Wines

90 Points! Showing a darkish ruby hue, the Campogiovanni 2021 Rosso di Montalcino has bold fruit flavors and lots of dark cherry on immediate offer. This is a nicely saturated Sangiovese with enough texture on the mid-palate to match a hearty bean soup or roast pork. Fresh acidity seals the deal. This is a good value offer, with 9,000 bottles released. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! Bright and fruity, offering cherry, strawberry, rose and Mediterranean scrub flavors. Shows no shortage of structure, remaining balanced and long. Reveals tobacco and mineral elements on the finish. - Wine Spectator

92 Points! Reverting to a spicy and savory taste profile, the 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Grigio shows a dark, mid-weight texture with extra heft that comes in the form of baked plum, candied cherry and spice. This is another good value wine from one of the most beautiful properties (and luxury hotels) in Italy. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

From the winery: The 2023 Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc comes from three stony-soiled sites found throughout the Valley of the Moon. The majority comes from the north-facing slopes of Uboldi Vineyard in Kenwood, with the balance from Bedrock Vineyard on the Agua Caliente bench and Judge Vineyard in Bennett Valley. 70% of the wine was barrel fermented in predominately neutral French and Austrian oak barrels (in total about 8% new oak), and 30% was fermented in tank. The resulting wine nicely combines the musqué clone-driven perfume from the tank-fermented lot with the textural richness from the barrel-fermented portion. Fittingly for the cool vintage, this is elegant, flinty and mineral with aromatics of melon, green papaya, and citrus overlaying fresh and sappy fruit and bright acid. A lovely wine that we all plan to drink a lot of over the coming summer months.

Don't look for scores, much like other icon producers like Cappellano in Barolo, Cerbaiona does not send their wine out for reviews, preferring to let the juice speak. The Brunello is produced only in the best vintages... From the importer: There are now over 200 bottling producers of Brunello but when people speak of the top tier we are talking about an interchangeable 10 names depending one’s preference stylistically. Soldera, Biondi Santi, Salvioni, and Cerbaiona would be most people’s pick for top 5 Brunello producers (not necessarily in that order). What makes the Cerbaiona Brunello so unique is the conscious coupling of great terroir and minimalist intervention. What arrives is a clear representation of one of the greatest Brunello vineyards bottling wine today.

97 Points! Aromas of bark, dark cherries and flowers, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied with purity of fruit that runs the length of the wine. It goes on for minutes. Very fine tannins. From organically grown grapes. Needs three or four years to completely come together, but gorgeous. Drink after 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! There's a fruity side to this red as well as a spicy side, with cherry, strawberry and black pepper flavors throughout. Floral, iron and underbrush accents add depth, yet it's the beam of pure cherry that prevails. Shows prodigious length on the finish. - Wine Spectator

97 Points! Notable for its pure cherry and kirsch aromas and flavors, this red is also stylish and graceful. Rose, wild thyme and stony mineral elements come into play as this develops on the palate. Beautifully integrated, fresh and firm, this glides to a long, resonant aftertaste. - Wine Spectator

96 Points! This latest vintage of one of Italy's most important wines has an almost choreographed delivery with dramatic pause and high crescendos as it unfolds over the palate. The Montevertine 2020 Le Pergole Torte feels initially shy, but that is a fleeting impression because its all-around intensity builds beautifully upon dark cherry, blackcurrant, spice, iris root and warm earth. Those notes are followed by a delicate floral interlude, and the wine builds upward again with a very bright and lively mouthfeel fueled by fine tannins and lovely freshness. It is fleshy and rich. This is one of the best wines from this vintage in the region for sure. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! This latest vintage of one of Italy's most important wines has an almost choreographed delivery with dramatic pause and high crescendos as it unfolds over the palate. The Montevertine 2020 Le Pergole Torte feels initially shy, but that is a fleeting impression because its all-around intensity builds beautifully upon dark cherry, blackcurrant, spice, iris root and warm earth. Those notes are followed by a delicate floral interlude, and the wine builds upward again with a very bright and lively mouthfeel fueled by fine tannins and lovely freshness. It is fleshy and rich. This is one of the best wines from this vintage in the region for sure. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

From Mary: Touraine: the heart of the Loire Valley, home of the great châteaux, and the garden of France. This region’s range of climates and diversity of soils are a treasure trove for the winelover. On the left bank of the Loire’s tributary river Cher, not far from the stunning Château de Chenonceau, lie the vineyards of our vigneron Luc Poullain. Vines up to 70 years old grow on complex soils of sandy siliceous clay and limestone, sustainably farmed with lush grasses growing between the rows.  Our Touraine is a sublimely grassy, citrussy expression of its terroir, nuanced and invigorating.

94 Points! A full-bodied red with plum and walnut aromas and flavors. Some meat and spice, too. Firm and silky. Flavorful. Real Chianti Classico. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! The 2019 straight Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona is a beauty, starting with its heady scents of red berry, dog rose, spice and Mediterranean scrub. Full-bodied and loaded with finesse, the smooth palate delivers juicy red cherry, cracked peppercorn and licorice alongside tightly-woven, refined tannins. Juicy acidity keeps it balanced and fresh. - Kerin O' Keefe

93 Points! This leaps out of the glass, with expressive, intense fruit flavors of silky smooth lemon meringue, mango, tangerine and fresh-cut apple. Candied ginger and green tea notes join a detail of salted lime before lingering on the mouthwatering finish. Drink now. - Wine Spectator