Search results for: 'pick de point'

95 Points! The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, a parish of Labastida, was produced with a blend of 91% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 5% other varieties from south-facing vineyards behind the Sierra de la Cantabria, the last vineyards that they recovered on quartz salt, gypsum and red clay soils. These are the last grapes to be picked, and the wine has 14.22% alcohol but doesn't show any heat. It comes through as serious, shy and austere, a little closed at first. The tannins are a little rustic, but the wine has a strong mineral streak that made it my favorite from the lot. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

Hornbrook Ten Point Gin is crafted using vacuum distillation at low temperatures, a method that preserves the delicate flavors and aromas of its botanicals, including wild Pacific juniper, grapefruit peel, lime peel, star anise, jasmine flower, fennel seed, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, and cubeb berries.

Bold and balanced, featuring notes of grapefruit and spice, complemented by bright, wild-foraged Pacific juniper and earthy botanicals. A backdrop of jasmine flowers and fennel leads to an extremely long, smooth finish.

92 Points! The 2019 Cap de Faugères has tightened up a lot on the nose, showing dense black fruit, tar and graphite scents, quite Left Bank in style. The palate is much more expressive, featuring fleshy red berry fruit mixed with allspice, clove and white pepper. Persistent and quite convincing on the finish. Give it time for those aromatics to get their mojo back – which they will. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

91 Points! The 2019 Cap de Faugeres is terrific, just as it was from bottle. Rich and expansive, the 2019 is so expressive right out of the gate. Succulent red cherry, spice, leather and tobacco all kicked up in this attractive entry-level offering from Silvio Denz. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

95 Points! A subtle graphite character makes this a very attractive and typical Bordeaux red. Aromas of dark plums with a touch of iron, as well as forest-floor, mineral and white-pepper notes. Medium to full body with fine, chiseled tannins and a perfumed finish. Tensioned and long. Quite transparent on the palate. Merlot from deep, thick clay. 80% in foudre. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

92-94 Points! This medium to full-bodied 2022 Marsau is an attractive wine produced from 100% Merlot. It has a delightfully pure bouquet of peony, violet, iris, menthol and cassis, followed by a crunchy and juicy yet fresh texture and then by a mineral-driven finish of remarkable purity, expressing elegant notes of licorice and pencil lead. Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier have produced a red wine that punches above its weight. Bravo! - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

94 Points! Lovely dark fruity fragrance with perfumed floral aromas on the nose, smells expressive and open. Smooth and supple, a lovely combination of tension, mouthwatering acidity and fruitiness here, such sleek texture with definition and soft juiciness. The tannins have grip and purpose with a softly fleshy and mineral sensation - liquorice, wet stone and graphite - giving a wide and interesting expansion on the palate. Feels cool and controlled, serious and focussed, with balance, still with concentration and power and grip. Feels very classy on the palate. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

95 Points! The 2008 Brut Blanc de Blancs, picked in the Côte des Blancs, underwent full malolactic fermentation and spent over ten years on lees. Lemon and wet chalk are distinct yet subtle on the nose, with their salty, bright, precise trail continuing onto the palate, where deeper saltiness reigns. This wine manages to be rich, smooth and sinuously slender and linear at the same time, with deep, delicious, umami-resonant savoriness. It is a wonderful wine of great elegance, with superb freshness and youthfulness. Lovely now, with nuance and even an overtone of licorice, but certain to evolve. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. - Anne Krehbiel, Vinous

A brambly nose with potpourri, simple candied cherries and a touch of white pepper. Generous and sweet-ish on the palate, this has medium body, soft-grained tannins and easy fruit in the finish. Vegan. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

Bodegas Morca is located in the village of Borja, in the province of Zaragoza. Grapes of Garnacha from small plots with low yields are hand-picked and fermented separately in small vats, then transferred into French oak barrels to stay for 6 months to complete its ageing procedure. This opaque purple wine exhibits richness and finesse with layers of blackberry, blueberry and plum notes, mineral, mocha and spice box details edged with dark chocolate, licorice and cracked pepper.

95 Points! They adjusted the picking dates, and the 2022 Camino de Auritz sees a jump in freshness and elegance, finishing with a full 1% less alcohol than the 2021 (this has 13.5%). It's Garnacha from two old plots of 0.22 and 0.1 hectares on limestone soils at 450-plus meters above sea level, where they found some plants of Garnacha Gris. It fermented with 50% full clusters and indigenous yeasts (including malolactic) and matured in used French oak barrels for 11 months. This is a big jump in quality from the previous year. Unfortunately, there are only 874 bottles of this wine. It was bottled in August 2024. The wine is harmonious and approachable but should also age nicely in bottle. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

From the importer: Bush-trained Cannonau (also known as Grenache) from a vineyard called Sas de Melas, at 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) above sea level, near the village of Mamoiada. This altitude is unusual for red wines, and gives the wine uncommon freshness (cooler night-time temperatures at altitude mean higher acidity in the grapes). The vines were planted in 2004 and 2010 in soil based on decomposed granite.

The grapes are picked in late September or early October, de-stemmed and crushed, and fermentation begins using indigenous yeasts only, encouraged by a a ‘pied de cuve'* (Luca believes that cultured yeasts don’t give a wine that truly is representative of place.) The wine is left in contact with the skins for 10-12 days, then pressed off. The wine is aged for about 6 months in stainless steel tanks, lightly fined, then bottled without filtration.

 Only 2 casks of this special Scotch were produced!

Our Winex exclusive cask was aged for 8 years, spending just over 7 years in ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels and then transferred into fresh Sandeman Ruby Port Casks for 6 months. At 55.9% ABV we recommend just a splash of water. The nose is complex and layered with cocoa powder, stewed cherries and biscuit peeking through the distinctive peat. The peat from Kilchoman has always stood out in my mind because it lacks any medicinal or burnt rubber qualities that turn many off to a peated scotch. On the palate it opens up with a hint of sweetness from the port cask. Flavors of baked cherry tart, citrus marmalade, toffee and dusty cocoa are wrapped cozily with the smokiness of the peat which warms the senses with pipe tobacco, smoldering earth and crushed seashell notes. The finish is long and cascading with a full and satisfyingly round mouthfeel.

98+ Points! The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with 10% Cabernet Franc, has opened significantly since I tasted it in March of 2022. Deep ruby in color, its aromatics have become more layered, with ringing tones of violet complementing blueberry, black cherry and redcurrants, plus sparks of aniseed, prosciutto and desert herbs. The palate is plush and supple, offering alluring spicy accents and generous, yet never onerous, fruit. Refreshing bursts of acidity call you back to the glass, and it finishes with fantastic length. It blossoms considerably as it spends time in the glass, alluding to continued evolution in bottle. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

93 Points Decanter
"Wonderful fragrance with ripe black fruit and wild purple flowers. Fresh, lively, and mouthwatering, with freshly picked strawberry fruit, chalky minerality, mint, anise, slate, and flint. Velvety and creamy in texture, yet remarkably fresh and energetic."

92-94 Points Jeb Dunnuck
"Black raspberry, cassis, graphite, sappy flowers, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass. Beautifully balanced and elegantly textured, with polished tannins and impressive finesse. Another brilliant wine from the Bécot family that readers should snatch up."

92-94 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"Flowers, licorice, dark cherries, and a hint of truffle create the perfume. Medium-bodied and loaded with sweet, creamy black cherries, plums, and chocolate. Produced from some of the oldest vines in the appellation, dating back to 1870."

92-94 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2025 Joanin-Bécot is fabulous. Dark and sumptuous, with gorgeous fruit purity and remarkable textural presence. Inky dark fruit, spice, leather, dried flowers, and lavender unfold into a resonant, expansive finish. A stellar Joanin-Bécot."

91-93 Points Wine Advocate
"Another sleeper of the vintage. Aromas of iris, lilac, dark berries, and flowers lead into a juicy, enveloping palate with vibrant energy and an ethereal floral finish."

91-93 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown
"Juicy blueberries and black raspberries are accented by anise, mint tea, and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins, refreshing acidity, and exuberant fruit."

91 Points Jane Anson
"Vivid violet, red cherry, saffron, anis, lemongrass, and slate. A wine with tremendous definition that clearly reflects its high-altitude terroir and ongoing vineyard renaissance."

90-92 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"Blackcurrant pastille and raspberry aromas with impressive precision. Medium-bodied and linear, with fine sapidity, cracked black pepper notes, and an expressive Cabernet Franc component."

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

94 Points! Intense aromas of flint, matchstick, stony minerals and dried apples and pears. Heather, too. Medium- to full-bodied with a creamy texture that caresses the palate. Already in balance. Second wine of Domaine de Chevalier. Drink this and enjoy. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2022 L'Esprit De Chevalier Blanc is a beautifully elegant white offering juicy citrus and minty floral notes in a focused, fresh profile. Medium to full-bodied, it’s clean, balanced, and vibrant, with terrific purity and precision. It’s the second wine of the domaine yet tastes like a Grand Vin. Drink bottles over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! The 2022 L'Esprit de Chevalier Blanc reveals a pure, delicate bouquet of pear, peach, flowers, anise and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and satiny, it’s ample and concentrated, framed by delicate dry extracts and bright acids that segue into a long, fresh and delicate finish. This is a real success. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

98 Points! The 2020 Cheval des Andes was harvested from the last of February for the first time ever. It was Gabillet's second vintage at Cheval des Andes, and that year, he had to start without waiting for Pierre Olivier Clouet and Pierre Lurton from Cheval Blanc; when they arrived, they had finished picking the Malbec, which surprisingly was fresher in Las Compuertas (because of the higher percentage of clay?) than in Altamira (where the vines suffered more stress), saving the freshness. They now harvest using cold trucks (for the first time), and they also started earlier in the morning (six in the morning, impossible earlier in Mendoza...), which he reckons was very good for the precision of the wine. They used 40% 225-liter barrels, 40% 400-liter oak barrels and 20% 2,500-liter foudres, half of them new and with an élevage of 15 months on average, depending on the lots and varieties from 12 to 18 months. The final blend was 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, which makes a comeback as it was not used since 2016. The key was to finish the fermentation of the Petit Verdot without skins, and that way, they have been able to use it in the blends of 2021, 2022 and 2023 in small but increasing percentages. This is slightly riper than 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and with very good structural tannins but saving the freshness, and it has the spicy side from the Petit Verdot (Gabillet talks about white pepper). The wine has the ultra sleek and polished texture and the elegance and the balance that is the signature here; the wine is very clean and precise. I see very good regularity across the three vintages I tasted next to each other—this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, this is a triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage. They produced their usual 100,000 bottles (since 2018), as they are renewing their vineyards and want to keep the volume stable. They produce this volume from the 36 productive hectares they have in Las Compuertas and Altamira. There are some more changes: in 2020, they went for a lighter bottle, weighing 100 grams less than the one they used in 2018 and 2019, but close to 300 grams less than the bottle from before. It's also a slimmer bottle, always thinking about the environment. They are very focused on agroecology, accelerating the regenerative viticulture and using cover crops; they have planted 1,900 trees in the last three years, creating small clusters of biodiversity for birds. They have transplanted some centenary olive trees and keep their sheep and lamas on the property. Very green-minded. - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

93+ Points! Rivas de Tereso are parishes of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but the difference with the 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso is that the vineyards are at higher altitude and the percentage of Garnacha is much higher here (38%), so there's more mountain character and more herbal notes in the wine. It has 57% Tempranillo and some 5% other varieties. Despite a moderate 13.95% alcohol, the nose shows good ripeness, and there is some wilderness here, perhaps a little more rusticity too. The soils are very stony and rich in limestone, and the altitude gives the wine an austere twist. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! Pretty profound nose with crushed stones, dried herbs and crushed blueberries. Dissolved, fine-grained tannins here with a full body and a lengthy, tightly wound finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Even more outstanding than the 2020, the incredibly priced 2021 Reserva is young in boisterous blue fruit, with a generous, full-bodied palate of richness and upfront power. The tannins add length and breadth to the wine, which is tasting great and could go another 10-15 years. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! Elegant yet perfectly structured, this is the most floral of the Murrieta Reservas I’ve tasted in recent years. With 8% Graciano and 4% Mazuelo, the nose is perfumed with pretty rose petal and delicate red berry fruit, as well as wild herbal aromas. Blueberry fruit typical of Tempranillo directs the palate, rounded out with a little fleshy Garnacha, and framed by subtle American oak. It offers immediate appeal but will age gracefully for many years to come. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! Their flagship wine comes from one of the finest vintages in recent times. The 2021 Marqués de Murrieta was previously called the Reserva and still qualifies as such, but it's not included in the name now. It was produced with 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha Tinta from their 300 hectares of vines in their Ygay estate on limestone and clay soils with alluvial influence. The grapes were picked between the 27th of September and the 15th of October, and each plot and variety was vinified separately in stainless steel, matured in American oak barrels for 26 months, then blended and kept in concrete for a few months until bottling, which was a longer élevage this year. It's very spicy, peppery, with a combination of berry fruit and some incipient tertiary aromas, hints of forest floor and truffle. It's very Rioja, with clout, elegance and freshness and the elegant tannins that are the signature of 2021. It comes in at 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, denoting ripeness and balance. It's delicious, fresh and available. Bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

96 Points! The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media 2022

96 Points! The fresh currant and violet aromas are so complex and beautiful on the nose. Full body, ultra-refined tannins and lovely tannin tension. Shows focus and such finesse. Beautiful finish. Try after 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

94+ Points! The red 2018 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza is pretty and attractive, fresh and aromatic, floral, the result of a challenging year with lots of rain and high humidity. This is usually the last vineyard to be harvested, and the grapes were picked late, the 26th of October. It's a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that matured in a combination of oak vats and well-seasoned American oak barrels for six years. It's elegant and clean, young and undeveloped, with very fine tannins and a sleek, polished mouthfeel. It has 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.0 and 6.5 grams of acidity. This could be the finest Cubillo in recent times, and it's a bargain. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

95 Points! Black berries, dark mushrooms, cloves and slate on the nose follow through to the palate with a medium body, soft and silky tannins and an attractive finish. Lovely tannin tension at the end. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92+ Points! The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra is more fruit-driven, primary and perfumed than most of the other bottlings, juicier, with a sensation of higher ripeness (despite having lower alcohol, 13.79%) and slightly dusty tannins. The breakdown here was 88% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 2% other varieties. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2022 Tio Uco Vino de Comarca, crafted with 90% Tinta de Toro and 10% Garnacha sourced from Paramo de la Guarena, is bottled as Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon and was aged in 2500-liter foudres. It exhibits a purple hue. Its reductive nose, reminiscent of cherries, also features plums and light vanilla. Light and fairly lean, the taut and chalky palate leads to a compact, refreshing, juicy and lasting finish. - Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous Media