Specials

94 Points! Dark and inky in the glass, this estate bottling shows intense cassis and lavish violet aromas on the ripe, creamy nose. The palate is thick in texture but still shows compelling edges, offering roasted purple fruit, caramel cream and subtle vanilla flavors, making for a powerful expression. - Wine Enthusiast

92 Points! This wine has an inky purple hue in the glass and concentrated aromas of blackberry, bramble, boysenberry, dark plums, cinnamon, and violets. The palate mirrors the nose, with dark fruit intensity complemented by notes of tobacco leaf and cracked black pepper. Chalky tannins balance the wine, enabling it to pair beautifully with peppered steak or glazed pork tenderloin. - Decanter Magazine

99 Points! This is a young wine with terrific depth and layers of fruit. It’s full-bodied with notes of eucalyptus, lavender and sage and hints of matchsticks and oranges. It’s linear and tight at the end, with an energetic finish. Very Saffredi in nature. Better than the 2021. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 10% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! This is one of only a handful of wines made on the Tuscan Coast that has managed to interpret the vintage in such an excellent manner. The Fattoria le Pupille 2022 Saffredi (a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot) deftly plays upon the elegance and fruity brightness of the growing season, while also harnessing its freshness and its slightly more streamlined appeal. The wine is nuanced and layered with fine details that recall wild berry, spice, blue flower and blood orange. To my mind, the 2022 stands apart from almost every other past vintage of Saffredi. This is a new direction for the wine that we can all happily embrace. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

98 Points! Menthol-infused dark berry aromas open the door to an intense and juicy mouthful of precisely wrought red and black berries and cherries. Wonderful lip-smacking sapidity and finely integrated tannins complete the package. The 2022 Saffredi is the result of the estate's hard work and it has paid dividends. Elisabetta Geppetti's son, Ettore – in just his third vintage overseeing the winemaking without the experienced hand of ex-consultant Luca d'Attoma – has beautifully interpreted the vintage. He tells me that, unusually, it took the team three harvests at different times to obtain the freshness evident in the wine. It's a stunner. Wow! - Deacnter Magazine

97+ Points! Bright red. Intense, sultry aromas and flavours of red roses, violets, nail varnish, pomegranate reduction and red cherry syrup, plus sexy vanillin oak. Layered and nicely mouthcoating, with a string underlying spine that neatly supports the ripe red fruit and sexy spice flavours. Finishes long with hints of blood orange and candied violet. More than other more forward-drinking 2020 Brunellos, this needs to spend time in a good cellar, for it is bound to improve considerably. - Ian D'Agata Wine Review: 

97+ Points! Brunello of identity, the result of a protocol aimed at enhancing the elegance of Sangiovese di Montalcino. Imposing aroma, which attacks on notes of pomegranate, with touches of juniper and wild mint and hints of licorice root. Savory palate, recall notes of red fruit and balsamic notes. - Luca Gardini

97 Points! The 2020 Brunello from Fuligni is fragrant, smooth and delicious. It opens with enticing aromas of wild berry, violet, crushed mint and pine forest. Full-bodied and loaded with flavor and finesse, it delivers mature Marasca cherry, raspberry, star anise and cake spice set against fine-grained tannins. Boasting a weightless finesse, it’s well balanced, with fresh acidity. - Kerin O'Keefe

97 Points! A bright red color with orange highlights, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is very pretty, with a delicate rustic hint that I find quite attractive. It reveals attractive red fruit on the nose, with notes of cranberries, wild herbs, and just a subtle hint of saddle leather and blood orange. Mid-weight, it's light on its feet while delivering wonderful energy and freshness, with snappy ripe red fruit, a refreshing, angular feel, and mouthwatering saline and acidity. This is certainly one of the highlights of the 2020 vintage.  - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

95 Points! Magnificent black cherry, tea leaf, cocoa and violet perfume. Elegant, round and silky on the palate, with ripe polished tannins, amazing structure and nicely-integrated oak. Fruit-driven and persistent finish. - Decanter World Wine Awards

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

96 Points! Very focused, pure and well balanced, showing great poise and freshness for a full-bodied Napa red. This cabernet sauvignon-dominant blend is bold and packed with dark fruit, toasted oak and dark spices. Black cherries, dried blueberries, blackberries, black pepper and chocolate mint. Well concentrated and delicious. Drink now or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! One of the valley's great, great values, the 2022 The Bard is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Franc, and the rest a mix of varieties. It has a killer nose of bright red and blue fruits intermixed with spring flowers, graphite, baking spices, and incense. This carries to a beautifully balanced, full-bodied red that has a lively, elegant mouthfeel and fine tannins. It competes with wines at 2-3 times its going rate, especially in a vintage like 2022. - Jeb Dunnuck

99 Points! A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! Winemaker Chris Carpenter says that his Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder is intended to serve as a counterpoint to the La Jota Cabernet, which is from Howell Mountain, but that each wine showcases a softer expression of mountain Cabernet, and one that is poised for earlier drinking for collectors who stash bottles of the single vineyard Cabernet wines from Lokoya in their cellar. The soils atop Mt. Veeder are volcanic and sedimentary, and two sites provide the grapes for Mt. Brave. One is the Mt. Brave Vineyard, formerly Chateau Potelle Vineyard, and the site is above the fog line on the northern part of Mt. Veeder, where the soils are well-draining, and yields are generally two tons per acre in good vintages. The other is Veeder Peak Estate. Each site is about 24ha. This blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet France, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot was aged 23 months in 80% new French oak. Super fragrant with black fruits, black cherry, and graphite minerality with violets and cherry liqueur undertones. Full-bodied with pronounced tannins that have a chalkiness about them, balanced by very soft and supple fruit that makes this wine so approachable in its youth. An extended finish is marked by blue fruit and pronounced garrigue, blue agave syrup, sage, and crushed cocao nibs. - Decanter Magazine

93+ Points! Scents of pine resin and hints of mint accent black cherry and cassis notes on the nose of Ink Grade's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. It's a sturdy, wiry effort, with the ample tannins and coiled intensity that often mark mountain wines, followed by a lingering, gently astringent finish. Like the other reds from Ink Grade, it spent time in a combination of oak tanks and barrels, yet the wood is scarcely noticeable. Give it a few years to unwind. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

95 Points! Very beautiful aromas of blackcurrants, violets, and lavender with hints of sandalwood. Medium to full body. Chewy mountain tannins, but they are so well integrated and polished that they melt into the wine. Hints of dried cocoa powder at the end with some cedar. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Really fine bubbles. Extremely intense, showing dried apples, peaches and light apricots with brioche and pie crust. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, long finish. Very subtle. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. 10% of the 2020 base wine fermented and aged in barrel. Dosage 8 g/L. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! Hints of brioche and lemon meringue pie enrich the flavors of cassis and apricot fruit, pickled ginger, smoke and roasted hazelnut in this classy Champagne, backed by vibrant acidity. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged 2024. Drink now through 2030. - Wine Spectator

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

92 Points! Cherry, cassis and pine notes mark the nose of the 2018 Andosol, a blend of 80% Zinfandel and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Matured largely in tank and foudre, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, framed by silky tannins, then finishes long and bright, with plenty of red fruit and mouthwatering acids. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

93 Points! A firm and polished red with cranberry, blackberry and crushed stone character. It’s clear and bright with a darkness and tension. Shows flowers and spices at the end with some dried potpourri and peppercorn. From vineyards in Howell Mountain. Aged three years in cask. A blend of Zinfandel, 20% cabernet sauvignon, and 5% merlot. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2016 Concerto di Fonterutoli, the estate's blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, is dense, plush and explosive, with superb depth and notable persistence. Super-ripe black cherry, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and rose petal build in a rich, dramatic wine endowed with superb depth, intensity and pedigree. All the best elements of the house style are on display in this sumptuous, modern Tuscan red. Two thousand sixteen is a terrific vintage for the Concerto. I loved it. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

94 Points! The 2016 Concerto di Fonterutoli is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 225-liter French oak for 18 months. The Cabernet Sauvignon element comes through nicely with dark fruit, spice and some grilled herb. The grape gives the wine a heavier and more concentrated center of gravity. However, the soul and style of the wine is driven by the freshness and delicate aromas of the Sangiovese. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

95 Points! The 2022 Chardonnay Peake Ranch Vineyard offers a touch more complexity, offering ripe citrus and orchard fruits, spice, tropical flowers, and green almond notes in a medium-bodied, pure, focused, balanced package. It has the fruit and suppleness of the vintage yet brings good acidity and a focused, elegant mouthfeel. I love it today, yet it has the balance and vibrancy to evolve nicely for 5-7 years, if not longer. - Jeb Dunnuck

#Peake_Ranch

95 Points! Last of the Chardonnays, the 2022 Chardonnay John Sebastiano Vineyard comes from a great vineyard on the eastern side of the appellation and was brought up in 28% new French oak. Ripe melon, salted citrus, crushed stone, and white flowers all define the aromatics, and this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, focused, chiseled mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It’s California's answer to a great Chablis! Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

#Peake_Ranch

95 Points! Bright and minerally, with white stone fruit character and hints of lemon rind, chamomile, subtle spices and crushed stones. Pure and refined, with a medium body and a seamless, lingering, silky feel. Delicate and focused, with plenty of freshness that shows citrus blossom and white almond undertones. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! A precise and dynamic white, with compelling lemon and apricot flavors highlighted by crushed stone and zesty spice tones that sail on the finish. Drink now through 2027. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Expressive and expansive nose of fresh plums, cherries, cloves, nutmeg, flowers and sandalwood. It’s so transparent and vibrant, with a medium to full body and fine, tight tannins. Gorgeous fruit. From organically grown grapes. Try from 2024. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The San Polo 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi shows a very earthy side that evokes savory spice, smoke and gamey aromas. The core of this organic wine is colored by black fruit and baked plum, but the wine is primarily driven by the aromas it has picked up during oak and bottle aging. This adds a medium-heavy constitution and a good amount of warm-vintage fruit weight for a Sangiovese. The wine also has an accessible character that makes it best to drink over the next 10 years. The fruit represents a selection from over two hectares. - Monica Larner robertparker.com

95 Points! Slight hints of wax, earth and lemon show on the still-shy nose. The palate is equally reticent, tightly coiled but speaking of concentrated citrus freshness that verges into zestiness. The bone-dry nature makes it hard to sense ripe citrus slumbering at the core but the fruit will reveal itself with bottle age. Concentration, purity and power promise a future firework, discernible now in the tangerine zestiness on the finish. - Wine Enthusiast

From a prime vineyard site across the street from Peter Michael, this vineyard was a key component to many of the great Beringer Knights Valley Cabernets of the past before it became the feature vineyard for the Greg Norman Estates program. Killer wine big, dark, powerful, what a steal!

95 Points! The cool climate of the vineyard really shines bright in the light-bodied, nuanced 2023 Chardonnay Escolle Vineyard, which offers lengthy, crisp, and subtle characteristics of gravel, green apple, and a hint of citrus and spice. Structured to age another 10 years, it captures the power and intensity of the appellation from a perspective of equal finesse. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points! The 2019 Tinto Parcelas is an equal blend of Alicante Bouschet and Petit Verdot aged for 12 months in new oak tonels. It comes in at 14.48% alcohol. This is a blend of the best parcels of the Herdade. Another beautiful wine from this Alentejo outpost of Sogrape, this has the same features of its lesser-priced siblings—polish, moderate tannins, precision and good fruit. Here, though, the Alicante more influences the blend, easily dominating the more neutral Petit Verdot. This is also a bit tighter, thus likely to be even slower to evolve. It has the best structure of the three in this report and the most upside. You could drink this now, but it will be better in a couple of years. It will then age well. - Mark Squires, robertparker.com