Nicolas Greinacher

9.6

Shimmery medium garnet, the 2000 Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jaques Perrin is a sexy beast. Although there are obvious characteristics of brettanomyces, they fade after two hours in the decanter. The nose is loaded with dried provence herbs, dried black cherries and black plums, dried figs, iodine, game, forrest floor, leather and hints of black truffle. Full bodied, very concentrated and with ripe but slightly chalky tannins, this Châteauneuf-Powerhouse closes with a long finish. Not quite at the heights of 1990 or 1998, but still a hedonistic treat. Drink now until 2030 — 5 days ago

Willem Booij

9.5

This is one off the most silky wines there is, it’s perfection in the glass. But still in its junior life so 95 says it al. Rousanne all the way, love it. — 13 days ago

Jay Eagan

9.6

This is a great white rRjôme — 4 days ago

with Kristine

Josh Morgenthau

9.4

Has that haunting, minty, cool toned Savennieres aroma. White jasmine and salted taffy. Cool minerals, herbal and green fruited, and resonantly mineral on the palate. Finish that is so juicy and also spicy. — 21 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

I’ve enjoyed the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape for almost 20 years and, along with a few DOCG’s in Italy, it’s one of the regions I have the most experience with. That being said, I’ve become very judicious with my buying over the last 5 years or so, concentrating on a small handful of producers that I’ve naturally gravitated towards. Domaine Charvin is one of those. No destemming, aged in concrete, no luxury cuvée, modest pricing. They’re just so old school and I just love it. The 2017 Charvin Rouge pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, it’s initially a bit reticent but changes dramatically with about 15min of air at which point it begins to really strut. First with bruised strawberries and whole fields of garrigue. With a little more coaxing, ripe brambles, spiced meat, and lavender join the party. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (which seem to build with air), medium acid and fairly high alcohol though it never felt like a hot mess. In fact, the wine is beautifully balanced with ample structure providing a foundation for the abundance of fruit: red and black brambly fruit, with Herb de Provence, espresso and a touch of leather and dark olive. The finish is long and satisfying. A lovely Charvin that should deliver in style well past 2030 — 25 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

History in a bottle. This was Laurence’s first vintage that completely bottled and sold out and oh, what an effort it is! The fruit is so well preserved whilst the abundance of secondary characteristics well on display. Structurally sound still and very much alice. One of the oldest CdP’s I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing and just proves how special these wines really are. — 19 days ago

Matt Perlman

9.0

A little angular and thin at first but pulled itself together. A very nice bottle but not quite the laser-like limestone driven poise I recall from other vintages. Good wine but not a value by any stretch — 21 days ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Shows fully mature aromas and flavors, a little Brett, but not overpowering, lovely complexity and balance, starting to show more as it aerates, lovely. — 2 days ago

with Jim

Nicolas Greinacher

9.8

Lunch in Alsace. The 2009 Château Rayas reminds me of the legendary 1990. Although the high alcohol is apparent, the wine is in complete harmony. Medium garnet colored, the nose exhibits a wide array of dried herbs, ripe, almost jammy strawberries and raspberries, red currant, red cherries, iodine, savory notes and earth. On the palate, the high level of concentration is head spinning, but there is just enough acidity to keep everything balanced. The 2009 Château Rayas will evolve gracefully for two or more decades and ranks among the finest vintages of this estate. — 20 days ago

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9.3

The bottle of 1982 Léoville Las-Cases was sadly out of condition, though fortunately I tasted another example at a private dinner in Bordeaux a few weeks later. To be honest, I have always preferred the 1985 or 1986 to this vintage, and this gives me no reason to change my mind. It has a surliness on the nose that is uncharacteristic of this vintage, tightly wound tertiary scents, melted tar and pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied with fine grip, dense and quite powerful, yet it is more impressive than pleasurable. The aforementioned vintages have pulled away from the 1982 in recent years, though it remains a very fine Saint-Julien. It just needs to turn its frown upside down. Tasted at the 1982 Dinner at Hatched. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 7 days ago