Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2010 vintage. Technically a Barsac, but sold as Sauternes ( Barsac being the only Sauternes commune allowed to do so). Much deeper, more evolved colour compared to the 2010 Guiraud (in half bottle!) tasted alongside. Intense perfume with wild apricot, roasted pineapple, and caramelised nuts. Richer than the Guiraud, this is a very impressive effort that is definitely of Cru Classé quality. Superb value too. — a month ago

Vanessa

9.1

Clos Roquète is a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine produced by Frédéric & Daniel Brunier of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe with a fascinating history to tell…  

Châteauneuf-du-Pape (CNdP) is a highly-esteemed commune located in the Southern Rhône of France. It gets its name, “new castle of the Pope,” because the Pope spent his summers there in the 14th Century when the papacy was relocated to nearby Avignon.
 
This wine is made from 35% Clairette, 35% Roussanne, and 30% Grenache Blanc (all local, white varieties), each adding a unique aromatic and structural dimension. It was aged 11 months in oak prior to release, lending richness and texture.
 
Despite its rich, creaminess, it also has aromatic lift with notes of lemon peel, ripe cantaloupe, white peach, apricot, next to notes of white blossom, vanilla, honey, fennel, and petrichor (a fancy word for the smell of warm, wet pavement like after a summer rain).  

We’re excited to pair this with a lemon, garlic, and herb roasted shrimp over spiralized zucchini noodles.
 
Cheers to beautiful wines that tell stories and share histories! — 2 years ago

with Deked1

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This is the Artazu Pasos de San Martin Navarra, a varietal Garnacha. A bit sleepy before it gets air, it gradually Benjamin Buttons and develops a terrifically pure nose of kirsch and raspberry ooze, along with crushed rock dust and sandalwood. In the mouth it’s got intense fruit, but is laser-focused and has excellent acids. Zero flab.
Just enough tannin to package it all. Really nice rendition of Grenache. — 2 years ago

Daron Watson

9.3

“Ana’s-Cëtta” is the white #Nascetta wine by @elviocogno who helped bring the variety back from near extinction in the 1990s in the commune of Novello, #Langhe, #Piedmont.

The 2022 delivers aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, verbena and Mediterranean herbs. Apple, pear, quince and pineapple flavors then come into play. This quickly followed by a waxy texture, balanced by lime zest, with notions of crushed minerals on the finish.

The winery suggests it is “ideal as an accompaniment to vegetable dishes, white meats, raw fish, oysters and creamy cheeses.” Maybe not as ideal, but paired with rigatoni, sausage and fennel allowed some contrast to expose and heighten many of the sensations…BRAVO! — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

This bottle of 2010 Pecchenino “Le Coste” was pulled from my cellar on a “school night” and brought to a fun little gathering of service friends after their shift. Opened, splash decanted and consumed over three hours; served side-by-side with the 2010 Roberto Voerzio “Brunate”. The Pecchenino “Le Coste” was locked down pretty hard for the first 30 minutes but shifted dramatically before the hour mark. At that point, it was singing with bright, red and dark fruits, roses, tar and wrapped up in the most elegant package. Compared to the Voerzio, this was lithe and open-knit. A lovely, traditional expression of Barolo that, while endowed with the classic structure of 2010, is just beginning to offer up more of its charm. It’s probably worth noting that Pecchenino actually resides in the Dogliani commune, just across the boarder from Monforte d’Alba. Dogliani is where some of the highest expressions of Dolcetto are produced under the Dogliani Superiore DOCG classification. Pecchenino’s Dolcettos are lovely examples and super reasonable…but I digress. Back to this wine, “Le Coste” is a small-ish MGA in the Barolo commune that sits directly south of the town of Barolo and said to share some similarities with the Cannubi MGA just to the north. While I don’t have enough experience drinking wines made with the fruit from "Le Coste", I can certainly draw some parallels. Anyway, on this night, the "Le Coste" by Pecchenino wiped the floor with the "Brunate" from Voerzio, which couldn’t seem to really get out of the gate and even after 3 hours in a decanter. The Voerzio is gonna need forever to come back around. Drink now with at least 30min of air. Otherwise, this will continue to drink well through 2030+. — 2 years ago

andrew

9.0

With Sam.king of wines! — 2 years ago

Ming L

9.3

Exuding power and beauty at this age. Need another 5-8 years to integrate and to show the graceful side befitting of the label.
From the lesser know commune of Grinzane Cavour, the ‘09 spent 24 months in French oak barrels, 70% new. — a year ago

Deborah M

9.2

I opened this 2012 Chateau Pontet-Canet last night and it was stellar. The Pontet-Canet is a 5th growth classification that hits way above that tier. The estate of Pontet-Canet is located in the northern end of the Pauillac commune, across the road from Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The grape variety is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. I describe this one as a restrained elegant beauty. @55Seventy — 2 years ago

Gregory Fulchiero

9.2

Lesser known Chablis bottling from the affordable (and over-performing) Dauvissat - entirely in steel so it’s just juice, lees, and terroir in the bottle. Read that - thugs is from 15- to 20-year-old vines planted in five different parcels: two next to premier cru Montmains, two near premier cru Montée de Tonnerre, and one in the commune of Préhy. — 2 years ago

Timothy Lynch

9.3

My father (a man of very humble beginnings) suggested to me that if you need to ask how much it costs you probably can’t afford it. Thank heavens I can. Absolutely terrific commune effort. — 2 years ago