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...
The 2021 Román Zinfandel is juicy, alluring and easy to drink without sacrificing complexity, offering tremendous quality for its modest price. Blended with 4% Petite Sirah and 4% Barbera, the nose is bursting with kaleidoscopic yellow peaches, strawberri...
Blending 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, and lovingly referred to as Baby Monte Bello, designated as Monte Bello since the 2008 vintage, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Monte Bello Vineyard is known for its weightlessness, made t...
A blend of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 10% Cinsault, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel exhales a delicate, perfumed bouquet of black cherries, spices, violets and spring flowers. It’s medium to full-bodied, enveloping and laye...
A blend of four varieties, 30% each of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, with 10% Cinsault, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel should easily be an outstanding wine, and readers could do far worse than to have a case of this in the cellar. Black...
One of the all-time great classics, the 1981 is fully mature and should be consumed. It’s a big, sweet, candied fruit bomb offering notes of smoke, pepper, dried herbs, truffles, leather, cedar, as well as black and red currants. Full-bodied and opulent, ...
The 1983 Beaucastel had never been one of my favorite vintages for this wine, but it has begun to finally turn the corner and soften up and is now looking very promising indeed. I have had this wine four or five times in the last couple of years, and it h...
The 1989 is inkier/purple in color than the 1990, with an extraordinarily sweet, rich personality offering up notes of smoke, melted licorice, black cherries, Asian spices, and cassis. Full-bodied and concentrated, it is one of the most powerful as well a...
The 1978 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Château de Beaucastel came up rst, poured completely blind. I believe this is the last vintage of Jacques Perrin. It shows moderate bricking commensurate with its age, and an endearing, mellow bouquet of Earl Grey, pre...