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Inventory updated: Wed, Aug 19, 2026 04:30 PM cst
We are sorry, but that item has sold out. Please see other wines from this grower and region/vintage below.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Italy |
| Azelia |
2016 |
Barolo (12x750ML) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$676.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 94 (9/2020): This is an ultra fine Barolo with cherries, spice, cedar and hints of dried flowers on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied, yet reserved, very caressing and fine-grained. A thoroughly beautiful young 2016. Drink or hold.
VM 93 (2/2020): Azelia's 2016 Barolo is a blend of fruit from two parcels in Castiglione Falletto and five in Serralunga, with the character of Serralunga especially felt in the wine's tannic grip and persistence. Iron, sage, mint, smoke and wild cherry give the Barolo striking aromatic nuance and complexity, all in the mid-weight style that is such a signature at this address. The purity of the fruit is just striking. Stated simply, this is a tremendous wine in its peer group. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (7/2020): Azelia's classic 2016 Barolo shows a spicy or savory personality with accents of laurel leaf, eucalyptus and clove. Those are some of the high notes that hover over a core of dark fruit and dried blackberry. On the Nebbiolo scale, this wine takes us to a sultry side of the variety, with slightly more fruit weight, texture and pronounced black fruit. If you are choosing your Barolo according to a possible pasta or meat pairing, this would be the meat wine. Azelia's classico Barolo is a blend of fruit from seven single vineyards, with 30% of the total from Castiglione Falletto and 70% from Serralunga d'Alba. A big portion comes from the Cerretta and Broglio sites, with 50-year-old vines. About 29,000 examples were produced. |
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2017 |
Barolo (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$570.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$315.98 |
15 |
|
| |
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|
2019 |
Barolo (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$333.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,532.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,176.98 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (2/2020): The 2016 Barolo Bricco Fiasco is a glorious wine. Sweet red cherry, mint, iron, rose petal and blood orange are some of the many aromas and flavors that grace this exquisite, beautifully layered Barolo. A wine of subtlety, nuance and grace, the 2016 has so much to offer. I don't remember ever tasting a Bricco Fiasco with this level of finesse and nuance. Two thousand sixteen is the first vintage in which the Bricco Fiasco is aged part in cask and part in barrique. All I can say is: Wow! Antonio Galloni. |
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2017 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$506.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
7 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$578.98 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2008 |
Barolo Margheria (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,093.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Barolo Margheria (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$808.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2015 |
Barolo Margheria (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$524.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Barolo Margheria (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$547.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Margheria (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (8/2023): Azelia makes three wines with fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, including San Rocco, Cerretta and this wine. There is also a Riserva from Bricco Voghera. The 2019 Barolo Margheria comes from a southwest facing slope opposite the Perno Vineyard. The site has very poor soils with white clay, and the vines (aged 65 years old on average) are forced to push their roots very deep as a result. This wine has a tight and very firm personality with dark fruit, rusty nail, dusty mineral and tight structure. Those rusty mineral aromas give it away as Serralunga d'Alba. (Drink between 2025-2045). |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Margheria (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$578.98 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (8/2023): Azelia makes three wines with fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, including San Rocco, Cerretta and this wine. There is also a Riserva from Bricco Voghera. The 2019 Barolo Margheria comes from a southwest facing slope opposite the Perno Vineyard. The site has very poor soils with white clay, and the vines (aged 65 years old on average) are forced to push their roots very deep as a result. This wine has a tight and very firm personality with dark fruit, rusty nail, dusty mineral and tight structure. Those rusty mineral aromas give it away as Serralunga d'Alba. (Drink between 2025-2045). |
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2006 |
Barolo San Rocco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,294.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2010 |
Barolo San Rocco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,294.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (1/2014): Dark cherry, plum, smoke, menthol, melted road tar and graphite meld together in the 2010 Barolo San Rocco. A big, explosive wine, the 2010 blossoms in the glass with layers of deep, expressive fruit. The San Rocco is usually a wine of volume and breadth, at it is again in 2010. The firm Serralunga tannins are present, but they are also beautifully balanced. I can't wait to see how the 2010 develops. Today, the San Rocco is young, young, young. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (6/2018): Vines in the San Rocco vineyard are 50 to 55 years old and have deep root systems that can withstand extreme weather. Azelia purchased this parcel in Serralunga d'Alba in 1992. The 2010 Barolo San Rocco is a wine of immense power and structure. It also shows impressive elegance and finesse, so you really get the best that Nebbiolo can offer. The bouquet opens to dark fruit, with anise seed, licorice, toasted almond and blue flower in supporting roles. |
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2011 |
Barolo San Rocco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$938.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (3/2015): As it usually is, the 2011 Barolo San Rocco is the darkest and richest of the Azelia Barolos, but it too is quite polished in this vintage. Dark red cherries, licorice, spices and new leather flesh out in a Barolo that shows the depth of Serralunga, but with gorgeous mid-palate pliancy, silky tannins and soft contours for a young Barolo. Here, too, the wine's balance is incredibly alluring, especially since the San Rocco has a history of drinking well throughout its entire life. Antonio Galloni.
JS 93 (9/2015): A young Barolo with floral, cherry and citrus aromas that follow through to a full body, firm tannins and a tangy, lively finish. This is an energetic young Barolo that needs time to soften in the bottle. Drink in 2016.
WA 92 (1/2017): The 2011 Barolo San Rocco shows focused intensity with a pretty array of varietal characteristics. Boasting the best of Nebbiolo, the wine shows dark fruit nuances with smoke, tobacco, tar and black olive. This expression also offers lasting structure with evident tannic firmness and long persistence. |
|
|
2013 |
Barolo San Rocco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$952.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Barolo San Rocco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,018.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (2/2020): Azelia's 2016 Barolo San Rocco shows terrific density and richness, but it is less aromatically expressive than most of the other 2016s in the range. Readers will have to give this at least a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften. Even in the early going, though, the 2016 is deep, powerful and loaded with pedigree. Now that most of Azelia's wines are aged in cask, the influence of small French oak is especially evident. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2017 |
Barolo San Rocco (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$802.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Barolo San Rocco (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$819.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2018 |
Barolo San Rocco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$656.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo San Rocco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo San Rocco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$578.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Italy |
| Fratelli Alessandria |
2019 |
Barolo Gramolere (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$524.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo San Lorenzo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$498.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Altesino |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$747.97 |
20 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$654.99 |
10 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (11/2024): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is dark and brooding, with hints of black tea leaves, crushed rocks and smoke before giving way to the scent of dried black cherry. It balances silken textures with a pure mix of ripe red and black fruits as cooling acidity maintains a lovely balance. Aromas of citrus-laced blackberries mix with sage and nuances of licorice. This finishes long and potent yet still quite fresh. (Drink between 2027-2038). Eric Guido. |
|
| Castello di Ama |
2019 |
Chianti Classico Bellavista (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,396.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista soars out of the glass with breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. The aromatics alone are striking, but that's just the beginning. Rich and sumptuous on the palate, the 2019 is the most refined Bellavista I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. A healthy dollop of Malvasia Nera adds savory notes and a good deal of grip, while clean mineral nuances extend the finish. The tannins are especially polished, which they rarely are in a young Bellavista. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
Chianti Classico Bellavista Gran Selezione |
$199.99 |
15 |
|
| |
| VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista soars out of the glass with breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. The aromatics alone are striking, but that's just the beginning. Rich and sumptuous on the palate, the 2019 is the most refined Bellavista I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. A healthy dollop of Malvasia Nera adds savory notes and a good deal of grip, while clean mineral nuances extend the finish. The tannins are especially polished, which they rarely are in a young Bellavista. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Chianti Classico Bellavista Gran Selezione (1.5 L) |
$399 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista soars out of the glass with breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. The aromatics alone are striking, but that's just the beginning. Rich and sumptuous on the palate, the 2019 is the most refined Bellavista I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. A healthy dollop of Malvasia Nera adds savory notes and a good deal of grip, while clean mineral nuances extend the finish. The tannins are especially polished, which they rarely are in a young Bellavista. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Chianti Classico Bellavista Gran Selezione (3.0 L) |
$899 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista soars out of the glass with breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. The aromatics alone are striking, but that's just the beginning. Rich and sumptuous on the palate, the 2019 is the most refined Bellavista I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. A healthy dollop of Malvasia Nera adds savory notes and a good deal of grip, while clean mineral nuances extend the finish. The tannins are especially polished, which they rarely are in a young Bellavista. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Chianti Classico La Casuccia (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,002.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Gran Selezione San Lorenzo Chianti Classico (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$410.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (9/2023): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo draws its fruit from various sites selected throughout the estate, and for that reason, it is often the most representative wine from Castello di Ama (despite its more approachable price). This vintage is especially interesting, showing a more formal quality of tannins for longer aging potential and softly extracted dark fruit that sets it apart. Vintner Marco Pallanti likens 2019 to 2004 or 2016, some of the best vintages in recent memory. The wine is partially aged in new oak, and the percentage of new barrels used depends on the vintage conditions. This edition sees 20% new oak, medium toast and fine grains. The team is working with lower temperatures during fermentation with more numerous pump-overs for the first couple of weeks, then the wine is left alone. Fresh cherry fruit, blackberry, spice and grilled herb emerge.
VM 94 (7/2022): The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is a wild, beautifully layered wine. Touches of Merlot and Malvasia Nera lend striking complexity and dimension to a mid-weight yet fleshy Gran Selezione. Iron, cured meats, spice, leather and dried leaves all take shape in this deceptively mid-weight yet deep, highly expressive Gran Selezione. Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Vigna Apparita (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,512.98 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 98+ (7/2022): The 2019 L'Apparita is incredibly powerful in this vintage. Huge searing tannins wrap around a core of dark-fleshed fruit. Incense, tobacco, chocolate, mocha, lavender and spice open, but only reluctantly. Whereas most 2019s in the Ama range are quite inviting at this stage, L'Apparita is a wine for the cellar. In other words, the 2019 is a tight, backward Apparita that demands patience. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni.
WA 98 (2/2023): One of the stars of Italian enology, this iconic wine is Merlot in name but Tuscan in spirit. The L'Apparita is a gorgeous wine and one that brings an enormous sense of excitement and energy to those who drink it. Its texture is soft and rich, yet the tannins are gentle and round. There is plenty of substance and structure here, however, with seamless layers of black fruit, cherry, sweet spice and tobacco. The wine's complexity is enhanced by elegant mineral tones and a subtle, menthol-like signature. Temperature control and careful pump-overs are executed, and great care is taken during harvest to avoid any overripe berries. Cool, calcareous soils with many stones serve to insulate the roots and lock in freshness. The secret of this wine is magic of site, exposure and geology. This is another collectors' edition of L'Apparita. |
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| Poggio Antico |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$396.98 |
11 |
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| |
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| Piero Antinori |
2019 |
Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva |
$49 |
4 |
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| |
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2019 |
Solaia (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,069.97 |
1 |
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| |
JS 98 (6/2022): This has a complex array of blackberries, black cherries, cocoa, dried herbs, slate, tobacco, olives and charred bark. Some dried roses and iodine, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm yet refined tannins. Powerful, in an understated way. Long. 73% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 20% sangiovese. Try in 2025.
VM 97 (3/2022): The 2019 Solaia is fabulous. Deep and exquisitely layered, the 2019 is so expressive right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, incense, pipe tobacco, chocolate and grilled herbs all take shape. Here, too, the aromatics are alluring. Cabernet Franc is bumped up a bit in the blend, and that works so well here. Solaia is often a bombastic, intense wine. The 2019 is incredibly refined and buttoned up. Readers will have to be patient. The 2019 Solaia is the sort of wine I would like to spend a whole evening with. Aging was 18 months in 100% new French oak. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (3/2022): The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Solaia is another blockbuster success from Tuscany's leading wine estate. The blend sees a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Franc and a slightly lower percentage of Sangiovese. The current mix is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Franc (which has been creeping up in recent years, especially as the climate changes). The soils at the Solaia vineyard are rich in Galestro rock, which is an especially happy pairing with Cabernet Franc in particular. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella tells me that that a vintage like 2019 is proof that the final character of a wine comes from its surrounding territory, not from the blend. This is a generous and extremely expressive edition with lots of dark fruit, spice and sweet tobacco. The tannins are beautifully velvety and soft. This is a beautiful wine that collectors will love. Drink till 2050. |
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2019 |
Tignanello (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,144.99 |
2 |
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| |
WA 96 (6/2022): The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Tignanello was born in a classic growing season that saw some cooling summer rains and relatively stress-free conditions. This is an elegant and extremely polished wine made with mostly Sangiovese and smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Here too, the small blending element of Cabernet Franc has been slowly increasing in recent years. The 2019 vintage was born with a good amount of power and tannic structure, and maceration times were slightly reduced as a result. This less extractive approach shapes a polished and elegant wine with plenty of bright berry fruit, cherry, dried mint, blue flower, blood orange and rusty earth. The palate is more compact and streamlined. It shows beautiful grace. After this, the next vintage to watch is the highly anticipated 2021.
VM 95 (7/2022): The 2019 Tignanello is one of the most reserved, understated young wines I can remember tasting here. In so many vintages Tignanello is quite showy, but in 2019 the nervous energy and brightness of Sangiovese takes center stage. That’s intriguing, because the 2019 blend has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon than normal, a decision made to compensate for some of the lighter qualities in the Sangiovese. With air the 2019 shows gorgeous depth and captivating inner perfume, even if it is clearly still coming together. The 2019 spent about 14 months in oak, with 50% new wood. Things are always in constant evolution at Antinori. This is the first vintage to incorporate some larger 500L barrels, an approach I think will work brilliantly. (Drink between 2027-2041). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Argiano |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$176.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$417.97 |
13 |
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| |
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2019 |
Solengo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$361.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Azelia |
2019 |
Barolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$315.98 |
15 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$333.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
7 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Fiasco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$578.98 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Margheria (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (8/2023): Azelia makes three wines with fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, including San Rocco, Cerretta and this wine. There is also a Riserva from Bricco Voghera. The 2019 Barolo Margheria comes from a southwest facing slope opposite the Perno Vineyard. The site has very poor soils with white clay, and the vines (aged 65 years old on average) are forced to push their roots very deep as a result. This wine has a tight and very firm personality with dark fruit, rusty nail, dusty mineral and tight structure. Those rusty mineral aromas give it away as Serralunga d'Alba. (Drink between 2025-2045). |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Margheria (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$578.98 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (8/2023): Azelia makes three wines with fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, including San Rocco, Cerretta and this wine. There is also a Riserva from Bricco Voghera. The 2019 Barolo Margheria comes from a southwest facing slope opposite the Perno Vineyard. The site has very poor soils with white clay, and the vines (aged 65 years old on average) are forced to push their roots very deep as a result. This wine has a tight and very firm personality with dark fruit, rusty nail, dusty mineral and tight structure. Those rusty mineral aromas give it away as Serralunga d'Alba. (Drink between 2025-2045). |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo San Rocco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
10 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo San Rocco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$578.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Produttori del Barbaresco |
2019 |
Barbaresco (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$234.96 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (1/2025): I evidently skipped a review of this wine when it was released and was able to catch up during my visit to the winery. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2019 Barbaresco shows a fruity profile with dark tones of pressed blackberry and damson plum. The results are elegant and rich, and buried within that dark fruit are herbal highlights of rosemary, pine forest and underbrush. Indeed, that slightly greener or fresher note denotes a cooler growing season.
VM 91 (10/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco is a gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next 15-20 years, give or take. Sweet, floral and open, the 2019 offers lovely brightness and energy to match its mid-weight, nervy feel. Sweet dried cherry, mint, crushed flowers and savory notes all grace this soft, understated Barbaresco from the Produttori. (Drink between 2024-2036). Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
Barbaresco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$300.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (1/2025): I evidently skipped a review of this wine when it was released and was able to catch up during my visit to the winery. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2019 Barbaresco shows a fruity profile with dark tones of pressed blackberry and damson plum. The results are elegant and rich, and buried within that dark fruit are herbal highlights of rosemary, pine forest and underbrush. Indeed, that slightly greener or fresher note denotes a cooler growing season.
VM 91 (10/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco is a gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next 15-20 years, give or take. Sweet, floral and open, the 2019 offers lovely brightness and energy to match its mid-weight, nervy feel. Sweet dried cherry, mint, crushed flowers and savory notes all grace this soft, understated Barbaresco from the Produttori. (Drink between 2024-2036). Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Asili Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$654.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
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2019 |
Barbaresco Montefico Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$487.99 |
1 |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$190.99 |
5 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$515.99 |
12 |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$515.99 |
16 |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Ovello Riserva (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$499.97 |
2 |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Paje Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$498.99 |
4 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Pora Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$487.99 |
4 |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva (1.5 L) |
$165 |
6 |
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WA 96 (1/2025): In this vintage, the Rabajà was served third from last in a flight of nine owing to its depth and robust mouthfeel. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is saturated and dark with a tight core of blackcurrant that is framed by crushed stone, spice and a sweet hint of smoked meat. It shows a sultry and smoky personality.
VM 94 (10/2023): The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is redolent of dark fruit, crushed rocks, graphite, sage, menthol and lavender all race across the palate, supported by bracing, young Rabajà tannins that make themselves felt. This mid-weight, powerhouse Barbaresco packs quite a punch. (Drink between 2026-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$207.99 |
6 |
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| |
WA 96 (1/2025): In this vintage, the Rabajà was served third from last in a flight of nine owing to its depth and robust mouthfeel. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is saturated and dark with a tight core of blackcurrant that is framed by crushed stone, spice and a sweet hint of smoked meat. It shows a sultry and smoky personality.
VM 94 (10/2023): The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is redolent of dark fruit, crushed rocks, graphite, sage, menthol and lavender all race across the palate, supported by bracing, young Rabajà tannins that make themselves felt. This mid-weight, powerhouse Barbaresco packs quite a punch. (Drink between 2026-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$498.99 |
4 |
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| |
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| Piero Benevelli |
2019 |
Barolo Mosconi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$443.99 |
2 |
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| |
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| Bibbiano |
2019 |
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Montornello |
$35 |
4 |
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| WA 94 (2/2023): Here is a classic and elegant wine from the heart of Tuscany. The Bibbiano 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigne di Montornello (a 15,000-bottle production) never veers far from the Sangiovese playlist. It shows bright cherry and tart wild fruit with forest floor, blue violets and hints of rust or soft gardening soil. Fermentation is longer in the case of this top-end wine, lasting 33 days on the skins in cement vats, and aging takes place in a combination of cement and French oak for 24 months. The cement is key to underlining elegance and freshness. |
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| Biondi Santi |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,482.99 |
6 |
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2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,864.99 |
2 |
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2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Greppo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,111.99 |
6 |
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| |
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| Olek Bondonio |
2019 |
Barbaresco Roncagliette |
$89 |
2 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barbaresco Roncagliette (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$700.99 |
2 |
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| |
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| Giacomo Brezza & Figli |
2019 |
Barolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$323.99 |
2 |
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| |
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| Brovia |
2019 |
Barolo Villero (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$764.99 |
2 |
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| |
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| G.B. Burlotto |
2019 |
Barolo Acclivi (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$670.99 |
1 |
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| VM 94 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Acclivi is a very serious wine in this range. It possesses a gorgeous core and tons of supporting structure. I would give the 2019 at least a few years in bottle, as it really needs that time to release its aromatics. I have seen this wine blossom with cellaring, and imagine that will be the case here as well. Today, the Acclivi is quite closed, but time in the glass releases gorgeous red fruit and blood orange character. Although the Acclivi is not as coveted as the Cannubi or Monvigliero, it is an important wine in its own right, as several recent bottles of the 2006 showed. Think of it like Rousseau's Clos Saint-Jacques relative to the Chambertin and Beze. Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Barolo Acclivi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,733.99 |
1 |
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| VM 94 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Acclivi is a very serious wine in this range. It possesses a gorgeous core and tons of supporting structure. I would give the 2019 at least a few years in bottle, as it really needs that time to release its aromatics. I have seen this wine blossom with cellaring, and imagine that will be the case here as well. Today, the Acclivi is quite closed, but time in the glass releases gorgeous red fruit and blood orange character. Although the Acclivi is not as coveted as the Cannubi or Monvigliero, it is an important wine in its own right, as several recent bottles of the 2006 showed. Think of it like Rousseau's Clos Saint-Jacques relative to the Chambertin and Beze. Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Barolo Vigneto Cannubi (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,083.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Vigneto Cannubi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,281.99 |
1 |
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| |
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| Caiarossa |
2019 |
Caiarossa Toscana IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$360.98 |
21 |
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| Castello di Camigliano |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$264.99 |
20 |
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| Caparzo |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino La Casa (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$481.99 |
19 |
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JD 95 (2/2024): Ripe and inviting, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna La Casa pours a deep ruby/red color and reveals intertwining notes of kirsch, fresh leather, dried roses, and sweet Mediterranean herbs. It’s elegant and full-bodied, with ripe tannins, a plush texture, and wonderful length that floats away gently. It’s a very attractive wine with a weightless feel and has an open window for enjoyment over the coming 10-12 years.
WA 95 (12/2023): The Caparzo 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa offers a balanced presentation of candied cherry, dried fruit and toasted spice. This is a lovely and joyous wine with velvety soft tannins and good inner energy that adds dimension and depth to the mouthfeel. Vigna La Casa is a contemporary expression from Montalcino with extra fruit concentration and structure, and the results are carefully balanced throughout. Some 14,000 bottles were made. |
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2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$128.99 |
1 |
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| |
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| Dott G. Cappellano |
2019 |
Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Franco (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,009.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Franco (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,075.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$565.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,708.99 |
1 |
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| |
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| Caprili |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ad Alberto |
$108.99 |
15 |
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JD 96 (1/2025): The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva AdAlberto pours an orange/red color and is ripe with notes of baked strawberries, toasted spices, candied licorice, and sappy herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate, although it also has a snappy and angular feel, with bright, salty energy and a citrus-noted finish. In my second tasting, I found it much more complete, quite enjoyable, and very harmoniously balanced and salty, with good length. It retains good freshness and clarity and is very nicely done. Drink it over the coming 15 years. (Drink between 2025-2040). Audrey Frick.
VM 95 (11/2024): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Adalberto opens with a rich blend of crushed plum and cherry complicated by hints of smoke, ashen stone, leather and citrusy spice. It's seamlessly smooth and silky in feel, with radiant red and black fruits that ride a stream of brisk acidity as saline minerals saturate toward the close. A sweet and sour sensation lingers through the finish as a tinge of pomegranate mixes with blood orange over a bed of grippy tannins. The 2019 is an unbridled beast just waiting to be tamed. (Drink between 2028-2040). Eric Guido.
WA 92 (11/2024): The Caprili 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva AdAlberto is packed with ripe flavors that are quite bold and exuberant, recalling full-bodied vintages such as 2007 and 2015. I find these results to be a little overdone, with lots of oak sweetness and spice followed by campfire ash and barbecue smoke. The wine's black fruit nuances are baked and sweet. Only 5,090 bottles were created. |
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2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ad Alberto (1.5 L) |
$239.99 |
5 |
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JD 96 (1/2025): The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva AdAlberto pours an orange/red color and is ripe with notes of baked strawberries, toasted spices, candied licorice, and sappy herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate, although it also has a snappy and angular feel, with bright, salty energy and a citrus-noted finish. In my second tasting, I found it much more complete, quite enjoyable, and very harmoniously balanced and salty, with good length. It retains good freshness and clarity and is very nicely done. Drink it over the coming 15 years. (Drink between 2025-2040). Audrey Frick.
VM 95 (11/2024): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Adalberto opens with a rich blend of crushed plum and cherry complicated by hints of smoke, ashen stone, leather and citrusy spice. It's seamlessly smooth and silky in feel, with radiant red and black fruits that ride a stream of brisk acidity as saline minerals saturate toward the close. A sweet and sour sensation lingers through the finish as a tinge of pomegranate mixes with blood orange over a bed of grippy tannins. The 2019 is an unbridled beast just waiting to be tamed. (Drink between 2028-2040). Eric Guido.
WA 92 (11/2024): The Caprili 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva AdAlberto is packed with ripe flavors that are quite bold and exuberant, recalling full-bodied vintages such as 2007 and 2015. I find these results to be a little overdone, with lots of oak sweetness and spice followed by campfire ash and barbecue smoke. The wine's black fruit nuances are baked and sweet. Only 5,090 bottles were created. |
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| Az. Agr. Casagori di Gori Matteo |
2019 |
Libero Rosso Toscana IGT |
$25 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Castellare di Castellina |
2019 |
I Sodi di San Niccolo Toscana IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$460.99 |
7 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (8/2023): The 2019 I Sodi di San Niccolò is another fabulous wine from Castellare. At this stage, the 2019 is an infant. The purity of the fruit is compelling. Despite its considerable intensity, the 2019 appears to have less forbidding tannins than in many years, which should allow it to drink well with minimal cellaring. Blood orange, sweet spice, leather and cedar linger on the stylish finish. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Cavallotto |
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Boschis (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$551.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| Decanter 95 (2/2023): Alfio Cavallotto is one of the most traditional producers in Langhe. His winemaking is not only classic but old-fashioned: indigenous yeast, oak fermentation, almost no temperature control, and long maceration with submerged cap. His wines are dark and concentrated and this 2019 is no different. Earthy and smoky, it has dark cherry and blood orange aromas alongside plenty of dried fruits. There's firm acidity to the fore, as well as firm tannins, with great mid-palate extraction. There's ome stickiness on the gums now so it comes across as very austere at the moment, but it's very good on the finish. This deserves more time in bottle and consumers who appreciate the style. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe ex-Domaine |
$197.99 |
39 |
|
| |
JD 97 (4/2026): The 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe pours a slightly deeper ruby than the Vignolo and offers a seductive perfume of black raspberries, black cherries, suede, sage, licorice, and lavender. Fermented in stainless steel and aged 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, it fills the palate with generous medium to full-bodied richness while maintaining remarkable finesse. Broader-shouldered and more expansive than the Vignolo, it combines even tannins, refreshing acidity, and outstanding length. This is a compelling, cellar-worthy Riserva that’s also stunning now. 8,888 bottles, 666 magnums, and 111 double magnums were produced. Drink 2027-2049. Audrey Frick.
WA 97 (6/2025): The organic Cavallotto 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe shows thick texture and density with dark fruits, plum and blackberry layered with extra depth. This wine makes a big impact on the palate and wraps lavishly over the senses. This is one of the most opulent and full-bodied editions I have yet tasted. The fruit is sourced from a 2.38-hectare site with 60-year-old vines with southwest exposures at 310 and 340 meters in elevation. The wine sees 60 months of careful maturation in 20-hectoliter and 100-hectoliter Slavonian botti. In a curious sequence of numbers, production is 8,888 bottles, 666 magnums and 111 three-liter bottle formats.
Decanter 97 (11/2025): In the heart of Bricco Boschis, the 2.38ha San Giuseppe vineyard sits on a mix of sandstone and sandy marls. Crafted from the oldest vines, this Riserva simultaneously reaches earthy and mineral depths by way of dark and heady florals. Stunning fragrances of black tea, leather and crushed granite meld with pressed violet. Solid and sturdy, the palate sports a dense charge of blackcurrant and tart rhubarb. Sophisticated tannins are resolutely welded to the fruit. Patience is required for this to unfold.
VM 96 (12/2025): The 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is silky, elegant and quite refined, much more so than it was when I tasted it a few months prior. That makes me think it might be approachable earlier than I had originally envisaged. Floral overtones and beautifully sculpted Nebbiolo fruit are the signatures. Bright acids and beams of tannin shape the persistent mid-palate and finish. (Drink between 2029-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe (1.5 L) ex-Domaine |
$459 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 97 (4/2026): The 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe pours a slightly deeper ruby than the Vignolo and offers a seductive perfume of black raspberries, black cherries, suede, sage, licorice, and lavender. Fermented in stainless steel and aged 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, it fills the palate with generous medium to full-bodied richness while maintaining remarkable finesse. Broader-shouldered and more expansive than the Vignolo, it combines even tannins, refreshing acidity, and outstanding length. This is a compelling, cellar-worthy Riserva that’s also stunning now. 8,888 bottles, 666 magnums, and 111 double magnums were produced. Drink 2027-2049. Audrey Frick.
WA 97 (6/2025): The organic Cavallotto 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe shows thick texture and density with dark fruits, plum and blackberry layered with extra depth. This wine makes a big impact on the palate and wraps lavishly over the senses. This is one of the most opulent and full-bodied editions I have yet tasted. The fruit is sourced from a 2.38-hectare site with 60-year-old vines with southwest exposures at 310 and 340 meters in elevation. The wine sees 60 months of careful maturation in 20-hectoliter and 100-hectoliter Slavonian botti. In a curious sequence of numbers, production is 8,888 bottles, 666 magnums and 111 three-liter bottle formats.
Decanter 97 (11/2025): In the heart of Bricco Boschis, the 2.38ha San Giuseppe vineyard sits on a mix of sandstone and sandy marls. Crafted from the oldest vines, this Riserva simultaneously reaches earthy and mineral depths by way of dark and heady florals. Stunning fragrances of black tea, leather and crushed granite meld with pressed violet. Solid and sturdy, the palate sports a dense charge of blackcurrant and tart rhubarb. Sophisticated tannins are resolutely welded to the fruit. Patience is required for this to unfold.
VM 96 (12/2025): The 2019 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is silky, elegant and quite refined, much more so than it was when I tasted it a few months prior. That makes me think it might be approachable earlier than I had originally envisaged. Floral overtones and beautifully sculpted Nebbiolo fruit are the signatures. Bright acids and beams of tannin shape the persistent mid-palate and finish. (Drink between 2029-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Riserva Vignolo ex-Domaine |
$167.99 |
51 |
|
| |
JD 96 (4/2026): From south- and southwest-facing vineyards near Bricco Boschis, fermented in stainless steel and aged 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, the 2019 Barolo Riserva Vignolo reveals notes of ripe cherries, fresh leather, mandarin, menthol, and tobacco. Medium-bodied, it carries a compact core of sapidity, bright acidity, and linear drive. Compared to the Vigna San Giuseppe, it shows greater tension and lift, finishing with warming spice and well-defined tannins. Built for the long haul, it should have no problem aging gracefully over the next two decades. 6,566 bottles were produced. Drink 2027-2047. Audrey Frick.
WA 96 (6/2025): The Cavallotto 2019 Barolo Riserva Vignolo (a certified organic wine) shows an earthy and savory side with the extra texture and concentration that is characteristic of this warm vintage. With fruit selected from a 1.96-hectare site with 40-year-old vines, the wine reveals a core of black and purple fruits, with dried plum and blackcurrant. It closes with powdery tannins. This Riserva ages for a long 60 months in 20-hectoliter and 50-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks. Production is limited to 6,566 bottles.
VM 95+ (5/2025): The 2019 Barolo Riserva Vignolo is a deep, sensual wine. Dark red cherry, kirsch, cinnamon, blood orange and pomegranate all race across the palate. The aromatics are especially alluring, even if the Vignolo remains a bit less forthcoming on the palate. Kirsch, rose petal and mulling spice explode on the back end. This is the sort of Barolo that is a total turn-on with a bit of age. Actually, it already is. (Drink between 2029-2044). Antonio Galloni.
Decanter 95 (11/2025): Sitting at lower overall elevations than Cavallotto’s San Giuseppe vineyard in Bricco Boschis, Vignolo boasts a similar southwestern exposure. It is characterised by limestone-rich white clay with little sand. It is thrilling in its earthy scents of tar, damp soil, sandalwood and forest brush. Dark red cherry and raspberry lurk in the background. Still very taut and tense, the palate is all about texture. Dry, chalky tannins cling to a smooth, almost creamy, packed core of wild, pure brambles. Vigour is deftly channelled and this ends on a bright note. |
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2019 |
Barolo Riserva Vignolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,088.98 |
10 |
|
| |
JD 96 (4/2026): From south- and southwest-facing vineyards near Bricco Boschis, fermented in stainless steel and aged 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, the 2019 Barolo Riserva Vignolo reveals notes of ripe cherries, fresh leather, mandarin, menthol, and tobacco. Medium-bodied, it carries a compact core of sapidity, bright acidity, and linear drive. Compared to the Vigna San Giuseppe, it shows greater tension and lift, finishing with warming spice and well-defined tannins. Built for the long haul, it should have no problem aging gracefully over the next two decades. 6,566 bottles were produced. Drink 2027-2047. Audrey Frick.
WA 96 (6/2025): The Cavallotto 2019 Barolo Riserva Vignolo (a certified organic wine) shows an earthy and savory side with the extra texture and concentration that is characteristic of this warm vintage. With fruit selected from a 1.96-hectare site with 40-year-old vines, the wine reveals a core of black and purple fruits, with dried plum and blackcurrant. It closes with powdery tannins. This Riserva ages for a long 60 months in 20-hectoliter and 50-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks. Production is limited to 6,566 bottles.
VM 95+ (5/2025): The 2019 Barolo Riserva Vignolo is a deep, sensual wine. Dark red cherry, kirsch, cinnamon, blood orange and pomegranate all race across the palate. The aromatics are especially alluring, even if the Vignolo remains a bit less forthcoming on the palate. Kirsch, rose petal and mulling spice explode on the back end. This is the sort of Barolo that is a total turn-on with a bit of age. Actually, it already is. (Drink between 2029-2044). Antonio Galloni.
Decanter 95 (11/2025): Sitting at lower overall elevations than Cavallotto’s San Giuseppe vineyard in Bricco Boschis, Vignolo boasts a similar southwestern exposure. It is characterised by limestone-rich white clay with little sand. It is thrilling in its earthy scents of tar, damp soil, sandalwood and forest brush. Dark red cherry and raspberry lurk in the background. Still very taut and tense, the palate is all about texture. Dry, chalky tannins cling to a smooth, almost creamy, packed core of wild, pure brambles. Vigour is deftly channelled and this ends on a bright note. |
|
| Cerbaiona |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,198.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ceretto |
2019 |
Barbaresco Bricco Asili (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$965.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
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2019 |
Barbaresco Bricco Asili Bernardot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$760.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
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2019 |
Barolo Brunate (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$524.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Pio Cesare |
2019 |
Barbaresco (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$178.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
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2019 |
Barbaresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$469.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Il Bricco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$764.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$213.99 |
37 |
|
| |
| JD 92 (5/2023): A touch more reserved at the moment, the 2019 Barolo reveals notes of pure red fruit, cherry, grenadine, dusty earth, and menthol. It is gripping with structure and rich with tea leaf, cherry, and turned soil. Drink 2024-2035. Audrey Frick. |
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2019 |
Barolo Ornato (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$281.99 |
5 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (5/2023): Introspective but expressive, the 2019 Barolo Ornato takes on more spice and savor with its notes of black licorice and cedar and is bolder in and broader in its expression. It has a more solar and warming feel, with medium to full body, ample structure, and fantastic length. This more serious and broad-shouldered wine will benefit from time in the cellars and move into more leather and red plum tones in the future. Drink 2025-2045. Audrey Frick. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Ornato (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$690.98 |
6 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (5/2023): Introspective but expressive, the 2019 Barolo Ornato takes on more spice and savor with its notes of black licorice and cedar and is bolder in and broader in its expression. It has a more solar and warming feel, with medium to full body, ample structure, and fantastic length. This more serious and broad-shouldered wine will benefit from time in the cellars and move into more leather and red plum tones in the future. Drink 2025-2045. Audrey Frick. |
|
| Michele Chiarlo |
2019 |
Barbaresco Asili (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$498.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Cigliuti |
2019 |
Barbaresco Vie Erte |
$50 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (10/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco Bricco di Neive Vie Erte is impressive. It shows the nervous energy that has long been its signature, but with a bit more depth through the middle than in the past. Whether that is the vintage or just the quality of older vines is harder to say, but its pretty obvious the 2019 is impressive. Bright red fruit, orange peel, white pepper, mint and orange zest infuse this nervy Barbaresco from a southwest side on sand with tons of nuance. The classically austere finish, with its vibrant acids, is quite attractive. The Vie Erte was aged entirely in cask. (Drink between 2025-2039). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Domenico Clerico |
2019 |
Barolo Pajana (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$609.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Elvio Cogno |
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Pernice (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$736.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Ravera (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$438.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Riserva Vigna Elena (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$993.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Giacomo Conterno |
2019 |
Barolo Cerretta (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$625.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Cerretta (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,993.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Monfortino Riserva (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,487.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Monfortino Riserva (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,423.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Conterno Fantino |
2019 |
Barolo Sori Ginestra (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$239.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Sori Ginestra (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$637.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Vigna del Gris (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$628.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Giuseppe Cortese |
2019 |
Barbaresco Rabaja (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$459.98 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Conti Costanti |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$628.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is impossible to ignore. Clove and a dusting of savory spice complicate a beguiling crushed black cherry and strawberry bouquet. This presents textures of pure silk, ushering in ripe red fruits and inner florals that stain the palate in youthful concentration. The 2019 tapers off dramatically, leaving a bed of grippy tannins to grumble on as licorice and orange hints slowly fade. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,150.97 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is impossible to ignore. Clove and a dusting of savory spice complicate a beguiling crushed black cherry and strawberry bouquet. This presents textures of pure silk, ushering in ripe red fruits and inner florals that stain the palate in youthful concentration. The 2019 tapers off dramatically, leaving a bed of grippy tannins to grumble on as licorice and orange hints slowly fade. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$736.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Luigi Einaudi |
2019 |
Barolo Costa Grimaldi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$387.99 |
19 |
|
| |
|
| Fattoria di Felsina |
2019 |
Fontalloro (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$443.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Giacomo Fenocchio |
2019 |
Barolo Cannubi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$560.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| San Filippo |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Le Lucere (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
9 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino le Lucére is a darkly concentrated wine with black fruit and a very creamy side. There are aromas of coconut butter and vanilla that meet bakery aromas of croissant or pie crust. The oak renderings are significant, but I give it good cellar potential, as it fleshes out, especially because there is plenty of dark primary fruit to give it aging momentum. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Le Lucere (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,052.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Castello di Fonterutoli |
2019 |
Siepi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$462.99 |
4 |
|
| |
| JS 98 (8/2021): This is a really racy and fine Siepi with currant, black-cherry and dark-chocolate character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with very long, intense tannins that are linear and fine-textured. Really builds on the palate. Super structure. Finesse with power. Try after 2024 and onwards. |
|
| Fontodi |
2019 |
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$551.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$518.97 |
7 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Flaccianello Della Pieve (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$788.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Dal Forno |
2019 |
Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$674.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Fossacolle |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$348.99 |
60 |
|
| |
|
| Fuligni |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$551.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (12/2023): Dusty and floral, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a perfumed blend of dried roses, cherries, mint and lavender candies. It’s elegant and seamlessly silky on the palate, enveloping the senses with ripe red berry fruits contrasted by a bitter clove tinge. A core of brisk acidity maintains a lovely balance as a web of fine tannins saturates the palate, and a pleasantly chewy sensation remains. The 2019 is classic to the core. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva |
$169 |
9 |
|
| |
VM 97 (11/2024): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a seductress, containing an array of cinnamon, clove, allspice, black cherry and hints of bay. It sweeps across the palate with a radiant and classic feel, with vividly ripe red fruits and sweet spices perfectly guided by a core of brilliant acidity. Its minerality comes through in the finish, tactile and saline in form. A web of fine-grained tannins wrap the senses with youthful poise, nuances of cedar and inner rose. The 2019 is spellbinding and built for the cellar. What a beauty. (Drink between 2028-2046). Eric Guido.
WA 95 (11/2024): Fuligni's 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reveals a sultry and savory side with medium-grained tannins and extra textural buffering that surrounds a core of dark blackberry fruit. The alcohol content is high at 15%, but this full-bodied vintage does a very good job of covering up those excesses. This Riserva closes with hints of root beer and sauna wood. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$826.99 |
10 |
|
| |
VM 97 (11/2024): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a seductress, containing an array of cinnamon, clove, allspice, black cherry and hints of bay. It sweeps across the palate with a radiant and classic feel, with vividly ripe red fruits and sweet spices perfectly guided by a core of brilliant acidity. Its minerality comes through in the finish, tactile and saline in form. A web of fine-grained tannins wrap the senses with youthful poise, nuances of cedar and inner rose. The 2019 is spellbinding and built for the cellar. What a beauty. (Drink between 2028-2046). Eric Guido.
WA 95 (11/2024): Fuligni's 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reveals a sultry and savory side with medium-grained tannins and extra textural buffering that surrounds a core of dark blackberry fruit. The alcohol content is high at 15%, but this full-bodied vintage does a very good job of covering up those excesses. This Riserva closes with hints of root beer and sauna wood. |
|
| Angelo Gaja |
2019 |
Barbaresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,366.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,386.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Darmagi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,036.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Gaia & Rey Chardonnay (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,510.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (9/2021): The 2019 Gaia & Rey may be one of the finest vintages I have ever tasted of this white. Creamy, ample and expressive, the 2019 is a wonderfully, classy, polished wine. All the elements come together so effortlessly here. Bright and focused, the 2019 is fabulous and I say that as someone who is not especially fond of Italian Chardonnays. (Drink between 2022-2029). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Langhe Conteisa (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,145.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Langhe Sito Moresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$364.97 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Ettoro Germano |
2019 |
Barolo Cerretta (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$180.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Cerretta (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$456.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa |
2019 |
Barbaresco Asili (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$892.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| JS 98 (4/2022): Sweet and succulent aromas of tangerines, freshly cut ripe strawberries, cherries and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate with sleek and dense tannins that run the length of the wine and then fan out into a dense, vivid finish of fruit. It’s chewy and seriously structured with finesse and energy. Silky texture. This needs at least four or five years to come together and open. Try after 2027. |
|
|
2019 |
Barbera d’Alba (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$323.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Falletto Vigna le Rocche (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,393.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (8/2023): With the white label, the 2019 Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche is a generous and expansive wine that hits the palate from all sides. It offers lingering sensations of sweet fruit with a good amount of intensity and muscle power pushing from behind. That forward momentum is fueled by dark fruit, rusty earth, wet clay and blood orange. It shows elegance, substance and finely tuned tones with considerable tension and tightness. This is another bottle to rest at the back of your cellar. |
|
| Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa |
2019 |
Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$396.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Giodo |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$311.98 |
26 |
|
| |
| WA 98+ (12/2023): When I tasted this wine with its maker, the celebrated enologist Carlo Ferrini, he told me that he put every last drop of love into the 2019 vintage. He believes it is the best wine he has made thus far at his relatively new Giodo project that started in 2009. Indeed, I would rank the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino as high as or even better than the best vintages made at this boutique estate. In my mind, they are 2010, 2016 and now 2019. This wine comes from a three-hectare plot with 19-year-old vines that are cared for obsessively. This amphitheater-shaped parcel called La Poderina is nestled deep within the forest on a steep slope that overlooks Monte Amiata in the distance. The soils are white in color with lots of rocks. This is a wine of depth and dimension, with vibrant energy, elegant balsamic notes and sweetly ripened fruit. The medium fruit weight is balanced against the wine's acidity and fine tannins. It ends with floral notes of violet and iris. |
|
|
2019 |
La Quinta Toscana IGT |
$45 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2021): The Giodo 2019 La Quinta is a pure expression of Sangiovese that sees less aging time compared to a Brunello (although the fruit is basically the same). The wine gives us a fascinating window onto a grape and a territory presented without all the extra bells and whistles required by the top-tier appellation of Montalcino. La Quinta gives us freshness and brightness with lots of dried cherry, redcurrant, mild spice and fresh acidity. There is a fun hint of dried mint and pressed violets on the close. A wine like this makes me very excited to taste the 2019 Brunellos when they are ready. |
|
| Elio Grasso |
2019 |
Barolo Gavarini Chiniera (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$561.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (5/2023): The 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is just superb, with layers of pure fruits and spices interwoven with vibrant cherry liqueur, candied roses, incense, and baking spice. Harmonious and balanced from the start, it offers ripe tannins, a seamless spine of fresh acidity, and fantastic length that leaves me wanting more. As it opens, it reveals more nuanced notes of apricot and saline earth. An outstanding medium to full-bodied red, this is one to cellar for a few years, as it has a ways to go before its full spectrum is revealed. Drink 2026-2050. Audrey Frick.
WA 97 (8/2023): With vines adjacent to forests on white chalky soils, the Elio Grasso 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is a luminous and very beautiful wine. Vintner Gianluca Grasso called this "the helicopter vintage" because he actually rented a helicopter to fly over the vines for 45 minutes to dry them from rain right before harvest. As he tells it, this was a costly but good decision because 15 minutes after he finished harvesting on October 26, heavy rain came and lasted an entire week. Thanks to these dramatic measures, the grape skins were excellent, and maceration with submerged cap lasted 55 days. That's how perfect the skins were. This balanced wine shows extreme precision and elegance.
VM 96 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is classically austere and just gorgeous right out of the gate. Soaring aromatics and fine, sculpted fruit race out of the glass. Crushed rose petal, cinnamon, orange peel and mint are all beautifully delineated. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2019 is going to need years to be at its best, yet it has that embryonic inner sweetness that characterizes the very finest wines here. Superb. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$591.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Marchese di Gresy |
2019 |
Martinenga Barbaresco (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$178.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Martinenga Barbaresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$460.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) |
2019 |
Matarocchio Bolgheri (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,321.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Tenuta San Leonardo |
2019 |
Vallagarina (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$551.99 |
15 |
|
| |
|
| Le Macchiole |
2019 |
Messorio IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,187.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Scrio IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$896.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Giovanni Manzone |
2019 |
Barolo Castelleto (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$420.99 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Il Marroneto |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$830.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,560.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (2/2024): For lovers of this estate, you’re going to want to stop everything and go find the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie if you have the means. There’s simply nothing else like it, and it needs to be experienced. It pours a saturated, youthful ruby color and has an unmistakable and distinctive nose that is highly expressive, with layered aromas jumping from the glass and unfolding notes of cassis, wildflowers, orange marmalade, clove, and blackberries. (Words do this no justice.) Equally potent and layered on the palate, it continues seamlessly, with noble structure and profound concentration through a stunning and long finish that lasts for several minutes (or as long as I could give it until moving on). Remarkable and singular, it truly stands apart from the crowd, even in this phenomenal vintage, where it’s hard to do much wrong. Profound. It’s a showstopper now and will be one of the great wines of the region for decades. Drink 2028-2050. |
|
| Bartolo Mascarello |
2019 |
Barolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,993.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (8/2023): Coming to market this fall, the Bartolo Mascarello 2019 Barolo represents a classic vintage in between two challenging growing seasons. Both 2018 and 2020 were hotter than 2019, resulting in higher alcohol levels. With fruit harvested on October 8th and 9th, this expression from 2019 shows extra freshness and a more streamlined style compared to the texturally generous 2020 or the softer and more open-knit 2018. Extraction and structure came easily in 2019, and delicate pump-overs sufficed. Maria Teresa Mascarello opted against submerged cap fermentations in 2022, 2019, 2017 and 2013. It was performed in 2016, 2014 and 2010, however. The fruit represents a blend of Monrobiolo in Bussia (a site with a lease that ends in 2025), Rue and Cannubi in Barolo and Rocche dell’Annunziata in La Morra. San Lorenzo will return to the blend in 2020. This bottle promises a decisive, vertical delivery of fruit (lots of "skeleton and bones") with a pretty moment of crunch, elegant acidic freshness and tannic structure. If you are nostalgic for a tight, acidity-driven Barolo that is good for long cellar aging, the 2019 is for you.
VM 96 (1/2024): The 2019 Barolo is a potent, layered wine, within the super-classic style that is the house signature. Dark cherry, plum, spice, leather, licorice and menthol add to an impression of brooding intensity. There's real weight and substance here that needs time to emerge. Dried herbs, sage, mint, tobacco and cedar linger on the vibrant, tense finish. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$957.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (8/2023): Coming to market this fall, the Bartolo Mascarello 2019 Barolo represents a classic vintage in between two challenging growing seasons. Both 2018 and 2020 were hotter than 2019, resulting in higher alcohol levels. With fruit harvested on October 8th and 9th, this expression from 2019 shows extra freshness and a more streamlined style compared to the texturally generous 2020 or the softer and more open-knit 2018. Extraction and structure came easily in 2019, and delicate pump-overs sufficed. Maria Teresa Mascarello opted against submerged cap fermentations in 2022, 2019, 2017 and 2013. It was performed in 2016, 2014 and 2010, however. The fruit represents a blend of Monrobiolo in Bussia (a site with a lease that ends in 2025), Rue and Cannubi in Barolo and Rocche dell’Annunziata in La Morra. San Lorenzo will return to the blend in 2020. This bottle promises a decisive, vertical delivery of fruit (lots of "skeleton and bones") with a pretty moment of crunch, elegant acidic freshness and tannic structure. If you are nostalgic for a tight, acidity-driven Barolo that is good for long cellar aging, the 2019 is for you.
VM 96 (1/2024): The 2019 Barolo is a potent, layered wine, within the super-classic style that is the house signature. Dark cherry, plum, spice, leather, licorice and menthol add to an impression of brooding intensity. There's real weight and substance here that needs time to emerge. Dried herbs, sage, mint, tobacco and cedar linger on the vibrant, tense finish. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello |
2019 |
Barolo Monprivato (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,947.98 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 98 (5/2024): Compared to the 2018, the 2019 Barolo Monprivato offers a more powerful nose with more nervous energy in its notes of licorice, raspberry liqueur, rosemary, and sweet earth. Ripe and powerfully structured, with a midweight feel but incredible intensity and length, it has a great level of completeness, with an earthy drive and ripe tannins that hold through its long finish. Drink 2025-2055. Audrey Frick.
VM 95+ (9/2024): The 2019 Barolo Monprivato is a tightly wound, classically austere wine from the Mascarello family. Vibrant acids and beams of tannin cut through a core of red-toned fruit, orange peel, white pepper and flowers. Readers should be in no rush to open the 2019, as it is pretty reticent. Even so, there's tons of energy here. I have had the 2019 twice so far. The 2019 is one of the best Monprivatos in recent memory, although I note that a second bottle was quite a bit more backward than this one. (Drink between 2027-2039). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Monprivato (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,702.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98 (5/2024): Compared to the 2018, the 2019 Barolo Monprivato offers a more powerful nose with more nervous energy in its notes of licorice, raspberry liqueur, rosemary, and sweet earth. Ripe and powerfully structured, with a midweight feel but incredible intensity and length, it has a great level of completeness, with an earthy drive and ripe tannins that hold through its long finish. Drink 2025-2055. Audrey Frick.
VM 95+ (9/2024): The 2019 Barolo Monprivato is a tightly wound, classically austere wine from the Mascarello family. Vibrant acids and beams of tannin cut through a core of red-toned fruit, orange peel, white pepper and flowers. Readers should be in no rush to open the 2019, as it is pretty reticent. Even so, there's tons of energy here. I have had the 2019 twice so far. The 2019 is one of the best Monprivatos in recent memory, although I note that a second bottle was quite a bit more backward than this one. (Drink between 2027-2039). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Massolino |
2019 |
Barbaresco Albesani (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$438.98 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (2/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco Albesani captures all the breadth and resonance that is such a signature of this famous hillside site in Neive. Red/purplish fruit, spice, rose petal, lavender, menthol and licorice build with a bit of time in the glass. Bright acids and lively tannins add energy to this super-classic, inviting Barbaresco from Massolino. The 2019 is a dream, not to mention a superb debut. (Drink between 2027-2039) |
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2019 |
Barolo Margheria (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$623.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Parafada (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$676.99 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 96 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Parafada is a wine of tremendous inner strength, as if all of its energy is focused inwards. Dark cherry, smoke, leather, gravel, scorched earth and licorice slowly come alive in the glass. Dense, potent and muscular, the 2019 offers tons of textural intensity and brooding, virile power. It is fascinating to taste next to the Margheria, which is a bit more aromatic and nuanced, while the Parafada is all muscle. This is one of the best editions I can remember tasting. Antonio Galloni. |
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2019 |
Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,034.99 |
1 |
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| |
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| Montevertine |
2019 |
Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,886.99 |
1 |
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| |
VM 97 (7/2022): The 2019 Le Pergole Torte is all class and refinement. At the same time, the 2019 is quite reticent at this stage. In this tasting, the Pergole Torte comes across as more refined and aromatically expressive than the Montevertine, with lovely brightness driving the red berry fruit. Elegant and sophisticated, the 2019 is a wine to treasure for the next several decades. Time in the glass brings out the floral upper register and red Sangiovese fruit of Pergole Torte. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (2/2023): Holding back initially, this wine simply needs more time in bottle, and I have adjusted the drinking window accordingly. The 2019 Le Pergole Torte is a long-term proposition showing initial stirrings of tart cherry fruit, plum, licorice, tobacco and crushed stone. There is a pretty floral tone of violet or rosemary flower even now. Winemaking takes this special selection of 100% Sangiovese though cement and Allier and Slavonian oak. The balanced acidity stands out nicely. |
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| Montevetrano |
2019 |
Montevetrano Rosso Colli di Salerno IGT (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$207.99 |
12 |
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| |
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| Silvio Nardi |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$143.99 |
9 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is dark in color and style, with a bouquet of dried berries and florals complicated by orange zest and a dusting of cocoa. It sweeps across the palate with racy acidity and sleek textures that usher in spicy cherry-berry fruits. The 2019 finishes with a mentholated freshness, edgy tannins and medium length, leaving a slightly bitter tinge to linger. Eric Guido. |
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|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$255.99 |
5 |
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| |
| VM 90 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is dark in color and style, with a bouquet of dried berries and florals complicated by orange zest and a dusting of cocoa. It sweeps across the palate with racy acidity and sleek textures that usher in spicy cherry-berry fruits. The 2019 finishes with a mentholated freshness, edgy tannins and medium length, leaving a slightly bitter tinge to linger. Eric Guido. |
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|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (5.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$384.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is dark in color and style, with a bouquet of dried berries and florals complicated by orange zest and a dusting of cocoa. It sweeps across the palate with racy acidity and sleek textures that usher in spicy cherry-berry fruits. The 2019 finishes with a mentholated freshness, edgy tannins and medium length, leaving a slightly bitter tinge to linger. Eric Guido. |
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|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$368.99 |
10 |
|
| |
| VM 90 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is dark in color and style, with a bouquet of dried berries and florals complicated by orange zest and a dusting of cocoa. It sweeps across the palate with racy acidity and sleek textures that usher in spicy cherry-berry fruits. The 2019 finishes with a mentholated freshness, edgy tannins and medium length, leaving a slightly bitter tinge to linger. Eric Guido. |
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| Casanova di Neri |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,120.99 |
4 |
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| |
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2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$745.99 |
3 |
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| |
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| La Ca' Nova |
2019 |
Barbaresco Vigna Bric Mentina Montefico (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$351.98 |
2 |
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| |
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| Oddero |
2019 |
Barolo Brunate (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$987.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Villero (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$707.96 |
1 |
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| |
|
| Fratelli Odero |
2019 |
Barolo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$382.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Orma |
2019 |
Orma Toscana IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.98 |
15 |
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| |
| JS 97 (7/2021): This is a tight and powerful Orma with solid tannins that beautifully frame the fruit in the wine. Full-bodied and focused with intense structure and fruit character. Perhaps the best Orma ever. Give this four or five years to open. Try after 2025. |
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| Tenuta dell' Ornellaia |
2019 |
Bianco Toscana IGT (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$853.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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2019 |
Massetino Proprietary Blend (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,042.98 |
2 |
|
| |
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2019 |
Masseto Proprietary Blend (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,656.99 |
4 |
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| |
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|
2019 |
Ornellaia (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$503.99 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 97+ (3/2022): The 2019 Ornellaia is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. All the elements are so well-balanced. Dark and racy, with fabulous class and pedigree to burn, the 2019 is superb from the very first taste. Dark plum, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice build over time, but it is the wine’s stunning finesse that impresses most. The 2019 has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 2002. That very much comes through in the wine’s vibrancy and aromatic presence. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
Ornellaia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,545.99 |
1 |
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| |
| VM 97+ (3/2022): The 2019 Ornellaia is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. All the elements are so well-balanced. Dark and racy, with fabulous class and pedigree to burn, the 2019 is superb from the very first taste. Dark plum, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice build over time, but it is the wine’s stunning finesse that impresses most. The 2019 has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 2002. That very much comes through in the wine’s vibrancy and aromatic presence. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Armando Parusso |
2019 |
Barolo Bussia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$700.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Mosconi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$453.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Passopisciaro |
2019 |
Passorosso Etna Rosso (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$266.99 |
7 |
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| |
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2019 |
Passorosso Etna Rosso (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$266.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Petrolo |
2019 |
Galatrona (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$257.99 |
31 |
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| |
| JS 99 (8/2021): Blackberries and black cherries with lavender and violets on the nose. Full-bodied with velvety, chewy tannins, yet the fruit is very intense with vibrancy and energy. Muscular, yet agile. Pure and poised. A unique definition of merlot in Tuscany. Drink after 2025. |
|
| Cantina del Pino |
2019 |
Barbaresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$300.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Ovello (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$342.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Luigi Pira |
2019 |
Barolo Marenca (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$584.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Serralunga (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$366.99 |
1 |
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| |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Vigna Rionda (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$607.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
| E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) |
2019 |
Barolo Cannubi |
$139 |
1 |
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| |
WA 98 (8/2023): I had the chance to walk the Cannubi vineyard with Chiara Boschis this past fall. You really don't get a sense of how steep the inclines are and how powdery the soils are until you are there, struggling with each difficult step. She navigates the difficult terrain effortlessly. The 2019 Barolo Cannubi shows an etched or three-dimensional quality with sharp fruit flavors, blue flower and chalky stone. There were some weather extremes during the growing season, but everything balanced out in the end. Phenolic ripeness was easily achieved. Chiara Boschis describes 2019 as a cross between 2016 and 2017. In her portfolio, Via Nuova is the classic Barolo, Mosconi has the power and Cannubi shows the finesse of Nebbiolo.
VM 97 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Cannubi is flat-out stunning. Rich and beautifully textured, the 2019 dazzles from start to finish. Freshly cut flowers, mint, crushed red berry fruit, orange peel, salt and dried herbs are some of the many notes that grace this exquisite, wonderfully nuanced Barolo from Chiara Boschis. Sweet floral and spice overtones build into the finish. The precision here is unreal. Aging in cask works so well here. What a wine! Antonio Galloni.
JD 96 (5/2023): The 2019 Barolo Cannubi is red-fruited and elegant, with a sweet perfume of red berries, candied roses, fresh leather, and dusty earth. It is medium-bodied and has a linear structure, with notes of ripe orange, a touch of incense, and raspberry easing through the arch, fine and approachable tannins, and a long, elegant finish. Drink 2024-2044. Audrey Frick. |
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2019 |
Barolo Via Nuova |
$95 |
1 |
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| |
JD 98 (5/2023): More citrus character emerges from the 2019 Barolo Via Nuova, which is lifted, elegant, and fresh with orange peel. On the palate, it has outstanding energy, with finely coiled tannins, more linear drive, and refreshing energy in its notes of pomegranate, raspberry, and crushed stones. I love this wine now, and it will be fantastic over the coming decades. Audrey Frick.
VM 97 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Via Nuova is another gorgeous wine in this tasting. Soaring and broad in its aromatic intensity, the 2019 has it all. The blend of seven sites works so well. Readers will find a seamless, wonderfully complete Barolo. Dried flowers, herbs, mint, rose petal, kirsch and orange zest lend notable complexity throughout. The 2019 is deep and also quite rich, but not at all heavy. There is a touch of oak sweetness, but it just adds to the wine's exotic beauty. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (8/2023): The 2019 Barolo Via Nuova is a blend of fruit from various sites across multiple villages in the appellation. The wine is immediately open and beautiful, showing dark fruit, cherry, spice, blue flower and potting soils. The healthy fruit in this vintage shows an almost crunchy quality. With climate changes and weather patterns that are becoming increasingly tropical in nature, hail storms are a reoccurring threat. In recent times, they have been especially violent in the village of La Morra. Chiara Boschis installed hail nets in her vineyards seven years ago. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Via Nuova (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$489.99 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 98 (5/2023): More citrus character emerges from the 2019 Barolo Via Nuova, which is lifted, elegant, and fresh with orange peel. On the palate, it has outstanding energy, with finely coiled tannins, more linear drive, and refreshing energy in its notes of pomegranate, raspberry, and crushed stones. I love this wine now, and it will be fantastic over the coming decades. Audrey Frick.
VM 97 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Via Nuova is another gorgeous wine in this tasting. Soaring and broad in its aromatic intensity, the 2019 has it all. The blend of seven sites works so well. Readers will find a seamless, wonderfully complete Barolo. Dried flowers, herbs, mint, rose petal, kirsch and orange zest lend notable complexity throughout. The 2019 is deep and also quite rich, but not at all heavy. There is a touch of oak sweetness, but it just adds to the wine's exotic beauty. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (8/2023): The 2019 Barolo Via Nuova is a blend of fruit from various sites across multiple villages in the appellation. The wine is immediately open and beautiful, showing dark fruit, cherry, spice, blue flower and potting soils. The healthy fruit in this vintage shows an almost crunchy quality. With climate changes and weather patterns that are becoming increasingly tropical in nature, hail storms are a reoccurring threat. In recent times, they have been especially violent in the village of La Morra. Chiara Boschis installed hail nets in her vineyards seven years ago. |
|
| Poggio di Sotto |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,132.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (11/2024): The Poggio di Sotto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino remains a little closed, even rigid, at the moment. It can be compared to the cool 2013 and 2016 vintages that both required an extra five or six years before they started to shine. However, there's no escaping the power that remains just under the surface. You feel it budding and yearning to break free. Dark fruit aromas fold into crushed stone, grilled rosemary and blue flower. It's fun to taste this wine next to the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva because you really see how much further this vintage will require in the cellar. Both wines remain tight and nervous at this point but are full of potential. Drink between 2030-2055.
JD 98+ (2/2024): I was able to taste the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino three times for this report, and it’s one of the great wines of the vintage. It takes on a bit more muscular style for the Poggio di Sotto estate, but it retains the DNA of the estate at large with its outstanding clarity. It’s medium ruby-colored and reveals notes of pure cherry, anise, wildflowers, wet stone, and tea leaf. Structured and long on the palate, it has ripe, chiseled tannins, a balanced spine of acidity, and notes of salted orange through the finish, with a long-lasting perfume. Its transparency, balanced with its complexity, makes this one of the most intriguing wines, and if stored properly, it will only improve with time in the cellar. Drink 2027-2047. Audrey Frick.
VM 96 (12/2023): Dusty roses, worn leather, dried strawberries and arid earth form a classic bouquet as the dynamic 2019 Brunello di Montalcino blossoms in the glass. This is feminine yet deep and textural, with ripe plums and black cherries motivated by brisk acidity. Violet inner florals and licorice hints form toward the close. The 2019 leaves a salty mineral staining to mingle with fine-grained tannins and spice, as it finishes with incredible length, yet still so fresh. This is incredibly youthful and inward today, but the potential is off the charts. I expect the 2019 to put on some weight and blossom over the next five to ten years. Glorious. Drink between 2027-2042. Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$618.99 |
9 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (11/2024): The Poggio di Sotto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino remains a little closed, even rigid, at the moment. It can be compared to the cool 2013 and 2016 vintages that both required an extra five or six years before they started to shine. However, there's no escaping the power that remains just under the surface. You feel it budding and yearning to break free. Dark fruit aromas fold into crushed stone, grilled rosemary and blue flower. It's fun to taste this wine next to the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva because you really see how much further this vintage will require in the cellar. Both wines remain tight and nervous at this point but are full of potential. Drink between 2030-2055.
JD 98+ (2/2024): I was able to taste the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino three times for this report, and it’s one of the great wines of the vintage. It takes on a bit more muscular style for the Poggio di Sotto estate, but it retains the DNA of the estate at large with its outstanding clarity. It’s medium ruby-colored and reveals notes of pure cherry, anise, wildflowers, wet stone, and tea leaf. Structured and long on the palate, it has ripe, chiseled tannins, a balanced spine of acidity, and notes of salted orange through the finish, with a long-lasting perfume. Its transparency, balanced with its complexity, makes this one of the most intriguing wines, and if stored properly, it will only improve with time in the cellar. Drink 2027-2047. Audrey Frick.
VM 96 (12/2023): Dusty roses, worn leather, dried strawberries and arid earth form a classic bouquet as the dynamic 2019 Brunello di Montalcino blossoms in the glass. This is feminine yet deep and textural, with ripe plums and black cherries motivated by brisk acidity. Violet inner florals and licorice hints form toward the close. The 2019 leaves a salty mineral staining to mingle with fine-grained tannins and spice, as it finishes with incredible length, yet still so fresh. This is incredibly youthful and inward today, but the potential is off the charts. I expect the 2019 to put on some weight and blossom over the next five to ten years. Glorious. Drink between 2027-2042. Eric Guido. |
|
| Tenuta le Potazzine |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$646.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Alfredo Prunotto |
2019 |
Barbaresco Bric Turot (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$141.99 |
33 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Bric Turot (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$432.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Bussia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$471.99 |
19 |
|
| |
|
| Fattoria le Pupille |
2019 |
Saffredi Proprietary Blend (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$667.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Guiseppe Quintarelli |
2019 |
Valpolicella Classico Superiore (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$781.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Le Ragnaie |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli |
$159.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 97 (2/2024): Displaying a slightly darker ruby color than the Petroso, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli takes on more depth and opens to notes of wild raspberries, fresh roses, orange peel, and anise. Medium-bodied, it also takes on more structure, with elegant concentration, ripe tannins, and seamless acidity. Long on the palate, with notes of gravelly earth and Mirabelle plum on the finish, this gorgeous wine demands another year or two in cellar. Drink 2026-2046. Audrey Frick.
VM 97 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli tempts the imagination, blending savory herbs with fresh mint, dusty black cherry and camphor. This is pure elegance on the palate, silky-smooth and supple with cool-toned red fruits complicated by saline minerals as clove mingles with orange nuances toward the close. It finishes surprisingly fresh yet youthfully poised. Edgy tannins add a crunchy sensation, leaving subtle traces of rose petals and an air of worn leather. This harmonious beauty will provide decades of pleasurable drink, yet patience will be required. (Drink between 2026-2040). Eric Guido.
WA 97 (12/2023): The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli has medium-plus concentration and pretty aromas of cherry fruit, redcurrant, crushed mineral, watercolor paint and a generally riper bouquet, certainly when compared to the Passo del Lume Spento. These vines sit at 300 meters in elevation with mixed clay soils (and higher pH) next door to Baricci. It delivers more of a punch, and there is a savory component with leather or mild tobacco that changes with time, eventually transitioning to a point of sweetness. Structurally, this is a very beautiful wine (with 3,800 bottles released). |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli (1.5 L) |
$319.99 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 97 (2/2024): Displaying a slightly darker ruby color than the Petroso, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli takes on more depth and opens to notes of wild raspberries, fresh roses, orange peel, and anise. Medium-bodied, it also takes on more structure, with elegant concentration, ripe tannins, and seamless acidity. Long on the palate, with notes of gravelly earth and Mirabelle plum on the finish, this gorgeous wine demands another year or two in cellar. Drink 2026-2046. Audrey Frick.
VM 97 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli tempts the imagination, blending savory herbs with fresh mint, dusty black cherry and camphor. This is pure elegance on the palate, silky-smooth and supple with cool-toned red fruits complicated by saline minerals as clove mingles with orange nuances toward the close. It finishes surprisingly fresh yet youthfully poised. Edgy tannins add a crunchy sensation, leaving subtle traces of rose petals and an air of worn leather. This harmonious beauty will provide decades of pleasurable drink, yet patience will be required. (Drink between 2026-2040). Eric Guido.
WA 97 (12/2023): The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli has medium-plus concentration and pretty aromas of cherry fruit, redcurrant, crushed mineral, watercolor paint and a generally riper bouquet, certainly when compared to the Passo del Lume Spento. These vines sit at 300 meters in elevation with mixed clay soils (and higher pH) next door to Baricci. It delivers more of a punch, and there is a savory component with leather or mild tobacco that changes with time, eventually transitioning to a point of sweetness. Structurally, this is a very beautiful wine (with 3,800 bottles released). |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli (3.0 L) |
$649.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (2/2024): Displaying a slightly darker ruby color than the Petroso, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli takes on more depth and opens to notes of wild raspberries, fresh roses, orange peel, and anise. Medium-bodied, it also takes on more structure, with elegant concentration, ripe tannins, and seamless acidity. Long on the palate, with notes of gravelly earth and Mirabelle plum on the finish, this gorgeous wine demands another year or two in cellar. Drink 2026-2046. Audrey Frick.
VM 97 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli tempts the imagination, blending savory herbs with fresh mint, dusty black cherry and camphor. This is pure elegance on the palate, silky-smooth and supple with cool-toned red fruits complicated by saline minerals as clove mingles with orange nuances toward the close. It finishes surprisingly fresh yet youthfully poised. Edgy tannins add a crunchy sensation, leaving subtle traces of rose petals and an air of worn leather. This harmonious beauty will provide decades of pleasurable drink, yet patience will be required. (Drink between 2026-2040). Eric Guido.
WA 97 (12/2023): The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli has medium-plus concentration and pretty aromas of cherry fruit, redcurrant, crushed mineral, watercolor paint and a generally riper bouquet, certainly when compared to the Passo del Lume Spento. These vines sit at 300 meters in elevation with mixed clay soils (and higher pH) next door to Baricci. It delivers more of a punch, and there is a savory component with leather or mild tobacco that changes with time, eventually transitioning to a point of sweetness. Structurally, this is a very beautiful wine (with 3,800 bottles released). |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Petroso |
$140 |
14 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2023): The character of this wine is more accessible and open-knit. The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso is less ethereal but more grounded, with an obvious delivery of fruit (and more primary intensity) framed by caramel, light tobacco leaf, redcurrant, cherry and wild plum. An herbal element comes forward too with white pepper and something fun that recalls cashew celery root. The mouthfeel veers toward chalky, and there is a hint of minerality with wet limestone or rose quartz. It shows managed tannins over mid-weight texture for a very elegant finish.
JD 96 (2/2024): The fourth vintage for this single vineyard, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Petroso takes a medium red color and has a gorgeous aromatic profile in its perfume of jasmine, dried cranberries, tangerine, and thyme. Displaying a Burgundian aesthetic, this medium-bodied Brunello has refined tannins, even, fresh acidity, and a delicate stony texture. It’s a beautiful wine that gently floats off the palate. With a wide drinking window, this is going to be one that’s hard to hold onto, but it will be worth cellaring. Drink 2024-2040. Audrey Frick.
VM 95 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso boasts a dark, rich, inviting blend of black raspberries, mint leaves and worn leather. Silky-smooth and elegant in feel, this easily flows across the palate, showcasing crisp red berry fruit enlivened by vibrant acidity. A wall of grippy tannins lingers as the 2019 tapers off primary and intense, promising many years of further development. I expect the Petroso to put on weight over time, which will complete this otherwise gorgeous wine. The potential here is incredibly high. (Drink between 2025-2038). Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Petroso (1.5 L) |
$280 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2023): The character of this wine is more accessible and open-knit. The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso is less ethereal but more grounded, with an obvious delivery of fruit (and more primary intensity) framed by caramel, light tobacco leaf, redcurrant, cherry and wild plum. An herbal element comes forward too with white pepper and something fun that recalls cashew celery root. The mouthfeel veers toward chalky, and there is a hint of minerality with wet limestone or rose quartz. It shows managed tannins over mid-weight texture for a very elegant finish.
JD 96 (2/2024): The fourth vintage for this single vineyard, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Petroso takes a medium red color and has a gorgeous aromatic profile in its perfume of jasmine, dried cranberries, tangerine, and thyme. Displaying a Burgundian aesthetic, this medium-bodied Brunello has refined tannins, even, fresh acidity, and a delicate stony texture. It’s a beautiful wine that gently floats off the palate. With a wide drinking window, this is going to be one that’s hard to hold onto, but it will be worth cellaring. Drink 2024-2040. Audrey Frick.
VM 95 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso boasts a dark, rich, inviting blend of black raspberries, mint leaves and worn leather. Silky-smooth and elegant in feel, this easily flows across the palate, showcasing crisp red berry fruit enlivened by vibrant acidity. A wall of grippy tannins lingers as the 2019 tapers off primary and intense, promising many years of further development. I expect the Petroso to put on weight over time, which will complete this otherwise gorgeous wine. The potential here is incredibly high. (Drink between 2025-2038). Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Petroso (3.0 L) |
$560 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (12/2023): The character of this wine is more accessible and open-knit. The Le Ragnaie 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso is less ethereal but more grounded, with an obvious delivery of fruit (and more primary intensity) framed by caramel, light tobacco leaf, redcurrant, cherry and wild plum. An herbal element comes forward too with white pepper and something fun that recalls cashew celery root. The mouthfeel veers toward chalky, and there is a hint of minerality with wet limestone or rose quartz. It shows managed tannins over mid-weight texture for a very elegant finish.
JD 96 (2/2024): The fourth vintage for this single vineyard, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Petroso takes a medium red color and has a gorgeous aromatic profile in its perfume of jasmine, dried cranberries, tangerine, and thyme. Displaying a Burgundian aesthetic, this medium-bodied Brunello has refined tannins, even, fresh acidity, and a delicate stony texture. It’s a beautiful wine that gently floats off the palate. With a wide drinking window, this is going to be one that’s hard to hold onto, but it will be worth cellaring. Drink 2024-2040. Audrey Frick.
VM 95 (12/2023): The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Petroso boasts a dark, rich, inviting blend of black raspberries, mint leaves and worn leather. Silky-smooth and elegant in feel, this easily flows across the palate, showcasing crisp red berry fruit enlivened by vibrant acidity. A wall of grippy tannins lingers as the 2019 tapers off primary and intense, promising many years of further development. I expect the Petroso to put on weight over time, which will complete this otherwise gorgeous wine. The potential here is incredibly high. (Drink between 2025-2038). Eric Guido. |
|
| Castello Dei Rampolla |
2019 |
Vigna d’Alceo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$745.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 97 (8/2023): Rampolla's 2019 D'Alceo is creamy and resonant in the glass. Inky dark fruit, lavender, blackberry and spice all meld together in a wine that combines power and elegance. Seamless tannins extend the finish effortlessly. In many vintages, D'Alceo is a powerhouse. The 2019 is sublime. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Renato Ratti |
2019 |
Barolo Marcenasco (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$161.99 |
18 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Marcenasco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$478.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Rocche dell’ Annunziata (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$281.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Giuseppe Rinaldi |
2019 |
Barolo Bussia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,509.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Le Brunate (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,215.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Le Brunate (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,767.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Francesco Rinaldi & Figli |
2019 |
Barolo Cannubbi (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$257.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Cannubbi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$700.99 |
9 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Le Brunate (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$478.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Roagna |
2019 |
Barolo La Pira (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,324.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Dolcetto d’Alba |
$25 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Bruno Rocca |
2019 |
Barbaresco (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$396.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Rabaja (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$700.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Albino Rocca |
2019 |
Barbaresco Ronchi (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$396.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Castello Romitorio |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Girolamo Russo |
2019 |
Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo |
$69.99 |
11 |
|
| |
| VM 94.5 (9/2023): The 2019 Etna Rosso Feudo d'Mezzo is intense, nearly balsamic in the glass, smoldering up with a wave of medicinal cherry and sweet herbs lifted by hints of camphor. This is pure seduction on the palate, silky and refined with brisk acidity and depths of ripe raspberry underscored by saline minerals. It finishes structured and full of youthful tension yet perfumed and spicy, leaving inner florals and a cranberry crunch. Patience will be required. (Drink between 2025-2034). Eric Guido. |
|
|
2019 |
Etna Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe |
$179.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93+ (6/2022): While incredibly complex, the 2019 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe is also amazingly finessed, pulling me close with minty herbs and rose tones, only to find depths of pomegranate, black cherries and Indian spice. This is seamlessly silky and refined, built on energy, yet with an underlying structural tension that builds over time, as primary fruits and minerals saturate, and grippy tannins slowly take hold. Throughout it all, nervous acidity keeps the mouth watering and refreshed, as the 2019 finishes youthfully tannic yet long and perfumed. Today, the Piano delle Colombe is enjoyable in its potential, as the balance here really tempts the imagination. Eric Guido |
|
| Podere Salicutti |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$492.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Salvioni |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Cerbaiola (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,161.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| San Giusto A Rentennano |
2019 |
La Ricolma (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$700.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Elio Sandri |
2019 |
Barolo Perno (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$616.96 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Perno Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$691.96 |
12 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Ciman (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$726.96 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Luciano Sandrone |
2019 |
Barbera d’Alba (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$285.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (9/2021): The 2019 Barbera d'Alba is pure seduction. Silky and plush, with lovely red berry fruit, spice and floral notes, the Barbera is wonderfully expressive today. Here, too, readers will find a much more restrained style than in the past. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Le Vigne (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$281.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 97+ (8/2023): The 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is a historic blend of fruit from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, Vignane in Barolo and Merli in Novello. This year, a fifth site was added to the final blend. It is the Le Coste MGA in Barolo with south-facing exposures and 45-year-old vines in a two-hectare parcel. The backbone of this wine is Baudana, and Merli adds freshness. The wine needs more time in bottle, but already it proves generous and bold with dark fruit, spice and crushed mineral. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Le Vigne (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$479.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 97+ (8/2023): The 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is a historic blend of fruit from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, Vignane in Barolo and Merli in Novello. This year, a fifth site was added to the final blend. It is the Le Coste MGA in Barolo with south-facing exposures and 45-year-old vines in a two-hectare parcel. The backbone of this wine is Baudana, and Merli adds freshness. The wine needs more time in bottle, but already it proves generous and bold with dark fruit, spice and crushed mineral. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Le Vigne (5.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$840.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 97+ (8/2023): The 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is a historic blend of fruit from Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, Vignane in Barolo and Merli in Novello. This year, a fifth site was added to the final blend. It is the Le Coste MGA in Barolo with south-facing exposures and 45-year-old vines in a two-hectare parcel. The backbone of this wine is Baudana, and Merli adds freshness. The wine needs more time in bottle, but already it proves generous and bold with dark fruit, spice and crushed mineral. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Vite Talin
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$405.99 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 97 (1/2025): The 2019 Barolo Vite Talin is a huge, dense wine. Inky dark fruit, licorice, graphite, mocha and spice stain the palate as this dense, super-concentrated Barolo shows off its notable opulence. Powerful and explosive, with huge tannins and a beautifully sustained finish, the Vite Talin is quite a Barolo. Interestingly, Vite Talin once represented the cutting edge at Sandrone, but now that all the wines have moved toward a style that emphasizes more freshness than in the past, this is starting to feel like an outlier. (Drink between 2025-2039). Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (5/2025): The 2019 Barolo Vite Talin is made from a single clonal selection that Luciano Sandrone identified in the vineyard of Le Coste in 1987, while he was working at Marchesi di Barolo. They have continued to propagate the clone and created this bottling beginning with the 2013 vintage. The wine sees extended aging before release, with three years in various-sized French oak and an additional three years in bottle. In the glass, it’s richly layered and savory, with deep spice, sanguine richness, smoked meat, and black cherries. It’s full-bodied and has a more ferrous nature, a gripping, gravelly texture, and a long finish. It is unlike any of the wines they produce in the range, and it would be fantastic paired with grilled steak. Drink 2026-2046. (Drink between 2026-2046). Audrey Frick.
WA 95 (1/2025): This is a fascinating expression that puts the emphasis on grape instead of terroir. The 2019 Barolo Vite Talin is made with a special clone of Nebbiolo identified by the Sandrone family and farmed for many years on an experimental basis before this wine came into being. Barolo vineyards le Coste, Drucà and Rivassi are featured. The wine ferments in oak and ages in tonneaux for two years, followed by more time in botti and bottle. The 2019 vintage will be remembered for its extra concentration and richness, and you definitely sense that here thanks to the wine's dark, extracted appearance and its intense aromas of dried blackberry, bacon, campfire, barbecue smoke and baked prune. It's less territory-driven for sure, but the wine is especially rich, concentrated and structured. The tannins are tightly coiled and aggressive. I also notice a hint of a leafy vegetable or celery root. This is a 2,500-bottle release. |
|
|
2019 |
Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$134.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (9/2021): The 2019 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is a bright, sculpted wine that is going to need a few years to come into its own. Bright acids and firm tannins are a bit present today, so a few years of cellaring are a must. The Sandrone Valmaggiore has a track record of aging well. I expect that will be the case here as well. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Paolo Scavino |
2019 |
Barolo Bricco Ambrogio (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$506.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Monvigliero (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$663.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Prapo |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (5/2023): Taking on a deeper profile, the 2019 Barolo Prapo exudes notes of kirsch, black licorice, polished leather, and lavender. Full-bodied and approachable, its refined, ripe tannins do well to accept the ripeness of the fruit that remains pure. It has a silkiness in its texture and fruit profile without losing structure and delivers notes of black tea, truffle, and blackberry as well as a long finish. Drink 2025-2045. Audrey Frick.
VM 94+ (1/2024): Dark and mysterious, the 2019 Barolo Prapò captures the essence of this site. Graphite, black fruit, leather, scorched earth, incense and clove infuse the 2019 with tons of complexity. Readers will have to be patient, as the tannins are pretty imposing today. This is a great Serralunga Barolo, albeit very closed. (Drink between 2026-2041). Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (8/2023): With the black label, this wine draws its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, or the village that usually reveals the most structured and muscular expressions of Nebbiolo. Indeed, the Paolo Scavino 2019 Barolo Prapò exhibits a medium dark garnet color. The wine's texture is certainly broader and richer in terms of mouthfeel, and there is some rusty nail or crushed red rock on the close. Tar, cola and licorice emerge with time. |
|
| Sette Ponti |
2019 |
Oreno (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$438 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95+ (6/2022): The Tenuta Sette Ponti 2019 Oreno celebrates the wine's 20th anniversary (1999-2019) with a special label and a heavy glass bottle. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot is beautifully ripe and generous with impeccable fruit throughout. Its primary intensity is delivered with energy and character, showcasing broad brush aromas of black fruit, exotic spice, cured tobacco and new leather. The tannins are quite strong in this edition and do make for a brief moment of astringency on the close. This is a thickly extracted blended Tuscan red, and it makes sense that its fiber and structure is also more compact and concentrated in 2019. |
|
| Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera |
2019 |
Toscana Sangiovese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,518.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Toscana Sangiovese (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,056.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Sottimano |
2019 |
Barbaresco Curra ex-Domaine |
$82.99 |
18 |
|
| |
WA 96 (8/2023): Released one year later than the other Barbarescos in this portfolio, the Sottimano 2019 Barbaresco Currá brings the intensity up a notch and not just in terms of dark fruit and cassis. The wine's mineral profile is more pronounced and, in careful moderation, so is the oak toast and spice delivery. There are more distinct elements here, all played forward with great intensity, that ultimately reach a place of excellent balance and endurance. Sadly, only 2,000 bottles emerged from this 1.6-hectare vineyard site in Neive.
VM 94 (10/2022): The 2019 Barbaresco Currà is another stellar wine in this range from Sottimano. Deep and authoritative, the 2019 possesses tremendous depth and textural intensity. Incisive Currà tannins are present, but they are pretty much buried by the sheer richness of the fruit. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tenuta San Guido |
2019 |
Guidalberto (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$381.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Sassicaia (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,925.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (1/2023): The 2019 Sassicaia is exquisite and refined, with interwoven layers of cassis, leather, Mediterranean herbs, and dark mineral earth. It is medium to full-bodied, with ripe though present tannins and a long and elegant finish that lifts off the palate and has fantastic energy throughout, with notes of black cherry, tobacco, and a stony texture. There is a classic and tension-filled sensibility that will benefit from several years in cellar to achieve its full expression. Drink 2025-2045. Audrey Frick.
WA 98 (1/2022): The latest release from Tenuta San Guido is the 2019 Bolgheri Sassicaia. The bouquet is up front and very expressive from the get-go. It offers a generous display of crunchy, dark cherry that hints at the extra concentration and fruit weight obtained in the 2019 growing season. This vintage will be remembered for the crisp richness of the fruit and its important textural imprint. It also shows fine elegance, bordering on the ethereal, with berry aromas, tarry earth and brushes of balsam herb or grilled rosemary. Sassicaia always shows an almost-glossy finely knit quality to the polished mouthfeel, and I find it again here next to fresh acidity and firm tannins. Mouthfeel in 2019 is the wine's strongest suit. The 2019 is one of the prettiest and most balanced editions of Sassicaia we've seen this past decade, along with the back-to-back duo of 2016 and 2015. The 2019 marries the precision of the 2016 with the rich fruit weight of the 2015.
VM 94+ (7/2022): The 2019 Sassicaia is restrained and also a bit reticent in its first impression. Rose petal, dried herbs, blood orange, mint, sweet pipe tobacco and cinnamon give the 2019 striking aromatic presence. The 2019 is a mid-weight, very classic feeling Sassicaia that is going to need a number of years to open. There's good fruit depth, but the tannins are not as polished as they usually are. That could be a result of lingering stress from frost that year or recent bottling. The 2019 saw 18-20 days on the skins with natural ferments. Malos followed in tank. Aging was 25 months in barrel (1/3rd new), a longer elevage than normal. The 2019 shows beautifully with a few hours of aeration, so I am optimistic for the future. Let's see what happens. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tenuta delle Terre Nere |
2019 |
Etna Rosso Santo Spirito (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$544.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 93 (8/2021): This Etna red has so much going for it, but the amerena-cherry aroma is very ripe and, on the palate, the first impression is of suppleness that we don’t immediately associate with this appellation. Lovely balance right now, thanks to the full body and moderate tannins. Good length, but only moderate tension at the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
|
| Tormaresca |
2019 |
Castel del Monte Bocca di Lupo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$447.99 |
23 |
|
| |
|
| Trediberri |
2019 |
Barolo Berri |
$55 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Berri is tightly wound and austere in the early going. Crushed red berry fruit, iron, dried herbs and white pepper give the Berri a striking aromatic top register. The tannins are a bit nervy, though, so a few years in bottle are warranted. Frost decimated the crop at Torriglione, which is why this wine (typically the Barolo del Comune di La Morra) is Berri in 2019. To be exact, there is 4% Torriglione, as that was the wine used for topping. (Drink between 2025-2037). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Berri (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$368.99 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Berri is tightly wound and austere in the early going. Crushed red berry fruit, iron, dried herbs and white pepper give the Berri a striking aromatic top register. The tannins are a bit nervy, though, so a few years in bottle are warranted. Frost decimated the crop at Torriglione, which is why this wine (typically the Barolo del Comune di La Morra) is Berri in 2019. To be exact, there is 4% Torriglione, as that was the wine used for topping. (Drink between 2025-2037). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$467.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (5/2023): Spicy and elegant, the 2019 Barolo Rocche Dell'Annunziata is laced with notes of incense, fresh earth, and ripe cherry. Linear and driving, it has a gripping structure, with lasting Asian spices, wild berries, and tea leaf. It is an outstanding wine to hold another couple of years and drink 2025-2045. Audrey Frick.
VM 95 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata is the best wine I have tasted yet from Nicola and Stefania Oberto. The biggest change here in recent years is the elimination of small oak in favor of casks, a move that really allows the full character of Rocche dell'Annunziata to come through. Dark cherry, kirsch, hard candy, rose petal and mint are all amplified in this gorgeous, translucent Barolo. A range of perfumed, floral accents lifts the intensely aromatic finish. (Drink between 2027-2044). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tenuta di Trinoro |
2019 |
Trinoro IGT (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,505.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2021): This is a stunning wine and one of the best in this report covering the icons of Tuscany. The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from the very best parcels, and the blending formula changes according to vintage and the style desired by vintner Andrea Franchetti. These vineyard parcels vary in altitude, ranging from 400 to 600 meters above sea level, and the soils are quite varied with pockets of clay, sand and rock. The Trinoro is profoundly deep and pure with a solid core of black fruit that is framed by an elegant contour of spice, tobacco, smoke and crushed stone. To the palate, the wine is long and the finish can be counted in minutes, but the entire experience is beautifully streamlined and velvety. This vintage saw an important freeze event on the 7th of May, and 9,000 fire candles were lit in the lower vineyard blocks to fight off frost damage.
VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a surprisingly reticent wine. That's not a descriptor I find myself reaching for often here, but it seems appropriate. Medium in body and quite nervy, the 2019 is going to need time to come together. The tannins are a bit severe at this stage. And yet there is plenty of Trinoro intensity waiting to emerge. Time brings out hints of dark-fleshed fruit, spice, mocha, licorice and incense. There's plenty to look forward to. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2019 |
Trinoro IGT (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,500.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2021): This is a stunning wine and one of the best in this report covering the icons of Tuscany. The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from the very best parcels, and the blending formula changes according to vintage and the style desired by vintner Andrea Franchetti. These vineyard parcels vary in altitude, ranging from 400 to 600 meters above sea level, and the soils are quite varied with pockets of clay, sand and rock. The Trinoro is profoundly deep and pure with a solid core of black fruit that is framed by an elegant contour of spice, tobacco, smoke and crushed stone. To the palate, the wine is long and the finish can be counted in minutes, but the entire experience is beautifully streamlined and velvety. This vintage saw an important freeze event on the 7th of May, and 9,000 fire candles were lit in the lower vineyard blocks to fight off frost damage.
VM 97+ (7/2022): The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a surprisingly reticent wine. That's not a descriptor I find myself reaching for often here, but it seems appropriate. Medium in body and quite nervy, the 2019 is going to need time to come together. The tannins are a bit severe at this stage. And yet there is plenty of Trinoro intensity waiting to emerge. Time brings out hints of dark-fleshed fruit, spice, mocha, licorice and incense. There's plenty to look forward to. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Tua Rita |
2019 |
Giusto di Notri Rosso Toscana (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$518.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (10/2021): In a sense, this wine is like the Bosco dei Sugheri but with the addition of one more grape variety in the blend. The Tua Rita 2019 Giusto di Notri is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. I tasted the wine shortly after it had been bottled. With 40,000 bottles made, it should start hitting the market now. The Giusto di Notri offers lots of dark primary fruit with important structure and texture in this classic vintage. Blackberry and black plum cede to spice, tar and campfire ash. There's nothing not to like in this vintage that far exceeded initial expectations. I look forward to tasting more Tuscan reds from the excellent 2019 growing season.
JS 97 (8/2021): Sweet berries and spice with dried-chili and walnut undertones. Currants, too. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and savory. Very sophisticated and structured. Savory. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Give this time to soften. A beauty this vintage. Try after 2024. |
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|
2019 |
Redigaffi (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$525.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (8/2021): Aromas of violets, blackberries and black truffles follow through to a full body with firm, silky tannins with lots of texture that’s caressing and enticing. Such polish and beauty. Very long and powerful. So much structure this year. 100% merlot. Best after 2024.
WA 97 (10/2021): I am a big fan of the 2019 vintage and, in most cases, prefer it to the 2018 vintage that is often harder to read (with alternating spells of cool and heat). But in the case of this wine, I like both vintages about the same for different reasons. The 2019 Redigaffi feels elegant and less hearty compared to its previous edition. This important Merlot-based wine delivers an immediate quality of fruit, with pretty freshness that renders a very lively and vivid mouthfeel. This is a sharp and well-defined interpretation of the grape with black cherry, granite and cooling menthol-like endnotes. |
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|
2019 |
Syrah (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$389.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
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2019 |
Syrah (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$531.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Uccelliera |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,186.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$609.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ultima Pietra |
2019 |
Toscana Rosso |
$80 |
24 |
|
| |
|
| G.D. Vajra |
2019 |
Barolo Bricco dell Viole (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$654.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 97+ (8/2023): The last wine poured at my tasting at the winery is the G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Bricco delle Viole. With its high vantage point in the hills west of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is a world apart in terms of soils (with Sant'Agata marl and fossils) and even harvest times. Slow and careful ripening like the kind that characterizes fruit in 2019 renders a very delicate and ethereal expression with floral tones, wild mint and licorice. This organic wine is solid in build and structure. Indeed, Isidoro Vaira remarks that Nebbiolo tannins have changed since the 1970s and 1980s. Because of climate change and stylistic preference, they are more polished and accessible today. |
|
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2019 |
Barolo Coste di Rose (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$554.96 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Ravera (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$530.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Valdicava |
2019 |
Brunello di Montalcino (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$755.99 |
9 |
|
| |
|
| Eduardo Valentini |
2019 |
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,463.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Antonio Vallana & Figlio |
2019 |
Spanna (1.5 L) |
$39.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (2/2024): The 2019 Colline Novaresi Spanna offers up scents of sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco, dried herbs and crushed rose petal. Deceptive in its light-bodied structure, this ethereal red has plenty of depth. The savory, mineral side of Nebbiolo is very much on show. (Drink between 2024-2029). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Vietti |
2019 |
Barbaresco Masseria (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$334.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Masseria (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$916.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbaresco Rabaja (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$565.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barbera d’Alba Tre Vigne (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$226.99 |
5 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (9/2021): The 2019 Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne is soft, fruity and very easy to like. Crushed raspberry fruit, sweet spice, mint and licorice are all kicked up in this tasty, mid-weight Barbera. The 2019 is a real charmer. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Brunate (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$530.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Brunate (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$678.99 |
3 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Castiglione (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$348.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 94 (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Castiglione is elegant, translucent and classy. Crushed red berry fruit, orange peel, mint and cinnamon all grace this elegant, wonderfully nuanced Barolo from Vietti. I especially admire the energy here. In many vintages, the Castiglione is easygoing and quite accessible, but I see the 2019 needing a few more years to come into its own. I especially admire its focus and cut. Antonio Galloni.
JD 93 (5/2023): Moving into more classically styled Barolo, the 2019 Barolo Castiglione has benchmark pure aromas and character of blood orange, raspberry licorice, fresh herbs, and fresh red flowers. It is taut with good intensity and is gripping with ripe tannins, driving but not harsh acidity, and a rocky mineral texture. Pure and clean, with red berries, turned earth, and bergamot, this is another outstanding entry to the range of Barolo from Vietti that will be deserving of time in cellar and drink well 2025-2040. Audrey Frick. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Cerequio (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$428.99 |
3 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Cerequio (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$692.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo Monvigliero
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$256.99 |
1 |
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| |
VM 97+ (1/2023): The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is stunning. What a wine. Rich, heady and explosive, the 2019 is a gorgeous, spherical Barolo that dazzles right out of the gate. Aromatically broad and expansive, the 2019 fleshes out beautifully in the glass. Bright red-toned fruit, orange zest, mint, spice and bright saline notes saturate the palate on the back end. The 2019 is a total stunner, even in this stage of youthful austerity. It comes across as a bit rustic compared to the 2018, but the final verdict on that won't be evident for at least a number of years. This is the first vintage that includes a second parcel in Monvigliero. In the cellar, one lot saw submerged cap maceration, the other did not. (Drink between 2029-2049). Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (8/2023): This is the wine Luca Currado and Elena Penna are most excited to present. And because this charming couple would leave the helm of the winery shortly after my visit with them, I like to consider the 2019 Barolo Monvigliero a symbolic send-off. Making Nebbiolo from Monvigliero is often a question of technique more than anything else, they tell me, and the learning curve is arduous. This wine sees 60% whole cluster fermentation in a single vat. Having some destemmed grapes makes fermentation easier to control. Family friend Fabio Alessandria of Comm. G.B. Burlotto offered tips on how to avoid volatile acidity or other problems with long maceration times. In fact, Vietti was able to acquire directly from Fabio Alessandria their 8,000-square-meter parcel in Monvigliero located at 300 meters in elevation on a high plain. "He passed the ball to us," says Luca Currado.
JD 94 (5/2023): There is a light rustic tone in this elegant, medium-framed wine from the north in Verduno. Notes of fresh leather, pomegranate, and sweet herbs are followed by a medium-bodied wine with fine and approachable tannins. It is an elegant, more gentle expression but offers a lot of pleasure. Drink 2023-2040. Audrey Fick. |
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|
2019 |
Barolo Rocche di Castiglione (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$707.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2019 |
Barolo Villero Riserva (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,636.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Roberto Voerzio |
2019 |
Barolo Brunate (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,797.99 |
5 |
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| |
|
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2019 |
Barolo Brunate (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$910.97 |
1 |
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| |
|
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2019 |
Barolo Cerequio (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$851.97 |
1 |
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| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo La Serra (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,737.99 |
1 |
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| |
|
|
2019 |
Barolo La Serra (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$879.99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Zenato |
2019 |
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$434.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
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2019 |
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sergio Zenato Riserva (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$654.99 |
3 |
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|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Ausone |
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!
JA 95 (4/2022): Violet edging, jewel red depths. There is austerity on the tannins here, but also great depths through the palate, with controlled but juicy loganberry and raspberry fruits, and waves of saffron, creamy red-fruit puree, crushed rock, cold ash and salt-cracker salinity. Subdued, with hidden power and complexity. A tough year for this stable of wines - or rather proof of their exceptionally high standards, making a half production of Simard, no Haut Simard, tiny amounts of Fonbel and almost certainly no Moulin St Georges. The last year that Ausone will be recorded as a Premier Grand Cru Classé A, before publication of the new ranking in September 2022. Harvest September 30 to October 6, 100% new oak. In conversion to organic farming since 2020, Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. Average vine age 55 years.
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. Cheval-Blanc |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6X750ML) 6-Bottle OWC |
$3,500 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised, as always, in 100% new French oak. As usual with Cheval Blanc, it's primarily about finesse and elegance, as well as complexity, and exhibits a deep purple hue as well as a kaleidoscopic bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy incense, loamy earth, and smoke tobacco. Absolutely flawless on the palate, it's full-bodied, has perfectly integrated oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a gorgeous finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This powerful, concentrated Cheval Blanc offers pleasure even today but warrants 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 40th birthday in fine form.
VM 99 (2/2023): The 2020 Cheval Blanc is eternal, seamless and exceptionally beautiful. All the elements are so well put together. Rose petal, blood orange, raspberry jam and cinnamon all take shape in the glass. Above all else, the 2020 Cheval Blanc is a wine of mind-blowing balance. Hints of mocha, raspberry jam, pomegranate and spice emerge with time in the glass. Cheval is quite simply one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Antonio Galloni.
JA 99 (5/2021): Spice, anis, rosemary, blackcurrant leaf, redcurrants, mint and peonies - the full array of aromatics are on display here, and there is an enveloping aspect to the fruit once you get to the body of the wine. The tannins are compact and powerful but they are wrapped in plump raspberry and blackberry brambled fruits. The wine feels full of life, with acidity that pulls the palate forward from the first moment, before austerity kicks in on the finish and closes things in, suggesting an extremely long life ahead. Hard to argue with this. 71% of overall production. The driest year at Cheval Blanc for 50 years (since 1959). Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points.
WA 96 (4/2023): The 2020 Cheval Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, plums and cherries mingled with hints of rose petals, licorice, sweet spices and lilac. Full-bodied, broad and voluptuous, it's layered and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. While purists will gravitate toward the purer and more precise and perfumed 2019, the 2020 will appeal to readers who love the richest, most powerful expressions of Cheval Blanc. |
|
| Ch. Clinet |
1989 |
Pomerol |
$694 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2002): One of the great modern-day Bordeaux, the 1989 Clinet still has a saturated purple color and a sweet nose of creme de cassis intermixed with incense, licorice, smoke, and mineral. As the wine sits in the glass, more blueberry and blackberry notes emerge, intermixed with some toasty oak, earth, and spice. This spectacularly concentrated, full-bodied, multi-dimensional wine is the stuff of dreams. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.
MB [*[**]] (9/1998): Three notes. First a double magnum in 1995, very tannic, very oaky but with good nose. Next in 1997 over-extracted and too tannic. Not my favourite syle of wine. More recently, deep, medium intensity, a bit smelly (tannins?0: unusual distinctive flavour, hefty, rich, raw. Its raw tannic finish tamed by spicy beef. |
|
| Ch. Conseillante |
2018 |
Pomerol |
$212.50 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (4/2019): The 2018 La Conseillante is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with a 3.65 pH and 14% alcohol. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare; Merlot was harvested September 19 to October 1, and Cabernet Franc was harvested on October 4. Very deep purple-black colored, it comes charging out of the gate with energetic notes of wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and warm black plums plus hints of lilacs, damp soil, cardamom and cloves with gentle wafts of cast iron pan and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with elegant black fruit and earthy layers, framed by soft, velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
VM 95-98 (5/2019): The 2018 La Conseillante is magnificent. A wine of real vertical lift and explosiveness, the 2018 is distinguished by its spine of energy, freshness and purity of fruit. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, mocha, lavender spice and mint develop in the glass, but it is the wine's overall sense of harmony that truly stands out. The 2018 showed tremendous vibrancy and vitality, with superb mid-palate richness and phenomenal balance all three times I tasted it. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc. This is the first vintage that includes a touch of wine aged in amphora, just 3%. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-100 (5/2019): The 2018 Château La Conseillante checks in as a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, with a small amount in amphora. Yields here were a light 32 hectoliters per hectare, and the 2018 is a respectable 13.5% natural alcohol. Winemaker Marielle Cazaux commented that the secret to the vintage was to be a lazy winemaker (i.e. hands off). Her 2018 boasts a saturated purple color as well as incredible purity in its blue and black fruits, spice, liquid flower, and violet-like characteristics. Full-bodied, pure and seamless on the palate as well, it’s flawlessly balanced, with building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It's going to flirt with perfection. Hats off to Marielle for another magical wine from this estate, which has quickly risen into the top echelon of estates in Bordeaux.
JS 97-98 (4/2019): This is a forceful red, showing blueberry and blackberry character with violets and light wet earth. Clarity and beauty with so much transparency and focus. Full-bodied, firm and silky with lots of white-pepper and salt undertones. |
|
| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2009 |
St. Julien ex-Chateau 2026 |
$395 |
26 |
|
| |
JD 100 (10/2023): Starting a duo of magical vintages, the 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of those wines that always seems to deliver the goods. A normal blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that hit 13.5% natural alcohol, it has a soaring bouquet of sweet blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, minty herbs, graphite, and assorted spicy nuances. It's full-bodied, broad, expansive, and flawlessly balanced, and has still present yet sweet, fine-grained tannins. It's in a much sexier, more showy style compared to the 2010, but I suspect it will nevertheless be just about as long-lived. This is pure perfection in wine. (Drink between 2023-2098).
WA 98 (8/2020): Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with bombastic crème de cassis, black cherry compote and preserved plums notes followed by hints of menthol, hoisin, dusty soil and incense plus fragrant wafts of candied violets and baker’s chocolate. Full bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, the palate offers a beautifully plush texture and bags of freshness, finishing long and layered. An absolute powerhouse!
VM 97 (7/2022): The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a fantastic wine. Here it bursts from the glass, perhaps less Pauillac-like than previous bottles, beautifully defined with a smorgasbord of red and black fruit laced with cedar and tobacco. There is no hedonism here, just wonderful intensity and focus. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity, very poise yet powerful with a multi-layered finish that just lacquers the mouth. It probably needs another 5-6 years in bottle, but what a wine. Stunning. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. (Drink between 2025-2065). Neal Martin.
JS 96 (2/2012): The purity of fruit is wonderful in this, with plums, currants and hints of fresh mushrooms. Hints of cloves too. Full-bodied, with chewy, creamy tannins and a bright fresh finish. Super energy and intensity. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Better in 2018. |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2022 |
Pomerol 2023 en Primeur Release |
$349.95 |
5 |
|
| |
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.
JA 98 (5/2023): Turns the intensity and exoticism of the vintage on its head, unpacking it carefully, and layering up depth and character. Grilled cedar, fleshy damson and casis fruits, this is all about carefully-considered and delivered juice and flavour. Intense, with balance and carefully-extracted juice, and the precision that you want at L'Eglise Clinet, even in such an ovewheming vintage. 85% new oak, harvest September 3 to 9. Noemie Durantou and Olivier Gautrat. |
|
| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2015 |
Pessac Leognan |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2018): Rose petals, sandalwood and currants with some plums and fruit tea. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Incredibly straight and minerally. Toned muscles here. Tannic. Traditional and unwavering. Try in 2024.
WA 98 (2/2018): The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Youthfully mute with bright, youthful red currants, black raspberries, cassis and freshly crushed blackberries notions, it slowly unfurls to reveal an earthy/minerally undercurrent of damp soil, charcoal, iron ore and truffles plus a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, decadently fruited and yet wonderfully elegant with very ripe, very silky tannins, freshness that sits well in the background and an almost electric intensity of vibrant red and black fruit flavors, it finishes long and minerally. Just. Beautiful. Consider giving it 6-7 years in bottle before broaching and drink it over the next 30+.
JD 98 (11/2017): More opulent, sexy and concentrated, the 2015 La Mission Haut Brion is a tour de force that has everything you could want from Bordeaux. A huge nose of smoke tobacco, gravelly earth, graphite, cassis, and blackcurrants gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, perfectly balanced beauty that has incredible depth of flavor and intensity, yet with no weight. While the overall impression is upfront and in your face, it has incredible elegance and length on the finish (as well as ripe tannin), and will keep for three decades.
VM 98 (7/2019): The 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is blessed with an outstanding bouquet of brilliantly focused and delineated black fruit laced with graphite and cedar - pure class. The medium-bodied, harmonious palate delivers fine-grained tannin and impressive depth. There is a slight savory element (just like the Haut-Brion) that infuses the middle, and brown spices and sage linger on the finish. This is a profound La Mission Haut-Brion that dares surpass Haut-Brion on this showing. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
2022 |
St. Julien (3X750ML) 3-bottle OWC |
$900 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (5/2023): Looking at the Grand Vin 2022 Château Léoville Las Cases, it has an almost Pauillac-like style in its ripe, powerful aromatics of graphite, lead pencil shavings, cassis, and liquid rock-like minerality. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, and powerful on the palate, it nevertheless stays flawlessly balanced, has just about off-the-charts purity, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. This will clearly rank with the truly greats from this address and reminds me slightly of a mix of the 2016 and 2018. It is not, however, going to be for those looking for instant gratification.
VM 98-100 (5/2023): The 2022 Léoville Las Cases is stunning. Fine-grained and nuanced, the 2022 Las Cases is breathtaking. Red/purplish fruit, rose petals, lavender, spice and mocha open gradually but what impresses most about the 2022 is its sublime finesse. Silky, plush and exceptionally beautiful, the 2022 Las Cases is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98-100 (5/2023): One of the wines of the vintage this year is the 2022 Léoville Las Cases, a monument in the making that combines unerring classicism with unusual sensuality and charm by the standards of this estate's sometimes youthfully forbidding wines. Exhibiting deep aromas of dark berries, violets, pencil lead, rose petals and tobacco leaf, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, abundant but refined tannins and a long, vibrant finish. On the several occasions that I tasted it, the 2022 was surprisingly open for a young Las Cases, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were to shut down after a few years in bottle. It's a blend of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot.
JA 97 (5/2023): Heading to Léoville Las Cases in a super ripe year is always a good idea, as the musuclar tannins are balanced by a riper mouthfeel. As quietly confident as you would expect, this is packed with depth and intensity, taking the 2022 vintage and reshaping it in the character of this St Julien powerhouse. Graphite, crushed rocks, liquorice root, cassis, bluberry, slate, saffran, smoked earth, all held in by tannins with grip and length. 3.8ph, and high alcohols for this estate, giving a seductive mouthfeel that is unusual in young Las Cases. 84% new oak, 37hl/h yield. Harvest September 8 to 30. |
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| Ch. Leoville Poyferre |
2009 |
St. Julien |
$229 |
1 |
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JD 100 (2/2018): The greatest wine I’ve ever tasted from this address is the 2009 Leoville Poyferre, which is a step up over both the 2000 and the 2010. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and the balance Cabernet Franc that hit 13.9% alcohol, it offers everything you could ask of a wine and reveals a saturated purple color as well as incredible notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, lead pencil, exotic Spices, and dried flowers. Incredibly full-bodied, super concentrated, deep, and opulent, yet still pure, fresh, and lively, it has sweet tannin and a hedonistic vibe that hides its underlying structure. Drink it anytime over the coming three decades.
WA 100 (2/2012): One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.
VM 96 (3/2019): The 2009 Leoville Poyferre has an outstanding bouquet with blackberry, mint and cedar aromas, almost Pauillac in style, very dense and with plenty of horsepower. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins that frame layers of blackberry infused with graphite and white pepper. I love the symmetry and control of this Poyferre, in particular its persistent finish. This is a magnificent wine from Didier Cuvelier. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting. Neal Martin.
JS 95 (2/2019): Ripe and creamy but also refined and lively, this is a beautiful 2009 Medoc, the fine tannins adding a lot to the long and silky finish. The obvious bitter chocolate note will either delight you or be a touch too much. Drink or hold. |
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2018 |
St. Julien |
$113 |
17 |
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JD 100 (3/2021): Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it's extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won't quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine! (Drink between 2028-2078).
WA 97 (3/2021): A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.
VM 95 (9/2022): The 2018 Léoville-Poyferré performs similarly to the bottle tasted a few weeks earlier in the UK for my in-bottle round-up, although here I sense more opulence on the nose, perhaps more florality. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, broad and sensual, plummy with that beguiling symmetry on the finish. It needs several years in bottle but it will be well worth the wait. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. (Drink between 2027-2055). Neal Martin. |
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2018 |
St. Julien (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$678 |
1 |
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| |
JD 100 (3/2021): Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it's extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won't quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine! (Drink between 2028-2078).
WA 97 (3/2021): A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.
VM 95 (9/2022): The 2018 Léoville-Poyferré performs similarly to the bottle tasted a few weeks earlier in the UK for my in-bottle round-up, although here I sense more opulence on the nose, perhaps more florality. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, broad and sensual, plummy with that beguiling symmetry on the finish. It needs several years in bottle but it will be well worth the wait. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. (Drink between 2027-2055). Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2018 |
Pessac Leognan (3X1.5L) 3-magnum OWC |
$895 |
1 |
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JD 100 (3/2021): The 2018 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a rock star of a wine and is based on a unique blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 29% Merlot that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Offering a deep ruby/purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, violets, damp earth, and truffle, it hits the palate with a full-bodied yet almost understated, building style that carries ripe, supple tannins, gorgeous amounts of smoky black fruits, and an endearing, layered, multi-dimensional texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. A dead ringer for a great vintage of Haut-Brion, it is far from unapproachable today yet needs 7-8 years of bottle age for the fireworks to develop and will have 50-years or more of longevity! Hats off to Guillaume Pouthier for a magical, seamless, singular beauty! (Drink between 2028-2078)
JA 98 (2/2021): A beautiful nuance of salty caramel is clear even on the nose. On the palate, the concentration and focus is immediately clear, uplifted by touches of gentle salinity. There is really a sense of place and of being itself which I always love about this wine. It's closed of course, but with an unrolling of sappy black fruits, and a freshness that gives you confidence in its future. So much pleasure to be had here, with notes of chocolate, peony and liquorice. Extremely successful, as it was en primeur. 3.62pH. 53% whole-bunch fermentation. IPT95. Harvested 13-28 September. Ageing is mostly in large oak casks, 76% new, plus 9% aged in amphorae. (Drink between 2026-2044)
VM 97 (3/2021): The 2018 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a total knock-out, just as it was from barrel. Soaring in its aromatic intensity, Les Carmes dazzles from the very first taste. Inky red fruits, mocha, new leather, licorice, dried flowers, sage and mint envelop all the senses. Today, the 2018 appears to be slightly closed, but time brings out tons of aromatic energy and nuance. Cabernet Franc plays the leading role, unusual for this part of the region. Franc aromatics and a fair amount of whole cluster savoriness lend energy but also a feeling of richness without weight that is especially appealing. This is a masterpiece from Les Carmes Haut-Brion and Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. (Drink between 2026-2048). Antonio Galloni.
WA 96+ (3/2021): The 2018 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is composed of 37% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot. It was made using 52% whole cluster and has 13.75% alcohol. It was aged in 75% new oak barriques, 16% foudres and 9% amphorae. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little coaxing before bursting from the glass with vibrant scents blackberry preserves, redcurrant jelly, mulberries and Black Forest cake, leading to an undercurrent of pencil lead, black truffles, cast-iron pan and charcoal with an emerging waft of violets. The elegantly crafted, medium-bodied palate dances with red and black fruits before bursting into earth and mineral sparks. It has a sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and savory. The stem tannins lend this wine a firmness and textural interest, which should integrate further with another 5-6 years in barrel, allowing the nuances to shine through even more, then you can continue to enjoy its slow evolution for a further 30+ years. |
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| Ch. Montrose |
2018 |
St. Estephe |
$189 |
6 |
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JD 100 (3/2021): A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it's deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there's more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir. (Drink between 2027-2077)
VM 97 (3/2021): The 2018 Montrose is dazzling. Whereas so many 2018s are opulent and broad, Montrose is a wine of vertical explosive power. Ripe Cabernet aromatics soar out of the glass, making a strong first impression. Black cherry, leather, licorice, graphite and menthol develop later as the 2018 starts to open in the glass. The energy, vibrancy and drive here are palpable right out of the gate. Montrose is one of real stars of 2018. Don't miss it! (Drink between 2028-2058). Antonio Galloni.
JA 96 (6/2021): Silky, young, clear spice notes, more so than in any other vintage in the lineup except for the 2003. Plenty of stuffing through the palate, with blueberry, cassis, hawthorn, tumeric, saffron but also caramel and black chocolate flavours. It's beautiful, well balanced, with intent and poise, and very clearly a wine that will go the distance. Having said that, it's the only wine in the lineup when I even think about the alcohol, suggesting there is a trace of heat, and certainly you feel the sunshine of the year in a way that you rarely do in Montrose - this takes it down for me from my initial En Primeur score. Harvest September 17 to October 5.
WA 95+ (12/2023): A hulking monster of power and extraction, the 2018 Montrose offers up rich aromas of mulberries, cherries, dark chocolate and violets. Full-bodied, broad and ample, with a textural attack that segues into a sweet core of fruit framed by ripe but chewy tannins, it's a muscular, dense Montrose with structure to burn, concluding with a lingering, floral finish. While its over 14.5% alcohol is impressively well integrated, Médoc purists will want to gravitate toward the 2016 rather than the 2018. |
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2018 |
St. Estephe (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$1,134 |
1 |
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JD 100 (3/2021): A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it's deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there's more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir. (Drink between 2027-2077)
VM 97 (3/2021): The 2018 Montrose is dazzling. Whereas so many 2018s are opulent and broad, Montrose is a wine of vertical explosive power. Ripe Cabernet aromatics soar out of the glass, making a strong first impression. Black cherry, leather, licorice, graphite and menthol develop later as the 2018 starts to open in the glass. The energy, vibrancy and drive here are palpable right out of the gate. Montrose is one of real stars of 2018. Don't miss it! (Drink between 2028-2058). Antonio Galloni.
JA 96 (6/2021): Silky, young, clear spice notes, more so than in any other vintage in the lineup except for the 2003. Plenty of stuffing through the palate, with blueberry, cassis, hawthorn, tumeric, saffron but also caramel and black chocolate flavours. It's beautiful, well balanced, with intent and poise, and very clearly a wine that will go the distance. Having said that, it's the only wine in the lineup when I even think about the alcohol, suggesting there is a trace of heat, and certainly you feel the sunshine of the year in a way that you rarely do in Montrose - this takes it down for me from my initial En Primeur score. Harvest September 17 to October 5.
WA 95+ (12/2023): A hulking monster of power and extraction, the 2018 Montrose offers up rich aromas of mulberries, cherries, dark chocolate and violets. Full-bodied, broad and ample, with a textural attack that segues into a sweet core of fruit framed by ripe but chewy tannins, it's a muscular, dense Montrose with structure to burn, concluding with a lingering, floral finish. While its over 14.5% alcohol is impressively well integrated, Médoc purists will want to gravitate toward the 2016 rather than the 2018. |
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2020 |
St. Estephe |
$205 |
10 |
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WA 100 (12/2023): Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009.
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Montrose is brilliant and unquestionably in the lineup of the truly greats from this château, including the 1989, 1990, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, and 2019. With an IPT of 80 and a natural alcohol of 13.4%, its deep, saturated purple hue is followed by quintessential Saint-Estèphe notes of pure cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, acacia flowers, and loamy earth. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless stays incredibly pure, elegant, and seamless, with perfectly ripe tannins. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, is shines even today for its purity and balance, and it should be in the early stages of its prime drink window within a decade. (Drink between 2031-2081).
VM 97 (11/2024): The 2020 Montrose has a gorgeous bouquet with black cherries, raspberry coulis, crushed stone and floral scents. It's quite decadent yet nicely controlled. The palate is very structured with layers of blackberry and bilberry fruit and a touch of white pepper, building toward a spicy and very persistent, almost burly finish. This will need serious cellaring. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2032-2065). Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2022 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) 2023 en Primeur Release |
$1,425 |
1 |
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JD 100 (2/2025): Bottled in June of 2024, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild checks in as classic blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that was raised all in new barrels. Incredibly concentrated yet light on its feet and graceful, this inky-hued beauty has sensational notes of cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and chocolate that are to die for. It shows the ripe, opulent style of the vintage yet brings sensational purity, loads of tannins, and a gorgeous finish. For the tech geeks out there, this hit 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.86, and an IPT (tannins) of 76. It has the depth of fruit and texture to offer incredible pleasure even today, yet it deserves a decade of bottle age and will evolve for 50-60 years. It reminds me of a mix of the 2009 and 2010. (Drink between 2035-2095).
JA 99 (2/2024): Inky colour, cassis, cocoa bean, cocoa dusting, crushed rose petals, juice, pep, focus and crystalline character, a serious wine that will power for decades, intense and concentrated but with an oyster shell minerality, delicious quality. A great example of how brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon can be in this part of the world, and why it sets the benchmark globally. This is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy director. 49% of production in the Grand Vin, 27% Petit Mouton. 100% new barrels for ageing, harvest September 1 to 26.
Decanter 99 (1/2025): Spicy liquorice, bitter chocolate, tobacco, cigar, and aniseed on the nose. Round and bright, with juicy, delicate fruit and velvety tannins. Super concentrated yet graceful, layering ripeness, freshness, and stoniness. Controlled power - soft in texture but packed with Cabernet structure. Starts juicy and creamy, then surges with depth and length. Sweet black fruit meets cool, steely minerality, giving complexity and definition. Black liquorice on a sticky finish. Bold for Mouton but outstanding, this is going to deliver for decades. 3.68pH. Ageing 100% new oak. (Drink between 2031-2050).
VM 98 (3/2026): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild has a very expressive, floral bouquet that suggests Margaux, with fabulous delineation and focus. It just seems to billow from the glass. The palate is velvety smooth, with fine acidity and a touch of graphite infusing the black fruit. Restrained and, paradoxically, intense on the finish, this lingers wonderfully in the glass. Deeply impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London. (Drink between 2030-2070). Neal Martin.
WA 97 (3/2025): The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is one of the most muscular, almost brutally powerful wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums and sweet crème de cassis mingled with notions of espresso roast, pencil lead and petroleum jelly, it's full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with huge reserves of tannin and fruit. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that represents 49% of the estate's production, this is a prodigious Mouton that's built for the cellar. |
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| Ch. Tertre Roteboeuf |
2016 |
St. Emilion |
$225 |
13 |
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VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is flat-out stunning and also one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses remarkable depth and intensity from the very first taste. The 2016 is exotic, full-throttle and unapologetically hedonistic. At times, Tertre-Rôteboeuf can be a bit rough around the edges, but the 2016 is totally sublime. In a world in which so many wines are copycats, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is an original. And the 2016 is a great, emotionally moving Tertre-Rôteboeuf. This is a magnificent effort from François and Nina Mitjavile. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98 (4/2017): The 2016 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare between 14-18 October. This year I was hosted by François' daughter Nina Mitjavile, who has been working alongside her father for several years. It has a wonderful bouquet, very pure and fresh. I anticipated that François Mitjavile might have been tempted to pick a little later like others, but it was an assiduous decision to have the fruit in the vat by the 18 October and lock in that freshness. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, extremely well judged acidity, the new oak present at the moment but in proportion with the fruit. This is a stylish Le Tertre-Rôteboeuf, very sensual and luxuriant with layers of crushed strawberry, blood oranges and raspberry fruit. In a word...irresistible. |
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2016 |
St. Emilion (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$1,350 |
1 |
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| |
VM 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is flat-out stunning and also one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses remarkable depth and intensity from the very first taste. The 2016 is exotic, full-throttle and unapologetically hedonistic. At times, Tertre-Rôteboeuf can be a bit rough around the edges, but the 2016 is totally sublime. In a world in which so many wines are copycats, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is an original. And the 2016 is a great, emotionally moving Tertre-Rôteboeuf. This is a magnificent effort from François and Nina Mitjavile. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98 (4/2017): The 2016 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare between 14-18 October. This year I was hosted by François' daughter Nina Mitjavile, who has been working alongside her father for several years. It has a wonderful bouquet, very pure and fresh. I anticipated that François Mitjavile might have been tempted to pick a little later like others, but it was an assiduous decision to have the fruit in the vat by the 18 October and lock in that freshness. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, extremely well judged acidity, the new oak present at the moment but in proportion with the fruit. This is a stylish Le Tertre-Rôteboeuf, very sensual and luxuriant with layers of crushed strawberry, blood oranges and raspberry fruit. In a word...irresistible. |
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| Domaine de Chevalier |
2018 |
Pessac Leognan (3X1.5L) 3-Magnum OWC |
$555 |
1 |
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WA 94-96+ (4/2019): This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot to be aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 35% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier starts a little closed before bounding out of the glass with bold expressions of fresh blackcurrants, kirsch, black raspberries and fragrant earth plus nuances of lilacs, Sichuan pepper and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate maintains elegance and sophistication, with a lovely ripe, finely grained frame and plenty of freshness to back up the floral and black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is magnificent. Bright, lifted and wonderfully nuanced, the 2018 has so much to offer. Olivier Bernard turned out a dazzling Domaine de Chevalier in 2018 that speaks to precision and nuance above all else. Rose petal, mint, savory herbs and crushed rocks add striking aromatic top notes to this stunning, breathtakingly beautiful wine. The tannins need time to soften, but I doubt readers will be in a rush. The 2018 is simply majestic - that's all there is to it. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96-98 (5/2019): Possibly one of the finest wines ever to come from the Bernard family’s flagship estate near Leognan, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that hit 13.5% alcohol and will spend 18 months in just 35% new French oak. Its saturated purple/plum color is followed by a mammoth bouquet of cassis, black currants, gravelly earth, smoked herbs, and tobacco. Full-bodied, deep, brilliantly balanced, and seriously concentrated, it has polished tannins, no hard edges, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s a heavenly Graves that will keep for 30+ years.
JS 99-100 (4/2019): Wow. I can’t get over the pureness of fruit in this wine with so much currant, tar and wet-earth character. Flowers, too. So aromatic. Full body, yet pureness and brightness of fruit. Layered. Incredible depth and beauty. 65 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 30 per cent merlot and 5 per cent petit verdot. Greatest ever? |
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| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2018 |
Pomerol (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$1,650 |
1 |
|
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JD 99 (3/2021): The flagship 2018 Vieux Château Certan is based on 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc and was brought up in (I suspect) roughly 50% new French oak. It tips the scale at 14.5% natural alcohol, which is the same as the 2010 (slightly higher than the 2009) and has a pH of 3.78, which is also very close to the 2010. This rock star of a Pomerol offers a kaleidoscopic array of red, black, and blue fruits, white truffle, spring flowers, tobacco, and crushed rock-like minerality on the nose. It has perfectly integrated oak, gorgeous concentration, building yet ultra-fine tannins, and not a hard edge to be found. I was able to follow this bottle for multiple days, and the large Cabernet Franc component became more and dominant, yet it never truly shut down and was always a joy to drink. Nevertheless, a good 7-8 years of bottle age are warranted, and it should evolve for 30-40 years in cold cellars. Again, the Thienpont family produces a heavenly wine that wine lovers should all have in their cellar. Along with Petrus, Conseillante, Lafleur, and a handful of others, it's one of the appellation's most singular wines.
WA 97-100 (4/2019): The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Yields were 40 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has a pH of 3.78, 14.4% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Medium to deep garnet-purple—it has a very vibrant color—it drifts effortlessly out of the glass with wonderfully intense, beautifully delineated scents of red roses, black raspberries, kirsch and Darjeeling tea before the powerful, profound black fruits kick in: baked plums, wild blueberries, molten licorice and mulberries with touches of cigar box, cinnamon stick, tapenade and truffles. Full-bodied, rich, densely packed and revealing layer upon layer of red and black fruits with an incredible array of floral and spicy sparks, it has a high level of super ripe, incredibly fine, velvety soft tannins and fantastic freshness (not just from acid but from bright, crunchy fruit). It finishes very long, marvelously layered and with such jaw-dropping brightness from the fruit, the end is almost electric. Incredible.
VM 94-97 (5/2019): The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is a very pretty wine built more on elegance, finesse and aromatic nuance. Relative to the recent past, the 2018 shows a much more mid-weight structure and less of the creaminess of either 2015 or 2016. Much of that is attributable to a blend that includes 30% Cabernet Franc. Lavender, rose petal, mint and blueberry fruit all grace the 2018. Far from an obvious wine, the 2018 is going to need a number of years to be at its best, as it is a wine of total understatement and class. Fine beads of tannin support the understated finish. In 2018, VCC is a wine of refinement and subtlety more than anything else. I don't see the same visceral thrill as in a number of vintages of the recent past. Perhaps that will come in bottle. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99-100 (4/2019): This is a significant VCC with masses of fruit and juicy tannins. It’s fresh, but impresses you with the rich and powerful fruit. A tower of a wine. Incredible depth and density. Thick and muscular. It is 30 per cent cabernet franc, the rest merlot. |
|
| | Bordeaux White |
| Ch. d' Yquem |
2001 |
Sauternes (1.5 L) |
$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. |
|
| | Rhone Red |
| Ch. de Beaucastel |
2007 |
Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (10/2009): No Hommage a Jacques Perrin was made in 2008, but the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is an utterly perfect wine. Composed of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah, and the rest Counoise and Grenache, this prodigious effort boasts an inky/blue/purple color to the rim in addition to an exceptional bouquet of camphor, roasted meats, blueberries, black cherries, black currants, truffles, beef blood, pepper, and incense. The sumptuous aromatics are followed by a wine of compelling intensity, full-bodied power, perfect balance, laser-like focus, and a finish that lasts more than a minute. The 2007's texture reminds me of the 1998 Jacques Perrin, and the freshness of the fruit and explosive aromatics are to die for. There are only 500 cases of this legend in the making, but for those lucky enough to find any, it will last for 40-60 years.
VM 97 (2/2010): Opaque ruby color. Remarkably complex bouquet of dark berry compote, potpourri, sandalwood, smoked meat and licorice, complemented by a smoky mineral overtone. Broad, palate-coating dark fruit flavors pick up notes of candied flowers and licorice with air and show a pungent Indian spice character. Becomes more floral with air and leaves sweet cherry and floral pastille notes behind. I'd buy all of this that I could afford. |
|
| Jean-Louis Chave |
2015 |
Hermitage |
$495 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98-100 (4/2018): Not yet bottled, the 2015 Hermitage has perfection written all over it and reminds me of the 2010. Graphite, charcoal, liquid rock, and sensationally pure crème de cassis notes all soar from the glass of this full-bodied, concentrated, opulent 2015. This is a big, sexy beast of a Hermitage, yet it has the classic minerality, purity, and balance shown by just about every wine made from this estate. Forget bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 4-5 decades.
WA 98-100 (12/2017): After tasting several intermediate blends that will ultimately be combined in some proportion to create the 2015 Hermitage, I would not be surprised to see the final result achieve perfection. Although massively ripe and concentrated, there is still a feeling of balance and elegance in the wines that I fully expect to carry over into the final product. As the blending process isn’t complete, Jean-Louis warned that it was too early to say if there would be a Cuvee Cathelin, which is typically an Outstanding parcel that, for some reason, doesn’t work in the rest of the blend.
VM 97 (4/2018): Youthful purple color. Mineral-accented dark berries, star anise, cola, olive and pungent flowers on the explosively perfumed nose. Offers impressively concentrated, expansive flavors of black raspberry, spicecake, smoked meat and candied flowers that are complicated by licorice candy and dark chocolate notes that sneak in on the back half. Sweet, sappy and precise on the floral- and dark fruit-driven finish, which shows Outstanding clarity and round, harmonious tannins that build smoothly and steadily. Josh Raynolds. |
|
|
2018 |
Hermitage |
$359 |
7 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2022): I was blown away by the 2018 Hermitage from barrel, and it unquestionably doesn't disappoint from bottle. Reminding me slightly of the 2009, it possesses off-the-charts richness and depth, but like all great wines, stays pure, balanced, and light on its feel. Extraordinary notes of cassis, blue fruits, graphite, violets, and flowers define the bouquet, and this full-bodied, layered, multi-dimensional beauty has ripe tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. This is pure Hermitage magic. Given its extravagant richness and texture, it should be relatively accessible in just a handful of years yet evolve for three decades or more. (Drink between 2025-2050).
WA 99 (1/2022): Chave's 2018 Hermitage is another in a long list of legends to emerge from this meticulously run estate. Showing remarkably complex aromas of pressed violets, ground cloves and cracked peppercorns against a backdrop of cassis, blueberries and licorice, it's a super effort. Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and velvety in feel, it's seamless and long—just the complete package in a wine that's surprisingly approachable, yet should prove capable of aging effortlessly for two decades or more.
VM 97 (12/2022): Opaque ruby. Powerful, smoke- and spice-accented black and blue fruit, exotic spice, olive, cured tobacco, cured bacon and violet aromas show superb clarity and a bright mineral top note. Deeply concentrated and broad on the palate, offering sappy, alluringly sweet cherry, blackcurrant, fruitcake, salty olive and violet pastille flavors plus hints of licorice and allspice. The wonderfully long, penetrating finish features resonating mineral, spice and floral notes and chewy tannins that build steadily. (Drink between 2029-2041). Josh Raynolds. |
|
| | Madeira & Sherry |
| Bodegas Toro Albala |
1946 |
Don P.X. Convento Seleccion Pedro Ximenez |
$500 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (8/2013): The 1946 Don PX Convento Seleccion produced with Pedro Ximenez grapes dehydrated under the sun at the time of the Second World War, was only bottled in September 2011. This is an extreme wine, my first descriptor was ultra-mega-super concentrated. It is unbelievably powerful, both in the nose and the palate, full of umami, with sweet cinnamon, Christmas cake, camphor, petrol, lemongrass, Belgian chocolate and butter. Incredibly complex and rich, sweet, balanced and smooth in the palate, it is both very sweet and somehow salty, and with time it develops a black olive note. It combines the texture of the 1962 and the elegance of the 1949. It is as decadent as it gets. 825 bottles were produced. This wine will survive all of us. These wines are kept for generations and offered in very small quantities, but it’s amazing that you can still buy and drink something so old, and I’m even tempted to say that it might represent good value for what it is. A real tour de force sweet wine. Drink it if you ever have the privilege to do so from 2013-2060. |
|
| | USA Red |
| Abreu |
2010 |
Howell Mountain Red Wine |
$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 Red Wine 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 Red Wine 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. |
|
| Alban Vineyards |
2012 |
Pandora Proprietary Blend Lightly Scuffed Label |
$259 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (8/2016): A perfect wine any way you look at it, the utterly profound 2012 Pandora is 100% Grenache that was brought up all in barrel. Massively concentrated and textured, yet ethereal and nuanced, it offers a huge bouquet of black currants, licorice, smoked herbs, chocolate and toasted spice. Bravo to the team at Alban for this incredible, full-bodied, seamless beauty that's easily one of the greatest wines I've tasted from California. |
|
|
2006 |
Reva Alban Estate Syrah |
$200 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (8/2010): The 2006 Syrah Reva, coming from parcels of dark, volcanic soil, has off-the-chart richness and intensity. This thick, opaque-purple colored wine offers up notes of scorched earth, ground pepper, and blackberry liqueur intermixed with cassis, licorice, camphor, and tar. The wine is spectacular in every sense. Full-bodied and certainly not for wimps, this is a remarkably concentrated yet very nuanced and intense wine that should age for 20 more years.
JD 98 (11/2010): Truly extraordinary, the 2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard is a jaw dropping Syrah, sporting rich, full aromatics of smoky dark fruits, steak tartare, tapenade, and licorice. These carry over to the palate where the wine is perfectly built, possessing awesome concentration, solid, almost burly structure, and a phenomenal texture that coats the palate, but at the same time, stays light, fresh, and clean. I’m a huge fan, and while delicious now, I’ve no doubt this will continue to drink well for 15 to 20 years.
VM 94+ (11/2010): Glass-staining purple. Blackberry, boysenberry and licorice pastille on the nose, with mounting spice and floral notes and a strong wallop of cracked pepper. Deeply pitched black and blue fruit flavors expand with air and pick up strong spicecake and candied flower notes, along with velvety tannins. More backward than the Lorraine today, and showing a darker profile. The finish completely stains the palate and lingers with intense floral and spicy persistence. This is still a baby. Josh Raynolds. |
|
| Araujo Estate |
2002 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$312 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98-100 (2/2005): A sleeper selection, it is by no means a second wine in the pejorative sense of the word. A potential candidate for perfection is the exquisite 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. A 1,650-case blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot made from extremely low yields, it boasts superb intensity, flavor, elegance, and nobility in addition to a marvelously complex nose of minerals, licorice, cedar, creme de cassis, vanilla, and spice. Exceptionally rich, nuanced, and precise, it is a magnificent expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that offers the elegance of a Bordeaux with the power and potency of Napa Valley Cabernet. A tour de force, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for up to two decades.
VM 95 (6/2005): (includes 2.6% cabernet franc and 1.6% petit verdot) Good saturated ruby-red. Superripe, complex, slightly roasted nose combines black raspberry, dark chocolate, smoked meat, maple syrup, toffee, tobacco and licorice. Dense and aromatic in the mouth, with compelling sweetness and suavity of texture. Wonderfully opulent and seamless red wine. This finishes with huge but utterly fine tannins and lush, lingering flavor. |
|
| Bevan Cellars |
2018 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$360 |
2 |
|
| |
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! |
|
|
2018 |
Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$360 |
4 |
|
| |
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! |
|
|
2015 |
Sugarloaf Mountain Proprietary Blend |
$215 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): Another perfect wine from Bevan is the 2015 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Proprietary Red Wine and it’s a Cheval Blanc-like blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot brought up all in French oak. This huge, full-bodied, opulent 2015 carries itself like a ballerina and is elegant, weightless and even graceful, with remarkable purity of fruit. Currants, Blueberries, liquid violets, Asian spices and a distinct minerality all emerge from the glass and it has both incredible complexity and richness. Bravo! (Drink between 2018-2038).
WA 98 (2/2021): Sugarloaf is a cooler site in south Napa, above a quarry. It usually allows for a longer hang time, often lending a minty or herbal lift to this label. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain has a powerful nose of black raspberries, black and red plums and warm cassis with hints of tar, eucalyptus, bay leaves and pencil lead with a waft of cedar. The palate is full-bodied with opulent fragrant earth notes and seducing black berry layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and perfumed. Stunning! |
|
|
2018 |
Tench Vyd. The Calixtro Cabernet Sauvignon |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2021): Pure perfection, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard The Calixtro is a vineyard selection from a great site just beside the winery, on the east side of Oakville. Offering a decadent, full-bodied, concentrated style as well as lots of red and blue fruits, spring flowers, spice, and an almost bloody, iron-like character, it’s a heavenly Cabernet that delivers both intellectual and hedonistic pleasure in spades. It already offers pleasure yet should keep for 20+ years. (Drink between 2021-2043.)
WA 99 (2/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard The Calixtro was aged for 19 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's a little closed at this youthful stage, revealing glimpses at warm cassis, boysenberries and plum preserves scents with hints of charcoal, espresso, tapenade and violets. Full-bodied and rich, with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, it finishes very long and minerally. Only 109 cases were produced. Those lucky enough to secure a few bottles will want to put them away for at least 4-5 years and drink them over the next 25+ years.
VM 97 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard The Calixtro emerges from Block 1B, which is home to some of the best dirt on the site. A stunning range of mineral and savory inflections races out of the glass, adding layers of complexity to the intense dark fruit. This is far from an easygoing 2018. Readers should plan on cellaring it for at least a few years. (Drink between 2023-2033.) |
|
| Carter Cellars |
2016 |
The G.T.O. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$895 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2018): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon The G T O is very deep purple-black in color. Bam! Out of the gate it produces an incredibly alluring nose of freshly crushed black cherries, blackberry compote, blackcurrant cordial and licorice with nuances of violets, fertile loam, black truffles, unsmoked cigars and a waft of beef drippings. Big, full-bodied and powerful in the mouth—without the least bit of heaviness—the palate gives an awe-inspiring array of earth, black fruit preserves and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins, finishing epically long and with fantastic freshness. This is To Kalon giving its all! |
|
| Colgin |
2018 |
Cariad Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$1,050 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 100 (1/2022): What a thrill it is to taste the 2018 Cariad again. Last year the 2018 was magnificent. It is all that this year too. Powerful and explosive, the 2018 is captivating from the very first taste. Healthy dollops of Cabernet Franc and Merlot add layers to this deep, wonderfully vibrant Napa Valley red. In a big morning tasting at Colgin spanning more than a dozen wines, the 2018 Cariad was a stand out. Superb. (Drink between 2025-2043). Antonio Galloni.
JD 98 (1/2021): The 2018 Cariad isn’t far off and has a wealth of blue fruits, musky earth, spice, and floral notes as well as a deep, rich, layered style on the palate. As with all the 2018s here, the tannin quality is incredible, and it has a plush, sexy, already complex style that’s hard to resist. It’s going to evolve for 25+ years. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2021-2048)
WA 98 (3/2024): One thing the 2018s from Colgin have in common is a sense of greater tautness and freshness than the 2016s. The 2018 Cariad—a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot—adds dried sage and redcurrants to a base of black cherries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is energetic, framed by fine-grained tannins and hints of pencil shavings on the long, elegant finish. |
|
|
2021 |
Tychson Hill Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$550 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (3/2024): Supremely rich and concentrated, Colgin's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard nevertheless remains vibrant and energetic. Hints of bay leaf perk up scents of dark chocolate and black cherries on the nose, while the full-bodied, plushly textured palate glides easily into a prolonged finish redolent of loamy earth and red raspberries. Like so many of the world's greatest wines, it's a series of seeming paradoxes—in this case, ripeness and freshness, fruit and earth, density and vibrancy—that complement each other and emerge as an elegant, harmonious whole. |
|
| Diamond Creek |
2013 |
Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon |
$425 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2016): From the biggest of the three vineyards, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill comes from pure volcanic, iron-rich, rocky white tufa of volcanic origin. Marginally speaking, this is bluer and blacker than the Red Rock Terrace or Gravelly Meadow. A tour de force of perfection, this wine offers up crème de cassis, blueberry liqueur, licorice, earth, truffle and graphite. It displays spectacular richness, magnificent balance and texture, and a long, incredibly pure finish of close to a minute. This remarkable, full-bodied elixir should drink beautifully for another 30+ years, if not longer.
VM 97+ (12/2016): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill presents a stunning interplay of ripe, inky fruit and structure. Dazzling from the first impression, the Volcanic Hill exudes richness, with copious amounts of inky blue/purplish fruit, violet, licorice and graphite. This stunning, captivating Cabernet has the potential to offer truly thrilling drinking for a number of decades. The vibrant, salivating finish is a thing of beauty. This south-facing site is the first to be harvested. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (5/2016): Lots of blackberries, plums and cherries on the nose. Full body, ultra-velvety tannins and a long, long finish. A broad and layered red with refined textures. Very long. Juicy. Riper than the Red Rock and Gravelly Meadow. Better in 2019. 608 cases made. |
|
| Dominus |
1991 |
Proprietary Blend ex-Domaine |
$795 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 99 (6/1995): As for the 1991, 6,500 cases were produced of this potentially perfect wine. While this vintage of Dominus contains no Merlot in the blend, every time I taste it I am reminded of a great vintage of Petrus such as 1982, 1989 or 1990. Although different, the 1991 Dominus possesses extraordinary intensity, remarkable opulence, and amazing fruit extraction, all welded to a full-bodied structure. The wine's sensational purity and inner-core of depth must be tasted to be believed. The 1991 will be approachable young because of its sweet tannin, yet it exhibits the potential to last for 25 years. Perhaps 1994 will rival it, but for now, the 1991 is unquestionably the greatest Dominus, as well as a potential legend in the making.
VM 96 (11/2022): This 1991 Dominus was poured blind in Meursault and had me guessing Right Bank, perchance Cheval Blanc! Showing light signs of bricking on the rim, the bouquet unfurls gracefully with melted red fruit, cooked meat, ash and very subtle hints of hung game, all exquisitely defined. Mercurial in the glass, the aromatics seem to broaden out. The palate is beautifully balanced, with a perfect marriage of acidity, fruit concentration and harmony—a wine at that liminal point between primary and secondary phases. Quite savory, I suspected there was more Cabernet Franc in the blend than there actually is (around 10%, to the best of my knowledge). Red fruit, cigar box, touches of rosemary and sage open on long and sensual finish. With one foot in Bordeaux and the other in Napa, the 1991 captures the best of both and is at its absolute peak now. (Drink between 2022-2040). Neal Martin.
Decanter 100 (11/2019): One of the first Napa wines that I fell in love with and still going strong at almost 30 years old, with a good long while ahead of it still. This is delicate yet powerful, a wine that just gets better and better in the glass, showing off the black truffle and undergrowth flavours of a fully mature wine with melted tannins, leather, saffron and rich blackberries. It’s intense and balanced, still opulent and sexy. 40% new oak. Harvest in 1991 was October 6 to 18, but even so they harvested a little earlier in those days than they do today. Dominus is in the Yountville AVA (which was granted in 1999) but in 1991 still Napa Valley AVA. (Drink between 2019-2040) |
|
| Kinsman Eades |
2021 |
Kaannos Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon |
$475 |
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? |
|
| Lokoya |
2014 |
Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon |
$349 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is beautifully complete, with a layered, multi-dimensional, elegant profile that's more structured than the Diamond Mountain, yet more seamless and approachable than the Howell Mountain. Crème de cassis, Asian spice, smoked earth, incense and sandalwood note all flow to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannin, incredibly purity of fruit and a great finish. As with all these 2014s, it's not about huge richness and opulence and more about purity, nuance and balance. It's a damn near perfect wine that will only get better with 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for three to four decades. Made by winemaker Chris Carpenter and focusing all on Mountain terroirs, I find the wines from Lokoya to be some of the most compelling, singular, and awesome wines made in the Valley. Unfortunately, the prices are ridiculous and beyond the means of most, myself included. (Drink between 2022-2062)
WA 99 (10/2016): Usually my favorite in many vintages, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is the most backward of the 2014s and actually seems to require 4-5 years of bottle age. The wine has the telltale signs of Mt. Veeder – blackberry and blueberry fruit infused with considerable floral nuances. This wine has all that, then hits the palate with a cascade of glycerin, fruit extraction, and layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit. It is full-bodied and opulent, but finishes with some structure and ripe tannin. This is a magnificent wine – full-throttle, extremely pure, and incredibly well-balanced. Give it 5-6 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades.
VM 93 (12/2016): The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is a dense, tightly wound wine. Bright red cherry, iron, pomegranate, chalk, mint and white pepper abound. Deep and layered, in the medium-bodied style of the year, the 2014 exudes Veeder personality and tension. The mid-palate needs time to develop, but this is another highly expressive wine from Lokoya. There is plenty of punch and mountain intensity here. Veeder Peak is the fruit source. (Drink between 2019-2034). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| MacDonald |
2016 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$916.66 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (1/2019): The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is largely cut from the same cloth yet has just a touch more purity and elegance without sacrificing depth or richness. Just a magical wine any way you look at it, this deep purple-colored beauty reveals a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, camphor, purple iris, and violets. It’s full-bodied and massive, yet still just dances across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. While it’s already hard to resist today (and don’t feel bad for drinking a bottle), it has the purity, balance, and structure to keep for 3-4 decades. Hats off to the brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald for this legendary wine.
VM 97+ (12/2018): I am every bit as enthusiastic about MacDonald's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon today as I was last year, when I tasted it from barrel. So many 2016s are silky and open-knit, but the 2016 here is unusually tightly wound and reticent. Gravel, crème de cassis, bittersweet chocolate, spice, lavender and menthol develop in the glass over time. The 2016 does not have a lot of the charm of so many wines, but that is probably a good thing for its long-term prospects. Today, the 2016 reminds me most of the 2014 because of its mid-weight structure and sinewy tannins. Time in the glass brings out a more red-toned and floral profile, but the 2016 is not going to be anywhere ready to drink for a number of years. The only question is how many. Readers who can find the 2016 should not hesitate, as it is superb. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Maybach |
2019 |
Materium Cabernet Sauvignon |
$319 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 100 (12/2021): If you can believe it, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Materium might be even better, and this beauty tops out my scale. An incredible array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as unsmoked tobacco, iron, hazelnut, and toasty oak all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, ultra-fine, building texture, perfect tannins, and a huge finish. This pure Napa Valley magic is going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and drink brilliantly for another 20-30 years. If this doesn't do it for you, I'd avoid Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon! |
|
| Next of Kyn |
2017 |
Cumulus Vyd. No. 11 Proprietary Blend |
$275 |
4 |
|
| |
| 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 (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. |
|
| Pax |
2016 |
Sonoma Hillsides Russian River Valley Syrah |
$115 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 100 (4/2018): The 2016 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides has been nothing less than stunning on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. A wine of extraordinary purity and depth, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. The richness and power are simply breathtaking. Bacon fat, smoke, grilled herb and lavender are woven into a graceful, seamless core of inky blue/purplish fruit. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 remains remarkably light on its feet. The Sonoma-Hillsides is a blend of fruit from Castelli-Knight Ranch, Griffin's Lair and Walker Vine Hill, done with 100% whole clusters and aged in a combination of concrete and neutral oak, with no SO2. I am not sure how the 2016 will age, but I am also not sure it will matter, as most bottles will be long gone before that is an issue. Quite simply, the Sonoma-Hillsides is a total pleasure bomb and a modern-day benchmark for Syrah in California. Don't miss it! (Drink between 2018-2026). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Quilceda Creek |
2005 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2013): From a hot vintage and incredible any way you look at it, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon has that laser-like focus of a cooler year, yet the voluptuousness and richness of a warmer year. Smoked black fruits, coffee, truffle and pen ink-like aromas and flavors all emerge from this massive, incredibly full-bodied effort and on the palate, it carries itself perfectly with a weightless, yet decadent texture, masses of polished tannin and blockbuster length. More classic and textbook than the 2007, it is every bit as good. Enjoy it over the coming two decades or more. Drink now-2033.
VM 94+ (11/2008): (includes 3% merlot) Bright, saturated medium ruby. Sexy aromas of cassis, black raspberry, minerals, mocha and smoky oak. Juicy, layered and intense, with superb depth of fruit and an impression of breadth rare for Washington cabernet. This superripe wine shows considerably more finesse of tannins than the estate's red blend. This began with a slightly roasted quality but with time in the recorked bottle it appeared to gain in energy and sheer density. This was a vintage that yielded very small berries, noted Alex Golitzin. |
|
| Realm |
2015 |
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$550 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2017): One of the most profound young wines I’ve ever tasted is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane. Of all the high scoring wines in this report, if I had to pick one to put at the top of the heap, this would be it. My notes are filled with expletives, but this majestic, opulent, heavenly red boasts a deep purple color and La Mission Haut Brion-like notes of tobacco leaf, blackcurrants, earthy/rocky minerality, cigar box, blueberries, and Asian spices. Huge, opulent, and voluptuous, with a mid-palate that needs to be tasted to be believed, it has no hard edges, incredible density, ripe tannin, and a great, great finish. Don’t miss it and hats off to winemaker Benoit Touquette.
WA 100 (10/2017): Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard is an absolute stunner, sporting an inky purple-black color and show-stopping nose of crème de cassis and blackberry pie laced with cumin seed, fenugreek, black pepper and cardamom, plus a transporting earthy undercurrent of black loam, moss-covered tree bark and forest floor. The palate delivers a wall of muscular black fruit accented by exotic spices and decadent floral notions, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epic length and many, many layers. Amazing. Just 325 cases were made.
JS 96 (5/2018): Powerful aromas of dark fruit with rust and crushed stones. Oyster shell, too. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. Lots of toasted oak, but tight and focused. Needs time to come together. Try in 2022. |
|
|
2013 |
The Absurd Proprietary Blend |
$950 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2015): Another perfect wine (but very limited in production at 200 cases) is the 2013 The Absurd, a blend of 17 components dominated by 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Benoit Touquette told me that this wine is produced with no rules and no restrictions, and is considered their super-blend of the best they have in any given vintage. (I guess I would look stupid if I didn't give it 100 points, given the fact that two other Realm wines already hit that maximum score.) There is something different in this wine, with an opaque purple color for sure, but then there's the cassis, the blackberries, the roasted meats, some spicy pepper, and then an extravagantly rich, cascading palate that seems to be built like a skyscraper, but without one hard edge. This is a seriously endowed, super-rich, incredibly well-balanced wine that should drink well for 25 or more years.
VM 95 (10/2015): A dark, unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Absurd is a terrific example of the Realm style at its best. Surprisingly open for such a young wine, the 2013 offers gorgeous textural richness and voluptuousness. Sweet dark cherry, blackberry, mocha, spices and crushed rocks are laced into the powerful yet seamless finish. The Absurd is remarkably nuanced for a wine with this much intensity. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ridge Vineyards |
2015 |
Monte Bello |
$235 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 100 (10/2018): Stunning depth, power, purity and elegance. The blackcurrants and plums are fresh and intense on the nose with blueberries and gently herbal notes, too. The palate has a keenly articulated array of vibrant tannins that hold long, fresh and pure. It invokes a sense of wonderment at the finish. So long and so pure. This blend of 77 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 11 per cent merlot, seven per cent petit verdot and five percent cabernet franc, is just at the start of a wonderful journey. Try from 2021.
JD 98+ (2/2019): A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is unquestionably going to be one of monumental vintages of this wine. Deep, incredibly concentrated, and powerful, yet also textured and perfectly balanced, this beauty gives up a huge nose of cassis, plums, spice box, graphite, and vanilla bean. With full-bodied richness on the palate, it starts out tight and firm yet blossoms with time in the glass (I followed this bottle for multiple days) and has an awesome mid-palate, building yet perfectly ripe tannins, and a rock star finish. It's about as classic a Monte Bello as they come and will require 4-6 years of bottle age (or more) and shine for three decades or more.
VM 98+ (8/2017): One of the highlights in this tasting, the 2015 Monte Bello will soon take its place among the greatest Monte Bellos ever made. Powerful, deep and explosive, the 2015 possesses magnificent concentration and richness in every dimension. Even with all of its raciness, the 2015 has terrific aromatic presence and regal tannins. The 2015 is a bit less showy than it has been in the past, but it was also just bottled two weeks before this tasting. Readers who own it will be absolutely thrilled. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (7/2018): At this early stage, the 2015 Monte Bello is all about potential. I followed a bottle over several days and only witnessed improvement. The wine unfurls in the glass with a rich bouquet of cassis, ripe plums, espresso roast, black tea and baking chocolate, lavishly framed by minty, spicy new oak—which is often at its most prominent at exactly this stage, when the wine is shutting down after bottling. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with rich, velvety tannins and beautifully succulent, even tangy acidity that lends amazing lift on the finish. The most obvious analogy is the 2005 vintage, though it also evokes a more elegant version of the 1995 Monte Bello. It's a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc that attained 13.5% natural alcohol. Since the wine appears to be shutting down, I'd recommend forgetting it until its tenth birthday. Given its structure and balance, it should enjoy remarkable longevity. |
|
| Schrader |
2013 |
MMXIII "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$1,500 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 100 (10/2015): The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30. |
|
|
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) |
|
| 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. |
|
|
2023 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$2,300 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (12/2025): The epitome of class and elegance, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon offers pure crème de cassis, liquid violets, crushed stone, graphite, and cedar notes on the nose. It's full-bodied on the palate, with remarkably polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and incredible length. This is never the biggest or richest wine in the vintage, yet the sheer level of purity, structure, and depth is absolutely incredible. Compared to the 2021, this is less powerful and made in a more elegant style, yet it's every bit as profound and compelling. It builds beautifully with time in the glass and already offers pleasure yet won't hit prime time for a decade and will cruise for 50+ years. Drink 2035-2075. (Drink between 2035-2075).
VM 98+ (11/2025): The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a huge bouquet that is immediately captivating. Dark fruit, menthol, licorice, cloves, graphite and dried herbs lend considerable aromatic intensity to play off the wine's deeply layered structure. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. Screaming Eagle is the Lafite of Napa Valley. (Drink between 2033-2053). Antonio Galloni.
WA 98 (5/2026): The 2023 Screaming Eagle is approximately 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. At this young age, the various components haven't yet quite harmonized, such that it's possible to pick out black cherries, graham crackers, redcurrants and faintly herbal notes on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is framed by softly dusty tannins yet shows tremendous focus, energy and length on the finish. Impressive. |
|
| Sine Qua Non |
2015 |
"E" Eleven Confessions Vyd. Grenache |
$450 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 100 (9/2019): The 2015 Grenache E, from Elaine and Manfred Krankl’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard, is stunningly beautiful. Remarkably light on its feet for such a sumptuous wine, the 2015 has so much to offer. Beautifully expressive aromatics make a strong opening impression. Dark red and purplish berry fruit, mint, sweet spice and licorice develop with air, but it is the wine’s overall feel that stands out most. At times, the E is quite powerful, while in other moments it is much more delicate. That contrast makes for an utterly captivating wine. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (6/2019): This is a single-vineyard Grenache-dominated, barrel-selection blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Elaine Krankl’s initial and a portrait Manfred made of Elaine on the label. The blend is 82% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 5% Petite Syrah and 1% Viognier, and 56% was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 28% new.
JD 98+ (10/2019): The 2015 Grenache E comes all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard and spent a whopping 38 months in 28% new French oak, with the balance in used barrels of varying sizes. An incredible effort that offers complex notes of cured meats, graphite, ground white and black pepper, flowers, and cassis, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a purity level that’s just about off the charts. Showing the concentrated, powerful, structured style of the vintage, give bottles 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more. |
|
|
2015 |
"E" Eleven Confessions Vyd. Grenache (1.5 L) |
$800 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (9/2019): The 2015 Grenache E, from Elaine and Manfred Krankl’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard, is stunningly beautiful. Remarkably light on its feet for such a sumptuous wine, the 2015 has so much to offer. Beautifully expressive aromatics make a strong opening impression. Dark red and purplish berry fruit, mint, sweet spice and licorice develop with air, but it is the wine’s overall feel that stands out most. At times, the E is quite powerful, while in other moments it is much more delicate. That contrast makes for an utterly captivating wine. Antonio Galloni.
WA 100 (6/2019): This is a single-vineyard Grenache-dominated, barrel-selection blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Elaine Krankl’s initial and a portrait Manfred made of Elaine on the label. The blend is 82% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 5% Petite Syrah and 1% Viognier, and 56% was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 28% new.
JD 98+ (10/2019): The 2015 Grenache E comes all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard and spent a whopping 38 months in 28% new French oak, with the balance in used barrels of varying sizes. An incredible effort that offers complex notes of cured meats, graphite, ground white and black pepper, flowers, and cassis, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a purity level that’s just about off the charts. Showing the concentrated, powerful, structured style of the vintage, give bottles 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more. |
|
|
2004 |
Ode to E Grenache (1.5 L) |
$1,399 |
1 |
|
| |
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. |
|
| Verite |
2014 |
La Muse (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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| | Australia |
| Torbreck |
2005 |
The Laird Shiraz (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label |
$1,800 |
1 |
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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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| | Germany |
| Weingut Hermann Donnhoff |
2019 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese (1.5 L) |
$149 |
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| JS 100 (8/2020): All of nature's springtime joy and the epitome of autumnal ripeness somehow combine with summer-morning dew to offer one of the greatest off-dry German wines made in modern times. Breathtaking finish, so wonderfully light and filigree. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
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