LAURENT PONSOT Cuvée de la Violette, Chambolle-Musigny

Cuvée de lAulne Gevrey-Chambertin A blend of grapes purchased from seven or eight growers, across 10 to 12 different communal parcels smattered throughout the village. Again, this is the approach that Ponsot advocates in order to glean the essence of the regional terroir, in this case that of a single lauded village. Red and dark fruit essences mesh with the smoked meat parlayed by Gevreys heavier, ferrous limestone. A richer wine in the context of Burgundy, without the edges and creases that need too much smoothing with time in the cellar. Accessible across the earlier to mid-term.

The Yarra Yering Pinot Noir is produced from what are amongst the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the Yarra Valley. Always aristocratic, fragrant with intense aromas of sweet strawberry and ripe plums, the Yarra Yering Pinot rounds out with mouthfilling notes of the same with a length hard to ignore.

This is a stylish village wine from the 0.645 ha parcel of the En la rue de Vergy vineyard in the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis. Located just above the les Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru vineyard, this plot is truly remarkable for the soil is non-existent. Instead the vines are planted directly on the calcareous bedrock where they have over the years, established extremely deep roots in order to seek out water and nutrients. Typically wines from this parcel are round and silky with more upfront fruit and moderate acidity.

HIRSCH VINEYARDS West Ridge Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

HIRSCH VINEYARDS Reserve Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast The Hirsch Reserve Pinot Noir is a selection of their best barrels from the oldest and finest vineyard blocks at Hirsch. It is the highest expression of this complex and deeply expressive site, and a true reserve of very limited production. The Reserve may be the finest wine of their portfolio, with classic Hirsch tannins providing backbone and gravitas. A true reserve of very limited production.

This village Vosne-Romanée shows all the typicity expected of its commune with beautiful ripe cherry strawberry perfume, lovely weight and mouth-feel and abundant fine discrete tannins. Matured in 30% to 40% new French oak barrels, it has the concentration and structure to cellar gracefully for many years.