Wines

94 Points! A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot, the organic Podere Sapaio 2023 Bolgheri Volpolo di Sapaio is a charming wine with generous layers of fruit, offering precise notes of blackcurrant and sweet plum. Oak is gently interwoven into the elegantly rich mouthfeel, adding polish without overshadowing the fruit. Fermented in stainless steel and moved into barrique for 14 months of élevage, the 2023 combines freshness and vitality. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

97 Points! Pure berry fruit and cedar aromas, the wine has great purity. It is a straight line of freshness as well as black-currant fruits and ripe acidity. The wine is beautifully textured and firm at its core. Drink from 2028. Organic and biodynamic. - Wine Enthusiast

95 Points! This is a very pretty 2021 with a solid, beautiful mid-palate and density. Juicy fruit, slightly chewy tannins and a savory finish. Hints of graphite. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Ripe blue fruits, spring flowers, violets, tobacco, and some graphite notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Pontet-Canet, a richer, medium to full-bodied Pauillac that has polished, building tannins, terrific overall balance, and outstanding length. It picks up more classic Pauillac lead pencil notes with time in the glass (I was able to taste this on multiple occasions) and is a fleshy, beautifully textured 2021 that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. The 2021 is based on 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot that was raised 50% in new oak barrels, 35% amphora, and the balance in once-used oak. - Jeb Dunnuck

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

100 Points! A sensational Pauillac as well as the finest wine from this château since the 2009 (although the 2010 might have something to say about that), the 2022 Château Pontet-Canet sports a deep purple hue as well as a heavenly perfume of crème de cassis, smoke, incense, leafy tobacco, and chocolate. This beauty has sensational purity, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, flawless balance, and incredible precision and detail in its aromas and flavors. Despite its opulence and power, it has a solid underlying structure, and its tannins are sweet and polished; it has remarkable depth and concentration, and it just does everything right. I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up slightly over the coming 3-5 years, although I don't expect it to truly shut down. It should have 40, 50, if not 60 years of overall longevity. The 2022 is based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used oak. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! The concentration of dried herbs such as thyme, sage and mint with blackcurrants and Spanish cedar is mesmerizing. Full-bodied with a dense and intense palate, this has creamy, crunchy tannins and a long and flavorful finish that goes on for minutes. Punchy and rich with lots of power. The real identity of Pontet-Canet comes through despite the hot and dry growing year. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, aged 50% in new oak barrels, 35% in amphoras, and 15% in used barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, this slumbering titan needs a lot of prodding and swirling to unlock scents of plum preserves, blackcurrant jelly, and juicy blackberries, leading to an undercurrent of mint tea, tapenade, and rose bud tea. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black fruit layers and minerally accents, framed by firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering anise note. With so much latent, minerally energy compacted into a tight frame, be prepared for this masterpiece of nature and nurture to go atomic following 5-7 years in bottle, then enjoy its expressive ebbs and flows over the next 50 years+. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

97 Points! The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a super-refined wine from the Tesseron family. It is perhaps a touch less opulent than in years past, but in exchange, it boasts more energy, focus and cut, all qualities that are so welcome here. Bright red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint and mocha all build effortlessly in the glass. In 2022, Pontet Canet is shaping up to be an absolute gem. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Dark and ripe on the nose, with deep blackcurrant, cocoa powder, and espresso notes alongside fragrant dried herbs, adding a savoury elegance. The palate is clean and crisp, offering a streamlined weight and a lovely bite to the tannins — powdery yet refined, with hints of milk chocolate and bitter orange. Restrained power meets finesse, with a touch of spice and soft warmth on the finish. Still youthful and compact, but incredibly detailed, with pure, bright fruit shining through. One of the finest Pontet-Canets in years - round, complete, and beautifully textured. Bright, finessed, and highly accessible. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

96 Points! Dazzling nose that stands on a knife edge between the lusciousness of papaya and the coolness of crisp apple! Also delicate notes of hyacinth (which of itself is not delicate!). At once succulent and energetic on the light- to medium-bodied palate, this barely off-dry riesling Kabinett is hard to resist. Whiplash energy at the extremely long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pym-Rae displays a deep garnet-purple color and reveals wonderfully fragrant notes of candied violets, wilted roses, damp soil and black tea over a core of red and black currants, black cherries and warm blackberries plus touches of cigar box and camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is evocatively singular, offering that rock-solid structure of mountain fruit, yet these are wonderfully ripe, silt-like tannins that beautifully support the elegant red and black fruit layers, finishing very long and very perfumed. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

98 Points! Top 100 Wine in the United States from James Suckling! This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives. Turns to blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet reserved and layered with chocolate, walnuts and plums. Firm yet polished tannins give a framed sense to the wine. Savory. Racy and beautifully structured, it’s extremely drinkable already. Real wine. - JamesSuckling.com

99 Points! The 2018 Pym-Rae can be thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2016 and 2017, with more sexiness and opulence than the 2017 and a touch more elegance and precision than the 2016. Wonderful cassis, violets, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate notes define this beauty, and it's full-bodied, with a gorgeous sense of elegance and purity, perfect tannins, and an incredible finish. This stunningly majestic, flawlessly balanced Mountain Cabernet already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and it should be a 50-year wine. Bravo! - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! The 2020 Pinot Noir Angel Flower is a soulful, complex wine that you don't really want to pick apart. Compared with the Pinot Noir Earth Smoke, which hails from the same small estate, it's not as obvious and takes longer to get to know. It's harmonious, round and calming, sitting comfortably in the mouth like a good friend visiting. It's my job to deconstruct wines, but I feel that to do so would be to destroy them. Pure, elegant, and quiet with a confident but unobtrusive line of acidity and airy-light chalky tannins that envelop the mouth. Rich intensity of sweet strawberry, fruit, fennel, thyme and smoky characters without any sense of heaviness. Initially, you might prefer Earth Smoke for its immediate aromatics, but I'd prefer to spend time with Angel Flower getting to know it. Over three days, I tried to get to the bottom of it but soon realized that might take years. - Rebecca Gibb, MW, Vinous Media

96 Points! The 2020 Pinot Noir Earth Smoke is a massively different wine from its stablemate Angel Flower, giving a more expansive wine that blossoms in the mouth without any sense of weight. There's elegance and sense of precision. And do you know what? It feels special. If I were tasting blind, aromatically, I'd think it were a cool climate Syrah with sandalwood, fennel, agave and white pepper characters in abundance alongside pure cherry fruit. The finish is fresh and precise. - Rebecca Gibb, MW, Vinous Media

Old-vine field blend including Alvarinho, Malvasia Fina, Avesso, and Arinto fermented primarily in stainless steel with a portion in 500L barrels; aged on fine lees with bâtonnage for approximately seven month

WS Top 100 2021 #45

97 Points! Juicy and muscular, with a ball of plum paste, warmed fig compote and black currant reduction flavors that need time to unwind. Ample graphite- and bramble-accented grip underscores the fruit on the finish, while a ganache note finds room to strut its stuff in the end. Should be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz. Best from 2030 through 2055. - Wine Spectator

93+ Points! The young, balsamic and still faintly medicinal entry-level white 2023 Louro is dense, ripe and powerful at 13.9% alcohol, pungent and intense with a bitter twist in the finish. It's very tasty, almost salty, with cleanliness and precision, combining power with freshness and elegance. This is quite impressive and a preview of the rest of the 2023s to come. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

98 Points! The flagship 2022 Château Rauzan-Ségla checks in as 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, all aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. It's much more focused and precise compared to the second wine and has brilliant aromatics of crème de cassis, crushed violets, graphite, and smoky oak. Gorgeously concentrated and full-bodied, with riveting purity and precision, this stunning Margaux has ripe yet building tannins, a terrific mid-palate, and flawless overall balance. I love it today yet 7-8 years of cellar are warranted and it will cruise over the following 3-4 decades in cold cellars. It's another sensational wine from this estate. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with walnuts and hints of tar that follow through to a medium to full body with plush and velvety tannins and a lovely, caressing mouthfeel. It closes up at the end. Extremely long, pure and structured. Classic 72% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot and 2% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

97-99 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Rauzan-Segla is made from 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aging for 18 months in French oak, 50% of it new. A little swirling unleashes an explosion of black and red currant jelly, wild blueberries, and chocolate-covered cherries, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of violets, underbrush, and crushed rocks with a touch of star anise. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house and crafted like a Chanel suit, with a firm backbone of super-ripe, grainy tannins and impressive tension supporting a gorgeous array of floral, spice, and black fruit layers, finishing very long and with impeccable grace. pH 3.7. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

97+ Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is a classy, elegant wine. Even so, the 2022 very clearly lacks the immediacy of some surrounding vintages. Readers should be prepared to cellar this for a number of years The mid-weight, gracious presence of Rauzan-Ségla is very much present, and yet the tannins are pretty imposing. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, graphite and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in the glass. The 2022 is pure and total sophistication. This is a wine that may very well have more to say in the future. Tasted four times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Heady floral aromatics and vibrant black fruit. Gorgeous succulence and energy. It's not shouting, not too high in acidity or too fleshy, but a great combination of plush and filling tannins, cool blue fruit, ripe red fruit, crystalline minerality and subtle spices. Smooth and clean, elegant and confident. Approachable with detail and finesse to the elements. Juicy, bright, clean, seductive, powerful, captivating – utterly satisfying. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

96 Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is showing well in bottle, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with licorice, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, it's suave and seamless, with its dense core of fruit framed by powdery structuring tannins that lend a more evident backbone than it exhibited en primeur. As readers may remember, the 2022 is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot; and in 2022, the east-facing sides of the vines, which see the afternoon sun, were picked separately, along with anything that showed signs of stress. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

96 Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla was picked 2 to 28 September at 30hL/ha and matured for 18 months in 50% new oak. Nicolas Audebert told me that it contains 17% vin de presse which is slightly higher than normal, a combination of 150 separate vinifications. This has a very opulent bouquet with layers of black cherries, créme de cassis and violets. Perhaps just a little too decadent? The palate is medium-bodied with fine balance, grainy tannins, very pure and focused with quite a minerally finish. Long in the mouth. It's just missing that knockout blow at the moment, yet it's still a supremely well-crafted Margaux. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

97 Points! Lovely ripe berries and strawberries with some juicy fruit and forest flower aromas that follow through to a full body with layers of fruit and fine tannins that spread across the palate. Oyster shell and granite-like undertones. Warm fruit character yet cool in the mouth. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The 2017 Geremia is a revelation. It might be even better than the 2015 or 2016, which is saying a lot. Soaring aromatics make a strong first impression. In 2017, the fruit profile leans more into the red fruit end of the spectrum. The warm, dry year yielded a Geremia that is unusually open. I doubt too many of the estate's fans will have a problem with that given how long these wines usually take to open. Today, the 2017 Geremia is a total pleasure bomb. Don't miss it. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The family's vineyards are located in Barbaresco, the wines are spectacular, supple Pinot-esque examples of Nebbiolo with goreous textures....

93 Points! This entry-level blaufrankisch has a stunning depth of black-cherry fruit plus a breathtaking vitality on the medium-bodied palate. Fantastic precision in the long, fresh and mineral finish. From young vines (up to 25 years) in St. Margarethen plus amounts from Donnerskirchen and Mullendorf. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96+ Points! Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Samantha's was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 68% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it slips slowly out of the glass with captivating scents of black raspberries, Morello cherries, black currant pastilles and rose oil, followed by suggestions of cedar chest, pencil lead and black olives. The full-bodied palate is charged with amazing energy, featuring vivacious red and black berry layers and a firm backbone of grainy tannins, lifted by refreshing acidity and bags of crunchy fruit on the long finish.  - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

92 Points! Focused and nicely structured, with aromas of red plums, forest floor, crushed violets and tobacco that carry into a medium- to full-bodied palate. The tannins are firm but integrated, holding a vivid line of acidity that gives the finish clarity and tension. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com