Vinous 97 Points: “The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Lava Block is a potent, explosive wine. Rocky soils yield a potent, intensely mineral-drenched Cabernet Sauvignon. Crushed rocks, graphite, chocolate, lavender, incense, and crème de cassis all race across the palate, supported by salivating acids and big yet well-balanced tannins.” ”

Robert Parker 99 Points: “A blend of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Estate Cuvée is another outstanding wine from L’Aventure in the challenging 2020 vintage, offering singular concentration and elegance. Deep ruby-purple, it has a pure core of cassis and slowly unfolding accents of licorice, cured meats, tobacco leaves, cedar and truffle. Full-bodied, juicy and alluring, it floods the mouth with layers of blue fruit, floral perfume and spice. It is supported by powdery tannins and boasts a tremendously long, detailed finish.”

Robert Parker 97 Points: “Mae Estate is brand new cuvée from Tyler. “This place came on the market in 2014,” explains winemaker Justin Tyler Willett. “We had contemplated buying a place, so we will break ground here in 2022 on a new winery.” Located in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation on marine sediment soils, the Mae Estate will become the new home for Tyler wines. The 2019 Chardonnay Mae Estate is a beautiful first iteration. The nose features creamy panna cotta, lemon peel and pastry aromas streaked with sweet spice, and the palate has a unique satiny texture that coats the mouth and draws out its plush, creamy citrus and apricot layers. Don’t hesitate to try this promising new cuvée from Tyler”

FMW 97 Points: The 2021 Hudson Estate Chardonnay is a lush, deep, and concentrated youngster that wows you from the start. The wine’s bold aromas jump out of the glass. On the palate, you’ll encounter lush viscosity and tantalizing richness. The wine is loaded with bold flavors of lemon confit, marzipan, fresh-cut flowers, chamomile, and almonds.  This  Chardonnay is very statuesque and over-delivers from start to finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “A blockbuster of a Sauvignon Blanc, Bevan’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Dry Stack Vineyard comes from an Italian clone planted in gravelly soil in the Bennett Valley and is raised, I believe, in the barrel. Bottled unfiltered so it has a touch of haziness in its gold hue, it offers a heavenly bouquet of caramelized lemon zest, mint, orange blossom, honeyed flowers, and brioche. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has incredible concentration, a layered, pure mouthfeel, good freshness, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s not for those craving lightweight aromas and flavors and has the weight and richness of a great Chardonnay. Drink this beauty over the coming 2-3 years.”

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points: “Beautiful, sweet cassis and blue fruits, as well as lots of violet and floral notions, emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied, rich, concentrated barrel sample with wonderful purity of fruit, a good sense of freshness, and serious length on the finish. This promising, elegant yet powerful wine is going to shine with short-term bottle age and keep for two decades.”

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points: “Lastly, the 2021 The Bard checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. This beauty has a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, chalky minerality, and violets. This carries to a full-bodied, seamless, silky, flawlessly balanced effort revealing fine tannins, a good sense of freshness, and a thrilling finish.”

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points: “The 2019 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is a blend of 87% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and a splash of Viognier. It offers a deep purple hue to go with a totally brilliant nose of ripe blackberries, blueberries, ground pepper, game, and violets. Pure class on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Spectacular juice, it should evolve for a decade.”

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Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “The 2022 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard comes from a Grand Cru site in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands. It has a vivid bouquet of red and black raspberry fruits, black tea, spring flowers, and orange blossom that opens up nicely with time in the glass. This carries to a medium-bodied Pinot Noir with a seamless, layered texture, a beautiful sense of purity and precision, and a great finish. As with the appellation release, it will unquestionably offer pleasure in its youth, yet I suspect it will be even better with a year or two of bottle age.”

James Suckling 96 Points: “Aromas of hibiscus, lemon, iron and strawberry follow through to a medium to full body with very fine tannins that melt into the wine. Lovely freshness. Succulent and juicy. Drink now or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “The Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard was 80% destemmed, which is a lot of stems by this estate’s standards, and spent 16 months in 40% new barrels. It’s another exotic, complex, incredibly satisfying Pinot Noir in the lineup that offers ripe red and black fruits, black tea, orange blossom, and spice-laced aromas and flavors. I love its texture, and it has terrific mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish.

FMW 97 Points: This 100% Estate-grown Cabernet (96.3% CS and 3.7% PV), offers up an amazing bouquet of classic dark Cabernet fruit that jumps out of the glass upon impact.  This 2019 youngster is lush, full in bodied and surprisingly well-balanced.  The wine is multi-layered loaded with gorgeous black currant, dark chocolate, a whiff of anise, cassis and a touch of spice on the opulent palate.  Extremely well-balanced and in-sync wine that will please the big Cab lover.  This is a killer wine, but unfortunately a very limited production.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points: “A very attractive and floral perfume cascades from the glass of the 2021 Chardonnay The North Slope Vineyard. Displaying a bright yellow-golden color, it leads with notes of honeycomb, melon, incense, and lemon rind, and although it’s full-bodied, it reveals a more linear and elegant profile on the palate, with a silky texture and a mineral accent of wet asphalt. It’s a very pretty style of white with a graceful and savory finish. Drink 2024-2030.”

James Suckling 98 Points: This is amazing on the nose with dried strawberries, sandalwood, mahogany and tea leaf. Iron and rust underneath the fruit. Dried flowers, nutmeg, and rose petals. Full-bodied yet agile and energetic with layers of fine dusty tannins. Entrancing finish.”

sFMW 97+ Points: “Sourced from 40-year-old vines from Charley Heintz’s site just east of Occidental.  This 2022 radiant Chardonnay offers up a deep, rich, lush style body with electrifying notes of bright orchard fruits, brioche, and a whiff of minerality.  Incredibly well-balanced, with a touch of amalgamated acidity, it showcases a lush and rich mid-palate and a long, sophisticated finish. This is a classic Sonoma Coast Chardonnay that can be enjoyed now, and should drink and cellar well for a good decade!”

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points: “Hailing from Oakville, the 2019 Au Paradis is nuanced, with ripe redcurrant, fresh tobacco, and sweet baking spice. The palate is fully dry and has lift through its dark fruited profile. The midpalate is flush with roses and ripe red plum, giving way to a well-balanced, tannic structure. Drink 2024-2044.”

Mark Aubert’s Tasting Notes: “The alluring 2018 UV-SL is a kaleidoscope of apple oil, lemon confit, crème patissière, and almond croissant lined with a subtle saline note and a touch of talc. With air the tight-knit core grows to reveal seductive flavors of praline, stone fruit preserves, and white flower. Full-bodied and opulent, the compelling UV-SL finishes long and pure. This wine has more to reveal and will age gracefully for 10+ years. The wine is slightly hazy showing our commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.”

TWI 98-100 Points: ““This note is written before the final blend of the 2021 Continuum. Deep purple-black in color, it hits the ground running with an intense nose of red and black currant preserves, lilacs, baker’s chocolate, and graphite, leading to an undercurrent of black olives and red loam. On the medium to full-bodied palate it is very lively, grainy and super-concentrated, finishing long and shimmery.”