Red Wines

wines

The aromas of iodine, oyster shells and mushrooms turn to blackberries. Full body, polished tannins and a plush, velvety texture. Gorgeous length and tension. Aftertaste turns to leaves, forest floor and blackberries. Salty and savory. Wow.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2014 Cariad is wonderfully expressive, open-knit and gracious. Sweet floral and spice notes give the 2014 much of its aromatics, while fruit is bright, vibrant and intense. I imagine the 2014 will drink well pretty much upon release. Today, the 2014 is showy, plush and inviting, but there is also plenty of depth to back it all up. Although I wouldn't dream of opening any of the 2014s early, but if I had to choose one wine to open before the others, this would be it. Cariad is a blend of fruit from several David Abreu ranches, with Madrona Ranch as the central component.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2014 Proprietary Red Cariad, which is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon but also contains important percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, is made from purchased fruit from David Abreu’s vineyard holdings on Howell Mountain and in St. Helena. This wine offers loads of unsmoked cigar tobacco, melted licorice, charcoal embers, blackberry and mulberry fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning intensity, impressive equilibrium, and well-integrated acidity and tannin. It is another beauty, obviously coming from first-growth terroirs. This should drink beautifully for 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 96 RPA big, rich, deep and caressing style, with wonderful textural nuances that smooth out the chewy dark berry, graphite, gravel and black licorice flavors. Most impressive on the finish, which sails along, gaining depth and persistence. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2038. 810 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Intense red-fruits nose, quite oaky. Rich, velvety and lavish with fine-grained tannins. Very concentrated, spicy and peppery, but not extracted or heavy. Good length.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECThis is markedly reduced at present so I would strongly suggest decanting it if you are tempted to open a bottle young. Otherwise the supple, round and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors possess a sleek muscularity and solid intensity, all wrapped in a lingering finish that presently displays a hint of an edge that may or may not ever round off. As such my rating is a compromise as I suspect that this will develop even better complexity with age and thus even if the balance isn’t perfect, the ’14 Clos des Epeneaux should still make for a lovely wine.Burghound | 91 BHTasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, the 2014 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux from Comte Armand has quite a nuanced nose with dusky red berry fruit, autumn leaves and a touch of stewed black tea. I like the cohesion and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, nicely balanced and supple in the mouth. There is something easy-drinking and approachable about this Pommard: well crafted and with satisfying tension. While not the greatest in recent vintages, this is still a pleasurable Pommard that overcame the hail that destroyed 90% of the vineyard that year. Tasted September 2017.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPStill a bright red centre though turning a little at the edges. Fresh bright red fruit on the nose. The acidity keeps it bright at the back but this does not have the natural balance of 2017. The component parts should come together in another three to five years. Drink from 2027-2032. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

This wine stood out at a recent vertical that stretched back to 1964. The 2014 vintage is an unqualified success here, with voluptuously ripe red and blackberry fruit, nuances of smoke and spice. The texture is silky and dense but perfectly balanced by a lovely freshness that carries the fruit to an impressively long finish. It is assembled from the three Rousseau parcels that total 1.42ha. Destemmed and fermented slowly on native yeasts before ageing in new casks.Decanter Magazine | 99 DECBy the time I arrived at the Clos de Bèze and Chambertin here, I was emotionally spent from the symphony of 2014 brilliance that had preceded them. However, both these wines are so profound that there is no doubt that they are the two red wines of the vintage this year! The 2014 Clos de Bèze soars from the glass in a brilliantly expressive nose of red and black plums, red and black cherries, gorgeous minerality, raw cocoa, gamebirds, violets and cedary new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and sappy at the core, with magical soil inflection, laser-like focus, enormous nascent complexity and a very, very long, tangy and fine-grained finish of enormous energy and seamless balance. Stunning juice. (Drink between 2027 - 2090)John Gilman | 99+ JGA towering well of cherry, raspberry, wild herb and mineral flavors are the hallmarks of this red, which possesses terrific energy and concentration on a slim frame. The fruit-, mineral- and spice-filled finish goes on and on, with an aerial component that drives the complex aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2045. 61 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA brilliantly discreet spicy nose consists of sandalwood, essence of black cherry liqueur, violets and a hint of the sauvage. There is seriously good size, weight and power to the imposingly scaled flavors that display almost painful intensity on the driving, explosively long and very firmly structured finish where a pleasing bead of minerality appears which helps to add lift to the finish. This is powerful and presently quite compact yet my sense is that despite being very tightly wound today, it should progressively unfold such that in 7 to 8 years, it may be sufficiently civilized to enjoy if you don’t wish to wait for its full maturity.Burghound | 97 BHSaturated, bright dark red. Knockout soil-inflected aromas of black raspberry, boysenberry, mocha and gibiers, with the wine’s 100% new oak element nicely integrated. Boasts outstanding sucrosité for the vintage but strong saline minerality and firm acidity perfectly counterpoint the wine’s sweetness. This very large-scaled, densely packed wine spreads out horizontally on the inexorable rising finish, saturating the palate with a fine dusting of tannins and shimmering minerality. This stunning Clos de Bèze has all the elements for greatness.Vinous Media | 96+ VM

Dark red with ruby tones. Deeply pitched aromas of currant, dark cherry, licorice and leather. Dense, sweet, slightly leathery wine with noteworthy depth of texture. Not showing the light mineral touch it displayed from barrel a year ago but this is quite ripe and broad--even a bit chocolatey--for the vintage. Finishes with slightly tough tannins.Vinous Media | 90 VMWhile not as pretty as the Chaumes this is notably complex with its subtly wooded nose of earth black currant, game, smoke and lovely floral hints. There is markedly better concentration to the delicious and suave middle weight flavors that possess excellent intensity and volume as well as impeccable balance. This isn’t as refined as the Chaumes but the additional concentration and complexity make this the more interesting wine.Burghound | 90-93 BH

An intensely spicy and floral red berry and cassis-suffused nose merges seamlessly into impressively rich and full-bodied middle weight flavors that possess just a hint of minerality on the hugely long and palate staining finish. This lightly austere and beautifully well-balanced effort is an obvious wine of class and grace.Burghound | 93 BH(100% vendange entier; 80% new oak; from a healthy crop of 42 hectoliters per hectare):Bright red-ruby. A touch of reduction mostly dissipated to reveal classic Suchots scents of black raspberry, Oriental spices, flowers and fresh herbs, plus an intriguing note of paprika. Wonderfully silky, plush, generous wine with sneaky inner-mouth energy. The wine’s sweet oak component will need a few years to harmonize with its fruits and flowers. Finishes with terrific length and substantial ripe tannins. This should ultimately make a wonderfully complete Burgundy.Vinous Media | 92-95 VM

A restrained, indeed almost mute nose only grudgingly offers up notes of various red berries along with hints of plum, lilac and spice. There is a beguiling mouth feel to the generous yet sleek middle weight flavors that are again shaped by refined tannins before culminating in a youthfully austere finish that is firm, balanced and solidly persistent. This is a first-rate Vosne villages and is also worth considering.Burghound | 90 BHThe 2014 la Colombière had also been racked three weeks before our tasting and this was a bit more reticent in personality after its recent racking. With a little coaxing, the nose eventually offers up quite a complex blend of red plums, raspberries, cocoa, a touch of nuttiness, a good base of soil, duck and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and adolescent, with a good sappy core, fine transparency, ripe, moderate tannins and very good length and grip on the finish. This will be very good. (Drink between 2020 - 2045)John Gilman | 90-91 JGThe 2014 Vosne Romanée les Colombières is blessed with lovely pure fruit on the nose, fuller than some premier crus Vosne-Romanées with impressive fruité. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent entry, nicely judged acidity and good mineralité. This is a stylish and suave les Colombières with a pleasing saline tang right on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

The 2014 is one of the best young vintage of Feusselottes that I have tasted from the Mugneret sisters. The stunning nose delivers a perfumed constellation of red plums, cherries, roses, gamebird, cocoa powder, a gorgeous base of chalky soil tones and a gentle framing of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and sappy at the core, with stunning soil signature, suave tannins and great length and grip on the laser-like finish. A beautiful bottle of Chambolle. (Drink between 2024 - 2065)John Gilman | 94 JGGood dark red A bit less pristine and high-pitched on the nose than the Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Chaignots Round and silky on the palate, conveying an utterly seamless texture to the expressive flavors of strawberry, redcurrant and earth This doesn’t quite glisten in the mouth like the Chaignots does today but it’s still a wonderfully sappy, complex wine with slowly building red berry, mineral and earthy perfume A touch of pepper gives lift to the finishVinous Media | 92 VMThe 2014 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselots, which saw 50% new oak, has a crisp, tensile bouquet with more volume that the Nuits Saint Georges Chaignots. There is real transparency here: fabulous definition and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, tensile like the Chaignots but there is a touch of more fruit that seems a little darker and denser. The finish just skips along with joy. This is superb.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThough there is a touch of wood here as well it is more subtle and easily allows the cool red currant, pomegranate, cherry and softly spice-inflected aromas to be appreciated. There is a notably finer mouth feel to the seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that exhibit fine depth and length if perhaps not quite the same refreshing vibrancy on the dusty finish.Burghound | 91 BH

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

Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between opens with tantalizing molten chocolate and liquid licorice notions over crème de cassis, candied violets, baked red currants, kirsch and black tea scents. The palate is full-bodied and firmly textured with ripe, grainy tannins while packed with floral and black fruit layers, finishing very long and minerally with an energetic red fruit lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPHundred Acre’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between, from Jayson Woodbridge’s Calistoga site, is a reminder of how expressive and rewarding his wines can be. Dark cherry, plum, new leather, smoke, licorice and menthol are all super-intense in this racy, voluptuous Cabernet Sauvignon. Potent and full-throttle, the 2014 possesses tremendous aromatic intensity (a signature of 2014) to play off the dense fruit. I tasted the 2014 blind as part of a tasting of wines from Calistoga’s Kenefick Ranch district, where it was both impressive and distinctive.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2014 Musigny from Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier is going to be one of the wines of the vintage this year. It does not possess the surreal creaminess of the Rousseau Chambertin or Clos de Bèze out of the blocks, but it shares that same bottomless intensity of flavor and magical complexity and it will be a brilliant wine in the fullness of time. The beautiful bouquet offers up scents of red and black cherries, raw cocoa, mustard seed, incipient notes of gamebird, a magically complex base of soil, woodsmoke, roses and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deeper and fuller than the Amoureuses, but every bit as elegant, with a sappy core, stunning transparency, fine-grained tannins and absolutely perfect balance on the very, very long finish. A great bottle of Musigny in the making, but do not go wasting bottles before it has had at least a dozen years’ worth of bottle age. (Drink between 2028 - 2090)John Gilman | 98 JGThe 2014 Musigny Grand Cru is just being released. Wafting from the glass with aromas of rose petals, Egyptian musk, orange rind, peonies, warm spices and red berries, it’s full-bodied, velvety and perfumed, with superb concentration, lively acids and fine, powdery tannins that still assert themselves on the long, penetrating and gently chalky finish. This is a brilliant Musigny, but while Mugnier has done some of the work for his clients by aging the wine at the domaine for seven or eight years, it still demands a decade of additional patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBright medium red. More expressive on the nose today than the Amoureuses, offering ineffable scents of black raspberry, lavender and flinty, smoky minerality. By far the plushest and deepest of these 2014s but still with outstanding definition and verve. This wonderfully fine-grained, classically dry Musigny boasts bulletproof fruit and finishes with impressive medicinal reserve. Beginning with the 2013 Musigny, Mugnier will be delaying the release of his top bottling for a minimum of two years--and possibly several years more than that--as he finds this wine especially hard to read in its extreme youth.Vinous Media | 96+ VMNot the deepest of colours and showing signs of maturing at the rim. Super elegant nose though, now really open for business. Could smell this for hours. First touch of forest floor but with all of Musigny behind. Sweetly beautiful at the end with a return of all the red fruit, wonderfully aromatic at the finish. Tasted: November 2021.Jasper Morris | 94 JMThis is aromatically quite discreet with its subtly perfumed nose that is composed of plum, dark cherry, violet, lavender and orange pekoe tea plus the first hints of secondary development. This is at once silky but powerful with plenty of minerality characterizing the velvet-textured big-bodied flavors that coat the mouth with dry extract that also serves to buffer the markedly firm tannic spine on the balanced and hugely long but presently compact finish. This classy and very stylish effort is still sufficiently backward to need close to another decade in a cool cellar though with that said, it’s not so tightly wound as to be completely impenetrable if decanted for an hour first. I would add that I will want to see how the fruit evolves relative to the structure because based on this bottle, the nose is a bit more evolved.Burghound | 93 BH

Bright medium red Compelling perfume of raspberry, flowers, game and leather, still with a touch of reduction Tactile and vibrant in the mouth, with complex flavors of red berries, flowers and flint accented by soil and light veggie nuances Not as thick as the young 2015 but a wonderfully expressive and complete village wine Finishes saline and sweet, with fine-grained tannins and superb length and soil character Frederic Mugnier noted that this wine can be kept for a long time but emphasized that it "doesn’t benefit as much from aging as the crus do"Vinous Media | 91 VM I love Monsieur Mugnier’s Chambolle villages and the 2014 is going to be excellent. The lovely nose wafts from the glass in a refined blend of red and black cherries, a touch of nutskin, lovely minerality, raw cocoa, violets, woodsmoke and just a hint of new oak. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish and very transparent, with a lovely core of fruit, moderate tannins and a long, focused and tangy finish. A lovely AC in the making. (Drink between 2021 - 2050)John Gilman | 91 JGThe 2014 Chambolle-Musigny Village has a very pleasant and pure bouquet with strawberry pastilles, touches of chalk and flint, a little pinched at first but soon opening with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy strawberry and tart cherry fruit, a touch of salinity and spice towards the cohesive finish. This is certainly approachable, although I would afford it a couple of years in bottle. Tasted November 2016.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2014 Clos de Bèze had only been in bottle for three weeks when I had a chance to taste it at the end of my November trip, but this was probably close enough to the mise that the wine had not yet had a chance to really close down. The wine is clearly going to be brilliant, as it offers up a pure and very red fruity aromatic blend of red plums, cherries, grilled meat, dark soil tones, espresso, woodsmoke, a judicious framing of spicy wood and a classic topnote of mustard seed. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a lovely core, stunning transparency, nascent complexity and a very long, beautifully balanced, fine-grained and tangy finish. This is a classic example in the making and one of the best wines in the Drouhins’ cellars in this vintage! (Drink between 2025 - 2075)John Gilman | 96+ JG(mostly from purchased grapes but also includes some estate fruit): Moderately saturated medium red Pungent aromas of minerals, flowers, spices and red licorice With its lively acidity, this wine conveys excellent precision and intensity to its wild plum and floral flavors On the light side for Clos de Bèze but the tannins are suave and fine-grained and the floral finish is refined, subtle and long Spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate and pique the taste budsVinous Media | 92 VM

The 2014 Maison Drouhin Griotte-Chambertin had also been racked a week prior to my tasting it, but this too was showing very well indeed and did not seem overly upset about having been moved out of cask so recently. The wine includes fifteen percent whole clusters this year and offers up a gorgeous and very soil-driven bouquet of strawberries, cherries, grilled meat, coffee, a beautifully transparent base of soil, gentle spices and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and loaded with sappy red fruit at the core, with excellent transparency, fine-grained tannins and outstanding length and grip on the impeccably balanced finish. (Drink between 2025 - 2075)John Gilman | 95 JG

The 2014 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Narbantons is brisk, precise and beautifully sculpted, with plenty of red-toned fruit and floral accents, all of which add to the impression of energy. Still very much tightly wound, the Narbantons needs time in bottle to soften a bit. There is plenty to look forward to, that much is clear. Small red berry, anise and crushed flowers add nuance, the Narbantons is ultimately a wine of energy. And there is plenty of that here.Vinous Media | 93 VMAt 10 years of age, this is still cruising with only a touch of secondary character present on the still conspicuously earthy and cool nose of humus and underbrush characters that add breadth to the mostly dark berry fruit scents. There is unusually good density in the context of the vintage to the velvety middle weight flavors that possess an abundance of dry extract that coats the palate and buffers the firm tannins on the slightly rustic and austere yet wonderfully complex finale. This is still improving and while it could certainly be enjoyed now, I would advise holding it for another 5 to 8 years first.Burghound | 92 BHWhen broaching the 2014 Savigny lès Beaune les Narbantons, Lalou quipped that it was her "Petit Corton." It has a complex nose of red berry fruit, dried orange peel and even a distant scent of fresh fig. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, plenty of freshness and vitality here, a little hardness toward the finish and a light spicy aftertaste. Very fine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

Decadent and earthy, showing dried-strawberry and cherry character. Medium-to full-bodied, tight and showing pinpoint, fine tannins and a pretty center palate. Drink in 2019.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Fuées has the most complex bouquet, the most engaging and edgy among Jadot’s Chambolle premier crus. This just seems...animated. The palate is fresh and smooth on the entry with good depth, plush in the mouth with well judged acidity, a little more extroverted and you could say "modern" than the Les Baudes, but with very good persistence on the finish. This is very classy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPPalish red. Enticing strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavors are complicated by stone and herbs. Creamy and suave on the palate, conveying excellent intensity and inner-mouth perfume as well as a savory complexity. This wine has the definition and lift that the Feusselottes lacks. The firm finish shows palate-staining length without any weightiness. A lovely laid-back Chambolle with excellent aging potential.Vinous Media | 91-94 VMAromas of sappy wild berry fruit, rock salt and whole-cluster fermentation are followed by a comparatively lean, angular Fuées that is still very young. There is solid fruit that continues in a zestful way throughout; a success in its style.Decanter Magazine | 91 DECWhile not imperceptible the wood treatment remains in the background on the spicy plum, violet, cherry and discreetly earthy nose. There is terrific delineation and minerality present on the elegant and gorgeously pure middle weight flavors that exhibit brilliant focus and controlled power on the superbly persistent finish. This is a picture perfect Fuées that is built to reward extended cellaring. Highly recommended.Burghound | 91-94 BH

The 2014 Barolo Le Vigne once again shows the wisdom of blending fruit from different sites. If there is a vintage where blending has the potential to be the difference-maker, 2014 is it. So it is hardly surprising to find the 2014 Le Vigne in such great shape. The red cherry jam, mint, cedar and floral notes are all finely sketched. Medium in body and classy, the 2014 is beautifully textured and inviting from start to finish. All the elements are simply in the right place. Vineyard sources are Merli, Vignane, Villero and Baudana.Vinous Media | 96 VMBeautiful aromas of licorice, tar and black cherries following through to a full body. A powerful palate with dense fruit. Chewy and intense. Needs two or three years to soften. A triumph for the vintage. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 95 JSRed berry, dried rose petal, exotic spice, menthol and a whiff of underbrush take shape in the glass. On the youthfully tense but focused palate, taut refined tannins and vibrant acidity frame raspberry, strawberry, star anise and a hint of espresso. It’s already delicious but this shows wonderful aging potential, so hold for even more complexity. Drink 2022–2034.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WELuciano Sandrone and his daughter Barbara tell me that the 2014 harvest needs explaining. Many are quick to dismiss it given the difficulties of the growing season that saw abundant rain, hail and bombe d’acqua, or "water bombs," which are a dangerous phenomenon with intense rainfall in a very small radius. But hard work does pay off. The Sandrone family employed 38 people for farming, when the average harvest requires only 22 pairs of vineyard hands. Great care was required to keep the leaves and the clusters healthy. The 2014 Barolo le Vigne is bright and fruit-forward. It is perhaps more accessible in the near term compared to past editions. It delivers dark fruit nuances over a mid-weight and compact mouthfeel.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPFragrant, exuding floral, cherry, raspberry and spice notes, with fruit and spice flavors to match. Elements of tar and underbrush sneak in as the muscular structure asserts itself on the long finish. Elegant overall. Best from 2023 through 2040. 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLe Vigne blends fruit from crus in four communes (Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo and Novello), an approach that seems particularly suited to vintages like 2014, when the rain struck some areas more heavily than others. The wine is lush and enveloping, the fruit enlivened by notes of musky wood spice and crushed violets. Firm mineral tannins support the flavors without impeding the juicy fruit. Vintus, Pleasantville, NYWine & Spirits | 94 W&S

The 2014 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets has a glorious nose that has mustered a little more va-va-voom since I tasted it from barrel last year. It lets rip with Morello cherries, fresh strawberry and a pastille-like purity. It is a very winsome bouquet, well defined and gains intensity on the glass. The palate is more conservative than the aromatics. It is well structured, the tannins slightly chalky in texture, the acidity nicely judged with a gentle grip on the finish. Whilst it does not have the persistence of the best premier crus from d’Angerville, there is an effortless nature to this Volnay.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPGood dark red Very ripe aromas of blackberry liqueur, licorice and molten dark chocolate Plush, ripe and sweet in the mouth, but a bit less refined and primary than the 2015 version, in spite of showing a cool minty nuance Finishes with serious but nicely ripe tanninsVinous Media | 91 VMThis is distinctly more restrained with its layered assortment of plum, dark berries, earth and pretty spice elements. There is a really lovely mouth feel to the beautifully well-delineated middle weight flavors that possess plenty of minerality on the dusty and focused and slightly fleshier finale. Lovely.Burghound | 90-92 BH

One of my favorite first-growth sites of Napa Valley is the Dr. Crane Vineyard on the back streets of St. Helena, and Myriad produces two cuvées: a 225-case Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian, which is a barrel selection based on the best barrels Mike Smith can find from Darnajou and Taransaud cooperage. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard, 15.1% alcohol, is from clone 337 and is a wine of great power and richness with complex blueberry and blackberry, charcoal and graphite notes, stunning minerality, beautiful purity, velvety tannins and a killer finish of close to 50+ seconds. This wine is drinkable because it is a 2014, but it should age nicely for two decades or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPI loved the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard and it offers sensational purity and elegance in its crème de cassis, lead pencil, graphite and smoked earth aromas and flavors. One of the deeper, richer and more concentrated wines in the lineup, yet still with the telltale 2014 suppleness and elegance, this full-bodied beauty has polished tannin, no hard edges and is pure class all the way. As with all the 2014s from Mike, it already offers pleasure today, yet will cruise in the cellar on it balance, purity and freshness.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDBlackberry and fresh mushroom aromas. Fresh spices to boot. Full-bodied, layered and dense. A little old school but shows a firmness and form to it. Give this two or three years.James Suckling | 95 JSExhibits the chewy edginess of a young wine, with tannins out front of a rich core of gravel and licorice notes, laced with blackberry and currant accents. The finish is strong, long and structured, reverberating with the core flavors. Drink now through 2034. 200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSMyriad’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane is powerful, dense and sweet, with plenty of the fruit intensity that is typical of this site. Red cherry and raspberry jam, sweet spices, mint and spice notes all develop nicely. Succulent and juicy, the 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Just bottled, the 2015 Barolo Riserva Cascina Dardi is a real powerhouse. This full-bodied, potent Barolo packs a huge punch. It won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, that much is obvious. Time in the glass brings out aromatic intensity and inner perfume. Spice and blood orange accents lend an exotic quality to this dark, layered Barolo. The Riserva is a wine for readers who appreciate the natural fragility of artisan wines, wines that aren’t perfect but that perfectly embody the human spirit.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Here the kaleidoscopically spicy nose is slightly riper with its beautifully layered range of both red and blue pinot fruit, sandalwood, anise, hoisin and rose petal. The rich, classy and ultra-refined medium weight flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel before terminating in a marvelously complex, driving and explosively long finish. This almost thick effort is quite firm but not at all austere though I have a sneaking feeling that this is going to shut down significantly once it is in bottle and thereafter, plenty of patience will be requisite.Burghound | 96 BHThe 2015 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is lovely, revealing a beautifully pure bouquet of cassis, plum, clove, violets, rose petal and spice. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and complete, with supple, fine-grained tannins and excellent depth and dimension, with the most flesh on its bones of all the domaine’s grands crus. The inherent elegance of Romanée-Saint-Vivant really plays into Charles Lachaux’s hands.Robert Parker wine Advocate | 95 RPFull dark red. Musky, wild scents of raspberry, espresso and mocha quickly shut down in the glass. Plump, sweet and quite powerful, with its very ripe, almost liqueur-like dark fruit flavors a bit blurred today by the wine’s significant baby fat. Finishes broad, dry and very long but downright inscrutable. Today I don’t find the sappy minerality or lift this wine displayed from barrel a year ago but it’s stubbornly backward today and will need at least six or seven more years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

The Biondi-Santi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is initially a reticent wine and one that does not immediately subscribe to the overstated abundance and exuberance of the vintage. Give it time. I wrote this review after several tastings over several days so I could ensure a more accurate account of the wine’s elegant reveal. Contemplative and exceedingly nuanced in personality, with wild berry, underbrush, ferrous earth and candied orange peel, this has everything to look forward to in terms of its future evolution in the bottle. It displays a pretty ruby color that borders on garnet and polished copper. A silky, mid-weight palate is accented by beautifully managed and silky tannins (this aspect of the mouthfeel is extraordinary), bright freshness and long-lasting fruit momentum. The alcohol is a bit more powerful in this release (at 14.5%), but the effect is supple and smooth nonetheless. I tasted bottle number 256.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva pulls you close to the glass with a deep and seductive display of black raspberry preserves complemented by sweet sage, dried roses and pipe tobacco. With further coaxing, it gains in volume and lift, taking on hints of mint and camphor. This greets the palate with undeniable elegance, casting velvety waves of violet-tinged wild berries and sweet spices across a motivating core of juicy acidity, as a subtle coating of round tannins forms toward the close. While structured and incredibly long, energy remains high, as nuances of cherry pits offset by sour citrus and hints of cedar fade. It’s amazing to experience such energy and purity from a young Biondi Santi Riserva. As pretty as the Annata released last year was, I worried that the extended aging for the Riserva might rob the wine of some of its fruit; instead it is the complete opposite, as this contains the depth and complexity of the best wines of the vintage. I can’t wait to see how the 2015 matures over the next several decades.Vinous Media | 97 VMComplex yet pure, subtle and refined nose that gently evolves, with mossy red cherries, dried roses, chalk, tar and dried orange peel. There is a lift of clove and eucalyptus that makes it so distinctive. A powerful, medium-to full-bodied Brunello, but seamless and bright, with a fine, transparent mid-palate and restrained, mineral austerity. Understated complexity that will need time to bloom. Hold until 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 Riserva was born during the brief period between Franco Biondi Santi’s death and subsequent acquisition by luxury company EPI in 2016. Looking to make more accessible wines, Franco’s son Jacopo started picking on 21 September. By the estate’s historic standards, this is relatively late. The outcome is a generous and weighty expression that is less bracing than usual. It coats the mouth without being heavy and is hemmed in by firm, steely tannins. Sweet tobacco and bay leaf punctuate ripe red cherry and lead to a pleasant bitter twist on the finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 94 DEC

Composed of 38% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 23% Syrah and 9% Counoise, the 2015 Oublie 22 has six extra months in barrel compared to the straight Oublie cuvée. With a medium garnet-purple color, it reveals expressive black cherries, dried mulberries and raspberry preserves notes with a spice box and garrigue undercurrent, plus a waft of tapenade. Full-bodied, concentrated and with tons of spices developing in the mouth, it has a chewy frame and plenty of freshness, finishing on a berry preserves note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe extended aged version of the Oublie, the 2015 Oublie 22 (38% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 23% Syrah and 9% Counoise) spent 22 months in barrel and sports a slightly deeper color as well as notes of black cherries, graphite, cured meats, pepper and assorted butcher shop-like notes. It’s slightly more concentrated than the base cuvée, its tannin is slightly more polished, and it will also evolve slightly longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD Structured and stylish, with floral garrigue, crushed stone and blackberry accents that build power and richness toward big but refined tannins.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is absolutely delicious. Ripe, radiant and seductive, the 2015 is going to be nearly impossible to resist young. Even so, there is plenty of structural underpinning beneath all of the fruit. Sweet floral notes develop in the glass, adding lift, but above all else, the 2015 is a wine of textural voluptuousness, all in a silky, mid-weight style that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Dark, powerful and explosive, D'Alceo is one of the epic wines of 2015. Crème de cassis, plum, graphite, sage, lavender, and menthol rush out of the glass in a deep, beautifully resonant wine loaded with class. A wine with striking inner sweetness, depth and structure, the 2015 will thrill readers lucky enough to own it for a number of years to come. The 2015 was fermented in cement and then spent 14 months in oak. It is rich, sumptuous and simply irresistible.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGFeaturing concentrated flavors of blackberry, black currant, earth and leafy underbrush, this red is wrapped in a shroud of stiff tannins that upsets the balance a little. Nevertheless, this will come into its own with decanting, a little aging in bottle or paired with grilled steak or lamb. Delivers excellent intensity, energy and length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2029. 925 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis is a big and self-assured red with lots of charcoal, vanilla, dried blackberries, barbecued meat and resin. Full-bodied and very chewy indeed with a ton of dark fruit and raw power. A delicate line of acidity pulls the brakes on. Drink in 2027!James Suckling | 95 JSTruffle, leather, crushed violet, mature blueberry and molten chocolate aromas meld together on this full-bodied red. A savory, earthy blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, the smooth palate offers mature blueberry, blackberry and clove aromas punctuated with hints of game. Velvety tannins provide polished support. Drink through 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEShowing penetrating black fruit with lots of density and richness, the 2015 d'Alceo revealed a distant hint of rubber or animal that could be a point of concern if it were to worsen with time. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, and the fruit in this warm vintage is loosely knit and thick in fiber (ending with a 14.5% alcohol content that does leave its mark). The wine definitely needs more time to flesh out and integrate with bottle aging, but because of that slight flaw on the bouquet, I don't feel confident in suggesting the same extended drinking window that I have assigned to previous vintages. The jury is out on this one.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP