Highly Allocated Gems
Showing 235–243 of 630 results
-

Domaine de Ferrand 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape
$64.99Southern Rhone Valley France
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Rating
Beautiful violets, wildflowers, Asian spices, lavender, and Bing cherry fruits all soar from the glass of the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape. This full-bodied, beautifully textured, seamless 2019 brings the richness of the vintage while staying light on its feet, elegant, and perfectly balanced. While the acidity is quite low (I’m sure the pH is quite high), this will age on its balance and concentration. Hats off to Philippe Bravey for another singular Châteauneuf du Pape that readers will love to have in their cellars. As usual, the blend is 85% Grenache, with the balance other permitted varieties, brought up completely in tank. It can be drunk any time over the coming 15 years or more. SP38-10 SPBX-24 -

Domaine de La Charbonnière 2015 Vacqueyras Cuvée Spéciale
$34.99Southern Rhone Valley France
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Rating
The 2015 Vacqueyras Cuvée Spéciale is another blockbuster. Made from 100% Grenache that was 70% destemmed and aged in oak tanks, it offers terrific notes of kirsch, dried herbs, ground pepper and loads of loamy soil/sandy aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, balanced and with beautiful tannin quality, drink it anytime over the coming decade. SP36-1 -

Domaine de la Janasse 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes
$109.99Southern Rhone Valley
Wine Advocate 98 Rating
The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is a tour de force. Raspberry and apricot-scented fruit, rich chocolate notes and an incredible whirlwind of spice are delivered in this full-bodied wine that shows no heat, just waves of flavor. It should drink well for 20 years or more. R26-4 -

Domaine De La Janasse 2020 Chateauneuf Du Pape Chaupin
$89.99Southern Rhone Valley France
Jeb Dunnuck 99 Rating
I was blown away by the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Chaupin, a 100% Grenache release that comes almost exclusively from the Chaupin lieu-dit in the northern part of the appellation. It's never as inky-hued or powerful as the Vieilles Vignes but always screams Grenache with its sexy, ripe, seamless, and remarkably elegant style. The 2020 offers a translucent ruby/purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of blackberries, black raspberries, peppery garrigue, herbes de Provence, and flowers, and it opens up nicely with time in the glass. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it has silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. I finished my note with “a Grenache lover's dream.” This is up with the finest vintages produced and will evolve for 15+ years. SP33-10 -

Domaine Della 2018 Pinot Noir
$69.99Santa Lucia Highlands California
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Rating
Share Tweet
Located south of Monterey, the Santa Lucia Highlands is a great AVA that produces an amazing amount of outstanding Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrahs. Starting with the appellation 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, it comes all from the Soberanes Vineyard (in the relative center/southern end of the appellation) and spent 15 months in 47% new French oak. This beautiful, elegant, complex wine displays the fruit-loaded style of the appellation yet stays balanced, nicely textured, and even elegant. Black cherries, black raspberries, leafy herbs, a touch of flowers, and some earthy/forest floor notes all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with a soft, supple texture, again, terrific balance, and a great finish. It's slightly less expensive than the single vineyard, but I think it’s just as good. SP1-2 -

Domaine Della 2020 Chardonnay
$54.99 -

Domaine du Pegau 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo
$299.99Southern Rhone Valley France
Jeb Dunnuck 99 Rating
The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Da Capo is smoking good. Blackcurrants, lavender, garrigue, violets, cured meats and saddle leather all flow from this rich, unctuous, incredibly decadent 2015 that has sweet tannin, a huge mid-palate, and more concentration than just about every other wine in the vintage. -

Domaine du Pegau 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc
$59.99Southern Rhone Valley France
Wine Advocate 95 Rating
Pegau's 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc Cuvée Réservée is almost Burgundian in character, the way it balances upfront generosity with mouthwatering length. The flavors are different, offering hints of crushed stone, underripe pineapple, white peach and dried spices, then this medium to full-bodied wine adds vaguely chalky textural elements on the long finish. Silky and streamlined, it does a wonderful job of preserving freshness throughout. SPB1-1 -

Domaine du Pegau 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape
$89.99Southern Rhone Valley France
Vinous 96 Rating
The 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée is one of the strongest vintages for this wine in recent history. It is magnificent, soaring from the glass with pungent aromas of crème de cassis, ripe raspberry and strawberry, cured meat, tobacco, licorice, iodine and garrigue. Full-bodied, vibrant to the core and offering a multidimensional profile, this wine is really, really good. The Féraud family and the entire team deserve a round of applause for this sublime Cuvée Réservée, which will still be kicking ass 20 years from now. R45-1 SP37-17
