A fine and pretty Barolo with plenty of strawberry and mushroom character. White truffle too. It’s medium-to full-bodied and creamy with medium round tannins. Delicious now and will improve nicely.

Krug 2006 is composed of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier and shows an impressive aromatic richness of white flowers, smoke and toasted hazelnuts. There’s both density and crystalline texture here, with... Read More

The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Solera is made from Chardonnay picked in Fèrebrianges Etoges Congy and Sézanne based half on the 2020 vintage and half on a perpetual reserve started in 2013. Serene aromas of creaminess and golden... Read More

The 2019 Champagne Elevage Long is entirely Pinot Noir and is the most robust wine in the range with the base wine aged for two years in barrel. Revealing notes of fresh baked bread licorice wet stone and Amarena black cherries... Read More

The NV Extra Brut Le Cépage Grand Cru Verzy is a pure Pinot Noir. The mellow creaminess of oak is im

The NV Le Terroir a blend of equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Verzy is a fine introduction to this range. Bright sculpted and airy Le Terroir has a lot to offer. Dried citrus peel chamomile crushed flowers and a hint... Read More

The NV Rosé Les 2 Terroirs (2020 base) is a rich, heady wine. It offers notable textural richness and volume, with terrific freshness to pull it all together. Like all the 2020s here, the Rosé is a bit vegetal, but... Read More

Cask sample. Spicy oak on the nose creamy texture around sour-citrus freshness. Much the best of the Alain Chavy wines tasted today in terms of balancing fruit and acidity. Dry insistent tension on the finish. (JH) (Drink between... Read More

Classic Nebbiolo aromas of woodland berry forest floor new leather and a whiff of rose lift out of the glass along with a whiff of botanical herb. Delivering elegance and structure in equal measure the linear palate features red... Read More

First produced in the 1984 vintage Löwengang Chardonnay is a benchmark example of the variety in Alto Adige. Sourced from the best parcels of 30- to 80-year-old Chardonnay vines in Magrè near the winery it undergoes spontaneous... Read More

? Outstanding Note: from a roughly .21 ha parcel of which 2022 is the first vintage; unfortunately 2022 will be the only vintage for several years as Jobard explained that the vines were in sufficiently poor shape that he chose... Read More

? Outstanding Note: from La Pièce Sous le Bois Producer note: Antoine Jobard noted that the 2022 growing season was hot dry and largely clement and without undue disease pressure so compared to 2021 for example we... Read More

A brooding somber and relatively deeply pitched nose grudgingly reveals its aromas of various dark berries that display a top note of herbal tea. There is both excellent intensity and delineation to the solidly concentrated flavors... Read More

A deft application of wood sets off slightly riper aromas of poached plum violet and kirsch. The super-sleek intense and even more mineral-suffused flavors possess very good mid-palate volume before terminating in a youthfully... Read More

A broad-ranging nose reluctantly offers up its aromas of spice mineral reduction green apple and citrus rind. There is both excellent volume and punch to the larger-bodied and more powerful flavors that possess a caressing mid-palate... Read More

A wonderfully fresh nose is comprised by notes of honeysuckle citrus confit acacia blossom and pretty spice wisps. There is both excellent volume and a sophisticated texture to the beguiling and caressing medium-bodied flavors... Read More

A perfumed and overtly floral-suffused nose speaks mostly of poached plum and discreet spice wisps. There is excellent volume and punch to the mineral-driven medium-bodied flavors that display solid length on the compact serious... Read More

Soaring from the glass with scents of raspberries plums and cherries mingled with inviting nuances of peonies and dark chocolate Lachaux's 2018 Chambolle-Musigny Village is medium to full-bodied velvety and enveloping with... Read More

A bright vivid chardonnay with aromas of nectarines dried pineapples lemon zest toast and smoked almonds. It’s medium-to full-bodied with intense layers of spiced fruit. Excellent concentration and energy. Long focused and precise.... Read More

Enticing fragrant aromas of toast lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear mango papaya even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate the wine keeps unfolding in... Read More

Firm reduction renders the nose tough to evaluate though there is both fine freshness and verve to the impressively dense yet well detailed larger-bodied flavors that terminate in a clean dry and strikingly long finish that is... Read More

Deep ruby-purple in color the 2021 Syrah Bassi Vineyard explodes with scents of blueberry boysenberry cracked pepper and powdered sugar with slowly emerging floral tones. Medium-bodied chalky and energetic the palate offers notably... Read More

22 Jul 2022 – A vibrant balanced and fresh red with raspberries pomegranates cherry stones and spice box on the nose. Sleek tight tannins. Focused with a very fine structure and wound-up energy. Sangiovese and malvasia nera.... 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

There is an apparent paradox with concentration and movement vying for ascendancy. The structure of the wine is tense and assertive. Its energy almost tactile is contained for a moment before vibrating and exploding. Its opulence... Read More

Such an attractive and alluring bouquet of violet florals blue fruit aromatics sagebrush bay laurel and toasty cedarwood. Medium to full-bodied with a wonderfully rich fruit-forward palate of succulent blackberry plums and black... Read More

The NV (2019) Brut Cuvée Ste.-Anne is fabulous. Rich, ample and layered, the Brut Cuvée Ste.-Anne hits all the right notes. I especially admire its vinous intensity and overall resonance. Dried pear, flowers mint,... Read More

The NV Brut Rosé (2020 base) is endowed with tons of energy and drive. In this release, the Rosé offers a good bit of tension, but there are also some savory, and at times vegetal, notes readers will have to contend... Read More

A first-growth level wine. With aristocratic ease it conveys nimble energy and sneaky sensuality. Pencil lead white tobacco cassis juicy blackberry and cherry gorgeously delineated with refined tannins providing impressive structure... 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

Evocative and moreish a Ducru that beguiles and delights from the start with a scented nose full of cedar rose violets cherries and damsons - a riot of Cabernet typicity. Vibrant and pulsing on the palate this has grip and intention... Read More

"The 2015 Duhart Milon is a surprisingly charming elegant and medium-bodied Pauillac that’s 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot that was brought up in 40% new French oak. With perfumed notes of spice-box cedarwood toast and... Read More

A wonderful expression of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon which is 60% of the blend. The nose is oaky but delicate. Suave and velvety with very ripe tannins and impeccable concentration. Intens

The market in many ways passed over the 2011 after the fanfare of 2009 and 2010 but in fact there are plenty of excellent wines from a year that was very dry from April to September with some rains during harvest making the harvest... Read More

Here the tannins are extremely angular and unyielding. This is classic Montrose that is a little firm and nanny-ish at this point although as it opens in the glass you see a generosity to the fruit coming to the fore with sweet... Read More

A heady exotic wine the 2003 Mouton Rothschild takes hold of all the senses. The ripeness and exuberance of the year comes through in spades as this dramatic opulent wine shows off its radiant personality. The 2003 can be enjoyed... Read More

Strongly scented with dried herbs and dark fruits. Streamlined and linear this is quite straight at this point a nic

Opaque almost impenetrable purple-ruby. Closed nose hints at ripe dark plum cassis violet coffee minerals and ink. Opulent flavors of blackcurrant minerals and herbs are pure and clean with harmonious acidity lifting and extending... Read More

Quite vivid aromatics on the nose deep and heady blue fruit peppercorns liquorice and cocoa powder. Fruity and really quite dense in terms of chewiness and flavour. Stands out in the line up for being forward lifted intense and... Read More

An irresistible wine from Palmer in 2020 sumptuous and voluptuous open and appealing yet with all the elements so very carefully set in their place. Rich and evocative on the nose dark and brooding with softly perfumed violet... Read More

My impression is that the 2011 Pichon Lalande will have its day one day. For now big burly tannins give the 2011 a decidedly monolithic feel. To be sure there is plenty of fruit density and power lurking in the glass but the 2011... Read More

Smooth seductive and finely textured this is both sleek and strict with a savoury crushed stone saline tang alongside tobacco tar ripe black cherries and soft floral scents; the Cabernet really makes its mark. Sexy and rich less... Read More

Successful the tannins are well pronounced and do a great job of showing off the fruit rather than closing it down. This is a big shouldered wine and no mistaking the Pauillac structure well balanced by concentrated brambled fruits... Read More

I love this wine and it totally stands up today as it has done every time I've tasted it recently - it's pretty much the most drinkable vintage in this lineup. It's so balanced and deliciously elegant yet fleshy still... Read More

A cool summer and a beautiful autumn resulted in the grapes being left on the vines for a long time to fully ripen with picking commencing in October. Packed full of Médoc character this has cedar menthol leather and cigar box... Read More

Another beautiful wine the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Magic Nights checks in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot. Revealing a deep opaque purple color as well as classic Cabernet notes of ripe black and blue fruits... Read More

The 2019 Laurel is quite closed and shows serious and shy. It's made with all the grapes that are not used for Clos Erasmus—young vines the remaining Cabernet Sauvignon (no more than 5%) mostly Garnacha and some 15% Syrah.... 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

Prominent strawberry jam red and black plum licorice rose petal incense and crushed violets present the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous. Sexy and layered the 2022 touches the palate with sweet-tasting fruit framed... 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

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

Extremely perfumed with dark-berry and currant aromas. Hints of earth and spices. Full-bodied, round and medium sweet. Hints of resin. Opulent yet restrained. Shows ripe and beautiful fruit with clarity.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Ciel Vineyard checks in as 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a great vineyard on Red Mountain. It spent 20 months in new French oak. Brilliant notes of pure cassis and darker currants fruits as well... Read More

Effusive and fleshy the 2016 Champagne Millésime Brut pours a medium-golden hue and offers forward aromas of golden apple ginger and honeyed citrus. Medium to full-bodied it’s expansive on the palate with a pithy texture and... Read More

"The 2004 Dom Ruinart is just as brilliant and viscerally thrilling as it has always been. If anything the 2004 has shut down considerably over the last six months. Tightly coiled and exceptionally beautiful the 2004 boasts fabulous... Read More

The 2006 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut is simply fabulous. In most vintages Dom Ruinart is a big ample Champagne that shows the structure of the Montagne de Reims Chardonnay in the blend. The 2006 has plenty of textural resonance... Read More

The 2009 Dom Ruinart has been absolutely fabulous on two separate occasions. Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis turned out a brilliant edition of this tête de cuvée that offers a compelling balance... Read More

The 2022 Chassagne Montrachet Village has a slightly conservative bouquet that needs encouragement opening nicely with green apple nettle and light limestone scents. The palate is well balanced with good concentration and fine... Read More

Prominent notes of petrol and Granny Smith apples are present on the aromas of spice floral and lemon rind. There is good volume and an appealing texture to the delicious and caressing larger-bodied flavors that exude evident... Read More

A wonderfully elegant floral and spice-suffused nose freely reveals its array of apple pear and citrus zest scents. There is outstandingly density to the gorgeously textured medium-bodied flavors that also flash an almost pungent... Read More

A very Meursault-like nose blends notes of hazelnut acacia blossom citrus rind and a touch of mineral reduction all of which is again trimmed in subtle wood influence. The rich and vibrant flavors exude a more subtle minerality... Read More

This is aromatically quite similar to the 1er except that it is notably more restrained and requires considerable swirling to coax the nose to reveal its nuances. On the palate though there is noticeably more size weight and mid-palate... Read More

A slightly riper nose combines notes of just sliced pear and apple along with background nuances of floral and zest trimmed in mildly more wood influence. The rich delicious and beautifully textured medium-bodied flavors possess... Read More

An ultra clean bright and ripe green and yellow fruit nose that is riper than its '06 counterpart introduces spicy delicious and textured middle weight flavors that are delicious minerally and display a hint of the exotic... 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

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

A riper nose features aromas of rosemary oil spice and various white orchard fruit scents. The supple and relatively forward medium-bodied flavors possess a highly seductive mid-palate texture that contrasts somewhat with the... Read More

Subtle wood sets off cool pure and airy aromas of pear green apple lavender and an interesting hint of star anise. I very much like the impressive intensity of the overtly mineral-driven flavors that exude a Chablis-like nuance... Read More

The 2022 Saint-Aubin La Princée has a crisp minerally bouquet with wet limestone intermixed with Granny Smith aromas. It has fine delineation. The palate is taut on the entry with a dab of spice and modest weight with plenty... Read More

Vouvray “Le Mont” Demi-Sec- Domaine Huët There is no Demi-Sec from the Le Haut Lieu vineyard in 2023 but the Le Mont version seems destined to ultimately be ranked as one of the finest wines to be found anywhere along the... Read More

The 2005 Le Mont Premier Trie is another magnificent bottle in the making. The stunning bouquet is a blend of orange apple pineapple beautiful chalky soil tones and white flowers. On the palate the wine is full-bodied very deep... Read More

Domaine Huët’s 2023 Clos du Bourg Sec bottling is also excellent. The wine is deep complex and beautifully focused on the nose wafting from the glass in a mix of quince apple a touch of pink grapefruit complex chalky soil tones... Read More

The 2023 Vouvray “Le Haut Lieu” Sec from Domaine Huët is a classic in the making coming in at an even thirteen percent octane in this vintage and offering up a bright and complex bouquet of quince lemon chalky soil tones... Read More

The 2023 version of Le Mont Sec from

A tasting of the constituent lieux-dits before blending was as instructive as ever. Péléat was smooth silky and red-fruited with good acidity; Beaumes slightly meatier a little less concentrated than a typical year but with... Read More

A tasting of the various constituent lieux-dits revealed that the Bachesson parcel had a peppery side and its characteristic rose scent and an unmistakably granitic texture. The Chalaix lieu-dit was precise fine with no huge concentration... Read More

A tasting of the four main parts (Les Challaix Le Clos La Dardouille and Bachasson) suggests that this will be a vintage that combines power – black fruits and thick tannins from La Dardouille – and more lifted fleshy fragrant... Read More

An admirably discreet application of wood sets off the liqueur-like aromas of plum spice and warm earth and plenty of floral elements. There is excellent intensity to the powerful more concentrated and more serious medium-bodied... Read More

Alip started making this cuvée in the 2020 vintage and only 800 bottles are available in the world. A medium straw color the 2021 Coteaux Champenois Blanc is toasty and savory with oak-inflected aromas and distinctly savory notes... Read More

Only made in magnums the 2013 Champagne Montagne - Rilly La Montagne Premier Cru saw 10 years on the lees before being disgorged in 2023. A bright straw hue its nose is savory and fresh with salty earth but it’s a bit shy and... Read More

bh

Fresh pale lemon. Loads of energy here on the nose, but all perfectly balanced. Maximum minerals in this wine which Elsa thinks will be suppressed by longer oak ageing. More flesh than usual in the middle, with a fine persistence.... Read More

Mid lemon and lime colour. Not picking up much nose a