Red Wines

wines

Ripe, dark cherry can just about be made out on the nose of this wine, but it seems distant. On the palate, the full, sumptuous purity and freshness of the fruit come to the fore. Nothing is overdrawn, all is harmonious. Silky tannins accentuate the sinuous depth of the fruit while subtle freshness highlights the pristine, elegant fruit. Lovely now, the wine is certain to evolve. Drink 2025–2035. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright cherry fruit is at the core of this elegant red, matched to a juicy texture and firm yet well-integrated structure. Sandalwood, vanilla and chalk dust accents add interest and the finish takes on a chunky feel. Best from 2022 through 2032. 700 cases made, 102 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSHere the slightly more expressive nose of red currant, plum and earth is more floral-suffused. There is a slightly more sophisticated mouthfeel to the middle weight flavors thanks to the relatively fine-grained tannins shaping the markedly saline and refreshing finish that also flashes a bit of youthful austerity. This mildly warm and slightly firmer effort needs to develop more complexity but it’s already quite attractive.Burghound | 91 BH

The 2018 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru has a very elegant bouquet that is more poised and detailed than the Charmes-Chambertin, offering black cherries, raspberry and ground gravelly scents; floral notes emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, gorgeous blueberry and strawberry fruit and a silky-smooth, sensual finish that is utterly refined. Stunning.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThe 2018 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru unfurls in the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries and rose petals, framed by a deft touch of new oak, and on the palate it’s more reserved than the Charmes at this early stage. Medium to full-bodied, deep and elegantly structural, it’s lively and nicely defined, but it will need a bit more time than the Charmes to come around. As readers will remember, Dugat’s vines in Chapelle-Chambertin are located in lieu-dit Les Gémeaux, a site that tends to produce somewhat more structured wines than adjacent lieu-dit La Chapelle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95+ RP(Domaine Claude Dugat Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru Red) A riper and more deeply pitched nose is comprised by notes of plum, cassis, violet and discreet earth and spice nuances. The sleek and almost painfully intense big-bodied flavors possess event power and muscle while delivering excellent persistence on the minerally, crunchy and youthfully austere finish. This too is very clearly constructed for the long-term and it’s pointless to buy this without the expectation of aging it properly. (Drink starting 2036).Burghound | 92-94 BH

(Domaine Comte de Vogüé Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Red) This is very deeply colored, in fact so much so that it would make a young port blush! The ripe aromas of red and blue berries, spice and earth display a mentholated top note. The dense, powerful and mouth coating broad-shouldered flavors possess evident muscularity while delivering excellent length on the youthfully austere finale. This isn’t refined, indeed it’s borderline rustic, but it’s a dramatically impressive and very firmly structured wine that should live for decades. (Drink starting 2038)Burghound | 95 BH(Bonnes-Mares- Domaine de Comte de Georges de Vogüé) The 2018 Bonnes-Mares from Domaine de Comte de Vogüé had not yet been racked, so it was the first wine in the cellar where one could really see the size and shape of the vintage here in a proper perspective. This is going to be a lovely wine, as it delivers a fine aromatic constellation of black plums, black cherries, blueberries, dark soil tones, venison, woodsmoke and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with lovely sappiness and mineral undertow, fine-grained tannins and a long, youthful and vibrant finish. This reminds me a bit of the 1993 Bonnes-Mares here, though I am not sure why, as 1993 was a cooler year and 2018 is a solar vintage, but there are some structural similarities and the same sappy, black fruity personality that I find attractive in both vintages. The 2018 Bonnes-Mares will take plenty of time to blossom, but it is superb potential. (Drink between 2035-2085).John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2018 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is noticeably deeper in colour than the five other 2018 Bonnes-Mares in this line-up. Here, the dark cherry fruit seems a little cooked with faint tinned prune and raisin notes in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins, firm grip, dusky black fruit laced with black pepper, touches of thyme and sage. There is energy here, but similar to other Bonnes-Mares, the tannins seem to just poke out on the brawny and monolithic finish. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2018 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is even darker than the Bonnes-Mares. It has a spectacular bouquet of intense black fruit, blueberries and shucked oyster shells, the mineralité heightened over the Bonnes-Mares and lending a great deal of precision. The palate is medium-bodied with blueberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit, extraordinary tension, razor-sharp acidity and a dash of white pepper on the crystalline finish. One of the finest Musignys I have tasted from barrel at de Vogüé.Vinous Media | 97-99 VM(Domaine Comte de Vogüé Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Red) A ripe and super-fresh nose offers up notes of black raspberry, plum liqueur, Asian-style tea and a whiff of incense. The racy, intense and mineral-driven big-bodied flavors retain outstanding delineation as well as an abundance of palate soaking dry extract before delivering stunningly good length where an interesting hint of citrus character in the form of mandarin orange appears. This incredibly powerful effort is both classy and highly complex and like the Bonnes Mares, is a wine that will live for decades. With that said, it’s not so backward and compact to preclude it being approachable after only 10 to 12 years. A knockout by any standard. (Drink starting 2043)Burghound | 97 BHAll the vines that are used to produce this extensive cuvée of Musigny are over 25 years’ old, so it always has good concentration. But in 2018, it’s an especially big, dense, powerful wine with masses of inky colour, assertive one-third new oak, plenty of plush bramble and black cherry fruit, undertones of sweet spices and liquorice and a chalky flourish. Needs time. Drinking Window 2026 - 2033.Decanter | 95 DEC(Musigny “Vieilles Vignes”- Domaine de Comte de Georges de Vogüé) The 2018 Musigny Vieilles Vignes was also in fine form at the time of my visit, as the racking for this cuvée was just starting and there were plenty of untouched casks to choose from for sampling. The wine is very deep and still very primary on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet wafting from the glass in a sappy blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, dark chocolate, gamebird, woodsmoke, soil and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off excellent mid-palate depth of sappy fruit, with good mineral drive, ripe, seamless and buried tannins, fine focus and grip and a long, focused and classy finish. All this needs is time in the cellar! (Drink between 2038-2085).John Gilman | 95 JG

They are fortunate to have more than a hectare in all, spread between Poulaillères, Treux and En Orveaux. Huge density of purple colour. Very smooth and silky on the nose. Sensual. There is a nice little bit of tension behind with a welcome touch of natural acidity. Tasted: November 2019.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JMThe 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a fragrant, perfumed bouquet with violet and iris petals infusing shimmering black cherry and wild strawberry fruit; touches of orange pith emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and very harmonious, showing a velvety texture that is very sleek and tempting. A lovely Echezeaux.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

There are 18 barrels of the 2018 Morey-Saint-Denis Trilogie, and it’s the usual blend of 60% Chenevery, 30% Porroux and 15% Clos Solon. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis, smoked meats, candied peel and cinnamon, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core, powdery tannins and a long, sapid finish. Yields were low—around 30 hectoliters per hectare—explained by the old vines, some of which are trained in cordon.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP(Domaine Hubert Lignier Père et Fils Morey St. Denis - Trilogie Villages Red) There is a top note of menthol to the moderately sauvage-inflected dark currant, plum and black raspberry aromas. The sleek, focused and vibrant medium-bodied flavors possess a similar saline nuance on the bright and lingering finish that possesses a hint of acid tang. (Drink starting 2028)Burghound | 88-91 BH(Morey St. Denis “Trilogie”- Domaine Hubert Lignier Père et Fils) The 2018 Trilogie villages is the more refined example of the two AC botltings from Morey St. Denis this year. The bouquet is nicely black fruity, wafting from the glass in a mix of black cherries, plums, woodsmoke, just a touch of beetroot, a fine base of soil and pigeon. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and ripely tannic, with a good core of fruit, fine focus and grip and a long, nascently complex and very well-balanced finish. This is a lovely AC. (Drink between 2026-2055)John Gilman | 91 JGThe 2018 Morey-Saint-Denis "Trilogie" comes from three lieux-dits, 60% from Chenevery (also from Purroux and Clos Solon). It has a quite a high-toned bouquet of black cherries and cassis fruit that just needs a little more delineation. The palate is better, offering sappy red fruit, fine acidity and orange peel and touches of marmalade on the finish. Fine, but I would drink this over the next decade, no longer.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

Breathtakingly ripe, lush and fruity, with a deep mulberry and cassis fruit but no lack of spicy mineral depth. This Chambertin is immensely pleasurable now, yet there is plenty of substance, extract and structure to age for decades to come. The 1.85ha that Trapet farms over three parcels in Chambertin is slowly being converted to planting individual vines on stakes (‘en échalas’) without hedging the canopy. One can only describe the results as extraordinary. Drinking Window 2026 - 2060.Decanter | 99 DECThe 2018 Chambertin Grand Cru has a transparent and very Pinoté nose. Pretty and elegant, quite mineral driven with very impressive focus. This has the aromatics precision of a Swiss clock - ethereal. The palate is velvety smooth with fine depth, slightly creamy in texture due to the new oak. Quite lavish though not ostentatious, it delivers haunting tension on the finish. Ethereal. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.Vinous Media | 98 VMVinified without any destemming, Trapet’s 2018 Chambertin Grand Cru is showing superbly, unfurling in the glass with a profound bouquet of cassis, cherries and red berries mingled with notes of dark chocolate, rose petals, licorice and exotic spices. Full-bodied, supple and enveloping, it’s effortless and complete, with an ample chassis of exquisitely fine, powdery tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long and penetrating finish. This is a stunning Chambertin in the making—and an ineffably elegant one at that.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(Chambertin- Domaine Trapet Père et Fils) The 2018 Chambertin from Jean-Louis Trapet is stellar on both the nose and palate. The perfectly ripe bouquet delivers a complex blend of red and black cherries, plums, grilled meats, a gorgeous base of soil tones, woodsmoke, a hint of mustard seed, vanillin oak and a dollop of raw cocoa. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with firm, ripe tannins, a proper sense of reserve out of the blocks, great focus and grip and a very, very long, soil-driven and classic finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2032-2085)John Gilman | 96+ JG(Domaine Trapet Pere & Fils Chambertin Grand Cru Red) This is aromatically similar to the Latricières but perhaps even a bit cooler and with more earth and sauvage elements. There is a really lovely purity to the sleek, dense, intense and markedly powerful large-scaled flavors that exude an almost pungent minerality on the austere, serious and wonderfully persistent and very firmly structured finale. As the Trapet Chambertin often is, this is not a monster of concentration or structure but rather one of refinement and grace. (Drink starting 2038)Burghound | 95 BH

The 2018 Musigny Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. During racking in July, it was decided that one of the two barrels was too toasty, and so the wine was racked into a used Bonnes-Mares barrel. It has a compelling bouquet of intense blackberry, raspberry and floral aromas that seem to explode from the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine, supple tannins. I adore the symmetry of this Musigny and the panache it exudes toward the very long finish. This is one of the best the domaine has produced. Outstanding.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM(Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Musigny Grand Cru Red) Very generous wood again fights with the spicy and ripe red and dark currant aromas that are cut with pretty floral wisps. There is excellent richness to the punchy and wonderfully textured medium weight flavors that flash good minerality on the somewhat dry and spiky finish that avoids being tough though it would be fair to observe that this is not an elegant version of the appellation. Once again, this is not without interest but the balance isn’t what it could be and whether it will ameliorate in time is an open question but I doubt it. (Drink starting 2035).Burghound | 90-92 BH

The 2018 Musigny Grand Cru is slightly lighter than the Bonnes-Mares tasted alongside and has a more detailed, precise bouquet of intense blackberry, mulberry, sous-bois and light charcoal aromas that gain power with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, very sensual and seductive. The polished and lightly spiced finish is pure class. Outstanding.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM(Maison Joseph Drouhin Musigny Grand Cru Red) A highly restrained nose requires plenty of swirling to coax the super-floral and spicy aromas to reveal nuances of plum liqueur, red cherry and sandalwood. The marvelously refined middle weight flavors possess a beguiling satin-like texture yet there is no lack of punch on the wonderfully long, complex and well-balanced finish. Like the Amoureuses, this stunningly classy effort is a knockout that should also age effortlessly over the long-term. (Drink starting 2036).Burghound | 94-96 BHSensual’ is the word Véronique Drouhin uses to describe this remarkable wine and there is certainly something fleshy, enticing and engaging about this polished, refined Grand Cru bottling. Made with 40% whole bunches and 30% new wood, it’s bright, perfumed and very silky with lacy tannins and no sign of the heat of the vintage. Decadent stuff. Drinking Window 2026 - 2035.Decanter | 96 DEC

This is perhaps the spiciest wine in the range with a lovely mix of anise, exotic tea and sandalwood on the deeply pitched dark berry fruit aromas that also evidence a hint of volatile acidity. The rich, full-bodied and mouthcoating big-bodied flavors brim with sappy dry extract before concluding in a grippy and mildly rustic finish that still manages to deliver very good length. (Drink starting 2033)Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2018 Richebourg Grand Cru is dark in colour, more so than A.F. Gros’s. Dark berry fruit, pressed rose petals, sous-bois and a touch of Indian ink. This seems to expand in the glass, likewise there is certainly some Brettanomyces evident here. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy ripe, quite saturated tannins, orange zest and hints of marmalade, taut and fresh with real weight and density towards the effervescent finish. There is a palpable sense of grandeur here that I do not find in Gros’s, yet the bottom line is that it depends on what happens to the brett. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMA very dense saturated if slightly evolved crimson colour. A significant weight of brawny fruit. There is muscle in this wine, and maybe some stems too. Wonderful generosity behind. There is the faintest hint of bacterial reduction but the quality and intensity of fruit swarms all over it. Brilliant weight and length. Would have been touching 98 points if completely pristine and is still exceptionally complex. Drink from 2035.Jasper Morris | 95 JMAn appealingly floral-infused combination, and particularly violet and rose petal, exhibits notes of black raspberry, pomegranate and cassis along with plenty of spice elements. The rich and relatively full-bodied flavors possess fine intensity and good minerality, all wrapped in a somewhat grippy finish that doesn’t display the length that it normally does. We’ll see if this harmonizes in time.Burghound | 89-91 BH

The 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, matured in around 50% new oak, has an enthralling, pure black cherry, cassis, crushed violet and blood orange bouquet that soars from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins. Opulent and showy; hints of licorice and mint suffuse the intense finish. It closes up a little toward the finish, but this is a magnificent Romanée-Saint-Vivant that should age over the next 30–40 years.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of plums, cassis, exotic spices, dark chocolate and rose petals, framed by a deft application of new oak. Full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, it’s deep and concentrated, with lively acids, broad structural shoulders and a long, perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru Red) An expressive nose is comprised by notes of freshly sliced plum, red cherry, soy, hoisin and discreet hints of sandalwood. There is excellent power and intensity to the focused and beautifully textured, indeed even silky, medium weight flavors that deliver outstanding depth and persistence on the impeccably well-balanced and youthfully austere finish. This wonderfully refined effort is at once classy yet impressively punchy and is a wine that should also age effortlessly. A ripe yet still classically styled RSV. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 96 BHThis 0.48ha parcel planted in 1920 is one of the jewels of the estate and is located between Liger-Belair and Jean Mongeard. In 2019, these vines have delivered fruit of superb intensity, with marvellous, fresh blackberry fruit, hints of violets and a savoury edge. On the palate there is impressive density, concentration and a straight line of tannic structure that leads it to a lingering finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2049.Decanter | 95 DEC

The gentle extraction and use of whole clusters has produced a wine with deep plummy fruit, while one-third new casks give a sweet spice quality to the aroma. Dense and well balanced, this should be approachable young and will continue to drink well for a decade. From the band of premiers crus which run through the village, just below Clos de Tart.Decanter | 91 DECThe 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Sorbets 1er Cru offers strawberry pastilles and raspberry on a nose that needs a little more complexity and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, and lightly spiced with a robust, burly finish. Not bad, but it does miss some elegance. Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

Rousseau Clos de Bèze is a blend of three plots that total 1.42ha. Cyrielle believes the wine shows better in its youth than Chambertin. Both wines, however, are vinified in the same way: destemmed, long maceration, gentle extraction and ageing in new François Frères barrels. The result is sublime: charming in its youth, with accessible, ripe notes of red and black fruits, spice, mineral and game, plus a velvety, dense texture that is firm but not forbidding. This has the substance to last fifty years if cellared well. Drinking Window 2029 - 2069.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2019 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru clearly has more intensity than the Chambertin. True, it is showing a little more wood at the moment, but I also find more fruit – raspberry and wild strawberry – interlaced with shavings of black truffle and forest fern. The palate is medium-bodied with supple but firm tannins. This is endowed with impressive depth and body weight and yet it retains disarming elegance on a finish that fans out gloriously. "This is the business" is the phrase that passed through my mind as I tried to keep a stoic face after encountering this fabulous Clos-de-Bèze.Vinous Media | 97-99 VM(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Red) Equally subtle wood frames the even spicier if slightly riper nose that reflects a layered blend of red currant, violet, rose petal, earth and a whisper of exotic tea. The full-bodied if slightly less concentrated flavors also reflect an abundance of minerality on the firm, serious and equally well-balanced, youthfully austere and hugely long finale. I usually prefer one or the other [Chambertin] at this stage each year but in 2019, while the two wines are noticeably different, it’s not clear which will ultimately be the more interesting. In sum, this is a choice but one where there is no wrong answer as this too is brilliant! (Drink starting 2041)Burghound | 98 BHDeeper-pitched and more carnal than the Chambertin, Rousseau’s 2019 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru mingles aromas of cherries, cassis and raspberries with hints of Asian spices, incense, smoked tea, rich soil tones and grilled duck. Full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, it’s bright and lively, with a fleshy core of concentrated fruit, succulent acids and powdery structuring tannins. Long and perfumed, this is a sensual Clos de Bèze in the making.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(Chambertin “Clos de Bèze”- Domaine Armand Rousseau) The Rousseau family’s Clos de Bèze is equally brilliant in 2019. The wine is always a touch more exotic out of the blocks than the Chambertin here and this is again the case in this vintage. The stunning nose soars from the glass in a blaze of sappy black cherries, black raspberries, black minerality, smoked meats, dark chocolate, cedary oak and a touch of black tea in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with great depth at the core, superb complexity and mineral drive, firm, buried tannins and a long, vibrant and focused finish. A great wine by any measure. (Drink between 2036-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JG

The reference standard in Chambertin. This is every bit the equal of the Clos de Bèze, if slightly less approachable young. Blended from four parcels including a cooler section near the southern end and another near the top of the slope, this gives a wine of incredible concentration if a bit reserved initially. Here, ripe berry fruit, a strong mineral/saline edge and a gamey note all emerge with time, and the texture is firm and tightly wound. This should age gracefully for the better part of a century. Drinking Window 2029 - 2069.Decanter | 99 DECThis too evidences subtle wood influence on the ripe yet cool nose that combines notes of spice, earth and floral elements with those of dark berries and poached plum. There is excellent intensity to the full-bodied, concentrated and mineral-inflected flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract while delivering excellent depth and persistence on the beautifully balanced and imposingly powerful if decidedly compact finale. This strikingly pure effort is already Zen-like in its sense of harmony and should prove to be remarkably long-lived. Brilliant. (Drink starting 2041)Burghound | 98 BHThe 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru is very promising, unwinding in the glass with aromas of exotic spices, grilled meats, cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice and loamy soil. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it was the most introverted, tightly wound wine in the cellar on the day of my visit. Broad-shouldered and elegantly muscular, it’s bright and precise, concluding with a penetrating finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru is initially tightly wound on the nose, opening gradually to reveal blackberry, raspberry, orange pith and rose petal scents; more sous-bois character develops with time. The palate is very harmonious with a lightly spiced entry. A little oak remains to be subsumed, but there is fine depth on the finish, and veins of blood orange on the aftertaste. This feels like a Chambertin that is holding everything back and letting the Clos-de-Bèze steal the show. Once in bottle, we will find out if that was just part of its tactics.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2019 vintage of Chambertin from Domaine Rousseau is a perfect synthesis of power and elegance. The bouquet is still quite primary, but offers up a refined blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, espresso, a fabulously complex base of soil, grilled meats, cedary oak and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is pure, deep and full, with a sappy core of fruit, stunning transparency and grip, fine-grained tannins and a very, very long, very complex finish. All this magical wine needs is time in the cellar to reach its cruising altitude! (Drink between 2035-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JG

The 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is turning out nicely, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit and plums complemented by hints of smoked meats, preserved citrus, warm spices and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, supple and charming, it’s pretty and fine-boned, with good depth at the core, velvety tannins and a seamless, enveloping profile. This is another cuvée that I suspect will turn out to be Rousseau’s finest rendition since at least 2012.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RP(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Red) Discreet but perceptible wood sets off pretty and nicely layered aromas of red currant, forest floor, spice and a suggestion of warm earth character. There is excellent intensity to the detailed, palate coating and sappy medium-bodied flavors that are firm, powerful and unusually robust on the refined, focused and sneaky long finish. There is very good size and weight, yet the overall impression is rather one of refinement. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 91-94 BHThe 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is very perfumed on the nose of rose-petal-infused red berry fruit, although I would like to see more complexity develop in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with candied red fruit on the entry, orange zest, and light, almost peachy notes that I would associate with a white wine. It does not possess the substance or grip of Rousseau’s other cuvées, although it does deliver a lovely silky texture and fine length.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru opens in the glass with rich aromas of berry fruit, loamy soil, peonies, dark chocolate and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegantly muscular, it’s generous and enveloping, with velvety tannins and fine depth at the core. Bright and lively, it’s another wine that marries maturity with freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is highly perfumed on the nose, presenting an irresistible mixture of red and subtle blue fruit, very harmonious and exquisitely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. A feminine and very elegant Clos de la Roche that may well be earlier-drinking than others but feels very poised, with a touch of spice on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMProduced from three parcels: two in the original Clos de la Roche vineyard and almost 1ha in Les Fremières. Aged in used casks like the producer’s Charmes, this has a very different character, with dark, plummy fruit alongside an earthy note on the nose, and a texture that is less firm perhaps, but broader and more full-bodied. Very solid. Drinking Window 2024 - 2059.Decanter | 95 DEC(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Red) Here too there is just enough wood to remark upon surrounding the well-layered blend of red and blue pinot fruit, earth and a plenitude of spice and floral elements. The wonderfully energetic, sleek and equally muscular larger-scaled flavors also brim with minerality on the refined, focused, balanced and even more persistent finish. This is terrific and a wine that should easily repay two decades of cellaring if you have the patience. (Drink starting 2036)Burghound | 92-95 BH

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has wonderful transparency on the nose of red currant and wild strawberry, plus glimpses of orange blossom and rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, lightly spiced and quite peppery in the mouth. Fine grip and length. This is a lovely Lavaux that will be difficult to resist in its youth.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMThe 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques is promising, mingling aromas of cassis and smoky berries with hints of loamy oil, raw cocoa and potpourri. Medium-bodied, bright and lively, with a succulent core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins, it concludes with a long, perfumed finish. This is the highest-alcohol wine in the cellar in 2019, but that certainly didn’t stand out in the glass.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPModerate reduction dominates the underlying fruit today. Otherwise there is very good volume and intensity to the tautly muscular and serious medium-bodied flavors that brim with minerality while exhibiting excellent depth and persistence on the well-balanced and mildly austere finale. This is firm but not as firm as it usually is though with that said, it will still need 10 to 12 years of cellaring.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2019 Clos de La Roche Grand Cru has a delineated, succinct bouquet, the 25% whole bunch seamlessly integrated with blackberry, briar and faint traces of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and nice focus, leading to quite a strict, linear finish. I can imagine this requiring cellaring for several years before it loosens up. Fine salty aftertaste.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM(Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Red) A cool and restrained nose speaks of various dark berry aromas nuanced by hints of earth, dried flowers and a whiff of oak. There is outstanding volume to the very rich and plush big-bodied flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the delineated, powerful and serious but, in contrast to a number of wines in the range, not really austere finale. This too is really very good and while it needs to add depth over time, the potential is clearly present. (Drink starting 2036)Burghound | 92-94 BH

(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 BHFrom 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

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 VMRoumier’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 RPThis 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 BH

A slightly cooler and higher-toned if less spicy nose reflects notes of various red berries, especially cherry, along with plenty of earth is again trimmed in enough wood to notice. There is fine volume to the round, fleshy and suave medium weight flavors that exhibit good power on the lingering finish that also displays hints of warmth and bitter cherry pit character. This broad-shouldered effort is going to require at least moderate patience.Burghound | 92 BH

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers is very promising, mingling notes of rose petals and wild berries with hints of loamy soil, sweet spices and a discreet application of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it’s fleshy and enveloping, with lively acids and a suave, elegant profile. This is well worth seeking out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru comes from all four soil profiles in the vineyard – the only producer to have the "complete set." The generous bouquet presents red cherry and wild strawberry fruit, crushed stone and light tobacco scents. The palate is medium-bodied and fleshy, with supple tannins, black pepper and a touch of sage toward the finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 93 VM(Domaine Henri Magnien et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Cazetiers" 1er Cru Red) An overtly sauvage and intensely earthy nose features mostly dark currant aromas that are trimmed in moderate wood. The energetic bigger-bodied medium weight flavors possess fine depth and mid-palate concentration while terminating in a powerful, serious, dusty and mildly austere finish. This markedly mineral-driven effort is a classically styled Caz and while it’s not as concentrated as the 2020 version, it still has the stuffing to amply reward a decade plus of cellaring. (Drink starting 2031)Burghound | 93 BH

The 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru comes from the two terroirs, the majority from Mont Luisants and one-third from Fremières. The vines were planted in the Sixties and the late Fifties respectively. It has a beautifully defined bouquet with black cherries, raspberry, briary and rose petal aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, concentrated as you would expect since it was cropped at around 25hl/ha with wonderful minerality on the finish. Outstanding.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM