Category: News

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Arioso 201796 points  | RedA bird of a different feather, from the beguiling charms of the floral and red fruit aromas to the silky, yet persistent structure that carries the core of kirsch, cherry preserve and violet notes along. Ends with a flurry of incense, rooibos tea and iron accents that gives one pause…

Even the most traditional wine regions need to evolve, and it’s often newcomers who bring new ways of thinking. But as the price of vineyard land rises in famed appellations such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it becomes more difficult for outsiders to gain a foothold. Such appellations risk resting on their laurels – so thank goodness for…

ROTEM & MOUNIR SAOUMA Châteauneuf-du-Pape White Magis 2017Score: 97Insider Issue: Apr 1, 2020Tasting NoteGorgeous in every way, from the lush and silky feel to the waves of creamed melon, white peach and green fig flavors, accented by spritely chamomile and verbena details. The long finish lets a shortbread note echo, rippling with latent energy. Drink…

LUCIEN LE MOINE Corton-Charlemagne 2017Score: 96Insider Issue: May 13, 2020Tasting NoteThis intense version grabs your attention, with effusive aromas of lemon curd, pine forest, wood smoke and stone. There is something wild about this, yet at the core lies sweet, ripe peach and apple fruit, shaded by lanolin and peat notes. Bracing acidity keeps all…

Mounir Saouma of Lucien Le Moine often goes against the prevailing wisdom in Burgundy; a tasting of his 2018s reveals a bevy of potentially classic-rated Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays Mounir Saouma, proprietor of the boutique négociant Lucien Le Moine in Beaune, typically interprets vintages differently than many other domaines and merchants in Burgundy. The 2018…

For more detail on Mounir and Rotem Saouma’s general views of the 2018 vintage, please see Issue 78 or the Burghound database. As to their whites, they noted that none of the whites had been racked or sulfured. Moreover, they will not be bottled until November, or a full 27 months after the harvest which…

Mounir and Rotem Saouma established their two-person micro-négoce in 1999 that focuses exclusively on the very best 1ers and grands crus in both red and white. As is often the case at this address, at the time of my February visit the wines had been neither racked nor sulfured and as such some were noticeably…

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape Omnia 2015 96 pointsRed This is sublime, with beguiling rooibos tea, blood orange and sandalwood aromas out front followed by a long and silky display of lightly mulled cherry, damson plum and raspberry fruit  avors. Light shiso leaf and sanguine notes lace up the  nish while the fruit echoes admirably. Best from 2020 through…