Wines

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

93 Points! Made by Geneviève and Luc Janssens, the 2016 Proprietary Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that spent 30 months in French oak. Revealing a dense purple color as well as Old World notes of dark currants, tobacco, chocolate, and spring flowers, this rich, medium to full-bodied effort has ripe tannins, a rounded, elegant texture, and a great finish. It shows the classic, balanced style of this vintage nicely. It's terrific today yet should evolve for 15-20 years as well. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Bright, with crushed-stone and floral character on the nose. Medium body with a firm core, expanding through the palate. Vivid and bright. Lots of good energy. Crushed-stone and lightly chalky character at the end. Needs two or three years to come around. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

92 Points! The 2019 Potensac is fabulous. Bright and focused, the 2019 impresses with its energy, balance and total class. Crushed flowers, mint, cinnamon, crushed rocks and blood orange all open in the glass. The 2019 is class personified I love the purity here. The 2019 is a standout, and should be a terrific value, too. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

#BordeauxBlowout

This wine is made with careful selection of grapes from old vines. 100% of the crop is destemmed. The fruit is macerated over 6 months. Ageing occurs in 750L Tava Amphorae.

95 Points Vinous! From the winery:The Loechel Eden Valley Shiraz is sourced from a single vineyard at the Southern tip of the Eden Valley township. It was planted half a century ago by the Loechel family to granitic loam, at 400 metres altitude.

The vineyard is planted on a steep Easterly aspect with high drainage and low yields, resulting in concentrated fruit and rich, complex wines. The vineyard is picked in three seperate components which are kept seperate throughout vinification. One third of the vineyard’s fruit is retained to produce the Loechel Shiraz which is determined at blending prior to bottling

94 Points! The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Morandina is youthfully coy, slowly evolving with a delicate blend of dusty rose, stone dust and dried strawberries. This displays fantastic balance, cooling and crisp, with silken textures and depths of red and black fruits that slowly saturate. Crunchy tannins resonate as the 2017 tapers off dramatically long and staining, leaving a pleasantly bitter twang and saline minerals to linger on. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

93 Points! A vivid blend of wildflowers, yellow apples and ground ginger forms a captivating bouquet as the 2021 Soave Classico Monte Grande blossoms in the glass. This is round and supple, with cooling minerality and fresh acidity, adding wonderful lift as ripe pit-fruits and minty herbal tones resonate. A tinge of lime and a salty flourish add lovely punctuation as the 2021 finishes long and staining yet graceful and floral. What a darling. - Eric Guido, Vinous

93 Points! A restrained wine with complex, layered aromas of smoke, minerals and peat with touches of Mirabelle plums and lemon leaves. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, with sweet fruit, zesty acidity and a vibrant, savory finish. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The 2024 Soave Classico Otto impresses with its fresh mix of vividly ripe orchard fruit. It’s airy and lifted with notes of minty herbs, sweet spices and white smoke. A burst of vibrant acidity invigorates the palate as salty minerals saturate. Crisp and clean, the Otto closes with a long, citrus-inflected finish. - Eric Guido, Vinous

From the winery: If you like big and bold Cabernet, try this. Our benchmark big red wine, with an almost Bordeaux sensibility. Red and and black fruit, big but polished tannin, and a super-long finish. Bring out the steak, the fire-charred foods, and all the braised goodness. 30 months in barrel but still remarkably fresh and full of fruit, guts and vitality.

Grown at 1450’ elevation on red, obsidian-strewn soil resulting from Mt. Konocti’s volcanic upheaval, Aglianico is Prima Materia’s most important bottling, bringing the monster Cabernet experience through this wonderful grape.

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

Founded in 1200, the estate is now managed by Prince Felix zu Salm-Salm in the 32th generation. It is the oldest family-owned estate in Germany and cultivates vineyard sites on the Nahe region as well as in Rheinhessen. Bottle fermentation (Méthode champenoise) with 40 months on the lees.

92 Points! A very fresh style of gruner veltliner with crisp pear, lemon balm and chamomile aromas, plus very lively acidity for this grape on the medium-bodied palate. Long, crisp finish with stacks of lemon zest freshness. Sustainable. Drink now. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! This unusual gruner veltliner is brimming with floral aromas and has a wonderful interplay of restrained creaminess, bright yellow apple and pear fruit and elegant acidity on the medium-bodied palate. Long, precise finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Chopped apples, honey and lemon pith on the nose, with an earthy minerality too. It’s medium-bodied, creamy and layered, with a long and delicious finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2020 Uvaggio is a fabulous introduction to this range. Pliant, layered, and wonderfully silky, the 2020 is all charm. Soft contours wrap around red/purplish fruit, dried herbs, rose petals, blood orange, mint and white pepper. This is an especially generous style, but it all works so well. Bright mineral notes extend the effortless, vibrant finish. Dollops of Vespolina and Croatina play off Nebbiolo so well, - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media