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What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DEC(Dom Pérignon Brut Millésime (Épernay)) The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a brilliant wine in the making and seems likely to ultimately be judged one of the greatest vintages here in the last quarter century. According to Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, the wine is close to its ideal cépages of fifty percent each of chardonnay and pinot noir in 2012. The wine is quite a powerful vintage of Dom Pérignon, but with all of the customary elegance and structural chassis of the greatest vintages here and it remains a young wine, brimming with energy and superb depth. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classic blend of lime, green apple, menthol, stony minerality, discreet botanical tones, gentle smokiness and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a great core, superb mineral drive and grip, utterly refined mousse and a long, zesty and beautifully balanced finish. I love how the perfect ripeness of the 2012 vintage is seamlessly interwoven here with a superb girdle of acidity, great minerality and excellent purity, which will end up producing a legendary vintage of this wine. It is certainly approachable out of the blocks, but I would opt to tuck bottles away for at least eight to ten more years before starting to drink the 2012, as there is so much left here to still unfold. (Drink between 2029-2075)John Gilman | 98 JGThe 2012 Dom Pérignon is a dense, powerful wine. I am almost shocked by its vinous intensity and raw, unbridled power. The 2012 reminds me of the 2003, but with more finesse and not quite as pushed. Mildew, rain and frost were challenges and resulted in low yields, something that was further compounded by warm, dry weather that concentrated the fruit even more. Those qualities result in a dense Dom Pérignon endowed with real phenolic intensity. It is one of the most reticent young Doms I can remember tasting, I wouldn’t even think of opening a bottle for at least a few years. (Originally published in May 2021)Antonio Galloni | 97 AGWonderful elegance and balance to this Dom Pérignon with cooked apple, lemon and hints of white pepper and salt. It’s medium-bodied with really fine bubbles and balance. Spicy at the end. So wonderfully fresh, linear and long. Racy and elegant. A DP that invites to drink right now. All about finesse. Tension, too, with precise phenolics and bright acidity on the back palate. Subtle energy. Drinkable now, but will develop beautifully in the bottle.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2012 Dom Pérignon is developing very nicely on cork, exhibiting a complex bouquet of pear, confit citrus fruits, honeycomb, buttered toast, iodine and nuts framed by a deft touch of youthful reduction. Full-bodied, rich and muscular, with a layered core of fruit and a pillowy mousse, it’s a vinous, vibrant Champagne that concludes with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis eloquent Champagne has an enticing waft of Mandarin orange on the nose that continues on the palate, which is layered with flavors of crushed blackberry and cassis, toast, chopped almond, graphite and oyster shell. A bright, finely-knit and harmonious version, with a lovely, raw silk-like mousse, and a lasting, expressive finish. Drink now through 2037.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A driven and serious DP with aromas of chalk, biscuits, apricot stones and lemons. Some spice and dried flowers, too. So sleek and sophisticated. Elegant. Yet, it’s long and powerful, with a sharp minerality. Tight and precise. Reminds me of bottles from the 1980s, such as 1988. It really takes off. Disgorged October 2021. Drinkable on release in January 2023, but better in a couple of years. A DP for the cellar.James Suckling | 98 JSVivid acidity and a chalky underpinning make a crystalline frame for finely detailed notes of ripe melon, mandarin orange, toasted brioche and candied ginger in this harmonious Champagne, which is expressive and expansive on the palate, but with a sense of finesse and restraint. Long and creamy on the mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2037.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDisgorged in October last year, the 2013 Dom Pérignon is a lovely wine, defined by the long, cool growing season. Offering up aromas of crisp stone fruit, tangerine oil, buttered toast, pear, almonds and clear honey, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, with bright acids and a pillowy, enveloping profile, concluding with a long, saline finish. Vincent Chaperon recalls that shatter at fruit set moderated yields and that a drying east wind in the weeks before harvest helped to maintain the good sanitation necessary to wait to pick at full maturity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2013 Dom Pérignon is quite delicate and understated. It reminds me of the 2004, but with a bit more mid-palate richness and a bit less energy. Apricot, tangerine peel, white flowers, jasmine, mint and light honeyed notes all meld together. There’s lovely vinous intensity as well as a feeling of openness that make the 2013 a delight to taste today. The 2013 doesn’t look to be an epic DP, but it sure is delicious right now.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2014 Único was produced with grapes from 40 hectares of vines selected from the 210 hectares the winery has. The grapes were picked between September 20th and October 3rd, and the blend was 94% Tinto Fino and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. It fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, with malolactic in stainless steel. The first part of the aging was in 225-liter barrels and the second one in 20,000-liter oak vats, and the élevage lasts 10 years between oak and bottle. It’s a year that combines power and elegance; it’s concentrated but has subtleness. I had a unique opportunity to taste it from magnum one year ago and was truly impressed. This tasting was consistent with those sensations. 2014 was a good vintage in the zone, a year with good rain and a big crop, not as powerful as 2012 or 2015 but a year with finesse. The wine feels very balanced, lower in alcohol and with integrated oak, crunchy, fresh and still young. It feels quite classical; it’s fine-boned, elegant but also powerful, more like the Únicos from yesteryear. It has to be one of the finest vintages of recent times. It has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.85 and five grams of acidity measured in tartaric acid per liter of wine. One of the largest vintages of Único, 104,606 bottles, 3,612 magnums, 356 double magnums, 50 imperials and five Salmanazars were produced. It was bottled in June 2020. It seems like years ending in four—94, 2004, 2014 (but not 84, that was not produced)—are very good here. We’ll have to wait and see about the 2024...Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPA refined, ethereal and elegant Unico. Streamlined layers of mixed peppercorns, smoked paprika, blackberries and spiced dark fruit. Hints of orange zest and flowers. Spicy, with tightly wound tannins. The length is impressive. 94% tempranillo and 6% cabernet sauvignon. Tasted from magnum. Coming along nicely. Try on release in 2026 or after.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2014 Unico is primarily composed of Tempranillo with an additional 6% dash of Cabernet Sauvignon, both sourced from the eponymous property in Ribera del Duero. Aged at length in barrels and large oak vats, the combination of aging methods brings out the wine’s nuances in what was a generous year. A dark garnet-red in the glass. The aromas offer licorice and cedar notes alongside hints of orange peel, petit four, cola and pine. There’s a background of ripe dark fruit. The palate is dry and plush with a chalky texture and supple tannins, contributing to the complex character. A nuanced red just at the beginning of its life.Vinous Media | 97 VMPowerful aromas of fine oak. Arrives crisp, fresh and smooth, swelling to redcurrant and red cherry. Very youthful still, full-bodied and round, but always remaining crisp and fresh. Tannins are firm but well-balanced. Promising a long life ahead but remarkably approachable now. 2014 followed a mild winter with a warmer spring and summer. Yield 25.2hl/ha. One of the first years with the influence of new technical director Gonzalo Iturriaga. One year in new barrels, six months in used barrels, then three and a half years in large-format tanks. Bottled May 2020. Tasted from magnum.Decanter | 97 DEC

Once again, the 2015 Tignanello is stunning. Sweet, floral notes give the 2015 striking aromatic intensity to play off a core of red Sangiovese fruit. In 2015, the Sangiovese is a bit higher than the norm, which comes through in the wine’s flavor profile. The tannins are also a bit biting at this stage, but that won’t be an issue in time. Bright red cherry, plum, blood orange mint and sweet floral notes build into a finish laced with energy and tension. The 2015 is utterly captivating. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGFantastic aromas of dark berries, sandalwood and Spanish cedar that are ever so deep. Full body, an incredible spin of polished tannins and bright acidity. Incredible depth. Like looking over the edge of a skyscraper. Powerful and structured. A great Tignanello. A little more sangiovese than usual. Best since the legendary 1997.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Tignanello is a wine that opens, like a fully blossomed rose, right in front of you. This vintage is immediately accessible, generous and opulent. The wine will surely flesh out and gain focus with more bottle age, but one of the best qualities of this vintage is just how beautiful the wine tastes straight out of the gate. The fruit is beautifully ripe with fresh blackberry and cherry nuances, spice, leather, sweet tobacco and smoke. Up until this vintage, the various blending components that make up Tignanello were vinifed in separate lots. Starting with 2015, the wine is blended sooner in order to achieve better overall integration. The entire Tignanello estate counts 130 hectares of vines, but the single-vineyard "Tignanello" that makes this wine is 57 hectares. Some 340,000 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA rich, dense Tignanello, the 2015 features cherry and blackberry fruit, verging on plummy, with graphite and tar notes. Delivering beautifully integrated tannins, this is a powerhouse and should unfold for decades. Shows terrific balance and length.—Non-blind Tignanello vertical (October 2019). Best from 2023 through 2040. 5,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSLeather, cassis, cedar, black-skinned berry and exotic spice aromas slowly shape the nose. Polished and savory, the refined, structured palate boasts an almost weightless elegance while still delivering layers of juicy black cherry, blackberry compote, licorice and a hint of tobacco. Fine-grained tannins lend seamless support. It’s also surprisingly fresh and balanced for the hot vintage. Drink 2020–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe Tignanello vineyard shares the same hillside with the vines that produce Solaia (recommended above), and experienced a similar growing season in 2015. Primarily sangiovese, with small amounts of cabernets sauvignon and franc, the 2015 Tignanello achieves richness without verging into opulence, its ripe cherry flavors buoyed by acidity and laced with notes of tobacco, anise and damp earth. The tannins are suave, like soft leather, and a cool ferrous note firms up the finish.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&S

One of Spain’s best-known and beloved wines, this vintage, the 2015 Unico, like always, saw five years of aging in barrel and vat and another five years in bottle. It was bottled in May 2021. Blending 96% Tempranillo and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vega Sicilia estate, usually from the same plots of 40+-year-old vines, it opens in expressive, juicy, lush pomegranate and dark cherry carried by supple, silky tannins and bright acidity. The length and structure are remarkable. The grapes were harvested “al dente,” when they were crisp, fresh, and juicy, perfectly ripe. There is tremendous balance between the wine’s acidity and freshness and full-bodied power. This will age 60 years and is winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga’s first vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2015 Vega Sicilia Unico is Tinta del País with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ribera del Duero. The nose is aromatically complex, with balsamic notes, forest floor, delicate herbs such as rosemary and thyme and an evolved profile showing vanilla, maraschino cherry and dried fruit. Silky and layered, the palate features chalky tannins and a smooth texture, offering depth and nuance. Subtle oak, fresh plum and herbs combine for a long, refined finish. A classic expression of elegant Ribera.Vinous Media | 98 VMVery whole and round with a generous width on the mid-palate offset by an assertive energy, supported by vivid acid and a well-presented tannic framework. An interesting counterpoint to the more chiseled linearity of the 2014 iteration. With all elements very much in their right place, but fruit still unapologetically punchy, it’ll be interesting to see how this evolves as tertiary complexity softens the primary and secondary vividness. Cocoa powder, dry tobacco leaves and seaweed hover over juicy plum, dark cherry and black olive. Very long, spicy finish with lingering tapenade and salty liquorice.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECSit back and enjoy this Unico if you are going to open it now. Exotic spices and touches of balsam and cumin come up after the unleashing of blackberries, chocolate, iron, incense and violets. So fine-grained and polished, with a mouthful of velvety tannins that are so cohesive, close-knit and still reactive. Impeccably structured, it’s vertical before going extremely long and linear. A consistent Unico that seduces with a hint of iron-like minerality and rusticity. Drink on release or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Único comes from a year with a fast ripening, and they had to harvest early to keep the crunchiness of the fruit. This was the first harvest produced 100% by winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga. The aging was five years in oak, one and a half years in barrels and three and a half years in oak vats. It’s a big vintage, produced with 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s ripe, with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.88 and 4.8 grams of acidity. The grapes were cooled down for one day, then the bunches were selected and fermented with a pied de cuve in vats. It’s a ripe and concentrated vintage, with a classical modern Vega Sicilia nose that’s expressive, aromatic and open, with notes of dark cherries, spice and cigar box. It has a medium- to full-bodied palate with abundant fine-grained tannins, good balance and the rustic elegance of the best Ribera del Dueros. In 2015, they produced 84,184 bottles, 3,645 magnums and some larger formats, less than in 2014, which was the largest production of Único ever. It was bottled in May 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis enticing red is fluid and silky on the palate, offering a core of plumped cherry fruit accented by notes of licorice root, rooibos tea, vanilla and milled pepper. There’s length and expression without overpowering weight as this integrates fine tannins, a satiny texture and lively acidity. Long and focused. Tinto Fino and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2040. 7,016 cases made, 393 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2016 Champagne Cristal is chalky and pristine, with a crystalline nature and notes of white peach, fresh citrus blossoms, and bright salinity. Tasted for the first time last year, it captures a precise and focused energy that’s unmatched. It boasts the energy and tension of 2002 and the precision of 2008. The wet-stone minerality of fresh chalk texture is profound, opening with medium body, showing pinpoint mousse, and sustaining a weightless energy through the long finish. This is not an obvious wine on opening, but it is by far one of my favorite wines of the year. It is going to require some patience, but it is worth stashing away and should have fantastic longevity. Drink 2027-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis has wonderfully pure fruit aromas, such as peaches, Asian pears and golden apples, alongside lemon curd, gingerbread, chalk and jasmine. Rock salt and oyster shells follow on the palate, which is so seamless that you scarcely notice the super-fine bubbles. It’s concentrated yet gentle at the same time, with impressive resolution and integration of all components. Salty and creamy at the very-long finish. Fantastic! 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThis iconic Champagne, first made in the 19th century for the Tsar of Russia, shows its typical stunning balance and poise between richness and concentration. It has a pure white fruit and honeysuckle aroma and tight, tangy fresh fruit flavors. Just ready to drink, the wine will age well, for at least 20 years. Organic.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WECristal 2016 represents a return to purity and classicism for this cuvée, even seen through the lens of 2016’s ripe, generous nature. It is discreet in youth, cloaking its ripeness in long, chalky, stony energy. Gentle mandarin, pale apricot and raspberry fruit sit under slowly maturing notions of floral honey and tight, smoky charm. An airy, flowing delicacy and persistence lifts this above some other expressions of this year. It’s a hugely promising Cristal, likely to stand as tall as the sought-after 2012 and 2013 releases.Decanter | 97 DECThe finest rendition since 2013, the 2016 Cristal has turned out beautifully. A vintage that Lecaillon describes as “difficult in the vineyards but beautiful in the cellar,” it had suffered slightly in reputation due to the gloomy mood during the challenging growing season, but the results are indeed impressive. The fifth edition produced entirely from organically farmed and certified fruit, and heavily based on Pinot Noir, the 2016 represents the contemporary quality of Cristal, combining the concentration of 2002 with the precision and cut of 2013. Disgorged in July 2024 with a dosage of seven grams per liter, it opens in the glass to reveal a bouquet of lemon zest, white flowers and peeled almond, framed by youthful reduction. On the palate, it is bright and electric, with a pure core of fruit, pinpoint mousse and a textural attack, concluding with a long, saline finish. Drink it alongside the 2015, and it will illuminate its clarity and integration.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2016 Cristal is bright, aromatic and nicely lifted. Citrus peel white flowers, mint and a touch of chamomile all grace this understated, wonderfully refined edition of Cristal. Light on its feet and super-refined, the 2016 is exquisite in its understated beauty. I can’t wait to see how the 2016 ages and won’t be surprised it gains a bit of weight in bottle, as Cristal so often does. The blend is 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay, so a touch more Chardonnay than the norm. Of the 45 parcels that make up the Cristal domaine, just 32 were used for the blend. Verzy and Verzenay dominate the Pinots, then Aÿ. Avize takes the lead in the Chardonnays, followed by Mesnil and Cramant. Dosage is 7 grams per liter.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis leads with pronounced minerality on the nose, but then a bright burst of tangerine, blood orange and Meyer lemon flavors on the palate hold sway, joined by rich hints of crème de cassis, toast point, pastry cream and crystallized honey. Showing beautiful integration and a refined, lacy mousse, this is compact and statuesque, with a sense of restraint and the hint of more to come, while at the same time offering lovely expression in the glass today. Fresh and focused on the persistent finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2044. 8,300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2016 Único was perfumed and elegant, showcasing a very good vintage in the region. Winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga started in 2015—a powerful year—and he remembers 2016 as a very balanced year, with higher yields and finer-boned wines. The winter was mild, and there was a cooler than average spring and a warm summer. September was dry, which provided healthy grapes and balanced ripening. The harvest started the 22nd of September and finished the 11th of October. The bottled wine is 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.82 and 4.8 grams of acidity. It has the old Vega perfume, intoxicating, complex and nuanced, full of personality and a very energetic palate, vibrant and fresh, not lacking power but with lots of elegance. The wine is released 10 years after the harvest, combining time in new and used American and French oak barrels and 20,000-liter oak vats, and it obviously spends plenty of time in bottle. This is a monumental vintage of Único. A total of 92,292 bottles, 3,695 magnums and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in May 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPA beautifully poised Vega that is already approachable. Everything is in harmony, showing an almost ethereal quality in contrast to the denser 2015 vintage. There’s a hint of minerality paired with the blackberries and dark cherries. The tannins are firm yet softened. Medium to full body and a finish that lingers for a minute. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JS

Starting off a trio of truly magical wines, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Combe Des Fous checks in as 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest Vaccarèse and Cinsault raised in tank and demi-muids. Sensationally pure cassis and blackberry fruits as well as complex notes of lavender, Provençal garrigue, ground pepper, and flowers all define this full-bodied 2019, which displays the vintage’s ripe, perfumed style while bringing more finesse, elegant, and purity than just about every other wine out there. It’s the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted and has another 15-20 years of prime drinking ahead of it.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDPlummy and chocolaty yet remarkably vibrant, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous comes across as richer and more powerful than the 2018. I’m not sure that’s a good thing in this cuvée, as it’s full-bodied, dense and a bit chunky at the moment—certainly enormously impressive, but without the elegance of the previous vintage. It will be interesting to see how it compares once it’s in the bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPReally enticing, with succulent cherry and raspberry paste flavors taking the lead. Backed by anise, fruitcake and floral notes, this is dense but has inner brightness, as savory and iron details emerge through the finish. Lovely mouthfeel throughout. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Vaccarèse. Best from 2023 through 2038. 500 cases made, 65 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades. A blend of 75% carmenere, 18% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2021 Clos Apalta comprises 75% Carménère, with the remainder filled out by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, sourced from the eponymous Apalta Vineyard. It was aged for 24 months in oak barrels, two-thirds of which were new. This dark purple wine reveals nuanced aromas of graphite, herbs, dried plums and blackberry marmalade, complemented by mint, boldo and garrigue-like notes over a green bell pepper layer. Plush and ample on the palate, it is lifted by a mild refreshing quality that adds a rare nimbleness to its flow. This long-lasting red is a serious wine, less influenced by Michel Rolland’s style than in other years, as the fresh vintage imparted a lighter, less ripe and more expressive character. Clos Apalta is one of those rare Chilean wines that reliably showcases the characteristics of each vintage while maintaining a consistent house style. That steadiness is a boon for consumers, as it allows them to appreciate the impact of different vintages, which is a significant part of the allure of high-quality wines.Vinous Media | 98 VMAromatically complex and intriguing, this offers a spiced plum pastry note that melds with petrichor, pine, dried violet and cocoa powder elements. The palate is round and richly textured, with Szechuan peppercorn accents to the concentrated black cherry, plum and cassis center. Everything comes together harmoniously on the finish and lingers, with present but integrated tannins. A stunner that should develop nicely in the cellar. Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2040. 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

This is really precise with a lazer-guided fine tannin structure throughout the wine, and juicy and electric texture. It’s so refined and polished. Endless. Wonderful young wine with a terrific future.James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 2022 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested between the 31st of August and the 24th of September. It’s a richer, more opulent wine compared to the more classic 2020 (although the pH is higher in the 2020) and has a deep, full-bodied, concentrated profile as well as classic Lafite aromatics of spicy red and black fruits, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and tobacco. Deep, rich, and concentrated, it nevertheless stays pure and flawlessly balanced, with ample, ripe tannins and a great finish. It’s going to have some up-front appeal by Lafite standards but should still require a decade of bottle age. Director Eric Koher compares this to the 2005, but this modern-day clone of the 1959 is one of the most powerful, concentrated Lafites I’ve tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDSmells gorgeous, black fruits, milk chocolate and floral notes. Supple and lively, crystalline and pure, you get both the juicy, fleshiness of the dark and concentrated fruit but with tension and detail and definition. Clarity and bite, this really works and delivers everything you want in terms of tannins, minerality, freshness and density. Controlled and purposeful and keeps a quiet confidence and strong intensity the whole way through. Clearly powerful, but refined and sophisticated. Compelling, darkly seductive and oh so drinkable. A fantastic wine in the making. Harvest 9 - 23 September. Ageing 16-18 months; 60% new barrels, 40% one wine (225L and 400L). Derenoncourt consultants.Decanter | 97 DECA blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Larcis Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color. It wows as it powers out of the glass with bright, expressive notes of juicy blackberries, fresh black cherries, and warm plums, followed by suggestions of Indian spices, iron ore, iris bulb, and crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate is laden with rich, seductive, and amazingly energetic black and blue fruits, framed by super-ripe, velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with epic length. This 2022 is a triumph!The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWIThe 2022 Larcis Ducasse is a huge, inky wine. A firm backbone of structure lies behind all of that opulence, yielding a wine that is both extravagantly rich and super-classic. That’s a pretty appealing combination in my book. Dark red-toned fruit, spice, leather, tobacco, incense and mocha emerge, but only with great reluctance. The 2022 is packed to the core. I don’t imagine it will be ready to drink anytime soon, but is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc, a bit more Franc than usual, aging in equal parts 225- and 500-liter barrels. Tasted four times.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMA blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, sweet soils tones, cigar box and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, it’s the most tensile of the first growths this year, with a layered, concentrated but youthfully introverted mid-palate, lively acids and a long, saline finish. It checks in at a rather high pH of 3.85, which belies its incisive profile, from a harvest that extended from August 31 to September 24.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP

Based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged 20 months in 40% new French oak, the 2023 Dominus is absolutely gorgeous, with an incredible level of purity and refinement. Cassis, graphite, crushed stone, melted crayons, and floral nuances all define the aromatics. It’s medium to full-bodied, with seamless, refined elegance, ultra-fine tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. This more charming, forward, and seductive style of Dominus will offer incredible appeal over the next 20-25 years or more. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2023 Dominus is a very pretty, surprisingly open-knit wine from this estate. Soft contours wrap around a core of pliant red/purplish fruit. Lavender, rose petal and gently spiced overtones caress the mid-palate and finish. I expect the 2023 will drink well with minimal cellaring, something that is rarely the case here.Vinous Media | 96 VM