Wine Ratings

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Packaged in a heavy glass bottle, the Tenuta Sant’Antonio 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi is a beautifully full and generous wine. If offers a full load of fruit weight and manages to do so without losing freshness or crispness. The bouquet delivers elements of dark cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry preserves, and those dark tones transition to sweet tones of spice, licorice and tar. This is a full-bodied and thoroughly contemporary expression that translates to the palate with lively energy and lots of Amarone power. Fruit comes from a hillside vineyard with sandy limestone soils and white calcareous rocks at a breezy 300 meters in elevation. The traditional blend used by this estate is 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina and 5% Oseleta. The wine ages in oak for two long years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi balances dark ripe fruits, sweet spices and rich mocha with savory herbs and violet florals. It’s a silky and energetic effort with cooling acids and minerals, coloring within the lines of refinement while still satiating the senses with masses of ripe black cherries. A bit of heat pokes out through on the finish, yet this is forgivable in my book, as the Antonio Castagnedi tapers off fresh to inner violet florals and a bitter twang of wild berries.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review providedNotes of grilled game and tobacco balance this wine’s rich flavors of baked cherry, molten chocolate and licorice. Dark spices offset those flavors, and lively acidity cools the finish.Dalla Terra, Napa, CA Wine and Spirits Mag | 91 W&S

From 45-year-old vines, macerated for 30-35 days ("just infusion, no extraction") and aged in old barrels for 12 months plus six months in tanks, the 2016 Anjou Cabernet Franc is pure and intense on the nose that reveals finely concentrated raspberry, red cherry and tobacco aromas. Pure, intense and fresh on the palate, this is a silky-textured, refined and elegant red with fine tannins and vibrantly mineral acidity. Tart on the finish but full of character. Excellent. Bottled at the end of April 2017.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPWhile this wine has some age, it still shows considerable acidity. A light touch of tannin and plenty of perfumed fruitiness give a wine that has structure and that will age. Drink from 2021.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEA very charming version, with tobacco leaf and oregano notes framing the core of dark cherry and mulberry, while spice details glide along the edges. Well-integrated tannins provide support, creating good balance overall. Drink now through 2024. 1,250 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The single-vineyard 2016 A Merced del Bierzo El Canto comes from a plot in San Lorenzo in Ponferrada, 0.7 hectares of north-facing vines on slate soils. The mixed grapes from the old vines fermented together with full clusters and indigenous yeasts in tinaja, where the wine macerated with the skins for five months. It was then transferred to used barriques where it aged for 15 months. It felt very compact and complete, with more freshness than the 2015. This is the vineyard they liked better from the two plots they used for the A Merced label, the more vertical one, and this is the one that is going to continue in the future (they have already vinified 2017 and 2018). 2016 is a balanced and fresh year, and this wine has a superb palate with piercing flavors and citrus, blood orange-like freshness. 2,500 bottles were filled in May 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Prade bursts boldly from the glass with notions of chocolate-covered cherries, blueberry compote and plum preserves with suggestions of eucalyptus, espresso, licorice and cedar chest plus a waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and plushly textured, the decadent black fruit and spicy layers deliver a very long, impactful finish. This is so tempting to drink right now, but it will age beautifully.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2016 La Prade hits the palate with serious depth and intensity. A rush of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, menthol, crème de cassis, and bittersweet chocolate melds together in this unctuous, super-expressive wine. Creamy, silky tannins enrobe this decidedly rich, flamboyant Côtes de Bordeaux. The 2016 finishes with terrific weight and substance. All of the elements are nicely fused together. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGBold tannins and ripe fruit are the hallmarks of this rich wine from the Nicolas Thienpont range. A solid structure backs up the ripe black-currant flavors. The wine will certainly age well, so wait until 2021.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEStately and restrained, this has a clear sense of minerality and salinity. An enjoyable wine matured in 33% new oak of both 225’ and 500l sizes. Great quality. Drinking Window 2019 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DECThis is integrated and lightly chewy with dark berries and light chocolate and some hazelnuts. Medium body. Fresh finish. A blend of 88 per cent merlot and 12 per cent cabernet franc. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

Attractive dark-stone aromas with graphite and ripe dark berries sit fresh on the nose. The palate has a riper feel with very rich, dense fruit presence and a heavier, tannin line weight. Full body. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Grand Corbin has grown into a powerful, dense Saint-Émilion. This is a fairly rich, bombastic style, and yet all the elements fall into place. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften, but there is good depth and plenty of potential. A rush of chocolate, leather, licorice, smoke and black cherry meld into the potent finish. Tasted three times with consistent notes.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThe 2016 Grand Corbin has a rich and showy bouquet with plenty of ravishing black fruit laced with spice, although I would like to see more precision. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, a touch of graphite with a neat and tidy, quite harmonious and well-judged finish. It gets better as it goes along!Robert Parker Neal Martin | 89-91 RP-NMClear black cherry and savoury cassis notes give a bright feel on the attack, although the tannins remain extremely constricting. Cinnamon, rosemary and charred liquorice chime in. It’s an austere style, but there’s no question that these are excellent building blocks. 40% new oak. Hubert de Bouard consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 91 DECThe deep ruby/purple-hued 2016 Château Grand Corbin is another fine 2016 that has plenty of ripe, concentrated fruit yet stays pure, elegant and layered. Ripe black cherries, currants, green tobacco, and spring flower notes all emerge from this attractive, layered, complex Saint Emilion that has both freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is plush and super-expressive right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice and juniper berries. There is a ton of character here. Black cherry, game, smoke, licorice, tobacco and incense all build in a potent, savory Cabernet that delivers the goods. This is one of the most distinctive Howell Mountain Cabernet wines I have tasted in some time.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

A well-layered nose blends notes of citrus, mineral reduction, Granny Smith apples and a touch of wood toast. There is both excellent minerality and punch to the moderately concentrated flavors that possess slightly better ripeness on the clean, dry and persistent finale. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 92 BH

The current 2016 Jesús Yllera is floral and perfumed and is evolving nicely and absorbing the oak, coming through as both elegant and powerful, with fully developed flavors and a polished palate. It’s sleek and balanced. 145,000 bottles were filled in July of 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2016 Boca captures the purest essence of the appellation so well. Medium in body, with striking precision and tons of energy, the 2016 is just fabulous today. Blood orange, mint, spice and sweet red cherry, they all meld together in a wine of remarkable elegance and finesse. All the elements are so well balanced. Don’t let the wine’s weightless feel fool you, there is plenty of depth. The 2016 is exceptional. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA fragrant blend of Nebbiolo and 15% Vespolina, this linear, focused red has aromas of rose petal, alpine herb, new leather and underbrush. On the racy, medium-bodied palate, notes of white pepper and star anise accent ripe Morello cherry before a savory saline finish. Tightly wound fine-grained tannins and a backbone of firm acidity provide the ageworthy framework. Drink 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

This special steak wine bears the signature of company founder Giovanni Folonari on the front label. The Folonari family is a historic presence in modern Tuscan wine. Their 2016 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Gran Selezione comes from a classic vintage that is known for the balance and power displayed in its elegant wines. This bottle opens to dark cherry and blackberry with rich nuances of spice and dried flowers at the back. This is a terrific effort from a winery with a big presence across the region.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPWhat immediately strikes you about this wine is its richness and density, showing lots of cherry, chocolate and bark character. Full-bodied, layered and flavorful. Lots of fruit. One for the cellar, but delicious now.James Suckling | 93 JSDeveloped nose showing mushroomy notes, oak nuances, and crushed rocks. Smooth and full on the palate, savoury finish.Drinking Window 2022 - 2030Decanter | 91 DEC

Very attractive, bright cassis and blackberries with attractive spice and undergrowth complexity. The palate has a sleek, neatly aligned feel with long and succulent tannins that deliver fresh, purple-fruit flavor. This has a fresh, focused finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 Ducluzeau exceeds my expectations from barrel. It has a clean, precise bouquet of blackberry and bilberry fruit, and a light estuarine scent emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit tinged with tobacco and sea salt, and just a tang of black olive toward the vivid finish. Classic Bordeaux, no more, no less.Vinous Media | 90 VMFrom the team at Ducru-Beaucaillou, the 2016 Château Ducluzeau is possibly one of the finest Listracs produced in any vintage. This beauty offers a medium ruby color to go with a terrific perfume of sweet cherry and dark fruits that are supported by loads of leafy herbs, damp earth, and even hints of graphite. Shockingly deep, medium-bodied, and beautifully concentrated, with ripe tannins, it shines for its purity and nuance but offers serious intensity as well. It’s a fabulous wine to drink over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2017 Nizza LaCourt is soft, supple, rich and open but not at all heavy. Raspberry jam, mocha, spice, new leather all build as this succulent forward Nizza shows off its considerable appeal. The 2017 hits all the right notes. It is a terrific effort from the Chiarlo family.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDark-skinned fruit, cedar and scorched earth aromas lead the nose. The structured, balanced palate offers Marasca cherry, blackberry jam and licorice alongside polished tannins. Drink 2023–2029.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe Michele Chiarlo 2017 Nizza Riserva La Court is a beautifully enriched and generous wine that gives ample volume and depth to the Barbera grape. This food-friendly option shows the dark fruit (blackberry and plum) to pair with most pasta or meat dishes. It also offers just enough acidity to cut through any recipe that is heavy on cheese or cream. This bottle is ready to drink now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBright blueberry and boysenberry aromas and flavors highlight this vibrant red, with flashes of earth and toasty oak spice. It’s very discreet in the end, where light oak tannins come into play. Drink now through 2024. 1,000 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This plot is on the flats and planted to the 667 clone, on predominantly goldridge soils. This gets winemaker influence to tease out complexity. The nose has brambly, sappy herbs and whole-bunch influence. The palate has succulent, fleshy and rich flavors with a very juicy, very rich and round finish. The final bottling of this plot. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2017 Cargol Treu Vi definitely has something in common with the 2017 Principia Mathematica—the two vineyards are very close together, and the year seems to have marked them. 2017 was a very warm and early harvest, and the wines are a little softer and rounder. But there is a vibrant sensation here that I didn’t see in the Principia. This is livelier and has a tasty finish and an almost salty touch. 1,900 bottles were filled in August 2018 after approximately one year in barrique.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2017 Pouilly Fumé Prédilection is from several terraces on Muschelkalk soils and located closer to the Loire, so they benefit from cool afternoon breezes and nights. The wine opens pure and crunchy on the nose when young, with stony aromas intermixed with notes of white fruit but gets more and more floral with bottle age. The palate is powerful, dense and complex, showing serious substance, tannins and length but also elegance and terroir expression. The finish is lush but also pure and salty and structured by very fine tannins. It’s a crystalline, refined and elegant style with a very long finish. Tasted in February 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis wine takes its minerality from the chalk soil in which the vines grow. It has considerable texture as well as perfumed richness and dense white fruits accented by spice. The wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEVery pure and smoky, with a peach, apricot and elderflower fragrance and a fabulously expressive mineral acid undercurrent.Decanter | 90 DEC

From more basalt soils, the 2017 Chardonnay Frenchman Hills is another beautiful wine from this team that was fermented in a mix of puncheons and concrete and aged all in barrel. Lots of minerality, honeyed golden apple, brioche, and subtle caramelized lemon notes all flow to a medium-bodied, vibrant white that has bright acidity, plenty of richness and depth, and a great finish. It’s another age-worthy effort that will benefit from bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDPlenty of sliced apple and pear aromas with hints of cream and vanilla. Full-bodied, layered and nicely oily with a long, flavorful finish. Dried fruit and candied lemon at the end. All about purity of fruit. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSA luscious texture blends with a crisp spine of acid that drives the apricot, honeysuckle and spiced golden apple flavors, ending with a plump finish. Drink now. 356 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPale gold colored, the 2017 Chardonnay Frenchman Hills Vineyard seems the most subdued of the range this year, having faint hints of apple blossom, seared pears and citrus peel. Medium-bodied, the palate is short, straightforward and mineral-laden and leaves me wanting more vibrancy and precision before ending with a soft phenolic finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPBright yellow. Slightly reduced aromas of yellow stone fruits and nutty, toasty oak. Rich, ripe and a bit fat; offers very good mouth feel but not quite the depth of fruit or subtle complexity of the Moxee or Roza Hills Chardonnays. Finishes with a slightly dry phenolic edge, good length and a touch of baking spices. (from 28-year-old vines planted on volcanic soil at an altitude of 1,700 feet).Vinous Media | 90 VM

The nose on this wine promises creaminess, with subtle yeastiness. The palate has ease and creamy flow, presenting a lemony, cushioned and yeasty texture. Rounded and bright, the finish leaves a vivid impression of buttermilk.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2017 Meursault Les Narvaux is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of citrus oil and crisp Anjou pear mingled with hints of beeswax and fresh butter. Medium to full-bodied, satiny but incisive, it’s elegantly textural, with terrific depth and tension at the core, underpinned a racy spine of acidity that carries through the penetrating finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A step up over the 2018, the 2017 Condrieu Les Cassines has textbook aromas and flavors of honeyed citrus, tangerine oil, crushed rocks, and spice. Rich, beautifully textured, and balanced, it’s rocking Condrieu that I suspect will continue to drink beautifully for 3-4 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

Produced from vines planted in 1920 in an east/southeast-facing premier cru, de Suremain’s finest white is the 2017 Rully 1er Cru Pillot L’intemporelle, a striking wine that offers up attractive aromas of confit citrus, crisp green orchard fruit and almond paste. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with racy acids and a promising sense of tension and structural reserve. It’s well worth seeking out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

This is really minerally with crushed stones and dark berries. Some licorice. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a beautiful, tight and focused finish. Such energy, delivered down a straight line.James Suckling | 94-95 JSA blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of plum preserves, warm cassis and pencil shavings with nuances of mulberries, pencil lead, Indian spices and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a lot of fruit into a very elegant, tightly knit palate, delivering expressive blackberry and spicy flavors with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a peppery kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSmells lovely, really aromatic and shining out of the glass, forward and expressive with clarity and precision on the nose full of red fruit and floral scents. Sleek and crisp, this has energy and lifeforce, I love the shape and straightforwardness but it’s the texture that’s so captivating - slightly firm but dense and chalky tannins give the bounce and cushioning on the palate while the fruit is lean and well defined. So well worked, feels careful, controlled, refined and polished. Sophisticated and just so seamless. Extremely young right now, coiled and tense still, direct from start to finish, it needs to slow down and soften and relax. Lovely pure and perfumed red fruits raspberry and blueberries alongside a slightly sharp, bitter grapefruit edge to the tannins as well as graphite and slate which lingers on the tongue and gives the mighty grip that doesn’t let go. Stylish and enjoyable. 64 PIT, 6.7% press wine. 45.4% production. Harvest 11 September to 4 October. Technical director Hélène Genin. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThis bold, structured wine is packed with blackberry fruits and ripe tannins. Freshness and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon are very present, giving a crisp edge to the solid backbone. This is a wine for aging. Don’t drink before 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright and fresh, featuring floral, cassis and plum aromas and flavors allied to a sleek, iron-tinged frame. Racy tension through the finish lets the fruit play out while the minerality blossoms. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA step up, the 2017 Les Forts De Latour includes more Cabernet Sauvignon and is 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and a splash of Cabernet Franc. Creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, damp earth, and a touch of cedar pencil all emerge from the glass, and it’s beautifully textured and medium to full-bodied, with terrific purity and a great finish. While it’s a second wine, I suspect it will evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2017 Les Forts de Latour conveys airiness on the nose, reflecting the relatively lightest vintage in recent years. Graphite and sous-bois infuse black fruit, offering a slightly welcome herbaceous/undergrowth tincture. The palate is very well-balanced and will appeal to those seeking a sleeker, lighter style of Pauillac. Not lean by any account, but this Les Fort de Latour is understated, with appealing black pepper and tobacco notes emerging on the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Lush aromas of poached strawberry and cherry liqueur make for a hedonistic opening to the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The palate lands beautifully, offering ripe strawberry, pomegranate and candied cherry flavors, yet it sports a relatively light, acid-washed frame that allows accents of mace, star anise and cardamom to shine through. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEMore vibrant, floral notes emerge from the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard, which has complex notes of candied cherries, orange blossom, raspberries, and exotic spices all emerging from the glass. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it offers integrated acidity as well as a fresh, focused texture and shows the more racy, lively style of the vineyard beautifully.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDA cooler site that gets early fog that lingers long and protects the vines. The nose is very perfumed and fragrant with a fresh core of red cherries. The palate delivers detailed and defined tannins that hold focused and fresh. Long, smooth finish. Ripe tannins and higher alcohol (14.7%) add richer texture. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSIntense flavors of dried blackberry and dark currant are backed by firm acidity and tannins in this powerfully ripe version. Forest floor notes join hints of black licorice and baker’s chocolate on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 488 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAged 19 months in 41% new French oak, the 2017 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard is medium ruby in the glass and youthfully shy on the nose, slowly offering rose petal, crushed stone, fresh cranberries and Bing cherries. It’s light to medium-bodied, perfumed and elegant with a gentle, grainy frame and fantastic juicy freshness to lift the finish. This feels youthfully closed or like I got it on an off day, so my score may look conservative later. 475 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Dark ruby with soft purple highlights, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has an impactful and precise nose of juicy plum, dark cherry and blackberry essence that waft with elegant French oak tones of vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom. Medium to full-bodied, the wine has a succulent mouthfeel with oak flavors that bind effortlessly to juicy, plump and dark blackberry essence with subtle flavors of dried herbs and bitter dark chocolate. With a long, drawn-out finish, the wine displays all of its complexities as it lingers on the palate with persistence and a tannic grip. This wine is about layers and texture. Give it a try!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPAlmost all Cabernet Sauvignon (there’s a splash of Merlot), the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla is a complex, classic effort from this estate that has lots of currant and blackberry fruit as well as medium body, a ripe, rounded texture, good tannins, and complex cedary, bouquet garni, and tobacco-laced aromas and flavors. It’s beautifully balanced and will continue drinking nicely for 15+ years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDFresh herb and flower aromas are out front, followed by notes of spice and plum. The palate is layered and restrained, with plenty of acidity and tannic structure supporting it all. It’s far from a big bruiser, but this is serious Cabernet, with impeccable balance.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEFull, dark red. Cool aromas of redcurrant, tobacco leaf, licorice, black pepper and menthol. Very suave and smooth on entry, then pure but reticent in the middle palate, conveying subtle salinity to the flavors of dark berries, soil, graphite and licorice. No easy sweetness here! This classically dry, Old World-style Cabernet is still a bit cool and laid-back but should evolve gracefully. Finishes with firm but fine-grained tannins and subtle savory grip. But not quite the depth for an even higher rating.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 2017 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru has more mineralité on the nose compared directly to the Sécher, attractive orange blossom and canned apricot scents emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with a tang of ginger on the entry, showing impressive weight and a taut, linear, quite persistent finish. This is excellent, fulfilling the potential it showed back in June.Vinous Media | 92 VMBeautiful aromas of wet stones and limes, as well as grapefruit. The palate has a very succulent and attractive feel with lithe and linear acidity as a feature. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSAs usual, the 2017 Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu is the most blocky and broad-shouldered of the domaine’s premiers crus, revealing notes of smoky citrus oil, white flowers and oyster shell, followed by a medium to full-bodied, powerful palate that’s still youthfully firm, balanced by tangy acids and concluding with a distinctly saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP(Maison Joseph Drouhin Chablis "Mont de Milieu" 1er Cru White) A distinct whiff of the exotic can be found on the layered and riper nose that combines notes of apricot, white peach, lychee and hint of tidal pool. Once again there is plenty of citrus influence to the bigger and richer medium-bodied flavors that possess good muscle and punch, all wrapped in an impressively powerful, long and serious finale. This youthfully austere effort is clearly built-to-age and is going to need at least some forbearance. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 91 BH(Chablis “Mont de Milieu”- Domaine Drouhin Vaudon) Mont de Milieu is on the Right Bank in Chablis and this sector was far more severely hit by the late April frosts than was the case across the Yonne, so yields here are decidedly lower than was the case with the estate’s Sécher, Montmains or Vaillons. The wine is more forward out of the blocks in 2017 than the Sécher, offering up a precise and inviting bouquet of lemon, green apple, limestone soil tones, spring flowers and a topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with a bright, but easy-going structural chassis, fine mid-palate depth and a long, bouncy and complex finish. This is already very tasty, but seems to have the balance to age quite well, despite not being particularly steely in terms of acidity. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 91 JGA lift of citrus on the nose of this wine immediately sets a bright, fresh accent. The palate comes in with ripe, fresh Mirabelle abundance that enjoys the definition and texture reminiscent of white citrus pith. This wine focuses on fruit but manages to stay toned and defined. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

A rich style, this white features lemon, peach and spice flavors, all backed by bright acidity. Balanced, leaving a chalky, even tannic impression on the long finish. Best from 2021 through 2029. 30 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSIf you like bold dry whites, then try this. Quite a tannic white Burgundy, but with richness that has a very positive impact on the wine. Plenty of citrus, plus some hazelnut and chalky character. Some real drive at the finish that promises a long life. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSIt’s always interesting to compare and contrast Albert Bichot’s Clos des Mouches white with the one from Joseph Drouhin, as this comes from a slightly higher parcel on the slope. The oak is a little more clamorous here and needs more time to integrate, but this is tauter and crunchier with a little less in terms of mid-palate weight. Drinking Window 2020 - 2024.Decanter | 92 DEC(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Beaune "Clos des Mouches" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral nose offers up notes of pearl, apple and citrus where the latter can also be found on the round, delicious and once again generously proportioned medium-bodied flavors that deliver perfectly good if not truly distinguished depth though I do like the length. Note that my rating once again offers the benefit of the doubt that more complexity will develop if this is allowed a few years of cellar time. (Drink starting 2022)Burghound | 90 BH

The 2017 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, inviting wine. Pliant fruit and soft contours give the 2017 so much immediacy and appeal. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry while spice, new leather and sweet pipe tobacco infuse the 2017 with tremendous character. The 2017 is such a beautiful and inviting wine. It was fermented in concrete and aged in oak for 18 months. Wow!Antonio Galloni | 93 AGRich cherries and berries on the nose with hints of fresh oak and sage-like herbs, following through to a fullish palate with plump fruit, quite firm tannins and a bright mineral finish. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best after 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSLe Cinciole’s latest release, the 2017 offers tremendous freshness with beautiful restraint. After ageing for one year in 20hL French oak, this refines for a further 12 months in cement before bottling. It is slightly wilder and decidedly darker in its nuances than the 2016, with enticing lavender, black cherry, liquorice and a touch of leather. The palate is fairly dense, with appropriately grippy tannins lending support. It leaves the mouth clean, refreshed and satisfied. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DECMade with organically farmed Sangiovese, this opens with subtle aromas of black-skinned berry, scorched earth and cooking spice. The savory palate offers black cherry, clove and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE