Puncheon

A 500L barrel typically made from oak. Oak sources include French, Russian and American Oak.

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A 500L barrel typically made from oak. Oak sources include French, Russian and American Oak. Check out our Q&A with Paul: “How does the percentage of new oak affect wine?” for more on oak.

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Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020

Rhône Blend | Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape

"A blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah and other permitted varieties, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape looked exceptional on this day, offering up scents of framboise and kirsch alongside dried flowers and Asian spices. Full-bodied yet weightless, silky and long, this is special stuff, complex and balanced. "The phenolic maturity is there, the sugars are there," Avril said. "No, it won't be like 2019, but I think we will come in around 14.5–15 degrees [of alcohol]. I think, I don'
$310
$300ea in any 3+
$290ea in any 6+
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A domaine wine composed of <40% Butteaux plus some Forêts and Montmains proper in roughly equal amounts. Opening in the glass with notes of citrus oil, crisp green apple, iodine and wet stones, Fèvre's 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains is medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with incisive acids and chalky grip on the finish. Cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare, it's unusually deep and structured this year, and it will reward patience. William Kelley
$103
$98ea in any 3+
$93ea in any 6+
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Lamy’s tiny Clos du Meix parcel is just 0.7 hectares, situated at the western fringe of the village. Planted between 1985 and 1995, the sheltered location (just below Les Castets on a south-facing slope), its heavier clays, and the fact that it is fully enclosed by a wall (and therefore protected from the cold, northern winds), always gives this wine excellent texture to go with its intense minerality. Contributing to this mineral character is the bony soil in this vineyard, which has just
$295
$280ea in any 3+
$265ea in any 6+
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Pietradolce 'Archineri' Etna Bianco 2021 by Paul Kaan for Wine Decoded
I have an ever-growing soft spot for the whites of Mount Etna, they have seen great leaps in quality over recent times. The fruit for Pietradolce’s Arhcineri Etna Bianco is sourced from pre-phylloxera vines planted at 850-900 metres on the eastern slopes near Milo, the undisputed white growing sub-region of Mount Etna. You’ll find the whites from Milo to be generally a cooler reflection of Carricante with slightly lower alcohol, higher acid and minerality. The precision and purity her
$103
$98ea in any 3+
$93ea in any 6+
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