2021 Chalone Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir (Chalone)
Wine Enthusiast
92 Points
Rose petal, pomegranate and an herbal blast of oregano and marjoram show on the nose of this bottling from an historic producer in the mountains east of Salinas.
2017 M Chapoutier, Monier de la Sizeranne, Hermitage, Rhône Valley
Decanter
94 Points
This has the dark fruited, savoury character of the vintage, and it has the robust, quite square tannins too – they will take some time to settle down.
2019 Chateau La Mascaronne Rouge, Cotes du Provence
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 91+ Points
This immediately appealing red is almost juicy the the nose, where aromas of black raspberry, pomegranate syrup, sour dark cherry, bresaola, black peppercorn, licorice root, graphite and dried rosemary find a forthcoming harmony.
2020 Domaine JL Chave, Hermitage, Rhône
Decanter
98 Points
What you find in the whites, you find in the reds,' says Jean-Louis Chave, alluding to the natural freshness and balance in the 2020 Hermitage lieux-dits.
2020 Domaine JL Chave, St-Joseph
Decanter
94 Points
All the lieux-dits I tasted that make up this domaine's Saint-Joseph were showing well and expressed their typical characters, this promising to be a precise style with clear, complex aromatics.
2020 Chev Pinot Noir Spear Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 96+ Points
Elegant, sweetly ripe and forthcoming, the nose of this polished bottling elevates focused aromas of raspberry, bottled red cherry, pomegranate, pink peppercorn, sumac berry, nutmeg and baking spice above mineral undercurrents.
2018 Robert Chevillon, Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les St-Georges
Decanter
94 Points
Definitely at the riper end of the spectrum in Nuits-St-Georges in 2018, although not excessively so, this is a plush, slightly jammy expression of this famous Premier Cru site, with aromatic 30% new wood, balancing acidity and some of the grunt and grip that are typical of the terroir.
2018 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains 1er Cru
Vinous
92-94 Points
The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains 1er Cru matches Chevillon’s Les Saint-Georges pound for pound in terms of intensity and precision, offering brambly black fruit, crushed rock, tangerine and raspberry preserve scents that blossom with aeration.
2019 Robert Chevillon Nuits St George Les Roncieres 1er Cru Burgundy
Wine Spectator
93 Points
Polished, exuding black currant, blackberry, earth and stone flavors.
2021 Chris Hamilton Merlot Oakville, Napa Valley
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 93+ Points
Big and surprisingly gutsy for a young Merlot, this wine opens with a coiled aromatic medley of dark cherry, red currant, red rose, vanilla and baking spice.
2012 Clos Pizzarra “El Mont” Grenache Priorat, Spain
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 91+ Points
Sophisticated, elegant, rich and nicely evolved, the nose of this generous bottling melds scents of strawberry jam, dried raspberry, grenadine, licorice root, sandalwood, dried herbs and some mineral undercurrents into a satisfying harmony.
2012 Clos Pizzarra “El Ramon” Proprietary Red Wine Bellmunt Vineyard
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 92+ Points
Very ripe, rich yet structured nose of strawberry jam, cassis, black currant, sour red cherry, pomegranate syrup, white and black peppercorn, sumac berry, licorice root, hazelnut toffee, dark pipe tobacco and dried dark rose.
2015 Domaine Comtes Lafon Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru
Vinous
93 Points
The 2015 Domaine Comtes Lafon Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru has a lovely ripe blackberry, raspberry and undergrowth-scented bouquet that opens nicely with aeration, shaking off just a touch of reduction.
2017 Domaine Comtes Lafon Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru
Vinous
94 Points
The 2017 Domaine Comtes Lafon Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru was opened by Dominique Lafon just because he wanted to compare with the ensuing two vintages.
2018 Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Volnay
Decanter
93 Points
Dominique Lafon's village red comes from the young-vine parcels of his Volnay Santenots Premier Cru that were picked last - perhaps surprisingly - in 2018.
2021 Continuum Sage Mountain Vineyard Napa Valley
San Francisco Wine Panel 99 Points
Youthful as it no doubt is, this wine already pours forth aromas of truly gorgeous elegance.
2021 Continuum Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard, Napa Valley HALF BOTTLE
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 99 Points
Tim Mondavi’s Sage Mountain Proprietary Red continues to get better year after year. Not only does the wine age gracefully in the bottle, the vines continue to get older, and along with that comes more depth and complexity in the wine.
2020 Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, St Helena, Napa Valley
Decanter
96 Points
Medium to full-bodied, beautiful and restrained, with savory aromatics of fennel, black licorice, cedar, and black currants.
2022 The Counselor Cabernet Sauvignon River Pass Vineyard, Alexander Valley
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 91 Points
Aromas of blueberry, black currant, kalamata olive, clove and graphite achieve good harmony in this forthcoming Cabernet.
2022 Craggy Range Pinot Noir Martinborough
Wine Enthusiast
93 Points
A lucid lift of heady aromas, from blueberry and cherry to pressed rose petals and dried herbs, leads to an elegant palate.
2020 Crocker-Star AVA Cabernet Franc Blend, Napa Valley
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 96+ Points
Surprisingly firm and gutsy, yet forthcoming, the nose of clearly this age-worthy bottling poises aromas of blueberry jam, violet and bottled Amarena cherry above a background of wintry spice, sandalwood and hazelnut nougat.
2007 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore
Wine Advocate
94 Points
The 2007 Valpolicella Superiore from the celebrated Monte Lodoletta vineyard is rock-tight with a midnight black appearance and aromas that emerge with fierce determination.
2008 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore
Wine Advocate
92 Points
Reminiscent of a walk through a forest on a crisp fall day, this offers aromatic notes of underbrush, fresh earth and wood smoke, with rich fig cake, dried currant, mocha and baking spice flavors.
2009 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore
Wine Advocate
91 Points
A dense, savory red, with rich, smoky minerality underscoring the flavors of cherry compote, graphite, herbed black olive and star anise.
2020 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Oakville, Napa Valley
Wine Advocate
95 Points
Black cherries, dark loam and cassis appear on the nose of Dalla Valle's 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, joined by hints of cedar and vanilla.
2021 Dalla Valle Vineyards, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley
Decanter
98 Points
The core blocks for the Cabernet come from those in front of the house (House Block) and from further down the west-facing hill and a block on the right-hand side of the driveway through the gate, which is typically a later ripening block that imparts good natural acidity, imparting focus and length to the wine.
2021 Dandelion Cabernet Sauvignon “Pride of Fleurieu” Pennisula, Autralia
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 91 Points
Fruity, fresh and forthcoming, the nose of this delightful everyday Cab offers an aromatic mix of blackberry, dark plum compote and black currant fruit, with genteel notes of vanilla and baking spice in support.
