I was really looking forward to the 2016 Pozo Alto and to visiting the vineyard, which is surprisingly old and large (where he selects the best part for this bottling) and planted with enough space to work with a tractor, as the family that planted it in the 1930s already had a tractor. It combines power and elegance in a rare combination. It feels young and a little closed, and it's serious. Olivier Rivière considers 2016 a year for aging in bottle, as it's a year with high acidity, plenty of tannins and some austere profiles. It fermented destemmed with an unusual blend of 75% Graciano, 20% Tempranillo and some 5% Garnacha. It has a sharp palate, with volume, very fine tannins and great length. It has both modern and classical features, taking the best from both worlds. This is a serious Rioja for the long run. There are 1,800 bottles of this and some large formats.

97 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Issue # 243 - Jun 2019)

I was blown away by the 2016 Pozo Alto, unquestionably one of the finest examples of Graciano I’ve ever tasted. The blend is the standard co-fermented 75% Graciano, 20% Tempranillo, and 5% Garnacha, from vines planted in the 1930s, that was completely destemmed and spent 18 months in demi-muids. This deep purple color Rioja boasts stunning notes of blue fruits, violets, orange blossom, and graphite. This flows to a medium to full-bodied, sensationally perfumed, intense 2016 that has flawless integration in its acidity and tannins, a great mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It’s a brilliant effort to enjoy over the coming 15 years or more.

97 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Apr 2019)

Quite savory, stony aromas with ripe plum paste, black olives and black cherries. The palate has smooth, ripe and deep-set tannins that carry a very fresh, gently peppery edge and deliver dark-plum and black-cherry flavors. Really impressive structure and detail. Drink now or hold.

97 points, James Suckling (Dec 2018)

Bright ruby color. An expansive, seductively perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red and blue fruits, potpourri, spicecake and incense, with an intense mineral overtone building in the glass. Concentrated yet vibrant in character, showing superb delineation and floral lift to its sweet raspberry, blueberry, cola and rose pastille flavors. Becomes deeper and spicier on the gently tannic finish while maintaining urgency and finishes with outstanding clarity and tenacity.

95 points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous (Feb 2019)

Granola bar notes of toasted oats, honey, chocolate chips, and sweet nuts on the nose, along with blueberries, vanilla, orange blossom, and a touch of spice. Creamy vanilla latte, dark chocolate, dried cherries, peppermint, and root beer spices on the palate, which benefits from a drop of water. The finish has more spice, a sheen of mint oil, savory oak, and coffee bean.

88 points, Susannah Skiver Barton, Whisky Advocate (Summer 2021)

The flagship Côte Rôtie, the 2017 Côte Rôtie Maison Rouge comes from a lieu-dit in the southern part of the appellation, and this terroir always yields a more finesse-driven, elegant style of wine. Gorgeous black raspberry, spring flowers, bay leaf, sandalwood, and exotic spice notes characterize this rich, full-bodied, beautifully textured Côte Rôtie. With sweet yet present tannins, an expansive mouthfeel, and integrated oak, this stunning, young, unevolved 2017 will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 15 years or more.

96 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Nov 2020)

Shimmering purple. A strongly scented bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, pungent wisteria, licorice and exotic spices, along with a smoky mineral quality and a hint of black pepper. Broad and fleshy but lively on the palate, offering concentrated Chambord, cherry, cassis and fruitcake flavors that are enlivened by building spice and floral accents. Smooth, steadily building tannins add shape to an extremely persistent finish that echoes the spice and floral notes. One-third whole clusters and one-third new oak.

95 points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous (Apr 2020)

Lively, with lots of savory and iron streaks amidst the steeped cherry and plum fruit, ending with a flurry of mouthwatering mineral notes on the finish. Sleek and piercing in feel. Best from 2021 through 2036.

95 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Dec 2020)

A lovely, graceful Champagne, with a pure, chalky base for aromas and flavors of apple blossoms, white cherry, candied lemon peel and biscuit. Mouthwatering and lacy in texture, with a lasting, creamy finish. Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged June 2025. Drink now through 2031.

93 points, Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator (Sep 2026)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate saunters out of the glass with a seriously sexy nose of crushed blackberries, wild blueberries, kirsch and black cherries with touches of fragrant soil, cassis, tobacco leaf, candied violets and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, the palate positively quivers with an electric intensity of tightly wound black and red berry layers, framed by very firm, fine-grained tannins and delivering bags of freshness and perfume on the very long finish.

97 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Oct 2018)

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is bright and punchy, with striking aromatic lift and energy. There is so much explosive power. Then again, that is pretty typical of these red soils and well-exposed sites in Oakville's eastern corridor. Today, the 2016 is supremely inviting, but it will be even better in another few years' time. Bright, bold and punchy, with tons of aromatic intensity and energy, the Cabernet dazzles from start to finish. Grace and power are rarely so compelling.

97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2020)

The two 2016 releases from Dalla Valle start with the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, a sensational wine that easily stands next to the smaller production Maya cuvée. This rocking base level Cabernet has awesome notes of blackcurrants, graphite, crushed rocks, chocolate, and damp earth/forest floor aromas and flavors. It's rich, powerful and concentrated, yet also elegant, with silky tannins and a finish where its class shows clearly. It's a beautiful bottle of wine that will have two decades or more of longevity.

95 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Jan 2019)

A broad, ripe and showy style, with boysenberry, dark plum and black Mission fig fruit flavors that glide through, carried by creamy, polished structure. Light mocha, anise and fresh humus hints peek through on the finish, adding range. A big red, with a lovely feel. Best from 2020 through 2032. 900 cases made.

95 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Oct 2019)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Gallimardes reveals a dense purple/plum color as well as a ripe, decadent bouquet of ripe black cherries, fruit cake, ground pepper, and garrigue. This carries to a full-bodied 2019 revealing wonderful fruit, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. It shows the more savory, Provençal style of the vintage nicely and has beautiful fruit as well as a great finish. It's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

96 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Nov 2021)

A new addition to the Penfolds lineup, the 2016 Bin 111A Shiraz is a blend of Clare (51%) and Barossa (49%) fruit from vineyards that have previously contributed to Grange. Aged in 100% new French oak, it's a rich, luxuriously textured wine that's packed with ripe fruit and finely textured tannins. Hints of grilled meat and exotic dried spices accent red raspberries and redcurrants in this full-bodied but exceptionally silky and elegant red that meets the high expectations for such a pricey bottling.

100 points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Aug 2019)

This new Special Bin shiraz is stunning and has such wildly deep and dark fruit, in particular very rich dark cherries and plums and plenty of attractively spicy oak on offer here. Intense and packed with youthful fruit. There’s an entrancing build of really fine tannin, carrying pure, pristine and deep-set flavors of blackberries and ripe dark cherries. The finish is carried on incredibly long, muscular and velvety tannins. Such power and elegance, really setting a new style. This is exceptional. A glorious new rung at the top of the Australian wine ladder. 51% Clare, 49% Barossa, two single plots blended and matured in French oak for 18 months. Seductively drinkable now, but this will live for decades. Best from 2028.

100 points, James Suckling (Dec 2019)

Very cool with conifer, mushroom, chili, currant and pine-needle aromas. Full bodied with saturated tannins that just fill the mouth. Gorgeous length and depth. It builds nicely on the palate. The quality of the tannins is beautiful. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 17% cabernet franc, 14% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Unfined and unfiltered. Fabulous to try now, but will be even greater in 2025.

98 points, James Suckling (Aug 2021)

Always a co-ferment of two sites, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon OV|SL reveals a dense purple hue as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, graphite, wildflowers, crushed stone-like minerality, and new leather-like aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful 2018 that has the vintage's more reserved, focused mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. This beautiful, impeccably balanced 2018 needs 3-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 30+.

97+ points, Jeb Dunnuck (Jan 2021)

Aromas of blackberries, graphite, and lead pencil. Fresh and dried flowers and iron shavings. Full bodied, layered, tight and solid. Beautiful and very poised and thoughtful. Hints of fresh herbs, from lavender to lemon grass. Compressed. Great length and focus. Drink after 2022.

99 points, James Suckling (May 2019)

The 2016 Cappella is delicate, elegant and super-refined. Bright floral and spice notes perk up a core of red cherry and plum fruit in a fine, silky wine that speaks to pure refinement. A wine of total grace and finesse, Cappella is absolutely gorgeous in 2016. It is also one of the most polished and nuanced wines I have ever tasted here.

98 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2020)

The 2016s from Brad Grimes are all incredible wines that show the purity and balance of the vintage as well as the power and depth the Grimms always seems to find. Starting with the 2016 Cappella, it’s a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend and comes from a tiny vineyard just west of St. Helena. It has a deep ruby/plum color as well as a powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, caramelized meats, spice box, and chocolaty herbs. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated 2016 just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It has the vintage’s more supple, seamless style and already offers pleasure. Nevertheless, it’s going to keep for 20-30 years.

97 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Jan 2020)

Dark and very reserved up front, with an espresso cream frame holding a dense core of steeped fig and black currant paste flavors in check for now. Slowly reveals roasted alder and smoldering tobacco notes at the end while the fruit gains steam, driving the finish. The power is obvious, but there’s a sneaky seductiveness too. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2040. 277 cases made.

97 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Jul 2020)

I also loved the 2018 Estate. Incredibly pure crème de cassis, blackberry, scorched earth, graphite, gravelly earth, and cedar pencil notes give way to a full-bodied Cabernet with perfect balance, ripe yet certainly present tannins, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster of a finish. This is pure Napa Valley class that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 30-40 years given its purity, balance, and concentration.

99 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Jan 2021)

This is luxurious red for the vintage with velvety tannins that give it superb depth and richness. Lots of tile, dry earth, clay and chocolate. Full-bodied, but almost weightless in the sensibility of the wine. It goes on for minutes. Lovely dried oranges and savory, fruity and forest-floor character at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot and 2% merlot. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink in 2025.

99 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022)

The 2018 Futo is silky, elegant and captivatingly beautiful right out of the gate. Freshly cut flowers, spice, mint, mocha and sweet red cherry build in a translucent, finessed wine that is more elegance than pure power. Even so, there is plenty of depth to support two decades or so of exceptional drinking.

97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2022)

Aromas of blackberries, currants, violets and black licorice follow through to a full body with chewy, polished tannins that have a tile and dust character and texture. It’s very long and persistent with beauty and intensity. It shows reserve and finesse. This needs at least five years to come around. Try after 2025.

98 points, James Suckling (Jan 2021)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is fabulous. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2018 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Huge swaths of tannin wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit. All the elements are kicked up: fruit, acid and tannin. Readers need to be patient, as the 2018 will require at least a handful of years in bottle to be at its best. The heady, explosive finish points to a very bright future.

97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2021)

Vivid, detailed flavors of cassis, kirsch and fig paste pump along, laced with alder, cocoa and tobacco notes. The fruit melds nicely with a serious tug of warm loam through the finish, giving this a smoldering edge at the very end. Shows nice character. Best from 2022 through 2038. 688 cases made.

96 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Oct 2021)

Freshly picked blackberries, ivy, dark plums, licorice, citrus and orange rind. Full-bodied with lots of fruit but it's very tangy and nicely blended in the vibrant acidity and structured yet soft tannins. Citrusy on the finish. Drink in 2020.

96 points, James Suckling (May 2018)

Moving to the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, this cuvée is too often underrated and I think it’s one of the most classy, balanced, high quality Cabernets coming from the valley. Deep purple-colored with beautiful blackcurrant fruits interwoven with lots of tobacco, crushed rocks, leafy herbs, and graphite, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, present tannins, and stunning balance. It’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25 years or more.

97 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Jan 2020)

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is blended of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, aged in barrel for 21 months in two-thirds new oak. It was bottled one week prior to this tasting. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with bold, beautiful black fruits—blackcurrant pastilles, plum preserves and boysenberries—with hints of baker’s chocolate, yeast extract, tapenade and Indian spices plus a waft of forest floor. Full-bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, it sports soft, plush, well-played tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and fragrant.

95 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Issue # 245 - Oct 2019)

The 2018 Barolo Cerequio is a new wine in this range. Soaring aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit give the Cerequio its effusive personality. Nuanced and deep, with tremendous complexity and tons of character, the Cerequio is dazzling. This is everything a great Barolo from Cerequio should be. In other words: textbook. More over, it's one of the best wines of this very uneven vintage.

97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2022)

Here's an exciting new submission from Vietti. The 2018 Barolo Cerequio is lovely, sporting a broad and enriched bouquet that paints a panoramic vision of this MGA that straddles the villages of La Morra and Barolo. Despite that wide vision, this wine also excels at showing pinpoint details of wild cherry, crushed stone and black licorice. Cerequio is a wine of latitude and depth. Tight tannins help to stitch it together into a comprehensive whole. Only 4,925 bottles were made in this inaugural release. Congratulations.

96 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jun 2022)

The 2018 Barolo Lazzarito represents Vietti's interpretation of Serralunga d'Alba, the village often associated with the most powerful wines in the appellation. The Lazzarito completes its secondary fermentation in barrique over three months and is then racked into large oak botti for an additional two years of aging. With some 8,000 bottles produced in this smaller vintage, the wine is very indicative of its geographic origins with tight black fruit, rusty nail, blood orange and earth. Compared to the others in this series, this wine delivers more lasting tannic power. A bit salty and savory now, it is well suited to long aging.

96+ points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jun 2022)

The 2018 Barolo Lazzarito is tense, vibrant and very much closed in on itself. Searing tannins and Serralunga structure dominate today. Crushed rocks, gravel, red fruit, rose petal, lavender and sage all run though this sculpted, vibrant Serralunga Barolo. What stands out most about the Lazzarito today is that is stylistically more similar to the other Barolos than it was a few years ago. I expect great things in time here.

94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2022)

Round and full of plum, cherry, pomegranate, green tea and eucalyptus flavors, this red is also dense and muscular. Gripping tannins reign on the finish. Overall, this is balanced and very long. Best from 2026 through 2043.

94 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (Sep 2022)

The 2018 Barolo Ravera is a wine of real depth and vertical structure. As always, the Ravera is a taut, nervy Barolo built on energy more than volume. Readers will have to be patient, as the Ravera is likely to require a number of years to be at its most expressive. Even in the early going, it is vibrant and full of life. Rose petal, chalk, blood orange and white pepper lend striking exotic top notes that are quite suggestive of what the future is going to bring. What a gorgeous Barolo this is.

95+ points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2022)

Vietti is one of a handful of estates to bring the Ravera MGA of Novello to the current popularity it enjoys now. Their 2018 Barolo Ravera has a smoky personality with crushed stone and pencil shavings. There is plenty of dark fruit at the back, ripe cherry and blackberry mostly, and the wine is tonic and firm in terms of its structure and tannins. The Ravera is a wine of enormous length and a finely tuned texture. Exactly 7,560 bottles were made.

95 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jun 2022)

This red leads off with a distinctive minty note allied with cherry, iron, tobacco and underbrush flavors. Turns firm and linear on the finish, with a sinewy feel, yet remains fresh and long. Very pure. Best from 2026 through 2043.

93 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (Oct 2022)

Lighter structure this year, but it’s intense, with focused red-cherry and raspberry character and spicy and mineral nuances. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a very tight finish. This is super-compact and needs time to expand. Try from 2024.

93 points, James Suckling (Mar 2022)

Aromas of blueberries and currants and floral hints, such as violets, with subtle minerality. Opens into true beauty and pureness of fruit. Medium to full body. Seamless tannins spread across the palate. Shows finesse and focus and the true character of Eisele. Beautifully crafted. Try after 2023, but already a joy to taste.

98 points, James Suckling (Nov 2020)

Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon displays a deep garnet-purple color and is a little sluggish to reveal its fragrant core of plum preserves, crème de cassis, blueberry compote and Morello cherries with accents of stewed Darjeeling tea, underbrush, cloves and tobacco leaf plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate struts it stuff with amazing poise, structured with very fine, ripe tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

97 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Nov 2019)

A prominent tobacco leaf note leads off, quickly followed by a deep well of warm steeped black currant and blackberry fruit. Flashes of Turkish coffee, humus and roasted bay leaf score the finish and then linger, letting the core of fruit stretch out and expand. A wine bristling with distinctive terroir. Best from 2022 through 2042. 1,284 cases made.

96 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Nov 2020)

The 2019 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru is matured in around 45% new oak with a little more lees during aging. It was very reduced on the nose despite rigorous coaxing in my glass, though it does finally open after 10 minutes. The palate is intense on the entry, displaying more salinity than all of de Montille’s Premier Cru Pulignys, plus oyster shells and a touch of seaweed. This Chevalier is very persistent and quite tangy on the finish. Plenty of energy here. It will give 20–30 years of drinking pleasure.

95-97 points, Neal Martin, Vinous (Dec 2020)

A stunning limited-edition añejo. The golden color and caramel scent hint at what’s to come: sweet agave flavor, a lingering whisper of smoke and mellow notes of tropical fruit, Sauternes and butterscotch.

98 points, Wine Enthusiast (May 2011)

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