Community Orchard
Saint-Chamant
Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Yeast, honey, walnuts and orchard fruit. — 4 years ago
Torre dei Beati
Giocheremo Con i Fiori Abruzzo Pecorino 2019
This captivating Pecorino shows a bouquet of candied ginger with dusty florals, wild herbs, incense and crushed green apple. Silky and rich, yet balanced by stimulating acids and mineral-tinged orchard fruits, it tapers off spicy with a hint of sour melon that keeps the palate wanting more. $22.00 (Eric Guido, Vinous, April 2021) — 5 years ago
Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin
Montmains Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2017
The 2017 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru is clean, racy and super precise. Chalk, white flowers, mint and white pepper all confer brightness to this energetic, brisk taut Chablis. In the glass, the Montmains is so attractive and translucent. Orchard fruit and sweet floral notes linger on the close. Readers who want to see the elegance of 2017 will find plenty of that here. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2020)
— 6 years ago
Château Calon-Ségur
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2012
The community of Saint-Estèphe has it roots in the Gallo-Roman origins of this chateau. A blend of 78% Cab Sauv, 20% Merlot & 2% Petit Verdot. Deep Ruby with aromas of dense sweet black fruits with herb and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry, currant like, with tobacco, tar and hints of vanilla exposing mushroom notes. Well balanced, ripe textured tannins, long finish ending with earthy character. Nice, has plenty of room to develop. — 7 years ago
Louis Roederer
Cristal Brut Champagne 1990
The 1990 Cristal is remarkable. Polished, nuanced and light on its feet, the 1990 is all class. Citrus, orchard fruit and floral notes are wonderfully lifted throughout. A slight reductive note adds character on the finely knit finish. I can’t think of a better way to start this tasting. Simply put, the 1990 is a total rock star. Moreover, it is much more delicate than most wines from this ripe vintage. Amazingly, the 1990 tastes like it is still not ready! “Nineteen ninety was my second vintage here,” says Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. “It was ideal. The fruit was just perfect. We blocked the malolactic fermentation completely and only fermented 6-7% of our lots in oak, as opposed to the more typical 20%, in order to preserve as much freshness as possible. The wine was made by my predecessor, Michel Pansu, but I was learning. This was the first year I started working with oxygen by reducing sulfites in vinification to pre-oxidize the Chardonnay musts, as I do know, which allows me to get rid of all the unstable, oxidative compounds. With Pinot, on the other hand, you need a little bit of sulfur at crush or you lose the brilliant fruit. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2018) — 7 years ago
Domaine Leflaive
Les Pucelles Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Chardonnay 2002
Tasted blind. Light gold color. Fruit forward nose, almost tropical. Notes of green apple and orchard fruits, wet river stone, apricot, white flowers. Notably younger in its evolution than the first two bottles today, with a slightly lower heaviness and depth. I go with a guess of 2000 Leflaive Pucelles. Nice to see a young 02 Leflaive sans premox, with a lot of upside in front of it. 94+ — 4 years ago
Marchesi Antinori
Castello della Sala Cervaro della Sala Umbria Chardonnay Grechetto 2010
Hazelnuts, orchard fruits.
Spices, complex. — 5 years ago
Pazo de Señorans
Rías Baixas Albariño 2018
Light chartreuse. Expressive, mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by subtle floral and herb notes. Penetrating Meyer lemon, pear, honeysuckle and ginger flavors take a turn to deeper peach and melon with air. Conveys depth but comes off lithe, finishing with sharp definition and resonating floral and mineral flourishes. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, June 2021)
— 5 years ago
Gini
La Froscà Soave Classico Garganega 2011
Golden color. Delicate white flower, apple, and other orchard fruit aromatics. Nicely textured, and crisp, fresh, citrus, apple, almond flavors. Drinking great tonight — 6 years ago
Egly-Ouriet
Brut Tradition Grand Cru Champagne Blend
Beautiful orchard fruit with some limestone minerality - poised and structured. Finish was somewhat soft. Such nice oak. — 7 years ago
Orchard Lane
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Delicious passion fruit on the nose and palate. Clean and crisp. Very nice. — 7 years ago
Isenhower Cellars
Yakima Valley Vin Gris Pinot Gris 2020
Last bottle of the 2020 vintage, 130 cases made. Orange with a hint of pink, excellent clarity. Floral and stone fruit aromas, subtle. Lactic, citrus and subdued orchard fruit flavor. Some skin astringency on finish but less than you would expect after a 72 cold soak before fermentation in used wood. An orange wine with finesse, or at least a light touch. Refreshing — 3 years ago
Claude Riffault
Les Chasseignes Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2019
The 2019 Sancerre Les Chasseignes has a ripe and open expression. It fills the mouth with a sense of effortlessness, which Stephane Riffault puts down to both the caillottes soil and the ripeness of the vintage. It is in the riper spectrum of Sauvignon aromatics. This wine leaves the variety's green flavors far behind and focuses instead on orchard fruit and almost heads into the realms of tropical fruit, which isn't something you normally associate with Sancerre. Gently refreshing with the caillottes providing a line of chalkiness on the finish. One for the short to medium term due to the vintage's ripe profile. (Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, August 2021)
— 5 years ago
Lee Pitofsky
The first couple times I tried 08 I was definitely too quick to judge. It needs a ton of air, and it’s different from the rich, oxidative, nutty house style of the past, particularly the warm and ultra forward 2006, the previous release. 2008 is indeed young, tightly wound with a pulsating core of energy.
The first glass offers very little. Subdued, austere and youthfully reserved. But ensuing pours eventually unleash its core of powerful clean orchard fruit, coffee bean and grilled nuts. On the palate it continues to become so much more textural with crazy gains in weight, depth and fruit intensity as the night goes on. It really fills the mouth, saturating the palate with a satin-like texture, ripping citrusy acids and saline laced minerals that follow deep into its finish. Enjoyable now with enough air (needs 2 hours), but no doubt one to hold. To live forever. — 3 years ago