Rhone Blend

More savory than fruit-driven this shows racy acidity driving jasmine and white tea flavors laced with delicate white nectarine and melon notes. Builds in savory salty density on the silky palate. Persistent finish. Cinsault Grenache... Read More

A blend of 60% Grenache (matured in concrete) and 40% Mourvèdre (matured in new oak) the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina features toasty vanilla-stained aromas of black cherries plums and licorice. Full-bodied richly... Read More

The 2022 is an ambitious Deus Ex Machina and likely to rank among the finest renditions of this cuvée ever made. Dark brooding and vertical the 2022 opens with pronounced crème de cassis melted licorice ripe strawberry and black... Read More

There are two new demi-muids of the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum pure Grenache grown on red clay soils the only Grenache in the cellar that goes into wood for aging. Cedar and menthol notes accent black cherries... Read More

The 2016 Hermitage les Bessards is a gorgeous if somewhat easygoing expression of its terroir combining savory notes of asphalt and smoked meat with plum and black raspberries. It shows the classic tannins of its granite bedrock... 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

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

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

From vines planted in 1900 the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes leads with aromas of cola raspberries and dried spices. There's none of the chocolaty excess seen in the regular cuvée but this full-bodied wine reflects... Read More

Marcoux's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is full-bodied dense and tannic. Hints of crushed stone and dried garrigue appear on the nose alongside blackberries and black cherries. It's basically pure foudre-aged... Read More

The 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Colombis is all old-vine Grenache vinified entirely as whole clusters and matured in demi-muids. On the nose there are some minty-stemmy notes but also wonderful suggestions of garrigue and vibrant... Read More

Readers will note that the score range I've provided for Chave's 2020 Hermitage is much broader than typical. That's because my ratings for the numerous barrel samples tasted varied considerably with one lot scoring... Read More

Among the finest expressions of the challenging 2021 vintage with finessed ripeness and understated polish. Earthy and salty offering sanguine animal notes and well-integrated white pepper freshness. Cashmere tannins are softened... Read More

Among the finest expressions of the challenging 2021 vintage with finessed ripeness and understated polish. Earthy and salty offering sanguine animal notes and well-integrated white pepper freshness. Cashmere tannins are softened... Read More

The 2022 Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave is broad and deep bursting with aromas of smoke licorice and dark wild berries mingled with delicate notes of fresh thyme and spices. Full-bodied dense and powerful layered and concentrated... Read More

The 2022 Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave is broad and deep bursting with aromas of smoke licorice and dark wild berries mingled with delicate notes of fresh thyme and spices. Full-bodied dense and powerful layered and concentrated... Read More

The 2021 Côte Rôtie Chateau D'Ampuis is beautiful as well. As always it's a mix of single vineyards and sees the same élevage as the single vineyard La La releases. Deep ruby/purple-hued with beautiful red and black... Read More

Isabel Ferrando informed me during my visit that she planned to eliminate the Reserve Auguste Favier and Collection Charles Giraud bottlings folding those lots and the "tradition" Saint-Prefert Châteauneuf into a single combined... Read More

Less exuberant than the F601 the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape from Famille Isabel Ferrando is a blend of 60% Grenache Noir 16% Mourvèdre 16% Cinsault and 8% Syrah. It exhales a complex shy bouquet of dark berries spices licorice... Read More

A bright savory note leads off this red followed quickly by sanguine and bay leaf accents all melding nicely with the core of steeped blackberry raspberry and plum fruit flavors as they move through the rich licorice root–tinged... Read More

The 2016 Saint Joseph features aromas of herbs spice and everything nice including a healthy dose of black cherries. This medium to full-bodied wine boasts silky tannins not soft to the point of creaminess but just right. Drink... Read More