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There are only 365 cases of Gandona’s 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which comes from the property’s terraced parcels. Richer and more concentrated than the Encosta bottling, there’s a bit tighter weave to the wine’s fabric and more room for aging, as well as richly concentrated notes of cassis, dark chocolate and earth. Long, tannic and intense, this should evolve nicely for 20 years or so.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Gandona has wonderful elegance and purity, and the tannin quality is a big step up over the Encosta. Black fruits, graphite, some floral notes, and background oak all make an appearance, and it’s full-bodied, has beautiful purity, silky tannins, and just loads of character. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years, although I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see it evolve longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

Stunning from the first tilt of the glass, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is impossible to ignore. This blends an array of dried flowers with autumnal spices, cedar-tinged cherries and clove hints in a way that I find wildly appealing. It sweeps across the palate with textures of pure silk guided by bright acidity as depths of wild berry fruits and mineral tones saturate toward the close. The 2019 lingers impossibly long, leaving a staining of primary concentration to mingle with grippy tannins and licorice nuances, yet an airy freshness remains through it all. The combination of house style and vintage character here is otherworldly. It will take much willpower to keep our hands off of the 2019 long enough to watch it properly mature. Spellbinding.Vinous Media | 98 VMProprietor Gigliola Giannetti confirms that 2019 is one of those rare vintages that the estate produced a Riserva as well - but we will have to wait a couple more years for its release. Harvested between 27 September and 5 October, Le Potazzine’s Brunello 2019 exhibits all the vintage’s signature fragrance. Heady cherry blossom, freesia and violet entice immediately while promising more to come. Pure and delineated, the palate offers almost a plushness of strawberry and red cherry, then long, suede-like tannins arrive in waves, never drowning out the fruit. Dense yet spacious with a sophisticated texture, this needs more time.Decanter | 97 DECShowing the estate’s hallmark of finesse and the intensity of the vintage, the 2019 Brunello from Le Potazzine has aromas of fragrant blue flower, crushed mint, new leather and wild berry. Full-bodied and savory, the savory palate has a weightless concentration, delivering raspberry tart, ripe Morello cherry, baking spice and star anise set against firm, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOLe Potazzine farms some of the highest vineyards in the appellation at 420 to 507 meters above sea level. As we know, high elevations are essential today for maintaining acidity and aromatic freshness, especially in the face of climate change. That has never been a problem for this estate, and the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino delivers all the goods. The bouquet opens to dried cranberry, redcurrant, rosemary flower and light spice. The palate is streamlined and elegant, concluding with powdery tannins. This is a 16,000-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBright and pure, featuring strawberry, cherry, rose, mineral and wild herb flavors. This straddles the line between delicate, elegant and electric, with vivid acidity and resonant tannins. Offers superb harmony and a lingering aftertaste of red fruit. Best from 2026 through 2043. 2,600 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSExpressive red-fruit and floral notes, followed by cloves and a touch of fresh mint leaves. Medium-bodied with firm and sturdy tannins. Precise and compact on the palate. Give it more time to soften. Hold until 2027.James Suckling | 93 JS

This is a classic beauty. The 2019 d’Alceo, made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, is dark and enriched, but magically, it is never heavy or bulky. It carries its weight with feather-like grace backed by dry tannins and lovely fruit layering. There is blackcurrant, kirsch, blackberry liqueur, exotic spice, black rose and crushed stone. That mineral note stands out like a filigree of shiny silver stitched through the wine’s rich, velvety texture. Production is 13,749 bottles and 200 magnums.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPRampolla’s 2019 D’Alceo is creamy and resonant in the glass. Inky dark fruit, lavender, blackberry and spice all meld together in a wine that combines power and elegance. Seamless tannins extend the finish effortlessly. In many vintages, D’Alceo is a powerhouse. The 2019 is sublime.Vinous Media | 97 VMBlackcurrants, fresh flowers, and blue berries with sandalwood. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a fresh finish. Very fine, focused and bright. Cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Best after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JS

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is similarly deep purple-hued and has a killer nose of cr me de cassis, spicy wood tobacco leaf, and graphite. It too is rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, with that classic 2019 broad, expansive, sexy mouthfeel to go with plenty of velvety tannins on the finish. It will evolve for at least two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSourced from six different Napa Valley vineyards and a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Accendo is a dark, cassis-laden effort tinged with violets and black tea. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and tannic, it shows lovely harmony and structure, ample but not overdone concentration and tremendous length and elegance.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPAccendo’s 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as alluring as it was from barrel. Plush and sensual, with no hard edges, the 2019 possesses magnificent balance from start to finish. Dark-fleshed fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and menthol build as this sumptuous, racy Cabernet shows off its tremendous charm. Best of all, the 2019 offers quite a bit of immediacy. I would choose to drink it ahead of some of the more structured recent vintages. As always, the Accendo Cabernet is a blend of several top sites in Napa Valley.Vinous Media | 98 VMTasted with Bart Araujo at Wheeler Farms, the ’Rolls Royce of custom crush facilities’, as described by Accendo winemaker Nigel Kinsman. Bart and wife Daphne established Wheeler Farms after selling their Araujo Estate (now Eisele Vineyard) to the Artemis Group. Grapes are sourced from Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady in Rutherford, Eco Tone (a former Abreu property), and a site on Diamond Mountain formerly known as Reverie. Generous blackberry fruit aromas are tinged with wild herbs and heady cedar spices. Broad and expansive on the palate with saturated dark fruit, cassis, graphite and wild herbs. Rustic, elongated tannins glide to a savoury finish.Decanter | 98 DECThis delivers a lush yet focused wave of gorgeous loganberry and black currant fruit laced subtly with warm loam, alder smoke and dried bay leaf details. A long cast iron spine drives underneath from start to finish, with the fruit taking an encore alongside a note of violet at the very end. Shows a touch more grip than your typical 2019. Impressive. Best from 2026 through 2040. 848 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

From vines planted in 1982, the 2019 Merlot W.S. Keyes Vineyard checks in as 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 84% new French oak. This deep, full-bodied, powerful, impeccably balanced beauty offers up loads of ripe black cherries, blackberries, graphite, scorched earth, and Asian spices on the nose. It’s another stunning example of mountain Merlot that needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years, and it’s going to cruise for 20-25 years in cold cellar. The Cabernet component really shows in the tannin structure. This is a serious, incredibly age-worthy Merlot that, in my opinion, is one of the greatest Merlots in California.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBlack olives, dark fruit and earth. Pumice, cloves and other spices, too. Full-bodied, yet layered and so intense. Nuanced, yet powerful. Pomerol with a flak jacket! This needs at least five or six years of bottle age.James Suckling | 98 JSA blend of 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 W S Keyes Merlot is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes bounding out with exuberant notes of baked plums, blackberry preserves, and boysenberries plus hints of licorice, underbrush, and Sichuan pepper. Full-bodied, the palate is both rich and energetic, featuring super-plush, rounded tannins and fantastic freshness, delivering a very long, earth-laced finish. It should age well. 509 cases were made. The soils that these old vines are planted on run counter to everything you’ve learned about where Merlot should succeed. Here there is volcanic, tufa soil as opposed to the typical clay. It is fascinating how a microclimate can change the parameters.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIA huge, dense wine, La Jota 2019 Merlot W.S. Keyes is sourced from vines planted in 1982. Blackberry jam, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves are all kicked up in this sumptuous, exotic Merlot. The 2019 is deep, full-throttle and so exciting.Vinous Media | 96 VMFrom one of two old blocks of Merlot on the property (the other goes into Cardinale), the 2019 W.S. Keyes Merlot is bright and lively, with scents of raspberries and cherries on the nose. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, rich and structured, with a creamy-velvety mouthfeel and a long, mocha-tinged finish. Blessed with layers of softly dusty tannins, this is a fine and elegant Napa Merlot (there is 19% Cabernet Sauvignon) worthy of considerable consumer interest.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Camphor, forest floor, cedar and rose aromas come to the forefront on Sandrone’s stunning 2019 Barolo Aleste. It’s racy and youthfully austere, delivering red cherry, pomegranate, star anise, cedar and white pepper framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and beautifully balanced. This needs several years to fully unwind and shows serious aging potential. Drink 2029–2049. Abv: 14.5%Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOAleste is a contraction of the names Alessia and Stefano, grandchildren of the late Luciano Sandrone. With fruit from Cannubi Boschis, the 2019 Barolo Aleste shows important richness and structure. This is the proverbial Barolo with a capital B. It reveals thick layers of dark fruit, cherry and spice. It shows sweet tannins and impactful texture. When tasting at the winery, Le Vigne is usually served first, and Aleste comes after that. Both wines promise a very long aging window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2019 Barolo Aleste is another stellar wine from Sandrone. Like Le Vigne, the Aleste is a tightly wound ball of energy. Dark cherry, mocha, plum, licorice and lavender all race across the palate. This racy, but youthfully austere Barolo has a ton to offer. There’s more density and a darker profile than in the Le Vigne, sort of like a soloist to Le Vigne’s orchestra.Vinous Media | 97 VMAn integrated and well-crafted Barolo with flowers and lemon peel to the cherry and strawberry aromas. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and a linear drive throughout. Tight and muscular. Well formed. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 95 JS

Rose, menthol, star anise and baking spice are just some of the aromas that appear on the gorgeous Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 2019. Focused, elegant and savory, the vibrant palate offers juicy red cherry, spiced cranberry, crushed mint and ground clove before a licorice close. A backbone of fine-grained tannins provide support while bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced and loaded with energy and tension. What a stunner. Drink 2027–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is a historic blend of fruit from Baudana in Serralunga d’Alba, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, Vignane in Barolo and Merli in Novello. This year, a fifth site was added to the final blend. It is the Le Coste MGA in Barolo with south-facing exposures and 45-year-old vines in a two-hectare parcel. The backbone of this wine is Baudana, and Merli adds freshness. The wine needs more time in bottle, but already it proves generous and bold with dark fruit, spice and crushed mineral.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is pure and total seduction. Kirsch, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, cedar, dried herbs and orange peel all grace a Le Vigne built on mid-weight structure and energy. There is a feeling of youthful classicism and austerity that is so beguiling. Readers should plan on being patient, though. The 2019 won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, but there is enough fruit to make me think it will be superb, in time.Vinous Media | 97 VMVery aromatic with hibiscus, crab apple, orange blossom, and ripe strawberry on the nose. Full-bodied, very layered and powerful, yet it remains very fine textured with an intense finish. Slightly more structured than before. Perhaps due to the addition of wines from a new vineyard? Try after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JS

Coming from a rockier site no more than a stone’s throw from Dr. Crane Vineyard, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is more meaty and savory, with lots of red and black fruits as well as loads of rocky, earthy minerality, spring flower, tobacco, and lead pencil-like nuances. Just beautifully balanced on the palate, it’s full-bodied and elegant, with silky tannins, no hard edges, and one incredible finish. It’s more red-fruited than the Dr. Crane, yet it has a similar ethereal, weightless style that makes it such a joy to drink, even today. Given its balance, purity, and freshness, I have no doubt it will evolve for 25+ years, and I’m probably underrating it by a point.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSuperb aromas of blackberries, currants, crushed stones, conifer and wet earth. Menthol, too. Full-bodied with a dense center-palate, yet it remains agile and persistent. Lovely character and richness at the finish, but not overpowering. Another three or four years will make it better, but already gorgeous.James Suckling | 98 JSA bit further west than the Dr. Crane Vineyard, with more slope, bigger rocks and a bit more protection from the afternoon sun, this vineyard has yielded a stunning 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard. It leads off with scents of cedar and baking spices, then backs those up with notes of black cherries and cassis. Full-bodied, richly textured and tannic but ripe, this finishes long, with mouthwatering fruit balanced against silky tannins. Give it a few years in the cellar and drink it over the next couple of decades. 392 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is a huge wine. Blackberry jam, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol, gravel and intense savory herbs are kicked up in an explosive, dense Cabernet. This concentrated, virile Cabernet possesses tremendous energy and pure power, all in a masculine style that needs years to come into its own. There is plenty of tannin, but it is well integrated. The 2019 is a bit unruly today, like a poorly behaved young child. Let’s see how it grows up.Vinous Media | 97+ VMThis has power but is reserved in style, with dark currant preserves, plum puree and black cherry reduction notes laced with singed alder and sweet tobacco. A subtle iron note chimes gently through the long finish, which fleshes out steadily as this airs. Best from 2023 through 2038. 392 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Wonderful aromas of blue fruit, black olives and violets. Lead pencil throughout. Crushed stones, too. Hints of mint and seaweed. Full-bodied with tannins that spread across the palate. It starts off with a bang, with tannins that take you deep into the wine. It’s endless on the finish. It goes on for minutes. Velvet and polished texture. Better after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is a blend mostly from Meteor. A stunning wine, the 2019 possesses off the charts richness and tremendous depth that just builds with time in the glass. Inky dark fruit, plum, spice, licorice, menthol and crushed berries saturate the palate. The 2019 is one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Andy Erickson and Annie Favia. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 98 VMErickson makes some of the greatest wines from the Coombsville appellation, and his 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is a great example of the quality he’s able to achieve. Darker currants, blue fruits, tobacco, lead pencil, and violets notes all define the bouquet, and I always find a certain Saint-Julien-like quality from this appellation, which is present here. Full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, some chocolaty oak, and velvety tannins, this is another rich yet powerful Cabernet Sauvignon that will benefit from just short term-cellaring and cruise for two decades in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDA new addition to the Place de Bordeaux this year - the eponymous project of husband and wife duo; viticulturist Annie Favia and winemaker Andy Erickson. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Coombsville reflecting the gravelly, volcanic terroir and proximity to San Pablo Bay with a minimal interventionist practise. Powerful and expressive nose, extremely aromatic, but feels direct and quite detailed. Juicy and alive, you feel the life pulsing through this wine, it’s got depth of flavour but the texture is light graceful piercing almost with a sharp crisp tang that is so thrilling. The acidity is there giving life and joy to the blackcurrant and berry fruits and this has such detail and nuance in the savoury earthy edges; smoked meats, liquorice, dark chocolate dusting, iodine-soy saltiness, strawberry tang and long finish. Well structured, with balance and elegance and lovely details throughout. So much character here.Decanter | 96 DECAromas of pencil shavings, dried sage and blueberry appear on the nose of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville. All Cabernet Sauvignon blended from three area vineyards, it’s medium to full-bodied, concentrated, dense and savory. Firmly built, with a couple of decades ahead of it, it’s a super effort.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPDelivers deliciously punchy blackberry, açaí and fig paste enlivened with apple wood, dried anise and warm cast iron notes. This has serious cut and drive through the finish, too, as the fruit sails through. Best from 2023 through 2036. 446 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

One of the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache, from the different terroirs (one sand, one clay, and one limestone) that was 50% destemmed and aged all in older demi-muids. Reminding me of the 2007 with its incredible perfume of ripe black raspberries, strawberries, flowery incense, peppery and Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, expansive texture, gorgeous tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. A wine of incredibly purity, precision, and elegance, yet also with power and opulence, this sensational effort is in need of 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDTypically a standout even amongst the best of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this monumental bottling is sourced from 75- to 90-year-old Grenache planted in a diversity of pebbly, sandy and clay soils. Fermented partially in whole clusters, it offers black-cherry and raspberry flavors that are herculean in ripeness yet silken and deft, lifted by streaks of salt, crushed stone and smoke. A stunner in youth, the wine will likely improve through 2035 and hold further.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEAll Grenache, all whole cluster, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul combines hints of menthol and steaminess with big blackberry and raspberry fruit. Full-bodied, creamy and lush, it finishes long and velvety, a tour de force of Grenache.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis has the heady edge of the vintage, with gutsy blackberry, plum and fig compote notes forming the bulk of the wine, while singed juniper, warm stone and tar notes score the finish. Delivers a nice licorice snap at the very end for a finishing kick. Best from 2023 through 2035. 300 cases made, 160 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Moving to the Syrahs, the 2019 Syrah Reva reveals a much cooler climate-like style in its blackberry, graphite, pepper, and bouquet garni-like nuances, and it picks up an almost Cornas-like game and white pepper character with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe yet polished tannins, and a great finish. It reminds me slightly of the 2018, although with slightly less concentration. It will evolve for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDI tasted the 2019 Syrah Reva on July 8, shortly after its bottling in June. The 2019 is particularly elegant, with notable detail and vibrancy. "I’ve been more curious about the reaction of consumers to the 2019 Reva than I have in a long time," winemaker John Alban explains. "Will they like it? The Reva is very different in 2019." It’s a touch aromatically coiled from its recent bottling, taking plenty of time and air to unfold scents of blackcurrants, peppermint patty, charcuterie, coffee beans and brown sugar. The full-bodied palate has a strong spine of refreshing acidity and plush, velvety tannins to balance its depth of flavor, and it offers a beautiful flourish of spice and floral tones that fan across the long finish. It’s less ripe and hedonistic than in some vintages yet just as enjoyable! This will be released in the fall of 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

The 2019 straight Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona is a beauty, starting with its heady scents of red berry, dog rose, spice and Mediterranean scrub. Full-bodied and loaded with finesse, the smooth palate delivers juicy red cherry, cracked peppercorn and licorice alongside tightly-woven, refined tannins. Juicy acidity keeps it balanced and fresh. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 15% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThere’s no mistaking this wine for anything but Brunello. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows beautiful continuity, crescendoing on the nose and palate in synchronicity. There are aromas of grilled watermelon, red cherry, garden herb and violet, and there is a charred note that recalls the toasted oak. The bouquet balances out beautifully, but you do get considerably more power on the palate thanks to the oomph of 15% alcohol and young tannins that get under your gums. Give this wine a few more years of bottle age. Production is 66,915 bottles in addition to 4,500 smaller formats.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSour cherries with stone and bark undertones to the aromas. Medium body, firm tannins and a long, linear finish that ends tight. But this will soften with some age. Subtle bark and dried mushroom character at the end. Drink after 2025, but already pretty.James Suckling | 94 JS

Smooth and delicious, the 2019 Podere Le Ripi Cielo d’Ulisse has captivating aromas of violet, ripe plum, exotic spice, new leather and a whiff of truffle. Full-bodied and enveloping, the palate shows ripe black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, blood orange and tobacco alongside a backbone of tightly woven, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced while a salty note lingers on the close. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KODark and intense, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Cielo d’Ulisse entices with a burst of exotic spice, zests of tangerine, cedar shavings and rum-soaked cherries. This is cool-toned and racy in style, with crisp wild berry fruits enhanced by vibrant acidity. Violet inner florals arch across the palate. This maintains momentum even as crunchy tannins descend upon the senses, leaving a stain of tart cranberry and orange slowly fading. I expect that three to five years of cellaring will reveal a Brunello of boundless energy. The Cielo d’Ulisse is a single vineyard wine that hails from vineyards in the extreme southwest of Montalcino.Vinous Media | 94 VM

he Lisini 2019 Brunello is compelling, starting with its captivating aromas of fragrant blue flower, hay, perfumed berry, dark exotic spice, new leather and aromatic herb. It’s also delicious, delivering a great depth of flavors including juicy Morello cherry, raspberry croissant, licorice and crushed mint before a blood orange close. A backbone of velvety tannins provides seamless support while fresh acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. What a gorgeous wine and the best Brunello I’ve had so far from this historic estate. Drink 2028–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOMedicinal blackberries, sweet sage, stone dust and candied oranges define the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino. This is juicy and vibrant with violet and lavender-tinged wild berry fruits and chalky mineral tones that form a saturation of minerality toward the close. A web of fine-grained tannins resonates as the 2019 finishes long and staining yet feels only lightly structured. Salted licorice suggestions linger on. This is a classy southern Montalcino Brunello from Lisini.Vinous Media | 94 VMA sleek and structured red with black cherry, cedar and spice aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a chewy finish. Integrated and flexing. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe Lisini 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has a dark and spicy bouquet with prune, cardamom, asphalt and wet stone. The wine is quite developed, and for that reason, I wouldn’t suggest a very long drinking window. There is cola and dried rosemary sprig at the back. This is a dark Brunello with concentrated fruit to drink in the medium term. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Black cherries, lavender, black mushrooms, lead pencil and violets on the nose. Full-bodied with a powerful and polished tannin structure that follows through to the very end. Pure, silky texture. Fascinating aftertaste of ripe fruit, yet it’s fresh and tense. Some orange peel, too. Glorious at the end. So well crafted and pointed. This needs another three to five years to integrate but already extremely impressive.James Suckling | 99 JSShowing an inky dark appearance and made with old-vine fruit, the Siro Pacenti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne has a note of baked blackberry pie with the crust, raspberry preserves, barbecue smoke, cigar box and every other rather extreme aromatic description you could apply to a heavily barrique-aged red wine. It’s overblown for sure, especially at this young age, but experience teaches us that Siro Pacenti’s wines need time, lots of time, before all the elements fall into palace. The alcohol is registered at 15%, and there are jackhammer tannins to close. Some 22,000 bottles were made, and they should be put aside for another 10 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne is intense, bursting from the glass with a blend of rosemary and spiced blood orange before evolving to show dried black cherries and hints of incense. This flows across the palate with velvety textures complicated by tactile mineral tones and zesty acidity as cool-toned red and black fruits slowly saturate. A web of fine-grained tannins envelops the senses as the 2019 finishes dramatically long and staining, leaving traces of cedary spice and inner rose to linger on and on. This is a formidable VecchieVigne that will pay dividends in the cellar.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The Castello Romitorio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta reaches a whole other level of intensity and brilliance with dark fruit, blackberry, an etched mineral quality, petrichor and wet slate that gives this wine an incredibly etched and lively presentation. The tannins are velvety and perfectly match the generous texture of this beautiful Sangiovese. Only later, you start to notice the delicate tones of purple flower and iris root that give this wine such an elegant finish. This is a cellar keeper. There are 9,000 bottles of this wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta tempts the imagination with a burst of mentholated herbs that give way to sweet violet florals, crushed blackberries and mint. This is deeply textural, nearly creamy in feel, with a core of vibrant acidity to balance as a wave of ripe red and traces of blue fruit flood the palate. Its minerality comes through the finish, mingling with edgy tannins, tart cranberry and orange, yet the mouth is left watering for more. This truly seductive rendition of Filo di Seta will surely win many hearts. While more accessible out of the gate, in the context of how austere it can often be, the balance here guarantees a long and beautiful evolution over time.Vinous Media | 96+ VMBlack cherries, plums and floral notes with subtle, underlying citrus character. Full-bodied and structured. Chewy yet fine-grained tannins. Healthy and vibrant. Persistent length and depth. Give it more time to soften. Better after 2028.James Suckling | 94 JS

So floral and fresh with rose stem, sandalwood and orange blossom. Cherries, too. Full-bodied yet reserved and held back with creamy fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Shows brightness and finesse. Silky texture. One of the best I have had from here. A Brunello that emphasizes purity of fruit. Give this three to four years more. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe Cerbaia 2019 Brunello is utterly delicious. It opens with heady aromas of blue flower, wild herb and camphor but really opens up on the smooth, savory palate, delivering juicy black cherry, blackberry, blood orange, truffle and tobacco alongside tightly woven, velvety tannins. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is earthy and savory in the best possible way with an almost rustic, yet not quite, blend of old cedar spice box and dried roses elevated by orange zest and bright cherries. This is wonderfully pure and silky, with a measured inner sweetness and masses of ripe red and blue fruits that swirl throughout. Juicy acidity maintains a lovely energy as the 2019 finishes long and staining. Fine-grained tannins saturate, and a resonance of tart cranberry puckers the cheeks. This energetic and sleek Brunello from Cerbaia will require minimal cellaring to show its best.Vinous Media | 92 VM

It’s always an exciting moment tasting a new vintage of the wine from one of the most beautiful vineyards in Montsant, and the 2019 Espectacle del Montsant didn’t disappoint. It’s always Mediterranean, heady and ripe, decadent and hedonistic. 2019 was a warm and quite classical vintage in the zone, with good ripeness (the wine’s label lists 15.5% alcohol), and the wine is hedonistic, nuanced and complex, with very good acidity, which is one of the characteristics that makes this vintage so complete. Despite everything, the wine is medium to full-bodied and comes through as perfumed and ethereal. They do long macerations and long aging in foudre. 2019 is a very serious vintage for this wine; it’s a little closed and needs time in the glass, and it’s tight and seamless, a little austere for what this wine usually is. This is truly spectacular. 6,500 bottles produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP

Iris, lavender, wild berry, camphor and exotic spice are just some of the aromas you’ll find on the fragrant 2019 Vigna Loreto. Taking over where the palate leaves off, it delivers ripe black cherry, blackberry, licorice and tobacco alongside brooding, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity lends youthful tension. Exemplifying the vintage, this is a fantastic, age-worthy Brunello that needs time to come around. Drink 2029–2044. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOShowing cracked white pepper and wet slate, this wine definitely brings you to a clear sense of place. The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Loreto is precise and delineated, but as the wine opens, you get interludes of ripe fruit, blackcurrant and oak spice. The wine is faceted with many layers and angles. Bright cherry sits on the palate with good length leading to fine, chalky tannins. You get an authentic taste of Montalcino in this wine. I prefer the Vigna Loreto this year to the more expensive Vigna Schiena d’Asino (from 2018). This is a 9,500-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPBlackberries, menthol, sage, stone dust and cloves define the youthfully restrained 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Loreto. This flows across the palate with ease, silky with depths of ripe raspberry and sour cherry as fine-grained tannins saturate toward the close. It finishes spicy and long, structured yet lively while stimulating the imagination with its future potential. Hints of cocoa, lavender and current leaf linger, seeming to last for well over a minute. Color me impressed.Vinous Media | 96 VMOverlooking the Orcia river, the southeast facing Loreto vineyard rises 400 metres high. Tasted next to the estate Brunello, it definitely demonstrates greater stage presence. Intense plum and cherry are interlaced with exotic spice, chinotto and sweet herbs. The vintage’s inner mouth perfumes are at the fore, elevating compact fruit. Gravelly-textured tannins bolster the whole; yet these are more elegant than potent. Ends with a liquorice twist. While this should unwind gracefully, I do not believe this will be among the vintage’s longest-lived wines.Decanter | 94 DEC

Smooth and delicious, the 2019 Salicutti Sorgente Brunello is gorgeous. The latest vintages are among the best I’ve had from Salicutti, and this wine is the best of all so far. It delivers classic Sangiovese aromas of violet, ripe forest berry, underbrush, leather and spice that on the delicious palate become more defined as ripe Morello cherry, raspberry, licorice and tobacco. Firm, ultra-refined tannins offer enveloping support while bright acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2029–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOThe highest of Salicutti’s vineyards, Sorgente sits on heavier clay with a slight incline to the southwest. It is usually the last to be picked and was previously destined for the estate’s Rosso di Montalcino – yet this 2019 makes for a very convincing Brunello, demonstrating Sangiovese’s ability to soar weightlessly while reaching great depths. A splendid precision of peony, red currant blossom and red cherry aromas accompanies a sumptuousness to the palate, where plump red plum and watermelon are underscored by brilliant citrussy acidity. Suede-like tannins seem almost an afterthought, yet hold this wine together effortlessly. Just 3,000 bottles produced.Decanter | 97 DECThis wine comes from a vineyard site with compact clay soils and sees extended skin maceration. It comes as no surprise therefore to find extra concentration and intensity in the Salicutti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Sorgente. This is a wine of impeccable balance that pits dark fruit weight against lifted, almost ethereal aromas. This is a difficult line to walk, and the Sorgente proceeds beautifully. On the one hand, you get a warm toasted note of roasted chestnut, brioche or sweet challah bread, and on the other, you get tart redcurrant and grenadine. There is an upward fruit crescendo that matches the chalky, fine-grained nature of the tannins. This wine ends on the proverbial high note. To think that Sorgente used to make the estate’s Rosso di Montalcino, and now it has come this far.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPBlack-cherry, bark, rose-stem and tea aromas follow through to a medium body with firm tannins and a tight, chewy finish. Reductive and holding back. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2028.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Sorgente is like a veritable florist shop on the nose, blending roses and jasmine with lavender and wet stone before giving way to dried strawberries. It sweeps across the palate with textures of pure silk energized by zesty acidity as mineral-laced wild berry fruits add a crunchy sensation toward the close. The 2019 finishes with a pleasantly bitter tinge. An herbal thrust and flinty tannins clamp down hard, reminding the taster that this youthful Brunello is just at the start of its long journey to maturity.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

Combining power, intensity, class and great fruit, Produttori’s 2019 Montestefano Riserva is a phenomenal wine and a quintessential expression of this fantastic cru. It opens with heady aromas of new leather, Alpine herb, pressed rose, ripe dark-skinned berry and forest floor. It has the most Barolo-like structure of all the firm’s crus, delivering ripe Morello cherry, succulent raspberry, licorice and tobacco alongside a network of firm tannins that are more reminiscent of Serralunga than Barbaresco. A magnificent wine, with incredible aging potential. Drink 2031–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is perhaps the most complete of the 2019 Riservas at this stage. It offers fine depth, plenty of tannin and nascent emerging inner sweetness to tie it all together. A wine of stature and textural depth, the Montestefano is my early favorite in this lineup.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The deeper hued 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Cuvée Du Papet checks in as a blend of 75% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah that saw plenty of stems and aging mostly in foudre, with a small part in demi-muids and barrique. Straight-up sensational notes of blackcurrants, ground pepper, garrigue, leather, and graphite emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated, dense, powerful mouthfeel, building tannins, and a brilliant finish. It’s built for the long haul, and along with the 2016, it’s one of the finest wines I’ve tasted from this talented family. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and enjoy over the following 20-25+.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDark in profile, but very seductive, with cassis, crushed plum and cherry reduction notes carried by a substantial yet very silky structure. Light floral, incense, black tea and warm earth details score the finish. Tantalizing now for its mouthfeel and expressiveness, but there’s no rush at all. Drink now through 2038. 300 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSBrilliant violet. A highly perfumed nose displays mineral- and spice-accented red and dark berries, licorice and a hint of potpourri. Sappy cherry, black raspberry and spicecake flavors show vibrant lift and take on floral pastille and botanical herb nuances as the wine opens up. In a lively style, finishing sweet, floral and extremely long, with fine-grained tannins adding final grip.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape La Cuvee du Papet is full-bodied, broad, expansive and generous on the palate. A blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah mostly from sandy sites and aged mostly in foudre, it’s over 16% alcohol yet shows no trace of heat or over-ripeness, with fresh, almost minty notes accenting ripe blackberries and black cherries on the nose and a long, silky finish that hints at cola and spice.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPSpicy nose with restrained nose of vanilla, thyme, smoke and black fruits. Ripe and round, very juicy and pure. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2038Decanter | 91 DEC

Dujac's Clos de la Roche holdings include parcels in the original Clos de la Roche heart of the vineyard, in Monts Luisants and in Les Chabiots; a total of nearly 2ha. In 2019, Dujac produced a spectacular wine, already very aromatic with ripe black cherry fruit and notes of spice and earth. On the palate this wine is tannic and structured, but the texture of the tannins is silky, elegant and very refined. Marvellous. Drinking Window 2029 - 2049.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has a tightly wound bouquet with beautifully defined red fruit laced with Earl Grey, autumn leaves and a touch of white pepper. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, demonstrating a little more girth and depth than the Clos Saint-Denis. It gently builds to a spicy and tensile finish, lingering peppery notes ensuring that you will not forget it in a hurry. Every vine that contributed fruit to this wine deserves a big shiny medal.Vinous Media | 97-99 VMThe 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is also a very charming wine, though it will demand a bit more patience than the Clos Saint-Denis for all that. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, warm spices, orange rind, woodsmoke and loamy soil, it's full-bodied, layered and muscular, with lively acids, serious concentration and rich, powdery structuring tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP(Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Red) More deeply pitched aromas are comprised by notes of poached plum, newly turned earth and the sauvage. The exceptionally fresh large-scaled flavors possess a suave mid-palate texture while displaying outstanding depth on the sneaky long and very firm finale. This moderately austere effort has the potential to be superb though one will have to be prepared to wait for enjoy it at its peak. (Drink starting 2036)Burghound | 95 BH

The reference standard in Chambertin. This is every bit the equal of the Clos de Bèze, if slightly less approachable young. Blended from four parcels including a cooler section near the southern end and another near the top of the slope, this gives a wine of incredible concentration if a bit reserved initially. Here, ripe berry fruit, a strong mineral/saline edge and a gamey note all emerge with time, and the texture is firm and tightly wound. This should age gracefully for the better part of a century. Drinking Window 2029 - 2069.Decanter | 99 DECThis too evidences subtle wood influence on the ripe yet cool nose that combines notes of spice, earth and floral elements with those of dark berries and poached plum. There is excellent intensity to the full-bodied, concentrated and mineral-inflected flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract while delivering excellent depth and persistence on the beautifully balanced and imposingly powerful if decidedly compact finale. This strikingly pure effort is already Zen-like in its sense of harmony and should prove to be remarkably long-lived. Brilliant. (Drink starting 2041)Burghound | 98 BHThe 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru is very promising, unwinding in the glass with aromas of exotic spices, grilled meats, cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice and loamy soil. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it was the most introverted, tightly wound wine in the cellar on the day of my visit. Broad-shouldered and elegantly muscular, it’s bright and precise, concluding with a penetrating finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2019 vintage of Chambertin from Domaine Rousseau is a perfect synthesis of power and elegance. The bouquet is still quite primary, but offers up a refined blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, espresso, a fabulously complex base of soil, grilled meats, cedary oak and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is pure, deep and full, with a sappy core of fruit, stunning transparency and grip, fine-grained tannins and a very, very long, very complex finish. All this magical wine needs is time in the cellar to reach its cruising altitude! (Drink between 2035-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JGThe 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru is initially tightly wound on the nose, opening gradually to reveal blackberry, raspberry, orange pith and rose petal scents; more sous-bois character develops with time. The palate is very harmonious with a lightly spiced entry. A little oak remains to be subsumed, but there is fine depth on the finish, and veins of blood orange on the aftertaste. This feels like a Chambertin that is holding everything back and letting the Clos-de-Bèze steal the show. Once in bottle, we will find out if that was just part of its tactics.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is based on 45% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with the balance Syrah, all destemmed and raised in 55% new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, violet, graphite, fruitcake, and peppery herbs define this brilliant effort, and it’s full-bodied, with a pure, seamless texture, wonderful tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This magical 2019 is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (it’s brilliant even today) yet keep for 20 years or more. Châteauneuf du Pape lovers need to have this in their cellar!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAlways the densest and richest of the cuvées at this benchmark estate, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes features scents of cedar and mocha layered against a backdrop of black cherries. This actually is a bit like Black Forest cake—that ripe, rich and dense, with chocolate and vanilla shadings—but remains dry and savory in the end, with velvety tannins and tremendous length. It’s approximately 50% Grenache (aged in tank), plus 40% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah (both aged in new barrels)Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPDeep violet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, vanilla and candied flowers, along with Moroccan spice and smoky mineral nuances. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, offering assertive Chambord, boysenberry, lavender and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the back half. Plush tannins come in slowly, adding shape to a very long, blue-fruit- and floral-dominated finish.Vinous Media | 95 VMDrenched with the heat and sun of the 2019 vintage, this massively ripe, strapping wine is packed with flavors of roasted plum and black-cherry compote. Accented by whispers of camphor, sweet tobacco and cinnamon, the concentrated, hulking sip is ringed by fiery tannins. The wine needs time. Approach from 2024 and it should improve well through 2035. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE