Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne NV

In our area, a very favorite Champagne is Veuve Clicquot.  It has a moderate price and is readily available.  I recommend checking the current price on https://www.wine-searcher.com/.  Usually, it is right at $40 a bottle from B-21 in Tarpon Springs https://www.b-21.com/ usually with free or very low-cost shipping.  I thought you might enjoy a brief history of Madame Veuve(widow) Clicquot.  At a very young age, she was widowed with a young daughter and spent the rest of her life building one of the greatest Champagne houses in the world.

Founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot, Veuve Clicquot played an important role in establishing champagne as a favored drink of haute bourgeoisie and nobility throughout Europe. During the Napoleonic Wars, Madame Clicquot made strides in establishing her wine in royal courts throughout Europe, notably that of Imperial Russia, thus becoming the first Champagne house to ship Champagne through the blockade to Russia in 1811. The 1811 comet vintage of Veuve Clicquot is theorized to have been the first truly "modern" Champagne due to the advancements in the méthode champenoise which Veuve Clicquot pioneered. When Barbe-Nicole married François Clicquot, she was 21 years old. When her husband died in October 1805, she was 27 and mother of their six-year-old daughter and only child, Clémentine. 

In the early 19th century, the Napoleonic Code denied women civil and political rights, prohibiting them from working, voting, earning money, entering schools or universities... They couldn't do anything without the consent of their husband or father. At that time, widows were the only women in French society to be free and to be allowed to run their own business. 

Against expectations and opposition, the widow Clicquot wanted to take over her husband's business. She went to her father-in-law with a proposal and convinced him to let her manage the business Philippe agreed to her proposal under one condition: Barbe-Nicole would go through an apprenticeship, after which she would be able to run the business herself if she could prove that she was capable. She entered into an apprenticeship with the winemaker Alexandre Fourneaux and tried to save the wine business and make it grow. On 21 July 1810, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin launched her own company: "Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin" and the rest is history. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 

The VC brand ambassador, the NV Brut Yellow Label (an assemblage of 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier) is currently based on the 2012 vintage and contains 35% reserve wines. On the nose, ripe and intense (yellow-fleshed) fruit aromas intermix with a very nice maturity from the reserve wines. Disgorged in January 2015 with a dosage of nine grams, this is a medium-bodied, yet round and full-flavored Brut. It possesses biscuit and nutty flavors, and a nice freshness and complexity in the intense, aromatic finish. Indeed, this is very delicate and impressively good. 

Chilled Italian Zabaglione with Berries

Our favorite dessert of all time is Italian Zabaglione otherwise known as Zabaione. Essentially it is a simple egg custard made with classically Madeira or Marsala wine and once you get the hang of it fairly quickly and simple to make. But it does take practice. One of the keys is you absolutely have to use some kind of double boiler system, we usually just mix it in a bowl on top of another bowl of boiling water as theoretically you must prepare it at exactly 180 degrees Fahrenheit but who is counting. The main issue is if you don't prepare it correctly instead of having a nice smooth custard you end up with scrambled eggs. Give it a try and see what you come up with. Trust me once you have made it and had it nothing else compares to it. This particular recipe comes from Clark's sister Brenda who to us is a master chef. Breakfast at Brenda's is a gourmet experience. The recipe will serve 4 people so you can increase proportionally as needed. 2x the ingredients would serve 8 people. 

Ingredients: 

3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg 

1/2 cup of sugar 

4 or 5 tablespoons of Madeira wine or you may substitute any favorite alcohol. We like it made with Champagne sometimes as it is more light and fluffy. We have also used Bourbon, Cognac, Rum, Sherry etc. 

1 teaspoon of orange or lemon zest fresh 

1/2 cup heavy cream, stiffly whipped 

Technique: 

Mix the egg yolks and egg with the sugar, your liquor of choice in a large bowl until all ingredients are well mixed. Next place this bowl on top of a somewhat smaller bowl full of boiling water to heat the bottom of the bowl with the mixture in it and immediately start whisking the mixture. If you do it by hand you will get tired quickly. We now use a small electric mixer and continually whisk the mixture with it and it is less tiring. You must constantly whisk the mixture and occasionally whisk the top of the mixture to return that portion to the overall mixture. After a few minutes, you will notice the mixture starts to have bubbles and froth on the edges and will gradually increase to double the size of the original mixture and will thicken a bit. This usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Once you have doubled the size of the mixture or are close to it remove the top bowl and place it is an ice bath, we usually have a small sink with ice in it, and continue to whisk the mixture in the bowl on top of the ice bath until the mixture cools down to a cool temperature. It will continue to thicken a little more. At this point, you have finished Zabaione and can serve it as is over berries or by itself but we add an additional step. 

Taking the finished Zababione fold into the stiffly whipped cream. This adds body and additional sweetness to the mixture as well as increasing the amount We prefer ours cold so we place the bowl into the refrigerator for chilling usually about 3 hours prior to serving. To serve prepare bowls or wine glasses with your favorite berries and then pour the Zababione over the berries covering them and serve. 

Mixed and Preparing to Whisk

The correct consistency

Bon Appetite! 

2005 Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon

As a bonus article tonight please see the following regarding Catena Vineyards in Argentina.  Catena has always made great wine and I was able to host a small get together where we had Catena's 2005 Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon that unfortunately is sold out and no longer available.  But the good news is you can purchase the 2015 which is available for under $30 a bottle just look for it on https://www.wine-searcher.com/

Laura Catena is one of the owners of Catena Vineyards in Argentina. A few years ago I met her at a wine tasting and purchased 10 cases of wine and asked her if she would mind signing the bottles and wooden cases. She graciously did and her and her workers unwrapped every bottle, she signed the bottle, and then they rewrapped the bottles sealed the case and signed the case. It was a lot of work. 

Last October I ran into her again in NYC at the Wine Experience and asked her if she remembered me, reminding her I was the person who had purchased 10 cases from her a few years ago. She immediately threw her arms around me and said I sure do. I have never forgotten that day. Because of you and your large purchase, you made my trip to the USA that year and I will never forget it. We had a couple of nice chats and hopefully, I will see her in the future. Of interest, she is a fully trained emergency room physician and continues to work some ER shifts but her main job now is helping running and marketing the vineyard. 

Winemaker Notes 

Ripe dark fruit on the nose is accompanied by hints of cedar wood and tobacco and then followed on the palate by full flavors of black currant, black cherry and spice. It all comes together on the elegant finish with hints of espresso and clove. 

Critical Acclaim was given to the 2005 by both Wine Spectator and Robert Parker

WS93 

Wine Spectator 

RP92 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 

Purple-colored, it has an alluring nose of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, black currant and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, intense wine with superb depth of flavor, excellent concentration, and a firm finish. 

To help you with the 2015 which is available here are the professional reviews on the 2015.

Critical Acclaim for the 2015

JS93 James Suckling

Quite an exotic nose with a hint of passion fruit alongside the more familiar cassis, red bell pepper, and chocolate notes. Rich with plush tannins and healthy acidity. An impressive Cabernet that’s also easy to enjoy. Drink or hold.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

As always, the 2015 Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of different plots in order to achieve greater complexity. It usually comes from the La Pirámide, Domingo and Nicasia vineyards, with approximately 50% of the grapes from Luján and the other half from Valle de Uco. It contains some 5% Cabernet Franc. It fermented in 500-liter French oak barrels and aged in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for 18 months. It's super varietal, with powerful herbal and spicy aromatics, serious and without a trace of heat. It has an elegant and fresh palate with bright, vibrant flavors and great length. I consider this a real triumph, as 2015 was very challenging for Cabernet, especially in Luján, where they avoided harvesting earlier.

JD92 Jeb Dunnuck

While I wasn’t able to taste the 2016, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Catena Alta Historic Rows showed beautifully, with plenty of cassis and black cherry fruits, notes of leafy herbs, damp earth, and cedar, medium to full body, and silky, polished tannins. I love its balance and purity, and while it’s certainly delicious today, I suspect it will cruise for 10-15 years on its balance and overall harmony.

Additional Thoughts and Observations Regarding French Wines

I would like to thank all of my readers new and old for all the positive comments sent to me on my new wine, travel, and food blog.  Please feel free to make any comments or email me at rosgriffin@gmail.com anytime.  Thank you again.

1. 2015 Bordeaux Vintage was probably the best in 50 years only to have it followed by 2016 and 2018.  All the wines tasted in 2015 were spectacular. I tasted many out of the barrel at the vineyard and they all were complex and extremely well balanced with almost perfect acidity, oak balance, tannin balance, etc. I did not find one that did not absolutely blow me away. I was particularly impressed with the 2015 Leoville Las Case, which in my mind, despite what the experts are saying(they rate it around 97) is a 100 point wine. Of interest, Leoville Las Case for years has been dealing with negative comments in their mind from Robert Parker. They feel he has not liked their wines for years, because as we all know, Robert Parker likes concentrated high alcohol "jammy" wines which Leoville Las Case is not. To me 2015 was the most complex, feminine, soft, velvety, balanced Bordeaux I have tasted in years. No, it is not a "bold" wine. It is a spectacular wine of finesse and beauty. But because the wine writers have not been "fans" of Las Case, 2015 in my mind may be getting lower ratings than it should. Additionally, I can say unequivocally the 2015 Ponet Canet is the greatest and best Ponet Canet I have ever tasted going back at least 15 years and I rate it 100 points also.  I have visited the vineyard twice and met with the owner at least 3 times and unequivocally they are making better and better Bordeaux every year at one of the lowest prices you can buy Bordeaux and they are literally 100 feet across the street from Mouton Rothschild so they share in my mind the same terroir and microclimate though I am sure they would not agree.  Having said all of this critics are still raving about 2016 discussed below and in the past week or two raving about 2018 out of the barrel. The 2018's are being described as very dark, tannic, yet balanced and able to age for 30 years or longer. Another up and coming Medoc Bordeaux that to me is a bargain at a lower price I can recommend is Chateau Branaire-Ducru a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region. In the past 4 years, they have spent millions upgrading their facilities.

2. The 2013 Vintage was not originally highly rated yet over time the 2013's have proven themselves to be above average Bordeaux wines. Because of the initial negative perception, these wines are available at very reasonably low prices.  Yes, it was a bad year especially the weather but as always those who always make good wine made good wine in 2013, so don't totally discount it. Some of the 2013's have been noted to be losing some of their complexity and aging faster than expected but today they drink well and can be recommended. 

3. 2016 Vintage initially was felt to be a disaster. There was frost right at the time budding occurred killing off at least 1/2 of the wine. Then there was too much rain early on and there has been continued rain on and off since causing constant budding of mildew requiring frequent and radical treatments. We visited one vineyard one day where they had hired hundreds of workers to go into the vineyards and actually pick off any leaf with mildew and burn it. Not sure if that is the best way to do it. The biodynamic vineyards spray with tea. The three days we were in St. Emilion within the three days we were there, there was a massive outbreak of mildew that even I could see. Overall they were expecting a marked reduction in the crop. The winemakers were wishing for a very hot August and they got it which resulted in bold, balanced wines with the heat killing off the mildew and allowing the grapes to mature with good sugar levels prior to harvest. Of note, they all said they are seeing the effects of global warming and the change in weather patterns that they are having to adjust to in order to continue to make great wines. The very short of it is global warming is changing radically the harvest dates. 

4. Production levels of Bourgogne continue to be reduced due to too many years of bad weather especially hail.   What this has done is encouraged the vintners to buy land in other areas to be able to make more wine. One up and coming area is the area between the Cote D Beaune and the Cote D Nuits. It is about a 3 or 4-mile area that in the past was not used much but now lots of vintners have bought land there and are making wines. They are called "Hautes Cotes De Nuits" or Hautes Cotes De Beaune" and they are inexpensive, usually less than $30, very good to excellent Burgundy wines. Many vineyards have also purchased additional land South near Pouilly Fussie.  Of interest, Bordeaux does not seem to have the same issues as Bourgogne with the weather though they have their bad years one being 2013.  But 2015, 2016, and 2018 are great years so far for both Bordeaux and Bourgogne.

5. The current market for Bordeaux and the futures market has changed over the past 25 years. To me, the jury is out on Bordeaux futures and I have been checking the prices and considering buying some only for the reason that if the 2015's hit the market once everyone falls in love with them you might not be able to buy them at a reasonable price. But the Chinese ruined the market since 2008 and since 2008 if you bought futures you lost a lot of money, especially given the fact now that the Chinese for all intents and purposes have flooded the market with the 2009's and 2010s by refusing delivery from the vineyards. The one I seriously considered buying and eventually did was the 2015 Leoville Las Case. The En Primeur or Futures price since 2009 has varied from $120 a bottle to $239 a bottle so essentially a 100% spread. I eventually purchased some around $200 a bottle which to me was well worth it considering the greatness of that wine. 

6. There has been vast improvement and movement forward for St. Emilion. My last trip to Bordeaux concentrated on the left bank and at the time I was impressed with the upgrades the vineyards were constructing which are still going on The last time we concentrated on the right bank and I was even more impressed with what is going on in the St. Emilion area. Like the left bank, they are all upgrading and improving their production facilities with new equipment, changing to organic and biodynamic, and getting back to basic winemaking techniques to make better wine. But overall to me the winemakers in St. Emilion were all much younger, there were many more new owners and new vineyards and just an overall feel for really concentrating on making world-class wines and at a better price point. Ones I can highly recommend are La Chatelet, Clos Puy Arnaud, and Canon La Gaffeliere, all of which I was highly impressed with, especially the 2015's. 

7. Why soil and wines are so different between the Medoc and St. Emilion. Once you visit the area and inspect the lay of the land you immediately understand why the right and left bank are like night and day. The right bank sits on top of a huge limestone area covering hundreds of square miles. A couple of feet under the soil is solid limestone going down hundreds of feet. Close to 100% of the buildings in St. Emilion were built from limestone block quarried from underneath. The harvesting of stone was so extensive that for at least 50 or 60 square miles the entirety of St. Emilion sits on top of "Swiss cheese" and for up to 5 or 6 stories deep there are thousands of caves and tunnels where the limestone was carved out. In fact, the quarries were banned in the late 1880s because the land started collapsing with sinkholes because no one paid attention to structural issues and making sure the roofs would not collapse. Our agent took Clark and me to examine one of the old quarries and believe me it was impressive and extensive. One advantage most of the vineyards in St. Emilion have more caves and cellars than they know what to do with. One vineyard had cellars covering 3 square miles. That will hold a lot of wine. The left bank sits on a gentle slope overlooking a river and is rocky and too an extent soil left over from once being covered over by an ancient sea bed. So it is obvious why these two areas would produce totally different wines. 

8. Wine agents in Bordeaux and Burgundy. Our agent in Bordeaux is M. Frederic Borilachon of https://www.rendezvousauchateau.com/index.php/en/ and in Burgundy M. Stevie Bodes of http://wineambassadeur.com/, who is a USA expat. Both gentlemen speak perfect English and have lived and worked in the vineyards for over 20 years. What they do is make appointments with you with the owners and winemakers based on what you are interested in seeing and doing and then drive you around in their car and introduce you to them. France is not like the USA, you do not just drive up to a tasting room and taste wines. Yes, there are a few but trust me those vineyards are not the best and have open tasting rooms because that is the only way they can attract customers. And in some cases, it can take months to get an appointment with who I wanted to see. But once you get in the front door in France I promise they treat you like family and invite you into their homes. Nicole Lamarche invited us not once but twice. We met some of her personal friends who sold us wines out of their own personal cellars at a discount. Both gentlemen cost about $800 a day for their services and they recommend visiting two vineyards in the morning, having lunch, and then two in the afternoon. Frankly, afternoons are harder as you want to go take a nap after lunch and may not have the best palate after lunch. Their price is fixed no matter how many people go with them but they recommend and I agree that 4 couples or 8 persons are really the maximum that should be done with these personal tastings with 2 couples probably ideal.  When divided amongst the group it is around $200 a person and believe me it well worth it to really get into the better-known vineyards. 

9. Changes in philosophy towards organic and biodynamic are ongoing at a rapid rate.  Everyone said they were moving towards organic and biodynamic both of which are different. The eventual goal is to be biodynamic but under French laws, it can take up to 10 years to have that designation. I suppose this is the way of the world and everyone now wants to go in that direction but I am not 100% sure it is all that important and I know many totally disagree with me, my wife included. One of the most interesting stories I heard was regarding a vintner who is making wines with no interventions at all. He lets the vines grow wild, harvests them whenever he feels it is right. Puts them a tank and lets them squash down naturally, drains off the juice and puts in tanks or barrels, does nothing else and then after a few months puts the wine in bottles. Time will tell what it tastes like. 

10. Price movements of French wine are basically going in two directions. The top well-known vineyards continue to keep raising their prices and from what I can tell they just are not selling that much wine at those prices and the French, for the most part, think the prices are ridiculous and they don't buy them. Of interest, the Chinese somehow got away with ordering 2009's and 2010s at high prices in the futures market without paying for them in advance and now have canceled many of their orders as well as not ordering any new wines. Most of the First Growths are stuck with cellar's full of these wines but they are putting them in the back of their cellars and are not going to sell them or dump them on the market and will wait until the market decides to pay the high prices. Personally, I don't see that happening but you never know. The French are also not too keen on selling wine anymore to the Chinese.  In some cases, the Chinese bought the higher priced First Growths, Lafite Rothschild for example strictly to show off to their friends and as a status symbol.  Then they had parties and served wine spritzers with Lafite mixed with Coca Cola.  Totally insulted the French.  I learned early on that the French love their wines to a fault and if you share in that love with them and demonstrate it to them while you are there you become family and there is nothing they will not do for you.  I cannot tell you the number of times I have been given a thousand dollar bottle of wine at no charge just because I have so much respect and love for their wines.  The Chinese failed to learn that.  The other vineyards recognize that the world market is screaming for high-quality wines both in Bordeaux and Bourgogne at reasonable prices and they are committed to providing that. Most of the lesser known vineyards are moving to new facilities, organic and biodynamic to some degree as a marketing ploy, but they are making very good to outstanding wines at much better prices. It is going to take the market some time to wake up to this and at some point, some of the prices of the wines will be driven up based on supply and demand. One vintner told me that yes many many years ago her vineyard made mediocre wines but no more but she cannot seem to get any of the wine "experts" or "writers" to recognize this and from time to time she hears well yea maybe they make better wine now but years ago they did not. She is having trouble shaking off this old reputation and is frustrated by it, who can blame her. But frankly, her wines were some of the best I tasted and her prices in some cases are 10% of the high-end wines. 

11. Cote d Bourg and Blaye are the sleeper areas with vast improvement and great wines on Bordeaux's Right Bank. The vineyards are between Blaye and Bourg very close to the bank of the Dordogne river and where it meets the Garonne river at the start of the Garonne estuary and on a high bluff overlooking the water. For years these wines were considered cheap poorly made right bank wines but I can tell you no more. Of all the wines tasted these were the best for the price. Outstanding and well-crafted wines most of them under $30 a bottle. Some were better than others of course but overall they showed outstanding fruit and terroir and all the winemakers we met were committed to improving production and most are moving towards organic and biodynamic. I was just very impressed and feel you can get some great right bank Bordeaux's here at rock bottom prices, especially the 2015's which are going to blow everyone out of the water as well as 2016 and 2018.

12.  The other wines underrated for years are those from Francois Lamarche in Vosne Romanee in Bourgogne currently being made by his daughter Madame Nicole Lamarche. I tasted all of her 2015 Grande Crus out of the barrel called Grand Rue and they were spectacular and pretty much perfect.   For a long, long time the Lamarche family has owned some sections of the Domaine Romanee Conti Vineyards.  The best example is the Grand Rue which is a section of vines in DRC's La Tache vineyard and many years ago the two families traded some of the vines.  The Lamarche family also owns vines in other Grand Cru vineyards adjacent to DRC vines.

13.  Over the years our French wine friends have told us the best time to go is in February as the vintners will have more time to spend with us. This year we went in January and will return in September. Yes, it was chilly in January but was not as cold as you would think. We only had a couple of days of light snow that did not stick and with a warm coat and a hat and gloves we were comfortable and there were no crowds and no problem going into the vineyards.  We spent almost the entire day at Chateau Pouilly Fussie with the winemaker.  November and early December are also a good time to go. Forget going late August during harvest as no one is available as they are busy again with harvest and summers are too hot and many hotels do not have air conditioners. We are on a specially organized tour in September so that most likely will not be an issue but on my own, I wouldn't risk it. If you would like help or suggestions with a trip to the French wine country feel free to leave me a comment or email me at rosgriffin@gmail.com.

14.  Visiting Bordeaux I had an Epiphany which is what makes great, complex wines, especially Bordeaux and Bourgogne wines is the optimal amount of water delivered to the roots of the wines and this is accomplished by the slope or drainage angle of the land and proximity to a river or valley with water.  All of the first growth Bordeaux's and Grand Cru Bourgogne are on the mid-slope.  The upper slope of land has a steeper slope so the water drains off quickly, the lower slope or valley has sometimes no slope so you end up with a swamp and constant standing water that saturates the grapes and dilutes the wine.  At mid-slope everything is ideal.  The vines are not saturated, and the water does not immediately drain off.  Sort of like Goldilocks, not too steep, not too shallow, just right.  In addition when you see the lay of the land the greatest vineyards are approximately 1/2 to 1 kilometer upslope from the valley or river.  During the Ice Age and Prehistoric times, it most likely resulted in the best concentration of the best dirt at those levels from the forces of the sea beds at the time or the movement of glaciers.

Best and most economical wine glasses for home use

I have recently also been asked what is the best wine glass to purchase that is aesthetically pleasing at a reasonable price. Frankly, an easy question to answer. The Riedel wine glasses are clearly the benchmark for wine stemware. Riedel has built its brand on a series of glasses that are designed specifically for each varietal of grape in order for the taster to have the best taste experience for each grape varietal of wine. So you will see a glass for Bordeaux, Chardonnay, Burgundy, etc. Do they actually work as advertised? Most experts say yes and if you have the opportunity to attend a tasting of wines using Riedel glasses please go and see for your self. There is no question they are great glasses. But they have one huge issue and that is they break within minutes of use. Look at this review on Amazon for their Riedel Sommeliers Mature Bordeaux/Chablis/Chardonnay glass which is their top of the line glass. " The glass looks great. But as I held it in my hand, and believe me please, gently dried the inside with a paper towel, the stem snapped in my fingers. I can't tell you just how little pressure was applied and now that's $60 bucks down the tubes after only 2 glasses of wine!"  This was my result also. I purchased 4 many years ago and after the first wash despite being very careful they shattered. And today these glasses are $95 a piece. Sorry, but I simply cannot afford that kind of luxury. So what do I use? I use Crate and Barrel glasses and order them online when I need to replace any. Years ago Wine Spectator did an article on glasses and Crate and Barrel's were recommended. Today you can purchase the Viv-All Purpose Big Wine Glass which is 8.75 inches high for the bargain price of $4.95 and they won't break easily on you and I put mine in the dishwasher all the time with no problem. As a bonus Crate and Barrel has a large selection of various shapes and sizes of wine glasses so you can pick and choose based on your own sense of style and you can order online(link below).  Even their higher price glasses are around $13 a glass so still a far cry from the Riedel's. 

https://www.crateandbarrel.com/viv-wine-glasses/f10939

French Wine and Important Regions

One of my readers has requested some recommendations regarding French wine, especially Bordeaux wines.  Thinking about it, it occurs to me it might be helpful if I give a brief primer so to speak about French wines.  France, of course, has a long history of winemaking going back thousands of years.  Wine is grown all over but the majority of wines in France can be broken down into these basic regions.  See the map for exact geography. 

1.  Bordeaux.  The Bordeaux region is divided by the Gironde estuary which is formed from the meeting of the rivers Dordogne and Garonne.

     a.  To the West is the "Left Bank", also known as the "Medoc" and "Graves". Here you will find the most famous and expensive Bordeaux wines, Lafite Rothschild comes to mind.

     b.  To the East is the "Right Bank".  Best known for St. Emillion(Bergerac).  A famous vineyard here is Petrus, one of the most expensive wines in the world.  Most of the lesser known, and hence lower cost, vineyards are on the right bank.  Over my last couple of trips to the area, I have been very impressed with the following right bank areas, most wines costing less than $30 a bottle.  Many are available in the US but sometimes you have to look for them but these are clearly the Bordeaux wines you should look for great wine at a reasonable price.

     1.  Cotes de Blaye, an example here from B-21 for $14 a bottle is:  https://www.b-21.com/2014-Chateau-Haut-Bertinerie-Elegance/productinfo/FRHBME14AE/

     2.  Cotes de Bourg

     3.  Fronsac

     4.  Lalande-de-Pomerol

     5.  Castillion Cotes de Bordeaux

     6.  Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux

     7  Bordeaux Superior

2.  Bourgogne.  The French have corrected me and have said they do not use the term "Burgundy" and insist we should use the word Bourgogne.  The main town in Bourgogne is Beaune in the center of the area.  In general, the lower costs wines come from either the extreme north of the area and the extreme south of the area.

     1.  North of Beaune is the Cotes de Nuits.  Red Pinot Noir is the predominant grape grown in this area and many of the most famous and expensive Pinot Noir's are from here primarily Domaine Romanee Conti who make La Tache.  Lower cost Red Bourgogne wines would be:

     1.  Marsanney, just south of Dijon 

     2.  Fixin

     3.  Gevrey Chambertin, one of my favorites

     2.  South of Beaune is the Cotes de Beaune.  White Chardonnay is the predominant grape grown here the most famous being Montrachet.  Lower cost White Bourgogne wines would be:

     1.  St. Aubin

     2.  Santenay

     3.  Maranges

     4.  Rully

      5.  Mercurey, just north of Chalon-sur-Saone, famous for being where Joseph Niepce who was born and  lived who invented the photograph in 1826

A great bargain White Bourgogne is Bouchard Aine and Fils Bourgogne and will be part of Friday evenings tasting at Amelia Wine Company on Amelia Island. 

3.  Rhone wines.  The Rhone river goes north to south from Lyon(it starts in Lake Geneva) to Arles.  Along the river are thousands of vineyards and the Rhone is the 3rd or 4th largest wine producing regions in the world.  It is divided into a north and south area.

     a.  In the north just south of Lyon, the culinary capital of the world are the famous Hermitage vineyards and Condrieu.  But some of the best value wines are here in the Cote de Rhone.  Many Cote de Rhone wines are readily available and many are less than $15 a bottle.

     b.  In the south just north of Arle, famous as this is where Vincent Van Gough was in a mental hospital where many of his famous paintings were done, the "Yellow House" to name one, the most famous vineyards are Chateauneuf-de-Pape along with Gigondas and Vacqueyras.  One of my favorite vineyards here is Mont Redon which is available in our area.  You will find a lot of Rose wines from this area also, my favorite is Chene Bleu, generally $26 a bottle.

4.  Champagne is well Champagne.  It is important to know that by International law any bottle of wine that says it is "Champagne" must be grown specifically in the French Champagne regions.  Any other "sparkling" wine from anywhere else by law can only be labeled "sparkling" wine.  My best value French Champagne is Heidsieck Blue Top Monopoly which generally sells for under $35 a bottle.  Of interest, Costco now sells their own legitimate French Champagne and is usually is around $22 a bottle.  We served it at our daughter's wedding and it is very good Costco Champagne for the money.  We also like Drappier Champagne for around $35 a bottle. 

5.  The Loire Valley.  Wines from here are primarily white and are predominately Vouvray and Sancerre wines.  Sancerre is from the Sauvignon Blanc grape and is a little more "grassy" than what you will find in Sauvignon Blanc around the world.  Wine prices here are around $30 a bottle and only a few have any celebrity following.  You rarely see them in our area.  However visiting the Loire Valley is a real treat in that this is where most of the French Kings Chateau's are, Chambord for example.  So put on your bucket list a week or two here along with the Normandy Beaches and spend a few hours at a Chateau and then a few hours at a vineyard tasting wine.

6.  I have not yet been to the Languedoc or Alsace regions of France.  The Languedoc is known for reasonably priced wines and Alsace is known primarily for Reisling and other white wines, many in a style closer to German wines but I have no recommendations for there.

You might ask how are French wines different than wines say from California.  When you talk to the wine experts this is what they tell you.  When they first try and guess what wine is in a blind tasting the very first thing they do is determine if the wine is an "old" world wine or a "new" world wine.  What they mean by this is the wine from the "old" world which is basically Europe and usually France or Italy.  "New" world wines are from everywhere else, USA, Australia, Chile, etc.  What separates these two general areas is whether or not the wine is predominate "earth" forward which means when you smell and taste the wine it has a lot of mineral characteristics to it or even earthy or dirt like tastes and less fruit juice.  Or does, in fact, the wine tastes really fruity with a low concentration of mineral tastes.  "New" world wines especially California wines are fruit driven, fruity wines.  They are made in that style.  French wines, on the other hand, are much more on the mineral side and earthy side.  In addition, French wines, as a rule, have less oak aging and taste in them.  So it basically is a matter of style and taste.  If you like complex minerally wines then French is the way to go.

If you are interested in purchasing French wines from the areas I mention and cannot find any locally I recommend for the best selection you check out online B-21 Wines in Tarpon Springs, Florida (link below) who have some of the best prices and generally very low cost or even free door to door shipping for Florida residents. Their site lets you put in Country, Region, and Subregion so you can really pin down my recommended areas. For Bourgogne and Rhone wines check out Burgundy Wine Company(link below)and ask for Brian, tell him Ross sent you. I also recommend www.wine-searcher.com to look up wines. In addition please see below the agents and wine shops I use in France.  They all will ship legally direct to your door and they handle all the customs paperwork for you.  One other important note.  If you decide to buy wine directly from France be aware the prices you see include VAT tax which is removed if you ship directly to the USA so US prices will be approximately 21% less than what is quoted on the web pages though some shops will list US prices separate.  The French also require insurance which is 4% of the wine cost and believe me you need it.  Two years ago I had a shipment unloaded in NYC on the dock at customs overnight when a freeze hit.  All the wine froze and when thawed broke the bottles.  Insurance covered it all and every bottle was replaced except one that was replaced with a more expensive bottle.

https://www.burgundywinecompany.com/

https://www.b-21.com/

https://www.wine-searcher.com/

Frederic Borliachon is a good friend and my agent in Bordeaux. He does great wine tours and can get you into most anywhere as well as not so well know vineyards. In September he made me an appointment with the vineyard that ran Robert Parker off as the owner doesn't believe in ratings and most owners in St. Emillion say he makes the best Bordeaux. More on that in September 

https://www.rendezvousauchateau.com/index.php/en/

Dominique Dupuch is the Manager of Cave Ulysse in Margaux. His web site has one of the most extensive lists of Bordeaux and other French wines I have ever seen. He ships direct to your door step and is a good friend 

https://www.caveulysse.com/fr/

Steve Bobes is also a great friend who manages my trips to Beaune, Bourgogne France and can get you most any Bourgogne wine and ship direct to you. He is my go to guy for any trips and vineyard appointments in Bourgogne. 

http://wineambassadeur.com/

I have known Julien Wallerand for years and purchased many cases of wine from him. He ships door to door. Of interest his father was the worlds first Master of Wine. 

http://www.caveau-puligny.com/

Caveau Chassange-Montrachet is a couple of kilometers from Julien's shop in Puligny-Montrachet and they have extensive offerings of French Bougogne wines you can purchase directly to your house. 

http://www.caveaudechassagne.com/

Adrien DuMay at Bouchard Pere et Fils is the current manager of the wine shop in downtown Beaune. I have shipped more wine from them to my house than any other Bourgogne wine shop. Their list is extensive and their prices are significantly less than what you would pay in the US 

https://www.bouchard-pereetfils.com/

Speaking of Style and Price, Let's talk about Screaming Eagle

Spoiler alert, this is an update to an article I wrote a few months ago. So most of us know that Screaming Eagle is probably the highest cost wine made in American(California) and I hear all the time "is it worth it?". Believing that you have to actually drink wine before you can judge it or answer that question I have been fortunate in being able to taste a few of these wines by attending a fundraising affair where these wines were featured. The most recent was a fundraiser for domestic violence where an anonymous donor matched dollar for dollar everyone's donation and the total raised was close to $65K. I occasionally hear, usually, from one of my wine expert friends, Screaming Eagle is not better than such and such wine. Problem is they really cannot say that as they have never even tasted Screaming Eagle so they have no reference point and should not be saying that, even if it's true. For this premier event, two dinners were held with the main event being donated by Capital Grille who provided the food and service. What follow's are my notes for the two dinners and the wines consumed. I also added Parker's, Wine Spectator, and Steven Tanzer, and others reviews and ratings in order to provide as much information regarding these wines as possible. Reality check most people will never get to drink these wines but at least now you can tell your friends that at least Hall's Jack's Masterpiece is close to Screaming Eagle at a much lower price because someone you know and trust actually drank those wines. In addition, be aware that the Tench Vineyard shares a fence line with Screaming Eagles vineyards so being adjacent could be assumed to produce similar taste profile of wines. Right now Russell Bevan and Nickle and Nickle make wine from the Tench Vineyard.  I listed the lowest retail price from www.wine-searcher.com.

Friday Night Celebration First Dinner

Beau Vines Reserve Chardonnay 2014 Rated 95 by community tasters $100

Elegance and sophistication bless this offering. Perfectly balanced with a mild acid firmness enables this chardonnay to stand up and lay down into a very easily drank wine. The bouquet produces Aromas and tones of honeydew, spring flowers with tropical accents caress the body of this Chardonnay. There is also pear and apple on the nose which carries over to a fruit bomb taste balancing all of the above flavors with a mild tartness. There is light oak with vanilla coming across the taste. Sourced from the world renowned “Baccigalupi” vineyard, this block one hillside old clone vine is known for producing character-driven fruit. Unrefined and unfiltered allows this Chardonnay to pull layered fruit tones through your pallet providing a creamy textured finish. The 2014 Beau Vigne Reserve Chardonnay will drink well from 2015 until the bottom of 2020.

Ruinart "Dom Ruinart" Brut Rosé Champagne 2002 WS 95 James Stuckling $235

With a true 'eye of partridge' nose, this has the boldness of the 2002 vintage and is unique in that the wine is based on 80% Chardonnay as a top rosé Champagne. The aromas are floral with sweet decayed rose hip and a clear toasty edge showing through, as well as fine wild red fruits and some peach and stone fruits. I also picked up some effervescent cherry flavor. There's a completely unique style here in terms of the chardonnay making a statement of gentle nougat, while some dried red berries lurk beneath. The palate has precise, sleeve-like long texture and is really focused and even. The freshness is startling, meanwhile, and this really looks very young and unevolved. There's some very gentle tannin in the mix here, adding nutty toasted hazelnut elements on the finish which to me was a little short. Acidity is pronounced and, having the last say, keeps everything really fresh. Drink now as there are hints of aging beginning to show.

Dom Pérignon "P2" Brut Champagne 2000 97 WS/James Suckling $300

A Champagne that has turned to a very fine texture with dried pineapple and lemon character. Medium to full body, complex and flavorful palate. Shows length and beauty. Pie crust, cooked apple, and lemon rind continue on the finish. A truly great 2000 with a combination of finesse and strength. It’s very, very minerally to a point of sea salt. It was disgorged in the first half of 2016. A beautiful nose of baked peach, lime blossom, and graphite draws as well as apple tart draws you into the glass of this stunning 2000, whose flavors of brioche, salted almond and spun honey are wrapped around sleek, mouthwatering acidity and a streak of smoke-tinged mineral. There is mild tart acid and it has a pleasant prolonged finish. This deftly meshed Champagne is hard to stop sipping. Drink now through 2030.

Morlet "La Proportion Dorée" Sonoma County White Blend 2014 RP 100 $250

A perfect wine is the 2014 La Proportion Dorée, a blend of 65% Semillon, 24% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle. This 650-case cuvée is from 29-year-old, dry farmed vines and was barrel-fermented. The wine is absolutely out of this world. With a light greenish gold color and a killer nose of lanolin, caramelized citrus, honeysuckle, orange marmalade, and candle wax, the wine displays great acidity, a magnificent, massive, full-bodied mouthfeel, and seems to come across like a Sonoma County version of a dry Haut Brion Blanc. It was paired with a cold lobster salad bisque dish and matched well. I also found it to have a complex nose and taste including passion fruit and pear. It had a long finish. This is singular wine - profound, compelling, whatever! It should drink well for at least 10 years if you can resist its early charms. Drink now through 2026. 

Liquidity 2010 RG 98 $Priceless

My good friend makes this wine and it is a private label made at the Harlan/Bond facilities in Napa. Bill Harlan many years ago started this project joining forces with private individuals who wanted to try their hand at winemaking. They each make 50 cases a year but it cannot be sold so we had to drink it. It is always a pleasure to drink and is always a great wine. This 2010 was a complex wine but what most impressed me was it had a cherry nose and taste I usually see more with pinot. I also found the nose and taste to a complex blend of chocolate, cigar box, cedar, and tobacco. The tannins were tart but well balanced and this wine should age well. I found the finish to be a long cigar, tobacco flavor making me realize this would be an ideal wine on the veranda with a fine cigar after dinner.

Dominus Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2006 RP 96 $190

Very deep garnet-purple color. A wonderfully perfumed nose of violets, crushed blackberries, black cherries, mace and cloves leading into some smoked meat and mocha aromas with swirling. In short, a very complex flavor profile and I detected a hint of petrol like you see in a Riesling. There was also cigar, hickory smoke as well as an overall smoky taste Very structured on the palate with high acidity, a medium to a high level of fine tannins which were smooth and a full body providing plenty of flesh in the mid-palate. Very long layered finish that to me was elegant.

Morlet "Morlet Estate" St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 RP 97 $180

From Luc Morlet's own estate just north of St. Helena, the 2013 Morlet Estate comes across like a first-growth Pauillac. Again 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with creamy blackcurrants and blackberry fruit, some licorice, graphite, and background oak, the wine displays excellent minerality, superb fruit intensity, and a multi-dimensional mouthfeel. A complex nose and taste with cedar, cigar box and hints of sweetness and chocolate. The acid structure is low to moderate and there is smooth tannin backbone so It should drink well for at least 25-30 years

Rieussec, Sauternes 2001 WS 100 $165

This is a crazy wine! It’s sweet, but not sugary. Mushrooms, furniture wax, spices then dried oranges, lemons, pineapples, and just a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied, with great density and power, yet balanced and refined. So amazing, but give this five to six years still. Pull the cork in 2016. Like lemon curd on the nose, turning to honey and caramel. Full-bodied and very sweet, with fantastic concentration of ripe and botrytized fruit, yet balanced and refined. Electric acidity. Lasts for minutes on the palate. This is absolutely mind-blowing. This is the greatest young Sauternes James Suckling has ever tasted. Best after 2010. Wine of the Year 2004 

7 Vintages of Screaming Eagle Dinner

Hall "Jack's Masterpiece" 2015 RP 100 $150

Lots of fruit on the nose with a good toast of cedar and cigar. A very velvety smooth wine with some spicy tannins. Somewhat higher acid than others but well balanced and well integrated with the alcohol. To me, Parkers description is right on. Of interest, this wine was the first red opened with some intent on comparing the Screaming Eagles against it. Sort of using it as a benchmark so to speak. The fact that this wine would be chosen to compare Screaming Eagle against says a lot.

     98-100 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The other 2015 I tasted from barrel, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Jack’s Masterpiece is another brilliant wine, with more charcoal, burning embers, an almost Graves-like characteristic, a dense purple color, rich crème de cassis and blackberry fruit, a full-bodied, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and a long, long finish. This should turn out to be a prodigious effort from Hall, capable of being drunk young, but for those with some patience, also cellared for three decades or more

Screaming Eagle 2011 RP 94 99 JS 94 ST $2700

Most raters mention a floral bouquet and taste. To me, my first impression was rose petals as well as lavender. As Stephen Tanzer stated it has a gentle oak influence what I described as light oak. There is definitely a cherry profile in the wine. I also found hints of lightly smoked meat which others described as cedar and cigar box flavors. The wine is well balanced with moderate acid and a nice moderate finish.

     99 points James Suckling

Mind-blowing nose with spearmint, cloves, and blackberries. Floral, too. Full body with phenomenal detail featuring delicate but intense blackberry, espresso, toasted oak, caramel, and dark chocolate. Cedar and sweet tobacco. Finesse all over. The wine of the vintage? Everything is there. Great energy. Best in 2018.

     94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Bright ruby-red. Highly perfumed scents of cassis, musky cigar tobacco, and bitter chocolate, lifted by floral and cedar nuances. Youthfully tight today but boasts terrific youthful intensity and lavender lift to its dark berry and cigar box flavors. Broad tannins saturate the palate on the very long back end. Winemaker Nick Gislason uses five 'core coopers,' seeking a gentle oak influence. A star of the vintage, with a serious structure for mid-term aging. 

     91-94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Made from a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2011 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon is a sexy, upfront, precociously styled wine exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color as well as lots of licorice, camphor, black currant jam, new oak, and spice box characteristics. Dense, rich and impressive, the early drinking charm of the 2011 vintage gives it immediate appeal. It should keep for 10-15 years. (RP)

Screaming Eagle 2009 97 WS 96 RP 96 ST $3000

I found this year to be heavily tannic but at the same time it was balanced but when first approached the tannin's just jump out on you. I found smoky flavors in the wine including cigar and cedar. There was also chocolate and berry fruit such as blackberry. I found a hint of cassis. It had a nice finish. Moderate alcohol and acid making it food friendly went very well with a spicy gumbo.

     97 points Wine Spectator

A stunningly seamless effort, rich and elegant, this delivers perfumed black currant aromas that are supple and graceful, building and gaining with subtle tannins, laced with loamy earth. A dash of black licorice marks the long finish. Drink now through 2028 

     96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2009 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot) displays a slightly peppery nose, but ratchets up the level of concentration with pure black currant and black cherry fruit as well as licorice and lead pencil shavings. This beautiful, dense, full-bodied 2009 is exceptionally elegant, pure and seamless. Drink it over the next 20-25 years. 

     96 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Good bright ruby-red. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, ripe redcurrant, licorice, bitter chocolate, tobacco and spearmint. Smooth and impressively concentrated, with a hint of medicinal austerity to the flavors of black fruits, violet, bitter chocolate, and menthol. Penetrating, gripping wine with great flavor intensity. Powerfully structured too, finishing with firm tannins and outstanding, slowly building, juicy length. The pH here is 3.8, according to estate manager Armand de Maigret, but the wine boasts outstanding lift. 

Screaming Eagle 2014 JS 99 RP 97 WS 95 $2700

I pretty much disagreed with most on this one. During our dinner between the 2014 and the 2009 at least half of the diners preferred the 2014. The professional ratings are fairly consistent also. I just felt this wine had a lighter nose and taste than the others. To me there was some lack of tannin and body. I did pick up a moderate amount of smoky flavors but again to me it just was not that powerful a wine. I also felt the finish was a little bitter. I would agree more with Parker on this one as he did notice less structure and mass as say compared to the 2013.

     99 points James Suckling

Extremely perfumed with blackberries, currants, and flower. Rose petals, too. Seductive. Medium to full body. It grows on the palate with an extremely long finish that goes on for minutes. The tannins are ultra-fine and polished. Purity and essence to this. Feminine yet wild and unpredictable. Available in March. Better in 2021 

     97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2014 Screaming Eagle is an 880-case blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. The telltale sign of this iconic wine is its extraordinary purity of crème de cassis fruit, which is displayed abundantly in the 2014. It doesn’t quite have the structure and mass of the 2013, but this sexy, up-front, opaque ruby/purple-colored wine is seamlessly constructed, full-bodied, and has a long finish with silky tannins. This seems to float across that palate with that great fruit purity 

     95 points Wine Spectator

Beautifully crafted, young and energetic, with a vibrant core of rich blackberry, gravelly earth and smoky, toasty oak. Lively acidity and firm tannins provide a backbone, promising a long life ahead. 

Screaming Eagle 2013 JS 100 RP 97 $2900

On the nose and taste, I found an abundance of smoky meat and barbecue. The tannins were exceptionally smooth and balanced along with balanced acid and alcohol. Again I found I agreed more with Parker on this year and it was one of my favorites of the evening.

     100 points James Suckling

Breathtaking aromas of blueberry, wet earth, black truffle, vine bark, and lavender undertones. Full-bodied, yet tight and compressed with fabulous savory and dark fruit flavors. It lasts for minutes on the finish. The classicism in this wine is second to none. Incredible subtlety. Lovely austerity. Beauty in simplicity. Glorious to taste, yet a wine for decades ahead. 

     97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2013 Screaming Eagle flagship wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. As one might expect, the purity of the cassis, which is always a hallmark of this estate and wine, is well-displayed in this beauty. Dense purple in color, it offers up some floral notes intermixed with damp earth, blackcurrant jam, blackberry and hints of licorice and incense. This reminds me somewhat of the 2010 Screaming Eagle. Full-bodied, rich, but perfectly balanced, it’s another terrific example of this iconic estate. It should drink well for 30 more years

Screaming Eagle 2005 98 RP 95 WS 94 ST $3500

To me another heavy floral nose and taste with a predominance of lavender. I picked up hints of cassis. Well structured with strong tannin and body. A moderate amount of alcohol but well balanced with other attributes of the wine. A nice pleasant prolonged finish. A very smooth wine. As the oldest Cabernet of the evening is holding up very well for being 13 years old. It is still in its youth.

     98 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, which I loved last year, has gotten even better, something I saw across the board with the bottled 2005s (a superb year for Bordeaux varietals). This blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc was aged in 67% new French oak for 21 months. It possesses a gorgeous, Pauillac-like bouquet of cedar, creme de cassis, licorice, smoke, and earth as well as sweet tannins, full body, fabulous layers of fruit, a noble sweetness, and outstanding length. This 2005 can be drunk now or cellared for 25+ years.

     95 points Wine Spectator

Pure, rich and concentrated, offering a wonderful mix of cedar-laced currant, black cherry and wild berry fruit that's both intense and supple, with excellent depth, focus, and persistence on the finish.

     94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Full ruby-red. Pure aromas of cassis, mocha and nutty oak, with bright red berry and tobacco notes emerging with air. Super ripe and thick but with strong acidity giving a sharp definition to the middle palate. The blackcurrant and smoky oak flavors are sexed up by subtle hints of caramel, spices and burning cinders as the wine opens in the glass. I love the balance of lush texture and firm acidity, not to mention the wine's sheer intensity of flavor without excesses, but this highly distinctive cabernet really needs at least six or seven years of patience to come into full harmony.

Screaming Eagle 2012 100 JS 100 RP 98 ST 97 WS $3200

For most of us, this was the wine of the night. There was a fair amount of discussion if you were on your death bed would you want this or the 1945 Mouton to be your last taste of wine. Of all the wines tonight this had the most unique nose and flavor profile. Lots of floral notes on the nose including cherry, pear, pencil, and flint. To be sure very complex. A velvet smooth body with moderate well-structured tannin and acid. To me perfectly balanced. It had a great long finish which I would describe as tangy.

     100 points James Suckling

Incredible purity to this wine with fresh spearmint, lavender, sage, and blackcurrants. Full body, mind-blowing structure, depth, and length. What complexity. A new bench market for Napa Valley. This is the new legend, like the 1958 Beaulieu Vineyard George de Latour Private Reserve (my vintage and a bottle of wine my father and I drank many times early in my life). Savory. Needs at least 10 years to come around. Try in 2025. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. 820 cases made. Such precision, decadence, and layers of sexy fruit.

     100 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The perfect 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Screaming Eagle is composed of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Made in the classic, iconic Screaming Eagle style that the original proprietress, Jean Philips, first showcased in the early 1990s, before the winery was sold to Stan Kroenke, the inky/purple-colored, seamless 2012 possesses an extraordinary set of aromatics consisting of pure blackcurrant liqueur, licorice, acacia flowers, graphite and a subtle hint of new oak. Full-bodied, opulent and voluptuous, this profound wine is as prodigious as I thought it would be last year when tasted from barrel. It should age effortlessly for 20 or more years

     95-98 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Bright medium ruby. Very deep aromas of blueberry, flowers, licorice and wild herbs show a medicinal reserve. Thick but vibrant, with deep, fully ripe, layered flavors of blackberry and blueberry syrup and graphite minerality dominating the middle palate. Offers compelling sappiness and definition. Noble tannins spread out to saturate the entire palate on the inexorable, steadily building finish. Still an infant but utterly seamless from the outset.

     97 points Wine Spectator

A seamless, graceful, ebullient effort that's pure, even exotic, with dusty blackberry and wild berry flavors at the center. Though the fruit is broad and expressive, this is amazingly refined, supple and persistent overall. Tempting now for the expansive fruit definition, this should only gain over the next decade. Drink now through 2029.

Screaming Eagle 2010 100 RP 97 ST 96 WS $3500

Nice smooth pleasant nose and taste with floral flavors and again a rose petal and lavender taste profile along with cigar smoke and cedar hints. Moderate tannin but a more pronounced acid profile but balanced out well. Again with this wine I find myself pretty much agreeing with Parker's description of the wine.

     100 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Utter perfection, the 2010 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (a 610-case blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc; 14.5% natural alcohol) boasts a dense ruby/purple color along with a staggering bouquet of spring flowers, graphite, creme de cassis, kirsch, licorice and subtle toast in the background. Opulent and full-bodied with a multidimensional personality, gorgeous purity and a stunning, flawless texture, this spectacular wine is among the wines of the vintage.

     97 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Brilliant ruby-red. Urgent aromas of crushed boysenberry, wild herbs, licorice, and spearmint are complemented by sexy oak tones. Densely packed and electric, with great energy to the highly concentrated, pliant flavors of black fruits, cocoa powder and flowers. Still quite youthfully backward, but the inexorable slowly mounting finish and big but noble tannins suggest a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Owing to the small clusters, thick skins and concentration of tannins, this wine got a longer elevage than usual, with the bottling done at the end of November 2012. 97+ (ST) (6/2013)

     96 points Wine Spectator

No denying the power and the finesse of this wine, which is very Bordeaux-like in its rustic, muscle-bound personality, somewhat atypical of this vineyard early on. Combines deep, firm, rich and potent flavors built around a core of earthy currant, cedar and tobacco leaf, with subtle mocha touches. No denying the power and finesse of this wine, which is very Bordeaux-like in its rustic, muscle-bound personality, somewhat atypical of this vineyard early on. Best from 2015 through 2030

And with dessert the following offerings:

Louis XIII Cognac 95 WE $3000

Wow, too me this was an exotic Cognac! Lots of sweet cherries, pineapple, leche, and chocolate in the nose a taste. Really smooth and silky on the palate. Just an exotic different Cognac with essentially no rough edges.

     90-95 points Wine Enthusiast

The aroma features fig, prune, pastry dough, honey, and maple scents. On the palate, Louis XIII offers long and intensely woody flavors; additional layers of flavor, including figs, dates, prunes, dried apricot, and vanilla, are featured at midpalate. Finishes elegantly, warm, smooth and oakier than fruity succulent.

Chateau d'Yquem 2011 99 WS 98 JS 98 ST 94 RP $400

Lots of apple, pear, pineapple, and grapefruit on the nose and taste. Just a very complex fruity flavor profile that is well balanced. The body was a little light but that made the wine not overbearing, one could say elegant.

     99 points Wine Spectator

A lovely, creamy, tropical style, with mango, papaya, and guava notes lending a caressing feel, while singed almond and warm piecrust accents blossom through the lush finish. Just when you think that's all there is, toasted coconut, fig, orange blossom, and persimmon details kick in, lending length and dimension. The finish is ridiculously long. Best from 2020 through 2060.

     98 points James Suckling

Crazy minerality to this, with lots of dried mango, pineapple, and papaya on the nose. Botrytis-spice and nutmeg undertones. Full body, very sweet, with superb depth of fruit and richness. It goes on for minutes. Turns dense and concentrated on the palate. Speechless. Better in 2019

     98 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Luminous golden yellow. Cool, pure aromas of white peach, honeyed mango, guava nectar, white flowers, and saffron are complicated by elements of crushed stone and spicy lemony botrytis. Suave and intensely flavored, with mineral-spiced apple, mango, passion fruit and grapefruit flavors offering outstanding purity, precision, and depth. The brisk but harmonious acidity gives this great Sauternes a penetrating quality and provides a powerful spine to the very deep flavors, making it seem less opulent than it really is. This Yquem has the depth of the 2007 but boasts even greater purity and focus. Finishes bright and extremely long, with repeating suggestions of white flowers and lemony botrytis. Though it lacks the depth of the 2001 or the opulence of the 2009 at a similar stage of development, this is one of my favorite young Yquems ever: it will age spectacularly well. (ID)

     94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Château Yquem 2011 has a complex bouquet, one that is very well defined with hints of petrol infusing the rich honeyed fruit, later melted wax and fresh peach coming through. The palate is well balanced with a strong viscous entry. There is plenty of residual sugar here and I would have preferred a little more acidic bite to offset that rich, decadent finish (this is despite their correct policy of blending non-botrytized berries in order to increase acidity.) Powerful, burly even, I would give this several years in the cellar to allow this Yquem to mellow and enter its stride.

Chateau d'Yquem 2014 99 WS 98 JS 98 RP 98 WS $400

Clearly the Sauternes of the evening. Everyone raved about the wine. The flavor profile is a smoky pear, apple flavor. It has a well structured and firm body with all the flavors being complex and well balanced. Parker mentions harmony in the wine that I strongly agree with. Just a great Sauternes to end the evening on paired with Creme Brulee.

     97-99 points Wine Enthusiast

Apricot tones with lively acidity give this rich wine a veil of freshness. Pear and white peach notes offer weight, while a lime backbone brings levity. There is a richness from the botrytis that is lifted by this wines delicious freshness

     98 points James Suckling

Very subtle Yquem on the nose with dried pineapple, lemons, green apples and hints of botrytis. The palate grabs you by the arms and shows you superb concentration of spices, dried fruit, phenolics and incredible energy. Nothing is like this from Sauternes this vintage! Drink whenever you like. Spellbinding

     96-98 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Château Yquem 2014 was picked over 9 weeks this year, with one-quarter of the grapes picked prior to 15 September. It delivers 134 grams per liter residual sugar and 7.3 grams per liter tartaric acid, with a pH 3.60. It has a captivating bouquet (I know...I know...what else were you expecting) But it entrances with its pure, wild honey notes mixed with almond and white chocolate scents, bestowed with beguiling delineation and focus. The palate is very poised with the acidity nigh on perfect. Occasionally a Yquem only reveals its components parts at this early juncture necessitates conjecture. However, the 2014 has a sense of harmony and completeness already, as if the élevage is merely there to usher it on to its finished state. There is undeniably great depth here, perhaps less conspicuous than other vintages because of that silver thread of acidity: notes of lemon sherbet, orange zest, shaved ginger and again, a few "flakes' of white chocolate. It is extremely long with tenderness rather than power on the finish. It's not quite up there in the rarefied heights of say, the 2001 or 2009, but it is what we call in the trade, "the business

     98 points Wine Spectator

A stunner, sporting tropical mango and papaya notes that glide along beautifully, while heather honey, pineapple chutney and toasted coconut flavors fill in through the finish. Delivers an amazing mouthfeel that is both creamy and intense, with a pretty inner floral brightness that contrasts with the fruit. Best from 2020 through 2045

Broadbent Madeira Malmsey(or Malvasia) 1933 91 WS $950

The sweetest style of Madeira. Malvasia vineyards are located all around the island, planted at lower elevations towards the ocean. The wines are dark, rich and concentrated, with coffee-caramel flavors. Malmsey production has always been small, and as a result, vintage Malmseys are very sought after. Madeira takes its name from the island of Madeira, which sits in the Atlantic about 380 miles west of Morocco. It was discovered in 1419 by the Portuguese mariner João Gonçalves Zarco in the service of Prince Henry the Navigator. Malvasia vines were planted around 1453, and as ships stopped at the island on their way to the New World in subsequent decades, they invariably loaded barrels of wine as ballast for their voyages. Overall to me, it was the wine of the night. I found this wine to be close if not spiritual. It clearly demonstrated how well wine can age and what pleasure comes from drinking wine that has in fact aged well. The tannins smooth out and the wine becomes a hedonistic pleasure.