J. de Telmont Cuvée Sans Soufre Ajouté Brut NV
A rarity in the Champagne world, J. de Telmont’s Cuvée Sans Soufre Ajouté Brut is crafted from biodynamically-grown grapes and is made entirely without the addition of sulfur—a practice that makes this former vintner a tad nervous. This bottle made its way back from Reims in my suitcase and weathered the trip well—and offers up […]
Château Puygueraud Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 2015
Owned by George Thienpont—the family also own Vieux Château Certan, as such Puygueraud delivers excellent value. This supple blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec delivers enveloping aromas of blackcurrant, blackberries, Bing cherries, sweet tobacco, leather, and vanilla. It’s round and silky in the mouth with suave tannins that lend structure and […]
Piccini Villa al Cortile Brunello di Montalcino 2010
A classic, the 2010 Piccini Villa al Cortile Brunello di Montalcino unfurls slowly, revealing her bountiful aromatic charm—underbrush and brambly forest berries, tart pie cherries, forest floor, leather, wild mint, and decaying rose petals. It’s nimble on the palate, furnished with soft, fine tannins and a vein of marly limestone running through the center. Sour […]
Maîtres Vignerons de la Presqu’ile de Saint-Tropez Côtes de Provence Fleur de Mer Rosé 2016
A perennial favorite, Fleur de Mer Rosé is salmon-hued in the glass and unsparing in summer fruit—melon and raspberries followed by lilting white flowers and wet stone. In the mouth, it’s lithe, bright, and bedecked in texturally lovely, mineral-laden acidity that plays nicely with pink pomelo pith and subtle hints of the sea. 13.0% ABV […]
Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
The 2016 Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in both new French and American oak and expresses a vibrant mélange of ripe blackberries, black cherries, black currant, sandalwood, alfalfa hay, menthol, eucalyptus, and bittersweet chocolate shavings. On the palate, supple tannins aplenty combined with moderate weight, and a firm acid backbone that gives lift and […]
Suntory Whiskey Toki
Goldenrod yellow in the glass, Toki is a beguiling blend of whiskeys from Suntory’s Hakushu, Yamazaki, and Chita distilleries. Light on its feet, bright aromas of dried flowers, yellow apple, and lemon peel, blanched almond and delicate smokiness anoint the nose. It’s silky on entry, and refreshing with almost no sensation of heat on the […]
Kangarilla Road Shiraz 2016
The final wine I’ve sampled in a series from Kangarilla Road, it’s worth pointing out the value for price in the US market—the 2016 Kangarilla Road Shiraz is brimming with aromas of blackberry, mulberry, menthol, and dark chocolate shavings. It’s a muscular wine, but there is refinement, too. In the mouth, bright acid offsets finely […]
Tendril Wine Cellars Child’s Play Pinot – Chardonnay 2017
An offshoot label from Tony Rynder’s Tendril wines, Child’s Play 2017 Pinot Chardonnay is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. The nose grapey nose with intriguing layers of Fig Newton, sultana, white flowers, poached pear, and yellow plum. It’s medium-bodied on the palate with a zesty vein of acidity adding lift, cutting through perceptible […]
Kangarilla Road Chardonnay 2017
Lots of breadth and range in Kangarilla Road’s 2017 Chardonnay. Sourced from a single vineyard within the Adelaide Hills, 50% of this wine was fermented in new French oak Hogsheads, with daily lees stirring. White peach, underripe pineapple, orange pastille, blanched almond, dried mint, and toast leap from the glass—it’s lithe and citrus-driven on the […]
Trimbach Pinot Gris Alsace Réserve 2013
Brimming with aromas of peach pit, apricot, paraffin, pastry cream, and white flowers, Trimbach’s 2013 Pinot Gris Alsace Réserve is full and fleshy on the palate with a gorgeous, driving vein of oyster shell and saline that pulses through the core like a magnetic wave. Highly recommended. 13.5% ABV | Sample Trimbach 89 Points