Dave Mayers

9.2

Was a strange experience upon popping the bottle. Classic gonan hid beneath the surface of wild acid. With a lil decant it integrated and the black olive and stone Rhône emerged. Not a flawed bottle but an expression I haven’t had before. Perfect with chicken Marsala. — a month ago

Greg Lubushkin

9.5

Outstanding expression of Hermitage. Full bodied Syrah but less of the hammer that I’m used to with many of the CA versions. — 2 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

8.9

Vintage 2019 | a favorite producer of mine. 100% Cabernet franc, vines 25 a 40 years old. Bio wine. It is so much fun to taste the difference between Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil and for example Saumur Champigny. Pop and pour. Frivolous raspberry bouquet, gains expression with aeration. It’s not the power that catches the eye, but finesse and elegance. Medium weight. Lovely now, paired with ostrich stew and mixed vegetables from the oven. Happy. — 2 years ago

Steve Sánchez

9.6

Fantastic buy. Aromas of grass, green veggies abound: asparagus, and green bell pepper. Hints of lime, salt, and lemon. Very rounded balance between just the right amount of acidity and citrus on the palate. Great minerality. Almost golden in color. 13% — 3 years ago

Jake Hajer

8.9

Canned pineapple, bruised peach, shale mineral. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Saint Cosme is famous for its estate vineyards in Gigondas but they are also a highly regarded negociant with long standing relationships throughout the Rhone, giving them access to fruit from some highly regarded lieu-dits. Their Cote Rotie is no exception and this was a killer expression of 2014, if you’re into that sort of thing like I am. This bottle was provided from my cellar and was purchased upon release. Opened and splash decanted just before service. No formal notes and holy whole cluster Batman! This was straight up bussin, with rotundone for dayz! A black pepper and olive bomb with all of the garrigue and purple flowers your heart could ask for and some blood and bacon for good measure. The tannins are well integrated and the fruit is just really well balanced with the structure at this point. The finish was long with a dance of fruit and earth on the palate that was hugely satisfying. Some might be turned off by the sanguine, feral funkiness this wine possesses but for me, it’s hugely charming. Drink now or over the next 5-10 years with ease. Would be great with a meal or on its own (as it was tonight). — a year ago

Jason Keefer

9.1

Can franc in Mag. A bit funky, but in a good way. Vegetal notes with more of an oak presence since before his move to stainless steel, and a little kirsch on the finish. Light but full flavored, great expression! — 2 years ago

with Natasha

B A

9.3

Best expression of Syrah I’ve had in some time. 2021 was a hell of a Rhône year — 4 months ago

Pierre Gourinchas

9.2

French expression: le petit Jesus en culotte de velours. Very smooth. At its peak. — a year ago

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9.3

The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. Matured in two-thirds new oak, it has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, estuarine scents, touches of liquorice emerging with time. It is higher-toned than the 1995 with iodine evolving with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fresh acidity, quite sweet in the mouth and maybe like the 1995, just missing that complexity and terroir expression that I think has defined recent vintages from this estate. Maybe it is slightly compromised by some Merlot (25%) that was picked a but later, but still, there is a lot of pleasure to be found in this 1996. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2022)
— 2 years ago