Wines

94+ Points! From a site on the other (southern) side of the appellation, the 2020 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir saw quite a bit more stems and was fermented with 40% stems and brought up in 20% new oak. It has a wonderful nose of ripe red and black currants as well as subtle woodsmoke, dried herbs, and forest floor. This carries to a pure, medium-bodied, balanced Pinot Noir with ripe tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It opens up nicely with time in the glass and will no doubt benefit from another year or two of bottle age. These latest releases from Gavin Chanin are pretty much straight-up brilliant across the board. - Jeb Dunnuck

91-93 Points! The 2023 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is herbal and lifted on the nose, leading to a dark-fruited, silky palate that combines svelte richness with delicious freshness. As always, this is shaping up to be an overperforming overview of the Sta. Rita Hills from a uniquely pretty vintage.

Gavin Chanin entered the wine world through an eight-year stint at Au Bon Climat, quickly becoming protégé of the late Jim Clendenen. Chanin founded his namesake label in 2007, an era that allowed him to secure contracts for old-vine plantings from some of the region's most historic vineyards while newly established sites were more in vogue. Much of the straightforward practicality learned from Clendenen is employed in the cellar: the Chardonnays are whole-cluster pressed, barrel fermented and aged on lees for 14 months, then racked and returned to barrel for another four months before bottling. Heavy-toast François Frères barrels are the norm—favoring the Bertranges forest for Chardonnay and Vosges for Pinot Noir—and range from 10% to 50% new. Pinot Noir generally includes 30% to 50% whole clusters, with slightly higher percentages of new wood. Across the spectrum, the wines continually balance supple generosity with focus and refinement, delivered through a deceptively slender frame despite their richly flavored nature. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

95 Points! This is a cooler-climate Syrah done with the light touch of a Pinot Noir master. The nose is extremely peppery, reminiscent of a tour through a Tellicherry peppercorn factory, yet with tart cranberry, rust and soil elements as well. The palate is immensely grippy with more white pepper as well as charcoal and brisk red-fruit flavors. It will also cellar very well. - Wine Enthusiast

94 Points! The 2018 Syrah Schock Family Vineyard is Gavin Chanin's first Syrah, and it is fabulous. Deep and rich, but not at all heavy, the 2018 has so much to offer. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2018 is an embryonic wine at this stage. What comes across is the wine's exceptional balance and harmony. Time will be needed for Syrah aromatics to emerge. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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

96 Points! The second wine of this brilliant château, the 2022 Chapelle D'Ausone checks in as 65% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised 20 months in barrels. Classic Cabernet Franc notes of black raspberries, currants, spring flowers, candied violets, and sappy mint herbs all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. While it's not the best vintage for the second wines, you wouldn't know it by tasting this. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps with expressive scents of red currant preserves, fresh blackberries, and violets, plus nuances of cedar chest and cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is coated with rich black and red berry layers, supported by velvety tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and spicy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

93 Points! The Chapelle d'Ausone is a powerful but also embryonic wine. Here, too, the wine's balance is impeccable. Super-ripe red cherry fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal all meld together. Chapelle is a powerhouse second wine, if that term can even be used. The blend is 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! Gorgeous black and blue fruits, spring flowers, graphite, and smoky tobacco notes all shine in the 2022 Cabernet Franc, a remarkably pure, silky, medium to full-bodied blend of 76% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Merlot. While it shows the perfumed, accessible style of the vintage, it brings rock-solid depth and concentration, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Drink over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! A killer wine and great value, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature reveals tons of cassis and darker, almost blue fruits intermixed with sappy spring flowers, crushed stone, and lead pencil nuances. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 2% Merlot, it's balanced and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins. - Jeb Dunnuck

92-93 Points! Very effusive, youthful red-fruit aromas and a delicacy that is striking even in the elegant 2022 context. Restrained tannins will make this delightful from release. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! A solid, focused, juicy and poised wine, showing red berries, sweet spices and dried-flower aromas. Medium-bodied with finely grained tannins. Lovely crushed-strawberry character to the silky texture. Bright and fruit-forward, this has a seductive, succulent finish and a lift of peppercorns. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Bottled three months ago and showing beautifully, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel is based on 30% each of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre with 10% Cinsault and brought up all in foudre. It offers darker berries, pepper, sappy flowers, and some obvious stony, earth-like minerality in a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, layered style. It's balanced with terrific purity, ripe tannins, and outstanding length, offering incredible pleasure today, yet it will keep for 10-12 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Based on Bourboulenc, Viognier, and Marsanne, the 2024 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel Blanc is a killer white offering honeyed peach, orange blossom, white flowers, and a kiss of minerality. It's medium-bodied, pure, focused, and elegant, with a layered mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. This is legit fabulous stuff that's as good as many a top Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc and will drink beautifully over the coming 4-6 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

97 Points! Lime and spicy pear with crushed stone. Kumquats. Smoke and iron. Kiwi. Full and rounded with bitter pear and steel. Dried limes. Unique minerality. Bright acidity. Touch of sweetness at the end that makes it fascinating. 65% sauvignon blanc and 35% semillon. September release. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

95 Points! A blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon, with 7 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2021 ‘‘Y’’ gives up delicate notes of honey-drizzled peaches, lemon tart, and lime leaves, leading to hints of coriander seed and green apples, with a waft of chalk dust. The medium-bodied palate has a wonderfully satiny texture, with crisp acidity cutting through the intense apple and citrus layers, finishing long and zesty. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

99 Points!  The 2016 Chateau D’Yquem is pure magic and dessert wines don’t get much better. Offering a pale gold color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of honeyed tangerines, tart apricots, liquid rocks, white flowers, and honeysuckle, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an opulent texture, vibrant acidity, and again, an incredible sense of minerality, despite having no shortage of sweetness or richness. The 2016 is a classic blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon that hit 14.2% alcohol with 135 grams of residual sugar. It’s already complex and approachable yet will keep for 3-4 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! A very classic Yquem. Breathtakingly wide spectrum of floral honey, exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango and pineapple), caramel and marzipan aromas. But none of this is a jot too much. In fact, the wine is extremely precise and finely nuanced. Wonderful freshness and textural complexity, in spite of the considerable concentration and extravagance. Very suave and sensual finish that goes on and on. - James Suckling

98 Points! Containing 135 grams per liter of residual sugar, the pale lemon-gold colored 2016 d'Yquem leaps from the glass with honeyed apricots, pineapple, green mango, crushed rocks, candied ginger, coriander seed and citrus peel with hints of orange blossom. The palate is very tightly wound, vibrant and refreshing with layer upon layer of minerals and spices, finishing with epic poise and persistence. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

95 Points! The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape is some serious Provençal goodness, with just about overflowing aromas and flavors of sweet raspberries, blackberries, peppery garrigue, and Provençal spices. It has the sunny, expressive, complex style of the vintage, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great finish. As with most 2022s, it has plenty of upfront charm yet solid underlying tannins as well. It reminds me slightly of the 2009 and will have two decades of longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape is some serious Provençal goodness, with just about overflowing aromas and flavors of sweet raspberries, blackberries, peppery garrigue, and Provençal spices. It has the sunny, expressive, complex style of the vintage, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great finish. As with most 2022s, it has plenty of upfront charm yet solid underlying tannins as well. It reminds me slightly of the 2009 and will have two decades of longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! The 2021 Zerzilles is its usual powerful self, lying in wait like a lioness to pounce on her prey for her hungry lion cubs. It has a sudden spurt of power and energy striking through the palate. While light in body, it has innate power, masses of concentration and an electric charge of crackling acidity. This is a pup of a wine that's going to need time. - Rebecca Gibb, Vinous Media

94 Points! The 2019 Château d'Aussières is blended from 52% Syrah with 20% carbonically macerated Carignan, 19% Mourvèdre and 9% Grenache. It’s another dark red wine with harmonious, complex aromas which combine blackcurrant fruit (typical, says the Aussières consultant Matthieu Dubernet, of Fontfroide Syrah) with wildflower and hillside pine forest scents. The palate is surprisingly light and elegant with a sense of proportion and harmony; there’s no shortage of fruit density, though. It’s a more approachable wine at this stage than the 2018. - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! Blackcurrants, slate, crushed stone and berries with hints of chocolate. Medium-bodied, bright and racy. Vivid at the end. A blend of syrah, carignan, mourvedre and grenache. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Plenty of graceful black and red fruits, this is an impressively balanced wine from a warm vintage. Turmeric and smoked cumin kick things off, emphasing tight tannins that will soften over the next few years, before everything opens through the mid palate to show a burst of baked raspberry, incense and rosemary spices, orange peel, plenty of juice. First time for the 167ha Domaine d'Aussières on the Place (or rather not in exclusivity with DBR Lafite). Director Jean de Roquefeuille (ex Rieussec), working alongside the group winemaker Olivier Tregoat. - Jane Anson, inside Bordeaux 

The 2022 Château Giscours may be the finest wine this historic Margaux Third Growth has ever produced, and the critics agree loudly: 98 points from James Suckling, 97+ from Jeb Dunnuck, 96s from the Wine Advocate, Vinous and Decanter, plus a #1 spot on Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2025. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot with dashes of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it's deeply colored, glass-staining stuff, packed with cassis, black cherries, violets and graphite, concentrated and intense yet carrying the ripe, polished tannins and pure, graceful mouthfeel that define great Margaux. The remarkable 2022 vintage gave this estate everything it needed, and Giscours delivered a wine with the perfume and silk of the appellation backed by decades of aging power.

96 Points! I continue to love the 2008 Château Latour, unquestionably in the top handful of wines in the vintage. A rich, powerful blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, this ruby/purple-hued beauty boasts a classic Latour nose of blackcurrants, spice box, saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and cedar pencil. Deep, medium to full-bodied, and perfectly balanced, give it another 2-3 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following 2-3 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, 2019

95 Points! A little subdued, as with the Lafite right now, but this is built to last and is layered and structured. Liquorice, cassis and blueberry notes take the lead, with a punch of tannic power and a crushed mint leaf finish. A classic Latour, starting to be ready to drink but sure to age for decades from here. A seductive smoke note appears with time in the glass. Harvest September 29 to October 14. 40% of overall production. - Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine 2021

91 Points! This is pretty and vibrant, showing subtle cream to the red berries, currants and citrus on the nose. Quite firm and juicy on the palate with lightly chewy tannins and a fine, medium-long finish. Merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Drink from 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2022 Marjosse is a blend of 75% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec. The wine has a deep garnet-purple color and features bright, breezy scents of red cherries and black raspberries, followed by nuances of lavender, tilled soil, and wild sage. The full-bodied palate delivers soft tannins and lively red and black fruit layers with a spicy kick to the finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

93 Points! Very vibrant and crisp for a Southern Rhone white. Ripe lemon and pomelo aromas are married to delicate creaminess on the medium-bodied palate. I love the interplay of waxy and salty character in the lively finish. A cuvee of 40% clairette, 30% bourboulenc, 20% grenache blanc and 10% ugni blanc. Fermented and matured entirely in stainless steel. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com