Red Wine

Winemaker Description

The color of the wine is dark red, almost black with blueish hues. Very expressive on the nose with red fruits and black fruit flavors. A good swirl in the glass release a large range of flavors and spice. Star anise, licorice, as well as empyreumatic notes and flint stones. It goes very wide and powerful on the palate at first, then well-defined structure and smoothness of the wine gives all its balance, fresh and full body. The length is highlighted by a great tannic structure. On the palate, it is highly aromatic with a great fruit expression melted with soft spices, blond tobacco leaf, licorice and graphite pencil like notes.

Expert Reviews

Robert Parker 100 Points | A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin. (2020).

Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points | Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.

James Suckling 99 Points | Extremely fresh and deep in the nose with raspberry and blackcurrant character, as well as stone, fresh green tobacco and ink. Full-bodied with a dense center palate and gorgeous fine yet steely tannins. It calms down at the end with berries, citrus and some lavender. Salty at the end. Very minerally. Flinty. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. (2020).

Wine Enthusiast 98 Points | This is a very fine wine, packed with tannins that are rich and suspended in the wine with its smoky edge and ripe blackberry fruits. The wine is direct in its fine, fragrant freshness and in its texture that gives power and concentration. Obviously for long-term aging. (2020).

Decanter 97 Points | Powerful on the attack, dense and concentrated at first then brighter on the retro-olfaction with layers of spice, liquorice and flowers. Intense but beautifully precise, with iris and peony aromatics coming in strongly as it opens in the glass. A ton of nuance and complexity, really takes its time, delivering a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour. Average yields 30hl/ha for the reds. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak. (2020).

Wine Spectator 95 Points | Exotic and lush in feel, with well-steeped plum, boysenberry and blackberry fruit flavors rolling through, scored with hints of espresso crema, dark tobacco and black licorice along the way. Very polished in feel, but with a late flicker of savory and a subtle tug of earth to keep this honest in the end. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026. (2020).

Winemaker Description

A vibrant bouquet of fresh red and  black fruits with floral notes and a hint  of pepper. It is medium-bodied, has a  moderate amount of gentle yet grippy  tannins and refreshing acidity. 

Winemaker Description

Chambertin is the wine of Kings. Masculine, powerful and well built. Vigorous and firm, well-structured and very dense. With great persistence in the mouth and aromas of chocolate, licorice and red berries.

Expert Reviews 

Jasper Morris 100 Points | An imperial robe as we have come to expect. The bouquet is very backward, no problem there either, all about the fruit, the new wood is irrelevant. Starts slowly then builds immaculately, still too early really to see the detail. As always it is about grace style intensity and length rather than overt muscle, all the finesse one can want. Long and lovely

Robert Parker 97 Points Wine Advocate | Rousseau's 2020 Chambertin Grand Cru is brilliant, unwinding in the glass with aromas of wild berries, orange rind, plums, exotic spices, Egyptian musk, woodsmoke and rose petals. Full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, it's deep and tightly wound, with striking intensity and energy. Still very primary, even after a year's élevage, it will require patience, but it's a magical Chambertin in the making.

Expert Review 

Vinous 99 Points | The 2020 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on 26 and 28 August at 28.7hL/ha. As usual, I leave it for 5-10 minutes to open in the glass, predisposed not to show everything upon first pour. It reveals lovely dark berry fruit, sous-bois, clove and haunting sea spray notes (picture yourself walking along the pebble beach at Whistable and the tang of shucked oyster shell in the salty air). The palate is medium-bodied with very fine and pliant tannins. Harmonious to a tee with a perfect silver bead of acidity, long and languorous, this fans out with ineffable ease on the finish. Stunning. 500 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.

Winemaker Description 

This Napa Valley Merlot is sourced from a combination of high elevation mountain sites as well as wonderful benchland vineyards around the valley. Freemark Abbey blends in a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and balance. The wine opens with aromas of ripe plum, blueberry, milk chocolate and cedar. The palate is met with flavors of wild raspberry, bramble fruits, allspice, cinnamon, dry herbs, and oak spice.

The textures are supple yet vibrant with well-integrated tannins that drink beautifully now on its own or paired with a wide range of dishes.

Winemaker Description

Cherry red color with garnet rims. On the nose it is elegant, clean and expressive, with a complexity typical of a wine made with an excellent quality grape and a very careful production process. In the mouth it is sweet, with good body and great balance, presenting a long and pleasant aftertaste.

The alma mater of the winery, a wine with imprint, plant, and lordship. A completely varietal red, mature, with a growing personality and a lot of elegance.

The soils of the Cepa 21 vineyards are the result of the evolution of millions of years. In them grow our vines that define who we are, learning from the passage of time, a deep love for our land, the care with which we work the fields and the history that precedes us. The Strain is much more than a part of our name, it is the basis of all our machinery, what moves us to be better every day, the greatest asset of our wineries, the origin, and the end. 

Winemaker Description

Bright, ruby-red color. The nose is very expressive with notes of wild strawberry, cherry and Mediterranean herbs.

On the palate, the wine is beautifully supple. Tannins are silky and the tasty finish reveals notes of black pepper, red fruits and a hint of eucalyptus.

Winemaker Description

High Haven captures the essence of California's highest and coolest growing region, and the humble, nostalgic —slightly eccentric — charm of Anderson Valley. This rustic enclave, in the shadow of the giant redwoods, produces world-class Pinot that is deeply aromatic, balancing concentrated fruit with beautiful acidity.

Expert Reviews

91 Points Wine Enthusiast |Find bright aromas and flavors of cranberry, raspberry and strawberry along with earthy notes of river-rock minerality, roses, violets, hints of fennel and tarragon and just a touch of wood. Elevated fruit concentration yields pleasantly plush tannic texture along with an energetic acidity that points to a long, lingering finish.

91 Points Wine & Spirits | Clean, fresh, bright and tangy, this pinot is touched by notes of orange and vanilla, lasting on a cherry-leaf scent. It’s fruit-forward with tannins that melt into the background, leaving the cool feel of Anderson Valley pinot.

91 Wine Spectator | Alluring, with a nice swath of mulled raspberry and blood orange inlaid with pine forest and savory hints. Caressing finish.

Expert Review

97 Points Wine Spectator | This pure and stylish Barolo features rose, strawberry, cherry, mineral and underbrush aromas and flavors. Though silky in texture, this is well-structured, with integrated tannins and harmony. This is all about finesse and texture, with excellent length and a mineral aftertaste.

Winemaker Description

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG “Zac” is 100% Sangiovese from the Gugliaie vineyard (2.5 ha). It is dedicated to Anna Corsini, the sister of Prince Tommaso and it represents the new challenges of the winery.

Expert Review

93 Points Wine Enthusiast | A blend of organically farmed Sangiovese and 15% Merlot, this has aromas of forest floor, blue flower, sandalwood and crushed mint. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the savory palate features dried Marasca cherry, blood orange, star anise and black tea set against taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2028. (2018). 

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. 

Winemaker Description

A blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 24 months French & American oak. The wine exhibits a glass-coating opaque purple color.

The nose is expressive with pain grille, underbrush, brier, minerality, blueberry and blackberry fruit. On the palate is a plush, opulent wine with great density, savory flavors, and a lengthy finish.

Expert Review

Allan Meadows  of Burghound writes 91 Points | Bright red and dark berry fruit aromas are nuanced by notes of spice, earth and plenty of floral nuances, especially violet. The rich, concentrated and palate coating medium weight flavors possess plenty of sappy dry extract that buffers the firm tannins supporting the elegant yet powerful finish. At least some patience is strongly recommended. I would note that this example showed markedly better than one from last year, in fact so much so that I have no explanation.  

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Audrey Frick of Jeb Dunnuck writes 100 Points | The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigneti Del Versante is also a jeweled ruby color and is aromatic of kirsch, fresh flowers, sweet herbs, and toasted rosemary. It's full-bodied on the palate, with a compact and concentrated feel, well-defined tannins, and an extraordinarily long finish. As it opens, it continuously evolves in the glass, with pristine notes of licorice shining through, and becomes even more focused and pristine over time. In my book, this wine flirts with perfection and is more than deserving of top marks. Drink over the coming 2-3 decades..." 01/25

Eric Guido of Vinous writes 97 Points | Nuances of dusty florals, rosemary, sage, clove and leather give way to dried strawberry aromas as the radiant 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante blossoms in the glass. It's silky-smooth and deep, displaying extraordinary elegance. Soothingly soft textures, ripe red and blue fruit notes and a kick of vibrant acidity provide fantastic energy. Sweet, crunchy tannins steadily build toward the violet-tinged finale, tapering off with hints of blood orange and spice. In a word, spellbinding… I've been tasting the 2019 Brunellos at Pian dell'Orino over the past two years as they've slowly evolved in bottle. Last year, I mused over the Vigneti di Versante's classy profile and potential, as well as the Bassolino di Sopra's flirtations with perfection. The former may find its way there in time. Collectors will want to snatch up both of these upon release in 2025.

Winemaker Description

The Pian dell Orino estate is adjacent to the Biondi Santi property. This area has a long history of being particularly suited for growing grapes for high quality wines. Husband and wife team Caroline and Jan's love for Tuscany and passion for viticulture binds them particularly to this land, their vines and the resulting wines. 

The wines are produced from four different vineyards that have a total area of 6 hectares. From the beginning they studied the soil and the structure of each vineyard in order to fully understand its characteristics. Fossils, petrified shells and chalk sediment all testify to the earth’s evolutions and recount marine flooding and periods of drought in the area. 

The wines are produced from four different vineyards that have a total area of 6 hectares. From the beginning they studied the soil and the structure of each vineyard in order to fully understand its characteristics. Fossils, petrified shells and chalk sediment all testify to the earth’s evolutions and recount marine flooding and periods of drought in the area. 

Winemaker Description

Aromas of plum, raspberry and cherry are layered with earthy tones of mushroom, sage and pine. Soft on the palate, flavors of black cherry and red plum with notes of dark chocolate lead to a bright finish.

Try this wine with fatty dishes. Red meats and flavor-forward ingredients like cooked tomatoes will deliciously complement this wine’s brightness and fine-grained tannins. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Vinous 95 Points | The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is rich, racy and super-expressive. Silky and deep, with notable resonance, the 2021 offers up dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, new leather and licorice. Today, it is a very young wine in need of cellaring, but its potential is evident. Dollops of Petit Verdot and Malbec round out the blend. This should be positively stellar.

Winemaker Description 

The nose of the 2021 PlumpJack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon leads with juicy fruits – black cherry, boysenberry, blackberry jam, and muddled mixed berries. The fruit is layered with fresh mint, sage, and iron filings. These aromas are complemented by warming spices, vanilla, and cocoa nib. The palate has a beautiful, velvety texture with plush tannin and an enduring finish with impressions of espresso and dark chocolate.

Winemaker Description

Israel. The Yarden Merlot Allone Habashan 2016 is the first release from this vineyard. The wine presents a fragrant blend of aromas featuring ripe red and black fruits, flowers, spice, tobacco, orange zest and chocolate.

This attractive single-vineyard wine is full-bodied, flavorful and complex. The wine aged for 18 months in small French oak barrels, of which 70% were new. While ready to enjoy upon release the wine will improve in the bottle over the coming years, and should stay in excellent drinking condition for a decade or more from harvest.

Winemaker Description

A classic Pommard with a good structure. A complex nose with hints of red fruits, spices and flowers. The mouth is well balanced and structured, with ripe and sweet tannins. 

Winemaker Description

Expert Reviews

Winemaker Description

Rioja is without question the most famous wine region in Spain, but the region is anything but homogeneous. The three sub-regions – Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Oriental and Rioja Alta – differ enormously. This wine comes from the small hamlet of Labastida in the northwest of Rioja Alavesa, the smallest and northernmost sub-region located in the Spanish Basque Country and characterized by calcareous clay and sandy soils. 

The mastermind behind the Dominio del Challao winery is Manu Michelini, whose family makes incredibly fine, terroir-driven wines under the name Michelini i Mufatto at both their winery in Bierzo, in northeastern Spain, and the Argentine winery in Mendoza. The Challao is the winery's top wine. Medium ruby ​​red with violet. There is significantly more intensity in the glass than with the Garnacha, but this wine still reminds me more of Burgundy than Bordeaux on the nose. The winery is clearly on the trail of elegance. Juicy, fresh wild berries, black cherries, rose petals and black Assam tea, that's delicately smoky. 

Then come violets and freshly fired clay. In the mouth, cassis, fresh blackberries and lots of black cherry again. The intense, chalky minerality is phenomenal, building up gradually on the tongue. Delicately bitter, fresh herbs and a touch of After Eight. The tannins are fine and chalky, and as soon as you feel the structure, the next wave of black cherry washes over your tongue. 

This is not at all what you imagine Rioja to be in the classic sense. But this wine is a lot of fun because of its freshness and mineral intensity without being boring. On the contrary, I am convinced that it will develop gracefully in the cellar for years because it is made for a long life. Super chic fabric and without question a Rioja in a class of its own! 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020 

93 Points Robert Parker | The 2020 Angelita del Challao comes from a blend of different vineyards in the three valleys from Labastida, looking for a village wine; it was produced with 85% Tempranillo and the rest Garnacha, Mazuelo, Viura, Garnacha Blanca and other rare varieties from their own vineyards and purchased grapes. It fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts, 40% full clusters that are foot trodden and the rest uncrushed grapes and matured in 225- and 500-liter barrels and 2,000-liter foudres—10 months with each plot separate—and then it was blended and let to settle in concrete for another 10 months. They look for a more approachable wine than Challao, with more floral aromas in a very elegant and harmonious way. The palate is medium-bodied with medium ripeness, 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness and acidity, balanced and harmonious, very tasty and with elegant, refined tannins. Really very good. 17,282 bottles and some larger magnums were filled in May 2022. (2020).