Reviews

Sine Qua Non Aperta

An SQN Rhone concoction that Frankensteins a surgical amalgamation of mixed whites, the 2018 Aperta is a provocative fusion of 38% Chardonnay, 25% Viognier, 22% Roussanne, 6% Petit Manseng, and 9%…

Paul Dethune Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Millésimé

A lemony, lemony, lemony Chardonnay Champagne with medium perlage. There's no question this is a BdB. In fact, this was quite a wine-y Chardonnay-y flavor delivery, like a readymade village Meursault…

Henri Germain et Fils Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc

Continuing to perform very well for its class. Lime and lemon juice flavors are fresh and zesty, with a measured degree of approachable weight and frame to keep the body properly formed and the…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

A top performer that keeps getting better, the 2016 Malandes Les Clos is juicy and succulent while still maintaining all the Chablis typicity you'd expect from this top Grand Cru site. The color is…

Jerome Blin Champagne Cuvée Apogée Extra Brut

Red apple flesh, olive oil, and ginger roll along the palate with the assistance of yellow citrus (grilled lemon) and limestone notes, making for a broad and balanced delivery. A pleasant bead keeps…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Charmes

A much more animated and complex bottle when compared to the listless dud of a delivery that slugged from the 2018 Charmes earlier this summer, the 2017 has all of the liveliness one would desire,…

Marie-Courtin Champagne Présence

I've been following a few of these Champagne from Marie Courtin particularly over the course of this year; specifically with the Presence, this is now my third bottle (March, June, and now October).…

L'Aventure Cuvée "Les Demoiselles"

Still an abrasive showing, with the crunchy blackberry and Chambord martini flavors never hitting any sort of desirable glide; the alcohol is constantly hacking rough edges into the flavor expansion.…

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Franc de Pied Les Coupés

Coming into a prime drinking window now. In fact, I'll likely be drinking these sooner than later. Perfectly balanced and flavor-giving all the way around. Previous notes apply otherwise.

Aesthete Wines Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Aged Dry Stack Vineyard

Kiwi, lime, grapefruit, lemon verbena, and acacia notes make for Sauvignon Blanc typicity with an added floral component that offers an extra tick of interest. Medium bodied, with a mid-palate that…

Hubert Lamy Santenay 1er Cru Clos des Gravières Vieilles Vignes

Plum and purple berry notes are swarmed by racy acidity and firm and fuzzy tannins. A mouth puckering experience right now, but the depth of flavor potential here is compelling. I'm 8 years old again…

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

Crimson red with a darker amber hue, the Chaignots makes you think it's a more aged wine at first glance. The initial aroma is funky earth and citrus rind, further fanning the belief that this is an…

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine

This bottle wields broader swaths of ginger, red apple, cherry water, almond skin, and bruised lemon notes, flaunting a bit of a big house blend loftiness. There is still the obligatory freshness and…

Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Frionnes Blanc

Fresh squeezed lemon juice flavors perform a high wire act with lemon seed, substitute teacher's chalk eraser, crunchy yellow pear, green apple flesh, and white melon rind notes. Though the delivery…

Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Tintot

As good as the 2015, and perhaps with even greater depth and concentration, this 2016 Tintot shows fabulous dark black and deep red berry fruits complimented by black olive, tar, licorice, melted…

Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée les Grenaches de Pierre

Pouring a translucent ruby, with what at first glance might seem like a somewhat thinly hued transparency, the Grenaches de Pierre leads-in with a comparatively lighter tinge and muted nose. First…

Domaine des Rémizières Hermitage Cuvée Émilie

Ripe purple and black berry notes are suffused by oak char and dark earth; saturating and front-loaded, the Emilie flaunts a modern style that might make purists cringe a little. If you're into the…

Arkenstone Sauvignon Blanc

Serve it cold and serve it with a decent amount of air - preferably decanted for an hour. The first few sips on PnP are a bit too muscular and angular. After some air, it starts to fan out nicely.…

Betz Family Syrah La Côte Patriarche

Iron, terracotta, pink salt rock, white pepper, peperoni, and some funky wet horse pasture notes are an immediate English Pointer to Washington - perhaps more so toward Walla Walla than Yakima, but…

Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Les Terres Brulees

Decidedly linear and a bit stubborn, this is a 2015 Cornas that is going to need some time to find its groove and decide if and when it feels like expanding and deepening its flavors as some point.…

Joseph Phelps Insignia

Given that there are already 471 tasting notes on this particular wine, I'll compartmentalize this, now #472, tasting note:

Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets

A somewhat lean and reticent entry on the initial sip begins to slowly, fairly begrudgingly, unfold and expand into an earthy red berry concoction befitting hallmark Volnay. Medium on the mid-palate…

Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard

Red cherry, raspberry, Cherry Coke (or Original Cherry Coke One, or Coke Zero Cherry, or Coca-Cola Classic Cherry, or Mexican Coke Cherry Cane Azucar), Indian spice, and earth notes resonate clearly…

Jerome Blin Champagne Les Caillasses Brut Millésime

Good, friendly, fun, tasty, and all that. It's a little more bready than I typically prefer, but thankfully it is far from a doughball yeast bomb. Medium all the way around here. Serve to your…

Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes

This Cornas has a long way to go before it finds its ability to girth-up and fan-out its flavors, but it is certainly on the right track. This bottle was followed over a week+ with some Coravin hits…