Type
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Tradition 2022
"The young 2022 Chinon is reductive and needs some breathing time—ideally, time in bottle. It's rather raw and uptight due to its youth. It reminds me of someone scrunching up their eyes and hunching their shoulders, as if waiting for something bad to happen. But underneath all that tension of youth, there is creamy, juicy red fruit and spice, and evidently less crunchiness than in 2021. While it needs time, its level of concentration and modest tannins suggest this is one that would be best consumed before the decade is out." - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2021
"Crafted from old vines (70 to 80 years old) on clay, gravelly soils, the 2021 Chinon Vieilles Vignes is instantly brilliant in the glass. Despite a slight reduction, it offers up aromas of blueberries, cassis, flowers, violet, rose petals and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, layered and structured, it’s seamless and enveloping with powdery tannins and delicate notes of violet and blueberries on the finish. It's approachable now but also built to evolve with grace." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Coteau de Noiré 2021
"This site is known to produce relatively dense, powerful wines in ripe vintages, yet the 2021 Chinon Coteau de Noiré stands out as exceptional. It unfolds in the glass with aromas of lead pencil, licorice, dark wild berries and cassis. Full-bodied, dense and chunky, it’s seamless and velvety with a layered core of fruit framed by powdery, generous tannins that segues into a long, mineral finish framed by perfectly controlled power. I appreciate wines like this that purely express the terroirs and are capable of long aging. Keep it over the next decade." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon L’Huisserie 2021
"The 2021 Chinon L'Huisserie is derived from 23-year-old vines planted on flinty clay soils. Offering up a reduced, complex bouquet of violet, blueberries, cassis, cedar and licorice, it’s medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a layered, structured mid-palate complemented with bright acids and a penetrating, mineral finish that is a hallmark of this cuvée in recent years." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Château de Saint Cosme Micro-Cosme Grenache/Pinot Noir Non-Vintage
"We have now been experimenting with Pinot noir blended with our Grenache Solera for three years. It's an old idea which gradually took shape thanks to a wonderful source of Pinot noir we were able to access. So from this year, the wine is truly transitioning from the style of the Little James Basket Press (with Grenache made in the Solera style) to the Micro-Cosme style which is a proper blend of Grenache and Pinot noir. I should point out that the 'Grenache' part continues to be our wonderful Solera. The fusion of Grenache and Pinot is a great classic in the history of wine which I would like to resurrect. The two varieties, seemingly so remote in terms of character and the regions where they thrive, are actually fraternal twins which resemble each other and make good bedfellows." Winemaker's notes
Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022 Magnum
Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022," An 80-20 blend of Syrah and Grenache, sourced from the Gard and Vinsobres, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone offers up outstanding aromas of blueberries and stone fruit, with violet-like floral accents. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and concentrated—apt to make any bargain shopper very happy." - Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022
Château de Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022," An 80-20 blend of Syrah and Grenache, sourced from the Gard and Vinsobres, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone offers up outstanding aromas of blueberries and stone fruit, with violet-like floral accents. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and concentrated—apt to make any bargain shopper very happy." - Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Rouge 2021
Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Rouge 2021, "Deep magenta. High-toned cherry and blackberry aromas show very good clarity with black pepper and smoky mineral accents. Shows firm tension and a spicy cut to its gently sweet red and dark berry, bitter chocolate and succulent herb flavors. Youthfully gripping tannins lend framework to a long, smoky finish that echoes the spice and floral notes. This is textbook Gigondas, raised in a combination of one-third concrete tanks and two-thirds large oak barrels, 20% of those new." - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Château de Saint Cosme IGP “Les Deux Albion” Blanc 2022
"The wine is relatively aromatic – roughly on a par with Clairette – and develops scents of marshmallow, watermelon, pear and white flowers. On the palate, the acidity is forward or even slightly disjointed. There is
great palatability. Incorporating the aptly named Saint Côme into our collection of white varieties is a worthwhile experience because it takes us back to the pre-phylloxera world of heirloom grape varieties. In 2022, the Deux Albion is fresh, clean and aromatic as always, with some great sourness on the finish – in a vintage like this, this is a surprising but welcome trait" - Winemaker's notes
Champagne Pol Roger Pure Extra-Brut Non-Vintage
"Based on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with around 30 grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Pol Roger's NV Demi Sec Rich is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of honeycomb, ripe pears, brioche, frangipane and candied peel. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it's elegantly textural, with racy acids, nicely integrated sugar and a precise finish. This works very well with certain desserts—think fruit tarts made with flaky pâte sucrée—and will pick up additional complexity, making it even more versatile at the table, with bottle age." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Champagne Pol Roger Rich Demi-Sec Non-Vintage
"Based on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with around 30 grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Pol Roger's NV Demi Sec Rich is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of honeycomb, ripe pears, brioche, frangipane and candied peel. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it's elegantly textural, with racy acids, nicely integrated sugar and a precise finish. This works very well with certain desserts—think fruit tarts made with flaky pâte sucrée—and will pick up additional complexity, making it even more versatile at the table, with bottle age." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
San Román Bodegas San Román 2020
"The 2020 San Román had a slightly shorter élevage than the 2019 I tasted next to it. These are wines of very good regularity, showing a ripe and generously oaked profile, ripe, lush and powerful, perhaps a tad lighter and fresher in 2020. 115,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2018
"Poggio di Sotto hits it out the ballpark once again with an extremely elegant interpretation that shows the incredible depth and nuance Sangiovese can achieve, even in an uneven vintage such as this. The certified organic 2018 Brunello di Montalcino reveals a dark ruby hue and mid-weight concentration. Indeed, the wine is lighter and brighter than most, despite Brunello's mandatory five years of aging before its commercial release. The tannins are silky and melt over the palate. Along the way, the wine offers high notes of red cherry, cassis and blue flower. This 38,000-bottle release carries a very high price tag, but your high expectations will be met." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
Castello ColleMassari Melacce Montecucco Vermentino 2021
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2017
"Made with certified-organic fruit, the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is an impossibly graceful wine from a challenging vintage. This bottle defies the odds—and the dry heat of the growing season—to reveal soft layers of cherry, cassis and more vibrant fruit. It glides clear over the palate with silky momentum, and you only notice the tannins at the very end. Even those should soften and integrate as this collectible wine continues it bottle evolution. Production is 19,000 bottles." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé Nuances 2020
"Its delicately iridescent, rather deep colour keeps its promise: on the nose, it's an elegant explosion of red fruit, Morello cherry, redcurrant, refreshed by notes of citrus, grass and mint. On the palate, this fine, delicate, full-bodied wine reveals a fine, full-bodied and particularly delicious world. The young finish needs just a few months to lengthen and leave the sapid sensation that traditionally characterises this wine." - Winemaker's notes
Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé 2022 Magnum
"The citrusy, mentholated 2022 Bandol Rosé was crafted with a blend of 65% Mourvèdre and 35% Cinsault and matured six months in barrels. It displays aromas of pomegranate, citrus, spring flowers, iodine, jasmine and crushed stones, followed by a beautifully defined texture, a fleshy core of fruit and racy acids that underpin a delicate, well-delineated and calcareous finish. It's going to drink nicely in its youth, but I suspect it will also age gracefully over the next 2-5 years. Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé 2022
"The citrusy, mentholated 2022 Bandol Rosé was crafted with a blend of 65% Mourvèdre and 35% Cinsault and matured six months in barrels. It displays aromas of pomegranate, citrus, spring flowers, iodine, jasmine and crushed stones, followed by a beautifully defined texture, a fleshy core of fruit and racy acids that underpin a delicate, well-delineated and calcareous finish. It's going to drink nicely in its youth, but I suspect it will also age gracefully over the next 2-5 years. Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Garmón Continental 2020
"The 2020 Garmón is a 100% Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, aged for 20 months in primarily French oak barrels. Purple with a garnet sheen. The fruit-forward nose offers dried plum, blackcurrant and aniseed-like herbs intertwined with oak layers. Dry and plush from the oak, the wine's chalky texture grows more pronounced as it goes on, foregrounding a restrained but juicy, polished, lingering finish. The 2020 is a balanced, modern expression of Ribera del Duero." - Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2017
"Masses of ashen earth, smoke, dusty cherry and roses with nuances of clove lift up from the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino. This is silky and pliant upon entry, presenting a rich display of intense red and hints of black fruits laced with chalky minerals that drenches the palate. Penetrating acidity and grippy tannins create a burst of cheek-puckering tension, clenching down hard with youthful poise, as notes of licorice and hard red candies linger through the structured, medium-length finale. There are some moments where the 2017 reminds you that it comes from an incredibly hot and dry vintage, yet overall, it’s a huge success for the year. That said, it needs time to unwind from its youthful state. Production was down 15–20% at Il Poggione in 2017 due to severe selection of bunches, and all of the fruit that would have been reserved for the Riserva Vigna Paganelli was added to the Brunello instead." - Eric Guido, Vinous
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2018 Magnum
"Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed." - Eric Guido
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2018
“Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed.” – Eric Guido
Champagne Pol Roger Rich Demi Sec Non-Vintage
"Based on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with around 30 grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Pol Roger's NV Demi Sec Rich is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of honeycomb, ripe pears, brioche, frangipane and candied peel. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it's elegantly textural, with racy acids, nicely integrated sugar and a precise finish. This works very well with certain desserts—think fruit tarts made with flaky pâte sucrée—and will pick up additional complexity, making it even more versatile at the table, with bottle age." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
