The more closed but potentially greater 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is a 480-case blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed...

La Gaffeliere 2018 is deep garnet purple in color. The nose begins with notes of new leather, cedar chest, and smoked meats, giving way to notions of prunes and fruit cake, with a waft of dried sage. The medium to...

Exceptionally silky tannic frame, this is gourmet and mouthwatering, delivering raspberry and blackberry studded with white pepper, cedar and campfire smoke. Softly spoken and welcoming, not the most powerful 2009 but...

With a label designed by designer Philippe Starck, this Champagne has benefitted from its aging that has softened the wine's natural dryness and given it maturity and a light biscuit flavor. It is a fully balanced wine...

Spices, vanilla bean, and berries on the nose. A nice balance. Full and soft, with round tannins. A soft and juicy palate. 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. 650 cases.

Sourced from the oldest vines in the domaine, the Charles Giraud is the flagship bottling of Saint-Préfert. A 60-40 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre accented by a whisper of clove, it's a voluminous, dazzling wine packed...

Rich and supple, evoking cherry, blackberry, graphite and tobacco aromas and flavors. The dense, dusty tannins emerge as this builds to the long, lively finish, where a light astringency lingers. A bit rustic. Best from...

A classy, balanced and sumptuous du Tertre, a ton of appellation and vintage signature. Lace-like tannins, overperforms the estate at the time, showing just how much quality and value is out there for this vintage...

Magnums of Cristal are always released a few years after the original wine in bottle. This is subtle yet complex, with cranberry and apple aromas and flavors, as well as plenty of minerals and subtle bread-dough and...

The 2021 Le Petit Clos is composed of 68% Carménère, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak. It features black and red fruit with a distinct floral bouquet, contrasting with the more...

Packed with ripe, juicy cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and floral aromas and flavors, this red is supple and beautifully integrated. Earth, iron and tobacco accents add detail as this winds down on the lazy, resonant...

An assemblage of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre, both aged in demi-muids, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Collection Charles Giraud features a hint of brown sugar on the nose, then waves of blueberries, black cherries and...

Served blind, I'd think this was a top Hermitage due to its smoky character, topped with mint, peppery herbs, barbecued meat, black currants, blackberries, along with a hint of blueberry. The palate is rich, full-bodied...

This 2005 is really coming into its own, with soft, welcoming rose bud, chalk, bilberry, cocoa bean and tobacco. The tannins remain well structured, and you can see the muscles that kept this pretty closed for the first...

A particularly pretty and floral expression of Clos Apalta, the 2022 Clos Apalta is beautifully lush and expressive on the nose, combining a deep core of black and blue fruit aromas with pencil lead, camphor and bramble...

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 La Gaffeliere has a nose of stewed red plums, black cherries, and kirsch, followed by hints of aniseed, mossy tree bark, and truffles. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and refined...

Offers a sense of effortless grace, with a lovely, creamy viscosity to the fine mousse that buoys flavors of chopped hazelnut, pastry and baked quince and pineapple, accented by salty mineral, chamomile and candied...

Fragrant on the nose with dark fruit aromas and notes of cream and vanilla. Compact yet fresh on the palate, with a great concentration.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. is a dark, brooding behemoth. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2019 is in no mood to show all its cards. Intense blue fruit, gravel, menthol, lavender and pencil shavings confer...

Such gorgeous fruit, with extremely polished tannins and a persistent finish. The new oak comes out at the finish, but it should melt together with age. A joy to taste now but better in 2016.

A 100% varietal and estate-grown wine from the site made famous in the Paris Tasting, this offers yeasty brioche aromas that lead to crisp expansive flavors of cassis and red currant. The oak is supportive and integrated...

This shows intensity and richness on the nose with aromas of cassis, crushed blackberries and hints of cedar, tobacco, violets and graphite. It’s structured and focused on the palate, with a medium to full body. It shows...

A bird of a different feather, this marries a polished feel with the nervy, underlying zip of sel gris and quinine notes, while its core of green almond, star fruit and white peach opens slowly. Shows subtle accents of...

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) with the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Incredible aromatics of red and black currants, spring flowers, graphite, camphor, and cedar define the...

Among the oldest estates in St Emilion, dating back to the Middle Ages, this is pure restrained limestone, and stands as an excellent reflection of why this type of terroir worked so well in 2018. The ph for example, is...

The 2020 Franc-Mayne has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, spices and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless palate of real class and purity. Vibrant...

The 2019 Red Estate is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot from the higher elevations of the Figgins estate. The 2019 is cool and collected in the glass, with soaring floral aromatics and minty herbs...