96 Wine Spectator

Elegant, stunning and approachable, with seductive aromatics of smoked incense and red tea, plus floral high notes, followed by a well of cassis, licorice and red currant coated in graphite. Dusty in feel, with fine-grained tannins bringing structure and textural complexity. An iron element lingers on the very long finish. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2035. —K.B.

95 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

"One of the standouts in the vintage is the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape, a ripe, round, medium to full-bodied 2021 offering a beautiful array of black cherry and darker berry fruits, ample Provençal spice, and dried flower nuances. Wonderfully textured and balanced, with ripe tannins, as usual, Vincent has made one of the wines of the vintage. This will evolve gracefully for 15+ years."

95 Decanter

Defined raspberry and redcurrant fruits, some woody spices in the background. Quite a rounded, fluid style, the acidity is really quite marked this year. Tannins are gentle, and it finishes on raspberry and redcurrant coulis. There's a silky touch on the palate. It's built around the acidity, the tannins are just gently sandy. Good sense of purity, quite a Burgundian vintage. Less Grenache in the blend this year as it was particularly hit by the frost.

94 Nicolas Greinacher - Vinous

The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made with slightly more Grenache and less Syrah than previous vintages. Intermixing aromas of red and black fruits, dried herbs, white pepper and crushed rocks, this 2021 shows slightly less intensity than either the 2020 or 2019. Full-bodied, elegant and framed by smooth tannins, it is well-balanced by fresh acidity and closes with a savory finish.

94 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

A perfumed nose of cherries, dark berries, baking spices, violets, licorice and some incense as well. It's medium-bodied with finely grained tannins. It's well-balanced with finesse and harmony. Crunchy and fresh with a velvety texture and great drinkability. Juicy, precise finish with excellent length. Drink or hold.

94+ Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2018 Barbaresco Albesani is another gorgeous wine from Roagna. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, tobacco, orange peel, spice and crushed rocks open nicely with some coaxing. Deep and powerful, yet also wonderfully understated, the Albesani has a ton to offer. It is also one of the few wines in this vintage here that most certainly needs time.

98 Georgina Hindle - Decanter

Now part of the AXA Millésimes group, Pichon Baron was founded in the late 17th century. Its grand vin is sourced from the very oldest vines on the estate, with each plot fermented separately. With 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, this was aged for 18 months – 80% in new barrels. Georgie Hindle: Floral, sweetly scented raspberries on the nose with some milk chocolate aromas. Broad-shouldered but graceful too. Wow, this is excellent. Vincenzo Arnese: Poised and balanced. The nose is ripe and concentrated with notes of prune, dark cherry and blackcurrant, cola and liquorice. Good body and rich, integrated tannins. Fantastic long finish. Great potential. Andy Howard MW: Not at all showy, this is a wine to give time to. Wonderful dark fruit on the palate with floral notes, elegant tannins and integrated oak. A classic Pauillac, which is remarkable in the context of 2017 overall.

96 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot aged 18 months in 80% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron sports a vivid purple hue as well as gorgeous notes of creme de cassis and black raspberry fruits interwoven with classic Pauillac lead pencil, crushed rocks, chocolate, and violet notes. Full-bodied and concentrated, yet elegant and seamless, it has remarkable purity, flawless tannins, beautifully integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's going to hit the early stages of prime drinking in 7-8 years and cruise for 20-25 years or more.

96 Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

CELLAR SELECTION This wine is both weighty and stylish. Its power comes from luscious black fruits that are juicy and powerful. Expect this wine to age well and drink from 2024.

96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Independent

Made from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2017 Pichon Baron is deep garnet in color. It races out of the glass with super-charged scents of warm black and red currants, mulberries, and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of Ceylon tea, rose oil, and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is so fine and elegant, with a gorgeous backbone of freshness and densely pixilated tannins, finishing long and fragrant. This is very impressive.

96 Jonathan Choukroun - Vert de Vin

The nose is elegant, aromatic and offers a very beautiful finesse of the grain, power as well as richness (but full of finesse). It reveals notes of ripe blackberry, ripe cassis, small notes of raspberry associated with touches of small ripe berries as well as fine hints of liquorice, wild strawberry, spices, toasted as well as an imperceptible hint of badiane, chocolate and an imperceptible hint of pepper. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a fine acidulous frame, gourmandize, definition as well as richness (but full of balance). In the mouth this wine expresses notes of fleshy/juicy blackberry, juicy raspberry, small notes of cassis associated with a touch of cornflower/lily and a very discreet hint of mild tobacco. Tannins are elegant. Good length. A very discreet hint of caramelization/vanilla on the persistence.

96 J. D'Angelo - International Wine Report

The 2017 Château Pichon Baron is a standout and one of the finest wines from the vintage. Composed of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot this stunning Pauillac begins to impress with this striking aromatic profile consisting of dark cherries and currants which are beautifully woven together with fresh spring florals, graphite, tobacco, spices and hints of roasted coffee. This possesses a gorgeous medium-plus body with outstanding overall purity and elegance. Impeccably structured and balanced this goes on to thoroughly impress through the long, firm finish. This is an extremely impressive showing from this challenging vintage and while this will likely need a few years of bottle age before it hits its stride it should also go on to have a long graceful evolution ahead for years to come.

95 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

The currants, blackberries and spices are very pretty here on the nose. The palate is medium-to full-bodied with round, compact tannins and a fresh, linear finish. Cool and racy. Strong and focused. Drink after 2023.

95 James Molesworth - Wine Spectator

Well-built, featuring the pure, fresh core of currant and blackberry fruit that is the vintage's hallmark, all backed by well-integrated tobacco, cast iron and roasted apple wood notes. Grippy, but with enough energy to keep bringing you back rather than tiring you out. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040

92 Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2022 Bannockburn Pinot Noir is a blend of the four vineyards: Cornish Point, MacMuir, Block 3 and Block 5. It leads with violets, cherry blossom, pomegranate pearls, star anise and cracked fennel seeds. In the mouth, the wine is supple and spicy, with lashings of fruit flavor and a balancing splay of tannins through the mid-palate and finish. Nicely handled wine, satisfying and supple. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.