Wines

98 Points! The flagship 2022 Château Rauzan-Ségla checks in as 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, all aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. It's much more focused and precise compared to the second wine and has brilliant aromatics of crème de cassis, crushed violets, graphite, and smoky oak. Gorgeously concentrated and full-bodied, with riveting purity and precision, this stunning Margaux has ripe yet building tannins, a terrific mid-palate, and flawless overall balance. I love it today yet 7-8 years of cellar are warranted and it will cruise over the following 3-4 decades in cold cellars. It's another sensational wine from this estate. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with walnuts and hints of tar that follow through to a medium to full body with plush and velvety tannins and a lovely, caressing mouthfeel. It closes up at the end. Extremely long, pure and structured. Classic 72% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot and 2% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com

97-99 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Rauzan-Segla is made from 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aging for 18 months in French oak, 50% of it new. A little swirling unleashes an explosion of black and red currant jelly, wild blueberries, and chocolate-covered cherries, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of violets, underbrush, and crushed rocks with a touch of star anise. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house and crafted like a Chanel suit, with a firm backbone of super-ripe, grainy tannins and impressive tension supporting a gorgeous array of floral, spice, and black fruit layers, finishing very long and with impeccable grace. pH 3.7. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

97+ Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is a classy, elegant wine. Even so, the 2022 very clearly lacks the immediacy of some surrounding vintages. Readers should be prepared to cellar this for a number of years The mid-weight, gracious presence of Rauzan-Ségla is very much present, and yet the tannins are pretty imposing. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, graphite and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in the glass. The 2022 is pure and total sophistication. This is a wine that may very well have more to say in the future. Tasted four times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

97 Points! Heady floral aromatics and vibrant black fruit. Gorgeous succulence and energy. It's not shouting, not too high in acidity or too fleshy, but a great combination of plush and filling tannins, cool blue fruit, ripe red fruit, crystalline minerality and subtle spices. Smooth and clean, elegant and confident. Approachable with detail and finesse to the elements. Juicy, bright, clean, seductive, powerful, captivating – utterly satisfying. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

96 Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is showing well in bottle, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with licorice, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, it's suave and seamless, with its dense core of fruit framed by powdery structuring tannins that lend a more evident backbone than it exhibited en primeur. As readers may remember, the 2022 is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot; and in 2022, the east-facing sides of the vines, which see the afternoon sun, were picked separately, along with anything that showed signs of stress. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

96 Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla was picked 2 to 28 September at 30hL/ha and matured for 18 months in 50% new oak. Nicolas Audebert told me that it contains 17% vin de presse which is slightly higher than normal, a combination of 150 separate vinifications. This has a very opulent bouquet with layers of black cherries, créme de cassis and violets. Perhaps just a little too decadent? The palate is medium-bodied with fine balance, grainy tannins, very pure and focused with quite a minerally finish. Long in the mouth. It's just missing that knockout blow at the moment, yet it's still a supremely well-crafted Margaux. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

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."

98 Points! Lastly, the 2021 The Bard checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. This beauty has a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, chalky minerality, and violets. This carries to a full-bodied, seamless, silky, flawlessly balanced effort revealing fine tannins, a good sense of freshness, and a thrilling finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! The purity of fruit here is impressive with blackcurrants, bark and black mushrooms. Full-bodied but light-footed and fresh with integrated tannins that melt into the wine. Real transparency and focus. 83% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, 6% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot and 1% petite sirah. So drinkable but can age as well. - James Suckling

100 Points! A full-bodied, structured red with blackcurrant, violet, dark-chocolate and burnt-orange aromas. Walnut husk, too. Such precision and elegance. Firm, smooth tannins and a long finish. Really complex at the end. A stunning wine from Stags Leap District. Drink from 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

98+ Points! From the estate property around the new winery in Stags Leap, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Moonracer (there are normally small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc in the blend) offers a glorious Napa Cabernet nose of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, dried flowers, and chocolate that develops beautifully with time in the glass. It doesn't lose a beat on the palate either and is full-bodied, with a layered, focused texture, building structure, and a great, great finish. It's a serious, age-worthy wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age yet will evolve like a First Growth from Bordeaux. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points, Wine Spectator's #3 Wine of the Year 2025! Deeply structured and full of tension, this polished red displays a distinctive personality, offering bold blackberry flavors accented with savory anise, black pepper and dark Asian spices. Ends with big but refined tannins. Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Alicante Bouschet and Mataro. Drink now through 2035. - Wine Spectator

98 Points! Blending 76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro from an estate vineyard in Dry Creek Valley purchased in 1972, the 2023 Zinfandel Lytton Springs exhibits initial chewiness that leads to fine tannins, with a good heft and underlying acidity. Well-woven oak supports a moderately ripe, medium-bodied frame of structured elegance, aged in 100% air-dried American oak. Enjoy now through 2033. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! A much cooler growing season delayed the start of harvest by about a month, resulting in a wine with greater restraint than the previous vintage. The 2023 is a more elegant take on this wine, with less fruit intensity, but still unmistakably Ridge. Fresh aromas of herbs from a bouquet garni mix with earthy tones and subtle sweet notes from baking spices. The fruit profile oscillates between ripe red and black berries, with a touch of plums and ripe cherries. Tannins are firm yet polished, and there's a soft creaminess to the palate. A wine that is balanced and quite enjoyable now, with many years to evolve in the bottle. - Decanter Magazine

98 Points! Aged in 100% new oak, the 2022 Monte Bello blends 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, selected from 18 of 21 lots by blind tasting. After assemblage, the wine spent 21 more months in barrel. The vineyard starts at 1,600 feet and goes up to 2,700 feet at top, and is spread out across 4 different ranches, Klein, Rousten, Torre and Perrone, the wines getting more tightknit and ageable as the vines move up the mountain. By the end of harvest, Monte Bello is split into 55 different blocks, which are then picked and fermented separately. Year after year, this is a “wow” wine, herbal, lightly spiced in oak, with a lovely creamy, velvety texture and a backbone of well-resolved tannin supporting a medium-bodied, balanced spirit of mountain garrigue. These wines typically age 20-25 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! The limestone soils, and the short distance to the Pacific Ocean as well as the seriously high elevation, (ranging from 1600-2700ft) means that the Santa Cruz Mountains, produce a very different Cabernet than much of California. The 2022, drought vintage, a third straight year, meant tannic, tiny fruit on the Montebello estate. The wine was fully destemmed and only pumped over half as often as a typical vintage for Montebello. Its a tightly wound iteration in its youth with 100% new American oak for 20 months. Expressive on the nose, with taut black fruits, fresh pine needles and mineral notes of wet clay and roasted herbs. The palate is fresh and medium weight, (13.8%abv) with so much lively freshness in its youthful exuberance. Salty ocean notes open the palate chasing taut early season blackberries and plum skins. The palate opens overtime revealing dried mint, and alpine meadow herbs that buoy the fruit expression and carry this masterfully made wine toward its zenith, but… don’t touch it for another 10 years for the best result. - Decanter Magazine

98 Points! A bigger, richer wine based mostly on Grenache from a single parcel around the estate on the lower plain of Gigondas, the 2023 Gigondas La Louisiane shows darker blackberries and kirsch intermixed with ground pepper, sappy garrigue, and some meaty, spicy nuances that give this an ultra-classic Gigondas style. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a pure, focused mouthfeel, ultra-fine yet building tannins, and integrated acidity. It's a brilliant effort that will stand toe to toe with anything in the vintage and should drink well over the coming 15+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck

#SAINT-DAMIEN

98 Points! Based on 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre and aged 12 months in foudres, the 2023 Gigondas Les Souteyrades is possibly the most exotic of the lineup from Saint-Damien. Kirsch liqueur, blackberries, exotic flowers, and sappy, garrigue-like nuances all define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, an incredible mix of richness and elegance, and a gorgeous finish. It's another absolutely riveting Gigondas from this estate that readers should snatch up! - Jeb Dunnuck

#SAINT-DAMIEN

98 Points! Coming from a steep, south-facing single vineyard, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Piaggione benefits from air and opens with wild raspberries, blackberries, flowers, orange peel, and sweet herbs. The palate is medium to full-bodied, linear, and tension-packed, with bright acidity, well-defined tannins, and a focused, driving finish that keeps building. It’s a more energetic, structured expression compared to the Sorgente and should age beautifully over the coming two decades. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

97 Points! This bursts with cherry, raspberry, pomegranate and rose flavors, offset by earth, iron and underbrush notes, all backed by dense, dusty tannins. Hangs together nicely, with freshness and a lasting impression of ripe fruit. - Wine Spectator

97 Points! A super-complex and spicy wine with aromas of licorice, smoky wood, dried roses and wild strawberries. Fruit sweetness on the palate, with a full body, crisp freshness, velvety tannins and a sleek, graceful and powerful finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! A gorgeous cuvée from three cool-climate sites (50% Gail, 40% Nelson, and 10% Coastview), the tiny production 2023 Syrah Sandstone Terrace shows the terroir of what winemaker Sam Smith says is the prevailing soil type in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the inviting nuances of each place, some extremely cool-climate and others surrounded by redwoods. White pepper, garrigue, smoked meat, and iron are all there, expertly layered around a light-bodied frame of persistent freshness and complexity. The grapes were native-fermented 85% whole-cluster before spending 10 months in barrel, 95% of it neutral. The wine is elegant, composed, fruity, and gamey, as luxuriously inviting as blue velvet. Drink now through 2030. - Virginie Boone, JebDunnuck.com

99 Points! From the C1 Block of Beckstoffer To Kalon, winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown has worked with these Clone 4 Cabernet vines since 2005. This is a block bottling like many of the Schrader wines. Lush, generous fruit but with structure – all the elements amplified but on equal proportions. Explosive nose of rich black fruits, black olive, dried wild herbs and baking spices. Incredibly textural with pixelated three-dimensional tannins finishing with pops of dried tobacco and purple-red florals. A joy to drink but among the most collectable and cellar worthy wines of the vintage. The 'CCS' on the label refers to the initials of proprietor Carol Colesworthy Schrader. - Decanter Magazine

98 Points! Throws off a range of sassafras, chaparral and anise aromas before yielding up a prodigious core of açaí berry, plum and blackberry compote. Offers a nice interplay of power and purity, with tarry violet and loamy incense accents. While tannic through the finish, this terrific version reveals a subtle ripple of acidity and a hint of iron. Best from 2024 through 2040. - Wine Spectator

98 Points! The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville is another heavenly wine in the lineup. I always find another level of purity in this cuvée, and the 2019 offers remarkably pure crème de cassis-like fruits as well as notes of white flowers, incense, toasted spice, and unsmoked tobacco. Full-bodied, deep, round, and plush on the palate, I love its tannins, it brings incredible richness while staying perfectly balanced and fresh, and it’s just already a joy to drink. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 Points! The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which is also from Clone 337 but from different blocks on the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, saw oak with 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud. This wine seems slightly more expansive, shares the black ruby/purple color with all of it siblings, and has a boatload of crème de cassis, incense, licorice, graphite and vanilla along with plenty of spice box and forest floor. This is a killer, full-bodied, super-duper, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 20 years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

98 Points! A fine, effusive quality from the sandalwood, violets, black pepper and blackberry concentrate. Quite a denser and more muscular expression, yet you won’t feel any chew from the tannins, as they melt into the dark fruit. Long and focused. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! Revealing a vivid purple hue as well as a powerful, more black-fruited, iron, tobacco, and scorched earth-like aromatic profile, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard Monastery Block is full-bodied, has a rich, powerful attack, great mid-palate density, and brilliant tannins. Coming from a famous block located on the western side of this great vineyard, brought up in new barrels, it's another 2019 that has a rounded, supple, approachable style while also bringing impressive density, depth, and structure. - Jeb Dunnuck

98-99 Points James Suckling
"Bright, vibrant aromas of sliced apples, pears and lemons with acacia and flint. Dense and tight on the palate with so much chalk and oyster shell character. Extremely long and pure, with vivid energy and precision. Sharp and driven by acidity."

96-98 Points Jeb Dunnuck
"Honeyed citrus, orange blossom, mint, crushed stone and brioche define the bouquet. Medium to full-bodied with rich, layered fruit and a lengthy, seamless finish. One of the whites of the 

96 Points Jane Anson
"Bright citrus, mint leaf, liquorice, sea spray, oyster shell, wet stones and white tea. The most structured and reserved of the estate's white wines, with impressive aging potential."

96 Points Decanter
"Vanilla, honey, flint, white peach and apple aromas. Gorgeously clear and sophisticated with more tension, drive and energy than recent vintages. Beautifully delineated and balanced."

96 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"White peaches, orange rind, pineapple, pears and flowers lead to a palate filled with sweet ripe fruit, creamy textures and vibrant freshness. Rich, expressive and beautifully balanced."

94-96 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"White peach, Mirabelle plum, jasmine and pressed flowers. Rounded and textured with excellent density and freshness. A great success in the context of a warm vintage."

94-96 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"Rich, creamy and expansive with fabulous balance. Dried pear, acacia, chamomile and white pepper notes build beautifully through the palate. Impeccable."

99 Points Jane Anson
"This is so good, so much energy and depth, slate and wet stones holding interest as the palate expands, showing fragrant capsicum pepper, crushed mint, toasted spices, cumin, liquorice, cassis and cocoa bean, fully in the DNA of Smith Haut Lafitte. Last vintage of Daniel Cathiard, and a brilliant tribute to his legacy."

97-99 Points Jeb Dunnuck
"One of my favorite wines in the vintage. Beautiful darker fruits, scorched earth, smoky tobacco, chocolate, and graphite all define the aromatics. Full-bodied with a deep, concentrated mid-palate, beautiful tannins, integrated acidity, and a seamless style."

97-98 Points James Suckling
"So aromatic and expressive, with pure currants, mint, chocolate and fennel. Deep fruit, velvety tannins and impressive precision. Very Cabernet in character, almost Pauillac-like in nature."

97 Points Decanter
"Fresh and vivid with smoky violets, ripe blackcurrants and white chocolate. Gravelly, salty, chalky and cool. Balanced, elegant and totally delicious with excellent length and minerality."

96-98 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"Deeply colored with red, black and blue fruits, smoke, cigar box and tobacco. The finish starts strong and keeps on going long after the wine has left your glass. A vibrant and compelling Smith Haut Lafitte."

95-97 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"A more classical style of Smith Haut Lafitte, with black fruit, Earl Grey tea, sous-bois and cigar box aromas. Refined, structured and delicious, with excellent aging potential."

93-95 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"A very classy, elegant wine. Lavender, spice and mint open first, followed by a burst of black fruit. Medium-bodied with terrific freshness and impeccable balance."

100 Points! Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that was raised in 60% new French oak. Reminding me of a more elegant version of the 2010, it has a dense purple hue to go with a rich, powerful, full-bodied, sensationally complex nose of cassis and darker berries interwoven with woodsmoke, scorched earth, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Concentrated, deep, and layered on the palate with ripe, velvety tannins, it's a sensational, absolutely heavenly effort that will keep for 40-50 years. Along with the 2009, 2010, and 2020, this is one of the greatest wines to ever come from this address. Don't miss it. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! Deep and evocative, this bursts with blackcurrants, milk chocolate and floral perfume. Instantly captivating, the palate is silky yet structured, with tannins seamlessly supporting vibrant red and black berries. Broad and powerful, yet it glides, showcasing Cabernet’s structure, Merlot’s generosity and cool spiced fruit. A mineral core adds complexity, with flint-like nuances. A masterclass in power and balance – and unmistakably Smith. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Organic. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

98 Points! The vivid fruit character here is so impressive for this hot and dry vintage. It's medium- to full-bodied, showing gorgeous crushed grapes and dark berries. With density, clarity and beauty, it really speaks of great cabernet sauvignon. The tannins are integrated and go long, taking you deep and complete on the palate. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Seems almost drinkable now but needs at least five years of bottle age. - JamesSuckling.com

97+ Points! The 2022 Smith Haut Latte is silky, elegant and nuanced. It's all there. A wine of precision and class, the 2022 is so impressive. Rened, supple tannins wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit, lavender, espresso and mocha. I nd the 2022 a bit buttoned up today, but that is probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects. I look forward to seeing it age. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! Tight and reserved, showcasing the depth of 55-year-old chardonnay vines from Eyrie Vineyard, one of the oldest existing plantings in Willamette, dating back to 1968. A mineral-driven, umami-rich profile with wet leaves, subtle quince, sesame seeds and hints of tangerines. Structured and compact, with a phenolic tension and a savory, earthy, clay-like character. There’s a lot going on in this wine. It is pure, full and very long. Needs time to fully unfold. Whole-cluster pressed. Better from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! A fine-tuned, silky, refined and well-crafted Cornas from younger (under 40-year-old) vines and whole-cluster vinification. It expresses aromas of damson plums, dark cherries, warm spices and some wild herbs. It's medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Such delicacy to the dense core, with a silky, caressing feel and incredible purity, vitality and transparency. Very long, vibrant finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

99 Points! Inky, bluish/black/purple, with notes of spring flowers, licorice, camphor, graphite, and a boatload of blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, this is a powerful, full-bodied Troplong Mondot. All the building components of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are judiciously and impressively integrated. It is a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente with the consultancy help of Michel Rolland. I-m not sure what the heady alcohol level is in Troplong Mondot in 2010 (it certainly must be in the 15%+ range), but it is well-concealed behind the extravagant, richness, full-bodied power, and pure nobility of this majestic wine. Forget this for 5-7 years and drink it over the following three decades. An absolutely stunning wine from this estate, which seems to be on a mission to produce exquisite world-class wines with enormous aging potential, the 2010 is showing better from bottle than it even did from barrel. - Robert Parker

98 Points! Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Troplong Mondot explodes with beautiful floral notes of red roses and candied violets over a core of plum preserves, kirsch and blueberry pie with a waft of bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and decadently fruited, it has bags of plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing very long and sinfully hedonic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com, 2020