92-94 Point Wines

wines

The 2018 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard is quite deep and heady in this vintage. Red fruit, iron, white pepper and savory herbs give the Ryan its distinctly incisive, feral personality. Hints of blood orange, raspberry and spice add an exotic flair. There is plenty of character here, that is for sure.Vinous Media | 94 VMComing from vines that provided less than one ton per acre, this concentrated bottling begins with aromas of blackberry, loamy soil and a hint of violet. The palate is wrapped in chalky tannins yet remains bright with black-raspberry and elderflower flavors. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WECalera’s highest elevation vineyard on Mt. Harlan, Ryan produced a powerful wine in 2018—rich, flavorful, broad in structure—all of it delivered with a compact texture that’s a marvel of control. It leads with scents of chocolate mint, black plum and beeswax, glossy, vinous and firm, the dark fruit flavors brushing up against sage-scented mountain scrub. A big wine; all of its weight is in the right place for skirt steak.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 93 W&SRipe and well-focused, offering gently mulled loganberry and black cherry fruit, with steeped black tea, incense and savory details. This is carried by a fine chalky spine through a lengthy finish. Solidly built and one for the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2033. 752 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This bold and well-concentrated wine from an outstanding single vineyard layers ripe plum and rich black cherry on a broad, fine-grained texture. Accents of turned earth, woodsmoke and cinnamon add lift to the mix.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2018 Santenay 1er Cru Le Beaurepaire Rouge has also turned out beautifully, mingling aromas of ripe cherries, cocoa nib, sweet soil tones and spices in a complex bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and sensuous, its ample core of fruit is underpinned by lively acids and melting tannins. This is one of the most texturally refined wines in the range this year, but for all the early accessibility that conveys, it will age with grace.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPAttractive spice, florals and a white-pepper and chalky edge to the nose. Elegant, svelte and gently peppery palate with smooth, fine-grained tannins. Drink over the next five years.James Suckling | 91 JS

Aromas of cherries, cinnamon, dark chocolate and rich soil tones introduce the 2018 Santenay 1er Cru Le Passetemps, a medium to full-bodied wine that’s velvety and enveloping, with a layered core of ripe but succulent fruit, powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. Might this be the best Passetemps that Vincent has produced from this high-density 2004 planting? I’m certainly inclined to think so.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Glistening ruby-red. Mineral- and spice-accented red berry and cherry aromas are complemented by cola and floral nuances. Silky and appealingly sweet, offering vibrant raspberry, cherry and rose pastille flavors braced by a building mineral quality. Shows fine definition and floral lift on the energetic, persistent finish, which is framed by smooth, well-knit tannins. 15% whole clusters and 30% new French oak.Vinous Media | 93 VMThere’s an expert level of restraint on the nose of this bottling, with aromas of rose hips, fennel, damp soil and strawberry. There’s a great herbal display on the palate, with marjoram and tarragon accents, as well as crisp and deliciously tart flavors of plum skin and red currant.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEFrom some great sites, the 2018 Pinot Noir Estate is all varietal, aged 14 months in 30% new French oak and bottled without filtration. More raspberries, toasted spice, forest, and floral notes emerge from the glass. It’s medium-bodied, elegant, and lively on the palate, with good depth and moderate length.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD(Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir - Estate Red) Floral and mentholated top notes add breadth to the pretty red pinot, plum and softly spiced aromas. There is excellent volume to the delicious, vibrant and solidly powerful medium-bodied flavors that possess a seductive mid-palate while delivering fine length on the bitter cherry pit-inflected finish. This is presently pretty compact and while it could be enjoyed now, I would advise holding it for 4 to 6 years first. Lovely. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 90 BH