Search results for: 'Opus One 2015'
- Clos Margalaine Margaux 2015JD91JS93$32.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! Aromas of blackcurrants and spices with blueberry undertones. Full body and round and juicy tannins. Layered and very pretty. Gorgeous texture. Needs two or three years to come around. A beauty. - James Suckling, 2/2/18HURRY, ONLY 1 LEFT!
- Musso Barbaresco Riserva Pora 2015WA93$59.98Availability:In Stock
93 Points! The Musso 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Pora offers hints of dried cherry and dark fruit with dustings of sweet pipe tobacco. The wine is streamlined and elegant in terms of mouthfeel, although the bouquet is a notch richer and more concentrated in this warm vintage. One noticeable thing about this Riserva Pora is how soft and integrated the tannins are. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com
Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 5 LEFT! - Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Cubillo Crianza 2015WA93$22.98Availability:In Stock
93 Points! The 2015 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza reflects the warmer conditions of the year, and with the riper fruit they picked to produce this wine, they still managed to keep around 13.5% alcohol. The Cubillo vineyard has more clay, and sometimes clay soils take heat better and make the wines fresher than those from poorer soils. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com
Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 12 LEFT! - Pertimali di Livio Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino Mulino 2015JS94VM93$84.98Availability:In Stock
93 Points! This is the first vintage of the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Mulino from Pertimali, a lower-elevation cru that’s noted for the high level of marine fossils found in its soils. Here I find a classic display of dried roses, black cherry, dusty earth and freshly-tanned leather. It envelopes the palate in fleshy textures offset by a mix of tart wild berries, zesty acids and savory spice, as building tension puckers the cheeks, seeding them with fine-grained tannins. This comes across as structured yet remarkably balanced, and it’s a beautiful expression of the vintage. Lose your bottles in the cellar for two to three years, and then reap the rewards. -
Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 12 LEFT! - Domaine Cabirau Maury Sec First Things First 2015 1.5L MagnumJD94WA93Special Price $49.98 Regular Price $99.98Availability:In Stock94 Points! The first vintage of the new flagship 2015 Maury Sec First Things First is a parcel selection and a blend of 60% Grenache, 22% Carignan and 18% Syrah that spent just under two years in foudre. Another brilliant wine from this estate, it showed brilliantly from barrel and now from bottle. Black raspberries, dried flowers, exotic spice, and candied orange blossom all flow to a medium to full-bodied, spicy, elegant, seamless beauty that has building tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. It needs a decant if drinking anytime soon and will be even better with another year in bottle. - Jeb DunnuckLearn More
- Marojallia Margaux 2015WS93JD93JS92NM92VM93$49.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! Lush and warm, with captivating blackberry, boysenberry and raspberry compote flavors gliding over a polished structure. Bright violet and lilac notes flash through the finish, which is scored with anise and toasted apple wood details. A beautiful display of fruit. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 2018Learn More
- Leoville Barton Saint Julien 2022 Pre-ArrivalJD94-96+JS95-96WA96-97+VM93-95$89.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96-98 Points! With waves of sweet, perfectly ripe, luscious blackberries, you also find cassis, black cherries, creamy tannins, cigar box, lead pencil, and spice. The wine is deep in color with intensity, layers of fruit, and a finish that takes hold of your palate, and doesn't want to let go, leaving you with fruit that builds and resonates. The wine is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 14.1% ABV. The harvest took place September 8 - September 23. The yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2028-2060. - Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider
96-97+ Points! One of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spices and tobacco leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's vibrant, pure and seamless, with beautifully classy tannins and a long, penetrating finish. The 2022 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc; and it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements which translate into enhanced purity and precision. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
95-97 Points! The 2022 Leoville Barton is composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot, and 5.5% Cabernet Franc, ageing in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, the glass needs quite a lot of swirling to bring out evocative notes of black currant jelly, boysenberry preserves, and juicy plums, plus suggestions of pencil shavings, lilacs, crushed rocks, and cinnamon toast. The elegantly styled, medium to full-bodied palate is very tightly wound with layer upon layer of black fruits and earthy nuances, framed by super-ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and minerally. It will likely require some patience, but it promises to be a knock-out. Yields this year were 30 hectoliters per hectare, which isn’t too bad considering how tiny the berries were this year. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
HURRY, ONLY 7 LEFT! - Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon Luis Pereira 2012DEC95WA93Special Price $69.98 Regular Price $99.98Availability:In Stock93 Points! The top Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine they have been working on for years, was finally ready to taste. In fact, they showed me two vintages, including this older one. The 2012 Luis Pereira is a wine that wants to go back to the style of yesteryear. It has a medium body, with moderate alcohol (12.8%, which is very unusual in Chile nowadays), more about elegance than power, with smoky notes of merken spices and cured meat, already developing some aromatic complexity. It's produced with grapes from 70-year-old vines, and it fermented with indigenous yeasts. It aged in used barriques for one year and then a further year in large oak foudres. This is a stunning Cabernet Sauvignon—serious, balanced and very fresh. 6,600 bottles were filled in April 2015. This has both the balance and the stuffing to develop in bottle for a long time. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 6 LEFT!
- Labegorce Margaux 2019JD94NM94VM94$34.98Availability:In Stock
94 Points! The 2019 Labégorce was the first vintage vinified in the new cellar and also the first to use Cabernet Franc from the north part of the appellation, on more limestone soils, a massal selection from an organic producer in the south of France. Matured in 40% new oak, this has a voluminous, multifaceted bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and perhaps more rose petal than violet at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, very well balanced, and a little spicier than I found from barrel, leading to a detailed, tensile finish. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
94 Points! Gorgeous notes of red, blue, and black fruits as well as sandalwood, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spicy notes emerge from the 2019 Château Labégorce, one of the richer, more opulent, and straight-up sexy wines in the vintage. A blend of 46% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all raised in 40% new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, has beautifully integrated oak, a stacked mid-palate, and one heck of a great finish. Drink this rich, sensationally textured Margaux any time over the coming two decades. It’s unquestionably in the same league as the 2015, 2016, and 2018. - Jeb Dunnuck
- L'Evangile Pomerol 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC97JD95-97JS96-97WA95-97VM95-97$285.00Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-97 Points! Given the young average age of this estate's vineyards, its well-draining soils and the extreme vintage, I was a little apprehensive; but the technical team evidently took the conditions in their stride, harvesting the east-facing side of the vines (which sees the hottest afternoon sun) four days earlier. The resulting 2022 L'Evangile is beautiful, offering up aromas of raspberries, vine smoke, black truffles, violets and gravely soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, it's seamless and polished, with a bright core of fruit and powdery tannins that temper 2022's inherent sweetness of fruit to sophisticated effect. At this early stage, it appears that the estate's progress with regards to élevage continues too, as Evangile's creamy oak signature is much released, allowing the fruit—and this superb terroir—to take center stage. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
95-97 Points! The 2022 L'Evangile was picked at 30hL/ha. It is aged in 50% new oak sourced from four coopers plus two recently introduced foudres. There are similarities with neighboring Cheval Blanc on the nose as if it's holding something back in a good way. Beautifully defined, dark berry fruit, crushed stone and bay leaf aromas are succinct and not showy. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, velvety entry. There's plenty of rondeur, nicely judged acidity, pliant tannins (more than Cheval Blanc?) and pure with a dab of white pepper and clove. Classic in style. A touch of desiccated orange rind appears on the aftertaste that was apparently there during the fermentation. Very harmonious on the finish. This is a lovely, discrete Pomerol from an estate moving in the right direction - fast. 14.3% alcohol. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
95-97 Points! The 2022 L'Évangile is seriously impressive right out of the gate, dark, rich and enveloping. Dark-fleshed fruit, mocha, spice, leather and a kiss of new oak race across the palate. Texturally, the 2022 is gorgeous. One of the recent changes here (since the 2021 vintage) has been a reduction of wine that undergoes malolactic in barrel, from 100% down to 60-70%. More than anything, the 2022 impresses with its gorgeous inner sweetness and exceptional balance. In short, the 2022 is a classic Évangile. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96-97 Points! Fresh, wonderfully refined and gorgeously polished and long, with very fine tannins. Medium to full body. Crunchy fruit and chocolate, hazelnut and spice. Exciting to see how this tensioned beauty will evolve. Wonderful clarity. - James Suckling
97 Points! Savoury notes on the nose, liquorice, cinnamon, spicy pepper with fragranced blackcurrant and black cherry and strawberry. Appealing juicines and fresh acidity, not at all sharp, but chalky balanced by a sleek frame, giving power and concentration but refreshing too with a crisp, wet stone bite that immediately offsets the acidity and fruit intensity. Doesn’t immediately shine out of the glass, this is more shy and calm. Definitely more straight and almost light in terms of expression (most of the power, opulence and oomph has gone into Blason), but this is extremely well made. So well constructed and delivered, just toned down, less shouty, more sophisticated, one to watch and will age wonderfully. 3.82pH. Ageing 10% foudre, 15% amphora, 50% new oak and the rest in one year barrels. A yield of 28hl/ha. Harvest 29 August - 14 September. - Decanter.com
95-97 Points! The Grand Vin checks in as 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 50% new oak, 15% in amphora, 10% in foudre, and the rest in used barrels. It has another level of purity and class, with ripe red and black cherries, leafy herbs, truffle, and spice-driven aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Pomerol offering beautiful tannins, a silky, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. Hitting 14.2% alcohol, with a pH of 3.84 and an IPT of 75, this classy, balanced Pomerol shines for its purity and finesse, and it should blossom with just short-term cellaring. - Jeb Dunnuck
91-93 Points! Tobacco leaves, cedar, black cherries, smoke, and spice are what you find in the nose. The palate enjoys loads of soft, sweet, ripe, dark pit fruits with polish, lift, round, soft fruits on the mid-palate, and in the fruity finish, with a touch of cocoa in the endnotes. The wine blends 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2037. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
HURRY, ONLY 8 LEFT! - Echo de Lynch Bages Pauillac 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC93JD92-94JS93-94VM91-93, 90-92$48.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
93-94 Points! Crushed stone and lead pencil with blackcurrants. Full-bodied. Chewy and flavorful. Structured. Baby Lynch. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. - James Suckling
92-94 Points! The second wine of Lynch Bages is the 2022 Echo De Lynch-Bages, a ripe, medium to full-bodied, structured beauty with a kiss of classic Lynch Bages richness and depth. Cassis, black raspberries, graphite, dried flowers, and hints of chocolate all define the aromatics, and it has ripe, fine tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. - Jeb Dunnuck
93 Points! Blue fruits, subtle perfume, a juicy blackcurrant and stony minerality on the nose. Supple and juicy, a real sense of fun with detail to the fine tannins. Well balanced, gorgeous texture, depth and characterful. A great second wine still with terroir markers, a salty finish, chalky texture and grippy tannins. Still concentrated and serious, there’s an intensity to the fruit but really well delivered. Will be a beauty. 91 IPT. 3.69pH. Ageing 14 months, new and one year old oak barrels. 3.9 g/L total acidity. 91 IPT. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
91-93 Points! The 2022 Echo de Lynch Bages is a powerhouse. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, leather, dark chocolate, licorice and incense saturate the palate with notable richness. This is one of the most opulent, flamboyant Echos I can remember tasting. It will be interesting to see if some of the brooding intensity softens over time. Drinking window : 2025-2037 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
90-92 Points! The 2022 Echo de Lynch Bages, aged for 14 months in one-year-old oak, has a slightly timid nose at first. Very pure blueberry and cassis fruit emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity, quite compact on the mid-palate with a touch of pencil lead toward the finish. This is a fine, quite sturdy Deuxieme Vin that will need 4-5 years. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
Learn More - Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse Saint Emilion 2020 Pre-ArrivalDEC97JD100JS97WA94+VM97JA98TWI98$140.98Availability:In Stock
100 Points! The 2020 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse), made mostly by the team of Nicolas Thienpont (the final blend was put together by Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse), is another tour de force from this incredible terroir, and undeniably one of the wines of the vintage. Based on 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, it offers a sensationally pure bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, scorched earth, graphite, and a dense, smoky, floral character that emerges with time in the glass. With a voluptuous, layered mouthfeel, gorgeous mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a liqueur of mineral-like character on the finish, it shows the density, purity, precision, and vibrancy of this vintage perfectly and displays that rare mix of richness, intensity, elegance, and length that are the hallmarks of a truly great wine. This is unquestionably in the ranks of the 2009, 2010, and 2016 and will evolve for 40 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points! Intense but delicate, really an exciting wine to taste where you feel the energy build through the palate. Unmistakable limestone influence with the floral aromatics, a jumble of peony, roses and violets, opening up to brambled raspberry and loganberry fruits, with fennel, oyster shell and slate. Huge ageing potential. Cabernet Sauvignon rather than Cabernet Franc in this blend, just one of the many ways in which it stands out from its peers even on the limestone plateau of St Emilion, its delicacy suggesting it is one of the most Burgundian of Bordeaux wines. This vintage was overseen during the growing season and vinification by the team under Nicolas Thienpont, but given its final blend and ageing by new co-owner Josephine Duffau-Lagarosse, along with Prisca Courtin-Clarins. - Jane Anson
Learn More - Haut Bailly Pessac Leognan 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC96JD98-100JS97-98WA94-96VM96-98, 93-96TWI96-98$155.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98-100 Points! The 2022 Château Haut-Bailly is going to be one of the legendary vintages at this château, and it should be a no-brainer purchase for readers. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has an incredible perfume of cassis, ripe black cherries, crushed stone, smoke tobacco, and wood smoke. Earning more than a few expletives in my notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and ultra-fine, silky tannins. Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen, this is an incredible wine in the making! - Jeb Dunnuck
98-100 Points! Initially, you find a display of flowers before moving on to all of its cigar wrapper, spice, blackberry, currant, black cherry, smoke, and hints of forest leaf in the perfume. Deeply concentrated, vibrant, and refined, the palate is packed with multiple-layers of perfectly, ripe, red fruits, a fabulous sense of purity, silky, soft, polished tannins, and ample lift in the finish, providing the backdrop to age, and evolve for decades. The wine blends 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Petit Verdot. 14.5% ABV, pH 3.92. Picking took place September 7 - September 27. The yields were only 30 hectoliters per hectare. This is in serious contention as the best vintage ever produced at Haut Bailly. Drink from 2027-2060. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
97-98 Points! Incredible complexity of aromas here with ripe currants and blackberries, but also dried flowers like violets and roses. Then there’s forest flower character such as bark, mushroom and sandalwood. Black truffles. Full-bodied with tight and chewy tannins that are polished and pure, with a solid and tight finish. It builds on your palate and frames the wine beautifully. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. - James Suckling
96-98 Points! The 2022 Haut-Bailly was picked between 7 and 27 September and underwent a four-week cuvaison, taking longer to consume the sugar and was matured in 50% new oak. It has a bouquet that compels you just to sit and contemplate. It gradually unfolds with blackberry, raspberry, potpourri and iris flower scents, well-defined, not showy but suave. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Minerals, black pepper and clove off a gentle grip with an impressive crescendo. It will need a decade in bottle. This Haut-Bailly has a haunting beauty, the kind of wine that will bring people to tears! - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
96-98 Points! A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Haut-Bailly is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a fair bit of swirling to bring out fragrant notes of kirsch, warm cassis, black raspberries, and underbrush, followed by hints of star anise, peonies, graphite, and wood smoke. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with ripe, expressive black fruit and earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and minerally. pH 3.92. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
94-96 Points! The 2022 Haut-Bailly offers up aromas of dark berries complemented by accents of iris, lilac, rose petals, graphite and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, dense, it's layered and textural, with a deep core of fruit, powdery tannins and a penetrating, saline finish. Vinified along traditional lines, it is a structured wine that will take some time to hit its stride, but at this early stage it appears suppler and more seamless than its 2020 and 2019 predecessors. A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc from grapes picked from September 7 to 27, it's maturing half in new barriques and half in one- or two-year-old barrels. - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
93-96 Points! The 2022 Haut-Bailly is dark and quite brooding in bearing. The natural intensity of small grapes comes through in the wine’s dark fruit and firm, imposing tannins. Black cherry, gravel, cloves, cured meats, licorice, incense and charcoal embers add to an impression of virile thrust. I imagine the 2022 will take some time to come together, as the tannins are pretty forbidding at this stage. Drinking window : 2030-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points! Fragranced nose, purple fruits, blackcurrants, juniper, liquorice, crushed stones, salt, violets, roses, dark chocolate and cherries - perfumed, alive and expressive. Smooth, but generous with crunchy fruit and salty touches that come in and coat the super fine tannins with a powdery sensation that really fills the mouth. Nice terroir aspects, smooth, well textured and elegantly weighted. Gives dark fruit, subtle savoury tones with dark chocolate and herbal aspects giving nuance. Excellent length and freshness, it's graceful but almost a bit light in terms of fruit density and plushness - although the tannins are exceptional, really so sleek and silky with definition and detail. Feels well worked, gentle, confident and shiny. It's missing a touch more excitement and juicy liveliness but it’s extremely finessed and you can't fault the attention to detail of the tannins and the moreish quality they give. Great potential. 3.92pH. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 30hl/ha. Consultants Christophe Olivier and Axel Marchal. Harvest 7-27 September. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
- Pape Clément Pessac Leognan 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC95JD96-98JS97-98WA92-94VM94-96, 93-96TWI95-97$84.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
97-98 Points! This is a very structured 2022 with powerful tannins that run the length of the wine. Yet it’s perfumed and fresh with flowers and subtle undertones of stone. Pure. It’s full but not heavy with backbone and structure. Lots of crushed stone and currants. One of the most transparent you Pape’s I have tasted. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon. - James Suckling
96-98+ Points! A full-bodied, concentrated, awesome Pessac, the 2022 Château Pape Clément offers up loads of spiced red and black fruits, some leafy tobacco, gravelly earth, and graphite aromatics, building, ripe, polished tannins, and a stacked mid-palate. Beautifully done, with remarkable purity and a great finish, it's going to rank with the crème de la crème of the vintage and is well worth seeking out. - Jeb Dunnuck
96-98 Points! Dark, almost opaque in color, the wine grabs your attention with its showy display of flowers, cinnamon, chocolate, spice, tobacco, blackberries, and black cherries in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is rich, lush, sweet, deep, and intense. There is a wealth of flavor in the black cherries, white pepper, dark chocolate, and espresso on the palate. The endnote sticks for almost 50 seconds, delivering a peppery, orange rind, refreshing note in the finish. The wine blends 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% ABV, 3.6 pH. The harvest took place September 7 - September 28. Yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2026-2055. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
95 Points! Focussed and charming, good weight and depth, the tannins come into play almost straight away coating the mouth in fine but plump, fleshy black fruit with cool blue fruit touches and high acidity giving a different, lighter nuance. Well made, with good definition. Not as lively as some, but has supreme complexity and shine, everything feels well worked with touches of oak, liquorice spice and clove that dot the palate. Strong and serious but confident and controlled. A thoroughbred. Tightly knitted but still showing glamour. Harvest 7-27 September. Bee friendly, HVE3 certified. Celebrating 770 vintages in 2022. Michel Rolland and Julien Viaud consultants. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
95-97 Points! The 2022 Pape Clement is composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with a yield of 35 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little subdued to begin, soon unfurling to offer evocative notes of baked blackberries, boysenberry preserves, and plum pudding, followed by wafts of cassis, violets, cedar chest, and cumin seed. The full-bodied palate is rich and impactful, delivering layers of bright black cherries and baking spices with a lively backbone and fine-grained tannins, finishing long and energetic. pH 3.70. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
94-96 Points! The 2022 Pape Clément was picked 7-27 September at 35hL/ha, aged in 60% new oak. It has quite an open and expressive bouquet at this stage, with blackcurrant and bilberry scents. A more sensual Pape Clément perhaps, the oak is neatly integrated. Black olives emerge with time, hints of sea spray - this is certainly a wine you have to stay with. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Layers of black fruit laced with graphite and cedar, rending this 2022 quite Pauillac-like in style. Nicely controlled on the finish, this is a Pape Clément with breeding. Tasted four times. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
93-96 Points! The 2022 Pape Clement is shaping up to be a gem. Deep, pliant and layered in the glass, the 2022 possesses notable energy and vibrancy to play off its core of rich, sumptuous fruit. Soft, plush contours wrap it all together. Time in the glass brings out notable energy, especially as the mid-palate opens into the gorgeous, palate-staining finish. The 2022 is unusual in that it is 60% Merlot, rather than the more typical blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted three times. Drinking window : 2030-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
92-94 Points! Revealing aromas of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers and toasty new oak, the 2022 Pape Clément is full-bodied, broad and textural, with a rich, layered core of super-ripe fruit framed by liberally extracted tannins that assert themselves on the firm, lavishly oaky finish. This is a flamboyant, unabashedly modern-styled Pape Clément that will need several years in the cellar to blossom. It's a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Learn MoreHURRY, ONLY 11 LEFT! - Laroque Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-ArrivalJD95-97JS93-94WA93-95VM92-94TWI94-96$35.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-97 Points! Clearly one of the new superstars in the appellation, Château Laroque is located on the cooler, eastern edge of Saint-Emilion and consists of pure, classic upper plateau limestone soils. The estate covers a whopping 54 hectares, which gives director Davie Suire ample flexibility when putting together the Grand Vin. Looking at the 2022 Laroque, it's a blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare, representing just 45% of the total production, and it will spend 16-18 months in 50% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a classic Saint-Emilion bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has incredible purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It’s unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this chateau that readers will love. - Jeb Dunnuck
94-96 Points! Showing a dark hue, the wine is all about its perfect balance between intensity, concentration, freshness, and elegance. The red pit fruits are sweet, refined, pure, and supple. The finish is long, creamy, pure and while powerful, it is elegant as well, leaving you with a saltiness on the backend, providing lift and precision. The wine was made with 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, 14.55% ABV. Drink from 2026-2045. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
93-95 Points! Another impressive performance from this estate, the 2022 Laroque offers up aromas of sweet berries, violets, iris and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered palate with a rich core of fruit that's framed by lively acids, concluding with a taut, chalky finish. Once again, it's the result of a strict selection that sees only 45% of the production released as the grand vin. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
93-94 Points! A very classic Bordeaux with medium to full body, firm tannins and crunchy character, with a linear nature. Currants and blackberries. Sandalwood, too. Fresh. - James Suckling
92-94 Points! The 2022 Laroque is bright, focused and full of energy. In this vintage, Laroque is especially refined. Dark plum, graphite, licorice, spice, lavender and mocha are nicely laced together in this gracious, finely cut Saint-Emilion. Bright saline accents lend notable brightness throughout. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
- Du Tertre Margaux 2022 Pre-ArrivalJD92-94JS95-96WA92-94VM90-92TWI91-93$44.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-96 Points! This is really clear and bright. Medium- to full-bodied with a solid tannin structure. Tight layers of phenolics to this. Racy and long finish. Firm and focused. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 23% cabernet franc, 15% merlot and 5% petit verdot. - James Suckling
92-94 Points! A big, raw, exuberant, incredibly promising barrel sample, the 2022 Château Du Tertre reveals a vivid purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, spring flowers, and graphite. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot, this terrific Margaux has fine tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish. The cellar will be your friend here. - Jeb Dunnuck
92-94 Points! Flowers, espresso, black cherries, mint, cocoa and plums come through in the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, supple and fresh. The fruits are ripe, creamy and sweet, with balancing acidity, elegance and refinement. Drink from 2026-2045. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
92-94 Points! The 2022 du Tertre unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice, vine smoke and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate of uncommon depth and concentration that nevertheless retains all the estate's signature elegance. Polished and supple, it's a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, which more or less represents this estate's varietal breakdown after its extensive replanting program is complete. This looks likely to emerge as the finest du Tertre in several decades, and it is sure to be one of the better values of the en primeur campaign. 92 - 94+ - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
HURRY, ONLY 8 LEFT! - Beychevelle Saint Julien 2022 Pre-ArrivalJD95-97JS94-95WA92-94VM94-96TWI94-96$96.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-97 Points! I was able to taste the 2022 Château Beychevelle on multiple occasions, and it never failed to impress me. Based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that will see 18 months in 70% new oak, it's one of those wines that makes you stop and say "wow" due to its purity, depth, and texture. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as lots of blueberry and black cherry fruits, it's full-bodied and has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, building yet gorgeous tannins, and subtle background notes of crushed violets, flowers, and graphite. This is a sensational effort from director Philippe Blanc. - Jeb Dunnuck
94-96 Points! The 2022 Beychevelle is fabulous. In most recent vintages Beychevelle has been a flamboyant, extravagant Saint-Julien, but in 2022 is its surprisingly vibrant and fresh, almost shockingly so. Ripe red cherry/plum fruit, blood orange, rose petal and spice are all beautifully delineated. More than anything, I admire the wine’s freshness and drive, qualities that have not often been present in recent vintages. That makes the 2022 one of my favorite recent vintages here. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
94-96 Points! A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Beychevelle has a TPI of 78 and a pH of 3.8. It is deep garnet-purple in color and needs a swirl or two to wake up pronounced notes of crème de cassis, plum preserves, and Morello cherries, giving way to nuances of candied violets, Darjeeling tea, and dark chocolate. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely laden with layers of black fruit preserves, supported by fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long with a mineral lift. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
94-95 Points! The tannins are very well-integrated with lovely bright fruit of currants and blackberries. Medium to full body. Vivid and pretty. 54% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 4% petit verdot. - James Suckling
- Grand Mayne Saint Emilion 2020DEC93JD94NM94TWI94$42.98Availability:In Stock
94 Points! I loved the 2020 Château Grand Mayne. This medium to full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly satisfying Saint-Emilion offers up ample mulled red and black fruits, some loamy earth, iron, and dried flower nuances, ripe tannins, and plenty of mid-palate depth. I still think the 2015 is the top vintage, but this is clearly in the same league as the 2015, 2018, and 2019, and it's going to drink brilliantly over the coming 15-20 years. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
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94 Points! The 2020 Grand Mayne is a blend of 73% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with cedary wafts over a core of stewed black plums, boysenberry preserves, and Chinese five spice, plus a hint of unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a solid backbone of chewy, oak-inspired tannins with a great core of black fruits and savory layers, finishing a little woody at this youthful stage. It needs time! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent - Fleur Cardinale Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-ArrivalDEC94JD94-96JS95-96VM90-92TWI93-95$46.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
95-96 Points! Plenty of ripe berry and currant character with some freshly cut black cherries. Hints of chocolate. Medium body with firm tannins and a flavorful finish. Yet all in reserve. Crunchy. - James Suckling
94-96 Points! One of the finest vintages to date for this estate, possibly eclipsing the 2016, the 2022 Château Fleur Cardinale offers a medium to full-bodied, seamless, incredibly elegant and balanced profile that brings beautiful richness in its ripe black raspberry and cassis fruits as well as some spicy, floral, and herbal nuances. Balanced and nicely concentrated, with ripe tannins, it does everything right in the vintage. (Tasted two times.) - Jeb Dunnuck
94-96 Points! Dark in color, the wine is rich, concentrated, dense, lush, and packed with toasty oak, black plums, licorice, and espresso. Sweet, long, and round, with a chocolate covered black cherry filled finish. The blend is 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. All that extra Cabernet really makes a difference adding more freshness, complexity, and individuality. Drink from 2025-2042. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
93-95 Points! The 2022 Fleur Cardinale is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out with energetic notes of stewed black plums, kirsch, and blackberry pie, followed by wafts of violets, dark chocolate, and star anise. The full-bodied palate is concentrated, packed with black fruit preserves, and framed by ripe, rounded tannins, finishing long and with just enough freshness. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
94 Points! Full and concentrated in the mouth, beautifully intense blackcurrant and black cherry fruit with quite impressive and imposing tannins that coat the mouth though with cool blue fruits and wet stones giving freshness and minerality. Nie sense of style, a little compact right now, but there's a juicy centre and the tannins have a lovely texture. Will be nicely filling and enjoyable when ready, still with clean edges and very precise sculpting. Harvest 19-30 September. Yield of 38hl/ha. 3.68pH. Ageing for 12-14 months in French oak, 72% new. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
90-92 Points! The 2022 Fleur Cardinale has an opulent bouquet with kirsch, blackcurrant and cedar scents. Blue fruit emerges with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, slightly candied entry, dry tannins and an earthy finish. Like some other Saint-Émilion wines this year, it needs more brightness and, perhaps perversely, is missing the charm of the previous vintage. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
90-92 Points! The 2022 Fleur Cardinale is soft, open and forthcoming. Dark fruit, chocolate, sweet spice, leather and licorice all open nicely. There's good depth but less in the way of energy or excitement. All the elements are very well balanced. Perhaps I caught this on a quiet day. Tasted two times. Drinking window : 2027-2037 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
Learn More - Marquis d'Alesme Margaux 2023 Pre-ArrivalVM93-95JA94TWI92-94$39.98Availability:In Stock
PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
93-95 Points! The 2023 Marquis d'Alesme is impressive. Raspberry jam, blood orange, white flowers, mint and lavender abound. Silky, elegant tannins wrap it all together in style. A closing burst of bright acids and lifted floral notes lends the last kick of resonance. Classy, elegant and polished, the 2023 is one of the best recent editions I have encountered. Tasted two times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
94 Points! Grip and tension, with tomato leaf, peony, lemongrass, slate, pummice stone, spiced plum and damson fruit, not the ink of the Cabernet in the northern Médoc, but caressing and full of fragrant pleasure. 45% new oak for ageing, and proof again that this estate is becoming one of the quiet scene-stealers of the Margaux appellation. - Jane Anson
92-94 Points! The 2023 Marquis d'Alesme is deep garnet-purple in color. Fragrant notions of rose oil, fresh raspberries, redcurrant preserves, and kirsch slowly emerge from the glass, leading to notes of iris, tilled soil, and underbrush. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers tight-knit red berry flavors with a grainy texture and lively line of acidity, finishing on a compelling floral tea note. This is a very pretty wine. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, with pH 3.60. It is aging in oak barrels, 45% new. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
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