Reviews

Château d'Yquem

At Chateau d'Yquem. It's hard not to be completely satisfied when you're chillin at a private picnic table overlooking the estate vineyards and grubbin on stinky cheese whilst sipping on one of the…

La Pelle Sauvignon Blanc

Even fresher than previous samples, the 2016 continues to be a superb example of what domestic SB can achieve. rather, a superb example of what Maayan can achieve. Previous notes apply otherwise.

Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard

Smooth and silky, with a fully amalgamated profile that allows beautiful black cherry, currant, earth, and subtle spice notes to flow along the palate with Sinatra-esque light baritone crooning…

Saxum White James Berry Vineyard

Double decanted 3 hours. Heat. Angular. Fruit muted. Some interesting honey and marzipan notes poke out, but not much depth to be had; a completely clipped finish. The 15.8% ABV is distracting at…

Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles

This immediately presents with more classical elegance than previous vintages. Of young Droin in general, the wood can oftentimes be center stage at first and take a decent tick of time to shed. So…

Marie-Courtin Champagne Présence

Previous notes and disgorgement info still apply. I experienced this particular bottle as fairly simple, lacking some cut this time around. Pure and crystalline as usual. Satisfying to be sure. Lemon…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

A bit more savory and oxidative than the LC13, and certainly less spicy and vivacious than the LC17 I had not too long ago, this LC14 is a comparative belly-showing Labrador once it gets a bit of O2…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

Solid wine. Fresh and lively lemon juice and citrus zest notes. Some travertine peeks through, but this is just starting its journey. Though certainly accessible now, it needs at least a handful of…

Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut

At Restaurant Zoologie (Bordeaux); by the glass. Pie crust, white bread, lemon drop, meringue, and vanilla. Especially sweet and dough-boy driven for my tastes. Better served with whipped cream and a…

Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

A little less wlld and spunky than the LC17, this LC13 is still equally spicy, but with dialed down power and a more refined classicism to its profile. Red apple skin and flesh, as well as ginger…

Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons

So far, the least compelling vintage of this Cuvee. Primary and young of course, with mostly chalky structure and high riding unripe white and yellow citrus and stone fruit flavors. A little green as…

Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère

True to form, this Mouchere follows suit with its past siblings in a broad and shouldery display of lemon and yellow and white stone fruit flavors unabashedly pouring on to the palate. Notable focus…

Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Montmains

Less disjointed than the pervious bottle a couple of years ago, the 2018 Montmains is a luscious lemon curd kind of experience. Simple but not without its affable and alluringly succulent qualities,…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Block Series Stardust Heaven

I've written a few times over the years on this wine and it has progressively become better and better. Now a decade from vintage, the Stardust Heaven is in a wonderful drinking window. Black and…

Dönnhoff Dellchen Riesling Großes Gewächs

Pretty wild stuff here. Recently on the heels of a Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune, I was instantly reminded of its hyper-vivacious display of limestone, prickly pear margarita, petrol, and Maldon…

Sine Qua Non Syrah B 20

I've written quite a bit on this wine. It was a little misplaced in the spattering of wines at the table; so for that, it suffered a bit. That said, it did pair extraordinarily well with pork in wine…

Immortal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain

In a predominantly French folly of bottles at the table, the Immortal was clearly the Yankee gym rat trying to push its way through the patiently waiting line at the local Parisian jazz club. Huge,…

Château Mouton Rothschild

Beautiful black fruit, charred wood, black rock, and pencil lead signal a serious delivery of flavor. Goth and dark in profile, but with lively acidity and frame so that the fruit doesn't become too…

Vieux Château Certan

Red on the front, black on the back, the fruit on this VCC is hyped-up with beams of primary cut and fuzzy tannins that mark a wine that shows young and pulsating. There is no question the energy…

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Pleasant funk dances affably with muddled red cherry, cedar, and dust elements, making for a mature but not completely down-and-out showing. Not the most impressive sample, but on any given night,…

Château Trotanoy

Solid fruit here, but a severely clipped finish makes for an angular showing overall. Red and black fruit, cedar, hope chest, dry soil, and dust make for a constricted delivery. The small pour I had…

Château Montrose

Super funky and pretty rustic in terms of fruit flavor, but with an insanely creamy and balanced texture and contour that both confuses and satisfies at the same time. Orange rind, tea, and red…

Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

The first word I wrote in my notes was "fantastic." Black fruited at first pass, with deep, almost rich, dark red cherry fruit washing up behind the wall of earthy black raspberry, red and black…

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon

In contrast with a 2015 Ramonet C-M appellation served beside it, the Leflaive was beaming with fresh and primary citrus juice and zest notes, pushing out a fair bit of reduction initially, but…

Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet

Quite advanced and a bit oxidative, which is possibly reflective and a manifestation of the warm vintage, but not without requisite freshness. There is just enough acidity to hold the deeply pitched…