92-94 Point Wines

wines

(Domaine Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Red) A markedly floral nose is quite pretty with its array of earth, liqueur-like dark berries and lovely spice wisps. There is again outstanding volume to the beautifully textured large-scaled flavors that exude a bracing salinity on the sneaky long and well-balanced if overtly austere finale that displays absolutely stunning length. Here too plenty of patience will be required. (Drink starting 2037)Burghound | 96 BHAromas of orange rind, red cherries, plums, licorice, spices and peonies introduce the 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, a full-bodied, ample and layered wine that’s deep and concentrated, with a generous core of fruit, melting tannins and a long, rose-inflected finish. As ever, this is the domaine’s most immediate, sensual grand cru.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is the usual blend of vineyards: two-thirds in Charmes-Chambertin itself and one-third in Mazoyères. It contains 60% whole bunch and 66% new oak. Very generous and opulent on the nose of dark cherries plus hints of baked gingerbread and clementine; this is very intense. The palate is medium-bodied with a structured opening. The Mazoyères component feels more influential than the Charmes, and the grippy, overtly saline finish does not want to let go. This will be fascinating to watch develop. I love the sense of control throughout.Vinous Media | 94-96 VM

The 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard offers a more exotic, iodine, marine-like style as well as beautiful ripe cherry and redcurrant fruits to go with plenty of briny, mineral, and chalky nuances. This is a wine for those who prize minerality over fruit, and it’s medium-bodied, with a focused, pure texture, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. I think it will show even better in a few years and keep for a good decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDA light shade in the glass, this single-vineyard expression offers snappy aromas of currant alongside earthy hints of dusty rocks, dried herbs and cracked pepper. The structure is taut on the palate, where cranberry and green-peppercorn flavors are fresh and invigorating.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard opens with beguiling aromatics. Spicebox, blood orange, mint, orange peel and a dollop of whole cluster savoriness add nuance. Gracious and medium in body, the 2019 is all class. Interestingly, the Bien Nacido Pinot is quite a bit more reticent than the Chardonnay.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

A perfumed and exceptionally pretty nose combines notes of dark raspberry, exotic tea and a broad range of floral elements. The succulent, refined and admirably punchy medium weight plus flavors possess excellent delineation and a taut muscularity that becomes more prominent on the saline and bitter pit fruit-suffused finale. This well-balanced and very promising effort delivers first-rate length.Burghound | 92-94 BH

The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée is a terrific introduction to the range. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, rose petal and a touch of whole cluster savoriness are all beautifully delineated. This is such a gorgeous and expressive Pinot.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Like many of Te Mata’s 2020 reds, this young pup needs a little time to open if drinking now. Once it does, there’re elegant aromas of cherry and blueberry fruit, violets and roses, ground black pepper, cloves and a slight meatiness in a well-tucked bed of mocha oak. Tangy red fruit on the silky palate is tightly wound by fine tannins and lifted by a crunch of acidity. A unique Pinot that bears the Te Mata stamp of place, polish, freshness and structure. Drink now with rare duck or better yet or until around 2030. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2021 Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains) is a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of the house style. Bright, lifted and wonderfully transparent, the 2021 is all class. Sweet spice and citrus accents complement a core of bright red-toned fruit. Whole cluster accents add layers of nuance. This is such a gorgeous Pinot.Vinous Media | 93 VM

An exuberantly fresh nose of spicy purple fruit, exotic tea, violet and hints of cinnamon and sandalwood are trimmed in discreet but not invisible wood. There is both good richness and punch to the supple medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a lightly austere but impressively long and harmonious finale. This could use better depth but like the VRBM, the Rouget Ech has an excellent track record for aging well.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

Aromas of raspberries, cassis, forest floor, espresso toast, spices and orange zest introduce the 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, ample and layered wine with lively acids, ripe tannins and a broad, saline, peony-inflected finish. This is a beautiful middle-weight in the making.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru sported quite hefty reduction on the nose that made it difficult to read during my visit at the Domaine. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, slightly lactic entry, powdery texture, tight and firm. Maybe not quite the complexity or amplitude of Dugat’s other cuvées on the finish, but it will evolve with time in bottle. A bit stoic at the momentVinous Media | 92-94 VMFirm reduction. The round and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors are not especially dense, but they do offer excellent length on the balanced finish. As it usually does at this point, this will need to add depth, but more should almost certainly develop as the Dugat Charmes has an excellent aging track record.Burghound | 91-93 BH

The 2021 Pinot Noir Antoinette smolders up with an earthy and herbal thrust as crushed ashen stones and peppery florals give way to musky black currants. Silky textures and savory red berry fruits are complicated by hints of citrus and inner rosemary. A coating of fine tannins settles in as the 2021 tapers off to notes of salted licorice, olive and sage. The Antoinette is sultry yet seductive, and impossible to ignore.Vinous Media | 93 VMA deep but transparent, youthful electric ruby, the 2021 Pinot Noir Antoinette is high-toned and floral, with notes of fresh pine needles, mint, grenadine, and wildflowers. Medium-bodied, with good tension, it has a fresh herbal slanting tone on the palate and notes of wet asphalt on the finish. With ripe, angular tannins and a driven, linear edge, it will benefit from another year or two in bottle and drink well over the following 6-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis lithe and graceful Pinot Noir is made with fruit from a 40-year-old block at Temperance Hill Vineyard. Earthy aromas of loamy soil and oregano flirt with tart boysenberries and bbq short ribs. Raspberry fruit and traces of peach and espresso are nicely balanced with velvety tannins and crisp acidity. Enjoy now until 2032. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Here the wood treatment is somewhat more prominent though it is still reasonably discreet and easily allows the spicy nose of plum, green tea, dark currant and humus to be appreciated. There is fine volume and punch to the caressing yet powerful middleweight plus flavors that culminate in a dusty, palate coating and impressively lingering finale. This compact effort should amply repay mid to longer-term keeping.Burghound | 93 BH

Here too a discreet application of wood is present on the equally cool, wonderfully pure and exceptionally pretty aromas of essence of red currant, violet, lavender and a hint of earthiness. There is both excellent volume and mid-palate density to the intense and sleek mouthfeel that is again thanks to the polished tannins supporting the focused and sneaky long finish. As is often the case with the Lignier Charmes, it is a combination of power and finesse.Burghound | 92-94 BH

The perfumed nose is very pretty with a beautifully layered array of cherry, plum, spice and soft earth and sauvage nuances. The focused, intense and beautifully delineated medium-bodied flavors possess evident minerality that also suffuses the dusty and youthfully austere finale. This could use better depth but the balance is impeccable and overall, it should age gracefully for as long as anyone might reasonably want to.Burghound | 94 BH

A more floral and elegant nose freely offers up its slightly riper array of plum, black cherry and exotic spice nuances. The lilting and beautifully detailed middleweight flavors deliver outstanding length on the balanced, youthfully austere and stony finale. This doesn’t presently have quite the same depth as the Clos l’Audignac but the texture is more sophisticated and overall, this is class in a glass.Burghound | 93 BH

This is aromatically similar to the Bressandes though as is typically the case, there are more spice elements in play along with a variety of floral nuances. There is also a bit more mid-palate density to the vibrant and tautly muscular flavors that flash good minerality on the balanced, long and mildly austere finale. This too is a lovely combination of refinement and power.Burghound | 92-94 BH

A cooler and airier mix is comprised by notes of plum, red and dark currant that are trimmed in noticeable wood and menthol influences. The medium-bodied and vibrant flavors possess a positively gorgeous mouthfeel along with both good richness and minerality while delivering impressive power on the palate staining finish. The wood treatment aside, this is a classic Clos des Chênes.Burghound | 91-93 BH

Rose petal, pomegranate and an herbal blast of oregano and marjoram show on the nose of this bottling from an historic producer in the mountains east of Salinas. The palate is snappy in acidity with plenty of herbal influence, offering thyme-flecked strawberry-sauce flavorsWine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Although this is slightly closed on the initial attack, there is a crisply refreshing high-toned fruit character (cranberry, raspberry, pomegranate), with notes of peony and spice. The texture is fresh, tannic and grippy, and the compact, expressive fruit has an admirably chiselled character. The wine is from 75-year-old vines planted at the top of the slope above Richebourg and Cros Parantoux — the ’baby Richebourg’ according to Anne Gros. This wine will drink well from three to five years after the vintage.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée Les Barreaux, which Paul Gros said the family considers a Premier Cru close to Cros Parantoux and Richebourg, is based on poor shallow limestone soils. The nose takes time to open and evolves lovely raspberry and wild strawberry scents laced with oyster shells. The palate is medium-bodied with good substance on the entry. This is more structured than you might presuppose. It has a silver bead of acidity, and the finish feels pixelated for a Village Cru. Bon vin.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMA solid core of ruby purple. What a beautiful nose! Global warming says a friendly hello to cooler sites such as Les Barreaux. More oak this year because of the shortage of one year old barrels, and that shows a touch at the back at the moment but will all integrate. Very lively and extremely fine, with a greater depth of fruit than the Chambolle. The pinot fin plant selection is showing its class here. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMIn contrast to the expressiveness of the prior wines, here the nose is firmly reduced and reveals nothing. More interesting are the fresh, vibrant and beautifully textured medium-bodied flavors that already possess solid depth and very fine length on the balanced if firmly structured finale. Lovely.Burghound | 89-91 BH

The 2022 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru bursts with aromas of sweet berries, cassis, petals, warm spices and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and gourmand palate with an enveloping core of creamy, succulent fruit that largely conceals its powdery structuring tannins, concluding with a broad saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPThe 2022 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is aged entirely in new oak. The very delineated bouquet needs a couple of swirls before it releases scents of white-tipped strawberry, raspberry, wet limestone, and hints of pressed flower. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, slightly candied entry, touches of orange zest and white pepper infusing the vivid red fruit before it fans out gently on the finish. This has a very persistent aftertaste - superb.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMA discreet application of wood is present on the ripe yet nicely fresh aromas of a mix of red fruit, warm earth and spice nuances. The round, delicious, caressing and decidedly punch medium weight flavors flash focused power on the youthfully austere and more tension-filled finale. This is really quite lovely and also a wine that should amply repay extended keeping.Burghound | 93-95 BH

The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin La Marie, named after the lieu-dit close to the Château de Gevrey, has a fragrant bouquet with red cherries, wild strawberries and touches of quince, vivacious and beautifully focused. Saline in the mouth with plenty of energy, gradually building towards a well-proportioned, slightly peppery finish that might deceive you into thinking there were stems in the mix. A level up from the previous vintages.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThe 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin La Marie is ampler and fuller than the regular Gevrey, unfurling in the glass with notes of dark berries, cherries, warm spices and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with a succulent core of fruit and powdery tannins, it’s built to age with grace.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThis is the one wine in the range that was reduced and it’s enough to push the underlying fruit to the background. More interesting are the bigger-bodied and more concentrated flavors that brim with dry extract on the sneaky long and well-balanced finale. This is presently very backward, indeed it’s a bit grumpy, yet the potential for extended cellaring is clearly present. If you have the patience, and can find it, don’t hesitate.Burghound | 90-92 BH

Evoking aromas of flowers, peony, rose, lilac and iris mingled with delicate blackberry notes, the 2022 Echalas, matured for 18 months in barrel, possesses a medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless palate with a creamy texture and an incisive mid-palate. It concludes with a penetrating, saline finish. This is a real success that could age beautifully over the next decade. Part of the La Noue parcel is planted with stakes or échalas, as in Northern Rhône.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The red premier cru Gravières is the flagship of this estate. It is widely seen as the finest vineyard in Santenay, and Jessiaume owns more than five hectares; the bulk of this is included here. This substantial wine is slightly reticent on the initial attack, but it opens with time to show deep mulberry and plum fruit aromas, hints of exotic black tea and spice. The texture is dense and firm, with silky but supportive tannins and impressive persistence on the palate. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing for 12 months in cask (25% new).Decanter | 94 DECA fine flowing crimson purple colour. The bouquet has both class and a sense of reserve. Dark raspberry fruit, but the key is that this wine is busting with energy without sacrificing finesse. The tannins are correctly ripe and integrate beautifully, and there is just the right point of acidity alongside. An impeccable finish. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

Mid purple in colour with a sensual nose, and a touch of white pepper. A dark red fruit on the palate, dark strawberry, with fair length behind. A pleasing rendition of friendly Charmes-Chambertin. Drink from 2030-2039. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JMModerate reduction blocks an evaluation of the nose. The succulent bigger-bodied flavors possess better concentration but not nearly the refinement and while there is good persistence, the dusty finish is a bit chewy and rustic.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2022 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet, opening with black cherries, wild strawberries, and crushed stone. There is real vibrancy here. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly rustic opening. It’s a solid Charmes-Chambertin with good depth but lacks some precision on the finish. A slipped catch from an otherwise strong line-up?Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

From 1.02 hectares of vines, the 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées includes one-third whole bunches this year. The intriguing bouquet offers red berry fruit, brown spices, and hints of Earl Grey - quite complex and mercurial in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh, and vibrant with sappy red fruit, fine delineation, and a svelte, harmonious, graphite-tinged finish. This superb Gevrey should age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA fine mid ruby. Less immediately seductive on the nose than the Gevrey Regnard, but still with plenty of red berry fruit, a little more structure from the barrel, and will take longer to come round. A fine intensity of strawberry fruit behind. Old vines, some pre-war, the rest 1950s-60s. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMAromas of spices, wild berries, smoke and loamy soil introduce the 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées, a medium to full-bodied, pure and charming wine that’s ample and fine-boned, with melting tannins and a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPA slightly more deeply pitched nose features notes of plum, earth, violet and a hint of the sauvage. There is very good mid-palate density to the solidly powerful middleweight flavors that exhibit fine length on the muscular, dusty, rustic and muscular finish. This is built-to-age and should repay 7 to 10 years of aging.Burghound | 89-91 BH

From purchased fruit, the 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Reniards has a perfumed bouquet of red berries, wild strawberries, and a touch of peppermint in the background. The palate is very well-balanced with red cherry, cranberry and crushed stone. Fresh and focused with a bit of allspice and peppercorns on the finish. This evidences a solid source of fruit. Very fine. (Drink between 2025 - 2040)Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPurchased grapes. On the pinker side of ruby in colour, with a very prettily perfumed nose. Cherry as much as strawberry here, filling the mouth very nicely, in an uncomplicated but delicious fashion. Well worth seeking out. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-92 JMFresh, bright and airy aromas include those of the essence of red currant and forest floor nuances. The medium weight flavors are at once succulent and sleek while delivering fine length on the balanced finale where a touch of bitter pit fruit-character slowly emerges.Burghound | 88-91 BH

The ripe mulberry and black cherry fruit aromas here have hints of leather, earth and spice that carry through to the palate. The structure has admirable grip and focus, leading the wine to a pleasantly persistent finish. The grapes are from a half-hectare recently purchased; he extracts very carefully, with a pre-soak but no more punching down. The result is elegant and should be ready to drink shortly after release.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECA pretty purple with good depth, on a steady slope well exposed to the south. Attractive juicy red fruit, more strawberries, with good energy all the way through. As with the village wine, this is more about the fruit than the structure. Drink from 2028-2033. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JMThe 2022 Monthélie 1er Cru Sur la Velle is seamless and charming, offering up notes of plums, sweet berries, smoke and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and charming palate. This will offer expressive drinking on release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RPFirm reduction blocks an assessment of the nose though there is good freshness and verve to the succulent, delicious and velvet-textured medium-bodied flavors that deliver reasonably good length on the firm, dusty and mildly chewy finish that is rustic but not hard.Burghound | 88-90 BHThe 2022 Monthélie Sous la Velle 1er Cru has a crisp, well-defined bouquet, the 20% whole bunches neatly integrated, offering hints of raspberry and blackcurrant leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins and well-balanced, though it needs a little more depth toward the finish. But I appreciate the white pepper notes on the conclusion. An admirable Monthélie.Vinous Media | 87-90 VM