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Dark black cherry in color, this wine has a nose of Chambord, dark chocolate and violet. It is smooth at first sip, with notes of chocolate and coffee that fill the palate and are quickly joined by clove, black plum and cassis flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEBrooding depth with excellent complexity. There’s an attractive umami touch along with notes of dried black mushrooms, dark spices, pine cones, dark chocolate, focused blackberries and dark cherries. It has a full body and fine-veined tannins. Juicy, fleshy and long, but still quite reserved. An exemplary, well-rounded Rioja gran reserva that’s already approachable, but will improve in the next four to eight years.James Suckling | 94 JS

The Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a rich and savory side that this wine wears very well. There is a beautiful level of dark fruit that folds into the wine’s velvety texture. Blackberry and plum envelop the palate, adding elegant full-bodied volume and fine tannins along the way. The wine is aged in traditional Slavonian casks, and production reaches 110,000 bottles annually (which is very ambitious considering this level of quality).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA dark ruby color in the glass, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a beguiling blend of dusty earth, crushed rocks, savory herbs and dried roses. This is racy and sleek, with vividly ripe wild berry fruits elevated by orange and sage, all guided by vibrant acidity. Grippy tannins take control through the finish, yet the mouth is left watering for more as a bitter licorice tinge and dark chocolate adds a crunchy sensation.Vinous Media | 94 VMA medium-bodied red with pretty plum and berry aromas and flavors. Fine tannins and a fresh finish. Very fine and focused. Not the most structured but this is all about finesse and polish. Drinkable but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 93 JSPlum, fragrant blue flower, exotic brown spice and crushed mint are just some of the aromas you’ll find on the polished and perfumed 2019 Brunello from Altesino. Full-bodied and enveloping, the palate features ripe black cherry, blood orange and licorice before closing on a hint of almond liqueur. Velvety tannins and fresh acidity provide seamless support. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

It, too, is a wine of gentleness and refinement, with bright plum fruits and warm spice both apparent in the aromas, within the context of an aromatic profile both seamless and harmonious. It’s ample in the palate yet round-contoured, with acidity here as important an element of the wine’s structure as is tannin. The tannins, indeed, are unintimidating and supportive – but resonant and flavoury, too, in best Barolo style. The overall impression of an easy-rolling roundness is underscored by the wealth of fruit which sings through the palate. For all that, this is a serious Barolo which could easily take five to ten years’ further ageing: an ideal introduction to the pleasures of the 2019 vintage in this emblematic Piedmontese region.Decanter | 97 DECWith fruit from Brunate, Liste, Cerequio, Cannubi and Raviole, the 2019 Barolo Lecinquevigne is a little subdued on first nose and would benefit from more time in bottle. This wine offers an appellation-wide taste of Nebbiolo, and the focus, consequently, is on the grape more than any single vineyard. These kinds of blends work very well in a vintage like 2019 that holds its own in terms of balance, intensity and texture. With 70,000 bottles made, this is the most accessible and affordable Barolo in the Damilano portfolio.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPVery perfumed and pretty with ripe berry, terra-cotta, and rose petal aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a lovely creamy texture. Fresh and bright. Delicious now but will age nicely. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSUnderbrush, camphor and violet aromas lift out of the glass on this fragrant Barolo. Made with Nebbiolo from five vineyards, the polished palate features juicy black cherry, cranberry, star anise and crushed mint accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2026–2934. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOA taut, linear red, with macerated cherry and plum flavors augmented by hay, spices and iron. This has ample fruit and savory notes waiting to shine through once the tannic structure mellows. Best from 2026 through 2045. 5,800 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The star of the Delas whites is the 2019 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes Blanc, based on Marsanne from L’Ermite, Le Sabot (the bottom portion of Les Bessardes) and La Tourette. Barrel fermented and aged in approximately one-third new French oak, it offers scents of crushed stone, pencil shavings, toasted coconut, ripe pear and melon, plus hints of citrus. Full-bodied and rich, it’s creamy in texture and weighty on the palate, yet with great persistence and lingering flavors. Delicious now, I suspect it will close down within the next year or two, yet it should be capable of aging for up to two decades, adding layers of richness and truffled complexity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPStill a bit youthfully compact, but there’s focus and drive to the mix of salted butter, acacia, quince, lemon curd and white peach flavors. This has polished edges offset by a racy spine through it all. Cellar for maximum effect. Marsanne and Roussanne. Best from 2022 through 2032. 475 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA fresh, fine, direct fragrance - quince, pear and plum. Very rounded and generous on the palate, a little on the fat side. This has real depth however. There’s a vein of acidity buried in the wine which will help give it some freshness, but it’s not as fresh as some this year, it’s very full-bodied, but still very good. Fermented and aged in new and recent barriques, partial malolactic. Drinking Window 2021 - 2029.Decanter | 95 DEC

This is packed, featuring juicy and energetic raspberry, blackberry and dark plum pate de fruit flavors wrapped in licorice root, black tea, singed juniper and incense notes. Everything knits tightly through the finish, with the underlying freshness extending to a lengthy finish as the juniper note leaves a mouthwatering echo. Serious, old school style. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,500 cases made, 275 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 96 WSAlmost all Grenache, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape A La Gloire De Mon Grand-Père comes from the La Gardiole lieu-dit and was aged 80% in demi-muids and 20% in foudre. Its deep purple/plum color is followed by a stunning array of black cherry, blackberry, and ripe strawberry fruits as well as candied flowers, orange blossom, and toasted spice. As with the old vine cuvée, the tannins have a firm edge and it’s built with short-term cellaring in mind, yet the purity is brilliant, I love its balance, and this is just a stunning Grenache that’s going to have two decades of pure pleasure giving.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDAll Grenache, aged in a combination of demi-muids and foudre, the 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape A la Gloire de Mon Grand-Père delivers black cherries and blackberries, plus hints of clove, allspice and garrigue. Full-bodied, dense and rich, with plenty of alcohol ("but less than 16%," said Nicolas Boiron), it finishes long and velvety but also a bit warm. The always-smiling, ebullient couple of Nicolas and Jeanne-Claire Boiron have an infectious enthusiasm for wine (and, seemingly, life) that makes a visit to their cellar in Cha?teauneuf du Pape a pleasure. This year, there were a couple of new wines to look at, including a limited-production Chante le Merle Blanc and a "one-time-only" Grenache cuvée drawn from sandier sites. The wines remain fairly priced for the quality, comfortably straddling the line between modern and traditional.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes (100% Grenache) brings more opulence and sexiness, with a more unevolved vibe in its ripe black fruits, violets, toasted spice, and Provençal garrigue-like aromas and flavors. Brought up in equal parts used barrels, new French oak, and demi-muids, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, incredibly elegant texture, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is a Grenache lover’s dream, and it should continue drinking brilliantly for another 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA strapping young wine, brimming with dark plum paste and boysenberry compote flavors that are carried by racy licorice snap and fruitcake notes. The lively back end shows a hint of bramble and a touch of tar, giving this energy and power as it courses through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2038. 300 cases made, 50 cases impoWine Spectator | 96 WSBetter balanced than the Renaissance, not so much oak with the natural power of the fruit to the fore. It’s very ripe, quite muscular and towards sweet in profile. A bright, zingy, technicolour style, polished and sleek, but will have plenty of fans. Warming alcohol. 100% old-vine Grenache from the lieu-dit Cristia sandy soils. Matured in barriques and demi-muids for 18 months, one-third new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2033.Decanter | 94 DECAll Grenache, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes matured in a mix of demi-muids and barriques, with about one-third new oak. Faint herbal notes and nuance to this wine’s cedar, vanilla and black cherry flavors. It’s full-bodied, concentrated and reasonably tannic, but it finishes silky and fine. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

This wine always stands out in my mind, and it’s worth dedicating a few words as to why. Poggio Valente offers us a rare opportunity to taste Sangiovese made according to the highest standards but from a territory—on the Tuscan Coast—that does not share a big legacy with monovarietal Sangiovese reds. The Fattoria le Pupille 2019 Poggio Valente was born in a happy vintage with a cool spring and a growing season that had plenty of underground water reserves to keep the vines hydrated well until the end of August. This is a full and generous wine with dark cherry and wild plum aromas that segue to tar, licorice and crushed slate. My sample (tasted a few weeks after bottling) was a little shy initially, but it quickly blossomed in the glass.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is very dense and structured with stone and blackberry character. Full-bodied and intense with chewy tannins that frame the wine. Flavorful finish. Smoky and lightly bitter, in a good way. Pure sangiovese. This needs time to soften. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Poggio Valente is gorgeous. Bright and vibrant in the glass with terrific energy, the Poggio Valente is a fine example of the style favored here these days. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, spice and orange zest complement a core of Sangiovese fruit. I especially like the vibrancy here. The 2019 is absolutely delicious. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA red with intensity on a weightless frame, leaving plenty of room for cherry, blackberry, chocolate, nutmeg and white pepper flavors to shine. The tannins are present, yet uplifting rather than obtrusive. Sangiovese. Best from 2023 through 2032. 2,900 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a spice box of a wine, opening with a burst of camphor and dried flowers, giving way to crushed blackberries, sage and cloves. This is surprisingly energetic and racy in style. Vibrant acidity propels depths of dark red fruits and inner floral as salty minerals saturate. The 2019 finishes structured and long yet still lively, leaving violet inner florals and hints of currant to taper off slowly. The combination of power, depth and energy makes this impossible to ignore.Vinous Media | 95 VMTo the northwest of the town of Montalcino, Pertimali’s 12 hectares extend over a single block, surrounding the Montosoli hill. Despite a relatively cool microclimate, the limestone-rich clay and estate’s old clones yield a vigorous, muscular Brunello. Picked at the beginning of October, the intensely savoury 2019 wafts with iron, sage and bay leaf. The ripe brawny palate is packed with dry, assertive tannins backed up by sweet black cherry and spiced currants. Acidity is brisk. A rustic rather than elegant offering. Ageing is in Slavonian oak casks of 30 hectolitres.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 S De Suduiraut is straight-up brilliant and unquestionably ranks with the top whites in the vintage. Bright pineapple, honeysuckle, toasted spice, and chalky mineral notes all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, vibrant, integrated acidity, and a great finish. Clean, pure, flawlessly balanced, and just a classy effort, it can be enjoyed any time over the coming 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDAlluring, with a lemon, peach and gooseberry core, infused with tarragon and verbena notes, framed with a stylish shortbread accent. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2023. 333 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSPineapple, lemon, chopped apple, smoked almond and some caramel on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with fresh acidity and a rich, nutty and flavorful palate. Excellent length. Sauvignon blanc and semillon. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSComposed of 67% Semillon and 33% Sauvignon Blanc harvested from the 5th to the 10th of September, the 2019 S de Suduiraut Blanc is aging for nine months in French oak barrels, 12% new. The alcohol came in at 13.1%. The nose starts off a little shy before taking off with notes of freshly squeezed lemons, key lime pie and yuzu zest plus touches of marzipan and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate has a lovely suggestion of creaminess to the texture, helping to support the racy citrus flavors, finishing with an invigorating lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2019 S de Suduiraut Vielles Vignes is rich and ample in feel, with all of the natural richness of the old vines on display. White flowers, coconut, passion fruit, mint and dried flowers offer a striking interplay of tropical and savory notes. The 2019 is beautifully done.Antonio Galloni | 91-93 AGGorgeous, nuanced and expressive nose, showing honey and sweet lemon curd. Mouth-watering juiciness, red apple, pear and some gooseberry, a little less zesty and exotic. I like the immediate flavours of tangerine juice and orange. Quite bright, then settles before the wood comes in, overpowering the ending for now. Spicy and structured. Drinking Window 2023 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DEC

UNDER THE RADAR A very elegant Bougros which matches the ripeness of this full sun site with great acidity and purity of flavour. There is lots of depth here with some zesty citrus characters and a stony, mineral thread in the background. Cleansing acidity on the finish. A grand cru which definitely shows its class, while managing to be both drinkable now yet have a long future ahead.Decanter | 95 DEC

Dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes are aged 20 months in mostly neutral French oak barrels. Unfined and unfiltered. A rather dark, meaty, and savoury expression from this iconic Rutherford Estate helmed by founder and proprietor John Williams. Opaque ruby in colour shows black olive, dusty earth, and graphite. Medium-bodied and intensely perfumed on the palate, wit builds in elegance, almost defying its rather muscular aromatic profile. Fresh, balanced, quite complex, and quite cellar-worthy.Decanter | 95 DECOne of the founding practitioners of organic and dry farming in Napa Valley, Frog’s Leap offers a classic approach to Cabernet Sauvignon. Along with flavors of black currant and blackberry, this wine offers lingering spices, lightly tactile tannins and mouthwatering acidity. The wine is both pleasing and perfect for a range of foods from savory mushrooms and risotto, to grass fed beef. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWell-rounded, fruit-driven and chalky. The nose expresses aromas of blackberries, sweet cherries and earth. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Mellow with a fruity and chewy finish. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 91 JSRipe red and black fruits, darker chocolate, and some smoky tobacco notes all emerge from the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown, a nicely balanced, elegant, impressive Cabernet Sauvignon from this team that has ripe tannins and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Wight Vineyard ratchets up the intensity and is a blockbuster styled effort in the vintage. Blackberries, plums, roasted herbs, chocolate, and flowery incense notes all define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a plush, seamless mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It benefits from air and should be given just 2-3 years of bottle age. This ripe, opulent, incredibly sexy 2021 will evolve for 2 decades if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

This is displaying aromas of anise, dried lemons, white grapefruit, gun flint and even smoked meat, with dried mangoes and some green tea, too. Sophisticated rather than generous, with tight and firm layers. Full body. Mineral and tight finish.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is one of the more powerful wines in the range, mingling aromas of sweet orchard fruit and confit citrus with hints of toasted nuts, white flowers and new oak. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it’s rich and expansive, but it also maintains good tension.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

This ripe style is fresh and harmonious, delivering plum, cherry and boysenberry fruit, with accents of earth, iron and eucalyptus. Supple in texture, with a beautifully integrated structure and long, complex aftertaste. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2043. 29,667 cases made, 5,833 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is one of the big surprises of this tasting and ultimately represents one of the best buys in the entire extended Marchesi Antinori portfolio. The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva Tenuta Tignanello Marchese Antinori shares the DNA of Tignanello. It is Sangiovese kissed with small parts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Of course, the wine is more accessible and open compared to Tignanello, and spiritually, this wine is a Chianti Classico. By that I mean that the elegant minerality of these soils and the sunny flavors of its environs are the determining characteristics. You get wildflower, iris, tart fruit and plum. The wine’s enhanced mineral character, with dusty white rock, is what adds lasting complexity and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori is particularly strong this year. Red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate infuse the 2021 with notable depth. French oak is better integrated than in the past. There’s less extraction today and quite a bit more finesse. This is a terrific showing from Antinori.Vinous Media | 93 VMAmong this estate’s 130 hectares of vines in San Casciano Val di Pesa are the Tignanello and Solaia vineyards. This Riserva is fermented in stainless steel, undergoing a spontaneous malolactic fermentation and ageing in French and Hungarian oak barriques for 12 months before bottling. An old vintage, 2010, impressed us all in 2023 by topping the leaderboard at our ‘Ageing Chianti Classico’ panel tasting, and this 2021 equally has plenty of potential. It oozes with menthol, fresh hedgerow berries and some baked currants. There’s plenty of fruit intensity, backed by well integrated wood structure, and it keeps quite a vertical profile in the mouth which helps to belie its density. Powdery tannins coat the cheeks, balanced by fresh acidity, while the inherent juiciness of the fruit waits to be unlocked with time.Decanter | 93 DECAromas of cassis, French oak and violet lead the nose on the polished 2021 Chianti Classico Tignanello Riserva. On the structured, polished palate, tightly woven, fine-grained tannins support Morello cherry, red currant and licorice. It’s balanced, with fresh acidity. Drink 2025–2031. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KO

Bright straw-colored, the 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is forward on the nose with notes of melon rind, fresh pear, flint, and delicate baking spice, and it has a lot of vibrant nature. Medium to full-bodied, it offers fantastic tension and a linear feel with great length, and it’s going to age very well. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is another dense, ample wine in this range. The Woolsey Road has a good deal of phenolic intensity. There’s real breadth and resonance here. Lemon confit, white pepper and dried herbs are nicely amplified.Vinous Media | 94 VMFragrant, focused and precise, offering flavors of lemongrass and lemon blossoms, with Meyer lemon and green papaya accents, plus a touch of tangerine. Shows green tea, lemon balm and white pepper notes on a mouthwatering frame, with a hint of salinity that lingers. Drink now. 787 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRichness and concentration are the hallmarks of this full-bodied, mouth-filling wine. Deep in Bosc pears, baked apples and baking spices, it offers a creamy texture balanced by moderate acidity. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

Here’s a wine that takes us to a vintage that excels in terms of general fruit clarity and precision. The 2021 Giusto di Notri is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot that ages in new oak (50% of the wine) with the other half going into second- and third-passage barrel. Intensity and depth are highlighted nicely here in a vintage that ended on October 16th (much later than 2020). This benefits complexity and aromas. The vintage also delivers more freshness and balanced tannins (without the sharper edges you get in 2020). This is a beautiful wine, one that’s set up for long cellar aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIntense aromas of red currants, sweet tobacco, lead pencil, and terra-cotta. Medium to full body with polished tannins that are very well-integrated into the wine. It is racy and long with lovely mocha and subtle fruit at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 10% merlot. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 96 JSBlack currant, blackberry, plum, violet, green olive, graphite and wild rosemary aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this impressive red, which is lively and refreshing, with dense tannins gripping the long, oak-tinged finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038. 3,333 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis blend of the two Cabernets plus Merlot is matured in new and second-use French oak barriques for around 18 months. Leafy, herbal and spicy notes are a prelude to a core aroma of blackcurrant, cocoa and violets. In the mouth it combines bright and precise acidity with soft, voluptuous yet structured black fruits, with some juicy spiced plum, herbal bitters, chocolate and a woody presence. Fine-grained tannins grip the gums and bolster the fruit. A deliciously lively red to enjoy now or in several years.Decanter | 94 DEC

As you pour this pale pink treasure, delightful aromas of fresh citrus and wild berries dance before you, inviting you to indulge in its tantalizing embrace. Each sip reveals an elegant and balanced flavor, seamlessly blending the fruit-forward characteristics of Sangiovese with the silky tannins of Pinot Nero. With the most pleasant acidity and subtle minerality, every moment is a delightful experience with Colle É Rosé.Colle Bereto | 95 SP