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Château de Rouanne Vinsobres Rouge 2018
A blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre, the 2018 Vinsobres features an intriguing mix of herbal, floral and fruity notes on the nose, with scents ranging from bay leaf and lavender to violets and purple raspberries. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and fine on the palate, with a finishing touch of licorice. It's a great debut—showing complexity and elegance, not raw power—from the property's new owner, Louis Barruol of Château Saint-Cosme in Gigondas..- Joe Czerwinski
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Château de Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2019
While the 2019 Cotes du Rhone is not a single-estate wine (it's labeled simply Saint Cosme, without the "Château de"), this 100% Syrah is a perennial bargain—and this could be its best vintage to date. Aromas of violets, cracked pepper, cassis and blueberries leap from the glass, while the medium to full-bodied palate is ripe but silky, leading into a long, mouthwatering finish. A blend of fruit from the Gard (the right bank of the Rhône) and Vinsobres (the left bank, about 400 meters above sea level), it retains a sense of freshness not often found in Syrahs from the Southern Rhône.
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Château de Saint Cosme IGP Vaucluse “Les Deux Albion” Blanc 2019
Grown on land owned by the Barruol family, the 2019 IGP Principauté d'Orange Les Deux Albions Blanc is labeled Domaine de Saint Cosme rather than with the "Chateau" moniker. A blend of 40% Viognier, 30% Picpoul and 20% Marsanne, with trace amounts of Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Ugni Blanc, it delivers some of Viognier's floral, apricot-driven opulence, balanced by the restrained fruit of the other varieties and enriched by barrel fermentation and sur-lie aging. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is plump and round in the mouth, harmonious and fleshy, with a broad, spicy finish. Drink it over the next couple of years. - Joe Czerwinski
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Domaine Juliette Avril Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017
Avril's cuvée tradition, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape, is a blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre, aged in a combination of foudres and cement tanks. Some herbal notes accent raspberries and stone fruit in this full-bodied wine, which is silky enough, with a peppery finish. It's well made and harmonious, if not particularly intense or long." - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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J.L. Chave Sélection Côtes-du-Rhône “Mon Coeur” 2018
"Deep ruby-red. Smoke-accented cherry, dark berries and licorice on the perfumed nose, which takes on succulent floral and herb nuances with air. Smooth, concentrated and gently sweet, offering mineral- and spice-accented black raspberry, cherry and violet pastille flavors and a spicy jolt of cracked pepper. Finishes supple, sweet and quite long, with harmonious tannins and lingering florality." - Josh Raynolds, Antonio Galloni's Vinous
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J.L. Chave Sélection Crozes-Hermitage “Silène” 2018
"Inky ruby. Pungent, mineral-accented black and blue fruit qualities on the nose, along with hints of olive, licorice and peony that build in the glass. Supple and weighty on the palate, offering expansive blackberry and boysenberry flavors that become firmer with air. The floral note comes back strong on the penetrating finish, which shows outstanding persistence and fine-grained, well-knit tannins. 60% of this fruit was sourced from the granitic soils and steep slopes in the northern sector of the appellation and the other 40% came from the south, where the soils are lighter, based mostly on limestone clay and covered in large alluvial stones and smaller river rocks." - Josh Raynolds, Antonio Galloni's Vinous
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J.L. Chave Sélection Crozes-Hermitage Blanc “Sybèle” 2018
"Diaphanous straw-yellow. Mineral-driven aromas of pear nectar, tangerine and yellow plum, plus a subtle touch of jasmine. Juicy and tightly focused in the mouth, offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors that are underscored by suggestions of ginger and bitter quinine. The impressively long, penetrating finish shows lingering minerality and fine delineation." - Josh Raynolds, Antonio Galloni's Vinous
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J.L. Chave Sélection Saint-Joseph Blanc “Circa” 2018
"Pale yellow. Powerful peach nectar, orange, honey and chamomile aromas show sharp definition and lift thanks to a smoky mineral flourish. Supple, silky and broad on the palate, offering ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors and a touch of sweet butter. The mineral quality repeats emphatically on the impressively long, seamless finish, which leaves behind a juicy Anjou pear note." - Josh Raynolds, Antonio Galloni's Vinous
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Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape “Les Quartz” 2017
"The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz features scents of black olives and black cherries on the nose. It's a full-bodied, dense, tightly packed wine that will need time to fully express itself—is it a modern-day 2005? Ample cherry and stone fruit appear on the long, intense finish, confirming the terrific potential this wine possesses." - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Les Safres” 2017
"Hints of rosemary and pine accent cherries and apricots in the Grenache-dominated 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Safres. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it finishes long and intense. Already drinking well, it should continue to do so through 2030." - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
