Red

#30 On The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2024!

92 points Wine Spectator
There's an alluring, wild quality to this red, with chaparral and mountain herb notes up front. In contrast, olive, peppercorn and fresh leather accents chime in to join the concentrated core of plum and berry flavors, which lengthen nicely around fresh acidity before finishing smooth, with a lingering herbal element. Drink now through 2040.

Kadette Cape Blend contains 50% Pinotage, 20% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon matured in used oak. It has a light red cherry and bergamot tea scented bouquet. The palate is fresh on the entry with a touch of green pepper, nicely balanced, simple but with ample freshness on the finish. This is a well-made, entry-level wine from Kanonkop and for the price, it comes recommended.

91 points Wine Enthusiast
From the small region of Robe in the southeastern corner of South Australia, this Cab-Syrah blend shows distinctive notes of green peppercorn, olive, mint and sunbaked earth that jell with the bright, sun-kissed berry fruit. The palate is a little less cohesive and more pinched than the nose suggests, but there's a nice line of dusty tannins and plump fruit in this full-bodied but restrained red. Drink now - 2030.

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah.

Winemaker Notes:
Aromas of lush, bright black cherry, blackberry and cassis draw you in. Round, rich, seamless tannins provide a robust backbone and supple mid-palate. Notes of cedar, vanilla and a hint of mocha linger on the finish.

Intricate layers of black cherry, plum, currant, and wild berry mingle with a hint of spice. The soft, delicate, elegant tannins of this Bordeaux varietal carry these aromas and flavors to a long, silky and lingering finish.~Winery Notes
Blend: 89% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot

What an aromatic roller-coaster ride. The first sniff of the glass yields bright red cherries and orange zest. Then you get a burst of roasted red peppers, followed by a shot of espresso. Restrained acidity and velvety tannins accompany raspberry, smoked cherry and earthy oregano flavors. Great value here.

Roodeberg Black is our classic red blend wrapped in an intense layer of dark ripe fruit entwined in deep toasted oak. On the nose, pristine red and black fruits with vanilla and mocha lingering in the background. Palate is markedly fresh yet intense with quality dark fruit balancing the mocha, vanilla and space. The finish is smoky, rich and intense; long and persistent like a burning ember, reminiscent of the fire that gave life to this blend

The Blend: 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Shiraz, 15% Petit Verdot, 15% Petite Sirah, 10% Tannat, 10% Pinotage, 3% Malbec, 1% Tempranillo, 1% Grenache Noir

91 points Vinous
Sweet spring flowers, lemon-laced apples and confectionary spice introduce the 2022 Smillon. A model of grace and purity, this is perfumed and slightly exotic, with suggestions of mint that offset green melon notes and ample juicy acidity that keeps the energy high. The 2022 tapers off with cheek-puckering freshness and a saline tinge that perfectly resets the palate. I'm loving the balance of ripeness and tension here

93 points Wine Enthusiast
An elegant bouquet of dried cherries and rose petal leads to flavors of black cherry, Mission fig, licorice, dried thyme and a touch of caramel set into a layer of polished tannins. There is a soft whiff of flinty smoke that endures into the smooth finish.

50/50 Garnacha/Syrah

La Comarcal is a small project by two good friends who just happen to be two of eastern Spain?????s most talented viticultors: Javi Revert and Victor Marqu??s. Located in the mountainous village of Venta del Moro in the Valencia D.O., La Comarcal ("The District") is a young winery founded in 2017 with the inspiration of making delicious, youthful wines?????new expressions based on the old mountain vineyards of native Valencian grape varieties they farm with certified organic viticulture and native yeasts, utilizing only a judicious amount of sulfur. They focus on regenerative agriculture in every aspect of their work. From researching the best locations to replant native varieties to replace the once-dominant international varieties to working with traditional mixed-agriculture farming and planting trees, Javi and Victor are lifelong students of their natural environment with the winemaking experience to make a significant impact in their region. It shows in the energy and transparency of the project, as this winemaking duo is among the most exciting teams to watch in Spain.

La Comarcal was built on the friendship formed by Javi and Victor while working together at the influential Valencian winery Celler del Roure for over ten years.

An incredible find from Southern Italy. This medium-bodied red displays beautiful blackberry and dark cherry notes. The tannins are soft and easy going.

Organic

Lamé-Delisle-Boucard’s Vieilles Vignes is pure Cabernet Franc exclusively from vines over 40 years of age in the commune of Ingrandes de Touraine part from the sandy gravel terraces of the lieu-dit Louys, and part from hillside plantings in the clay-limestone of Mont Sigou. This cuvée undergoes alcoholic fermentation in tronconic oak casks with a 10-day maceration, then spends a year in large, very old 25-hectoliter foudres. Invitingly ripe on the nose and tinged with earth, it enters the mouth silkily, revealing its underlying minerality as it moves across the palate, and it closes with a gentle clench of supremely elegant tannins.

Organic / Natural / No Sulphur

Hand-harvested organic Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from twenty year old vines in Los Carneros California. Fourteen day spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts then aged 24 months in neutral oak, 12 months in bottle. There is no fining nor filtration and zero sulfur is added. Their red blend from Carneros is a knock-out! A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that spent 24 months in neutral oak and 12 months in bottle before release. The wine is deep, but not brooding, with classic cassis, blackberry, tobacco leaf, and allspice notes. Although full-bodied the wine is lively and easy to drink. No gloppy late-harvest fruit put in 200% new oak barrels here, just a beautifully balanced well-made wine. Bravo Les Lunes!

91 points James Suckling
A medium-to full-bodied carmenere with lots of dark, grilled cumin, black beans, olives and smoked meat. Dry and tannic with a juicy core of fruit, without being sweet.

Winemaker Notes:
"This crisp, fruit-forward and juicy wine has expressive aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, with nice heft in the mouth, and mineral and spice notes. Most red meats and grilled or roasted white meats, especially those prepared with savory herbs or spices."

A delicious, savory cabernet with aromas and flavors of dried flowers and cherries. Medium body with round, creamy tannins. Savory and flavorful. Supple. Real cabernet character.

Organic

A delightful expression of traditionally styled Nebbiolo (100%) from Piedmont’s Roero region. Classic notes of dried cherries, orange rind, baking spice and dried flowers. Medium-bodied with nice length that finishes with slightly firm tannins that soften nicely with decanting. Sourced from two prized vineyards Trinita and Renesio. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for 25 months in 460 to 500 liter (2-3 times used) French oak casks. The wine then rests in bottle for an additional 12 months prior to release.

#31 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2025

90 points Wine Spectator
Dark cherry, plum, earth and tobacco flavors are enmeshed in the lush texture of this broad red. There are solid tannins and bright acidity for support as this fades on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2030.

93 points Wine Advocate
The NV Old Vine Red Lot 74 is primarily Zinfandel, with some Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignan, Grenache and Barbera. Spicy and easy to drink, it has aromas of red and black cherries, mint, bitter chocolate and allspice with earthy undertones. The medium-bodied palate is finely chalky and refreshing, with spicy fruit and an easygoing finish. This will be enjoyable with almost any dish at the table and, as always, overdelivers for the price.

Ruby red colour with medium depth rim. Intense, fresh aroma. Complex notes of plum, enveloped against a very enjoyable balsamic undertone. Delicate leather and spicy touches that recall a subtle toastiness enhance the wine's finesse and elegance. Its broad, well-rounded tannins and ripe fruit provide a balanced, full-bodied mouthfeel. A pleasant, luscious and tasty wine in mouth. - Winery

Marques de Riscal's Crianza is fresh, fruity wine with a lovely attack, reminiscent of red fruit mingled with the coconut and vanilla aromas from the oak. Full and supple with a long finish. A wine with character which showcases the quality of the grapes used to make it.

Organic

90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano sourced from Sotes, Cenicero, Huércanos and Oyón in Rioja. Aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels, this garnet-hued wine presents aromas of wild herbs and black fruit, complemented by oak layers. On the palate, it is dry, rich and fairly taut with a lingering juicy profile, offering notes of black fruit and a clingy texture.

This blend brings together the aromatic intensity of Touriga Nacional, sophisticated delicacy of Tinta Roriz (better known in Spain as Tempranillo), and the structure and elegance of Touriga Franca. Fresh red fruits on the nose persist through the palate, announcing a young, energetic wine with swirling, well-integrated tannins and a lovely, long finish. - Winery

Crisp blackberry and plum flavors are edged by earthen nuances of bramble and forest floor in this full-bodied blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. It’s juicy but briskly concentrated, framed by ripe, integrated tannins. Enjoy this mouthfilling but easy-quaffing red while it’s young.

Organic / Biodynamic

Mas des Capitelles’ workhorse Vieilles Vignes is built on the backs of Mourvèdre (50%) and Carignan (25%) from vines up to 80 years old, with Syrah (25%) completing the blend. After a 30-day maceration with a small proportion of semi-carbonic whole clusters in the fermentation, one-fifth of the cuvée was aged in oak and four-fifths in fiberglass and enamel vats, with bottling taking place after 14 months. An exuberant nose of blueberries, violets, and warm dust evokes the sun-scorched slopes of the appellation in visceral fashion, and the palate sizzles with an almost spiky minerality, framed by rich but firm blue and black fruits. The balance of refinement and wildness here is extraordinary, with neither trait calling too much attention to itself.

Mas des Capitelles began in 1999, when ninth-generation vigneron Jean Laugé began bottling his own wine after a lengthy stint at the local co-operative, where his father's a driving force in the creation of the Faugères appellation in the early 1980's had served as president.

The review is on the previous vintage.

92 points Wine Enthusiast
This historic wine of the Veneto region, first made in 1964, is still a classic today. The wine is rich and luscious, with ripe notes of black plum, cherry and blackberry. These fruits are supported by herbal and deep earthy notes. The palate is sumptuous, rich and balances the earth and fruit notes with near perfection. The wine is well structured and overdelivers.

Organic

100% Negroamaro

Winery Notes:
"Deep garnet color. Luxurious and dynamic aromas of ripe strawberry, bright cherry and faint notes of spicy oak and vanilla. The complexity of the palate smoothly layers rich red currant notes and baking spice flavors with light smoke, earth and leather. A balanced, velvety texture and supple tannins carry the wine through to a lingering, succulent finish."

Winery Notes:
"Deep garnet color. Luxurious and dynamic aromas of ripe strawberry, bright cherry and faint notes of spicy oak and vanilla. The complexity of the palate smoothly layers rich red currant notes and baking spice flavors with light smoke, earth and leather. A balanced, velvety texture and supple tannins carry the wine through to a lingering, succulent finish."

#1 On The Wine Enthusiast Best Buys Top 100 Wines of 2025!

93 points Wine Enthusiast
Sometimes, a great winemaker and a Master Sommelier can create something unique. This selection does not disappointopulent aromas of blackberry, cassis, dried thyme, and notes of Tahitian vanilla grace the nose, trembling into rich, mouth-watering dark plum, clove, and silky tannins.

93 points James Suckling
Aromas of blackberries and lead pencil with hints of spice follow through to a medium body with fine, velvety tannins and a long finish. Umami, asphalt and just a touch of cedar. A balanced and elegant blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot. All from Lake County. So delicious and drinkable. Drink now.

Quickly becoming one of Michael David’s most sought-after wines, this brute of a Cab is midnight in color and medium in body. A myriad of French oak influenced aromas fill your glass, accompanied by toasted hazelnuts and blackberry cobbler. Flavors of ripe Mission figs and hints of clove and cinnamon give way to velvety tannins, balanced acidity and dark ripe fruits.

Organic

Organic

The review is on the previous vintage.

92 points Wine Advocate
A new red produced with grapes from the village of San Lorenzo, the 2022 Motorpsico comes from plots from the zone of A Merced that have 30% white grapes. It's produced following the way the wine was produced in the village of Toral de los Vados, adding must without skins to produce a lighter red. The wine then matured in used 225-liter French oak barrels for one year. It's pale, perfumed, fruit-driven and light, with 12.5% alcohol a medium-bodied palate and very fine, almost unnoticeable tannins. It is perfumed and delicious.

93 points James Suckling
Peppery and floral nose with some dark cherries, graphite, peppermint and wild herbs. Juicy and fine-grained on the palate with silky, close-knit tannins. Pretty long and bright.

Organic / Biodynamic

"Wafts of raspberry, black cherry, red currant, eucalyptus and fresh tobacco offer a distinctive Willamette Valley introduction. Medium-bodied, the bright entry leads to a silky palate gushing with ripe Bing cherry, cranberry sauce, plum and a kiss of chocolate. A hint of star anise and earthy toast complete the soft and lush palate." - Winery

Winemaker's Notes:
Intense and brilliant red. Dense and elegant, the nose displays an aromatic complexity in which cherry notes harmoniously combine with fresh blackcurrant. The attack is full and lush, revealing attractively mature fruit underpinned by powerful tannins. The overall balance is remarkable. The slightly spicy finish, generous and pleasant, is sustained by lingering flavors.

Skyside Central Coast Pinot Noir boasts an intoxicating nose with bright fruit including cherry, rhubarb and raspberry, beautiful lilac, and subtle hints of forest floor and fresh mushrooms. The wine has a silky entry expanding with rose, berry and baking spices. The finish brings hints of minerality with milk chocolate and nice structure from the tannins and oak to build a lengthy finish.

Organic

92+ points Wine Advocate
The very young and just bottled 2024 Dócil, still undeveloped, is closer to the original idea to produce a kind of Kabinett trocken with Loureiro grapes with contained ripeness and high acidity counterbalanced by a little residual sugar, only around three grams; they experimented from completely dry to 18 grams, and this is the one they liked the most in terms of balance. They did a soft pressing, no maceration, to have elegance and a little volume. It has very good balance. The source of the grapes changed to a more Atlantic location from this vintage, and the year was also cooler than 2022.

Organic / Natural

The New York Times article on the 2020 vintage: 20 Under $20: Minimal Effort, Maximum Pleasure.
In most cases, wines with gimmicky names like Nat Cool are a turnoff. They reek of marketing, more than careful winemaking. But Dirk Niepoort is a visionary producer, so don't look at the label, just drink. This is a delicious thirst quencher made of the baga grape, not complex. It's easygoing and low in alcohol at 12 percent, with aromas and flavors of flowers and earthy red fruit. And it comes in a liter bottle.

Very light in color, this wine offers a frank and expressive aromatic profile full of freshness and floral notes. It showcases the character of the Baga grape variety and Bairrada region superbly, with beautiful aromas of strawberries, dried roses and some spice. The wines minerality is reminiscent of the vines calcareous soils and unmistakable Atlantic climate. Fresh, direct and very seductive, this wine is light on its feet and so easy to drink, it will entice you to have another glass. It makes a very versatile food wine just add a good meal and good friends! Serve chilled. All work is done by hand implementing organic and biodynamic principles, utilizing natural fermentation with wild yeast. No sulfur is added. Nat Cool is naturally cool and funky. It represents an innovative concept initiated by Niepoort, in which various producers came together to create light and easy-to-drink wines. In the Bairrada region we have produced the DrinkMe, the first Nat Cool, where we try to showcase a different and elegant side of the Baga grape variety. An incredibly light and accessible wine which just begs to be enjoyed. Welcome to the Nat Cool world! -Winery 

The baga vineyards are farmed organically and are located in Bairrada. All work is done by hand. Soil is calcareous clay. They utilize natural fermentation with wild yeast. No sulphur is added. 11% abv

The review is on the previous vintage.

92 points Wine Enthusiast
#4 Top 100 Best Buys of 2023
Currently showing oak-forward notes of fresh cedar, vanilla and toasted wood. This is followed by earthy tones of capsicum, black currant, bramble, fresh black cherry and boysenberry. Elevated acidity keeps the wine alive from start to finish; chalky tannins coat the palate.

Organic

94 points James Suckling
A pretty and balanced wine with blackberry, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body. Fine tannins and a polished finish. Shows finesse for Toro. Aged for 14 months in wood, a small percentage of which was used. From organically grown grapes.

92 points Wine Advocate
The entry-level 2021 Termes wants to be an approachable and easier-to-understand varietal expression of the Tinta de Toro/Tempranillo sourced from younger vines (25 to 50 years old). It's ripe at 15% alcohol, juicy and fruit-driven, with a tender mouthfeel and fine tannins. Forty percent of the barrels used for the aging were 400-liter ones, and only 20% of them were new. The élevage lasted for 14 months

Organic

Pure and focused, offering violet, cherry, raspberry and mineral aromas and flavors. Shaped by vibrant acidity, this red persists with a lingering, resonant aftertaste.

This Superiore Barbera d’ Alba is delightfully smooth for being so rich and round. It seamlessly balances it’s power with terrific acidity and supple tannins. Lovely dark fruit notes with a bit of spice and earth. A very versatile wine for pairing with food.

Good fruit and depth here, a medium to full-bodied palate and fine-grained tannins, and the wine has the stuffing and balance to overcome the creamy oak with some more time in bottle. It matured in a mixture of oak vats and barrels for some six to eight months. 200,000 bottles produced.

94 points James Suckling
Medium ruby hue, with a bright and racy nose thats full of pretty berries, redcurrants, fresh strawberries and potpourri. Medium-bodied and naturally juicy on the palate, showing lots of crunch and drinkability. Fresh, transparent and silky. Drink or hold.

93 points Wine Advocate
They are going for lower yields and less bottles of the 2020 La Montesa and slowly putting prices up, as they feel the wine is more serious than what the perception of the affordable price makes it. 2020 is a powerful vintage; it's structured and textured, the oak is very nicely integrated (12 months in barrel, but the powerful wine absorbed it completely), and it's powerful with 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.55, a little darker than in previous years. The tannins are very fine with a subtle chalky texture. There were 2,319 barrels that resulted in 672,000 bottles, 10,000 magnums and some larger and smaller formats. It was bottled from April 2022.

Organic

Pineau d'Aunis.
Emilien Colin started selling wine in 1900, but the family history goes back to 1735. From 6 hectares of vines, the domaine, located in the commune of Thoré-la-Rochette, grew to the current 30 hectares: 11 ha of Pineau d’Aunis, 11 ha of Chenin Blanc, 2.5 ha of Pinot Noir, 2 ha of Cabernet Franc, 2 ha of Gamay and 1.5 ha of Chardonnay. Today, 8th generation Patrice Colin runs the estate with his wife Valérie, who oversees accounting. Patrice takes care of all operations from vineyard work to vinification and bottling, helped by one full time employee and some seasonal ones. His son-in-law Florian is in charge of sales and shipping. Total production is 150,000 bottles, of which 50,000 are sparkling.

The AOP Coteaux du Vendômois (350 hectares total) was officially formed in 2001, but the history of wine production goes back as far as the 11th century. After phylloxera hit, the predominant grape varieties changed from; surin (cabernet sauvignon), auvernat noir (pinot noir), miller (pinot meunier), côt (malbec) and sémillon to: pineau d'aunis, pinot noir, gamay, cabernet franc and chenin blanc, chardonnay. There is a large cooperative producing 60% of total AOP production and only 13 private producers in the appellation.

Farming/vinification practices: certified organic. Patrice encourages biodiversity: there are 150 different plants in the vineyard. The soil is tilled for oxygenation and green harvest is practiced. The wines are vegan.

Light-bodied, bright, pale yellow with depth and a gold hue, even colour throughout. The nose is appealing and pure, with aromas of honeysuckle, tropical fruit and stonefruit.