Jeb Dunnuck (99)

A brilliant, borderline perfect wine, the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, and 1% Petit Verdot that was aged 18 months in 100% new French oak. Insanely good blue fruits, spring flowers, graphite, and damp earth define the aromatics, and it builds beautifully with air, showing intensity, depth, purity, and complexity. Just gorgeous on the palate as well, it's full-bodied and has a deep, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and flawless balance. Back up the truck on this beauty. It will have a broad drinking window and should cruise for 40+ years. Drink 2026-2066. The 2022 was harvested from September 7 to October 10, hitting 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.61.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96+)

The 2023 Brane-Cantenac is deep, bold and explosive, yet also closed in on itself. That won't be a problem in another few years' time, but today, the Grand Vin is embryonic. Time in the glass brings out dark red fruit, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, mint and spice. Brane-Cantenac remains a wine of timeless classicism, a wine that embodies all the beauty and charm that only Bordeaux is capable of. Floral notes lift the dense, sustained finish. Superb.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96+)

The 2023 Brane-Cantenac is deep, bold and explosive, yet also closed in on itself. That won't be a problem in another few years' time, but today, the Grand Vin is embryonic. Time in the glass brings out dark red fruit, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, mint and spice. Brane-Cantenac remains a wine of timeless classicism, a wine that embodies all the beauty and charm that only Bordeaux is capable of. Floral notes lift the dense, sustained finish. Superb.

Wine Advocate (98)

This magnificent, dense plum/purple-colored Pessac-Leognan reveals notes of scorched earth, burning embers, blackberries and truffles. Composed of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from a vineyard gorgeously situated between Malartic Lagraviere and Haut-Bailly, it possesses full-bodied power, a stunningly intense, voluptuous, layered mouthfeel and abundant levels of fruit, glycerin and tannin. The 2009 ranks alongside the magnificent 2000, which is aging at a glacial pace. Unfortunately, proprietress Helene Garcin only produces around 500 cases of this somewhat cult-ish Pessac-Leognan. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.

Wine Advocate (98)

This magnificent, dense plum/purple-colored Pessac-Leognan reveals notes of scorched earth, burning embers, blackberries and truffles. Composed of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from a vineyard gorgeously situated between Malartic Lagraviere and Haut-Bailly, it possesses full-bodied power, a stunningly intense, voluptuous, layered mouthfeel and abundant levels of fruit, glycerin and tannin. The 2009 ranks alongside the magnificent 2000, which is aging at a glacial pace. Unfortunately, proprietress Helene Garcin only produces around 500 cases of this somewhat cult-ish Pessac-Leognan. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.

Wine Advocate (97)

Once again in 2010, notes of mocha, espresso roast, chocolate, creme de cassis and scorched earth soar from this opaque purple-colored wine. It is aged in 100% new oak, but that is hardly noticeable given the wine’s sensational richness and extravagant fruit. This wine is classic, full-bodied and intense. It’s just a shame that less than 8,000 bottles are usually made. This wine is still backward, but very full, rich, and impressively pure in texture. Give it another 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 20+ years.

Vinous (92)

The 2019 Barolo is a gorgeous entry-level offering from Brezza. In fact, it's one of the best editions of this wine I can remember tasting. Bright, translucent and full of character, the straight Barolo is all charm. Crushed red berry fruit, orange peel, sage, mint and sweet spice all lend notable complexity throughout. Vineyard sites are San Lorenzo, Fossati, Ravera (Novello) and Bricco San Pietro. Fruit is harvested and vinified separately, then the lots are blended before malolactic fermentation.

Experience a taste of true Italian excellence with the Brezza Barolo 2020. This exceptional vintage hails from the Barolo region of Piedmont, an area renowned for its full-bodied wines cloaked in history and tradition. The century-old vineyard of Brezza is managed by Enzo Brezza -- the fourth generation of his family to create world-class wines.

Brezza Barolo 2020 was cultivated from vines planted on south-east facing slopes, making certain the grapes absorb the best of the morning sun. The wine undergoes traditional fermentation in Slavonian oak casks, securing the robust tannins that Barolos are known for.

Equipped with a deep garnet red colour, this elegant Nebbiolo varietal expresses rich flavours of dark cherries and plums, anchored by earthy undertones and spice notes. Its fine-grained tannin profile and balanced acidity promise a splendidly ageing potential.

Enjoy the unparalleled quality of the Brezza Barolo 2020, setting the benchmark for Italian finesse and craftsmanship.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Barolo Cannubi is one of the best wines I have tasted from Brezza in a very long time. Sweet, perfumed and silky, the 2019 bristles with Cannubi character. Crushed red berry fruit, cedar, mint, rose petal and orange zest are some of the notes that grace this exquisite but potent Barolo. Give the tannins a few years to soften.

Wine Advocate (94)

With certified organic fruit from one of the most celebrated sites in the appellation, the Brezza 2020 Barolo Cannubi shows pretty intensity and focus. It offers aromas of iris root, lilac and wild blueberry. Indeed, it is quite floral in character, with violets over a fine texture. You really get a very pretty and elegant wine in this bottle. This is a production of 9,309 bottles plus large formats.

Vinous (91)

The 2016 Barolo Castellero is a powerful, pleasantly rustic wine that is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. Burly tannins convey an impression of rusticity, but beyond that, there is good depth and plenty of fruit as well. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2016 for at least a few years. Scorched earth, tobacco, menthol, macerated dark cherry, licorice, game and incense add to the wine's dark, wild and virile feel.

Jeb Dunnuck (90)

Ripe red in color, the 2020 Barolo Castellero is generous with notes of raspberry preserve, crushed roses, and rosemary. Medium-bodied, it’s approachable and has a supple texture along with an easygoing nature. It retains good freshness at this stage, but I would drink it sooner rather than later.

Vinous (95)

Dark cherries, pine, menthol, licorice, smoke and underbrush all take shape in the 2010 Barolo Sarmassa. The darkest and most imposing of the Brezza Barolos, the Sarmassa is backed up by firm tannins that ensure the wine will drink well for a number of years. This is the most tightly wound of the Brezza 2010s, so it will require a bit of patience. This is a deep and deeply satisfying Barolo from Enzo Brezza. In 2010, Brezza did not produce his top Barolo, Bricco Sarmassa. All the best fruit went into the straight Sarmassa.

Decanter (97)

Brezza is dedicated to organic viticulture, and works only with indigenous yeast, big oak vessels and long macerations in the cellar. His 2019 Sarmassa is one of the most elegant Barolos of the vintage, if not the most. Bright ruby in the glass and vibrant on the nose, the tannins are impeccable. Plenty of Parma violet notes are to the fore, soaked with rhubarb root, liquorice stick and a whiff of yellow fruits. The attack is poised, soft and silky, with long, lifted acidity. There is a perfect extraction here – the tannins are very well judged and ripe.

Wine Advocate (94)

The certified organic Brezza 2020 Barolo Sarmassa is a quiet wine from a loud vintage. You'll appreciate how subdued and silky Nebbiolo performs in this expression. The wine shows a finely knit texture with little highlights of fruit, spice and licorice. Sarmassa enjoys southwest exposures with silty clay soils. Production is 8,698 bottles and 415 magnums.

Steeped in tradition from the sun-kissed hills of Piemonte, Italy, the Bricco Ernesto Vino Bianco 2021 is every connoisseur’s delight. This elegant white wine is born from a meticulous harvesting process carried out entirely by hand. Producer Bricco Ernesto injects passion and dedication into every bottle, delivering fine quality and consistency year after year.

Gracefully maturing in stainless steel tanks, the Bricco Ernesto Vino Bianco 2021 offers a hint of zest that captivates from the first sip. Made primarily from Moscato grapes, it yields an aromatic, fragrant nose, whilst the careful inclusion of 10% Cortese and Favorita grapes balances this with herbal notes and a refreshing minerality.

A perfect partner for refined pallets and gastronomy, Bricco Ernesto Vino Bianco 2021 complements remarkably well with seafood dishes, cheeses and white meats. Raise your glasses to a sublime, Italian expression of terroir, transcending the ordinary to deliver a truly unforgettable white wine experience.

Wine Advocate (90)

Based on the 2021 vintage and incorporating approximately 30% reserve wines from 2018 to 2020, Brice's NV Blanc de Noirs Bouzy Grand Cru was disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of four grams per liter. This cuvée is a blend of several vineyard sites, with the majority of grapes sourced from lieux-dits Les Chanteraines, Les Grosses Pierres and Le Poteau. Predominantly vinified in stainless steel, with a small portion (around 5%) aged in barrels, the wine offers aromas of apricot, roasted hazelnut and honey, with a slight autumn-apple edge. On the palate, it's medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural, with a rich core of fruit, racy acids and delicately bitter Pinot Noir phenolics that assert themselves on the finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The 2019 Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais is pure, with notes of cherry, pine, medicinal herbs, and black raspberry. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with ripe raspberry, rose hip, light quinine, and turned earth. Allow this another couple of years and drink it 2024-2036.