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2009 Vintage Ports (Nov 2012)

Full, deep, saturated ruby. The aromas of plum, cherry and licorice show an almost roasted ripeness. Large-scaled, superripe and verging on exotic; the wine’s huge tannins are buffered by very sweet, deep black cherry and dark berry fruit flavors. I find this port a bit blurry compared to the vintage’s best examples. Tasted three times,…

Piedmont Report: Checking in on the 2001 Baroli (Apr 2012)

The 2001 Barolo Falletto impresses for its layered, silky personality. Sweet roses, tar, licorice and menthol are all woven together in this deceptively medium-bodied Barolo. There is plenty of muscle to back things up. Today the Falletto is quite a bit more delicate than it has been in the past.

Champagne: The Summer Preview (Jul 2015)

The 1995 Cristal (Late Disgorged) is fascinating to taste, as it is quite different in style from the original release. Because of the extra three years or so on the lees, the 1995 Cristal (Late Disgorged) has picked up a reductive note that is not typical of Cristal. Scents of lime, crushed rock, lemon and…

Focus on Champagne (Nov 2001)

Very strong mousse. Deep, yeasty aromas dominated by toffee, butterscotch and toast. Quite powerful but already harmonious, with real thickness of flavor and oily extract leavened by ripe acidity. Very fresh in the mouth, with very ripe hints of yellow fruits and strawberry complicated by leesy and toasty flavors in the background. A large-scaled, extremely…

Champagne: The 2016 Summer Preview (Aug 2016)

The 2006 Brut Vintage is a dense, powerful wine that is going to need time to fully unwind. A host of apricot pit, chamomile, orange blossom and smoke notes fill out the wine’s ample frame effortlessly, but it is the wine’s pure weight that stands out most at this stage. The ripeness of the year…

2016 Bordeaux: It’s Now or Never, Baby (Apr 2017)

The 2016 d’Yquem is a magical wine. It also looks like an Yquem that will drink well right out of the gate. Like so many of the better wines in this vintage, it manages to express richness while avoiding excess heaviness. Pineapple, orange marmalade, exotic flowers and spice all blossom in the glass. There is…