Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)

The first release from this site, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard boasts a saturated purple color as well as a heavenly bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, ground herbs, and gravelly minerality. It's one of those powerful yet ethereal, weightless wines that carries full-bodied richness, seamless tannins, and just a heavenly finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard has a classic gamey black and blue fruit character as well as notes of black olive, leafy herbs, and dark chocolate. It's rich, powerful, and full-bodied, with remarkable purity and a great finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

While this cuvée is one of the least expensive in the lineup, it’s often one of my favorites. The 2018 Ontogeny is no exception and should be snatched up by readers. A classic 2018 nose of ripe, pure blue fruits, cassis, violets, and smoked earth gives way to a full-bodied, dense, concentrated Cabernet with beautiful tannins and length. It’s going to evolve for 20 years or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

A blend put together by Bevan from the single vineyards, the Ontogeny cuvée is year-in, year-out one of the greatest values in Cabernet Sauvignon. His 2019 Ontogeny is no exception, revealing a dense purple hue as well as rock star notes of crème de cassis, violets, tobacco leaf, and chocolate. It’s a big, classic Bevan wine and has remarkable purity, silky, polished tannins, and not a hard edge to be found. Don’t miss it!

Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)

The same 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, brought up in new oak, the 2018 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine is another incredibly pure, complex, yet powerful 2018. Rocking levels of crème de cassis, spring flowers, chocolate, and graphite give way to a full-bodied, pure, and seamless wine that has incredible potential.

Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)

Checking in as a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the 2019 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard is one of the top wines in 2019 (at least at this stage). Offering an incredible nose of black raspberries, cassis, wildflowers, violets, and wood smoke, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, ultra-fine, seamless texture, great tannins, and a great, great finish. The purity is just about off the charts.

Wine Advocate (97-99+)

A barrel sample, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is deep garnet-purple colored and skips out of the glass with bright, cheery blackberries, crushed blackcurrants and plum preserves scents with hints of menthol, bay leaves and candied violets. Full-bodied, the palate is bombastic and juicy with plush tannins and lively acid, finishing long.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block is one of the most complex wines in the entire range. Red fruit, iron, mint, rose petal, spice and blood orange give the 2018 a real feeling of exotic beauty. Each taste reveals a new facet. Time in the glass brings out the wine's striking aromatic presence and overall intensity.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Malvasía Riojana, or Rojal, is a very rare grape that’s only found in old co-planted field blends as a rule. But here it takes centre stage in a brilliant wine that’s fermented and aged on its lees in concrete eggs. Saline, focused and refined, with jasmine and wet stone aromas, a creamy mid palate and a long, focused, pithy finish. A stunning debut. 2021 – 2026.

The Bodegas Bhilar Phinca Abejera Rioja Alavesa 2012 embodies the rich terroir of Spain's prestigious Rioja Alavesa region. Nestled in the alluring Basque Country, the acclaimed Bodegas Bhilar demonstrates artisanal winemaking acuity renowned worldwide. The Phinca Abejera Rioja Alavesa is a boutique production, cultivated from old-vine Tempranillo grapes imparting distinct notes of blackberries, liquorice and wild herbs.

Striking a balance between modern winemaking techniques and steadfast tradition, the vintners use indigenous yeast for fermentation in large French oak casks, lending the wine an understated elegance and complexity. Ageing for 36 months in neutral oak promotes the wine's finesse, culminating in a superbly structured palate featuring deep fruits, earthy minerality, and a long, velvety finish.

As a biodynamic and organic estate, Bodegas Bhilar's commitment to sustainable viticulture ensures the continued quality and character of the Phinca Abejera Rioja Alavesa. The 2012 vintage possesses an enviable cellaring potential, inviting discerning connoisseurs to savour its evolution.

Wine Advocate (94)

As we didn't have another recent vintage to compare with the 2010 and the expectations were so high, Roda's CEO Agustín Santolaya insisted on uncorking another excellent vintage, the 2004 Roda I, to check on its evolution. The production and source of the grapes was basically the same as today, 100% Tempranillo that, back then, was fermented in French oak vats with indigenous yeasts, followed by aging in barriques for 16 months. There might be some things in common with 2010, which is the current vintage—a very balanced year with great ripeness and acidity, wines with power and elegance and a very slow development. This 2004 is aging at a glacial pace and should have a long life ahead of it. At the time, they produced 184,447 bottles of this 2004. It has been in bottle since May 2006.

Decanter (95)

From a warm vintage with an early harvest, this is a well-balanced Rioja with considerable complexity. There's a ripe plum character to the black fruit aromas, along with warm tobacco hints and earthy, undergrowth notes. Like a perfectly stretched tapestry, this shows a taut precision to the winemaking, with admirable balance. Polished black fruit, spice and chocolate notes show good persistence. A sense of freshness and fine tannins with juicy grip on the finish; this has life ahead of it.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Built around a core of Tempranillo from vineyards near Haro, with a splash of Graciano from the Rioja Oriental, this is a superb Roda I from a vintage that is often under-rated in Rioja. Balanced, perfumed and precise, with adroitly handled 50% new wood, a hint of good reduction, some vanilla spice, wild herbs and layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit. Delicious.

The assortment case contains:

1x75cl Bond Vecina 2018 – 100 JD
1x75cl Bond Pluribus 2018 – 100 JD
1x75cl Bond Quella 2018 – 98 JD
1x75cl Bond St. Eden 2018 – 98 JD
1x75cl Bond Melbury 2018 – 97JD

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97-100)

The 2018 Melbury is fabulous. Bright, punchy and full of character, the Melbury is so alluring in this tasting. Sweet floral notes, crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice and blood orange explode from the glass. Medium in body, silky and arresting in its beauty, the 2018 is spectacularly beautiful. In 2018, Melbury stands out for its understatement and total class. What a wine!

Vinous (99)

The 2018 Pluribus captures all of the savory, mineral intensity of this site on Spring Mountain. Searing tannins, once such a challenge here, are much more finessed than in the past. Crushed rocks, mint, blood orange, gravel, exotic spice and rose petal lend tremendous complexity as the Pluribus shows off its considerable allure. This taut, mountain Cabernet Sauvignon has so much to offer. Today, it is wonderfully complete and thrilling. Even so, the best is yet to come.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2013 St. Eden is absolutely mind-blowing, with notes of blackcurrant liqueur and licorice as well as hints of Asian soy and lead pencil. Wonderful fruit that hits the palate with a cascade of glycerin, silky but noticeable tannins, and a big, earthy, rich, full-throttle, majestic finish of close to a minute add to this wine’s compelling personality. It should drink well for at least 30-40 years.

Wine Advocate (98+)

BOND’s 2009 Proprietary Blend Vecina, from Vine Hill Ranch, is fascinating to taste after the St. Eden. While the St. Eden is round and sensual, the Vecina is all about linear power and structure. Endowed with tremendous length and persistence, the Vecina presents endless layers of dark fruit and expressive aromatics supported by considerable tension and energy. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034.

Vinous (100)

This look back at Vecina continues with the 2013. Ample and creamy yet also tannic, the 2013 is outrageously beautiful today. Raspberry jam, tobacco, smoke, dried flowers and herbs build into a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. Although the 2013 won't be ready to drink any time soon, it is simply thrilling on this afternoon. There is not much more I can say than that.

Vinous (99)

A regal, soaring wine, the 2018 Vecina is immediately captivating. Red fruit, iron, dried rose petal and exotic spice all soar out of the glass. Over the last two months the Vecina has acquired stunning aromatic presence to play off its deep, layered fruit. The 2018 is an absolute gem in the making. As a reminder, Vecina is sourced from Vine Hill Ranch, at the southern end of Oakville, where the Cabernets are distinguished by a beguiling combination of power and savory/earthy intensity.

Decanter (96)

A village wine in the Priorat classification, taken from five parcels of very old vines at different elevations and slopes in Gratallops. Fermented in open-top 225L barrels and aged in French new oak. In a vertical of 2017, 2014 and 2012, the 2014 shone: very dark fruit, a powerful impression, then a delicious lift of orange zest, fresh herbs, eucalyptus. Wonderfully complex. Textured, with fine grain and a long, satisfying finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2027

The Calvo Casajus Ribera Del Duero NIC 2009 is the ultimate testament to the wine-making prowess of Burgos, Spain's Calvo Casajus winery. Considered one of the jewels of Ribera del Duero, it is a product of exceptional craftsmanship and passion. Produced from 100-year-old organically grown Tempranillo grapes, it boasts unparalleled finesse and flavour intensity. The varietal was vinified classically before aging for 26 months in French oak barrels, resulting in a superb balance between fruit and wood.

This grand vintage expresses luscious hints of ripe black fruit, liquorice and cocoa, accentuated by an undercurrent of earthy spices. Its soft tannins and new oak's slight sweetness create a gratifyingly rounded palate. Jose Maria Calvo, the man behind the label, has perfected the fine art of minimal intervention, showcasing the natural excellency of Ribera's unique terroir. Calvo Casajus Ribera Del Duero NIC 2009 truly captures the heart and soul of Spanish viticulture.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is based on a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot that spent 22 months in 81% new French oak. It’s a wonderfully complete, borderline perfect wine that shows the class of this estate as well as the vintage, revealing a seamless, full-bodied style that carries lots of blackcurrant, graphite, lead pencil, and tobacco aromatics, a deep, layered mid-palate, ultra-fine tannins, and flawless balance. As with most of Chris’s 2018s, it’s a wine that builds slowly with time in the glass, offering a layered, singular character. It’s a gorgeous 2018 that can be drunk today with ample pleasure, but it will ideally be given 4-6 years of bottle age, at which point it should evolve gracefully for 30-40 years.

Wine Advocate (97+)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Featuring a deep garnet-purple color, it sashays out of the glass with gregarious notions of baked plums, warm cassis and blueberry compote with suggestions of kirsch, dusty soil and Indian spices. The palate is full-bodied and laden with bright, lively, energetic black fruits, supported with firm, super ripe tannins and finishing on a persistent exotic spice note. 500 cases were made.

Wine Advocate (95)

The perfect Mediterranean vintage produced an outstanding Garnacha. The 2020 El Molar fermented with 35% full clusters and matured in a combination of 500-liter barrels and 5,000-liter foudres for one year. The wine is very young and tender; it feels more delicate despite having a little more alcohol than the 2019 (it's 15%) and with a slightly lower pH (3.49). It's super aromatic, extroverted and expressive, floral, elegant and complex. There is great balance, and the wine feels fresher and less ripe; it's refreshing and has a core of minerality and super fine tannins with pungent flavors. There is precision, elegance and balance, the three words that define the vintage. All the wines are very good value, but this is a steal. 40,000 bottles were filled in March 2022.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2018 Las Gravas is a blend of 90% Monastrell from limestone gravel soils and 10% Garnacha also planted in the same gravel soils, but it's obviously much younger than the Monastrell. It fermented in underground pools with 25% to 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 5,000-liter oak foudres and 500-liter oak barrels for 16 months. It's an incredibly elegant and delicate Las Gravas, nuanced and with a discrete profile, a little shy at first. The palate is also super elegant and balanced, with refined tannins, a velvety texture and very fine chalky minerality. The north-facing vineyard, the backbone of this wine in a challenging and cooler year, is now 40 years old and has vigor and balance, which has resulted in an incredible wine through a lot of work in the vineyard. This has to be the finest vintage to date, a real triumph over the adverse conditions of the year that transcends the quality of the vintage. They used a lower percentage of Garnacha to avoid too much florality in the blend, and the wine is more serious. It's less explosive than the 2017, but I'd say, more gravelly... Bravo! 34,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020.

Wine Advocate (96+)

I was very pleasantly surprised by the elegance and balance of the 2015 Valtuille Cepas Centenarias, centenary Mencía from two plots in the village of Valtuille. This is always one of the finest wines in the portfolio, but this 2015 was especially harmonious, combining aromas of violets and wild herbs with an earthy touch and a medium-bodied palate with very refined tannins that made it beautifully textured. There is an extra degree of complexity here and it has the depth of the very old vines. This has to be one of the finest vintages for this bottling. There are 3,500 bottles of it.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2019 Valtuille Cepas Centenarias comes from a single plot of ancient vines that could qualify as Vino de Paraje and in the future as Vino de Viña, but they are never going to do it because it's their traditional name and label and one of the most consistent wines from the winery. It is made with field blend with lots of different grapes on clay and sand soils. It fermented with full clusters and indigenous yeasts with a long 60-day maceration and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels (but, in the future, they might move to oval oak foudres) for one year. It has the violets and the perfume from the 2018 vintage but with more dimension, more layers and depth. A stellar performance in 2019 (again!). 3,500 bottles produced, what the plot delivered. It was bottled in June 2021.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2019 Valtuille El Rapolao, now a Vino de Paraje, fermented with 100% full clusters with a long maceration and matured in well-seasoned, neutral 500-liter oak barrels (which might be eight years old now), the modus operandi for all of the single-vineyard reds. It's perfumed and heady, as it comes from a plot that also has some fruit trees, in a v-shape, planted along with some 8% Malvasía grapes that have been added since 2018 and have given it finesse. It's more exuberant on the nose, something that seems to define this wine that is quite unique and different from its siblings. It's medium-bodied with around 13% alcohol; winemaker César Márquez feels that when these wines are riper than 13.5% they are too rustic. 1,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2020.

Wine Advocate (94)

The first vintage to have the new official category on the label is the 2019 Valtuille Vino de Villa, and it's a barrel selection of barrels from the centenary vines and Villegas, El Val and some La Rata, three zones they like. This is the new focus of the winery; it's a very serious red, with volume and depth. It fermented in oak vats with 40% full clusters with the field blend and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels. It has the grainy mouthfeel from the stems. It has more structure and ripeness but with great balance and moderate alcohol, really representing the village and the year. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021.