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Packaged in a heavy glass bottle, the Tenuta Sant’Antonio 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi is a beautifully full and generous wine. If offers a full load of fruit weight and manages to do so without losing freshness or crispness. The bouquet delivers elements of dark cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry preserves, and those dark tones transition to sweet tones of spice, licorice and tar. This is a full-bodied and thoroughly contemporary expression that translates to the palate with lively energy and lots of Amarone power. Fruit comes from a hillside vineyard with sandy limestone soils and white calcareous rocks at a breezy 300 meters in elevation. The traditional blend used by this estate is 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina and 5% Oseleta. The wine ages in oak for two long years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi balances dark ripe fruits, sweet spices and rich mocha with savory herbs and violet florals. It’s a silky and energetic effort with cooling acids and minerals, coloring within the lines of refinement while still satiating the senses with masses of ripe black cherries. A bit of heat pokes out through on the finish, yet this is forgivable in my book, as the Antonio Castagnedi tapers off fresh to inner violet florals and a bitter twang of wild berries.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review providedNotes of grilled game and tobacco balance this wine’s rich flavors of baked cherry, molten chocolate and licorice. Dark spices offset those flavors, and lively acidity cools the finish.Dalla Terra, Napa, CA Wine and Spirits Mag | 91 W&S

The 2017 Cargol Treu Vi definitely has something in common with the 2017 Principia Mathematica—the two vineyards are very close together, and the year seems to have marked them. 2017 was a very warm and early harvest, and the wines are a little softer and rounder. But there is a vibrant sensation here that I didn’t see in the Principia. This is livelier and has a tasty finish and an almost salty touch. 1,900 bottles were filled in August 2018 after approximately one year in barrique.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

This rich, wood-aged wine comes from 40- to 50-year-old vines on an estate at the southern limit of the Madiran appellation. It brings together dense tannins and old-vine concentration. The acidity, black-plum flavors and tannins will keep this wine developing for many years. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

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

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

Pale, shimmering yellow. Fresh pear, honeydew, tangerine and pungent flowers on the mineral-inflected nose. Offers lively, sharply focused orchard and citrus fruit flavors that are complemented by emerging ginger and white pepper notes adding back-end lift and cut. Silky and impressively lithe, delivering solid mineral thrust and repeating florality on the long, incisive finish.Vinous Media | 93 VM

A new wine in this range, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakcross is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Merlot adds mid-palate sumptuousness to this gorgeous Oakville red blend. Silky and racy to the core, but with plenty of tannins to support it all, the Oakcross has a ton to offer. Dark plum, espresso, licorice, spice and cedar linger nicely.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGBlack fruit, chocolate, cedar and dried spices on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Balanced, with delicious chocolate-cherry character and a chalky texture. A blend of 49% merlot, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot.James Suckling | 93 JSThis has a nice punchy core of cassis, plum and boysenberry fruit flavors backed by polished yet persistent structure that carries it along, letting sweet toast, licorice and warm earth accents fill in. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2032. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Groth, Oakcross Proprietary Red, Napa Valley, Oakville, California, USA, Red) The nose is more herbaceous and pointed than the other Groth releases, while the palate is a tad more fleshy. Cranberry, pomegranate and black cherry fruits on the nose, by a graphite and tried tobacco on the finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2032Decanter | 90 DEC

The rosé 2018 RIPA Vino Rosado follows the same path as the 2017, 60% Garnacha and 40% Tempranillo aged and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels where the wine matured for 30 months. The vintage was quite cold, and the grapes were picked on October 20. The wine has a more vibrant palate and a lower pH, with more freshness. It’s quite marked by the long élevage, so it takes on a specific profile with more nutty and spicy notes and a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s spicy, vibrant, still round and lush, with a dark color, very different from the pale Provençal examples... 6,200 bottles were filled in December 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Bright straw. Lemon ice, orange peel, balsamic oils and herbs on the complex nose and in the mouth. Savory but juicy, with a very clean, sneakily concentrated mouthfeel and lots of density on the long, juicy finish. Another knockout from this estate in 2018.Vinous Media | 92 VMVery perfumed and quite intense pears and baked apples with some bright fragrance, too. The palate has a very smooth, supple texture and some bright, punchy pear and apple flavor. Smooth-honed and balanced. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSThe Köfererhof 2018 Alto Adige Valle Isarco Sylvaner shows some extra plushness and softness in this vintage, with summer peach, lemon blossom, honey and cantaloupe melon. Whereas most of the white varieties in the Köfererhof portfolio present lifted and vertical aromas with many flinty mineral nuances, this Sylvaner offers a tad more opulence and fruity richness. That extra texture opens this wine to spicy exotic foods like Singapore chili crab.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The flagship red 2018 Rioja Reserva was produced with a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Cariñena) and 2% Garnacha selected from their 300 hectares of vineyards that exemplifies the character of the vintage and the place. 2018 was a year with good rain and a cool season that resulted in a late harvest, which started on October 1 and was slow and delivered grapes with good freshness. Each variety and plot fermented separately in stainless steel. and the wines aged separately in American oak barrels for 21 months and then settled in concrete until bottling. It follows the path of the 2016, where I noticed a change that is taken further in this, controlling the power and increasing the freshness. It’s very aromatic, a year completely different from the 2017; it has less structure and more freshness and subtler balance and enough oomph, concentration and power neatly compensated by freshness. I believe 2018 was a very good vintage to implement this change. It’s perfumed, fresh, elegant and medium-bodied, with a velvety texture. Superb! 960,000 bottles produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSavory cured-meat, tobacco and grilled-spice notes to the bright plum, red-date, cherry and green-olive aromas. Quite a juicy, medium-bodied Rioja with fresh and extremely silky tannins caressing the zesty orange and crunchy red-berry flavors. Nuanced, fluid and effortlessly drinkable. Long and extremely elegant. A vintage that highlights layering and freshness, rather than power and depth. 86% tempranillo, 8% graciano, 4% mazuelo and 2% garnacha. Delicious now, but will hold well.James Suckling | 94 JS(Rioja “Reserva”- Marqués de Murrieta (Rioja Alta)) The 2018 Reserva from Marqués de Murrieta has not been released yet, but the bodegas kindly sent me a sample for inclusion in this article. The wine is excellent on both the nose and palate, offering up a ripe and complex bouquet of black cherries, raspberries, cigar wrapper, clove-like spice tones, a beautiful base of soil, incipient notes of nutskin and cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a fine core of fruit, lovely mineral drive and grip, fine-grained, buried tannins and a long, ripe and well-balanced finish. The ripeness of the 2018 vintage is evident here, but it is handled seamlessly and the wine is really going to be lovely. I suspect it will age very much like a top 1982 Rioja. (Drink between 2028 - 2075)John Gilman | 93 JGFresh and elegant, with a mouthful of ripe, crushed cherry and red currant fruit, this medium-bodied red is framed by crisp tannins and a minerally underpinning. Enticing hints of eucalyptus, dried fig and cigar box play on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha Tinta. Drink now through 2028. 80,000 cases made, 14,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is more mineral laced, with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of stone fruits, acacia flowers, tangerine, and honeysuckle. Beautifully textured, concentrated, and the real deal, it’s another incredible white from this estate to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDRipe and forward style, with a mix of candied lemon peel, white peach and yellow apple flavors infused liberally with honeysuckle and acacia. Everything bounces along together through the lively finish. Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc. Drink now through 2023. 367 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSRipe, rich and a bit soft in feel, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is roughly equal parts Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Pear, pineapple and melon notes all make themselves known on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is round and generous, finishing with notes of ripe citrus (tangerine). I’ve given it a relatively short drinking window so you can enjoy it while young and fresh, but if you like broad, truffle-y whites, you might want to hold it a few years longer.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Curls of dark chocolate, shaved cinnamon and truffle lend a spicy, smoky intensity to fresh, cutting red plum and raspberry flavors here. Full bodied and high impact in flavor, it’s a juicy, lusciously concentrated blend of organically farmed Grenache, Mourvédre and Syrah that’s ready to drink now but likely to improve further through 2030 at least.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Gigondas is straight-up terrific, offering ripe red and black fruits as well as notes of ground pepper, loamy earth, and new leather. Based off 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah, the Mourvèdre really shines, and this medium to full-bodied Gigondas has ripe tannins, a polished, elegant texture, and a great finish. This cuvée is vinified all in concrete and aged 18 months in foudre, and I see no reason it won’t evolve for 15+ years if stored properly.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDVivid ruby. Pungent red fruit, floral and garrigue scents complement a spicy suggestion of white pepper. Juicy and focused on the palate, it offers subtly sweet cherry, blackberry and spicecake flavors that show very good depth and energy. It finishes smooth, smoky and gently tannic, displaying impressive tenacity and a late jolt of lavender.Vinous Media | 92 VMVibrant, with a fresh core of cherry and cassis notes backed by anise, applewood and garrigue hints through the finish. Nice underlying juiciness throughout. Best from 2022 through 2029. 1,500 cases made, 160 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A fresh version, with bright yellow plum, green almond and white peach flavors backed by notes of lemon shortbread and quinine on the plump finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2026. 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSPretty apple blossom, spice, and sappy flower notes dominate the bouquet of the 2019 Saint Joseph Blanc. This carries to a more medium-bodied, elegant white that offers a solid sense of minerality, good mid-palate depth and concentration, notable balance, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful Saint Joseph white to drink over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA bit more mineral than the Crozes-Hermitage, the Marsanne-dominant 2019 Saint-Joseph Blanc comes exclusively from the southern portion of the appellation, around Sarras and Tournon. Scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings (half was matured in tank, one-fourth in new oak and one-fourth in second-fill oak) accent notes of underripe peach and citrus on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is crisp, linear and long on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Cabernet franc makes up 60 per- cent of Magari, bolstering the blend’s structure and freshness (it no longer includes merlot). The wine’s flavors of blackcurrant and plum show a pleasant tangy edge, its earthy tannins firmly guiding the fruit tones without overwhelming them. Hints of licorice and graphite emerge with air, and the dark fruit mingles with iodine notes on the long, seamless finish.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SThe Ca’ Marcanda 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Magari offers a surprisingly subtle side to the three very powerful grapes that make up the blend. These are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The bouquet is generous and full, with an intricate embroidery of lavender flower, garden herb, black fruit, spice and tobacco. You might even detect a hint of black olive. Magari is structured and solid but never heavy, and it offers a good sense of fresh acidity that makes for a lively and bright finish. That more acidic vein is neatly folded into ample fruity sweetness and flavor.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is a firm yet velvety-textured red with blackberry, sage, pine-needle and dried-flower aromas and flavors. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a lovely mouth feel and a long finish. Drink after 2023, when everything will have come more together.James Suckling | 93 JSStarts out rich, yet underscored by vibrant acidity and a line of refined tannins, which provide the support for this red’s black currant, black cherry, wild herb and iron flavors. Finishes lean and firm. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Bursting with aromas of apples, pears, almonds, warm bread and dried fruits, the 2019 Méthode Ancestrale Une Bulle is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with lively acids and a pillowy mousse. It’s a touch drier than its 2018 counterpart.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Full-bodied, very intense on the palate, great impact and lovely driving acidity with a tangy, intense finish. Great definition and drive. Really dynamic and delicious. The alcohol is a little raised and the oak quite forthright, but this is such a dynamic, vivid white Châteauneuf. Grown on sandy-clay soils of lieux-dits La Crau and La Janasse. Roussanne component aged for seven months in barrel, 75% new. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 95 DECThis bright, banana-and-grapefruit-scented wine is a blend of equal parts unoaked Grenache Blanc and Clairette accentuated by a smaller proportion of Roussanne matured in French oak (80% new). This calibrated blending gives this full-bodied dry white a zesty, green-fruited flair juxtaposed by unctousness of texture and delicately smoky, vanilla-kissed notes of pastry and toast. While approachable young, the wine should evolve nicely through 2035 at least.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEBeautifully done, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc should be snatched up by savvy readers. Offering beautiful notes of ripe pineapple, caramelized peach, white flowers, and a touch of salty minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, beautifully integrated acidity, and a big finish. This cuvée has an incredible track record for aging, and it can be enjoyed now or cellared for upwards of 15-20 years, if you’re so inclined.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

Extremely aromatic with ripe cherry and berry aromas, as well as flowers and citrus. Medium to full body with fine, polished tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is really well done and one of the most balanced L’Aventures I have encountered. Syrah, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Optimus should be snatched up by savvy readers. Based on 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot, it just about jumps out of the glass with gorgeous cassis, floral, pepper, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. As seamless as they come, this full-bodied, elegant, pleasure-bent 2019 is going to evolve for a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLovely aromatic intensity, spicy and nuanced on the nose but incredibly well defined on the palate which is crisp and precise with flavours that glide across, so linear and straight. There’s a coolness to the fruit profile and a refreshing juiciness. Concentration and structure with good tannic grip - lots on offer here. A blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 14 months in 89% new French oak and 11% one-year-old French oak with malolactic fermentation in barrel. No fining or filtering. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 94 DECOpaque violet. Spice-tinged dark berry preserves, fruitcake, incense, toasty oak and vanilla on the highly perfumed nose. Stains the palate with sappy black and blue fruit, exotic spice and floral pastille flavors, while a smoky mineral nuance adds firm back-end lift. Fleshy and deep but energetic as well, thanks to the core of juicy acidity. Finishes on a gently tannic note, displaying sharp focus and superb, dark-fruit-driven persistence. 89% new French oak.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Optimus is a blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. It has a medium ruby-purple color and pure aromas of red and black berries with earthy, autumnal accents and a streak of spice. The medium-bodied palate is grainy and fresh, with pretty floral perfume on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A blend of equal parts Marsanne and Roussanne, the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Mule Blanche Blanc has a rounded, medium-bodied, nicely textured style that carries plenty of pear, citrus blossom, and sappy herbs notes as well as a touch of salty minerality. A fleshy, undeniably delicious, balanced white, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years, if not longer. It would be a great introduction to the white wines of this appellation.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAlready bottled, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche (Domaine) harkens back toward the quality of the superb 2017, with gentle nutty complexities interwoven with crushed stone, spice, melon and pear. Medium to full-bodied, this 50-50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Les Chassis displays beautiful harmony and roundness while remaining long and crisp on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A bigger, richer wine, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lieu-Dit Pignan is loaded with ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits as well as classic pepper, garrigue, and violet notes. It’s a beast of a wine on the palate and is full-bodied, deep, powerful, and concentrated, with no shortage of fruit or texture. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade. This cuvée is 75% Grenache and 25% Mourvèdre that was completely destemmed and aged in concrete, with 20% in older barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDFrankly rich and ripe, with a cascade of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors that cruise through, with notes of bittersweet cocoa, anise and fruitcake filling in along the way. Lush in feel, this flirts with exotic in the end and should age on a faster track. For fans of the showy style. Drink now through 2030. 350 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS From one of the appellation’s sandy lieux-dits—Pignan (Nord)—the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Lieu Dit Pignan is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, aged in demi-muids. Scents of tar, espresso and mocha lead into notes of black cherries and black raspberries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is velvety and moderately rich, tannic but ripe, with a long, nicely textured finish.Drink Date 2023 - 2035Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Still young, this ripe and densely fruity wine is set for some fine aging. With its structured black fruits that are striated with minerality and cut by juicy acidity, it is dense and has a vibrant texture. Drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Lovely peach, pear and yellow plum notes form the core, with well-inlaid acidity for support and light verbena and shortbread accents gilding the lush finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases made, 10 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBeautifully pure quince, ripe peach, and caramelized citrus notes emerge from the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, which shows a more medium-bodied, clean, vibrant style. It doesn’t have the richness of the Saint-Joseph releases, yet I love its purity of fruit as well as its balance. It’s going to gain depth with a year of bottle age and keep for 7-8 years, probably longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDSvelte in structure yet pulsating with rich black plum and cassis, this full-bodied Syrah calibrates pure, ripe fruit against complexities of granite, fur and black olive. Matured ten months in oak, it’s a velveteen, concentrated sip but brisk and bright too, finishing on fine-grained, upright tannins. Approachable young, the wine will likely drink beautifully through 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery good - this is a fairly rich style of white Crozes, the oak is quite lovingly applied, but it works well. Lacks a bit of focus, but it’s enjoyable with concentrated pear and melon flavours. Drinking Window 2021 - 2022.Decanter | 90 DEC

Aromas of ripe berries and fresh herbs with hints of wet earth and pine, too. Full-bodied with lots of ripe and round fruit. Lots of redcurrants in the palate. Soft and fine-textured. Slightly tight at the end. Dense. Better in two or three years, but already very attractive.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Il Pino di Biserno is gracious and elegant. The style is much fresher and understated than before. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and incense. Dark and vibrant in the glass, the 2019 is another winner from Lodovico Antinori.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis red delivers a mix of dark fruit and herbal flavors, with black currant, blackberry, rosemary and licorice notes. The finish is a touch compact now, yet this is complex and long overall. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The house red 2020 Tinto showed superbly. It’s a blend of Tempranillo from the Obarenes Mountains (Sajazarra and Fonzaleche) with 20% Garnacha from Cárdenas on clay and some 5% white that has 14.2% alcohol but feels perfectly balanced and integrated. It has a serious, harmonious nose with complexity and depth but also youth. It has a soft and juicy texture with focused and clean flavors, finishing with an almost salty twist. Super tasty and easy to drink! Great value too. It matured in a mixture of 1,000- and 3,000-liter oak foudres and 225- and 500-liter barrels. 22,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

A traditional red blend of 80% Tempranillo with 10% each Garnacha and Graciano, the 2020 Horizonte de Exopto combines grapes from Ábalos and, since 2016, also San Vicente de la Sonsierra, as he cannot produce village wines from there as his winery is in Laguardia! This year he also added the new plots from Baños de Ebro that represent 15% of the blend and which he feels add fresh red fruit notes and silky tannins. It showcases the Sonsierra zone with fresher Tempranillo with balance, length and the chalky sensation from the limestone soils. It fermented in concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured 50/50 in 600-liter demi-muids and 225-liter barriques for 12 months. It follows the path of the 2019 with a little more freshness. 12,000 bottles were filled in November 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPHibiscus, blackberries and some cherry compote and spiced dark fruit. A full-bodied Rioja, loaded with juicy yet resolved tannins that seal off the palate, before a delicious, peppery finish. Tempranillo, graciano and garnacha. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JS

Even if already sold out, I also tasted the white 2020 Cullerot because it’s probably their finest vintage for this wine. The nose is very expressive, with notes of flowers, talcum powder, fennel and aniseed, pollen and herbs, with a soft texture combining volume with freshness in a year when the grapes ripened properly. It’s been settled by some time in bottle and feels very harmonious and ready. It has 13.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.23 (the white does not go through malolactic) and feels very balanced, tasty and supple. 40,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP(Cullerot Blanco- Celler del Roure) Celler del Roure is blessed with ancient cellars carved into the bedrock below the winery, where past generations fermented and aged the wines in amphorae dug into the stone. They were not used for several decades, but recently the winery decided it would be interesting to see how these amphora wines would taste and started to produce a lineup of bottlings made from these ancient vessels. The Cullerot Blanco bottling is composed of a blend that includes Pedro Ximénez, Macabeo and Malvasia, among other varieties co-planted in the vineyards. The wine starts out fermentation in stainless steel tanks and then is transferred to the amphorae embedded in the rock for six months of aging. The 2020 Cullerot comes in at thirteen percent alcohol and offers up a complex nose of tart orange, breadfruit, lemongrass, lovely soil tones, citrus peel and a touch of honeysuckle in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, nicely ripe and complex, with a fine core, excellent soil signature, zesty acids and a long, complex and very well balanced finish. This is most impressive! (Drink between 2022 - 2028)John Gilman | 92 JG