Jean-Charles Boisset Haute Couture French Bubbles Rosé NV
If you’ve met Jean-Charles Boisset, you will instantly understand his wines. On the day that I met him, filming an interview for WineVine.tv, he was resplendent in a long, black crushed velvet coat and shirt with ruffles underneath. The ultimate showman and ringmaster, his wines are consistent in their theme of boisterousness and hedonism. Indeed, […]
Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2014
Enigmatic as all Véronique Boss-Drouhin’s wines are, the 2014 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir boasts freshness and poise in a ripe vintage year. Crushed lavender, cocoa powder, dried mint, underbrush, and an alluring array of red fruits lead into a wine that is medium-bodied and neatly trussed in fine tannins. White pepper and earth emerge at […]
2013 Brancaia Maremma Toscana Ilatraia
A Cab-dominant blend that flirts with opulence, reigned in by its Tuscan provenance—and that is a good thing, a food-friendly thing. The 2013 Brancaia Illatraia quietly unspools with notes of plums and ripe blackberries steeped in thyme. Burning embers, dust, and juniper berries add layered complexity. On the palate, it’s round and plush, with mouth-coating […]
Brancaia Tre 2014
A stylish Super Tuscan that is as modern as its label, Brancaia’s 2014 Tre is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from all three of the winery’s estate vineyards. It’s softly textured on the nose and palate, a basket of freshly harvested, sun-warmed Italian plums and black cherries infused with […]
Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Monovitigno 2014
On a quest to find the perfect wine to pair with Pho, I picked up this lively Lambrusco from Kermit Lynch…two years ago. I found it while moving around bottles, happily, though the jury is still out as to the pairing. My beef bone broth is still reducing as I type this. As to the […]
Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2011
Sublime sophistication, Raveneau’s 2011 Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre shows its pedigree with complex aromas of roasted pear, earth, hazelnut, iodine, and smoke. The influence of Kimmeridgian soils is evident on the palate, one that is both expansive and neatly tailored, swathed in stone fruit and lemon curd tightly bound by a mineral spine. […]
Domaine d’Ouréa Gigondas 2014
An example of the sort of wine I bring when visiting the boyfriend—as a chef he has a real passion for game meats, so this seemed like a good choice. Brooding plums, black cherries, and grilled meat form the base of the profile. Add to this a dusting of earth and iron ore followed by lighter notes of […]
Brooks Estate Vineyard Pinot Gris 2016
From Brooks’ estate vineyard, this is old vine Oregon Pinot Gris at its best. Aromatically, minerality that dominates this nose with wet stones co-mingling with white peach and tender spring blossoms. In the mouth, a lithe ribbon of chalk and talc course through it, along with bright lemon pith. Very nice. Sample Brooks 8.9 Points
LaFou Celler Terra Alta El Sender 2015
LaFou’s 2015 El Sender is a young, slightly unruly blend of Garnaxta Negra and Syrah. Aged in concrete, it’s vivid and fresh, emitting a constant stream of pungent black cherries, strawberries and blackberry pie. Dried flowers and anise crown the nose—a plunge into the wine itself reveals purity of fruit, crunchy acidity contrasting soft texture. […]
Bluebird Hill Cellars Barrel Select Pinot Noir 2015
The perfect marriage of fruit and elegance, Bluebird Hill’s 2015 Barrel Select Pinot Noir, a micro-lot from the acclaimed Zenith Hill vineyard, is inlaid with ripe raspberries and pie cherries, dried orange peel, cinnamon stick, and rose petal—all rather more delicate notes that transform, at last, to an unexpected burst of iron ore. Undergirded by […]