92-95 Jasper Morris, MW - Inside Burgundy

A bright vigorous purple. The nose starts very well, dark cherry and blackberry, while the fruit on the palate is in more luxurious mode, possibly the sample needs freshening. This is in morello cherry territory with quite a coating of oak. More sumptuous all round than Boudots, so depends which style you prefer. Higher alcohol, just under 14%. Drink from 2031-2037. Tasted Nov 2024.

97 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

A juicy and lightly austere young red with blackberry, cherry and bark character on both the nose and palate. It’s medium- to full-bodied with chewy tannins that soften at the end, but still make your mouth pucker. Give this two or three years to soften. Best after 2027.

96 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

A deep red hue, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is more saturated with aromas of fresh leather, baked cherries, Amarena, mossy earth, balsamic herbs, and graphite. Full-bodied and well-balanced, with a seamless texture, plush tannins, and a velvety feel, it retains good freshness and a lot of length. It's more approachable now, and while it might not be the longest-lived of these wines, it's going to have a wide drinking window over the next 10 -15 years. I will say, while I prefer the freshness and the tension of the standard Brunello in this vintage, this has more polish and softer edges and is the more complete wine on paper.

96 Monica Larner - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Altesino 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli has a rich and syrupy side that underlines the brightness of the fruit in this vintage. That core of dark fruit is framed by mineral notes of black slate and crushed river stone. There is a pretty mineral chalkiness on the palate that ties into the firm tannic structure of this full-bodied wine. The effect is elegant and sharply delineated. Aged in Slavonian oak casks, 12,000 bottles were made.

96 Wine Spectator

An intense red, delivering black cherry, blackberry, violet and orange peel flavors aligned with a dense profile. Though there's so much packed in, this red is virtually seamless, building effortlessly to the long, saturated finish. Menthol and mineral elements emerge as this plays out on the long, salty aftertaste. Best from 2027 through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 350 cases imported.

98 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Aromas of blackcurrants and black cherries with hints of crushed walnuts, grilled thyme, cocoa powder and graphite. It’s full-bodied with layers of ultra-fine, silky tannins that elegantly coat your palate, allowing the juicy and vibrant fruit to shine. Delicate and pristine, yet compact with lots of energy and power to uncover in the coming years. It lasts for minutes and is delicious now. The purity of fruit is really impressive. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae. Try after 2027."

97+ Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

The flagship from this estate, the 2020 Château Pontet-Canet is a beauty based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new oak, with 35% in amphora. Deep purple-hued with a great nose of dark currants, plums, tobacco leaf, and truffly earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel and a great finish. The higher Merlot content here really shows in its overall sexy, supple, seamless style, and while this already offers pleasure, it's going to be one for the ages as well.

97 Georgina Hindle - Decanter

Dark chocolate, bramble tones, not overly floral or fruity with some cedar and cinnamon notes. Lovely high acidity straight away, forward, bright and energetic with lovely crunchy blue fruit on the palate but creamy textured tannins giving a round and complete mouthful. Nothing feels overdone, this is quietly seductive and confident but not at all showing off. I love the minerality and the graphite grip with plum and black cherry and tons of slate, liquorice and menthol freshness. Long finish, slowly expansive, building and growing from start to finish showing an impressive structure overall. Nicely constructed, charming still with the Pauillac touch. A great Pontet - immediately seductive and enjoyable with a long ageing potential.

97 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Independent

Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple colored. It needs a lot of swirling and aeration to coax out notes of crushed blackcurrants, blueberry compote, and candied violets, leading to suggestions of allspice, fertile loam, kirsch, and dark chocolate with a touch of Indian spices. The medium-bodied palate delivers a firm backbone of grainy tannins with loads of bright, perfumed red and black fruits and seamless acidity, finishing long and fragrant. This is stunning.

97 Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

A powerful character to this wine, touch of oyster shell, soy, salinity, but also creamy with energy, lift and precision, and a violet character that you find increasingly in Pontet Canet. Plenty of Pauillac signature in its tannic grip and heft, with cocoa bean and slate. Deft and exceptionally successful. Harvest September 14 to September 30. No second wine, as has been true for the past half-decade at Pontet Canet. First full vintage for Mathieu Bessonnet who replaced the previous long-term director Jean-Michel Comme in 2020. 45% new oak barrels, 15% one year, 40% in amphoras.

97 Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

With a nose that displays truffle, tobacco leaf, cedar, licorice, and black currants, the wine is soft, fresh, refined, and focuses you on its cassis, blackberry, earth, spice, and peppery herb character. There are no hard edges in the finish, just soft, vibrant currants, herbs, and spice. The wine is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV, pH 3.8. The wine is aged in 45% new, French oak barrels and amphora. The harvest took place September 14, to September 30. Drink from 2026-2055

93 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Bright purple fruit with lifted notes of bramble berries, violets and bergamot. The palate is full-bodied with chewy tannins, a lush mouthfeel, fine acidity and notes of dark plums, cocoa, sage and red peppercorns. A blend of multiple blocks made up of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaill amounts of petit verdot, merlot and malbec. Drink or hold.

93 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Supervibrant and energetic for an entry-level blaufrankisch, this knocks you back in your chair in the nicest possible way. With a little aeration in the glass, Amarena-cherry, forest-berry, clove and licorice aromas unfurl. Lovely velvety tannins on the refined, medium-bodied palate. Very clean, polished finish. Drink or hold."

96 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt. Veeder) is superb. It captures tons of Veeder character in its savory/mineral intensity and dark fruit. Purplish fruit, blood orange, pomegranate, dried herbs, mint and wild flowers all build as this potent, driving, vivid Cabernet builds in the glass. This is lights out.

93 Tastings.com (Beverage Testing Institute)

Clear. Aromas of banana custard and praline follow through on a supple, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with excellent smoothness and integration of flavors. Finishes with nice interplay of spice, dried apples and bananas, toffee, and earth notes. A rich, flavorful daiginjo that will shine at the table with spicy sushi.

94 The Tasting Panel

"Summer turns to autumn on the nose of this Meunier-dominant Champagne (with 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, and upwards of 35% reserve wine) as lovely, ripe orchard fruits sprinkled with cinnamon and vanilla spice rise up to meet peach and lime curd. Flavors follow suit on the glossy-textured palate, which is concentrated, pure, and delightfully tangy toward the finish."

94+ Erin Brooks - Robert Parker's the Wine Advocate

The 2021 Pinot Noir La Rinconada Vineyard, vinified entirely with whole clusters, features scents of raspberry, pomegranate, black tea leaves, blood orange and Angostura bitters, revealing earthy accents as it spends time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and tense, with a concentrated core of alluringly herbal fruit and a long, ethereal finish. It will benefit from 3-5 years in bottle.

92+ Stephan Reinhardt - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2023 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spätlese is already highly stimulating in its very first seconds! This is a savory classic that offers saline and stony aromas intertwined with perfectly ripe and fleshy but not all too lush mango and more yellow stone fruit aromas. Crystalline and savory on the palate, this is a linear and elegant, acidity-driven rather than textured dry Riesling with a long, savory and still-reduced finish. This Riesling is popular in Norway, yet it is probably too sharp and too Nordic for many other export markets. It's age-worthy in any case, with this intense and saline, firmly structured and persistent finish. Screw cap." -Stephan Reinhardt

91 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Fruity, round and refreshing, with notes of guavas, bergamot and warm spices. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Linear and consistent, with a well-rounded finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

94 Erin Brooks - Robert Parker's the Wine Advocate

The 2022 Chardonnay Westside Farms Vineyard comes from grapes planted in 1989 on silty loam soils on Westside Road. The grapes were harvested on August 19, before the Labor Day heat wave, and the wine was barrel-fermented. Matured for 20 months in 20% new French oak barrels, it has slowly unfurling aromas of peach, ginger, cashew, honey and matchstick. The palate balances lush, honeyed flavors with fresh acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish.

96+ Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"It should be fascinating to compare the potentially legendary 2010 Hermitage La Chapelle with the prodigious 2009 La Chapelle over the next 30-40 years. About 20% new oak was used, and, as were previous vintages, the 2010 was aged 15 months prior to bottling. This black/purple-colored beauty is revealing more weight and richness than it did last year from barrel, along with great precision, stunning minerality and enormous quantities of blackberry, cassis, beef blood and smoked game intertwined with hints of graphite and acacia flowers. With good acidity and richness as well as abundant, but ripe, well-integrated tannin, this great wine equals the titan produced in 2009. Forget it for 7-10 years and drink it over the following 30-50 years."

96 Josh Raynolds - Vinous Media

"Inky, glass-staining ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes dark fruit liqueur, smoky Indian spices, potpourri and cracked pepper. Deep but lively, offering palate-coating blueberry and cherry-cola flavors and a sexy note of candied violet. This wine opens up dramatically with a little air and shows a very suave blend of power and finesse. An energizing mineral note comes on strong on the endless finish, which features sexy floral and spicecake nuances."

96 Decanter

Noticeably more evolved than the 2016, taking on some air-dried meat aromas. The characteristic smokiness of Hermitage is starting to make itself more apparent now, with cigar wrapper, bonfire ash and fireworks swirling from the glass. Dense and intense on the palate, with driving, powerful, mouthcoating tannins. This still needs time to temper the tannic force, and will take on more complexity, so hands off until 2030 - if you can wait that long! From 45 to 90-year-old vines across lieux-dits Les Roucoules, Le Méal, Les Greffieux, Les Bessards and Varogne. Aged in French oak barrels, 20% new. (MW)

95 The Tasting Panel

A luscious and generous effort with depth and fine acidity. Anything but austere yet balanced and elegant; fresh, stylish, and long.

90 William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Pillowy and charming, the latest rendition of Delamotte's NV Brut offers up attractive aromas of orchard fruit, fresh bread and citrus oil. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with a pretty pinpoint mousse and lively balancing acids, it's drinking well out of the gates but will also develop gracefully for a few years in the cellar.

89 Jasper Morris, MW - Inside Burgundy

Bottled in May. Fullish yellow colour, soft and juicy nose. Agreeable, some core minerals but more a juicy yellow fruit style. Drink from 2024-2026. Tasted Jun 2024.