Reviews

Château Sansonnet

A wine that wants to be awesome, but isn't quite there yet. The front end hits the palate with intense blackberry, black raspberry, bitter chocolate, and earthy black soil, but then the attack…

Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes

Pours clear and clean, with red and black raspberry, spice, garrigue, and some rainbow peppercorn. Medium weighted, with a moderate concentration and a notable balance overall. Finishes with some…

Domaine Michel Mallard & Fils Corton-Les Renardes

A succulent black cherry and wild berry core is flanked by a gorgeous array of spices and subtle forest floor notes. Youthfully driven but surprisingly accessible and unctuous, with a flavor…

Nicolas Rossignol Pommard 1er Cru Les Épenots

Black and red currant, black and red cherry, rhubarb, and some earthy spice. Linear and reserved, with a muted flavor expansion. Finishes simple. Not a ton of stuffing, with even less intensity, but…

Roc de Cambes

Rich, lush, and plump blackberry, ripe blueberry, black cherry, chocolate, and some earthy spice. A heightened plushness makes for a round delivery that is certainly flavorful (and luckily still…

Fait-Main St Emilion Todeschini Asteria

Still needs time people. Signs of life here (especially since having it 2 years ago), but.........

Domaine Launay-Horiot Pommard 1er Cru Les Chaponnières

Dark and earthy plum, deep black cherry, muddled ripe black raspberry, forest floor, pine, and faint passings of crimini mushroom, black tea, and bark. The core fruit is carried wonderfully along the…

La Bastide Saint-Dominique Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Hesperides

Plum, black cherry, huckleberry, earth, creosote, and subtle porcini mushroom notes pump from this full but controlled CdP. Faint dried flowers and garrigue flavors play peek-a-boo with the purple…

Château Labégorce

Primary red fruit dominates here for now. Some red and black cherry, cranberry, unripe plum, limestone, dried flowers, and spice. Linear overall, but notable purity and mouthwatering acid keeps you…

Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) Bolgheri Superiore

A stunning wine. Even more depth and body than the 2015, with a darker profile and fuller mouthfeel overall. Earthy blackberry, black cherry, black and red raspberry, black currant, deep black soil,…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

It's been about 3 years since I've had the 2013 OG. I actually pulled this by mistake (I thought I grabbed a 2015), because I was reading some of the most recent CT reviews on the 2013 and planned on…

Domaine Bruno Clair Vosne-Romanée Les Champs Perdrix

Subtle earth-inflected mineral elements dart in and out of the dominant black cherry and black raspberry core. Flavorful and a bit darker in profile overall (which I was especially drawn to) with a…

Tusk Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

Deep black cherry, black raspberry, chocolate chunk, black warm soil, deep cassis, anise, subtle cinnamon stick, and iron. Broad shouldered, but gorgeously textured, with a seamlessness that seems to…

Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes

Beautiful black cherry, limestone, black raspberry, tilled earth, dark sorbet, subtle spice. Deeply pitched mid-palate, but offers minerality and finessed soil notes that add lift and frame. Nicely…

Domaine Y. Clerget Volnay

Ripe black cherry and plump black raspberry, with some spice and stone. Plush and simple right now. Finishes round and semi-full. A decent sipper, but not exhibiting much complexity at this juncture.…

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

2017 Schrader RBS and CCS side-by-side.

Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

Black cherry, red and black raspberry, ripe strawberry, earth, faint citrus rind, and spice. Round and a bit plump mid-palate, making for an accessible delivery of flavor. Medium drive and verve.…

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.

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.

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…

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.