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A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it’s deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there’s more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2018 Montrose is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a good amount of air to unlock the vibrant scents of crushed blackberries, preserved plums and cassis with suggestions of star anise, cedar chest, underbrush, Indian spices and iron ore, plus an emerging waft of violets. The full-bodied palate features the most exquisitely ripe tannins, offering a rock-solid backbone with tons of freshness lifting the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Going back to this wine over a period of hours and then days further reveals a Montrose of great opulence, richness and depth. Incidentally, the IPT level this year is 82, which indicates a very high level of tannins, and yet they are so, so ripe. The alcohol is around 14.5%. But sit back, close your eyes and forget the numbers—this is pure hedonism in its youth with a fantastic 40+ years of cellaring ahead of it, during the course of which do not be at all surprised if you are blown away by a three-digit experience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPRich and deep with beautifully nuanced dark chocolate, mocha, cocoa bean and liquorice. Just full of understated power and silky tannins. This is gorgeous and among my top wines of the Left Bank. As it opens in the glass you get sweet black cherry and cassis flesh, and a sense of lilting sappiness. Great stuff from Montrose. Drinking Window 2028 - 2045.Decanter | 98 DECPurity and beauty on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, crushed-stone and violet character. A full-bodied red with masses of polished tannins and intense flavors of currants and blackberries. Juicy finish. Super depth to this. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Montrose is dazzling. Whereas so many 2018s are opulent and broad, Montrose is a wine of vertical explosive power. Ripe Cabernet aromatics soar out of the glass, making a strong first impression. Black cherry, leather, licorice, graphite and menthol develop later as the 2018 starts to open in the glass. The energy, vibrancy and drive here are palpable right out of the gate. Montrose is one of real stars of 2018. Don’t miss it!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis wine confirms the place of Montrose among the top Bordeaux estates. With its rich tannins and powerful structure, it exudes concentration and density. But the wine also shows a sense of style. Fruit purity will make it impressive and allow it to age for many years. Drink this wine from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDark and winey, with a well-built core laden with cassis and dark plum puree while flashes of anise, lilac and charcoal fill in throughout. Finish has hints of chestnut and warm earth for a burly edge, but there’s ample fruit for balance. Plenty grippy in the end too; cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Extremely perfumed and floral with lavender, lilacs and violets to the sweet, ripe berries, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Some slate and graphite, too. It’s full-bodied, yet ever so balanced and refined, with super fine tannins that last for minutes. Fresh herbs, such as bay leaf and lemon grass highlight the dark fruit. The quality of tannin is exquisite with wonderful polish and refinement. Lasts for minutes. So wonderful to taste now, but better after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSVery deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Opus One soars out of the glass with bright, bold boysenberries, warm cassis and ripe, juicy black plums notes, plus emerging nuances of lilacs, oolong tea, cinnamon stick, tilled soil and black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with tightly wound layers of crunchy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing with lifted fruitiness and on a lingering mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPPower and concentration from the start but with a lovely vein of cool blue fruits and an invigoratingly fresh core. Dark chocolate, coffee, blueberries and pomegranate combine to give a seductive nose and follow through on the palate with an immediate burst of juicy acidity and plush tannins. Layered and nuanced, the texture is striking, elegant and precise with juice that his the side of the mouth supported by oak spice that gently frames the overall feeling giving balance. Abundant in a sense but also reigned in making you want another glass straight away. 80% wild yeast fermentation for the first time as of the 2018 vintage. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2018 Opus One is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This deep purple-hued effort leans to lively, fresher side of the vintage but has a brilliant, utterly classic style in its crème de cassis and blue-tinged fruit as well as notes of lead pencil, candied violets, damp earth, and chocolate-like nuances. With a Pomerol-like elegance and purity, it’s medium to full-bodied and has wonderful tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. It plays in the finesse-driven end of the spectrum yet is concentrated and seamless, with serious length. It offers pleasure today but should benefit from 4-5 years in the cellar, and my money is on it evolving for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2018 Opus One is absolutely exquisite. Bright red berry fruit, crushed flowers, mint and spice are all finely cut. The 2018 impresses with its energy and focus. It’s a gorgeous wine, and is also showing especially well today, with all of the potential I first saw in barrel very much on display. Bright acids linger on the persistent finish. The 2018 is supremely elegant.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe fruit is decidedly restrained in style, without the vivid punch typical of the vintage, but the gently mulled currant, cherry and bitter plum flavors are well-delineated and persistent, while notable savory, thyme and tobacco leaf notes play a prominent role alongside. There’s a racy beam of acidity piercing through it all and a lingering iron note on the finish. An excellent example of the style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Drink now through 2036. 32,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry fruit is all packed into this wine, along with tar, violet and roasted apple wood notes, plus a terrific tug of warm earth. Shows lots of energy in reserve, with a tightly knit finish pulling everything together. Cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2040. 11,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis estate has been on fire in recent vintages, and the 2018 Château Léoville Barton is up there with the best of them. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, this classic, flawlessly balanced, straight-up awesome Saint-Julien has loads of cassis and mulberry fruits as well as notes of freshly sharpened pencils, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has building tannins and healthy acidity, yet the fruit is pure, perfectly ripe, and wonderfully integrated with all the wine’s components. As is normal with this cuvée, it closes down with extended air and is going to take a solid 8-10 years of bottle age to reach the early stages of maturity. It’s going to evolve for 30-40 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSweet berries, blackberries, raspberries and violets follow through to a full body with extremely creamy, polished tannins that caress the palate. It’s really long and polished. Gorgeous finish. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSIn this wine, fine and rich tannins partner with powerful black-plum and black-currant fruits. Densely textured while also having swathes of rich fruits, the wine shows both a firm side and one that offers total deliciousness. As it matures, both these aspects will come together. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2018 Léoville-Barton is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Crème de cassis, lavender, menthol, licorice and cloves race out of the glass. The 2018 marries the natural opulence of the year with a pretty classic sense of structure, making for one of the more compelling wines of the year. I would give this a good decade in the cellar. There is much to look forward to. I especially admire the energy and poise here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWell-polished blackcurrant, cassis and bilberry, everything pretty silky and firm. Not fully showing its generosity at this point but no question that it is going to get there soon. Clear charcoal, graphite and woodsmoke as it opens up. A ton of life ahead, and an appealing sense of mint freshness. Lives up to its en primeur promise - this is Léoville Barton at its most confident. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Léoville Barton needs a little swirling to coax out delicate notions of fresh blackberries, mulberries and cassis, plus touches of pencil shavings, clove oil, charcoal and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a great intensity of earth and mineral-laced black fruit flavors, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20 years+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

The 2018 Giorgio Primo represents a new level of finesse at La Massa. Powerful and dense in the glass, with tremendous structure, Giorgio Primo is a terrific example of how compelling international varieties are in Panzano’s Conca d’Oro district. Crème de cassis, spice, new leather, chocolate and sweet spice build into the textured, palate-staining finish.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Fattoria La Massa 2018 Giorgio Primo is a wine of richness, volume and texture. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and maceration times last 26 to 28 days to add the lovely depth and creaminess you taste here. Black fruit, crushed stone, truffle essence and toasted spice emerge from the bouquet. The wine’s full-bodied structure and its freshness promise a long cellar-aging future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGorgeous aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries with hints of crushed stones and walnuts. Full body, firm and chewy tannins with blackberries and hints of chocolate and spice. Flavorful and intense at the end. Better after 2023, but better already very pretty.James Suckling | 95 JS

Shimmering ruby. Powerful blackberry, cherry and licorice aromas are complicated by suggestions of smoky minerals and violet. Well-concentrated and broad in the mouth, offering bitter cherry and dark berry flavors enlivened by a snap of cracked pepper. Slowly building tannins frame the finish, which lingers with very good, dark-fruit-driven persistence.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe light tannins are beautifully textured and encase vivid raspberry and currant flavors matched with woodsy spice, licorice and floral details. Undertones of mineral and spice sail through the tangy finish. Drink now through 2026. 5,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSFull blackberry fruit, generous body and lively acidity make this Moulin-à-Vent easy to enjoy, and the well drafted balance of discreet tannins and mineral acidity at the finish provides very satisfying harmony. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

This bold and well-concentrated wine from an outstanding single vineyard layers ripe plum and rich black cherry on a broad, fine-grained texture. Accents of turned earth, woodsmoke and cinnamon add lift to the mix.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Blackberries, black mushrooms, violets, flowers, and dark tobacco. Black truffle, too. Full-bodied, yet in check and pretty. The fine tannins frame the wine perfectly. Really long and focused. Seamless. Elegance with power. This will age incredibly well, but already so gorgeous to try. 76% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot and 3% malbec. Try after 2026, but attractive now.James Suckling | 99 JSLastly, the 2018 La Joie does everything right and offers a Château Lafite-like style in both its aromatics and its elegant, seamless mouthfeel. Gorgeous blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, damp earth, unsmoked tobacco, and woodsmoke nuances all develop with time in the glass and this is one of those wines that offers something new every time you come back to the glass. Rich, medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and incredibly elegant, it has ripe, polished, yet substantial tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a thrilling finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and it will keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, the 2018 La Joie displays an opaque purple-black color, slowly unfurling to offer profound notes of crème de cassis, preserved plums and boysenberries, with hints of rare beef, pencil lead, black olives and lilacs, plus touches of fertile loam and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate has jaw-dropping elegance and poise, featuring a solid backbone of firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the intense mineral-laced black fruit layers, finishing long with loads of savory and floral sparks. Simply breathtaking!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2018 La Joie exudes class from the very first taste. Firm underpinnings of structure provide a gorgeous framework that wraps around a core of intense dark fruit. Lavender, sage, mint and grilled herb accents exalt the aromatic intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon.Vinous Media | 94-97 VM

Pretty ripe fruit with berry, walnut and chocolate character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savory finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2018 Vespolina is a wine of pure and total pleasure. Ripe red cherry and plum fruit literally burst out of the glass. Sweet tobacco, mint, dried herbs and cedar show the strong savory character that is such a Vespolina signature. The 2018 is endowed with a sense of exuberance that is hard to fully explain. All I can say is that this is the sort of wine that is opened at the dinner table and finished immediately. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Super balance to this intense red with exquisite spice to the mixed berries on the nose, following through to a full body with fine, well-integrated tannins, succulent fruit and a long, elegant and flavorful finish. All in place and lovely to drink now, but best from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2018 Vino de Finca is a blend of Monastrell with 25% Garnacha from a cooler, more continental vintage. The Monastrell is from 20- to 30-year-old vines, and the 8-year-old Garnacha is from limestone-rich soils. It fermented in the underground stone pools with 25% to 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 5,000-liter foudres and 500-liter barrels for 12 months. As all the Garnacha plots are now in production, there has been a higher percentage of it in the blend since 2017. The selection of plots used for this wine results in something more serious, more austere and with more depth than the entry-level Casa Castillo. He doesn’t use Syrah in this blend because he thinks without Syrah it has a more Mediterranean profile, with aromatic herbs, thyme, rosemary and lavender and the slightly more rustic notes of the Monastrell. 53,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard starts off with soft-spoken scents of ripe red and black plums, cassis, black raspberries and mulberries, followed by gentle wafts of cedar and pencil lead and finally bursting out with Sichuan pepper and hoisin notes. The medium to full-bodied palate is opulent, plushly textured and brimming with spicy red and blackberry layers, going beautifully perfumed on the long finish. Paul Hobbs mentioned that he backed off on the new oak this year, aging the wine in 85% new French oak (as opposed to 100%). I love this more elegant, nuanced expression a lot. 688 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPAromas of blackberries, currants, violets and black licorice follow through to a full body with chewy, polished tannins that have a tile and dust character and texture. It’s very long and persistent with beauty and intensity. It shows reserve and finesse. This needs at least five years to come around. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is fabulous. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2018 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Huge swaths of tannin wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit. All the elements are kicked up: fruit, acid and tannin. Readers need to be patient, as the 2018 will require at least a handful of years in bottle to be at its best. The heady, explosive finish points to a very bright future.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGVivid, detailed flavors of cassis, kirsch and fig paste pump along, laced with alder, cocoa and tobacco notes. The fruit melds nicely with a serious tug of warm loam through the finish, giving this a smoldering edge at the very end. Shows nice character. Best from 2022 through 2038. 688 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is sourced from choice blocks on the Groth family’s Oakville property. A gorgeous, classically built wine, the Reserve is just fabulous today. Dark red-toned fruit, cedar, spice and mocha lend considerable energy as the 2018 gradually opens in the glass. I would be in no rush here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis has the vivid, driven cassis, boysenberry and blackberry fruit of the vintage, but it’s well-harnessed, with streaks of racy anise, alder and sweet bay leaf providing focus and precision. There’s a long echo of iron and savory through the finish as the fruit lingers, leaving a mouthwatering feel. Understated in style compared with its colleagues, but no less complex. Best from 2022 through 2038. 2,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAromas of ripe blackberries, blueberries, plums, earth, lavender and bark. It’s medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Balanced and juicy with a caressing texture and a bright core of spiced fruit. Elegant. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSHigh floral intensity with soft mellow plums and cherries, hints of earthy nuances. Soft profile with layers of sweet spices and a herbal finish. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 91 DEC

Good complexity on the nose, chocolate, cherries, plums and blackcurrants. Succulent straight away, it makes you suck your cheeks in, the tannins are abundant and fill the mouth but with a soft, juicy chewiness that’s really pleasant. I really like this density, it feels full without being too much - all in balance. A really enjoyable wine, good to have with food and will age well continuing to integrate and soften, but I like its fruit-forward confidence right now. A bit of milk chocolate sweetness, some chalkiness and then a herbal element too - everything you need in a good claret! with typicity and approachability. Top value too. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Laffitte-Carcasset is gorgeous, just as it was from barrel. This mid-weight Saint-Estèphe impresses with its nuance and delineation. Bright red fruit, iron, menthol, anise, cedar and rose petal lend uncommon complexity, while fine grained tannins give the wine proportion and drive. This polished, under the radar gem is a real delight. Laffitte-Carcasset is an especially delicate wine for the appellation.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe estate on the plateau of Saint-Estèphe is well situated to produce this rich, full-bodied wine. Broad tannins give the dry core essential for aging. They are balanced by black-currant fruits from the 50% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. It will age well; drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEBlackcurrants, brambleberries, walnut husks, dried leaves and dark spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Fresh and structured. Crushed stone comes through in the aftertaste. Better from 2024.James Suckling | 91 JS

A new wine in this range, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakcross is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Merlot adds mid-palate sumptuousness to this gorgeous Oakville red blend. Silky and racy to the core, but with plenty of tannins to support it all, the Oakcross has a ton to offer. Dark plum, espresso, licorice, spice and cedar linger nicely.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGBlack fruit, chocolate, cedar and dried spices on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Balanced, with delicious chocolate-cherry character and a chalky texture. A blend of 49% merlot, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot.James Suckling | 93 JSThis has a nice punchy core of cassis, plum and boysenberry fruit flavors backed by polished yet persistent structure that carries it along, letting sweet toast, licorice and warm earth accents fill in. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2032. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Groth, Oakcross Proprietary Red, Napa Valley, Oakville, California, USA, Red) The nose is more herbaceous and pointed than the other Groth releases, while the palate is a tad more fleshy. Cranberry, pomegranate and black cherry fruits on the nose, by a graphite and tried tobacco on the finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2032Decanter | 90 DEC

This is perhaps the spiciest wine in the range with a lovely mix of anise, exotic tea and sandalwood on the deeply pitched dark berry fruit aromas that also evidence a hint of volatile acidity. The rich, full-bodied and mouthcoating big-bodied flavors brim with sappy dry extract before concluding in a grippy and mildly rustic finish that still manages to deliver very good length. (Drink starting 2033)Burghound | 90-93 BH

Entirely from Nebbiolo Lampia, a more classic Barolo from this south-facing vineyard, the 2018 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice has aromas of red fruits, cocoa, fresh earth, and ripe berries. It is medium-bodied and long on the palate, with sweet, refined tannin and notes of dried apricot and spiced blood orange. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis wine shows just how elegant Nebbiolo is with aromas of wild raspberries and cherry preserves giving way to wild herbs, rosebuds and earth. The palate is lifted and dances with vigor and energy showing its core of fruit but with all elements in harmony and balance. Drink 2025–2045.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA wine like this gives you an evermore selective expression of fruit from one of the best parcels from within the greater Ravera cru. However, it also comes from a more challenging vintage. The Elvio Cogno 2018 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice is held back for an additional year before its commercial release. That puts you in a position of choosing between the more affordable Barolo from Ravera and this more carefully culled selection of fruit. It makes sense to side with 2019, although this expression from 2018 will appeal to those who appreciate the nuances of vintage and place. Those Barolo lovers are also quite familiar with the Cogno house style that tends to favor the power, muscle and staying power that Ravera is known for. You should also be able to coax out more years of bottle age with this wine. 5,000 bottles were released.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPPerfumed, exuding aromas of rose, cherry, raspberry, anise and menthol, with the berry fruit persisting on the palate, along with mineral and wild herb flavors. Though expressive and balanced, this shows tannic grip and should evolve nicely. Best from 2025 through 2042. 425 cases made, 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSCedar, forest floor, new leather and woodland berry aromas shape the alluring nose along with a floral whiff of violet. Full-bodied and all about finesse, the smooth, savory palate offers juicy Marasca cherry, star anise and white pepper framed in taut, polished tannins. Drink 2025–2038. Drink 2025–2030 Abv: 14.5%Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOThe 2018 Barolo Bricco Pernice shows the limits of the year in its angular tannins, slightly dried out fruit and overall angular feel. Dark cherry, leather, game, incense and tobacco lend quite a bit of aromatic complexity. Its hard to get past the rough contours. Even so, this is nicely done, for the year.Vinous Media | 93 VMVery attractive, perfumed nose with cherries and raspberries, hints of spiced cedar, walnut and moist earth. Medium- to full-bodied with grainy tannins and chalky texture. There’s freshness to the red fruit with racy, citrusy notes at the end. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JS

Medium red with a garnet hue, the 2018 Barbaresco Riserva Rose Delle Casasse is an exemplary wine from this vintage, with pure and inviting notes of raspberry, rocky earth, dried roses, and fresh tangerine. The palate is elegant and pure, featuring fine tannins and fantastic purity and clarity, with a long finish and a haunting floral perfume lingering after the wine is gone. It’s a bottle that would disappear quickly at my table. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDNatale Simonnetta’s 2018 Rose delle Casasse Riserva is a stunning young Barbaresco. The wine shows superb depth on the nose, wafting from the glass in a mix of black cherries, sweet dark berries, coffee bean, a nice touch of roasted meats, anise, a complex foundation of dark soil tones, incipient notes of curry, roses and a topnote of distant bonfire. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a beautiful core of fruit, great soil signature and grip, ripe, buried tannins and impeccable balance on the long, classic finish. This is a great wine in the making, all it needs is sufficient hibernation time to soften up its undercarriage of tannin. (Drink between 2040 - 2100)John Gilman | 95 JGThe 2018 Barbaresco Riserva Rose delle Casasse offers lovely density and plenty of character. There’s gorgeous depth in the mid-palate. Light fading at the edges and slight mature notes in the bouquet lead me to believe the 2018 will likely be more of a medium-term drinker, its notable presence notwithstanding. Tobacco, dried herbs, mint, leather, cinnamon and dried autumn leaves all develop with a bit of aeration. The 2018 is a gorgeous wine whose only shortcoming is that it tastes a bit older than it should. (Drink between 2024 - 2034)Vinous Media | 93 VM

Another dense purple colour, no worries there! A powerful bouquet of dark but just ripe fruit. Lovely mid red, raspberry—strawberry, reasonable density but not a stonker. Good length. Actually quite a detailed Clos de la Roche with some of the characteristic blueberry fruit to finish. Tasted Dec 2019.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMThis has a similar fruit profile to the Bonnes Mares but with more prominent earth elements along with a hint of the sauvage. The mouthfeel of the big-bodied flavors is quite simply gorgeous with excellent underlying tension, lovely delineation and subtle minerality, all wrapped in a youthfully austere finish that is shaped by firm but fine tannins. This is excellent though note well that it’s going to need plenty of time to unwind.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Take Ancestor Vines (planted in 1894), a great vintage, experienced winemaking, add 30 months of aging in American and French oak, and the result is the stunning 2018 Command Single Vineyard Shiraz. Boasting fabulous density and concentration, this full-bodied effort is still almost embryonic in its development, with tarry, mocha, yet lifted notes accenting intense blackberry fruit; a rich, supple yet structured mouthfeel, and a long, mouthwatering finish. Once it hits its stride in a few years, it should drink well for 20 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA great release of Command, this carries the bold and deeply flavorful style of the vintage effortlessly, a vintage that played into the natural style of this rich Barossa Valley shiraz. There’s so much to love about this wine, from the rich blackberry, red-plum and spice aromas and flavors to the silky, fine and long tannins. Floats long on the smooth finish. Drink over the next decade and more. Screw cap.James Suckling | 96 JSOpens up with bright, juicy red fruit flavors, which are intense and set against a background of appealingly chewy tannins. Features fresh spice, herb and black tea notes that add complexity, with spicy cedar and tobacco accents and a touch of toasted clove lingering on the finish. Drink now through 2038. 160 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDense, with bright, fresh and focused baked fruit aromas. Plum, vanilla spice with good, weighty richness on the palate. Plush and generous with a silky finish.Decanter Magazine | 90 DEC

An irresistibly savory nose with hot tar, low tide and petrol, then bursts with juicy, almost spicy figs and plums. The palate turns warmer and sweeter with bright ripe red berries and citrus, bound up in sleek tannins are nonetheless powerful, polished wrought iron. The Stiléma project has always been intriguing, and this Taurasi only adds to the excitement.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEHerbal aromas of tea, dried thyme, bay leaves and touches of dried strawberries and orange rind. Medium- to full-bodied with a thread of silky fruit balanced by fresh acidity and a juicy character, but very polished and seamless. Solid and cohesive, with a long, persistent and elegant finish. Pure aglianico. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Taurasi Riserva Stilema is darkly floral, musky and intense. It slowly evolves with a savory herbal thrust and notes of fresh tobacco, giving way to crushed blackberries and nuances of spiced orange. Cool-toned and silken in feel, it displays remarkable elegance as polished red and black fruits smooth over the palate. Edgy tannins mix with a tinge of tart citrus. The 2018 finishes long and structured, leaving a pleasantly bitter sensation as an air of rosemary and mint slowly fades.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe Mastroberardino 2018 Taurasi Riserva Stiléma (with 3,000 bottles made) shows a dark personality with tarry spice, hydrocarbons and resin. You get dried fruit aromas, blackcurrant and cherry, but spice and grilled herb are what you notice first. You’ll also recognize volcanic smoke and mineral. This is a mid-weight red made with Aglianico, and it ends with pretty freshness. Production is 3,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPRich with flavors of steeped cherry and black raspberry fruit, licorice, espresso and medicinal herbs, a fleshy cloak wrapping around a core of fine, dense tannins. This is well-integrated and harmonious overall, with fresh acidity defining the tarry, well-spiced finish. Drink now through 2040. 250 cases made, 62 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Dunn’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon shows terrific purity and focus in its aromas of cassis and pencil shavings and on the medium to full-bodied palate, where it’s streamlined and smooth. There’s intensity and concentration, but they sort of slide past almost unnoticed, lubricated by fine-grained tannins and lingering notes of cassis and graphite on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a gorgeous wine, especially for Dunn fans who want a wine to drink that won’t take forever to come around. Dark and savory, with terrific depth, the 2018 is full of character. Black cherry, lavender, chocolate, sage, mint and cloves all open in the glass. The 2018 has just enough grip to have a good amount of classic structure, but not to the point of being forbidding. The Napa Cabernet is about 55% Howell Mountain and 45% Coombsville fruit. The 2018 is beautifully done and an absolute delight.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGWell-endowed, with waves of lightly warmed plum sauce, blackberry preserves and melted black licorice framed by a roasted apple wood note. Flashes of sassafras and sweet bay leaf add alluring range through the muscular finish. Best from 2023 through 2035. 1,814 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Gorgeous aromas of blackberries, currants and plums with some spices. Walnuts and chocolate, too. Full-to medium-bodied with very fine tannins and delicious, succulent fruit, as well as hints of herbs. Some stemmy character. So balanced and delicious. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 4% malbec and 1% petite verdot. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vaso is cut from the same cloth, offering beautiful purity and richness. It’s slightly more pure and darker than the spicier 2017 and has notes of cassis, redcurrants, dark chocolate, tobacco, and violets. Full-bodied on the palate, it has silky tannins, terrific overall balance, and just loads of character and charm. It’s in the running for the greatest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon under $100.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vaso is a potent, somewhat burly wine. It will need a few years to help the tannins soften. There is plenty of weight and power. Time in the glass helps the aromatics open, but the 2018 is not an easygoing wine from Dana. It needs a bit of time.-Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon West Wall is absolutely gorgeous. It is also remarkably different from the East Elevation. Here the flavors are bright and punchy. Dark red fruit, blood orange, cedar, licorice, spice and tobacco are all beautifully delineated. There is plenty of weight and richness to the 2018, but those elements are so nicely contrasted by the wine’s energy. The 2018 West Wall is fabulous. That’s all there is to it. Antonio Galloni | 96 AG In contrast, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon West Wall offers beautiful purity and freshness in its crème de cassis, cedary spice, lead pencil shavings, violets, and tobacco-like aromas and flavors. These carry to a full-bodied, layered, multi-dimensional Cabernet Sauvignon with building tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and the class to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years after that. (Drink between 2025-2046)Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDFrom a site up near Calistoga, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon West Wall is pretty standard Napa Cab, but it’s very well done. Cedar notes and hints of dark toast and chocolate frame cherry-scented fruit on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and almost creamy in texture, with a long, gently warm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPAromas of blackberries, plums, dried herbs, cedar and peppercorns. Walnuts, too. Full-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Fleshy, with lots of dark-fruit and bitter-cocoa notes. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2018 Des Fougères Clos Montesquieu is terrific. Black cherry, espresso, licorice, dried flowers, mocha, blood orange, gravel and baking spices open gradually in the glass. More than anything else, I admire the wine’s persistence and overall balance. Clos Montesquieu is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGClove and chili to the dark-berry and pine-needle undertones. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of ripe, fine tannins and dark fruit. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSA blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 20% new oak, the 2018 Château Des Fougères Clos Montesquieu has a pretty, incredibly floral perfume of blue fruits, mulberries, leafy herbs, cedar, and rose petals. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium-bodied, has a lively thread of acidity, light tannins, and solid length. It’s one of those wines that grows on you with time in the glass and shines more for its finesse and elegance than power. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and should keep for a decade. (Drink between 2023-2033)Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD