Now, this is more like it. A big step up from the disjointed Les Chailles, the 2019 Cornas Vieilles Vignes is a classic rendering of Cornas, with hints of crushed stone, mint, blueberries and red berries on the nose. It's... Read More
The 2009 Roussanne comes across as quite rich and textured, with plenty of overt fruit, but less aromatic complexity and overall minerality. The vintage was the third in a series of drought years and the low - perhaps excessively... Read More
A spare, faintly dank and decidedly sour - though, for all that, not uninteresting - non-dose blend tasted alongside could scarcely have contrasted more vividly with Lenoble's NV Brut Intense Disg. 2/2013, which is as immediately... Read More
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Brane-Cantenac starts off a tad restrained and reluctant to show, opening out to notes of baked blackberries, plum preserves and crème de cassis with hints of cigar box and tar. Medium... Read More
The 2015 Cantenac Brown is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of cherry cola, cassis and warm plums with touches of spice box and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate sports a lot of oak, with very firm and... Read More
Their special cuvée, the 2005 Prima, has a very dense ruby/purple color and a big, sweet kiss of black fruits, earth and spice as well as a cedary nuance to the aromatics. This medium to full-bodied, rich wine is a real star and... Read More
A blockbuster. Black in color, with extremely grapey, toasted oak and dark chocolate aromas. Full-bodied, with loads of big, velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Best Clos de L'Oratoire ever. Best after 2010. 4,000 cases... Read More
This is very solid, with currants, minerals and berries on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Lots of licorice and cassis. Tight. Always excellent in top vintages. Score range: 92-94... Read More
Clos Puy Arnaud is nearly always a seriously made as well as potentially long-lived offering, as evidenced by the 2005. This blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Carmenere boasts... Read More
Tasted single blind against its peers. This has a very floral, exuberant bouquet with white peach and grapefruit soaring from the glass. It is very pure and vivacious. The palate is harmonious with what feels like more sucrosity... Read More
The 2017 D'Issan (a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot) is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of baked plums, warm cassis and stewed cherries plus earth, balsamic, Sichuan pepper and herbs hints.... Read More
The 2010 Cote Rotie Seigneur de Maugiron has fleshed out since last year offering notes of black olives, garrigue, licorice, forest floor, bacon fat, raspberries and black currants. This medium-bodied Cote Rotie veers more toward... Read More
The 2018 Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussières Vieilles Vignes is showing very well, exhibiting a deep bouquet of cherries and cassis mingled with hints of dark chocolate and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy,... Read More
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Giscours slips seductively out of the glass with notions of baked black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves plus hints of cassis, pencil lead and dried Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied,... Read More
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Giscours offers pretty plum preserves, warm cassis and wilted roses scents with fragrant earth and cinnamon stick hints. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant and plush with lovely... Read More
The 2015 Haut Batailley is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot, matured in 60% new oak. It was picked between 21 September until 2 October. It is a level up from the 2015 Lacoste Borie with much more fruit intensity:... Read More
A step up, with additional richness and depth, the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes includes more Mourvèdre than normal, as Christophe wanted to add additional structure. It offers classic notes of black currants,... Read More
A new offering made from lots culled out from their barrels, the seductive, charming 2007 Endre (40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a sleeper of the vintage with a magnetic hedonism.... Read More
The 2015 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) is a gorgeous appellation-level Pinot. Ripe and racy in the glass, with terrific density, the Russian River Pinot captures the essence of the Kosta Browne style. Succulent red cherry,... Read More
A beautiful effort that certainly competes with the single-vineyard releases, the 2012 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands offers up a gorgeous bouquet of black cherries, black raspberry, wild herbs, rose petal and Asian spice to... Read More
Harvest between September 6th and October 2nd, the 2013 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands is a flat out gorgeous Pinot Noir that offers tons of black raspberries, crushed flowers and spice-like characteristics on the nose. Seeing... Read More
The 2016 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills was aged nine months in 47% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby, it opens with bright cranberry sauce, pomegranate liqueur, red and black cherries, cured meats and peppercorn with potpourri... Read More