Wines

92 Points! Cherry stones, currants, tobacco and lemon peel on the nose. Sleek and focused, elegant, with fine-grained tannins, a medium body and a creamy, linear finish. Try from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! Complex aromas of walnut, dark fruit, stone, oyster shell, chalk and dried fruits. This shows fabulous intensity and balance with layer upon layer of fruit and polished tannins. Builds on the palate. It goes on for minutes. - JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! Made from the estate's oldest vines, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a bold and powerful wine that shows enormous precision and grit. On the Brunello scale, this expression from Siro Pacenti offers more dark fruit, plum, spice, tar and smoke. The wine reveals beautiful density and an important mouthfeel that hits the palate with seductive determination. This wine is holding up beautifully since I tasted it last and has even improved in terms of its complexity and overall elegance. It still has a long way to go. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com, 2019

96 Points! This is extremely perfumed, with violets, lavender, forest fruit and beeswax. Medium- to full-bodied with creamy, round tannins. It’s delicious already with a lovely balance, showing dark fruit, meat and chocolate with a hint of smoke. Straight and driven, it has a long finish for the vintage. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but even better in a year or two. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot reveals a deep, complex bouquet of dark berries, spices, licorice, pencil lead and flowers intertwined with hints of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it's suave and concentrated, with velvety, elegant tannins and a refined, penetrating finish. - William, Kelley, robertparker.com

100 Points! Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that was raised in 60% new French oak. Reminding me of a more elegant version of the 2010, it has a dense purple hue to go with a rich, powerful, full-bodied, sensationally complex nose of cassis and darker berries interwoven with woodsmoke, scorched earth, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Concentrated, deep, and layered on the palate with ripe, velvety tannins, it's a sensational, absolutely heavenly effort that will keep for 40-50 years. Along with the 2009, 2010, and 2020, this is one of the greatest wines to ever come from this address. Don't miss it. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! Deep and evocative, this bursts with blackcurrants, milk chocolate and floral perfume. Instantly captivating, the palate is silky yet structured, with tannins seamlessly supporting vibrant red and black berries. Broad and powerful, yet it glides, showcasing Cabernet’s structure, Merlot’s generosity and cool spiced fruit. A mineral core adds complexity, with flint-like nuances. A masterclass in power and balance – and unmistakably Smith. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Organic. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

98 Points! The vivid fruit character here is so impressive for this hot and dry vintage. It's medium- to full-bodied, showing gorgeous crushed grapes and dark berries. With density, clarity and beauty, it really speaks of great cabernet sauvignon. The tannins are integrated and go long, taking you deep and complete on the palate. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Seems almost drinkable now but needs at least five years of bottle age. - JamesSuckling.com

97+ Points! The 2022 Smith Haut Latte is silky, elegant and nuanced. It's all there. A wine of precision and class, the 2022 is so impressive. Rened, supple tannins wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit, lavender, espresso and mocha. I nd the 2022 a bit buttoned up today, but that is probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects. I look forward to seeing it age. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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

92-94 Points! The 2024 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked from September 18 to October 9 and matured in 60% new oak. It has an understated bouquet that I appreciate, with scents of blackberry, raspberry, light rose petal and India ink that gradually unfurl in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, extremely well balanced and very refined, with a linear and correct finish. This is a classy Smith Haut Lafitte that will provide up to 20 years of drinking pleasure. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

95 Points! Bottled the week before I tasted it, the 2023 Chardonnay Overline is pure and arresting on the nose. Meyer lemon, poached pears and elderflower are lent more complexity by nuances of matchstick and spice. The palate is full-bodied and satiny, with pure flavors and expertly integrated new-oak character. Its generosity is balanced by fireworks of fresh acidity, and it has a very long, layered finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

From the winery:

Our coolest site thrives in the clay loam soils of this distinctive region, influenced by the morning fog and gentle breezes of the San Pablo Bay. The unique climate combined with some of our favorite clonal selections yields complex wines of depth and verve.

95 Points! This is a fantastic wine from Stefania Barbot that represents a spot-on interpretation of both vintage and territory. The 2016 Taurasi Fren is dark and luscious, boasting impressive depth and persistence. There is extreme purity of fruit with blackberry and blackcurrants interwoven into smoke, tar, ash and exotic spice. To the palate, the wine offers structure and ample fruit weight, resulting in a powerful, steak-worthy performance. Fruit comes from 70-year-old vines planted at 470 meters in altitude. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! The 2021 Syrah Estate has a medium ruby color and smoky, flinty tones that give way to cranberries, blackberries, juniper, resinous herbs and cured meats. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and very fresh with a core of savory fruit, generous meaty and flinty nuances and a long, savory finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

91 Points! The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a gorgeous, entry-level wine for the estate. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, spice and gravel are all pushed forward. This is an unusually forward wine although there is plenty of the typical savory/graphite notes that are so typical of this site. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

90 Points! The bold and oaky 2021 The Ball Buster ripples with fleshy sweet and inviting chocolate blackberry aromas. Coconut oak with generously ripened cherry jam flavors provide upfront impact before settling into a supple, crowd pleasing style punctuated by light tannins. - Angus Hughson, Vinous Media

95 Points & Wine Spectator #4 Wine of the Year 2022! Well-built and rather refined for the vintage, with a deep well of red and black currant paste and plum reduction flavors supported by a deeply inlaid iron note, all of which run the length of the wine. Offers subtle savory, tobacco and singed cedar notes that add range, with a savory echo that leaves a mouthwatering feel in the end. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Ripe redcurrants and plums with violet and other flowers on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, polished tannins that are ripe yet firm. Pure fruit here. Pretty center-palate. Chewy finish. Give this at least five or six years to come around. Best after 2026. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com Learn More

98 Points! Tight and reserved, showcasing the depth of 55-year-old chardonnay vines from Eyrie Vineyard, one of the oldest existing plantings in Willamette, dating back to 1968. A mineral-driven, umami-rich profile with wet leaves, subtle quince, sesame seeds and hints of tangerines. Structured and compact, with a phenolic tension and a savory, earthy, clay-like character. There’s a lot going on in this wine. It is pure, full and very long. Needs time to fully unfold. Whole-cluster pressed. Better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

Sourced from 45+ year-old vines in Paton, Lys de Volan, la Bonnette, Rochecourbe, Les Rivoires, Merlant

95 Points! Slightly deeper hued (barely) than the classic Condrieu, the 2023 Condrieu Vieilles Vignes is another tour de force from this producer. Stone fruits, toasted nuts, orange liqueur, and crushed stone all give this a slightly more mineral-laced, masculine style. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's concentrated, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, a terrific sense of freshness, and outstanding length, with a touch of salinity on the finish. It's geared for the dinner table and should drink nicely through 2033. Both of these latest Condrieu from Tardieu-Laurent are brilliant wines. - Jeb Dunnuck

Sourced from 60+ year-old vines in Landonne, Lancement and Chavaroche

95+ Points! Like the Hermitage, the 2022 Côte Rôtie Vieilles Vignes is ripe and unevolved, yet it brings another level of mid-palate density and overall concentration. Awesome red and blue fruits, spring flowers, pepper, and violet notes all define this beauty, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and ripe tannins. It's a big Côte Rôtie that has balance as well as finesse, although the cellar will be your friend on this one, and it has ample baby fat to shed. Give bottles 4-5 years if you can, and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047. - Jeb Dunnuck

90 Points! Aromatic nose with baked lemons, spiced apples, dried herbs, dried leaves and mild spices. Medium body with texture and volume on the mid-palate. Ripe lemons and a positive bitterness dominate in the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. - James Suckling

95 Points! A gentle and elegant wine with aromas of spices, milk chocolate, vanilla, milk, mint, graphite and dark fruit. Silky and velvety on the palate, with ripe tannins, crisp acidity, a full body, clove flavors and amazing complexity. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2023 Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia is a delight. Crushed flowers, ripe red cherry fruit, spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco are all nicely laced together. This mid-weight Serre Nuove is notable for its forward fruit, mid-weight structure and overall appeal. Floral top notes extend the effortless, silky finish. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! This lively red is round in profile, exhibiting red fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. Iron and licorice notes chime in as this gives way to dense, lightly chewy tannins on the finish. Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! From vineyards planted in 2008, the Tenuta Tascante 2020 Etna Rosso Contrada Sciaranuova has a ruby shine that seems more luminous in this vintage. The bouquet is subtle, but there is noteworthy complexity here with ashy mineral, pressed violet and cassis. There is also an interesting note of bitter almond that leans directly into a tight tannic backbone. This contrada based in Randazzo sits at 730 meters in elevation and enjoys both northern and southern exposures. The wine ages in 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks for 12 months with a small percentage of 300-liter tonneaux as well. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com