The NV Brut Rosé Terroirs Chouilly-Bisseuil is an assemblage of 88% Chardonnay from Chouilly Grand Cru and 12% Pinot Noir from Bisseuil 1er Cru, predominantly based on the 2012 vintage plus 28% reserve wines and aged for five... Read More
The apple-scented NV Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs (L-231-323-01) is a highly focused, delineated, and pure sparkling wine filled with zesty apple and floral flavors. It has outstanding length yet lacks the friendly, expansive nature... Read More
A dense red, evoking cherry and raspberry flavors, with earth and mineral accents. Tightly wound, offering dusty, well-integrated tannins and a lingering finish of spice and red fruit. Best from 2015 through 2028.-BS
Billecart-Salmon is one of my favorite Champagne houses, and their non-vintage Rose (Lot #L85547401905M) is a consistent winner. A delicate pink color is accompanied by gorgeous sweet cherry, strawberry, and mineral-like scents,... 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 Cantemerle is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. It offers plenty of blackberry and raspberry fruit on the nose, not the best defined that I encountered among the Haut-Médocs,... Read More
Almost entirely Grenache from les Bédines, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Safres delivers ripe black-cherry fruit and is remarkably silky and full-bodied on the mid-palate, then turns more firmly tannic and dusty on the finish.... Read More
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Clos du Clocher bursts from the glass with bold blueberry preserves, Christmas cake and baked plums scents plus nuances of raspberry leaves, unsmoked cigar and tapenade. Medium to... Read More
Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the deep purple-black colored 2018 Clos du Clocher slips sensuously out of the glass with kirsch, black cherry compote and preserved plums scents with hints of Chinese five spice,... Read More
I tasted two bottles of the Coutet 2001. The first had a distinct, rather pungent aniseed element on the nose and a slight bitterness on the palate. Calling for a second example, this is much more representative. Here is a typical... Read More
Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. The 2011 Château Coutet has a distinctive but attractive bouquet: clear honey, rosewater, peach and just a touch of barley sugar that pins it down to Barsac. The palate is... Read More
Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. The 2011 Château Coutet has a distinctive but attractive bouquet: clear honey, rosewater, peach and just a touch of barley sugar that pins it down to Barsac. The palate is... Read More
The 2016 La Dame de Montrose is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up cassis, earth, tilled soil, truffles and chocolate-covered cherries on the nose. Medium-bodied, the palate is firm, elegant and restrained with a mineral... Read More
Composed of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot, the 2015 Seventeen Forty Reserve has a very expressive dark berries, blueberries, mocha and cedar-laced nose with a touch of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers... Read More
The 2017 Domaine de Cambes is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with very pretty notes of kirsch, warm plums and black raspberries with hints of roses, cinnamon stick and tobacco. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm... Read More
As suggested in previous reports, Fleur-Cardinale has become a seriously run estate under the new owners, Dominique and Florence Decoster. The vineyard consists of 45 acres planted (in rich clay/limestone soils) with 70% Merlot,... Read More
The 2016 Gloria is comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot aged 14 months in 42% new and 58% one-year-old French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of plum preserves, warm... Read More
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Grand Mayne features scents of warm black and red plums, boysenberries and fragrant earth plus wafts of cedar, unsmoked cigars and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate has a rugged, chewy... Read More
The 2018 Grand Mayne is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up a nose of baked blackberries, prunes and raisin cake with touches of dusty soil, sautéed herbs and fungi. Full and concentrated, with a firm, chewy texture, it delivers... Read More
The 2011 Minervois Les Carretals is more up-front and supple than the 2012 and reveals perfumed, complex notes of purple fruits, liquid violets, licorice, and leather. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and focused, with impressive... Read More
My favorite of the 2012s, the 2012 Minervois Les Carretals (named after the vineyard where it comes from) offers deep, layered aromas and flavors of cassis and crunchy dark fruits, licorice, vanilla bean and searing minerality.... Read More
Primarily Carignan planted in 1909, the 2016 Minervois Les Carretals aged entirely in barrel. Boasting classy aromas of crushed stone, vanilla and baking spices, it is medium to full-bodied on the palate and finishes crisp and... Read More
Probably the finest Haut-Bages Liberal since the 1982, this beautifully rich wine has an inky purple color, a big, sweet kiss of creme de cassis, incense, some background spicy oak and forest floor. Its gorgeous fruit, full-bodied... Read More
Now that it is in bottle, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits dark-fruit aromas of plums and blackberries, plus notes of cola, dried spices and licorice. It's medium to full-bodied, lacking a bit of richness on the mid-palate,... 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