When it comes to wine critics’ scores—whether they sway you in any meaningful way or not—there are some thresholds that arguably matter. A bottle tagged with a 90 on the 100-point scale is in decent standing (if not in stellar position) on shop shelves, but drop that a single point, and it will languish; no one goes out looking for an 89. Halfway into the 90s is another milestone: Scores of 95 and over are downright impressive. In that range, the critics might quibble about nuance and style, but if their numbers are all clustered north of 95, they agree the wine is terrific.
The most compelling achievement, of course, is the century mark. Fully aware of the bragging rights (and marketing bonanza) riding on that perfect-100, critics don’t give it lightly. It’s the one score they’ve put the most serious thought into, and can back up with meaningful high praise.
Alas, in light of the aforementioned marketing bonanza, most 100-point wines are elusive, unicorn bottles—the prize for the collector prescient enough to snag a ground-floor membership with the promising producer on his or her way to the top. But not all. Periodically we scan the market for bottles deemed perfect by one or more of the most respected critics, which you can also order on the spot. Our most recent finds range from Napa Valley to Italy. As for the arguments about why they deserve their 100-point scores, we’ll let the critics themselves do the talking.
Accendo Cellars 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Photo: Courtesy of Accendo Cellars
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is extraordinary. Inky, rich and explosive, with stunning depth, the 2018 is insanely beautiful right out of the bottle. Blackberry, mocha, licorice, red plum, spice, leather and cedar all build as this rich, explosive Cabernet shows off its pedigree. The 2018 is quite simply the finest wine I have tasted yet at Accendo. Far from an easygoing 2018, the Accendo Cabernet is going to need a number of years to be at its very best. A remarkable, mind-blowing wine, it is quite clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Vineyard sources are Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady, DMVH and Ecotone, which is pretty much as good, or great, as it gets.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Tor 2019 Vine Hill Ranch Pure Magic Red Napa Valley
Tor
“The 2019 Vine Hill Ranch Pure Magic certainly lives up to its name, there is such an incredible pure character and it is nothing short of magical. It instantly begins to impress as it bursts open to seductive aromas of ripe dark currants, black cherries and even hints of blueberries which are woven together with exotic spices, violets, herbs, tilled-soil and a touch of licorice that all come together and explode from the glass. On the palate this continues to impress with its lavish full-body that is dense and concentrated. This goes on to display remarkable freshness and striking overall balance as layers of beautifully ripe dark fruits cascade on the long supple finish. The Pure Magic is an absolute gem of a wine from Tor in this vintage and while it is nothing short of absolutely stunning today, it also shows tremendous promise for a brilliant future ahead. Drink: 2021–2025.” –J. D’Angelo, Editor, International Wine Report
Louis Roederer 2008 Cristal Rosé Champagne
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Roederer
“The finest rendition of this cuvée that Lécaillon has produced to date—and indeed, one of the finest wines produced by any of Champagne’s important houses in the last two or three decades … Unfurling in the glass with aromas of wild strawberries, tangerine, warm pastry, and crisp green orchard fruit … the 2008 is deep and concentrated, with a racy but beautifully integrated spine of acidity, a multidimensional core, and a searingly chalky and laser-focused finish.” –William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Cliff Lede Vineyards 2018 Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District, Napa Valley
Cliff Lede Vineyards
“Composed of 88 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 percent Merlot, 5 percent Petit Verdot and 1 percent Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry prances out of the glass with impressively flamboyant scents of blackberry compote, blueberry preserves, black currant pastilles and candied violets, giving way to nuances of dried roses, menthol, powdered cinnamon and aniseed with a waft of cedar chest. Full-bodied, the palate is impactful yet maintains compelling restraint, featuring layers of crunchy black fruits, exotic spices and floral hints, framed by firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. This is one of those beguiling 2018 Napa Cabernets that is simply going to blow you away!” –Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Quilceda Creek 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Quilceda Creek
“This is as good as it gets for Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. Right away the gorgeous crème de violette and crème de cassis tones join blackberry cordial, exotic spices and dark chocolate shavings. The combination of finesse and texture is downright scintillating. Sweet pipe tobacco is woven together with Black Forest cake and fresh blueberries and graphite with shades of tar take shape on the palate. Truly sensational even at the three-year mark, this will provide drinking enjoyment over the next 20-plus years. Drinking window 2021–2040.” –Owen Bargreen, Decanter
Elvio Cogno 2016 Bricco Pernice Barolo DOCG
Elvio Cogno
“Valter Fissore’s 2016 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice is a tour de force, taking the power, balance and elegance of his 2016 Barolo Ravera (98 points, W&S 12/20) to an even higher level. The wine bursts from the glass with aromas of rose petal, violet and mint that are fresh and high toned, beautifully representative of the outstanding 2016 vintage. The five-acre Bricco Pernice plot sits near the top of a south-facing hill in the Ravera cru, and in the long, even growing season of 2016, its preponderance of old vines (75 percent are more than 50 years of age) lends a depth and resonance to the herb-inflected dark-cherry flavors. The wine has an inner brightness and lift that propel those flavors across the palate as they gain notes of raspberry, licorice and orange peel. Cool, ferrous tannins outline the vivid fruit tones, creating a precise, chiseled effect: Each flavor is clearly defined, yet all are in perfect harmony. The tension between subtle power and exuberant energy in the 2016 Bricco Pernice is a thrill that every Barolo lover should experience.” –Stephanie Johnson, Italian Wine Editor, Wine & Spirits
Immortal Estate 2016 Impassable Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
Immortal Estate
“… All Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Impassible Mountain (28 months in 85 percent new French oak) … is a magical, blockbuster, yet ethereal-styled Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma. With a kaleidoscopic array of crème de cassis, sagebrush, tobacco, cedar pencil and awesome minerality, it has incredible concentration, full-bodied richness and a skyscraper-like mouth-feel, yet it also stays weightless, elegant and flawlessly balanced. There are few estates coming close to this level of quality in Sonoma with Cabernet Sauvignon, and if you want to taste pure perfection from Sonoma, try this wine! It’s still a baby, and I suspect it will need 8–10 years to hit maturity, but it’s going to evolve for 30–40 years.” –Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
Royal Tokaji 2013 Szt. Tamás Single Vineyard Aszú, Tokaj, Hungary
Photo: Wilson Daniels
“This is how Hungarian Tokaj Aszü wine should be made. It has aromas of wildflower honey, ripe peach, honeysuckle blossom, freshly sliced apricot, and acacia flowers … Silky smooth on entry, it offers enticing flavors of white peach, apricot preserves, honeycomb, and acacia honey … The elegant sweetness is perfectly foiled by bracing acidity and crispness in the finish.” – Jeff Jenssen, Wine Enthusiast
Patria 2019 Avoyelles Oakville, Napa Valley
Patria
“The 2019 Avoyelles Oakville Ranch checks in as 55 percent Cabernet Franc, 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Petit Verdot, all from the Oakville Ranch Vineyard and aged 22 months in French oak. It has an insanely good bouquet of chocolaty red and black fruits, dried herbs, chocolate and obvious minerality as well as full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Complex, layered, multi-dimensional and perfectly balanced, it’s an incredible Cabernet Franc–dominated blend that will benefit from just a handful of years in the cellar and keep for 15–20 years.” –Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
Casanova di Neri 2016 Cerretalto Brunello di Montalcino
Casanova di Neri
“Wow. Incredible purity and transparency with cherries, bark, mushroom, flower and slate/stone on the nose. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with a fine tannin structure that runs the length of the wine and goes on forever. The polish, elegance and grace is breathtaking. Power with agility. A revelation for the 2016 vintage in Brunello. Drink in 2024 and onwards but wonderful to taste now.” –James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
Vietti 2016 Barolo Ravera
Vietti
“The 2016 Barolo Ravera is bursting with all of the tension that is the most singular characteristic of this site. Freshly cut flowers, white pepper and mint lend energy to a wine that is very shy and tightly wound today. Then again, it is Ravera. Macerated dark cherry, lavender, mint, crushed rocks and sage race out of the glass in a potent, stunning Barolo endowed with magnificent purity and translucency. The 2016 is quite simply a stunning, breathtaking wine. Don’t miss it. –Antonio Galloni, Vinous
