Falstaff Magazin (99)

Glänzendes, intensives Rubinrot-Violett. Zeigt in der Nase grandioses Spiel, nach Koriandersamen und Kardamom, sehr klar, dahinter viel Brombeere. Satt in Ansatz und Verlauf, entfaltet sich mit viel geschmeidigem, dichtmaschigem Tannin, baut sich in vielen Schichten auf, dunkle Beerenfrucht, im Finale würzig. Shiny, intense ruby red violet. On the nose shows great game, after coriander seeds and cardamom, very clear, behind it a lot of blackberry. Sated in approach and flow, unfolds with a lot of supple, dense tannins, builds up in many layers, dark berry fruit, spicy on the finish.

Wine Advocate (100)

This is a stunning wine and one of the best in this report covering the icons of Tuscany. The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from the very best parcels, and the blending formula changes according to vintage and the style desired by vintner Andrea Franchetti. These vineyard parcels vary in altitude, ranging from 400 to 600 meters above sea level, and the soils are quite varied with pockets of clay, sand and rock. The Trinoro is profoundly deep and pure with a solid core of black fruit that is framed by an elegant contour of spice, tobacco, smoke and crushed stone. To the palate, the wine is long and the finish can be counted in minutes, but the entire experience is beautifully streamlined and velvety. This vintage saw an important freeze event on the 7th of May, and 9,000 fire candles were lit in the lower vineyard blocks to fight off frost damage.

Wine Advocate (100)

This is a stunning wine and one of the best in this report covering the icons of Tuscany. The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from the very best parcels, and the blending formula changes according to vintage and the style desired by vintner Andrea Franchetti. These vineyard parcels vary in altitude, ranging from 400 to 600 meters above sea level, and the soils are quite varied with pockets of clay, sand and rock. The Trinoro is profoundly deep and pure with a solid core of black fruit that is framed by an elegant contour of spice, tobacco, smoke and crushed stone. To the palate, the wine is long and the finish can be counted in minutes, but the entire experience is beautifully streamlined and velvety. This vintage saw an important freeze event on the 7th of May, and 9,000 fire candles were lit in the lower vineyard blocks to fight off frost damage.

Wine Advocate (97)

The flagship wine from Tenuta di Trinoro is this gorgeous blend of 92% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. The 2020 Tenuta di Trinoro follows on the heels of the 2019 vintage that earned a perfect 100-point score. The 2020 vintage is more open-knit for sure, but it offers a very special view onto Cabernet Franc in particular. The plush black cherry softness of the Merlot is aligned magically with the dark intensity and tannic power of the Cabernet Franc. The fruit ripeness is impeccable and there are no green tones, nor are there any overripe nuances. Everything comes together with balance. For the first time, this wine is being released with an extra year of bottle age. 6,000 bottles were made.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy 2010 Langhe Virtus is a blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is always a late release, and there's a big risk to that with so much bottle and vintage variation to account for. However, this 2010 expression has all its ducks in a row. The bouquet is concentrated and thick, with plenty of power and depth. The bouquet shows dark fruit, with licorice, camphor ash and ink. This is a treat for people who love the magic of old wines. Exactly 8,433 bottles were made.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 Boca is fabulous. A burst of sweet red cherry, cedar, tobacco, leather, woodsy and earthy notes gives the Guardasole Boca a real sense of assertiveness. Powerful and exuberant, yet within the classic framework of Boca, the 2016 has an untamed, wild personality that is impossible to miss. Readers need to spend some time with the 2016, as it has a lot to say. The 2016 is complex and introverted, but there is a lot going on. I would be tempted to cellar it for a few years, as the tannins are a bit overpowering today.

Vinous (88)

The 2017 Boca is dominated by strong savory, earthy and feral notes, while the fruit is dried out and pushed into the background. It is not my favorite wine in this range.

Vinous (90)

The 2018 Boca is an ethereal wine. Sweet red cherry fruit, blood orange, sage, mint and dried flowers all grace this mid-weight, expressive Boca. The 2018 is exotic, beguiling and full of character.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 San Sebastiano allo Zoppo is a wine of tremendous structure and bearing. Regal in the glass, the 2013 offers up an exciting mélange of black cherry, incense, sweet pipe tobacco, spice, orange zest and crushed flowers. Deep and packed, yet also wonderfully translucent the San Sebastiano allo Zoppo expresses all the magic of Nebbiolo in Lessona. This is a tremendous edition of one of the region's very top wines. Don't miss it.

Vinous (93)

The 2021 Terlaner Riserva Cuvée Nova Domus lifts up with an airy bouquet that blends ground ginger with dusty dried flowers, crushed green apples and spice aromas. This washes across the palate with silky textures and ripe orchard fruits. Sour citrus notes add contrast, guided by brisk acidity. The 2021 finishes full of youthful tension and lightly tannic, leaving a spicy sensation and a bitter lemon rind tinge that class the taster back to the glass.

Wine Advocate (95)

The Cantina Terlano 2018 Alto Adige Pinot Noir Riserva Monticol is fresh and even wild with forest bramble, tart cassis or cranberry. The winemaking style hones in on freshness and brightness, all this thanks to high-altitude mountain winemaking, with plenty of floral detailing focused on violet and Alpine wild flower. These results are fine and silky, and take note of that pretty freshness that gives lots of life and energy to the finish. Some 45,000 bottles were released. This is a Pinot Noir to serve with an Asiago cheese made in the Alps.

James Suckling (94)

What a beautiful fragrance this very elegant Alpine pinot noir has! Fine red-berry and dried orange-peel aromas with delicate spice from oak. Wonderful integration of generous body and fine tannins, building gently at the long, structured finish. From vineyards between 500 and 600 meters above sea level. Drink or hold.

Vinous (93)

The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Quarz is youthfully coy, opening with an airy bouquet that mixes crushed rocks with dried flowers, hints of petrol and nectarines. This is pure pleasure on the palate, soft and round, with juicy acidity and ripe citrus-tinged orchard fruits that swirl as salty mineral tones penetrate deeply. The 2022 finishes with outstanding length and tension, leaving hints of sour melon and a tart lemon rind tinge. The 2022 is intense and built for the cellar.

Wine Advocate (95+)

Similar to the Dits del Terra but from a north-facing slope, the 2013 Arbossar is pure Cariñena from an ancient vineyard planted around 90 years ago, and it is always a fresher and more floral style of Cariñena, matured in a Stockinger foudre for some 16 months. I already tasted an unbottled sample last year and it showed great, lively, very red fruit-driven, electric and full of flowers and minerals, and the bottled version has delivered as expected. It's a bright ruby colored red, which is always fragrant and perfumed, more feminine than the Dits del Terra, which is the comparison because both vineyards are in Torroja and the wines share the same price range. The nose reveals bright red fruit, and feels fresher than the 2014. The tannins are ultra-sleek, really elegant and balanced. This is a superb, elegant and fresh Cariñena, without any rusticity. Super! 4,669 bottles were filled in August 2015.

Wine Advocate (95)

The south-facing Cariñena vineyard used for the 2018 Dits del Terra is worked biodynamically and is in the process of being certified organic. The grapes fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured in 50% oak foudre and 50% in concrete. The 2019 will be 100% concrete. You can immediately notice the cooler year and the longer ripening cycle here compared with the 2017; there is more depth here, and the quality of the tannins is completely different and provide for a more elegant mouthfeel. The oak is neatly integrated and folded into the structure of the wine. It comes through as medium-bodied, powerful and elegant. It should develop nicely in bottle. 2,006 bottles were filled in September 2020.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2016 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is flat-out stunning and also one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses remarkable depth and intensity from the very first taste. The 2016 is exotic, full-throttle and unapologetically hedonistic. At times, Tertre-Rôteboeuf can be a bit rough around the edges, but the 2016 is totally sublime. In a world in which so many wines are copycats, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is an original. And the 2016 is a great, emotionally moving Tertre-Rôteboeuf. This is a magnificent effort1 from François and Nina Mitjavile. Don't miss it!

James Suckling (97)

Rather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink after 2023.

Distinguished for its excellence and craftsmanship, Textura, Vinha Negrosa, Dao 2019 is a true embodiment of the Dao region's wine heritage. Sourced from the revered terrains of Portugal's Dao district, this wine is a labor of intensive care and meticulous winemaking. Sundrenched vineyards nestling in the shield of the granite masses give birth to the distinctive grapes used in this fine wine. Subtle fermentation and maturation in French oak barrels bestow upon it an exquisite fusion of depth, complexity, and balance.

The magic behind Textura, Vinha Negrosa, Dao 2019 is attributed to its esteemed producer, Textura Wines, a devotee of time-honoured winemaking traditions. Picked at optimum ripeness, the hand-harvested Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Alfrocheiro Preto manifest a beautiful intensity of flavours. Impressing with vibrant layers of dark fruit, vanilla, and spice, this robust red equates to a remarkable wine experience. Immerse yourself in Textura, Vinha Negrosa, Dao 2019, a standout pour in the world of fine wines.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Pinot Noir Outcrop is a beautiful wine with arresting aromatics: a core of wild berries is accented by tea leaves, lavender, Campari and lemon peel. The light-bodied palate is grainy and fresh with surprising concentration for its approachable frame and a very long, detailed finish.

Wine Advocate (95)

Pale ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Estate features pretty scents of dried cranberries and red cherries, tangerine peel, sage and earth, unfolding as it spends time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is powerful and grainy with seamless acidity and a long, fragrant finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

Spiced orchard fruits, dried pineapple, toasted bread, and beautiful spicy nuances emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard, a slightly more generous, rounded beauty that has good concentration, plenty of acidity, and a great finish. It's going to impress over the coming decade.

James Suckling (97)

This is a fantastic chardonnay with sliced green-apple, cooked-apple, nougat and slate aromas. Some dried chili, too. Medium-bodied palate that grows full and tangy, with a vibrant finish of candied lemons and sliced limes. Salty and intense. Unique. Drink or hold.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Bright crimson with some evolution at the rim. Actually there is quite a bit of interest on the nose here. This has lift as well as Napa lusciousness and good structure, balance and length. Throbs with life on the long finish. Quite impressive! And broachable.

Exemplifying the finesse of a classic Bordeaux, the Baron Philippe de Rothschild Pauillac The Rothschild Collection 2017 hails from a legendary winemaker with renowned expertise rooted in the world's most prestigious winemaking region. This Pauillac is a union of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, carefully selected from high-quality vineyards on the Left Bank of Bordeaux.

Masterfully crafted by estate wine-grower, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, this vintage exhibits a captivating complexity. The meticulous maturation process in oak barrels endows a beautifully balanced harmony between profound Cabernet structure and the velvety grace of Merlot.

Distinctive aromas of blackcurrant, toasted spices and leather, segue into indulgent layers of dark fruit and earthy truffle, defining the wine's profound character. The Baron Philippe de Rothschild Pauillac The Rothschild Collection 2017 serves as a testament to the winery’s commitment to excellence, cementing its place in the upper echelons of viniculture.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo checks in as a Petite Sirah-dominated blend that includes 22.1% Mourvèdre, 11.5% Graciano, and 3.4% Viognier. It’s the finest Petite Sirah to ever pass my lips and tops out my scale. Insanely good cassis, iron, bloody blue fruits, violets, graphite, and peppery herbs all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, incredibly seamless texture, no hard edges, and a brilliant finish. Hats off to Monsieur Krankl – I have no idea how he was able to make a Petite Sirah this good.

Burghound (89-92)

A brooding and very earthy nose is more deeply pitched and very Gevrey in character. The rich, concentrated and more powerful medium-bodied flavors are firmly structured and serious while exhibiting touch of bitter pit fruit and youthful austerity on the balanced and highly persistent finish. Créots always needs time in bottle to develop and this excellent example will be no exception. Recommended

Vinous (86-88)

The 2019 Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes was reduced by 60% in quantity by frost. A mix of six parcels with 40% whole cluster, it offers quite earthy red berry fruit on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy red fruit, fine grip and sour cherry toward the finish. Give this a year in bottle.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges La Charmotte includes 45% whole bunch this year. It has a well-defined bouquet that displays wonderful Pinoté. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, fine grip and hints of marmalade toward the finish, which feels a little stern at the moment but should soften once in bottle.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a superb bouquet of brambly red fruit, quite ferrous in style, displaying hints of dried blood and meat juices. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, quite firm in the mouth and very saline, though it is closed on the finish. Nevertheless, this has great potential.