Wines

93-95+ Points! The 2020 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos de Champs Martin Cuvée Carline unwinds in the glass with a deep bouquet of wild berries, vine smoke, raw cocoa, cloves, anise and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's layered and complete, with a tightly wound core of vibrant fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins and concluding with a long, saline finish. Less demonstrative than its 2019 and 2018 predecessors, I suspect it will emerge as the finest of the trilogy in the fulness of time, but it will require patience. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

92-94 Points! A benchmark for the appellation, Lorenzon's 2020 Montagny 1er Cru Le Choix du Roi offers up notions of Meyer lemon, warm bread, beeswax and white flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, seamless and precise palate that's weightless but intense, with a compelling sense of completeness and a long, saline finish. This will be worth a special effort to seek out. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

91-93 Points! Scents of freshly baked bread, crisp orchard fruit, orange oil and green mango introduce the 2020 Montagny 1er Cru Les Truffières, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and chiseled wine that's taut, penetrating and intense, exhibiting striking purity and persistence. I suspect it will emerge as the finest Truffières Lorenzon has produced to date. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

93 Points! The NV Champagne Premiere Cuvée Extra Brut Rosé has a salmon/pink hue and jumps from the glass with a floral perfume in its aromas of salted grapefruit, rose water, strawberries, and green melon. Compact and medium-bodied, it offers a good deal of intensity and power through the palate, with a spritely mousse and a citrus-driven, mouthwatering finish. This highly versatile rosé is sure to be a crowd pleaser. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

93 Points! Rich and velvety, bursting with blueberry, plum, cherry and exotic spice aromas and flavors, filling the mouth with flavor and refined tannins. A seductive wine with real backbone to carry it through. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. - Wine Spectator

97 Points! A Saint-Estèphe of stature and vertical intensity, the 2021 Calon Ségur dazzles from the very first taste. Spice, menthol, licorice, black cherry, mint and espresso are some of the many notes that build with a bit of coaxing. The 2021 clocks in at a modest 12.9% in alcohol, yet it possesses tremendous density and textural resonance. What a wine! Tasted two times. –Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! In the winery's style, this is seriously dense with solid tannins and concentration. It is a powerful wine with a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that has structure and dense black fruits, The wine is likely to age well. Drink from 2028. - Wine Enthusiast

90 Points! The value-priced 2022 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard comes from a site in the Santa Maria Valley and was brought up in 22% new French oak. Its translucent ruby hue is followed impressive notes of ripe cherry and strawberry fruits supported by pretty spice, flora, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. A wine that would hand many a Village Burgundy its ass, it's well worth buying and drinking over the coming 3-5 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Lots of crunchy red cherries and blue plums followed by violets, fresh sage and Christmas spices with baking spice and coconuts. Medium- to full-bodied with superb fine-grained racy tannins and beautifully refreshing acidity that gives an edge to it. Gorgeous finesse and elegance with harmony and precision. Delightful, too. Already drinkable but give this a few more years to come around. Try after 2026 and it should be beautiful for a long time. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2021 Canon opens in the glass with a pure bouquet of raspberries, cherries and plums mingled with pretty top notes of iris, licorice, mint and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's fleshy and sensual, with a deep and seamless core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins, a bright spine of acidity and a long, mineral finish. With an impressively low finished pH of 3.37, it was taken out of barrel a month earlier than usual and saw no fining—as has been the case since 2010. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

96 Points! Gorgeous fragrance, pretty and pure. Juicy and clean, this has such a lovely energy and focus to it – lifted, bright but not searing, juicy but not too acidic, weighty but still streamlined and direct. I love the fine tannins, still with some tension, and a soft, sality liquorice outline. Feels elegant and finessed, polished and stylish with lift and movement. - Decanter Magazine

93-94 Points! Apples and pears with stony minerality to it. Medium- to full-bodied with a polished, lightly phenolic finish. Attractive and lengthy. - James Suckling

92 Points! This has a nice lively quinine note running underneath lemon gelée, white peach and star fruit flavors. The finish glistens nicely, gilded with salted butter and verbena. Delicious. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2028. - Wine Spectator

91 Points! The 2022 Château Cantelys Blanc is a classic, juicy white with revealing notes of lemon, pineapple, and minty flowers. Medium-bodied, round, and supple on the palate, it has nicely integrated acidity and a clean, refreshing finish. You wouldn’t know it was from hot, dry year by tasting it! Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

90 Points! A tangy and fragrant white that has aromas of orange rind, chamomile, thyme and sliced pear. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and zesty. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! The 2019 Cap de Faugères has tightened up a lot on the nose, showing dense black fruit, tar and graphite scents, quite Left Bank in style. The palate is much more expressive, featuring fleshy red berry fruit mixed with allspice, clove and white pepper. Persistent and quite convincing on the finish. Give it time for those aromatics to get their mojo back – which they will. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

91 Points! The 2019 Cap de Faugeres is terrific, just as it was from bottle. Rich and expansive, the 2019 is so expressive right out of the gate. Succulent red cherry, spice, leather and tobacco all kicked up in this attractive entry-level offering from Silvio Denz. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! The 2021 Chianti Classico is a powerful wine. Dark, layered and beguiling, the 2021 has so much to offer. Macerated black cherry, licorice, new leather, cloves, incense and blood orange build as the 2021 opens in the glass. This is a very serious, hugely overachieving Chianti Classico from proprietor Paolo Cianteroni. 

Proprietor Paolo Cianferoni releases his wines a bit later than most. The 2021s are worth the wait. Readers will find Chianti Classicos of uncommon depth and character, starting with the Annata, which is ridiculously good. Caparsa remains one of the Chianti Classicos under-the- radar gems, a small estate known only to relatively small subset of wine lovers. These new releases are nothing short of captivating. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! So much dried-lemon and orange-peel character here. Wet leaf, wet earth, stone and lightly smoked meat. Full body, integrated tannins and a savory, tangy finish. Fleshy and yummy. Fabulous deal. Drink or hold on release. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Cigar box and leather aromas are balanced by strawberry and cherry notes at the core. There is a vibrant, refreshing quality here, with a long, complex aftertaste. Best from 2019 through 2033. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! An amazing entry-level wine thanks to the wide spectrum of stone fruit, citrus and white tree fruit aromas. Also some floral notes. At once well structured and light-footed on the barely medium-bodied palate. Excellent interplay of fruit, leesy and wet stone complexity in the long, clean finish. Vegan. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A dark red color, the 2023 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley is deeper on the nose with mocha, candied flowers, crushed berries, mint, and vanilla bean aromatics. The palate has the most ripeness and richness, a more immediate feel in the range, and a more opulent though well-managed sensation. Drink over the coming 5-7 years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

79% Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Teldeschi Ranch
14% Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Mounts Ranch
7% Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah, Mounts Ranch

Carlisle is wrapping it up after the great 2023 vintage. This is your last shot!

96 Points! Moving to the Russian River Valley, the 2023 Zinfandel Piner-Olivet Ranches is a saturated red color and amplifies things with its more forward, layered feel, offering aromas of kirsch, bright pepper spice, cedar, and fresh flowers .The acidity shines through more vibrantly compared to the Sonoma Valley wines, with a more electric feel, ripe tannins, and a long finish. It reminds me of great Barbera, retaining both ripeness and vibrant acidity. It’s a tremendous vintage of this wine to drink over the coming 12-15 years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

90 Points! The 2022 Vinha Grande is a blend of Touriga Francesa, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz that matured in used French oak barrels for 12 months. 2022 was a very warm and very dry year (with one-third of the normal amount rain; 2005 was the driest year in Douro). It's an aromatic, gentle and approachable red with notes of berries, herbs and spice, a certain creaminess and a velvety palate with contained ripeness. They have room for growth here, because this wine is a mixture of grapes from different vineyards, showing the character from Douro; it's approachable and good for the table, with a certain structure and fine tannins. It's soft and easy. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

93 Points! This is a robust and unflinching red wine with a succulent core of ripe cherry fruit. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Montosoli is more restrained and elegant compared to many of its peers from this hot vintage. Those scorching summer temperatures have been expertly absorbed, and the wine never feels jammy or heavy. The mid-weight finish is fine and graceful. Only 2,493 bottles were produced. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! The 2018 Barbaresco Riserva Rose delle Casasse offers lovely density and plenty of character. There's gorgeous depth in the mid-palate. Light fading at the edges and slight mature notes in the bouquet lead me to believe the 2018 will likely be more of a medium-term drinker, its notable presence notwithstanding. Tobacco, dried herbs, mint, leather, cinnamon and dried autumn leaves all develop with a bit of aeration. The 2018 is a gorgeous wine whose only shortcoming is that it tastes a bit older than it should. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! From barrel, the 2022 Barbera D’Alba Carra sports a youthful dark purple color and is fruity with ripe plum and pressed lavender as well as some iron richness and gamey notes. Medium to full-bodied, it’s snappy with fresh acidity, but it has a more rounded feel. With some notes of ripe wild herbs that last through the elegant finish, this is a classic and ripe vintage, but it retains very nice freshness. Drink it over the next several years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

94 Points! The Cascina Penna-Currado 2022 Barbera d'Alba Carrà is executed as a "Superiore," although it is not labeled as such. Proprietors Elena Penna and Luca Currado say they only envisage having one Barbera in their new portfolio in addition to cru selections of Nebbiolo. They have a 25-year lease on the site that provides fruit for this pretty wine, and a careful selection is made to prioritize the best clusters. Healthy fruit is produced here thanks to luminosity and cool hillside breezes. A brief maceration is executed, and the wine matures in Slavonian oak casks. Tart plum and blackberry is folded into tangy licorice over medium-plus richness. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

Luca and Elena have always been particularly invested in Barbera d’Alba as they were among the first to invest in it seriously. They believe strongly in the potential of this grape in communicating what the Langhe has to offer to a wide audience. The Carrà site is in the San Sebastiano area of Municipality of Monforte, with a particularly great natural biodiversity. Grapes come from predominantly from two parcels; one planted in 1965 and another in 2000. The wine is vinified partially whole cluster and aged in botti making it rich and concentrated but not too ripe.