Kongsgaard
Caymus
Peter Michael
- Tasting Notes
- Red Wines
- White Wines
- Champagnes
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Kongsgaard |
Caymus |
Peter Michael |
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TASTING NOTES!A note on Rating Methodology: We use a 100-point rating system in evaluating wines and spirits on factors including appearance, bouquet, flavor, balance, and overall impression. A wine that receives a rating from 70-80 is average; 80-90 is a good to very good wine; 90-100 is an excellent to superb wine. Ratings are not adjusted for price, although our written notes often note special value where it is found. As with all Cognoscenti Magazine reviews, these wine tasting notes reflect our staff's personal experience. NEW TASTINGS: Thirty Italian, French and Californian wines!NEW RED WINES Giacomo Bologna Barbera d’Asti “Ai Suma” 1989. With a nose of white pepper and meat, it wasn’t superbly structured, yet still very hedonistic. Fully mature with fat, supple notes of blueberry, cranberry, caramel and ink along with good persistence on the palate. A fascinating mix of black tea and exotic spice ran a continuous thread from entry to finish. Tasted at Don Alfonso Restaurant, Italy. Rating: 93 Marchesi di Frescobaldi Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino 1995.Yielded a powerful nose of grape and damp earth, along with good fruit and good viscosity. It revealed the famous Brunello backbone, with lovely structure and balance, yet also a certain simplicity—solid and of a piece, earthy yet not earthbound. Tasted at Hotel Helvetia & Bristol, Italy. Rating: 93 Antano Sagrantino di Montefalco 1999. This wine held a rich nose and showed excellent concentration Fine elements of wet bark, cherry, and prune were present; it will need several years to reach its full potential. Impressive indeed! Tasted at Castello dell’ Oscano, Italy. Rating: 92 Poggio Rosso Riserva Chianti Classico San Felice 1994. A standout, the nose at first recalcitrant, but showing little sign of aging, even after ten years—very solid and playful, with soft cherry and raspberry fruit lingering in the mouth. Tasted at St. Regis Grand, Italy. Rating: 91-92 Renato Ratti Maranasco Barolo 1997. Rather traditional in style, exhibiting a deep fruity nose, strong spice and a certain satisfying austerity. Tasted at the Cavalieri Hilton, Italy. Rating: 9-1-92 Hermitage “La Chapelle” Paul Jaboulet Ainé 1996. Showed finesse rather than power. It exhibited a warm ruby color along with a lovely perfumed nose, and notes of mint and red currant—a trifle weak in the finish.Tasted at t’Laurierblad, Belgium. Rating: 90 Allegrini Amarone 1998. A little volatile right out of the bottle, this well-built offering opened after a few minutes to reveal excellent, ripe fruit. Tasted at Hotel d’Inghilterra, Italy. Rating: 90 Prunotto Barbaresco 1997. Very fine elements of dried prune, cherry, and raisin—best drinking in six or seven more years. Tasted at Villa La Principessa, Italy. Rating: 90 Angellini Nobile di Montepulciano “La Villa” 1998. Clean fruit and good structure in a very well fashioned bottle. Tasted at Villa Il Patriarca, Italy. Rating: 93 G. Tasca d’ Acmerita Rosso del Conte 1992. This Sicilian red had a wonderfully funky bouquet. Clearly a hotter weather wine, slightly monolithic yet with rich coffee notes and pleasing throughout. Tasted at Don Alfonso Restaurant, Italy. Rating: 89 Lungarotti San Giorgio 1995. It opened to reveal a reserved nose but proved ready to drink. Although there wasn’t a lot of structure here, the delicate finish delivered a last kiss of herb and spice before slowly fading. Tasted at Castello dell’ Oscano, Italy. Rating: 89 Cannubi Barolo 1997. Released a bouquet of perfumed rose petal on opening. Though a bit rustic (here we use the word to mean “rough” and a bit heavy) in texture and slightly formulaic, this wine still showed good peppery spice and lead pencil leading into the finish. Tasted at Hotel Regency, Italy. Rating: 87 Fontanabianca “Sori Burdin” Barbaresco 1998. Pronounced volatility in the bouquet at first, which loosened up after some decanting time. Some muddiness along with decent cherry, caramel, and cognac tones. Tasted at Sheraton Diana Majestic, Italy. Rating: 93 Louis Jadot Bourgogne “Couvent des Jacobins” 1999 was light-bodied but nicely fashioned with herbs and spice, a slight bouquet and a modest finish. Tasted at Sheraton Schiphol Airport, Netherlands. Rating: 86 Modus Toscana Ruffino 1997. This held a good bouquet with hints of black pepper and bark, but otherwise proved rather unidimensional. Lacking backbone or structure, it was disappointing given the producer and the vintage. Tasted at St. Regis Grand, Italy. Rating: 85 Red Massi Costasera Amarone 1999. This was unctuous, almost sweet, but the fruit was mediocre and it turned positively mean in the finish—a damaged bottle, perhaps? Rating: 74 NEW WHITE WINESCervaro della Sala Antinori Chardonnay 1999. Opened to a rich, fat bouquet of butter and roasted hazelnuts, with more delicate notes of thyme and dried herbs surfacing in the long finish. Tasted at Restaurant Passetto, Italy. Rating: 92 Villa Fidelia Bianco Sportoletti 2001. Smoky, with vanilla, butter, lemon, good structure and fine complexity. Tasted at Castello dell’ Oscano, Italy. Rating: 91 Vintage Tunina-Hermann 2001. This Chardonnay/Sauvignon blend was a lovely, fat, golden wine that displayed a peachy burst in the nose. Rating: 90 Mueggen Moscato di Pantelleria (Sicily) 1998. This delightful wine showed dried apricot and raisin. Tasted at St. Regis Grand, Rome, Italy. Rating: 90 Bianco Selez 2000. With a nose of cheese and dirt, it showed the excellent minerality characteristic of the volcanic soil from which it comes, along with a teasing note of lemon meringue and a longish finish. Tasted at Don Alfonso Restaurant, Italy. Rating: 89-90 “Cabreo” La pietra Bianco I.G.T. Folonari 2000. Heavily oaked, but well-structured and elegant. Petrol-like volatility, though—it’s best served very chilled. Tasted at Bocconi Ristorante, Belgium. Rating: 89-90 Castello d’Albola “Le Fagge” 2001. From Chianti, a beautiful, glowing golden color with a fine body. Rating: 89 Gini La Frosca Soave Classico Superiore 2001. Pale yellow in color and very clean on delivery, with intriguing hints of flavor complexity. Tasted at St. Regis Grand, Italy. Rating: 88 Falerno del Massico Moio 2001. Not particularly fat, but nicely colored and (thankfully!) only lightly oaked, with pleasant metallic tones and notes of grilled almonds and apple. Tasted at Don Alfonso Restaurant, Italy. Rating: 87 Marisa Cuomo Costa d’Amalfi Furore 1998. Fruity, with just a touch of sour brine to keep the interest up. Tasted at Quattro Passi Restaurant, Italy. Rating: 87 Drouhin Chablis. Harsh, ascerbic, and green. Rating: 79 Vie di Romans Sauvignon Vieris 2000. Dullish, revealing only a pallid bouquet, greenish cucumber tones and a sour finish. Rating: 78 Robert Mondavi Coastal Chardonnay 1999. Tart, over-oaked, volatile and sour—a flop. Rating: 76 Red WinesLouis Jadot Bonnes Mares 1989. Still youthful-although a slight pinkishness now shows around the rim. The impeccable richness of the nose leads into notes of stewed prune, leather, herb, cocoa, coffee, and a truly memorable finish. Tasted at Ostau de Baumanière, France. Rating: 97 Domaine Leroy Volnay-Santenots 1995. Opening beautifully after an hour’s decanting, this decadently rich wine exhibits flavors of tangy cranberry, cherry and cinnamon, supple tannins and an impressively long finish. Tasted at Le Cagnard, France. Rating: 94 Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin 1995. There’s an adorable bouquet to this grand cru, leading to licorice and spice notes in the mouth along with beautifully ripe fruit and seductively soft tannins. Tasted at Moulin de Mougins, France. Rating: 94 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2001. “Clos de Bèze is the most complex wine that ever existed,” says Corinne Rousseau. The 2001 already suggests a beautiful life ahead of it, with dense berry flavors along with spice, stone, beautiful structure, and strong backbone. Rating: 93-94 Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin Chambolle-Musigny Bonnes-Mares 2001. Opens to a delicate bouquet, then elegantly fills the mouth with spice and oak. A knockout! Only four barrels were produced from Arlaud’s small parcel in the middle of Bonnes-Mares. Rating: 93-94 Mongeard-Mugneret Nuits-St-Georges Les Boudots 1995. From the family parcel just next to Vosne, this well-structured wine is lightening at the edges. It displays rich tones of ripe black cherries, mint, fennel seeds, and lead pencil along with more decadent hints of black truffle. Still tannic, it will continue to improve for a few more years before reaching full maturity. Rating: 93 Arlaud Morey-Saint-Denis Les Ruchots 1994. The bouquet was powerful, revealing depths of purity and ripeness. Asian spices declared themselves right away in the mouth, bringing clear focus to the fore-palate. Drinking perfectly, soft on the palate yet well defined, it showed a surprisingly viscosity, like some rich cherry syrup-an outstanding effort for this mediocre vintage. Arlaud is certainly one of the best producers of Les Ruchots.Tasted at the Amstel Hotel, Amsterdam. Rating: 93 Vincent Girardin Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2000. The beautifully-balanced wine was almost gentle in the attack before giving way to plums, ripe cherries, prunes, stewed black fruit and herbs in the finish: very long on the palate. Rating: 93 Latour Corton Grancey 1996. Richly sensual, with cherry jam, cassis and black pepper. Relatively light-bodied, but with outstanding character. Tasted at Restaurant Le Morillon, Beaune, France. Rating: 93 Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin 2001. Exhibits fat buttery tones and darkish hints of strawberry, cocoa, coffee, and exotic coriander. Very well knit, fresh, and exciting! Rating: 93 Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 2000. From 50 year+ vines; exceptional for the vintage, with a delightfully funky nose and burnt orange, a touch of mint, good Asian spice and good length in the mouth. Rating: 92 Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin 2001. Very fine and very delicate with concentrated strawberry and light minerality. Rating: 92 Marquis d’Angerville Clos des Ducs 1999. Still plenty tannic, but the tannins were fondus, or integrated, rather than harsh. Rating: 92 Michel Lafarge Volnay, Vendanges Sélectionées 1998. Seemed a bit volatile in the nose, but opened gradually to yield seductive, powerful tones of jam and pepper in the mid-and late-palate phases along with velvety tannins. Tasted at Bernard Loiseau Restaurant, Saulieu. Rating: 92 Armand Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes 2001. From Rousseau’s 1-hectare plot-long and outstanding, with cherry and blackberry fruit. Rating: 92Domaine Tempier “Cuvée La Tourtine” (Bandol) 1998. This all-Mourvèdre offering revealed high glycerin levels and fig and red currant flavors, nicely darkish suggestions, and suggested good aging potential. Tasted at Hotel Jules César, Arles. Rating: 91 Vincent Girardin Gevrey-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin 2000. Very fine, with a powerfully suggestive bouquet; the tannins were somewhat hard but the overall balance good, and this should improve for many years. Rating: 91 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Les Ruchots 2001. Carries the Arlaud house’s trademark suppleness and silkiness, well defined with nice chewy tannins-very impressive! Rating: 91 Mongeard-Mugneret Echézeaux 1999. Peppermint and chocolate tones beneath the warm red fruit as well as real structure and focus: it will benefit from 8 or more years cellaring. Rating: 91 Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin 1998. Absolute purity of fruit with strawberry and cinammon flavors, rounding nicely. Tannins are strong while the fruit struggles to balance it. Rating: 90 Tresantos Roble 2000. Plum and grenadine nose, royal purple color. After the exceptional frontal burst of fruit with lovely cherry and raspberry tones, the back end is a little weak, but otherwise this is impressive. Rating: 90 Côte Rôtie “Cordeloux” 1998. Densely colored, this showed red fruit, smoke and herbs and bark in the palate along with very soft tannins and a lingering finish-a supple if rather unfocussed wine, quite rustic in character yet still very charming. Tasted at D’Theeboom, Amsterdam. Rating: 90 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Clos-St-Denis 2001. Medium-bodied with rich chocolate aromas, nicely balanced with fresh spice in the finish. Rating: 90 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Les Ruchots 2000. Very fine, with deep cherry fruit-though somewhat rounder and less dense than the 2001. Rating: 90 Vincent Girardin Volnay “Les Santenots” 2000. More delicate in the nose than Girardin’s Pommard, and showing fine light bark and rich texture on the palate. Rating: 90 Daniel Rion et Fils Vosne-Romanée 1998. This wasn’t especially complex, but it opened nicely in the glass to reveal a charming rustic style with ripe fruit-even a surprising jamminess-that included notes of cassis, strawberry, and raspberry and tobacco. Tasted at Kasteel Wittem, Holland. Rating: 89-90 Vincent Girardin Corton Les Renardes 2000. Shows stone and minerality, with stewed red fruits and tannins nicely coating the mouth-the body is not particularly fat. Rating: 89 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis 2001. This supple Clos-de-la-Roche was bursting with fine red fruit and a touch of vanilla. Rating: 90 Marquis d’Angerville Clos des Ducs 2000. Cherry jam, vanilla and coffee flavors filled the mouth. This was rounder than the ’9, with rich cocoa tones -“almost fat,” noted the Marquis- and impressive for the vintage. Rating: 90 Armand Rousseau Morey Saint-Denis Clos-de-la-Roche 2000. Well structured and solid, made from exceptional fruit with stone, cherry candy and bark. Rating: 90 Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 2001. Closed now, but showing fine black fruit cassis and spice on the palate. Rating: 90 Mongeard-Mugneret Echézeaux 2001 was purple-reddish in color with a solid tannic backbone and pleasant hints of rose, violet and cassis. Rating: 90 Bouchard Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos Saint-Marc 2001. Complex nose, very stylish with rich, chocolaty hints on the palate. Serious wine. Rating: 90 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Clos St-Denis 2000. A brooding and dark character with nuanced flavors, kirsh showing in the deep body-impressive for the vintage! Rating: 90 Château Simone Grand Cru de Provence 1999. Brick-colored wine yielded raspberry and cassis tones with cranberry and cherry flavors to fill the mouth. Tasted at Hotel Jules César. Rating: 89 Christophe Buisson Savigny-Lès-Beaune “Le Mouttier Amet” 2000. Ruby depths surrendered rich cherry and strawberry tones, with chewy tannins-a little too young for drinking now, but promising indeed. Tasted at Restaurant Le Morillon, Beaune. Rating: 89 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 1990. The wine has held its fruit nicely over the years, revealing rich coffee tones and a solid backbone. Tasted at the Amstel Hotel, Amsterdam. Rating: 89 Giacosa Fratelli 1997. A rustic Barbaresco that reveals ripe red cranberry fruit on the palate, but fails to show any special finesse and complexity. Tasted at Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam. Rating: 88-89 Palazzo della Torre “Allegrini” Veronese 1998. Blueberry and cedar nose-fat, ripe, rich-with terrific fruit and mint on the attack, finishes acidly. Imported by Winebow. Rating: 88 Antonin Guyon Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Varoilles 1993. Showed ripe fruit and black silt and lead on the palate, along with a slight hint of sour cheese that only partially dissipated after an hour of airing. Tasted at Hôtel Impérial Garoupe. Rating: 88
Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1998 held a beautiful bouquet of roasted nuts and figs; its tannins coated the mouth luxuriantly but the finish was rather abrupt. Rating: 88
Marquis d’Angerville Clos des Ducs 2001. This wine showed fair volume and complexity in spite of the climatic challenges of the vintage. Rating: 88
Bouchard Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus 2001. Rich nose, not really of a piece yet but with there are suggestions of something deeper here, which certainly bodes well for the future. Rating: 88
Vincent Girardin Pommard Les Grands Epenots 2000. This showed funk in the nose, earth tones, and bark. A rustically styled and very clean wine. Rating: 88 Chateau Romanin Les Baux-de-Provence 1999. A biodynamic offering with loads of black fruit, black earth, cola nut, cherry, and a touch of herbaceousness. Tasted at Hotel Jules César, Arles. Rating: 88 Chateau Font du Broc 2000. This had a funky nose, a nice ruby color, concentrated red currant, peppercorn and orange zest. But real power and finesse are absent from the finish. Rating: 88 Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Guigone de Salins 1990. Rustic, with lovely garnet tints and cherry, cassis, vanilla and mint on the tongue-a bit furry in structure. Tasted at Hotel de la Poste, Beaune. Rating: 88
Travignoli Chianti Rufina 2001. Rich, earthy tones in the lovely nose. In the mouth, there’s a nice strawberry/plum/blueberry fruit complex along with exotic cloves and a slight acridity that dissipates after it’s been open for a while. Bark, tobacco, and tar notes leave it a little heavy and earthbound. Rather fat but not quite focused. The finish lingers very pleasantly. Very fine value at $11 retail. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils. Rating: 88
Mongeard-Mugneret Echézeaux 2000. Rather sweetish, with plum and even banana tones if a bit loose and insubstantial overall. Rating: 87 Rabiega Chateau d’Ière 1997. Garrigue nose and tones of spice and raisin. A well-concentrated wine which was darkly moody-no “New World” wine, this! Tasted at Hotel Martinez. Rating: 87
Charlopin Marsannay “En Montchenevoy” 2000. Still immature, but showing fine cassis, black truffles and still-unresolved tannins. Tasted at Bernard Loiseau Restaurant, Saulieu. Rating: 87
Marquis d’Angerville Volnay Champans 2001. Holds notes of black cherry, loads of fruit, bark, and lead pencil, but doesn’t show as much volume in the mouth as the Clos des Ducs. Rating: 87
Domaine Remizières Crozes Hermitage Cuvée Christophe 1998. Dark red in color, simple and imprecise but with good concentration of red fruit and roasted chocolate flavors. Tasted at Kasteel Wittem, Holland. Rating: 87
Chateau Fombrauge Saint Emilion 1998. This grand cru is deeply colored and well-concentrated, with ripe black fruit, black peppercorn, furry tannins and a rather short finish. Rating: 87
Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Les Millandes 2001. Holds rich red fruit, clay, pepper and clove with a sturdy rustic personality. Rating: 87
Mouton Cadet Rouge 2000. A rich blackberry bouquet with cinnamon and cola in the mouth leads to a quick finish. Even this entry-level wine contains hints of the power of the already famous 2000 vintage. Good value at $9 retail. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections. Rating: 86
Vieux Télégraphe “La Crau” Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1998. Volatile on opening, this medium-bodied wine gradually improved with decanter time to reveal rich elements of jam, herbs and spice. Tasted at La Cabro d’Or, Les Baux de Provence. Rating: 86
Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin 2001. A light-to-medium bodied village wine that showed cassis, spice along with berry jam and pleasantly dark “roasted” tones. >Rating: 86
Bouchard Monthélie 2001. This “entry-level” Burgundy sells for around $18 in the United States, and is likely intended to compete with the recent blizzard of New World offerings. It is a light-to-medium red color, with pleasant berry and cherry flavors-supple, fruity, neither objectionable nor particularly exciting. Rating: 86
Bouchard Beaune Clos de la Mousse 2001. Showed light color, some forest floor funk, and attractive red cherry fruit. Rating: 86 La Carletta Morellino di Scansano 2000. Rosebud and cinnamon bouquet, bright cherry and cranberry fruit in the peppery body with a slightly flat, metallic finish. $13. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils. Rating: 85 Codirosso Chianti 2001. Four-square structure with prune, raspberry and cherry in the mouth and a fairly good tannic backbone; with time, it will grow plusher. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils. Rating: 84 François Collard Chateau Mourgues du Gres “Les Galets Rouges” Costières de Nîmes 2001. This showed a fine bouquet of vanilla and blueberry but was flawed on the palate, leaving only sour brine and dirt in a fading finish. Tasted at La Bastide St. Antoine, France. Rating: 79
Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 1993. This well-structured white Burgundy initially shows a reticent nose of green apple before blossoming beautifully to display rich, earthy, mineral tones on the palate. Tasted at Moulin de Mougins, France. Rating: 94 Bernard Morey Meursault-Genevrières 1995. Tart and closed when first poured, it opened over an hour’s time to release subtly perfumed aromas. Scintillating, chewy, and beautifully structured, this wine has “all the honey of a Meursault and all the mint of a Genevrières,” as Sommelier Ozzello puts it. Tasted at Ostau de Baumanière, France. Rating: 93
Bouchard 2001 Chevalier-Montrachet. This top-flight wine has green fruits (kiwi and lime) along with fat, stone, beautiful nuance, and a delicious finish. Rating: 93
Vincent Girardin Corton Charlemagne 2001. Very supple and elegant, with ripe fruit, superb minerality and very good length in the mouth. Impressive indeed! Rating: 93
Meo-Camuzet (Domaine St-Philibert) Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 1996. A well-structured wine that shows rusticity in its rich mushroom nose before opening to a more refined and delicate palate of strawberries and spices. Tasted at Restaurant Le Morillon, Beaune, France. Rating: 92
Bouchard Corton-Charlemagne 2001 showed extraordinary complexity of mineral tones along with white pepper spice; this wine finishes long and has fine aging potential. Rating: 92
Bouchard Meursault-Genevrières 2001. Very fine: elegant, restrained, almost austere, with a lovely floral nose along with hints of smoke, fat and strawberry in the mouth: this has considerable promise! Rating: 91
Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 2001. Deep, with nuts, butter, toast, and medium acidity-rich and long in the mouth with delicious hints of lime. Rating: 90
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot Monopole 1999. Straw yellow in color. This displayed notes of smoke, minerality, and a touch of rather cloying sweetness as it stuck to the palate with overrich honey-but the finish was impressively long. Tasted at Blakes Amsterdam. Rating: 90
Cortenova Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 2002. Perfumed nose. Wet straw, lemon grass, vanilla, honey, and white plum show on the palate along with subdued mineral notes and a good finish. Drinks best very chilled. Excellent Value at only $7 retail! Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils. Rating: 87
Vincent Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet Les Morgeots 2001. A racy, fruity, easy-drinking wine that shows citrus in the nose and a touch of sour green in the otherwise well-structured palate. Rating: 87
Bouchard Meursault Les Clous 2001. A bit thin, but fruity and clearly defined. Rating: 86
Château Puligny-Montrachet Saint Aubin “En Remilly” 1998. Exhibits mushrooms, apples, and slight fatness before finishing on a mild note of sourness. Tasted at Bernard Loiseau Restaurant, Saulieu, France. Rating: 86
Mouton Cadet Blanc 2001. Floral overtones with apples and oak in this tart, dry, medium-bodied, and rather well-knit wine: $9 retail. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections. Rating: 86
Joseph Mellot Poilly-Fumé “Grand Cuvée des Edvins” 1998. This wine was slightly sour with notes of green apples and never really came to life. Tasted at La Bastide St. Antoine, France. Rating: 84
Drappier Grand Cuveé 1996. The champagne displayed a fine minerality and good levels of acidity along with rich tones of toast and caramel-fat and satiny, with a deep and long finish-one of the finest ‘96s we’ve tasted yet. Tasted at the Amstel Hotel, Amsterdam. Rating: 94
Gosset Celebris 1995. An all grand cru offering made from a blend of 54% Pinot Noir, 46% Chardonnay. This champagne has it all: a fine bead, a delicate floral bouquet, mixed citrus fruit, and good concentration on the palate along with an impressively lingering finish. Rating: 93
Tarlant Cuvée Louis Brut is named in honor of family ancestor Louis Tarlant. We tasted a Cuvée Louis, 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir of grapes from 1994 and 1995 vintages. In view of the maturity of the fruit, the dosage was kept to only 5.7. Benoit Tarlant, representing the family’s new generation, calls this “terroir vineyard product.” It is fermented only in barrel. The nose is complex, with notes of baked bread, cooked apple, hazelnut and butter showing along with a beautiful bead and a lingering finish. Jean-Mary Tarlant insists that “a great wine requires grapes of great quality,” and exceptional grape quality is surely evident in the Cuvée Louis. Rating: 93
Jacquart Cuvée 1986. This finely focused champagne was radiantly yellow in color, with lingering notes of honeysuckle, pear, white plum, apple cider and caramel on the palate. Tasted at Bernard Loiseau Restaurant, Saulieu, France. Rating: 92
Mailly Cuvée Les Échansons 1995 is produced from Mailly’s oldest vines and finest parcels. Only 5000 bottles were made in 1995; this cuvée was also made in 1996 and 1998. We noted a delicately ticklish bead along with apple and pear tones, light but intriguing minerality and fine balance. The champagne would go well with rich products like foie gras, lobster, or even cigars. Rating: 92
Gosset Celebris Rosé 1998 is made from seven different grands crus, is impeccably fresh with ripe red berries in the mouth and hints of mineral and exotic spice in the finish. Rating: 92
Cattier Clos du Moulin. A terroir product made entirely from the grapes of the clos itself. The parcel lies on a hilltop that receives plenty of sun and wind, keeping rot at bay. In a blend of the fine 1993, 1995, and 1996 vintages, the nose is very fresh, the body is sweet and creamy with hints of wild strawberry and cherry along with good minerality and an impressively long finish. This champagne has good aging potential. Rating: 91-92
Mailly Brut Millésimé 1996 shows the supportive acidity considered characteristic of this vintage, a veritable macédoine of fruity notes, and the promise of good cellaring potential. Rating: 91
Mailly Cuvée L’Intemporelle Millésimé 1996 is made of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. A rich bouquet of white peaches and mangoes, along with good grape maturity. (“It’s more feminine,” notes Chef de Cave Hevré Dantan.) Rating: 91
Philipponnat “Grand Blanc” 1996. This crisp and refined 100% grand cru displays delicate notes of butter, white flowers and champignons de Paris along with a nice citrone finish-not a lot of structure here, though. Tasted at Royal Champagne, France. Rating: 90
Gosset Grand Millésimé 1996. Very well crafted, revealing tart white fruit and intriguing mineral notes. Rating: 90
Tarlant Rosé Prestige Millésimé 1996. This has a reticent nose, but is very fresh and with good acidity. Rating: 90
Mailly Blanc de Noirs is a winner: silky, with fruit, body, power and finesse. Rating: 89
Tarlant Brut Zéro is very good indeed; which as the name promises it has no dosage, allowing dry, earthy notes and fresh, clean, and round impressions to predominate. (It’s not everybody’s champagne; this is a bottling for connoisseurs.) Rating: 89
Vilmart & Cie "Cuvee Grand Cellier" NV. Light honey and toasted hazelnuts, light but well structured, with nice acidity, lovely bead, and strong vanilla notes. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. Rating: 89.
Gosset Grand Reserve. Crisp, elegant, and nicely balanced. Rating: 88
Tarlant Blanc de Blancs is harvested from wines on a sandy, chalky grade of soil, bringing a rounder touch to the chardonnay; it showed lovely apple tones and a nice smoky finish. Rating: 88
Mailly Brut Rosé is very crisp and substantial for a Rosé-it could be served in accompaniment of an entire meal. Rating: 88
Cattier Millésime 1996. White flower and white peach show; the bead is a little coarse. Rating: 87
Mailly Brut Reserve is nicely structured and clean, its austerity rounded by hints of caramel. Rating: 86
Cattier Brut NV. Revealed peach, apricot, and a touch of harshness late in the palate. Rating: 84
Francis Darroze Armagnac 1956 (Selection Roger Vergé) Chestnut in color and displaying notes of petrol, faded cranberry, kumquat and rust, this was rough and volatile in spite of its age. Tasted at Moulin de Mougins, France. Rating: 86
Domaine du Comte de Vogüé Bonnes Mares 1990. Powerful, hedonistic aromatics of musk, cherry, and chocolate lead to chewy tannins, licorice and a fabulously long finish. This beautifully constructed wine exhibits superb finesse. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 97
Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin 1989.
Rich cherry bouquet leads to a suite of darkish tones: this is almost endlessly complex and captivating! Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 96
Domaine Robert Arnoux Romanée-St.-Vivant 1995. Bouquet leaps from the glass. Rounded in the mouth, fine spice, quite approachable yet slightly imprecise towards the end. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 94
Château Troplong-Mondot 1989. Elegant, silky, and fully mature. Tasted at Tan Dinh, Paris, France. Rating: 94
Lynch-Bages Pauillac 1996. Excellent concentration of ripe fruit, with cassis, chocolate, and black currant flavors along with sweet tannins. This fabulously constructed wine shows fine finesse and is likely to continue to improve for another 8-10 years. Pairs beautifully with lamb! Tasted at Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, France. Rating: 93-94
Domaine Mongeard Mugneret Richebourg 1990. Rustic; perhaps slightly monolithic. Fully mature and beginning to drop its fruit yet still quite fascinating. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 93
Château de Carles (Fronsac) 1989. Lush and well integrated with plenty of life yet. Impressive. Tasted at Tan Dinh, Paris, France. Rating: 93
Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru “Les Cras.” 1998. The densely aromatic nose showed outstanding complexity, along with plenty of spice on the palate. Tasted at Tan Dinh, Paris, France. Rating: 93
Domaine Armand Rousseau "Clos St Jacques" Gevrey-Chambertin 1994. From a rather poor quality vintage, this 1994 is a considerable success. Rounded and fully mature, its deep ruby color fading to orange at the edges of the glass, this Burgundy makes up in complexity what it lacks in concentration. Sipping it is like observing a performance where different dancers prance across a stage: first there's pepper, then decadent fruit, and then it's on to a lingering finish. Tasted at the Phoenician Resort, Scottsdale. Rating: 92
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1999. This outstanding Grenache shows herbs in the nose while exhibiting outstanding concentration and structure with ripe red cherry and lead pencil notes on the tongue. Dark and complex, it lacks even the slightest suggestion of heaviness. Tasted at The Phoenician Resort, Scottsdale. Rating: 92
Camus Père et Fils Mazoyères Chambertin 1989. Rather past its prime and fading to a translucent orange-garnet color, yet the beauty was still very much present. The wine had extraordinary mushroom nose, with exotic cardamon and pomegranate notes on the palate extending to a long and subtle finish. Tasted at Mouin du Roc, France. Rating: 92
Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1999. Red meat and herbs were impressively displayed in this Mortet offering-along with exotic Asian spice and just a trace of herbaceousness in the finish. Tasted at La Bonne Etape, France. Rating: 91
Latour Pauillac 1967. Orange at the rim, very finely sedimented, and mellow (if perhaps a trace dissipated) on the tongue, but also still rather ripe and generous, providing yet one more proof that a top winery can fashion lasting excellence even in a less-than-stellar vintage. Tasted at Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, France. Rating: 91
Grant Burge Filsell Vineyard Barossa 2000. Deep purple color, shading to crimson close to the rim. Flavor explodes in the mouth with blueberries, cassis, mint chocolate and black earth, while a strong graphite backbone leads inexorably to a long finish. This Shiraz is an exceptional effort from a less-than-stellar Barossa vintage. Given its abundant tannins and stiff backbone, it will continue to improve for up to 15 more years under proper cellaring. Good value at $25 retail. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections. Rating: 91
Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée 1996. With a nose of rich toffee and caramel, this Vosne-Romanée delivers mouth-puckering tannins along with concentrated plum flavors, lead pencil and rich cinnamon spice. This self-described "table wine" is like handing a Rolls Royce off to your teenage kid-that's to say: this is one heck of a table wine. Imported by Seagram Chateau & Estate. Rating: 91
Marchesi de Barolo-Barolo 1997. Deep red, this wine exhibits a playful nose along with elements of rich cassis, currant, cherry, spice and dark chocolate on the palate. There are enough chewy tannins to last another decade in this a strong effort from an outstanding vintage. Tasted at North restaurant, Scottsdale. Rating: 91
Lynmar (Quail Hill) Russian River Valley 1999. This dense and weighty Pinot Noir exhibits huge spice on the attack with jammy black cherry fruit predominating thereafter. Tasted at A Different Pointe of View restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 91
Adrian Fog Anderson Valley 1999. Floral, spicy, and positively dripping with rich notes of plum, this micro-production offering succeeds with a difficult grape to yield one of California's finest Pinot Noirs. Tasted at The Ventana Room restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 90
Domaine Thierry Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 2000. Ruby color. Displays cinnamon and cocoa on the palate with a tangy, spicy finish. This medium-bodied wine is tight, well structured and will improve for three or four more years. A perfect steal at $16 retail! Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 90
Geantet-Pansiot, Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Jeunes Rois” 1999. Its voluptuous body opens to yield bark, tobacco, black plum and smoke with deliciously dark overtones. Finishes strongly. “Être Sobre C’est Boire Bon.” Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 90
Jamet Côte Rôtie 1998. Rather heavily oaked, ruby-black color with a bouquet of roasted fruits, red meat, prune, leather leather, and characteristic garrigue notes in the palate. This promising youngster has stiff tannins that will likely resolve in the years to come. Tasted at La Bonne Etape, France. Rating: 90
Chateau St-Julien d’Aille “Triumvir des Rimbauds” 1999. Aged 1 year in oak and 2 in bottle, this shows butter, fat, lovely chocolate-like Syrah aromas in the nose. A bit green on the attack, the wine has very good concentration-a well-balanced, prune-jammy offering that displayed rich coffee notes in the finish. Tasted at Bastide de Tourtour, France. Rating: 90
Puech Haut Côteaux de Languedoc 1999. Jammy and medium-to-heavy bodied. Cherry, blackberry, black coffee, licorice and currant are powerfully present: yes, a “fruit bomb,” but a good one! Tasted at Chateau de Salettes, France. Rating: 90.
Domaine les Hautes Cances, Cairanne “Cuvée Tradition” 2000. Deep garnet color. There are tones of porcini mushrooms, globs of raspberries, cherries and cassis with pleasant minerality in this Côtes du Rhône. There’s a fleshy fruitiness and power here, leading to a concentrated finish of burnt orange and spice. It carries sufficient structure and tannin to last it until 2010. Great value at $14 retail! Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 89-90 Guigal Brune et Blonde Côte Rôtie 1998. Elegant and restrained, this purplish-red effort shows a rich bouquet and plenty of chewy tannins in the body. This famous producer continues to yield consistent quality even in the face of expanding production. Tasted at The Ventana Room restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 90
Chambolle-Musigny 1996. This Grand Cru Burgundy has flavors of blackberries, cherries, allspice and smoke, passing into a lingering finish. Tasted at Le St. Germain restaurant, Indian Wells. Rating: 90
Grant Burge Holy Trinity Barossa 1999. This 47% Grenache, 27% Shiraz and 47% Mourdevre blend is medium-to-full bodied with a tightly-knit structure. In the bouquet it shows kirsch, dirt, and mint. On the palate, there's a velvety finesse with strawberry and cherry fruit flavors and provençal herbs before a fairly brief finish. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections. $33 retail. Rating: 89.
Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz Barossa 2000. With a complex nose of leather and plum, this thick, dense, tightly-structured wine exhibits a voluptuous fruit body of cherries and blueberries along with generous amounts of pepper, cassis, and licorice. Very fine value at $15 retail. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections.Rating: 89
Vigna della Forte Rossso di Montalcino 1999. From a superb Tuscan vintage, this Sangiovese holds flavors of black cherry, plum and road tar. It shows a bristling backbone and finishes with pepper and cinnamon: quite dark in mood and quite to our liking. Tasted at Janos Restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 89
Colli Amerini Torraccio Umbria 1998. Opaque, purple-reddish color with a floral-jammy bouquet. Shows a trace of dampness out of the bottle but improves nicely after an hour in the decanter. This Sangiovese yields strawberry and dark cherry flavors and is well-structured with a pleasantly darkish, brooding character and a long chocolate finish. Rating: 89
Du Mal Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2000. Elegant plum, orange, musk, leather and nutmeg hints over light tannins. Very satisfying and works beautifully with duck. Tasted at Meadowood, St. Helena, California. Rating: 89
Domaine Heresztyn Pinot Fin Gevrey-Chambertin 1999. Red violet color, undeveloped nose. Showed light peppery spice and black plummy fruit with chalky characters in medium-long finish. Tannin and fruit are nicely balanced in this rustically-style wine, which will need a few more years to come into its own. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 88
Chateau de Ségriès Lirac Cuvée Réservée 2000. Violets appear in the nose. A nicely fat, medium-full bodied offering that shows herbs, ripe red berry fruit, tobacco, and plenty of pepper on the palate. Some harsh tannin leaves this less than completely harmonious, but fine value nonetheless at $12. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 88
ZD Pinot Noir Carneros 1999. Oaky and tannic with pepper and licorice. Tasted at Meadowood, St. Helena, California. Rating: 88
Carrone St. Gemmé Haut-Médoc 1996. This Cru Bourgeois displays caramel in the nose and is surprisingly forward on the attack. Lead pencil and soft tannins are displayed to fine effect in the mid-palate and finish. It lacks the complexity and the precision we've noted in some other productions from this excellent '96 Bordeaux vintage, however. Tasted at Le Vallauris restaurant, Palm Springs. Rating: 88
Monbousquet St. Emilion 1994. The first full year vintage to be released after the acclaimed Mr. Perse acquired the property in 1993. Nicely extracted with currant, blueberries and graphite on the palate and a somewhat herbaceous, short, furry Merlot finish. Tasted at Hostellerie de Plaisance, France. Rating: 88.
Louis Latour Nuits-St.-Georges 1996. This light-bodied Latour offerings shows fine Asian spice. It is, however, fully mature and beginning to fade in color, with the fruit dropping before the tannin. Tasted at Le Metropole, France. Rating: 87.
Chateau Duluc Saint Julien 1999. Branaire-Ducru’s second wine, this medium-bodied offering showed nice spice along with as yet unintegrated alcohol and tannin. Tasted at Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, France. Rating: 87.
Domaine de Coussergues Vieilles Vignes 2001. outh, where playful notes of pepper and berries are revealed along with a trace of herbaceousness. Built to last another three or four years in the cellar, this is good value at $10. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 87
Gigi Rosso Barolo 1998. From the exceptional 1998 Piedmontese vintage, this Gigi Rosso shows a fine, buttery nose which promises slightly more than the wine actually delivers. Already fully approachable, it lacks backbone but finishes on a pleasant cassis note. Tasted at Mama Gina, Palm Springs. Rating: 87
Joseph Voillot "Clos Michault" Pommard Côte D'Or 1997. This tiny production (60 cases) selection has a light-to-medium body with plum, lead pencil, and black pepper characters. After a soft attack, the wine unfolds rather elegantly in the mouth as it leads towards a spicy finish. Tasted at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson. Rating: 87
Domaine de la Brune Coteaux du Languedoc 2001. 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Carignan. With a light bouquet of sweet cherries, this medium-bodied wine pleases with its highlights of red raspberries, black pepper and leather and a gentle but lingering finish. Retails for $9. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 86
Domaine du Pere Caboche Elisabeth Chambellan Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1999. Lead pencil, red berries, kirsch and herbs are nicely displayed in this light-to-medium bodied wine. Lacks the concentration one might look for here. Rating: 87
Pierre-Jacques Druet Grand Mont Bourgueil Val de Loire 1996. Very supple with a buttery nose, a ruby-garnet color, and solid tannins; it finished too quickly. Tasted at Jean Bardet, Tours, France. Rating: 87
Jean Nau Bourgueil 1982. Sweet cherry nose. Light-bodied and still seemingly young, with no signs of browning-but neither had age lent it much in the way of additional complexity. There are a few nuances of red raspberries and red licorice in the mid-palate, but it finishes short. Tasted at Jean Bardet, Tours, France. Rating: 87
Uggiano Chianti Riserva 1997. This supple and seductively charming wine shows caramel and vanilla in the nose, with ripe cranberry fruit and lead pencil on the palate, and globs of chocolate appearing in the finish. One can almost taste the hot Tuscan sun! Tasted at Delizie d’Uggiano, Paris, France. Rating: 87
Edmeades Pinot Noir 1998. This imposingly big wine reveals hints of dark cherries, chocolate and exotic spice, while its rather unfocussed structure detracts from the overall impression. Tasted at Ledford House, Mendocino, California. Rating: 86
Fontanabianca Barbaresco 1998. Featuring a light nose and pepper, cherry, and caramel on the palate along with a slightly unpleasant aspect of graphite, this wine came as something of a small disappointment to us considering the high overall quality of this vintage. Tasted at the Ventana Room restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 86
Baron Philippe de Rothschild Escudo Rojo 2001. This crimson-colored Chilean blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Carmenère and 10% Cabernet Franc is forward and supple with currant and mineral elements. Overall it's rather one-dimensional and finishes quickly. Retails for $15. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections. Rating: 85
Domaine La Bouvaude, Côte du Rhône Villages, “Rousset Les Vignes” 2000. This light-to-medium bodied wine shows kirsh in the nose and raspberries and cedar in the body along with the touch of unintegrated acid and a graphite bite. Very drinkable, but lacks punch. Retails for $12. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 85
Alain Jaume Côtes du Rhône 2001. Hints of pepper and cherry with a nice wrap. At only $9 retail, this pleasant drinking wine is more likely to complement your dinner than overwhelm it. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 85
Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Côtes de Nuits “Cuvée des Sames de Vergy” 2000. A light, pleasant Pinot Noir that shows ripe red fruit and nutmeg on the palate. Tasted at Le Jardin des Cygnes, Prince de Galles Hotel, Paris, France. Rating: 85
L’Ermitage de Chasse Spline (Haut-Médoc) 1998. Light and pleasant, this exhibits fresh red fruit and a balanced structure with not much backbone. Tasted at Terres de Truffes, France. Rating: 84.
Château de Vigiers, Côtes de Bergerac 1997. Offers a mid-palate of bright red berries and a somewhat herbaceous, bitter finish. Tated at Château de Vigiers, France. Rating: 84.
Viña Alarba Old Vines Grenache D.O. Calayatud 2001. Medium bodied, this light and playful Spanish wine has flavors of red cherries, red plum and a lingering, peppery finish. Works better with hard cheese or white meat than with paté or brie. Fine value at around $7 retail. Rated: 85
M. Picard Pinot Noir 1999. Disappointingly light, we found this wine insubstantial and uninteresting with only the slightest of herbs and spice to revive it in the quick finish. Rating: 79
Domaine Jean-François Coche-Dury Meursault Perrières 1993. Deliciously rounded and smooth, with nuts and butter in the mouth and a long finish. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 95
Louis Jadot Corton-Vergennes 1995. Golden yellow, displaying smoke and delicious funk in the nose as well as an unctuous fullness on the palate. Tasted at Tan Dinh, Paris, France. Rating: 94
Domaine Michel Niellon Bâtard-Montrachet 1994. Initially reticent, but opens dramatically after it is poured. Exibits delicate tones of vanilla and spice as it leads into a finish of power and length, with only a slight bitterness marring the impression towards the end. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 94
Biandadi Valguarneia 1989. This Sicilian wine is floral and musky, and the body and finish are exceptional. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 94
Vincent Girardin Corton Charlemagne 1998. Revealing the virtues of its blessed terroir, it displays the superb minerality, restraint and finish that are found in the finest white Burgundies. Tasted at Mary Elaine's restaurant, Scottsdale. Rating: 93
Domaine Chavy-Chouet Meursault “Les Narvaux” 2000. Bright yellow color with a rich nose of butter and rose-petals; unctuous, elegant and playful on the palate. Very fruity and showing a certain power and depth, it coats the mouth with rich lime and truffles leading into a finish lasting 30 seconds. This wine will continue to improve for at least several more years as its now-tart acids are more perfectly integrated. A very fine effort fairly priced at around $50 retail. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 92
Domaine/Maison Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1992. Fruity, with rich butter notes, a hint of grilled almond, and a rather abbreviated finish. Now drinking at its peak. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 92
Domaine de la Croix Senaillet Saint-Véran 2001 An unctuous body of pear and honey lead to a lingering, layered finish of rich pineapple. This 100% Chardonnay is exceptional value at $13! Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 91
Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1974. The color of refined gold, with a heady and complex nose of caramel, petrol and peat, it showed kumquat, white peach, and truffle in the mouth along just a slight sour bite before passing over to a lingering finish. Tasted at La Bonne Etape, France. Rating: 91
Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 1999. Delicate vanilla and musk notes in the lightly floral nose, with pineapple, pear, and fine minerality in the mouth. Tasted at Moulin du Roc, France. Rating: 90
Louis Latour Meursault 1999. Displays delicious funk and fat-a nicely structured offering with nicely metallic notes that is all very much of a piece. Tasted at Le Metropole, France. Rating: 90
Rupert & Rothschild Baroness Nadine Coastal Chardonnay 2000. Shows a tangerine bouquet; its pure, tightly-knit, mineral-rich body reveals butter and toast, mango and pineapple, and roasted hazelnuts in the long finish. This $26 South African selection should even cellar well for the next 5-7 years. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections. Rating: 90
Domaine Bouchard Meursault "Les Clous" 1998. This smoky and delicious medium-bodied offering exhibits toffee and vanilla in the nose, with apple and pear in the mouth and lingering into the finish. Tasted at Restaurant Oceana, Scottsdale. Rating: 90
Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1999. From an outstanding producer and a fine vintage, the wine reveals a medium body, graceful structure, and tantalizing floral and mineral notes. Tasted at The Phoenician Resort, Scottsdale. Rated: 90
J-M Boillot 2000 “Cru Montrevenots” Beaune 1er Cru. Beautifully structured, with rich flavor of caramel and hints of white plum, and still rather acidic. Tasted at le Cinq, Paris, France. Rating: 90
Domaine de la Condemine Mâcon-Péronne “Le Clou” 2001. Intense yellow color with a concentrated, lemony nose. Apple and apricot show in a rich, buttery body, and there is real depth and length in the finish. Tasty indeed! Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 89
Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Fontaine” 2001. Alain Jaume has produced a well-concentrated, well-structured, strongly-oaked wine in this 100% Roussane offering. With a medium straw-yellow color, the white-honey nose leads to interesting mineral tones and a medium-long finish on the palate. Aging is likely to further enhance the already rich flavors. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 89
Lynch Bages Blanc Pauillac 2000. Young, brash, and tart, with more complex notes of anise, stewed pear, and apricot leading to a strong finish. Tasted at Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, France. Rating: 89 Saint-Abdon Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru “Les Chaumées” 2001. Strongly aromatic with musk in the nose. On the palate, this shows white plum, white flowers, apricot, mineral notes, and slightly too much tartness. It moves rather swiftly into a well-focused finish. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 88
Domaine de Baumard “Clos du Papillon” Savennières 1999. Closed in the nose and supple on the palate with vanilla, silky honey and mineral tones, and plenty of interesting minerality. Tasted at Jean Bardet, Tours, France. Rating: 88
Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre 2001. Floral bouquet gives way to a rich body of fruit, flint, with a hint of licorice. Well-structured, with pleasant acidity and a full dry finish. Tasted at Sanctuary Camelback Resort. Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant. Rating: 88
François Cotat La Grande Côte Sancerre 2000. From one of this Loire Valley appellation's finest producers, this wine strikes dual notes of soprano and bass along in the flavors of its rich, chalky body. Tasted at Mary Elaine's restaurant, Scottsdale. Rated: 88
Bonterra Viognier Mendocino County 2001. This organic wine exhibits a rich floral nose and vanilla and apricot tones on the palate. Rating: 86
Hughes Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet Coteaux du Languedoc 2001. After a sweetly perfumed bouquet, this unusual Picpoul varietal displays rich butter and pleasant, crisp fruit. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 85
Domaine Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône, Blanc de Viognier 2001. Forward and fruity with vanilla and apricots in the mouth, and an alcoholic bite near the end. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils. Rating: 84
Hughes de Beauvignac, Vin de Pays des Côtes du Thau 2001. This Sauvignon Blanc has a sweetish nose and is drier in the body, where tart apples show. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 80
Cuvaison Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros 2000. Tart green apples on the tongue along with an unpleasant metallic-butter toast coming in at the end. Rating: 78
Laurent Perrier 1995. Brilliantly clean and dry with nice fruit, low acidity, and roasted hazelnuts in the mouth. Tasted at Bastide de Tourtour, France. Rating: 93.
Pommery 1996. Shows a bergamote nose; very clearly delineated, and delivers an elegant finish of great persistence. Tasted at La Bonne Etape, France. Rating: 92.
Trouillard Cuvée Diamant. Pours to a blizzard of effervescence in the glass. Lemony nose; very creamy with elements of vanilla, apricot, berry and truffle on the palate, and hazelnut and coriander seed in the finish. This is an excellent value in French Champagne at $33 retail from an under-recognized producer. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 92
Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs “Gastronome” 1996. Yeasty mushroom nose. Tangy apples and peaches bring a zesty acidity to the palate, lending a bracing aspect as it advances to a pleasantly persistent finish. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. Rating: 91
Trouillard Brut Blanc de Blancs NV. Pale golden color; creamy with ripe pear and lemon peel on the palate, and pronounced hazelnut and pink peppercorn in the finish. Clean, well-balanced and very successful at $33. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 90
Bollinger Special Cuvée NV.This 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Cardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier blend is for aged for 3 years in Bollinger cellars before it is released. Dry toast and roasted hazelnut in the nose with apple, pear and mineral tones on the palate-roasted hazelnut reappears in the finish. Imported by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. Rating: 89
Nicolas Feuillant “Cuvée Prestige” 1995. Its lemon nose gracefully opens onto notes of buttered toast and truffle on the palate, leading into a long and nutty finish. Tasted at Mas des Herbes Blanches, France. Rating: 91.
Trouillard Brut Extra Selection NV. Straw yellow in color with a reticent nose. Buttery, yeasty characteristics appear along with minerality and a pleasantly lingering taste of apricot in the finish. An elegant if rather subdued bottle at $26 retail. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 88
Champagne Besserat de Bellefon Blanc de Blancs NV. Very pale in color, delicate, austere with a touch of mineral and stone, nice grip and well-balanced. Tasted at Petrossian, Paris, France. Rating: 88.
Trouillard Brut Rosé NV. This rosé is salmon-colored and rather austere with stony minerality, dry toast, cherry and cassis in the mouth. Has some depth but wraps up fairly quickly. Retail price is $30. Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd. Rating: 88
Chateau de Simone Provence 2000. Vanilla bouquet, good balance, and deep notes of stewed fruit. Tasted at Les Saveurs, France. Rating: 86
Vranken Champagne Cuvée Demoiselle 1996. Showed truffle and pear on the nose along with a hint of harshness on the palate. One might have expected more. Tasted at Jean Bardet, Tours, France. Rating: 86.
Larmandier-Bernier Brut NV. The nose is the shortcoming-a trace of damp wood there. Displays fine bead while the fruit itself seems a trifle underripe. Pronounced almond and vanilla characters appear in an otherwise flattish finish. Not one of this excellent producer's best offerings in our view. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. Rating: 85
Taittinger "La Française" NV. This champagne showed ripe citrus on the attack along with a trace of poorly balanced acidity before opening to mellower tones of hazelnut and vanilla in the short finish. Tasted at Deseo Restaurant, Scottsdale. Rating: 83
Domaine Boinquères (Léon Lafitte) 1966 Armagnac. The deep amber color rounds towards chestnut, with rich, rounded, mellow flavor tones of stewed fruit and nuts. Private tasting with Axel Parkhouse, Dordogne, France. Rating: 94
Hine "Triomphe." This 50 year-old Grand Champagne cognac shows amber-orange in color while delivering rich, smoky, burnt-orange characters on the palate. Tasted at Windows on the Green restaurant, Scottdale. Rating: 94
Domaines Frapin Vintage 1983. This Grand Champagne Cognac opens to a rich floral bouquet, shows caramel and citrus on palate entry followed by an exceptionally full, round, and rich delivery. Tasted at Le St. Germain restaurant, Palm Springs. Rating: 93
Osborne Rare Sherry (Pedro Ximenez) Of great age; over the span of decades this sherry has gradually thickened its raisin and prune characters to slowly acquire all the rich and brooding unctuousness of dark, liquid chocolate. Tasted at a Different Pointe of View restaurant, Phoenix. Rating: 93
Roger Groult Calvados Pays D’Auge Vénérable (25 years). Mellow amber in color, this exhibits richly decadent flavors of kumquat, chutney and olive in the mouth. Tasted at Jean Bardet, Tours, France. Rating: 93
Francis Darroze Armagnac 1974. 7 yrs in cask. A chestnut brown color, it displays hickory, honey, and brown spice before delivering a spectacular, smoldering finish. Tasted at Janos Restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 92
Grosperrin Cognac 1954. Shows rich peat, orange and vanilla tones, and the volatility is nicely mellowed here by time. Tasted at Jean Bardet, Tours, France. Rating: 92
Domaine du Rieston Lacquy-Landes Armagnac 1975. Chestnut brown color with dried apricot and prune holding long into the finish. Tasted at Janos Restaurant, Tucson. Rating: 90
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 Vincent Girardin |
 Eric Beaumard Top wine expert
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