Brilliant
Château Palmer
Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
The 2016 Palmer is a brilliant wine from Thomas Duroux, though I feel it will ultimately be surpassed by the 2018. You cannot argue with the nose: intense black cherries and raspberry fruit, crushed violets and crème de cassis (as if there was a touch of Pauillac in there). The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy, sensual tannins, perfect acidity, velvet smooth with layers of chocolate-tinged black fruit, hints of black pepper and cedar towards the sustained finish. It is a fabulous Palmer that will give much pleasure. Tasted at the Palmer vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
— a year ago
Azienda Agricola Valentini
Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2013
Utter bliss. Vibrant, clean, mellow and intense at the same time somehow. Just brilliant — 3 years ago
La Rioja Alta
Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2015
The 2015 Viña Ardanza is only the third vintage of this wine that I’ve tasted, yet it has quickly become perhaps my favourite Rioja - for quality, value, style, and sheer pleasure. This is a match for the brilliant 2010, with an outrageously pure and beautiful nose of balsamic paste, bitter orange, black cherry, fig and vanilla. The palate is supple but firm, quite dark in character, with a gorgeous medley of black and red fruits, perhaps slightly fuller bodied than the 2010, and carrying through to a long, bitter orange, tar and tobacco-laced finish.
This is just such superb stuff, and to say it sells for around £20-30 a bottle, it’s a cellar must. — a year ago
Paolo Bea
Santa Chiara Umbria Bianco Malvasia Blend 2015
Splash decanted about 15min prior and served just below cellar temp. The 2015 Santa Chiara pours a brilliant, burnished gold color. No real signs of particles or gas. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is medium intensity and remarkably clean! This stands in stark contrast to other orange wines from Paolo Bea like Arboreus and Lapideus which are wild AF. Instead, the olfactory is greeted with the most deliciously fresh smelling Pink Lady apples, apricots, tangerines, and yellow flowers. On the palate, the wine is dry and the tannins, while they grab my attention, are probably closer to medium. Medium…bordering on medium+ acid. On the palate, the pomaceous and stone fruits predominate along with some herbs and minerals all wrapped in a gorgeously textured package. Super well balanced. The finish is long, a touch bitter and provides plenty of zip to work with the Cacciucco that we made for dinner. An absolutely lovely, and quite becoming, orange wine that’s drinking so well right now. Bottle #4419/6400. — 3 years ago
Domaine François Raveneau
Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2013
Not sure there are better 13 whites than Raveneau. Lafon also comes to mind. It’s an early drinking vintage (by Raveneau standards) while you wait for 12 and 14. Also, no Chapelot this year so it’s blended in here. A multi hour advance decant has it rocking, stunningly aromatic, soaring with layers of créme fraîche, baking spice, crushed stones and a whisper of botrytis influenced saffron. The palate shows immense power, concentration and depth of waxy yellow fruit chiseled with Chablisen minerality. Brilliant tension and racy lemony acids provide a seamless balance to its power and richness. MDT always hits 🫰🏻 — 7 months ago
Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2008
Sweet, ripe black fruit. Charcoal, fresh and elegant acidity, brilliant balance. Starts very strong, then perhaps lacks a little length (in comparison to the Pichon Longueville ‘08). Powerful, but truly beautifully balanced, gorgeous exotic sweetness in the nose. — 3 years ago
Brilliant Mistake Wines
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Very Good well recommended! — 3 years ago
Domaine du Pegau
Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2018
Brilliant ruby. Smoky, mineral-tinged aromas of raspberry, cherry preserves, garrigue and exotic spices show excellent clarity and acquire a gamy nuance as the wine opens up. At once rich and energetic in character, offering well-concentrated red berry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors and a sweetening touch of candied lavender. Shows fine definition and finishes gently, spicy and impressively long, with repeating florality and steadily building tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2021)
— 3 years ago
Jay Kline
Girl. Sup? Shoot. This was utterly brilliant tonight. Classic Bordeaux yet, even at 26 years young, somewhat precocious still. A beautiful mix of deep, dark and red fruit with currants, blackberries and cherries with chocolate, purple flowers, green pepper, tobacco, earth, leather and awesomeness. Plenty of structure to keep this strutting for years to come. Fabulous balance and complexity. Drink now through 2047+. — 2 months ago