Close
Álvaro Palacios “Quiñón de Valmira” 2016
"I had the chance to preview the 2016 Quiñón de Valmira, a wine that can seem perplexing during the élevage, as it's very pale and ethereal, but it has incredible power and depth, even if the sample was a bit shaky. There is great harmony and elegance here, with very good freshness. Even if it feels light on the palate, it seems to have more clout, concentration, power and acidity than the 2015, like it wants to go one step further. It's not very clear yet, but I believe this is a better wine than the 2015. This should be bottled around February 2018; I tasted a sample from an oval oak cask. There will be some 2,400 bottles of this. I also saw a very raw sample of 2017, from an atypical year of extreme heat and drought, and the wine had a lot more color, extract and concentration. We'll have to wait and see if this ends up being the great wine produced from Valmira. There will be a bit more wine in 2017." - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Close
Bodegas y Viñedos Alion 2016 Tinto
Glass-staining violet. Heady smoke- and mineral-accented aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, incense and potpourri, plus hints of vanilla and cola in the background. Densely packed, alluringly sweet and focused on the palate, offering intense black currant, cherry-vanilla and candied licorice flavors and a touch of exotic spices. Sappy, smooth and seamless in texture, finishing with powerful thrust and velvety tannins that come in late to add shape and gentle grip. 95% French and 5% American oak, 80% of it new.
Close
Bodegas y Viñedos Alion 2016 Tinto 3L
Glass-staining violet. Heady smoke- and mineral-accented aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, incense and potpourri, plus hints of vanilla and cola in the background. Densely packed, alluringly sweet and focused on the palate, offering intense black currant, cherry-vanilla and candied licorice flavors and a touch of exotic spices. Sappy, smooth and seamless in texture, finishing with powerful thrust and velvety tannins that come in late to add shape and gentle grip. 95% French and 5% American oak, 80% of it new.
Close
Bodegas y Viñedos Alion 2016 Tinto Magnum
Glass-staining violet. Heady smoke- and mineral-accented aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, incense and potpourri, plus hints of vanilla and cola in the background. Densely packed, alluringly sweet and focused on the palate, offering intense black currant, cherry-vanilla and candied licorice flavors and a touch of exotic spices. Sappy, smooth and seamless in texture, finishing with powerful thrust and velvety tannins that come in late to add shape and gentle grip. 95% French and 5% American oak, 80% of it new.
Close
Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rouge 2016
Mocha, cola, earth and caramel notes appear on the nose of the 2016 Bandol, a blend of 90% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache. This is all dark fruit and savory nuance, full-bodied, richly concentrated, creamy and lush, yet it's chewy and tannic on the long, spicy finish. It can be consumed now with rare beef or lamb to help with the tannins, or be aged for up to 15 years.
Close
Château de Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2016
Blended, but still aging in barrel, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape will likely be bottled in March 2019. Brandied cherries and dried spices mark the nose of this full-bodied, plush wine. It's slightly warm, and certainly rich, but it remains fresh and long on the finish. It should be a beauty.- Joe Czerwinski
Close
Domaine du Pelican Arbois Poulsard 2016
"Produced exclusively with the fruit from the old Jacques Puffeney vineyard, the 2016 Arbois Poulsard is the second vintage of a very pale, floral and light red that many could call a rosé, with the character of the grape and Burgundian precision and clarity. The destemmed grapes fermented in oak vats and aged in oak foudre for ten months. It's really fresh, light and tasty. They produced 4,000 bottles in this second vintage." - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Close
Domaine du Pélican Savagnin Ouillé 2016
"Showing the pure varietal profile, the 2016 Arbois Savagnin Ouillé reflects very much the style of Domaine du Pelican—clean, fresh and focused wines. It fermented and aged in foudre and 500-liter barrels for ten months. It has good ripeness and nicely integrated oak. The palate revealed pungent flavors or great intensity and good acidity. 18,000 bottled produced. The aim is to make Savagnin the grape of the Domaine. This is my favourite wine of the portfolio, a wine with energy and character" - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Close
Domaine Lafarge-Vial “Chiroubles” 2016
"A peppery nose is comprised mostly by earth-infused plum aromas that lead to energetic, detailed and solidly concentrated flavors that deliver lovely persistence on the balanced and complex finish. This bitter cherry pit-inflected effort should drink well young but offer 5 to 8 years of development potential." - Allan Meadow, Burghound
Close
Domaine Lafarge-Vial Côte de Brouilly 2016
"Attractively fresh aromas of cherry, violet, iron-inflected earth and a hint of pepper give way to relatively full-bodied and discreetly stony flavors that are at once succulent but muscular. This broad-shouldered effort delivers fine length on the youthfully austere finale that, not surprisingly, is the most structured among these and as such, at least moderate patience suggested." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Close
Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie “Clos Vernay” 2016
"The 2016 Fleurie Clos Vernay wafts from the glass with a nuanced bouquet of raspberries, wild plums, dark chocolate and loamy soil. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, tangy and quite concentrated, framed by elegantly fine-grained tannins that nevertheless suggest this is a wine that will go the distance, much like the family's Volnays." - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Close
Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie “Joie de Palais” 2016
"A more elegant and appealingly fresh nose is almost pinot-like and could easily be mistaken for same. There is good underlying tension to the vibrant, detailed and utterly delicious flavors that are bit more refined, all wrapped in a focused if youthfully austere finale. This should also be accessible young but reward mid-term cellaring." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
