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 | Amiot's Coteaux-Bourguignons is a traditional Burgundian blend of 50/50 Gamay and Pinot Noir. The… More (+) Amiot's Coteaux-Bourguignons is a traditional Burgundian blend of 50/50 Gamay and Pinot Noir. The gamay comes from a 60 year old plot of vines in Morey-St-Denis, and for decades the blended cuvée was reserved just for the family. It blends the rugged muscly character of gamay with the finesse and silky texture of pinot noir. The resulting wine is a delightful aperitif – a marriage of the untamed soul of the Beaujolais with the polish and detail of Burgundian Pinot Noir. Less (-) | |
 | Many whites from the Southern Rhône Valley fall into traps of flatness and softness—victims… More (+) Many whites from the Southern Rhône Valley fall into traps of flatness and softness—victims of the scorching summer sun. Nicolas Haeni’s Malmont vineyard is perched high on a hill in a spot that receives consistent cool breezes and chilly nights. These natural advantages make it possible for him to craft whites with freshness and modest alcohol, which also happen to be flat-out delicious. His 2024 pure Roussanne blanc is delightful and clean, fermented in tank and aged in 3–4-year-old oak barrels. The nose is almost Burgundian, but with exotic notes of lychee, pear, and white pepper. A triumph of restraint and subtlety in a region whose whites seldom possess either. Less (-) | |
 | The Champenois often mix Pinot Noir juice (skinless thus colorless) into their cuvées of… More (+) The Champenois often mix Pinot Noir juice (skinless thus colorless) into their cuvées of Champagne, and today’s example from Burgundy borrows this idea. Made from a select plot of 100% Pinot Noir grown in the hills above the Côte d’Or, the Maison Picamelot’s “Terroir de Chazot” is an complex and unusual example of terroir-based sparkling wine.Most crémant in Burgundy and Alsace is a blend of several varietals from different locations. For this wine, Picamelot decided to isolate a single grape from a single plot and bottle it unblended – the result is a finer, more intense and earthy sparkling wine, with notes of roasted apples and herbs. Less (-) | |
 | Auslese is a late harvest wine made only in years with excellent quality grapes… More (+) Auslese is a late harvest wine made only in years with excellent quality grapes. Dahm's 2005 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese is sweet but beautifully balanced. With 68 grams per liter of residual sugar, it’s far less sweet than Sauternes (80-120 g/L) or Eiswein (160-220 g/L). We think this makes an excellent choice to serve with dessert, rather than in place of it. Look for notes of flowers, apple tart, dried oranges, and a hint of petrol. The mouth is mid-sweet with nice minerality, soft acid, and a clean finish that’s not cloying or heavy. Less (-) | |
 | Formerly known as the Domaine Mersiol, Domaine Charles Frey is a terrific biodynamic source… More (+) Formerly known as the Domaine Mersiol, Domaine Charles Frey is a terrific biodynamic source in Dambach-la-Ville in the heart of the Alsace.If you like fruit for dessert, consider offering it to your guests in liquid form. We have always been fans of sweet wine, and late harvest Alsatian wines offer a particularly nice choice in the category. The 2018 Gewurztraminer “Vendanges Tardive” offers its distinctive spicy fruit in an unctuous form, rich and sweet but with plenty of supporting acidity. A glass of this and a few bites of a shortbread cookie will be all you need for a satisfying finish to a fine meal. Less (-) | |
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 | 'When we visited last spring, Negrier told us that 2022 was unequivocally the best… More (+) 'When we visited last spring, Negrier told us that 2022 was unequivocally the best vintage in the domaine’s 30 year history. He attributes this partly to the very dry growing season, which also featured damaging hail early, at the cost of 40% of the crop. The result: tiny grapes and highly concentrated must. Indeed, the Fleuron de Liot 2022 – a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon – is utterly delicious and should age very well. Right now this well-balanced wine is inky and dark, showing black cherry and cassis fruit. There is excellent density: the fine tannins coat the mouth and persist on the palate. Less (-) | |
 | Dennis Basset is a talented organic winemaker crafting beautifully balanced pure-Syrah wines that require… More (+) Dennis Basset is a talented organic winemaker crafting beautifully balanced pure-Syrah wines that require far less cellaring to reach maturity than the famous appellations of the Northern Rhône. Basset’s wines improve for years, but they’re delicious just about from the moment the arrive.Denis farms just over a hectare of old vines in St-Joseph, which produce rich, intense, very elegant syrah. The nose is deep and dark with notes of cloves, violets, and intense black pepper; the mouth is full and inky but with excellent tension and notes of roasted meat and licorice. At 13.5% alcohol this is classic Northern Rhône Syrah – dark and brooding but with tremendous lift and elegance. Less (-) |