Calvados, Nebbiolo, chardonnay...

The 2020 Barolo Giachini comes across as quite closed today. The aromatics are expressive, and yet the wine feels much more reticent on the palate. Sweet red cherry, leather, pipe tobacco, cedar and dried flowers open with great reluctance. It will be interesting to see if time in bottle helps this come together a bit more fully. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

Refined, complex and nuanced nose with grainy minerals, grapefruit, white pepper and a mossy edge. Transparent but broad on the palate with lots of crushed wet stones and a tight, nervy finish. Delicate but powerful and ethereal too. Lots of finesse and texture. Drink from 2026. ZEKUN SHUAI, JamesSuckling.com

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The 2022 Giscours is compelling, just as it was en primeur. Deep, layered and inviting, the 2022 possesses notable textural richness and intensity. Yields were down about 25%, and drought starting in May produced tiny berries with thick skins. The 2022 is a very rich Giscours, one that will need a number of years to shed some baby fat. But even with all of that obvious richness, the 2022 clocks in at 13.5% alcohol. This is such a classy wine. Tasted three times.(96) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

This is a big move forward for Giscours. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with tannins that are precise and integrated, with great beauty and length. Well-structured and vivid. Extremely fine yet defined tannins, and then it opens like a butterfly. (97-98) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Barolo Margheria is a very pretty wine that shows the gentler side of the year. Dried herbs, menthol, incense, new leather and licorice all take shape in the glass. The 2020 is a soft, uncharacteristically open-knit Margheria that will drink well with only minimal cellaring. ANTONIO GALLONI

I like the freshness and vivid red-fruited character. Medium-bodied with firm, slightly chewy tannins. It’s compact and structured with a tense and lively aftertaste. Vivid and bright with hibiscus undertones to the orange and berry character. Try from 2027, but already very pretty. JAMES SUCKLING

This outstanding effort is atypically forward, sexy, and opulent. Only 45% of the crop made it into this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Yields were 47 hectoliters per hectare, which is slightly higher than some estates, but the harvest was very late, between October 2-21. Sweet cassis, black cherry, licorice, tobacco leaf, and spice box are all present in the complex aromatics. In the mouth, the wine offers generosity, roundness, sweetness, and velvety, ripe tannins. I was surprised by how forward, precocious, and delicious this wine has already become. It appears set for a relatively long life of 25+ years. WINE ADVOCATE

The 2008 Rauzan-Ségla is a solid vintage and is still relatively youthful, yet it's certainly drinking nicely. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, it has a cooler, black-fruited, menthol, and tobacco-driven bouquet as well as medium to full body, still present tannins, considerable elegance, and outstanding length. Overall it's a pretty, well-balanced 2008 that's going to continue evolving for another 15-20 years. JEB DUNNUCK, tasted 2019

Good dark, bright red. Deep, brooding aromas of blueberry, mulberry, tobacco, mint and pepper. Deep and sweet, with ripe mulberry and raspberry fruit nicely supported by a firm mineral underpinning. At once smooth and sappy, offering a captivating balance of sweetness and ripe acidity. Finishes strong and vibrant, with firm tannins supported by the wine's mid-palate frui STEPHEN TANZER

From two parcels of Chardonnay planted in 1936 in Cramant comes Bertrand Lilbert's small production of vintage blanc de blancs. Without the prominent effect of the perpetual reserve used in the non-vintage, the character of the year comes across strongly with a smoky, toasted brown bread and frangipane breadth quickly twisting into roasted lemon, fresh clementines and kiwi - it's juicy, joyous and punchy, needs some time to settle and smoothen out. Full of natural tension and verve, this is a blanc de blancs of considerable character in a year which occasionally excelled in the Côte des Blancs. TOM HEWSON, decanter.com

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This is also aromatically cool and airy with its array of lemon rind, white flower and smoky mineral reduction scents. The delicious and vibrant flavors terminate in a crisp, even crunchy, clean, dry and finale that is also ever-so-mildly austere. This is firm enough to repay a few years of keeping though the mid-palate is sufficiently supple that it isn't absolutely necessary. BURGHOUND

The ridge that descends from Bussia, wedged between Cannubi Boschis and Pugnane, terminates in the Castellero MGA. Well known for its more poised style, it doesn't differ here: leafy lightness, dried cherry, bright mint and milky aromas are allied to a graceful, relaxing attack then firm tannins, fierce acidity and a fresh, juicy red currant and pomegranate fruit character. A dynamic finish. ALDO FIORDELLI, decanter.com.

Spontaneous fermentation. Aged in 4,000-litre Klaus Pauscha Slavonian oak. Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Brooding and a little exotic on the nose with hints of dark spice. Not entirely open yet. Concentrated but stubborn palate with lifted acidity that is a little marked, but this is still embryonic. Fine, grainy tannins on the finish. Far from ready and with lots of powdery tannins on a complex, layered finish. WALTER SPELLER, jancisrobinson.com

The 2018 Sforzato di Valtellina Vino Sbagliato is a powerhouse wine. Black cherry, plum, leather, cedar, tobacco, smoke, licorice and dried herbs pack a serious punch. Candied dark cherries smooth into the finish. This brooding, inward Sforzato has a ton of character. ANTONIO GALLONI

Vivid red fruit with subtle floral and citrusy notes and hints of crushed stones. Medium-bodied with firm tannins. Structured and focused with a lingering, expanding aftertaste. Impressive density. Try after two to three years. JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Barolo Parussi is a classy, nuanced wine. It shows lovely textural depth and resonance, but in the mid-weight style of the year. Dark red cherry, lavender, rose petal, mint and spice all build nicely, filling out the layers effortlessly. The 2020 is weightless and elegant, with the understated textural depth that is such a signature of this vintage. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

Rose, violet, new leather and forest floor are just some of the aromas you’ll find on Cavallotto’s excellent 2019 Bricco Boschis. Full-bodied and still youthfully austere, it shows great aging potential, delivering juicy red cherry, wild raspberry, star anise and tangy mineral notes suggesting rusty iron, all set against a backbone of tightly knit, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity lends balance and great energy. (97) KERIN OKEEFE

The 2019 Barolo Bricco Boschis is an absolutely gorgeous wine that needs plenty of air to open. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, rose petal, cinnamon, star anise and mint all grace this mid-weight, wonderfully expressive Barolo. It has been some years since I have tasted a Cavallotto Barolo with this kind of translucent old-school classicism. ANTONIO GALLONI

Just mid ruby. Intense nose of dried fruit, damson and rosemary. Lush fruit given an edge by the bite of energetic tannins. The fruit becomes more and more pure on the palate. Fantastic focus and juiciness on the finish. The spicy fruit is reminiscent of Monforte d’Alba but with added energy. Dynamic. WALTER SPELLER, JancisRobinson.com

Organic. Lalù farms just 0.5 hectares in one of Monforte’s great Crus, Le Coste di Monforte. With an average altitude of 420 metres, this south-facing vineyard is the highest and southernmost vineyard in Monforte. The site perfectly fits Lalù’s preference for finesse and openness. Although its 35-year-old vines lie parallel to the Ginestra and Mosconi Crus, Barolo from this vineyard is typically prettier and rounder than its neighbours—this being attributed to the unusually high content of sand layered throughout the region’s Sant’Agata marls.

This year, the Barolo was mostly destemmed and fermented in a tronconique oak vat. It spent one month on skins, including just over two weeks with the cap submerged in the juice. Aging was in large oak vats (from Austria and Alto Adige) for two years before eight months in concrete.This release is only Lalù’s second Barolo and explains why there is already so much excitement surrounding this producer.

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

The 2019 Haut-Marbuzet has turned out very nicely indeed, offering up a deep bouquet of berry fruit, loamy soil, forest floor and spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids. Already persuasively seamless and integrated, and much less marked by its new oak than was the case for this château a decade ago, this is well worth seeking out. WILLIAM KELLEY, The Wine Advocate

SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING - A discreet dollop of wood sets off the equally cool and perhaps even slightly more elegant aromas of acacia, citrus, seashore and oyster shell. The sleek and highly sophisticated medium-bodied flavors possess a really lovely texture while delivering superb length on the bitter lemon and mineral-suffused finish. This beautifully balanced effort is crystalline in its purity and a wine that should repay a decade plus of keeping. BURGHOUND

WORTH A SPECIAL SEARCH - A little more direct, a lot more airy. More citrus bitters again – lovely purity and minerality – beautiful intensity but without pain. A mm of cushion to this fine texture too. So perfectly packaged – This bottle could be drunk today – if it was bottled! Bravo and so sneakily long too! BILL NANSON, The Burgundy Report

The 2021 Saint-Romain Sous la Velle offers up aromas of pear, white flowers, citrus oil and freshly baked bread, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny palate with good flesh on its structural bones. This chiseled but charming white will reward a bit of bottle age.WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

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The 2020 Barolo Bricco delle Viole, Vajra's flagship, is very fine. Dark cherry, kirsch, blood orange, spice and lavender are nicely amplified. The 2020 is gracious and elegant, but its youthful Nebbiolo tannins will require some time to soften. The 2020 is another wine that captures my keen interests with its sublime balance. I would be thrilled to own it. (96) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

A ripe ruby color, the 2020 Barolo Bricco Delle Viole is incredible on the nose. Initially lightly smoky on opening, it needs a little time to reveal notes of candied roses, wild raspberries, tea leaf, and sweet sage. Medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins, a balanced, compact nature, and a velvety texture, it is nicely concentrated, yet with a weightless feel. This is one of the most complete wines I've tasted from Vjara to date. It has depth, but with a defined feel, and is long on the palate, with an exceptional finish. It's going to have a wide drinking window but age at a very slow rate over the next two to three decades. (98) AUDREY FRICKE, jebdunnuck.com 

Tasmania has become such a hot-bed of awesome talent and great wine. As one of Australia's coolest wine growing regions pinot noir and chardonnay have excelled and sparkling wine still proves to be one of its crown jewels. These have been mainstays of the Apple Isle for some time and there looks this to be no stopping the tide of incredible examples of each making their way across the Tasman.

Fast-forward a generation and we are really starting to see what the verdant land can really turn out. In our mind some of the best Euro-styled rieslings are being produced there while the marginal climates and savvy wine-making are turning out some stellar textural pinot gris.

While pinot noir may reign supreme it is other reds like shiraz, that may, in time, prove to be something even more special. Time will tell and while it does we will happily sip our way through all that Tasmania's has to offer.

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

The 2015 Brut Spécial Club Oger Grand Cru is an attractive, powerful wine. Citrus peel, white flowers, chalk and the savory notes typical of so many 2015 are nicely laced together. I would give the 2015 a year or two in the cellar to come together, as it is a bit disjointed at present, but I would not wait too long, as flavors that are savory today may very well develop into more overpowering vegetal notes over time. The Oger is a blend taken from the Terres de Noël, Brulis, Champ Nérons and Fondy lieux-dits. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: October 14, 2019. Antonio Galloni, VINOUS

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The 2022 Durfort-Vivens is a heady, explosive wine. Ample and creamy, the 2022 is seriously impressive. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, a bit more Merlot than normal. That seems to have filled out the mid-palate, adding a level of juiciness that is quite complementary to the wine's underlying structure. Inky dark fruit, new leather, menthol, licorice and lavender build into a finish that is both opulent and virile. Ageing was 16 months, 70% in new oak and 30% in amphora. (96) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com 

ovely freshness and aromatic complexity on the nose; herbs, spices, flowers, bitterness, freshness. Juicy and alive, a brightness and liveliness straight away. The energy here is wonderful, so lean and clean, pure and precise, very pretty, fun and joyful with a salty tang underneath. Delicate almost with such well integrated tannins giving a soft push from start to finish. Really very compelling and drinkable, easy to approach with layers of freshness and the most gorgeous acidity. Not as dense or fleshy as others, but makes up for it in bite, energy and enjoyable minerality. Effortless winemaking. (96) GEORGINA HINDLE, Decanter

 

he lovely 2019 Pora Riserva from Produttori del Barbaresco offers delicate scents recalling ripe red fruit, culinary spice, new leather and violet while the refined palate features juicy raspberry, liquor soaked cherry and licorice. Tightly-knit, velvety tannins provide enveloping support. Pora is known for its softer tannins and smoother character thank to its more fertile soil, and the these traits come through even in 2019, a vintage known for yielding wines with youthful austerity. Drink 2027–2034. (96) KERIN O'KEEFE

The 2019 Cannubi from Francesco Rinaldi & Figli is gorgeous, delivering juicy red berry, menthol, baking spice and licorice sensations as well as floral notes recalling iris and rose. It’s structured and extremely elegant and energized, with tightly knit, refined tannins and fresh acidity. It’s still on the austere side so give it several more years to fully unwind and develop.  (96) KERIN O’KEEFE

The 2019 Barolo Briccolina is a classy, powerful wine. A blast of dark cherry, plum, gravel, spice, incense and lavender makes a fine first impression, before big Serralunga tannins make themselves felt. This imposing Barolo will benefit from a few years in bottle. It is a fine effort from the Grasso family. ANTONIO GALLONI

The Grasso family have owned Briccolina since 1923 and for many years sold their fruit to neighbouring wineries. In 2012, Daniele convinced his father Tiziano to bottle a little Barolo under their own name. Sadly, Tiziano passed away in 2017 and it’s been left to Daniele and Tiziano’s wife Simona to continue the dream. Their six hectares is the largest single holding of Briccolina and occupies the best part of the MGA, which neighbours Ornato and Falletto in the southern part of Serralunga D’Alba. We were thoroughly impressed with our cask tastings of 2019-2022 and the new cantina will be ready for vintage 2023. Tiziano would be proud. TREMBATH & TAYLOR

FIVE STARS - From multiple plots: east facing kimmeridgian marl in Pied d'Aloue (0.50ha), one hectare in Chapelot, (more soil here, fatter wine), then the rest in Bréchain, where vines dating back to 1936, give tension. What a beautiful bouquet. This has the sensual aspect of a delightful sunny summer, yet with an entrancing freshness behind. This is quintessential right bank (95) JASPER MORRIS MW

SWEET SPOT - An elegant, pure and wonderfully airy nose more freely reflects its aromas of white flowers, prominent mineral reduction and plenty of seashore elements. There is at once more volume but, somewhat surprisingly, even better refinement to the medium weight plus flavors that retain excellent detail while also flashing an almost pungent stoniness on the driving, firm and impeccably well-balanced finale. One to look for as this is very impressive. BURGHOUND

WORTH A SPECIAL SEARCH - Deep, wide - structural wine, less of the fruit - a great invitation. A more direct wine of citrus energy, chalky almost. Less large vs the Fourchaume but more in all other directions - beautiful, saline finishing wine. Yes! BILL NANSON

Bold and delicious, the 2020 Brunate delivers succulent Morello cherry, fruit cake, licorice and baking spice flavors before closing on a hint of almond liqueur. Firm, close-grained tannins provide serious structure. This is one of the few Barolos from the vintage that shows serious aging potential.  KERIN OKEEFE

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

From the most iconic vineyard site in La Morra and one of the best crus in the denomination, the 2020 Rocche dell'Annunziata from Francesco Rinaldi & Figli is stunning, starting with its captivating aromas of wild rose, violet, camphor and spice. Loaded with finesse, it shows a great depth of flavors that include crushed raspberry, red cherry, cake spice and licorice wrapped up in enveloping, extremely refined tannins. A gorgeous wine KERIN OKEEFE

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Tasmania has become such a hot-bed of awesome talent and great wine. As one of Australia's coolest wine growing regions pinot noir and chardonnay have excelled and sparkling wine still proves to be one of its crown jewels. These have been mainstays of the Apple Isle for some time and there looks this to be no stopping the tide of incredible examples of each making their way across the Tasman.

Fast-forward a generation and we are really starting to see what the verdant land can really turn out. In our mind some of the best Euro-styled rieslings are being produced there while the marginal climates and savvy wine-making are turning out some stellar textural pinot gris.

While pinot noir may reign supreme it is other reds like shiraz, that may, in time, prove to be something even more special. Time will tell and while it does we will happily sip our way through all that Tasmania's has to offer.

We start with the NV Delamere sparkling a blend of chard and pinot noir that represents not just some of the oldest plantings in the region but in Tasmania. This is always plays with great harmony structure it gets from the ferrous soils of the region. Textured and fine.

Stefano Lubiano have been making some waves recently with a fantastic set of releases. Their Primavera chard well and over-delivers for the money and we wonder how they can do it at the price they do. Fine and focused but with plenty of palate impact.

Young gun Ricky Evans is making a splash with his modern styled, clean and classic wines. While no doubt his pinots are highly regarded the latest release riesling is an absolute belter. Racy and fresh but with plenty of lush fruit to back it up.

We have two pinot's for the pack and why not? The first is Sailor Seeks horse from Tassies southern most municipality. This revitalised vineyard has been taken to new heights by Gilli and Paul Lipsombe. The second is a relatively newcomer Luna and is right north in the Tamar Valley and another single vineyard wine. Plush and full of energy a svoury finish - you decide which one you like best.

Last off is the Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Pere Shiraz. The 2010, to many people surprise took the coveted Jimmy Watson trophy and the following vintages have proven this was not a flash-in-the-pan. The 2017 is a stellar effort with plum and rip blackberry fruit off-set by a lush, structured palate. Fantastic stuff.

The 2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a seriously impressive wine. Seamless and yet potent, the 2019 is so alluring. Even so, readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. A wine of tremendous gravitas and power, the 2019 possesses explosive energy to play off its seamless personality. I can't wait to watch the 2019 develop over the coming years and decades, as it possesses notable energy and a compelling interplay of opulence and elegance. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI

A killer wine in the making, the 2019 Château Beychevelle checks in as 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in barrels. Deep purple-colored, with classic Saint-Julien purity and elegance, it offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of red, blue, and black fruits, cedary herbs, spring flowers, graphite, and earth. With flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, and again, and stunning purity of fruit, this quintessential Beychevelle is going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars. (97) JEB DUNNUCK

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Beychevelle explodes from the glass with bombastic scents of crème de cassis, blueberry preserves and baked plums with touches of menthol, cinnamon toast and smoked meats plus a waft of dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate injects fantastic energy into the decadent black and blue fruit flavors, framed by exquisitely ripe, finely-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with great length and freshness. (96) WINE ADVOCATE

The 2014 Blanc de Blancs is seriously impressive. Ample in feel, Delamotte is especially rich in 2014, and yet there is plenty of freshness to balance things out. This is an especially savory style for Delamotte, and one that works so well. Dried lemon peel, pastry, almond, dried herbs and chamomile open in a beautifully translucent Blanc des Blancs that marries power and finesse. I can’t wait to see how it ages. ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous

The 2019 Barolo Ginestra Vigna del Gris is another terrific wine from Conterno-Fantino. Crushed flowers, cedar, pipe tobacco, mint, dried flowers and worn-in leather give the 2019 striking aromatic presence. Here, too, Fabio Conterno has done a terrific job in taming the Monforte tannins. The Gris never has the completeness of the other crus, but in 2019 it is positively striking. I would drink this ahead of the other 2019s. ANTONIO GALLONI

The Grand Vin 2020 Domaine De Chevalier ratchets everything up another notch and will be one of the legendary wines from this address. Notes of pure cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth define its incredible aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is pure, classic, regal Pessac-Léognan is as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years and it will evolve for 50, 60, 70+ years. I absolutely love this wine. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. (98+) JEB DUNNUCK

he purity of fruit is really something here, with blackcurrants and blackberries, together with orange, stone and granite character. Mind-boggling in many ways. Full-bodied with very fine tannins that are polished and pure. Such a fine texture. Lots of primary fruit. Like picking wonderfully ripe grapes. Great length. One for the cellar. (99) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier is going to need a number of years to unwind. Rich, heady and super-concentrated, the 2020 is so impressive, right out of the gate. Crushed rocks, rose petal, cedar, pomegranate and mint all build as the 2020 shows off its vibrant, layered personality. Domaine de Chevalier remains one of the most under the radar wines in all of Bordeaux. The 2020 is an absolutely brilliant effort from Olivier Bernard and his team. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI

Some width of white flower perfume. Gas that’s adding energy. Rounder and richer but cut by fine acidity and minerality – never austere but properly balanced. That’s a great finish – panoramic, gorgeously delicious and complex – I love this finish! BILL NANSON, The Burgundy Report

The 2018 Brut Blanc de Blancs is a blend of fruit from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Oger, Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry, six villages in the Côte des Blancs. Crushed rocks, mint, slate, lemon peel and green pear lend notable freshness. Like most wines in this vintage, the Blanc de Blancs is airy and medium-bodied in structure, but it shows lovely tension and fine balance. There's plenty of Delamotte class, in an understated style. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

The Delamotte 2018 Blanc de Blancs is showing well today, evoking a gourmand, complex bouquet of pastry, almonds, ripe orchard fruits, spices and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, layered and chiseled, it’s enveloping and round with a fleshy core of fruit, though not as fleshy as the 2012, concluding with a tense and long finish. YOHAN CASTAING, The Wine Advocate

Aromas of dog rose, wild herb, camphor and dark spice come together on the stunning 2020 Paolo Scavino Ravera. It's spicy and savory, delivering a core of raspberry compote accented by star anise, mocha and a hint of orange zest. Tightly woven, fine-grained tannins provide seamless support while fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2027-2032. (97) KERIN O'KEEFE

Vivid red with some garnet. Red cherry, blackberry and tar on the inviting nose. Fresh and lively on entry, then rather full-bodied and monolithic in the mouth, but light on its feet with more fruity oomph than the winery's more floral 2020 Monvigliero. Drinking window: 2030-2040. (95+) IAN D'AGATA

The 2020 Gattinara is elegant and lifted. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon and orange peel grace this ethereal, nuanced Gattinara. Bright saline notes and sweet red-toned fruit build into the long, persistent finish. Understated and silky, the 2020 is exquisite. All this needs is a few years to soften. ANTONIO GALLONI

the label has a compass on it to indicate the 6 different 1ers that make up the blend
This is overtly marked by prominent floral elements that combine notes of citrus and various white orchard fruit aromas with that of a whiff of honeysuckle. There is fine mid-palate density to the reasonably well-delineated broad-shouldered flavors that conclude in a bone-dry, very lemony and lingering if definitely compact and chiseled finish that is borderline painfully intense. At least some patience strongly suggested. OUTSTANDING, BURGHOUND

Certified biodynamic. Smells richer and creamier than the Rully Les St-Jacques 2022 but still the freshness of green apple. Super-creamy on the palate, both rounded and fresh. A clever tightrope between two extremes. Intense and elegant. JULIA HARDING

The 2021 Rully 1er Cru is a blend of six Premier Cru vineyards, since de Villaine lost 75% of the crop. It has a light but focused, almost Puligny-like bouquet, with touches of petrichor coming through with time. The palate is quite sapid on the entry. Very lightly spiced, with crisp acidity and a saline finish, this is an intriguing, quite cerebral Rully that will be difficult to resist in its youth. NEAL MARTIN

Forest floor, leather, camphor, violet and dark culinary spice aromas come to the forefront on Giacomo Fenocchio's 2019 Villero. Still youthfully austere, the firmly structured palate shows dried cherry, blood orange, licorice and hazelnut framed in tightly wound and tightly woven, close-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it lifted and balanced. Give this time to fully develop. Drink 2029-2044. KERIN O'KEEFE

Mid ruby. Ripe cherry nose but fresh and with a hint of mace. Lively cherry-fruit palate with juicy acidity. Coating tannins reveal themselves especially on the finish. Supple, long, youthful and lively yet with plenty of substance. WALTER SPELLER

Dried flowers, red fruit, almond paste, some dried mint, liquorice root - gorgeous aromatics here. Medium-bodied, fine bones, red fruit and blood orange, very tight high definition tannin, well-etched acidity, so bright, plenty of length. Really lovely wine. Needs time to stretch its legs. GARY WALSH

The 2019 Barolo Villero is the most inward of the wines in this range. It offers good depth, but today the acids and tannins are simply overwhelming. Time in the glass releases hints of tobacco, cedar, dried herbs and earthiness. It will be interesting to see if the Villero softens in bottle. Today, it is a bruiser, but a promising bruiser. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

Forest floor, new leather, fragrant purple flower and spice aromas mingle together on the polished 2020 Villero from Giacomo Fenocchio. Full-bodied and smooth, the rather concentrated palate doles out liquor-soaked cherry, black raspberry, licorice and tobacco. Tightly knit, velvety tannins provide enveloping support. Drink 2028-2035. KERIN O'KEEFE

Ripe red/ruby in color, the 2020 Barolo Villero offers nice purity and ripeness in its notes of preserved cherries, menthol, fennel, and roses. It gains in intensity without weight on the palate, revealing ripe concentration, plush, ripe tannins, and good freshness. With mouthwatering saline and tension, notes of dried apricot on the back palate, and a long finish, it's a lovely wine to drink 2025-2037. AUDREY FRICKE

Pessac Léognan

Grand Cru Classé

The 2019 Domaine de Chevalier has the potential to be one of the wines of the vintage. Regal and soaring in the glass, with tremendous intensity, the 2019 is pure magic. An exotic mélange of ripe red plum, gravel, spice, cured meats and incense develops with time in the glass. Effortless and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 is a fabulous wine in the making. Don't miss it. ANTONIO GALLONI 95/97

Beautiful, ripe redcurrants, bay leaf, violets and raspberries on the nose. Full-bodied with firm and very tight tannins that are polished and layered. Crushed stones highlight the beautiful blue fruit. Poised and refined. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc. Try after 2026. JAMES SUCKLING 97

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 Pape Clément is a classy, elegant wine. Soaring aromatics open first. On the palate, the 2022 is vibrant and explosive, with terrific depth and exceptional balance. Today's wines here are simply striking because of their energy and verve. Those qualities help make Pape Clément one of the most changed wines in Bordeaux over the last decade or so. Red/purplish fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, new leather and sage are some of the many notes that linger on the sustained finish. The 2022 is a superb Pape Clément. Tasted three times. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

A full-bodied, concentrated, awesome Pessac, the 2022 Château Pape Clément offers up loads of spiced red and black fruits, some leafy tobacco, gravelly earth, and graphite aromatics, building, ripe, polished tannins, and a stacked mid-palate. Beautifully done, with remarkable purity and a great finish, it's going to rank with the crème de la crème of the vintage and is well worth seeking out. (96-98+) JEB DUNNUCK

 

A discreet dollop of wood sets off the ever-so-mildly exotic aromas of white and yellow peach, passion fruit and subtle mineral reduction wisps. There isn't the same weight and density though there is much better refinement to the lightly stony, focused and sneaky long finish. This is a classic Vaudésir that should also reward a decade or so of cellaring. "Don't Miss" BURGHOUND