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Even at 10 years old this is fairly closed and austere, but there is so much to look forward to. It’s a serious wine that deserves your full attention, and would definitely be ready to go with a good hour or two in a carafe. But don’t just open and drink, because it needs time to let the fruits soften, and to release the myriad layers of liquorice, cigar box, chocolate and black berry flavours. Very impressive, easily rivalling classified wines in this vintage. 3.67pH. Harvest from September 5 to 28. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2010 Phelan Ségur has a really lovely bouquet with brambly red fruit, brown spices, touches of damp undergrowth and tobacco. This feels complex and very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, good acidity, very harmonious with an elegant off-dry, slightly savoury finish. It is not the most ambitious Saint-Estèphe but there is plenty of charm here. I marked this wine down in the past, but it certainly beginning to blossom. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of blueberries and spices with hints of licorice too. Full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Extremely well-integrated. Beautiful. One of the best ever from here. Try in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSAllies solid density to subtle refinement, with steeped plum, currant, singed iron and charcoal notes. Lightly firm through the finish, showing a lovely tobacco edge, this should age gracefully. Best from 2014 through 2025. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe best wine from Phélan Ségur for several years, this shows less of the often-intrusive new wood and more of the fruit that had been missing in past vintages. It shows a subtle level of toast and a black currant flavor, plus great acidity and freshness on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDeep garnet in color, the 2010 Phélan Ségur boldly springs from the glass with open-for-business notes of baked blackcurrants, blueberry tart and chocolate covered cherries followed by hints of cardamom, camphor and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm line of grippy tannins and just enough freshness to support the maturing black fruits, finishing with a fair bit of chew.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Power combined with elegance in the 2010. A dusting of dark cocoa powder, cola, mint, exotic sweet spices, caramel, toast and blackcurrants on the nose. Juicy and vibrant, more lean than I was expecting, tannins are fine and supportive with clear austerity and bitterness around the edge, giving a spiced frame that lets the fruit pulse through the middle. This is certainly on the intense side, but not weighty at all, concentration balanced by high acidity and a lovely stony minerality underneath that, really puts you in St-Emilion on the terroir. Direct and focussed, precise and lifted with a minty, liquorice finish. Feels like a very representative TrotteVieille though give this more time before opening.Decanter | 96 DECAn extracted wine, showing bitter chocolate as much as fruit. There is a core of dark tannins, very firm, with licorice, wood and a tight texture. Often Trottevieille shows this austerity when young, and this 2010 is no exception. It will develop slowly into a serious and concentrated wine.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEComposed of 58% Cabernet Franc and 42% Merlot, the 2010 Trotte Vieille is deep garnet in color and starts off with some sweaty leather notions on the nose, giving way to a core of baked black plums, dried mulberries and fruitcake plus wafts of fallen leaves and tobacco. Full-bodied, the palate has a taut line of chewy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the baked berry layers, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2010 Trotte Vieille is very ripe and almost Mediterranean in style on the nose: black olives and liquorice infusing the rich red fruit, just a hint of hung game in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and generous, almost Châteauneuf in style with a pinch of spicebox and sage towards the finish. Drinking perfectly now, but where is it going to go? Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 91 VMDark and ripe, but nicely polished, with a dark tea and roasted cedar frame to the currant paste and fig notes. The solid finish is well-coated with ganache and smolders nicely with a lingering tobacco hint that should emerge steadily in this slightly old-school version. Best from 2014 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2010 Capbern Gasqueton is a wine that I never tasted en primeur. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, tobacco, dried blood and loamy aromas that vie for attention, all served up with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, a lovely rondeur here that counterbalances the structure of the vintage. Gentle grip, good body and backbone with plenty of stuffing on the finish, this is an excellent long-term and delicious Saint-Estèphe. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMMature with enveloping dark fruits and lots of menthol, eucalypt and spice. Ultra-ripe fruit dominates the palate, but there is plenty of acidity and tannic grip to provide balancing structure.Vinous Media | 93 VMHeavily dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a big, bold, black wine, full of immense, smoky tannins. It has a rich structure, followed by deliciously juicy acidity. The dry tannins of Saint-Estèphe are well cushioned by the rich fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis shows lovely depth of fruit and fine tannins. Lots of subtle fruit with spices, cedar, and berry. Hints of chocolate. The texture is gorgeous. Same producers as Calon Segur. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

I first saw a sample of the 2010 Echézeaux from Maxime Cheurlin last November, when the wine had just finished up its malo, and it was a bit disjointed from the secondary fermentation, but showing outstanding potential. I was very happy to have the chance to revisit it again in March, where it was absolutely singing. Maxime’s family’s parcel lies in the lieu à dit of Les Cruots and the vines are in excess of eighty years of age. These venerable old vines have produced a superb wine that shows no difficulty standing up to its one hundred percent new wood this year, soaring from the glass in a blaze of plums, black cherries, dark soil tones, woodsmoke, a touch of game and a generous base of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on that attack, with a rock solid core sappy fruit, tangy acids, ripe, well-integrated tannins and outstanding length and grip on the focused and nascently complex finish. This is a classic example of Echézeaux in the making, with the vintage’s beautiful transparency very much in evidence. A prodigious first vintage of Echézeaux. (Drink between 2022 - 2060)John Gilman | 93+ JG

(Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru Red) An intensely floral and gloriously spicy nose of ripe and highly complex black cherry liqueur and rose petal aromas leads to impressively dense and brooding large-scaled flavors that possess fantastic depth and positively stunning length. I have experience with almost every Mongeard Richebourg since the first vintage in 1984 and I have never seen one with more potential than this one though not surprisingly, patience will be needed. In a word, brilliant. (Drink starting 2030)Burghound | 94-96 BH(Richebourg- Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret) The 2010 Richebourg just noses out the Grands Echézeaux this year as the best wine in the cellar, but, at least at this early stage, this is a race that is likely to go right down to the wire for king of the cellar. The stunning and utterly refined nose soars from the glass in a blend of red and black cherries, black plums, dark chocolate, fresh herb tones, complex soil nuances, woodsmoke and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with a fine sense of reserve, a rock solid core, brilliant transparency (particularly for Richebourg), ripe tannins, tangy acids and outstanding length and grip on the utterly refined finish. A beautiful, beautiful wine. (Drink between 2025-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JG

Rose petal and ripe fruits on the nose. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a citrus undertone. Lemon rind texture. Juicy and delicious. Give it a year or two to soften. 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, aged 15 months in French barrels.James Suckling | 90 JS

Medium garnet colored, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard leaps from the glass with red roses, raspberry leaves and kirsch with a cassis and blackberry core plus hints of anise, Indian spices and florals. The palate is full-bodied with plenty of perfumed fruit and a satiny texture, finishing with incredible energy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Menthol and soft wood nuances frame the restrained but spicy aromas of black fruit and high-toned floral scents. There is good richness to the relatively full-bodied generous flavors that possess a silky texture, all wrapped in a lightly structured and impressively persistent finish. There is a bit of wood on the finish that offers only moderate complexity at present though my score assumes that more will develop over the next 3 to 5 years. As was the case when I originally reviewed this ultra-elegant effort, there is noticeable gas on the finish so if you’re going to try a bottle young I would advise decanting it first.Burghound | 92 BHSuchots can also often be quite black fruity in personality, but this is not the case with the 2011 Hudelot version, which offers up a fine bouquet of cherries, blood orange, Vosne spice, fresh herb tones, fine soil nuances and a bit of cedary wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off lovely mid-palate depth, with ripe tannins, bright acids and excellent grip and focus on the long and dancing finish. A very elegant and intensely flavored Suchots. (Drink between 2021 - 2050)John Gilman | 92+ JG(picked at 13.1% potential alcohol): Medium red with an amber edge. Highly aromatic nose combines strawberry, musky brown spices, dried flowers and cinnamon. Juicy and penetrating in the mouth, with a bit of unabsorbed CO2 accentuating the tartness of the cranberry, pomegranate and soil flavors. Very savory wine, with enough stuffing and flavor intensity to maintain its balance. Finishes with firm tannins and very good tangy length.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Another dark, intense wine, the 2011 Ornellaia boasts superb depth, richness and power. Here, too, the 2011 has tightened up quite a bit over the last six months. Today, the searing tannins are quite prominent, giving the 2011 an element of gravitas and muscle that argues for cellaring. How long? I am not sure, but the 2011 is built for the long haul. Savory herbs, new leather, menthol and cloves resonate on the huge finish.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis shows incredible concentration with dark-berry, dark-chocolate, mint and rosemary character. Full body with a superb depth of fruit and polished tannins. It's chewy but caressing. This needs at least four or five years to come around. Powerful and intense. Yet it remains fresh and bright.James Suckling | 96 JSA dark and inky red, featuring violet, black currant, cedar, sandalwood and iron aromas and flavors. Nonetheless, this comes across as elegant, even as the tannins prove formidable on the finish. A terrific young wine in the making. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2017 through 2035. 2,200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2011 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia lives up to the legacy of this important wine, thanks to its extreme intensity and its skillfully crafted bouquet. The excellent quality of fruit stands clear, despite the heat of the vintage, with pristine notes of dark cherry, exotic spice and chocolate. This expression of Ornellaia is composed of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. The results are nothing short of exuberant and this vintage will reward both those who decided to drink it early, as well as those who have the patience to wait. The only slight ruffle in this otherwise gorgeous presentation is the 2011 tannin that feels a touch aggressive. For that reason, its probably better to put the wine aside in your cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAnother impressive effort from the celebrated Ornellaia estate. it opens with aromas of black berries, plum, blue flower and hints of balsamic herbs. The rich palate delivers a core of fleshy black cherry accented with notes of licorice, black pepper and mocha alongside bracing but refined tannins. It's still young so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2016–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

(Clos St. Denis- Domaine Dujac) I have a fair bit of Dujac Clos St. Denis in my cellar, but I cannot recall any previous vintage as promising as the 2011 showed at the time of my visit in November. This is one of the most elegant of all the grand crus in the Côte de Nuits and this has obviously dovetailed brilliantly with the style of the 2011 vintage. The stunning nose soars from the glass in a glorious mélange of cherries, blood orange, gamebirds, cinnamon, roses, beautiful minerality, cocoa, peonies and a discreet base of spicy wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and absolutely ethereal in style, with great mid-palate depth and nascent complexity, laser-like focus, suave tannins and magical grip and focus on the very, very long and very transparent finish. This beautiful wine already dances across the palate and it will be a legend in the years to come! (Drink between 2022-2065)John Gilman | 96 JGA model of elegance and finesse, the 2011 Clos St. Denis presents a hugely attractive fabric laced with orange peel, rose petals and sweet spices. The 2011 is an especially floral, lifted Clos St. Denis endowed with terrific energy and focus, while the mid-weight structure suggests it will drink well relatively early.Vinous Media | 95 VMDeep, profound wine with dark berries, cinnamon and spices. Velvety tannins and long finish. Terroir-driven, very intense flavours, amazing depth. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028.Decanter | 94 DEC(Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis Grand Cru Red) Here too an adroit application of wood serves as a discreet foil for the more obvious floral aromas that enjoy added scope from the presence of pure, spicy and highly complex red and dark berry scents. There is an abundance of mouth coating extract that imparts a suave, even lush character to the very rich medium-bodied flavors that are an exercise in finesse and refinement while offering controlled power and outstanding length. A classic Clos St. Denis of class and grace. (Drink starting 2026)Burghound | 93 BHThe 2011 Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru is missing a little cohesion on the nose, rather loose-knit with broody, stony red berry fruit. Fortunately, it begins to come together with rigorous swirling of the glass and musters much better focus. The palate is medium-bodied with quite chalky tannins on the entry. There is a fine core of red cherries, pomegranate and attractive saline notes toward the masculine finish. It is more approachable than other vintages that I have tasted at this stage, but it deserves three or four years in bottle because there is a lot of potential here. Drink 2015-2025.I have been visiting Jeremy and Alec Seysses at Domaine Dujac for several years now, and it is always one of my favorite ports of call. Alec, looking surprisingly chipper for a new dad had taken time off nappy duty to guide me through the 2011s this year. I have to confess that I was concerned by the conspicuous nature of the new oak on both their negociant label wines and the entry Village Crus. I felt that 35% new oak tended to overwhelm the fruit and terroir and occasionally impart drying finishes, which is why my scores are parsimonious here. As I tasted through the range toward the flock of Grand Crus the oak seemed better assimilated, although I would still maintain that the wine is of such quality that the present level of oak risks being superfluous to requirements. All the negociant label wines were bottled before Christmas.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

Bright red cherries, cranberry, spices, mint, hard candy and anise all jump from the glass in the 2011 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard. Hints of crushed flowers and tobacco follow, adding lift, inner perfume and a sense of sweetness. The de Villiers is the most open and radiant of these 2011s today, partly because it is the only single-vineyard Pinot in the range made from fully destemmed fruit.Antonio Galloni | 90+ AGTight, with a gritty, earthy edge to the firm strawberry, dark berry, violet, spice and cedar notes, gaining depth and ending with a persistent finish. Should gain with age.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

I really love the 2012 Suchots from Domaine Hudelot, as the overtly red fruity character of this wine this year is very rare for this terroir and earmarks a very special vintage of the wine. The gorgeous nose offers up scents of cherries, raspberries, a touch of blood orange, Vosne spices, a beautiful base of minerality, woodsmoke and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very transparent, with a sappy core of fruit, fine-grained tannins and a very, very long, soil-driven and tangy finish. Superb juice. (Drink between 2020 - 2050)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe 2012 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots comes from a 0.45-hectare holding planted back in 1920. It has a slightly muted nose out of barrel, but it unfurls revealing earthy, mossy scents with aeration. The palate is clean and fresh, but somehow foursquare and a little conservative compared to some of the domaine’s other premier crus. You get the impression that this Les Suchots is hiding something up its sleeve, whereas this vineyard is habitually one of the most expressive in its youth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPBright medium red. Ripe, alluring aromas and flavors of wild strawberry, raspberry and earth. Sweet, fine-grained and enveloping, showing lovely energy and density and still holding its fruit in reserve. Finishes fresh and firm-edged, with full, fine-grained tannins and excellent length.Vinous Media | 91 VMA spicy and notably ripe nose features aromas of dark pinot fruit, red currant, blood orange and an abundance of spice elements that include anise and sandalwood. There is an elegant mouth feel to the luscious and generously proportioned middle weight flavors that possess a velvety texture, all wrapped in a beautifully complex finish. If there is a concern though it’s that this very firmly structured effort feels as though it may turn secondary relatively early in its evolution. As such I underscore my concern with a question mark because it will certainly require more than 8 years of bottle age to resolve the tannins yet the fruit may no longer be there.Burghound | 90 BH

The 2012 The Maiden is super-refined, polished and expressive. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, mint, pine and cinnamon are some of the signatures. Open-knit and medium in body, the Maiden is racy and super-polished to the core. It is feminine, lifted in style and well-suited to near-term drinking.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2012 The Maiden displays soft blackcurrant liqueur notes, as well as cedar wood, forest floor, underbrush, and hints of white chocolate and espresso. It is broad, savory, sexy and opulent. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RPExhibits a dusty, dried herb savoriness amid dark berry, cedar and new leather scents, ending with fine-grained, gripping tannins and a touch of mocha. To be released spring 2016. Drink now through 2028. 1,208 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Good bright, deep red. Complex, subtle aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and graphite minerality, plus some sexy oak tones. Ripe and silky, even plump for the year, but classically dry and light on its feet. Saturates the mouth and cheeks without leaving any impression of heaviness. At this point in my tasting, Marie-Christine Mugneret noted that these 2013s had been uncorked the previous evening. They are showing spectacularly now and I suspect they benefited dramatically from aeration. Finishes with very suave, even tannins and a suggestion of minty lift. Very classy juice.Vinous Media | 94 VMAn exuberantly spicy nose exhibits notes of raspberry liqueur, earth and essence of black cherry scents as well as enough wood to notice. Here too there is a distinctly sleek mouth feel to the suave and very seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that possess impressive power in the context of the appellation and simply knock-out depth and length. This impeccably well-balanced effort is a notably more robust and concentrated vintage of this wine than usual that should age well for a long time to come.Burghound | 94 BHThe Mugnerets usually get six to seven casks of Echézeaux in a normal vintage, but in 2013, the old vines in their holding in the climat of Rouge de Bas were really badly affected by the poor flowering in this year and there are only four casks of this lovely wine as a result- the same as in 2012. It is too bad that there is not more quantity, as the quality here is exceptional, with the wine soaring from the glass in a blaze of black cherries, cassis, gamebirds, violets, a gloriously complex base of soil, dark chocolate and nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and supremely elegant in personality, with great mid-palate depth, impeccable balance, ripe tannins and outstanding transparency on the very long, tangy and perfectly focused finish. A beautiful wine in the making. (Drink between 2025 - 2075)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2013 Echézeaux Grand Cru, which comes from two parcels in the lieux-dits “Les Rouges du Bas” (70-year-old vines on métayage from Fabrice Vigot) and “Quartiers du Nuits” (on métayage with Pascal Mugneret) has a seductive bouquet in the same vein as the Nuits Chaignots with very pure dark cherries, bergamot and mineral scents. The palate is rounded in the mouth with very good weight. It does not quite have the delineation or complexity of the 2012 at the moment, but there is a lovely caressing finish. This will be giving pleasure earlier than the other crus, but it should still age well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The highlight in this range, the exquisite 2014 Tignanello is all about persistence and understated class. The aromatics alone are captivating. Sculpted, finely delineated flavors add to the wine’s vivid personality. Because of the challenges posed by the growing season, the blend leans more heavily toward Cabernet Sauvignon than is typically the case. Above all else, though, the 2014 is all about harmony, and there is plenty of that here. Unfortunately, production is down 30%.Vinous Media | 96 VMExotic spice, cedar, purple flower, forest floor and wild berry are some of the aromas you’ll find in this fragrant, focused red. It’s loaded with finesse, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cassis, star anise and white pepper with remarkable precision. It’s fresh and balanced by vibrant acidity and elegant, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2019–2029.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEReally pretty aromas of currants and roses follow through to a medium body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh finish. Very well done for 2014 and a wonderful Tignanello to drink now or later. Better in 2019.James Suckling | 94 JSTignanello has this amazing ability of always being, well, Tignanello. Its very DNA makes it among the most distinctive and recognizable wines in the world. I’m happy to report that this is also the case for the 2014 Tignanello that faced very different growing conditions compared to most. The wine is beautiful and balanced with sweet tannins and a supporting oak texture that is neatly folded at the back. The wine is all about measure and proportion, and it aspires to these goals with an impressive sense of natural harmony. This is not an overtly powerful or muscular expression. Instead, it shows a tasty, almost savory form of elegance. This vintage was made with 75% Sangiovese, which means that the Cabernet presence is a tad bigger than normal. Ultimately, this wine is more finessed and delicate, and I appreciate the careful tannic management on display here.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA fresh, linear style, displaying cherry, iron, earth and spice flavors on a slim frame. Fine length.—Non-blind Tignanello vertical (October 2019). Best from 2021 through 2035. 5,000 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 91 WS

(this vineyard was planted about a hundred years ago, and features a high percentage of millerandage): Bright, dark red. Very ripe but reticent aromas of black cherry, black raspberry and dark chocolate. Densely packed, very ripe, broad and fine-grained but showing little in the way of easy sweetness in the early going. Like the Chambolle Charmes, this is quite closed today and not yet showing its inherent complexity. But the wine’s richness of material is already clear. Finishes with substantial tannic clout. "Always a blacker, denser wine than the Beaumonts," notes van Canneyt.Vinous Media | 91-94 VMIn contrast to the parcel of Beaumonts that is at the very top of the vineyard, the family’s plot of vines in Suchots are down low in the vineyard, next to the cemetery in the village. Suchots is usually one of the most black fruity premier crus in Vosne-Romanée, but the 2015 from the domaine has plenty of red fruit tones in its superb bouquet of red and black raspberries, lovely Vosne spice tones, black minerality, raw cocoa, a touch of bonfire and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully pure on the attack, with stunning transparency, a sappy core, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex and very soil-driven finish. This is one of the finest vintages of young Suchots chez Hudelot that I have ever tasted! (Drink between 2025-2065)John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2015 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots (which hails from a parcel planted in 1910) is excellent, opening in the glass with a deep bouquet of cassis, cherry, smoked duck and burnt orange, elegantly framed by a discrete application of new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, silky and ample, with serious depth and dimension, juicy acids and ripe, fine-grained tannins. While its serious structural chassis is nicely cloaked in concentrated fruit, this Suchots will benefit from a good decade of bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPDiscreet but not invisible wood serves as a relatively neutral backdrop for the exuberantly spicy and again very ripe aromas soy, hoisin, black raspberry, plum and floral scents. The generously proportioned and amply rich medium-bodied flavors brim with dry extract that imparts a sappy mouthfeel to the velvety but firm, serious and youthfully austere finale that makes clear this is going to require extended cellaring. In sum, this is an excellent Suchots. (Drink starting 2030)Burghound | 93 BH

Black fruit, spice, tar and cured tobacco open the bouquet of the 2015 Montefalco Sagrantino Valdimaggio. You also get slightly more mature aromas of rum cake or cherry liqueur from this warm and sunny vintage. This is a complete and generous wine that shows tight tannins at the back. Despite that evident muscle and brawn, the tannins are carefully managed so that they don’t taste bitter or astringent. In fact, quite the opposite.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThough tightly knit and well-defined by sculpted tannins, this fresh red shows overall elegance, featuring a lovely, fragrant range of plumped cherry and strawberry fruit, with star anise, graphite and cardamom notes, ashy smoke accents and hints of dried mint and marjoram. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2030. 1,000 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFrom 4.9 acres of 40-year-old vines that surround the winery, this is impressively ripe and concentrated. A two-year spell in French oak barriques added notes of clove, dark chocolate and baking spice to its blackberry and plum fruit. Notes of tobacco and fresh loam balance the rich flavors, though the gun-metal tannins call for several years of cellaring.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SThe plush elderberries and hints of peperoncino and balsamic work rather well with the dried cedar and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and nicely indented in furrows of chewy tannins revealing dark fruit and detailed acidity. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSAromas of blueberry brandy, underbrush, dark spice and eucalyptus take shape in the glass. On the tightly knit, brawny palate, assertive, close-grained tannins support dried black cherry, licorice and clove alongside the heat of evident alcohol. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Fresh grapes only. It’s hard to believe this is their first vintage from rented vines high up at San Giorgio. Magnificent aromas of woodsmoke, aniseed, clove and black pepper and intense, juicy red fruit flavours. Drinking Window 2019 - 2027.Decanter | 94 DEC

Vivid and bright fruits, such as plums and strawberries, on the nose. Full-bodied, very dense and complete on the palate. Has a beautiful ripe tannin structure and a flavorful finish. Impressive wine. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSMedium garnet-purple, the 2015 Ferran is scented of warm red plums, red currant jelly and mulberries with touches of garrigue, violets and fragrant earth. Medium-bodied, very firm and very ripe with grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, it has loads of perfumed layers and a minerally finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPHighly extracted bilberry and cassis with silky if bristling tannins. Good potential, lovely sense of vibrancy and a coffee finish. 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. 33% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is absolutely delicious. Ripe, radiant and seductive, the 2015 is going to be nearly impossible to resist young. Even so, there is plenty of structural underpinning beneath all of the fruit. Sweet floral notes develop in the glass, adding lift, but above all else, the 2015 is a wine of textural voluptuousness, all in a silky, mid-weight style that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Checking in as 62% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc that was brought up in roughly 70% new oak, the 2015 Château Laroze is straight up gorgeous. Cassis, black cherries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings and hints of tobacco all give way to a ripe, sexy, concentrated Saint-Emilion that has sweet, polished tannin, plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish. This beauty builds with time in the glass, is seamless, and just a sensational drink.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Laroze hits the ground running with vibrant, expressive red currants, black raspberries and warm plums scents with touches of violets, chocolate-covered cherries and lavender plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied, finely crafted and elegantly styled with plush, come-hither tannins and plenty of youthful, exuberant red and black fruit layers, it finishes with bags of perfume and polish. Very classy!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPBalance and focus to this medium to full-bodied red with chocolate, plums and cedar undertones. Firm and polished tannins. Savory finish. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 92 JSAn attack of ripe berries, cherries and plums with underlying coffee notes; dense and structured with firm tannins. Drinking Window 2024 - 2037.Decanter | 90 DEC

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

There’s wonderful polish and focus to the vibrant nose here, which frames sour cherries, raspberries, fruit tea and darker, earthier elements. Medium-to full-bodied and beautifully pure and inviting, this is a dialed-in Brunello with sweeping acidity and finely chiseled tannins. Drink from 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThis beefy red is less forthcoming than many of its peers, featuring a core of pure, fresh cherry flavors. Earth and leafy tobacco elements emerge as this unfolds on the lingering finish. Shows fine balance and energy overall. Best from 2024 through 2042.Wine Spectator | 94 WSIntense and vibrant nose of wild berries and spicy notes. Juicy core with plenty of meaty notes, ripe tannins structure, juicy plump ripe red fruits. Still tight with lots of room for development. Drinking Window 2022 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DECWith vineyards on the Castelnuovo dell’Abate side of the appellation, this wine reflects the warm vintage and the slightly wild characteristics of fruit from the southern half of the appellation. The San Giorgio 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte is a robust and generous wine, with contemporary touches of smoke and spice that add to its aromatic intensity and complexity. There is plenty of ripe, dark and concentrated fruit here, and that’s ultimately what powers this hearty Brunello. The tannins show good integration too. The release counted an ample 50,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte is quite reticent at this stage, showing a dusty mix of woodland red berries, with hints of savory spice, leather and dried florals. On the palate, silky textures are offset by tart cherry fruit, with cool-toned acids and minerals adding lift in an expression that seems both savory and feminine. The finish is medium in length and quite pretty, resonating on red inner florals and fruits, with a lingering spry acidity and the slightest hint of fine tannin. This is already quite easy to enjoy, and it should do well over the medium-term in the cellar.Vinous Media | 91 VM