Collector Wines

wines

This cuvée has been in the running for the best second wine in the vintage for a number of years now, and I think it just might be there in 2018. The 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge checks in as 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and it’s no lightweight effort, revealing a dense purple color as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, black cherry, crushed violets, sandalwood, smoke tobacco, and incense. It’s loaded with Château Margaux character, has medium to full-bodied richness, ample structure, and a great finish. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved with air. Don’t underestimate this second wine – it’s incredibly impressive. Hide bottles for 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDBlackberry, plum, light earth and undergrowth on the nose. Citrus, too. It’s full-bodied with rich, chewy tannins that turn energetic, fine and tight on the finish. Lively acidity. Second wine of Margaux. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a powerful, brooding wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins. Time in the glass brings out elements of château Margaux finesse to balance things out. In 2018 the Pavillon has some lots that tend to go into the Grand Vin, but that were deemed too tannic for that wine.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of bay leaves, pencil lead, tapenade and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a generous amount of black fruit at the core with loads of earthy and savory accents and a soft, approachable frame, finishing long with an herbal lift. It is approachable now but should be a lot more expressive with a couple of years in bottle and drink nicely over the following 15 to 18 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA singed alder note frames a core of gently steeped plum and black currant flavors while smoldering tobacco, bay and warm earth hints fill in through the finish. Caressing in feel and seductive through the sneaky long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTight, bright firm fruits, packed with finely tuned tannins, with a clear velvety texture. The highest tannin levels they have ever produced in Pavillon Rouge, close to the levels in 1996. There is an austerity to the wine right now. You get the spice of the Petit Verdot - also at the highest level to date - giving cushion and complexity to the blackberry, raspberry and bilberry fruits. Even this second wine should be given at least eight to 10 years to really soften because of these tannins, and it is set for the long term. 3.61pH, with 30% of the overall harvest in Pavillon Rouge in 2018. Bottled July 2020. 3% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend, with 13% press wine. 60% new oak ageing. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECWhile there is density to this wine, it still manages to show an elegant edge. Its freshness is impeccable, with bright acidity and the modicum of tannins offering support to fine berry flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Like the Clos de Vougeot, here too there is an initial note of bourgeon de cassis though considerable eventually coaxes the intensely floral-suffused aromas of spicy jasmine tea, orange peel and dark berries to reveal themselves. There is stunningly good power and intensity to the backward broad-shouldered flavors that brim with an abundance of dry extract and an almost pungent minerality on the precise, dusty and gorgeously long finish that is just a bit more structured. This is seriously good juice with the potential to match. (Drink starting 2039)Burghound | 97 BHThe 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru is much more backward on the nose compared to the outgoing Romanée-Saint-Vivant, offering dark berry fruit, cold wet limestone, briar and hints of iris flower, but showing fabulous delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannins framing extraordinary pure black fruit suffused with even more mineralité than the aforementioned RSV. It fans out wonderfully on the finish and asserts its authority over the rest of Hudelot-Noëllat’s portfolio. Brilliant.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThe domaine owns 0.28ha of Richebourg in Les Richebourgs, between Grivot and DRC, that were planted in 1950, with this parcel making a magnificent and monumental wine. This 2019 is still a bit closed initially, but opens with some time on the palate to show great depth of fruit, despite a very firm structure and massive extract. Less exotic and forward than the wine made by the proprietors on either side, but equally compelling. Drinking Window 2024 - 2049.Decanter | 95 DEC

(Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru Red) An expressive nose is comprised by notes of freshly sliced plum, red cherry, soy, hoisin and discreet hints of sandalwood. There is excellent power and intensity to the focused and beautifully textured, indeed even silky, medium weight flavors that deliver outstanding depth and persistence on the impeccably well-balanced and youthfully austere finish. This wonderfully refined effort is at once classy yet impressively punchy and is a wine that should also age effortlessly. A ripe yet still classically styled RSV. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 96 BHThe 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of plums, cassis, exotic spices, dark chocolate and rose petals, framed by a deft application of new oak. Full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, it’s deep and concentrated, with lively acids, broad structural shoulders and a long, perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, matured in around 50% new oak, has an enthralling, pure black cherry, cassis, crushed violet and blood orange bouquet that soars from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins. Opulent and showy; hints of licorice and mint suffuse the intense finish. It closes up a little toward the finish, but this is a magnificent Romanée-Saint-Vivant that should age over the next 30–40 years.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThis 0.48ha parcel planted in 1920 is one of the jewels of the estate and is located between Liger-Belair and Jean Mongeard. In 2019, these vines have delivered fruit of superb intensity, with marvellous, fresh blackberry fruit, hints of violets and a savoury edge. On the palate there is impressive density, concentration and a straight line of tannic structure that leads it to a lingering finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2049.Decanter | 95 DEC

In spite of the ripe-orange and exotic-fruit character that pours from the glass, there’s nothing superficial about this wine. Thanks to its generosity and very attractive fruit, this makes a very friendly initial impression on the palate, then the intense minerality comes through, building to a serious crescendo at the very fresh finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSA rich, opulent white, this features lemon cake, lime blossom, baking spice and stone flavors. Though intense, there’s also a sense of restraint, yet the finish is long and complex. Drink now through 2027. 630 cases made, 66 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru White) Smoky aromas of Granny Smith apples, acacia and a plethora of citrus influences are trimmed in discreet wood influence. There is fine volume to the delicious and almost creamy larger-scaled flavors that brim with both dry extract and minerality on the lemon-tinged and youthfully austere finale. This compact and serious effort should definitely benefit from mid-term or perhaps even a decade of cellaring. (Drink starting 2027)Burghound | 93 BHBichot has 1.2ha in Languettes, high on the slope, with a south/south-east exposition. The southern exposition is of major importance here, if one is to avoid over-ripeness. In 2019, the wine has very exotic, almost tropical aromas, while on the palate the texture is dense and creamy, and the ripe pear fruit touched with honey is even more apparent. A wine of luxurious charm. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from 1.2 hectares of vines in Les Longuettes. Matured in 35% new oak, it has a perfumed nose of yellow fruit, nectarine and peach skin aromas. The palate is well balanced with a light pineapple and passion fruit opening and well-judged acidity. Very harmonious, with a gentle landing on the finish. Maybe it is missing some tension and nerve, but the flavors are irresistible. Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

This is pretty gorgeous, with a remarkably pure display of cassis, cherry puree and plum reduction flavors laced ever so gently with threads of leather, alder and dried garrigue. The sleek iron spine is buried deeply on the finish, and there’s a lingering hint of warm stone as the fruit echoes through. Built to last. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Picardan and Roussanne. Best from 2024 through 2040. 7,000 cases made, 1,700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is the usual blend of roughly 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties that was brought up in foudre. It offers a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as stunning aromatics of blueberries, violets, peppered beef, leather, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant, it has just a kiss of classic Beaucastel wild, sauvage nuances, ripe, silky tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe dark-fruited, plummy and cola-scented 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape is a rich, full-bodied effort reminiscent of the 2007 or 2009. Dense, powerful and savory, it may drink well for a short time on release, but expect it to close up shortly, only to reemerge in several years. There’s ample concentration and sufficient tannins for the long haul, with a long, dusty finish and hints of licorice that bode well for the future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSaturated violet color. Powerful, mineral-accented cherry, blackberry, licorice and -garrigue- scents, along with a hint of candied flowers. Deep, penetrating and alluringly sweet, offering cherry liqueur, dark berry, lavender, exotic spice and cola flavors that are given spine by a core of juicy acidity. In a concentrated yet lively, fluid style. Finishes extremely long and precise, with building tannins and a powerful echo of spiciness and florality.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Château de Beaucastel, Grenache / Garnacha, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, Red) Restrained nose showing fruitcake aromas. Firm on the palate with an assertive tannic structure and plenty of fruit. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 91 DEC

Very attractive combination of dried fruit and spices with black cherries and plums. Aromas of flowers and sandalwood, too. Full-bodied and very refined, yet intense, with plush, velvety tannins that are wonderfully integrated and intertwined with the fruit. Ripe center palate. Tight at the end, suggesting the need for some serious bottle age. Very structured. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 20th anniversary bottling of Testamatta made, from the 2019 vintage, in brand new winemaking facilities in Florence. This just shines from the moment it’s poured. Layered and complex this is a gem of a wine filled with cherry, raspberry, damson and caramel notes alongside a savoury edge that makes it so moreish. Tannins that support but don’t overwhelm give a nice overall weight to the palate while the flavous linger on the long finish. Made from old vines on stony soils on the Tuscan hilltops. Grapes are selected and sourced from the best five vineyards, which are divided into parcels and harvested up to eight times. Fermentation is in open-top barriques for the smaller parcels and in barrels or stainless steel for the larger ones without any temperature controls. Maceration for 7-10 days then moved into old barriques for 20 months.Decanter | 96 DECA pure expression of Sangiovese, the Bibi Graetz 2019 Testamatta is a wine in constant evolution. Bibi has added 17 more hectares of vineyard to the program, with 12 hectares in Fiesole (north of Florence) and 5 hectares in San Donato in Colle (south of Florence) with 70-year-old vines. The base of the wine sees fruit from old vines planted in the 1950s in the cool-climate Lamole subzone of Chianti Classico. These new terroirs bring a lot more aromatic nuance and complexity to the wine with perfumed blue flower, candied orange peel, wet earth and plumy black fruit. White Alberese soils add a strong chalky mineral signature to the finish of this elegantly streamlined and linear Tuscan red.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPDelicate aromas of red berry, sunbaked earth and dark spice shape the nose along with a whiff of Mediterranean scrub. Bright and elegantly structured, the linear palate features juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry and baking spice framed in polished tannins. Drink through 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA sleek, well-delineated red, delivering cherry and raspberry flavors on an elegant frame. Fresh, and builds nicely on the mineral- and floral-laced finish. Drink now through 2028. 10,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Deep, complex and graceful, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino entices with a cascade of blue and purple flowers, black cherries and hints of Tuscan spice. This is a radiant effort, with a tinge of tangerine up front that gives way to ripe red and black fruits propelled by tantalizing acidity. The 2019 tapers off long and staining, leaving a coating of fine tannins to flex their structural muscle as traces of black raspberry fade slowly. This is a soulful Brunello from start to finish. Beautifully done.Vinous Media | 95 VM

A touch of fresh, ripe lemon zest is all that peeps though on this wine’s shy and closed nose. More air reveals lovely hints of petrichor and chalk. The palate is rounded and textured. Yeastiness and chalky depth align themselves to bright, ripe lemon, and the lemony chalkiness lasts beautifully. Drink by 2040.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEShowing rather more of a rich, toastier style, this has some driving mineral characters underneath with lovely concentration. The freshness imparted by the east-facing, steeply-sloping face of Blanchot contrasts with the warmth and ripeness of the 2019 vintage. A Grand Cru which has a fine balance of richness, power and structure, that is already drinking very well. Drinking Window 2022 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DEC

Produced from two parcels, one on the heavier red clay soils and another on the chalky white soil at the top of the slope. The blend is a wine of superb elegance and balance, with notes of cassis and spice on the attack. Although the wine is made using only whole clusters, the ripeness of the stems and the care in the winemaking give density, but not at the expense of finesse. Marvellous. Drinking Window 2029 - 2049.Decanter | 97 DECUnwinding in the glass with scents of rose petals, orange rind, sweet soil tones and red fruits, Dujac’s 2019 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is, as usual, one of the most backward and reserved wines in the range. Full-bodied, bright and tightly wound, it’s vibrant and mineral: the only missing ingredient is time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97+ RP(Domaine Dujac Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Red) A slightly riper nose is still quite fresh with its aromas of poached plum, violet, rose petal and gentle earth wisps. There is excellent verve to the delineated and tautly muscular broad-shouldered flavors that possess an intrinsic sweetness on the wonderfully complex and superbly long finish that is less austere than usual. With that said, I suspect that this may well shut down once it is in bottle. A potentially great BM. (Drink starting 2036)Burghound | 93-96 BHThe 2019 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a more floral bouquet compared to others, violet and iris petal infusing the mixture of red and blue fruit. Well defined and nicely focused, yet maybe just missing the enthralling complexity of the Clos de la Roche. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple and lithe tannins, beautifully judged acidity with an irresistible silky finish that lingers in the mouth. Hopefully that aromatics will evolve just a little more terroir expression and then you will have a seriously fine Bonnes-Mares.Vinous Media | 94-96 VM

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Colombis comes from more sandy soils and is all Grenache raised in demi-muids. Wild strawberries, cherries, flowery incense, lavender, and loamy earth all make an appearance, and it’s full-bodied, has a deep layered texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s another wine that needs a few years of bottle age, but it will deliver the goods over the following 15+. This is Grenache at its most elegant and seamless.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Colombis is all old-vine Grenache, vinified entirely as whole clusters and matured in demi-muids. On the nose, there are some minty-stemmy notes but also wonderful suggestions of garrigue and vibrant fruit—red raspberries, cherries and stone fruit. It’s full-bodied and silky on the mid-palate, then long, spicy-peppery and firmly tannic on the finish. While not unapproachable or unenjoyable even now, it should benefit from several years cellaring and live close to two decades. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDeep, shimmering ruby. Expansive, mineral- and spice-accented red and dark berry preserve, incense, cola and garrigue qualities on the finely detailed nose. Palate-staining cherry pie, raspberry, boysenberry, floral pastille and fruitcake flavors show uncanny energy for their depth. The spice and floral notes dominate a seriously long, sappy finish framed by velvety, well-knit tannins.Vinous Media | 96 VMA really lovely expression of pure Grenache, it feels very naturally presented and unforced. Might take time to really express its complexity however, I would hold on to this for 10 years before opening. Very fresh and well balanced, with fine tannins. Largely sandy soils, a small lieu-dit to the west of the village. All fermented and aged in tronconic vats.Decanter | 95 DECSo silky this version seems expressive at first, but the core of cassis, cherry purée and raspberry fruit is tightly coiled, with both chalk and iron notes having their say, stretching out in unison through the finish. Black tea and garrigue hints peek in as well, which is a sign of what’s to come after cellaring.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A lovely, accessible wine with bright cherry and blackberry fruit, scented with spice and smoke. The texture is voluptuously rich, almost decadent, and lingers enticingly on the finish. From the oldest vines in Trapet’s 0.6ha parcel of Chapelle-Chambertin, planted in 1945. Jean-Louis notes that the vines ripen early because of the thin soils here.Drinking Window 2026 - 2060Decanter | 96 DECJean-Louis Trapet’s 2019 Chapelle-Chambertin is one of the great wines of the vintage, coming in at 13.5 percent octane and offering classic aromatic and flavor profiles, superb depth, impeccable balance and lovely structure for long term aging. The utterly refined bouquet hops from the glass in a mix of cherries, red plums, cocoa powder, a gorgeous base of soil, pigeon, mustard seed, a touch of sweet stem tones and a suave foundation of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and structured, with a great core of fruit, superb transparency and grip, firm, ripe tannins and a long, complex and very classy finish. This is a proper example of Chapelle and will need plenty of bottle age to start to drink with generosity, but it is one of the stars of 2019. (Drink between 2035-2100)John Gilman | 95 JGNotes of rose petals, orange rind, cassis, rich soil tones and raw cocoa preface Trapet’s 2019 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, elegantly sumptuous and enveloping wine that’s deep and complete, with lively acids, velvety tannins and a long, saline finish. As I’ve observed before, this derives exclusively from holdings located in lieu-dit En la Chapelle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPThe 2019 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru, which includes 100% whole bunch, has a complex bouquet of black fruit, espresso and crushed stone aromas, displaying very good intensity. The focused palate is medium-bodied with very good structure and fine grip. At the moment, the whole bunch influences this Grand Cru, which is slightly bitter on the finish and leaves a strong saline aftertaste. I would like to see just a tad more elegance, à la Domaine Dugat, as it matures.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe whole cluster vinification is discernible on the ripe and elegant aromas of herbal tea, plum liqueur, violet and a pretty range of spice and soft wood elements. The mouthfeel of the medium weight plus flavors is also quite suave and seductive but with more volume and a bit more density as well before tightening up on the lingering if slightly warm finish. This is firm but not especially austere and a wine that should age gracefully while being accessible after only a few years. (Drink starting 2031)Burghound | 92 BH

The cooler terroir has produced an exotic wine with ripe black fruit, a floral note, and a savoury, salty hint of earth. The texture is silky and the tannins are firm. There is enough substance here to age for decades. The Trapet family has owned this parcel of Latricières since 1904 when it purchased 1.5ha from the Savot family. Jean-Louis now works 74 acres, as do his cousins Nicolas and David Rossignol. Drinking Window 2026 - 2060.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2019 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru, which contains around 60% whole bunch, has a well-defined bouquet of ebullient dark berry fruit laced with light woodland and earthy scents. So much vigor and coiled-up energy! The palate is medium-bodied with wonderful balance, supple tannins, perfectly judged acidity and a crescendo of flavors toward the splendid, mineral-driven finish. The cooler microclimate really benefited this cuvée in 2019, and it is one of the Trapet’s finest contributions to the vintage.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThe 2019 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru is the finest rendition of this cuvée I’ve ever tasted from Trapet. Unfurling in the glass with an incipiently complex bouquet that mingles dark berry fruit with nuances of coniferous forest floor, peonies, bergamot and exotic spices, it’s full-bodied, layered and velvety, with terrific depth and concentration, framed by powdery tannins and animated by a lively spine of acidity that carries through the mouthwateringly mineral finish. I wrote that Trapet’s 2018 Latricières was worth a special effort to seek out—I’m happy to have some in my cellar—and that applies a fortiori to this brilliant 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(Latricières-Chambertin- Domaine Trapet Père et Fils) The 2019 Latricières-Chambertin from Domaine Trapet is a stunning young wine in the making, with a purity and freshness of fruit that are really quite rare in this warm vintage. The bouquet is deep and complex, wafting from the glass in a refined mix of sweet dark berries, black cherries, coffee bean, grilled meats, a beautifully complex base of dark minerality, just a touch of spice from whole clusters, mustard seed, black tea, woodsmoke and cedar. On the palate the wine is pure, young and full, with impeccable focus and balance, a lovely core of fruit, ripe, buried tannins and a very long, complex and utterly superb finish. This wine will have a very velvety texture when it is ready to drink. (Drink between 2035-2100)John Gilman | 95 JGAn interesting nose combines notes of coffee grounds and herbal tea with those of cool red currant, raspberry, spice and suggestions of the sauvage. There is fine volume to the earth and mineral-infused middle weight flavors that flash almost painful intensity on the youthfully austere, linear, focused chiseled finish that also exhibits a touch of warmth. This is a classic Latricières that needs to add depth but appears to have the stuffing to do so in time. Lovely. (Drink starting 2031)Burghound | 92 BH

A ripe and beautifully layered nose consists of notes of green fruit, citrus, iodine and mineral reduction. The powerful, rich and voluminous big-bodied flavors possess fine mid-palate density that coats the palate with sap before concluding in an austere, long and vaguely rustic finale. This is an imposing Bougros that should age effortlessly over the next decade plus.Burghound | 92-94 BHAromas of aniseed and lemon rind with dried apple and pear follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and layered with a compact palate and plenty of fruit. Needs time to open. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThis is not the legendary Côte de Bouguerots bottling, but the regular Bougros – which still stood out alongside its peers. The fruit shows grand cru weight and the sunshine quality of the vintage, juicy but well balanced, while the crystalline purity of the finish sets this wine apart.Jasper Morris | 94 JMAromas of crisp green orchard fruit, clear honey, peach, mint and buttery pastry introduce the 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros, a full-bodied, ample and enveloping wine that’s one of the more textural, dramatic wines in the range. Unusually deep and concentrated, its immediate, charming profile belies considerable aging potential this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPVibrant, this white combines green apple and citrus flavors with an iodide element. This is lean and intense, with a lingering citrus and mineral aftertaste. Drink now through 2027. 70 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

An open and beautiful wine with green-olive and currant aromas and flavors. Some bark and earth, too, together with mushrooms, herbs, crushed stones and pomegranate. Medium to full body with round, creamy tannins and refined finish. Blood orange at the end. Crunchy. So drinkable now, but will age beautifully.James Suckling | 96 JSExuberantly fruity on the nose, the 2019 Napanook is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Despite seeing 40% new French oak, what shines on the nose are the ripe cherries, delicately brushed with wisps of tobacco, sage and bay leaf. It’s medium to full-bodied, supple and silky in feel on the palate, while the finish lingers easily, adding notes of pencil shavings and mocha. To get this sort of pedigree for less than $100 is a rarity in Napa these days, making it a notable value.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSolidly built and very direct, with a juicy, muscular core of cassis, plum and blackberry flavors lined with singed alder, menthol and sweet bay leaf. Maintains juicy energy through the toasty finish, with a late loamy echo keeping things grounded. A very well-proportioned wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 2,450 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero shows a medium dark garnet appearance with an especially focused quality of fruit. There is wild cherry and Japanese plum, but the Monvigliero cru also delivers crushed rose, earthy iris root, candied orange peel with clove and dustings of black pepper. The wine is exceedingly silky and polished in texture, but its inherent complexity is never diminished. It should be interesting to revisit this bottle after the 10-year mark. This estate was the first to bottle a Monvigliero in 1978, and today 7,000 bottles are made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is layered with cinnamon, red cherry, white pepper, and apricot and is dry, elegant, and medium-bodied on the palate, with fine tannins and mouthwatering salinity. Revealing notes of orange pith, warming spice, and pomegranate seed, it is long on the palate with a linear approach. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFratelli Alessandria’s 2019 Monvigliero is full-bodied and delicious, delivering flavors of raspberry compote, blood orange, licorice and tobacco enveloped in velvety tannins. It’s bold but also possesses an almost weightless finesse, and thanks to the fruit richness, you’d never guess this has an abv of 15%. Drink 2026–2039. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe 2019 Barolo Monvigliero, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Silky and elegant, with tons of energy, the Monvigliero is showing beautifully today, even as a sample from tank with low SO2 typical of this stage pre-bottling. Even so, all the translucent finesse of Monvigliero comes through loud and clear. Crushed red berry fruit, chalk, blood orange, mint and white pepper lend brightness. The 2019 is shaping up to be a real beauty. It’s one of those young wines that is very hard to spit.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMFirst produced in 1978, the vines on this 1.4ha plot are now 50 years old. Traditional winemaking with long maceration and ageing in botti grandi. Dense and ruby in colour, the nose is restrained: earthy, with dried mushroom, rose and violet, cinnamon, and fresh pomegranate. Vibrant, savoury and delicate yet chewy on the palate, its tannins are extracted but polished, and a bit rigid on the finish. Not really ready to drink; a structure that defies time.Decanter | 90 DEC

This vineyard delivers slightly more concentrated fruit and a medium-dark appearance from loamy calcareous soils. The 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno delivers more oomph and power with ripe cherry, blackcurrant, dark spice and earthy aromas. Fratelli Alessandria makes some of the most harmonious wines in Verduno, and that quality comes through beautifully in this wine, despite the slightly more robust fruit weight delivered by San Lorenzo di Verduno. Only 5,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThere is a fresh mineral character in the 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo Di Verduno with wet asphalt, red cherry, orange, and clove. It is medium-bodied but takes on more structure and concentration, with ripe, fine tannins, dusty earth,and cranberry cocktail, and long with citrus on the finish. A nervy wine, it will benefit from another couple of years in bottle and drink well 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDCamphor, wild rose, ripe berry and new leather are just some of the aromas that you’ll find on Fratelli Alessandria’s fragrant 2019 San Lorenzo di Verduno. Full-bodied and buffed to a smooth sheen, the juicy, chewy palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed mint and licorice framed in tightly knit, velvety tannins. You’ll also detect the subtle warmth of alcohol on the finish, but the fruit richness easily supports it. Drink 2026–2034. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KO The 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno, tasted from barrel, is another potent wine from Alessandria. Heady and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous energy and drive from start to finish. Dark red fruit, gravel, incense, scorched earth, rose petal, licorice and iron are some of the many notes that race out of the glass. The 2019 is wild and racy, sort of like a misbehaved child, but in the best sense! I can’t wait to see how it turns out.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM