Red Wine

Cavicchioli Vigna del Cristo Lambrusco di Sorbara — Emilia-Romagna 2025

Vigna del Cristo is the crown jewel of Cavicchioli — a 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara sourced exclusively from the original 12.5-acre family vineyard in the Cristo locality of Sorbara, the birthplace of the Cavicchioli estate. Lambrusco di Sorbara is one of Italy’s most fascinating and demanding grape varieties: naturally low-yielding, it flowers with great difficulty and the vine is often sterile, requiring alternating rows of the more vigorous Salamino variety to aid fertilization. In this rare bottling, only pure Sorbara fruit is used — no Salamino blended in, as is permitted by the DOC. Hand-harvested fruit is de-stemmed, crushed, and cold-macerated on skins for 3–5 days at 45–55°F to extract color and aromatics. Only 50% of the free-run juice — the “flower” of the press — then undergoes a secondary fermentation in autoclave at 55–60°F to achieve its delicate, persistent effervescence. The result is one of the most elegant and distinctive sparkling wines in all of Italy.

The color is a luminous light red with violet hues, crowned by a light pink evanescent froth and fine, persistent perlage. The nose is ample and intense: violets, red fruits, and a whisper of fresh florals that is the unmistakable signature of Sorbara. On the palate, it is full and dry — fruity, vibrant, and engaging, with a slightly acidulous aftertaste that makes it irresistibly refreshing and endlessly food-friendly. Total acidity: 8 g/L. Serve well-chilled.

“Light pink evanescent froth and fine and persistent perlage. The perfume of flowers and red fruits is ample and intense — the flavor is full and dry with a fruity aroma and an engaging slightly acidulous aftertaste.” — Sandro Cavicchioli, Winemaker

• Producer: Umberto Cavicchioli & Figli, Sorbara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC
• Varietal: 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara
• Vineyard: Vigna del Cristo — 12.5 acres, Cristo locality, Sorbara (original family estate)
• Vinification: Hand-harvested, cold skin maceration 3–5 days, secondary fermentation in autoclave (Charmat method), 50% free-run juice only
• Total Acidity: 8 g/L
• Style: Dry, elegant, floral sparkling red — Lambrusco di Sorbara at its purest
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Violets, red fruits, fresh florals, vibrant acidity, fine persistent bubbles, dry and engaging finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now — best enjoyed young and fresh
• Best Paired With: Charcuterie, prosciutto di Parma, pasta with complex sauces, fried fish, vegetable dishes, red meats

The purest expression of Lambrusco di Sorbara — Vigna del Cristo is Italy’s most elegant sparkling red, and one of the great food wines of the world.

Our Professional Review

David of 67Wine.com |  If you are looking for a natural style wine this is fabulous. You may say to yourself this is so different in the tradition of a wine from old world France in the bard yard style. Its power immediately comes at you. If you prefer modern style California Zinfandel, then this wine is not for you. If you are an explorer, with a skydiver personality, I highly recommend this wine.

Expert Rating

92 Points Wine & Spirits | Organically farmed fruit from the Russian River Valley, neutral oak aging and the talents of Eric Sussman and his team at RadioCoteau combine to make this a pretty great zin for the price. It’s bursting with fresh wildblueberry flavor, rustic and harmonious in its barnyard-scented tannins. This is ready to decant for grilled vegetables or meats. (2020). 

Winemaker Description

The 2020 County Line Zinfandel is characterized by powerful fruit and spice aromas balanced by refreshing acidity and herbal complexity. It speaks to both the robust essence of the grape and the nuances of its Sonoma Coast terroir. The wine is vibrant, with scents of nutmeg-spiced blackberry pie and sun-warmed strawberry, elevated by floral earl grey tea. These rich, fruity notes are followed by earthy briar and flint on the palate, with a lively, savory finish. Lingering flavors of cacao nib and rugged leather make for a sophisticated compliment to the voluptuous fruit in the nose. Immediately approachable, this Zinfandel also has depth and layers to entice thoughtful sipping. An ideal pizza pairing, savor a bottle alongside a hearty salsiccia, or a white pizza with roasted zucchini flowers. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Dark ruby in the glass, this wine has a nose of black cherry, cranberry and aniseed. It is very soft on impact, with flavors of raspberry, cassis, milk chocolate and licorice. Satiny tannins hold off on the palate at first, make their presence known and then slip away in time for a bright finish. 

Expert Review 

92 Points Burghound | A slightly more deeply pitched nose is comprised by decidedly cool notes of plum, dark currant, forest floor and floral top notes, especially violet. Much like the Lavières, there is a positively gorgeous, even silky, texture to the lighter-bodied flavors thanks to the ultra-fine tannins shaping the overtly stony, dusty and youthfully austere finale. This is textbook Ile de Vergelesses.

Pacific Redwood · Redwood Valley · 2024

Pacific Redwood is a third-generation family winery rooted at the pristine headwaters of the Russian River in Redwood Valley, Mendocino County. The winery farms organically and biodynamically, with much of its land left as unspoiled natural habitat to support soil health, groundwater, wildlife, and vineyard biodiversity.

This 2024 Pinot Noir is bright and smooth, layering berry and spice with a crisp floral finish. The grapes are organically grown and the wine is made without added sulfites or other synthetic preservatives, allowing the character of the Redwood Valley fruit and climate to come through with minimal manipulation.

“Uncork a bottle of real Organic Pinot. Pacific Redwood doesn't stop halfway when it comes to bringing you organic wine. It's not just grown organically, but processed organically.”
— Pacific Redwood

• Producer: Pacific Redwood
• Farming: Organic and Biodynamic
• Style: Vegan
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Region: Redwood Valley, Mendocino County, California
• Vintage: 2024
• Winemaking: Minimal manipulation; no added sulfites or synthetic preservatives
• Tasting notes: Berry, spice, bright fruit, and a crisp floral finish
• Pair with: Roasted salmon, mushroom dishes, roast chicken, grilled vegetables, or soft cheeses
• Size: 750ml

A bright, organic and vegan Redwood Valley Pinot Noir with pure berry fruit, gentle spice, and floral lift.

From one of Italy’s most storied wine dynasties, the Antinori family has been crafting wine in Tuscany for over six centuries. Santa Cristina Chianti Superiore is a benchmark expression of the appellation — deeply rooted in Tuscan tradition, with soft, velvety tannins and a refreshing, food-friendly palate that makes it one of the most versatile Italian reds at this price point.

The 2023 vintage pours ruby red with purplish highlights. The nose is rich with morello cherry, aromatic herbs, and balsamic notes. On the palate it is soft and mouth-filling, with velvety tannins and a long, savory finish.

Food Pairings: Pasta with tomato-based sauces, pizza, grilled meats, aged pecorino, and charcuterie boards.

Varietal: Sangiovese-based blend
Style: Chianti Superiore DOCG
Producer: Marchesi Antinori
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Vintage: 2023
Bottle Size: 750ml

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

The Wine Advocate 97 Points |  From a beautiful site that must be seen to be believed, the Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is redolent with dark fruit, blackcurrant and crushed slate. The mineral element of Montosoli and its schistic galestro-rich soils comes through beautifully in this vintage to add a linear sense of immediacy and verticality to the bouquet. The mouthfeel is especially elegant, and the wine's acidity is delivered expertly to showcase freshness but more importantly to highlight the quality of the fruit. The effect is very tonic and bright, and you get hints of baked brioche or oven-baked Italian focaccia bread, thanks to careful aging in Slavonian oak. This is a 12,000-bottle release.

Vinous 97 Points | An enticing blend of steeped plums, blood orange, sage and sweet smoke makes the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli a total pleasure on the nose. Elegant and soothing, it flows across the palate with a silken wave of ripe red fruits and spices as saline minerals slowly saturate under an air of violet inner florals.

Decanter 95 Points | Elisabetta Gnudi took over the Altesino estate in 1992 and has continued with the Montosoli bottling, which has been produced since 1975. The 2019, harvested at the very end of September, is introverted to start with but the nose eventually hints at porcini with liquorice root and bark. Sleek cherry and raspberry provide the backdrop on the palate, yet that appealing earthy tone pervades. Racy with smooth, vertical tannins clinging in all the right places, it displays cleverly balanced structure and stuffing.

Winemaker Description 

One of the most sought after wines from Montalcino, Montosoli is consistently a blockbuster red. Its intense ruby red color tends towards elegant garnet with age. On the nose, it shows a complex personality with a delicious blend of black cherry, raspberry, violet, licorice, vanilla and black pepper. Extremely enticing, opulent and elegant on the palate, with a warm, long-lasting finish, Montosoli is a wine for special occasions

Pair this wine with beef bourguignon and stroganoff, lamb shank, and roasted rabbit.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Eric Guido of Vinous Media 95 Points | "The 2019 Taurasi Radici is impossible to ignore, mixing cloves with incense, crushed stones and dried black cherries. This is saturating and intense, with a silken textural wave that ushers in masses of tart wild berry fruits and spices, all carried by a stream of vibrant acidity. It finishes long and youthfully tense, with a mineral tinge that lingers along with notes of black licorice and a sour cranberry crunch. In 2019, the Taurasi Radici is back to form. The new releases from Mastroberardino demonstrate this storied estate's ability to adapt to modern-day vintages...In fact, instead of coming across as sun-kissed or in any way dried out, they are notably energetic, with a beautiful purity of fruit and tannins that promise further development. When asked about global warming, Piero Mastroberardino explains, “We can now achieve soft tannins in a big Taurasi; the world has changed." Whether or not this is a good thing for the long term remains to be seen. As for the 2019 Taurasi Radici, it’s a drop-dead classic, and I am very excited to see how the Riservas will show two years from now. It will easily continue to impress for the next two decades or more...Mastroberardino remains a reference point producer in the region, with its eyes firmly set on the future."

James Suckling 95 Points | "Vivid dark ruby color, with aromas of blueberry jelly, earth, black truffles, toasted pepper and chocolate. Velvety on the palate, with juicy acidity, a full body and very good fruit concentration. Great complexity and polish in the finish. Drink or hold..."

Producer Notes

Full, complex and intense, with notes of cherry, violet, wild berries, and a distinctive spicy aroma. This elegant wine has flavors of plum, black cherry, strawberry and intense spices. Aged for 24 months in French oak barriques and Slavonian casks, then a minimum 24 months refinement in bottle. aging potential of 50 years or more. Pair with mature cheeses, truffles, porcini mushrooms, Ragout and other dishes with long cooked sauces and roasted red meats.

Winemaker Description

Garnet-red with violet hues. It is full-bodied with nicely integrated tannins and a persistent elegant finish.

Jacob's Creek Classic Shiraz — South Eastern Australia (Magnum 1.5L)

Jacob's Creek is one of Australia's most iconic and widely recognized wine brands — founded in the Barossa Valley in 1976 and named after the creek where Johann Gramp planted South Australia's first commercial vineyard in 1847. Today, Jacob's Creek sources fruit from across South Eastern Australia's finest growing regions, blending for consistency, approachability, and the vibrant fruit character that has made Australian Shiraz one of the world's most beloved red wine styles. The Classic Shiraz is the range's flagship red expression — a soft, approachable, medium-bodied wine crafted to deliver genuine drinking pleasure at an exceptional everyday price. In Magnum format, it's the perfect bottle for gatherings, celebrations, and any occasion that calls for something a little more generous.

The nose is inviting and expressive: spicy red berry with subtle mocha and vanilla oak influence. On the palate, soft red berry and rich plum lead the way, framed by a spicy cedar finish. Medium-bodied, smooth, and easy-drinking — a great example of the approachable, fruit-forward style that defines Jacob's Creek Classic wines.

"A soft, approachable medium-bodied Shiraz with vibrant fruit flavours. Spicy red berry with subtle mocha and vanilla oak influence. Soft red berry and rich plum with a spicy cedar finish." — Jacob's Creek, Winemaker

• Producer: Jacob's Creek, Barossa Valley, South Australia
• Appellation: South Eastern Australia
• Varietal: Shiraz
• Format: Magnum (1.5L — equivalent to 2 standard bottles)
• Tasting Notes: Spicy red berry, rich plum, mocha, vanilla oak, spicy cedar finish
• Style: Medium-bodied, soft, approachable, fruit-forward
• Drink: Now
• Best Paired With: Roast leg of lamb, grilled meats, burgers, aged Cheddar, hard cheeses, BBQ

Australia's most approachable Shiraz in a party-ready Magnum — Jacob's Creek Classic 1.5L is generous, fruit-forward, and built for sharing.

Winemaker Description

This is a very concentrated Brunello that combines intense notes of blood orange with a hint of chinotto mixed with complex Mediterranean spices (Helichrysum Thyme and Broom Flowers). It is a wine with a strong nerve, a vibrant acid structure that sustains a concentrated mouthfeel, rich in silky tannins. The finish is extremely long and soft. 

Expert Reviews

94 Points James Suckling | Dusty notes with crushed gravel and dried tea leaves are a prelude to aromas of fresh button mushrooms and hints of fennel. Savory mushrooms and olives, followed by firm, fine-grained tannins. Structured and full-bodied.

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino has aromatics of menthol and medicinal herbs, brushed leather, and black cherry. The palate is dark fruited without weight, marked with dried blackberry, black tea, dried herbs, and classically balanced structure. It is sourced from three different vineyard sites of various exposition on the hill of Montalcino. This will be ready to drink a touch earlier and be great to check in on over the next 15 years. Drink 2022-2036.

93 Points Wine Spectator | Aromas of iron, blood and cherry lead off in this smooth and vibrant red, with a well of dark fruit—black cherry and blackberry—settling in on the palate. Offers a dusting of dark chocolaty tannins on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2043. 1,500 cases imported.

91 Points Decanter | Bringing together grapes from diverse vineyards throughout Montalcino, this midweight, almost-approachable Brunello is focused and vibrant. It takes a bit of coaxing on the nose then divulges sage, orange rind and fennel. Brisk acidity and chalky tannins meet crisp red currant and cranberry, cleansing the palate nicely. A delightful jumping off point to Val di Suga’s single-vineyard offerings, which COO and winemaker Andrea Lonardi has been refining since 2012.

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2021

Decanter — 92 Points (Charles Curtis)
"This is a wine of true elegance, with a light ruby hue, bright, perfumed cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and tannins that seem slightly astringent. It is light in weight but very expressive. The wine is produced from a drastic shortening of the range: it blends all the grapes that generally make up four bottlings — La Fortune, La Digoine, Mercurey Les Montots, and Santenay PC Passetemps. Six barrels were produced instead of the customary twenty. Each was vinified separately and blended together, an exercise the director Pierre de Benoist hopes never to repeat. Drinking 2023–2033."

Burghound (Allan Meadows)
"An exuberant nose is very Pinot in character with its pretty red berry fruit, black pepper and violet scents. The delicious and vibrant lighter weight flavors possess an appealing mouthfeel before concluding in a firm, youthfully austere and balanced finale. While it’s an atypical Bourgogne given the unusual combination of appellations, it’s nonetheless excellent."

About This Vintage

The 2021 Domaine de Villaine Bourgogne Rouge is a wine born of extraordinary circumstances. The 2021 growing season in Burgundy was devastated by spring frosts, dramatically reducing yields across the region. At Domaine de Villaine, the decision was made to consolidate: rather than produce four separate single-vineyard bottlings — La Fortune, La Digoine, Mercurey Les Montots, and Santenay Premier Cru Passetemps — all the fruit was blended into a single wine. Six barrels were produced instead of the customary twenty. The result is a Bourgogne Rouge unlike any other: a blend of four appellations and multiple terroirs, vinified separately and assembled with care, carrying the DNA of wines that normally sell for two to three times the price.

About Domaine de Villaine

Domaine de Villaine is the personal estate of Aubert de Villaine — the legendary co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, widely regarded as the greatest wine estate in the world. Based in Bouzeron in the Côte Chalonnaise, the domaine was founded by Aubert and his wife Pamela as a separate project from DRC: a place to express the quieter, more rustic character of southern Burgundy with the same philosophical commitment to biodynamic farming and minimal intervention that defines their work at DRC. The domaine is best known for its Bouzeron Aligoté — the benchmark for the appellation — and its village-level Pinot Noirs from La Digoine and La Fortune, which consistently punch far above their appellation status. Today the domaine is directed by Pierre de Benoist, Aubert’s nephew, who continues the family’s commitment to biodynamic viticulture and terroir-driven winemaking.

Food Pairings

Roasted duck, rabbit in mustard sauce, mushroom dishes, charcuterie, aged Epoisses, Comté, and classic Burgundian preparations. A wine of elegance and restraint — drink now through 2033.

Product Details

• Producer: Domaine de Villaine
• Director: Pierre de Benoist
• Appellation: Bourgogne Rouge AOC, Burgundy, France
• Fruit Sources: La Fortune, La Digoine, Mercurey Les Montots, Santenay PC Passetemps
• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Farming: Certified biodynamic
• Production: 6 barrels (exceptional vintage reduction)
• Vintage: 2021
• Drink: Now through 2033
• Style: Elegant, perfumed, terroir-driven Burgundy Pinot Noir
• Format: 750ml

Winemaker Description

This vibrant Zinfandel opens with enticing aromas of dark plum, raspberry compote, and a touch of sandalwood. The palate reveals layered notes of baked strawberry, savory dried herbs, and a hint of cracked pepper. Ripe, structured tannins and bright acidity provide balance and lift, carrying the wine through a lingering finish.

Zinfandel is foundational to California’s viticultural heritage. This bright and bountiful grape has thrived in the Golden State since the 1880s. While it has become more scarce as Napa Valley continues to evolve and become more Cabernet-centric, Frank
Family Vineyards is honored to champion this beautiful grap and its iconic legacy.

This Napa Valley designate is primarily cultivated from our estate S&J Vineyard in Capell Valley, 206 acres located east of the Vaca Mountain range in the Napa Valley AVA. It is planted to 58 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, along with 9 acres of Petite Sirah, and 9 acres of Zinfandel. The soils are fertile, well-draining, and clay loam-based, reminiscent of the Rutherford Bench. Along with S&J, grapes from neighboring vineyards in Chiles Valley (Sunseri Vineyard), Calistoga. 

Lindeman's Bin 50 Shiraz - Classic Australian Red

A full-bodied, well-balanced Shiraz showcasing the best grapes from South Eastern Australia's premium wine regions. This approachable red delivers ripe plum and warm spice flavors with smooth tannins and a satisfying finish.

Tasting Notes

Rich plum flavors complemented by warm spice, full-bodied with soft tannins and excellent balance. 13.5% ABV.

Perfect With

Grilled meats, hearty pasta, BBQ, aged cheeses, and pizza. Serve at room temperature for best results.

Wine Details

Region: South Eastern Australia | Volume: 750ml | Closure: Screw Cap

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

JamesSuckling.com by Claire Nesbitt writes 92 Points | Mocha, chocolate truffles, cassis, oranges and lavender on the nose of this fragrant red. It’s full-bodied, warming and aromatic, filled with ripe blue and orange fruit and accompanied by ripe tannins.

Winemaker Description

Hand harvested grapes undergo temperature-controlled fermentation.

Each variety is vinified separately, and the wine is transferred to French oak barriques (2-3 years old) with a medium toast. The wine ages for 12 months then rests for about 45 days in cement tanks before being bottled without filtration. Released after 3 months in bottle. 

Winemaker Description

Roter Multschak from Meinklang is an exciting red wine. Made from two Austrian indigenous grape varieties, it surprises you with its fun character. On the palate is fruity, tiny bit fizzy with cherry and pomegranate flavours.

The low amount of tannins allows you to drink it chilled.

Hahn MERLOT Central Coast 2024 750ml

Winemaker Description

A rich, dark garnet with vibrant purple shimmer, the 2024 Hahn Merlot opens with inviting aromas of ripe plum, cocoa, blueberry, and violet, with hints of juicy black cherry. On the palate, a luscious mouthfeel delivers dark fruit, sweet spice, and restrained tannins, leading into a lingering finish with toasty oak undertones.

From Hahn Family Wines — based in the Santa Lucia Highlands and known for crafting everyday luxury wines — this Central Coast Merlot balances richness with smooth, approachable structure.

Pair with seared duck breast, beef short ribs, or grilled pork chops.

Wine Details

Producer: Hahn Family Wines
Varietal: Merlot
Region: Central Coast / Monterey, California
Vintage: 2024
Size: 750ml

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.

Expert Reviews - 2022

James Sucklling 92 Points | Absurdly concentrated for an entry-level wine. Deep blueberry and black-cherry fruit fills out the compact and structured medium-bodied palate. Generous fine tannins and notes of licorice and baking-spice aromas. Long, powdery and fresh finish. This is a unique solera-type blend of several vintages from 2022 to 2012. Blaufrankisch plus pinot noir, merlot and zweigelt. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

Winemaker Description

The house brand red is a blend of Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and Pinot Noir, which is matured in large used wooden barrels. The Zweigelt brings fruit and charm, the Pinot Noir juiciness and the Blaufränkisch character and structure.

The Blaufränkisch also dominates the nose with dark aromas, ripe black cherries and plums, some eucalyptus and a slight smokiness of bacon. On the palate it starts fresh and animating, a fine and mellow tannin spreads directly on the tongue, again cherry and fine tannins.

The house brand stands for fresh drinking fun and goes well with stews and autumnal cuisine, for example with pumpkin.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018 

James Suckling 99 Points writes | This is beautifully polished with firm, dusty tannins to the blue fruit, as well as chocolate and cedar character. Some much earthier character, too, from mushrooms to bark. Forest flowers. Perfumed. It’s full-bodied with round tannins and a soft, creamy finish. Some iron and iodine to this. So attractive at the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Better after 2023. (2018).

Decanter Georgina Hindle 96 Points writes |   A less traditional style of wine in Napa Valley, this is lifted and charming with poise, powdery tannins and a chalky finish. Richly perfumed and wonderfully evocative on the nose, it’s seductive and inviting with black cherries, raspberries and blueberries alongside savoury notes of dried herbs. The flavours open and evolve on the palate bringing cocoa, tobacco and pencil lead into play underpinned by supple tannins. It’s powerful but on the leaner side, refined and elegant with a good sense of diretion and drive - everything feels well placed and well defined. Tasted twice and both times were highly enjoyable. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Carmenére and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 20 months in oak, 100% French, 62% new. Biodynamically grown and certified organic. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg and estate director Rodrigo Soto. 

Robert Parker Joe Czerwinski 94+ Points writes | The dense, purple-hued 2018 Proprietary Red Wine seemed just a bit closed at this tasting, with pronounced cedary notes overshadowing the black cherry fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, with a lush mouthfeel, silky-textured tannins and cocoa powder-like nuances on the lingering finish. (2018).

Vinous Antonio Galloni 93 Points writes |  The 2018 Red Wine is a powerful, driving Napa Valley wine. Scorched earth, iron, chocolate, and leather give the red cherry/plum fruit distinctly savory accents. This is an especially tight wine in a vintage that yielded generally more supple, open-knit reds. Quintessa is one of the first Napa Valley estates I visited, many years ago. Since then, the property has undergone several stylistic phases. It will be interesting to see where things go over the next handful of years here. Drinking 2023 - 2038

Jancis Robinson 18.5 Points writes | Youthful purplish crimson. Vibrant nose with a suggestion of a creamy texture. Dense and savoury and beautifully balanced. Lovely and pure with a great future and tannins almost hidden by the fruit. Attractive savoury note. You could drink this now but it would be a pity. (2018).

Jancis Robinson Richard Hemming MW 17.5 Points writes Luxuriously rich and velvety, opulent but with enough herbal contrast to keep freshness on the nose. Lots of oak and dark chocolate on the palate. Such soft tannins! Really ready to drink. The oak is predominant on the finish. For Napa, this is reasonably restrained, and I'm sure it will develop well. (2018).

92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 2% Carménѐre

Winemaker Notes

The 2018 Quintessa is a wine of perfect harmony, with deep flavors and elegant layers that are apparent even from a young age. Intense aromas of cassis, black cherry, and raspberry intermingle with savory notes of sage and thyme; the 2018 Quintessa continues to unfold as notes of dark chocolate, graphite and fresh tobacco mingle with the fresh fruit. Precise and dense, the wine shows supple tannin that play with flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, and crushed rocks. The 2018 Quintessa has a perfect balance of fresh acidity followed by bright fruit and minerality at the finish that portends unparalleled aging potential.

Winemaker Description

Peay Vineyards is a first-generation family winery. Husband and wife, Nick Peay & Vanessa Wong, grow and make the wine and brother, Andy Peay, and his wife Ami, sell the wine and run the business.

All wines are made from grapes grown on our 53-acre estate vineyard located above a river gorge in the far northwestern corner of the Sonoma Coast, 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean at Sea Ranch. We sit in the chilly inversion layer with fog and wind from the Ocean maintaining cool temperatures with plenty of sunlight.

Winemaker Vanessa Wong left her position as winemaker at Peter Michael Winery in 2001 to launch Peay Vineyards. Formerly she worked at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Domaine Jean Gros and Hirsch Winery.

We farm organically and maintain our licenses for fish friendly farming and integrated pest management. The health of our vineyard dictates these approaches to farming and making wine. We also run on bio-diesel at the vineyard and solar power at both the vineyard and winery.

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2021 

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | The 2021 Pinot Noir Ama is dark ruby, with notes of red cherry and apple skin. The palate is full-bodied and has great structure, with a broad texture, ripe tannins and notes of dark cherry, tea leaf, and forest earth. It’s long on the palate and has a good finish. (2021). 

Robert Parker 94 Points | The 2021 Estate Pinot Noir Ama is powerful and perfumed this vintage. It offers aromas broody aromas of red and black cherries and aniseed with top notes of saline and citrus peel. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with generous berry fruit and floral accents, and it has a long, spicy finish. (2021). 

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2018 

Wine Advocate 93 Points | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Benchland Select gives up intense cassis, stewed plums and cedar chest notes with hints of licorice and wild sage. Medium to full-bodied in the mouth, the palate has a taut, grainy texture supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing long and mineral tinged.

James Suckling 92 Points | Ripe blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, spearmint, cocoa and walnut on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, fine tannins. Supple, flavorful finish. Drink or hold. 

Expert Reviews 

Wine Spectator 94 Points | A very fresh, floral-laced style, offering a bright beam of cassis and plum gelée laced with flashes of violet, hibiscus and rose petal. Nicely grounded through the finish, with alder and warm earth hints filling in. Approachable, but this has more to show in time. Best from 2023 through 2036. (JM)

Wine Advocate 94 Points | Delicate herbal shadings accent the cassis notes on the nose of Corison's 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon. It's classic Corison, balanced and concentrated without being showy or weighty, silky in feel, with a long, lingering finish and two decades of ageability. (JC)Decanter 94 points Alluring aromas of dark cassis, graphite, cedar and wild herbs. It has a striking depth with layered flavours and texture, and while restrained now it is incredibly well-built and in need of time in the cellar to fully shine. Reveals subtle hints of fresh black and blue berries, currants and dried herbs tinged with red florals. Finishes with polish, energy and poise. (JC)

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Lots of dark, blackcurrants, cassis, darker chocolate, and hints of violets emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced St. Helena Napa Cabernet Sauvignon offering nicely integrated acidity, terrific balance, and a great finish. This quintessential Cathy Corison Cabernet shines on all accounts. It's going to evolve for two decades. (JD)

James Suckling 94 Points | A perfumed nose of blackberries, dark cherries, cedar, cocoa and nutmeg. Violets too. Medium body with fine tannins and bright acidity. Fresh and refined with a bright core of wild fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Drink or hold. (JS)

Vinous 93 Points | The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is full of charm. It offers all of the natural intensity of the year, with bright acids that keep the flavors bright. Sweet red cherry, plum, cedar, tobacco and spice all build effortlessly. This open-knit yet classically built Cabernet is likely to offer a wide window of drinkability over the next 15-20 years. As always, Cathy Corison's Napa Valley Cabernet is a blend of three sites in St. Helena. (AG)

Wine & Spirits Magazine 96 Points | The 2019 vintage might be something of an outlier for Cathy Corison, who picked two weeks later than usual, taking advantage of the cool season from summer into fall. This wine is, in fact, an idealized version of her benchland cabernet sauvignon, holding on to the elegance she regularly achieves, while adding a luscious textural beauty that more often comes from bottle age. James Conley of NYC’s Keen’s Chophouse found the aroma suggested a more delicate wine than the density and extract this one carries in its “cabernet grape tannins and intriguing, lifted fruit. If someone said, ‘I love Napa, but show me what I’m missing.’ I’d say, ‘Well, try this.’” Warm and explosive in its energy, this wine carries an imprint of the benchland soils in the play of darkness and light, in the detailed tannins that make you crave another taste. (JG)

Chappellet Vineyard · 'Signature' Cabernet Sauvignon · Napa Valley · 2022

Since its first vintage in 1968, Chappellet has set the standard for mountain-grown Napa Cabernet — wines of rare depth, longevity, and elegance from Pritchard Hill, one of the valley’s most celebrated and demanding terroirs. The ‘Signature’ is the estate’s benchmark bottling: a Bordeaux-style blend anchored by 82% Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot (9%), Malbec (7%), and Merlot (2%), each variety contributing its own dimension to a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. JD:93 · WA:92. At $99.99, this is Pritchard Hill Cabernet at a price that makes it one of Napa’s most compelling values at this level of pedigree — “a killer wine and great value,” as Jeb Dunnuck put it.

The 2022 opens with tons of cassis and darker, almost blue fruits, interwoven with sappy spring flowers, crushed stone, and lead pencil nuances. On the palate: balanced and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins, bold mocha, black cherry, and a nicely concentrated mid-palate that avoids the overripeness that plagued lesser wines in this warm vintage. The finish is long and pronounced, with a lingering mocha note and supple structure. Drink now through 2035+.

“A killer wine and great value… balanced and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins.” — Jeb Dunnuck, 93 Points. Vintage 2022. 

“Well-priced for the quality… full-bodied and packed with flavor, nicely concentrated and framed by supple tannins.” — Wine Advocate, 92 Points. Vintage 2022. 

• Producer: Chappellet Vineyard (est. 1968)
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Napa Valley, California
• Sub-Region: Pritchard Hill
• Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon · 9% Petit Verdot · 7% Malbec · 2% Merlot
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Cassis, blue fruit, spring flowers, crushed stone, lead pencil, mocha, black cherry, supple tannins, long finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now through 2035+
• Food Pairings: Prime ribeye, braised short ribs, lamb rack, aged cheddar, wild mushroom dishes

JD:93 · WA:92 — Pritchard Hill mountain Cabernet, setting the Napa standard since 1968.

Winemaker Description

Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petite Verdot, 3% Merlot
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is absolutely impeccable. Best of all, it won't require years in the cellar to be enjoyable. In fact, it is quite expressive today. Juicy dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice, leather and cinnamon are some of the many notes that flesh out in the glass. 

Expert Review 

Vinous 96+ Points | The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is silky and elegant, with lovely aromatic presence and impeccable balance. Sweet tobacco, cedar, dried flowers and mint all give this mid-weight Cabernet lovely complexity and nuance. The 2018 has shut down since I tasted it last year, but that is not surprising given the style here. Today, bright acids give the 2018 energy, tension and a good deal of precision. Those qualities should help the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon age well over the coming decades.  Drinking 2028 - 2058.

Tempranillo (Tinto Fino) | Ribera del Duero / Spain
Vintage: 2018  |  Size: 750ml  |  Reserva · 90+ Rated

Bodegas Valduero is one of Ribera del Duero’s founding estates, established in 1984 by Gregorio García Álvarez in the small Burgos town of Gumiel del Mercado — making it one of the very first wineries in the appellation. Today, alongside his daughters Yolanda and Carolina, the family cultivates 200 hectares of Tempranillo at the foot of a mountain, aging their wines in an authentic cave over 30 metres deep that houses more than 4,000 oak barrels and a million bottles.

The Tierra Alta en 2 Cotas Reserva is their most terroir-driven expression: sourced from 50-year-old bush-trained vines planted at 830 metres altitude on clay-calcareous soils, with production naturally limited to 3,500 kg/ha. Harvested by hand into 14kg boxes, fermented in stainless steel, then aged 30 months in oak barrels of three different origins, followed by 18 months of bottle aging before release. The 2018 is classic and expressive — dark fruit, cedar, warm spice, and a subtle earthiness from the high-altitude soils. Fine and elegant on the palate, with well-balanced fruit and oak, firm but refined tannins, and a long, complex finish that speaks clearly of its terroir.

“Deftly made wine, with intense fruit and smart oak ageing, redolent of Ribera typicity, with a modern and easygoing style. Very clean, well defined, dry and smooth in mouth, remarkably fresh. Persistent and fruity finish… An excellent entry point to Valduero’s stable of great wines, which is one of the most notable in the whole region.”
— Decanter, 92 Points. (Vintage 2018). 

Vines: 50+ years, bush-trained  |  Altitude: 830m  |  Soils: Clay-calcareous
Aging: 30 months in oak (3 origins) + 18 months bottle aging
Pairs with: Roast lamb, suckling pig, beef stew, aged Manchego, hearty game dishes.

Winemaker Description

#5 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2025
#99 Jeb Dunnuck Top 100 of 2025
#8 Vinous Top 100 of 2025

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

100 Points Vinous | The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot is a total stunner. What a wine! The 2022 was magnificent en primeur, and it is all that from bottle. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Crushed rose petal, mint, blood orange, new leather and cedar meld into a core of pliant red-toned fruit. More than anything else, I am so impressed with the wine's precision and finesse. I have never tasted a Beau-Séjour Bécot like this.

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points | Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is flat-out sensational, as well as the finest wine I’ve tasted from this château. Powerful aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits as well as crushed stone and violets define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, has integrated acidity, and ultra-fine tannins. Based on 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this heavenly Saint-Emilion will benefit from just 3-5 years of bottle age and have 30 years or more of overall longevity. Back up the truck.

The Wine Advocate 97 Points | The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of sweet wild berries mingled with rose petals, orange zest, violets, gentian and espresso roast, it's full-bodied, supple and suave, with a deep core of cool, layered fruit, beautifully vibrant flavors and polished structuring tannins, concluding with a saline finish. As I wrote when I tasted it from barrel, this is a Saint-Émilion of breathtaking perfume and harmony that will be worth a special effort to seek out.

The Wine Spectator 96 Points | This is very fresh, expressive and focused, with violet, iris and rosehip notes darting to the fore, while flavors of sleek raspberry and red currant preserves race along behind. Almost flattering, but there’s a subtle chalky tension piercing the finish, which sails through. A dreamy wine. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Decanter 96 Points |  Floral notes on the nose. Tangy and sharp, lively and bright straight away, sweet and sour, so energetic and lively with a mineral grip from the fine, firm, grippy tannins. Lovely precision and almost delicate presentation of fruit. You really feel the mineral, salty, tangy aspect of the fruit, nothing feels overworked, all in balance, really quite thrilling and electric. Great purity and focus. Scintillating yet still with a lovely volume and roundness accented by tobacco, clove, liquorice and cinnamon touches. Really well worked and fresh - this feels very modern with such control to the fruit, tannins, acidity giving overall depth and complexity. Elegant but confident, taking the best density from clay density and freshness from limestone. A very singular charm with this wine.

Memo Summary Notes 

The Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 2022 is being hailed by many critics as the "best wine ever produced" by this historic Saint-Émilion estate. This vintage marks a significant milestone, recently ranking as #5 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2025.

Situated on the iconic limestone plateau of Saint-Martin de Mazerat, the estate has shifted its style under owner Juliette Bécot toward greater precision, floral aromatics, and mineral tension, moving away from the more opulent, oak-heavy profiles of the past.

Expert Reviews

• Vinous 93 Points | The 2023 Malbec comes from Drummond, Luján de Cuyo and was aged 12 months in French oak, one-third new. It offers clear black fruit — ripe blackberry and plum — over delicate oak and a hint of violet. Dry and slightly compact due to the warm vintage, it carries good black-fruit flavor on the palate. Well executed for the year.
• Oscar Garcia, 67Wine | A full-bodied and expressive Malbec with substance and chewy tannins. Perfect pairing for beef dishes, poultry, or pork.

Winemaker Notes

The aromas of sweet French oak and espresso grow more complex with every swirl, unveiling black plum, ripe raspberry, and violet. Full-bodied, dense, and chewy on the palate with flavors of black raspberry, plums, roasted herbs, and mint — a classic estate-grown Malbec from one of Luján de Cuyo’s most respected producers.

• Grape Source: 100% Malbec
• Appellation: Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza
• Vineyard: Drummond Estate
• Location: Argentina
• Aging: 12 months in French oak (1/3 new)

Pacific Redwood · Mendocino County · 2022

Pacific Redwood makes Cabernet Sauvignon with a clear sense of place, drawing on organic fruit shaped by the redwoods and the nearby Pacific influence. The 2022 is crafted with a restrained approach, with no added sulfites, acid adjustments, sugar adjustments, or tannin additions, allowing the vineyard and vintage to speak clearly.

Huckleberry, red currant jam, orange-vanilla cream, and baking spice lead into concentrated blackberry, cardamom, and lime cream. Stainless-steel aging with French oak brings lift and gentle structure, while silky tannins carry a spicy, lingering finish.

Wine Enthusiast: 89 points — Tonya Pitts
“This wine lives up to its name. The flavor profile is influenced by the redwoods nearby and the ocean. Plus, the fruit source is organic and more natural in style than not. The aromas on the nose are huckleberry, red currant jam, orange vanilla cream, and baking spices, and the mouthfeel is concentrated blackberry jam, cardamom, lime cream, and silky tannins to finish.” (Vintage 2022). 

• Producer: Pacific Redwood
• Farming: Organic
• Style: Vegan
• Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Region: Mendocino County, California
• Vintage: 2022
• Winemaking: Stainless steel with French oak; no added sulfites or adjustments
• Tasting notes: Huckleberry, red currant, blackberry jam, orange-vanilla cream, cardamom, baking spice, and silky tannins
• Pair with: Grilled steak, burgers, roasted mushrooms, barbecue, hearty pasta, or aged cheddar
• Size: 750ml

An organic, vegan Mendocino Cabernet with wild berry fruit, savory spice, and a clean, silky finish.

Gato Negro | Malbec | Valle Central, Chile | 1.5L Magnum

Gato Negro is one of Chile's most beloved everyday wine brands, produced by Viña San Pedro — a winery with roots dating back to 1865 and one of the most established names in South American wine. The iconic Black Cat label has built a global following for delivering consistent, fruit-forward wines at exceptional value.

Valle Central is Chile's heartland wine region, stretching between the Andes and the Coastal Range. The warm, sunny climate and well-drained soils are ideal for Malbec — producing wines with an intense ruby-violet color, generous dark fruit, and the soft, velvety tannins that make Chilean Malbec so approachable and crowd-pleasing.

Gato Negro Malbec is deep ruby-violet in the glass with fresh aromas of plum, blackberry, and dark fruit, accented by lactic notes and a subtle touch of vanilla. On the palate, soft and medium-bodied with a smooth texture, firm structure, and a lingering, fruit-forward finish. No pretension, no fuss — just a generous, easy-drinking red that delivers every time.

Now available in a generous 1.5L Magnum — perfect for entertaining, parties, and casual gatherings. Pair with grilled red meats, burgers, lamb, empanadas, pasta with tomato sauce, and aged cheeses.

• Producer: Gato Negro / Viña San Pedro
• Varietal: Malbec
• Region: Valle Central, Chile
• Style: Soft, fruit-forward, medium-bodied red
• Closure: Screwcap
• Format: 1.5L Magnum

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais comes from the oldest vines on the property, planted in 1995 with all Dijon clones. Bottled in late January of this year, the wine sports a vibrant ruby hue and shows off notes of wild raspberries, mixed berries, a hint of fresh violets, clove spice, forest herbs, and brambly earth. It’s chiseled in its structure, with coiled tannins and a good deal of youthful tension, and also offers mineral persistence, with wonderful salinity and dark undertones of earth. It demands another few years in cool cellars to soften and expand as it evolves and will drink well over the long haul. Drink 2026-2040. 590 cases were produced.

Winemaker Description 

Planted in 1995, the Dijon block is now in its prime, delivering the complexity and elegance one expects from carefully tended twenty-six-year-old vines. The 2021 “DJ,” as it is known in-house, shows characteristic black raspberry and rose hip notes. Consistent with previous vintages, it displays Asian five spice, briar and even hints of blood orange coupled with a refreshing acidity and persistent finish. It is a superior vintage, one of the best of the decade. While the 2021 Les Dijonnais Pinot Noir is delicious right now, it will reward patience after a few years in a cool cellar.  Winemaker Description.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | Handsomely structured and full-bodied yet refined in approach, offering blackberry and cherry flavors laced with mocha espresso and cinnamon notes that build richness toward polished tannins.

The Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | A generous and glittering Zinfandel that is both savory and mouthwatering. This wine showcases raspberry, ripe plums, tobacco and dry, forest notes. Robust and lengthy.

James Suckling 91 Points |  Aromas of blueberry tart, poached rhubarb, cigar box and sweet spices. The palate is full-bodied with firm yet integrated tannins, bright acidity and notes of black cherries, baking spices and burnt oranges. Block 28 sits at 60 meters above sea level and is planted to St. George rootstock. The wine is aged for 15 months in 65% new oak. A powerful and tightly bound wine that will age gracefully. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description 

Hendry Block 28 is located on bench lands west of the town of Napa. This 4.17-acre block is 160 feet above sea level and has thin, stony soils. Morning fog and strong afternoon breezes from San Pablo Bay moderate the maritime climate. The vines were planted in 1998 using St. George roots and grafted with budwood selected from an old-vine Zinfandel vineyard on Mt. Veeder called the Brandlin Vineyard. The vines are spaced 6.9' x 5', cordon-trained and spur-pruned. A vertical trellis system supports the cordon and the canopy.

Mt. Veeder’s Brandlin Ranch was planted in 1926 with a Zinfandel which produces complex, intense fruit.  The character of this mountain fruit was very interesting to George. In the early days of winemaking at Hendry, he made an arrangement with the vineyard’s owner to tend the vines in exchange for the fruit. When the vineyard was sold, George was able to obtain budwood from the gnarled old vines, which he then grafted onto rootstock in Block 28, where we’ve grown it ever since. The character of the fruit remains distinct from our other Zinfandel and Primitivo cultivars. 

In 2021, bud break in Block 28 occurred April 7th. Bloom was May 24th. Harvest was on September 25th, with a yield of 2.93 tons per acre. Bloom-to-harvest period was 124 days. 

The alcoholic fermentation was completed in approximately one week in closed fermentation tanks. The wine was then pressed and put into barrels for malolactic fermentation. Aging was fifteen months in French oak barrels, approximately 65% - 75% of which are new each year. 

Deep ruby color. Big, blackberry jam aromatics jump out of the glass. Fruity on the front-palate, medium-heavy and balanced, drawing out to a firm finish of black tea tannins. This is a Zin for Zin-lovers! The bolder of our two Zinfandel offerings. Plenty of structure for burgers, braised lamb shanks, salumi, cheeses, and slow-roasted brisket. 

Cases: 1274
   

Winemaker Description 

A superb and age-worthy Barolo by Giacomo Conterno, from the Francia vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba. 100% Nebbiolo. Fermented with native yeasts and aged in large oak casks. Red fruits, roses, tar, licorice and spices notes. Powerful and complex. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018 

Expert Reviews 97 Points Wine Advocate | Of the three Barolo samples I tasted from barrel (including Arione and Cerretta, which are also from Serralunga d'Alba), the Giacomo Conterno 2018 Barolo Francia was the furthest behind and the hardest to pin down at this stage in its infancy. I have opened my range of scores accordingly to compensate for the magical unknowns that are likely to occur as the wine moves toward greater harmony and integration before its commercial release. The wine is linear and pointedly focused, lacking the width and volume it will gain when given more time to flesh out and relax. The aromas are also quite primary and simple at this point, with dark cherry and even a hint of ripe strawberry ceding gradually to grilled herb, blue flower and baked brick. This vintage of Barolo Francia will require patience. (2018).

95 Points Wine Spectator | Delivers depth and power, with menthol and wild herbs shading cherry and plum flavors. The balance tips toward the tannins in the end, yet this doesn't feel overly astringent, just more structured than many '18s. Picks up a mineral element as this lingers on the finish. Be patient. (2018).

95+ Points Vinous | The 2018 Barolo Francia is powerful, deep and also a touch austere. It shows the edginess of all the 2018s, but also has a feeling of textural creaminess that adds tons of character. Spice, menthol, leather and a whole range of balsamic overtones build into the deep, imposing finish. Roberto Conterno decided to forego his Barolo Monfortino in 2018, opting instead to blend all the casks into his Francia bottling. When that happens, Francia often surprises down the road. That could very well turn out to be the case here. (2018).

Monica Larner writes:  The Giacomo Conterno 2018 Barolo Francia has opened beautifully since I last tasted this wine at the winery two years ago. It was closed back then (no surprise since I tasted it as an unfinished sample), but with the distance of time, the wine has blossomed to show blackcurrant, cassis, aniseed, blue flower and pencil shaving. The Francia is known for its magical combination of power and nuance, both delivered with seamless intensity. This vintage offers a savory component with hints of toasted spice or spent ember. The tannins are fine and polished.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 95

A polished and expressive Brunello offering ripe Tuscan fruit, savory woodland character, refreshing acidity and a firm, age-worthy finish.

Wine Description

Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2020 is an elegant and layered expression of Sangiovese Grosso from one of Montalcino’s most historic estates. Situated southwest of Montalcino, the CastelGiocondo vineyards rise approximately 300 to 400 meters above sea level, with favorable southwest-facing exposures and a diverse combination of clay, sand and schist soils.

This varied landscape brings complexity and definition to the wine. The 2020 vintage opens with aromas of ripe black cherry, raspberry and pomegranate, followed by violet, rose and subtle woodland notes. With time in the glass, savory layers of licorice, white pepper, star anise, toasted spice and earth begin to emerge.

Medium to full-bodied, the palate begins soft and velvety, with generous ripe fruit balanced by refreshing acidity and dense, finely structured tannins. The finish is long, savory and mineral-driven, showing the depth and restraint expected from classic Brunello di Montalcino.

Winemaking

The Sangiovese Grosso grapes are carefully selected in the vineyard and again at the winery. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, with frequent pump-overs during the early stages to encourage color, aroma and gentle extraction. The wine is subsequently matured in wood and refined in bottle until it reaches its characteristic balance and harmony.

About CastelGiocondo

CastelGiocondo is a remarkable historic estate dominated by an ancient castle and medieval village. Its vineyards benefit from elevation, well-drained soils, warm Tuscan sunshine and cooling Mediterranean influences—all ideal conditions for producing structured, aromatic and long-lived Sangiovese.

The diversity of the estate’s soils and exposures allows Frescobaldi to create a Brunello with remarkable depth and evolving complexity. Each glass reveals something new, from vibrant red and dark fruit to floral, earthy and spice-driven nuances.

Food Pairing

An excellent companion to braised beef, osso buco, roasted lamb, wild mushrooms, truffle dishes, aged Pecorino Toscano and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is also a natural match for traditional Tuscan preparations, including pappardelle with wild-boar ragù and bistecca alla Fiorentina.

Serving Suggestions

Serve at approximately 60–65°F in a large red-wine glass. When enjoyed young, decanting for one to two hours will help reveal the wine’s aromatic detail and soften its youthful structure. Delicious beginning in 2026, it also has the balance and tannic foundation for further development in the cellar.

Expert Ratings

94  James Suckling: Pretty Brunello with licorice, smoky woodland and ripe black cherries. Medium-bodied, soft and velvety at the start, then thick with an austere finish. Refreshing acidity. Good definition and savoriness here, yet it’s mostly fruity. Needs time to develop greater complexity. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.

93 Decanter: Davide Bozzon has been the resident winemaker at Castelgiocondo since this 2020 vintage. Given the hot conditions, he kept macerations to under 28 days to rein in the power and keep the wine from becoming too heavy. After one year in neutral barriques, it refines for a further two in large Slavonian oak casks. Grenadine and macerated red plum are topped with chocolate, rosemary and oregano. Smooth and polished on entry, luxurious fruit is laced with espresso and leather. Despite its girth, a concentration of frisky acidity persists through the core. That charming touch of Tuscan rusticity is felt in its dry, dusty tannins on the back end.

93 Wine Spectator: Fresh and expressive, this red displays cherry, raspberry, earth, leather and menthol flavors. There are gripping tannins, yet it's the vivid acidity that makes a stronger impact as it propels the long finish. Best from 2028 through 2045. 25,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.

92 Jeb Dunnuck: Pouring a saturated magenta/ruby hue, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is warming with ripe fruit on the nose, including tarry notes of baked black cherries, pine sap, polished leather, and toasted oak spice. While it's full-bodied, it keeps a snappy lift of crunchy acidity, with a rich coating texture and notes of dark chocolate-covered orange on the finish.

Wine Details

Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2020

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy | 750ml

Château Simard | Saint-Émilion AOC | Bordeaux, France | 2015

Château Simard has a history rooted in the very foundations of Saint-Émilion. The estate takes its name from Johan de Las Symas, a Jurat of Saint-Émilion in the 15th century who founded the village of Simard — where the Vauthier family's two estates are currently located. The vineyard was purchased in 1954 by Claude Mazière, and in 2008 his nephew Alain Vauthier — the celebrated proprietor of Château Ausone, one of Bordeaux's most iconic estates — took the reins. The estate has thus remained in the same family for seven decades, and the Vauthier connection to Ausone brings world-class winemaking expertise to every vintage.

Located in the southern valley of Saint-Émilion running down to the plain, the 40-hectare estate is planted on a patchwork of clay-limestone, sand, and gravel soils. The blend is 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon — though the 2015 is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. After manual harvesting and meticulous berry sorting, the wine is fermented and aged primarily in concrete and stainless-steel tanks to preserve freshness and roundness, with approximately 30% oak. The result is a wine of pure fruit, concentration, and generosity — the very definition of Saint-Émilion's accessible, pleasure-driven style.

The 2015 is a superb vintage for Saint-Émilion. Medium to deep garnet-purple in the glass. The nose is vibrantly scented with red currants, black cherries, warm plums, violets, oranges, lemons, and fragrant earth. On the palate, medium-bodied, very fine, fruity, and elegant — ripe, fine-grained tannins, wonderful freshness, and a red cherry lift on the finish. Silky, juicy, and delicious. Ready to drink now or hold.

Pair with roast lamb, duck confit, beef bourguignon, mushroom dishes, and aged hard cheeses.

• Producer: Château Simard (Vauthier Family / Château Ausone)
• Appellation: Saint-Émilion AOC, Bordeaux, France
• Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
• Vintage: 2015
• Vinification: Concrete & stainless-steel tanks; ~30% oak aging
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2015

• Wine Advocate — 91 pts: Vibrantly scented of red currants, black cherries and warm plums with hints of violets and fragrant earth. Medium-bodied, very fine, fruity and elegant with ripe, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness. Finishes with a red cherry lift.
• James Suckling — 91 pts: Oranges and lemons with blackberry and dark-earth character. Full-bodied, round, juicy and silky. Delicious and soft. A gorgeous wine. Drink now or hold.
• Vinous Media — 90 pts: Intense and dark — succulent jammy fruit with exotic spice, leather and rose petal overtones wrapping around the juicy finish. An attractive, early-drinking Simard.