Dear Subscribers,
We’re thrilled to share the Top 100 Wines of 2025, a collection of the most exciting, memorable, and impressive wines we tasted this year! As always, the list reflects a mix of quality, value, availability, and genuine Wow Factor.
This year, Bordeaux takes a leading role thanks to the outstanding 2022 vintage, which delivered a remarkable level of consistency across both banks. But the list is far from Bordeaux alone. You’ll find standout bottles from Washington, Oregon, California, the Rhône Valley, Piedmont, Tuscany, South America, Spain, and more. This Top 100 reflects the regions we actively review.
These are not simply the highest-scoring wines. They are the wines and producers that demanded attention, the bottles that stayed with us long after the tasting glass was set down. If a specific wine is hard to find, we encourage you to explore the producer’s broader lineup; every estate featured here is worth following.
Prices are based on estate releases or average U.S. retail figures, and availability will naturally vary by region.
We taste thousands of wines each year, and many more could have made the cut, but these are the bottles that stood out most. We hope the list leads you to your next great discovery.
Cheers,
The JebDunnuck.com Team
| RANK | WINE | toggle column | note column (hidden) | PRICE | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse | + | One of the more muscular, concentrated 2022s in my tastings, the 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a deep ruby/plum hue to go with serious aromatics of ripe red and black cherries, smoked tobacco, new leather, truffle, and an incredible sense of crushed stone-like minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and massively concentrated on the palate, this intense, flawlessly balanced, voluptuous 2022 has a stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and fabulous length on the finish. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this close down with 3-4 years of bottle age only to re-emerge after a decade. Based on 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new oak, this modern-day legend has a terrific pH of 3.48 and an alcohol of 14.8%. | $144 | 100 |
| 2 | 2021 Istine Chianti Classico Riserva Le Vigne | + | Pouring a jeweled ruby red color, the 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva Le Vigne is superb from start to finish. On the nose, it opens to aromas of wild raspberries, fresh thyme, rhubarb, and rosy perfume. The palate is energetic and has a core of ripe fruit propelling through its long finish, with well-defined tannins and savory mouthwatering accents framing the wine and salty and herbaceous notes lingering on the palate. A stunning Riserva, this is a selection of the estate’s best Sangiovese from three different vineyards (Vigna Istine, Vigna Casanova dell’Aia, and Vigna Cavarchione), raised for two years in 30-hectoliter barrels. It’s worth stashing some away to check back in on over the next 15 years. 4,000 bottles were produced. | $50 | 96 |
| 3 | 2023 Ceritas Chardonnay Mt. Pajaro | + | A new wine in the range, the 2023 Chardonnay Mt. Pajaro comes from a site owned by Rhys in the Santa Cruz Mountains, close to Trout Gulch and plated with meter-by-meter spacing and curated clusters. This wine boasts a shade deeper yellow hue and is savory with aromas of bright fantastic reduction (feels like Burgundy), dark stones, beeswax, green apples, and white pineapples, as well as savory and mineral notes. This would be a great wine to throw into a blind tasting with a great white Burgundy. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a silky, profound, stony texture, a note of lemon oil, and pristine clarity. Just when I think these whites can’t get better, I taste this is one, clearly one of the best white wines from Ceritas. Drink over the coming 20 years.The team from Ceritas are continuing to push the bar steadily higher, never resting on their laurels. The 2023 range from them is not to be missed. | $90 | 98 |
| 4 | 2021 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Aleste | + | A reflective red color, the 2021 Barolo Aleste leads with compelling and introspective notes of sandalwood, ripe cherries, hints of truffle, and fresh leather. The palate is supple and has a vibrant spine of acidity, mouthwatering mineral accents, and an underlying noble structure. As I am finding with the top producers in this vintage, the tannins demand time but also have a sweetness to them that makes the wines highly pleasurable to taste now, and they should improve and age very well. Drink 2027-2050. | $140 | 97 |
| 5 | 2022 Château Malartic-Lagraviere | + | Awesome levels of blackcurrants, darker cherries, roasted herbs, chocolate, and scorched earth all emerge from the 2022 Château Malartic-Lagravière, an incredibly concentrated, rich, layered beauty that has velvety tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. It’s easily the finest I’ve tasted from this château and is a riveting 2022 that deserves 4-6 years in the cellar and will keep for two decades or more. The 2022 is based on 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, with the élevage spanning 20 months in 60% new French oak. There are a little over 8,000 cases of this brilliant wine. | $60 | 99 |
| 6 | 2023 Carlisle Syrah Papa’s Block | + | The 2023 Syrah Papa’s Block takes things to the next level, and for lovers of Northern Rhône Syrah, this is going to be one to snap up, as it’s reminiscent of Cornas. Pouring an inky purple/black color, the nose has notes of black pepper, pancetta, dark pure plum liqueur, lavender perfume, and woody earth. Full-bodied, it offers outstanding noble structure and balance, with a long-lasting finish. It’s fantastic now, but it’s going to reward those who wait a few years. Drink 2027-2047.Mike Officer’s 2023s are exceptional and should not be missed. Backed by his decades-long dedication to seeking out and championing exceptional sites and farmers, these wines deliver hedonistic pleasure and intellectual curiosity in spades. Not to mention, they far overdeliver for the price points. | $50 | 98 |
| 7 | 2023 Francisco Barona | + | From a field blend of estate centenary vineyards planted between 1908 and 1948 to mostly Tempranillo, with some Garnacha and Albillo Mayor, the 2023 spent 14 months in new French oak after fermenting in barrel. Medium-bodied, the limestone soils give it acidity and tension, a concentrated framework around which smoky dark fruit, cacao nib, meat, and garrigue build depth and layers of intensity. This is drinking incredibly now but should be beyond amazing for a solid 10-15 years, if not more. A fantastic entry into Francisco Barona’s canon, it’s an inspiring testament to the power of old vines under the right care. | $75 | 97 |
| 8 | 2022 El Enemigo Bonarda Single Vineyard La Esperanza | + | Spicy in black plum, clove, and cinnamon, the 2022 Bonarda Single Vineyard La Esperanza is smooth and silky on the palate, the tannins nicely integrated and cohesive. The finish is long and complete, and the wine should age well another 10-12 years.Translating as “The Enemy,” this is a partnership between winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena, a historian and sister of Laura and Ernesto (daughter of Nicolas). Started in 2008, two of the primary focuses are Cabernet Franc and Bonarda, in addition to Malbec and many other varieties, including stellar whites. Every bottle carries the quote, “At the end of the journey, we remember only one battle: the one we fought against ourselves, the one that defined us.” | $23 | 94 |
| 9 | 2023 Cayuse Viognier Cailloux Vineyard | + | From the original block of Baron’s first commercial modern vineyard in what he calls The Stones, planted in silty loam and basalt cobblestones in 1997, the 2023 Viognier Cailloux Vineyard is basket pressed, fermented 10 months in concrete and stainless steel, and fully malolactic. It has dimension to its complex, light-bodied layers of fresh, focused refinement, with beautiful phenolics and aromatics, a mix of mineral, white flower, jasmine, crisp apricot, and white peach. Drink now and over the next 10 years. | $78 | 98 |
| 10 | 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac | + | An undeniable star in Margaux, the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac checks in as a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot. This deep purple-hued beauty offers up a sensational perfume of darker currants and cassis that gives way to more floral, spicy oak and graphite nuances with air. With flawless overall balance, ripe, velvety tannins, terrific purity, and a great finish, this riveting Brane-Cantenac already offers pleasure, yet I wouldn’t be surprised to see this firm up with 4-5 years of bottle age, only to reemerge later and drink beautifully for 30+ years. It’s one of the truly greats in the appellation, and readers will love to have this beauty in the cellar. | $105 | 99 |
| 11 | 2022 Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir Black Label | + | The flagship selection sourced from multiple vineyards, the 2022 Pinot Noir Black Label displays a vivid ruby, translucent color and offers redcurrants, mulberries, rose petals, sappy flowers, leather, and chalky minerality. Vinified with 11% stems, it reminds me of a great Gevrey with its darker yet pure, vibrant, focused profile. With medium-bodied richness, a pure, seamless mouthfeel, incredible tannins, and a great finish, it’s up with the crème de la crème of the 2022 vintage. Drink 2025-2037.Dragonette continues to fire on all cylinders, and this lineup showcases why they’re one of Santa Barbara County’s most complete producers. Brothers John and Steve Dragonette, along with Brandon Sparks-Gillis, work across multiple AVAs and varieties with remarkable consistency. The estate produces four Sauvignon Blancs from Happy Canyon, including an estate bottling and three single-vineyard wines from Vogelzang, Grassini, and Grimm’s Bluff that are some of the few from California to rival great Bordeaux Blancs. They make four Chardonnays from Sta. Rita Hills, sourcing from Grand Cru-level sites like Radian, Rita’s Crown, and Bentrock to produce pure, crisp, age-worthy wines. The Black Label Chardonnay brings together fruit from these top vineyards to showcase the best of what the vintage has to offer. The Pinot Noir program includes five wines highlighting Sta. Rita Hills’ best vineyards, with bottlings from Sanford & Benedict, Radian, Rita’s Crown, Bentrock, and Fiddlestix, plus an appellation blend. Like the Chardonnay, there’s a Black Label Pinot that blends across their top sites to capture the essence of the vintage. The Syrah program features three wines, including the estate Seven blend, single-vineyard Stolpman, and the flagship MJM, plus the new multi-vintage XX bottling that displays classic Northern Rhône style paired with ample California fruit. These are some of my favorite Syrahs from Santa Barbara County, year in and year out. There’s not a weak link in this entire lineup, and while most drink beautifully on release, these wines consistently reward patience. | $105 | 97 |
| 12 | 2022 Château Phelan Segur | + | Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Phelan Segur checks in as 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that comes from a slightly different mix of their estate parcels and saw a shorter maceration followed by 18 months in 55% new French oak. Rocking aromatics of crème de cassis, spring flowers, spicy oak, and hints of smoky tobacco define the bouquet. It’s full-bodied, pure, and elegant on the palate, with a seamless, layered mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great finish. This remarkably textured, balanced 2022 will keep for 20-25 years. | $70 | 95 |
| 13 | 2022 Cobb Wines Pinot Noir Diane Cobb Coastlands Vineyard | + | Bright ruby in color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Diane Cobb Coastlands Vineyard is also made from estate fruit. It’s a focused and elegant wine with a linear feel, offering notes of wild raspberries, pomegranate, floral perfume, and bright spices. It has a refreshing, lean feel and even acidity, with hints of stone fruit on the refined, angular tannins. A gorgeous wine in the range, enjoy it over the coming two years.The 2022s from Ross Cobb are some of the best wines from the vintage, especially those that are sourced from his estate vineyard holdings. The reds are tension-packed and structured, with textures reminiscent of elegantly styled Nebbiolo, and I highly encourage readers to check them out. | $125 | 97 |
| 14 | 2022 Cuentavinas Garnacha CDVIN | + | The 2022 Garnacha CDVIN comes from centenary vineyards of 100-plus-year-old Garnacha from the northern slopes of the Sierra de la Demanda in ferrous clay-loam soils, where the largest concentration of old-vine Garnacha stretches across seven small villages. Planted in 1903 to 1923, the vines started to be taken out for Tempranillo, but founder/winemaker Eduardo Eguren is trying hard to preserve the heritage of the place. Flowering is difficult here, where the variety demands a much longer ripening cycle than Tempranillo. After 14 months in 500-liter French oak, it tastes of fresh-picked raspberry, white pepper, and smoked game. Drink now through 2042. | $79 | 95 |
| 15 | 2022 Graci Etna Rosso Arcuria | + | The 2022 Etna Rosso Arcuria has more angular structure and depth, although it’s still transparent, with a pure crystalline feel, ripe tannins, and a long-lasting finish featuring notes of stone fruit, apricot, and blood orange. It has a more noble structure and some grip and will benefit from another year or two in bottle. Drink 2026-2050. | $55 | 96 |
| 16 | 2022 Andremily Grenache | + | A mix of Slide Hill and Alta Mesa vineyards, the 2022 Grenache is based on 82% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 8% Mourvèdre, fermented with 60% whole clusters and aged in 50% new barrique and demi-muids. Black raspberries, herbes de Provence, pepper, and iron dominate the bouquet. It’s full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, with ripe tannins, a layered mouthfeel, and outstanding length. Wonderfully complex and complete, this is a sensational Rhône blend to enjoy over the coming decade or more. Drink 2025-2037.Jim Binns continues to absolutely crush it with Andremily, and I’ve yet to see him miss a beat. The majority of the 2023s were tasted from barrel, and there are a couple of wines that could easily top out the scale, showing the combination of power and purity he’s become known for. These are always rich, concentrated, full-throttle wines, yet the cooler nature of 2023 brings extra precision and vibrancy. By contrast, the 2022s are more sun-kissed, bigger, and more opulent, delivering everything you’d expect from this incredible winemaker. Binns is also now the owner of the Slide Hill Vineyard in the Edna Valley, located just across from John Alban’s estate, and the quality coming from this site has taken off since he’s been in charge. Across the board, whether it’s the Rhône blends, the Mourvèdre, or the flagship Syrah-driven cuvées, the quality is just off the charts, and this remains one of the most exciting estates in California. | $110 | 98 |
| 17 | 2024 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Plateau Blanc | + | Coming from 100% galets roulés soils, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Plateau Blanc is based on 70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Clairette, vinified and aged entirely in new French oak barrels. It brings another level of depth, richness, and complexity, with orange blossom, mint, toasted spices, and caramelized peach all shining here. Medium to full-bodied, it has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a stunning finish. This unquestionably stands as one of the wow wines of the vintage, offering a rare mix of purity, precision, and richness, and can be kept for 20-25 years if you’re so inclined. Hats off to Pierre Fabre and the whole team at Mont-Redon. Drink 2025-2050.Run by Pierre Fabre and his team, Château Mont-Redon continues to produce some of the most impressive wines in Châteauneuf du Pape from vineyards located in the northwestern portion of the appellation, planted on a mix of galets roulés, limestone, and sandy soils. The range includes the classic Châteauneuf du Pape red and white, as well as the single-vineyard Le Plateau bottlings from the upper Mont Redon plateau near the estate on 100% galets roulés soils. The classic red is based on 60% Grenache, 31% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, and 1% other varieties, while Le Plateau Rouge is equal parts Grenache and Syrah, giving it a more powerful, structured style. The reds tend to show a slightly more modern style in their youth today (there’s a fair bit of new oak) yet these never lose their Southern Rhône soul. They’re also going to be some of the longest-lived wines in the appellation. In addition, the whites are absolutely brilliant. The classic cuvée is vinified and aged entirely in stainless steel, while Le Plateau Blanc (70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Clairette) is vinified and aged entirely in new French oak. The 2024 Le Plateau Blanc is one of the “wow” wines of the vintage and comes across like a Grand Cru white Burgundy. Don’t miss these wines. | $120 | 100 |
| 18 | 2022 Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60 | + | A clear step up, the 2022 Cornas Granit 60 reveals darker fruits, blackberries, sappy garrigue, bouquet garni, pepper, loamy earth, and meaty nuances. The stems are beautifully integrated, and it’s a concentrated, beautiful wine that has a layered mouthfeel and lots of tannins. This terrific effort will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 10-12 years. Drink 2026-2037. | $40 | 95 |
| 19 | 2023 Cascina Penna-Currado Dolcetto D’Alba Bricco Lago | + | A youthful purple with magenta at the rim, the 2023 Dolcetto D’Alba Bricco Lago offers more brightness, with crunchy black raspberry seeds, fresh herbs, and a much more pleasing mineral backbone, with dark earth and a light peppery touch. There’s a lot of life in this wine. With great personality and poppy freshness, this is a great expression with terrific structure. Drink 2024-2028. The 2022 was a more classic, traditional style, and I think the 2023 is going to really take things to the next level and harkens to the personality and charm of great cru Beaujolais.The latest high-profile winery to land in Barolo hails from the top of Lazzarito in Serralunga d’Alba. Elena Penna, Luca Currado, and their children have staked claim to their new home with this year’s inaugural releases, having departed their historic family estate at Vietti last year. All of the wines for this report were tasted at the estate with Elena and Luca in March of 2024. While readers will start to see a few wines in the market this year, this is merely the beginning, as they have clearly been hard at work to grow steadily and confidently in the years to come, with most of the wines here tasted from barrel. | $33 | 93 |
| 20 | 2021 Tenuta Di Biserno Biserno | + | Lastly comes the 2021 Biserno, which has a saturated purple/magenta color and is luxurious and layered with aromas of black plum, polished leather, vanilla bean, pencil lead, and lavender. Fleshy and full, it’s round and supple, with velvety tannins, seamless acidity, and a long, graceful finish. It’s a fantastic wine in this vintage from Tenuta di Biserno to stash away in the cellar, but boy, does it have a lot of immediate pleasure upfront. Bravo. Drink 2027-2050. | $169 | 98 |
| 21 | 2022 Domaine Du Pegau Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Reservee | + | Beautiful stuff and one of the gems in the vintage, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Réservée shows ripe black cherries, scorched earth, sandalwood, and incredibly peppery garrigue and spice. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a pure, focused, concentrated mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a serious, classic Pegau that has so much to love and will shine for another 40 years in cold cellars. It reminds me of the 2015. Drink 2025-2065. | $90 | 97 |
| 22 | 2021 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain | + | A deeper, richer, more powerful wine, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain sports a deep ruby/plum hue to go with a Pauillac-like nose of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and lead pencil notes. It’s full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, has the classic Howell Mountain tannic structure, and a gorgeous finish. Give bottles 7-8 years if you can and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. | $200 | 98+ |
| 23 | 2022 Grattamacco | + | Looking to the upcoming release, the 2022 Grattamacco pours a more youthful red/purple hue and opens to a more blue-fruited nature at this early stage, with sweetly perfumed aromas of blackberry, violet candies, pressed sage, and fresh earth. The palate is gorgeous and full, with velvety tannins, a youthful plushness of fruit, and its characteristic savory elements highlighting the wine with a long, balanced finish. It’s a very even wine but does show the stress of a hot year with late rains. It feels like the duck on water – graceful and peaceful above water, while underneath it has the structure to go the distance. It’s reminiscent of the 2012, although it seems to have more cushion. Drink 2027-2050. | $110 | 98 |
| 24 | 2021 Giacomo Conterno Gattinara Val Ferrana | + | From Roberto Conterno’s Alto Piemonte estate, the 2021 Gattinara Val Ferrana is more citrus-driven and savory, with sanguine and mouthwatering iron-noted mineral richness. It’s a vibrant wine with lifted notes of spiced cranberries, alpine herbs, orange zest, and saline. The palate is taut and linear, with a bright spine of acidity, a focused, medium-bodied frame, and a persistent savory drive through the finish. It has a nervous and coiled feel, and as it opens in the glass, it begins to reveal its more animalistic and deeper underpinnings. Unfortunately, the estate lost 75% of their production due to hail, which devastated this small appellation in June of 2021. Drink 2025-2050. | $180 | 96 |
| 25 | 2023 Passopisciaro Etna Rosso Passorosso | + | The 2023 Etna Rosso Passorosso is designed not as an entry wine but to represent the totality of what the vintage has to offer. It opens with pretty and mineral-driven notes of dusty earth, savory, peppery spice, ripe raspberries, and orange. Medium-bodied, it has fine tannins, a zesty lift of orange peel, and notes of cranberries and smoky earth. Drink 2025-2037.Coming from the eponymous village in the north side of Etna, they will be certified organic next year. | $40 | 94 |
| 26 | 2016 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal | + | The 2016 Champagne Cristal is transparent and complex, with lovely aromas of fresh flowers. Medium-bodied and chiseled, with great texture, well-defined saltiness, and delicate notes of shortbread, it’s a shimmering and electric wine with fantastic detail. It has a concentrated, chalky profile and is flush with crushed stones. It will demand some patience, but this is a fantastic wine in this vintage for Cristal. Bravo. | $310 | 98 |
| 27 | 2023 Margerum Syrah Uber | + | Co-fermented with 1% Viognier and matured 16 months in 63% new French oak, the 2023 Syrah Uber offers Côte-Rôtie-like black raspberries, smoked game, flowers, violets, and game aromatics. Sensationally perfumed, medium to full-bodied, pure, and balanced, it has ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish. It reminds me of a great vintage of Guigal’s Côte-Rôtie La Mouline – it’s that good. Hats off to Doug Margerum for an absolutely heavenly Syrah that should have 10-15 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2040.This is easily the finest lineup from Doug Margerum that I’ve tasted, and these 2023s exhibit incredible quality as well as singular profiles across the board. Looking at the lineup, Doug works primarily from his estate vineyard in Los Olivos District while also sourcing from Happy Canyon for his Sauvignon Blanc. The estate produces Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and two Syrahs that all show remarkable finesse and varietal character. The Syrah program is the clear highlight with the estate Block 3 (54% whole clusters) and the Uber cuvée (co-fermented with 1% Viognier) just about topping out my scale, and these both rival top Northern Rhônes. The whole lineup is endowed with a combination of elegance and intensity that’s hard to find. | $75 | 98 |
| 28 | 2020 Mas De Daumas Gassac IGP Saint-Guilhem-Le-Desert Cite D’Aniane | + | A quintessentially southern wine, the 2020 IGP Saint-Guilhem-Le-Désert Cité D’Aniane is extremely refined on the palate, dancing like satin silk, with a shiny side and a rougher edge. Very floral and complex, with the freshness of a mountain spring, it has depth, an airy texture, and a sensation of horizon on the taste buds. It’s beautiful now and (very) far from having said its last word. Drink 2025-2045.For over thirty years, Mas de Daumas Gassac has been one of the most prominent estates in Languedoc. Located in the Terrasses du Larzac region, it was founded in 1971 by Véronique Guibert and her husband Aimé, when the couple fell in love with an old, abandoned farmhouse in the Gassac valley, near the former Aniane Abbey. Contrary to the trends of the time, they planted Cabernet Sauvignon from an old mass selection, and although half of the first production of nearly 20,000 bottles in 1978 was still distributed to friends, things quickly changed. By 1982, the estate had gained recognition that has only grown since then, to the point where today the bottles are quite difficult to find. Until 1985, they only produced red wine, and in 1986, white wine was added to their range. The generational change in the 2000s did nothing to alter the success and quality of the wines, although the range expanded and the vineyard grew. The vineyard is now planted not only with Cabernet Sauvignon, but also with local and foreign grape varieties, with the distinctive feature that the vines are all mass-selected from old, uncloned vines. But the most distinctive feature of the estate is, of course, its wines. The reds show great finesse, and one could almost say that, despite the strong presence of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, they have a lightness reminiscent of Pinot Noir. As for the whites, this year they stole the show from the reds, verging on perfection with their drinkability and aging potential, complexity, and pleasure. While these wines are certainly not cheap, in my opinion they are well worth the price. | $90 | 98 |
| 29 | 2022 Château Pontet-Canet | + | A sensational Pauillac as well as the finest wine from this château since the 2009 (although the 2010 might have something to say about that), the 2022 Château Pontet-Canet sports a deep purple hue as well as a heavenly perfume of crème de cassis, smoke, incense, leafy tobacco, and chocolate. This beauty has sensational purity, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, flawless balance, and incredible precision and detail in its aromas and flavors. Despite its opulence and power, it has a solid underlying structure, and its tannins are sweet and polished; it has remarkable depth and concentration, and it just does everything right. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this firm up slightly over the coming 3-5 years, although I don’t expect it to truly shut down. It should have 40, 50, if not 60 years of overall longevity. The 2022 is based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used oak. | $154 | 100 |
| 30 | 2021 TOP Moment Of Inertia | + | Killer purity, cassis, blackberries, pepper, camphor, and sandalwood notes define the 2021 Moment Of Inertia. Based on 86% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 3% Petite Syrah, and 3% Roussanne, it’s full-bodied on the palate, with a seamless, layered mouthfeel, fabulous tannins, and a superb finish. Aged 22 months in 77% new French oak, this incredibly balanced and magical wine checks in with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Drink 2025-2040.I think one of the most exciting estates in Paso Robles today is Stanley Barrios and Elena Martinez’s TOP winery. It’s one of those American Dream stories where hard work and talent pays off. Stanley, once working a corporate job in L.A., became obsessed with Rhône varieties and began commuting regularly to Paso for harvest internships, sometimes driving up and back in a single day. In 2014, he released his first wine, Exert, while still working his day job. By 2017, he took the plunge full-time, moving to Paso and launching TOP with Elena by his side. Today, TOP operates out of a small warehouse on the east side of Paso, modest yet impeccably clean and absolutely sufficient to make world class wines. It’s the kind of space that proves great wine comes from attention and talent, not extravagance. Stanley handles winemaking with an intuitive, minimal-intervention style while Elena runs the business side of the operation. As you can see from the notes here, the lineup has grown considerably, and they now have access to some truly world class fruit from top vineyard sites across the Central Coast, including Paso Robles, Edna Valley, and Carneros. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc form the backbone of their lineup, and while these certainly don’t lack for richness and depth, these are not massive, blockbuster wines and they shine every bit for their complexity, nuances, and balance as much as density and depth. Nothing is out of place or forced, and these are absolutely brilliant wines readers should pounce on. | $200 | 100 |
| 31 | 2022 Catena Zapata Chardonnay Adrianna Vineyard White Bones | + | From an extreme high-altitude, grand cru-level site in the cools of Gualtallary, the 2022 Chardonnay Adrianna Vineyard White Bones is distinct in its aromas of the native jumilla that surround the site, providing an herbal, earthy invitation to the light-bodied, refined palate of gravelly texture and minerality. Light and ethereal in style, it shows its limestone roots, and just a hint of oak, given 12-16 months of aging in oak barrel, all second, third, or fourth use. This wine practically buzzes in the glass with elegance and verve. Another 20 years of aging is not unrealistic. An outstanding wine!Among the best-known names in Argentina and a pioneer in bringing fine Argentine wine to the world, particularly Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, Catena Zapata is a partnership between legendary founder Nicolas Catena and his daughter Laura. | $140 | 98 |
| 32 | 2022 Domaine Clape Cornas | + | No Renaissance was produced in this vintage. Reminding me of the 2017, the 2022 Cornas reveals gorgeous red and black fruits, violets, bouquet garni, and gamey, iron-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish. This is well worth your time and money, and I’d be thrilled with bottles in the cellar. Hide bottles for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2030-2050. | $54 | 97 |
| 33 | 2022 Château Belair-Monange | + | The 2022 Château Belair-Monange comes from a mix of both the upper plateau and the hillsides just outside of Saint-Emilion, with the blend being 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It has a truly sensational perfume of black raspberries, mulled cherries, crushed stone, and graphite that gains intensity and nuances as it sits in the glass. This gives way to a full-bodied Saint-Emilion with a deep, layered texture, velvety tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish. I’d easily put this up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, and to my mind, it’s even better than the Château’s 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020. While it’s beautiful even today, I have no doubt this will evolve gracefully for 30 years if well stored. | $205 | 99 |
| 34 | 2022 Château Bellefont-Belcier | + | Spicy black cherries, blue fruits, savory herbs, dried flowers, and new saddle leather notes all emerge from the 2022 Château Bellefont-Belcier, a pure, polished, incredibly elegant 2022 that has a round, layered mouthfeel, ripe yet building tannins, and outstanding length. I love its overall complexity, and it’s a more nuanced, complex wine in the vintage that’s going to evolve and drink well for two decades. The 2022 is 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. Tasted multiple times with consistent results. | $60 | 95 |
| 35 | 2022 Château Pape Clement | + | Black raspberries, cassis, graphite, scorched earth, and violet notes are just some of the nuances in the 2022 Château Pape Clément, a gorgeously textured, layered, seamless 2022. It’s flawlessly balanced, has a class of tannins that’s second to none, is full-bodied, has terrific concentration, and has a gorgeous finish. This classic, seamless, elegant, sensational layered, multi-dimensional Pessac will have 40 years of prime drinking. | $110 | 98+ |
| 36 | 2023 Zuccardi Valle De Uco Malbec Concreto | + | Fermented 100% whole-cluster, then fermented and aged one year in concrete, the 2023 Malbec Concreto was the first wine made in the modern-day Zuccardi winery, a wine that changed winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi’s philosophy of winemaking. Forgoing oak and sweet fruit, he seeks first and foremost to express freshness in his wines, finding a strong sense of place through stony minerality and a touch of wild herb. Thick and richly concentrated, it is a testament to his dedication to concrete fermentation and aging, the 100% varietal wine fermenting entirely in concrete amphorae before spending 11 months in 100% concrete tank. The wine is duly textured, complex, and lively, retaining freshness amidst a plush structure with plenty of length. Drink now through 2038.A multi-generational winery and restaurant in the Valle de Uco under the guidance of winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi, these are mountain wines with a sense of place, expressive of the terroir of specific vineyards, parcels, soils, and altitude. In 2016, the winery was built after dividing vineyards by soil type, and it’s made entirely of concrete inside and out, with concrete vessels also used for fermentation and aging. Its highest-level wines are the Parcel Wines, made to show the uniqueness of a particular parcel of land within an estate vineyard. | $40 | 96 |
| 37 | 2021 Trediberri Barolo Rocche Dell’Annunziata | + | Due to frost, the estate lost 40% of the production of the 2021 Barolo Rocche Dell’Annunziata. Tasted from barrel, its color is a more concentrated ruby red. A powerful Barolo, it has a bit of reduction out of the barrel and is expressive of more Serralunga-like power, with compact tannins and a rich structure. Due to the nature of the wine, they are considering release of this wine in magnum only, but it’s going to be one to snap up on release and cellar, as it has a ton of potential.Based in La Morra, 2016 was the first vintage where Trediberri chose to vinify all their grapes rather than sell off their fruit. Their key holdings are in Rocche dell’Annunziatta, just below those of Maria Teresa Mascarello. Their holdings in Berri are 330-410 meters above sea level, closer to the Tanaro River, and the winds that come off the river lead to a late harvest, which preserves the acidity and the quality of the grapes. I once again met with Nicola Oberto and his wife Stephania, two great young voices in the Barolo region, who have a fantastic pulse on both the history and terroir, as well as insight into the future of the market and the region at large. These wines are energetic and pure across the range and offer a ton of value, and I believe they will continue to make their mark as they establish themselves as quality wines in the years to come. | $88 | 97 |
| 38 | 2022 Domaine La Bouissiere Vacqueyras | + | Ripe red and black fruits, leather, ground pepper, and crushed stone notes all emerge from the 2022 Vacqueyras, a rich, concentrated, age-worthy Vacqueyras that brings the ripe, sunny style of the vintage backed up by serious concentration and structure. Based on 45% Syrah, 41% Grenache, and the rest Mourvèdre, aged in a mix of barrels, demi-muids, and concrete eggs, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly through 2034. | $30 | 94 |
| 39 | 2023 Domaine Nico Pinot Noir Grand Pere | + | From some of the first Pinot Noir planted in the Valle de Uco in the 1990s, in stony soils and still low-yielding, the 2023 Pinot Noir Grand Pere is intensely earthy and even feral. The fruit profile is dense and darkly brooding, with structured tannins and an earthy underpinning of forest floor and herbes de Provence. Medium-bodied, it has a depth of concentration and layers of length. Drink now through 2037.Winemaker Roy Urvieta oversees this Pinot Noir-focused project for the Catena family. | $40 | 94 |
| 40 | 2019 Savart Champagne Premier Cru Les Noues Extra Brut | + | A remarkable vintage for this wine, the 2019 Champagne Premier Cru Les Noues Extra Brut is entirely made from Pinot Noir. It pours a straw/copper-tinged color and is assertive on opening, with notes of black cherries, savory broth, and pure fruit. The mousse is elegant and not dominating. Rather, it’s all about the wine, which offers ripe blackberry fruit and a long, elegant finish. It’s a superb wine with a ripe feel, a toasty note, but well-managed structure to drink over the coming 15 or more years. | $200 | 96 |
| 41 | 2022 Hawks Hill Ranch Winery Dark Pool | + | Darker berries, pepper, lavender, and cedary, meaty nuances give the 2022 Dark Pool a Hermitage-like character. It’s medium-bodied and concentrated, with ripe, building tannins, a focused, mineral-driven palate, and outstanding length. This 100% Syrah spent 22 months in 50% new French oak with the balance in neutral barrels. Give it a year or two and enjoy over the following decade or more. Drink 2027-2037.Located in the Adelaida District, Hawks Hill Ranch Winery is quietly producing some of the most compelling Rhône and Bordeaux-inspired wines in Paso Robles. The wines are made by Anthony Yount, and while they bring ample richness and depth, they shine for their balance, purity, and finesse. The lineup includes varietal Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cabernet Sauvignon releases, along with a Chardonnay from the San Luis Obispo Coast. All red wines are aged for 22 months in French oak, with new oak usage varying by cuvée. Current releases include Dark Pool, a 100% Syrah aged in 50% new oak; Parity, a Mourvèdre aged in 33% new oak; Standard Deviation, a Grenache raised in neutral oak; and Fat Finger, a Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 40% new oak. Liquidity is a blend of 62% Syrah, 28% Grenache, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 20% new oak. The white wine, Moth To Flame, is a Chardonnay that’s barrel fermented and aged all in new French oak. | $75 | 96+ |
| 42 | 2021 Bibi Graetz Testamatta | + | The 2021 Testamatta is entirely Sangiovese from 35- to 50-year-old vines and translates to “crazy-head.” It offers a jeweled ruby color and has a lovely bouquet on opening, with pure notes of kirsch, blood orange, dusty earth, coriander, and rose petals. It continues to the palate with a seamless feel, revealing a medium-bodied frame with fine tannins, a refreshingly weightless feel, and an elegantly long and balanced finish. Graceful and pure throughout, this lovely wine will benefit from cellaring as it matures to reveal its more tertiary and savory tones, although it sure is beautiful now. Drink 2025-2040. | $85 | 95 |
| 43 | 2022 Figgins Estate Red Wine | + | A proprietary (and undisclosed) blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot from Figgins Estate Vineyard, the 2022 Estate Red Wine opens in an herbal, earthy intensity of sage, cedar, and crushed stone. The full-bodied density opens slowly on the palate to show floral aromatics and rich red fruit, structured to age another 12-15 years. | $95 | 96 |
| 44 | 2020 Salvioni Brunello Di Montalcino | + | The 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is one of the standouts of the vintage and is a youthful ruby/magenta color. On the nose, it’s floral and perfumed with aromas of violets, black cherries, graphite, rosemary, and fresh sage. It’s seamless on the palate, with a weightless feel in a medium to full-bodied frame, and has plush tannins, refreshing acidity, and a haunting finish. This stunning wine should drink well over the next 20 years. | $165 | 97 |
| 45 | 2021 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon | + | Blended with 11% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is even more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated than most vintages. This inky purple-hued beauty offers a sensational nose of crème de cassis, liquid violets, flowers, new leather, and graphite that’s to die for. This carries to a massively concentrated, structured, inward Cabernet Sauvignon with building tannins, ample mid-palate depth and flesh, and a great finish. | $295 | 98+ |
| 46 | 2023 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Les Hauts De Montmirail | + | The 2023 Gigondas Les Hauts De Montmirail is cut from the same cloth yet brings a touch more Syrah character in its darker berries, peppery herbs, graphite, and crushed stone-like aromatics. It’s full-bodied, concentrated, has remarkable purity, and a gorgeous finish. This cuvée is 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and the rest Mourvèdre that’s from higher elevation, terraced parcels. It was destemmed and aged in 50% new French oak casks. | $30 | 96 |
| 47 | 2022 Jaffurs Syrah Upslope | + | The flagship from this great estate, the 2022 Syrah Upslope is a blend of Larner (60%), Bien Nacido (20%), and Kimsey (20%) vineyards based on 99% Syrah with 1% Viognier co-fermented and aged 22 months in 40% new French oak. Its saturated purple hue is followed by a sensational perfume of cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, remarkable purity, and a great finish. This classy, structured, incredibly impressive Syrah is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and knock your socks off over the coming decade. Drink 2027-2037. Jaffurs continues to be one of Santa Barbara County’s premier Syrah specialists. The lineup includes five single-vineyard Syrahs and a Petite Sirah, all showing the focused, structured style that defines this estate today. The Syrahs come from diverse terroirs, including the cool-climate Donnachadh in Sta. Rita Hills, Thompson’s sandy soils in Alisos Canyon, the classic Bien Nacido in Santa Maria Valley, and the warmer Larner in Ballard Canyon. Each shows a distinct character. The flagship Upslope is always a selection of the best in a vintage and largely pulls from Larner, Bien Nacido, and Kimsey vineyards. Having been able to take part in a recent retrospective going back the first cuvée in 2003, I can say with confidence that this is one of California’s most age-worth Syrahs. Most of these single vineyards see modest new oak (25-40%) and are co-fermented with small amounts of Viognier. The Petite Sirah from Alisos Canyon exemplifies the more restrained, focused style the estate favors today, as opposed to the blockbuster approach of the past. | $80 | 97+ |
| 48 | 2022 Sleight Of Hand Syrah Badlands Borderlands Vineyard | + | As badass as the name suggests, the 2022 Syrah Badlands Borderlands Vineyard is a funky, fresh 100% pure wine dripping in intense, full-bodied layers of iron, blood, graphite, violet, and garrigue. Densely concentrated, it’s as brooding as Springsteen himself and will age with grace and finesse over the next 12-15 years. | $75 | 95 |
| 49 | 2023 Royal Nonesuch Farm Spine | + | All Syrah sourced from the Royal Nonesuch Farm estate, Slide Hill, G2, Bassetti, and Lopai vineyards, fermented with 25% whole clusters and aged 20 months in 40% new French oak, the 2023 Spine delivers sensational aromatics of blackberry fruit, pepper, spring flowers, rose petals, and violets, with a California take on great Côte-Rôtie-like style. The oak is beautifully integrated, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with flawless balance and nothing out of place. Don’t miss this spectacular effort. It will have 15+ years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2040.One of the finest lineups I tasted for this report was from Anthony Yount’s Royal Nonesuch Farm, which pulls from the cooler, more coastal-influenced York Mountain AVA as well as some top sites throughout the region. Planted to Grenache, Syrah, Graciano, and Clairette, the wines are beautifully transparent and finesse-driven, with sensational complexity, nuances, and elegance while still being textured and concentrated. Fermentations generally see varying amounts of stems and the élevage spans 20 months in a mix of once-used and neutral oak. New oak is reserved for the white and Syrah and is beautifully integrated. The 100% Grenache Hokum was one of the finest, more Burgundian expressions of Grenache I’ve tasted from California, and it stopped me in my tracks. The Syrah might be even better, but at this level, who cares – the wines are absolutely brilliant. | $75 | 99 |
| 50 | 2022 Château Meyney | + | While I wasn’t able to taste the 2022 Château Meyney En Primeur, it’s a beauty now from bottle. Needing air to show at its best, this deep purple-hued Saint-Estèphe has a ripe, powerful nose of darker currants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, and cedar pencils. This carries to a full-bodied Meyney that has a broad, layered mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It’s accessible even today with a decant, but it’s going to take a decade to hit maturity and will age gracefully on its concentration and depth. | $40 | 94+ |
| 51 | 2019 Le Soula IGP Cotes Catalanes Le Soula Blanc | + | Light lemon-colored, the 2019 IGP Côtes Catalanes Le Soula Blanc is a blend based mainly on Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and harmonious, it offers multi-layered aromas of pear, mint, ripe lemon, and stone fruit, a hint of sweet almond, and acacia honey. Even though the wine spent 22 months in oak, the wooden notes have completely blended into the wine. A seamless, precise, age-worthy, and outstanding white, it’s vertical, fresh, and tightly woven, with a delicately spicy, almost tannic and long finish. Certainly, this is one of the best whites of the Roussillon. Drink 2025-2040.This estate is the result of a long friendship between two men who wanted above all to produce wine for friends and for their own enjoyment. In the late 1990s, Mark Walford and Roy Richards, fine wine importers based in London, began searching for a vineyard in the Roussillon region. Thanks to the advice of Gérard Gauby, they found vineyards in the Fenouillèdes area, at an altitude of 600 meters. In 2001, they bottled their first vintage and from the outset, the wines showed a style distinct from those of the Roussillon plain, with great freshness and finesse. Organic from the start, Le Soula now covers 22 hectares and is certified biodynamic. Thanks to Wendy Wilson, who joined the estate in 2016, the wines show great consistency, even in difficult years. This estate often flies under the radar, but their wines are simply superb and deserve to be in the spotlight. | $40 | 97 |
| 52 | 2022 Ferraton Ermitage Le Meal | + | Powerful aromatics of smoked black fruits, roasted herbs, smoke, and meaty notes jump from the glass of the 2022 Ermitage Le Méal, which is all Syrah that was destemmed and aged in 35% new oak. Coming from the steep, south-facing slope in the heart of the appellation, this powerful, concentrated effort offers up a full-bodied, structured profile on the palate, with beautiful tannins and a deep, rich texture. It’s a profound, concentrated wine that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly over the following two decades. Drink 2029-2045. | $180 | 98 |
| 53 | 2022 Lussier Pinot Noir Golden Fleece | + | Working with this newish, coveted site, sitting from 900- to 1,000-feet elevation on steep slopes above the fog, the 2022 Pinot Noir Golden Fleece is delightfully perfumed and inviting, spicy in white pepper and floral and herbal complexity. Supremely structured and deceptively dense on the mid-palate, it finishes fresh and minerally in a gravelly texture. A “wow” wine that will stand the test of time, it can be enjoyed through 2040.Relative newcomer Mark Lussier is definitely one to watch, one of the quiet stars making exceptional wines from the region right now. An Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army for seven years, including combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, Lussier interned at Napa’s Pahlmeyer in 2015 and knew immediately that working in wine would be his next focus. After a stint with Williams Selyem, he launched Lussier in 2019 to make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Anderson Valley and Mendocino Ridge. Based in Calistoga, he works in particular with high-elevation sites above the Anderson Valley, including Roma’s, Golden Fleece, Signal Ridge, and Mariah, using native ferments and a good percentage of whole-cluster grapes. | $56 | 95 |
| 54 | 2023 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Stand By Me Drum Canyon Vineyard | + | From the Drum Canyon Vineyard and brought up 18 months in 70% new French oak, the 2023 Pinot Noir Stand By Me offers black raspberries, graphite, spring flowers, and minty, sappy underbrush nuances on the nose. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, concentrated, and focused, with beautifully integrated oak (it brings to mind Roumier), it has a tight, focused mouthfeel, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. Give it a year or two to integrate its oak and drink through 2035. It’s another sensational Pinot Noir from the genius of Paul Lato. Drink 2027-2035.Paul Lato continues to produce one of the most impressive lineups I taste each year, with wines coming from top vineyards across the Central Coast and beyond. The Polish immigrant (this is a great American success story) who started as a cellar hand in Santa Maria has built a program that now includes five Chardonnays and seven Pinot Noirs in this lineup alone. The Chardonnays range from Rincon in Arroyo Grande to Sierra Madre in Santa Maria to Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands and Hyde in Carneros, with the Kokoro being a selection across sites. The Pinot Noir program is equally extensive, pulling from Gold Coast and Solomon Hills in Santa Maria, Zotovich and Drum Canyon in Sta. Rita Hills, Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands, and Hyde in Carneros. All wines see extended aging of 16 to 19 months, with new oak ranging from 25% to 70% depending on the cuvée. I thought the Stand By Me from Drum Canyon was the clear standout in the Pinot lineup this year, while the Pisoni Chardonnay shows remarkable power and concentration. Having said that, there are no dogs in the lineup, and these are all brilliant wines. These wines consistently show a balance between California richness and Old World restraint, with the oak perfectly integrated despite the relatively high percentages used. What continues to impress me is the consistency across such a large lineup – there’s not a weak wine in the bunch and each shows distinct site character despite the uniform winemaking approach. | $90 | 99 |
| 55 | 2024 Grosgrain Albarino Philips Vineyard | + | Fresh and fruity, the 2024 Albarino Philips Vineyard delivers deliciousness in a straightforward package of stone fruit and juicy acidity. Impressively light-bodied and lengthy, it’s an outstanding white wine from the state from a producer to watch. Drink now. | $28 | 93 |
| 56 | 2022 Domaine Des Bosquets Gigondas Le Regard Loin | + | Based on 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah, the tiny production 2022 Gigondas Le Regard Loin is gorgeous, and I think it’s the standout in the lineup. Black raspberries, ground pepper, sappy flowers, and spice are just some of its nuances, and it’s just about perfect on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, and ultra-fine tannins. I love it today, but this beauty will cruise for two decades. | $180 | 98 |
| 57 | 2022 Clos Venturi Corse Chiesa Nera Blanc | + | A great white of intensity and concentration, the 2022 Corse Chiesa Nera is a blend of Bianco Gentile, Vermentinu, and Genovese from vineyards planted on sandstone soils facing south/southeast. Very promising, with a masterful, terrifying balance, this is a great wine of body, texture, and length so concentrated that it develops very fine tannins on the palate (while still being a white wine, of course). Generous aromas of toasted almond, pastry, and hints of honey lead to a superb, saliva-inducing texture on the finish, with very long aromatic persistence. A great terroir wine! It needs time to reveal its full complexity, so hold until 2030.Of impeccable quality rarely achieved in Corsica, Clos Venturi is an exemplary estate. Located at high altitude in Ponte Leccia and comprising around 20 hectares of vines, it features native grape varieties, certified organic. They work with all indigenous yeasts and have a cellar equipped to ensure impeccable quality. The range progresses steadily and has its own distinctive style, marked by rigorous precision and an admirable ability to evolve over time. For any bottles you find, don’t hesitate. | $90 | 96+ |
| 58 | 2021 Diego Conterno Barolo Le Coste Di Monforte | + | The 2021 Barolo Le Coste Di Monforte is a similar deep ruby red color and steps things up a notch with notes of toasted cedar, tobacco, dried cherries, leather, and balsamic herbs. The palate has fantastic purity and a compact and focused liqueur-like feel, with profound depth and the potential to improve with age. There’s a lot going on here, and the work of Diego and Stefano Conterno is really paying off in spades. Drink 2027-2057. | $62 | 97 |
| 59 | 2023 Aalto Blanco De Parcela Fuente De las Hontanillas | + | Blending mostly Verdejo with Albillo Mayor and Godello from inside and outside Ribera Del Duero, the 2023 Blanco de Parcela Fuente de las Hontanillas ferments in 500-liter French oak barrels, where the lees are stirred over 10 months. White flowers come to the fore aromatically as tense layers of dried herb, Meyer lemon, and fennel play along the palate. Light-bodied, it is a balanced, textured, and impressive white that should age 10-15 years, if not more. | $54 | 95 |
| 60 | 2022 Château Canon | + | Ripe black cherries, graphite, crushed stone, and a beautiful floral character all define the 2022 Château Canon, another brilliantly pure and seamless wine from this team. Based on 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, it was raised in 50% new French oak, with a small percentage in foudre. Medium to full-bodied, it’s focused and precise on the palate, with ripe, polished tannins, integrated acidity, and a gorgeous finish. The elegance and purity here are truly striking, and it brings that rare mix of power and elegance. This sensational Saint-Émilion should evolve gracefully for three decades. In my view, it’s the finest Canon ever, surpassing the 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020. | $200 | 100 |
| 61 | 2023 Devison Syrah Crow’s Feet Southwind Vineyard | + | The 2023 Syrah Crow’s Feet Southwind Vineyard is 100% varietal, all destemmed, grown in fractured basalt, and aged 18 months on its lees. Perfumed, it bursts in iron minerality and lifted floral, tart high-toned fruit, from black cherry to wild strawberry, but remains grippy and gritty in texture. The acidity buzzes beneath a medium-bodied frame of gravelly texture, finishing in shocks of white pepper. This is a sexy wine that will continue to develop in bottle over the next 10-15 years. | $65 | 96 |
| 62 | 2023 Walter Scott Chardonnay Justice Vineyard | + | Pouring a brilliant silver/yellow color, the 2023 Chardonnay Justice Vineyard needs the most time. It’s forward with reduction, though matched with a lot of powerful, tropical notes coming through, including guava, salted grapefruit, fresh flowers, and a refined floral perfume. Full-bodied, it has a silky, saturating feel, although it’s weightless, and it has a long, floating finish. Drink 2027-2040.Walter Scott was founded in 2008 by Erica Landon and her husband Ken Pahlow. Their first vintage was produced in 2009 out of Patricia Green Cellars, then at Evening Land, where Ken worked alongside Dominique Lafon. This clearly influenced the wines of Walter Scott, where they began producing Chardonnay in 2011. The following year they moved to their current winery space, which is located in front of the Justice Vineyard of the Eola-Amity Hills. They continue to raise the bar across their portfolio and are producing exceptional wines with purity and balance. The wines for this report were tasted in May 2025 at the winery. | $80 | 98 |
| 63 | 2023 Melville Pinot Noir Block M | + | Fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged in neutral wood, the 2023 Pinot Noir Block M sees the highest stem inclusion in the lineup. Ruby/plum in hue, it offers black raspberries, spice, rose petals, and damp underbrush, with beautifully integrated stems. Medium-bodied and vibrant, it has a seamless texture, sound underlying structure, and a gorgeous finish. This might be the finest Pinot Noir I’ve tasted from Melville. While far from unapproachable today, it will benefit from a year or two in bottle and drink well through 2038. Drink 2026-2038.Chad Melville continues to produce exceptional wines from the estate vineyards in the northern part of Sta. Rita Hills, and this lineup shows he’s firing on all cylinders. Since taking over winemaking from Greg Brewer around 2019-2020, Chad has significantly shifted the style, introducing earlier picking dates, lower alcohol levels, and more notable stem inclusion. The results are a much more Burgundian-style Pinot Noir that requires bottle age to show at its best. The Chardonnay program includes three wines with the Clone 76 Inox aged entirely in stainless steel while the others see neutral oak. While the Clone 76 Inox is slightly more expensive, I prefer the classic appellation release in many vintages. The Pinot Noir program is extensive, with five bottlings showing increasing levels of whole cluster fermentation from 40% in the appellation wine up to 80% in Block M. Each single has a distinct character, with Sandy’s Block more vibrant, Anna’s Block structured and savory, Terraces complete and complex, and Block M potentially the finest Pinot I’ve tasted from this estate. The 2023s will benefit from short-term cellaring. The Syrahs reviewed here include both 2022 and 2023. The appellation wine sees 65% whole clusters and the Donna’s Block is fermented with 100% whole clusters. All wines are aged in neutral oak which, combined with the high percentage of whole clusters, gives these wines a distinctive, Old World-styled profile. This is clearly an estate at the top of its game under Chad’s direction. | $78 | 98 |
| 64 | 2023 Samuel Louis Smith Chardonnay Les Granitiers | + | The 2023 Chardonnay Les Granitiers is grown in granitic soils, as the name suggests, primarily those found in the high-elevation vineyards of Escolle (58%), Coastview (37%), and Pelio (5%), which all ripen at different times. As a result, the juice is fermented separately from each site in stainless steel and later aged in neutral barrels for 9-10 months. Smith picks the grapes relatively lean but not lacking in flavor, producing a wine that’s light on its feet. Green apple, apricot, sea spray, and racy acidity highlight a finessed, elegant framework of beautiful structure, built to age another 8-10 years.Smith spent eight years winemaking at Morgan and has also worked at Margerum in Santa Barbara as well as abroad. He does his own paintings on the label and focuses on organically farmed mountainous terroir, primarily in Santa Cruz, the Santa Lucia Highlands, and other parts of Monterey. | $35 | 96 |
| 65 | 2021 Sine Qua Non Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard | + | The extended barrel-aged 2021 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard comes from a blend of 86.1% Grenache, 8.5% Syrah, 4.4% Petite Sirah, and 1% Viognier. Fermented with 55% whole clusters and aged 38 months in just under 30% new French demi-muids, it offers an extraordinary bouquet of sweet redcurrants, black cherries, Provençal herbs, licorice, kirsch liqueur, and ground pepper that’s absolutely captivating. One of the most intellectual Grenache releases from the Krankls, it’s anything but light or under-fruited, delivering a full-bodied, voluptuous mouthfeel, flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, and a finish that simply doesn’t quit. This magical effort underscores the Krankls’ meticulous attention to detail, relentless work ethic, and sheer talent in both vineyard and cellar. I would not hesitate to place it among the greatest Grenache-based wines ever produced – 1990 Bonneau Réserve des Célestins, 2007 Giraud Grenaches de Pierre, 2007 Clos des Papes, 2010 Clos Saint Jean Deus ex Machina, and 2005 Barroche Cuvée Pure. It’s that good. Drink 2027-2042.The latest releases from Manfred and Elaine Krankl at Sine Qua Non show once again why this estate remains at the very top of California wine, and I always leave my tastings here utterly floored by what they consistently put in bottle. Looking at the wines reviewed here, the 2021s come from a hot, dry drought year that produced structured, concentrated wines reminiscent of 2010, 2013, and maybe even 2018. These are built for the cellar. The 2022s are riper and more extroverted, bringing to mind a slightly less concentrated version of the 2009s, 2012s, or 2019s. Drink these while you wait on the 2021s. The estate has also performed well in the cooler, longer 2023 growing season, with wines that are inky hued, concentrated, and nicely structured, yet supple enough to show well right out of the gate. | $280 | 100 |
| 66 | 2020 Le Ragnaie Brunello Di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli | + | Pouring a bright red color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli shows off a very pretty side of this vintage, with notes of wild strawberries, chili flake, dried earth, orange peel, and thyme. Medium-bodied, it’s elegant and mineral-driven, with angular tannins, the most linear feel in the range, and an evenly tapering finish. It is not the most obvious wine in the range, but it may very well prove to be one of the best wines from Montosoli in 2020. Drink over 2027-2047.Le Ragnaie is perched at a high elevation just south of the hill of Montalcino. Led by the estate’s owners, Riccardo and Jennifer Campinoti, this estate is producing some of the most compelling single-vineyard expressions of Brunello to date, with clarity, focus, and distinction between each of their crus. Elevage takes place in large Slavonian oak barrels. Additionally, for those looking to travel to the region, they have an agritourismo at the winery, which is a short drive from the town of Montalcino. | $165 | 97+ |
| 67 | 2019 Caraccioli Cellars Brut Cuvee Escolle Vineyard | + | Winemaker/owner Scott Caraccioli draws complexity for the 2019 Brut Cuvee Escolle Vineyard from a selection of clones grown at his estate vineyard, which add tremendous length and breadth across the palate, blending 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. It has great structure with phenolic ripeness, and layers of salinity and oyster shell mixed with a purity of pear and strawberry. Lengthy and complex, with a hint of richness, it’s gorgeous and will age another 10-15 years.Founded in 2006, the Caraccioli wines are all from their estate Escolle Vineyard, with no concessions made. Winemaker Scott Caraccioli takes part of the vineyard and sells the rest of the grapes, which include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, and Syrah. His sparkling wines are the showcase of the site. He also makes the lower price-point Private Property wines, sourcing more widely from the area. | $65 | 98 |
| 68 | 2023 Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Temperance Hill | + | The 2023 Pinot Noir Temperance Hill is from the Eola-Amity Hills, on volcanic soils on the lower bench of the vineyard. It has a bright ruby/red hue and is vibrant with notes of cranberry cocktail, pine, potpourri, and crushed stones. Medium-bodied, it has a mouthwatering iron sanguine lift with focused and refreshing linear tension throughout. It has an underlying grip that can be attributed to the influence of the winds coming through the Van Duzer Corridor. Give this another year and drink 2026-2040. | $100 | 95+ |
| 69 | 2022 Drew Wines Pinot Noir Faite De Mer Farm Radiolaria | + | Earthy, meaty, and savory (or even sauvage) in all senses of the word, the 2022 Pinot Noir Faite De Mer Farm Radiolaria is a beautifully expressive, intriguing, and complex wine with a texture of ethereal stone and brightness of sea spray. From a high-elevation estate site, it exudes umami complexity and will age well over the next 10-12 years.One of the most highly acclaimed producers in Mendocino County, Drew Wines was started by Jason and Molly Drew in 2000 on a 26-acre apple orchard in the Mendocino Ridge AVA, high above the Anderson Valley and just 3.3 miles from the ocean at 1,250-feet elevation. There they took a chance on growing cool-climate heritage field selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, calling the eight-acre estate Faite De Mer Farm. They also added a truffle orchard to the remaining 14 acres of apples. Jason trained with winemakers Craig Williams at Joseph Phelps, John Kongsgaard at Luna, Jeff Baker at Carmenet, Cathy Corison of Corison, and Brian Babcock of Babcock Vineyards before devoting himself full-time to living and working in Mendocino, where he uses traditional methods like whole cluster and native yeast fermentations and doesn’t fine or filter the wines. Drew also produces three single-vineyard Syrahs from Mendocino Ridge and two excellent whites, a Viognier and Albarino. | $70 | 98 |
| 70 | 2022 Domaine Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde | + | The 2022 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde is a stunning, flawless effort offering a complex array of red, blue, and black fruits intermixed with graphite, crushed stone, and wildflowers. Full-bodied, silky, and multidimensional on the palate, it has incredible depth, perfectly ripe tannins, and remarkable purity of fruit. This profound, age-worthy wine deserves 7-10 years of bottle age and will have 30+ years of prime drinking. The floral, perfumed, exotic, and incredibly seductive character here is reminiscent of Guigal’s Côte Rôtie La Mouline. Don’t miss this wine. Drink 2032-2062.One of the reference points for Côte Rôtie, Domaine Rostaing is now firmly in the hands of Pierre Rostaing, who continues the legacy of his father René. Farming is sustainable, and winemaking remains traditional, with full destemming (there might be a stem or two in some of these) and élevage in a mix of larger older and new French oak, with the new wood kept to a minimum. The range includes the classic Côte Rôtie Ampodium, which blends multiple parcels, as well as single lieu-dit bottlings from La Landonne, Côte Blonde, Côte Brune, and Le Viallière. A Condrieu and a Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah (Les Lézardes) round out the lineup. | $165 | 100 |
| 71 | 2022 Château Tronquoy | + | The 2022 Château Tronquoy is the finest vintage of this cuvée ever produced, offering fabulous aromatics of cassis, graphite, violets, flowers, chocolate, and earthy nuances. Full-bodied and beautifully rich and textured on the palate, with sweet tannins and a seamless, concentrated mouthfeel, it’s already hard to resist, and as I said from barrel, it shows the ripeness of the vintage while staying pure, balanced, and seamless. It’s going to benefit from just 4-6 years in the cellar and drink well for 25+ years. | $40 | 96 |
| 72 | 2013 Antoine Arena Vin De France Grotte Di Sole Blanc | + | From Antoine Arena’s favorite terroir, Grotte di Sole, the 2013 Vin De Franc Grotte di Sole is a Vermentino of great class, with floral scents reminiscent of verbena and chamomile. The nose gently evolves towards honey aromas. The palate is generous, full-bodied, fleshy, and perfectly balanced. A fine freshness plays with the taste buds right from the start, leading to a noble bitterness on the finish. Offering beautiful, elegant aromas of lemon, candied grapefruit, and a light touch of yellow Chartreuse as well as magnificent minerality, this is perfection. Serve with Mediterranean cuisine prepared with passion. Antoine Arena at his peak!Antoine Arena has been an emblematic figure of fine Corsican wines for over 40 years. A tireless enthusiast, spokesman, and standard-bearer for Corsican viticulture, he knows every plot and meander of the Patrimonio appellation. During our tasting at the Antoine Arena estate, he presented us with a 2013 white wine still maturing, nourished by its lees and just starting to be bottled. Never before have I had the chance to appreciate such a rich, intense, deep, full-bodied, and mineral expression of Vermentino. This could be the greatest Corsican white I’ve ever tasted. A few bottles are now leaving the domaine’s cellars, so don’t miss out. | $75 | 96 |
| 73 | 2022 Arista Winery Pinot Noir UV Vineyard | + | The 2022 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is from the first vineyard planted by Ulisis Valdez in Laguna Ridge, which are now 35-year-old vines on Goldridge soils. In the glass, it pours a slightly deeper ruby red shade and offers more richness in the range, showing off deeper notes of black raspberries, kirsch, graphite, and purple flowers. The palate is medium-bodied, with balanced concentration, ripe tannins, and a cooling effect, with its soft, stony texture lasting long in the finish. It’s a stunning wine in the range that’s built to last. Drink 2025-2040. | $115 | 97 |
| 74 | 2024 Domaine De La Solitude Châteauneuf Du Pape Vin De La Solitude Blanc | + | An interesting blend of 50% Clairette, 20% each Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, and 10% other permitted varieties, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vin De La Solitude Blanc was vinified and aged 10 months entirely in neutral barrels. Medium gold-hued, it shows Grand Cru white Burgundy-style reduction with ripe orchard fruits, toasted nuts, crushed stone, and floral nuances. It’s medium-bodied, has a pure, focused mouthfeel, bright yet fabulously integrated acidity, and a chiseled, layered, sensationally complex style. It’s the Coche-Dury of the Southern Rhône! With roughly 133 cases produced, give it 2-4 years and drink over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047.One of the oldest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and run by the Lançon family, Domaine de la Solitude covers over 80 acres in the La Solitude lieu-dit on the western edge of La Crau in the center of the appellation. The wines are made by the talented Florent Lançon, and the terroir is a mix of galets roulés and sandy safre soils. The winemaking is quasi-modern, with some new oak and small barrels, and mostly 100% destemming. Interestingly, the blends for their cuvées are chosen blind and put together rather late, so this estate never shows barrel samples. The range includes the classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape (60% Grenache, 15% each Syrah and Mourvèdre, and 5% each Cinsault and Counoise), the more modern styled Barberini (60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 15% Mourvèdre from 100% galets roulés terroir, aged with 60% new French oak), the 100% Grenache Cornelia Constanza from sandy safre soils in La Crau, and the relatively new Vin de la Solitude, always one of the most singular wines in a vintage with its complex blend as well as more whole cluster fermentation. The whites here are brilliant as well and deserve serious attention, with the Vin de la Solitude Blanc showing Grand Cru white Burgundy-style reduction and sensational complexity. As I wrote in the note, it’s the Coche-Dury of the Southern Rhône! I can’t recommend these wines enough and they certainly have a place in my personal cellar. | $100 | 99 |
| 75 | 2023 Morgen Long Chardonnay (Black Label) | + | The 2023 Chardonnay (Black Label) shows a bright silver/yellow hue. Made with older puncheons and stainless steel, with no new wood, this may be one of the best values Seth has ever released. It bursts with green apples, lime candy, salty earth, and hints of white pepper. Youthful and lightly effervescent at this stage, it’s medium-bodied but packed with intensity. 13 barrels were produced.Seth Morgen Long began making his wines in 2014 and is exclusively dedicated to the production of Willamette Valley Chardonnay. Originally from North Carolina, his family relocated to the Willamette Valley when he was nine. Having worked for Domaine de Montille in 2012 and 2013, he took their model for winemaking and returned to the Willamette Valley. Seth had been making his wines in the Lingua Franca facilities until 2022, when they sold to Constellation. He is currently operating out of Michael Etzel’s Sequitur estate, where the wines for this report were tasted. His style continues to evolve, although the wines are still about purity and focus and are well worth seeking out. I continue believe these are some of the best examples of Chardonnay you can find. | $35 | 94 |
| 76 | 2021 Pinea Tempranillo 17 By Pinea | + | A youthful, memorable exploration of 100% Tempranillo made in a refined and modern style, the 2021 Tempranillo 17 by Pinea opens in a wealth of silky tannins and rounded red berry fruit. Fantastic acidity complements its power, complexity, and length to result in something remarkably sophisticated, with well-etched characteristics of oak spice, vanilla, cacao nib, and balsamic. The fruit is all blackberries. There’s no doubt a good amount of concentration in the wine, yet it feels weightless on the palate. Extremely impressive, it should age with ease another 15-20 years. | $62 | 96 |
| 77 | 2021 Elio Altare Barolo Arborina | + | Coming from their home village of La Morra and expressive of the hallmark finesse of both the site and village, the 2021 Barolo Arborina is floral and pure with a refined perfume of fresh roses, wild raspberry, rocky earth, apricot, and fennel. It’s elegant all the way through, with a linear and focused feel, finely coiled tannins, even acidity, and a graceful and gently tapering finish. It has a haunting feel that’s exceptional in this vintage, and while it’s a pleasure to taste now, it should stand the test of time. Drink 2025-2055.Each of the wines for this report were tasted with Silvia Altare at the estate in La Morra. During this tasting, I was reminded of how, as trends come and go in the wine world, there is a timeless nature to the wines of those who excel within the framework of what they have historically accomplished. That is certainly the case at Altare, where they continue to produce wines in the traditional style of the estate in 100% new French oak, but also make wines dialing back the use of oak, which is more in vogue today. Additionally, in the hands of such skilled artisans, they achieve a refinement that will often come across as heavy-handed and out of balance when others try to imitate it. Each of the wines in this report is a unique and singular expression in its own right. | $110 | 97 |
| 78 | 2022 Château Montrose | + | One of the greats in the vintage, the 2022 Château Montrose is deep ruby/purple-hued and has a massive perfume of sweet crème de cassis, sappy tobacco, and freshly sharpened pencils. With incredible purity and precision in its aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, powerful, yet still somehow elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Based on a classic blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, it spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. As I wrote during En Primeur, it has the essence of a Montrose-like character. While it’s not a massively backward or austere example of the château, it nevertheless deserves 10-12 years of bottle age and should have at least half a century of longevity. It is, without a doubt, in the same league as the 1989, 1990, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2020. | $248 | 100 |
| 79 | 2023 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Limnal | + | A transparent red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Limnal is Kelley’s most prized block, just three rows planted in 1970 beside a black walnut grove. Wild strawberries, hibiscus, grapefruit, and red flowers lead to a lifted, delicate wine with fine tannins, bright acidity, and a citrus-driven finish. The 2023 was her final vintage of this bottling. Drink over the next 20 years. | $90 | 98 |
| 80 | 2017 Maysara Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard Cyrus | + | The 2017 Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard Cyrus is from Dijon clones grown on the steeper sites of the property. Aged for 18 months in barrel with 30% new French oak, it boasts a bright ruby red color in the glass and offers a bit more depth on the nose, with notes of cherry cordial. Medium-bodied, it opens to layered notes of nutmeg and provides a lot of clarity to its elegant spice notes. Offering more rounded and ripe tannins, this vintage is a huge step up from my memory of the previous year. | $45 | 95 |
| 81 | NV Jacquesson Champagne Cuvee 742 Degorgement Tardif | + | Based on the 2014 vintage, the NV Champagne Cuvée 742 Degorgement Tardif was aged 96 months on the lees and then held back another year before release. It has a crisp and crystalline character, with that added polish of extra aging. I love the character of this wine, which has a super-refined and polished mousse, delicately rounded edges, and a long finish. Its texture is delicate and creamy, while retaining its really precise feel and incredible, laser-like focus, but it’s fully dry. Very well-balanced, this is a superb offering that I would love to have in my own cellar. Drink over the coming 20 years. Disgorged in April of 2023 | $140 | 96 |
| 82 | 2022 Domaine Coursodon Saint Joseph Paradis Saint Pierre | + | The 2022 Saint Joseph Paradis Saint Pierre is a big, meaty, almost bloody Saint Joseph that’s from a single lieu-dit and was brought up 15 months in barrels. Wild red and black fruits, ground pepper, game, and bouquet garni notes define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied on the palate, with a powerful, concentrated mouthfeel. It benefits from air and will ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar. It should cruise over the following decade or more. Drink 2028-2040.Based in Mauves, in the heart of the Saint Joseph appellation, Domaine Coursodon is a fifth-generation family-run estate today led by Jérôme Coursodon. The estate farms just over 16 hectares, all within the Saint Joseph AOC, with vines planted on steep granitic slopes surrounding Mauves. Most vines average 40 to 60 years of age. All reds are 100% Syrah and are destemmed, fermented in stainless steel, and aged in barrel, with the élevage varying slightly between cuvées. Silice sees 12 months in used oak, L’Olivaie and La Sensonne are aged 15 months with increasing percentages of new oak (100% new for La Sensonne), and Paradis Saint Pierre comes from a single granite lieu-dit and is partially destemmed, with 15 months in barrel. White wines are based on Marsanne, with Paradis Saint Pierre Blanc including a small percentage of Roussanne. Both whites are barrel fermented and aged 12 months, with lees stirring used for the top cuvée. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, the 2022s are brilliant across the board. They show the ripe, sunny style of the year yet retain remarkable purity, balance, and elegance. All of the cuvées offer pleasure today, and I have no doubt they’ll age beautifully, with broad drinking windows. The 2023s from barrel are more plush, soft, and supple, which reflects the style of the vintage. Lastly, do not miss the whites. The 2023 Saint Joseph Paradis Saint Pierre Blanc might be the white of the vintage in Saint Joseph. |
$166 | 96 |
| 83 | 2020 Fuligni Brunello Di Montalcino | + | A bright red color with orange highlights, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is very pretty, with a delicate rustic hint that I find quite attractive. It reveals attractive red fruit on the nose, with notes of cranberries, wild herbs, and just a subtle hint of saddle leather and blood orange. Mid-weight, it’s light on its feet while delivering wonderful energy and freshness, with snappy ripe red fruit, a refreshing, angular feel, and mouthwatering saline and acidity. This is certainly one of the highlights of the 2020 vintage. Drink 2025-2040. | $95 | 97 |
| 84 | 2019 Domaine Du Grapillon D’Or Gigondas Cuvee 1806 | + | The 2019 Gigondas Cuvée 1806 is a riper, much more expressive Gigondas. Ripe black cherries, melted licorice, roasted garrigue, and hints of kirsch all jump from this beauty, and it’s full-bodied, has a layered, ripe, sexy mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and a great finish. | $45 | 95 |
| 85 | 2020 Sierra Cantabria Reserva Unica | + | From a year when the producer lost 20% of its grapes, the 2020 Reserva Unica overcomes the adversity of the vintage in its delicate, finessed profile that belies an inherent power of concentrated black fruit. With 2% Graciano, it has precise acidity and is plenty powerful yet supple in tannins and rich red fruit. Beautifully balanced, it shows profound elegance and will be a long-lived wine for another 15-20 years. | $42 | 95 |
| 86 | 2023 Domaine Bernard Gripa Saint Joseph Le Berceau Blanc | + | Made from 100% Marsanne and aged in 228-liter barrels with some lees stirring, the 2023 Saint Joseph Le Berceau Blanc reveals honeyed stone fruits, crushed stone, and ripe citrus, with beautiful minerality. Clean, pure, and balanced, with integrated acidity, medium body, and impressive length on the palate, this gorgeous white is best enjoyed over the coming 7-8 years, although it will evolve for longer as well. Drink 2025-2033.This family-run estate is based in Mauves, at the heart of the original Saint-Joseph appellation, and today covers just over 17 hectares split between Saint-Péray and Saint Joseph. Fabrice Gripa now oversees both viticulture and winemaking, continuing the work started by his father Bernard, who began estate bottling in 1974. The Saint-Péray lineup includes two whites: Les Pins, a blend of 70% Marsanne and 30% Roussanne, and Les Figuiers, the old vine cuvée with a more Roussanne-heavy blend. Both are fermented and aged in a mix of oak barrels and stainless steel. In Saint Joseph, the domaine produces red and white in two cuvées: the regular estate bottling and Le Berceau, which comes from the older vines of the estate. The whites are made from Marsanne and Roussanne and are aged in a mix of temperature-controlled tanks and barrels, while the reds are all Syrah that see partial destemming, traditional fermentations, and aging in a mix of barrels and demi-muids. All the wines here are worth your time and money, and they’re consistently some of my favorite wines in the appellation. | $96 | 96 |
| 87 | 2022 Fingers Crossed Syrah Life And Death | + | Another singular, as well as absolutely perfect, wine from this remarkable family team, the 2022 Syrah Life And Death is 100% Syrah from Bien Nacido and Stolpman vineyards, aged 21 months in 61% new oak. It has a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a classic Bien Nacido nose of blackberries, pepper, iodine, and iron notes, with perfectly integrated background spicy oak. Deep, pure, elegant, and beautifully balanced on the palate, it has full-bodied richness, integrated acidity, and a seamless profile. This is stunning stuff that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and can be enjoyed over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047.Run by Nicolas and Julia Krankl (Nicolas is the son of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl), Fingers Crossed continues to establish itself as one of California’s top estates. It’s important to realize that these are not Sine Qua Non copycats. They have their own style, which leans slightly more Old World, with notable stem influence and elegance, while still delivering serious California fruit. The lineup includes two whites and two reds, with the names changing each year. The Brain Teaser wines are barrel samples (2023s) that should be bottled soon, while the Life and Death wines are the finished 2022s. Both the white and red blends incorporate Rhône varieties, with the white blend now largely driven by Chardonnay, alongside Roussanne and Marsanne. The goal is to produce the finest white possible, not match some predetermined blend. Fruit sources include Bien Nacido, Stolpman, Alta Mesa, Sanger, and Rancho Boa Vista, and they’ve also acquired some old Sine Qua Non parcels. Production remains tiny, though they’ve been able to pick up additional parcels in top vineyards, so I expect modest growth going forward. These are consistently world-class wines that show remarkable balance between richness and elegance. If you want them, get on the mailing list. | $240 | 100 |
| 88 | 2022 Domaine Du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Lieu-Dit Mon Reve | + | Ripe red and black fruits, peppery garrigue, sandalwood, and a Southern Rhône-like street market character all emerge from the 2022 Gigondas Lieu-Dit Mon Rêve, a sensational Gigondas that’s based on 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that’s from more clay and sandy soils. With full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless, powerful, yet surprisingly elegant mouthfeel, and beautiful tannins, it’s up with the true crème de la crème of the vintage. It has enough structure to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age and will shine over the following decade or more. Bravo. | $84 | 96 |
| 89 | 2022 Bodega Lanzaga Las Beatas | + | A grand cru-level wine of impeccable quality, the 2022 Las Beatas comes from a steep 1.9-hectare site near the historic village of Ollauri in Labastida, terraced and planted to a massal field blend of several red grapes, capturing the perfection of growing and blending Graciano and Garnacha with traditional Tempranillo. It is gorgeously floral and bright in cassis with an underside of velvety dark fruit, light peppery spice, gravel, and crushed flower. It has tremendous structure and the aging potential of another 20-30 years, if not more. This one will stay on your mind well after it has left your palate. | $312 | 100 |
| 90 | 2022 WeatherEye Vineyards Hillfighter Red Wine | + | Functioning as the second wine of the estate and a blend that will change every year, the 2022 Hillfighter Red Wine is Syrah-dominated yet includes 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Grenache, and 5% Mourvèdre that will spend 22 months in 50% new oak. Ripe red fruits, spice, peppery herbs, and a touch of crushed rock-like minerality define this medium to full-bodied, elegant, seamless, beautifully balanced red. It should drink nicely with just a few years of bottle age. | $55 | 94 |
| 91 | 2023 Martin Woods Pinot Noir Jessie James Vineyard | + | Tasted as a barrel sample, the 2023 Pinot Noir Jessie James Vineyard is the Vosne-Romanée of the portfolio. It sports a deeper ruby/magenta hue and offers more concentrated richness in the glass, with notes of ripe berries and pepper. More high-toned and floral, with so much more savory richness in its dark, sweet tannins, it has a ripe, rounded feel and is much deeper in its structure and persistence. It’s flashy now, but when it comes together, it’s going to be superb. | $60 | 98 |
| 92 | 2022 Château Valandraud | + | The 2022 Château Valandraud is sensational, offering a massive array of blackcurrants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, baking spices, and truffly earth. Full-bodied and deeply layered, it has a velvety mouthfeel, polished tannins, and remarkable purity. It reminds me of a hypothetical blend of the 2020 and 2019. Based on 85% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was vinified and aged 22 months in new barrels. It will evolve gracefully for 20-30 years. | $190 | 99 |
| 93 | 2022 Law Estate Wines Audacious | + | Tasting like a top Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the 2022 Audacious reveals red and black fruits, peppery spice, herbes de Provence, and loamy earth. Based on 35% Grenache, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Carignan, and 16% Syrah, aged 22 months in 55% new French oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This is another riveting wine from this estate. Drink 2025-2037.Located high up off Peachy Canyon Road, Law Estate is owned by Don and Susie Law, who fell in love with Paso after years of traveling through wine regions around the world. They founded the property in 2008 with a focus on Rhône and Bordeaux varieties, all grown on their limestone, hillside estate in the Adelaida District. Winemaker Philipp Pfunder runs the cellar and the lineup includes two whites, a Chardonnay from Spanish Springs Vineyard and the estate-grown Soph blend. On the red side, Beguiling, Sagacious, and Audacious offer different takes on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Aspire is Syrah-based, Prima is all Mourvèdre, and Intrepid is the top Syrah. The Nines is a selection of the best Grenache, and the Beyond Category cuvée is based on Tempranillo and Rhône varieties (and some Carignan). First Tracks highlights Petit Verdot, the estate Cabernet Sauvignon stands on its own, and Blend X is a small-lot bottling that changes each vintage. Everything is fermented in concrete with varying amounts of whole cluster and aged in a mix of French oak, foudre, and concrete egg. These are polished, distinctive wines that have earned their spot at the top of the Paso Robles hierarchy, and readers should jump on this estate’s bandwagon. | $88 | 98 |
| 94 | 2022 Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chenes | + | Smoky black fruits, roasted herbs, graphite, and ground pepper all define the 2022 Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chênes, a richly textured, medium to full-bodied, incredibly impressive effort from Crozes. Made from 100% Syrah and aged 18 months in a mix of tanks, demi-muids, and barrels, it’s balanced, has ripe, polished tannins, terrific mid-palate density, and a great finish. Drink 2027-2037.One of the rising superstars of the Northern Rhône, Emmanuel Darnaud produced his first vintage in 2001 and initially focused on Crozes-Hermitage, where he quickly built a reputation for pure, impeccably made wines. He has steadily expanded his holdings and now produces several cuvées from Crozes-Hermitage and Saint Joseph, as well as a Hermitage from parcels recently inherited from Bernard Faurie, with 2021 marking his first vintage from the appellation. Winemaking is traditional, with fermentation in wooden and concrete vats and élevage in a mix of barrels and demi-muids with modest new oak. The wines show incredible purity, balance, and texture, which sometimes gives them a slightly more polished, quasi-modern feel, yet they remain classic Northern Rhônes at their core. The 2023s look solid across the board, showing impressive structure (which isn’t a given in the vintage), and the 2022s unquestionably rank among the top wines in each appellation. I was thrilled to see the quality of his 2022 Hermitage, which comes from old vines and some of the top terroirs on this magical hill. The sky is the limit here. | $53 | 93 |
| 95 | 2023 Farm Cottage Wines Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard | + | Just four miles from the ocean near Aptos, the 2023 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard is made from a supremely cold site first planted in 1980 that continues to be dry farmed. The Alfaro family purchased it in 2020 and replanted 4000 vines. This is crisp, light-bodied Chardonnay offers sizzling acidity that speaks to the place and vintage, with a linear salinity and quenching freshness. Drink now through 2030.This is the Alfaro family’s second label and the baby of Ryan Alfaro in particular, who started it in 2019 to make more whole-cluster wines. Starting with Pinot Noir, there are now six different wines adding up to about 800 cases. | $42 | 97 |
| 96 | 2021 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Vignarionda | + | A saturated and reflective inky red color, the 2021 Barolo Vignarionda takes all the components of the Serralunga comune bottling and amplifies them with profound intensity. It’s layered and deep on the nose with aromas of black cherry liqueur, espresso, dark chocolate, polished leather, resinous fresh tobacco, and sappy earth. It fills the senses with a seamless feel, full body, refreshingly ripe acidity, velvety tannins, and a long-lasting finish that starts to reveal its more profound and noble structure after the wine is long gone. There aren’t too many wines like this in the region, and it has a singular feel. Drink 2027-2050. | $435 | 97 |
| 97 | 2023 Sant Armettu Sartene L’Ermite | + | From old Sciacarellu vines planted in 1973, the 2023 Sartène L’Ermite is Sartèn’s finest red. It’s a treasure trove of complexity and finesse and offers unprecedented grace on the palate. With magnificent, delicate aromas of wild strawberry, rose petal, and white pepper. Once on the palate, the texture of this 2023 is graceful and refined, with numerous, caressing tannins. Rarely have I enjoyed a southern wine with such precision and striking lightness. This is a masterpiece. It’s a dream wine, showing just how much Corsica still has to offer. Congratulations! Already expressive; no need to wait.Gilles Seroin and his children produce some of the finest wines in Corsica. The range is absolutely fabulous, at the pinnacle of the island’s best and purest. The whites, born on granite soils, acquire a pure, saline texture, marked by beautiful bitters, while the reds draw from them an expression of unrivalled finesse, capable of rivaling the very great crus of Burgundy. They produce the top three Corsican wines. | $90 | 97 |
| 98 | 2020 Bodegas Macan | + | A wine of tremendous concentration and gastronomic invitation, the 2020 Macan has a small 3% addition of Graciano and is aged in French oak only for 18-20 months. The vintage was warm, lending a concentration of firm, age-worthy tannins to its striking beauty and powerfully elegant core. Aromatic in rose petal and dark chocolate, it’s lengthy on the medium-bodied palate and balanced by underlying acidity, intended to show an evolution and departure in style, more finessed and structured, velvety and voluminous, but essential in its elegance and grace. Drink now through 2035. | $85 | 98 |
| 99 | 2022 Château Beau-Sejour Becot | + | Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is flat-out sensational, as well as the finest wine I’ve tasted from this château. Powerful aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits as well as crushed stone and violets define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, has integrated acidity, and ultra-fine tannins. Based on 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this heavenly Saint-Emilion will benefit from just 3-5 years of bottle age and have 30 years or more of overall longevity. Back up the truck. | $113 | 98 |
| 100 | 2021 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera | + | Coming from the highest plot on the hill at 450 meters elevation, with a southeast exposure and sandy limestone soils, the 2021 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera pours a bright ruby red color and is the more lifted and linear of the two Barolo in the range. In the glass, it’s spicy and focused on the nose, with notes of red cherries, floral perfume, minty fresh herbs, and bright spices. Raised for 30 months in Garbelotto barrels, the palate is also focused and medium-bodied, with bright acidity that drives the wine, ripe but coiled tannins, and a stony texture through the finish. It offers fantastic energy throughout, and I would love to have a few of these stashed away in my cellar. Drink 2027-2047. | $96 | 96+ |