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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

Good bright, deep red. Complex, subtle aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and graphite minerality, plus some sexy oak tones. Ripe and silky, even plump for the year, but classically dry and light on its feet. Saturates the mouth and cheeks without leaving any impression of heaviness. At this point in my tasting, Marie-Christine Mugneret noted that these 2013s had been uncorked the previous evening. They are showing spectacularly now and I suspect they benefited dramatically from aeration. Finishes with very suave, even tannins and a suggestion of minty lift. Very classy juice.Vinous Media | 94 VMAn exuberantly spicy nose exhibits notes of raspberry liqueur, earth and essence of black cherry scents as well as enough wood to notice. Here too there is a distinctly sleek mouth feel to the suave and very seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that possess impressive power in the context of the appellation and simply knock-out depth and length. This impeccably well-balanced effort is a notably more robust and concentrated vintage of this wine than usual that should age well for a long time to come.Burghound | 94 BHThe Mugnerets usually get six to seven casks of Echézeaux in a normal vintage, but in 2013, the old vines in their holding in the climat of Rouge de Bas were really badly affected by the poor flowering in this year and there are only four casks of this lovely wine as a result- the same as in 2012. It is too bad that there is not more quantity, as the quality here is exceptional, with the wine soaring from the glass in a blaze of black cherries, cassis, gamebirds, violets, a gloriously complex base of soil, dark chocolate and nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and supremely elegant in personality, with great mid-palate depth, impeccable balance, ripe tannins and outstanding transparency on the very long, tangy and perfectly focused finish. A beautiful wine in the making. (Drink between 2025 - 2075)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2013 Echézeaux Grand Cru, which comes from two parcels in the lieux-dits “Les Rouges du Bas” (70-year-old vines on métayage from Fabrice Vigot) and “Quartiers du Nuits” (on métayage with Pascal Mugneret) has a seductive bouquet in the same vein as the Nuits Chaignots with very pure dark cherries, bergamot and mineral scents. The palate is rounded in the mouth with very good weight. It does not quite have the delineation or complexity of the 2012 at the moment, but there is a lovely caressing finish. This will be giving pleasure earlier than the other crus, but it should still age well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru had been racked the day prior to my visit. That said, the bouquet is very well defined, offering black cherries, raspberry, rosemary and pressed rose petal aromas that blossom with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins, good depth and precision, revealing bitter cherry and a touch of balsamic toward the finish. Very good potential.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM(Echézeaux- Domaine Dujac) The 2018 Echézeaux from Domaine Dujac is a brilliant wine in the making, and this is one of the best young examples of this cru that I can recall tasting at the estate. The celestial bouquet soars from the glass in a sappy blend of raspberries, cherries, red plums, duck, a very complex base of soil tones, Vosne spices, cocoa powder and cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and tangy, with all of the complexity that the nose promises, a great core, suave, fine-grained tannins and outstanding backend mineral drive on the focused and utterly complete finish. Great, great Echézeaux! (Drink between 2032-2075).John Gilman | 95 JGThe 2018 Echezeaux Grand Cru is a promising cuvée in the making, mingling aromas of dark berry fruit, cassis and cherries with notions of burning embers, dried flowers and dark chocolate. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, broad and ripely tannic, with a layered and nicely concentrated core, lively acids, and a well-defined finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94+ RP(Domaine Dujac Echézeaux Grand Cru Red) The wood treatment is more evident though it certainly doesn’t intrude on the exceptionally spicy and very floral aromas that reflect notes of cassis, plum, exotic tea and a touch of violet. The medium-bodied flavors possess a seductive and succulent mid-palate that contrasts markedly with a powerful but grippy and slightly drying finish. Again, the open question is whether this will eventually harmonize? (Drink starting 2028).Burghound | 88-91 BH

(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