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From 0.17 hectares of vine worked by horse and including a large proportion of whole bunch, the 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru has a fragrant bouquet of pure dark cherry, boysenberry, crushed stone and pressed violet aromas. It reminds me of a Clos de la Roche in some ways. The palate is well balanced with fine and quite sturdy tannins. It does not possess the sophistication of the preceding Grands-Echézeaux, but there is good energy on the finish. Very fine. Vinous Media | 91-93 VM(Domaine du Clos Frantin (Nuits St. Georges) - Domaines Albert Bichot Chambertin Grand Cru Red) Here too there is enough wood to mention though not enough to be especially intrusive on the equally good and restrained nose that grudgingly offers up notes of red and dark cherry, sauvage, cool earth and a whiff of game. There is excellent intensity to the dense, powerful and muscular large-scaled flavors that exude an abundance of minerality on the austere, backward and sneaky long finish. This too needs to develop better depth, but the apogee of this wine is so far into the future that more is all but guaranteed to emerge with time. (Drink starting 2039).Burghound | 91-94 BH

This large 1.75ha holding is at the northern end of the lieu-dit, not far from Bonnes Mares, where it is planted in a terres blanches soil similar to the top of the slope. In 2019, the fruit has given a seductive result, with profuse raspberry aromas, a hint of ginger and liquorice. The texture on the palate shows plenty of extract, with sweet fruit but also a lovely depth and density. Drinking Window 2024 - 2049.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2019 Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er Cru was showing a little more reduction than the Les Combottes, though not much, allowing black fruit laced with crushed stone and iris flower to emerge with aeration. The palate is beautifully defined with succulent, vibrant red and black fruit, hints of blood orange and a subtle irony tincture toward the graceful finish. An outstanding Les Cras. Just superb.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThis is definitely ripe yet again quite fresh with its overtly floral combination of cassis, poached plum, anise, rose petal and discreet wood-suffused aromas. Once again there is a really lovely texture to the more obviously mineral-driven flavors that culminate in a highly refreshing, chiseled and youthfully austere finale that delivers notably better length. Impressive stuff that should age effortlessly. (Drink starting 2031)Burghound | 93 BHRoumier’s 2019 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras unwinds in the glass with scents of cherries, smoky berry fruit, orange rind, Indian spices and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegantly textural, it’s rich and concentrated, with powdery tannins, succulent acids and a perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RP

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

Bright and expressive, featuring cherry, blackberry, smoke, sandalwood, earth and vanilla flavors. Vibrant and elegant, though firm on the finish now, offering finesse and terrific length. Best from 2025 through 2042. 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

From the section of Echézeaux known as Clos St. Denis, 45-year-old vines are planted on southeast facing slopes in clay and limestone soils. The whole cluster vinification here provides a balanced, elegant wine, with bright red fruit and floral aromas, moderate weight, firm-ish tannins and an engaging elegance that should age well. Drinking Window 2021 - 2034.Decanter | 94 DEC(Maison Philippe Pacalet Echézeaux Grand Cru Red) Here the nose is firmly reduced though it seems clear that the underlying fruit is definitely ripe. The sleek, delicious and relatively refined middle weight plus flavors possess good delineation on the unusually chalky, complex, youthfully austere, compact and beautifully long finish. This is also very much built-to-age though it’s not so structured that it could not be approached after 7 to 8 years. In a word, lovely. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 92-94 BH

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

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

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

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

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

This opulent style starts out supple before chalky tannins take hold of its cherry, blackberry, earth and mineral flavors. Muscular, solid and dry, this lingers, offering a fruit- and oak spice–filled finish. Best from 2027 through 2045. 411 cases made, 15 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis had just been bottled shortly before my visit and, unsurprisingly, was displaying some reduction. More interesting are the rich, caressing and delicious medium-bodied flavors that are noticeably finer while exhibiting excellent power, focus, balance and length on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This is textbook Bressandes.Burghound | 93 BH

25% whole bunch vinification. Still in barrel. A rich saturated purple. The fruit swarms across the palate, yet with a fine sense of balance. Fine grained tannins, not too wild a style of Bonnes Mares, and indeed the holding is on the white soil which explains the elegance. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberries and iris flower, more intense than the 2023. Taut and focused, the palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry, quite linear for a Bonnes-Mares, with a bright, vivacious finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 93 VMHere the grudging nose is even spicier with a slightly more deeply pitched array of plum liqueur, dark currant and floral suggestions that are trimmed in hints of menthol. There is a bit more volume and mid-palate density, if less obvious minerality, to the medium weight plus flavors that are at once punchy and overtly powerful, all wrapped in a clearly built to age finale. This is excellent but patience will definitely be required.Burghound | 92-94 BHAromas of sweet red cherries, figs, rose petals and spices introduce the 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered wine that’s one of the riper, more muscular wines in the range, exhibiting just a touch of sur maturité.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

The 2022 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru is showing brilliantly, wafting from the glass with notes of red berries and cherries mingled with incense, rose petals, spices and peonies. Full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it’s seep and multidimensional, with a concentrated core of fruit and a long, resonant finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberries and iris flower, more intense than the 2023. Taut and focused, the palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry, quite linear for a Bonnes-Mares, with a bright, vivacious finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 93 VM25% whole bunch vinification. More of a pinky purple. Still in barrel, so the bouquet reflects this. There is a fine and concentrated mineral thread through the middle of this wine and significant class to the fruit. Does it have the silky sensual quality of the very finest? Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMLike the Clos de Vougeot, this too is quite firmly reduced and revealing nothing aromatically. More interesting are the beautifully textured and tension-filled bigger-bodied flavors that exhibit fine length on the dusty and balanced finale. This would benefit from having better depth but the potential to develop it appears to present.Burghound | 92-95 BH

Laurent Lignier has crafted a delicious wine from his holdings in Clos de la Roche, with dark plummy fruit and notes of ground coffee, earth and spice. The texture is serious, dense with tannin and extract, with enough acidity to draw the flavours out on the palate. Yields were tiny – just five barrels instead of the customary 15-20. This wine will begin to open in three to five years and will drink well for decades after that.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECLaurent has not made the special cuvée in 2024. Here there are 5 barrels from 0.90ha, two thirds Monts Luisants, one third Fremières. A fine mid crimson with a slightly weaker rim. The nose is very high class though, with just a little savoury edge to the mineral red fruit, good tension at the finish, maybe a little blueberry, classic Clos de la Roche with quite some staying power. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2025.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2024 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru has an exquisite bouquet that is easily the best that Laurent Lignier conjured this vintage: wonderful redcurrant and raspberry scents, freshly picked roses and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with finely honed tannins, a silver thread of acidity and silky texture that instantly seduces. There is just a tingle of white pepper on the finish that completes a lovely Clos de la Roche. Divine.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMModerate wood influence sets off overtly floral-suffused aromas of wild red berries, spice and a suggestion of wet stone. The succulent, round and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors possess a lovely sense of underlying tension that adds to the appeal of the powerful, impressively long and well-balanced finale. This is though compact and very firmly structured so at least mid-term patience is recommended.Burghound | 91-94 BH