Wines

96 Points! A fabulous wine, and one of the two greatest Talbots of the last 50 years, this wine still has a very murky garnet/plum/purple color and a spectacular nose of sweet creme de cassis intermixed with freshly ground pepper, melted road tar, herbes de Provence, and beef blood. It is followed by an enormously concentrated wine of full body, layers of concentration and sweet tannin. The wine seems to be just hitting its plateau of maturity, where it should last for at least 10-15 more years. A prodigious Talbot. Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted, 6/02. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

93 Points! The 2023 Chardonnay Cuvée Tan Fruit opens with saline and flint aromas that give way to quince, beeswax and chamomile. The light-bodied palate opens to more expansive, peachy flavors and honeyed accents. It has a luxurious, silky texture, vibrant acidity and a long, energetic finish. It will benefit from time in a decanter. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

92 Points! From the early-picked grapes from the single vineyards, Mittelbach’s 2019 Riesling Smaragd Bergdistel offers a pure, fresh, elegant and slightly flinty bouquet of white stone fruits and crushed stones. Round and almost creamy on the palate, this is a juicy, fleshy, textured and mild Riesling with a well-structured, stimulatingly grippy finish and very fine tannins. Good length. 13% alcohol. Tasted at the domain in June 2021. - Stephamn Reinhardt, robertparker.com

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

96 Points! This vintage shows a remarkable aromatic profile of Mediterranean herbs, cassis, black cherries, leather and earth with a kind of gamey depth. Full-bodied, it shows velvety, slightly sandy tannins with a firm structure, refreshing integrated acidity and a savory cedar finish. Drinkable now, but best in one or two years. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! The 2022 Le Difese is plump, juicy and expressive, all of which make it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Crushed flowers, succulent red cherry fruit, mint, spice and blood orange all race across the palate. This exuberant yet mid-weight coastal Tuscan red is a total pleasure bomb. The 2022 is an especially fine edition. It benefits from a warm year - which can be a positive for entry-level wines - earlier bottling and selection. Le Difese is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (both estate and non-estate sites) and Sangiovese, all purchased. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

92 Points! Le Difese 2022 is a blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, the former brought in from long-standing partners based in Chianti and Chianti Rufina – ‘In Bolgheri it's not easy to find Sangiovese,’ third-generation Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta explained. 2022 saw slightly lower production than 2021 due to a warm spring and a rainy autumn. Macerations were shorter than previous years, and the wine retains the same blend as last year as part of the estate's continuing plans to make Le Difese approachable almost immediately and give it its own Tuscan identity. Bright red and purple scents with a creamy backdrop and herbal touches lead to a soft and textured palate full of fresh, tangy cherry and dark hedgerow berries. Ripe, precise and sapid with a long, breezy, balsamic finish, Le Difese should be enjoyed over the next decade. - Decanter Magazine

97 Points! 70% Pinot Blanc, 25% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc A joyous sotto voce nose of spring meadow flowers sprinkled over the unbridled purity of ripe pineapple, Meyer lemon and green apple fruit. Saline elements infuse the structure and acidity and proceed towards the lengthy finish. - Decanter World Wine Awards

96 Points! Elegant and vibrant with white pepper and flinty minerality, lemon peel and white flowers. Full-bodied, it shows tension and crisp acidity combined with citrus flavors and a tight-knit structure full of savory notes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92+ Points! The 2019 Terroir Históric is charming, approachable, round, open and expressive, with good ripeness and 14% alcohol, a juicy palate with a soft mouthfeel and round tannins. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

92+ Points! The white 2022 Terroir Històric Blanc is the regional wine that blends grapes from nine different villages, 75% Garnacha Blanca and 25% Macabeo from different soils, slate, clay, granite and alluvial. The bunches fermented for three to five days in stainless steel, and the wine matured in stainless steel for six months. It has 13% alcohol and mellow acidity, 4.5 grams. It has a spectacular nose that is very expressive, aromatic, clean and open with pungent notes of pollen and beeswax. It's juicy, round and clean with persistent and pungent flavors, not very high in acidity, eminently Mediterranean. Really impressive. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

92+ Points! The 2021 Constant Variable is sweetly satisfying on the nose, blending crushed blackberries and wild blueberries with autumnal spice. It's silky in texture yet lifted in feel, with liquid violet flowers that coat the senses. Ripe red and black fruits cascade throughout. It takes on a spicy tinge through the finish, leaving gently grippy tannins and exotic spice. - Eric Guido, Vinous

91 Points! From a single vineyard on Howell Mountain, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Coyote Loser shows some of that appellation's characteristic pine and blueberry nuances. It's medium to full-bodied, with ample concentration and ripe tannins, followed by a lingering, silky finish. It's a solid effort from an AVA where bargains—meaning anything worth drinking for less than $100 per bottle—are few and far between. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

92 Points! Stacks of toasted nut, candied citrus and pineapple aromas on the nose, plus a touch of melted butter. Quite full-bodied thanks also to the mutually reinforcing ripeness and fine tannins. Nice stony minerality and some saltiness at the long finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The fifth vintage release of Timeless from the Duncan family of Silver Oak continues to showcase its hallmark style—where elegance meets Napa mountain muscle. This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant proprietary blend is crafted by winemaker Nate Weis using grapes from the Duncan family's Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard, an estate spanning 45.7 hectares in the benchlands of the Vaca Mountains just north of Napa. Unlike Silver Oak, which is aged in American oak, Timeless is aged entirely in French oak. The 2021 vintage exudes alluring blackberry and black cherry fruit, lifted by toasty cedarwood, rose petals, and dried apricots. Ripe and powerful tannins frame the wine, which displays remarkable concentration and depth, with a darker fruit profile than previous releases. Those tannins build through the full-bodied finish, making 2021 the most powerful and structured vintage yet while still retaining a thread of freshness and vibrancy. The blend includes 5.6% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter

92 Points! Based on 81% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Malbec, the 2021 Cabernet Franc sports a vivid purple hue to go with impressive aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, and chocolaty oak. It's medium-bodied and has a supple, elegant mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. A beautiful wine, it might even be better in another year or two as it integrates its oak. Regardless, it's a terrific value that I'd happily drink any time over the coming 8-10 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! A rich and fruity cabernet franc with creamy berries, vanilla and sweet oak spices on the nose. Medium body with plush tannins. Creamy berries and mocha on the palate with dried herbs and cedar in the finish. Try after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! This seductive wine rolls up all the velvety appeal of Oakville Cabernet in a bottle that's comparatively affordable for what many consider Napa's best AVA for Cab. Plump dark plums, black currants, dark chocolate and cinnamon come to mind while savoring this full-bodied but gentle wine. Tannins are profuse but silky, so the wine is enjoyable already. - Wine Enthusiast

95 Points! A very firm and polished red with currants, chocolate and salted almonds. Terra-cotta. Medium body. Juicy and flavorful with extremely polished tannins. Very creamy textured. Give it two or three years to come around. Drink after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Checking in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot, all from Oakville, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville sports a dense purple hue to go with straight-up textbook Oakville notes of darker fruits, iron, black olives, and tobacco, with just a kiss of background spring flowers. It's medium to full-bodied, round, textured, beautifully balanced, and has tons of classic varietal character. It's a brilliant value to enjoy any time over the coming 15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2021 Descendant is often termed as the "Baby Runrig," which, as we all know, is a bit of a myopic way to view things, but it gets the point across. This is Shiraz fermented on Viognier skins (8% by weight, no liquid) and decidedly floral on the nose, with marmalade and orange peel, pink peppercorns and blood plums. The wine is dense and velvety, with loads of tannin; the Viognier, while contributing floral aromatics, textural silk and flow, also contributes tannin, and it is felt here. There is no new oak, which helps with the tannin expression and core of red and purple fruit. The signature Barossan red dirt and ironstone show through the finish. It's really good! Excellent wine.- Erin Larkin, robertparker.com

96 Points! So much black fruit, black walnuts, blueberries, wet earth, black truffles and some graphite. Medium to full body with lots of tension and focus. It runs very long with a salty undertone and some bitter, burnt lemon. Yet ever so subtle and refined. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The 2020 Château Tour Saint Christophe showed spectacularly well, and based off past vintages, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new barrels (the balance is in second- and third-fill oak), it offers a full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced style revealing subtle oak, terrific darker, almost blue fruits, lots of chocolate, leafy herb and mineral nuances, and gorgeous tannins. It's worth pointing out that this will be the last vintage made by the talented Jérôme Aguirre. This terrific Saint-Emilion will evolve for two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! Plenty of chocolate plus some caramel and anchovy aromas. Rich and structured with ample richness wrapped around the rather fine tannins. Easy to enjoy thanks to the very good balance through the lingering finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! The 2019 Sangiovese Romagna Superiore Thea opens slowly in the glass with an understated mix of sage and dusty dried roses, giving way to nuances of strawberry and mint. This is silky and elegant in feel with mineral-tinged tart wild berries carried by zesty acids, as pretty inner violet tones form toward the close. A coating of fine tannins lingers through the lightly structured finale, but they are sweet and round as vivid raspberry and blood orange notes slowly fade. The Thea is a single-vineyard Sangiovese refined in tonneaux for nine months, 40% new. The 2019 is very attractive, but give it another year or two of cellaring for the best results. (Drink between 2024-2028) - Eric Guido, Vinous

95 Points! Slight hints of wax, earth and lemon show on the still-shy nose. The palate is equally reticent, tightly coiled but speaking of concentrated citrus freshness that verges into zestiness. The bone-dry nature makes it hard to sense ripe citrus slumbering at the core but the fruit will reveal itself with bottle age. Concentration, purity and power promise a future firework, discernible now in the tangerine zestiness on the finish. - Wine Enthusiast