93 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2022 Syrah Poor Ranch Vineyard, from a site in Mendocino, is terrific. Black pepper, lavender, mint, plum and blueberry are beautifully delineated. This classy, mid-weight Syrah is impeccable in its balance of cool-climate savoriness and a mid-weight structure.

96 Descorchados - Descorchados

This chardonnay comes from Blocks III and VI, planted to clonal selections from Burgundy in 2010 on soils with a layer of sand (it's a very windy area) and a lake bottom subsoil rich in clay. Aged in foudres for 16 months, this new version of what is we at Descorchados believe is one of the most important whites in South America, follows the path of the two previous vintages—that sensation of tense, mineral acidity accompanied by a creamy texture. The climate is cool here, but the high luminosity gives the feeling that such an extreme area imprints its character on a chardonnay that's unlike anything else. A brilliant vintage radiant with freshness.

95 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Really intense, but subtle, with lemon zest, green pineapple, creamy lees and a hint of stone. Shows excellent intensity on the palate with lots of green pineapple and lime juice. Super bright, flinty, textured and mouthwatering, making you want to keep refilling your glass. From organically grown grapes with Ecocert certification. Vegan. Drink now."

90 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2018 Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard offers an intriguing mix of rich fruit and floral/savory aromatics. Super-ripe red cherry, hard candy, spice, rose petal, mint, dried herb and floral overtones are all nicely lifted. This mid-weight, racy Pinot drinks well right out of the gate.

92 Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

"Attractively styled and immediately appealing with blackcurrant, green olive, floral and toasted almond characters. It's equally attractive in the mouth offering generous weight and fine texture, leading to a fine chalky finish. At its best: now to 2031."

95 Descorchados - Descorchados

Block I was planted in 2010 on lacustrine (lake bottom) soils rich in clay, always with a 30–50-centimeter layer of sand, which winemaker Juan Pablo Murgia believes is the most expressive of the property. And it is. Here the fruity sensation begins on the nose, with delicious aromas of red fruits and continues on the palate with a nervy texture full of fiber accompanied by vibrating acidity. A wine full of light and energy and an excellent display of potential. Following the logic of Burgundy, if chardonnay grows well on the shores of Lake Musters, pinot obviously will too. A thousand 12-bottle cases were made of this wine.

93 Decanter

Otronia is a vineyard in Chubut, in the far south of Patagonia, where the cool climate is ideal for varieties with a short ripening cycle such as Pinot Noir. Made by Juan Pablo Murgia and Alberto Antonini, Block I comes from the most calcareous section resulting in an expressive nose of cherry, raspberry, liquorice, damp earth, graphite and a hint of clove. In the mouth it’s tense with a good tannic structure and a refined but intense character.

91 Wine Enthusiast

Owned by Olivier Decelle, who also has property in Saint-Émilion, Burgundy and Roussillon, this estate has produced a ripe, juicy wine. It shows a fine poise between elegant black fruits and a subtle layer of tannins. Full and generous, the wine will be ready from 2025.

93 Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

Youthfully fruited and instantly appealing, the wine shows black/blueberry, violet, hazelnut and vanilla notes on the nose. It's equally satisfying on the palate displaying excellent fruit purity and intensity, backed by silken texture and polished tannins. At its best: now to 2029.

91 Wine Enthusiast

Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) takes the lead on this wine, followed by Merlot (33%) and Petit Verdot (17%). Oak aromas are out front, with prominent notes of vanilla along with toasty spice, chocolate and cherry. There's a lovely texture to the cherry and barrel flavors that keeps the interest high. The tannins give a gentle squeeze. Fruit and barrel play equal parts.

92 Josh Raynolds - Vinous Media

Shimmering red. Smoked-tinged red berry, cherry and lavender pastille aromas show very good clarity and pick up a hint of licorice with air. Broad and chewy on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry, cherry and spice cake flavors that become more lively on the back half. The mineral note returns on a persistent, dark-berry driven finish framed by velvety, well knit tannins.

94 The Tasting Panel

Publisher’s Pick. Determined and driven with insistent tannins. Plum, lavender, and espresso are enveloped in a dusty coating for a chewy, dry finish.

95 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

"The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle takes all the signatures of the estate and turns up the volume, resulting in an ample, dramatic wine that hits all the right notes. Black cherry, mocha, lavender, spice and leather build into the intense, palate-staining finish. The 2017 is such a gorgeous and vivid Gran Selezione. Don't miss it."

95 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Ripe berries, dried flowers and orange peel with some smoke. Full-bodied with round, chewy tannins that provide lots of texture and structure. From organically grown grapes. Needs time to soften. Try after 2023."

92+ Eric Guido - Vinous Media

Youthfully coy, the 2021 Bianco Brazan wafts up with young peach, sweet spice and crushed stone aromas. This is round and supple with medium-weight textures and mineral-tinged orchard fruits flowing across a saline-tinged acidity stream. It finishes grippy and long, quite structured and backward, leaving a saturation of tart citrus to linger on. The 2021 is a powerful rendition of Brazan that will require cellaring to show its best. This is a blend of 50% Ribolla Gialla, 40% Tocai Giallo and 10% Malvasia Istriana.

93 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Notes of white nectarines, sliced pears with honey and beeswax undertones. Some white flowers, too. Medium-bodied, textural and creamy with vivid acidity and bright, floral character to it. Some saline undertones, too. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."

95 Aaron Brasher - The Real Review

Young, vibrant and youthful colour in the glass. Black fruit aromas, mulberry and blackberry along with bramble, dried herbs, menthol, cedar and pencil shavings. Dark, rich and full-flavoured, there plenty of blackcurrant, mulberry, dark cherry and spice, there’s a also a lick of soy and meaty umaminess. The wine has a lively line of acidity and granular, layered acidity. Very smart gear, plenty going on.

95 Wine Pilot

Not your shy and retiring kind, 1000 Crowns comes out plush, rich and complex. A fair whack of vanillin oak introduces the black-hearted wine with lifted florals – violet, briar – and tilled earth, undergrowth aromas. The wine can take it. At 14.5% alcohol, it’s on the ripe and generous side. Handsome fine tannins sweep long across the palate emphasising cassis and black fruits with savoury input and some expensive oak-led cigar box characters. Time and patience will reward the drinker.

90 International Wine Report

"The 2019 The Buccaneer ‘Dead Drift’ Red Blend delivers aromas of red plums, wild berries, spices, pepper and oak nuances that all develop in the glass. On the palate this is medium-bodied and structured with soft, velvety tannins ending with a round finish."

93 Wine Showcase Magazine

Aromas of tropical fruits and freshly picked limes. There is a piercing concentration of flavors, leading to a surprisingly medium-bodied palate with loads of fresh citrus flavors.

92-94 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

I loved the 2022 Château Joanin Bécot, which might be the finest vintage I've tasted from this château. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, harvested between the 15th and 26th of September and aged in 50% new barrels, it has a vivid purple hue as well as awesome aromatics of black raspberries, chalky minerality, and flowers. As with many of these top Castillon releases, it tastes like a top Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé and is medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, and terrific balance.

91-93 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2022 Joanin-Bécot is one of the best vintages I can remember tasting. Heady and explosive in the glass, the 2022 offers up copious red/purplish berry fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol and licorice all saturate the finish. This could be a Sleeper.

91-93 William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from Juliette Bécot, the 2022 Joanin Bécot offers up aromas of dark berries, bay leaf, vine smoke and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, supple and incisive, it's a rich but vibrant wine that exhibits the potential of the Côtes de Castillon in vintages like this.

92 Georgina Hindle - Decanter

Full and fruity nose, expressive and ripe, nicely perfumed and expressive. Clean and clear, extremely mineral, graphite, pencil lead and flint stone notes on the palate alongside clear blue fruits, blueberries, blackcurrants and some red summer berries. Super smooth in terms of texture but also quite lean in terms of fruit flavour, this has bite and tang, a touch austere but also really quite juicy and floral too. Needs a bit of time, but feels precise and focussed with grip and intensity. I like the fruitiness, really quite upfront but keeping the liveness and energy. Succulent and nicely sweet touches with juicy acidity. Easy enjoyment, plush, mineral, all in balance. 3.6pH. 12% press wine. A yield of 39hl/ha.

89-91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Independent

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Joanin Becot has a deep purple-black color. It races out of the glass with vibrant notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and juicy black plums, leading to nuances of cinnamon stick, star anise, and dusty soil. Full-bodied, the palate is plush and soft-spoken, with lots of elegant, spicy accents and a fragrant finish.

93 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Attractive aromas of cassis and spiced plums with dried flowers, red licorice and chocolate orange. Medium- to full-bodied, sleek and polished with a core of succulent purple fruit and a crunchy finish, showing both freshness and ripeness at the same time. Delicious blue-fruited character. Drink or hold.

97 Mark Squires - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Carrocel (Quinta da Pellada) is Castro's upper-level Touriga Nacional, the old clones from Talhão 5 in the Quinta da Pellada vineyard. Just gorgeous, this is the one that has the most finesse, the most flavor and the longest finish of the group in this report. Developing well, this is still very youthful and vibrant, even if the tannins are mostly ripe. This graceful and wonderfully elegant wine relies on understatement and freshness, but the more you drink it, the more you'll want. For one thing, it is just delicious, with blackberries, plums and occasional red fruits. This will age and develop. It is a polished wine. I'd like to see it demonstrate a bit of development, but it's worth leaning up on it today.

92 Wine Enthusiast

This deep violet-red wine has a nose of blackberry, violet and pencil lead. It is bright at first sip, filling the mouth with red berry flavors accompanied by notes of menthol, milk chocolate, cherry pipe tobacco and clove that are sheathed in a layer of downy tannins. The finish is marked with a soft note of lavender.