Wines

95 Points! The 2021 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block UU has a ton of density and power. Racy and deep, the 2021 packs a serious punch. This mineral, savory Chardonnay has so much to offer, but it also needs time to come together. Citrus, orchard fruit and savory notes abound in this very serious Chardonnay from Foxen. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

100% Nebbiolo from clay, sand, and limestone soils in the heart of the Cannubi vineyard in Barolo

Sourced from three vineyard parcels: Gourat, Battista, and Nuova

Maceration takes place for 30-40 days in large oak casks, with frequent use of remontage

Aged for 30 months in oak casks, plus a further 6 months aging in horizontal racks

91-93 Points! The 2021 Irancy Les Cailles is a beautiful wine, busting with fragrant aromas of rose petals, peonies, warm spices and forest floor, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and perfumed palate framed by supple, melting tannins and mouthwatering acids. Spared by the frost, this site can suffer in very hot vintages but clearly thrived in the cooler 2021 vintage.

As I've written before, Thierry Richoux—and now his sons Félix and Gabin—prove that Irancy’s wines can be a revelation. Pioneers of organic farming (and now certified as such), they realize the appellation's potential, limiting their yields, harvesting by hand and maturing their wines for two years—the first year in foudre and tank, the second in smaller oak barrels...Supple, melting and vibrant, with exquisitely floral aromatics, readers who privilege sensuality and perfume over weight and power will want to secure some of the 2021s when they are ultimately released. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

91-93 Points! The 2021 Irancy Veaupessiot is another beautifully perfumed, melting wine from Richoux in this vintage. Wafting from the glass with notes of rose petals, warm spices, sweet soil tones and plums, it's medium-bodied, succulent and charming.

As I've written before, Thierry Richoux—and now his sons Félix and Gabin—prove that Irancy’s wines can be a revelation. Pioneers of organic farming (and now certified as such), they realize the appellation's potential, limiting their yields, harvesting by hand and maturing their wines for two years—the first year in foudre and tank, the second in smaller oak barrels...Supple, melting and vibrant, with exquisitely floral aromatics, readers who privilege sensuality and perfume over weight and power will want to secure some of the 2021s when they are ultimately released. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

93 Points! The 2021 Whole Bunch is pure Shiraz and…whole bunch (obvs). The stems are nicely integrated here with black pepper infused black fruit that feels energetic. The palate is medium-bodied with peppery red and black fruit, taut and fresh with a touch of black olive compote on the finish. I love this - surfeit with freshness and vibrancy. Delicious. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

From the winery: Our 2021 Pickberry Merlot comes from the firm, clay-based soils, about 600' up the northern slopes of Sonoma Mountain. Mother Nature pushed ripeness faster on us than in previous years, trading out lighter herbaceous notes of previous vintages for a focused fruit profile. The wines massive structure coupled with Pickberry's signature blue fruit and intense menthol notes is just right on.

Great value here from the famous Bedrock Vineyard (Shhh....)! From the winery: A punchy, spicy blend of zinfandel (80%), barbera (15%) and Alicante Bouschet (5%). The Zinfandel and Alicante were sourced from the Bedrock Vineyard in Sonoma. The fruit was from adjacent blocks so we picked both on the same day, co-fermenting them together. Traditionally this fruit has always been the base for our red table wine. We then blended in a few barrels of Barbera to level up the acidity and aromatics.

93 Points! The 2021 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is bright, focused and full of energy. Ripe pear, citrus peel, white owers, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks. This mid-weight, crystalline Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay is full of character. This is a very strong vintage for the Gainey. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

A ridiculously good value-priced blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from the Gamble Family Estate in the heart of the Napa Valley!

The (Gamble Family) Mill Keeper White Wine Napa Valley 2021 is a blend of fresh, lively Sauvignon Blanc and round, fruity Chardonnay. As some of you may recall from these pages before, the Gamble Family Sauvignon Blanc is one of the best in the valley. But did you know that Gamble’s Chardonnay fruit is the foundation of the Beringer Reserve Chardonnay program? Crazy, right?

Together, that blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay aged in 21% new French Oak for 10 months delivers an easier, rounder hypothetical mash-up of those two wines. The Sauvignon gives vibrancy and focus, and the Chardonnay provides an ample middle. What a ‘white wine’ for the money!

92 Points! The new young red 2021 El Predilecto recovers Predilecto, which was a historic brand of the house, a wine with less aging than the rest and more fruity character. In this case, they want it to show the fruit expression of the vineyard without oak. They call it the new old concept in Rioja, what the wines used to be before the arrival of the French, pure fruit. It's a blend of 65% Garnacha from Cárdenas and Cordovín and 35% Tempranillo from Samaniego that fermented destemmed but uncrushed (so not exactly a carbonic maceration) with clean and fresh aromas and flavors. It's ripe and hedonistic, with 14.5% alcohol and good freshness. It matured in concrete for five months. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

97 Points! Blackcurrant, graphite, lavender, mint and stone aromas. Full and flavorful but remains lightly austere in the best sense, giving it tannic tension. Needs time to soften but already plenty of form and focus. Spring 2024 release. Best in three or four years. Drink from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reliquus comes from a blend of Grace Family and Cornelius Grove and is intended to be a more accessible expression from this team. It’s a stunning wine that brings beautiful depth and richness as well as classic Cabernet Sauvignon notes of cassis, leafy herbs, tobacco, and chocolate. This broad, mouth-filling, velvety beauty will drink well for at least a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2021 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of the vintage's successes, wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and raspberries mingled with notions of violets, rose petals, pencil shavings and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, with a deep, layered core of pure fruit framed by ripe acids and sweet tannins, its suave, charming profile means that it will offer a broad drinking window. A slightly lower percentage of new oak, with lighter toasts, is reflected in better barrel integration out of the gates. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

95 Points! A refined, classic Pauillac with cassis, pencil shavings, ash and cherries. Juicy and really fine on the palate with silky tannins unwound into a layered, long finish. A refined, elegant interpretation that does not fall short on intensity. Real finesse here. Already delicious, but can hold, too. - JamesSuckling.com Learn More

94 Points! The 2021 Gruaud Larose has turned out very nicely in bottle, unfurling in the glass with aromas of sweet wild berries, plums, violets and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and velvety, it's polished and seamless, with good depth at the core, supple tannins and lively acids. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

From the importer: Made of a blend of Nero d’Avola (Frappato 45%, Nero d’Avola 55%), estate-grown in vineyards near Chiaramonte Gulfi, in the Contradas Ponte, Biviere e Fegotto. The soils are a calcareous mixture of clay and sand, at just under 300 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level. The grapes are picked at moderate ripeness (with care to avoid over-ripeness, in other words, in this hot climate) around mid-October; fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, and maceration with the skins lasts for about 3 weeks. After fermentation the wine is aged on the lees in the tank for a further 2 weeks, then racked and aged in a tank for 18 months. 

Nero d’Avola is the best-known Sicilian red wine grape when bottled on its own, but for my money, this blend is better. The Frappato lightens and lifts the meatiness of the Nero d’Avola, giving it juicier aromas and flavors and making it MORE DELICIOUS. See note above about temperature; stick the bottle in the fridge for 30 minutes for best results. Drink with red meats or more substantial pasta dishes. I bet this will age well, but I doubt I’ll have any left to find out.

Layers of blackberry, black cherry, and cassis, accented by subtle notes of graphite, tobacco, and warm spice. The palate is plush but structured, with ripe dark fruit, fine-grained tannins, and enough acidity to keep everything balanced and fresh. It’s smooth and approachable now with a little air, but clearly has the structure to age nicely over the next several years.

93 Points! A rich golden hue with a slight haze, the 2021 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards is a bit more inward aromatically at the moment but has a darker tone, with warming notes of toasted cedar, spice, and ripe, baked orchard fruits, Full-bodied, with a nutty texture and notes of ripe yellow pear, tangerine, and almond, it has a pithy texture and meatiness throughout. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

95 Points! The 2021 Chardonnay Stone Côte, from a block within the Durell Vineyard, was barrel fermented and matured for 14 months in 13% new French oak. It has detailed aromas of apricot, citrus blossom, oyster shell, matchstick and beeswax. The light-bodied palate combines expansive, mineral-driven flavors with tangy acidity, and it has a long, textural finish. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2021 Chardonnay Stone Cote Vineyard is also a youthful golden hue, with aromas of fresh peach, flinty earth, and lemon rind. Full-bodied, it boasts a supple and soft texture, with round fruit up front and fresh lift on the finish. Offering up a luxurious feel on the palate, with well-managed notes of sweet baking spices, honeydew melon, and wet stone, it’s long on the palate and has a good finish. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com