Wines

95 Points! Mostly Clairette (there’s 20% Grenache Blanc), the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Bernardine Blanc has a gorgeous array of ripe pears, honeyed tangerines, white flowers, and a wonderful sense of stony minerality. This all carries to a medium to full-bodied, richly textured, and flawlessly balanced white with integrated acidity and outstanding length. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Full, expressive nose of candied citrus, dried pear and vanilla that pulls you into this very structured, full-bodied white Chateauneuf, which has energetic acidity for this hot and dry vintage. The positive, fine tannins really help to drive this cuvee with clairette from the extreme east of the appellation and grenache blanc from the extreme west. This was vinified in a mix of demi-muid and foudre oak casks. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! Coming from the warmest terroir on Hermitage Hill, the 2006 Ermitage le Meal is a killer wine that oozes Hermitage notes of black raspberries, saddle leather and bloody meat. Complex, full-bodied, and textured, yet with surprising elegance, it’s an awesome wine to drink anytime over the coming two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, robertparker.com

96 Points! Superdense but really fresh, with a wild array of zesty blackberry, loganberry, linzer torte and briar notes laid over perfectly embedded tannins. Long and pure through the finish, with lots of minerality waiting in reserve. Great length. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! The 2021 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills offers a richer, nicely oaked profile that includes honeyed stone fruits, toasted spice, crushed stone, and salted citrus-like nuances. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and has a concentrated, mouth-filling profile that's grounded by a beautiful spine of vibrant acidity. It benefits from air, and this is another awesome Chardonnay from this team that readers will absolutely love. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! Crunchy black cherries, raspberries, leather, and peppery floral notes all emerge from the 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills, an incredibly pure, medium-bodied Pinot Noir that has fabulous concentration, a focused, nicely structured mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's a hidden little gem of a Pinot Noir that readers should snatch up! - Jeb Dunnuck

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

99 Points, Jeb's #5 Wine of the Year 2025! Awesome levels of blackcurrants, darker cherries, roasted herbs, chocolate, and scorched earth all emerge from the 2022 Château Malartic-Lagravière, an incredibly concentrated, rich, layered beauty that has velvety tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. It's easily the finest I've tasted from this château and is a riveting 2022 that deserves 4-6 years in the cellar and will keep for two decades or more. The 2022 is based on 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, with the élevage spanning 20 months in 60% new French oak.  - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! A fascinating Malartic-Lagraviere from this hot vintage, but the wine is surprisingly fresh, showing depth, innate balance and complexity. The mineral-etched fruit turns glossy, with fine aromas of cassis, berries, plums, spices and a hint of violets. Almost full-bodied, with a complete package of fruit and chalky tannins. Long, juicy and posh. One of the best ever. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Round, concentrated, vibrant and dynamic, a lovely burst of intense red and black fruits before quite serious tannins take hold in the mouth. Fine but full, they give the frame and the structure, setting the tone for a serious wine while the fruit and freshnes softly expand giving an aerial element to the finish. A lovely wine with intensity and detail, not the most demonstrative or juicy and appealing right now, but really well made and delivered. Supple, bright, chalky, chewy, this wine has intensity and precision. A little bit serious towards the end, the fruit just losing some focus, where it becomes more about the tannins and freshness but lots to like here with good potential. 1.5% Cabernet Franc. A yield 27hl/ha. HVE3 certified. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

95 Points! The 2022 Malartic Lagravière exudes class. Bright, layered and wonderfully vibrant, the 2022 is so alive. Rose petals, lavender, crushed rocks, mint and red/purplish fruit race across the palate. All the elements are so well balanced. Malartic Lagravière has all the potential to be one of the great wines of the year. This is a fabulous showing. Tasted two times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points!  A seductive Margaux with an intense nose of black fruit and red plums. Some herb and wood notes, too. It’s full-bodied with pretty, pure-berry flavors with some crushed stones and cement. The texture is silky and fine-grained and the tannins melt into the wine. Precise, flavorful finish with length. Try after 2024. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

97 Points! A strong candidate for the title of the wine of the vintage, the 2022 Hermitage Le Greal is gorgeous. Evoking a perfumed, complex and vibrant bouquet of blackberry, rose petal, violet, flowers and dark cherries mingled with lovely notes of lead pencil, it's suave and sappy, complete and deep, with a multidimensional core of fruit and beautifully refined tannins enhanced by an energetic mid-palate that segues into a long, perfumed and ethereal finish due to the use of whole bunches. Truly gorgeous. It should gain raciness with age. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

97 Points! A towering effort, the 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes soars from the glass with pristine crème de cassis, raspberry jam, black plum, scorched earth, incense, mint, exotic spice and white pepper aromas. The precision of the individual perfumes has a laser-like quality rarely seen in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Full-bodied and framed by ever-so-velvety tannins, it reaches a spherical dimension in the mouth. The recent adoption of 3,000-liter Austrian oak barrels beautifully contributed to the shape of this wine, giving it terrific poise and tension. - Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous Media

97 Points! One of the world’s greatest expressions of Grenache year-in and year-out, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all varietal that was brought up in larger foudre. This cuvée comes from the Charbonnieres and Les Esqueirons lieux-dits, which are mostly more sandy soils. Its deeper purple color is followed by a concentrated, medium to full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Grenache offering ripe cherry and darker berry fruits, notes of ground pepper, garrigue, and licorice, ripe yet certainly present tannins, and a great finish. Reminding me slightly of the 2006, which is drinking brilliantly today, it’s going to offer incredible pleasure over its lengthy life. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Impressive depth of colour for the vintage, this is extremely round, fresh, clear and well-defined. Tannins are present and fairly strict in style, but they're ripe, and all in all this is exceptionally promising. Not huge in fruit or body, but well-balanced and precise. from 120-year-old vines planted on north-facing clay and sand lieux-dits of Charbonnières and Esquières. Fermented in concrete, aged in foudre. - Matt Walls, Decanter Magazine

95 Points! Wild bramble fuit, deep spices and wild berries on the nose, with cleansing bright red fruit. This is a solid, medium-bodied Sonoma County wine with fresh, minerally acidity that dances across the palate. Nicely integrated fine tannins frame abundant fruit. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A bright medium ruby color, the nose of the 2023 Pinot Noir Lyra is lifted and fresh, with focused, bright spice notes of ripe cranberries, cinnamon, fresh roses, and bright herbs. Medium-bodied, this carries seamlessly to the palate, with vibrant, fresh energy, fine tannins, and salty fresh accents. A phenomenal value. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! Even more outstanding than the 2020, the incredibly priced 2021 Reserva is young in boisterous blue fruit, with a generous, full-bodied palate of richness and upfront power. The tannins add length and breadth to the wine, which is tasting great and could go another 10-15 years. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! Elegant yet perfectly structured, this is the most floral of the Murrieta Reservas I’ve tasted in recent years. With 8% Graciano and 4% Mazuelo, the nose is perfumed with pretty rose petal and delicate red berry fruit, as well as wild herbal aromas. Blueberry fruit typical of Tempranillo directs the palate, rounded out with a little fleshy Garnacha, and framed by subtle American oak. It offers immediate appeal but will age gracefully for many years to come. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! Their flagship wine comes from one of the finest vintages in recent times. The 2021 Marqués de Murrieta was previously called the Reserva and still qualifies as such, but it's not included in the name now. It was produced with 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha Tinta from their 300 hectares of vines in their Ygay estate on limestone and clay soils with alluvial influence. The grapes were picked between the 27th of September and the 15th of October, and each plot and variety was vinified separately in stainless steel, matured in American oak barrels for 26 months, then blended and kept in concrete for a few months until bottling, which was a longer élevage this year. It's very spicy, peppery, with a combination of berry fruit and some incipient tertiary aromas, hints of forest floor and truffle. It's very Rioja, with clout, elegance and freshness and the elegant tannins that are the signature of 2021. It comes in at 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, denoting ripeness and balance. It's delicious, fresh and available. Bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2020 Château Marquis D'Alesme Becker showed well, and this tiny Margaux estate continues to producer fabulous wines under the helm of Marjolaine de Coninck. Based on 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has a juicy, medium-bodied, round, even sexy style that carries lots of cassis and assorted darker, blue fruits, notes of spicy wood, flowers, and violet, soft tannins, terrific balance, and great finish. Coming from a mix of gravelly, sandy soils and aged in 50% new French oak, this beauty hit 14% natural alcohol (no doubt helped by the large Merlot component) and is going to benefit from just a few years of bottle age. It's going to see its 20th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Marquis d'Alesme opens with vibrant notes of crushed black currants, Morello cherries, and mulberries, plus wafts of violets, star anise, and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is both elegant and intense with velvety tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and perfumed. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

96 Points! Elegant, soft, silky, and sensuous, the wine is rich, ripe and almost over-flowing with waves of polished, sweet, fresh, plums, dark cherries, licorice, 5 spice, espresso bean, and dark chocolate on the backend. Over the past few years, they have really picked up the volume here at Chateau Marquis d'Alesme. For a wine from the Margaux appellation at this level of quality and price, my tip of the day is, buy it! Drink from 2026-2050 - Jeff Leve, the Wine Cellar Insider

95 Points! Carefully constructed tannic architecture, moreish sapidity, crushed roses, blueberries, blackberries, edges of fennel and pomegranate, love it. Real grip, length and balance. Harvest September 26 to October 12. - Jane Anson

95 Points! The 2019 Marquis d'Alesme Becker was very impressive from barrel. Now in bottle, it has retained those engaging aromas of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and a pinch of spice, well defined and quintessentially Margaux. The palate is understated on the entry, smooth and sensual in texture, with gorgeous, very pure red fruit. I adore the harmony of this wine, and the way it sashays toward the finish. Deceptively approachable, this will mature beautifully in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media Learn More

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

95 Points! Really quite expressive on the nose, rich blackcurrants, bramble fruits, perfumed violets and irises. Lovely supple texture, smooth and grippy, holds interest from the first sip, concentrated and intense, this has a great fully fruit forward aspect with ripe tannins that fill the mouth, chewy, lively, bright and fun. So fresh and friendly, I love this expression, more structured and serious - you can feel the depth and weight and sophistication, the Cabernet shines and I love the soft, salty dark chocolate and flint touches too. Sweet, sharp, great acidity, layered and forward. Long and still a bit lean which gives focus on the finish. Will be delicious and great to enjoy when ready. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.83pH. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

95 Points! Wow. This is really fantastic. It’s full-bodied with blackberry and blackcurrant aromas and flavors. Such intensity with superfocus and balance. Great center palate. The real deal. Best ever. - JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! Beautiful Cabernet notes of currants, leafy tobacco, menthol, and lovely floral notes all define the 2022 Château Marquis D'Alesme, a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, seamless, elegant Margaux. It has a rich, upfront style, yet it nevertheless brings solid tannic grip. I love it today, yet it's going to take a decade to hit prime time. The blend is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, hitting 14.5% alcohol. It will see its 30th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

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

95 Points! A subtle graphite character makes this a very attractive and typical Bordeaux red. Aromas of dark plums with a touch of iron, as well as forest-floor, mineral and white-pepper notes. Medium to full body with fine, chiseled tannins and a perfumed finish. Tensioned and long. Quite transparent on the palate. Merlot from deep, thick clay. 80% in foudre. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

92-94 Points! This medium to full-bodied 2022 Marsau is an attractive wine produced from 100% Merlot. It has a delightfully pure bouquet of peony, violet, iris, menthol and cassis, followed by a crunchy and juicy yet fresh texture and then by a mineral-driven finish of remarkable purity, expressing elegant notes of licorice and pencil lead. Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier have produced a red wine that punches above its weight. Bravo! - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

94 Points! Lovely dark fruity fragrance with perfumed floral aromas on the nose, smells expressive and open. Smooth and supple, a lovely combination of tension, mouthwatering acidity and fruitiness here, such sleek texture with definition and soft juiciness. The tannins have grip and purpose with a softly fleshy and mineral sensation - liquorice, wet stone and graphite - giving a wide and interesting expansion on the palate. Feels cool and controlled, serious and focussed, with balance, still with concentration and power and grip. Feels very classy on the palate. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

97 Points! This voluptuous, full-bodied and sleek wine is layered in luxurious blue and black fruits that saturate the palate while superfine tannins shape the middle and finish. Mint and floral notes accent the gorgeous fruits. A truly impressive mountain wine that punches way above its price range. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2023 Zinfandel Vellutini Ranch comes from vines planted in 2000. The nose is bursting with intense red fruit: cranberry, rhubarb and raspberry are accented by touches of forest floor and spice. The palate is just as generous, its concentrated, spicy flavors framed by soft tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a very long, layered finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

94 Points! Sleek and jammy, this vibrant red offers rich cherry, raspberry, mocha and anise flavors that finish with plump and polished tannins. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Probably the raciest, most vibrant version of Hyde chardonnay made by any winemaker. Vivid stone fruit and baked apple aromas, then a brilliant texture saturated with green apple, creme brulee and lemon zest flavors. Well balanced, fresh and linear in style. Medium-bodied. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The intense, sleek, mouthwatering mix of yuzu, pineapple, lemon curd and fresh ginger flavors is refreshing and distinctive, with notes of crunchy sea salt, fresh lime and jasmine, all on a sleek and crisp frame. Drink now through 2035. - Wine Spectator

From the winery:

We are proud to source the Chardonnay for this wine from Hyde, one of California's most famous and historic Chardonnay vineyards, founded by Larry Hyde in Carneros in 1979. Tucked away in the southern part of Napa Valley, the entire estate is a gorgeous expanse of rolling hills with southeast exposure and saline morning fog. The parcels of Musque clone Chardonnay and old Wente that make up this bottling were planted between 1979 and 1992. This wine was fermented and aged in 100% new French oak, then bottled as this single-vineyard wine.

95 Points! The 2019 Taurasi Radici is impossible to ignore, mixing cloves with incense, crushed stones and dried black cherries. This is saturating and intense, with a silken textural wave that ushers in masses of tart wild berry fruits and spices, all carried by a stream of vibrant acidity. It finishes long and youthfully tense, with a mineral tinge that lingers along with notes of black licorice and a sour cranberry crunch. In 2019, the Taurasi Radici is back to form. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

95 Points! Vivid dark ruby color, with aromas of blueberry jelly, earth, black truffles, toasted pepper and chocolate. Velvety on the palate, with juicy acidity, a full body and very good fruit concentration. Great complexity and polish in the finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com