Ripe and attractively layered notes of exotic tea, anise and hoisin add breadth to the suave, round and very seductively textured middle weight flavors that tighten up noticeably on the dusty, persistent and youthfully austere... Read More

One of the world’s greatest expressions of Grenache year-in and year-out, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all varietal that was brought up in larger foudre. This cuvée comes from the Charbonnieres... Read More

The 2020 Carnasciale is gorgeous. A deeply pitched bouquet leads into a core of dark cherry/plum fruit, leather, spice, menthol, tobacco and espresso. Intensely aromatic and deep on the palate, with fabulous depth, the 2020 is... Read More

Dark chocolate, bramble tones, not overly floral or fruity with some cedar and cinnamon notes. Lovely high acidity straight away, forward, bright and energetic with lovely crunchy blue fruit on the palate but creamy textured tannins... Read More

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Affinity benefits from having been picked before the Glass Fire. Bright red-toned fruit, rose petal, dried flowers and blood orange lend energy to this exotic Napa Valley red from vineyards in Coombsville.... Read More

This is notably ripe but not roasted with its combination of cassis and liqueur-like aromas of plum, black cherry and sauvage hints. There is better freshness on the palate of the delicious, dense and mouth coating middle weight... Read More

A ripe but notably fresher nose speaks of dark cherry, raspberry, anise, violet and a hint of exotic tea. The much finer medium-bodied flavors are also more minerality driven while offers excellent length on the balanced finale.... Read More

Rough but with a big heart, just like my grandfather. Colour intense ruby red. Nose notes of black cherry, plum, raspberry, pomegranate, blueberry, blackberry, violet, chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, and mint.Taste savoury, fresh,... Read More

Once again firm reduction buries the fruit and its nuances. There is excellent volume and mid-palate density to the quite full-bodied flavors that possess almost as refined a texture though the underlying muscle seems more obvious... Read More

I like the distinct pencil lead and graphite character here, with dark plums, bramble, dried herbs and black tea. Medium-bodied with a fine tannin frame. Linear. Restrained, yet excellent varietal expression.

Gentle and delicately aromatic but rich too, full of coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, caramel and medicinal herbs - mint and aniseed with a combination of red, blue and black berry fruits. Lovely density and weight on the palate,... Read More

Brooding and equally reticent aromas are comprised by notes of cool floral, especially violet, dark cherry, spice and enough earth character to mention that continues onto the delicious, succulent and quite suave medium-bodied... Read More

Made from declassified Brunello grapes in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, this Rosso is fresh and fragrant with pristine blackberry scents accompanied by a hint of chocolate. Very spicy on the attack, it features wild black fruits... Read More

Attractive blueberries, brambles and cherries with spiced orange peel and lilac blossom, as well as some smoky dark spices and cocoa. Full, concentrated and very tense, with tightly packed but very polished and fine tannins. Shows... Read More

Very pure and attractive fruit character here with blackberries and blueberries with crushed violets, dark chocolate and savory herbs undertones. Some citrus peel and wet stones, too. Full-bodied with super fine tannins and crunchy... Read More

Composed of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, the 2020 Il Pino di Biserno is fresh and energetic within a rich profile. Offering pure aromas of cassis, tobacco, delicate smoke, and pencil... Read More

Even better than when I tasted it prior to bottling, the 2020 Cotes du Rhone Le Mazet comes from five hectares in Serrignan, next to the Plan de Dieu. A 60-40 blend of Syrah and Grenache, it's plummy and slightly peppery on... Read More

Full and generous on the palate, no lack of fruit or depth here. Powerful and plentiful fine tannins and a great, rising sense of energy and freshness. Impressive, with real finesse and precision - no excess weight, but great... Read More

A much more powerful wine based on 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina reminds me slightly of the 2011 with its spicy, perfumed, complex bouquet of red and black fruits, dried flowers,... Read More

Ripe and fresh aromas combine notes of red and dark raspberry, violet, the sauvage and a hint of newly turned earth. There is excellent richness and mid-palate density to the caressing yet powerful flavors that exude a subtle... Read More

Aromas of black olives, berries, herbs, red beans, sour cherries, and sage follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and plenty of structure. It’s flavorful and intense. Needs time to come together. Best after 2027.... Read More

Appealing graphite and black cherry notes on the aromatics, a little subdued once you hit the palate, elegant, juicy, really needs time in the glass, fennel, those lovely wild herbs that add an extra dimension and kick, has persistency... Read More

So much purity and definition, this is a beautiful wine with clarity of flavour. Touches of grilled almond and rosemary, mocha, smoke and coffee bean, there is so much freshness, with juice rushing in between the muscles and a... Read More

The five lives of Mas de Daumas Gassac Red Wines Laid down in a cool cellar (14°-16°C, 57-60°F) even the oldest can happily wait with no problem for many years. However, being laid down in warmer temperatures will... Read More

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Guigasse is cut from the same cloth, with a big, spicy bouquet of ripe black cherries, Asian spice, Provençal garrigue, and sappy flowers. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has... Read More

Bright ruby in color. The bouquet on the nose is intense, with rich cherry and red berry aromas and leafy undertones. On the palate it is silky, balanced, with medium body, refined tannins and a long flavorful finish of blackberry... Read More

The 2020 Caves Des Lions comes from vines around the winemaker's house and is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc brought up in new oak. Its inky hue is followed by a great nose of chocolatey dark fruits, espresso,... Read More

The 2020 vintage presents an alluring profusion of black cherry, mulberry and Oregon blackberry aromas with notes of leather, cigar box and dark chocolate. Hints of desert sage and crème de menthe accent the rich fruit.... Read More

Saturated dark ruby. Ultra-sexy, juicy, ripe raspberry, with notes of vanilla and toasty oak. Rich, velvety, and an absolutely intense mid-palate weight that is so pleasing. Cocoa, baking spices, and a lengthy, mouthwatering finish... Read More

Dark chocolate, a bit animalistic, so brooding and dark. Sumptuous texture, rich and deep yet vibrant too, this is plush and opulent but there is refinement here, you can feel the sculpting of the fruit and the tannins, there... Read More

Floral and lifted on the nose, dark chocolate, violets and rose petals with sweet strawberries and pomegranates. This has a sticky side, balsamic touches but with herbal edges too. Thrilling with a lovely texture, you get the... Read More

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Colima, a blend from five different vineyards, pours a deep ruby hue and offers pure, layered, red-fruited aromas of fruit punch and framboise along with pine and pencil shaving. The palate reveals... Read More

Another 2020 that's going to demand patience, the 2020 Château Léoville Las Cases is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot that was raised in 80% new French oak. It's... Read More

Full-bodied, generous in fruit and glycerol. The tannins and acidity seem to meld together into a single vertebral column. The alcohol is present, lending sweetness rather than heat. Remarkably elegant for a wine of these dimensions,... Read More

As usual, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes brings more richness and depth without losing any sense of elegance or balance. Blackberries, ground herbs, chalky minerality and loamy earth flow to a ripe, medium... Read More

Deep purple – almost blue – in color, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton offers up an exotic, vibrant, perfumed nose that carries loads of pure cassis fruit interwoven with violets, sappy green herbs, and... Read More

Valpolicella Superiore Case Vecie derives from the vinification of fresh grapes, mainly Corvina and Corvinone. It borrows its name from the homonymous vineyard located in Grezzana - Valpantena, where the ripening of the grapes... Read More

The 2020 Vosne-Romanée Village has a well-defined bouquet with dark cherries, raspberry coulis and rose petal scents, forward yet focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, good acidity, a little savory towards... 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

The 2020 Satyricon bursts from the glass with a spicy mix of dried roses, black currants, camphor and ground ginger. It’s racy and sleek in style, with gobs of saline mineral tones up front that give way to tart blackberry,... Read More

Lastly, the 2020 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is another legendary wine from this château that has been on an incredible run over the past decade. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that was brought up all... Read More

Concentration and intensity to the cassis and bilberry fruits. Well expressed, carefully extracted and there is good balance with a crushed mint freshness on the finish. Really starts to show subtle floral edging with time in... Read More

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The inky hued 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron checks in as a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot that spent 18 months in 70% new barrels. It's a dense, rich, powerful 2020 offering loads of pure cassis... Read More

In the 19th century, it was a common practice of the time to “hermitage” the wines. Bordeaux chateaux would add to their wines a certain quantity of wine from the Rhone - notably from the region of Hermitage –... Read More

This too is intensely floral in character with nuances of rose petal, violet and lavender to the subtle spicy red berry fruit scents. There is both excellent precision and verve to the beautifully textured medium weight flavors... Read More

Rich and concentrated with violet reflections and a wall of tannins. Well structured, it sets its feet deep in the ground and will need time to soften and develop. Good quality with depth. The tannins are far more present than... Read More

Salty and tangy, this has excellent energy and persistence, really driving from start to finish in a straight line, giving expression and nuance. Well delivered, good bitter edges as well as bright and shiny citrus - a real mix... Read More

Packed with kirsch, the 2020 Barbera D'Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone has another gear, noted with lavender and black pepper. On the palate, it has a supple, silky mouthfeel, with blackberry, black cherry, crushed stones, and... Read More

The 2020 Campo di Magnacosta is a wine of depth and gravitas. Dark cherry, lavender, spice, sage and leather fill out the layers. There's terrific breadth and volume here, but also a good bit of tannin that needs time to soften.... Read More

The 2020 Château Trotte Vieille has closed down since I tasted it as a barrel sample in 2021 and needs lots of air, but this is an incredibly gorgeous wine. Its dense purple hue is followed by powerful, inward bouquet of... Read More

The flagship 2020 Cornas is a beauty! Clearly in the same league as recent top vintages, it has a wild bouquet of black and blue fruits, liquid violets, game, and iron, with some incense and spice thrown in for good measure. It's... Read More

I always find the wines of Domaine du Cayron to be singular and exotic, and I love them, but admittedly, they’re not for everyone. Their 2020 Gigondas checks in as 78% Grenache, 14% Syrah, and the rest Cinsault and Mourvèdre... Read More

Tobacco, tar, dark chocolate, floral touches, bitter blood orange, scrubland herbs - so much going on the nose, really aromatic and expressive in a dark, sticky way. Gorgeously lifted and lively, full of bright and crunchy red... Read More

Jacques Devauges keeps each portion of the Clos des Lambrays separate throughout the growing season, winemaking and maturation. The final assemblage of each part, however, is synergistically better than any of the separate sections,... Read More

A burst of bright cherries, raspberries, and blood orange emerge from this stunning Pinot Noir. Medium-bodied with a mineral tension to balance the fur-fruited aroma and flavors that announces its status as a top-level red Burgundy.... 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

A discreet if easily perceptible dollop of wood frames the fresh and bright aromas of essence of red currant, mineral reduction and anise. There is again a beguiling texture to the medium weight flavors that also brim with minerality... Read More

A village wine, made from eight areas within Corullón, from local producers and their own vineyards there. The soil is a construct of chalk, clay, and pre-Cambrian slate. Lightly smoky aromas overlay the brambles and garrigue.... Read More