Wine Advocate (96)

The estate's 2004 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is another awesome wine. Initially linear on entry, it explodes on the palate with a compelling array of dark fruit, smoke, tar, licorice, new leather, plums and baking spices. Although Bric del Fiasc is typically a wine that relies on power, the 2004 is notably refined and elegant, with sweet silky tannins that support the fruit from start to finish. Simply put, this is a remarkable wine from Enrico Scavino. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022.

Vinous (94)

The 2004 Barolo Carobric is in a great place today where it is starting to show the first signs of aromatic complexity, yet it also clearly has plenty of upside for the future. Firm yet nicely integrated tannins give the 2004 much of its energy. Sweet tobacco, plums, underbrush, cherries and melted road tar linger on the multi-faceted finish. Carobric is a blend of fruit from Cannubi, Rocche di Castiglione and Bric del Fiasc.

To celebrate the unbelievable milestone of half a millennium crafting some of the world’s most exceptional sparkling wines, the legendary Maison have released a highly exclusive collectors’ case of which a mere 500 were made.

 

Containing two different vintages of the Cuvée 1522, itself commemorating the foundation of Philipponnat, this wine is always composed of strictly Grand Cru fruit with the majority fermented in oak casks with no malolactic fermentation to provide rounded richness with total weightlessness.

 

The village of Aÿ, home to the Philipponnat family for 16 generations, is clearly visible in the stunning label of Cuvée 1522. A testament to both terroir and vintage, the particular examples in this collection are the even rarer L.V. or Long Vieillissement (Long Aging) expressions kept back at the winery for added time on lees and extra maturity in perfect conditions.

 

A bottle each of the 2000 and 2002, both exceptional vintages, are included in this beautiful case and are sure to be incredible wines neither of which are available to purchase individually on the market.

Wine Advocate (95)

The NV Extra-Brut Les Grandes Côtes derives from Pinot Noir planted in a north-facing site, matured as a perpetual reserve spanning the 2011-2018 vintages. Wafting from the glass with aromas of peach, orange oil, pear, beeswax and fresh bread, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and ample, with a fleshy core of perfumed fruit animated by a pillowy mousse, concluding with a long, aromatic finish.

Imbued with the polyphonic symphony of Tuscan terroir, the Poggio San Polo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004 originates from Montalcino's ripest Sangiovese grapes. Produced in the San Polo winery, owned by the illustrious Allegrini family, the generous contribution of marly soils and climatic conditions honours it with a grand finesse and complexity.

Aged in French tonneaux and large Slavonian oak barrels, its compositions wonderfully evolve over five years resulting in a luscious spectrum of dark fruits, spices, and earthy undertones. Its sheer brilliance manifests in its harmonious balance of acidity, tannins, and svelte, full-bodied structure.

With a unique ability to unfurl its full potential when decanted, Poggio San Polo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004 reinforces its standing as an Eden of enological excellence. Savour this liquid poetry to experience a profound immersion into an ineffable Italian winemaking tradition.

Decanter (93)

Richly biscuity on the nose, with steamed rice, fresh pear and citrus blossom complexity. Creamy mousse dissolves into red apple peel, lemon and stone fruits, with a depth of honeyed biscuits. The Reserve NV from Pol Roger is a blend of base wines from at least three vintages. With 6 months of post-disgorgement ageing, the wine is ready to enjoy now.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Tasted blind. Mytik cork. Deep gold. Deep and rich on the nose and very appealing. Tightly laced with a tiny bead. Some savoury notes with a suggestion of gunflint. Real race and pace.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2004 Passito Rosso Vino Dolce Vigna Seré (500-mililiter) is a masterpiece that is impossible to repeat. In fact, the wine has not been produced since 2004. Even if a vintage as good as this did come along, we'd need to wait another 13 years before we could enjoy this level of maturity and evolution. Formally a Recioto della Valpolicella, this sweet red wine is made with air-dried fruit as local tradition dictates. Luckily no botrytis set in that year, because that would have eroded the wine's deep and luscious color saturation. The bouquet delivers a generous flow of dark spice, bitter chocolate, espresso, raisin, plum, barbecue spice and teriyaki smoke. The concentration and layering of the wine are both rare and distinctive. The mouthfeel sees sweet flavors with a syrupy mouthfeel. The finish offers hints of caramelized brown sugar and savory hickory. The aging window is impossible to predict, but the wine is surely built to last. I can think of no other wine that comes close to matching this unique style.

Each Limited Edition 2008 Oenotheque Case contains:

2 x 75cl Salon 2004 - 96 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 97 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

2 x 75cl Salon 2006 - 95 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 96 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

2 x 75cl Salon 2007 - 96 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 97 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

1 x 150cl Magnum of Salon 2008 - 100 pts | William Kelley (Wine Advocate) & 100 pts | Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

• Highly sought with immense collectable value

• Each vintage scores at least 95 points by William Kelley (Wine Advocate)

• Only 8,000 magnums of the 2008 vintage ever produced

Wine Advocate (97+)

(The Third Twin Graciano 2014) A blend of 90% Graciano and 10% Mourvèdre, completely destemmed and then aged all in used oak barrels for around 27 months, the 2014 The Third Twin Graciano sports a very deep garnet-purple color and beguiling nose of espresso, tapenade, preserved plums and Indian spices with earth and licorice nuances. The densely packed, full-bodied palate has a firm backbone of grainy tannins and lovely freshness, with loads of earthy layers and fantastic length, which features buckets of exotic spices. This is the first edition of this single vineyard wine, coming entirely from The Third Twin Vineyard in Los Alamos, showcasing not only the potential of this amazing site but of this grape variety in the region. Manfred Krankl commented, “Of course I realize this is a Spanish variety, but I think God...or someone...made a slight mistake along the way, as the grape very much reminds me of the Rhône.” Positively the finest example of this grape I have ever tasted, move over Spain, Graciano has found a new spiritual home in California’s Central Coast! 65 cases were made. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 30 Sep 2017) (The Third Twin Graciano 2015) Graciano is a low-yielding Spanish variety grown primarily in Rioja, but Krankl contends that its spiritual home is the Rhône Valley: it reminds him of Mourvèdre in so far as it needs to be very ripe to show all its character, he says. And it's certainly a striking addition to his winemaking palate, with a character quite distinct to any of the other red varieties he works with. Offering up aromas of cherry pit and balsamic cherries, subtly framed by creamy new oak, the 2015 The Third Twin Graciano is amazingly saturated in color. On the palate, it's velvety, full-bodied and richly tannic, almost preternaturally concentrated in character, but remarkably supple and expansive despite its formidable levels of extract and structure. It's a singular wine, even by Krankl's standards. (William Kelley, ,23 Aug 2018)

The Siret Grand Cru is a serious wine with a decidedly aristocratic personality. A rich shade of lemony straw in the glass, the bead is impeccably fine and consistent, promising a great texture on the palate. Complex on the nose, the notes immediately tend towards the darker side of the spectrum, with slightly bruised Williams pear and a haunting perfume of forest floor after a downpour. Classically for its varietal (100% Chardonnay), there is a lovely aroma of freshly shucked sweet garden pea alongside charming florals, as if the breeze was carrying perfume from the rose bush down into the vegetable patch. There is a toasty aspect to the Champagne being made as it is in the méthode traditionnelle, but in the Siret it tends more towards freshly baked biscuits than yeasty bread - equally seductive but less dominant. The promise of the bead is certainly kept in the mouth, with its creamy enveloping texture arguably the most impressive component of the wine. Such is its structure that it almost feels oily on the palate, before lovely flavours of pistachio, stroopwaffle and granite minerality emerge behind ripe lemons and crisp pear. There is serious complexity in this wine, which is balanced by prominent acidity, and will allow it to age very well.

Decanter (96)

It was a dry vintage up to August, which turned exceptionally wet and cool. September saved the vintage with the ideal weather conditions - low rainfall and cool nights. The graceful nose opens to white flowers, ripe apricot and citrus hints. It is tense and refined, with a vivid mineral core balanced by pristine acidity and some toasted notes on the finish. It's not the most expressive today, but wait for it to awaken. This is built for cellaring.

Decanter (96)

The nose is shy and subtle, though notions of red apple, peppery rye crumb, stone and lemon emerge with more air. Tightly coiled, the palate suggests spicy riches with its insinuations of white pepper and tangerine peel. A lovely interplay of Pinot richness and Chardonnay slinkiness, showing depth, svelteness and elegance. It justs needs air to breathe. Gorgeous.

Decanter (96)

The nose is shy and subtle, though notions of red apple, peppery rye crumb, stone and lemon emerge with more air. Tightly coiled, the palate suggests spicy riches with its insinuations of white pepper and tangerine peel. A lovely interplay of Pinot richness and Chardonnay slinkiness, showing depth, svelteness and elegance. It justs needs air to breathe. Gorgeous.

Hedonist's Gazette (100)

Anything this smooth, silky, potent, and aromatic, is truly great stuff. It is about as ethereal Cognac as anyone could ever hope to drink.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2004 Descendant, an old oak-aged blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier from a 12-year old vineyard, offers up notes of blackberries, ink, sweet truffles, and acacia flowers. There are 1,000 cases of this full-bodied, intense, rich blockbuster. It will drink well for 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate (95+)

A new offering, the 2004 The Pict, is a 220-case cuvee of 100% Mourvedre that tips the scales at 13.2% alcohol. Reminiscent of a 1998 Domaine Tempier Cuvee Speciale (a great vintage for that estate), it boasts an inky/blue/purple color, phenomenally intense blueberry and blackberry fruit characteristics, and hints of black truffles as well as fresh mushrooms. Deep and full-bodied, with superb fruit and the right amount of sweet tannin (a rarity for Mourvedre), this beauty should evolve slowly, and drink well for 15 or more years.

Vinous (93)

Medium red color. Floral, mineral-tinged red berry aromas, with subtle spice and underbrush notes; this could pass for a ripe Burgundy. Fine-grained and spicy, showing vivid raspberry and strawberry preserve flavors that build impressively with air. Finishes with silky tannins and energetic notes of red berries and fresh rose. This is awfully suave.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Disgorged with 1.7 grams per liter dosage after 48 months sur lattes, Collin's NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (2016) 48 months bursts with aromas of green apple, blanched almonds, confit citrus and pastry cream. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, it's deep and concentrated, with racy acids and this site's telltale chiseled, incisive profile; it's long and penetrating, concluding with chalky grip. With this late-disgorged version, Les Pierrières takes another step.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Disgorged with 1.7 grams per liter dosage after 48 months sur lattes, Collin's NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (2016) 48 months bursts with aromas of green apple, blanched almonds, confit citrus and pastry cream. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, it's deep and concentrated, with racy acids and this site's telltale chiseled, incisive profile; it's long and penetrating, concluding with chalky grip. With this late-disgorged version, Les Pierrières takes another step.

Wine Advocate (100)

Disgorged in March 2020 with 2.4 grams dosage, the NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Enfers (2014) 60 months is based on the 2014 vintage. Indeed, it's the same tirage that was released last year after 48 months on lees, but its additional year sur lattes has transformed it into an altogether different wine, one that attains new levels of texture, sapid nuance and quite simply excitement. Unwinding in the glass with scents of freshly baked bread, honeyed pears, pomelo, blanched almonds, praline and white flowers, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a textural attack segueing into a deep and concentrated mid-palate that's pure and precise, girdled by racy acids and complemented by an elegantly pillowy mousse, concluding with a long, intensely mineral finish. It is testimony to Olivier Collin's immense ambition and relentless work ethic that he has achieved such results not in the celebrated terroirs of the Côte de Blancs or the Montagne de Reims, but rather in the little-known Val du Petit Morin, and in the process, he is expanding the parameters of the possible in Champagne.

Wine Advocate (99)

Disgorged after 60 months on the lees, which will now be the standard for this cuvée, Collin's NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Enfers (2016) unwinds in the glass with complex aromas of crisp Anjou pear and stone fruits mingled with pastry cream, toasted almonds and white flowers. Full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it's deep and complete, with racy acids, terrific texture and unerring precision. While my allegiance varies between Les Enfers and Les Roises, depending on the year and the disgorgement, in 2016 it's impossible to choose: both wines are benchmarks for contemporary Champagne.

Wine Advocate (97)

Disgorged in March 2020 with 2.4 grams per liter dosage, the NV Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons (2016) is based on the 2016 vintage, complemented by 50% reserve wines from 2015. Wafting from the glass with aromas of mirabelle plum, clear honey, toasted almonds, vanilla pod, mandarin, nutmeg and apricot, it's full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a lovely pinpoint mousse. Charming and demonstrative, it's also one of the most precise renditions of Les Maillons produced to date. At fully 18,500 bottles, this is Collin's largest cuvée.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Disgorged with 1.7 grams per liter dosage after 48 months sur lattes, Collin's NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (2016) 48 months bursts with aromas of green apple, blanched almonds, confit citrus and pastry cream. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, it's deep and concentrated, with racy acids and this site's telltale chiseled, incisive profile; it's long and penetrating, concluding with chalky grip. With this late-disgorged version, Les Pierrières takes another step.

Wine Advocate (100)

Collin's NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises (2015) 60 months is an arresting, thrilling wine that bursts with aromas of peach, confit lemon, mandarin oil, buttery pastry, almonds and white flowers. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with huge concentration and mid-palate amplitude, it's vibrant and precise, with a pillowy mousse and an immensely long and intensely saline finish. Despite my best intentions, as soon as I tasted this Les Roises, I knew that my self-imposed embargo on any further 100-point scores for Champagne in 2021 would have to be broken. And the frightening thing is that Collin shows no signs of relenting in his quest to expand the parameters of the possible in Champagne! While bottles of this tiny disgorgement won't be easy to find, anyone eager to taste one of the region's contemporary benchmarks should make every effort to seek one out.