An improved version of the 2016 (as well as the 2010), the 2020 Château Bélair-Monange is deep purple-hued with an utterly sensational perfume of crème de cassis, smoky tobacco, crushed stone, and sappy flowers, with an...

The nose presents aromas of bing cherries, strawberries, wild fennel and wild mint above a foundation of damp earth. Raspberries join more cherries and strawberries on a juicy, warm palate, but chalky, chewy tannins...

The black olives and dark fruit come through on the nose with violets and wet earth. Full and very chunky and powerful. Yet it’s lively and vivid with excellent energy. Fantastic. Pure merlot. Leave it until 2030.

The 2020 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 53% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with vivacious notes of stewed blackberries, raspberry...

The nose places tart cherries above a foundation of damp soil, underbrush, old leather and coffee grinds. On the palate, cherries and raspberries ride a wave of citrus into a mocha finish, while polished but powerful...

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has an opulent bouquet of black cherries, blueberries and violets, with just a patina of new oak to be fully subsumed. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy, ripe tannins. Very well...

A perfumed and elegant wine with subtle aromas of balsamic, coconut, dark bramble fruit, jasmine, mulberries, red cherries and chocolate. It’s spicy rather than fruity. On the palate it shows salted chocolate flavors and...

A mix of fruity and savory elements, this red is supple and shows fine presence midpalate, evoking cherry, strawberry, tomato leaf and iron flavors. Ends with oak spice and earth accents. Best from 2027 through 2040. - BS

A bold but poised red, with fine, chalky tannins. Lively acidity lends definition and tension to the panoply of flavors, which partners savory game, espresso, cured tobacco and iron notes with ripe boysenberry, crème de...

Smoky and meaty character here with plums and dark cherries as well as sweet spices and bark. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine, polished tannins. Spicy and dark-fruited. Broad-shouldered and even on the palate with a...

Packed with ripe, juicy cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and floral aromas and flavors, this red is supple and beautifully integrated. Earth, iron and tobacco accents add detail as this winds down on the lazy, resonant...

The 2020 Paixar is the one wine from the portfolio that is completely different from the others and comes from high-altitude vineyards in the zone of Dragonte on slate soils. In 2020 and 2021 they used the whole field...

Looking better than it did from tank, Cristina's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is ripe and rounded, with ample amounts of black cherries and plums, an exception to the overall red-fruited nature of the vintage. Full-bodied...

Bold aromas of black cherry, dark plum and woody herb show on the nose of this block-designated bottling. The palate pops with acidic energy that bisects the dark fruit and rich woodspice flavors. MATT KETTMANN

Cesare Benvenuto of Pio Cesare tells me that what he loves most about the 2020 vintage is that it is, in his word: contemporary. "You can drink the wines immediately, the tannins are silky and hydrated and Nebbiolo shows...

The Tenuta degli Dei 2020 Cavalli is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Franc with 17,228 bottles produced. The wine is rich and fully loaded with dark fruit flavors, but it never strays...

Raspberry, cherry and spice flavors are the main themes, shaded by earth and mineral elements. Though firm and dry on the finish, overall this red is balanced, with persistent length. Best from 2028 through 2042. 2,140...

The Michele Chiarlo 2020 Barolo Cerequio generally has more heft and power compared to the Cannubi, but like that wine, it also shows some of the extra concentration and root-versus-fruit flavors that come with a hot...

This is the first wine to display any appreciable reduction and in this case it's enough to push the underlying fruit to the background, so be sure give this some air. Otherwise, there is almost painful intensity to the...

Crunchy bright fruit, delicious brambled griotte cherry and violet flowers, pulses of white pepper, sage, slate, crayon, black tea. Depth and character, easy to love, ready to drink. Stainless steel ageing, unoaked...

Lots of freshly cut violets on the nose with purple fruits and hints of chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied. Integrated tannins. Second wine of Trotanoy. Needs time to soften and open. Try after 2028.

This spicy red delivers cherry, raspberry, earth and eucalyptus flavors on a broad, dense frame, yet still remains fluid. Burly tannins put a lock on the finish, where accents of orange peel and spices linger. Best from...

A beam of pure cherry marks this incisive, elegant red. Linear and well-delineated, with strawberry, rose, mineral and spice flavors in the wings. This harmonious, graceful version extends on the finish, with an...

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a fragrant, perfumed and classier bouquet than Hudelot-Baillet's Bonnes-Mares: well-defined with clever use of stems. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned...

Exotic oriental spices, black pepper, black berries with hints of pine cones, porcini mushrooms and incense. Naturally concentrated on the palate with a full body rounded by plush, velvety tannins. Very long and mealy...

Offers lemon sherbet, salted butterscotch and lemon blossom notes that are fresh and aromatic, with a seamlessness to the supple texture and fresh acidity. Reveals a touch of vanilla crème anglaise and fresh, fleshy...

This bright-red-colored wine offers a bouquet of dark and red berries, anise seed and milk chocolate. It is juicy on entry, with bold cherry and blackberry flavors accompanied by glossy tannins and notes of mocha, caramel...

Single vineyard Brunello is almost always excellent, but sometimes it feels so dialed in it's not very exciting. The Marroneto Madonna delle Grazie is not just a more precise, more specific iteration of Alessandro and...

The 2020 Nebbiolo Colline Novaresi Valplazza is another fabulous entry-level offering from Rovellotti. Deep and layered, with tons of varietal character, the Valplazza has so much to recommend it. Dried flowers, cinnamon...