Wines

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

95 Points!  The 2023 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Old Vines blossoms in the glass, where balsamic-tinged black cherries mingle with dried roses, nuances of gravel dust and a hint of clove. This wine is seamless and elegant, silken in texture, with a solid core of minerals to balance citrus-infused wild berry fruits that slowly saturate the palate. It tapers off chewy and extremely long, leaving the palate water for more, all framed by regal tannins.  - Eric Guido, Vinous Nedia

95 Points! Beautiful cherries and red currants lead the way, showcasing a classic Dundee profile, with hints of red flowers and citrus peel. Bright and crunchy with a vibrant character. The texture is refined, with medium body and a compact tannin core. Succulent fruit and a mineral backbone lead to a precise and harmonious, bone-dry finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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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95 Points! From 97% Tempranillo, the rest Merlot and Albillo Mayor, the 2021 Reserva spent 28 months in French oak barrel and has quite a bit of toastiness on the palate. The tannins are smoothened and round, with a hint of chalkiness and grip. From a sizable percentage of old-vine grapes, it has an ethereal freshness and full-bodied layers of dark berry, leather, anise, and dried herb. It should offer 15-20 years more of aging. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

#ArzuagaTrio

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

100 Points! Hands down one of the wines of the vintage, shows power and depth coupled at every point with lift and grip, stretches out through the palate, slowly but surely delivering a tickle of spiced sage and saffron, with sappy blackcurrant and graphite. 100% new oak, harvest september 5 to 27, organic conversion, 54 years average vines, Vauthier family shows once again how well they judge construction and architecture. First year not officially a Premier Grand Cru Classé A, but they have kept the ranking off the label for a number of years, so no change on that level. - Jane Anson

100 Points! This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. It has a deep garnet-purple color and WOW—what a perfume! This 2022 Ausone offers up an incredible array of floral, earth, and black fruit scents—iris, crushed rocks, juicy blackberries, and black raspberries—plus hints of dusty soil and star anise. The palate bursts with energetic black and red berry flavors and loads of earthy/minerally accents, framed by very fine-grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing very long and chalky. Stunning. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

98 Points! Wow. This is such a big and beautiful Ausone with huge depth that slowly uncoils. Really powerful, mineral and naturally concentrated, with iron, chalk and a rich, almost opulent core of black fruit, but really fresh, with chiseled tapenade and wood spices that only tiptoe on the nose. Superb intensity hidden beneath the palate, with a matrix of chalky tannins that vibrate, shine and extend. Nothing stops it at the finish, which lasts well over a minute. Almost beguilingly drinkable considering the tannin quality, which is so fine and energetic, but I'd give it at least 3-4 years to let the wood spices integrate more and let the wine grow with more complexity. A bigger Ausone with higher alcohol, but fantastic and rather outrageous. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. This will age well for at least two decades. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2022 Ausone was picked from 5 to 30 September and matured for 20 months in French oak. These aromatics take a little time to open in the glass. Once they do, they are precise with wilted iris flowers infusing the black fruit and background pencil box and incense hints. The palalte is medium-bodied with silver bead acidity threaded through the blackberry and bilberry fruit. Fresh and focused, this Ausone possesses a structured finish with a pinch of black pepper on the finish. Elegant in style, this Ausone almost creeps up in you and seduces, intellectual and persistent in the mouth. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

98+ Points! Lastly, the Grand Vin 2022 Château Ausone is based on equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot that spent 20 months in new barrels. Smoky black cherries, mulberries, iron, violets, and spring flower notes are just some of its nuances, and it's deep purple-hued, with full-bodied richness and a surprising level of elegance, purity, and precision. This is one of the more elegant, finesse-driven, yet still incredibly powerful examples of this Château that I can remember. It deserves a decade of cellaring and will evolve for half a century. - Jeb Dunnuck

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

95 Points! A layered and complex wine with fresh, elegant aromas of balsamic, eucalyptus, bergamot, licorice, bark and cherry pits. Elegant on the palate as well, with a medium to full body, high yet integrated acidity, fine chalky tannins and a firm, polished finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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

95 Points! Very striking nose of orange blossoms and chamomile. Very juicy and well rounded, but with a fantastic vitality that’s underlined by the touch of bitterness that adds to the excitement in the dynamic and precise finish. A blend of wines from the lower, middle and upper sections of this site with limestone, sandstone and clay soils. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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

96 Points! This rich, pure red is generous in its flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, fruitcake, earth and spices. The tannins are well-integrated and overall this is harmonious and long, echoing the lush fruit and spice elements. This is all about elegance and finesse, making it approachable now. Merlot. Drink now through 2038. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! Plums, currants, pine cones, mushrooms and bark on the nose. Some licorice, too. It’s medium-bodied with tightly knit tannins. Tight and fresh with fantastic tension and drive. Refined and focused. Spicy and lightly salty at the end. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! This delivers a tumble of ripe raspberry, plum and boysenberry fruit flavors, lined with violet, red tea and sweet tobacco notes that add lift and range. The long, racy, chalk-lined finish leaves a pure feel that’s not easy to achieve in this vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. - Wine Spectator

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

97 Points! Beau-Sejour Becot is a dense, powerful wine. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and sweet oak builds as this towering, vertically explosive Saint-Émilion opens in the glass. This is an especially broad, expansive Saint-Émilion, much of that attributable to the clay in these soils. The 2020 is magnificent in its intensity and overall volume. Superb. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media Learn More

100 Points! This is extraordinary. There has never been a wine like this here since the famous 1990 or underrated 1989. Violets, flowers, stones and limestone. Oyster-shell undertones. Full-bodied, muscular and so structured. A phenomenal wine that reminds me of the great Bordeaux of the 1950s. - JamesSuckling.com