Wines (12 View)

95+ points Wine Advocate
The 2018 Ali??n follows the path of the 2016: it is fresh and elegant and from a cooler (more Atlantic) vintage with more rain than the average and a relatively late harvest between September 28th and October 12th. They used 80% new barrels, with up to 10% made of American oak looking to (in their own words) give more sucrosity and sweetness to the wine, as it's a more vertical, tense and elegant expression of Ali??n. Part of the wine matured in concrete (something they started in 2016), and in 2021 they are experimenting with a 4,000-liter Rousseau foudre, as they want to keep working the texture and freshness. The wine is ripe at 15% alcohol and has a pH of 3.8 and a mellow 4.6 grams of acidity, round and soft. The wine matured until it was bottled in June 2020. The truth is that the wine comes through as subtle, elegant and balanced, with very integrated oak and a nice texture. It's one of the finest vintages for Ali??n. 257,257 bottles, 7,005 magnums and some larger formats produced.

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC, on the coast of upper Maremma. This appellation has a relatively recent history as DOC Bolgheri, approved only in 1995, but since then it has become an internationally recognized reference point for the Italian and international winemaking community. The parent company of the estate is Marchesi Antinori, credited with creating the first Super Tuscan in 1971 with the now famous and lauded Tignanello.

The estate's essential geographic feature is the Bolgheri Amphitheater, a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides that face the Tyrrhenian Sea. This landscape creates a unique microclimate with beneficial temperature fluctuations. The estate's vineyards are located at the foot of the amphitheater, an optimal position as cold nocturnal breezes cool down the vines. The greater property contains a biodiverse mix, planted with wheat, sunflowers and olive groves. The overall setting almost guarantees ideal growth conditions.

94 points Vinous
The 2018 Guado al Tasso is still in barrel, but holds tremendous promise. Silky, perfumed, nuanced and distinctly medium in body, the 2018 had much to offer. This vintage is marked by strong floral, savory Cabernet Franc notes that play well off the wine?€?s mid-weight structure. There is so much to look forward to.

98 points Vinous
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve is fabulous. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 is a fine addition to the lineage of one of Napa Valley's most historic wines. Inky red fruit, chocolate, leather and licorice all open in the glass. Aeration brings out floral top notes, raspberry and a hint of blood orange. There is plenty of depth, but the tannins are finer than they were a few years ago. Shorter time on the skins and a reduction in barrel fermentations really allow the pedigree of these Rutherford sites to come through. The 2018 is sensational.

99 points James Suckling
Outer quote mark Breathtaking. Exceptional integration of super ripe blackberries and the very finest oak. The tannins build up beautifully, forming wave upon wave as the wine flows across the palate. Then the wave breaks on your palate and shoots way out at the finish, so that you wonder where it will end and normal life begin again. Needs time to soften, but this is so, so good. Inner quote mark (2/2019)

97 points Jeb Dunnuck
Outer quote mark As with the 2015, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve shows the vintage beautifully and is more pure, classic, and elegant. Notes of creme de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, and freshly crushed rocks give way to a medium to full-bodied, seamless Cabernet that has remarkable purity of fruit and impeccable balance. Made from 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot aged in 83% new French oak, it?€?s more reserved and backward than the 2015 and will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. Inner quote mark (1/2019)

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Outer quote mark Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 20 months in 83% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve sings of creme de cassis, kirsch, blackberry preserves and blueberry pie, with loads of chocolate box, floral and baking spices hints. Full-bodied with a firm, chewy frame and loads of savory accents, it delivers a long, multilayered finish. (LPB) Inner quote mark (10/2018)

95 points Vinous
Outer quote mark The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is superb. Rich, deep and explosive, with tremendous density, the 2016 possesses notable character and breeding. The 2016 is a dark, muscular wine that will drink well for many years once it recovers from its recent bottling. A blast of dark cherry, plum, chocolate, leather and menthol punctuates the finish. Steinhauer and Bancroft Ranch form the core of the 2016. (AG) 95+ Inner quote mark (12/2018)

99 points James Suckling
Breathtaking. Exceptional integration of super ripe blackberries and the very finest oak. The tannins build up beautifully, forming wave upon wave as the wine flows across the palate. Then the wave breaks on your palate and shoots way out at the finish, so that you wonder where it will end and normal life begin again. Needs time to soften, but this is so, so good. (2/2019)

97 points Jeb Dunnuck
As with the 2015, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve shows the vintage beautifully and is more pure, classic, and elegant. Notes of creme de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, and freshly crushed rocks give way to a medium to full-bodied, seamless Cabernet that has remarkable purity of fruit and impeccable balance. Made from 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot aged in 83% new French oak, it?€?s more reserved and backward than the 2015 and will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. (1/2019)

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 20 months in 83% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve sings of creme de cassis, kirsch, blackberry preserves and blueberry pie, with loads of chocolate box, floral and baking spices hints. Full-bodied with a firm, chewy frame and loads of savory accents, it delivers a long, multilayered finish. (10/2018)

95 points Vinous
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is superb. Rich, deep and explosive, with tremendous density, the 2016 possesses notable character and breeding. The 2016 is a dark, muscular wine that will drink well for many years once it recovers from its recent bottling. A blast of dark cherry, plum, chocolate, leather and menthol punctuates the finish. Steinhauer and Bancroft Ranch form the core of the 2016. 95+ (12/2018)

Intense red cherry colour. Complex and elegant on the nose with aromas of plum and sweet spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Slight notes of almonds with the oak very well integrated. Good structure on the mouth with notes of mature fruit and chocolate. A lively wine with good tannic concentration. Long and persistent. Food Matching: Ideal with red meats, game and cheese

89/100pts Wine Advocate:
The 2013 Corton Blanc actually comes from mainly Corton Bressandes, with 10% from Corton les Chaumes. The nose is clean and fresh with beeswax and yellow flower scents that just need to develop more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with hints of custard cr??me and nougat on the entry, nicely judged acidity with a harmonious, slightly nutty finish that fans out gently, but does not wish to exert great length. Enjoy this over the next 4-6 years.

99 points Jeb Dunnuck
Easily the greatest example from this ch??teau that I've tasted, the 2018 Ch??teau Calon S??gur checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot aged 20 months in new French oak. This dense purple-hued beauty boasts a stunning nose of blackcurrants, cr??me de cassis, tobacco, baking spices, chocolate, and cedarwood. With full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, gorgeous tannins, and one seriously long finish, it hits that palate with 15% alcohol, yet you wouldn't know it by tasting it, and the wine is perfectly balanced, has incredible purity of fruit, and stays fresh and lively, with a clean finish.

96-98 points Wine Advocate
The 2018 Calon-S??gur is blended of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot (14.9% alcohol). It is anticipated to age for 20 months in barriques, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs just a little coaxing before it reveals seductive notes of baked cherries, warm cassis, licorice and smoked meats with nuances of hoisin, camphor, Chinese five spice and dried roses with a waft of cardamom. Full-bodied and completely packed with concentrated black fruit and spice layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and a wicked backbone of freshness giving an energetic lift to the very long finish. There's lots of brightness coming from the Cabernet Franc component in here, but it is nonetheless a decadent expression.