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Inventory updated: Sat, Oct 25, 2025 11:02 AM cst
Rated 100 Points — These Wines Define Perfection
 Flickinger Wines has a fantastic selection of 100-point wines from prominent producers from across the globe all available in-stock. This list is dominated by a who's who of California and Bordeaux’s greatest wines from Sassicaia to Screaming Eagle, Maybach to Margaux and many more. Every wine here is a highlight, so take the time to browse this incredible list and add some of these perfect wines to your collection today - happy hunting!!
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Monday, October 13, 2025. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Ausone |
2009 |
St. Emilion  |
$895 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2012): Incredible nose of currants and blueberries. Flowers too. Licorice. Such purity on the nose of Cabernet Franc. Full body, incredible structure, with fabulous tannins and a long, long finish. Built out of stone. The perfect Ausone. Try after 2022.
WA 98+ (2/2012): A masterpiece in the making, proprietor Alain Vauthier’s 2009 Ausone boasts a dense purple color along with notes of powdered chalk, crushed rocks and wild blue, red and black fruits. Extravagantly rich with great minerality, precision and freshness as well as a voluptuous texture (unusual for a baby Ausone), this is an extraordinary wine. Sadly, there are fewer than 1,200 cases ... for the world. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060+.
VM 97 (3/2019): The 2009 Ausone has a sumptuous bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and orange blossom aromas. The wine is beautifully defined blossoms with aeration. It becomes very liquorice and menthol-like after 10 minutes’ aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It is not a powerful 2009 and it feels sleek and quite tensile. Pure red fruit linger in the mouth with a very deft, almost understated finish. So elegant, so Ausone. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2021 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) 2021 en Primeur Release |
$1,350 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (4/2022): A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot, the 2021 Ausone is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild blueberries and raspberries mingled with rose petals, violets, exotic spices, vine smoke and blood orange, it's full-bodied, seamless and sensual, with a satiny attack that segues into a deep, layered mid-palate of breathtaking precision and intensity without weight. Built around bright acids and ultra-refined tannins and concluding with a resonant, perfumed finish, this profound young Ausone represents the essence of this great limestone terroir. I am not in the habit of drinking six-month-old Bordeaux cask samples, but this is one wine that would have sorely tempted me to make an exception to that rule if my appointment at the estate hadn't been one of the first of the day!
VM 93-95 (5/2022): The 2021 Ausone was picked on September 30 for the Merlot and October 4–6 for the Cabernet Franc, with a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc because some of the Merlot was deselected into the Chapelle. Matured in 90% new oak, this has a fragrant and floral bouquet, more iris than violet, revealing a hint of seaweed in the background. The palate is well-defined, quite strict and focused, certainly one of the more mineral-driven Ausones that I have encountered at this stage. The limestone terroir is evident on the finish. Again, this is a little leaner and less flamboyant than recent vintages. Having tasted Ausone at this prenatal stage for over 20 years, I don’t find the thrilling "drive” or the pyrotechnics of the 2001, 2010, 2016 or 2019. Yet this Ausone is compelling in its own uncompromising way, and I wouldn't want it any different. |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2016 |
Pessac Leognan |
$639.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Haut-Brion is quite possibly even more magnificent from bottle than it was from barrel. Powerful and rich, yet not at all heavy, the 2016 is a wine of nearly indescribable beauty. Haut-Brion is often a thrilling wine, but it is rarely this finessed in its youth. Gravel, cure meat, tobacco and cedar are some of the many nuances that develop with air, but it is an extraordinary sense of harmony that really stands out. What a wine! Antonio Galloni.
JS 100-100 (4/2017): This is a monument for Haut-Brion and reminds me of the great 1998 but in a modern and bright style. Full-bodied, very tannic and superbly structured yet always agile and vivid. Its energy and dynamic nature grabs you by the shoulder and tells you it’s great. Staggeringly precise. It can’t get better than this, can it?
WA 99 (4/2023): The 2020 Haut-Brion is more aromatically demonstrative than La Mission Haut-Brion, bursting with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with licorice, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's rich and layered, with an enveloping core of fruit that's girdled by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin. Despite checking in at a similarly lofty alcoholic degree to the 2019, its more granular tannic profile tempers the vintage's sweetness of fruit and lends the wine a more classically proportioned, and more classically structured, profile.
JD 98+ (2/2019): As to the reds, the 2016 Haut Brion is a prodigious, legendary wine in the making, although it’s not for those seeking instant gratification. Deeper colored and more concentrated than the La Mission Haut Brion, it reveals a purple/ruby color as well as a sensational bouquet of blackcurrants, cassis, cigar tobacco, cold fireplace, violets, and lead pencil. Deep, masculine, structured, and mineral-laced, it has a stacked mid-palate, full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a firm, blockbuster styled finish that lasts for close to a minute. A wine for the ages, don’t even think about opening bottles for at least 7-8 years. It should keep for half a century. The blend in 2016 is 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6.5% Cabernet Franc.
WS 98 (3/2019): Large and in charge, this has a prodigious core of steeped plum, black currant and loganberry fruit flavors that show both compote and coulis aspects. While that steeps, this delivers a sturdy frame of roasted mesquite, smoldering tobacco and incense, surrounding a muscular spine of worn cedar and tar. Still rather backward, this will be showing well when most others from the vintage have had their day. Best from 2025 through 2045. 11,600 cases made. |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2022 |
Pomerol 2023 en Primeur Release |
$349.95 |
9 |
|
| |
JD 96-98+ (5/2023): Straight-up gorgeous, I'd put the 2022 Château L'Eglise-Clinet up with the top tier Pomerol in the vintage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpass the 2020 as well. Ripe black cherries, violets, spring flowers, graphite, and tobacco all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Compared to the 2005 by owner Noëmie Durantou (who has done an incredible job taking over the estate after the loss of her father), this rich, concentrated, incredibly impressive Pomerol is going to need 7-8 years of bottle age but will evolve for 30 years in cold cellars.
VM 98-100 (5/2023): The 2022 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked from 3 to 9 September for the Merlot and the Cabernet Franc on 5 and 9 September, matured in 85% new oak. It has an exquisitely-defined bouquet with succinct floral, pressed iris and clay notes percolating through the black fruit. With breathtaking focus, these scents seem to cast a spell over you. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins that frame the mineral-laden, peppery black fruit. There's not a hair out of place, exuding the essence of this Pomerol estate with an exceptionally long, intense and paradoxically tender finish. It's a wine that may leave you spellbound...just like this barrel sample. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2000 |
Pessac Leognan |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (8/2012): One of the wines of the vintage, the 2000 has barely budged in its evolution since it was bottled and released in 2002. After ten years in bottle, it still reveals a dense opaque purple color along with a potentially sensational bouquet of blueberries, black currants, graphite, asphalt and background oak. Extremely powerful, full-bodied and superbly concentrated with good acidity and high but round tannins, this massive La Mission-Haut-Brion should take its place among this estate’s most hallowed vintages when it hits full maturity in another one to two decades. I was surprised by just how youthful this wine tasted at age 12. If tasted blind, I would have guessed it to be around 4 to 5 years old. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
VM 95 (6/2003): Saturated ruby-red. Full-blown aromas of dark berries, smoked meat, tobacco and iron. Lush, thick and ripe; really builds steadily in the mouth and explodes on the back end. Quintessential La Mission notes of tobacco, minerals, tar and hot stones. Today the 2001 seems even more sharply etched but this is denser, riper and deeper, with perfectly integrated acidity. Finishes very long, with huge, palate-coating tannins.
JS 95 (5/2012): This is tight and beautiful, with a firm tannin structure and a beautiful silky texture. Full and concentrated, with a destiny. In the glass it keeps evolving, notes of iodine, spices, cedar, and earth tempt the senses. This still needs some time to come together. Don’t touch it until 2015.
WS 93 (3/2003): Lovely aromas of dried lavender, crushed berries and minerals. Full-bodied, with firm, yet polished tannins and a medium finish of tobacco, berry and dark chocolate. A balanced and very pretty young red. Not quite as exciting as in barrel, but clearly Outstanding. Best after 2010. |
|
|
2000 |
Pessac Leognan Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (8/2012): One of the wines of the vintage, the 2000 has barely budged in its evolution since it was bottled and released in 2002. After ten years in bottle, it still reveals a dense opaque purple color along with a potentially sensational bouquet of blueberries, black currants, graphite, asphalt and background oak. Extremely powerful, full-bodied and superbly concentrated with good acidity and high but round tannins, this massive La Mission-Haut-Brion should take its place among this estate’s most hallowed vintages when it hits full maturity in another one to two decades. I was surprised by just how youthful this wine tasted at age 12. If tasted blind, I would have guessed it to be around 4 to 5 years old. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
VM 95 (6/2003): Saturated ruby-red. Full-blown aromas of dark berries, smoked meat, tobacco and iron. Lush, thick and ripe; really builds steadily in the mouth and explodes on the back end. Quintessential La Mission notes of tobacco, minerals, tar and hot stones. Today the 2001 seems even more sharply etched but this is denser, riper and deeper, with perfectly integrated acidity. Finishes very long, with huge, palate-coating tannins.
JS 95 (5/2012): This is tight and beautiful, with a firm tannin structure and a beautiful silky texture. Full and concentrated, with a destiny. In the glass it keeps evolving, notes of iodine, spices, cedar, and earth tempt the senses. This still needs some time to come together. Don’t touch it until 2015.
WS 93 (3/2003): Lovely aromas of dried lavender, crushed berries and minerals. Full-bodied, with firm, yet polished tannins and a medium finish of tobacco, berry and dark chocolate. A balanced and very pretty young red. Not quite as exciting as in barrel, but clearly Outstanding. Best after 2010. |
|
| Ch. Lafleur |
2022 |
Pomerol |
$1,100 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 100 (3/2025): The 2022 Lafleur has turned out even better in bottle than I anticipated. Wafting from the glass with exotic aromas of mulberries, potpourri, iris, blood orange and incense, it's full-bodied, dense and layered, with a deep and multidimensional core of sweet, succulent fruit underpinned by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, expansive, rose-inflected finish. Élevage has brought a sense of harmony and classicism to the volume and richness that were already apparent en primeur, delivering a Lafleur for the ages.
JD 98+ (2/2025): The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lafleur checks in as 51% Bouschet (an older selection of Cabernet Franc) and 49% Merlot brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a ripe, incredibly powerful Lafleur that has a rare mix of voluptuousness as well as a dense, structured core. Red and black currants, iron, bloody meats, truffly earth, and violet notes are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel, tons of ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for a solid decade but will evolve for 30-40 years. (Drink between 2035-2075).
VM 98 (2/2025): The 2022 Lafleur was a deeply impressive Pomerol when tasted from barrel. As Baptiste Guinaudeau mentioned, the 2022 vintage was driven by energy and not dominated by the sun, which differentiates it from the 2019 or 2020. The 2022 possesses incredible purity on the nose, with layers of black fruit, graphite and just a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied and quite linear in style, with firm tannins, strong pencil box notes and a sharp and precise finish. It lingers temptingly in the mouth, yet at the same time you know this will need many years to reach its peak. Awesome. (Drink between 2032-2075). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
2015 |
Margaux |
$1,499 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (11/2017): The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years.
JS 100-100 (4/2016): The greatest Margaux ever made. More than perfection. Full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins. Black currant, mineral and floral character. It starts slowly and seems almost endless on the palate. Seamless. I want to sing! This is the wine that Margaux never made in some of the classic vintages like 1961, 1959 and 1945. Maybe it's the 1900 all over again? Breathtaking.
WA 98-100 (4/2016): The 2015 Château Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all together representing 35% of the total production at the estate. Raised entirely in new oak, it has a lucid garnet color. The bouquet is aimed directly at the senses - there is no dilly-dallying about, as it almost knocks you off your stool with its intense mineralite embroidered into this iridescent, graphite-tinged nose. The focus and penetration here ranks among the finest that I have tasted at this estate since first coming here in 1997. The palate is astonishingly well balanced, perfectly poised with super-fine tannins wrapped around pure blackberry, bilberry, graphite and cedar fruit. Like the Pavillon Rouge this year, there is a Pauillac-like sense of authority and aristocracy, leavened by Margaux-inspired femininity that completes that standout 2015 on the Left Bank. Beg for a bottle and worry about the cost later. Post script: I composed this tasting note five days before the passing of Paul Pontallier. It is a final gift from a gifted winemaker.
VM 95-98 (4/2016): The 2015 Margaux is a super-classic wine. In 2015, most Margauxs are notably intense, but Château Margaux expresses the richness of the year in its surprising tannic backbone and overall structure. Far from an up-front or sensual wine, the 2015 Margaux is likely to require considerable cellaring. It is a tightly-wound wine that manages to be both powerful and crystalline in its translucent purity. The 2015 is a wine of real density and yet so very much Margaux. About 35% of the crop went into the Grand Vin. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2022 |
Pauillac |
$679 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (5/2023): Moving to the flagship, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild is a massive, full-bodied, incredibly powerful 2022 that takes no prisoners with its ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, graphite, and smoked tobacco-driven aromas and flavors. Deep, unctuous, and concentrated, with velvety tannins, this legendary Mouton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that's still resting in new barrel. It will unquestionably play with the top wines in the vintage. Harvest here began the 1st of September and finished on the 26th, and the final wine hit 14% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.89 and an IPT of 76.
VM 96-98 (5/2023): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-99 (5/2023): A brilliant wine that likely sits somewhere between the 2019 and 2020 in quality, the 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Unwinding in the glass with complex aromas of minty cassis, cigar wrapper, violets and subtle hints of loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit and a fleshy, elegantly muscular profile. Broad-shouldered and seamless, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. This year the grand vin represents some 49% of the estate's production. |
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|
2022 |
Pauillac (6.0 L) 2023 en Primeur Release |
$7,195 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (5/2023): Moving to the flagship, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild is a massive, full-bodied, incredibly powerful 2022 that takes no prisoners with its ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, graphite, and smoked tobacco-driven aromas and flavors. Deep, unctuous, and concentrated, with velvety tannins, this legendary Mouton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that's still resting in new barrel. It will unquestionably play with the top wines in the vintage. Harvest here began the 1st of September and finished on the 26th, and the final wine hit 14% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.89 and an IPT of 76.
VM 96-98 (5/2023): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-99 (5/2023): A brilliant wine that likely sits somewhere between the 2019 and 2020 in quality, the 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Unwinding in the glass with complex aromas of minty cassis, cigar wrapper, violets and subtle hints of loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit and a fleshy, elegantly muscular profile. Broad-shouldered and seamless, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. This year the grand vin represents some 49% of the estate's production. |
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|
2022 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) 2023 en Primeur Release |
$1,425 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (5/2023): Moving to the flagship, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild is a massive, full-bodied, incredibly powerful 2022 that takes no prisoners with its ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, graphite, and smoked tobacco-driven aromas and flavors. Deep, unctuous, and concentrated, with velvety tannins, this legendary Mouton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that's still resting in new barrel. It will unquestionably play with the top wines in the vintage. Harvest here began the 1st of September and finished on the 26th, and the final wine hit 14% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.89 and an IPT of 76.
VM 96-98 (5/2023): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-99 (5/2023): A brilliant wine that likely sits somewhere between the 2019 and 2020 in quality, the 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Unwinding in the glass with complex aromas of minty cassis, cigar wrapper, violets and subtle hints of loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit and a fleshy, elegantly muscular profile. Broad-shouldered and seamless, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. This year the grand vin represents some 49% of the estate's production. |
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| Ch. Petrus |
1990 |
Pomerol Base Neck Fill; Slightly Raised Cork |
$4,300 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2009): The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement!
JS 100 (6/2016): This is a legend and lives up to it. Dense and opulent with layers of ripe, powerful, pure and rich fruit across the board. I have been lucky enough to drink this a number of times and it doesn't change.
NM 98 (10/2011): Tasted at Hof van Cleve in Belgium. The 1990 has one of those bouquets where a choir of angels seem to sing from heaven when you take you first sniff. It is utterly compelling, with crystalline dark fruits, truffle and even an outrageous hint of melted marshmallows. The palate possesses brilliant tension, quite edgy for a 1990 with ebullient dark fruits, Vervain tea, a touch of dark plum and something sweet like fresh fig. There is an effortless quality to the 1990 that is completely entrancing, and of course, a length that is longer than Southend Pier (the longest in the world.) Brilliant.
WS 98 (10/2004): That hasn't changed. A classy wine that's almost as great as the awesome '89. Expressive and sophisticated, with wonderful ripe fruit and vanilla aromas. The palate is extremely silky with superb flavor concentration. It's very muscular but refined and toned. Still too young to open.--Petrus non-blind vertical. Best after 2007. 3,700 cases made.
VM 97 (11/1993): Black-ruby to the rim. Remarkably vibrant red and black fruit, mineral, and licorice nose has an almost Chambolle-like framboise tang to it. Massive on the palate; tremendous extract. As dense as this is now, it already shows remarkable clarity and depth of flavor. Powerful structure and length, with extraordinary subtlety of flavor. Based on the bottle sampled, this is an early candidate for wine of the vintage.
MB [*[***]?] (6/2000): First tasted from cask in June 1991. Dense, full of fruit and flesh. Less tannic than the '89. Twelve months later, a week before bottling, a potential 5 stars. Next tasted blind, at the frequently mentioned Eigensatz tasting of 144 of the world's top '90s. It was in good company, including La Tache, Pavillon Ermitage, Latour, La Turque (eastily top of the 'flight') and so forth. It had nothing to be ashamed of. Coincidentally it was again set against La Turque in a Rodenstock 'flight' (also blind) of '90s in 1996. Only half a point separated them, the Petrus tough and tannic. The following year at the Union des Grands Crus dinner, before Christie's best-ever one-owner sale: deep and velvety; full of fruit and flesh. Very impressive, very tannic. Most recently, the last of Eddie Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' first growth tasting of the '90s: still very deep; thick, chunky, fleshy nose but one could smell the sweaty tannins; fairly sweet, full, rich, complete but with a dry, rather coarse finish. Well, I suppose it is gilt-edged and will soften with time. A matter of taste. Drink 2015-2025. |
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
1982 |
Pauillac Base Neck Fill; Signs of Old Seepage; Bin-Soiled Label |
$800 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2022): Several years ago, I purchased a case of the 1982 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande from a frigid Alsatian cellar where it had lain undisturbed since release, and from these bottles, it continues to very much merit a three-digit score. One of the most flamboyant, sensual wines of the vintage, it offers up a sweet bouquet of blackcurrants and blackberries mingled with notions of orange rind, violets, licorice and pipe tobacco. Full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with melting tannins, ripe acids and a long, cedar-inflected finish, it continues to deliver magical drinking. Having drunk the 1982 six or seven times this year, however, I am forced to concede that bottles that show this level of vibrancy and flare aren't so easy to find, so now is a great time to start pulling corks in earnest. This may not prove to be the very longest-lived wine of the vintage, but its star certainly did burn bright!
NM 98 (11/2012): Tasted at Pebbles/Zachy’s 1982 dinner in Hong Kong. The Pichon-Lalande ’82 almost embarrasses the Pichon Baron ’82. It has a seamless nose of blackberry, cassis, graphite and cedar, again, with an almost sorbet-like freshness and vitality that you want to keep returning to repeatedly. The palate is beautifully defined with filigree tannins and so much freshness and poise, a citric theme from start to finish. There are notes of blackberry, cedar, graphite and a spray tan of glycerine. This is a Pauillac that challenges the First Growths and I would argue with the exception of Latour, is equal to them.
MB [*****] (4/2001): With and without food. Masses of notes - well, 20 to date, most over the past decade: prettily coloured, well-upholstered, delectable. Sweetness and fruit. Being an '82, dry finish. Last noted at the La Reserve tasting of '82's, Just tuck in.
WS 95 (11/1998): A voluptuous red. Very dark ruby-garnet. Aromas of currant, meat and berries. Full-bodied and velvety, with lovely ripe berry and earth and a long, ripe finish of caressing texture. This has always been a great wine. I marvel at it each time I taste it.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now.
VM 95 (8/2002): Deep red-ruby color. Liqueur-like aromas of currant, cedar, lead pencil, truffle and smoked meat. Magically sweet and silky in the mouth, with superb depth of flavor and a complete absence of rough edges. A huge wine with utterly compelling sweetness and great terroir character. Powerful if somewhat unrestrained. Finishes ripely tannic, long and sweet. Many tasters still rank this among their two or three favorites of the vintage. Drink now to 2015. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. d' Yquem |
2001 |
Sauternes (1.5 L) ex-Negociant |
$1,550 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (9/2021): Just weeks after tasting the 2001 Château d’Yquem at the estate, another bottle was served at a lunch in London and it was perfection. The aromatics are practically identical and likewise the palate, but this bottle, which had been decanted, displays a scintilla more tension, perhaps more "vibrancy" that so effortlessly counterbalances the richness. Irrespective of points, it is simply one of the most magnificent wines of any kind that can pass your lips. Neal Martin.
WA 100 (8/2019): I have had the very good fortune to taste the 2001 d'Yquem perhaps a dozen times since its release and have never been less than absolutely floored by its combination of poise, purity, precision and layer upon intricate, jaw-dropping layer of flavor nuances. It is among a very small clutch of incredible wines that crash through the 100-point ceiling and rocket beyond the stratosphere! A testament to that magic that can be created when an uncommonly great vintage for Sauternes brings out the best of an extraordinary vineyard and is skillfully, sensitively crafted, the 2001 is a true wine rarity that must be tried to be believed.
WS 100 (11/2005): (WS #10 wine of 2005) The greatest young Yquem I have ever tasted from bottle. Yellow, with a golden hue and an almost green tint. Intense aromas of botrytis, spices and blanched almonds follow through to honey, maple syrup, dried apricot and pineapple. Full-bodied, sweet, thick and powerful, with layers of fruit and a bright, lively finish. Coats the palate yet remains exciting. So balanced and refined, showing the pedigree that only this Sauternes estate can deliver. Best after 2012. 10,000 cases made. |
|
| | Italy |
| Castello di Ama |
2019 |
Chianti Classico La Casuccia Gran Selezione (3.0 L) |
$799 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto La Casuccia is stunning. What a wine! In this vintage, the aromatics are huge and expansive, a theme that comes through on the palate as well. Cedar, tobacco, dried leaves, incense and blood orange all race out of the glass. The 2019 is mind-blowing in its intensity, pedigree and overall balance. It's the wine of the vintage in Chianti Classico. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (2/2023): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia is a wine of intensity, volume and power. Yet it also shows impeccable balance thanks to the deft hands of the estate winemaking team. I find this edition of la Casuccia, with fruit from a steep vineyard that faces the Castello, to be especially full and rich. Fruit weight and concentration is indeed a characteristic of this classic growing season, and this wine wears it well. You are treated to plenty of blackberry, spice, tobacco and grilled herb. |
|
| Elio Grasso |
2016 |
Barolo Runcot Riserva |
$250 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2025): The 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is every bit as magical as it has always been. Deep, layered and explosive, the 2016 dazzles from start to finish. It possesses remarkable textural depth and mind-blowing balance. Even so, it has shut down considerably since I first tasted it. Rüncot is a wine that typically needs time to be at its very finest. That is especially true for the 2016. (Drink between 2024-2036). Antonio Galloni.
JD 99+ (5/2024): The ripe ruby-colored 2016 Barolo Riserva Runcot was raised for 48 months in entirely new French barriques, but the oak spice is surprisingly well-integrated. Boasting noes of baked red cherries, polished leather, savory sweet tobacco, menthol, and cigar box, it offers a plush a rounded texture on the palate, with a nicely balanced, salty, mouthwatering feel, a ripe core, and its polished oak spice perfume lasting on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next several decades. This is a profound wine that I wish I had in my cellar. (Drink between 2024-2044). Audrey Frick.
WA 94 (4/2024): The Elio Grasso 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is intense and powerful. However, there are a number of tertiary notes, some veering all the way to porcino mushroom and wood pile, but you also get threads of ripe black cherry, plum and even some dried prune. You can't escape a note of painters' studio with linseed oil. Bitter cacao or rhubarb also appear. This is an excellent example of an aged Barolo Riserva, but ultimately, you'll get more pleasure drinking this in the medium term without having to age it. She's ready to go. |
|
| Piero Antinori |
2021 |
Solaia Ex-Negociant |
$350 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 100 (7/2024): Antinori's 2021 Solaia is another wine that captures all of the potential I sensed when I tasted it some months ago. More than anything else, the 2021 is a fine example of the style Antinori favors these days, an approach that favors finesse more than opulence. Dark plum, mocha, licorice, chocolate, spice, lavender and menthol build effortlessly in the glass. Oak and tannin are impeccably balanced. The 2021 spent 18 months in wood, three months in once-used barrels during the malolactic fermentation and then 15 months in 100% new barrels for the rest of its aging. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (3/2024): All said and done, the Marchesi Antinori 2021 Solaia is a monument to perfect winemaking. This coiffed supermodel does not show a single hair follicle out of place. However, it doesn't quite have the same sex appeal of the Tignanello. In my conversations with Estate Manager Renzo Cotarella during this tasting, it was expressed this way: "Tignanello is unexpected. Solaia is expected." Whereas Tignanello is a wine of vertical lift and energy, Solaia is a wine of lasting power. The wine offers generous depth and layering with soft tannins and some of the spicy pink peppercorn you get from the 9% Cabernet Franc (added to 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Sangiovese). The finish is extremely velvety and soft, but I notice that the flavors seem to become sweeter and riper the longer this wine stays in the glass. This newest release will hit the market in September. |
|
| | Port |
| Taylor |
1992 |
Port |
$175 |
9 |
|
| |
WA 100 (2/1995): Taylor's 1992 Vintage Port is unquestionably the greatest young port I have ever tasted. It represents the essence of what vintage port can achieve. The color is an opaque black/purple, and the nose offers up fabulously intense aromas of minerals, cassis, blackberries, licorice, and spices, as well as extraordinary purity and penetration. Yet this is still an unformed and infantile wine. If Chateau Latour made a late-harvest Cabernet Sauvignon, I suspect it might smell like this. In the mouth, the wine is out of this world, displaying layer upon layer of concentrated black fruits backed by well-integrated tannin and structure. This is a massive, magnificently rich, full-bodied port that will be far more flattering in its youth than were such Taylors as the 1983, 1977, or 1970. It possesses awesome fruit, marvelous intensity, and lavish opulence, all brilliantly well-delineated by the wine's formidable structure. This monumental 30-50 year port is a must purchase for port aficionados.! Also noteworthy is the fact that the 1992 Taylor commemorates the 300th anniversary of this firm, as evidenced by the special bottle Taylor used for this port.
NM 99 (11/1997): Wow. Virtually opaque core, black and purple in colour with a thin ruby rim. The nose is incredibly intense, a ravishing pot-pourri of scents: black cherries, raspberry, cassis and vanilla pod all with amazing delineation. I will have to employ my off used phrase -controlled opulence-. The palate is full-bodied with layers of pure black fruits with beautifully defined tannins, vibrant acidity, immense power but the same level of control. Pure blueberry, liquorices and crushed violets towards the finish with a citrus undertow. It is the poise and definition that is so unexpected given it ferocious power and it will surely rank alongside the likes of the -35 and the -48 in years to come. An immense achievement.
WS 96 (5/2005): Fresh and lively, with raisin, spice and hints of blackberry. Full-bodied and very tight, with plenty of tannins. Very long. Needs to open. '91/'92 Port retrospective. Best after 2008. 6,200 cases made. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Abreu |
2010 |
Howell Mountain Proprietary Blend |
$349 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (11/2013): The 2010 Howell Mountain is simply magnificent. Inky, deep, and full-bodied to the core, the 2010 blasts out of the glass with graphite, pencil shavings, menthol, melted road tar, plum, cassis and licorice notes. The 2010 is an exciting, viscerally thrilling wine that takes hold of the sense and never lets up. Today, it is firing on all cylidners. The Howell Mountain is the only Abreu wine that incorporates Malbec, a variety that seems to work magic here. The 2010 is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec and 5% Merlot.
WA 94-97 (10/2013): An absolute blockbuster, the 2010 Howell Mountain includes Malbec and Petit Verdot blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It boasts an inky/blue/purple color as well as a sumptuous perfume of barbecue smoke, lead pencil shavings and wet rocks. This ripe, smoky, intense, full-bodied wine reveals a boatload of tannins, but also richer fruit and a deeper, multidimensional mouthfeel and finish than the 2009, which appears to be more broodingly backward and structured. This appears to be a great success. Consume it over the next 25-30 years. |
|
|
2013 |
Thorevilos Proprietary Blend Bin-Soiled Label |
$739 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (5/2024): The 2013 Thorevilos is a wild, exotic wine. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, pencil shavings, cloves, licorice and dark chocolate all run through this potent, deep red. Young and vibrant, as all the 2013s are here, the Thorevilos possesses tremendous energy from start to finish. A whole range of savory and floral notes linger on the huge, tannic finish. This is sculpted and delicious, but it still needs time. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (10/2016): Probably one of my favorite vineyards in all of Napa Valley, even though it is not entitled to any particular AVA designation, is the steep hillside vineyard behind the luxury resort of Meadowood in St. Helena called Thorevilos. It is co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman. I have now tasted 16 vintages of this wine, and six and possibly seven (the 2015) have merited perfect scores, which is just mind-boggling even to someone who has been doing this for 38+ years. This wine contains a considerable quantity of Cabernet Franc (probably 30% or more, although Abreu and Grimes are never specific) and there may even be a small percentage of Petit Verdot included in the blend. This is always the most floral of the Abreu wines, but it also has what the French call je ne sais quoi, a quality that is hard to pin down. The 2013 defines what Thorevilos is all about, with copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries, truffles, violets, crushed rock, forest floor notes and oodles of glycerin in its full-bodied, incredibly pure and amazing texture and length. It is a spectacular wine, with the cascade of fruit hiding what must be some considerable tannic clout. It’s not showing through just yet, but I suspect it will come as the wine closes down in bottle once it gets into a cold cellar. This is simply other-worldly and a tribute to all things Napa, California, and in a way, America. Drink it over the next 50+ years. |
|
|
2013 |
Thorevilos Proprietary Blend Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$739 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (5/2024): The 2013 Thorevilos is a wild, exotic wine. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, pencil shavings, cloves, licorice and dark chocolate all run through this potent, deep red. Young and vibrant, as all the 2013s are here, the Thorevilos possesses tremendous energy from start to finish. A whole range of savory and floral notes linger on the huge, tannic finish. This is sculpted and delicious, but it still needs time. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (10/2016): Probably one of my favorite vineyards in all of Napa Valley, even though it is not entitled to any particular AVA designation, is the steep hillside vineyard behind the luxury resort of Meadowood in St. Helena called Thorevilos. It is co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman. I have now tasted 16 vintages of this wine, and six and possibly seven (the 2015) have merited perfect scores, which is just mind-boggling even to someone who has been doing this for 38+ years. This wine contains a considerable quantity of Cabernet Franc (probably 30% or more, although Abreu and Grimes are never specific) and there may even be a small percentage of Petit Verdot included in the blend. This is always the most floral of the Abreu wines, but it also has what the French call je ne sais quoi, a quality that is hard to pin down. The 2013 defines what Thorevilos is all about, with copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries, truffles, violets, crushed rock, forest floor notes and oodles of glycerin in its full-bodied, incredibly pure and amazing texture and length. It is a spectacular wine, with the cascade of fruit hiding what must be some considerable tannic clout. It’s not showing through just yet, but I suspect it will come as the wine closes down in bottle once it gets into a cold cellar. This is simply other-worldly and a tribute to all things Napa, California, and in a way, America. Drink it over the next 50+ years. |
|
| Bella Oaks |
2021 |
Proprietary Red |
$275 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (12/2023): The 2021 Proprietary Red Wine is exquisite. A wine of exceptional balance and class, it hits all the right notes. Specifically, the 2021 shows the finesse of the year, but it also possesses an extra kick of mid-palate resonance that sets it apart from so many other wines in this vintage and places it among the most elite wines of the year. A dollop (5%) of fruit from Ecotone rounds out the blend. Tasted two times. (Drink between 2028-2041). Antonio Galloni.
JD 98+ (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon can perhaps be thought of as a mix of the 2018 and 2019 or a more concentrated 2018. Cassis, darker currants, graphite, crushed stone, and hints of violets all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a concentrated, deep, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and outstanding length. This tiny site in Rutherford has again delivered a world-class wine that I think will surpass the 2018, and probably merit a perfect rating at maturity. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and it will evolve for at least two decades. Bravo! (Drink between 2027-2047).
WA 98 (4/2024): The final blend of the Bella Oaks 2021 Proprietary Red Wine ended up at 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. With a compelling nose of dusty earth, dried spices and mixed red and black cherries, this full-bodied wine boasts an elegant texture somewhere between silk and velvet with a gentle wash of silky tannins on the long, mouthwatering finish. |
|
| Bevan Cellars |
2018 |
Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$360 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2021): I always seem to compare great wines from this site with Haut-Brion, and I think the comparison holds here, although it’s a Haut-Brion on steroids! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard reveals a dense purple color as well as a powerful nose of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, earth, coffee beans, and gravelly earth. All of these carry over to the palate, where the wine is full-bodied and has a deep, layered mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Hats off to the talented Russell Bevans for another brilliant, singular wine that’s going to keep for 20-25 years. (Drink between 2021-2046.)
WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard was aged for 19 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant scents of redcurrant jelly, Black Forest cake, blackcurrant pastilles and rose oil with suggestions of cast-iron pan, pencil lead and tilled soil plus a waft of fragrant earth. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, it delivers an incredible mineral and perfumed red fruit firework display finish. Fans of Dr. Crane are going to LOVE this expression, masterfully crafted by Russell Bevan—an absolute must-try! |
|
|
2014 |
Tench Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2016): Russell has made a killing farming and making wine from Oakville’s Tench Vineyard in the heart of the high-rent district of Rudd, Screaming Eagle, Phelps, Dalla Valle and a few others. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is his third perfect wine of the vintage, which, believe me, is a trifecta of brilliance. Aged three-fourths in Darnajou and one-fourth in Taransaud, the wine is as dark as a moonless night, has the telltale blueberry and blackberry liqueur notes with Asian spice, incense and the perfume of a flower shop. Deep, built like a skyscraper, with multiple levels, well-integrated acidity and tannin, this big, juicy, succulent and intense wine is a tour de force and can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years.
VM 93 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is powerful, silky and nuanced, with plenty of bright red stone fruit, spice and floral notes. This is an especially restrained wine for Bevan, yet all the elements are in the right place. Silky, polished tannins and the reddish fruit profile give the 2014 its refined, sensual personality. Best of all, the 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Antonio Galloni.
WS 92 (11/2017): Smoky oak is evident in the introduction, giving way to vibrant dark berry, gravelly earth, road tar and tobacco, maintaining tannic muscle on a long, full, chewy aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2032. 125 cases made. |
|
| Bond Estates (Harlan) |
2015 |
St. Eden Proprietary Blend |
$569 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2019): Moving to the 2015s tasted from bottle, this is an incredible vintage for this estate and there are two perfect wines in the lineup. First up, the 2015 St. Eden, from a hillside of red volcanic soils near Oakville, boasts a saturated purple color and heavenly notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, and huge crushed rock-like minerality. It’s full-bodied, deep, and layered on the palate, with incredible concentration, yet it stays seamless, pure, and perfectly balanced. It’s a magical wine to drink over the coming 2-3 decades. (Drink between 2019-2049).
WA 99 (10/2018): Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 St. Eden springs from the glass with exuberant blueberry pie, potpourri and spice cake scents followed by a black raspberry, cassis and preserved plums core plus a touch of wild sage. Full-bodied, plush and decadently fruited, it completely packs the palate with layer upon layer of black fruit preserves, finishing very long with those spices coming through.
VM 96 (12/2018): The 2015 St. Eden is another wine in this lineup that is not quite as expressive as it can be. Firm tannins dominate over softer contours that so often make St. Eden such an alluring wine. Time in the glass brings out an attractive set of dark cherry, plum, leather and tobacco notes. Even so, the 2015 is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. (Drink between 2022-2032). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Cirq |
2019 |
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$359 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (7/2023): The 2019 Pinot Noir is a jeweled ruby hue and has layered aromas of pristine cherry, cardamom, rose petal, and sweet herbs. It has incredible clarity and focus, with and a silky texture in its notes of raspberry liqueur and violets, and somehow seems to have more depth after the wine is gone. It offers fantastic balance and a sunny feel, with great refinement that lasts for ages. This wine is outstanding. Drink 2023-2032.From winemaker Michael Browne, also of CHEV and co-founder of Kosta Browne, CIRQ only produces a single Pinot Noir wine from their home in the Russian River Valley. |
|
| Colgin |
2010 |
Cariad Proprietary Blend Bin-Soiled Label |
$509 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2013): The 2010 Proprietary Red Cariad reveals great intensity along with abundant notes of unsmoked tobacco leaf interwoven with blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and coffee bean nuances as well as a Pauillac-like lead pencil shaving character. This blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 14% Cabernet Franc is one of the finest wines I tasted over the 12 days I spent tasting in Napa Valley in late August and early September. This remarkable 2010 should drink beautifully for 20 or more years.
VM 97 (12/2012): The 2010 Red Wine Cariad is incredibly shut down at this stage. Dark raspberries, flowers, mint and tar emerge over time, but the Cariad remains quite a bit tighter and more introspective than the other wines in this lineup. At the same time, there is a level of purity in the fruit that is striking. This is the tightest of the estate's 2010s. Accordingly, it will require a few years to open up. This is the lowest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used in Cariad.
VM 95+ (6/2013): (a blend of 48% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 14% petit verdot and 10% cabernet franc): Saturated, bright ruby-red. Deeper and darker on the nose than the Tychson Hill cabernet, offering vibrant scents of blackcurrant, graphite minerality and bitter chocolate. At once round and delineated in the mouth, with dark berry and mineral flavors displaying Outstanding depth without excess weight. With its very firm tannic structure, this typically Medoc-like wine will need a good eight to ten years to evolve in bottle and may ultimately merit an even higher rating. These vines in Madrona Vineyard in St. Helena were planted on an alluvial fan in the 1980s.
JS 95 (5/2014): Lots of ripe fruit, chocolate and iron. Full body, with loads of velvety tannins and a round and rich palate. It is round and mouthfilling yet fresh and beautiful. Delicious already but will improve with age
WS 92 (10/2013): Notable for its charcoal and graphite woodiness, along with its edgy entry into the core of dark berry fruit. Keeps you at arm's length, with the flavors both concentrated and nuanced. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2024. 550 cases made. |
|
| Eisele Vineyard |
2015 |
Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$905.45 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2017): Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon charges from the gate with exuberant red and black cherries notes, black currants and mulberries with a beautiful roses and lavender perfume, plus hints of sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Full-bodied, concentrated and downright explosive in the mouth, it is still wearing loads of gorgeous puppy-fat fruit flavors, offering suggestions of the complex, multilayered blockbuster that it will emerge into. The structure deserves its own mention: wonderful, seamless freshness and oh-so-fine, pixelated tannins, with an extraordinary persistence of fruit and mineral nuances. Wow. |
|
| Fairchild Estate |
2016 |
Stones No. 3 Tench Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$586.95 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2019): This full-bodied, remarkably pure, seamless Napa Cabernet comes from the Tench Vineyard outside St. Helena and reveals a saturated purple color as well as sensational notes of blueberries, currants, camphor, scorched earth, and hints of lavender and violets. Deep, layered, still tight and backward, yet with incredible purity and focus, it’s a monumental beauty that’s going to benefit from at least 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 2-3 decades. Hats off to winemaker Philippe Melka and the team at Fairchild Wines for this incredible wine.
VM 97 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 is another superb wine from Larry Fairchild. Dense, powerful and explosive, with tremendous depth, the 2016 captures all the magic of this Oakville site. Black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol infuse this sumptuous, extravagantly rich Cabernet Sauvignon. Sweet, ripe tannins add to the wine's considerable immediacy and sheer appeal. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Fingers Crossed |
2018 |
Just Between Us Syrah |
$245 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Another killer wine, and one that tops out on my scale, the 2018 Syrah Off The Record checks in as 93% Syrah, 2% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, and the rest 3% Roussanne that saw just 22% stems and spent 20 months in 68% new French oak. Dense purple-hued, with awesome notes of smoked black fruits, smoked game, ground pepper, beef blood, spice, and violets, this beauty is full-bodied and elegant, with a perfect mid-palate and a great, great finish. Only the second release from this winery, this incredible Syrah seemingly has one foot in California with its ripe, sexy fruit and one foot in the Northern Rhone with its gamy, meaty, peppery, and wildly complex style. While it doesn’t have the same weight as say Sine Qua Non, Alban, or Andremily, it’s flawlessly balanced, insanely complex, and has a style all its own. It will ideally be given 2-4 years of bottle age and will cruise for 10-15 years as well. Don’t miss it! |
|
| Hors Categorie Vineyards |
2015 |
Walla Walla Valley Syrah |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2018): The 2015 Syrah from Hors Catégorie is spectacular, bursting from the glass with a stunning bouquet of smoked charcuterie, blackberries, licorice, dried violets and rich forest floor. Structured around beautifully velvety tannins on the palate, the wine is full-bodied, layered and immensely concentrated, yet it manages to remain weightless. While there's plenty of fruit here, it's this Syrah's mouthwateringly savory qualities that define the protracted, penetrating finish and make the wine so exciting. Cropped at a mere 0.8 tons per acre from a steep hillside vineyard that's trained on stakes à la Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie, this was matured in neutral oak, with the exception of one second-fill puncheon that was eliminated after the first racking, demonstrating that when it comes to new oak and Syrah, less is emphatically more. Having seen this vineyard and tasted this wine, any skepticism that its eye-watering price might elicit is immediately dispelled.
JD 97+ (4/2018): From Christophe Baron and the team at Cayuse, the 2015 Syrah is only the second vintage from this steep, rocky vineyard located south of the town of Milton-Freewater, in the North Fork of the Walla Walla River. Despite coming from a different terroir than the Rocks region, it certainly has some classic gaminess that’s common from that region. Blackcurrants, bloody meats, ground pepper, lavender, and exotic spices all emerge from the glass, and it needs lots of air time to show at its best. Deep, full-bodied, and seamless, with sweet tannin, it’s a singular Syrah that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will knock your socks off over the following 10-15 years. (Drink between 2022-2032).
VM 95 (11/2018): Bright medium red. Hints of roasted fruits, smoked meat, bacon fat and brown spices on the nose, plus a note of cold ash. Then wonderfully savory and energetic on the palate, conveying an uncanny light touch to its dense flavors of red berries, charred meat, spices and salty minerality. Like a fruit syrup in its mouthfeel but not at all outsized or heavy. Finishes with building tannins that saturate the tongue. This is hard to scrape off the palate. If the extraordinary 2014 bottling was Hermitage-like, this one is more akin to a Côte-Rôtie from the Côte Brune. (Christophe Baron's vineyard in the Blue Mountains is on a very steep slope at about 1,400 feet.) (13.5% alcohol) (Drink between 2021-2030). Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Joseph Phelps |
2015 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (10/2017): A barrel sample blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec coming from six vineyards and reared in 100% new French oak, the 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a very deep inky-purple color and nose of crushed red and black currants, blackberry pie and plums with hints of dried herbs, sandalwood, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a knock-out core of intense, energetic fruit with chewy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with epic length and freshness. 12,500 cases are expected to be bottled.
JS 96 (5/2018): The subtlety and brightness to this one. Blackcurrants, fresh mint and sage undertones. Full-bodied, yet so tight and reserved. Linear and very racy with fantastic blackberries, crush stones and lead pencil. Love the finish. This is a wine that needs three to four years of bottle age. Try in 2022.
WS 91 (11/2018): This red offers lots of spice, cedar, gravel and lead pencil flavors, with the woodiness overshadowing the trim fruit. A Bordeaux-style version that begs for cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2022 through 2032. 12,500 cases made.
VM 91-94 (3/2018): The 2015 Insignia is an especially ripe, sumptuous wine, but it is developing nicely. Readers can look forward to an opulent, flamboyant wine built on racy fruit and juiciness. Crème de cassis, chocolate, lavender and cloves add to the wine's dark personality. In 2015, Insignia is quite exotic in feel. Because of the challenges of the growing season, winemaker Ashley Hepworth omitted Merlot from the blend. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Kinsman Eades |
2021 |
Kaannos Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$525 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2023): Coming from the northern end of Vine Hill Ranch, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaannos is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon raised in 70% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a heavenly perfume of darker, almost blue fruits as well as leafy herbs, flowers, spice cabinet, camphor, and chocolate. I love its complexity on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a remarkable sense of refinement and elegance, fine yet building tannins, and an incredible finish. This magical, majestic, absolutely jaw-droppingly good Cabernet Sauvignon is a legend in the making. Hide bottles for 5-7 years if you can, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 30-40 years. (Drink between 2028-2063).
VM 99 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kannos Vine Hill Ranch, 100% Clone 4, is rich, expansive and broad. Dark cherry, mocha, spice, leather and tobacco all wrap around the palate in a positively stunning Cabernet. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of earthy, floral and savory notes that add character. This fruit once went to one of the most pedigreed wineries in Napa Valley. This is extremely elegant, and the purity here is just unbelievable. (Drink between 2027-2041). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (7/2024): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Käännös is composed of Clone 4 from Vine Hill Ranch. Notes of ripe cherries and dried herbs dominate the complex, elegant nose, while the full-bodied wine flows easily across the mid-palate in gentle, rich waves of flavor, finishing long, velvety and tannic. |
|
|
2021 |
Kodo Cabernet Sauvignon |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kodo emerges from one of the top sites in southern Oakville—a site I consider as elite as it gets, but that can't be named for the time being. A sensational wine, the 2021 saturates the palate with dense dark fruit, spice, leather and tobacco. But, it’s the textural richness, resonance and persistence that impress most. This is a truly unforgettable wine. I would be thrilled to own it. (Drink between 2027-2041). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (7/2024): Sourced from the M-Bar Ranch (western Oakville, across Hopper Creek from Vine Hill Ranch), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kodo offers up dusty earth notes, mixed red and black cherries, some cassis notes and a hint of dried herbs. It's full-bodied, ripe and rich without being heavy, and it's bright on the long, softly tannic finish. Is there just a touch of alcoholic warmth evident? |
|
| Lail Vineyards |
2018 |
J Daniel Cuvee Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$450.45 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (1/2021): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 75% new. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with seductive notes of crème de cassis, blueberry preserves and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of espresso, yeast extract, black truffles and charcoal plus a fragrant waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and opulently fruited in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of black fruit preserves, earthy nuances and savory sparks, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. 1,290 cases were made.
JD 100 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee comes from a mix of terroirs (Howell Mountain, Stags Leap, Oakville, Calistoga) and is brought up in 75% new French oak. Heavenly notes of red and black currants, dried tobacco, sandalwood, flowers, and spice give way to a full-bodied, concentrated, yet weightless texture that carries awesome tannins, no hard edges, and just flawless balance. This majestic, regal wine is going to drink brilliantly for 25 years or more.
VM 96 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée is quite restrained in this vintage. Silky and medium in body, with lovely red berry fruit character, the 2018 has a lot to offer. I would cellar it for a few years, as the tannins are pretty clamped down today. As always, the J. Daniel Cuvée is a blend taken from a handful of top sites in Napa Valley. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Maybach |
2013 |
Materium Cabernet Sauvignon |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2015): There are roughly 600 cases of the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Materium, all of which comes from the Weitz Vineyard on the eastern Vaca Mountain hillside of Oakville at an elevation of about 1,000 feet above the Silverado Trail. This is shallow soil interspersed with loads of pebbles and stones. This wine is incredible first-growth material – a magical Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque purple color, an extraordinary nose of blackberry and cassis, white flowers, crushed rock and minerality followed by a full-bodied majestic mouthfeel with phenomenal balance, purity and overall equilibrium. Stunningly rich and impressive, this wine will hit its peak in 8-10 years and has the potential to last 40-50 years. For those who keep track of such things, the wine was completely aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels. |
|
|
2015 |
Materium Cabernet Sauvignon |
$350 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): One of the greatest wines in the vintage is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Materium which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a higher elevation hillside vineyard in Oakville that was raised in 90% new French oak barrels. Just magical stuff that has incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, white flowers, huge minerality, violets, and scorched earth. This is followed by a massive, opulent, yet weightless wine that has off the charts purity of fruit, fine, fine tannin, perfect balance, and a finish that won’t quit. This legendary beauty will benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for three to four decades.
WA 97+ (12/2017): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Materium Cabernet Sauvignon opens with earthy notions of tilled soil, moss and fungi over an exuberant core of black cherries, wild blueberries, red currants and Mediterranean herbs with a waft of lavender. Full-bodied and opulently fruited in the mouth, the palate delivers generous black fruit and herbal layers, structured with firm, chewy tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 450 cases produced. |
|
| Next of Kyn |
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend |
$275 |
5 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Pure perfection, the 2017 No 11 comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View and is 48% Syrah, 24.8% Grenache, 12.7% Mourvèdre, 10.6% Petite Sirah, and the balance a mix of white varieties including Petit Manseng and Roussanne. Fermented with 23% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 68% new French oak, this incredible 2017 boasts a saturated purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, bouquet garni, ground pepper, white chocolate, and cured meats. Incredibly complex, flawlessly balanced, and with a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed, this is a magical blend from California that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years. Hats off to the Krankl family for another truly special wine! |
|
|
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend |
$449 |
8 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Pure perfection, the 2017 No 11 comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View and is 48% Syrah, 24.8% Grenache, 12.7% Mourvèdre, 10.6% Petite Sirah, and the balance a mix of white varieties including Petit Manseng and Roussanne. Fermented with 23% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 68% new French oak, this incredible 2017 boasts a saturated purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, bouquet garni, ground pepper, white chocolate, and cured meats. Incredibly complex, flawlessly balanced, and with a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed, this is a magical blend from California that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years. Hats off to the Krankl family for another truly special wine! |
|
|
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2020): Pure perfection, the 2017 No 11 comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View and is 48% Syrah, 24.8% Grenache, 12.7% Mourvèdre, 10.6% Petite Sirah, and the balance a mix of white varieties including Petit Manseng and Roussanne. Fermented with 23% whole clusters and aged 32 months in 68% new French oak, this incredible 2017 boasts a saturated purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, bouquet garni, ground pepper, white chocolate, and cured meats. Incredibly complex, flawlessly balanced, and with a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed, this is a magical blend from California that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years. Hats off to the Krankl family for another truly special wine! |
|
|
2018 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 12 Proprietary Blend |
$295 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (8/2021): As with the 2017, the 2018 No 12 Cumulus Vineyard is as good as wine gets. Based on 47.7% Syrah, 23.4% Grenache, 21.3% Petite Sirah, 5.6% Mourvèdre, and the remaining 2% a mix of white varieties, aged 32 months in 34% new barrels, its vivid purple hue gives way to a full-bodied blockbuster of a wine that’s loaded with cassis and blue fruits as well as notes of gravelly earth, graphite, ground pepper, and spring flowers. Flawlessly balanced, deep, super-rich, and unctuous, yet with incredible purity, give bottles a year of two and enjoy over the following 15 years or more.
WA 99 (8/2021): This cuvee comes entirely from the Krankl’s “home” vineyard—the Cumulus vineyard in Oak View, just south and inland from Santa Barbara, on the road to Ojai. There are now just over 12.5 acres planted at Cumulus. The first plantings of Syrah, Grenache and Roussanne took place in 2004. A little more Grenache was planted in 2005. Then in 2008, small blocks of Petite Manseng, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah were added, including 3.5 acres on its own roots.
VM 95 (10/2021): The 2018 No. 12 Cumulus Vineyard is a big wine. Black fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice are all dialed up. The tannins remain a bit coarse, which makes the wine feel not totally put together. Perhaps the brutal heat spikes in July caused a slight stoppage in ripening, or it could be the stems aren't totally integrated just yet. To be sure, the 2018 doesn't quite have the same textural lushness of most vintages. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the coming years. The 2018 was done with 41% whole clusters and spent 32 months in French oak, 34% new. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 12 Proprietary Blend |
$395 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (8/2021): As with the 2017, the 2018 No 12 Cumulus Vineyard is as good as wine gets. Based on 47.7% Syrah, 23.4% Grenache, 21.3% Petite Sirah, 5.6% Mourvèdre, and the remaining 2% a mix of white varieties, aged 32 months in 34% new barrels, its vivid purple hue gives way to a full-bodied blockbuster of a wine that’s loaded with cassis and blue fruits as well as notes of gravelly earth, graphite, ground pepper, and spring flowers. Flawlessly balanced, deep, super-rich, and unctuous, yet with incredible purity, give bottles a year of two and enjoy over the following 15 years or more.
WA 99 (8/2021): This cuvee comes entirely from the Krankl’s “home” vineyard—the Cumulus vineyard in Oak View, just south and inland from Santa Barbara, on the road to Ojai. There are now just over 12.5 acres planted at Cumulus. The first plantings of Syrah, Grenache and Roussanne took place in 2004. A little more Grenache was planted in 2005. Then in 2008, small blocks of Petite Manseng, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah were added, including 3.5 acres on its own roots.
VM 95 (10/2021): The 2018 No. 12 Cumulus Vineyard is a big wine. Black fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice are all dialed up. The tannins remain a bit coarse, which makes the wine feel not totally put together. Perhaps the brutal heat spikes in July caused a slight stoppage in ripening, or it could be the stems aren't totally integrated just yet. To be sure, the 2018 doesn't quite have the same textural lushness of most vintages. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the coming years. The 2018 was done with 41% whole clusters and spent 32 months in French oak, 34% new. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2018 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 12 Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$585 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (8/2021): As with the 2017, the 2018 No 12 Cumulus Vineyard is as good as wine gets. Based on 47.7% Syrah, 23.4% Grenache, 21.3% Petite Sirah, 5.6% Mourvèdre, and the remaining 2% a mix of white varieties, aged 32 months in 34% new barrels, its vivid purple hue gives way to a full-bodied blockbuster of a wine that’s loaded with cassis and blue fruits as well as notes of gravelly earth, graphite, ground pepper, and spring flowers. Flawlessly balanced, deep, super-rich, and unctuous, yet with incredible purity, give bottles a year of two and enjoy over the following 15 years or more.
WA 99 (8/2021): This cuvee comes entirely from the Krankl’s “home” vineyard—the Cumulus vineyard in Oak View, just south and inland from Santa Barbara, on the road to Ojai. There are now just over 12.5 acres planted at Cumulus. The first plantings of Syrah, Grenache and Roussanne took place in 2004. A little more Grenache was planted in 2005. Then in 2008, small blocks of Petite Manseng, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah were added, including 3.5 acres on its own roots.
VM 95 (10/2021): The 2018 No. 12 Cumulus Vineyard is a big wine. Black fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice are all dialed up. The tannins remain a bit coarse, which makes the wine feel not totally put together. Perhaps the brutal heat spikes in July caused a slight stoppage in ripening, or it could be the stems aren't totally integrated just yet. To be sure, the 2018 doesn't quite have the same textural lushness of most vintages. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the coming years. The 2018 was done with 41% whole clusters and spent 32 months in French oak, 34% new. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2020 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 14 Proprietary Blend |
$299 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (8/2023): Lastly, and a perfect wine if there ever was one, the 2020 No 14 Cumulus Vineyard comes all from the estate Cumulus Vineyard in Oak View and is based on 41% Grenache, 27% Petite Sirah, 25% Syrah, and the balance Mourvèdre and a tiny amount of Petit Manseng. Aged 30 months in just 23% new French oak, it just about jumps out of the glass with its ripe blackberries, spice, leather, sandalwood, and peppery, savory herb-driven aromas and flavors. With full-bodied richness and depth, building, velvety tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and awesome length on the finish, it's a wine I wish I could pour for every reader, it's that singular and impressive. I love it today yet see no reason it shouldn’t evolve gracefully for two decades. |
|
| Outpost |
2016 |
True Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$349 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 100 (7/2019): Coming from the nine-acre True Vineyard up on Howell Mountain and produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep purple-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard strides confidently out of the glass with incredible poise and pedigree: warm cassis, blackcurrant cordial, baker’s chocolate, licorice and truffles commingled with hints of underbrush, violets, woodsmoke and stewed plums plus a waft of fragrant earth. Full-bodied, concentrated and built like a brick house, it has wonderfully firm, ripe, grainy tannins with a fantastic line of seamless freshness and a powerful, multilayered expression of place coming through on the epically long finish. A decadent beauty right now, this is going to be even more mind-blowing in 15 to 20+ years, and it should go on for 40 or more.
JD 99 (1/2019): Another heavenly wine from this estate is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard, 100% varietal from three blocks in the vineyard that was aged in 80% new French oak. Possessing truly thrilling purity in its crème de cassis and blueberry fruits, white flowers, and obvious minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and building yet fine, polished tannins. This beauty has real Howell Mountain character, a complex, nuanced, yet powerful style, and a finish that won’t quit. Get it if you can. (Drink between 2019-2044).
VM 96 (12/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard is one of the most complete wines I have ever tasted from Outpost. Medium in body almost shockingly refined for a young Howell Mountain Cabernet, the True Vineyard has so much to offer. In the glass, the True presents a stunning combination of intense plush fruit and vertical structure. I imagine the 2016 will be even better in a few years' time, but it is super-impressive and inviting even in the early going. (Drink between 2021-2031). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Realm |
2018 |
The Absurd Proprietary Blend |
$825 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2021): As always, the 2018 Absurd is a cellar selection of what the estate thinks is the absolute best they can do in the vintage, and in this reviewer’s opinion, they succeed brilliantly. (I’ve rated four of the five vintages I’ve tasted 100 points.) The 2018 reveals a dense purple/blue color to go with a monster bouquet of blackcurrants, scorched earth/burning embers, tobacco, lead pencil shavings, chocolate, and gravelly earth. I’ve often compared this wine to a great Pessac from Bordeaux given its incredible minerality and cold fireplace-like nuances, and the 2018 has these in spades. Concentrated, full-bodied, and built like a skyscraper, it builds beautifully with time in the glass and has incredible purity, silky, polished tannins, and a dense, layered mid-palate. As with the majority of Realm’s 2018s, the cellar is going to be your friend, since this needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age, but it will be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to winemaker Benoit Touquette and the entire team at Realm for yet another magical, legendary wine.
WA 99 (10/2020): The 2018 The Absurd—the estate's über-blend of the best elements from the vintage—displays a deep garnet-purple color, offering alluring notes of baked plums, crème de cassis and boysenberries with suggestions of chocolate box, aniseed, iron ore and candied violets plus a perfumed hint of Indian spices. The full-bodied palate is an exercise in decadence, coating the mouth in black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, supported by velvety tannins and beautifully integrated freshness, finishing epically long and fragrant. |
|
| Schrader |
2018 |
CCS Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon Bin-Soiled Label |
$339 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (1/2021): Just pure gold, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from one of California's greatest terroirs, that was brought up in 100% new French oak. This dense purple-colored effort has a magical bouquet of pure crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, white flowers, crushed stone, truffle, and hints of chocolate. Possessing full-bodied richness, this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, showing lots of ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a rare mix of power, structure, and elegance that's something to behold. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, or red wine for that matter, just doesn't get any better. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another majestic, singular wine that’s as good as it gets. |
|
|
2019 |
MMXIX "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,450 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
|
|
2016 |
MMXVI "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,375 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long. |
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|
2018 |
MMXVIII "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,595 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (1/2021): There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don't merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn't one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of crème de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco, and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won't quit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it's a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuvée! (Drink between 2021-2041) |
|
|
2015 |
T6 Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon Bin-Soiled Label |
$350 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (12/2017): Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, block D2 planted to clone 6, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 sports a deep garnet-purple color and fantastically fragrant nose of Sichuan pepper, unsmoked cigars, potpourri, red loam and forest floor over a core of black forest cake, blackberry preserves and baked plums plus touches of dried Mediterranean herbs and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is full-on seductive, with wonderfully perfumed layers emerging through the frame of very finely knit yet firm tannins, finishing with epic length and depth. 286 cases produced. |
|
| Screaming Eagle |
1997 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$6,399 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (1/2000): It doesn't get any better than 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, a perfect wine. Representing the essence of cassis liqueur intermixed with blackberries, minerals, licorice, and toast, this full-bodied, multi-dimensional classic is fabulous, with extraordinary purity, symmetry, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. It has the overall equilibrium to evolve for nearly two decades, but it will be hard to resist upon release. Anticipated maturity: now-2020. |
|
|
2021 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$2,400 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most brooding, explosive young wines I have ever tasted here. The natural concentration of this drought vintage comes through loud and clear. Huge, youthful tannins reinforce the wine’s potent feel. Waves of graphite, leather, licorice, grilled herbs and lavender saturate the palate, perfectly playing off a core of intense dark fruit. I usually have no issue drinking these wines on the younger side, but the 2021 really does need time. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96-98+ (2/2023): As with the Flight, I was able to taste through multiple barrels destined for the 2021 Screaming Eagle. Pure cassis and assorted dark fruits, some classic graphite and lead pencil notes, as well as a beautiful sense of minerality were present in all of the barrels, and this will be a medium to full-bodied, elegant expression of Screaming Eagle. I wouldn't expect too many fireworks right on release (although it will offer pleasure), but it should hit its stride about 7-8 years after release and have a long life. |
|
|
2021 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$2,900 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 100 (12/2023): The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most brooding, explosive young wines I have ever tasted here. The natural concentration of this drought vintage comes through loud and clear. Huge, youthful tannins reinforce the wine’s potent feel. Waves of graphite, leather, licorice, grilled herbs and lavender saturate the palate, perfectly playing off a core of intense dark fruit. I usually have no issue drinking these wines on the younger side, but the 2021 really does need time. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96-98+ (2/2023): As with the Flight, I was able to taste through multiple barrels destined for the 2021 Screaming Eagle. Pure cassis and assorted dark fruits, some classic graphite and lead pencil notes, as well as a beautiful sense of minerality were present in all of the barrels, and this will be a medium to full-bodied, elegant expression of Screaming Eagle. I wouldn't expect too many fireworks right on release (although it will offer pleasure), but it should hit its stride about 7-8 years after release and have a long life. |
|
| Sine Qua Non |
2006 |
A Shot in the Dark Syrah (1.5 L) |
$1,500 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (8/2010): The soon-to-be-released 2006 A Shot in the Dark is composed of 96.5% Syrah and 3.5% Viognier from the 11 Confessions Vineyard in the cool Santa Rita Hills. Performing better from bottle than it did from barrel, this prodigious red exhibits incredibly velvety tannins, a seamless style, and no noticeable oak (which is remarkable given the fact it spent 32 months in barrel). Dense purple to the rim with an extraordinary perfume of blueberry pie, blackberries, soy, Asian spices, and hints of forest floor and charcoal, this is a complex, rich, seamless, well-balanced tour de force in winemaking. A full-bodied, exuberant, unabashedly California Syrah, it will offer stunning drinking over the next 10-15+ years.
VM 96 (12/2010): (includes 3.5% viognier) Inky violet. Captivating, varietally expressive nose melds cassis, boysenberry, olive tapenade, cracked pepper, licorice and Indian spices. Suave, velvety and deeply concentrated, with restrained sweetness for a wine with this much power and thrust. Firm acids give the lush dark fruit and floral flavors excellent focus. Finishes chewy, suave and very long, with velour-like tannins and strong mineral character. Really compelling wine that is shockingly approachable now. |
|
|
2016 |
Dirt Vernacular Grenache Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$259 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (10/2018): One of the finest Grenaches to ever pass my lips is the 2016 Grenache Dirt Vernacular and it’s 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Touriga Nacional, and the rest Petite Sirah. Reminding me of an old vine Grenache cuvee from the Maurel brothers in Châteauneuf du Pape, it boasts a huge nose of black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, graphite, ground herbs, and pepper. This is one of those wines that offers incredible intensity and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sense of heaviness whatsoever. Full-bodied, rich, layered, and pure, it’s a riveting example of Grenache that could come from nowhere else. Drink it any time over the coming 15+ years.
WA 96 (8/2018): The 2016 Grenache Dirt Vernacular wafts from the glass with heady aromas of kirsch, plums and Griotte cherries that mingle with nuances of sweet spice, rose petals and pepper. It saw 34% new oak (along with 53% used oak and 9% concrete), but it's hardly noticeable—much less so than in some of Sine Qua Non's debut Grenache bottlings. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, rich and chewy, with tangy acids despite its considerable power and ripeness, with a deep, layered mid-palate and a long, lusty finish. It's an eclectic blend of 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Touriga Nacional and 2.5% Petite Sirah that was fermented with 43% whole cluster—whole cluster being largely reserved for the Grenache component. The blend is dominated by estate fruit, but some 9% came from the Krankl's blocks at Bien Nacido Vineyard that are farmed to their specifications. 1,208 cases and 600 magnums were produced.
VM 95-98 (9/2018): The 2016 Grenache No Name Yet is fabulous. Rich and voluptuous in the glass, with immense fruit intensity, the 2016 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. The 43% whole clusters (mostly from the Grenache) are nearly buried by the vibrancy of the red and purplish berry fruit. Sweet, perfumed notes round out a super-expressive wine that hints at the superb potential of the 2016 vintage. The blend is 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvedre, 7% Touriga Nacional and 3.55 Petite Sirah. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2013 |
Le Supplement Syrah |
$415 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (9/2017): Coming entirely from the Eleven Confessions Estate Vineyard and composed of 89% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache and 2% Viognier, using 28% whole cluster, the 2013 Syrah Le Supplement is just starting to evolve into beguiling earthy/meaty tertiary notes with suggestions of sandalwood, mossy bark, black soil, patchouli and salami over a core of blackberry compote, preserved plums, mincemeat pie and star anise with a touch of dried lavender. Rich, concentrated and decadent, the full-bodied, opulent palate explodes with black fruits preserves peppered by meaty/savory nuances and culminating in epically lingering exotic spice notes. 866 cases, 228 magnums and 30 double magnums were produced.
JD 100 (8/2017): I’ve had so many incredible Syrahs from this estate, it’s hard to tell if the 2013 Syrah Le Supplement will be the best yet, but it’s unquestionably one of the greatest Syrah made in California. Reminding me of the 2009 Côte Rôtie La Turque from Domaine Guigal with its smoky, meaty bouquet of crème de cassis, pencil lead, bacon fat, pepper, espresso and hints of violets, this drop dead gorgeous Syrah is full-bodied, opulent and sexy, yet also concentrated, structured and just hinting at its ultimate potential. I wouldn’t put this past being the greatest Syrah made in California – ever – yet like the Grenache, it needs short term cellaring. Bravo!
VM 96 (9/2017): Extended time in barrel has given the 2013 Syrah Le Supplement much of its dense, creamy feel. Dark, powerful and sumptuous in the glass, this is a wine of texture above all else. Floral and spice overtones from the whole clusters add appealing strands of aromatic lift. The 2013 is 89% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache and 2% Viognier, all from Eleven Confessions, done with 28% whole clusters. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2004 |
Ode to E Grenache (1.5 L) |
$1,500 |
1 |
|
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WA 100 (6/2014): Leading off with the Grenache-driven efforts, and easily the greatest expression of the variety I’ve ever tasted from California, the 2004 Ode to E (Grenache) is mind-blowing stuff that will stand toe-to-toe with the greatest Grenache-based wines ever made. Coming from Manfred’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard and comprised of 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier, it sports a still vibrant purple color to go with off-the-hook aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, melted licorice, graphite, smoked herbs and assorted meaty nuances. Full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with incredible purity and a perfect texture, it can be consumed anytime over the coming decade.
VM 97 (8/2015): The 2004 Grenache Ode to E is absolutely stellar. There's not too much more to say. Still young, fresh and vibrant, the 2004 is incredibly impressive. Exotic spice, rose petals, raspberry jam all open up in an effortless, nuanced wine bursting at the seams with personality. Exquisitely nuanced and balanced, the 2004 is a gem. Readers who own the 2004 should be thrilled; as it is a magnificent wine by any measure. My favorite age to drink Sine Qua Non wines is around ten years. The Ode to E Grenache delivers the goods, and then some. The blend is 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier, all from Eleven Confessions. Antonio Galloni. |
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| The Third Twin (Sine Qua Non) |
2021 |
Third Twin Vyd. Graciano |
$309 |
4 |
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| VM 100 (8/2024): What a wine. Vibrant and dense, with stunning balance, the 2021 is spectacularly vivid from start to finish. All the elements are so harmonious. Inky dark red/purplish fruit, pomegranate, spice, blood orange and leather saturate the palate while salivating acids extend the finish. I have tasted many magnificent wines with Elaine and Mnafred Krankl over the years- their 2021 Graciano is, without question, one of the most memorable. The blend is 87% Graciano, 10% Syrah, 3% Viognier, done with 48% stems and aged for around 33 months in French oak (36% new). Don't miss it! Drink between 2025-2036. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Verite |
2008 |
La Muse Proprietary Blend Bin-Soiled Label |
$375 |
1 |
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WA 100 (6/2011): A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec (52% Chalk Hill, 45% Alexander Mountain Estate and 3% Bennett Valley fruit), the 2008 may have even greater intensity and richness than the 2007. Still young and unformed, it exhibits phenomenal richness and equilibrium as well as a finish that lasts nearly a minute. Its dense plum/purple color is accompanied by notions of black fruits, forest floor, truffles and spring flowers. It should age for 25-30+ years.
VM 93+ (5/2012): (90% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 3% malbec): Bright red-ruby. Inviting nose offers cherry, raspberry and chocolate truffle. Explosive on the front half, with sexy spices lifting and intensifying the redcurrant fruit. Today the wine's tannins give the finish a slightly dry quality but the intensity and subtle persistence of this wine suggest that it simply needs time. Pierre Seillan typically does a pre-fermentation cold soak lasting four or five days, then about eight days of fermentation and no post-fermentation maceration. The malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels of various toast levels and from numerous French forests.
WS 91 (11/2012): Shows great structure and intensity, with appealing notes of leather and cedar akin to a Bordeaux. Aromas of black cherry and bay leaf lead to firm flavors of plum, dried herb and mineral that finish with firm tannins. Needs time. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2015 through 2020. |
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2014 |
La Muse Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$632.45 |
2 |
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WA 100 (8/2016): The 2014 La Muse (2,800 cases ) is a legendary effort. The wine offers an opaque purple color and a gorgeous nose of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, incense, Asian spice, cocoa, plum, and a touch of chocolate and barrique. On the palate, more cassis and blackberry come to the forefront. The wine is unctuous, with adequate acidity and a stunning energy underneath the massive fruit and body. This is a spectacularly fragrant and, at the same time, dense wine, with enough structure (somewhat surprising in this vintage) to last 35-45+ years. The final blend was 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.
JD 97+ (12/2017): A gorgeous effort as well, the 2014 La Muse is a Merlot-dominated cuvee blended with 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. This deep ruby/purple-colored beauty boasts a terrific perfume of black raspberries, cassis, graphite, chocolate, and a beautiful earthy minerality. This isn’t your over the top, opulent Merlot and shows incredible class and purity, as well as full-bodied richness, high, yet integrated tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. It’s not anywhere close to primetime (which is rare for a 2014) and needs 4-5 years at a minimum. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived.
VM 96 (3/2017): A huge, opulent wine, the 2014 La Muse wraps around the palate with tons of super-ripe dark red fruit, chocolate, spice and menthol. La Muse often shuts down after bottling, but the 2014 is still remarkably intense and voluptuous, with soft contours, silky tannins and exceptional balance. The purity of the flavors here is remarkable. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Vine Hill Ranch |
2016 |
VHR Cabernet Sauvignon |
$319 |
1 |
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VM 100 (12/2018): Vine Hill Ranch's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is flat-out epic. Look for the 2016 VHR to be one of the benchmark wines of this great Napa Valley vintage. A year ago, the 2016 was powerful and dramatic. Today, the 2016 is super-polished and regal in bearing. Vertical and deep, with tremendous complexity, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of black cherry, plum, menthol, licorice, sage, dark spice and earthy notes build as this statuesque Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its magnificent pedigree. The 2016 is a monumental, towering wine. That's all there is to it. Antonio Galloni.
JD 98 (3/2019): Sporting a saturated purple color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR is a total blockbuster that spent 21 months in French oak. It knocks it out of the park with its Pauillac-like bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and cedarwood. Hitting the palate with a massive texture and full body, it’s a powerful, full throttle effort that has remarkable balance, ripe tannins, and an opulent, sexy texture that’s a joy to drink. Despite its flamboyant style, it’s perfectly balanced and is a sensational wine. Feel free to drink it any time over the coming 20-25 years. Bravo! |
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2016 |
VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$319 |
2 |
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VM 100 (12/2018): Vine Hill Ranch's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is flat-out epic. Look for the 2016 VHR to be one of the benchmark wines of this great Napa Valley vintage. A year ago, the 2016 was powerful and dramatic. Today, the 2016 is super-polished and regal in bearing. Vertical and deep, with tremendous complexity, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of black cherry, plum, menthol, licorice, sage, dark spice and earthy notes build as this statuesque Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its magnificent pedigree. The 2016 is a monumental, towering wine. That's all there is to it. Antonio Galloni.
JD 98 (3/2019): Sporting a saturated purple color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR is a total blockbuster that spent 21 months in French oak. It knocks it out of the park with its Pauillac-like bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and cedarwood. Hitting the palate with a massive texture and full body, it’s a powerful, full throttle effort that has remarkable balance, ripe tannins, and an opulent, sexy texture that’s a joy to drink. Despite its flamboyant style, it’s perfectly balanced and is a sensational wine. Feel free to drink it any time over the coming 20-25 years. Bravo! |
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| | USA White |
| Aubert |
2023 |
Lauren Sonoma Coast Chardonnay |
$239 |
7 |
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| VM 97-100 (12/2024): The 2023 Chardonnay Lauren is the quintessential Mark Aubert wine. Rich, layered and wonderfully dynamic in the glass, the 2023 is another super-complete wine. The Lauren is marked by strong mineral, earthy and savory notes that require bottle age to be at their most expressive. (Drink between 2026-2035). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Peter Michael Winery |
2022 |
Cuvee Indigene Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
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| WA 98 (3/2025): The 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène is pure and complex, unfolding from white peaches and green guava to vanilla panna cotta, tropical flowers and seamlessly integrated new oak spice. The palate is stunning! A luxuriously satiny texture complements expansive, detailed flavors that grow in intensity with every sip. Its tremendous depth of flavor is balanced by a crescendo of refreshing acidity, and it has a hauntingly long finish. |
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2018 |
Point Rouge Chardonnay (1.5 L) |
$550 |
1 |
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| WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Chardonnay Point Rouge is composed of the best barrels from the entire estate. Floral notes of citron blossoms and honeysuckle leap from the glass, over a core of grapefruit, yuzu and ripe pears with hints of struck match, almond croissant and lime zest. The medium to full-bodied palate has a racy backbone supporting the tightly wound citrus and pear flavors with a lovely creaminess to the texture and a very long finish packed with tension and bursting with fruit. While it is tempting to drink now, it’s going to really impress with another 2-3 years in bottle and drink for a further 15 years+. |
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| | Australia |
| Torbreck |
2005 |
The Laird Shiraz (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label |
$1,800 |
3 |
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| WA 100 (12/2010): The Laird is Powell’s new baby, coming from a single 5 acre / 2 hectare vineyard of Shiraz in the Marananga sub-region planted in the 1960s that recently became available for contracting. This is a very different wine from Run Rig. What is most striking about it is the combination of power and elegance in this first vintage, coming from a very good year in the Barossa. Matured for 3 years in new Dominique Laurent “Magic Casks” (Troncais French oak barriques with thicker staves designed for the long aging of Shiraz), 2005 The Laird gives a deep garnet color and pronounced nose that shows savory and spice notes over the fruit, with aromas of hung meat, Peking duck, fertile loam, underbrush, tree bark, anise, cumin seed, menthol, dried roses and lavender over warm black cherries, crush blackberries and fruit cake. The tight-knit, full-bodied palate is very fine with a high level of silt-like tannins and crisp acid running through the concentrated fruit and savory flavors, finishing very long with lingering earth and spice notes. At 14.8% declared alcohol, this is by no means one of the biggest wines in the Barossa, but it is most certainly one of the best. It’s an absolute joy to drink now but it is recommended readers give it 4-5 years more in bottle to soften and marry and enjoy it to 2030+. |
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| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Ausone |
2005 |
St. Emilion (1.5 L) |
$2,495 |
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| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2022 |
Pessac Leognan |
$179 |
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| Ch. Pavie |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$250 |
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| | Rhone Red |
| Dom. de la Vieille Julienne |
2016 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve ex-Domaine |
$289 |
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JD 100 (8/2018): A modern-day legend in the making is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve from Jean-Paul Daumen, one of the greatest young wines I’ve ever tasted. This Grenache-dominated effort was brought up all in foudre and tastes like the essence of this incredible terroir located on the northern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Deep purple-colored, with an intoxicating bouquet of black raspberries, crushed herbs, black licorice, spring flowers, and spice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, multi-dimensional texture, a huge mid-palate, and a finish that goes on for over a minute. Not far off the style of the Les Trois Sources, yet with another level of concentration, it has a certain accessibility yet won’t be at its best for another 4-5 years, but it will keep for another two decades or more.
VM 96 (12/2019): urid ruby. Expansive, mineral-accented red and blue fruit preserve, incense and potpourri aromas are complemented by exotic spice and smoky mineral flourishes. Sweet and seamless, showing superb depth to the vivid boysenberry, black raspberry and spicecake flavors, which are supported by a firm spine of juicy acidity. Finishes extremely long and broad, with harmonious tannins lending shape to juicy, alluring sweet red berry preserve and candied lavender notes. (Drink between 2025-2033.) Josh Raynolds. |
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| | Italy |
| Tenuta San Guido |
2016 |
Sassicaia |
$467.50 |
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2021 |
Sassicaia |
$330 |
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| | USA Red |
| Donelan |
2013 |
Obsidian Vyd. Syrah |
$149 |
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| Pride Mountain Vineyards |
2013 |
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
$275 |
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| Schrader |
2015 |
CCS Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$350 |
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| Sine Qua Non |
2017 |
The Hated Hunter Syrah |
$235 |
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| Spottswoode |
2015 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$209 |
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