The Conn Creek 'Special Selection' is a blend of appellations that were among the original sources of the estate (established in 1973) and from sites around Napa Valley. The idea is to frame a classically fashioned...

A co-fermented blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot from Oakville Ranch, aged for 19 months in 100% new French oak, using Darnajou barrels with a portion from Taransaud. In 2023, this is a killer...

(93+ points) Another success at this address, the 2025 Bandol Rosé is superb, revealing aromas of ripe orchard fruits, guava, red berries, flowers and confit citrus. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it possesses...

Bright, fresh and focused, with red berries, blackberries, spices, crushed stones and an earthy undertone on the nose. The palate is mid-weighted with fine-boned tannins and a juicy yet dry finish. Drink or hold.

The 2019 Tenuta Degli Dei is gorgeous. Cabernet aromas drive the balance in this beautifully vibrant, structured Panzano red. Mocha, dried leaves, tobacco, espresso and incense abound. I would give this a few years to...

Blending 76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro from an estate vineyard in Dry Creek Valley purchased in 1972, the 2023 Zinfandel Lytton Springs exhibits initial chewiness that...

The 2021 Selección Especial, is always their most gastronomical red, produced with a blend of the four traditional varieties from Rioja—Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo and Graciano. The grapes fermented in oak vats...

As finely made as the 2021, the 2023 is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot from a massal selection taken from Bordeaux. Barrel-fermented and aged, it’s gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, exceptionally...

Very refined and polished, showing currants, orange peel, sandalwood and cedar with some raspberries. It’s medium-bodied, offering ultrafine tannins and a long finish. Chewy yet caressing. A blend of merlot, cabernet...

Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Ontogeny shows ripe, sexy levels of blue fruits, darker chocolate, graphite, and even a kiss of minerality. It's full-bodied, round, lush, and...

Coffee, dried flowers, prunes and dried cranberries on the nose of this ripe red. It’s rich, spicy and dense, with a full body and chewy tannins. Big and concentrated wine. Try in 2026. Claire Nesbitt Deputy Tasting Editor

A textured, layered, precise red, showcasing aromas of cherries, raspberries, warm herbs, bay leaves and baking spices. It’s medium- to full-bodied with silty, beautifully melted tannins. So integrated. Lively and...

Luscious dark fruit that’s soft and supple. Aromas of blackberries, currants, violets, graphite, licorice, spices, dried flowers and chalk. The palate is densely packed, with dark fruit, fine minerally tannins and bright...

The straight Pieropan Soave Classico is one of the absolute best values in the entire wine world and the fantastic 2025 even brings it up a notch, starting with intense aromas of white spring flower, exotic fruit, citrus...

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the Fattoria Le Pupille 2023 Saffredi represents a classic expression from a fresh vintage that ultimately performed far better than expected despite...

Cassis, ripe blackcurrants, leafy tobacco, graphite, leather, and spicy wood notes all define the flagship 2021 Sorella from this estate. Based on 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and the...

Aromas of blackberries, black olives, lavender, violets and hints of oyster shells and iodine follow through to a medium body with fine, creamy tannins and a long and energetic finish. Linear and bright. Already showing...

The 2018 Champagne Starck Brut Nature exhibits notes of lemon and citrus oils, but the stone fruit has a silkiness, not the tannic side you sometimes see. It also has hints of savory toast, but it remains very elegant...

In serious contention for wine of the vintage, again, right off the bat, with its deep hue, it's looking good. Powerful, concentrated, deep and intense, the nose explodes with its array of dried flowers, spices, Dark in...

Lastly, the 2021 The Bard checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. This beauty has a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, chalky...

Expressive, yet classy rather than flamboyant, this red reveals black currant, blackberry, plum, cedar, vanilla, coffee and graphite aromas and flavors. Builds in intensity midpalate, with its vibrant acidity drifting and...

Aromas of vanilla, tobacco leaf, wild blackberries and blueberries gust on the nose, while the palate brings more sweet berries and vanilla but also has an unexpected bouncy, lively, almost pop-rocks feel from the acid...

Aged five years in oak and another five in bottle, the 2016 Unico is made from a blend of estate parcels, the blend decided after one year in barrel. The producer believes that vintages that end in the number 6 tend to be...

Looking to the upcoming release, the 2022 Grattamacco pours a more youthful red/purple hue and opens to a more blue-fruited nature at this early stage, with sweetly perfumed aromas of blackberry, violet candies, pressed...

Syrah and Petit Verdot shape the 2022 Romitorio, a dark, polished Toscana Rosso with generous aromas of lavender, blackberry, fresh plum, olive, and crushed herbs. The palate is full-bodied and supple, with silky tannins...

The 2021 Torre Muga is a big baby, still developing, remarkable in its wafty layers of 90% Tempranillo and complements of Mazuelo and Graciano. Gentle extraction is the key, the grapes coming from small plots of...

The power and freshness of this wine are a delightful combination. Intense aromas of candied orange slices and delicate orange blossoms. There’s balanced creaminess and freshness in the finish, with a positive touch of...

This vintage of Telmo Rodríguez flagship single-vineyard Rioja stands out for its incredible purity of fruit and remarkably well-built structure, anchored by gossamer tannins, vivid yet soft acidity and poised minerality...

A big, gorgeous and full-bodied wine. It's syrah-based, with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and other red grape varieties blended in. So dark, deep and robust, with blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and chocolate...