Search results for: 'mostly a one plot'

90 Points! Sliced green apples, lime peel and gooseberries on the nose of this bright and crunchy white. It’s light-bodied, dry and crisp. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.  - JamesSuckling.com

90 Points! An elegant style, with lime sorbet, quince, Fuji apple and lemon zest, plus a touch of lemon basil, all on a sleek and juicy frame that lingers. Drink now. - Wine Spectator

90 Points! The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Torres Family Vineyard displays a pale silver/straw color and was raised in a fresh style, without the use of oak. It’s forward on the nose, with notes of salted grapefruit, chive, tropical flowers, and melon. Spritely and medium-bodied, it retains its driving intensity on the palate and has a zesty finish. It’s a potent but strong offering with a lot of value to drink over the next couple of years. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is produced from grapes purchased from Jesse, Walter Hansel Winery’s General Manager.  Jesse hand selects a small portion of the vineyard and reduces yields to enhance the flavors.  The grapes are pressed; settled in tank for 10 days; and then fermentation begins.  We reduce the temperature to encourage extending the fermentation for greater mouthfeel.

100 Points! Lail's 2021 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon blends lots from several high-end vineyards, including Heimark (Calistoga), Vine Hill Ranch (Oakville) and Steltzner (Stags Leap), plus Lail's own Mole Hill on Howell Mountain. It's an exciting wine, starting from the pulse-quickening aromas of raspberries and black cherries tinged with dark chocolate. In the mouth, this full-bodied beauty is richly concentrated, with a sensuous texture somewhere between silky and velvety, while the softly dusty finish shows terrific length and a spine-tingling hint of licorice. To reduce this wine to deceptively simple yet hard-to-pin-down words, it's complex, harmonious and elegant, yet it's enough of its place that it could only come from Napa Valley. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

98+ Points Jeb Dunnuck's Wine of the Year! One of the finest wines in the vintage, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Dutch Henry Canyon area in Calistoga, Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville, and Stelzner in Stags Leap (which was added in 2018). It spent 20 months in 75% new French oak. Still tight and inward, it has sensational purity in its currant, mulberry, truffly earth, graphite, and leather aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, rich, incredibly concentrated 2021 that has the vintage’s fresher, focused style, ripe tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. It's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for a quarter of a century. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! Cherry stones, currants, tobacco and lemon peel on the nose. Sleek and focused, elegant, with fine-grained tannins, a medium body and a creamy, linear finish. Try from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

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

92-93 Points! A fresh and solid TL with currants and cherries. Hints of chocolate and spice. Medium to full body. Juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lovely richness and depth. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 6% petit verdot. - James Suckling

92-94 Points! Dark cocoa, flowers, tobacco leaf, and spicy currants show in the nose. On the palate, the wine is concentrated, lush, deep, and loaded with chocolate coated plums, spice, and cherries. There is richness to the layers of fruit on the mid-palate, and in the finish. The wine sports a new name as it is now known as only Tronquoy. The label has been updated as well with a new, modernized design. 14.5% ABV, 3.8 pH. Drink from 2026-2040. - Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider

94-96 Points! Lots of plums, blue and black fruits, earth, chocolate, and hints of earth all emerge from the 2022 Château Tronquoy, a full-bodied, pure, powerful Saint-Estèphe with impressive tannins and a great finish. It shows more floral and red-fruited nuances with time in the glass, and this is clearly a beautiful wine in the making. It shows the ripeness of the vintage while staying pure, balanced, and seamless. - Jeb Dunnuck

90-92 Points! A floral, elegant bouquet of violets, iris, lilac and mulberries introduces the 2024 Grand Village, a moderately weighted, juicy and seamless wine. It offers a lively core of fruit framed by refined yet slightly austere tannins, lending the wine both charm and underlying structure. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

90-92 Points! The 2024 Grand Village (Lafleur) checks in as 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc that's resting in one-third new oak. This vivid ruby, semi-translucent hued effort has pretty red currants and subtle berry fruits as well as subtle floral and mineral-like nuances. It's medium-bodied, elegant, has supple, polished tannins, and outstanding length. - Jeb Dunnuck

90-91 Points! A fresh, crunchy red with sliced apples, cherries and light tannins. Medium- to light-bodied, it has a stone undertone and a clean finish. This will drink nicely. A blend of 88% merlot and 12% bouchet (cabernet franc). - JamesSuckling.com 

*Pre Arrival - Jan 2027 

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

100 Points! One of the greats in the vintage, the 2022 Château Montrose is deep ruby/purple-hued and has a massive perfume of sweet crème de cassis, sappy tobacco, and freshly sharpened pencils. With incredible purity and precision in its aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, powerful, yet still somehow elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Based on a classic blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, it spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. As I wrote during En Primeur, it has the essence of a Montrose-like character. While it’s not a massively backward or austere example of the château, it nevertheless deserves 10-12 years of bottle age and should have at least half a century of longevity. It is, without a doubt, in the same league as the 1989, 1990, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2020. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! From barrel, I wrote that 2022 Montrose was so compelling that assigning it a bracketed score seemed a mere formality, and so it has proven. Unwinding in the glass with a deep and brooding bouquet of cassis, wild blueberries, violets, pencil shavings and burning embers, it's full-bodied, deep and dense, somehow marrying all the tannic authority that has long been such a signature of Montrose with a suavity and purity that represents the quintessence of contemporary Bordeaux. The broad, palate-staining finish lasts for more than a minute. This is a profound young wine that readers aren't going to want to miss. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

100 Points! The 2022 Montrose is insanely beautiful. That much is obvious. When it might be ready to drink is another question. In recent years, Montrose has acquired notable finesse in its tannins, so that is not an issue. But the 2022 is packed with tremendous density and concentration that will need time to soften. Blackberry, graphite, licorice, lavender and chocolate stain the palate in a stunning, riveting wine of the very highest level. I can only hope to be around when the 2022 starts to drink well! Montrose is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Unforgettable. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

100 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out with powerful notes of crème de cassis, preserved plums, and garrigue, giving way to nuances of candied violets, Sichuan pepper, and mossy tree bark, plus a touch of iron ore. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with black fruit preserves layers, supported by super-firm, super-ripe tannins and bags of freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Epic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

99 Points! Great depth in the nose, taking you into its core of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, graphite, tar, inkpot and cassis. Full-bodied and very tight, this flexes its polished muscles, showing form and tension. Compacted. From organically grown grapes. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2022 Montrose was picked 2 to 22 September comprising all four grape varieties and all the Cabernet Franc, with 13% pressed wine, matured in 60% new oak. There is 14.5% alcohol this year, which is less than 2018. It has an extremely pure nose with black cherries and blueberry. Quite floral in style with hints of blood orange percolating through with time. The palate is very precise with exceptional mineralité and tension. Very focused, superb concentration, with what is becoming Montrose's trademark sense of symmetry and sustained aftertaste, this could be the finest Saint-Estèphe in 2022. – Neal Martin, Vinous Media

90 Points! From a parcel situated on Fixin's alluvial fan, the 2019 Fixin Champs de Vosgers bursts with aromas of rose petals, spices, orange rind and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's lively and perfumed, with an immensely pretty, charming profile. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

100 Points! Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades. A blend of 75% carmenere, 18% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. Best after 2028. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Aromatically complex and intriguing, this offers a spiced plum pastry note that melds with petrichor, pine, dried violet and cocoa powder elements. The palate is round and richly textured, with Szechuan peppercorn accents to the concentrated black cherry, plum and cassis center. Everything comes together harmoniously on the finish and lingers, with present but integrated tannins. A stunner that should develop nicely in the cellar. Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2040. - Wine Spectator

90-92 Points! Unwinding in the glass with notes of pear, white flowers, fresh bread and mint, the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Raidillons is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with tangy acids and chalky grip on the saline finish. This should turn out well. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

100 Points! Each year, the blend of Ovid wines varies depending on the vintage. Winemaker Austin Peterson prefers not to pre-plan the blend, instead approaching each vintage with a fresh perspective. Often, the wine needs more Cabernet Sauvignon to qualify as a Napa Valley varietal wine. The vineyard features an abundance of Clone 4, planted across four of its 17 blocks within the 6ha site. This clone contributes a distinctive savoury character and polish, evident in the 2021 vintage with its flinty minerals, green tobacco, and mulberry fruit, reminiscent of Napa Cabernets from the 1970s. Comprising 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, the wine is aged 20 months in 66% new French oak. It is full-bodied with ripe, chewy tannins that assert themselves on entry but gradually soften, revealing a beautifully layered wine with mineral-infused mulberry fruit and green tobacco aromas. The wine exhibits notable tension, supported by a pH level 3.78, ensuring vibrancy and freshness. It is a pedigreed wine characterised by balance, intensity, and complexity. - Decanter Magazine

100 Points! Moving to the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, it's 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the balanced 7% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Insanely pure, it offers kaleidoscope-like aromatics of black and blue fruits, spring flowers, chocolate, burning embers, and bouquet garni. Full-bodied on the palate, it doesn't get any better, and it's concentrated, has building tannins, and a monster of a finish. Offering more generosity and opulence than just about every other wine in the vintage, this is a killer bottle of wine! It will make your eyes roll back in your head today, yet will ideally be given 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully over the following two decades. Bravo!

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

90 Points! Aromatic nose with baked lemons, spiced apples, dried herbs, dried leaves and mild spices. Medium body with texture and volume on the mid-palate. Ripe lemons and a positive bitterness dominate in the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. - James Suckling

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

95-96 Points! A dense wine with good richness and concentration. Slightly chewy, with an almost full body and a tight-grained finish. Long, structured and powerful. Not a lighter year for Pichon Baron, thanks to the low yield of just around 20 hectoliters per hectare. 87% cabernet sauvignon and 13% merlot. - Zekun Shai, James Suckling

94-96 Points! Beautiful stuff, the 2024 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron has ripe currant and cassis fruit intermixed with classic lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco nuances. It's medium-bodied, with a pure, layered, and elegant mouthfeel, notable tannins, and outstanding length. The 2024 is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, hitting 12.7% alcohol with a pH of 3.71. - Jeb Dunnuck

90 Points, Wine Spectator's #29 Wine of the Year 2025! A fragrant, floral rosé, with a burst of watermelon and strawberry lemonade notes. Maintains vibrant energy from start to finish, with a saline mineral foundation offsetting the creamy fruit. Balanced and delicious, showing a waft of smoke on the well-meshed finish. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Rolle. - Wine Spectator

90 Points! Supple and vibrant, with aromatic orange blossom, peach and cantaloupe accents that glide on the finish. Drink now. - Wine Spectator

90 Points! A fresh and fruity white with aromas of sliced apples, fresh pears, lemons and peach pits. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a clean, bright palate. Juicy peach notes. Sustainable. Drink now. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! If sunshine could be bottled it would be this. Aromas of fresh succulent stone fruit, a hint of yeast, citrus blossoms and notes of quince on the nose. The mousse is creamy and light with baked red apples, blood orange zest, white grapefruit, sticky caramel and layered salinity with a mouthwatering finish. It will bring a smile to your lips. - Wine Enthusiast