Iron Horse
Harvest Moon Green Valley of russian River Valley Sparkling Wine 2020
Baked apple and almond cream on the nose, soft honey underneath. Palate's creamy mousse but the acid's still cutting through — green apple, lemon curd, more of that almond cream mid-palate. — 6 days ago
Cyriaque Rozier
Les Traverses de Fontanès Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
At Poulet Bleu - Biodynamic Pic Saint-Loup (labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc), no oak, concrete tank.
• Nose: Bright cherry, raspberry, garrigue (thyme, rosemary), limestone minerality
• Palate: Crunchy red fruit, no oak weight, fresh acidity, very drinkable
• Texture: Light-to-medium body, fine tannin, clean
• Style: Pure, immediate, food-friendly — Kermit Lynch classic
• Tasting note: "Like a limestone-driven Loire Cab, not a Languedoc oak bomb. Cuts through frites, doesn't compete with the steak." — 23 days ago
Kenwood Vineyards
Johannisberg (Late Harvest) Sonoma Valley Riesling 1985
Deep amber in the glass, beeswax and dried apricot on the nose, the petrol note showing but not over the top. Palate's honeyed stone fruit with orange marmalade and almond paste — the sugar and acid have merged into something seamless. Holding up better than it has any right to at 41. — 6 days ago
Domaine Raffaitin-Planchon
Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Citrus zest and crushed oyster shell on the nose, a touch of white peach and fresh herbs underneath. Crisp and racy on the palate — grapefruit pith, lemon curd, that flinty mineral cut that defines good Sancerre. — 16 days ago
L'Arciglione di Cataldo Calabretta
Cirò Rosato 2025
Had at Bar Marco. Cataldo Calabretta, Calabria. Organic Greco Bianco from old bush vines on Ionian-coast limestone. Briny citrus, white almond, pith, herbal lift, tight mineral finish. Restrained, savory, salty — not tropical. Built for clams, raw shellfish, and oily fish. Honest, old-school Calabria. — a month ago
Champagne Mouzon Leroux & Fils
L'Atavique Tradition Verzy Grand Cru Champagne Blend
Had at Siempre Algo. White cherry, red currant, and pink grapefruit pith on a precise, fine-bubbled mousse; long lees aging brings toasted brioche and almond cream without weight. The Verzy chalk runs the finish — clean, almost saline, persistent mineral line. Biodynamic, low-dosage, grower Champagne in textbook form. — a month ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1990
Cedar, graphite, and dried tobacco on first sniff, leather and forest floor underneath. Fully tertiary — the cassis has gone to dried blackcurrant, the tannin's resolved into a fine powder. — 6 days ago
Tenuta Spinelli
Meroe Metodo Classico Pas Dosé Pecorino 2024
Yellow apple and chamomile on the nose, white peach and a saline edge underneath. Medium-bodied palate with the acid driving — pear, lemon pith, almond skin, that stony mineral finish. Textbook Pecorino. — 6 days ago
Château La Tour Blanche
Emotions de la Tour Blanche Sauternes White Bordeaux Blend 2022
At Poulet Bleu - Premier Cru Classé second wine, government-owned teaching estate.
• Nose: Honeyed apricot, peach, beeswax, orange marmalade, saffron
• Palate: Lush botrytis fruit, balancing acidity (2022 ripeness held well), ginger lift
• Texture: Medium-rich, viscous but not heavy, clean finish
• Style: Opulent 2022 vintage — generous, expressive, ready to drink now
• Tasting note: "Honey + citrus peel + a savory ginger finish. Cut through any buttery dessert; would also wreck a blue cheese."
— 23 days ago
Robert Swart
Cranberry and red cherry on the nose with crushed slate and a dried-herb edge. Light-bodied and high-toned on the palate — the acid's driving, the fruit's tart rather than sweet, finish is clean and stony. — 6 days ago