Reviews

Domaine Tortochot Mazis-Chambertin

A beautifully balanced Pinot, with earthy black and red cherry, black and red currant, bark, and hints of citrus. A bit of funk skirts the periphery, but only with a subtlety that elevates the core…

Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains

On initial pour, the nose was kicking out all sorts of floral and ripe black cherry notes. But alas, the front end of the attack delivered primary and somewhat linear on the palate. No surprise given…

Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots

Red and black cherry dominate here, with a primary flavor delivery and a medium-bodied weight distribution across the palate. Somewhat linear, with a thinner but focused finish. Impressively pure and…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

A tick or two behind the 2017 Les Clos, this 2016 impresses for its purity and a nice even-keeled balance of grip and flavor. Lighter mid-palate, with higher register and somewhat lighter weighted…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis 1er Cru Montmains Vieilles Vignes

So if you want a back-the-truck-up type of wine that way over delivers for its price point, this is the one. Beautifully pure and clean flavors of wonderful yellow citrus, fresh squeezed lemon juice,…

Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers

Black and red cherry, bright red strawberry, orange peel, citrus blossom, and faint bark and spice notes. Some white pepper and subtle earth show up toward the back end, finishing youthfully grippy…

Domaine Robert Groffier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées

Red and black cherry, black raspberry, roast beef, damp earth, and a slight wet hay note on the final tail end. A little barnyard funk jumping off here, but not enough to distract from the overall…

Buisson-Charles Volnay 1er Cru Santenots

Starts out intense and coiled-up, eventually giving way to highly focused but uber-primary notes of strawberry cream, red and black cherry, red raspberry, substitute teacher chalkboard, and white…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

Lemon and lime zest, quince, lychee, and some faint minerality on the tail end. The citrus zest undulates throughout the delivery, finishing with a gentle clamp on the back of the jaw. Well balanced,…

Domaine A Préhy Chablis Sainte Céline

White peach, lemon curd, honeycomb, and a hint of limestone. Medium-bodied with a well-weighted mid-palate and a nicely round and enveloping finish. Simple, but hot-damn for $12.99 at Trader Joe's,…

Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussieres Vieilles Vignes

Plum, soft ripe black cherry, and earth lead the front end of the attack, with some cedar and slightly funky soil notes pushing through as it rolls across the palate. Finishes round and slightly…

Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Vieilles Vignes

Dark black and red cherry dominant, with hints of vanilla, crema, wet limestone, and faint spice bark. A little more on the black fruit spectrum. A notable mid-palate for such a base-model wine, with…

Sine Qua Non Entre Chien et Loup

Certainly a worthy comparison to a strong white Rhone, with a deeply pitched and viscous mouthfeel that makes for a full-throttle (at times, a bit heavy) delivery. It's a weighty white to be sure,…

Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard

A very tasty wine, if not a little overblown with overt and saturated red raspberry and muddled over-ripe strawberries and red cherry notes that keep the delivery fairly singular and straightforward…

Bevan Cellars Syrah Moaveni Vineyard

Previous notes apply. Black fruited, with slightly woodsy olive brine, railroad tie, and camphor notes that add interest. A ton of fruit here, but still finishing with some alcohol on the back end,…

Château Haut-Brisson

Red currant, red and black cherry, cedar, dust, and some dry soil. Surprisingly open and balanced, with an even-keeled delivery straddling flavor and grip. Drink now and over the next 5+ years.

Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Clos des Hospices dans Les Clos

On the nose, a lively array of citrus zest and citrus blossom aromas rush to the scene. Truly a "taste first with your nose" kind if wine. The palate follows suit, with vibrant lemon flavors…

Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche

Strawberry, red cherry, earth, chalk/limestone, and stems. Beautifully balanced weight-wise, with the profile favoring more of the earth side of the house. Slight funky soil notes on the tail.…

Domaine Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir

PnP was near SB-esque, with wired-tight lemon juice, chalk, lychee, white melon, and quince notes. Decanted for over three hours and this monkey started to move ever so slightly into the realm of…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

Coravin pour. Crunchy blackberry seed, black and red currant, river rock, purple plum skin, and gravel. Great tension; a bit grippy, but straddles a nice line between balance and speed. Could still…

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 165eme

Bruised lemon rind, roasted almond, chalk, and "other" oxidative notes TBD. With air, more plantain and lamp oil permeated through the profile. I like it, but I feel that the Krug style lacks some of…

Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

Green apple, lychee, honeydew, pear, chalk and some limestone. No hard edges, but nice subtle tension keeping it from becoming too round. Finishes with white melon rind, wet travertine, and faint…

Realm Cellars The Bard

Very good! VASTLY improved from last year. Chocolate, blackberry, black wet soil, earth, and still hints of vanilla bean (but not overly processed). Black core fruit. Balanced nicely. Notable weight…

Domaine Dampt Frères Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

Very agreeable Bougros, with a sway toward the riper end of the yellow fruit spectrum, but also with enough acidity to keep it all in line. Ripe lemon and white melon dominate. Some pumice and slight…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

A really beautiful showing, with so much youth and vibrancy coming out of this wine despite its dark, black, gothic profile overall. Earthy rock and signature LPV minerality dominates over the core…