A blend of 60% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and smaller amounts of Clairette Rose, Counoise, Terre Noir and Vaccarèse, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Alchimie is a strong effort. Black cherries, black olives... Read More
Saturated ruby-red. An expansive bouquet evokes ripe, spice-tinged red and dark berry, garrigue, potpourri and incense qualities and a smoky mineral topnote. Stains the palate with concentrated Chambord, cherry-cola, candied lavender... Read More
Starting with the classic cuvée, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is 78% Grenache, 14% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre. This sexy, medium to full-bodied effort has a great nose of black raspberries, mulled strawberries,... Read More
The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Eternelle is pure Grenache from the sandy-safre soils of La Gardiole, vinified and matured exclusively in stainless steel. As befits an all-Grenache cuvée, it's perfumed and rose-like on... Read More
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is terrific, offering classic darker berry fruits as well as peppery garrigue and sappy flower notes. As with the Boisrenard release, this has plenty of tannins and structure, but it’s... Read More
Not as rich or concentrated as I was expecting, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes still delivers ample layers of dark fruit, hints of cola, mint and spice elements. It's full-bodied, silky and long, but it looks... Read More
Including slightly more Mourvèdre and from a cooler, higher elevation terroir, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux has more cassis, game, peppery herbs, and olive notes, as well as the classic violets and... Read More
The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve comes from a single terroir (which is closest to the Les Trois Sources terroir) and is always a tiny production cuvée that’s just about impossible to find in the market.... Read More
The 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Lieu-Dit Clavin is a pretty, elegant, medium-bodied effort that shows the classy style of this estate. More blue fruits, cherries, licorice, and peppery notes define the nose, and it has fine... Read More
A core of pure kirsch and raspberry coulis flavors streams throughout, picking up hints of blood orange, incense, rooibos tea and shiso leaf along the way. Layered and long but remarkably silky, with the fruit glistening through... Read More
Saturated ruby. Assertively perfumed, mineral-tinged red berry, cherry, lavender and incense scents show outstanding clarity and spicy lift. Concentrated yet lively black raspberry, cherry-cola, succulent herb and floral pastille... Read More
Seductive and expressive, with a firming layer of bitter almond, citrus pith and mineral notes buoying a ripe mix of melon, yellow plum and peach flavors. Big in stature, with remarkable density and saltiness, this hums through... Read More
The tank-aged 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Bel Ami is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, and 10% Cinsault. Floral and mocha notes combine on the nose, while the concentrated fruit marries raspberries, black-skinned... Read More
Seductive and pure, with glossy boysenberry and red currant gliding through the round palate. Reveals graphite that lines the palate, with dried thyme and lavender adding lift. This is powered by snappy acidity, which keeps this... Read More
Ripe and juicy, this pushes a wave of raspberry and plum purée flavors to the fore, while red licorice, sweet tobacco and singed juniper hints peek through before blooming on the finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre... Read More
The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape La Muse features a knockout nose of cherries and garrigue, followed by ripe, nearly chocolaty flavors. It's full-bodied and plush, with a long, velvety finish. Drink this full-throttle wine over... Read More
A glossy stream of bitter cherry and plum puree notes is augmented by smoked apple wood and rooibos tea–laced tannins that hold firm. White pepper and smoked meat notes hang in the backdrop. This is broad and mineral-rich,... Read More
More in the mold of the 2014, the 2021 Hermitage is a ripe, polished, beautifully balanced Hermitage that doesn't have the depth and concentration of a great vintage, yet shines for its elegance, balance, and overall sense... Read More
The 2021s here are certainly strong wines in the vintage. The 2021 Saint Joseph is a healthy dense ruby/purple hue and offers textbook Saint Joseph aromas and flavors of black fruit (there's a hint of red fruit as well), graphite,... Read More
The 2020 Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche (Domaine) comes from a parcel planted equally to Marsanne and Roussanne and was aged in a mix of concrete eggs (two-thirds) and oak barrels (one-third). It boasts a toasty, leesy nose backed... Read More
As with the 2018, the Marsanne-dominated 2019 Hermitage Le Chevalier De Sterimberg Blanc includes 30% Roussanne. Lots of buttered citrus, toasted bread, white flowers, and a touch of pineapple all emerge from this young, unevolved,... Read More
Very expressive, with seductive, gently mulled plum, raspberry and blackberry fruit flavors seamlessly layered together, while hints of black tea, singed anise, apple wood, incense and warm earth filter through on the finish.... Read More
Very refined, with silky and fine-grained structure carrying alluring bergamot, rooibos tea, incense, dried cherry and lightly mulled raspberry notes along. A long sanguine thread weaves through the finish. Hard to resist now... Read More
Based mostly on Clairette and Grenache Blanc, brought up in tank, the 2021 Côtes du Rhône Lieu-Dit Clavin Blanc is a beauty offering lots of orange blossom, acacia flower, and spicy notes in a medium-bodied, balanced,... Read More