah that was aged in 35% new French oak. Possessing beautiful black raspberry, currants, licorice, crushed rock-like minerality and hints of graphite, this beauty flows onto the palate with full-bodied richness, fabulous purity of fruit and a seamless, silky texture that carries through the finish. Give it a year or two and drink bottles through 2024. |
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|
2012 |
Doyenne Grand Ciel Vyd. Syrah |
$25 |
13 |
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| |
WA 93 (6/2015): A similar purple/ruby, semi-opaque color to the Signature Syrah, the 2012 Doyenne Syrah Grand Ciel Vineyard has more minerality (no doubt due to coming from Red Mountain) to go with lots of blackberry, graphite, pepper and crushed violet notes. Like the Signature Syrah, it shows the vintage nicely with lots of concentration, integrated acidity and a big finish, where the wine's structure becomes more apparent. It will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 10-15 years of overall longevity.
VM 92+ (11/2015): Good dark red. Lovely perfume of cherry, cranberry, white pepper, spices and dusty flowers. Lovely fine-grained Syrah with a savory restraint to its highly aromatic red berry and spice flavors complicated by a hint of game. Made from a slow-to-ripen Entav clone. Finishing quite firm, even a bit youthfully sullen, this already complex Syrah needs time to evolve. (Drink between 2019-2028). Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Donelan |
2013 |
Cuvee Moriah Proprietary Blend |
$50 |
12 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (7/2017): The 2013 Cuvee Moriah is 87% Grenache and 13% Syrah that’s all from the Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley. It has a gorgeous (as well as complex) bouquet of ripe cherries, cranberry, dried flowers and incense. This carries to an ethereally textured, elegant Grenache that that has sweet fruit, medium-bodied richness and a great finish. It’s not going to make old bones, but it’s going to be impossible to resist over the coming 4-5 years. This may be my favorite vintage of this cuvee to date. |
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| Failla |
2012 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$45 |
12 |
|
| |
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| Girasole |
2019 |
Mendocino Pinot Noir |
$16.99 |
16 |
|
| |
|
| Kutch |
2013 |
Falstaff Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$45 |
12 |
|
| |
VM 91 (1/2015): Rose petals, mint, spices and sweet red berries are all laced together in the 2013 Pinot Noir Falstaff Vineyard. This is the most lifted and aromatic of the wines in this range. The 2013 is intensely saline, lifted and perfumed. It will appeal most to readers who enjoy aromatic, mid-weight Pinots. The 2013 is all about precision and nuance. It is also a bit light, even within the context of this style. (Drink between 2015-2025). Antonio Galloni.
BH 91 (10/2015): Notes of dried rose petal, anise, herbal tea, red currant and a hint of cinnamon introduce silky-textured medium-bodied flavors that deliver fine length on the dusty, balanced and lingering finale. This too will need a few years but less than either the Sonoma Coast or Bohan, as the overall palate impression is notably finer. Note however that the balance should allow this to age, and improve, gracefully for up to a decade. (Drink starting 2019). |
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| Matthews |
2010 |
Blackboard Colombia Valley Red Wine |
$15 |
12 |
|
| |
|
|
2006 |
Colombia Valley Claret |
$25 |
12 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (12/2009): Dark red. Expressive aromas and flavors of currant, plum, tobacco, graphite and chocolatey oak. Supple and juicy, with moderate sweetness and flesh. Slightly tart acidity gives shape and lift to this blend, which finishes with dusty, building, oak-driven tannins. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2010 |
Colombia Valley Syrah |
$20 |
20 |
|
| |
| VM 91+ (12/2013): (15.4% alcohol; aged in once-used puncheons and once-used barriques ): Saturated bright ruby. Very primary, dark aromas of blackberry, licorice and illegal resiny herbs, lifted by a high-pitched violet perfume. Dense, juicy and suave but quite tightly wound in the style of the vintage. Dark berry and bitter chocolate flavors work more savory than sweet. This very young, long wine finishes with very fine-grained, suave tannins and a hint of bitter chocolate. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Newton |
2019 |
The Puzzle Red Wine |
$49 |
55 |
|
| |
| JD 92 (2/2023): The 2019 Red Blend The Puzzle checks in as mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but includes 8% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 1.5% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot. This vivid blue-hued 2019 has a great nose of both black and blue fruits as well as sappy green herbs and crushed stone. Almost austere on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, has firm tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. I’d give bottles at least 3-4 years in the cellar. (Drink starting 2026). |
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| Sojourn Cellars |
2022 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ex-Domaine |
$44.99 |
60 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (6/2024): The 2022 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast was raised in 50% new French oak and was entirely destemmed. Pouring a youthful, ripe ruby color, it’s highly aromatic with floral and fruity aromas of sweet cola spice, mixed berries, and preserved flowers. Medium-bodied, it retains good energy and freshness as well as wonderful purity on the palate, with fine tannins and a clean, chalky textured finish. It is a beautiful entry to the range and is going to have a wide window for enjoyment over the next 6-8 years. Audrey Frick. |
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| Sullivan |
2003 |
Estate Reserve Merlot |
$50 |
16 |
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| |
|
| Varner |
2014 |
Spring Ridge Vyd. Upper Picnic Bloc Pinot Noir |
$45 |
53 |
|
| |
VM 95 (8/2018): The 2014 Pinot Noir Upper Picnic is all class. Silky tannins and expressive, perfumed aromatics give the wine unreal finesse. Just as compelling on the palate, the 2014 is absolutely exquisite in its understated, nuanced expression of the Santa Cruz Mountains. What a gorgeous wine it is. The Upper Picnic is the most elegant of these four Pinots. (Drink between 2018-2026). Antonio Galloni.
JD 94 (2/2019): I loved the 2014 Pinot Noir Upper Picnic Block Spring Ridge Vineyard. This beauty boasts fabulous red fruits, spice, dried flowers, and rose petal notes, with a hint of California bay leaf developing with time in the glass. Possessing a silky, rounded, elegant texture, medium body, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish, it’s a truly thrilling Pinot Noir that can be drunk today or cellared for 7-8 years. (Drink between 2018-2026). |
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| Vincent Wine Co. |
2017 |
Bjornson Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$35.99 |
18 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (8/2020): Brilliant red. Highly expressive aromas of fresh red fruits, potpourri, exotic spices and candied rose, along with a hint of smoky minerality. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering penetrating raspberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors that show fine definition and back-end lift. Intensely flavored and finely delineated, with an impressively long, perfumed finish that delivers firm mineral cut and resonating florality. (Drink between 2022-2029). Josh Raynolds. |
|
| | USA White |
| Bevan Cellars |
2021 |
Dry Stack Vyd. Sauvignon Blanc |
$35 |
13 |
|
| |
| JD 96 (8/2022): A blockbuster of a Sauvignon Blanc, Bevan's 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Dry Stack Vineyard comes from an Italian clone planted in gravelly soil in the Bennett Valley and is raised, I believe, in barrel. Bottled unfiltered so it has touch of haziness in its gold hue, it offers a heavenly bouquet of caramelized lemon zest, mint, orange blossom, honeyed flowers, and brioche. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has incredible concentration, a layered, pure mouthfeel, good freshness, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It's not for those craving lightweight aromas and flavors and has the weight and richness of a great Chardonnay. Drink this beauty over the coming 2-3 years. |
|
| Bunnell Family Cellar |
2012 |
Helene Yakima Valley White Wine |
$20 |
12 |
|
| |
|
| Convene (Dan Kosta) |
2021 |
Russian River Valley Chardonnay |
$48.99 |
50 |
|
| |
| Decanter 98 (2/2024): Dan Kosta and Shane Finely have worked together since 2006, when Finley, at age 26, began working in the cellar at Kosta Browne. These guys are having a lot of fun with Convene, the label Kosta launched in 2019. After their entry-level bottlings, the Convene label represents the 'Premier Cru' level wines, while DK Grail is the 'Grand Cru' tier. They are unquestionably 'Holy Grail' worthy. Finley and Kosta are big fans of longer ageing and extended lees contact with their Chardonnays. We tasted in February 2024, and they'd just bottled their 2022s. Super expressive nose with wonderful ripe fruit flavours alongside butterscotch and toasty brioche. Wonderfully rich and full-bodied with plenty of salty mineral tension. Partial malolactic fermentation means the wine retains great tension, vibrancy, and freshness. Flavours run the spectrum from Meyer Lemon to apricots and white peaches. Crushed Marcona almonds are entangled in the finish, and I find this a balanced expression of California Chardonnay with the right amount of toasty richness and acidity. |
|
| DeLille Cellars |
2016 |
Chaleur Estate Blanc |
$30 |
16 |
|
| |
|
| Gambal Work |
2017 |
Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay ex-Domaine |
$43.99 |
45 |
|
| |
|
| Girasole |
2019 |
Mendocino Chardonnay |
$10 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Hourglass |
2024 |
Estate Sauvignon Blanc |
$33.99 |
24 |
|
| |
JD 94 (12/2025): Based on 86% Sauvignon Blanc/Musque and 14% Semillon from Napa and Sonoma County fruit and aged six months with 30% in oak barrels, the 2024 Sauvignon Blanc offers classic, fresh lime, ripe citrus, mint, and stony minerality aromatics. It's medium-bodied, has a bright, fresh, focused, pure mouthfeel, beautiful balance, and outstanding length. There are roughly 2,600 cases produced. Drink 2025-2035. (Drink between 2025-2035).
VM 90 (11/2025): The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is an airy, gracious, aperitif-style white drink now and over the next few years. Citrus peel, sage, tomato leaf and mint are all finely sculpted. (Drink between 2025-2029). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Lewis Cellars |
2016 |
Sonoma County Chardonnay |
$36 |
19 |
|
| |
|
| Scherrer Winery |
2019 |
Scherrer Vyd. Chardonnay |
$43.99 |
14 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (1/2022): The 2019 Chardonnay Scherrer Vineyard is a powerful, wild wine. Soaring aromatics and a deep structure give this Alexander Valley Chardonnay tons of character. Orchard fruit, mint, tangerine oil and dried flowers all open in the glass. There's something exotic about the 2019 that is undeniably appealing. The creamy, substantial finish is a thing of beauty. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Sojourn Cellars |
2023 |
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ex-Domaine |
$41.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Stony Hill |
2024 |
Chardonnay |
$43.99 |
36 |
|
| |
| Decanter 94 (2/2026): Fruit from 1967-planted vines, the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Napa Valley, is at Haynes and Quartz Creek on alluvial soils. This wine balances plush fruit, fleshy pears, 30% new oak for 10 months, and only partial malolactic fermentation. This is a wine of elegance that balances white peach flesh, mineral-driven, mountain Chardonnay, and is oh so fresh. (Drink between 2026-2034). |
|
| | Other White |
| Quevedo |
2011 |
Oscar’s White Douro |
$9.99 |
31 |
|
| |
|
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