Red Wines

wines

The 2005 Volnay Clos de la Bousse d’Or offers scents of plum, black raspberry, Asian spices, soy, noble fungus and wood smoke. In the mouth, it delivers tart (though ripe) black raspberry fruit with black truffle undertones and subtle spice and chalk, while managing to display a flattering creaminess. Fascinating fungal, fruit skin and mineral notes vie for attention in the finish. This strikes an ideal balance between flattering fat and underlying structure. Figure to cellar it for at least 12-15 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPGood ruby-red. Superripe but reticent nose hints at blueberry and licorice, accented by orange rind and pepper. There’s a pronounced earthy underbrush component to the black plum fruit. Strong soil tones here. Finishes with serious, building tannins. This one needs patience.Burghound | 91-93 BHGood ruby-red. Superripe but reticent nose hints at blueberry and licorice, accented by orange rind and pepper. There’s a pronounced earthy underbrush component to the black plum fruit. Strong soil tones here. Finishes with serious, building tannins. This one needs patience.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

This is aromatically much more reticent at present with more obvious floral and spice influence along with the somber and quite earthy red berry fruit notes. There is good richness and intensity to the medium-bodied and fleshy flavors that possess an emphatic finishing austerity. I like the Cistercian character this displays though it will not be to everyone’s taste. Note that I suspect the current reserved quality will pass with a few years of bottle age.Burghound | 89-91 BH

(one-third whole clusters): Good deep ruby-red. Smoky aromas of dark cherry, black raspberry and spices. Broad and fine-grained but tightly wound today, with serious but suave tannins currently dominating the wine’s fruit. This will need at least a few years of bottle aging upon release.Vinous Media | 90+ VMSoft floral hints add a touch of elegance to the pretty red currant, plum and earth aromas. There is once again a really lovely sense of underlying energy to the lightly mineral-inflected flavors that possess admirable purity of expression, all wrapped in a mouth coating, linear and highly persistent finish. There is some youthful austerity and a hint of dryness present but the harmony is such that this should come together in time.Burghound | 90-92 BHThe 2012 Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles, which comes from the domaine’s two parcels that total just over one hectarewas raised in 25% new oak. It includes one-third whole-cluster fruit and during elevage this cru tended to be reduced and therefore underwent more remontage than usual. The nose is difficult to discern at the moment and I feel that at this juncture it needs to divine more focus. The palate is better with fine tannins and very well-judged acidity. The finish is masculine, foursquare but well-delineated, swerving towards an unexpected ferrous finish. This will need 4-5 years in bottle and should delight with bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

Black cherry, raspberry and pepper flavors mark this vibrant red, holding back for now, but showing a sense of the depth and saturated fruit. The finish is firm and chalky, but this will open up with air and time. Best from 2019 through 2032. 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Champans has a feisty, much more gourmand bouquet compared to its siblings at this early stage with almost meaty red berry fruit infused with limestone/flinty scents. The palate is very focused with an abiding sense of symmetry, long in the mouth with fine tannins (although not as filigree as the Taillepieds) but with the same silky and harmonious texture toward the long finish. Excellent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPBright medium red. Alluring superripe aromas of black cherry, mint and bitter chocolate: I would have guessed that this wine was vinified with some whole clusters but in fact it was entirely destemmed. A rather powerful Volnay with a slightly high-toned, almost porty ripeness to its black cherry, dark berry and chocolate flavors, but strong, slightly peppery acidity gives it a penetrating, somewhat disjointed quality in the early going. This deep, chewy Volnay finishes with big, granular tannins and excellent persistence.Vinous Media | 92+ VMReduction. Here there is more size, weight and power to the detailed and more subtly mineral-driven flavors that also possess a lovely texture on the dusty, palate coating and linear finish. This is impressively long and well-balanced though at present not quite as complex.Burghound | 90-93 BH

Healthy dark red. Highly complex but youthfully restrained nose offers scents of black fruits, violet, chocolate, menthol and minerals, along with some faintly liqueur-like high tones. Boasts outstanding density of texture, not to mention great lift and power for this bottling, with almost exotic fruit ripeness leavened by strong acidity. Finishes with spectacular lingering perfume of violet, bitter chocolate, wild herbs and mint. An amazingly strong, bulletproof Volnay for the year--or for any vintage, for that matter.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis red offers well-defined cherry, currant and spice flavors, supported by vibrant acidity. Saturated with pure, ripe cherry fruit midpalate, this firms up, yet remains balanced and mouthwatering on the long finish, showing spice and chalk accents. Best from 2018 through 2030. 95 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

(13.3% alcohol; picked late): Pale straw-yellow. Aromas of clove, iodine and white flowers are lifted by a note of lemon oil. Hugely concentrated, dense and utterly backward; not showing nearly the detail of the Chevalier-Montrachet in the early going but this is sweeter. Montrachet in the outsized Chassagne body-builder style. Really amazingly rich and massively structured for the vintage, but needs to lose some of its baby fat before it can be properly appreciated.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe 2013 Montrachet Grand Cru, which comes from the Chassagne side, possesses a very precise bouquet that seems understated when compared to the more hedonistic Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles. This is much more demure, laid-back...nonchalant even. The palate is very precise - there is real detail here with delicate spicy notes furnishing the back end of this Montrachet that just expands toward the finish. I think this is keeping everything up its sleeve at the moment, but you cannot deny the balance and focus here.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93-95 RP-NM(Maison Louis Jadot Montrachet Grand Cru White) This is restrained to the point of being almost mute and only aggressive swirling coaxes aromas of white flowers, freshly sliced citrus, pear, green apple and discreet spice elements to grudgingly emerge. There is seriously good size, weight and punch to the beautifully detailed and notably mineral-driven big-bodied flavors that, like the Corton-Charlemagne, possess a chiseled and explosively long finish that really fans out as it sits on the palate. I very much like the balance and upside development potential here and about the only nit worth mentioning is just a hint of finishing warmth. Still, this should abundantly reward 12 to 15 years of cellaring. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 93-95 BH

Enjoyed over dinner in Burgundy after tasting many truly lovely wines, this wine could erase your memory of anything else. It is a riveting tour-de-force, with a medium lemon-yellow colour and heady, incredibly forward aromas of ripe orchard and stone fruit with exotic spices, butter, and a bit of oak. There is fresh acidity, plenty of body and extract, and incredible finesse and elegance as well. The combination of youthful fruit, fresh acidity, and robust density carry this wine to an interminable finish.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2014 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a wine that leaves you lost for words - never helpful in this profession. It begs the question: Why are not all Corton-Charlemagnes like this? It has a stunning bouquet with a profound mix of yellow plum, Mirabelle, Seville orange marmalade, those liquid minerals and later, scents of cold wet limestone. The palate is incredibly powerful with stunning acidity. There are multiple layers of spice-tinged citrus fruit, just a faint tinge of marzipan, wondrous umami sensation in the mouth with grilled walnut and a hint of pralines towards the finish. This represents an astonishing Corton-Charlemagne that might end up touching the imperious 2005. Readers should note that Raphael told me that the release of this will be delayed, just like the 2005 and 2010. Put it on your wish list and wait.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2014 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was the first time I had tasted the wine in bottle after first sampling it at the domaine. It is more open than expected and displays less reduction than the 2005 tasted alongside, offering penetrating citrus peel, lanolin, crushed limestone and fragrant yellow flower scents. The palate is beautifully balanced with razor-sharp acidity and an extraordinarily saline, praline-tinged finish that electrifies the senses. It flirted with perfection in 2016 and it is still within a whisker now. Tasted at Otto’s restaurant in London.Vinous Media | 99 VMA still somewhat reticent nose grudingly speaks of discreet wood, smoky mineral reduction, petrol, green apple, white rose and spice elements. In the same vein as the nose, the dense and well-muscled broad-shouldered flavors are still moderately tightly wound while delivering an abundance of minerality on the massively persistent, highly complex and perfectly well-balanced finish that is quite dry yet not especially austere. This is sufficiently backward at present to need continued cellaring even though with say 30 or so minutes of air in a decanter, it could be approached. With that qualification duly noted, I would strongly advised holding this unicorn of a wine for another 5ish years. In a word, OK, two, absolutely brilliant.Burghound | 98 BH

Intense red-fruits nose, quite oaky. Rich, velvety and lavish with fine-grained tannins. Very concentrated, spicy and peppery, but not extracted or heavy. Good length.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECThis is markedly reduced at present so I would strongly suggest decanting it if you are tempted to open a bottle young. Otherwise the supple, round and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors possess a sleek muscularity and solid intensity, all wrapped in a lingering finish that presently displays a hint of an edge that may or may not ever round off. As such my rating is a compromise as I suspect that this will develop even better complexity with age and thus even if the balance isn’t perfect, the ’14 Clos des Epeneaux should still make for a lovely wine.Burghound | 91 BHTasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, the 2014 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux from Comte Armand has quite a nuanced nose with dusky red berry fruit, autumn leaves and a touch of stewed black tea. I like the cohesion and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, nicely balanced and supple in the mouth. There is something easy-drinking and approachable about this Pommard: well crafted and with satisfying tension. While not the greatest in recent vintages, this is still a pleasurable Pommard that overcame the hail that destroyed 90% of the vineyard that year. Tasted September 2017.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPStill a bright red centre though turning a little at the edges. Fresh bright red fruit on the nose. The acidity keeps it bright at the back but this does not have the natural balance of 2017. The component parts should come together in another three to five years. Drink from 2027-2032. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

Medium deep red, some green notes to the bouquet. Whole bunches. Develops more florally. There is real concentration here, an impressive intensity that will deliver something impressive in the long run, but only to those prepared to tolerate a measure of under-ripeness. DIAM 30 Tasted Sep 2017.Jasper Morris | 91 JM(100% vendange entier; 35% new oak): Good medium red. Subdued aromas and flavors of raspberry, black cherry, earth and smoky minerality accented by hints of pepper and herbs from the stems. Broad, ripe and smooth but quite dry. Displays very good spicy energy, length and lift but the substantial dusty tannins leave the finish a bit clenched today. This slightly edgy wine will need patience.Vinous Media | 90+ VMAn overtly floral-inflected nose displays a lovely, fresh and again cool array of spice, red pinot fruit and a hint of wet stone. The stony character can also be found in abundance on the highly energetic, chiseled and saline yet attractively rich medium-bodied flavors that deliver outstanding length on the dusty and mildly austere but very well-balanced finale. This is terrific but note well that patience will be required.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2014 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Narbantons is brisk, precise and beautifully sculpted, with plenty of red-toned fruit and floral accents, all of which add to the impression of energy. Still very much tightly wound, the Narbantons needs time in bottle to soften a bit. There is plenty to look forward to, that much is clear. Small red berry, anise and crushed flowers add nuance, the Narbantons is ultimately a wine of energy. And there is plenty of that here.Vinous Media | 93 VMAt 10 years of age, this is still cruising with only a touch of secondary character present on the still conspicuously earthy and cool nose of humus and underbrush characters that add breadth to the mostly dark berry fruit scents. There is unusually good density in the context of the vintage to the velvety middle weight flavors that possess an abundance of dry extract that coats the palate and buffers the firm tannins on the slightly rustic and austere yet wonderfully complex finale. This is still improving and while it could certainly be enjoyed now, I would advise holding it for another 5 to 8 years first.Burghound | 92 BHWhen broaching the 2014 Savigny lès Beaune les Narbantons, Lalou quipped that it was her "Petit Corton." It has a complex nose of red berry fruit, dried orange peel and even a distant scent of fresh fig. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, plenty of freshness and vitality here, a little hardness toward the finish and a light spicy aftertaste. Very fine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

This offers cherry and currant flavors, with hints of violet, black pepper and spice, underlined by a beam of tannins. Still austere and rigid on the finish, yet with excellent concentration and length. Best from 2022 through 2036. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Still in barrel) The highly decadent, inviting bouquet is redolent of red fruit. Suavely textured on the palate, this wine is poised and elegant, with a gorgeous balance and purity.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2014 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs has a very complex and introverted, but captivating bouquet that draws you in, full of blackberry, briary, cold limestone and just a hint of baking powder in the background lending sweetness. The palate is sensual on the entry. There is roundness and depth here, coupled with very good substance, a hint of white pepper perhaps, and as always, with immense precision on the finish. There is nothing flamboyant here -- just a very aristocratic Volnay for long term aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPMedium red, the lightest of these 2014s Reticent but highly nuanced nose offers aromas of redcurrant, dark raspberry, milk chocolate, earth and animal fur, plus a riper suggestion of prune (this fruit was picked at 13% potential alcohol) Wonderfully silky and ripe; large-scaled and round for 2014 but not at all heavy Not as primary as the extraordinary 2015 but the wine’s wonderfully refined, thoroughly ripe, late-arriving tannins will require considerable patienceVinous Media | 93 VMClassic ruby color. The understated nose only grudgingly reveals cool and ultra-pure aromas of violet, herbal tea, spice and a broad mélange of wild red berries. There is a really lovely vibrancy to the superbly well-detailed medium weight flavors that are intensely stony with a sleek and polished palate feel that carries over to the impeccably well-balanced, hugely persistent and youthfully austere finale. This is sufficiently supple that it should drink well on the younger side but if you wish to experience it at its peak, it will be necessary to have at least some patience. (Drink starting 2026)Burghound | 93 BH

The 2014 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets has a glorious nose that has mustered a little more va-va-voom since I tasted it from barrel last year. It lets rip with Morello cherries, fresh strawberry and a pastille-like purity. It is a very winsome bouquet, well defined and gains intensity on the glass. The palate is more conservative than the aromatics. It is well structured, the tannins slightly chalky in texture, the acidity nicely judged with a gentle grip on the finish. Whilst it does not have the persistence of the best premier crus from d’Angerville, there is an effortless nature to this Volnay.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPGood dark red Very ripe aromas of blackberry liqueur, licorice and molten dark chocolate Plush, ripe and sweet in the mouth, but a bit less refined and primary than the 2015 version, in spite of showing a cool minty nuance Finishes with serious but nicely ripe tanninsVinous Media | 91 VMThis is distinctly more restrained with its layered assortment of plum, dark berries, earth and pretty spice elements. There is a really lovely mouth feel to the beautifully well-delineated middle weight flavors that possess plenty of minerality on the dusty and focused and slightly fleshier finale. Lovely.Burghound | 90-92 BH

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets was showing very well from bottle, wafting from the glass with notes of raspberry, cherry, spice and orange rind that offer little hint of the savory complexity to come with bottle age. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, structured around juicy acids and a fine-grained but firm chassis of tannins that asserts itself on the finish. Fremiets sits above the Clos des Angles, and its shallower soils tend to issue in wines with notable crunch and tension.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP(Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay "Frémiets" 1er Cru Red) A notably ripe nose stops just short of surmaturité while displaying notes of plum, black cherry, earth and a pretty lashing of spice elements. There is a bit more size, weight and mid-palate stuffing to the velvety and palate soaking flavors that are shaped by a markedly firm tannic spine on the gorgeously persistent finale where the only nit is a barely discernible hint of warmth. Lovely but once again, patience required. (Drink starting 2030).Burghound | 92-94 BHBright ruby. Blackberry, licorice and violet on the perfumed nose. Fine-grained and suave, but with terrific inner-mouth floral lift giving the middle palate a sense of energy. The wine's finishing sweetness is leavened by saline minerality and noteworthy grip. Really spreads out to saturate the mouth; an outstanding example of this premier cru.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMLes Fremiets sits above the Clos des Angles, and the soils here are shallower. The resulting fruit tones are higher-pitched, with red plum and raspberry complicated by scents of pipe tobacco and raw cocoa. The tannic structure is more savoury and fine-grained, enrobed in less fat and texture, but with lovely focus and energy. Drinking Window 2025 - 2050.Decanter | 91 DEC

A rich style, this white features lemon, peach and spice flavors, all backed by bright acidity. Balanced, leaving a chalky, even tannic impression on the long finish. Best from 2021 through 2029. 30 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSIf you like bold dry whites, then try this. Quite a tannic white Burgundy, but with richness that has a very positive impact on the wine. Plenty of citrus, plus some hazelnut and chalky character. Some real drive at the finish that promises a long life. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSIt’s always interesting to compare and contrast Albert Bichot’s Clos des Mouches white with the one from Joseph Drouhin, as this comes from a slightly higher parcel on the slope. The oak is a little more clamorous here and needs more time to integrate, but this is tauter and crunchier with a little less in terms of mid-palate weight. Drinking Window 2020 - 2024.Decanter | 92 DEC(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Beaune "Clos des Mouches" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral nose offers up notes of pearl, apple and citrus where the latter can also be found on the round, delicious and once again generously proportioned medium-bodied flavors that deliver perfectly good if not truly distinguished depth though I do like the length. Note that my rating once again offers the benefit of the doubt that more complexity will develop if this is allowed a few years of cellar time. (Drink starting 2022)Burghound | 90 BH

The 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux has gained in depth and dimension with élevage and showed very well from bottle, unfurling in the glass with an expressive, youthfully fruit-driven bouquet of raspberries, cherries, candied peel and rose petals, framed by a subtle touch of new oak. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and fleshy, with succulent acids and elegant tannins. While this isn’t as rich, muscular or gourmand as the 2018, it’s an immensely seductive wine that will drink well comparatively young—though readers should still plan on exercising at least a decade’s patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPPaul Zanetti tends to make two different cuvées from the Clos des Epeneaux, one from younger vines and one from the older, left side of the premier cru, planted between 65 and 98 years ago. The combination in bottle is definitely more than the sum of its parts. This is not a blockbuster vintage for what can be an ageworthy wine, but it’s still appealing in a lighter, more approachable mode, with some tannic grip but lots of perfume, finesse and succulent berry sweetness. Drinking Window 2024 - 2029Decanter | 94 DEC(Domaine Comte Armand/Clos des Epeneaux Pommard "Clos des Epeneaux" 1er Cru Red) There is still just enough wood present to merit mentioning as it frames the herbal tea-inflected blend of both red and dark currant scents that are cut with leather and underbrush nuances. The supple medium-bodied flavors possess reasonable though not distinguished mid-palate concentration before terminating in a lingering if slightly attenuated finish. The supporting tannins are sufficiently firm that this youthfully austere effort will need at least a few more years of keeping first. A Clos des Epeneaux of relative finesse. (Drink starting 2027)Burghound | 91 BH

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

The Clos des Mouches made by Joseph Drouhin may be more famous, but Bichot’s parcel of 0.7ha, situated in the highest part of the Premier Cru, is pretty impressive in its own right. Bright, focused and chiselled, it’s the sort of white that wouldn’t look out of place in Puligny-Montrachet, combining citrus, wet stone and aniseed flavours.Drinking Window 2021 - 2028Decanter | 94 DECA creamy-textured white with sliced apples, pears, cream and some lemon and lime rind. Hints of morning yogurt and smoke. Medium-bodied, ready and delicious. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSCream and roasted hazelnut notes create an inviting, rounded nose on this wine. The palate has that same hazelnut richness and creamy flow, buttressed by freshness that recalls lemon and yellow pear. A lovely balance and a juicy, fresh finish do justice to the warm 2018 vintage. Drink by 2035.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Beaune "Clos des Mouches" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral nose combines notes of various white-fleshed fruit with those of lemon grass and spice wisps. The sleek, delicious and equally seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess very good depth and sneaky length. This balanced effort should drink well young as well as with a few years of bottle aging. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 91 BHMarked by vivid acidity, this white evokes lemon, apple, vanilla and clove notes. A tad disjointed, this could use a year to integrate, or decant now. Shows echoes of oak spice on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2029. 480 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

From a 0.75ha plot at the top of the slope, in the Clos des Mouches, where Bichot owns some vines that give a wine of winning concentration. There is pleasantly ripe apricot and pear fruit, with a broad feel on the palate. Regal in stature, perhaps lacking a bit of acidity, although many will enjoy its rich character. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 92 DECBetter known for its red wines, this premier cru vineyard also has a plot of Chardonnay. Ripe with yellow fruits and toastiness, this wine has a full-bodied character, juggling crisp acidity with generous fruitiness and texture. Drink the wine from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2019 Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Cru Blanc has a vibrant, energetic bouquet, the citrus fruit, mango and white chocolate scents bursting from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a smooth, viscous opening. Good concentration here, and very long and sustained. This represents one of the best whites from Bichot this vintage. Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

In spite of the ripe-orange and exotic-fruit character that pours from the glass, there’s nothing superficial about this wine. Thanks to its generosity and very attractive fruit, this makes a very friendly initial impression on the palate, then the intense minerality comes through, building to a serious crescendo at the very fresh finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSA rich, opulent white, this features lemon cake, lime blossom, baking spice and stone flavors. Though intense, there’s also a sense of restraint, yet the finish is long and complex. Drink now through 2027. 630 cases made, 66 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru White) Smoky aromas of Granny Smith apples, acacia and a plethora of citrus influences are trimmed in discreet wood influence. There is fine volume to the delicious and almost creamy larger-scaled flavors that brim with both dry extract and minerality on the lemon-tinged and youthfully austere finale. This compact and serious effort should definitely benefit from mid-term or perhaps even a decade of cellaring. (Drink starting 2027)Burghound | 93 BHBichot has 1.2ha in Languettes, high on the slope, with a south/south-east exposition. The southern exposition is of major importance here, if one is to avoid over-ripeness. In 2019, the wine has very exotic, almost tropical aromas, while on the palate the texture is dense and creamy, and the ripe pear fruit touched with honey is even more apparent. A wine of luxurious charm. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from 1.2 hectares of vines in Les Longuettes. Matured in 35% new oak, it has a perfumed nose of yellow fruit, nectarine and peach skin aromas. The palate is well balanced with a light pineapple and passion fruit opening and well-judged acidity. Very harmonious, with a gentle landing on the finish. Maybe it is missing some tension and nerve, but the flavors are irresistible. Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Unfurling in the glass with aromas of red berries, rose petals, sweet soil tones and orange rind, the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles is medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit and a vibrant, seamless profile, concluding with a fragrant, peony-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPDe Montille has two parcels of Pézerolles totalling 1.35ha, located just above Petits Epenots, nearly at the northern limit of the appellation. The vineyard delivers a most un-Pommardian sort of wine; supple and approachable, with sweet cherry fruit and a tender, silky texture on the palate that recalls the wines of Volnay. It is fermented with 50% whole clusters and the wine is approachable now, yet should age well for years to come.Decanter | 93 DECThe vines are a mix of old and young, with replantings now on stream. The old vines have been vinified as whole bunches, around 40% overall. Medium depth of colour, and a slightly darker fruit, less sweetly sensual than the Grands Epenots. This is not a monster, but does stretch out beautifully to a fine long finish. Darker cherry and raspberry throughout. Tasted Oct 2020.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2019 Pommard Les Pézerolles 1er Cru is much more backward on the nose compared to de Montille’s other Pommards, offering brambly red berry fruit, clove and bay leaf. The palate is beautifully balanced, the 50% whole cluster contributing a light pepperiness but allowing the terroir to shine. Smooth on the finish. Vinous Media | 91-93 VMHere too there is a whiff of volatile acidity that plays at the edge of perceptibility on the mostly red berry fruit and spice infused nose. There is a lovely sense of refinement to the nicely rich and well-delineated flavors that exude a bracing salinity on the sneaky long, firm and youthfully austere finale. While not technically perfect, this is still really quite good.Burghound | 90-93 BH

Aromas of peonies, plums, red berries, potpourri, warm spices and orange rind introduce de Montille’s 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Les Taillepieds, a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that’s deep and concentrated, with lively acids and supple tannins that assert themselves gently on the finish. As usual, this will require some patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis 1.51ha parcel of Taillepieds is located at the top of the hill in gravelly soils. The grapes were entirely fermented as whole clusters and the result is wonderful. Initially somewhat closed, it opens with time to show lovely plummy fruit, with a hidden reserve of floral and garrigue aromas, plus a marked saline character. The texture at this stage is somewhat severe, with firm, slightly austere tannins, but the density suggests it will open up with time.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2019 Volnay Les Taillepieds 1er Cru has a riper nose than Buffet’s Taillepieds. Fleshy Morello cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, hints of orange peel and background black truffle nuances linger. The palate is medium-bodied, with finely chiseled tannins and a clever reduction at play here that lends edge toward the finish. Exuding good energy and becoming more peppery in the glass, this should age with style once it absorbs its patina of oak. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMA super-floral nose seems to have every floral element in the book including a perfumed hint of gardenia that adds a touch of elegance to the exotically spicy aromas of red and black raspberry. The pure and almost painfully intense flavors are like rolling tiny stones around in the mouth while delivering outstanding depth and persistence on the overtly austere, serious and compact finale that leaves zero doubt that this beauty is built-to-age. In a word, terrific.Burghound | 92-95 BHA light to medium red, attractively perfumed. There is a sterner structure on the palate, with some evidence of whole bunches adding a salinity to the finish. A little liquorice touch as well. This is relatively restrained and I suspect there may yet be more to develop. Drink from 2028-2036. Tasted Sep 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

This creamy version is laced with peach, lemon cake and sweet spice aromas and flavors, with a floral accent adding lift. Balanced and long. Drink now through 2025. 320 cases made, 106 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA softly toasty mix of white and yellow peach, acacia and spice also displays plenty of phenolic character. The slightly finer medium weight flavors possess really lovely vibrancy and an appealing mid-palate texture that contrast with the powerful, serious and robust finale that offers impressive depth and persistence. This won’t win any awards for refinement, but it is impressive all the same.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2019 Meursault Les Charmes 1er Cru comes from vines on the upper slopes of the vineyard and cropped at 25hl/ha instead of the 40hl/ha the Meursault Village enjoyed. The nose features clear honey, clementine and light saffron aromas. The palate is well balanced with a slightly tangy, marmalade-tinged entry, good weight and a harmonious finish that just needs a little more complexity given the vineyard. Vinous Media | 89-91 VM