All 90+ Red Wines on Sale

Winemaker Description

Ruby red color with light copper highlights. Nose dominated by aromas of small berries (raspberry, redcurrant) very intense with some toasted notes. Tender, fruity and finely spicy on the palate. Fine and silky tannins, exceptional structure. Long and fruity finish. 

Expert Review 

91 Points James Suckling | Forest berries, smoke, dried herbs and baking spices on the nose. Medium body with sleek tannins. Silky texture with volume on the mid-palate. It’s fruity and well-balanced with a succulent finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | This is a widely available, nonvintage blend of 54% Syrah, 15% Petite Syrah, 14% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 7% Zinfandel. Aromas of cara-melized black fruit, oak and black pepper lead into an extremely rich palate that's loaded with vanilla, caramel, fudge and black cherry.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 92 Points | A deliciously dark-fruited tempranillo that has aromas and flavors of grilled herbs, charcoal and black plums. Hints of soy, too. It’s full-bodied with ripe, mellow tannins.

Winemaker Description

Intense purple color. Aromas of tobacco, licorice and blackcurrants. Full-bodied with hints of toast and mature fruit. Long balanced finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2016

91 Points James Suckling | Only ripe, blueberry and blackberry flavors with nice freshness and some healthy, supple tannins within the sleek frame, make this an immediately appealing red Bordeaux that’s very food-friendly. Drink or hold. (2016).

Wine Enthusiast  91 Points | This is a confident wine from a team that makes two of the top Pessac-Léognan wines. It comes partly from the Haut-Brion vineyard, giving classic tannins and juicy black fruits. Good acidity completes this balanced wine. *Editor's Choice* (2016).

Winemaker Description 

A deep color and a soft bouquet of liquorice and blackcurrant. The wine has violet and slightly toasty nuances on the palate. The texture is velvety and the flavour altogether powerful and elegant. There is a wonderful refined balance between high-quality tannin, concentration, tension, and freshness. A lovely vintage for Clarendelle! Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points | Based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, the deep purple-hued 2020 Château Cos D'Estournel has, dare I say, an almost Lafite-like sense of elegance and class, offering gorgeous cassis and darker currants fruits as well as tobacco, lead pencil, acacia flowers, and graphite. Hitting 13.46 alcohol, with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT of 80, this flawless, full-bodied, incredibly elegant Saint-Estèphe has silky tannins, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. It will need a decade of cellaring to hit its prime drink window. Of the trilogy of 2018, 2019, and 2020, it's clearly my favorite (that’s splitting hairs), with a similarity to the 2016, and will most likely merit another point at maturity.

Decanter 99 Points | A first-growth level wine. With aristocratic ease it conveys nimble energy and sneaky sensuality. Pencil lead, white tobacco, cassis, juicy blackberry and cherry gorgeously delineated with refined tannins providing impressive structure for long-term cellaring. The pH is the highest since 2003, but you get neither heat nor imbalance. Impressive dry extract and rather 'normal' alcohol at 13.5% evokes a positively classic feel, leading to a subtle yet super-long finish. For owner Michel Reybier, the vintage marks 20 years of 'passion at the helm'. Comes encased in a uniquely gold-coloured engraved bottle with the phrase 'C’était Cos sinon rien' - Cos or nothing else.

James Suckling 98 Points | A brooding and deep wine just on the nose, with blackcurrants, redcurrants, spices such as cardamom and nutmeg, as well as black truffles with earth. Complex. Full-bodied with fine yet chewy tannins, that are wonderfully interwoven. Very structured and long. Needs five to six years to come around. 62% cabernet and 38% merlot. Try after 2028.

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | This wine's complex structure and powerful tannins are shot through with freshness. It is already impressive, the spice and black fruits in harmony with the texture. The wine will age well. Drink from 2027.

Winemaker Description 

The call of faraway lands. As mysterious and intriguing as a lone adventurer returning from a solitary sail, Cos d’Estournel is slow to reveal itself. Little by little, it evokes stories of distant places, market stalls brimming with unfamiliar fruits, spices and wares, village festivities warmed by the joy of revelers and the setting sun, and sumptuous visions of ladies and their voluptuous curves. A myriad of scents, colors and tastes appeals to the senses. The Grand Vin of Cos d’Estournel is both demure and deliberately sensuous, a fascinating and elegant nectar.

Expert Reviews 

98 Points Vinous | The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves infuse the palate with tremendous depth. In a word: magnificent. - Antonio Galloni

98 Points James Suckling | Lots of blackberry, iodine and crushed stone here. Some black pepper and graphite, too. Full body and medium, fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open in the mouth. So much going on. Iodine and iron undertones with some raw mushroom bring you back for more. Muscular. This is for the cellar. Drink after 2027.

97+ Points Jeb Dunnuck | I loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this beauty is up there with the top wines in Pessac. Checking in as equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months in 90% barrels and 10% in foudre, it offers a deep purple hue to go with a powerful, concentrated profile displaying both red and black fruits, lots of spicy, chocolate, flowery incense nuances, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, bloody character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated yet utterly classic, focused, elegant style of the vintage and has so much to love.

96 Points Wine Enthusiast | This ancient estate, an oasis in the suburbs of Bordeaux city, offers a wine that is packed with promising tannins. The important and rich black fruits reveal concentration, density and the potential of the development of a fine balance and structure as it matures.

95 Points Decanter | Tannic heft from the get-go, though this does have a lovely fresh, clean and precise core with a narrow, focused frame so the elements come across as quite tight and severe right now but well worked. It has class, no doubt, on the high-toned scale, potent and upfront but there's gorgeous detail and precision to the fruit, acidity and tannins. Slick and classy with lots of glamour that plays to the strengths of the vintage.

95 Points Wine Spectator | This is snazzed up with flashy toast, but there's ample mulberry, cassis and plum compote fruit to soak it up, while notes of licorice and sweet spice fill in the background. A late tug of warm earth keeps this grounded. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

94 Points Robert Parker | Aromas of rich cherries, cassis, burning embers, violets and dark chocolate introduce the 2020 Pape Clément, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine that's ripe, layered and generously extracted but also a touch deeper and more reserved than the flashy 2019. While it would be an exaggeration to say that this estate's red wines are making much of a shift in the direction of restraint, the style is certainly less aspirational than it was a decade ago.

Winemaker Description

This has incredible power and drive with blackberry, black olive and graphite. It’s full-bodied, yet dynamic and agile, with so much polished and muscular tannin. Yet, it remains in harmony and balance. So much character. The head of the chateau calls it diabolical beauty. 25% less production than the 2019. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 99- 100 Points | A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Haut-Bailly was harvested from the 9th to 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.3%. Deep purple-black in color, it prances out of the glass with naturally beautiful notions of fresh black cherries, violets, mulberries and boysenberries, giving way to hints of redcurrant jelly, star anise, tilled soil and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate is delicately crafted with velvety/grainy tannins and fantastic freshness framing the perfumed red and black berry layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. (2020). 

Robert Parker 96-98 Points | A legendary Haut-Bailly in the making, the 2020 sports a dense purple color to go with powerful notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, scorched earth, and graphite. Reminding me of the 2010, it takes plenty of air to show at its best yet is full-bodied, has a seamless texture, massive of ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. It’s one of the most structured, powerful Haut-Bailly I’ve ever tasted, yet it still has the classic elegance, nuance, and length of this terrific terroir. It will need 5-7 years (or more) of bottle age but will have 50 years of overall longevity. The 2020 is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 3% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. (2020). 

Jeb Dunnuck 96-98 Points | Deep, rich and explosive, the 2020 Haut-Bailly is magnificent from the very first taste. Dark fruit, chocolate, licorice and spice give the 2020 a level of unctuousness that is absolutely thrilling. Readers should be patient, as the 2020 is going to need time to come around. Yields are down 25% from 2019, and that richness comes through loud and clear. (2020). 

Vinous 95-97 Points | (Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Rich in texture and colour, this has clear layers and complexity, a wine that you want to take your time with, slow down and enjoy. One that will take its time to age also. This has a precision and a clarity to the aromatics, and a gentle buzz of minerality that gives a physical reaction in the mouth. Less exuberant than the 2018 or 2019, making this a vintage that suits the style of Haut-Bailly. A slight austerity to the tannins on the finish gives a blueberry redcurrant edge. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend (now around eight years old), usually co-fermented with the Cabernet Sauvignon (sometimes with Cabernet Franc). IPT similar to 2016, 2010, 2005, but with a softness that comes from extremely ripe tannins. Strong potential for upscoring when it bottle. (Drink between 2030-2050). (2020),

Winemaker Description

The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy cranberry and strawberry, bright and taut with a transparent finish. Warning - you will be totally smitten.

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The 2020 Domaine Coche-Dury Bourgogne Rouge is a distinguished Pinot Noir from one of Burgundy's most esteemed producers. Crafted by Raphaël Coche, this wine exemplifies the estate's commitment to quality and tradition.

In the glass, it presents a vibrant ruby hue, leading into aromas of ripe red berries, cherries, and strawberries, complemented by subtle earthy notes. On the palate, it offers a medium-bodied profile with flavors of crunchy cranberry and strawberry, bright acidity, and a transparent finish .

This Bourgogne Rouge is versatile in food pairings, complementing dishes such as roasted duck, grilled salmon, or white meats. Its refined tannins and long, lingering finish make it a wine to savor and enjoy .

Winemaker Description

The 2020 Guado al Tasso is an intense ruby red in color. The nose offers notes of small dark fruit with sweet spice and toasted oak. On the palate, pure flavors and refined tannins lead to a persistent finish. This wine can be enjoyed immediately, but also has great aging potential. 

Expert Reviews

96 Points Robert Parker | The Marchesi Antinori 2020 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso sees Cabernet Franc at over 30% of the blend in this vintage, with the rest going to Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% to 20% to Merlot. Matarocchio was not produced this year, and this wine benefits from the extra Cabernet Franc as a result. The 2019 and 2021 vintages of Guado al Tasso are quite concentrated and rich, whereas 2020 is leaner in texture, along the lines of the edition we saw made in 2010. There was rain in September. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella says he would not describe 2020 as a hot vintage because the rain did pose challenges at the end of the growing season. In Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, budbreak is earlier than in other appellations, and the growing season is longer as a result. This is a benefit to the international varieties used here. The wine shows nice richness and intensity. The Cabernet Franc definitely comes through and adds the characteristic vertical lift and linearity that the grape is known for. You get black fruit, spice, white pepper and no signs of bitter stems or bramble. Sweet, almost milky tannins are interlocked with fresh acidity to give this wine good cellaring potential. The new oak was dialed back a bit in this vintage.

96 Points Wine Enthusiast | The nose is rich with notes of blackberries, black cherry and soil, while a white pepper undertone provides pop. On the supple, warm palate, berries continue leading the way, before a salty, chocolaty finish with another kick of pepper. Stoic tannins are balanced by lively, persistent acidity.

95 Points James Suckling | Aromas of black olives, berries, herbs, red beans, sour cherries, and sage follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and plenty of structure. It’s flavorful and intense. Needs time to come together. Best after 2027.

95 Points Wine Spectator | Packed with exuberant blackberry, black currant and blueberry fruit, this red shows the expressive character of the vintage. Just when you think it's too flamboyant, the solid structure reins it in. Shows excellent balance and length, with a touch of lavender and wild herbs on the lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040.

Winemaker Description

The 2021 Papillon fills the glass with an unmistakable dark crimson, a flash of neon purple and a ruby rim. Tears move glacially and the wine opens with aromatics of boysenberry jam, violets, chocolate covered blueberry and hints of Cara Cara rind, graphite and brioche. The entry and mid-palate are bright throughout with considerable weight—tones of cassis, blackberry and baking spices flourish. Enveloping texture, chalky, drying tannins and an enduring finish bows out the wine. 

Expert Reviews

91-93 Points Robert Parker | Still not bottled at the time I tasted it, the 2021 Papillon Red Wine is a five-variety Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot) that spends 13 months in 44% new oak. While not that complex, it does offer up bold cherry and cassis aromas on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, almost zesty finish. Best After 2024.

90 Points James Suckling | Lots of delicious, juicy fruit with spices and berries. Medium to full body, affective, fresh and clean, but a little straightforward. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2022 Reserva Tinto was produced with a multi-grape blend of Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonês and Cabernet Sauvignon from granite and schist soils that fermented in stainless steel, concrete vats and marble lagar, with malolactic in stainless steel, and matured in French and American oak barrels, 20% of them new, for 12 months. It has a serious nose that is Mediterranean, spicy and smoky, with notes of dry hay and straw, ripe fruit and a hint of iron. It's medium- to full-bodied, with abundant tannins and some oak flavors. It comes in at 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3.61, finishing very dry. Wait a bit. 500,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2024.

Winemaker Description 

Winemakers: Sandra Alves and João Ramos

Color: Intense Ruby.

Aroma: Deep and complex, dominated by red fruits and spicy notes.

Palate: Lively and complete. Solid body, fine and vibrant tannins. Red fruit and  dominate spices. Persistent and balanced finish.

Esporão Reserva is the wine that captures the essence of Herdade do Esporão. It was the first wine made by Esporão in 1985. A classic obtained exclusively from our organic grapes. The diversity of Herdade do Esporão, together with the different characteristics of the grape varieties, the soils, the maturity of the vines and the character of those who make this wine consistently over the years, results in a rich, intense but always harmonious wine.  Label by Eduardo Aires. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

Tim Fish of The Wine Spectator writes 91 Points | Plump and jammy, with lively flavors of blackberry and cherry accented by licorice, cracked pepper and roasted sage. Drink now through 2032. 

Winemaker Description 

Mother Clone is a classic ‘Dry Creek’ Zinfandel with spicy aromas of ripe cinnamon and white pepper along with red berries and a touch of vanilla. Red cherry flavors combine with vanilla, licorice and warm baking spices. The berry-spice combination, so typical of Dry Creek Zin, includes a touch of pepper on the rounded finish which are a hallmark of our style. 

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2023

The Wine Spectator 94 Points | Jammy and generous, with bold aromatics, this red is a pleasure to drink, offering polished cherry and blackberry tart flavors accented by briar patch and licorice as this zips along the lively finish. Drink now through 2034. 6,000 cases made.

The Wine Enthusiast by Elaine Chukan Brown writes 93 Points | A Napa classic, the Black Chicken Zinfandel relies on vineyards in cooler parts of the region, here harvested from a cooler vintage as well. The combination delivers complexity, detail and plenty of flavor: juicy mixed berries and plum, citrus peel, incense and savory length complete with refreshing verve and well balanced structure.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | Offering brambly red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with peppery herbs, sandalwood, and savory, flowery incense, the 2023 Zinfandel Black Chicken is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, has ripe tannins, and a good finish.

Memo Summary Notes

The 2023 Robert Biale "Black Chicken" Zinfandel is the 25th-anniversary release of this iconic Napa Valley wine. It is widely regarded as one of the best Zinfandel releases of the decade due to a remarkably cool and balanced growing season.

Winemaker Description

Showing the influence of the breezy and fog-laced Oak Knoll District, the wine
offers rich, plush fruit, delicate acidity and a structure defined by well-ripened,
fine-grained tannins. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, dried herbs, and sandalwood
on the nose. Expansive on the palate with notes of blackberry, orange peel, plum,
and baking spices all driven to a long finish by balanced acidity.

It all started in the 1940s when 14-year-old Aldo Biale helped his mother make
ends meet by selling to insider Napans – along with eggs and produce – some of
the family’s homemade Zinfandel. Over the old “party line” phone system, the
code words “a Black Chicken” signified a jug of bootleg wine…and kept nosy
neighbors and the authorities from finding out about Aldo’s underground
Zinfandel operation! Legally produced since 1999, Black Chicken Zinfandel pays
homage to the industrious patriarch of the Biale family and the prominence of
Zinfandel in the history of the Napa Valley.

The heart of Black Chicken is sourced from vineyards in the Oak Knoll District,
among them the same family vineyard Aldo, Nonna, Bob and the Biale family
have farmed since the 1930’s. Additional sources come from our estate vineyard
surrounding the winery, from neighboring growers in the Oak Knoll, as well as
from other long-standing winegrowing families in the Napa Valley. Black Chicken
stands as the quintessential expression of Zinfandel from the Napa Valley.



The 2023 season was one of the coolest vintages in more than a decade that, as
time progressed, showed all the markings of the spectacular vintage that ended up
in the bottle. Several years of drought were erased in a single season as rains
began just after the completion of the 2022 harvest and continued through the
spring of 2023. Ample ground water and cool temperatures delayed budbreak
until April with flowering in mid-May.

Moderate temperatures through the spring
and summer allowed for balanced maturation across all vineyards - allowing us to
pick at the perfect intersections of flavor, sugar, acid, and tannin maturity.


Harvesting at Robert Biale began with earlier sites in September while moderate
heat at the start of October accelerated picking that lasted through the end of the
month.

• Practicing Sustainable
• 100% Zinfandel
• Sourced from their estate vineyards in Oak Knoll District AVA (Napa Valley)
• Ancient Marine sediments and rocky alluvial fan soils
• Head-trained and dry-farmed vines
• Hand-harvested
• Fermented in open-top fermenters
• 2-4-day cold soak
• 2-3-punch downs a day
• Aged 16 months in 100% Burgundy oak barrels (25% new)

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

The Wine Enthusiast by Michael Alberty writes 90 Points | This is the kind of wine you want to find when you're looking for the perfect porch or picnic pour. It has lively acidity, a crisp mouthfeel and all the fruit you can handle. Aromas and flavors of blackberries, lemon sorbet and a touch of cedar are framed by velvety tannins. Great value here. 

Winemaker Description

Fragrant and floral aromas of hibiscus and dried rose petal combined with bright cherry, dried cranberry, and just a hint of black licorice, are expressed in this classic Oregon Pinot Noir. A medium bodied entry instantly pleases and leads to a silky mid palate carried by dried Bing cherry, black tea, with light sandalwood and cedar notes. 

Well balanced, this wine’s body is supported by youthful yet integrated tannin and moderate acidity that lingers into a medium long finish. A direct and mouth watering Pinot Noir that promises to pair perfectly with both Wednesday night takeout or Friday date night!

Memo Pairing Suggestions

Food Pairings: Highly versatile. It pairs perfectly with Wednesday night takeout (pizza or burgers), roasted salmon, grilled chicken, or mushroom-based dishes.

Expert Reviews

98 Points Wine Enthusiast | This firmly structured wine with its high percentage of Merlot is powerful and dense. The bold black fruits and perfumed density are impressive.

97+ Points Jeb Dunnuck | A clear step up over the 2019, the 2020 Château Troplong Mondot is mostly Merlot yet includes 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, all of which was raised in 65% new French oak, with the balance in once-used barrels. The level of purity and finesse here is remarkable, and it reveals a deep ruby/purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of cassis, ripe black cherries, graphite, gunpowder, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has building, perfectly ripe tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Certainly light years away from the riper, more opulent style of the 2000's, the wines today under consultant Thomas Duclos are much more about finesse and elegance. While I certainly miss the sexy, riper style of the past, there is no denying the incredible quality from this château today. 

97 Points Robert Parker | The 2020 Troplong Mondot is composed of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 4th September and lasting for about three weeks. The pH is 3.53, the IPT (tannin index) is 75 and the alcohol is 14.5%. Opaque purple-black colored, it opens with a vivacious burst of black fruits—stewed plums, baked blackberries and boysenberries—giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of licorice, ground cloves, cinnamon stick and lilacs, with a touch of bouquet garni. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of plump, juicy black fruits and savory sparks, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and opulent. 

97 Points James Suckling | A soft and round red with plum and milk chocolate. Hazelnuts. Full-bodied and layered. Juicy. Hints of sea salt. Power is there. Turns firm and vivid. So attractive now. Savory. Needs three to four years to open.

93 Points Decanter | This sets out its stall as a wine from a specific plot of pure limestone soils straight away, and this is a second wine to savour. As with last year, this is a masterclass in the impact of this particular soil type, with a bright violet colour, juicy blueberry fruits and touches of redcurrant. It has a tingling finish with a whoosh of salinity that gives tension and balance. 30% aged in barrels, the rest stays in stainless steel. 3.53pH. Still 100% Merlot as last year, but that will probably change in 2021 when some Cabernet Franc should be added. Not sold as an En Primeur, the 2018 has just been released onto the market. September 4 was the first day of picking.

Expert Review

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | Fruit of the forest compote notes shine with subtle vanilla on the inviting nose. The palate adds cinnamon spice to these notions and comes in with both concentration and slenderness. Bright freshness gives focus and makes for a mouthwatering finish. An elegant but still fruit-driven Zweigelt.

Winemaker Notes

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Mike DeSimone of the Wine Enthusiast writes 95 Points | Dark ruby in color, this wine has a nose of black cherry, cedar chest and violet candy. A pleasant floral note is a constant companion to blackberry, anisette, clove and dark-chocolate flavors that are enclosed in a shell of muscular tannins. A soft note of pomegranate permeates the grippy finish. Drink through 2035. 

Winemaker Description 

A 1er Cru RBD from Yolanda and Carolina García Viadero whose mission is to place the Tinto Fino varietal among the world’s best.  Bursts of blackberry and cassis, relaxed opulence and richness.

Winemaker Description

The soils are of marine origin from the Tertiary era, characterized by bluish marl (at a depth ranging from 1 to 3 meters), calcareous, compact structure. The stratification is dense and varied, rich in mineral salts and natural springs.

Barbaresco Rio Sordo receives careful grape selection in the vineyard – 100% Nebbiolo. The immediately noticeable characteristics are the considerable complexity and depth, accompanied by elegance and finesse.

Expert Review

Robert Parker Wine Advocate 94+ Monica Larner | A release of about 3,000 bottles, the 2018 Barbaresco Rio Sordo shows the finesse and delicate fruit that is so well expressed by this estate. The bouquet is redolent of rose hip and crushed flowers, and you get cassis, wild cherry and dried pomegranate as well. There is a giant layer of minty herb, and then the wine finally relaxes with polished tones of crushed stone and white licorice. Cascina delle Rose makes a fine bottle of Barbaresco. 

Expert Rating

Vinous Stephen Tanzer writes 93 Points | (from 63-year-old vines in the center of the vineyard; aged in a combination of old barriques and new larger casks) Sweet aromas of redcurrant, cherry, smoke and mint, all lifted by high notes of orange peel, rose petal and minerals. Concentrated, vibrant and gripping, with a silky quality and noteworthy precision to the flavors of red fruits, spices and minerals. Harmonious acidity gives a juicy, sappy quality and real elegance to this densely packed Barbaresco. Here the tannins are considerably finer than those of the normale, and the long, juicy, gripping finish leaves behind a captivating floral perfume. A beauty. 

This is from a massale selection, including a bit of the lighter, floral rose clone of nebbiolo while the rest of the vineyard features five different clones. 

Winemaker Description

Fantastically hedonistic, offering great velvety richness on the palate and exotic notes of black cherry, cocoa, and ash. The Riserva is a selection from the estate's best fruit.

Expert Reviews

Eric Guido of Vinous writes 94 Points | The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico TB is surprisingly lifted and airy on the nose, with licorice-tinged cherries and rosy florals. This impresses with a push and pull of savory and sweet, as well as a bitter twang of cocoa and spice that further accentuates the ripe berry and plumy fruits within. The contrasts are quite appealing, as a mix of saline-minerals and juicy acids help to add both depth and freshness further accentuated by a hint of sour citrus. Fine tannins linger and also balance the expression through the long and balsamic finale. The 2012 is just a baby today, so give it at least a few more years to come into focus.  Drinking 2024 - 2034.

James Suckling 94 Points | This is a structured and solid Amarone, with dried fruits, sultanas, figs and iron. It’s full-bodied, yet compacted and tannic with a long and persistent finish. One for the cellar, but already impressive to drink.  James Suckling 94

Alison Napjus of Wine Spectator writes 93 Points |  Both juicy and mouthwatering, this rich red shows a lot of personality, offering layered flavors of blackberry pie and raspberry ganache, hints of espresso and sweet smoke, plus fragrant juniper, eucalyptus, lavender and leather accents. Features firm, well-meshed tannins, with creamy edges that meld into the silky flavor range. Drink now through 2035. 

Monica Larner of Robert Parker writes | The Bussola 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva TB (in a heavy glass bottle) is a determined wine with lots of extra power and brawn. The wine shows sweet, air-dried fruit with baked plum and cherry confit. The alcohol content clocks in at 17%, which is way too much on any scale. Despite the high alcohol reading, the wine is still tastes sweet.  Drinking 2022 - 2035.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Robert Parker 93 Points | The 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva shows velvety richness and good textural support. This comes thanks to the warmer microclimate and thicker soils, sometimes with a lot of clay, that distinguish the Castelnuovo Berardenga region of Chianti Classico. The finish is dry and long, but there is plenty of sweet earth, dark fruit, plum and balanced cherry in the mix.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | The 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva (90% Sangiovese and the rest Merlot) takes on more spiced layers of smoke, cedar, menthol, and blackberry. It is full-bodied, with snappy acidity and fine tannins, and is noted with redcurrant, orange zest, tea leaf, and clove. Hold another year or two and drink 2025-2035.

Expert Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points Barrel Sample |  This is a seductive, rounded and smooth wine, with fine fruit that cushions the solid tannins. It has spicy tones and ample acidity as well as delicious, concentrated fruitiness. This is going to be a beautiful wine. -

Wine Advocate 98 points | The 2016 La Mission Haut Brion is a blend of 57.5% Merlot and 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between 19 September and 14 October, one of the longest ever. We had to be patient and wait for each plot, Jean-Philippe Delmas told me. It took longer than usual. As is customary, I allowed my sample, and likewise all the wines poured at this tasting, around 40-45 minutes to open since they always transform in the glass. It has a clean and precise, quite understated bouquet with fine mineralité, cold stone aromas infusing the black fruit. This has incredible precision, perhaps even more pixelated than the gaff over the road Haut-Brion. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and lithe tannin. I appreciate the line of acidity here, the smoothness and harmony that takes your breath away. Every atom is infused with life-affirming freshness. It is a wine bridled with incredible focus and delineation. I thought that the 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion flirted with perfection. The 2016 has that extra edge, a je ne sais quoi that leaves you reaching for the thesaurus looking for superlatives. -Neal Martin.

James Suckling | The texture to this is very beautiful with chewy yet very polished tannins. Full-bodied, tight and mouth-filling. Starts very slow.Vinous 94 points The 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion is a total knockout. Vertical and powerful, but not at all austere, it exudes class. Fine-grained tannins support the fruit, but they are barely felt, as the wine's balance is so extraordinary. Lifted floral notes and a host of red fruits give the 2016 energy and verve. I can't wait to see how it ages. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | The flagship 2020 Cornas is a beauty! Clearly in the same league as recent top vintages, it has a wild bouquet of black and blue fruits, liquid violets, game, and iron, with some incense and spice thrown in for good measure. It's slightly more round and sexy compared to the more powerful 2019, but it’s perfectly balanced, with ripe tannins and a great finish. This heavenly Cornas will be drinkable in just 3-4 years and evolve for two decades.

Vinous 97-98 Points | Glass-staining ruby. Intensely perfumed dark berry preserve, violet oil, olive, cured meat and woodsmoke scents show fine definition and vibrant spice- and mineral-driven lift. Offers palate-staining, spice-laced blackberry, bitter cherry, fruitcake and violet pastille flavors that deepen and open up steadily through the midpalate, while maintaining energy. The strikingly long, penetrating finish features youthfully chewy tannins, a sweet touch of cola and lingering floral and exotic spice qualities. All whole clusters and no new oak, as usual.

Decanter 97 Points | A vibrant, focused and intense style of Cornas, a return to a classic style after the richness of 2018 and the power of 2019. Their Renaissance will be made this year, so both wines will need to be bottled before a more precise evaluation of each blend can be made, but the outlook is good. Whole-bunch fermented in unlined concrete tanks, matured in small old foudres.

James Suckling 97 Points | A fragrant nose of blackberries, dark cherries, wild herbs, baking spices, stones and black pepper. Medium body with fine, firm tannins. It has volume and structure, but remains extremely agile. It has bright acidity and a vibrant peppery character, giving vitality and tension on the palate. Well-rounded and vivid with a succulent and textured, long developing finish. Best after 2026."

Wine Advocate 95-97 Points | Tasted from four different components of the 2020 Cornas from foudre. From 40-year-old vines in La Côte, a medium to full-bodied sample with attractive menthol, red plum and violet notes, ample structure but a bit short (92 - 94). From 50- to 60-year-old vines in La Sabarotte, an earthier, more savory example, with a rich, velvety texture and crisp acids (93 - 95). From 60- to 70-year-old vines in La Côte, a wine that seems to have it all: intense cassis, crushed stone, licorice and black olives, plus amazing richness and length (97 - 99). And finally, from old vines in Reynard, a breathtaking, hauntingly floral rendition marked by purple raspberries and fantastic concentration (98 - 100). The blend should be terrific.

Winemaker Description

Redigaffi has an intense color that arouses enthusiasm and satisfy the sight, it highlights great complexity characterized by the fruity attack in the mouth leaving then “room” to tobacco and licorice notes. Good concentration given by the pre-harvesting activity, three passages and perfect maturation reached by our grapes. Outstanding complexity. Floral notes typical of our “Macchia Mediterranea” are intense and persistent. The elegance of tannins is enhanced by the great structure and balance. Considerable extraction and good acidity.

Expert Reviews

Susan Hulme MW of Decanter writes 100 Points | (March 4, 2019)  2016 was an exceptional vintage in Tuscany and, according to Stefano, the best in 20 years. The cool night temperatures allowed for beautifully precise aromatics and perfectly ripe, harmonious tannins. This wine expresses the vintage beautifully and is the best Redigaffi I have tasted - simply stunning! Complex and tightly wound, it carries its 15% alcohol really well. There are hints of roasted coffee beans and green herbs on the nose, while the palate is super-concentrated yet beautifully balanced, with very fine-textured tannins. Blackcurrant, smoky plum and liquorice flavours are joined by a lovely freshness. A beauty. 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 97 Points | The 2016 Redigaffi is another absolutely compelling wine in this range. Explosive and opulent, the 2016 manages to be both spectacularly rich and yet also retain tremendous freshness. Blueberry jam, lavender, crushed rocks and sweet oak all build as this sumptuous yet structured Merlot shows off its considerable personality. In 2016, Redigaffi is energetic, persistent and also very classy. Drink it over the next decade or so. 

Monica Larner of the Wine Advocate writes 97 Points | This vintage hits it out of the ballpark. The Tua Rita 2016 Redigaffi is everything you should expect in terms of complexity, depth and the quality of its bouquet. The wine is especially balanced and focused with pinpoint aromas of dark cherry, plum, spice, tar and dried garden herb. The mouthfeel is generous and rich, but it also offers very silky and long tannins that give the wine its long, persistent mouthfeel. The 2016 vintage is an icon, and the wine has many long years of aging ahead.  Drinking 2023 - 2040 

James Suckling writes 99 Points | Aromas of lavender, ripe cherries, iodine, licorice and walnuts. Some mahogany and amber, too Full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Intense and focused, with a very deep core of perfumed fruit. Still needs time. 100% merlot. Better after 2023.

Winemaker Description

St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual amongst high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on any new oak. Released for the first time by Penfolds in the early 1950s (first commercial vintage 1957), it gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood. Proudly, a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion or commerce.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Juicy blueberry and huckleberry fruit flavors at the core are accented by black and red licorice details, with dense, grippy tannins and notes of black pepper and Earl Grey tea. Impressive for its concentration and focus, along with its muscular structure. Drink now through 2035. 284 cases imported.

Wine Advocate 97 Points | The 2018 St Henri Shiraz is a terrific effort, perhaps rivaling the top-flight wines under this label in 1976 and 1986. Remarkably fine and silky in texture yet simultaneously dense and concentrated, it showcases the amazing fruit harvested in 2018. Boysenberry, mulberry and mocha shadings all swirl together effortlessly in a whorl of full-bodied elegance, finishing long and effortless. Mainly Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, it includes smaller amounts of fruit from Port Lincoln, Robe, Padthaway, Clare Valley and the Adelaide Hills, all aged 12 months in large old wooden vats.

Decanter 93 Points | A shift in emphasis for St Henri, with its gaze fixed on depth and seriousness rather than its familiar comforting embrace. With no new oak, it’s always a fruit-driven statement, but this time the rich, red earthy tones are clouded over by a deep well of purple and blue fruit flavours. As a result, it appears to have a broader frame than before, finishing a bit short for a wine of this stature, but still with lots of pleasing savoury grip on the finish. Released at AU$135. Drinking Window 2022 - 2050.

James Suckling 99 Points | A great St. Henri and, although multi-regional, this is very much a wine that speaks of the Barossa Valley, with aromas of ripe blackberries and red plums that are so fresh, together with tobacco, young-leather, earth, chocolate, coal-smoke and tarry accents. Effortless depth on the palate with summer berries, framed in fine, alabaster-like tannins that are underscored with discreet power. So long and captivating. A blend of Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Port Lincoln, Robe, Padthaway, Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills. Drink over the next decade or more. Screw cap.Vinous 95 points Dark, bright-rimmed violet color. A wild, highly complex bouquet evokes spice-tinged black/blue fruits, pipe tobacco, savory herbs, potpourri and olive paste. Weighty and yet energetic in style, offering mineral-driven bitter cherry, cassis, chewing tobacco and exotic spice flavors that turn sweeter through the back half. Round, slowly building tannins give framework to a very long, smoky finish that echoes the cherry and tobacco notes.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Soft and supple, with appealing raspberry and cherry flavors highlighted by roasted sage and spice notes. Finishes with polished tannins. Drink now through 2032. 428 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

With experience making Zinfandel dating back to the 1990’s, Ehren Jordan is a true vigneron, with decades of experience in cellars and vineyards all over the world. His obsessive hands-on farming practices and minimalist hands-off winemaking approach come through in every bottle- allowing site, variety and vintage to shine through. 

Memo Summary Notes

The Day Zinfandel Sonoma County 2022 is the latest release from the "Day" project by Ehren Jordan, the legendary winemaker behind iconic labels like Turley, Failla, and Neyers. After decades of making high-octane Zinfandels at Turley, Jordan launched Day to focus on a more restrained, "vigneron" style that emphasizes acidity and elegance over sheer power.

The 2022 vintage is a blend of top-tier, organically farmed sites in the Dry Creek Valley, including the El Diablo, Grist, and Lumberyard vineyards.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2016

Wine Spectator 95 points | This has a lovely core of creamy anise-infused plum, blackberry and boysenberry flavors that showcase themselves a bit more vividly than many Margaux peers in this vintage do, with substantial but velvety grip and lots of extra violet, graphite and black tea notes adding to the long flow of a finish. Really beautiful feel. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Enthusiast 97 points Dark tannins work with the sophisticated structure of this wine. The very fine tannins are an important element of the wine, giving shape to the ripe black fruits and acidity. This wine, rich and structured, is set for a long development. Drink from 2026. Cellar Selection.

Wine Advocate 97 points | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Rauzan-Ségla drifts effortlessly from the glass with fragrant rose hip tea, candied violets and chocolate box scents over a core of fresh blackcurrants and black cherry compote plus wafts of tobacco and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers a great mid-palate of softly textured black and blue fruits with loads of floral nuances and a refreshing lift on the finish. The blend this year is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested between September 20th and October 15th at an average yield of 45 hectoliters per hectare. It was aged for 18 months in French oak, 60% new. The alcohol is 13.5%.Decanter 95 points There's an array of flavours and complex aromatics on offer here. It's powerful and brooding, with a lyrical acidity that helps to lift up the relatively foursquare tannins on the attack. After a few minutes in the glass it begins to ripple with menthol, liquorice root, grilled cedar and sweet spices. It needs time to settle, of course, but is extremely classic, and will go the distance and then some. Matured in 60% new oak.

Jeb Dunnuck 98 points | I continue to love the 2016 Rauzan-Ségla, a thrillingly complete, flawlessly balanced, and borderline perfect Margaux that should be snatched up by readers. Notes of cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, and earth all give way to a full-bodied effort that has building tannins, no hard edges, and a level of purity and elegance that’s just about off the charts. Given its purity and balance, it’s accessible today, but it will be best with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades.

James Suckling 98 points | The aromas of blackcurrants, sweet tobacco and sandalwood are tantalizing. Then it turns to subtle, dried fruit. Full-bodied with dense and powerful tannins, yet ending with finesse and vertical nature. Very deep. Power with finesse. Try after 2025.