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JRM - The 2019 Beaujolais-Villages displays pretty aromas of cherries and dried flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and juicy palate, concluding with a pure and precise finish.

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Maker's Notes - The wine has a pale golden hue. The bouquet of this Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise shows intense fruity and floral aromas. On the palate, this wine has deliciously elegant freshness. It is full-bodied without excess, and has lingering fruity aromas on a melon and lemon-tinged finish.

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Wine Advocate 89-91 -The 2018 Côtes de Roussillon Villages Latour de France Occultum Lapidem offers hints of grilled meat and oyster sauce, then raspberries, pepper and warmth. Medium to full-bodied.

CRU/JRM - Occultum Lapidem means "hidden jewel" and is a fitting name for this delightful and interesting wine.  A real gem.

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Wine Advocate 89 - Matured in a mix of tank and demi-muids, the 2020 Saint-Péray Les Tanneurs boasts scents of ripe pears, melons and a hint of citrus. It's medium to full-bodied and round in the mouth, and while not that rich or concentrated, it's nicely balanced, citrusy and long on the finish.

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Wine Advocate 91 - I like the balance of the eponymous 2018 Emilio Moro, which achieved full-ripeness and development of aromas and flavors in a cooler vintage. Here, the wines are selected by vine age, and this comes from vines that are between 15 and 25 years of age. The oak is there but in synchrony with the fruit.

JRM - A perrenial favourite for good reason.  Meduim to full bodied with , finesse, complexity and length.  The tannins are moderate and the mouthfeel is sumptuous.

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Vinous 92 - Limpid magenta. Ripe, spice-tinged raspberry, boysenberry and pungent flowers on the highly fragrant nose. In a supple, fleshy style, offering juicy, well-concentrated red and blue fruit and spicecake flavors that turn livelier on the back half. Smooth and seamless on the impressively long and gently tannic finish, which leaves behind a sweet berry note.

Wine Spectator 89 - Fresh and open-knit, with a wave of raspberry and cherry puree flavors, laced with subtle chalky minerality and floral notes on the finish.

Wine Advocate 88 - The 2017 Vacqueyras les Christins is a 75-25 blend of Grenache and Syrah, matured in foudres and tanks. Scents of baked cherries are underscored by hints of darker fruit and licorice on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is supple and easygoing, then ends with softly dusty tannins.

Maker's Notes - Beautiful dark ruby color. The nose is intense and tasty with aromas of black fruit and spices and mineral notes. Balanced and complex on the palate, the tannins are dense and silky, with notes of blackberry, cassis and liquorice. Long and mineral on the finish, this wine is full of finesse and elegance and reveals the harmony and wisdom of old Grenache, in a traditional and pure register.

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Wine Advocate 91 - Black cherries and crushed-stone aromas are joined by blueberries and hints of cracked pepper in the 2018 Saint-Joseph Deschants. This is atypically full-bodied and concentrated for this cuvée, showing all the glory of the vintage, wrapped in soft, ripe tannins and lingering on the finish.

Vinous 91-93 - Lively aromas of fresh black/blue fruits, olive and pungent flowers are complemented by a building mineral quality. Incisive boysenberry, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors stain the palate and become sweeter and deeper with air. Rich but well-balanced and energetic, finishing with sharp detail and a lingering floral note shaped by smooth tannins. Aged in a mix of concrete tanks and oak barrels.

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Jeremy's Notes - Medium to full-bodied, relatively complex nose, smooth palate feel with decent length.  Lovely fragrance.  This is really well done.

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Maker's Notes - Appearance: radiant, pale yellow hue flecked with gold.

Nose: complex and expressive releasing fruity (apricot, citrus) and floral (acacia) notes, along with honey and vanilla.

Palate: this fresh, full-bodied wine is broad on entry to the palate and shows a lovely minerality and floral aromas on the finish.

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Wine Advocate 88 - Broad and corpulent, the 2019 Saint-Joseph Deschants Blanc is honeyed on the nose, with ripe pear and melon notes. Full-bodied, rich and round, it appears to be a fast-maturing example of this cuvée.

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Wine Advocate 91 - A step up from La Petite Ruche, Chapoutier's 2019 Crozes Hermitage Blanc Les Meysonniers ratchets up the intensity and complexity, adding hints of honey and crushed stone to notes of ripe melon and citrus. Medium to full-bodied, round and succulent on the palate, it finishes with mouth-coating flavors and ample length. Aged in a mix of demi-muids and stainless steel, it's a deftly balanced but opulent Marsanne that drinks well now, so why wait?

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Wine Advocate 90 - First produced in 2012, the most affordable of the reds produced here is the 2015 Calados del Puntido, and it's Tempranillo selected from 25 hectares of vineyards. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in French barriques for 16 months. This comes from Páganos, and tasting it next to other wines of similar prices from other Eguren wineries, the character of iodine of the wines is there; it has the textured palate of the wines from Páganos/Laguardia, from soils that aren't very deep and have quite a lot of silt. It's quite glyceric and round. It's medium to full-bodied and fills your mouth, and it has tannins that are rounder, more unctuous, quite different from the wines from San Vicente. A clear step up from the 2014.

Wine Spectator 89 - This red shows some muscle, with underpinnings of iron and black tea flanking the currant and blackberry flavors. Details of savory spice, olive and cola layer onto the structured finish. Drink now through 2025.

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Wine Spectator 92 - Tasty lemon curd, verbena white peach and chamomile notes are guided by a flattering whiff of shortbread through the plump finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2025.

Wine Advocate 88 - Honeydew and cantaloupe notes feature prominently on the nose of the 2020 Saint Joseph les Challeys Blanc, an 80-20 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne. Medium to full-bodied, it's not the biggest, richest Saint-Joseph blanc, but it's smooth, easy drinking and harmonious, with a clean, refreshing finish.

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Vinous 88 - Light pink in color. Aromas of fresh flowers, flower stem, watermelon rind and strawberry. On the palate, light and bright, lots of red raspberry, straightforward not too complex.

Wine Enthusiast 88 - With some tannins, this is a full-bodied and ripe sparkling rosé. It has strong wild strawberry flavors that give the wine a very fruity character. A sense of structure enhances the naturally rich nature of the wine.

Wine Spectator 87 - Fresh and nicely rounded, offering plump strawberry, red currant and peach flavors that hang gently on the finish.

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Wine Advocate 92 - Toasted marshmallow and grilled melon notes appear on the nose of the 2017 Saint-Joseph Les Granilites Blanc. Full-bodied, rich and layered, it represents the next step up from the Deschants bottling. Sourced from the Tournon-Mauves area of the appellation, it's marked by the region's granitic soils, remaining fresh and long on the finish, despite being velvety in texture.

Wine Spectator 92 - Ripe and rich, with brioche, white ginger, creamed melon and green fig fruit flavors entwined together and gliding through the broad, creamy finish.

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Vinous 92-93 - Bright and expansive on the perfumed nose, displaying vibrant dark berry and floral scents that develop spicy character as the wine opens up. In an energetic, fruit-driven style, offering appealingly sweet black raspberry and cherry flavors and suggestions of licorice and candied flowers. Finishes very long and chewy, with building tannins and repeating spiciness.

Wine Advocate 92 -Aged mainly in barrel, the 2018 Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon boasts flamboyant aromas of cracked pepper, clove, baking spices and cedar set against a backdrop of black cherries and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, richly textured and long on the finish, it shows the structure of its granite sources—a sense of tannic restraint that suggests ample aging potential, yet doesn't preclude present-day enjoyment.

Wine Spectator 93 - Fresh and focused, with a lovely beam of dark cherry and bitter plum reduction notes laced with graphite, violet and anise. Racy, tightly focused finish. Best from 2021 through 2029.

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Wine Advocate 92 - Bottled just a week before my visit, the 2018 Saint-Péray Lieu-dit Hongrie was already showing off its stuff, bursting with notes of grilled pineapple and citrus. It's medium to full-bodied but crisp and firmly built, with a silky feel on the palate and a lingering, nicely focused finish.

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Wine Spectator 92 - Expressive, with welcoming black cherry and plum pâte de fruit aromas and flavors, gilded with violet and anise notes. Reveals a graphite edge on the finish. Tasty.

Wine Advocate 89-91 - The medium to full-bodied 2020 Crozes Hermitage Domaine des Grands Chemins features gently floral aromas and a backdrop of cherry fruit. It's silky and fine, with a hint of mocha on the lingering finish.

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Wine Spectator 92 - Features melted red licorice, fresh currant, spiced fruit cake and raspberry tart flavors that are inviting and supple yet quickly firm up on the palate, thanks to fine-grained tannins and red tea-laced acidity. Reveals good tension and persistence. Grenache and Syrah.

Wine Advocate 91+ - Delas's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Haute Pierre is a blend of Grenache and Syrah vinified in concrete and aged in foudre. Remarkably, I still detected hints of cedar on the nose, joined by notes of leather, clove and raspberries. It's full-bodied and reasonably supple, except for some woody tannins. While it came across as a bit disjointed, in a few years this should come together nicely.

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Wine Spectator 94 - This lets a core of warm plum sauce, dark loganberry and singed anise flavors ooze out, while violet, white pepper, bay leaf and dark olive notes provide the frame. A mouthwatering mineral edge weaves throughout. Best from 2020 through 2035.

Vinous - 93: Dark purple. Dark berry preserve, licorice, incense, olive and exotic spice scents are accompanied by a building woodsmoke note. Sappy and broad on the palate, offering spice-tinged bitter cherry, blueberry and violet pastille flavors supported by juicy acidity. The floral note carries through a very long, dark-fruit-driven finish, and gently chewy tannins add shape and grip.

Robert Parker 91 -  The 2016 Cornas Chante Perdrix starts off a little tarry, but it quickly shapes up in the glass to reveal grilled meat and red plum aromas. It's medium to full-bodied, with an open-knit texture and a long, peppery and crisp finish. It should drink well for a decade or so.

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Wine Advocate 92 - The full-bodied, richly textured 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sinards Blanc is a barrel-fermented blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne, all drawn from a single vineyard parcel. Notes of pencil shavings accent honeyed pineapple and white peaches, backed by hints of lime and tangerine in this lush, almost decadent white wine.

Wine Spectator 92 - Bright, high-pitched style, with talc, white peach and jicama notes laced with hints of lime pith and fennel. Nice tension and energy through the mineral-edged finish. Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette.

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Wine Spectator 91 - Bright and cheerful, showing a burst of damson plum, bitter cherry and raspberry fruit flavors liberally laced with dried lavender, warm earth and tobacco notes. The finish features light mesquite accents. Accessible now. Drink now through 2030.

Wine Advocate 90-92 - The final blend from tank of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Telegramme boasts delicate, floral aromas and hints of strawberries and raspberries. It's full-bodied but silky and tender, very charming, with decent length. I haven't been a huge fan of this cuvée in the past, but this is pretty darn good.

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WA 93 - The 2011 Victorino is produced with Tempranillo grapes from 35 hectares of ungrafted, old vineyards in the villages of Valdefinjas, Toro and Villabuena del Puente, which fermented with yeasts selected from their own vineyards and aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months. This is the fruitier and more approachable of the three wines I tasted from them, with aromas of clean, ripe, terse fruit, with hints of violets and a pinch of spices mixed with echoes from the soil. The palate is full-bodied, with glossy tannins, dense and ripe, with very good acidity, balanced and elegant. It’s approachable, but should develop more complexity with time in the bottle. 40,000 bottles produced. Drink 2014-2019.

Wine Spectator 93 - A firm structure supports the plush texture of this rich red. Savory notes of espresso and anise mingle with a deep core of plum, black olive and mineral. Not that expressive now, but harmonious nonetheless. Best from 2016 through 2026.

Vinous 92 - Dark purple. Powerful aromas of cassis, licorice, roasted coffee and cocoa powder. Juicy and broad in the mouth, offering dark fruit liqueur flavors lifted by sexy floral and oak spice qualities. Shows real intensity on the creamy, clinging finish, which features polished tannins and a note of smoky minerals.

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Wine Advocate 90 - Chapoutier's 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Pie VI offers distinctive aromas of peppermint, saddle leather and black olives. There's a healthy proportion of Syrah in this cuvée, and it seems to show. Medium to full-bodied, this is fairly structured and tannic, a bit more streamlined than most CdPs, but with a lingering finish laced with hints of meat, leather and peppery spice.

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Wine Advocate 93 - Drawn from three lieux-dits, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Pie VI is a blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Syrah. Rich and concentrated, it marries dark, boysenberry fruit with hints of chocolate, leather and garrigue. It's full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, grainy finish.

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Wine Spectator 93 - Ripe, fresh and racy in feel, with a well-detailed beam of plum, blackberry and anise notes, laced with violet, white pepper and black olive accents. The sleek finish features an iron hint vibrating like a tuning fork. Drink now through 2036.

Vinous 93 - Inky ruby. Ripe blackberry and cherry liqueur aromas are complemented by suggestions of nallspice, smoked meat, licorice and

violet. Taut, energetic black and blue fruit

flavors show very good depth, and a

smoky mineral element adds lift and

back-end cut. Chewy tannins lend grip to a spicy, floraldominated finish that hangs on with strong tenacity. This wine is made from fruit grown in some of the appellation's top sites, Reynard, Mazard and Saint-Pierre.

Vinous 93 - Bright purple. Powerful dark berry, cherry, incense and licorice scents are accompanied by building vanilla and floral pastille flourishes. Fleshy blueberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors stain the palate and pick up a smoky bacon nuance on the back half. Unwinds steadily with air and finishes chewy and impressively long, displaying alluring sweetness, an echo of florality and youthfully gripping tannins.

Wine Advocate 92 - A blend of grapes sourced from Reynard and Croix St Pierre (near the top of the appellation), the 2017 Cornas Temenos shows greater depth and richness than Les Arenes, with blackberry and black cherry fruit in reserve behind notes of crushed stone and pencil shavings (it's aged in 228-liter oak, 15% to 20% new). Medium to full-bodied, it's firmly structured and promising for the future.

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Wine Advocate - 91: Warm, generous dark fruit, spices and flowers come through in the 2005 Barolo Gattera. This beautifully balanced wine reveals an outstanding sense of proportion and an elegant, refined finish. This is the hottest of the microclimates in the Veglio stable, and has the vines with the most age, both of which were clearly a help in 2005.

Wine Spectator - 91: Very ripe fruit on the nose, with floral and dried berry character. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and impressive concentration that turns to cedar, berry and blackberry.

International Wine Cellar - 90: Good deep red. More subdued and medicinal on the nose than the Arborina; lower-pitched too. Then big, rich and fairly full in the mouth but less forthcoming today and not showing the clarity of flavor of the Arborina. The medicinal quality carries through on the aftertaste, which shows more serious tannins and very good breadth.

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Vinous 94 - Inky ruby color. Intensely

perfumed dark berry, floral and spice qualities on the mineral-driven nose. Stains the palate with appealingly sweet

cherry-cola, black raspberry and candied

violet flavors that are sharpened by a spicy suggestion of freshly cracked pepper. Smoothly melds depth and energy and finishes extremely long and precise, with slowly emerging tannins and resonating floral and mineral notes.

Wine Advocate 93 - The 2019 Crozes Hermitage le Clos managed to escape hail damage but remains an intense, concentrated effort. Hints of violets and garrigue appear on the nose alongside cassis and black cherries, while the full-bodied palate is supple, leading into a long, licorice-tinged finish. Drink it over the next decade or so. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

Wine Spectator 93 - Sleek and refined, with a smoldering bay and cast iron hints along the edges of a core of dark cherry and plum preserve notes. Juicy, yet restrained, iron-tinged finish. Drink now through 2030.

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Vinous 93 - Deep red. Smoke- and spice accented cherry and vanilla aromas are

complemented by hints of dried flowers,

camphor and pipe tobacco. Sweet and

seamless on the palate, offering juicy red fruit, spicecake and mint flavors that deepen with air. Shows very good energy and appealing floral character on an

impressively long, penetrating finish that's given shape by discreet tannins.

Wine Advocate 92 - The 2006 El Puntido Gran Reserva is pure Tempranillo grapes from the Puntido vineyard that are selected from the eastern-most part of the vineyard close to Laguardia, which is more exposed to the north winds and gives a wine of marked tannins that needs more time in barrel and is ideal to create a Gran Reserva. This wine ages for 24-26 months in barrel and is kept in bottle for a further five years. The 2006 is still dark ruby-colored, with an open and expressive nose of leather, cold bonfire, incense and steak tartar notes and a medium-bodied palate with some gritty tannins and very pure flavors where the leather and meaty notes linger in the aftertaste. This is the most classical wine I’ve ever seen from the Eguren family, and an exceptional effort for the 2006 vintage. Modernity meets tradition!

Wine Spectator 92 - This rich red delivers a mouthful of black currant fruit, with strong notes of espresso, tar and mineral. Full-bodied, backed by muscular tannins and balsamic acidity. A modern style. Drink now through 2026.

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Robert Parker - 89-91: Probably the finest basic Cote Rotie he has made since 1991 is the 2006 Cote Rotie Les Becasses. Dark ruby/purple with notes of cassis, bacon fat, smoke, and tapenade, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ripe, chewy, and long. This is heady stuff, a classic Cote Rotie that can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years.

Wine Spectator - 91: Edgy, with lots of green pepper, tobacco, olive and sage notes laid over a core of black currant fruit. Briary finish. This has plenty of range, but just needs to settle into itself.

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Wine Advocate 92 - Offering up aromas of gingerbread, tangerine and smoky peach, the NV Brut Grand Cru Réserve Rosé is medium to full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a rich but tight-knit core of fruit, racy acids and a pinpoint mousse, concluding with a sapid finish. Disgorged in May 2018, this is a serious rosé that would work well at table.

Jeremy's Notes - Lallement's Grand Cru Brut Rose is one of our customers' favourites.  It has that irresistible balance of flavour, structure and texture that is so attractive and fulfilling.  Just delicious.  Everything you want in a Rose Champagne.

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Wine Advocate 89 - The 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is approximately half Grenache Blanc, with the balance a blend of Clairette and Roussanne. The Grenache and Clairette are vinified and matured in concrete, while the Roussanne is barrel fermented and aged, and then the components are blended. It's marked by struck flint, melon and tangerine on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied and reasonably generous but also crisp and slightly bitter on the finish. Drink it over the next year or two.

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Wine Advocate 93 - Black cherries and garrigue appear on the nose of the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape, a blend of about 60% to 70% Grenache, plus lesser amounts of Mourvèdre and Syrah. Full-bodied, richly concentrated and tannic, with a long, mouthwatering finish, it's one entry-level CdP that should be cellared a year or two prior to consumption.

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Maker's Notes - Deep, sophisticated Brunello wine with pronounced aromas of violet, raspberry and eucalyptus, underpinned by notes of cedar and white pepper. The palate reveals flavours of wild strawberry, truffle and almond. Cava d’Onice Brunello is a big, full-bodied wine with powerful tannins and velvety mouthfeel.

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Wine Spectator 94 - A suave and smoky style, with sandalwood, black tea, olive, juniper and bay leaf notes leading the way, followed by a core of lightly steeped bitter plum and blackberry fruit. Concentrated, showing latent length as all the elements take a late encore, supported by a lingering mineral echo. Should unwind a bit more slowly than most of its colleagues. Best from 2022 through 2035.

Wine Advocate 93 - The 2017 Saint Joseph Sainte-Epine comes from a couple of vineyards planted in 1981 on weathered granite soils geologically identical to those found in Hermitage's Les Bessards. Crushed stone, salted licorice and pencil shavings accent black cherries and black olives, while the full-bodied palate is velvety but structured, ripe and warm but firm and mouthwatering, with at least a decade of aging potential. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

Vinous 93 - Opaque ruby. Deep-pitched black and blue fruit, licorice and pungent floral qualities on the powerfully scented nose. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering bitter cherry, cassis and salty olive flavors that become more lively and turn sweeter on the back half. Smoothly blends power and energy and finishes long and spicy, with a hint of smokiness and slowly mounting tannins.

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Robert Parker - 92: The top-notch 2006 Hermitage La Sizeranne boasts an opaque ruby/purple color along with a sweet bouquet of black raspberries, creme de cassis, acacia flowers, crushed rocks, and subtle wood. Full-bodied, rich, and broad with moderate tannin, good acidity, and a long finish, the 2006 will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age, and keep for 15+ years.

Wine Spectator - 91: A bright, juicy style, with forward raspberry and boysenberry fruit backed by sweet spice and fruitcake hints. The solid, juicy finish has a good graphite edge.

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Wine Spectator 92 - Coffee, licorice and boysenberry flavors are ripe and generous in this round red. Spicy sassafras and chocolate notes add interest. Balsamic acidity and chewy tannins give this backbone. Shows density and length. Drink now through 2029. 666 cases made.

Wine Advocate 90 - We jumped ahead to the 2014 Malabrigo, as they didn't produce it in 2012 or 2013. The oak is more evident as we go up the price ladder, and this pure Tempranillo, which went through malolactic in barrel where it matured for 18 months, is definitively oaky. The nose is dominated by spice, smoke and toast aromas. The palate is medium to full-bodied with plenty of tannins, a bit grainy, with a dry finish and moderate to low acidity. There are notes of barbecue and smoky bacon that will please many. For fans of oaky Tempranillo. 8,000 bottles were filled in February 2017.

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Wine Advocate 94 - One of the gems in the vintage is the 2013 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes, which comes from both the Bessards and Grandes Vignes lieux-dits on Hermitage Hill. Completely destemmed, then vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, the wine is aged 18 months in 30% new French oak; it offers terrific notes of dark fruits, graphite and ample minerality in a full-bodied, layered, ripe profile. It’s more approachable than the Les Bessards, yet will still have three decades of longevity.

Vinous 93 - Brilliant violet. Complex mineral- and smoke-accented scents of dark fruit liqueur, violet and olive paste gain urgency from a smoky mineral quality . Juicy and sharply focused on the palate, offering sappy blueberry and bitter cherry flavors that deepen and become sweeter with air. Shows excellent depth and vivacity and finishes spicy and very long, displaying a resonating floral quality and building tannins.

Wine Spectator 92 - Ripe for the vintage, with a fleshy core of plum compote and raspberry coulis flavors, backed by ample cocoa-edged grip that melds through the loam- and anise-accented finish. Best from 2017 through 2023.

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Wine Advocate 96-98 - Even better than I remember it being last year, and potentially edging out the L'Argnée this vintage, the 2017 Gigondas Clos des Tourelles is just flat-out terrific juice. From yields around 15 hectoliters per hectare, it's 80% Grenache and 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, all aged in foudre. Soaring floral notes of rose petals, violets and garrigue appear on the nose, followed by ripe raspberry flavors that flow almost weightlessly across the silky, full-bodied palate. So fine, so elegant, so long, it nearly left me speechless.

Vinous 95 - Opaque, bright-rimmed ruby. Intensely perfumed, mineral-accented cherry and dark berry scents are accompanied by suggestions of licorice, candied flowers and exotic spices. Fleshy and broad in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated cherry pastry and blackberry flavors that become more energetic as the wine stretches out. Shows superb energy and mineral lift on an impressively long, subtly tannic finish that leaves behind a suave floral note.

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Wine Advocate 95-97 - There are a whopping two demi-muids of the stellar 2017 Gigondas L'Argnee Vieilles Vignes in the pipeline, so readers will have to be on their toes to grab a bottle or two. Made from the same pre-Phylloxera parcel of Grenache, it's incredibly intense this vintage, boasting enough purple raspberries, black cherries and Asian spices to send me almost into sensory overload. Yet for all the flavor, this full-bodied wine is velvety-silky in feel, with a long, elegant finish.

Vinous 94 - Opaque ruby. Highly expressive aromas of mineral-tinged red berries, incense and licorice candy, along with a suave floral nuance that builds as the wine opens up. Appealingly sweet and seamless on the palate, offering penetrating raspberry, cherry, spicecake and candied lavender flavors that are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Finishes silky, sweet and impressively long, with gentle tannins and lingering floral pastille and exotic spice notes.

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Wine Advocate 90 - Disgorged in December 2018, the latest rendition of Besserat de Bellefon's NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée des Moines exhibits a toasty, reductive bouquet of bread dough, smoky citrus rind and green orchard fruit. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and nicely balanced, with a frothy mousse, lively acids and a clean, harmonious finish. This is a well-made Blanc de Blancs that reflects this marque's recent progress.

Maker's Notes - "Sculpted from the rocky soil of its terroir, BB Blanc de Blancs offers

a magnificent chain of creamy bubbles of incredible precision. The nose is intense, mineral and saline, with fresh citrus aromas

intermingling harmoniously with floral notes of honeysuckle and acacia. A finely-honed palate with superb structure and magnificent amplitude. Translucent and pure, citrus and lemon compose a symphony of absolute elegance."

Cédric Thiébault

Cellarmaster, Champagne Besserat de Bellefon.

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WA 94 - A blend of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, the 2017 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes Blanc features scents of toasted almond, honey and pineapple. Full-bodied, rich and creamy, it's rounded out on the palate by melon-like fruit, then adds citrus zest, crushed stone and brine on the long finish. Drink it now or after about 10 years.

Vinous 93 - Pale gold. Powerful orchard and citrus fruit scents are complemented by suggestions of smoky minerals, chamomile and fennel. Chewy and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated pear, Meyer lemon and honeysuckle flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. Delivers a solid punch of ripe pit fruits on an impressively long, focused finish that echoes the floral and mineral notes.

Wine Spectator 93 - This is suave, with macadamia nut, salted butter and verbena notes weaving around a core of creamed Jonagold apple, star fruit and Bosc pear flavors. Everything entwines seamlessly through the finish. Best from 2021 through 2028.

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WS 95 - This is loaded with well-defined loganberry, blackberry and boysenberry pâte de fruit flavors, flecked with anise and black tea notes and carried by a fine iron streak that lingers wonderfully. A wine of cut, purity and precision. Best from 2020 through 2035.

WA 94 - A blend of Syrah grapes from several lieux-dits, including Les Bessards, the 2015 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes is aged in new and second use barrels. It's a dark, concentrated wine, meaty, rich and tannic but with a bright beam of cassis fruit that lifts it and gives it great definition and shape on the palate. Give this medium to full-bodied wine at least 5 years in the cellar and drink it over the next 15.

Vinous 92-94 - Inky ruby. Dark fruit and floral scents unfold slowly to reveal Indian spice and mineral accents. Densely concentrated cassis and blueberry flavors are lifted by a core of smoky minerality and a jolt of cracked pepper. Smoothly plays richness off vivacity and finishes impressively long and chewy; dusty tannins frame the sweet dark fruit.

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Wine Advocate 96+ - The 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau is a hugely successful vintage, marked by scents of sun-warmed stones, garrigue, black cherries and black olives. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it finishes with tremendous length and softly dusty tannins, which should help ensure a long, positive evolution.

Wine Spectator 93 - Silky and refined, with focused cherry puree, plum reduction and raspberry coulis notes racing through, infused subtly with rose petal, warm stone and lavender hints. Features nice perfume through the finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Drink now through 2036.

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Wine Advocate 95-97 - Another in a string of top vintages, Beaucastel's 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape was produced from Grenache yields of only eight hectoliters per hectare ("normal" is about 28 hectoliters per hectare, according to Marc Perrin). The final blend I was shown is almost candied in its fruity intensity of raspberries and cherries, yet it has a potent underpinning of more savory elements, like tapenade, grilled meat and dried spices. Full-bodied, with fine, silky tannins, this shows tremendous length, reverberating with hints of crushed stone on the finish.

Vinous 92-94 - Deep ruby-red. Ripe dark berries, cherry liqueur and hints of garrigue, smoked meat and potpourri on the mineral-accented nose. Palate-staining black currant and cherry pie flavors show excellent clarity, chewy texture and a hint of spicecake that builds as the wine opens up. The energetic, impressively long finish repeats the floral and dark fruit notes, and youthfully chewy tannins add shape and solid closing grip.

Decanter 96 - This is a towering, muscular Beaucastel this year with more depth, intensity and black fruit, pushing towards blackcurrant. It’s very dense and extremely concentrated in 2018, more than most but it has the energy and the vibrancy to thrust it front and forward ending with a saline finish. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 - Moving to the reds, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape showed nicely with a deep ruby/purple color as well as classic Beaucastel aromas and flavors of darker currents, blueberries, smoked meats, black licorice and roasted herbs. With medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, clean, elegant texture, sweet tannins, and a great finish, this seamless, elegant Beaucastel will be approachable in its youth, yet still have 20+ years of prime drinking.

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Wine Advocate 97 - I’m increasingly convinced that Pierre Larmandier produced Champagne’s wines of the vintage this year, and the 2011 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant only compounds that suspicion. Unfurling in the glass with a deep and complex nose of citrus zest, crisp yellow apples, smoke, warm bread, mandarin oil and oyster shell, it’s full-bodied and fleshy but incisive, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, intensely saline finish. Totally transcending the reputation of 2011, it has many of the textural properties of a great white Burgundy, married with the cut and chalky grip of Champagne’s Côte de Blancs.

Maker's Notes - This is a Champagne which should be tasted for its own qualities as an aperitif, to accompany poultry with morels, and this cuvée will happily stand its ground with dishes cooked in cream. It must be allowed time to open up, so that you can appreciate its power, complexity and exceptional length. It should be kept for two years (it will gain in depth) and much longer, even, if that’s how you like it.

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