Wine Ratings

wines

A full-bodied, firm and intense red with blackcurrants, toasted walnuts, violets, smoked paprika and dried herbs on the nose. Sturdy frame from firm yet polished tannins. Powerful and wonderfully integrated. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSI loved the 2020 Château Bellevue, and this might be the finest vintage I’ve tasted from this address. Lots of cassis and blue fruits as well as toasted spice, chocolate, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a great texture, ripe tannins, and a nice mix of freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94+ JD

A ripe, rich red that delivers loads of crushed-berry, chocolate and walnut character, as well as fine tannins through the center palate. Layered texture.James Suckling | 94-95 JSLots of mulled cherries, blueberries, iron, and bouquet garni emerge from the 2020 Château Faugeres, a rich, focused, yet fruit-loaded barrel sample that has a good sense of purity and elegance. I was able to taste two bottles, both showing medium to full-bodied richness, with one having slightly more precision. Both showed great mid-palates, and this is certainly a beautiful wine in the making. Two to four years should do it well and it’s going to have two decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Faugères stampedes out of the glass with a herd of powerful black fruit notes: blackberry pie, baked black plums and ripe, juicy black cherries, plus hints of wild mushrooms, damp soil, tar and star anise with a waft of tobacco. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of black fruit preserves, framed by ripe, rounded tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Faugeres offers ripe black plum and boysenberry fruit on the nose, which is extravagant and verging on ostentatious, though somehow it maintains focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with red cherries, boysenberry, cola and light allspice notes on the entry. Well balanced with impressive depth toward the fleshy finish, leaving a lick of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. This is a fine Faugeres that should be afforded 4–5 years in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMAlways a concentrated wine and with low 23hl/ha yields it is expectedly so. This translates as intense charred oak on the nose, but they have done a good job of balancing it with ripe berry fruit alongside liquorice and black chocolate. Sleek and confident with clear depth. Another wine that shows the success of Cabernet Sauvignon in the right places of St-Emilion.Decanter | 91 DEC

The black fruits and the juiciness of the wine are deceptive—they are just a front for the impressive structure, the rich tannins and the spice. This is a wine that already shows great potential while also bringing something of the softer side of a grand Margaux.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBlackberry, graphite and blueberry character. It’s full-bodied, layered and chewy with fine-grained tannins and a punchy finish.James Suckling | 94-95 JSWafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, pencil shavings, warm spices and cocoa powder, the 2020 du Tertre is medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an elegant, suave profile that belies good depth and concentration. This terroir is never going to produce the most powerful wine in Margaux, and it’s the prime example of an estate that gets lost in a mass tasting, but the restructuring of its vineyards, almost complete, is clearly quietly bearing its fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSpicy on the nose, with cinnamon, exotic spices, paprika and clove more than fruit at the moment. The palate is more lightly framed than some Margaux, more delicate with less overt texture and weight, but still quite high acidity so it comes across as a little less impactful, with a creamy milk chocolate, salty undercurrent. A little closed right now, although overall there’s balance. Feels delicate and well worked, just not hugely forward and expressive at this stage.Decanter | 93 DECThis throws a noticeable savory note out front, along with flashes of lilac and bay leaf in the mix, while the core of gently mulled red and black cherry fruit catches up. The silky finish has a light sanguine echo. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 6,000 cases made, 900 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2020 Château Du Tertre is fresh and lively, with pretty red and blue fruits as well as lots of sappy herbal and floral nuances. It’s nicely balanced and concentrated on the palate, with ripe tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and beautiful overall balance. The Margaux appellation was one of the more challenging places in the Médoc in 2020, but this looks to be terrific.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93+ JD

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is released in a stylish black bottle commemorating a century for the Cuvelier family, is reminiscent of the 2016 with its powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant and inward style. Pure crème de cassis, melted chocolate, loamy earth, graphite, and some spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a stacked mid-palate, nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is another utterly brilliant wine from this team, which has been producing First Growth quality wines for many years now. The blend of the 2020 is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new barrels, hitting 13.58% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.81. It will benefit from just 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 50 years or more if well stored. Bravo. Tasted multiple times with consistent results.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2020 Léoville-Poyferré is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. If anything, it has gained in freshness and vibrancy with élevage. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, graphite and a kiss of French oak are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tons of character. I especially admire its vertical energy and buttoned up personality. In some recent vintages Léoville-Poyferré has been quite showy, but the 2020 also has a more nuanced side that is hugely appealing.Vinous Media | 97 VMSupple and generous with mouthwatering acidity, though really quite tannic at this point which does cover up some of the nuance. I like the texture, the frame and the weight, it’s clean, polished and well worked, not overdone at all, but this has a sense of potent seduction in the flavours, rich blackcurrant, perfumed and scented. Detailed with lots of stony, slate, and wet stone elements giving a wonderful terroir influence. It’s not as immediately charming as the 2019, the tension still prominent, but this will be brilliant in 5-10 years.Decanter | 96 DECThis is really floral on the nose with violets and roses, and some black berries and dark cherries. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm and polished tannins, and plenty of hazelnut and milk chocolate. Structured, yet so finely textured. So attractive and enticing now but needs three or four years to show what it has. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSShowy and very hard to resist, this gushes with velvety plum and boysenberry reduction flavors, along with melted black licorice and violet hints along the way. This has a very cold cast iron note buried deeply on the finish, too, to keep it grounded. A very distinctive house style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WSOf course, this impressive classified growth wine is young. But it’s easy to discern its promise. Black fruits and layers of sophisticated tannins are balanced with the wood aging and smoky fruit flavors. This estate in the heart of Saint-Julien has produced a very fine wine, fresh and structured at the same time. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA rich, powerful wine, the 2020 Léoville Poyferré offers up aromas of sweet berries, blueberry liqueur, exotic spices, incense and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, broad and layered, it’s deep and concentrated, its ample core of fruit only partially concealing a hefty payload of sweet, powdery, generously extracted tannin. Poyferré is generally the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léovilles, but in 2020, it’s chunkier, broader shouldered and more brooding than usual.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

Bramble tones, lovely herbal raspberries and black cherries and milk chocolate - fragrant and scented. Taut and streamlined on the palate, succulent and supple, a lovely purity with crystalline fruit and grippy tannins softly edged with dark chocolate, all very round and nicely weighted on the tongue. Excellent energy yet still with depth, this is approachable and really enjoyable.Decanter | 92 DECWhile I don’t find 2020 to be a particularly great vintage for second wines, the 2020 Moulin De Duhart is nevertheless a beauty with loads to love. Ripe cherries, currants, tobacco, and sandalwood all define the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, with a supple, elegant mouthfeel, light yet present tannins, and outstanding length. You can drink this total charming, rock-solid Pauillac any time over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

A stellar wine, the 2020 Grattamacco is dark, vibrant and nuanced to the core. Black fruit, lavender, spice, leather, menthol and dried herbs infuse the 2020 with tons of character and complexity. Deep yet also wonderfully translucent, the 2020 is one of the most finessed Grattamaccos I can remember tasting. There’s incredible depth and resonance here, not to mention tons of personality.Vinous Media | 97 VMNext up is the 2020 Grattamacco, which really takes things up a notch. A deep ruby red, it offers decadent and harmoniously layered aromas of pristine oak spice, fresh leather, mossy earth, tobacco, and kirsch. Full-bodied and refined, it has a velvety texture, plush tannins, even acidity, and a long finish. This demands to be cellared and will continue to improve if adequately stored over the next two decades and likely beyond. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD‘This vintage gifted generous fruit with excellent, crisp acidities, alongside clean-edged balsam and pungent Mediterranean scrub,’ said winemaker, Luca Marrone. The grapes are hand-harvested in vineyards with an average age of 25 years. Spontaneous fermentation occurs in 7hl oak vats with a frequent and gentle manual pigeage, enabling long macerations and slow release of only fully ripe and noble tannins. This wine was aged for 18 months in oak barrels and bottled in August 2022. Restrained cassis and Mediterranean herb scents are allied to fresher red fruits and a floral touch. It’s very well composed, demonstrating an elegant and juicy style with great integration of oak and youthful, chewy fruit. A Bolgheri to wait for – this is intended for the long haul.Decanter | 96 DECA nose that is luxuriously fruity also has undertones of salt, flint and herbs providing balance. The palate runs wild with fruit but simultaneously offers notes of dark chocolate and a subtle spiciness to keep things lively. Tannins are chalky and resilient, and persistent acidity holds up a long finish.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEAromatic nose of blackcurrants, berries and cherries, together with hints of flowers and smooth oak. Full-bodied with a super-clean and intense bead of fruit running through the lightly firm tannins to give a long, only lightly abrasive finish. From organically grown grapes. A classy, well-structured blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThis 2021 Grattamacco Bolgheri Rosso has a natural harmony and balance that is hard to beat. There is more of a range of delicate aromas on the nose, not just simply fruit or oak spice but little floral notes that come and go, a little hint of crushed rose petal or wild iris as well as bright cherry aromas and a very gentle background spice of oak. The nose is persistent and reveals layers of flowers and fruit, becoming more interesting in the glass. On the palate there is such a beautiful texture and weight and a real silkiness but without heaviness. The tannins are beautifully refined and harmonized within the wine and there is a cleansing sweep of refreshing acidity on the finish. This wine has a beautiful harmony to it. Supremely refined but with a strong sense of identity.The Wine Independent | 94 TWIElegant and linear in profile, this red boasts cherry, black currant, mineral, earth and Mediterranean scrub aromas and flavors. There’s fine tension and freshness, with a long, resonant aftertaste. Needs time. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2025 through 2042. 5,400 cases made, 430 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSMouthwatering acidity and taut, grippy tannins provide an appealing structure for this wine’s juicy blackberry and blackcurrant flavors. Scents of lavender and notes of tobacco and black pepper add complexity to the lively purple fruit tones. Beautifully balanced and energetic, this wine is a versatile partner at the table and an excellent introduction to the wines of Bolgheri.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 92 W&S

Showing great class and precision, Brovia’s fragrant 2020 Villero is a chiseled beauty. Taut and focused, the palate features crushed strawberry, pomegranate and blood orange accented with licorice and pink peppercorn before an almost salty close. A backbone of refined tannins provides firm support. It needs a few more years to fully develop and shows good aging potential for this rather forward vintage. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOA Villero masterpiece that demands your full attention. The fruit profile is a symphony of classic Nebbiolo notes, with ripe cherries, plums, and a hint of blackberry that’ll make your taste buds sing. The tannins? They’re so fine, they’re like silk threads woven into the fabric of the wine. But don’t be fooled by the elegance – this Barolo has a structure that’ll make you sit up straight and take notice. Savory flavors dance in perfect harmony with the fruit, creating a mesmerizing balance that’ll leave you speechless. This is a wine that’s not just exquisite – it’s unforgettable. Drink 2026 - 2050 Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEWhat a minty nose, elegant, fresh and vibrant, with classic dried cherry fruit, violets, minerals and notes of balsamic. Youthful palate with velvety tannins, crisp acidity, a medium body and a long, savory finish. This young Barolo is intended for the long haul. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSBrovia’s 2020 Barolo Villero is a potent, savory wine. Dried herbs, menthol, licorice, wildflowers, spice and dark-toned fruit give the Villero its distinctive personality. Broad swaths of tannin wrap it all together. Dark and brooding, the 2020 is not ready to reveal its charms. All this needs is time—I can’t wait to taste it in another few years. As is often the case, the Villero is Barolo that emphasizes savory/earthy/mineral notes more than overt fruit.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

Cedar and floral with dried rose petals and plums with some cherries and fresh tobacco. Medium to full body. Linear and tight with fresh and fine tannins. Chocolate and hazelnut. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Second wine of Angelus. Give it four to five years. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSGorgeous purity on the nose, open and expressive, the florality - rose, iris and violets give a lovely scent. Cool blue fruits, ripe but well defined with a thrilling and vibrant acidity alongside a touch of sweetness giving things a lift. There’s an ease about this, still complex, but it’s smooth and supple with firm tannins, softly gripping and giving the structure. Feels confident but not showy with a wide structure and clear backbone. I love the liquorice and cola aspects and the subtle spice. Ripeness is clearly there, but there’s no excess - the tension and energy remain from the start. Structured and suave.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECAromas of sweet cherries, berries, mint and rose petals, framed by a deft touch of new oak, introduce the 2020 Le Carillon d’Angélus, a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless wine that’s velvety and enveloping, with a suave, polished profile that will lend it a broad drinking window. Produced in a new, dedicated winery, where tanks are adapted to the size of parcels, it was matured in 45% new barriques, 30% used barrels and the rest in tank, making for a somewhat more controlled oak influence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBased on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, raised in 60% new French oak (the balance is in stainless steel), the 2020 Le Carillon D’Angelus has a medium-bodied, vibrant, quite elegant profile that certainly brings a touch of the class and finesse that’s almost always found in the Grand Vin. Ripe cherries, black raspberries, spice box, sandalwood, and dried flower notes make up the aromatics, and this balanced, wonderfully complete second wine has fine tannins and a good spine of acidity. It will benefit from a few years in the cellar and keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Carillon d’Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of Morello cherries, juicy blackberries, and raspberry leaves spring from the glass, followed by touches of lilacs, cedar chest, and sandalwood, with a waft of cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of bright, expressive blackberry and spicy layers, supported by nice, ripe, plush tannins and finishing with a refreshing lift.The Wine Independent | 92 TWI

The 2020 Muscadet “la Louvetrie” from Jo Landron is crafted mostly from vines that are thirty to forty years of age, with some younger vine fruit also included. The wine delivers a lovely bouquet of breadfruit, lemongrass, briny maritime scents, wet stone minerality and a nice touch of leesiness. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and complex, with a good core and mineral drive, zesty acids and a good long finish that is just a touch pinched today on the backend from its screwcap. Fifteen minutes in decanter unlocks the wine completely on the finish, but the early signs of reduction issues would lead me to drink this wine in the next year or two, rather than tucking it away in the cellar. Once it opens up on the backend, it is very good. (Drink between 2022 - 2024)John Gilman | 92 JG

The 2020 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a crisp bouquet with crushed rock mixed with touches of dried flowers and a light sea spray note - classic Chablis really. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry. Touches of dried honey and chamomile, but underneath it all is a fine mineral spine and a decent, quite Les Preuses-like finish. Fine. Tasted blind at the BIVB tasting in Chablis.Vinous Media | 91 VMThough ripe, offering aromas and flavors of lemon cake, melon and white flowers, there’s also a stony, mineral element underneath this balanced white, which ends with a light chalky sensation. Drink now through 2028. 712 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2020 Pauillac is superb. The aromatics alone are compelling. Lavender, sage, menthol, black pepper and licorice all jump from the glass. This just screams with Cabernet character. Dark, vibrant and super-expressive, the 2020 is an absolute delight. Its vibrancy and delineation are both admirable. What a gorgeous, gorgeous wine this is.Antonio Galloni, VInous Media | 94 VMThis is quite chunky and fruity, with plums, berries, ash and hot stones on the nose and palate. It’s full and flavorful. A juicy and intense red. Drink and enjoy.James Suckling | 93 JSLooking at the three releases from Château Latour, these are all powerful, concentrated, wines that are going to age gracefully. Starting with the 2020 Pauillac, it has ample cassis and darker fruits as well as attractively perfumed aromatics of violets, graphite, and some obvious minerality. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with fine tannins, it’s a legit Pauillac to drink over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA fragrant and expressive nose, revealing layers of dried herbs, eucalyptus, thyme, and aniseed spice alongside blackcurrants and plums. The palate is vibrant and juicy, with softly fleshy tannins that expand beautifully, offering a cool graphite, cola, and liquorice edge. There’s a refreshing tanginess, with bitter grapefruit adding a lively tension. Less plush and round than the 2022 vintage, this is more direct and linear, with a bright, energetic character. Lovely persistence and vibrancy, making it an enjoyable expression of Pauillac. 3.63pH.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECThe estate’s second wine, produced from young vines, less optimally located parcels and any declassified lots, is the 2020 Le Pauillac de Château Latour, an attractive effort redolent of sweet berries, cassis, licorice and petals. Medium to full-bodied, with lively acids, sweet tannins and a penetrating finish, it combines immediate charm with aging potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RPThe 2020 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 53% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs some coaxing to reveal delicate notes of redcurrants, wild blueberries, and crushed plums, plus hints of bay leaves, tree bark, and cracked black pepper. The medium-bodied palate is bright, lively, and energetic, with a grainy texture and minerally finish.The Wine Independent | 90 TWI

This estate makes a bevy of terrific dry whites in addition to an incredible Sauternes. Starting with the 2021 Lions De Suduiraut Blanc Sec, which is a blend of 52% Semillon and 48% Sauvignon Blanc, it offers subtle grapefruit and citrus notes, a kiss of minerality, and a refreshing, vibrant, wonderfully balanced style on the palate. It’s a seriously good bottle of wine to drink in its youth.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2021 Lions de Suduiraut Blanc Sec is gorgeous. Rich, creamy and expressive, the 2021 is exquisite in its balance of textural richness and freshness. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint, lemon oil and chamomile envelop the palate, while bright floral accents perk up the finish. Lions is the new name for the Blanc Sec, which is the same wine as before.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGA tangy white with sliced grapefruit, apple and celery character. Medium body. Fresh finish. White pepper. Dry and chalky.James Suckling | 91 JS

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 Percarlo is every bit as stunning from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and vivid in the glass, with striking complexity, the 2021 is a fine follow-up to the 2020. The 2021 is a bit tight relative to the 2020, but that is not a bad thing at all. If anything, I look forward to comparing these two monumental wines in a few years’ time. For now, the 2021 impresses with its purity of Sangiovese fruit and mind-blowing balance. Hints of kirsch, blood orange and pomegranate linger on the vivid, exceptionally polished finish. What a wine.Vinous Media | 99 VMThis fresh red evokes cherry, raspberry, iron, earth and tobacco flavors. There’s an impression of finesse driven by the lively acidity despite the firm tannins. As this builds on the palate, the cherry and raspberry flavors emerge, delivering a pure expression of red fruit. Balanced and long, but requires patience. Best from 2027 through 2045. 1,200 cases made, 220 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis is a complex and deep wine, an old-fashioned sangiovese. There are multifaceted aromas of red cherries, dried cherries, raspberries, camphor, earth and elegant dried flowers. Full-bodied and velvety, with a weighty mid-palate and integrated but tense acidity. Meaty and savory flavors coat the tannins, with a long, precise aftertaste. From organically grown grapes. Almost drinkable now, but great potential for the long haul.James Suckling | 97 JS

Made from a mix of 60% Domaine Eden and 40% Mount Eden fruit, the 2021 Chardonnay is always a sophisticated wine that overdelivers on its price point, with fresh floral aromatics leading to a medium-bodied mid-palate of beautifully oaked pear and hazelnut layered in juicy acidity. Ready to drink now, it should age equally well, from now through 2031 at least.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDComing from a plot at 1,600 feet in elevation, the 2021 Chardonnay also includes about 25% declassified fruit from the Mount Eden estate. Spice-laden and taut, a super-enlivening core of vibrant acidity and white pepper bitterness here conveys seriousness. Nuances of tangerine peel, spearmint, crushed rocks and clove emerge on both nose and palate, coasting through the driven, precise finish. Well done.Vinous Media | 93 VMCrushed rock, lime pith and a hint of tonic water show on the nose of this bottling, the sister project to the iconic Mount Eden Vineyards. There’s a zesty spray of citrus on the palate that enlivens the subtle peach flavors and earthy minerality. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2021 Chardonnay is initially tight on the nose, opening up to reveal flashy aromas of white peach, nectarine and crushed hazelnuts. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, with a charming finish of citrus flavors flanked with toasty richness. It is a solid example of what one can expect from this property year in and year out, offering terrific value and classically proportioned balance.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBig and bold, with plenty of toast, spice and butterscotch notes up front, plus a core of peach cobbler, poached pear and caramel apple. The plush frame offers a vibrant thread of acidity, keeping the flavors fresh. Drink now. 2,163 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Wow. The aromas are really something else with red fruits, black olives, spices like cardamon and nutmeg, as well as hints of tar and meat. It’s full-bodied yet in check and focus with fine, fine tannins that roll over the palate and create beautiful motion. Chewy yet silky and endless. A great young merlot and one of the best for a number of years. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSTua Rita’s flagship bottling is pure Merlot from Colline Metallifere, matured for 18 to 20 months in new French oak barriques. There’s chocolatey richness here but also fragrance, with some violet, plum and blue fruit scents. In the mouth its super-fresh, saline acidity invites an intense attack of spiced plum, blackberry and damson along with white pepper and clove, leading to a plush, velvety mid-palate with cocoa and wood lingering in the background and supported by fine, well-integrated tannins. Concentrated, vibrant and saline, this is an extraordinary Merlot with a gastronomic edge.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECPutting aside the thrashing Merlot got from Hollywood, there is in fact good reason to be skeptical of Merlot thanks to its general mistreatment from winemakers far and wide, apart from the heaviest of heavy hitters who made a few expressions that became the ultimate exceptions to the rule. But I always love an underdog story, and I love Merlot from southwest Tuscany, especially Redigaffi. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2021 Redigaffi is superb. Silky, dense and expansive, with terrific depth, it possesses striking nuance from start to finish. Black cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and menthol infuse the 2021 with tons of resonance. Here, too, the approach is quite a bit dialed back from the early days.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe Tua Rita 2021 Redigaffi is a wine of thick character and dark extraction. This 100% expression of Merlot offers tension and extreme balance with very generous layers of dark cherry, plum, dried blackberry, spice and tobacco. It displays a spectacularly soft and velvety texture over a full-bodied approach. Redigaffi is often monolithic and monotone in its younger years, and it needs more bottle age to come into focus. This is very true for the 2021 vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPExuding black currant, blackberry, plum and iron flavors, this sleek version is also powerful, with beefy tannins, yet it’s the vivid acidity that drives the long, toasty oak–infused aftertaste in the end. Merlot. Best from 2027 through 2043. 1,250 cases made, 360 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Perfumed and structured, the compelling 2021 Ravera from Cogno entices with aromas of ripe dark-skinned berry, dark Asian spice, pressed rose and a balsamic whiff of camphor. Boasting succulent fruit, the chiseled palate features ripe black cherry, black raspberry, ground clove, cinnamon and licorice before a salty finish. It has great tension, with firm, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2029–2041. Abv: 14.5%Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOMint, eucalyptus, plum, earth, oak spice and tar notes mark this lean, sinewy red, which is compact despite starting out with an open feel, featuring a core of sweet, ripe fruit midpalate. The assertive tannins require patience, while the aftertaste indicates this wine’s future potential. Best from 2028 through 2050. 625 cases made, 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe bright red colour, obtained thanks to a marathon 40-day maceration, anticipates a symphony of aromas: rose petals, citrus, cinnamon, graphite, mint. In the mouth, a refined elegance. Persuasive and framed by silky tannins, the acidity is exhilarating and the crunchy fruit returns on the finish. Partly whole-bunch vinified, using yeasts indigenous to the Ravera sub-zone, then refined only in large barrels. A post-modern Barolo.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECThese vineyards in Novello open to the Alps and an exceptional panorama. The Elvio Cogno 2021 Barolo Ravera is made with the Lampia and Michet clones of Nebbiolo. The wine offers a distinct character with iron ore and crushed stone behind dark fruit and pressed rose. I also get a hint of exotic spice in this gorgeous wine. This is a 14,000-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2021 Barolo Ravera is highly expressive and a standout in the range, revealing layers of depth in its underlying notes of balsamic herbs, and its fruit shines brightly with preserved strawberries, wild spices, and crushed flowers. Sourced from 80-year-old vines just below the winery, the palate is saturated with ripe tannins, sanguine mineral richness, a broad-shouldered mid-palate, and a long finish. It’s built to last over the coming two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDAromas of orange rind with touches of red fruit and tar. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, very well constructed, with a fine line of acidity, a good core of delineated fruit and polished yet firm tannins. Lovely to taste now, but will be better from 2026.James Suckling | 95 JS

The aromas alone on the classy and classic 2021 Luigi Einaudi Cannubi will captivate you thanks to the rich fragrance of rose, truffle, wild berry, cedar and culinary spice. The palate also crushes it, delivering ripe Morello cherry, strawberry tart, cake spice and menthol enveloped in velvety tannins that demonstrate the elegance this cru is celebrated for. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2030–2041. Abv: 14.5%Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThis is a real beauty. Poderi Luigi Einaudi has expertly managed to interpret this legendary cru in a classic vintage. The 2021 Barolo Cannubi is a finely textured wine with a long succession of aromatic high tones that include cassis, licorice, smoke, iris and something almost citrusy in character. The wine is tight but streamlined on the palate, and it pushes forward with long, polished intensity. Production is 9,480 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA stylish red, exhibiting cherry, strawberry, rose and stony mineral flavors. Linear, elegant and verging on racy, this shows finesse and detail, with impeccable balance. The well-integrated structure extends on the finish. Best from 2028 through 2047. 833 cases made, 125 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA classic Barolo with dried cherries, dried roses and violets, licorice and pomegranates. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it shows ripe, elegant tannins, refreshing acidity and a tense, chewy finish. Drinkable now, but best in two three years due to its tension.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Barolo Cannubi is aromatic, bright and light on its feet. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, mint, white pepper and orange zest are all finely cut in this nervy, rather taut Barolo. It will be interesting to see if more mid-palate sweetness emerges over time. This has certainly come along quite a bit since I tasted it two months ago.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe medium red 2021 Barolo Cannubi is a bit shy on the nose on opening, with aromas of dusty earth, cedar, pomegranate, and dried leather. Its more floral and pure profile comes through on the palate, with an elegant, medium-bodied feel, fine tannins, and a delicate weightlessness on the finish. It’s a very pretty wine with a more open-knit structure and is likely to show its best over the coming 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

This 30th anniversary bottling is a creamy, polished and fragrant red showing ripe plum, cherry, lavender, vanilla and sweet cocoa aromas. It’s full-bodied with broad and encompassing tannins, yet remains elegant and beautifully balanced. Lightly chalky in texture. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, aglianico and merlot. Best from 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSA total seductress, the 2021 Montevetrano impresses first with a vivid burst of crushed raspberry backed by a dusting of cocoa, sweet sage, pipe tobacco and lavender pastille. It’s elegant in feel, with textures of pure silk and polished red fruits that ride a stream of brisk acidity as hints of citrus pinch at the cheeks and violet inner florals arch across the palate. Sweet tannins frame the finish beautifully as the 2021 tapers off with outstanding length and concentration, showing an inner harmony that guarantees over a decade of positive evolution. This has found a lovely balance with further bottle age.Vinous Media | 95 VMNow celebrating its 30th anniversary (1991 to 2021), the 2021 Montevetrano is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Aglianico and 20% Merlot with fruit from a five-hectare parcel on clay soils that add to the fruit weight and definition of this headlining wine. The results are inky dark in concentration with blackberry, fruit preserves and a hint of sweet apricot. On second nose, you get tarry resin and spice. The wine is certainly rich, but it is not heavy, and its surprisingly less-than-full-bodied approach offers respite to the palate. I like the general accessibility and elegant darkness of this wine, which numbers 16,800 bottles in this vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Aglianico and Merlot, the fragrant and polished 2021 Montevetrano offers heady scents of Mediterranean scrub, cassis, lavender and a whiff of wet stone. Delicious and smooth, it’s rich yet shows elegant restraint, delivering black currant, crushed blackberry, licorice and vanilla alongside menthol and mineral notes reminiscent of oyster shell. Velvety, close-grained tannins envelope the concentrated flavors. Drink 2025–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOA classy red, with black currant and black cherry fruit flavors that are ripe and vibrant, while a dark, rich undertow of fig cake, mocha, graphite and smoke also chimes in. Shows good focus and length in a sleek, balanced style, with fine-grained, supple tannins firming the well-spiced, lasting finish. Aglianico. Drink now through 2034. 1,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Here the wood treatment is somewhat more prominent though it is still reasonably discreet and easily allows the spicy nose of plum, green tea, dark currant and humus to be appreciated. There is fine volume and punch to the caressing yet powerful middleweight plus flavors that culminate in a dusty, palate coating and impressively lingering finale. This compact effort should amply repay mid to longer-term keeping.Burghound | 93 BH

Here too a discreet application of wood is present on the equally cool, wonderfully pure and exceptionally pretty aromas of essence of red currant, violet, lavender and a hint of earthiness. There is both excellent volume and mid-palate density to the intense and sleek mouthfeel that is again thanks to the polished tannins supporting the focused and sneaky long finish. As is often the case with the Lignier Charmes, it is a combination of power and finesse.Burghound | 92-94 BH

15% whole bunch vinification. The colour is noticeably more robust than the preceding wines, as too is the bouquet, backed a little by new oak (30%) but showing a good intensity of robust raspberry fruit on the nose, which carries through across the palate. This has a good balance between fruit and structure. Drink from 2025-2030. Tasted Dec 2022.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JM

This is aromatically similar to the straight Puligny villages but noticeably spicier. The plump, round and suave medium weight flavors possess fine volume and solid finishing punch on the sneaky long finish that is shaped by lemon-tinged acidity. This well-made effort isn’t quite as complex but that may well change with a few years of cellaring.Burghound | 89-91 BHMid yellow colour, more floral from the riper fruit. Protected by its walls. Deeply juicy, plenty of fruit weight, yellow plums with ripe lemon, good length. As always more on the exotic side. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted Oct 2022.Jasper Morris | 88-90 JM

Brisk fresh pale yellow. There is a fine floral quality here too. Then almost a touch of super-ripeness with a bit of bacon fat, followed by a more saline finish. Interesting and high quality in its style. Drink from 2024-2029. Tasted Oct 2022.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMHere too there is noticeable petrol character to the floral, mineral reduction and green apple-suffused aromas. The middleweight flavors don’t possess the same density but they are markedly finer and much more mineral-driven on the linear, youthfully austere and crisp finale. This could also use more depth but the underlying material and balance should allow that to occur if given a chance.Burghound | 90-92 BH

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