Reviews

Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Gallimardes

Ripe and extremely powerful, with alcohol dominating the profile from stem to stern. What plagued this wine more than the others was its cloying and sticky sweetness. There is just SO MUCH fruit…

Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

Plum, black raspberry, and some alcohol notes make for a luscious front end and a more unrefined back end. With air, the execution is less superficial and shows additional depth and flavor. This…

Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Sanctus Sanctorum

If the Ex Machina ran through a pile of red raspberry bushes, it would be the Sanctus. Spicy and earthy red and black raspberry, red and black cherry, cassis, and red and black licorice, this…

Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina

One of the top wines in the lineup, the Ex Machina inched past the Sanctus by a hair due to the Machina's amazing concentration and complexity, even with its pile of ripe fruit off-loading on to the…

Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Blackberry, black cherry, black licorice, black everything, this brooding cave-dwelling bat boy is ripe and gothic in posture. There is decent flex here as well, with its Emo personality still…

Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Party-rockin' and sexy ta-boot, the Clos des Papes struts black licorice, blackberry, spice, and tears of shame like it's not coming back home til the next day. Ripe and ready, the black licorice…

Chimère Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Black raspberry, fresh orange peel, cardamom, plum, and cassis present in a subtly candied and liqueur-like fashion, but stay true to the region from where it is attempting to honor. Does it taste…

M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac

A funky cold medina, the Barb Rac was one of the more farmy and earthy of the bunch, with plum and red/black raspberry notes playing tug-o-war with the dirty overalls American Gothic (or rather,…

Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire

Powerful and a bit edgy, the Cailloux Centenaire shows some cocktail elements that shoot the dark red and black berry fruit into the boozehound arena for now. Surprisingly watery on the finish,…

Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Folie

Ripe and plummy, with a slight raisin quality, the Bosquet des Papes La Folie is all about RIGHT NOW. If Realm made a CdP and barreled it down in the basement of an Atlantic City casino, it would be…

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin

One of the CdPs of the night, the Beaucastel Jacques displays instant purity and depth from the first sip. Beautiful and stately and also dark and brooding, there is an elegance-meets-athleticism…

Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure Rouge

On the modern side of modern, the stewed and plummy nose of the Barroche Pure signals what you're in for, flashing ultra-ripe black berry fruit, steeped plums, black cherry syrup, cassis, and dark…

Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon

Lovely tension and acid with youthful nervy energy, this is a Rosé Champagne with bouncy personality and all sorts of zippy zing. I found a great deal of pleasure with this bubbly. Orange peel, lemon…

Cruse Wine Company Tradition Rosé

Bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles stormed the palate on initial entry to the point where I had to let this hang out in the glass for a few minutes before I dared stick my face back in to have…

Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

A smooth operator, the Ultramarine was rolling out all sorts of lemony goodness. Vibrancy and effervescence were on-point, as were the balanced and ever-expanding execution of flavor. This is missing…

Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut

Flawed. A bitter 9V battery note bore down on the steely stone and lemon notes desperately trying to claw through. The would-be flavors became caught in the crossfire of the astringent oxidation that…

Laherte Frères Champagne Premier Cru Extra Brut Les Longues Voyes

Strike three with this Champagne. The Vinges d'Autrefois is so much more compelling than this snoozer. The Les Longues Voyes is a hollow swallow as far as I'm concerned. Can't say I didn't try here.…

Bruno Paillard Champagne Nec Plus Ultra

So smooth, integrated, and savory, you'd almost think this hailed from the early 90's, but the freshness and purity push through beautifully and make for a mesmerizing and cerebral Champagne. This…

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

Well isn't this a nice surprise. From magnum, the 2008 Chetillons is fully in charge of its spritz and lively demeanor, with high-fiving flavors confidently (and powerfully) parading across the…

Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill

Prickly pear and Meyer lemon succulence play off each other to deliver a Champagne that is both jubilant and profound. This is a creature that performs very well at the front and mid-points of entry.…

Billecart-Salmon Champagne Grand Cru Louis Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs

A medium delivery of flavor all the way around. Pleasant and surely gulpable, this gave a little engine that could delivery but got lost in the shuffle due to its seeming lack of identifiable…

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Édition 168ème

It tastes like Krug. It tastes like the 166 served next to it. It's kinda smooth. It's kinda bubbly. It's kinda fresh. It's kinda oxidative. It's kinda Krug.

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 166eme

It tastes like Krug. It tastes like the 168 served next to it. It's kinda smooth. It's kinda bubbly. It's kinda fresh. It's kinda oxidative. It's kinda Krug.

Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut

Unquestionably bursting with vibrancy, categorically abounding with freshness, and completely enveloped by an acidic attack that slaps the palate with such unresolved and determined nerve that the…

Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut

Fresh and crisp the way only a young Cristal can be, the 2008 spits out lemon pith, yellow citrus, and bitter chalk notes with determination and some grit. There is an angularity that is currently…