Wines

94-96 Points! The deep ruby/plum-colored 2012 Pinot Noir La Caprice (1,440 cases) reveals aromas of rose petals, strawberries, raspberries, black currants and a hint of blueberries. This gorgeously rich, potentially complex Pinot Noir should drink well for 10-15 years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

96 Points! This label comes from Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, planted at 1,000-1,400 feet elevation to a “suitcase” clone on a soil type of clay with basalt rocks. Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2017 Pinot Noir le Caprice comes roaring out of the glass with pronounced redcurrants, warm cranberries and black cherries scents plus hints of violets, rhubarb and star anise with wafts of red roses, black tea and wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a fantastic structure of firm, finely grained tannins with bold freshness supporting the incredibly energetic and expressive red berries and black cherries layers, finishing long and perfumed. Impressive! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

95-97 Points! I tasted the 2022 Pinot Noir Le Caprice from barrel shortly before it was due to be bottled. It has generous cranberry and red and black cherry on the nose, and as it spends time in the glass, it unfurls dramatically to tones of Angostura bitters, forest floor, fennel, iron, lavender and orange peel. The medium-bodied palate is structurally seamless, combining a silky texture and bright acidity. Its flavors shift continually, calling you back for another sip, and it has a very long, layered finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

96 Points! The 2016 Chardonnay La Carrière comes from volcanic ash soils which aren't too common in Knights Valley. It offers terrific notes of white peach, white flowers, oyster shell and undeniable minerality. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and elegant, it has beautifully integrated acidity, a silky, classic texture, and a great finish. This is mostly Hyde clone. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! The 2017 Chardonnay La Carriere is a rich, powerful style of Chardonnay, yet it stays vibrant and fresh, with terrific balance. Notes of orange blossom, pineapple, caramelized citrus, and white flowers, as well as a touch of minerality all, emerge from this full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered beauty that's going to evolve for at least a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! The 2016 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille slowly unfurls in the glass to reveal vibrant key lime pie, lemongrass, pink grapefruit and white peaches scents with suggestions of crushed stones, clotted cream, almond croissant and orange blossoms. Medium to full-bodied and with a fantastic intensity of citrus and stone fruit layers giving way to loads of mineral accents, it finishes long and creamy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

96 Points! The 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir from Knights Valley reveals a medium gold hue as well as beautiful golden delicious apple, white flowers, toasted bread, and almond paste-like nuances. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a layered, textured mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and straight-up stunning length on the finish. It builds nicely with time in the glass and, if anything, was even better on the second day, so don't be afraid to give this some air. It will evolve for at least 8-10 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2009 Les Pavots, a 3,440-case blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, comes from Knights Valley. It exhibits a distinctive truffle, chocolate, blackberry and cassis-scented bouquet, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and fabulous concentration, purity and density. This magnificent effort’s open-knit style was surprising as most Northern California 2009s made from Bordeaux varietals are somewhat austere and closed at present. This wine should drink well for another two decades or more. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

96-98 Points! The 2012s made from Bordeaux varietals include their flagship wine, the 2012 Proprietary Red Les Pavots, a sensational blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. A prodigious effort, it rivals some of the fabulous past vintages such as 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2007. The inky/purple-colored 2012 boasts classic notes of crème de cassis, roasted coffee, vanilla bean, cedar, forest floor and blueberries. Full-bodied and complex with sweet tannin as well as hints of charcoal and camphor, this opulent, multi-leveled, Bordeaux-styled 2012 can be drunk now or cellared for 25-30+ years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

96 Points! Attractive bath powder and lemon blossom as well as white peach, grapefruit and some flint. The palate has a super fleshy feel with a blaze of acidity and long, fresh lemon, grapefruit and white-peach flavors. Good acidity and concentration. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

99 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. (Drink between 2031-2051). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 15% Merlot and traces of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries followed by hints of crushed rocks, cardamom, licorice, and tar plus a fragrant touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and mineral layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with loads of ferrous and earthy sparks. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

100 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

99 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. (Drink between 2031-2051). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 15% Merlot and traces of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries followed by hints of crushed rocks, cardamom, licorice, and tar plus a fragrant touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and mineral layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with loads of ferrous and earthy sparks. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

97+ Points! The 2012 Champagne Clos de Goisses is true to character and is the most opulent and decadent expression. It is flush with a generous perfume and liqueur, with ripe apricot brûlée, toasted brioche, raspberry eau de vie, and saline. The palate is round and full, though light on its feet, with kirsch and a chalky texture. Its salinity makes up for the more modest acidity and contributes to a compelling and savory wine. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com, Nov 2022   

97 Points! The 2012 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is a Champagne of extraordinary elegance and finesse. Silky and aromatic, the 2012 impresses with its mid-weight, refined personality. Hints of kirsch, red plum, flowers and chamomile open gently in the glass. Clos des Goisses is often a rich, vinous Champagne, but the 2012 comes across as restrained and understated in all the right ways. Its aging potential will be measured in decades not years. Sadly, severe spring frost took with it a startling 50% of the crop. According to Charles Philipponnat Pinot fared better than Chardonnay. Ultimately, though, the Goisses blend is a typical two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! From the 5.83-hectare walled vineyard in a cooler, 'classic' vintage for Champagne, giving this a finessed and charming expression. Baked pastry and soft lemon curd notes on the nose, smells inviting and softly floral - honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon and lime rind with some peach. Juicy and so zesty straight away, bright, mouthwateing, scintillatingly fresh and lively, thrilling even, with tiny persistent bubbles that instantly froth and fill the mouth. Alive and energetic with lemon rind and juice, succulent green apples and strawberries, grapefruit and ginger bitterness with touches of salinity and graphite dotting the finish. This makes you instantly want another glass, but this has structure too and such a long finish. No malolactic fermentation. Dosage 4.5g/l. Made by Charles Philipponnat and Thierry Garnier. - Georgia Hindle, Decanter Magazine

96 Points! The 2014 Clos des Goisses, 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, is Extra Brut at 4.5 g/L dosage and was disgorged in March 2023. It needs a little coaxing to bring out delicate scents of wet pebbles, lime blossom, and green apples plus emerging wafts of Marcona almonds, yuzu, and baking bread. Light-bodied and very dry, the palate is super-fine and delicately crafted, with a lively backbone supporting the intense flavors, finishing long and minerally. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

96 Points! Not surprisingly for such a hot vintage, the wine has a degree of solar expression, but it also presents freshness and elegance, and has no element of cooked fruit whatsoever. Complex scents of dried flowers mingle with those of gentle spices. The powerful, fleshy attack is juicy but on the palate the wine is shaped by a solid tannic structure so characteristic of this vintage yet one that is impressively silky. Ready to be enjoyed but will stay the distance for another 15 years. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter Magazine, December 2021

96 Points! Sweet tobacco and plum with hints of leather and cassis on the nose. Full bodied, with big velvety tannins and lots of fruit. Very rich and powerful, even chewy. Give this some time to mellow out. - James Suckling, 2011

100 Points! Pichon Baron 2016 is a riveting, classy wine, richly aromatic and expressive from the start with a complex bouquet of black cherry, liquorice, graphite, menthol and subtle spices. The palate combines fleshy texture and linearity. The fine-grained tannins have the laser-like precision that Christian Seely likes so much, and contribute to the overall impression of crystalline purity so conducive to the terroir expression of this benchmark wine destined to reach new heights over the next 20 to 30 years. Magnificent wine. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter Magazine 2021

99 Points! The concentration and largesse of the 2016 Pichon Baron is apparent from the get-go with incredibly alluring, ripe and expansive fruit aromas in the blackberry, dark-cherry, mulberry and plum zone. Espresso and cedar, as well as a slate-like, stony mineral edge add complexity. The palate has incredible depth, drive and detail. Fine and plush tannins stretch the palate in every direction. So fresh and vivacious, this is the greatest Pichon Baron since 1989 and has a long future. Try from 2024. - James Suckling

96 Points! Dark and brooding in bearing, the 2021 Pichon Baron is a somber, mysterious wine. It is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur. Graphite, leather, spice, mocha and dried herbs meld together in a wine of power, precision and contemporary classicism. It's one of my early favorites in this vintage. I won't be too surprised if it turns out even better than this note suggests. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Baron is showing very well in bottle, unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, sweet berries and violets mingled with subtle hints of orange zest and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with good depth at the core, bright acids and sweet tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish, its serious, slightly reserved profile reflects the unusually high (89%) percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2021 concluded its élevage in large wooden vats for a month and a half, saw a touch less racking than normal, and was only fined with a small amount of gelatin, not egg white, as has been the rule at this address for several years now. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

95 Points! Black currant, violet, lemon blossom and black berry aromas. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and tobacco, black fruit and cedar undertones. It’s tight and chewy, suggesting it needs some bottle age. Some iodine. Oyster shell. 88% cabernet sauvignon. Give this four to five years. Try after 2027. - JamesSuckling.com