Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2010 Cotes du Ventoux Persia, a blend of 90% Syrah (from 50-year-old vines) and 10% Mourvedre from the estate-s finest terroir, is aged in small barrels and 600-liter demi...

Wine Enthusiast: A terrific value in Barossa Shiraz, Langmeil's 2008 Valley Floor bottling features bold oak-fruit styling without ever seeming jammy. It's full bodied but not unstructured, wi...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: In addition to these gorgeous Chateauneuf du Papes, Domaine Grand Veneur's 2010 Lirac Clos de Sixte is outstanding. It is a full-bodied, rich, textural wine with abundant blue...

Wine Spectator: A dense, ripe, very fleshy style, with baker's chocolate and espresso layers in between the thick plum sauce, steeped fig and mulberry notes. Stays chewy on the finish, but wi...

Wine Spectator: Offers a density and lushness that belies the appellation, with a full, polished structure and deep plum, blackberry paste and steeped black cherry fruit flavors. The long, an...

Wine Spectator: A fresh, elegant style, with a lively mesquite and sanguine spine that cuts through the silk-textured damson plum, cherry and blackberry fruit. The long, mineral-tinged finish...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: From very sandy soils east of St.-Emilion, this 2010 also has a big, ball-busting level of alcohol. It offers up loads of black cherry fruit, some underbrush and loamy soil un...

Wine Enthusiast: Smooth and unctuous in texture, this has dense black fruits that edge toward dryness from the tannins. Dark chocolate and licorice notes lend a bitter edge. Rich and modern in...

Wine Spectator: Dense but fresh, with a saturated core of blackberry pāte de fruit, anise and plum sauce that races along with vibrant spice and graphite notes. The long finish shows cut and ...

Wine Enthusiast: ; Mainly Grenache (80%, the balance is Syrah) aged entirely in tank, this wine features loads of superripe dark cherries and plums, yet with a savory, olive-and meat-tinged as...

Wine Enthusiast: This gorgeous Carignano-based wine from the sun-drenched island of Sardinia shows amazing harmony and personality. There are rich and ripe notes here of blackberry, mature che...

Wine Spectator: A toasty, modern style, with espresso and dark licorice notes leading the way, followed by blackberry paste and plum sauce. A toasty edge hangs on the finish, but there's plen...

Wine Spectator: A bright, lively, floral style, with lots of raspberry and cherry fruit. A floral edge hangs on through the long, licorice-filled finish. -J.M.

Wine Spectator: Taut with briar and blackberry flavors, this shows sappy black cherry on the finish, with buried minerality. -J.M.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The top of the line 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo San Calisto flows across the palate with layers of blue and black fruit. Mineral notes appear later, adding balance and propor...

Wine Spectator: A forward, jammy red, with layers of blueberry, blackberry and plum notes that pick up hints of smoke, graphite and mocha on the round finish. Drink now. -NW

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Good bright, full ruby. Aromas of plum, licorice, spicecake and nutty oak. Mellow, lush and sweet, with insidious plum and spice flavors spreading out to coat the palate. M...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Bright purple. Lively blackberry and cassis aromas are given an exotic touch by hints of vanilla, mocha and candied licorice. Spicy dark berry flavors are appealingly sweet ...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Opaque ruby. Powerful cherry and cassis aromas are brightened by suave mineral, star anise and floral elements. Intense dark berry flavors are pleasantly bitter and surprisi...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: From the Black Slate project of Eric Solomon, Philippe Cambie and, in this case, producer Joan Sangenis, the 2010 Black Slate Porrera, a blend of 60% Grenache (60+ years of ag...