The 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo is bright, vibrant and full of energy. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, chalk and white pepper abound. As is so often the case, the Ser Lapo is one of the hidden gems in the Mazzei range.... Read More

The aromas of raspberries, plums and violets are very enticing. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a creamy and refined texture that is long and beautiful. A blend of merlot parcels. Juicy and delicious. Drink now.

So perfumed with violets and lavender with some currants. Medium- to full-bodied with polish and finesse. Racy and fine. Finesse with drive. Very elegant and straightforward with a racy texture. Very long and lightly edgy. 92%... Read More

In contrast to the bigger, richer Deus-Ex Machina, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Combe Des Fous is all about finesse and elegance, probably due to the inclusion of Cinsault and Vaccarese in the blend. Deeper ruby/purple-hued,... Read More

One of three separate cru bottlings, Poggio al Granchio hails from Montalcino’s southeastern flank. The steep site sits on schisty Galestro soil and is surrounded by holm oak trees. Powerfully fragrant, the 2020 expands... Read More

A firm and beautiful Barolo with dark strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and stone. Medium body. Fine and chewy tannins that show tension and give focus. A little chewy but it has great energy. Best after 2028.

Black fruit coulis, intense spice aromas and some smoke on the nose. Powerful and robust in the best possible way, the tannins are remarkably polished for a Rhone red with stacks of mourvedre in it. Very compact core, but also... Read More

The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, spice and... Read More

Lovely dark red fruits on the nose, a gorgeous sultry florality to it, something a little bit savoury too, pencil led and smoke - extremely welcoming. Great succulence on the palate, juicy and alive, really fresh with the charm... Read More

The 2020 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique has a similar celery/vegetal nuance, and although it’s more integrated, it's still a head scratcher. A blend of 40% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with the balance... Read More

This is both deep in color and on the nose with plenty of wood spices, dark walnuts, black cherries, peppercorn, licorice, bark and dark mushrooms. Supple entry, but the oak tannins and the intense, juicy fruit quickly take over,... Read More

I was able to taste three wines from Domaine Santa Duc. Starting with the 2020 Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits, which spent 18 months in 36-hectoliter Stockinger foudres, it has a floral, elegant, medium-bodied profile as well as lots... Read More

Looking at the reds, the 2020 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion is flat-out stunning and unquestionably a great wine in its own right. Cassis, black raspberries, tobacco, and sandalwood are just some of its nuances, and it's... Read More

The 2020 Barolo Bric Del Fiasc is jeweled red in color and has a great nose of cherry liqueur, violets, lavender, a touch of blueberry, sweet herbs, sweet earth, and balsamic, but it’s pure and fresh. Medium to full-bodied,... Read More

Another wine that's just about to be bottled is the 2020 Todos, which is a final blend of 57% Syrah, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest a mix of varieties. Ripe blueberries, fresh plums,... Read More

The 2020 Pirouette is spicy with a dark and brooding bouquet of musky black currant, grilled herbs, cocoa and ashen stone. This is velvety smooth yet lifted in feel, with a combination of red and blue fruit that flows across a... Read More

The 2020 Merlot Pedestal Vintage Select is brooding with a hauntingly dark, backward bouquet of dried blueberries, sage, cedary spice and gravel dust. It sweeps across the palate with grace, silken yet poised, with mineral-inflected... Read More

An exquisite mix of elegant aromas dominates the nose, with notes of Parma violets, orange peel, Earl Grey tea, dried cherries, smoky woodland and earthy minerality. Full-bodied, it shows significant tannins, but it’s velvety,... Read More

Mineral and savory nose with lots of crushed stones, iron, seaweed, spiced blood orange and cranberries. Structured and vertical on the palate but nothing fleshy here. It shows more mineral tension and tautness than fruit. A pure,... Read More

The Domenico Clerico 2020 Barolo Ginestra Pajana (with 5,000 bottles made) shows great balance between dark fruit and integrated spice from increasingly hands-off oak aging. The results are impeccably smooth, and the fruit remains... Read More

The 2020 Barolo Aeroplan Servaj offers a bright and elegant fruit profile with tart fruit, blackcurrant, spice, cola, licorice and candied orange peel. It feels ironed out and smooth, folding softly over the palate initially yet... Read More

Bright jeweled ruby in color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is flush with pure aromas of candied flowers, cherry lozenge, pine needles, and blood orange. Medium-framed, it's ripe and pure on the palate, with refreshing energy,... Read More

2020 was drier than average until the harvest, when it rained and diluted the grapes, and they had to wait to regain concentration. The result is that the 2020 Alión is a wine with better balance and freshness. They felt... Read More

The 2020 Gazin is a wine of total precision and class. Vibrant, with tremendous nuance, the 2020 is so impressive. Dark red cherry, iron, tobacco, white pepper and crushed flowers abound. The 2020 is a standout Gazin.

The Domenico Clerico 2020 Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin shows really great balance in terms of the oak integration. For the first time, the estate has decided to use large oak casks (removing the barrique entirely), and the results... Read More

The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is dreamy, with a darkly floral bouquet that blends dried rose and violet with hints of sour cherry, blackberry and Tuscan dust. This is silky-smooth and round in feel, with fresh... Read More

The 2020 L'Apparita will soon take its place among the great Apparitas. Unctuous and layered in the glass, the 2020 possesses exceptional balance and tons of character right out of the gate. Exotic scents of blackberry jam,... Read More

The 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is fabulous. It offers up a compelling mix of blackberry, graphite, crushed rocks, spice, lavender and black pepper, showing striking inner sweetness, gorgeous... Read More

Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, lead pencil and violet aromas here that follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. So integrated and polished.Changes a lot in the glass. Thoughtful... Read More

This refined Bordeaux blend encapsulates the essence of the renowned Saint Emilion appellation. With a storied history of excellence spanning over a century, the estate produces wines that elegantly express lush red fruit, gentle... Read More

The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe opens in the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, raspberries and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and pure palate that's rich and fleshy, with generously extracted tannins... Read More

Coming to market this fall, the Bartolo Mascarello 2019 Barolo represents a classic vintage in between two challenging growing seasons. Both 2018 and 2020 were hotter than 2019, resulting in higher alcohol levels. With fruit harvested... Read More

From a château that deserves more recognition in the market, the 2020 Château De Fieuzal is a brilliant Pessac- Léognan based on 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot raised in 60% new... Read More

Composed of 77% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an alcohol of 14.5% and a pH of 3.57, the deep purple-black colored 2020 Fleur Cardinale bursts from the glass with powerful notes of crushed blackberries,... Read More

Careful and seductive oaking, this develops and builds in power and finesse over the palate, and is a seriously enjoyable Pomerol, just packed full of appellation typicity. A yield of 35hl/ha, vinified in new oak barrels, and... Read More

One of the world’s greatest expressions of Grenache year-in and year-out, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all varietal that was brought up in larger foudre. This cuvée comes from the Charbonnieres... Read More

Lastly, the 2020 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is another legendary wine from this château that has been on an incredible run over the past decade. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that was brought up all... Read More

Deep cherry damson red in colour, clear depth. Touches of kicking spice right from the start, I like the surprise of the battle between richness and bitterness. It feels like a heavy blanket of fruit which is burrowing down but... Read More

Rich and concentrated with violet reflections and a wall of tannins. Well structured, it sets its feet deep in the ground and will need time to soften and develop. Good quality with depth. The tannins are far more present than... Read More

The 2020 Campo di Magnacosta is a wine of depth and gravitas. Dark cherry, lavender, spice, sage and leather fill out the layers. There's terrific breadth and volume here, but also a good bit of tannin that needs time to soften.... Read More