James Suckling (93-94)

The change here is impressive with bright and vivid aromas and flavors of tropical fruits, stones, and minerals. Underlying energy and intensity in this white. Full and flavorful.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

I loved the 2019 Château Latour-Martillac, and I under-rated it from barrel. Revealing a dense ruby/plum color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherry, smoked tobacco, gravely earth, and chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, supple tannins, and one heck of a finish. It's beautifully done and will cruise for 25+ years in cold cellars. It needs plenty of air if drinking any time soon.

James Suckling (96-97)

Very plush and tannic with full body and lots of structure and intensity. Top second wine. Very solid and quite muscular with fine tannins and texture.

Wine Advocate (97+)

The Three Graces of Le Macchiole are Messorio, Scrio and Paleo (Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, respectively). Of these three top-tier releases, my favorite is the 2017 Paleo. This is an upright and direct expression of the grape that carefully sheds some dusty or mineral aromas before opening the way for determined black fruit, charred meat, spice and cured tobacco or cigar. There is quite a bit of oak, but it works beautifully against the natural intensity and rich concentration of the hot vintage. More unexpected are those pretty tones of lilac, blue flower and aniseed that add to the detailed rendering and complexity of the bouquet. This wine won my heart.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2016 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is a fabulous second wine from Smith Haut Lafitte. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice and cloves give the Petit Haut Lafitte its striking aromatic complexity. Deep, resonant and exquisitely layered, the 2016 is a real joy to taste. I would cellar it for another year or two. The 2016 has enough depth and pedigree to develop beautifully for the next 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate (93)

The Ornellaia 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia (a proprietary blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a generous and darkly toned red blend that has the extra fruit fiber, sweetness and generous plumpness of a warm vintage. The fullness of the fruit is on full display, but in a very relaxed and natural manner. The wine never feels like too much. The tannins are yielding and velvety, and this purebred Tuscan red wraps thickly over the palate. It's poised for near- and medium-term drinking.

James Suckling (97)

Very polished and poised with an immensely powerful core of tannin that drives incredible length on the palate. Fruits are deep in the dark-berry spectrum, encapsulating a terrific sense of freshness through the finish. Great wine. Try from 2024.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Readers looking for the next superstar in Bordeaux need to jump on the bandwagon of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, who have produced one of the wines of the vintage in 2016. The 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that hit 13.8% natural alcohol and spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. Its deep purple color is followed by a complex bouquet of high-class smoke tobacco, decaying flowers, charcoal, gravelly minerality and loads of sweet black and blue fruit. Possessing full-bodied richness, flawless integration of its acidity, fruit, and ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster finish, this is another 2016 that possess both power and elegance. Do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Don’t miss it. Tasted twice.

Decanter (96)

Brilliant wine that continues to impress three years on from the En Primeur tasting, with a creamy but restrained texture, precise black fruits with a spicy undertow. By this point Carmes had the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc on the Left Bank, and had really started to establish its own identity. It was also using a full 40% whole bunch winemaking, choosing only the ripest stems to include in the fermentation tanks, adding a twist of salinity on the finish and ensuring a dip of around 1% in potential alcohol levels at picking (this is a hot site close to the city centre). Owned by Patrice Pichet since 2011, with Guillaume Pouthier joining as director in 2012 - whose experience in the Rhône meant he was not afraid to use stems in winemaking, something traditionally shunned in Bordeaux. This wine shows the success of that approach, giving personality and poise. Needs another few years for the austerity to soften further.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a rock star of a wine and is based on a unique blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 29% Merlot that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Offering a deep ruby/purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, violets, damp earth, and truffle, it hits the palate with a full-bodied yet almost understated, building style that carries ripe, supple tannins, gorgeous amounts of smoky black fruits, and an endearing, layered, multi-dimensional texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. A dead ringer for a great vintage of Haut-Brion, it is far from unapproachable today yet needs 7-8 years of bottle age for the fireworks to develop and will have 50-years or more of longevity! Hats off to Guillaume Pouthier for a magical, seamless, singular beauty!

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a rock star of a wine and is based on a unique blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 29% Merlot that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Offering a deep ruby/purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, violets, damp earth, and truffle, it hits the palate with a full-bodied yet almost understated, building style that carries ripe, supple tannins, gorgeous amounts of smoky black fruits, and an endearing, layered, multi-dimensional texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. A dead ringer for a great vintage of Haut-Brion, it is far from unapproachable today yet needs 7-8 years of bottle age for the fireworks to develop and will have 50-years or more of longevity! Hats off to Guillaume Pouthier for a magical, seamless, singular beauty!

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

I wasn't able to taste the 2019 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion from barrel, but it certainly brings the goods from bottle. Deep ruby/purple-hued, with a smorgasbord-like array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as violets, candied flowers, tobacco, and sappy herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, flawless balance, and that rare mix of power and elegance that truly great Pessac can deliver. Showing the more elegant style of the vintage, it checks in behind the magical, perfect 2018 but is very much in the style of the 2016. Readers will love having this beauty in the cellar, and it will evolve for 40-50 years if stored correctly. Hats off to winemaker Guillaume Pouthier for another thrilling wine.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

I wasn't able to taste the 2019 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion from barrel, but it certainly brings the goods from bottle. Deep ruby/purple-hued, with a smorgasbord-like array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as violets, candied flowers, tobacco, and sappy herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, flawless balance, and that rare mix of power and elegance that truly great Pessac can deliver. Showing the more elegant style of the vintage, it checks in behind the magical, perfect 2018 but is very much in the style of the 2016. Readers will love having this beauty in the cellar, and it will evolve for 40-50 years if stored correctly. Hats off to winemaker Guillaume Pouthier for another thrilling wine.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a total stunner. For the first time I can remember, Les Carmes Haut-Brion marries all of its elements so well that nothing stands out. In the past, the high percentage of Franc and/or the whole clusters were evident. The 2020 is the first modern vintage in which all the elements are so well balanced. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint, lavender, dried herbs and incense all build in a ravishing Pessac-Léognan that will take your breath away.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94+)

The 2014 Malartic-Lagravière is a gorgeous wine, but it is also flamboyant and exotic, especially in its flavor profile. Super-ripe red cherry and plum make a strong first impression. Sweet floral and spice notes, along with ripe, silky tannins, add to the wine's sensuality. A rich, powerful wine with soft contours and striking depth, the 2014 is a real beauty. It will be even more compelling once the new oak tannins soften a bit further. The blend is 52 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 % Merlot, 5 % Cabernet Franc and 3 % Petit Verdot. Tasted two times.

Vinous (98)

The 2015 Ornellaia is a dream wine with magnificent balance. All the elements are in the right place. In most vintages, Ornellaia needs time to fully come together, but the 2015 is just impeccable, even in the early going. The warm vintage notwithstanding, winemaker Axel Heinz crafted and Ornellaia is more about finesse and power. The potent, bruising tannins Ornellaia can show as a young wine are nowhere to be found. Bright raspberry jam, mint, white flowers and pomegranate are some of the many notes that punctuate the finish in a memorable Ornellaia that will go down among the great vintages produced at this reference-point estate.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

From a great vintage for Bolgheri, the 2016 Ornellaia is a classic blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot that was aged 20 months in 70% new French oak. Its saturated purple color is followed by a deep, beautifully concentrated yet primordial effort that offers serious intensity in its cassis, black cherry, graphite, bay leaf, forest floor, and spring flower aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has thrilling purity of fruit, ample tannins, and a great, great finish. This is a tour de force in red wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

From a great vintage for Bolgheri, the 2016 Ornellaia is a classic blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot that was aged 20 months in 70% new French oak. Its saturated purple color is followed by a deep, beautifully concentrated yet primordial effort that offers serious intensity in its cassis, black cherry, graphite, bay leaf, forest floor, and spring flower aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has thrilling purity of fruit, ample tannins, and a great, great finish. This is a tour de force in red wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.

James Suckling (97)

A big, rich wine for the vintage, yet poised and lively with firm, chewy tannins that give form and intensity to the wine. It shows loads of blackberry, blackcurrant and walnut flavors. Ripe yet polished tannins. Give this three or four years to come together.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 Ornellaia is an introvert at this stage. Medium in body, with terrific persistence and impeccable balance, the 2018 is not in any mood to show all its cards today. Hints of red berry fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and dried flowers emerge with a bit of coaxing. I won’t be surprised to see it put on weight with more time in bottle. There is certainly plenty to look forward to. Readers should expect a silky, aromatic Ornellaia in line with vintages such as 2004 that are more about finesse than raw power. This is the first time in which Merlot drives the blend in Ornellaia.

The Wine Independent (100)

The Ornellaia 2019 with 62% has the most Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend since the 65% used in the 2001 and 2002 vintages. It is bold and bright on the nose, full of joyful blackberry, cream, and sweet spice. It is very much like the 2016 Ornellaia in terms of finesse and harmony but bigger, bolder, more youthful, and maybe on a larger scale in terms of the brightness of aromas and flavors. On standing the nose becomes much more nuanced and fragrant with blue flowers like iris and violet. There is great concentration on the palate, but it is held together within a very elegant, tight structure. This is a powerful style of Ornellaia but with the 2019 the tannins are more refined than ever and there is a thrilling acidity enlivening the palate! According to Axel Heinz, Director of the Estate, "I think we have learned to tame the tannins.” This 2019 Ornellaia is a beautiful, luxurious, and vivacious wine.

Matthew Jukes (20+)

An long-forgotten image flashed into my mind when I first tasted this wine. It took me back to a visit, as a child, to a stately home. Goodness knows where this place was, but I remember walking down a long corridor when a huge door opened to my left. As I walked past, I caught a glimpse of the most glamorous and beautifully decorated room beyond the person holding the door ajar. The door closed, and I passed by, but this image has stuck with me ever since. This momentary glimpse of incredible splendour is echoed in this magnificent wine. It starts midnight black in the glass, then as one focuses on the surface, can one see stars? Interestingly, it finishes black, too, in the form of ultra-fine sooty tannins that caress the taste buds as the flavour senesces. Between these two moments of perfect calm, there is layer upon layer of splendour and magnificence. The keyword for this vintage is ‘proportion’, as I found out half an hour through the presentation. It is an inspired choice because every element of 2020 Ornellaia is in scintillating proportion. 2020 Ornellaia represents more than harmony or balance and more than composure and equilibrium – it is truly in perfect proportion. In fact, I have never tasted a vintage of Ornellaia like it. There is a sense of greatness here, both in the intensity of the fruit and also its freshness and lift on the nose and palate – it is astonishing. The Cabernet theme (the blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) is dominant both in the primary fruit notes but also in the signature flavours. Merlot adds glossiness and also traction, while Cabernet Franc appears to add grace and also crispness and aromatic flourishes. Petit Verdot acts as the invisible welds that pin this magnificent structure together – a complete three-dimensional flavour with no apparent flaws whatsoever. This wine will undoubtedly drink early in its life, given the silkiness and generosity on display, but it will not genuinely get into its stride for a decade, and I feel it will take another decade for it to blossom fully. My childlike fascination with today’s glimpse into the glass will no doubt grow into a full-blown stroll around this wine with the door flung open wide in years to come. This wine will prove to those with the good fortune to own it that its best is yet to come, so be patient in spite of its early allure. Until then, I do not doubt that it is a work of perfect proportion, so I am delighted to award it my first-ever perfect score for Ornellaia.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Coming from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Château Pape Clement from Bernard Magrez is a gorgeous wine that's performing even better from bottle than barrel, which is always a good sign. Deep ruby/purple, with stunning crème de cassis and blackberry fruits as well as kaleidoscope-like notes of graphite, scorched earth, smoke, violets, and spring flowers, it offers full-bodied richness yet stays light on its feet, graceful, and almost ethereal on the palate, with integrated acidity and building yet seamless tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon really sings at this point, and there's almost a Médoc-like regalness here. Reminding me of a slightly more elegant 2005 (it also has similarities to the 2016), it will benefit from 4-6 years in the cellar and keep for 30+ years.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

As to the Grand Vin 2019 Château Pape Clement, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with stunning aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencils shavings, scorched earth, and tobacco. Beautifully balanced, with flawless tannins, this full-bodied Pessac has that rare mix of elegance and power, a great mid-palate, and again, perfect balance. It's one of the gems of the vintage and has some accessibility today given its purity and balance, yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for 20-25 years or more in cold cellars. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, brought up in two-thirds new French oak.

Wine Advocate (95+)

The Pape Clement 2016 Blanc is a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 36% Sémillon, 9% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Muscadelle. It leaps from the glass with gregarious scents of ripe peaches, fresh grapefruit and key lime pie plus touches of cedar, honeysuckle and toast. Medium-bodied, the palate offers fantastic precision and depth, with layers of citrus and stone fruit flavors supported by a racy line of freshness, finishing very long.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

One of the whites of the vintage, the 2020 Château Pape Clément Blanc is based on 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Gris, and the remaining 1% Muscadelle, all of which was raised in a mix of new and used oak. This beauty stopped me in my tracks and offers a massive nose of honeyed limes, white flowers, tropical fruit, crushed stone, and orange marmalade. With the vintage’s vibrant sense of freshness, full-bodied richness, a stacked mid-palate, and a fabulous mouthfeel, this truly sensational white is an incredible achievement, and hats off to the team at Pape Clement! Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades or so.

Vinous (96)

A heady, flamboyant wine, the 2016 Sondraia is simply magnificent. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, cedar, tobacco, mocha and licorice are some of the many notes that just soar out of the glass. Vibrancy and opulence come together in a stylish Bolgheri red that delivers the goods big time. The oak is perhaps a bit prominent, but everything about the 2016 works beautifully. This is a fabulous showing from Poggio al Tesoro.

Wine Advocate (93)

This is a beautiful wine that has passed the test of time with flying colors. The 1990 Sassicaia is a thrilling expression that opens to succulent darkness and deep layers of ripe fruit opulence. Dried blackberry, plum and black currant keep the fruit profile high. Background notes of cumin, exotic spice and cured tobacco add power and weight. Lighter tones of balsam herb and crushed mineral are important components of the wine's elegance. The mouthfeel is structured and richly textured, but balanced by its acidity. Back when Robert Parker first reviewed this wine in 1994, he predicted that it would last through the first decade of the 21st century. Given how well the wine is showing now, it's safe to extend that drinking window even further.

The Wine Independent (97)

For Tenuta San Guido, "2008 was a beautiful year. Hot but not dry and not too hot," comments Carlo Paoli, general manager and head of winemaking. This 2008 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia is still tight and youthful, and it is just starting to develop a garnet rim. The aromas were slow to reveal themselves but after 30 minutes, some notes of juniper, "macchia mediterranea", mint, and sweet tobacco appear. The texture is sublimely soft, round, and velvety - not heavy, but melting - with lots of juicy, vibrant acidity. With this vintage, the tannins continue in their refinement.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

One of Italy's most iconic bottlings, the 2012 Sassicaia is drop-dead gorgeous. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, it boasts sensations of blue flowers, cedar, juicy red currants, ripe raspberries, white pepper and a balsamic note. Structured, radiant and loaded with finesse, it delivers everything you'd expect from a world-class wine and more. Drink 2018–2032.