Wines

95 Points! Rich, mouth-filling and highly structured, this has a touch of exotic aromas (mangosteen!), but isn’t a jot too ripe or weighty. In fact, it has wonderful silkiness, in spite of the considerable mineral power at the imposing finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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

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

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

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

96 Points! The 2014 Troplong Mondot is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, and this beauty has more intensity, richness, and exuberance than just about every other wine in 2014. A blend of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc brought up in 85% new French oak, it sports a deep purple/plum color as well as a smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, scorched earth, toasty oak, graphite, espresso, and earth. With full-bodied richness, beautiful purity of fruit, and a rich, yet weightless texture, it’s a big, yet classy, elegant, and seamless wine from Xavier Pariente that should be snatched up by readers. It’s already drinking well but has 20-25 years of prime drinking to go. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! The 2014 Troplong Mondot is medium to deep garnet-brick in color. Scents of cedar and unsmoked cigars are followed by nuances of dried blackberries and plum pudding with a waft of spice cake. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of mature black fruit and spicy layers, support by firm, lightly chewy tannins and great tension, finishing with impressive length. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, TWI, 2024

97-98 Points James Suckling
"Extremely fine tannins that melt into the palate, carrying seductive dark fruit flavors and a lingering citrus note on the finish. It's all about elegance and structure in this wine."

96-98 Points Jeb Dunnuck
"Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château TrotteVieille offers an absolutely brilliant nose of cassis, graphite, wood smoke, and crushed stone. Full-bodied and concentrated, with beautiful mid-palate depth, ripe polished tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish."

96-98 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"Intense aromas of flowers, citrus, espresso, black plums, black cherries, and assorted herbs leap from the glass. Rich, concentrated, and lushly textured, the palate is lifted and vibrant, finishing with layers of silky black and red fruits, cinnamon, licorice, espresso, and mint."

96-98 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2025 Trotte Vieille soars out of the glass. Freshly cut flowers, mocha, dried herbs, menthol, and espresso meld into a core of rich, deeply layered dark fruit. The wine builds beautifully with air, revealing blue-toned fruit, gravel, cloves, lavender, licorice, and espresso."

96 Points  Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
"Inky with violet edging, vibrant and concentrated, offering iris, wet stones, pumice, chamomile, peony, and rose bud aromas. A serious wine with tightly knitted tannins and outstanding ageing potential."

95-97 Points Wine Advocate
"The 2025 Trotte Vieille shows exceptional potential, revealing aromas of ripe blueberries, violets, subtle spices, and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, layered, and velvety, with lively acidity, lovely purity, and a long, penetrating finish."

95 Points Decanter
"Softly fragrant with dark fruit and exotic sweet spices. Bright acidity and silky tannins define the palate. Refined, balanced, and beautifully proportioned, with impressive freshness and precision."

94-96 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"The 51% Cabernet Franc drives the bouquet toward black pepper, bay leaf, and pencil box aromas. Medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fine minerality, and a fresh, sapid finish. A very well-crafted Saint-Émilion that will reward patience."

93-95 Points! The 2023 Zinfandel Judge Bell Vineyard is laced with red cherry fruit, spice, cedar, tobacco, incense and mint. A wine of complexity and nuance, the Judge Bell has a lot going. Dried herbs, mint, incense and pine linger on the bright, focused finish. This is such a classy wine. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

96 Points! Pouring a reflective red/garnet hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino is floral and detailed on the nose, with preserved cranberries, cherries, anise, fresh roses, and polished leather. The palate is medium-bodied, structured, and bright, with chalky, angular tannins, refreshing acidity, and fabulous fruit purity that carries through a long finish. It’s exceptional and crisp, and it should easily hold up for 20 years.  - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! A spicy and classic Brunello with vibrant aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries, violets, smoky wood and licorice. Full-bodied, it shows balanced extraction, tamed velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and a super-savory, minerally finish. Juicy and long. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Plum, cherry, leather, earth and menthol flavors infuse this grippy red. Starts out smooth, picking up dusty tannins that build to the dry, compact finish. Nevertheless, there’s a core of ripe fruit, and everything is in the right place. Accents of cocoa linger on the finish. Give this time. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! Black berry, pine nut, bark and dark mushroom aromas follow through to a medium body with creamy tannins that caress the palate and give a complexity and subtlety at the finish. Extremely fine velvety texture here. A beauty for the vintage. Drink in three or four years. - JamesSuckling.com

96–99 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Valandraud is breathtaking. Vibrant and explosive in the glass, the 2025 offers an exotic mélange of dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and mocha. There's gorgeous precision here, much of that coming from more finesse in the tannins. The 2025 is utterly magnificent.”

96–97 Points – James Suckling
“Lots of dark fruit with an edge, supported by chalky tannins. Compact and concentrated, with a fresh medium body. This shows an attractive combination of power, focused tannins, freshness and exuberant fruit.”

95 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“As ever with Valandraud, this has impressive depths and concentration. Inky colour, sea spray aromatics, sandalwood oak, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, powerful iris and violets. This is a great wine and a clear potential upscore in bottle.”

97–99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“Based on 84% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Valandraud has captivating aromatics of juicy red, blue, and black fruits, graphite, spring flowers, and an ultra-classic lead pencil character. Concentrated and full-bodied, with incredible purity and a more restrained, elegant style than previous vintages.”

95 Points! With fruit from La Morra, the mid-weight 2018 Barolo Brunate shows a pretty softness and a delicate side with dried rose, lilac and blue flower. The wine completes malolactic fermentation in barrique and is later moved into large oak casks for aging. This dual oak treatment is part of Vietti's secret recipe for producing the silky tannins and fine texture you taste here. A production of 4,493 bottles, the wine is recognized by that distinctive aromatic finale of licorice and balsam herb. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! Vietti is one of a handful of estates to bring the Ravera MGA of Novello to the current popularity it enjoys now. Their 2018 Barolo Ravera has a smoky personality with crushed stone and pencil shavings. There is plenty of dark fruit at the back, ripe cherry and blackberry mostly, and the wine is tonic and firm in terms of its structure and tannins. The Ravera is a wine of enormous length and a finely tuned texture. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

97 Points! This wine is graceful and delicate, with a clarity and beauty showing aromas of mushrooms, bark, forest floor and violets. Cherries and raspberries, too. Medium-bodied with silky, ultra-fine tannins, it runs long and true. Very crunchy and full of acid tension, this has historical character but is still modern and brilliant. 77% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon. - JamesSuckling.com

98-99 Points James Suckling
"Subtle and pure, with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, pencil shavings and touches of raspberries, flowers, oyster shells and iodine. Medium-bodied with subtle and integrated tannins that run the length of the wine and make you want to drink it. The length and finesse are sublime."

98 Points Decanter
"An outstanding VCC and one of the wines of Pomerol. Smooth and supple, both creamy and chalky with black fruit, floral notes, cola, mint, and savory spice. Absolutely beautiful, hedonistic and so long."

98 Points Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
"Fragrant, full of energy, dense with silky tannins. Chamomile, cumin, cassis, blackberry, cocoa bean, espresso, fresh thyme and tobacco. One of the wines of Pomerol in the vintage."

95-97+ Points Jeb Dunnuck
"Ripe black and blue fruits, graphite, scorched earth and violets define the bouquet. Medium to full-bodied with a balanced, layered mouthfeel, rock-solid mid-palate depth and a great finish. A serious Vieux Château Certan that will need time."

95-97 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"Perfumed red cherries, raspberry, cassis and pressed violet scents gain intensity in the glass. Structured and intellectual, with peppery Cabernet Franc character, chalky tannins and impressive precision."

94-96 Points William Kelley, Wine Advocate
"Bursting with aromas of violets, crème de cassis, dark berries and creamy new oak. Rich and concentrated, with ripe acids, sweet tannins and a dense, unctuous palate that concludes with a heady finish."

98 Points! In spite of its extreme youth, this great Chateuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible length! Already delicous, but this has a great future ahead of it. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! A classic blend (yet with a touch more Mourvèdre due to tiny yields), the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape is based on 65% Grenache, 15% each Syrah and Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault and other varieties, aged 20-22 months in 60-hectoliter French oak foudres. A gorgeous wine, it shows the ultra-classic style of this domaine perfectly with ripe red and black berries, peppery garrigue, flowers, and an undeniably mineral character. Medium to full-bodied, with a fresh, focused mouthfeel, ripe and building tannins, and outstanding length, it offers pleasure today yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 20-30 years if you're so inclined. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! Delicate and perfumed, with floral hints of white pepper and raspberry, then on to a palate of refined red fruit and spice. - Decanter World Wine Awards

95 Points! Gorgeous plump blueberries swell and bound across the nose and palate with tightly wound tar-infused tannins and a refreshing acidity. Exuding effortless charm and elegance. - Decanter World Wine Awards

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

98 Points! A blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Villemaurine is killer stuff, offering black raspberries, black cherries, violets, floral notes, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied, pure, deep, and seamless, it’s layered and rich yet incredibly balanced, with fine tannins and an elegant mouthfeel. Huge minerality and a liquid rock-like character make this a stunning effort. Aged for 16 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels, it’s going to evolve gracefully for 30+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2022 Villemaurine, 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc, is very deep purple black in color. It has a wonderfully fragrant nose of candied violets, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan pepper with a powerful core of blueberry pie and black cherries. The full-bodied palate is dense and muscular, with black and blue fruit layers supported by a refreshing backbone and soft tannins, finishing with an exotic spice lift. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

95 Points! The 2022 Villemaurine is an absolute joy. Rich and opulent to the core, the 2022 packs a serious punch. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, cloves, menthol and licorice infuse the 2022 with tremendous depth. Bright saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. Villemaurine is a big, heady wine, but all the elements are so well balanced. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

96–98 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“Ruby-hued, the 2025 Château Villemaurine is a beautiful Saint-Émilion with spicy red and black fruits, dried flowers, graphite, and crushed stone nuances. Medium-bodied with soft tannins, wonderful balance, and a great finish. An impeccably made, elegant effort that has tons to love.”

93–95 Points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2025 Villemaurine is impressively deep and polished, even if there is some reduction. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, grilled herbs and lavender convey tons of textural intensity and sheer power.”

94–95 Points – James Suckling
“A very fine red with dark berry and tar character and a hint of sea salt. It’s medium-bodied, firm and silky. Chewy and crunchy at the end. Plenty of potential.”

95 Points! Mostly Merlot (there's roughly 20% Cabernet Franc), the 2019 Château Valandraud Virginie De Valandraud from the Thunevin team reveals a deep purple hue to go with a brilliant nose of spiced currants, black cherries, new saddle leather, Provençal herbs, and subtle floral nuances. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, with gorgeous tannins and a great finish. It's the finest vintage for this cuvée I've tasted, surpassing the 2015, 2016, and 2018. It's going to drink brilliantly for 20 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2019 Virginie de Valandraud is wonderfully deep and super-expressive. Red plum, raspberry jam, espresso, crushed rocks, rose petal, lavender and tobacco build into the richly textured, resonant finish. This explosive, flavorful Saint-Émilion has a ton to offer. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94 Points! Blackberry, chocolate and hazelnut character on the nose, following through nicely to a medium body with integrated tannins and a fresh finish. Tight at the end, suggesting more to come with bottle age. Hints of mushrooms and earth. Second wine of Valandraud. Hint of wood at the end that will dissipate with age. Drink after 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Pale silver/yellow in hue and coming from Mount Pisgah Polk County, the 2023 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard turns up the intensity with notes of lime oil, crushed flint, starfruit, and subtle spice. Medium-bodied and saturating on the palate, the acidity is present but even, offering a graceful tension. The finish carries elegant notes of white peach and candied lime. A beautiful, expressive wine to drink 2025-2040. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points! Yet another exhilarating and finely etched Chardonnay from Ken Pahlow, this one from the Freedom Hill Vineyard. Classic Walter Scott reduction on the nose, with serious salinity and smoky, chipped flint announcing this wine's mineral core, which buoys the intense grilled lemon wedge.The palate has verve and plays off the briny and smoky minerality. - Decanter Magazine

95 Points! This is a step up, with lushly textured flavors of crushed plum, currant preserves and mulled black cherry driving along nicely, underscored by licorice, black tea and warm earth. Even with the earthy flash, this stays refined and focused, with latent energy on the finish as well. No rush here, either. Drink now through 2040. - Wine Spectator, 2023