Wines

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

97-98 Points! Very classy, the transparency of this Angelus giving brilliance to the pure fruit in such a difficult growing season. Medium-bodied, it has a compacted palate and creamy, polished tannins. Very melted and harmonized. Dark cherries, raspberries and orange peel come through beautifully with some stones. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. - James Suckling

94-96 Points! A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc aging 50% (Cabernet Franc) in foudre and the rest in new oak, the 2024 Château Angélus has a deeper ruby hue as well as a beautiful nose of black raspberries, cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and flowers. It's wonderfully pure, has medium-bodied richness, a focused yet incredibly elegant mouthfeel, and ultra-fine tannins. It's a beautiful, classy Angélus that might surprise with its longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Dark chocolate and floral notes on the nose. This has an appealing density on the palate, lovely weight, with a sculpted feel to the softly chewy tannins and dark fruit. Less immediately lively, bright and accessible than the 2018 but still stylish with a sense of character. Cool blue fruits meld with mint, liquorice, flint and touches of toast. A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in ex-Lafite barrels as well as stainless steel and cement vats. - Decanter Magazine

Planted mostly in the 1940's, the mix of vineyards comes mostly from Douby, a zone on the north side of Morgon between the famous Côte de Py hill and Fleurie, and the lieu-dit, Courcelette, a parcel completely made of soft, coarse beach-like sands. Much of these vineyards are on softly sloping aspects ranging from southeast to southwest. There are rocky sections also, but generally the vineyards are sandy, leading to wines led by elegance and subtlety, but endowed with great length and complexity from their very old vines. The climate here is a warm by contrast to those further uphill.

93 Points! It has exuberant aromas of dried pineapple, apricots and dried herbs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, saline and concentrated, with a long, savory finish. A blend of encruzado and bical with 20% from an old white field blend. 30% is fermented and aged in used barrels and the rest in stainless steel. Incredible value. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Smooth and polished, with detailed flavors of ripe plum, black cherry, spice and light oak, this pedigreed red turns rich and elegant, with a long, complex aftertaste. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Firm, tight and well-structured, with a medley of floral, spice and dried currant and a touch of herb and cedary oak. Well-integrated, focused and concentrated, with a long, deep, persistent finish. Will reward cellaring. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon tumbles out with plum preserves, blackcurrant cordial, and stewed blackberries notes with hints of bay leaves, graphite, and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is firm and grainy textured, supporting the tight-knit fruit, finishing long with a minty lift. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

93 Points! A blend of all the vineyards they work with (of which there are seven), the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley sports a deep purple hue to go with classic Napa notes of blue fruits, chocolate, spicy oak, and tobacco. It's full-bodied, opulent, sexy, and undeniably delicious. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! A creamy and succulent sparkler, showing refreshing flavors of raspberry, peach and orange blossoms that gather richness on the finish. Drink now. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Arietta's 2018 Merlot Hudson Vineyard shows the cool, savory style of Carneros. Dried herbs, licorice, menthol, gravel and spice lend striking aromatic complexity throughout. This is an especially savory, nuanced style. The 2018 is a fabulous wine that will challenge readers' conceptions of what Napa Valley Merlot is all about. The Arietta wine emerges from the oldest vines Merlot vines at Hudson, planted in 1986. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

99 Points! The 2019 Estate Red is another magical wine from winemaker Sam Kaplan. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot and Malbec, all from the estate on Howell Mountain, it offers up a dense purple hue to go with stunningly pure cassis and darker currant fruits, full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a complex, nuanced style in its leafy herbs, flowers, scorched earth, and classy oak aromas and flavors. It’s brilliant any way you look at it. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! The winery’s flagship, the 2022 Crianza has a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot and is aged in older barrels, 70% French. It has the appellation’s classic power and finesse, made in a full-bodied, concentrated style of smooth tannins and fruity passionfruit and cranberry. Leather, rose petal, and toasted oak nip at the long finish. Age another 10-15 years. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

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92 Points! His 2021 Barolo sees fruit from vineyards in La Morra, Verduno and Serralunga d'Alba. There is a pretty chalky quality to the wine that you perceive across the senses, especially the bouquet. To that, I would add cocktail cherry and cassis. I am reminded of the Jolly Rancher candies we had as kids. The wine is informal, bright and accessible. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93+ Points! The 2020 Cuvée Las Santas was produced from a number of small plots at higher altitudes and cooler expositions (north), only Garnacha, small plots. It has some Mediterranean, Châteauneuf-like character (cherries in liqueur, Mediterranean herbs) with 14% alcohol, very good acidity and very fine grained tannins. They fermented it with 50% full clusters and matured it in used French oak barrels for nine months. This is the wine they produce in the style they like, a more personal wine from special plots. 1,423 bottles were filled in March 2022.  - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! There is a clear Jura twang in the white 2022 Ollos Branco that makes me wonder if the wine had any biological aging under flor (Garrido confirmed that it did!). It's the evolution of the wine he used to call Mercenario and comes from selected vineyards in different locations and soils and a myriad of varieties—Treixadura, Albariño, Godello, Loureira, Torrontés, Lado, Branco Lexítimo and Verdello Antigo—picked when they were still crunchy. It finished at 12.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.3 and 6.1 grams of acidity. It's tasty, complex, long, salty and vibrant, with effervescent freshness and a bitter and salty twist in the finish. I love it. He wants to represent an overall picture of Ribeiro, fermenting and aging in barrels and tinajas, where the wine matured for 10 months.- Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

93+ Points! The Mercenario range changes with the 2022 vintage and the wines will be renamed, the red to 2022 Ollos Tinto. 2022 was a warmer year, and the blend is 50% Caíño and then equal parts of Brancellao, Sousón and Espadeiro. It fermented in bin with some 35% full clusters and the rest destemmed grapes and had a long and soft fermentation, followed by time in used barrels. It has a perfumed nose with notes of flowers and herbs, spicy and tasty. The wine is clean and precise, with a light to medium-bodied palate with vibrant flavors and almost unnoticeable tannins. It's elegant, fresh, light and perfumed.- Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! Mirabelle plums and acacia blossoms are woven into the fabric of this creamy and elegant St.-Peray. Flinty freshness right through the very long, pure finish. Should age really well. A cuvee of 90% marsanne and 10% roussanne. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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

97-98 Points! A really classic Ausone, reminiscent of the great ones of the 1980s. Medium-bodied, it has such clarity and brightness and length. Purity and precision with drive and focus from superb viticulture and winemaking. A blend of 65% cabernet franc and 35% merlot. - James Suckling

94-97 Points! A classic blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot resting in new barrels, the 2024 Château Ausone sports a vivid ruby hue to go with a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, subtle cassis, graphite, sappy flowers, and lead pencil. It's gorgeous on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, focused, remarkably elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and perfectly integrated oak. This classy, perfumed, sensationally elegant Ausone will drink nicely with just a few years of bottle age. - Jeb Dunnuck

93-96 Points! The 2024 Ausone is pure sensuality. Intensly perfumed, pliant and silky on the palate, Ausone is haunting in its beauty. All the elements are so well balanced. Black cherry, lavender, mocha, espresso and exotic spice overtones all take shape in the glass. A wine of understated depth, the 2024 is impressive. Even in the early going, the 100% new oak is not at all evident, suggesting a wine with superior balance. The blend is 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94 Points! Blackberry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and spices. Bright and vivid. Medium-bodied with firm, racy tannins and excellent length. There’s an energy and focused directness with lovely length. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 15% mablec, 7% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

92 Points! While the 2021 Proprietary Red could be released as a Cabernet Sauvignon (it's 75% Cabernet Sauvignon), they've opted to keep it as a Proprietary blend to allow for more flexibility in the future. It has a great nose of juicy blue fruits and subtle cassis as well as medium to full-bodied richness, some textbook Cabernet chocolate and tobacco notes, a round, mouth-filling texture, and outstanding length. It's a beautiful wine that will evolve for 10-12 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! A focused nose, showing tangy and deep cabernet character with rich berry fruit and a hint of tobacco leaf. Cassis, sandalwood and dark chocolate, too. This is a full-bodied red with a tight yet silky structure. Some black fruit and dark olives in the middle with nice length. Sustainable. 100% cabernet sauvignon. Slightly chewy now, so drink from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Energizing tannins and vivid fruit acidity power the massive black fruits and intricate oak spices in this muscular but polished wine. Plump blackberries, baked blueberries, black currants and cedar all add to the compelling flavors. Built to improve and gain complexity with age, this wine should drink best from 2027–2037. - Wine Enthusiast

94 Points! The Rutherford Reserve leads with black fruits, toffee and oak spices. Full-bodied with ripe sweet blackberry and black cherry notes, building tannins that are a bit granular. The wine has plenty of grip and is built on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Petit Verdot, aged 21 months in 80% new French oak. It is nicely balanced with a pH of 3.64 and is one not easy to put down. - Decanter Magazine

92 Points! The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve is packed with dark fruit, chocolate, grilled herbs, leather and incense. In 2020, winemaker Trevor Durling added 10% Petit Verdot to add body, a decision that paid off handsomely. This is a very fine wine for the year. Chocolaty tannins linger on the close. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media