Fine Wine > $20-50 > 92-95 Pts > France

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"From tank, the l'Oustal Blanc 2009 Minervois Giocoso - incorporating some Cinsault along with its usual Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan - is redolent of incense, freshly-baked ginger cookies, and confitured cherry and black raspberry ... There is terrific grip and lingering spice here, while a..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The exceptional 2009 Crozes-Hermitage is one of the top wines of the vintage. A complex bouquet of black olives, licorice, ground beef, spring flowers and red and black currants soars from the glass of this 100% Syrah that is aged in 3-year-old barrels as well as larger foudres. With remarkable..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Domaine Grand Venuer's 2010 Lirac Clos de Sixte is outstanding. It is a full-bodied, rich, textural wine with abundant blue and black fruits interwoven with garrigue and licorice..."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Bright blackberry and sweet currant aromas follow through to a full body, silky and refined, with an excellent density and a long, long finish. Soild and polished. Best ever from here?" — J.S.

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Tasting the components that would become the Dagueneau 2011 Pouilly-Fume Les Pentes (and which includes fruit from some rows of Le Romain, the estate’s sole flint-inflected site, on the remarkably preserved, flint-paved Roman road at the northern edge of Pouilly), it’s clear that this cuvee will..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Beautifully pure, with salted butter, chamomile and quinine notes lacing up a core of creamed Jonagold apple and lanolin flavors. The long, creamy finish lets the chamomile edge play out elegantly."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"This rich, powerful and buttery sweetie is refined, featuring touches of elegance to its apple compote and passion fruit flavors. The long finish of mango and orange spice is pure and fresh-tasting, with plenty of nutty overtones."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The 2010 La Blaca (70% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 15% Carignan) exhibits an inky/purple color along with lots of camphor, acacia flower, blackberry and black raspberry fruit notes. Full-bodied, unctuously textured, juicy, heady and lush..."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"This is full of succulent dark currant, dried cherry, stewed meat and violet flavors that take on plenty of mocha and bittersweet chocolate notes. The tannic finish is muscular, yet restrained, and features white pepper and cedar overtones. Drink now through 2020."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Alary’s top cuvee, the 2010 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cairanne Font d’Estevanas is a blend of equal parts old vine Grenache and Syrah, the latter planted in 1961, grown in the clay/limestone hillsides ... it is a fabulous unfiltered wine offering abundant notes of licorice, truffles, camphor, black..