Fine Wine

"Much better, the 2009 Cornas exhibits powerful blackberry fruit intermixed with notions of graphite, dark berries, white chocolate and earth. Rich...

"The 1962 Dom Pérignon offered perhaps a touch more clarity and freshness, if slightly less complexity, than the 1961. This was an understated wine...

"So much black truffle in the aroma here with blackberry and blueberry character, too. Full body, solid and stalwart. The layers of velvety tannins...

"Good dark red. Pretty, floral aromas of currant, red cherry, licorice and flowers. Thick, supple and quite flatteur today, thanks to its wonderful...

"A touch cheesy (not a bad thing in a fine young red), this shows plenty of licorice, blackberry and spice notes from new oak. Young and unevolved,...

"The 2001 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is a beauty, wafting from the glass with aromas of plums, dark berries, rich fore...

"I've often felt that Domaine Louis Carillon made some of the most delicate Puligny Montrachets around. These are not fat, super-ripe wines like th...

Domaine Etienne Sauzet, based in Puligny-Montrachet, is one of Burgundy’s benchmark producers, known for elegant, mineral-driven Chardonnays of gre...

"Firm reduction renders the nose unreadable at present. Otherwise, there is good freshness to the intensely mineral-inflected and beautifully well-...

"An expressive and still nicely fresh nose includes white flower, pronounced honey and softly exotic fruit aromas nuanced by spice and wood hints. ...

"This is aromatically quite similar to the Pucelles with the same honeysuckle and fresh white flower aromas followed by sweet, fine, extract-laden,...

"A complex and highly layered nose features notes of acacia blossom, spiced pear, green apple and a hint of the exotic that is trimmed in soft oak ...

"A highly complex nose reflects a hint of tropical fruit along with a panoply of freshly cut orchard fruit, spice and lovely floral notes that merg...

"It has been several years since I last tasted the 1988 Hermitage from Chave. Previous bottles had demonstrated more density and grip, where this i...

"The wine of the vintage (and I’ll include all the wines of the northern Rhône, red and white in that grouping) is the 2014 Ermitage l’Ermite Blanc...

"The inky black/purple-colored 2014 Ermitage l’Ermite is more firm, backward and mineral driven than the sexier Pavillon, offering fabulous notes o...

"The 2009 Barolo Falletto is an exuberant and exciting wine with tight, firming tannins surrounded by deep layers of dried cherry, licorice, cassis...

"The 2001 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a gorgeous wine laced with smoke, tar, licorice and menthol. The 2001 remains powerful and authoritative, with m...

"The 1999 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is an explosive, full-bodied wine bursting with fruit. This is a massive, towering Champagne where y...

"The mingling of saline, nutty, and caramelized notes in the nose – adumbrating this wine’s entire performance – is gorgeous. Butter-toasted hazeln...

"The 2006 Clos du Mesnil was harvested over three days, which is remarkable for a tiny parcel measuring 1.84 hectares divided into five blocks that...

"This flight of 1996s provided plenty of context. The 1996 Clos d'Ambonnay is very similar to the Clos du Mesnil in this vintage. It has the same p...

"A very youthful '95. Delicate. Intense aromas of ginger, citrus, candied berry and multigrain bread turn to honey, roasted almonds and graphite on...

"The 1982 Lafite possesses a dark, dense ruby/purple color with only a subtle lightening at the rim. Spectacular aromatics offer jammy cherry and b...