Nigl Senftenberger Pellingen Riesling Privat 2013
"Pure, seamlessly ripe, lusciously juicy honeydew melon, grapefruit and white peach are stimulatingly impinged upon by fuzzy peach skin, smoky black tea, crustacean shell extract and crushed stone. The layering and undulating interactivity of fruity, herbal and mineral matter here is almost too subtle to describe. And the combination of textural richness and sheer ripeness with energetic animation and levity that characterize the best Austrian Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners of 2013 are present here in spades, accompanied by phenomenal sheer concentration and persistence."
96 David Schildknecht, Vinous
Schloss Gobelsburg Kammerner Gaisberg Riesling Kamptal Reserve 2013
"An alluring freesia-like perfume and cooling scents of green herbs would have had me guessing that this was Heiligenstein. Intimations of black tea, ginger and pepper translate, on a glossy, glycerol-rich, lusciously citric and peachy palate, into an invigorating picture of piquancy, cut and clarity. A similarly stimulating hint of caramelized parsnip puts one in mind of Grüner Veltliner. This finishes with memorable vibrancy and verve not to mention sheer persistence. As with some other vintage exemplars, it is an unusually forward Gaisberg, and happily the perfume and dynamic complexity it exhibited from cask in the weeks before bottling hasn’t dimmed."
93 David Schildknecht, Vinous
Liquid Farm Chardonnay Golden Slope 2012
"A drop-dead gorgeous wine, Liquid Farm's Chardonnay Golden Slope bursts from the glass with layers of yellow stone fruit and spices supported by beams of minerality. Smoke, slate, chamomile, sage and lightly honeyed notes add complexity on the super-expressive, pulsating finish. The 2012 is positively thrilling today and should continue to drink well for at least another handful of years. The Golden Slope spent 13 months in French oak, 15-20% new."
94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Varner Chardonnay Home Vineyard 2005
"Tangerine oil, lemon zest, and tropical fruits are present in the 2005 Chardonnay Home Vineyard. From a relatively old Chardonnay vineyard planted in 1980 on its own roots, the wine is full-bodied, has terrific minerality, good acidity, and fabulous concentration and length. This wine should age nicely . . .”
95 Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Philippe Livera (Domaine des Tilleuls) Chapelle-Chambertin 2003
"From a 0.40 ha parcel of vines planted in 1953. This is a huge step up with much fresher, sweeter and more elegant red pinot fruit aromas cut with earth, iron and spice nuances that complement precise, pure and punchy medium full flavors plus a long and persistent finish . . . . it is harmonious and relatively transparent with enough structure to suggest . . . years of potential improvement."
88-91 Allen Meadows, Burghound.com
Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux 2002
"Like the 2001, this too has not really budged since it was initially reviewed from bottle. The extract of black cherry nose that reflects notes of both earth and limestone is classy, elegant, ripe and forceful with sappy, gorgeously intense, very fresh and concentrated flavors of immense depth and reserve. The finish is very pinot in character and while there is plenty of structure, it is sophisticated and relatively fine . . . . it's clear that the '02 is a great young Clos des Epeneaux as it too is blessed with enormous potential."
93 Allen Meadows, Burghound.com
Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo 2011
"I love the purity of fruit here with dark cherry, dried Asian mushroom and dark chocolate powder. Full body, chewy tannins and wonderful balance. This is long and intense. Serious tannin backbone!"
92 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Bricco San Pietro Vigna d’la Roul 2010
"Iron, smoke and a host of ferrous notes open up in the 2010 Barolo Vigna d’la Roul. Rich, powerful and structured to the core, the 2010 is a wine that needs time, and lots of it. Tobacco, dried flowers, underbrush, licorice and red fruit are framed by large-scaled, imposing tannins. This is another enormous Barolo from Rocche dei Manzoni. The Vigna d’la Roul emerges from parcels in Manzoni Soprana, where the winery itself is."
92+ Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Château Lespault-Martillac 2010
"This is the first vintage I have tasted from this estate run by Olivier Bernard, also the proprietor of Domaine de Chevalier, and it appears to be a sleeper of the vintage. An opaque ruby/purple color and aromas of graphite, barbecue smoke and black currants are followed by a medium to full-bodied, concentrated wine displaying impressive purity, texture and length. It should drink nicely for 15 or more years."
89-91 Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Grand Grenache 66 2009
"The newest cuvée, the 2009 Grand Grenache 66 . . . is a tiny cuvée bursting with kirsch liqueur, lavender, licorice and spice box. This is a stunning example of Grenache at its best, with wonderful freshness, and for Grenache afficionados, this is one to buy . . . . One of the long-time benchmarks for superb Gigondas is Yves Gras’s estate on the high plateau several kilometers outside the entrance to this old Roman village . . . . With the finest vintages, Gras has now added a 100% Grenache cuvée called Grand Grenache 66, from a tiny parcel of vines and essentially just one small foudre."
94-96+ Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2009
“A blend of 85% Grenache with the rest Syrah, Mourvèdre and small dollops of the other authorized varietals, this wine tends to come from the estate’s holdings in the eastern sector of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The opaque purple-colored 2009 exhibits magnificent, rich berry fruit intertwined with cedar, Christmas fruitcake, licorice, charcuterie, roasted meats, smoked duck, kirsch, blackberries and god knows what else. It is an amazingly complex, rich, full-throttle wine that reminds me somewhat of what the 1990 tasted like in 1994/1995. It is a magnificent Châteauneuf-du-Pape. If you are looking for the garrigue component, it’s also there.”
98 Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Rocche dei Manzoni Barbera d'Alba Superiore Sorito Mosconi 2008
"In a region dominated by small artisan producers, Rocche dei Manzoni stands out for its château-like elegance and grandeur. The wines reflect the Francophile passion of the late owner, Valentino Migliorini, and his son Rodolfo . . . . I have tended to underrate the estate's Barolos when young but then always enjoyed them immensely with bottle age. I have been consistently thrilled with how vintages like 1978, 1982, and 1989 have developed and only wish I had a deeper collection of the wines in my cellar . . . . Readers should not look past the estate's more accessible wines, the best of which are noteworthy and deserving of close consideration. These include the Barbera d'Alba Sorito Mosconi . . .”
Parker’s Wine Buying Guide, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Domaine Gauby Côtes du Roussillon Muntada 2007
"Gauby’s 2007 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Muntada – from 100 year-old, pre-phylloxera Carignan vines and 60-80 year old Grenache, plus a bit of Syrah, and tasted assembled from barrel – is almost dizzying in its aromatic diversity and strength. Shrubby herbs, licorice, tar, cedar, game, daffodil and marigold floral notes lead into a palate that improbably combines sheer viscosity and riveting intensity with invigorating brightness of fresh fruit and saline, crystalline, shimmering minerality. From its deep carnal, stony depth, through its multitude of herbs and berries, to the distillate-like intensity of its floral, salt-tinged top notes, this profound and exuberant wine is brilliantly scored for full orchestra and resonates long after swallowing. This opus – whose mysterious, savage beauty and luminosity brought to mind La Tâche – will not be bottled until summer, but is sure to go down as one of Gauby’s greatest . . .”
97-98 David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenaches de Pierre 2007
"Up there with the 2010 and flirting with perfection, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape les Grenaches de Pierre is about as incredible an expression of old vine Grenache as you can find. Still deep ruby colored, it offers up an insane bouquet of kirsch, cassis, exotic flowers, pepper, garrigue and licorice that flows seamlessly to a full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, yet layered and elegant profile on the palate. It’s one of those rare wines that carries phenomenal richness, yet never seems heavy, cumbersome or puts a foot wrong . . . . this cuvée comes from 100-year-old vines planted in the sandy soils of the La Crau and Pignan lieux-dits. It’s made from 100% Grenache and aged almost completely in concrete tank.”
99 Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna d’la Roul 2006
"The 2006 Barolo Vigna d'la Roul is one of the undeniable stars of this important vintage. A massive, tightly wound frame houses dark red cherries, minerals, iron and licorice in a powerful expression of Nebbiolo. The Vigna d'la Roul shows incredible thrust on the palate, with a long, intense finish that suggests it will offer very fine drinking for many, many years...once it awakes from what is likely to be a prolonged slumber in bottle. Clean, mineral notes add the final elements of vibrancy to the finish. The Vigna d'la Roul is the freshest and potentially longest-lived of the estate's 2006 Baroli."
95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jonata Cabernet Sauvignon El Desafio de Jonata 2006
“The 2006 El Desafio de Jonata, a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 1% Merlot, may be even better (it was scheduled to be bottled right after my visit). A beautiful black/purple color is accompanied by stunning aromas of creme de cassis, graphite, camphor, and incense. It exhibits tremendous intensity, beautiful sweet fruit, full-bodied power as well as purity, and a finish that lasts 45+ seconds. This amazing effort is the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine ever made in the Santa Ynez appellation.”
94-96 Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Domaine Saint-Damien Les Souteyrades Vieilles Vignes 2006
"I loved Saint Damien’s 2006 Gigondas Les Souteyrades, and this beauty has more fruit, texture and depth than almost every other wine in the vintage. Made from 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, from the Les Souteyrades lieu-dit located close to the estate down on the plateau, it’s loaded with notions of Provencal herbs, olive, smoked meats and ample dark fruits. Full-bodied, mouth-filling, rounded and downright sexy, it’s fully mature and drinking great today. There’s no reason to hold off here, but it will hold nicely . . ."
94 Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Failla Syrah Phoenix Ranch 2005
“From a cool spot in a warm area, according to winemaker Ehren Jordan. Bright, deep ruby-red. Sappy black raspberry, smoked meat, black pepper and hints of chocolate and graphite on the complex nose. Dense and ripe but quite primary and backward today, with intriguing pepper and meaty nuances and a distinctly dry character. Already hints at the complexity to come but this rather Rhône-like wine will need at least a couple years of bottle aging.”
91+ Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Henri Bonneau Les Rouliers NV
"The current release is a blend of [vintages] . . . . The wine is mostly from a vineyard in the Gard (just to the west of Châteauneuf-du-Pape on the western bank of the Rhône River, but entitled only to the lowly Vin de France appellation). Utterly delicious, this is an old-fashioned, somewhat rustic wine that shows traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape characteristics such as I imagine would have been commonly found in very good bottlings many decades ago. Spicy berry aromas along with minerals, slightly stewed fruits and a compelling leathery note delight the senses. These more or less follow through on to the palate . . . in a most delicious way. There is very good weight and depth to this . . . . Very good complexity and depth, I would drink this every year for the next dozen if I had a case (and a degree of patience).”
FineWineMerchant.com.au
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