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The myth perpetrated by Old World wine proponents is that California wines don’t age. Those critics need to taste Verité, because these wines are aging far slower than I imagined. The 2005 La Joie (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec) tips the scales at 14.7% alcohol. It received the same 18 months in 100% new oak. It is interesting that Pierre Seillan said that he thought the high-elevation vineyards of Sonoma that go into Verité (self-serving, os course) are his greatest sites in the world for Bordeaux varietals. But remember – he’s from Bordeaux! This multidimensional wine, which enjoyed a 4-5 day cool, pre-fermentation maceration, has a provocative bouquet of blackberry, cassis, new saddle leather, Christmas fruitcake, graphite and high-quality unsmoked cigar tobacco. It is profound, extremely full-bodied and massive in the mouth, but not heavy or astringent in any way. This is perfection in a glass, and a tribute to what Sonoma can achieve. Give this wine another 4-5 years, and drink it over the following 30+ years.Robert Parker | 100 RPAn absolutely awesome wine that tops out my scale, the 2005 La Joie offers a Château Latour-like stature and structure as well as complex notes of blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, sandalwood, and crushed rocks. Still youthful and vibrant, it’s full-bodied, has off-the-charts purity, ultra-fine tannins, blockbuster length, and a singular, magical character. Feel free to drink bottles today or cellar for just about as long as you’d like. It will probably outlive everyone reading this.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JD(14.7% alcohol): Full bright ruby. Knockout nose melds blackcurrant, black cherry, herbs, coffee, mocha, tobacco and game. Boasts outstanding balance and finesse, as well as terrific inner-mouth floral lift to the intense flavors of berries, tobacco and spices. The suave, slowly mounting finish leaves the palate vibrating. This vibrant, slightly wild wine finishes with outstanding subtle persistence.Vinous Media | 95+ VMShowing complex aromas of dark fruit, pine needles and pine nuts right now. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied, round and chewy with firm and silky tannins. Always a linear edge running through this. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe nose is fully ripe, with sweet, delectable blackcurrant fruit. Blackcurrants and blackberries dominate the palate, and the oak is still evident. However, the tannins are becoming furry and chocolatey, so that it does lack a little polish and refinement. But it has force and presence, some maturity, and good length.Decanter | 92 DEC

Absolutely brilliant and jaw dropping good, the 2007 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères, showing every bit as well as on release, is everything you could want in a wine and then some. Showing spectacular aromatics of Cassis, graphite, spice, chocolate, and garrigue, it is downright ethereal on the palate and possesses a full-bodied, yet weightless, elegant texture, perfect balance, thrilling richness, and a blockbuster finish that just keeps on giving. Simply a thrilling drink that I wish every Châteauneuf-du-Pape lover could experience, this awesome 2007 is superb now, yet will easily age for 2+ decades. Hat’s off to the Usseglio brothers for this utterly captivating bottle of wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe perfect 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is slightly more evolved and complex than the Mon Aieul, as odd as that seems. Having had it twice out of bottle, this wine (nearly 100% Grenache combined with a few dollops of Syrah) possesses an opaque ruby/purple color as well as a thrilling texture and monumental length (the finish lasts over 60 seconds). it's a blockbuster, but everything is in perfect balance, and, remarkably, it comes across as the most accessible Reserve des Deux Freres made to date. This wine's aging is completely different from its sibling-s. Sixty percent is aged in 1, 2, and 3-year-old Burgundy barrels, and the rest in small new oak barrels, but there is not a hint of new oak in the aromatics. The bouquet reveals plenty of blackberry, blueberry, and cassis fruit intertwined with notions of melted licorice, spring flowers, and that classic garrigue note that comes across as the seaweed wrapper used in sushi restaurants, nori. There is a certain smokiness that is probably attributable to the oak, and the wine has incredible depth and richness, as well as a finish that seems endless. This extraordinary Chateauneuf du Pape is another prodigious effort in this historic vintage. It should drink well for two decades or more.Brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio have been accomplishing amazing things To reiterate, the 2007s are the most profound wines Thierry and Jean-Pierre have ever produced.Robert Parker | 100 RPGlass-staining ruby. A captivating bouquet evokes black and blue fruits with strong floral and spice accents. Lush, creamy and palate-coating, with sweet blackcurrant and boysenberry flavors, fully absorbed tannins and alluring spiciness. Tangy minerality adds bite and clarity to the finish, which is shockingly lithe for a wine with such palate impact. "This would be more Sophia Loren than Catherine Deneuve," says Usseglio.Vinous Media | 97 VMOffers a warm bread dough aroma, with very muscular-textured dark currant and fig sauce notes backed by a dense, licorice-filled finish. A very thick, broad style that scores points for its toasty, mocha-driven power, but lacks the racy vibrancy of the best. Best from 2010 through 2022. 250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

So much dried flower, mushroom, iron, rust, sweet berry, and grilled orange. Full-bodied with very elegant and refined tannins that melt in the mouth and give a real sense of place and integrity. Balanced and harmonious. The finesse and finish is endless. Production was 30% less than in 2011. Already so drinkable. A wonderful future. This is the new 1934 or 1964, two legends. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 100 JS

The 2021 The Flight is composed of 65% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it waltzes out with flamboyant notes of juicy black raspberries, ripe plums, and boysenberry preserves followed by hints of cinnamon toast, rosebud tea, garrigue, and iron ore. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with rich black fruit layers and red berry accents supported by super-ripe rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a persistent ferrous note.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIIn 2021, ’The Flight’ presents a vibrant, drop-dead gorgeous wine in the glass, teeming with energy. From a medium-dark ruby colour fanning out like a dark ruby-hued rose to the edges, the wine is immediately enticing from the pull of the cork with beautifully perfumed rose petal florals, spicy wild fennel and mint nuanced by a spray of orange citrus peel, cedarwood and lilacs. Medium-bodied with super crunchy red fruit and focused, granular tannins. There’s power and finesse driving saline-scented minerals and an incredibly long finish, which is further enhanced by more perfumed florals. It’s a seamless wine that still has a bit of youthful edginess, which, in time, will gloss over with polish.Decanter | 99 DECBlackberries and blueberries, together with hints of chocolate and violets. So perfumed. Some bark, too. Medium body with freshness and length. The tannins have a fine, velvety texture and wonderful length. Very structured. Lightly chewy. Lasts for minutes. 65% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 19% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 The Flight is built around a core of Merlot from old vines on cobbly soils at the front of the property. From barrel, the 2021 was quite sensual, perhaps deceptively so. This recent tasting of the finished wine from bottle reveals a powerful, dense Flight packed with dark-toned fruit, leather, tobacco and incense. In many vintages, The Flight is accessible young, but the 2021 is a wine for the cellar. It is one of the best and most complete editions I have tasted. There’s a fair amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and quite a bit more Franc than usual, which contributes to the wine’s personality and overall feel.Vinous Media | 97 VMI was able to taste the primary components of the 2021 The Flight, all of which showed pure, vibrant profiles as well as sound underlying structure and acidity. It reminds me slightly of the 2019 and will be a beautiful, elegant, incredibly classic example of this cuvée.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JD

Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades. A blend of 75% carmenere, 18% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2021 Clos Apalta comprises 75% Carménère, with the remainder filled out by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, sourced from the eponymous Apalta Vineyard. It was aged for 24 months in oak barrels, two-thirds of which were new. This dark purple wine reveals nuanced aromas of graphite, herbs, dried plums and blackberry marmalade, complemented by mint, boldo and garrigue-like notes over a green bell pepper layer. Plush and ample on the palate, it is lifted by a mild refreshing quality that adds a rare nimbleness to its flow. This long-lasting red is a serious wine, less influenced by Michel Rolland’s style than in other years, as the fresh vintage imparted a lighter, less ripe and more expressive character. Clos Apalta is one of those rare Chilean wines that reliably showcases the characteristics of each vintage while maintaining a consistent house style. That steadiness is a boon for consumers, as it allows them to appreciate the impact of different vintages, which is a significant part of the allure of high-quality wines.Vinous Media | 98 VM

Simply a wonderful wine, the 2021 Maya oozes class, with deep, complex aromas of violets and cassis, earthy loam and hints of tobacco and mint. It’s just medium to full-bodied, cool, silky and finessed. Supremely elegant but concentrated, just reined in, restrained. She’s the "perfect" girl, the one so special a younger me would be afraid to ask out. The current me is married, so... I’ll just sit here and drink it in. Readers should drink it in too. All of it, from the upfront fruit to the lingering, savory finish. While approachable now, this wine should continue to drink well for two decades or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPIt comes from the Maya blocks on the house’s southern side combined with Cabernet Franc that abuts the Peter Michael Au Paradis vineyard. A wonderfully dark, opaque ruby colour in the glass leads to fragrant boysenberry and kirsch notes, cedarwood, and rose petals. Full-bodied with super firm and structured tannins that have a pixelated density that would make the latest iPhone jealous. The finish is very long, and even for all the wine’s compactness and weight on the palate, there is a lightness to this wine that is striking. Maya Dalla Valle, the daughter of founder Naoko Dalla Valle, is the winemaker with Andy Erickson and Michel Rolland consulting, while Edgar Alfaro manages the vineyards.Decanter | 99 DECThe 2021 Maya, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It sails out with graceful notes of violets, fresh blackberries, and blackcurrant pastilles giving way to wafts of pencil shavings and underbrush. The full-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance, with fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and fragrant.The Wine Independent | 99 TWIThe 2021 Maya is young, but so promising. A wine of density and stature, the 2021 offers striking vertical depth, with bright acids and plenty of tannin. All the elements are so well balanced. Intense red fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, new leather and cedar all meld together, but it is the whole rather than the sum of parts that is most impressive here. A blast of vibrant fruit explodes through to the finish. Unforgettable.Vinous Media | 98+ VMThis gorgeous red is streamlined in feel, with the vivid boysenberry, mulberry and black currant fruit profile of the vintage, though in a slightly more reserved style, as a strong tobacco thread and cast iron spine keep its energy in reserve for now. There’s lovely tension through the finish, with a mouthwatering iris detail lingering amid the fruit and earth notes. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2045. 800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2021 Maya Proprietary Red Wine is the usual blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from a single parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon and a selection of Cabernet Franc that will spend 24 months in 80% new French oak. It has a more floral, exotic style in its blue fruits, spring flowers, incense, and peppery herbal nose as well as a stunningly pure, elegant, polished, seamless style on the palate. It’s another magical wine in the making from this terroir.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDDeep, dark-fruited character with plums, blackberries, chocolate and walnuts. Full-bodied, textural and velvety, with succulence and depth to its fruit. Structured, wide and super refined with a long, encompassing finish. It’s well integrated and balanced with a lively freshness, yet it needs some time. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JS