Vintages New Release Collection – May 10, 2025

THE NEW RELEASE COLLECTION

FRANCE – RED WINE BORDEAUX CHÂTEAU HYOT 2022 AC Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux (Alain Aubert, prop.)

RHÔNE CELLIER DES PRINCES BLASON DU PRINCE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU- PAPE 2022 AP

A rich, creamy and smoky red with blackberries, dark cherries, baking spices and hints of kirsch on the nose. Full body with plush tannins. Round with lots of dark berries on the generous palate. Quite chewy at the finish. Drink now [into early 2030s]. Score: 90 (jamessuckling.com, May 9, 2023) Full-bodied & Smooth 43762 (XD) 750 mL $47.95 2

A bold, juicy wine with a core of solid tannins, this is still young with a dry structure that needs to soften. With 70% Merlot in the blend, the wine is sure to age well. Drink from 2026 [or decant for one hour to enjoy tonight]. Score: 90 (Roger Voss, Wine

Enthusiast , April 1, 2024) Medium-bodied & Fruity 63537

(XD) 750 mL $15.95 2

COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2021 AC (Famille Perrin)

TEMPO D’ANGÉLUS 2021 AC Bordeaux (Château Angélus) Herbal edged raspberries on the nose, smells floral, lifted and softly savoury too. Clean and clear, a lovely punchy energy straight away offset by high, mouth-watering acidity. Sleek and pure, slightly tangy with red summer berries, some bitter orange elements and an undertone of salty minerality which lingers on the finish. Very likeable and easy to drink. Great tannins and hit of mint at the end. Drink straight away. Why wait. Drinking window: 2024-2028. Score: 90 (Georgina Hindle, decanter. com, Nov. 30, 2023) Medium-bodied & Fruity 31113 (XD) 750 mL $42.95 2

A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit ... 30% each Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside the boundaries of the appellation of Châteauneuf-du Pape, it’s a remarkably consistent wine and always a solid value. Scents of sunbaked stones, black cherries and licorice appear on the nose, joined by hints of purple raspberries and dark chocolate, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lush and velvety, finishing long and complex. Drink date: 2023-2035. Score: 92 (Joe Czerwinski, robert parker.com, Oct. 12, 2023) Full-bodied & Smooth 48884 (XD) 750 mL $32.95 2

COURTOIS LA SOURCE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022

BURGUNDY MAISON VALDESAY BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2023 AP Bourgogne

AC, sustainable (Famille Jaume)

A blend of 85% grenache and 15% syrah that was matured in stainless steel, this shows generous fruit in an easy-drinking style. The flavours are mostly in the red fruit zone with hints of spiciness, and they are wrapped around a core of fresh acidity. It’s an attractive wine to sip on its own or to drink with food. Drinking window: now to 2026 to enjoy its freshness. (Tasted December 2023.) Score: 90 (Rod Phillips) Full-bodied & Smooth 526640 (XD) 750 mL $15.95 2

Valdesay takes its name from the Old French word for “valley of hope.” This Pinot Noir is a lithe, ripe wine, with crushed berry, dark fruit, plum, earth, oak spice and mineral. Impressive and approach able, it will have excellent versatility at the dinner table. Try it with roast chicken, beef or lamb stew, or a vegan mushroom stroganoff. Medium-bodied & Fruity 12176 (XD) 750 mL $23.95 2

34 VINTAGES SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025