Wine Varietals

wines

The 2021 Malbec Jardin de Hormigas Meteora originates from Paraje Altamira and was aged for 12 months in concrete vessels. Purple in hue. The subtle, nuanced nose features violet, sage and fennel notes alongside plum and blackberry. It has a dry, lean, chalky texture with an athletic, focused profile in which the energy and mouthfeel enhance the light-footed character. The 2021 is a modern, beautifully sculpted red.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2021 Viñedo Chadwick fermented in stainless steel and troncoconic concrete vats, spent some 10 months in barrique, and then part of the wine (some 20%) was sent to the Stockinger foudres. The nose is reminiscent of a super elegant and sleek Bordeaux, pure and clean, less balsamic than in previous years and less herbal. It’s perfumed and floral, precise, fresh and elegant, with very fine tannins, and despite the grape, it is more Pomerol than Graves, with 14% alcohol on the label but without any heat at all. It’s velvety and luxurious, juicy and tasty, with fine-grained chalky tannins and the elegant stoniness that the best Maipos are capable of. It has structure and power, like the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. This has to be the finest vintage for Chadwick; the wine made my heart beat faster—it’s a wine of emotion. This is also my first 100-point wine from Chile! The final blend contains around 3% Petit Verdot from vines planted in 2005. There are some 10,000 bottles of this, and it was all bottled all at once on January 31, 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPBeautiful nose with lots of currants, red cherries, flowers, roasted chili and dark chocolate. A fine hint of balsamic. More red fruit than black fruit here with bright cherries and a hint of cigar box. Really even on the palate, with a medium to full body and effortless tannins -- plentiful and silky. Extremely fine-grained and long. Very young but the superb freshness and the tannin quality of this vintage makes you think this is already drinkable. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Viñedo Chadwick is a Cabernet Sauvignon with a dash of Petit Verdot (3%) from Puente Alto, Maipo. It was aged for 22 months, 80% in new French oak barrels and 20% in foudres. The mild summer in the area helped to sculpt the vivid, nuanced aromatic profile: crystal clear blackcurrant notes with sour cherry and raspberry layers plus hints of pepper over a faint cigar box bed. Silky and dry in the mouth, the finely tuned Maipo tannins and refreshing acidity from the cool year make for a long-lasting, complex wine. A Bordeaux-inspired red that enjoyed the very Bordelaise weather in the region this year.Vinous Media | 98 VMThe moderately cool 2021 growing season gave a long, even ripening that preserved the acidity and gives this wine elegance and finesse. This smells wonderful, full of chocolate, salted caramel, vanilla, fragrant blackcurrants, roses and raspberries - simply gorgeous. Crunchy and chewy, the best combination of being fully flavoured and densely textured with high, mouthwatering acidity that lifts the mouthfeel and creates such a joyful expression. Direct and focussed, this doesn’t deviate too much from the centre of the palate, but it has energy and drive with a soft expansions of dried herbs, flowers and ripe berries. It’s more the texture and the finish that leaves such an impression - you just want another sip straight away, with cool refreshing mint, tobacco and liquorice spice adding the nuance on the persistent finish. Utterly sublime. Ageing 22 months, 80% in new French oak barrels, 20% in foudres.Decanter | 98 DECA rich, slightly muscular red, built around espresso, pepper and baking spice nuances, with concentrated blackberry and cassis flavors that benefit from fresh acidity. Echoes the flavors on the finish around notes of ganache and fine tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2033. 800 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The organic 2021 Chianti Classico Rubiolo is an excellent value wine with 35,000 bottles released. The wine is all Sangiovese sourced from three sites in Castellina, Panzano and Badia a Passignano. The wine delivers a dark ruby color, and although the aromatic intensity is measured, there are delicately perfumed tones of cherry, raspberry and blood orange that feel punchy and bright. You also get pretty floral tones.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPAromas of ripe red fruit, licorice, spices and pink peppercorns. Medium- to full-bodied, juicy and tense with vivid acidity and polished tannins. Hints of walnuts and savory herbs at the end. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Stunning aromatics lift from the 2021 Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills, which pours a jeweled ruby and offers a mix of red and black fruits, an amazing floral perfume, pine, and crushed stones, all well-interwoven. Seamless on the palate, this medium to full-bodied red has a silky mineral texture, with velvety tannins and gorgeous concentration throughout. With long-lasting energy and outstanding purity, it’s hard to resist now and feels as though it will last for the next 15 or more years. This is one of the best wines I have ever tasted from Mimi Casteel.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JD

The 2021 EE Red Wine is ripe and powerful, with smoky red and black fruits as well as lots of background oak, graphite, espresso, and dark chocolate-like aromas and flavors that develop beautifully with time in the glass. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has plenty of background oak, the building tannins of the vintage, and a great finish. A gorgeous wine, it will benefit from 3-4 years in the cellar and evolve for 25-30 years in cold cellars. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard offers up a wonderful range of dark fruit—black cherries, cassis and blackberries—couched in hints of dark chocolate. Like almost all the Bevan wines, it’s full-bodied, richly concentrated and velvety in texture. This one finishes long, with a mocha and cocoa-stained finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2021 Red Blend EE is one of the more overt wines in the range. Super-ripe red cherry, blackberry, chocolate, spice, gravel and licorice are all amplified in this heady, exotic Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend. The 2021 is a powerhouse.Vinous Media | 93-96 VM

An exuberantly fresh nose of spicy purple fruit, exotic tea, violet and hints of cinnamon and sandalwood are trimmed in discreet but not invisible wood. There is both good richness and punch to the supple medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a lightly austere but impressively long and harmonious finale. This could use better depth but like the VRBM, the Rouget Ech has an excellent track record for aging well.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2021 Vosne-Romanée Village is perfumed, floral and pure on the nose with wilted violet petals infusing the red fruit - très Vosne. The palate is silky smooth with a fine body. This sample is taken from a new barrel so it has some François Frères imprint on the finish, but there is appreciable focus and length.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMThis particular sample was pulled from a new barrel and not surprisingly, the wood influence was generous on the aromas of black raspberry, plum, exotic tea and star anise. The sleek and vibrant flavors are also not especially dense, but they do possess a more sophisticated texture while exhibiting very good length on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This too should be relatively approachable young if you don’t wish to wait.Burghound | 89-91 BH

Dusty, floral and impossible to ignore, the 2021 Rosso di Montalcino lifts from the glass with a gorgeous bouquet of rose petals, dried cherries and autumnal spice. Silky yet pure and lifted, it flows across the palate with a tactile blend of red wild berries and minerals. The 2021 takes on a saline tinge while finishing long and staining, leaving a coating of fine tannins that promise many years of positive evolution. This is a massive success for the vintage.Vinous Media | 93 VMThese wines from Voliero are expressive of their southern locale. The 2021 Rosso Di Montalcino is fresh with sun-ripened herbs, tobacco, and perfectly ripe red plum, and on the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, with a core of fleshy fruit, ripe tannins, and a structured finish that never turns bitter. A lovely wine with a lot to offer, it will be great to drink over the next 5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

A rich purple in color, the 2021 Barbera D’Alba Pre-Phylloxera comes from 130-year-old vines from a single cask. It is expansive aromatically, with a perfume that offers more spice in its notes of black pepper, blackcurrant liqueur, and lavender, giving it an almost Syrah-like character. A very special wine, it fills the palate with plummy fruit and cleans up with dark minerals. Full-bodied without being weighted, this is a wine with more aging potential, although it is outstanding now. Drink 2023-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFrom one of the oldest vineyards in Italy, and one of the very few in all of Europe that survived Phylloxera, the remarkable Cogno 2021 Barbera d’Alba Pre-Phylloxera offers a rare glimpse of what wines made on their original rootstock can offer. Hailing from a small plot of vines well over one hundred years old, it has balsamic aromas of camphor and new leather that mingle with ripe dark-skinned fruit, violet and tobacco. Full-bodied and boasting a weightless concentration, the savory palate delivers ripe black cherry, blood orange, white pepper and licorice alongside enveloping, refined tannins. Thanks to vines planted 520m above sea level, it also boasts vibrant acidity and energy. What a fantastic wine. Drink or hold through 2031. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOElvio Cogno produce just 1,800 bottles annually of this Barbera d’Alba, made from 0.25ha of 140-year-old vines in Berri near La Morra, on chalky, sandy soils. Like the ‘standard’ Barbera d’Alba, it’s vinified in stainless steel and aged in Slavonian oak casks for 12 months, yet here the result is more complex and more concentrated: pure hedgerow berry and violet scents adorn a palate full of sweet, ripe black cherry, with notes of cream, coffee and tar in the background. The finish is long and freshly balsamic, carrying more of that gorgeous violet-infused fruit.Decanter | 94 DEC

An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork’s pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink:2024-2060.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse.Vinous Media | 99 VM

The 2021 Barbera d’Asti La Crena is exceptional. Bright, red-toned fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper and rose petal are all beautifully delineated. In recent times Vietti has focused more on freshness in their Barberas, and that is especially evident in La Crena—a wine that used to be very dark and heavy but is far from that today. Clean, mineral notes extend the vibrant finish. Give this a few years to develop the full range of its aromatic breadth. What a wine!Vinous Media | 96 VMAlthough best known for its Barolos, Vietti (now part of the US Krause Group) also releases a number of different Barberas. La Crena is from a 6ha site near the commune of Agliano Terme in the Nizza area. The vineyard, purchased in 1995, was planted in 1932. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel and the wine then spends 18 months in a combination of steel, large casks and barriques before bottling. Stephen Brook: Opulent nose, with dark fruits tempered with some stylish oak. Suave and juicy, fine texture, balanced by firm acidity, which gives some spice and flair to the finish. Vincenzo Arnese: Candied aromas of Morello cherry and wild strawberry, very expressive. Bold palate with robust tannins; time will smooth it, yet quite rich and pleasant. Sara Bachiorri: Cherry and juniper berry nose. Nice concentration, with intense Maraschino flavours and a touch of liquorice stick.Decanter | 95 DEC

Lastly, the 2021 The Bard checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. This beauty has a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, chalky minerality, and violets. This carries to a full-bodied, seamless, silky, flawlessly balanced effort revealing fine tannins, a good sense of freshness, and a thrilling finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDAfter sampling 86 wines over a two-day marathon tasting with Realm Cellars co-owners Scott Becker and winemaker Benoit Touquette, I had no doubt that one would make my top 10 list of the year. It would be The Bard, which will be available beginning in 2024. It is a very giving wine that promises great rewards for long-term cellaring and is enjoyable three full nights in a row, never losing its zeal if having one great glass each night is your prerogative. Power and muscle frame the core of this towering red, with its red-toned fruits and rich, toasty oak spices nuanced by bay Laurel and pastis. Full-bodied with tremendous decadence of chocolaty tannins that are pliant and billowy, lifted by supple blackberry and black raspberry fruit, a drizzle of cherry coulis, and resolving with refined tobacco, cedar wood spices, and laced with coriander and cumin aromatics. It has a satisfyingly rich finish. Number five of my top 10 wines of 2023.Decanter | 97 DECThe purity of fruit here is impressive with blackcurrants, bark and black mushrooms. Full-bodied but light-footed and fresh with integrated tannins that melt into the wine. Real transparency and focus. 83% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, 6% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot and 1% petite sirah. So drinkable but can age as well.James Suckling | 97 JSA blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Petite Sirah, the fruit for the 2021 The Bard comes from sites across the valley, including some estate fruit and some sourced fruit. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shoots from the glass with vibrant notions of crushed black currants, red currant jelly, black raspberries, and pencil shavings, giving way to notes of lilacs, dark chocolate, and a waft of spearmint. The full-bodied palate is firm with ripe, fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone framing the tightly wound red, black, and blue fruit flavors, finishing with great length and a real skip in its step.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIThe 2021 The Bard is fabulous. Rich, ample and beautifully resonant, the 2021 offers up generous dark red cherry/plum fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice, spice, menthol and pipe tobacco. Full-bodied and voluptuous, the 2021 flaunts tons of flavor intensity and vibrancy. It’s a gorgeous wine, especially considering it is the largest-production wine at Realm.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The appellation 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, and smaller portions of Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. It’s another fabulous wine from this estate, offering pure cr me de cassis, classy oak, new leather, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, plush, integrated tannin, and the vintage’s fresher, focused style, it tastes like it costs three times the price. Drink bottles over the coming decades. Bravo.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAromas of ripe blackcurrants, dried raspberries, spices, cedar and bark. Full-bodied with a mellow, fruit-forward character and creamy texture to the tannins. Delicious and smooth with a velvety finish. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon deftly balances hints of vanilla and cedary oak against notes of ripe cherries and cassis. While not overly complex, it’s harmonious and supple, a medium to full-bodied wine that will complement a meal rather than overpower it, yet it still has ample concentration, richness and depth. Drink it over the next 10 - 15 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Here it is: A quintessential Sassicaia that represents the excellence of the vintage and also respects the unique taste profile of this distinguished Tuscan blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia offers impeccable balance, excellent freshness and absolutely no signs of over-ripeness. The fruit balance is ideal with a hint of crunch and lasting tension from pulp and skins. The tannins are deftly managed with firm grip and enough velvetiness to add volume and length. There is no greenness on the bouquet that instead offers mulled herbs and spice, with cinnamon and clove, layered delicately between mostly red and some purple berry fruits. Redcurrant, blueberry, sweet pomegranate and Rainier cherry run strong in this vintage. A fragrant hint of heritage rose emerges with time. The oak tones are geared toward gingerbread, hazelnut, cigar, sandalwood and something like a grilled sweet red pepper. To the palate, it offers nice weight with no heavy glycerin, and a rinse of acidity that adds to the wine’s natural energy, brightness and viscosity. That marked freshness opens the wine up to long aging potential, but you still need to give it more time in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPAnother great vintage in Tuscany, following a run of exceptional years, and as you might exect from this estate, we are here right at the top of what the vintage has produced. Expect to find softly grilled and smoked campfire notes on the opening, unrolling over ripe brambled berries, overlaid with incense, tobacco, sweetened red pepper, orange zest, liqourice and lavender. Sassicaia is a wine with a slow, gentle reveal, with a slate texture that highlights the subtle minerality and drawn out finish. My tastebuds are totally fired up, mouth watering, this is an active experience, you are engaged and wanting to lean in what happens next. Such clever winemaking, reflecting an exceptional terroir. Jane Anson | 100 JAIn 2021, ‘we had a nicely paced harvest... surely a very fortunate vintage for us, for Bolgheri,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta at the launch in London of the 2021 vintage of Sassicaia. Welcome rain in mid-August came at just the right time to save the harvest, and production ended up being slightly higher than in 2020. Around eight to 10 separate vinifications were made, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and spontaneous malo. The wines were racked to second- and third-use barriques in December 2021, then racked into a mixture of new and used barriques in March 2022. The last step was to make the final blend in stainless tanks, where the wine underwent micro-oxygenation before bottling and further maturation in bottle. Rich dark fruit and herb aromatics are pockmarked by blueberry and petrichor, leading into an intense and vertical palate that’s super-fresh with a delightful breezy, saline character. Textured, integrated tannins emphasise the refinement of Sassicaia, showing just a touch of youthful dustiness. Tangy, bright black, blue and red berry fruits overlay underlying hints of dark chocolate and forest undergrowth in a remarkably precise fashion, with pomegranate and a stony minerality surfacing on the mid-palate. 2021 demonstrates lovely sapidity of fruit along with that characteristic freshness and lightness of step, finishing long and poised. Superb. 99-100.Decanter | 99 DECThe gorgeous 2021 Sassicaia stuns with its class, extreme elegance, energy and depth. It’s remarkably fragrant, featuring enticing aromas of cassis, cedar blue flower, exotic spice and a whiff of sea breeze. The delicious palate is focused and loaded with finesse, delivering ripe raspberry, black currant, blood orange, star anise a hint of coffee bean accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity gives it racy tension and provides impeccable balance and serious aging potential. Drink 2029–2041. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2021 Sassicaia is one of the best young Sassicaias I can remember tasting, certainly on par with anything in recent memory. The preference here is picking on the earlier side relative to many neighboring properties, which is one of the reasons Sassicaia is always a wine of refinement more than opulence. At the same time, Sassicaia can be light. Not in 2021. All the elements came together during a long growing season to produce a rich, deep wine that marries textural intensity with classicism. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and spice all race across the palate. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s textural intensity and sheer power. The 2021 is one of the most concentrated Sassicaias on record. That allowed for long macerations, as long as 20 days for some Cabernets. Aging was 25 months in French oak barrels (95% French, 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian wood), 40% new, 40% once-used barrels and 20% in twice-used barrels. One of the recent developments here is some bâtonnage in aging, which is used to build texture. That approach worked well in 2021. In a word: magnificent.Vinous Media | 98+ VMVery classy and typical of Sassicaia with currant, tobacco, chocolate, sage and lavender on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied with very integrated and refined tannins that are caressing and pretty with a lovely length and beauty. Such finesse and structure at the same time. Best in 2028 and beyond but already joy to taste.James Suckling | 98 JS

The dense color and the perfumed aromas set the scene for a rich wine full of fruit. The balance is already there, complex with structure and dense juicy fruits. The wine is impressive.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEGorgeous fragrance on the nose, so perfumed and floral - really vibrant - you can smell the Cabernet and the Petit Verdot on the nose. Juiciness straight away from a burst of high acidity focussed on blackcurrant and black cherry with both a fragrance, spice and minerality following. This really hits you square on - it’s not opulent but it’s so fully flavoured, forward and upfront. Tannins are fine-grained but plentiful, they hold the structure and give the frame while the creaminess and freshness gives an expansive aspect to the palate. There’s refinement and an aerial quality here despite the clear Pauillac power. The Cabernet fruit is in full shine mode, giving a eucalyptus, perfumed berry and black pepper touch. Structured and supple with grape and terroir characteristics. If you love Pontet, and classic Pauillac claret, this is an impressive reference point. Skilled winemaking from technical director Mathieu Bessonet. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.Decanter | 95 DECPlenty of blackberry and blueberry with wet earth and crushed stone. Some spice,tobacco and lead pencil, too. It’s full-bodied with layered tannins and brightness. Fine and chewy at the end.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2021 Château Pontet-Canet is rock solid in the vintage and certainly shows the vibrant, vivid style of the estate today with its bright, exotic blue fruits, violets, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, I love its mid-palate density, it has notable freshness and purity, some chalky tannins, and outstanding length. The 2021 checks in as 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, and the aging consists of 50% in new barrels, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second-fill barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThe 2021 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep purple-black in color, it pops from the glass with vibrant blueberries, Morello cherries, and cassis scents, plus suggestions of violets, cinnamon stick, wet rocks, and forest floor with an exotic touch of cardamom. Medium-bodied, the palate has very finely grained tannins and well-poised freshness supporting the perfumed black fruits, leading to loads of minerally sparks on the finish of this very bright and shimmery wine. Harvest started on 24 September with Merlot, followed by the Cabernets and Petit Verdot on 4 October, and finished on 12 October. The wine is to be aged in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae, and 15% 1-year barrels.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWIThe 2021 Pontet-Canet is a soft, open-knit, attractive wine, but its light structure is impossible to look past. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol and licorice fill out the layers. The 2021 is a fairly accessible Pontet Canet that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Harvest took place from September 24 through October 12. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare.Vinous Media | 92 VMA nice, dark, winey offering, with steeped black cherry and black currant fruit melding nicely with warm earth, alder and cast iron accents through the focused finish. Shows grip and range, with barely any indication of the vintage’s skinny side. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 92 WSOffering up wild, exotic aromas of blackberries, cloves and Indian spices mingled with notions of rose petal, bruised orchard fruit and cherry pit that evolve rapidly in the glass, the 2021 Pontet-Canet is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a layered mid-palate and refined tannins that assert themselves on the firm, saline finish. Always one of the Médoc’s most singular, idiosyncratic wines, it will be interesting to see how it performs in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The 2021 Sideral is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Syrah, 9% Carménère, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc from Cachapoal Andes. 90% of it was aged for 16 months in barrels, a fifth of them new. A vivid purple hue. The aromas feature crystal clear blackberry and blackcurrant notes, mulberry, herbs and black tea over a bed of oak. In the mouth, the flavors are intense and juicy with grippy tannins before the languorous, fruity finish. This year’s more reductive style, thanks to the cold vintage, lays down an excellent marker for the future.Vinous Media | 95 VMVery fresh and fruit-expressive nose with a floral note and some herbs. Blue and red fruit. Pure and even on the palate with a medium to full body, showing excellent poise and balance. Fine-grained, structured tannins aplenty. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSInspired by the night skies above Cachapoal Valley – in Latin sideralis means constellation – this is a nicely balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenère, with dashes of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Lively, inviting aromas of spicy black berries and cherries. Vibrant red fruit attack gives way to a rich, concentrated palate with fine tannins, layered with plum, sour cherry, blackberries and dusty cassis notes on the finish. Will improve with age.Decanter | 93 DECThe nose displays notes of strawberry and vanilla cream. This blend is balanced and smooth on the palate, delivering a fair mix of red fruit and baking spices that linger through a delightful finish.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (90% from Champoux Vineyard and 10% from Mach One Vineyard) raised all in new barrels. It’s slightly deeper hued than the CVR and has a stunning nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, toasted spices, and graphite with a beautiful varietal, herbal undertone that comes through with time in the glass. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and velvety textured, this thrilling Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. This is unquestionably up with the greatest vintages of this cuvée ever made.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2021 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Quilceda Creek is once again another monumental release. It begins to impress with its striking perfumed aromas of ripe blackberries and dark currants, which are joined together with crushed violets, graphite, tobacco, and hints of licorice all developing in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous full body that is impeccably structured with beautifully polished tannins that result in an utterly seamless texture. This continues to impress with its excellent balance and concentration combined with remarkable overall power and finesse. There is a lovely touch of underlying acidity that ties it all together and provides a wonderful sense of freshness that carries it into the lavish finish. While this is already stunning in its youth, it is ultimately an age worthy wine which will go on to evolve for decades. Quilceda Creek sets the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon in Washington, and this is a clear example of why they have earned that reputation.International Wine Report | 100 IWRWith 90% of the grapes from Champoux Vineyard and 10% from Mach One Vineyard, this blend could have been labeled Horse Heaven Hills and is certainly no less a standout than the vineyard-designate bottlings. Mint, black fruit, cinnamon, sandalwood, blueberry and floral notes form a seamless whole, wrapped in beautifully integrated, fine tannins. Drink now but best from 2028.James Suckling | 98 JSAromatically stunning. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bombshell, opening with a mentholated freshness that gives way to sweet sage, sandalwood, lavender, white smoke and cinnamon-dusted currant. It’s elegant yet sincere, with silken textures and vibrant acidity that motivates its depths of dark red and black fruits, all complicated by hints of rosemary and spice. This finishes long and staining, with beautifully round tannins that present a structured yet not severe sensation. The 2021 tapers off long and unexpectedly fresh. This is a blend of 90% Champoux and 10% Mach One.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2021 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne marries the natural intensity of the year with the savory minerality typical of Asti. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice and crushed rocks all race out of the glass. This is another stellar wine from Vietti.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis shows notes of chocolate and hazelnuts with ripe wild berries and sweet spice undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with dusty tannins and a bitter chocolate character. Tense with a fruity finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS

Pure perfection from this talented team, the 2021 Estate Cuvee checks in as 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Petit Verdot that was raised in 80% new French oak. Absolutely incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, ground pepper, and graphite give way to a full-bodied red with a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and that rare mix of power and elegance that’s so hard to come by. It shows the pure, layered, elegant style of the vintage, and this beauty offers pleasure today yet will ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar, and it will evolve for two decades at a minimum.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2021 Estate Cuvée (a 20th-anniversary edition) is composed of 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot. Its aromas are highly complex and pure! Chocolate-covered cherry and crushed blueberry scents are complemented by wafts of thyme, sage, vanilla, dark spices and savory tones, plus soaring violet perfume. The full-bodied palate is polished and effortlessly balanced, offering powdery tannins, a bright spine of acidity and a tremendously long finish laced with spice and floral perfume. This elegant, expressive blend will be long lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPImmediately seductive and perfumed on the nose with aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, cassis, violets, cedar and plenty of sweet oak spices. It’s full-bodied with knit-tight tannins and a velvety texture. Spicy and vibrant with poise. Good vitality with a controlled power all along. Concentrated and full of energy with a generous, peppery and berry-loaded finish. 50% syrah, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 20% petit verdot. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe L’Aventure vineyard is one of the sources of quality fruit in Paso, and this wine is no exception. Aromas of dark, jammy fruit dominate, and the fruit on the palate is equally assertive, with healthy doses of cedar and spice. Tannins are muscular and powdery, which will aid in the ageability – a full-bodied, authoritative Paso wine with quality at the foundation.Decanter | 95 DEC

”This Garnacha is part of Zorzal’s series of terroir-focused wines. Coming from Fitero, a village at the base of the mountains in the south of Navarra that separate the region from La Rioja, the 40-year-old vines are grown at 520m on rocky soils on limestone and clay. The wine is defined by an elegant and precise structure but does not lack any intensity with blackberry fruit, black pepper and a little mint. With just enough tannic grip, it is profound yet full of energy and drive.Tim Atkin | 97 TAA longtime favorite of mine and still a bargain, the 2021 Malayeto is always one of the most elegant and finest wines from Zorzal. It comes from 2.39 hectares of vines that are now 43 years old, planted at 520 meters altitude on limestone-rich soils in the village of Fitero, on the same slope as their Corral de los Altos. It fermented in a combination of stainless steel and concrete and matured in 12 used 500-liter barrels and one 4,000-liter oak foudre for one year. It has 13.45% alcohol and is medium-bodied with great balance, finesse, freshness and acidity. It has good depth and a sense of good ripeness (riper than Corral de los Altos this year!). There is great consistency in this vineyard, and this wine is serious, precise and long. 13,300 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPMalayeto is Viña Zorzal’s single vineyard bottling of Garnacha, with these vines thirty-five years of age. The wine is fermented with native yeasts and raised for nine months in three hundred liter, used barrels, prior to racking into large foudres for a final two months of élevage. The 2021 Malayeto comes in at fourteen percent alcohol and delivers a lovely aromatic constellation of raspberries, fruitcake, pepper, chalky soil tones, garrigue, a nice touch of meatiness and a gentle topnote of distant bonfire. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and ripely tannic, with fine focus and grip, a good core of red fruit and soil, lovely balance and a long, youthfully complex finish. Unlike the regular bottle of Garnacha from Viña Zorzal, the Malayeto will need some time in the cellar to soften up its tannins a bit before it drinks with generosity. (Drink between 2031 - 2065)John Gilman | 91 JG

The purity of fruit is impressive in this wine with currants, orange peel, peaches and lemon in the nose and on the palate. Full-bodied yet compressed and agile. Flavorful finish. Reserved now, but if you give it a year or two it will really deliver. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSUltra fresh juicy cherries with more delicate aromas of violets and rose petals on the nose roll onto a palate rich with more cherries and berries balanced by earthy, astringent notes of soil, branches and roots and a finish of bitter cocoa and anise.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2021 Crognolo, 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot, is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It comes barreling out of the glass with notes of cherry compote, plum preserves, and unsmoked cigars, leading to touches of bay leaves and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is packed with savory accents to the black fruit flavors, supported by chewy tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing with great length.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe organic Tenuta Sette Ponti 2021 Crognolo is a mid-entry blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot that goes into oak for up to 14 months. Fruit is harvested from a historic clone of Sangiovese found on this estate. The wine shows dark concentration, certainly more than you’d expect from Sangiovese, with lots of cherry, spice and blue flower that ties directly into the Merlot. It offers a medium to full-bodied texture with fine, chalky tannins. This is a big release of 90,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis young red reveals all its components in the right place, yet needs time to integrate. Offers cherry, violet, earth, iron and mint flavors that give way to serious tannins on the strapping finish. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2036. 140,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSDried herbs, dark chocolate, olive tapenade and fragrant sun-kissed black fruit on the nose. Deep and wide, this has a lovely expansion in the mouth, super succulent but also sharp, tangy and tight with a piercing acidity and quite a tense, tannic structure. Lean and direct, focused with purity to the expression. Feels well worked, ample and precise, just super tight with black pepper and a menthol hit on the finish that is both fresh and spiced. Feels very herbal with lots of garrigue characteristics. I like the expression. Ageing 12-14 months in small barrels and six months in bottle before release.Decanter | 91 DECThe 2021 Crognolo is a gorgeous entry-level offering from Sette Ponti. A burst of red/purplish fruit, blood orange, spice and rose petals races across the palate, lifted by bright acids that confer energy. All the elements are very nicely balanced. This is such an inviting wine.Vinous Media | 90 VMNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

The 2021 Barbaresco is exquisite. Bright and delineated, with tons of energy, the 2021 bristles with saline-infused energy. Red berry fruit, blood orange, chalk, mint and white pepper lend tons of energy to this deceptively mid-weight, nervy young Barbaresco. Vineyard sites are Ovello, Cole and Loreto.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2021 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is a classic. Crushed flowers, salt, white pepper, rose petal and lavender race across the palate. Just bottled, the 2021 is quite nervous, but it conveys striking energy and translucent finesse. The aromatics alone are beguiling. All this needs is time. In other words, it is classic Montefico.Vinous Media | 97 VM

One of the legendary Dominus, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably in the same league as the 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2010, and 1991, and to my mind, wine simply doesn’t get any better. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, crushed stone, cedar pencil, smoke tobacco, and baking spices, it s rich, full-bodied, and voluptuously textured, with ripe yet building tannins. It reminds me slightly of the 2010 (maybe the 2013), and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, and it will evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Hats off to the team of Christian Moueix and director Tod Mostero.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDSuperbly aromatic, polished, and balanced. Tannins are plump, pliant, and extremely long, with a beautiful velvety quality. Ripe blackberry, spiced plums, and black cherry fruits are super-expressive and imbued with this spicebush note, which is a shrub bush that grows near the vineyard and, when crushed in the palm of your hand in the thick of summer, reveals a high-toned minty-citrusy note, which is very present on the palate. The minerality is perfectly expressed as iron and stone, and the finish is exceedingly long, nuanced by mocha, loamy earth, and wildflowers, and resolves with tremendous freshness. Just splendid.Decanter Magazine | 100 DECThe 2021 Dominus, 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, is opaque purple-black in color. It needs a lot of coaxing to lure out scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, blackberry preserves, stewed plums, and boysenberries giving way to subtle nuances of violets, licorice, and tar plus a touch of cedar in the background. The full-bodied palate is taut with densely laden, muscular black fruits framed by a firm grainy texture and well-played tension, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. A stunning vinous record of time and place, this is a 50-year+ Napa Cabernet to be experienced across generations. 3,700 cases were made.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIThe purity of the cabernet fruit is so enticing, with blackcurrant, rose petals, nettles and subtle graphite. Touches of terra cotta and licorice. Full-bodied with super integrated tannins that are wonderfully polished, giving a cashmere texture that is really luxurious to taste at this early stage. It is quenching and so delicious already. 95% cabernet sauvignon and 5% cabernet franc. Needs three to four years to come around but already a joy to taste. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Dominus is a 3,700-case blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, with 40% of the wine matured in new French oak. Black cherries and cassis lead the way, accented by scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, dark and intense, with ample tannins, but those tannins are ripe and well-rounded without being overly soft or creamy, gliding easily into a long, mocha-tinged finish. As a whole, the wine exhibits wonderful balance, even if it will benefit from 5 or 10 years in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2021 Dominus is a powerful, tightly-coiled wine that is holding back quite a bit of reserve. There’s real depth and resonance waiting to emerge as the wine matures. Floral overtones and bright acids confer energy to a core of red/bluish fruits. Readers will find a Dominus built more on linear precision rather than opulence. It is hugely impressive in this tasting, with a long chalky finish.Vinous Media | 98 VMA restrained style, this offers a focused beam of red and black currant fruit lined with warm stone, tobacco and savory accents and allied to a long iron spine. Marries density and freshness through the finish. A wine of precision that feels as if it will expand with time in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2042. 3,700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

This shows a lot of class, with aromas of blackcurrants, graphite, blueberries, dried flowers, black truffles and a touch of forest floor. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, with seamless tannins that goes on and on. Endless. Blackcurrants, dark mushrooms and violets with hints of fresh rose stems and light herbs. Velvety texture. A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Better after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Napanook is one heck of a Napanook, offering complex notes of currants, cassis, graphite, leafy tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate. Incredible on the palate, it’s full-bodied and round, with supple, vibrant, incredible tannins. This is easily the finest vintage I’ve tasted of this cuvée and it’s the equivalent of many a Grand Vin from other producers.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2021 Napanook, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Rich, deep and super-expressive, the 2021 captures all the best the vintage has to offer. A whole range of floral and savory overtones lend nuance. This vibrant, intensely mineral Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute delight to taste today, and an especially fine edition of Napanook, endowed with big fruit and equally potent tannins.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM