'Stellar' to me is anything above average, of which the following recent wines were.
Jean Foillard, Morgon, 'Cote du Py', 2005
Floral iodine and plummy salt-spray on the nose, which morphs into a floral strawberry on the palate. Very etheral, but not sure it has the distinctiveness of Morgon or not. A
Charvin, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2000
Offers a maturing color of clear maroonish ruby. Transcendent nose of old church hymnals, gum mastic, juniper-thyme-and oregano fields, sweet damson plum preserves. Maturing flavors say this is ready-to-go, but there is still that little bit of al dente bite at the end that suggests this can last. Powerful, polished, and elegant. Slight bit of vintage heat shows up on the finsih, enough to let you know this is a Southern wine! A
D. Ventura, Ribeira Sacra, Vina Caneiro, 2007
I love the several Ventura wines I've had the past few years and this is no exception. Although not the most complex mencia out there, this has lovely rose oil, cherry compote, lavender, iodine, and a slight rocky angularity to the fruit that makes it feel like drinking liquid medicine. Not deep, but lovely to drink. A-
Clos du Marquis, St. Julien, 1996
I've seen others reviews of this as ho-hum, but the night I had this it definately hummed. a beautiful cabernet nose: blackcurrant bushes in a garden. Medium in weight, pleasant perfume and a lengthy finish. Almost like a Loire rendition in it's pureness. A-/A
