93 Matthew Luczy - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2021 Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains is a peek at the stellar produce of Rhys's 2021 single-vineyard white wines. The nose opens with fresh, racy aromas of sea spray, lemon curd and Granny Smith apple. The mid-palate displays a level of creamy richness that takes substantial cellaring to unlock in the rest of the lineup. The signature tension and angularity of the Rhys style are present, albeit with a welcomed softness and generosity of texture. Readers holding this admirable array of wines should start here and hold off on the single-site wines for at least a few more years.

96 Beverage Dynamics

Mesmerizing toasted brioche aromas leap from the glass, while fl avors of caramel apple, orange, lemon zest and honey dance on the palate. Tasting blind, one could be fooled into thinking this is Champagne. A remarkable wine that overdelivers for its price.

93 Joe Czerwinski - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

While the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five includes some purchased fruit, the aim is for it to become fully estate once new plantings come into production. It's an incrementally richer, darker and more concentrated wine than Shafer's TD-9, with black cherries wrapped in a subtle cloak of almost ephemeral cedar and vanilla. Full-bodied and velvety textured, with a lingering finish, it should drink well for at least 15 years.

93 Joaquín Hidalgo - Vinous Media

"The 2025 Blanco, a blend of Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía from Rioja, opens with lively primary aromatics of nardos, pear and soft herbs alongside a hint of melon. On the palate, it is energetic, combining elevated freshness with a delicate chalky texture and a creamy undertone that adds breadth. The interplay between energy and richness gives the wine clarity and drive through the finish. A particularly successful vintage for this bottling, it offers excellent value among Rioja whites."

90 Wine Enthusiast

This is an enjoyable red, with aromas of smoke and berries. Crunchy acidity adds energy to a fruit-driven palate. Cranberry, cherry and strawberry blend with thyme over a soft texture that directs the flavors through the savory finish.

87 Wine Enthusiast

Passionfruit, guava and pear juice lead, with some greener veg garden notes tucked underneath. A big lift of acidity gives an edge to the slightly glycerine palate.

90 Wine Spectator

Silky in texture and defined by lively acidity, this white delivers peach, pear, lemon, baking spice and mineral flavors. Taut and turns more focused on the brisk, citrus-infused aftertaste. Refreshing. Drink now through 2030. 600 cases imported.

95 Monica Larner - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Offering a clean and bright fruit profile, the Fattoria dei Barbi 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows plum, dark cherry and blackberry. The fruit presented in this vintage is fresh, velvety, nicely contoured and still tastes quite primary in nature. This bodes well for the wine's future bottle evolution. The tannins are slightly chalky but supported by rich texture. This is from a widely distributed production of 160,000 bottles that will hit the market in January 2024. Great job here.

95 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Blueberry and orange peel with some cedar and nutmeg in the aromas and flavors. Medium to full body with firm and polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Polished and refined, yet structured. Solid wine. Better after three or four years.

92 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Fresh and citrusy, showing aromas of salted nuts, grilled melon, peaches and flint. The midweight palate offers a bright line of acidity, leading to a mouthwatering, mineral-edged finish with a slight phenolic grip. Aged in 85% stainless steel and 15% old oak with no malolactic fermentation. Good value. Drink now.

98 Mark Squires - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2009 Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port is a typical field blend aged in used French oak vats. It comes in with 98 grams per liter of residual sugar. One of the fleshiest wines in the vertical—from a very warm year—this has plenty of power and fine depth, hallmarks of the vintage. This was not always received as well as some lusher vintages, but it was likely also far more closed when young. This is a relative powerhouse even now, stern and dramatically different than the lusher and sexier 2007, for instance. For me, always obsessed with structure, it rings the bell. Laced with herbs and dried fruits, this is mightily impressive on its own terms, though. It adds a long finish, but it shows no trace of maturity anytime in the near future. The fruit is sappy but very dry. For all of its power, it retains some elegance, and it is vaguely approachable. The key word there is "vaguely." Do you want to enjoy it or just fight off the tannins? This is another brilliant Vinha Velha, even if often underrated, probably thanks to its somewhat brooding demeanor. Even now, it is a relatively backward one that needs much more time to express itself. Drink it if you must now, but you'll probably regret it.