Search results for: 'plot red'

99 Points! Forget the world and fly into this incredibly concentrated and subtle recreation of a Chateauneuf from two centuries ago. A cornucopia of gingerbread, dried cherries, bitter chocolate and wild herbs on the nose. The quality of the tannins is as unique as the aromas. Endless layers of flavor in the super-refined finish. A cuvee of 23% grenache, 22% syrah, 20% counoise, 20% mourvedre, 7% cinsault, 3% clairette, 2% clairette rose and 1% each of bourbelenc, picpoul and roussanne. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Lastly, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vin De La Solitude checks in as 25% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, 20% Counoise, 7% Cinsault, 2% Clairette Rose, and the rest a mix of varieties. It has a more medium-bodied, elegant, silky profile as well as remarkable complexity in its savory red fruits, pressed flowers, savory garrigue, and spicy nuances. I love its overall balance, and it has fine yet building tannins and a great finish. As always, this cuvée is more about complexity and elegance than power. - Jeb Dunnuck

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97 Points! The 2021 Carmignano Riserva Piaggia takes its time in the glass, tempting the imagination with dried violets and flowery underbrush that evolve into peppery wild berries, autumnal spices and a dusting of cocoa. Elegant and velvety in feel, this sweeps across the palate, gaining contrast through a core of mineral-inflected yet pleasantly ripe red and black fruits. Tantalizing acidity guides the experience. The 2021 finishes with dramatic length and concentration, leaving a bitter blackberry resonance to mingle with edgy tannins, while a hint of blood orange forces the mouth to water for more. The contrasting nature and sheer depth of the 2021 leave me in awe. Bury this deep in the cellar.

The Piaggia vineyard was planted in 1972. The only changes this wine has seen since then, other than the age of the vines, took place in 2004 when the winery switched from using 100% new Garbellotto barrels to a mix of 50% new and 50% second-pass oak. This was a fantastic tasting that showed the prestige of this location and demonstrated the remarkable value of the Piaggia Riserva. It’s a blue chip in the cellar. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

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The 2011 vintage was shaped by one of the coolest and most challenging growing seasons of the decade in Napa Valley, producing wines defined by freshness, structure, and restraint. For Scott Palazzo, the year aligned naturally with his Right Bank inspired vision for Cabernet Franc, favoring balance and aromatic detail over ripeness. Sourced from Carneros and bottled in extremely limited quantities, the magnum format was held exclusively for Palazzo’s private members for more than a decade. This release marks the first time these library magnums have been offered to the public, offering collectors a rare opportunity to experience a cool-vintage Napa Cabernet Franc in its most age-worthy format.

Tasting Note:
The wine opens with lifted, savory aromatics of dried herbs, violet, and red currant, accented by subtle notes of cedar and forest floor. On the palate, the 2011 is focused and linear, showing tart cherry, cranberry, and gentle spice carried by bright acidity and finely grained tannins. There is an underlying mineral tension that adds precision and length. The finish is clean, persistent, and quietly complex, with the magnum format preserving the wine’s energy, nuance, and sense of place.

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97 Points! A sophisticated and complex red with blackberries, blueberries, sea shells, terra cotta, crushed stone and sea salt. Medium-bodied, savory and juicy on the palate with a creamy yet firm texture. Opens and softens in the end. - JamesSuckling.com 

96+ Points! From silty soils at the estate Jardín Altamira site, the 2021 Malbec Appellation Altamira is another benchmark example of Altamira's distinctiveness. A broad, expansive and expressive bouquet of crystal-clear purple flower aromas bounds from the glass, supported by a rich yet measured bed of black and purple fruits. The palate is both wide and broad, with a laser-focused, tensile core, releasing into a finish that is equally high and refreshing yet deep and grounded. This is all about flowers and textural breadth, sitting lower in the mouth with a pronounced horizontal richness, juxtaposing the equally fantastic Appellation Gualtallary bottling, which exudes a more vertical, stony profile with a distinctly herbal bouquet. Even while attempting to correct for vintage variation, I find the Altamira wine a touch more complete and three-dimensional, but it really is splitting a hair. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

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97 Points! Another gem of a wine from this estate, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate includes 1% Petit Verdot and spent 20 months in French oak. It has a darker red and blue-slanted fruit profile as well as some classic tobacco, scorched earth, and graphite aromatics. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with a seamless, layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, building tannins, and a pure, focused style that will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age. The balance, purity, and sheer class here are top notch, and this will see its 20th birthday in fine form. - Jeb Dunnuck

96+ Points! The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate is very close in quality to the 29 Estate bottling, with perhaps a touch more concentration and tannin. There's less herbal nuance to the fruit, leaving black cherries to take the lead, backed by cedary oak and hints of dusty earth, while the palate is full-bodied and structured, leaving little doubt regarding this wine's potential longevity. Thankfully, the considerable tannins are fully ripe, leaving a softly dusty sensation to linger on the finish. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

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98 Points! Filippo Chia and his team kill it in this vintage. The Castello Romitorio 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta is a beautiful and balanced wine. This estate is making some of the best Brunellos from Montalcino today. In the not too distant past, its vineyards were once considered too cool for ideal fruit ripening, but with climate change, the vines are now in a prime position for balanced phenolics, sugars and acidity. This wine shows a wide and complete bouquet, spanning many aromas, all delivered with direct vertical intensity. This is one of the delightful oxymorons that occurs with fine wine. It shows soft, building intensity, but most importantly, the fruit quality is bright and fresh (with 7,760 bottles made). This is a keeper. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

97 Points! A silky texture announces this cherry-, blackberry- and violet-flavored red, along with notes of graphite, tobacco and wild herbs. Well-structured, with profound yet finely wrought tannins and an extra dimension of finesse that stands out. Boasting superb balance and a seemingly never-ending aftertaste, this is multidimensional and focused. - Wine Spectator

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96 Points! The 2016 Millery is one of the most rapturously beautiful, seductive wines I tasted during my December trip to Bordeaux. Thierry Manoncourt, the late owner of Figeac, purchased this small property in 1942, when he was in the French Army. The tiny vineyard spans less than one hectare and is planted to 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. For decades, Millery remained more of a small family property, its wine destined for personal consumption, rather than a commercial venture. There are just about 4,000 bottles made each year, and most of it disappears very quickly. A wine of pure and total finesse, Millery is simply exquisite. The dark red fruit, floral, licorice and spice notes show the delineation of a pencil sketch in their fine lines and precision. Figeac Technical Director Frédéric Faye made the 2016 with input from consulting winemaker Thomas Duclos, who has helped Canon, Troplong Mondot and other estates make huge strides in quality in recent years. Most importantly, though, the 2016 is flat out delicious. Run, don't walk. And you heard it here first.... - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media Learn More

The 2006 vintage represents the first full commercial release of Scott Palazzo’s Cabernet Franc, built on his long-standing devotion to the wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank. Sourced from Truchard Vineyard in Carneros, this wine reflects Palazzo’s belief that the region produces Cabernet Franc with greater nuance, balance, and aromatic complexity than other parts of Napa Valley. For years, this wine and its magnum format were available only through Palazzo’s private members list. This release marks the first time these magnums have ever been offered to the public, presenting a rare opportunity to experience a defining wine from the estate in the format best suited for long aging and graceful evolution.

Tasting Note:
Now beautifully mature, the 2006 opens with lifted floral aromas of violet and dried rose petal, followed by notes of crushed raspberry, red cherry, and gentle spice. On the palate, the wine is elegant and poised, showing purity of fruit, vibrant acidity, and finely resolved tannins. Savory undertones and a supple texture add depth, while the finish is long, fresh, and refined. In magnum, the wine’s balance and energy remain striking, highlighting the precision and restraint that define Palazzo’s Cabernet Franc.

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92 Points! Cassis, juniper berry, licorice, walnut oil, and a Tempranillo-like ashen smokiness scent and inform the bittersweet, polished palate of Baron’s 2009 Camaspelo (named for a mid 19th Century Cayuse chief), whose as usual dominant Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 18% Merlot and sourced from the En Cerise and Cailloux vineyards. Bitter hints of huckleberry as well as suggestions of crushed stone and pencil lead add to the complexity of a protracted finish. “Red Mountain gives you, to me, the Mike Tyson of Cabernet Sauvignon,” says Baron (as usual!) wryly and provocatively. By contrast, he claims to be searching for something rich yet understated, and notes that “after about five or six years we decided to use less oak for ours.” That said, there is a certain sense of opacity and stasis here as opposed to the levity and vibrancy of the very best wines in this same collection. Baron says this bottling routinely picks up an alluring floral nuance with time in bottle. I’d certainly consider giving it at least 6-8 weeks to demonstrate such a trend, and even if it doesn’t, it’s still very impressive stuff. - David Schildknecht, robertparker.com

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97 Points! A sophisticated and complex red with blackberries, blueberries, sea shells, terra cotta, crushed stone and sea salt. Medium-bodied, savory and juicy on the palate with a creamy yet firm texture. Opens and softens in the end. Drink now or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96+ Points! From silty soils at the estate Jardín Altamira site, the 2021 Malbec Appellation Altamira is another benchmark example of Altamira's distinctiveness. A broad, expansive and expressive bouquet of crystal-clear purple flower aromas bounds from the glass, supported by a rich yet measured bed of black and purple fruits. The palate is both wide and broad, with a laser-focused, tensile core, releasing into a finish that is equally high and refreshing yet deep and grounded. This is all about flowers and textural breadth, sitting lower in the mouth with a pronounced horizontal richness, juxtaposing the equally fantastic Appellation Gualtallary bottling, which exudes a more vertical, stony profile with a distinctly herbal bouquet. Even while attempting to correct for vintage variation, I find the Altamira wine a touch more complete and three-dimensional, but it really is splitting a hair. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

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100 Points! Although it emerges from a similar terroir and the same winemaking team, the 2018 Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a dramatically different wine than the Haut-Brion and has a more concentrated, dense, powerful style that is all potential at this point. Dense purple-hued, with lots of crème de cassis, black cherries, smoked meats, lead pencil, graphite, and crushed stone aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated mid-palate, masses of ripe tannins, integrated acidity, and one hell of a finish. This blockbuster, backward, monster of a La Mission Haut-Brion needs to be forgotten for a good decade (or more) but is going to be just about immortal. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points! The 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 53.5% Merlot, 42.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it emerges from the glass with a first wave of stewed black and red plums, mulberries and black raspberries scents, followed by pronounced notions of warm cassis, clove oil, violets and chocolate box, with hints of cast-iron pan, pencil lead and forest floor coming through after a few minutes. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energy, delivering layers of red and black fruits with earthy and mineral sparks and a texture so satiny you need to remember to look for it, finishing with amazing vibrancy. This is so wonderfully evocative and singular, and yet it feels like its holding something back. It makes for an impressive glass right now, but give it a good 5 years in bottle to allow further nuances to emerge and expect it to seriously reward those who can wait a good 12-15 years, when it should really hit its stride. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

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97 Points! A luscious red with redcurrant, chocolate, plum and hazelnut. Rather opulent on the nose. Full-bodied and very structured with chewy tannins that are intense and powerful. This needs time to come together and soften. 68% cabernet sauvignon and 32% merlot. Better after 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

94 Points! The 2019 Le Petit Mouton clearly retains its bold bouquet of bravura scents of blackberry, blood orange, and touches of cassis and violet petals, the 50% new oak seamlessly integrated over 18 months. The palate is silky-smooth on the entry, deep and displaying fine grip. This is definitely one of the most seductive Le Petit Mouton releases in recent years. It tightens a little toward the graphite-tinged finish, so afford it more time in bottle than I originally predicted. Superb. Neal Martin, Vinous Media

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100 Points! Château Canon has been taking off over the past few years, and here you see why. Just so much complexity, depth, power, interest in the whole thing. This buzzes with life, rises above the palate, full of gunsmoke, truffle, raspberry, blueberry, so delicious. Needs time but already showing it will be worth the wait. 45hl/h, 3.5ph, Harvest September 11 to October 4, 50% new oak. Thomas Duclos consults. - Jane Anson

100 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Canon prances out with showy notes of wild blueberries, fresh boysenberries, and black raspberries giving way to fragrant scents of sassafras, cumin seed, star anise, and red roses. The full-bodied palate delivers waves of bright black and blue fruits with wonderful freshness and plush, rounded tannins, finishing long and energetic - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

 

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94 Points! The 2019 Château Carbonnieux sports a deep purple/ruby hue to go with a brilliant nose of red and black currants, spring flowers, spicy oak, and hints of tobacco. It's beautiful on the palate as well and is medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's the finest wine I've tasted from this estate. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all brought up in 40% new barrels. It’s well worth tracking down some bottles and will keep for two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! I am so pleased that the 2019 Carbonnieux has retained the engaging aromatics that I found from the barrel sample: copious blackberry, raspberry, incense and light violet aromas soar from the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine-grained tannins, and much more precise than recent vintages, leading to a harmonious, silky-smooth, almost tender finish. More polished than recent vintages, this Carbonnieux comes highly recommended.- Neal Martin, Vinous Media

 

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Amara Rossa (“bitter red”) Blood Orange Liqueur is just that solution. Produced on-site in Sicily from hand-picked organic blood oranges and sustainably grown local herbs, Amara is simply made, but wildly complex. The production is limited to 20,000 bottles per annum. The bouquet of Amara is reminiscent of the indigenous fruits and flora that feed off of the Mediterranean Sea’s nutrients abound. An intriguing and unique palate of candied oranges, licorice, and cloves gives way to hints of elder and rhubarb. Learn More

The Negroni is a popular Italian cocktail, made of one part gin, one part vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet), and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel. It was invented in Florence, Italy in 1919 by Count Camillo Negroni when he asked to replace the soda water in his Americano cocktail (Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Soda Water) with gin. For No. 21, just pour over ice, stir five times clockwise, twice counter-clockwise, garnish with an orange peel, and enjoy! 28% ABV.

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“Deep garnet-purple colored. Sashays out with bold notes of raspberry coulis, black cherries, and mulberries, leading to hints of forest floor, crushed rocks, and lavender oil. The medium-bodied palate is bright and shimmery with layers of red berries and mineral, framed by super-silky tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and layered.” 94-96, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2025

“Solid and very precise, showing wonderfully integrated tannins with drive and focus. Polished and extremely poised. Medium-bodied, this has creamy texture and a long, vibrant finish. Reminds me of the superb 1995. A blend of 64% merlot and 36% bouchet (cabernet franc).” 94-95, James Suckling, May 2025 

“The 2024 Les Pensées was picked September 23 to 30. This has quite a complex bouquet with blackcurrant, bilberry and light estuarine scents percolating through with time. The palate is quite arresting, one of the few Merlot wines with genuine grip and heft, but it maintains refinement on the peppery finish. The 2024 feels long and sustained and worthy of bottle age. It will develop wonderfully in time.” 92-94, Neal Martin, Vinous, Apr 2025 

 

*Pre Arrival - Jan 2027 

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94 Points! The second wine of this incredible estate, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst reveals a deep purple hue as well as a great nose of assorted currants, black cherries, tobacco, and lead pencil. It's beautifully concentrated, has medium to full-bodied richness, and ripe tannins, all making for an undeniably delicious, classic, balanced Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the coming 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck  

94 Points! A juicy red with black currants and balsamic. Bark and mushroom. Iodine, too. Medium body, creamy texture that tightens at the end. An energy and firmness in the finish but remains so attractive. Savory. Hard not to drink now. So do, but will also age nicely. - James Suckling

93 Points! The non-estate 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst, like the estate bottling, is scheduled for release in September 2024. Including all five Bordeaux varieties and matured in 40% new French oak, it boasts classic scents of cassis, black cherries and some gentle cedary notes. It's medium to full-bodied, gently velvety but still firm, with a long, cool finish. It's more than $100 these days, but it still delivers a high-quality drinking experience. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

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96–99 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Valandraud is breathtaking. Vibrant and explosive in the glass, the 2025 offers an exotic mélange of dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and mocha. There's gorgeous precision here, much of that coming from more finesse in the tannins. The 2025 is utterly magnificent.”

96–97 Points – James Suckling
“Lots of dark fruit with an edge, supported by chalky tannins. Compact and concentrated, with a fresh medium body. This shows an attractive combination of power, focused tannins, freshness and exuberant fruit.”

95 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“As ever with Valandraud, this has impressive depths and concentration. Inky colour, sea spray aromatics, sandalwood oak, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, powerful iris and violets. This is a great wine and a clear potential upscore in bottle.”

97–99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“Based on 84% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Valandraud has captivating aromatics of juicy red, blue, and black fruits, graphite, spring flowers, and an ultra-classic lead pencil character. Concentrated and full-bodied, with incredible purity and a more restrained, elegant style than previous vintages.”

 

 

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95 Points! Mostly Merlot (there's roughly 20% Cabernet Franc), the 2019 Château Valandraud Virginie De Valandraud from the Thunevin team reveals a deep purple hue to go with a brilliant nose of spiced currants, black cherries, new saddle leather, Provençal herbs, and subtle floral nuances. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, with gorgeous tannins and a great finish. It's the finest vintage for this cuvée I've tasted, surpassing the 2015, 2016, and 2018. It's going to drink brilliantly for 20 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2019 Virginie de Valandraud is wonderfully deep and super-expressive. Red plum, raspberry jam, espresso, crushed rocks, rose petal, lavender and tobacco build into the richly textured, resonant finish. This explosive, flavorful Saint-Émilion has a ton to offer. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94 Points! Blackberry, chocolate and hazelnut character on the nose, following through nicely to a medium body with integrated tannins and a fresh finish. Tight at the end, suggesting more to come with bottle age. Hints of mushrooms and earth. Second wine of Valandraud. Hint of wood at the end that will dissipate with age. Drink after 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

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