Recent articles

2018 Domaine Duclaux Côte-Rôtie La Chana, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier from the Cote Blonde in the southern end of Cote Rotie.  The nose is lovely.  Quite floral (violets?) but also black raspberries and spice.  Full bodied.  Viscous/glycerin texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries, black cherries and char.  Good balance.  Good finish.  This is drinking well today and should continue for another five to eight years.  This is lighter in style than most Cote Rotie's making it very food friendly.  It would work well with roasted fowl.  

2018 Anthony Paret Côte-Rôtie L'Esprit du Père, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$72.00USD

This is made from 100% Serine (Syrah) vines that are about 45 years old.  Purple in color with ruby swirls although a bit flat.  The nose is very perfumed with black raspberries, violets but also smoked meats.  Full bodied.  Nice drinkable texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of black raspberry fruit with some smoke and minerality.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now but will still improve a bit.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  It is nice on its own but will work better with food.  Braised meat and potato dishes would work well.  

2018 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie La Giroflarie, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier.  Very nice wine and an excellent value in Cote Rotie.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, and slight roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is muscular with black raspberries and black olives coming thru along with a bit of char.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another fifteen years.  A nice match for Indian cuisine.  

2018 Xavier Gerard Côte-Rôtie, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$73.00USD

The grapes for this wine come principally from the Mollard lieu-dit (65%) with the rest coming from Font-Jean, Viallière, and La Landonne.  It is a blend of Syrah 93%, and Viognier 7%.  Just a stunning wine, and for Cote Rotie, a great value.  Purple in color with a slight ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke, slight bacon fat, and slight violets.  Full bodied.  Good acidity. Great glycerin driven texture.  On the palate, black raspberries and black pepper.  Firm tannins.    Long finish.  This needs a bit more time and then should drink well for the next twent

2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Champon, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$107.00USD

This is the first ever vintage of this wine.  Made from a massal (various clones growing together) selection of 65 year old vines at the top of the hill.  The Syrah is Serines which is a particular clone of Syrah that is native to the northern Rhone.  Some people think it is a distinct varietal but that is yet to be proven.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, violets and char.  A wonderful velvety texture.  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  Delicious.  On the palate, black raspberries, smoke, and great minerality.  Tig

2018 Domaine Duclaux Côte-Rôtie Maison Rouge, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

This is 100% Syrah.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, smoked meat, slight graphite and spices.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, black raspberries with underlying minerality.  Great, lush texture.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This could use a few more years, but is drinking well already.  It should drink well for the next twenty to twenty-five years.  Great on its own, this will work well with hearty stews or other big foods.  Is should improve with cellar time.  

2018 Xavier Gerard Condrieu Côte Chatillon, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$61.00USD

Very nice expression of a northern Rhone Viognier.  Deep golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is perfumed with floral notes as well as peach, slight hay, and slight golden raisin.  Full bodied.  Viscous, slightly oily texture.  On the palate, some waxiness with some pear, slight orange and just a hint of floral notes.  Good acidity.  Dry.  Long finish.  This probably should be drunk in the next few years to enjoy the freshness.  Nice on its own, this would work well with lighter foods but would be nice s well with lobster.  

2012 Kapcsándy Family Winery Estate Cuvée State Lane Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Yountville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

This is their middle level Cabernet.  Purple in color, some ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, coffee, graphite, dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is seriously good.  Lush cassis, graphite and spice.  This drinking great and should continue for ten to fifteen more years.  Great on its own, it will work great with Prime Rib.  

2017 Detert Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Detert is more known for it Cab Franc, but this was excellent as well.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice, coffee, and slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  good balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, baking spice and slight tobacco.  Deep.  Long finish.  Ripe but not a fruit bomb.  Drinking well now, it will get better over the next five years.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with pork chops.

J. Lohr 2018 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

When Jerry Lohr started planting Cabernet in Paso Robles in the 1970s most people thought he was crazy. But it turns out that Paso Robles has been quite an exceptional AVA for Cabernet in the Golden State. The combination of Jerry’s years of working with this grape is now seen inside this bottle. It offers wonderful dark fruits - blackberry boysenberry, and huckleberry with only slight elements of red fruit like black cherry and raspberry. On the back palate there is noticeable chocolate/tobacco notes.

Pages