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This stunning red opens with a captivating fragrance of perfumed berry, rose, sandalwood and aromatic herb. Smooth, elegant and delicious, the intense palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and baking spice while a menthol note lingers on the close. Taut, polished tannins and fresh acidity give it great tension and balance. Drink 2023–2035. Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThis stunning red opens with a captivating fragrance of perfumed berry, rose, sandalwood and aromatic herbs. Smooth, elegant and delicious, the intense palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and baking spice, while a menthol note lingers on the close. Taut, polished tannins and fresh acidity give it great tension and balance. Drink 2023–2035. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2015 Barolo Acclivi represents a blend of Nebbiolo from various hilltop sites in Verduno that have been selected for the quality of their fruit. The wine takes the concept of a Barolo "base" up one notch, because it represents a special selection of fruit that is not limited to a single parcel. This expression is grounded and even a bit heavier at its core, with more dark fruit and thickness that becomes its defining characteristic. This is especially true in a vintage like 2015 that already starts off with robust and sun-darkened fruit. The wine is not necessarily more accessible—because it is not—but it does offer a thicker caliber of Nebbiolo fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2015 Barolo Acclivi is another stellar wine from Fabio Alessandria and Burlotto and is a blend of fruit from Monvigliero, Rocche dell’ Olmo and Neirane, all in Verduno. Bright, perfumed and silky on the palate, the Acclivi is a jewel of a wine. Floral notes appear in the glass, adding lift, perfume and sensuality. All the elements are in the right place. Today, Burlotto’s Cannubi and Monvigliero have become hard to find, but savvy readers will want to focus on the Acclivi, a wine that offers superb quality for the money. Another few years in bottle should help some of the fruit soften.Vinous Media | 94 VMJuicy, featuring cherry, strawberry, woodsy spice and tobacco aromas and flavors. Elegant, with firm, dry tannins. The terrific length echoes the fruit and spice elements. Best from 2022 through 2038. 660 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis shows purity and brightness of fruit with cherry and ripe strawberry character. Medium body, integrated tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Very pretty. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is another dizzying wine from Burlotto. A rush of dark cherry, plum, hard candy licorice, violet and spice all hit the palate. Powerful and vertical in the glass, the Cannubi simply has it all. I would give the 2015 a good bit of time to shed some of its considerable baby fat. Powerful, dense and packed, the Cannubi is not as showy or seductive as the Monvigliero, but it has so much to offer, especially with a bit of bottle age. What a magnificent wine it is!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2015 Barolo Cannubi is a very delicate and streamlined expression that puts one little foot forward in front of the next with timid steps before it starts to pick up speed and find its stride. That slow start is important to the character and quality of the wine because it means that you will find something a little different each time you put your nose to the glass. I like the wine better each time I go back to the glass. I’m sure I will love it even more five to ten years from now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA pretty red, this exhibits floral, strawberry, raspberry and white pepper aromas and flavors. Firms up quickly, offering a refined and present tannic backbone. This hangs together very nicely and lingers. Best from 2022 through 2038. 333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSAromas of dried strawberries, orange peel and rose petals. Complex. Full body, super silky tannins with juicy acidity and a savory undertone. Needs time to open. Always a beautiful Cannubi. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSAromas of menthol, eucalyptus and dark skinned cherry form the nose. Lithe and linear, the taut palate offers Marasca cherry, strawberry, clove and crushed mint alongside tight, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOAromas of menthol, eucalyptus and dark-skinned cherry form the nose. Lithe and linear, the taut palate offers Marasca cherry, strawberry, clove and crushed mint alongside tight, refined tannins and fresh acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis historic estate based in Verduno is renowned for its Monvigliero bottling, but in 2015 its Cannubi from the village of Barolo seems even finer. The nose is sweet, floral and lifted, with no trace of overripeness. Initially sleek, the palate grows in austerity, which is often a characteristic of this wine. But this grip and structure are welcome and don’t dominate the spiciness and persistence of the fruit. Very long.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine’s frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto’s Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate!Vinous Media | 98 VMFabio Alessandria impressed with his Monvigliero 2014. In the cool, rainy vintage he was able to produce a Barolo with a Pinot-like elegance. He was one of the first producers to introduce a small amount of stalks to the Nebbiolo during winemaking. In the warm vintage of 2015 his Monvigliero is extremely pale and garnet-coloured yet full of fresh flowery notes such as peony, violet and rose, with rhubarb plant, wild strawberry and cinnamon candy aromas and flavours. Super elegant, it shows firm, velvety tannins with an austere finish yet a great integration of fruit. Rarely is it possible to taste such a balance of elegance and power.Decanter | 98 DECI mentioned that slightly wild side of Verduno in a previous review for Comm. G.B. Burlotto. For further clarity on this point, put your nose into the beautiful 2015 Barolo Monvigliero. This is a subdued and graceful wine that grows in intensity the longer it stays in the glass. The wine offers blue flower aromas with violets, wild rose, cumin seed, saffron and crushed mineral. This wine plays its best cards when you focus on the smallest details, and then suddenly, those tiny brush strokes explode into a big-picture, panoramic view of one of the most celebrated vineyard sites in Barolo.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPCompelling and fragrant, this gorgeous wine opens with intense aromas of pressed rose, fragrant blue flower, incense, pine and a whiff of smoky flint. The precise, structured palate is loaded with finesse, delivering ripe Marasca cherry, strawberry compote, licorice and white pepper alongside tangy mineral and an earthy hint of black olive. It’s beautifully balanced, with enveloping, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2023–2040. Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOCompelling and fragrant, this gorgeous wine opens with intense aromas of pressed rose, fragrant blue flower, incense, pine and a whiff of smoky flint. The precise, structured palate is loaded with finesse, delivering ripe Marasca cherry, strawberry compote, licorice and white pepper alongside tangy mineral and an earthy hint of black olive. It’s beautifully balanced, with enveloping, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2023–2040.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAromatic, offering juniper, green olive, sandalwood and cherry scents. The fruit components expand in the mouth, but this red is savory overall. Firm, supple and elegant, with a lingering aftertaste of mineral and spice. Best from 2022 through 2040. 583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe swirling, aromatic nose is entrancing here. The flowery charm is undeniable and the palate has an ethereal frame of fine tannins, carrying beautifully defined, ripe red-cherry flavor. The use of whole clusters works very well here, adding life and lift to this riper vintage. This is a beautiful 2015. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2015 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is magical. This is the first vintage that includes fruit from Arione, so the 2015 is 80% Francia and 20% Arione. That marks a return to Monfortino as a multi-vineyard wine, which it mostly was until 1978, when the first Monfortino from Francia was made. The combination of sites works so well. I remember tasting the 2015 as separate components and seeing what exactly the Arione piece adds, and that is aromatic explosiveness, texture and breadth. Rose petal, mint, sage, tobacco and cedar lend complexity. More than anything else, though, I am blown away by how utterly delicious the 2015 is. Of course, the 2015 will be better in time, but its pedigree is plainly evident today. Roberto Conterno gave the 2015 just five years in cask, the shortest time in wood for any Monfortino in recent memory, maybe ever. Like most producers around the world, Conterno is thinking deeply about what the optimal period of time in oak is. As for the 2015, it is a flat-out stunner in every way.Vinous Media | 99 VMMonfortino was not produced in 2016 nor was it made in 2017. The jury is out on whether will see it in 2018 (but I do know that Roberto Conterno is super excited about the 2019 vintage in Barolo, speaking generally). That means that we might not see his flagship wine for a number of years. The 2015 Barolo Riserva Monfortino gives us plenty to contemplate in the meantime. First, in terms of winemaking notes, this vintage see 22% Arione fruit in the blend, with the rest from Francia. Roberto Conterno is fond of telling me that "Francia is a Barolo you drink, and Monfortino is a wine you chew." (The exact word in Italian is "masticare.") I think his comment rings especially true in this vintage that arguably shows greater concentration and fruit weight and softer or more integrated tannins overall. There is structure but minus any hard edges or bite.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RP

The 2015 Cabernet Alzero is loaded with varietal character, bursting from the glass with a dark blend of black fruits, savory herbs, pencil lead and crushed stone. This is velvety smooth, with juicy acidity to balance and a core of mineral-tinged red and blue fruits complemented by confectionary spice. It leaves the palate reeling with youthful tension as hints of blood orange swirl under an air of violet inner florals. Dusty tannins resonate throughout. The energy within the 2015 is off the charts and provides a perfect counterpoint to its internal intensity. Bury this one deep.Vinous Media | 95 VM

A perfect wine in every way, the 2015 Côte Rôtie La Turque comes from an incredible terroir on the Côte Brune and includes 7% Viognier. Stylistically, it normally fits between the more ripe, exuberant La Mouline and the more austere, tannic La Landonne. A deep purple color is followed by extraordinary notes of spring flowers, crushed violets, vanilla bean, and cured meats. This gives way to a full-bodied Côte Rôtie that has a stacked mid-palate, lots of ripe, silky tannins, no hard edges, and a finish that won’t quit. Syrah, or red wine for that matter, doesn’t get any better! Hats off to the Guigal family for another magical wine. Give bottles 6-7 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDLike the La Mouline, the 2015 Cote Rotie La Turque comes across as slightly closed—I wouldn’t be surprised to see it inch up to a perfect rating in a decade or so. Lashings of ground spices—pepper, allspice, cardamom—are sprinkled over mixed berries, but this full-bodied wine is locked up tight, finishing with firm tannins. Give it at least 5-6 years, maybe even a decade or so, before pulling a cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPDark plum, boysenberry and fig fruit is steeped with notes of anise, black tea, ganache and roasted apple wood. A warm cast iron spine drives the finish, pulling all the components together along the way. Delivers serious cut and drive, holding a deep well of fruit in reserve. Best from 2025 through 2045. 88 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 99 WSThe personality of this wine is in full, flamboyant flight in 2015 with such expressive aromas of fragrant spices, roses and violet flowers, orange zest, white pepper, dark stones, exotic baking spices and beautifully ripe blackberries, blood plums and some redder fruit notes. The palate delivers plenty of energy and depth with ripe, dark and juicy tannins, wrapped around a very rich, intense and fleshy blackberry core. Impressive and still just a baby. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSSaturated purple. Hugely perfumed aromas of dark berry preserves, incense, potpourri, smoky bacon and spicecake. Cola, olive and cracked pepper flourishes build with air. Youthfully and broad in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated, sharply defined black/blue fruit, spicecake, vanilla and violet pastille flavors that are brightened by a smoky mineral accent. Chewy and appealingly sweet on the extremely long, floral-dominated finish framed by youthful, slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 97 VMA darker, deeper, slightly more meaty style compared to La Mouline, the oak here more powerfully evident. Very grippy, very tight tannins. The alcohol feels a little raised, but generally there is a good balance between darks fruits, acidity and tannin, and the wine has great freshness, length and depth. Aromatically and texturally, the wine is dominated by oak at this early stage, though this aspect will soften and meld to some extent as it matures in bottle. Very long, juicy, intense finish. Fermented in stainless steel, 40 months in new French oak barriques. Drinking Window 2027 - 2039Decanter | 95 DEC

Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Harlan Estate is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal black cherries, crème de cassis and plum pudding with nuances of potpourri, baking spices and tilled soil plus wafts of garrigue and wild sage. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated with exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and fantastic poise and depth with a long, decadently fruited finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Harlan Estate is a beast of a wine that shows the sexy, opulent style of the vintage married to the classic structure and depth of this estate. A downright smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, crushed rocks, graphite, smoky camphor, cured meats, and dried tobacco aromas all emerge from the glass, and it shows the deep, concentrated style of the vintage yet still has awesome complexity and nuances. Deep, powerful, and structured, yet opulent and incredibly sexy on the palate, it reminds me of the 2002. A brilliant wine from this estate, it’s already approachable given its wealth of fruit yet has the tannic backbone and density to keep for 3-4 decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDIncredible aromas of fresh flowers, such as roses and violets, and blackcurrants. Full body and defined levels of fruit and tannins too. Love the brightness and texture. An excellent finish. Production was down by a third because of bad berry set. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Harlan Estate has developed into an arrestingly beautiful wine. Racy and sumptuous, the 2015 is already quite showy, with tons of dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice, spice and tobacco character. Today, the 2015 comes across as a bit brooding and hard to read, although some of the rougher edges in the tannins I saw last year have softened. Even so, I would prefer to cellar 2015 for at least a few years. There is so much to look forward to.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA huge red, with powerfully rendered dark fig, macerated black currant and steeped boysenberry fruit framed by a bittersweet chocolate note. With time in the glass, the fruit unwinds slowly, allowing anise and loam accents to fill in on the fleshy finish. There’s some serious heft here through the back end too, with a long echo of smoldering tobacco and a great tug of dark earth. Best from 2022 through 2040. 1,839 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLike most Harlan vintages, this is about 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, with small additions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The nose displays a wonderfully refined blend of sumptuous blackcurrant fruit with stylish oak. Although rich and very concentrated, it's restrained and polished, showing excellent balance and length with no overbearing character and a discreet but present tannic structure. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DEC

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a medium garnet-purple color and is a little closed to begin, giving up red and black currants, violets, lilacs and spice box plus chocolate-covered coffee beans, menthol, tilled soil and cardamom. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and built like a brick house, with loads of floral sparks and a very long, mineral-laced finish. Through the roof.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA subtle, elegant expression, showing a gently mulled core of red currant and blackberry fruit, lined with savory, sage and menthol notes. Fine-grained through the finish, ending with whiffs of cedar and tea. Drink now through 2027.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Rose petals, sandalwood and currants with some plums and fruit tea. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Incredibly straight and minerally. Toned muscles here. Tannic. Traditional and unwavering. Try in 2024.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is blessed with an outstanding bouquet of brilliantly focused and delineated black fruit laced with graphite and cedar - pure class. The medium-bodied, harmonious palate delivers fine-grained tannin and impressive depth. There is a slight savory element (just like the Haut-Brion) that infuses the middle, and brown spices and sage linger on the finish. This is a profound La Mission Haut-Brion that dares surpass Haut-Brion on this showing. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 98 VMMore opulent, sexy and concentrated, the 2015 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is a tour de force that has everything you could want from Bordeaux. A huge nose of smoke tobacco, gravelly earth, graphite, cassis, and blackcurrants gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, perfectly balanced beauty that has incredible depth of flavor and intensity, yet with no weight. While the overall impression is upfront and in your face, it has incredible elegance and length on the finish (as well as ripe tannin) and will keep for three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe deep garnet-purple colored 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Youthfully mute with bright, youthful red currants, black raspberries, cassis and freshly crushed blackberries notions, it slowly unfurls to reveal an earthy/minerally undercurrent of damp soil, charcoal, iron ore and truffles plus a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, decadently fruited and yet wonderfully elegant with very ripe, very silky tannins, freshness that sits well in the background and an almost electric intensity of vibrant red and black fruit flavors, it finishes long and minerally. Just. Beautiful. Consider giving it 6-7 years in bottle before broaching and drink it over the next 30+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPAlluring, with steeped plum, blackberry and açaí berry fruit imparting a distinctive edge. Slightly burly tannins roam underneath but the fruit is so fleshy and broad they are easily absorbed, while dark pudding, warm tar, licorice snap and roasted alder notes flow in on the lengthy finish. Reveals a gorgeous Turkish coffee accent at the very end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040. 6,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis wine, rich and opulent, defines the terroir of this estate. It has a rich, dense character, powerful and concentrated. The juicy black fruits enhance the impression of generosity as well as concentration. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETaut and tense from the off: coffee, smoky almond and pulsing with vibrancy and energy. Reservations over the high alcohol at 15.1%abv but 3.74pH means you barely feel it. Such beautiful tannic grip and sense of forward motion, showing great ageing potential. Beautiful length of damson and loganberry fruits and fragrant heather and garden herbs. Lovely texture, structured and tannic hold. 78% new oak.Decanter | 96 DEC

Blended of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Latour is exquisitely perfumed, displaying fragrant notes of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves, cassis and black plums with nuances of roses, dark chocolate, garrigue, menthol and a waft of sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate beautifully struts its taut, toned, muscular fruit with a frame of very firm, smooth, rounded tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with alluring earth and mineral layers. At once intellectual and sexy, this truly evocative vintage brings to mind the Melanie Griffith line from “Working Girl," possessing a sultry “head for business and a bod for sin."Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPReally gorgeous aromatics, so perfumed, acutely aromatic, pristine, clear and precise with tobacco, cocoa, ash and liquorice. Round, heady, a sexy wine, with a lot to say, generous and open, smooth and layered - this deepens straight away vertically. I love the juiciness, there’s clarity to the raspberry, blueberry and blackcurrant fruit, sleek and joyful but the texture is there with a wet stone and liquorice to the tannins that gives such grip and edge of power. Still youthful and quite serious but there’s something so appealing about it with a sexy character and complexity. Bright and sharp but also with sweetness from the ripe vintage and savoury notes of truffle, cocoa, dark chocolate giving contrast. Such enjoyable floral violet scents too that follow the wine from start to finish. Excellently controlled and delivered with supreme appeal. One you want to sit with and take your time over, and then gulp down! 69 IPT, 30% of production. Harvest 15 september to 10 October. Technical director Hélène Genin.Decanter | 98 DECAromas of iron, oyster shell, rust and stones with blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet ever so polished and refined. It rolls off the palate with fruit and salty flavors. Tight, focused and always refined. Pretty length. 97% cabernet sauvignon gives this brightness. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSSeriously structured and yet also so smooth, this wine has great concentration and powerful tannins. There is wonderful juiciness here as well as dense, dusty tannins that are never hard, always velvet. It is going to be a great wine when it is released in maybe 10 years time. The wine comes only from vineyards that are biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis packs some serious warm dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors together at the core, with charcoal, singed bay leaf, tobacco and roasted alder notes forming the foundation. Grippy for sure, but there’s already alluring perfume and violet elements weaving around here. This has put on some serious weight and dark fruit since the barrel tasting, but remains all tensile strength. It will be fun to watch this age. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2015 Latour has a sensual, richer and more exotic bouquet than its peers, featuring plush red fruit intermingling with raisin and fig, although there is no sur-maturité here; the wine is just crafted in a more opulent style for this First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. This feels very cohesive and focused, and more saline than its peers. Veins of brown spice and leather surface toward the complex, engaging finish. I would have liked a little more length, but otherwise this is very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSComposed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour needs a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose of blackcurrant cordial, boysenberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five spice, clove oil, violets and crushed rocks. The palate packs an absolute flavor wallop, bursting with rich, ripe black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, while framed by beautifully plush tannins, finishing long and minerally. Not at all heavy, on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive AND tantalizingly refreshing. In terms of evolution, it has barely budged since I last tasted it in 2017. While it’s drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2015 Les Forts de Latour is silky, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced from the very first taste. Crushed red berry, cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange lend striking aromatic nuance. Ample and resonant in feel, yet with mid-weight structure, the 2015 is a total pleasure to taste today. All of the natural radiance of the warm year comes through in the wine’s generous, inviting personality. Drink it over the next 15 years or so.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it’s slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny vintage delivered loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealth of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOn the nose you get a full array of floral aromatics, and a gorgeous exuberance. The gourmet edge that is never far away from the surface in the 2015 vintage is very much in play, along with touches of truffle, cigar box and an earthy openness even at six years old. A smoked caramel note comes in on the end, as does a hit of mouthwatering salinity. It’s not as intense as Forts in vintages like 2010 or 2016 but it has an ease to it that is hugely appealing, and can be drunk from now and for at least another 15 years. 0.5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend (the last vintage to contain even a slice of this grape, as it has now been pulled up). 40% of overall production. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThere is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity after taste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery pure and focused, with black currant and black cherry fruit flavors showing lovely freshness, while light graphite, singed black tea leaf and violet hints check in through the silky finish. Best from 2019 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Because the 2015 Ermitage les Greffieux is so approachable and not as forbidding as Chapoutier’s other 2015s, I wonder if I’ve underestimated it? It’s full-bodied and rich in raspberry fruit, there’s an intriguing herbal note and it’s already almost silky in texture rather than being dense and closed. It should provide a couple of decades of drinking pleasure.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2015 Ermitage Les Greffieux comes from vines located at the base of the hill, just under the le Méal Vineyard. Blackberries, blueberries, liquid violet, dusty minerality and hints of beef blood all flow to a ripe, sexy, voluptuous, heavenly effort that’s overflowing with fruit and richness. Concentrated, ripe, sexy and just incredible stuff, it will rival the 2006 as the finest vintage to date from this vineyard. Slightly closed and backward now, don’t touch bottles for 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDSaturated violet. Highly perfumed aromas of candied dark berries, cola, incense and smoky minerals develop a suave Asian spice nuance as the wine opens up. Silky, expansive black raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors display an impressive blend of richness and energy thanks to a mineral flourish that builds on the back half. Finishes juicy, sweet and extremely long, displaying lingering, spice-tinged dark fruit qualities and slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 96 VMVery suave, featuring a frame of loam, ganache and melted black licorice notes melded together, while the core of steeped plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors bristles with energy in reserve. A violet detail throughout adds lift and range. Best from 2020 through 2035. 328 cases made, 14 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSVery composed, with aromas of sappy, black fruit, dark stones, rich baking spices and a waft of pepper. The palate has an assertive, dense core of rich, black cherries and dark plums, as well as hints of licorice and dark, chocolate-coated orange peel. Fine sheets of tannins. From organically grown grapes. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 95 JS

The crème de la crème from the northern Médoc is the 2015 Mouton Rothschild and this incredible wine flirts with perfection. Made from 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, this inky purple-colored effort offers sensational Cabernet flare in its crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, floral, and Asian spice aromas and flavors. It is full-bodied, dense, and incredibly concentrated, yet still has the sexy, opulent, seductive style of the vintage front and center. It will be a candidate for perfection in 10-12 years and is going to be one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. Hats off to Philippe Dhalluim and his team for this incredible effort that’s a step up over just about every other northern Médoc out there!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDecadent and rich aromas of black cherries and plums with wet earth and sandalwood. Turns to dried mushrooms. Full-bodied, tight and closed with big, polished tannins, yet this is very closed and shy right now. Despite this, underneath it shows such depth and beauty. Tangy acidity. This is a combination of 2005 and 2009. Try it in 2024.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak with a mid-July 2017 bottling. Deep garnet-purple colored, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention. Give it a good 7-8 years in bottle, at least, and drink it over the next 30+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPGorgeously confident and rich in colour, you can see the silkiness in the glass from the first look. This has 11% press wine, which tells you how good the skins were and how gently they extract at first. Winemaker Philippe Dhalluin and team have really succeeded in this vintage. It is beautifully integrated, and full of verve and sexiness, just stopping short of swagger. It approaches the heights of 2015 in the most successful appellations and will age well. Bottled in June, with zero oxygen added at bottling and just 25 ppm of SO2. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECThis is a hugely opulent wine, packed withblack fruits, rich tannins and great concentration. It is a gorgeous wine that’s full of potential, with the dense, dark core showing how well this wine will age. Drink this complex wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEIn 2015, Mouton Rothschild is fabulous. A big, towering wine, the 2015 makes its presence felt with layers of super-ripe dense fruit and striking textural resonance that carries all the way through to the finish. The 2015 is much more reticent from bottle than it was from barrel, which is not at all surprising, but is something readers should take into account. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 Mouton is a wine of classically inspired proportions. I can’t wait to taste it in another 15-20 years. The 2015 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc that spend 19 months in 100% new French oak.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGOffers a prodigious core of steeped fig, black currant and blackberry compote flavors, enmeshed with notes of smoldering tobacco, charcoal and licorice. Broad, deep and long, with a deep foundation of graphite through the finish. Despite the heft, this manages to show off some purity too. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

he Poggio di Sotto 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva shows extra muscle definition, power and heady layers of rich fruit. This is all in line with the personality of the vintage, which was sunny and warm with golden sunlight throughout the summer season. This wine stands out for its fine-gained texture, which is smooth and polished. This Riserva offers aromas of cherry and blackberry and shows the depth that you should expect of a classic Riserva bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2015 Brunello Riserva is austere upon opening and requires air to fully express its potential this early. It is perfumed and translucent, with raspberry fruit, leather, black licorice, and rose petal. The palate is structured with drying tannins and mouthwatering acidity, noted by violets, dried herbs and crisp cherry fruit. The warmth of the 2015 vintage is present, though it remains refreshing, tension-driven, and persistent. The 2015 Riserva was aged in large Slavonian barrels for 52 months, and only 1300 bottles were produced. It is a wonderful and immensely pleasurable wine that will be a joy to revisit if the unlikely opportunity should ever arrive. 2021-2051Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has gained significantly in richness and volume since the last time I tasted it. Sage, black cherries and camphor give way to crushed stone, mineral tones and dusty rose. This soothes the palate with silky, delicate textures, as ripe mineral-tinged red berries and savory spices cascade across a core of brisk acidity. It’s a well-muscled dancer of a wine, tapering off incredibly long and graceful with hints of violet and rose over a coating of fine tannin. The 2015 currently shows the textbook ethereal weightlessness of a classic young Poggio di Sotto Brunello, but it will require some time to reveal all of its charms. That said, a slight score upgrade is in order here.Vinous Media | 96 VMThere’s a leafy underbrush element to this red, punctuating the cherry, strawberry and earth flavors. Compact for now, yet balanced, with a taut, reserved finish. Offers tension and suppleness, with plenty in reserve. Best from 2024 through 2047. 500 cases made, 40 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSExtremely perfumed with black-cherry, plum and red-cherry aromas that follow through to a full body with very fine, pretty tannins that follow through to a flavorful finish. Pretty balance and refinement. All about finesse. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JS(Poggio di Sotto, Riserva, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, Red) Poggio di Sotto’s Riserva is a cask selection that typically corresponds with the estate’s oldest vines from its 20 hectares on the outskirts of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Truly a bit muddled and wild at first, Poggio di Sotto’s Riserva eventually comes into handsome focus with fragrant pepper, strawberry and tea. The palate takes on forest berry nuances along with an appealing twist of bitter roots and citrus peel, which make it all the more appetising. The tannins are graceful and accessible but I would still give this a couple of years to sort itself out. (Drink between 2023-2033)Decanter | 93 DECDelicate aromas recalling new leather, camphor, wild berry and dark spice slowly take shape in the glass. Racy and ethereal, the light-bodied palate features tart sour cherry, pomegranate and tobacco supported by taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Earthy aromas of truffle, underbrush, rose and new leather shape the nose along with scents of dark-skinned berry and eucalyptus. Full bodied and youthfully tense, the savory palate delivers crushed black cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and tobacco set against tightly knit, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2023–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAfter skipping over the 2014 vintage, Salvioni comes out swinging with the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino La Cerbaiola. This is a classic Brunello, with one foot firmly planted in a sense of place and the other in varietal purity. You really can’t ask for more in a world-class Brunello such as this, hailing from a highly ranked vintage. Thanks to the sunny and warm growing season, the fiber and texture of this wine is a little looser and thicker compared to the cooler 2013 vintage. This beautiful wine, by contrast, delivers a knockout blow of saturated color loaded with dark cherry and blackberry aromas, all backed by spice, potting soil, crushed rocks, iron ore, ash, violets and blood orange. There is a subtle point of softness or sweetness on the finish that is a signature of this vintage. This champion of a release weighed in at 15,355 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPAn earthy display of mineral-encased red fruits and wild herbs lifts from the glass, as the bouquet of the 2015 Salvioni Brunello di Montalcino evolves into a dark mix of ripe black cherry and dusty spices with overarching floral notes. On the palate, soft, enveloping ripe red fruits open up in an unexpectedly approachable and alluring display, with hints of sweet spice and inner florals. With more time, the flavors turn more to the savory spectrum, adding hints of dried herbs, with cascading minerals, all pushed forward by brisk acidity. The finish is long, as its staining red fruits are offset by zesty spices and acids, revealing just a hint of fine tannin beneath it all. This is an especially forward and easy-to-like expression of Salvioni, which I’m tempted to start drinking early, yet there’s enough primary fruit and acids to carry it over the medium term in the cellar.Vinous Media | 96 VM(La Cerbaiola di Salvioni, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, Red) When I was tasting with Alessia Salvioni in 2017, she described 2015 as picture perfect - the biggest challenge was keeping the wild boar from eating the berries. She also noted that the unrelenting warmth (even at night) made for less perfumed wines. Now bottled, Salvioni’s 2015 is just as dense and concentrated as it was from cask. It also still possesses a pronounced, appetising iodine character along with an earthy savouriness. At first, finessed tannins seem like an afterthought but they sneak up and promise plenty of ageing potential. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 95 DECFresh, featuring flavors of ripe cherry, strawberry, Mediterranean herbs and loam. Finishes with firm tannins, but feels harmonious, in a youthful way. Salty, minerally elements linger. Best from 2023 through 2040. 1,250 cases made, 125 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2015 Screaming Eagle is another monumental wine from this address, and it's one of those cases where if you afford it, you should buy it. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this magical elixir boasts a deep purple color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, violets, incense, and cedarwood. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its off the charts class and purity, it’s full-bodied, thrillingly textured, and has a finish that just won't quit. This legendary wine is going to keep for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is a phenomenal wine on the nose with amazing aromas of mint and sage, highlighting the blackberry and slate character. Blackcurrants and wet earth. Medium to full body with incredible precision and beauty. It rolls off the palate with super fine tannins. Savory and juicy. The minerality and pureness draw you into it. A precise and sophisticated Screaming Eagle that brings you in. So drinkable now but better in 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2015 Screaming Eagle leaps from the glass with notes of freshly crushed black currants, black cherries and blackberries with suggestions of cigar box, black raspberries, red currants, chocolates, pencil lead and cast-iron pan plus a touch of potpourri. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, it features the most incredible black and red fruit layers and finishes with incredible vibrancy and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2015 Screaming Eagle is fabulous. Rich and ample on the palate, with soaring aromatics from the Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Ripe red plum, pomegranate, mint, kirsch, lavender and sweet spice notes are beautifully delineated in the glass. In this tasting, the Cabernet-based Screaming Eagle is quite a bit more open and accessible than the Merlot-based The Flight. Even so, it will be years before the 2015 Screaming Eagle is ready to drink.Vinous Media | 98 VMNotable for the focus on dark berry, licorice, plum and light oak notes, this is solid throughout, fanning out to capture a range of flavors. Texturally smooth until the finish, where the tannins grip. Best from 2021 through 2030. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2016 Las Posadas is a stunning Howell Mountain wine. Inky, rich and hedonistically beautiful, the 2016 is simply magnificent. Crème de cassis, chocolate, menthol, licorice, lavender, cloves, mint, graphite and crushed rocks are all amped up in the glass. Unctuous, creamy and super-expressive, the Posadas captures the opulence of Howell Mountain. It is simply magnificent in every way.Vinous Media | 100 VMA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Las Posadas Proprietary Red is an amazing effort that’s just entering what will be an extended drinking window. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, black cherries and mulberries appear on the nose, joined by a subtle leafiness (tobacco? bay?) that helps to temper the sweet nature of the fruit and bring a more savory, food-friendly quality to the wine. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a stunningly long finish that manages to be both velvety and vibrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPBlueberries and blackberries with fresh herbs and hints of walnuts and almonds. Some crushed stones. Full body and tight, chewy tannins. Dark fruit and resin and cedar undertones. Extremely long and flavorful. Finely crafted. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSFeatures seemingly endless waves of steeped blackberry, warmed fig and cassis flavors rolling through, supported by graphite girders and ornately laced with charcoal, dark bay leaf, alder and tar notes. The fruit and earth elements meld seamlessly through the rock-solid finish. As beautiful as it is large-scaled, this is built for cellaring. Next level. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. Best from 2022 through 2042. 319 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2016 Las Posadas comes from a higher elevation site on Howell Mountain and has an undeniable mountain fruit structure as well as intensity. Stunning notes of pure crème de cassis, hot asphalt, bay leaf, black olives, and a touch of beef blood all emerge from this big, rich, full-bodied powerhouse. It’s loaded with potential, has huge tannins, a mountain of fruit, and a great, great finish. It’s almost impenetrable, though, and needs a solid 7-8 years or more of cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JD

A perfect wine in every sense, the 2016 Madrona Ranch comes from a site at the base of Spring Mountain and is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It does everything right, with a magical bouquet of currants, ground herbs, licorice, graphite, spice, and who knows what else. These all carry to a massive 2016 that has a layered, multi-dimensional texture, building tannins, a colossal mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s another heavenly wine from a great terroir and a great winemaker! Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 30-40 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is phenomenal. The precision and brightness is amazing with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and so beautiful. Full to medium body and fabulous fruit. Wonderful length and beauty. The purity and balance is incredible. Dark berries, walnuts and dark chocolate. Makes you want to drink it now, but be patient and revel in the greatness. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2016 Madrona Ranch is fabulous. Rich, dense and creamy, the 2016 is remarkably finessed from the very first taste. Rose petal, mint, spice, gravel, red cherry and blood orange are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass, but more than anything else the Madrona Ranch is a wine of extraordinary balance and allure. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 99 VMOn the brooding side at first, with a core of dark fig and black currant paste flavors, ensconced in cocoa and roasted alder notes. A warm, loamy underpinning emerges steadily through the muscular finish, gaining a creamy feel and extra chestnut, tobacco, licorice root and tar elements with air. This relies on a seriously profound bass line, so just check your subwoofer before hitting play. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2042. 345 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2016 Madrona Ranch Proprietary Red comes from David Abreu’s first vineyard love, located in St. Helena at the base of Spring Mountain (visitors to Newton Vineyards traverse the property). Like so many other great full-bodied reds, it’s massively concentrated and rich yet also possesses a certain lightness and elegance, so that it never seems heavy or overdone. Marked by cassis and dark-chocolate notes, it’s wonderfully satisfying, with a long, velvety finish and soft layers of ripe tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

Another perfect wine is the 2016 Thorevilos, and my notes on this beauty were laced with expletives. Full-bodied, mammoth-sized aromas and flavors of cassis, crushed flowers, dark chocolate, rare meat, and Asia spices all emerge from the glass. With incredible mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a seamless texture, it has flawless integration of its fruit, tannins, and acidity, no hard edges, and that rare mix of power and elegance. It’s already hard to resist yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20-30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDPhenomenal aromas of blackberries, fresh lavender, orange peel and hints of asphalt. Walnut shell, too. Full-bodied, firm and super structured with wonderful, chewy tannins and purity of fruit at the end. A joy to taste, even drink now, but needs time to come around. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2016 Thorevilos has developed into a very sexy, racy wine. I don’t remember a young Thorevilos being this approachable. Rose petal, mint, sage, dried flowers and mint are some of the many notes that open up with a bit of time in the glass. This is such a gorgeous and totally compelling wine. In a word: superb.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis vineyard lies east of the St Helena AVA, but it isn’t high enough in elevation to be considered part of the Howell Mountain AVA. Don’t let the Napa Valley AVA fool you—this vineyard, now rechristened as Ecotone, is a top site, with lots of rock and white soils derived from volcanic ash. The 2016 Thorevilos Proprietary Red features scents of pine needles and rosemary accenting mixed berries and cassis, plus darker notions of chocolate and French roast. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture, it finishes long, smooth and savory, adding notes of black olives and earth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA stunner, with a seriously deep, dark core of warmed blackberry, black currant and fig paste flavors coursing along, laced with bay leaf, cassis bush, roasted alder, smoldering charcoal, cast iron and stone notes. The tarry structure will carry this through what should be a very slow evolution. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 317 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

Made with old vines that average 55 years-old, this fragrant, single vineyard Brunello boasts aromas of violet, menthol, wild berry and culinary spice. Loaded with class, finesse and structure, the delicious, full-bodied palate features ripe Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, blood orange, licorice and a hint of coffee alongside polished, velvety tannins. A salty mineral note lingers on the finish. It’s well balanced, with bright acidity. Event though it’s already enjoyable thanks to the refined tannins, it will also age for decades. Drink 2024 –2046. Kerin O’Keefe | 98 KOMade with vines that average 55 years old, this fragrant, single-vineyard Brunello boasts aromas of violet, menthol, wild berry and spice. Loaded with class and finesse, the delicious, full-bodied palate features Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, blood orange, licorice and a hint of coffee alongside polished, velvety tannins. A salty mineral note lingers on the finish. Drink 2024–2046.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WESmokey and intense, with crushed ashen stones, savory herbs, ground ginger and dried black cherries forming its dramatic bouquet, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo blossoms in the glass. This is velvety and texturally deep, with brisk acidity motivating its tart wild berry fruits as orange traces add lovely contrast. Its minerality comes through in the finish, long and intense, with hints of cacao and tangerine resonating over a coating of fine-grained tannins. The 2016 is shedding its baby fat and slowly coming into its own.Vinous Media | 97 VMDried cherries, oyster mushrooms, black olives and citrus oil. It’s full-bodied with sleek, ultra fine tannins and a lifted finish. Layers of sour-cherry, bark and umami notes. Burgundian sensibility with purity and intensity. Wait a few years for this to open up. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThis special single-vineyard wine comes from a 3.5-hectare site with vines 50- or 60-something years old. The Argiano 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo (with only 5,000 bottles produced) opens to warm earthy notes that evoke the name of the wine: "vineyard of the soil." The fruit comes through in a second wave with dried raspberry, cassis and dried cherry. But that theme of earthiness permeates the entire experience and is evoked in the powdery dryness of the tannins too. These traits are characteristic of cement fermentation, which this wine does complete, but also of the calcareous marl soils of the site. This is an elegant wine that most certainly needs extra bottle time to gain in depth and volume. A special collaboration with tonnellerie Taransaud was started to create the custom 10-hectoliter oval casks used to age this 5,000-bottle production.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThe 2016 Vigna del Suolo Brunello opens with luxurious and complex aromas of incense, pure black cherry fruit, fresh Mediterranean herbs, and sweet tobacco. The palate is inviting, with velvety tannins, fresh black plum, tea leaf, and baked earth. Vigna del Suolo is sourced from 55-year-old vines at an altitude of 280-310 meters above sea level and aged for 30 months in specially selected barrels. This polished but pure expression of Sangiovese is inviting and approachable. Drink or cellar for the next 15 or more years. Drink 2022-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDAromas of wild rosemary and pine lead off in this racy red, which is permeated by flavors of cherry, raspberry and mineral. Vibrant and balanced, with the resonant tannins leaving a chalky feel on the finish. Shows fine intensity and length. Best from 2024 through 2047. 415 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSArgiano’s oldest site, Vigna del Suolo boasts 65-year-old vines of very rare Sangiovese clones. Recent soil mapping with Chilean specialist Pedro Parra has also revealed significant limestone underpinnings in the vineyard. The 2016 sports a smoky, earthy, dusty nose punctuated by dried fennel. Ripe, chalky tannins are currently front and centre, needing time to cede, while sun-soaked berries underneath speak unabashedly of its southern origins. There is much lurking in this textured, packed Brunello, including orange, mint and a twist of salty sea air.Decanter | 95 DEC

Here too there is just enough wood in evidence to mention on the gorgeously spiced and intricately layered aromas of essence of red currant, floral, plum, earth and a whisper of the sauvage. Once again the mouthfeel of the notably more imposingly-scaled flavors is sleek with excellent minerality that really comes up on the super-saline finish that goes on and on. But what I really admire about the ’16 Bèze is the texture because it’s at once muscular yet highly seductive and refined. This is a very, very powerful wine that is seriously impressive in every respect. In a word, brilliant.Burghound | 98 BHThe 2016 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru is showing brilliantly from bottle, unwinding with aeration to reveal a deep and brooding bouquet of plums, cassis and cherries mingled with notions of grilled meats, ceps, peonies and iodine. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, textural and enveloping, with a muscular chassis of ripe tannin that’s cloaked in a core of vibrant and concentrated fruit, concluding with a long and thrillingly carnal finish. It will be fascinating to compare this with the qualitatively similar but stylistically very different 2015 vintage when both wines have 20 years on the clock.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis is lush and harmonious, featuring kirsch, macerated cherry, blackberry, violet and spice flavors. A fruity style, with lively acidity and a heady finish. Impressive, yet approachable at this stage, with a solid grip of tannins emerging at the end. Best from 2021 through 2038. 67 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2016 Clos de Bèze is another brilliant wine in the Rousseau cellars this year, and without any frost damage, the wine is able to deliver just a touch more precision and mineral drive than the Chambertin and deserves the moniker of best in cellar this year. The stunning bouquet soars from the glass in a vibrant blend of red plums, cherries, a touch of blood orange, stunningly complex minerality, woodsmoke, gamebird, beautiful spice tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and ripely tannic, with a stunning core, magical transparency and a very long, ripely tannic and tangy finish. (Drink between 2028 - 2075)John Gilman | 97+ JGThe 2016 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru is a little subdued on the nose with delineated red cherry, crushed strawberry and crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, fresh and mineral-driven, almost Ruchottes-like in style with just a small attenuation towards the finish. Very fine, if not quite delivering the substance you might have expected. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe Clos de Bèze was very expressive when I tasted it, bursting with almost erotically sweet aromas of black cherry, liquorice, grilled meat, nori, dried cep and musk. On the palate the wine is very full-bodied, with a sweet core of fruit, an ample and deceptively firm chassis of tannins, and a long, intense and energetic finish. This is a very powerful wine which is hard to resist. In contrast, the Chambertin is the more poised and refined wine, unerringly precise in the face of the Clos de Bèze’s voluptuousness.Decanter | 95 DECServed after the Chambertin this year. A full crop unaffected by the frost. Full bright purple, less crimson than Chambertin. The nose has a toasty reduction. There is the expected intensity of fruit of but it is in a slightly undigested form at the moment, and the acidity is a little more prominent. This may show better a little further down the road. Tasted: October 2017.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JM

Beautifully fresh, lifted and disarming on the nose, you react with a smile without thinking, like with so many of the best 2016s. At this stage there's liquorice, a little black pepper and some floral overtones alongside a little grilled toast. It's full-bodied, you feel the sun in the wine, and it's so concentrated. Tannins are wonderfully glossy and fine, the wine is saturated with them, they coat your mouth. Long finish with real persistence. Perfectly balanced, utterly harmonious, this will be a panoramic Châteauneuf when it's ready. Not overblown or overextracted - perfectly pitched. Drinking Window 2023 - 2070.Decanter | 100 DECThe flagship is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, 75% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and the rest Counoise, brought up all in foudre. Blueberries, Peking duck, new saddle leather, black cherries, scorched earth, and an incredible sense of minerality all flow to a massive, concentrated, pure, perfectly balanced 2016 that is a prime example of the old saying, “an iron fist in a velvet glove.” It's a heavenly, perfect wine that's going to live for 30-50 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA more savory, moody, strong expression. Deeply rich nose with minerals, flowers, wild herbs, tar, toasted spices and pepper. The dark berries have a smoky edge. Minerally edge, too, thanks to the 60 per cent mourvèdre. The palate has glossy, ripe and super-fine tannins in sheets. Deep-set, dark plums and blueberries in the finish. Noble tannins. Age-worthy.James Suckling | 100 JSTasted three weeks after bottling, I couldn't quite bring myself to give the elusive three-digit score to this admittedly super wine. Perhaps once the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin has been in bottle a bit longer, as Mourvèdre seems to go into a bit of a funk when recently bottled. For now, it's merely profound, packing in savory, mossy nuances, hints of exotic dried spices like star anise and cardamom and layers of rich, plummy fruit that manage to be full-bodied and deliciously intense without being weighty or overwrought. Creamy, lush, intense and long, it's a tdf (tour de force) in CdP.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPDeep vivid magenta. A highly complex bouquet displays candied black and blue fruits, incense and musky earth aromas; violet, licorice and Indian spice notes build in the glass. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated, mineral-laced blueberry, cherry compote, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors that are given spicy lift and bite by a late peppery flourish. Tightens up slowly on a strikingly long, chewy, floral-driven finish framed by dusty, steadily building tannins.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis delivers a torrent of lively raspberry pâte de fruit and plum reduction notes, infused liberally with anise, fruitcake and black tea nuances. Ripe and dense, yet lively, defined and fresh in feel, coursing over graphite and leather accents on the well-structured finish. Best from 2021 through 2045. 52 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

This is the second 100-point Vigna Le Rocche, following the 2015. What the former had in intensity of fruit and transparency, this has in structure and power. The purity of fruit is sensational in this young Barolo, offering blackberries, black truffle and iron. Rust too. This is so tannic and powerful with incredible structure. This may be the most structured Barolo from Bruno Giacosa I have ever tasted as a young wine. Speechless. Full-bodied and so intense, yet it remains fresh and agile. Traditional in every sense of the word, but this is clear and clean. A classic in the making. It will be in the market January 2022. Leave this for at least six to eight years. Try in 2027.James Suckling | 100 JSThe Bruno Giacosa 2016 Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche sees its fruit sourced from the oldest vines in the Falletto cru. This wine boasts all the signature touches of Serralunga d’Alba with the massive structure, density and the long aging potential that comes with Nebbiolo grown in this village. The wine spreads evenly over the palate, imparting its considerable fruit weight and generally leaving a big impact. This Barolo is really quite lovely and beautiful. The bouquet is fluid and ever-shifting, showing new sides with firm fruit, blackberry, smoke, rusty nail and mineral with every swirl of the glass. I visited this vineyard site shortly before tasting this wine and marveled at the beautiful peacocks that roam free between the rows of vines.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP

The 2016 D’Alceo combines unctuous intensity with pure, raw power. It won’t be ready to drink until age ten, at least, but there is plenty to look forward to. With a few hours of air, the fruit and breadth both start to emerge. Inky blueberry, lavender, cloves, leather and licorice are some of the many nuances that build over time.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis elegant red features cherry and black currant flavors interwoven with its silky texture. Tobacco and spice accents add complexity as this unfurls to a lingering aftertaste of fruit, mineral and savory elements. Firmly built and still young. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035. 925 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLots of richness here, but there’s always balance and focus with blackberry and chocolate character and hazelnut undertones. Bark, too. It’s full-bodied, but tight and focused at the end. Always a great wine. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe Castello dei Rampolla 2016 d’Alceo is an extra dark and brooding expression of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot in a supporting role. The wine sits firmly on the palate, imparting weight, staying power and extra heat. In fact, some sort of bistecca alla Fiorentina or otherwise succulent grilled meat pairing is what comes immediately to mind. The immense power of the wine rumbles and trembles in the glass, figuratively speaking, revealing dried blackberry, prune and black cherry confit. This 2016 vintage shows impressive clarity and focus both on the nose and in the mouth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, this compelling wine opens with enticing aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, new leather, pipe tobacco and menthol. Chewy and delicious, the palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and baking spice framed in firm, refined tannins. It’s full-bodied, with a weightless elegance and a crushed mint finish. Drink 2022–2028. Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, this compelling wine opens with enticing aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, new leather, pipe tobacco and menthol. Chewy and delicious, the palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and baking spice framed in firm, refined tannins. It’s full bodied, with a weightless elegance and a crushed mint finish. Drink 2022–2028. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE