James Suckling (98)

This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives. Turns to blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet reserved and layered with chocolate, walnuts and plums. Firm yet polished tannins give a framed sense to the wine. Savory. Racy and beautifully structured, it’s extremely drinkable already. Real wine.

James Suckling (97)

Rather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink after 2023.

The Wine Independent (99)

The 2018 Pym-Rae is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling to unlock evocative, pristine notes of juicy blackberries, ripe blueberries, cassis, and red currant jelly, followed by hints of lavender, crushed rocks, bay leaves, and iron ore, with a fragrant waft of cinnamon and cloves. The densely laden, full-bodied palate bursts with ripe, perfumed black fruits, supported by firm, very finely grained tannins, and fantastic tension, finishing with a long-lasting firework display of red berry and earthy sparks. With a 4–6-hour double-decant, it is delicious now, but if you want that next-level experience, give it a good 5-6 more years in bottle and drink it over the next 40 years+.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Pinot Noir Outcrop is a beautiful wine with arresting aromatics: a core of wild berries is accented by tea leaves, lavender, Campari and lemon peel. The light-bodied palate is grainy and fresh with surprising concentration for its approachable frame and a very long, detailed finish.

Wine Advocate (95)

Pale ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir Estate features pretty scents of dried cranberries and red cherries, tangerine peel, sage and earth, unfolding as it spends time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is powerful and grainy with seamless acidity and a long, fragrant finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

Spiced orchard fruits, dried pineapple, toasted bread, and beautiful spicy nuances emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard, a slightly more generous, rounded beauty that has good concentration, plenty of acidity, and a great finish. It's going to impress over the coming decade.

James Suckling (97)

This is a fantastic chardonnay with sliced green-apple, cooked-apple, nougat and slate aromas. Some dried chili, too. Medium-bodied palate that grows full and tangy, with a vibrant finish of candied lemons and sliced limes. Salty and intense. Unique. Drink or hold.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Bright crimson with some evolution at the rim. Actually there is quite a bit of interest on the nose here. This has lift as well as Napa lusciousness and good structure, balance and length. Throbs with life on the long finish. Quite impressive! And broachable.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2017 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo sports a ruby/purple color (though not completely opaque), followed by a gorgeous nose of bright cherry, white pepper, black raspberry, white chocolate, and herbes de Provence. With generous notes of smoked meats and game as well as a kiss of iron and iodine, this full-bodied red is just thrilling on the palate, with fine tannins as well as good spine of acidity. It’s just a stunning wine – wow.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo checks in as a Petite Sirah-dominated blend that includes 22.1% Mourvèdre, 11.5% Graciano, and 3.4% Viognier. It’s the finest Petite Sirah to ever pass my lips and tops out my scale. Insanely good cassis, iron, bloody blue fruits, violets, graphite, and peppery herbs all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, incredibly seamless texture, no hard edges, and a brilliant finish. Hats off to Monsieur Krankl – I have no idea how he was able to make a Petite Sirah this good.

Wine Advocate (96+)

This wine comes from a single three-acre Chardonnay vineyard introduced to Tor Kenward by Larry Hyde in 2008. It belonged to one of Larry Hyde’s oldest friends in the Napa Valley, Steve Beresini, and was planted three decades ago with cuttings Larry gave Steve. This is now referred to as “Hyde Selection Wente Clone.” Today it produces a minuscule crop, usually between one and two tons per acre, with clusters half the normal size. Primary coopers are Saury and three-year dry aged Francois Frères. The 2017 Chardonnay Beresini Vineyard Cuvee Torchiana opens with lifted lemon, lime and mandarin scents with fresh pears and ginger plus croissant notions. The palate is big, rich, full-bodied, decadent, lively and hedonistic, with spicy and savory layers and a very, very long finish. 314 cases produced.

International Wine Report (100)

The 2019 Vine Hill Ranch 'Pure Magic' certainly lives up to its name, and it is even more impressive since my last tasting from barrel in April. This possesses such incredible pure characteristics and it is nothing short of magical, living up to its name. It instantly begins to impress as it bursts open to seductive aromas of ripe dark currants, black cherries and even hints of blueberries, which are woven together with exotic spices, violets, herbs, tilled-soil and a touch of licorice that all come together and explode from the glass. On the palate this continues to impress with its plush full-bodied texture that is dense and concentrated. It goes on to display a remarkable sense of freshness and striking overall balance, as layers of beautifully ripe dark fruits cascade on to the long supple finish. The VHR ‘Pure Magic’ is a simply brilliant wine and while it is nothing short of perfection today, it also shows tremendous promise for a tremendous future ahead.

Wine Advocate (96+)

This comes from the most gravelly block in Vine Hill Ranch, Block 7, planted to twenty-year-old vines. The wine sees "classic TOR winemaking" - about three weeks on skins during and post-fermentation. It was matured in a mix of Taransaud and Darnajou small French oak barrels for twenty months, then bottled without fining or filtration. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, mulberries and boysenberries notes plus suggestions of pencil shavings, cigar box and cardamom. Medium to full bodied, the palate has an exhilarating, fantastically fine-grained texture, with seamless freshness and bags of black fruit flavors, finishing with a lively herbal lift. 202 cases were made.

James Suckling (97)

This is always a great red with subdued yet complex aromas of dark berries, peppers and dried meat. Hints of violets, too. Full-bodied, chewy and polished with a beautiful finish that is serious and intense. Needs two or three years to come together. Available in 2019.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

A welcome addition to Ventisquero's impressive line-up of icon reds, Obliqua is a varietal Carmenère made with ungrafted fruit from Block 23, located at 485 metres. Aged in second[1]use oak and foudres, this has lively brightness, focus and texture, showing the hand of Aussie consultant John Duval working alongside Felipe Tosso. Scented, subtle and complex, with graphite and green herb undertones, it's a wine that could easily be mistaken for a top Cabernet Franc.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

Vértice - summit in English - is a reference to the comparative altitude of this vineyard, at least for the Apalta Valley, as it is located between 400 and 485 metres. An unusual blend of Carmenère and 48% Syrah, this has a combination of weight, focus and intensity, with some pepper spice, toasty oak, granular tannins and blackberry and raspberry fruit.

A collaboration between winemakers Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, Vérité was launched with the aim of creating wines from Sonoma that could rival that of Pétrus. Since its inaugural vintage in 1998, Vérité has achieved colossal success, including being awarded seven 100 point scores from Robert M. Parker Jr. Guided by Pierre Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy and over 50 years of experience, Vérité produces 3 blends – La Joie, La Muse and La Désir, from a myriad of over 50 distinct plots spread across 4 appellations across Sonoma - namely Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Bennet Valley AVAs.

It contains one bottle of each:

1x75cl La Joie 2013 - 100 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate)

1x75cl La Muse 2013 - 100 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate)

1x75cl La Désir 2013 - 99 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate)

A collaboration between winemakers Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, Vérité was launched with the aim of creating wines from Sonoma that could rival that of Pétrus. Since its inaugural vintage in 1998, Vérité has achieved colossal success, including being awarded seven 100 point scores from Robert M. Parker Jr. Guided by Pierre Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy and over 50 years of experience, Vérité produces 3 blends – La Joie, La Muse and La Désir, from a myriad of over 50 distinct plots spread across 4 appellations across Sonoma - namely Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Bennet Valley AVAs.

It contains one bottle of each:

1x75cl La Joie 2015 - 99 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)

1x75cl La Muse 2015 - 97 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)

1x75cl La Désir 2015 - 100 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)

Jeb Dunnuck (La Muse) (100)

Including the highest percentage of Merlot (at the moment anyway), the 2016 La Muse checks in as 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec that spent 15-16 months in roughly 90% new French oak. This magical wine shows how good Merlot (and Sonoma) can be and offers extraordinary notes of crushed violets, spring flowers, scorched earth, graphite, black cherries, and crème de cassis. As elegant and seamless as they come, it’s full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has an incredible spine of acidity and tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It has the class and purity to drink well even today, but it’s not going to hit prime time for at least another decade and will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!

LA MUSE 2017
100% Merlot
99 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points - James Suckling
96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

LA JOIE 2017
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
98+ Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points - James Suckling
96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

LE DESIR 2017
80% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot, 3% Malbec
98 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
98+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points - James Suckling
98 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Containing 1 bottle each of:

Vérité La Muse 2018 | 100 WA, 99 JD

Vérité La Joie 2018 | 98 WA, 98+ JD

Vérité Le Désir 2018 | 97+ WA, 98+ JD

Wine Advocate (Le Desir) (100)

The 2019 Le Désir is an exceptional blend of 83% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, offering complex, layered flavors, soaring aromatics and very detailed expression. Deep ruby-purple in color, its aromas unfold slowly and offer new nuances with each return to the glass: Morello cherries, warm chocolate, dried thyme, desiccated roses and dried herbs. The full-bodied palate offers concentrated, floral fruits, pixelated tannins, bursts of fresh acidity and a very long finish with layer after layer of detailed flavor. 2,500 cases were made.

This assortment contains:

1x75cl Vérité La Joie 2021 |98-100 JD
Also inky black, the 2021 La Joie is packed with loads of licorice, blackcurrant, menthol, and polished leather. Full-bodied and plush, with a rocky texture, massive structure, and tremendous power, it will be a wine to cellar while you’re drinking the 2022s.

 

1x75cl Vérité Le Désir 2021 |97-99 JD
Tasted as a tank sample and made from 87% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, and a splash of Malbec, the 2021 Le Desir is highly aromatic at this stage and opens to wild and savory aromas of black and blue fruit, with a mineral-tinged lift. Gripping in structure, it’s long on the palate with savory richness and the feel of a rugged landscape. Massive structured, while having reined in alcohol levels, this is going to be another one to lay down for some time.

 

1x75cl Vérité La Muse 2021 |97-99 JD
Tasted as a tank sample, the 2021 La Muse is 91% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Malbec. It’s loaded with attractive ripe fruit, graphite, and lots of flowers. Offering ripeness as well as incredible structure, it has nothing heavy or heated about it. With alcohol levels at 14.2%, it’s unquestionably going to improve with significant age, so it will probably be best to stash this away for quite a few years before it reaches its peak drinking window. Scheduled to be bottled In February 2024, it’s showing the potential to be a truly stunning wine.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2012 La Joie, which is a blend of 76% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, blew me away. A profound effort, with 55% of it coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 31% from Knights Valley and the balance from Chalk Hill, the wine shows great minerality, oodles of crme de cassis fruit, incense, licorice, crushed rock, and a provocative full-throttle mouthfeel. A wine of great intensity, purity and equilibrium, this definitely begs for 4-7 years of bottle aging and should drink well for at least 30+ years.