Wine Advocate (97)

I prefer this wine to Fèlsina's top-shelf Fontalloro. The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is irresistibly angular and tight, opening a profound view onto what makes Sangiovese so expressive and unique, especially when planted in the right territories. The bouquet is savory and almost sanguine with iron ore, rusty nail and baked clay. But there's plenty of fruit as well, in the form of wild berry and black cherry, that adds to the dimension and dynamic freshness of the mouthfeel. The 2018 vintage saw a few moments of heat during the summer, but the Colonia vineyard is protected by forests and cooler altitudes. Give this wine time to soften in the bottle.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is an absolutely stunning wine. The archetype of Rancia in the past has been of a big, potent Chianti Classico but in 2018, Rancia is a wine of mind-blowing elegance and finesse. Silky, perfumed and indescribably finessed, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. It's a magical wine in every way.

Wine Advocate (95)

To my palate, the 2018 vintage sometimes feels a little too ripe or baked. I was reminded of those characteristics when tasting the Fèlsina 2018 Fontalloro. There is plenty of dark fruit at its core, but this wine also reveals dry tones of jarred oregano, grilled Mediterranean herb, crushed aspirin and graham cracker. The mouthfeel is pleasantly lean and silky, and perhaps the wine delivers more in terms of length than it does weight or texture. A little more bottle age should help flesh out and soften these results.

Wine Advocate (97)

I tasted this wine twice over the course of six months, in advance of its commercial release. The 2016 Pàtrimo is quite a wine and needs all the extra bottle time it can get. Indeed, I would suggest putting it at the back of your cellar for another 5 years (at least). It opens to a black and impenetrable appearance. This is an elaborate and beautifully constructed wine that is put together piece by piece like a jigsaw puzzle. When viewed as a whole, all those tiny pieces create a beautiful portrait of a grape as the protagonist and of a region as its context. This full-bodied Merlot has made important strides since I first tasted it. Today, it is more expansive and exuberant. It shows lots of volume and depth with elegance and finesse.

James Suckling (100)

A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028 and onwards. Magnificent.

Decanter (96)

Power and structure in abundance, but it’s the spellbinding acidity that propels this stunning effort skyward. A shy nose of raspberries and sandalwood opens into a concentrated, long and impressively fruit driven palate (90% Merlot). Still grippy; needs time.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2000 Fonseca continues to exude finesse and focus on the nose, with pure blackberry, juniper berries, licorice and a touch of sloes, perhaps as Adrian Bridge remarked, just beginning to close after ten years in bottle. The palate is underpinned by very fine tannins, a sensual, svelte texture with wonderful acidity. The harmony and symmetry is alluring, the finish precise and demonstrating the persistency to suggest a long future ahead. Drink 2020-2060.

Wine Advocate (97-99)

The Fonseca 2011 is typically more forthcoming on the nose compared to the bashful Croft: a strident bouquet with lifted scents of freshly picked blackberries, kirsch, crushed stone and a dash of Hoi Sin and oyster sauce. It is very well-defined, very focused and direct. The palate is silky smooth with not a rough edge in sight, though not a typically voluptuous Fonseca because of the keen thread of acidity and the structure that lends this mighty Port wonderful backbone. A slight viscosity on the finish lacquers the tongue and indicates a core of sweet fruit is ticking away underneath that will surely explode several years after bottling. A tincture of salted licorice on the aftertaste is very attractive. This will turn out to become an outstanding Fonseca, the growing season taming its exuberance with spectacular results. So much potential, but just 6,000 cases were produced. Tasted May 2013.

James Suckling (98)

Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025.

Vinous (87)

The 2021 Bourgogne Blanc has a well-defined bouquet, simple but focused. The palate is well balanced with a slightly honeyed opening, fine acidity with touch of almond and spice on the finish. Lovely.

Vinous - Neal Martin (85)

The 2023 Bourgogne Blanc, bottled at the end of August, just feels a tad muted on the nose at the moment. The palate is well balanced, expressive and quite rounded with tropical tones. It just needs a little more acidity and poise on the finish. Early drinking.

Vinous - Neal Martin (91-93)

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet La Boudriotte 1er Cru comes from lower down the slope. It has a taut and fresh bouquet—a little austere at first—but gradually reveals its energy. The palate is well balanced with a brisk, edgy opening and citrus-fresh orange zest notes toward the penetrating finish. This has great potential. I can imagine it marrying perfectly with fruits de mer.

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Maltroye 1er Cru has a "buttoned-down" nose that demands coaxing to reveal its yellow fruit, hazelnut and light orange rind scents. The palate is well balanced and opens up wonderfully with aeration, displaying a touch of orange rind, spice and smokiness on the finish. It's quite mercurial and, to my senses, fascinating.

Vinous - Neal Martin (86-88)

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge has a well-defined, Pommard-like earthy bouquet that unfolds nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red and blue fruit tones. It's quite dense toward the finish and just needs a little more amplitude.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93-95)

The 2023 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru takes time to unfurl touches of walnut and smoke infusing its citrus fruit notes in the glass. The palate is well balanced, very smooth and slightly creamy in texture with discrete hints of praline and white chocolate. This lingers long in the mouth. It's a beautifully crafted Criots, though I prefer the 2022 at this stage.

James Suckling (95)

A perfumed nose of redcurrants, sour cherries, bay leaves and spices. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins. Dusty texture in the mouth with structure and a bright core of red fruit. Flavourful, ample and tannic finish with length. So serious. From organically grown grapes.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 Flaccianello della Pieve is off the charts. Fresh, vibrant and explosive, with tremendous overall intensity, the 2016 possesses magnificent richness, with sumptuous fruit purity and simply unreal balance. Creamy, silky tannins add to the wine's sophistication and overall polish. The 2016 is dark, inky and powerful, but not at all heavy. Giovanni Manetti gave the 2016 18 months in French oak (75-80% new), followed by 6 months in cask. This is the first vintage in which a small amount (2%) of the wine was aged in amphora. In a word: stunning! Don't miss it.

Vinous (100)

The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. Like the Sorbo, the 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it.

Vinous (94)

The 2021 Teroldego Sgarzon is an elegant beauty. Roses and cloves complement bright cherries and strawberries. It's silky to the core, balancing sweet red fruits and acidity, creating a perfectly harmonious red. The Sgarzon finishes remarkably fresh yet potent and long, with a framing of gentle tannins, and licorice and mineral hints that linger on. The 2021 is quite possibly the prettiest interpretation of Sgarzon to date.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Three casks from three different spots. Slightly cloudy cherry red. Really rich and solid. From a very good producer (a long-term proposition) and made in the domaine philosophy. Lots of tannin on the end. Very energetic. Very slightly bitter on the end.

James Suckling (96)

I love the delicate nose of gardenia, honeycomb and fresh herbs. A rich yet refined Mosel riesling with exquisite elegance at the very long finish with so much mineral freshness. Drink or hold.

Showcasing the reputable cru classé vineyards of Mosel, Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling GG Trocken 2020 is a harmonious symphony of quality and refinement. This splendid Riesling is produced by the illustrious Fritz Haag, a wine estate synonymous with premium consistency since 1605.

A true testament to the winemaker, this 2020 dry trocken exemplifies the virtues of German Riesling, delineating fruit intensity with remarkable finesse and clarity. With a disciplined yield restraint policy, every drop illustrates meticulous vinification and purposeful precision.

The Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling GG Trocken 2020 adroitly matures on its lees in traditional 1000-litre Mosel Fuder barrels. Marked by crystalline minerality and vibrant acidity, it whispers eloquent notes of green apple, peach, and exotic spices, delicately balanced by a captivating finish. Perfectly reflected through the prism of the Brauneberger Juffer terroir, it truly is the embodiment of germanic viticulture.

James Suckling (93)

Did somebody say aperitif? Effusive white-peach, honeysuckle and vanilla-bean aromas pour from the glass of this Kabinett. A very juicy wine with wonderful lightness and mineral freshness. An ideal partner for conversation. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

James Suckling (96)

A super-filigree Mosel Auslese that impresses with fabulous delicacy and precision. So much vanilla-bean character, but also tropical-flower aromas. Beautifully integrated grape sweetness at the long, very refined finish. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

The complexity and beauty of this wine is something else on the nose, offering perfume, cedar, dried flower, black cherry, blueberry and crushed stone. Orange peel, too. Full-bodied with incredible layers of ultra-fine tannins that give this wine horizontal depth that almost seems endless. Extremely long and lightly chewy at the end. This is one for the cellar. Try after 2026.

James Suckling (99)

This dry riesling has gigantic concentration, but also gigantic elegance and finesse. Still a little shy on the nose, but this has been made to age for decades. Delicate notes of white peach, pink grapefruit and mountain herbs in the nose, then on the palate also hints of licorice and white chocolate. However, the most extraordinary thing about the wine is the mind-blowing stony intensity at the extremely focused and salty finish. Doesn’t want to stop. Enormous aging potential. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.