Shop Wine

wines

The 2017 Beychevelle is a luscious, extroverted beauty. An exotic mélange of super-ripe dark cherry, red plum, pomegranate, espresso, licorice and blood orange build as this potent, unctuous Saint-Julien opens up in the glass. The tannins need time to soften but should not be much of an issue in another few years’ time. I very much like the push and pull of ripeness and energy in the 2017. In a word: memorable. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe 2017 Chateau Beychevelle is another beautiful wine from this estate, which is being run with incredible talent and passion by Romain Ducolomb, who was hired away from Chateau Clinet. The 2017 is based on 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc (a selection of just 52% of the production) and spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. Lively, elegant notes of green tobacco, lead pencil, flowers, mint, and blueberries all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a classic, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s up with the top wines in the vintage and will evolve for 2+ decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDProduced in a new cellar, this wine gives the estate a whole new dimension of quality. The integration of the tannins and the powerful fruits is exemplary, bringing out a stylish wine that finishes with blackberry fruits. Drink from 2024 Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Beychevelle has a fragrant, floral nose with warm cassis, preserved plums and Morello cherries plus earth, herbs and cinnamon touches. Medium-bodied, it has lovely expression with firm, fine grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak, 60% new and 40% second fill. The final blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Fifty-two percent of the production was dedicated to the grand vin, with 240,000 bottles produced.Robert Parker | 94+ RPDark and winey, with a solid core of plum, blackberry and cherry paste flavors, infused liberally with sweet tobacco and tar notes. Shows brambly energy through the finish, which displays ample grip for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 93 WSHawthorn and crushed earth on the nose, with touches of brambled hedgerow berries. I really like this, it has personality, and is showing well even at this early stage, still with the finesse and elegance of the appellation in this particular vintage coupled with concentration and focus to the fruit. One to feel confident with for the long haul. (Drink between 2023-2043)Decanter | 93 DECAromas of flowers, berries and light cedar with some milk-chocolate undertones. Medium body. Creamy tannins and a firm, caressing finish. Shows tension and focus. Better after 2022.James Suckling | 93 JS

What a stunning nose of crushed berries, fresh flowers, sandalwood and light vineyard dust. Black olives, too. Very complex. Full-bodied with a beautiful, dense palate of blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and cigar box. Fantastic length and composure. The tannin just rolls over the palate. Very structured. The most classically structured wine ever from here. Goes on for minutes. Outrageous and so polished. A blend of 48% carmenere, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2017 Clos Apalta is the 20th vintage of this wine that was produced with a blend of 48% Carmenere, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot from organic and biodynamic certified vineyards on granite soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts for four to five weeks, with manual punch-down of the cap, mostly in 7,500-liter French oak vats and 18% in new French barrique. Malolactic was in new French oak barrels, and the élevage lasted for 27 months in 85% new barrels and 15% second use. This is always a powerful, big and ripe wine that is regularly 15% alcohol, reflecting a warm and ripe place. The 2017 is no exception, perhaps a riper and more powerful wine than the 2016. It’s still very young and marked by the élevage, with abundant balsamic aromas and notes from the wood—spice and smoke with an ashy touch. It seems quite marked by the character of the Carmenere. The tannins are quite round and polished, and the flavors are pungent and powerful. It’s a full-bodied wine to age in in bottle and enjoy in its 10th birthday with powerful food. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, yields for the grand vin in 2017 were 43 hectoliters per hectare, and it was aged in 60% new oak. It came in at an alcohol of 13% and an IPT of 68. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cos d’Estournel needs a little coaxing to unfurl, revealing beautiful expressions of preserved plums, boysenberries, blackcurrant pastilles and wild blueberries with hints of Indian spices, menthol, lilacs and mossy tree bark plus a compelling suggestion of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the tightly wound blue and black fruits layers, finishing long and fragrant. This wine will need a good 5-7 years in bottle before it begins to blossom and should go on for at least another 40 years. I expect this wine to be a blockbuster of a head-turner when I come back and taste it at 10 years of age!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPQuite the bottle here! Spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, as well as dried meat and plums with cedar and sandalwood. Full body. Deep and dense in the center palate and a long, long finish. Shows finesse and tightness. Very polished tannins. Long and ethereal. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSA bold, dramatic wine, the 2017 Cos d’Estournel is seriously impressive today. Time in barrel has done wonders for the 2017, a wine that has really gained depth in élevage. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice, smoke and incense infuse the 2017 with tons of character, with the 60% new oak very well judged. In 2017, Cos has a level of textural resonance that eludes many Saint-Estèphes. The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis impressive wine is structured yet well balanced by an attractive fruitiness that parallels the tannins and the smokiness from wood aging. The density of the palate is countered by fresh acidity that shines through. Drink 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEBright and expressive, with an extroverted core of loganberry, plum and black cherry fruit racing to the fore, carried by a polished and sleek structure. Reveals a subtle mineral edge through the finish, with alluring black and red tea notes swirling around. The rare seductive St.-Estèphe. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2036. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe grand vin 2017 Chateau Cos D’Estournel checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. It’s a classic 2017 that shows the straight, very classic style of the vintage with its medium to full body, ripe, present tannins, and solid spine of acidity. Beautiful cassis, green tobacco, graphite, and cedar pencil notes all emerge from the glass, and as with the Pagodes, it’s still tight and reserved on the palate. Reminding me of the 1996 with its classic, balanced style, give bottles 5-7 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDHad a few issues with brett on the first bottle of this, but tasted again (twice for reassurance) and this has an unmistakably rich ripeness to it. Successful polishing and rounding out of the tannins that works to override the austerity of the vintage far better than many. Cassis and spiced damson character abounds, and it opens up in the glass slowly but determinedly. 60% new oak. Plenty of ageing capacity on display. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 94 DEC

This is really powerful and structured with superb muscle and phenolic tension. Yet, it’s formed and polished, layered and dense. Full-bodied, but energetic and focused. Vibrant acidity. Goes on for minutes. Citrus, stone, straw, salt and chalk. Incredible. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSThe grand vin, the 2017 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is a more serious, concentrated, medium to full-bodied effort that has awesome notes of crushed citrus, white peach, lemon zest, and obvious minerality. With a touch of background oak, a great mid-palate, and stunning balance, give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis shows a gently buttered frame around a core bristling with white peach, gooseberry, tangerine and verbena notes. Exhibits weight, tension and detail, with tarragon, chamomile and fleur de sel accents skittering through the finish. Seriously long and built to age. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2021 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDomaine de Chevalier 2017 Pessac-Léognan. This wine is dense, with concentrated spice plus rich white and kiwi fruits. Acidity is prominent, giving the wine impressive fruitiness and aging potential as suggested by the texture and wood flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEClosed on the nose to begin, the Domaine de Chevalier 2017 Blanc (composed of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon) opens to aromas of ripe pears, Golden delicious apples and white peaches with notions of straw, honeysuckle and chalk. Medium-bodied, the palate is seriously intense and racy with loads of mineral sparks on the finish. It was aged for 16 months in French oak, 35% new.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA wine of noble breeding and class, the 2017 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc dazzles from start to finish. Dried flowers, chamomile, mint and citrus confit struggle to emerge, buried by the wine’s sheer richness and concentration. The 2017 needs at least a few years in bottle to come together, but that won’t be an issue for a wine that will drink well for several decades.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AGSlightly reticent on the nose, with subtle creaminess and savoury spice. Full-bodied and opulent in style with vibrant acidity. (Drink between 2021-2028)Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2017 Meursault 1er Cru Goutte d’Or is an elegant, precise wine that was less advanced in its élevage than the Meursault lieux-dits that proceeded it. Offering up aromas of apple, pear, white flowers and pastry cream, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and delicately textural, with good concentration and reserved depth at the core that suggests more is to come. I look forward to revisiting it from bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | (91-93)+ RPThe 2017 Meursault Goutte d’Or 1er Cru possesses a sunny bouquet of tropical scents of pineapple, honey and peach, perhaps just missing the delineation of its peers. The palate is well balanced and slightly honeyed in texture (possibly with a touch of botrytis?). Very harmonious, with lovely white peach and Nashi pear notes toward the Puligny-like finish. A very classy Meursault that should age well in bottle. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 2017 Barolo Riserva Perno is a real stunner. Deep, pliant and super-expressive, the 2017 boasts gorgeous inner sweetness and depth to lay off its huge, imposing tannins. The ripeness and overall intensity of the year comes through in the wine’s captivating aromatics and pliant, layered mid-palate. Even so, the 2017 has a boatload of tannin and tons of searing structural intensity to assimilate. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.Vinous Media | 96 VM

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

One of the real highlights of the vintage, the 2017 Les Carmes Haut-Brion possesses off the charts aromatic intensity and tremendous depth. An exotic mélange of sweet tobacco, menthol, rose petal, licorice, dried herbs and sweet dark fruit builds in a wine endowed with extraordinary beauty. Energetic and vibrant to the core, Les Carmes Haut-Brion was magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGBrilliant wine that continues to impress three years on from the En Primeur tasting, with a creamy but restrained texture, precise black fruits with a spicy undertow. By this point Carmes had the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc on the Left Bank, and had really started to establish its own identity. It was also using a full 40% whole bunch winemaking, choosing only the ripest stems to include in the fermentation tanks, adding a twist of salinity on the finish and ensuring a dip of around 1% in potential alcohol levels at picking (this is a hot site close to the city centre). Owned by Patrice Pichet since 2011, with Guillaume Pouthier joining as director in 2012 - whose experience in the Rhône meant he was not afraid to use stems in winemaking, something traditionally shunned in Bordeaux. This wine shows the success of that approach, giving personality and poise. Needs another few years for the austerity to soften further. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 96 DECOffering an Haut-Brion-like level of purity and precision, the 2017 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion (41% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon) sports a vivid purple color as well as perfumed notes of blueberries, blackberries, unsmoked tobacco, crushed violets, and spring flowers. It’s not a blockbuster in the mold of the 2015 or 2016 (or 2018), but it has medium to full body, a beautiful elegance and purity, notable minerality, and an exceptional finish. It opens up with time in the glass, and I was able to follow a bottle for 3 days without it ever showing a hint of oxidation. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 30 years or more. Guillaume Pouthier and consultant Stephane Derenoncourt have unquestionably raised the quality from this estate, and this 2017 ranks with the gems of Pessac as well as all of Bordeaux.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAromas of graphite and spiced wood here. The fruit is nicely ripe, in the redder end of the berry spectrum. The palate has good depth and weight. Quite fine, fresh tannins carry plenty of red-plum flavor. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSComposed of 41% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Les Carmes Haut-Brion was fermented using 40% whole clusters and aged for around 20 months in French oak barrels, 65% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple, it springs from the glass with fragrant notions of Black Forest cake, kirsch and black raspberries plus touches of cedar chest, red roses, black tea and dried mint. Medium bodied, the palate struts itself with great elegance and poise, featuring restrained, mineral-sparked red and black fruits with a firm, grainy texture and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPA sanguine thread weaves around the core of steeped red and black currant fruit, with singed mesquite, iron and briar notes filling in along the way. The sanguine element leaves a mouthwatering echo at the end. A distinctive and alluring expression of the appellation. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2036. 3,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2017 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Rich, deep and luscious on the palate, the 2017 possesses tremendous energy and richness from start to finish. Sweet red cherry, red plum, blood orange, spice and herb notes abound in an unctuous, racy wine of the highest level. The 2017 is deep, explosive and wonderfully persistent. It has been terrific on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGBeautiful spice, tobacco, wet earth and blackcurrants with some raspberries. Aromatic and complex. Full-bodied, refined and layered with wonderful length and power. Yet, there’s always class and pretty length here. Seamless. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSVery rich, featuring warm cassis and plum puree flavors, laced with singed wood spice, melted licorice and black tea notes. Reveals a tarry hint, but this stays decidedly modern and polished in feel, with the fruit cruising through the finish with authority. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WSDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pape Clement is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, with a nose that is slightly closed at this youthful stage—broody and earthy with baked plums, boysenberries and mulberries aromas plus touches of iron ore, tobacco, tapenade and charcuterie. The palate is medium-bodied and elegant with exquisitely ripe tannins, lovely energy and freshness and a long, mineral-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThis solid, densely textured wine has fine tannins that match richness in the blackberry fruits. It is classically structured, suggesting an elegant, ripe and impressive future. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEChecking in as a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Pape Clement is going to check in behind the brilliant 2015 and 2016, but it’s nevertheless a brilliant wine from this estate worth having in the cellar. Great notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, gravelly earth, mocha, and hints of licorice all flow to a medium to full-bodied wine that has remarkable purity of fruit as well as polished tannins. It builds nicely with time in the glass and reminds me of a toned-down version of the 2016. This complex, elegant, flawlessly balanced Pessac can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAmong the deepest in colour, as is often the case with Pape Clement. The fruit feels well defined with blasts of blueberry and raspberry. It feels carefully worked, with toasted oak notes giving sweetness and finesse. An impressive wine and one of the successes of the appellation in this vintage, that has settled in to itself over ageing. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DEC

This has ethereal transparency to it with a fresh, red-berry and cherry nose. Terra-cotta and dried-flower notes. Plums, too. Quite complex. The palate has a very detailed tannin texture with attractive cassis and blueberries that hold very long, fresh and pure. Fruity and fresh. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSComposed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Pontet-Canet gives up beautifully fragrant notes of rosehip tea, lilacs, cinnamon stick, cloves, dried leaves and underbrush with a core of kirsch, raspberry coulis, warm plums and red and black currants plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing, minerally and wonderfully elegant with a well-played texture of approachable, plush tannins and a long, fragrant finish. Beautiful. Aging took place in 50% new and 15% in second fill barrels and the remaining 35% in amphorae for 16 months, much of the material for which came from the soil at Pontet-Canet!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe perfume intensity of this wine is remarkable. Firm and velvet at the same time, the tannins are the prelude to the pure, opulent blackberry fruits and balanced acidity. The lines of the wine are clear and direct, a true promise for aging. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA gorgeous, alluring Pauillac, the 2017 Pontet-Canet is racy and exceptionally polished, with floral top notes that bring out the natural brightness of the red-toned fruit. Super-silky tannins add to the wine's immediacy and sheer allure. The 2017 was the first wine made with the new sorting table. About half the fruit was destemmed by hand. As always, visiting Pontet-Canet is like stepping back into another time, a time in which wines were made much more manually than they are today. Here that means manual punch downs and pump overs, with no electricity. Harvest ran from September 18 through October 4. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Aging was done 50% in new oak, 35% in amphora and 15% in one year-old oak. Tasted three times.Vinous Media | 95 VMVery tight, with notes of wet stone, plum pit and chalky minerality leading the way, backed by an ample core of steeped currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit waiting to unfurl. The finish smolders with cast iron details. Should round into form with cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 94 WSCompared to the flamboyant 2018 and the fantastic 2016, this comes in a lower gear, with less potential complexity. I like the ripe cassis, red and black berry aromatics with a lovely tannic finesse, but I wanted more palate density here. Medium finish. Aged 50% new oak , 35% amphora. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 93 DECDeep ruby/purple-hued and based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Chateau Pontet-Canet spent 16 months in a 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the balance in once-used barrels. It's an exceedingly elegant Pontet-Canet that has textbook Pauillac notes of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, lead pencil shavings, new leather, and flowery incense. It's not a blockbuster and reminds me slightly of the 2004, yet it has wonderful depth of fruit, ultra-fine tannins, and beautiful purity and elegance. It's already approachable, but it’s going to be even better with 5-6 years of bottle age and have 20-25 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

This wine comes from one of Tokaji’s most famous vineyards. It is light amber in color with heady aromas of honeysuckle, freesia, beeswax and honey. It has pleasant heft on the palate and there are intense flavors of tinned peach, clover honey and apricot conserves. It is a well-made and well-balanced wine that ends on a sweet note and makes you want to go in for another and another, sip. Drink now–2050.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WE Intense nose of candied fig, dried pineapple, ginger, spice, candied lemon, honeysuckle and acacia honey. Sweet and luscious with zesty acidity. Lingering honey and lemon notes. Dense and tight center-palate. Blend of single vineyards. 100% furmint. Give it time to open, but already so impressive.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2017 Tokaji Szt. Tamás 6-Puttonyos comes from red-clay topsoils in the commune of Mád. This is more backward compared to the Mézes Mály, and very much more citrus-driven, featuring lemon peel, orange zest and crushed stone aromas; the Aszú element is more discreet. The fresh, vibrant palate is well balanced and harmonious, offering a fine bead of acidity and candied orange peel toward the finish. Edgier than Royal Tokaji’s other 2017s, and perhaps spicier on the finish, this will be fascinating to observe mature in bottle. 3,635 bottles produced.Vinous Media | 95 VMMade with 100% Furmint, the Szt.Tamás Aszú has a lifted nose of apricot jam, bruised apple and a hint of fresh sourdough. Spiced and honeyed on the palate with ginger and white pepper, grapefruit peel bitterness, marmalade and dried apricot. The acidity (7.4 g/l) is more mellow than the Gold Label, although it still provide an excellent backbone. Ginger and dried fruit notes linger on. The 16ha single vineyard site is rich in red clay and volcanic rocks, sloping southwest-west towards the Royal Tokaji winery in Mád. Drinking Window 2021 - 2031.Decanter | 93 DEC

This is one of those wines where your nose is in the glass for ages, enjoying the complex array of aromas that range from raspberries to dates, perfumed bark to polished wood, pressed flowers to fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied, dense and focused with fine, well-integrated tannins, plenty of fruit flavor and an endless finish. A joy to drink even now, but this will age gracefully for many a year.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Sergio Zenato is totally classic to the Zenato style, with macerated cherries, raisins, sweet herbs, cocoa, black pepper and shavings of cedar. This deeply textural with a dense wave of mineral-encased dark red fruits and balsamic spice carried across a core of stimulating acidity. Mocha and clove mix with black currant and olive as the 2017 finishes dramatically long and potent. There’s simply so much going on here, and more is guaranteed to come with maturation. Also of note is that the 2017 clocks in at only 3.3 grams of residual sugar. This is as serious as they comeVinous Media | 97 VM

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

There are fully 125 barrels of the 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet Village, a lovely wine in the making that reveals aromas of warm bread, citrus oil, fresh peach and dried white flowers. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and nicely concentrated, with fine cut and a well-defined finish. That there’s so much volume this year is great news for Moreau fans.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP(Domaine Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet Villages White) Discreet wood influence sets off the ripe aromas of various white-fleshed fruit along with hints of matchstick and lemon rind. The rich and relatively full-bodied flavors possess both good detail and punch, all wrapped in a less refined but notably more complex finale. This is a quality Chassagne villages. (Drink starting 2023).Burghound | 89-91 BH(Chassagne-Montrachet- Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils) The 2018 Chassagne villages here was all ready for bottling and was just settling in for another month or so prior to its mise. The wine had been assembled at the end of July and fined the last week of October, so it was showing very well in mid-November. The nose is pure and very floral this year, offering up a fine blend of pear, apple, a lovely base of soil, lemon blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and succulent at the core, with a zesty girdle of acidity, lovely focus and grip and impressive backend mineral drive on the complex and beautifully balanced finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2020-2045).John Gilman | 91 JG

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hayne Vineyard comes from a site in Napa and is all Clone 337 of Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new French oak. Beautiful crème de cassis, violets, tobacco, and bouquet garni notes emerge from this classic, full-bodied, incredibly well-balanced 2018. I love its tannins, it’s flawlessly balanced, and it’s a wine that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink bottles over the coming 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD

The star of the show in 2018 is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Combe Des Fous and it has an incredible mix of complexity, power, and elegance that’s something to behold. Sporting a deep purple/plum color as well as a killer bouquet of blackcurrants, lavender, peppery garrigue, graphite, and white chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, multi-dimensional texture, incredible tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This is a good as 2018 gets and while it’s already impossible to resist, it’s going to evolve for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous features electric aromas of garrigue, exotic stone fruit, pomegranate, black cherries and perhaps even a touch of rose petals. Full-bodied and rich without being overly weighty or dense, plush and velvety on the finish yet vibrant and complex, this magnificent effort should drink well for at least a decade. From vines planted in 1905, it’s approximately 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Vaccarèse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPOpaque ruby. A powerfully scented bouquet displays mineral-accented boysenberry and Chambord scents complemented by suggestions of pungent flowers, Indian spices and incense. Intense red/blue fruit preserve, cherry cola and fruitcake flavors show superb definition and silky texture. Comes off graceful despite its depth and finishes on a repeating floral note, displaying outstanding persistence and bright, mineral lift.Vinous Media | 95 VMA mix of steeped plum and black cherry fruit mixes with tobacco, chestnut and melted licorice notes. There’s a touch of burl at first, but this quickly unwinds with air, showing a velvety edge on the finish. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Vaccarèse. Best from 2021 through 2033. 409 cases made, 45 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The intensity and perfumes on the nose are extremely impressive, offering pure blackberries and violets, as well as bark, wild-mushroom and raw-tile notes. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins that envelop the wine and a gorgeous, subtly complex center palate with all the flavors found on the nose. Endless finish. Love the finesse and length to this. Greatest ever. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is easily one of the wines of the vintage. A wine of mind-blowing precision and regal elegance, Domaine de Chevalier dazzles from the very first taste. Dried herbs, rose petal, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and bright mineral notes all build in the glass. Richly layered but also translucent, the 2018 is a real head-turner. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2018 Domaine De Chevalier is a beauty. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 35% new French oak, it has a beautiful sense of elegance and purity, which is very much in the style of the vintage as well as the domaine. Blackcurrants, black cherries, cold fireplace, damp earth, tobacco, and chocolate are just some of the nuances here, and this complex, medium to full-bodied 2018 has gorgeous tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It has suppleness in its texture that allows it to offer pleasure even today, yet given its balance as well as purity, it deserves 5-7 years of bottle age and will keep for 30+ years. It is another brilliant wine from the team of Olivier Bernard.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDOne of the iconic white wines of Bordeaux, produced in small quantities, this is a powerful and rich expression of ripe Sauvignon Blanc. The fruitiness, with its tropical hints, is enhanced by the wine’s complexity, touches of spice and density. Drink this impressive wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDreamy, with a velvety, caressing feel to a mix of warmed cassis, plum reduction and cherry preserve flavors that glide through slowly, but surely, letting anise, sweet tobacco and mineral accents peek in throughout. Very long, very refined. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSLovely rich depth to the nose. This is a successful wine with balance, power and elegance. Subtle with a ton of complexity: blackberry and autumnal fruits, touches of hedgerow, slate, chocolate and crushed stone, with sweet raspberry purée as it opens up. Just a lovely wine that you would be very happy to own. One-third new oak. Maintained its success from en primeur. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECA blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 35% new, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier has a deep garnet-purple color, pouncing out of the glass with energetic scents of crushed blackcurrants, fresh, juicy blackberries and ripe plums, with suggestions of crushed rocks, bay leaves, unsmoked cigars and lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with muscular black fruits, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long and mineral laced. Give it another 4 years in bottle to flesh out and drink it over the next 25+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

This has a complex nose of dried apple, green mango, grapefruit zest, dried honeysuckle and crushed almonds. It’s full-bodied with bright acidity and a dense, phenolic texture. Vivid and layered with fantastic precision. Very, very long. This needs time. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the iconic white wines of Bordeaux, produced in small quantities, this is a powerful and rich expression of ripe Sauvignon Blanc. The fruitiness, with its tropical hints, is enhanced by the wine’s complexity, touches of spice and density. Drink this impressive wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEGorgeous, with both rich and racy elements as lemon curd, shortbread and honeysuckle notes contrast with lemon pith, thyme and fleur de sel notes. Long finish has wet straw and paraffin hints, adding length and range. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2030. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSOne of the top whites in the vintage, the 2018 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is mostly Sauvignon blended with 25% Sémillon that was raised in 35% new French oak. A forward, approachable vintage for this cuvée, it has a beautiful, medium to full-bodied style as well as loads of lemon curd, white grapefruit, toasted bread, spice, and a kiss of chalky minerality. Balanced, pure, and elegant, drink this killer Bordeaux Blanc over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe Domaine de Chevalier 2018 Blanc, a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, offers up a gorgeous perfume of ripe Bosc pears, grapefruit oil, mandarin peel and lemongrass, leading to wafts of sea spray, lime blossom and beeswax. The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing opulence, delivering layers of citrus, pear and floral-inspired flavors with a satiny texture and seamless freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. It makes for a complex, decadently delicious wine right now, but give it 4-5 years in bottle to see it take on even more savory/toasty layers, and drink it for the next 10-12 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has come together beautifully over the last two years. Rich and unctuous in feel, the 2018 offers terrific nuance to match its creamy, enveloping personality. Dried pear, marzipan, lemon confit and white flowers all build as the 2018 blossoms in the glass. The poised, deeply resonant finish is striking. I am so impressed with the 2018, a wine that is far more convincing in bottle than it was from barrel.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis clearly has focus and stone-fruit steely determination. Clear opulence and density if not quite the grip of this wine in the very best white vintages. Excellent white pepper spice as it opens. Drinking Window 2021 - 2034.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jean has also turned out well, unfurling with aromas of pear, orange oil, white flowers and fresh pastry. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and nicely defined, its fleshy core of fruit balanced by juicy acids.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPWhiffs of smoky reduction overshadow the underlying fruit that wisps of citrus do escape the fun so I would suggest a quick aeration if you’re going to try a bottle young. The mouthfeel of the middle weight flavors is slightly finer with good punch that carries over to the clean and dry finish. This could use a bit more depth, but more should develop if held for a few years first.Burghound | 90 BH

Dunn’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon shows terrific purity and focus in its aromas of cassis and pencil shavings and on the medium to full-bodied palate, where it’s streamlined and smooth. There’s intensity and concentration, but they sort of slide past almost unnoticed, lubricated by fine-grained tannins and lingering notes of cassis and graphite on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a gorgeous wine, especially for Dunn fans who want a wine to drink that won’t take forever to come around. Dark and savory, with terrific depth, the 2018 is full of character. Black cherry, lavender, chocolate, sage, mint and cloves all open in the glass. The 2018 has just enough grip to have a good amount of classic structure, but not to the point of being forbidding. The Napa Cabernet is about 55% Howell Mountain and 45% Coombsville fruit. The 2018 is beautifully done and an absolute delight.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGWell-endowed, with waves of lightly warmed plum sauce, blackberry preserves and melted black licorice framed by a roasted apple wood note. Flashes of sassafras and sweet bay leaf add alluring range through the muscular finish. Best from 2023 through 2035. 1,814 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2018 Red Wine Estate might just be the best edition ever of this incredible high-elevation bottling. It’s nothing short of a blending masterpiece by Chris Figgins and his winemaking team. This thing is massive monster of a wine that really needs several hours of air to get going. But once tamed, the aromatics explode out of the glass, unveiling dark currants, roasted figs, black rose petals and creosote tones with shades of green bell pepper from the Petit Verdot. The palate is soft and opulent in the mouth. Layers of crème de cassis, anise, violets, dark cherry cordial, graphite and espresso bean with green bell pepper undertones all brilliantly combine with a vibrant sense of tension, and firm tannins hold everything in place. While this is extraordinary to savor upon release, try your best to resist it for at least a few more years.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2018 Red Wine is another stunner from this talented team. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot aged 23 months in a mix of new and used barrels, it has an incredibly pure bouquet of both red and blue fruits as well as graphite, violets, and blood orange. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it stays tight and focused on the palate, with a beautiful mouthfeel, ripe yet firm, chalky tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great, great finish. It’s a gorgeous wine that will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 15-20+ in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDInky and brooding once in the glass this is quite simply the best wine ever produced by this estate. Needing an hour in the decanter, this unveils tar and tobacco leaf tones aromatically with graphite and a massive core of dark fruits also providing intrigue. Juicy, with outstanding acidity and freshness, this shows off cassis, anise, charcoal and menthol flavours that mingle with the bright sense of verve. Glorious now, try to resist this beautiful wine for at least another year. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECBlackcurrant, blackberry, walnut and mint chocolate on the nose, as well as hints of radish and mocha. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Concentrated and chewy with a dense core of black fruit. Solid and tight. Cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and merlot. Give this time. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSAromas of macerated cherry, coffee, flower, licorice and date lead to cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors that give a full impression on the palate. There’s plenty of precision and detail to be had, so much acidity and a quite firm tannic structure. A big, burly, beautiful wine, it will last and drink well as long as you care to keep it. Don’t go near it now. Best after 2032.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEImmediately impressive in the glass, the 2018 Estate Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot with aromas of juicy and ripe blackberry, spiced black cherry preserves, elegant floral tones and elements of boysenberry and blueberry with a soft amount of volatility. Full-bodied, generous and full of flavor, the blend displays power and finesse, unpacking layers of complexity with a tight tannic grip that will loosen with additional bottle age. The wine somersaults to a spectacular finish with a firm, juicy and dusty sensation that gives pleasure at every turn. The wine rested for for 23 months in new and used French oak barrels. Just give it another few years in the bottle for the wine to shed its baby fat. Just under 19,000 bottles were filled. Impressive; Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA dynamic and refined red, with detailed blackberry, green olive and spicy espresso flavors that build tension and polish on the long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,562 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS