Wines

Very typical of Nuits-St-Georges, with a dark plummy fruit, notes of earth and mineral, and an almost savoury edge to it - slightly rustic, yet still very refined. The grapes from this 0.4ha parcel were fermented as 60% whole-cluster, which imparts a slight edge of herbs or menthol to the wine, but this amplifies in a good way the slightly sauvage character. Delicious. 94 Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Magazine

"Background hints of wood and menthol are present on the super-spicy aromas of black cherry, raspberry and a plenitude of floral wisps. The sleek, intense and very rich medium weight plus flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel that possess notably better punch on the youthfully austere, balanced and impressively persistent finale. This is sufficiently compact that it's going to need at least a few years of keeping first." 92-94 Points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Learn More

94 Points! The 2023 Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve opens with aromas of raspberry liqueur, mocha, floral perfume, and savory notes of fresh sage. Medium-bodied, it offers ripe, detailed tannins, balanced acidity, and a long finish. While this vintage hints at opulence, the wine remains beautifully balanced and refreshing. It’s a stunning introduction to the vintage and a benchmark for the region as an appellation wine. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

94 Points! Bright and seductive, this pinot offers fresh cherries, crushed wild berries, violets, wet rocks and subtle spices on the nose. Racy and mouthwatering, with spicy and minerally tension, it has a medium body, a dusty texture to its tannins and a lingering and racy finish. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2023 Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve is incredibly fresh, with a bouquet of dusty dried flowers, lavender pastille, nuances of cedary spice and wild blueberries. Ripe wild berry fruits and crisp mineral tones glide across the palate over a layer of pure silk. The finish is long and tense, yet remains remarkably fresh as violet tones resonate over a bed of silken tannins. The Cumberland Reserve represents amazing value. Already enjoyable, it will also excel in the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous

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93 Points! This is the second year for Berliquet under the Canon team, and it is proving to be an excellent addition to the stable of wines - with a more powerful, cocoa bean, espresso and blackberry fruit character than its sibling (and neighbour, as Canon is within walking distance of Berliquet), but still with the mouthwatering, gunsmoke, salted caramel and saffron hit of a limestone-dominant terroir. 45hl/ha yield, 45% new oak for ageing. Thomas Duclos consultant. - Jane Anson

94 Points! The 2019 Berliquet is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries, sweet spices, violets and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with terrific depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins, it concludes with a long, mineral finish. It's produced from a 9.5-hectare vineyard that encompasses three soil types: Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau (like its sibling, Château Canon); the slope, characterized by deep clay; and then sandy, colluvial soils at the foot of the slope. Right now it's planted with 70% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, but the percentage of the latter is increasing as replanting progresses. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

 

 

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