Jeb Dunnuck (96-100)

The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape showed brilliantly. Ripe red and black fruits, classic Provençal garrigue, and leather, spicy notes define the aromatics, and it's a layered, balanced, incredibly classy style (I actually find a touch of Clos des Papes-like character in this beauty) that has integrated tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish. It's going to be a candidate for perfection at maturity and is a thrilling wine in the making.

Burghound (95)

A restrained but still wonderfully spicy nose consists of ripe aromas of poached plum, violet, lavender and black cherry liqueur. The middle weight flavors possess a highly refined mouthfeel with a silky mid-palate yet the hugely long and slightly warm finish is borderline chewy. There is no doubting the quality of the underlying material and the length here is genuinely superb but it would be fair to observe that this is a very robust RSV. Patience will be required.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese is intense and complex on the still introverted but complex nose that shows clear, bright fruit aromas (baby pineapple) intermingled with fine, flinty slate notes. What an aristocratic appearance! Round, crystalline and saline on the palate, this 2020 Auslese is much more openhearted and fruity as well as frisky and frivolous than it pretends to be on the nose. This is a really Catholic Riesling or a picture-book Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese. Its finish, however, is Protestant: rigorously linear, straight and with serious structure and grip. All in all, this is the world's most ecumenical Sonnenuhr. Pure fascination. 7% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine from AP 38 21 in July 2022.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95-97)

The 2022 Lagrange was picked between 8 and 30 September, it ages in 60% new oak for a planned 21 months. It has an almost clinical bouquet, with very well defined blackberry and blueberry fruit, graphite and crushed stone. Quite a gap in quality between this and the Fiefs de Lagrange this year. The palate is extremely pure with cashmere tannins, black cherry fruit infused by blood orange, lightly spiced, hints of white pepper toward a very concentrated, fine-boned finish. This will require several years in bottle, but it will be worth waiting for. A serious and very able Lagrange that should not be under-estimated.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Château Larcis Ducasse checks in as 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that comes from a gorgeous hillside terroir on the Côte Pavie, located between Château Pavie and Château Bellefont-Belcier. Aged 18 months in 60% new barrels, it offers a truly sensational bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, espresso roast, scorched earth, bloody meat, chocolate, iron, and bouquet garni. A massive, super-rich Saint-Emilion with a dense, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, it has building yet sweet tannins and incredible purity of fruit. Reminding me of the 2005 shortly after release, this heavenly juice offers astonishing richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and elegant. Sadly, there are less than 3,000 cases produced, but this monumental, legendary wine won't hit maturity for a good 8-10 years and will have 40-50 years of longevity if well stored. Hats off to Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt for producing one of the wines of the vintage as well as one of the greatest young Bordeaux I've ever tasted.

The Wine Independent (97)

A blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. A little subdued to begin, offering subtle notes of crushed rocks and damp soil, it opens out to a core of ripe black and red plums and fresh blackberries, plus a fragrant waft of lilacs. The full-bodied palate is bursting with taut, muscular black fruits and amazing tension, framed by ripe, rounded tannins, and finishing with great length and depth.

Vinous (96)

An exquisite wine, Le Cinciole's 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Aluigi Campo ai Peri is immediately seductive. More than anything else, I admire the purity and delineation here. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, rose petal and dried herbs are finely cut in this chiseled, vibrant Gran Selezione. Le Cinciole sets the standard. What a gorgeous wine this is. The 2019 spent two years in 25hL cask and a year in cement.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

A riot of pepper lights up the nose, from cracked black to green peppercorn to hot chili. Flint and leather undertones empower the heat, while aromas of raspberry jam and vanilla provide balance. The palate stays spicy, with snappy, confident acidity, but a sweetness lingers, and a finish of chili and chocolate ties everything together. Transcendent. Drink 2030–2040 or beyond.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2019 Petit Cheval is a stunning second wine - if it can even be called that. In 2019, Petit Cheval is a blend of four parcels that were in the Grand Vin in 2018. Dark, supple and expressive, the 2019 offers up an exotic mélange of black cherry, spice, new leather and graphite, all of which build effortlessly in the glass. The Petit represents 5.5% of the château's production in 2019, but it is more of a second selection, as 12% of the wine that year was sold in bulk.

Falstaff (100)

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on rim. Fine oak, a hint of nougat, dark berries underneath, some cardamom, dark cherries, a hint of candied oranges. Powerful, taut, tightly meshed, fresh acidity, spicy, supporting tannins, a hint of chocolate on the finish, convincing balance, mineral and very long lasting, cherries on the finish, a vin de garde, can also be tasted young with a few hours in the carafe, enormous future potential.

Decanter (97)

Softly shimmering straw gold, green tints, with a delicate filigree dancing at will around the glass. The nose is gently authoritative; spring flowers garlanding stone fruit, a hint of hawthorn maybe, then lemongrass. The palate has encyclopaedic depth, the intricacies of the Perpetual Reserve weaving their early magic; almond, sloe, gingerbread and apples; the finish has a pleasing twist of bitterness, courtesy the small percentage of oak-aged reserve wine. Maybe the dosage can come down even further, such is the engaging and subtle complexity harnessed elsewhere?

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2019 Château Lynch-Bages is stunningly good, and it's going to be interesting to compare this to the 2018 over the coming decades. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencil, spring flowers, smoke, and graphite, with an almost liqueur of rocks-like minerality. A massive, incredibly concentrated Lynch-Bages, Jean-Charles has hit a home run in the vintage, and this sensational wine has building, perfect tannins, insane purity, and a finish that won't quit. It has the purity, finesse, balance, and depth to offer pleasure not only today but to evolve for 40 to 50 years. Smart money will hide these for a good 7-8 years, but wow, what a wine. Bravo.

Halliday Wine Companion (99)

Stands proudly at the head of the Mount Mary portfolio. A blend of 44% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 5% each of malbec and petit verdot, each variety handled according to its structure. Open/static fermenters, wood/stainless steel, 10-14 days on skins, 35% new oak from a range of coopers and forests, 16-20 months in barrel. Mesmerisingly silky, with a kaleidoscope of fruit and secondary flavours.

Vinous (91-93)

Bright, dark red. Red raspberry and exotic spice aromas are accented by a peppery stem element. Juicier and tighter than the Chambolle Les Lavrottes, showing a more restrained sweetness owing to its pungent spice and herb qualities. But this very long, vibrant wine finishes with a touch of underbrush and superb rising perfume. Incidentally, Bernstein owns these vines, as well as those from which he makes his Mazis-Chambertin.

James Suckling (94)

This has chocolate, cedar and walnuts as well as some currant aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with some lovely fruit and juiciness. 55.8% cabernet sauvignon, 38.8% merlot and 5.4% petit verdot. Attractive now but another year or two will make it even better.

The Wine Cellar Insider (97)

Showing a virtuous depth of color, the wine opens with notes of lead pencil, truffle, smoke, tobacco leaf, vanilla and dark red fruits. The tannins are silky, polished, salty and creamy. The wine is full bodied, velvety and long, delivering complexity, sweetness and length. This a very sensuous wine that comes from blending 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine reached 13.1% alcohol with a pH of 3.78. The harvest took place from September 7, ending October 1.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98-100)

A wine to convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage, showcasing superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character, bitter cocoa bean, freshly cut herbs, black tea, fennel, all vivid and with purity of character. There is density here but it is not overt, with heightened raspberry leaf, peony and violet aromatics. Vinified in the newly-completed section of the cellars, in egg-shaped wooden vats and sunken qveri-style clay vats. 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage. New lighter bottle as of the 2022 around 490g, down from 815g in the past, 30 tonnes of CO2 saved just in terms of production. Harvest September 7, one day earlier than 2022, then slow picking through to October 10, later than many in Pauillac - and normal yields of around 40hl/h.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

The 2017 Barbaresco, sourced from 100 hectares and 54 growers, was aged for 24 months in large oak casks. It offers layers of aromatics woven together with tar, forested earth, dried cherry, and sweet tobacco. The palate is ripe and pure, with raspberry leather, tea leaf, and blood orange. It is mouth-filling, with fruit that is long and persistent, fine tannins, and a lifted finish. Finessed and elegant, the 2017 is drinking beautifully now and will continue to drink well over the next 15 years. 2021-2036.

Greg Sherwood MW (99)

The MR de Compostella from Bruwer Raats and Mzokhona Mvemve possesses one of the most successful critical track records out of almost any red wine produced in South Africa let alone just in the Cape Bordeaux Blend category. The newest 2021 release astonishingly takes this wine to yet another higher niveau of quality with a blend of 26% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Made from vines aged between 9 and 22 years old, all grown on deep decomposed dolomitic granite soils with table mountain sandstone, the aromatics are wonderfully bold and exuberant displaying seductive notes of blackberries, crème de cassis, violets, sweet cherry tobacco, black cherries and tart black plum. The lifted perfumed intensity is incredibly pure and piercing with salty liquorice, cedar spice and beautifully detailed maritime oyster shell nuances. In the mouth, the concentration and focused steely intensity is astounding – tart, bright and architecturally soaring, shaping this wine into a powerful, linear, multi-dimensional masterpiece. Packed full of salty cassis, tart plum and black currant, the tightly wound core of power, refined extraction and polished marble tannins leave you in no doubt that this harmonious, vibrant beauty is a spellbinding, timeless classic in the making. If you wanted just one wine to convince an international fine wine connoisseur of the true greatness of South Africa’s finest terroirs and winemaking, you have found your candidate! Simply an incredible wine. Drink this beauty from 2024 and savour over the next 30+ years. But you might need more than just one or two cases in your cellar!!

Wine Advocate (97+)

This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia. The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await.

James Suckling (100)

The perfect blanc de blancs. Full-bodied with a lovely framework of acidity and dry fruit, such as apples, pears and peaches. Opulent. Dense and muscular. Yet, it’s balanced and harmonious. Line of acidity at the end. Totally in tune. Superb. Deep and complete. Has everything. One for the cellar. It is the greatest Comte ever. It has everything. A perfect upgrade from two years ago. Drink or hold.

Vinous (96)

The 2018 Tenuta Degli Dei is dense, juicy and wonderfully inviting. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather. In the glass, the 2018 is intensely aromatic and layered, with exceptional balance and tons of character. Here, too, the wine's overall sense of harmony can only be described as exquisite.

Vinous (88)

The 2017 Boca is dominated by strong savory, earthy and feral notes, while the fruit is dried out and pushed into the background. It is not my favorite wine in this range.

The Wine Independent (98)

The 2019 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello is brimming with youthful ebullience and demands to be noticed. The nose is immediate, direct, and very charming, with sweet, ripe, cherry fruit. On the palate it is supremely harmonious and balanced with delicious flavors of cream, spice and vivid, just-ripe, crunchy blackberry. The tannins are beautifully refined as with the superb 2016 but, if anything, there is even more refinement. Although it has not had time to develop any of its complexity or depth yet, it shows incredible potential and is already very much at ease with itself. It seems a return to a more normal vintage in 2019 has meant the vines were comfortable and not overly stressed. This 2019 Tignanello seems to reflect this wonderful sense of ease. Renzo Cotarella, CEO of Antinori and head of winemaking described this wine as ‘sbarazzino’ – vivacious. I can see what he means.

Introducing the remarkable Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux 2019, a lustrous ruby-red wine produced in the renowned French vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin. This exceptional offering is meticulously crafted by Domaine Tortochot, a burgundy winemaker cherished for honouring the traditional, organic winemaking techniques inherited over generations. The 2019 vintage is carefully vinified using 100% hand-picked Pinot Noir grapes, contributing to its refined structure and supple tannins.

The Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux 2019 boasts radiant flavours, harmoniously combining venerated old world production with contemporary indulgence. It unveils the alluring notes of wild berries, accentuated by a mesmerizing hint of exotic spices and an elegant earthy undertone. The finish lingers pleasingly, reaffirming the powerful prestige of this spectacular Premier Cru. Savour the distinctive character of this admirable French wine, a true testament to the meticulous attention to detail and dedication to quality upheld by Domaine Tortochot.

Indulge in the exquisite elegance of Tortochot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Aux Charmes 2019. This esteemed vintage, crafted in the celebrated vineyards of Burgundy, France, is a sensory delight. Domaine Tortochot, a revered wine producer since the 19th century, utilises traditional methods; hand-harvested grapes and maturation in French oak barrels ensure an inviting complexity to this Pinot Noir.

The 2019 edition exhibits a remarkable depth of colour, resembling polished garnet. Offering a robust nose replete with ripe dark fruits, earthy undertones, and a hint of spice; it's a prelude to the sumptuous taste. On the palate, expect an exquisite balance of rich fruit flavours, refined tannins, and an enduring finish that sings of the terroir.

Conveying the unique charm of Morey-Saint-Denis' premier cru vineyard, the Tortochot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Aux Charmes 2019 is a must-have addition for the discerning wine enthusiast.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

There were 32 barrels of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley produced. It’s a great wine, offering full-bodied richness and depth in a rich, concentrated, satisfying package. Classic Cabernet notes of cassis, tobacco, and chocolate all emerge from the glass, and it has ripe tannins, no hard edges, and the purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage front and center. A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, enjoy bottles any time over the coming 20 years or more.

Wine Advocate (94)

I tasted the 2022 Regueirón, a single-vineyard Godello from the village of Éntoma on slate and schist soils. It's a much more Burgundian white, with notes of fennel and flowers, very tasty and elegant. It's also a powerful white with impressive aromas and flavors, intensity and depth; it's vibrant and complex, alive, with a pH of 3.1 and 6.8 grams of acidity. They believe the soils are the difference, and character of the wine is very mineral, a little à la Meursault, with purity. It fermented and matured in 500-liter oak barrels, 50% of them new, then they blended the juice and put it into a 2,000-liter foudre for two months. A white of purity, precision and elegance, it's impressive, very young and with aging potential. 2,488 bottles and 60 magnums were filled in August 2023.

James Suckling (98)

This is one of those wines where your nose is in the glass for ages, enjoying the complex array of aromas that range from raspberries to dates, perfumed bark to polished wood, pressed flowers to fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied, dense and focused with fine, well-integrated tannins, plenty of fruit flavor and an endless finish. A joy to drink even now, but this will age gracefully for many a year.