Wines

96 Points! This is a vibrant ruby colour, with floral aromatics that are even more evident on the nose here than with the second wine, Blason. This is not always the case during En Primeur tastings, when it's the second wines that tend to be a little more open, but it's a feature of the 2018 vintage. This is a brilliant Issan with richness and poise joined by a delicate acidity that pulls the fruit along. The tannins are deceptive, as they are supple and appealing, but the density and power builds over the palate and clearly indicates long ageing. A wine that feels like it's rooted in its appellation. 50% new oak. 40hl/ha yield, with 53% of production going into this wine, higher than in both 2017 and 2016. - Decanter

96 Points! Aromas of blackberry, plum, cocoa, iodine, clove and graphite. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Tightly wound and mineral at the moment, with dusty gravel and graphite notes, yet with focus and precision. Such balance and harmony for the vintage. Try from 2025. - James Suckling, 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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95 Points! This has blackberries, asphalt, violets and subtle wood on the nose. The palate is angular, sharp and precise, with lots character, a touch of pepper and a focused finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! There's an inviting nose of pure plum fruit and fresh cherry in the 2022 Malbec, which shows lovely balance and a supple, smooth texture. It has a kick of power around its medium-bodied frame that never overwhelms but makes for a lengthy finish of memorable spice and herb. Enjoy through 2032. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

92 Points! The 2022 Malbec hails from Adrianna Vineyard, contains 10% Cabernet Franc and was fermented entirely whole clusters before maturing for 15 months in foudre, tank and barrel. The bouquet starts with a poised interplay between herbal and floral elements, with a core of black fruits, followed by a rich, fluid and seamless palate. It concludes with an intensely savory, earth-tinged finish framed with grippy, refined tannins. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

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95 Points! This has blackberries, asphalt, violets and subtle wood on the nose. The palate is angular, sharp and precise, with lots character, a touch of pepper and a focused finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! There's an inviting nose of pure plum fruit and fresh cherry in the 2022 Malbec, which shows lovely balance and a supple, smooth texture. It has a kick of power around its medium-bodied frame that never overwhelms but makes for a lengthy finish of memorable spice and herb. Enjoy through 2032. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

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95 Points! The 2018 El Cismático was produced with old-vine Garnacha from the villages of Villarroya de la Sierra and Cervera de la Cañada, four small vineyards. It fermented in open-top vats with 20% full clusters and was punched down by hand. They wine matured in second use 500-liter French oak barrels and some concrete for 13 months. As a lot of the reds are completely unoaked, this felt quite oaky and creamy, one that needs a little more time in bottle to absorb the impact from the wood. The wine is floral, expressive, showy and exuberant, peachy and juicy, with very fine tannins, with good acidity and balanced alcohol, harmonious, reflecting a slow and good ripening of the grapes. Most of these reds are showy and exuberant, not shy wines at all, generous and hedonistic. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn More

98+ Points! Drop-dead gorgeous, the kaleidoscopic 2019 Aglianico del Vulture Superiore Riserva Titolo seduces with a cascade of violets and lavender, giving way to shavings of pine, incense, and a core of crushed black cherries. It's deeply textural, with masses of mineral-infected red and black fruit flowing across a stream of pure velvet. The 2019 folds in upon itself throught the finale yet maintains exceptional freshness, finishing with a pleasantly bitter tinge of cocoa as notes of tobacco fade. The titolo Riserva hails only from Elena Fucci's oldest vines, between 60 and 70 years old. It is refined in a single 500-liter barrel for 40 months. This edition marries the majesty of the Titolo vineyard and its old vines with the magic of the 2019 vintage. Fantastic. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

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95 Points! Very complex aromas of blackcurrants and graphite as well as purple fruit. Just a touch of smoke. It’s medium- to full-bodied with round and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. This is really nicely put together. A blend of 53% merlot, 24% cabernet sauvignon and 23% cabernet franc. Drinkable now, but it will be even better in another three or four years. - JamesSuckling.com

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96 Points! Also yet to be released is the 2019 Barolo Riserva Cerretta Vigna Bricco, which is deep and expressive of this structured vintage and textbook Serralunga power. It’s sanguine and deep with notes of leather, ripe cherries, dark stony earth, sage, and floral perfume. Fabulous all around, it fills the palate with rich, well-defined tannins, gravelly angular texture, refreshing acidity, and savory notes of tea leaf and truffle on the finish. It’s a contemplative wine built to last the long haul over the next several decades. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points! The Elio Altare 2019 Barolo Riserva Cerretta shows some tertiary definition with aromas of sambuca, licorice, tar and campfire ash. But it also has a sweet side from the oak, with dusty cinnamon and dried fruit. It is full-bodied with velvety tannins, closing with a hint of sweet cherry liqueur. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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98 Points! The Elio Grasso 2016 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is immediately expressive and bright. The wine is savory and rich with a generous bouquet of dried berries, spice, crushed flowers and even a hint of market-fresh blueberry that we don't see in the other wines. The bouquet moves toward balsam notes with mint and rosemary the longer it stays in the glass. I also get anise flower and fresh licorice root as a pretty signature on the close. With aging in large Slavonian oak casks, the tannic integration is spot-on and so is the freshness and purity of those beautiful Nebbiolo nuances. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com Learn More

98 Points! Even better, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon The Estate is straight-up awesome and will stand up to anything in the vintage. Pure creme de cassis, crushed stone, liquid violets, and classy oak all emerge from this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced. There are a scant six barrels produced, but if you see a bottle, buy it. It will probably take a decade to hit maturity, but it will evolve for well over two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

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97 Points! Darkly alluring, the 2022 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne Casa Pepe opens with a perfumed bouquet, mixing wilted violets and wet stone with blackberries, dried cherries and incense. This is round and cool-toned in feel, with a supple wave of ripe red and blue fruits flowing across a core of vibrant acidity. The 2022 saturates the palate with primary concentration and a web of fine-grain tannins that wrap the senses in youthful poise. A tart twang of citrus-tinge black currants lingers on. The 2022 is embryonic, yet it displays an inner harmony that will guarantee a long and fruitful evolution. Bury this deep in the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous

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95 Points! The 2022 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne is more savory than sweet, with a burst of crushed stone and raw almonds giving way to dusty dried flowers and apricots. This is texturally thrilling, soft and enveloping yet pure in style, with juicy acidity and masses of mineral-laced pit fruits, mixing nectarine with young peach. It tapers off long and with a pleasant inner tension, leaving a sensation of sweetness, yet clean and perfectly managed. The 2022 is drop-dead gorgeous. This wine results from an extended, relatively cool season with a good amount of rain. - Eric Guido, Vinous

97 Points! Fascinating aromas of blanched almonds, salt, dried apples, dried pears and some candied fruit. Medium- to full-bodied with plenty of fruit, but it remains tight and layered. Focused finish of dried lemons and lime tree. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

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95 Points! A harmonious red that marries modern pomp with restraint and elegance. Full-bodied and lush, yet fresh and well-defined by sinewy tannins. Features flavors of pureed blackberry, licorice snap, herbed black olive and mocha that expand on the palate, with tarry smoke and loamy earth character. Best from 2023 through 2033. - Wine Spectator

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97 Points! This has rich dark-fruit and smoky character with notes of ripe plums, black olives, spices, cocoa and clay-like soil. Some sweet tobacco, too. Full body, layers of fine, polished tannins and a round, creamy texture. Pure fruit with a touch of blue flowers. Rich and complex, yet fresh and delicious. Long and firm with a polished, earthy finish. Really impressive and rather decadent at the end. Le Pin-like. Try after 2025. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

98 Points! The 2019 Enclos Tourmaline is a tiny production Pomerol coming from a one-hectare vineyard beside Clinet. It's a rich, powerful, yet incredibly elegant Pomerol that does everything right, offering beautiful cassis and darker cherry fruits, notes of cedarwood, spicy oak, and chocolate, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and a great finish. It marries opulence with finesse perfectly and is one heck of an impressive Pomerol that can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or so. Pomerol was one of the standout appellations in 2019, and this shows it. - Jeb Dunnuck

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95 Points! Black cherries, blue fruits, bloody meats, and roasted herbs all emerge from the 2022 Cornas Empreintes, a rich, meaty, mouth-filling Cornas that brings beautiful fruit, a stacked mid-palate, and velvety tannins. It's slightly broader and more textured compared to the more inward, structured Confidence release and will need just a few years of bottle age. Drink 2027-2042. - Jeb Dunnuck

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97 Points! Everything that a vintage Blanc de Blancs should be: exquisite vertical tension on the finely beaded mousse, seamless acidity and a gorgeous flavour profile of honeyed brioche and lemon confit with a lick of apple crumble. - JamesSuckling.com

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97 Points! Rapturous orange blossom, yellow apple and lemon tart aromas linger deftly over the nose and harmonise delicately with the creamy mousse. Smooth and subtle with a decisive freshness from the acidity and crunchy mineral finish. 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir - Decanter World Wine Awards

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95 Points! Bright and minerally, with white stone fruit character and hints of lemon rind, chamomile, subtle spices and crushed stones. Pure and refined, with a medium body and a seamless, lingering, silky feel. Delicate and focused, with plenty of freshness that shows citrus blossom and white almond undertones. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! A precise and dynamic white, with compelling lemon and apricot flavors highlighted by crushed stone and zesty spice tones that sail on the finish. Drink now through 2027. - Wine Spectator

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98 Points! More iron, red fruits, tobacco, and obvious minerality emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 1, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a site on Pritchard Hill (Montagna). Aged 22 months in new barrels, it’s full-bodied, rich, and powerful, with serious tannins as well as concentration. It needs to be forgotten for 7-8 years if possible. This is serious, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. - Jeb Dunnuck

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