90 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Aromas of overturned earth, coriander and wild blackberries. Medium-to full-bodied with plenty of tasty savory character. Fine, slightly chewy tannins. Black tea and forest herbs on the palate. Drink now.

95 Aaron Brasher - The Real Review

Young, vibrant and youthful colour in the glass. Black fruit aromas, mulberry and blackberry along with bramble, dried herbs, menthol, cedar and pencil shavings. Dark, rich and full-flavoured, there plenty of blackcurrant, mulberry, dark cherry and spice, there’s a also a lick of soy and meaty umaminess. The wine has a lively line of acidity and granular, layered acidity. Very smart gear, plenty going on.

95 Wine Pilot

Not your shy and retiring kind, 1000 Crowns comes out plush, rich and complex. A fair whack of vanillin oak introduces the black-hearted wine with lifted florals – violet, briar – and tilled earth, undergrowth aromas. The wine can take it. At 14.5% alcohol, it’s on the ripe and generous side. Handsome fine tannins sweep long across the palate emphasising cassis and black fruits with savoury input and some expensive oak-led cigar box characters. Time and patience will reward the drinker.

92-94 Neal Martin - Vinous Media

"The 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé La Croix Vieilles Vignes undergoes a three-year élevage. These vines on deep blue schist soils create a warm microclimate so that the potential alcohol levels can be two or three degrees higher than elsewhere. It has a linear and focused bouquet that disguises the warmth of the terroir with style. The palate is vibrant on the entry, a superb line of acidity, quite saline yet there is real substance towards the finish. There is a sense of completeness to this Pouilly-Fuissé with just a touch of spiciness lingering on the aftertaste. Strongly recommended."

90 International Wine Report

"The 2019 The Buccaneer ‘Dead Drift’ Red Blend delivers aromas of red plums, wild berries, spices, pepper and oak nuances that all develop in the glass. On the palate this is medium-bodied and structured with soft, velvety tannins ending with a round finish."

96 Luca Maroni - Annuario dei Migliori Vini Italiani

92-94 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

I loved the 2022 Château Joanin Bécot, which might be the finest vintage I've tasted from this château. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, harvested between the 15th and 26th of September and aged in 50% new barrels, it has a vivid purple hue as well as awesome aromatics of black raspberries, chalky minerality, and flowers. As with many of these top Castillon releases, it tastes like a top Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé and is medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, and terrific balance.

91-93 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2022 Joanin-Bécot is one of the best vintages I can remember tasting. Heady and explosive in the glass, the 2022 offers up copious red/purplish berry fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol and licorice all saturate the finish. This could be a Sleeper.

91-93 William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from Juliette Bécot, the 2022 Joanin Bécot offers up aromas of dark berries, bay leaf, vine smoke and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, supple and incisive, it's a rich but vibrant wine that exhibits the potential of the Côtes de Castillon in vintages like this.

92 Georgina Hindle - Decanter

Full and fruity nose, expressive and ripe, nicely perfumed and expressive. Clean and clear, extremely mineral, graphite, pencil lead and flint stone notes on the palate alongside clear blue fruits, blueberries, blackcurrants and some red summer berries. Super smooth in terms of texture but also quite lean in terms of fruit flavour, this has bite and tang, a touch austere but also really quite juicy and floral too. Needs a bit of time, but feels precise and focussed with grip and intensity. I like the fruitiness, really quite upfront but keeping the liveness and energy. Succulent and nicely sweet touches with juicy acidity. Easy enjoyment, plush, mineral, all in balance. 3.6pH. 12% press wine. A yield of 39hl/ha.

89-91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Independent

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Joanin Becot has a deep purple-black color. It races out of the glass with vibrant notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and juicy black plums, leading to nuances of cinnamon stick, star anise, and dusty soil. Full-bodied, the palate is plush and soft-spoken, with lots of elegant, spicy accents and a fragrant finish.

92+ Eric Guido - Vinous Media

Youthfully coy, the 2021 Bianco Brazan wafts up with young peach, sweet spice and crushed stone aromas. This is round and supple with medium-weight textures and mineral-tinged orchard fruits flowing across a saline-tinged acidity stream. It finishes grippy and long, quite structured and backward, leaving a saturation of tart citrus to linger on. The 2021 is a powerful rendition of Brazan that will require cellaring to show its best. This is a blend of 50% Ribolla Gialla, 40% Tocai Giallo and 10% Malvasia Istriana.

91 Wine Enthusiast

Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) takes the lead on this wine, followed by Merlot (33%) and Petit Verdot (17%). Oak aromas are out front, with prominent notes of vanilla along with toasty spice, chocolate and cherry. There's a lovely texture to the cherry and barrel flavors that keeps the interest high. The tannins give a gentle squeeze. Fruit and barrel play equal parts.

93 Wine Showcase Magazine

Aromas of tropical fruits and freshly picked limes. There is a piercing concentration of flavors, leading to a surprisingly medium-bodied palate with loads of fresh citrus flavors.

93 Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

Youthfully fruited and instantly appealing, the wine shows black/blueberry, violet, hazelnut and vanilla notes on the nose. It's equally satisfying on the palate displaying excellent fruit purity and intensity, backed by silken texture and polished tannins. At its best: now to 2029.

95 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

"The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle takes all the signatures of the estate and turns up the volume, resulting in an ample, dramatic wine that hits all the right notes. Black cherry, mocha, lavender, spice and leather build into the intense, palate-staining finish. The 2017 is such a gorgeous and vivid Gran Selezione. Don't miss it."

95 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Ripe berries, dried flowers and orange peel with some smoke. Full-bodied with round, chewy tannins that provide lots of texture and structure. From organically grown grapes. Needs time to soften. Try after 2023."

91 International Wine Report

"The 2021 Hidden Vines Pinot Noir opens to inviting aromas of red cherries, plums, sweet spices, dried herbs and hints of tea leaf. It shows noteable overall balance and structure, with velvety texture and a lovely touch of acidity framing the finish."

92 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

This has a ripe berry-soaked character with toasted cedar, cocoa powder and cigar box. Firm and chewy with a full body and polished tannins. Juicy and dark-fruited backbone with notes of bitter spices and crushed stones to close. Try after 2024.

92 Wine Spectator

Expressive, with cherry paste, mulberry preserves and plum compote, this delivers a zesty, bramble-edged feel through the licorice-accented finish. Approachable, but with solid grip underneath, so there's no rush. Drink now through 2035. 250 cases made.

94 The Tasting Panel

Publisher’s Pick. Determined and driven with insistent tannins. Plum, lavender, and espresso are enveloped in a dusty coating for a chewy, dry finish.

93 Decanter

Intense blackberry fruit, with a sinewy texture, impressive concentration and a slow finish. It shows the value of individual vineyards in Rioja.

91 Wine Enthusiast

Owned by Olivier Decelle, who also has property in Saint-Émilion, Burgundy and Roussillon, this estate has produced a ripe, juicy wine. It shows a fine poise between elegant black fruits and a subtle layer of tannins. Full and generous, the wine will be ready from 2025.

92 Wine Enthusiast

This deep violet-red wine has a nose of blackberry, violet and pencil lead. It is bright at first sip, filling the mouth with red berry flavors accompanied by notes of menthol, milk chocolate, cherry pipe tobacco and clove that are sheathed in a layer of downy tannins. The finish is marked with a soft note of lavender.

98 Winestate Magazine

A lovely vibrant classic Coonawarra cabernet, dark crimson in colour with purple hues and with brooding rich fruit characters, plenty of oak and nice level of tannins.