Wines

100 Points! The wine of the vintage in Saint-Julien, if not all of the Médoc, the 2019 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, aged in 100% new French oak, that hit a natural alcohol of 14.2% with a monster IPT (number of tannins) of 88. It's certainly one of the most concentrated Saint-Juliens, revealing a dense purple hue to go with a stacked bouquet of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, damp clay, tobacco, and hints of spring flowers. Concentrated, full-bodied, and powerful, it has incredible tannins, flawless balance, and a gorgeous finish. While most estates today are playing it safe and producing more ethereal, elegant wines that drink well right out of the gate, thankfully, this estate continues to make concentrated, powerful, age-worthy wines, and this heavenly beauty is as good as it gets! It will need a decade of bottle age to hit the early stages of maturity and will evolve for 50 years or more. Bravo to Bruno Borie! - Jeb Dunnuck

99+ Points! The 2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou is composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows and unfurls on the nose to reveal notions of smoked meats, black truffles, licorice, and crushed rocks with a core of creme de cassis, blueberry preserves, candied violets, and cedar chest, plus an exotic waft of cumin seed. Medium to full-bodied, firm, and grainy, the palate has layer upon layer of tightly packed black fruits and earthy accents, finishing with epic length and a provocative spiciness. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

 

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91-93 Points! Derived from very old vines in Epointures, Combe du Dessus, Jouise and Les Marchais that produce tiny shot berries, even in a vintage such as this, Dugat-Py's 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Coeur du Roy unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of peonies and spices. Medium to full-bodied, lively and vibrant, with a fleshy core of fruit and suave tannins, it will offer an unusually broad drinking window by the standards of this concentrated, structured bottling. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

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97 Points! Suave, elegant and calmly confident. A masterclass in high-definition winemaking where all the elements are presented harmoniously with structure, freshness, complexity and a wide expansive finish. Tannins are well integrated giving support to the shining black Cabernet fruit that has strength, power and concentration but delivered underneath the savoury salinity, liquorice spice and minerality. There’s something very special about this. I love the sense of discretion, a wine that knows it has star quality but it’s not shouting about it. Pure and poised - incredibly inviting! A great buy. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points!  Classically styled, restrained yet muscular, very much showing the linear identity of Duhart, pure and to the point, with cassis, blackberry, graphite, liquorice and slate-scrape tannins, rounded out by raspberry leaf and salt-tang minerality on the finish. The first full year of new cellar, excellent stuff from the team at DBR Lafite, technical director Eric Kohler. Harvest September 9 to 29 - Jane Anson

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96 Points! The tension here comes from chalky tannins and lovely tobacco, herbs, cedar and cigar-box character. Currants and blue fruits. It's medium-bodied with lovely fruit and light-citrus bitterness. Firm and intense with an excellent finish. One of the best Duharts I have tasted. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is all finesse and elegance, offering cassis, black raspberry, spring flowers, spicy wood, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, it’s incredibly pure, layered, and seamless, with utter class from start to finish. You can safely drink bottles anytime over the coming 30 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

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93+ Points! The appellation wine and calling card of the house, the 2023 Chardonnay Wester Reach is fresh on the nose, with notes of light flint, lime zest, bright flowers, white pepper, and green apples. It has a compact feel but with electric energy and a fantastic oily citrus texture on the finish. It’s a blend from five vineyards and was aged for 12 months in 20% new oak barrels. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

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94 Points! Bursts with juicy raspberry, mulberry and bitter cherry coulis flavors that stretch out lengthily, plus savory, red tea and rose petal notes that add energy and range. Shows a snap of red licorice and a singed apple wood frame on the finish while keeping its energy up. - Wine Spectator

93+ Points! The appellation wine and calling card of the house, the 2023 Chardonnay Wester Reach is fresh on the nose, with notes of light flint, lime zest, bright flowers, white pepper, and green apples. It has a compact feel but with electric energy and a fantastic oily citrus texture on the finish. It’s a blend from five vineyards and was aged for 12 months in 20% new oak barrels. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

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93 Points! Another impressive and overperforming Dunites release is the 2024 Dune Song, a blend of 62% Syrah and 38% Grenache from Hi Kite and Rancho Arroyo Grande, respectively. A classic and lovely bouquet of black fruit, purple flowers and crushed stones introduces a palate that melds spongy density with tensile focus, culminating in a soaring, mouthwatering finish laced with streaks of minerality and spice-driven nuances. This is a uniquely refined and alluring expression of the San Luis Obispo Coast, to be enjoyed through its first decade. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

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93 Points! This affordable bottling will satisfy the hunt for an herbaceous, fresh Pinot Noir. A lighter hue in the glass, this wine offers aromas of eucalyptus, potpourri and peppercorn on the nose. The palate is very zesty with bay leaf and tart red fruit flavors. - Wine Enthusiast

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91 Points! Tropical aromas of lychees, lemon curd and dried mangoes. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a slight phenolic edge, giving notes of baking spices, pineapple and red apple skin. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

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97 Points! Nervy and complex nose with excellent depth. Oranges, nutmeg, steel, mineral and a touch of white pepper and oyster shell. Broad and expansive on the palate with very structured, chalky tannins that extend to a lengthy, mineral finish. Long and youthful. From organically grown grapes. Can drink now, but better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The E. Pira e Figli - Chiara Boschis 2020 Barolo Cannubi is a fine and delicate wine, although there is a little more grit and richness in this warm vintage. The quality of the fruit is exceptional, especially its crisp ripeness. Dark cherry, blackcurrant, rose blossom, pink pepper and white limestone add considerable high-toned notes. The freshness is great and the fruit stays juicy, fueling a long, elegant finish. Only 4,000 bottles were made. - Monica Larner, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

 

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95 Points! The 2022 Cabernet Franc is high-toned, fresh, and mineral-driven, with supple tannin and unobtrusive oak. Medium-bodied, it's well put together and a screaming value for the modest price. This will age well given its natural mouthwatering acidity and firm structure; cellar through 2037. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

93+ Points! Sourced from Gualtallary's Adrianna Vineyard, the 2022 Cabernet Franc contains 10% Malbec and underwent a 60-day maceration and aged for 15 months in a mix of foudre, barrique and tank. Opening with a dark-fruited, floral and spice-inflected nose, the palate offers dramatic richness tempered by a sturdy, upright, mineral-driven core. It concludes with an explosive, long and layered finish that balances vibrant energy and staining intensity. This is a strikingly overperforming example of the variety that should develop beautifully in the cellar. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

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96 Points! Salty and spicy, with aromas of ginger, cardamom, lemons and sea salt. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, sharp and pungent, with a precise, saline character. Rich, focused and delicious. From grapes grown in Gualtallary. Fermented and aged in French oak, of which 35% was new. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2023 Chardonnay El Enemigo comes from Gualtallary, Uco Valley. Aged in 500-liter French oak barrels, it opens with green apple, chamomile, white peach, herbs and a subtle vermouth note. Dry, compact and saline, the oak broadens the palate where richness is otherwise restrained. The 2023 is a modern, refined profile for Gualtallary Chardonnay in a warm vintage. - Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous

94 Points!  Ale Vigil is partial to a touch of flor in his top whites, as long as it occurs naturally in the winery. This left-field Gualtallary Chardonnay is savoury, spicy and slightly salty, with a brine-like top note, lovely texture, subtle 35% new wood, hints of aniseed and wild thyme and a core of beeswax and citrus zest. - Tim Atkin, MW

93 Points!  The 2023 Chardonnay derives from Adrianna Vineyard, was vinified in 500-liter barrique and incorporates some biological aging and a small portion of a five-year-old solera. Leading with a bright, citrus-driven nose bolstered by an elegant nutty richness, the palate is vibrant, textural and seamless, concluding with a succulent and nuanced finish. As with the whole El Enemigo range, this offers a fantastic value that entirely transcends the price point. - Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com

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93+ Points! The regular white 2018 Manda Huevos Blanco Carramainas was produced with grapes from the single vineyard that is mentioned on the label. There is a skin-contact version of grapes from this same plot, but these grapes were harvested 12 days earlier than those destined to ferment with the skins, as the aim here was to achieve higher acidity and freshness and let the lees rather than the skins be the ones defining the style of the bottled wine. This is 95% old-vine Macabeo with only 5% Garnacha Blanca, with good ripeness and bright acidity. It fermented after a slow pressing and one night of settling in 500- and 900-liter oak barrels, where it was kept with the full lees for two months. It was then racked into Flextank (plastic) eggs with fine lees and then matured for another 12 months. It has a Burgundian profile, going back to the style of the 2014, in a leesy and smoky style, still very young and undeveloped. There's also something that reminded me of old-style white Rioja. The palate is vibrant and has pungent citrus acidity. It feels like a white to lay down, as it should develop nicely in the bottle. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn More

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93 Points! A good, complex wine, the leesy character enhancing the citrus and stone fruit with subtle minerality and a whiff of flowers. Vibrant and silky, this is well balanced on the palate with medium body and refreshing acidity. - JamesSuckling.com

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92-94 Points! The 2021 Chablis Le Bas de Chapelot comes across quite closed on the nose, though Edouard Vocoret mentioned how this cuvée has closed down at the time of my visit. The palate is complex with touches of apricot and white peach, plenty of minerals and flint, focused with a long tail on the finish. This is apparently mercurial during its barrel maturation but this bodes well. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

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91 Points! Vibrant aromas of peach, citrus, flint and some buttered toast are succeeded by a midweight palate that shows equally bright, mouthwatering acidity which cuts through the slippery texture, streamlining the Chard and making this a wine that's food friendly but easy to sip solo. - Wine Enthusiast

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91+ Points! The pale, fruit-driven and very young red 2022 Bozeto de Exopto is juicy and approachable, mixing 60% Garnacha with 35% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano. Fresh and dominated by the Garnacha, it is ripe without excess at 14.5% alcohol, reflecting the conditions of the year. Only the Tempranillo aged in oak vats, and the Garnacha was kept in concrete. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

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90-92 Points! Blackberries, spicy garrigue, herbes de Provence, and some peppery nuances all emerge from the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Sinards, a medium-bodied, supple, elegant red with tons of character. - Jeb Dunnuck

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