Reviews

Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Chatelots

A Chambolle that delivers both acidic energy and a dark, somewhat brooding, depth (eventually). This particular bottle was followed over the course of a few weeks with a Coravin. The first hits of…

Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Vignes d'Autrefois

This continues to progress nicely each year I open a bottle. A little more complexity. A little more depth. A little more character.

Domaine Jean Chartron Chassagne-Montrachet Les Benoites

Clean and lean, with a sanitized delivery of fairly predictable yellow citrus and white stone flavors that are surely tasty, but a bit uninteresting to me overall. Lacks some intensity and…

Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Les Barres

A broader-shouldered performance from last year, this bottle pushes red apple flesh, cherry water, bruised lemon, and salt rock flavors with a bit more might and flex. The front end is full but…

Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée

A beautifully smooth and creamy Romanee, now showing a more succulent side than previous more spunky bottles. In an agreeable drinking window now, though I personally miss some of the extra zip and…

Sine Qua Non Grenache Dirt Vernacular

A couple of domestic pirates made their ways into the mix, specifically two Krankl creations (outside of the Chimere) - the Third Twin Nuestra Senora and the SQN Dirt Vernacular Grenache.

The Third Twin Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo The Third Twin Vineyard

A couple of domestic pirates made their ways into the mix, specifically two Krankl creations (outside of the Chimere) - the Third Twin Nuestra Senora and the SQN Dirt Vernacular Grenache.

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape

This was still holding up decently given its age, but it is most definitely spiraling. Burnt orange peel, tobacco, leather, band-aid, sherry, and autumn leaf notes make for a predictable aged wine…

Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Plume du Peintre

Vastly improved from the 2003 (467), this 2005 (580) showed a decent resume of red fruit and earth in a friendly package. Still, this carried flavors familiar to the 2003, including sherry, caramel,…

Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Plume du Peintre

Destroyed and dead. A pile of leaves slathered in sherry and liquified golden raisins. Not sure what happened here. An unfortunate fail.

Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

A 2003 Clos des Papes was thrown into the mix, along with a couple of Mordoree Plum Peintre (2003 and 2005). The Clos was the freshest of the older wines, with an earthy profile that spit out wild…

Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve

Fresh black and red licorice and deep cassis notes are highlighted by extraordinarily multifaceted and enchanting flavors of creosote, garrigue, spicy pine tar, celery, and railroad tie. I found this…

Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G

You want an extreme sport style of richness? Amiral G. is the answer to all you've been looking for. This is probably the richest wine of the night. However, it is so tasty and charming that its…

Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Not For You

Upon first sip, notes of bark and earth pinch the palate before the fruit begins to infiltrate the gates. More stemmy than sultry on the front end of the attack, the Not For You tells you right away…

Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul

Sexy and powerful cassis and licorice notes lead the charge, with deeply pitched red and black berry notes rushing up to fill in the gaps. With air, the flow of flavor is even more expansive and…

Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères

Fresh pine needles on the nose makes for a curious first sip, but the taste is all about succulent blackberry and saturated red raspberry fruit washing over the palate with such juiciness and…

Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Secret des Sabon

Amongst a number of the CdP beasts in the lineup, the Sabon was a beauty, with a well-orchestrated cadence of delivery and a sauntering flavor expansion, it offers flavors of red and black berry…

Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Collection Charles Giraud

This is a total gym rat of a CdP, with power and chewy toughness forming the frame for ripe black and dark red raspberry fruit flavors punching their way through the palate (rather than along the…

Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo

More of a red-fruited animal, the Capo showed a tartness on the finish that both helped and hindered the expansion of the mid-weight ripe fruit on the front end. Herbal and earthy notes offer frame…

Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois

Corked. Wet newspaper and bitter blackberry seeds.

Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

Funky and a bit barnyard, this was one of the least fruit-driven of the 2016 CdPs. Leather and garrigue dominate the front end, with raspberry and black cherry coulis rounding out the profile.…

Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée XXL

A HUGE mouthfeel here, powerfully ripe and not ashamed to throw it in your face with a fistful of dark and heady fruit. This is a Napa Cab on steroids type of CdP that somehow manages to majestically…

Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

An outstanding effort and one of my favorite wines of the night. A complete and put-together 2016 CdP, outshining the Chaupin and even the XXL with its unmatched combination of balanced concentration…

Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin

Following the theme of modernity, the Chaupin was one of the most California wines in the lineup. Powerful blackberry and dark plum work well with a blast of black licorice to push and flex the…

Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

Rich and dark cassis and concentrated black berry fruit play off of the earthy plum and spice elements. There is a slight bitterness on the finish currently. This also threw out a decent amount of…