Wine Advocate (97)

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2009 Astralis presents a very fruity, floral nose with lifted notes of blueberries. The palate is concentrated with a slight prune character and has very crisp acidity. At this stage the phenolics are showing a little chewy before finishing long. Drink it now to 2027+.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The deep garnet-purple 2011 Astralis offers a nose redolent of Christmas pudding, allspice, mocha and anise along with a lovely core of prunes, black cherry preserves and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with elegant, effortless fruit, with a medium level of finely grained tannins, just enough acidity, and a long and multi-layered finish. Drink it 2015 to 2030+.

Unveiling the aristocracy of beverages, the Clos Solene Paso Robles Hommage A Nos Pairs Reserve 2018 marries the artistry of the craft and refinement of exceptional terroir. This French-inspired gem, produced by the esteemed Paso Robles winery in the Central Coast of California, promises a memorable encounter with its perfectly proportioned palate. It showcases an opulent blend of Syrah, synonymous with the estate's reputation.

Painstakingly aged for 24 months in French oak, the Hommage A Nos Pairs Reserve 2018 strikes an exquisite balance of dark fruit flavours, leathery tannins, and nuanced floral accents. The temperate Paso Robles climate lends intensity and longevity to the wine, reflected in its rich, dark ruby hue. Taking us back to the visionary expertise of Guillaume Fabre, who mastered the art of vintages, the Clos Solene Paso Robles Hommage A Nos Pairs Reserve 2018 truly gives life to the intricate harmony of superior vineyard character and winemaking finesse.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2010 IX Estate is another perfect wine. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by copious aromas of blueberries, cassis, pen ink, asphalt, licorice and subtle oak. Full-bodied and rich but light on its feet, this spectacular effort was created from a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Enjoy this profound wine over the next 25+ years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An absolute beast of a wine, the 2013 Ix Estate checks in as a mix of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that’s all from the estate located at the top of Pritchard Hill. Still a primordial wine that reminds me of a barrel sample, its vivid, saturated purple color is followed by an incredible bouquet of black and blue fruits, graphite, spring flowers, and scorched earth. With a deep, full-bodied, massive mid-palate, background oak, and beautiful purity and freshness, it’s a tour de force and may be the most massive yet perfectly balanced wine I’ve ever tasted. It’s incredible today in an academic sort of way, but it won’t start to hit maturity for at least another decade. Hats off to superstar winemaker Allison Tauziet who, in this critic’s opinion, fashions some of the most profound and captivating wines on the planet!

The Wine Independent (99)

The 2014 IX Estate is deep garnet-black in color. Scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and blackberry pie jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of incense, iron ore, and camphor with a waft of dark chocolate and Morello cherries coming through after a few moments. The medium to full-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, thrumming with mineral-sparked energy and supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing very long and earthy.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2016 IX Proprietary Red Estate is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple, it comes strutting out of the glass with flamboyant Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and plum pudding notions plus hints of spice cake, unsmoked cigars, menthol, licorice and dusty soil and accented by wafts of tar and black tea. The palate is full-bodied yet incredibly poised and vibrant with amazing freshness and very fine-grained, very firm tannins. It possesses the most provocative earthy sparks, providing arresting depth to the very long, beautifully perfumed finish. Stunning.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2018 IX Estate is deep purple-black in color. It gives up crushed blueberries, fresh blackcurrants, and black cherry preserves with an evocative undercurrent of licorice, sandalwood, clove oil, and cumin seed plus a waft of iron ore. The full-bodied palate is firm, tightly wound, and so, so intense, featuring exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and opulent.

James Suckling (100)

Ripe cherries, plums and flowers on the nose. Orange peel, too, together with hints of thyme, bay leaf and sage. Medium-to full-bodied, incredibly deep and fresh, with fine tannins that carry you deep down into the finish. It tells you its great, but makes you spend time in order to understand it. Reminds me of the 1990 Latour. Try after 2027.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2010 IX Estate Syrah is one of the most compelling Syrahs ever made in California. It ranks alongside some of the perfect Syrahs from Sine Qua Non in Santa Ynez and the Santa Rita Hills. Tasting like liquified steak au poive with blackberry and blueberry sauce, this amazing wine reveals staggering aromas of flowers, bouquet garni, melted asphalt, licorice, pepper and meaty notes. It should drink well for 15+ years assuming you have that much patience.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Lastly, the 2016 Syrah IX Estate reminds me of the otherworldly 2010 and is as profound as Syrah gets. Tasting like Guigal’s Côte Rôtie La Mouline (maybe on steroids) with its huge notes of bacon fat, spring flowers, blue fruits, barbecued meats, and incense, it’s full-bodied and massive yet also thrillingly pure, seamless, elegant, and weightless. It’s certainly approachable today yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

Vinous (98)

Colgin's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill is fabulous. Rich, dense and beautifully textured, the 2016 possesses tremendous nuance and pure class. An exotic mélange of super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, rose petal and mocha develop effortlessly, but it is the wine's balance that really stands out most. I imagine the 2016 will give readers a broad window of pure drinking pleasure. This is a super-refined, polished vintage for the Tychson Hill.

James Suckling (99)

Impressive purity of fruit and definition with black currant, oyster shell, blueberries and slate. Graphite too. Very complex yet subtle. Full-bodied, very chewy and powerful yet polished and gorgeous. Muscular, well-formed tannins. Electric style. Best ever from here. Drink in 2020.

James Suckling (100)

This is sensational with blackberries, blueberries and mineral. Extremely floral, too. Full-bodied but so seamless and refined with polished tannins that just melts into the wine. Goes on for minutes. A subtle and glorious wine that will be a new classic for Napa Valley. An emotional red that touches your soul. Energy. 46% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cabernet franc, 17% petit verdot, and 6% merlot. Very approachable now but better in 2022.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard may very well be the single greatest vintage made here thus far. It is quite simply a stunning wine and a towering achievement from the Mondavi family. Powerful, ample and sweeping in stature, the 2016 boasts breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. I see the pure, vibrant fruit of the 2013, but with more finessed tannins that add to the wine's feeling of real sensuality. Bright, precise and finely sculpted with remarkable persistence and perfectly integrated tannins, the 2016 is positively stellar - not to mention one of the wines of the vintage.

Wine Advocate (97+)

A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2017 Proprietary Red soars out of the glass with notions of baked blueberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial, backed up by nuances of chocolate mint, wild sage, violets and pencil shavings, plus an earthy hint of Chinese five spice. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruit preserves, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and opulent.

James Suckling (100)

This has incredible nuances and delicacy with power. It’s full-bodied with lots of gentle tannins that spread across the palate. The character is full of blackberry, blackcurrant and lead pencil. Some conifer and pine needles. Sage at the end, too. Savory. So long-lasting and layered. Such purity. It’s so complex and changes all the time in the glass. Goes on for minutes. 54% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cabernet franc, 9% petit verdot and 6% merlot. Organically grown grapes. So drinkable now, but will age beautifully.

James Suckling (99)

Blackberries, dark wet soil and blackcurrants. Graphite, too. So aromatic. Pure fruit. Full-bodied with superbly polished, fine tannins that draw you down through the center of palate. Extremely layered and the texture is so curated, giving wonderful persistence. Real plushness and fine, velvety texture. 50% cabernet sauvignon, 37% cabernet franc, 7% petit verdot and 6% merlot. Better after 2026.

Vinous (96)

The 2017 Syrah Hawks Butte is bright, floral and full of energy. Sweet red and purplish fruit, wild flowers, blood orange, spice and pepper notes all race out of the glass. The 2017 is wonderfully inviting and alluring, with stunning aromatic presence, bright fruit and exceptional balance. Wow. This is a sensational wine by any measure.

Vinous (95)

The 2018 Syrah Hawkes Butte is once again one of the most distinctive wines in the range. Inky dark fruit, black pepper, sage, lavender and spice all run through this super-expressive Syrah. The 2018 is rich and unctuous but also not at all heavy. It is incredibly singular and full of character.

Nestled in the rich Southern McLaren Vale region, the Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz 2013 is an exquisite embodiment of Australian excellence. This pre-eminent Shiraz, crafted by prominent winemaker Coriole Vineyards, charms with a bold, full-bodied profile encapsulating intense fruit flavours dappled with notes of savoury spice and dark chocolate. Each grape is attentively selected from the oldest vineyard plantings, dating back to 1919, ensuring a superior quality yield. The meticulous fermentation process in open-top vessels, followed by ageing in French oak barrels, bestow a distinguished depth and complexity that leaves a lingering palate impression.

Bearing the name of the Lloyd family, who established Coriole in 1967, the Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz 2013 carries a legacy mirrored in its striking character and robust structure. Unquestionably, it's a testament to Coriole’s enduring commitment to create wines that captivate with their elegance and remarkable drinking pleasure.

Vinous (94)

Saturated ruby. A highly perfumed, spice-accented bouquet evokes ripe dark fruits, pipe tobacco, mocha and candied flowers. Palate-staining blueberry, cherry liqueur, licorice and fruitcake flavors show excellent depth as well as vibrancy. The floral and spice notes return on the impressively long, focused finish, which is framed by smooth, late-arriving tannins.

Wine Advocate (98)

This is a deeply communicative and articulate wine that boasts immense power and persistence. The 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a creation of enormous beauty and unflinching intensity. The wine speaks at loud volumes with black cherry, spice, tarry smoke, barbecue marinade and grilled rosemary. Those balsam notes add length and continuity to the bouquet. In the mouth, the wine is complete and penetrating. It wraps thickly over the palate to soothe and entice your taste buds. Yet there is enough crispness to keep it from feeling cloying or too heavy. There is a point of tannic astringency on the finish that will accompany this wine over the next decade of its aging evolution. For that reason, it's best to wait before popping the cork on this memorable vinous experience.

James Suckling (97)

A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar, tons of black fruit such as blackberries and mulberries and even ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that's explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on. Incredible now, but better to wait for this giant to settle well into 2020.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is my favorite wine in the retrospective, along with the amazing 2011, 2009 and 1996 vintages. This wine was released at the beginning of this year, and because Dal Forno skipped over the 2014 vintage, this is the only Amarone we will see for a while (until the highly anticipated 2015 is released). The 2013 vintage is characterized by a slightly more streamlined mouthfeel (which isn't saying much given the baseline enormity of these wines) with carefully etched aromas of black cherry, rum cake, dark chocolate and toasted espresso. The 2013 vintage was balanced overall without the sudden heat waves we saw in the summers of 2011 and 2012. The grapes finished a slow and steady ripening process over an extended growing season. The effect is graceful and focused. Put this bottle aside in your cellar for the decades to come.

James Suckling (100)

This is black as pitch in the glass and, yes, there’s a light, tarry edge to the super-concentrated prune, date and currant fruit. But even more interesting are the complex notes of bitter-orange liqueur, aged balsamic, fresh roasting herbs, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, black tea and licorice. The more you decant in advance, the more nuances will emerge. It’s full-boded with huge concentration and lots of chewy tannin that is managing to hold the fruit back for now. This needs plenty of time to develop in the bottle. Just superb. One of the greatest Dal Forno’s ever.

Each case contains:

2 bottles of 1x75cl Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella 2008 - 98 points | Eric Guido (Vinous)

1 bottle of 1x75cl Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella 2009 - 99 points | Monica Larner (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate (100)

As stunning as this basic Cabernet Sauvignon is, the 2002 Maya, a proprietary blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc, is pure perfection. It boasts an inky purple color as well as an extraordinary perfume of incense, black fruits, charcoal and forest floor. Full-bodied, with monumental intensity, a multidimensional texture/mouthfeel, and a stunning finish, this beauty reveals the brilliant quality of the Dalla Valle Cabernet Franc plantings meshed with their powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Just about pure perfection, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard comes from vines around the estate, just outside of Rutherford, which were planted in 1997. Sensational notes of crème de cassis, burning embers, bay leaf, and graphite all flow to a full-bodied 2015 that has a deep, layered, multi-dimensional texture that’s hard to describe. With building structure and a beautiful floral character that emerges with time in the glass, perfect balance, and a huge finish, this quintessential Napa Cabernet will benefit from a few years of bottle age and cruise for 3-4 decades. Bravo!