Wines

The 2022 opens in the glass with ripe raspberry, black cherry, cassis and cedar. Scheduled to age in large foudres for two years, ripe tannins offer the wine a good structure and framework. Finishing on a savory note, the 2022 looks quite promising at this early stage. - Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous

The classic red of the domaine accounts for approximately 85% of the annual production of the estate.  It is composed of 65% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre and a balance of other traditional varieties. The grapes are not destemmed, the cuvaison lasts for three weeks and the élevage encompasses an additional 18 months in traditional foudre wood vats before the wine is bottled unfiltered. The fruit is perfectly in balance with the textural elements, showing typical dark fruit notes with discernible energy and liveliness. Its slighty sauvage character and firm structural backbone is leavened by its exceptional breed.

100 Points! The perfect 2013 Vecina offers up notes of pen ink, scorched earth, espresso, blackcurrant liqueur and blackberries. It is a fabulously great wine, with supple, well-integrated tannin, decent acidity, and a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, with extraordinary purity and richness. This is an amazing wine to drink over the next 50 years, although I would probably suggest cellaring for five or more at present. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. , robertparker.com

100 Points! Also pure perfection in a glass, the 2015 Vecina comes from an east-facing site located not far from the Harlan Estate. It was previously a terraced vineyard but was replanted when they opted to remove the terraces 7-8 years ago. Totally thrilling notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, barbecue, white chocolate, and spring flower notes all flow to a full-bodied, powerful wine that has building tannins, no sensation of weight, hints of background oak, and incredible intensity and length. It’s a true “wow” wine that could not be better. Don’t miss it! - Jeb Dunnuck

98+ Points! Bottled in early 2018, the 2015 Vecina is deep garnet-purple in color, with baked blackberries, black cherries and blackcurrant cordial aromas that leap from the glass with nuances of roses, pencil lead, menthol and mocha. The palate is full-bodied, very fine and incredibly seductive with a solid frame supporting the generous layers, finishing long and exotic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

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! The value-priced 2022 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard comes from a site in the Santa Maria Valley and was brought up in 22% new French oak. Its translucent ruby hue is followed impressive notes of ripe cherry and strawberry fruits supported by pretty spice, flora, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. A wine that would hand many a Village Burgundy its ass, it's well worth buying and drinking over the coming 3-5 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

100 Points! The 2015 Canon was a benchmark wine that seemed to revitalize this historic estate. I was crossing my fingers that it would not disappoint in bottle and I am glad to say that it delivers the goods. It has a very intense bouquet (just as it showed out of barrel) with laser-like precision offering wild strawberry, raspberry preserve, wet limestone and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, clean and fresh with pure black and red fruit whose every atom appears infused with minerals. The mouth is tingling long after the wine has exited and your brain is thinking … when is the next sip coming? It is frankly heads and shoulders above almost every Saint Émilion this vintage, to reaffirm, a benchmark for this historic estate that will give pleasure to many over the coming years. Astonishing. - Neal Martin, robertparker.com

100 Points! From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine's vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual - well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn't matter. Don't miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

100 Points, James Suckling's #1 Wine of the Year 2018! Seductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. - JamesSuckling.com

98-100 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous

"The 2025 Canon is a total stunner. Deep and sumptuous in the glass, it offers tremendous textural intensity along with vibrant saline energy. Dark-fleshed fruit, mocha, new leather, herbs, and dried flowers build gradually, leading to a huge, dramatic finish laced with blood orange, pomegranate, and chalk. The interplay of finesse and power is dazzling."

98-100 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown

"Fresh blueberries, mulberries, and black raspberries emerge alongside violets, licorice, Sichuan pepper, mossy tree bark, and lavender. The palate is intense, packed with layers of black, blue, and red fruit supported by very finely grained tannins and vibrant acidity. A real 'wow' wine."

98-99 Points James Suckling

"The finesse and sophistication are very impressive, with a medium body, ultra-fine tannins, and a seemingly endless finish. Poised, refined, and exceptionally long. A great wine."

97-99 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

"A bouquet of red, white, and purple flowers immediately grabs your attention. The palate balances lift, energy, concentration, and juiciness perfectly, finishing with layers of sweet, ripe black and red fruits, oceanic salinity, herbs, and mint. A beautifully balanced Canon."

96-99 Points Wine Advocate

"A blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Canon continues this property's brilliant run of exceptional wines. Cherries, raspberries, exotic spices, licorice, and petals unfold from the glass. Suave, concentrated, and refined, with a bright spine of acidity and a long, penetrating finish."

96-98 Points Jeb Dunnuck

"Ripe cherries, graphite, crushed flowers, and blue fruits define the 2025 Canon. Medium to full-bodied, with a remarkably polished, flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. A pure, graceful, classic Canon."

96-98 Points Neal Martin, Vinous

"Very pure and refined on the nose, with wonderful delineation and a strong mineral signature. Medium-bodied with filigree tannins and a limestone-driven finish that tingles with energy. An uncompromising expression of terroir."

98 Points Decanter

"An outstanding Canon. Cherry, cola, liquorice, slate, blackcurrant, and milk chocolate notes lead into a palate that is chewy yet juicy, round, alive, and impactful. There is tremendous purity, focus, and complexity here. A fabulous wine in the making."

97 Points Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

"An impressive Canon with seductive limestone character. Slate, chalk, and pumice stone are wrapped around vivid iris flowers, cool blue fruits, and understated spice. Deft, skillful, and deeply rooted in place."

90 Points! Very crisp and bright, the Cantina Andriano (Kellerei Andrian) 2022 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio has aromas of citrus, crushed stone, star fruit and white grapefruit. Those bright aromas join a lean-bodied finish. There is a subtle hint of fleshy citrus, with something like a tangerine sorbet on the close. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

90 Points! A tangy and fragrant white that has aromas of orange rind, chamomile, thyme and sliced pear. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and zesty. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

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

100 Points! The perfect 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot, all of which spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. The idea of this release is to showcase fruit from throughout the valley, and to say that winemaker Chris Carpenter succeeded would be an understatement. It boasts off-the-charts richness and depth as well as notes of cassis, toasted spices, graphite, tobacco, and espresso, with perfectly integrated oak. Inky purple-hued, full-bodied, voluptuously textured, and flawlessly balanced, it can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! Lovely purple fruits with violets, lead pencil, mint, crushed stones, pine needles, resin, and ceramic. Medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that show a silky beautiful texture. Blend of Stags Leap, Saint Helena, Yountville, and Atlas Peak plus all the mountain vineyards of Cardinale. A blend of 91% cabernet sauvignon and 9% merlot. - James Suckling.com

98 Points! In my tasting with winemaker Chris Carpenter, we talked at length about differentiating sub-appellations of Napa in the Lokoya wines. Still, with Cardinale, the Oakville-based crown jewel in the Jackson Family portfolio, the idea is the sum must be greater than the parts. This is not an estate wine. It is culled from multiple appellations, typically between three and nine, depending on the vintage. Sources have been Vine Hill Ranch and To Kalon in the past. The 2021 is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap, Rutherford, and St. Helena, with 9% Merlot from the 24ha Keyes Estate Vineyard on Howell Mountain, aged 22 months in 80% new French oak. Super savoury aromatics of black cherry, cedar, black liquorice, graphite, black tea, tobacco leaf, rose petal and sagebrush. Full-bodied with all those aromatic qualities making appearances on the full-bodied palate, framed by a soaring tannin profile that resolves with beautifully crisp and mouthwatering acidity, which is so impressive given the density of the wine. The acidity is so pure and cleansing it gives the sensation of fresh, crisp mountain water washing away the deeply robust and powerful tannins that frame this powerhouse wine, readying you for another sip. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

90 Points! The 2022 Vinha Grande is a blend of Touriga Francesa, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz that matured in used French oak barrels for 12 months. 2022 was a very warm and very dry year (with one-third of the normal amount rain; 2005 was the driest year in Douro). It's an aromatic, gentle and approachable red with notes of berries, herbs and spice, a certain creaminess and a velvety palate with contained ripeness. They have room for growth here, because this wine is a mixture of grapes from different vineyards, showing the character from Douro; it's approachable and good for the table, with a certain structure and fine tannins. It's soft and easy. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

93 Points! Aromas of vivid raspberries with a floral undertone and an austere hint of slate. The palate is composed and balanced, combining generous red fruit with vibrant acidity. Well crafted and precise. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! It has a moderate 13.4% alcohol with very high acidity (8.2!) and a low pH (3.37), incredible parameters of freshness. The wine was closed and took time to take off in the glass, revealing a very elegant and subtle personality, with the silky texture of the very fine tannins, pristine aromas and flavors and a sense of harmony that was moving. It's powerful but extremely elegant in that rare combination of clout and energy, a wine of light, aerial, with some ethereal qualities, delicate and refined. This combines the cool place and high altitude, the cool year and the stony soils, to deliver a stunning Malbec that goes well beyond the variety. Bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

100 Points! There is an usual stony austerity in the 2021 Adrianna Vineyard River, cropped from a cold year when the full clusters fermented in concrete with a slightly shorter maceration and an élevage in a 2,000-liter oak foudre and the rest in stainless steel. It has a moderate 13.4% alcohol with very high acidity (8.2!) and a low pH (3.37), incredible parameters of freshness. The wine was closed and took time to take off in the glass, revealing a very elegant and subtle personality, with the silky texture of the very fine tannins, pristine aromas and flavors and a sense of harmony that was moving. It's powerful but extremely elegant in that rare combination of clout and energy, a wine of light, aerial, with some ethereal qualities, delicate and refined. This combines the cool place and high altitude, the cool year and the stony soils, to deliver a stunning Malbec that goes well beyond the variety. Bravo! - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

100 Points! The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is every bit as thrilling as it was on the many occasions I tasted it from barrel. Black cherry, hard candy, plum, rose petal, menthol and lavender saturate the palate in a sumptuous, racy Brunello endowed with magnificent depth and pedigree. An utterly stunning, sensual wine, the 2010 constantly changes in the glass as it conquers all the senses with an exotic kaleidoscope of aromas, flavors and textures. I remember tasting the 2010 from cask a few years ago when Diego Molinari was too unwell to go down to the cellar. Nora Molinari tasked me with essentially serving myself as we went from vintage to vintage and cask to cask. For days after, I was mortified that I might not have closed some of the spigots tightly enough. Fortunately, that was not the case. In all of my years tasting the wines of Montalcino, I have only come across two wines with this level of textural unctuosity and sweetness; Gianfranco Soldera's 1983 Brunello and 1990 Riserva. Cerbaiona's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino will leave readers weak at the knees. It is every bit that profound. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

90-92 Points! Audoin's 2022 Marsannay La Charme aux Prêtres Blanc reveals attractive aromas of green apple, pear, white flowers, citrus zest and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy, with good cut and tension, it's one of the domaine's livelier whites. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

90 Points! Classic nose for this sauvignon blanc, with plenty of guavas, grapefruit, papayas and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. It is succulent, crisp and refreshing with a mouthwatering finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

Neal Martin from The Wine Advocate at the time writes: The palate is medium-bodied with fine tensile tannins. There is great harmony here whilst the finish is cohesive and nicely poised. This is very fine almost Saint Estèphe-like in style. 90-Points!

The 2010 Carcanieux is entering a lovely phase of maturity. Crushed red plum, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco leaf and dried rose petal emerge from the glass, lifted by subtle hints of pencil shavings and savory herbs. Medium-bodied and classically proportioned, the 2010 offers fine-grained tannins that have softened nicely with age, while retaining enough backbone to frame the wine's evolved fruit. The mid-palate is supple and understated rather than powerful, with earthy nuances and a touch of leather adding complexity. The finish is persistent and refined, marked by lingering notes of cedar, dried black fruits and gentle spice. This is a charming, traditionally styled Médoc that is drinking beautifully today and should continue to provide pleasure over the next several years.

100 Points! Dreamy, subtle aromas of dried fruit such as apricots and mangoes, but also fresh lemons and pears. Then there are caramel and tart tatin undertones with some bananas, pineapple, tangerines and other tropical fruit. Full-bodied, yet it remains vivid and compact, giving it a lightness even though it is really structured. The tannins are throughout the palate but blend in perfectly, giving it a solid presence, like a a diamond. It’s tight at the end, but you know that it will linger for ages, with a lightly chewy and intellectual finish. Touches of sweetness, cloves and bitterness to make it interesting. Dynamic.  - JamesSuckling.com