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...

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...

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...

A blend of 55% Sémillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc (the highest percentage of Sauvignon Blanc ever), the 2019 d'Yquem features a Sauvignon Blanc-driven bouquet with aromas of menthol, artichoke, iodine, asparagus and orchard...

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...

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...

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...

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...

(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...

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...

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...

The 2023 Cos d'Estournel is just as compelling as it was en primeur. I especially admire how it balances textural richness and vibrancy. Crushed flowers, mint, spice, rose petal, mocha, lavender and new leather caress...

The perfume bursts with a bouquet of flowers, candied lemon peels, pineapple, white peach, orange, mango, vanilla, saffron, and anise. It is a lively, bright, energetic vintage for Chateau d'Yquem. Rich, intense, opulent...

(97+ points) The 2022 Le Pergole Torte is every bit as magnificent as it was last year. Deep and expansive in the glass, with stunning depth, the 2022 stains the palate with layers of dark fruit, mocha, new leather and...

A finely textured Champagne, this is definitely dry, still young, and with great potential. The wine's minerality combines with the texture to give both tension and richness. So it needs to soften further to be ready to...

The 2023 Canon has really come together with élevage. Pliant and supple, the 2023 Canon is a wine of pure and total seduction. Crushed flowers, red cherry fruit, mint and blood orange all take shape in the glass. The...

A graceful and understated red that appeals without rhapsody, offering layered aromas of dried herbs, mushroom powder, gravel and apple wood, while the palate is nuanced, with olive-accented blackberry and plum flavors...

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...

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...

The 2023 Grand Puy Lacoste has an understated bouquet that is beautifully defined, opening with blackberry, briar, cedar and light pencil box aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry, fine grip, quite linear...

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...

The 2023 Lafon-Rochet is much more intense and fresher than the Pèlerins, graphite- and tobacco-tinged black fruit, just a light floral note in the background. Well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple...

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...

A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by...

The deep red-colored 2022 Orma envelops aromas of oak spice, toasted cedar, cassis, tobacco, scrubby wild herbs, and fresh leather. It fills the palate without being weighty and is full-bodied, with plush, ripe tannins...