Greater Purpose
Domaine François Raveneau
Butteaux Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2008
Drank side by side with 2007. This 08 has the edge for greater intensity, depth and weight. 4 hour decant for each, and that is always key with Raveneau or you’ll never experience the true magic of Chez Raveneau. — 4 years ago
Heavy Seas
The Greater Pumpkin
Oily bubble, troil of trouble. Inky dinky dew lacing dripping around the hulk of the behemoth leviathan like measured cliff grooves. Mace, allspice, cinnamon apple, cedar and brown sugar-caramel define the shape of the nose. Bourbon is bursting from its pumpkin shell and therein lies its maple well. Impressively endless resonation of whisk(e)y arpeggios circling round the usual barrel suspects sing with real meaning the pear and apple, fig and tobacco, cola and bitter pineapple. Incontrovertibly stunning.
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Château Gracia
Saint Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
2005 vintage. Good fill. Beyond solid cork. Good amount + of sed. Decanted and tasted over the course of 2.5 hours. Medium heavy bod. Showed well (9.4) right out of the gate. Chunky fruit and tannins up front, structure in the back with no loss of purpose in the mid-palate. Darker fruits became more prominent at the hour decanted mark. Some stunningly beautiful notes amidst the maelstrom. First go-round with this producer. Impressive. 2.10.24. — a year ago
Château Haut Rian
White Bordeaux Blend 2019
One of those wines that makes you say “huh, so that’s why they blend Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc”. Although the Sémillon makes up slightly more of the blend the greenery of SB punches throughout not obnoxiously so. Like the Semi was holding out the plank of wood expressly for the purpose of SB breaking it in half with its bare hands. All the green things and citrus but there is depth and warmth and a bit of weight. And dang it’s a bargain. — 4 years ago
Louis Latour
Pouilly-Fuissé Chardonnay 2022
All of the grapes from the vineyards owned by the Latour family are vinified and aged in the cuverie of Château Corton Grancey in Aloxe-Corton. The winery was the first purpose-built cuverie in France and remains the oldest still-functioning. Medium pale lemon color with aromas of stone fruits with a slight nutty floral character. On the palate flavors of peach and melon with lemon citrus and savory notes. Medium+ finish, lively acidity, ending with fruit, toasty oak and minerality. Nice! — 6 months ago
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2014
The 2014 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of my favorite wines from the Left Bank in this vintage. Bright and vivacious blackberry, cedar and graphite scents soar from the glass with real purpose. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite tensile with ample depth. It has matured since I last tasted it four years ago. It is very fresh and has a saline finish. Recommended. Tasted at the Bordeaux Index 10-Year-On tasting. N.B. Two bottles tasted blind at Southwold showed oxidation on the first. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2024)
— a year ago
R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2005
This is one I'll leave to those greater than me to argue about. — 3 years ago
Accornero
Bricco del Bosco Vigne Vecchie Monferrato Grignolino 2014
Excellent ! Powerful sour cherry, cranberry and earth, followed by tannin and acid. I had it with pizza, but it would be best with steak or especially lamb. This Grignolino reminds me of Nebbiolo, but with a greater acidity. This wine is far better than any other Grignolino and shows what could be done with this grape. — 4 years ago
Will Stanley
First bottle from a case of the 2020 Gigondas village from Ch. de Saint Cosme. It could even be my first time trying Gigondas from Louis Barruol, 14th-gen winemaker here, though I do recall a memorable St Joseph from my birth year that I enjoyed around ten years ago.
This wine is strawberry pink in colour, with good clarity. The nose is shy on the first night, better second; very pretty, with fairly light aromas of blackberry, candied cherry, liquorice, wild herbs, and a hint of grilled meat.
The palate is beautifully polished, striking effortless balance between structure and clarity, sweet fruit and acidity; the tannins are mild and it has wonderful grace through the finish, like a ballroom dancer gliding across the floor. Overall this is a really pure, fresh and elegant expression of Gigondas and has none of the rusticity for which this old appellation is oft known. In fact, it bears greater similarity to old-vine Grenache from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is no bad thing. Also zero trace of heat despite the 15% abv. Very good stuff from Louis Barruol. This will age with Burgundian grace. Can’t wait to try it again – make sure to decant.
— a month ago