M. Chapoutier Saint-Joseph Les Granits Blanc 2015
M. Chapoutier’s Saint-Joseph Les Granits Blanc 2015 opens with a smoky undertow that burns off like morning fog to reveal denser aromas of mandarin orange, lemon curd, poached pear, and a base note of grilled pineapple. In the mouth, this 100% Marsanne is round, silky, and wonderfully expressive—orchard fruit and orange pastille are enlivened by […]
E. Guigal Château d’Ampuis Côte-Rôtie 2012
Seductive aromas of sous bois, mushroom, brambly forest fruit, cloves, cardamom, and violets, or perhaps an elusive note of heliotrope flow from the glass. Of note, Guigal’s 2012 Château d’Ampuis is slightly lighter in body than the typical Cote-Rotie, but the intensity and palate tension is there—a framework of fine tannins and taught acidity that […]
Château Pavie Arômes de Pavie Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2009
Arômes de Pavie is the second label of Château Pavie, and is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2009—a warm, ripe vintage is drinking beautifully now. Tight on opening, but after three hours aromas of earth and dust, and freshly turned soil emerge and subside, followed by Damson […]
Juvé & Camps Cava Pinot Noir Rosé Brut
Sporting a brilliant robe of vermillion red, Juvé & Camps NV Pinot Noir Rosé Brut opens with red-fruited aromas pie cherries, watermelon, strawberry, pomegranate, and a pinch of spice. Crisp and fresh on the palate, with a degree of softness, this Cava is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir from the winery’s Espiells estate, and goes […]
Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2016
A household staple in the Pacific Northwest, Kung Fu Girl Riesling is crafted from sustainably farmed grapes grown in Washington State’s newest AVA, Ancient Lakes. On opening, vivid aromas of white peach, pear, lemongrass, and lemon drop lead into a wine with peppy acidity that adds lift to a white-fruited core. There’s nice length on […]
Charles Smith Boom Boom! Syrah 2015
Iconic Washington State, Boom Boom Syrah has been a go-to-brand for Pacific Northwesterners for over a decade (or at least for as long as I’ve been drinking wine). The 2015 incorporates a touch of Viognier and Grenache (less than 3% combined) and is infused with blueberry pie, blackberry cobbler, earth, Dutch cocoa powder, and a […]
Blason-Louis Bandol Rosé 2015 (Flacon)
Blason Louis offers these novel glass flacons for by-the-glass tasting as part of their wine club, though really, polishing off a bottle of rosé has never been a problem in this household. Their 2015 Bandol Rosé is salmon-hued with aromas of iced coffee, fleshy melon, mandarin orange, and pie cherry. It’s surprisingly full-bodied with lots […]
William Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
A winery that narrowly avoided last October’s fire, William Hill Estate has been turning out solid Napa Valley Cabernets for more than thirty years. The 2013 vintage is opaque in the glass with a violet to the edge to the rim. Dusty blackberries, plums, and black currants with a decidedly savory edge. In the mouth, […]
Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut NV
Pale lemon yellow, Laurent-Perrier’s classically-styled non-vintage brut opens with a cheerful torrent of cascading, brisk bubbles. It’s a clean champagne, full of luscious pear, baked apple, whipped butter, and dusted in granulated honey. Palate cleansing without too much sapidity from the dosage, it closes with a slight mineral edge, and a touch of chamomile flower. […]
Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Iconic? Yes. A great value? You bet. Charles Smith’s nod to the Old World, Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is abundant with fruit: blueberry pie, ripe black cherries and plums orbit lighter notes of vanilla and violets ’round the bowl of the glass. On the palate, it’s textbook Washington Cabernet, abundantly laden in mouth-filling fruit, […]