Search results for: 'mostly a one plot'

95 Points! Produced in the magnificent new cellars at Montrose, this big, tannic wine is powerful and concentrated. It has something of the classic severity of a wine from this estate, but that's mitigated by the ripe, generous blackberry fruitiness and the final freshness of a 2012. A great success, to drink from 2022. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, May 2015

94 Points! From a blend of 37% Merlot, 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, Montrose managed to take advantage of the good weather that returned in October, and brought in its last grapes on 20 October. Its gravelly soil also meant it fared far better than the more clay-led St-Estèphe terroirs. Great structure with a wonderful floral aroma and touches of cedar, with good persistency. Astringency on the tannins suggests a good life ahead. - Decanter Magazine, Apr 2015 

94 Points! The 2012 Montrose has a taut and focused bouquet with crisp blackberry, tobacco and light earthy scents on the nose. Fine vigour and class evident here. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, fine acidity, lightly spiced with a nicely proportioned and focused finish. This is a solid, almost swarthy Montrose, though it is surpassed by more recent vintages. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.- Neal Martin, Vinous Media Feb 2022 

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92-94 Points! The 2019 Pommard Clos des Arvelets 1er Cru was originally owned en totale by the family’s great grandmother and comes from vines planted in the Sixties. It has an expressive bouquet with vibrant raspberry, wild strawberry and crushed rock aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. This has a fine bead of acidity, one of the domaine’s fleshier contributions to the vintage with a pinch of white pepper on the finish. Very fine. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media Learn More

95 Points! The 1990 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is one of the highlights of the era. It has a disarmingly gorgeous nose with brambly red fruit, a touch of peppermint and sage, all exquisitely defined and gaining cohesion with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine bead of acidity, glistening with vivacity and energy. Few 1990 Côte de Nuits have this sense of tension and the delineation on the finish is brilliant. Superb. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media, Jan 2020  

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98 Points! From the oldest vines of the estate, the 2022 Pinot Noir DuMOL Ryan is fantastic on the nose, with notes of fresh leather, Asian spices, sandalwood, and fresh cherries. The palate is vibrant and salty with green valley character, revealing finely coiled tannins, mouthwatering acidity, a saline mineral flourish, and a long finish. This one of the most compelling wines in the vintage for me, and it’s going to age gracefully over the next 15-20 years. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

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Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased what is now called Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today, including climate controlled aging warehouses. Many of the barrels selected for the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel are aged in Warehouse C, which was built by Taylor in 1881 and proven to be an excellent aging warehouse. Each barrel is hand-picked and Bottled in Bond at 100 proof to honor its namesake.

The aroma carries lightly toasted oak, with dried figs and butterscotch. One sip brings flavors of sweetness balanced with tobacco and dark spices. The finish is just long enough to prepare the palate for another sip. 

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The Meyer’s whisky is a mash of wheat and malted barley from the Champagne region and malted barley. The phase of malting the barley is entrusted to La Malterie du Château in Belgium, one of the oldest malteries in the world. Then the wheat and malted barley mash is brewed at an Alsatian brewer, Brasserie Saverne, who practices this technique for beer.

The distillation process is typical of the Highland scotch whiskeys: double distillation and made in distillery copper stills, at the Meyer’s Distillery. This blend superior is aged for a minimum of 7 years in former Sauternes cask from one of Bordeaux’s top estates, Château Doisy Daene.

Notes include apricot marmalade, orange blossom honey, kumquat, vanilla custard, white pepper, roasted almond and a thread of smoke. The palate is seamless and supple and just as inviting as the effusive aromas.

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94 Points! The 2021 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of the vintage's successes, wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and raspberries mingled with notions of violets, rose petals, pencil shavings and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, with a deep, layered core of pure fruit framed by ripe acids and sweet tannins, its suave, charming profile means that it will offer a broad drinking window. A slightly lower percentage of new oak, with lighter toasts, is reflected in better barrel integration out of the gates. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

95 Points! A refined, classic Pauillac with cassis, pencil shavings, ash and cherries. Juicy and really fine on the palate with silky tannins unwound into a layered, long finish. A refined, elegant interpretation that does not fall short on intensity. Real finesse here. Already delicious, but can hold, too. - JamesSuckling.com Learn More

Not too often you get a sub-$20 Chardonnay from some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in America!

Wheeler Vineyard’s Chardonnay was planted in 1977 on elevated gravelly alluvial terrace. It is located in Tres Pinos.  Kevin Olson Vineyard is one of the coldest vineyards in California. This is where we get the nice acid backbone in the wine. It is located right off Highway 101 in Prunedale, and grows in sandy soils. It was planted in 1999. Wheeler Vineyard and Kevin Olson Vineyard are organically farmed.

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Located on the exceptional Récy hillside in Savigny, the old Gamay vines are planted on the south side on a noble terroir made up of metamorphic rocks such as blue stones. ​The Heart of Men refers to its women and men who have walked this hillside for decades. In the vineyard as in the cellar, Le Cœur des Hommes is developed with respect for life and balance.​ Wine vinified without inputs in stainless steel vats and demi-muids. A small dose of sulfur is used during bottling

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98 Points! Tight and reserved, showcasing the depth of 55-year-old chardonnay vines from Eyrie Vineyard, one of the oldest existing plantings in Willamette, dating back to 1968. A mineral-driven, umami-rich profile with wet leaves, subtle quince, sesame seeds and hints of tangerines. Structured and compact, with a phenolic tension and a savory, earthy, clay-like character. There’s a lot going on in this wine. It is pure, full and very long. Needs time to fully unfold. Whole-cluster pressed. Better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

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93 Points! A medium red color, the 2019 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard is spicy and classic on the nose, with notes of dried cherries, baking spices, anise, and dried alpine herbs. Well-balanced and complex on the palate, this medium-bodied red takes on a good deal of character, with a core of ripe concentration and a long-lasting finish. As this was held back for release, it’s already in a good place for drinking now or over the coming 6-8 years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunuck.com

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92 Points! A bright ruby color, the 2021 Barbaresco is fresh and floral on the nose, with notes of fresh roses, raspberries, sweet herbs, and fresh peach. Medium-bodied and bright on the palate, with tangy citrus taking the lead, it offers finely coiled tannins, zesty acidity, and a chalky texture, then turns to more tangy cranberry-noted fruit, with a good bit of grip on the sides of the palate. This is a refreshing and energetic Barbaresco to drink over the next 10-12 years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

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La Ginestraia was founded in 2007 in the small village of Cervo, in the province of Imperia, Liguria – by Marco Brangero. It is one of the Brangero family wine estates. 

La Ginestraia is located on top of a little hill which faces the Mediterrenean Sea- here called Mar Tirreno, under the appellation Riviera Ligure di Ponente, covering the northwest Italian coast from the border of France to the city of Genoa. They produce around 40,000 bottles (divided between 6 labels) sourced from their terroir and to the indigenous grapes of Liguria

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94 Points! A firm and linear red with currant, blackberry and stone aromas and flavors. Full yet closed and tight. Acidity drives this one. Third wine of (Latour). Serious. Needs two or three years to come together. - JamesSuckling.com Learn More

One of the top lieu-dit in Meursault, bordering 1er Cru Genevrières, 50+ year old vines, indigenous yeast fermented and aged in 456L barrels (30% new) for 10 months + 8 months in stainless steel, bottled unfined and unfiltered.

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92 Points! Plums, black currants, nutmeg and coriander on the nose. Some graphite and tobacco. It’s firm and savory with a full body and medium-chewy tannins. Dried herb character on a firm finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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99 Points! Given its consistently outstanding quality, it’s easy to forget that the average age of Porseleinberg's 14 hectares of vineyards is only seven years' old. Showing what Callie Louw calls a "little more crunch" in 2021, this is a Syrah with time on its side. Wild herb aromas of sage, oregano and rosemary introduce you to a palate that's dense yet refined, with lots of whole bunch spice and structure, negligible oak influence, detailed, layered tannins, some underlying grip and layers of dark berry fruit. One of the world's great reds from a very special site. - Tim Atkin, MW

97 Points! The 2021 Porseleinberg is whole bunch fermented and aged for 12 months in foudres. I gave my glass plenty of aeration. Chatting with winemaker Callie Louw, this wine can be closed, this being the first time I had tasted it at the remote Swartland estate. It has a compelling bouquet with fabulous delineation, a mélange of, say, one-third red and two-thirds black fruit, hints of iron filings and reflecting its soils, slate-like scents. Obstinately backward, after 10 minutes, it positively blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with filigree tannins framing the mineral-rich black fruit. Plenty of extract is interwoven, but perhaps unlike the vintages of old, Louw's winemaking sense means that it's not immediately tangible. A discrete build in the mouth reveals hidden layers as it sashays towards its crunchy finish and then delivers a dash of cracked black pepper on the aftertaste. Outstanding…but what else do we expect? - Neal Martin, Vinous

97 Points! What an intense nose of charcuterie, grilled herbs, iron, black berry fruit and cracked pepper. Flavor explosion on the palate, too, with a full body, yet so much freshness with an underlying iron and peppercorn character. Firm, yet fine tannins. Even better from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

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Made from Estate grown grapes planted on south-facing steep, slatey slopes. It is fresh and mineral with inviting yellow fruit aromas. Elegant, full-bodied and intensely concentrated with bright fruit flavors and fine acidity lingering on the finish.

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95 Points! A reductive and restrained wine with flint, subtle apricots, lemon leaves and smoky minerality on the nose, Very citrusy on the palate, it’s zesty, tight and vibrant, with tingling acidity and an energetic finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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96–97 Points – James Suckling
“Bright and vivid on the nose and palate, with blackberries, black currants, raspberries and violets. It's medium-bodied with firm and racy tannins and a salty undertone in the finish. Such real energy.”

95–97 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2025 Château Haut-Bages Libéral reveals gorgeous cassis, graphite, spring flowers, and tobacco notes. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe tannins, terrific balance, and outstanding length.”

94–96 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Flowers, black currants, cedar, tobacco, spice, and graphite nuances create the perfume. Medium-bodied, vibrant, fresh, and refined, with silky tannins and a long cassis-filled finish.”

96 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“One of the best Haut-Bages Libérals I've tasted from barrel. Perfumed blackcurrants with gorgeous aromatics. Juicy and crisp, sleek and svelte, with soft velvety tannins that support the vibrant fruit so well. Really very classic, muscular but gentle with purity and focus.”

93–95 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 Haut-Bages Libéral has pure black cherries, cassis and violet scents that burst from the glass. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and that tingle from the limestone soils that defines the finish. What a superb and distinctive Pauillac this is.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Haut-Bages Libéral is one of the most impressive wines of the appellation. Vibrant and layered, with exceptional purity and energy.”

 

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