Domaine Hauvette Jaspe Blanc 2015 "Once again, prepare yourself to be wowed. I now have three favorite Roussannes. One is from the Ravaille brothers at Pic Saint Loup (fine, theirs isn’t 100% Roussanne, but who’s counting?). Then there is the Chignin-Bergeron from the Quenard family in the Savoie. Here’s the third. From vines deeply rooted in the garrigue-encrusted, limestone foothills of Les Alpilles, Jaspe is fermented in concrete eggs and aged briefly in stainless steel. A gorgeous perfume of honeysuckle meets the nose, and the wine is at once both lush and nervy, comforting and stimulating. It is picture-perfect with Provençal cuisine, those garlicky, herby, tomato-based dishes that sometimes give white wine a hard time." Importer Notes, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
Domaine Faury Condrieu 2017 "Lionel Faury’s 2017 Condrieu stands out for its delicacy. Petal-light floral notes blend with savory spice; lemony acidity keeps the peach flavors taut and streamlined. A small portion of the blend aged in used barrels, adding a little substance to the body, but it’s not at all heavy; instead, it has the crisp-yet-rich texture and light toastiness of a sand cookie, snappy and tender at once." 92 Points Wine & Spirits
Louis Barroul/Kermit Lynch Crozes-Hermitage Tiercerolles 2017 "Opaque ruby. High-pitched black and blue fruit, violet candy and cracked pepper aromas are complicated by a smoky mineral nuance that gains power as the wine opens up. Intense blackberry and blueberry flavors show impressive depth as well as energy and spicy back-end lift. Closes very long and appealingly sweet, with resonating mineral character driving a youthfully tannic finish." 92 Points Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Domaine Faury Saint Joseph Vieilles Vignes 2017 "Inky ruby. Aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, licorice and candied violet show outstanding clarity and spicy lift. Sappy and focused on the plate, offering juicy blueberry, bitter cherry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that open up steadily and deepen on the back half. Turns sweeter on the impressively persistent finish, which features round, even tannins and resonating floral and exotic spice qualities." 93 Points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Domaine la Pallieres Gigondas Les Racines 2017 "Despite being riper and more concentrated than the Terrasse du Diable bottling, the 2017 Gigondas Les Racines shares a similarly edgy structure. Potent raspberry fruit is delivered on a full-bodied, richly textured palate. . ." 93-95 Points Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Famille Brunier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Piedlong 2016 "Still yet to be bottled, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Piedlong is 90% Grenache (from the Piedlong lieu-dit) and 10% Mourvèdre. It offers mouthwatering elements of cherries and raspberries, rose petals and black tea. Silky, lacy and delicate in texture for such a full-bodied wine, it's immediately charming and seductive." 94-96 Points Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Clos Saint-Joseph I.G.P. Méditerranée Rouge 2017 "In 2017, a hail storm destroyed much of Clos Saint Joseph’s red grapes. Half of this bottling comes from grapes from Clos Saint Joseph’s vines. The other half comes from donations of grapes from a large group of Provence’s top growers (an organization called Rouge Provence, intended to create solidarity among growers and promote Provence’s historic red wines) including Domaine Tempier, Domaine Hauvette, and Domaine de la Tour du Bon. All these grapes come from different AOCs (Bandol, Coteaux de Baux, Coteaux d’Aix, Coteaux Varois, Côtes de Provence), which is why the wine’s designation is I.G.P Méditerranée instead of Côtes de Provence." Importer Notes, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
Domaine du Gros Noré Bandol Rouge 2016 "One of my favorite 2016s, Gros Noré's 2016 Bandol is a complex, savory offering with at least 15 years of life ahead of it. Dark, plummy fruit picks up notes of mocha, roasted meat and mushrooms on the medium to full-bodied palate. Rich and velvety from start to long, long finish, this is nice, nice stuff, a blend of 80% Mourvèdre with 15% Grenache and 5% Cinsault aged in foudres." 93 Points Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Tempier Bandol La Tourtine 2017 "Each vintage, fans of Domaine Tempier will engage in fervent arguments in favor of their preferred single-vineyard cuvée. . . La Tourtine perhaps best expresses the paradoxical combination of power and elegance that is a trademark of the Domaine's wines. One of the best terroirs in the appellation, La Tourtine is a terraced hillside whose southern exposure at the top of a hill gives it ample exposure to the elements—namely, the fierce Provençal sun and incessant howl of the mistral. Deep clay soils yield rich, dense wines while a high proportion of Mourvèdre, including some very old vines, ensure that concentration is never lacking. In the 2017, you'll find sumptuous black fruit backed by a thick, fleshy tannic structure, plus hints of pine forest, sun-baked clay, and resinous garrigue. Drinkable now with the aeration but endowed with solid aging potential, the 2017 Tourtine is certain to animate debates among impassioned Tempier drinkers for years to come." Importer Notes, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
Auguste Clape Cornas 2017 "Plenty of sexy graphite and dark stony aromas cast across showy dark fruits seen here, all presented in a vibrant and seductive form. Plenty of spices and fragrant lift, too. The palate is astonishingly rich, layered and seamlessly complete. The tannins are dense, compressed and commanding, whereas the tension is entrancing. Flavors run from red to darker fruits. The finish is already long and majestic. Exceptional wine. Barrel sample." 98-99 Points James Suckling
Domaine la Tour Vieille Banyuls Rimage 2016 "Not yet bottled, the 2016 Banyuls Rimage could certainly end up being outstanding. It’s medium ruby/opaque color is followed by perfumed notes of flowers, violets and juicy, jammy fruits. It’s medium to full-bodied and nicely textured, and leans firmly towards the more fresh, elegant side of Banyuls." 89-91 Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate |
