Wines

99 Points! Blackberries, blueberries, raspberry kir, sweet tobacco and black truffle. Full bodied with chewy tannins and superb texture and length. Extremely poised and powerful. Finishes with so much fresh leather and blueberries. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

98+ Points! A solid step up, the 2016 Les Pavots comes from vines planted in 1989 and is a mix of two separate sites in Knights Valley. This straight-up phenomenal Cabernet offers a powerful nose of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spring flowers, and it has a Margaux-like complexity and elegance. Full-bodied on the palate, it has a multi-dimensional, seamless texture, building tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s a baby of a wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but it will probably merit a triple-digit score in 7-8 years and keep for three decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! Composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Pavots comes from Knights Valley AVA. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with vivacious notes of crushed black berries, Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and blackcurrant cordial with touches of camphor, lavender, tapenade and cigar box plus hints of mocha and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with muscular black fruits, framed by firm grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

97 Points! More minerality, graphite, and scorched earth notes emerge from the 2018 Les Pavots. Full-bodied and uber-concentrated, it reveals building tannins, awesome mid-palate depth, and one heck of a great finish. It's a serious, powerful, blockbuster beauty that also holds onto perfect balance and a beautiful sense of elegance. It will keep for two decades or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Love the sweet berries, black olives, tile and fresh herbs on the nose with floral undertones. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied with round, creamy tannins that are beautifully polished and refined. Very long finish. All about finesse and wonderful length. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 19% cabernet franc, 10% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Drink after 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

99 Points! This is very perfumed with blackberry and pine-cone aromas, as well as raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins that are tight-grained. Creamy and beautiful. Currant and graphite flavors come through. Lightly chewy at the end. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot, 14% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Drink after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2019 Les Pavots is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder Petit Verdot. It has unfolding layers of dark minerals, with graphite, boysenberry liqueur, and fresh leather. The palate is expressive of its mountain fruit, with more gripping structure but no harsh edges. This is a remarkable wine to hold a few years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! This is a powerful red with blackberry, black olive and a hint of mint. Some brown sugar, too. Full-bodied and dense, with lots of fruit and velvety, plush tannins. Crushed-stone and wet-earth character, too. The higher percentage of merlot (14%) and no cabernet franc makes this unique for Les Pavots. Give it three or four years to open. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc L’Après-Midi, blended with 8% Sémillon and matured in about 15% new French oak, features ringing tones of peach, kiwi, tarragon and white lily with undertones of candle smoke, flint and petrichor. The palate opens with pure fruit before unfurling expansive, savory accents, and its fresh acidity balances its satiny, mouth-coating texture. Its juxtaposition of concentrated fruit and shimmery tension draws you back to the glass for another dynamic sip, and although it's approachable now, it will develop complexity in bottle over the next decade. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

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

95 Points! A blend of 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, the 2022 Château Petit Gravet Aîné exhibits a ruby/plum hue as well as terrific aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits interwoven with lots of gamey, floral, and tobacco nuances. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion that has ripe tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It shines even today yet is going to evolve gracefully over the coming two decades or so. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2022 Petit Gravet Ainé is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Kirsch, dried flowers, mocha and new leather open. Ripe, fleshy and layered, the 2022 is definitely on the riper side. Creamy and opulent in texture, it clearly needs time to settle down post-bottling. Today, I admire its balance. This is a wild wine that is sure to take readers on quite a ride over the coming two decades or so, maybe more. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94-95 Points! Supple, fresh, deep, floral and heavily influenced by its mineral essence, the wine offers an intense, spicy, salty, fruit-packed experience with layers of berries, energy and length. Produced from 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, making this one of the heaviest concentrations of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux. Drink from 2027-2045. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

94 Points! The 2023 Red Wine is a fabulous Grenache/Syrah blend. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, dried herbs, lavender and mocha are all beautifully dialed up. Floral overtones add striking finesse and lift. What a gorgeous and vivid wine this is. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

94 Points! The 2023 PharoahMoans Red Wine is a 50-50 blend of Carneros Grenache and Pope Valley Syrah, but despite omitting Mouvèdre, it is the best vintage of this wine this taster has sampled. Pretty florals—violets and roses—join tea-like, potpourri-ish nuances and berry fruit in this medium- to full-bodied wine. Lively, fresh and complex, the palate is framed by silky tannins and displays ample length on the finish. It's a super value, as long as you're not hung up on Bordeaux varieties or fancy mid-valley AVAs. - Joe Czerwinski, RobertParker.com

94 Points! This Rhone-style blend is unusual in Napa Valley and gives dark, earthy, savory flavors on a firm texture. Full-bodied, moderately tannic and restrained in fruit flavors, instead emphasizing singed herb, oak smoke, star anise and espresso flavors. A 50-50 blend of grenache and syrah grapes. Drink now or hold. - Jim Gordon, JamesSuckling.Com

92 Points! Aromas of wild herbs and undergrowth with plenty of fresh red fruit, too. This has a sleek, firm feel with ample, juicy and fresh tannins that deliver a succulent, fine-grained feel. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

99 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. (Drink between 2031-2051). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 15% Merlot and traces of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries followed by hints of crushed rocks, cardamom, licorice, and tar plus a fragrant touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and mineral layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with loads of ferrous and earthy sparks. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

100 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. An absolutely riveting Cabernet showing a deep ruby-purple colour. Gorgeously fragrant at the cork's pull with terrific violets and loads of black currants and dark dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with chiselled, precise tannins that build and build on the palate. At this early stage, the wine is full of ripe blackberry and black currant fruits that harbour impressive clarity of flavours, growing even more expressive with beautiful sagebrush nuances. Philipp Togni remarked that this vintage reminds him of St. Julien. Indeed, it is incredibly aromatic, elegant, and structured, and it is also a complete and seamless wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet France, and 1% Petit Verdot. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

99 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an outrageously beautiful wine and also one of the wines of the year. A soaring, exotic bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Pliant and creamy, with mind-blowing textural finesse, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish. Hard candy, mint, lavender, Kirsch and spice linger on the close. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. (Drink between 2031-2051). - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 15% Merlot and traces of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries followed by hints of crushed rocks, cardamom, licorice, and tar plus a fragrant touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and mineral layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with loads of ferrous and earthy sparks. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

95 Points! Tasted with Lisa and Philip Togni in their winery atop Spring Mountain in February of 2024. The Tanbark Hill was bottled in June of 2023. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged up to 20 months. The tannins are quite assertive at this young stage, in classic Spring Mountain Togni fashion, with a fine granularity about them. The wine feels quite complete, teeming with pure dark berry fruits and very fresh. Deeply mineral-tinged dark berries and black currants are framed by a wine with noticeable coiled-up energy and tension. It’s mostly mouthfeel at this stage and will soften with a few more years. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

93 Points! The medium to full-bodied 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill Vineyard delivers complex notes of mountain fruit, with hints of sage and bay leaf accenting cassis, blueberries and raspberries. In the mouth, it's firmly buttressed by grainy tannins, with terrific acids that linger on the finish in mouthwatering fashion. This, Togni's "early-drinking" wine, should age two decades with ease. -  Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

93 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill Vineyard is one of the most potent vintages of this wine I can remember tasting. Dense and textured, the 2021 shows ample dark fruit and complex earthy/savory undertones that add balance. The 2021 benefits from the addition of some excess fruit that would have been used in the main label but that, for practical purposes, ended up in the tanks for the Tanbark Hill. Readers will find a wine of breadth, power and character. In this vintage, the Tanbark Hill gives a very good idea of the quality and style of the Grand Vin. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

The estate’s “baby” Chambertin! With vines more than 70 years old and soils just as noble as those of premier cru vineyards just a stone’s throw upslope, ‘Clos Village’ is really the heart and soul of Gevrey. Round and harmonious, with plush purple fruits and an abundance of silk. Winemaker Damien Livera can walk from his cellar door directly into the heart of ‘Clos Village.’

94 Points! The 2021 Poggio de Colli, 100% Cabernet Franc, is stunning. It’s peppery and floral throughout, with masses of crushed strawberry and raspberry spiced up by tangerine zest. This impresses further with its wiry textures offset by tantalizing acidity. A core of tart wild berry fruit cascades across the palate, underscored by saline minerals and hints of citrus. Fine-grained tannins emerge through the finish as the 2021 tapers off spicy yet fresh, leaving the mouth watering despite its structure and intensity. This is a ripe vintage for Poggio de Colli, yet it is still a glorious Cabernet Franc that will pay dividends in the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

97 Points! The 2021 Carmignano Riserva Piaggia takes its time in the glass, tempting the imagination with dried violets and flowery underbrush that evolve into peppery wild berries, autumnal spices and a dusting of cocoa. Elegant and velvety in feel, this sweeps across the palate, gaining contrast through a core of mineral-inflected yet pleasantly ripe red and black fruits. Tantalizing acidity guides the experience. The 2021 finishes with dramatic length and concentration, leaving a bitter blackberry resonance to mingle with edgy tannins, while a hint of blood orange forces the mouth to water for more. The contrasting nature and sheer depth of the 2021 leave me in awe. Bury this deep in the cellar.

The Piaggia vineyard was planted in 1972. The only changes this wine has seen since then, other than the age of the vines, took place in 2004 when the winery switched from using 100% new Garbellotto barrels to a mix of 50% new and 50% second-pass oak. This was a fantastic tasting that showed the prestige of this location and demonstrated the remarkable value of the Piaggia Riserva. It’s a blue chip in the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

93 Points! I like the intensity here of dark plums, oyster shells, tar, dried flowers and chocolate. Rich and flavorful with a full body and muscular tannins, sturdy, but not at all heavy. Try in 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Dark and brooding in bearing, the 2021 Pichon Baron is a somber, mysterious wine. It is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur. Graphite, leather, spice, mocha and dried herbs meld together in a wine of power, precision and contemporary classicism. It's one of my early favorites in this vintage. I won't be too surprised if it turns out even better than this note suggests. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! The 2021 Pichon-Longueville Baron is showing very well in bottle, unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, sweet berries and violets mingled with subtle hints of orange zest and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with good depth at the core, bright acids and sweet tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish, its serious, slightly reserved profile reflects the unusually high (89%) percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2021 concluded its élevage in large wooden vats for a month and a half, saw a touch less racking than normal, and was only fined with a small amount of gelatin, not egg white, as has been the rule at this address for several years now. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

95 Points! Black currant, violet, lemon blossom and black berry aromas. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and tobacco, black fruit and cedar undertones. It’s tight and chewy, suggesting it needs some bottle age. Some iodine. Oyster shell. 88% cabernet sauvignon. Give this four to five years. Try after 2027. - JamesSuckling.com