The 2019 Lacoste-Borie was impressive as a barrel sample sent to my home last spring. Now in bottle, it has a vivacious, quite floral, almost Margaux-like bouquet that bursts from the glass, featuring raspberry, rooibos and black... Read More
Blackberries, dark cherries, hazelnuts, chocolate and cigar box on the nose. Medium-bodied with polished tannins. Round, textured and creamy. Drink after 2023.
Deep ruby-purple, the 2019 Gibson Block Syrah has a core of cassis and soaring violet perfume with accents of coffee beans, dark chocolate, aniseed and mint. The full-bodied palate is powerful and concentrated with broody, iron-laced... Read More
Notes of cherries and dried cranberries with spiced and earthy undertones. Some citrus peel, too. Medium-bodied, juicy and mouthwatering with fine tannins and a polished finish. A bit fluid at the end. Drink now.
The 2019 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County brings more up-front fruit, with lots of ripe framboise and strawberry notes as well as flowers and spice. Pure, up-front, wonderfully balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has nicely... Read More
This is very floral with lilacs and rosemary flowers, as well as currants and blackberries. It’s medium-bodied with firm, juicy tannins and savory sensibility. Give it time to open, but very well done for the vintage from... Read More
The 2019 Suduiraut is absolutely stunning. Rich, heady and explosive, but in the vibrant style that marks the wines of today, Suduiraut is a real head-turner. An exotic melange of apricot jam, orange confit, spice, candied ginger... Read More
This is a second label for Owen Roe that delivers a lot of quality and value. Aromas of freshly brewed coffee, plum and whole tangerine are followed by flavors that are defter and more elegant than the aromas might suggest. SEAN... Read More
Silky, elegant and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 Gattinara Il Putto is seriously impressive. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Soaring aromatics meld into a core of bright, red-toned fruit. Medium in body, yet deep and... Read More
The most powerful wine in the cellar is the 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes, a rich, muscular cuvée that offers up notes of plums, cherries, orange rind, spices and burning embers. Full-bodied, ample and muscular,... Read More
Once again, the amphore demonstrates its advantages in very ripe vintages as the nose is appealingly fresh with an even spicier array of plum, violet, anise and cinnamon scents. The delicious middle weight flavors possess a gorgeous... Read More
With its combination of flinty brightness and candied-citrus richness, this sophisticated chardonnay is just beginning to open up. Only medium-bodied with finely delineated contours and a tantalizing finish that pulls you back... Read More
The nose makes you think that you must be on the right bank in Bordeaux, but who makes a wine this good there with so little oak? Nobody. Then comes the wonderfully velvety palate that’s generous, yet still only medium-bodied.... Read More
The 2019 vintage was a little unpredictable, with 26 passes in the vineyard between late February and late April to determine optimal ripeness. Each pass was separately vinified, some for zing, others for a more raisin-like profile,... Read More
From the vaunted producer, this soft, approachable wine is supple and plush in its youth, ready to unfurl on the palate in baked plum and dark cherry. Baking spice and toasted oak add to the length and grace.
