Organic
San Román Bodegas San Román 2020
"The 2020 San Román had a slightly shorter élevage than the 2019 I tasted next to it. These are wines of very good regularity, showing a ripe and generously oaked profile, ripe, lush and powerful, perhaps a tad lighter and fresher in 2020. 115,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2018
"Poggio di Sotto hits it out the ballpark once again with an extremely elegant interpretation that shows the incredible depth and nuance Sangiovese can achieve, even in an uneven vintage such as this. The certified organic 2018 Brunello di Montalcino reveals a dark ruby hue and mid-weight concentration. Indeed, the wine is lighter and brighter than most, despite Brunello's mandatory five years of aging before its commercial release. The tannins are silky and melt over the palate. Along the way, the wine offers high notes of red cherry, cassis and blue flower. This 38,000-bottle release carries a very high price tag, but your high expectations will be met." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2017
"Made with certified-organic fruit, the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is an impossibly graceful wine from a challenging vintage. This bottle defies the odds—and the dry heat of the growing season—to reveal soft layers of cherry, cassis and more vibrant fruit. It glides clear over the palate with silky momentum, and you only notice the tannins at the very end. Even those should soften and integrate as this collectible wine continues it bottle evolution. Production is 19,000 bottles." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
Garmón Continental 2020
"The 2020 Garmón is a 100% Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, aged for 20 months in primarily French oak barrels. Purple with a garnet sheen. The fruit-forward nose offers dried plum, blackcurrant and aniseed-like herbs intertwined with oak layers. Dry and plush from the oak, the wine's chalky texture grows more pronounced as it goes on, foregrounding a restrained but juicy, polished, lingering finish. The 2020 is a balanced, modern expression of Ribera del Duero." - Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2017
"Masses of ashen earth, smoke, dusty cherry and roses with nuances of clove lift up from the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino. This is silky and pliant upon entry, presenting a rich display of intense red and hints of black fruits laced with chalky minerals that drenches the palate. Penetrating acidity and grippy tannins create a burst of cheek-puckering tension, clenching down hard with youthful poise, as notes of licorice and hard red candies linger through the structured, medium-length finale. There are some moments where the 2017 reminds you that it comes from an incredibly hot and dry vintage, yet overall, it’s a huge success for the year. That said, it needs time to unwind from its youthful state. Production was down 15–20% at Il Poggione in 2017 due to severe selection of bunches, and all of the fruit that would have been reserved for the Riserva Vigna Paganelli was added to the Brunello instead." - Eric Guido, Vinous
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2018 Magnum
"Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed." - Eric Guido
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2018
“Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed.” – Eric Guido
Domaine Lionnet Cornas Terre Brûlée 2021 Magnum
Domaine Lionnet 2021 Cornas Terre Brulée 2021 Magnum, "Youthful purple. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh black and blue fruits, star anise, olive, violet and tobacco. A smoky mineral accent builds steadily in the glass and energizes the spice-laced, dark berry liqueur, smoky bacon and floral pastille flavors that are underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Clings with strong tenacity on the youthfully tannic finish, leaving behind sappy blue fruit, cracked pepper and mineral notes. " - Josh Raynolds
Domaine Lionnet Cornas Pur Granit 2021
Domaine Lionnet Cornas Pur Granit 2021, "Saturated magenta. Vibrant, mineral- and smoke-accented scents of blackberry, cherry liqueur, pipe tobacco and exotic spices, along with a sexy floral component. Fresh and sharply focused on the palate, displaying sappy, finely etched dark berry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors, plus a touch of botanical herbs. Finishes long and gently sweet, with a hint of star anise and firming tannins." - Josh Raynolds,
Domaine Lionnet Cornas Terre Brûlée 2021
Domaine Lionnet 2021 Cornas Terre Brulée 2021, "Youthful purple. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh black and blue fruits, star anise, olive, violet and tobacco. A smoky mineral accent builds steadily in the glass and energizes the spice-laced, dark berry liqueur, smoky bacon and floral pastille flavors that are underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Clings with strong tenacity on the youthfully tannic finish, leaving behind sappy blue fruit, cracked pepper and mineral notes. " - Josh Raynolds
Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil “les Marsaules” 2018
"The wine reveals its intense red colour. The nose is distinguished by aromas of crushed black berries or wild strawberries with slightly earthy and smoky notes. The palate is rich in tasty fruit but also firm and balanced. The wine lingers on the palate on a thread of freshness and spices. An impression of gluttony continues during the tasting. No greenness, but a pure and elegant fruit that lingers in the mouth." - Winemaker's notes
Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil “les Vingt Lieux Dits” 2020
"This wine reveals an intense and deep ruby color. Scents of intense black fruits accompanied by slightly earthy notes delicately fill the senses. The mouth is full, frank and concentrated. No heaviness or sourness appears. Here everything is pure fruit, intense, fine and delicate. The sapid and persistent finish gives an incompressible desire to return with relish to this bewitching Bourgueil." - Winemaker's notes
Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil “Jour de Soif” 2021
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
Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Grand Cru “Chambertin” 2017
Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru 2017, "Deep and intense on the nose developing flavours of fruit and spice entwined with subtle oaky hints. Perfect marriage between grace and liveliness, strength and finesse. A superb wine displaying exceptional persistence and of great ageing potential. " - Winemaker's notes
Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Grand Cru “Chambertin-Clos de Bèze” 2017
"From the same grape supplier as Chapelle-Chambertin. Here the colour is a little bit fresher and the nose too is not so uniformly black – more a dark red approach. This retains some elegance, with a classy full-bodied red fruit across the piece, some subtlety to the detail, ripe coulis de framboise, a faint appearance of acidity and very good length. A little limestone coolness behind. More discretion, which is to be welcomed." -Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy
Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Grand Cru “Chambertin-Clos de Bèze” 2018
"This too is notably ripe though the spicier and more floral-inflected dark berry fruit aromas are not jammy. While there isn't quite the same concentration there is markedly better vibrancy to the broad-shouldered flavors that possess a highly succulent mid-palate, all wrapped in a discreetly stony and sneaky long finish. The compact and built-to-age finish makes clear that plenty of patience will be beneficial." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Village 2018
"A very ripe nose blends notes of poached plum, dark currant and plenty of sauvage character. There is slightly better volume and mid-palate density to the velvety and round flavors that also terminate in a mildly warm finish that is sufficiently chewy and rustic to cut the finish somewhat short." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
