Because the Vecchie Vigne was not made in 2022, fruit from the old vines was directed to this wine instead. The Paitin 2022 Barbaresco Serraboella Sorì Paitin is a beautiful wine with dark elements of graphite, dusty root,... Read More

A bigger, richer wine, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes has a similar style in its peppery garrigue, lavender, scorched earth, and licorice aromatics. It’s slightly darker fruited than the base cuvée... Read More

Régnard, one of the oldest and most prestigious houses in Chablis, was founded by Zéphir Régnard in 1860.
In 1984, Baron Patrick de Ladoucette purchased Régnard and has perpetuated the style and tradition... Read More

Deeply brooding, refined aromas of blackcurrants, bitter chocolate, blood plums, dark cherries, cedar and coffee beans. The palate is full-bodied with firmly framed tannins and bright acidity that lead into a structured yet silky-smooth... Read More

Note: from 7 different lieux-dits. A distinctly earthier and much more sauvage-suffused nose is comprised by notes of plum and various wild red berries. There is impressive density and volume to the medium-bodied flavors that... Read More

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill Vineyard is one of the most potent vintages of this wine I can remember tasting. Dense and textured, the 2021 shows ample dark fruit and complex earthy/savory undertones that add balance.... Read More

I was able to taste the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino three times for this report, and it’s one of the great wines of the vintage. It takes on a bit more muscular style for the Poggio di Sotto estate, but it retains the DNA... Read More

Acquired in 2017, the Buiano vineyard, with 51 hectares under vine and surrounded by green oak forests, lies at an average of 300m above sea level. The soils are a mix of clay-limestone and loose sand. The red clay retains not... Read More

The nose is attractive, with watermelon, leafy lightness, fresh violets and strawberry fruit. The palate is savory and graceful, with a full body, velvety tannins soaked in peach fruit, juicy acidity and a polished aftertaste.... Read More

No Renaissance was produced in this vintage. Reminding me of the 2017, the 2022 Cornas reveals gorgeous red and black fruits, violets, bouquet garni, and gamey, iron-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine... Read More

Extremely perfumed, with aromas of plums, berries, flowers and citrus. Medium-bodied with dusty tannins and mineral, dark-fruit and dried-earth flavor. Creamy finish.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Zotovich Vineyard is one of the most ethereal wines in the range. Kirsch, dried red cherry fruit, orange peel, cinnamon and pine give the 2021 a bright upper register of aromatics. Delicate and sensual, the... Read More

The 2021 Chardonnay Zotovich is bright and focused, with terrific depth and tons of character. Savory and mineral notes are pushed forward, while the fruit is more in the background. Citrus peel, dried flowers, herbs, mint, sage... Read More

I loved the 2021 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, which is up with the best in the lineup. Ripe red fruits (cherries, strawberries, mulberries) as well as some spice and pretty floral notes emerge on the nose, and it hits... Read More

The 2019 Barolo Sperss is rich with dark mineral earth, black cherry, and Earl Grey tea. Long and mouthwatering, it has a powerful structure while retaining finesse. It is fantastically balanced, with gripping tannins, fresh acidity,... Read More

Bold and muscular, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Slope comes from the Immortal Estate Vineyard, which sits on the red volcanic soils on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas mountains. Including 2% Petit Verdot and pouring an opaque... Read More

Blended with 10% Petit Verdot for complexity, our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases exceptional sites across the Valley, including fruit from Stags Leap and Diamond Mountain, in addition to other heritage vineyard sources.... Read More

The 2023 Pinot Noir Bergström Vineyard displays a deep, jeweled ruby/magenta hue and has a more introspective profile. Notes of leather, sanguine, iron-rich earth, and cherry liqueur unfold from the glass. While it carries... Read More

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vaso is gorgeous. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry fruit and spice are all beautifully lifted. This mid-weight, nuanced Cabernet is all class. Best of all, the 2021 will be a joy to drink young. A... Read More

A fresh and fragrant cabernet with violets and dark rose-like floras, cassis and blueberries. There is also a decent serving of spicy oak in the mix. The palate is smoothly arranged on sheets of formidably strong tannins, which... Read More

This is a fabulously electric wine, bursting with exotic richness—pear, apple, and apricot layered with white pepper and an exceptional savoury depth of subtle white truffle and charcuterie. Bracing acidity drives its tension,... Read More

A deep ruby/magenta color, the 2022 Il Pino Di Biserno starts to show more mineral-inflected notes of graphite, preserved strawberries, blackberries, cocoa, and sweet herbs. Full-bodied, the palate expands with ripe tannins, even... Read More

The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Randle Hill Vineyard shows a more floral side of Sauvignon Blanc. This site at elevation yielded a gorgeous, wonderfully nuanced Sauvignon Blanc that is long on character. This is very much a wine of place.... Read More

A delicious, layered, chocolate- and cherry-scented wine that entices you from the first sniff and pulls you through a rich palate and a lingering finish. So luscious, balanced, vivid and deep, showing the silky tannins and cool... Read More

Subtle and complex with blackberries, violets, lilacs, roses and hints of ink. So floral, yet subtle on the nose. Full-bodied with incredible polish and beauty, the silky tannins running the length of the wine and going on and... Read More

Depths of black cherry, plum sauce, sage and clove are grounded by animal musk as the 2019 NeroBaronj smolders up from the glass. It flows across the palate like pure silk, refined and seamless in feel, with ripe wild berry fruits... Read More

A blend of crushed plums, rose petals, lavender and Violette pastille creates a deeply seductive bouquet as the 2019 NeroSanloré blossoms in the glass. This is a model of grace and elegance with silky textures, vividly... Read More

Dark and earthy in the glass, the 2019 NeroBufaleffj opens with a burst of crushed ashen stones and earth tones before giving way to dusty black currants and blood orange. It's deeply textural, with silken waves of ripe red... Read More

A blend of 88% Sauvignon Blanc and 12% Sémillon, Clos du Val's 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is partially barrel fermented, with the balance made in stainless steel. A hint of boxwood joins pink grapefruit and nectarine notes... Read More

Spottswoode's 2024 Sauvignon Blanc draws fruit from both Sonoma (57%) and Napa (43%), incorporating 6% Sémillon as well. Fermented and matured in a mix of new and used French oak, stainless steel and other vessels (amphora,... Read More

Also from Yamhill-Carlton, the 2022 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard pours a shade deeper ruby color and is smoky and spiced with ripe cherries, incense, nutmeg, and toasted pine. It saturates the palate with a medium-bodied frame, ripe... Read More

A firm and beautiful Barolo with dark strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and stone. Medium body. Fine and chewy tannins that show tension and give focus. A little chewy but it has great energy. Best after 2028.

On the slopes of Côte de Brouilly, this 100% Cotton reveals the true character of Gamay, offering a bright, fruit-forward profile with subtle depth. Fresh raspberries and strawberries lead the charge, while delicate spice... Read More

A great Cheval Blanc that stands up to the potential that I found during en primeur. Extremely restrained and classic in its construction, shot through with points of mint, liquorice, raspberry and eucalyptus. The fresh aromatics... Read More

Floral and dark-fruited aromas of black cherries, potpourri, licorice, blood oranges and fresh plums. The palate is mineral-driven and tactile, with fine-grained tannins, focused acidity and a chalky mouthfeel. Flavors of graphite,... Read More

Practicing organic
100% Pinot Noir
From a 1 ha parcel in “Les Combes”, a lieu-dit that is at the bottom of the Corton slope, directly adjacent to Corton “Les Chaumes”
Planted in 1942
Grown on clay and limestone... Read More

Quite dense in the glass, this blend of 40% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre, 12% Grenache, 9% Graciano, 8% Tempranillo and 7% Carignan shows concentrated aromas of blackberry, black pepper and uplifting violet on the nose. The palate... Read More

Composed of 40% Merlot and 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Howell Mountain Hillside Blend is a barrel sample with a deep garnet-purple color. A little closed to begin, it soon unfurls to offer glimpses of blackcurrant cordial,... Read More

Their single-vineyard 2022 Clos Mogador, they flagship wine, was produced with a blend of grapes, mostly Garnacha and Cariñena but also some Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (less and less, as they are regrafting most of them).... Read More

Black fruit coulis, intense spice aromas and some smoke on the nose. Powerful and robust in the best possible way, the tannins are remarkably polished for a Rhone red with stacks of mourvedre in it. Very compact core, but also... Read More

I Custodi Aetneus Etna Rosso is a ruby red color. Ethereal, intense, ripe fruit, and tobacco aromas. Elegant, harmonious, remarkably persistent on the palate, and rightly tannic.

The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, spice and... Read More

Tasting note: Slightly more prominent wood sets off slightly riper aromas of white orchard fruit, floral wisps and a similar hint of lemon zest. There is even better volume to the less refined medium weight flavors that also terminate... Read More

The 2022 PSI hails from the Sorian side of Ribera del Duero. Ripe plum, cherry and herbal aromas mingle with a balsamic touch, soft cedar and a hint of prune. The palate is juicy and creamy in texture, defined by firm, fine-grained... Read More

The wine is tightly coiled and concentrated. It feels almost cinched at the waist, with a fascinating tension between the weight of raspberry, blackberry and strawberry coulis fruit and the wine's verticality, as if it's... Read More

Lovely dark red fruits on the nose, a gorgeous sultry florality to it, something a little bit savoury too, pencil led and smoke - extremely welcoming. Great succulence on the palate, juicy and alive, really fresh with the charm... Read More

The 2020 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique has a similar celery/vegetal nuance, and although it’s more integrated, it's still a head scratcher. A blend of 40% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with the balance... Read More

The 2021 Barolo Bussia is an absolute delight. Aromatic, graceful and light on its feet, the 2021 is pure seduction. Pine, mint, cloves, new leather, licorice, wild cherry and sage are some of the many notes that are laced together... Read More

Released in numbered bottles (which could explain the high price tag), the Michele Satta 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Marianova is a blend of equal parts Syrah and Sangiovese (aged in barrique and amphorae). It delivers medium-plus... Read More

While I'm not sure of the blend, I suspect the 2021 Double Lucky is mostly Grenache with a mix of other varieties. It has a beautiful kirsch and darker berry-driven profile revealing gorgeous spring flower, iron, rose, and... Read More

This bottling marks the 50th Lytton Springs from Ridge, and appropriately, the wine is beguiling and intense—pure Americana and emblematic of Ridge's commitment to the heritage varieties and vines in California. Lytton... Read More

This is both deep in color and on the nose with plenty of wood spices, dark walnuts, black cherries, peppercorn, licorice, bark and dark mushrooms. Supple entry, but the oak tannins and the intense, juicy fruit quickly take over,... Read More

I was able to taste three wines from Domaine Santa Duc. Starting with the 2020 Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits, which spent 18 months in 36-hectoliter Stockinger foudres, it has a floral, elegant, medium-bodied profile as well as lots... Read More

The 2019 Pym-Rae is made up of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, all aged in a combination of 45% new French oak barriques and small (260-gallon) concrete tanks. Impressively ripe and concentrated, it offers... Read More

Usually a benchmark for the appellation, Droin's Chablis has a lot more density and concentration than the Petit Chablis. More structure and minerality here. Will be very good and a classic example.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reliquus comes from a blend of Grace Family and Cornelius Grove and is intended to be a more accessible expression from this team. It’s a stunning wine that brings beautiful depth and richness... Read More

The refined, delicious and caressing middleweight flavors possess very good punch on the firm, balanced, moderately dry and bitter lemon-inflected finish. This markedly stony effort is also quite good and worth considering. *Sweet... Read More

This wine presents the eye with a magenta hue and a vibrant ruby red rim. The
nose offers up an inviting bouquet of ripe red cherry, damp earth, and nuances of
fresh violet. The palate is elegantly structured, with harmonious... Read More

This is very spicy and intense, yet with subtle toasted oak and gorgeous fruit. Perfumed. Full-bodied and very layered with incredible fruit and length. So much spice at the finish. Wonderful length. So typical of wines from 20... Read More

Not only is Wombat Creek the vineyard with the highest elevation in the collection (100 meters up the hill from Applejack, circa 400 meters elevation), it is also the most southerly. Planted to the I10V1 clone, this is an interesting... Read More

Sexton Vineyard is planted on shallow gray dirt over mudstone. The elevation is 220 meters and shows the magic of a warmer part of the Yarra in a relatively cool year. Plum skin, chinotto, fig, blueberries and exotic spices form... Read More

The Applejack Vineyard is planted across the hill, at the same altitude as the Primavera Vineyard on gray clay over mudstone, and picked within a few days of that site. The 2021 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir included 50% whole... Read More

An incredibly impressive wine in 2022 shaping up to be the wine of the vintage not only as it seems to defy the hot and dry conditions in every way but delivers such confidence and charm it makes it hard to resist. Gorgeous aromatic... Read More

One of my favorite wines at this address, the 2022 Les Hauts-Lieux, derives from vines planted on a cooler, higher elevation on calcareous soils. These grapes, including more Mourvèdre (20%), are picked 15 days later than... Read More

Good sense of vibrancy, very much on the red fruit. Full but not massive, good acidity and sense of freshness. The tannins are quite chewy and fairly robust, so give this time. Lots of energy on the long finish, it’s well... Read More

Such a beautifully balanced wine with tremendous staying power and expressive Stags Leap ironstone minerality with heady sagebrush and conifer notes with white pepper and walnut husk. The wine has an impressive depth of red-toned... Read More

Smoky floral and essence of pear aromas are trimmed in discreet spice and citrus wisps. There is better mid-palate density to the vibrant and attractively textured medium-bodied flavors that possess slightly better depth and persistence... Read More

Looking at the reds, the 2020 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion is flat-out stunning and unquestionably a great wine in its own right. Cassis, black raspberries, tobacco, and sandalwood are just some of its nuances, and it's... Read More

The 2021 Rosso Di Montalcino was bottled in 2023 and is going to be released in May or June of 2025. Taking on a bit more pigment in this vintage and pouring a ruby/red color, it opens to aromas of darker berries, ripe black cherries,... Read More

Excellent vibrancy here, with just a bit more mid-palate density than in 2018. Exciting tension, power and ripe red fruit leading to a salivating and long finish. Although young, try with garlic-infused, roasted leg of lamb.... Read More

When young, Carbonnieux white wines are delightfully refreshing and pure with a fruity, floral intensity. When mature they develop hints of dried and candied fruits giving scope for a large range of gastronomic pairings. The batches... Read More

Fabio and Claire Gazeau-Montrasi direct this 6 ha domaine perched high above the village of Fuissé. Fabio Gazeau told me that 2022 definitely easier to manage than either 2020 or 2021 though this isn't to say that there... Read More

With high expectations that this will be classified at the next round in 2022, and the new winery by Sir Norman Foster nearly completed, it's fair to say that this is a good moment for Le Dôme. The high Cabernet Franc... Read More

Bottled in late-March 2024, Biondi Santi’s latest Brunello is built solidly on classic lines. Captivatingly austere, it hints at pomegranate and tea leaf to begin, with balsamic rosemary and sage blossom taking hold as it... Read More