Willie Carter

9.3

Now this is love. A crystalline, pure straw color in the glass. Such an aesthetically pleasing wine to the eyes. Highly active perlage immediately upon opening. The nose is a delight with biscuits and citrus for days along with wet stones. Green apples are expressive here with butter and a touch of cream.

This is obviously so, so very young but I’m unrepentant. Giving it time to breathe and open up is a must. Complexity and depth comes with time. Powerful and dynamic, it’s a lovely pour with zippy acidity and nice structure.

Explosive in the mouth. Citrus notes are dominant at this stage naturally but there’s plenty of yeast and herbal essences. Ginger, lime, and more green apples. At this stage, this is really fun but it’s guaranteed to get so much better. — 6 days ago

Willie Carter

9.5

Exquisite. A deep ruby rose color in the glass with effusive perlage. The nose is alive and explosively immediately. Bright, ripe red fruits for days along with toasted biscuits. Vanilla cream and orange zest. There’s an undercurrent of nutmeg and herbs here that are quite nice.

100% Pinot Noir Rosé de Saignée. Power and elegance combined, but of the two, elegance is at the heart of this champagne. Bold and striking, this is full bodied but never overbearing or overwhelming. Very silky and smooth throughout with a definite sense of place.

Sharp acidity that is just wonderful with a rather lush mouthfeel. Quite vinous. Strawberries and raspberries in the mouth with a touch of earth. A deliciously long finish that truly leaves you wanting more. An exceptional wine. — 3 months ago

Willie Carter

9.3

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. A pale lemon color in the glass with barely visible little green flecks. Lemon zest and apples of different varieties on the nose. Limestone and honey with a touch of sugar. Minerals and chamomile. So very sexy.

Lithe, lively, and lovely. Medium plus acidity with a ton of character and elegance. Very pure and fresh, clean. There’s a hint of slivered almond initially in the mouth followed by butterscotch and nectarines. Plenty of citrus notes here. A long finishing leaves you wanting more. A truly compelling Burgundy. — 3 months ago

Willie Carter

8.9

A pale ruby in the glass with thin edges. The perfumed notes are instantly enticing with plums and cherries. There’s a really nice stone element here on the nose with some mushroom and damp forest.

Alsatian Pinot Noir is a rare treat and a special one. Well balanced and oh so delightfully fun. Supple tannins with a nice undercurrent of acid. Spritzy and crowd pleasing with a generous amount of fruit in the mouth. Black and red berries with earth and spice. Here for a good time, not a long time.
— 6 days ago

Willie Carter

9.0

These are so underrated.
A medium rose luminosity in the glass with nice perlage. The nose displays some autolytic notes with fresh biscuits and a small touch of cheese. Some wonderful red berry and apple aromas throughout. Pears and just a smidge of vanilla.

A study of contrasts, this is a big, expressive yet elegant champagne. Slightly subdued acidity but definitely a crowd pleaser. Medium intensity and a solid core. The Pinot Noir gives this a bit of heft and substance with the Chardonnay providing grace and charm. There’s a playfulness with this champagne that’s just plain lovely.

Rich and round in the mouth with a plethora of berries on the palate. A twist of cotton candy, apples, and figs. Dry with a pleasant tinge of sweetness especially on the finish. A very enjoyable champagne. — 6 days ago

Willie Carter

9.0

A wine to celebrate with. A deep, lusty burgundy color in the glass. Classic Barolo characteristics on the nose with raspberries, cherries, and dried figs. An entire bouquet of flowers and soft vanilla. Spice, mocha, and more than a touch of oak.

Still young and with miles to go, this is still a worthy example of the beauty of Barolo. Dense and firm throughout with tight tannins. Takes plenty of time and air to fully open up. Nice structure and balance compliments the palate. Cranberries and cloves in the mouth with leather and cigar smoke. Nice now but will better with more time. — 3 months ago

Willie Carter

9.1

An exceedingly pleasant weekday Burgundy. A pretty dark plum color in the glass with a nose that blossoms. Nice floral accents that really shine here with a touch of tobacco. Some of the cleanest funk that I can remember. Beautiful.

Still so young with many more miles to go, this is drinking nicely now. Bold with plenty of character and charm. A smooth pour and easygoing for the most part with a bit of depth. Medium intensity on the palate with strawberries, cherries, and raspberries. Herbs and oak with beautiful earthiness. A pretty little Burg. — 6 days ago

Willie Carter

9.2

These wines always hit, zero misses. A very pretty deep ruby color in the glass. Black fruit aromas are immediate with strawberries playing catch up. There’s a rather nice dark cherry element along with light spice and earthiness.

Bold but always showing restraint, this is a very unique Grenache. Utterly delicious and oh so approachable. This is a serious wine but incredibly fun at the same time. Crunchy and smooth with well developed berries on the palate. A little tobacco and a good bit of earth. A long, lingering finish with more spice. A beautiful wine that sings a song I want to keep hearing. — 6 days ago

Willie Carter

9.0

A bit of apricity to combat the colder months. A really distinctive and lovely brass golden hue in the glass. The aromatic notes are sudden and pleasing with apples, peaches, and pears upon opening. Pineapple and melon for days. A luscious smear of honey runs throughout.

A quite unique and energetic Chardonnay from Mendocino County. Bright acidity and lively. This is a wine with a personality and soul. Crisp and clean with precision. More citrus fruits on the palate with apples and tea, for good measure. A really fun wine. — 3 months ago

Willie Carter

9.6

Italy in California, and it’s gorgeous. A particularly attractive shade of yellow straw in the glass. A touch of haziness. The nose is enticing with pretty white flowers and a touch of spice. Citrus aromas are dominant with the addition of fresh cut grass. There’s a faint hint of dried herbs here that is nice.

A blend of Ribolla Gialla, Riesling, Friulano, and Malvasia Bianca from the Russian River Valley. Full bodied and distinctive, this is a seriously fun wine. The Riesling here shows very well but the Ribolla Gialla is fantastic. Melons and mango on the palate along with more herbs and apples. Utterly delightful, a terrific wine from a new winery. — 6 months ago