Rhone Blend Wines

wines

Even better and my favorite of the trio (although this is splitting hairs since all three are sensational wines), the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon offers the more flamboyant, sexy style of the vintage and has a huge nose of crème de cassis, scorched earth, graphite, and crushed flowers. It’s a singular, exotic wine that has full-bodied richness and depth yet never seems heavy or cumbersome, possessing incredible purity of fruit and perfect balance. The 2015 is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. I’d be thrilled if I had bottles in the cellar and it should deliver the goods for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2015 Ovid is a rich and racy wine. Here, too, the style is noticeably more refined and polished than in the past. Dark red cherry, plum, lavender, rose petal and mint give the wine much of its tonic energy. Fresh, perfumed and lively, the 2015 is showing beautifully, even at this early stage. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s textural richness and body nicely. Ovid is rarely this expressive in the early going.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Proprietary Red Wine comes charging out of the gate with gregarious crushed black cherries, chocolate mint and crème de cassis scents plus suggestions of red roses, Christmas cake, sandalwood, cloves and unsmoked cigars with a waft of shaved pencils. Full-bodied, concentrated and boldly fruited, with wonderfully decadent in the mouth, the plushly textured palate gives bags of spicy black fruits and a minty kick to the epically long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA beauty, with waves of red and black currant puree rolling through steadily, while tar, licorice snap, apple wood and briar notes swirl around. Authoritative grip lies underneath, allowing the fruit to keep playing out on the very long finish. A large wine that should be long-lived. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2040. 392 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is another gorgeous wine from this family estate. As always it comes from three Grenache parcels: la Serres, La Crau and La Guigasse (there are 2 hectares in each parcel). In both 2015 and 2016 this cuvée wasn’t destemmed and was brought up mostly in tank, with 15-20% in demi-muids. The 2016 spent a huge 45 days on skins before being pressed to barrel. This beauty offers the fine, finesse-driven style of the vintage, yet has full-bodied depth and richness as well as sensational notes of framboise, crushed flowers, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and spice. It’s in the top handful of wines in the vintage and will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 20+ years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(aged entirely in concrete vats) Lurid ruby-red. Exotic, intensely perfumed aromas of candied red and blue fruits, lavender and peppery spices, joined by a slowly emerging hint of garrigue. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated raspberry, cherry and fruitcake flavors and a spicy suggestion of white pepper. Shows excellent focus and a seamless quality on the finish, which is framed by suave, slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMA bolder, more concentrated and compressed expression with darker plum and cherry fruits on the nose and palate. The power and concentration here is impressive. Gently chocolate-flavored at the finish. Terrific wine. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSNext to the traditional cuvée, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is even riper and more concentrated, but that’s not always a good thing. This all-Grenache cuvée offers fudge-like density and rich tannins but also cooked, dead-fruit flavors and bright acidity on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2015 Late Bottled Vintage Port is a field blend aged for 48 months in old Portuguese vats. It was bottled in April 2019, unfiltered, with 84 grams of sugar and a bar-top cork. Powerful and intense, this opens up with concentrated, slightly jammy fruit supported by a serious backbone. If I tasted this blind, I might have assumed this tightly wound LBV was a Vintage Port, at least a modest one. The fruit is rich and expressive. The wine is nowhere near peak. Given its potential for aging and development, I’m surprised it does not have a normal, long cork. Barring cork issues, it should age well. The only remaining question is whether it will develop well. We’ll be a bit conservative just now. There were 8,500 bottles produced. Not imported, this runs around 23 euros in Portugal.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Love the aromas to this young red with blackcurrants, sage, cinnamon and five-spice character. Changes all the time. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with a ripe and rich tannin backbone that gives form and beauty to the ripe and beautiful fruit. Tight and very long. Approachable now but will reward more in five to six years. A classic Sassicaia.James Suckling | 98 JSHaving followed this wine’s evolution in barrel for the past few years, it is an honor to evaluate the final product. This Sassicaia has blossomed since my previous encounters with it as a young, awkward adolescent. The long-awaited 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia represents a tremendous effort that comes together with seamless precision and focus. This is a confident and proud red wine from Tuscany. Starting with the primary material at hand, you sense the quality of fruit thanks to the wine’s beautifully dark appearance and the rich texture it offers to the palate. The acidity is integrated, but more freshness still would have been welcomed in my view (and would also contribute to its longevity). The bouquet is amplified both in terms of volume and length. Its playlist includes dark berry fruit, spice, leather, licorice and roasted coffee bean. Yet, the mouthfeel is extremely graceful and silky. The wine’s undisputed pedigree is showcased on the palate. It should also be noted that this edition of Sassicaia feels more ready and open to me. It will age and evolve beautifully, but the 2015 Sassicaia can also be enjoyed in the medium-term. This wine is all about the here and now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPRich and concentrated, this red features black currant, blackberry, violet, mineral and spice flavors. Dense yet lively, structured yet impeccably balanced, with vibrant acidity driving the long, fruit-filled aftertaste. The oak is beautifully integrated. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2042. 17,200 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe warm 2015 vintage in Tuscany helped to tame the naturally tart character of Sangiovese. However, located just 5km from the coast, the cooling influence of the sea breezes has produced an outstanding phenolic ripeness in the vineyards of Bolgheri. Sassicaia in 2015 shows a mix of dark and red fruits, with some restrained kiwi and cedar wood length underpinned by a lively, fruity acidity and tannins that are dense but not tough. An exceptional Sassicaia to cellar for decades. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 97 DECThis iconic wine’s blackberry, cedar and vanilla aromas fill the glass. The elegant, structured palate delivers juicy black currant, black cherry, exotic spice, crushed herb and menthol flavors alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. It boasts a fantastic combination of delicious, ripe fruits, balanced by remarkable freshness and agility for the hot vintage. Drink 2022–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe warm and dry 2015 growing season produced some bold and beautiful wines from Bolgheri, and Sassicaia leads the pack. Fine-boned and silky, it radiates elegance and balance. Flavors of black cherry and raspberry are saturating yet seemingly weightless, warmed by lingering notes of licorice and subtle spice. The fruit has a very slight tartness that adds lift and suggests the grapes were picked at the perfect moment. The flavors continue to gain momentum and energy over several days, indicating the long life that lies ahead of this wine.Wine & Spirits | 97 W&SThe 2015 Sassicaia is incredibly elegant, perfumed and light on its feet. It has become even more wonderfully refined since I last tasted it. Sweet floral and spiced notes lead into a core of sweet red and purplish berry fruit. When it was younger, the 2015 was quite potent. Today, my impression is that, while the 2015 has gained some finesse, it is also starting to shut down in bottle. Wine is always a journey; the 2015 Sassicaia is a great example of that.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG

The 2015 Valadorna (65% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) is a dark and thickly endowed red wine that boasts a rich and lasting grip on the palate. The bouquet offers depth and complexity with dark fruit, leather, cured tobacco and spice. There are also softer notes of chocolate and ground espresso beans. The wine’s seamless integration of flavors leads to increased momentum and intensity as the wine continues to open in the glass.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThis rich, powerful red, packed with blackberry and blueberry fruit, is beginning to mellow, offering a woodsy panoply of mushroom, humus and autumn leaves in the background. There are still some tannins to resolve. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032. 1,500 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBig and rich wine with lots of fruit and tannins. Plenty of wood, too. Full body. Needs two or three years to soften. Try after 2021.James Suckling | 92 JS

Subtle 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 JSModerately 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 VM

An ethereal and classic style with tertiary semi-dried plum, strawberry, cedar, mocha and coffee oak aromas and flavours, silky tannins and well-integrated zesty acidity. A magnificent wine that needs spicy lamb chops.Decanter | 97 DEC

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château Sixtine is the finest vintage of this cuvée ever made, surpassing the 2003, 2007, and 2010. Deep purple/ruby-colored, with a full-bodied, deep, powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, ground pepper, crushed violets, and spice, it’s full-bodied, has a voluptuous, powerful texture, sweet tannin, and a great, great finish, all while staying light and graceful. A blend of 50% Grenache and 25% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, it’s going to keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSappy and intense, with a terrific beam of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry fruit. The long finish shows a gorgeous graphite underpinning while flashes of Turkish coffee, licorice snap and roasted apple wood fill in. Great energy. Best from 2020 through 2040. 2,500 cases made, 500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is a forward, fleshy wine full of sun-drenched blackberry and plum flavors edged by violet and lavender perfume. While rich and concentrated, it has an invigorating crush of minerals that lends freshness to the midpalate. Ripe, seamlessly integrated tannins make it immediately appealing but it should also reward cellaring through 2036. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEShimmering ruby-red. Mineral-accented raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of garrigue and pungent flowers. Supple and impressively concentrated, offering appealingly sweet red berry, cherry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors that are sharpened by a jolt of white pepper. Finishes on an emphatic floral note, showing excellent clarity and harmonious tannins that build slowly.Vinous Media | 93 VMSixtine continues to do a solid job with its flagship bottling. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape, a blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and 25% Syrah, delivers notes of apricot, cherries, leather and dried spices, ample palate presence and a lush, creamy texture. It finishes with hints of dried fruit and chocolate, so I’d opt for drinking it in its first decade while it retains some freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMReleased after the 2017 vintage, because it was decided that this dense, concentrated vintage would benefit from more time in the bottle, the 2016 is fuller and broader in the shoulders compared to the 2017 Amarone. There’s more of everything – body, concentration, tannic presence, richness, spiciness...And while there’s a reductive note of petrichor, its aromatics still soar, carrying wafts of wild black fruits and balsam out of the glass. Enticing already, its future looks very bright indeed.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta takes wine intensity to almost unthinkable levels. That’s the magic of this estate, and without a doubt, this wine occupies a category that makes it totally unique on the Italian wine scale. Made with a traditional blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Croatina and 10% Oseleta (aged in French and American new oak for two years), the wine feels even richer, bolder and more concentrated in this classic vintage. That general intensity is applied to the tightly wound and firm tannins as well. The alcohol reading is 16.5%. This Amarone hits the market in 2023, but you’d do well to age it for another decade at least. Black fruit, baked plum, tobacco, soy sauce, grilled herb and sweet spice are generously folded into the wine’s full-bodied texture. The 2016 vintage saw 17,000 bottles created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

Carlone’s 2016 Boca Adele takes all the elements of the house style and kicks them up a few notches. Bold and dramatic in the glass, the Adele is a total stunner. It needs time to soften, but all the signatures of a truly great wine come through loud and clear. Red cherry, plum, lavender, dried herbs and pomegranate all open up. The 2016 is a young wine that needs cellaring for its aromatics to develop, but it is so impressive.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGForest floor, camphor, blue flower and new leather are just some of the aromas that you’ll find on this structured, vibrant red. Firm and austere, the vibrant, focused palate has youthful intensity, featuring mature Marasca cherry, blood orange, white pepper and licorice set against assertive, noble tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and precise, while an energizing mineral note suggesting flint caps off the finish. Drink 2028–2041.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WECarlone cultivates a few high-lying vineyards in Boca, although some of his grapes are sold to Le Piane. This is unusually deep in colour and has leafy, brooding raspberry aromas that are still reticent. Although sleek in texture, it’s concentrated and dense, with some black fruit and chocolate tones. It’s a Boca with unusual depth and power and has a long, grainy finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2032.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2016 Gigondas Les Souteyrades checks in as 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre that was brought up all in foudre. It's another powerful, concentrated, awesome wine that has slightly more exotic notes of black raspberries, crushed flowers, spice, and sappy garrigue. I almost always find a citrus note in this cuvée, which is full-bodied, opulent and mouthfilling on the palate, yet always stays graceful and lively.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDEven among a lineup of fantastic peers in a fantastic vintage, this bottling of Les Souteyrades is a stunner. It’s intensely rich, bursting with mulberry and cherry flavors, yet not brawny or dense. Finessed and fine in texture, it’s marked by soft, chalky tannins and bright, sunny acidity. The finish is long, offering lingering hints of crushed earth and garrigue. A treat to savor now– 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre grown on north-facing gray clays, the 2016 Gigondas les Souteyrades has closed down since bottling and now looks was if it will need short-term cellaring to bounce back. It's full-bodied, rich and tannic, with peppery notes accenting the intense raspberry and stone fruit flavors that come to the fore on the finish, always a good sign for the future. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPLimpid violet color. A suave, expansive bouquet evokes ripe cherry, raspberry, floral and exotic spice qualities and picks up subtle garrigue and earth nuances as the wine opens up. Alluringly sweet and seamless in texture, offering palate-staining red fruit liqueur, star anise and candied violet flavors that put on weight through the mid-palate. Discreet, polished tannins lend shape to an impressively long, smooth finish that emphatically echoes the floral and spice notes.Vinous Media | 94 VM

These single-vineyard bottlings are like a snapshot of the place, and the 2016 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard capture the wilderness and the (scarce) local vegetation of the place: thyme, rosemary, rockrose—austere and perfumed but not exotic. The cracked black peppercorn note on the palate reminded me that this is (mostly) a Cabernet Franc, with its fine-grained tannins and its long and dry finish. 2016 was an unusual year, with lots of rain and cooler temperatures that complicated things in many places, but it was exceptional in many high-altitude locations within the Valle de Uco where El Cepillo is. This is both powerful and delicate, while the 2015 is more direct. This is simply superb. 4,000 bottles were filled in late 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPPlenty of black-pepper, cardamom and black-clove aromas follow through to a full body with firm, silky tannins that provide a polished, creamy texture on the palate. Driven and focused, though there’s an underlying level of softness. Drinkable now, but better in 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JSPampa El Cepillo is located to the south of the Uco Valley. One of the coolest regions at the best of times, in a cool year expertise is required to produce good wine. In this case, the northern and southern faces of the vineyard were harvested at different times, the former fermented with 30% stalks. Bright purple in the glass. The work done with the wine comes out in the aromas: curry, cumin and violet notes join sour cherry, blackberry and wood, along with a whiff of blood. The firm tannins deliver grip and acidity, bringing juice and reaffirming the structure. This is a very intense, long-lasting red with its own script.Vinous Media | 95 VM

As with the 2017, the 2016 Gigondas Clos des Tourelles comes from vines inside the village. It’s noticeably deeper in color than the La Gille and gives up a huge bouquet of blueberries, violets, smoked duck, and crushed rocks. Deep, full-bodied, concentrated, and multi-dimensional, it has building tannin and a huge finish. It needs time, but wow, what a wine. Hats off to the Perrin family for this utterly sensational wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAged entirely in foudres, the 2016 Gigondas Clos des Tourelles is an amazing effort that may equal Beaucastel’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape this vintage. You taste all the components—raspberries, cherries, tree bark, blueberries and spice—but they also merge together seamlessly into a wine that’s full-bodied, rich and long yet weightless and supremely agile. Yes, there’s early-drinking appeal, but it should age easily through 2035 or so.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSaturated ruby. Intensely perfumed, smoke- and mineral-accented black raspberry, cherry pie, blueberry exotic spice and candied lavender aromas show sharp delineation and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with air. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively red/dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors and hints of licorice and musky rhubarb. The extremely long, energetic finish shows vibrant mineral cut, an echo of sappy red fruit and velvety tannins that sneak in late.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Very deep and dark, but also fragrant, this glides from dried blueberries, tar, brambleberry essence and cassis to cedar, tobacco and dried nutmeg. The palate is rich and concentrated with a ton of fine-grained tannins and a long, complex, dry finish. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSCabernet Sauvignon is not in the blend, but the aromas in the 2016 Terra di Lavoro are very similar to what you would get with that grape, with bright notes of green pepper corn with blackberry and exotic spice. The declared blend is 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso. This is a balanced vintage with lots of depth, precision and density. This is a beautifully made wine. For sure, I am not the first to say that the wine is more characteristic of a house style, a Bordeaux-inspired house style, rather than a territorial expression of Campania. In truth, I’d say that this wine has feet in both those words. I recommend waiting at least five more years before drinking this vintage. Some 30,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPGood full ruby-red. Pretty aromas of fresh raspberry, red cherry and crushed stone and a strong whiff of minty botanical herbs. The vibrant flavors of red fruits, herbs and flint show very good cut and thrust. Not hugely fleshy but boasts very good palate presence and noteworthy refinement. Finishes with polished tannins, outstanding length and perfumed lift. Totally different from the riper 2015 Terra di Lavoro but just as good.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis estate near Campania’s northern border makes just one wine from 25 acres of low-yielding vines planted on the slopes of a dormant volcano. A blend of aglianico softened by 20 percent piedirosso, the 2016 Terra di Lavoro offers flavors of plum and raspberry underscored by a black minerality. Notes of eucalyptus and mint brighten the flavors, and the structure feels lean and taut, bound by rigid tannins. Stow this in the cellar for at least five years.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

Full-bodied, dense and layered with fantastic aromas and flavors. Long, long finish. Serious contender here for wine of the vintage. One of the best ever from here? A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah.James Suckling | 99 JSThis stunning vintage of this landmark wine marks a slight adjustment to the blend. The 2016 Bolgheri Superiore Guado Al Tasso is no longer made with Petit Verdot. The blend is now 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and now 20% Cabernet Franc. This small change does not go unnoticed, as this wine is absolutely seamless now—like the finest Asian silk fabric. That profound textural softness and suppleness changes the way the wine smells and tastes, with hints of momentary sweetness that are more tactile than anything else. Generally speaking, the 2016 vintage offers more elegance (slightly less concentration) and a hair more freshness compared to the 2015 edition. When I tasted this wine, the bouquet was still timid, but it will no doubt become more expressive and open as this beautiful wine continues forward along its aging trajectory. Some 120,000 bottles were made, a remarkable feat considering the extreme quality on offer.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2016 Bolgheri Superiore Matarocchio, the estate's pure Cabernet Franc, is stunning. Dark, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2016 is a seamless, exotic beauty. Even with all of its richness, the 2016 remains finessed and nuanced to the core, with exceptional balance and tons of energy. This vibrant Bolgheri Cabernet Franc will drink well for many years.Vinous Media | 98 VMA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this polished, savory red opens with aromas of ripe black-skinned fruit, cedar and warm spice. Reflecting the nose, the linear, vibrant palate delivers juicy blackberry, blueberry and licorice. A hint of camphor unfolds before transitioning into a peppermint close. Smooth, fine-grained tannins provide the elegant backbone. Drink through 2031.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBright, attractive, mid-depth ruby. Ripe, sweet-fruit nose with a touch of carob and savoury herbs. Agile, nicely balanced palate with refined tannins and a return of the savoury-sweet contrast on the finish. Stylish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2026Decanter | 94 DECAn exuberant style, boasting ripe black cherry and plum notes, with hints of coffee, chocolate and toasty oak. Sleek and refined, with a backbone of muscular tannins for support. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2021 through 2033. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2016 Guado al Tasso is ripe and rich, its flavors of dark plum and dried cherries laced with notes of exotic black spices and dark chocolate. With its rich texture and layered complexity, it will be even better after the oak flavors have time to integrate. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WAWine & Spirits | 93 W&S

A vibrant example of the region. Very attractive creamy texture, almost like milk chocolate, velvety and sweet. On the palate there is a wild, garrigue type character with oregano and spice, and a leathery, tobacco finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DEC

Bottled at the same time, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes gives up more cassis, tapenade, underbrush, cured meats, and earth, and it’s a slightly more dense, backward wine compared to the Chaupin. Full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, with tons of structure, it stays fresh and elegant, has sweet tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It's an incredible, borderline perfect wine from this estate that will keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBuxom and heady, this is a delightfully rich, hedonistic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Sun-drenched mulberry and black cherry flavors are explosive on the palate yet it's an elegantly extracted, surprisingly charming wine edged with nuances of violet, dried thyme and earth. The tannins are soft in feel, making it hard to resist young, but there's plenty of time for improvement here too.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WETime will tell if this wine equals the stellar 2015; it's certainly very close in quality. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is a blend of approximately 75% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Syrah and the rest other permitted varieties. Tarry and deep on the nose, it delivers waves of blackberries and black cherries on the palate, framing those flavors with plenty of richness, layers of silky tannins and a long, elegant finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is packed with plum, raspberry and blackberry confiture flavors that are youthfully wound up, while warm stone, anise, bay leaf, garrigue and tar notes fill in throughout. Dense but juicy, with a long, smoldering feel on the finish. Best from 2020 through 2040. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSPart destemmed and fermented in concrete before being aged in foudre and demi-muids for 12 months. It has an agreeable nose, brooding and promising. Violets, liquorice and blueberries can be coaxed out with air. In the mouth it is full-bodied and dense with a full tannic load and beams of acidity holding it up. It's very tannic, but they're ripe and so should soften in time. The rest of the elements are there in quantity, meaning a wait is in order, but it should flourish in time to bring great complexity. A serious wine for long ageing. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECThere’s a very intense core of dark fruit. A deep, ripe and quite savory palate with spices and dark herbs. Bitter chocolate, too. Real depth and power here. Super-fresh, dark spice and cola give a real spark to the finish. Thrilling. A blend of four old-vine parcels from a variety of soils. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSOpaque ruby. Powerful, mineral-accented blackberry and cherry aromas are complemented by incense, licorice and potpourri flourishes. Supple, sweet and impressively concentrated, offering palate-staining red and dark berry, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and lavender pastille flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. Plush yet surprisingly lithe for its brawn, showing a suave floral note and outstanding clarity and velvety tannins on the strikingly long, smoke- and spice-tinged finish.Vinous Media | 96 VM

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

Blackberries and blueberries with hints of fresh herbs. Some black olives. Medium to full body, integrated and polished tannins and a beautiful, fruity and polished finish. Best wine ever from here. A blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon with tinges of cabernet franc and malbec.James Suckling | 97 JSFrom a myriad of top sites around the valley and a collaboration between Jean Hoefliger and Michel Rolland, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, powerful, full-bodied beauty that has lots of ripe black fruits, licorice, scorched earth, and tobacco aromas and flavors. It’s thrillingly textured, opulent and hedonistic, with sweet tannins and a great finish. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec brought up in 80% new French oak, give it 2-4 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades. 580 cases.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDA blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with dollops of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon MR is very deep purple-black in color and gives up bold scents of baked blueberries, plum preserves, spice cake and mocha with hints of chargrilled meats, sandalwood and dusty soil plus a waft of garrigue. Full, concentrated and packed with black fruit preserves and savory layers, it has a solid yet plush frame and very long, spicy finish. 580 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPMichel Rolland’s Cabernet Sauvignon MR is very beautiful in 2016. Less bombastic than in the past, the Rolland Cabernet is, dare I say it, almost understated. Expressive dark red cherry jam, wild flowers, spice and bittersweet chocolate all run through this pretty, highly nuanced Cabernet. There is an effortless grace to the 2016 that is impossible to miss. Floral notes reappear on the finish to add an attractive lift to the red-toned fruit. Vineyard sources are Newton, Dr. Crane and To Kalon.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

Fantastic aromas that are complex and complete with blackcurrants, blueberries and herbs, such as basil and bay leaf. But always subtle. Full-bodied yet linear and very refined with a very persistent finish. It shows drive and brightness. So refined at the end. Needs at least three to five years to come together.James Suckling | 99 JSLove the juiciness of this, right off the bat, rich deep black cherry rippling with menthol and eucalyptus notes, and these beautiful floral aromatics that Opus gets in the best years. A very classic style, touches of baked vanilla, rosemary and olive. Harvest 9th September to 12th October (starting off slowly then speeding up as the heat rose). 1% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot completes the blend, 17 days skin contact. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 98 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Opus One offers up bold, expressive black and blue fruits: warm black plums, black cherries, blackcurrants and wild blueberries with a beautiful undercurrent of lilacs, roses, fertile loam, underbrush and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a tightly coiled spring ready to explode, with fantastic tension and wonderfully ripe, very fine-grained tannins, finishing very long with a mineral lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2016 Opus One is brilliant and shows yet again that 2016 was a magical vintage for Napa Valley. Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 8% each of Petit Verdot and Merlot, with 5% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Malbec, its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful bouquet of black cherries, crème de cassis, and blueberry fruit intermixed with notions of cedary spice, toasty oak, graphite, and flowers. With an almost Bordeaux-like class and structure, this full-bodied beauty has no hard edges, plenty of ripe tannins, and is extraordinarily pure, elegant, and long. It can be drunk today (give it a healthy decant) or cellared for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2016 Opus One is a wine of real breadth and power. Black cherry, plum, leather and spice flesh out effortlessly, but what stands out most is the wine's textural intensity and sheer power. Readers will have to wait a number of years until the 2016 is at its best, but it is clearly another in a line of gorgeous recent Opus Ones from Michael Silacci and his team.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AGA focused, restrained style, with a steady beam of fresh red and black currant preserve flavors, laced with bay leaf, cedar and tobacco notes. An iron edge pierces the finish, while the fruit keeps pace. A bit more classically backward than its Oakville peers, so tuck this away in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2020 through 2038. 21,900 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 94 WS

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 WEAll 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 DECVivid 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 WSThis 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

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Morandina is dark and youthfully understated in the glass, as crushed rose petals and stone dust give way to red currants. This is silky-smooth, nearly velvety in feel, with masses of mineral-tinged black cherry and spice contrasted by a twang of sour citrus. The 2016 finishes with outstanding length and depth yet is also remarkably fresh, leaving hints of hard red candy and the slightest touch of bitter cocoa. The Amarone of Prà is always so unique but in the best possible way. The 2016 is a total gem but needs cellaring to come fully into focus.Vinous Media | 96+ VMA savory and complex expression of Amarone with some dried cherries, red dates, stewed herbs, orange peel, tobacco and white pepper. Some bold green peppercorn, too. A svelte delivery of Amarone with a medium body, showing tobacco, cedar and chocolate on the palate. Long, cedary finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSInspired by Dal Forno, renowned Soave producer Graziano Prà purchased 13 hectares high up in eastern Valpolicella’s Mezzane Valley in 2001. The previously unplanted parcel is protected by forest and has been farmed organically from the start. A relatively restrained nose shows dried garden herbs with plum and floral nuances. On the palate, fig and prune flavours are laced with cigar smoke. Velvety, malleable tannins enfold the easy to please package and the finish is bright with a pleasantly bitter edge.Decanter | 93 DECThis elegant red is medium- to full-bodied, with creamy tannins providing a fine frame for flavors of brambly red currant and blackberry fruit, pine, orange peel and crushed pink peppercorn. A subtle, savory overtone of cured tobacco and smoky bacon fat echoes on the fresh finish. Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta. Drink now through 2030. 833 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is a ripe and fruity yet strucutred wine that has amazing aging potential. It offers a strongly floral element that contrasts with the tense, mineral texture and dense tannins. It is an immensely concentrated wine that will not be ready until 2029. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2016 Quinta do Noval Naçional Vintage Port comes (of course) from the famous parcel of ungrafted vines. Comparing it side by side, the Naçional does not have the immediacy of the regular Noval. It is darker, more introspective, more complex and beguiling, the black fruit complemented by subtle desiccated orange and marmalade aromas. What strikes first on the palate is the fineness of the tannins. This is utterly harmonious, silky in terms of texture, and extraordinarily cohesive. You don’t know whether to drink this or stroke it. It is an understated Naçional that almost deceives you into thinking that there is not power, but that crashes across the senses in the final third and on the aftertaste. It is a Naçional with a latent effect, its virtues becoming apparent not during but after imbibing. It is a quite profound Port, even though at this juncture you are just reading the first couple of pages of a very long and engrossing novel. Drinking Window 2034 - 2080Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is distinctive from the start, with a youthfully rambunctious display of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit paste flavors liberally spiked with bramble, Turkish coffee and ganache notes. As the fruit pumps through the finish, a tarry spine adds a bristling, mouthwatering edge. Sports more obvious grip and is a touch drier in style than most of its peers. Best from 2035 through 2055.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy. Better in 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for 18 months in old wood. It comes in with 82 grams of residual sugar. This was in bottle for only about seven weeks when seen, but I made sure at least some of it had a lot of air. It looks super, with plenty of room to grow in the cellar. Christian Seely likes to say that this regular Noval and the Nacional are not better than one another, just different. In fact, I usually prefer Nacional, but in this vintage I make a case for equality and endorse that view.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

The 2016 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza was surprising, spectacular, elegant, clean and fresh like few vintages before. It was a superb year, with quality, quantity and freshness. It’s quite the opposite from the previous 2015, which was a much warmer and riper year. The 2016s have moderate alcohol and especially the perception of less ripeness (even though the alcohol is very similar). It feels very young, still quite primary. Mercedes explained, "Cubillas, a 24-hectare plot, is a vineyard that could produce Gran Reserva wines. It’s a very good vineyard, but we would miss the Crianza in our range". In fact, the comment was that this vintage is even a challenge for the Viña Tondonia red "because of its price." It is indeed a bargain. "But it doesn’t have the finesse of Tondonia," concluded María José. Anyway, it’s super tasty. 92,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP