The more closed but potentially greater 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is a 480-case blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed...

Cedary spices mix with shavings of dark chocolate and crushed black raspberries as the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico entices from the glass. Cool-toned and crisp, it offers silken textures offset by depths of...

A particularly pretty and floral expression of Clos Apalta, the 2022 Clos Apalta is beautifully lush and expressive on the nose, combining a deep core of black and blue fruit aromas with pencil lead, camphor and bramble...

The 2020 Bélair-Monange has a more backward nose with dense black fruit. There is a very noticeable cedar/Cabernet element here that indicates that it might be Lafleur. The palate is medium-bodied with fine...

Blackberries with lavender, cedar, sandalwood and flowers. Very subtle aromas. It’s medium- to full-bodied with a very tight palate of fine, structured tannins that run the length of the wine. Closed at the end. Shows...

2010 Lalande-Borie has a feisty and animated bouquet, more red fruit than black, with attractive pencil lead scents coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip, tobacco and graphite, quite...

A deep, velvety red, this bursts with cherry, black currant, violet and graphite aromas and flavors, shrouded in smoky oak. It's intense and linear in profile, with excellent balance and a long, detailed finish. Best from...

Served blind, I'd think this was a top Hermitage due to its smoky character, topped with mint, peppery herbs, barbecued meat, black currants, blackberries, along with a hint of blueberry. The palate is rich, full-bodied...

Fragrant and deeply herbal, a mixture of fresh and savoury. Clean and clear, immediately quite zingy with acidity to the fore and while this doesn't get any weightier, and is definitely not plush, it continues the same...

The 2018 Le Petit Lion is blended of 45% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc, sourced from within the Las Cases enclosure. The wine has 14.47% alcohol and was aged in 30% new barriques. Deep...

Rather modern in feel, with lush black Mission fig and blackberry cobbler flavors that have mellowed nicely, allowing the supple structure to stay balanced as light tobacco, ganache and tar threads emerge steadily on the...

The 2021 Galatrona is a rich, deep, expansive wine endowed with striking textural depth and structure. Dark fruit, sage, lavender, mocha and grilled herbs are all amplified in this potent Merlot. Readers will have to be...

Elegant and balanced, this offers floral blueberry and cocoa nib details inflected with lemon thyme and anise notes. The palate is smooth in texture, with generous plum and berry flavors. There's a late burst of energy...

On brand for the vintage, offering a sleek and polished framework to weave together an alluring mix of violet, white pepper, mountain herbs and fresh cherry up front, with deeper layers of damson plum, floral cassis and...

The aromas of vanilla and toasty new oak are more prominent than the flavors, where the black cherry, blackberry and plum fruit shines. Elements of iron, tobacco and wild herbs add complexity. Nonetheless, there are beefy...

This may be one of the wines of the vintage, with brightness and ethereal character that give it an almost magical presence. Aromas of violets, lavender and blackberries with transparency and vividness. It’s medium-bodied...

(98+ points) The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from this estate. Lots of smoky currants, tobacco, graphite, and spicy notes define the aromatics, and it's concentrated and layered on the palate, with...

The 2015 Palmer has an opulent, high-toned bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and cassis fruit. This is typical Palmer in many ways, though you could well argue that it's not as nuanced as the Rauzan-Ségla. The palate is...

The 2012 Les Forts de Latour has a light minty bouquet, more red than black fruit, touches of orange peel and light pencil shaving scents. The palate is medium-bodied with good density, fine tannins, becoming increasingly...

The density and energy to this Brunello lives up to its reputation, with superb depth and polish, showing terrific plum, blackberry and crushed-stone character. Slate and white pepper, too, as well as subtle rust and...

Wow. This is so classy and long, with balanced and intense tannins that give it a seamless and almost endless nature. It's dense, with a medium body and intensity that gives it so much verve. A superb wine for the...

I was also able to taste the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is an utterly classic Napa Cabernet with its layered, expansive mouthfeel and majestic style. Red and black currants, savory herbs, tobacco, new leather, and...

This is ripe, but with subtle refinement, as the gently mulled plum, currant and black cherry fruit glides along, with a structure that is both silky and loamy in feel. Hints of warm paving stone, alder and sweet tobacco...

Currants, berries and spices with a fresh, elegant, herbal edge. Fine-grained on the palate, with creamy tannins and a structured, integrated finish. Vertical but pretty polished. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot and 4%...

Amazing aromas here with tobacco, crushed stone, cigar box, currants, tar, and lead pencil, as well as spices, iron, and dried ginger. Medium- to full-bodied, with a density and tightness. Very compact and complex. Racy...

A timid nose of blackberries, tobacco, herbal notes and thyme. The medium-bodied palate has dark fruit and firm, evenly distributed tannins, with a saline touch. Structured and attractive. A blend of 64% cabernet...

3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc add extra subtlety to this classy St-Julien. On the nose there are pronounced exotic characters with Asian spice and cedar wood, combining with plump dark plum fruit and juicy...

(92-94 points) This is also aromatically quite fresh with an airy mix that derives mostly from the red side of the fruit spectrum while being laced with discreet spice, floral and earth wisps. The lilting and utterly...

Lush and powerful, yet with lively underlying acidity, this red evokes black cherry, blackberry, mineral and wild herb flavors, all wrapped in an embrace of vanilla and toasty oak. Shuts down on the finish, where the...

Macerated cherry, blackberry and black currant fruit is shaded by mint, iron and spicy oak in this dense, linear red. Quickly takes on the character of its chewy tannins, yet the ripe fruit lingers. Though balanced and...