Vinous (96)

The 2014 Barolo Bricco Pernice is vivid, precise and flat-out stunning. Like the best wines of the year, the Bricco Pernice is going to need a bit of time to be at its very best. I find the wine's inner perfume and sweetness to be utterly beguiling. At the same time, the Bricco Pernice remains taut, classically austere and in need of cellaring.

Vinous (96)

The 2014 Barolo Bricco Pernice is vivid, precise and flat-out stunning. Like the best wines of the year, the Bricco Pernice is going to need a bit of time to be at its very best. I find the wine's inner perfume and sweetness to be utterly beguiling. At the same time, the Bricco Pernice remains taut, classically austere and in need of cellaring.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cherry compote, cinnamon and star anise. Taut polished tannins and fresh acidity provide balance and an elegant structure. It's already irresistible but will also age well for years. Drink 2022–2035.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

New leather, balsamic herb, rose, truffle and woodland berry aromas take shape in the glass along with a whiff of charcuterie. The focused, savory palate has a great depth of flavor, doling out raspberry compote, cinnamon, crushed mint and a hint of cocoa alongside a backbone of firm tannins and fresh acidity. It still needs time to fully develop.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Of the many great contributions made by the winemaking team at Elvio Cogno, perhaps the greatest is the importance they brought to the Ravera cru of Novello. Little-known before their efforts, this vineyard has risen in high regard in recent years and continues to show impressive potential. The 2016 Barolo Ravera offers an important education in why this site deserves the spotlight. The wine shows terrific balance and depth, with rich fruit aromas framed by smoke, tar, ferrous earth and tangy licorice. The tannins are softly contoured, and the wine moves over the palate with profound length. Interestingly, two Nebbiolo clones, Lampia and Michet, are blended to make this wine. Some 15,000 bottles are hitting the market now.

Vinous (94)

The 2014 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne totally captivates with an exotic mix of musky red currants, allspice, dusty rose and a touch of forest floor that I find wildly attractive. It’s soft and enveloping on the palate, without a hard edge in sight, casting citrus-tinged berries across a core of brisk acids. Savory herbal tones come forward toward the close. This finishes structured and long, yet the tannins are sweet. The mouth is left watering for more as a mineral tinge and wild strawberry hints slowly taper off. The cool and rainy vintage helped produce a unique expression of Emidio Pepe Montepulciano, but one that is overdelivering at the moment.

Immerse yourself in the splendour of Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 – an impeccable testament to the artistry of Italian viticulture. Emidio Pepe, a proponent of biodynamic winemaking, intuitively crafts this red wine in Abruzzo, a serenely beautiful province in central Italy. The Montepulciano grapes are cultivated organically on the hilly terrain, hand-picked and then crushed by foot to achieve a carefully considered extraction of flavour. The wine is matured in glass-lined cement vats, resulting in a pure expression of the grape and land.

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 is richly complex, characterised by intense aromatics and a deeply layered palate. Juxtaposing dark fruity notes with an intriguing spice undertone, it boasts engaging depth and velvety tannins, all culminating in a lasting finish. Steeped in tradition and provenance, this wine impeccably melds nature, passion, and craft. An extraordinary opportunity to savour Italy's viticultural excellence.

Immerse yourself in the splendour of Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 – an impeccable testament to the artistry of Italian viticulture. Emidio Pepe, a proponent of biodynamic winemaking, intuitively crafts this red wine in Abruzzo, a serenely beautiful province in central Italy. The Montepulciano grapes are cultivated organically on the hilly terrain, hand-picked and then crushed by foot to achieve a carefully considered extraction of flavour. The wine is matured in glass-lined cement vats, resulting in a pure expression of the grape and land.

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 is richly complex, characterised by intense aromatics and a deeply layered palate. Juxtaposing dark fruity notes with an intriguing spice undertone, it boasts engaging depth and velvety tannins, all culminating in a lasting finish. Steeped in tradition and provenance, this wine impeccably melds nature, passion, and craft. An extraordinary opportunity to savour Italy's viticultural excellence.

The Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2021 is an exquisite expression of fine wine crafted by a legendary producer in Italy's Abruzzo region. Each bottle of this timeless edition captures the distinctive finesse and individuality imbued by its terroir.

Emidio Pepe's artisanal winemaking commences with hand-harvested grapes, delicately destemmed, hand-crushed, and fermented with indigenous yeasts, ensuring the preservation of the characterful native nuances. Aged substantially in botti before bottling, this bio-dynamic elixir enthralls with a harmonious blend of finesse and power.

As a masterpiece from one of Italy's celebrated wine artisans, the Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2021 showcases tantalisingly deep garnet hues, complimented by seductive aromas and intense flavours of autumnal fruits, florals, spices and an earthy complexity.

This vintage is further enhanced by its impressive cellaring potential, making it a quintessential choice for discerning enthusiasts and collectors of fine wines.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Given the price of some Chilean icons these days, Coyam remains one of the best value reds in the country, right up there with the country's top red blends. Based on Syrah and Carmenère with the remaining 19% made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Malbec, Carignan, Tempranillo and Mourvèdre, this is wonderfully detailed and complex. Racy and mineral, with scented oak, mint, wild herb and sweet spice undertones and a core of inky damson and black cherry fruit. 2022-30

Vinous (96)

The 2020 Coyam is a blend of 38% Syrah, 37% Carménère, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carignan, 4% Garnacha, 4% Mourvèdre, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec and 1% Tempranillo from the Los Robles vineyard in Colchagua. It was aged for 18 months, 75% in barrels and the rest in foudres and eggs. A rich purple in the glass. The complex nose features nuanced aromas ranging from blackberry to blueberry and currant with hints of cedar and spice. In the mouth, it’s juicy with a grippy texture and delicate, concentrated but relaxed tannins before the lengthy finish. It seems that the healthy biodynamic vineyard was able to withstand the warmth of 2020. An extremely well-made wine that handled the conditions with aplomb.

James Suckling (98)

This shows superb finesse and balance with wonderful, harmonious fruit and tannin tones that give the wine purity and focus. Dried spices, blackberries, walnuts and tile. Deep, contained structure with pure, fine tannins. The finish is incredible and goes on for minutes. A blend of 56% syrah, 31% carmenere, and 13% cabernet sauvignon. From biodynamically grown grapes. One for the cellar. Better after 2022, but already fantastic.

James Suckling (98)

A complex nose of blackberry, plum, mocha, cigar box, graphite and spice. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Creamy-textured and structured with a juicy core. Pure with a velvety texture on the palate, which is layered and balanced and leads to a flavorful finish that lasts over and over. Spicy on the finish with cloves and black pepper. Grilled meat, too. A blend of 52% syrah, 34% carmenere and 14% cabernet sauvignon. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan. Try in 2023.

Wine Advocate (91-94)

I tasted three components of the 2020 Crozes Hermitage Les Trois Chênes—maybe four, as Darnaud hadn't yet decided on whether the last one would be included in this cuvée or bottled separately as Au Fil du Temps. The blend should reflect a balanced blend of floral, stemmy notes, bright red cherries and notes of dark-skinned fruit and black olives. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it should drink well on release and for up to a decade. The final sample, aged in second use François Frères barrels, stood out for its suave, silky texture, smoky notes, vibrant raspberry fruit and long finish. If Darnaud bottles it separately, don't hesitate to snap it up.

Incredibly focused aromas of lifted black cherries and dark chocolate-coated violet creams dominate, before the concentrated, mouthcoating blackcurrant fruit pervades the palate. However, it is the pure energy of the wine, along with the harmonious concentration of fruit and freshness, and the fine yet pertinent tannins that is really impressive here. This is a truly lovely, powerful yet balanced Saint Joseph.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)

From a miniscule one-hectare parcel right across from Clinet, on the upper plateau of Pomerol, the 2018 Enclos Tourmaline is a blockbuster in the making, and I suspect it’s going to give the 2016 a run for its money. Checking in as a 100% Merlot raised in new oak, which hit 14.7% natural alcohol, this inky color blockbuster boasts a massive bouquet of black fruits, smoke herbs, chocolate, and damp earth. It shows a more floral edge with time in the glass and it’s full-bodied, concentrated, and plush on the palate, with sweet tannins. It’s certainly one of the sexiest wines in this terrific vintage. Hats off to vineyard manager and winemaker Jérôme Aguirre as well as consultant Michel Rolland for another brilliant wine in the making. Tasted twice.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

The 2019 Enclos Tourmaline is a tiny production Pomerol coming from a one-hectare vineyard beside Clinet. It's a rich, powerful, yet incredibly elegant Pomerol that does everything right, offering beautiful cassis and darker cherry fruits, notes of cedarwood, spicy oak, and chocolate, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and a great finish. It marries opulence with finesse perfectly and is one heck of an impressive Pomerol that can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or so. Pomerol was one of the standout appellations in 2019, and this shows it.

Wine Advocate (93)

2016 saw more rain and even snow in this very dry zone, which helped the plants for the grapes used for the 2016 Albahra to regain balance and retain more acidity. The Garnacha Tintorera comes from 25-year-old vines on limestone and clay soils at 800 meters altitude, and the Moravia Agria (which represents 30% of the volume) comes from 40-year-old vines on limestone, sand and clay soils at 710 meters altitude. The Garnacha is kept unoaked, but the Moravia is put in neutral barriques for eight months. I nearly fell off my chair when I put my nose in the glass. There is a jump in quality from 2015 to this vintage, and they seem to have mastered the Moravia, which has a lot more tannin than they thought. It also has a lot of acidity, but here it seems to provide a very elegant and floral touch, with Mediterranean hints of balsam and herbs. The palate has a juicy texture with a refreshing touch. 30,000 bottles were filled in June 2017.

Wine Advocate (94+)

2020 was a great vintage in the Mediterranean, and the 2020 Albahra, a blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera from the zone of Almansa and 30% Moravia Agria from Manchuela, showed better than ever. The two grapes fermented separately with part of full clusters in concrete and with indigenous yeasts. The Garnacha matured in concrete and the Moravia in neutral 228-liter barrels for eight months. It has 13% alcohol and good freshness, a fine thread and round tannins. It's juicy and supple—the harvest was easy with great weather, very different from 2019— and the acidity of the Moravia is more polished. The wine has a bright ruby color and is aromatic and clean, precise and attractive. It's medium-bodied and silky with very round tannins. They compare it with 2017. This is one of the most incredible bargains from Spain. Drink or hold. 59,000 bottles and 750 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2021.

James Suckling (98)

Nervy, nicely funky, precise and mineral nose with a “protective” flintiness and an alluring peppery edge to the wild berries and pomegranate. Fine, dissolved tannins with a mealy, dusty texture, tapping into a super tangy, fresh palate full of grapefruit zest and wild berries. Really long and irresistible now, but can age.

James Suckling (96)

Wonderful clarity to this wine with floral, cedar, pure-strawberry and citrus aromas that follow through to a full bodied, tight and focused palate with tannins that flow through to the finish. Such purity and beauty to this. Try after 2023.

Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a sublime blend hailing from Stellenbosch, a premier wine-producing region in South Africa. This sumptuous red is exquisitely crafted by Louis Strydom, chief winemaker at the prestigious Ernie Els Wines estate. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are meticulously hand-harvested and matured for 18 months in fine French Oak barrels to yield an opulent and smooth finish.

The Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a dignified wine, boasting aromas of ripe, dark fruit and structured tannins, mirroring the rolling vineyards in which it is birthed. Notes of blackcurrant, cherry and mocha imbue it with a harmonious balance of richness and complexity, perfect for discerning palates. This bottled poetry is the manifestation of international sportsman and winery owner, Ernie Els's, dedication to excellence. Savour this beautifully matured Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of South Africa - the epitome of fine wine.