Wines

92 Points! From a single parcel of 65-year-old vines, the 2017 Cairanne Col du Debat features subtle cinnamon and clove notes on the nose. It's full-bodied, rich and velvety, with plenty of raspberry and cherry fruit, plus attractive resiny notes of rosemary and pine on the long finish. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

97 Points! For the hot and dry vintage this has an extremely cool and restrained personality. Incredibly precise on the sleek and highly structured palate. I love the mulberry fruit that completely fills your mouth and the way the very fine, serious tannins and stony minerality turn this into a spectacular fireworks display at the finish. Drink from release. - JamesSuckling.com

90% Syrah, 10% Viognier. Vines planted on steep slopes (with a grade of up to 45%) facing south by south-east, from three parcels in Côte Brune (Fourvier, Le Plomb, and Arselié). 70 to 80% of grapes are de-stemmed, fermentation lasts 18 to 22 days. Aged for 18 months in oak demi-muids (600-L) and barrels (220-L), of which 30% are new

95 Points! The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva tempts the imagination as a mix of geranium and rose petals complement citrus-laced blackberries and hints of violet pastille. This is lifted and finessed with vibrant acidity and masses of mineral infused red and black fruit aromas offset by a tinge of orange zest toward the close. The finish reveals its tannic and poised structure, yet it's blended with a primary concentration that adds tremendous balance as nuances of tobacco and licorice fade. Bury this deep in the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

95 Points! Packed with cherry and blackberry fruit, this red is dense and a bit chunky at this stage. Mineral, earth and floral notes add depth, and this finishes with echoes of fruit and earth, plus the emergence of Tuscan scrub accents. A solid base of tannins lends support; this is balanced and built for the long haul. - Wine Spectator

The best Syrah in South Africa? You be the judge. Her last reserve from 2018 was 97 points from Neal Martin and this one's better...

100 Points! Insane aromas of black currants, crushed stones, violets, and sweet dark tobacco. Black truffle. Full-bodied with superb depth of fruit and plush and chewy tannins that give tension and length. It reminds me of the 1975 La Mission Haut Brion because of the stone, iodine and purple fruits. Love. Made from 100% cabernet sauvignon. 883 cases produced. Needs four or five years to come together. - JamesSuckling.com

99 Points! Since 1995, Lokoya has produced Cabernet from the Veeder Peak Estate at 548m on the western ridges of the Mayacamas Mountains. This is a do-not-open wine for until at least 2026. Full-bodied with palate-arresting tannins that are super-compact, long, and so densely pixelated they etch themselves into every nook and cranny on the palate. Only a minute later does your mouth find release as this thread of crunchy acidity begins to sweep away the powerful tannins to reveal the underlying blue fruit and violet aromatics that are so beautifully pure and youthful. Simply put, tuck it away for several years and then, if you can, explore bottles every few years until your stash runs out. In the low-yielding 2021 vintage, the skin-to-juice ratio is such that this may prove to be one of the longest-lived Lokoya wines yet, given the intensity of the tannin and the freshness of the underlying acidity. Chris Carpenter makes the Lokoya wines, and the label is owned by the Jackson Family. The winemaking is the same for all the wines, with mostly native yeast fermentation, pump-overs by hand, malolactic fermentation in barrel and ageing for 22 months in 90% new French oak. Carpenter believes that fine Napa Valley Cabernet wines are not only defined by the soils of their sites but also by the Bay Area Pacific breezes that roll in and out daily, cooling the valley from the south to the north in the evenings and from the north to the south in the mornings. These mountains define cooling as any place in the valley and the diurnal temperature shifts at higher elevations create an equilibrium where climatic fluctuations aren't as pronounced as fruit grown below the fog lines. - Decanter Magazine

98+ Points! A massive, powerful, full-bodied beast of a wine that reminds me of a great vintage of Chateau Latour with its structure and regal character, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder offers a beautiful bouquet of blackberries, wild cherries, iron, spring flowers, and wild scrub brush. It's concentrated, has massive extract and richness, no shortage of tannins, and a huge finish. It's not for the instant gratification crowd and needs 7-8 years of bottle age, but it will see its 30th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! The 2020 Zinfandel Sheep Camp lifts up more like a spiced herbal tea than wine, with rose buds, cedar shavings, rosemary and dried strawberries forming its bouquet. This is soft textured with chalky minerals and crisp red fruits that give way to dusty tannins. The acidity wins the day, adding a vibrancy yet also spiciness that tugs at the cheeks as the 2020 finishes with admirable length and full of tension. - Eric Guido, Vinous

97 Points! All Cabernet Sauvignon and a blend put together by Randy Dunn, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Feather is inky purple-hued and offers a brilliant nose of cassis, new leather, graphite, and truffly earth. This rich, spicy, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon has terrific purity, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this remarkable Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon over the coming two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! All Cabernet Sauvignon and a blend put together by Randy Dunn, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Feather is inky purple-hued and offers a brilliant nose of cassis, new leather, graphite, and truffly earth. This rich, spicy, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon has terrific purity, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this remarkable Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon over the coming two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! Bloody black and blue fruits, iron, leafy herbs, toasted spices, and dried tobacco all shine in the 2019 Heliotrope, a rocking blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Mourvèdre, and a little Cabernet Franc. It's beautifully balanced, has a ripe, lush mouthfeel, beautiful, velvety tannins, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! The super bargain of the portfolio has to be the red 2017 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza, which this year shows more development and faster aging, with more tertiary notes than the other reds from 2013 and 2014 that I tasted next to it. The frost of April 2017 killed 100% of the vegetal mass at Cubillo, and the grapes they picked were exclusively from the second generation, therefore fruit that ripened in a much shorter cycle, as the harvest was also earlier. It has notes of damp earth, mushrooms, truffles and forest floor, dry leaves and decayed flowers and herbs. It has a polished palate and is medium-bodied, with mostly resolved tannins, and it feels a little lighter. But it's still worth it. It was produced with a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from vines averaging 53 years of age. It fermented in their old oak vats and matured in used American oak barrels for three+ years. It has 13.5% alcohol, a 3.0 pH and 6.5 grams of acidity. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

96 Points! Savory berries, plums, iron, minerals, tobacco, ink and blood oranges. Very bright, juicy and structured, with sensational balance, aged savoriness and brightness that are typical of Tondonia reds. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2012 Viña Tondonia Reserva comes from a very dry year, with 25% less rain than the average (at the time), resulting in lower yields of very healthy grapes that delivered wines with nice balance between alcohol and polyphenols, making it very apt for the aging in barrel. It had a slightly longer élevage in barrel, six years. The wine is aromatic with a developed profile, spicy and tertiary (forest floor, a touch of brick dust and iodine), complex and nuanced. The palate is full and round, with polished tannins and a long, dry finish. It has a textbook Tondonia nose and profile. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

95 Points! Viña Tondonia can seem austere in its (comparative) youth, especially when compared with sweeter Bosconia, but this is a wine that will reward patience. Picked earlier to assuage the effect of a warmer site, this blend of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% each of Graciano and Mazuelo is structured and focused, with redcurrant, forest floor and green herb notes. Give it time. 2025-32. - Tim Atkins, MW

95 Points! The 2012 Viña Tondonia is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, cultivated on the meander of the Ebro River in Rioja Alta. This garnet wine reveals aromas of ash and plum marmalade, with a faintly herbal core and hints of oaky cedar. Dry and lean, the fairly chalky texture lingers long, concluding with a compact, flavorful and lasting finish. The 2012 is a beautiful old-school Rioja. - Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous

95 Points! Delivers cherry, redcurrant, and blueberry aromas, with delicate spice from the oak. The palate is harmonious, with a pleasant texture and the accomplished freshness of a cool vintage. The firm, fine-grained tannins will come to the fore as this ages. A great wine in an exquisite Bordeaux style. Cabernet Sauvignon with the classic touch of 3% Syrah and for the first time, also 3% Cabernet Franc, enhancing its Bordeaux character with finesse. - Deacnter Magazine

95 Points! A ripe and fruit-expressive nose showing good generosity and complexity. Quince, ripe cherries and currants with subtle tobacco, dark spices and chili chocolate. Full-bodied and pretty expansive on the palate with fine, dusty tannins melting into the persistent finish. Really impressive length. It goes on and on. Juicy, firm yet really polished. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Fresh and focused, offering currant and steeped black cherry notes mixed with hints of alder, bay leaf and rosemary. This has everything knitting nicely through the finish, with a mineral edge lingering. - Wine Spectator

The 2021 Bourgogne Rouge from Domaine Louis Boillot is another very stylish and nicely red fruity example. The nose delivers a fine range of red plums, cherries, cocoa powder, fresh herb tones and a lovely base of soil. On the palate the wine is fullish, tangy and complex, with nice intensity of flavor, good transparency and just a touch of backend tannin on the well balanced finish. - John Gilman, View From The Cellar

94 Points! Ripe, very fresh and restrained aromas that are composed mostly of red berries and warm earth though there are background nuances of humus and floral wisps. The cool, pure and equally restrained middle weight flavors possess very good volume and mid-palate density before concluding in a dusty, youthfully austere and firmly structured finale. - Allen Meadows, Burghound.com