Another good month of drinking despite the chaos and despair around us all. The privilege feels especially poignant when so many are suffering. I hope we all come out the other side as better, more compassionate people.
2018 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Les Moulins - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (6/1/2020)
Bright, crunchy and tart. Very good acidity and lovely at the table. Seems a bit nondescript or maybe lacking a bit of intensity but I'm happy to drink it. (90 points)
2018 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett #12 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/1/2020)
This bottle seemed a bit brighter and more razor sharp than the last. Classic. (91 points)
2018 Antoine Sunier Régnié - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Régnié (6/2/2020)
Digging the Sunier wines from both brothers. The wines have a real persistence and lightness of touch while also having a real depth of flavor. Not as easy as Lapierre but not strict like Coudert. Fresh crushed berries and cherries on stone with flowers and meadow notes. Drank this really quickly. Will need to start stocking this because wehn I went back to buy more, it was all gone. (92 points)
2016 Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Franc de Pied - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (6/3/2020)
Really lovely, fresh aromatics and balanced clean fruits. Carries plenty of fruit, earth, flowers and herbs on a lighter frame than you'd expect. Joyous. Really a beautiful bottle of wine and maybe my favorite red from Germain since I started buying them again after a long hiatus. (92 points)
2001 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (6/4/2020)
Bottle with a soaked cork but was still excellent. How did that happen? Started out slowly but it continued to build and build until the fruit was velvety and seamless, the tannins completely sheathed. Flowers floating over top of the pure cherry fruit with that sous bois bottle sweetness that we crave (and why we bother to cellar this stuff in the first place). I'd love to know what a pristine bottle is like. All of mine have been from two different grey market sources and both have had the corks soaked at least half-way up. Really delicious and I was sad when it was gone. (94 points)
2001 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (6/4/2020)
After a great bottle of 2002 I was hopeful for repeat fireworks. Not exactly, but it is starting to shed some of the structure that caused comrade Texier to say it tastes like Barolo. Interesting next to the Chevillon as it actually started out seemingly more open and slighetned over the evening while the Chevillon really blossomed. All the things from you'd expect from Les Saint Georges except maybe without the sense of "Grand Cru". A wine of depth and complexity in earth, fruit, savory and mineral. Maybe just lacks some grace. (92 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #15 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/5/2020)
From magnum. Crushed rocks and saliva inducing lime, citrus flower acidity that is such a Falkenstein signature for me. Hard to tell that it has residual sugar. Weightless and beautiful. A magnum of this might be a serving for 2 people. (92 points)
2003 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (6/6/2020)
For whatever reason, 2003 is a fantastic vintage at Rougeard. Cabernet franc fruit and herbs draped over a chiseled limestone inflected frame. Complex tobacco, mineral and smoke notes. The palate is silky and generous but there is plenty of structure to keep going. It's experiences like this that keep me from selling. (94 points)
2018 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (6/6/2020)
Consistent with previous bottles. Now a staple. (91 points)
2010 Rhys Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (6/6/2020)
Wow, this was really good. Best Rhys showing in a long time. As you'd expect, it sort of splits the difference between CA mountain wine and northern Rhône. Has a smokey, mineral complexity and exuberant fruit. Seems to have swallowed its whole cluster greeness. Glad to see this come around. (92 points)
2017 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis Dessus La Carriere - France, Burgundy, Chablis (6/6/2020)
Doesn't have some of the wild, almost tropical notes this wine can sometimes have, but there are notes of decadence like my grandmothers canned peaches. It has good shape and cut and is easy at the table or on its own. There is a funky density to this that will be interesting to watch open up. (91 points)
2017 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos des Folatières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (6/7/2020)
What's interesting here is that this ticks all the boxes, plenty of lemon-drop, peach and other yellow citrus and pitted fruits, a bit of stones underneath. It screams textbook 1er Puligny but doesn't really grab my attention. I've enjoyed the character of the Thévenet wines we love or even the Prudhon St. Aubins we've been drinking more than this. Maybe it's too young or maybe it's just too "correct". I've got more, so I guess we'll see. (91 points)
2016 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Chatenière - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/7/2020)
My first bottle of this was corked but this was right there with the other Prudhons we've been enjoying. There is something about 2016 that they seem to have really knocked och of the park. Whether it is the lime-blossom acidity or the gunpowder and flint combined with the minerals, these really scratch my chardonnay itch. These aren't cheap the way they used to be but they probably make it so I don't really need to spend more than this on chardonnay. (92 points)
2018 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #11 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/8/2020)
Even better than the last bottle. Maybe the plumpness of 2018 is receding a bit. Juicy and mineral, lovely with a Thai veggie curry. (92 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #23 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/8/2020)
Yep. Thank you, Jesus. (92 points)
2014 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (6/9/2020)
This wine is really in a nice zoen for me. While I loved it as a young zingy wine, now it seems to be relaxing and opening a bit without losing any energy. Starting to show a bit of roasted nuts to go with the fruit and minerals. Nice acidity on the finish that is a bit broader than it used to. Really lovely wine. (93 points)
2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/10/2020)
Similar to a bottle last year. Deep, dark blue and red fruits with some dark earth, tobacco and graphite. Some herbs and flowers on the top and a sense of limestone underneath. Beautifully proportioned. A fantastic bottle. (93 points)
2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/10/2020)
Took a bit longer to open than the Clos Guillot but really sang when it did. Absolutely electric wine. Piercing notes of limestone and minerals weave through ripe cherry and berry fruit with perfect notes of violets. It's hard to explain how precise and deft everything is with this wine. The texture and shape of the structural elements combined with complex notes from all parts of the aroma wheel. This still has a great life ahead of it but it is on a first plateau, if you are so inclined. (95 points)
NV Fabio Gea Onde Gravitazionali - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (6/11/2020)
Light red cherry and other fruits on the nose including the impossible huckleberry (do these even exist outside of the mountain west?) with layers of meadow, earth, herbs, anise, all sorts of stuff. Medium bodied with enough structure to really work at the table. It feels like a natural wine and brings to mind Clos Roche Blanche and the bottle was gone before you know it. Coincidentally, an ITB friend of mine texted me the next day and asked if I'd tried any of the Gea wines, I sent him a picture of the bottle to which he replied, "that wine is the truth." Indeed, it is. The shape of jazz to come. (92 points)
2006 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (6/12/2020)
Decanted about 3 hours before dinner. Opened with sweet deep cherry and roses and a bit of that dark stone thing I associate with this wine. There are some spice and earth nuances and a touch of darker fruits an flowers underneath. This started to close up, or rather stopped opening. Promising development. (93 points)
2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (6/12/2020)
Decanted about 3 hours before dinner. This was more tightly coiled than the Brovia with less sweetness and more iron, minerals and a limestone tautness. As it opens up over the course of dinner the notes of fruit and all the other classic Francia Barolo aromas and flavors emerge. I didn't get the sense of a "wall of tannin" as other notes have described it, rather as a very coiled wine slowly unfurling. I find it more wiry strong than monolithically powerful. Probably another 6-8 years out, I think, although I enjoyed it enough so that I wasn't sad I opened it. (94 points)
2013 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Le Sentier Du Clou - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/13/2020)
Had a darker color than I would expect at this stage. It wasn't oxidized but it wasn't lively like other recent Prudhon. Rather than a flaw, I think it was a decent wine in a difficult vintage that is maturing quickly. Others at the table liked it more than I did, I guess I don't really love brassy, nutty notes in chardonnay all that much. (87 points)
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Ghemme (6/13/2020)
My last bottle of this and probably the best. I'm not sure if that is bottle variation, luck or both. While fully mature with some sous bois and spice notes, the fruit maintained a crunchy character that previous bottles seemed to have lacked. A whiff of floral talk adds a nice note. Glad I chose to open it. (91 points)
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme Collis Carellae - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Ghemme (6/13/2020)
Along side the Ghemme normale, this was also my last and one of the best bottle. I guess it wasn't a root day. The fruit is deeper and a bit more carnal with funky leathery, herbal and licorice scented earth tones. A spray of rose petals in the mix as well. There was still a bit more shape and structure than the normale, but this is as good as I think it will be. Individual preferences may differ. (92 points)
2018 Azienda Agricola Platinetti Guido Nebbiolo Colline Novaresi - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi (6/13/2020)
Delicious! Sappy, bright red cherry and floral nebbiolo. A bit of earthy, licorice edge to the tannin but lovely balance and delightful juiciness with a bit of sweet-tart chalkiness. Light on its feet with feathery complexity. Fantastic value from an under-the-radar producer. More enjoyable than any Langhe Nebbiolo I've had in a long while. (91 points)
2009 Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (6/15/2020)
Whoa! This was MUCH better than my last bottle and almost a completely different wine. This tastes much more like a Sangiovese based wine than a Cabernet Sauvignon based one. Grilled herbs and cherry Sangiovese fruit with a bit of darker fruit, earth and graphite. Some wood spices frame the wine and the structure shows a leaner wine than the last bottle. Really interesting change and a quite a good wine. I imagine it'll continue to improve but it isn't far from apogee. (92 points)
2009 Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rùfina Riserva Bucerchiale - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Rùfina (6/15/2020)
Another really good bottle of this wine and fits solidly into its maturing Chianti idiom. Still has a bit of the Rùfina punchiness but it is definitely in the resolved plateau. Sangiovese tart cherry and red currant fruits but a bunch of leathery, tobacco nuance. Lovely at the table. (92 points)
2016 A Tribute to Grace Wine Company Grenache Vie Caprice Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (6/16/2020)
This is a snappy, vivid and sunny wine. Bright red berry and stone fruits with some floral, herbal and woodsy (not barrel) notes. Really lovely shape and structure and while identifiable as CA it doesn't have the heaviness of Grenache that I've tasted from CA (with a few notable exceptions) but is still full fruited. I might grab a couple to age and see what happens. (91 points)
2005 Ch“teau Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (6/16/2020)
Hmm, maybe that bottle last November was the aberration. This seemed like fine, middle of the road claret. A bit boring, blocky and not forthcoming. I guess I need to wait for a bit for the kind of showing I captured in November. All these bottles were from the same OWC case so I thought the wine had entered a good phase. (90 points)
2009 Geantet-Pansiot Charmes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (6/17/2020)
Still shows that deep black cherry fruit with a real sap to it. Anise/licorice and herbal snap to the edges of the fruit. The structure is well hidden but the acids provide good shape. A "hedonistic" Burgundy that expands on the palate with air where some spices and flowers lace the fruit. While this drinks well now (one of the reasons I like Geantet) there is plenty more to come in the future. I have no idea when I'll drink the next bottle, probably when I get a whim. I would bet that it's apogee is 7-10 years away but the fun it displays now means you won't be bummed to try it now if you have a few. (93 points)
2005 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Les Brouillards - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (6/17/2020)
Starting to become an enjoyable wine, especially on the nose with the mineral laden, red fruit sweetart type thing with some bark/earth and a bit of flowers on the brighter side. The wine still conveys a sense of density and you can feel the proximity to Pommard, though it is less dense and chewy. I think that a few more years will soften the palate though the tannins aren't as imposing as they were. I think this will likely make old bones and be one of those wines that really surprises down the line. I'll probably hold off for another 5 years before my next bottle. (91 points)
2016 Azienda Agricola Platinetti Guido Barbera Colline Novaresi Pieleo - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi (6/18/2020)
Sappy, ripe and penetrating but without the heaviness of a lot of Barbera from further south in the Langhe. More earthy notes too. A really good value and fantastic for the table. (89 points)
2016 Bruno Duchêne Vin de Pays de la Côte Vermeille La Luna - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays de la Côte Vermeille (6/19/2020)
Natural wine for the win. The 2017 Luna has shown a bit of mouse after being opened but the 2016 doesn't, or maybe doesn't make it long enough. Juicy, fragrant, lithe with a sense of sun and stone. I love the texture of the wine which is richly flavored without ever being heavy or soft. Fantastic. (92 points)
2018 Marcel Lapierre Morgon - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (6/19/2020)
A step behind the two Sunier wines I've had lately but still bright, sappy and pretty. Textbook Lapierre, very easy to drink. Wasn't too ripe to my palate although I know some folks have had that issue. (91 points)
2015 Fratelli Brovia Barbera d'Alba Ciabot del Fi - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (6/20/2020)
Rich berry, maybe some cocoa and earth. Would like a bit more snap, but I knew what I was getting this time. (89 points)
2018 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (6/21/2020)
Consistent with previous bottles. Seems to be holding its verve a bit better than the Pecorino, which is unexpected. (91 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett #12 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/22/2020)
Stark beauty. (92 points)
2016 Azienda Agricola Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsa - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (6/22/2020)
This bottle seemed to have a bit more of rustic tannin thing going on. Still honest, soulful Chianti from Radda. So glad the Cianferonis decided to start making a Chianti Classico, this has become a staple. (91 points)
2015 Fratelli Brovia Barbera d'Alba Ciabot del Fi - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (6/23/2020)
Flavor-wise, consistent with the past two bottles but this seemed to have a bit more snap to it. A nice wine in a rich style. (90 points)
2015 Flavio Roddolo Dolcetto d'Alba Superiore - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (6/23/2020)
I don't have much to add to my last note for this wine. Complex and soulful and still chewy in that Dolcetto way. More savory than fruity, but there is dark fruit there. I really love these wines. (92 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett #12 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/24/2020)
How many angels can fit on the head of a pin? I feel very lucky to be able to buy and drink these in quantity. (92 points)
2018 Girolamo Russo Etna Nerina - Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC (6/24/2020)
Bright, fresh, mineral Italian whites are a theme this Spring/Summer. Another lovely bottle. (91 points)
2018 Azienda Agricola Simone Capecci Offida Pecorino Ciprea - Italy, Marche, Offida Pecorino (6/27/2020)
In the mold of much of our Spring/Summer drinking, a brisk, briny, citrus filled, mineral Italian white. Part of a great 3-pack from one of our favorite restaurants for takeout. Thanks Ben! (89 points)
2018 Monteraponi Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (6/27/2020)
Bright, fragrant and supple. Seems a bit simple compared to the 2016 that we've been drinking, but maybe that's not a fair comparison. Still, a lovely mid-weight Chianti from Radda. (89 points)
2015 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Le Sentier Du Clou - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/28/2020)
Consistent with the last bottle. Musky, flinty fruit, pretty rich without being exotic. Good shape for the vintage but doesn't have the mineral finish of the 2014/16s. (91 points)
2014 Domaine de Roally Viré-Clessé Tradition - France, Burgundy, M“connais, Viré-Clessé (6/28/2020)
In the middle of all of these St. Aubins I forgot the people champion. This is a great vintage for Roally and it gets better every time I have it. Has the depth and richness you'd expect from Thévenet wines but not the exoticism of Bongran or other vintages of Roally. I love the mineral underpinning of the deep fruit. Nice shape and structure. (93 points)
2017 Domaine de Marcoux Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape (6/29/2020)
I haven't had this wine in years, so I picked up a bottle to try realizing it's young. It's richly fruited without being overtly heavy. Lots of garrigue herbs and spice and even a bit of stones. There is really a depth and power to the fruit which covers the tannin and the package is shapely and svelte not overbearing at all. For context, this is a richer version of Gramenon Mémé although quite a bit more expensive. Very good, maybe excellent. The only thing that gives me pause is the price. I think 3-4 years to let the fruit express itself a bit more will give a better picture. (93 points)
2016 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/30/2020)
I go back and forth between this and the Perrières. They have similar fruit profiles, but this has more flinty density while the Perrières is more citrically mineral. Lovely wine. (92 points)
2018 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Les Moulins - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (6/1/2020)
Bright, crunchy and tart. Very good acidity and lovely at the table. Seems a bit nondescript or maybe lacking a bit of intensity but I'm happy to drink it. (90 points)
2018 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett #12 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/1/2020)
This bottle seemed a bit brighter and more razor sharp than the last. Classic. (91 points)
2018 Antoine Sunier Régnié - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Régnié (6/2/2020)
Digging the Sunier wines from both brothers. The wines have a real persistence and lightness of touch while also having a real depth of flavor. Not as easy as Lapierre but not strict like Coudert. Fresh crushed berries and cherries on stone with flowers and meadow notes. Drank this really quickly. Will need to start stocking this because wehn I went back to buy more, it was all gone. (92 points)
2016 Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Franc de Pied - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (6/3/2020)
Really lovely, fresh aromatics and balanced clean fruits. Carries plenty of fruit, earth, flowers and herbs on a lighter frame than you'd expect. Joyous. Really a beautiful bottle of wine and maybe my favorite red from Germain since I started buying them again after a long hiatus. (92 points)
2001 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (6/4/2020)
Bottle with a soaked cork but was still excellent. How did that happen? Started out slowly but it continued to build and build until the fruit was velvety and seamless, the tannins completely sheathed. Flowers floating over top of the pure cherry fruit with that sous bois bottle sweetness that we crave (and why we bother to cellar this stuff in the first place). I'd love to know what a pristine bottle is like. All of mine have been from two different grey market sources and both have had the corks soaked at least half-way up. Really delicious and I was sad when it was gone. (94 points)
2001 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (6/4/2020)
After a great bottle of 2002 I was hopeful for repeat fireworks. Not exactly, but it is starting to shed some of the structure that caused comrade Texier to say it tastes like Barolo. Interesting next to the Chevillon as it actually started out seemingly more open and slighetned over the evening while the Chevillon really blossomed. All the things from you'd expect from Les Saint Georges except maybe without the sense of "Grand Cru". A wine of depth and complexity in earth, fruit, savory and mineral. Maybe just lacks some grace. (92 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #15 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/5/2020)
From magnum. Crushed rocks and saliva inducing lime, citrus flower acidity that is such a Falkenstein signature for me. Hard to tell that it has residual sugar. Weightless and beautiful. A magnum of this might be a serving for 2 people. (92 points)
2003 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (6/6/2020)
For whatever reason, 2003 is a fantastic vintage at Rougeard. Cabernet franc fruit and herbs draped over a chiseled limestone inflected frame. Complex tobacco, mineral and smoke notes. The palate is silky and generous but there is plenty of structure to keep going. It's experiences like this that keep me from selling. (94 points)
2018 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (6/6/2020)
Consistent with previous bottles. Now a staple. (91 points)
2010 Rhys Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (6/6/2020)
Wow, this was really good. Best Rhys showing in a long time. As you'd expect, it sort of splits the difference between CA mountain wine and northern Rhône. Has a smokey, mineral complexity and exuberant fruit. Seems to have swallowed its whole cluster greeness. Glad to see this come around. (92 points)
2017 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis Dessus La Carriere - France, Burgundy, Chablis (6/6/2020)
Doesn't have some of the wild, almost tropical notes this wine can sometimes have, but there are notes of decadence like my grandmothers canned peaches. It has good shape and cut and is easy at the table or on its own. There is a funky density to this that will be interesting to watch open up. (91 points)
2017 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos des Folatières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (6/7/2020)
What's interesting here is that this ticks all the boxes, plenty of lemon-drop, peach and other yellow citrus and pitted fruits, a bit of stones underneath. It screams textbook 1er Puligny but doesn't really grab my attention. I've enjoyed the character of the Thévenet wines we love or even the Prudhon St. Aubins we've been drinking more than this. Maybe it's too young or maybe it's just too "correct". I've got more, so I guess we'll see. (91 points)
2016 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Chatenière - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/7/2020)
My first bottle of this was corked but this was right there with the other Prudhons we've been enjoying. There is something about 2016 that they seem to have really knocked och of the park. Whether it is the lime-blossom acidity or the gunpowder and flint combined with the minerals, these really scratch my chardonnay itch. These aren't cheap the way they used to be but they probably make it so I don't really need to spend more than this on chardonnay. (92 points)
2018 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #11 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/8/2020)
Even better than the last bottle. Maybe the plumpness of 2018 is receding a bit. Juicy and mineral, lovely with a Thai veggie curry. (92 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb #23 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/8/2020)
Yep. Thank you, Jesus. (92 points)
2014 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (6/9/2020)
This wine is really in a nice zoen for me. While I loved it as a young zingy wine, now it seems to be relaxing and opening a bit without losing any energy. Starting to show a bit of roasted nuts to go with the fruit and minerals. Nice acidity on the finish that is a bit broader than it used to. Really lovely wine. (93 points)
2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/10/2020)
Similar to a bottle last year. Deep, dark blue and red fruits with some dark earth, tobacco and graphite. Some herbs and flowers on the top and a sense of limestone underneath. Beautifully proportioned. A fantastic bottle. (93 points)
2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/10/2020)
Took a bit longer to open than the Clos Guillot but really sang when it did. Absolutely electric wine. Piercing notes of limestone and minerals weave through ripe cherry and berry fruit with perfect notes of violets. It's hard to explain how precise and deft everything is with this wine. The texture and shape of the structural elements combined with complex notes from all parts of the aroma wheel. This still has a great life ahead of it but it is on a first plateau, if you are so inclined. (95 points)
NV Fabio Gea Onde Gravitazionali - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (6/11/2020)
Light red cherry and other fruits on the nose including the impossible huckleberry (do these even exist outside of the mountain west?) with layers of meadow, earth, herbs, anise, all sorts of stuff. Medium bodied with enough structure to really work at the table. It feels like a natural wine and brings to mind Clos Roche Blanche and the bottle was gone before you know it. Coincidentally, an ITB friend of mine texted me the next day and asked if I'd tried any of the Gea wines, I sent him a picture of the bottle to which he replied, "that wine is the truth." Indeed, it is. The shape of jazz to come. (92 points)
2006 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (6/12/2020)
Decanted about 3 hours before dinner. Opened with sweet deep cherry and roses and a bit of that dark stone thing I associate with this wine. There are some spice and earth nuances and a touch of darker fruits an flowers underneath. This started to close up, or rather stopped opening. Promising development. (93 points)
2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (6/12/2020)
Decanted about 3 hours before dinner. This was more tightly coiled than the Brovia with less sweetness and more iron, minerals and a limestone tautness. As it opens up over the course of dinner the notes of fruit and all the other classic Francia Barolo aromas and flavors emerge. I didn't get the sense of a "wall of tannin" as other notes have described it, rather as a very coiled wine slowly unfurling. I find it more wiry strong than monolithically powerful. Probably another 6-8 years out, I think, although I enjoyed it enough so that I wasn't sad I opened it. (94 points)
2013 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Le Sentier Du Clou - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/13/2020)
Had a darker color than I would expect at this stage. It wasn't oxidized but it wasn't lively like other recent Prudhon. Rather than a flaw, I think it was a decent wine in a difficult vintage that is maturing quickly. Others at the table liked it more than I did, I guess I don't really love brassy, nutty notes in chardonnay all that much. (87 points)
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Ghemme (6/13/2020)
My last bottle of this and probably the best. I'm not sure if that is bottle variation, luck or both. While fully mature with some sous bois and spice notes, the fruit maintained a crunchy character that previous bottles seemed to have lacked. A whiff of floral talk adds a nice note. Glad I chose to open it. (91 points)
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme Collis Carellae - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Ghemme (6/13/2020)
Along side the Ghemme normale, this was also my last and one of the best bottle. I guess it wasn't a root day. The fruit is deeper and a bit more carnal with funky leathery, herbal and licorice scented earth tones. A spray of rose petals in the mix as well. There was still a bit more shape and structure than the normale, but this is as good as I think it will be. Individual preferences may differ. (92 points)
2018 Azienda Agricola Platinetti Guido Nebbiolo Colline Novaresi - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi (6/13/2020)
Delicious! Sappy, bright red cherry and floral nebbiolo. A bit of earthy, licorice edge to the tannin but lovely balance and delightful juiciness with a bit of sweet-tart chalkiness. Light on its feet with feathery complexity. Fantastic value from an under-the-radar producer. More enjoyable than any Langhe Nebbiolo I've had in a long while. (91 points)
2009 Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (6/15/2020)
Whoa! This was MUCH better than my last bottle and almost a completely different wine. This tastes much more like a Sangiovese based wine than a Cabernet Sauvignon based one. Grilled herbs and cherry Sangiovese fruit with a bit of darker fruit, earth and graphite. Some wood spices frame the wine and the structure shows a leaner wine than the last bottle. Really interesting change and a quite a good wine. I imagine it'll continue to improve but it isn't far from apogee. (92 points)
2009 Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rùfina Riserva Bucerchiale - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Rùfina (6/15/2020)
Another really good bottle of this wine and fits solidly into its maturing Chianti idiom. Still has a bit of the Rùfina punchiness but it is definitely in the resolved plateau. Sangiovese tart cherry and red currant fruits but a bunch of leathery, tobacco nuance. Lovely at the table. (92 points)
2016 A Tribute to Grace Wine Company Grenache Vie Caprice Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (6/16/2020)
This is a snappy, vivid and sunny wine. Bright red berry and stone fruits with some floral, herbal and woodsy (not barrel) notes. Really lovely shape and structure and while identifiable as CA it doesn't have the heaviness of Grenache that I've tasted from CA (with a few notable exceptions) but is still full fruited. I might grab a couple to age and see what happens. (91 points)
2005 Ch“teau Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (6/16/2020)
Hmm, maybe that bottle last November was the aberration. This seemed like fine, middle of the road claret. A bit boring, blocky and not forthcoming. I guess I need to wait for a bit for the kind of showing I captured in November. All these bottles were from the same OWC case so I thought the wine had entered a good phase. (90 points)
2009 Geantet-Pansiot Charmes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (6/17/2020)
Still shows that deep black cherry fruit with a real sap to it. Anise/licorice and herbal snap to the edges of the fruit. The structure is well hidden but the acids provide good shape. A "hedonistic" Burgundy that expands on the palate with air where some spices and flowers lace the fruit. While this drinks well now (one of the reasons I like Geantet) there is plenty more to come in the future. I have no idea when I'll drink the next bottle, probably when I get a whim. I would bet that it's apogee is 7-10 years away but the fun it displays now means you won't be bummed to try it now if you have a few. (93 points)
2005 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Les Brouillards - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (6/17/2020)
Starting to become an enjoyable wine, especially on the nose with the mineral laden, red fruit sweetart type thing with some bark/earth and a bit of flowers on the brighter side. The wine still conveys a sense of density and you can feel the proximity to Pommard, though it is less dense and chewy. I think that a few more years will soften the palate though the tannins aren't as imposing as they were. I think this will likely make old bones and be one of those wines that really surprises down the line. I'll probably hold off for another 5 years before my next bottle. (91 points)
2016 Azienda Agricola Platinetti Guido Barbera Colline Novaresi Pieleo - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Colline Novaresi (6/18/2020)
Sappy, ripe and penetrating but without the heaviness of a lot of Barbera from further south in the Langhe. More earthy notes too. A really good value and fantastic for the table. (89 points)
2016 Bruno Duchêne Vin de Pays de la Côte Vermeille La Luna - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays de la Côte Vermeille (6/19/2020)
Natural wine for the win. The 2017 Luna has shown a bit of mouse after being opened but the 2016 doesn't, or maybe doesn't make it long enough. Juicy, fragrant, lithe with a sense of sun and stone. I love the texture of the wine which is richly flavored without ever being heavy or soft. Fantastic. (92 points)
2018 Marcel Lapierre Morgon - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (6/19/2020)
A step behind the two Sunier wines I've had lately but still bright, sappy and pretty. Textbook Lapierre, very easy to drink. Wasn't too ripe to my palate although I know some folks have had that issue. (91 points)
2015 Fratelli Brovia Barbera d'Alba Ciabot del Fi - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (6/20/2020)
Rich berry, maybe some cocoa and earth. Would like a bit more snap, but I knew what I was getting this time. (89 points)
2018 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (6/21/2020)
Consistent with previous bottles. Seems to be holding its verve a bit better than the Pecorino, which is unexpected. (91 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett #12 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/22/2020)
Stark beauty. (92 points)
2016 Azienda Agricola Caparsa Chianti Classico Caparsa - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (6/22/2020)
This bottle seemed to have a bit more of rustic tannin thing going on. Still honest, soulful Chianti from Radda. So glad the Cianferonis decided to start making a Chianti Classico, this has become a staple. (91 points)
2015 Fratelli Brovia Barbera d'Alba Ciabot del Fi - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (6/23/2020)
Flavor-wise, consistent with the past two bottles but this seemed to have a bit more snap to it. A nice wine in a rich style. (90 points)
2015 Flavio Roddolo Dolcetto d'Alba Superiore - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (6/23/2020)
I don't have much to add to my last note for this wine. Complex and soulful and still chewy in that Dolcetto way. More savory than fruity, but there is dark fruit there. I really love these wines. (92 points)
2017 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett #12 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6/24/2020)
How many angels can fit on the head of a pin? I feel very lucky to be able to buy and drink these in quantity. (92 points)
2018 Girolamo Russo Etna Nerina - Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC (6/24/2020)
Bright, fresh, mineral Italian whites are a theme this Spring/Summer. Another lovely bottle. (91 points)
2018 Azienda Agricola Simone Capecci Offida Pecorino Ciprea - Italy, Marche, Offida Pecorino (6/27/2020)
In the mold of much of our Spring/Summer drinking, a brisk, briny, citrus filled, mineral Italian white. Part of a great 3-pack from one of our favorite restaurants for takeout. Thanks Ben! (89 points)
2018 Monteraponi Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (6/27/2020)
Bright, fragrant and supple. Seems a bit simple compared to the 2016 that we've been drinking, but maybe that's not a fair comparison. Still, a lovely mid-weight Chianti from Radda. (89 points)
2015 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Le Sentier Du Clou - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/28/2020)
Consistent with the last bottle. Musky, flinty fruit, pretty rich without being exotic. Good shape for the vintage but doesn't have the mineral finish of the 2014/16s. (91 points)
2014 Domaine de Roally Viré-Clessé Tradition - France, Burgundy, M“connais, Viré-Clessé (6/28/2020)
In the middle of all of these St. Aubins I forgot the people champion. This is a great vintage for Roally and it gets better every time I have it. Has the depth and richness you'd expect from Thévenet wines but not the exoticism of Bongran or other vintages of Roally. I love the mineral underpinning of the deep fruit. Nice shape and structure. (93 points)
2017 Domaine de Marcoux Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape (6/29/2020)
I haven't had this wine in years, so I picked up a bottle to try realizing it's young. It's richly fruited without being overtly heavy. Lots of garrigue herbs and spice and even a bit of stones. There is really a depth and power to the fruit which covers the tannin and the package is shapely and svelte not overbearing at all. For context, this is a richer version of Gramenon Mémé although quite a bit more expensive. Very good, maybe excellent. The only thing that gives me pause is the price. I think 3-4 years to let the fruit express itself a bit more will give a better picture. (93 points)
2016 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (6/30/2020)
I go back and forth between this and the Perrières. They have similar fruit profiles, but this has more flinty density while the Perrières is more citrically mineral. Lovely wine. (92 points)
