Wines

97 Points! Intense aromas of plums, black truffles, bark and dark plums. Pine needles, too. Full-bodied, tight and polished. Extremely elegant and precise. The finish is very long and vertical. Compressed and refined. A beauty already. Drink in 2021 but already a joy to drink. - JamesSuckling.com

98+ Points! The 2015 Les Pavots checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and the balance Petit Verdot. It offers a huge nose of blackcurrants, blackberry, scorched earth, graphite, and cedarwood. Deep, rich, supple, and sexy, with a seamless, incredibly elegant texture, it builds with time in the glass and is a monumental Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Sonoma. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! Composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Pavots comes from Knights Valley AVA. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with vivacious notes of crushed black berries, Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and blackcurrant cordial with touches of camphor, lavender, tapenade and cigar box plus hints of mocha and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with muscular black fruits, framed by firm grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

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

95 Points! A blend of 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, the 2022 Château Petit Gravet Aîné exhibits a ruby/plum hue as well as terrific aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits interwoven with lots of gamey, floral, and tobacco nuances. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion that has ripe tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It shines even today yet is going to evolve gracefully over the coming two decades or so. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2022 Petit Gravet Ainé is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Kirsch, dried flowers, mocha and new leather open. Ripe, fleshy and layered, the 2022 is definitely on the riper side. Creamy and opulent in texture, it clearly needs time to settle down post-bottling. Today, I admire its balance. This is a wild wine that is sure to take readers on quite a ride over the coming two decades or so, maybe more. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94-95 Points! Supple, fresh, deep, floral and heavily influenced by its mineral essence, the wine offers an intense, spicy, salty, fruit-packed experience with layers of berries, energy and length. Produced from 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, making this one of the heaviest concentrations of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux. Drink from 2027-2045. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

92 Points! I like the peach and white stone fruit aromas, brightened by white pepper and salty minerality. Clean, balanced and medium-bodied, with distinctive gruner pepperiness yet nicely restrained. Drink now.- JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Aromas of wild herbs and undergrowth with plenty of fresh red fruit, too. This has a sleek, firm feel with ample, juicy and fresh tannins that deliver a succulent, fine-grained feel. Drink or hold. - 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

95 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. The Tanbark Hill was bottled in June of 2023. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged up to 20 months. The tannins are quite assertive at this young stage, in classic Spring Mountain Togni fashion, with a fine granularity about them. The wine feels quite complete, teeming with pure dark berry fruits and very fresh. Deeply mineral-tinged dark berries and black currants are framed by a wine with noticeable coiled-up energy and tension. It’s mostly mouthfeel at this stage and will soften with a few more years. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

93 Points! The medium to full-bodied 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill Vineyard delivers complex notes of mountain fruit, with hints of sage and bay leaf accenting cassis, blueberries and raspberries. In the mouth, it's firmly buttressed by grainy tannins, with terrific acids that linger on the finish in mouthwatering fashion. This, Togni's "early-drinking" wine, should age two decades with ease. -  Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

93 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill Vineyard is one of the most potent vintages of this wine I can remember tasting. Dense and textured, the 2021 shows ample dark fruit and complex earthy/savory undertones that add balance. The 2021 benefits from the addition of some excess fruit that would have been used in the main label but that, for practical purposes, ended up in the tanks for the Tanbark Hill. Readers will find a wine of breadth, power and character. In this vintage, the Tanbark Hill gives a very good idea of the quality and style of the Grand Vin. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

92+ Points! The 2016 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Millésime from Philippe Gonet is more autolytic and reductive than the Signature Brut Blanc de Blancs, evoking aromas of pastry, baked bread, white peach and citrus oil. Medium to full-bodied, enveloping and delicate, it’s charming with a fleshy core of fruit and a versatile open-knit character on the finish. This is a great effort with a dosage of five grams per liter. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

95 Points! The 2023 Riesling Pfaffenberg has subtle citrus and a darker aspect that disappears on the palate. The body is zesty, driven and energetic, with stony determination and citrus wings, grapefruit, tangerine and all the tangy stuff. Despite this soaring nature, this is anchored in stone. The 2023 is compelling, strait-laced, precise and oh-so juicy. Wonderfully dry. - Anne Krehbiel MW, Vinous Media

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

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

95-96 Points! A dense wine with good richness and concentration. Slightly chewy, with an almost full body and a tight-grained finish. Long, structured and powerful. Not a lighter year for Pichon Baron, thanks to the low yield of just around 20 hectoliters per hectare. 87% cabernet sauvignon and 13% merlot. - Zekun Shai, James Suckling

94-96 Points! Beautiful stuff, the 2024 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron has ripe currant and cassis fruit intermixed with classic lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco nuances. It's medium-bodied, with a pure, layered, and elegant mouthfeel, notable tannins, and outstanding length. The 2024 is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, hitting 12.7% alcohol with a pH of 3.71. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a towering wine. Just as it did en primeur, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. The Cabernets are very high in the blend, and that comes through in a Saint-Julien endowed with ton of explosive vertical lift. Lavender, dried herbs, mint, spice, rose petal and a kick of orange peel are some of the notes that run through this striking Pichon Comtesse. The aromatics alone are compelling, but everything about the 2021 speaks to class personified. Bright saline notes extend the finish. In a word: sublime. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Fantastic aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants and graphite. Metal shavings. It's medium-bodied, with a classy center-palate of fruit and fine, velvety tannins leading to an almost endless finish. This has so much class, especially for the vintage. Very low production. Drink after 2028. - JamesSuckling.com

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

100 Points! The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has turned out even better in bottle than I anticipated, bursting from the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with scents of licorice, violets and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's suave, seamless and complete, with faultless precision, pristine integration of tannin, controlled sweetness and a long, expansive finish. The 2022 manages to unite the sensuality that's the estate's calling card and the ripeness of the vintage on the one hand, with a sense of Pauillac classicism on the other, threading the needle to deliver one of the finest wines of the vintage and a benchmark Pichon Comtesse. It's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in barriques (three months more than was formerly the case), two-thirds of which were new. As I wrote en primeur, there's more than a hint of the 1982 about this wine, and like the 1982, the 2022 will offer an exceptionally wide drinking window. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

99 Points! What perfect aromas of blackcurrants, lead pencil, violets, blood oranges and blood. Some iron. Medium- to full-bodied, this has incredible tannins that are completely loaded and integrated, melting into the wine with such a glorious mouthfeel. The finish goes on and on, lightly austere in the most sophisticated way. Racy and rigorously focused. 78% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Try after 2030, but already a new benchmark for this estate. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! This brims with notes of dark currant, blackberry and black cherry preserves that sparkle subtly with reserved energy, while sweet tobacco, licorice snap, chestnut, violet and ink notes work harmoniously through the long, crumpled velvet finish. A late humus echo provides a beautiful counterpoint, which just makes you want to go right back and start the experience all over with another sip. A total stunner. - Wine Spectator

99 Points! Shiny and striking, this delights from the first sip giving a burst of strawberry and citrus acidity before salty minerality comes in the form of chalky tannins, graphite, pencil lead and slate. Really quite mineral. It's sleek and classically styled, no overt ripeness of fruit although there's concentration in the frame and power that thrusts the flavours forward. Detailed and joyous, it's pent up with muscles and tension but where other wines are showcasing that brawn now, this also delivers a ton of juicy acidity and lift which makes this so joyful. I love it. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

98 Points! Looking at the flagship 2022 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, it's based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in two-thirds new oak and one-third in once-used barrels. Its similarly deep purple hue is followed by a magical, heavenly 2022 that has a layered, full-bodied profile that brings an incredibly floral character as well as a huge core of darker currant fruits, ripe, polished, velvety tennis, no hard edges, and a thrilling finish. It’s a quintessential Comtesse that brings the forward, supple elegance of the château while still offering plenty of classic Pauillac depth, structure, and character. Give bottles 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 40+. - Jeb Dunnuck

98-100 Points! A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little coaxing, aromas of blackcurrant jelly, juicy plums, and wild blueberries waltz out of the glass, followed by nuances of red roses, damp soil, tar, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with impressive tension created by mineral-laced, crunchy black fruit layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory. pH 3.8. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

97+ Points! The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a wine of somber intensity, one that will require years to be at its best. Dark fruit, leather, incense, licorice, plum and mocha slowly open in the glass. Pichon Comtesse is often more demonstrative at this stage, but the 2022 is decidedly reticent. I expect it will be slow to reveal all of its character. I tasted the 2022 three times and found it consistently closed. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

92 Points! The 2021 Syrah Santa Barbara County is scented of black raspberries, candied blackberries, cracked pepper, smoked meats and green olive. The medium-bodied palate is bright and chalky with restrained yet nuanced fruit and a long, latent finish. I would be inclined to drink it on the earlier side after a couple hours in a decanter, and its freshness will allow it to pair widely at the table. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

A blend of 90% Sangiovese with 10% Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, and Colorino, Piemaggio’s flagship Chianti Classico ferments spontaneously in stainless steel during a 3 ½ week maceration, and spends two years aging in a combination of concrete tanks and previously used wooden casks—mainly 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak, with some 500-liter French oak employed as well. Utterly textbook in character, it combines earth, bright fruit, and tangy acidity, with notable yet unforced concentration; it is a wine of balance and egoless drinkability.

92 Points! ...the organic Pieropan 2024 Soave Classico is a favorite bottle from Northern Italy for very good reason. This simple expression of Garganega (blended with 15% Trebbiano di Soave for extra richness) offers nice freshness, mineral tones and sweet primary fruit that recalls freshly cut apple and white peach. This was not an easy vintage by any stretch, but this white wine comes out fighting. The Pieropan family does a terrific job with this entry-level release of 560,000 bottles. The grapes are sourced over 60 hectares on volcanic soils, and the wine sees a brief five to six months in cement tank. The process is simple and easy, and the wine is delicious. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

The finets version of this iconic cuvee we've ever tasted...

92 Points! The excellent 2019 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Fleuron, sourced from eight lieux-dits in Cramant, Chouilly and Cuis, was disgorged in October 2023 with five grams per liter dosage. Soaring from the glass with aromas of green apple, lemon zest, elderflower and toasted bread, it is full-bodied, textural and intense, supported by bright acids and chalky extract that provide a sensation of freshness. In short, it reflects identity of the northern Côte des Blancs with a signature touch of Gimonnet, of course. - Kristaps Karklins, robertparker.com

92 Points! Paillard's NV Bouzy Grand Cru Les Terres Roses XIX, a rosé Champagne composed of 64% Chardonnay and 36% Pinot Noir, includes 6% red wine (from 2018) sourced from the lieu-dit Les Mignottes in Bouzy. Based on the 2019 vintage, it was disgorged in May 2023 without dosage (though it retains 1.5 grams of residual sugar). The wine wafts from the glass with a beautiful bouquet of wild strawberry, red apple, cowberry and brioche. On the palate, it's full-bodied, pillowy and textural, with a crisp core of red fruit, succulent but racy acidity and gently phenolic grip, concluding with a precise, lingering finish. - Kristaps Karklins, robertparker.com