Wines

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

99 Points! Incredible aromas of brioche, bread dough and pie crust with superb, electrifying fruit, from peaches to fresh apples. It’s driven, mouthwatering and with fantastic structure, yet it’s so balanced and creamy. Very fine and silky bubbles. It’s better and better as it warms slightly in the glass. 3.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Billecart-Salmon’s 2012 Nicolas François marks the first release since 2008 and stands as another success. The fundamentals remain unchanged: settling and fermentation at low temperatures, a small proportion vinified in oak barrels and partial malolactic fermentation (20% was blocked in 2012). This vintage was characterized by a prolonged flowering period, significant rainfall and mildew pressure, resulting in a small crop. The harvest of fruit, which contributed to this cuvée, took place between September 17 and 22. "It was crucial to select only the ripest fruit, as maturation varied significantly between plots," explains Billecart’s head winemaker, Florent Nys. But what of the wine itself? Disgorged in May 2023 with a dosage of 3.8 grams per liter, it exudes aromas of candied lemon, honeysuckle and ripe peach, mingling with nuances of beeswax and orange zest. On the palate, it is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, boasting a layered, concentrated core, a chalky structure and mouthwatering acidity, despite the warm vintage. It concludes with a persistent, saline finish, hinting at the savory complexity that has emerged with such notable bottle age. Compared to the 2008, which remains tightly coiled, the 2012 is broader-shouldered and more demonstrative. - Kristaps Karklins, robertparker.com

96 Points! I love the bright nose of lime zest and ripe star fruit. Very focused, medium-bodied palate, but with a silky texture, this is a serious and sophisticated chardonnay. Plenty of stony minerality, plus nutty and licorice character at the very long, cool finish. Minimal sulphites added. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

99 Points! Given its consistently outstanding quality, it’s easy to forget that the average age of Porseleinberg's 14 hectares of vineyards is only seven years' old. Showing what Callie Louw calls a "little more crunch" in 2021, this is a Syrah with time on its side. Wild herb aromas of sage, oregano and rosemary introduce you to a palate that's dense yet refined, with lots of whole bunch spice and structure, negligible oak influence, detailed, layered tannins, some underlying grip and layers of dark berry fruit. One of the world's great reds from a very special site. - Tim Atkin, MW

97 Points! The 2021 Porseleinberg is whole bunch fermented and aged for 12 months in foudres. I gave my glass plenty of aeration. Chatting with winemaker Callie Louw, this wine can be closed, this being the first time I had tasted it at the remote Swartland estate. It has a compelling bouquet with fabulous delineation, a mélange of, say, one-third red and two-thirds black fruit, hints of iron filings and reflecting its soils, slate-like scents. Obstinately backward, after 10 minutes, it positively blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with filigree tannins framing the mineral-rich black fruit. Plenty of extract is interwoven, but perhaps unlike the vintages of old, Louw's winemaking sense means that it's not immediately tangible. A discrete build in the mouth reveals hidden layers as it sashays towards its crunchy finish and then delivers a dash of cracked black pepper on the aftertaste. Outstanding…but what else do we expect? - Neal Martin, Vinous

97 Points! What an intense nose of charcuterie, grilled herbs, iron, black berry fruit and cracked pepper. Flavor explosion on the palate, too, with a full body, yet so much freshness with an underlying iron and peppercorn character. Firm, yet fine tannins. Even better from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2003 Pluribus (the debut vintage of this cuvee) performed spectacularly. Created from some of the estate’s youngest vines planted in decomposed white tufa volcanic soils at an elevation of 1,100 to 1,300 feet on Spring Mountain, it offers a stunning blue/purple color, copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries and violet-infused fruit intermixed with hints of foresty flora. Rich, full-bodied and pure, this beautiful 2003 is several years away from full maturity, but it should keep for two more decades. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. , robertparker.com, Jun 2013 

98+ Points! The 2007 Pluribus (the highest elevation vineyard of all these parcels) exhibits tell-tale Spring Mountain characteristics of acacia (or is it violets?) flowers interwoven with blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, cassis and crushed rocks. A wine of great intensity and full-bodied power yet with a freshness and delineation that are remarkable, this stunning wine should drink well for 25-30 years. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. , robertparker.com 

98 Points! The gem of the 2014s is the 2014 Pluribus, which comes from a 7-acre site on Spring Mountain. This incredible wine offers a full-bodied, seamless, perfectly balanced profile as well as heavenly notes of black and blue fruits, white chocolate, and licorice. With a world class texture, fine, fine tannin, and a great finish, it’s a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that’s as good as anything out there. - Jeb Dunnuck

97+ Points! Very deep purple-black colored, the 2014 Pluribus offers up notions of crushed black plums, black currant cordial and pencil shavings over a meaty core of chargrill and beef drippings plus hints of Chinese five spice and underbrush. Full-bodied and firmly framed with chewy tannins and a lively backbone, it features plenty of earthy and savory layers, finishing long and minerally. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

97 Points! Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Quella gives aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries and mulberries with touches of tobacco, new leather, iron ore and truffles plus a hint of tree back. The palate is full-bodied, muscular and laden with earth and mineral layers, finishing with persistent savory notes. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

97 Points! The 2015 Quella is a darker, more mineral-laced wine and offers a classic Quella bouquet of black fruits, black truffle, tobacco, and dried earth. It’s full-bodied, deep and layered on the palate, with ripe, present tannins and terrific elegance as well as purity. It has the balance and texture to shine today, yet the class to evolve for 20 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2003 St. Eden comes from an 11-acre rocky knoll on the northern side of the Oakville Crossroad that consists of pure red soils. It is the most evolved and forward of these 2003 Bond wines. Lots of cedar, chocolate, roasted herb, lavender and spice box notes emerge from this complex Pauillac-like effort. Medium to full-bodied and fully mature, it is more evolved than its siblings, revealing sweet tannin as well as a spicy, earthy finish. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com, 2013

96+ Points! The vineyard closest to the great Harlan Estate is Vecina, situated in the western foothills on the Oakville Crossroad overlooking the valley. From this 11-acre site, the 2003 Vecina comes closest in style to Harlan Estate, appearing like a hypothetical blend of a St. Estephe and Pauillac. A formidable wine, it reveals plenty of new saddle leather, creme de cassis, scorched earth and volcanic-like characteristics in addition to notes of blackberries, Chinese black tea and graphite. Powerful, intense and backward, it needs 2-5 years of bottle age and should last for two decades thereafter. It is a tour de force in winemaking! - Robert M. Parker, Jr. , robertparker.com, 2013

98+ Points! The 2014 Vecina displays a deep garnet-purple color and has a broody, baked blueberries, cassis and anise-laced nose with suggestions of garrigue, dusty earth and bay leaves. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and powerful in the mouth, it offers a lot of latent layers and promises great, great things to come with an incredibly long, layered finish. It needs a bit of time but should cellar beautifully for a good 25 years+. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 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

97 Points! Vecina vineyard is located in the western foothills of Oakville, just to the southeast of the winery (up on Oakville Grade). Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Vecina needs a little coaxing to reveal notes of black currants, blackberries and blueberry compote with hints of dusty soil, cinnamon stick and fallen leaves. Slightly more structured than the other Bond 2017s, it has a rock-solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black and blue fruit flavors, finishing long and earthy. It will likely need a little longer to come around than its siblings, but it should also be longer lived. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

96 Points! The 2019 Riesling Schoenenbourg Grand Cru is from a fully south-facing, mid-slope parcel in the center of Schoenenbourg. The vines are 30 to 60 years old. The soil is marl with high gypsum content, partially laced with Triassic sandstone and limestone. Apricot skin and crushed yarrow give a savory first notion on the nose. On the palate, juicy plum takes over, but that textural sense of apricot skin remains, along with a herbal smoothness that is almost creamy and deeply salty amidst its fruitiness. Surprisingly, this wine manages to hide 12 g/L of residual sweetness in its beautiful depth of fruit, in its smooth, gentle, buffered flow, backed by textural finesse. Totally resonant, with sumptuous flavors but a svelte form. Wow. - Anne Krehbiel MW, Vinous Media

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

97 Points! Darker currants, leafy herbs, graphite, tobacco, and subtle orange zest-like nuances all emerge from the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru, a ripe, concentrated, flawlessly balanced Saint-Julien. With medium to full-bodied richness, a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, and plenty of tannins, it's another no-brainer of a 2022 that readers will love to have in their cellar. The 2022 is 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Blackcurrants and pencil shavings with such intense but subtle character on the nose. Some crushed stones as well. Full-bodied and dense with layers of polished tannins that are integrated and focused, creamy and caressing. Very long and persistent. 60.5% cabernet sauvignon, 31.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc and 2.5% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! This impressed during En Primeur and totally delivers on a promise of freshness, charm and drinkability. Juicy and succulent with the clean and crystalline fruit at the fore. Tannins meld seamlessly into the wine with only a hint of bitter chocolate and liquorice spice on the finish giving nuance. Layered and shiny - down plays the vintage in terms of concentration - this is sleek and glossy. Polished and well crafted. A tiny bit shy still - this will age very well - but also feels as if you could start to enjoy this soon. Wonderful. - Decanter Magazine

96 Points! The 2022 Branaire-Ducru has turned out just as brilliantly as I had hoped. Offering up a deep bouquet of crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with pencil shavings, burning embers and cigar box, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and unctuous, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and sweet structuring tannins. Iterated and complete, it concludes with a long, broad finish. This blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot is worth a special effort to seek out. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

98 Points! The years when Brane was starting to really come sharply into focus, and this is easily one of the best 2009s in the Margaux appellation, and great value in comparison to some of the biggest names. One for serious Bordeaux lovers, just super competent and impressive winemaking. You get pretty much 90% of what you need to know on the aromatics alone, concentrated cassis, a ton of depth, with fruit, acidity and tannins all perfectly in balance, so juicy and drinkable, concentrated and enjoyable. Decades ahead of it. 70% new oak for ageing, harvest September 22 to October 9. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux, 2024

95 Points! Showing beautifully, the 2009 Château Brane-Cantenac is loaded with classic Margaux notes of sandalwood, dried flowers, spice, truffle, and blackcurrants. Based on 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied and has a beautifully textured, elegant mouthfeel, terrific mid-palate depth, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck, 2020

98 Points! Blackberries, plums, currants, tobacco and violets on the nose. Bitter chocolate and mocha, too. It’s refined and focused, with a medium to full body and firm, tightly-knit tannins. Very long, laser-focused and polished. Very classy. Best of the trilogy. Try after 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

97 Points! Heady and expressive on the nose, seductive tones of ripe fruit and perfumed flowers. Gorgeous intensity on the palate, rich, round and ripe - gently chewy - but cool and refreshing too. This has a dynamic undercurrent with tannins that are fine but firm giving a slightly narrow frame. It’s a bit more serious than some, brooding, but clearly well made with definition. There’s a confidence here, vibrant and detailed fruit with an excellent lingering impression of the terroir in the slightly salty, chalky, graphite touch. Layered and well built with supreme classicism. A top buy. I'd like to own this one! - Decanter Magazine
 

96 Points! The 2022 Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais comes from the oldest vines on the property, planted in 1995 with all Dijon clones. Bottled in late January of this year, the wine sports a vibrant ruby hue and shows off notes of wild raspberries, mixed berries, a hint of fresh violets, clove spice, forest herbs, and brambly earth. It’s chiseled in its structure, with coiled tannins and a good deal of youthful tension, and also offers mineral persistence, with wonderful salinity and dark undertones of earth. It demands another few years in cool cellars to soften and expand as it evolves and will drink well over the long haul. Drink 2026-2040. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! With fruit from one of the top growing sites in Castiglione Falletto, the 2019 Barolo Villero shows a slightly ripe and soft side with cherry and dried raspberry followed by licorice, tar and rusty metal. This is an elegant expression, with a terrific sense of focus, that delivers complexity and depth, especially in this excellent vintage. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com