Giving up zingy lemon zest and grapefruit notes with layer upon layer of chalk dust, marzipan, honeyed brioche and ginger plus a touch of coriander seed, the 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL has a full-bodied powerhouse of a palate that... Read More
Aubert's 2011 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is easily the most refined of the wines in this range of Pinots. Intensely perfumed and layered - but not at all heavy - the UV-SL has all its elements in perfect balance. Savory herbs,... Read More
The tightest of the three Pinot Noirs, was the 2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL. This Pinot Noir, made from equal parts Calera and a Vosne-Romanée clone, shows terrific fruit intensity, slightly higher acids and more tannin in a more backward... Read More
One of the handful of candidates for wine of the vintage is the 2006 Ausone. In fact, while tasting it, I was thinking, is there any estate in Bordeaux that, since 1998, has made as many legendary wines as proprietor Alain Vauthier... Read More
One of the handful of candidates for wine of the vintage is the 2006 Ausone. In fact, while tasting it, I was thinking, is there any estate in Bordeaux that, since 1998, has made as many legendary wines as proprietor Alain Vauthier... Read More
The 2007 Ausone is a candidate for one of the wines of the vintage, rivaling Pavie and Lafite Rothschild. Its deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by a beautiful nose of spring flowers, raspberries, black currants, and crushed... Read More
Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Bouilland. The 2013 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes has quite an opulent bouquet, very "Charmes" in style you could say, with ample white peach, apricot and nectarine scents on the nose.... Read More
Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Bouilland. The 2013 Meursault 1er Cru les Perrières was showing a faint reduction on the nose, but underneath there is a fine Perrieres here, sea spray and hazelnut notes beginning... 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
Two great back to back vintages are the 1990 and 1989. The more developed 1990 boasts an incredible perfume of hickory wood, coffee, smoked meat, Asian spices, black cherries, and blackberries. Lush, opulent, and full-bodied,... Read More
The 1994 seems less successful than my early tastings indicated. The high percentage of Mourvedre (40% versus the normal 30%) has given it an earthy, leathery character with hints of mushrooms and tree bark. Although dense and... Read More
The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape offers a profoundly sweet perfume of melted licorice, blackberries, and black cherries backed up by loads of glycerin, full body, and moderately high but sweet, well-integrated... Read More
The 2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape turned out as well as I could have hoped and is certainly an outstanding wine, deep ruby/purple with a tight but promising nose of black fruits, loamy, earthy notes intermixed with pepper,... Read More
The 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape is a beauty and has a rare level of concentration and depth in the vintage. Blueberry, crushed flowers, pepper, and violet aromas and flavors flow nicely to a medium to full-bodied, structured and... Read More
While no one will confuse the 2005 with this estate's prodigious 1990, it is an outstanding effort from one of St.-Emilion's finest terroirs. In terms of potential, the vineyard is exceeded only by Ausone, Pavie and Belair... Read More
The 2014 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) was an intriguing and quite mercurial Saint Emilion when I tasted it from barrel. Now in bottle, it has developed a quite compelling bouquet, very pure with black cherries, iodine, potpourri... Read More
The 2015 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is a blend of 90% Merlot picked between 25 September and 5 October, 10% Cabernet Franc picked on 5 and 12 October. It was cropped at 34 hl/ha. It has a very intense, quite opulent bouquet,... Read More
The 2015 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is a blend of 90% Merlot picked between 25 September and 5 October, 10% Cabernet Franc picked on 5 and 12 October. It was cropped at 34 hl/ha. It has a very intense, quite opulent bouquet,... Read More
This was the breakthrough vintage for this fabulous terroir that had been under-exploited for so many years. A collaboration between Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt, this medium to full-bodied, pure blend of 80% Merlot... Read More
This is a wine that I appear to have badly misjudged when tasting out of barrel. I had the bottled 26 Bellevue several times, and it was consistently hard, austere, and lean. Generally I love what this great terroir, surrounded... Read More
This tiny, 5-acre vineyard with nearly 50-year old vines produces only 4,000 bottles from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The broodingly tannic, backward 2006 is remarkably concentrated, pure, and deep. It is an... Read More
Very little wine is produced (about 400 cases) from this tiny 5-acre vineyard, but it is always among the most concentrated and richest of Bordeaux. The inky/purple-colored 2007 offers sweet cassis fruit notes interwoven with... Read More
The 1987 Reserve is a worthy competitor to the terrific 1986. The 1987's dark ruby/garnet color is followed by a super bouquet. There are huge aromas of chocolate, spicy new oak, herbs, cassis and tobacco in this beautifully... Read More
Production: 14,700 cases; Alcohol: 14.46%; Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc; Harvest Dates: September 9 to October 6 Made from a blend of fruit from four vineyards, Bancroft Ranch (57%), State Lane (now known... Read More
Production: 14,700 cases; Alcohol: 14.46%; Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc; Harvest Dates: September 9 to October 6 Made from a blend of fruit from four vineyards, Bancroft Ranch (57%), State Lane (now known... Read More