Wine Advocate (93)

The 2001 Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from their vineyards in Fuenmayor and Rioja Baja respectively and it represents only the third vintage to be declared after 1964 and 1973. Aged in American cask for 36 months, it has a bucolic, natural bouquet of bright red cherries, balsamic, mint and a touch of dried honey all with superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with wonderful delineation and supple, lithe tannins. The acidity is very well judged and it leads to a pert, tense finish of bitter cherry, loganberry and licorice. This is an outstanding wine drinking perfectly now, but it should age effortlessly. Drink now-2030.

Vinous (94)

Deep magenta. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black raspberry, cherry cola, potpourri, tobacco and exotic spices, plus a smoky mineral flourish. Sweet and broad in the mouth, offering lush red and blue fruit, spicecake, mocha and coconut flavors that firm up on the back half. Finishes extremely long and spicy, with resonating florality, gently chewy tannins and lingering oak spice notes.

James Suckling (95)

Savory and complex with dried orange peel, cedar and plenty of sweet spices, walnuts, caramel, dried mushrooms and pine needles. Shows maturity here, with a medium body and superb freshness. Incredibly long finish with lots of truffle and walnut. Lasts over a minute. Very complete now, but you can still hold it.

Wine Advocate (94)

No 2018 was produced, so after the 2017 I tasted last year, we jumped to the 2019 Viña Ardanza Reserva, produced with a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. It fermented destemmed in stainless steel and aged in American oak barrels, 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months for Garnacha, and was blended before bottling. 2019 is a very good year for them, a small crop of powerful and concentrated wines when they produced all their brands, an exception. This is spicy, structured, balanced and powerful in this warm year, reaching the customary 14.5% alcohol and keeping a pH of 3.54 and 5.5 grams of acidity. It's still very young and undeveloped, with the classical profile, generous in American oak aromas and flavors that should slowly integrate in the wine with years in bottle. For them, 2019 means a change in Ardanza, less spicy (but still quite spicy, with clove, vanilla and tobacco leaves) and with more fresh fruit from the Garnacha. But the year is a modern version of 2015. 500,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2023. No 2023 or 2024 will be produced either.

Wine Advocate (95)

Based on the 2022 vintage and disgorged in January 2025 with a dosage of 1.5 grams per liter, the NV Blanc de Blancs Bourg/Sud reveals a deep bouquet of orange oil, freshly baked bread, pear and early-blooming spring flowers. It is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with a palate laden with ripe yet racy acids and framed by chalky structuring extract that imparts a compensatory impression of freshness, culminating in a long, saline finish. The 2022 vintage represents the first to be vinified in the new winery and also marks a considerable increase in the proportion of reserve wines, which has risen to 40%. As readers will recall from my previous writing, this cuvée is born from the division of La Rogerie’s Lieux de Vie: the new Bourg/Sud is sourced from sites in the southern part of the estate and is heavily based on Avize fruit.

Indulge in the alluring allure of the La Serena Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Gemini 2006. Exquisitely hailing from the renowned Italian region of Montalcino, this exceptional wine is produced by the esteemed Mantengoli family, who have passionately honed their winemaking craft since 1933. This illustrious expression emphasises their commitment to artisanal methods, matured for an extended period in both Slovenian oak casks and French oak barriques. The result is a wine that effortlessly balances complexity and elegance.

The La Serena Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Gemini 2006 reveals a captivating bouquet steeped in dark fruit, earthy underbrush, and spice nuances, culminating in a harmonious finish. It further impresses with a robust structure and remarkable ageing potential, promising to reward patient enthusiasts. Savour the craftsmanship that the Mantengoli family has imparted into this laudable Brunello di Montalcino."

Take a journey through the sublime terroirs of the Bordeaux region with La Sergue 2019. Sourcing grapes from the heart of Lalande de Pomerol, the producer meticulously manifests the complex and generous character this wine region is celebrated for. Aged in French oak barrels, La Sergue 2019 reveals an intense ruby colour and seductively expressive nose of red and black fruits combined with subtle notes of spice.

La Sergue 2019's wine is an eloquent expression of the gravel and clay soils that contribute to its robust structure and richness. The blend is predominantly Merlot, with a small quantity of Cabernet Franc, bestowing it with the dynamic balance of fruit and acidity. Cherished among discerning oenophiles for its depth of flavour and astonishing potential for ageing, La Sergue 2019 has cemented its reputation as a distinct and intimate testament to the art of fine winemaking.

Wine Enthusiast (92)

91-93 Barrel sample. Fresh, fruity wine, the tannins dense, but brightened by shafts of vivid acidity. The wine has great blackcurrant and red berry flavors, that give it a great aftertaste.

Jeb Dunnuck (93)

Black cherries, plums, tobacco, and truffly notes emerge from the 2010 Château La Serre, a fully mature yet still concentrated, textured 2010 that has a plump, layered mouthfeel, resolved tannins, and outstanding length. It's not going to get better, but it benefits from air and is an outstanding, satisfying Saint-Emilion to drink through 2030. Drink 2025-2030.

Wine Advocate (88+)

An impressive dark ruby/purple color is followed by a juicy 2011 offering lots of cherry jam, spice and earth. Medium-bodied, pure and surprisingly concentrated, this wine should improve and age nicely for 10-12 years.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89)

The 2012 La Serre offers lovely depth in a classic, understated style. Sweet spice, tobacco, dark berry, cherry pit leather and cedar flesh out in the glass. Ample, layered and expressive, the 2012 should continue to drink well for another 7-10 years. The 2012 is not especially complex, but it is a pretty Saint-Emilion to enjoy for its forward, inviting personality.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91)

The 2016 La Serre is plump and juicy, with plenty of immediacy that will make it nearly impossible to resist young. Succulent black cherry, plum, new leather, tobacco, spice and new oak all give the 2016 soft contours. Medium in body and yet quite fleshy, the 2016 is impeccable. La Serre could be a bit less monolithic, but it is undoubtedly quite tasty.

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2018 La Serre has a gorgeous, pure bouquet of vibrant wild strawberry and cranberry fruit, very well defined with neatly integrated new oak. The palate is silky-smooth on the entry. There is beautifully judged acidity and impressive depth with hints of dark chocolate toward the finish. This is a wonderful Saint-Émilion that comes highly recommended. As I said before, a hidden gem.

Decanter (94)

Ripe red cherries and blackcurrants on the nose with a delicate floral fragrance. Chalky and mineral straight away with a wet stone clarity to the texture and flavours of pencil led, graphite and menthol. Super fresh with cool fruit flavours. Well packaged and balanced, nicely charming with tons of polish. Really delicious and understated, quietly confident. I love it.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2020 La Serre is a brooding, potent Saint-Émilion. Blackberry jam, cloves, licorice, leather, incense, tobacco and gravel add to an impression of gravitas and virile intensity that builds as it opens gradually in the glass. There's real weight and substance here.