de Lancellotti Lachini Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013
de Lancellotti Lachini Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013 presents a fresh face—one that is composed of feminine, slightly stemmy raspberries and dewy rose petals. The nose is a bit deceptive, because this intriguing 2013 shows more concentration than one might expect, with caressing, silky layers of Rainier cherries, red forest berries and cranberries swathed in a […]
Domaine Olivier Hillaire Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 2012
Laden with boysenberries and plums, dried thyme, earth, game, black olive, and violets the 2012 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes is a fabulous value. Complex aromatics lead into juicy black fruit on the palate held in check by moderate acidity and firm tannins that are seemingly steeped in earthiness. Nicely done for […]
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 1999
The 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche is a transcendent bottle, wherein no one element dominates, it’s in absolute harmony, not unlike a great piece of music or art. It has pronounced power, and is at the same time weightless and ethereal. Layers of crushed raspberries, currants, blackberries and plum give substance to more […]
Côté Mas Crémant de Limoux Rosé Brut NV
A celebratory shade of pink, the Côté Mas Crémant de Limoux Rosé Brut NV is a blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc and 10% Pinot Noir. It’s crafted in the Méthode Traditionelle style, and sees one year aging en tirage. Delicate, feminine aromatics of choke cherries, nectarine, blood oranges, biscotti, and sea foam. And […]
Scott Paul Pinot Noir La Paulée 2012
The expression of the Scott Paul La Paulée Pinot Noir is very much in line with what I would expect from the 2012 vintage in the Willamette Valley. A year with textbook growing conditions has endowed this Pinot with suitably lush red-fruit notes—black cherries and crushed raspberries are underpinned by notes of iron, forest floor, […]
Forge Cellars Harvest Ridge Vineyard Finger Lakes Riesling 2014
The first impression is one of petrol and rubber ball on the nose, accented by d’Anjou pear, lemon drop and early spring blossoms. It’s as lean and wiry as I’ve come to expect from Riesling grown in the Finger Lakes region—perhaps even a shade more so—clearly Forge is pushing the envelop in terms of acidity […]
Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons 2007
Classic Les Chetillons, the 2007 Pierre Peters Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs offers pungent, enveloping aromatics of buttered toast, blanched almond, and bruised yellow apple. Beautifully delineated and focused on the palate with sumptuous creaminess at the core. Wet dough is couched in chalky, mineral texture along with sel gris, dried lemon […]
Cornerstone Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2012
Cornerstone’s 2012 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is generously styled, with a perfumy and overtly expressive nose of rose petals and anise inlaid by roasted strawberry, black cherry and blackberries. On the palate, its got depth, dimension and power to spare. Fine, dusty tannins and medium acidity frame out supple black and red fruit that gracefully […]