Wines

93 Points! The appellation series Malbecs are typically made in the same manner, seeing 11-13 months in 100% French oak, a small percentage of it new. Here, the 2022 Malbec Appellation Paraje Altamira is from the cooler region of Altamira, where it retains acidity and freshness while offering crisp red fruit and silky texture, lasting for days on the palate. It should age well another 10-12 years as well. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

92 Points! Another highlight of the Catena Appellation range is the 2022 Appellation Paraje Altamira Malbec, opening with the region's signature purple-flower note and accented with fresh herbs and a citrus-driven zest quality. On the palate, it combines a svelte, seamless purity with lifted, focused energy that runs through the crunchy, high-toned finish. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

100 Points! It has a moderate 13.4% alcohol with very high acidity (8.2!) and a low pH (3.37), incredible parameters of freshness. The wine was closed and took time to take off in the glass, revealing a very elegant and subtle personality, with the silky texture of the very fine tannins, pristine aromas and flavors and a sense of harmony that was moving. It's powerful but extremely elegant in that rare combination of clout and energy, a wine of light, aerial, with some ethereal qualities, delicate and refined. This combines the cool place and high altitude, the cool year and the stony soils, to deliver a stunning Malbec that goes well beyond the variety. Bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

92-94 Points! Crème de cassis, graphite, sweet tobacco, and sweet, loamy earth notes all define the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, a nicely textured, layered, pure, seamless barrel sample. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! Cassis, juniper berry, licorice, walnut oil, and a Tempranillo-like ashen smokiness scent and inform the bittersweet, polished palate of Baron’s 2009 Camaspelo (named for a mid 19th Century Cayuse chief), whose as usual dominant Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 18% Merlot and sourced from the En Cerise and Cailloux vineyards. Bitter hints of huckleberry as well as suggestions of crushed stone and pencil lead add to the complexity of a protracted finish. “Red Mountain gives you, to me, the Mike Tyson of Cabernet Sauvignon,” says Baron (as usual!) wryly and provocatively. By contrast, he claims to be searching for something rich yet understated, and notes that “after about five or six years we decided to use less oak for ours.” That said, there is a certain sense of opacity and stasis here as opposed to the levity and vibrancy of the very best wines in this same collection. Baron says this bottling routinely picks up an alluring floral nuance with time in bottle. I’d certainly consider giving it at least 6-8 weeks to demonstrate such a trend, and even if it doesn’t, it’s still very impressive stuff. - David Schildknecht, robertparker.com

100 Points! The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is every bit as thrilling as it was on the many occasions I tasted it from barrel. Black cherry, hard candy, plum, rose petal, menthol and lavender saturate the palate in a sumptuous, racy Brunello endowed with magnificent depth and pedigree. An utterly stunning, sensual wine, the 2010 constantly changes in the glass as it conquers all the senses with an exotic kaleidoscope of aromas, flavors and textures. I remember tasting the 2010 from cask a few years ago when Diego Molinari was too unwell to go down to the cellar. Nora Molinari tasked me with essentially serving myself as we went from vintage to vintage and cask to cask. For days after, I was mortified that I might not have closed some of the spigots tightly enough. Fortunately, that was not the case. In all of my years tasting the wines of Montalcino, I have only come across two wines with this level of textural unctuosity and sweetness; Gianfranco Soldera's 1983 Brunello and 1990 Riserva. Cerbaiona's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino will leave readers weak at the knees. It is every bit that profound. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

91 Points! The 2023 Grammatica is conceived as the estate’s foundational wine, much like grammar itself provides the structure for language, with most of the fruit sourced from Cerbaiona’s own vineyards and a small portion of purchased fruit. Aged in third- and fourth-use oak before resting in cement and glass ahead of release, the wine prioritizes clarity and balance. The 2023 vintage delivers appealing volume and texture that remain finely understated, supported by a quietly confident structure that makes the wine especially well suited to the table. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

92 Points! Aromas of dried orange peel, hibiscus and walnuts with generous red fruit in the background. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and vivid acidity. Linear and fresh. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Complex aromas of nuts and pears. Full-bodied and rich with a tight, beautifully reserved center palate. Ginger, lemon curd and pear notes too. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Very pretty and refined, showing juicy citrus and stone fruit flavors that are fresh and concentrated, with seamless, elegant notes of Honeycrisp apple, lemon curd and peach pastry, backed by a long, expressive finish. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! Amber in appearance, the nose gives aromas of orange confit, Earl Grey tea and mushroom consommé. The palate is medium-bodied with notes of apple pie, sandalwood and molasses. Classic and delicious. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

91-93 Points! The 2023 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is herbal and lifted on the nose, leading to a dark-fruited, silky palate that combines svelte richness with delicious freshness. As always, this is shaping up to be an overperforming overview of the Sta. Rita Hills from a uniquely pretty vintage.

Gavin Chanin entered the wine world through an eight-year stint at Au Bon Climat, quickly becoming protégé of the late Jim Clendenen. Chanin founded his namesake label in 2007, an era that allowed him to secure contracts for old-vine plantings from some of the region's most historic vineyards while newly established sites were more in vogue. Much of the straightforward practicality learned from Clendenen is employed in the cellar: the Chardonnays are whole-cluster pressed, barrel fermented and aged on lees for 14 months, then racked and returned to barrel for another four months before bottling. Heavy-toast François Frères barrels are the norm—favoring the Bertranges forest for Chardonnay and Vosges for Pinot Noir—and range from 10% to 50% new. Pinot Noir generally includes 30% to 50% whole clusters, with slightly higher percentages of new wood. Across the spectrum, the wines continually balance supple generosity with focus and refinement, delivered through a deceptively slender frame despite their richly flavored nature. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

91 Points! Smooth and ripe, with intense red fruit character. Crisp citrus and orchard fruits on the palate, with some toasty complexity. - Decanter Magazine

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

96 Points! The second wine of this brilliant château, the 2022 Chapelle D'Ausone checks in as 65% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised 20 months in barrels. Classic Cabernet Franc notes of black raspberries, currants, spring flowers, candied violets, and sappy mint herbs all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. While it's not the best vintage for the second wines, you wouldn't know it by tasting this. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps with expressive scents of red currant preserves, fresh blackberries, and violets, plus nuances of cedar chest and cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is coated with rich black and red berry layers, supported by velvety tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and spicy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

93 Points! The Chapelle d'Ausone is a powerful but also embryonic wine. Here, too, the wine's balance is impeccable. Super-ripe red cherry fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal all meld together. Chapelle is a powerhouse second wine, if that term can even be used. The blend is 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

93 Points! A killer wine and great value, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature reveals tons of cassis and darker, almost blue fruits intermixed with sappy spring flowers, crushed stone, and lead pencil nuances. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 2% Merlot, it's balanced and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins. - Jeb Dunnuck

90-92 Points! Audoin's 2022 Marsannay La Charme aux Prêtres Blanc reveals attractive aromas of green apple, pear, white flowers, citrus zest and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy, with good cut and tension, it's one of the domaine's livelier whites. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

Charles de Cazanove’s flagship Champagne, the single vintage bottled Stradivarius is sourced solely from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards for a wine of the highest quality and is aged for over 84 months on lees. in this case, 13 years before disgorgement! Stradivarius is a symphony of meaning and passion; its unique flavor reflects the finesse of the vintage.

95 Points! Really fine bubbles. Extremely intense, showing dried apples, peaches and light apricots with brioche and pie crust. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, long finish. Very subtle. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. 10% of the 2020 base wine fermented and aged in barrel. Dosage 8 g/L. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Hints of brioche and lemon meringue pie enrich the flavors of cassis and apricot fruit, pickled ginger, smoke and roasted hazelnut in this classy Champagne, backed by vibrant acidity. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged 2024. Drink now through 2030. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! A solid, focused, juicy and poised wine, showing red berries, sweet spices and dried-flower aromas. Medium-bodied with finely grained tannins. Lovely crushed-strawberry character to the silky texture. Bright and fruit-forward, this has a seductive, succulent finish and a lift of peppercorns. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Bottled three months ago and showing beautifully, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel is based on 30% each of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre with 10% Cinsault and brought up all in foudre. It offers darker berries, pepper, sappy flowers, and some obvious stony, earth-like minerality in a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, layered style. It's balanced with terrific purity, ripe tannins, and outstanding length, offering incredible pleasure today, yet it will keep for 10-12 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! A balanced, lively and precise white with aromas of fresh lemons, linden and exotic spices such as turmeric. It’s medium-bodied, with a bright core of aromatic herbs and spices bringing vitality on the palate. Vivid and focused, with a well-driven, persistent finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel Blanc is terrific, with a soft, supple, forward style in its pure white peach, quince, and honeyed flower aromas and flavors. It's medium-bodied and has the vintage's purity as well as outstanding length. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! A balanced, lively and precise white with aromas of fresh lemons, linden and exotic spices such as turmeric. It’s medium-bodied, with a bright core of aromatic herbs and spices bringing vitality on the palate. Vivid and focused, with a well-driven, persistent finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel Blanc is terrific, with a soft, supple, forward style in its pure white peach, quince, and honeyed flower aromas and flavors. It's medium-bodied and has the vintage's purity as well as outstanding length. - Jeb Dunnuck