Search results for: 'table going'

93 Points! Lean and linear with mineral-driven aromatics of wet slate and petrichor followed on by a note of roasted corn husk. There is a smoky flint note to the palate followed by cut green apple, savoury herbs, a streak of wet slate, and a kiss of seaspray to finish. - Decanter Magazine

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92 Points! The 2021 Syrah Santa Barbara County is scented of black raspberries, candied blackberries, cracked pepper, smoked meats and green olive. The medium-bodied palate is bright and chalky with restrained yet nuanced fruit and a long, latent finish. I would be inclined to drink it on the earlier side after a couple hours in a decanter, and its freshness will allow it to pair widely at the table. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

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93 Points! Fragrant wafts of smoke and spice accent the steeped raspberry and mandarin orange peel flavors of this tightly meshed rosé Champagne, which is backed by a vivid spine of mouthwatering acidity and is silky on the palate, with hints of dried herb, licorice and toasted almond playing on the finish. Drink now through 2025. - Wine Spectator

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92 Points! Aromas of black berries, brambleberries, floral, orange peel, and wet earth. Medium body, creamy and round tannins and a refined finish. Delicious. Just yummy. 52% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, and 8% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

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92 Points! The Klein Constantia 2023 Constantia Sauvignon Blanc is extremely linear and sharp with a mineral quality the persists throughout. Winemaker Matthew Day says it took him a long while to understand what the soils mean to this wine. He works with ancient decomposed granite and reddish sandstone from Table Mountain and along the riverbeds. With 42 blocks to choose fruit from, the blending possibilities are enormous. He can pinpoint the best blocks each year. He starts blending after the wine has seen six months in tank, but he wants to extend that to nine months. A salty marine theme is dominant, but the wine also offers white fruits and light floral nuances. A tiny part of declassified wine from oak may work its way into this blend, but you would never know. If you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc, as I do, I enthusiastically direct your attention here. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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96 Points! This is a vibrant ruby colour, with floral aromatics that are even more evident on the nose here than with the second wine, Blason. This is not always the case during En Primeur tastings, when it's the second wines that tend to be a little more open, but it's a feature of the 2018 vintage. This is a brilliant Issan with richness and poise joined by a delicate acidity that pulls the fruit along. The tannins are deceptive, as they are supple and appealing, but the density and power builds over the palate and clearly indicates long ageing. A wine that feels like it's rooted in its appellation. 50% new oak. 40hl/ha yield, with 53% of production going into this wine, higher than in both 2017 and 2016. - Decanter

96 Points! Aromas of blackberry, plum, cocoa, iodine, clove and graphite. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Tightly wound and mineral at the moment, with dusty gravel and graphite notes, yet with focus and precision. Such balance and harmony for the vintage. Try from 2025. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

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92 Points! A vibrant red, with a tasty burst of boysenberry and blackberry compote notes leading the way. Displaying singed alder, cocoa, tobacco and licorice snap elements, this offers enough energy to keep the finish going. Drink now through 2034. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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95 Points! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

97 Points! The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it's going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

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93 Points! Sleek and briary yet refined, with handsome flavors of raspberry and huckleberry accented by green peppercorn and roasted sage. Finishes with zesty tannins. Drink now through 2033. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! The 2022 Zinfandel Russian River Valley is magenta with a hint of purple. It has a more resinous feel, with notes of compote blackberries, menthol, wood spice, forest floor, and candied purple flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it brings more tension to its fresh, even acidity which propels it through the finish. It’s going to age well over the next 6-8 years. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

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92 Points! Châteauneuf du Pape-like notes of red and black fruits, melted licorice, and peppery garrigue all emerge from the 2022 Côtes du Rhône Les Champauvins, a rich, medium to full-bodied 2022 offering beautiful richness and depth. Based on 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that has the Grenache raised in concrete and the Syrah and Mourvèdre in oak, it's going to blow you away any time over the coming 7-8 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

Look at this wine’s neighbors:
• Chateau Beaucastel itself. $120 Chateaneuf is grown literally a healthy stone’s throw away.
• Grand Veneur’s very own $80 Chateaneuf du Pape Origines. 95-point Chateaneuf literally a meter away. Learn More

97 Points!  Pretty blackberries, blueberries and violets with some crushed-raspberry aromas follow through to a full body with wonderfully crafted and pure tannins that intertwine wonderfully with the blue fruit and blackberries. Long and endless. A triumph here. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2026. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

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Very typical of Nuits-St-Georges, with a dark plummy fruit, notes of earth and mineral, and an almost savoury edge to it - slightly rustic, yet still very refined. The grapes from this 0.4ha parcel were fermented as 60% whole-cluster, which imparts a slight edge of herbs or menthol to the wine, but this amplifies in a good way the slightly sauvage character. Delicious. 94 Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Magazine

"Background hints of wood and menthol are present on the super-spicy aromas of black cherry, raspberry and a plenitude of floral wisps. The sleek, intense and very rich medium weight plus flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel that possess notably better punch on the youthfully austere, balanced and impressively persistent finale. This is sufficiently compact that it's going to need at least a few years of keeping first." 92-94 Points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Learn More

91 Points! Readers looking for a delicious, impeccably made Sauvignon Blanc from Napa could do a lot worse than the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc from Amici. This lightly colored white offers textbook notes of white grapefruit, tart lime, and sappy green herbs to go with a medium-bodied, refreshing, yet beautifully balanced style on the palate. Drink bottles over the coming year or two. - Jeb Dunnuck Learn More

92 Points! Bottled in September, the 2021 Côte Rôtie reveals a healthy ruby hue to go with a beautiful and classic Jamet nose of ripe red and black fruits, peppery herbs, menthol, spring flowers, and subtle meaty nuances. Fermented with 90% whole clusters, it's medium-bodied, has a focused, elegant, seamless texture, and outstanding length. This delicate, seamless, perfumed Jamet will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

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92+ Points! The white 2022 Terroir Històric Blanc is the regional wine that blends grapes from nine different villages, 75% Garnacha Blanca and 25% Macabeo from different soils, slate, clay, granite and alluvial. The bunches fermented for three to five days in stainless steel, and the wine matured in stainless steel for six months. It has 13% alcohol and mellow acidity, 4.5 grams. It has a spectacular nose that is very expressive, aromatic, clean and open with pungent notes of pollen and beeswax. It's juicy, round and clean with persistent and pungent flavors, not very high in acidity, eminently Mediterranean. Really impressive. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

 

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

98 Points! A blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Villemaurine is killer stuff, offering black raspberries, black cherries, violets, floral notes, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied, pure, deep, and seamless, it’s layered and rich yet incredibly balanced, with fine tannins and an elegant mouthfeel. Huge minerality and a liquid rock-like character make this a stunning effort. Aged for 16 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels, it’s going to evolve gracefully for 30+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2022 Villemaurine, 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, is very deep purple black in color. It has a wonderfully fragrant nose of candied violets, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan pepper with a powerful core of blueberry pie and black cherries. The full-bodied palate is dense and muscular, with black and blue fruit layers supported by a refreshing backbone and soft tannins, finishing with an exotic spice lift. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

95 Points! The 2022 Villemaurine is an absolute joy. Rich and opulent to the core, the 2022 packs a serious punch. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, cloves, menthol and licorice infuse the 2022 with tremendous depth. Bright saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. Villemaurine is a big, heady wine, but all the elements are so well balanced. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

 

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

96-97 Points! What a bright, racy wine showing beautiful chalky tannins and mid-palate fruit of good density. Minerally, with blue and red fruit. Taut on the palate, with a medium to full body supported by tense, chalky tannins. The long and really succulent finish goes on for a while. Precise. 84% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. - Zekun Shuai, James Suckling

94-96 Points! The 2024 Pavie Macquin is positively gorgeous. Silky, layered and voluptuous, the 2024 is so impressive right out of the gate. Plush contours wrap around a core of purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, spice, menthol and chocolate. All the signatures of this site come through loud and clear. Savory and floral notes supported by clean veins of salinity extend the persistent finish. Pavie Macquin shows what was possible in 2024. The choice to harvest everything in October (from the 3rd to the 8th) paid off big time. Aging in French oak, with about 15% in larger 500-liter barrels, 45% new wood overall. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

 

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92 Points! Based on 81% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Malbec, the 2021 Cabernet Franc sports a vivid purple hue to go with impressive aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, and chocolaty oak. It's medium-bodied and has a supple, elegant mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. A beautiful wine, it might even be better in another year or two as it integrates its oak. Regardless, it's a terrific value that I'd happily drink any time over the coming 8-10 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! A rich and fruity cabernet franc with creamy berries, vanilla and sweet oak spices on the nose. Medium body with plush tannins. Creamy berries and mocha on the palate with dried herbs and cedar in the finish. Try after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

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

97 Points! Looking at the Grand Vin 2022 Château Laroque, it checks in as 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new oak with a mix in larger formats, as well as a portion in foudre. Gorgeous black raspberries, spring flowers, graphite, and truffly mineral and crushed stone-like nuances all shine in this stunningly complex, medium to full-bodied effort. With ripe, polished tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and ultra-fine tannins, it's going to drink well for at least 30 years. The alcohol here is a healthy 14.7 with a pH of 3.4. This is an absolutely gorgeous wine! Buy a case for your cellar. You can thank me later. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Superb quality delivering grip and lift, with the fleshy black fruits underpinned by steel, crushed slate and softer crayon. Well defined black fruits, mouthwatering, vivid, energetic, one to look out for. 3.55ph reductive ageing on fine lees, 1st racking after 6 months, harvest September 14 to 30, Vineyard located on the limestone plateau and slopes at one of highest points of St Emilion in St Christophe des Bardes, owned by the Beaumartin family, David Suire director. - Jane Anson

97 Points! A pure and focussed nose full of ripe but cool black fruit with soft hints of violets and vanilla. This delighted during Primeurs and it's turned out excellently in bottle. Juicy, clean and crystalline with a perfect balance of fruit, tannins and acidity with plenty of underling power but delivered so elegantly. Great harmony and drinkability on offer. Ends salty with graphite and slate really putting the limestone terroir into the glass. Delicious. Another excellent bottle from this rising start estate under the helm of David Suire. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine

95 Points! The 2022 Laroque has turned out very well indeed in bottle, offering up aromas of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, suave and vibrant palate that's pure, concentrated and penetrating. Harmonious and integrated, this limestone terroir's identity really shines through. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

95 Points! The 2022 Laroque is even better from bottle than it was en primeur. Dark, rich and enveloping, the 2022 is seriously impressive. Black cherry, leather, licorice, dried herbs and mocha race across the palate. The possesses superb depth and nuance while capturing all of the richness of the year. Laroque is very clearly one of the sleepers of the year. Superb. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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95 Points! Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2020 Château Langoa Barton comes from a mix of different sites in Saint-Julien, which makes it a great representation of the vintage and appellation. The blend is 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a beautiful bouquet of red and black cherries, currants, leafy tobacco, and cedar pencil, with a touch of damp earth that emerges with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth and richness, velvety tannins, and a great finish. This plush, up-front, expansive, wonderfully textured Saint-Julien will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and cruise for two decades. It's the finest example from this château I've tasted. Bravo! - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

97 Points! This is very linear and structured, with blackcurrant, pine-needle, graphite and cedar aromas and flavors. Intense. Full-bodied, chalky and intense. Superb. Best of the trilogy. Drink after 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

94 Points!  The 2020 Langoa Barton has turned out superbly in bottle, offering up generous aromas of black cherries, crème de cassis, licorice and pencil shavings deftly framed by classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, its concentrated core of ripe but vibrant fruit is framed by sweet, powdery tannins and lively acids. Beautifully balanced, it's somewhat more open out of the gates than the excellent 2019 and will offer an especially broad drinking window. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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