Wine Producing Countries

wines

Ripe woodland berry, blue flower, botanical herb and eucalyptus aromas lift out of the glass on the classy La Gerla 2021 Brunello. Linear, structured and loaded with finesse, the palate offers succulent red cherry, wild strawberry, star anise and crushed thyme alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced. Be patient and give it time to fully develop. Drink 2031–2041. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOBalancing aromatic brightness with medium textural concentration, the La Gerla 2021 Brunello di Montalcino delivers lively notes of tart cherry and grenadine followed by light spice and grilled herbs. A classical Sangiovese profile anchors the wine, carried by bright acidity and a mineral thread that adds focus. Vineyards are located in various spots across the northeast and southeast quadrants of the appellation, contributing both freshness and structural balance. Production totals 30,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a medium red/garnet color and unfolds with aromas of orange peel, cranberries, redcurrants, rhubarb, dried earth, and fresh Mediterranean herbs. The palate is bright and medium-bodied, with zesty acidity, well-defined tannins, and salty mouthwatering accents. It’s got a good deal of youthful tension and will drink well over the next 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with mentholated freshness, as minty herbs mix with a whiff of white pepper, olive brine and wild strawberries. It is soft and soothing on the palate, with a subtle citrus infusion to its ripe wild berry fruits, as rosy inner florals cascade throughout. The hulking structure is revealed on the finish, as nuances of dark chocolate mix with spiced orange and clove over a bed of fine-grained tannins.Vinous Media | 93 VMSmoky and toasty wine, full of spices, restrained black cherries, earl-grey and bark. Medium-bodied, it’s almost sour and chewy on the palate, due to the brilliant acidity and firm, velvety tannins. Tight finish. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 93 JS

Pouring a reflective red/garnet hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino is floral and detailed on the nose, with preserved cranberries, cherries, anise, fresh roses, and polished leather. The palate is medium-bodied, structured, and bright, with chalky, angular tannins, refreshing acidity, and fabulous fruit purity that carries through a long finish. It’s exceptional and crisp, and it should easily hold up for 20 years. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA spicy and classic Brunello with vibrant aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries, violets, smoky wood and licorice. Full-bodied, it shows balanced extraction, tamed velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and a super-savory, minerally finish. Juicy and long. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSMinty herbs mix with shavings of pine, dried strawberries and dusty earth as the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino blossoms in the glass. It displays exceptional finesse and grace, with silken waves of ripe red and blue fruits elevated by fresh acidity. Inner rose tones and a tactile mineral crunch add form toward the close. The 2021 leaves a pleasantly chewy sensation and a tart blackberry twang, tapering off with excellent length and a totally classic feel.Vinous Media | 95 VMBold and beautiful, the Uccelliera 2021 opens with aromas of dark exotic spice, Mediterranean scrub, lavender and eucalyptus. On the full-bodied, enveloping palate, notes of vanilla, licorice and oak accent a black cherry core. It’s young but balanced, with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2031–2041. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe Uccelliera 2021 Brunello di Montalcino, produced in 34,733 bottles plus 900 magnums, shows a deep core of dark fruit and black cherry while remaining gracefully vertical and bright. Notes of spice, forest floor and sweet earth weave through the fruit, creating balance and a steady sense of richness that carries seamlessly across the palate. Grapes are harvested with the use of dry ice and fermented in stainless steel on indigenous yeasts, followed by 36 months of aging in oak vessels of varying sizes. All of this locks in aromas. The fruit comes from Castelnuovo dell’Abate at elevations ranging from 150 to 350 meters on mineral-rich, rocky soils, and this bottling once again underscores Andrea Cortonesi’s ability to translate terroir with precision and consistency.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThere are no single-vineyard bottlings at Uccelliera. Instead, owner Andrea Cortonesi brings together a diversity of plots from various altitudes, exposures, soils, vine age and clones for one complex sum. The 2021 divulges its balmy, southeastern origins with all the robustness and vigour one would expect, while managing to remain surprisingly poised. Nevertheless, this veers more to power than grace. A youthful wood imprint is absorbed by the fleshy, dark-toned fruit. Eucalypt, nutmeg and tarragon infuse. The bold and grainy tannins need more time to resolve.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

A restrained wine with a graceful nose of subtle red cherries, wild strawberries, sweet violets and complex earth and tamarind. Full-bodied with licorice flavors, a dense mid-palate and velvety tannins that are powerful yet ripe. Slightly lifted acidity and a long,chewy finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with heavenly perfumes as geraniums, bergamot and rose petals mix with lavender and exotic spice. It is lifted and sleek with cool-toned acidity and tart red and blue fruits flowing beneath an air of violet inner florals. The finish has saturating tension, mixing fine-grained tannins with graphite mineral tones and citrus, while hints of sour cherry pinch at the cheeks.Vinous Media | 94 VMPackaged with a gold label, the Pieve Santa Restituta 2021 Brunello di Montalcino marks the return of a wine I personally have not seen in years. In truth, this wine has been produced since 2005, the year the Gaja family acquired a vineyard in the Torrenieri area in the northern part of the appellation where clay-rich soils with high water retention create powerful wines with softer acidity. Fruit from that vineyard was blended with grapes from the Rennina and Sugarille vineyards. However, this wine has recently seen the inclusion of fruit from two new plots, Bolsignano and Villa a Tolli, that bring acidity freshness and mineral tension. The wine presents a medium- to full-bodied texture with notes of dried fruit, cassis, tarry smoke and savory leather. It is lean on the mid-palate yet long and polished. Tight-edged tannins suggest the need for additional bottle aging, a profile consistent with a traditionally structured Brunello. This is a release of 90,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The first-ever Estate Pinot Noir from Ramey, sourced from the family’s home ranch, Westside Farms, which neighbours Williams-Selyem and Rochioli. This historic site has been farmland since the mid-1800s and borders a mile and a half of the Russian River. "Context is important, especially in a challenging vintage," says Alan Ramey. To illustrate this, they presented the wine side by side with an Échezeaux Grand Cru. "Temperatures are changing, and Burgundy is getting warmer. Our wine has nearly the same TA, pH, and ABV, yet the style is slightly different—and then there’s the value play… this Burgundy costs about $300 more than ours. We want to show that our wines can stand alongside those at much higher price points." Ramey ferments in stainless steel before transferring to a barrel, whereas the Burgundy was fermented in a barrel with 100% new French oak. The Ramey Estate Pinot Noir is aged in approximately 40–50% new French oak. The wine displays beautiful vibrancy, with a light- to medium-bodied character and a gentle sweetness to its red-fruited core. Blood orange acidity and elevated, velvety tannins add a crisp edge. The long finish carries layers of red berry fruit, blood orange, clove, coriander cream, sassafras, and pressed wildflowers, all underpinned by hints of loamy, sandy earth. Savoury and bone dry, with remarkable intensity balanced by freshness.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2022 Estate Pinot Noir Westside Farms is the inaugural release of Pinot Noir from the Ramey family’s Westside Farms ranch. It comes from vines planted in clay-loam soils along the Russian River in 2001. The grapes were harvested on August 18 and 19, before the Labor Day heat wave, and only free-run juice was included. It was fermented in tank with 25% whole clusters and matured for 18 months in 45% new French François Frères barrels. It has a pale ruby color and open, inviting aromas of cranberry sauce, rhubarb, blood orange, allspice and Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate surprises with its highly concentrated, layered flavors and is lent complexity by emerging earthy nuances. It’s structured by lacy tannins and vibrant acidity and has a very long, layered finish. It will benefit from several years in the cellar. It will be released in September of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Westside Farms is a bright red color and has a spiced profile with notes of ripe cherries, strawberries, toasted spices, and forest floor. The palate is highly elegant, with a medium-bodied frame, and it has an elegant freshness, refined tannins, and an even finish. (Ramey did a wonderful job of keeping elegance and freshness in this vintage.) It’s going to be released in the fall and will have a wide window for enjoyment over the next 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDWonderful savory, woodsy aromas and good, complex dark berry and black plum flavors in this full-bodied, moderately tannic wine. Elements of pine, redwood bark, bay laurel, black raspberries and wood smoke. Made using one-fourth whole clusters, with skin contact of three weeks and barrel aged for 20 months, all of which emphasize the savory aspects. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSOffers streamlined raspberry and blood orange coulis notes infused with a light potpourri accent through the finish, which is marked by pretty perfume. Drink now through 2027. 428 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Dark berry aromas with some graphite and stone. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are creamy and polished. Succulent and very long. Juicy finish. Lovely tension and drinkability already. Blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, aged 35 months in barrels. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JS

This surprisingly expressive wine opens with profuse aromas of violets and blackberry underscored with a firmly saline mineral note. I found the wine very generous; Cyprian Arlaud commented ’I try to make it as a Charmes-Chambertin. The parcel, however, is in Mazoyères, just under the road that separates it from Latricières. Its grippy tannic texture on the finish seems to start as a seductive Charmes but finish more faithful to the somewhat stricter Mazoyères mould.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2022 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, one of the last to be picked over three different passes, has a plush and expressive bouquet with dark cherries, raspberry coulis and light violet petal aromas that recede and reveal orange rind and yuzu scents. The palate is medium-bodied with firm grip on the entry. It’s a solid Charmes-Chambertin that is Mazoyères in style because, well, that’s where it’s from! A serious Charmes-Chambertin that will age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMA solid mid purple. Relatively luscious dark red fruit on the nose. The acidity pokes out a little bit at the moment, along with the stonier side of the vineyard, but I think this is more a question of the stage the wine is at. I did not quite get the succulent strawberry overcoat of which Charmes is capable. Perhaps, for once, Cyprien has made more of a Mazoyères than a Charmes? Drink from 2032-2039. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JMMortet’s 2022 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is pretty and demonstrative, bursting with aromas of plums, cherries, sweet red berries, petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit and melting tannins, it concludes with a mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPHere the wood treatment is admirably discreet on the nose of cool, pure and restrained aromas that blend notes of wild red and dark cherry with those of spice, earth and a hint of violet. There is a beguiling underlying tension though not quite the same concentration to the elegant middleweight flavors that flash a bit more minerality on the finely detailed and youthfully austere finale. While this could use better depth, I like the balance and this too should age gracefully.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Lush, juicy and seductive, this red features blackberry, black currant, blueberry, iron and earth aromas and flavors. Quickly tightens up courtesy of the solid structure, with fine promise for its evolution. Offers terrific balance and length. Best from 2029 through 2047. 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2022 Nuits Saint-Georges Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges 1er Cru had been racked the previous week, but it was essentially the final wine I tasted as it was just about to be bottled. It has a stricter and more backward bouquet than the Chênes Carteaux: blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, the 20% new oak neatly folded in. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins, leaning more towards black fruit laced with tar and tobacco. Quite Morey-like towards the finish with impressive persistence. Give this two or three years in bottle to shave the edges. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMRacked, to bottle in December. 35 hl/ha. A darker purple, just a little oak showing on the nose alongside the dark raspberry fruit. The grain of tannin is very good, and ideally integrated, with just the right acidity as well. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMThis manages to be at once ripe yet cool with its layered combination of black cherry, plum and just turned earth and humus nuances. There is notably better density and volume to the bigger-bodied flavors that coat the palate with dry extract on the firm, moderately austere and sneaky long finish. This by contrast is going to need at least a few years of keeping first.Burghound | 90-92 BH

The 2022 Pinot Noir Old Vines has explosive aromas of raspberry, strawberry, tangerine, licorice, fern and amaro. The light-bodied palate is just as gregarious, bursting with fruit and spice that accent a concentrated core of berry fruit. It has a luxuriously silky texture, fireworks of fresh acidity and a very long, layered finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA floral nose with violets and rose petals leading the way. This comes from two old vine sites in the Dundee Hills. It was not affected by the frost in 2022, winemaker Jim Maresh got to use his primary shoots, and that means the wine stays concentrated. Weber Vineyard is a quarter mile from Maresh Vineyard on Worden Hill Road. Gobs of fresh berries, savoury dried anise, and bramble fruits mark the palate.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Old Vines is remarkably pretty, cascading up from the glass with a vibrant blend of minty herbs and crushed cherries complemented by hints of cola and spice. This has energy to spare, silken in feel with ripe red berry fruits that envelop the senses. It takes on a darker shade toward the close as tactile minerals saturate. A bump of juicy acidity enlivens the finish as sweet tannins tug at the senses and notes of blood orange slowly fade. The 2022 is like a well-muscled dancer. It’s already so likable that many collectors may not have the patience to watch it fully mature. The Dundee Hills Old Vines is sourced from vines that average 41 years old, all Pommard clones, sourced from 75% Maresh and 25% Weber Vineyard.Vinous Media | 94 VMAn elegantly dynamic red, with vibrant cherry and cranberry flavors highlighted by black tea and forest floor tones as this sails along the steely finish. Drink now through 2032. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This opulent Malbec-forward blend delivers loads of crushed blueberry, black plum, coffee and sage aromas on the nose, while the palate displays hearty tannic structure with lavish acidity and flavors of currant, cassis, shattered granite, dark chocolate and licorice. Rest this in the cellar for a decade or more and grill the biggest steak you can find.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2022 Bordeaux Red Blend is a blend of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and a splash of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. A more saturated red color, it’s pretty and floral with hints of mocha, purple flowers, black raspberries, and red-fruited highlights. The palate is full and ripe, with a plush and well-detailed feel and a long finish. Although it offers more immediate appeal in the vintage, it should have a wide window to show its best over the next 12-15 years. 8,470 cases were produced.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA vibrant, layered blend of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and a final 5% of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine brings freshness and perfume to the classic Bordeaux framework. The nose opens with a mix of black and red berries, wet roses, and subtle green undertones that add aromatic tension. On the palate, it’s compact, with dusty tannins and a warm finish that carries notes of spiced cocoa. A wine that feels both youthful and has the structure to evolve.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2022 Bordeaux Red Blend is composed of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Matured for 18 months in 50% new French oak, it bursts from the glass with pure red cherry and pomegranate perfume, unfurling nuances of lavender, forest floor and glossy new oak as it opens in the glass. The medium-bodied palate features generous, floral fruit. It’s structured by powdery tannins and juicy acidity and has a long, layered finish. 8,470 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPAn elegant but rich and ripe Bordeaux-style blend that’s not too tight with tannins and features broad, opulent black fruit flavors and generous oak spices. Full-bodied, sleek and luxurious. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly one of the successes in the vintage. With a deep purple hue as well as gorgeous aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, darker chocolate, roasted herbs, and graphite, it hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied texture, a round, layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic, ripe, textured, stunningly balanced 2022 that will drink beautifully over two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDJust bottled, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is an attractive wine. Crushed flowers, red cherry, red plum, lavender and spice open nicely. The 2022 shows the mid-weight structure of the year, with fine balance and an understated personality that is typical of this vintage. Readers will find an enjoyable wine but one that clearly lacks the dimension and dynamic energy of the very finest vintages.Vinous Media | 93 VMOffers a dark plum and warmed cassis core coated with melted black licorice, all backed by burnished alder and walnut husk accents. A spectre of scorched earth lurks on the finish, but with the fruit to handle it. An admirable effort. Drink now through 2036. 550 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2022 from Chasse-Spleen is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. An elegantly framed aromatic profile here, smoky, dark, delicately peppery, with a rather elegantly defined and crystalline core of fruit encased within, the combination nothing short of enticing. The palate follows up with a highly polished and coherent composition, with elegantly polished substance, plenty of fresh energy, with a firm and grippy backbone of tannin providing some grip, but it is the upper layers of currant, liquorice and damson fruits which remain dominant. The tannins give great support though, firm but appropriate, and they linger long into the finish. An impressive Chasse-Spleen, combining floral and perfumed individuality with density and structure;it will need a long time to come around. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 13.4%.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIAn excellent Chasse-Spleen that shows fine sweet spices and creamy yet vibrant plums and cassis. Lovely precision, with minerals and berries on the palate. Bright and refined, with dense, chalky tannins and a lengthy finish. Drink from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSJuicy and fleshy, this has a soft bouncy core of ripe blackcurrant fruit with menthol, spiced herb and clove accents. Tannins are grippy in just the right places and this has a wide and open mouthfeel. It’s on the plush side in terms of texture but maintains a cool and fresh core. Enjoyable. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 Chasse-Spleen presents a promising, quite burly bouquet with blackberry, bilberry and hints of marmalade unfolding in the glass. The palate is fresh on the entry with grippy tannins. It feels a little stricter than it did in barrel, showing more austerity on the finish, but I appreciate the tension and ample length. Give this time to prove itself.Vinous Media | 92+ VMThe 2022 Chasse-Spleen offers up aromas of sweet plums, berries and licorice, framed by a deft touch of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with lively acids and powdery tannins, it’s taut and youthfully structured, exhibiting a touch less immediate charm than I anticipated en primeur.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RPRipe currants, spicy oak, graphite, and leather notes all define the 2022 Château Chasse-Spleen, another Moulis that has beautiful richness and depth. It’s medium-bodied, nicely balanced, has fine tannins, and outstanding length. This outstanding Moulis is based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in 40% new barrels. It should have 20 years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

This exquisite wine has intense red and black fruit aromas with a floral edge and an almost salty savoury intensity. The texture is silky but tightly wound. It is commonly thought that the upper part of Suchots is superior, but this version gives that idea the lie. Here, the 100-year-old vines in the domaine’s 0.45-hectare parcel make the wine special, along with Van Caneyt’s very able winemaking. This wine should open well in three to five years and will undoubtedly last another 40 (at least) beyond that.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots is one of the highlights of the range this year. Wafting from the glass with aromas of plums, cassis, orange zest and exotic spices and framed by a deft application of new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, concentrated and multidimensional, with terrific depth, velvety tannins and a long, broad finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru has an overtly floral bouquet with rose petals and violets complementing the red fruit. It’s vivacious as it was in barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, succulent tannins and iodine touches. The finish needs a little more complexity and nerve. Tasted at the Stannary Wines dinner in London with Charles van Canneyt.Vinous Media | 92 VMOnce again the nose is wonderfully fresh and even spicier with its aromas of poached plum and liqueur-like dark pinot fruit that is also tinged with exotic tea wisps. There is noticeably better density to the caressing and seductively textured yet decided powerful flavors that brim with dry extract before concluding in a moderately austere and hugely long finale. This too is quite compact and very much built to repay extended keeping.Burghound | 92-94 BHA distinguished crimson purple. The oak is a little more apparent, and the fruit a riper, fleshier raspberry. Oak continues to take a hand but the fruit stays with it. Lower acidity in the Suchots, at least by taste. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Bize owns 2.1 hectares here, including a half-hectare of Chardonnay. The red has an explosive blackberry and wild strawberry fruit aroma with hints of fresh and dried flowers, earth, and cigar leaf. The texture is tannic and firm but less tightly-wound than the 2020s. Fermentation is done as whole clusters; the wine is aged in cask, with just 5 – 10% new. When finished, this delicious wine should be approachable earlier than some vintages have been.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Vergelesses 1er Cru has a complex and perhaps cerebral nose: dark berry fruit, black pepper, green tea and light scents of damp moss/forest floor. This unfurls beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins framing gorgeous dark berry fruit, a little peppery in style, quintessentially Savigny with a very persistent finish. Everything you want from a Savigny Premier Cru (and more).Vinous Media | 93-95 VMHalf in a foudre, half in a barrel. Pale colour with a faint green streak. The reduction is keeping the wine tense, while the fruit on the palate is immediately engaging. Ripe limes, fresh apple, a certain sensuality behind, and an excellent long finish. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMCool, fresh and bright aromas of red currant, cherry, warm earth and a hint of spice are trimmed in a plethora of floral elements. The rich, velvety and solidly voluminous flavors possess the best concentration in the range while displaying focused power on the firm, serious, moderately austere and very much built to age finale. This is a buy and forget it wine for at least 7 to 8 years.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2002 Clos de Vougeot le Grand Maupertui Grand Cru, which comes from vines born in 1904, is endowed with darker fruit than the Grands-Echézeaux. Well-defined, maybe a little opulent in style, yet still controlled. The palate is well-endowed with dark berry fruit, more black than red, pain d’épice and white pepper. There’s plenty of substance and grip towards the finish. But it is always elegant and deserves 10-12 years in bottle. Excellent.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe vines were planted in 1904. A richer deeper ruby purple. A flamboyant pure fruit on the nose, sort of unexpected for Clos Vougeot. Excellent tension on the palate, all the structure that a Clos Vougeot needs but nothing in excess. Seamless, sensual, yet with all the strictness it should have. Very fine. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-98 JMThis is also quite spicy and even more aromatically restrained with its fresh nose of earthy red pinot fruit. The denser and even more powerful larger-bodied flavors deliver excellent length on the impressively long and very much built-to-age if decidedly austere finale that flirts with rusticity. This is a classic CV and one that should age accordingly.Burghound | 92-95 BH

A lovely mid purple. Very perfumed and with density, I suspect with detail to follow as well. Succulent, and with amazing depth plus magical length. One or two darker fruit notes, stopping short of chocolate. But this is a profound and sensual Echezeaux from a domaine noted for its lighter style. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 96-98 JMThe 2022 Echézeaux Les Loachausses Grand Cru (not the easiest lieu-dit to pronounce but is actually a monopole of the Gros family) is the most taciturn on the nose amongst Anne Gros’ cuvées. There is a touch of crushed stone that develops in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a lot of sucrosity on the entry. It has fine depth and is quite linear, and maybe it needs to muster a little more complexity and terroir expression on the finish. I’m sure it will.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMModerate wood influence can be found on the exuberantly spicy and smoky nose of mostly dark currant and violet scents. There is good energy to the delicious if not especially dense middleweight flavors that conclude in a firm finale that exudes focused power as well as a touch of warmth.Burghound | 91-93 BH

The 2022 Richebourg Grand Cru is intense on the nose: mainly black fruit with a pronounced marine/oyster shell influence. It gains complexity and nuance on the glass. The palate is well-balanced, and the 40-50% new oak neatly enmeshed (higher than previous vintages). It has a fine bead of acidity with a dense and convincing finish, suggesting this will mature gracefully over the next 30-40 years. Almost crystalline - a great Richebourg from Anne and Julie Gros.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThis is a thrilling wine, deceptively light in colour but aromatically powerful, with a concentrated pomegranate and black cherry fruit character and an extraordinary sense of density, substance, and length on the palate. The grapes come from the Gros family holdings in Les Vérroilles; the youngest vines are 50 years old; the balance is 75. They are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (30% new). This wine is a model of both finesse and power. Ideally, wine lovers will wait a decade from the vintage to sample its beauties; this wine will live a half-century.Decanter | 96 DECA brilliant purple, with a fascinating touch of spice to add to the depth of dark yet royal fruit. Just keeps getting more profound on the nose. Incredibly intense through the middle, excellent mineral acidity behind, and a length well above the others. Thank you for this perfection. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 96-99 JMHere too there is a plethora of spice elements present on the slightly more elegant nose of violet, lavender, exotic tea, and red and dark currant scents. The impressively scaled flavors are not nearly as dense as those of the CV but they’re notably finer and more mineral-inflected as well, all wrapped in a balanced and hugely long finale. This is certainly classier than the CV but good as it is, it’s not necessarily qualitatively better.Burghound | 92-95 BH

Very Pauillac in its blackcurrant, dark chocolate and walnut husk character. Full-bodied yet compacted. Wet earth, mushroom, earth, black tobacco. Fine and intense tannins. Fresh and complex. 78% cabernet sauvignon and 22% merlot.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe Grand Vin 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. It brings more richness as well as classic Pauillac character in its lead pencil, graphite, tobacco, and red and black fruit-driven aromatics. With gorgeous richness, a medium to full bodied mouthfeel, and a great finish, this utterly classic, seamless, balanced Pauillac should be snatched up by readers. It’s going to give the 2009 a run for its money.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96+ JDRipe fruit on the nose, cherries, blackcurrants and plums, fresh, open and inviting. Sleek and smooth, this is intense but juicy giving tannic strength, just shy of chewy but appealingly chalky and fleshy giving a mouthfilling texture while the stony, saline, spiced edge to the tannins and cool blueberry and mint give the freshness. The tannins stand out here, present and at the fore, but well textured, crushed velvet but juicy with high acidity and a sharpness that counters the clear power underneath. Ageing will incorporate 40% of new oak plus up to 15% of amphora based on current trials. Harvest 31 August to 28 September.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2022 Duhart-Milon underwent a short 15- to 18-day maceration and is raised in 50% new oak and the rest one-year-old barrels. It has a very graphite/mint-scented nose that is Pauillac through and through. The palate is fresh and vibrant with fine tannins. This is beautifully sculpted with a vibrant pencil lead-tinged finish reminiscent of Grand Puy Lacoste. The 2022 is a fabulous Duhart-Milon that should give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure. It’s a Pauillac a bit like the late Steven Spurrier insofar that it’s a Pauillac always conservatively dressed in a pin-striped suit, but that’s the essence of Duhart.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe 2022 Duhart-Milon unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cedar box, loamy soil, herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety palate with a broad attack that segues into a lively, nicely concentrated core of fruit, concluding with a youthfully firm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPMade from 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot, the 2022 Duhart-Milon is deep garnet-purple in color. It rocks up with ready-to-impress notes of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, and menthol, followed by hints of cinnamon stick, rose oil, and fallen leaves. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of lively black berry and minty flavors, framed by grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and lifted.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

Extremely perfumed with sweet tobacco and blackcurrants as well as cedar and dark chocolate. Aromatic. Medium-bodied with an intense center palate of blackcurrant, orange peel and peaches. Nervy. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.James Suckling | 96-97 JSPlums, blackcurrants, dark chocolate and perfumed aromas on the nose. Smooth and bright, silky, sharp, intense but so likeable, a shot of high acidity really sets the tone, this is zinging with energy, bite and power. It’s a look at me wine with a strawberry and red cherry sweetness as well as herbal savouriness that hits the mid palate creating a mouthwatering juiciness and sense of structure. The power comes in after a few minutes, alongside minerality and wet stone touches to the fine but present tannins. Streamlined, focussed and confident. Cleverly constructed with lots to like, will age well and has lovely Pauillac touches. 64IPT. 3.75pH. Harvest 31 August to 24 September. 16% press. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThe second wine of Lafite checks in as 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. This smoking good second wine has more than a little Lafite character and offers ample red and black fruits, notes of tobacco, graphite, and leafy herbs, medium to full-bodied richness, silky, polished tannins, and a great finish. As with the Grand Vin, it’s concentrated, powerful, and flawlessly balanced.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThe 2022 Carruades de Lafite is a real showstopper. I don’t remember tasting a Carruades quite like the 2022, a wine that combines the richness of the year with tons of supporting structure. Super-ripe red-fleshed fruit, blood orange, mint, cinnamon and rose petal all race across the palate, supported by bright citrus-driven acids that keep the flavors vibrant. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMAromas of sweet cherries and berries mingled with hints of cedar box, loamy soil, warm spices, violets and orange zest introduce the 2022 Carruades de Lafite, a medium to full-bodied, bright and velvety blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Adocate | 91-93 RPThe 2022 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a swirl or two to reveal evocative notes of blackcurrant jelly, black raspberries, and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of iris bulb, tilled soil, and crushed cloves. The medium-bodied palate is typically elegant, minerally, and refreshing, with firm, fine-grained tannins to provide support, and a long, lifted finish.The Wine Independent | 91-93 TWI

You could easily mistake the 2022 Pavillon Rouge De Margaux for the Grand Vin here, and truth be told, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this actually evolve better than some of the Grand Vins from just over 10-15 years ago. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (the second wine got all the Petit Verdot in 2022), it offers a deep, medium to full-bodied, seamless profile as well as solid framboise, darker raspberry, currants, sandalwood, and spice aromatics, silky tannins, and outstanding length. The purity and precision paired with this level of texture and richness far exceeds the vast majority of second wines out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDBeautiful vivid colour, bright and intense. Dark chocolate, cherries and subtle perfume on the nose. Bright and lively thought also lean and straight on the palate. A generous weight and intense grip to the tannins. It’s on the tense side, focussed with extreme precision to the fruit profile with racy acidity unpinning the tannins which are at the fore. Feels refined and elegant, more serious than some other second wines in its construction but is classy, juicy, sculpted and softly plush. The fruit has bite and tang, with liquorice and graphite edges and spiced accents giving angles but all enjoyable and really building to the whole. Great freshness and length. 7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.61pH. 84 IPT - highest IPT, highest before was 2018 which was 82. 15% press wine. 31% production.Decanter | 94 DECRich and dense with lots of fruit and juiciness. Redcurrants, black berries, strawberries and orange peel on the nose. Full and layered with fine, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Big presence.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2022 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux is made from 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs quite a lot of swirling to bring out notes of blackcurrant pastilles, Morello cherries, and preserved plums, followed by hints of dusty soil, cumin seed, and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers commendable grace and backbone, with firm grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing with a fragrant lift. pH 3.65, TPI 85, alcohol 14.8% - but you don’t feel it.The Wine Independent | 93-95+ TWIThe 2022 Pavillon Rouge is deep and perfumed, wafting from the glass with notions of cherries, raspberry preserve, lilac, violets and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated palate that’s deep, rich and vibrant, with a tannic grain that resembles the grand vin this year. It represents just under a third of the estate’s production.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2022 Pavillon Rouge is a rich, sumptuous wine. A burst of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender and blood orange makes a strong opening, followed by unexpectedly bright, saline notes that bring it all together on the mid-palate and finish. The Pavillon Rouge is an eye-opening wine that embodies the style of the year so eloquently. I especially admire the vibrancy here. The purity of the flavors and quality of the tannins really elevate the 2022.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

Massetino is considered the second wine of Masseto, but I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that it’s far more than that. It represents around one-third of the production of Masseto, and judging by the quality of this 2022, next year’s release of the grand vin could be absolutely phenomenal. Massetino has always incorporated a portion Cabernet Franc since its first vintage, 2017 – 10% in 2022. A cool and dry spring led to a slightly late budbreak, followed by 75 days of drought and high temperatures. Summer storms eventually came along to restore balance, and the cool September evenings were perfect for the grapes reach full ripeness. Each parcel was vinified separately and spontaneously in concrete tanks before undergoing malolactic fermentation in barriques, 50% new. After 12 months, the final blend was made and the wine spent a further three months in concrete before bottling. Bright and stony, there’s so much energy here. Zingy and sapid, it combines fresh Mediterranean herbs and poised fruit, with more verticality than Masseto 2021 and just as much concentration. Incredible precision and beautiful freshness, especially considering the vintage.Decanter | 97 DECThis is refined and fresh with hints of sandalwood to the beautiful blue fruits. It’s medium-bodied with creamy and polished tannins that frame the blue fruit and hints of crushed stone. Succulent and juicy with a crunchy personality. You want a sip right away. Second wine of the highest quality from Masseto. So drinkable and wonderful. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is opulent, with a lush texture enveloping black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors. Flashes of tar, iron and wild herbs add detail as this red builds to the long finish. Balanced and fresh, with sweet, lingering oak spice notes. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. 160 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2022 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out of the glass with showy scents of violets, dark chocolate, juicy blueberries, and kirsch, leading to hints of menthol, cedar chest, and Chinese five spice. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layers of exotic spices and earthy nuances, supported by firm, lightly chewy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with epic length. That classic To Kalon power really comes through on the finish!The Wine Independent | 97 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard is supple and juicy, qualities that will be best appreciated on the early side. It offers tons of forward appeal, if not quite the dimension, power of intensity of the best years. There’s no way to get past the challenges of the brutal heat here.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2022 Houyi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored it is quite closed at the moment needing a lot of coaxing to bring out notes of plum preserves blueberry compote and black cherries giving way to hints of tar star anise and cumin seed. Full-bodied the palate is dense with black fruit preserves layers supported by firm grainy tannins and just enough freshness finishing long and opulent. Houyi Vineyard was picked through the 2022 heatwave. This fruit needed a lot of selection (nearly 30% of the fruit was discarded) making this a stellar effort. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2024-09-12The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard is a dense, explosive wine. It shows the radiant, solar style of the year but with the body and texture that so many wines lack. This is the first vintage Realm made following their acquisition of this site, and they conducted the heaviest sorting here. Super-ripe red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice, lavender and orange peel stain the palate. This is a stellar wine for the year.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2022 Moonracer Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shimmies out of the glass with energetic scents of red currant jelly, Morello cherries, mint tea, and rose oil, followed by suggestions of clove oil, cinnamon toast, and graphite. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lightly chewy tannins and impressive freshness to frame the baking spice-laced red berry flavors, finishing with a minty lift.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Moonracer is a pretty, open-knit wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, mint, cinnamon and orange peel open nicely with a bit of time in the glass. Pretty floral overtones add freshness to this silky, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon.Vinous Media | 94 VM

A good bit of this wine comes from Bishop Creek, up to one-third, though it includes five to six other sites. ‘The idea of this wine is to express both the Valley and the vintage,’ says Jean Nicolas Méo. It’s both a vineyard and barrel selection and 30% new oak. The aromatics are grounded in red florals, with touches of earth and a spritz of spiced blood orange. The palate is elegant and refined, with tart berries, a silken structure and a beautiful finish of savoury spice. We make the barrel selection for this wine first before we make our single vineyard wines. ‘These are the best sites and our best barrels from the vintage,’ says partner Jay Boberg.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a top 100 Wines of the Year contender. Sporting a reflective medium ruby hue in the glass, it’s pretty and inviting on opening, with pure notes of wild berries, delicate spices, crushed stones, and fresh roses. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s refreshing and light on its feet, with fine tannins, a clean feel all the way through, and a tapered, mouthwatering finish. Seamless and pure, this is a fantastic appellation wine to enjoy over the next 10-12 years. I would snatch up a case or two to enjoy more frequently.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDElegant and pure, this pinot opens with aromas of fresh cherries, red currants, subtle flowers, dried tangerine peel and savory herbs. The palate is medium-bodied and effortlessly balanced, with silky tannins and lively acidity carrying the wine to a long, smooth, slightly spiced finish. I like the mineral tension. Better from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSA steely version, with chiseled acidity and pinpoint notes of cranberry and cherry that are laced with stony minerality, forest floor and rose petal details as this gathers tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. 1,348 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis best barrel selection from prime Willamette Valley vineyards invites you in with aromas of rose petals, red cherries, sweet pea flowers and lemon. Crisp acidity awakens the palate to fresh flavors of boysenberries, rosemary and orange zest. L’Ensemble’s tannins are as silky as its texture. To quote the Fine Young Cannibals, the L’Ensemble is a "Good Thing." Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a total pleasure to take in, mixing wild blueberries and cherries with sweet spice and hints of cola. This is fruit-forward yet refined, with juicy acidity and bitter tinges of clove and citrus that add contrast throughout. It tapers off with medium length, leaving a tart cranberry crunchiness and a pleasantly chewy sensation that persists.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Blending 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, and lovingly referred to as Baby Monte Bello, designated as Monte Bello since the 2008 vintage, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Monte Bello Vineyard is known for its weightlessness, made to be approachable in its youth with great intention. Barrel-aged for 17 months in 50-60% new oak to integrate and soften the tannins, it still has another 15-20 years of aging, if not 25.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe grape that founded the Montebello estate, the Ridge Cabernet, is a Montebello-grown wine made from fruit that doesn’t contribute to the flagship, Montebello bottling. It tends to be more accessible in its youth and is softer in its profile. 2022 was the third straight drought year, with low yields and concentrated, small berries with ample tannin. The wine sees 17 months in 50% new American oak, and you pick that up in the aromatics, with a note of sweet tobacco leaf. The palate, however, is loaded with verve, bright saline minerality and taut early-season black fruits on soaring fresh acidity.Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC