Wine Varietals

wines

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

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

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

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

Aromas of guava, dried lemon zest and pear skin with hints of cedar and crushed flint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with tangy acidity. Flavorful and concentrated with a smooth, waxy texture. Mineral finish. Second wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

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

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

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

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

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

Deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena offers tones of cassis and blueberries, with slowly emerging accents of dark chocolate, aniseed, vanilla and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, it has lush fruits, a plush, rounded frame and bursts of fresh acidity highlighting its spicy accents on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is racy and expressive in the glass. Super-ripe red raspberry, spice, vanillin and a hint of chocolate add a pretty touch of flamboyance to this open-knit, silky Cabernet Sauvignon. Supple and inviting, with no hard edges, the 2018 will drink well right out of the gate. Best of all the 2018 is a fabulous value.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGNicely packed with plum, currant and blackberry purée flavors laced with black licorice and framed by a perfectly integrated alder note. Flash of sweet bay in the background, too. Drink now through 2026. 1,575 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSWith a sumptuously inviting nose of nutmeg, clove and dark chocolate, this rich wine is blended with 14% Malbec and 2% Merlot. Dusty texture gives in to a core of soft, supple tannins that melt on the palate, finishing with length and breadth.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA very rich, opulent nose with aromas of sandalwood, nougat and grilled plum. It’s full-bodied with a firm tannin structure. Stewed fruit flavors lead to a warm, toffee and chocolate-infused finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSThe base appellation 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley checks in as 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, and the rest Petit Verdot. Solid mulberry and blackberry fruits as well as ample earthy tobacco and leather notes emerge from the glass, and it’s medium-bodied, with a rounded, elegant texture and ripe, polished tannins. I don’t think it’s going to make old bones, but it should deliver the goods for at least 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Blackcurrant, bitter-chocolate, dried-lavender and graphite aromas. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Tight and mineral at the moment. Really well-crafted. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSConsiderable renovation work is beginning to pay off in the quality of this latest vintage from this estate. The wine has depth, concentration, dark-chocolate flavors, rich tannins and equally rich blackberry fruits. With its high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon,the wine is set for aging and will not be ready before 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEOwned by Jacky Lorenzetti, a brilliant-quality estate on largely gravel soils that is always worth seeking out. There are chewy and powerful tannins that will hold the fruit well over the next decade at least. A yield of 48hl/ha, with ageing in 35% new oak with some 400-litre barrels. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Lilian Ladouys is showing nicely now that the wine is in bottle. It has a riper bouquet compared to, say, the Calon-Ségur, more lush – a 2018 with wider appeal, featuring blueberry and cassis scents that soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that disguise the backbone of this Saint-Estèphe. It is not the most powerful Lilian Ladouys in recent years, safeguarding its linearity and strictness all the way through to the finish. But it conveys a sense of classicism and has abundant freshness that should see it age well over the next two decades. Vinous Media | 92 VMA year-in, year-out value, the 2018 Château Lilian Ladouys checks in as 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that was brought up in 35% new oak. Jammy blueberries, ripe cherries, damp earth, tobacco, and spicy wood notes define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a plump, rounded texture, opulent aromas and flavors, and a great finish. (Drink between 2021-2036)Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDIn 2018, the Lorenzetti family purchased two neighbor estates, Château Clauzet and Château Tour de Pez, adding these to the Lilian Ladouys vineyard to almost double its planted area to 77 hectares. These additional vineyards are composed of gravelly soils of the same level as the best blocks of Lilian Ladouys. Soils are a typically Saint-Estèphe mix of sandy-gravel and clay with some limestone deposits. It is planted at 8,500-10,000 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 35 years in 2018. The wine will see 12 months aging in 35% new and 65% two-year-old barriques. The blend is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, and it has 14.41% alcohol. From the lieu-dit Blanquet and with a deep purple-black color, the 2018 Lilian Ladouys gives up wonderfully spicy black fruit preserves notions: plum preserves, crème de cassis and blueberry with hints of exotic spices, menthol and violets. Medium to full-bodied, firm and fine-grained in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of rich, spicy black fruits with a lift to the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThis has a nice winey core of steeped red and black currant fruit laced with bay, charcoal, savory and olive notes. The fruit keeps pace through the mineral-edged finish, with a late tug of dark earth. Solid, if just slightly on the rustic side of the stylistic ledger. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2031. 28,300 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Aromas of blackberries, dried lavender, black olives, tobacco, herbs and some smoked meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Layered and concentrated with a sleek, savory finish. 85% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 3% malbec. Better from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSComing from the talented Thienpont team, the 2018 Château Puygueraud is a juicy, up-front, undeniably delicious 2018 offering lots of perfumed, floral, and violet notes, sumptuous blue fruits, medium-bodied richness, and a juicy, balanced, lengthy style that keeps you coming back to the glass. The balance is spot on, as is the purity of fruit, and it’s ideal for enjoying any time over the coming decade. The blend is 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is great stuff and highly drinkable with a wonderful richness on the nose and palate. It’s pretty fierce in fact and has real impact with the austerity of the mid palate quickly filled out by rich sweet black cherry fruit and a deeply spiced finish. The harvest took place between 24 September and 5 October. (Drink between 2021-2028)Decanter | 92 DEC

Moving to the 2018s, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard (previously released as just a Cabernet Sauvignon and not a vineyard designate) is pure magic, and lovers of classic Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon should snatch up bottles. Showing the vintage’s more elegant, classic, almost reserved style, it reminds me of a great vintage of Pontet Canet with its deep black and blue fruits, mineral, chocolate, tobacco, and lead pencil aromas and flavors. Beautifully textured, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, it’s one for the ages. Hide bottles for a solid 7-8 years, and it should keep for 30+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA powerful, resonant wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard is every bit as impressive as it was last year. A whole range of floral and savory notes lend aromatic intensity. Today, the 2018 is backward and brooding, although time in the glass reveals a complex wine with a very bright future. Sage, tobacco, licorice, menthol and dried herbs are laced throughout a core of dark, plush fruit. The 2018 is stunning. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard was aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it features beautifully expressive notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked plums with a fragrant, earthy undercurrent and waft of tar. The palate is full-bodied and chock-full of densely laden black fruits, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, giving a long, savory finish. 264 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Showing consistently to last year, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a rich, powerful white that does everything right. Coming from a single parcel of very old Roussanne and aged in 50% new oak, it offers a stunning bouquet of honeyed pineapple and stone fruits as well as notes white flowers, green almonds, honeycomb, and a kiss of toasted bread. It’s rich yet also fresh, has flawless balance, and a great finish. It’s geared for the dinner table and should evolve for another decade or more. It’s stunning white and one of the finest examples of Roussanne out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRipe and enticing, featuring creamed melon and yellow apple flavors, laced with nectarine, heather, ginger and warm brioche notes. The long and opulent finish sails through beautifully. A hedonist’s delight. Drink now through 2022. 28 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSSourced entirely from a single vineyard of limestone soil, this varietal Roussanne offers bold white melon and apple flavors swathed in honey, vanilla cream and spice. Fermented and matured en barrique (50% new), it’s an unctuous, waxy sip etched by lingering woody tones. Flamboyant in its youth, but it should gain elegance through the next decade and beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne is a not-so-subtle dark straw in hue, with obvious toast and honeyed aromas alongside hints of mocha and malt. All barrel-fermented and aged, it’s fleshed out on the full-bodied, velvety-textured palate by flavors of tangerine and pineapple, which show remarkable freshness and verve on the lingering finish. In one of my notes on this wine, I actually wrote the word "long" three times. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

The 2018 D’Alceo is a wild, exotic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot come together in a wine that is sumptuous, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, sage, mint, lavender and chocolate are some of the many notes that take shape. The 2018 was fermented in cement then aged 12 months in a combination of 500L tonneaux and barriques. This really blooms with time.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGLots of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Lots of black licorice, aniseed and light asphalt. Lead pencil, too. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS

This is extremely expressive on the nose, rich, nuanced cherry and raspberry aromas, some delicate perfume with rose, caramel and cola - such beautiful aromatics. A crystalline texture and purity of flavour on the palate full of ripe fruits - really a heady mix of juicy red fruits, cherries and strawberries but given grip by plump, plush, vibrant fruity textured tannins that really coat the mouth, silky, then velvety - totally abundant but the whole palate remains lifted with such freshness. Acidity is there but so is this cooling, liquorice, mint aspect with soft wood spice and toasty caramel notes. A mix of linearity and aerial delicacy while being so rich and fruity. Delicious. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2045Decanter | 96 DECForest berries, underbrush, rose and menthol aromas lead the nose along with a potpourri of varied spices. Hailing from La Morra in one of the denomination’s top sites, the palate is a stunning combination of structure and finesse, delivering small red berries, baking spices and the vineyard’s iconic minty accents framed in silky tannins. Licorice notes lingers on the finish. Drink 2025–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe Michele Chiarlo 2018 Barolo Cerequio opens to a pretty lacework of aromas with smaller berry fruits, crushed stone, rusty nail, pressed lilac or blue flower and a dusting of spicy licorice powder. The bouquet is vertical and tight, leading to a very precise succession of varietal tones that flavor the wine’s polished finish. The Cerequio has ample power as well, with etched tannins that grip this Nebbiolo firmly to the palate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis red reveals enticing cherry and berry flavors, along with floral and underbrush notes, all underlined by a mineral element and firm, well-integrated tannins. Supple in texture and lingers with an aftertaste echoing cherry and strawberry fruit. Best from 2026 through 2043. 1,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSNice mix of deep, ripe red fruit and oaky spice. Medium-to full-bodied with a robust framework of tannin and a richly spiced, fruity finish. Needs time to integrate, but there’s a solid core to this. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Barolo Cerequio is an attractive mid-weight wine. Dark red/cherry plum fruit, mocha, leather, spice and incense all grace this supple, silky Barolo. There’s lovely creaminess and plenty of allure in this tasty Barolo from Michele Chiarlo.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

The 2018 Pym-Rae can be thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2016 and 2017, with more sexiness and opulence than the 2017 and a touch more elegance and precision than the 2016. Wonderful cassis, violets, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate notes define this beauty, and it’s full-bodied, with a gorgeous sense of elegance and purity, perfect tannins, and an incredible finish. This stunningly majestic, flawlessly balanced Mountain Cabernet already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and it should be a 50-year wine. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2018 Pym-Rae reveals a deep garnet-purple color and a slightly reticent, slowly emerging nose of freshly crushed blackcurrants, ripe blackberries and wild blueberries with suggestions of garrigue, red currant jelly, mossy tree bark and truffles plus wafts of bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper. The palate is full-bodied and fantastically concentrated with tightly wound layers of black and red berry notions, framed by very firm yet beautifully ripe tannins and amazing tension, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis is extremely aromatic with blackberries, black pepper and spice. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with very tight, fine tannins and a racy, refined finish. Raspberries and currants at the end. Very fine and polished. The center fruit is so pure. Aged in 60% new wood barrels and 40% concrete. Drink in 2023 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JS

Blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors with some conifer and stone. Full-to medium-bodied with firm, dusty tannins that are fine and intense. Clarity to this wine. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Quella is rich, ample and beautifully resonant in the glass. There’s terrific depth here and tons of class. Blood orange, game, licorice, tobacco, lavender and dried herbs give the Quella beguiling aromatic presence to play off its muscular, brooding personality. The 2018 needs a few years to soften, but it is already compelling, to say the least.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGFirst made in 2006 and coming from more sandy, coarser soils, the 2018 Quella is incredibly exotic, with red and black fruits, wildflowers, sandalwood, candied violets, and flowery incense notes as well as medium to full body, a layered, ultra-fine, pure mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a great finish. It’s incredibly elegant and polished in 2018, with a chalky minerality as well as gorgeous complexity and length. It’s another 2018 that has plenty of up-front charm and accessibility yet is going to age gorgeously for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBoasts black currant, fig and loganberry fruit flavors that are tightly packed yet nicely expressive already, while the backdrop of signed alder, juniper, bay leaf and warm loam adds extra dimension and length through the finish. Not shy on power, but everything is in proportion. Best from 2024 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA barrel sample, the 2018 Quella has a deep garnet-purple color and opens with the most gorgeous perfume of violets, red and black plums, Morello cherries and cassis plus hints of iron ore and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lovely energy and tension, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing with beautiful purity.Quella comes from a steep, southwest-facing vineyard in the eastern Vaca hillsides, just up from Joseph Phelps’s winery and Denali Estate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP

The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGAlluring violet, black currant and black cherry fruit introduces this seductive red, with firm, pointed tannins and vivid acidity providing structure as this glides to a lingering, detailed finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2037. 750 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA wine with depth and a center palate of pure, ripe fruit. Raspberries and blueberries galore. Ripe and polished tannins. Solid finish.James Suckling | 93-94 JS

Wild-strawberry, blackberry and blueberry aromas with some spices and herbs. It’s full-bodied with a balance of firm yet elegant tannins. The savory mid-palate leads to a clean finale with serious length. Hard not to drink this now, but it needs four or five years to show its true excellence. Second wine of Angelus. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Le Carillon d’Angélus is silky, pliant and wonderfully expressive. Dark red cherry fruit, mocha, cedar and dried flowers all flesh out. The Carillon benefits immensely from air, which really brings out its aromatic presence and layers. Silky tannins wrap around the finish. This is such a pretty wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMI loved the 2018 Carillon D’Angélus. This Merlot-dominated blend (there’s 15% Cabernet Franc) offers a healthy ruby/purple color as well as a complex, smoky bouquet of ripe black fruits, graphite, tobacco, and a kiss of earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, it has a sexy, seamless texture, polished tannins, and the class to drink nicely for 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDLifted and spicy on the nose with a splash of dark fruit, the wine affirms its style with freshness, clean lines and a lightness of touch. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of depth and the tannins have been finely worked, the 60% new oak well integrated. It has early appeal but will age. Produced from fruit from three separate parcels: close to Angélus, behind Figeac and at St-Christophe-des-Bardes.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECComposed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Le Carillon d’Angélus rolls out of the glass with upfront notions of baked plums, stewed black cherries and raspberry pie, plus suggestions of potpourri, Chinese five spice, tilled soil and tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate is generous and spicy, supported by soft tannins and just enough freshness, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPBright tobacco and herb notes sparkle out front until the black currant and blackberry compote flavors catch up. The solidly grippy finish shows a dark, slightly brooding profile. Distinctive. Merlot and Cabernet FrancWine Spectator | 90-93 WS

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

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

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

As always, the 2018 Absurd is a cellar selection of what the estate thinks is the absolute best they can do in the vintage, and in this reviewer’s opinion, they succeed brilliantly. (I’ve rated four of the five vintages I’ve tasted 100 points.) The 2018 reveals a dense purple/blue color to go with a monster bouquet of blackcurrants, scorched earth/burning embers, tobacco, lead pencil shavings, chocolate, and gravelly earth. I’ve often compared this wine to a great Pessac from Bordeaux given its incredible minerality and cold fireplace-like nuances, and the 2018 has these in spades. Concentrated, full-bodied, and built like a skyscraper, it builds beautifully with time in the glass and has incredible purity, silky, polished tannins, and a dense, layered mid-palate. As with the majority of Realm’s 2018s, the cellar is going to be your friend, since this needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age, but it will be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to winemaker Benoit Touquette and the entire team at Realm for yet another magical, legendary wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2018 The Absurd—the estate’s über-blend of the best elements from the vintage—displays a deep garnet-purple color, offering alluring notes of baked plums, crème de cassis and boysenberries with suggestions of chocolate box, aniseed, iron ore and candied violets plus a perfumed hint of Indian spices. The full-bodied palate is an exercise in decadence, coating the mouth in black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, supported by velvety tannins and beautifully integrated freshness, finishing epically long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP