“Savory, sweet, spicy and fresh, the 2015 Carmenère di San Leonardo is pulling me closer and closer to the glass with its seductive bouquet, mixing depths of cherry and young strawberry with cracked black pepper, rosemary and sage, as white smoke combines with the slightest hint of brown sugar to set off all of the pleasure sensors in the brain. This is elegant and refined, showing silky textures playing host to tart red and a hint of black fruit, with noble tannins, as inner florals and savory herbs resonate for up to a minute, leaving just a hint of blackberry in their wake. This is a selection from San Leonardo’s oldest vines of Carmenère, and it’s a stunner! Drinking window: 2022-2038. 94 points
While the primary focus at Tenuta San Leonardo remains on the flagship San Leonardo Rosso, the house also produces a number of varietal expressions and Bordeaux blends from the estate’s vineyards. From the varietal selections, the Sauvignon is a cool-toned, crisp mountain wine for easy sipping, while the house Riesling is a more serious, barrel-fermented and aged effort that spends an extended time on the lees. The extremely limited Carmenère di San Leonardo, a passion project of Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, hails from the estate’s oldest parcels and pays tribute to the variety that set Tenuta San Leonardo on its path to international fame. Think of the Rosso Villa Gresti as the “Right Bank” expression of San Leonardo, as it puts Merlot front and center in the blend. Lastly, you can’t go wrong with the remarkable value found in the house’s second wine, the Terre di San Leonardo Rosso. Each of these is worth checking out if you’re a fan of the house style.”
“The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori offers a beguiling mix of Sangiovese energy and Cabernet Sauvignon savoriness. Translucent and energetic, the 2018 has much to offer. I would prefer to see a bit more Sangiovese character, but the Marchese is designed to be a sort of mini-Tignanello and it leans towards the more savory end of the spectrum because of the presence of Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinking window: 2021-2028. 93 points
CEO Renzo Cotarella and his team continue to move the Antinori wines in the direction of elegance over power. Recent vintages have provided the ideal conditions to do that. Tignanello and Solaia, the family flagships, naturally get most of the attention, but I am increasingly impressed with the entry-level wines, all of which are now made from estate fruit, which is remarkable at these volumes.”
“The Thillardon brothers continue to go from strength to strength, and they are fast emerging as one of the most exciting producers in contemporary Beaujolais. The 2019 vintage has turned out beautifully at this address and is strangely reminiscent of the domaine’s 2016s—even though the two growing seasons have very little in common. Ethereal, elegantly tightly wound and low in alcohol, they will blossom with a year in the cellar. From the last couple of vintages, this has been one of the most consistently successful addresses for low/no sulfite Beaujolais, and the wines come recommended.”
“The 2020 Chardonnay has detailed scents of lemon peel, crème fraîche, hazelnuts and white flowers. The palate is dynamic, its satiny texture enlivened by youthfully citrusy flavors and tangy acidity, and it finishes long and energetic. Drink: 2022-2032. 94 points”
“Aromas of minty green apples and citrus oil introduce the 2017 Mâcon-Villages, a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy wine that’s bright and layered, concluding with a saline finish. This bottling comes from comparatively young vines and is vinified and matured in tank. The 2017 is quite easy to understand and makes a great introduction to the wines of this fascinating and idiosyncratic domaine. Drinking window: 2019-2029. 89 points
After years of trying, it was with great interest that I at last paid a visit to Philippe Valette’s elusive 8.5-hectare Chaintré estate. The Valette family were the first to exit the local cooperative, and they rapidly won a reputation for rich, concentrated wines that were frequently celebrated in the pages of this publication. On leaving school in 1990, Philippe began to convert the domaine to organic farming, and since 1992, their wines have never been chaptalized. Influenced by a meeting with Pierre Overnoy, Valette has come to identify with the natural wine movement, and today, his wines see little or no sulfur and increasingly long élevage—indeed, the 2006 Clos de Monsieur Noly spent fully 12 years in barrel. If the estate’s wines through the late 1990s were simply powerful, textural examples of high-quality white Burgundy (notes on several will appear in the next installment of Up From the Cellar), the wines being released today belong in a category of their own. Complex and sapid, I find them fascinating, but readers should be prepared to find wines that are quite different from any of the Valettes’ neighbors. Anyone who appreciates the Jura bottlings of Jean-François Ganevat or the Thomas Pico Chablis wines is likely to love them! My experience is that they often benefit from extended aeration, and I tend to decant Valette’s wines or follow them over several days.”
“After years of trying, it was with great interest that I at last paid a visit to Philippe Valette’s elusive 8.5-hectare Chaintré estate. The Valette family were the first to exit the local cooperative, and they rapidly won a reputation for rich, concentrated wines that were frequently celebrated in the pages of this publication. On leaving school in 1990, Philippe began to convert the domaine to organic farming, and since 1992, their wines have never been chaptalized. Influenced by a meeting with Pierre Overnoy, Valette has come to identify with the natural wine movement, and today, his wines see little or no sulfur and increasingly long élevage—indeed, the 2006 Clos de Monsieur Noly spent fully 12 years in barrel. If the estate’s wines through the late 1990s were simply powerful, textural examples of high-quality white Burgundy (notes on several will appear in the next installment of Up From the Cellar), the wines being released today belong in a category of their own. Complex and sapid, I find them fascinating, but readers should be prepared to find wines that are quite different from any of the Valettes’ neighbors. Anyone who appreciates the Jura bottlings of Jean-François Ganevat or the Thomas Pico Chablis wines is likely to love them! My experience is that they often benefit from extended aeration, and I tend to decant Valette’s wines or follow them over several days.”
“The 2017 Chardonnay Drake Estate Vineyard offers scents of quince peel, green apple, cheese rind and baker’s yeast, opening to notes of dried chamomile, toast and almonds. It’s light to medium-bodied and lively in the mouth with creamy/nutty touches, tangy acidity and a long, almond-tinged finish. 352 cases produced. Drink: 2020-2026. 91 points
California lost one of its great wine pioneers with the passing of Burt Williams in December 2019. The first commercial vintage of Williams Selyem was in 1981, and all these years later, it remains a benchmark for Pinot Noir in California. Williams influenced countless winemakers and was integral in shaping the wine landscape in California that we are fortunate to inherit today. We raise our glasses in your honor.”
“Complex and well-focused, with distinctive aromas of blueberry and mint leading to complex, densely packed flavors of raspberry, white pepper and loamy mineral. Ripe tannins frame the finish. Drink now through 2026. 425 cases made. 90 points”
“The 2017 Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and a nose of Bing cherry, black cherry, cranberry and rhubarb with cinnamon stick, autumn leaves, potpourri, perfumed earth and dust hints. The light to medium-bodied palate is softly grainy and lifted by juicy acidity, with spiced, bright red fruits accented by new oak touches, finishing very long. 766 cases produced. Drink: 2022-2032. 93 points
California lost one of its great wine pioneers with the passing of Burt Williams in December 2019. The first commercial vintage of Williams Selyem was in 1981, and all these years later, it remains a benchmark for Pinot Noir in California. Williams influenced countless winemakers and was integral in shaping the wine landscape in California that we are fortunate to inherit today. We raise our glasses in your honor.”
“The 2017 Unoaked Chardonnay has a pretty, fresh nose with citrus blossom, tangerine, spring honey and stone fruit aromas. The palate is light-bodied with pure fruits in the mouth, tangy acidity and a long, floral finish. 755 cases were made. Drink: 2019-2023. 90 points”
“The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru has a well-defined, focused bouquet of apple blossom and touches of quince; underneafh is crushed limestone that comes through with aeration. The palate is rounded and fat in the mouth. This is packed with tropical fruit, but there is sufficient acidify to back it up and a lovely honeyed texture on the finish. Not intellectual, but delicious. Drinking window: 2022-2038. 90-92 points”
Neal Martin, Vinous (12/20)
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