(95-97 points) Not yet bottled, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all very old vine Grenache from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Brought up in demi-muids and a mix of new and used barrels, it gives...

A really refined, expressive and layered Clos Apalta with fine olives, incense, cigar box, cocoa powder, Spanish chocolate, pencil shavings, graphite and fine spices. Juicy, bright and full-bodied palate with a fine...

Bright, vibrant ruby red. Compact nose of rich cherries, black truffle, some pepper, plenty of rich berry fruit in the background ; blackberry and cassis. Densely woven on the palate, with beautiful texture and punchy...

(98 - 100 points) This note is written before the final blend of the 2021 Continuum. Deep purple-black in color, it hits the ground running with an intense nose of red and black currant preserves, lilacs, baker's...

The 2014 IX Estate is deep garnet-black in color. Scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and blackberry pie jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of incense, iron ore, and camphor with a waft of dark chocolate...

Blackberries, blackcurrants and hints of mint. Full-bodied with very fine, velvety tannins. Turns firm and structured with a fine chewiness and a caressing mouth-feel. Lively, too. 77% cabernet sauvignon and 15% merlot...

Lail's 2021 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon blends lots from several high-end vineyards, including Heimark (Calistoga), Vine Hill Ranch (Oakville) and Steltzner (Stags Leap), plus Lail's own Mole Hill on Howell...

A generous and rich red with round and chewy tannins. So much lovely ripe fruit with currant and hints of walnut character. Full and beautiful. Gorgeous wine. 40% cabernet, 25% merlot, 24% carmenere, 8% petit verdot and...

A medium-bodied,10-year-old tawny with candied-plum, light chocolate and toffee character. It’s medium-bodied and medium-sweet with pretty intensity and focus of fruit and old wood. Drink or hold.

Very attractive nose with ripe blackcurrants, spiced chocolate, grilled thyme, hazelnuts and bacon. Notes of tobacco and cedar, too. Full-bodied, so refined and polished with layers of finely chiselled tannins spread...

The first year that Angelo made wines at Ca'Marcanda - 2000 - was a very hot vintage, yet even after 22 years this flagship bottling is remarkably fresh and focused. From the estate's white soils, rich in limestone, clay...

Château Romassan sits at the foot of the hilltop village Le Castellet, a few miles north of the Bay of Bandol. The Otts rely on mourvèdre for the bulk of their rosé (this one includes 30 percent cinsault and 15 percent...

Light, brilliant orange-pink. Highly perfumed, mineral-accented red berry and pit fruit aromas are complemented by a floral note that builds in the glass. Juicy and sharply focused in the mouth, offering vibrant...

The bright amber-colored 2005 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 7 Grande Cuvée Nouvelle Vague opens with a pure and clear, fascinating, precise and elegant, slightly balsamic bouquet of stewed apricots, leaves, salt and pepper. On...

The 2018 Red Wine Estate might just be the best edition ever of this incredible high-elevation bottling. It's nothing short of a blending masterpiece by Chris Figgins and his winemaking team. This thing is massive monster...

I know the reds get all of the attention here, but the whites are absolutely at the same level, and I don't know anyone doing white blends like this at the same level. A blend of 32% Roussanne, 26% Viognier, 25%...

A blend of 36% Viognier, 32% Marsanne and 32% Roussanne, the 2016 Blancaneaux delivers subtle notions of Bosc pears, Golden Delicious apples and honeysuckle with touches of coriander seed and white pepper. The palate is...

A meld of cab franc, cab, corvina, corvinone, rondinella and a seasoning of the tannic oseleta. A small portion gently dried. A mid-weighted expression boasting vibrancy, an effusive everyday drinkability and a resounding...

I’ve always loved the Two Acres cuvée from Officer, and his 2017 Two Acres doesn’t disappoint, although I think it’s a small step back from the 2016. Mostly Mourvèdre from deep loam and clay soils, it offers tons of...

A great success in any vintage, but a marvel in a difficult year, this superb wine offers a deep, dark, red hue. The perfume, with its blend of flowers, licorice, garrigue, spices, cherries and plums is gorgeous. Richly...

This pink sparkling wine is 81% Pinot Noir, 19% Chardonnay and 100% satisfying. The show begins with energetic bubbles delivering aromas of raspberry sorbet and fresh peach slices served on a stroopwafel. The flavors are...

Rotem and Mounir Saouma’s aim with Omnia is to build complexity from the diversity of their nine parcels spread out over all five of Châteauneuf’s villages. The diversity continues in the cellar, where Mounir puts the...

The aromatic, floral and showy 2018 Las Cruces Old Vine Series is the best year for this field blend that is harvested when the Malbec (approximately 75% of the blend) is ripe, and in 2018, it was extremely precise. At...

(94-96+ points) Based on 62% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, brought up in 20% new French oak, the deep purple 2018 El Alma de Jonata boasts a rocking Cabernet Franc nose of smoked black...

The 2020 La Vizcaína La Poulosa reflects the new approach to harvesting the grapes earlier and has a contained 13.5% alcohol. The wine is fresher and more vibrant, with less extraction and softer. This is a very...

The classic cuvée from this terrific Pic Saint Loup estate, the 2021 Pic Saint Loup checks in as 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvèdre raised all in concrete tanks. It's well worth seeking out and buying, offering up...