Red Wines

wines

Moderately saturated bright red. Herbs, red fruit and minerals on the refined nose. Then also quite elegant in the mouth, where floral nuances lift the red and blue fruit flavors. Finishes long with herbal notes that add complexity.Vinous Media | 92 VMSubtle and flavorful with spice, white-pepper and dark-berry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Firm tannins. Polished and delicious. Why wait? Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2016 Las Posadas is a stunning Howell Mountain wine. Inky, rich and hedonistically beautiful, the 2016 is simply magnificent. Crème de cassis, chocolate, menthol, licorice, lavender, cloves, mint, graphite and crushed rocks are all amped up in the glass. Unctuous, creamy and super-expressive, the Posadas captures the opulence of Howell Mountain. It is simply magnificent in every way.Vinous Media | 100 VMA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Las Posadas Proprietary Red is an amazing effort that’s just entering what will be an extended drinking window. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, black cherries and mulberries appear on the nose, joined by a subtle leafiness (tobacco? bay?) that helps to temper the sweet nature of the fruit and bring a more savory, food-friendly quality to the wine. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a stunningly long finish that manages to be both velvety and vibrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPBlueberries and blackberries with fresh herbs and hints of walnuts and almonds. Some crushed stones. Full body and tight, chewy tannins. Dark fruit and resin and cedar undertones. Extremely long and flavorful. Finely crafted. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSFeatures seemingly endless waves of steeped blackberry, warmed fig and cassis flavors rolling through, supported by graphite girders and ornately laced with charcoal, dark bay leaf, alder and tar notes. The fruit and earth elements meld seamlessly through the rock-solid finish. As beautiful as it is large-scaled, this is built for cellaring. Next level. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. Best from 2022 through 2042. 319 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2016 Las Posadas comes from a higher elevation site on Howell Mountain and has an undeniable mountain fruit structure as well as intensity. Stunning notes of pure crème de cassis, hot asphalt, bay leaf, black olives, and a touch of beef blood all emerge from this big, rich, full-bodied powerhouse. It’s loaded with potential, has huge tannins, a mountain of fruit, and a great, great finish. It’s almost impenetrable, though, and needs a solid 7-8 years or more of cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JD

A perfect wine in every sense, the 2016 Madrona Ranch comes from a site at the base of Spring Mountain and is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It does everything right, with a magical bouquet of currants, ground herbs, licorice, graphite, spice, and who knows what else. These all carry to a massive 2016 that has a layered, multi-dimensional texture, building tannins, a colossal mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s another heavenly wine from a great terroir and a great winemaker! Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 30-40 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is phenomenal. The precision and brightness is amazing with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and so beautiful. Full to medium body and fabulous fruit. Wonderful length and beauty. The purity and balance is incredible. Dark berries, walnuts and dark chocolate. Makes you want to drink it now, but be patient and revel in the greatness. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2016 Madrona Ranch is fabulous. Rich, dense and creamy, the 2016 is remarkably finessed from the very first taste. Rose petal, mint, spice, gravel, red cherry and blood orange are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass, but more than anything else the Madrona Ranch is a wine of extraordinary balance and allure. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 99 VMOn the brooding side at first, with a core of dark fig and black currant paste flavors, ensconced in cocoa and roasted alder notes. A warm, loamy underpinning emerges steadily through the muscular finish, gaining a creamy feel and extra chestnut, tobacco, licorice root and tar elements with air. This relies on a seriously profound bass line, so just check your subwoofer before hitting play. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2042. 345 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2016 Madrona Ranch Proprietary Red comes from David Abreu’s first vineyard love, located in St. Helena at the base of Spring Mountain (visitors to Newton Vineyards traverse the property). Like so many other great full-bodied reds, it’s massively concentrated and rich yet also possesses a certain lightness and elegance, so that it never seems heavy or overdone. Marked by cassis and dark-chocolate notes, it’s wonderfully satisfying, with a long, velvety finish and soft layers of ripe tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

Another perfect wine is the 2016 Thorevilos, and my notes on this beauty were laced with expletives. Full-bodied, mammoth-sized aromas and flavors of cassis, crushed flowers, dark chocolate, rare meat, and Asia spices all emerge from the glass. With incredible mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a seamless texture, it has flawless integration of its fruit, tannins, and acidity, no hard edges, and that rare mix of power and elegance. It’s already hard to resist yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20-30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDPhenomenal aromas of blackberries, fresh lavender, orange peel and hints of asphalt. Walnut shell, too. Full-bodied, firm and super structured with wonderful, chewy tannins and purity of fruit at the end. A joy to taste, even drink now, but needs time to come around. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2016 Thorevilos has developed into a very sexy, racy wine. I don’t remember a young Thorevilos being this approachable. Rose petal, mint, sage, dried flowers and mint are some of the many notes that open up with a bit of time in the glass. This is such a gorgeous and totally compelling wine. In a word: superb.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis vineyard lies east of the St Helena AVA, but it isn’t high enough in elevation to be considered part of the Howell Mountain AVA. Don’t let the Napa Valley AVA fool you—this vineyard, now rechristened as Ecotone, is a top site, with lots of rock and white soils derived from volcanic ash. The 2016 Thorevilos Proprietary Red features scents of pine needles and rosemary accenting mixed berries and cassis, plus darker notions of chocolate and French roast. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture, it finishes long, smooth and savory, adding notes of black olives and earth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA stunner, with a seriously deep, dark core of warmed blackberry, black currant and fig paste flavors coursing along, laced with bay leaf, cassis bush, roasted alder, smoldering charcoal, cast iron and stone notes. The tarry structure will carry this through what should be a very slow evolution. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 317 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

The 2016 Boca captures the purest essence of the appellation so well. Medium in body, with striking precision and tons of energy, the 2016 is just fabulous today. Blood orange, mint, spice and sweet red cherry, they all meld together in a wine of remarkable elegance and finesse. All the elements are so well balanced. Don’t let the wine’s weightless feel fool you, there is plenty of depth. The 2016 is exceptional. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA fragrant blend of Nebbiolo and 15% Vespolina, this linear, focused red has aromas of rose petal, alpine herb, new leather and underbrush. On the racy, medium-bodied palate, notes of white pepper and star anise accent ripe Morello cherry before a savory saline finish. Tightly wound fine-grained tannins and a backbone of firm acidity provide the ageworthy framework. Drink 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape XXL has only been made previously in the 2007 vintage, and there are around 400 cases of this beauty in 2016. Coming from old vines near Beaucastel, La Crau, and Saumade, which are all rolled stone terroirs, it’s mostly Grenache (there’s 10% Mourvèdre) brought up primarily in demi-muids. This incredible wine is deep ruby/purple-colored with a massive nose of black fruits, scorched earth, graphite, incense, and pepper. Deep, hugely concentrated, pure, fine and yet still elegant, it's a magical, heavenly wine that's going to keep for 3-4 decades. While the style at Janasse has shifted to one of slightly more freshness and elegance since 2007, this is much more in the style of the old days and is guaranteed to make your blood pressure jump about 10 points or more!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDOnly the second vintage of this cuvée ever to be produced (the other is 2007), the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape XXL is about 75% Grenache, with the rest a mix of permitted varieties. It incorporates "a lot" of whole clusters and matured in demi-muid. It was bottled in May but will likely only be released in November, says Christophe Sabon. Classy aromas of crushed stone, pencil shavings and baking spices start it off on a terrific note, while ripe raspberries and stone fruit unfold on the full-bodied palate. Contrary to the implications of its name, this wine boasts incredible finesse, elegance and length and is in fact more impressive for those qualities than its overall size, power and richness. It will certainly open a few eyes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP

The current 2016 Jesús Yllera is floral and perfumed and is evolving nicely and absorbing the oak, coming through as both elegant and powerful, with fully developed flavors and a polished palate. It’s sleek and balanced. 145,000 bottles were filled in July of 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Prade bursts boldly from the glass with notions of chocolate-covered cherries, blueberry compote and plum preserves with suggestions of eucalyptus, espresso, licorice and cedar chest plus a waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and plushly textured, the decadent black fruit and spicy layers deliver a very long, impactful finish. This is so tempting to drink right now, but it will age beautifully.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2016 La Prade hits the palate with serious depth and intensity. A rush of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, menthol, crème de cassis, and bittersweet chocolate melds together in this unctuous, super-expressive wine. Creamy, silky tannins enrobe this decidedly rich, flamboyant Côtes de Bordeaux. The 2016 finishes with terrific weight and substance. All of the elements are nicely fused together. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGStately and restrained, this has a clear sense of minerality and salinity. An enjoyable wine matured in 33% new oak of both 225’ and 500l sizes. Great quality. Drinking Window 2019 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DECBold tannins and ripe fruit are the hallmarks of this rich wine from the Nicolas Thienpont range. A solid structure backs up the ripe black-currant flavors. The wine will certainly age well, so wait until 2021.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEThis is integrated and lightly chewy with dark berries and light chocolate and some hazelnuts. Medium body. Fresh finish. A blend of 88 per cent merlot and 12 per cent cabernet franc. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

Readers looking for the next superstar in Bordeaux need to jump on the bandwagon of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, who have produced one of the wines of the vintage in 2016. The 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that hit 13.8% natural alcohol and spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. Its deep purple color is followed by a complex bouquet of high-class smoke tobacco, decaying flowers, charcoal, gravelly minerality and loads of sweet black and blue fruit. Possessing full-bodied richness, flawless integration of its acidity, fruit, and ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster finish, this is another 2016 that possess both power and elegance. Do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Don’t miss it. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Breathtaking in its beauty, the 2016 soars from the glass with stunning aromatic and flavor intensity. Red cherry jam, wild flowers, mint, blood orange and sage are some of many notes that develop. In the glass, the 2016 is a vivid, statuesque, exotic wine that takes over all the senses as it delivers tons of pure pleasure. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2016 for at least a few years, but that will be virtually impossible. The 2016 is a towering masterpiece from Les Carmes Haut-Brion and Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGTerrific ripeness, depth and complexity on offer here. This has a very attractive array of bright, ripe blueberries and cassis with some leafy and earthy notes. The palate has a quite deep, long and vibrant array of perfectly ripe dark plums and blueberries. So good. Best vintage this decade. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThis offers alluring waves of ganache-tinged plum sauce, blackberry reduction and steeped açaí fruit flavors, while tobacco and singed mesquite notes hang in the background. Shows a lovely bramble echo through the finish, with the fruit easily keeping pace. This has range, distinctive mouthfeel and serious length. There’s a new player officially in the Pessac game... Best from 2023 through 2038. 3,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSWith 51% whole-bunch fermentation for the Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this is the highest proportion in this wine. This is just gorgeous, with a beautiful sweetness on the attack from ripe fruit and a touch of smoked caramel. It really rises through the palate, gripped by liquorice, hazelnut, dark chocolate and black cherry fruits that ripple through the palate. I loved this wine En primeur and it is absolutely living up to its billing. It has an IPT of 90, but the tannins are full of life, yielding in just the right places while still confident and keeping everything in line.Great persistency too. 3.49pH. 80% new oak, 10% Stockinger and 10% amphoras. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 65% new and 35% one-year-old oak for 22 months. This vintage represents one of the largest percentages of Cabernet Franc for this wine. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it gives notes of kirsch, black raspberries and black plums with touches of cassis, violets, chocolate box and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied, firm, grainy and lively with loads of layers and a long, well-poised finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

This is a fantastic white. The greatest Ornellaia white so far. Very complex and dense yet, at the same time, energetic and vivid. This shows so much richness and density with a pretty, phenolic texture that keeps you entranced. Full-bodied with lots of honeysuckle, green-melon and cooked-apple character. Very long and flavorful. Dynamic and great wine. Drinkable now, but better in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe star of the show with regard to the whites is unquestionably the 2016 Ornellaia Bianco. It’s reminiscent of a great vintage of Domaine de Chevalier with its incredible purity, precision, and length, displaying notes of clean citrus, melon, white flowers, and honeyed minerality. Fresh and vibrant as well as rich and powerful, it’s medium-bodied, seamless, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, with a thrilling finish. While it’s beautiful today, it should keep for 10-15 years or more. The 2016 is 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was brought up in 30% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA cooler but drier year than 2015, making an interesting comparison between Ornellaia Bianco’s only two 100% Sauvignon Blanc vintages. Smoky lanolin notes lead to a concentrated, intense and juicy palate with creamy nectarine, grilled pineapple and citrus zest. Despite heading towards all-out exoticism, however, the 2016 is corseted and refined, demonstrating a push-pull between juicy, ripe tropical fruits and mineral restraint, suggesting there is much more to come from this wine. The individual base wines were fermented in barriques (30% new) with no malolactic fermentation, then aged on the lees for up to 18 months with occasional batonnage. A final three months on steel was completed before blending and bottling.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2016 Ornellaia Bianco is a beguiling wine, even a bit deceptive when you get down to facts. This is indeed the central part of its irresistible charm. For one, this edition is a mono-variety wine made solely with Sauvignon Blanc. (The other protagonist of the blend, Viognier, is said to return in 2017.) However, the complexity of the bouquet could mistakenly make you think the blend is more intricate. You get white rose, crisp apple, saffron, toasted pine nut, cinnamon and wild sage. The aromas show brilliant detailing. In addition, the wine is expansive and creamy in terms of mouthfeel. However, none of the whites at Ornellaia—including this wine—undergo malolactic fermentation, though the creamy and richly textured mouthfeel might lead you to conclude otherwise. This classic vintage is especially generous and rich. The wine does see barrique aging, but only a third of the wood is new. Those spicy endnotes serve to frame the beautiful fruit that sits squarely at center stage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2016 Ornellaia Bianco has more nuance, freshness and layers of flavors than the 2015 tasted alongside it. I very much like the delineation and energy that are such signatures of the 2016.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe 2016 Ornellaia Bianco looks more mature than the 2015 and Heinz comments that it may have had a little too long in oak - 18months - which was longer than in other vintages. Although 2016 was cooler than 2015 - so you might expect more freshness - it was also much drier than 2015. This 2016 has an orange-gold tone to the color and a slightly, nutty, dried fruit aromatic profile with lightly perfumed spice notes. The texture is great, more of a full, voluptuous style with a medium-long finish. The 2016 is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps lacking a little freshness and vibrancy, but has a lovely silky weight and a gentle savory finish.The Wine Independent | 93 TWI

I was also able to taste the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Da Capo, which comes mostly from older vines in the La Crau lieu-dit and spends an additional year in a large foudre. The 2016 vintage was truly magical for the region, and this Cuvée Da Capo is unquestionably one of the finest vintages for this cuvée ever made, in the same league as, if not surpassing, the 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2010. Sensational notes of cured meats, crème de cassis, crushed violets, ground pepper, tapenade, truffle, and sweet herbes de Provence all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied style that stays seamless, weightless, and as pure as they come. Traditional, classic Châteauneuf Du Pape doesn’t get better. I hate to be the guy who throws out the “best to date” line very often, but this is truly magical stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDAs impressive as the Cuvée Réservée is, the 2016 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée da Capo brings an extra level of intensity. Turn that volume up to 11 or even 12. Waves of black cherries, plums and chocolate wash across the full-bodied, velvety palate, lingering nearly forever on the finish. As big and bold as it is, it remains breathtakingly elegant and fine. It should evolve gracefully through at least 2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPBlack-cherry and plum flavors are ripe but pertly balanced in this Grenache blend. It’s spicy and intensely aromatic, wafting of cloves, allspice and caramel, yet revitalizing and mineral too. The finish is endlessly long, fringed by fine, taut tannins. It’s stunning now but should improve through 2036 and hold further still.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEVivid ruby. Intensely perfumed dark berry, cherry preserve and licorice aromas are complemented by hints of game, exotic spices and candied lavender. Deep, sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed raspberry, cola and floral pastille flavors and a strong suggestion of spicecake. Shows superb clarity and power on a ridiculously long, sappy finish that eventually leaves behind cherry liqueur and bitter chocolate notes.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is richly fruited, with succulent plum, boysenberry and fig preserve flavors that are seamlessly layered and laced with warm anise, black tea and smoldering tobacco notes. The long finish features well-embedded chalky grip that gives this cut to match the lush fruit. A beauty. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2021 through 2040. 833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSAll 13 varieties have been used from lieux-dits La Crau, Les Escondudes and Mont Pertuis, with no destemming. There’s some complexity and interest on the nose already, with aromas of violets, blueberries, raspberries and a touch of tobacco leaf. The wine is medium to full-bodied, but without any heaviness, with sublime freshness and piercing acidity. This has real life, and a lightness of touch which delivers real drinkability. Very fine, abundant ripe tannins work like a lattice through the fruit. The fairly raised levels of alcohol don’t give a sense of imbalance in the wine, and it finishes on a lifted note. The best Da Capo in a long time. Real elegance. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036Decanter | 97 DECThis is the second year in a row that the Férauds have bottled this rare cuvée, made only in exceptional vintages. The 2016 is even more intense than the 2015, with a bright energy that makes it inviting despite its size. A blend of all 13 red-wine varieties permitted in the appellation, fermented in whole bunches with ambient yeasts in tank, it uses stemmy herbal notes to lift the masses of dark, figgy fruit, taking it into higher, fresher registers of roses and seedy strawberries, cracked peppercorns and garrigue. The tannins and alcohol are not harsh, but intense enough to suggest this is best left untouched in the cellar for five years, or even 15.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SAn impressive wine for the concentration and punchy fruit impact. Pears, melons and assertive lemon citrus weighs in on the palate. The length and purity is stunning. A gently savory, pastry-like edge to the finish. Will age superbly. Try from 2020.James Suckling | 93 JS

An enticing mix of incense, black tea, cracked pepper and red wild berries emanate from the 2016 Valpolicella Superiore. This is undeniably elegant, with its silky textures that seem to coat the entire palate in a seductive layer of violet-tinged fruits and suave lavender and chocolate notes. That said, this is not sweet nor overly rich; in fact, the 2016 is truly harmonious and poised, boasting tremendous concentration that‘s lifted by saline-infused acids. It leaves the palate completely saturated with cloves and allspice, as it tapers off structured and long. This is next-level Valpolicella Superiore, and it may even one day warrant a higher score. Marco Sartori uses 30% appassimento grapes in his Valpolicella, which are dried for twenty days. The wine is refined in a 50% - 50% mix of large oak cask and barrique, of which only about 20% are new.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe oak-aged Roccolo Grassi 2016 Valpolicella Superiore is a sharp and tight red wine with candied aromas of cherry and plum. The wine is dark and rich at its core with big fruit weight that wraps over the palate. Mild tannins and balanced acidity give the wine immediate drinking appeal. There is some dusty spice on the close. Production is 33,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPEarthy and peppery nose with very ripe red and black cherry nuances. Cedary on the palate, soft, with a crisp acidity.Decanter | 91 DEC

Moving to the grand vin, the 2016 Proprietary Red is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Tasting like a mix of the 2013 and 2014 with its incredible elegance and power, it reveals a deep purple hue as well as extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, crushed violets, lead pencil, and unsmoked tobacco. Ethereally textured, seamless, and full-bodied, it builds incrementally on the palate and is a monster of a wine that somehow stays light, graceful and elegant. It should hit maturity after a decade of cellaring and be a 40- to 50-year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis is a barrel sample blended of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, to be bottled the first week of February 2019. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Proprietary Red opens with fragrant notions of candied violets, chocolate box and baking spices with a core of blackcurrant cordial, preserved plums and blackberry compote with touches of garrigue and menthol. Full-bodied, rich and packed with black fruits sparked by tons of cinnamon and cloves accents, it has a firm, velvety-textured frame and great freshness, finishing with epic persistence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-100 RPThe 2016 Sloan is dazzling. Soft and unctuous with no hard edges, the 2016 Sloan is just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. Sweet red plum, blood orange, spice, menthol and licorice are all melded together in a gorgeous, racy Cabernet Sauvignon that hits all the right notes. Unlike most top 2016s, Sloan can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring, although its true potential will only be unlocked with at least a few years in bottle. Spice, star anise, pomegranate and sweet red cherry overtones add an exotic flair.Vinous Media | 97 VMEnormously deep nose with an entire spectrum of black and blue fruit, plus notes of second-flush Darjeeling and mint. Widescreen Napa cabernet with a pronounced licorice note that’s not in the nose. Beautifully integrated, powdery tannins that almost perfectly support the lavish body. Long, plush and graceful finish. You could drink it on release, but this has great aging potential.James Suckling | 97-98 JS

This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives. Turns to blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet reserved and layered with chocolate, walnuts and plums. Firm yet polished tannins give a framed sense to the wine. Savory. Racy and beautifully structured, it’s extremely drinkable already. Real wine.James Suckling | 98 JSA blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pym-Rae displays a deep garnet-purple color and reveals wonderfully fragrant notes of candied violets, wilted roses, damp soil and black tea over a core of red and black currants, black cherries and warm blackberries plus touches of cigar box and camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is evocatively singular, offering that rock-solid structure of mountain fruit, yet these are wonderfully ripe, silt-like tannins that beautifully support the elegant red and black fruit layers, finishing very long and very perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP(Tesseron Estate Pym-Rae) The 2016 Pym-Rae continues to show well, with a rich, meaty, powerful style as well as loads of chocolaty black fruits, tobacco, black olive tapenade, and leather-like aromas and flavors. It’s beautiful on the palate, with massive concentration and depth as well as terrific balance. This gorgeous, deep, opulent beauty is going to benefit from another 4-6 years of bottle age and live for 3-4 decades. (Drink between 2025-2067)Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 La Muse is composed of 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. Wow—it comes strutting out of the glass with flamboyant crème de cassis, ripe plums and black cherries notes followed by nuances of aniseed, chocolate box, wild thyme, violets and chargrill plus a fragrant suggestion of potpourri. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the densely packed perfumed black fruit layers are beautifully framed by perfectly ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastically knit freshness. It finishes long with the most incredible display of mineral sparks. 2,300 cases were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPIncluding the highest percentage of Merlot (at the moment anyway), the 2016 La Muse checks in as 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec that spent 15-16 months in roughly 90% new French oak. This magical wine shows how good Merlot (and Sonoma) can be and offers extraordinary notes of crushed violets, spring flowers, scorched earth, graphite, black cherries, and crème de cassis. As elegant and seamless as they come, it’s full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has an incredible spine of acidity and tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It has the class and purity to drink well even today, but it’s not going to hit prime time for at least another decade and will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is a fabulous, merlot-based red with blackberries, blueberries and rust. Ink, too. Medium to full body, round tannins and a juicy finish. 93 per cent merlot with the rest in cabernet franc and malbec. Drink after 2021.James Suckling | 96 JSThe most approachable of the three Verité wines right now. This is richly textured with plush raspberry and grilled damson, high floral aromatics, and plenty of tannic structure that becomes more apparent as you give it time, and the weight of the mid palate asserts itself. There is a serious side to this wine that will become clearer as it ages and the welcoming puppy fat of young fruit trims down. This is Merlot dominated, and is exceptionally successful. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 La Muse is a brooding, somber wine, just as it was en primeur. Black cherry, gravel, savory herbs, smoke, game, licorice and incense add a real feeling of gravitas that comes through in the wine’s tannic heft. La Muse is often more showy when it is young, but the 2016 is going to require quite a bit of patience.Vinous Media | 94 VMDense, smoky and powerful, featuring notes of freshly ground coffee to the roasted plum and dried blackberry flavors. Hoisin sauce accents show on the tannic finish, with green herbal shadings. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Drink now through 2025. 2,205 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2017 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Hazelnut, orange peel, spice and light caramel inflections all grace this elegant, floral Vin Santo. Bright acids perk up the finish nicely. Shortening the drying period slightly to compensate for grapes that were already high in sugar worked so well. This is classic as classic gets when it comes to Vin Santo. I would love to have a few bottles in the cellar. Residual sugar is 270 grams per litre.Vinous Media | 96 VMFully rancio and citrusy, with candied orange zest, nuts and dried figs. This old-fashioned style shines on the palate, with elegance, depth, a silky texture, weight, balanced sweetness and a super-tense finish. Lacks impressive length, but is an outstanding vin santo. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSRich and creamy, boasting vanilla, honey, caramel, dried apricot and roasted nut flavors. This version is cut by balancing acidity, with a slightly cloying finish. A clean, hedonistic style. Malvasia, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 325 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSAvailable in a 375-milliliter bottle, the Fèlsina 2017 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico shows a glossy amber appearance with rich aromas of dark honey, maple syrup and brandied fruit. Despite the intensity of the bouquet, the wine is actually quite streamlined and immediate in terms of mouthfeel.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPGolden brown in the glass, and tangy, fresh and spirited on the nose, with aromas of pennies, citrus blossoms, lemon candy and apricot. The palate is slightly denser, but cohesive, with notes of dried apricot, candied lemon peel, macadamia nuts and sugar cookies. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Complex scents of black cherry, liquorice, spice and smoke. Bright entry to the palate; refreshingly spicy, with layers of lemon sorbet and sweet raspberry. Restrained but full-flavoured with a long, appealing, rounded finish. Beautiful blend.Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2017 Ornellaia Bianco is a slightly tweaked blend compared to the 2016 and includes a splash of Viognier. The blend is 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier, which is a combination you don’t see often, yet it makes sense, and the Viognier plays the role of Semillon seen in Bordeaux Blanc releases. Coming from a dry, hot year, it has a beautiful bouquet of Meyer lemons, honeysuckle, flowers, and hints of barrique. This carries to a seamless, full-bodied white that’s flawlessly balanced, has a bright core of acidity, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It’s one seriously classy white I’d be thrilled to drink any time over the coming 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA really beautiful, layered white with sliced lemons, limes, stones and hints of steel. Some lemon curd. Tight and solid with fine phenolics that give it structure and focus. Extremely poised and dignified. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe previous vintage of this wine was made soley with Sauvignon Blanc, but as expected, the Ornellaia 2017 Ornellaia Bianco sees a small percentage of Viognier added to the blend. The exact percentage of the two components is 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier. If you are a fan of these grape varieties, as I am, this wine will appeal to all your basic pleasure points. Showing medium rich concentration and a creamy textural fiber, it reveals some of the weight that we associated with this hot and dry vintage. However, any trace of over-ripeness is mitigated by the cool soils that, in this case, consist of deep calcarious clay broken up by rocks at a breezy 80 to 100 meters above sea level. This consistency is perfect for locking in moisture even in drought vintages. The wine is fermented in oak, but no malolactic fermentation occurs, and the wine instead rests on the fine lees with frequent stirring. Orchard fruits and Cavaillon melon give the wine a sturdy center of gravity. Some 5,000 bottles were made, and this wine was released in April 2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2017 Ornellaia Bianco is impressive, especially within the context of the warm, dry year. Bright and focused, the Bianco shows the natural richness of the vintage - that is impossible to escape - but it also retains quite a bit of energy. Orchard fruit, citrus and floral notes are beautifully delineated throughout. Once again, the Bianco is a wine of real distinction.Vinous Media | 94 VMSubtle peach, passion fruit, elderflower and earth flavors converge in this white. There is a touch of oak adding a vanilla accent. Though lush in texture, this is also intense and long, with an echo of passion fruit and salty elements. Drink now through 2024. 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

As always, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache (from La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse) that was not destemmed and was brought up all in used demi-muids. It’s an extraordinary wine, offering a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, ground pepper, white flowers, and spice. Full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent on the palate, with silky tannins, it’s not going to match the 2010 or 2016, but t’s a magical, elegant, layered wine that does everything right.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is lush and inviting in feel, with waves of warmed raspberry reduction taking center stage, while plum paste and cherry skin notes add range. Underneath the fruit, notes of anise, red and black tea and gently mulled spice notes course along, all supported by perfectly embedded acidity. A gorgeous wine that’s hard to lay off now because of the fruit, but there’s absolutely no rush. Best from 2023 through 2040. 375 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSRich and almost painfully intense, from yields that were reduced by coulure to only about six hectoliters per hectare, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is steadfast in being all Grenache and all whole cluster. Licorice, chocolate and super ripe plums appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, warm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBrilliant ruby-red. An expansive, spice-accented bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, incense and potpourri, and a smoky mineral element adds urgency. Juicy, seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors that firm up slowly and turn spicier on the back half. Shows serious heft, but there’s a distinctly graceful quality as well. Finishes sappy, gently tannic and extremely long, leaving a suave lavender pastille note behind.Vinous Media | 94-95 VMAnother string release under this label, showing rich dark fruit and earthy notes with plenty of spice. Tarry notes as well. The palate has a very plush, ripe and rich feel with juicy, ripe dark berries and plums, really bathed in deep, long and smooth-honed tannins. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2018 Vino de Finca is a blend of Monastrell with 25% Garnacha from a cooler, more continental vintage. The Monastrell is from 20- to 30-year-old vines, and the 8-year-old Garnacha is from limestone-rich soils. It fermented in the underground stone pools with 25% to 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 5,000-liter foudres and 500-liter barrels for 12 months. As all the Garnacha plots are now in production, there has been a higher percentage of it in the blend since 2017. The selection of plots used for this wine results in something more serious, more austere and with more depth than the entry-level Casa Castillo. He doesn’t use Syrah in this blend because he thinks without Syrah it has a more Mediterranean profile, with aromatic herbs, thyme, rosemary and lavender and the slightly more rustic notes of the Monastrell. 53,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2018 D’Alceo is a wild, exotic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot come together in a wine that is sumptuous, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, sage, mint, lavender and chocolate are some of the many notes that take shape. The 2018 was fermented in cement then aged 12 months in a combination of 500L tonneaux and barriques. This really blooms with time.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGLots of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Lots of black licorice, aniseed and light asphalt. Lead pencil, too. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2018 Des Fougères Clos Montesquieu is terrific. Black cherry, espresso, licorice, dried flowers, mocha, blood orange, gravel and baking spices open gradually in the glass. More than anything else, I admire the wine’s persistence and overall balance. Clos Montesquieu is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGClove and chili to the dark-berry and pine-needle undertones. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of ripe, fine tannins and dark fruit. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSA blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 20% new oak, the 2018 Château Des Fougères Clos Montesquieu has a pretty, incredibly floral perfume of blue fruits, mulberries, leafy herbs, cedar, and rose petals. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium-bodied, has a lively thread of acidity, light tannins, and solid length. It’s one of those wines that grows on you with time in the glass and shines more for its finesse and elegance than power. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and should keep for a decade. (Drink between 2023-2033)Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Pretty ripe fruit with berry, walnut and chocolate character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savory finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

Good complexity on the nose, chocolate, cherries, plums and blackcurrants. Succulent straight away, it makes you suck your cheeks in, the tannins are abundant and fill the mouth but with a soft, juicy chewiness that’s really pleasant. I really like this density, it feels full without being too much - all in balance. A really enjoyable wine, good to have with food and will age well continuing to integrate and soften, but I like its fruit-forward confidence right now. A bit of milk chocolate sweetness, some chalkiness and then a herbal element too - everything you need in a good claret! with typicity and approachability. Top value too. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Laffitte-Carcasset is gorgeous, just as it was from barrel. This mid-weight Saint-Estèphe impresses with its nuance and delineation. Bright red fruit, iron, menthol, anise, cedar and rose petal lend uncommon complexity, while fine grained tannins give the wine proportion and drive. This polished, under the radar gem is a real delight. Laffitte-Carcasset is an especially delicate wine for the appellation.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe estate on the plateau of Saint-Estèphe is well situated to produce this rich, full-bodied wine. Broad tannins give the dry core essential for aging. They are balanced by black-currant fruits from the 50% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. It will age well; drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEBlackcurrants, brambleberries, walnut husks, dried leaves and dark spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Fresh and structured. Crushed stone comes through in the aftertaste. Better from 2024.James Suckling | 91 JS