Showcasing the reputable cru classé vineyards of Mosel, Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling GG Trocken 2020 is a harmonious symphony of quality and refinement. This splendid Riesling is produced by the illustrious Fritz Haag, a wine estate synonymous with premium consistency since 1605.

A true testament to the winemaker, this 2020 dry trocken exemplifies the virtues of German Riesling, delineating fruit intensity with remarkable finesse and clarity. With a disciplined yield restraint policy, every drop illustrates meticulous vinification and purposeful precision.

The Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling GG Trocken 2020 adroitly matures on its lees in traditional 1000-litre Mosel Fuder barrels. Marked by crystalline minerality and vibrant acidity, it whispers eloquent notes of green apple, peach, and exotic spices, delicately balanced by a captivating finish. Perfectly reflected through the prism of the Brauneberger Juffer terroir, it truly is the embodiment of germanic viticulture.

Showcasing the reputable cru classé vineyards of Mosel, Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling GG Trocken 2020 is a harmonious symphony of quality and refinement. This splendid Riesling is produced by the illustrious Fritz Haag, a wine estate synonymous with premium consistency since 1605.

A true testament to the winemaker, this 2020 dry trocken exemplifies the virtues of German Riesling, delineating fruit intensity with remarkable finesse and clarity. With a disciplined yield restraint policy, every drop illustrates meticulous vinification and purposeful precision.

The Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling GG Trocken 2020 adroitly matures on its lees in traditional 1000-litre Mosel Fuder barrels. Marked by crystalline minerality and vibrant acidity, it whispers eloquent notes of green apple, peach, and exotic spices, delicately balanced by a captivating finish. Perfectly reflected through the prism of the Brauneberger Juffer terroir, it truly is the embodiment of germanic viticulture.

James Suckling (93)

Did somebody say aperitif? Effusive white-peach, honeysuckle and vanilla-bean aromas pour from the glass of this Kabinett. A very juicy wine with wonderful lightness and mineral freshness. An ideal partner for conversation. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

James Suckling (96)

A super-filigree Mosel Auslese that impresses with fabulous delicacy and precision. So much vanilla-bean character, but also tropical-flower aromas. Beautifully integrated grape sweetness at the long, very refined finish. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (95-96)

The 2019 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese opens with a bright and coolish, very delicate and filigreed bouquet of herbal/floral aromas intertwined with bright, young spring fruit and aromas of broken slate. On the palate, this is a round, charming, highly finessed and very elegant Spätlese with the lovely fruit and juiciness of the JSU and its unrivaled finesse. The weightless finish is salty-piquant, precise and highly stimulating. This 2019 is a picture-book Spätlese from the Juffer Sonnenuhr. Tasted as a sample in April 2020.

James Suckling (96)

Plenty of complexity to this, with cherry, plum, blackberry and hints of cedar and stone. Full-bodied with layered, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Punctuated and defined for the 2017 vintage. Drinkable now, but better after 2023.

Kerin O'Keefe (98)

Ripe berry, Mediterranean brush and spice aromas mingle with new leather on this classy, vibrant offering from historic estate Fuligni. Full-bodied and gorgeous, the savory palate features juicy Morello cherry, star anise, almond and saline mineral notes framed in taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized.

James Suckling (99)

The complexity and beauty of this wine is something else on the nose, offering perfume, cedar, dried flower, black cherry, blueberry and crushed stone. Orange peel, too. Full-bodied with incredible layers of ultra-fine tannins that give this wine horizontal depth that almost seems endless. Extremely long and lightly chewy at the end. This is one for the cellar. Try after 2026.

Kerin O'Keefe (100)

The 2019 Fuligni Brunello Riserva is drop-dead gorgeous. Made with the oldest estate vines, it opens with enticing scents of pine forest, violet, eucalyptus, juniper, new leather and dark exotic spice. Boasting intensity and finesse, the delicious, radiant palate delivers succulent Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, black tea and baking spice set against enveloping, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity provides balance and the promise of great longevity. An absolutely thrilling wine.

Vinous (100)

The 2019 5500 offers up a mesmerizing range of Stags Leap aromatics that confer presence as well as depth. Lavender, spice, menthol, licorice, plum and crème de cassis lend sumptuous elegance to this striking, beautifully delineated Cabernet. Rich and seamless in the glass, the 5500 possesses mindblowing intensity married to a real feeling of finesse. It is quite possibly the finest wine I have ever tasted here. Dazzling.

James Suckling (99)

This dry riesling has gigantic concentration, but also gigantic elegance and finesse. Still a little shy on the nose, but this has been made to age for decades. Delicate notes of white peach, pink grapefruit and mountain herbs in the nose, then on the palate also hints of licorice and white chocolate. However, the most extraordinary thing about the wine is the mind-blowing stony intensity at the extremely focused and salty finish. Doesn’t want to stop. Enormous aging potential. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Vinous (96)

Gaja's 2016 Barbaresco is positively stellar. A wine of poise and grace, the 2016 has so much to offer. Expressive spice and floral notes open up first, but what really stands out is the wine's nuance and delineation. There is a sense of translucency to the 2016 that is impossible to miss. Sweet red cherry, mint, cinnamon and rose petal develop in the glass, adding further shades of nuance. Quite simply, the 2016 is one of the very finest Gaja Barbarescos in recent memory. This is such a gorgeous wine. Don't miss it.

James Suckling (97)

Aromas of ripe strawberries with hazelnuts, blood oranges and some coconut. Full-bodied with very refined and polished tannins that nicely form this young red wine. Fresh and delicious aftertaste of berry, cedar, bark and dark chocolate. Ever so subtle, yet powerful and driven at the finish. Very long and intense. Very classical style to it and cooler. This is a blend of seven vineyards including the Costa Russi and Sori Tilden. Approachable now, but better after 2025 and onwards.

The Wine Independent (97)

Gaja's 2019 Barbaresco was bottled only a few days before this tasting but it already has sweet roses and red fruits on the nose with very subtle, gentle spice notes. It has a great texture and flows gracefully across the palate. It feels very harmonious with plenty of refreshing acidity and finely integrated tannins. Sublimely elegant with a fine, silt-like texture to the tannins, it is poised, beautifully understated and charming. Keep for 2 years and drink for up to 20 plus.

James Suckling (98)

The nose opens with a startling play between white truffles, bark and tea leaves and then crushed violets, lavender, blueberry peel, lemon rind and sour cherries. Full body, ultra-fine tannins, acidity as sharp as a razor and a long, ethereally mineral finish. The length but sheer clarity and accuracy in the delivery is remarkable. Perhaps hard to believe that this better than the 2013, but it is. Drink in 2022.

Wine Advocate (97)

This is another beautiful creation from the Gaja family. The 2016 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda (Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc) is infinitely smooth and finely textured down to the very last pixel in what is a high-resolution panoramic photograph. The core of the wine is packed tight with an explosion of flavor and concentration with so much dark fruit, spice, tobacco and sweet tobacco that unfurls from deep inside. This wine will have a long and, I am quite sure, very happy aging future ahead. It shows utmost precision and balance, with long persistence and a beautifully polished texture. Some 22,000 bottles were made.

Wine Advocate (97)

This is a gorgeous vintage that continues to flesh out beautifully. I added an extra point to my score since the last time I tasted the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda in order to underline the great potential of this vintage. This wine could legally be a Bolgheri Superiore, but Angelo Gaja prefers not to use qualifying wine terms such as Superiore, Classico or Riserva in his various wine projects spanning from Piedmont to Tuscany to Etna. Semantics aside, this is a gorgeous wine—one of the best made at Ca' Marcanda for sure—with impressive intensity and balance. Dark fruit and blackberry are contrasted against spice, tobacco, grilled rosemary and Mediterranean bramble. The 2019 vintage saw favorable weather conditions and "just the right amount of rain," Gaja says.

Vinous (91)

The 2018 Promis is a very pretty wine. Lifted, floral aromatics, silky tannins and mid-weight structure give it tons of immediacy and overall appeal. Hints of succulent red cherry, cinnamon, mint and leather linger effortlessly.

Greg Sherwood MW (96)

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino normale is a fabulously plush, concentrated and intense expression of Brunello and represents probably the estate’s best vintage to date. The aromatics are perfumed and detailed showing cherry blossom, violets, vanilla oak spice and ripe dark layers of red and black berries, sweet cherry tobacco, cola and subtle red liquorice notes with just the faintest spearmint menthol top note. On the palate, the tannins are ripe but powerful with broad mouth-coating grip supported by pure cherry and cranberry fruit concentration, hints of balsamic, crystalline fresh acids and a wonderfully long harmonious finish. Distinguished and refined, but showing tremendous breadth, depth and structural power making this a perfect wine for medium to long-term cellaring. Drink from 2024 to 2036+

James Suckling (98)

Plenty of black cherries, cedar, dried flowers and red cherries on the nose, following through to the palate, which is dense and compressed with gorgeous, intense fruit and chewy yet integrated tannins. Very, very impressive red here. Try after 2024

Wine Advocate (100)

The golden touch, that proverbial Gaja magic, is taken to a whole new level in the 2016 Barolo Sperss. Angelo Gaja has taught his children to follow their own path, and now that the generational switch is well underway at the family estate, we can see that Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni have done him proud. Very proud. This stunning expression from the 2016 vintage (with 16,000 bottles released) represents quite a few celebratory milestones. We are now in the fifth generation to protect the Gaja legacy in an unbroken family chain that has endured since 1859. This wine is 100% Nebbiolo, and since the 2013 vintage, it is part of the Barolo DOCG appellation. Winemaking has been tweaked to embrace a more elegant, ethereal and streamlined personality, instead of the bigger extraction we saw in the past. This upgraded identity is distinctly evident in this newest release of Sperss. Starting with appearance, the wine is luminous and bright with shiny ruby and garnet gemstone. Its aromatic reach is three-dimensional with width, height and depth. Delicate berry tones cede to pressed lilac, anise, sandalwood and cardamom spice. I double decanted and left the bottle open for a few hours before my tasting. The results are tight and gentle, and the wine shows beautiful vertical lift and intensity. To achieve this much power without the excess fruit weight is really quite an accomplishment. This is the magic of Nebbiolo, and the magic of Gaja.

James Suckling (96)

A powerful yet balanced red with glorious dark fruits, sweet tobacco, dark mushroom and flowers. Full body, chewy and rich tannins and a long and powerful finish. Drink in 2019 but already a star.

Wine Advocate (96)

The nose of the 2016 Clos Santuy was a little more discrete and reticent than the 2016 Villages. This comes from a 1.2-hectare plot of ungrafted vines in the village of Piquera de San Esteban that somehow was left out of the Ribera del Duero appellation. There is a sense of harmony and depth unlike that of the Villages, which felt more open and immediate. The palate is pure rock, austere and chalky, with a sense of minerality that was striking. It's approximately 80% Tempranillo and 20% Albillo fermented together with 20% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in one 225-liter barrel and one 600-liter demi-muid for 22 months. 1,095 bottles were filled in September 2018.

Wine Advocate (95)

The nose of the 2016 Villages was stunning. It's a blend of Tempranillo with 9% Garnacha and 4% white Albillo from vineyards in Piquera de San Esteban, Fuentelcésped, Hontangas, Cuevas de Provanco, Quintanilla de Onésimo and Trigueros del Valle. It fermented by soil types with indigenous yeasts and some 20% full clusters (the Garnacha was 100% whole clusters) and matured in a mixture of 225-liter barriques, 600-liter demi-muids and 1,200-liter foudres for 21 months. The élevage was very respectful with the wine, which comes through as floral and terribly aromatic, ripe without excess and with a medium to full-bodied palate, pungent flavors and great length and persistence. The tannins are round and velvety, and there is a sense of integration and balance that I liked very much. 16,140 bottles and 230 magnums were filled in July 2018.

Imbibe the elegance of Gallois Prestige Brut Premier Cru Champagne 2012, a work of viniculture artistry from the classical green slopes of the Premier Cru vineyards in famed Champagne, France. Crafted meticulously by the eminent producer Gallois, this vintage showcases a triumphant harmony of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, refined through a traditional second fermentation in the bottle.

The Gallois Prestige Brut Premier Cru Champagne 2012 is emblematic of its terroir, manifesting vivacious notes of ripe pears and white flowers, embellished by a crisp mineral undertone. The palate reveals a perfect balance of freshness and maturity, marked by a luxuriant texture and a long, complex finish. This meticulously polished champagne renders exceptional aging potential, a testament to Gallois' commitment to excellence.

A classic example of the region's renowned winemaking heritage, Gallois Prestige Brut Premier Cru Champagne 2012 is the epitome of a superior Brut; venerated, prestigious, and beyond comparison.

Wine Advocate (96-97)

The 2019 Les Grands Teppes Vieilles Vignes, always my favorite Chardonnay, doesn't disappoint in this vintage either. It feels a little creamier and a little richer than vintages like 2013 and 2014, reflecting a warmer year. The palate is super intense, with a long, tasty and saline finish.