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Very intense blue fruits with blackberries and hints of licorice. Flowers, too. Some pepper. Full-bodied with lots of bark, mushroom and forest floor. Creamy and polished tannins. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is bright, punchy and super-expressive. Bright red/plum, blood orange, rose petal, lavender, spice and strong floral/savory accents add nuance throughout. The 2021 is an absolute joy to taste. The UV was done with entirely destemmed fruit, but its aromatic profile offers quite a bit of whole cluster-like character.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Pinot Noir UV was bottled in mid-July 2022. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it comes bounding out with youthful scents of black cherries, black raspberries, and wild strawberries, plus suggestions of violets, chocolate mint, wild sage, and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is fantastically light on its feet, with beautiful freshness and ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and savory. Planted to the Calera clone in 2001 by late vineyard manager Ulises Valdez Sr., right in the middle of Russian River, the soil on this site is a unique mix of sand and dense clay.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIGorgeous, with an inviting core of raspberry, blood orange and boysenberry puree aromas and flavors that stream through, flanked by singed apple wood, dried anise and black tea notes. Shows serious depth but also drive and freshness, as a racy mineral edge lends energy from start to finish. Best from 2024 through 2033. 949 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFrom a vineyard named for Aubert’s frequent collaborator, Ulises Valdez, and still farmed by his family, the 2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard (1,000 cases produced, from a Laguna Road site that’s slightly warmer than Aubert’s other Pinot Noir sources) features bold notes of cherries, cinnamon and wood spice. It’s medium to full-bodied and silky across the mid-palate, finishing long and softly tannic. Nicely balanced and structured, it should age well for more than a decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

The 2021 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge is bright and beautifully focused from start to finish. Crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice, rose petal and white pepper are all finely delineated. The 2021 impresses with its tension and overall energy. A move to picking this fruit earlier has resulted in a Pinot endowed with notable tension. I love the focus here. The 2021 is a stunner.Vinous Media | 98 VMPlenty of strawberry and orange peel character with hints of spice and mineral character. Full yet tight and focused with very fine tannins that run the length of the wine. You don’t see it but it pulls at the end. Excellent pinot. Drinkable but give it three or four years. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSA nearly opaque, dark red with a purple tinge, the 2021 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard has a more floral profile of fresh lavender, black cherry, wild black raspberry, and dark earth. Full-bodied and juicy, it has ripe tannins, a good bit structure, and more savory tones on the palate that will need a bit more time, but this is a fantastic and structured wine with meaty fruit of black cherry, smoky earth, and wild herbs. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDMedium to deep ruby-purple in color, the 2021 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard explodes from the glass with vivacious scents of Bing cherries, redcurrants, and cranberries, leading to wafts of lavender, rose oil, and crushed rocks with a touch of bay leaves. The medium-bodied palate is bright and breezy, with ethereal flavors and fantastic freshness, finishing with a satiny texture and wonderful lift.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2021 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard has broody scents of rhubarb, blueberry, lilac and lavender, plus alluring botanical undertones. The medium-bodied palate balances an intense core of layered, briary fruit with loads of grainy tannins, and vibrant acidity gives a shimmery feel to the long, flavorful finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPRipe, vivid and succulent, with tightly focused blackberry, black cherry and boysenberry puree flavors at the core, which is laced with enticing notes of black tea, singed anise and red licorice. Long and focused, with a gorgeous mouthfeel as creamy fruit and the velvety structure meld beautifully through the lengthy finish. Drink now through 2035. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

One of the legendary Dominus, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably in the same league as the 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2010, and 1991, and to my mind, wine simply doesn’t get any better. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, crushed stone, cedar pencil, smoke tobacco, and baking spices, it s rich, full-bodied, and voluptuously textured, with ripe yet building tannins. It reminds me slightly of the 2010 (maybe the 2013), and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, and it will evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Hats off to the team of Christian Moueix and director Tod Mostero.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe purity of the cabernet fruit is so enticing, with blackcurrant, rose petals, nettles and subtle graphite. Touches of terra cotta and licorice. Full-bodied with super integrated tannins that are wonderfully polished, giving a cashmere texture that is really luxurious to taste at this early stage. It is quenching and so delicious already. 95% cabernet sauvignon and 5% cabernet franc. Needs three to four years to come around but already a joy to taste. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Dominus is a powerful, tightly-coiled wine that is holding back quite a bit of reserve. There’s real depth and resonance waiting to emerge as the wine matures. Floral overtones and bright acids confer energy to a core of red/bluish fruits. Readers will find a Dominus built more on linear precision rather than opulence. It is hugely impressive in this tasting, with a long chalky finish.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis shows density on par with the ’18, with a core of cassis and plum notes still tucked away a bit behind a wall of structure, while singed toast and licorice hints peek in throughout. The youthfully backward aspect shows on the finish as well, where this throws a chunk of tannins to the fore. Very concentrated and with serious tension, this is a strapping young wine that shows what a warm and very dry vintage feels like. Think ’18/’13 combo here. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc. -- Non-blind Dominus retrospective (August 2022). Wine Spectator | 96-99 WS

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

I was blown away by the 2022 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is a classic blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Harvest spanned from the 8th to the 28th of September, the vinification is in tronconique tanks (parcel by parcel), and the élevage will span 18-20 months in 80% new barrels. This inky hued beauty offers that rare mix of power and elegance and offers ample cassis and assorted blue fruits, full-bodied richness, an opulent, concentrated, yet flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and plenty of classic Saint-Julien violets, espresso roast, and crushed stone-like minerality. Despite its incredible concentration and depth, it stays beautifully balanced. In a region that seems to only talk about finesse and elegance, it’s a relief to still have producers such as this producing powerful, intense, singular wines. Hats off to the Cuvelier family and their team.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDAnother excellent showcasse for this estate run by Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. Supple, lively, fresh and round, a nice controlled core of red and black fruit - blackcurrants, cherries and violets with juicy acidity and lean tannins that are fine and well integrated. This feels powerful and concentrated no doubt but the strength comes underneath the fruit and acidity, like a creeping tiger waiting to pounce. Lovely frame and execution, feels on the more opulent and potent side but the acidity and tannin definition is brilliant and this has a really drinkable and moreish quality. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.87pH. 9% press wine. A yield of 33.4hl/ha. 75% grand vin production. Julien Viaud consultant. Tasted three times and was impressed each time. Ageing 18-20 months in French oak barrels, 80% new, 20% second fill.Decanter | 96 DECA very solid LP with black berry, blackcurrant, crushed stone and lavender character. Full and really well structured with a linear length to it. Focused and so polished. Thoughtful. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe 2022 Leoville Poyferre is made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, with a yield of 33.4 hl/ha. It bursts onto the scene with gregarious scents of blackcurrant preserves, wild blueberries, and rose oil, leading to wafts of candied violets, licorice, and crushed rocks with a hint of cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, plush, and impactful, delivering beautiful tension and very respectable, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and opulent. This is a show-stopper! pH 3.87, TPI 93.The Wine Independent | 96-98 TWIThe 2022 Léoville Poyferré was picked 8 to 28 September at 33.4hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak. It has a high IPT of 93 and 14.4% alcohol (half a degree less than the 2018). It is quintessentially LP on the nose, with those extravagant and sensual black and blueberry fruit, intermingling with crushed violet and iris. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very harmonious and focused, perhaps more linear than expected with a velvety-smooth finish. This is a very classy, sophisticated Saint-Julien that may well rest at the top of my banded score once in bottle.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2022 Léoville Poyferré has turned out very nicely, offering up aromas of crème de cassis, cherries, violets and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that’s ripe but lively, with supple tannins and a long, vanillin-inflected finish. This year, the team began picking their Merlot comparatively early and didn’t perform a saignée (tank bleed), given the natural concentration of the vintage, though it remains the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léoville estates, seeing some 80% new oak with malolactic fermentation in barrique for the new barrels. It will be a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP