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Volnay-Santenots is among the appellation's southernmost sites and closest to Meursault. It's situated on the mid-slope section of the hillside. Michel Ampeau's grandfather acquired the first vines in the early-1900s before his father, Robert, acquired more in the 1950s.

Clay-limestone soils that are notably more red in appearance than its neighbors, signifying a greater presence of clay and a higher content of iron which lends more structure.

97 Points! Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Quella gives aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries and mulberries with touches of tobacco, new leather, iron ore and truffles plus a hint of tree back. The palate is full-bodied, muscular and laden with earth and mineral layers, finishing with persistent savory notes. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

97 Points! The 2015 Quella is a darker, more mineral-laced wine and offers a classic Quella bouquet of black fruits, black truffle, tobacco, and dried earth. It’s full-bodied, deep and layered on the palate, with ripe, present tannins and terrific elegance as well as purity. It has the balance and texture to shine today, yet the class to evolve for 20 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! More intense than the 2018, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon blends 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot into an elegantly medium-bodied mountain expression of rounded tannins, crunchy red fruit, and notes of iron and smoked meat. From the estate's 1,600-foot elevation, it shows plenty of structure and tannin power without being heavy, though it will benefit greatly, as these wines always do, from decanting and/or aging another 10-20 years. - JebDunnuck.com

From the winery:

98 Points!This is a compact cylinder of ripe and fresh fruit with currant, fresh-herb and dry-earth character on the palate. So solid. Full-bodied yet refined and checked in every way. Well-defined, formed and perfect. Just a hint of volcanic salt and iron. Contemplate this one. Try after 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

96+ Points! The 2016 L'If, 100% Merlot in this vintage, is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. The allure the 2016 showed as a young barrel sample has been replaced with huge structure and prominent yet well balanced tannins that both give the wine its strong-voiced personality. Readers should be prepared to be patient with the 2016, as it is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. Even so, the 2016 is super-impressive in the early going, not to mention a fabulous wine in the making. Cyrille Thienpont gave the 2016 14 months in French oak, 50% new. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

ETA: Early Winter 2026

Jeb Dunnuck, 100 Points Deep purple in color, offering a powerful and complex array of pure Pauillac cassis-like fruit, lead pencil, graphite, chalky minerality, truffle, and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, with ripe, sweet tannins, classic Latour regalness, concentration, structure, and class, with just a hint of its normal youthful austerity. This flawless, balanced, structured, insanely good Latour will be drinkable in just 7 to 8 years but evolve for 40 to 50 years in cold cellars.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, 100 Points Deep garnet-purple in color, coming barreling out of the glass with powerful notes of blackcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and plum preserves, followed by suggestions of pencil shavings, cast-iron pan, and charcoal. The medium to full-bodied palate is exquisitely constructed with a myriad of very fine layers, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and beautiful tension, finishing epically long and mineral-laced. Still very tightly wound and will require at least 5 to 7 more years in cellar, then should age gracefully for 50-years+. Drink 2027-2077.

Georgina Hindle, Decanter, 100 Points Dark blackcurrants with smoky tobacco, liquorice and slate. Cool straight away, fresh but so perfectly mouthfilling. Blue fruit, black cherry, fleshy like fruit skin texture. This is how a great Pauillac can taste: serious, deep, classic Cabernet markers, lots of minerality in the flint and stony aspects, strong tannins and a powerful, muscular structure with minty sides. An amazing Pauillac. This will last forever.

94 Points! The 2023 Bolgheri Rosso highlights the importance of the Cabernet Franc in the blend. In the glass, it displays a purple/red color and is highly expressive with wonderful energy on the nose. Fermented in stainless steel tank, and then in used barrels (3 to 4 years old), the nose reveals lively aromas of currants, graphite, black raspberries, sweet herbs, and floral perfume. The palate is full-bodied, with a refreshing, compact, and angular structure, well-defined tannins, an even spine of acidity, and notes of dusty earth through the finish. An overachiever with exceptional purity, this is an early contender for top lists of the year. Bravo. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points! The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard explodes with violets, aniseed and cast iron, with a deep core of crushed blueberries and black cherries, evolving continually with each approach to the glass. The palate is stunning with its intensity and lift, pure fruits, pixelated tannins and focused acidity that drives the very long finish. Its exceptional balance and super pure flavors, plus that characteristic streak of iron that appears across the Anakota portfolio, really take the 2019 Helena Dakota to the next level. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

Some of the oldest vineyards in the world thrive in the Mokelumne River AVA between Lodi and the Sacramento Delta. The Bechthold Vineyard is indeed the oldest Cinsaut planting in the world, struck on its own roots in 1882 and farmed organically. Nearby, the Royal Tee Vineyard was planted in 1889, comprising 82% Zinfandel, 8% Carignan and the remainder a mix of Flame Tokay, Black Prince, Mission and Muscat table grapes. The majority of this blend is Carignane from the “1900 Block” of Jessie’s Grove, which includes 10% of the almost extinct white grape Monbadon, also known as Berger. All of these vines are own-rooted, dry-farmed and certified heritage vineyards.

The 2021 Vintage was extremely dry and ”cold, with frosts during the early growing season. The resulting harvest was very light, with less than half the crop expected on many vines. Harvested from early September (Zin) to early October (Carignan).

Moderately dark in color, this wine presents a complex nose with dark fruits, earth and hints of woodruff. The palate presents well-sculpted tannins supported by a good acid backbone that leads to a long, lingering finish echoing the fruits first found on the nose.

Mokelumne River, Lodi, 14.6% Alcohol by Volume, 316 cases produced, <.01 residual sugar, 3.7 pH, 6.5 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.

'Junior' Schiopetto? Yeah, kinda. Sourced from the younger vines on the property, this label is meant to be a bit easier access early on, a fabulous intro to the Schiopetto style...

Volnay-Santenots is among the appellation's southernmost sites and closest to Meursault. It's situated on the mid-slope section of the hillside. Michel Ampeau's grandfather acquired the first vines in the early-1900s before his father, Robert, acquired more in the 1950s.

‘Etelois’ has some of the grander neighbors in Gevrey-Chambertin; this perfect parcel borders both grand cru Chapelle-Chambertin and premier cru ‘Petite Chapelle.’ Older vines planted in the early 1960s, soils that couldn’t be better if they tried: this is one heady, handsome and long-hauler Gevrey.

80% Bical, 20% Arinto. Bical is harvested in the beginning of September, the Arinto on the other hand, matures later and is harvested 2-3 weeks later. Vinification happens separately. The wine matures on the lees without batonnage. The wines stabilize naturally during the cold winter. The final blend is made in early springtime when the wine is stable.

The 2004 Proprietary Red represents a natural evolution of Scott Palazzo’s early winemaking vision, building on the foundation laid by the inaugural 2003 vintage. Crafted during the formative years of the estate, this wine reflects Palazzo’s deep admiration for Bordeaux-inspired blends that prioritize balance, structure, and longevity. Produced in very limited quantities, the magnum format was set aside exclusively for Palazzo’s private members and carefully cellared for two decades. This release marks the first time these mature library magnums have been made available to the public, offering collectors a rare opportunity to experience an early Palazzo blend at full maturity in its most age-worthy format.

Tasting Note:
Now beautifully resolved, the 2004 opens with layered aromas of dried red cherry, plum, and fig, accented by notes of cedar, tobacco leaf, and warm baking spice. On the palate, the wine is supple and integrated, with softened tannins supporting savory red and dark fruit flavors. Subtle notes of leather, cocoa, and earthy complexity emerge as the wine unfolds, adding depth without heaviness. The finish is long, smooth, and harmonious, with the magnum format preserving freshness and cohesion, underscoring the wine’s graceful evolution over time.

This is sourced from a handful of select sites throughout Santa Barbara County. 2021 was a pretty normal year down there with a couple early July heat spikes into the upper 70s low 80s. The marine influence and the wind buoy and temper the bright fruit flavors in the resulting wines. Harvest September 9th-25th. 25% new French oak aging.  

Michel Goubard’s family has grown wine in the village of Saint-Désert and Mont-Avril since the 17th century, and his sons, Pierre-François and Vincent, proudly continue the tradition of quality at this venerated Côte Chalonnaise domaine situated on Mont-Avril. Mont-Avril is the named Lieu Dits for the estate, originally planted in the early 1900s. Restored and replanted in 1990.

91 Points! Based on the 2020 vintage, complemented by reserve wines from 2019, the latest rendition of Agrapart's NV Brut 7 Crus is charming and unusually giving at this early stage, offering up aromas of white flowers, sweet orchard fruit and ripe citrus, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy palate. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

The 2003 Proprietary Red stands as one of the earliest expressions of Scott Palazzo’s winemaking vision and reflects his long-standing admiration for the great blended wines of Bordeaux. Crafted during the formative years of the estate, this wine set the foundation for Palazzo’s later Master Blend philosophy, emphasizing balance, structure, and age-worthiness over sheer size. Produced in extremely limited quantities, the magnum format was held exclusively for Palazzo’s private members for more than two decades. This release marks the first time these mature library magnums have ever been made available to the public, offering a rare opportunity to experience an early Napa Valley proprietary blend with remarkable bottle age in the format best suited for longevity.

Tasting Note:
With over twenty years of evolution, the wine opens with complex aromatics of dried cherry, fig, and plum layered with cedar, leather, and warm spice. On the palate, it is smooth and fully integrated, showing savory red and dark fruit supported by softened tannins and balanced acidity. Secondary notes of tobacco, cocoa, and earth add depth and nuance, while the finish is long, resolved, and graceful. In magnum, the wine retains notable freshness and cohesion, highlighting both the strength of the vintage and the enduring elegance of Palazzo’s early blending philosophy.