“The Deep Purple-Hued 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Is Outstanding”- JD
Domaine Gaillard, Crozes-Hermitage 2018
91 points – Jeb Dunnuck
“The deep purple-hued 2018 Crozes-Hermitage is outstanding, a charming, fruit forward effort very much in the style of the vintage. Loaded with notions of black and blue fruits, ground pepper, and violets as well as a touch of earthiness, drink it any time over the coming 5-7 years. Drink 2020-2026.”- JebDunnuck.com
“This crisp (white Bordeaux) wine offers tangy acidity and a bright texture.”- WE
Château Simon Graves Blanc 2017 – “This crisp wine offers tangy acidity and a bright texture. Its fruitiness is still developing, highlighting the apple and citrus flavors. Wait to drink this wine until mid 2019.”- Wine Enthusiast
“This is really quite good (Chablis)”- Burghound
Domaine Testut Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2018 –
91 pts. – Burghound
“(from 70+ year old vines in Beugnons). Here too there is a hint of quinine to the more classically styled nose of white pepper, floral, citrus and iodine-suffused aromas. The rich and nicely refined medium weight flavors exude a fine bead of minerality as well as good salinity on the very dry and sneaky long finish. This is really quite good and a wine that should reward mid-term cellaring. Drink 2024+.”- Allen Meadows, Burghound
“This wine is a very fine expression of Cabernet Franc”- WE on Couly Dutheil
Couly-Dutheil, Chinon, Baronnie Madeleine 2015 – Decanter 90 pts now Wine Enthusiast 91 pts
“Produced only in top vintages and after a blind tasting, this wine is a very fine expression of Cabernet Franc. Its ripe structure and spice are rich, full of smokiness along with generous black fruits. The wine, still young, has great potential. Drink from 2021.91 points.”- Wine Enthusiast on-line, in print 5/19
“Undeniably Delicious (2019) Rosé from this Great Estate (Mourchon)”- JD
Domaine de Mourchon, Cotes du Rhone Villages-Seguret, Loubié Rosé 2019
90 points- Jeb Dunnuck
“The light pink/salmon hued 2019 Loubié Rosé from Mourchon a beautiful village not far from Gigondas and is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. It offers a beautiful bouquet of ripe peach, tangerines, and strawberries to go with a juicy, medium-bodied style on the palate. It has bright acidity, plenty of fruit, and is another undeniably delicious rosé from this great estate. Drink it over the coming summer months.” -Jebdunnuck.com
“Well-detailed and solidly voluminous flavors ” – Burghound – Domaine Testut Chablis 2018
Domaine Testut, Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2018
“There is a whiff of exotic fruit character to the apple, pear, melon and quinine-inflected nose. The well-detailed and solidly voluminous flavors possess good verve before concluding in a nicely dry, focused and sneaky long finish. This will drink well early as well as reward 3 to 6 years of keeping. Drink 2022+.”- Allen Meadows, Burghound
“A straight-up thrill ride of a Saint-Emilion, the 2016 Château Badette” – JD
Château Badette, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2016 –
95 points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A straight-up thrill ride of a Saint-Emilion, the 2016 Château Badette comes from a complex mix of clay and sandstone soils and checks in as a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot that was raised in 85% new French oak. A big blast of crème de cassis, crushed flowers, white truffle, and spice all flows to a powerful, full-bodied Saint-Emilion that has beautiful ripeness and depth as well as balance. It has the purity and texture to shine today, yet I suspect it will have two decades of life. Bravo”- Jebdunnuck.com, 2/19
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93+ points – Wine Advocate
“Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Badette (composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) leaps from the glass with Black Forest cake, warm black plums and blueberry compote notes with suggestions of baking spices, fragrant earth and menthol plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with black fruit and spicy sparks, framed by firm, rounded tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing long.”- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, 11/2018
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93 points – James Suckling
“This offers succulent and ripe dark plum and berry aromas with a wealth of assertive tannins that deliver in quite classic style. Good and powerful, assertive finish here. A blend of 85 per cent merlot, 15 per cent cabernet franc and five per cent petit verdot. Try from 2022.”- James Suckling, 2/19
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93 points – Vinous
“The 2016 Badette is every bit as bold and racy as it was from barrel. Dark and sumptuous to the core, the 2016 possesses striking richness and personality to burn. Black cherry, chocolate, leather, spice and tobacco are meld together in an inviting, alluring Saint-Émilion that is going to be hard, if not impossible, to resist upon release. Soft contours and plush fruit add to the wine’s flamboyant feel. This is very nicely done.”- Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 1/19
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“The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a sumptuous wine”- AG
ChâteauFleur Cardinale, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé 2016 –
95 points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A blend of 74% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Château Fleur Cardinale spent 14 months in new French oak. Deep ruby/purple-colored, with a stunning nose of smoked black fruits, classy oak, violets, and camphor, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful purity, ripe, present, polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful wine from this tip-top estate that has the class to keep for two decades or more. Date 2019-2039.”- Jebdunnuck.com, 2/19
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94 points – James Suckling
“Quite earthy and savory on the nose, the fruit only emerging slowly. However, on the palate, this has a very attractive fleshy quality and a moderately dry, long finish of some real sophistication. Easy to drink now, but will hold. A blend of 74 per cent merlot, 18 per cent cabernet franc and eight per cent cabernet sauvignon.”- James Suckling
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93 points – Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and bursts from the glass with crushed blackberries, mulberries and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of spice cake, dried herbs and fragrant soil. The palate is medium to full-bodied and wonderfully elegant with soft, rounded tannins and a great backbone of freshness, finishing perfumed.Drink 2019-2034.”- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, 11/2018
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93 points – Vinous
“The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a sumptuous wine. There is no shortage of richness or volume here, that much is obvious. Sweet tobacco, leather, espresso and cherry abound. The 2016 is exotic and flamboyant in style, and yet the new oak is overdone to the point that the early signs of oxidation are already present. I very much like the intensity here, but the reality is that the 2016 could have and should have been an even better wine. Drink 2021-2036.”- Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 1/19
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92 points- Decanter
“The grapes are sourced from a lovely vineyard owned by the Decoster family, located on cooler soils to the east of the appellation, where the late harvest of 2016, through to 25 October, is not unusual. There’s plenty to enjoy here, with bitter chocolate, fresh menthol notes and rich, tight tannins. It has well expressed cassis and blackberry flavours and a silky texture. Jean-Philippe Fort consulted, with the wine aged in 100% new oak barrels after vinification in stainless steel. Bottled unfiltered. 35hl/ha yield. Drinking Window 2024 – 2040”- Jane Anson, Decanter, 10/18
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92 points – Wine Spectator
“Good brambly energy leads off here, with a mix of cassis, bitter cherry and plum puree flavors entwined with red licorice and floral notes. The juicy finish pulls everything together. Best from 2021 through 2034.” — JM, Wine Spectator, 3/19
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92 points – Wine Enthusiast
“Dense and full of dark fruits, this wine has a solid structure and big tannins. Smoky and ripe with juicy, opulent berry flavors, it offers power and concentration. The wine needs to soften over many years before it reaches its full potential. Drink from 2024.”- Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
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90 points – Vinous
“The 2016 Fleur Cardinale has a riper, more ostentatious bouquet than the Croix Cardinale, without the same delineation and poise. The palate is ripe and generous on the entry, coating the mouth in pastille-like black cherry and blueberry fruit, and a little heady in style, just missing some delineation on the finish. Fine, though it does not match the promise it showed in barrel. Side by side, I prefer the Croix Cardinale. Drink 2023-2038.”- ”- Neal Martin, Vinous 1/19
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“The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos is super-expressive today.”- AG
Les Pagodes de Cos, Saint-Estèphe 2016 (second label of Cos d’Estournel)
| 94 points – James Suckling
“A red with very deep and intense fruit character, yet rich tannins to back it all up. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. The second wine of Cos d’Estournel is serious again in 2016. Try from 2025.”- James Suckling, 2/19 |
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| 93 points – Jeb Dunnuck
“The second wine of the estate is no slouch. The 2016 Pagodes de Cos has some grand vin character in its cassis and graphite aromas and flavors. Showing more incense, graphite, and hints of flowers with air time, this medium to full-bodied, rounded, beautifully textured effort is well worth a case purchase. Drink this beauty, the equal to most estates’ top wines, while you wait on the grand vin to come around.”- Jebdunnuck.com, 2/19 |
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| 93 points “Editors’ Choice” – Wine Enthusiast
“Dense and full of dark fruits, this second wine from Cos d’Estournel comes from specific parcels. With blackberry fruits and rich, generous tannins, the wine has weight and concentration. The freshness at the end is so typical of the vintage. Drink from 2023.”- Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, 5/19 |
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| 92 points- Decanter
“This is a serious wine representing 55% of the overall production, with the other 45% in Cos (‘not one drop into a third wine or bulk’ says director Aymeric de Gironde). Extremely dark black cassis fruits and graphite show the power of St-Estèphe clays. Fresh, bright and well structured (3.61pH, 65IPT), this is bristling with fruit and silky tannins, and may even close down for a few years. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46.5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 0.6% Cabernet Franc from vines averaging 35 years old, aged in 30% new oak.Drinking Window 2023 – 2040.”- Jane Anson, Decanter, 4/17 |
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| 92 points – Vinous
“The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos is matured in 30% new oak. It has an intense bouquet for a deuxième vin, featuring blackberry, bilberry, light cedar and graphite aromas, quite Pauillac in style. The medium-bodied palate is fresh and vigorous though not deep, displaying fine tannin and exerting a gentle grip. There is a symmetry about this Les Pagodes, which is longer than other vintages, with just a hint of graphite and cracked black pepper on the finish. Excellent. 13.02% alcohol.Drink 2021-2035.”- Neal Martin, Vinous 1/19 |
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| 92 points – Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos is blended of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46.5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Cabernet Franc. It has a deep garnet-purple color and opens with notions of warm cassis, black cherries and smoked meats giving way to scents of charcoal, underbrush and cloves plus a waft of new leather. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with generous black fruits and some compelling red fruit sparks, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing long and spicy”- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, 11/2018 |
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| 91 points – Vinous
“The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos is super-expressive today. Pliant and inviting, yet also medium in body, the 2016 has much to recommend it. Grilled herb, tobacco, menthol, chocolate, licorice and black cherry are all seamless in this silky, open-knit second wine from Cos d’Estournel. The 2016 is incredibly harmonious, even in the early going. Drink 2021-2036.”- Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 1/19 |
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| 91 points – Wine Spectator
“This has good energy, with a light briar note through the mix of raspberry, plum and cherry paste flavors. Subtle chalk and iron streaks add texture and cut on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031.”— JM, Wine Spectator, 3/19 |
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#10 Jane Anson’s “Top Fine Wines 2019”- Vigneau-Chevreau Cuvee Silex 2018
Vigneau-Chevreau, Vouvray, Cuvée Silex 2018 – “A wonderful Chenin Blanc from Vigneau-Chevreau in the Loire”- Jane Anson
#10 Jane Anson’s “Top Fine Wines 2019”
95 points – Decanter
“A brilliant value Chenin that delivers the moreish combination of steely acidity with sweet peaches and pear creaminess. There is a touch of residual sugar in this – no more than 9g/l – but it is only discernible through the weight of fruit, never through sweetness. The vines are all aged between 30 and 40 years old, from a certified organic vineyard (farmed biodynamically). Drunk over a family lunch with heaped plates of langoustines and prawns, topped of with baguette and salty butter. Heaven, from an estate that I don’t know well but was made hugely happy by. Drinking Window 2019 – 2023.”- Jane Anson, Decanter
#2 – WE Top 100 Cellar Selections 2019
Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac 2016
Named #2 – 100 points
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections 2019
100 points – Wine Enthusiast
” A voluptuous wine, this is rich and fruity yet properly balanced by a magnificent structure. Pure, crisp and packed with a black currant flavor, this will be a remarkable wine as it develops. Still young, it needs many years to develop. Don’t think about drinking before 2025.”- Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
2010 Ch Branaire-Ducru “Wow”- Decanter
Château Branaire-Ducru, St Julien 2010 – newly reviewed by Decanter
94 pts. – Decanter
“Wow, this is still knitted in, hunkered down, you feel the tannic frame, cradling the intense fruit that majors on spiced damsons and blackcurrants. What a vintage, and still really nowhere near being ready. I would suggest drinking the 2011 right now if you want a younger Branaire, this needs another five or six years. But there is liquorice, slate, cigar smoke, still pretty austere today, not generous, and yet full of life and edges. Drink 2021-2045.”- Jane Anson, Decanter 12/13/18
94 pts. – Wine Advocate
“This wine is more backward than I would have normally expected, but nevertheless, it is very impressive. The 2010 Branaire-Ducru displays an inky bluish purple color and loads of mulberry, raspberry, black currant, graphite and floral notes in its intense aromatics. Medium to full-bodied , with sensational ripeness, purity, texture and length, the tannins are slightly more prominent than I remember from barrel, but they are sweet and ripe (as opposed to astringent and bitter). This beautiful wine needs 4-6 years of cellaring and should keep 25-30 years. Drink 2017-2047.” – R. Parker, Wine Advocate, 2/27/13
2015 Pierre Gaillard St Joseph Blanc “Smooth and open-knit”- Vinous
90 pts. – Vinous
“Brilliant yellow. Ripe orange, peach and pear nectar on the nose, backed by honey and fennel notes. Smooth and open-knit, showing real depth to the gently sweet orchard and pit fruit flavors. In a distinctly plush style for the vintage and reminiscent of a 2015 for its weight and rich fruit character. A subtle vanilla note appears on the chewy finish, which hangs on with good, sappy tenacity.”- Josh Reynolds, Vinous
2017 La Toupie QuaTuor “Full-bodied, creamy and rich”- WA
Domaine La Toupie Cotes du Roussillon Villages Quatuor 2017
92 points – Wine Advocate
“The 2017 Quatuor is a blend of 36% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 19% Carignan and 10% Mourvèdre; one-third was aged in (primarily) older oak. It’s juicy and fresh, with raspberries and black cherries joined by riper, richer, chocolaty bass notes to create a complex ensemble. Full-bodied, creamy and rich, it finishes long and velvety. Drink 2019-2025.”- Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
2018 Henri Boillot Red Burgundies Reviewed by WA
2018 Red Burgundies
Collected Wine Advocate Reviews
2018 Henri Boillot White Burgundies Reviewed by WA
2018 White Burgundies
Collected Wine Advocate Reviews
2018 Rasteau is “Supple But Zesty, Turning to Velvety Waves of Fruit”- WA
La Font de Notre Dame, Rasteau La Source 2018
(90-93) points – Wine Advocate
“The 2018 Rasteau la Source—a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% each Carignan and Syrah—boasts remarkable freshness. Ripe notes of licorice and black cherries mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is supple but zesty, turning to velvety waves of fruit on the lengthy finish. Drink 2020-2027.”- Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
90 point Lalande de Pomerol- Domaine du Grand Ormeau 2016
Domaine du Grand Ormeau, Lalande de Pomerol 2016 –
Silver – Decanter World Wine Awards 2019, 90 points: “Poised and savoury, with a lovely pace throughout, revealing black plum compote, graphite and cherry liqueur leading to a long finale.” – Decanter
90 points- “full of dark flavors with spice”-WE for Chateau Biston-Brillette
Château Biston-Brillette, Moulis-en-Médoc, 2016
90 points – Wine Enthusiast
“This is a smoky, ripe wine with young new-wood flavors that will calm down. Ripe blackberry fruits that balance jammy Merlot and crisper, structured Cabernet Sauvignon are full of dark flavors with spice and considerable acidity to keep freshness at the end. Drink from 2022.” — RV, Wine Enthusiast
90 pts “Rich and generously proportioned (Chablis 1er Cru)”- Burghound
Domaine Testut Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2019
90 points – Burghound
“(from 70+ year old vines in Beugnons) This is also quite aromatically pretty with its layered array of citrus, white orchard fruit, quinine and a whiff of tidal pool. The rich and generously proportioned medium weight flavors possess a refreshing salinity while exhibiting good length if only average depth on the balanced finale. Drink 2024+.”- Allen Meadows, Burghound
90 pts Decanter – Couly-Dutheil Baronnie Madeleine 2015
90 pts. “Highly Recommend”- Decanter Loire Panel Tasting
“Sandalwood and broad herbal fruit on the nose. The palate is restrained, savoury, dry and sappy with a slight sweet toasted note on the finish. Drinking Window 2018 – 2028.” – Decanter
90 pts DWWA – Silver for Our Pic Saint Loup
Bergerie du Capucin, Pic Saint Loup, Dame Jeanne 2018-
90 points – Decanter Silver DWWA 2020
“Perfumed mulberry and rich spice with a core of mineral character running throughout; with ripe tannins and a long finish.”- Decanter
Languedoc-Roussillon
70% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
90 pts WE “Best Buy” from Chateau D’Aydie
Château d’Aydie, Madiran, Origine 2017 (in France’s Southwest)
90 points “Best Buy” – Wine Enthusiast
“This structured wine with ripe tannins and blackberry flavors is balanced while still celebrating its youthful fruitiness. Elegant, ripe and perfumed, it will be ready to drink from 2020.”- Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
Tannat and Cabernet Franc Blend
90 pts. “An excellent (2018) Moulis from Biston-Brillette” – Vinous
Château Briston-Brillette Moulis Bordeaux 2018
90 points – Vinous
“The 2018 Briston-Brillette offers vivid blackberry and tobacco scents on a nose that is almost Pauillac in style. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip, fine-grained tannins and a harmonious, graphite-tinged finish. This is an excellent Moulis from Biston-Brillette. Drink 2023-2038.”- Neal Martin, Vinous
90-92 pts JD- Gaillard Cote Rôtie 2016
2016 Pierre Gaillard Côte Rôtie
90-92 pts. – Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2016 Côte Rôtie is another potentially outstanding barrel sample. Spice, flowers, bacon fat, and classic raspberry fruit notes flow to a medium-bodied, fresh, nicely balanced 2016 that has loads to love. A blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Viognier aged 30% new oak, it’s going to drink nicely right out of the gate.”- Jeb Dunnuck
91 points- “The 2016 Biston-Brillette Bon Vin!”- Vinous
Château Biston-Brillette, Moulis-en-Médoc 2016
91 points – Vinous
“The 2016 Biston-Brillette has a lovely blackberry, cedar and tobacco-scented bouquet that opens nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very well judged acidity, harmonious, silky and smooth with very well integrated new oak. Bon vin! Tasted at the Cru Bourgeois tasting in London. Drink 2020-2035.”- Neal Martin, Vinous
90 points – Wine Enthusiast
“This is a smoky, ripe wine with young new-wood flavors that will calm down. Ripe blackberry fruits that balance jammy Merlot and crisper, structured Cabernet Sauvignon are full of dark flavors with spice and considerable acidity to keep freshness at the end. Drink from 2022.” — RV, Wine Enthusiast
92 “Sweet Spot Outstanding” – Burghound – Domaine Testut Chablis 1er Cru Forets 2017
Domaine Testut, Chablis 1er Cru Forets 2017 – 92 pts. “Sweet Spot Outstanding”- Burghound
“Like the old vines cuvée, the sulfur addition before the recent bottling dominates the fruit. Otherwise there is more size, weight and power to the muscular and beautifully well-delineated flavors that are still quite compact on the mineral-imbued finish that is notably more complex. This tightly wound effort will need a few years of cellaring before it’s ready for prime time drinking but it should be a beauty in time. Drink 2023+”- Allen Meadows, Burghound, Issue 72
92 points Couly-Dutheil, Clos de Echo 2015
Couly-Dutheil, Chinon, Clos de l’Echo 2015 – “This producer’s top single-vineyard wine is richly structured and full of ripe berry fruits. A strong smoky character comes through the rich fruits and acidity to produce a classic Cabernet Franc flavor. It’s still surprisingly young, and will be better from 2020.”- Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, 4/2019
93 pts “(Gaillard’s) 2018 Saint Joseph Blanc has that “it” factor'” – WA
Pierre Gaillard St. Joseph Blanc 2018
93 points – Wine Advocate
“The orange-scented, truffled, honey-laden 2018 Saint Joseph Blanc has that “it” factor. Full-bodied, rich and silky, it’s harmonious and exotic, with ample concentration and length. It should provide delicious drinking over the next few years, perhaps longer.”- Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
94 pts – Couly-Dutheil Clos de l’Echo 2016
Domaine Couly-Dutheil Clos de l’Echo 2016 (from Chinon’s famous walled vineyard)
94 points – Decanter
“Attractive and youthful, with a smoky dark fruit core. All about elegance, freshness, textbook pencil lead, a fine grip of tannin and great freshness.” – Decanter
94 pts. “The much-awarded Dame Jeanne (2018)– is always a great buy”- Decanter
Bergerie du Capucin, Jeanne Dame 2018
“Pic Saint Loup Name to Know”
94 points – Decanter
“The much-awarded Dame Jeanne – a zero-oak prestige cuvèe – is always a great buy and a genuinely ageworthy wine from the Pic. The 20120 is drinking superbly. The 2018 is dazzlingly aromatic with classic Pic citrus-grove Syrah notes: the palate is dense and rich yet fresh and aromatic, too. Drink 2021-2028.”- Andrew Jeffords, Decanter
Andrew Jeffords On Bergerie du Capucin -“Pic St Loup Name to Know”
“Guilhem Viau is one of the Pic St-Loup’s most talented winemakers, working with 15ha of vines in Lauret and Valfaunès, the heartland of the zone. He quickly grasped, as many of the Pic’s avant-garde have since done, that too much small-oak aging can suffocate the magnificently scented Syrah notes that are possible here; all of his cuvèes marry aromatic finesse with fine textures and sumptuous fruit.”- Decanter
94 pts. Decanter – “Amazing value (Vouvray) for money!”
Vigneau-Cheavreau Vouvray Petillant
biodynamic
94 points – Decanter
Lovely golden yellow in colour, with the aromas intensely suggesting wet wool, hazlenuts and honeyed apples. In the mouth there’s an oily, viscous quality; the bubbles are very light, almost not there. Very vinous, with high, laser sharp acid. It’s in some ways savoury and in other ways full of sweet baked apples, peaches and apple pie. A pleasant touch of bitter walnut skin tickles the finish. The alcohol is a little noticeable but the richness and intensity keep it in balance. Amazing value for money! Drink 2021-2028.”- Decanter
Another “Outstanding” Gigondas Bottling
La Font de Notre Dame, Gigondas le Mas 2018
(91-93) points – Wine Advocate
“A blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, the 2018 Gigondas is being matured mostly in concrete tank, with 20% in oak. There’s a hint of green peppercorns on the nose, then bold raspberry fruit in this full-bodied, silky-textured wine. Drink 2020-2028.”- Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
(90-92) points – Vinous
“Limpid ruby-red. Lively, spice-accented red berry and cherry scents are complicated by a hint of pungent flowers. Energetic and focused on the palate, offering sappy raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that turn sweeter as the wine unfolds. Juicy and well-focused, displaying bright, spicy thrust on the nervy finish, which features harmonious tannins and a touch of candied red fruits. Drink 2023-2031.”- Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“…a beautiful, possibly outstanding wine. Sappy garrigue, black cherries, garrigue, and peppery notes all give way to a medium to full-bodied barrel sample that has fine tannins, good acidity, and a classic, balanced style. It should drink nicely in its youth yet age well on its balance.”- JebDunnuck.com
Another 90 Points for Domaine Cheysson Beaujolais Cru Chiroubles
Domaine Cheysson, Beaujolais Cru Chiroubles, Clos les Farges 2017
90 points- Vinous
“Vivid ruby. Dried cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors are complemented by a hint of spiciness. Shows good breadth and no rough edges, and finishes on a repeating dark fruit note, with gentle tannic grip and strong persistence. Drink 2020-2024.” – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Bergerie du Capucin 2017 Larmanela Awarded Decanter Gold
Bergerie du Capucin, Pic Saint Loup, Larmanela 2017
96 points
Gold – Decanter World Wine Awards 2020
“Exquisite smoky black fruit, kirsch and sweet vanilla oak interwoven with rosemary and thyme herbal characters; serious and concentrated with ripe tannins and a delightful contrasting freshness.” – Decanter
95% Syrah, 5% Grenache
Berthenet A “Top 10 Montagny Name To Know”- Decanter
Domaine Berthenet, Montagny, Tête de Cuvée 2018- Makes Decanter’s Regional Profile: Montagny
“At the same time, smaller domaines are gaining in importance…(Among) Key names are Berthenet”- Decanter
91 points – Decanter
“Berthenet’s Tête de Cuvée is a blend from all but one of the domaine’s vineyards. Succulent, ripe and honeyed, the calcareous slopes have added freshness, citrus and saline notes. Unoaked, there are beguiling floral notes in this fine Montagny. Drink 2020-2022.”- Andy Howard, MW, Decanter
“Domaine Berthenet – Established in 1974, it was in 2001 that Jean-Pierre Berthenet and his son François separated from the Buxy cooperative. With their 15ha in Montagny producing seven premier cru wines, Berthenet is another producer who believes a focus on individual climats is the best way to raise the profile of Montagny. Vinification is mostly in stainless steel to promote freshness.”- Decanter
Berthenet Tete de Cuvee “a terrific value for the quality”- WS
Domaine Berthenet, Tête de Cuvée 2016 – 90 pts. “Editor Pick of Great Giftable Wines”-Wine Spectator
“A bright, juicy version, this offers peach, apple, floral and lemon flavors. Rich, yet backed by a lively structure that extends the finish. Drink now. Why It’s of Note: Montagny is the southernmost appellation in Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise. It’s dominated by white wine and by the cooperative Cave de Buxy, which Jean-Pierre Berthenet left in 2001 to bottle his own wines. Though rich, this tête de cuvée, Berthenet’s flagship white from its 37 acres of vineyards, offers fine balance and freshness. It’s a terrific value for the quality.”—BS, Wine Spectator
Burghound “Very Impressed”- Henri Boillot 2017 Red Burgundies
Burghound Ratings and Reviews
Burghound Reviews Henri Boillot’s 2018 White Burgundies
2018 White Burgundies
Collected Burghound Reviews
Burghound Reviews Henri Boillot’s 2019 Red Burgundies
HENRI BOILLOT
2019 Red Burgundies
“As the comments and ratings confirm, I was as usual impressed with the Boillot 2019s. Boillot further noted that the reds were bottled in December 2020 without fining or filtration.” – Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue 82
Ch Pontet-Cantet 2016 Makes JD “Top 100 Red Wines of 2019”
Château Pontet-Canet Paullac 2016 – #90 in JD “Top 100 Red Wines of 2019”
98+ points – Jeb Dunnuck.com
“Reminding me of the 2010 and, I suspect, a wine that will merit a triple-digit rating in a decade or so (I tasted this on multiple occasions and thought it was perfect on one of them), the 2016 Château Pontet-Canet comes from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that spent 16 months in 50% new French oak, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second fill oak. Thrilling notes of pure crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, crushed mint, graphite, and crushed rock notes all emerge from this deep, powerful, yet elegant Pauillac. The style of this wine has become more and more finesse-driven and pure, yet it hasn’t lost a beat on concentration or length. This singular, beautiful Pontet-Canet needs 7-8 years of cellaring (it has some accessibility today given its purity and balance) and will keep for 4-5 decades. Drink 2026-2076.”- Jeb Dunnuck
CHFW Introduces Spanish Portfolio
Cynthia Hurley French Wines Partners with Ignacio (Nacho) Alvarez to Launch Spanish Portfolio