Search results for: 'mostly a one plot'

Sourced from 45+ year-old vines in Paton, Lys de Volan, la Bonnette, Rochecourbe, Les Rivoires, Merlant

95 Points! Slightly deeper hued (barely) than the classic Condrieu, the 2023 Condrieu Vieilles Vignes is another tour de force from this producer. Stone fruits, toasted nuts, orange liqueur, and crushed stone all give this a slightly more mineral-laced, masculine style. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's concentrated, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, a terrific sense of freshness, and outstanding length, with a touch of salinity on the finish. It's geared for the dinner table and should drink nicely through 2033. Both of these latest Condrieu from Tardieu-Laurent are brilliant wines. - Jeb Dunnuck

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92 Points! Dosed with five grams per liter in November 2017, Dosnon's NV Recolte Noire (Black Label) is a pure, oak-fermented Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar. White-golden in color, this is a fine, fresh and delicately fruity Champagne with just a hint of oak. Intense, fresh and lush on the palate, this is a straight, perfectly round and well-structured Blanc de Noirs with good grip and vitality on the finish. Excellent! - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com Learn More

The 2008 vintage is recognized as one of the strong early expressions of Scott Palazzo’s Right Bank-inspired Napa Cabernet Franc from Carneros, a wine that repeatedly earned high praise from collectors and critics alike for its elegance and depth. For years these magnums were held exclusively for Palazzo’s private members list, never offered to the broader market. This release marks the first time these mature library magnums are available to the public, a rare occasion for a wine that has shown both finesse and age-worthy structure as it has evolved over time.

Tasting Note:
This wine shows a deep, rich hue and carries aromas of crushed violets, cassis, ripe red cherries, and black raspberry, with subtle hints of cedar, spice box, and bay leaf making the bouquet intriguing and layered. On the palate the fruit is concentrated yet refined, with juicy red and dark berry flavors balanced by bright acidity, polished tannins, and gentle earth-driven complexity. The texture is plush and lively, and the finish lingers with spice, soft chocolate nuances, and a harmony of floral and savory notes. Community tastings have consistently scored this vintage in the low 90s, underscoring its quality and appeal in bottle as it approaches peak drinking maturity.

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The 2003 Proprietary Red stands as one of the earliest expressions of Scott Palazzo’s winemaking vision and reflects his long-standing admiration for the great blended wines of Bordeaux. Crafted during the formative years of the estate, this wine set the foundation for Palazzo’s later Master Blend philosophy, emphasizing balance, structure, and age-worthiness over sheer size. Produced in extremely limited quantities, the magnum format was held exclusively for Palazzo’s private members for more than two decades. This release marks the first time these mature library magnums have ever been made available to the public, offering a rare opportunity to experience an early Napa Valley proprietary blend with remarkable bottle age in the format best suited for longevity.

Tasting Note:
With over twenty years of evolution, the wine opens with complex aromatics of dried cherry, fig, and plum layered with cedar, leather, and warm spice. On the palate, it is smooth and fully integrated, showing savory red and dark fruit supported by softened tannins and balanced acidity. Secondary notes of tobacco, cocoa, and earth add depth and nuance, while the finish is long, resolved, and graceful. In magnum, the wine retains notable freshness and cohesion, highlighting both the strength of the vintage and the enduring elegance of Palazzo’s early blending philosophy.

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97+ Points! The 2012 Champagne Clos de Goisses is true to character and is the most opulent and decadent expression. It is flush with a generous perfume and liqueur, with ripe apricot brûlée, toasted brioche, raspberry eau de vie, and saline. The palate is round and full, though light on its feet, with kirsch and a chalky texture. Its salinity makes up for the more modest acidity and contributes to a compelling and savory wine. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com, Nov 2022   

97 Points! The 2012 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is a Champagne of extraordinary elegance and finesse. Silky and aromatic, the 2012 impresses with its mid-weight, refined personality. Hints of kirsch, red plum, flowers and chamomile open gently in the glass. Clos des Goisses is often a rich, vinous Champagne, but the 2012 comes across as restrained and understated in all the right ways. Its aging potential will be measured in decades not years. Sadly, severe spring frost took with it a startling 50% of the crop. According to Charles Philipponnat Pinot fared better than Chardonnay. Ultimately, though, the Goisses blend is a typical two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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98 Points! Starting out, the 2017 Tychson Hill is gorgeous, revealing a saturated purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of blackcurrants, ground herbs, chocolate, toasted bread, and subtle yet high class oak. Full-bodied, beautifully textured, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, it has silky tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a big finish. This is a backward, primordial beauty that’s going to need 4-5 years of bottle age yet shine for 30 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! The berries at Tychson Hill vineyard were very small in 2017. “This wine totally required baby steps with the extraction,” said winemaker Allison Tauziet. Very deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard leaps from the glass with vibrant black cherries, warm blackberries and blackcurrant scents with hints of violets, dark chocolate, lavender and camphor plus a fragrant waft of rose hip tea. Medium to full-bodied, the structure is taut, restraining all the tightly packed, energetic black fruit layers, with a wonderfully fine-grained texture and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. Still very tightly wound, this one needs time, but it should handsomely reward patience. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

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The 2010 vintage emerged from a cooler, more measured growing season in Napa Valley and is often regarded as one of the more classically styled years of the decade. For Scott Palazzo, this vintage reinforced his Right Bank inspired approach to Cabernet Franc, emphasizing restraint, aromatic complexity, and structure over power. Sourced from Carneros and produced in very limited quantities, the magnum format was held back exclusively for Palazzo’s private members for over a decade. This release marks the first time these library magnums have been offered to the public, presenting a rare opportunity to experience a mature, cool-vintage Cabernet Franc in the format best suited for graceful aging.

Tasting Note:
The wine opens with a refined and savory aromatic profile, showing dried violet, red currant, and subtle herbal notes layered with hints of cedar and gentle spice. On the palate, the 2010 is composed and focused, offering bright red cherry and cranberry fruit framed by lively acidity and firm, well-integrated tannins. Earthy undertones and a touch of graphite add depth as the wine unfolds. The finish is clean, structured, and persistent, with a sense of freshness and balance that has been beautifully preserved in magnum, highlighting both the vintage’s classic character and its long-term aging potential.

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97 Points! Dense licorice and forest berry aromas mask the deep tannin structure of this Chateauneuf-du-Pape masterpiece. Full-bodied but with a lightness of touch. Then the power and stony intensity pour over you in a giant wave. The freshness is extraordinary for this hot and dry vintage. Serious tannins in the very long, compact and refined finish. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The estate lost some Grenache due to shatter, so the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape is based on 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Counoise, 10% Syrah, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties. It was all destemmed except for the Syrah and brought up in foudre. The higher Mourvèdre component gives it a more serious, focused style than most in the vintage, and it has darker blackberry fruits intermixed with roasted herbs, spring flowers, violets, and some meaty nuances on the nose. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a deep, pure, layered mouthfeel, it has ripe, velvety, yet building tannins and a great finish. Another beautiful vintage for this cuvée, it has the approachable style of the vintage yet brings more than enough density and concentration to evolve for 30 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

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Older Muscadet can take on a lot of the same classic characters as older White Burgundy, sometimes even better... ;-)

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Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah. Blending and ageing in stainless steel vats on fine lees. Organic wine made from Demeter-certified grapes Learn More

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

94 Points! Blackberries and pencil shavings with blueberries and dark chocolate follow through to a medium body with a solid core of pretty fruit and a polished and refined palate. The tannin structure is very impressive, yet there is an underlying freshness. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Based on 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2022 Château Marquis De Terme is brilliant stuff, with a richly textured, concentrated, medium to full-bodied style. Ripe darker currants, scorched earth, graphite, and lead pencil nuances all define the aromatics, and it's balanced, with a pure, layered mouthfeel and ripe tannins. It ranks with the finest vintages of this cuvée to date. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Lush in its fruit, with waves of dark currant and blackberry reduction, this also shows form thanks to alder, tobacco and savory accents providing cut, while rose hip and dried violet notes add lift. Offers a long, smoldering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. - Wine Spectator

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Exciting find! An extremely polished, gulpable Madiran from south-facing 60+ year-old vines on clay limestone and gravel. Very refined tannins for the genre...

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Alameda, California- Vibrant citrus with notes of cinnamon, sandalwood, and forest on the nose. Initial palate entry is bitter, followed by a woodsy mid-palate and lingering bitter/citrus finish. Learn More

The Chemin des Moines de Vergy is a surprisingly powerful, concentrated Pinot Noir due to its low yields and its Vosne clones. The wine has all the requisite spice of its more illustrious neighbors down the hill but also carries a wonderful piquancy noting its higher elevation roots. It’s not unlike the hillside Vosne wines which are becoming all the rage now, a finer version of perhaps Petits Monts or Damaudes. The wine becomes more, ahem, Burgundian with air as the spice notes broaden and a touch of underbrush enters the fray, the perfume building and the wine getting silkier.

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Incredible, high-quality Longfinned Tuna Belly. The gold standard. Open a tin and serve on some buttered baguette and watch it vaporize. Canned in Galicia Spain. 

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The wine ferments in stainless steel tanks. Native yeast. The wine is then matured on fine lees until bottling in the following June. No malolactic fermentation.

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98 Points! This shows blackcurrants, blackberries, violets, lavender, pencil shavings and hints of metal shavings. Medium- to full-bodied with a firm and juicy character of extremely polished and integrated tannins that caress your palate. Compact and poised with tension and focus. A blend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 1% cabernet franc. 13.1% alcohol. Drink after 2029. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Concentrated and characterful, layered and super-finely presented. Round and full, juicy and textured, more powdery than tense and grippy with almost blackcurrant skin texture, while juicy red and black cherry juice goes through the centre, added to by dried mint, wet stones, clove and liquorice. Serious, with power but poise, all the elements on show – perhaps not quite settled, but individually showing the complexity of this great wine in the making. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! As to the Grand Vin 2021 Château Mouton Rothschild, this beauty is in the running for one of the wines of the vintage, and it brings more depth, richness, and texture than just about anything else in the Médoc. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in new barrels, it sports a dense purple/plum hue as well as powerful aromatics of spicy black fruits, leafy tobacco, graphite, and freshly sharpened pencils. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a building, layered mouthfeel and impressive concentration and intensity in its aromas and flavors, velvety tannins, and gorgeous finish. You'd be hard pressed to know this came from a challenging vintage. It's going to take at least 5-7 years to hit the early stages of its prime drinking window and will evolve gracefully over the following 20-25 years. Bravo. For tech geeks out there, this hit 13.1% alcohol, has an IPT of 59, and a pH of 3.73. - Jeb Dunnuck

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100 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

99 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. (Drink between 2031-2051). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 15% Merlot and traces of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries followed by hints of crushed rocks, cardamom, licorice, and tar plus a fragrant touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and mineral layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with loads of ferrous and earthy sparks. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

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100 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

99 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. (Drink between 2031-2051). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 15% Merlot and traces of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries followed by hints of crushed rocks, cardamom, licorice, and tar plus a fragrant touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and mineral layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with loads of ferrous and earthy sparks. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

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