Reviews

Young Inglewood Vineyards Right Bank Blend

Plum, ripe black cherry, earthy-chocolate, and some cedar. A pleasant sipper with medium-weight flavors and a quasi-sluggish delivery; a relatively simple expression overall. Not much tension here.

Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot

Mature and ready for consumption. Viscous honeyed lemon and yellow citrus, pineapple, light olive oil, hints of butterscotch, brass rail, and some torched sugar. Luckily, this finishes dry and…

Château de la Charrière Chassagne-Montrachet Les Champs de Morjot

Agreeable yellow citrus and some medium-driven lemony type pedestrian flavors; some limestone tries to come out, but otherwise gets a little lost. It's a fine Sunday sipper kind of drink, but a…

Cayuse God Only Knows

Well, if you know Cayuse and you know God Only Knows and you know the 2011 vintage, then you know what you're getting into. Light strawberry water, pork blood, bitter bark, wet terra cotta, and salt…

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

2017 Schrader RBS and CCS side-by-side.

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

2017 Schrader RBS and CCS side-by-side.

Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Auguste Favier

PnP was all about heat and ripe red fruit. A three hour decant kept at a cool cellar temperature helped a bit, but it stayed primary and linear throughout most of consumption. It gained all of its…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières

A solid core of yellow citrus is encompassed by some white stone and vanilla notes. Medium weighted and a bit primary, but still kicking out the usual succulent core that comes from the Mikulski…

Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

Red currant, red and black cherry, muddled strawberry, cassis, dusty cedar, unsmoked cigar/tobacco, dry black soil, Christmas spice, and some subtle herbs. Fantastic acidity that is deftly balanced…

Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes

Ripe red cherry and raspberry, deep kirsch, subtle salami, and some wet stone. There is some heat here, and the 16% ABV is noticeable, especially on the finish. Comes off a bit overly fruity right…

Château Cap de Faugères La Mouleyre

Similar to my note from November 2019. Succulent and rich without being heavy. Dark fruit core and a bitter chocolate profile that makes for some chewy, sexy time on the palate. The QPR here is…

Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Fontalloro

Red and black currant, red cherry, sandalwood, eucalyptus, mulch, menthol, and incense. Smooth and balanced, but with an acidic pop that both elevates and provides notable grip.

Henri Germain et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Les Fairendes

Fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice, Squirt, coconut meat, and white rock. Excellent purity and focus, with an ultra-clean and fresh delivery. Finishes higher-toned with light yellow/white fruit and…

Château Belair-Monange

Black and red currant, black and red raspberry, black cherry, pipe tobacco, mulch, Christmas spice, and some earthy cedar. Exquisitely balanced and perfectly weighted. Full without being heavy, with…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Gouttes d'Or

A fresh lemon and lime juice core is flanked by cardamom and pulverized granite notes that add interest to the medium and agreeable delivery of flavor. Beautifully weighted and succulently round…

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

Dried apricot, grilled lemon, red apple skin, brioche crust, wet travertine, copper, and olive oil. A more academic and direct execution of flavor, with a slightly angular finish that still manages…

Domaine des Malandes Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu

An easy drinker with a decent QPR. Medium weighted and quasi-rich notes of lemon curd and lemon juice dominate. A touch more simple than its sibling Montmains VV (which I prefer a little more…

Patrick Piuze Chablis 1er Cru Les Séchets

Clean, fresh, and light on its feet. White and light yellow citrus fruit, chalk, white lemon rind, citrus zest, and some lemon verbena. Medium bodied, with a ultra pure delivery. Moderate complexity,…

Clos St. Antonin Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Holy Criminy this is a massive monster of a wine. Blackberry liqueur, ripe black raspberry compote, licorice, purple plum, creosote, tar, and wet rock. A voluminous mouthfeel and a rich mid-palate…

Larmandier-Bernier Longitude

Similar to last year's notes. Agreeable and all, if but a bit simple and predictable in its execution. I much prefer the VV du Levant for its slightly broader shoulders and more energetic complexity.

Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Extra Brut Passion

Super angular and biting. Nails on the chalkboard kind of delivery. No real detectable fruit that's able to show its head without getting lopped off by the steely sword swipe across the palate. Rough…

Moulin de la Gardette Gigondas La Cuvée Ventabren

A decent dose of garrigue sets off some higher register red and black raspberry and purple plum skin. Gravelly limestone makes for even more of a tighter execution. Primary and linear for the most…

Elio Altare Langhe La Villa

On the down-swing of its drinking window, but still managed to push through some interesting currant, leather, orange rind, cedar, and rocky dry earth. Pair it with a fat 'ol pepperoni pizza…

Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut Millésimé

Sharp and linear. White lemon rind, green apple skin, chalk, and gravel dominate. Overly lithe mid-palate, with effervescence and mineral elements competing with the white, pithy "fruit." Jagged on…

Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers

Red cherry, pomegranate, orange rind, raspberry sorbet, bark, and bitter coffee bean. Primary and red-fruited, with the sorbet and orange rind adding interest, but also keeping this at a higher…