Made from 100% Syrah aged two years in barrel the 2016 Côte Rôtie Les Grandes Places is a sensational effort from one of the great terroirs in the Côte Brune side of the appellation. Loaded with black and blue... Read More

From 65-year-old vines and vinified in fuders until mid-April this year the 2019 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Trocken is concentrated and flinty on the detailed complex highly aromatic yet refined and slatey nose. Crystalline and... Read More

The floral perfumed and expressive 2019 Cardia Pombeiras was produced with Mencía from 40-year-old vines on slate soils 0.16 hectares. It fermented with some 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in used French... Read More

A juicy and nervy red showing a tangy lift of white pepper to the red cherries and strawberries. Tight and dusty tannins thoroughly coat the fruit delivering a tight yet caressing feel to the succulent palate full of juicy berries.... Read More

A hint of dark earth funk to the fresh black cherries blueberries and a hint of savory nori and white pepper character. Very sappy and juicy on the palate with tart black cherries that brighten up the palate with a very appetizing... Read More

A brooding and reticent nose features liqueur-like aromas of poached plum cassis and cool earth. The delicious intense and overtly stony middle weight plus flavors flashed focused power on the firm compact and tightly wound finale.... Read More

Savory peppery perfumed and packed full of the character the 2015 Rosso della Centa a 100% varietal Merlot will keep you coming back to the glass over and over again. Wild strawberries blackberries cloves tobacco and an enriching... Read More

Wonderful cooked apples honey and light vanilla on the nose here. On the palate this full-bodied and brightly acidic white suggests limes hints of yogurt and sliced apples. Nutmeg and sliced herbs too. Quite tight now so better... Read More

28 Jul 2020 – A pretty pumped-up Carmignano with lots of ripe fruit and new wood yet there’s underlying seriousness to the full body and intensity with a long flavorful finish. Needs a year

The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Rose delle Casasse is a powerful ample wine. A blast of dark amarena cherry plum mocha licorice and spice infuse the 2014 with tons of depth and volume. The 2014 is not especially refined in fact it... Read More

The 2017 Barbaresco Rabajà is sure to put a smile on readers’ faces. Ample and generous, the 2017 captures the radiant side of the year, which gives the wine so much appeal and also softens some of the firmness that... Read More

From the 10-acre La Rochelle vineyard this powerful wine offers ripe tannins and solid black fruits seasoned with black pepper. It has a fine future. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss

60% new wood 40% one year old. Rich dense fresh purple nose has a punchy fresh fruit too shows the oak more than most and there is a faint smoky bandaid tone behind with a few tannins at the edge. But clean and pure. On the palate.... Read More

Notably lighter in colour than Fonteny with a grace and elegance despite the 100% new oak and forthright style. The oak comes through on the vanilla front more than through its tannins. Just a little bit meaty too with good acidity... Read More

The Sérafin vines are in their own little Clos in Les Corbeaux. Rather lighter in colour and again with a slightly meaty nose. A little more delicacy of fruit on the palate even some elegance and floral notes along with a little... Read More

100% new wood. Rich purple just a little bit meaty. There is a wealth of fruit from the start on the palate very clean fills the front of the mouth then continues through to managed wood tannins at the back. Good long clean finish.... Read More

This biodynamic estate was started in 2008 by Anne-Claude Leflaive and continued by her husband Christian Jacques. But its history is the soil they recognized as perfect for excellent Chenin Blanc. This wine captures intense fruit... Read More

Vibrant mineral-accented blackberry blueberry and violet aromas pick up a spicy topnote with air. Concentrated red and dark berry olive and floral pastille flavors display sharp focus and energetic drive thanks to a spine of smoky... Read More

The 2018 Merlot Black Vineyard from Colète is terrific. Bright and energetic the 2018 is incredibly appealing. Readers will find an especially savory structured Merlot that is full of cool climate character. Bright acids lend... Read More

The vineyard was purchased in 2003. Old vines here and enough earth to retain the water. The nose displays a light dusting of new oak on top of the same register of pretty red fruit with a touch of tannin to finish though still... Read More

Opaque violet. Smoky spice-accented aromas of cherry black raspberry and singed plum with hints of licorice... Read More

Aromas of fresh black/blue fruits pungent flowers olive and allspice on the incisive nose. Weighty yet lively black currant bitter cherry and violet pastille flavors show fine delineation and take on a smoky mineral nuance on... Read More

Discreet but perceptible wood sets off the cool and ripe aromas of white orchard fruit, lemon-lime and petrol. There is fine volume and intensity to the plump, round and delicious middle weight flavors that culminate in a youthfully... Read More

Just to the west of town, this Domaine has since 1998 been under the stewardship of brother and sister team of Marie and Francois Giraud, whose lineage in winemaking on their father’s side stretches back six centuries. Their... Read More

Joliet has divided the vineyard into sections which he farms and ferments separately before blending just before bottling. The ferments are done with 100% whole cluste

The 2019 Auxey-Duresses Vieilles Vignes comes from 85-year-old vines planted by Jean Prunier in the lieu-dit of La Canée and sees 20% new oak. It has an attractive bouquet with perfumed lemon thyme orange blossom and light apricot... Read More

A breathtaking wine that has all the mineral depth and concentration you associate with a Grand Cru but also a wide spectrum of very fine citrus and berry aromas. Then it splash lands in an explosion of fresh-herb aromas. Drink... Read More

The 2019 Syrah Estate Vineyard is an elegant supremely classy wine. Sage tobacco mint black pepper and lavender lead into a core of beautifully layered dark blue/purplish fruit. Silky and polished the Estate Syrah is an absolute... Read More

After studying oenology at university Ester Nin settled in Priorat in 2000 began working for Mas Martinet. She now works as viticulturist for Daphne Glorian at Clos i Terraces. But in 2003 she began a side project called Nit de... Read More

The 2017 Carema Etichetta Bianca is airy perfumed and gracious. Sweet dried cherry tobacco cedar mint and licorice are all very nicely lifted. The only thing the 2017 is lacking is a bit of freshness. Even so I imagine it will... Read More

The 2017 Carema Etichetta Nera is laced with wild cherry spice leather cedar and dried herbs. A wine of amplitude and power the 2017 has a lot to offer. I would cellar it for a few years to allow some of the formidable tannins... Read More

Showing seamless and silky execution and light graceful fruit weight the organic and biodynamic Fico Wine 2018 Fico is the best edition so far (with the first vintage released in 2015). This wine is expressive and deep and shows... Read More

An organic and biodynamic wine the 2019 Per Filo is dedicated to Duccio Corsini's son Filippo. The wine reflects a hands-off winemaking style that is without the use of added sulfites or filtering. It reveals a fluid evolution... Read More

The 2016 Dino is 100% Sangiovese done in terra cotta which brings out the wine's perfumed aromatics and bright acid profile. A touch of reduction -typical of wines done in amphora - adds striking character to play off the... Read More

The 2018 Beaune Grèves 1er Cru comes from white sandy soils toward top of the slopes a one-hectare parcel of vines planted in the 1950s and the 1990s. It has a fragrant bouquet of morello cherry crushed strawberry hints... Read More

The 2018 Pommard Clos Blanc 1er Cru comes from the final plot before you reach Les Grands Epenots a 0.35-hectare parcel that was entirely replanted in 1998 from a sélection massale of Pinot Fin. It has quite a complex tertiary... Read More

This too is very fresh and restrained with its softly spicy but overtly floral array of poached plum and exotic tea nuances. There is fine density and power to the vibrant and even robust medium-bodied flavors that offer very... Read More

18 Aug 2020 – From a single plot of 1853 vines this has striking grey-stone and gravel aromas with some flinty notes as well as violets pepper leaves orange zest and pot-pourri. The complexity is very delicately nuanced around... Read More

The sum is greater than the parts here. Stunning interaction of the two grapes. The shiraz fills and lightens the cabernet just perfectly. Abundant red and dark berries plums and chocolate. Super fine tannins too. This is blended... Read More

Impressive and harmonious aromas here with such juicy and intense red-fruit flavors as well as blueberries and plums on offer. The elegance and focus is impressive as is the delivery of long sustained and dense smooth tannin.... Read More

A very ripe nose features notes of poached plum mocha wood toast and a pretty floral top note. The more refined and more tension filled middle weight flavors flash evident minerality on the youthfully austere and sneaky long finish.... Read More

Once again reduction dominates the fruit but not the wood treatment. There is a bit more refinement if less size weight and volume to the middle weight flavors that possess a seductive and velvety mid-palate that contrasts significantly... Read More

The 2017 Carema is a classy elegant wine. This is an especially polished style for the appellation. Wild red cherry dried herbs mint pine licorice and blood orange all flesh out. Pliant and generous the 2017 is very nicely done.... Read More

From ancient partly ungrafted vines the 2020 Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling is white-golden in color and opens with a clear fine and very complex as well as delicate bouquet of ripe fruit and finely weathered blue slate notes. This... Read More

The radiant golden-yellow 2020 Enkircher Batterieberg Riesling comes from 80-year-old ungrafted vines on gray slate and quartzite soils in the steep terraces of the Starkenburg slope and opens with a highly delicate yet also very... Read More

Opaque ruby. Highly perfumed black and blue fruit floral and exotic spice aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a hint of smokiness with aeration. Sappy and expansive on the palate offering sweet black currant cherry and mulberry... Read More

Bursting with aromas of plums warm spices chocolate and rose petals Galeyrand's 2019 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Antonin is medium-bodied fleshy and perfumed with filigree tannins and succulent acids. It will drink well out of the... Read More

13% alcohol. This is from a vineyard planted in 1977, at 600 feet, 3.5 miles from the Pacific. Sandy loam soils. Whole cluster pressing then wild ferment in 11 barrels, two of which are new. Minimal effective sulfites added. This... Read More

13% alcohol. 11 barrels only of this Pinot which comes from a vineyard at 1010 feet 3.5 miles from the Pacific, planted in 1998. Greywacke and sandstone soils, 50% whole bunch, used French oak. Rocky soils and this is a warm site,... Read More

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva bursts from the glass with a rich smoky display of cherry and plum sauces balsam herbs and hints of cedar. Cool-toned yet pliant in feel it delivers woodland berries complemented by savory... Read More

Toasted grain and grilled pineapple appear on the nose of the 2020 Hermitage Blanc les Dionnières. Made from 70-year-old vines barrel fermented and with the malolactic fermentation completed this is a rich full-bodied Hermitage... Read More

Coming from a site on the eastern side of the hill the 2019 Hermitage Les Diognieres reveals a dense purple color as well as a beautiful array of cassis and darker berry fruits along with notes of pepper loamy earth and cedary... Read More

Here too discreet but not invisible wood frames spicy aromas of dark cherry plum tea and pretty floral wisps. There is good intensity to the sleek delicious and lightly mineral-inflected flavors that possess the best mid-palate... Read More

The 18 hectare Le Chiuse estate is situated on the northern side of town on calcareous clay soils rich in marine fossils at elevation of between 300 and 330 meters. There are family ties here to the owners of Biondi Santi. There... Read More

The 2015 Taurasi Coste is stunning as it keeps you at the edge of your seat with a beguiling display of ashen stone and animal musk giving way to black currents plum sauce hints of oregano and smoke. This is youthfully lean yet... Read More

Ripe elegant cool and admirably pure aromas consist of red and dark currant trimmed in soft spice floral and earth nuances. The

A more floral and prettier nose features notes of both red and dark currant with more spice and a bit less earth. There is excellent mid-palate density to the more powerful and slightly more voluminous flavors that possess a seductive... Read More

A new wine in this range the 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badiola is a bit more linear than other Gran Seleziones but that is the personality of Radda speaking. Bright red fruit chalk mint and blood orange all open up... Read More

Aromas of mature plum, blue flower and pipe tobacco shape the nose along with a whiff of leather. The focused palate delivers juicy Morello cherry, blood orange and licorice while taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity offer... Read More

Le Meix Bataille is over on the Volnay side so quite different to Les Duresses. Actually the bouquet suggests a sturdier fruit. More tannins here in the mouth too with a depth of dark strawberry fruit good length.

A ripe and reasonably fresh nose offers up notes of red and dark berries along with plenty of earth and humus nuances. There is slightly better vibrancy to the well detailed and attractively textured middle weight flavors that... Read More

This too is agreeably fresh with more earth influence on the mix of various red berry scents. The succulent even juicy medium weight flavors possess a generous mid-palate texture that contrasts somewhat with the firm rustic and... Read More

A very ripe nose speaks of roasted plum warm earth and anise along with notes of both red and dark raspberry. There is fine verve to the solidly concentrated middle weight flavors that are nicely mineral-driven on the tautly muscular... Read More

This is often the best wine chez Rossignol and so it is again in 2018 with its brooding nose of violet plum spice and warm earth. There is superb concentration to the plush but impressively powerful and muscular big-bodied flavors... Read More

A pungent nose of reduction and wood overshadows the underlying fruit that seems quite ripe. There is once again excellent vibrancy to the delicious and intensely mineral-driven middle weight flavors that possess an ultra-refined... Read More

A slightly riper nose reflects plenty of floral elements to the mostly red berry and earth scents that flash a mentholated top note. The sleek refined and appealingly textured medium-bodied flavors exude a subtle minerality on... Read More

Picked on 19th August from a biodynamic supplier vinified with 85% whole bunches. Located high on the slope small grapes on limestone. Dark purple colour with a very exciting bouquet you can really get the feel of tiny berries.... Read More

Here the expressive nose is compositionally similar to the straight Pernand but it offers better layering. On the palate the medium weight flavors possess more volume and richness while displaying a highly refreshing salinity... Read More

This shows plenty of wild strawberry compote gentian red tulips red plums and spices. Medium to full body pretty acidity and a chewy savory finish. Drink in 2020.

9 Sep 2022 – Enticing and subtle nose of Yamanashi white peach wild berries and herbs. Ripe but also seriously concentrated and elegant this has deep minerality at the very long and focused finish. This is built for the long... Read More

A vaguely exotic though very pretty nose offers up notes of passion fruit melon and lychee along with hints of jasmine tea and white peach. There is excellent intensity to the overtly stony and racy middle weight flavors that... Read More

The 2017 Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Viti is quite closed and austere almost shockingly so. It will be interesting to see if more Asili sensuality emerges over time. For now the 2017 is very obviously on the severe side with good... Read More

Wine & Spirits Magazine
92 Points

A lime-scented wine with sweet notes of buttered almonds and coconut. It’s full and satisfying style of chardonnay, tightened by mineral acidity to finish pure and clean.

Josh Greene, October... Read More

Thomas Haag's 2020 Juffer Sonnenuhr GG is precise and elegant on the coolish and flinty nose. Enormously vital and salty on the palate this is an energetic tensioned and juicy JSU with good intensity and grip on the finish.... Read More

The 2017 Contrada Pianodario Etna Rosso opens slowly focused at first on wild herbs and hints of damp earth. It blossoms with swirling as a dusty display of dried strawberries and rose hips fills the glass. It’s soft even fleshy... Read More

The 2016 Picconero the estate's Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend packs a pretty serious punch. There is plenty of power and density that much is obvious. It will be interesting to see how things develop over the coming years. Today... Read More

Medium-dark golden-tinged straw. Exuberant nose of pineapple almond cake and lime. Enters broad and delicately spicy then juicy and vibrant. Citrusy acidity provides this fleshy tactile wine with clarity and cut. Along with the... Read More

The 2019 Viesslinger Ried Bruck Riesling offers concentrated ripe bright fruit that represents a lot of sun and drought as well as weathered terroir and still juicy refreshing fruit. Dense and elegant on the palate with ripe and... Read More

A dense layered white with apple pear flint and gunpowder aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied dry and flavorful. Bitter lemon too. Very intense and flavorful. Drinkable now but better in a year or so when it opens up.

The 2019 Ried Loibenberg Loibner Riesling Smaragd is deep intense and ripe on the nose but also pure and fresh with notes of crushed stones and tropical yellow stone fruits. Dense and intense on the substantial palate this is... Read More

This youthful finely balanced wine offers a tangy concentrated moderately tannic expression wrapping a rather firm grip around bright cherry and bold black-cherry flavors. With more sipping it reveals subtle cinnamon clove and... Read More

Feel the dark side of the Kabinett force! Plenty of cassis and grapefruit aromas but also ripe stone fruit darker wild berries wet earth and rocks. And the interplay of these is what makes this wine so exciting. Extremely long... Read More

The extremely fresh white-peach herbal and savory nose pulls you into this sleek and vibrant Spätlese that's brimming with white-flower and wet-stone character. Dances over your palate with the greatest of ease. Very longpure... Read More