Recent Wine Tasting Notes

It has been far too long since I last popped a cork on this treat. It takes no effort to find the blackberries, flowers, cigar box, 5 spice, smoke, licorice, and currants on the nose. With 45 minutes in the decanter, the wine is fully open on the nose and on the silky, fresh, elegant blend of black and red fruits with their spice-filled character. The wine is vibrant and refined with a nice shot of dark chocolate that comes in on the backend of the endnote. Drink from 2022-2040.

It has been far too long since I last popped a cork on this treat. It takes no effort to find the blackberries, flowers, cigar box, 5 spice, smoke, licorice, and currants on the nose. With 45 minutes in the decanter, the wine is fully open on the nose and on the silky, fresh, elegant blend of black and red fruits with their spice-filled character. The wine is vibrant and refined with a nice shot of dark chocolate that comes in on the backend of the endnote. Drink from 2022-2040.

More interesting on its nose with all of its butterscotch, honey, butter, caramel, orange, and bright pineapple notes. Medium-bodied, energetic, crisp, and fresh with honeyed, yellow tropical fruit and orange pith on the palate. This is a very bright, semi-sweet style of d'Yquem. Drink from 2022-2030.

More interesting on its nose with all of its butterscotch, honey, butter, caramel, orange, and bright pineapple notes. Medium-bodied, energetic, crisp, and fresh with honeyed, yellow tropical fruit and orange pith on the palate. This is a very bright, semi-sweet style of d'Yquem. Drink from 2022-2030.

Fully developed, the perfume offers a gorgeous display of tobacco leaf, dried roses, potpourri, cigar box, and dried cherries with touches of herbs. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, and still offering freshness in its red currant profile, this is probably one of the real bargains from the legendary 1961 vintage. Drink from 2022-2030.

Fully developed, the perfume offers a gorgeous display of tobacco leaf, dried roses, potpourri, cigar box, and dried cherries with touches of herbs. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, and still offering freshness in its red currant profile, this is probably one of the real bargains from the legendary 1961 vintage. Drink from 2022-2030.

Fully ready to go, just and pop this beauty for all of its refined, elegant, fresh, smoky, red berries, flowers, and crushed rocks on the nose and palate. Drink from 2022-2032.

Fully ready to go, just and pop this beauty for all of its refined, elegant, fresh, smoky, red berries, flowers, and crushed rocks on the nose and palate. Drink from 2022-2032.

Lush, rich, opulent, and showy, the wine is loaded with dark chocolate-covered cherries and sweet, juicy dark plums, licorice, and smoke from start to finish. No need to wait here, this is ready to go! Drink from 2022-2032.

Lush, rich, opulent, and showy, the wine is loaded with dark chocolate-covered cherries and sweet, juicy dark plums, licorice, and smoke from start to finish. No need to wait here, this is ready to go! Drink from 2022-2032.

Rich, smoky, meaty, black and dark, peppery red fruits with hints of spice, thyme, espresso, mesquite, olives, and herbs on the nose and on the round-textured, fresh palate. This is at the beginning of its prime-time drinking window. Drink from 2022-2032.

Rich, smoky, meaty, black and dark, peppery red fruits with hints of spice, thyme, espresso, mesquite, olives, and herbs on the nose and on the round-textured, fresh palate. This is at the beginning of its prime-time drinking window. Drink from 2022-2032.

Clearly drinking at peak, the nose is off the hook with its olives, herbs, smoked red cherries, bright red plums, black pepper, flowers, and thyme notes. There is power here which is balanced by the wine's elegance, which allows the finish to shine with all of its meaty, red fruits that linger. Drink from 2022-2035.

Clearly drinking at peak, the nose is off the hook with its olives, herbs, smoked red cherries, bright red plums, black pepper, flowers, and thyme notes. There is power here which is balanced by the wine's elegance, which allows the finish to shine with all of its meaty, red fruits that linger. Drink from 2022-2035.

Vibrant, fresh and crisp, peppery, smoked red, black, and blue fruits are all over the place here on the nose, accompanied by dried flowers, pepper, mesquite, and Indian spices, and on the full-bodied, concentrated, zesty palate. The finish, with its olive and paprika-tinged red berry character, goes on and on. Drink from 2022-2032.

Vibrant, fresh and crisp, peppery, smoked red, black, and blue fruits are all over the place here on the nose, accompanied by dried flowers, pepper, mesquite, and Indian spices, and on the full-bodied, concentrated, zesty palate. The finish, with its olive and paprika-tinged red berry character, goes on and on. Drink from 2022-2032.

A candidate for the Chateauneuf du Pape Hall of Fame, this wine is off the charts! Rich, long, concentrated, powerful, and refined, with a vibrancy and energy to the wealth of fruit that provides the perfect backdrop for this gem. There is an incredible mouthfeel that coats your palate with layers of spicy fruit, leaving with suggestions of cherries, peppery spices, walnuts, black tea, green olives, and kirsch that hold on for at least 60 seconds! This is just entering its prime-time drinking window. Drink from 2022-2045.

A candidate for the Chateauneuf du Pape Hall of Fame, this wine is off the charts! Rich, long, concentrated, powerful, and refined, with a vibrancy and energy to the wealth of fruit that provides the perfect backdrop for this gem. There is an incredible mouthfeel that coats your palate with layers of spicy fruit, leaving with suggestions of cherries, peppery spices, walnuts, black tea, green olives, and kirsch that hold on for at least 60 seconds! This is just entering its prime-time drinking window. Drink from 2022-2045.

Better than my previous experience, but not at the extraordinary level it was about 5 years ago, the medium-bodied wine is elegant, refined, soft, silky, and spicy with layers of sweet cherries, kirsch, green olives, earthy raspberries, pepper, and herbs. There is no need to decant and no reason to hold this any longer. Drink 2022-2024.

Better than my previous experience, but not at the extraordinary level it was about 5 years ago, the medium-bodied wine is elegant, refined, soft, silky, and spicy with layers of sweet cherries, kirsch, green olives, earthy raspberries, pepper, and herbs. There is no need to decant and no reason to hold this any longer. Drink 2022-2024.

No longer at peak, while still a treat, with all of its lush, ripe, spicy, earthy red fruits, now, you find less opulence and more tertiary notes of olives, garrigue, and herbs. Medium-bodied, earthy and plummy, this will be at its best over the next few years. Drink from 2022-2026.

No longer at peak, while still a treat, with all of its lush, ripe, spicy, earthy red fruits, now, you find less opulence and more tertiary notes of olives, garrigue, and herbs. Medium-bodied, earthy and plummy, this will be at its best over the next few years. Drink from 2022-2026.

This is gorgeous to drink today, with all of its earthy, vibrant, peppery, smoky, red fruits, wet heart, and crushed rock nuances. With good concentration, vibrancy, and sweetness to the cherries on the nose and palate, no decanting is needed, just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2022-2032.

This is gorgeous to drink today, with all of its earthy, vibrant, peppery, smoky, red fruits, wet heart, and crushed rock nuances. With good concentration, vibrancy, and sweetness to the cherries on the nose and palate, no decanting is needed, just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2022-2032.

Compelling from start to finish, the nose, with all of its showy, ripe, spicy fruits, flowers, and herbs is the initial grab. But it is on the full-bodied, dense, rich, opulent, multi-faceted palate, with its non-stop layers of ripe, vibrant, pure, peppery, deep red fruits that seals the deal. Drink from 2022-2035.

Compelling from start to finish, the nose, with all of its showy, ripe, spicy fruits, flowers, and herbs is the initial grab. But it is on the full-bodied, dense, rich, opulent, multi-faceted palate, with its non-stop layers of ripe, vibrant, pure, peppery, deep red fruits that seals the deal. Drink from 2022-2035.

Served blind, this mind-blowing elixir has it all. The intoxicating perfume spoils you with its smoke, tobacco, tar, cigar ash, forest leaf, and red currant nuances. There is intensity, richness, depth, and concentration, along with layers of deep, red, earthy, tobacco, and smoke-stained fruits that do not want to quit. The seamless, palate-staining finish goes on for more than 60 seconds. Drink from 2022-2040.

Served blind, this mind-blowing elixir has it all. The intoxicating perfume spoils you with its smoke, tobacco, tar, cigar ash, forest leaf, and red currant nuances. There is intensity, richness, depth, and concentration, along with layers of deep, red, earthy, tobacco, and smoke-stained fruits that do not want to quit. The seamless, palate-staining finish goes on for more than 60 seconds. Drink from 2022-2040.

The nose is packed to the gills with truffle, chocolate, espresso, black plums, cherry liqueur, and wet earth. Opulent, deep, and rich, once the finish gets going with all of its layers of black cherries, drenched in spicy chocolate, it refuses to quit. Fully mature, a splash decant is all that's needed here. Drink from 2022-2034.

The nose is packed to the gills with truffle, chocolate, espresso, black plums, cherry liqueur, and wet earth. Opulent, deep, and rich, once the finish gets going with all of its layers of black cherries, drenched in spicy chocolate, it refuses to quit. Fully mature, a splash decant is all that's needed here. Drink from 2022-2034.

Fully mature, or just a hair past full maturity, the wine is packed with dark chocolate, roses, truffle, espresso, smoke, and black cherries on the nose and on the medium/full-bodied, lush, round, dark, red berry and cocoa packed palate. Not decanted, simply popped and poured, this is an outstanding. developed Pomerol for current consumption now, and over the next few years. 2022-2025.

Fully mature, or just a hair past full maturity, the wine is packed with dark chocolate, roses, truffle, espresso, smoke, and black cherries on the nose and on the medium/full-bodied, lush, round, dark, red berry and cocoa packed palate. Not decanted, simply popped and poured, this is an outstanding. developed Pomerol for current consumption now, and over the next few years. 2022-2025.

One of the top wines of the vintage, here, you find a perfume packed with flowers, black raspberries, garrigue, and peppery kirsch. There is freshness that hits your palate along with all the perfectly ripe, sweet, sweet, sensuous, peppery kirsch, black cherries, red plums, and cracked black pepper. This is at peak, or perhaps, just on the other side of its peak, but it is just great today. Do not decant, simply pop and pour. Drink from 2022-2025.

One of the top wines of the vintage, here, you find a perfume packed with flowers, black raspberries, garrigue, and peppery kirsch. There is freshness that hits your palate along with all the perfectly ripe, sweet, sweet, sensuous, peppery kirsch, black cherries, red plums, and cracked black pepper. This is at peak, or perhaps, just on the other side of its peak, but it is just great today. Do not decant, simply pop and pour. Drink from 2022-2025.

It has been a few years since I checked in on this wine. Now, it is fully ready for pop and pour, this beauty kicks off with black raspberries, cherry jam, black olives, herbs, and sage on the nose. Round and polished with loads of sweet, ripe, licorice and herb-infused dark red fruits and luscious textures on the palate, enjoy this now, as it shows so well. Drink from 2022-2027.

It has been a few years since I checked in on this wine. Now, it is fully ready for pop and pour, this beauty kicks off with black raspberries, cherry jam, black olives, herbs, and sage on the nose. Round and polished with loads of sweet, ripe, licorice and herb-infused dark red fruits and luscious textures on the palate, enjoy this now, as it shows so well. Drink from 2022-2027.

The past 2 years have added a lot to this wine. Now, the distinctive violet nose is quite pronounced, as are the truffle, black and red plum, earth, spice, smoke, and espresso aromatics. Full-bodied, rich, deep, concentrated, and plummy, there is length, freshness, and purity to the fruits and some tannins remaining that need to be resolved. Drink from 2024-2038.

The past 2 years have added a lot to this wine. Now, the distinctive violet nose is quite pronounced, as are the truffle, black and red plum, earth, spice, smoke, and espresso aromatics. Full-bodied, rich, deep, concentrated, and plummy, there is length, freshness, and purity to the fruits and some tannins remaining that need to be resolved. Drink from 2024-2038.

For Charvin, this is a dark, round, voluptuous, ripe style of wine, packed with ripe, dark red fruits and a creamy texture. The wine needs no decanting. Just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2022-2027.

For Charvin, this is a dark, round, voluptuous, ripe style of wine, packed with ripe, dark red fruits and a creamy texture. The wine needs no decanting. Just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2022-2027.

Dark red fruits, smoke, cocoa, licorice, and underbrush hit your nose. But it is on the palate, due to its layers of flamboyant, lusciously-textured black raspberries, black cherry, and chocolate that seal the deal. This is quite ripe, but there is nothing overripe about it. Hedonistic in style, this is drinking superbly today. Do not bother decanting. This is fully developed and ready to go. Pop, pour, and enjoy. Drink 2022-2029.

Dark red fruits, smoke, cocoa, licorice, and underbrush hit your nose. But it is on the palate, due to its layers of flamboyant, lusciously-textured black raspberries, black cherry, and chocolate that seal the deal. This is quite ripe, but there is nothing overripe about it. Hedonistic in style, this is drinking superbly today. Do not bother decanting. This is fully developed and ready to go. Pop, pour, and enjoy. Drink 2022-2029.

The penetrating nose hits you with all of its flowers, crushed rock, lemon peel, orange rind, and spicy notes with almost no effort. It is even better on the palate. With mouth-coating layers of rich, ripe fruits balanced with piercing acidity and a touch of honeyed sweetness on the backend. This is simply fabulous. Drink it now, or wait 12 years, either way, it is about as good as Hermitage Blanc can be. Drink from 2023-2040.

The penetrating nose hits you with all of its flowers, crushed rock, lemon peel, orange rind, and spicy notes with almost no effort. It is even better on the palate. With mouth-coating layers of rich, ripe fruits balanced with piercing acidity and a touch of honeyed sweetness on the backend. This is simply fabulous. Drink it now, or wait 12 years, either way, it is about as good as Hermitage Blanc can be. Drink from 2023-2040.

One of those bottles that you would never imagine being able to taste. Quite ruby, brick in color, the wine leads off with dried flowers, tobacco leaf, herbs, spices, dried cherries, iron, and white pepper. Elegant, or perhaps it is better to say, refined wild, the wine is the essence of crushed rocks and dried cherries with bouquet garni on the backend. The finish is a treat. I am not likely to ever see a vintage of Chave this old again, but wow, what a wine!

One of those bottles that you would never imagine being able to taste. Quite ruby, brick in color, the wine leads off with dried flowers, tobacco leaf, herbs, spices, dried cherries, iron, and white pepper. Elegant, or perhaps it is better to say, refined wild, the wine is the essence of crushed rocks and dried cherries with bouquet garni on the backend. The finish is a treat. I am not likely to ever see a vintage of Chave this old again, but wow, what a wine!

The most precocious vintage of Hommage Jacques Perrin I have ever tasted. Medium-bodied, elegant, floral, meaty, spicy, and peppery, with a wealth of dark, red, and black peppery, spicy, ripe fruits, and barbecue smoke on the palate. The luscious finish seals the deal. Drink from 2022-2035.

The most precocious vintage of Hommage Jacques Perrin I have ever tasted. Medium-bodied, elegant, floral, meaty, spicy, and peppery, with a wealth of dark, red, and black peppery, spicy, ripe fruits, and barbecue smoke on the palate. The luscious finish seals the deal. Drink from 2022-2035.

Polished, lush, round, and full-bodied, the wine is loaded with rack blackberries, plums, and cherries with smoke, licorice, and floral accents. The plush finish really works here. No decanting needed, just pop and pour. Drink from 2022-2032.

Polished, lush, round, and full-bodied, the wine is loaded with rack blackberries, plums, and cherries with smoke, licorice, and floral accents. The plush finish really works here. No decanting needed, just pop and pour. Drink from 2022-2032.