Wine Ratings

wines

Black cherries, currants, leather, savory herbs, and a beautiful sense of minerality all emerge from the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tierra Rioja Vineyard. I love its remarkable purity and freshness, and on the palate, it’s full-bodied with flawless overall balance, building ripe tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It’s an incredibly structured, layered, impressive beauty that deserves 4-5 years of bottle age. Drink 2029-2049.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JD

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Vidovich Lane hits the palate with dark-toned fruit, leather, incense, chocolate, gravel and dried herbs. This is an especially virile, potent Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that paints a starkly different side of St. Helena vis-à-vis the Panek. Give this a few years to soften. Memorable.Vinous Media | 97 VMComing from a site just beside Dr. Crane in St. Helena and all See clone, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Vidovich Lane is a beautifully pure, elegant, finesse-driven wine in the vintage. Red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with spicy, floral, and candied violet nuances define the aromatics. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with remarkably pure, polished tannins and outstanding overall balance. This charming Cabernet Sauvignon can be drunk today or cellared for 15+ years. There are 395 cases produced. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFrom a two-acre site located south of the city of Saint Helena, near Dr. Crane, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Vidovich Lane Vineyard has layers of ripe cherries tinged with dark chocolate. It’s full-bodied and really supple but still shows ample structure and length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

From three vineyards in the Deep End of the Anderson Valley, it’s loaded with forest character and beautiful wild florals. Wild roses, lavender and salty notes of blood orange, sweet earth and crushed stone.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Pinot Noir The Fog-Eater is made from grapes grown at high-elevation Clow Ridge and Valenti, where getting grapes ripe always has to contend with the fog, mingling spicy red fruit and citrus over a perfumed, savory, and textured palate of tremendous refinement and lasting freshness. Some whole-cluster doesn’t detract from the overall prettiness and transparency of the wine, adding just a hint of stemmy intrigue and a light-bodied joie de vivre. There’s structure and tannin but not too much. Drink now through 2033.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDAn aromatic and pretty wine with earth, wild herbs, mint and bay leaves on the nose. It’s fresh, with cleansing acidity that’s elegant and lifted. Cascading tannins in the finish. Medium-bodied. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2023 Pinot Noir The Fog-Eater is an absolute delight. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, chalk, mint and white pepper are all beautifully lifted in this understated, ethereal Pinot. Gracious and inviting, The Fog-Eater captures the restrained, nuanced side of the year in style.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2023 Pinot Noir “Fog Eater” from Drew Family Cellars is crafted from fruit sourced from three different northern Anderson Valley vineyards: Clow Ridge, Fashauer and Valenti Ranch. The soils here are sandstone and decomposing shale, with overnight fogs keeping evening temperatures low. The wine comes in at 13.5 percent octane in 2023 and included twenty percent whole clusters. The bouquet is bright, nicely red fruity and shows lovely transparency down to the soils, delivering notes of cherries, beetroot, fresh herb tones, gamebird, a fine base of soil, a nice touch of whole clusters, cedar and a lovely smoky topnote of distant bonfire. On the palate the wine is bright, young and full, with a good core of fruit, excellent soil inflection and grip, tangy acids, fine focus and grip and a long, nascently complex and very well balanced finish. This is going to be a fine bottle once it has softened up its tannins properly. (Drink between 2035 - 2075)John Gilman | 91+ JG

The 2023 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard is ruby red in color and is charming upfront, offering notes of grenadine, purple flowers, sweet herbs, and dusty earth. Focused on the palate, with angular tannins and lively acidity, it has a floating texture and perfumed notes of peach that last on the finish. There’s a refined tension and Nebbiolo-like structure, with a linear drive here that I absolutely love. Drink through 2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDEola-Amity Hills evangelist Ken Pahlow does his most recognised work with Chardonnay, but his Pinot Noirs from his own high-profile site for the Valley’s next generation of winemakers are also remarkable. Leaning into minerality and white pepper, the aromatics pop with taut red berries and sea salt. Briny on the front palate, the mineral zip leads to fresh strawberries and mint leaves. There’s a streak of graphite that centres minerality directly into the finish.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2023 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard comes from mixed clone vines planted in 2016 in volcanic soils at 720 to 1,080 feet in elevation. Fermented with 25% whole clusters and matured for 15 months in 45% new French oak, it has slowly unfurling scents of blackberry, rhubarb, blood orange, forest floor, violet and tobacco. The medium-bodied palate is powerfully styled with concentrated yet detailed flavors. It’s framed by chalky tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long, spicy finish. 175 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard opens with a savory herbal flourish complicated by hints of chalk dust and wild blueberries. This displays textures of pure silk, pliant and supple, with depths of red and blue fruits that slowly saturate toward the close. It leaves a tart cherry saturation with nuances of licorice and spice over a bed of gently grippy tannins. Koosah is shaping up to be one of the most exciting locations Walter Scott works with.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe 2023 Koosah Vineyard pinot noir from Walter Scott saw forty-five percent new oak in this vintage, with no whole clusters used. The wine’s élevage was done entirely in two hundred and twenty-eight liter casks. It comes in at 13.5 percent octane this year and also gets my vote as the most beautiful wine label to be found anywhere! The wine’s gorgeous bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of sweet dark berries, black cherries, coffee bean, a complex base of volcanic soil, hints of the cola to come, cedary oak, violets and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full-bodied, with a beautiful core of fruit, fine soil signature and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins, tangy acids and impeccable balance on the long, nascently complex and precise finish. This is going to be a superb bottle of pinot noir in due course, but it is classically structured and will demand some extended cellaring before it starts to drink with generosity. (Drink between 2040 - 2085)John Gilman | 94+ JGA dark raspberry dipped in dark chocolate aroma is a heck of a way to make an introduction. Beyond the fruit and chocolate are traces of loamy soil and coriander. The Koosah feels fresh and energetic on the palate, as snappy acidity energizes flavors like boysenberries, lemon zest and a hint of black pepper.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Coming from mostly volcanic soils in the Eola-Amity Hills, the 2023 Pinot Noir Witness Tree Vineyard pours a deeper shade of ruby red. It’s a total charmer out of the gate, offering notes of wild raspberries, pressed flowers, fresh herbs, and dark stones. The palate is medium-bodied but has a more saturating and even feel, with purity and concentration. An elegant red, it floats through the finish, with velvety, ripe tannins, balanced acidity, and a juicy feel on the finish. A pleasure to taste now, it’s going to have a wide drinking window and should see its 15th birthday still drinking well.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThere are few things as exciting in the Willamette Valley as the new developments at Witness Tree, a historic estate that once produced rustic wines has come under new ownership, resulting in a renewed focus on viticulture and a buzz among the valley’s top winemaking talent. The Walter Scott 2023 Pinot Noir is imbued with a mineral freshness on the nose. Briny ocean air and dark woodland fruits show an elegance and depth backed by earthy richness and a dark, brooding intensity. Umami and mushroom notes linger for minutes on the finish.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Pinot Noir Witness Tree Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1999 and 2017 in volcanic soils. Matured for 15 months in 30% new oak, it has inviting aromas of black cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, rooibos tea and flint. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated layers of spicy fruit. It’s framed by fine, chalky tannins and bright acidity and has a long, flavorful finish. 125 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Witness Tree Vineyard captivates with a burst of sour cherries and blackberries complicated by hints of sage and white pepper. This impresses further with masses of wild berry fruits and savory herbal tones, all motivated by a core of juicy acidity. The 2022 finishes spicy, long and staining to the palate as tart citrus adds contrast to notes of red plum through the lightly tannic finish.Vinous Media | 94+ VMNot all of the pinot noir in the Witness Tree Vineyard had to be replanted because of phylloxera, so Walter Scott is able to source two blocks of pinot here, with one a newly-planted section and the other still planted to twenty year-old vines. The wine includes no whole clusters this year and was raised in thirty percent new oak. The 2023 offers up a lovely aromatic constellation of sweet dark berries, black cherries, a touch of anise, a lovely base of dark soil tones, incipient notes of cola, woodsmoke, hints of fresh thyme and a delicate framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and deep at the core, with lovely soil transparency and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins, lovely balance and a long, complex and still fairly primary finish. This wine has all of the constituent components necessary for a long and lovely life in bottle; all it needs first is some hibernation time in the cellar to properly soften up its tannins. (Drink between 2039 - 2085)John Gilman | 93 JGA tart, almost ripe blackberry scent fills the air, along with the wine’s Assam black tea and chalkboard dust aromas. The wine’s acidity is as aggressive as a stock trader on the floor, giving it noticeable energy. A rich flavor that borders on cassis coats the palate, while earthy notes of oregano and blackberry tea hover on the perimeter.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is incredibly fresh and vivid with orange peel, orange blossoms, cherries and hints of rose stem. Medium-bodied with a sleek and racy palate of creamy, fine tannins and a energetic length and purity. Crunchy. 100% whole cluster. From vineyards planted in 1955. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JS

A tightly focused beam of bitter cherry, damson plum and raspberry coulis streams through this red, with mouthwatering cut in the form of ocean breeze minerality that runs throughout. Iris and rose hip notes fill in the background as the long, piercing finish shows a remarkably pure and unadorned feel. A high-definition Pinot. Drink now through 2035. 3,650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2023 Pinot Noir Freestone Occidental Bodega is a well of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, plus nuances of grapefruit, tea leaves, cola and bitters. The light-bodied palate offers crunchy, perfumed flavors framed by dusty tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, latent finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier is very pure and sensual on the nose, with generous red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit tones that envelop the senses. The palate is well balanced with a gentle grip, but there is more energy and greater frisson toward the finish than the Vieilles Vignes, which beckons you back for another sip. This is excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMHere too there is just enough wood to merit pointing out suffusing the compositionally similar, if less expressive, nose. The succulent and rounded medium weight flavors still manage to retain good detail on the solidly powerful, youthfully austere and moderately rustic finish that is both compact and robust. This is an excellent Gevrey villages that is worth your interest.Burghound | 90 BH

The 2023 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is one of the greatest wines I have tasted from Pax Mahle. The Hillsides is a blend of the best sites in the range, fermented in cement with whole clusters and also aged in cement. The long growing season resulted in a rich, heady wine with intense fruit and perfectly ripe tannins. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 98 VMVery pure and perfumed aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, plums, cured meat, dried herbs and violets. The palate is supple, with seamlessly integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving flavors of mulberries, graphite, black olives and mocha. A serious northern Rhone-inspired syrah with a soft touch. Excellent. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

A fresh, linear, eye-opening young wine that’s delicious and appetizing, and will develop more complexity and nuance with time in the bottle. Stunning aromas of black cherries, vibrant raspberries and cedary spices lead to mouthwatering red cherry, cranberry, star anise and mineral flavors that expand on the palate. Drinkable now and best from 2030.James Suckling | 98 JSI tasted the 2023 Pinot Noir Le Caprice as a sample just before it was bottled. It has slowly unfolding aromas of cranberry, red cherry, tea leaves and mint, becoming more floral as it airs in the glass. The palate is layered and concentrated with woodsy, earthy flavors evocative of a forest. It’s structured by silky tannins and vibrant acidity and boasts a flourish of spicy accents on the long finish. A total of 979 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

From a mostly decomposed granite, 1600-feet-elevation, northeast-facing site with different exposures, the 2023 Pinot Noir Michaud Vineyard is the first vintage for Smith from this vineyard, which he calls as old school and rugged as Chalone. Earth, black tea, and gravelly rock highlight an elegantly poised, complex, floral, and mineral wine that shows both dustiness in texture and ample structure for aging. Cellar through 2037.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe cranberry aromas on the nose of this bottling is layered in cedar, pine duff and dried mushroom scents on the complex nose of this bottling. Cherry, red currant and cranberry flavors are cut by graphite and sandalwood on the savory palate. This is a very young wine from an appellation that always benefits from age. Drink now-2040.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is sensational. Powerful and deep, there is almost no sensation of tannin, but it’s all there. Graphite, inky dark fruit, menthol, licorice, chocolate and sage are some of the many notes that infuse the 2023 with its character and personality. This is one of the most captivating wines I have tasted from Russell Bevan.Vinous Media | 98-100 VMThe 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard has a similar inky purple/ruby hue to go with sensational aromatics of red, blue, and black fruit as well as crushed stone, iron, baking spice, and leather. This wine is dense, rich, and full-bodied, with a monster of a palate, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s going to require just a few years in the cellar, but this is another tour de force from Bevan.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDBevan’s 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard comes from a site in eastern Oakville, alongside the Silverado Trail. This vintage shows Ribena-like purity in its cassis aromas, plus a delicate hint of dried sage. It’s full-bodied on the palate, chunky and intense but maybe lacking a bit of finesse compared to some other years. At this level of quality that’s a quibble, as it’s concentrated and long on the finish, a super example of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that should drink well for close to two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Ontogeny shows ripe, sexy levels of blue fruits, darker chocolate, graphite, and even a kiss of minerality. It’s full-bodied, round, lush, and layered, with sweet tannins and a pleasure-bent profile that’s hard to resist. Drink this hedonistic pleasure bomb over the coming 15+ years. As always, this is an absolute brilliant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that more than delivers the goods. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2023 Red Wine Ontogeny is bold, punchy and super expressive. A blast of super ripe dark cherry fruit/plum fruit, spice, tobacco and chocolate are all beautifully amplified. Ontogeny delivers tons of Bevan personality and character. Floral and savory overtones extend the long, polished finish. The 2023 benefits from the inclusion of a few lots that I tasted last year separately that were later added into the blend, most notably the two Cabernets from Phelan Vineyard that I reviewed from barrel.Vinous Media | 94 VM

‘The idea of Massetino is to create a more approachable wine,’ states winemaker, Gaia Cinnirella. And combined with the plump juiciness and aromatic appeal of 2023, this is incredibly enticing. Ripe dark berry scents mingle with damp earth, Mediterranean scrub and chocolatey nuances. It has a steely energy, coiled and bright, its vertical structure padded out by generous juicy, creamy red and black berries, and supported by fine-grained tannins. It’s a bold expression this year, with a slightly drying woody finish that should resolve with time in the bottles, but it’s countered by freshness and a really lovely line of acidity which runs through the body. Delicious!Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA dark, super-intense, rich and complex wine. On the nose it shows restrained bramble fruit, vanilla, cloves, eucalyptus and leather. Lots of graphite on the palate, with firm, velvety tannins, chocolate flavors, refreshing acidity and a chalky, oaky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSLush and well-marked by toasty oak, this red displays plum, blackberry, leather, vanilla and salt flavors. A dense matrix of tannins lends support as this extends on the lightly chewy finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2033.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2023 Massetino is an attractive and expressive wine. Medium in body, the 2023 offers up an attractive mix of dark plum, mocha, new leather, cedar and espresso. Time in the glass brings out pretty floral and spice top notes. The oak and extraction feel just a bit pushed for the wine’s mid-weight structure. The 2023 was done in a period of transition with technical teams and winemakers, and that is evident in this particular vintage.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2023 Syrah Coastview Vineyard is 100% whole cluster-fermented Syrah from a site deep in decomposed granite at high elevation. With only 600 bottles in existence, this is the best of the best from Coastview every year (and this cool-climate vintage gives it even more to love), with Smith using the rest to go into his Sandstone Terrace Syrah, which is equally tremendous. Structured with just a hint of fruit sweetness from the neutral oak, this is a remarkably memorable, lengthy, complex, and crazy good wine, explosive in feral, wild gamey characteristics in addition to bold complements of floral, savory, and even sanguine notes. Good luck not drinking it in one go, but it shows the aging potential to drink another 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA delicate color in the glass, this fascinating Syrah presents elevated floral and peppery aromas on the nose, adding ethereal depth to the engagingly crisp pomegranate and rose petal aromas. The snappy palate pops with pomegranate and red currant flavors that float atop fennel, pepper and game elements.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEVivid and precise, this is ripe yet structured with mountain tannins. Black cherries, purple plums and bay laurel have a tea-like aspect, with cracked peppercorns, coriander seeds, olive tapenade, huckleberries and nervy acidity. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

Based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged 20 months in 40% new French oak, the 2023 Dominus is absolutely gorgeous, with an incredible level of purity and refinement. Cassis, graphite, crushed stone, melted crayons, and floral nuances all define the aromatics. It’s medium to full-bodied, with seamless, refined elegance, ultra-fine tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. This more charming, forward, and seductive style of Dominus will offer incredible appeal over the next 20-25 years or more. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2023 Dominus is a very pretty, surprisingly open-knit wine from this estate. Soft contours wrap around a core of pliant red/purplish fruit. Lavender, rose petal and gently spiced overtones caress the mid-palate and finish. I expect the 2023 will drink well with minimal cellaring, something that is rarely the case here.Vinous Media | 96 VM

This cabernet sauvignon really shines, with subtle paprika, tobacco ash and vibrant red currants on the nose. Nuanced blackberries, blueberries, fine spices and a hint of cigar box. This fresh, lovely Sena comes from a warmer year than 2021 or 2022, with softer tannins. It’s super refined but driven, long and flavorful. More approachable and less structured and direct this year, with impeccable drinkability. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 19% malbec, 15% carmenere and 6% petit verdot. 18 months of aging, of which 90% is in French oak barrels, including 70% new and around 10% in foudres. Drinkable now, but it’s built for the next 20 years.James Suckling | 99 JSThis vintage of Seña marks the transition between ’eras’ with harvest still under the oversight of Francisco Baettig ahead of the arrival of Emily Faulconer, who then briefly left on maternity leave, with Baettig covering for her. The baton has been successfully passed on and Baettig left a fabulous vintage for Faulconer to start her trajectory at Errazuriz: full of detail and with remarkable purity of flavour. 2023 was a hot vintage in Chile but the Seña site benefited from wide temperature amplitude, allowing the fruit to retain the fine and lively acid that frames the wine from start to finish - and a long finish it is. A mineral nose, with gunpowder and graphite, preludes flavours of ripe wild strawberry, maraschino cherries, plum sorbet and cherry pit. Liquorice, bayleaf and sage, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, give nuance and definition. Lingering, spicy touch of spicy wild rocket. Drinking superbly now but with a great life ahead of it.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECUsing a higher proportion of Carménère than is typical, the 2023 Seña opens with its signature fresh, lifted bouquet driven by mint, spice and red fruit aromas, developing graphite accents and a vanilla-tinged undercurrent with aeration. The palate beautifully balances a suave polish with tensile focus, releasing into a rich, slow-moving finish underpinned by mineral-driven nuances and a touch of refreshing salinity. This impressive showing from Seña in a warm vintage retains admirable freshness and verve. The blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère, 6% Petit Verdot matured for 18 months in barrique and a small portion of foudre.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2023 Seña is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère and 6% Petit Verdot from Ocoa. This aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels, 20% second-use barrels and 10% in large foudres. It opens with forest floor and boldo aromas, followed by lavender, violet and black fruit. The expression is clean and precise. This is dry and taut, with fine-grained, reactive tannins and a long, juicy palate. Despite the warm year, it retains freshness and a graceful character, with a lingering finish and subtle power.Vinous Media | 95 VMElegant yet chiseled, this leads with subtle floral, cocoa bean and tea leaf notes that join the vibrant core of raspberry, Santa Rosa plum and red currant. A wave of mineral freshness lends tension, while hints of cassis and cigar box swirl in alongside a callback to the core fruit. Ends with juicy length and polished tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carmenère and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2038. 12,000 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Village presents a pretty nose with a mixture of blackcurrant and raspberry fruit. Well defined with nicely integrated oak, it conveys a sense of transparency. Fine tannins frame the palate, offering raspberry and strawberry fruit with a dash of spice on the finish, which is more structured than I expected. Delightful.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMThe 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Village offers up aromas of cherries, raspberries, spices and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural palate. Lively and mouthwatering, it’s an especially charming, giving vintage of the Dugat village bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPA slightly riper nose freely offers up its array of plum, dark currant and more prominent earth influence. There is more size and weight, if not necessary better density, to the sappy, dusty and complex finale that is noticeably firmer. This is a lovely Gevrey villages and worth considering.Burghound | 89-91 BH

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin La Marie shows a patina of new oak on the nose (30%), though it combines with the lifted raspberry and blueberry fruit. It is showier than the Village Cru. The palate is medium-bodied and harmonious with good weight. There are fine "shoulders" here with a similarly peppery finish to the Village, but this will need a couple of years in bottle to assimilate the wood.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThe 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin La Marie opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, vine smoke and spices. Medium to full-bodied, dense and layered, it’s lively and concentrated, with a more muscular, structured profile than the blended Gevrey bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPFirm reduction presently renders the nose impossible to read. More interesting are the supple but punchy medium-bodied flavors that possess good detail and slightly better mid-palate density while delivering solid power on the rustic, serious and firmer finale. This is very Gevrey in character and at least some patience would be a good idea and overall, this too is a very good villages.Burghound | 89-91 BH

All Grenache sourced mostly from the Chapouin lieu-dit with a splash from Janasse, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Chaupin shows a medium ruby hue followed by a pretty, perfumed, remarkably elegant profile. It has a core of sweet red and black berry fruits, absolutely heavenly Provençal aromatics of herbes de Provence, black olive, pepper, and flowers, plus ripe, velvety tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Partially destemmed and aged 12 months in 70% foudre and 30% demi-muids, this heavenly 2023 will drink beautifully over the coming two decades. There are roughly 1,500 cases produced. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAs always, a pure Grenache Noir sourced from sandy soils, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is a terrific effort. Mingling aromas of wild herbs, dark berries, baked mulberries and garrigue, it avoids the excesses of over-ripeness or overt spice, instead delivering a beautifully controlled expression. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it displays impressive concentration and a sense of coiled energy, its muscular core of fruit framed by a fine chassis of ripe tannins. The finish is long, delicately spiced and impressively persistent. This will reward patience, as time in bottle should bring greater harmony and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPHuge in scale, with a potent, warm, sappy profile. Its opulent rush of ripe cherry and licorice is well-framed by polished, firming tannins. Alder, anise and lavender smoke stream through; the finish is well-supported and reined in. Concentrated and broad-shouldered. This is for fans of the hedonistic style yet still shows drive and complexity. Best from 2027 through 2040. 3,333 cases made, 112 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA solid, well-composed and flavorful red with cherries, sweet strawberries, warm herbs and a hint of baked orange. Full-bodied with fine tannins giving a refined texture. Juicy and driven, with a long, flavorful and well-structured finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSStrawberry compote, raspberry jam, licorice and crushed violets introduce the expressive 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin, with ripe black cherry adding more complexity. Neatly structured through firm tannins, the full-bodied 2023 packs ample flavor concentration and density, doubling down with blackberry flavors and garrigue on the long, savory conclusion. This won’t need as much time to come around as the Vieilles Vignes from the same vintage tasted alongside.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2023 Waterstone Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold yet refined Napa Valley classic, brimming with layers of ripe blackberry, cassis, and dark cherry wrapped in notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and cedar spice. Full-bodied and elegant, it delivers plush fruit balanced by fine-grained tannins and a long, lingering finish that speaks to both power and polish. Impressive now with decanting, yet built to age gracefully, this Cabernet is the perfect choice to elevate a special dinner.Sokolin Tasting Panel | 95 SP

Once again, I found the 2023 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard to be a centerpiece of the Tyler portfolio, offering up a dramatically richer and more saturated frame than its counterparts in the lineup, while sacrificing no clarity or complexity. The nose is strikingly dark, floral and pure, with clear-cut graphite and cola notes that are often common to larger-scale Pinot Noirs yet rendered here with poise and precision. On the palate, it packs the most substantial punch of the roster, oozing with a rich, cake-like texture while refraining from overt decadence. The finish is deep, long and layered, with a lumbering richness that sets it apart from the more high-toned and soaring counterparts in the lineup.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPPlush and juicy, the 2023 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is a flashier, more forward wine with great suppleness and a core of intensely ripe blueberry fruit. A bold, confident wine, the Fiddlestix saturates the palate with inky mineral tones and gentle acids. Nicely done.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Contemporary and fine, vinous and fragrant, this is focused on dark fruit and fresh roses with leather and meaty depth. There is a hidden complexity that slowly reveals itself. Supple on the medium-bodied palate, this has moderate acidity and ripe, elegant tannins with slightly peppery flavors. Fruity and superjuicy with a savory aftertaste. From organically and biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe woodsy 2023 Teroldego lifts from the glass with a pretty mix of crushed wild berries, geranium and wet stone. This is juicy and energetic in style, with tart red berry fruits that add tactile grip. The 2023 finishes admirably long with a slight tannic tug and a floral lift. This vintage may not be the longest-lived of Foradori’s Teroldegos, but it will certainly provide a lot of pleasure in the near term.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The lightly chewy tannins are caressing in this wine and give a cement-like character. Medium-bodied with flavors of chocolate, spices and stones. Delicious and crunchy. A tiny amount of sulfur at bottling. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JS

The first time specific blocks have been used for this wine. Dark forest berry notes on the nose with perfumed elements and notes of milk chocolate. Supple and agile, generous with textured, slightly grainy tannins that are so pleasant – expansive and round in the mouth. It’s well built and very approachable with blackcurrant and black cherry flavours on the palate. Concentrated, deep and layered but still with elegance. Extremely characterful. A blend of the 2018 and 2019 vintages with 18 months ageing in French oak barrels. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. DRINK 2023-2031.”Decanter | 93 DEC