2 | Wine | $10 to $20, 91 or higher

"Sleek and impeccably focused and balanced, with floral apple, cinnamon and anise aromas and crisp yet supple lemon tart, cherry and spicy hazelnut flavors."

"The 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva is striking. Succulent dark cherries, flowers, mint and licorice burst from the glass in this exuberant, sexy Riserva. The tannins are nearly buried by the opulent fruit, but the wine retains great balance, while avoiding any sense of heaviness. The 2009 captures the heat and richness of the year while never abandoning its classic sense of structure. This is a superb wine from Monsanto with plenty of upside potential. Sweet floral notes add an elegant, feminine touch to the finish."

"Inky purple. Ripe black raspberry and cherry liqueur scents are brightened by zesty pepper and allspice nuances. Plush and sweet, with powerful cherry and red berry compote flavors given lift by juicy acidity. Gains flesh and depth on the impressively long, spicy finish, which is given shape by fine-grained tannins."

"Bright medium ruby. Restrained but pure aromas of blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, mocha and peppery herbs. Dense, sappy and deep, boasting a seamlessness in spite of its musky dark berry flavors accented by pepper and herbs. Classic, satisfying and complete cabernet, with a lush, round texture, excellent breadth and length, and very suave, fine-grained tannins. This could do some damage in a blind flight of top Napa cabernets. A steal at the price." -Stephen Tanzer

"The nose is very pure, with honey, passion fruit and quince, whilst the palate demonstrates great freshness and vitality, zippy acidity, with real race towards the linear finish. This holds great promise for the future."

"Wonderful aromas of crushed blueberries, blackberries and sliced mushrooms follow through to a full body, with a dense palate and very polished tannins. A little chewy but it's a soft textured and delicious. Can't wait to try it with bottle age."

"It has a superb bouquet of peach skin, pear and a hint of lime flower that has a Riesling-like personality. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins and a precise, mineral-rich finish that shows what Torrontes can do in the right hands. Excellent."

"The 2010 Chablis Cuvee Massale is another striking wine graced with exquisite finesse and crystalline transparency. The old-vines Cuvee Massale is from a 4 hectare parcel planted with vines that are nearly 50 years old. It is very promising in this vintage."

"Tasted from tank, into which it had been assembled just two weeks beforehand, the Morin 2011 Sancerre Vieilles Vignes – which will as usual be a cuvee solely for the U.S. market, and bottled unfiltered – brims with bright lime and grapefruit; apple and honeydew melon, offering a lovely balance between lees-enrichment and refreshing vivacity. There is a chalky sense of mineral impingement to the vibrantly zesty, invigorating, yet persistently succulent finish of this buoyant (incidentally, 12.7% alcohol) Sancerre that should drink well for the next 3-4 years if not beyond."

"The 2010 Chianti Classico is beautiful, pointed and articulate. Sweet red berries, anise, flowers, spices and licorice are some of the many notes that flow from this gorgeous Chianti. The freshness and vibrancy are pure 2010."