Tasted out of bottle, the 2019 Chateauneuf Du Pape is a stunning example of this estate as well as the vintage. Gorgeous kirsch, flowery incense, spice box, and garrigue-like notes define the nose, and it hits the palate with classic Clos des Papes elegan...
Dark, inward and intense, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a towering effort that will thrill collectors for many years to come. It arrives in waves, first black fruits evolving to red, then sage and earthy minerals, followed by brown spice and, finally...
The 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée looks set to rival the best examples of this bottling. Made up of approximately 80% Grenache, with 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and smaller amounts of other permitted varieties, it's impressively complex on the nose, ...
The final blend of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau will include 60% to 65% Grenache, 15% each Mourvedre and Syrah, with the remainder Cinsault. Boasting complex scents of roses, black tea, raspberries and cherries on the nose, it follows that up with...
A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit, the 2021 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a blend of 30% each Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside t...
Tasted out of multiple barrels, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape looks to be a ripe, sexy wine with gorgeous red and blue fruit as well as notes of graphite, smoked meat, and violets. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has rock-solid underl...