Wines

99 Points! Inky, bluish/black/purple, with notes of spring flowers, licorice, camphor, graphite, and a boatload of blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, this is a powerful, full-bodied Troplong Mondot. All the building components of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are judiciously and impressively integrated. It is a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente with the consultancy help of Michel Rolland. I-m not sure what the heady alcohol level is in Troplong Mondot in 2010 (it certainly must be in the 15%+ range), but it is well-concealed behind the extravagant, richness, full-bodied power, and pure nobility of this majestic wine. Forget this for 5-7 years and drink it over the following three decades. An absolutely stunning wine from this estate, which seems to be on a mission to produce exquisite world-class wines with enormous aging potential, the 2010 is showing better from bottle than it even did from barrel. - Robert Parker

98 Points! Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Troplong Mondot explodes with beautiful floral notes of red roses and candied violets over a core of plum preserves, kirsch and blueberry pie with a waft of bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and decadently fruited, it has bags of plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing very long and sinfully hedonic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com, 2020

91 Points! A lively, seductive and salty white with aromas of fresh lemons, dried herbs and a hint of iodine. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, it’s bright and full of verve, featuring a dry, driven and succulent finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The 2022 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is a fabulous introduction to this range. Orchard fruit, citrus, white flowers and mint give the 2022 lovely aromatic presence. The blend of Santa Maria, Sta. Rita Hills and Los Alamos fruit works so well in this bottling. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

91 Points! The 2019 Colline Novaresi Spanna offers up scents of sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco, dried herbs and crushed rose petal. Deceptive in its light-bodied structure, this ethereal red has plenty of depth. The savory, mineral side of Nebbiolo is very much on show. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

91 Points! The nose offers yeasty bready aromas topped with fresh citrus, hints of stone fruit and strawberry tart. A palate of fresh croissants, red berries, green apple and lively lemon citrus, with the larger format lending lovely creaminess to the bright finish. Veuve Clicquot's iconic Yellow Label is a blend of 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier and 50% Pinot Noir, which provides the cuvée's signature structure. Up to 45% reserve wines in the blend ensure consistency. - Julie Sheppard, Decanter

98+ Points! Coming just about all from the Ecotone Vineyard (there's a splash of Georges III in here), the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mysterons is deep purple-hued, with an insanely good bouquet of red and black fruits, iron, bloody meat, and graphite, and it turns slightly more floral and violet-tinged with air. Classic, quintessential 2021 Napa Valley magic, it's full-bodied and has tons of obvious minerality, a stacked mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 5-7 years of bottle age. It will most likely merit a perfect rating at maturity. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! This wine is graceful and delicate, with a clarity and beauty showing aromas of mushrooms, bark, forest floor and violets. Cherries and raspberries, too. Medium-bodied with silky, ultra-fine tannins, it runs long and true. Very crunchy and full of acid tension, this has historical character but is still modern and brilliant. 77% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! In spite of its extreme youth, this great Chateuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible length! Already delicous, but this has a great future ahead of it. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! A classic blend (yet with a touch more Mourvèdre due to tiny yields), the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape is based on 65% Grenache, 15% each Syrah and Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault and other varieties, aged 20-22 months in 60-hectoliter French oak foudres. A gorgeous wine, it shows the ultra-classic style of this domaine perfectly with ripe red and black berries, peppery garrigue, flowers, and an undeniably mineral character. Medium to full-bodied, with a fresh, focused mouthfeel, ripe and building tannins, and outstanding length, it offers pleasure today yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 20-30 years if you're so inclined. - Jeb Dunnuck

96-98 Points! Displays potent, mineral-accented dark berry preserve, olive paste and incense aromas that are complemented by floral oil, pipe tobacco and exotic spice flourishes. Chewy, densely packed and sharply focused on the palate, offering intense, spice-laced blackberry, blueberry, bitter cherry, violet pastille and smoky bacon flavors that turn livelier with air. Closes on an emphatic mineral note, with solid thrust, gripping tannins and superb, floral-tinged persistence. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

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

98 Points! A blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Villemaurine is killer stuff, offering black raspberries, black cherries, violets, floral notes, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied, pure, deep, and seamless, it’s layered and rich yet incredibly balanced, with fine tannins and an elegant mouthfeel. Huge minerality and a liquid rock-like character make this a stunning effort. Aged for 16 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels, it’s going to evolve gracefully for 30+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2022 Villemaurine, 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, is very deep purple black in color. It has a wonderfully fragrant nose of candied violets, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan pepper with a powerful core of blueberry pie and black cherries. The full-bodied palate is dense and muscular, with black and blue fruit layers supported by a refreshing backbone and soft tannins, finishing with an exotic spice lift. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

95 Points! The 2022 Villemaurine is an absolute joy. Rich and opulent to the core, the 2022 packs a serious punch. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, cloves, menthol and licorice infuse the 2022 with tremendous depth. Bright saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. Villemaurine is a big, heady wine, but all the elements are so well balanced. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! The 2020 les Clos from Monsieur Dauvissat is every bit as brilliant as the les Preuses. The nose soars from the glass in a blend of apple, pear, lime zest, a stunning base of flinty, chalky, wet stone minerality and oyster shell, vanillin oak and a topnote of fruit blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off a gorgeous core of fruit, but the real beauty here is in the stunningly complex base of minerality, coupled with vibrant acids, impeccable focus and grip and a very, very long, dancing and seamlessly balanced finish. - John Gilman, View From The Cellar

93 Points! Tasting a bit riper than the 2021 due to the heat during the 2022 harvest, but still an elegant, well-balanced wine. This wine is golden in color, aromatic in lemon-butter, vanilla bean and golden apples, with vivid acidity. Medium-bodied. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! Notes of fresh raspberries and cranberries with orange peel and spices. Juicy and savory with a medium body and dusty texture. Spiced and racy finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

90 Points! The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Torres Family Vineyard displays a pale silver/straw color and was raised in a fresh style, without the use of oak. It’s forward on the nose, with notes of salted grapefruit, chive, tropical flowers, and melon. Spritely and medium-bodied, it retains its driving intensity on the palate and has a zesty finish. It’s a potent but strong offering with a lot of value to drink over the next couple of years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is produced from grapes purchased from Jesse, Walter Hansel Winery’s General Manager.  Jesse hand selects a small portion of the vineyard and reduces yields to enhance the flavors.  The grapes are pressed; settled in tank for 10 days; and then fermentation begins.  We reduce the temperature to encourage extending the fermentation for greater mouthfeel.

98 Points! The 2022 Pinot Noir The Traveler is captivating. It is also one of the most dense, powerful wines in this range. Blue/purplish fruit, menthol, lavender, mocha and licorice are all amplified. Time reveals more delicacy, while soft, silky contours wrap it all together. This is inky and plush, with seamless balance and mind-blowing intensity. What a wine! - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! The 2022 Pinot Noir The Traveler is a deep magenta ruby hue and is entirely from a suitcase clone that is now referred to as the "Wayfarer Clone." In the glass, it reveals a complex and layered nose of ripe cherries, wildflowers, black raspberries, forest herbs, and blood orange. It’s driving on the palate, with refined tannins and coiled, bright acidity throughout, and it’s fully ripe but has a persistently long finish. Not a wine for the faint of heart, it’s built for the long haul and is going to show its best if given time in the cellar. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

91+ Points! More of a long distance runner is the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini Vineyard. This wine still shows plenty of oak and notes of new saddle leather intermixed with graphite and black currants in a structured, full-bodied, youthful, almost infantile stage of development. I can’t imagine this wine has moved much from its post-bottling days. It still needs another 5-6 years of cellaring, and should keep for at least 20+ years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com 2011

91 Points! Open-knit, with a juicy ball of boysenberry and blackberry notes backed by bramble and licorice root hints. Reveals toasty vanilla streaks on the finish. Drink now through 2033. - Wine Spectator

91 Points! The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc—it includes 20% Sémillon—was mostly fermented and aged in stainless steel, with 25% going into oak. The result is a gently grassy-herbal wine loaded with grapefruit and nectarine-tinged fruit, plus hints of fig and melon. It's medium-bodied, plump and creamy on the mid-palate, then long and silky on the finish. It's nicely complex and composed. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com