95-97 Point Wines

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The 2017 Chapelle-Chambertin from Madame Tremblay is also a stunning wine, but it is a bit more reserved out of the blocks than the flamboyant and supremely elegant Echézeaux and will need a few more years to blossom. The youthful nose is pure and sappy, offering up scents of plums, black cherries, raw cocoa, violets, gamebird, a hint of hazelnut, woodsmoke, a wisp of orange zest and a lovely base of smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and sappy at the core, with a beautiful structural chassis, lovely soil signature, ripe, fine-grained tannins and stunning length and grip on the perfectly balanced and youthful finish. All this great wine needs is time in the cellar to fully blossom. (Drink between 2030 - 2085)John Gilman | 97 JGCécile Tremblay’s top wine is made with grapes from a very old 0.35ha block in this small Gevrey grand cru. Exotic yet refreshing, it’s supple and appealing but has good underlying tannins, acidity and minerality, joined by intense red cherry and strawberry fruit.Decanter | 95 DECLike many wines from this charming, demonstrative vintage, Tremblay’s 2017 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru can already be drunk with pleasure. Exhibiting aromas of red berries and plums mingled with notions of orange rind, warm spices and vanilla pod, it’s full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a round, giving core of fruit framed by supple tannins and lively acids. Expect it to put on additional depth with further bottle age, much like its 2007 counterpart.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is also quite floral with its cool and strikingly pretty aromas of softly spiced red and dark berry and earth scents that are trimmed in gentle wood nuances. The mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is quite simply gorgeous as it’s at once caressing and lacy yet potent and powerful, all wrapped in an intensely mineral-driven finish that goes on and on. This is a superb Chapelle.Burghound | 93-96 BHNotably deeper colour, this has much darker fruit on the nose, some black fruit notes, powerful though on the palate and with great energy. Fresh finish, with good, even weight throughout. Her holding is in the Gemeaux part of the appellation which resist dry conditions, especially as these are old vines. Very good finale I must say. Tasted: November 2018.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMThe 2017 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru has around 80% whole bunches this year. It has a very perfumed bouquet of raspberry, crushed strawberry, vanilla pod and a touch of iodine, all very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black and red fruit, perhaps not as complex as the Echézeaux, and a touch of brown spice surfaces toward the finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

This remarkable 0.35ha parcel used to belong to Domaine Newman but is now an established part of the Mortet range. All located on white soils on the larger Chambolle-side of Bonnes Mares, this is showing its 70% new wood at the moment but has the structure and concentration to soak it up. It’s sappy, savoury and fine, with a palate-pleasing red fruit sweetness and underlying minerality.Decanter | 96 DECFine full mid purple. Gorgeous rich fruit leavened by some whole bunch effect. Dark raspberry fruit. Spicy notes, and not picked too late. The fruit swells beautifully on the palate, though still in the fine-boned style of the vintage. This has a most beautiful finish which really stretches the fruit out beyond the light tannins. Tasted: December 2018.Jasper Morris | 93-97 JMFrom a parcel with white soils, the 2017 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is very pretty, wafting from the glass with notes of rose petal, blood orange, wild berries and savory bass notes. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and fine-boned, with chalky structuring tannins, juicy acids and a vibrant core of fruit. The style here is exquisite, and if Mortet can coax a little more depth and concentration from these vines in future vintages while retaining its elegant profile, he will soon number among this grand cru’s greatest exponents.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA deft application of oak easily allows the earthy aromas of plum, red and dark berries and game to be appreciated. Once again there is very good volume to the powerful and solidly concentrated middle weight plus flavors that culminate in a refreshing and chalky finish that is slightly firmer as well as a bit longer too. This beauty possesses impressive development potential.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2017 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru includes around 30 to 40% whole bunches with around 70% new oak. At the moment, the new wood is quite vocal on the nose and slightly occludes the fruit underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, sorbet-like entry, notes of blood orange suffusing the red fruit, though I would like a little more depth to evolve on the finish, perhaps a touch more blue fruit too. Needs time to develop its personality.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The Mugneret sisters’ Échézeaux comes from two contrasting parcels in Les Rouges du Bas and Les Quartiers de Nuits. It’s quite oaky at the moment, thanks to 75% new wood, but there’s plenty of plush, textured fruit to soak up the splinters. It’s floral and refined with the feminine touch that typifies the domaine’s wines.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2017 Echezeaux Grand Cru is still very open and expressive despite its recent bottling, bursting from the glass with aromas of smoky cherries, ripe berries, orange rind, dark chocolate and espresso roast. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, textural and enveloping, with powdery tannins, lively acids and an ample core of fruit, concluding with a long and perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru is far less strict than the previous bottle I tasted at the Domaine. This offers plenty of fruit on the nose, plush for the vintage with copious kirsch, Morello cherries and orange pith scents. Sensual and alluring. Just a hint of green olive lurks in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins, still plush with a judicious sprinkling of black pepper on the finish. This is a very impressive showing with a disarming persistence in the mouth. Tasted at Maison de Colombier in Beaune.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe family’s parcels in Echézeaux were quite badly frosted in 2016 and this seemed to show just a little in the 2017 version of the wine. It is not that the wine is fluide on the palate, as the depth at the core is very good here, but there seems to be just a touch less energy to this wine in 2017 than what is found in the other two grand crus, not to mention the top premier crus this year. Perhaps it was just the stage that the wine was going through at the time of my visit? The bouquet is certainly lovely, as it delivers a fine mix of plums, sweet dark berries, cocoa powder, duck, lovely spices tones, a fine base of soil and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure on the attack, full-bodied and quite complex, with a good core, refined tannins and very good length and grip on the well-balanced finish. I may have just been a touch hyper sensitive about this wine, but with the fireworks in abundance with the other two grand crus, this wine was just a tad subdued in comparison- though still excellent. (Drink between 2027 - 2080)John Gilman | 93+ JGMade up from Quartiers de Nuits, still sharecropped, and Les Rouges du Bas, which they now run themselves but the crop here was light in 2017, so the proportions between the two is still close to 50/50. This has been matured in 60% new wood. The nose is subtle, delicate charming but far from light. The fruit in the mouth is just ripe enough, deep cherry with some raspberry notes, but absolutely the lacy nature of the appellation. Pure charming fruit here. Very classic medium bodied Echezeaux . Tasted: November 2018.Jasper Morris | 93-97 JMA much more floral-inflected nose displays a lovely array of spice elements to the exotic tea and plum liqueur aromas that are trimmed in just enough wood to mention. There is impressive density to the extract-rich medium-bodied flavors that possess a velvety and seductive texture while delivering very good persistence on the slightly grippy finish. This won’t win any awards for elegance and it’s pretty compact at present though I suspect that like several wines in the range, this will successfully age out.Burghound | 92 BH

A well-defined red, with great focus and precision to the black cherry, black currant, violet and stony, mineral flavors. Ends with a chalky sensation, lending gravitas to the finish and overall impression. Best from 2023 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFresh deep purple with a delicious exotic brambly character, pure and forceful, some whole bunch but it is the fruit which wins. Absolutely gorgeous with perfectly balanced acidity and non-aggressive tannins. Liqueur raspberry finish and great length.Jasper Morris | 95 JMThe 2017 Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet of morello cherry, wild strawberry and just a touch of graphite. This is strict and backward, yet very focused, and the oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, displaying fine tannins, superb mineralité and beautifully integrated oak, and delivering good body and persistence on the finish. An excellent Chambolle-Musigny with real pedigree. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMChristophe Roumier expresses the terroirs of Chambolle with a combination of emotional engagement and winemaking precision. This pale, delicate, almost balletic premier cru is racy and refreshing, with some spicy notes from 50% whole bunches and one-third new barrels.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2017 les Cras from Domaine Roumier is an outstanding bottle in the making. The nose wafts from the glass in a very classy blend of red and black cherries, violets, raw cocoa, gamebird, chalky minerality, vanillin oak and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, long and very soil-driven in personality, with a sappy core of fruit, fine-grained tannins and a long, focused and beautifully balanced finish. This should start to open nicely in another seven or eight years, but its real apogee is still probably twenty years down the road. (Drink between 2028 - 2065)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe 2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras is showing nicely, exhibiting notions of sweet berry fruit, cherries, peonies, spices and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and chalky back-end grip, it will demand a bit of patience, even in this extroverted vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPA whiff of reduction detracts slightly from the appeal of the overtly floral-inflected nose that reflects notes of violet, lilac, lavender and rose petal along with a fresh mix of red and dark cherries. The sleek, intense and almost pungent mineral-driven medium weight flavors possess terrific delineation on the dusty, firm and youthfully austere finish that goes on and on. This is decidedly backward and compact at present and is going to require at least some patience first.Burghound | 92 BH

There isn’t much of this grand cru to go around, alas, as the Cathiard parcel is a mere 0.17ha. But what a wine it is: plush yet refined, with scented oak, plenty of depth and spice, subtle reduction and layered bramble and black cherry fruit. Fresh and alluring.Decanter | 96 DECOne of the wines of the vintage, the 2017 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru unfurls in the glass with a stunning bouquet of plums, raspberries, dark chocolate, Asian spice, rose petals and rich soil tones. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, enveloping and multidimensional, with stunning concentration and depth at the core, its ample chassis of fine, satiny tannins entirely cloaked in succulent fruit, its finish long and delineated. This is a stunning wine that entirely transcends the limitation of the year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2017 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, two new barrels out of three in total, has a very refined, supremely focused bouquet of perfumed scents of black cherries, strawberry pastilles and subtle orange blossom aromas. The medium-bodied palate is extremely precise and detailed, with very fine tannin and transparent mineralité toward the finish (as if you can feel the "bones" of this R.S.V.). Sensual and intellectual to boot.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMTwo new barrels out of three. Rich dense black core with an intense purple rim. The nose suggests a wealth of fruit to come but not ready to deliver yet., The front of the mouth fills up very nicely but the back delivers even more. Proper tension at the finish, this time more black fruit than red. At the moment the wine is more about intensity than elegance but this will certainly follow. Tasted: November 2018.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JMAn exuberantly fresh if restrained nose offers up a panoply of spice elements to the primarily red berry fruit aromas that display additional breadth with hints of orange pekoe tea, lavender and a whisper of sandalwood. The lacy yet concentrated middle weight flavors possess a highly refined mouthfeel and first-rate complexity on the balanced and wonderfully persistent if youthfully austere finish. Like the Malconsorts, this is gorgeous but it is also very clearly built for long-term cellaring.Burghound | 93-96 BH

This cuvée, sourced from a 0.75ha parcel of 46-year-old vines completed its malolactic fermentation late, so was a little more backward than the other releases when I tasted it. It may need more time in barrel and bottle, but this is a superb expression of the premier cru, located at the fresher, more scented end of the spectrum. It has fruit intensity from the small berries (millerands) and a chiselled finish.Decanter | 96 DECNoble imperial purple. There is a such a wealth of vibrant heady fruit, which defies simple categorisation, so much more than just dark cherry, too concentrated for floral descriptors though some peony notes are lurking. There is an explosion of fruit at the back of the palate, a little more red than black, an excellent fresh acidity, a very complete wine with as much concentration as one could hope for in 2017. Tasted: November 2018.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JMCathiard’s emblematic cuvée, the 2017 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts is also a great success, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cherries, licorice, spices, dark berries, grilled game and an elegant framing of new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a broad-shouldered chassis of velvety structuring tannin, considerable concentration and a long, expansive finish. Due to a late malolactic, this was one of the more primary wines in the cellar, but its immense potential is impossible to miss.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2017 Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er Cru is matured in 62% new oak and underwent a slightly later malolactic fermentation than the other cuvées. It has a very pure, detailed bouquet of precise blackberry, briar and crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red and black fruit, displaying more grip and backbone than the Les Suchots, and the bold finish perhaps offering less charm. It will certainly require several years in bottle.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM Firm reduction renders this impossible to fairly assess today. Otherwise there is more size, weight and muscle to the big-bodied and more evidently mineral-driven flavors that are almost painfully intense, all wrapped in a gorgeously long finish that really fans out as it sits on the palate. However, it is pointless to buy this without the express intention to cellar it as it is very structured.Burghound | 92-95 BH

I can’t remember a more appealing sample of the Aux Thorey premier cru at this young stage from Sébastien Cathiard. Made with grapes from a 0.43ha parcel planted in 1953, it has a wonderful combination of sweetness, acidity, structure, and plush black cherry and orange zest flavours.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Thorey 1er Cru is consistent with my previous notes. Raspberry and black cherries, less cassis than noted out of barrel and more Pinoté than expected. The palate is well-balanced with fine-grain tannins. It’s quite Vosne-like thanks to its florality, with a subtle oyster shell-tinged finish. It still requires a couple of years in bottle, but it’s getting there.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey offers up a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberries, warm spices, licorice and peony. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with superb concentration and an earthier, chewier profile than the Murgers this year—despite the finesse of its tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPA still youthfully fresh, pure, cool and restrained nose offers an appealingly spicy array of red currant, cherry and soft earth nuances. The mouthfeel of the energetic medium weight flavors is wonderfully refined while possessing fine complexity on the balanced, lingering and still slightly austere finale. Lovely stuff fashioned in an understated style that is still clearly on the way up though another 5 to 7 years should see it at its full maturity. I would note that this isn’t so backward that it couldn’t be enjoyed now if you don’t feel like waiting!Burghound | 91 BHFullish purple with a lighter rim. Some density of red fruit, not quite so intense, certainly ripe, a slight tarriness from the wood, perhaps because of a late malolactic fermentation. It does give grip to the finish though. Tasted: November 2018.Jasper Morris | 90-94 JM

The 300-metre rows in the domaine’s 4ha of Champans run from the top to the bottom of the slope, taking in both brown and red soils. The result is a very complete, self-assured expression of the premier cru, showing the focus and delicacy of a classic Volnay. Silly, sweet and shimmering on the palate, it has very good depth and the concentration to ageDecanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2017 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru is tasted from two barrels. It demonstrates wonderful grace and precision with mineral-infused cranberry and wild strawberry fruit. There is a sense of vitality and sophistication here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. The oak is beautifully integrated, notes of orange rind and even just a subtle touch of honey towards the relatively powerful and sustained finish that just feels audacious. Wonderful.Vinous Media | 92 VMA polished style, with dark fruit flavors of black currant and blueberry, marked by solid tannins. Supple and fruity midpalate, tightening up on the long, earth- and mineral-tinged finish. Best from 2022 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Les Champans was showing especially well, bursting with expressive aromas of rose petal, ripe wild berries, blood orange rind and dark chocolate. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and textural, with a layered core of concentrated fruit, fine structuring tannins and a long finish. The suppleness of the vintage has tempered Champans’ tendency to structural muscularity but not its fleshy fruit, making for a delightful gourmand wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPOnce again there is a highly appealing freshness to the essence of red cherry, raspberry and floral elements, the latter of which is reflected by the sleek and relatively refined medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent punch on the beautifully persistent though markedly structured finish. This isn’t as refined as the Caillerets but there is slightly better mid-palate density.Burghound | 91-94 BH

This excellent grand cru bottling was wiped out by frost in 2016, but is back with a flourish in 2017. Sourced from a single 100-year-old parcel in Les Cruots, it sees 100% new wood but isn’t particularly oaky. With 30% whole bunches adding some extra sap, this is sweet, stylish and textured, with an undertone of ginger spice and engaging fruit sweetness.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2017 Echézeaux from Domaine Georges Noëllat is another excellent wine in the making. The wine offers up a fine aromatic constellation of black cherries, black plums, a fine base of dark soil tones, venison, woodsmoke and spicy oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully sappy at the core, with suave tannins, excellent focus and grip and a very long, velvety and classy finish. This was pretty badly frosted in 2016 and perhaps is a bit easy-going structurally this year, due to last year’s frosts. But, it may well be that there is a more serious structural chassis here currently buried under the gorgeous fruit and it may firm up a bit more when Maxime racks the wine. If this is the case, then my score will prove to be conservative. (Drink between 2027 - 2075)John Gilman | 94 JGCheurlin’s 2017 Echezeaux Grand Cru is showing beautifully from bottle, bursting with aromas of cherries, cassis, rose petals, spices and orange rind, deftly framed by classy new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and succulent, built around powdery tannins and a fragrant core of ripe but lively fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru contains between 15 and 20% whole bunches, matured entirely in new oak. It has quite a complex bouquet of blackberry, raspberry confit, tobacco and crushed stone scents, all nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied, offering sappy black fruit with veins of blue, gentle grip and a sensual, lascivious finish. Give this five to eight years in bottle if you can.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMFrom very old vines in Les Cruots. Maxim has included a few whole bunches(15%) to freshen the wine up with a deliberate little touch of youthful astringency. The deep purple colour is an immediate indicator of the wine’s intensity This is a wine of huge substance if not immediately obviously Echezeaux. Plenty of barrel which it will manage. The whole bunch was needed here I think. Tasted Nov 2018.Jasper Morris | 91-95 JMHere too a deft touch of wood sets off the spicier and more complex aromas that combine plum, black and blue fruit with a broad range of floral elements. The bigger, richer and more concentrated if less evident mineral-driven medium-bodied flavors culminate in a youthfully austere, long and bitter cherry pit-infused finish. This seductive effort should be approachable on the younger side but reward extended keeping.Burghound | 90-93 BH

As always, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache (from La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse) that was not destemmed and was brought up all in used demi-muids. It’s an extraordinary wine, offering a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, ground pepper, white flowers, and spice. Full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent on the palate, with silky tannins, it’s not going to match the 2010 or 2016, but t’s a magical, elegant, layered wine that does everything right.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is lush and inviting in feel, with waves of warmed raspberry reduction taking center stage, while plum paste and cherry skin notes add range. Underneath the fruit, notes of anise, red and black tea and gently mulled spice notes course along, all supported by perfectly embedded acidity. A gorgeous wine that’s hard to lay off now because of the fruit, but there’s absolutely no rush. Best from 2023 through 2040. 375 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSRich and almost painfully intense, from yields that were reduced by coulure to only about six hectoliters per hectare, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is steadfast in being all Grenache and all whole cluster. Licorice, chocolate and super ripe plums appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, warm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBrilliant ruby-red. An expansive, spice-accented bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, incense and potpourri, and a smoky mineral element adds urgency. Juicy, seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors that firm up slowly and turn spicier on the back half. Shows serious heft, but there’s a distinctly graceful quality as well. Finishes sappy, gently tannic and extremely long, leaving a suave lavender pastille note behind.Vinous Media | 94-95 VMAnother string release under this label, showing rich dark fruit and earthy notes with plenty of spice. Tarry notes as well. The palate has a very plush, ripe and rich feel with juicy, ripe dark berries and plums, really bathed in deep, long and smooth-honed tannins. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The older vines in de Vogüé’s extensive 7.2ha in Musigny date back to 1953 and make a wine that’s considerably weightier than the young-vine cuvée. This is very deep and intense in colour, exhibiting layers of dark bramble and black cherry flavours and a backbone of precise, chalky, mouthwatering acidity. A wine that needs time to digest its 35% new wood. Drinking Window 2026 - 2037Decanter | 96 DECThe 2017 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is complex and well defined on the nose, where touches of iodine and wild heather infuse the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly grainy texture; notes of black truffle and fresh fig complement a fruit profile that welcomes more red fruit toward the finish. Hints of white pepper and sage linger on the aftertaste. This is certainly beginning to close up in bottle, so allow a decade if you can for this Musigny to show what it is capable of.Vinous Media | 95 VMAn openly exotic nose offers glimpses of black cherry liqueur, ginger, Asian-style tea, sandalwood and orange peel. The tighter and much more mineral-driven big-bodied flavors also possess evident muscle on the powerful and dense yet beautifully refined finish that goes on and on. This is also a bit less structured though with that said, this is going to need at least 15 years to reach its apogee. In a word, terrific.Burghound | 94 BHThe 2017 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is showing very well indeed, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cherries, rose petal, warm spices and orange rind, framed by creamy new wood. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and velvety, with the greatest depth and dimension of any wine in the cellar, displaying excellent energy and completeness, and distinguished above all by striking length on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP(Musigny “Vieilles Vignes”- Domaine de Comte de Georges de Vogüé) The 2017 Musigny old vine bottling was quite hunkered down after its recent racking, but though it was not as expressive as the Bonnes-Mares on this particular day, it showed good underlying soil signature and seemed to only be in need of more time out from the racking for everything to snap back into proper place. The wine certainly has lovely fruit elements in its mix of sappy black cherries and plums, complex soil tones, woodsmoke, gamebird, violets and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a good sappy core of black fruit, fine-grained tannins and lovely length and grip on the refined and quite soil-driven finish. This wine is not as precise as is customary (and which has to be a reflection of the post-racking period in which I tasted it), but there are really good elements here and if they all fall back into place properly, it will be a lovely wine. (Drink between 2030-2080)John Gilman | 93-95 JG

For the third vintage in a row, this 0.32ha plot, ranging in age between 60 and 80 years, has produced the best wine at the domaine. It's a stunning grand cru that was deceptively easy to taste from barrel. Elegant, refined and sensuous, it's a soprano of a wine with beautifully pitched chalky precision, a hint of earth and subtle wild strawberry fruit. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru has a showstopping, persistent bouquet of intense blackberry, sous-bois and crushed stone. The supremely well-balanced palate offers filigreed tannin, wonderful mineralité and an otherworldly-long finish. One of the most elegant Richebourgs that I have tasted. Best Richebourg in show this year? Quite possibly. Six barrels produced.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM(Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg Grand Cru Red) The elegant, airy and beautifully perfumed nose offers up notes of sandalwood, anise, clove, herbal tea and plenty of floral influences. There is excellent delineation and minerality to the solidly concentrated, indeed even muscular, large-scaled flavors that culminate in an incredibly long if very, very backward, austere and compact finale. This Zen-like effort is going to require an extended snooze in a cool cellar and as such, it's a wine to buy and forget that you own it for at least a decade. (Drink starting 2032).Burghound | 95 BHThe king of the cellar is the 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru, a decidedly promising wine that wafts from the glass with notes of rose petal, dark wild berries, smoke, Asian spices, espresso roast, licorice and rich soil tones. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, its satiny structuring tannins cloaked in succulent, fleshy fruit, its finish long and vibrant. The Richebourg stands apart for its amplitude and completeness this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

The Dujac holdings in this large and heterogeneous Gevrey grand cru are divided between four blocks, totalling 0.75ha and planted in the 1950s and 1970s. This is a very smart expression of the terroir, showing notes of Asian spices, dense, savoury fruit flavours and sappy, fine-boned tannins. The oak integration is quite brilliant here. Drinking Window 2025 - 2032.Decanter | 96 DEC(Charmes-Chambertin- Domaine Dujac) When Jeremy moved from the Echézeaux to the Clos St. Denis in our tasting progression, I asked why the Charmes was going to be served out of its customary place in the rotation. He responded that “I really, really like the Charmes this year and we will see if my faith in the wine has been misplaced.” However, not surprisingly, when we got to the wine, Jeremy’s impressions were vindicated and the wine showed stellar potential- even hard on the heels of the great Clos de la Roche! The bouquet is pure and simply outstanding in 2017, offering up scents of red and black cherries, black plums, a very complex base of soil, gentle meatiness, woodsmoke, raw cocoa and cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and rock solid at the core with sappy fruit, excellent focus and grip, fine-grained tannins and a very long, soil-driven and complex finish. I am not sure I have ever tasted a better young vintage of Charmes-Chambertin from Domaine Dujac. (Drink between 2027-2075).John Gilman | 95 JGThe 2017 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is showing brilliantly from bottle, bursting from the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, cassis, orange rind, spices, black truffle, espresso roast and rich soil tones. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and mouthfilling, with a layered and nicely concentrated core, ripe tannins and succulent acids, concluding with a long and expansive finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP(Domaine Dujac Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Red) The sauvage-suffused nose reflects a discreet touch of wood on the cool and pure essence of red berry fruit nose that projects plenty of floral, earth, forest floor and anise elements. The rich and muscular medium weight plus flavors display touches of salinity and youthful austerity on the otherwise sneaky long but compact finish. This isn't elegant or especially dense but it is a relatively dense 2017 and one that should age well. (Drink starting 2029).Burghound | 91 BH

The 2017 Gigondas Le Lieu Dit is, as always, the most finesse oriented and elegant in the lineup. Coming from a sandy, cooler parcel just outside the domaine and all Grenache (70% destemmed) brought up in old demi-muids, it offers a more ruby color as well as a massive perfume of wild strawberries, kirsch liqueur, dried soil, and flowery incense. Full-bodied, incredibly pure, and perfectly balanced, it’s another straight-up thrilling wine from Brechet that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 10-15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSaturated crimson. Intense aromas of red berry liqueur, exotic spices and incense pick up a smoky mineral nuance as the wine stretches out. Sappy and energetic in the mouth, offering impressively concentrated raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors and a strong suggestion of candied lavender. Finishes seamless, alluringly sweet and extremely long, with resonating red fruit and floral notes and supple tannins that add shape and discreet grip.Vinous Media | 94-95 VMThis mixes red and black currant fruit with notes of sage, alder and tobacco, ending with a tug of chalky minerality. Features perfume, flesh and a little more grip than most in the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2032. 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2017 Gigondas le Lieu Dit incorporates 30% whole clusters yet shows no green, stemmy characters at this stage of its evolution. It’s loaded with purple raspberries, framed by incredibly silky tannins, lush and ripe without any warmth evident on the long finish. Tasted twice, showing more tannic grip and woody notes on one occasion.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of plum preserves, warm cassis and pencil shavings with nuances of mulberries, pencil lead, Indian spices and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a lot of fruit into a very elegant, tightly knit palate, delivering expressive blackberry and spicy flavors with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a peppery kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSmells lovely, really aromatic and shining out of the glass, forward and expressive with clarity and precision on the nose full of red fruit and floral scents. Sleek and crisp, this has energy and lifeforce, I love the shape and straightforwardness but it’s the texture that’s so captivating - slightly firm but dense and chalky tannins give the bounce and cushioning on the palate while the fruit is lean and well defined. So well worked, feels careful, controlled, refined and polished. Sophisticated and just so seamless. Extremely young right now, coiled and tense still, direct from start to finish, it needs to slow down and soften and relax. Lovely pure and perfumed red fruits raspberry and blueberries alongside a slightly sharp, bitter grapefruit edge to the tannins as well as graphite and slate which lingers on the tongue and gives the mighty grip that doesn’t let go. Stylish and enjoyable. 64 PIT, 6.7% press wine. 45.4% production. Harvest 11 September to 4 October. Technical director Hélène Genin. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThis is really minerally with crushed stones and dark berries. Some licorice. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a beautiful, tight and focused finish. Such energy, delivered down a straight line.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThis bold, structured wine is packed with blackberry fruits and ripe tannins. Freshness and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon are very present, giving a crisp edge to the solid backbone. This is a wine for aging. Don’t drink before 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright and fresh, featuring floral, cassis and plum aromas and flavors allied to a sleek, iron-tinged frame. Racy tension through the finish lets the fruit play out while the minerality blossoms. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA step up, the 2017 Les Forts De Latour includes more Cabernet Sauvignon and is 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and a splash of Cabernet Franc. Creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, damp earth, and a touch of cedar pencil all emerge from the glass, and it’s beautifully textured and medium to full-bodied, with terrific purity and a great finish. While it’s a second wine, I suspect it will evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2017 Les Forts de Latour conveys airiness on the nose, reflecting the relatively lightest vintage in recent years. Graphite and sous-bois infuse black fruit, offering a slightly welcome herbaceous/undergrowth tincture. The palate is very well-balanced and will appeal to those seeking a sleeker, lighter style of Pauillac. Not lean by any account, but this Les Fort de Latour is understated, with appealing black pepper and tobacco notes emerging on the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 92 VM

I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, a magical expression of the Grand Cru terroir. Deep purple-hued with killer notes of black raspberries, bacon fat, ground herbs, and obvious minerality, this beauty is full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, a deep, concentrated mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. Do your best to hold bottles for 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe winemaking at Domaine Rostaing is now in the hands of René’s son Pierre, and it follows the same format for all the Côte-Rôties: four weeks in tank, 18 months in mostly old oak, natural yeast fermentation, and as many stems as possible - 100% in this case. This wine shows supreme freshness and vitality, and is very direct and straight, with notes of violets, black pepper and blackcurrant leading onto a long finish. It’s a powerful wine but shows great energy and presence. The acidity is pretty biting, and the tannins are tough, dense, saline and directional. This 2017 is lous, powerful, almost fierce.Decanter | 96 DECIn tank and awaiting bottling when I tasted it, the 2017 Cote Rotie la Landonne has smoothed out and added complexity in the past year. It now shows classic savory, meaty, la Landonne character and plenty of mocha goodness. It’s medium to full-bodied, lush and velvety on the mid-palate, then finishes long and tannic.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPInky ruby. Spice-accented blackberry, cherry preserve, pipe tobacco and licorice on the deeply perfumed nose; a sexy floral topnote gains strength as the wine opens up. Sweet, spicy and penetrating, displaying velvety texture to the ripe dark berry, cherry and fruitcake flavors. Shows superb clarity and finishes smoky and impressively long, with mounting tannins and a lingering suggestion of candied violet.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis has an old-school persona, with a dusty sandalwood and cedar frame around a mix of mulled plum and black cherry fruit, showing bay leaf, leather and savory notes. A smoldering dark earth accent runs through the finish. Best from 2022 through 2038. 800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Bottled late in 2020, the 2018 Cornas is another exceptional vintage for this cuvée, drawn from the family’s older vines, largely in the lieux-dits of La Côte, Sabarotte and Reynard. Yes, it’s from a hot, sunny vintage, it’s rich and ripe, with plenty of red plum fruit up front, but there’s a solid underpinning of crushed stone to provide balance. Full-bodied and velvety in feel in the mouth, it lingers elegantly on the lengthy finish. Complete, balanced and fine, it should drink well through at least 2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2018 Cornas is a classic wine from this renowned estate that’s 100% Syrah, mostly from the Reynard lieu-dit, brought up all in ancient foudre and casks. This is as classic and old school as they come, and the 2018 is as Clape as it gets with its bloody blue fruits, liquid violet, smoked game, pepper, bay leaf, and iron-like aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it doesn’t have the sheer richness of the 2015 or 2017, and if anything, reminds me slightly of the 2016 with its incredible purity, balance, and finesse. The structure and tannins, which were more up-front and present from barrel, have a more round, seamless feel that gives this some up-front appeal. Granted, I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it certainly benefited from lots of air. This is a vintage that could certainly continue to offer pleasure over the coming decade and never really shut down, yet I suspect this will firm up quickly over the coming 2-4 years and require at least a decade of bottle age to really show its true potential. I promise, you will not be disappointed to have this in your cellar.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDBlueberry and liquorice on the nose at this stage, there’s a little touch of acetone that is typical of Clape, along with some thyme and rosemary. Full-bodied, but not massive, this has plenty of immediate impact and drive, it really packs a punch on the finish. Powerful ingrained acidity drives the wine forward, as does an inner salinity and ripe but sharply pointed tannins. Ripe and approachable for Clape but still very Cornas, this is delicious now, but will reward cellaring too. Harvest started on the 12th of September. No destemming as usual, fermented in concrete, aged in large old oak barrels.Decanter | 97 DECRemarkably fresh nose, considering that August 2018 was so hot in the Rhone. Stunning aromas of bitter chocolate and perfectly ripe wild blackberries. I love the generous but not expansive body, where there’s a sensational interplay of fine tannins and mineral freshness that drive the very long and exciting finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSSaturated ruby. Ripe, spice-accented blackcurrant, kirsch, olive paste, candied flowers and smoked meat on the expansive nose. Offers deeply pitched black and blue fruit, exotic spice, olive and licorice flavors and a strong mineral underpinning. Steadily building tannins add shape and grip to an impressively long, smoky finish that emphatically repeats the floral and mineral notes.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Eminently classic style of Cornas, with hot sand, pine needles and wild herbs. Full-bodied, very fresh, intense and focussed. The acidity is particularly marked here, and adds to the searing effect on the palate, it has a great physical impact and serious length. Freshness and intensity, this is a great vintage for Guillaume Gilles. He’s captured the tempestuous wildness of the terroir without any overripeness or excess sun, just excellent definition and freshness. His best vintage yet? Drinkable now, but wait until 2028 if you can. 40-year-old vines in lieu-dit Chaillot, whole-bunch fermented, no fining or filtration.Decanter | 97 DECSaturated ruby. Penetrating aromas of cherry, black raspberry, candied flowers and smoked meat are complemented by exotic spice and mineral flourishes. Offers concentrated dark berry and cherry preserve, licorice and olive paste flavors that are sharpened by an emerging black pepper note. Closes impressively long, focused and spicy, with mounting tannins and resonating mineral and smoke notes.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Hints of cedar and vanilla appear on the nose of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve, which is aged in demi-muids (20% new), adding a human-derived aspect to the mouthwatering notes of cherries and raspberries. It’s full-bodied, silky and even almost lacy in texture, delivering intense pleasure on the palate without excess weight, then lingering on the finish, where the red-fruit flavors come to the fore, practically vibrating in intensity. Because of the effects of mildew on the Grenache, this vintage is just over 50% Mourvèdre.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe flagship is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Réserve and it’s an even split of Grenache and Mourvèdre that was all destemmed and was brought up mostly in demi-muids (there was a small part in larger, clay amphora. Slightly deeper hued than the Les Quartz, it has a Mourvèdre dominated bouquet of red and black berry fruits, loads of spice and dried garrigue, graphite, and a hint of mint. With full-bodied richness on the palate, it has an incredible sense of purity and finesse in its tannins and texture, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. I’d put this in the top handful of wines in the vintage and while it’s approachable today, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBright ruby. A highly complex and deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, spice-tinged red/blue fruits, candied flowers, garrigue and licorice. A smoky mineral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Stains the palate with concentrated cherry cola, black raspberry, vanilla and fruitcake flavors supported by a core of juicy acidity. Conveys a suave marriage of depth and energy. It finishes extremely long and precise, with slowly emerging, chewy tannins and resonating florality and spiciness. The Mourvèdre is showing itself here.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe and silky in feel, with waves of creamed plum, blackberry and cherry fruit gliding along, while licorice snap, rooibos tea and incense notes weave through. Offers nice persistence on the finish. Grenache and Syrah. Best from 2021 through 2033. 295 cases made, 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The most Vosne-Romanée-like of the Nuits-St-Georges Premiers Crus according to Etienne Grivot, with a character that he identifies as ’a little wild’, Aux Boudots often produces on my favourite wines at the domaine. It’s plush, smooth and glossy all right, with a sheen of aromatic 30% new wood, fine tannins and some underlying bounce and vitality.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECA well of black currant and blueberry mark this sappy, yet beefy red. It’s a tannic Titanic, with a dense, compact finish that echoes the dark fruit, spice and iron notes. The aftertaste is saturated with fruit. Impressive, yet will require time to resolve the tannins. Best from 2025 through 2047. 53 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSHalf the vines were ripped out 5 years ago and will come back into play in 2020 maybe. Bouncing concentrated dark red fruit, not too exuberant on the palate though, an excellent fine-grained tannic structure behind, and exceptional length. This has been picked at optimum ripeness. Tasted Nov 2019.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er Cru comes from the old part of the vineyard, half of which was replanted in spring 2017 (these young vines may reenter this cru next year, or more likely the Bourgogne Rouge until they reach maturity). The crisp, fresh, well-defined bouquet is probably the best among Grivot’s Nuits Saint-Georges this year, reflecting the pedigree of this vineyard. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive mineralité and tension, quite "strict" in style but boasting so much coiled-up energy on the finish that you could easily drink it now. This is a superb offering that should age with grace and style over many years.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThis too is quite firmly reduced to the point that it’s unreadable today. Otherwise the less concentrated but finer middle weight flavors exude evident minerality on the tautly muscular bitter cherry-inflected finish that is a bit leaner and less complex. The younger vines are in evidence though to be fair, and clear, this is still a very pretty effort.Burghound | 89-92 BH

This has a fresh, floral aroma, with honeysuckle and elderflower notes leading the way, followed by a rather creamy, refined palate of kiwifruit, makrut lime and verbena flavors. As the finish glides through, this offers hints of quinine, acacia and white peach. Shows beautiful range and definition, with serious length. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2026. Wine Spectator | 95 WSFor the third time in its history, this was entirely harvested in August (mainly 23 to 28, but the first berries were picked on August 13 - the earliest date ever). Rich fruit, lovely acidity and salinity on the finish, shot through with honeysuckle and clear citrus. They harvest Y in the same way as Yquem, where it is grape by grape rather than vine by vine, and sometimes grapes from the same bunch goes on to make Yquem later. 3.15pH. Also tasted September 2020; same score.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECWhite pear, honeysuckle, elderflower, quince, rich lemon, with a bitter edge of orange peel. This is starting to deepen at three years old, and show a richer texture than when I last tasted it in November 2020. It’s unquestionably one of the great whites of Bordeaux, although extremely low yields in 2018. Harvest began on August 13, the earliest date ever, with the majority of the whites coming in from August 23 to 28, harvested grape by grape as per the main sweet estate wine - meaning that grapes from the same bunch can later go on to make Yquem. 3.15ph. Jane Anson | 94 JAThe 2014 “Y” has 5 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pale lemon-yellow color. Citrus aromas of lime leaves, fresh grapefruit, and lemon zest shoot from the glass, followed by gentle wafts of crushed stones and coriander seed. The medium to full-bodied palate gives a very dry impression, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the intense, youthful, citrus layers and with a silkiness to the texture, finishing with loads of zesty and mineral sparks. Impressive!The Wine Independent | 94 TWIThe 2018 Y de Yquem is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon bottled at the end of August. It offers light grass clipping and green apple scents on the nose, the Sauvignon Blanc defining the aromas. The palate is fresh on the entry, light and crisp with touches of pineapple and dried apricot, a hint of grilled walnut towards the finish. This actually improves with aeration, gaining some delightful praline and subtle white chocolate notes.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Exquisitely fine tannins to the currant, lead-pencil and chocolate character. The palate is full, yet very refined and linear with a long, lingering finish. Such polish and tension. The tannins are intense, yet so fine, giving almost a powdery texture. So Lafite-like. Best Carruades ever? 56% cabernet sauvignon and 38% merlot, the rest cabernet franc. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2018 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant pastilles and Morello cherries with hints of candied violets, pencil shavings, menthol and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled, with layers of crunchy red and black fruits, it has a beautifully ripe, fine-grained texture and loads of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSeductive, with mulled plum and black cherry fruit that is infused with dark tea, singed cedar and bay notes. Iron note nicely imbedded through the finish, which has a subtle tug of earth. Very restrained in feel, but with some seriously sneaky length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWhile a lot of estates’ second wines can have a distinctly different style than their Grand Vins, that’s not the case with Lafite. Their 2018 Carraudes De Lafite has a beautiful Lafite-like elegance and sense of nuance that’s always present in the Grand Vin. Based on 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, its ruby/purple-tinged hue is followed by a beautiful nose of cassis, lead pencil, black cherries, tobacco leaf, and forest floor. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has a layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe yet present tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. This juicy, textured, balanced 2018 can be drunk today or cellared for 15-20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis is a ripe, juicy wine that’s rich and generous in texture, with light touches of spice and fine tannins. It has both weight and freshness, giving a wine that is elegant and ripe.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Carruades de Lafite is delicate, sensual and elegant, with a striking interplay of finesse and power. A wine of total allure and translucence, the 2018 Carruades is so silky, so finessed, so classy. Sweet red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and spice are all finely knit in a Pauillac of tremendous class. Harvest started on September 17 and wrapped up on October 5 for the Cabernets.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGAn understated and enjoyable Carruades, which has that sense of Lafite effortlessness, with a mouthwatering finish. Dark spice and great balance, where you see the beginnings of acidity, tannin and fruits but you don’t see their end as they meld into each other. Savoury Cabernet fruits abound. This is hugely elegant, with smoky notes that come out more obviously as the wine opens up. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DEC

This cuvée has been in the running for the best second wine in the vintage for a number of years now, and I think it just might be there in 2018. The 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge checks in as 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and it’s no lightweight effort, revealing a dense purple color as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, black cherry, crushed violets, sandalwood, smoke tobacco, and incense. It’s loaded with Château Margaux character, has medium to full-bodied richness, ample structure, and a great finish. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved with air. Don’t underestimate this second wine – it’s incredibly impressive. Hide bottles for 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDBlackberry, plum, light earth and undergrowth on the nose. Citrus, too. It’s full-bodied with rich, chewy tannins that turn energetic, fine and tight on the finish. Lively acidity. Second wine of Margaux. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a powerful, brooding wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins. Time in the glass brings out elements of château Margaux finesse to balance things out. In 2018 the Pavillon has some lots that tend to go into the Grand Vin, but that were deemed too tannic for that wine.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of bay leaves, pencil lead, tapenade and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a generous amount of black fruit at the core with loads of earthy and savory accents and a soft, approachable frame, finishing long with an herbal lift. It is approachable now but should be a lot more expressive with a couple of years in bottle and drink nicely over the following 15 to 18 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA singed alder note frames a core of gently steeped plum and black currant flavors while smoldering tobacco, bay and warm earth hints fill in through the finish. Caressing in feel and seductive through the sneaky long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTight, bright firm fruits, packed with finely tuned tannins, with a clear velvety texture. The highest tannin levels they have ever produced in Pavillon Rouge, close to the levels in 1996. There is an austerity to the wine right now. You get the spice of the Petit Verdot - also at the highest level to date - giving cushion and complexity to the blackberry, raspberry and bilberry fruits. Even this second wine should be given at least eight to 10 years to really soften because of these tannins, and it is set for the long term. 3.61pH, with 30% of the overall harvest in Pavillon Rouge in 2018. Bottled July 2020. 3% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend, with 13% press wine. 60% new oak ageing. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECWhile there is density to this wine, it still manages to show an elegant edge. Its freshness is impeccable, with bright acidity and the modicum of tannins offering support to fine berry flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This was a great vintage for Pomerol, and Jeremy Chasseuil has again made a brilliant wine. Based on 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, the 2018 Château Feytit-Clinet is a powerful Pomerol boasting a dense purple/plum color as well as decadent notes of blackcurrants, lavender, loamy soil, truffle, chocolate, graphite, and roasted herbs. It doesn’t pull any punches and is full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with an expansive, mouth-filling texture, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s going to take a decade to hit maturity, but it will be a 30-year wine. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved. It’s a stunning wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe 2018 Feytit-Clinet is exquisite. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice, mint and lavender are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop as the 2018 shows off its compelling, totally unique personality. In most recent vintages, Feytit-Clinet has been explosive and quite powerful. The 2018 doesn’t quite have that energy, but its (relatively) suave personality will make it easy to enjoy with only a few years in bottle. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGBlackcurrants, blackberries and some spices with dark-chocolate and chili undertones. Full-bodied, flavorful and sharp with a firm tannin structure. Succulent finish with good length. Salty and white-pepper undertones. Serious young Pomerol. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThis has been made with precision and care – it’s understated but with so much to enjoy having Pomerol typicity but with elegance and not the creaminess of some, more dried herbs and spices and again in pencil lead territory, but with great juice running through with cassis fruits and a wonderful lift at the end. I just love this estate and this is delicious stuff from Jeremy Chasseuil. Drinking Window 2026 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2018 Feytit Clinet is composed of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. It was aged in 70% new and 30% second year barrels, for around 16 months. The wine has 14.9% alcohol. Deep purple-black colored, it slides effortlessly out of the glass with compelling scents of baked black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves, followed by suggestions of tilled soil, pencil shavings and black truffles, plus a waft of tar. The big, rich, full-bodied palate issues mouth-coating black fruits and a wonderfully velvety texture, offering just enough freshness to support the long, decadent finish.This 6.68-hectare vineyard is situated between Trotanoy and Latour à Pomerol on gravel and sand-based soils. The average vine age is 34 years, and yields were 45 hectoliters per hectare.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

Tasted out of bottle, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Prestige Blanc offers a more Burgundian, chiseled, mineral-laced style to go with beautiful notes of caramelized peach, white flowers, crushed stone, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and elegant on the palate, it still packs plenty of oomph and has incredible length on the finish. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA rich, alluring style, with a brioche note leading the way for creamed yellow apple, candied lemon peel, white ginger and quince notes. An accent of acacia honey lines the finish, where the brioche edge takes an encore. Showy and delicious. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Drink now through 2023. 56 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is outrageously flamboyant but hard not to like. There’s great concentration and it’s highly expressive already showing some complexity. It has a nutty macadamia note and a subtle flinty reduction with rich pear fruits that shoot through with oak spice, but it’s the fruit that has the upper hand. It’s very full-bodied but has enough pep and acidity to keep things upright and rolling. A cuvée that can be overly marked by malolactic fermentation, but not this year. Grown on sandy soils, 80% fermented in concrete, 20% in new barriques. It’s matured for 14 months in old barriques, concrete and 20% new barriques. Drinking Window 2019 - 2024.Decanter | 95 DECThe brassy-hued 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Prestige shows ample oak on the nose and palate, allied to ripe, luscious fruit. Predominantly Roussanne, fermented and aged in one-year-old demi-muids, it has developed hints of sweet corn and notes of grilled pineapple during its elevage. Opulent and lush, it’s enormously seductive now, although I suspect it will drink well for at least 4-5 years based on its impressive concentration and length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP