Wines

92 Points! One-third of the Pinot Noir grapes come from two sites in the Russian River Valley: Bailey and Pinot Hill vineyards. Two-thirds are from Twomey’s ‘Last Stop’ estate in Russian River’s Green Valley sub-appellation. The site is planted to heritage clones of Calera, Mt. Eden, Swan, and Burgundy Dijon clones. They developed a hillside in 2017, and they imported some clones from their Prince Hill property in Oregon, which they bought in 2017. Elegant red berry fruit is laced with vanilla and cedarwood. Emerging brown spices layer in nuance on this medium-bodied Pinot Noir, which boasts plenty of dark fruit concentration with plush textures and ripe tannins. There’s a lovely floral lift on the finish. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

92 Points! Super bright and fresh, with tropical fruit notes leading the way, intermixed with pops of bright citrus fruit. Round and silky fruit on the palate is redolent of white peach, guava, and green papaya, all of which build with a lovely richness balanced by a fantastic thread of saline-minerality and lime citrus on the finish, along with a burst of spring flowers. Incredibly food-friendly. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

92+ Points! From Buntsandstein and Muschelkalk soils, the 2018 Bollenberg Riesling Neuberg starts with a pretty open, rather low-sulfured (15 milligrams per liter of free SO2), pure and elegant bouquet. Lean, saline and pure on the palate, this is an elegant, fresh and energetic dry Riesling from the eastern part of the Bollenberg. The finish is intense and complex yet also underlines the youth of the 2018. 12.5% stated alcohol. Tasted at the domaine. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com

92 Points! Another brilliant value that readers will love, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Silencieux,is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot, all of which spent 22 months in 50% new oak. This medium to full-bodied, round, balanced, mouth-filling beauty has lots of ripe black and blue fruits, some background spicy oak, velvety tannins, and a great finish. Drink bottles any time over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! Classy red here with currants, blueberries and mahogany aromas. Full body, chewy tannins and a long finish. Intense and powerful. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is deep garnet-purple in color. It has a wonderfully flashy and flamboyant nose of blackcurrant cordial, redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, and potpourri with hints of chocolate mint, tilled soil, chalk dust, and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is very taut and muscular with tons of bright, crunchy black fruits and wonderful tension, finishing with tons of earthy nuances. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, TheWineIndependent

99 Points! Composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder of Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is compact and unfolds more slowly in the glass. The nose is rich with graphite, sage oil, and black plum. The palate is full of kirsch, fresh leather, currant, and tobacco, with fine tannins that go for ages, along with the fruit and well-balanced acidity. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! A true wow wine, the deep, concentrated 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Hauts-Lieux (there's 20% Mourvèdre) offers awesome notes of blackcurrants, smoked meats, graphite, crushed rocks, and licorice. Extraordinarily concentrated, perfectly balanced, structured, and long, it's another sensational wine from this estate. - Jeb Dunnuck

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

94 Points! A sculpted Champagne, rich but still elegant, with well-honed acidity and a panoply of flavors set on the raw silklike mousse. Delivers grilled macadamia nut and biscuit, white cherry and nectarine fruit, crystallized honey, lime blossom, star anise and smoke accents. Long, salty finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged January 2023. Drink now through 2033. - Wine Spectator

92+ Points! The 2022 Las Uvas de la Ira is Garnacha from seven vineyards in El Real de San Vicente, fermented separately and separating according to the health of the skins, with shorter and longer macerations, and matured in concrete and oak vats and foudres (50/50, approximately). It has the profile of the year, with slightly riper fruit, 14.5% alcohol and slightly dusty tannins.- Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.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.

92 Points! The last of Hansel's whites, the 2023 Chardonnay Cuvee Alyce offers more clarity in the range and is lifted with notes of preserved lemon, apricot, honeycomb, and wet stones. It's full-bodied, with a weightless, silky texture and elegant notes of hazelnut coaxing through the palate. It's a very strong offering that should improve over the next few years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

92 Points! A finely calibrated version that offers high-toned elements of violet, plum and black currant alongside an iron-edged, chalky mineral backbone. Warm earth and humus notes fill in, with salty intensity and smoked bacon accents. Singed mesquite smoke wafts through the delicious finish, which shows good density. Drink now through 2032. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! A step up, the 2021 Saint Joseph Le Lombard Blanc is more rounded and complete, with beautiful honeyed quince, spice, and dried herbs in a medium-bodied, round, supple package that's already a joy to drink. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! An aromatic, savory streak of tarry smoke and leather offers a subtle underpinning for the rich mesh of Amarena cherry, cured tobacco, licorice and warm spices on display in this harmonious red, with supple, well-knit tannins. Corvina, Rondinella and Corvinone. Drink now through 2030. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! Plums, black currants, nutmeg and coriander on the nose. Some graphite and tobacco. It’s firm and savory with a full body and medium-chewy tannins. Dried herb character on a firm finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Blueberries, dark plums, tea leaves and crushed rocks on the nose with a touch of manuka honey. It’s full-bodied, firm and compact. Solid tannin frame. Lots of juicy black fruit, but still tightly wound. Drink from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Bright, juicy, and firm with chalky tannins, this wine surprises with boldness. Youthful notes of cherries and wildflowers emerge. Though austere and tight, its lively, crunchy palate promises potential, marked by refreshing oak spice. - Decanter Magazine