Reviews

Domaine Pinson Frères Chablis 1er Cru Montmain

Beautiful and bright lemon juice and ocean spray on the nose. Lemon juice, lime pith, chalk, and some salt on the palate. Medium intensity with an agreeable flavor delivery and expansion. Purity of…

Gilbert et Christine Felettig Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune "En Vallerot" Blanc

Crisp and clean and just a little lean, the 2018 resembles its older 2017 sibling with its lemon juice and white rock flavors delivered on a pretty punchy platter of acid and grip. Perhaps slightly…

Melka Sauvignon Blanc Mekerra

Solid showing, especially for the first hour or so of consumption. There was a bit of heat to blow off on the initial pull, but it settled nicely into its groove with a gorgeous display of kiwi,…

Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts

Similar to last year. This needs about 15-20 minutes in the glass to open up its flavors and deepen its overall profile. It is operating at what I'd consider its peak drinking window, with a gentle…

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

Lemon and lime citrus juice and white minerality make for great zing and drive. My last bottle. On to the 2017s and 2018s. I won't sit on these (and there really is no reason to) in order to best…

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Villers-Allerand Montchenot

2016 base with 20% reserve. 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier. Disgorged 09/2020. 4g/L dosage.

Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

Black berry fruit, black licorice, black rock, ripe muddled raspberry and black cherry, peppercorn, and some mulch/freshly tilled soil notes are encircled by a decent amount of perceptible booze on…

Patiné Cellars Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard

Sappy black cherry and boysenberry notes are flanked by muddled strawberry and earthy rhubarb flavors that intertwine to fashion a decidedly dark and mouth-filling profile, especially on the initial…

Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Villers-Allerand Les Loges

Disgorged 11/2020. 2018 base. 100% Pinot Noir. 0g/L dosage.

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Two years since my last bottle. I've reviewed this wine a number of times now and it has maintained a steadfast demeanor throughout my experiences with it. With an hour or so decant just to blow off…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir

Lemon and wet travertine flavors show nice drive and tension. A clean and pure delivery. Inviting and gulpable. Balanced and easy-going, with enough energy to hold interest throughout consumption.…

Realm Cellars The Bard

Plush and inviting as is typical for this wine with a bit of bottle age, and as is especially typical for this wine in this vintage. Blackberry and blueberry compote, chocolate pudding, black…

Domaine du Château de Meursault Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières

A solid performer. Lemon, lime, quince, and clementine zest dance on the palate. A sea salt and travertine streak adds energy and tension. The lemon-dominant flavor provides a solid core for the…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Block Series Stardust Heaven

Continuing to progress, and starting to kick out some optimum pleasure - though it is just now entering into a window where it is seemingly able to offer true flavor expansion. Locked and loaded…

Marc Colin et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain

Purity of fruit and precision are highlighted here. The clean yellow citrus juice flavors make for a classy showing, further elevated by a nicely calculated insertion of minerality. Previous notes…

Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Vignes d'Autrefois

Coming into a nice drinking window now. Starts out with some decent oomph and gains more finesse with air. Drink or hold. I'll likely be doing more of the former with my remaining bottles.

Domaine Dupont-Fahn Bourgogne Blanc Chaumes des Perrières

Lemon and white stone notes make for a medium-bodied and agreeable profile that delivers on persistent acid and energy, but lacks a bit of personality and complexity. Better than many base Bourgogne,…

Vincent Dancer Chardonnay Bourgogne

An odd wine, almost like a Burg posing as a white Rhône. Leesy and smokey, with a spritzy secondary fermentation banana in club soda thing going on. 18 months elevage seems like it was an experiment…

Domaine Pinson Frères Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

Fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice, oyster shell, and white stone flavors ride on a bed of swift acidity, making for a punchy front end that quickly relaxes its grip as it coasts to the back end…

Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Vieilles Vignes

A great showing tonight with a 1er Cru-level performance. The initial pull was especially full of cranberry and red berry flavors. Slightly thin for the first few minutes until it has a chance to…

Jerome Blin Champagne Cuvée Octave Extra Brut

2015 base. 100% Chardonnay. Disgorged 3/2019. 2g/L dosage.

L'Aventure For Her

Blackberry compote, blueberry skin, black cherry, ripe black and purple plum, wet limestone, asphalt, railroad tie, and spices (clove and cardamom). Beautifully built, with frame and flavor…

Domaine Servin Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu

Lemony and medium-spritely on the palate, with a nicely place sour pucker to add elevated interest to the otherwise medium delivery of yellow and green citrus flavors. Finishes with a touch of verve…

Domaine Pinson Frères Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu

Easy-going and agreeable flavors of lemon and quince make for a medium-bodied and somewhat predictable profile. It's quite gulpable indeed but lacks a little personality at this stage. Finishes…

Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières

One of the cleanest and most precision-honed 2018 Chardonnays I have tasted thus far from Cote de Beaune. Ultra-pure, but still managing to avoid over-refinement to the point that it would lack…