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 […]
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 […]
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
Château Mauvesin Barton Moulis-en-Médoc 2012
2012 vintage was a bit of a mixed bag for Bordeaux—a year beset by poor fruit set and a notably hot summer. The 2012 Château Mauvesin Barton Moulis-en-Médoc offers up classic aromas of plum, cassis, a touch of leather and a bit of underbrush. In the mouth, the tannins are firm, but velvety, with acidity […]
Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage La Rochette 2015
This classic 100% Syrah from Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle is infused with aromas of boysenberries, plums, charcuterie, camphor, and violets. In the mouth, it’s medium bodied, with a well-delineated vein of acidity that plays nicely with back-palate flavors of plum skins and green peppercorn. A nice find from Garagiste and one that paired beautifully with a […]
Pegau Cuvée Réservée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 1998
Well within its drinking window the 1998 Pegau Cuvée Réservée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge shows just a touch of bricking in the glass. It unfurls revealing the sort of olfactive charm one might expect from this producer—raspberry coulis, garrigue, loamy soil, leather, and multiflorous layers of dried rose petal and lavender. It’s medium bodied, with an intensity […]
Château de Saint Cosme Little James’ Basket Press Blanc 2014
An inexpensive yet charming offering from Château de Saint Cosme, the 2014 is a blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 60% Viognier. Four years on, the Sauvignon blanc dominates with pronounced aromas of pineapple, muskmelon, white peach, lemon verbena, and dried grass clippings. In the mouth, it’s medium bodied—the acidity hits the sides of the […]
Tortoise Creek Le Charmel Côtes de Provence Rosé 2017
Made from organic grapes, Tortoise Creek Le Charmel Côtes de Provence Rosé 2017 is pale salmon in the glass, with lilting aromas of white peach, melon, white flowers and ladies cold crème. It’s a fairly delicate rosé, lighter in body, with vibrant mineral-tipped acidity. Nice persistence and nicely done for its price point. Sample 88 […]
Emile Beyer Pinot Gris Tradition 2016
Pale straw in the glass, Emile Beyer’s Pinot Gris Tradition 2016 enchants with aromas of yellow peach, pear, lemon drop, stargazer lily, muskmelon, lemon thyme, and smoky minerality. It’s quite round in the mouth, while still maintaining balance as pitch-perfect acidity winds ’round a core that presents a textural landscape of pear skin, peach pit, […]