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Brought up in a scant 15% new puncheons, the 2013 Syrah en Cerise is a beautifully layered, elegant, yet focused and concentrated Syrah that really needs 2-3 years of bottle age to strut its stuff. Black cherries, raw steak, violets and pepper all emerge from this full-bodied, balanced, classic Syrah from one the top winemakers in the US.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPBroad and supple, this open-textured version is powerful and expressive without weight. Plum, cherry, tobacco and orange peel flavors float over beautifully modulated tannins into the long, seamless finish. Drink now through 2023. 376 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe aromas pop with notes of funk, smoked meat, red fruit, flowers, stems and orange peel. It’s compact out of the gate with concentrated, tightly wound, salty flavors of olive brine, crushed rock and violets. It shows an exquisite sense of balance and a crazy long finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEHealthy dark red. Musky, Old World scents of bloody steak, minerals, olive tapenade, wild herbs and soy sauce. Densely packed and sweeter in the early going than the En Chambertin, with notes of spices and peat moss that reminded me of a Côte de Nuits wine. Pliant in texture but still quite reserved--and not at all a sweet style. The tannins are a bit youthfully tough and a bit less noble than those of the 2012 version, but this distinctly savory wine is dense and deep. The rocky character of this very stony vineyard really comes through in 2013.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

Aromas of juniper, rosemary, thyme and Szechuan peppercorn segue to strawberry, cherry and rose hip flavors in this elegant red. Intense and balanced, with the structure to develop over the next two decades. Shows excellent depth and length. Best from 2022 through 2043. 833 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSCompared to 2014, the 2013 vintage was a breeze from a farming and winemaking point of view. A relatively stress free growing season tends to transmit more clarity and intensity to the finished product. That's the impression I get when I taste the savory, rich and sophisticated 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. Some 10,000 bottles were released. This wine delivers thick ripeness with bold cherry aromas that are folded into spice, leather and tangy black licorice. This wine achieves a higher level of aromatic intensity compared to the elegant Altesino 2014 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli (which I actually preferred at this tasting). However, my impression is that this riserva from 2013 will ultimately offer a more fruitful and interesting bottle evolution five to ten years from now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis offers an array of light and bright cassis and other blue-fruit notes with wild herbs and raspberry leaf. Then, a smooth, fresh and approachable palate carries a supple, smooth and velvety core on fine, even tannins. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSLinear and made in a focused style, this fragrant red has aromas of camphor, rose, thyme and new leather. The racy palate offers sour cherry, star anise, menthol and wild herb set against taut fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. Drink 2023–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is a terrific wine that absolutely stands out in a crowd. The 2013 Barolo Riserva Bussia Cascina Dardi is a studied and careful Nebbiolo that shows delightful intensity, with precision, balance and sharpness, and an equally generous mouthfeel. That clarity of aromas is impressive. You get wild berry, pressed rose, black licorice and polished river stone. This wine ages in oak for 48 months. With only 6,000 bottles made, this wine is worth seeking out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2013 Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi is a super-appealing, old-school Barolo that is going to require a number of years to be at its best. Deceptively medium in body, the 2013 possesses quite a bit of aromatic nuance and depth, but at present the tannins dominate. Scents of dried herbs, tobacco, leather and licorice open up over time, but only gradually. Readers should be prepared to be patient.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis wine’s delicate, translucent cherry color belies its dark fruit flavors and powerful, meaty tannins. Notes of mint, dried fennel and green peppercorn brighten the baked cherry flavors, resonating on the slightly warm finish.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&S

The 2013 Romanée-St.-Vivant from Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat was another late malo finisher and the wine was still on the grumpy side at the time of my visit, with a fairly expressive nose currently coupled to an out of sorts palate impression, but this will clearly be outstanding. The bouquet offers up a fabulous constellation of raspberries, cherries, blood orange, beautiful spice tones, lavender, complex soil nuances, fresh nutmeg and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and quite poised (despite its grumpy nature at the time of my visit), with fine mid-palate depth, nascently complexity, ripe tannins and superb length and grip on the tangy finish. This is going to be very, very special when it reaches its zenith. (Drink between 2025 - 2075)John Gilman | 95-97 JGThe 2013 Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru has a gorgeous bouquet with vibrant red berry fruit, wilted rose petals, a touch of lavender coming through with time. There is real vigor and generosity here. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a firm structure. There is wonderful depth and body that forms the foundation of this wine, coming across a little more masculine than the 2014, exerting a firm grip with a slightly curmudgeonly finish that just needs time to mellow. This is excellent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPDeep red with ruby highlights. Sexy aromas and flavors of primary dark berries, black raspberry and cocoa powder complicated by spicy oak tones. Thick yet lively on entry; a youthfully imploded but utterly seamless wine with outstanding energy and depth. For all its density, this tactile, saline wine shows a magically light touch. Really builds and lingers on the superb rising finish, which features noble tannins. Still a baby, this grand cru has a great future.Vinous Media | 94+ VMRelative to the expressive example that I originally reviewed, this has begun to shut down and the nose is now brooding and only grudgingly gives up its spiced aromas of plum, dark currant and violets that are trimmed in hints of Asian-style tea and sandalwood. The sleek and ultra-refined mouth feel adds substantially to the sense of elegance though the balance is slightly impaired due to a tangy finish that is mildly lean and drying. This is without question quite classy but it’s not without a nit or two.Burghound | 91 BH

Gaja's 2013 Sperss is fabulous. Deep and powerful, yet also wonderfully translucent, the 2013 hits all the right notes. Graphite, game, smoke, licorice, plum, black cherry and dark spice are some of the signatures, but as is always the case with the best vintages, Sperss is a wine of vertical intensity and muscle. The 2013 won't be anywhere near ready to drink for a number of years. All the pedgiree and character of these Serralunga sites come through in an exceptionally beautiful and vivid Barolo from Gaja.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe gem of the 2013s is the 2013 Barolo Sperss which comes from limestone-dominated soils. The 2013 is deep, concentrated, and structured, with a fabulous sense of minerality in its black cherry, leafy herbs, damp earth, and licorice aromas and flavors. From a late, cool vintage, it has awesome purity of fruit, plenty of tannins, and a huge finish. It’s a brilliant wine any way you look at it. I’d happily drink this elixir today, but it deserves at least 3-4 years and will keep for 25+.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAmazing aromas of cherries, oranges and light prunes with hints of wet earth and mushrooms. Very perfumed. It's medium-bodied, firm and direct. Great vino. Needs at least five years to come together but already a joy to taste.James Suckling | 96 JSThis wine shows the quintessential attributes of the Serralunga d'Alba appellation with dark fruit flavors and powerful intensity. The 2013 Barolo Sperss paints a very authentic picture of its unique territory with rich layers of black fruit, wet earth, black truffle, licorice and spice. The wine's tannic structure is firm and lasting. It shows broad shoulders and rich texture overall. This beautiful Barolo boasts a dark color and thick concentration with the aromatic elegance obtained in the 2013 vintage. This important wine is now part of the Barolo DOCG family.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPUnderbrush, toast, menthol, grilled herb and star anise aromas lead the way. Firmly structured but loaded with finesse, the taut palate delivers Morello cherry, raspberry, licorice and a toasted note while assertive, close-grained tannins provide the framework. It's still young and austere so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2023–2033.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETextbook rose, tar and cherry aromas and flavors, with accents of oak spice, licorice and tobacco, are the hallmarks of this complex red. Powerful yet harmonious, showing fine structure and a lingering finish. Best from 2022 through 2040. 375 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS