Wine Advocate (95)

Fabio Alessandria of Comm. G.B. Burlotto tells me that he always believed in the controversial 2014 vintage. He never had any doubts regarding the inherent quality buried deep within this difficult vintage with its temperature extremes and humidity-based diseases. The 2014 Barolo Monvigliero ultimately proves to be a fragile and delicate wine with pure essence of wild rose and violet. Monvigliero is known as the perfumed vineyard, thanks to those beautiful floral nuances. While contemplating the bouquet, you feel like you are standing in the middle of a rose garden. The wine offers loose-knit structure with fine tannins that are polished, etched and very linear. Some 7,500 bottles were made in 2014, down from an average annual production of 8,000.

Exuding grace and sophistication, the Butte Bourgueil Mi Pente 2014 is an exquisite testament to traditional French winemaking. Allied with the finest Cabernet Franc grapes handpicked from the sun-kissed hills of Bourgueil in the Loire Valley, this wine is a marvel of nature and human ingenuity. Accurate craftsmanship by the astute vintner produces its signature medium-bodied elegance accompanied by intriguingly complex flavours.

Following the classic Bourgueil style, it is carefully aged for up to 24 months in wooden oak barrels to craft a remarkable bouquet providing a harmonious blend of rich dark fruits and an underlying subtly of earthy undertones. Finely balanced acidity and supple tannins add to its impressively long finish, promising prolonged pleasure.

Butte Bourgueil Mi Pente 2014 indeed captures the essence of the region and the unrivalled skills of its producer. A distinguished selection, it caters to the sophisticated palate of the discerning, experienced wine aficionado.

Decanter (96)

A village wine in the Priorat classification, taken from five parcels of very old vines at different elevations and slopes in Gratallops. Fermented in open-top 225L barrels and aged in French new oak. In a vertical of 2017, 2014 and 2012, the 2014 shone: very dark fruit, a powerful impression, then a delicious lift of orange zest, fresh herbs, eucalyptus. Wonderfully complex. Textured, with fine grain and a long, satisfying finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2027

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

The 2014 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard is about as classic example of Calera Pinot Noir as you can find. Loads of sweet black raspberries, sassafras, plums, Asian spice and ginger notes emerge from this ripe, full-bodied, sexy, concentrated 2014 that has plenty of mid-palate depth, nicely integrated acidity, fine tannin and a big finish. It’s a forward, pleasure-bent beauty that shares some similarities to the Selleck Vineyard, and will keep for two decades or more.

Vinous (95+)

The 2014 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard is a powerful, bombastic wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins that demand patience. Waves of dark, deeply sketched fruit hit the palate in a virile Pinot Noir that is going to need at least several years to truly come into its own. By no means a shy wine, the Ryan also has tremendous potential. In 2014, the Ryan was done with 70% whole clusters, which is a bit lower than normal.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96+)

The 2014 Calon Ségur is a real show-stopper. Unusually ripe, powerful and seductive, the wine exudes class. Myriad shades of plum, sweet red cherry, pomegranate, spice and blood orange are all on display. Wild flowers, tobacco and host of more aromatic notes develop in the glass. Above all else, though, the 2014 is a wine of pure power and breadth. This is yet another fabulous showing for the 2014 Calon Ségur, a wine that vies for top honors in this vintage. Don't miss it. The blend is 67 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 % Merlot, 15 % Cabernet Franc and 2 % Petit Verdot.

James Suckling (96)

Intense aromas of minerals, chalk, bright cherries and stones. Full-bodied, tight and silky; very linear. Like a straight shot. Give it three to four years to soften. Vibrant is the word.

James Suckling (96)

Intense aromas of minerals, chalk, bright cherries and stones. Full-bodied, tight and silky; very linear. Like a straight shot. Give it three to four years to soften. Vibrant is the word.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95+)

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2014 Canon La Gaffelière is explosive, lifted and aristocratic in its breeding. Bright Cabernet Franc aromatics give the wine its signature lift and precision. Raspberry jam, rose petal, mint, blood orange, tobacco and pomegranate build slowly on the palate, leading to a super-expressive, finely knit finish. Powerful yet also impeccably refined, the 2014 has it all. The 2014 is 55 % Merlot, 37 % Cabernet Franc and 8 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Don't miss it. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95+)

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2014 Canon La Gaffelière is explosive, lifted and aristocratic in its breeding. Bright Cabernet Franc aromatics give the wine its signature lift and precision. Raspberry jam, rose petal, mint, blood orange, tobacco and pomegranate build slowly on the palate, leading to a super-expressive, finely knit finish. Powerful yet also impeccably refined, the 2014 has it all. The 2014 is 55 % Merlot, 37 % Cabernet Franc and 8 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Don't miss it. Tasted two times.

James Suckling (94)

I like the floral character, which highlights the aromas of currants and berries. Full body and a firm and tight center palate. Silky tannins and a savory and creamy-textured finish. A beautifully balanced red. Try in 2021, but it’s already gorgeous to taste.

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2014 Cantenac Brown has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, cedar, crushed violet and cold stone aromas. I love the detail and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, supple and almost velvety in texture, the acidity well judged with a rounded, lightly spiced finish that feels so tender, yet does not shortchange you on persistence. This is one of the best Cantenac-Brown wines that I have encountered in recent years. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2014 Capbern is bold, ripe and quite juicy. Although not especially subtle, the 2014 possesses striking aromatic nuance, power and intensity. Dried cherry, licorice, herbs, tobacco and mint add attractive aromatic topnotes, but it is the wine’s juiciness that stands out most. This is a strong showing. The 2014 offers plenty of near- and medium-term appeal, but also has enough structure to drink well for at least a number of years. Tasted two times.

Vinous ()

The 2014 Barolo Barolo Rupestris is a very pretty, fragrant wine. In this vintage, the Rupestris is a bit more ethereal than it usually is, and yet there is a lovely underpinning of structure that gives the wine its shape. Beautifully perfumed and gracious, the 2014 Rupestris opens with enticing scents of sweet tobacco, mint, dried herbs, orange peel, dried cherry, cedar and rose petal. The 2014 should drink well with minimal cellaring, but I expect it will also age gracefully while retaining its somewhat delicate feel.

Vinous ()

The 2014 Barolo Barolo Rupestris is a very pretty, fragrant wine. In this vintage, the Rupestris is a bit more ethereal than it usually is, and yet there is a lovely underpinning of structure that gives the wine its shape. Beautifully perfumed and gracious, the 2014 Rupestris opens with enticing scents of sweet tobacco, mint, dried herbs, orange peel, dried cherry, cedar and rose petal. The 2014 should drink well with minimal cellaring, but I expect it will also age gracefully while retaining its somewhat delicate feel.

Vinous (96)

A powerful, unctuous wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is striking. Intense, expressive aromatics make a strong first impression. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and leather. Deep, unctuous and beautifully layered throughout, the 2014 Cabernet is a fabulous wine in this vintage. All the elements simply fall into place effortlessly.

James Suckling (98)

Dark fruit with black cherries, blackcurrants, mineral, and slate undertones. Medium to full body. Racy fine tannins. It’s chewy and driven. This is an undeclared Barca Velha. Superb Douro red. Latour of the Douro. A blend of 42% touriga franca, 34% touriga nacional, 13% tinta roriz, and 11% tinto cao. Drink after 2025.

James Suckling (100)

An extremely aromatic and focused Clos Apalta with blackberry, blueberry, floral and hot stone character. Full body, very linear and ultra-fine tannins. Focused and tight. Precise and long. This is the most polished and beautiful definition of this wine ever. You want to drink it now but better in 2020. A blend of carmenére, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

Vinous (95)

The 2014 d'Alceo is more in line with previous years than Sammarco. Deep, unctuous and super-powerful, the 2014 exudes richness and textural intensity from the very first taste. Readers will have to give the 2014 at least a few years in bottle to help some of the baby fat meld away. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, sage, mint and lavender are some of the many notes that start to emerge as the wine sits in the glass. This is a terrific effort for the vintage.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2014 Sammarco was bottled in August and will be released in January 2019. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese. At this young stage, the wine already offers an impressive array of complex aromas with dark berry, spice and grilled herb neatly overlapping. Those tones are delivered with perfume-like grace and intensity. This vintage is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, and those youthful tannins remind us that this wine will award the best results to those who have the patience to wait.

Vinous (92)

The 2014 Barbaresco Albesani Santo Stefano offers notable depth and raciness. Dark cherry, plum, sweet spice and floral notes are all given an extra kick of mid-palate sweetness and texture in its striking, exotic Barbaresco. Next to the 2015, the 2014 has a bit more mid-palate ripeness and overall body. This is an intriguing wine from Castello di Neive.

Wine Advocate (96)

Following the subtle, elegant and floral profile of the vintage, the 2014 Valtuille Cepas Centenarias is always sourced from a south-facing vineyard in the Villegas zone of the village of Valtuille de Abajo, where the soils have a sandy texture and provide for fine, elegant wines. They used 100% full clusters for the fermentation in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, and then matured the wine in used 228-liter oak barrels. The oak does not have an aromatic role in any of the reds. This combines the floral with some characteristics, earthy and developing notes of cypress, smoked meat and a Rhôneish twist. It has some earthy tannins too, coupled with moderate alcohol and great freshness. This is one of the first vineyards to be harvested, as it ripens early, and has contained alcohol. This is a very regular wine, vintage after vintage. This has to be the finest vintage for this bottle. 3,500 bottles were filled in November 2016.

Wine Advocate (97)

I tasted three consecutive vintages of the reds from Adrianna Vineyard, including the luxury cuvée, starting with the 2014 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae. It is from the coolest year since 2001 (but cooler will come in 2016), and it has 13.5% alcohol and very high acidity—7.5 grams measured in tartaric acid. What that all means is it's moderately ripe and very fresh, with integrated oak after fermenting in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels and an élevage of 24 months in oak. 4,200 bottles were filled in July 2016.

James Suckling (98)

This is another phenomenal Fortuna Terrae that just rolls across the palate with amazingly complex and beautiful fruit. Full body yet tight and refined. Berry, light meat, mushroom and truffle character. Made from organically grown grapes. Love now.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2014 Adrianna Vineyard River Stones is the second vintage of the Malbec from the stonier part of the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary that is next to a dry river bed (the vineyard has 110 hectares that were planted in 1994). It fermented in open-top 500-liter oak barrels with full clusters. It was pressed before the end of fermentation, and it then finished fermenting without skins (like a white) and matured in 1,800-liter oak foudre for 18 months. It's a compact, super serious Malbec with concentration and power, great balance, abundant tannins, strong minerality, firm texture, great austerity and no concessions for sweetness whatsoever. It has all that it takes to develop for a long time in bottle. 5,400 bottles were filled in July 2016.

Wine Advocate (96)

The Catena Zapata range comprises some single-vineyard wines, like the 2014 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard that comes from a plot of ungrafted vines planted in Altamira in 1996 using Malbec cuttings from the ancient Angélica vineyard. Cropped from a year that delivered moderate alcohol and notable acidity, it fermented with full clusters in 2,000- and 5,000-liter oak foudres with indigenous yeasts. It matured in French oak barrels for 24 months. This shows superbly and is open and expressive, very classical and elegant, floral and mineral, with no excess whatsoever. The palate reveals superb balance, really harmonious and elegant. This one might be overlooked because there is a lot of attention given to the Malbecs from Adrianna vineyard, but this is really at the same quality level. 12,000 bottles were filled in July 2016.

Vinous (93+)

Bright, dark ruby-red. Reticent aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice and spicy oak are a bit less expressive than those of the 2015 bottling. Impressively rich, pliant and sweet but with excellent vinosity too. A bit more muscular than the 2015 version, as much saline as sweet, with its substantial tannins saturating the entire palate and building. This will take at least a few more years to deliver on its inherent complexity. (Incidentally, the old Agrelo vineyard--La Piramide--from which much of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes has many Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc vines interspersed in it, but the vineyard is registered as Cabernet Sauvignon so this is what goes on the technical sheet.)

James Suckling (96)

Aromas of stone, chalk and cooked apple follow through to a full body, with so much sea salt, dried apple and pear character. Extremely long finish. Drink now or hold. Made from organically grown grapes.

Unveiling the 'Cauhape Jurancon Quintessence Petit Manseng 2014', a fine specimen of utmost sophistication from esteemed producer Henri Ramonteu. Crafted in the Jurancon region of South-West France, renowned for its distinct terroir and unique Petite Manseng grapes, this exceptional vintage truly embodies its birthplace. The wine undergoes traditional vinification with long fermentation, contributing to its intriguing complexity. A scent of marmalade mixed with roasted orange peel hints at its rich profile.

The 'Cauhape Jurancon Quintessence Petit Manseng 2014' engulfs the palate with a delightful surge of tropical fruit, followed by a long, mineral-rich finish. This vibrant wine elegantly balances a zesty freshness with a comforting sweetness. Every sip demonstrates the masterful work of Ramonteu, cementing its place among the finest wines of Jurancon. A sublime interaction of intensity and refinement, 'Cauhape Jurancon Quintessence Petit Manseng 2014' is an indulgence, warranting the attention of any discerning wine aficionado.