Wine Over $100

I've been tracking the increasing percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend of this iconic Tuscan wine. The 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is made with 25% Cabernet Franc, with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.... Read More

The Marchesi Antinori 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc from a hot year that also benefited from better underground water reserves because 2020 actually saw quite... Read More

The 2013 Tignanello represents the beginning of a new chapter for Italy's ultimate game-changer wine. The blend remains 80% Sangiovese with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc but Renzo Cotarella tells me stylistically-speaking,... Read More

First made in 1971, this legendary Italian wine now celebrates its 50th birthday. Happy Birthday, Tignanello! The Marchesi Antinori 2021 Tignanello (made with 79% Sangiovese, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc) pulls... Read More

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard offers up floral notes of jasmine and peach blossom over a core of apricot preserves, honeyed toast, beeswax and lemon butter, plus a waft of crushed stones. The palate is just beautiful, possessing... Read More

A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes bounding out of the glass with grapefruit, green mango and orange peel notes backed up by wafts of talc, chopped nuts and a lifted, aromatic, floral perfume. It is full-bodied... Read More

Another terrific year for this bottling, the 2020 Chardonnay CIX Estate—from Montrachet-selection budwood on vines planted in 2008, and matured in 75% new French oak—is lightly toasty, then tropical, with yellow peach,... Read More

From a vineyard that borders the source of Aubert's Lauren bottling, there are 1,200 cases of the 2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate. Matured in 75% new French oak, this review is based on a tank sample awaiting bottling. Planted... Read More

A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay Eastside sails out of the glass with zesty citrus scents of lemons, kaffir lime leaves and mandarin peel with an underlying jasmine perfume and a waft of blanched almonds. The palate is tightly... Read More

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard preserves good freshness and aromatic lift, especially for the year. In this tasting, the Eastside presents more of a phenolic character than most of the Chardonnays, with the fruit pushed... Read More

From a somewhat warmer site on thin, volcanic soils overlooking the Russian River, Eastside—originally a collaboration between Ulises Valdez and Mark Aubert—features a Montrachet selection planted on riparia rootstock.... Read More

Coming from Hudson selection, Old Wente clone vines that over 20 years old and planted on the Napa side of Carneros, the 2017 Chardonnay Hudson features super intense notes of freshly squeezed lemon, lime zest, warm apricots and... Read More

A cool, late-harvest site relative to Aubert's other sources, the 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons also sees a bit less new French oak (50%). Readers will note that the oak made virtually no impression on me, as the wine... Read More