Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2022 pours a pale, slightly hazy ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe red fruit: raspberry, strawberry, maraschino cherry, watermelon, rose water and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. This is impossibly easy to gulp down. Fresh, juicy and silky smooth. Drink now through 2032. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted about 30 minutes prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2007 pours a deep ruby color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of ripe red and dark fruits: brambles, kirsch, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, green bell pepper, leather, cocoa, and earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This is positively delightful right now and there are little signs of slowing down. Drink now through 2037. — a month ago

S.S. Mandani

9.5

Probably some of the best sake I’ve had. Tears of dawn. Amazing. Super well balanced — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Poured into a decanter about two hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity and significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with a lovely mix of dark and red fruits, cassis, black and red brambles, tobacco, eucalyptus, leather, cedar box, green herbs, some cocoa, and beautiful baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The texture is silky, in fact, down right sexy. Brilliantly balanced. This is a profoundly sensual wine and one of the best young Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve had in many years. These will age for a very long time and I can only imagine how epic the 2021 Terrace Select is going to be. Drink now with an extended decant and through 2051+. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Initially popped and poured a small glass but it seemed all knees and elbows so I grabbed a decanter which made a significant difference. The 2016 pours a deep ruby color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with ripe and some bruised red and black fruits: Bing cherry, dark chocolate, black plum, salmiakki, purple flowers, new leather, espresso, a touch of Madagascar vanilla, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, savory and absolutely decadent like a fine chocolate covered cherry. It’s also quite powerful but remarkably balanced despite the high alcohol (15%). However, it’s unquestionably Right Bank. Hard to imagine a more impressive wine from Côtes de Bourg. Drink now with a 30min decant and enjoy through 2036+? — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2017 San Valentino pours a slightly hazy, ruby color with medium+ viscosity and light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart, red fruit: sour Montmorency cherry, wood varnish, horse blanket, black licorice, old wood, and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and zippy. One of the more wild vintages of San Valentino I’ve ever had and this bottle wasn’t quite as good as the one I had a couple years back. Drink now and enjoy what nature gave to Paolo and Giampiero. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. The 2012 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a slightly hazy, but mostly transparent core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with fabulous notes of ripe red and black bramble fruit: raspberries, Marionberries, licorice, red flowers, horse blanket, dried herbs, leather, and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and luscious. This is a very lovely Pegau that is squarely in its prime and strutting all of its stuff. Drink now through 2032. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2011 “Gavarini Chiniera” pours a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe red fruit: Morello cherry, roses, licorice, tar, cigar box, Alpine herbs, menthol, truffle, and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long juicy and grippy. Certainly a wine in full stride right now. If you have some, open a bottle now and enjoy the benefits of this solar vintage. Enjoy the rest before 2041. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over four days and fairly consistent throughout. The 2020 Riserva pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart red fruit: raspberry, Morello cherry, red plum, black tea, red flowers, dried green herbs, and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now through 2035 easy. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.3

This is the standard Côte Rôtie from Agnes Levet that’s a blend of different parcels. However, the philosophy and approach remain the same as “La Chavaroche” and “Les Journaries”. In the past, this bottling was known as “Améthyste” and only recently became more widely available in the US. “Widely” is a relative word, lol.

Opened about an hour prior to service. The 2021 pours a deep garnet/purple with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with a gorgeous bouquet all of the different varieties and colors of brambles your heart could possibly desire along with all of the seeds and stems, freshly cracked black pepper, dried herbs, some of the animale, purple flowers some hints of old wood and yes, perhaps a kiss of brettanomyces. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is forever long, drying and loaded with even more black pepper. This is giving me total 2014 vibes and if you liked that vintage in the Northern Rhône (as I did), you’re gonna absolutely love this. Drink now through 2036. — 2 months ago