Wine Magnums

Even this normally approachable cuvée is pretty darn tannic this vintage. Tasted just prior to bottling Levet's 2019 Cote Rotie Amethyste features scents of crushed stone asphalt black olives and purple raspberries. Full-bodied... Read More

A prospective blend assembled from several barrels for my tasting the 2020 Cote Rotie Amethyste—a blend of five lieux-dits—is dark fruited and plummy yet also vaguely herbal and wiry. In the mouth it's medium to full-bodied... Read More

Disgorged on July 10 2020 with three grams per liter dosage Bollinger's eagerly awaited 2007 Extra-Brut R. D. is beautiful unwinding in the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit citrus pith and white flowers mingled with... Read More

Noticeable if not dominant wood frames the overtly sauvage and earthy red and black currant aromas that are trimmed in plenty of spice and floral nuances. The mouth feel of the big-bodied flavors is incredibly rich thanks to the... Read More

The 2020 Calon-Ségur is a brilliant wine from an estate in the ascendant. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis red berries fresh mint pencil shavings violets and rose petals it's medium to full-bodied deep and layered... Read More

The 2009 Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg emerges from the glass with floral-infused honey butter chamomile and ripe succulent apricots. This is an especially succulent white that emphasizes texture and lushness over minerality. Layers... 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

I have had perfect bottles of this cuvee but perplexingly the bottles from my cellar tend to be broodingly backward and require plenty of coaxing. This huge wine is in many ways just as massive as Leoville Barton but it possesses... Read More

The 2020 Clos du Marquis wafts from the glass with aromas of rich berries cherries orange zest pencil shavings and crushed mint. Medium to full-bodied rich and velvety with a sweet core of fruit lively acids and powdery tannins... 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

Boasts bitter plum raspberry and black cherry reduction notes that have a lively savory garrigue streak while grippy-edged tar tobacco and ganache notes pepper the finish. Muscular and dense but the cut is there and the fruit... Read More

When I visited in June 2019 the selection for the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum hadn't yet been done so this is my first look at the wine. It's marked by the new oak demi-muids with layers of vanilla and cedar... Read More

Very alluring and while densely packed this is very silky and refined in feel. Presents perfumed raspberry cherry and plum puree notes laced with sandalwood incense and rooibos tea. Flirts with exotic as the fruit hangs on the... Read More

Pumps out heady raspberry mulberry and blackberry compote notes that keep form and direction thanks to a roasted apple wood spine and flanking ganache garrigue and warm earth notes. Seriously grippy finish. Grenache Syrah Cinsault... Read More

Like the El Reventón the 2020 Las Iruelas is now a wine from Comando G and no longer a Dani Landi wine whose personal project came to an end with the 2019 vintage. As with El Reventón this is still exactly the same wine from... 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

Continuum's 2019 Proprietary Red is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 37% Cabernet Franc 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot all from the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Aged in two-thirds new French oak with the balance in second or third-use... Read More