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Tobacco, dark chocolate and scented flowers on the nose - beautiful aromatic display. Ripe and concentrated fruit but with clarity and precision alongside savoury elements of coffee, cola and creamy blackcurrants. Tannins are rich and grippy edged by liquorice and a salty minerality giving St-Julien typicity. Charming with energy and poise.Decanter | 94 DECThis is poised and elegant with notes of bitter chocolate, crushed walnuts, black peppercorns, blackberries and blackcurrants. It’s medium-bodied with silky tannins and layers of fresh black fruit. Classy. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSUnder the same ownership as neighboring Château Saint-Pierre, this estate produced a fine, stylish wine that will develop well. The outlines are already there with spice and black currant fruits underling the tannic structure. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 Gloria is the last vintage before the estate moved completely towards organic farming. It has a lovely bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, orange rind and sous-bois aromas, precise and focused. The oak is nicely integrated here (40% new). The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, harmonious and poised, just a little soy in the background, almost understated towards the finish that gently fans out. It might drink a little earlier than I estimated from barrel, but it’s going be a gem.Vinous Media | 93 VMYouthfully taut and well-structured, with singed apple wood and licorice root notes holding a core of red currant, dark plum and blackberry fruit in check for now. Reveals a nice racy graphite underpinning on the finish. One for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSJust about a perennial must-buy, the 2020 Château Gloria is another terrific vintage for this Saint-Julien château, which always seems to turn out a fabulous wine that sells for a great price. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as impressive aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, plums, camphor, smoked tobacco, and gravelly earth, it’s a wine that blossoms with time in the glass. (I followed this bottle for multiple days.) Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has beautifully polished tannins, outstanding balance, and the more focused style of the vintage. Tasted twice with consistent notes.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRich, generous and demonstrative, the 2020 Gloria bursts with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, plum liqueur and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, it will offer a broad drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2020 Sassicaia is a bold, rapturous wine. Dark, fleshy and expansive on the palate, the 2020 offers up scents of blackberry jam, gravel, spice, new leather, licorice and crème de cassis. Potent tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Sassicaia is never a huge wine, the 2020 does seem to have an extra dimension of textural intensity. It’s an intensity that is hugely appealing.Vinous Media | 97 VMFrosts damaged the the earlier-developing Cabernet Franc in late March, leading to reduced production but superb quality fruit. Spring was mild and summer was generally warm, but a rapid acceleration of maturation in late summer forced the team to begin picking in the first week of September to avoid any overripeness. A traditional 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc blend, its blackcurranty, dusty, leafy and cedary character is brought into focus by an intense and balsamic palate. It’s poised and light on its feet with super-fresh acidity and a fine-grained, almost imperceptible tannic structure. Ripe and tangy raspberry and blueberry fruits linger on the mid-palate, leading to a long, fresh finish with some cream and chocolate notes. This will reward cellaring into the 2050s, yet you’ll get plenty of pleasure from it in its youth. ’We advise to keep it at least 10 months in the bottle before opening,’ states third-generation Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta.Decanter | 97 DECA very perfumed Sassicaia on the nose with forest floor, citrus and deep dark fruits. Blackcurrants. Cedar and black tea. Some balsamic. Pine needles. Full and very succulent. Really long, structured and complete. Tangy and energetic with a linear line of fresh tannins and acidity. Very Sassicaia throughout. 85% cabernet sauvignon and the rest is cabernet franc. Very attractive now in a youthful and vibrant way, but this will be better in three to four years. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSThe Tenuta San Guido 2020 Bolgheri Sassicaia speaks to those who seek a more voluptuous, opulent and, ultimately, more accessible wine. This vintage is a precise reflection of Coastal Tuscany, as opposed to a more generic "Tuscan" wine from elsewhere in this large central Italian region. You taste the ripeness and soft fruit weight that comes from a coastal appellation with especially bright luminosity and warm Mediterranean offshore breezes. Sassicaia from the cool vintages is a famously reticent or withholding wine in its earliest years, requiring a long lead time before it eases into an ideal drinking window. That’s definitely not the case here. This wine is beautiful and compelling straight out of the gate, showing a lovely mix of dark fruit, oak spice, balanced freshness, textural richness, soft tannins and an expertly contained 14% alcohol content. The wine’s immediate character is what distinguishes this vintage, and I wouldn’t get too fussed by exaggerated cellar-aging ambitions. The wine awards sheer pleasure in its current form, with dazzling primary fruit and soaring intensity over the near and medium term.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

Aromas of currants, blackberries, fresh mushrooms and flowers. Medium-bodied with compacted fruit and integrated, fine tannins. Ripe fruit with reserve. Attractive and alluring. Excellent structure. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Give it at least five years to open and soften, but very attractive now.James Suckling | 95 JS

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is released in a stylish black bottle commemorating a century for the Cuvelier family, is reminiscent of the 2016 with its powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant and inward style. Pure crème de cassis, melted chocolate, loamy earth, graphite, and some spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a stacked mid-palate, nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is another utterly brilliant wine from this team, which has been producing First Growth quality wines for many years now. The blend of the 2020 is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new barrels, hitting 13.58% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.81. It will benefit from just 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 50 years or more if well stored. Bravo. Tasted multiple times with consistent results.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2020 Léoville-Poyferré is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. If anything, it has gained in freshness and vibrancy with élevage. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, graphite and a kiss of French oak are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tons of character. I especially admire its vertical energy and buttoned up personality. In some recent vintages Léoville-Poyferré has been quite showy, but the 2020 also has a more nuanced side that is hugely appealing.Vinous Media | 97 VMSupple and generous with mouthwatering acidity, though really quite tannic at this point which does cover up some of the nuance. I like the texture, the frame and the weight, it’s clean, polished and well worked, not overdone at all, but this has a sense of potent seduction in the flavours, rich blackcurrant, perfumed and scented. Detailed with lots of stony, slate, and wet stone elements giving a wonderful terroir influence. It’s not as immediately charming as the 2019, the tension still prominent, but this will be brilliant in 5-10 years.Decanter | 96 DECThis is really floral on the nose with violets and roses, and some black berries and dark cherries. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm and polished tannins, and plenty of hazelnut and milk chocolate. Structured, yet so finely textured. So attractive and enticing now but needs three or four years to show what it has. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSShowy and very hard to resist, this gushes with velvety plum and boysenberry reduction flavors, along with melted black licorice and violet hints along the way. This has a very cold cast iron note buried deeply on the finish, too, to keep it grounded. A very distinctive house style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WSOf course, this impressive classified growth wine is young. But it’s easy to discern its promise. Black fruits and layers of sophisticated tannins are balanced with the wood aging and smoky fruit flavors. This estate in the heart of Saint-Julien has produced a very fine wine, fresh and structured at the same time. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA rich, powerful wine, the 2020 Léoville Poyferré offers up aromas of sweet berries, blueberry liqueur, exotic spices, incense and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, broad and layered, it’s deep and concentrated, its ample core of fruit only partially concealing a hefty payload of sweet, powdery, generously extracted tannin. Poyferré is generally the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léovilles, but in 2020, it’s chunkier, broader shouldered and more brooding than usual.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is a striking wine and one that I regretted not purchasing en primeur as soon as it landed in my glass. Offering up complex aromas of minty cassis, pencil shavings, loamy soil, cigar wrapper, espresso roast and violets, it’s medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with terrific concentrated, beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Checking in at 12.8% alcohol, its incipient complexity, ineffable sense of completeness and exquisite balance mark it out as the purists’ choice among the trio of 2018, 2019 and 2020. In this vintage, the lots that made it into the blend were largely confined to the core gravel terroirs that represent Mouton’s heart, meaning that there’s a little less to go around. This was the first vintage overseen by Mouton’s new technical director, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, and he has begun with a flying start.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPDark fruits on the nose, blackcurrants and cherries with savoury nuances of dark chocolate and tobacco. Fresh and forward on the palate, this hits you square on, still very lean and direct, almost piercing and severe in its intensity and drive, though wonderfully precise: it’s like an arrow. Serious and focussed yet full and layered, the texture is lovely, a slight graininess that lingers but it’s the acidity and the fruit purity that are so excellent - they give such a sense of vibrancy and make this wine so thrilling. You get a feeling of pent-up energy, but after a few minutes the slight density of the ripe fruit comes through, giving some plushness and weight. I love the Cabernet details and the mineral element that leaves the mouth cool and fresh. A well constructed, subtle beauty.Decanter | 100 DECThe purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2020 Mouton Rothschild is very clearly one of the great, great wines of the Left Bank in 2020. All the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of total sensuality and nuance, Mouton is all finesse in 2020, all elegance. An explosion of dark cherry fruit, plum, pomegranate, mint and cinnamon are all amplified. From barrel, the 2020 Mouton hinted at greatness. Today, that greatness is evident. The rich, vibrant finish is a thing of beauty.Vinous Media | 99 VMThis is a massive, impressive wine. Dense tannins and succulent black fruits are the outward manifestation of the hidden power of this concentrated wine. The fruit is opulent, full of possibility. Drink this wine from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2020 Château Mouton Rothschild is in the running for the biggest, baddest, and most concentrated wine in the vintage. Based on 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petite Verdot brought up in new barrels, this inky hued beast of wine offers up classic Mouton ripe black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened pencil-like aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, tannic, backward 2020 with terrific purity, building, mouth-coating tannins, terrific balance, and one gorgeous finish. Unfortunately, as with many of the top 2020s, this isn’t for those looking for instant gratification, and a decade (or more) of cellaring is advised. This hit 13.1% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.78. It will be a 50-, 60-, 70+-year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JD

Pure perfection in red wine, the 2020 Château Pavie checks in as 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, all raised in 75% new French oak. Absolutely incredible in every way, it has a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, chocolaty oak, graphite, white truffle, and hints of flowers. Pure, full-bodied, and concentrated, with perfect integration of its fruit, oak, and tannins, it’s one of those wines that needs to be tasted to be believed. Hats off to the Perse team for not following trends and for continuing to make a truly Grand Vin that offers a rare mix of power and elegance. Give bottles just 4-5 years and enjoy over the following three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis opens up on your palate like a butterfly. It takes your breath away. Purity of blackberry, raspberry and black cherry. Lavender. Very, very impressive. Full and chewy with tight and polished tannins that go on and on. Energetic and structured. Crisp and vivid. Superb finish. Better after 2029 but a joy to taste.James Suckling | 100 JS...Opaque purple-black colored, notes of plum pudding, blueberry pie and dark chocolate-covered cherries charge out of the gate, followed closely by hints of eucalyptus, star anise, unsmoked cigars and fertile loam with a hint of cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house, offering very firm yet wonderfully ripe, velvety tannins and seamless freshness to support the densely laden, muscular black and blue fruits, finishing very long and with loads of mineral-laced layers. As hedonic as it is cerebral this year, it is a beautiful paradox.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThe 2020 Pavie is very clearly one of the wines of the year. Rich, inky and wonderfully vibrant, it pulses with energy from start to finish. All the elements are well balanced. Soaring Cabernet Franc aromatics lead into a core of finely knit yet deep fruit in a wine that feels endless. Harvest for the reds started on September 17, paused briefly during some rain on the 25th and 26th, and then wrapped up by the end of the month. The blend is 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, so more Cabernets than in the past, the result of a large replanting program that began in the early 2000s. A real head-turner. Magnificent!Vinous Media | 97-99 VMSmooth from the get go, still tense as you’d expect with a straight backbone, but the creamy texture is lovely with a beautiful balancing acidity and suaveness overall. More calm and quiet than I was expecting, certainly not shouting but with clear depth and length to the chocolate, blackcurrant, liquorice and graphite. Detailed and nuanced, not trying too hard with energy and plumpness yet retaining a serious, savouriness that brings you back to Pavie and to the terroir with clear minerality in the lick of wet stone on the finish. Well constructed with care.Decanter | 97 DECBig, bold and rich with solid black fruits and dense tannins that are definitely not shy. This solid wine is packed with structure. The fruit and freshness of the year are almost overwhelmed by the wine’s richness. The wine is redeemed by the perfumed, balanced finish.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of graphite, wet earth, and lavender. Sandalwood. Full-bodied with an impressive and refined structure that runs deep and vertical in the wine. Chewy. Hints of chocolate and hazelnut at the end. Needs five or six years to soften.James Suckling | 98 JSAn excellent wine, even if not a great Dominus, the 2020 Dominus delivers waves of dark fruit—think predominantly cassis. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, it’s full-bodied and richly textured, perhaps a bit warm and open-knit because of the summer’s heat, but with a long, velvety finish attractively tinged with mocha and dark chocolate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis throws off dense kirsch and linzer torte aromas and flavors, along with a mix of smoldering tobacco, leather, warm paving stone and licorice root hints that provide a brooding edge on the back end. Surprisingly backward for the vintage and impressively done. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Discreet but perceptible nuances of wood and menthol are present on the ripe and fresh red and dark raspberry, pepper and newly turned earth. The is fine mid-palate density to the utterly delicious middle weight flavors that possess much better than average depth and persistence for such a young Chassagne red. One to strongly consider as this is very good.Burghound | 90 BHPicked 28th August. Excellent pure purple and fresh pinot on the nose, with a delicious juicy red fruit on the palate, with a beautifully suave finish and just a touch of acidity to complete it. 13.8% but not exaggerated. Good length too.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

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

ean-Nicolas Méo’s 2020 Clos Vougeot is really, really refined this year. The wine delivers a complex and very pure aromatic constellation of red and black cherries, plums, dark chocolate, gamebird, violets, a touch of fresh nutmeg, complex soil tones and a nice foundation of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core of sappy fruit, excellent mineral undertow and grip, ripe, buried tannins and impeccable balance on the long, suave and classy finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2035 - 2095)John Gilman | 94+ JGApart from 2017, Jean-Nicolas Méo only makes one commercially available cuvée of his substantial holding of Clos de Vougeot. Even purple throughout. This is a sturdy, weighty, richly dark fruited, multi-layered wine, with great potential for the long term. Ripe but not exaggerated. Tasted: December 2021.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMThe 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is very promising, unfurling in the glass with aromas of wild berries, cherries, orange rind, potpourri and loamy soil. Full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, it’s seamless and complete, with superb depth at the core and a long, resonant finish. It will be fascinating to compare with the 2019 rendition in two decades’ time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru had to shake off a little reduction before revealing its minerally blackberry, raspberry and cassis fruit. Wilted rose petal emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, nicely focused yet surprisingly strict and linear at the moment. This will gain "shoulders" once in bottle.Vinous Media | 92-95 VMDiscreet but still perceptible wood-suffuses the ripe aromas of black cherry, currant, newly turned earth and a floral top note. There is a lovely sense of underlying tension to the palate coating and nicely detailed medium weight plus flavors that offers excellent depth and persistence on the relatively refined if youthfully austere finale. This is more structured than it usually is and is a wine that is going to require at least a decade of aging first.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Showing elegance, structure, concentration and great depth, the 2020 Brovia Vigna Cà Mia is magnificent, starting with its enticing fragrance of rose, camphor and pipe tobacco. Reflecting the fruit richness of the vintage and the balance and body the site is celebrated for, the delicious palate unleashes fleshy cherry and crushed raspberry before closing on truffle and licorice notes. A backbone of enveloping fine-grained tannins lends structure and a velvety texture. Drink 2028–2038. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2020 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia expresses all the magic of this Serralunga site. Wild herbs, menthol, licorice, incense, crushed flowers, mint and sage all run through a deep, layered Barolo that hits all the right notes. Here, too, the tannins feel remarkably polished for a young Barolo, especially one from Serralunga. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off of this. The 2020 has been totally alluring in several recent tastings.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis Barolo from the Brea cru is an elegant and captivating wine. High-toned aromas of tart red currants, pomegranate, and wild raspberries are complemented by subtle savory notes and a mix of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg spices. The palate is fine, earthy, and beautifully balanced, with a precise structure and silky tannins that seamlessly integrate with the vibrant fruit flavors. The lasting, haunting finish leaves a memorable impression. Drink 2026-2045. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEPale ruby, intensely floral with sweet violets, vibrant pomegranate fruit and beguiling eucalyptus and balsamic depth. The palate is soft, ripe and velvety, with elegant tannins, savory character, a medium body and long, refreshing acidity. Super tense and polished in the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2020 Brovia Garblèt Sue’ is fantastic, starting with its enticing aromas of blue flower, wild berry and spice. Full-bodied and delicious, it boasts a weightless concentration that wraps around juicy red cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and dark exotic spice. Velvety tannins lend a smooth texture while fresh acidity keeps it beautifully balanced. This is already accessible but will also offer years of pleasure. Drink 2027–2035. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe nose offers intriguing notes of graphite, earth, wild herbs, and a hint of tart cherry. The palate is round and generous, bursting with succulent blackberries, juicy plums, and a touch of raspberry, balanced by earthy, tea-like tannins. Classic-driven yet sumptuous, this harmonious and expressive wine is truly lifted, showcasing the unique terroir and the winemaker’s skill in capturing the essence of this cru and this vintage. Drink Now - 2045Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is a very pleasant, almost shockingly open young Barolo for this site. Wild flowers, crushed rose petal, anise, mint, spice and blood orange are all beautifully amplified. The Garblèt Sue’ is usually marked by incisive, forbidding tannins, but in 2020 it is pure sensuality. High-toned floral overtones grace the exotic finish. I imagine the 2020 will drink beautifully right out of the gate.Vinous Media | 94 VMExtremely pale ruby, with pungent fresh violet and pomegranate aromas highlighted by cocoa powder and licorice nuances. The palate is delicate and soft, with ripe tannins, refreshing acidity and tension in the chewy and precise finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2029.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2020 Rocche di Castiglione from Brovia is gorgeous. Embodying the finesse the site is celebrated for, it boasts enticing scents of wild rose, iris, perfumed berry and botanical herb. Sleek and elegant, the smooth palate offers juicy red cherry, crushed strawberry and star anise set against lithe, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Reflecting the forward nature of the vintage, this is already closing in on the start of its drinking window but will offer years of pleasure. Drink 2025–2035. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThe 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a sexy, racy wine. Pliant and deep, the 2020 is a great example of this site. Soft contours wrap around a core of dark red fruit, kirsch, spice, menthol, new leather and licorice. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s stunning inner perfume, that most Rocche of signatures. Deep and layered, with exceptional balance, the 2020 is a striking, captivating wine that captures the best the vintage had to offer.Vinous Media | 95 VMFloral bouquet of fresh roses and violets, plus bright red cherries and red currants with balsamic depth. This sample is full of sucrosity, with silky, graceful tannins and refreshing lifted acidity. Medium-bodied and tense in the finish. Delicious Barolo to drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSA lively and vibrant Barolo that captivates from the first sip! The nose bursts with fresh, tart raspberries and tangy wild strawberries. The palate reveals a concentrated core of tart cherries, cranberries, and redcurrants, complemented by dried rose petals and wild herbs. Refined tannins and lively acidity provide perfect structure to this thoughtful, nuanced, and truly remarkable wine. Drink 2026 - 2045 Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

Showing great class and precision, Brovia’s fragrant 2020 Villero is a chiseled beauty. Taut and focused, the palate features crushed strawberry, pomegranate and blood orange accented with licorice and pink peppercorn before an almost salty close. A backbone of refined tannins provides firm support. It needs a few more years to fully develop and shows good aging potential for this rather forward vintage. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOA Villero masterpiece that demands your full attention. The fruit profile is a symphony of classic Nebbiolo notes, with ripe cherries, plums, and a hint of blackberry that’ll make your taste buds sing. The tannins? They’re so fine, they’re like silk threads woven into the fabric of the wine. But don’t be fooled by the elegance – this Barolo has a structure that’ll make you sit up straight and take notice. Savory flavors dance in perfect harmony with the fruit, creating a mesmerizing balance that’ll leave you speechless. This is a wine that’s not just exquisite – it’s unforgettable. Drink 2026 - 2050 Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEWhat a minty nose, elegant, fresh and vibrant, with classic dried cherry fruit, violets, minerals and notes of balsamic. Youthful palate with velvety tannins, crisp acidity, a medium body and a long, savory finish. This young Barolo is intended for the long haul. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSBrovia’s 2020 Barolo Villero is a potent, savory wine. Dried herbs, menthol, licorice, wildflowers, spice and dark-toned fruit give the Villero its distinctive personality. Broad swaths of tannin wrap it all together. Dark and brooding, the 2020 is not ready to reveal its charms. All this needs is time—I can’t wait to taste it in another few years. As is often the case, the Villero is Barolo that emphasizes savory/earthy/mineral notes more than overt fruit.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The 2020 Promontory is deep garnet-purple in color. It soars out of the glass with notes of fresh black cherries, crushed blueberries, and kirsch, followed by hints of wet slate, Indian spices, candied violets, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly knit, with so many mineral and floral nuances intertwined with the red and black fruits, supported by very firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed. There is so much energy here, it practically vibrates in your mouth! A masterpiece.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIIncredible aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, black olives, lavender, violets, hazelnut and black tea. Forest floor. So complex. Full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that are ultra-fine and melt into the wine, spreading across the palate. Perfectly meshed. This has real presence and energy. Cool wet stones, mountain air, and dark fruits make up the palate. November 2024 release. It will need three to four years to come around. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2020 Promontory is a medium to full-bodied, concentrated 2020 that certainly does well in the vintage, even if it lacks the vibrancy of a truly great vintage from this estate. With everything harvested by September 21, it has a rich, powerful bouquet of ripe black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and subtle violet and floral notes. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, lots of minerality, and firm tannins, which are common in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

The 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia shows beautiful minerality with dusty notes of crushed limestone or flint. This is the wine’s special signature, and it shines through in a warm vintage such as this. Rancia also offers an upfront quality of red and purple fruit tones. The 2020 vintage displays pretty concentration and richness with wild cherry and plum, but ultimately the wine leaves you with that elegant mineral sendoff. Rancia will require extra bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPIntense, with complex flavors of cherry, blackberry, violet, mineral and leafy underbrush, this red is silky and verges on racy. Harmonious and persistent, with a long, resonant aftertaste that echoes red fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,100 cases made, 1,800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA polished and very refined Rancia with sweet berries, cedar and hints of chocolate. Medium body. Fresh and focused. A little reserved at the end. It needs two or three years to come around. Best in 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe nose is a garden, with aromas of potting soil, herbs, roses and violet, but also has undertones of flint and pepper that provide an edge. Cherries and tart blackberries headline the palate, but a chalky, iron-rich earthiness carries over from the nose and dominates the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEMade since 1983, Fèlsina’s historic Riserva is a selection from the estate’s sunbathed six-hectare Rancia site. As always, it matures in barriques, 50% of which are new. The just released 2020 is particularly oak-driven: cedar and vanilla mingle with sage and grilled thyme. There’s ample fruit depth and concentration to flesh out the wood frame; tangy cherries are accented with baked earth and smoke. Grainy tannins start firm yet smooth, though they dry out on the finish.Decanter | 90 DEC

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

An exuberantly fresh nose of spicy purple fruit, exotic tea, violet and hints of cinnamon and sandalwood are trimmed in discreet but not invisible wood. There is both good richness and punch to the supple medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a lightly austere but impressively long and harmonious finale. This could use better depth but like the VRBM, the Rouget Ech has an excellent track record for aging well.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2021 Vosne-Romanée Village is perfumed, floral and pure on the nose with wilted violet petals infusing the red fruit - très Vosne. The palate is silky smooth with a fine body. This sample is taken from a new barrel so it has some François Frères imprint on the finish, but there is appreciable focus and length.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMThis particular sample was pulled from a new barrel and not surprisingly, the wood influence was generous on the aromas of black raspberry, plum, exotic tea and star anise. The sleek and vibrant flavors are also not especially dense, but they do possess a more sophisticated texture while exhibiting very good length on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This too should be relatively approachable young if you don’t wish to wait.Burghound | 89-91 BH

The 2021 Barbera d’Asti La Crena is exceptional. Bright, red-toned fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper and rose petal are all beautifully delineated. In recent times Vietti has focused more on freshness in their Barberas, and that is especially evident in La Crena—a wine that used to be very dark and heavy but is far from that today. Clean, mineral notes extend the vibrant finish. Give this a few years to develop the full range of its aromatic breadth. What a wine!Vinous Media | 96 VMAlthough best known for its Barolos, Vietti (now part of the US Krause Group) also releases a number of different Barberas. La Crena is from a 6ha site near the commune of Agliano Terme in the Nizza area. The vineyard, purchased in 1995, was planted in 1932. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel and the wine then spends 18 months in a combination of steel, large casks and barriques before bottling. Stephen Brook: Opulent nose, with dark fruits tempered with some stylish oak. Suave and juicy, fine texture, balanced by firm acidity, which gives some spice and flair to the finish. Vincenzo Arnese: Candied aromas of Morello cherry and wild strawberry, very expressive. Bold palate with robust tannins; time will smooth it, yet quite rich and pleasant. Sara Bachiorri: Cherry and juniper berry nose. Nice concentration, with intense Maraschino flavours and a touch of liquorice stick.Decanter | 95 DEC

Here it is: A quintessential Sassicaia that represents the excellence of the vintage and also respects the unique taste profile of this distinguished Tuscan blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia offers impeccable balance, excellent freshness and absolutely no signs of over-ripeness. The fruit balance is ideal with a hint of crunch and lasting tension from pulp and skins. The tannins are deftly managed with firm grip and enough velvetiness to add volume and length. There is no greenness on the bouquet that instead offers mulled herbs and spice, with cinnamon and clove, layered delicately between mostly red and some purple berry fruits. Redcurrant, blueberry, sweet pomegranate and Rainier cherry run strong in this vintage. A fragrant hint of heritage rose emerges with time. The oak tones are geared toward gingerbread, hazelnut, cigar, sandalwood and something like a grilled sweet red pepper. To the palate, it offers nice weight with no heavy glycerin, and a rinse of acidity that adds to the wine’s natural energy, brightness and viscosity. That marked freshness opens the wine up to long aging potential, but you still need to give it more time in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPAnother great vintage in Tuscany, following a run of exceptional years, and as you might exect from this estate, we are here right at the top of what the vintage has produced. Expect to find softly grilled and smoked campfire notes on the opening, unrolling over ripe brambled berries, overlaid with incense, tobacco, sweetened red pepper, orange zest, liqourice and lavender. Sassicaia is a wine with a slow, gentle reveal, with a slate texture that highlights the subtle minerality and drawn out finish. My tastebuds are totally fired up, mouth watering, this is an active experience, you are engaged and wanting to lean in what happens next. Such clever winemaking, reflecting an exceptional terroir. Jane Anson | 100 JAIn 2021, ‘we had a nicely paced harvest... surely a very fortunate vintage for us, for Bolgheri,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta at the launch in London of the 2021 vintage of Sassicaia. Welcome rain in mid-August came at just the right time to save the harvest, and production ended up being slightly higher than in 2020. Around eight to 10 separate vinifications were made, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and spontaneous malo. The wines were racked to second- and third-use barriques in December 2021, then racked into a mixture of new and used barriques in March 2022. The last step was to make the final blend in stainless tanks, where the wine underwent micro-oxygenation before bottling and further maturation in bottle. Rich dark fruit and herb aromatics are pockmarked by blueberry and petrichor, leading into an intense and vertical palate that’s super-fresh with a delightful breezy, saline character. Textured, integrated tannins emphasise the refinement of Sassicaia, showing just a touch of youthful dustiness. Tangy, bright black, blue and red berry fruits overlay underlying hints of dark chocolate and forest undergrowth in a remarkably precise fashion, with pomegranate and a stony minerality surfacing on the mid-palate. 2021 demonstrates lovely sapidity of fruit along with that characteristic freshness and lightness of step, finishing long and poised. Superb. 99-100.Decanter | 99 DECThe gorgeous 2021 Sassicaia stuns with its class, extreme elegance, energy and depth. It’s remarkably fragrant, featuring enticing aromas of cassis, cedar blue flower, exotic spice and a whiff of sea breeze. The delicious palate is focused and loaded with finesse, delivering ripe raspberry, black currant, blood orange, star anise a hint of coffee bean accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity gives it racy tension and provides impeccable balance and serious aging potential. Drink 2029–2041. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2021 Sassicaia is one of the best young Sassicaias I can remember tasting, certainly on par with anything in recent memory. The preference here is picking on the earlier side relative to many neighboring properties, which is one of the reasons Sassicaia is always a wine of refinement more than opulence. At the same time, Sassicaia can be light. Not in 2021. All the elements came together during a long growing season to produce a rich, deep wine that marries textural intensity with classicism. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and spice all race across the palate. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s textural intensity and sheer power. The 2021 is one of the most concentrated Sassicaias on record. That allowed for long macerations, as long as 20 days for some Cabernets. Aging was 25 months in French oak barrels (95% French, 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian wood), 40% new, 40% once-used barrels and 20% in twice-used barrels. One of the recent developments here is some bâtonnage in aging, which is used to build texture. That approach worked well in 2021. In a word: magnificent.Vinous Media | 98+ VMVery classy and typical of Sassicaia with currant, tobacco, chocolate, sage and lavender on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied with very integrated and refined tannins that are caressing and pretty with a lovely length and beauty. Such finesse and structure at the same time. Best in 2028 and beyond but already joy to taste.James Suckling | 98 JS

The dense color and the perfumed aromas set the scene for a rich wine full of fruit. The balance is already there, complex with structure and dense juicy fruits. The wine is impressive.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEGorgeous fragrance on the nose, so perfumed and floral - really vibrant - you can smell the Cabernet and the Petit Verdot on the nose. Juiciness straight away from a burst of high acidity focussed on blackcurrant and black cherry with both a fragrance, spice and minerality following. This really hits you square on - it’s not opulent but it’s so fully flavoured, forward and upfront. Tannins are fine-grained but plentiful, they hold the structure and give the frame while the creaminess and freshness gives an expansive aspect to the palate. There’s refinement and an aerial quality here despite the clear Pauillac power. The Cabernet fruit is in full shine mode, giving a eucalyptus, perfumed berry and black pepper touch. Structured and supple with grape and terroir characteristics. If you love Pontet, and classic Pauillac claret, this is an impressive reference point. Skilled winemaking from technical director Mathieu Bessonet. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.Decanter | 95 DECPlenty of blackberry and blueberry with wet earth and crushed stone. Some spice,tobacco and lead pencil, too. It’s full-bodied with layered tannins and brightness. Fine and chewy at the end.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2021 Château Pontet-Canet is rock solid in the vintage and certainly shows the vibrant, vivid style of the estate today with its bright, exotic blue fruits, violets, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, I love its mid-palate density, it has notable freshness and purity, some chalky tannins, and outstanding length. The 2021 checks in as 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, and the aging consists of 50% in new barrels, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second-fill barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThe 2021 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep purple-black in color, it pops from the glass with vibrant blueberries, Morello cherries, and cassis scents, plus suggestions of violets, cinnamon stick, wet rocks, and forest floor with an exotic touch of cardamom. Medium-bodied, the palate has very finely grained tannins and well-poised freshness supporting the perfumed black fruits, leading to loads of minerally sparks on the finish of this very bright and shimmery wine. Harvest started on 24 September with Merlot, followed by the Cabernets and Petit Verdot on 4 October, and finished on 12 October. The wine is to be aged in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae, and 15% 1-year barrels.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWIThe 2021 Pontet-Canet is a soft, open-knit, attractive wine, but its light structure is impossible to look past. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol and licorice fill out the layers. The 2021 is a fairly accessible Pontet Canet that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Harvest took place from September 24 through October 12. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare.Vinous Media | 92 VMA nice, dark, winey offering, with steeped black cherry and black currant fruit melding nicely with warm earth, alder and cast iron accents through the focused finish. Shows grip and range, with barely any indication of the vintage’s skinny side. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 92 WSOffering up wild, exotic aromas of blackberries, cloves and Indian spices mingled with notions of rose petal, bruised orchard fruit and cherry pit that evolve rapidly in the glass, the 2021 Pontet-Canet is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a layered mid-palate and refined tannins that assert themselves on the firm, saline finish. Always one of the Médoc’s most singular, idiosyncratic wines, it will be interesting to see how it performs in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The 2021 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. It offers up a rush of dark red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, leather, menthol, cedar and blood orange. As always, Troplong Mondot is marked by a strong presence of Cabernet Sauvignon that seems to add brooding intensity, muscle and power. I tasted it three times. A bottle given a brief decant of about 20 minutes showed best. The 2021 spent 13 months in oak (two months less than normal), in a mix of 60% new, 21% 20-hectoliter cask and 19% once-used. The 2021 is a Troplong Mondot of extreme purity and class.Vinous Media | 96 VMBright purple rim to the wine. So many aromas on the nose, really captivating and full - dark chocolate, pink flowers giving a soft perfume, cinnamon, raspberries, black cherries and liquorice too - all intensifying over twenty minutes in the glass. Super bright and charged on the palate, this is off like a firecracker from the initial impact, giving tangy strawberry, red cherry and raspberry fruit flavours. It’s got power no doubt, but a delicate, light style, not so concentrated and intense more lifted and aerial with tension. So much energy here, the flavours come in waves on the palate, red fruits, cooling blue fruits, exotic spices, flowers and fresh minty, stone notes with a real mineral salinity on the finish. It’s perhaps not so weighty or full in the mouth like previous more opulent vintages, but there is clarity and definition of elements on show. I love the mineral finish, so Troplong. Extremely refined. First vintage in the new cellar facilities which helped with precision.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2021 Troplong Mondot unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and plums mingled with violets, exotic spices and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, the wine is layered and complex, with all the depth and authority that one expects from this clay-driven terroir, its concentrated core of fruit underpinned by sweet tannins and lively animating acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc with a remarkably low pH of 3.35, it’s the first vintage produced in the estate’s state-of-the-art new winery.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPElegant and refined nose with a classy touch of spices and mineral to the red currants and berries. Very sleek and linear on the palate with super polished, immaculate tannins and a very long finish. Not a powerful vintage for sure, but this is all about finesse and subtlety. Already drinkable, but can hold for a decade.James Suckling | 95 JSFresh, if a touch on the skinny side, with bitter cherry and pomegranate notes carried by a chalky structure, while savory accents dart around throughout. Pretty, silky finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2033. 10,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSA blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Troplong Mondot is deep garnet-purple colored. Energetic notes of baked plums, wild strawberries, and black raspberries jump from the glass, followed by hints of tar, licorice, black olives, and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is plush and energetic, with a lively line and long minerally finish.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

The 2021 Canon shows just how magical this site is. Vertical and explosive in feel, with tons of pure power, it impresses with its intensity, drive and super-classic profile. Bright saline notes and vibrant tannins give the 2021 a feeling of energy that only gains momentum with time in the glass. It’s not an easy Canon, like the 2015 or 2018, but it is incredibly expressive. It is the sort of wine that only truly emerges with time in bottle. I would be thrilled to own it. Canon must surely be one of the great relative values in first-class wine. Wow. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 97 VMLots of crunchy red cherries and blue plums followed by violets, fresh sage and Christmas spices with baking spice and coconuts. Medium- to full-bodied with superb fine-grained racy tannins and beautifully refreshing acidity that gives an edge to it. Gorgeous finesse and elegance with harmony and precision. Delightful, too. Already drinkable but give this a few more years to come around. Try after 2026 and it should be beautiful for a long time.James Suckling | 97 JSDark chocolate, perfume, violets, wild flowers and bramble berries on the nose, so much going on aromatically. Lovely succulence straight away, the bright acidity giving a mouthwatering effect and really delivering in terms of vibrant and lively fruit forwardness but with these lovely edges of graphite, slate, bitter chocolate, cream and salinity. So elegant and so refined as well as super stylish. I also love the cooling menthol Cabernet aspects you get all the way through and on the long finish. This has real class, but also an effortless quality to it that is so remarkable. One of the most memorable wines of the vintage! 3.37pH. Both Canon, Rauzan-Segla and Berliquet are excellent achievements this year.Decanter | 96 DECRed and black fruits mingle with the firm structure of this dense wine. The tannins are solid while the ripe berry flavors show well against the wine’s richness.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2021 Canon opens in the glass with a pure bouquet of raspberries, cherries and plums mingled with pretty top notes of iris, licorice, mint and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s fleshy and sensual, with a deep and seamless core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins, a bright spine of acidity and a long, mineral finish. With an impressively low finished pH of 3.37, it was taken out of barrel a month earlier than usual and saw no fining—as has been the case since 2010.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPFrom a château you can’t go wrong with, the 2021 Château Canon is another head-turning, elegant, seamless wine that comes from unquestionably one of the greatest terroirs on the upper plateau of Saint-Emilion. Based on 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc that hit 13.55% alcohol, it will spend 18 months in 50% new barrels. It shows the vintage’s fresher, elegant style beautifully, with lots of perfumed red fruits, spice, flowers, and chalky notes. These carry to a medium-bodied, seamless, elegant Saint-Emilion that has supple tannins, a notable sense of freshness (although I suspect the pH is solid), and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDFresh and open in feel, with loganberry and blackberry notes laced with mulling spice, black tea and savory hints. Concludes with a potpourri echo. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2021 Canon is a blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc with yields of 40 hl/ha and aging for 16-18 months in French oak, 50% of it new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is slightly closed to begin, revealing subdued notes of juicy black plums and boysenberries, plus hints of Morello cherries, cinnamon stick, clove oil, and Sichuan pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of fine-grained tannins and bold freshness (pH 3.37) supporting the vibrant black and red fruits, finishing long and minerally.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI