Wines

98 Points! Intense, vibrant aromas of strawberries and raspberries, together with cola and flowery notes. Milk and mint nuances, too. Shows a lot of licorice elegance and blood-orange freshness on both the nose and palate with firm, velvety tannins and well-packed, brilliant acidity and a polished finish. Good aftertaste and amazing potential. Very classic. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

96+ Points! I loved the 2019 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard. It's a rich, backward, relatively closed wine that's going to blossom with another 2-3 years of bottle age. Giving up Gevrey-Chambertin like notes of smoked black fruits, pomegranate, violets, spiced meats, iron, and leafy herbs, it's medium to full-bodied and has a beautiful mid-palate, building tannins, and a solid spine of acidity. It has plenty of ripeness and is certainly a California Pinot Noir, with beautiful fruit and purity. It needs a healthy decant if drinking any time soon, and it's going to hit prime time in another 2-4 years and have a solid decade of prime drinking. It's a gorgeous wine. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! As I recall, the first vintage of Cliff Lede wines I tasted was 2005, so this was the first time I tasted the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry, a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot from the Stags Leap District. It is still a youthful wine, it has a dense purple color as well as a stunning nose of spring flowers, asphalt, graphite, black currants, blueberries, raspberries and kirsch intermixed with hints of smoke and charcoal. Full-bodied, elegant, authoritative and substantial, with a 45-second finish, this 2002 is clearly capable of lasting another 20 years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com, 2012

98 Points, Dunnuck's #11 Wine of the Year! The 2020 Château Clinet checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up in 80% new French oak. It's a rich, yet gorgeous wine with a wonderful sense of freshness in its ripe blue and black fruits as well as tobacco, chocolate, and damp earth. Full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has perfect tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, and one hell of an impressive finish. One of the finest Pomerols in the vintage, it will benefit from just 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

98 Points! What a beautiful young wine, showing so much finesse and tension, with ultra-fine tannins and subtle and long flavors and character. It’s medium-bodied with extremely silky tannins that grow on the palate to a seamless finish. Harmonious. Another fine Pomerol for the cellar. Drink after 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

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

98 Points! The Grand Vin from this terrific Pomerol estate, the 2022 Château Clinet checks in as 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 19 months in 80% new barrels. It's a beautiful Pomerol that clearly ranks with the greats from this address, offering a vivid purple hue, classic notes of cassis, leather, graphite, and black cherries, full-bodied richness, and a layered, seamless mouthfeel. It's another remarkable 2022 that brings the richness and depth of the vintage while staying light on its feel and flawlessly balanced. It has plenty of upfront appeal even today, yet there's ample structure here as well, and it's going to evolve beautifully over the coming 30 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Streamlined and sleek, silky smooth but also gorgeously textured, clean and clear with grip and interest. Less fleshy and chewy than some, more charming and elegant with tannins that have a weight in the mouth. There is clear power and concentration underneath the juicy acidity with a straight backbone and direct energy from start to finish. Appealing layers of salinity, blackcurrant fruit, creamy vanilla, cool cola touches and crushed stones on the finish. Feels well made and sophisticated. 3.74pH. A yield of 34hl/ha. Earliest harvest ever starting on 6 September for Merlot and 20 and 21 September for Cabernet Sauvignon. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

96 Points! The 2022 Clinet is terrific. Vibrant, aromatic and beautifully sculpted, Clinet is also a terrific example of the energy quality-minded winemakers were able to achieve in 2022. Crushed rose petals, spice, blood orange, mint and white pepper give Clinet a compelling upper register of presence in the bouquet. Wonderfully delineated, Clinet builds effortlessly into the mid-palate and finish, where a closing burst of red/purplish fruit framed by clean mineral notes leaves a lasting impression. This is stellar. Tasted two times. Drinking window : 2030-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Intense aromas of dark violets and blueberries as well as terra-cotta follow through to a full body, yet it’s tight and focused with beautifully framed fruit from polished tannins and a long and rather endless finish. A complete and fresh Pomerol in 2022. - JamesSuckling.com

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

95-96 Points! A full-bodied young red with blackberries, lemons, chewy tannins and a fresh finish. There’s an earthy, terroir-drive vibe at the end. Solid. Well done. - James Suckling

92-94 Points! The 2024 Clinet is a dark, stylish wine. Black cherry, lavender, spice, licorice and blue-toned fruit are beautifully delineated. Dark and vibrant in the glass, with terrific depth, Clinet is super-expressive in 2024. Ronan Laborde bled the musts to bring the wine into the rich, textured style he seeks here. Clinet is a rare Pomerol that is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Cabernet very much in evidence. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

100 Points! Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades. A blend of 75% carmenere, 18% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. Best after 2028. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Aromatically complex and intriguing, this offers a spiced plum pastry note that melds with petrichor, pine, dried violet and cocoa powder elements. The palate is round and richly textured, with Szechuan peppercorn accents to the concentrated black cherry, plum and cassis center. Everything comes together harmoniously on the finish and lingers, with present but integrated tannins. A stunner that should develop nicely in the cellar. Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2040. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! Ripe black fruit (there's some red fruit as well), tobacco leaf, damp earth, exotic flowers, and some chocolaty notes all emerge from the 2019 Clos De L'Oratoire, another beautiful wine from the Neipperg family and team. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, I love its mid-palate, it has gorgeous tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This is clearly a great vintage for this cuvée. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it's going to have 2-3 decades of longevity, and probably a gradual decline after that as well. It's beautiful. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Powerful and explosive in the glass, the 2019 Clos de l’Oratoire possesses tremendous depth and density from start to finish. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol and lavender are all amplified in this potent, structured Saint-Émilion. Give it a few years to soften. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

98 Points! Absolutely bursting with blue and red fruits, the concentration is deceptive here, as it starts out juicy and full of air, but after a few minutes in the glass you start to feel the weight and the texture, and this turns into an extremely serious wine with real tannic hold. Gorgeous savoury finish, as you get so often in the best Burgundies, where weightlessness is such a brilliant veil to the power behind. 55% whole cluster. - Decanter Magazine

98 Points! The 2018 Clos de Tart Grand Cru was wonderful from barrel but now it seems to have gone up another level. It has an exquisite bouquet with wonderful mineralité infusing the brambly red fruit. Wonderful focus and quite profound complexity. You could nose this forever. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiselled tannins married with a killer line of natural acidity. Everything is perfectly proportioned in this wine, very persistent with layers of dark berry fruit laced with white pepper and tea leaf on the finish. Immense. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

96 Points! The 2024 Otira Glacial Stones Sauvignon Blanc is just such a fantastic wine. I love it every year. Mineral tension, poise and elongated shape are the hallmarks of this wine. The wine has a smell of fresh sheets, crisp, crushed shells, white spice and ocean air. I appreciate the length and stretch of this wine—it fully extends and lingers, and there is a textural pulsing and undulation. It is truly excellent. 2024 was a warm vintage and produced wines of amplitude and volume, yet here the terroir has compressed the fruit into its own shape. So, with the coupling of the season and the terroir, we have this. It's a triumph among triumphs. The numbers of this wine are mad/impressive to behold: very low pH (2.97), a good level of total acidity (6.5) and 14% alcohol. Years of high-density planting and organic management (since 2010, certified 2013) in this place has enabled a wine of balance to achieve these numbers. - Erin Larkin, robertparker.com

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

96 Points! The 2022 Clos Saint-Julien is a showstopper from proprietor Catherine Papon Nouvel. Paradoxically, it seems to have handled the intense heat and drought better than the Petit Gravet Aîné, even though there is more Merlot here. Then again, this tiny parcel is perched on Saint-Émilion's famed limestone plateau. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, lavender and menthol all stain the palate. The long, sustained finish is a thing of beauty. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! Sporting a youthful, unevolved, inward style, the inky-hued 2022 Clos Saint Julien offers tons of darker, almost blue fruits interwoven with notions of damp underbrush, violets, orange blossom, and iron. It's a rich, full-bodied, concentrated Saint-Emilion offering sweet tannins, solid balance, and a great finish. It needs a solid 4-5 years to round into form and should cruise for 15+ in cold cellars. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! Starting out, the 2017 Tychson Hill is gorgeous, revealing a saturated purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of blackcurrants, ground herbs, chocolate, toasted bread, and subtle yet high class oak. Full-bodied, beautifully textured, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, it has silky tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a big finish. This is a backward, primordial beauty that’s going to need 4-5 years of bottle age yet shine for 30 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! The berries at Tychson Hill vineyard were very small in 2017. “This wine totally required baby steps with the extraction,” said winemaker Allison Tauziet. Very deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard leaps from the glass with vibrant black cherries, warm blackberries and blackcurrant scents with hints of violets, dark chocolate, lavender and camphor plus a fragrant waft of rose hip tea. Medium to full-bodied, the structure is taut, restraining all the tightly packed, energetic black fruit layers, with a wonderfully fine-grained texture and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. Still very tightly wound, this one needs time, but it should handsomely reward patience. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

99 Points! Colgin's 2021 IX Estate is a rich, opulent example, with layers of ripe black cherries and dark chocolate punctuated by hints of sage and bay leaf, plus some vaguely floral notes (violets?). Full-bodied, concentrated, velvety and long, it's another terrific wine that showcases the potential of Pritchard Hill, the investment by the owners and the talent of the winemaking team. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

98+ Points! I'd wager a Napa Valley legend in the making, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon IX Estate comes from the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill, and if there was ever a classification of terroirs in the valley, this would check in near the top of the list. Deep purple-hued, with awesome aromatics of pure cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and subtle floral hints, this has that rare mix of power and elegance that defines so many great wines. Full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it has no shortage of structure and is going to need 7-8 years, if not a decade, to hit full maturity, where it will hold for 2-3 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Plenty of red fruit character here, plus notes of wet earth, blood orange and violets. Excellent concentration for 2022 with beautifully integrated fine tannins, the fresh acidity helping to drive the long, delicately earthy finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! With vines planted in 1992 in a cozy and protected position within the folds of hills above Gattinara at 400 meters in elevation, the Molsino vineyard is known to produce extra fruit weight, concentration and power. This is definitely the case with the Conterno Nervi 2018 Gattinara Vigna Molsino. Of the two single-vineyard wines made at this estate (the other being the Vigna Valferana), I'm giving the aging edge to this bottle and have extended the drinking window as a result. During my tasting with Roberto Conterno, he described this wine as having "broader shoulders" and "more bite to the mouthfeel." Those are exact descriptions, and I would add that Molsino shows special dimension, in terms of both width and depth, with red and purple fruits that spread evenly over the palate. The wine's finish is powered by tarry smoke and campfire ash that add vertical lift and length. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

97 Points! Costanti's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is stunning. Dark, powerful and mysterious in the glass, the 2010 captivates all the senses with its breathtaking beauty and layered, multi-dimensional personality. Lavender, violets, savory herbs, smoke, plums and graphite flow through to the rich, explosive finish. There is a prism-like sense of transparency allied to pure power in the 2010 that is impossible miss. Readers who can find the 2010 should not hesitate; it is a must-have. While many 2010s are approachable today, the Costanti's 2010 is not; it is a wine for the cellar. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! Perfumed aromas of subtle currants, roses, lavender and sage, following through to a medium body with super-fine tannins that caress the palate and leave it fresh and inspired. A gorgeous and graceful 2022. Drinkable now, but better in 2028. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Intensely aromatic and floral nose, with notes of herbal, spiced pepper, and some cocoa. Bright red and blue fruit on the palate, pomegranate juice, redcurrants, and cool blueberries, with further savoury flavours. The tannins are very fine and silky, with a lovely salinity. Great tension and energy to the wine, and a longing finish. - Decanter World Wine Awards

98 Points! A fabulous young wine with a long career ahead. Showing the angular nature of youth, a little bony in terms of tannins, but so concentrated, firm, juicy and full. Beautiful dark cherries, blueberries and dark chocolate with nuances of oak spices, cedar and cinnamon. Best from 2030. - JamesSuckling.com

97+ Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is showing very well for a wine that was bottled just a few months ago. Sweet floral and spice notes open first, conferring notable freshness and vibrancy. Medium in body and beautifully persistent, the 2021 impresses with its finesse more than anything else. Time in the glass brings out hints of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender and spice. The Cornell Cabernet Sauvignon usually needs a few years to blossom post bottling, as I once again saw with the 2018 that I opened at home recently. I expect that will be the case here as well. In a word: regal. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Dried tropical fruits like mangoes and green papaya, with lemons and green apples. Limes, too. Full-bodied yet tight and compacted with great length and persistence. Muscular yet fresh. 66% sauvignon blanc and 34% semillon. Drinkable but needs five or six years to soften. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

96 Points! Ripe and expressive on the nose, aromatically complex with notes of carmalised lemons, honey, peach and wet stones. Clarity and precision from the start, such a well defined palate with striking high acidity, crisp and sharp citrus fruits and a salty undertone. Soft spicing comes in towards the finish suggesting this needs more time and will have a long life ahead but the nuanced bitterness, freshness and lift are all so appealing. Excellent weight and balance too with a bright and long finished - a gourmet style with plenty to like. - Decanter Magazine

96 Points!  The 2020 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc, a blend of 66% Sauvignon Blanc and 34% Semillon, brings another level of density as well as complexity. Honeyed pineapple, melon, crushed stone, and spicy, savory herbs notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a beautifully layered, elegant mouthfeel and a great finish. It's a gem of a white and ranks with the crème de la crème of the vintage. It should keep for 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck