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All Cabernet Sauvignon from specific hillside blocks on the estate, Shafer’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select spent 28 months in 100% new French oak. It’s a big, ripe wine, weighing in at 15.5% alcohol, but it remains harmonious from front to back. Deep, intense aromas of black cherries and cassis are accented by dried spices on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and textural, showing tremendous intensity and length on the finish. Based on how previous examples have aged, this vintage should drink well through 2050.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPAged 32 months in 100% new French oak. It is quintessentially Stags Leap, with grapes grown on Shafer’s famous Hillside estate vineyard, roughly 25ha, with very shallow volcanic tufa soils. It’s a barrel selection of the very best blocks. A total of 2,900 cases were produced. Such a beautifully balanced wine with tremendous staying power and expressive Stags Leap ironstone minerality with heady sagebrush and conifer notes with white pepper and walnut husk. The wine has an impressive depth of red-toned fruit on the mid-palate framed by tannins that practically dance across the palate, exuding length, tension, and power. Huckleberry and black cherry fruits, black truffle, dried violets, graphite, and salted dark chocolate are all framed by racy acidity, which keeps everything fresh and lifted. The 2021 releases mark Elias Fernandez’s 38th vintage as Shafer’s winemaker. He was hired by John Shafer in 1984, two weeks out of UC Davis.Decanter | 99 DECThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of shaking to bring out notes of crème de cassis, blackberry pie, and kirsch, leading to nuances of dried roses, star anise and cardamom with a hint of cigar box. The full-bodied palate is decadently concentrated with firm grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long with loads of exotic spices and mineral sparks.The Wine Independent | 98As always, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend 28 months in new barrels. Its deep purple hue gives way to a behemoth of a wine that has incredible cassis, black raspberry, and even blue fruits to go with loads of camphor, minty herbs, graphite, and darker chocolate. It’s full-bodied, concentrated, yet pure, flawlessly balanced, and has a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Floral and vibrant, the 2021 sizzles with tension and a level of delineation I don’t remember seeing in the past. Like all the 2021s here, the Hillside Select possesses notable purity of fruit and exceptional balance. The tannins need to soften a touch, but time should take care of that. I don’t see the opulence or inner sweetness of most years, but that is not a negative at all.Vinous Media | 96-99 VMJuicy and direct, with a solidly built core of cassis and blackberry preserves lined with cocoa, singed tobacco and warm earth hints. Leans toward toasty on the finish, but there’s ample fruit. Best from 2025 through 2038. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 2,900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Prestigious cru, accompanied by a protocol aimed at preserving the tension of the raw material, with incisive juiciness. Black pepper in grains and red plum, then wild fennel, with minty and gardenia puffs. Rightly tannic, officinal and persistent sip.Luca Gardini | 100 LGThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Pelagrilli pours a brighter shade than the 2020 and shows a more vertical, tension-driven profile. The nose reveals red cherries, salted orange, leather, cedar, dried flowers, and that classic touch of incense that feels so Pacenti. Medium to full-bodied, it has ripe tannins, brisk acidity, and a long, mouthwatering finish, and it’s hard not to keep coming back to it. Drink 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDGorgeous aromas of blackberries, black cherries, cedar, bark and spices follow through to a medium body with fine, integrated tannins and a succulent finish. Shows drive and intensity at the end. Give this three to four years in the bottle, but it’s already beautiful. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSBalsamic black cherries blend with nuances of mocha, brown spice and minty herbs as the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli dominates the glass. It has the weight of velvet yet remains lifted and serene, with crisp red and black fruits that slowly penetrate, complemented by a twang of citrus. A bitter dark chocolate tinge adds tension through the close, further enhanced by edgy tannins, yet the 2021 leaves the mouth watering for more. Beautifully done.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe Siro Pacenti 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli shows concentration with dark fruit flavors framed by powdery tannins that extend through a medium- to full-bodied finish. Following fermentation in stainless steel, the wine matures in French barrique, a choice that adds structure and polish to this bold expression. Sourced from 10 hectares of moisture-retaining clay soils in the northern part of the appellation at 330 meters above sea level, the wine delivers notable power and warmth, closing with an evident 15.5% alcohol. This is a release of 24,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Another absolute legend from the 2021, the 2021 Proprietary Red is based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot brought up in plenty of new oak. It brings another level of density, purity, and regalness, with awesome blackcurrants, iron, roasted herbs, tobacco, and a Latour-like graphite character all defining the aromatics. Full-bodied, rich, and concentrated, it has a seamless mouthfeel, absolutely incredible tannin, ample mid-palate depth, and flawless overall balance. While it certainly offers pleasure today, it’s going to take a solid 8-10 years of bottle age for this to hit maturity, and it will be a 40- to 50-year wine. Hats off to the team at Sloan.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2021 Sloan is every bit as impressive as it was last year. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2021 is a gorgeous, ynamic wine. Sumptuous dark red cherry, red plum, rose petal, new leather and cinnamon give this plush, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon tons of character. The 2021 was only bottled a few months ago, so it has room to grow. It is a seriously beautiful, rapturous wine.Vinous Media | 98+ VM

The finest example of this estate I’ve ever tasted, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a flat-out sensational effort that hits perfection. Exhibiting a deep purple hue as well as a smorgasbord-like array of cassis, scorched earth, chocolate, and spicy wood, it has a Pauillac-like cedar pencil character, full-bodied richness, and voluptuous, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and sweet tannins. While there’s considerable structure, it’s concealed by the wine’s extravagant fruit, richness, and opulence. This prodigious, sensationally pure, heavenly Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will have another three decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel. Rich, deep and expansive, with tremendous depth, it has a ton to offer. Blackberry, gravel, incense, cloves, graphite and dried herbs saturate the palate. A deep, statuesque wine, the Staglin Cabernet is seriously impressive. All it needs is time. The warm, dry year produced small berries with thick skins and plenty of natural concentration. As a result, Staglin gave the 2021 an extra five months in barrel.Vinous Media | 97 VMBrambleberry, tile and dry-earth aromas follow through to a full body with layered and dry, velvety tannins. Wood is showing, but there’s plenty of fruit underneath to come out at the end. Solid young cab. 60 bottles.James Suckling | 94-95 JSNicely packed with blackberry and black currant paste notes that show underlying juiciness, while violet, melted licorice and sage accents fill in through the polished finish. Best from 2026 through 2038. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Miraculous plot located a stone’s throw from the center of Montalcino, one of the most traditional and elevated incarnations of the typology. Gardenia and red plum in jam, smoked touches with lavender and pepper leaf. Savoury and officinal when drunk, it ends in floral puffs.Luca Gardini | 100 LGDistinct notes of cherry, plum, flowers and spice. A model of Montalcino authority whose sapid, flavoursome and lengthy development express a rich texture, ripe tannins, visceral energy and dynamism. From a 560-metre-high historic estate adjacent to Montalcino’s 14th century walls and the Madonna del Soccorso Sanctuary (hence the name). Historic Montalcino oenologist, Enzo Tiezzi and daughter Monica, manage the six hectares organically.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Soccorso opens with a burst of spiced orange mixed with spearmint before giving way to tart cherries, wafting up with its seductive bouquet. It presents elegance and refinement, with fleshy textures and ripe red berry fruits offset by a slight dark chocolate tinge. The 2021 leaves a framework of sweet tannins and an air of violet inner florals while finishing potent yet remarkably fresh. Pure pleasure to taste.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis wine shows oxidative aromas of dried cherries, dried flowers and hints of prunes and smoke. Full-bodied, it shows vibrancy and tension with firm, chewy and grainy tannins, crisp acidity and a tight, youth finish. Try from 2028.James Suckling | 94 JSCamphor, underbrush, violet and spice aromas come to the forefront on the 2021 Brunello Vigna Soccorso. Full-bodied and showing youthful tension, the palate offers succulent Morello cherry, raspberry, ground nutmeg and cocoa set against fine-grained, coiled tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2029–2041. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOMore transparent in color with a red-orange tinge, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna Soccorso is focused and spiced on the nose, with redcurrants, bergamot, dusty earth, and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied and vertical, with driving acidity, fine, coiled tannins, and a stony texture that firms up through the finish. It’s tightly wound today and will need another 6-12 months to start showing its best, but the structure is impressive. Drink 2026-2037.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JD

Simply put, Christian Moueix’s Napa Valley project Ulysses is a wine every collector of Napa Cabernet should have in their cellar. The 2021 release of the Oakville red is a knockout that is never too bombastic, entirely reserved even in its generosity, and one that will last a very long time. A dry winter and spring led to the second consecutive year of a drought that began in January 2020. Temperatures were warm and consistent and slightly above average. The vines produced smaller clusters of small berries with high phenolic compounds and tannin levels. 1,400 cases produced. Opaque purple-ruby to the rim. A wine showing all the best qualities you’d expect from a prime Oakville site. This is a beautifully balanced red, imbued with a tremendously fresh streak of acidity. The nose leads with prime, ripe, dark black fruits, cassis, violets, creme de menthe, and crushed slate.—medium to full-bodied with impressively fashioned tannins that are robust and build through the extravagantly long finish. Marked by ripe black cherry and spiced plum notes, the length is extended by zesty blood orange acidity. Fragrant with sage and thyme, nuanced by brighter cherry blossom freshness and mineral tension. Impressive depth and density with a core of pure, ripe, and juicy fruit. Exceptional. This was the last wine in a complete vertical tI tasted with Moueix and winemaker Tod Mostero in a tasting room tucked within the barn on the Ulysses Vineyard site. ’I’m thrilled,’ commented Moueix, ’There’s a real dignity to the wines.’ Moueix said that until this tasting, he hadn’t quite noticed the style signature but found it emerging, though cautioned, ’Even with our experience next door at Dominus, we are still figuring it out.’ For Mostero, ’Making these has been a discovery of place. With our mature vines, we’re just beginning to get a sense of the true resonance of the place. The 2021 typifies what we can expect. This arrow-like structure that is piercing, resonant, and strong.’Decanter Magazine | 99 DECThe reserved plushness comes out clearly with brightness, focus and very creamy tannins that give it muscle and tension. Juicy and flavorful but not overdone. Energetic and flexing but in a friendly way. Plums, milk chocolate, terra cotta and nutmeg. Almost all cabernet sauvignon with a touch of cabernet franc and petit verdot. Give it four or five years to soften. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a huge, dense wine. Copious dark fruit, menthol, licorice, plum, espresso and spice are amplified in a large-scale, ample Oakville Cabernet. The 2021 is very much a wine of power and structure. Sepia-toned notes lend darkness, while the oak imprint also appears to be quite present at this stage. Even so, the wine exudes balance but in a pretty extroverted style, especially compared to Dominus.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, with around 5% Cabernet Franc in the blend, is opaque purple-black in color. It storms out of the glass with powerful scents of blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves, star anise, iris bulb, and dark chocolate plus suggestions of camphor, cedar chest, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a sold line of firm grainy tannins and bold freshness to frame the energetic black fruit layers, finishing long and fragrant. 1,400 cases were made.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThere are 1,400 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, which offers up charming red-fruited notes of cherries and redcurrants, plus some loamy-earth scents. While it comes across a bit more angular and more coarsely textured than its sister wines Dominus or Napanook, it also seems a bit lighter in body despite also weighing in at 15% alcohol. It’s impressively complete and balanced overall, adding savory, mocha-tinged notes on the lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2021 La Joie sports a deep garnet-purple color. It comes galloping out of the glass with energetic notes of fresh red and black currants, mulberries and candied violets, giving way to evocative wafts of cardamom, clove oil, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is built like a brick house, delivering taut, muscular black fruit and very firm, finely grained tannins, plus a finely knit line of freshness, finishing long and energetic. It’s tightly wound and will require patience to allow the tertiary characters to blossom. Forget it for 5-7 years in the cellar and drink it over the following 30 years+.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIAlso inky black, the 2021 La Joie is packed with loads of licorice, blackcurrant, menthol, and polished leather. Full-bodied and plush, with a rocky texture, massive structure, and tremendous power, it will be a wine to cellar while you’re drinking the 2022s.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDThe 2021 La Joie is composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, and the wine was matured for 16 months in 95% new French oak. It’s exceptionally pure and layered on the nose, its scents of blackcurrant and blueberry accented by tones of lavender and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is effortlessly seamless. It features Goldilocks ripeness, loads of powdery, suede-textured tannins and bursts of mouthwatering acidity. Though its flavors are youthfully coiled, it opens dramatically over several days, and it will be epically long lived in the cellar. 2,500 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RP

The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot is a total stunner. What a wine! The 2022 was magnificent en primeur, and it is all that from bottle. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Crushed rose petal, mint, blood orange, new leather and cedar meld into a core of pliant red-toned fruit. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the wine’s precision and finesse. I have never tasted a Beau-Séjour Bécot like this.Vinous Media | 100 VMTasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is flat-out sensational, as well as the finest wine I’ve tasted from this château. Powerful aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits as well as crushed stone and violets define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, has integrated acidity, and ultra-fine tannins. Based on 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this heavenly Saint-Emilion will benefit from just 3-5 years of bottle age and have 30 years or more of overall longevity. Back up the truck.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of sweet wild berries mingled with rose petals, orange zest, violets, gentian and espresso roast, it’s full-bodied, supple and suave, with a deep core of cool, layered fruit, beautifully vibrant flavors and polished structuring tannins, concluding with a saline finish. As I wrote when I tasted it from barrel, this is a Saint-Émilion of breathtaking perfume and harmony that will be worth a special effort to seek out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is very fresh, expressive and focused, with violet, iris and rosehip notes darting to the fore, while flavors of sleek raspberry and red currant preserves race along behind. Almost flattering, but there’s a subtle chalky tension piercing the finish, which sails through. A dreamy wine. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2026 through 2040. 6,250 cases made, 1,600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSFloral notes on the nose. Tangy and sharp, lively and bright straight away, sweet and sour, so energetic and lively with a mineral grip from the fine, firm, grippy tannins. Lovely precision and almost delicate presentation of fruit. You really feel the mineral, salty, tangy aspect of the fruit, nothing feels overworked, all in balance, really quite thrilling and electric. Great purity and focus. Scintillating yet still with a lovely volume and roundness accented by tobacco, clove, liquorice and cinnamon touches. Really well worked and fresh - this feels very modern with such control to the fruit, tannins, acidity giving overall depth and complexity. Elegant but confident, taking the best density from clay density and freshness from limestone. A very singular charm with this wine. 3.55pH. 10% press wine.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA blend of 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Beau-Sejour Becot has more Cabernet Franc than any previous vintage. The pH is 3.55 pH and it has a deep purple-black color. Notions of blackcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and warm plums jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of cedar chest, Sichuan pepper, and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy black fruit flavors, with bright acidity and ripe, rounded tannins, finishing long and earthy.The Wine Independent | 95-97 TWI

A blend of 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Figeac is a brilliant wine with which to celebrate this property’s elevation to Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" status. Wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries and cassis mingled with notions of iris, forest floor, cigar wrapper and pencil lead, it’s medium to full-bodied, pure and perfumed, with a deep and multidimensional core of fruit, bright acids and beautifully refined tannins. Serious yet civilized, it’s the quintessential Figeac, testament to the late Thierry Manoncourt’s vision to plant such a large proportion of Cabernet, and on drought-resistant rootstocks. Such is the inherent complexity of Figeac’s terroirs that harvest took place sub-block by sub-block between September 1st and 25th. Congratulations are in order for the Manoncourt family, director Frédéric Faye, consulting winemaker Thomas Duclos and all their team.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98-100 RPAn incredibly impressive wine in 2022 shaping up to be the wine of the vintage not only as it seems to defy the hot and dry conditions in every way but delivers such confidence and charm it makes it hard to resist. Gorgeous aromatic expression on the nose, open and alive, generous scents of bright bramble fruit and floral notes as well as graphite and cedar. Smooth, supple and generous on the palate, tannins are silky and perfectly weighted giving roundness but also structure with a red berry juiciness and saline bite that is so compelling. Vibrant, dynamic, balanced and precise, the energy is outstanding yet there’s still depth, weight and power underneath. There’s not a single thing out of place - utterly seductive and totally moreish. A great effort from the estate now proudly displaying their upgrade to St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A for the first time as of the new classification. 3.7pH. 8% press wine. 82% grand vin production. Harvest 1 - 26 September, the earliest ever. 98-100 points. Decanter | 98 DECThe 2022 Figeac was picked between 1-26 September with the pH of 3.7 and 14% alcohol. This wine combines both Left Bank and Right Bank traits due to its blend (as usual), but this year leans more to the Right Bank despite a slightly lower contribution of Cabernet Sauvignon. It is very well defined, fresh and shows lively black fruit, incense and nuanced Chinese tea aromas. The palate is beautifully balanced with a lightly spiced entry, fine depth and with plenty of concentration counterbalanced by finesse toward the graphite-infused finish. Its saline aftertaste beckons you back for another sip. An appropriate way to start your tenure as a Grand Cru Classé "A".Vinous Media | 97-99 VMThis is the earliest ever harvest for Figeac and the fruit is something else. Flowers such as violets. Blackberries. Currants. Cherry blossom. Full-bodied with lovely freshness and depth. Crunchy and juicy. Perfect al dente fruit. 35% merlot , 34% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon.James Suckling | 97-98 JSA blend of 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Figeac is deep garnet-purple in color. It rolls out of the glass with eager-to-please scents of juicy blackberries, plum preserves, and warm cassis, followed by hints of cardamom, chocolate mint, and cumin seed with fragrant wafts of rose oil and violets. The concentrated, medium to full-bodied palate is simply electric, shimmering with red and black fruit layers and loads of mineral and floral sparks, framed by firm, grainy tannins and amazing tension, finishing very long and energetic. This is so vibrant it tingles on the palate! pH 3.70.The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWIA beautiful wine that, shockingly, reminds me of the 2016, the 2022 Château Figeac checks in as 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that was harvested from the 1st of September to the 25th. Director Frédéric Faye commented that verasion took longer than usual, and they had to do a slight green harvest to get uniform ripeness. The results are stunning. The wine has a vivid purple hue as well as remarkable freshness and purity in its black and blue fruits, which are followed by notes of wild herbs, chocolate, graphite, spring flowers, and a touch of classic Cabernet Sauvignon graphite. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a silky, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This classic, ultra-precise Figeac is going to warrant a solid decade of bottle age and be very long-lived given its purity and balance.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98+ JD

A dark, inky wine, the 2022 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard is perfect in its bouquet of herbal, fruity, epic perfume alone. On the palate, there’s grip and tension, allowing just enough crisp, high-toned red fruit to surface and speak. The wine is fresh and buoyant beyond measure, finishing in a heartbreakingly beautiful array of white and black pepper that will stay with you for days. Though it will be hard to hold onto for long, the wine will age with ease another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDBold and mineral-driven, this syrah shows a striking mix of cracked pepper, dried thyme and graphite, underpinned by ripe blackberries and smoked ham. The midpalate feels supple with layers of dark fruit yet is framed with firm, lightly chewy tannins. The structure leads to a deeply earthy, saline-tinged finish that lingers with hints of iodine and iron. From biodynamically grown grapes. Best after 2029.James Suckling | 96 JSAiry and highly aromatic, the 2022 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard bursts from the glass with a perfumed blend of dried violets, lavender, camphor, cedar shavings, dusty earth and exotic spice. It envelops the palate with a savory wave of red and black fruits, taking on a crunchy mineral character as nuances of rosemary and sage swirl throughout. The 2022 tapers off with medium length and a pleasantly chewy texture, leaving a savory tart blackberry tinge.Vinous Media | 95 VMBrooding and deeply structured but not ponderous, with expressive flavors of blueberry and raspberry highlighted by licorice, black olive and savory meat tones as this builds tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2035. 468 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Just 4.8 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon are planted on this 18.21-hectare estate, situated on the steep, southeast-facing slopes of Glass Mountain in St. Helena. Purchased in 1999, the property is also home to Jayson Woodbridge’s striking underground Ring winery and caves. I awarded the 2021 vintage a perfect 100 points, and this 2022 Ark continues that legacy—it’s the most polished of Woodbridge’s single-vineyard Hundred Acre wines from the vintage. If Morgan’s Way is supreme elegance and Few and Far Between is deep, brooding, and muscular, then Ark sits perfectly in between—balanced and impressively saturated. The palate bursts with red-berry fruit, beautifully scented with brown baking spices, black tea, walnut, and a striking ironstone minerality. “This is superpower wine,” Woodbridge asserts as we taste. “This is a Corporate Hostile Takeover—you go in with this wine. If you’re working on the biggest buyout in history, you drink this just before you short the S&P 500… and then you go skiing in Switzerland. You drink this before and after.” (Drink between 2025 - 2040)Decanter Magazine | 100 DECBlack currant, hints of mint, lead pencil and black cherry aromas follow through to a full body with very fine tannins and an endless finish. The texture leaves me breathless and speechless. Incredible length and depth. Hard not to drink now.James Suckling | 100 JSRipe black cherries, cassis, black olive, salted meats, and smoky tobacco all shine in the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark, which is aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. It’s full-bodied, has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, shows classic Hundred Acre polished tannins, and delivers a great finish. It’s up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, and while it’s beautiful today, it will shine for at least two decades. It’s another gorgeous effort from Woodbridge that’s as good as anything in the vintage. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

Very aromatic, with raspberry, orange peel and floral aromas. Nice transparency. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crisp, crunchy finish. Drinkable now, but better from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSA fresh, expressive red, this also exhibits tension, lending energy to its black currant, cherry, licorice and cedar flavors. Graphite and salty accents add detail on the long, tightly wound finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2033. 15,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

I was blown away by the 2022 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is a classic blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Harvest spanned from the 8th to the 28th of September, the vinification is in tronconique tanks (parcel by parcel), and the élevage will span 18-20 months in 80% new barrels. This inky hued beauty offers that rare mix of power and elegance and offers ample cassis and assorted blue fruits, full-bodied richness, an opulent, concentrated, yet flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and plenty of classic Saint-Julien violets, espresso roast, and crushed stone-like minerality. Despite its incredible concentration and depth, it stays beautifully balanced. In a region that seems to only talk about finesse and elegance, it’s a relief to still have producers such as this producing powerful, intense, singular wines. Hats off to the Cuvelier family and their team.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDAnother excellent showcasse for this estate run by Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. Supple, lively, fresh and round, a nice controlled core of red and black fruit - blackcurrants, cherries and violets with juicy acidity and lean tannins that are fine and well integrated. This feels powerful and concentrated no doubt but the strength comes underneath the fruit and acidity, like a creeping tiger waiting to pounce. Lovely frame and execution, feels on the more opulent and potent side but the acidity and tannin definition is brilliant and this has a really drinkable and moreish quality. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.87pH. 9% press wine. A yield of 33.4hl/ha. 75% grand vin production. Julien Viaud consultant. Tasted three times and was impressed each time. Ageing 18-20 months in French oak barrels, 80% new, 20% second fill.Decanter | 96 DECA very solid LP with black berry, blackcurrant, crushed stone and lavender character. Full and really well structured with a linear length to it. Focused and so polished. Thoughtful. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe 2022 Leoville Poyferre is made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, with a yield of 33.4 hl/ha. It bursts onto the scene with gregarious scents of blackcurrant preserves, wild blueberries, and rose oil, leading to wafts of candied violets, licorice, and crushed rocks with a hint of cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, plush, and impactful, delivering beautiful tension and very respectable, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and opulent. This is a show-stopper! pH 3.87, TPI 93.The Wine Independent | 96-98 TWIThe 2022 Léoville Poyferré was picked 8 to 28 September at 33.4hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak. It has a high IPT of 93 and 14.4% alcohol (half a degree less than the 2018). It is quintessentially LP on the nose, with those extravagant and sensual black and blueberry fruit, intermingling with crushed violet and iris. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very harmonious and focused, perhaps more linear than expected with a velvety-smooth finish. This is a very classy, sophisticated Saint-Julien that may well rest at the top of my banded score once in bottle.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2022 Léoville Poyferré has turned out very nicely, offering up aromas of crème de cassis, cherries, violets and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that’s ripe but lively, with supple tannins and a long, vanillin-inflected finish. This year, the team began picking their Merlot comparatively early and didn’t perform a saignée (tank bleed), given the natural concentration of the vintage, though it remains the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léoville estates, seeing some 80% new oak with malolactic fermentation in barrique for the new barrels. It will be a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

A stunning Margaux in 2022 with a bright and vibrant core, deep and persistent, alive and bright with layers of silky but firm tannins that give a gentle grip, powerful and concentrated black fruit, with a clearly defined structure that supports and doesn’t overwhelm. Despite the power this has a delicacy which I love, so pure and clearly charming. Opulent yet racy, really walking the line between heft and sleekness. The acidity really lifts the expression with spiced liquorice and wet stone nuances while staying cool and fresh. Generous, stylish, punchy and polished. An incredibly complex wine that really works. 3.6pH. 88IPT. 18% press wine. Ageing 18-20 months, 100% new oak. No Petit Verdot in the blend. Highest alcohol and tannin level for the grand vin.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2022 Château Margaux is a total stunner. Ripe, opulent and explosive, the 2022 possesses tremendous depth and textural intensity from start to finish. There’s a purity to the fruit that is just striking. The 2022 is a dark, unusually opulent Margaux, with a dense core of fruit, but a good deal of vibrancy to balance things out. Black cherry, lavender, spice and a kiss of new French oak build in the glass, but it is the wine’s delineation and intensity that are most captivating. Vibrant saline notes linger on the seamless, supremely elegant finish. Unforgettable.Vinous Media | 97-99 VMThe Grand Vin 2022 Château Margaux checks in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that’s pulled from just 40% of the total production. It’s a classic Château Margaux with its overriding sense of elegance and purity, yet it’s certainly in the style of the vintage with its depth, richness, and concentration. Cassis, blueberries, acacia flowers, and spice all define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a seamless, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. The alcohol hit 14.5, and I suspect the pH is relatively high (which is common in the vintage), yet this remains pure, balanced, and is absolutely show-stopping stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2022 Chateau Margaux, composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It shoots from the glass with an initial firework display of redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and fresh, juicy blackcurrants, followed by an array of iron ore, lilacs, black licorice, and sandalwood-inspired scents, plus a hint of wood smoke. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with rich, concentrated, muscular black and red fruits, supported by exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and fragrant. This is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous effort that should be immortal. This represents 40% of the crop. "It’s been a long time since this much has made it into the First Wine!" commented winemaker Phillipe Bascaules. The pH is 3.61.The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWIA blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, 2022 Château Margaux is one of the most powerful wines ever produced at this estate, wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, dark berries, violets, burning embers, smoked tea and exotic spices. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s rich, velvety and seamless, with a bright core of fruit and a long, heady finish. With the highest analytical measure of tannins since 2010, and an alcohol level a touch above 14%, this is certainly a larger-scaled Château Margaux, yet at this early stage, everything appears to be kept in check.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-97 RPVery dark purple color with a ruby edge. So much crushed blackberry and blackcurrant with violets. Exuberant. Full-bodied and very tannic with incredible muscle. This is a thought-provoking wine. The biggest Margaux I have tasted in my career. Seems a little overdone for Margaux. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 2% petit verdot.James Suckling | 95-96 JS

This vintage of the 2022 Masseto is 100% Merlot. The nose is pronounced, leading with its mineral aromas of crushed dark stones. It smells like dissolved minerals, delicate peppery accents, black plum, red apples, lavender perfume, and sage. The aromatics are quite profound in this vintage, and on the palate, it’s full-bodied and more structured, with ripe tannins and a good deal of depth and richness, with the minerality shining through. Long on the palate, it’s generous all the way through, and while it feels approachable upfront, more structure comes through on the finish. Allow it some time in cellar and drink 2028-2058.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe summer was so arid in 2022 that the vines shut down and ripening was halted until mid-August rains arrived. This helped to preserve acidity in the grapes, giving sensational freshness to balance the rich and finely structured palate. Masseto 2022, then, combines the best of both worlds: fruit ripeness and concentration, and freshness and poise. It’s not as immediately seductive as the 2021, but there is so much potential in this long-lived vintage. Scents of cool, damp earth, dark hedgerow berries, Mediterranean scrub, and cocoa and wood give a sense of what is to come once time has untangled everything. Zingy, crunchy acidity steals the show early on, segueing into a mouthful of succulent yet dense dark berries and spice imbued with plenty of energy. Then some balsamic herbs and floral notes lighten the palate, before a touch of salinity and some bitter herbs emerge on the finish, with a refrain of bright cherry. Something special.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECA solid and structured red with blackcurrant, chocolate and walnut aromas and underlying toasted wood. Medium- to full-bodied with chewy tannins and a chewy, savory finish. Hints of coconut and toasted oak. It’s muscular and toned. It needs time to soften. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSThis red is both well-structured and framed with new oak nuances of vanilla, toast and resin, setting the stage for plum, blackberry, fruitcake, mineral and tobacco flavors. There’s a salty element interwoven throughout, along with a fluid feel. Offers fine grip on the lingering finish, so give the dense tannins some time to integrate. Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2043. 410 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2022 Masseto is soft, open-knit and relatively easygoing. The mid-weight structure of the year is very much in evidence in a wine that speaks more to finesse than power. Dark red cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and incense gradually open over time, supported by fine, silky tannins that wrap it all together in style. Masseto is typically much more potent in the early going, in 2022 the more refined style that has begun to emerge here along with the style of the year yield a Masseto that is quite elegant. Its balance is beyond reproach, especially in the integration of something that usually requires at least a few years in bottle.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2022 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was one of Realm’s first harvests that year, coming in just before the early September heat hit. The blend is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shoots from the glass with bold notes of fresh blackberries and blackcurrants, plus hints of crushed rocks, dried sage, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is electric with black fruit and mineral layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and incredible tension, finishing long and earthy. This is on the crunchier side of Dr. Crane fruit, and I love it!The Wine Independent | 99 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is terrific. It shows the natural richness of the year, but its balance is better vis-à-vis the To Kalon, as evidenced by the lifted, bright aromatics and mid-palate pliancy. I admire the energy and vibrancy here. Rose petal, lavender, spice and blood orange are beautifully amplified. Bright acids pull it all together on the close. The Dr. Crane is one the finer wines in the range this year.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Plenty of red currant, cedar, iron and terra cotta aromas follow through to a medium to full body with graphite, sandalwood, red currants and fresh Mediterranean herbs such as thyme and rosemary. The tannins are chewy but polished in texture. This is a Sassicaia that needs three or four years of bottle age to come together and soften. A structured wine for the cellar. Try after 2029.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2022 Sassicaia is simply brilliant in this vintage, showing a remarkable level of poise and freshness. It opens with a captivating bouquet of ripe blackberries, plum, florals and subtle herbs, underscored by a touch of spice, tobacco and minerals. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied and well-structured, with velvety tannins and a lively acidity that provides perfect balance. Rich flavors of red/dark fruits, tobacco and spices unfold beautifully, leading to a long, persistent finish that is both refined and elegant. A stunning example of Sassicaia’s pedigree and resilience to thrive year after year.International Wine Report | 98 IWRThe Tenuta San Guido 2022 Bolgheri Sassicaia reveals a beautiful fruit profile with fresh blackberry, tart cherry and Mediterranean tones of blue rosemary blooms and lavender sachet. I tasted this wine several times over the course of a few months, and it has already shown a happy evolution coming into slow focus like the faint colors that emerge from a Polaroid photograph. Indeed, the bouquet appeared more closed just a short while ago. The wine’s strongest suit is its elegantly streamlined mouthfeel and its contained 13.5% alcohol content. These qualities add to the silky cleanness of the mouthfeel and the accessible freshness of this vintage. I am confident that this bottle will improve with time. It requires patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe wine is tightly coiled and concentrated. It feels almost cinched at the waist, with a fascinating tension between the weight of raspberry, blackberry and strawberry coulis fruit and the wine’s verticality, as if it’s trying to burst out. Lovely mid-palate sapidity is allied to fresh acidity and fine but dense tannins, making for a dark horse of a Sassicaia that isn’t giving much away today but will greatly reward those who can cellar it for 12 years and more. ‘What is sure is that 2022 will need a lot of time, but will also have a long life,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta. A hot vintage, 2022 caused the team to work in the newly completed refrigerated warehouses in San Guido, even moving the sorting table inside. Shorter macerations and 23 rather than the more typical 24 or 25 months of ageing in wood helped to maximise the freshness.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECOpening with aromas of menthol, dark spice, blue flower and dark-skinned berry, the 2022 Sassicaia is impressive and defied my expectations. Hailing from what was a notoriously hot, dry year, the estate’s location, including its hillside vineyards, vicinity to the woods plus much-needed rain in August preserved freshness and aromas as did harvesting somewhat earlier than usual, shorter skin maceration and slightly less time in oak. Showing elegant restraint, it’s balanced and tense, delivering flavors of ripe blackberry, wild cherry, licorice and mint. It’s still quite tight and youthfully austere, with a backbone of firm, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Give it time to fully unwind. Drink 2030–2042. Abv: 13.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe 2022 Sassicaia is a very pretty, expressive wine. There’s a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon (and less Franc) in this year’s blend, and that really comes through in the wine’s flavor profile and slightly bruising tannins. Dark cherry, plum, leather, licorice, graphite and incense give the 2022 striking aromatic presence to match its rather brooding personality. There’s a bit of tension in the tannins that needs time to resolve. Yields were down about 20% because of intensely cold weather in spring, variable conditions during flowering and set, and then searing heat and drought throughout the summer.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

A real success of the vintage that manages to deliver a bold, structured, concentrated and powerful wine with real terroir signature. You get the impression it’s from a warm vintage, but I love the fact you have texture, volume and weight but keeping the finesse. Fragranced black fruit and purple floral notes with soft medicinal herbal touches on the nose. Sleek and supple, tannins make the impression with juicy blackcurrants, black cherries and strawberries. Excellent tannin definition, they’re filling, massy and round, almost plush but accented by acidity and freshness. Strong signature, you know you’re in gravel with Cabernet. Juicy, clean, pure, but with bite and intensity. I love the dark savoury notes too, the cough syrup, liquorice, clove, tobacco and cigar box elements, complex and captivating. 4% press. 3.65pH 30% whole bunch Petit Verdot in the blend. Potential upsore in bottle. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak barrels;Decanter | 97 DECThe polish, texture, complexity and patina are very impressive and fascinating. So spicy and interesting with so much going on. Medium body with wonderfully integrated tannins that are cut and nicely chiselled already. Lemon and violet. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.James Suckling | 97-98 JSMoving to the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This ripe, powerful, concentrated wine reminds me of the 2010 with its structure, concentrated mid-palate, and just sheer density and regal, full-bodied style on the palate. Despite its size, it stays balanced, has a beautiful perfume of sweet black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and spring flowers, building tannins, and a great, great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte was cropped at 29hL/ha between 5 and 30 September, undergoing half the extraction, aged in 60% new oak for a planned 18 months. It is fragrant and very pure on the nose: beautiful blackberry, raspberry and liquorice. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, very elegant and focused, fine-boned with an exceptionally pure and caressing tobacco-tinged finish. This is going to grow to be a wonderful, delicious Smith Haut Lafitte. 14.5% alcohol.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, with a yield of 29 hl/ha and aging in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of shaking to wake up notes of blackcurrant jelly, redcurrant preserves, boysenberries, and pencil lead, followed by suggestions of lilacs, Sichuan pepper, and cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is built like a skyscraper, delivering mouth-coating black fruits with red berry sparks supported by rock-solid, firm tannins, finishing very long and with a refreshing mineral lift. pH 3.70.The Wine Independent | 95-97+ TWIThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte opens in the glass with attractive aromas of cassis, spices, tobacco, graphite and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate that is deep and layered, with good depth and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the finish. This blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot will require some patience, given its somewhat extracted style.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-95 RP

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Vixen Block Wildfoote Vineyard represents the last vintage Bevan received fruit from the site, following the purchase of the property by Shafer Vineyards. It’s a fitting send-off, delivering seamless, complex swirls of purple raspberries, fine suede and lovely floral notes. Full-bodied yet silky, it’s framed by fine-grained tannins, which wash gently across the long, generous finish. The wine neatly captures the complexity and textures of the Stags Leap District, wrapping the tannins in an elegant final bow.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPMore blue fruits, crème de cassis, liquid violets, and scorched earth, as well as a beautiful floral character, define the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block. It’s a full-bodied Cabernet with fine, polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and a blockbuster of a finish. This ripe, sexy wine still plays in the fresher, focused style of the vintage and is good for 20-25 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block is inky, deep and pliant. Rich blue fruit, licorice, spice, menthol and lavender are all dialed up in this unctuous, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from Russell Bevan. This is classic Stags Leap, done in a decidedly extroverted style. Sweet floral notes explode on the captivating finish.Vinous Media | 97 VM

A tiny vineyard of one hectare delivers this firm, medium-bodied red with racy tannins, dark chocolate, iodine and dried strawberries. Creamy and chewy at the same time. Juicy as well. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

‘The idea of Massetino is to create a more approachable wine,’ states winemaker, Gaia Cinnirella. And combined with the plump juiciness and aromatic appeal of 2023, this is incredibly enticing. Ripe dark berry scents mingle with damp earth, Mediterranean scrub and chocolatey nuances. It has a steely energy, coiled and bright, its vertical structure padded out by generous juicy, creamy red and black berries, and supported by fine-grained tannins. It’s a bold expression this year, with a slightly drying woody finish that should resolve with time in the bottles, but it’s countered by freshness and a really lovely line of acidity which runs through the body. Delicious!Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA dark, super-intense, rich and complex wine. On the nose it shows restrained bramble fruit, vanilla, cloves, eucalyptus and leather. Lots of graphite on the palate, with firm, velvety tannins, chocolate flavors, refreshing acidity and a chalky, oaky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSLush and well-marked by toasty oak, this red displays plum, blackberry, leather, vanilla and salt flavors. A dense matrix of tannins lends support as this extends on the lightly chewy finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2033.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2023 Massetino is an attractive and expressive wine. Medium in body, the 2023 offers up an attractive mix of dark plum, mocha, new leather, cedar and espresso. Time in the glass brings out pretty floral and spice top notes. The oak and extraction feel just a bit pushed for the wine’s mid-weight structure. The 2023 was done in a period of transition with technical teams and winemakers, and that is evident in this particular vintage.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Very few vintages of this legendary Tuscan wine deliver the immediate joy, richness and complexity found in the Tenuta San Guido 2023 Bolgheri Sassicaia. Tasted both before and after its January 2026 bottling, this is a wine that feels uncannily open and generous in its youth, a rare trait for Sassicaia, which is famously inscrutable at this stage. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cold winter and above-average rainfall followed by a severe outbreak of downy mildew that damaged leaves, forcing brutal fruit selection and resulting in a 20% reduction in yields. Only the estates willing to make these sacrifices succeeded, and the best wines rank among the most compelling and elusive of recent years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP

A new wine in this range, the 2024 Pinot Noir Pacific Rock emerges from McDougall, a well-known site in Fort Ross-Seaview. Bold and explosive, the 2024 possesses tremendous textural depth and intensity. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, cedar, cloves, menthol and licorice fill out the layers. This imposing, broad-scaled Pinot has a lot to offer. There’s a bit of toughness in the tannin that needs to be addressed, but this is nevertheless a very fine debut. I expect the Pacific Rock will continue to improve now that the vineyard is being transitioned to organic farming, a process that takes 7-10 years to show full results.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Spellbinding aromas of rose petals, strawberries, citrus and bark, with hints of lemongrass. Medium-bodied, tight and structured, this offers a captivating combination of linear intensity and calmness, so classy and sophisticated. A continued benchmark for American pinot noir. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2024 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert is fabulous. Deeply pitched spice notes, blood orange, new leather, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco meld into a core of sweet red cherry fruit, mint, spice and cedar. This is one of the finest vintages of the Royal St. Robert I have ever tasted, going all the way back to Raen’s early days.Vinous Media | 94 VM