Proprietary Blend Wines

wines

Characterful, luscious and deftly balanced, this terrific, unfiltered LBV – ’the little brother of Vintage Port,’ says Dirk Niepoort – is irresistible now but will age brilliantly. Black pepper, esteva, bitter chocolate and spicy gingerbread bring lift and layer to the velvety sweet plum, cherry frangipane and kirsch palate. Ruffled tannins make for a long, controlled finish. Bottled with a driven cork after four- to six-years in large wooden vats.Decanter | 97 DEC

The 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie is darkly alluring and brooding in the glass, with a dusting of confectionary spice and dried violets complementing wild blueberries and a lifting whiff of fresh mint. Soothingly round and surprisingly juicy in feel, this shows its minerality up front, as depths of tart wild berry fruits meet vibrant acidity, and an array of exotic spices emerges toward the close. It finishes tannic yet fresh and incredibly long, leaving a bitter blackberry crunch, violet inner florals and chalky concentration that boggles the mind. Bury the 2018 deep in your cellar, this is a long-distance runner.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Hints of cedar and vanilla appear on the nose of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve, which is aged in demi-muids (20% new), adding a human-derived aspect to the mouthwatering notes of cherries and raspberries. It’s full-bodied, silky and even almost lacy in texture, delivering intense pleasure on the palate without excess weight, then lingering on the finish, where the red-fruit flavors come to the fore, practically vibrating in intensity. Because of the effects of mildew on the Grenache, this vintage is just over 50% Mourvèdre.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe flagship is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Réserve and it’s an even split of Grenache and Mourvèdre that was all destemmed and was brought up mostly in demi-muids (there was a small part in larger, clay amphora. Slightly deeper hued than the Les Quartz, it has a Mourvèdre dominated bouquet of red and black berry fruits, loads of spice and dried garrigue, graphite, and a hint of mint. With full-bodied richness on the palate, it has an incredible sense of purity and finesse in its tannins and texture, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. I’d put this in the top handful of wines in the vintage and while it’s approachable today, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBright ruby. A highly complex and deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, spice-tinged red/blue fruits, candied flowers, garrigue and licorice. A smoky mineral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Stains the palate with concentrated cherry cola, black raspberry, vanilla and fruitcake flavors supported by a core of juicy acidity. Conveys a suave marriage of depth and energy. It finishes extremely long and precise, with slowly emerging, chewy tannins and resonating florality and spiciness. The Mourvèdre is showing itself here.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe and silky in feel, with waves of creamed plum, blackberry and cherry fruit gliding along, while licorice snap, rooibos tea and incense notes weave through. Offers nice persistence on the finish. Grenache and Syrah. Best from 2021 through 2033. 295 cases made, 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

I had previously reviewed this blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot in a preview capacity. Now on the market, the 2018 Giusto di Notri comes together with seamless beauty. This is a rich and generous expression that delivers dark fruit intensity with blackberry and black currant, wrapped tightly together with ample oak notes of spice, tar and cured tobacco. The wine offers smooth transition and rich textural fiber, with soft angles and contours that frame the wine’s full-bodied approach. Production is 33,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA rich, layered red with berries, chocolate and blueberries. Lightly smoky. It’s full-bodied and layered with ripe tannins. Balanced and focused. Just a baby now, but will deliver! Best after 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThis 2018 Giusto dei Notri seems delightfully Cabernet Franc-like, although that variety is usually the minor player in the blend. Intense cassis and leafy notes intertwine, while on the palate more concentrated blackcurrant, green herb, elegant cedar and sweet spice flavours mingle with iron and mineral notes. I love the slightly sappy Bordeaux-like notes here and there. A beautifully elegant and persistent wine.Decanter | 95 DECSaturated with black currant, blackberry, violet and mineral flavors, this red is sleek and structured. The oak is deftly integrated, with a light astringency and a note of bitter almond on the long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. 2,700 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This has a fresh, floral aroma, with honeysuckle and elderflower notes leading the way, followed by a rather creamy, refined palate of kiwifruit, makrut lime and verbena flavors. As the finish glides through, this offers hints of quinine, acacia and white peach. Shows beautiful range and definition, with serious length. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2026. Wine Spectator | 95 WSFor the third time in its history, this was entirely harvested in August (mainly 23 to 28, but the first berries were picked on August 13 - the earliest date ever). Rich fruit, lovely acidity and salinity on the finish, shot through with honeysuckle and clear citrus. They harvest Y in the same way as Yquem, where it is grape by grape rather than vine by vine, and sometimes grapes from the same bunch goes on to make Yquem later. 3.15pH. Also tasted September 2020; same score.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECWhite pear, honeysuckle, elderflower, quince, rich lemon, with a bitter edge of orange peel. This is starting to deepen at three years old, and show a richer texture than when I last tasted it in November 2020. It’s unquestionably one of the great whites of Bordeaux, although extremely low yields in 2018. Harvest began on August 13, the earliest date ever, with the majority of the whites coming in from August 23 to 28, harvested grape by grape as per the main sweet estate wine - meaning that grapes from the same bunch can later go on to make Yquem. 3.15ph. Jane Anson | 94 JAThe 2014 “Y” has 5 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pale lemon-yellow color. Citrus aromas of lime leaves, fresh grapefruit, and lemon zest shoot from the glass, followed by gentle wafts of crushed stones and coriander seed. The medium to full-bodied palate gives a very dry impression, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the intense, youthful, citrus layers and with a silkiness to the texture, finishing with loads of zesty and mineral sparks. Impressive!The Wine Independent | 94 TWIThe 2018 Y de Yquem is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon bottled at the end of August. It offers light grass clipping and green apple scents on the nose, the Sauvignon Blanc defining the aromas. The palate is fresh on the entry, light and crisp with touches of pineapple and dried apricot, a hint of grilled walnut towards the finish. This actually improves with aeration, gaining some delightful praline and subtle white chocolate notes.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Tasted out of bottle, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Prestige Blanc offers a more Burgundian, chiseled, mineral-laced style to go with beautiful notes of caramelized peach, white flowers, crushed stone, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and elegant on the palate, it still packs plenty of oomph and has incredible length on the finish. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA rich, alluring style, with a brioche note leading the way for creamed yellow apple, candied lemon peel, white ginger and quince notes. An accent of acacia honey lines the finish, where the brioche edge takes an encore. Showy and delicious. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Drink now through 2023. 56 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is outrageously flamboyant but hard not to like. There’s great concentration and it’s highly expressive already showing some complexity. It has a nutty macadamia note and a subtle flinty reduction with rich pear fruits that shoot through with oak spice, but it’s the fruit that has the upper hand. It’s very full-bodied but has enough pep and acidity to keep things upright and rolling. A cuvée that can be overly marked by malolactic fermentation, but not this year. Grown on sandy soils, 80% fermented in concrete, 20% in new barriques. It’s matured for 14 months in old barriques, concrete and 20% new barriques. Drinking Window 2019 - 2024.Decanter | 95 DECThe brassy-hued 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Prestige shows ample oak on the nose and palate, allied to ripe, luscious fruit. Predominantly Roussanne, fermented and aged in one-year-old demi-muids, it has developed hints of sweet corn and notes of grilled pineapple during its elevage. Opulent and lush, it’s enormously seductive now, although I suspect it will drink well for at least 4-5 years based on its impressive concentration and length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Blackberry and spice character – white pepper to be precise. Full-bodied, layered and chewy with a dusty texture and a black-olive undertone. It’s rich and chewy. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSA blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot, the Tua Rita 2018 Lodano Rosso is another wine that I had tasted in a preview capacity at the beginning of this year. The wine is seamlessly integrated with dark fruit, blackberry and plum that is rounded off nicely by the smoke and tobacco from French oak and a smaller part of American oak. The Merlot is sourced from the estate’s celebrated old vines, and a theme of flashy or contemporary concentration and richness is found in this wine and throughout the estate portfolio. This vintage was cool and wet during the spring months but turned much warmer and drier toward the end of the growing season.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is one of the best expressions of Petit Verdot I have tasted in a long time. While always intriguing, the variety is often very linear and structural whereas here it has some richness, roundness and charm. It opens slowly to reveal dark fruits, gunsmoke and spice, with finely textured, silty tannins. Perhaps the old-vine Merlot helps coax this more edgy variety into showing its more sensual side. Drinking Window 2022 - 2028.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2018 Giorgio Primo represents a new level of finesse at La Massa. Powerful and dense in the glass, with tremendous structure, Giorgio Primo is a terrific example of how compelling international varieties are in Panzano’s Conca d’Oro district. Crème de cassis, spice, new leather, chocolate and sweet spice build into the textured, palate-staining finish.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Fattoria La Massa 2018 Giorgio Primo is a wine of richness, volume and texture. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and maceration times last 26 to 28 days to add the lovely depth and creaminess you taste here. Black fruit, crushed stone, truffle essence and toasted spice emerge from the bouquet. The wine’s full-bodied structure and its freshness promise a long cellar-aging future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGorgeous aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries with hints of crushed stones and walnuts. Full body, firm and chewy tannins with blackberries and hints of chocolate and spice. Flavorful and intense at the end. Better after 2023, but better already very pretty.James Suckling | 95 JS

Very attractive combination of dried fruit and spices with black cherries and plums. Aromas of flowers and sandalwood, too. Full-bodied and very refined, yet intense, with plush, velvety tannins that are wonderfully integrated and intertwined with the fruit. Ripe center palate. Tight at the end, suggesting the need for some serious bottle age. Very structured. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 20th anniversary bottling of Testamatta made, from the 2019 vintage, in brand new winemaking facilities in Florence. This just shines from the moment it’s poured. Layered and complex this is a gem of a wine filled with cherry, raspberry, damson and caramel notes alongside a savoury edge that makes it so moreish. Tannins that support but don’t overwhelm give a nice overall weight to the palate while the flavous linger on the long finish. Made from old vines on stony soils on the Tuscan hilltops. Grapes are selected and sourced from the best five vineyards, which are divided into parcels and harvested up to eight times. Fermentation is in open-top barriques for the smaller parcels and in barrels or stainless steel for the larger ones without any temperature controls. Maceration for 7-10 days then moved into old barriques for 20 months.Decanter | 96 DECA pure expression of Sangiovese, the Bibi Graetz 2019 Testamatta is a wine in constant evolution. Bibi has added 17 more hectares of vineyard to the program, with 12 hectares in Fiesole (north of Florence) and 5 hectares in San Donato in Colle (south of Florence) with 70-year-old vines. The base of the wine sees fruit from old vines planted in the 1950s in the cool-climate Lamole subzone of Chianti Classico. These new terroirs bring a lot more aromatic nuance and complexity to the wine with perfumed blue flower, candied orange peel, wet earth and plumy black fruit. White Alberese soils add a strong chalky mineral signature to the finish of this elegantly streamlined and linear Tuscan red.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPDelicate aromas of red berry, sunbaked earth and dark spice shape the nose along with a whiff of Mediterranean scrub. Bright and elegantly structured, the linear palate features juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry and baking spice framed in polished tannins. Drink through 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA sleek, well-delineated red, delivering cherry and raspberry flavors on an elegant frame. Fresh, and builds nicely on the mineral- and floral-laced finish. Drink now through 2028. 10,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2019 vintage of Château d’Yquem has the highest proportion (45%) of Sauvignon Blanc in any modern Yquem. The Sauvignon Blanc adds to the freshness, acting as a great balance to the succulent, sweet and voluptuous palate. Intense peach and apricot, combined with lemon and orange zest, make this highly appealing to drink right away – an ideal vintage with which to start Yquem’s ‘lighthouse’ project. However, it would be a shame not to give this 10+ years maturation to see how it develops. Very well, I suspect. The growing season was both warm and wet, with mildew a big threat. After a mostly dry September, 40mm rain came at the end of the month, leading to a very short harvest window. All of the Yquem grapes were picked in two tries within a one-week period. Residual Sugar: 138g/L. Drinking Window 2025 - 2060.Decanter | 97 DECDistinctive, with jasmine and elderflower notes leading off, followed by a racy set of white peach, white ginger and lemon shortbread notes. Feels pure and streamlined through the very long finish. A beautiful wine. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2028. 833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA juicy Yquem with tarte tartin, salted caramel and dried oranges on the nose and palate. Medium-to full-bodied and medium-sweet with a creamy and round texture. Bright and vivid. Lovely texture. Long. Evolves to caramel and burnt vanilla sugar. 55% semillon and 45% sauvignon. 138g/L residual. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

An open and beautiful wine with green-olive and currant aromas and flavors. Some bark and earth, too, together with mushrooms, herbs, crushed stones and pomegranate. Medium to full body with round, creamy tannins and refined finish. Blood orange at the end. Crunchy. So drinkable now, but will age beautifully.James Suckling | 96 JSExuberantly fruity on the nose, the 2019 Napanook is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Despite seeing 40% new French oak, what shines on the nose are the ripe cherries, delicately brushed with wisps of tobacco, sage and bay leaf. It’s medium to full-bodied, supple and silky in feel on the palate, while the finish lingers easily, adding notes of pencil shavings and mocha. To get this sort of pedigree for less than $100 is a rarity in Napa these days, making it a notable value.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSolidly built and very direct, with a juicy, muscular core of cassis, plum and blackberry flavors lined with singed alder, menthol and sweet bay leaf. Maintains juicy energy through the toasty finish, with a late loamy echo keeping things grounded. A very well-proportioned wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 2,450 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine checks in as a 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from two different vineyards. The Cabernet Franc really stands out, and the wine has a complex, forest floor, herbal, bouquet garni-like character as well notes of woodsmoke, iron, and blue fruits. Full-bodied on the palate, it has some background chocolaty oak, a great mid-palate, and a heck of a finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard features leafy, minty nuances and hints of tobacco set against a backdrop of redcurrants. Full-bodied and ripe but remarkably elegant, it finishes supple and long, with a delectable silky texture. It’s undeniably sexy, but I have to admit I didn’t pick up on the "hot chick-just-done-with-Pilates pheromone quality" that Bevan described.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Red Wine EE Tench Vineyard is compelling. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc works so well here. A whole range of floral and savory notes give the 2019 its striking presence. Raspberry jam, blood orange, kirsch and spice add inner perfume and polish. The 2019 EE is such an alluring wine.Antonio Galloni | 94-97 AG

I loved the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Clairette de Gabriel and this beauty is up there with the finest whites in the vintage. All Clairette planted in limestone soils, this vivid gold-hued beauty offers a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, balanced style as well as classic notes of white flowers, dried pineapple, honeycomb, and subtle waxy nuances. It’s rich yet stays weightless and elegant, with a terrific sense of freshness (although I suspect the acidity is quite low) and purity. It’s going to evolve for 10-15 years or more, although there’s no need to delay gratification.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAlluring, with lemon curd, heather and macadamia notes out front, followed by yellow apple, white peach and mirabelle plum notes. The long finish is both showy and defined, with a hint of white truffle lurking, ready to blossom with cellaring if that’s your bag, though hard to lay off it now. Drink now through 2027. 111 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis has a smoky, spicy nose with all the softness of Clairette behind. The oak regime is robust, but unusually this Clairette has the concentration and presence to handle it. It adds a toastiness and accentuates the citrus dimension. Intense and driving, almost outrageously flavoursome for Clairette. 1,600 bottles made. Pure Clairette Blanche grown on limestone in lieu-dit Vaudieu, fermented and aged half in new barriques, half in older ones. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.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

Sophisticated aromas of lead pencil, graphite and blackcurrant. Hints of black olives and herbs, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and deep, with super precision and intensity to the tannins. Incredible balance of structure and finesse to this. Give it time in the cellar. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSA dark tone to the nose, black pepper, liquorice and black cherries with hints of rose. So fruit forward and expressive on the palate, a riot of wild strawberries, herbal-touched raspberries and spiced liquorice sticks exude from the glass giving nuance and complexity on the palate. This is clean and crisp with fine but softly creamy tannins, weighty structure and such sweet, succulent fruit. Intense yet delivered with a slight of hand that gives definition and layers, it’s fun and serious - just wonderful. So much going on here. Ageing for 24 months in barriques (80% new, 20% one year old).Decanter | 97 DECRich and deeply colored, evoking black cherry, blackberry, plum, tar, wild herb and spice flavors. Dense yet retains a sense of freshness, with refined tannins lining the finish. Nicely integrated and long. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 7,916 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSViolets, fresh mint and raspberry come together with reductive notes of tar as well as tobacco, leather and spices—cardamom jumps out in particular—on the complex nose of this wine. Dark berries emerge on the palate, with more herbs, spices, bitter chocolate and coffee grinds. The dusty tannins and searing acid confirm time will elevate this even further.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPackaged in a heavy but beautifully designed bottle, the Tenuta Luce 2019 Luce della Vite is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. This is an icon Italian wine in its own right, and it proves exceptionally versatile and likable year in and year out. My biggest concern with this vintage is the powerful 15% alcohol that adds even more power to an already brawny Tuscan blend. The bouquet is saddled with dark fruit, cooked cherry and lots of savory oak spice and tobacco from barrique aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

It’s hard to put the glass down while exploring the depths of raspberry compote, dried orange peels, roses, exotic spice and a dusting of cocoa that form the absolutely stunning bouquet of the 2019 Carmignano Riserva Piaggia. This is pure elegance. It’s silky and refined as liquid violet florals and ripe red and black fruits easily rush across the palate. Its vibrant acidity maintains exceptional finesse despite the massive primary concentration slowly taking hold. The 2019 finishes long with a coating of sweet tannins and balsamic-tinged cherry. The balance here is amazing, which might trick readers into finishing their bottles far too quickly, but trust me, the best is truly yet to come. This is Rock Star juice.Vinous Media | 96 VMBlackcurrants with crushed-stone and lavender undertones. Medium to full body, slightly chewy tannins and a clove and dried-flower aftertaste to the dark fruit. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

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

The 2019 H Block Hudson Vineyards is another stunning wine in this range from Fritz and Caren Hatton. It offers up a whole range of savory and floral Franc aromatics allied to dense, huge Merlot fruit. Time in the glass brings out subtler shades of nuance. Bright red berry fruit, mocha, spice, rose petal and a hint of French oak linger. The 2019 is a total knock-out. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 97 VMMore Cabernet Franc-dominated (there’s 30% Merlot), the 2019 Red Blend H Block Hudson Vineyards has a deep plum/ruby hue as well as textbook Franc notes of black cherries, currants, chocolate, tobacco, and truffly earth. Medium to full-bodied, pure, beautifully balanced, and incredibly elegant, this is just another gorgeous wine from this estate. 454 cases.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDCofermenting 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot from the great site, this wine is chalky, complex and ageworthy. Reductive, it offers dense layers of smoked meat, oak and earthy girth, while being savory throughout, with an impressive tannin structure. Herb and spice linger on the lengthy finish. Enjoy best from 2029–2039.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2019 Red Blend H Block Hudson Vineyard is a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls out of the glass with bright, energetic notes of redcurrants, black raspberries and Morello cherries, plus hints of menthol, roses and juicy plums, with a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegant and perfumed, featuring fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing with loads of floral fireworks. Beautiful.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThis has a fragrant nose of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, dried violets, lavender, thyme, nutmeg and walnuts. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Fleshy texture with a deep core of ripe fruit and leafy, floral undertones. 70% cabernet franc and 30% merlot. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JS

This is one of the icon wines of southern Italy. It maintains its timeless nature throughout the years, in good vintages and in bad. The 2019 Montevetrano embraces the radiance and elegance of the very good vintage this was in Campania, with cool nights, good moisture and average summer temperatures. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Aglianico and 20% Merlot sourced from a five-hectare site with clay soils. Some 20,000 bottles are made. The bouquet reveals dark cherry and black plum with baker’s chocolate and exotic spice. There is an especially black fruit quality that is almost tarry from the Aglianico, and that grape really pops from the blend, as it should, since this is one of the original "super Campania" wines.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2019 Montevetrano captivates with a rich mix of brown spice, tobacco, rum-soaked cherries, menthol and mint. This is classy and polished, with textures of pure silk and a massive core of dark red and black fruits that slowly saturate the palate. The 2019 finishes classically dry and incredibly long, leaving fine-grained tannins framing wild blueberry and sage nuances. What a beauty. Cellaring will be required to unlock all of its charms. The 2019 Montevetrano is a beautifully composed blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Aglianico and 20% Merlot.Vinous Media | 95 VMA bold red, with lush layers of blackberry reduction and crème de cassis enriched by toasty smoke and tarry mineral threads. Features fine-grained, well-knit tannins that provide sculpted structure, with fragrant black licorice, fig cake and wild sage notes lingering on the chewy finish. Aglianico. Best from 2023 through 2029. 1,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis famed red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Aglianico and Merlot, finds a greater balance in 2019 than in the past couple of vintages. Purplish in the glass, its rich nose packs a punch: ripe blackberry, clove, dark chocolate and an almost-curry scent. Although powerful and concentrated, it seems to be more polite than usual, with soft tannins, moderate extraction and extremely good balance. The tannins are firm and polished on the mid-palate, well balanced with the fruit despite a slightly austere finish.Decanter | 91 DEC

Tightly wound and dense, this red features pure flavors of black currant and blackberry that show accents of iron, cedar and oak spices, with tannins flexing their presence on the long finish. Energetic and fresh, with a lasting impression of sweet, ripe fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2045. 1,666 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis has a subtle and exotic wasabi-like piquancy and freshness to the olives, cassis and currant leaves. Rich, flavorful and pretty full-bodied on the palate with firm, polished tannins and bright acidity helping to chip away the heaviness here. Really vivid and mouthwatering finish with a lengthy closure. Bravo! Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JS

Hickinbotham’s 2019 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz is a 56-44 blend of the two varieties, aged in around 50% new French oak. Blended from selected barrels, it ratchets up the intensity even further than the Trueman Cab or Brooks Road Shiraz, while also adding additional layers of complexity. The herbal notes of the Cab are there but toned down, the cassis and blackberry notes of the two varieties complement each other, and the vanilla and cedar shadings are beautifully integrated into the wine. Full-bodied, concentrated and richly textured, it’s expansive yet structured and long and elegant on the finish. Give it another couple of years in the cellar and drink it over the next two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPDelivers a gorgeous, generous mix of velvety dark chocolate-covered cherry, red licorice and mocha as well as hints of fresh mint, huckleberry and boysenberry at the core. This wine’s power is matched by refinement and a long, expressive finish, where spicy notes linger. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Drink now through 2035. 445 cases made, 229 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA glossy, vanilla-and-spiced oak sentinel stands guard over this Cab-Shiraz blend from a top McLaren Vale vineyard. It’s not wholly intrusive, but it makes itself known, as do the characteristics of supple dark berry fruit and chocolate with undertones of mint and spice. The palate is equally rich and broad shouldered, with plump, concentrated fruit and spicy, powerful but well-placed tannins. An infant now, it should age gracefully and slowly. Drink 2024 until well into the 2030s.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2019 Brega is more open and expressive, with gorgeous kirsch, herbes de Provence, pepper, and leather-like aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, has a broad, layered mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDA bold and ripe garnacha with some nicely baked red cherries and strawberries, with some white pepper spices. Nice texture on the medium- to full-bodied palate, showing close-knit, chalky tannins and a ripe, but juicy finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSThis dark-violet-colored wine has a bouquet of blackberry, purple plum, clove and vanilla. Silky smooth on the palate, it offers Mission fig, black-cherry, clove, eucalyptus and milk-chocolate flavors wrapped in a web of plush tannins that glide into a enduring finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA harmonious red, with fine, crisp tannins providing trim definition to concentrated flavors of black cherry reduction, Kalamata olive, wild herbs and milled pepper. Long and fresh on the palate, with mineral accents on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,650 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAn unashamedly big and powerful wine, appealing to those who prefer their wines rich and oaky. This is from the Jorge Ordónez-owned Bodegas Breca, from two very old plots planted in 1900 and 1918. With smoky bacon, woody spice and layers of red fruits, the wine is high in alcohol but not driven by it.Decanter | 90 DEC