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A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, the 2016 Estate Red Wine opens with a dense core of bold and juicy dark fruit aromas that overflow into the blueberry spectrum with mocha nuances. Full-bodied, the palate is chewy and has good mineral tension, giving way to elegant, balanced oak flavors and a tannic edge that is still rigid but will last for decades to come. The freshness and liveliness of the wine remain focused, and the wine lingers with a long, contemplative finish. With a 2,000 case production, this is one that is worth adding to your cellar. RP 94 pts, JS 93 pts. -
Opaque purple in color. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum, boysenberry, vanilla, baking spices, smoked chocolate, and anise. On the palate there is flavors of blueberry, blackberry, dark chocolate, plum, smoked meat, and vanilla. Blend: 53% Syrah, 32% Grenache, 15% Petite Syrah. WE 91 pts, JD 91 pts, WW 90 pts. -
Louis Moreau farms 52 acres in the villages of Beines and Chablis, most of his parcels on sandy clay. He ferments this wine in stainless steel without added yeasts, then ages it on the fine lees. In 2018, he achieved a wine of almost tropical fruit ripeness, with the structure, layers of flavor and leesy complexity of a fine Chablis. If you put your expectations aside and just take this, heads up, as a white wine, you might imagine its pineapple and lime, together with its monolithic minerality, as part of a new world order, with Chablis holding its own in the midst of a warming climate. Best Buy. W&S 91 pts. -
The dark and intense fruit aromas jump out of the glass with ripe plums, blackberries on the vine, and tones of sweet mint. The mouthfeel is full, balanced by gentle acids and rich tannins. Flavors are reminiscent of dark chocolate covered cherries and spicy black pepper. The long finish shows cigar box and cedar spice. A vintage that will age well into the next decade. RP 97 pts., JS 93 pts. -
A powerful and elegant approach that is velvety and rich from start to finish. Excellent body with abundant but not overpowering tannin and well integrated alcohol, achieving a perfect balance on its journey through the front, mid and back palate before a long, savory end. Upon entry, leaves flavors of black forest fruits, blackberries and spices such as clove and black pepper. It has a long and harmonious aftertaste and a smoky finish that gives it great length. A round, complex and balanced wine that highlights the maximum potential of Tempranillo at its very best. WS 92 pts. -
Powerfully Grenache on the nose: red cherry, wild strawberry, and star anise, with the Syrah providing a little tobacco-like herby savoriness. The mouth is deep and flavorful, with flavors of black cherry, pepper spice, and milk chocolate. Nice powdery Grenache tannins come out on the finish, leaving an impression of pithy cherry skin and wild herbs. Drink now and over the next decade. Blend: 53% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 10% Counoise. WE 94 pts, RP 92 pts, WS 90 pts. -
The 2016 Brut Rosé has generous aromas of strawberry and orange zest. Its fruitful nose is complemented by notes of cinnamon, vanilla and watermelon. On the palate, there are juicy flavors of ruby grapefruit, stone fruit and raspberry compote, with soft touches of toasted hazelnut and shortbread cookie. The fruitful finish is fresh, with a bright clean acidity. WE 93 pts, WS 91 pts, JS 91 pts, RP 91 pts. -
This wine is incredibly expressive, youthfully polished and generous, effortlessly straddling the line between opulence and elegance. The warmth of the 2016 growing season added a luxurious undercurrent of power and gravitas, while an intuitive approach to vineyard and canopy management has ensured the wine retains its balance, freshness and verve. WE 95 pts, WW 93 pts, JD 93 pts -
Dark and dense depth of color. Our Cabernet from this fantastic vintage has a complex and compelling nose of ripe black cherry, cedar, lavender, huckleberry, and rich coffee caramel. The flawless texture is immediately pleasing on the palate, with both tannin and acid in perfect balance with the dense core of fruit. JD 97 pts, JS 96 pts, WE 92 pts, RP 94 pts -
This wine is a blend of Oldfield and Minnick vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Forgotten Hills and Old Stones in Walla Walla Valley. Aromas of red and black raspberries, anise, olives, smoked meat, hightoned herb and flower are followed by pure, textured red-fruit flavors that dance across the palate. It?s a pretty expression of the variety. Rp 93 pts, WE 91 pts. -
The 2017 Flaccianello della Pieve is fabulous. Dark, sensual and enveloping, the 2017 captures the essence of the house style in its textural richness and baritone inflections. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2017 with tremendous richness. The 2017 spent 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask, the same aging regime as the Vigna del Sorbo, but with a bit more new oak. That approach worked very well, as the Flaccianello stands out for its exceptional textural elegance and finesse. It is a positively stellar wine. V 97pts, RP 96 pts, JS 95 pts, WS 95 pts -
Made in a straightforward, unoaked style, this delivers fresh fruit and a hint of butter, though the front label reads ?no malo.? It's a fine, all-purpose white wine that should work well with a variety of seafood and poultry dishes. -
Aromas of exotic spice, Craisins, dried thyme, black currant, vanilla and black licorice are out front. Fruit and barrel play off each other nicely on an elegant, cranberry-filled palate. It has a pleasing mouthwatering sense to it.?WE 90 pts. -
Attractive, fresh apricots and white nectarines. White flowers, too. Very fresh and bright. The smooth and even palate has a very rich and concentrated core of apricots. Super-ripe and super-fresh. JS 93 pts, V 93 pts, JD 91 pts, WE 91 pts -
The Garnacha from these two spectacular plots is hand harvested and rigorously sorted at the winery. The wine spent the first 18 months of ageing in 40% new, 60% used puncheons and demi-muids. The next 10 months were spent in completely neutral 600L demi-muids. The profile of the wine is extremely elegant and focused on the linear, pure expression of the Garnacha from Calatayud. JD 94 pts, JS 90 pts. -
Plenty of blueberry and blackberry character with hints of spices. Medium body. Fresh finish. Hints of chocolate add to the complexity. JS 91 -
The 2017 Chardonnay Arthur was aged 10 months in about 15% new oak and has pure aromas of golden apples, quince, toast, honey, almonds and notions of elderflower, hay and chamomile. The light to medium-bodied palate is silky and delicate with mouthwatering acidity and a long, lively finish. 100% Chardonnay. RP 92 pts, WS 91 pts. -
Impressive, complex array of wild cherries, raspberries, garrigue herbs, lightly spiced pastry and stony, chalky minerals. Super-fresh florals. The palate has superb texture, roundness, completeness, depth and detail. Powerful yet elegant with powdery tannins and essence-like red fruit. Super-fleshy, supple and dense core, then strong at the edges. Layer upon layer peels away on the finish. Rhone Blend. JS 98 pts, JD 97 pts, RP 96 pts, D 93 pts. -
The NV Brut La Française is based on 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier, all fermented in stainless steel and blended with 30% of reserve wines. It is a pure, fresh and well-structured Brut that seems more elegant, complex and round than the Brut Réserve. The persistent finish is clear, fresh and well structured, with refreshing lemon flavors and a nice grip. My sample was said to be bottled in 2014 and disgorged in March 2017 with nine grams of dosage. There is good length and tension here as well as sweet cherry aromas in the aftertaste. WW 93 pts, RP 91 pts, WS 90 pts. -
Maroon in color with a garnet hue, this wine has an enticing nose of maraschino cherries, blackberry bramble and brisket with notes of clove and star anise. It’s mouthwatering with a juicy entry and has a fruity mid-palate of currant with toasted vanilla and roasted brown sugar character from American oak barrels. Structured tannins provide an elegant character with a long and expressive finish. Given proper cellaring, this wine will provide drinking pleasure through 2041. WW 92 pts, D 92 pts. -
Aromas of fresh, ripe blueberries, ripe plum, and black currant intertwine with notes of cedar, vanilla, and pie crust. This medium-bodied wine is plush with flavors of plums, blueberries, and figs up front, leading to juicy red fruit on the mid-palate. Delicious now, its depth and structure provide long cellaring potential. 100% Merlot. JS 90pts, WS 90pts, WW 90 pts. -
The Pessimist cuvée by the Daou Brothers is always a good value for those who love opulent fruit, and the 2018 offers loads of sweet blue fruits, white chocolate, violets, and toasted spice aromas and flavors. Based on 62% Petite Sirah, 19% Zinfandel, and 17% Syrah, it’s full-bodied, decadent, and rich while staying light on its feet. 62% Petite Sirah, 19% Zinfandel, 17% Syrah and 2% Lagrein. JD 92pts -
The 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast comes from multiple sites on the Sonoma Coast and saw a touch of stems and 9 months on lees in 11% new French oak. Its ruby hue gives way to a pretty, strawberry, spice, and brambly, forest floor-laced Pinot Noir that has good acidity, plenty of sweet fruit, no hard edges, and a clean finish. It's well worth seeking out. JS 92pts, RP 91pts, WS 90pts, JD 90pts -
Owned and managed by the Harris family, Paradigm winery produced its first vintage in 1991 in Oakville with winemaker Heidi Barrett. Dark Cabernet color with beautiful aromas of black cherry, cassis, plums, 5-spice, vanilla. Big, ripe and mouthcoating across the palate. The flavors are similar to the aromas with ripe fruit, berry/cherry pie, moderate tannins, and nice length. This wine shows enough structure to be age-worthy yet soft and balanced enough to enjoy upon release. Flavors linger in this tasty dense wine. Tastes like Oakville. 2016 was rated 96 points.