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An absolutely amazing wine, from grapes harvested between the end of September and October 17, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has close to 15% natural alcohol. It comes from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux, but you are likely to see many more, given the success that Tesseron seems to be having at all levels, both in his vineyards and in his fermentation/winemaking. An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more often associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes. The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing or astringent. The freshness, laser-like precision, and full-bodied, massive richness and extract are simply remarkable to behold and experience. It is very easy, to become jaded tasting such great wines from a great vintage, but it is really a privilege to taste something as amazing as this. Unfortunately, it needs a good decade of cellaring, and that’s assuming it doesn’t close down over the next few years. This is a 50- to 75-year wine from one of the half-dozen or so most compulsive and obsessive proprietors in all of Bordeaux. Is there anything that proprietor Alfred Tesseron is not doing right? Talk about an estate that is on top of its game! Pontet-Canet’s 2010 is a more structured, tannic and restrained version of their most recent perfect wine, the 2009. Kudos to Pontet-Canet!Robert Parker | 100 RPThe aromas to this are incredible with blueberry, minerals, dried flowers, and stones. It goes to dried meat and spices. Full body and incredibly integrated with blackberry, licorice, and minerals. There’s a wonderful purity to this. It goes on for minutes. The quality of tannins is amazing. Seamless. There’s an amazing transparency that shows you all the elements of the wine’s unique terrior. Try after 2018.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2010 Pontet-Canet lags behind the 2009, but these two vintages can be hard to compare due the drastically different styles. Where the 2009 is broad, expansive, and showy, the 2010 starts our more reserved and classic in style, with beautiful notes of cassis, cedarwood, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and damp earth all developing with air. Deep, beautifully concentrated, full-bodied, and powerful, it’s built for the long haul and needs 5-7 years of bottle age, but I suspect will see its 50th birthday in still fine drinking form.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDDense, yes, but this is also a handsome wine that balances complex tannins with pure black currant fruits that shine. This biodynamic wine has a generous, full and rich feel, ripe with just a touch of restraint. The greatness of the wine shows in its purity with a deceptive simplicity that hides the final complex tannins and structure.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis is big, broad and powerfully rendered, but remarkably polished and refined at the same time. An enormous core of roasted fig, blackberry and black currant fruit is suavely wrapped with roasted apple wood and sandalwood, while dark espresso, loam and warm paving stone notes drive the finish. Very long, with a great tug of scorched earth at the end. A terrific combination of power and precision. Best from 2020 through 2040. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Château Pontet-Canet, Merlot, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Class in glass. Deep ruby, youthful tone. Such sumptuous red berry, cassis and tobacco aromas. Juicy and full bodied, with smoothly textured tannins. The creamy mid palate texture is framed by an impressive arc of tension and balancing acidity, ensuring long life. Long finish. Super! Aged 50% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2060)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2010 Pontet-Canet is noticeably deep in colour compared to its peers. This is unusually ripe and sweet on the nose, more red than black fruit, maybe a little jammy and confit-like. I would never guess this was a 2010 Left Bank. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy mouthfeel, plenty of graphite tinged red fruit. Approachable in style and sensually fulfilling, it just lacks a bit of grip and backbone on the finish. I have fonder memories of previous bottles but I could not identify any specific fault. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Tasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 2010 Trotanoy was consistent with my previous tasting notes. The bouquet, this time, was unapologetically Pomerol whereas in the past it has swayed a little towards Saint Emilion. There are still those hints of marmalade that infuse the black fruit, although there is now more mineralité emerging. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine but firm tannin. Again, the mineralité locked into this wine is at a level that I have not seen before, and the energy, the coiled-up tension on the finish is just outstanding. Is it as good as the 2009? Perhaps not quite...but, it is not far off. Tasted November 2016.Robert Parker | 98 RPDense and slightly chewy, this features girders of charcoal-coated grip running from start to finish, along with bay leaf, smoldering tobacco and warm tar. But don’t be fooled--there’s also loads of fruit, offering dark plum, blackberry and black currant notes, laced with hints of mulling spice and alder. Terrific old-school grip powers the finish, and should easily pull this through two decades in the cellar. The brick-house Pomerol of the vintage. Best from 2017 through 2040. 1,900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSWarm days and cold nights were the signature of 2010, similar in many ways to a typical Californian vintage. This is particularly good for giving concentration and complexity to the resulting wines, and the abundance of polyphenols is clear in the colour that you see in the glass. This is still seriously closed compared to the 2009 - the structure is bigger but the fruit between the lines is fleshy and welcoming. It’s not as exuberant as the 2009, and still needs time or a serious few hours in a decanter. The tannic power of Trotanoy is on full display here, but so too is the purity of expression, and layers of liquorice, blackberry, blackcurrant, slate and smoked rosemary you can peel off one-by-one. Drinking Window 2020 - 2044.Decanter | 98 DECStunning nose with wild strawberries, vanilla and raspberries. Opens up with a little time in the glass to sweet licorice, blueberries and some graphite. Round and full on the palate with an amazing fruit and refined tannins. Truly superb. Hard not to drink now. Try from 2016.James Suckling | 98 JSA complex wine, exhibiting smoky tannins, rich fruit, a dark texture and concentration. Produced by the Moueix winemaking team, it feels complete with its sense of style and elegance as well as weight. Give this powerful wine many years in the cellar.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2010 Trotanoy is surly and backward on the nose, clearly a Pomerol demanding extended cellaring. The palate is medium-bodied, its bold tannic chassis just beginning to soften. This has a superb bead of acidity threaded through the bell pepper-tinged, tertiary black fruit with a gentle but insistent grip on the finish. This is clearly a Pomerol of real pedigree and I adore its truffly aftertaste. Excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94+ VM(Château Trotanoy) I had been very impressed with 2010 Château Trotanoy out of barrel, as I found this to be one of the very finest examples of the vintage. Out of bottle, the wine seems to be delivering on its early promise, and tough it will always be a big-boned and very ripe example of Trotanoy (tipping the scales at 14.5 percent alcohol), there is a lot more to like here than in most examples of this vintage! The nose is very ripe, but does not show any signs of sur maturité in its sappy bouquet of black cherries, plums, chocolate, cigar ash, violets, lovely soil tones and toasty oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and opulent on the attack, with a rock solid core, with firm, very substantial tannins, tangy (but, reasonably ripe) acids and a very, very long, complex and youthful finish. The wine is starting to show just a touch of backend heaviness from the vintage, and it seems that I overrated this a touch from barrel. But, although this will never be my favorite recent vintage of Trotanoy (give me the powerful, but much more classic 2009 or the utterly refined and majestic 2008!), but it is a stellar success for the vintage. (Drink between 2025-2060)John Gilman | 93+ JG

Dark red fruit, iron, new leather and smoke all jump from the 2010 Barolo Brunate. A huge, dense, powerful Barolo, the 2010 Brunate boasts stunning depth and sheer richness. At the same time, though, it is incredibly polished for such a big wine. The Brunate brings together the power of the Lazzarito, but with a greater sense of textural polish and finesse that is typical of the Rocche. In 2010, the Brunate is all about balance and harmony.Vinous Media | 97 VMA 2010 Barolo with beautiful balance and complexity with rose, plum and hints of sandalwood. Full body, with integrated tannins and along and seamless finish. Best Brunate of the vintage. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2010 Barolo Brunate impresses for its textural richness and aromatic generosity. The Brunate crus shows exceptionally well in 2010, offering the kind of structure that is as powerful and lasting as it is finessed and graceful. It’s the proverbial iron fist in a silken glove. A burgeoning bouquet of dried flower and pressed cherry roots the wine in a sense of freshness and youthfulness. Indeed, Brunate is a vineyard cru that is particularly suited to long-living Barolo. It is a crime to drink this wine before its time. Drink: 2018-2035.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPRich and chewy, sporting chocolate, tar, cherry, licorice and spice flavors. Unfolds effortlessly on the palate, with dense, dusty tannins lending support. The fine, fresh finish features a mineral undercurrent. Best from 2017 through 2032. 300 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSAromas of perfumed red berries, red rose petals, Mediterranean herbs and leather leap from the glass. The bright palate delivers bright red cherry accented with vanilla, licorice, coffee and espresso alongside bright acidity. Astringent wood tannins leave a drying finish on the close. Drink after 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of lavender and violets. Full body, chewy and polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A beautifully linear and polished red. Give it time to show it all but this is already a beauty. The depth and class to this are indeed impressive. Better in 2017.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2012 Tignanello is deep, rich and voluptuous, yet also retains a distinct element of classicism in its focused, mid-weight structure. Dark red cherry, pomegranate, kirsch, spice, tobacco and menthol open up in the glass, but only reluctantly. Firm veins of tannin and pulsating acidity give the wine its sense of energy and verticality. The mid-weight structure should allow the wine to open up in another few years. The 2012 isn’t as powerful as the 2010 or exotic as the 2011, but rather is most similar to how the 2005 was in its youth. The 2012 is a Tignanello built on pure finesse and grace. I would not open a bottle before its tenth birthday, if at all possible.Vinous Media | 95 VMHere’s a structured red with lots of finesse. It opens with alluring aromas of fragrant blue flowers, red berries, baking spices and exotic herbs while the firm, vibrant palate delivers black cherry, crushed raspberry, clove, orange zest, licorice and a sprinkling of white pepper. It’s still young but well balanced, with tightly woven but polished tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2017–2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2012 Tignanello is a very handsome wine with dark fruit nuances that extend far beyond the normal spectrum for Sangiovese (and the smaller percentages of French grapes that complete this wine). This vintage, that started off with a very hot summer and ended with a cool harvest season, show a little more spice and Mediterranean herb on the finish. Grapes were harvested at the end of September and delivered slightly less alcohol than previous vintages. There is a point of freshness but the tannins are mature and yielding. In fact, the tannic management is spot-on and is complimented by the velvety and rich nature of the mouthfeel. Pretty mineral accents add a lasting touch of complexity. The 2012 Tignanello has the qualities for a successful evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA rich, cherry-laced red, showing a slightly jammy character before shutting down in a grip of tannins. A bit awkward now, but should come around once the tannins are integrated.—Non-blind Tignanello vertical (October 2019). Best from 2022 through 2040. 2,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

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

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard sports a deep garnet color and rocks up with a ready-to-party nose of blackcurrant cordial, blueberry pie and freshly baked plums. And yet it also possesses a seriously savory undercurrent of tapenade, chargrill, rosemary-roasted lamb and fried Indian spices plus a waft of fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate has an evocative earthiness interlacing the opulent black fruit preserves with firm, velvety shoulders to support all that generous fruit flesh along with seamless freshness, finishing very long and savory. Truly stunning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA deliciously pure and juicy style, capturing the currant and blackberry essence of Cabernet in a supple, graceful manner. Texturally harmonious, with just the right amount of sage details and dusty, earth-laced tannins. Ends on a tart note. Drink now through 2027. 1,100 cases made.Wine SpectatorWine Spectator | 93 WS

This is amazing on the nose with blackberries, black truffle, dried cherries and hints of tobacco. It’s so complex on the nose that you almost don’t need to taste it. Full body, soft and velvety tannins and a persistent, fabulous finish. The mouthfeel is magic. 80% sangiovese and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2013 Tignanello represents the beginning of a new chapter for Italy’s ultimate game-changer wine. The blend remains 80% Sangiovese with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc but Renzo Cotarella tells me "stylistically-speaking, this is what we wanted to achieve." The winemaking formula remains the same, but one of the major differences and benefits to this wine is vineyard age. The celebrated Tignanello single vineyard is now reaching 15 years old. In other words, it is in its production prime. This is a harmonious and beautifully integrated wine that reveals black fruit and baking spice. I’m told the 2014 Tignanello will have a greater percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2015 vintage will have more Sangiovese.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2013 Tignanello is a real knock-out. Rich and intense, but also linear in style, the 2013 is endowed with superb energy from start to finish. In this vintage, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc character is especially evident, especially in the aromatics. Today, the 2013 is tightly wound and not ready to show all of its cards. Readers will have to be patient with the 2013, but the wine has plenty to say. Above all else, this is a remarkable level of quality for a wine with Bordeaux First Growth production (but not price) often in excess of 25,000 cases.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGDefined by licorice and black currant aromas and flavors, this is intense and harmonious. A crisp, vibrant feel pervades as this winds down, showing excellent length and a minerally element.—Non-blind Tignanello vertical (October 2019). Best from 2023 through 2043. 2,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSWinemaker Renzo Cotarella declared the 2013 to be one of the most vibrant Tignanellos Antinori has ever made. It recalls 2010 but is a slightly less powerful package. The Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly evident at the moment, with well-defined nuances of blackberry bush. Notes of fresh dark earth, red cherry and minerality lurk underneath. The tannins are long and refined but not quite ready to relax their grip. Currently austere rather than generous, this needs time to knit together. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DECVibrant and loaded with finesse, this blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc opens with enticing scents of red woodland berry, new leather, Asian spice and a touch of menthol. The youthful palate delivers red currant, wild cherry, star anise and clove alongside a backbone of firm acidity and polished, tightly wound tannins. It will age majestically; drink 2020–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEFlavors of black currant and tobacco bring the influence of Cabernet Sauvignon (15 percent) and Cabernet Franc (5 percent) to the fore in this Sangiovese-based blend. Ample alcohol lends a Bourbon-like edge to the wine’s oak-derived accents of vanilla and coconut, but Sangiovese’s firm, raspy tannins guide the wine back toward red cherry flavors and into a long, smoky finish.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

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

Supremely elegant and poised, with a combed-back sleekness and grace. Crushed raspberry is at the centre of a deeper and darker palate of sweet black cherry, juniper berries and wild mint. Great precision and an underlying structure supports and gives amplitude to a glossy, fine finish like polished mahogany. Drinking Window 2019 - 2029.Decanter | 98 DECAs always, the Sorì Tildìn is a wine of nuance and delineation above all else. Beautifully sculpted and precise, the 2013 offers up a compelling interplay of dark red cherry, mint, lavender and licorice. A subtle accent of French oak adds nuance without detracting from the wine’s translucent personality and overall energy. At the same time, it is hard for the mind not to wander a bit and imagine what the wine might have tasted like had it been made more along the lines of the Costa Russi, especially given this site’s inherent finesse. But back to the present. The 2013 Sorì Tildìn is another drop-dead gorgeous beauty from Gaja.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe perfumes are fabulous here with strawberry, walnut and porcini mushrooms. Mountain herbs. Full body, tight and integrated tannins and a long finish. Refined and beautiful. Hard not to drink now.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2013 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn sees fruit sourced from a vineyard site located directly above Costa Russi. This fruit is harvested at 260 meters above sea level, while the latter is located 30 meters lower in elevation. The age of the vines is slightly younger as well, with 45-years-old being the average age. That subtle change in vineyard location does much to shape the generosity and bounty of the bouquet. There is a distinct softness and roundness here that comes forth as dark cherry, pressed blackberry and plum, with tobacco and leather in a supporting role. This Barbaresco stands on solid feet with tight textural richness that comes exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape. Breaking with past tradition, Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn is made with a single variety.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPPure cherry, strawberry, spice, tar, tobacco and mineral flavors highlight this youthful red, which is fragrant and elegant, with fine balance and a taut, tensile finish. Reveals a racy side with air, showing terrific energy, complexity and length. Best from 2021 through 2038. 77 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSAromas of aromatic herb, dark berry, eucalyptus, iris and a whiff of espresso float out of the glass. The vibrant assertive palate shows black cherry, licorice, mint and well-integrated oak sensations framed in youthfully austere tightly knit tannins. This needs time to unwind and fully develop.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

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

Aromas of rose, woodland berry, menthol and a whiff of pipe tobacco fill the glass. Full-bodied and loaded with finesse, the structured, elegant palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and cinnamon while taut, fine-grained tannins provide support. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced and focused. Drink 2023–2035. Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOAromas of rose, woodland berry and menthol with a whiff of pipe tobacco fill the glass. Full bodied and loaded with finesse, the structured, elegant palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and cinnamon, while taut, fine-grained tannins provide support. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced and focused. Drink 2023–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2015 Barolo Villero offers richness and darkness with fruit from Castiglione Falletto, and it’s one of the more intense wines I tasted within this selection. The Villero is a balanced and polished Barolo that opens to nicely integrated fruit and spice tones, expertly interwoven and united. The wine has a beautiful entry to the palate. Indeed, this pretty wine presented a united front, with seamless and graceful integration.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAromas of praline, honey, orange peel and cherries follow through to a full body, chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Beautiful intensity and power. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Barolo Villero is a very pretty, mid-weight wine. Silky tannins and beautifully expressive aromatics give the Villero considerable finesse. On the palate, though, the 2015 is far less expressive. That is not entirely surprising, as the Villero often needs a few years to truly blossom. Sweet floral and spice notes start to open with time in the glass, but the Villero is not an especially forthcoming 2015 Barolo.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

Extremely perfumed, showing lots of rose, lavender and dark-berry character. Full body with intense density and chewiness that gives the wine great structure. Lots of flavor and focus at the finish. Needs five to six years to finish. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is just as stunning as it was last year. Bright, floral and punchy, the Gavarini explodes from the glass with blood orange, white pepper, mint and a range of red fruit and floral notes that give energy and drive.Vinous Media | 97 VMGianluca Grasso did not make this wine in 2014, but in 2015, he found the vintage he was looking for. The 2015 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is perfectly wonderful. The wine combines power with elegance, showing long determination as it wraps smoothly over the palate. The mature tannins are well integrated within a profound, ripe and round quality of dark fruit. That juicy and succulent core shows graceful notes of violet, licorice, cola, moist earth and white truffle. Grasso knew that this would be a great vintage and he nailed it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPNot showing much today, this red reveals an undercurrent of iron and black pepper notes supporting the core of cherry, plum, earth and tobacco flavors. Fresh and intense, with a long, resonant aftertaste of fruit, tar and spice. Best from 2023 through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 15 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

There is slightly more structure to the 2015 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté than to the Gavarini Chiniera of the same vintage, and the only differences here are the soils and that this fruit is harvested about ten days later. It’s a pretty fascinating demonstration of the power of the single vineyard. The Gavarini Chiniera parcel offers slightly sandier soils, whereas this site is composed of more clay. In rainy years, the Gavarini Chiniera vineyard drains more effectively, whereas the Ginestra’s soil retains more moisture in the hot and dry vintages. As a result, in vintages such as this one, Ginestra shows a more compact nature and, in general, provides more impact and more structure. This is a very robust expression, extremely linear and tight. The Ginestra Casa Maté narrowly wins this round. It’s another beautiful Barolo.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2015 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is creamy, layered and super expressive. All the elements are in the right place. A whole range of deeply spiced, mentholated, balsamic Ginestra notes race out of the glass. With a bit of time, the 2015 starts to open up beautifully. A wine of breath and resonance, the 2015 is just gorgeous today. It hasn’t moved much over the last year, which is a very good thing for its long-term prospects.Vinous Media | 96 VMComplex aromas of figs, ripe strawberries and fresh mushrooms. Full body, firm and tight tannins with a solid core of fruit and a long, linear finish. Great length. Drink from 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSPacked with sweet plum, cherry, licorice, iron, tar and leather flavors, this red is alluring and built for the long haul. Lively acidity and dense tannins lend support. Achieves fine balance among all the elements. Patience is required. Best from 2023 through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 13 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis vineyard lies on a fine slope in Monforte across from Serralunga, and the average age of the vines is 40 years. The nose is piquant, with aromas of dried herbs and flowers as well as red fruits. The palate is sleek, with refined tannins and good acidity, and while there’s no lack of grip it’s not too extracted. It displays a long, fine, spicy finish with just a hint of dryness.Decanter | 92 DEC

Extremely pure fruit on the nose here with aromas of plums and strawberries and hints of cedar and rose petals, as well as rose stems. Full body. Very tannic and structured, yet polished and refined. Dusty and stony undertones and textures. Drink after 2021.James Suckling | 98 JSFrom the La Morra side of the Cerequio MGA, the 2015 is deeply resonant, its dark fruit tones layered with notes of cedar, tobacco and porcini. The Gaja family has worked extensively on canopy management since the warm 1997 and 2003 vintages, and this shows in the pleasantly tart flavors of black cherry and strawberry they achieved in the warm, dry 2015 growing season. The flavors weave together in a suave, seamless texture, expanding with air while maintaining precision and freshness. —S.J. Terlato Wines Int’l, Lake Bluff, ILWine & Spirits | 98 W&SThe 2015 Barolo Conteisa is a heady, exotic wine, and also one of the most complete, alluring Conteisas I have ever tasted. Conteisa is usually a wine of grace and understatement. The 2015, on the other hand, is a bold, sweeping Barolo that saturates the palate with stunning depth and volume. Even with all of its intensity, the 2015 remains vibrant. This is such a complete, harmonious wine.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA big, beefy Barolo, the 2015 Barolo Conteisa comes from a site near La Morral and was first made in 1996. It takes plenty of air to come together but offers a complex bouquet of bright cherry and currant fruit interwoven with classic licorice, tar, sappy flowers, and even hints of iron. It shows a touch more minerality with time in the glass, but this is classic, full-bodied, powerful Nebbiolo with plenty of ripe tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. Give this structured, tight 2015 upwards of a decade of cellaring, and it’s going to keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe large shoulders of this warm 2015 vintage contrast sharply with the delicate nuances of the 2016 Barbarescos also released now from Gaja. The 2015 Barolo Conteisa is intense, with a background chorus of plum, prune, herb, mint and wild cherry. It’s a very balanced Barolo. The Cerequio vineyard that provides this fruit often suffers from hail damage because the vineyard is located along the corridor of bad weather that comes over the hill from La Morra. There was some damage in mid-August, but fruit in the 2016 vintage suffered much more extensively in comparison. In fact, so little fruit was saved that Gaia Gaja is pretty sure this wine will not be produced next vintage. She tells me that they are now experimenting with anti-hail netting at this site—an eyesore they had long hoped to avoid.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPSavory, with salinity wrapping around a core of cherry, strawberry, licorice, eucalyptus and tar flavors. Supple in texture yet firmly structured, showing nice harmony and a long finish. Best from 2021 through 2036. 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSUnderbrush, toast and oak aromas form the nose. Firm and austere, the linear palate evokes tart cranberry, raw pomegranate, sage and roasted coffee bean alongside taut, close-grained tannins. Drink 2023–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Fragrant and full bodied, this structured red has enticing aromas evoking woodland berry, balsamic aromas of pine, rose petal and exotic spice. The enveloping palate delivers crushed raspberry, succulent Marasca cherry, licorice and nutmeg alongside firm, tightly knit tannins. Fresh acidity lends tension and balance. Best 2022–2027.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe Produttori del Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello has a very distinct character that is expressed in terms of its fine but present tannic structure and its somewhat fragile primary fruit. The Ovello dives straight into those ephemeral Nebbiolo aromas with an emphasis on licorice, tar, blue flower and campfire ash. If you consider this timeline of Riservas, this wine brings us through that magic threshold in which Nebbiolo starts to show its unique aromatic appeal and mystique. This is always one of my favorites in this series of nine. Production is 18,741 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAn opulent and complex version, boasting cherry, strawberry, cut hay, iron and tobacco aromas and flavors. Firms up nicely on the finish, with terrific balance and length. Shows both a fruity and a savory side, with fine potential to age. Best from 2023 through 2045. 1,561 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSOvello is the northernmost vineyard in the Barbaresco commune - and the largest. It was one of the original five vineyards individually bottled in 1967 by Produttori. The clayey soils and exposure to the cool northern winds gives this wine a full body and structured tannins. The 2015 features a woody, vanilla-toned fragrance with some delicate cherry fruit. In the mouth it's a latticework of well integrated tannins with lacy acidity draped over deep hedgerow fruits, followed by some subtle wood spice on the long finish. This is one to leave for a few years, but there's so much potential here. 17,000 bottles and 1,200 magnums produced. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECOne of the stand outs in this range, the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello shows the energy and tension that are so typical of this site, but with a slightly riper profile than is the norm. Then again, we are talking about 2015. Although perhaps not the most classic expression of Ovello, the Produttori's 2015 is very nicely done. Best of all, it will drink well with just a few more years in bottle. This is an especially heady, exotic Ovello Barbaresco that needs to shed some baby fat, its considerable appeal today notwithstanding.Vinous Media | 95 VM

A marvelous red with superb depth and structure. Strength with finesse. Aromas of graphite, burnt orange, steak tartar, iron and rust that follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and poised with such refinement and beauty. Fabulous. Drink after 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 99 JSGorgeous notes of black cherries, tobacco, and licorice emerge from the 2015 Barolo Cerequio, and this beauty is about as seamless and sexy as they come. More spice, toasted almonds, and dried flower notes develop with time in the glass, and it has magical tannins, medium-bodied richness, and a great, great finish. Give bottles 2-4 years and it’s going to impress for a good 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Barolo Brunate is another super-expressive wine in this lineup from Roberto Voerzio. Sage, mint, underbrush, tobacco and licorice nuances give the Brunate striking aromatic complexity. A Barolo of real presence and stature, the Brunate is so inviting as it gains breadth with time in the glass. Another few years will help the tannins soften.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Superb complexity on the nose with crushed berries, dried flowers, tar, licorice and aniseed. Full body, firm tannins and superb depth and intesity. Goes on for minutes and changes all the time. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSGorgeous notes of black cherries, tobacco, and licorice emerge from the 2015 Barolo Cerequio, and this beauty is about as seamless and sexy as they come. More spice, toasted almonds, and dried flower notes develop with time in the glass, and it has magical tannins, medium-bodied richness, and a great, great finish. Give bottles 2-4 years and it’s going to impress for a good 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Barolo Cerequio shows impressive and firm construction; however, the wine remains delicate and finessed all the while. This is a real stunner with inner fiber that is as strong, but as softly textured, as the highest quality silk. Aromas of wild cherry, violets, licorice and tar are in a tight, nascent state at this young stage. This implies they will blossom with time, coming into focus with greater intensity and complexity as the wine continues its careful bottle aging. This wine shows an evident mineral signature at the back.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2015 Barolo Cerequio is ample and generous on the palate, with a real sense of breadth that is immediately apparent. All of the classic Cerequio signatures are present - the red berry fruit, floral accents and silky tannins, within a classic structural framework. The stylistic shift that started around 2008 is evident.Vinous Media | 94 VM

This is an exotic and opulent La Serra with ripe-fruit, orange-peel and terracotta aromas, as well as dust. Full body, polished yet chewy tannins and an extremely rich and long finish. Astonishing power and richness. Austerity with class. Reminds me of the perfect 1997. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 100 JS

Perhaps the most robust and solid of the three wines by Roberto Voerzio tasted this year, the 2015 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata is built like a little tank, or motor, that keeps moving forward no matter what. You taste that spirit and determination thanks to the elegantly aligned fruit and spice flavors that make up the wine’s elaborate profile. However, I also taste the 2015 vintage characteristics of rich and concentrated fruit to a greater degree in the Rocche dell’Annunziata. There is a point of softness here that you don’t get in Fossati or Cerequio. I tasted the open bottle again 24 hours later and was treated to beautiful notes of mint and balsam herb.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSimilar notes of mulled black cherries, menthol, toasted spices, tobacco, and licorice emerge from the 2015 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata. It has the ripe, sexy style of the vintage, medium to full-bodied richness, an elegant, seamless texture, and a great finish. There are plenty of tannins here, yet they’re sweet and polished, and this beauty already offers pleasure. Nevertheless, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and should have three decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata is laced with the essence of crushed raspberry, flowers, cedar, spice and tobacco. Silky and lifted in the glass, with a real sense of translucent beauty, the 2015 hits all the right notes. It’s a super classic Barolo from one of La Morra’s greatest sites.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Wonderful aromas of roses and sliced plums with wet earth and truffles. Then turns to raspberries and blackberries. Cherries, too. Full and firm with super integrated tannins that melt into the wine. It flows from the center palate in a beautiful sheet of fruit and tannins. Extremely long and coated with great finesse. Goes on for minutes. Better in 2022, but already a joy to taste.James Suckling | 99 JSThe Valdicava 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is a dark and sultry wine with a beautiful presentation of aromas. This full-bodied Sangiovese opens to aromas of plumy dark fruit, black cherry, cured tobacco, cola and balsam spice. There are earthy or savory tones as well, with some fragrant crushed flower or wild rose that come straight out of the classic Sangiovese playlist. Generally speaking, this Brunello veers toward black fruit aromas (as opposed to red fruits), and its smooth texture and elegant tannins are well suited to a classic Tuscan dish of pappardelle con sugo di lepre (wild rabbit) or another game sauce. Production is 37,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe bouquet holds back at first, yet with coaxing in the glass begins to show a beautiful mix of perfumed black cherry, mentholated spices, wild herbs, white smoke and hints of leather. On the palate, I find silky, enveloping textures, contrasted by cool-toned red and black fruits which flood the senses as brisk acids brought out its spicier, sweeter side with balancing fine tannin and minerals toward the finale. The finish went on and on, showing both fine tannin and juicy acids as lingering red berry fruits, hints of hard candies and red florals slowly fade. There’s a balance to the 2015 Brunello that is seldom seen here, and I believe the best is yet to come. This was tasted twice with similar results.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe cherry, plum, raspberry, earth and almond flavors combine in this supple red. Vivid and well-defined by the sleek structure, ending with earth, wild herb and mineral accents. Very pure, verging on racy. Best from 2023 through 2045. 3,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

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 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMReleased after the 2017 vintage, because it was decided that this dense, concentrated vintage would benefit from more time in the bottle, the 2016 is fuller and broader in the shoulders compared to the 2017 Amarone. There’s more of everything – body, concentration, tannic presence, richness, spiciness...And while there’s a reductive note of petrichor, its aromatics still soar, carrying wafts of wild black fruits and balsam out of the glass. Enticing already, its future looks very bright indeed.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta takes wine intensity to almost unthinkable levels. That’s the magic of this estate, and without a doubt, this wine occupies a category that makes it totally unique on the Italian wine scale. Made with a traditional blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Croatina and 10% Oseleta (aged in French and American new oak for two years), the wine feels even richer, bolder and more concentrated in this classic vintage. That general intensity is applied to the tightly wound and firm tannins as well. The alcohol reading is 16.5%. This Amarone hits the market in 2023, but you’d do well to age it for another decade at least. Black fruit, baked plum, tobacco, soy sauce, grilled herb and sweet spice are generously folded into the wine’s full-bodied texture. The 2016 vintage saw 17,000 bottles created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

The complexity, concentration and drive make this an excellent Clos in 2016. The fruits vary from citrus to exotic stone fruits. Green tropical and white floral notes, too. The palate has a staggeringly concentrated core of acid-drenched lemons, lime, peaches and green mangoes. Incredible depth, high acidity and a very long finish. A great Clos! Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS(Chablis “les Clos”- Domaine William Fèvre) The 2016 les Clos from Didier Séguier is a fitting close to this tour de force tasting of the vintage. The wine is stunning on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up scents of apple, lime, a hint of tangerine, smoky overtones, flinty minerality, wet stones and dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, brisk acids and great backend mineral drive on the very young, very long and snappy finish. This will need bottle age to blossom, but it will be a great example of les Clos in the fullness of time. (Drink between 2024-2065)John Gilman | 96 JGClear bright and pale. Attractive aromatics, in a subdued register, all to play for. This has good energy through the middle, while the finish has that limestone backwash that I associate with Clos and very good length. DIAM 10 closure. Tasted May 2019.Jasper Morris | 94 JM(just 18 hectoliters per hectare produced owing to frost and mildew): Pale yellow. Lovely brisk citrus and apple aromas complicated by gingery spices, white pepper and iodiney minerality. Large-scaled, dense and quite powerful but not yet filled in, with its very concentrated peach and citrus flavors accented by ginger and white pepper. More glyceral in the early going than the Preuses but showing less personality today. This fruit was picked very ripe, with nearly 13% potential alcohol, according to Didier Séguier.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe Clos is excellent this year, opening in the glass with a complex nose of orange blossom and zest, confit citrus and a touch of spice. This wine is the most textural, full-bodied and complete in the Fèvre cellar, with a deep core, lovely minerality and impressive dimension.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECEnticing aromas and flavors of green plum, lemon, apple and seashore mark this balanced, seamless white. The flintiness adds an extra dimension, making this complex, while the finish builds nicely. Drink now through 2024. 120 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAn even more complex nose displays excellent Chablis typicity with its smoky combination of lychee, citrus, white orchard fruit, sea breeze, mineral reduction and soft oyster shell nuances. The broad-shouldered flavors are rich and concentrated to the point of opulence while managing to retain reasonably good precision on the citrus and solidly dry finale that really fans out as it sits on the palate. Note that my rating assumes that better depth will develop over time as the finish is somewhat one-dimensional at present.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2016 Chablis Grand Cru les Clos, cropped at around 17 hectoliters per hectare, was blended the day previous to my visit and is due to be bottled in December 2017 or perhaps the following month. As such, the aromatics are too leesy to assess. The palate is balanced with a saline, sour lemon-tinged entry, perhaps lighter than the Bougros Côte Bouguerots and with a prickle of spice toward the finish. It should gain complexity and harmony throughout its élevage and will be one to watch.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The Le Chiuse 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Diecianni is a beauty, holding together with impeccable balance and a silky, persistent finish. The tannins remain firm yet refined, with menthol-like notes that add lift and vibrancy, recalling a timeless winemaking style. On a second tasting, the wine shows additional definition and clear signs of bottle age, with polymerized textures and a touch of sweetness that adds weight and slightly softens the overall profile. Drawn from one of the last truly classical vintages before climate change reshaped the region’s style, this Riserva is a timeless and memorable expression released in just 2,600 bottles. The 2016 takes Le Chiuse’s celebrated late-release program to the next level. Congratulations.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA preview of a wine that will not be released until 2026, the 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is a jeweled ruby color and is very expressive on the nose at this stage, with lovely clarity and concentration in its notes of wet stones, framboise, rose petal, and pure orange. It feels trapped in time, with bright, refined tannins and mouthwatering freshness without ever feeling out of it. Reminding me of the moment when an orchestra is tuning and becomes perfectly in tune, so the whole room resonates, though it’s not about being louder, this wine ignites all the senses. It’s a truly superb and singular wine from Le Chiuse. Bravo. Now to wait another two years for its release.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe Le Chiuse 2016 Brunello Riserva Diecianni is a staggeringly beautiful wine, starting with its compelling nose of violet, perfumed berry, dark spice and forest floor. Smooth, delicious and showing the estate’s hallmark of elegance, the palate delivers seamless layers of plum, Morello cherry, cake spice, licorice and mentholated notes alongside silky tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it bright and impeccably balanced. Another beauty from this fantastic winery. Drink through 2046. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Diecianni is impossible to ignore, with a wonderfully earthy and old-school blend of crushed cherries, fall leaves, underbrush, sweet pipe tobacco and autumnal spice. It presents a harmonious combination of silken, nearly fleshy textures and vividly ripe red and black fruits underscored by minerals and a hint of citrus. The structure clamps down through the finish, reminding me of this beauty’s youthful state as a tinge of wild blueberry fades. This is a glorious riserva with a very bright future.Vinous Media | 98 VMReleased 10 years after the harvest, Le Chiuse’s Riserva is made from the estate’s oldest vines, approximately 35 years old, which typically yield small berries. Lorenzo Magnelli says these confer greater depth of aromas, tension and mineral profile. This 2016 late release is a striking testament to that. Though less floral, it is reminiscent of its annata counterpart, with the intensity dialled up. Pronounced tobacco and Chinese five spice with smoky Lapsang tea make for an exotic introduction. Mouthcoating and velvety, the umami-driven palate reveals dried cherry, truffle and hints of walnut. Assertive, tight-knit tannins tug persistently. This is just at the very beginning of it wide drinking window.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECComplex wine, full of evolved notes of blackberries and strawberry jam, tobacco, earthy notes and restrained chocolate. Full-bodied, it shines for crisp acidity with firm, velvety tannins that are still grippy yet condensed and long. Meaty, umami finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JS