Wine Ratings

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

The 2021 Zinfandel Old Vines shows plenty of Lodi exuberance. Succulent red/purplish fruit, leather and sweet spice are front and center, with bright acids that perk things up on the mid-palate and finish. The 2021 is delicious and also a terrific value.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The perfumed nose is very pretty with a beautifully layered array of cherry, plum, spice and soft earth and sauvage nuances. The focused, intense and beautifully delineated medium-bodied flavors possess evident minerality that also suffuses the dusty and youthfully austere finale. This could use better depth but the balance is impeccable and overall, it should age gracefully for as long as anyone might reasonably want to.Burghound | 94 BH

A more floral and elegant nose freely offers up its slightly riper array of plum, black cherry and exotic spice nuances. The lilting and beautifully detailed middleweight flavors deliver outstanding length on the balanced, youthfully austere and stony finale. This doesn’t presently have quite the same depth as the Clos l’Audignac but the texture is more sophisticated and overall, this is class in a glass.Burghound | 93 BH

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a brooding blend of crushed black cherries, ash, mentholated herbs and autumnal spice. Soft textures are quickly offset by a saturation of tart red and black fruits while firming tannins add further tension toward the close. It’s long and structured with a liquid-stone minerality and a bitter tinge of clove.Vinous Media | 94 VMAged for six months in Slavonian casks, the lovely 2021 Rosso from Tricerchi opens with aromas of dog rose, strawberry jam and oak-driven spice. On the polished, savory palate, lithe tannins and fresh acidity accompany ripe Morello cherry, raspberry compote and licorice. Drink through 2026. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KO

Savory herbs mix with brined olives, flowery underbrush and dried blueberries as the sultry 2021 Brunello di Montalcino comes to life in the glass. Silken textures and mineral-inflected red berry fruits envelop the palate as edgy tannins pinch at the cheeks. The wine tapers off long and structured, leaving a lingering tension and saturation of tart blackberry to fade slowly.Vinous Media | 93 VMCinnamon, red berries, orange rind and smoke. Medium-bodied, with chalky, chewy tannins that reveal a sense of delicate fruit toward the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Crushed blackberries mix with sweet lavender and mentholated cherries as the sensual 2021 Brunello di Montalcino evolves in the glass. It is cooling to the senses with a lifted array of ripe plums and strawberries elevated by an herbal tea infusion. Youthfully structured and linear today, it has a balance for cellaring, as a pleasantly tart tinge lingers long.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of violet, ripe dark-skinned berry, dark spice and wild herb form the inviting nose on the lovely 2021 Brunello from La Poderina. Juicy and polished, the palate offers ripe black cherry, raspberry and licorice set against taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2028–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KODriven by dark fruit and spice, the La Poderina 2021 Brunello di Montalcino carries a high-octane profile with sweet tannins and a clearly felt 15% alcohol that shapes the wine’s overall impression. There is a softer side on the palate with ripe plum fruit and an opulent, approachable texture, though the style remains fairly one-dimensional, favoring immediacy over depth in this warm-vintage expression. Aging follows a regime of 24 months in oak followed by 20 months in stainless steel, with fruit drawn from 12.5 hectares of vineyards. Production totals 67,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPToasty and fruity wine with assertive, leafy aromas blended into the red cherries and raspberries. Light- to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and firm, chalky tannins that are nicely poised, but turn dry on the finish. Try from 2027.James Suckling | 92 JS

Restrained aromas of red cherries, raspberries, dried flowers, licorice, prunes and tobacco. Full-bodied, juicy and savory, it shows a very tasty palate with velvety tannins and a chalky, refreshing finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is expressive in the glass, with notes of crushed black cherries, sage, mint, cedar shavings and white smoke forming its inviting bouquet. It soothes the senses with silken textures and cool-toned acidity, as ripe plums and wild berries sweep across the palate. Edgy tannins envelop the palate with youthful poise. The 2021 finishes long and spicy, leaving a pleasantly bitter tinge to linger.Vinous Media | 93 VMFramed by an earthy, dusty mineral tone, the Mocali 2021 Brunello di Montalcino delivers pressed blackberry and plum followed by spice and spent ember in a bold, upfront style. A hint of sweetness on the palate softens the texture and keeps the tannins accessible, though the wine ultimately feels fairly one-dimensional on the close. Aging takes place over two years in French oak botte followed by one year in large Slavonian oak casks, an élevage that clearly defines the estate’s stylistic imprint. Production totals 50,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino is a youthful ruby red color and is expressive and nicely layered on opening, leading with aromas of cedar, toasted baking spice, redcurrants, orange peel, menthol, and cranberries. Zesty and refreshing, this medium-bodied Brunello has fine tannins, bright acidity, and notes of dusty earth on the finish. Drink 2026-2035.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDIn Montalcino’s southwest, Mocali’s vineyards reach 400m above sea level on limestone-rich marls. The 2021 exudes its Mediterranean landscape with pine, strawberry bush and sundried tomato – hints of soy and vanilla add further nuance. Mouthfilling though not heavy, lush plum is swathed in soft, clayey tannins. Above all, the palate impresses with savoury, saline mineral appeal. Balanced and mellowed without lacking vibrancy, it will please upon release.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

This is aromatically similar to the Bressandes though as is typically the case, there are more spice elements in play along with a variety of floral nuances. There is also a bit more mid-palate density to the vibrant and tautly muscular flavors that flash good minerality on the balanced, long and mildly austere finale. This too is a lovely combination of refinement and power.Burghound | 92-94 BH

A cooler and airier mix is comprised by notes of plum, red and dark currant that are trimmed in noticeable wood and menthol influences. The medium-bodied and vibrant flavors possess a positively gorgeous mouthfeel along with both good richness and minerality while delivering impressive power on the palate staining finish. The wood treatment aside, this is a classic Clos des Chênes.Burghound | 91-93 BH

Blueberries, cloves, cola and dried herbs on the nose. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, showing delicate red fruit framed by chalky, chewy tannins that taper toward the cedary finish. From organically grown grapes. Needs a couple of years to soften.James Suckling | 93 JSHints of mint lift dank mineral earth, flowery underbrush and crushed strawberries as the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino evolves in the glass. It is delicate, nearly weightless, with bright red berry fruits and mineral tones riding a wave of brisk acidity. Inner rose tones linger through the long and spicy finale as edgy tannins resonate throughout.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino is a medium red color and reveals enveloping aromas of baking spice, baked strawberries, toasted incense, and sweet herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it’s supple with polished tannins, a silky texture, balanced acidity, and an even finish. It has an appealing level of refinement in this vintage to drink over the next 10-12 years. Drink 2026-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDMade with organically farmed grapes, the Collosorbo 2021 Brunello has aromas of plum, lavender, eucalyptus and dark spice. Bold and brawny, the palate offers dried cherry, prune, licorice and bitter orange before closing on the warmth of evident alcohol. Taut, close-grained tannins provide enveloping support. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 15%Kerin O’Keefe | 91 KO

The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is dark and brooding, with nuances of crushed black cherry, savory herbs and ashen stone wafting up from the glass. It displays silky textures and notable weight, with mineral-inflected red berry fruits that slowly saturate the senses. Fine-grained tannins add an aching tension through the finish as the 2021 leaves a penetrating tart berry concentration that adds chewy depth.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis red displays fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry and black currant, plus shades of violet, iron and tobacco. There are firm, dense tannins for support and ample acidity driving the long finish. Best from 2028 through 2042. 3,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

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

The 2021 Morgon offers open-knit raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit on the nose. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy tannins, fine acidity and quite spicy red berry fruit mixed with white pepper towards the finish. Great potential here.Vinous Media | 92 VMAromas of cherries, plums and berries mingled with hints of peony introduce the 2021 Morgon, a medium to full-bodied, ample wine that’s a touch firmer and more structured than its Fleurie counterpart.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

The 2021 Morgon Côte du Py Javernières takes more time to open on the nose compared to the regular Morgon. This is more introspective with scents of melted tar and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-tuned tannins. There is a touch of spiciness and greenness but these elements are nuanced and merely lend complexity. A healthy dash of black pepper completes a very fine and cerebral Morgon.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2021 Morgon Côte du Py Javernières is a taut, structured wine that will demand a little patience, even in this giving vintage. Offering up aromas of plums, red berries, sweet spices and licorice, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and vibrant, with powdery tannins and tangy acids.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Rose petal, pomegranate and an herbal blast of oregano and marjoram show on the nose of this bottling from an historic producer in the mountains east of Salinas. The palate is snappy in acidity with plenty of herbal influence, offering thyme-flecked strawberry-sauce flavorsWine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2021 Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains) is a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of the house style. Bright, lifted and wonderfully transparent, the 2021 is all class. Sweet spice and citrus accents complement a core of bright red-toned fruit. Whole cluster accents add layers of nuance. This is such a gorgeous Pinot.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Delicious and so enjoyable, this juicy, full-bodied red is one of the best Dolcetto’s out there, doling out flavors of ripe black cherry, black raspberry and white pepper. Taut tannins and fresh acidity keep it balanced. Drink through 2025. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

The 2021 Chianti Classico is one of the wines of the vintage in the Chianti Classico ’Annata’ category. Rich, layered and super-expressive, the 2021 offers up red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and spice race across the palate. The Montesecondo Chianti Classico raises the simple question of why there aren’t more wines like this.Vinous Media | 94 VMEx-jazz musician Silvio Messana makes a variety of wines of the natural ilk – but only one Chianti Classico. It blends fruit from two distinct vineyards in San Casciano – a hot site in the extreme north at just 120 metres, the other in the far south surrounded by forest at a cooler 500 metres. The aggregate is a fantastically textured, layered and appetising annata, offering a sumptuousness of black cherry and raspberry fruit without being heavy. This is broadened by verbena, mineral and woodland accents, while the citrussy acidity is well integrated, and chalky tannins give a firm, tight frame.Decanter | 92 DEC

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 appellation 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, and smaller portions of Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. It’s another fabulous wine from this estate, offering pure cr me de cassis, classy oak, new leather, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, plush, integrated tannin, and the vintage’s fresher, focused style, it tastes like it costs three times the price. Drink bottles over the coming decades. Bravo.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAromas of ripe blackcurrants, dried raspberries, spices, cedar and bark. Full-bodied with a mellow, fruit-forward character and creamy texture to the tannins. Delicious and smooth with a velvety finish. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon deftly balances hints of vanilla and cedary oak against notes of ripe cherries and cassis. While not overly complex, it’s harmonious and supple, a medium to full-bodied wine that will complement a meal rather than overpower it, yet it still has ample concentration, richness and depth. Drink it over the next 10 - 15 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Blackcurrant purée on the nose, so seductive and heady, concentrated and intense but lively too with some wild flower scents. Succulent on the first sip, you get the mouthwatering red cherry and raspberry fruit but this then turns serious and direct. Linear, focused, driving with layers of flavour giving this both a density but also an aerial element to it. In some ways, there’s a shyness here, a discretion, such sleek silky tannins that softly frame the flavours which are to the fore right now. Red cherry, plum and damson sit alongside clove, cedar, black chocolate and liquorice coming from the Cabernet Franc giving a spicy tang sustaining the wine - the highest amount of Cabernet Franc ever used in the grand vin at 60%. Each element is so well positioned and in high definition, you feel the muscles and backbone but this has exceptional finesse with all the tiny details on show. An excellent effort in 2021. 100% new oak. The first full vintage with technical director Benjamin Laforet.Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful depth here, with currants and blackberries, as well as hints of fresh herbs and wet earth. Medium-to full-bodied, layered and long, with depth and beauty. Savory. Impressive for the vintage. Persistent.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2021 Angélus unwinds in the glass to reveal aromas of dark berries, plums and cherries mingled with rose petals, forest floor, spices and pencil shavings, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and vibrant, it’s taut and structured, with a deep core of fruit, chalky tannins and a long, perfumed, vanillin-inflected finish. As readers will remember, it’s a blend of fully 60% Cabernet Franc with 40% Merlot, incorporating foudres in addition to 225-liter barriques, and the rich, toasty oak signature of yesteryear is now firmly in the background, even if the wine still carries a youthful patina. The 2021’s classically balanced profile will reward a bit of bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPFor the first time ever, Angélus is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot in 2021. There’s terrific density and power, especially within the context of the year. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, menthol and lavender all build nicely in the glass. The 2021 has quite a bit of richness, and its 14% alcohol, a bit lower than the recent norm, works quite well in this vintage. All it needs is a bit of time to help soften some of the raw contours that are present today.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Angélus is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot that was brought up in new barrels, with a portion of the Cabernet Franc raised in 30 hectoliter foudres. It offers a ruby/purple hue to go with a gorgeous perfume of pureed cassis and black raspberry fruit, as well as spice, spring flowers, and chalky, almost salty minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has wonderful purity of fruit, ultra-fine tannins, and a gorgeous finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDComposed of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, the 2021 Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. Slightly closed to begin, considerable coaxing reveals scents of redcurrant jelly, black raspberries, and fresh blackberries with suggestions of crushed rocks, tar, truffles, and violets. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic intensity and energy, with very finely pixelated tannins and wonderful tension, finishing on a persistent ferrous note.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI

The 2021 Dolcetto d’Alba Vignavillej is deep, potent and explosive. A super-Dolcetto, the 2021 packs a serious punch. Blackberry, cloves, new leather and mocha all saturate the palate in this sumptuous, full-bodied Dolcetto. Superb.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2021 Barbaresco is exquisite. Bright and delineated, with tons of energy, the 2021 bristles with saline-infused energy. Red berry fruit, blood orange, chalk, mint and white pepper lend tons of energy to this deceptively mid-weight, nervy young Barbaresco. Vineyard sites are Ovello, Cole and Loreto.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2021 Dellamesola, from soils in Bramaterra, is a potent, young wine that needs time in the cellar. Dark cherry, plum, licorice, menthol and dried herbs are all dialed up. This is an especially potent style of Bramaterra, built on fruit intensity rather than nuance. The Dellamesola is mostly Nebbiolo with a bit of Croatina and Vespolina, aged 12 months in cask.Vinous Media | 93 VM