A Sunday In August
Monteraponi
Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2021
Just bottled, the 2021 Chianti Classico is a powerful, wild wine. Readers will have to give the 2021 quite a bit of time, as it is dense. Floral and savory overtones, with a kick of white pepper and orange peel, open with a bit of coaxing, but the 2021 is an infant. Bright saline notes are a reminder we are in Radda. The 2021 is a blend of mostly younger vines from various parcels across the property. It spent 15 months in cask. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2023)
— 3 years ago
Château Durfort-Vivens
Margaux Cru Classé en 1855 Red Bordeaux Blend 2015
The 2015 Durfort-Vivens has a perfumed bouquet with more ripeness and perfume than the previous vintage. Buoyant red berry fruit, blueberry and a touch of violet, there is perhaps more Margaux-like than the 2014. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy with a fine acidity, a touch of white pepper and clove towards the finish and a hint of espresso on the aftertaste. This is a superb Durfort Vivens, arguably the finest up to that point. Tasted twice, both at the château and at Jascott's Bordeaux tasting in London. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
— 3 years ago
Tensley
Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah 2020
The 2020 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is a dense, potent wine. The purity of the fruit is remarkable. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2020 is still incredibly primary. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and rose petal open with a bit of coaxing. All this needs is time and a bit more polish. As always, the Colson Canyon Syrah is one of the most distinctive wines in Joey Tensley's range. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2022)
— 4 years ago
Sandhi Wines
Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014
Sandhi Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 2014: Medium-light body. Soft tannins. Medium acidity. Beautiful light red/cranberry color. Delicate perfumed nose with bright red fruits (cherry, strawberry & raspberry). Orange peel. Dried herbs. Earth. Cedar. Smooth easy finish. All in all, I loved, loved, loved this wine. It was drinking perfectly, beautifully balanced and a great representation of the local Sta Rita Hills terroir; felt like I was drinking a Burgundy wine! One of the best Santa Barbara Pinots out there! Happy Sunday Funday! Cheers🍷 — 4 years ago
Domaine A. et P. de Villaine
La Fortune Côte Chalonnaise Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2019
Just a very enjoyable wine. Dangerous in that it’s so easy and compelling to drink. Decanted 2+ hours, quite ready to go at that point. Probably would have guessed a nice Beaujolais from the nose. Palate is so wonderfully seamless with excellent fruit and completeness and acid, with some serious density. Delicious with the standard Sunday night roast chicken with mushrooms. — 5 years ago
Domaine Servin
Les Preuses Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay 2017
The 2017 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru has a wonderful, focused nose: lean, mineral-driven, very flinty and very Chablis. The palate is taut and fresh, with sharp acidity, and very citric and powerful, with immense weight and penetration toward the finish. Very persistent, very sophisticated; this is what great Chablis is all about. But the bottom line is that it is very uncompromising. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2021)
— 5 years ago
Brewer-Clifton
Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2022
The 2022 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is a fabulous introduction to the range. Served last in this series of Chardonnays, the appellation Chardonnay is perhaps a bit more floral and lighter in body, but other than that, it is in no way inferior to the vineyard designates. This is beautifully done. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago
C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España)
Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2004
Last Sunday lunch with Roast Lamb. A 20 year old Rioja fitted the bill nicely. A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. Aged in new French and American oak for 24 months. Aromatics of tobacco leaf, plum, ashphalt and a bit of tar. A medicinal note the following night. The palate is medium to full bodied with berry, plum and liquorice. Resolved Tannins - quite fluid. This was Wine Spectators No. 1 wine for 2013 and now drinking at its peak but could go on for another 5 years on the evidence of this superb wine. — 2 years ago
Brewer-Clifton
Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2020
The 2020 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is fabulous. In fact, the appellation wine is my favorite Pinot in this range. The combination of the sites, and a bit less stem influence than the vineyard designates, works so well. There's a bit more fruit, more mid-palate sweetness and better balance overall, in my view. All the elements are so well put together. All of this fruit is from Machado and Hapgood. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2022)
— 4 years ago
Bollinger
La Grande Année Brut Rosé Champagne 2012
This superstar 2012 vintage just doesn’t seem to miss. Especially not when paired with the elegance of Bollinger.
A gorgeous rose copper color in the glass. Plenty of fine bubbles that seem to just go on and on. The approachability of these outstanding 12’s is immediate. Wild strawberries and herbs shine on the nose. Red currant, raspberries, and stewed plums. Some exquisite spice notes along with white flowers. Tangerines and watermelons play a part.
The vitality and sheer energy of this is amazing. 67% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and Verzenay. 33% Chardonnay from Oiry and Le Mesnil sur Oger with 5% still red wine from Bollinger’s legendary Côte aux Enfants vineyard. Terrific youthful tension and balance. Zippy acidity with 8 g/l of sugar. Disgorged in August of 2019 and already showing some maturity.
Pure romance on the tongue. Silky smooth and elegant with fresh red berries and more spice on the palate. Saffron and honey with oak complimenting. The Lehmann Jamesse Grand Blanc provided more floral notes, while the Riedel Dom Perignon showed more ripe fruit and minerality. Both wonderful. Yes this will obviously develop over time and become so much more special but you deserve this now. So do I. Enjoy.
— 5 years ago
Stéphane et Vincent Perraud
Sur Lie Sélection des Cognettes Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Melon de Bourgogne 2021
Had the 2021 in August of 2024. Really simple, light wine. “Summer porch pounder” to quote my son. Citrus and honeysuckle. Hints of green apple and nectarine along with some herbs. Had with charcuterie and zucchini fritters for a French appetizer course. Loved this one and would look for again. — 2 years ago
Château Palmer
Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1970
The 1970 Palmer is a vintage that I have tasted on several occasions, although recently, I have encountered some variation, including a rather rum example in 2015. The most recent example has an attractive tobacco-infused nose, perhaps more akin to a Saint-Julien than a Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone, a slight dryness around the edges and fine salinity with lightly-spiced cedar and tobacco notes on the finish. This is a solid 1970 Margaux, though I would not keep it long-term. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
— 3 years ago
Castello Vicchiomaggio
Ripa delle More Toscana Sangiovese Blend 2020
The 2020 Ripa delle More is the estate's blend of (50% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot). Powerful and sleek at the same time, the 2020 packs plenty of intensity into its mid-weight frame. Dark red/purplish fruit, blood orange, mint, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco are some of the many notes that build in the glass. Give this a year or two to soften. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2023)
— 3 years ago
Domaine Vacheron
Les Romains Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Les Romains is a vineyard with its feet in flint to the east of the fault line in Sancerre. The 2020 Sancerre Les Romains begins with a fruity and open welcome, blossoming and silken in the mouth before tying the wine up; the flint influence acts like the belt on a pair of trousers tightening up the middle and leaving a sensation of sinew and length with a fine nettley fragrance. (Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, August 2022)
— 4 years ago
Château Climens
Barsac 1er Cru Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2011
The 2011 Climens has a fresh, lifted, mineral-driven bouquet which has closed down a little. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh. A lively, tensile finish, with hints of stem ginger thatlinger on the aftertaste. This is drinking beautifully. Tasted at the Climens vertical at the château in April 2022. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2022)
— 4 years ago
Gianluigi Bonari
Salento Appassimento Red Blend
Lovely wine from the Salento sub region of Puglia. The grapes are Cab and Merlot and allowed to stay on the bone longer before picking. The result is a mouth full of ripe fruit with taste of cherries. Drank the 2019 vintage in August 2021. For such a young wine it has great structure and will be interesting with a few years of aging. Pared wonderfully with Southern Italian food and smooth enough to drink on its own. A great bargain for the price. — 5 years ago
Delectable Wine
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The 2019 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard is dialed up to eleven on all fronts, but it’s a style that works so well. In fact, Adam Lee is particularly convincing in this vein. If you poured this for me blind, I would call it a baby—no more than a few years old. Loads of red fruit richness and concentration are the orders of the day, coursing through the mouth with copious amounts of sweet cherry, ripe strawberry, gravel, lavender and orange peel, framed by an array of tightly clenching tannins. This is such a forward style of wine for Clarice, but my goodness, it is attractive. Bravo. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago