Wines

95 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Berliquet, a blend of 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc, needs a fair bit of coaxing to bring out notes of blueberry preserves, black cherry compote, and blackberry pie, followed by hints of chocolate mint and lavender. The generous, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with ripe, seductive black and blue fruit preserves flavors, framed by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. This estate, recently acquired by Chanel, is already starting to show its true potential, and what a beauty! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

92 Points! From the Griva Vineyard in Arroyo Seco, this wine is picked at varying ripeness levels, and the nose hints at its heft and ripeness. Rich tropical notes of guava and ripe pineapple meld with honeyed apricots. The palate shows a phenolic ripeness with fleshy pineapple, ripe peaches, and a zippy acidity and brisk saline finish. - Decanter Magazine

92 Points! Snappy aromas of lemon pith, sun-warmed hay and oyster shells. A mouthwatering palate with white grapefruit, passion fruit and subtle creaminess, though it remains brisk throughout. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

97+ Points! The fruit for this 2019 Great Western Thomson Family Shiraz is picked predominantly from the old 1868 plantings in the Concongella vineyard on the Best's property. It is a resoundingly elegant wine, with a core of fruit that crouches, waiting on the mid-palate. It is complex and complete already, offering a window into what will be a very long life, indeed. It is an exercise in balance and length, line and form (mineral austerity comes to mind), with not a hair out of place. You'd be forgiven for saying the structure has an open weave, almost loose-knit quality about it, were it not for the super streamlined finish that shows all the openness and approachability is merely a clever disguise. This wine can be drunk now, and sure, it should be (it's delicious, the feel of it in the mouth is insane). But if you have the patience, wisdom and foresight to cellar it, your children will be amply rewarded. - Erin Larkin, robertparker.com

96 Points! An extremely sophisticated and concentrated shiraz that’s so precise and focused on the beautifully balanced, medium-bodied palate. The interplay of fine tannins and lively acidity is really fascinating. Very clean and long finish. From the Concongella Vineyard. Drink or hold. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com

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

92 Points! Fruit-forward and generous, with snappy cherry, roasted sage and cracked pepper flavors that end on a vibrant accent. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! A fresh and fruity red that emphasizes effusive red fruit, good ripeness and light tannins on a full body. Red plums, raspberries and hints of black pepper and basil on the palate. Well balanced for its size. - 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

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

92 Points! A youthful, flattering Malmsey, with jasmine, apricot, flan, toasted meringue and elderflower honey notes supported by nicely understated acidity. Drink now. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! The light red 2021 Follaco was produced with a blend of ancient Juan García (80- to 100-year-old vines) and young Tempranillo (15-year-old vines) from gravelly soils with quartz, granite and slate picked early (the wine is 11% alcohol). It matured in well-seasoned, seven- to 12-year-old French oak barrels for 10 months. It has a bright ruby color and a bright and expressive nose of red berries and flowers. It's clean, light, fresh and very pleasant with vibrant flavors of acid berries. A bargain. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.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

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

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

92 Points! Rich, gutsy and structured, with a firm mix of earthy tannins, road tar, dried dark berry, sage and cedar, showing strong character. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Syrah. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! The 2015 Grand Cru Furstentum Pinot Gris is clear and discreet yet deep and, in a subtle ways, intense on the nose that intermingles iodine notes with ripe and elegant seed fruit aromas. Fresh and lively on the palate, this is a round and juicy Pinot Gris with an uplifting savoriness and salinity on the finely grippy and persistent finish. Grapefruit bitters on the aftertaste. 14% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in February 2023. - Stephan Reinhardt, 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