In seinem Artikel vom 31. Januar 2019 schreibt JEB DUNNUCK:
"100-96 As good as It gets. These wines reach the peak of my personal scale of quality
95-90 Outstanding.These wines are outstanding for their type and are worth the extra effort to seek out.
89-87 Very Good to Good. These offer real character and can be age worthy. The majority of my cellar and what I drink on a daily basis falls into this category.
I score wines on the above scale, and the bottle price, winery/wine reputation, and vintage have no bearing on the score. While a well-written note should not need a score, its inclusion allows a clear, easy to understand delineation of preferences. This allows a more concise note that can focus on the positive aspects of each wine as opposed to always having to explain why a wine rated 88 points isn't as good as one rated outstanding with 95 points. A precise score also forces the reviewer to make a hard decision –and I will agonize over small differences in score. Having said that, and while I believe a reviewer should be as precise as possible (i.e. the old saying "aim small, miss small"), readers should interpret broadly and take any rating system with a grain of salt. The only difference between a wine I rate 89 points and one I rate 90 points (or one rated 100 points and one rated 97 points for that matter) is that I liked one a little more than the other. That's all a score tells you and a score represents the reviewer's opinion."
- 99+ Punkte: "Checking in as a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that hit 14.3% alcohol, the 2012 Dominus is a sensational wine that certainly ranks with the all-time greats of this cuvée and is reminiscent of the 1991. Ripe, flamboyant, and incredibly sexy, it nevertheless shows the classic style of this estate, has nothing out of place and just glides across the palate. Blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, cedar box, new leather, and an almost garrigue-like character all emerge from this full-bodied, silky, seamless effort that has fine tannin, perfectly integrated acidity, tannins, alcohol, and a great, great finish. Drink it any time over the coming 2-3 decades. It's a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the greats."
- 97 Punkte: "The 2015 Insignia is a fleshy, flamboyant vintage for this wine and reminds me of the 1997. Tons of dark fruits, tobacco, cedar, and dried flower notes all give way to a full-bodied, seamless 2015 that has remarkable purity and elegance, yet still shows the vintage’s sexy style. Drink it any time over the coming two to three decades."
Rivers-Marie Panek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
- 98 Punkte: "The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard is another brilliant wine that has full-bodied richness and power, yet still glides across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. Notes of cassis, dark chocolate, cold steel, and some bloody, meaty, iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it changes and develops beautifully with air. A wine of incredible purity and complexity, it’s a thrill a minute today yet has the capacity to evolve for 2+ decades."
Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2016
- 95 Punkte: "Starting with the least expensive release, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley makes you wonder why you would spend more on the top cuvées. This full-bodied, fruit-forward, yet deep, layered beauty gives up complex notes of crème de cassis, graphite, incense, and candied violets. It’s as seamless and balanced as they come and is a beautiful wine to drink over the coming 15-20 years."