Red Wines

wines

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

Ripe, exuding blackberry and blueberry fruit, this red is dense, with a slightly dusty quality to the tannins. Earth and iron accents add depth as this stays defined and extends on the fresh, mouthwatering finish. Best from 2022 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 94 WSPurchased by Christophe Roumier’s father in 1953, this 2.59ha clos is a monopole holding. Made with 35% whole bunches and aged in 25% new wood, it has the brightness, balance and freshness of the domaine’s Chambolle village, but with a bit more tannin and weight. Sappy, sweet and refreshing.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2017 Clos de la Bussière from Christophe Roumier is another bottling that has really benefited from the refined elegance of this vintage, as it offers up uncharacteristically early polish in its aromatic constellation of sweet dark berries, black cherries, pigeon, bitter chocolate, woodsmoke, dark soil tones and a touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and still properly reserved in personality, with a fine core of fruit, lovely transparency and a long, ripely tannic and very well balanced finish. This will be an excellent vintage of Clos de la Bussière in the fullness of time, but it is still close to a decade away from starting to blossom. (Drink between 2030 - 2070)John Gilman | 92 JGDeep core of fresh purple, with much charm to the dark raspberry fruit. This is a concentrated wine, quite firm at the finish, a question of time because the fruit will certainly win through. Tasted: September 2021.Jasper Morris | 92 JMThe 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru has quite a straightforward bouquet of raspberry and cranberry fruit, pleasant sous-bois aromas percolating through with time. This gains complexity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, fine acidity and chiseled tannins, but it feels a little attenuated on the finish. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMAn unusually spicy nose reflects notes of earth and a whiff of game on the black raspberry and violet scents. There is a fleshy, even velvety, mouthfeel to the nicely voluminous medium-bodied flavors that flash focused power on the ever-so-mildly rustic and beautifully complex finale that delivers sneaky good length. This youthfully austere effort is finer than it usually is and should reward extended keeping.Burghound | 91 BHThe 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos de la Bussière is a real success, and decidedly reminiscent of the domaine’s excellent 2007. Offering up aromas of sweet red berries, warm spices, peony and subtle soil tones, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a fine core of fruit that cloaks its rich but fine-grained tannic chassis. While it’s an elegant rendition of the Clos de la Bussière, this always needs bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

This 1.6ha parcel is in the middle of the slope, two metres above the Clos des Angles on poor, stony soils over a limestone base. Crunchy, elegant and refined, it has lovely texture, raspberry sweetness and fine-boned tannins, finishing with a saline, mineral bite.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2017 Volnay Fremiet 1er Cru has an expressive bouquet with veins of blue fruit that strafe the vibrant raspberry and crushed strawberry. Here there is fine mineralité tucked just underneath. The palate is vibrant, almost effervescent on the entry with blood orange infusing the red fruit, great tension and quite pointed tannin, a Fremiet that is bursting with life. Superb.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA slightly more deeply pitched nose displays an evident spiciness to the plum, dark raspberry and violet-scented aromas. The highly energetic and intense medium weight flavors offer even more minerality on the well-detailed flavors that possess more depth and a bit more length as well on the firmer finish. This is very Frémiets in character and a wine that should amply reward extended keeping.Burghound | 91-93 BHThe 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets offers up aromas of plums, cassis, wood smoke, dark chocolate and rich soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, chalk and structured palate that’s firmer and more muscular than the supple, giving Clos des Angles. The soils here are thinner and the wine inherently less gourmand, but it will reward the patient with lovely purity and transparency.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

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

The La Tâche was the palest of all the DRC 2017s, almost to the point of transparency. This is a floral, open knit expression of the monopoly Grand Cru, which is very far from being a blockbuster this year. Scented and appealing, with notes of avatar of roses, fresh leather and peat smoke on the nose, lots of whole bunch spice and structure, racy acidity, a hint of salinity, succulent red berry fruit and remarkable palate length. A layered, understated red. Drinking Window 2029 - 2037.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2017 La Tâche Grand Cru is another of the more expressive wines in the range. It opens with striking mid-palate pliancy and also possesses a level of inner sweetness the other wines don’t have, and yet there is plenty of the tannic clout that defines the Richebourg as well. Time in the glass allows all of those elements to emerge fully, especially the aromatics that are such a La Tâche signature. Creamy, ample and wonderfully expressive, 2017 is superb today. I would cellar the 2017 for at least a few years, even if it is incredibly alluring right now. Harvest took place on September 6 and 7.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) Other than perhaps a great Musigny, La Tâche is the most aromatically compelling wine in Burgundy with its perfumed fireworks in a glass with a nose that is ultra-spicy, exuberantly fresh and impressively broad-ranging array of rose petal, exotic and herbal tea, lavender, plum, violet, sandalwood, soy and a whiff of hoisin. There is a beguiling sense of underlying tension to the supple and almost easy-going mid-palate of the deceptively forward medium-bodied flavors that progressively tighten up on the dusty, exceptionally stony and saline if ever-so-mildly warm finish that flashes excellent depth and superb persistence as well as plenty of youthful austerity. This is a La Tâche of contrasts as the mid-palate suggests early accessibility yet the firm core of tannins makes clear that the 2017 LT will require extended keeping if you wish to experience it at its peak. (Drink starting 2037).Burghound | 96 BHWhile the 2017 La Tâche Grand Cru is one of the most approachable recent vintages of this great monopole, it's still really too soon to be opening bottles. However, these things happen, and it's certainly a striking wine, unwinding in the glass with detailed aromas of wild berries, plums, exotic spices, orange, rose petals, peony and coniferous forest floor. Full-bodied, satiny and seamless, its beautifully refined tannins and succulent acids are cloaked in an ample core of fruit. Like many of the best 2017s, its charm is deceptive, as there's a lot waiting in reserve here, and even a few years' patience will bear dividends.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAs usual, La Tâche is altogether bigger, denser and darker in its fruit expression. Black currant, black cherry, licorice, spice and earth notes ply the vibrant profile as this builds to a long finish (96 points, non-blind)Wine Spectator | 96 WS

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

Bottled in February of 2021, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is a seamless, exotic, perfumed, full-bodied effort that offers a classic floral character in its ripe black raspberry and blackberry fruit as well as notes of spice box, espresso, and chocolate. Co-fermented with roughly 10% Viognier, it’s all about gorgeous fruit and texture, and this cuvée has that rare ability to bring incredible richness and depth with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 20-25 years. This reminds me slightly of the 2011 as well as the 2007.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDHighly perfumed, expansive aromas of cherry and blueberry liqueur, incense, exotic spices and vanilla, plus a bright mineral overtone that builds in the glass. Youthful, palate-staining red and blue fruit flavors show superb depth as well as energy, and a core of juicy acidity adds support and back-end cut. Finishes with building floral and spice nuances, gentle tannic grip and a resonating mineral note.Vinous Media | 96-97 VM(E Guigal, La Turque, Syrah / Shiraz, Côte-Rôtie, Rhône, France, Red) You can almost smell the fresh clay, immediately a different register compared to La Mouline with star anise, incense notes and rolling tobacco as opposed to cigarette tobacco. Rounded, fuller and plumper with more mouthcoating tannins and touches of vanilla pod from the oak.. The fruit is sweeter and juicier than the Mouline and this has a long, sappy finish with plentiful tannin but still elegant. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2017 Cote Rotie La Mouline has developed quickly and is already approachable—although I wouldn’t be surprised to see it close down shortly, only to emerge even better a decade from now. Complex, charming scents of jasmine, sandalwood, raspberries and stone fruit appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is silky-textured, with a long, plush finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP Racy-edged and still a bit coiled up, this has a core of dark cherry and currant fruit that has melded nicely with singed alder, tobacco and sanguine notes. Flashes of chocolate and espresso crema add a more taciturn edge to the finish, but time should bring that into the fold, as this has superior length and drive for cellaring.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

One of the legendary vintages for this cuvée is the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Turque, a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier from a tiny parcel in the Côte Brune lieu-dit. Always aged 4 years in new French oak, it offers a dense, saturated purple color as well as slightly more masculine notes of blackberries, smoked meats, dark chocolate, and graphite. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and perfectly balanced, with incredible purity of fruit, it already offers pleasure but will ideally be given 5-7 years of bottle age. It will deliver the goods for 30 to 40 years. It’s the star of the show in 2017 and one of the wines of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA common refrain regarding the La-Las is that they require a decade or more of cellaring to come around. In fact, they're often quite open and appealing soon after release, only to close down shortly thereafter. The 2017 Cote Rotie La Turque offers up hints of crushed stone and struck flint, smoky, bacon-fat aromas and ripe, mouthwatering blackberries. Full-bodied, creamy and rich, it's a powerful, concentrated effort that should still be drinking well in two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPYou can almost smell the fresh clay, immediately a different register compared to La Mouline with star anise, incense notes and rolling tobacco as opposed to cigarette tobacco. Rounded, fuller and plumper with more mouthcoating tannins and touches of vanilla pod from the oak.. The fruit is sweeter and juicier than the Mouline and this has a long, sappy finish with plentiful tannin but still elegant. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 97 DECVery alluring, with silky waves of cherry puree and mulled plum fruit gliding through, infused gently with red tea, savory and sweet tapenade hints. Lingering minerality carries the finish, which has structure and grip to merit cellaring, though the fruit is so hard to resist.Wine Spectator | 96 WSExpansive aromas of black raspberry, cherry and boysenberry, with exotic spice, floral oil and incense notes building in the glass. Energetic and focused on the palate, offering densely packed black/blue fruit liqueur flavors, along with intense violet pastille and cracked pepper notes. The floral quality builds steadily with air and carries through a very long, chewy finish that features resonating blue fruit and floral notes and youthfully gripping tannins.Vinous Media | 95-96 VM

This fantastic, focused red opens with enticing scents of rose, woodland berry, forest floor and a balsamic whiff of camphor. It’s full bodied and elegantly structured, delivering flavors of ripe morello cherry, raspberry compote, cinnamon and licorice before a hazelnut close. Firm fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity provide the framework. Drink 2024–2046. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEGrasso’s 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is fabulous. In fact, the Gavarini is easily one of the wines of the vintage because it retains all of its classic signatures, which is also the sign of a first-class vineyard. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the Gavarini pulses with energy. Crushed red flowers, mint, chalk, white pepper, cinnamon and orange peel give the 2017 a super-classic Nebbiolo profile, as expressed in a relatively high-altitude site. The precision and finesse of the tannins - so hard to find in 2017- elevates the Gavarini into the realm of the sublime.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe distinctive amphitheater that is Gavarini in Monforte d’Alba is situated just north of Ginestra. The 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is nuanced with perfectly ripe cherry, cinnamon, cedar, and menthol. It delivers a high level of refinement on the palate, with super-fine tannins, orange peel, pomegranate, and dried roses. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe Elio Grasso 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera shows us that deft hands are able to shape good results in a challenging vintage. This wine is balanced and polished with an array of smaller and more detailed aromas that we simply don’t see in the majority of Barolo releases from this hot and dry vintage. The bouquet here cautiously unveils tiny berry fruit, underbrush, wild rose, lilac, rusty nail and crushed stone. Nuanced and precise, this is one of a handful of 2017 releases that deserves special praise.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPRipe-berry aromas with toffee and some iodine and stone. Full-bodied with depth of fruit and chewy, polished tannins that are intense and pointed. This has so much structure and intensity. Give it time to soften and come together. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSElio Grasso and now his son Gianluca run this very consistent and well managed property in Monforte. The vineyards lie on 3ha of varied soils behind the cellars at around 350 metres. The nose is very subdued with red fruits lurking. It’s a full-bodied and forthright wine with ample volume, and does not seem too extracted despite the formidable tannins. The finish is solid and long. The Grassos’ other single vineyard, Casa Mate, is too high in alcohol in this vintage.Decanter | 93 DEC

This is really transparent with sweet strawberries, flowers and orange peel, as well as some conifer and pine-nut undertones. Full-bodied and layered with intense young tannins, intertwined with bright fruit. Great finish. This is really something else. Needs time to soften, of course. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2017 Barolo Ginestra Casa Mate has a slightly darker profile of licorice, black cherry, and wood spice. The palate is generous and structured, with plum pit, mineral-rich earth, and dried orange blossom. These are wines with incredible aromatic complexity and depth. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2017 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is a dark, mysterious wine. Black cherry, menthol, tobacco, licorice, spice, new leather and pine meld together in a super-classic expression of Ginestra. Deep, rich and enveloping, the 2017 is so impressive in the early going. Here, too, the finesse of the tannins is remarkable.Vinous Media | 96 VMSoils in the Ginestra vineyard show more moisture-retaining clay in their composition, making them better positioned to handle hot and dry vintages such as this. The Elio Grasso 2017 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté reveals soft concentration and extra richness; however, the aromatic nuances are well intact. I recall that the previous 2016 vintage took longer to come into focus, whereas this 2017 expression is open-knit and immediately accessible. The fruit is front and center, and the wine slides over the palate with a silky texture. Managing the tannins in 2017 was not easy, but this wine proves that lasting balance is not out of reach.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Showing a deeper colour than the other wines in his cellar, as it always seems to do, this serious, well-structured Nuits from Emmanuel Rouget shows bramble and black cherry fruits, some subtle oak spice, vivacious acidity and good underlying grip.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Village, matured in 30% new oak in order to preserve freshness, according to Rouget, has quite a generous bouquet of blueberry and black cherry fruit, the oak nicely integrated. The palate is bright and fresh with violet-tinged blue fruit, almost Vosne-like in style, leading to a silky-smooth, very classy finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMThe 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges Village exhibits aromas of sweet Morello cherries, cassis, violets and rose petals. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and expressive, with a layered core and fine stony tannins, combining richness of structure, with lightness of touch.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPThis is at once more deeply colored and more deeply pitched with its fresh and restrained nose of plum, dark currant, violet and newly turned earth. There is notably better concentration to the muscular and punchy medium-bodied flavors that flash a mild rusticity on the mouth coating though not particularly austere finale. This well-made effort is very Nuits in character and should age well over the mid-term.Burghound | 89-91 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

The 2017 Barolo Castelletto captures all of the savory and mineral complexity of this high-altitude site. Ethereal and gracious, the Castelletto has so much to offer. Pine, mint, blood orange, crushed raspberry and star anise are all finely sculpted throughout. This is one of the best Barolos I have ever tasted from Manzone. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 96 VMI love the dense, savory elements that thicken up the red fruit on the nose, speaking more of terroir than oak influence. Full-bodied with lots of fine-grained tannins that are already giving an easy ride to the juicy fruit, through to a long, only lightly firm finish. It’s very rare to give a drink-now recommendation to a young Barolo, This is irresistible right now. Yet, it should develop nicely in bottle, too. Drink or holdJames Suckling | 93 JS

Power and elegance. The 2017 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard bangs with bright red fruit character with fantastic clarity and a pure sense of underlying terroir at its core. Intoxicating floral aromas of Sakura, crushed rose petals and hints of lavender flood the senses first, followed by layers of wild strawberries, bright cherry skin and crushed raspberries in the glass. It is medium-bodied on the palate, with delicate savory and spice tones that fade in and out between the seductive red fruit and floral notes, giving way to an impeccably balanced structure with energetic acidity and a robust shine and gleam to the fruit. An instant success, the palate is full of flavor and mouth-watering juiciness without being overripe. Immensely pleasureful, the wine delivers an elongated yet compact finish that continues to evolve and unpack in the mouth with persistence. Hands-down, it’s a winner! 301 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPStarting with the 2017 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard, this beauty is the spitting image of a great vintage of Rayas and offers a complex bouquet of black raspberries, white pepper, spring flowers, and sappy herbs. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, ethereal Grenache that has a light, graceful texture, silky tannins, and a great finish. It shows the more elegant, almost Pinot Noir-like style of Grenache on the palate and is flawlessly balanced. Just a singular, remarkable wine, drink it any time over the coming 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDynamic yet refined, featuring a brooding core of dark blueberry fruit, surrounded by rich raspberry, bacon fat and slate accents that build tension toward medium-bodied tannins. Drink now through 2028. 301 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe aromas of dried strawberries and cloves are really pretty. It’s full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that frame a balance of harmonious, ripe fruit. Touch of bitterness on the finish. Extremely long and thoughtful here. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSModerately saturated medium red. Dark raspberry, flowers, iron, red cherry and smoked meat on the alluring nose. Dense, rich, mouthcoating wine with an attractive balance of red berries, smoked meat and wild herbs. A very savory style: less fruity than the Cayuse version but boasting a thicker, longer, sweeter finish than the No Girls Grenache from the same stable. Possesses strong material to buffer its tannins. Finishes broad and quite long, with a suggestion of nutty richness. (13.5% alcohol)Vinous Media | 93 VMCompelling soot, green-olive, grilled asparagus, potpourri, licorice and raspberry aromas are followed by a palate that is more restrained in style than the aromas would suggest. It has a pillowy soft feel to the savory flavors. Outrageous potpourri and sea-breeze notes linger on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2017 Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées 1er Cru has a wonderful bouquet of joyful red fruit laced with wild hedgerow and pressed rose petals, very elegant and crystalline in quality. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, good structure and impressive tension on the classic, traditional-style finish. Difficult to resist!Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2017 les Fuées from Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier is a lovely bottle in the making. It is still young, but the suave personality of the 2017 vintage also makes this quite easy to drink today, as it offers up a bright and complex nose of red and black cherries, beetroot, a lovely base of soil, woodsmoke, a touch of mustard seed and a whisper of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full, with a lovely core of fruit, fine soil undertow, suave, fine-grained tannins and a long, nascently complex and very well balanced finish. Though this is quite accessible in its youthful guise, I would try to leave my hands off of it for another seven or eight years and really let it come into its own. Lovely juice. (Drink between 2028 - 2060)John Gilman | 93 JGThe 2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées is superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of rose petal, raspberries, sweet forest floor and cherries. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with excellent concentration and depth at the core, balanced by juicy acids and displaying an elegant but reserved profile that will demand and reward some bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPMedium depth of colour, a slightly charred note on otherwise attractive fruit, a little touch of bacon. Some tannins behind, the quality of the fruit is really lovely apart from the hint of something medicinal, which may clear later. Tasted: September 2021.Jasper Morris | 92 JMThere is enough reduction present to dominate the underlying fruit along with a similar note of herbal tea so if you’re going to try a bottle young, I would advise decanting it first. There is a lilting, indeed almost delicate mouthfeel to the more mineral-driven and slightly denser medium-bodied flavors that possess a silky mouthfeel, all wrapped in a sneaky long finish that is shaped by admirably fine-grained tannins. My rating assumes that the nose will clear up with a few years of bottle age.Burghound | 91 BH

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

Complex scents of black cherry, liquorice, spice and smoke. Bright entry to the palate; refreshingly spicy, with layers of lemon sorbet and sweet raspberry. Restrained but full-flavoured with a long, appealing, rounded finish. Beautiful blend.Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2017 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, inviting wine. Pliant fruit and soft contours give the 2017 so much immediacy and appeal. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry while spice, new leather and sweet pipe tobacco infuse the 2017 with tremendous character. The 2017 is such a beautiful and inviting wine. It was fermented in concrete and aged in oak for 18 months. Wow!Antonio Galloni | 93 AGRich cherries and berries on the nose with hints of fresh oak and sage-like herbs, following through to a fullish palate with plump fruit, quite firm tannins and a bright mineral finish. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best after 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSLe Cinciole’s latest release, the 2017 offers tremendous freshness with beautiful restraint. After ageing for one year in 20hL French oak, this refines for a further 12 months in cement before bottling. It is slightly wilder and decidedly darker in its nuances than the 2016, with enticing lavender, black cherry, liquorice and a touch of leather. The palate is fairly dense, with appropriately grippy tannins lending support. It leaves the mouth clean, refreshed and satisfied. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DECMade with organically farmed Sangiovese, this opens with subtle aromas of black-skinned berry, scorched earth and cooking spice. The savory palate offers black cherry, clove and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

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

Opulent and very sexy with perfume, cedar, dried flowers and dried strawberries and just a hint of nutmeg. It’s medium-to full-bodied with round and finely velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. So seductive. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSFragrant and delicious, this gorgeous wine opens with inviting aromas of rose, sandalwood, camphor and perfumed berry alongside whiffs of truffle and French oak. The full-bodied palate combines elegance and structure, featuring ripe Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and a dollop of vanilla alongside firm, refined tannins. It’s already tempting but hold for more complexity. Drink 2024–2032. Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOFragrant and delicious, this gorgeous wine opens with inviting aromas of rose, sandalwood, camphor and perfumed berry alongside whiffs of truffle and French oak. The full-bodied palate combines elegance and structure, featuring ripe Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and a dollop of vanilla alongside firm, refined tannins. It’s already tempting but hold for more complexity. Drink 2024–2032.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2017 Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne has a gentle, sweet, smoky spice nose with a touch of fresh leather. It is medium-full, with a sublime, melting texture and very finely integrated tannins, There is a great harmony and finesse to the palate, with gentle red fruit and spice notes. A hint of tar in the middle adds intrigue. Unlike most 2017s, the slight dryness of the tannins is not there - they are integrated into the wine in a subtle, harmonious way. Maybe wait one year to drink then drink up to 20 years at least.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2017 Barolo Le Vigne is rich, pliant and so expressive. Even so, I imagine it will need a few years to open up fully. Bright red fruit, rose petal, blood orange and spice give the 2017 its distinctly red-toned profile. Elegant and translucent, the 2017 is very nicely balanced. Vineyard sources are Baudana, Villero, Vignane and Merli.Vinous Media | 95+ VMBright cherry, plum, leather, tar and underbrush flavors are the highlights of this solid red. A firm grip of tannins lines the finish, but not before the fruit builds nicely. Fine freshness, balance and length. Best from 2024 through 2042. 260 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

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

New leather, truffle and camphor aromas mingle with a whiff of wild berry on this earthy red. The ripe, accessible palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, culinary spice and game alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027. Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KONew leather, truffle and camphor aromas mingle with a whiff of wild berries on this earthy red. The ripe, accessible palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, culinary spice and game alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA mix of macerated cherry, plum and balsamic notes of mint, wild thyme and eucalyptus highlight this balanced red, with a light viscosity and fine length. Best from 2023 through 2036. 5,000 cases made, 3,760 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2017 Nizza LaCourt is soft, supple, rich and open but not at all heavy. Raspberry jam, mocha, spice, new leather all build as this succulent forward Nizza shows off its considerable appeal. The 2017 hits all the right notes. It is a terrific effort from the Chiarlo family.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDark-skinned fruit, cedar and scorched earth aromas lead the nose. The structured, balanced palate offers Marasca cherry, blackberry jam and licorice alongside polished tannins. Drink 2023–2029.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe Michele Chiarlo 2017 Nizza Riserva La Court is a beautifully enriched and generous wine that gives ample volume and depth to the Barbera grape. This food-friendly option shows the dark fruit (blackberry and plum) to pair with most pasta or meat dishes. It also offers just enough acidity to cut through any recipe that is heavy on cheese or cream. This bottle is ready to drink now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBright blueberry and boysenberry aromas and flavors highlight this vibrant red, with flashes of earth and toasty oak spice. It’s very discreet in the end, where light oak tannins come into play. Drink now through 2024. 1,000 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS