Wines

96 Points! This great Spatlese from the Graacher Himmelreich has everything we hope for from this famous site: excellent concentration and delicacy on the barely medium-bodied palate, terrific slatey character and a broad spectrum of aromas that range from white flowers and peaches to blackcurrants. Super-stony and precise finish. All of this has a wonderful spring-like freshness that makes it irresistible. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A smoky mineral layer hovers in the backdrop of this streamlined, concentrated Riesling, with beautiful clarity and range to its notes of lime oil, peach and green herbs. Flinty and sultry through the long finish, which features some phenolic extract for a dry impression. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! A deep, complex wine, the fruit integrated into the mineral-laden style. Essential oils of lemon with zest, green apples and stone fruit. Chalky with orange-blossom flavors, racy acidity and an austere palate. Light-bodied yet precise in the finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A very mineral style full of chalk and lemon peel, coconut and butter. Fine bubbles with light to medium body, zesty acidity and slightly honeyed flavors. Tense, stony finish. Almost austere yet polished. Drinkable now but best in one or two years. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Inky violet color. Lively, spice-tinged black and blue fruit liqueur aromas show sharp definition and pick up floral and incense nuances with air. Subtly chewy and focused on the palate, offering juicy blueberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors that are braced by a core of juicy acidity. Finishes sappy, sweet and quite long, with steadily building tannins and resonating blue fruit character. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

96 Points! The 2021 Syrah Kimsey Vineyard is ample and full-bodies, as most wines from this site are. Dark-toned fruit, leather, cedar, spice, menthol and dried flowers build nicely, leading to an expansive, broad finish. All of this fruit was destemmed, an approach that worked so well here. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94 Points! The 2021 Syrah Kimsey Vineyard is all varietal (100% destemmed) that spent 22 months in just 13% new French oak. It has a beautiful, fruit-driven perfume of red and blue fruits, sandalwood, and exotic flowers. This carries to a plush, seamless, medium to full-bodied Syrah that picks up more meaty, gamey notes on the palate, has ripe, polished tannins, and just about flawless overall balance. It's another killer Syrah in the lineup. - Jeb Dunnuck

96+ Points! The 2021 Syrah Larner Vineyard comes from a great site in the middle of the Ballard Canyon and spent 22 months in 22% new French oak. Its deep purple hue is followed by a tighter, more closed, yet incredibly promising Syrah that has ripe blackberry and cassis fruits interwoven with peppery spice, dried herbs, leather, and some chalky minerality. This full-bodied, concentrated, structured, and brilliantly pure Syrah deserves 2-3 years of bottle age and will blow you away over the following decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! The 2021 Syrah Larner Vineyard is a heady, racy wine. Ripe red cherry, spice, cedar, new leather and tobacco open first. A kiss of Viognier and a touch of new oak add an element of raciness to this sleek Syrah. The 2022 is so expressive and inviting. It's another superb wine from Jaffurs. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! A very elegant, intensely minerally, herbal, medium-bodied dry riesling. If you give this youthful beauty a moment in the glass, a wealth of delicate stone fruit notes emerges. Fantastic interplay of wet stone character, fine tannins and citrus zest freshness in the very long and focused finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon “Champoux Vineyard” (where Quilceda Creek sources much of its Cabernet) offers additional aromatic complexity. Earth, charcoal, cedar, tobacco, black currant and blackberry liqueur are present in the aromas and flavors. Velvety-textured, sweet and supple on the palate, and well balanced, this outstanding Cabernet nicely combines power and elegance. It merits 6-8 years of cellaring and should drink nicely through 2034. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com

93 Points! The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard is the most expressive of the Cabernets. Opaque purple, it has a superb bouquet of toasty oak, smoke, spice box, black currant, blackberry, and plum. Full-bodied and layered, it will develop for another 4-6 years. It, too, combines power with elegance. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com

93 Points! The purple-colored 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard is a step up, not surprising given this vineyard’s track record. Exotic spices, incense, violets, earthy minerals, black currant, and blackberry aromas inform the nose of a rich, plush, dense offering with enough fine-grained tannin to evolve for another 3-4 years. It is likely to see its 20th birthday in fine form. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com

93 Points! A tasting of the various constituent lieux-dits revealed that the Bachesson parcel had a peppery side and its characteristic rose scent, and an unmistakably granitic texture. The Chalaix lieu-dit was precise, fine, with no huge concentration but good balance. Lieu-dit Dardouille was looking promising, with good weight and length. The finished blend of the domaine’s St-Joseph is likely to be neat, precise and fresh, with a distinct mineral side, one to drink relatively young. There will be no separate bottling of Clos Florentin this year due to frost. - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! The 2021 Saint Joseph is absolutely brilliant and, given the difficulties in the vintage, has no business being this good! Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue as well as brilliant aromatics of ripe darker fruits, some meaty, bloody nuances, graphite, and ground pepper, with a beautiful floral character emerging with time in the glass, it's medium-bodied, has a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, no hard edges, and outstanding length. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! A tasting of the four main parts (Les Challaix, Le Clos, La Dardouille and Bachasson) suggests that this will be a vintage that combines power – black fruits and thick tannins from La Dardouille – and more lifted, fleshy, fragrant, low acid elements from Les Challaix, plus Bachasson's rose and raspberry. A little richer and more velvety than a typical year. - Decanter Magazine

94 Points! Leading off the 2022s, gorgeous red and black fruits, spice, pepper, and bouquet garni define the 2022 Saint Joseph. Very focused and layered on the palate, it shows medium to full-bodied richness and elegant tannins. It's very much in the sunny yet structured style of the vintage and will have 10-12 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2037. - Jeb Dunnuck

92-94 Points! I tasted numerous components that will form the final blend of the 2022 Saint-Joseph. Ripe red and blue fruits usher in, complemented by licorice, violets, cedar and pencil shaving elements. Medium-bodied, juicy and refined, all 2022 samples display wonderful freshness within an intricate web of polished tannins. If all continues down this path, this will be a terrific Saint-Joseph. - Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous Media

92 Points! Bottled in September, the 2021 Côte Rôtie reveals a healthy ruby hue to go with a beautiful and classic Jamet nose of ripe red and black fruits, peppery herbs, menthol, spring flowers, and subtle meaty nuances. Fermented with 90% whole clusters, it's medium-bodied, has a focused, elegant, seamless texture, and outstanding length. This delicate, seamless, perfumed Jamet will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! A texturally beguiling red, with a chewy, creamy stream of dark chocolate, perfumed lavender, plum paste and warm spices framed by alder and camphor. Large in scale yet not heavy, with a supporting beam of iron, plus an energetic through line and prettiness from start to long, captivating finish. Stunning and hard to resist drinking immediately. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! A tasting through the different terroirs in this wine revealed a fresh, intense, highly structured year; not as generous as 2019 or 2020, certainly more austere, and will take longer to come round. Many of the samples had an appealing floral expression, occasionally with herbal nuances from the use of whole bunches, and often really quite dark, dense black fruit on the palate. Tannins, while not green, are decidedly tight and will take time to finesse. A vintage where patience is required and which I suspect will shut down shortly after bottling. - Decanter Magazine

95+ Points! Just bottled, the 2022 Côte Rôtie offers a beautifully classic Jamet perfume of red and black fruits, crushed stone, and sappy flowers. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a broad, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form. Drink 2031-2052. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Disgorged without dosage, the NV Extra Brut Rosé Fac-similie (LC18) bursts with aromas of red berries, plums and spices mingled with freshly baked bread and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and sapid, with delicate structure and an enveloping core of irresistibly succulent fruit, lively acids and a long, saline finish. While the Fac-similie shares the charm of its white counterpart, its gently phenolic grip seems to temper some of the exuberance of the vintage. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

94 Points! A juicy and fruity red with blackberry and some dark chocolate and graphite character. Lead pencil, too. Medium-bodied with creamy and integrated tannins and a juicy finish. Savory and delicious. Some iodine. A blend of grenache, shiraz and mourvedre. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2021 Plexus comprises 48% Shiraz, 28% Grenache and 24% Mourvèdre. This is the first wine that John Duval made when he left Penfolds; the first vintage was 2003. This is polished and juicy, the long and mild 2021 season on show here. There are notes of raspberry pip and cocoa, a hint of chocolate-covered licorice and tobacco, brine and star anise. It's a lovely wine, as ever. And it's potentially a superstar release, given the inherent balance and length of the season and, therefore, the wine too. - Erin Larkin, robertparker.com

93 Points! This quite serious 2021 Red Plexus is a Rhone blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre with an almost Gigondas feel. It delivers exceptional value with its brooding blackberry, meat stocks and licorice aromas, plus a dusting of spices. Dry with excellent focus and concentration, the cooler 2021 vintage provided a tighter and tannic package delivering waves of meaty olive tapenade and peppery complexity. The length is excellent, but it needs a little time to blossom. - Angus Hughson, Vinous

93 Points! Beautifully perfumed notes of violet and lavender add an effusive quality to the core of blackberry, kirsch and fresh plum, with accents of star anise, sage, masala chai and tapenade, plus a touch of bittersweet chocolate that lingers on the long finish, where the plush tannins add further elegance. Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! The 2023 Nisia Las Suertes is 100% Verdejo from very old vines (possibly even the 1880s) and was aged on the lees with bâtonnage for a minimum of 7 months in French oak puncheons and demi-muids. It has more melon ball, hay, crushed stone, and subtly honey nuances that carry to a beautifully textured, layered white with a gorgeous mid-palate, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's a serious wine that's geared for the dinner table. - Jeb Dunnuck

93+ Points! The village 2021 Viñedos en San Vicente de la Sonsierra was produced with 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and the rest white grapes, mostly Viura from vineyards in the middle and higher part of the village. It fermented partly with full clusters and matured 50/50 in concrete and 500- and 600-liter barrels in their cave. This feels quite serious, with ripeness and power, slowly revealing more elegant notes and some floral hints, with an earthy touch. It feels like the grapes ripened thoroughly in the longer cycle and developed plenty of nuances. It has 13.9% alcohol and is medium to full-bodied, serious and balanced, with the stuffing to develop in bottle. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

93 Points! Not a big wine like this village can produce, but a refined, elegant one with ethereal fruit and floral aromas, then succulent red cherries, raspberries and spearmint on a silky, almost-soft texture. Medium-bodied. Drink now or hold. - JamesSuckling.com