91 Josh Raynolds - Vinous Media

"(45% pinot meunier, 25% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay, with the rest arbanne, petit meslier and fromenteau; disgorged in April, 2013): Bright straw. Pungent aromas of Meyer lemon, pear and fig, with a gingery accent adding lift. Sappy, penetrating citrus fruit and floral flavors are given a refreshingly bitter character by notes of pear skin and peach pit, with a waxy note coming up on the back half. A smoky nuance lingers on the finish, which shows very good clarity and length. Fifty-five percent of this blend is from 2010 and the rest is reserve wines, mostly from a solera that was begun in 1998." (12/13)

91 Wine & Spirits

"This is not your typical non-vintage Brut. The Aubry brothers include ancient indigenous varieties, which make up five percent of the blend; pinot meunier accounts for 45 percent, the balance in equal parts pinot noir and chardonnay. Nearly half of the blend is reserve wine, half of that coming from a solera made up of vintages going back to 1998. If all that seems complicated, the wine is not. Instead, it tastes like an essential Champagne, with scents of chalk, oyster mushroom, pear skin and lemon pulp creating a bold surround-sound of flavor. There's purity to the expression and a healthy weight to the wine. Pour it with sea bass roasted with chanterelles." (12/13)

90 Wine Enthusiast

"Dark plum, mahogany and toasted-wood aromas lead the nose on this bottling from a vineyard atop Mount Madonna. The palate is savory and very sticky in structure, showing blackberry, elderberry, toasted-wood and milk-chocolate flavors. -MK"

83 Cellar Tracker

Based on 30 notes and 29 scores from 24 users on Cellartracker.com as of 6/11/15.

91 Eric Guido - Vinous Media

The 2022 Aglianico Ceraso blossoms in the glass with an array of violets, lavender and stone dust to complement crushed blackberries. This is quite zesty, with a reverberation of bright acidity up front that enlivens its tart wild berry fruits as rosy inner florals form toward the close. It tapers off classically dry and gently tannic while a sour cranberry crunchiness lingers on. This is a wickedly fresh vintage of Ceraso.

95 Billy Norris - Vinous Media

The 2023 Lytton Springs is powerfully aromatic and expressive from the jump. It explodes from the glass with dark blue fruit, lavender and blood orange peel, framed by mocha-like richness and a wave of exotic spice. The texture is pure silk, wrapping the palate with seamless contours and lifted freshness courtesy of the cool growing season. A blend of 76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro, the 2023 shows remarkable persistence and poise. If you know Lytton, you know these wines can age for decades—this one is clearly built for the long haul.

94 Erin Brooks - Robert Parker's the Wine Advocate

The 2023 Lytton Springs is a blend of 76% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro that matured for 16 months in 19% new air-dried American oak. It’s especially elegant and expressive this year, offering pure aromas of black cherry, blueberry, damp earth, sage, violet and cast iron. The full-bodied palate features concentrated, fragrant flavors. It’s framed by fine, chalky tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long finish replete with soaring floral perfume. It should be long lived in the cellar.

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.

92 Wine Enthusiast

Very rich and concentrated but also well structured, this wine achieves good balance and an appetizing mouthfeel. Red and black cherries, cinnamon, cedar and toasted oak all contribute to its tasty flavor complexity. Best from 2026–2036.

94 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Very hot iron and cloves with green pepper to the dark fruit. Full-to medium-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a fresh, spicy finish. Lots going on, with lots of flavor and character. 100% tintilla.

94 Wine Enthusiast

Black plum, dried mushroom and bruised-blackberry aromas fill the nose followed by smoked meat and damp earth. The palate is reserved with medium-intensity flavors suggested on the nose that flirt with worn leather and dried black-cherry skin. Drink with grilled steak, kebabs and pot roast. — Reggie Solomon