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“A Napa Valley legend in the making,” is what Jeb Dunnuck called Colgin’s 2021 IX Estate in his review, praising it as “full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced.” It earned a staggering 99-point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. This is a Napa Valley masterpiece, displaying a deep, saturated purple hue, a captivating nose showing infinite…

One of the greatest Pinot Noir wineries in the world has—at considerable expense and effort—crafted a three-bottle set to illustrate the effect of whole-cluster fermentation on finished Pinot Noirs. And they did it in one of the finest vintages in Oregon in the last 30 years.  This three-bottle set of Cristom Vineyards’ 0%, 50%, and…

We’ve had Michel Gassier’s fantastic Lou Coucardié Blanc many times. But when we tasted the 2021 with the winemaker himself in Montpellier early this year, we were stunned.  That’s because white Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a singular obsession for many wine lovers—and Michel has managed to deliver that same experience in a bottle that doesn’t come close…

Poured at some of the toniest restaurants in London, including spots that boast award-winning wine programs, the Gran Passione Rosso Veneto has become a MONSTER hit among sommeliers.   This “Baby Amarone” encapsulates the charms of one of Italy’s richest, boldest reds, and is made with the same labor-intensive—and flavor-intensive—appassimento methodthat produces benchmark $100 bottlings. Yet…

If there’s an Italian wine that collectors revere like First Growth Bordeaux and cult California Cabernet, it’s Ornellaia. The icon stands shoulder to shoulder with its $500–$800+ Medoc counterparts—and, as Antonio Galloni of Vinous said, has “never failed to literally send shivers down my spine.” The 2021 edition is one of the finest ever produced….

Talk about bringing coal to Newcastle: Our buddy Sean showed up at a Napa Valley barbecue—as our guest, no less—with a Red Blend from California’s Central Coast.  But knowing Sean, a born-and-bred Central Coast maven, this was no faux pas. He was a full-on endorser of the region two-plus decades ago, back when it was…

When legendary 100-point vintner Joey Tensley tells you a bottle is “one of the most complex and complete whites I’ve made in my 25+ year career,” you listen. When Wine Advocate gives the same wine a 97-point score—placing it alongside collectibles by Peter Michael ($140+) and Aubert ($200+)—and it comes at a FRACTION of the…

There’s no matching The Crane Assembly’s high-octane reds—they push the limits of ripeness and exuberance like no others in Napa Valley. And of their whole lineup, the biggest bang for the buck is their Disciples Red Wine, a Zin- and Petite Sirah–heavy blend that reminds us of the first time we tasted The Prisoner so…

The last vintage of Albert Bichot’s C’est La Vie earned a Best Buy designation from Wine Enthusiast, and this edition is tasting even better. From a Wine Access member-favorite Burgundy producer, this rosé greets you with a seductive aromatic mixture of red berries, melon rind, soft green herbs, and sea salt, then segues into an…

In Napa, if you’re bestowed with a 100-point score, all heads turn and suddenly you’re on speed dial for every Silicon Valley wine enthusiast. Land another perfect score and you can start thinking about the color of the first Aston Martin you’re going to buy. But if you’re like winemaker Benoit Touquette, a French native,…