Wines

93 Points! The 2022 Pinot Noir Estate is bursting with strawberry, raspberry and orange peel aromas, and with time it reveals touches of cinnamon, bitters and wildflowers. The light-bodied palate is finely astringent and refreshing with complex, bitters-laced flavors and a long, spicy finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

97+ Points! The 2022 Château Beychevelle comes from 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in barrel. Its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by an absolutely stunning nose of crème de cassis and plum fruit intermixed with leafy herbs, spring flowers, and crushed stone-like minerality. This full-bodied Beychevelle has a pure, elegant mouthfeel, finely polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is brilliant stuff that already offers pleasure today yet will cruise over the following two to three decades. It's the finest Beychevelle I've tasted. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2022 Beychevelle is so impressive. A wine of precision and stature, the 2022 has so much to offer. Inky dark fruit, licorice, mocha and lavender build in a sumptuous, creamy Saint-Julien. All of that intensity mounts through the mid-palate, reaching a stunning crescendo on the explosive, resonant finish. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2022 retains a gorgeous sense of freshness and vibrancy. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! Intense blackberries and blackcurrants with spice and lead-pencil aromas. Medium-bodied, it has creamy and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. The cabernet sauvignon is singing here. 54% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 4% petit verdot. Give it three to five years of bottle age. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Lean and linear with mineral-driven aromatics of wet slate and petrichor followed on by a note of roasted corn husk. There is a smoky flint note to the palate followed by cut green apple, savoury herbs, a streak of wet slate, and a kiss of seaspray to finish. - Decanter Magazine

92 Points!  Aromas of rose, peony, red berries and guava preface the NV Brut Rosé, a medium to full-bodied, elegant and vinous Champagne rosé that concludes with a long, ethereal finish enhanced by menthol notes. A blend of 45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, it's based on the 2014 vintage with 46% vins de réserve from nine different vintages and the addition of 6% as a red wine, vinified and matured in stainless steel. Dosage: 4.7 grams per liter. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

93 Points! From a steep, south-facing hillside near Trout Gulch Vineyard in Aptos, the 2022 Pinot Noir Lilo Vineyard is a beautiful example of an undersung vineyard source. It was fermented with 20% whole clusters and aged in three- to four-year-old barrels for 14 months. Lush yet composed aromas of dark fruit, conifers and allspice lead to a seamless and refined palate. The finish perfectly balances ripe fruit, succulent acidity and subtle, drying tannins, making this an impressively well-made Pinot Noir, much less at this price point. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

93 Points! Lilting jasmine, white sesame and honeysuckle notes are backed by elderflower, mirabelle plum and bitter orange accents in this lithe and refreshing version, with a cool sweet/dry tension on the pretty finish. Drink now. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Glossy, pure fruit here showing excellent concentration of red berries, cherries, hibiscus, stones and subtle spices. Concentrated and deep on the palate with outstanding volume for this vintage. Vertical and pretty long. One of the best Corimbos here. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! 2019 was a warm year, but the style of the wines is quite balanced, and the 2019 Corimbo shows quite faithful with the character of the year. It has a contained 14% alcohol and shows balance and seriousness. The nose shows some restraint, with varietal berry fruit and measured oak. It matured for 14 months in oak barrels, 80% of them French and the rest American. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

100 Points! The perfect 2013 Vecina offers up notes of pen ink, scorched earth, espresso, blackcurrant liqueur and blackberries. It is a fabulously great wine, with supple, well-integrated tannin, decent acidity, and a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, with extraordinary purity and richness. This is an amazing wine to drink over the next 50 years, although I would probably suggest cellaring for five or more at present. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. , robertparker.com

100 Points! Also pure perfection in a glass, the 2015 Vecina comes from an east-facing site located not far from the Harlan Estate. It was previously a terraced vineyard but was replanted when they opted to remove the terraces 7-8 years ago. Totally thrilling notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, barbecue, white chocolate, and spring flower notes all flow to a full-bodied, powerful wine that has building tannins, no sensation of weight, hints of background oak, and incredible intensity and length. It’s a true “wow” wine that could not be better. Don’t miss it! - Jeb Dunnuck

98+ Points! Bottled in early 2018, the 2015 Vecina is deep garnet-purple in color, with baked blackberries, black cherries and blackcurrant cordial aromas that leap from the glass with nuances of roses, pencil lead, menthol and mocha. The palate is full-bodied, very fine and incredibly seductive with a solid frame supporting the generous layers, finishing long and exotic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

93 Points! This offers up some very impressively concentrated fruit in a very smooth, juicy and succulent style with a super juicy and concentrated palate that offers a wealth of very rich and succulent tropical-fruit flavor. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

93+ Points! (I tasted a blend of Bouchard's three barrels) Good deep red. Wild, soil-driven aromas of brown spices, licorice, pepper, wild herbs, celery seed and toasted bread, plus a light yeasty quality. Big, silky and rich, with a flavor of clafoutis Unusually round and generous for young Bonnes-Mares. Quite horizontal on the back end, finishing with extremely sweet, fine-grained tannins for Bonnes-Mares and superb persistence. I would not be surprised to see this rate a score at the high end of my projected range. - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media

93+ Points! (like the Chapelle, this is also made from fruit purchased from Damoy) Bright dark red with ruby tones. Sexy aromas of black fruits, spices, dried flowers, licorice, espresso and chocolate. Juicy, penetrating and high-pitched in the mouth, with lovely floral and mineral lift to the complex flavors of red and darker fruits, leather and pepper. In a very upright, firmly structured style, and not at all exotic. Prost uses more tight-grained Vosges oak for this cuvee, which makes for a longer, slower oxygenation during elevage. - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media

93 Points! Blueberry, plum and flower aromas with some new leather. It’s full-bodied with lots of fruit and density. Flavorful and stylish at the finish. A little tight now. Try after 2022. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Aromas of cherries, dried herbs, strawberry bush, wet stones and subtle spices with some dusty mineral notes. Silky and textured on the medium-bodied palate, it’s deliciously fruity and smooth, with a lingering finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The organic Brancaia 2023 Chianti Classico shows lovely primary intensity with dark cherry and blackcurrant. Barbara Widmer and her team strive for freshness and an easy-drinking experience with this charming wine. Maintaining fruit freshness and elegance is a main goal of this estate, but it also strives to push beyond the classic parameters of Chianti Classico in terms of complexity and depth. I love the brightness of the primary fruit in this wine. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! Aged nine months in 100% neutral oak barrels, the 2023 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills offers crushed citrus, oyster shell, white flowers, and a kiss of salty minerality. It's medium-bodied, has remarkable purity, vibrant acidity, and a great finish. As I've written many times, this appellation release can stand toe to toe with any Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Shows harmony and intensity, with focused flavors of tangerine, Meyer lemon, lime and pomelo that are lovely at the core, plus aromatic notes of lemongrass, lemon thyme and oregano. A fresh thread of acidity and details of Himalayan sea salt gain momentum on the finish. Drink now. - Wine Spectator

From the winery: This bottling is comprised Chardonnay from four vineyards within the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. 3D, Machado, Hapgood, and Perilune vineyards all contribute to the wine which exhibits a drive, richness and pedigree expressive of our special growing area coupled with the purity of fruit and firm structure which have been the trademark of Brewer-Clifton.

3D The primary emphasis of the predominantly sandy 10 acre vineyard is chardonnay, with five clones planted. In addition to chardonnay, there is a smaller field of pinot noir planted to Swan, Pommard and 667 clones.

MACHADO 15 acre parcel on the Machado family land is located adjacent to Clos Pepe and immediately behind the Kessler-Haak vineyard. The site is marked by a gorgeous rolling terrain with sandy clay loam soils.

HAPGOOD In slightly richer soil, the vineyard is planted to the Mount Eden selection of chardonnay. The elevated clay loam content results in larger volume and a more dense palate expression. Our most recent installation, planted in 2010, is this small 2 1/2 acre section of pinot noir planted to Merry Edwards clone.

Only neutral barrels are employed. We strive for whole cluster fermentation. We farm with a focus of ripening the stems alongside the fruit, allowing the cluster to be in harmony. Working with the stems allows for wines that are structured, earthy and balanced with our beautiful Sta. Rita Hills fruit.

91 Points! A medium red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley offers an elegant perfume and spiced profile with aromas of red cherries, roses, forest herbs, and mossy earth. It’s a very pretty and elegant red with a refined texture and an even, floating feel through the finish. It’s a very attractive wine to enjoy now or over the next 4-6 years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

From the winery: Our 2023 Russian River Pinot Noir is a beautifully complex expression of this renowned region, blending fruit from four distinct vineyards to create a wine of depth, elegance, and balance. Bommersbach Vineyard (29%) lends rich cherry cola notes, while Bode Vineyard (38%) provides a silky, seamless texture. The cooler Rogaway Vineyard (14%) in the Sebastopol Hills and Monroe Vineyard (19%) south of Sebastopol contribute vibrant floral and spice notes, with Monroe’s sandy Goldridge soils intensifying the wine’s structure and acidity. Aged in 24% new oak with 15% whole cluster fermentation, this 225-case production Pinot Noir (13.9% ABV) is a harmonious blend of power and finesse, showcasing the best of Russian River Valley terroir.

93 Points! Cool and elegant, yet juicy and wonderfully fresh, this medium-bodied gruner vetliner has the garden herb and celery aromas of the grape. As lightly as this skips over the palate, and as crisp as it is in the finish, there’s very good substance here. It should stay fresh for quite a few years. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com