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

Lively on the nose so expressive but in a lifted bright and lively way not so dark and brooding more 'look how pretty I am right now'. Floral and dark fruit - blackcurrant plum red cherry powerful but poised too this has... Read More

Good bright ruby-red. Rather backward nose hints at cassis black cherry shoe polish graphite minerals and spices. Sweet broad and rich but with enticing fresh minerality giving energy to the rather full-bodied middle palate. The... Read More

Full medium ruby. Aromas of currant black cherry licorice minerals and flowers. Thick sweet and deep; still young but in a gentler lower-acid style than either the '86 or '96. Still this boasts sneaky intensity and wonderful... Read More

Supple and generous with mouthwatering acidity though really quite tannic at this point which does cover up some of the nuance. I like the texture the frame and the weight it's clean polished and well worked not overdone at... Read More

Tannic heft from the get-go though this does have a lovely fresh clean and precise core with a narrow focused frame so the elements come across as quite tight and severe right now but well worked. It has class no doubt on the... Read More

The 2005 Château Phelan Segur is a beauty and certainly shows the quality and potential of this terrific terroir. Based on 50% Merlot 47% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon (the Petit Verdot wasn’t included in the blend... Read More

The 2021 Clos Erasmus is not a shy wine and comes in at 15% alcohol but with a pH of 3.3. The search here is for balance as power comes as a given in Priorat. It was produced with 70% Garnacha and 30% Syrah mostly from 40-year-old... Read More

2020 was a challenging year that gave them a lot of work in the vineyard but it it paid off. The 2020 Laurel feels very elegant balanced and fresh a little lighter perhaps with perfectly ripe tannins a little in line with 2016... 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

The tiny production 2018 Châteauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum comes from a single parcel in the famed La Crau lieu-dit and is brought up in demi-muids. Released only in magnum it’s consistently been one of the most... Read More

Lastly, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum is always all Grenache from a single parcel of very old vines in the La Crau lieu-dit. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a touch of whole cluster here, but in... Read More

Deep ruby garnet in colour with purple reflections and a broad and bright ochre rim. On the nose, a multi-faceted bouquet of candied orange zest, ripe cherry, some nougat and leather. The palate is juicy with red berry fruit,... Read More

The 2018 Gattinara Molsino emerges from a relatively warm sunny spot on the estate at 400 meters in elevation. It presents myriad shades of dark cherry/plum fruit sage menthol new leather and dark spices. Potent and virile in... Read More

The 2018 Gattinara Valferana is explosive right out of the glass. Supporting veins of tannin carry a core of red fruit cinnamon rose petal blood orange mint and white pepper. The Valferana is complex and wonderfully deep from... Read More

Blackberries dark wet soil and blackcurrants. Graphite too. So aromatic. Pure fruit. Full-bodied with superbly polished fine tannins that draw you down through the center of palate. Extremely layered and the texture is so curated... Read More

Aime Sabon established this estate in 1973 when he took over from his father who had spent a lot of time and effort improving fruit quality but always sold the fruit to the local co-operative. The operation of the estate is now... Read More

Vibrant black cherries, mulberries, peppery herbs, and spice are just some of the nuances in the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape, an utterly classic Châteauneuf du Pape that's medium to full-bodied, has the vintage's... Read More

With a good decant, the compact, quiet bouquet of this 2020 Dominus begins to show off, exhibiting perfumed aromatics of dark-toned berry fruit, blood orange, and cocoa nibs. It boasts impressive staying power with a real depth... Read More

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is elegant deep and classy. Inky dark purplish fruit savory herbs menthol licorice and spice. The purity of the fruit is remarkable today. There is plenty of youthful Howell Mountain... Read More

The wines from the extremely hot drought year 2014 were just bottled prior to my visit. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon reflects the vintage’s precociousness and front-end loaded flattering style. It is medium to full-bodied shows... Read More

Sweet and succulent aromas of tangerines freshly cut ripe strawberries cherries and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate with sleek and dense tannins that run the length of the wine and then fan out into a dense vivid... Read More

Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025.

Blackberry, black-cherry, bark and ink aromas follow through to a full body with tight, integrated tannins and a solid core of fruit at the same time. A little hard and tight now. From organically grown grapes. Needs time to open.... Read More

The 2009 Flaccianello is gorgeous but the relative shortcomings of the year relative to the sublime 2010 are apparent when the wines are tasted side by side. Firm tannins support a core of dark red fruit smoke and crushed flowers.... Read More

This wine has been resting quietly in bottle since 2018 while getting ready for its release which should be within the next month or two. The 2013 Barolo Monprivato Riserva Cà d'Morissio benefits from a long and slow growing... Read More

Here the beautifully layered nose is at once riper and more complex but also more restrained with its reasonably fresh aromas of apple spear spice herbal tea and soft oak wisps. There is outstanding volume to the equally ripe... Read More

The 2015 Barolo is a very pretty ethereal wine. Orange peel mint dried red cherry cedar and sweet tobacco are all laced throughout this gracious mid-weight Barolo. The tannins are a bit gritty at this stage but it is a very strong... Read More

The Margherita Otto 2016 Barolo (with 3600 bottles produced) is a firm and tightly knit expression with a solid center of gravity. The wine offers a dark and robust textural fabric with a pretty interlay of dark fruit dried cherry... Read More

Wow. Smoky and intense on the nose with dried fruits and slate undertones. Lots of wet earth too. Full body sweet yet dry and tannic on the palate. Very powerful and focused. Racy and powerful. A fantastic center palate of fruit.... Read More

25 Jan 2022 – Aromas of raspberries and citrus fruit follow

Located in Novello from three hectares of the Ravera MGA with southwest exposure the 2017 Barolo Ravera was aged for 32 months in large oak casks. It is forward and expressive with fresh pine candied cranberry orange oil and aniseed.... Read More