Dopff & Irion Crustacés Alsace 2015
Brilliant, light golden color. The nose is moderately intense offering scents of green apple and wild flowers with supporting notes of mineral and fresh herbs. The palate confirms the nose delivering a green fruit-driven core with flavors of green melon and citrus. The finish is crisp and clean. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced with a vibrant texture. $12.99 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
Dopff & Irion Blanc de Blanc Brut Cremant d'Alsace NV
Brilliant, light straw color. The nose is moderately intense offering scents of bread dough, lime, and green apple with supporting notes of honey and orange peel. The palate confirms the nose delivering a green fruit-driven core with flavors of peach. The finish is long and lingering with citrus and creamy yeast accents. Medium-bodied and perfectly balanced with a creamy texture. $22 – 4 Stars – 92 points
Dopff & Irion Rosé Brut Cremant d'Alsace NV
Brilliant, medium salmon color. The nose is moderately intense offering scents of apricot stone, raspberry, and bread yeast with supporting notes of citrus zest and mineral. The palate confirms the nose delivering a red fruit-driven core with flavors of wild strawberry. The finish lingers with accents of slate and red currant. Medium-bodied and perfectly balanced with a vibrant texture. $22 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Ayala Brut Majeur Champagne NV
Brilliant, pale golden color with a steady stream of fine bubbles. The nose opens meekly but quickly opens up with waves of spring flowers, complex lees and mineral notes, and soft citrus accents. The palate fully concurs with the nose delivering a complex core of white fruits, toasted brioche, and bright floral notes that linger for minutes while softly competing for dominance. Medium-bodied with a seamless fusion of fruit, lees, mineral, and subtle citrus notes with a vibrant dose of acidity creating ideal balance. $55 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Ayala Rosé Majeur Champagne NV
Brilliant pink color with a steady stream of fine bubbles. The nose is quite vibrant with waves of ripe and tart red fruits mingling with soft floral and mineral accents. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex but subtle blend of raspberry, boysenberry, and black mulberry that activate the salivary glands with bright acidity. Medium-bodied and very a finesse rosé with prominent red fruits being balanced by the classic lees notes and generous dose of Chardonnay delivering perfect balance. $70 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Chateau Lassègue Les Cadrans de Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2012
Deep, dark ruby red color. The nose offers bright scents of black fruits with a generous dose of baking spices, dried herbs, earth, and mineral with accents of oak. The palate fully concurs with the nose offering a dry, black fruit, and earth core with flanking accents of spice, black pepper, and subtle oak notes. Medium to full-bodied with dry spice and mineral-soaked fruit that is framed by big but supple tannins. $35 – 3.5 Stars – 89 points
Chateau Lassègue, Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewDeep, dark ruby red color. The aromatics are quite expressive offering waves of black fruits both ripe and dried with generous accents of cassis, black plum, evergreen shrubs, brown baking spices, forest floor, and toasted oak. The palate brilliantly echoes the nose delivering a dense black fruit core with flanking notes of earth, clove, black pepper, nutmeg, and oak with a silky minerality rising on the finish. This young Bordeaux is wonderfully intense with lush fruit and spice showing incredible depth offering flashes of maturity while the bright youthful fruit still dominates. $90 – 5 Stars – 98 points
HobNob Wicked Red Blend IGP Pays d'Oc, France 2015
Brilliant, ruby red color. The nose reveals a wonderful fruit offering scents of blackberry and blueberry with accents of mineral, black currant, and hints of oak. The palate confirms the nose delivering a lush and fruity berry-driven core with waves of subtle spice, mineral, and oak notes. Medium-bodied with ideal balance due to the bright acidity and subtle spice notes found in this cheerful red. $11.99 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
Domaine du Grand Cros Rosé Cotes-de-Provence 2015
Brilliant pink salmon color. The nose is wonderfully expressive and generous with waves of wild red berries, strawberry, raspberry and cherry with accents of red grapefruit and mineral. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a vibrant red berry-focused core with supporting wild herb and spices, citrus zest, and mineral. Medium-bodied with bright, fresh acidity that helps create a perfect balance with long trailing spice and tart fruit flavors. $14.99 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Domaine du Grand Cros Esprit de Provence Cotes-de-Provence 2015
Brilliant, light peach color. The nose is fresh and compelling offering scents of ripe citrus with tropical fruits and hints of raspberry and mineral. The palate echoes the nose delivering a vibrant fruit core with the red berries showing more prominence with red grapefruit and subtle tropical notes before finishing with a slightly pithy, citrus zest note. Medium-bodied and ideally balanced with a bright dose of acidity and tart fruits. $19.99 – 4 Stars – 91 points
