Search results for: 'gold 2023'

97+ Points! Based on 100% healthy grapes from ungrafted, 127-year-old vines, the 2023 Erdener Herzlei Riesling Spätlese Alte Reben (Gold Capsule) opens with an intense and complex, concentrated and rich bouquet. Concentrated, intense and mouth-filling on the palate, this is a generous and rich, savory and saline, very stimulating and sustainable Spätlese with a long, enormously complex, stimulating saline and crystalline finish. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 09 24 in January 2025. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com

98+ Points! The 2023 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (Gold Capsule) was picked as early as September 20 at 115° Oechsle and with 20% botrytis berries and opens with a generously intense and concentrated bouquet with ripe, rich and lush yellow fruit and lemon aromas intertwined with flinty as well saline notes of crushed slate. Generous yet refined and very delicate on the palate, this is a fruit-intense and enormously saline and refined Auslese with highly delicate acidity and the finesse and fleshy fruit from 30- to 40-year-old vines raised on single poles in the second étage of the cru that was never consolidated. There has never been any drought stress here. In 2023, there was a low yield of just 20 hectoliters per hectare, and 500 liters were made (plus 30 liters of Trockenbeerenauslese). 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 22 24 in January 2025. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com

98+ Points! From more than 100-year-old vines, the 2023 Ürziger Würzgarten In der Kranklei Riesling Auslese Alte Reben (Gold Capsule) is from a 2.2-hectare plot in the south-facing, terraced cru on red slate. Deep, clear and pure on the fragrant yet intense and refreshing nose that shows lemongrass, ginger and herbal as well as saline slate aromas. Very generous and lush yet also refined and filigreed on the palate, this is a savory and stimulating saline Auslese with fine, crystalline acidity and candied lemon and grapefruit aromas on the long finish. There are 140 grams per liter of residual sugar, which do not taste extraordinarily sweet but round and generous. The grapes were picked in early October with 15% of botrytis. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 15 24 in January 2025. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com

Importer notes: The exceptional Brut Sparkling wine is bottle fermented by the traditional method and shows a fine balance of Riesling aromas combined with the refreshing bubbles of a German Sparkling wine.

97-98 Points! This shows real precision and sophistication. Tight and dense palate that is concentrated but not heavy, with intensity and minerality. Sea salt and white pepper at the end. This is really at the top level of dry white Bordeaux now. 70% sauvignon blanc and 30% semillon. - JamesSuckling.com

95-97 Points! The 2023 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc includes slightly more Semillon and checks in as 70% Sauvignon and 30% Semillon, raised in just 7% new French oak, with the rest in once-used barrels. A selection made mostly in the cellar, it has a vivid gold hue as well as a stunning nose of ripe lemon, honeyed flowers, mint, crushed stone, and subtle hints of toast. Gorgeously textured, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, with the bright, almost racy acidity of the vintage, it's pure class. - Jeb Dunnuck

From the importer: “Pipinot” is Lara and Mattia’s flagship wine, produced from four vineyards around Lauzacco of dolomitic limestone origin with soils varying in proportions of loamy clay, gravel, and sand. In homage to the traditional ramato style of vinification wherein Pinot Grigio’s notable pink skins contribute color and texture, the 2023 “Pipinot” macerated for 30 hours before fermenting via indigenous yeasts in the pied de cuve method, aging for eight months in a combination of equal parts stainless-steel tank and 20-hectoliter Slavonian oak botti before being bottled without filtration. Pouring a lovely light gold with glimmers of pink, this texturally layered wine offers notes of melon rind, white cherries, and licorice on a generous but focused frame, with notable but non-intrusive grip and persistence. Aside from the obvious linguistic connection to its constituent grape variety, “Pipinot” in Friulian dialect refers to a rambunctious child—perhaps one who has ambitious ideas about making big changes at the family winery (!)… The 2023 underwent partial malolactic fermentation and contains 13.68% natural alcohol.

A verdant herbal liqueur with a distinctive alpine character.
Key Botanicals include hyssop, lemon balm, chamomile.

Awards:

SF World Spirits Competition - Double Gold - 2021
Bartenders Spirit Awards - Gold - 2021
ADI Craft Spirits - Silver - 2021
Sip Northwest - Gold - 2021

The World’s Best Single Malt Whisky of 2023.

To create this whisky, we traveled to Spain and had Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry made especially for us. The casks, once filled with quality sherry and seasoned for one year in Spain, were brought to the distillery to mature our New-Make spirit for a wonderful complex whisky. The M&H Elements Sherry is the first and only kosher single malt whisky in the world, aged in Sherry casks. This single malt reveals robust flavors of red fruit, dark chocolate, and oaky notes.

Double gold winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024.

92 Points! At $45 a bottle, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon La Grande Roche from Ric Forman and Cheryl Emmolo's Rossi Wallace label might very well be the single best value in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Freshly cut flowers, red cherry fruit, mint, blood orange and spice are all very nicely lifted. This is an especially elegant, refined Cabernet Sauvignon done in a supremely understated, mid-weight style. The 2023 is a total delight. All of this fruit is from the Forman estate. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

100 Points! 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 blueberries, followed by hints of menthol, crushed rocks, dried sage, black truffles, and black olives. The full-bodied palate is both generous and energetic, displaying an impressive array of savory and earthy nuances among the dense black fruit layers and a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and beautiful tension, finishing with epic length. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

99 Points! Black currant, pencil shaving, subtle sandalwood, wet earth, forest floor and violet aromas follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate with ultra-fine tannins that integrate perfectly at the end. A polished and caressing texture that goes on for minutes. The balance and drinkability of this Dominus is terrific, and it will age beautifully. A blend of 87% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Very drinkable now, but will age beautifully. - JamesSuckling.com

• Small batch straight bourbon whiskey distilled at the Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky
• Produced from a mash bill of 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley
• Open-top, sweet mash fermented in cypress vats for 5 days using wild Appalachian yeast
• Double copper pot distilled
• Aged a minimum of 5 years in air-seasoned casks; non-age statement
• Rich and intense, with a buttery caramel corn base, dark fruit, and baked apple; a touch of pepper throughout ramps up to a robust finish complemented by dried peppermint and anise
• Double Gold medalist at the 2023 and 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• Non-chill filtered; bottled at a cask strength of 55.01% ABV (ABV may vary batch to batch)

• Small batch straight bourbon whiskey distilled at the MB Roland Distillery in Pembroke, Kentucky
• Blended by Hidden Barn Master Blender Jackie Zykan
• Produced from a mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley
• Sweet mash fermented 3–4 days
• Double pot distilled
• Aged a minimum of 6 years in Kelvin Cooperage American oak casks; non-age statement
• Dense and viscous, leading with grilled pineapple and light brown sugar; an oh-so-subtle note of smoke carries through to the moderately dry and bold rye-spice finish with a surprising hint of rosemary and clove
• Gold medalist at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• Non-chill filtered; bottled at a cask strength of 55.8% ABV (ABV may vary batch to batch)

From the winery:

The 2023 "The Dude" is a meticulously assembled blend of fruit drawn from prestigious Napa Valley appellations: Calistoga, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain. The wine was refined for 16 months, utilizing 40% new oak to elegantly frame the fruit while allowing the terroir to shine.

Composition 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec

96 Points! The 2023 Chardonnay Shale and Stone, from Truchard in Carneros, is all class. Apricot, lemon confit, marzipan, tangerine peel, tropical fruit and a kiss of French oak grace this exotic, dynamic Chardonnay from Frog's Leap. Airy and gracious, with stunning balance, the 2023 is fabulous in every way. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

ETA: EARLY WINTER OF 2026

100 Points! With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction. It unfurls from the glass with a complex, vibrant and remarkably pure bouquet of pineapple, guava, mango, confit citrus, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it combines formidable depth with perfectly judged control, built around a fleshy core of fruit, framed by lively acidity and a crystalline texture and culminating in an endless, refined and ethereal finish. Yquem’s natural power is here masterfully harnessed by the vintage’s freshness and tension, revealing an aesthetic of precision and vibrancy encountered only in the estate’s greatest years—made all the more remarkable by the fact that the château now achieves even higher levels of concentration than a decade ago, without any perceptible increase in sweetness on the palate. - Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com

100 Points! Power, freshness, depth — after the extremes of 2021 and 2022, this walks the line between the two, exceptional. Mandarin, quince, mirabelle plums, white truffle, fresh fruit and confit fruit, a vibration of slate and steel, opulent but slices closed on the finish. The botrytis came early and quickly in 2023. Francis Mayeur in final vintage as consultant, after many years as inhouse winemaking team, Lorenzo Pasquini director. 154g/l residual sugar, 3.85ph, harvest September 14 to October 11. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

100 Points! Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. Full-bodied but weightless and silky, with an excellent balance of fruit, sweetness and spices. Some peanut brittle, dried oranges and lemons at the end. I can’t get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever. 154 g/L residual sugar. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

ETA: EARLY WINTER OF 2026

100 Points! With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction. It unfurls from the glass with a complex, vibrant and remarkably pure bouquet of pineapple, guava, mango, confit citrus, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it combines formidable depth with perfectly judged control, built around a fleshy core of fruit, framed by lively acidity and a crystalline texture and culminating in an endless, refined and ethereal finish. Yquem’s natural power is here masterfully harnessed by the vintage’s freshness and tension, revealing an aesthetic of precision and vibrancy encountered only in the estate’s greatest years—made all the more remarkable by the fact that the château now achieves even higher levels of concentration than a decade ago, without any perceptible increase in sweetness on the palate. - Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com

100 Points! Power, freshness, depth — after the extremes of 2021 and 2022, this walks the line between the two, exceptional. Mandarin, quince, mirabelle plums, white truffle, fresh fruit and confit fruit, a vibration of slate and steel, opulent but slices closed on the finish. The botrytis came early and quickly in 2023. Francis Mayeur in final vintage as consultant, after many years as inhouse winemaking team, Lorenzo Pasquini director. 154g/l residual sugar, 3.85ph, harvest September 14 to October 11. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

100 Points! Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. Full-bodied but weightless and silky, with an excellent balance of fruit, sweetness and spices. Some peanut brittle, dried oranges and lemons at the end. I can’t get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever. 154 g/L residual sugar. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

98 Points! Medium gold-hued, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Fontaine Blanc offers rich, complex aromatics of ripe orchard fruits, white flowers, almond paste, and hints of fresh croissant. It's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, and it’s beautifully layered and textured, with integrated acidity and a blockbuster of a finish. Pure gold in white Rhône, I wouldn't push the aging curve here and would drink bottles over the coming 5-7 years, possibly a decade. Don't let that deter you, though. This is absolutely riveting stuff. - Jeb Dunnuck

ETA: EARLY WINTER 2026

100 Points! The 2023 Suduiraut is a model of modern Sauternes. Orange peel, burnt sugar, crème-brûlée, tangerine peel, and wild flowers inform a Sauternes of total finesse and silkiness. Yields were a measly 12 hectoliters per hectare. The 150 grams of residual sugar are not especially evident. Everything about the 2023 is perfectly judged. It can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring or cellared for decades. The 2023 is a timeless wine that is among the most notable successes of the year. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous