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The 2013 Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru has a gorgeous bouquet with vibrant red berry fruit, wilted rose petals, a touch of lavender coming through with time. There is real vigor and generosity here. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a firm structure. There is wonderful depth and body that forms the foundation of this wine, coming across a little more masculine than the 2014, exerting a firm grip with a slightly curmudgeonly finish that just needs time to mellow. This is excellent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2013 Romanée-St.-Vivant from Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat was another late malo finisher and the wine was still on the grumpy side at the time of my visit, with a fairly expressive nose currently coupled to an out of sorts palate impression, but this will clearly be outstanding. The bouquet offers up a fabulous constellation of raspberries, cherries, blood orange, beautiful spice tones, lavender, complex soil nuances, fresh nutmeg and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and quite poised (despite its grumpy nature at the time of my visit), with fine mid-palate depth, nascently complexity, ripe tannins and superb length and grip on the tangy finish. This is going to be very, very special when it reaches its zenith. (Drink between 2025 - 2075)John Gilman | 95-97 JGDeep red with ruby highlights. Sexy aromas and flavors of primary dark berries, black raspberry and cocoa powder complicated by spicy oak tones. Thick yet lively on entry; a youthfully imploded but utterly seamless wine with outstanding energy and depth. For all its density, this tactile, saline wine shows a magically light touch. Really builds and lingers on the superb rising finish, which features noble tannins. Still a baby, this grand cru has a great future.Vinous Media | 94+ VMRelative to the expressive example that I originally reviewed, this has begun to shut down and the nose is now brooding and only grudgingly gives up its spiced aromas of plum, dark currant and violets that are trimmed in hints of Asian-style tea and sandalwood. The sleek and ultra-refined mouth feel adds substantially to the sense of elegance though the balance is slightly impaired due to a tangy finish that is mildly lean and drying. This is without question quite classy but it’s not without a nit or two.Burghound | 91 BH

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

The 2013 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is an exceptional follow-up to the 2012. Naturally, the 2013 offers a bit more tension, cut and drive, all signatures of this late-ripening vintage. Chalk, slate, crushed rocks, citrus confit and hazelnut all race across the palate as the 2013 sizzles with tension from start to finish. This is still a baby. Give it time. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2024.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis blanc de blancs is very pure and fresh, showing white flowers, light hazelnuts, peaches and grapefruit on the nose, with a hint of oyster shells. It’s sleek and chalky on the palate, linear and racy, with very fine bubbles and a bright acidic backbone. 100% stainless steel vinification. Chardonnay from Cramant, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and some Oiry. 4 g/L dosage. Disgorged January 2024. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2013 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is much more exuberant than the 2012, even though on the surface, that does not exactly align with the respective vintages. The decision to use a bit more new oak, more still red wine and a touch higher dosage to soften the natural austerity of the year paid off handsomely. Rose petal, blood orange, spice and kirsch confer a decidedly exotic flair. The ample, substantial finish is striking. Dosage is 4.4 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2024.Vinous Media | 97 VMVery fragrant wildflower honey, citrus, sliced apple, nutmeg and pastry aromas. It’s beautifully fresh and saline on the palate, with fantastic concentration, but in a delicate, silky way. Long, elegant and chalky finish. 53% pinot noir (Ay, Mareuil-sur-Ay (9%) and Bouzy) and 47% chardonnay (Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger). 4.4 g/L dosage. Disgorged January 2024. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting in Beaune, the 2013 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru was showing some quality new oak on the nose that still needs to be subsumed. It is tightly coiled but it just needs time because there is freshness, definition and beguiling complexity locked in here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well judged acidity and clever use of new oak lending body without compromising terroir expression. The finish feels focused and satisfying and the texture leaves you totally seduced. Class, class, class. Tasted September 2016.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIt has been six years since I last tasted the 2013 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, when I wrote "Class. Class. Class." I have no need to alter that assessment. With fragrant raspberry, wild strawberry, crushed limestone and flint on the nose, this has a transparency that is a wonder to behold. The palate is beautifully balanced, poised with a fine line of acidity, full of tension with vivid red fruit on the finish that belies the structure underneath. Magnificent. Tasted at a private dinner in Beaune.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2013 Ruchottes-Chambertin from Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg is another great example of the vintage. The bouquet delivers and outstanding aromatic constellation of sweet dark berries, cassis, grilled meats, complex soil tones, espresso, woodsmoke, mustard seed and nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very suave and refined on the palate, with a rock solid core, fine-grained tannins and superb backend energy on the very long and utterly classic finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2023 - 2075)John Gilman | 95+ JGA markedly ripe nose presents notes of cassis, plum liqueur, earth, spice and a hint of the sauvage. As it virtually always is this is notably bigger, richer and more powerful than the Feusselottes with its sleekly muscular and equally mineral-driven flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration along with impressive depth and length on the youthfully austere finale. This is really lovely juice but note that patience will definitely be required.Burghound | 93 BH

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 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Estate Oakville is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot aged in 100% new French oak. This is perfection and an absolutely amazing effort. The wine is dense purple with sweet tannin, oodles of blueberry and blackberry fruit caressed by toasty new oak, and a full-bodied multi-dimensional mouthfeel -- akin to a skyscraper in the mouth, but without any heaviness. The finish goes on for a good 45+ seconds, and the wine is super-pure and majestic. Truly a tour de force in Cabernet Sauvignon. Kudos to Plumpjack. Drink 2018-2040.Robert Parker | 100 RPA dark, sumptuous wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a total knock-out. Crème de cassis, blueberry jam, new leather, espresso and cedar flesh out effortlessly. The Reserve captures all the magic of this fabled corner of Oakville, where the wines boast texture, nuance and volume, but with no sense of heaviness. A prototypical modern Napa Valley Cabernet, the 2013 Reserve hits all the right notes.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA wine of considerable size and proportion, this is very dense, rich and focused, with an intense beam of lively, gravel-laced currant, blackberry, anise, sage and cedar flavors. Though the size of the wine merits cellar time, there’s a beauty within. Best from 2020 through 2033. 700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2013 Syrah Per Sempre is another gorgeous wine from Tua Rita. This estate on the Tuscan Coast offers one of Italy’s top Syrahs. In vintages like this, it is in the running for the number one spot among Italian expressions of the Rhône grape. It opens to supremely finessed varietal characteristics of blackberry, chocolate, toasted espresso, smoked bacon and dark spice. The wine is aged in barrique for 21 months and no clarification is performed. In warmer vintages with early-ripening fruit, you risk that the muscular structure of the wine eventually overcomes the bouquet. This is not the case in 2013. The wine presents power and generosity in equal fashion across the senses. This wine was not produced in 2014 because the grape skins were damaged that year. Hold onto your bottles of 2013, because you need to make it last.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPI have tasted the 2013 Sirah Per Sempre several times over the last few months and it just keeps getting better. Intensely aromatic, Tua Rita’s Syrah is unusual for the Tuscan coast because of its distinctly floral/savory personality. Sweet tobacco, rose petal, sage, mint, wild flowers and red-fleshed fruit are some of the signatures. In the 2013 Sirah readers will find a wine endowed with tons of nuance and complexity. A final kick of aromatics married to rich Suvereto fruit leaves a lasting impression on the finish. Just bottled, the 2013 is quite raw and in need of time, but it is incredibly promising, not to mention delicious.Vinous Media | 95+ VMWonderful dried meat, spice, dried herb and earth character topped off with ripe fruit. It’s elegant and racy with great length and structure, yet also refined and gorgeous. So drinkable now. The Hermitage La Chapelle of Italy. Pure Syrah.James Suckling | 95 JSA meaty red, boasting blackberry, plum, black olive, smoke and vanilla aromas and flavors. Rich and dense, with a lingering aftertaste of herbs and oak spice. Drink now through 2023. 200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSSpicy and supple, this has aromas of cured meat, white pepper, toast and dark plum that follow the warm robust palate along with dried black cherry, coffee and licorice. Round tannins provide the supple framework. Drink through 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE