Harmonious, textbook Rioja that shows cedar, spiced strawberries, vanilla and plums. Really polished on the palate, with fresh acidity and a linear, lengthy finish. Very subtle extraction makes this a really balanced, harmonious Rioja that’s appealing now. But the balance will help it age well for the next few years.

The 2016 Cristal is a taut, incisive rendition of this benchmark bottling, unwinding in the glass with youthfully reserved aromas of citrus oil, white flowers, wet stones and subtle hints of sweet, buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and racy, it's almost as electric as the brilliant 2013, with serious concentration, a pure core of fruit, chalky structuring dry extract and a long, intensely mineral finish. Given its tightly wound profile, my advice is to forget it in the cellar for a few years and work on the more open, outgoing 2014 in the meantime.

Made from organic grapes and weighing in at a modest 12 percent stated alcohol, the lithe Domaines Schlumberger 2021 Pinot Noir “Les Princes Abbés” dances on the palate.  Like the head of Janus, it displays both the aromatic red fruitiness and leafy nuances, the hallmark of fine Pinot Noir

Made from organic grapes and weighing in at a modest 12 percent stated alcohol, the lithe Domaines Schlumberger 2021 Pinot Noir “Les Princes Abbés” dances on the palate.  Like the head of Janus, it displays both the aromatic red fruitiness and leafy nuances, the hallmark of fine Pinot Noir

A racy burst of acidity creates an initial linear feel on the palate of this intriguing white, which quickly broadens to reveal layer upon layer of finely meshed flavors, from rich notes of toasted almond and crystallized honey to elements of tangerine peel and baked pear fruit, dried mint and beeswax. The lively acidity works in tandem with an underlying streak of salinity that drives through the lasting, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2030.