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Intense, featuring an energetic core of black Mission fig, açaí berry and blackberry fruit, all entwined with strands of licorice snap, singed alder, tar and cassis bush. The finish crackles with life, as the grip is substantial but supported as much by acidity as tannins, giving this a freshness that pierces through the dark fruit profile. Best from 2035 through 2055. 498 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSRichly structured, this opulent wine has powerful tannins as well as fresher black fruits. It is dense and finely perfumed with some sweetness as well as a drier core of tannins. The wine is set for long-term aging. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

This wine comes from one of Tokaji’s most famous vineyards. It is light amber in color with heady aromas of honeysuckle, freesia, beeswax and honey. It has pleasant heft on the palate and there are intense flavors of tinned peach, clover honey and apricot conserves. It is a well-made and well-balanced wine that ends on a sweet note and makes you want to go in for another and another, sip. Drink now–2050.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WE Intense nose of candied fig, dried pineapple, ginger, spice, candied lemon, honeysuckle and acacia honey. Sweet and luscious with zesty acidity. Lingering honey and lemon notes. Dense and tight center-palate. Blend of single vineyards. 100% furmint. Give it time to open, but already so impressive.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2017 Tokaji Szt. Tamás 6-Puttonyos comes from red-clay topsoils in the commune of Mád. This is more backward compared to the Mézes Mály, and very much more citrus-driven, featuring lemon peel, orange zest and crushed stone aromas; the Aszú element is more discreet. The fresh, vibrant palate is well balanced and harmonious, offering a fine bead of acidity and candied orange peel toward the finish. Edgier than Royal Tokaji’s other 2017s, and perhaps spicier on the finish, this will be fascinating to observe mature in bottle. 3,635 bottles produced.Vinous Media | 95 VMMade with 100% Furmint, the Szt.Tamás Aszú has a lifted nose of apricot jam, bruised apple and a hint of fresh sourdough. Spiced and honeyed on the palate with ginger and white pepper, grapefruit peel bitterness, marmalade and dried apricot. The acidity (7.4 g/l) is more mellow than the Gold Label, although it still provide an excellent backbone. Ginger and dried fruit notes linger on. The 16ha single vineyard site is rich in red clay and volcanic rocks, sloping southwest-west towards the Royal Tokaji winery in Mád. Drinking Window 2021 - 2031.Decanter | 93 DEC

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pym-Rae leaps from the glass with bold notions of black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate with an opulent undercurrent of Indian spices, potpourri, sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with rich, seductive black fruit preserves and an explosion of exotic spice sparks, framed by firm yet beautifully plush tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long and achingly fragrant. Possessing loads more weight and mid-palate density than a lot of 2017s, this second showing is an absolute knock-out. Due to strict selection, only around 1500 cases were made this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPRather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2017 Pym-Rae comes from a more challenging vintage that featured a dramatic heat spike on Labor Day weekend and fires during harvest. Nevertheless, the fruit was harvested all pre-fire, and it’s a beautiful wine revealing ample black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the vintage’s more focused, elegant style and has beautiful concentration as well as a great finish. While I suspect it has fewer tannins than the 2016, they’re more present and focused, which is very much in the style of the vintage. This elegant, concentrated, classic Bordeaux-like Mountain Cabernet will evolve nicely for another 25+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

Musk and candied lemon fill the nose with lifted, heady intensity while the palate is a vision of purest, ripest, sweetest apricot. The intensity and purity of flavors is heightened by candied lemon sharpness, piercing, framing and illuminating that golden apricot deliriousness. The finish is long, and the life of this immensely pure wine will be even longer.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEBased on botrytized Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, all picked in November, the 2017 Ruster Ausbruch Auf den Flügeln der Morgenröte (On The Wings of Dawn) exhibits an intense golden-yellow color followed by a fresh and spicy bouquet of concentrated fruits with stone and citrus fruit aromas intermingled with notes of crushed stones and lemon/orange mustard. Viscous and dense on the palate, this oily, rich and very sweet Ausbruch shows a perfect tannin structure and well-deserved notes of new (acacia) barrels. This is a hedonistic sweet wine, and the Sauvignon Blanc part gives additional grip and tension. This is another highlight of the sweet section of this Burgenland report, and I am so much in love with the Sauvignon-free 2018 that I dare say this is even more generous and complex and will be served to several generations, if only you bought enough. 11.5% alcohol. Tasted in May 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA hint of acetone gives way to apricot, beeswax, kumquat, grapefruit and mineral flavors in this racy dessert white, which is complex and long, with the fruit echoing on the finish. Welschriesling and Furmint. Drink now through 2027. 200 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors with some conifer and stone. Full-to medium-bodied with firm, dusty tannins that are fine and intense. Clarity to this wine. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSA barrel sample, the 2018 Quella has a deep garnet-purple color and opens with the most gorgeous perfume of violets, red and black plums, Morello cherries and cassis plus hints of iron ore and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lovely energy and tension, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing with beautiful purity.Quella comes from a steep, southwest-facing vineyard in the eastern Vaca hillsides, just up from Joseph Phelps’s winery and Denali Estate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2018 Quella is rich, ample and beautifully resonant in the glass. There’s terrific depth here and tons of class. Blood orange, game, licorice, tobacco, lavender and dried herbs give the Quella beguiling aromatic presence to play off its muscular, brooding personality. The 2018 needs a few years to soften, but it is already compelling, to say the least.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGFirst made in 2006 and coming from more sandy, coarser soils, the 2018 Quella is incredibly exotic, with red and black fruits, wildflowers, sandalwood, candied violets, and flowery incense notes as well as medium to full body, a layered, ultra-fine, pure mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a great finish. It’s incredibly elegant and polished in 2018, with a chalky minerality as well as gorgeous complexity and length. It’s another 2018 that has plenty of up-front charm and accessibility yet is going to age gorgeously for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBoasts black currant, fig and loganberry fruit flavors that are tightly packed yet nicely expressive already, while the backdrop of signed alder, juniper, bay leaf and warm loam adds extra dimension and length through the finish. Not shy on power, but everything is in proportion. Best from 2024 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

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

The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGAlluring violet, black currant and black cherry fruit introduces this seductive red, with firm, pointed tannins and vivid acidity providing structure as this glides to a lingering, detailed finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2037. 750 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA wine with depth and a center palate of pure, ripe fruit. Raspberries and blueberries galore. Ripe and polished tannins. Solid finish.James Suckling | 93-94 JS

Showing consistently to last year, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a rich, powerful white that does everything right. Coming from a single parcel of very old Roussanne and aged in 50% new oak, it offers a stunning bouquet of honeyed pineapple and stone fruits as well as notes white flowers, green almonds, honeycomb, and a kiss of toasted bread. It’s rich yet also fresh, has flawless balance, and a great finish. It’s geared for the dinner table and should evolve for another decade or more. It’s stunning white and one of the finest examples of Roussanne out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne is a not-so-subtle dark straw in hue, with obvious toast and honeyed aromas alongside hints of mocha and malt. All barrel-fermented and aged, it’s fleshed out on the full-bodied, velvety-textured palate by flavors of tangerine and pineapple, which show remarkable freshness and verve on the lingering finish. In one of my notes on this wine, I actually wrote the word "long" three times. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RPRipe and enticing, featuring creamed melon and yellow apple flavors, laced with nectarine, heather, ginger and warm brioche notes. The long and opulent finish sails through beautifully. A hedonist’s delight. Drink now through 2022. 28 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSSourced entirely from a single vineyard of limestone soil, this varietal Roussanne offers bold white melon and apple flavors swathed in honey, vanilla cream and spice. Fermented and matured en barrique (50% new), it’s an unctuous, waxy sip etched by lingering woody tones. Flamboyant in its youth, but it should gain elegance through the next decade and beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2018 Anjou Violette is deep, rich and very intense but elegant on the pure and refined nose, with dark fruit, tea and kumquat aromas. Full-bodied, deep and generous on the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich and generous, silky-textured, refined and tensioned Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blend that is one of the highlights of the vintage. Fabulous! A must buy! Tasted at the domaine in June 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPSvelte, moderate tannins envelope plum and cassis notes in this medium-bodied red, with details of loamy earth, savory spice, tobacco and forest floor. Complex and harmonious. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2031. 500 cases made, 98 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2018 Anjou Cuvée Violette is full-bodied and rounded, offering a soft embrace. True to its name, it does smell of violets as well as wood smoke, spice and dark black fruits. There’s concentration here, no doubt due to the low yields off 70-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines and the 45-year-old Cabernet Franc. The tannins have been well handled and provide a frame of chalky structure. The merest whiff of barnyard meets the florals on the finish, but it’s kept in check.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 2018 Red Wine Estate might just be the best edition ever of this incredible high-elevation bottling. It’s nothing short of a blending masterpiece by Chris Figgins and his winemaking team. This thing is massive monster of a wine that really needs several hours of air to get going. But once tamed, the aromatics explode out of the glass, unveiling dark currants, roasted figs, black rose petals and creosote tones with shades of green bell pepper from the Petit Verdot. The palate is soft and opulent in the mouth. Layers of crème de cassis, anise, violets, dark cherry cordial, graphite and espresso bean with green bell pepper undertones all brilliantly combine with a vibrant sense of tension, and firm tannins hold everything in place. While this is extraordinary to savor upon release, try your best to resist it for at least a few more years.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2018 Red Wine is another stunner from this talented team. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot aged 23 months in a mix of new and used barrels, it has an incredibly pure bouquet of both red and blue fruits as well as graphite, violets, and blood orange. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it stays tight and focused on the palate, with a beautiful mouthfeel, ripe yet firm, chalky tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great, great finish. It’s a gorgeous wine that will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 15-20+ in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDInky and brooding once in the glass this is quite simply the best wine ever produced by this estate. Needing an hour in the decanter, this unveils tar and tobacco leaf tones aromatically with graphite and a massive core of dark fruits also providing intrigue. Juicy, with outstanding acidity and freshness, this shows off cassis, anise, charcoal and menthol flavours that mingle with the bright sense of verve. Glorious now, try to resist this beautiful wine for at least another year. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECBlackcurrant, blackberry, walnut and mint chocolate on the nose, as well as hints of radish and mocha. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Concentrated and chewy with a dense core of black fruit. Solid and tight. Cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and merlot. Give this time. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSAromas of macerated cherry, coffee, flower, licorice and date lead to cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors that give a full impression on the palate. There’s plenty of precision and detail to be had, so much acidity and a quite firm tannic structure. A big, burly, beautiful wine, it will last and drink well as long as you care to keep it. Don’t go near it now. Best after 2032.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEImmediately impressive in the glass, the 2018 Estate Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot with aromas of juicy and ripe blackberry, spiced black cherry preserves, elegant floral tones and elements of boysenberry and blueberry with a soft amount of volatility. Full-bodied, generous and full of flavor, the blend displays power and finesse, unpacking layers of complexity with a tight tannic grip that will loosen with additional bottle age. The wine somersaults to a spectacular finish with a firm, juicy and dusty sensation that gives pleasure at every turn. The wine rested for for 23 months in new and used French oak barrels. Just give it another few years in the bottle for the wine to shed its baby fat. Just under 19,000 bottles were filled. Impressive; Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA dynamic and refined red, with detailed blackberry, green olive and spicy espresso flavors that build tension and polish on the long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,562 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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

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

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

I loved the 2018 Red Blend Pollard Vineyard from Robin Pollard, and this might be the finest wine I’ve tasted from this vineyard. A blend of 40% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a pretty, perfumed bouquet of red and blue fruits, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and spring flowers. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, elegant red with polished, fine-grained tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. All about finesse and elegance, it will evolve for 10-15 years if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDMade from a blend of 40% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Cabernet Franc, the fleshy and approachable 2018 Pollard Vineyard Red Wine offers aromas of crème de cassis with blackberry skin. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is delicious without being overly complicated by oak and displays complex layers of savory herbs that sway with a delightful expression of sweet red fruit before concluding with a persistent finish. The wine rested in 20% new French oak barrels. Only 555 cases were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPMedium red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and menthol are carrying a full load of dark-chocolatey oak; less green than the Merlot. Tightly wound, fine-grained and bracing but also shows subtle sweetness to its intense black cherry, dark berry and spice flavors. There’s an intriguing floral element here but the wine needs time to unwind. Finishes with firm-edged tannins and sneaky persistence. Even higher-pitched than the Merlot, and ultimately less sweet. These wines have not yet been released.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

(Camartina- Agricola Querciabella) The 2018 Camartina was made from its now well-established blend of seventy percent cabernet sauvignon and thirty percent sangiovese, with the wine raised in twenty percent new oak. It comes in at fourteen percent octane in this vintage and offers up a stunningly pure bouquet of black cherries, cigar wrapper, woodsmoke, a touch of orange peel, clove-like spice tones, a gorgeous base of soil and a deft touch of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with great depth at the core, a superb foundation of soil, fine-grained tannins, bouncy acids and precise focus on the long, poised and impeccably balanced finish. Camartina is not the most powerful Super Tuscan made these days, but it may very well be the most elegant. Think of it as the Musigny of Super Tuscans! This is a flat out great wine in the making. (Drink between 2035 - 2085)John Gilman | 95+ JGThe organic 2018 Camartina is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese. A consistent performer vintage after vintage, this Tuscan blend shows an exotic quality, with barbecue spice or steak sauce that frame a core of supple dark fruit. But the aromas don’t stop there. It unfolds to show balsam herb, blue flower and grilled rosemary. The wine is packaged in bulky glass, and 10,000 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2018 Camartina is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Dark, brooding and quite closed, the 2018 is going to require cellaring and a good bit of patience, too. Dark-fleshed fruit, leather, spice, menthol and grilled herbs emerge with some coaxing. The Cabernet is quite evident in both the flavor profile and overall structure, which likely explains the wine’s general feel today.Vinous Media | 94+ VMNo written review provided. | 94 W&SThis supple red is highlighted by black currant, blackberry, plum, Mediterranean herbs and leather. Shows fine intensity and a lively structure that keeps this delineated and long on the earthy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2038. 830 cases made, 59 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSCurrant and floral aromas with some cement and violets. Medium body, firm tannins and tangy acidity that shows lots of citrus rind. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two when it will have softened.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2018 Geremia is stellar. A wine of energy and delineation, Geremia is all about persistence more than volume in 2018. Blueberry, blackberry, lavender, licorice and scorched earth abound. In 2018, Geremia is a wine of tension and reserve. It’s best days are far off in the future. I wouldn’t dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.Vinous Media | 96 VMComposed of 82% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Geremia is deep ruby, with a sweet perfume of graphite, fresh violets, and kirsch. It is full bodied but weightless, with refined tannins, and is refreshing on the finish. Mouthwatering with salinity and full, with notes of licorice, black cherry, and black raspberry, this is a stunner of a wine. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis has a savory array of thyme, sour cherries, lemon leaves and currants on the nose, with black olives too. It’s full-bodied with firm, nicely integrated tannins and a tangy acidic kick. Merlot and cabernet sauvignon. From organically grown grapes. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

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

The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Tignanello was born in a classic growing season that saw some cooling summer rains and relatively stress-free conditions. This is an elegant and extremely polished wine made with mostly Sangiovese and smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Here too, the small blending element of Cabernet Franc has been slowly increasing in recent years. The 2019 vintage was born with a good amount of power and tannic structure, and maceration times were slightly reduced as a result. This less extractive approach shapes a polished and elegant wine with plenty of bright berry fruit, cherry, dried mint, blue flower, blood orange and rusty earth. The palate is more compact and streamlined. It shows beautiful grace. After this, the next vintage to watch is the highly anticipated 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA supple, elegant red highlighted by bright cherry, black currant, violet, tobacco, iron and oak spice aromas and flavors. Though fluid and seemingly approachable now, this is well-structured and shows the balance to age. Fine length. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2042. 25,800 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Tignanello is one of the most reserved, understated young wines I can remember tasting here. In so many vintages Tignanello is quite showy, but in 2019 the nervous energy and brightness of Sangiovese takes center stage. That’s intriguing, because the 2019 blend has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon than normal, a decision made to compensate for some of the lighter qualities in the Sangiovese. With air the 2019 shows gorgeous depth and captivating inner perfume, even if it is clearly still coming together. The 2019 spent about 14 months in oak, with 50% new wood. Things are always in constant evolution at Antinori. This is the first vintage to incorporate some larger 500L barrels, an approach I think will work brilliantly.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGExtremely perfumed and vivid, with fresh mushrooms, cherry stones and blackberries. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are long and complete. Fresh acidity. Tangy and vibrant. Lovely is the word. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSNo written review provided | 94 W&S

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

This is pretty gorgeous, with a remarkably pure display of cassis, cherry puree and plum reduction flavors laced ever so gently with threads of leather, alder and dried garrigue. The sleek iron spine is buried deeply on the finish, and there’s a lingering hint of warm stone as the fruit echoes through. Built to last. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Picardan and Roussanne. Best from 2024 through 2040. 7,000 cases made, 1,700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is the usual blend of roughly 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties that was brought up in foudre. It offers a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as stunning aromatics of blueberries, violets, peppered beef, leather, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant, it has just a kiss of classic Beaucastel wild, sauvage nuances, ripe, silky tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe dark-fruited, plummy and cola-scented 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape is a rich, full-bodied effort reminiscent of the 2007 or 2009. Dense, powerful and savory, it may drink well for a short time on release, but expect it to close up shortly, only to reemerge in several years. There’s ample concentration and sufficient tannins for the long haul, with a long, dusty finish and hints of licorice that bode well for the future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSaturated violet color. Powerful, mineral-accented cherry, blackberry, licorice and -garrigue- scents, along with a hint of candied flowers. Deep, penetrating and alluringly sweet, offering cherry liqueur, dark berry, lavender, exotic spice and cola flavors that are given spine by a core of juicy acidity. In a concentrated yet lively, fluid style. Finishes extremely long and precise, with building tannins and a powerful echo of spiciness and florality.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Château de Beaucastel, Grenache / Garnacha, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, Red) Restrained nose showing fruitcake aromas. Firm on the palate with an assertive tannic structure and plenty of fruit. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 91 DEC

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

The 2019 Red Wine Sugarloaf Mountain, a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, is another standout in this range. Franc aromatics soar out of the glass, adding tremendous aromatic presence to the full-throttle fruit. The 2019 is one of the most polished wines I have ever tasted from Russell Bevan. Rose petal, mocha and dried herbs linger on the huge, persistent finish. (Drink between 2024-2034)Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2019 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine checks in as a 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from two different vineyards. The Cabernet Franc really stands out, and the wine has a complex, forest floor, herbal, bouquet garni-like character as well notes of woodsmoke, iron, and blue fruits. Full-bodied on the palate, it has some background chocolaty oak, a great mid-palate, and a heck of a finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, Bevan’s 2019 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain is slightly tea-like and herbal, with those notes overlaid on black cherries and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied and silky in texture, it finishes long, with echoes of toasty oak. The vineyard, originally developed by William Hill, is located in the southern Napa hills overlooking San Pablo Bay.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

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

Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Camaspelo has a Graves-like nose of both red and black currants as well as scorched earth, tobacco, sandalwood, and lead pencil shavings. Straight-up gorgeous on the palate as well, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, terrific mid-palate density, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure today given its fruit and texture, yet it’s going to cruise in cold cellars for 25-30 years. This is brilliant juice and up with the finest vintages I’ve tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAromas of plums, cassis, blackberries and dried sage. Medium-bodied and fresh. Very fine, slightly chewy tannins. Wet-stone minerality mixes with savory notes of melted dark chocolate and whole spice. Firm at the end. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Camaspelo is mostly Cabernet with some Merlot splashed in. The nose begins with a generous and dark fruited frame that is open and expressive with notes of spiced black plum and a soft earthy sensation. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is savory with an umami profile that leads to a soft essence of worn leather and river rock. The wine is generously layered and offers fine-grained tannins that drive the delightfully complex and lingering finish. Only 396 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

I loved the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Clairette de Gabriel and this beauty is up there with the finest whites in the vintage. All Clairette planted in limestone soils, this vivid gold-hued beauty offers a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, balanced style as well as classic notes of white flowers, dried pineapple, honeycomb, and subtle waxy nuances. It’s rich yet stays weightless and elegant, with a terrific sense of freshness (although I suspect the acidity is quite low) and purity. It’s going to evolve for 10-15 years or more, although there’s no need to delay gratification.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAlluring, with lemon curd, heather and macadamia notes out front, followed by yellow apple, white peach and mirabelle plum notes. The long finish is both showy and defined, with a hint of white truffle lurking, ready to blossom with cellaring if that’s your bag, though hard to lay off it now. Drink now through 2027. 111 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis has a smoky, spicy nose with all the softness of Clairette behind. The oak regime is robust, but unusually this Clairette has the concentration and presence to handle it. It adds a toastiness and accentuates the citrus dimension. Intense and driving, almost outrageously flavoursome for Clairette. 1,600 bottles made. Pure Clairette Blanche grown on limestone in lieu-dit Vaudieu, fermented and aged half in new barriques, half in older ones. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 95 DEC