2008 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (9/1/2024)
Double decanted about 4 hours before consuming. There was a concerning note from a 2008 Barolo horizontal on this wine that prompted me to open it. My bottle was fantastic and advancing along the trajectory from the last bottle in 2020. The cork only had wine at the tip, nothing up the sides, so in perfect condition as far as visually. There is less of that ferrous quality I get from Francia in this vintage but all of the penetrating dark cherry and licorice notes. Lots of complexity on the nose with flowers, herbs, leather swirling around. I really loved the texture on the palate. Where the bottle in 2020 seemed coiled, this was much more generous and silky. It's getting pretty close to ideal for me, with a bit of upside. I'll wait 4-5 more years before drinking again. (94 points)
2012 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Greffieux-Bessards - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (9/1/2024)
It's been a while since I've had a bottle of this, but this one feels a bit clenched. The aromatic complexity of Hermitage is there, deep dark fruits, leather, game, some violets and spices but the structure is a little bit obtrusive. Not so much as to make it unenjoyable, but I would prefer a little more resolution. This isn't quite at year 15, so maybe that's when to check in. It also could be that this was the last bottle of several that night and palate fatigue had set in. Perhaps it would have shown better showcased on its own. (92 points)
2016 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (9/1/2024)
Starting to get some mature notes with the fruit starting to bruise. There is a real density here and underlying chalky structure but I think it has plateaued and should be consumed in the next 5 years or so. I might keep one as a science experiment, but I'd hate to waste its glory. (92 points)
2019 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (9/1/2024)
Such a lovely wine. Bright but with some Chenin fruit weight on the palate. Has settled down a bit and is firmly in its window but should hold for at least 5 years, maybe longer. (91 points)
2019 Domaine Comtesse de Cherisey Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru La Genelotte - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru (9/1/2024)
Another excellent bottle of this that really hits a stylistic sweet spot for me. Plenty of fruit but mineral infused with plenty of acid structure and depth. Ready now for me, so have at it. (93 points)
2018 Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (9/3/2024)
My first bottle of this. This vintage is on the lighter end for this wine. Classic Radda Sangiovese with bright cherry fruit with balancing savory notes. There is tannic grip at the end which works well with food. This doesn't have the depth to make old bones, I don't think, but isn't quite peaking. I think 2-3 more years should get it there but it is very pleasant now so no reason to wait if you have multiple bottles. (91 points)
2016 Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (9/5/2024)
I've had a bunch of this without updating with a note. This still has structure, which helps with food, but has really started to turn silky. There is the deep, pristine black cherry fruit with savory herbs and leather and a black mineral earth note that I can't fully describe but seems endemic to this wine. Delicious and firmly in the zone now but should drink well for another decade, maybe longer. Opened after two bottles were corked and the last glass was the best, so might be even better with better bottle prep. (93 points)
2017 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (9/6/2024)
Opened right before dinner so , inevitably, the last bit was the best. I was expecting this to be immediately open and silky, but it wasn't. Well fruited, but the oak stood out a bit for me. Over 45 minutes it came together some, but still needs time or air to come together. Lots of promise though. Try again in a year or two. (88 points)
2022 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barbera d'Alba Aves - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (9/7/2024)
Rich, fruity, and silky Barbera. I agree with other notes that it could use some acidity to balance the richness, but it is certainly enjoyable. It may gain complexity with a few years but there's no reason not to drink now. (89 points)
2023 Monte Rio Cellars Côt - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi (9/7/2024)
It's got the label of CRB Côt, but it's not quite the wine. Nice try, though. Breezy and refreshing with sappy berry fruit and a kind of spring meadow herbal florality. No noticeable tannin. Glou-glou for sure. There's a place for this. I'm not sure I'll seek it out, but am more than happy to drink it. (87 points)
2016 Ceritas Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/8/2024)
It's been a few years since I've had a bottle of this. I was expecting the more showy, exotic style I normally get from Heintz (which can have some junior Bongran type notes) but this was more citrus and mineral driven. Although it's nice enough to drink now, it does seem to still be a bit on the young side. (91 points)
2021 Guy Breton Morgon P'tit Max - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (9/8/2024)
Wow, this was a surprise. This comes from really old vines and is generally quite concentrated and heady. This is labeled at 12% abv with really light color. It's very Gamay with fragrant berries and lilacs. Generally lithe and linear with a juicy finish. Has an old vine sappiness to the fruit without much weight. I don't expect this to age but for drinking over the next few years, it's a delightful blast from the past. (91 points)
2019 Caparsa Chianti Classico Riserva Doccio a Matteo - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (9/10/2024)
Maybe a little chewier than the last bottle, so it could be shutting down a bit, hard to know. As I wrote previously, "Really pure Sangiovese fruit, if a little on the darker side. All of the other herbal, leather, floral components of Radda. I keep coming back to the depth of fruit. If this develops like I think it will, it will end up being really outstanding." That's pretty much where we are now. (92 points)
2020 Podere le Boncie (Giovanna Morganti) Chiesamonti Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (9/14/2024)
These wines really hit a sweet spot for me. It's a shame about the pricing because I think they are meant to be drunk with abandon, not hoarded. This hits a perfect sweet spot between joyous glou-glou and a more serious interpretation of CC. Really sappy, driving fruit, bright and sparkly. There is more structure than the Trame and you can feel the tannins a bit, but man is it fun to drink. I don't think a bottle lasts 30 minutes in our house. For some reason the Cinque doesn't really come to my market because I'd love to have some to keep me from drinking all of these. Good to go now for as long as you can keep your hands off bottles. (93 points)
2015 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/15/2024)
Really starting to pay off on the promise from a few years ago. There is a density to the yellow fruits laced with lemon curd and minerals. There is tautness aligned to that density that drives through the finish and bodes well for a bit more future development. It's in a good place now, no need to wait. (93 points)
2018 Weiser-Künstler Trabener Gaispfad Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (9/15/2024)
I think MFW captured the essence f this wine pretty well. There is a baked tree fruit element with a hint of ginger but what really strikes me is the "creamed corn" of rocks. I get that note on these wines consistently, so it must be some mix of the farming and ambient yeasts. I've had a better bottle of this and it really didn't work with dinner, so I opened something else. Came back a couple days later and it hadn't really budged. I'm not sure I see this improving much and it would probably show better in a different context. (90 points)
2021 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (9/19/2024)
Very similar to the bottle back in March. There is a real vibrancy to the fruit as deep and dark as it is. I get this dark earth, licorice, espresso savory mélange from Pagani that undergirds the fruit in a savory way. Silky and voluptuous through the palate, well shaped by acidity and buried structure. I sure hope future vintages are like this one. It's open enough to drink now, but will be fascinating to follow. (92 points)
1995 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Mountain - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain (9/21/2024)
Simply spellbinding. Has a dark, gravelly edge to the mature black currant fruit. Licorice and graphite complexity as well as some savory leather notes. The fruit is still present and really deep. There are just enough tannins to provide resistance to the lamb it was served with. I think this is a wine I could identify blind. They really don't make them like this anymore. Patrick Campbell left us quite the legacy of great, singular wines. (96 points)
2005 Ch“teau Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/21/2024)
The best bottle I've had of this by far. Th elements have come together a mix of dark berry fruits with cedar and tobacco. Very well shaped in the mouth. To me, this has entered a very nice drinking window. (93 points)
2016 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #3 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (9/21/2024)
Quite a lovely showing for this. It has rounded out just a bit and the fruit is a little more mature and pliant, but still has its saline mineral grip. Delicious now. Goes fast so have a second bottle of something ready. (92 points)
2018 Beta Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Moon Mountain District (9/21/2024)
This was very good and really benefitted from some decanting. Everything unclenched a bit. More to a dark berry side of Cabernet than full black currant, with a savory edge to the fruit. Medium bodied and well structured, but not over structured once it got some air. I think in another 2-3 years it will start to mellow out a bit and gain some more complexity. There is potential upside. A definitively different style than most CA Cabernet. Worth trying even if it won't be for everyone. (91 points)
2022 Domaine Bertrand Bachelet Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sous Roche Dumay Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (9/21/2024)
I've never had a wine from this producer and purchased this at the suggestion of someone at Divvino in the Marais. It was a perfectly decent, but unexciting bottle of St. Aubin. Not particularly cut, nor blowsy, but a straightforward and balanced presentation of Chardonnay from Burgundy. Good to go now. I'd try again if it were a good value. I haven't seen these offered in the US. (88 points)
2012 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (9/26/2024)
This has progressed some since my last bottle, but the chalky structure is still in charge. Nice mix of fruits with savory notes. Has that really vivid, tart, chalky length that is such a Croix Boissée signature. Truly a grand cru site. This still has a couple of years to go before it is truly at peak. (90 points)
2009 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (9/27/2024)
Beautiful nose of spice box and pure black cherry. Acidity gives it good shape and the tannic structure has mostly been resolved. There is a real persistence to the fruit with the spices joined by some leather and orange zest. Firmly in a great drinking window. (94 points)
2009 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (9/27/2024)
Deeply fruited nose with damp earth. A slight herbal edge to the dark fruits and that telltale chalky quality of Poyeux. It has that refinement and silkiness that the Foucault's craft into their wines. This will certainly last for years but is drinking great now. (94 points)
2013 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (9/28/2024)
It's been almost exactly four years since my last bottle. Gorgeous Chaignots perfume of spice and forest over silky red fruits. There is a fine bead of acidity that pulls the center of this wine down the palate. It's more silky than juicy at this juncture, but the mineral twang is still there on the finish. I'm not sure there is a more consistently superb wine in all of Burgundy, no matter what age I always find it delicious. I'll plan on drinking my remaining bottles in the next 5 years. (93 points)
2018 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (9/28/2024)
The Chaignots went so quickly that we needed more wine. This has lots of fruit but had a glossy oak veneer. Silky and long with deep finishing fruit. Given past performance, I'm sure it will come together in 3-4 years (the last 2015 I had was great). (89+ points)
Double decanted about 4 hours before consuming. There was a concerning note from a 2008 Barolo horizontal on this wine that prompted me to open it. My bottle was fantastic and advancing along the trajectory from the last bottle in 2020. The cork only had wine at the tip, nothing up the sides, so in perfect condition as far as visually. There is less of that ferrous quality I get from Francia in this vintage but all of the penetrating dark cherry and licorice notes. Lots of complexity on the nose with flowers, herbs, leather swirling around. I really loved the texture on the palate. Where the bottle in 2020 seemed coiled, this was much more generous and silky. It's getting pretty close to ideal for me, with a bit of upside. I'll wait 4-5 more years before drinking again. (94 points)
2012 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Greffieux-Bessards - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (9/1/2024)
It's been a while since I've had a bottle of this, but this one feels a bit clenched. The aromatic complexity of Hermitage is there, deep dark fruits, leather, game, some violets and spices but the structure is a little bit obtrusive. Not so much as to make it unenjoyable, but I would prefer a little more resolution. This isn't quite at year 15, so maybe that's when to check in. It also could be that this was the last bottle of several that night and palate fatigue had set in. Perhaps it would have shown better showcased on its own. (92 points)
2016 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (9/1/2024)
Starting to get some mature notes with the fruit starting to bruise. There is a real density here and underlying chalky structure but I think it has plateaued and should be consumed in the next 5 years or so. I might keep one as a science experiment, but I'd hate to waste its glory. (92 points)
2019 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (9/1/2024)
Such a lovely wine. Bright but with some Chenin fruit weight on the palate. Has settled down a bit and is firmly in its window but should hold for at least 5 years, maybe longer. (91 points)
2019 Domaine Comtesse de Cherisey Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru La Genelotte - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru (9/1/2024)
Another excellent bottle of this that really hits a stylistic sweet spot for me. Plenty of fruit but mineral infused with plenty of acid structure and depth. Ready now for me, so have at it. (93 points)
2018 Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (9/3/2024)
My first bottle of this. This vintage is on the lighter end for this wine. Classic Radda Sangiovese with bright cherry fruit with balancing savory notes. There is tannic grip at the end which works well with food. This doesn't have the depth to make old bones, I don't think, but isn't quite peaking. I think 2-3 more years should get it there but it is very pleasant now so no reason to wait if you have multiple bottles. (91 points)
2016 Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (9/5/2024)
I've had a bunch of this without updating with a note. This still has structure, which helps with food, but has really started to turn silky. There is the deep, pristine black cherry fruit with savory herbs and leather and a black mineral earth note that I can't fully describe but seems endemic to this wine. Delicious and firmly in the zone now but should drink well for another decade, maybe longer. Opened after two bottles were corked and the last glass was the best, so might be even better with better bottle prep. (93 points)
2017 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (9/6/2024)
Opened right before dinner so , inevitably, the last bit was the best. I was expecting this to be immediately open and silky, but it wasn't. Well fruited, but the oak stood out a bit for me. Over 45 minutes it came together some, but still needs time or air to come together. Lots of promise though. Try again in a year or two. (88 points)
2022 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barbera d'Alba Aves - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (9/7/2024)
Rich, fruity, and silky Barbera. I agree with other notes that it could use some acidity to balance the richness, but it is certainly enjoyable. It may gain complexity with a few years but there's no reason not to drink now. (89 points)
2023 Monte Rio Cellars Côt - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi (9/7/2024)
It's got the label of CRB Côt, but it's not quite the wine. Nice try, though. Breezy and refreshing with sappy berry fruit and a kind of spring meadow herbal florality. No noticeable tannin. Glou-glou for sure. There's a place for this. I'm not sure I'll seek it out, but am more than happy to drink it. (87 points)
2016 Ceritas Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/8/2024)
It's been a few years since I've had a bottle of this. I was expecting the more showy, exotic style I normally get from Heintz (which can have some junior Bongran type notes) but this was more citrus and mineral driven. Although it's nice enough to drink now, it does seem to still be a bit on the young side. (91 points)
2021 Guy Breton Morgon P'tit Max - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (9/8/2024)
Wow, this was a surprise. This comes from really old vines and is generally quite concentrated and heady. This is labeled at 12% abv with really light color. It's very Gamay with fragrant berries and lilacs. Generally lithe and linear with a juicy finish. Has an old vine sappiness to the fruit without much weight. I don't expect this to age but for drinking over the next few years, it's a delightful blast from the past. (91 points)
2019 Caparsa Chianti Classico Riserva Doccio a Matteo - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (9/10/2024)
Maybe a little chewier than the last bottle, so it could be shutting down a bit, hard to know. As I wrote previously, "Really pure Sangiovese fruit, if a little on the darker side. All of the other herbal, leather, floral components of Radda. I keep coming back to the depth of fruit. If this develops like I think it will, it will end up being really outstanding." That's pretty much where we are now. (92 points)
2020 Podere le Boncie (Giovanna Morganti) Chiesamonti Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (9/14/2024)
These wines really hit a sweet spot for me. It's a shame about the pricing because I think they are meant to be drunk with abandon, not hoarded. This hits a perfect sweet spot between joyous glou-glou and a more serious interpretation of CC. Really sappy, driving fruit, bright and sparkly. There is more structure than the Trame and you can feel the tannins a bit, but man is it fun to drink. I don't think a bottle lasts 30 minutes in our house. For some reason the Cinque doesn't really come to my market because I'd love to have some to keep me from drinking all of these. Good to go now for as long as you can keep your hands off bottles. (93 points)
2015 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/15/2024)
Really starting to pay off on the promise from a few years ago. There is a density to the yellow fruits laced with lemon curd and minerals. There is tautness aligned to that density that drives through the finish and bodes well for a bit more future development. It's in a good place now, no need to wait. (93 points)
2018 Weiser-Künstler Trabener Gaispfad Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (9/15/2024)
I think MFW captured the essence f this wine pretty well. There is a baked tree fruit element with a hint of ginger but what really strikes me is the "creamed corn" of rocks. I get that note on these wines consistently, so it must be some mix of the farming and ambient yeasts. I've had a better bottle of this and it really didn't work with dinner, so I opened something else. Came back a couple days later and it hadn't really budged. I'm not sure I see this improving much and it would probably show better in a different context. (90 points)
2021 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (9/19/2024)
Very similar to the bottle back in March. There is a real vibrancy to the fruit as deep and dark as it is. I get this dark earth, licorice, espresso savory mélange from Pagani that undergirds the fruit in a savory way. Silky and voluptuous through the palate, well shaped by acidity and buried structure. I sure hope future vintages are like this one. It's open enough to drink now, but will be fascinating to follow. (92 points)
1995 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Mountain - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain (9/21/2024)
Simply spellbinding. Has a dark, gravelly edge to the mature black currant fruit. Licorice and graphite complexity as well as some savory leather notes. The fruit is still present and really deep. There are just enough tannins to provide resistance to the lamb it was served with. I think this is a wine I could identify blind. They really don't make them like this anymore. Patrick Campbell left us quite the legacy of great, singular wines. (96 points)
2005 Ch“teau Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/21/2024)
The best bottle I've had of this by far. Th elements have come together a mix of dark berry fruits with cedar and tobacco. Very well shaped in the mouth. To me, this has entered a very nice drinking window. (93 points)
2016 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #3 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (9/21/2024)
Quite a lovely showing for this. It has rounded out just a bit and the fruit is a little more mature and pliant, but still has its saline mineral grip. Delicious now. Goes fast so have a second bottle of something ready. (92 points)
2018 Beta Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Moon Mountain District (9/21/2024)
This was very good and really benefitted from some decanting. Everything unclenched a bit. More to a dark berry side of Cabernet than full black currant, with a savory edge to the fruit. Medium bodied and well structured, but not over structured once it got some air. I think in another 2-3 years it will start to mellow out a bit and gain some more complexity. There is potential upside. A definitively different style than most CA Cabernet. Worth trying even if it won't be for everyone. (91 points)
2022 Domaine Bertrand Bachelet Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sous Roche Dumay Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (9/21/2024)
I've never had a wine from this producer and purchased this at the suggestion of someone at Divvino in the Marais. It was a perfectly decent, but unexciting bottle of St. Aubin. Not particularly cut, nor blowsy, but a straightforward and balanced presentation of Chardonnay from Burgundy. Good to go now. I'd try again if it were a good value. I haven't seen these offered in the US. (88 points)
2012 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (9/26/2024)
This has progressed some since my last bottle, but the chalky structure is still in charge. Nice mix of fruits with savory notes. Has that really vivid, tart, chalky length that is such a Croix Boissée signature. Truly a grand cru site. This still has a couple of years to go before it is truly at peak. (90 points)
2009 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (9/27/2024)
Beautiful nose of spice box and pure black cherry. Acidity gives it good shape and the tannic structure has mostly been resolved. There is a real persistence to the fruit with the spices joined by some leather and orange zest. Firmly in a great drinking window. (94 points)
2009 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (9/27/2024)
Deeply fruited nose with damp earth. A slight herbal edge to the dark fruits and that telltale chalky quality of Poyeux. It has that refinement and silkiness that the Foucault's craft into their wines. This will certainly last for years but is drinking great now. (94 points)
2013 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (9/28/2024)
It's been almost exactly four years since my last bottle. Gorgeous Chaignots perfume of spice and forest over silky red fruits. There is a fine bead of acidity that pulls the center of this wine down the palate. It's more silky than juicy at this juncture, but the mineral twang is still there on the finish. I'm not sure there is a more consistently superb wine in all of Burgundy, no matter what age I always find it delicious. I'll plan on drinking my remaining bottles in the next 5 years. (93 points)
2018 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (9/28/2024)
The Chaignots went so quickly that we needed more wine. This has lots of fruit but had a glossy oak veneer. Silky and long with deep finishing fruit. Given past performance, I'm sure it will come together in 3-4 years (the last 2015 I had was great). (89+ points)
