Ellen Clifford

9.1

Super friendly, easy to gulp but given time to think about, easy to analyze, to lean into the nuances. This particular one is SO fresh; it’s like you can taste chiller air. The nose is bright red cherry and pomegranate, slightly tangy, reminiscent of tamarind even. The palate is strikingly less tannic than a Piemonte Nebbiolo. Earth-filled, circling back to tamarind, turmeric and cherry compote. Gorgeous and a thinker if you give it the time of day, which…you will. It takes a minute or so to open, but that time spent waiting will be rewarded with an eloquent wine that says just enough. — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

Wolf street from Rhône subregion Luberon! Like literally an area of Luberon known for, well, lots of wolves. 70% Syrah, those blackcurrant and briny olive-y, smoky notes coming through, the rest Grenache noir lifting with a little spice and gently drying tannins. Way better than you’d expect for the price tag, like WAY better. — 2 months ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

GOSH this blend of Roussanne, Clairette and Grenache Blanc makes for a poised, silky and aromatic but elegant bottle I’d imagine paying twice as much for. The nose promises stone fruit and incense adventure, while the palate is cozy, adding warming spice, lanolin and honeydew melon, along side hints of wet stone to keep it all fresh. J’adore, je affor(d). — 3 months ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

A very, very easy drinking rendition of the grape. Oodles of red cherry cordial on the nose, a little violet, earth. The palate provides sandy tannins that ease into silky territory with time. Flavors echo the nose: red cherry compote, a rose petal or so, and then this slight sanguine edge of dirt that points toward the varietal expression — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

8.7

A Syrah/Grenache duo, spritely minerality contoured with stewed fruit, which is which. Dry, peppery, minerally and strawberry jam AF, ending with raspberry jam and a touch of potting soil. So light and lithe but with cutting acid and a wisp of jam cordial lingering in the background. — 2 months ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

It is full of ripe red plums and polished earthy notes of game and soil. The plate is considerably spicier, with drips of black pepper and drops of olive brine. It is totally tasty and easy to sip (slowly) solo, but it would be even more prime with food. — 3 months ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

This 44% Grenache/42% Syrah/14% Mourvèdre is (forgive for the basicness of the word, but it’s true) delicious. One of those blends you really pick up each of the grapes’ best offerings. Plummy dried purple fruit and fresh red plums mingle with black olive, meeting floral hints, all ballasted with earth and minerality. The nose is rather enchanting. The tannin/alcohol/acid balance is appreciated. It is warming, spicy, and lifting, but with saline notes on top of tobacco. And punches WAY over its weight for the price point. — 3 months ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

This is a blend of mostly Barolo with a tad of Barbaresco Nebbiolo. It is bright as can be, full of red cherry, a whiff of earth and something even a tad sanguine. It is tasty and ready to drink now but could use more integration — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Whoa, a bargain baby. Although it shows some edges, time will tell how they resolve. A touch of VA on the nose took a sec to blow off, then it screamed of red fruit and smoldering tar. The tar thankfully went from smoldering to sparking off here and there, but then the earth, wow, this is earthy, but still, the fruit dominates. The palate nails the Nebbiolo high amounts of everything (acid, alcohol, tannins structure). But the tannins play fairly, a highlight accessory, not a scene stealer. The tannic grip hangs on but in tandem with fruit and soil into which rose petals may have fallen last spring. I can’t believe the price on this bebe. — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

9.6

It is no mistake that there are Burgundian aspects to this wine—the winemaker is the third generation of a French family in Chile. This Chardonnay is full of surprises with magnificent components that, impressive as they are, register as more than the sum of their beautiful parts. On the nose, remarkably reductive, gunflint leaning almost into gassy sulfur realm but enticingly so. On the palate, all those notes jump up to say look at me! Then suddenly give way to caramelized caramel corn, brown velvet sugar, and browned butter cut through with sudden rippling minerality, ceding to an almost oily texture cut with friendly acidity. The finish goes on and on, lingering on the browned butter and caramel. It’s SO enticing; give it time in the glass to evolve. A gift that keeps on giving. — 2 months ago