| 17996 | 17995 | US | Polished in every way, this brings an enticing potpourri of almond paste, apple and white pepper. Wild yeast fermentation in oak (30% new) marries complex components in perfect precise balance. As with all the Ponzi 2014 Chardonnays, the acids are bright but not biting, and the wines are built for both near-term enjoyment and medium-term aging. | Aurora Vineyard | 94 | 63 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Ponzi 2014 Aurora Vineyard Chardonnay (Willamette Valley) | Chardonnay | Ponzi |
| 17997 | 17996 | US | From a prime site relatively high in elevation for the appellation, this wine shows beautiful, crisp acidity, as robust layers of mountain raspberry, blackberry and coffee flavor vie for attention. Full bodied and densely structured, it unfurls in wisps of black licorice and clove on the lengthy finish. | Godspeed | 94 | 95 | California | Mount Veeder | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Sbragia 2013 Godspeed Cabernet Sauvignon (Mount Veeder) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Sbragia |
| 17998 | 17997 | US | This pretty, floral wine made entirely from Chardonnay grapes from this site is both creamy and crisp. It offers impressive length, acidity and stoniness, accenting its focused green apple flavor. As it opens, it takes on a richer honey-like tone that adds further complexity and deliciousness. | Tognetti Vineyard Brut | 94 | 80 | California | Carneros | Napa-Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Schramsberg 2012 Tognetti Vineyard Brut Sparkling (Carneros) | Sparkling Blend | Schramsberg |
| 17999 | 17998 | US | The aromas pop, with notes of orange peel, ember, cured meat, black olive and wet stone, with purple fruit lurking in the background. The palate is surprisingly fruit forward, with plum and savory flavors that coat the palate from end to end. The finish glides for a full 30 seconds. | Old Stones | 94 | 50 | Washington | Walla Walla Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Sean P. Sullivan | @wawinereport | Waters 2014 Old Stones Syrah (Walla Walla Valley (WA)) | Syrah | Waters |
| 18000 | 17999 | Spain | Spicy yet sweet aromas of sarsaparilla root, saddle leather and earthy berry fruits precede a rich dense palate. This tastes of dark cherry and berry fruit, with an herbal shading adding complexity. Chocolaty oak takes hold on a solid long finish. Drink through 2024. | QP | 94 | 68 | Northern Spain | Rioja | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Maetierra Dominum 2009 QP (Rioja) | Tempranillo Blend | Maetierra Dominum |
| 17971 | 17970 | US | Whiffs of raspberry are accented with bramble and dried herbs on this bold, richly textured Cabernet Franc. Big, bitter tannins frame delicate red fruit flavors, finishing with a kiss of cranberry acidity. It's brawny still, but should meld beautifully from 2016–2020. | | 88 | 35 | New York | North Fork of Long Island | Long Island | Anna Lee C. Iijima | | Macari 2010 Cabernet Franc (North Fork of Long Island) | Cabernet Franc | Macari |
| 17972 | 17971 | Argentina | Open-grain oak aromas are out front, followed by sweeter scents of marzipan, prune and chocolate. A full, tannic palate is deep and dense, while toasty blackened flavors of cassis and blackberry finish with notes of mocha, chocolate and pepper. This is a bit rough and tannic, so cellaring will help it calm down. Drink through 2023. | Alta Barrancas Vineyards | 94 | 50 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Pascual Toso 2014 Alta Barrancas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Pascual Toso |
| 17973 | 17972 | France | This is an impressively rich, still very young wine. Dominated by Bandol's own Mourvèdre grape, it is dense and concentrated. Spice and dark red fruits are shot through with a wonderful herbal character that conjures the southern warmth. The wine is still just setting out and will not be ready to drink before 2019. | La Bégude | 94 | 44 | Provence | Bandol | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine de la Bégude 2014 La Bégude Red (Bandol) | Provence red blend | Domaine de la Bégude |
| 17974 | 17973 | US | Aromatically compelling, this offers a complex mix of clover, chocolate and cherry in the nose. It is a substantial, fruit-packed wine, with cherry and plum fruit, a full-bodied midpalate, mouthfilling texture and nicely integrated barrel spices. It finishes with a streak of Meyer lemon acidity. Drink now through 2030. | Two Barns Vineyard | 94 | 90 | Oregon | Dundee Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Domaine Serene 2014 Two Barns Vineyard Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills) | Pinot Noir | Domaine Serene |
| 17975 | 17974 | US | Winemaker Blair Fox loves this single-clone bottling, and for good reason. It's intensely dark in color but not overextracted, with soil, eucalyptus, black plum and baking spice aromas. Rounded strawberry and raspberry fruit shows on the medium-bodied palate, with star anise and white pepper accents. | Clone 115 | 94 | 55 | California | Sta. Rita Hills | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Fess Parker 2014 Clone 115 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) | Pinot Noir | Fess Parker |
| 17976 | 17975 | US | Winemaker Bill Brosseau hits a single vineyard home run with this bottling from one of the Central Coast's oldest sites. It shows exotic plum, tangy cranberry, pine needle, juniper and pencil shaving scents on the nose. The palate is steeped in mulberry, marjoram and curry-like Indian spices, proving dynamic and delicious in the most compelling ways. | Sierra Madre Vineyard | 94 | 65 | California | Santa Maria Valley | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Testarossa 2015 Sierra Madre Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) | Pinot Noir | Testarossa |
| 17977 | 17976 | US | An aromatic textural wine, Wichmann sources fruit from the winery's oldest vines. Strawberry and cherry flavors are woven into details of citrus and tea. This elegant well-proportioned effort provides a feminine contrast to the sturdy Coast Range bottling. | Wichmann Dundee Estate | 94 | 49 | Oregon | Dundee Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Trisaetum 2015 Wichmann Dundee Estate Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills) | Pinot Noir | Trisaetum |
| 17978 | 17977 | France | This is the home estate of Madiran superstar Alain Brumont. The wine is big, bold, rich and packed with both fruit and tannins. It has great structure and a dense dusty tannic character that promises great aging. This is a major wine that needs time. Drink it starting from 2022. | Château Bouscassé | 94 | 25 | Southwest France | Madiran | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Vignobles Brumont 2012 Château Bouscassé Red (Madiran) | Red Blend | Vignobles Brumont |
| 17979 | 17978 | France | The wine comes from the grand showpiece estate of Madiran. A blend that is dominated by Tannat produces a wine that is still so young. Bold fruits and firm tannins are right to the fore, along with acidity and a strong mineral texture. It's a powerful and impressive wine that also manages elegance as well. The wine will take several more years to soften. Drink from 2020. | Château Montus | 94 | 35 | Southwest France | Madiran | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Vignobles Brumont 2012 Château Montus Tannat-Cabernet (Madiran) | Tannat-Cabernet | Vignobles Brumont |
| 17980 | 17979 | US | Bergström has made a Shea designate since 2003, intent on showcasing a “pretty” style of the vineyard. Here are lovely aromatics, with grape jelly, rose petals and plum in the nose, and a complex run of red fruits in the mouth. Streaks of cola, brown sugar and more come up in a generous finish. | Shea Vineyard | 94 | 62 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Bergström 2014 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir | Pinot Noir | Bergström |
| 17981 | 17980 | France | Eight years is about right for a Madiran to start its mature phase. This wine is just there, a ripe expression of Tannat. It still has tannins and they will remain, but the fruit has lost its raw youth and has become rich with dried fruits and acidity working well together. Drink this wine now and until 2025. | Dou Barringuet | 94 | 40 | Southwest France | Madiran | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château de Gayon 2009 Dou Barringuet Tannat-Cabernet (Madiran) | Tannat-Cabernet | Château de Gayon |
| 17982 | 17981 | France | This is a serious wine with a lighter brighter side. Its wood aging adds spice to the ripe red fruits and brings out the concentration and intensity. It is, in its way, an unexpected side of Provence rosé, emphasizing richness and complexity. But it all comes together: a fine wine that, after a year of aging, is ready to drink. | Garrus | 94 | 100 | Provence | Côtes de Provence | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château d'Esclans 2015 Garrus Rosé (Côtes de Provence) | Rosé | Château d'Esclans |
| 17983 | 17982 | France | From old vines in a tree-enclosed vineyard on the third terrace above the River Lot, this wine forms part of a range of wines featuring the soils and terraces of the Cahors vineyard. Named in homage to Marguerite de Massaut, a 16th-century owner of the estate, the wine is aged in new wood that gives it a minty character. That is balanced by the rich black-plum and truffle flavor and the intense acidity. The wine needs to age, so drink from 2021. | Cuvée Marguerite Massaut | 94 | 70 | Southwest France | Cahors | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Lagrézette 2014 Cuvée Marguerite Massaut Malbec (Cahors) | Malbec | Château Lagrézette |
| 17984 | 17983 | France | This is one of the classics among Provence rosés. Produced from organically grown grapes and coming from an impressive red-wine producing estate east of Aix-en-Provence, the wine is structured and ageworthy with its blend that includes Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich and full of red fruits, the wine should be drunk from late 2017. | | 94 | 20 | Provence | Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Vignelaure 2016 Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence) | Rosé | Château Vignelaure |
| 17985 | 17984 | Spain | Ripe pure black-fruit aromas are touched up by notes of malty chocolate and mocha. This is proportionally big, with cheek-grabbing tannins, but it's not overly hard or unbalanced— just the opposite. Flavors of mocha, coffee, hazelnut and ripe berry fruits finish flush, dense and firm, with toasty notes and powerful but controlled residual tannins. Drink through 2030. | Prestigio Pago de las Solanas | 94 | | Northern Spain | Ribera del Duero | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Matarromera 2010 Prestigio Pago de las Solanas (Ribera del Duero) | Red Blend | Matarromera |
| 17986 | 17985 | US | This impressive 100% varietal wine shows focused red fruit, a tropical edge of coconut and firm, structured tannin. Sage, cedar, tobacco and black pepper notes provide a sultry, savory counterpoint to the fruit, balanced with moderate acidity. Enjoy 2023–2033. | Outer Limits | 94 | 155 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Parallel 2013 Outer Limits Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Parallel |
| 17987 | 17986 | US | Cranberry, baked rhubarb, anise and crushed slate aromas show on the nose of this always-excellent bottling from the Franscioni family. The palate abounds with energy, driving black raspberry fruit accented with earthy loam, fennel, oregano and juniper through a compellingly round midpalate. | Garys' Vineyard | 94 | 60 | California | Santa Lucia Highlands | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Roar 2015 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) | Pinot Noir | Roar |
| 17988 | 17987 | US | This standout Rocks District wine brings earth shaking aromas of black-olive brine, tapenade, green olive, stargazer lilies, orange peel and crushed gravel. The smoked meat, charcuterie and blue-fruit flavors don't hold back, bringing a lovely sense of texture and detail. It's an intense wine that completely demands your attention. | The Funk Estate | 94 | 60 | Washington | Walla Walla Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Sean P. Sullivan | @wawinereport | Saviah 2014 The Funk Estate Syrah (Walla Walla Valley (WA)) | Syrah | Saviah |
| 17989 | 17988 | US | Cherry pie and nuanced spice flavors buoy this delicately layered, medium-bodied vineyard designate that's built of robust fruit and supported quietly by oak. A thread of white pepper persists throughout, making it especially irresistible. | Sunny View | 94 | 62 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | The Calling 2014 Sunny View Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) | Pinot Noir | The Calling |
| 17990 | 17989 | US | Intensely aromatic, yet big and even chunky in the mouth, this young wine remains compressed and hard-edged. Give it ample aeration, and cranberry, blackberry and black cherry fruits come alive. Dense with fruit and detailed with wet stone minerality, this should be cellared a few years, and consumed from 2020 to 2030. | Ribbon Ridge Estate | 94 | 49 | Oregon | Ribbon Ridge | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Trisaetum 2015 Ribbon Ridge Estate Pinot Noir (Ribbon Ridge) | Pinot Noir | Trisaetum |
| 17991 | 17990 | Italy | One of the finest whites of the vintage, this exquisite bottling has an enticing bouquet of almond, orchard fruit, almond and chopped herb. The elegantly structured palate delivers mouthwatering peach, apricot, almond and energizing mineral ntoes that carry over to the long, lingering finish, along with a hint of tangerine. | | 94 | 35 | Northeastern Italy | Collio | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Borgo del Tiglio 2015 Friulano (Collio) | Friulano | Borgo del Tiglio |
| 17992 | 17991 | US | The estate's 13 acres were first planted in 1999. This lovely wine expresses itself with perfectly ripened black-cherry fruit, a dash of cola, and an underpinning of clean earth, complemented with a touch of mineral. The finish is superb. | Bergström Vineyard | 94 | 90 | Oregon | Dundee Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Bergström 2014 Bergström Vineyard Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills) | Pinot Noir | Bergström |
| 17993 | 17992 | US | There is a darker fruit spectrum evident in the reserve, with notes of coffee, smoke, black fruits, a touch of charred wood all worked through, and without damping the core fruit flavors. Those bright flavors spotlight raspberry, plum and black cherry. A light cola flavor pokes through, with ripe tannins and proportionate acids. The barrel treatment is beautifully applied, adding sweet spice to the finish. | Evenstad Reserve | 94 | 70 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Domaine Serene 2014 Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) | Pinot Noir | Domaine Serene |
| 17994 | 17993 | US | This gorgeous wine deftly integrates a lively mix of currant, cherry, breakfast tea and dried leaves into a seamless and seductive whole. Produced from vines dating back to the early 1970s, it finishes with a delicious streak of milk chocolate. Drink now through 2030. | Durant Vineyard Bishop Block | 94 | 48 | Oregon | Dundee Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Patricia Green Cellars 2015 Durant Vineyard Bishop Block Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills) | Pinot Noir | Patricia Green Cellars |
| 17995 | 17994 | US | This single-vineyard estate wine is made by Nils Venge and Tom Rinaldi, who have somehow managed to capture quiet elegance and powerful fruit at the same time. Red-fruit driven, it's round and rich, with moderate tannin and cassis, clove and black pepper highlights. | Pellet Vineyard | 94 | 95 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Pellet Estate 2013 Pellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Pellet Estate |