Selection
Selection
Remoissenet Père & Fils 1967 Volnay
French Red
Deep cherry-red colour accompanies mushrooms, Asian spice and sous-bois. Dark cherry, earth, rhubarb and strawberry open in the glass, and the profile gains detail with air. The mature expression also shows beautiful colour, a pleasing structure and fine grain. The wine comes from Volnay in Burgundy's Côte de Beaune, where Pinot Noir forms the appellation's red wines.
Pio Cesare 1964 Barolo
Italian Red
Sand and leather appear on the nose, with sweet fruit, rose, nuts and sweet tar. The palate is slaty and soft, with leathery, savoury fruit, sweetness and acidity. Tannins have receded. Smoothness and balance are also present. Cigar, chocolate, smoke and tar accompany this Nebbiolo from Piedmont's Barolo appellation. The wine is red and listed at 13.5 percent alcohol.
Domaine Faiveley 2021 Meursault
French White
Chardonnay grows on limestone, marl and clay soils with east and southeast exposures. Brilliant pale-yellow colour accompanies white and yellow fruit with light woody notes. The palate is round and full, with vanilla and toast and a slightly acidic finish. The wine spends fourteen months in French oak barrels, less than one third new, with regular stirring. The vineyards are farmed organically.
Domenico Clerico 1997 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
Italian Red
Dark ruby colour has a garnet edge. Violet, toasty oak, blackberry and plum accompany a full-bodied profile with abundant fruit and ripe tannins. Lead pencil, cedar, black fruit, smoke, earth and vanilla are also present. The texture is velvety, with richness, concentration and sweet tannins. A long finish and a late note of dark chocolate are present.
Montevertine 2011 Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT
Italian Red
Sangiovese comes from historic vineyards planted between the late 1960s and late 1990s. Medium-dense ruby colour accompanies raspberry, sour cherry, strawberry, fennel and aniseed. The tannins are polished and fine-meshed, with juicy ripe raspberry and plum and a long finish. Fermentation takes place in concrete, followed by twelve months in Allier barriques and twelve months in Slavonian oak casks.
Wasenhaus 2022 Bellen Spätburgunder
German Red
Pinot Noir comes from a high-elevation plot in Kirchhofen with loam and loess soils. About half of the fruit ferments as whole clusters. The palate is pure, refined and elegant, with a lightly toasted note, ripe fruit and fine limestone tannins. Refreshing salinity accompanies a pithy, grippy profile. Fermentation continued until September, and the finish is intense and long.
Champagne Bruno Paillard Dosage Zéro
French Sparkling
Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir form a 50/25/25 blend with zero dosage. White fruit and fresh almond are joined by chocolate, toast, raspberry, star anise and candied chestnut. The palate is lively and generous, with a chiselled texture, saline notes and a long finish. Bottle ageing lasts three to four years on lees, followed by at least six months after disgorgement.
Heitz Cellar 2018 Lot C-91 Cabernet Sauvignon
American Red
Cabernet Sauvignon combines fruit from Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Howell Mountain. The wine has brilliant concentration and balance, with generous tannins and balanced acidity. Black cherry, black olive, charcoal, black pepper, herbs and black fruit appear in a complex profile. Menthol, boysenberry, blackberry compote, liquorice and earth accompany a velvety feel and a long finish.
Vega-Sicilia 2020 Macán Rioja DOCa
Spanish Red
Tempranillo comes from vineyards averaging forty years old at about 500 metres. The fruit was harvested by hand in twelve-kilogram boxes. The wine is powerful and subtle, with richness, freshness and balance. Fermentation is followed by malolactic conversion in barrels and tanks, while ageing uses fine- and extra-fine-grained French wood. The wine remains in wood for fifteen months before bottle maturation.
Salicutti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Sorgente
Italian Red
Sangiovese grows in a high vineyard with heavier clay and a gentle southwest incline. Red cherry, molasses, herbs and candied violet accompany freshness, elegant acidity and concentrated fruit. Peony, red-currant blossom, red plum and watermelon are also present. The tannins are suede-like, and the finish is long and complex. The organically grown fruit undergoes extended skin maceration.
Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
French White
Chardonnay grows on Kimmeridgian marl with a south to southwest exposure. The lower slope has deeper brown soil, while the upper slope is whiter and more clay-rich. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in barrel. Peach, apricot and hawthorn appear in a powerful, mineral profile with reserve and austerity. Malolactic fermentation is completed before blending.
Domaine Les Astrelles 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin
French Red
Pinot Noir comes from three small lieux-dits. The nose is compact, while the mouth is direct and fluid, gaining intensity through the middle. The flavour is persistent and the profile is delicious. The bottling carries the Gevrey-Chambertin village appellation and is certified organic. During this growing season, the domaine harvested the cuvée without using whole clusters.
Champagne Nakada-Park 2020 Vignes de Courteron Brut Nature
French Sparkling
Pinot Noir forms this Blanc de Noirs Champagne. Fine perlage accompanies a fruity nose with yeast and bread-crust notes, while the palate is fresh and elegant. Fermentation and maturation take place in oak barrels, and dosage is zero. The wine comes from a 0.2-hectare parcel, with 2,400 bottles produced and disgorgement in November. The vineyard is farmed organically.
Champagne Nakada-Park 2020 Vignes de Gyé-sur-Seine Brut Nature
French Sparkling
Pinot Noir grows on sandy and limestone soil at Gyé-sur-Seine. Fermentation and maturation use oak barrels, and dosage is zero. Lemon, understated crustacea and blackcurrant leaf appear in a nuanced profile with precision, complexity and tension. Brightness and harmony are also present. The wine undergoes bottle fermentation and forty-two months of bottle ageing; disgorgement took place in November. The vineyard is farmed organically.
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur 2018 Volnay Premier Cru Les Pitures
French Red
The Pinot Noir comes from a site near the Pommard border and beside Clos des Ducs. Vines span plantings from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s and cover just under one hectare. Broad, sanguine fruit is accompanied by firm, elemental structure and a sense of elegance. The wine is rich, full-bodied and powerful, with a muscular middleweight profile and a slightly warm finish.
Château Phélan Ségur 2022 Saint-Estèphe
French Red
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc form a 56/40/2/2 blend. Almost-black colour has purple reflections. Juicy black fruit, spice, subtle floral notes, black cherry, rose and cedar are present. The palate is fleshy, flavourful and mellow, with power, density, richness and silky, assertive tannins. The finish is persistent and balanced, with menthol notes.
Tenuta Luce 2021 Luce Toscana IGT
Italian Red
Intense ruby-red colour accompanies dark fruit, wild blackberry and mulberry, with sweet violet, blossoms and mixed spice. The palate is broad, with silk-smooth tannins, balance and a long spice-infused finish. Merlot and Sangiovese form the blend. Fermentation takes place in concrete for twelve days, with twenty-two days of skin maceration. Ageing lasts twenty-four months in eighty percent new and twenty percent once-used barriques.
Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée No. 747 Extra Brut
French Sparkling
This Extra Brut Champagne includes reserve wine. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier form the blend, and dosage is 1.5 grams per litre. Candied lemon, mint, white pepper, mandarin peel and graphite appear with rich texture and vibrancy. Warm bread, vanilla cream and sweet spice join generous fruit and a chalky finish. Vinification and ageing use foudres on lees, without filtration or fining.
Poggio Antico 1997 Brunello di Montalcino
Italian Red
The wine is made from Sangiovese. Plum, berry and cherry aromas are present with a full-bodied palate. Ripe fruit, refined tannins and a long, caressing finish appear in the profile. Dark ruby colour has a garnet core. Clove, juniper berry, white pepper, iris and cedar accompany blackberry, sweet tobacco and liquorice. Dense texture, crispness and firm tannins are also present.
Domaine Billaud-Simon 2011 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
French White
Pale, bright yellow-green colour accompanies aromas of lime, apple, powdered stone, quinine, mint and white pepper. Citrus fruit, spice, white flowers and fresh herbs appear in a fresh, elegant profile that is precise, brisk and seamless. The Chardonnay was made entirely in stainless steel. The long finish has mineral and white-flower notes, with salinity, penetration and concentration also present.
Domaine Billaud-Simon 2014 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
French White
Chardonnay comes from the domaine's oldest vineyard and is aged equally in stainless steel and old barrels. Bright pale-yellow colour accompanies peachy fruit salad. Petrol, citrus, white flower, pear and sea-shore elements are present. The wine is plush and very ripe, with a creamy texture and a faint phenolic quality. Mineral complexity and a strikingly long finish are also present.
Nittardi 2009 Riserva Selezionata Chianti Classico 1.5 L
Italian Red
Sangiovese and Merlot form a 95/5 blend from the single south-facing Vigna Alta hill at 500 metres. Fermentation lasts fifteen days in stainless steel at twenty-eight to thirty degrees. The wine spends twenty-four months in French oak barriques and six months in bottle. Warm ripe-fruit aromas and freshness are present. This Riserva was produced only in a year selected for its quality.
Domaine Billaud-Simon 2014 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
French White
Chardonnay comes from a Chablis grand cru climat situated between Valmur and Blanchots. The site once had enclosing walls. Pale golden colour carries green glimmers. Mineral and honeyed notes join citrus and white stone fruit on a delicate nose. The palate is powerful, dense and fleshy with lively acidity. A mineral and saline finish is also present.
E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis 2020 Via Nuova Barolo
Italian Red
Nebbiolo comes from six vineyards in Barolo, Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga d'Alba. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel with punch-downs and pump-overs. The wine matures for about two years in casks and French oak barriques, then one year in bottle. Dried leaves, bark and disturbed earth appear with violet, liquorice and spice. Elegance and freshness accompany finely shaped tannins and long saline persistence.
Sea Smoke 2014 Ten Pinot Noir
American Red
Ten Pinot Noir clones from the estate vineyard form the blend, which ages sixteen months in French oak, seventy percent new. Vanilla, warm cherry sauce and caramel appear with berry fruit and purple flowers. Chipped-slate minerality is accompanied by dried thyme and bay leaf. Red currant, raspberry and cherry are finely textured. Chocolate and savoury notes are present. The finish has sandalwood and thyme.
Borgo Salcetino 2011 Lucarello Chianti Classico Riserva 1.5 L
Italian Red
Sangiovese and Canaiolo form a 90/10 blend. The grapes ferment and the wine ages in oak for up to three years from harvest. Deep ruby-garnet colour accompanies perfumed red-fruit aromas. Berry and cherry flavours are structured and balanced, with spice and cedar present on the palate. The wine is sweet, soft and supple, and has a very long finish.
Domaine Billaud-Simon 2009 Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots Vieilles Vignes
French White
Rich gold colour shows green reflections. Honey, toast and hazelnut are joined by fresh fruit, lemongrass, verbena and menthol, with vanilla and toasted wood also present. The Chardonnay is powerful and fleshy, combining maturity, freshness and generosity. Fruit, mineral and wood elements are integrated in the profile. Production for this old-vine Chablis grand cru totalled twelve hundred bottles.
Domaine Billaud-Simon 2009 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
French White
Hand-harvested Chardonnay grows on Kimmeridgian ground with south to south-east exposure. Vinification uses stainless steel, and maturation lasts eighteen months in tank. Pale gold colour carries green reflections. The nose is fine and complex, with citrus, vanilla, fresh butter, hazelnut and an iodized mineral touch. The wine is pure and rich, with an exceptionally long finish.
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2018 Margaux
French Red
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc form a 60/32/8 blend. The vineyard has Pyrenean gravel, ten thousand vines per hectare and an average vine age of forty-five years. Fruit is hand harvested and sorted. The wine ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete, then spends thirteen to fifteen months in barrel, seventy percent new. Balance, depth, freshness and silky tannins appear with lightly woody, toasted notes after aeration.
Trimbach 2005 Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre Gewurztraminer
French White
This Gewurztraminer includes fruit from Osterberg and Hunawihr. Honey, rose petal, peony, sweet pea, bacon fat and cinnamon are present. The palate is rich and firm, with a cool chalky impression. Fifteen grams of residual sugar appear alongside unusually high acidity and palpable extract. Refined and elegant in character, the wine has persistent juiciness, florality and subtle spice.