A shy nose on this wine reveals little besides limestone creaminess. On the palate, supermellow roundness descends like a cloud of creaminess on the palate where lemony freshness sends gentle, bright highlights. The finish is... 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
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
This is a beautifully balanced red with blackberries, some plums and chocolate and hazelnut. Full and tight with polished and refined tannins. So very fine-textured finish. Savory. Persistent. 75 per cent merlot, the rest cabernet... Read More
Blended of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot aging in 60% new barriques, the 2018 Haut Batailley is very deep purple-black in color and takes some coaxing to reveal profound notes of dark chocolate, crème de cassis,... Read More
The vineyards surrounding the 12th-century castle have produced this rich and densely structured wine. Powerful tannins give a smoky character to the ripe, black-plum fruits. It definitely needs aging, so drink from 2026.... Read More
Beautifully textured and rich in blackcurrant flavors and tannins, this is a generous wine. The fruits and the dusty tannins partner each other well giving structure, concentration, a sense of poise and final freshness. Drink... Read More
Intense aromas of dried mushrooms, dried apricots, hazelnuts and citrus skin. Medium to full body with density and beauty. Flows across the palate with beauty and interest. I like the salted caramel and dried fruit at the finish.... Read More
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino turns out beautiful results if you choose to drink the wine now, or if you opt to age it a little longer. It offers immediate intensity and complexity with a prelude of red and purple berry fruits... Read More
The Nunzinate brothers, Mario and Cesare planted Vigneto Le Rogaie about two decades ago. They could have extended it another 100 metres but didn’t because the soil in that section was slightly more acidic and not hospitable... Read More
Vines from La Brûlade, the highest point in Bandol at 1,200 feet, make this rich and dense wine. Perfumed and still packed with dark tannins to nourish the juicy black fruits, it is structured and concentrated. Drink from... Read More
The 2018 Syrah Haley is a stunning Syrah from 25-year-old vines in the Rockpile vineyard (2,010 feet elevation) made with 40% whole cluster and aged 18 months in 80% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple, it is deeply scented with... Read More
Aromas of currants, walnuts and blackberries follow through to a full-bodied palate with fine, chewy tannins and a linear finish. Shows polish and beautiful length. Lovely second wine.
There are 15 barrels of the 2018 Estate Cuvee, which is a blend of 63% Zinfandel, 27% Syrah, and the balance Petite Sirah. More closed aromatically and dark, dense, and meaty (no doubt due to the Syrah and Petite Sirah), it slowly... Read More
