Wines

95 Points! The single-vineyard Garnacha 2020 Os Cantals, whose name denotes a soil covered in slate, comes from a dry-farmed and head-pruned 70-year-old vineyard on red, iron-rich soils. It fermented in open-top oak barrels with indigenous yeasts and full clusters that were foot trodden, then the wine matured in 456-liter oak barrels for 13 months. This is subtler and deeper than the Las Ladieras, but it comes from a similar mold. It's beautifully textured with citrus freshness, and it's refined and elegant with great tension and ultra fine tannins. 3,200 bottles were filled in September 2021. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

93+ Points! They haven't produced this wine since 2019, and there are substantial changes. There's no Treixadura in the 2022 Viño Branco Dos Canotos; they didn't do any skin contact; and it didn't go through malolactic, because it has a low pH (3.0) and high acidity. It matured in chestnut cask with full less until bottling in May 2023, quite early. The wine is dominated by the Albariño (around 40%, the rest, Lado, Caíño Branco and Loureira) in the aromatics, floral and herbal. It has around 11.7% alcohol, a very tasty and vibrant palate with pungent flavors, and very good persistence and length. There are only 910 bottles. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

91 Points! Aromas of chalk, blackberries, dark chocolate and dark plums with a balsamic edge. Medium- to full-bodied with compact, tight-grained tannins. Structured and flavorful. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Aromas of limes, white nuts, green apples, savory seaweed and seashells. So delicious, with a creamy, nutty touch and a savory, lightly saline finish. Nori at the end. Really long and intellectual. Viura aged in Sherry butts. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93+ Points! The 2021 Monopole Clásico Reserva comes from a cooler year with a long cycle and was produced with grapes that were picked on October 7 and 8, fermented in stainless steel, then matured in oak barrels and Sherry casks of different sizes—300, 400 and 500 liters—where it matured for eight months and managed to grow a veil of flor yeasts in the butts filled with the wine. Still pale and young but with incipient complexity, it has a very spicy nose with notes of esparto grass, hints of pollen and cereals. It's fresh and comes in at 13.38% alcohol, with a pH of 3.26 and 5.61 grams of acidity, meaning balance and freshness. It has depth, complexity and character, with more freshness and acidity and some grip, showing more of the character of the vintage. It's very tasty and ends with a very pleasant bitter twist in the finish. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! A tight, structured Rioja with blackcurrants, sandalwood, coffee and cassis on the nose, followed by a chewy, toasty and medium- to full-bodied palate. Firm, dusty tannins. Compact. Better after 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! Beautiful nose with lifted herbal notes hovering over the lush black and blue fruit. Tannins are fresh and well presented lending fluidity to the fruit. The mineral backbone as further support to the framework. An alluring, long finish of zesty citrus married with herbal intensity (oregano and thyme). - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! The 2020 Imperial Reserva was produced with a blend of Tempranillo and 15% Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha grapes that were put through optical sorting and fermented in oak vats by vineyard, and the wine matured for 24 months in barrels, 70% French and the rest American. It has a shy nose that takes time to open up in the glass, but it is surprisingly harmonious and balanced and fresh for the year. It has a little more ripeness, but there's no excess at all; it has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.65 and 5.44 grams of acidity. It has notes of spices, cigar box and ash, berries and wild herbs and a sleek and polished palate with resolved tannins.  - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

55% Malbec, 45% Merlot. "According to our organic and biodynamic practices, our wines are fermented with the indigenous yeasts from the vineyard. Our goal for this Cuvée Nature is to produce a natural wine, fruit-forward and easy to drink. We achieve it through an earlier harvest, shorter maceration and aging in steel tanks as well as an early bottling to preserve fruit aromas. To better reveal the quality and beauty of our Terroir, no additives nor oenological products nor sulphites are added throughout the whole wine-making process. At the bottling, we only add 30 ppm of sulphites to ensure that this beauty is delivered to your glass."

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

94 Points! Rich and intense nose, concentrated with dark bramble fruits. A shot of sharp intense strawberry and raspberry fruit hits the palate, super succulent and instantly mouthwatering, quite lean and linear though there is a nice expansion of fruit flavours while the tannins stay quite firm and straight. Touching on austere and severe but the softly plump juiciness keeps this enjoyable and there is layering of elements. Acidity is on the prominent side but this is quite captivating with crunchy, bright, just-ripe red fruits and chalky texture on the finish. Yield: 35 hl/ha. 30% new oak barrels. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

92 Points! A firm and tight red with blackberries, crushed stones, ink and iodine. Medium-bodied with medium tannins that are polished and very pretty. Refined and delicious. Always an excellent value. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2022 Château D'Aiguilhe brings more of everything, with a gorgeous nose of black raspberries, crushed stone, spring flowers, and violets that opens up beautifully with air. This carries to a medium to full-bodied effort delivering ripe, polished tannins, a seamless mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

From the winery: Bone dry. The Dry Dam Riesling 2020 has a delightfully lifted nose, loaded with lemons,
limes, jasmine and Granny Smith. The palate displays wonderful balance between acid and sweetness, giving that Dry Dam hallmark of sherbet like character. Full of flavour yet pristine and refined. Drinks
perfectly well young but promises to age well, developing toasty, marmalade notes for beyond a decade.

97 Points! Floral character such as orange blossoms and cassis with lead pencil aromas that follow through to a medium body and a lovely balance of fruit and freshness. It’s long and caressing with everything in place. Crisp. Best ever? 60% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Rocking levels of darker currants, chocolate, tobacco, and spicy notes all emerge from the 2022 Château D'Armailhac, a blockbuster from this château that has ripe, velvety tannins, a beautiful mid-palate, and outstanding length. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, this is easily the finest Armailhac I’ve tasted. It already offers pleasure today yet deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve for 20-30 years if well stored. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2022 Chateau d'Armailhac was picked from 8 to 27 September and matured in 50% new oak. This has a very pure and sensual bouquet with precocious black plum, cassis violet and espresso scents. The palate is medium-bodied with muscular tannins on the entry, though I find just a little more complexity compared to the Clerc Milon this year. There's a gently and discrete crecendo toward its delineated and minerally finish. Excellent. This is more like the d'Armailhac that I was familiar with, say, ten years ago. It will surely be irresistible once it reaches its peak. You've been warned. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

94 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, it gallops out with powerful notes of black currant jelly and plum preserves, followed by hints of dusty soil, dried lavender, and tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers plenty of black fruit preserves flavors with seamless freshness and grainy tannins, finishing satisfyingly earthy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

96 Points – Georgina Hindle, Decanter
“Aromatic intensity, wild flowers, some chocolate and blackcurrant notes. Grippy and filling but soft, chalky and saline, with ripe bramble berries, cool blue fruit and lots of cola, liquorice and wet stones. Very transparent and hands off. Juicy, fun, clean, pure. Balanced.”

95–96 Points – James Suckling
“Very polished, with fine tannins that caress your palate while the fruit is ripe but al dente, with red currants, plums and peach undertones. Refined and intense finish.”

94 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
“This delivers the classic character of a Left Bank wine with plenty of concentration and deep fruits. Rich plum on the nose, crayon and pumice stone, with sapid and supple blackcurrant and pomegranate fruits. Just the right level of austerity of a young Armailhac.”

93–95 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“A classic, beautifully layered Pauillac that most likely ranks with some of the top vintages of this château. Loads of cassis, black raspberries, graphite, and spicy tobacco nuances define the wine. Full-bodied, with ripe, polished tannins, outstanding length, and a fresh, focused style that's hard to resist.”

93–95 Points –  Lisa Perrotti-Brown
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 d'Armailhac comes bounding out with exuberant notes of black raspberries, fresh black currants, and mint tea, giving way to hints of pencil shavings and dried roses. Bright and elegantly styled with fine-grained tannins and a refreshing line.”

93–95 Points – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Spicy tobacco leaves, currants and floral aromas show well in the perfume. The medium-bodied palate is soft and supple, with lift, energy, and crispness to the sweet red fruits and berries. The endnotes display a refreshing touch of mint and tobacco.”

96 Points!  A successful wine that has lived up to En Primeur promise. The emphasis remains on texture and depth, velvety tannins, perfumed violets, rose and raspberry leaf aromatics, slate, crushed rocks, serious at first then softening to show raspberry puree and smoked blackcurrant fruits. Cocoa dusting on the finish and clear spice, a little austere right now. The terroirs of the newly-purchased Château Pontac Lynch are in this Issan vintage, meaning the blend uses five grape varieties for first time. Not easy to add these distinctive varieties while maintaining the elegant, finessed style of this estate, but it works. 50% new oak, 38hl/h yield. - Jane Anson

96 Points!  The 2020 Château D'Issan is a stunningly good Margaux, and this is another estate that seems to producer brilliant wines every vintage. Pulling from 51.04 hectares of vines and a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, it's a selection of just 45% of the total production and spent 18 months in 50% new and 50% once-used French oak. Beautiful, spiced-laced red and black fruits, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and incense notes define the aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied restrained, elegant 2020 with terrific mid-palate density, ripe, velvety tannins, and terrific overall balance. This is one of those beautiful, classic wines that grows on you with time in the glass, and hats off to Emmanuel Cruse for yet another incredible wine. It's going to evolve for another 25-30 years if well-stored. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

98 Points, James Suckling's #1 World Wine of the Year! This is really luxurious, showing blackcurrants and orange peel with cedar and dried-mushroom aromas following through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate. This has crunchy and lightly chewy tannins that are slightly austere but in an elegant, classical Bordeaux way. Chewy at the end. So much energy and vibe. So complex. Probably the greatest wine ever from here. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2028 but already a joy to taste. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The deep ruby/purple-hued 2022 Château D'Issan is rock star stuff, offering a massive array of red and black fruits, spring flowers, violets, smoky tobacco, and a beautiful sense of minerality. This full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Issan has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. The alcohol here is 14.6% and the pH is a solid 3.6. Give bottles 4-5 years if you can, and it will evolve gracefully over the following three decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Deep, heady, really quite seductive and aromatic on the nose, draws you in with bramble fruits, chocolate, exotic spices and perfumed floral nuances. Juicy and lively, pure and focussed, but such a vibrancy to this wine. Sweet and sour elements combine with really salty, chalky, powdery and quite filling tannins that give the nuance of flavour and texture. Bright yet serious, finessed yet layered. Lovely intensity of elements. On the more savoury side right now in terms of lingering flavour but there’s mouthwatering acidity giving the liveliness and sense of fun. I really like this, textured, upfront, forward, extremely drinkable and so approachable, but thrilling too. An exciting wine with great integration and finesse and still clear strength underneath. One of the most exciting wines this year. Stylish, potent and polished. I love it! A yield of 30hl/ha. Harvest 15 - 28 September. 1% PV planted in 1948, 12% press wine. 2% Malbet and 1% Petit Verdot complete the blend. Total acidity: 3.55. 50% new barrels. 3.67pH. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

95 Points! The 2022 D'Issan has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of minty cassis, rose petals, pencil shavings and vine smoke. Medium to full-bodied, suave and velvety, it's deep, complex and well-balanced, with a sweet core of fruit and ripe structuring tannins. It's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

96-97 Points James Suckling
"A tight and juicy red with blackberry, cherry, plum, and spice aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a crunchy finish. Refined and focused, with plenty of character, balance, and length."

95-97 Points Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
"Black currants, cedar, tobacco, flowers, cherries, licorice, smoke, and cigar wrappers define the aromatic profile. Medium-bodied, lifted, sweet, vibrant, and elegant, with polish, finesse, and beautiful textures. The finish expands with layers of fresh, pure fruit and remarkable energy."

95 Points Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
"Rose buds, cassis, and damson unfold in layers with slate, woodsmoke, and cold ash. Packed with promise, this is a finely structured d'Issan built for the future."

95 Points Decanter
"Violets and iris notes lead into a palate of sweet strawberries, fresh blackcurrants, liquorice, and cola. Streamlined, focused, detailed, smooth, and sophisticated."

94-96 Points Jeb Dunnuck
"Cassis, black cherries, smoky tobacco, graphite, and chalky minerality shine from the glass. Reminiscent of the 2016 in its balance and elegance, with a pure, graceful mouthfeel, fine tannins, and outstanding length."

94-96 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2025 d'Issan is fabulous. Crème de cassis, menthol, licorice, cloves, gravel, and mocha all meld together seamlessly. Sumptuous, polished, and beautifully balanced."

94-96 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown
"Intense notes of black and red currants and wild blueberries are accented by rose bud tea and graphite. The medium-bodied palate is lively and tightly wound with energetic black and red fruit."

94-96 Points The Drinks Business
"Rich, full, and succulent at the core. Pure, focused, precise, and elegant with impressive poise, harmony, and freshness."

93-95 Points Neal Martin, Vinous
"A beguiling bouquet of blackberry, wild strawberry, and cassis with Margaux's classic violet signature. Fine tannins, admirable minerality, and excellent tension make this one of the finest d'Issans in recent years."

94 Points! The 2007 Valpolicella Superiore from the celebrated Monte Lodoletta vineyard is rock-tight with a midnight black appearance and aromas that emerge with fierce determination. The fascinating aromatic medley includes dark spice, prune, Spanish cedar, tar, black licorice, balsam herb and blackberry tart. The mouthfeel is plush and rich with super-tight tannins that grip nervously to the finish. It has only started its bottle evolution and requires more time to soften and develop. Drink 2017-2035. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com, 2013

95 Points! The 1998 Maya (500 cases from a blend of 45% Cabernet Franc and 55% Cabernet Sauvignon) is an amazing effort, possessing multiple layers of fruit, sweet tannin, and no herbaceousness, astringency, or thinness. This is an amazing tour de force in winemaking for the vintage. It is loaded, with impeccable balance. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com, 2002

95 Points! The 2008 Pinnacle Shiraz comes off Grampian’s Best clone vines planted in 1997. Very deep garnet purple in color, it’s a little mute to begin producing pretty aromas of violets, black pepper, dark chocolate, black cherries and earth. Very crisp in the mouth, it has a medium-high level of very fine, velvety tannins and meaty, savory, spicy flavors coming through in layers. Full-bodied and rich, this wine has a very long finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

95 Points! A fine-tuned, elegant Barolo with aromas of dried cherries, dried roses, licorice and mint. Full-bodied, it shows smoothness, density, weight and soft tannins despite the structure, with refreshing acidity and a long, vibrant finish full of savory flavors. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Laced with cherry, strawberry, rose, mineral and white pepper flavors, this red is expressive despite being linear and taut. Firms up on the finish, where lively acidity drives the fruit and savory elements. Shows excellent harmony and potential. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! A blend of fruit from five MGA sites (Brunate, Liste, Cerequio, Cannubi and Raviole)...The Damilano 2021 Barolo Lecinquevigne offers nice intensity and standard Nebbiolo complexity with dark fruit, cassis, spice and toasted tobacco leaf. You do not taste the personality of any one site, but that's not the point. Aged in large botte, the wine is open-knit in texture and immediate. You can wait longer or pull the cork now. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

98+ Points! Helms vineyard consists of five acres on gravelly loam, right on the northern edge of the Rutherford bench, planted in 1997 and 1998 to Cabernet Sauvignon clones See and 337. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 21 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls out of the glass with seductive scents of Morello cherries, blackcurrant pastilles and mulberries with hints of chocolate mint, violets and forest floor, plus a waft of cinnamon toast. Full-bodied, the palate has an ethereal weight, dancing with bright, vibrant black and blue fruits and a lively line of freshness, textured with beautifully ripe, velvety tannins, finishing long and mineral laced. Wow. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

99 Points! Sweet white chocolate with currant, plum and subtle hazelnut on the nose. Some other spices, such as nutmeg and cloves. Floral. Full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that go on and on. Beautiful center plate that is dense yet polished and fine and continues on. Exceptional. Fantastic finish. Drinkable now, but needs four or five years to show it’s true greatness. - JamesSuckling.com