Wines

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

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

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

93-95 Points! The 2020 Gigondas Clos Des Tourelles should be a step up. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and remarkably well-balanced, it has a terrific mix of red and almost blue fruits as well as peppery herbs and flowers. Already complex and nuanced, yet concentrated and rich, it’s a serious effort from the Perrin family that’s going to have 15+ years of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! A creamy texture carries lush, ripe tropical fruits, ample butter and toast nuances in this bold, full-bodied wine. The layering of baked apples, vanilla, Bartlett pears and almonds is impressive and delicious. - Wine Enthusiast

93 Points! A medium-bodied, balanced and elegant chardonnay with notes of apples, spiced pears, burnt lemons and sweet spices. Delicate and creamy with a fine texture and a supple, mellow and delicious finish. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Pure aromas of lemon confit, poached Asian pears, pastry and lanolin. The palate is medium-bodied with focused acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of lime curd, orange blossoms, yellow apples and flint. Very well constructed and polished. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Elegant and fragrant up front, with notes of orange blossoms and ginger paste alongside fleshy, juicy flavors of ripe melon, peach, apricot and fresh lemon zest. Accents of smoked sea salt and fennel pollen linger on this white's sleek frame. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! The 2019 Faugères is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted from Silvio Denz's Saint-Émilion estate. Silky, aromatic and super-expressive, Faugères is absolutely exquisite. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, dried flowers and cinnamon are some of the many nuances that open in the glass. There is plenty of the textural richness readers have come to expect over the years, but the 2019 is less over the top than some previous vintages. And that's a good thing. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

95 Points! A full-bodied red with fine tannins and plenty of plum, milk-chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s creamy and attractively textured. Rather flamboyant for the vintage. Generous and formed. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A nice touch of fine reduction that protects the fruit and almost mingles with the oak spices, giving this a dusty feel with dulce de leche, blackberries, cassis and graphite. A crunchy, medium-bodied palate with fresh, juicy tannins and a firm, lively finish. Long, elegant and fluid. A very good expression from this lighter vintage. Drink from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com Learn More

98 Points! This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon features big, round, silky, and lush blackberry flavours with sagebrush nuances and dark chocolate. It is full-bodied with a rich, dense black and blue fruit core, complemented by tantalising acidity. Dazzling in its opulence, it is perfectly balanced by superb, fine-grained tannins and bright minerality. Favia is the project of husband and wife duo viticulturist Annie Favia and winemaker Andy Erickson. - Decanter Magazine

98 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville explodes with bombastic notes of creme de cassis, black cherry preserves, and boysenberries giving way to nuances of cedar, graphite, and lavender oil. The full- bodied palate is jam packed with intense black and blue fruit layers supported by a solid line of firm grainy tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and with wonderful purity. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW, TWI

93 Points! The red blend 2019 Pacio Tinto was produced with Brancellao, Merenzao Caíño Longo, Sousón and Mencía grapes that fermented in granite lagars with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in used 500-liter oak barrels and has a very Ribeira Sacra character, mixing rusticity with elegance, wilderness with restraint. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins, pure flavors and a long, clean finish. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

93 Points! Plums with orange peel and orange blossom on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that are polished and curated with lovely tension and texture. Drinkable now but will age nicely. Shows tension at the end. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! I found the 2018 Vinyes Velles to be quite ripe with notes of prunes and decayed violets, with 14.5% alcohol and a low pH, so the nose seems overripe but the palate feels fresher. It's 84% Cariñena and 16% Garnacha matured in 225-liter oak barrels for 15 months. Ripe and generously oaked. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

95+ Points! The 2020 Ferrière is a powerhouse. Gravel, scorched earth, licorice, cloves, lavender and inky dark fruit saturate the palate. A virile, potent wine, Ferrière shows the more virile side of Margaux off to great effect. Readers will find a wine of tremendous gravitas. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous 

95 Points! Complex aromas of crushed berries, walnuts, wet earth and spice follow through to a full to medium body, chewy yet juicy tannins and a savory finish. This needs time to soften but I like the character and intensity. 68% cabernet, 27% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Seductive fragrance on the nose, perfumed, clean and pure. Rich yet direct too, I like the sleekness with clarity, energy and a vibrancy to the dark fruits edged with clove and liquorice. Tannins are firm and grippy, taking hold of the palate, showing off the muscular side. Feels well made with a full body and persistence from start to finish. Nicely approachable. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! The 2021 Big Easy is fabulous. In fact, this is one of the finest editions I have tasted of Fess Parker's Grange-inspired wine. Succulent red-toned fruit, mint, plum, rose petal and a kiss of new American oak build into the heady, sumptuous finish. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93+ Points! Dark depths of crushed plums, black cherries, balsam herbs and dark chocolate form a beguiling display as the 2019 Nero d'Avola Vrucara smolders up from the glass. This is pure elegance, silky and textural, yet full of youthful tension, with tart wild berries and zesty citrus colliding under an air of inner rose. The 2019 is structured with sweet tannins and is dramatically extended, showing hints of brown spice, mocha and clove that linger on and on and on. This is a powerful rendition of Vrucara. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

98 Points! Intense aromas of wet earth, leaves, sweet berries and cinnamon follow through to a full body, velvety and dense tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Opulent style. Just opening now, but this shows lots of stuffing, even if it does tighten down on the palate. Integrated and fine. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

98 Points! The 2010 Figeac has a deep hue. The nose is quite introverted at first, with dark berry fruit, incense, touches of fig and mulberry. The palate is beautifully balanced with a fine bead of acidity, gorgeous pure fruit, mulberry and dark plum, gently considering the vintage. This 2010 has softened in the last couple of years, gaining depth towards the finish. Very persistent - this is just beginning to show what it is capable of. Tasted at the vertical in Berlin. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

97 Points! Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Figeac bursts from the glass with gregarious scents of baked blueberries, black cherry compote and chocolate box with hints of camphor, pencil lead and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has beautifully ripe, velvety tannins and bold freshness supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and layered. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

96 Points! Based on a normal mix of close to equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, the 2010 is still youthful yet certainly offers pleasure today. Deep ruby/plum-hued with a classic Figeac nose of red and black currants, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and truffle, and it certainly seems more Médoc than Saint-Emilion. Beautifully balanced on the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, and has silky tannins, a terrific mix of both richness and freshness, and an overriding sense of elegance. It's a gorgeous Figeac just coming into its own, with another two decades of prime drinking ahead of it. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! The 2019 Figeac is without question one of the wines of the vintage. All the promise it showed as a young barrel sample, is all there in bottle, too. Estate Director Frédéric Faye crafted a towering, statuesque Figeac built on vertical energy and a feeling of vibrancy that never lets up. Deep layers of red/purplish fruit, cedar, tobacco, mint and dried flowers are framed by a super-classic expression of structure that keeps things in balance. There is a bit more Cabernet Franc in this year's blend, and that definitely comes through. Readers who can find the 2019 should not hesitate, as it is truly majestic. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! The 2019 Château Figeac checks in as 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, and it's another brilliant wine from Frédéric Faye. This deep purple-hued effort offers a beautiful Pauillac-like bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, damp earth, leafy herbs, chocolate, and smoked tobacco. It has classic Figeac herbal, earthy goodness (no doubt due to its high percentage of Cabernet) and is medium to full-bodied on the palate, has perfect tannins and flawless balance, all making for a brilliant Saint-Emilion that brings richness and power paired with finesse and elegance. Give bottles 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30+. - Jeb Dunnuck

96+ Points! A wine that transcends the vintage's challenges, the 2021 Figeac is performing brilliantly in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries and cherries mingled with striking top notes of violet, rose petal, iris and mint. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and suave, it's pure and vibrant, its enveloping core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins, concluding with a long, floral finish. Readers in the habit of drinking top grand cru Burgundy are liable to find themselves seduced by this immensely elegant, perfumed Saint-Émilion, a wine I'll definitely be adding to my own cellar. It's the result of gamble that paid off, as Figeac's team chose to wait to pick their Cabernet Sauvignon despite the menace of forecast rain—a menace that, in fact, scarcely transpired. The 2021 saw a somewhat shorter-than-usual élevage of 16 months in barrel without fining. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

97 Points! Deep, complex and precise, what a wine in 2021. Grippy and intense, this captures attention and holds it: the sharp zing of acidity, wet stone minerality, crystalline fruit. Bright and fresh, excellent tannin integration, mid-palate depth and a salty, liquorice twist at the end. You almost want to chew this wine, yet it's spot-on and totally moreish; freshness is the focus but not a beat is missed with the texture and mouthfeel. No one can be disappointed with this wine! - Decanter Magazine

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

100 Points! An absolute legend of a wine, the 2022 Château Figeac is based on 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that saw malolactic in barrel and 18 months in new barrels. This deep purple-hued beauty offers incredible cassis, spring flowers, crushed stone, graphite, and subtle tobacco notes to go with a full-bodied, ultra-pure, fine, seamless style on the palate. It's so rare to find a wine that can deliver this level of richness and intensity with no sensation of weight, as well as an incredible sense of finesse and elegance. It reminds me of a slightly more concentrated version of the 2016. Hide bottles for a decade if you can and enjoy over the following 40 years or so. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! This wowed during Primeurs and it has maintained its promise now it's been bottled. Gloriously alive with a beautifully expressive nose - dark fruit, liquorice and floral scents. The energy on the palate is incredible - this pulses with life given the high acidity and juicy red berry fruit but this also has a touch of creaminess alongside softly fleshy tannins that give the weight and structure. There's power and concentration but almost hidden underneath the cooling freshness and such charming texture. Effortless winemaking on show, taking the best of the vintage in terms of ripeness but delivering a seriously sophisticated expression that is just so moreish. I love it. A perfect wine. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

100 Points! The 2022 Figeac is one of the wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of dark berries and cassis mingled with hints of violet, pencil lead, mint and cigar wrapper, it's medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with striking intensity and sweetness of fruit married with unerring precision and energy, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Abundant but exquisitely filigreed tannins lend a sense of classicism and proportion to a wine that might otherwise be flamboyant. As I wrote from barrel, it's the quintessential Figeac, testament to the late Thierry Manoncourt's vision to plant such a large proportion of Cabernet, and on drought-resistant rootstocks. Such is the inherent complexity of Figeac's terroirs that harvest took place sub-block by sub-block between September 1st and 25th. Could the result be a contemporary version of the estate's magical 1949? - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

98 Points! The 2022 Figeac was picked between 1-26 September with the pH of 3.7 and 14% alcohol. This wine combines both Left Bank and Right Bank traits due to its blend (as usual), but this year leans more to the Right Bank despite a slightly lower contribution of Cabernet Sauvignon. It is very well defined, fresh and shows lively black fruit, incense and nuanced Chinese tea aromas. The palate is beautifully balanced with a lightly spiced entry, fine depth and with plenty of concentration counterbalanced by finesse toward the graphite-infused finish. Its saline aftertaste beckons you back for another sip. An appropriate way to start your tenure as a Grand Cru Classé "A". - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

99 Points! Deep nose with graphite, gravel, dark hazelnut chocolate, blackberries, blueberries and truffles. Really taut and tense on the palate with fresh, vibrating tannins and a very long, chalky finish. Compact. 35% merlot, 34% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Lots of vibrancy and muscled tension here from an extremely hot and dry year. - JamesSuckling.com