Wine Producers

wines

Wonderful aromas of crushed violets and wisteria as well as black-truffle undertones and blueberries. Medium- to full-bodied, this has a beautiful center palate and an endless finish. It’s so polished and refined with breathtaking length that caresses every inch of the finish. A masterpiece for the vintage. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Try after 2030 and beyond.James Suckling | 100 JSNoemie Durantou remarked that this vintage is the best she had ever known with respect to the Merlot, and given that the 2022 L’Eglise-Clinet contains 90% Merlot, that pre-empted a fabulous Pomerol. Durantou also mentioned that her wines were a little more "shy" compared to the previous day, though the bouquet only needed four or five minutes’ coaxing before it unfolded with wonderfully delineated, focused scents of black cherries, peony, blood orange and crushed stone. Exquisitely balanced, the palate has a cashmere texture thanks to the pliant tannins, gaining density all the time. The finish is powerful and very sustained, disguising the 14.6% alcohol extremely well thanks to its countervailing acidic spine, though you feel a dab on the aftertaste. The 2022 is a L’Eglise-Clinet built for the long-term and continues the estate’s stunning run of form.Vinous Media | 99 VMLastly, the 2022 Chateau L’Eglise Clinet is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that was harvested from the 3rd to the 9th of September, with its elevage spanning just 12 months in 85% new French oak followed by roughly four months in tank before bottling. It’s another riveting 2022 in the vintage that brings remarkable depth and intensity while at the same time staying light on its feet, graceful, and balanced. Ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, leafy tobacco, and damp earth and floral notes all shine here, and it’s full-bodied, has a concentrated, powerful mouthfeel, ripe and perfectly polished tannins, and a great finish. It deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will have 30-40 years of prime drinking. It will probably merit a perfect rating at maturity, and if this doesn’t put a smile on your face, nothing will.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDWild strawberries, dried herbs, blueberries, pencil lead and fragrant violets - the aromatics are stunning. You can feel the sculpting straight away - fine but firm and slightly grippy tannins set the frame from which the blackcurrant, salty liquorice and dark chocolate emerge as well as continued florality - the violet accents really making their mark. This is a serious wine, dark and almost heady if it weren’t so cool and fresh. There’s no hint of overt heat or spice on the palate, instead you get a layering of pure fruit, fleshiness and minerality. Juicy and alive too, this really packs a lot and changes to red berry fruits after a few minutes with tobacco and slate on the finish. Complex and characterful. A dark horse but a thoroughbred. A wine that as soon as you’ve tasted it you want to taste it again. 3.65pH. Higher than usual new oak at 85% compared to between 75-80% in a normal year.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECOffering up deep aromas of mulberries and cassis mingled with incense, licorice, rose petals, spices and hints of new oak, the 2022 L’Eglise Clinet is full-bodied, deep and layered, with an elegantly muscular core of ripe but vibrant fruit that’s framed by sweet, powdery tannins. Concentrated and multidimensional, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 3 and 9, this compelling Pomerol checks in at a largely concealed 14.6% alcohol.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPA blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.6, L’Eglise Clinet 2022 was picked between the 3rd and 9th September and is aging in 85% new oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and after a swirl or two, vivacious notes of crushed black plums, boysenberry preserves, and lilacs soar from the glass, followed by hints of menthol, wood smoke, crushed rocks, and sandalwood. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is electric, delivering energetic black fruit and mineral layers, with a firm, fine-grained texture and lovely tension, finishing long and earthy. Very seductive!The Wine Independent | 96-98 TWIRipe, fleshy and dense in feel, with full-throated notes of boysenberry and blackberry preserves wrapped in licorice and bramble. The frankly toasted finish offers more than enough fruit to push through, with a late tug of earth to keep everything grounded. For the hedonist crowd. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2042. 850 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

One of the few 2022 Tuscan wines where you can really see that this will benefit from a few years in bottle, right now it is, hovering on the edge of something delicious, vibrating over the tannic architecture, feathered, campfire smoke, fennel, blackberry, liquorice and crushed peonies, and the bitter fennel and slate scrape, dense, contrast of textures and flavours like only truly great wines can do, a reflection of skilful construction. A gorgeous wine, slowly stretching out in the palate, 65% new oak for ageing. Harvest began August 9 for the whites, and the reds began August 25 with Masseto, and then a few days later for Ornellaia, one of the earliest on record, with around 38hl/h yield.Jane Ansen | 99 JAA Mediterranean-style wine. Stunning elegance on the nose, with vibrant dried eucalyptus leaves, flowers, restrained brambleberries and hints of black cherries, dried bananas, milk chocolate, cloves and graphite. The palate is full-bodied with elegant tannins and a touch of dust. It’s savory and well packed, with integrated, brilliant freshness and a ripe, fruity finish with a toasty aftertaste of blond tobacco. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSTasted a few months after it was bottled, the Ornellaia 2022 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia will be coming to market in March 2025. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. The wine sees 18 months of aging with up to 70% new oak, but the trick, proprietor Lamberto Frescobaldi tells me, is drawing from a large group of coopers with different toast levels and forests. "I don’t want to make a wine of any one tonnellerie," he says. The oak element is crucial to the identity of this wine that reveals dark fruit, blackberry, sweet spice and cinnamon. Most of the vines were planted in the 1980s, and the average age of the plants is over 20 years old. Fruit comes from many parcels, including Bellaria, Bellaria Nuova, Bellaria Alta, Pero, Fosso, Vigna Vecchia and Stallina. Indeed, some 80 wines are made before final blending. The 2022 vintage will be remembered for its full-bodied appeal, concentrated fruit and generous oak renderings. Petit Verdot plays a slightly larger role in this vintage and was one of the surprise hits of 2022. It serves to elongate the wine and adds to its length. The wine’s abundant fruit weight cedes to elegantly integrated tannins. This vintage will appeal to die-hard Ornellaia enthusiasts.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2022 Ornellaia is a terrific wine for the year. Dark red-toned fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice all take shape in a mid-weight, pliant Ornellaia that is quite alluring, even in the early going. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, unusual for the elevated presence of Petit Verdot, which did better than Franc in 2022. The higher percentage of Petit Verdot comes through in the wine’s dark-leaning personality and also in the quality of tannins. More than anything else, the 2022 is a reminder of how important a tool blending is, especially in challenging years. I can’t wait to see how this ages. The 2022 Ornellaia is clearly among the most successful wines of the vintage.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2022 Ornellaia is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A deep but bright purple/red color, it has a fantastic nose of blackberries, polished cedar, lavender, sweet herbs, and dark cocoa. Full-bodied, it has a rich structure, with warming concentration but a very balanced feel. The tannins are ripe and frame the underlying mineral notes very nicely, its fruity richness fleshing it out harmoniously. It is not a fruity vintage for this wine, though, and its structure leads here. Drink 2027-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDFeaturing a hefty 10% of Petit Verdot this year for an injection of freshness and structure, Ornellaia 2022 is rich, deep and tightly coiled, with some pretty red fruits and floral notes overlaying dark, juicy berries. It’s a dense style which reflects the vintage but looks towards harmony and poise: the woody frame and fine, structural tannins are countered by very good acidity and a bright fruit profile, with some breezy herbs helping to lift the long, fresh finish. Give this some more time in the bottle before enjoying.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECBroad and lush, this red reveals ripe flavors of black currant, black cherry and blackberry shaded with cedar, iron and sweet spices. Balanced, with a few youthful edges that still need polishing. Its fine core of saturated fruit persists on the aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2043. 2,165 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Chocolate, cherry and rose petal aromas on the nose. Very open and alive - this has a great energy from the aromatics alone with soft cedar shavings, vanilla bean and bramble fruit. Juicy and lively, this is full of fun - fruity and concentrated. The tannins are just wonderful, creamy and slightly grippy, extending the flavours vertically. Tons of juicy, succulent fruit - this feels quite modern but still with that flash of sunshine and ripeness. Long lasting with purity and delicacy that make it so enjoyable. A wonderful creation from Michael Silacci. This is not your typical blockbuster at all, this is a darling of a wine. 0.5% Malbec completes the blend. The Opus team chose to pick early and quickly given the heat spikes in 2022, starting with the Merlot on 24th August. Ageing 18 months in French oak.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECGenerous, with savory aromas of ripe blackcurrants and fresh black cherries and a gentle texture that shows a slight nip of tannin. It is well structured and a bit tight, which is normal for a young cabernet sauvignon-based red that’s a proven collectible. Gives up graphite and pencil shavings, some cocoa and espresso. Full-bodied. Spicy, toasty oak is really showing through right now. Best from 2028.James Suckling | 96 JSPicked before, during and after the year’s early September heat, the 2022 Opus One—a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 0.5% Malbec—admirably reflects the vintage, boasting a ripe, extroverted personality but also a slightly open-knit, coarser mouthfeel than either the 2021 or 2023. Rosemary and sandalwood notes accent cherries on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is expansive and plush, finishing with ample length and soft tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Opus One was tasted as a barrel sample. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars with eager-to-go notes of blackcurrant pastilles, juicy blackberries, and plum preserves leading to hints of crushed rocks, tree bark, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and impactful, with a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and bags of black fruit preserves layers, finishing with loads of savory nuances and a compelling lift.The Wine Independent | 95-97 TWIThe 2022 Opus One shows the sunny, perfumed style of the vintage. Black raspberries, smoked tobacco, incense, and spicy wood notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. I’ve been lucky enough to do many retrospectives of this wine, so I have no doubt it will evolve gracefully for a solid two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2022 Opus One is a soft, relatively easygoing wine from an extremely challenging vintage in which the estate decided to pick straight through the heat. The 2022 offers terrific brightness throughout. Today, the tannins are a bit searing in their intensity, so it will be interesting to see how things ultimately shake out here. I find the 2022 is a bit edgy in its contours at this stage.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

The 2023 Dominus is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Opaque purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal a powerful core of blackcurrant jelly, ripe black plums, and fresh blueberries, followed by hints of menthol, crushed rocks, dried sage, black truffles, and black olives. The full-bodied palate is both generous and energetic, displaying an impressive array of savory and earthy nuances among the dense black fruit layers and a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and beautiful tension, finishing with epic length.The Wine Palate | 100 TWPThe aromatics are a little more contained than the Napanook, knitted down with savoury incense and charred sandalwood, and a texture that even visually is rich and supple. Through the palate, things move slowly and deliberately, tobacco, musk, ocean spray, iris, with layers of sweet red liquorice, olive tapenade, latte, crushed rocks, broth, cranberry, just a beautifully crafted wine that is so enticing you could drink it now, but that promises to reward long ageing. 40% new oak, Tod Mostero winemaker, Christian Moueix owner. A late harvest from October 7-18.Jane Anson | 100 JABased on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged 20 months in 40% new French oak, the 2023 Dominus is absolutely gorgeous, with an incredible level of purity and refinement. Cassis, graphite, crushed stone, melted crayons, and floral nuances all define the aromatics. It’s medium to full-bodied, with seamless, refined elegance, ultra-fine tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. This more charming, forward, and seductive style of Dominus will offer incredible appeal over the next 20-25 years or more. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2023 Dominus is a very pretty, surprisingly open-knit wine from this estate. Soft contours wrap around a core of pliant red/purplish fruit. Lavender, rose petal and gently spiced overtones caress the mid-palate and finish. I expect the 2023 will drink well with minimal cellaring, something that is rarely the case here.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Aromas of blueberries, ash and stones with hints of blackberries, orange peel and chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with medium-round tannins that are polished and velvety but always in check. Cedar and baking spices like nutmeg on the palate. Lovely soft and silky texture with a long finish. Enchanting and delicious. 92% cabernet sauvginon, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2023 Napanook is deep, bold and luscious right out of the gate. Black cherry, lavender, dried herbs and graphite fill out its mid-weight frame quite nicely. I expect the 2023 will drink well with minimal cellaring, as it is already quite open and doesn’t quite have the tannic palate presence of more important years.Vinous Media | 93 VMDeep purple-hued and the second wine of this reference point domaine, the 2023 Napanook offers classic currants, leafy tobacco, graphite, and underbrush notes in a medium-bodied, very pretty, pure, elegant, and graceful style. Based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged 20 months in 20% new French oak, it has ripe and polished tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and a great finish. This classic, classy Cabernet will keep for 10-15 years. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Very few vintages of this legendary Tuscan wine deliver the immediate joy, richness and complexity found in the Tenuta San Guido 2023 Bolgheri Sassicaia. Tasted both before and after its January 2026 bottling, this is a wine that feels uncannily open and generous in its youth, a rare trait for Sassicaia, which is famously inscrutable at this stage. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cold winter and above-average rainfall followed by a severe outbreak of downy mildew that damaged leaves, forcing brutal fruit selection and resulting in a 20% reduction in yields. Only the estates willing to make these sacrifices succeeded, and the best wines rank among the most compelling and elusive of recent years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP