The only one of the Dominus wines to show more than a hint of wood, the 2023 Dominus matured in 40% new French oak, leaving it marked by caramel and cedar overtones. Yet that oak aging is balanced by plenty of black...

The 2021 Opus One is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% each of Merlot and Malbec. It was bottled in July 2023. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the...

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the Tenuta degli Dei 2022 Cavalli is a rich and pleasurable expression with velvety intensity and plenty of black fruit. This richly textured...

Shows good varietal character, with saturated blackberry, violet, ink and smoked bacon aromas and flavors. Well-structured yet harmonious and really sings on the lingering aftertaste. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc...

The 2021 Le Petit Clos is composed of 68% Carménère, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak. It features black and red fruit with a distinct floral bouquet, contrasting with the more...

An assemblage of 45% Grenache, 45% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah, the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes follows the domaine's formula of maturing the Grenache in concrete tanks, while the Mourvèdre and Syrah go into...

The 2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Il Bugiardo displays an inviting mix of blackberries, sage, roses, chalk dust and hints of camphor. This is full-bodied with depths of silky textures and a dense core of...

The nose has primarily umami notes of leather, graphite and dark chocolate, but macerated black cherries and blackberries create a plush, succulent undertone. That undertone grows on the palate before the dark chocolate...

The 2023 Clio was produced with 70% Monastrell from very old vines and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1986. It fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and matured in new French and American oak barrels for 23...

Syrah and Petit Verdot shape the 2022 Romitorio, a dark, polished Toscana Rosso with generous aromas of lavender, blackberry, fresh plum, olive, and crushed herbs. The palate is full-bodied and supple, with silky tannins...

A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 21% Malbec, the 2020 Nicolas Catena Zapata is deep garnet-purple in color. It rolls out with vibrant notes of redcurrant jelly, cassis, and baked plums, leading...

The 2023 Ornellaia, a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot, pours a deep, saturated purple/red hue and is incredibly detailed and layered. Aromas of cassis, violet...

(WA 93-94 points) Tasted just before bottling, so a sample of the final blend, the 2023 PSI is juicy, ripe and approachable. It is a little showier and headier, despite having similar alcohol to the bottled 2022 (perhaps...

Elegant, sweet, juicy, and fresh, there is a purity to the sweet kirsch that defines the wine. The finish focuses on its mineral characteristics that accompany the raspberries, kirsch, and cherries. This is a knockout...

I tasted again the 2019 Terrers, a blend of 57% Xarel·lo, 25% Macabeu, 17% Parellada and 1% Monastrell from close to 60 different vineyards, all organic and biodynamic. It was cropped from a very good vintage, with...

A spiced and savory red with chalky tannins and vibrant fruit character. Smooth and dusty on the dry, medium-bodied palate, with red berry, citrus peel and dried herb nuances. I like the zesty and minerally complexity...

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Petite Sirah, Realm's 2021 The Bard is a terrific effort that must be called something of a value in the context of Napa Valley...

Sleek and finely meshed, layering sculpted tannins and lively, citrus-laced acidity to create a well-honed frame for aromas and flavors of dried black cherry and raspberry fruit, rooibos tea, minerally iron and stone...

Powerful and nuanced, the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina unwinds with prominent black cherry compote, melted licorice, crème de cassis, black tea and clove. Anchored by a firm tannic core, the full-bodied 2022...

Boldly structured but richly polished, with expressive flavors of blackberry and cherry that are layered with lavender and woodsy spices as this builds tension toward fine-grained tannins. Petit Verdot and Merlot. Drink...

A bold but poised red, with fine, chalky tannins. Lively acidity lends definition and tension to the panoply of flavors, which partners savory game, espresso, cured tobacco and iron notes with ripe boysenberry, crème de...

Packed with ripe, juicy cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and floral aromas and flavors, this red is supple and beautifully integrated. Earth, iron and tobacco accents add detail as this winds down on the lazy, resonant...

The Masi Serego Alighieri 2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore MontePiazzo (packaged in a heavy glass bottle) is aged in Slavonian oak and cherrywood. The blend of grapes is 70% Covina, 20% Rondinella and 10% Molinara (a...

The 2021 Pedra de Guix blends one-third Pedro Ximenez, one-third Macabeo and one-third Garnatxa Blanca from Priorat. Fermented in concrete with whole clusters, this golden wine presents a vermouth-like aroma with notes of...

An array of yellow orchard fruit with tropical and citrus fruit, leading to an attractive palate that has a fleshy middle section and a composed, long and concentrated finish. Fresh and linear. Equal parts sauvignon...

The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend sourced from the typical three quintas (Panascal in the Tavora Valley and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de St Antonio in the Pinhão Valley). When last seen, this was in fine form. It...

This quinta is in the Rio Torto Valley in the heart of the Port vineyards. The wine is rich, sweet fruited, ripe with jammy blackberries and great perfumes. Open, already drinkable in a fruity way, it is likely to age...

Coming from Argentina and based on 60% Malbec and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Château Poesia is still youthfully purple-hued and has a gorgeous perfume of blue fruits, leafy tobacco, underbrush, and a hint of...

This solidly built version displays a graphite edge running from start to finish, giving a structured feel as notes of dark plum, blackberry and black currant reduction move through slowly, building tension and power...

Looking better than it did from tank, Cristina's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is ripe and rounded, with ample amounts of black cherries and plums, an exception to the overall red-fruited nature of the vintage. Full-bodied...