Organic
Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé Nuances 2019
Château de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé “Nuances” 2019, Light, brilliant orange. Expansive, mineral-accented blood orange, red currant and nectarine aromas are complemented by suggestions of succulent herbs, honey and lavender. Sappy, chewy and penetrating on the palate, offering densely packed red berry, pit fruit and floral flavors underscored by a vein of chalky minerality. Smoothly plays power off finesse and finishes minerally and extremely long, with repeating floral and pit fruit notes." - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Château La Gravette de Certan 2019
"The 2019 La Gravette de Certan is a fleshy, charming wine, bursting with aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and giving, it's sensual and succulent, with an enveloping core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids. It's entirely composed of Merlot this year and largely derived from vines planted in 2010, supplemented by a plot planted in 1998." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Domaine François Crochet Sancerre Blanc Le Grand Chemarin 2019
"There's a tenderness to the 2019 Sancerre Les Grand Chemarin, filling the mouth with a silken texture. Expect pure lemon, apple cream and croissant-like flavors from 18 months on lees and malolactic conversion. A zen-like expression, yet fresh, with a fine structure that clasps the front of the mouth, providing reassuring grip. Medium-long length." - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Grand Cru “Clos de Vougeot” 2019
"This is the first wine to display prominent oak and it's not subtle with plenty of menthol character sitting atop the aromas of dark currant, plum and warm earth. There is fine cut and punch to the moderately concentrated flavors that possess solid size and weight, all wrapped in a lingering finish that is perhaps a bit less youthfully austere than it typically is. While not super-dense, I like the balance and in any event, it has the more than sufficient stuffing to reward extended cellaring." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Conceito “Contraste” White 2019
"The 2019 Contraste Branco is a blend of traditional white grapes, like Rabigato, Códega, Códega do Larinho, Arinto, from mostly 20+-year-old vines at 600 meters in altitude, all co-fermented (wild ferment) in a 70/30 mixture of stainless steel and new French oak for eight months. It comes in at 13% alcohol. An elegant and lovely Contraste, it's a little lean but fresh, pure and lively. The fruit is lifted by the acidity and the flavors linger nicely. This is enticing for its balance and its youthful freshness. The only thing that might hold this back is the question of whether it stays at this level for most of its useful life. Can it develop? I won't be surprised if it lasts a decade from the vintage date, more or less, but whether it is this good in 2025 might be a different question. We'll see. It drinks great now, and today you'll like it better than the score suggests. It will also be great next summer." - Mark Squires, The Wine Advocate
Conceito “Contraste” Red 2019
"The 2019 Contraste Tinto is a field blend of sorts—mostly (80%) from 40-year-old vineyards at 450 meters in altitude with separated grapes (Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz) that are co-fermented, with the other 20% from 60-year-old vineyards with a more traditional field blend. It was aged for 16 months in used French oak and comes in at 13.6% alcohol. Showing elegance but reasonable depth, this is even more impressive for its balance, understatement and its structure. As this sat in the glass, it became tastier too. This wine, a classic food wine, has been very consistent, always playing in pretty much the same ballpark when seen young. The only question is the ultimate question: Will it become notably better with a few years of aging? This year's version will improve in the short term (say, the next six to 12 months) and has a pretty good shot to improve in the mid-term too. By how much is a question, however, and it likely won't make very old bones. It's hard to argue too much at this nice price, though. It can be drunk now, but it will certainly be better this summer, and it will hold through the decade, more or less." - Mark Squires, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Conceito White 2019
"The 2019 Branco, the estate flagship, is a field blend from old (centenarian) vines at 600 meters in altitude aged for 10 months in used French oak. Principal grapes include common Douro white grapes, like Rabigato, Códega, Códega do Larinho, Cerceal, Gouveio and others. Very dry, the residual sugar is nominal and the total acidity comes in at 7.1 grams per liter. It comes in at 12.9% alcohol. Average in concentration—this is never a fat and fruity white, to be sure—this shows reasonably good structure, but there is a reductive issue on the nose. It is smoky and flinty. The rest is pretty nice, but the smoke—reduction, I presume—has to blow off. It often does with aeration or time. In the meanwhile, let's be a bit conservative. Give it some air if you open it in the near future. Call this a compromise ." - Mark Squires, The Wine Advocate
