Wine Varietals

wines

A perfumed and enchanting wine that seduces you with its pure aromas of plums, peaches, cedar, sandalwood and roses. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that caress your palate and give a long and beautiful finish. Extremely silky and polished. Crunchy. A great wine that’s a benchmark for the vintage. One of the best ever. Very drinkable now, but better after 2028.James Suckling | 100 JSLocation La Melina, compelling bio label that opens to aromas on raspberry sensations, then black olives, peony and hints of eucalyptus. Drink juiciness and tension, savory tannins. It closes with memories of small fruits and balsamic sensations, accompanied by iodized hints.Luca Gardini | 98+ LGThe San Filippo 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Le Lucére reveals a darker color compared to the Comunali and greater fruit weight, adding depth and texture to the wine. Where the Comunali feels lean on the palate, Le Lucére shows breadth and a more individual character, shaped by its single-vineyard origin with distinctive yellowish sandstone soils. Flavors of wild plum and dark currant segue to light smoke and a flinty mineral note that reinforces the wine’s sense of freshness, while the tannins feel somewhat sweet (still very tight at the beginning, but they do soften) in this Brunello.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Le Lucére is vividly fruit-focused. It opens with a blend of crushed black raspberries and blueberries elevated by nuances of pine and rosemary. This wine displays lovely elegance and a velvety feel, with cooling acidity to balance as masses of ripe red berry fruits slowly saturate the palate. Sneaky tannins frame the finish as the 2021 takes a turn toward the serious side, structured and incredibly long. It leaves a bitter dark chocolate resonance and violet inner florals to fade slowly.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Truffle, violet, ripe wild berry and dark spice aromas mingle with a whiff of new leather on the outrageously gorgeous Baricci 2021 Brunello Montosoli. From one of the pioneering estates and always one of the best wines in the denomination, the 2021 is exceptional, delivering layers of flavors including succulent Morello cherry, licorice, blood orange, black raspberry and ground clove accompanied by a backbone of refined, tightly woven tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it lifted and balanced. Drink 2030–2041. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 100 KOThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Montosoli is still tightly wound, offering floral perfume, ripe red cherries, and subtle spice that builds with air. Medium-bodied, it has terrific length and focus, with well-defined tannins and brisk acidity that underline its youthful structure. This is going to benefit from bottle age, and I would give it time if opening young. Drink 2027-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDBaricci consistently makes wines that reflect the identity of this special Tuscan territory. The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is balanced and tense, offering dark fruit flavors of blackberry alongside crushed stone. The estate’s vineyards always deliver a pronounced mineral tone. The wine is quite fleshy on the palate—textured and rich—but it should shed this baby fat with additional years in the cellar. Sourced from the historic Montosoli hill, one of Montalcino’s most celebrated crus, Baricci’s Brunello is known for its precision, longevity and site transparency. The wine is aged in Slavonian oak, and 16,500 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli is darkly wrapped up in its youthful state. Swirling unlocks depths of dried black cherry, dusty rose, crushed stone, violet pastille and clove. It’s round and soothing on the palate, with perfumed red berry fruit, mineral tones and textures of pure silk. This displays remarkable balance through the raspberry-tinged finish, which is long and structured but still fresh. The 2021 is fantastic and harmonious throughout.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Montosoli is still tightly wound, offering floral perfume, ripe red cherries, and subtle spice that builds with air. Medium-bodied, it has terrific length and focus, with well-defined tannins and brisk acidity that underline its youthful structure. This is going to benefit from bottle age, and I would give it time if opening young. Drink 2027-2050.Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

Without taking anything away from owner Alessandro Mori, it seems that since his son Iacopo joined him in the cellar in 2019, Il Marroneto’s wines have achieved even greater precision. Perhaps it is the result of having another equally meticulous pair of hands. Whatever the reason, this 2021 could be the estate’s best classic Brunello so far – definitely on a par with the Madonna delle Grazie bottling. Perfumes of rose, peony, lavender and lilac unfold from a sweet, earthy backdrop. It floats effortlessly yet with ample depth of dark red cherry and raspberry flavour. Juicy orange rings from the core. Exquisitely refined, suede-like tannins are long and silky, though denser than usual, while piercing minerality prolongs the finish. Drinkability that is delectably within reach.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECA dark and complex wine with aromas of black cherries, cherry pits, dried flowers, licorice and hints of leather and intoxicating violets. There is elegance as well as depth. Medium- to full-bodied with great density and concentration, sleek tannins of outstanding ripeness, graceful acidity and a super-polished finish. Licorice aftertaste. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with an exotic blend of crushed sour cherries and dried violets complemented by cedar spice box and nuances of incense. It is seamless and silken in feel, displaying notable weight while also coming across as graceful and refined, with a remarkably pretty blend of wild strawberries and a crunch of minerality. A raspberry sauce concentration and sour citrus twang remain as edgy tannins linger, offset by a bump of riveting acidity. This is a fantastic vintage for Il Marroneto’s Brunello, here taking on a level of complexity and concentration I usually associate with the Madonna delle Grazie.Vinous Media | 97 VMIl Marroneto’s 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is immediately captivating, showing lift and verticality that sets it clearly apart, with bright cherry fruit, grenadine and grilled watermelon underscored by an energetic, punchy edge. There is an appealing sweetness to the aromatics alongside hints of white peppercorn and pressed violet, with lifted tones that flirt with volatility yet remain controlled, carried by remarkably soft and polymerized tannins. The 2021 is distinctly austere and complex, etched with mineral precision and built with multiple layers stacked one atop another, gaining depth rather than breadth. Before fermentation is complete, the cap is soft and malic acid is not yet developed, and the wine is racked with residual sugar (from six to 10 grams per liter). The skins are pressed at 350 atmospheres in a vertical press, and the free-run juice is combined with the must to complete fermentation very slowly, over many months, bubbling happily along. It ages in oak botti for 42 months. This is a release of 22,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSpicy and floral, with a mineral graphitic tinge, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino offers a youthful look ahead to what is likely to shape up to be another fantastic vintage for Montalcino. It is plush, yet is pinned together with lifted acidity, and while there is significant baby fat at this stage, it offers a lot of immediate pleasure.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JD

Extremely perfumed, with aromas of black cherries, white roses, cedar and sandalwood that follow through to a medium body with gorgeous subtle fruit, fine tannins and a fresh and succulent finish. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better in a couple of years.James Suckling | 96 JSDisplaying a medium red/garnet hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino has a fantastic nose, with ripe cherries, worn leather, wildflowers, balsamic, and a subtle rustic edge. The palate is medium-bodied and both inviting and structured, with outstanding clarity and length, ripe tannins, refreshing acidity, and a great finish. It’s exceptionally balanced and harmonious and should have no trouble drinking beautifully over the next 15-20 years. Drink 2026-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2021 Brunello from San Polino opens with aromas of lavender, Mediterranean scrub, eucalyptus and forest berry. Made with organically farmed grapes, the full-bodied, savory palate features ripe Morello cherry, wild raspberry, blood orange and star anise set against firm, refined tannins. Fresh acidity provides balance. Drink 2031–2039. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOWith vineyards in two different zones, San Polino keeps them separate, highlighting the diversity of Montalcino. From plots on the region’s cooler northern slope, this takes some coaxing to tease out exotic spice, walnut and orange zest. A juicy mix of sour red and dark black cherry fills out the palate. Clayey tannins are well formed and persistent. A deftly balanced expression of the ample fruit and ripe sturdy structure in 2021.Decanter Magazine | 93 DEC

Another incredibly concentrated, focused, insanely impressive wine in the lineup is the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, which offers a powerful nose of darker currants, scorched earth, graphite, and savory herb aromas and flavors. This full-bodied, dense, concentrated, powerful, inward beauty needs 4-6 years in the cellar but will age forever.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThis 2021 La Jota combines 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 4% Merlot, and 2.5% Petit Verdot. Grapes are sourced from the 8ha La Jota vineyard and 24ha Keyes Estate Vineyard, both atop Howell Mountain. Winemaker Chris Carpenter begins with native yeast fermentations after optical sorting, then pump-overs by hand and pressing at alcohol dryness. The wine goes into a barrel where malolactic fermentation takes place—aged 22 months in 75% new French oak. All of La Jota’s barrels are culled from the centre of France and Navarre, and eight different coopers provide barrels that have mostly medium-plus toasts, with some medium-range toasts for Merlot. After every pressing, Carpenter fills in whatever gaps he feels need filling by leveraging the various oak characters in his barrel toolkit. Readers should note that by the time I tasted the 2021 wines with Carpenter (including the Mt. Brave, Lokoya, and Cardinale wines), they had been decanting for about 5.5 hours. A necessary step if you’re popping corks on this within five years of their release. In 2021, with yields down 30-35%, the La Jota was very precise and focused, with saturated layers of extremely dark fruit nuanced by very expressive ironstone minerality and fresh garrigue. Full-bodied with robust, broad-shouldered tannins that are chocolaty. More of that iron minerality is layered throughout, and for all the fruit density here, there is a balance of freshness that is almost hard to imagine. So, don’t imagine it; snap these up and see for yourself. When I visited with winemaker Chris Carpenter, who oversees production for La Jota, Mt. Brave, Lokoya, and Cardinale, he took the time to explain the distinct difference in his approach to crafting the La Jota and Mt. Brave wines in comparison to the Lokoya single vineyard Cabernets. ’The single-vineyard Lokoya wines are mountain wines that have a good amount of tannin and are in pursuit of the expression of their individual AVA. The tannin is concentrated and differentiates each mountain expression of Cabernet. With La Jota and Mt. Brave, I’m aiming to give the drinker of these wines an understanding of how the mountain expresses itself from an acid, weight, and fruit standpoint without those powerful and ponderous tannins. These wines are culled from blocks in each of the single vineyards that typically have softer tannins, so these are ideal for restaurants or earlier drinking wines. La Jota is owned by the Jackson Family.Decanter | 97 DECSo much black currant, dark fruit, pine cone, bark and pine needle aromas that show a depth and intensity with round, polished and creamy tannins. Medium to full body, with a complex and gorgeously flavored finish. A blend of 82% cabernet sauvignon, 6.5% cabernet franc, 5% malbec, 4% merlot and 2.5% petit verdot. Over 3050 cases produced. Give this three to four more years to come around.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 4% Merlot, and 2.5% Petit Verdot in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of shaking to wake up scents of blackcurrant preserves, plum pudding, and mulberries giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of licorice, charcoal, violets, and menthol. The big, rich, full-bodied palate is completely packed with black fruit layers supported by very firm yet ripe grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIA blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 4% Merlot and 2.5% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain delivers scents of cedar, pine, black cherries, blueberries and cassis. According to winemaker Chris Carpenter, the blend was necessary to ameliorate the tannins for the restaurant trade, a major market for the wine. It’s medium to full-bodied, fresh, smooth and silky on the mid-palate, then firmer and more structured, with dusty tannins on the lingering finish. While it should age well for 20 years or more, I suspect much of it will be consumed on the young side, with a thick, well-marbled steak.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA fruit-laden red, with glistening mulberry, cassis and plum puree notes that drive through gleefully, flanked by violet and iris hints, plus a light sheen of anise and apple wood on the finish. Offers latent grip for the cellar. Drink now through 2040. 3,051 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This luscious, dense red is packed with cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and violet flavors. Its tannins are ripe and refined, while the vibrant acidity keeps everything focused. An iron streak weaves through the long, energetic finish. This is approachable now yet will be better in 2–3 years. Best from 2026 through 2045. 833 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA deep and complex wine with licorice, dried cherries, pomegranates, bergamot and violets on the nose. Soft on the palate, it’s powerful and extracted yet not without grace due to velvety tannins, a full body and tight-knit acidity. Super-tense finish. Drink or hold.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECA deep and complex wine with licorice, dried cherries, pomegranates, bergamot and violets on the nose. Soft on the palate, it’s powerful and extracted yet not without grace due to velvety tannins, a full body and tight-knit acidity. Super-tense finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva is a wine of pedigree and class. Aromatic, vibrant and delineated, the Riserva captures all the best qualities of the year. Crushed flowers, dark red/purplish fruit, mint, blood orange and pomegranate are some of the many notes that build in the glass. This is a sublime effort.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe Monsanto expressions of Sangiovese are uniformly excellent, but all in marvelously different ways. The Riserva always stands out to me for the depth and texture it offers, and for the riot of Tuscan herbs that sprout on the nose, before ripe, snappy cherry notes light up the palate. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEFrom a terrific vintage, the 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva shows a medium-dark garnet appearance. Like the entry-level Chianti Classico, this Riserva delivers lovely primary fruit intensity. That brightness, with plenty of wild cherry and raspberry, is the calling card of Castello di Monsanto. There is a lot of sweet ripeness with fruit preserves, a hint of earthiness and cinnamon.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2021 Chianti Classico is one of the wines of the vintage in the Chianti Classico ’Annata’ category. Rich, layered and super-expressive, the 2021 offers up red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and spice race across the palate. The Montesecondo Chianti Classico raises the simple question of why there aren’t more wines like this.Vinous Media | 94 VMEx-jazz musician Silvio Messana makes a variety of wines of the natural ilk – but only one Chianti Classico. It blends fruit from two distinct vineyards in San Casciano – a hot site in the extreme north at just 120 metres, the other in the far south surrounded by forest at a cooler 500 metres. The aggregate is a fantastically textured, layered and appetising annata, offering a sumptuousness of black cherry and raspberry fruit without being heavy. This is broadened by verbena, mineral and woodland accents, while the citrussy acidity is well integrated, and chalky tannins give a firm, tight frame.Decanter | 92 DEC

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

All Cabernet Sauvignon from specific hillside blocks on the estate, Shafer’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select spent 28 months in 100% new French oak. It’s a big, ripe wine, weighing in at 15.5% alcohol, but it remains harmonious from front to back. Deep, intense aromas of black cherries and cassis are accented by dried spices on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and textural, showing tremendous intensity and length on the finish. Based on how previous examples have aged, this vintage should drink well through 2050.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPAged 32 months in 100% new French oak. It is quintessentially Stags Leap, with grapes grown on Shafer’s famous Hillside estate vineyard, roughly 25ha, with very shallow volcanic tufa soils. It’s a barrel selection of the very best blocks. A total of 2,900 cases were produced. Such a beautifully balanced wine with tremendous staying power and expressive Stags Leap ironstone minerality with heady sagebrush and conifer notes with white pepper and walnut husk. The wine has an impressive depth of red-toned fruit on the mid-palate framed by tannins that practically dance across the palate, exuding length, tension, and power. Huckleberry and black cherry fruits, black truffle, dried violets, graphite, and salted dark chocolate are all framed by racy acidity, which keeps everything fresh and lifted. The 2021 releases mark Elias Fernandez’s 38th vintage as Shafer’s winemaker. He was hired by John Shafer in 1984, two weeks out of UC Davis.Decanter | 99 DECThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of shaking to bring out notes of crème de cassis, blackberry pie, and kirsch, leading to nuances of dried roses, star anise and cardamom with a hint of cigar box. The full-bodied palate is decadently concentrated with firm grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long with loads of exotic spices and mineral sparks.The Wine Independent | 98As always, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend 28 months in new barrels. Its deep purple hue gives way to a behemoth of a wine that has incredible cassis, black raspberry, and even blue fruits to go with loads of camphor, minty herbs, graphite, and darker chocolate. It’s full-bodied, concentrated, yet pure, flawlessly balanced, and has a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Floral and vibrant, the 2021 sizzles with tension and a level of delineation I don’t remember seeing in the past. Like all the 2021s here, the Hillside Select possesses notable purity of fruit and exceptional balance. The tannins need to soften a touch, but time should take care of that. I don’t see the opulence or inner sweetness of most years, but that is not a negative at all.Vinous Media | 96-99 VMJuicy and direct, with a solidly built core of cassis and blackberry preserves lined with cocoa, singed tobacco and warm earth hints. Leans toward toasty on the finish, but there’s ample fruit. Best from 2025 through 2038. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 2,900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The consistency of the campaign work completed by the measurement of the cellar protocol for a decidedly apt label. Olfaction with wild iris and Goji berries, juniper and white pepper. Savoury palate, with shades of sweet spices and floral memories.Luca Gardini | 97 LGThe expressive 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with an array of crushed violet and lavender tones before giving way to citrus-laced blackberries and cherries. Cool-toned and wickedly fresh, it possesses a solid core of mineral-infused wild berry fruits and blue and purple inner florals that arch throughout. Sweet tannins frame the finish beautifully as hints of balsamic spice and pomegranate linger incredibly long. The 2021 is a radiant beast in need of taming. It’s hard to put this glass down.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe Lisini 2021 Brunello di Montalcino opens with pretty fruit, led by a touch of candied cherry that sits front and center, followed by lifted aromas of wild plum, sweet earth and pressed blue flower. I like the aromatic intensity and snappy, fruit-forward personality of this wine, which immediately draws you in. While the attack is generous and expressive, there is clear power and structure on the back end that give the wine depth and shape. This is a production of 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPDisplaying a saturated garnet/red hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Poggio Servo is expressive on the nose, with red plum, baking spice, balsamic, tobacco, and tarry earth. The palate is medium to full-bodied and energetic, with ripe tannins and a refreshing spine of acidity that carries through the long finish and keeps it beautifully balanced. It should gain in richness as it matures and drink well for another 15 years or more. Drink 2026-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis offers very pure and delicious aromas of red cherries, dried orange peel, dried flowers and crushed rocks. A touch of iodine, too. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity and compact tannins that are nicely integrated. Transparent and well balanced, with a lingering finish. Better from 2028.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Lisini opens with enticing aromas of lavender, Mediterranean scrub, forest berry and dark spice. Full-bodied and savory, the palate features wild raspberry, Marasca cherry, star anise and bitter orange alongside smooth, enveloping tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it bright. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: % Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KO

The 2021 Ada Nada Valeriano has a beautiful nose featuring violet, crushed mint, dark berry, tilled earth, leather and forest floor. Full-bodied elegant, the delicious palate offers juicy red cherry, blood orange, star anise and mocha before closing on a hint of mint. It’s vibrant and balanced, with bright acidity and taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2027–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOIntense cinnamon spice on the nose, together with vibrant aromas of cherry jelly and pressed flowers. Medium-bodied with a graceful attack, firm light tannins and crisp, brilliant and juicy acidity that packs a punch. Overall it’s crunchy in style. Licorice in the aftertaste. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

The perfect 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot, all of which spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. The idea of this release is to showcase fruit from throughout the valley, and to say that winemaker Chris Carpenter succeeded would be an understatement. It boasts off-the-charts richness and depth as well as notes of cassis, toasted spices, graphite, tobacco, and espresso, with perfectly integrated oak. Inky purple-hued, full-bodied, voluptuously textured, and flawlessly balanced, it can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDLovely purple fruits with violets, lead pencil, mint, crushed stones, pine needles, resin, and ceramic. Medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that show a silky beautiful texture. Blend of Stags Leap, Saint Helena, Yountville, and Atlas Peak plus all the mountain vineyards of Cardinale. A blend of 91% cabernet sauvignon and 9% merlot. 3,500 cases produced.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, with 9% Merlot in the blend, came from eight different appellations this year. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of warm cassis, fresh blueberries, and Bing cherries plus suggestions of lilacs, wild sage, allspice, and dark chocolate. The full-bodied palate has an impressive frame of wonderfully-ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely tension supporting the generous black and red berry layers, finishing long with a fragrant lift.The Wine Independent | 99 TWIIn my tasting with winemaker Chris Carpenter, we talked at length about differentiating sub-appellations of Napa in the Lokoya wines. Still, with Cardinale, the Oakville-based crown jewel in the Jackson Family portfolio, the idea is the sum must be greater than the parts. This is not an estate wine. It is culled from multiple appellations, typically between three and nine, depending on the vintage. Sources have been Vine Hill Ranch and To Kalon in the past. The 2021 is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap, Rutherford, and St. Helena, with 9% Merlot from the 24ha Keyes Estate Vineyard on Howell Mountain, aged 22 months in 80% new French oak. Super savoury aromatics of black cherry, cedar, black liquorice, graphite, black tea, tobacco leaf, rose petal and sagebrush. Full-bodied with all those aromatic qualities making appearances on the full-bodied palate, framed by a soaring tannin profile that resolves with beautifully crisp and mouthwatering acidity, which is so impressive given the density of the wine. The acidity is so pure and cleansing it gives the sensation of fresh, crisp mountain water washing away the deeply robust and powerful tannins that frame this powerhouse wine, readying you for another sip.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2021 Cardinale is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon from nine different AVAs, plus 9% Merlot from the Jackson Family’s Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Scents of black cherries, cassis, graphite and crushed stone appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich, generous, concentrated and expansive, then tightens up and becomes more classically structured and dusty on the lingering, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPOffers a frankly toasty frame of licorice and apple wood wrapped around a more than adequate core of plum and black currant preserves, all laced with a violet note. Sleek and reserved through the finish, with an iron hint peeking out amid the fruit, this offers length and a lovely mouthfeel and should develop well in the cellar while soaking up its toast. Best from 2026 through 2038. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2021 IX Estate needs a lot of shaking to wake up notes of warm cassis, boysenberries, and juicy plums, giving way to nuances of iron ore, wild sage, tapenade, and lilacs. The full-bodied palate is tightly wound with very firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness framing the dense black fruits, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIColgin’s 2021 IX Estate is a rich, opulent example, with layers of ripe black cherries and dark chocolate punctuated by hints of sage and bay leaf, plus some vaguely floral notes (violets?). Full-bodied, concentrated, velvety and long, it’s another terrific wine that showcases the potential of Pritchard Hill, the investment by the owners and the talent of the winemaking team.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPRed currant, lead pencil and terra cotta aromas with some bay leaf and sage. Full-bodied with tight, firm tannins that are polished and very fine. Turns to graphite. Extremely long, refined, polished and exquisite. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 IX Estate is such an elegant wine. Sleek, aromatic and refined, the 2021 is one of the most polished young wines I have tasted from this site. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and mint abound. Silky and delineated, the 2021 is exceptionally beautiful and balanced. Clean saline notes and veins of tannin extend the explosive, sublime finish.Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2021 Syrah is another incredible Syrah here and I d put it up against any Syrah out there. Inky-hued with a La Landonne-like nose of ripe black and blue fruits, smoked game, chocolate, and graphite, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a dense, powerful, compact mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following decade or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThere’s some gorgeous flow to this red, with an overriding velvety feel to its crushed blackberry, açaí and loganberry fruit core, contrasted nicely by an underlying cast iron note. Alder, sage and sweet bay hints flicker seductively amid the fruit on the lengthy finish. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,899 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans or a favorite dress that you keep in your closet for all occasions? That’s the equivalent of this wine. The G.D. Vajra 2021 Barolo Albe is an enormously versatile expression of Nebbiolo, with an affordable price, that offers more value for your money than most Barolos out there. The bouquet focuses on dark berry, pressed flower and crushed stone. It offers good sharpness over broad lines. The mouthfeel is medium-plus in texture and it closes with silky, accessible tannins. Fruit comes from three cru sites: Coste di Vergne, Fossati and La Volta.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2021 Barolo Albe continues to be one of the best values the region has to offer and punches far above its weight class in this vintage. The nose is ripe with fresh, layered notes of pure red cherries, fresh flowers, anise, and refined spices. The palate is fantastic and pure, with a long finish. This is one of the best vintages of this wine I have tasted to date, revealing great definition of structure and a refreshing feel that makes this a fantastic go-to option to check in on again and again as it ages. I would snap these up and get a case or two if you can. Drink over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDViolets with dried flowers and hints of blueberries and menthol. This has a juicy profile of fruit that complements a big tannin structure that concludes with a firm, tightly wound finish and just a touch of shy fruit. Approachable now, but best in 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Albe is a fantastic Barolo, starting with its alluring fragrance of red berries, dark spices, dog rose and a balsamic whiffs of camphor. The palate shows youthful tension tempered by succulent raspberries, orange peel, star anise and crushed mint framed in taut, fine-grained tannins. Made with Nebbiolo organically grown in high-altitude vineyards, it has bright acidity that keeps it energized. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOThis multi-MGA Barolo is assembled from the estate’s younger vines, though the average age is a respectably mature 30 years. Winemaker Giuseppe Vaira calls it a ‘blend with immediate drinkability’. Indeed, it is irresistible now with its becoming and animated scents of pepper-inflected strawberry, dried violet and crushed allspice. The palate is silky and refined, with crunchy red fruit clarity. Layered tannins support it without overtaking – very seamlessly knit. It promises to divulge even more with just a bit more time in the bottle.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2021 Barolo Albe is bright, aromatic and vibrant in the glass. Medium in body and super-refined, the 2021 is a delight. This is one of the more understated recent vintages I can remember tasting. It’s a terrific introduction to this range.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Remarkably pure and fresh. Pristine black cherry and blackberry, layered with beautiful violet aromas. Everything builds with precision and focus, supported by gorgeously firm, taut, mineral-rich tannins that bring energy and drive. The wine is compact and tightly wound at this youthful stage, its intensity truly emblematic of the vintage. Drink: 2026-2060.Decanter Magazine | 99 DECRipe, fresh and focused, with a lovely beam of red currant plum coulis that stretches out alongside hints of savory, violet, tobacco and singed cedar. Finishes with a late twang of iron. Nicely done. Drink now through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDark fruit aromas of blackberries, bitter chocolate, dried herbs, blackcurrants, black olives and graphite. The palate is full-bodied with a textural, rounded mouthfeel and finely integrated tannins, leading to a savory, fruit-driven finish. Delicious. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSHeitz is on a later release schedule than most other Napa producers, so the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon was the current release when I tasted with Lawrence Wine Estates CEO Carlton McCoy in August 2025. It’s a classically proportioned wine, with cedar, vanilla and black cherries all delivered via a medium- to full-bodied palate. It shows excellent structure for an entry-level wine, firm but approachable, with a lengthy finish. It should be a steakhouse staple, and while not inexpensive, it is a solid effort for the price.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is fabulous. Plump and vibrant, with good up-front fruit and bright acids, the 2021 captures the essence of modern classicism that is typical of the Heitz wines today. This is a superb entry-level offering from Heitz. Floral overtones brighten the finish.Vinous Media | 93 VM

This always represents good value. Spicy, stony and floral at the same time with deep blue fruit and hints of pine, incense and cloves. Veins of tannins show a mineral verve. This is firm, powerful and long. A bit too young at this stage but already showing potential. A very good vintage. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 95 JSWhile I wasn’t able to taste the 2022 Château Meyney En Primeur, it’s a beauty now from bottle. Needing air to show at its best, this deep purple-hued Saint-Estèphe has a ripe, powerful nose of darker currants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and cedar pencils. This carries to a full-bodied Meyney that has a broad, layered mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It’s accessible even today with a decant, but it’s going to take a decade to hit maturity and will age gracefully on its concentration and depth.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDDense blackberry fruits go along with the rich tannins. The spicy wood flavors are a layer under the fine fruits. It has a future of ripe tannins and black fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2022 Meyney has turned out very well, offering up aromas of crème de cassis, bay leaf and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy palate that’s rich and seamless, exhibiting an integration of tannin that can’t always be taken for granted at this address. In fact, this appears to be the best Meyney produced for quite some time, and it’s well worth seeking out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPRipe brambleberry fruit aromas on the nose. Rich and filling on the palate, this has a nice texture of crushed blue fruit pulp, fleshy and chewy with cool cola and liquorice accents. The oak feels a little prominent in the softly drying tannins and cedar spice on the finish which gives this a subtle sense of opulence. Full bodied and full of flavour.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 from Meyney is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 13% Petit Verdot, and aromatically it is a dream, with dark and focused fruits to the fore, blackberry and currant wrapped up in a powdery ribbon and fine oak and mineral freshness. This feels very coherent, and the palate follows the lead of the nose, with seductive layers of black fruits, with little toasted and saline elements, over a frame of beautifully melded tannins which give the palate a dark, coherent, cohesive sense of promise. A great vintage for Meyney, easily a challenger for the cru classé wines of the appellation in this vintage. A safe bet for the cellar, this. The alcohol on the label is 14%.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2022 Meyney has an intense, finely delineated bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, loam and light briny scents that unfold with confidence. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and vibrant, with firm tannins. It is not dissimilar to the Lilian Ladouys in style, though there is a touch more finesse and pepperiness on the finish. It has good potential, but needs time.Vinous Media | 92 VMGently singed bay and dried lilac notes infuse a core of bitter plum and dark cherry compote, with a wet stone accent. The lightly chalky structure underscores the focused finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2037. 14,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This blended premier cru has always been the chouchou (special favourite) of Laurent Lignier. It is two-thirds of a hectare, blended from Faconnières and Les Cheneverey. The vines were planted beginning in 1936, the youngest—in 1962. It usually gives a wine that is a model of elegance and finesse, and 2022 is no exception, with pronounced aromas of mulberry and cassis touched with violets, liquorice, and cedar. The texture is ethereal and perfumed, yet the finish is astonishingly long. This wine should be accessible relatively early and should drink for 20 years at least.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECClear bright and lively ruby purple. Super perfume, this has an innate class over and above even the Chaffots, with a lovely tensile strength. More red fruit than black, perfectly poised, with a long stylish finish. All in finesse! Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2022 Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru comes 60% from Les Faconnières and the rest from Chenevery. The very complex bouquet has a mixture of red and black fruit, detailed with crushed rock and graphite. The medium-bodied palate has fine-grain tannins with that graphite element hovering in the background. It is very detailed and precise toward the finish. This is one of Lignier’s finest cuvées, and the 2022 is no different. Superb.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe 2022 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes unwinds in the glass with aromas of rich, smoky berry fruit mingled with notes of rose petals, spices and grilled squab. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins, it concludes with a perfumed finish. As usual, it’s one of the high points of the range.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThis is also firmly reduced. By contrast, there is a lovely sense of freshness and verve suffusing the exceptionally rich and highly seductive medium-bodied flavors that brim with old vine sappy dry extract while exhibiting evident minerality on the superbly long, balanced and powerful finish. This is excellent and, along with the Combottes, almost always the domaine’s best 1er.Burghound | 91-94 BH

This exquisite wine has intense red and black fruit aromas with a floral edge and an almost salty savoury intensity. The texture is silky but tightly wound. It is commonly thought that the upper part of Suchots is superior, but this version gives that idea the lie. Here, the 100-year-old vines in the domaine’s 0.45-hectare parcel make the wine special, along with Van Caneyt’s very able winemaking. This wine should open well in three to five years and will undoubtedly last another 40 (at least) beyond that.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots is one of the highlights of the range this year. Wafting from the glass with aromas of plums, cassis, orange zest and exotic spices and framed by a deft application of new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, concentrated and multidimensional, with terrific depth, velvety tannins and a long, broad finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru has an overtly floral bouquet with rose petals and violets complementing the red fruit. It’s vivacious as it was in barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, succulent tannins and iodine touches. The finish needs a little more complexity and nerve. Tasted at the Stannary Wines dinner in London with Charles van Canneyt.Vinous Media | 92 VMOnce again the nose is wonderfully fresh and even spicier with its aromas of poached plum and liqueur-like dark pinot fruit that is also tinged with exotic tea wisps. There is noticeably better density to the caressing and seductively textured yet decided powerful flavors that brim with dry extract before concluding in a moderately austere and hugely long finale. This too is quite compact and very much built to repay extended keeping.Burghound | 92-94 BHA distinguished crimson purple. The oak is a little more apparent, and the fruit a riper, fleshier raspberry. Oak continues to take a hand but the fruit stays with it. Lower acidity in the Suchots, at least by taste. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Fresh bright purple. What a radiant nose, all the heady joy of Vosne, such stylish bright ripe cherry fruit with some mixed red berries behind. Seamless texture and very long. Sheer class. Tasted Dec 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMContaining 20% whole bunches, the 2022 Vosne-Romanée Village has a tightly wound and "correct" bouquet. It lets the Morey-Saint-Denis Village take the limelight at the moment, red and black fruit combined, a little more sous-bois than expected. The palate is medium-bodied with a core of lively, peppery red berry fruit, blood orange and a pinch of white pepper on the finish. A step up from the 2021, this will give a decade’s drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMAn overtly spicy nose is comprised by darker fruit that includes plum and black cherry along with violet and sandalwood hints. There is a really lovely texture to the caressing but punchy middleweight flavors that deliver equally good length on the youthfully austere and even more refined finale. This too is exceptionally good for its level.Burghound | 89-92 BH

Bize owns 2.1 hectares here, including a half-hectare of Chardonnay. The red has an explosive blackberry and wild strawberry fruit aroma with hints of fresh and dried flowers, earth, and cigar leaf. The texture is tannic and firm but less tightly-wound than the 2020s. Fermentation is done as whole clusters; the wine is aged in cask, with just 5 – 10% new. When finished, this delicious wine should be approachable earlier than some vintages have been.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Vergelesses 1er Cru has a complex and perhaps cerebral nose: dark berry fruit, black pepper, green tea and light scents of damp moss/forest floor. This unfurls beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins framing gorgeous dark berry fruit, a little peppery in style, quintessentially Savigny with a very persistent finish. Everything you want from a Savigny Premier Cru (and more).Vinous Media | 93-95 VMHalf in a foudre, half in a barrel. Pale colour with a faint green streak. The reduction is keeping the wine tense, while the fruit on the palate is immediately engaging. Ripe limes, fresh apple, a certain sensuality behind, and an excellent long finish. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMCool, fresh and bright aromas of red currant, cherry, warm earth and a hint of spice are trimmed in a plethora of floral elements. The rich, velvety and solidly voluminous flavors possess the best concentration in the range while displaying focused power on the firm, serious, moderately austere and very much built to age finale. This is a buy and forget it wine for at least 7 to 8 years.Burghound | 90-93 BH

A total of one hectare is planted in Fournaux. The vines from the top of the slope in stony soils are blended with those from the deeper clay at the base. All the grapes are fermented as whole clusters and are ageing in mainly used casks to create this wine with a bright mulberry and pomegranate fruit aroma underpinned by saline minerality and a hint of savoury game. The texture is firm with grippy tannins and good length.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Fournaux 1er Cru is more closed on the nose compared to the Grands Liards, yet it is still well-defined with black plum and bilberry fruit, intermingling with sous-bois and a touch of crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It’s an elegant Savigny, not powerful, but armed with reassuring persistence on the white pepper-tinged finish. Lovely.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMAn even fresh purple. At first there is not much nose but a little fresh raspberry fruit begins to emerge. The Fournaux 2022 delivers a rounded raspberry and strawberry fruit across the palate with sterner tannins at the finish, and still a good acid balance. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JMMore somber, even brooding, aromas of various dark berries, warm earth and a touch of the sauvage enjoy a floral top note. There is notably better punch, though not better density, to the powerful and serious medium-bodied flavors that coat the palate with firm tannins on the built-to-age finale.Burghound | 89-91 BH

This opulent style starts out supple before chalky tannins take hold of its cherry, blackberry, earth and mineral flavors. Muscular, solid and dry, this lingers, offering a fruit- and oak spice–filled finish. Best from 2027 through 2045. 411 cases made, 15 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis had just been bottled shortly before my visit and, unsurprisingly, was displaying some reduction. More interesting are the rich, caressing and delicious medium-bodied flavors that are noticeably finer while exhibiting excellent power, focus, balance and length on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This is textbook Bressandes.Burghound | 93 BH

Here is another masterpiece from vintner Martino Manetti (and winemaker Paolo Salvi, following in the footsteps of long-time key figures Giulio Gambelli and Estate Manager Bruno Bini). The Montevertine 2022 Le Pergole Torte is 100% Sangiovese made in a similar winemaking style as the others, although both botte and barrique are used here. It opens to a dark garnet appearance that is velvety and rich yet shiny on the inside with a ruby brightness that is specific to this Tuscan grape. This is an amazing wine, so precise and balanced. I love the boldness of the vintage, and I am delighted by how elegantly it unfolds over the palate. The wine is contoured and pretty in terms of texture, and yet there are mineral notes that add freshness and vertical lift. This portfolio offers good scale with three wines, an entry-level, middle-level and top-end wine, each offering a distinct identity. Production is 30,000 bottles. This is one of my favorite wines from 2022, a vintage with highs and lows. This is definitely a high.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPA spicy and deep wine with licorice and bergamot aromas. The fruit is bright and layered, with plums and red cherries. But it’s on the palate where you feel the quality of this wine. It’s full-bodied with ripe, velvety tannins and long, refreshing acidity. Polished aftertaste. Made for the long haul, but also very drinkable now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2022 Le Pergole Torte is every bit as magnificent as it was last year. Deep and expansive in the glass, with stunning depth, the 2022 stains the palate with layers of dark fruit, mocha, new leather and cedar. The 2022 starts to blossom with just a bit of time in the glass, leading to a finish that explodes on the back end. As has been the case for some time, the differences between Montevertine and Pergole Torte are increasingly mostly about style. The 2022 spent a year in Damy French oak barrels followed by a second year in cask. It will require a number of years to shed some baby fat to be at its most expressive.Vinous Media | 97+ VM

Just 4.8 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon are planted on this 18.21-hectare estate, situated on the steep, southeast-facing slopes of Glass Mountain in St. Helena. Purchased in 1999, the property is also home to Jayson Woodbridge’s striking underground Ring winery and caves. I awarded the 2021 vintage a perfect 100 points, and this 2022 Ark continues that legacy—it’s the most polished of Woodbridge’s single-vineyard Hundred Acre wines from the vintage. If Morgan’s Way is supreme elegance and Few and Far Between is deep, brooding, and muscular, then Ark sits perfectly in between—balanced and impressively saturated. The palate bursts with red-berry fruit, beautifully scented with brown baking spices, black tea, walnut, and a striking ironstone minerality. “This is superpower wine,” Woodbridge asserts as we taste. “This is a Corporate Hostile Takeover—you go in with this wine. If you’re working on the biggest buyout in history, you drink this just before you short the S&P 500… and then you go skiing in Switzerland. You drink this before and after.” (Drink between 2025 - 2040)Decanter Magazine | 100 DECBlack currant, hints of mint, lead pencil and black cherry aromas follow through to a full body with very fine tannins and an endless finish. The texture leaves me breathless and speechless. Incredible length and depth. Hard not to drink now.James Suckling | 100 JSRipe black cherries, cassis, black olive, salted meats, and smoky tobacco all shine in the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark, which is aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. It’s full-bodied, has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, shows classic Hundred Acre polished tannins, and delivers a great finish. It’s up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, and while it’s beautiful today, it will shine for at least two decades. It’s another gorgeous effort from Woodbridge that’s as good as anything in the vintage. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD