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“Creamy and refreshing, Rigogoli bursts with flavors of peach, almond, sweet spice and finishes with a clean, sea-swept minerality. The native Grechetto di Todi pairs well with Viognier which rounds out Grechetto’s acidity, but also serves to add more complex aromas to this wine.” Sokolin Tasting Panel | 95 SP

Winemaker Jean-Luc Thunevin has hit a home run in the vintage, and his 2020 Château Valandraud is unquestionably up with the crème de la crème out there. Made in a ripe, sexy, plush style, it brings an incredible amount of ripe black fruit, chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. This carries to a full-bodied, powerful Saint-Emilion that somehow stays weightless and graceful on the palate, with moderate acidity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDWow. This is really super polished with incredible length and intensity, offering blackberries and hazelnuts. Superb richness that is reserved and poised. Great length. Full-bodied, extremely long and exciting.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThis wine from the premier classé estate is seriously structured, dense and firm. At the same time the beautiful black currant fruits, acidity and fine perfumed character balance its richness. It is an impressive, memorable wine that will develop well over many years.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE(Château Valandraud, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) This is excellent, broad-shouldered with ample depth to the brambled fruits, liquorice, cigar box spice, with a gorgeously saline finish. Chalky, grippy tannins keep tugging you back into the body of the wine. The tannic grip is helped by a linen rather than silk texture that stops things being overly smooth and instead adds depth and interest to the powerfully knitted body, as do white flowers on the aromatics as it opens. Good stuff. 100% new oak for 24 months. A yield of 49hl/ha. Thunevin has sold a 50% stake in Valandraud to the Lefevre family at Sansonnet (also the new owners of Villemaurine, so a busy year for them). (Drink between 2029-2046)Decanter | 96 DECOpaque purple-black colored, the 2020 Valandraud bursts with scents of crushed black plums, boysenberries and blackberry preserves, followed by hints of dusty soil, garrigue and clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a lot of energetic, crunchy black fruits with a lively backbone and beautifully ripe, rounded tannins, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2020 Valandraud is impressive. Inky, deep and exquisitely layered, it possesses tremendous richness in every dimension. crème de cassis, chocolate, licorice, new leather, spice and lavender build as the 2020 gains volume in the glass. Silky and plush, with magnificent balance, this is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. A magnificent effort from Muriel Andraud and Jean-Luc Thunevin. Superb. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM

Looking at the 2020 Vatan, it comes from a single vineyard planted in 1900. Raised in barrel, this deep purple-hued beauty offers up a gorgeous array of cassis and darker berry fruits as well as integrated classy oak, roasted herb, graphite, and Asian spice-like nuances. It’s a rich, powerful wine yet stays light on its feet and balanced, with beautiful tannins and integrated acidity.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDThe 2020 Vatan comes from exceptionally old vines in the Quemaos vineyard situated in the Villaester de Abajo area. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, it displays a dark purple color. The balsamic nose reveals plums, sour cherries and subtle blackberries over a cedar layer. Rich, creamy and juicy on the palate, the supple tannins and mild intensity lead to a nuanced, enduring finish. This is a vibrant interpretation of a successful year for Toro.Vinous Media | 94 VMLooking at the 2020 Vatan, it comes from a single vineyard planted in 1900. Raised in barrel, this deep purple-hued beauty offers up a gorgeous array of cassis and darker berry fruits as well as integrated classy oak, roasted herb, graphite, and Asian spice-like nuances. It’s a rich, powerful wine yet stays light on its feet and balanced, with beautiful tannins and integrated acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEAn elegant, medium- to full-bodied red that marries a pretty range of macerated black raspberry and boysenberry fruit, violet and bay leaf notes with supple tannins and lively orange peel acidity. Shows hints of spices, mineral and graphite that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2028. 3,500 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAn overlay of vanilla ice cream to the fresh blackberries and cherries with a hint of coffee and hibiscus flowers. Juicy and tight on the palate, with some fluidity in the center palate. The finish is crunchy and succulent, although it is quite tight and grippy. Come back in 2025.James Suckling | 91 JS

Perfumed, composed and agile with notes of cherries, wild strawberries, white pepper, frozen raspberries, dried flowers and some stones. Full-bodied with fine, chalky tannins and crisp acidity. Bright and vertical with controlled power throughout. Textural and subtle. Great tension and energy on the mid-palate and onto the long, focused finish. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Try after 2030.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Vietti 2020 Barolo Ravera offers dark fruit, cherry and blackcurrant enhanced by soft spice. You also get a sun-kissed note of eggplant, tomato leaf and ferrous earth. Ravera displays strong lines with good acidity and firm tannic backbone. It closes dry and ages in large oak botte only. This is one of the most eyeballed MGAs sites. Ravera, with its open mountain skyline and cool temperatures, is seen as one of the best sites in the appellation, especially as the climate changes. This vintage produced exactly 10,026 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPPicked on October 9 and 10, the 2020 Barolo Ravera has plenty of Ravera classicism and tension, but also feels a bit light in the mid-palate. Ravera is never a huge wine in body, but the depth is often there, even if expressed in an understated and more linear manner. The 2020 lacks that depth. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and white pepper lend brilliance throughout.Vinous Media | 94 VM

This has aromas of orange peel, plums, raspberries, wild strawberries, violets and tobacco leaves. Excellent freshness with lightly bitter citrus and herb notes lifting the wild berry fruit, supported by fine tannins. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS(Godello “Pagos del Galir”- Virgen del Galir) The 2020 Godello “Pagos del Galir” bottling from Cuné’s Virgen del Galir property is lovely this year. As I have mentioned in the past, this wine hails from the single vineyard of A Malosa, with the wine fermented and raised in stainless steel tanks. The 2020 is fairly ripe, coming in at fourteen percent octane this year, but impressively fresh and vibrant on both the nose and palate,. The bouquet offers up a refined blend of lemon, pear, a bit of raw almond, stony minerality, citrus blossoms and just a whisper of beeswax in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a superb core, lovely soil signature and grip, sound framing acids and a long, well-balanced and quite wide open finish. Like many 2020 whites, this does not have a ton of acidity, but plenty to carry it over the next ten to twelve years. (Drink between 2022-2035)John Gilman | 92 JGThe white 2020 Pagos del Galir A Malosa Godello was produced with grapes from a large vineyard (21 hectares!) planted over four years after purchasing over 100 small plots from local growers. So, it has different soils, expositions and altitudes. In 2020 they used the grapes from the lower and middle parts, the oldest plantings on slate soils fermented in stainless steel, barrels (500 and 600 liters) and oak foudres and then matured in foudres and barrels for seven months. 2020 saw a very early harvest with higher yields than 2019, resulting in a wine with 13.5% alcohol and 6.5 grams of acidity. They have seen that small barrels don’t work in the region and have moved to larger sizes, all from French oak. The nose has a Burgundian feeling to it, spicy and with a toasty twist. The oak is still there, so it might need more time to get that creaminess integrated, but it’s very clean and of high quality. There is great purity, definition and precision here. The wine is elegant and subtle, with a long, dry and tasty finish. It has good acidity, one of the challenges with Godello. 19,000 bottles and 300 magnums were produced. It was bottled in May 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RPLight, vivid yellow. Fresh, mineral-tinged citrus and orchard fruits and a powerful floral quality on the perfumed nose. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering lively Meyer lemon, pear and honeysuckle flavors that deepen through the back half. A dusty mineral flourish adds firm cut to the persistent finish, which features clinging citrus fruit and floral notes.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Readers may not know it, but this team makes some incredible whites. The 2020 Virginie De Valandraud Blanc has a beautiful perfume of bright citrus, lemon pith, and chalky minerality as well as a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet still racy and vibrant style on the palate. It’s gorgeous today, but this will evolve gracefully for 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDTypical Sauvignon Blanc nose of herbs, peas, apple and stalky elderflower with some white chocolate. Bright, textured and clear, a lovely clean sensation, I like the creamy yet piercing lemon and lime. Thrilling with clarity and elements of chalky, lemon, salty lime, nectarine and bitter orange peel. In a quiet phase but plenty of appeal.Decanter | 93 DECThis has aromas of almonds, thyme, clove, lemons and green apples. Crushed stones, too. Creamy, medium-bodied and textured, with a nutty thread throughout. Excellent weight and intensity. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Virginie de Valandraud Blanc is a very pretty and expressive dry white. Hints of passionfruit, tangerine oil, mint and pineapple all grace this airy, weightless white.Vinous Media | 92 VMCrackles nicely from the start, with oyster shell, lemon peel and gooseberry notes. Shows lots of mouthwatering zip through the finish, which brings you back for another sip. Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2024. 1,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WSThe 2020 Virginie de Valandraud Blanc leaps from the glass with exuberant notes of green guava, passion fruit and ripe pears, plus hints of coriander seed, lemongrass and wet pebbles. The medium-bodied palate has impressive purity and intensity, delivering a racy backbone to offset the tropical fruit flavors, finishing long and lively.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

The 2020 Meursault Les Tillets opens with notes of crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, white flowers and crushed mint. Medium-bodied, satiny and elegant, it’s lively and precise, with a pretty core of fruit and a mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThis too is quite firmly reduced and unreadable today. More interesting are the delicate but punchy flavors that evidence plenty of minerality on the vibrant, focused and beautifully well-balanced finale. Once again, more depth would be beneficial, but this wine has an excellent track record in that regard. Worth checking out.Burghound | 89-91 BH

Looking at the flagship estate Viognier, the 2021 Viognier Estate boasts a vibrant, medium to full-bodied, incredibly focused and mineral-driven profile that reminds me of a Condrieu from pure granite soils. Tangerine oil, honeyed flowers, brioche, and citrus notes all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and one heck of a great finish. I finished my note with "Love it." As I’ve written in the past, no one in the New World does Viognier better than John Alban.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2021 Viognier Estate is tremendously expressive and vibrant! It’s layered and complex on the nose, segueing from savory matchstick to exotic, musky perfume, candied peaches and tangerine oil. The palate offers flesh and unctuousness without fattiness, full flavors that are tempered by a powerful textural bite and flinty streaks and energetic acidity that combine to create an alluring, shimmery finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The white 2021 Cargol Treu Vi has notes of pollen and yellow fruit with some browning apples. It has contained ripeness and 12.4% alcohol with a very low pH and high-ish acidity but comes through as more evolved and somewhat riper than the phenomenal Principia Mathematica form this same vintage. It has pungent flavors and a medium-bodied palate, with some spice from aging in 300-liter barrels for 10 to 11 months. 2,100 bottles were filled in August 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

A classy wine with a profound and complex profile. The nose is fully focused on tension, with vibrant aromas of pink grapefruit, linden tree flowers, apricots, Mirabelle plums, green apples and toast. Oily texture with zesty, integrated acidity. It’s long, smooth, full-bodied and weighted in the finish. Candied fruit aftertaste. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drinkable now, but it will last for a decade.James Suckling | 96 JSIntense and complex, it displays slightly lifted scents of meadow blossom, bruised apple and lime, with suggestions of creamy pastries in the background. Great energy on the palate, where the youthful fleshiness is supported by firm, tangy acidity. Although still finding its feet, 2021 is a benchmark vintage for Löwengang Chardonnay – a wine with a radiant future.Decanter | 95 DECHints of graphite and smoke underscore flavors of persimmon, plum skin, white cherry and blanched almond in this clean-cut, salty white. There’s textural richness and density on the palate, though this is medium-bodied and elegant overall. Lightly honeyed throughout, with a long, fragrant finish of mountain herb and preserved lemon notes. Chardonnay. Drink now through 2031. 5,800 cases made, 230 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Anthem’s tightly coiled, concentrated 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard recalls the site’s rocky soils in its hints of crushed stones on the nose, backed by black cherries, sage, cedar and dried spices. It’s full-bodied and dense, possesses plenty in reserve for the long haul and boasts a long, tannic finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPComing from a great vineyard in St. Helena and aged 18 months in 95% new French oak, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard reveals red and black fruits, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and spicy wood notes. Full-bodied and rich on the palate, with a broad, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and will have 20-25+ years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDRich and full bodied with abundant flavor, this wine dances across the palate with lavish flavors of spices, smoked chicory and cedar. It’s lush and persistent, with fine tannins and juicy acidity. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is one of the best editions of this wine I have ever tasted. Ripe blue-toned fruit, spice, chocolate, leather and licorice fill out the layers in an ample, full-bodied Gran Selezione. Here, too, changes in vinification and aging yielded a wine that marries refinement with textural resonance. Superb.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe Badia a Passignano vineyards, close to the Tenuta Tignanello estate, lie at an altitude of between 250 and 300 metres above sea level and are surrounded by 600-metre high hills to the east and southwest, which form a protective amphitheatre. This area is described by Antinori as a ‘geographical liaison between the UGA of San Casciano and the UGA of Panzano’. It has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and summers that remain fresh and well ventilated. This in turn encourages a longer, slower ripening season. The 2021 has some notes of green herb as well as bitter cherry, orange zest and sweet vanilla. There is a touch of forest greenness and a balsamic note, as well as spicy black pepper. On the palate the tannins are firm, upright and assertive but always refined. There is a beautiful soft, enveloping texture and weight, and the acidity gives mouthwatering freshness on the finish. It is a little oak-dominant at present, but is still young and needs time. A beautifully made wine that expresses a strong identity.Decanter | 95 DECI had previously reviewed this vintage closer to its commercial release. Tasted seven months later, the Marchesi Antinori 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano has fleshed out nicely and has successfully shedded its oak signature. What you get now is a pretty mouthful of rich, ripe black fruits with background notes of green spice and smoked bacon. There is a hint of fragrant rose that emerges beautifully at one specific point a few minutes in. This expression from the San Donato in Poggio UGA delivers bright and lively fruit overall. With a storied winemaking tradition and first produced in 1988, you could say that this wine is the control sample against which the three new UGA expressions are measured.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA deep well of cherry, pomegranate, iron, tobacco and wild herb aromas and flavors highlights this intense red, while a dense layer of tannins provides support. Lively acidity drives the lingering aftertaste of fruit, mineral and herb notes. Best from 2026 through 2043. 12,250 cases made, 833 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is a very beautiful wine, but also quite a departure from the style that made it famous years ago. Readers will find an especially polished Guado al Tasso, a wine that emphasizes finesse more than power. Silky tannins wrap around a core of black cherry fruit, licorice, spice, mocha and new leather. Bright, saline undertones extend the exquisite finish. There’s more Cabernet Franc in the blend these days, and that very much comes through in the wine’s crazy aromatic presence and feel. The 2021 spent 16 months in wood, three months in used French oak barrels during the malolactic fermentation and then 14 months in barrel (80% new) for the rest of its aging. Gorgeous.Vinous Media | 98 VM

The 2021 Sage Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has an opaque purple-black color. It comes barreling out of the glass with vivacious black raspberries, black currant jelly, and mulberries scents, leading to touches of rose oil, bay leaves, cedar chest, and graphite, with a hint of cardamom. The big, concentrated, full-on, full-bodied palate completely coats the mouth with decadent black fruit preserves layers, supported by firm yet plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIFrom a site north of Lake Hennessey, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) has more red and black fruits as well as a kiss of bloody, iron-like nuances in its tapenade, violets, and incense-driven aromatics. Brought up all in new barrels, it has a forward, layered, mouth-filling texture, nicely integrated tannins, and terrific overall balance. It has plenty of upfront appeal even today, yet I wouldn’t be surprised to see this close down slightly within a year or three of bottle age. It should have upwards of two decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA showy version, with hibiscus and anise notes glistening atop a range of cassis, cherry and boysenberry puree flavors. The licorice-accented finish is long and focused. Drink now through 2036. 100 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2021 Red Wine California is a new Bordeaux-based red wine that Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts made initially to take the place of the 2020 Cabernets that would have been released around this time but were compromised by smoke. The Red Wine was initially intended to be a fun project, but Arnot and Roberts may have stumbled into what is really a pretty serious red with real potential. The 2021 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (Massa, Bedrock and Gordenker), 20% Cabernet Franc (Persia) and 20% Merlot (Massa). A powerful, old-school wine, the 2021 is going to need a few years to shed some tannin. I loved it.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

Perfumed nose, full of pot pourri, scented flowers, dried raspberries and cherries. Really quite evocative, maybe in a vertical you’d pick this out from the nose but it smells wonderful and rich with cool blueberries. Round and charming, this is gorgeously soft, tannins are so inviting, caressing the mouth, not deep at all, this is delicate and primed to float across the tongue, registering the flavours but no heaviness. Almost ethereal in its performance. Really very delicious, full of flavour and character. Gorgeous styling and only got better after half an hour in the glass. Succulent, mineral, graphite, limestone touches on the finish remind you where you are.Decanter | 97 DECFull-bodied, but so elegant and fresh, with a silky, elegant tannin texture. Very deep and expansive. Lots going on already with plenty of perfume. Blueberries, cloves, lavender and some wild-berry notes. Dark cocoa, too. Some espresso character at the end. Wonderful interplay of spices and fruit. Long. It keeps going.James Suckling | 96-97 JSWith 65% Cabernet Franc, this is a structured wine. Fine perfumes show in the sandalwood and toast aromas, and this luscious wine is dense and solid with tannins for aging. It is concentrated, but with elegance and a bold freshness at the end. Drink from 2028. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot, the 2021 Ausone has a deep garnet-purple color. It storms out of the glass with an initial burst of juicy black plums, blackberries, and Bing cherries, leading to an undercurrent of fragrant soil, wet slate, lilacs, and tar, with a touch of bay leaves. The light-bodied palate has impressive intensity and tension, featuring a frame of beautifully ripe, rounded tannins to support the tightly stacked black and red berry layers, finishing long and mineral-laced. Around 16,000 bottles were made.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2021 Ausone is a gorgeous wine, but it is also quite reticent and in need of time to come around. The operative word here is balance, as all the elements are so well put together. Soft, gentle contours wrap around a core of succulent red/purplish fruit, blood orange, spice, lavender, rose petal and dried herbs. The 2021 is compelling.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2021 Ausone was the fruit of a challenging growing season, the estate’s second year in organic conversion coinciding with notable diseases pressure, but the resulting blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot (featuring a touch more Cabernet Franc than normal) was one of the most seductive wines of the en primeur campaign, its exotic perfume and crystalline purity evoking the great Ausone vintages of yesteryear and offering an unvarnished representation of this superb limestone terroir. In bottle, the 2021 remains an excellent wine, but at least out of the gates, its élevage (in 90% new oak, predominantly from Demptos and Taransaud, with four rackings) has taken the lead, intermingling aromas of vanilla, spices and toast with discreet notes of minty dark berries, cherries, petals and pencil shavings. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with an ample and enveloping core of fruit that retains its energy and purity but which gives way to a finish marked by somewhat assertive barrel tannins. Given the inherent quality of the wine and the terroir, I’m sure time will be kind to it, but I’m not quite sure it will ever realize the magical potential it showed in April 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Ausone is Cabernet Franc-dominated, made from 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot that saw the same 20 months in 90% new French oak. It offers classic notes of redcurrants, cassis, iron, spicy wood, and graphite, with hints of tobacco and thyme in the background. Rich, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and tight on the palate, it has beautiful mid-palate depth, ripe, balanced yet present tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It will need 7-8 years, if not a decade, to hit maturity but is a beautiful, elegant, gorgeous Ausone that will be one of the longest-lived in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

Spry and briary, this Zinfandel is fun to drink, with lively black cherry, licorice and dried sage flavors, which take on richness and cracked pepper accents toward zesty tannins. Drink now through 2031. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2021 EE Red Wine is ripe and powerful, with smoky red and black fruits as well as lots of background oak, graphite, espresso, and dark chocolate-like aromas and flavors that develop beautifully with time in the glass. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has plenty of background oak, the building tannins of the vintage, and a great finish. A gorgeous wine, it will benefit from 3-4 years in the cellar and evolve for 25-30 years in cold cellars. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard offers up a wonderful range of dark fruit—black cherries, cassis and blackberries—couched in hints of dark chocolate. Like almost all the Bevan wines, it’s full-bodied, richly concentrated and velvety in texture. This one finishes long, with a mocha and cocoa-stained finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2021 Red Blend EE is one of the more overt wines in the range. Super-ripe red cherry, blackberry, chocolate, spice, gravel and licorice are all amplified in this heady, exotic Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend. The 2021 is a powerhouse.Vinous Media | 93-96 VM

100 Points, Jane Anson, InsideBordeaux.com: "Just love this wine, the lyricism and the generosity of it, and its always vivid depiction of fruits and stones. So juicy, so drawn out, works with the vintage, leans into its low yields, with greengages, raspberry, plum, gentle spices, lemongrass, minerality studded with mandarin peel and sage. Translucent and yet full of flavour, once again it begs you to draw up a chair, gather friends, and enjoy. What a brilliant wine and a brilliant winemaker in Bibi Graetz. From a 58ha estate, Colore comes from the oldest vineyards of Sangiovese that range up to 135 years old." 03/23Jane Anson | 100 JAIntense aromas of purple fruits such as raspberry, spice, lead pencil and granite. Perfumed flowers as well. Full-bodied, tight with poised tannins that show transparency and focus. Crunchy and very long. Better after 2028 when it opens and integrates beautifully.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Colore, 100% Sangiovese, is medium garnet-purple in color. After a little swirling, a glorious perfume of raspberry coulis, Morello cherries, and rose oil emerges from the glass, followed by hints of cinnamon toast, Sichuan pepper, and underbrush. The medium-bodied palate is coated with vibrant red berry and floral layers, framed by exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing epically long and fragrant. This is absolutely stunning!The Wine Independent | 99 TWISeductive and layered, the 2021 Colore is also entirely Sangiovese, coming from 100-year-old vines. It pours a rich magenta/ruby hue and reveals pure and luxurious aromas of black cherry liqueur, fresh lavender, polished leather, cedar, and sweet sage. Medium to full-bodied, it’s chiseled and well-defined, with refined, plush tannins, harmonious depth, and an extraordinarily long finish that slowly tapers. This is a stunning wine from Bibi Graetz that will only improve with proper cellar time. It’s remarkable. Drink 2027-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDProduction of Colore in 2021, like Testamatta, was down slightly on 2020, with around 30,000 bottles produced, due to the decision to drop 20% of the fruit in the vineyard. ‘2021 was a really hot vintage,’ said Bibi, ‘but with all this fantastic selection, the wines were perfect.‘ While earlier vintages of Testamatta included some old-vine fruit, Bibi now reserves all old vines for Colore. Vinification is very similar to Testamatta – fermentation in open-top French oak barriques, 50hl casks and stainless steel tanks depending on the size of the parcel; malo in old barriques and casks; but ageing for Colore is in used French oak barriques rather than a mixture of barrique, tonneau and stainless steel. The combination of reduced yields, the inclusion for the first time of some north-slope fruit, and the new winery in Fiesole has seen a step-change in quality: Colore 2021 is incredibly energetic, with ripe red and black fruit aromas and a balsamic waft leading to a fleshy palate showcasing sweet and sapid raspberry, cherry and pomegranate. Fine, integrated tannins and zesty acidity really help to drive this wine forward, with a really long, stony and cool menthol finish. Superb.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECFrom one of my personal favorite vintages comes the Bibi Graetz 2021 Colore. This Sangiovese-based wine offers vertical intensity, energy and remarkable freshness. It also shows a polished quality to the palate that translates into a long, finely tuned finish. There is plenty of berry fruit and balance, yet the wine shows enough structure to pair with roast duck breast or guinea fowl.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe nose asserts aromas of dark fruit and berries, with rubbery, slightly smoky notes drifting around the edges. A juicier, denser berry streak defines the satiny palate, while bitter undertones of orange and chocolate provide structure. Firm, taut tannins emerge on a warm finish. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEPure and elegant, offering a beam of cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, rose and mineral aromas and flavors. This harmonious version builds in intensity to the long, fruit-filled finish, where a hint of blood orange peeks through. Sangiovese. Drink now through 2037. 480 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSHauntingly dark and alluring, the 2021 Colore entices with a blend of dusty violets and lavender, giving way to dried blueberries and sweet smoke. It washes across the palate with textures of pure silk, finessed and lifted in feel, with depths of tart wild berry fruit that saturate. Brisk acidity adds balance, and hints of licorice form toward the close. While firm, the 2021’s tannins are crunchy and crisp, adding structural tension without taking away from its undeniably pretty persona. This finishes with outstanding length and a sour cranberry tinge that puckers the cheeks. The future is bright, but patience is required.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Juan António Ponce told me 2021 is one of those vintages when you realize in wine you never know everything... He thinks the 2021 Clos Lojen is the most complete vintage ever for this wine, with unusual freshness (despite "normal" parameters like a pH of 3.7 and five grams of acidity) and 12% alcohol. It’s intense and has varietal Bobal typicity with good weight. It fermented in 4,500-liter oak vats with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 4,500-, 10,000- and 15,000-liter French oak vats for six months. This is sharp and austere, with lower alcohol and is more mineral than fruit-driven. Incredible value. 60,000 bottles produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThis is a bobal with clarity and silken length, even as its scent fills the head with purple grape skins and bergamot spice. Friendly, in search of a chill for a summer night, this is a by-the-case buy.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 90 W&S

Tile, violets, wild berries and rose petals on the nose. Really pure and fascinating aromatics. The palate is subtle and delicate, but with concentrated and sophisticated fruit that’s succulent and precise. Linear acidity. A lovely wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSHailing from the MGA of the same name that’s more commonly called Altenasso and located in Castiglione Falletto, the 2021 Garblèt Sue’ is another stunner from Brovia, starting with its enticing nose of blue flower, perfumed berry, ground clove and fine tobacco blend. Showing great structure and restraint, the youthfully austere palate features red cherry, cranberry, star anise and menthol accompanied by firm, refined tannins. It’s well balanced, with vibrant acidity that keeps it energized. Showing great aging potential, give this time to fully unwind. Drink 2033–2051. Abv: 14.5%Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe Brovia 2021 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is beautifully sharp and refined, showing intensity, elegance and length. This is how you do Nebbiolo. The wine has extremely fine tannins but with glossy substance. They stay the course to give firmness from behind. The name Garblèt Sue’ is a local dialect expression for Garbelletto Superiore. This is a 0.8-hectare site with evolved Sant’Agata Fossili Marl soils. Given the wine’s structure, it ages in slightly smaller 30-hectoliter French and Slavonian oak casks. This is a release of 1,700 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2021 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is a super-classic wine from this Castiglione Falletto site. Strong mineral, floral and savory inflections run through this deep, potent Barolo. A wine of depth and textural intensity, the 2021 has so much to offer. Sadly, frost took with it 50% of the production. Shock from the cold led to an especially late harvest that served to fully ripen the tannins. The wine’s structure and personality emerge with time. Iron, sage, mint, white pepper and blood orange linger on the taut, salivating finish. This is a terrific effort in a very challenging year.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The Brovia 2021 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione takes us back to, again, one of my favorite sites in the appellation. I go crazy for wines from this MGA. This expression is extremely nuanced and delicate, especially at first. The wine builds intensity later. Finely stitched aromas of fruit, minerals and blue flower make for a classical Nebbiolo. It shows good power and structure at the back. You should age it longer than most. Fermentation starts off in cement, and the wine is racked into French and Slavonian oak casks (40 hectoliters) for aging. The Rocche di Castiglione vineyard is distinguished by its high presence of sand. This 1.6-hectare plot sits at 300 to 350 meters in elevation with southeastern exposures. The vineyard is extremely steep and, with the loose soils, is challenging to farm. Diano sandstone and Sant’Agata Fossili Marl put these soils on the "younger" side of the Barolo geological spectrum. This wine will be released in September 2025, with 5,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPFragrant and all about finesse, the radiant Brovia 2021 Rocche di Castiglione mesmerizes with its aromas of rose, perfumed berry, menthol and dark culinary spice. Full-bodied and showing elegant restraint, the savory, vibrant palate has a pristine quality, delivering crunchy red red, orange zest, star anise and black tea set against taut, refined tannins. It’s impeccably balanced, with bright acidity. What a beauty. Drink 2031–2046. Abv: 14.5%.Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2021 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a classic Brovia wine from this site. Aromatic, sculpted and vibrant in the glass, the 2021 has so much to offer. Crushed flowers, vibrant red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint and cinnamon are all beautifully lifted. There’s gorgeous inner sweetness that emerges over time. Silky, beautifully ripe tannins pull it all together on the closer. As always, Rocche is the most charming and sensual of the Barolos in this range. If I had to pick just one wine to encapsulate what Brovia is all about, the Rocche di Castiglione would be it. Superb.Vinous Media | 96 VMA saturated red hue, the 2021 Barolo Rocche Di Castiglione is complex and compelling on the nose and draws inward with notes of mocha, mint, cherry liqueur, fresh leather, and baked earth. The palate exhibits a focused energy and purity, complemented by refined tannins, refreshing acidity, and a ripe, medium-bodied frame. It’s a lovely wine that will only improve over the next 15 or more years. It feels the most complete of the wines presented by Brovia and takes the slight edge above the rest.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe estate’s first single-MGA bottling, Rocche di Castiglione has been produced since 1970. The steep, sandy southeast-facing site is gently warmed by the morning sun and is reputed to yield some of the denomination’s most refined examples. Indeed, Brovia’s 2021 is silky, elegant, even Pinot Noir-esque. It is surprisingly dainty for the vintage but not without substance. Beautiful perfumes of rose, lavender and lemon blossom echo on the raspberry-led palate. There’s a hint of wet soil and a delicious stony crunch, finely framed with velvety tannins. This may fill out a bit with time.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECDark aromas of violets, balsamic, eucalyptus, pomegranate juice and wild fruit. Smooth attack with a medium to full body, good concentration, refreshing acidity and thick, dusty yet ripe tannins. A classic Barolo that’s a bit old-fashioned in extraction, with a long, polished, fruity finish. Try from 2027, but it will be at its best from 2030.James Suckling | 95 JS

The gorgeous 2021 Villero from Brovia reels you in with its enticing fragrance of wild rose, cedar, pine forest and red berry. Elegantly structured and utterly delicious, the poised, precise palate features succulent red cherry, strawberry, star anise and white pepper before a salty finish. Firm, polished tannins provide seamless support while bright acidity keeps it wonderfully balanced and lends racy tension. This is a wine I would love to have in my cellar and follow its evolution over the years. Drink 2031–2046. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe Brovia 2021 Barolo Villero has that powdery or chalky element that I love so much from this site. It’s like crushed chalkboard, and it frames other more fragrant aromas of sambuca, aniseed, blueberry and lilac. This wine is beautifully complex, and it keeps going in the glass, unveiling new layers all the time. The same thing can be said of the long mouthfeel. Villero is 1.2 hectares at 230 to 350 meters above sea level with marl soils (a mix of silt and clay). The wine matures in 40-hectoliter French and Slavonian oak casks, and 5,000 bottles were created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2021 Barolo Villero is a tight, reticent wine, as Barolos from this site often are. Spice box, dried flowers, mint and plum begin to emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This firm, classically austere Barolo feels rather shut down following its bottling. The Villero is always the hardest wine at Brovia to taste young. Even so, it oozes classicism. All readers need is a measure of patience.Vinous Media | 95 VMA bright red color, the 2021 Barolo Villero is lifted on the nose with notes of minty herbs, fresh redcurrants, cinnamon, and cedar. The palate offers nervous tension, with finely coiled tannins, vibrant, ripe acidity, and a long, medium-framed feel with refreshing lift. It’s going to take time to unfurl, but I anticipate it improving over the coming 15-20 years.James Suckling | 95+ JSThis wine has bright fruitness, with aromas of red cherries, strawberries, violets and cherry stones. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, showing a tight-knit structure of firm yet ripe, precise, dusty tannins and refreshing acidity. Warming finish. Try from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JS