Search results for: 'mostly a one plot'

97 Points! Pouring an opaque red, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is lush and refined with aromas of cassis, espresso, violets, and sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, this refined profile continues on the palate, with a ripe, velvety texture, fine tannins, and notes of black cherry liqueur and mocha, as well as floral oils that last long on the palate without feeling heavy. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

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97 Points! A giant amongst the 2021 Grand Cru red Burgundies, but still a sleeping giant. In spite of the stunning concentration on the rather full-bodied palate for the vintage, the stony minerality and bright acidity gives this great drive at the very long finish. A hint of green pepper from the use of whole clusters on the nose. Try from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

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99 Points, Dunnuck's #19 Wine of the Year! Another wine I underrated on release, the 2020 Château Haut-Bailly is just about pure perfection, and whereas the 2018 is closer in style to the 2009, this plays things a little closer to its vest and is reminiscent of the 2010. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless cuts a focused, precise path across the palate and brings incredible purity in its darker fruits, smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, and Asian spice-driven aromas and flavors. The tannin quality here is off the charts, and this beauty has everything you could want from wine. It needs a solid 4-6 years (if not longer) to hit the early stages of its prime drinking window, and it's going to evolve for 50+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points! A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Haut-Bailly is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a bit of swirling to coax out notions of black cherry compote, blackcurrant pastilles, and blackberry preserves, giving way to fragrant wafts of violets, dark chocolate, cardamom, and sassafras, with a touch of Indian spices. The medium to full-bodied palate is an exercise in poise, delivering tightly wrapped black fruit, exotic spice and floral layers, with a super-plush texture and seamless acidity, finishing very long with loads of mineral sparks and tons of energy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

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99 Points! A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! Winemaker Chris Carpenter says that his Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder is intended to serve as a counterpoint to the La Jota Cabernet, which is from Howell Mountain, but that each wine showcases a softer expression of mountain Cabernet, and one that is poised for earlier drinking for collectors who stash bottles of the single vineyard Cabernet wines from Lokoya in their cellar. The soils atop Mt. Veeder are volcanic and sedimentary, and two sites provide the grapes for Mt. Brave. One is the Mt. Brave Vineyard, formerly Chateau Potelle Vineyard, and the site is above the fog line on the northern part of Mt. Veeder, where the soils are well-draining, and yields are generally two tons per acre in good vintages. The other is Veeder Peak Estate. Each site is about 24ha. This blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet France, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot was aged 23 months in 80% new French oak. Super fragrant with black fruits, black cherry, and graphite minerality with violets and cherry liqueur undertones. Full-bodied with pronounced tannins that have a chalkiness about them, balanced by very soft and supple fruit that makes this wine so approachable in its youth. An extended finish is marked by blue fruit and pronounced garrigue, blue agave syrup, sage, and crushed cocao nibs. - Decanter Magazine

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97+ Points! Bright red. Intense, sultry aromas and flavours of red roses, violets, nail varnish, pomegranate reduction and red cherry syrup, plus sexy vanillin oak. Layered and nicely mouthcoating, with a string underlying spine that neatly supports the ripe red fruit and sexy spice flavours. Finishes long with hints of blood orange and candied violet. More than other more forward-drinking 2020 Brunellos, this needs to spend time in a good cellar, for it is bound to improve considerably. - Ian D'Agata Wine Review: 

97+ Points! Brunello of identity, the result of a protocol aimed at enhancing the elegance of Sangiovese di Montalcino. Imposing aroma, which attacks on notes of pomegranate, with touches of juniper and wild mint and hints of licorice root. Savory palate, recall notes of red fruit and balsamic notes. - Luca Gardini

97 Points! The 2020 Brunello from Fuligni is fragrant, smooth and delicious. It opens with enticing aromas of wild berry, violet, crushed mint and pine forest. Full-bodied and loaded with flavor and finesse, it delivers mature Marasca cherry, raspberry, star anise and cake spice set against fine-grained tannins. Boasting a weightless finesse, it’s well balanced, with fresh acidity. - Kerin O'Keefe

97 Points! A bright red color with orange highlights, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is very pretty, with a delicate rustic hint that I find quite attractive. It reveals attractive red fruit on the nose, with notes of cranberries, wild herbs, and just a subtle hint of saddle leather and blood orange. Mid-weight, it's light on its feet while delivering wonderful energy and freshness, with snappy ripe red fruit, a refreshing, angular feel, and mouthwatering saline and acidity. This is certainly one of the highlights of the 2020 vintage.  - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

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97 Points! So floral that you think you’re standing in a garden on a summer evening! Underlining deep black-cherry and blueberry fruit. Really fantastic concentration and freshness on the medium-bodied palate. The fine tannins build wonderfully at the simultaneously driving and brilliant finish. Doesn’t want to stop! From 50 to 90-year-old vines in a vineyard with chalky soil, gently sloping towards the east. Limited production. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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97 Points! The Grand Vin 2022 Château Palmer is based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare. It's a deep, unctuous, fabulously textured 2022 that does everything right. Ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, liquid violets, and freshly sharpened pencil notes define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, a remarkable floral character, and a great finish. It's a ripe, opulent, incredibly sexy Palmer that will benefit from a decade of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following 30-40 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! Lots of creme de cassis with cedar, dried flowers, blackberries and dark cherries. Opulent and flamboyant. Full-bodied and layered, this grows with plush, velvety tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Extremely long and attractive in the finish. Well-designed in this ripe year. 51% merlot, 45% cabernet sauvignon, and 4% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The 2022 Palmer was cropped at just 22hL/ha due to the berries being 25-30% smaller than usual. It bursts forth on the nose with precocious black cherries, blueberry, violet and touches of marmalade and tobacco in the background. Complex and expressive. The palate is structured, with the tannic backbone, that winemaker Thomas Duroux talked about, lending this Palmer a sense of verticality. Hints of black pepper emerge with time, multi-layered, a powerful Margaux and yet the IPT is actually lower than elsewhere (76). Quite linear on the tobacco-infused finish, which is just quintessential Palmer. Do reserve a bin in your cellar for this and let it gather dust for at least a decade. 14.4% alcohol. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

98 Points! The 2022 Palmer is a wine of sublime beauty and refinement. Silky, caressing and super-expressive, the 2022 is also one of the most surprising wines of the year in that it does not show the drought or heat of the growing season at all either in its flavor profile or feel. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, spice and dried herbs lend notable complexity throughout. The 2022 starts off rather slow, and then really explodes on the back end. It is a magnificent wine in every way. Drinking window : 2030-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Sharp, energetic, racy and electric. The power and concentration is evident in the dark, rich, concentrated fruit with tannins that grip and take hold with a crushed stone texture, liquorice, graphite, tobacco and cool mint spice. The expression is exceptionally delineated with focus and push from start to finish. Quite bold and charged, but I love the succulence, the perfumed fruit, chalky sensation and overall sense of confidence. In high definition in terms of sharpness and tang to the fruit. A big wine but delivered with poise. 3.79pH. 13% press wine. Harvest took one month from 7 September to 5 October. 70% grand vin, 30% Alter Ego. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

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96 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Really floral on the nose, expressive with ripe red and black fruit, incense perfumed scents and a rich headiness with such aromatic purity. Supple and velvety, round and lively with quite a delicate style here where the focus is on the clarity of the blueberry fruit and the lifted aspects rather than fleshiness or power. Almost understated, a word not often used with Pape. A soft salty, wet stone and chalky aspect on the finish. Definitely fresh with lots of energy here. Elegant and precise with a soft chew on the finish and ripe fruit.”

95–97 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Pape Clément is magnificent. The aromatics alone are captivating. Strong floral and savory notes soar from the glass. Lavender, rose petal, sage, mint and mocha lead into a core of wonderfully vibrant red and purplish fruit. Medium in body and deep, Pape Clément is positively stellar in 2025. The Cabernets and Petit Verdot add tons of aromatic presence.”

95–96 Points – James Suckling
“A linear and very tight red with black currant, blackberry and hazelnut undertones. It's medium- to full-bodied with firm and racy tannins and a savory finish. Lots of tannins, but they are very fine textured and show outstanding length.”

 

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97 Points! Fabulous nose of red fruits, summer flowers and licorice. The very complex interplay of huge fine tannins and richness reminds me of Grand Cru Burgundy, but this has a southerly personality. Great velvety finish that goes on and on. Doesn't want to stop. 80% grenache, 10% mourvedre and 10% cinsault. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

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98 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“Honeyed peach, minty herbs, and flowers all define the 2025 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, a brilliant white based on 64.5% Sauvignon Blanc and 35.5% Sémillon that's being raised in 30% new oak, which is slightly less than in past vintages. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's incredibly pure and focused, with juicy acidity and a great finish. It's an absolutely stunning wine that pretty much stopped me in my tracks. Drink 2026-2050.”

98 Points – James Suckling
“A beautiful nose of lemon rind, gooseberries and minerals. Very subtle meringue as well. Medium-bodied but quite chiseled, linear and zesty, with a saline twist following the minerally finish. 65.3% Sauvignon Blanc and 34.7% Sémillon. Drinkable now, but better from 2027.”

95–97 Points – Wine Advocate
“The La Mission Haut-Brion 2025 Blanc reveals a pure, crystalline bouquet that is both fresh and lightly exotic, with notes of ripe white fruits, jasmine, linden and verbena. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and enveloping, it's layered yet vibrant and built around a fleshy core of fruit, supported by bright acidity and elegant tension. Ethereal and finely detailed, it is remarkable in its ability to retain freshness despite the warmth of the vintage. This is one of the most complete expressions of the wine in recent years, combining both density and brightness, and among the finest white wines produced in Bordeaux this year.”

95–97 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc offers exceptional aromatic definition with citrus peel, white flowers, crushed stone, and orchard fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced with tremendous tension, mineral drive, and a long, saline finish. A superb expression of the estate.”

97–99 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“White peach, lemon curd, flowers, crushed rocks, green apples, and citrus rind explode from the glass. The palate is energetic, vibrant, and loaded with layers of fresh citrus, orchard fruits, and minerality. There is a remarkable purity and sense of precision here, with incredible length and freshness. One of the top white wines of the vintage.”

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99–100 Points – James Suckling
“Intense aromas of sweet tobacco, dark cedar, cigar humidor, mushroom, roses, and wet earth follow through to a medium to full body with firm, velvety tannins and a driven, intense finish. Very structured with bones. Reminds me of Lafite from the 1980s.”

98–100 Points – The Wine Independent (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Lafite Rothschild waltzes out of the glass with flamboyant notes of warm cassis, fresh black plums, and iris, giving way to nuances of star anise, fertile loam, and underbrush, with a touch of black truffles. The light-bodied palate offers an exhilarating texture of silky yet firm tannins with incredible tension and mineral persistence.”

98–100 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous
“The 2025 Lafite-Rothschild possesses a deliriously intoxicating nose with nuanced blackberry, bilberry and estuarine scents, all beautifully defined and seamlessly integrated with the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiselled tannins and extraordinary harmony. A very succinct and refined Lafite-Rothschild.”

97 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“Gorgeous and sculpted, showcasing the ability to remain Lafite through so many differing vintage conditions. Slate and rosebud notes with a sappy and highly drinkable character. One of the smallest yields on record at 27hl/ha.”

96–98 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2025 Château Lafite Rothschild sports a classic, deep ruby hue as well as a complex and classic nose of cassis, spicy wood, tobacco, violets, and graphite. Quintessential Lafite on the palate with class, ripe yet polished tannins, and beautifully integrated acidity.”

95–97 Points – Wine Advocate (William Kelley)
“The 2025 Lafite Rothschild unwinds with a deep and brooding bouquet of dark berries, violets, rose petals and pencil lead. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and layered, with suave tannins, bright acidity and excellent concentration.”

97–99 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Flowers, black currants, cedar, tobacco leaf, graphite, cigar wrappers, and crushed stones define the perfume. The palate is refined, elegant, fresh, and vibrant, with layers of silky fruits, polished tannins, and remarkable purity. One of the wines of the vintage.”

 

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97-99 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

"Showing a depth of color, at first you are almost overwhelmed by the violets, cherries, and tobacco in the perfume. The initial sip shows off its character with elegance, vitality, and purity. Everything is in balance and harmony here. The silk and velvet finish is almost too much of a good thing. Seamless, weightless, and built to age for decades."

96-98 Points Jeb Dunnuck

"Cassis, assorted red and black fruits, spicy wood, tobacco, and graphite all emerge from the 2025 Rauzan-Ségla. Concentrated on the palate, with a pure, layered mouthfeel, flawless balance, and a great finish. Clearly among the finest wines in the appellation and the vintage."

97 Points Decanter

"Gorgeous violet aromas with remarkable fruit purity. Juicy, alive, approachable, and focused, with layers of fine tannins and brightness. Concentrated yet welcoming, carrying exceptional freshness and energy."

97 Points Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

"Sleek, powerful, and filled with energy and uplift. Rose bud and iris flowers, licorice, and black chocolate are wrapped in a beautifully constructed framework that will age effortlessly for decades."

95-97 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous

"Totally seamless in the glass. Dark-toned fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice, menthol, and dried herbs infuse the palate with tremendous textural depth. Polished, supremely elegant tannins support the finish. What a stunner."

95-97 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown

"Perfumed notes of lavender and lilacs lead to fresh black currants, wild blueberries, and black raspberries. Fine-grained texture and lovely freshness support the nuanced fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note."

95-96 Points James Suckling

"Blackberry, dark cherry, and crushed stone notes with a medium to full body, chewy tannins, and a long finish. Juicy and muscular."

94-96 Points Neal Martin, Vinous

"Quintessential Rauzan-Ségla. Pure black fruit laced with violet on the nose, followed by gorgeous caressing fruit, bright acids, and a sorbet-like freshness on the finish. One of the best wines from the estate in recent years."

94-96 Points Wine Advocate

"Opening with notes of cassis, pencil shavings, sweet soil tones, and a deft framing of oak. Bright, layered, vibrant, and concentrated, with fine tannins and a penetrating finish."

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95-97 Points! Not yet bottled, the 2018 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict is still resting in 20% new French oak. Coming from a great site on the southern side of the Sta. Rita Hills, it offers a rocking bouquet of lemon curd, chamomile, toasted bread, spice, and a touch of crushed stone-like flinty minerality. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and elegant on the palate, it's another brilliant wine from this estate. - Jeb Dunnuck Learn More

96-98 Points! Displays potent, mineral-accented dark berry preserve, olive paste and incense aromas that are complemented by floral oil, pipe tobacco and exotic spice flourishes. Chewy, densely packed and sharply focused on the palate, offering intense, spice-laced blackberry, blueberry, bitter cherry, violet pastille and smoky bacon flavors that turn livelier with air. Closes on an emphatic mineral note, with solid thrust, gripping tannins and superb, floral-tinged persistence. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

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97 Points! The 2011 Pluribus is absolutely magnificent. It represents a synthesis of the preceding wines in the range, marrying the freshness of the Melbury with the greater textural resonance found in the other Cabernets. This site, which is at elevation on Spring Mountain, benefitted from more favorable conditions than vineyards on the valley floor. The result is a distinctive, potent Cabernet Sauvignon that is has aged impeccably and is in the zone today. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, 2021

 

 

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98 Points! Wild blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco and dark spice on the nose. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins and a creamy texture. Intense, yet restrained and refined, with a solid core of dark berries and bitter chocolate. Really focused and crafted with exemplary Napa cabernet character. Try from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 90% new French oak. It’s a beautiful wine that shows the vintage’s pure, elegant, yet concentrated style perfectly. Gorgeous crème de cassis, violets, blueberries, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the glass, and this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a lively, pure, layered texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-25 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is every bit as impressive today as it was last year. It might very well be the finest Private Reserve I have ever tasted. More than anything else, the 2018 impresses with its energy and total sense of finesse. It's a wine that marries power with vibrancy in grand style. As always, most of the fruit is sourced from Beringer's ranches on Howell Mountain. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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95–97 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Flowers, mint, black cherries, forest leaves, and licorice are at play in the aromatic profile. The palate is vibrant, expressive, and mineral-driven. The wine has freshness, length, and complexity. The finish packs in herbs, pepper, cherries, plums, and chocolate with a refreshing, minty edge on the backend.”

94–96 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“Deep purple-hued with a beautiful limestone character, the 2025 Château Poesia reveals plums, black raspberries, and liquid violet nuances on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, with a deep, layered, pure mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Another incredibly complete, balanced, satisfying Saint-Emilion.”

94–96 Points – The Wine Independent (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)
“The 2025 Poesia springs from the glass with vibrant notes of blueberries, fresh blackberries, and ripe plums, followed by hints of lilacs, bergamot, and fertile loam. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet and refreshing with fine-grained tannins and intense blue and black fruit layers, finishing long and chalky.”

94–96 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Poesia is stellar. Limestone soils on a cooler terroir, along with a higher presence of Cabernet Franc, yield a Saint-Émilion that blends richness and saline-infused energy. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, crushed rocks, sage and mint race across the palate.”

 

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97 Points! The 2019 Au Sommet Cabernet Sauvignon is magnificent. A classic mountain wine, the 2019 offers up an exciting mix of dark fruit, gravel, graphite, savory herbs, chocolate and menthol. The bouquet alone is mesmerizing, but there is plenty of fruit depth, complexity and overall structure, too. Quite simply, the 2019 is one of the best wines I have tasted from John Schwartz's Atlas Peak estate. Sadly, there is no 2018 or 2020. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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97 Points! From the Solomon Hills Vineyard, not far from Bien Nacido, and brought up 17 months in 65% new French oak, the 2023 Pinot Noir Suerte is slightly deep ruby/plum-hued and shows spicy black cherries, black tea, orange blossom, and forest floor notes. It's incredibly complex and layered, medium-bodied on the palate, with a pure, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and some classic Santa Maria salinity on the finish. It too will keep for a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

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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

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