Wines

92-95 Points! Fresh pale lemon. Loads of energy here on the nose, but all perfectly balanced. Maximum minerals in this wine which Elsa thinks will be suppressed by longer oak ageing. More flesh than usual in the middle, with a fine persistence. - Jasper Morris

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92 Points! The 2017 Extra Brut Oger Grand Cru is powerful, deep and super-intriguing, The 2017 is not especially elegant nor refined, but it does offer quite a bit of intensity in a vinous, resonant style that is hugely appealing. Citrus peel, dried flowers, chamomile, spice, tangerine oil and light honeyed notes are all dialed up in this rich, heady Champagne. This is a terrific showing. Dosage is 1 grams per liter. Disgorged: February, 2021. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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94 Points! I tasted two vintages of the entry-level wine, starting with the 2021 Pícaro del Águila Tinto. It's ripe and round, with round tannins, velvety and polished, approachable and hedonistic. It's nicely built and serious, very serious for an entry level. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

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94 Points! 2021 was a very good vintage for Dominio del Bendito, and the 2021 Las Sabias shows the freshness of the year with the ripe, concentrated, powerful house style. You don't really feel the 16.5% alcohol in this wine, and it comes through as full-bodied but balanced, with ripe fruit and tannins and integrated oak after spending 16 months in French oak barrels. It is finer-boned than other years. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

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92+ Points! The regular Branco has been renamed to 2023 Vila Romana Branco, which has a different blend, 82% Encruzado and 18% Cerceal and Bical; it no longer has Malvasia Fina, which was uprooted. It fermented in different materials and also for the aging, part in oak, part without. It has a clean and fresh nose, with notes of white flowers and fruit, with faint spice and smoke. It comes in at 13% alcohol, with a pH of 3.43 and 5.42 grams of acidity, and it's fresh and balanced, sapid and with a salty twist in the finish. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

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100 Points! One of the legendary Dominus, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably in the same league as the 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2010, and 1991, and to my mind, wine simply doesn't get any better. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, crushed stone, cedar pencil, smoke tobacco, and baking spices, it s rich, full-bodied, and voluptuously textured, with ripe yet building tannins. It reminds me slightly of the 2010 (maybe the 2013), and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, and it will evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Hats off to the team of Christian Moueix and director Tod Mostero. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! The 2021 Dominus, 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, is opaque purple-black in color. It needs a lot of coaxing to lure out scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, blackberry preserves, stewed plums, and boysenberries giving way to subtle nuances of violets, licorice, and tar plus a touch of cedar in the background. The full-bodied palate is taut with densely laden, muscular black fruits framed by a firm grainy texture and well-played tension, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. A stunning vinous record of time and place, this is a 50-year+ Napa Cabernet to be experienced across generations. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, TWI

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100 Points! The 2023 Dominus is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Opaque purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal a powerful core of blackcurrant jelly, ripe black plums, and fresh blueberries, followed by hints of menthol, crushed rocks, dried sage, black truffles, and black olives. The full-bodied palate is both generous and energetic, displaying an impressive array of savory and earthy nuances among the dense black fruit layers and a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and beautiful tension, finishing with epic length. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

99 Points! Black currant, pencil shaving, subtle sandalwood, wet earth, forest floor and violet aromas follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate with ultra-fine tannins that integrate perfectly at the end. A polished and caressing texture that goes on for minutes. The balance and drinkability of this Dominus is terrific, and it will age beautifully. A blend of 87% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Very drinkable now, but will age beautifully. - JamesSuckling.com

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92 Points! A fantastic balance of very zesty acidity and juicy fruit. I love the interplay of citrusy freshness and apples on the light-bodied palate. Elegant finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

Mostly from Oberhäuser Felsenberg and Kieselberg. Stony, weathered volcanic soils of porphyry and melaphyr, with slate and quartzite.

Fermentation & Élevage: A mixture of stainless steel vats and neutral 10+-year-old 1200L German stückfass from Hösch

The idea here is to make a village wine, basically, though it’s sold and marketed as a Gutswein or Estate bottled basic wine. The Estate wine combines the two major soils that dominate the holdings for the estate, giving the drinker a look into what Dönnhoff is all about. The basic wine is a calling card and thus Cornelius wants to make statement.

The geology of the middle Nahe is notably shaped by its eons-old clay slate formations and rich volcanic soils. The concentration of porphyry and melaphyre stone in and around the old Oberhausen vineyards – Kieselberg and Felsenberg, help provide the perfect berry base for Gutsriesling.

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100 Points! This dry riesling has a hypnotic beauty that leaves no doubt how this wine redefines what peachy means in the context of this grape variety. As it aerates, a wealth of wild berry and flower nuances develop and expand. Given the mind-bending concentration of this wine, it is staggeringly fresh and absolutely precise. Then comes the finish, which is like a prima ballerina dancing on pointe off into the distance. Drink from release. - JamesSuckling.com

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92 Points! Dosed with five grams per liter in November 2017, Dosnon's NV Recolte Noire (Black Label) is a pure, oak-fermented Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar. White-golden in color, this is a fine, fresh and delicately fruity Champagne with just a hint of oak. Intense, fresh and lush on the palate, this is a straight, perfectly round and well-structured Blanc de Noirs with good grip and vitality on the finish. Excellent! - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com Learn More

93 Points! A graceful Champagne, with a satiny mousse, revealing ripe apricot, mirabelle plum, preserved lemon, white blossoms and a streak of salty minerality enriched by hints of toasted hazelnut and pastry cream, all framed by well-knit, chiseled acidity on the long finish. Disgorged March 2023. - Wine Spectator

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94+ Points! The swan song vintage of this cuvée, Doyard's 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru mingles aromas of citrus oil with notions of buttery pastry, dried white flowers and warm biscuits. Medium to full-bodied, layered and structured, with chalky dry extract and lively acids, it's a taut, compact wine that will require a bit of bottle age to unwind. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

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From the winery:

After a hiatus in 2022, we are back to making a SRH blend of Chardonnays. If 2023 was cool for Sauvignon Blanc in Happy Canyon, it was downright cold in the Sta Rita Hills, with our Chardonnays being picked into the middle of October. This wine is blended from 55% 10Ninths Vineyard (formerly Hilliard-Bruce), 30% Rita’s Crown and 15% Radian Vineyard. The wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels (15% new) for 15 months before bottling.

92 Points! Composed of fruit from 10 Ninths, Radian and Rita's Crown, the 2023 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills remains as consistent and comprehensive an overview of the region as ever. It opens with a rich, creamy bouquet bolstered by toasted, lees-derived richness that retains delineation and vibrancy. The palate is suave and polished, concluding with a lifted, saline-tinged finish that is padded with an additional round of contained decadence. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

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92 Points! Moving to the Pinot Noirs, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills comes from a mix of sites (mostly Fiddlestix, radian, and Sanford & Benedict) and saw 15 months in neutral oak. Its medium ruby hue is followed by a complex, medium-bodied 2022 that has some gamey, iodine-like character in its savory red fruits, leafy herb, bay leaf, and forest, earthy nuances. I love its overall balance, and it has terrific complexity and a satisfying, lively, upfront style that will drink nicely through 2032. - Jeb Dunnuck

From the winery:

A longtime favorite, the 2023 SRH Pinot Noir combines wines from a “who’s who” of the most famous vineyards in our region. This wine comes from: Fiddlestix (42%), Radian (15%), La Rinconada (15%), Bentrock (8%), 10ninths (7%), Sanford & Benedict (5%), Spear (5%), and Rancho La Vina (3%). The very cool 2023 produced a superb SRH blend with grapes being picked over a remarkable 5-week period from Early September to Mid-October. Temperatures throughout the late summer and early Fall were moderate, and ripeness gained gradually until the last lots could be picked at Radian on October 12.

The deliberate inclusion of 20 separate blocks (9 distinct clones) at 8 vineyards is intended to create great complexity in the final blend, which we think is accomplished here. The wine shows wildly different berries (cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, loganberries) and red and black cherries, along with rhubarb, cola, and a panoply of baking spices (nutmeg, cardamom, cloves) and floral notes such as red rose and blood orange. The medium bodied wine has a silky texture and great length buoyed by great acidity and present tannins. The most approachable of our Pinot Noirs, the SRH will drink well right out of the gate, improve for 5-7 years and last another 8 after that at least.

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94 Points! The 2022 Syrah Valenti Ranch is a super-classic Mendocino Ridge wine. It offers a beguiling mix of dark Syrah fruit along with a host of savory/earthy undertones, all framed by beams of tannin that lend energy. Complex and pedigreed to the core, the 2022 is an absolute delight. In a word: gorgeous. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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94 Points! Graceful yet dynamic, with multilayered raspberry and blueberry flavors framed by fresh violet, orange peel and cinnamon as this builds richness and tension toward refined tannins. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Wonderful aromas of lavender, roses and pure red fruit. The palate is silky and elegant, with mineral tension and flavors of pomegranates and wild berries. Fine tannins, tea and hibiscus in the long, floral finish. Medium-bodied. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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95 Points! This is very structured and intense with blackberries, currants, walnuts and chocolate. Fresh tobacco as well. Full-bodied, it has lovely fruit and a flavorful finish. A succulent and juicy red. One of the best ever from here. Leave it alone for two or three years. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Inky black and blue fruit, crushed stone, graphite, and smoky tobacco notes all emerge from the 2022 Château Du Tertre, a rich, powerful wine from this château that has medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, velvety yet building tannins, and a great finish. Based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, and the balanced Petit Verdot, it spent 18 months in 60% new barrels. Give bottles 4-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2022 du Tertre has realized the potential it showed from barrel, offering up complex aromas of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety palate that's rich and textural, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a long, delicately minty finish. It's an unusual blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, which no doubt contributes to its singular style. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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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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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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