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A massive wine that is clearly of first-growth quality in this vintage, the 1982 Gruaud Larose remains a youngster. A broodingly dense, thick, unctuously textured, inky/plum/garnet/purple color offers up scents of beef blood, steak tartare, cassis, herbs, tobacco, and underbrush. One of the most concentrated wines of the vintage (as well as one of the most concentrated Bordeaux’s I have ever tasted), it is a huge, full-bodied, weighty, rich wine whose tannins are getting silkier and silkier. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life. This behemoth is a singularly profound example of Gruaud Larose that continues to justify its legendary status. Anticipated maturity: now-2050.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 1982 Gruaud Larose has long been one of my favourite Saint Julien wines from that vintage. From magnum, the exquisite bouquet of black fruit, leather and hints of game and antique bureau is fully mature yet vigorous and so joyful. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins that have melted in recent years. Here, there is more red than black fruit, suffused with tobacco, sage and cedar notes, impressive in terms of grip and fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bottles with sound provenance are à point and will continue to give pleasure for another 20, perhaps 30 years. Tasted at the Lafaurie-Peyraguey vertical in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 95 VMOne of the best wines ever made at this estate. Dense ruby color with a slight amber edge. Intense grape, berry and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins and a long, ripe fruit and mineral aftertaste.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Gruaud-Larose) The 1982 Gruaud-Larose is just starting blossom at age thirty and is a lovely example of the vintage. The deep and complex bouquet offers up a black fruity mélange of cassis, a bit of spiced meat, cigar ash, dark soil tones, a touch of petroleum jelly, nutskins and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just coming out of its adolescent phase, with a rock solid core of fruit, ripe tannins and lovely length and grip on the modestly tannic and impressively tangy finish. For purists, there is a touch of brettanomyces here that they may find off-putting, but it is quite modest and I have no problem with this level of brett in a wine. (Drink between 2015-2065).John Gilman | 93 JG

The late Michel Delon always thought that this was the greatest vintage he had produced. We often tasted it side by side with the 1982, because I always preferred the latter vintage. Of course, the two vintages are quite different in style, with the 1986 a monument to classicism, with great tannin, extraordinary delineation, and a huge, full-bodied nose of sweet, ripe cassis fruit intermixed with vanilla, melon, fruitcake, and a multitude of spices. The wine has always been phenomenally concentrated, yet wonderfully fresh and vigorous. The wine still seems young, yet it is hard to believe it is not close to full maturity. It is a great example of Leoville Las Cases, and another compelling reason to take a serious look at the top Cabernet Sauvignon-based Medocs of 1986. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035. Last tasted, 9/02.Robert Parker | 100 RPMichel Delon, then owner, believed this to be the greatest wine he ever made. It’s not often the case that wines with this much expectation riding on them live up to the hype, but this one did. A stunning wine that, at 33 years old, still feels fresh, concentrated and with a long way left to go. The tannins have the characteristic Las Cases weight and definition to them, giving form and shape to the sweet berry fruit, but the overall impression is of welcoming, juicy pleasure. Harvested from 1 to 17 October. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035.Decanter | 100 DECSaturated dark ruby. Cassis, shoe polish, camphor and rose petal on the nose; this reminded me of a great vintage of Latour. Dense and extremely concentrated; explosive yet totally backward. There nothing playful about this infant claret. Finishes with extraordinary, slow-building persistence. Very serious juice; one of the great Bordeaux of the 1980s. Drink 2010 through 2035.Vinous Media | 98 VMFirm and focused, with beautifully articulated currant, raspberry and nutmeg aromas and flavors; very supple for such a lean-textured Bordeaux. Approaching drinkability, but it can use until 2000 to soften.--Léoville Las Cases vertical.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Léoville Las Cases (St. Julien)) The 1986 Château Léoville Las Cases remains a stubbornly backward wine at age thirty-two, and I am beginning to wonder if it is just stuck in a seemingly endless adolescence or if the wine is going to turn out to be stillborn and never blossom. The bouquet offers up a still quite youthful blend of black cherries, cassis, a touch of mint, Galloise cigarette smoke, dark soil and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, simple and powerful in personality, with a rock solid core, firm tannins and a long, four-square and recalcitrant finish. Maybe this will blossom one day, but I do not have a ton of faith in the wine anymore. And, even if it does one day start to blossom, it still seems likely to not be a particularly complex example of Las Cases in the making. If it does one day start to soften up and open, it should merit a score at the top of my range, but that seems less than a fifty-fifty proposition at this point. I should mention that I have tasted this wine three or four times in the last decade and my impressions have been consistent, so this is the wine, rather than a reflection of a possibly atypical bottle (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 84-92 JG

The 1989 Palmer has vied with the 1983 as the highlight of the decade, so it is fascinating to revisit it at 30 years old. It has a wonderful bouquet of degraded red berry fruit, singed leather and hints of game and mint, beautifully defined and still so fresh, yet undeniably old-school in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and still brimming with vigor, delivering a fine bead of acidity and a touch of cracked black pepper. A very detailed, engaging finish urges you back for another sip. A brilliant Palmer, and judging from this showing, it has another two decades of pleasure to give. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château.Vinous Media | 97 VMTasted 6 Times Since Bottling With Consistent NotesPalmer has done a magnificent job with their 1989, which continues to be a wine of immense seduction. The expansive, rich, fat texture owes its opulence to the high percentage of Merlot used by this property. Opaque deep ruby/purple, this full-bodied, satiny wine has considerable alcoholic clout, is low in acidity, but splendidly concentrated and abundantly full of velvety tannins. It will be fascinating to see if this wine ultimately rivals the great Palmers made in 1983, 1970, 1966, and 1961. This is a thrilling 1989! Anticipated maturity: Now-2012.Robert Parker | 96 RP(Château Palmer) At our vertical tasting in October of 2007, the ’89 was corked, so I have had to go back to a note on this wine that is a few years old. I have always liked the 1989 Palmer quite well, but have never ranked it quite in the same league as the greatest vintages of this château. The nose on the ’89 offers up scents of ripe plums, mulberries, dark chocolate, tobacco, minerals, violets and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite lush and voluptuous on the attack, with a firm tannic structure kicking-up in the mid-palate, and a long, complex and chewy finish. While there is plenty of depth in the mid-palate, I do not find quite the reserves of fruit at the core as found in vintages such as the 1983 at a similar stage of development. The tannins here are ripe and quite buried in the fruit, and while it is more than drinkable today, it clearly will need another decade to allow some of the secondary layers of complexity to emerge.John Gilman | 92+ JGDisplays impressive sweet berry and floral aromas, with hints of cedar and light new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, offering fine tannins and a fresh finish. This wine is just now opening, with a racy backbone of tannins and dark fruits on the finish. This is turning out to be more balanced than I remember. Ready.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WSI find this a little austere with mineral, tar, and currant character. It’s a little subdued. Full and silky on the palate, it’s firm and bright, even tight. Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 91 JS

At 56% Cabernet Franc, this is a bright, floral Cheval Blanc, with white pepper, strawberry, mineral and oriental spice notes lingering nicely. Drinking Window 2015 - 2036Decanter | 95 DEC(a blend of 56% cabernet franc and 44% merlot; 40 h/h): Bright red. Fresh floral, white pepper, raspberry and strawberry aromas on the captivating nose, lifted by minerals and Oriental spices. Very fresh, balanced and pure on the palate, with bright red berry, floral and delicately smoky plum flavors. Very cabernet franc, and very Cheval Blanc! The lively, harmonious acids keep this wine light on its feet and really extend the flavors on the back half. The long finish features a subtly spicy kick and smooth tannins. A touch more density and it would have scored even higher. The harvest took place between September 28 and October 4.Vinous Media | 93 VMMedium ruby, with a garnet edge. Aromas of plum and fresh herbs, such as basil, that turn to cedar and cigar box. Full-bodied, with soft, silky tannins. Long and flavorful, with subtle chocolate, berry and light coffee aftertaste. Gorgeous.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe elegant, moderately weighted 1996 Cheval Blanc reveals a deep garnet/plum, evolved color. Quintessentially elegant, with a complex nose of black fruits, coconut, smoke, and pain grille, this medium-bodied wine exhibits sweet fruit on the attack, substantial complexity, and a lush, velvety-textured finish. It is very soft and evolved for a 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015.Robert Parker | 90 RP

The 1999 Griotte is a bit more obviously ripe and generous than the cooler fruit-toned 2001, but it too will make an outstanding bottle of wine at full maturity. It will be interesting to keep tabs on the progress of the 1999 vis à vis the 2001 Griotte over the coming decades, as it is not clear which of these will ultimately be the superior bottling (though I give both vintages the nod over the potential of the 2002 at this early date). The bouquet on the 1999 Griotte is quite beautiful, as it offers up notes of black cherries, a touch of plum, chocolate, grilled meat, a lovely base of soil, woodsmoke and a delicate hint of cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and round on the attack, with a lovely black fruity core, ripe, buried tannins, sound acids and fine length and grip on the very long, meaty finish that closes with a note of bitter chocolate. A most impressive vintage of Griotte from the Drouhins, and one that should still be given another five or six years to fully blossom. Excellent juice. (Drink between 2014 - 2045)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe candied bing cherry-scented 1999 Griotte-Chambertin has a zesty, lively nose as well as a medium to dark ruby-colored character. It is packed with layers of raspberries, blueberries, and jammy cherries whose seamless flavors last from the attack through its supple finish. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2010.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWhile there are subtle secondary notes present, this remains largely primary and still quite fresh with mostly red berry fruit that is cut with nuances of earth, roasted cherry and stone hints. There is moderate austerity to the relatively precise and energetic medium-bodied flavors that are presently somewhat lean and while not hard, it’s clear that this is not yet ready for prime time drinking. Save for one recent bottle that was hard to the point of being unpleasant, I have had consistent notes.Burghound | 92 BHPalish red with a brick rim. Mellow, soil-driven scents of coffee, faded rose, mocha, cedar and truffle, with red berry notes in the background; comes across as complex and mature. Quite suave but a bit peppery and lean on first pour, showing moderate flesh but surprising energy thanks to its firm acidity and minerality. Initially seemed a bit lacking in intensity (perhaps from the vintage’s generally high yields) but gained in suppleness and volume with aeration. Finishes with a firm spine of dusty tannins that avoid dryness. I find this quite sexy now with some aeration and would certainly want to drink it within the next several years. Incidentally, Jérôme Faure-Brac did not start vinifying at Drouhin until 2005.Vinous Media | 91 VM

(Maison Joseph Drouhin Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Red) In contrast to the subtlety of the Petits Monts, this is a full out bruiser with big, robust, admirably intense flavors that are, with the Amoureuses, perhaps the most complex of any wines presented today. Very structured and chewy but not at all hard yet purchasers should be prepared for at least a decade of patience as this will require time to reveal all of its considerable potential. A very impressive effort here. (Drink between 2011-2018)Burghound | 90-93 BHPure, expressive aromas of red cherries are displayed by the medium to dark ruby-colored 2001 Bonnes Mares. Medium-bodied, exhibiting outstanding depth of fruit, as well as a well-delineated personality, this is a red cherry, stony black fruit, and spice-flavored beauty. In addition, it wows the taster with an exceptionally long, flavorful finish. Projected maturity: 2004-2011.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPMedium red. Sweetly oaky aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, tobacco and fresh herbs. Dense, fat and lush, with vibrant flavors of red fruits, minerals, wild herbs and earthy underbrush. Not quite as silky-sweet as Drouhin’s Musigny, but finishes very long and aromatic, with firm but suave tannins.Vinous Media | 92 VM

There are tannins, structure and power, but also supreme elegance. The 2004 acidity comes through in the sweet cassis flavors, supported at the back by dry tannins. Currently, the wine is closed up, losing some of its fresh fruit, but this is a moment in its slow evolution towards a classic Latour.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA terrific effort from Administrator Frederic Engerer and owner Francois Pinault, the dark ruby/purple-tinged 2004 Latour exhibits a strong cassis character intermixed with notes of crushed rocks, earth, cedar, and forest floor. Racy, elegant, but powerful with medium to full body, and sweet tannin, it will benefit from 5-7 years of cellaring, and should keep for three decades. It is a very impressive offering. Robert Parker | 95 RPCaptivating aromas of currant, black licorice and spices, with just a hint of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Structured and racy. Best after 2011. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2004 Latour checks in as a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and a splash of Cabernet Franc, all aged in new French oak. It shows the more elegant, silky style of the vintage, yet with plenty of Latour grandeur and depth in its ripe cassis, smoky mineral, graphite, and saddle leather aromas and flavors. It’s medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated, and has serious length, as well as another two decades of longevity, although it’s certainly drinking beautifully today.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBright ruby-red. Classic aromas of currant, plum, graphite and minerals. Suave and smooth in the mouth, with a compelling sweetness and lushness for the vintage. At once easygoing and wonderfully complex, conveying a powerful soil character. The finish is ripely tannic, sweet and very long. This is wonderfully expressive today but the young 2006 may have even longer aging potential. Along with Chateau Margaux, my candidate for wine of the vintageVinous Media | 94 VMThe modern Latour has a vast architectural presence. The edges of ferrous power here are tamed on a supple texture, though the choice seems to have been to trade some freshness for that textural grace. The tannins have the potent austerity that grows out of Latour’s deep hill of stones. Closed off for now, the fruit aspect of the wine will not likely show for more than a decade, and the wine will likely need 20 years to reach maturity.Wine and Spirits | 94 W&SThis is surprisingly approachable, especially from a big bottle. It’s soft and fruity with balsamic and sweet tobacco character. Full and round mouthfeel. It will obviously improve with age, but why wait? Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2008 Cheval Blanc has a very precise, mineral-driven bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, energetic and incredibly focused, perhaps even more so than Ausone? The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin though I discerned a patina of oak dragging its heels, waiting to be subsumed. There is great concentration and yet conversely it feels bright and fresh; with aeration evermore nimble and sprightly. Towards the finish there are subtle hints of bay leaf and cedar, the Cabernet Franc taking over the steering wheel from the Merlot. There is a lot going on in this outstanding Cheval Blanc that does not deserve to be in the shadow of the feted 2009 or 2010. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 95 VMCheval Blanc gives a different expression of Cabernet Franc to Ausone, in terms of its kick and structure. The tannins feel enveloping, going deep rather than high, full of complex layers of tight black fruits, succulent brambly fruits and liquorice root. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030Decanter | 95 DECI am really impressed with this. It is powerful and rich with so much blueberry, vanilla and spice on the nose and palate. It’s full and very spicy, and fruit on the palate, but remains refined and subtle. Rich and polished tannins. This needs at least five years of bottle age to come around.James Suckling | 95 JSA great success, showing impressive concentration. It is almost severe to begin with, then sweet tannins sweep in. The higher than usual proportion of Merlot gives a wine that combines plumpness with black plums, figs and acidity. Obviously for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2008 Cheval Blanc (55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc) is a winner from this underrated, classic vintage. Notes of forest floor, Asian plum sauce, black currants, sweet cherries and spice are followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with deep fruit, admirable purity, and a long, textured finish. There is not a hard edge to this wine, and in all likelihood, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades.Robert Parker | 93 RPThis isn’t shy about letting a tobacco leaf note weave in and out, while the core of red currant, damson plum and bitter cherry grows and fleshes out as this airs. The long finish lets mineral, red licorice and mesquite check in as well. Shows impressive range, with some youthful grip still to be shed. Best from 2013 through 2020. 4,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Another perfect wine is the 2009 Cote Rotie La Turque. It possesses a slightly denser purple color than the opaque Cote Rotie La Mouline as well as notes of Asian spices, roasted meats, bouquet garni, spring flowers, camphor and truffles. It is a different expression of Syrah as this comes from the more iron-laden soils of the Cote Brune. Although never as aromatic, precocious or enjoyable as La Mouline is in its youth, La Turque is, nevertheless, a remarkably concentrated, profound wine that is built like a skyscraper. It possesses a level of intensity and richness that must be tasted to be believed. Despite the flamboyant personality of the vintage, the 2009 will require 4-5 years of cellaring and should age effortlessly for 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPPossibly my favorite vintage ever for the Northern Rhône (2010 and 2015 are both in the running), the 2009 Côte Rôtie La Turque is a mammoth of wine that offers everything you could want. Deep purple/plum-hued, this full-bodied, thick, opulent Côte Rôtie offers loads of sweet tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and straight-up heavenly notes of smoked meats, Asian spices, bacon fat, espresso roast, and loads of sweet, perfectly ripe black fruits. It’s much more opulent and sexy than the more classically built 2010 (and 2005 and 2015) and if this doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will. It’s going to shine for another 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA pure, unadulterated raspberry confiture aroma and flavor is the dominant note today in this deep and expressive red, with extra singed anise, alder, juniper and black currant notes filling in the background, followed by a very dense yet supremely polished finish. Features the weight and density of this fleshy vintage, but the fruit is so inviting this is almost approachable now. Better to wait though. Best from 2015 through 2035. 400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSDark purple. Sexy, expansive aromas of boysenberry, violet and incense, with a bright mineral quality adding lift. Offers an array of ripe, luscious black and blue fruit and floral flavors that become spicier with air. Sappy, broad and sweet on the gently tannic finish, which shows superb clarity and persistence.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2009 was not part of this vertical tasting, so I am repeating the tasting note published in issue #199 of The Wine Advocate from a tasting done in January, 2012.A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2009 La Mission-Haut-Brion stood out as one of the most exceptional young wines I had ever tasted from barrel, and its greatness has been confirmed in the bottle. A remarkable effort from the Dillon family, this is another large-scaled La Mission that tips the scales at 15% alcohol. A blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (47% of each) and the rest Cabernet Franc, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a magnificent bouquet of truffles, scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, subtle smoke and spring flowers. The wine’s remarkable concentration offers up an unctuous/viscous texture, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, sweet, sumptuous, nearly over-the-top flavors and massive density. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime La Mission-Haut-Brion, the 2009 will take its place alongside the many great wines made here since the early 1920s. The good news is that there are nearly 6,000 cases of the 2009. It should last for 50-75+ years. Given the wine’s unctuosity and sweetness of the tannin, I would have no problem drinking it in about 5-6 years. The final blend was 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker | 100 RPAs with its sibling, Haut-Brion, you immediately get a sense of the generosity of the year here. It has a striking nose with touches of kirsch, black cherry, liquorice and dark chocolate, while the exoticism of 2009 is clear in the plush, ripe, fleshy and velvet-textured fruit. It’s gourmet and well built, with plenty of life ahead of it. On the finish, a slate character does an excellent job of lifting everything up together, bringing a sense of balance and a welcome savoury bite. Exceptionally good. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 97 DECDark, cool and sleek, this is a very sophisticated wine with great structure and polished tannins that’s just beginning to give its best. The cassis and blackberry fruit is brightest on the long finish and that suggests this has great aging potential. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2009 La Mission Haut-Brion has a wonderful, extravagant bouquet with a slight medicinal note (not apparent on the bottle poured blind the following week) infusing the precocious red fruit, all beautifully defined with star anise and bayleaf developing. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well judged acidity, precocious in style with a long finish that maintains that medicinal leitmotif. Wonderful. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMSuch a generous and ripe wine, with a dark core of tannins surrounded by opulent fruit. Black fruits, coffee, very concentrated flavors, a powerhouse of structure and richness. The warmth of the wine is palpable, as is the aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThis is forcefully rendered, with dark tar, espresso and chocolate up front, backed by dense layers of fig sauce, currant reduction and smoldering black tea leaves. There’s dense flesh and great drive on the finish, which has serious grip. Best from 2016 through 2035. 6,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

I first saw a sample of the 2010 Echézeaux from Maxime Cheurlin last November, when the wine had just finished up its malo, and it was a bit disjointed from the secondary fermentation, but showing outstanding potential. I was very happy to have the chance to revisit it again in March, where it was absolutely singing. Maxime’s family’s parcel lies in the lieu à dit of Les Cruots and the vines are in excess of eighty years of age. These venerable old vines have produced a superb wine that shows no difficulty standing up to its one hundred percent new wood this year, soaring from the glass in a blaze of plums, black cherries, dark soil tones, woodsmoke, a touch of game and a generous base of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on that attack, with a rock solid core sappy fruit, tangy acids, ripe, well-integrated tannins and outstanding length and grip on the focused and nascently complex finish. This is a classic example of Echézeaux in the making, with the vintage’s beautiful transparency very much in evidence. A prodigious first vintage of Echézeaux. (Drink between 2022 - 2060)John Gilman | 93+ JG

(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

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

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

Like a bouquet of fresh flowers on the nose, as well as blackberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. Sandalwood as well. Full-bodied with incredibly polished tannins that have the texture of the finest velvet. The palate is very fine, oriented with fabulously pure fruit and minerally and stone undertones at the finish. It’s so classical in nature. Essence of Ausone. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2027.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2019 Ausone was picked September 20-27 for the Merlot and October 3, 5 and 7 for the Cabernet Franc, then matured for 20 months in new French oak with light toasting. This is very refined and focused on the nose, less opulent compared to recent vintages, and very sophisticated, with hints of Montecristo cigar interwoven through the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine but quite firm tannins that frame the lightly spiced black fruit. Touches of pencil lead and white pepper appear toward the prolonged finish. This very composed Ausone might actually drink earlier than other vintages but unequivocally has the substance to age with grace in bottle. There is an abiding sense of completeness here.Vinous Media | 99 VMUnwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, vine smoke, orange rind, exotic spices and violets, framed by a deft application of classy new oak, the 2019 Ausone is full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with beautiful purity of fruit, lively acids and ripe but abundant structuring tannins. Deep, layered and vibrant, it’s full of potential and will likely emerge as one of the most long-lived 2019s. This is another magical wine from what many consider to be Saint-Émilion’s greatest terroir, and it will demand and richly reward patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe en primeur sample of the 2019 vintage, as I did not taste in the spring. Full of vivacity and austerity, dominated by the Cabernet Franc, showing roundness and depth to the black fruits as they open, with clear bilberry, cassis and blueberry, a ton of gentle charred smoke notes and graphite. Strong opulence and huge tannins. A wine that is going to age for decades.Drinking Window 2029 - 2050Decanter | 97 DEC

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

The 2020 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, one barrel that is an exchange with another producer, had not been racked unlike the other cuvées. It is fragrant on the nose with citrus lemon, lime flower and a touch of wet limestone. The palate is vibrant on the entry with a judicious touch of sour lemon combining nicely with the subtle white peach and ginger elements, the finish quite spicy and persistent. Afford this 4-5 years in bottle before broaching.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

The Grivot family owns 0.84ha of Echézeaux, mainly in Les Cruots. The grapes are entirely destemmed and given a cold soak before gentle fermentation on native yeasts. The wine is pressed and aged in cask (40% new). The result shows impressive elegance yet is in no way lacking fruit, with a lovely, expressive black cherry and pomegranate quality. The texture is delicate, yet there is impressive concentration, and the red fruit and floral notes linger on the finish. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2050Decanter | 96 DECTouches of bitter chocolate and kirsch are present on the spicy aromas of plum, violet and soft wood. The finer if not denser flavors possess a velvety texture while also coating the palate with dry extract on the dusty and chalky finish that is likewise youthfully austere. I very much like the depth and persistence and this beauty should also age gracefully for as long as most anyone would like.Burghound | 93-96 BHThe 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru offers mulberry, sous-bois and very subtle star anis aromas on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, quite taut and fresh, linear at the moment with touches of blood orange and Clementine towards the finish. Give this several years in bottle.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

The floral bouquet is very fine and elegant but also quite delicate, suffused with touches of slightly candied citrus, but the telltale autolytic note of hazelnuts is less pronounced than usual. There is, however, some almond nuttiness on the palate, as well as racy rectitude and vivacity that give thrust to a long, surprisingly breezy finish. Will benefit from five to 10 years of cellaring. Disgorged January 2020. Dosage: 4.5g/L. Elaborated from 146 wines and 11 different vintages, the oldest of which dates back to 2000. 40% reserve wines. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035.Decanter | 94 DEC