Reviews

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Platine

A more improved bottle from my last note. More complexity here, with the speed and lift most notable for a base model Champagne, rolling out the red apple flesh, oyster shell, and bruised lemon…

Bevan Cellars Syrah Moaveni Vineyard

DAY 1: Knock back a few rounds of the dirtiest martinis known to man and then proceed to bury your fat face dead-center into a bubbling blackberry cobbler fresh out of the oven, and you'll have a…

Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Tintot

Even more resolved since my last note more than a year ago. Decanting helps to bring out the alluring saline notes and provide heightened seamlessness between the berry fruit and spicy pepper notes.…

Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent

A striking improvement from the bottle I had a year-and-a-half ago. Still quite the linear execution, with a nail gun delivery that is pithy and acidic. However, the green apple skin, crunchy unripe…

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus

Much improved from last year's bottle, with a fresh and flinty-spice combo that makes for a lively delivery. Pale yellow in color, with yellow citrus and white stone bringing vivacity and excitement…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Over two years since my last bottle. Plum, dark berry, spice box, cassis, and vanilla alcohol. A little awkward on the initial pull, with the booze and ripe plum notes battling a bit with each other…

Château Larcis Ducasse

Similar to last year, but seemingly even more spun-up and tense. Unripe red and purple plum, pomegranate, black raspberry, river rock, gravely soil, and even hints of citrus rind make for a…

Domaine Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

A decent hit of reduction clouds the initial unfolding of yellow citrus fruit, with a phenolic-loaded front end that starts out with mostly chalk, lemon pith, and fennel bulb. The speed and tension…

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Franc de Pied Les Coupés

This bottle was even better than the previous one from last year. Perfect delineation of flavor and precise focus. A straight-line bead of effervescence lets the beautifully layered and exacting…

André Heucq Champagne Heritage Rosé de Meunier

2014 vintage, Extra Brut version. At Mad Cap restaurant, San Anselmo.

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault

Last bottle. A solid performance each time. Stops just short of 1er Cru concentration and intensity, with a lemony persistence that keeps the flavor conveyance gliding through the medium finish. I…

Faethm / Fingers Crossed Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid White

The 2018 Fingers Crossed Off the Record White Wine is Off-The-Chain exquisite. White and yellow peach, lemon confit, unripe mango, lime rind, quince jelly, kumquat, and honeycomb flavors Heidi…

Pierre Gerbais Champagne L'Originale

Similar to the 2014 base in profile, with lemon, quince, white stone, white flowers, and a bit of herb (Italian parsley) flavors. Approachable now with a delivery that offers up the fruit and stone…

Château Prieuré-Lichine

This took a little less than an hour of decanting at cool cellar temperature to find a nice glide into its spicebox, black cherry, and bitter chocolate notes. Finishes with fine-grained tannins that…

Pierre Paillard Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Mottelettes

Lemon, chalk, almond slivers, white melon, and white flowers cascade openly in an accessible and full delivery of flavor and succulence. Less of a steely or chiseled stature, and instead more of an…

Domaine Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières

This has caught up to the Mouchere in terms of elevated verve and complexity, with the Genevrieres displaying alluring yellow citrus oil, white travertine, unripe white peach, and lemongrass notes. A…

Pierre Gerbais Champagne Extra Brut L'Osmose

TN also posted on the 2015 vintage section.

Pierre Gerbais Champagne Extra Brut L'Osmose

TN also posted on the NV section.

Quivet Cellars Syrah Hulda Block Las Madres Vineyard

Black raspberry, pomegranate, dried cranberry, plum, peonies, and some dry salami flavors emerge from Quivet's Las Madres Hulda block. With medium-bodied intensity and a smooth cadence of delivery…

Myriad Cellars Syrah 100% Whole Cluster Las Madres Vineyard

If Cote Rotie and Cornas conspired to smuggle overseas and genetically modify the essences of a litter of feral vineyard puppies from Carneros whose only diets consisted of olives and flowers, you'd…

Arrow & Branch Right Bank Blend

An exquisite bottle of wine. Dark fruits and spicebox lead the charge, with unsmoked tobacco, rose water, and some earth following suit. The balance here is undeniable and the overall sense of…

Domaine Taupenot-Merme Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge

NEECIES' note inspired me to pop another one of these; indeed, it shows as brilliant as ever. I bumped this up a point because it undeniably over-delivers for the price (which now seems to be in the…

Domaine Servin Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre

Lemon and lime juice, clementine, and limestone notes are invigorated by a beautiful acidity that pushes the flavors to a heightened speed. Finishes with notable tension. A very fine example of a 1er…

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Blancs La Haute-Lemblé

Precision and focus dominate the chiseled profile here, with heightened effervescence on the initial pop of the cork taking a fair amount of air to dissipate before the perception of fruit and flavor…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Ziehharmonika

Way too Nickelodeon to be opening this early but far too difficult for my cracker-barrel psyche to continuously resist, these bottles were ever-leering at me with every pass I'd make by the cellar…