Wines

93 Points! The 2023 Zinfandel Stampede Vineyard is a powerful, deep wine. Varietal notes are dialed up to the maximum in this rich, heady red. Small berries in a late-ripening vintage yielded an unusually dense Zinfandel for this vineyard on the eastern edge of Lodi. The 2023 spent 11 months in neutral 500L puncheons, with no racking until bottling. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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97 Points!  A seductive Margaux with an intense nose of black fruit and red plums. Some herb and wood notes, too. It’s full-bodied with pretty, pure-berry flavors with some crushed stones and cement. The texture is silky and fine-grained and the tannins melt into the wine. Precise, flavorful finish with length. Try after 2024. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

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93 Points! A blend of 50% Pinot Noir from the commune of Mareuisur-Aÿ, 15% Pinot Noir sourced from Louvois grand cru and 35% Chardonnay from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Chouilly, the 2020 Brut Premier Cru Special Club Millesime offers up aromas of lemon oil, lime, verbena, herbs and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, textured and structured, it has good freshness and is enhanced by a charming, delicate mid-palate, concluding with a saline, tense and ethereal finish. Dosage: five grams per liter. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

 

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93 Points! Crafted from old vines of massal selection planting on a south-facing site in Mareuil-sur-A , the NV Brut Premier Cru Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes offers up an elegant, complex bouquet of white peach, pear, herbs, lemon oil, pastry and tangerine. Fleshier and deeper than its siblings, it's medium to full-bodied, vinous and charming and has a delicate, vinous core of fruit that leads to a long, saline and slightly anise-inflected finish. This blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay (based on the 2019 and 2020 vintages in equal parts) was disgorged with a dosage of 5.5 grams per liter. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

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93 Points! The 2021 Armé Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 10% Merlot, 4% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot. It has pretty tones of blueberries and black cherries with nuances of lavender, thyme and underbrush. The palate is medium-bodied, chalky and refreshing, with surprising depth of crunchy fruit and floral sparks across the long, juicy finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

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93 Points! Another impressive wine at a remarkable price point, the 2023 OVR Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown at the family’s McDowell property in Mendocino County. It’s dry, refined, and tastes of classic Cabernet, offering green olive, currant, and a hint of soy around fine, well-integrated tannins, with tension and vibrancy able to punctuate through its full-bodied core and oak and subtle power. Drink now through 2033. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

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95 Points! Wild bramble fuit, deep spices and wild berries on the nose, with cleansing bright red fruit. This is a solid, medium-bodied Sonoma County wine with fresh, minerally acidity that dances across the palate. Nicely integrated fine tannins frame abundant fruit. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A bright medium ruby color, the nose of the 2023 Pinot Noir Lyra is lifted and fresh, with focused, bright spice notes of ripe cranberries, cinnamon, fresh roses, and bright herbs. Medium-bodied, this carries seamlessly to the palate, with vibrant, fresh energy, fine tannins, and salty fresh accents. A phenomenal value. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

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96 Points! Even more outstanding than the 2020, the incredibly priced 2021 Reserva is young in boisterous blue fruit, with a generous, full-bodied palate of richness and upfront power. The tannins add length and breadth to the wine, which is tasting great and could go another 10-15 years. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! Elegant yet perfectly structured, this is the most floral of the Murrieta Reservas I’ve tasted in recent years. With 8% Graciano and 4% Mazuelo, the nose is perfumed with pretty rose petal and delicate red berry fruit, as well as wild herbal aromas. Blueberry fruit typical of Tempranillo directs the palate, rounded out with a little fleshy Garnacha, and framed by subtle American oak. It offers immediate appeal but will age gracefully for many years to come. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! Their flagship wine comes from one of the finest vintages in recent times. The 2021 Marqués de Murrieta was previously called the Reserva and still qualifies as such, but it's not included in the name now. It was produced with 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha Tinta from their 300 hectares of vines in their Ygay estate on limestone and clay soils with alluvial influence. The grapes were picked between the 27th of September and the 15th of October, and each plot and variety was vinified separately in stainless steel, matured in American oak barrels for 26 months, then blended and kept in concrete for a few months until bottling, which was a longer élevage this year. It's very spicy, peppery, with a combination of berry fruit and some incipient tertiary aromas, hints of forest floor and truffle. It's very Rioja, with clout, elegance and freshness and the elegant tannins that are the signature of 2021. It comes in at 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, denoting ripeness and balance. It's delicious, fresh and available. Bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

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94 Points! The 2020 Château Marquis D'Alesme Becker showed well, and this tiny Margaux estate continues to producer fabulous wines under the helm of Marjolaine de Coninck. Based on 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has a juicy, medium-bodied, round, even sexy style that carries lots of cassis and assorted darker, blue fruits, notes of spicy wood, flowers, and violet, soft tannins, terrific balance, and great finish. Coming from a mix of gravelly, sandy soils and aged in 50% new French oak, this beauty hit 14% natural alcohol (no doubt helped by the large Merlot component) and is going to benefit from just a few years of bottle age. It's going to see its 20th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Marquis d'Alesme opens with vibrant notes of crushed black currants, Morello cherries, and mulberries, plus wafts of violets, star anise, and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is both elegant and intense with velvety tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and perfumed. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

 

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96 Points! Elegant, soft, silky, and sensuous, the wine is rich, ripe and almost over-flowing with waves of polished, sweet, fresh, plums, dark cherries, licorice, 5 spice, espresso bean, and dark chocolate on the backend. Over the past few years, they have really picked up the volume here at Chateau Marquis d'Alesme. For a wine from the Margaux appellation at this level of quality and price, my tip of the day is, buy it! Drink from 2026-2050 - Jeff Leve, the Wine Cellar Insider

95 Points! Carefully constructed tannic architecture, moreish sapidity, crushed roses, blueberries, blackberries, edges of fennel and pomegranate, love it. Real grip, length and balance. Harvest September 26 to October 12. - Jane Anson

95 Points! The 2019 Marquis d'Alesme Becker was very impressive from barrel. Now in bottle, it has retained those engaging aromas of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and a pinch of spice, well defined and quintessentially Margaux. The palate is understated on the entry, smooth and sensual in texture, with gorgeous, very pure red fruit. I adore the harmony of this wine, and the way it sashays toward the finish. Deceptively approachable, this will mature beautifully in bottle. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media Learn More

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

95 Points! Really quite expressive on the nose, rich blackcurrants, bramble fruits, perfumed violets and irises. Lovely supple texture, smooth and grippy, holds interest from the first sip, concentrated and intense, this has a great fully fruit forward aspect with ripe tannins that fill the mouth, chewy, lively, bright and fun. So fresh and friendly, I love this expression, more structured and serious - you can feel the depth and weight and sophistication, the Cabernet shines and I love the soft, salty dark chocolate and flint touches too. Sweet, sharp, great acidity, layered and forward. Long and still a bit lean which gives focus on the finish. Will be delicious and great to enjoy when ready. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.83pH. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

95 Points! Wow. This is really fantastic. It’s full-bodied with blackberry and blackcurrant aromas and flavors. Such intensity with superfocus and balance. Great center palate. The real deal. Best ever. - JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! Beautiful Cabernet notes of currants, leafy tobacco, menthol, and lovely floral notes all define the 2022 Château Marquis D'Alesme, a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, seamless, elegant Margaux. It has a rich, upfront style, yet it nevertheless brings solid tannic grip. I love it today, yet it's going to take a decade to hit prime time. The blend is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, hitting 14.5% alcohol. It will see its 30th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

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

95 Points! A subtle graphite character makes this a very attractive and typical Bordeaux red. Aromas of dark plums with a touch of iron, as well as forest-floor, mineral and white-pepper notes. Medium to full body with fine, chiseled tannins and a perfumed finish. Tensioned and long. Quite transparent on the palate. Merlot from deep, thick clay. 80% in foudre. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

92-94 Points! This medium to full-bodied 2022 Marsau is an attractive wine produced from 100% Merlot. It has a delightfully pure bouquet of peony, violet, iris, menthol and cassis, followed by a crunchy and juicy yet fresh texture and then by a mineral-driven finish of remarkable purity, expressing elegant notes of licorice and pencil lead. Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier have produced a red wine that punches above its weight. Bravo! - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

94 Points! Lovely dark fruity fragrance with perfumed floral aromas on the nose, smells expressive and open. Smooth and supple, a lovely combination of tension, mouthwatering acidity and fruitiness here, such sleek texture with definition and soft juiciness. The tannins have grip and purpose with a softly fleshy and mineral sensation - liquorice, wet stone and graphite - giving a wide and interesting expansion on the palate. Feels cool and controlled, serious and focussed, with balance, still with concentration and power and grip. Feels very classy on the palate. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

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93 Points! This has a real minerally character with oyster shells and sliced apples that run long and true in the wine. Medium-bodied with a clean and creamy texture. Flinty, complex finish. Feels like a Chablis on the palate. Drink now.  - JamesSuckling.com

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94 Points! A saturated ruby red color, the 2023 Zinfandel Giuseppe & Luisa is savory and has an intriguing nose with notes of cedar, red berries, and baked earth. The acidity is incredible on this wine, which has a salty feel and bright, shining fruit. This is a great value. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

94 Points! Plump and jammy yet well-sculpted, this Zin offers rich and generous flavors of black cherry and raspberry laced with bittersweet mocha, savory pepper and anise notes as this builds polish toward plush tannins. - Wine Spectator

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95 Points! The 2023 Zinfandel Vellutini Ranch comes from vines planted in 2000. The nose is bursting with intense red fruit: cranberry, rhubarb and raspberry are accented by touches of forest floor and spice. The palate is just as generous, its concentrated, spicy flavors framed by soft tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a very long, layered finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

94 Points! Sleek and jammy, this vibrant red offers rich cherry, raspberry, mocha and anise flavors that finish with plump and polished tannins. - Wine Spectator

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95 Points! Probably the raciest, most vibrant version of Hyde chardonnay made by any winemaker. Vivid stone fruit and baked apple aromas, then a brilliant texture saturated with green apple, creme brulee and lemon zest flavors. Well balanced, fresh and linear in style. Medium-bodied. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The intense, sleek, mouthwatering mix of yuzu, pineapple, lemon curd and fresh ginger flavors is refreshing and distinctive, with notes of crunchy sea salt, fresh lime and jasmine, all on a sleek and crisp frame. Drink now through 2035. - Wine Spectator

From the winery:

We are proud to source the Chardonnay for this wine from Hyde, one of California's most famous and historic Chardonnay vineyards, founded by Larry Hyde in Carneros in 1979. Tucked away in the southern part of Napa Valley, the entire estate is a gorgeous expanse of rolling hills with southeast exposure and saline morning fog. The parcels of Musque clone Chardonnay and old Wente that make up this bottling were planted between 1979 and 1992. This wine was fermented and aged in 100% new French oak, then bottled as this single-vineyard wine.

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96 Points! Aromas of dark cherries and cedar with a touch of elderberries and a pleasant floral component. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with chalky tannins complemented by elegant concentration that leads to a persistent and elegant finish. Better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Like chiseling through an ashen stone to find a treasure trove of exotic spices, incense and cinnamon-tinged black currants, the 2018 Taurasi Radici makes itself known. This is a soft and generous expression of Radici, with depths of tart black fruit offset by dark chocolate and sour citrus notes. It finishes with tremendous length but without the typically harsh tannins associated with Aglianico in its youth, leaving behind inner earth and herbal tones. The 2018 ends with a salty flourish. This is a much more forward expression of Radici. That said, I expect it will give much pleasure over the medium term. - Eric Guido, Vinous

93 Points! Packaged with its distinctive black label, the Mastroberardino 2018 Taurasi Radici offers impressive complexity with a long succession of aromas that includes dried blackberry, cherry liqueur, tarry smoke, campfire ash, sweet baking spice and cinnamon. The bouquet is also heavy on bramble, rosemary sprig and forest floor. It is all smoothed out by soft tobacco. This wine shows robust fruit weight and equally balanced oak spice. The tannins are well managed and Radici is long in persistency. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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95 Points! The 2019 Taurasi Radici is impossible to ignore, mixing cloves with incense, crushed stones and dried black cherries. This is saturating and intense, with a silken textural wave that ushers in masses of tart wild berry fruits and spices, all carried by a stream of vibrant acidity. It finishes long and youthfully tense, with a mineral tinge that lingers along with notes of black licorice and a sour cranberry crunch. In 2019, the Taurasi Radici is back to form. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

95 Points! Vivid dark ruby color, with aromas of blueberry jelly, earth, black truffles, toasted pepper and chocolate. Velvety on the palate, with juicy acidity, a full body and very good fruit concentration. Great complexity and polish in the finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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93 Points! The entry-level white is the 2019 Blanco de la Casa, a blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc from Gualtallary, 40% Sémillon from La Consulta and 20% Chardonnay from La Carrera, which gives the wine a touch of energy. It comes from a dry and cool vintage that resulted in limited alcohol and good acidity. He wanted to avoid the varietal character and have a blend this year that is really vibrant, with pungent acidity and minerality. All wines fermented with natural yeasts and no acidification. He looks for high-altitude vineyards for the whites. It's sharp and really tasty, bottled unoaked, so it comes through as complex, integrated and textured. It should develop nicely in bottle. 4,000 bottles produced. It was bottled unfiltered in September 2019, and it's a little cloudy, a constant with the whites from the vintage. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn More