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The 2012 IX Proprietary Red Estate, which comes from their gorgeous hillside vineyards overlooking Lake Hennessey high on Pritchard Hill, is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. Absolutely spectacular aromatics of spring flowers, blueberry, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit intermixed with creosote, graphite and floral notes are followed by a wine of great depth, elegance, richness and purity. Simply loaded, but with pristine harmony and equilibrium, this is a sensational tour de force and a great tribute to this spectacular hillside site on Pritchard Hill. Drink it over the next 25-35 years.Robert Parker | 99 RPWinemaker Allison Tauziet commented that after 2011, the vines had lots of energy going into 2012, and the team had to do lots of canopy management and crop thinning. The 2012 IX Estate is show-stopping juice and offers an incredible array of cassis and currant-like fruits as well as truffle, iron, and spring flowers. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, this full-bodied, deep, layered, utterly compelling Napa red is just now at the early stages of its prime drink window and has another 2-3 decades of life. As with the 2013 IX Estate, it reminds me of a 2009 First Growth from Bordeaux.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDFabulous intensity and energy to this young red with wet earth, violets, blackcurrants, black olives, sweet tobacco, blackberries. It’s so complex. Full-bodied and very deep with incredible depth and richness. Give it four and five years to come together.James Suckling | 98 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2022 IX Estate features bold, expressive notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie, and plum preserves, giving way to hints of menthol, mossy tree bark, black olives, and iron ore. The full-bodied palate is characteristically rich and dense with great depth and wonderfully fine-grained tannins, matched by beautifully knit freshness, finishing long and minerally.The Wine Independent | 98+ TWIThe 2012 IX Estate is the biggest and most powerful of these wines. Firm tannins provide the backdrop for a huge core of fruit as this creamy, voluptuous Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend shows off its considerable personality. Game, smoke and tobacco add nuance on the finish. The IX Estate brings together some of the sensuality of Tychson Hill along with a level of vibrancy that recalls the Cariad. If that sounds appealing, well, it is.Vinous Media | 96 VMFeatures an expressive mix of flavors built around dried currant, dusty, cedary oak, a gravel pit of newly crushed rock and melted black licorice. Shows impressive finesse and refinement. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028. 1,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLike the Tychson Hill from this vintage, the IX Estate has reticent aromas of red as well as black fruits, as well as hints of tobacco and mint. Broad and fleshy, it still shows admirable freshness and vigour. Although not excessively concentrated, it doesn’t lack grip, yet it does tail off slightly on the finish.Decanter | 93 DEC

(Dom Pérignon Brut Millésime (Épernay)) The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a brilliant wine in the making and seems likely to ultimately be judged one of the greatest vintages here in the last quarter century. According to Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, the wine is close to its ideal cépages of fifty percent each of chardonnay and pinot noir in 2012. The wine is quite a powerful vintage of Dom Pérignon, but with all of the customary elegance and structural chassis of the greatest vintages here and it remains a young wine, brimming with energy and superb depth. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classic blend of lime, green apple, menthol, stony minerality, discreet botanical tones, gentle smokiness and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a great core, superb mineral drive and grip, utterly refined mousse and a long, zesty and beautifully balanced finish. I love how the perfect ripeness of the 2012 vintage is seamlessly interwoven here with a superb girdle of acidity, great minerality and excellent purity, which will end up producing a legendary vintage of this wine. It is certainly approachable out of the blocks, but I would opt to tuck bottles away for at least eight to ten more years before starting to drink the 2012, as there is so much left here to still unfold. (Drink between 2029-2075)John Gilman | 98 JGWhat a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECWonderful elegance and balance to this Dom Pérignon with cooked apple, lemon and hints of white pepper and salt. It’s medium-bodied with really fine bubbles and balance. Spicy at the end. So wonderfully fresh, linear and long. Racy and elegant. A DP that invites to drink right now. All about finesse. Tension, too, with precise phenolics and bright acidity on the back palate. Subtle energy. Drinkable now, but will develop beautifully in the bottle.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2012 Dom Pérignon is a dense, powerful wine. I am almost shocked by its vinous intensity and raw, unbridled power. The 2012 reminds me of the 2003, but with more finesse and not quite as pushed. Mildew, rain and frost were challenges and resulted in low yields, something that was further compounded by warm, dry weather that concentrated the fruit even more. Those qualities result in a dense Dom Pérignon endowed with real phenolic intensity. It is one of the most reticent young Doms I can remember tasting, I wouldn’t even think of opening a bottle for at least a few years. (Originally published in May 2021)Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2012 Dom Pérignon is developing very nicely on cork, exhibiting a complex bouquet of pear, confit citrus fruits, honeycomb, buttered toast, iodine and nuts framed by a deft touch of youthful reduction. Full-bodied, rich and muscular, with a layered core of fruit and a pillowy mousse, it’s a vinous, vibrant Champagne that concludes with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis eloquent Champagne has an enticing waft of Mandarin orange on the nose that continues on the palate, which is layered with flavors of crushed blackberry and cassis, toast, chopped almond, graphite and oyster shell. A bright, finely-knit and harmonious version, with a lovely, raw silk-like mousse, and a lasting, expressive finish. Drink now through 2037.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Just about as good as it gets, the 2012 Cristal Rosé is a magical effort based on 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay. It’s a powerful, medium to full-bodied, incredibly textured rosé offering a huge amount of salty, chalky minerality as well as awesome notes of white cherries, orange blossom, caramelized apples, and toasted bread. It shows the ripe, rounded richness of the 2012 vintage yet has bright, racy acidity, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. It opens up nicely with air and will ideally be given 2-4 years of bottle age, and it should evolve for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis is a great vintage for Cristal Rosé. The pinot noir finds a band of power and expressiveness. The power here is impressive, very assertive and rich, really mouth-filling and super deep. This is exceptional and has intense, chalky and fresh, white-peach and nectarine aromas, underpinning red flowers and pink fruit. The palate has a scintillating blend of flesh and mineral cut, packed with such sweet, pristine, white-strawberry flavor and texture. This has such incredible potential. So exciting. Will take another two or threw years to resolve. Look out for this! Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2012 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with a beautiful bouquet of fresh peach, bergamot, strawberries, tangerine and blanched almonds that’s still quite reserved. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and strikingly complete, its vinous attack segueing into a multidimensional core that exemplifies the ideal of power without weight, built around a racy but integrated spine of animating acidity and complemented by an exquisitely refined mousse. All the concentration of the 2012 vintage is on display, but it’s rendered with terrific finesse. Decidedly youthful and introverted—indeed, I spent several hours with a bottle to compose this note—the 2012 will really come into its own with five or six years in the cellar and displays all the attributes necessary for considerable longevity. It’s a blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay that saw no malolactic fermentation, and it was disgorged with eight grams per liter dosage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2012 Cristal Rosé is magnificent. When Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon started to move Roederer towards organically farmed fruit, he started with Cristal Rosé, Roederer’s smallest production cuveé. Because of that, Cristal Rosé is the wine in this range that shows the current Roederer style in its fullest expression. Rich, vivid and crystalline in the glass, the 2012 Cristal Rosé is a Champagne of tremendous gravitas. Chalk, white flowers, sweet red berry fruit, mint and blood orange are all beautifully delineated. The 2012 is 55% Pinot from Ay and 45% Chardonnay from Mesnil and Avize. The Pinot fruit gets a 7-10 day cold soak an is the infused into the fermenting Chardonnay musts. Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AG(Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé Millésime (Reims)) The 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé is a magical wine in the making. It is composed this year of a blend of fifty-six percent pinot noir and forty-four percent chardonnay, with fifteen percent of the vins clairs having been barrel-fermented in this vintage. None of the vins clairs underwent malo this year and the finishing dosage for the 2012 is eight grams per liter. The wine is superb and just a bit more accessible out of the blocks than the regular 2012 Cristal, wafting from the glass in a very refined constellation of apple, white peach, gentle smokiness, chalky soil tones, a nice touch of fresh-baked bread, caraway seed, incipient smokiness and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, racy and bottomless at the core, with lovely mineral drive, refined mousse, impeccable focus and grip and a very, very long, very pure and nascently complex finish. This is not quite as buttoned up behind its girdle of acidity as the regular 2012 Cristal, but it is by no means ready for primetime drinking and still needs a minimum of eight to ten years in the cellar to really unfold. Great juice. (Drink between 2027-2080).John Gilman | 98 JGNo written review provided. | 98 W&SYears in the making, this is the first fully biodynamic Cristal rosé. The very fine 2012 vintage is a good starting point for this new era. The Champagne is just right, beautifully rich and showing some maturity while also having tension and crispness from the golden-apple and spice flavors. The wine could be drunk now but its future is assured. Organic and biodynamic. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAn elegant rosé Champagne, starting quietly with a subtle range of white cherry, Marcona almond, pink grapefruit zest and saffron flavors that gain momentum and volume as they expand, gliding across the palate’s fine, raw silk–like texture. This is mouthwatering and minerally, the symphony concluding with accents of oyster shell and chalk that echo on the finish. Drink now through 2032.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Abreu is now calling his vineyard on Howell Mountain (a tract of 33 acres with 15 planted) Las Posadas, after the road high on the mountain that seems to be the Fifth Avenue of Howell Mountain vineyard sites. The 2013 Las Posadas Proprietary Red was unreal from barrel, and that extraordinary Midas touch exhibited by Grimes and Abreu has extended to this wine out of bottle, which is a showcase for Howell Mountain and the meticulous viticulture and winemaking of Abreu and Grimes. Inky purple to the rim, with an extraordinary nose of sweet mulberry, intense graphite, scorched earth, smoldering wood charcoal, and massive blackberry and cassis fruit, this intriguing and provocative wine also throws in hints of licorice and black truffle. It is extremely rich, full-bodied, and nearly an out-of-body experience. Look for it to improve in age for 40 to 50 years. I can see consumers opening it circa 2065 to 2075 and saying, “Wow – what a great vintage this must have been!”Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2013 Las Posadas is superb. Graphite, smoke, lavender, exotic spices and inky crème de cassis fruit power a deeply expressive Howell Mountain wine. Beautifully structured and towering on the palate, the 2013 is showing beautifully today. This is a striking Howell Mountain wine. It is also the most giving and expressive of the Abreu 2013s today, which is surprising given its Howell Mountain origins. This is a superb wine.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis blend of five Bordeaux varieties is the most striking and nuanced of Howell Mountain’s super-expensive cult wines. Powerful and structured, impeccable balance. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 96 DEC

Probably one of my favorite vineyards in all of Napa Valley, even though it is not entitled to any particular AVA designation, is the steep hillside vineyard behind the luxury resort of Meadowood in St. Helena called Thorevilos. It is co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman. I have now tasted 16 vintages of this wine, and six and possibly seven (the 2015) have merited perfect scores, which is just mind-boggling even to someone who has been doing this for 38+ years. This wine contains a considerable quantity of Cabernet Franc (probably 30% or more, although Abreu and Grimes are never specific) and there may even be a small percentage of Petit Verdot included in the blend. This is always the most floral of the Abreu wines, but it also has what the French call je ne sais quoi, a quality that is hard to pin down. The 2013 defines what Thorevilos is all about, with copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries, truffles, violets, crushed rock, forest floor notes and oodles of glycerin in its full-bodied, incredibly pure and amazing texture and length. It is a spectacular wine, with the cascade of fruit hiding what must be some considerable tannic clout. It’s not showing through just yet, but I suspect it will come as the wine closes down in bottle once it gets into a cold cellar. This is simply other-worldly and a tribute to all things Napa, California, and in a way, America. Drink it over the next 50+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2013 Thorevilos is a real stunner. Deep, powerful and explosive, the 2013 possesses magnificent structure to match its vivid fruit. Deep and enveloping, the 2013 Thorevilos is an attention-grabbing wine. Crème de cassis, lavender, sage, violet, menthol, graphite, smoke and black cherry gradually flesh out in the glass, but the tannins are going to need much more time than that. Remarkably nuanced for such a big wine, the 2013 is spectacular from the very first taste. The 2013 has always been thrilling. It is all that and more today.Vinous Media | 100 VM

The flagship wine, and one of the first in Napa Valley to emphasize the fabulous potential of Cabernet Franc in specific terroirs, is the 2013 Maya Proprietary Red Wine. This wine usually spends about 22 months in new oak and normally has anywhere from 45% to as much as 60% Cabernet Franc blended with the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2013 could well be the finest they’ve made to date, and that includes a lot of profound wines. An incredibly complex nose of charcoal embers, blackberry and cassis, some blueberries as well as white flowers, and a touch of forest floor is followed by a full-bodied wine with sweet, well-integrated tannins, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on for close to a minute. This is absolutely remarkable wine – powerful, dense, but at the sane time, precise and elegant. It’s hard to believe, but I think this wine can probably age and improve for 25-40 years. Don’t miss it if you have access to it.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2013 Maya is a bit more expressive today than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, plush and vertical in its shape, the 2013 exudes intensity and pure power from start to finish. The Maya is another wine that will require considerable patience. Hints of black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, cloves, leather and scorched earth give the 2013 much of its brooding, powerful personality, but readers will have to give the 2013 at least a few years in barrel for it to be at its best.Vinous Media | 97+ VMBlack plums, caramel, new leather and bramble on the nose. Sumptuous and chewy mouthfeel, with flavours of raw cacao, bitter cherry and dried sage. The finish is long and driving, showing the brilliant, high-toned structure common in this section of Oakville. More generous at present than the 2013 Cabernet, but still very much a baby. Recommended to cellar for another few years. Drinking Window 2026 - 2051.Decanter | 95 DECAn inspiring effort, this captures a dense mix of gravelly earth, extracted dark berry, cedar, dried herb, anise and crushed rock notes, showing a cleansing minerally edge. Stays trim and deserves time. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2020 through 2032. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Francis Egly has produced another profound Champagne with the 2013 Brut Grand Cru Millésime. If the monumental 2008 stands out for its power, structure and intensity, the 2013 is distinguished by its harmony, finesse and completeness; both vintages are very great wines but thus quite different in style. Wafting from the glass with scents of Anjou pear, crisp yellow apple, freshly baked bread, clear honey, iodine and fresh mint, it’s full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with a layered, concentrated and effortlessly balanced core of fruit, uniting precision and sensuality to compelling effect. Girdled by racy acids and animated by a delicate pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a long, penetrating finish. Is this the most elegant wine Egly has produced to date? It’s certainly among the most compelling that this high quality but initially underrated Champagne vintage has delivered.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2013 Millésime Grand Cru is flat-out stunning, in fact it’s one of the best vintage Champagnes I have ever tasted. What I admire most about the 2013 is the marriage of power and transparency. Plum, kirsch, ginger, spice and dried flowers all come alive in a striking, vivid Champagne that delivers so much pleasure. It’s a riveting, captivating Champagne from Egly-Ouriet. What a knock-out! Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: July, 2022.Antonio Galloni | 98 AG

This is quite chalky with firm phenolics that frame the wine beautifully. It’s medium-to full-bodied with strawberries and earth. Dense, linear and intense. Hints of brioche and pie crust at the end. Very structured and gorgeous. Salty and lightly chewy. One third of the base wines fermented and aged in oak. Connoisseur Champagne. From organic vineyards of the Roederer domains. Smaller production than normal. Seven years on the lees. Give it two or three years to open.James Suckling | 98 JSI've revisited Roederer's 2013 Cristal four times since I reviewed it in April of this year—including several times from my own cellar—and I had to admit that even my lavish praise didn't do it full justice. Combining the cool-vintage cut of 2008 with the more completely mature fruit of 2012, the 2013 Cristal might well be said to represent the perfect combination of the two from a purist's perspective. The wine unwinds in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, almond paste and citrus oil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, seamless and multidimensional palate that's intense but weightless, with racy acids, a pinpoint mousse and a long, penetrating finish. Drink the 2008 Cristal on its own, and you're unlikely—to put it mildly—to have any complaints; but compare it directly with the 2013 and you'll see Roederer's rapid progress in the vineyards writ large.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2013 Cristal is a wine of extraordinary precision and tension. Searing acids drive a bold, racy Champagne that won’t be ready to offer its best drinking anytime soon. In recent vintages, Cristal has been quite open on release. That is far from the case with the 2013. Readers should plan on being quite patient. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Verzy, Verzenay, Beaumont-sur-Vesle) and 40% Chardonnay (Mesnil, Avize, Cramant). Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon was especially selective and used only 30 out of the potential 45 plots that are typically available for Cristal. About 32% of the lots were done in oak, the rest in steel, with the malolactic fermentation blocked across the board. It was an October harvest, the sort of harvest that has become increasingly rare in Champagne. Lecaillon describes the summer as similar to 2012, but adds the vines were a month behind in their development. In tasting, the 2013 reminds me of the 1996 in its austerity, even more so than the epic 2008.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AG(Louis Roederer “Cristal” Brut Millésime (Reims)) The 2013 vintage of Cristal from Maison Louis Roederer is the only one in the last two decades to be made from fruit that was harvested in October, as global warming has pushed most picking dates in the Champagne region forward into September. Spring was cool and flowering in 2013 did not occur until the month of July- almost unheard of in recent times! The cépages this year is sixty percent pinot noir and forty percent chardonnay, with one-third of the vins clairs barrel-fermented for this vintage. As always, none of the vins clairs went through malolactic fermentation and the wine was finished with a dosage of eight grams per liter. The wine delivers a beautiful young bouquet of apple, a hint of pear, yellow plum, a complex base of chalky minerality, brioche and a lovely array of fruit blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with impeccable balance, a superb core, laser-like focus, very elegant mousse and a long, vibrant and very classy finish. This has the structure to age long and gracefully and may well close down a bit over the next couple of years, but for the moment, it so seamlessly balanced that I find it very easy to drink out of the blocks (which is not customary for my palate with Cristal, which I usually want to bury in the cellar for a decade!). This is a very beautiful vintage of Cristal and a very, very worthy follow-up to the stellar 2012 version! (Drink between 2021-2075)John Gilman | 97 JGA pale rosé color of this great Champagne leads to a wine that has toast, spice and layers of citrus and red fruits. Its richness is balanced by freshness that will take several years to fully mature. So, even at eight years, the wine has plenty of room to develop. Drink from 2023. ROGER VOSS | 97 WEThe peak of drinkability is between 15 and 20 years from the harvest; so says Jean-Baptiste, but he has not spared the taster the wondrous early impression of perfection in the making. A soft gold with glistening highlights, like the river meadow at dawn; the nose effortlessly marries a panoply of flavours, the citric grip nodding to hints of passion fruit and Mirabelle plum, with hazelnut and almond signalling the grace of development. Texturally generous, yet tightly wound, taut and flinty yet ripe and open, the wine faithfully underlines the vigneron’s philosophy, every nuance of its template deftly rehearsed and charmingly enacted. Disgorged: autumn 2020. Dosage: 7.5g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2033.Decanter | 96 DECI think the 2013 Cristal checks in behind the 2008, but it's nevertheless a beautiful wine. Lots of ripe orchard fruits, toasted bread, brioche, and chalky mineral notes define the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, nicely concentrated, tight, inward style, beautiful precision and purity, and a great finish. It needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age to hit its stride and will keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA wine of chalk soils, from mid-slope estate parcels, Cristal is a blast of pale limestone power in 2013. Its textures are grand and sumptuous against the chalk, its flavors layering sunny apple briskness, smoky lees and earthy acidities ghosting the finish, lasting for minutes, suggesting a long life ahead in the cellar.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SExotic hints of tangerine and candied ginger are an enticing entrance for this vivid Champagne, accenting a finely meshed range of ripe green apple and cassis fruit, with rich notes of chopped almond, brioche and lemon curd. An underscoring streak of salinity gains momentum through the mouthwatering finish, echoing as it rides the plushly creamy mousse. This is decadence in a sleek and graceful package. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2033. 9,181 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer’s 2013 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage’s bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it’s also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn’t as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it’s the 2013’s alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that’s so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region’s tête de cuvée bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2013 Cristal Rosé is searingly intense right out of the glass, just like the Blanc, except it has a bit more fleshiness because of the skin contact on the Pinot. Cristal Rosé has one of the best track records for aging in Champagne. I suspect the 2013 will join the ranks of the epic vintages, but it is painfully tight today. The blend is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ) and 45% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) done in the classic Roederer infusion style in which Pinot Noir is vinified on the skins and then blended with Chardonnay to complete the fermentation. About 25% of the lots were done in oak, while malolactic fermentation was blocked.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGIf you’re a Champagne lover and this doesn’t do it for you, I don’t know what will. A magical Champagne that’s just about as good as it gets, the 2013 Cristal Rosé reveal a lighter salmon hue to go with a rich yet also subtle nose of orange blossom, white flowers, toasted brioche, and chalky minerality. It takes some coaxing but is incredibly complex aromatically and offers more spice, dried strawberry, and library book-like nuances as it sets in the glass. Richly textured on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and has surprising opulence as well as a great mid-palate, all of which are balanced by a vibrant spine of acidity. It starts out seemingly soft and easygoing yet changes with air, and it possesses an incredible mix of suppleness, texture, and precision that is something to behold. It can be drunk today or cellared for 20 or 30 years, possibly even longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDAromas of strawberry, iron, orange peel and brioche follow through to a full body with gorgeous fruit and sweet tannins that layer the wine. Strawberry-patisserie undertones. Rather juicy and chewy with very round, fine tannins. Savory, flavorful and lightly spicy. Caressing finish with lots of fruity flavor and dryness. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSLike an orchestra that melds the voices of many components into one compelling song, this bright rosé offers precision balance, seamlessly knitting an expressive range of ripe nectarine and raspberry fruit, Marcona almond, blood orange peel and candied ginger flavors with racy acidity and saline-laced minerality. Plush and creamy on the lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2036. 154 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Louis Roederer “Cristal” Rosé Brut Millésime (Reims)) The 2013 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé is composed of a blend this year of fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay, with all of the pinot hailing from the village of Aÿ and the chardonnay from Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger. Twenty percent of the vins clairs were barrel-fermented for this vintage of Cristal Rosé and the wine received a dosage of seven grams per liter. The bouquet is pure and very precise, wafting from the glass in a youthful blend of white peach, strawberry, rye bread, a beautiful base of chalky soil tones, delicate floral tones and a gently spicy topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and youthfully complex, with a lovely spine of acidity, great focus and grip, supremely elegant mousse and a very long, racy and seamlessly balanced finish. This seems a touch more reserved out of the blocks than the regular 2013 Cristal and will demand a bit more bottle age before it starts to drink with generosity, but once it blossoms, it will be brilliant and extremely long-lived. (Drink between 2026-2065)John Gilman | 97 JGA pale rosé color of this great Champagne leads to a wine that has toast, spice and layers of citrus and red fruits. Its richness is balanced by freshness that will take several years to fully mature. So, even at eight years, the wine has plenty of room to develop. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEIn keeping with the talents Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon brings to rosé Champagne, this offers joyous drinking in a serious wine. It’s pale pink in color with a floral highlight to the honey notes and fresh-picked raspberry flavors. A pink-chalk impression lasts, and though this is not at the level of the 2012, it is immediately refreshing and delicious.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

Fabulous structure for a Sassicaia with powerful, polished, chewy tannins and ripe, subtle fruit. Aromas of blueberries, blackcurrants, rosemary and lavender. Full body, bright acidity and a savory finish. Juicy and lively. Better to drink this beginning in 2020 but so impressive now.James Suckling | 98 JSRed berry, cedar and light spice aromas lead the way on this dazzling red. The vibrant palate is loaded with finesse, delivering bright red currant, red raspberry, white pepper and chopped herb alongside bright acidity and firm, polished tannins. Impeccably balanced, it’s loaded with elegance, energy and intensity but it’s still young, so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2020–2038.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEI had reviewed this wine just a few months prior and my impression has remained pretty much the same. One difference I did notice at this more recent tasting of the 2013 Bolgheri Sassicaia is the bouquet. It has shifted to slightly more delicate and finessed aromas of pressed flower and blue violets. You do of course get that solid core of dark fruit and spice that characterizes this famous Tuscan blend. But that extra time in the bottle has awarded wiggle room for profound precision and focused detailing. The wine’s complexity emerges slowly with subtle notes of savory spice and tobacco. There is power and depth here, especially in terms of the mouthfeel. As the wine evolves in the glass, it begins to show ethereal tones of road paving, tar and licorice. This Sassicaia should go straight into the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA racy, tightly wound style, this offers violet, black currant, cherry, wild herb, spice and mineral flavors matched to a dense, smooth texture. Shows finesse and intensity in a seemingly effortless manner. The aftertaste is long and focused. Should provide years of pleasure. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2019 through 2035. 18,000 cases made, 4,200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSLight cherry red in colour, with a beautiful vibrancy. On the nose we have clean, bright redcurrant fruits. This is not the most intense year for Sassicaia, yet the palate comes through slowly but steadily, building in momentum until a smoky edge adds depth to the fruit. Gently, carefully the perfumed layers and fragrant richness really start to kick in through the mid palate. There is a sense of the sheer cleverness of the balance. Lingering flavours of sage and blackberry that peep over your shoulder and prove themselves to be remarkably tenacious. Subtly beautiful. They use one-third new oak in all the recent vintages, and it is exceptionally well integrated for such a young wine.Decanter | 95 DECThis is an elegant and balanced vintage of Sassicaia, with flavors of ripe red plum and cherry that saturate the palate, mingling with notes of toasted nuts, tobacco and dried fennel. It feels subdued, hemmed in by the polished tannins that will benefit from several years in the cellar. The wine gains depth over several days, maintaining freshness while taking on earthy notes of rooibos tea and roasted beets.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SThe 2013 Sassicaia is a wine of grace and understatement. Silky, perfumed and medium in body, the 2013 is one of the most delicate young Sassicaias I can remember tasting. At times, the 2013 does not taste much like a wine from Bolgheri at all. That is not positive nor negative, but simply an observation. Scents of lavender, sage and menthol wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit. There is good definition to the aromatics, but several recent bottles haven’t been as impressive as barrel samples were last year.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2013 Le Desir represents 2,500 cases. This is the softest of the three wines in 2013, and this blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec emerges with more than half of the cuvée coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 37% from Chalk Hill and the rest tiny dollops from Bennett Valley and Knights Valley. Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine is showing incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and incredible finish, with incense and licorice. This is magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Vérité was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe most exotic and aromatically seductive of the Verité wines, wild red and black fruits marry with nuances of cigar tobacco and incipient floral details. While similarly large-scalled, La Desir's tannic structure is more supple than its siblings and its palate presence appealingly energetic. 62% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Malbec. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECThis is a tannic and rich red that is tightly wound and very muscular. Full-bodied, very intense and powerful. Needs time to show its full self. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2013 Le Désir is once again alluring. Le Désir is quite powerful and intense, but it also has fairly soft contours for the year. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, chocolate, mocha, licorice and cloves are all pushed forward. Energetic and explosive, the 2013 is going to need at least a few years in bottle to settle down, but it has plenty to offer. I tasted the 2013 from tank just prior to bottling.Vinous Media | 92-95 VM

The 2013 La Joie, which is 46% from Knights Valley, 32% from Chalk Hill and 22% from Alexander Valley, is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Showing loads of graphite, cedar wood, charcoal, crème de cassis and forest floor, this may well turn out to be a 50+-year wine. It tastes like a great first-growth Pauillac and has an amazing amount of complexity and richness.Robert Parker | 100 RPSensational aromas of blackberries, blueberries, violets and wet earth. Tar undertones. Full body, chewy yet polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A neoclassical wine with a great future. A majority of cabernet sauvignon in this Bordeaux blend. Needs two or three years to soften still.James Suckling | 99 JSTasted from tank just prior to bottling, the 2013 La Joie is dense, powerful and rich, with notable depth. Still remarkable embryonic the 2013 remains deep, fruit driven and backward. This is a wine for the long haul. Crème de cassis, blackberry jam, spice, menthol, game, licorice and smoke flow through to the powerful, incisive finish. This is a strong showing.Antonio Galloni | 93-96 AGThe most brooding and massive wine in the Verité portfolio, creamy cassis, plum and graphite are followed by a large-scaled, dense and intensely concentrated, savoury wine which lives up to its reputation as Sonoma’s answer to Pauillac. 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2023 - 2055.Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley – all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPFascinating aromas of blackberries and orange peel with dried flowers. Full-bodied and very structured. Superb density and length. Just starting to open up now. Fantastic merlot.James Suckling | 98 JSAnother huge wine, the 2013 La Muse is endowed with serious power and overall structure, especially compared to the 2012 tasted alongside it. Sweet tobacco, grilled herbs, cedar and smoke add considerable nuance. There is plenty of fruit and overall richness, but the imposing tannic heft is going to demand considerable cellaring.Vinous Media | 93-96 VMNotes of black raspberry, forest floor, burnt sugar, methol and rich barrel toast are the prelude to a wine strucutred around fine, dense tannins and good acidity. 89% Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec, La Muse is the richest and most opulent of the Verité wines, as well as the most marked by its barrel programme, but it retains nicely savoury definition. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2014 Madrona Ranch Proprietary Red is deep garnet-purple in color and sings of crushed blackcurrants, warm plums and black raspberries with menthol, potpourri, chocolate box and licorice nuances—compelling. The palate is full-bodied, firm and grainy with great freshness, finishing very long with mineral notions. This will be extremely long lived!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe largest scaled of the single vineyards is unquestionably the 2014 Madrona Ranch and this blockbuster comes from a vineyard at the base of Spring Mountain, just outside of St Helena. It boasts a huge nose of blackcurrants, charcoal, dried earth, and chocolate, full-bodied richness, a deep, layered texture, big tannins, and a huge finish. This massive 2014 is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and will certainly be one of its longest-lived wines as well. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDLove the blackberries, tar, dark mushrooms and flowers. Perfumed to the max. Full-bodied, super velvety and refined. Glorious. Dense and so long yet vivid. What finesse. You want to take this home. Incredible length and texture. Blend of cabernet sauvignon (56%), cabernet franc (27%), petit verdot (9%) and merlot (8%).James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2014 Madrona Ranch has developed beautifully since I first tasted it from barrel in spring of 2015. Specifically, the tannins have melded into the fruit as the wine has gained body and volume. In 2014, Madrona Ranch is quite dark and powerful. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s more floral red-toned character. A wine of sublime elegance and total finesse, the 2014 Madrona Ranch is a winner. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 97 VMIntense, featuring dark fig, blackberry and black currant paste flavors rumbling through, with extra tobacco, bay leaf, bittersweet chocolate and tar notes filling in, this sports obvious heft and muscle. Shows range, cut and drive nonetheless, with a buried graphite spine and sneaky acidity. Just give this a little space in the cellar to round fully into form. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2040. 389 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 95 WSFrom an important St. Helena vineyard, neighbouring Spottswoode and planted in 1980, ’85 and ’86, Abreu’s Madrona Ranch reveals a complex and still-primary bouquet of cherry, black raspberry and smoke, mingling with hints of espresso and rose. It’s rich and multi-dimensional on the palate, with an ample chassis of fine, savoury tannins and a nicely juicy quality to the fruit.Decanter | 94 DEC

Composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2015 IX Proprietary Red Estate sports a deep garnet-purple color and nose of smoked meat, blackberries and black currants with suggestions of baking spices, dark chocolate, fertile earth, dried Provence herbs, cardamom and lavender plus a touch of cigar box. Full-bodied, rich, firm and restrained, it has a lovely earthy, soft-spoken style at this youthful stage, promising great things to come over the forthcoming 25-30 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPLastly, the 2015 IX Estate is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 2013 and 2014, with a ripe, sexy, exuberant style carrying loads of blue and black fruits as well as notes of tobacco, iron, truffly earth, and lead pencil. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, it’s full-bodied and has loads of up-front fruit, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. As with the 2012 and 2014, it has this incredible lift and elegance and already offers pleasure. Nevertheless, I’d give bottles another 3-4 years if possible, and this will evolve for 30-35 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe IX Estate is the most brooding and tannic of these 2015s from Colgin. Huge swaths of tannin enshroud the fruit in this decidedly virile, intense Pritchard Hill red. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2015 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. Even today, though, it is a stellar wine.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is a broad-shouldered wine, underscoring the richness of the vintage. But it is also bright and fresh with a light bitter and hazelnut character on the finish. Full-bodied, focused and textured with a dusty tannin mouthfeel. Tangy and long at the finish. Enticingly fruity. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 97 JSAssertive, with an agreeable texture that eases the tannic strength, making this a powerful expression of extracted Cabernet flavors like dark berry, cedar, graphite, tar and more. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2034. 1,050 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A super-complex Champagne with chewy tension. Aromas of coffee beans, lemon peel, burnt sugar, chalky minerality, barley candy and tarte tatin. Fine pinprick bubbles with flavors of lemon leaves, aspirin and Mirabelle plums, plus a touch of grapefruit bitterness keeping the tension. Zesty yet integrated chewy acidity and a medium body with a toasted finish. Drink of hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 Dom Pérignon is terrific. Bright and poised, the 2015 shows terrific energy. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. There’s gorgeous tension and backbone here, with bright saline notes that extend the mid-palate and finish. This is a fine showing in a vintage that has proven to be tricky. I am intrigued to see how the 2015 develops in the coming years.Vinous Media | 96 VMDisgorged in January 2023, the 2015 Dom Pérignon shows a singular, ethereal profile with aromas of white pepper, iodine, ripe orchard fruits, toast, smoke, herbs and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and structured, it’s enveloping and round with a delicate phenolic mid-palate that underlines chalky dry extracts, concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish with gastronomic bitterness. This iteration of Dom Pérignon, though replete with the customary charm and vinous generosity that typify the label, distinguishes itself by its structural delicate austerity and a notably phenolic profile, giving rise to a remarkably linear and well-defined style that diverges markedly from the more familiar expressions of Dom Pérignon. This is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter; it will age wonderfully and can be enjoyed now or over the next 20 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPBurnished gold color with a fine, effervescent bead, the Grand Vintage 2015 shows abundant ripeness on the nose with notes of white peach, quince, butter pastry, elderflower and nougat. A 44% Pinot Noir 32% Chardonnay and 24% Meunier, it was disgorged in May 2022 and finished with a five gram per liter dosage. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses a straightlaced acid-line that lifts the rich orchard fruit core through the honeyed finish.The Wine Independent | 91 TWI

(Includes two bottles of each of the three unique labels) The 2015 Dom Pérignon is terrific. Bright and poised, the 2015 shows terrific energy. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. There’s gorgeous tension and backbone here, with bright saline notes that extend the mid-palate and finish. This is a fine showing in a vintage that has proven to be tricky. I am intrigued to see how the 2015 develops in the coming years.Vinous Media | 96 VMThere’s a well-spiced, zesty edge to the flavors of glazed apple, mandarin orange peel, pink grapefruit pith and crème de cassis as they ride the finely detailed mousse of this fresh, focused Champagne. This vivid display is enriched by notes of canelé pastry, chopped almond, pastry cream, smoke and vanilla, all coming to the forefront through the midpalate and chiming on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDisgorged in January 2023, the 2015 Dom Pérignon shows a singular, ethereal profile with aromas of white pepper, iodine, ripe orchard fruits, toast, smoke, herbs and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and structured, it’s enveloping and round with a delicate phenolic mid-palate that underlines chalky dry extracts, concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish with gastronomic bitterness. This iteration of Dom Pérignon, though replete with the customary charm and vinous generosity that typify the label, distinguishes itself by its structural delicate austerity and a notably phenolic profile, giving rise to a remarkably linear and well-defined style that diverges markedly from the more familiar expressions of Dom Pérignon. This is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter; it will age wonderfully and can be enjoyed now or over the next 20 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP2015 is unusually giving and luscious at this early stage, full of apricot pastry, bittersweet orange citrus and bitter almond, brightened by some pithy herbal characters that signal the year’s singular growing season yet also leaning deliciously into toasted bread, honey-nut and a little umami savour from lees ageing. It plays a deep, fruit-saturated and slightly grippy angle on Dom Pérignon’s often svelte style, less reductive than usual and much more immediate than the previous release (2013). This is a vintage perfectly placed for relatively youthful drinking, although Dom Pérignon’s record will mean this is likely to have a rewarding decade ahead.Decanter | 94 DEC

Bottled in July 2017 and composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the Dominus 2015 Proprietary Red Wine leaps from the glass with notes of fresh wild blueberries, crushed blackberries and black currant juice with touches of wild thyme, underbrush, iron ore and aniseed with wafts of lavender and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has incredible energy and vivacity, with the firm, pixelated tannins and lively backbone skillfully framing the muscular fruit, finishing with wonderful length and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Dominus is a flawless, perfect wine as well as a legend in the making. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc, from dry-farmed vines and brought up in just 40% new French oak, its ruby/purple color is followed by an extraordinary bouquet of blackcurrants, crème de cassis, damp earth, smoke tobacco, and spring flowers. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its incredible mix of elegance and power, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, stunning purity of fruit, building tannins, and awesome length. This sensational textured and voluptuous Dominus drink well today yet will evolve for 25-30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Dominus has a deep garnet-purple color. It needs a little coaxing to unlock scents of redcurrant jelly, warm cassis, wild blueberries, and forest floor, followed by hints of graphite, red roses, and allspice. The full-bodied palate is full-on seductive, featuring firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to compose the opulent, perfumed black and red fruit layers, finishing with incredible length.The Wine Independent | 100 TWISuper savoury and terrifically precise aromatics reveal capsicum and dried sage, bay leaf and blood orange citrus, cocoa nibs and dried violets dusted with white pepper. Plump and unabashedly full-bodied, with voluminous and creamy black fruit atop super-fine-grained tannins that are seamlessly integrated. A host of savoury spices build intrigue with black olive, liquorice, and cured meat.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECA phenomenal red from the vintage with sandalwood, roses, currants, blackberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, extremely structured and intense with a great finish. The tannins are so polished and poised. Shows tension and beauty throughout. Straight and focused. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Dominus is fabulous. Explosive and alluring on the palate, the 2015 possesses stunning texture and intensity. Blueberry jam, cloves, menthol, licorice and graphite are some of the many nuances that develop over time. In 2015 Dominus artfully balances the richness of the year with the classic structural elements that are such a signature of this wine.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is packed with juicy, vibrant currant paste and blackberry pâte de fruit notes, all intertwined with apple wood, warm earth and anise accents. Reveals a deeply buried cast iron edge, with a tantalizing savory flicker at the very end. Ultimately, it’s the fruit that holds sway throughout this very expressive version, which is a stark contrast to the brick house ’13. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. -- Non-blind Dominus retrospective (August 2022). Best from 2026 through 2038. 3,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Harlan Estate is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal black cherries, crème de cassis and plum pudding with nuances of potpourri, baking spices and tilled soil plus wafts of garrigue and wild sage. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated with exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and fantastic poise and depth with a long, decadently fruited finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Harlan Estate is a beast of a wine that shows the sexy, opulent style of the vintage married to the classic structure and depth of this estate. A downright smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, crushed rocks, graphite, smoky camphor, cured meats, and dried tobacco aromas all emerge from the glass, and it shows the deep, concentrated style of the vintage yet still has awesome complexity and nuances. Deep, powerful, and structured, yet opulent and incredibly sexy on the palate, it reminds me of the 2002. A brilliant wine from this estate, it’s already approachable given its wealth of fruit yet has the tannic backbone and density to keep for 3-4 decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDIncredible aromas of fresh flowers, such as roses and violets, and blackcurrants. Full body and defined levels of fruit and tannins too. Love the brightness and texture. An excellent finish. Production was down by a third because of bad berry set. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Harlan Estate has developed into an arrestingly beautiful wine. Racy and sumptuous, the 2015 is already quite showy, with tons of dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice, spice and tobacco character. Today, the 2015 comes across as a bit brooding and hard to read, although some of the rougher edges in the tannins I saw last year have softened. Even so, I would prefer to cellar 2015 for at least a few years. There is so much to look forward to.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA huge red, with powerfully rendered dark fig, macerated black currant and steeped boysenberry fruit framed by a bittersweet chocolate note. With time in the glass, the fruit unwinds slowly, allowing anise and loam accents to fill in on the fleshy finish. There’s some serious heft here through the back end too, with a long echo of smoldering tobacco and a great tug of dark earth. Best from 2022 through 2040. 1,839 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLike most Harlan vintages, this is about 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, with small additions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The nose displays a wonderfully refined blend of sumptuous blackcurrant fruit with stylish oak. Although rich and very concentrated, it's restrained and polished, showing excellent balance and length with no overbearing character and a discreet but present tannic structure. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DEC

Love the aromas to this young red with blackcurrants, sage, cinnamon and five-spice character. Changes all the time. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with a ripe and rich tannin backbone that gives form and beauty to the ripe and beautiful fruit. Tight and very long. Approachable now but will reward more in five to six years. A classic Sassicaia.James Suckling | 98 JSHaving followed this wine’s evolution in barrel for the past few years, it is an honor to evaluate the final product. This Sassicaia has blossomed since my previous encounters with it as a young, awkward adolescent. The long-awaited 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia represents a tremendous effort that comes together with seamless precision and focus. This is a confident and proud red wine from Tuscany. Starting with the primary material at hand, you sense the quality of fruit thanks to the wine’s beautifully dark appearance and the rich texture it offers to the palate. The acidity is integrated, but more freshness still would have been welcomed in my view (and would also contribute to its longevity). The bouquet is amplified both in terms of volume and length. Its playlist includes dark berry fruit, spice, leather, licorice and roasted coffee bean. Yet, the mouthfeel is extremely graceful and silky. The wine’s undisputed pedigree is showcased on the palate. It should also be noted that this edition of Sassicaia feels more ready and open to me. It will age and evolve beautifully, but the 2015 Sassicaia can also be enjoyed in the medium-term. This wine is all about the here and now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPRich and concentrated, this red features black currant, blackberry, violet, mineral and spice flavors. Dense yet lively, structured yet impeccably balanced, with vibrant acidity driving the long, fruit-filled aftertaste. The oak is beautifully integrated. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2042. 17,200 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe warm 2015 vintage in Tuscany helped to tame the naturally tart character of Sangiovese. However, located just 5km from the coast, the cooling influence of the sea breezes has produced an outstanding phenolic ripeness in the vineyards of Bolgheri. Sassicaia in 2015 shows a mix of dark and red fruits, with some restrained kiwi and cedar wood length underpinned by a lively, fruity acidity and tannins that are dense but not tough. An exceptional Sassicaia to cellar for decades. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 97 DECThis iconic wine’s blackberry, cedar and vanilla aromas fill the glass. The elegant, structured palate delivers juicy black currant, black cherry, exotic spice, crushed herb and menthol flavors alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. It boasts a fantastic combination of delicious, ripe fruits, balanced by remarkable freshness and agility for the hot vintage. Drink 2022–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe warm and dry 2015 growing season produced some bold and beautiful wines from Bolgheri, and Sassicaia leads the pack. Fine-boned and silky, it radiates elegance and balance. Flavors of black cherry and raspberry are saturating yet seemingly weightless, warmed by lingering notes of licorice and subtle spice. The fruit has a very slight tartness that adds lift and suggests the grapes were picked at the perfect moment. The flavors continue to gain momentum and energy over several days, indicating the long life that lies ahead of this wine.Wine & Spirits | 97 W&SThe 2015 Sassicaia is incredibly elegant, perfumed and light on its feet. It has become even more wonderfully refined since I last tasted it. Sweet floral and spiced notes lead into a core of sweet red and purplish berry fruit. When it was younger, the 2015 was quite potent. Today, my impression is that, while the 2015 has gained some finesse, it is also starting to shut down in bottle. Wine is always a journey; the 2015 Sassicaia is a great example of that.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG

The 2016 Las Posadas is a stunning Howell Mountain wine. Inky, rich and hedonistically beautiful, the 2016 is simply magnificent. Crème de cassis, chocolate, menthol, licorice, lavender, cloves, mint, graphite and crushed rocks are all amped up in the glass. Unctuous, creamy and super-expressive, the Posadas captures the opulence of Howell Mountain. It is simply magnificent in every way.Vinous Media | 100 VMA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Las Posadas Proprietary Red is an amazing effort that’s just entering what will be an extended drinking window. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, black cherries and mulberries appear on the nose, joined by a subtle leafiness (tobacco? bay?) that helps to temper the sweet nature of the fruit and bring a more savory, food-friendly quality to the wine. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a stunningly long finish that manages to be both velvety and vibrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPBlueberries and blackberries with fresh herbs and hints of walnuts and almonds. Some crushed stones. Full body and tight, chewy tannins. Dark fruit and resin and cedar undertones. Extremely long and flavorful. Finely crafted. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSFeatures seemingly endless waves of steeped blackberry, warmed fig and cassis flavors rolling through, supported by graphite girders and ornately laced with charcoal, dark bay leaf, alder and tar notes. The fruit and earth elements meld seamlessly through the rock-solid finish. As beautiful as it is large-scaled, this is built for cellaring. Next level. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. Best from 2022 through 2042. 319 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2016 Las Posadas comes from a higher elevation site on Howell Mountain and has an undeniable mountain fruit structure as well as intensity. Stunning notes of pure crème de cassis, hot asphalt, bay leaf, black olives, and a touch of beef blood all emerge from this big, rich, full-bodied powerhouse. It’s loaded with potential, has huge tannins, a mountain of fruit, and a great, great finish. It’s almost impenetrable, though, and needs a solid 7-8 years or more of cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JD

A perfect wine in every sense, the 2016 Madrona Ranch comes from a site at the base of Spring Mountain and is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It does everything right, with a magical bouquet of currants, ground herbs, licorice, graphite, spice, and who knows what else. These all carry to a massive 2016 that has a layered, multi-dimensional texture, building tannins, a colossal mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s another heavenly wine from a great terroir and a great winemaker! Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 30-40 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is phenomenal. The precision and brightness is amazing with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and so beautiful. Full to medium body and fabulous fruit. Wonderful length and beauty. The purity and balance is incredible. Dark berries, walnuts and dark chocolate. Makes you want to drink it now, but be patient and revel in the greatness. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2016 Madrona Ranch is fabulous. Rich, dense and creamy, the 2016 is remarkably finessed from the very first taste. Rose petal, mint, spice, gravel, red cherry and blood orange are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass, but more than anything else the Madrona Ranch is a wine of extraordinary balance and allure. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 99 VMOn the brooding side at first, with a core of dark fig and black currant paste flavors, ensconced in cocoa and roasted alder notes. A warm, loamy underpinning emerges steadily through the muscular finish, gaining a creamy feel and extra chestnut, tobacco, licorice root and tar elements with air. This relies on a seriously profound bass line, so just check your subwoofer before hitting play. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2042. 345 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2016 Madrona Ranch Proprietary Red comes from David Abreu’s first vineyard love, located in St. Helena at the base of Spring Mountain (visitors to Newton Vineyards traverse the property). Like so many other great full-bodied reds, it’s massively concentrated and rich yet also possesses a certain lightness and elegance, so that it never seems heavy or overdone. Marked by cassis and dark-chocolate notes, it’s wonderfully satisfying, with a long, velvety finish and soft layers of ripe tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

Another perfect wine is the 2016 Thorevilos, and my notes on this beauty were laced with expletives. Full-bodied, mammoth-sized aromas and flavors of cassis, crushed flowers, dark chocolate, rare meat, and Asia spices all emerge from the glass. With incredible mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a seamless texture, it has flawless integration of its fruit, tannins, and acidity, no hard edges, and that rare mix of power and elegance. It’s already hard to resist yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20-30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDPhenomenal aromas of blackberries, fresh lavender, orange peel and hints of asphalt. Walnut shell, too. Full-bodied, firm and super structured with wonderful, chewy tannins and purity of fruit at the end. A joy to taste, even drink now, but needs time to come around. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2016 Thorevilos has developed into a very sexy, racy wine. I don’t remember a young Thorevilos being this approachable. Rose petal, mint, sage, dried flowers and mint are some of the many notes that open up with a bit of time in the glass. This is such a gorgeous and totally compelling wine. In a word: superb.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis vineyard lies east of the St Helena AVA, but it isn’t high enough in elevation to be considered part of the Howell Mountain AVA. Don’t let the Napa Valley AVA fool you—this vineyard, now rechristened as Ecotone, is a top site, with lots of rock and white soils derived from volcanic ash. The 2016 Thorevilos Proprietary Red features scents of pine needles and rosemary accenting mixed berries and cassis, plus darker notions of chocolate and French roast. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture, it finishes long, smooth and savory, adding notes of black olives and earth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA stunner, with a seriously deep, dark core of warmed blackberry, black currant and fig paste flavors coursing along, laced with bay leaf, cassis bush, roasted alder, smoldering charcoal, cast iron and stone notes. The tarry structure will carry this through what should be a very slow evolution. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 317 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

Moving to the single vineyard releases, the 2016 Melbury is pure perfection in a glass and is the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. Awesome notes of cassis, blackcurrants, toasted bread, white flowers, and spice give way to an ethereal, seamless, yet opulent wine that has that rare mix of power and elegance possessed by all truly great wines. Full-bodied, concentrated, and with building yet perfectly ripe tannins, do your best to give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age. It will evolve effortlessly for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDBlueberries, forest floor, and hints of fresh flowers on the nose. Full-bodied, very dense and polished with amazingly tight and integrated fruit. Persistent finish. The tannins melt into the wine. Complete. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2016 Melbury is powerful and yet medium in body, with layers of exotic spice, dark red cherry, blood orange, leather, licorice and star anise that give it an exotic character I don’t remember seeing in the past. Despite its mid-weight profile, the Melbury has plenty of supporting structure. Over the last year, the Melbury has gained a bit of weight, but remains quite focused. Sometimes the Melbury suffers by being the first vineyard-designate poured at Bond. Its remarkable allure is evident nonetheless. This is an impressive showing.Vinous Media | 98 VMOverlooking Lake Hennessy up on Pritchard Hill, Melbury vineyard has produced a beautifully elegant and vivacious signature in 2016, which clearly reveals the personality that this incredible site tends to want to give. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Melbury comes bounding out of the glass with expressive black and red currants notes followed by wild blueberries, warm plums, pencil shavings and wild sage plus wafts of lavender and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is practically electric with energetic fruit, framed by firm, grainy tannins and invigorating freshness, finishing long and minerally.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPFeaturing currant and fig notes, this offers a juicy, slightly rounded feel, revealing melted licorice, sweet tobacco and warm gravel accents along the way. Shows most of its muscle on the finish and shuts down a bit in the glass, indicating that cellaring is required. Best from 2022 through 2040. 370 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS