Vinous (94)

Cavallotto's 2007 Barolo Riserva Vignolo is opulent and racy in the glass. The ripe style of the year might be too much for classicists, but there is an intensity to the Vignolo that is hard to resist. There is nothing intellectual or ponderous here, just a big, voluptuous Barolo that captures the personality of the vintage. Even with all of its obvious resonance and generosity, the tannins remain very much present, which suggests the 2007 has many years of fine drinking head of it.

Vinous (94)

A dark, powerful wine, the 2011 Barolo Riserva Vignolo has nevertheless preserved good freshness for the year. The breadth and amplitude of the vintage comes through, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Readers can look forward to another 20 years of fine drinking. This is very nicely done.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Vignolo surprises for the sheer darkness and saturation of its color. Upfront and without too much bother, the wine offers immediate richness and concentration with dark berry fruit, plum and dried cherry. There is a lot of intensity here, but the wine is more horizontal and broad in character than it is vertical per se. In other words, it shows a heavy center of gravity, and its very character is focused on richness and power. This wine ages in 20- and 100-hectoliter Slavonian oak botti for up to five years before its commercial release. Production is exactly 6,666 bottles.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

Aromas of leather, scorched earth, grilled herb and camphor come to the forefront along with a whiff of hazelnut. Savory and full-bodied, the compelling palate delivers dried cherry, orange zest, black licorice and baking spice set against youthfully firm but refined tannins.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

Enticing aromas recalling new leather, pressed rose, eucalyptus and sandalwood come to the forefront on this gorgeous, compelling wine. Full-bodied, structured and loaded with finesse, the precise palate is young but already delicious, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry, licorice, truffle and white pepper alongside a backbone of taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and will fuel decades of evolution. Drink 2026–2056

Wine Enthusiast (99)

Enticing aromas recalling new leather, pressed rose, eucalyptus and sandalwood come to the forefront on this gorgeous, compelling wine. Full-bodied, structured and loaded with finesse, the precise palate is young but already delicious, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry, licorice, truffle and white pepper alongside a backbone of taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and will fuel decades of evolution. Drink 2026–2056

Wine Advocate (97)

The organic Cavallotto 2018 Barolo Riserva Vignolo delivers the focus and straight-shooting concentration that we can expect of Castiglione Falletto. The wine ages for an extended 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, and fruit comes from a southwest-facing slope with 40-year-old vines. The wine's core of fruit remains on the dark side, but you also get pretty lift and verticality with tart berry aromas, shaved mineral, cola and mint (like when you walk through the vineyard rows in summer). The wine is amply structured and fleshed out and delivers texture. The Riserva Vignolo is my favorite of Cavallotto's wines this year. Production is just under 7,000 bottles.

Wine Advocate (97)

The organic Cavallotto 2018 Barolo Riserva Vignolo delivers the focus and straight-shooting concentration that we can expect of Castiglione Falletto. The wine ages for an extended 60 months in large Slavonian oak casks, and fruit comes from a southwest-facing slope with 40-year-old vines. The wine's core of fruit remains on the dark side, but you also get pretty lift and verticality with tart berry aromas, shaved mineral, cola and mint (like when you walk through the vineyard rows in summer). The wine is amply structured and fleshed out and delivers texture. The Riserva Vignolo is my favorite of Cavallotto's wines this year. Production is just under 7,000 bottles.

From the renowned vineyards of Beaujolais, France comes the exquisite Cave de Fleurie Fleurie 2020. A true testament to expert winemaking, this seductive red blend is crafted from handpicked Gamay grapes meticulously grown in granite soils. Produced by Cave de Fleurie, a revered co-operative cellar that has been preserving traditional vinification methods since 1927, this wine emanates quality. The climate, resulting from the onshore Mediterranean breeze, imbues the 2020 vintage with a unique complexity enriched by an excellent growing season.

The Cave de Fleurie Fleurie 2020 dazzles the palate with ripe red berry accents, delicate floral undertones and a velvety finish. Its well-executed balance between acidity and tannins showcases a harmony of flavours perfect for any sophisticated palate. A carefully cellared bottle of this wine reveals the time-honoured excellence you've come to expect from Cave de Fleurie. Delight in every sip of this superb wine, a fine example of French viticulture at its absolute best.

Cave Tain Hermitage Epsilon 2010 is an exquisite wine produced by Cave de Tain, located in the heart of the famed Rhône Valley in South East France. This single vineyard Syrah offers a tight blend of elegance and power, with its intense purple hue reflecting the rich, full-bodied flavours. Produced from vines averaging 60 years of age ensures an unrivalled concentration and complexity, enhanced by the aging process in oak barrels for 18 months. Expect a fruit-forward palate with dark berry characteristics, underlined by subtle, spicy undertones and a lengthy finish.

Cave de Tain's reputation for crafting fine wines from Hermitage appellation is evident in the Cave Tain Hermitage Epsilon 2010. The vineyard's ideal southwestern exposure and unique granite terraces give the Epsilon 2010 its distinctive character. Savour this exceptional expression from one of Rhône Valley's most celebrated producers.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

A wine that's held back three months in barrel and then held a year in bottle (as is the GOK), the 2016 Syrah Armada Vineyard saw 70-80% stems and 15% new oak (both demi-muids and foudre). Slightly deeper ruby in color, it has a mix of both red and blue fruits, salt, violets, damp earth, and smoked earth. Deep, tight, backward, but just loaded with potential, it needs 3-5 years of bottle age and will be very long lived.

Jeb Dunnuck (97+)

The Armada Vineyard Syrah always reminds me of the Horsepower releases, as it’s a more masculine, earthy style of Syrah. Deep plum/purple-colored with an incredible bouquet of smoked plum, blackcurrants, tobacco, peppered meat, and violets, the 2017 hits the palate with full-bodied richness and depth, building structure and tannins, moderate acidity, and a great finish. It’s another wine from Baron that packs incredible richness and depth yet still just glides across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It shows the more rounded, approachable style of the vintage and will keep for 20 years or more.