Wines

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

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

Formerly known as Vignobles Mayard...

94 Points! From the oldest vines of the estate on the La Crau plateau, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Terres De La Crau checks in as 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault. Its medium ruby hue is followed by a spicy, savory, complex perfume of black cherries, blackberries, roasted garrigue, and acacia flowers. I love its complexity, and this beauty hits the palate with a broad, medium to full-bodied, layered, seamless mouthfeel carrying ripe tannins and a great finish. There’s a classic, almost old school-like character here, but it's beautifully balanced, elegant, and pure as well. I love it. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape is pretty and elegant, with a perfumed, red-fruited, spicy, mineral-laced style. It’s one of the more elegant wines I've tasted from Thierry and is medium to full-bodied and has a beautiful sense of elegance, ample tannins, and outstanding length. While it's not massively concentrated, it has a certain tension and vibrancy that makes me think it will age beautifully. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it gained depth and richness with time in the glass, so don't be afraid to give it some air if drinking any time soon. The blend is 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties from a mix of terroirs; it was partially destemmed and aged 20 months in a mix of foudre, demi-muids, and concrete tanks. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Smoky berries, plums, oranges and grilled tarragon, herbs and white pepper. Fine-grained tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate before a lengthy finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92-94 Points! The 2023 Le C du Sec du Château Closiot, a 100% Sémillon wine that underwent malolactic fermentation and matured in one-quarter new barrels, reveals aromas of ripe orchard fruits, baked pear, vanilla pod, white fruits, lemon and spices. It is medium to full-bodied, with a textural and layered palate that includes a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and a deep, concentrated mid-palate, concluding with a long, chalky and tense finish. Crafted by Jean-Marie Guffens, this promising wine offers a broad drinking window, indicating its potential for both immediate enjoyment and aging. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

94 Points! The Cocito 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Baluchin is released to the market with a good amount of bottle age under its belt. That extra time has permitted a smooth evolution and integration for what will be remembered as an epic vintage. The wine has a distinctive note of resin or tea leaf that appears with pressed rose and redcurrant. This is a unique and very successful expression. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Baluchin is the best wine I have tasted from Ezio Cocito. It has all the depth, power and structure that have long been signatures, but it also feels less heavy and less extracted than in the past. Of course, some of that may be attributable to bottle age. In any event, the 2016 possesses notable depth that just builds in the glass, leading to a long, sustained finish that is very beautiful. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

93-95 Points! The 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots-du-Milieu is excellent, wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of wild berries, plums and cassis mingled with hints of spices, grilled meats and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's deep and tightly wound, with powdery structuring tannins and lively acids. This is a serious Santenots that will require some bottle age, and it's among the best that I can remember tasting chez Lafon over the last decade. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

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

96 Points! This stands out for its structure, subtle power, balance and finesse. Perfumed and softly sweet on the nose, ripe and concentrated, glorious and inviting. Creamy and chalky at the same time, lovely texture and density with bright and concentrated strawberry and red cherry fruit. Crisp, sweet, salty and sour, a lovely combination of flavours and textures with great drive and an undercurrent of minerality and salty wet stone finish – real St-Estèphe signature. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! Floral aromas with violets, lavender and currants. Lead pencil, too. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins that caress and please. Elegant and sophisticated. Linear line of tannins running through this. Needs two or three years to soften. Hold for now. - JamesSuckling.com

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

95-98 Points! The 2024 Cos d'Estournel could very well be one of the wines of the vintage. Bright and vibrant in the glass, with tons of energy, the 2024 impresses with its vertical structure, depth and overall balance. Blue/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, lavender and mocha are beautifully delineated throughout. The 2024 is super-classic. The modest 12.8% alcohol is notable, especially because that also means there is less extraction of wood. Cos is one of my early favorites in 2024. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

96-97 Points! There is huge depth and lots of intensity from this year's Cos. Quite powerful, deeply colored and dense, but there is freshness. Concentrated and tight-grained, with a full body and a pretty lengthy finish. Quite unique for its broadness and density, with lots of blackberries in the finish. - Zekun Shuai, James Suckling

93-95 Points! The 2024 Château Cos D'Estournel is a clear step up, with a concentrated, rich, yet still elegant profile. Cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and freshly sharpened pencil notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a focused, structured mouthfeel, good acidity, and building tannins. It's going to require patience but is clearly an outstanding Cos in the making. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Petit Verdot, resting in 50% new oak, it hit 12.76% with a pH of 3.57 and an IPT of 71. - Jeb Dunnuck

93-95 Points! The 2024 Cos d'Estournel is shaping up beautifully. Offering up aromas of sweet cassis, plums, pencil shavings and iris, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and suave, reflecting this estate's pivot to a more harmonious, less aggressively extracted style. With a layered, seamless core of fruit framed by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin, it's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at 12.7% alcohol. Cos is an early-ripening terroir, and that clearly played to the relative strengths of the vintage. Harvest here began with the estate's old-vine Merlot on gravel on September 23, concluding with the last Cabernet Sauvignon on October 7. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

91 Points! The 2013 Dubrul Vineyard Carriage House is another outstanding wine, and in 2013 it’s 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Brambly herbs, red and black fruits, spice and a touch of graphite all emerge from this rich, beautifully textured, elegant red from winemaker Kerry Shiels. And while it's already hard to resist, it should easily keep for 5-6 years, if not longer. - Jeb Dunnuck, robertparker.com

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

94 Points! Made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc aged 25% new oak, the 2022 Château Cote De Baleau has a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a brilliant nose of smoky red and black fruits, spring flowers, graphite, and crushed stone. I love its overall purity, and it's medium to full-bodied and has a silky, elegant mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Super perfumed on the nose. Sharp, just shy of sour blackcurrant and black cherry on the nose and palate, vibrant. Lovely crushed stone and powdery texture to the tannins - they're prominent giving some tightness on the mid palate with a liquorice and dark chocolate edge to the frame towards the finish. Serious but well worked, lean but detailed, just a bit tense right now though does feel sculpted with a cool minty freshness on the finish. Tasted twice and kept the higher score. Rolland & Associés consultants. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

93 Points! Very elegant with blackberries, black olives, spice and a hint of cedar on both the nose and palate. It's medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins that provide both length and beauty. Hard not to drink now. A blend 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com

92-94 Points! The 2022 Côte de Baleau has a well-defined bouquet with black cherries, bilberry and floral scents, quite complex and focused. The oak is nicely integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with more pliant tannins than many of its peers, lending it a rounded texture, beautifully balanced with a minerally finish. This represents a big step up from the 2021. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

93 Points! The 2022 Côte de Baleau is quite racy and extroverted in this vintage, as one might expect. Bright red-toned fruit, chalk, mint and white pepper lend notable brilliance to this mid-weight Saint-Émilion. Côte de Baleau is usually pretty forthcoming. The 2022 might need some time to come together. Drinking window : 2025-2037 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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

97 Points! A hidden gem of a wine that doesn't get the recognition it deserves, the 2022 Château Couhins Blanc is 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris brought up in 18% new barrels, with the balance in used oak and tank. Bright citrus, honeyed lime, mint, sappy flowers, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with gorgeously clean acidity and a great finish. Savvy readers should snatch up this ripe, voluptuous, sensationally layered, textured, complex white. It's always hard to predict how these concentrated dry whites will age, yet this should benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it still drinking beautifully at age 20. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Clear, pure and mineral with sour cream, white fruit and a touch of gooseberries. Medium-bodied on the palate, this has fresh medium acidity. Dissolved yet grainy in texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now. - Zekun Shuai, James Suckling

94 Points! The 2022 Couhins Blanc is superb, especially in the way it balances its brisk, saline character with notable mid-palate depth. White flowers, citrus peel, white pepper, sage and mint are all beautifully delineated. Intensely saline, mineral undertones support the persistent finish. This is commendable. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

91 Points! A blend of Roussanne and Viognier, the 2019 Vin De France Etincelle is an interesting wine that has Viognier-like aromatics of golden fruits and honeyed orange yet reveals more structure and focus on the palate, showing its Roussanne component. With wonderful purity, balance, and length, this is a gorgeous Vin de France that does everything right. It's ideal for enjoying over the coming year or two. - Jeb Dunnuck

91 Points! Stone fruits and orchard fruits intermixed with sappy herbs emerge from the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc A.V.A Blend. Medium-bodied, bright, and racy on the palate, with elegant acidity and a clean finish, this 100% Sauvignon Blanc is ideal for drinking over the next 2-3 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The purity of fruit to this young second wine are very impressive with blueberry and blackberry character. Citrus undertones. Medium to full body and a bright finish. Drink in 2021. - JamesSuckling.com