‘Aura’ is part of the Beau Vigne ‘Cult’ series of wines produced by Julien Fayard. This full-flavoured, full-bodied, lip-smacking red wine features heady oak spices nicely balanced by ripe, juicy black cherry and...

A ripe ruby/magenta hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast takes on youthful tarry aromas that take time to blow off, revealing notes of black raspberries, baked cherries, violets, mushroomy earth, and wild forest herbs...

Full of savory, umami flavors, this red evokes earth, leather, sweet spice, cherry, plum and Szechuan peppercorn notes. Firm and dry, with broad tannins and a lingering kernel of cherry. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and...

(96-98 points) Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château Pontet-Canet showed beautifully both times I tasted it, with incredibly classic Pontet-Canet notes of cassis, violets, iris, and gravelly earth and graphite. Based on 56%...

The 2023 Dominus is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Opaque purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal a powerful core of blackcurrant jelly, ripe black plums, and fresh...

This takes a graceful tack, offering supple, cedar-lined notes of gently mulled red currant and black cherry fruit that glide through the tobacco-, mint-, licorice- and sandalwood-accented finish. Offering charm rather...

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...

98+ The 2023 Pinot Noir DuMOL Estate Vineyard is a real head-turner, just as it was in barrel. Dark, sumptuous fruit, leather, incense, tobacco, dried herbs and graphite open first, buffered by brisk acids and beams of...

The 2012 Sena is the product of a warm year combined with the peak of the overripe, oaky approach in style. A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenere, 12% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot aged for 22 months in...

This is dark and saturated with blackberry, black cherry and black currant flavors, all augmented by grace notes of iron, wild herbs and Mediterranean scrub. Focused by vibrant acidity, with refined tannins for support...

The 2021 Opus One is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% each of Merlot and Malbec. It was bottled in July 2023. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the...

(97-99 points) A Merlot-heavy blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a dense purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of ripe currant and black cherry fruit intermixed with...

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% St. Macaire, 1% Merlot, 1% Gros Verdot, 1% Carmenere, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rocks up with...

The 2023 Lytton Springs is powerfully aromatic and expressive from the jump. It explodes from the glass with dark blue fruit, lavender and blood orange peel, framed by mocha-like richness and a wave of exotic spice. The...

Spellbinding aromas of rose petals, strawberries, citrus and bark, with hints of lemongrass. Medium-bodied, tight and structured, this offers a captivating combination of linear intensity and calmness, so classy and...

This is deep and winey, with cassis, plum paste and linzer torte notes leading the way. Structured but succulent, offering singed apple wood, bay and cast iron accents that support the fruit through the long and focused...

This delivers a pure and steady beam of cassis and plum puree carried by gentle underlying succulence. Flashes of hibiscus and iris filter through the fruit, adding to the overall elegant feel. Drink now through 2034...

Within a remarkable set of wines, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard gets my nod as the most multidimensional wine in The Hilt's portfolio. While several wines in the lineup display oceanic, kelp and nori-like aromas...

Black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors abound in this medium-bodied red. Mediterranean scrub and menthol notes add savory depth as this tightens up on the dusty finish. Overall, this is vibrant and exudes finesse but...

(97-99 points) Crème de cassis and black raspberry fruits intermixed with spring flowers, graphite, tobacco leaf, and spicy wood all emerge from the 2025 Château Gruaud Larose, a deep purple-hued Saint-Julien based on 77%...

The 2021 Le Petit Clos is composed of 68% Carménère, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak. It features black and red fruit with a distinct floral bouquet, contrasting with the more...

This pure Merlot, unusual for Saint-Émilion, is powerful and one with great elegance and style. It has structure and a spicy aroma that shows the wine's richness. On the slopes of Saint-Emilion, this 26-acre estate makes...

Aromas of wild herbs, walnuts, sweet tobacco and a gentle earthy note. Medium- to full-bodied with delineated dark fruit and integrated tannins. Elegant and precise, offering wonderful depth. Approachable now, but its...

(97-99 points) Cassis, currants, smoky tobacco, chocolate, and graphite all define the 2025 Château Cos D'Estournel, a powerful, ripe, concentrated beauty based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot...

The 2021 Barolo Bussia is a gorgeous wine from Aldo Conterno. Deep, layered and super expressive, the Bussia conveys depth and authority from the first taste. Macerated black cherry, incense, gravel, dark spice, leather...

The 2023 Ornellaia, a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot, pours a deep, saturated purple/red hue and is incredibly detailed and layered. Aromas of cassis, violet...

This vintage has a lean structure with firm tanins, ripe plums and truffle; the oak dominates from start to grippy finish. - SUZANNE MUSTACICH

(96-98 points) Currants, smoky oak, chocolate, and hints of violets all define the 2025 Château Lynch-Bages, a remarkably balanced, elegant Pauillac from this estate that has more than a passing resemblance to the 2019...

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the Tenuta degli Dei 2022 Cavalli is a rich and pleasurable expression with velvety intensity and plenty of black fruit. This richly textured...

The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva is entirely Sangiovese from Radda and was raised for two years in oak casks. It opens to a polished yet pure profile with aromas of lavender, grenadine, sweet sage, and fresh leather. It...