A deep and really complex Echezeaux with a ton of forest berries, very polished tannins and wonderful sweetness that grows at the back of the palate. Very long and complex finish with a lot of herbal and mineral complexity. Very... Read More
The attractive red-beet and milk-chocolate nose leads you into a full-bodied, tannic wine that’s built for long aging. Plenty of ripe plum on the very bold, almost massive palate. Expands nicely as it aerates, but you need... Read More
The 2019 EABA (end all be all) is a blend of 61% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre, 13% Grenache and 2% Viognier and was made with 65% whole clusters. Fruit comes from several vineyards in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties,... Read More
The 2019 Grenache is blended with 11% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah and 4% Graciano and was made using 65% whole clusters. Fruit comes from the Slide Hill Vineyard in Edna Valley, and the Alta Mesa Vineyard, Larner Vineyard and Harrison-Clarke... Read More
This is a very beautiful red with currant and berry character. Very fine and polished tannins, too. The impact is just so polished and focused. Linear and exciting. A barrel sample but should be great.
This is the best vintage of Ao Yun to date and also the highest-scoring Chinese wine I have ever reviewed. It, therefore, requires a more detailed account to understand why. The 2019 Ao Yun is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon,... Read More
The Bodega Contador was founded in 1995 when Benjamin Romeo, winemaker and grower, acquired a centuries old cave beneath the Castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra (Rioja). In 1996 he made the first vintage of his “La Cueva... Read More
Bernard Magrez's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. It is made in a much more restrained style than the wines of the past. There is plenty of natural Napa Valley richness, but not the heaviness that marked some earlier vintages.... Read More
Another brilliant value that readers will love, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Silencieux,is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot, all of which spent 22 months in 50% new oak. This medium to full-bodied,... Read More
Like the majority of these wines, the percentage of wine in concrete that didn't see any oak in the 2020 Treinta y Dos has been increased to 50%, and the remaining 50% matured in French oak barrels (only 10% new) for nine... Read More
The 2018 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has closed down a touch on the nose, eventually revealing red fruit, violet petals and a light oyster shell note. Fine delineation and superb focus. The palate is detailed and precise, just a faint... Read More
Leafy herbs, red and blue fruits, tobacco, cedarwood, and iron notes all emerge from the 2020 Camaspelo, another up-front, charming, soft, surprisingly supple red from this team. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine... Read More
Coming all from the En Chamberlin Vineyard and all Tempranillo, I've often wondered if the Impulsivo release was the best wine of the estate, and it certainly is in some vintages. The 2019 Impulsivo boasts a deep ruby/plum... Read More
The level of precision in the cellar at Angélus is always impressive, but they have taken it to new levels in recent years. Parts of the harvest undergo cold soak, plots are vinified at different temperatures, and undergo... Read More
The 2019 Calon Ségur is a wine of soaring vertical intensity and pure power. That's the good news. The not so good news is that it won't be ready to drink any time soon. Exotic spice, pencil shavings, crème... Read More
The 2019 Figeac is without question one of the wines of the vintage. All the promise it showed as a young barrel sample, is all there in bottle, too. Estate Director Frédéric Faye crafted a towering, statuesque Figeac... Read More
As to the Grand Vin 2019 Château Pape Clement, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with stunning aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencils shavings, scorched earth, and tobacco. Beautifully balanced, with... Read More
The 2019 Château Quintus is brilliant and does everything right in the vintage. Loaded with ripe red and black cherry fruits as well as notes of white truffle, leafy herbs, baking spices, and tobacco, it hits the palate... Read More
A generous array of ripe black and blue fruit with pink peppercorns, green olives, dried flowers, toffee and chocolate orange. It’s full-bodied with firm, creamy and velvety tannins. Long and polished. Lovely salted caramel... Read More
Intense and heady nose of black fruit, black truffles, peppered meat, mahogany, mocha and grilled herbs. Some burnt caramel, too. It’s full-bodied with a rich, plush and creamy palate. So much to offer. Velvety, polished... Read More
From a vineyard between Furstentum and Mambourg and aged in barrels for 14 months and bottled in late December 2020, the 2019 Pinot Noir Les Saintes Claires is intense but delicate on the finely spicy and chalky nose with intense... Read More
Moderately generous wood influence is present on the ripe yet decidedly cool aromas of both red and dark currant that are nuanced by earth and sauvage nuances. There is very good detail to the refined but solidly punchy medium-bodied... Read More
Pretty if restrained aromas are comprised by notes of red and dark currant, newly turned earth, orange peel and a vague floral wisp. There is excellent detail and vibrancy to the delicious if not especially dense flavors that... Read More
A mentholated top note is present on the even spicier and slightly more floral-suffused aromas of airy dark berries, sandalwood and jasmine tea. The lacy, even lilting, flavors also exude a subtle bead of minerality on the nicely... Read More