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The 2019 Pommard Clos du Verger 1er Cru has a lovely, ripe and generous bouquet with candied orange peel and marmalade notes infusing the red berry fruit. Good delineation here and better oak integration than the Charmots. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, a fine bead of acidity, quite fleshy with a tender and long finish. Approachable for sure, but I find this has more style than Pillot’s other Pommards.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMUnwinding in the glass with notes of cherries, plums, orange rind and rose petals, the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Clos de Verger is medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with lively acids and an ample core of fruit. As usual, this is one of the most charming, immediately seductive wines in the range.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP(Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot Pommard "Clos de Vergers" 1er Cru Red) Strong menthol influence sits atop the overtly earthy aromas of red currant, cherry and pretty raspberry nuances. The succulent and relatively forward middle weight flavors terminate in a slightly tangy and warm finale. (Drink starting 2027).Burghound | 89-92 BH

(Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot Pommard "Les Charmots" 1er Cru Red) Here too there is plenty of menthol influence though there are more floral characters on the mix of red and blue fruit scents. The relatively refined and seductively textured medium weight flavors exude a lovely salinity on the sneaky long and better-balanced finale. (Drink starting 2029).Burghound | 90-92 BHAromas of sweet berry fruit, woodsmoke, loamy soil and peonies introduce the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Charmots, a medium-bodied, ample and especially refined rendition of this site, with a bright core of fruit and beautifully powdery tannins.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Pommard Charmots 1er Cru is showing just a little oak on the nose that should be soaked up with bottle age. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy tannins, again, just a little oaky and toasty towards the finish, though the acidity is nicely judged and it possesses quite a persistent pepper aftertaste. Give it two or three years in bottle.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2019 Saint-Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien 1er Cru has more delineation and mineralité compared to the Les Perrières, more terroir expression in situ. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, tropical tones such as passion fruit and mango, counterbalanced by a spicy/ginger tinged finish. It does not quite kick on as I might have hoped, yet there is still a lot of potential here. Expect this to land at the top of my banded score.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM(Jean Chartron St. Aubin "Murgers des Dents de Chien" 1er Cru White) Restrained aromas of very pretty white orchard fruit, rose petal and acacia blossom introduce intense and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that exhibit slightly better overall depth and persistence. This is lovely and a wine that should age well over the mid-term. (Drink starting 2025).Burghound | 90-92 BHThe 2019 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien has turned out nicely, exhibiting notes of pear, crisp green apple, white flowers and fresh pastry. Medium-bodied, bright and precise, with tangy acids and a saline finish, it will show well out of the gates.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 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 VMFrom 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 WE

(Domaine Leflaive Meursault-Blagny "Sous le Dos d’Âne" 1er Cru White) A cool, pure and airy nose is comprised by notes of apple, citrus and white peach. There is once again fine punch and delineation to the middle weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the linear, youthfully austere and bone-dry finale. This is going to need at least a few years of patience to further flesh out the finish as it’s quite compact at present. (Drink starting 2027)Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2019 Meursault 1er Cru Sous le Dos d’Ane is also a touch reductive out of the gates, unwinding to reveal aromas of crisp green orchard fruit, hazelnuts, dried white flowers and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with lively acids and a long, saline finish, it’s a seamless, elegant wine from a parcel located just above Pierre Morey’s Meursault Perrières.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Meursault Sous le Dos l’Ane 1er Cru has a very Puligny-like bouquet, well defined, quite poised with traces of yellow plum and apricot, very pretty. The palate is quite edgy on the opening. There is a small reduction at play here, but fine weight and concentration with a tensile, stem ginger-tinged finish that is very satisfying. Maybe not long-term, but utterly delicious. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon has turned out very nicely, mingling aromas of pear and citrus oil with hints of wheat toast, fresh bread and hazelnuts in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and concentrated, with terrific cut and a long, saline finish, it's taut and incisive, showing promise for the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP(Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru White) The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru has an austere nose that demands coaxing from the glass; struck flint and sea spray scents, cool, calm and collected. The palate is taut on the entry, then fans out with glee, notes of dessicated orange peel, white peach and tangerine, a lovely bitterness that counterbalances the concentration on the finish. Exccellent. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 93 VM(Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet "Clavoillon" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral suffused nose displays notes of pear compote, citrus confit and subtle spice wisps. There is excellent vibrancy to the attractively textured medium weight flavors that also exude a refreshing salinity on the citrusy, dry and notably more complex finish that is perceptibly firmer. This should age well. (Drink starting 2029)Burghound | 91-94 BH

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru is more timid on the nose following on from the Les Combettes and this needed more encouragement from the glass. Cold stone, granite and flint aromas are the order of the day, very well defined and precise. The palate is very concentrated with a lot of grip, the volume of this Les Pucelles towards the finish, energetic and very persistent in the mouth. This is another electrifying Puligny ‘19 from Leflaive. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 95+ VMThrilling wine. Leflaive owns three parcels in Les Pucelles at the northern tip of Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet at the center of the vineyard. The mature vines deliver a perfumed, almost exotic fruit character with notes of spice and hazelnut. Still, there is also a bright lemony freshness to the wine and a lovely salty mineral finish that lift it to another plane and will allow it to continue improving for decades. The most compelling of the premiers crus from Leflaive. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 95 DECFiner boned and less concentrated than the extraordinary Combettes, the 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles offers up aromas of peach, orange zest, white flowers, freshly baked bread and hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, saline and chiseled, this might just be a little shy after bottling, but on first encounter, it doesn't dominate Leflaive's range of premiers crus to the extent that it usually does.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPProminent notes of honeysuckle and passion fruit are laced with a variety of spice and citrus elements. There is good richness and an abundance of dry extract to the strikingly refined flavors that possess a gorgeous mouthfeel while delivering flat out superb length on the balanced finale. This is very classy juice that should basically age for as long as anyone would reasonably like. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 93-96 BH

Notes of peonies, rose petals, raspberries, orange oil and spices introduce the 2019 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Boudriotte, a medium to full-bodied, pretty and perfumed wine that’s seamless and elegant, concluding with a long, perfumed finish. It’s well worth seeking out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPOpulent, this red features cherry, blackberry, spices and a flash of iron, with plush texture and solid structure. Revealing excellent balance, this fades gracefully with the fruit, mineral and spice notes. Drink now through 2032.Wine Spectator | 92 WSPungent aromas of matchstick, petrol and a phenolic hint precede rich, robust and concentrated medium-bodied flavors that flash evident power on the mildly warm and slightly rustic finale. This is solidly constituted and should repay mid-term cellaring out to about 10 years.Burghound | 91 BH

Here too there is plenty of petrol character to the cool and nicely layered nose of ripe yellow orchard fruit, resin and rosemary oil. The attractively textured, rich and solidly concentrated medium weight flavors exude a subtle minerality while offering outstanding complexity on the sappy, balanced and sneaky long finish. If you allow this to warm up a touch of warmth slowly emerges but it’s a non-issue if the proper serving temperature is maintained.Burghound | 93 BH

The 2019 Meursault Les Porusots 1er Cru has one of the feistier aromatics from Dominique Lafon, featuring vibrant yellow plum, marmalade and orange pith aromas, very well defined and wonderfully assimilated with the oak. The palate is balanced with a crisp bead of acidity that offsets the richness; elegant and refined, leading to a silky-smooth hazelnut and spice-infused finish. This represents a superb followup to the impressive 2018 but might not surpass it. We will find out. Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe gently-pressed bunches from Porusots are fermented and aged in cask, with a good proportion of new wood, yet this does nothing to obscure the purity of the lemony fruit on the nose, while the texture on the elegant palate is well balanced, with fresh acidity. The Porusots is a stand-out bottling from this domaine, it being a wine of lovely intensity and structure. (Drink between 2024-2039)Decanter | 95 DECCool and decidedly restrained aromas only grudgingly reveal the notes of green fruit, essence of spiced pear and plenty of citrus elements. The powerful yet quite sleek larger-scaled flavors are tautly muscular before culminating in a strikingly persistence finish that also has a slightly chewy quality to it. Note that this is very firmly structured and a wine that is clearly built to repay long-term keeping. In a word, excellent. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 93-95 BHThe 2019 Meursault 1er Cru Porusots opens in the glass with notes of citrus oil, almond paste, white flowers and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, its satiny attack segues into a tightly wound mid-palate and a mouthwateringly chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The 2019 Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravières derives from a parcel at the southern end of this large climat, which was planted in the early 1950s and where missing vines have never been replaced. Delivering aromas of sweet red berries, orange rind, rose petals and spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and perfumed, with lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Santenay Les Gravières 1er Cru was bottled in October 2020. Wild strawberry and raspberry feature on the nose, interwoven with iris and potpourri scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a little more substance and concentration than the 2020, and fine grip and tension on the finish. This should give several years’ drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2019 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru was bottled in June and July ‘21. Very perfumed and floral scents on the nose, dark cherries, bergamot, damp earth and touches of clove, later hints of violet and blood orange (traits that I observed out of barrel). This is nicely detailed. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fine acidity, lightly spiced with a classy espresso-tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent. (Drink between 2025-2050)Vinous Media | 95 VMZanetti divides the Clos des Epéneaux in four sections, which are all fermented and matured separately and then assembled. The assemblage of the three is the most compelling, with a mix of violet notes and expressive cherry fruit aromas on the attack, plus mineral, spice and saline notes that develop with time. There is plenty of body, but little of the tannic, slightly rustic character for which Pommard can be known. Drinking Window 2024 - 2034.Decanter | 94 DECA very ripe nose is comprised by notes of both red and dark currant along with a background hint of a kind of reduction that the Burgundians refer to as bourgeon de cassis. There is fine freshness and verve to the moderately dense, powerful, and muscular larger-scaled flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract before concluding in a dusty, austere, and firm finale. This is also relatively supple and opulent that will need to develop depth over the course of its aging curve. (Drink starting 2029)Burghound | 92 BH

Silky and beautifully balanced, displaying violet, raspberry, cherry and vanilla flavors. Though plush, this red is also lively and on the elegant side. Firms up on the fruit- and spice-infused aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2035. 390 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSWhispers of char and smoked nut accent this rich black-cherry and plum flavored sip. Matured 12 months in barrel prior to bottling, it’s etched by subtle veins of sweet spice and and vanilla. This plush, softly tannic expression of Beaune is ready now but will likely drink well through at least 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

I’m inclined to nominate the 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes as Leflaive’s finest premier cru this year. Wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, citrus oil, fresh peach, toasted nuts and smoke, it’s full-bodied, rich and satiny, with an immensely concentrated and incisive profile. Taut and chiseled despite its mid-palate plenitude, it’s built to cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru is a step up in terms of mineralité and terroir expression from the preceeding Folatières. There is more precision, greater expression of place. The palate sports a very small reduction on the entry, then it segues into a very concentrated mid-palate that seems to fill the mouth. Great depth and spiciness towards the finish, this is an outstanding Combettes from Leflaive. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 96 VMModerate reduction is sufficient to mask the underlying fruit today. More interesting are the wonderfully fine and delicate yet punchy flavors that possess a highly sophisticated mouthfeel before culminating in a sappy saline and strikingly persistent finish. I very much like the balance and this beauty may well prove to be a great Combettes in time.Burghound | 93-95 BHThis white offers lemon cake, lime blossom and citronella flavors allied to a lean frame, giving it intensity. Starts out velvety, but it remains precise and mouthwatering on the long citrusy, minerally aftertaste. Fine symmetry overall. Best from 2023 through 2029. 58 cases made, 11 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis wine split the room, most rating it very high though I joined the minority in worrying about the balance between seemingly high alcohol and high acidity. But we may be wrong because this wine did show grand cru weight. I have stuck with the score and tasting note which I originally made, however. Mid primrose in colour, with a beefy, high alcohol bouquet than also contains a wealth of fruit. Super powerful, high acidity, a little bit too much going on? Not sure about the balance here. The wine will find favour with those comfortable with higher alcohol levels, though how well the rather powerful acidity balances that is uncertain. Slightly overtoasted wood. Feels like grand cru weight. DIAM D closure. Drink from 2027-2033. Tasted: May 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Bordering on viscous, this white is embedded with peach, crème brûlée, clove and oyster shell flavors. Molten and well-balanced, this builds nicely to the lingering conclusion, with toast and baking spice flavors extending on the aftertaste. Drink now through 2030. 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Moderate wood surrounds the ripe blend of both red and black raspberry, exotic tea and pretty violet scents. The caressing, round and delicious medium weight flavors that possess good but not special density before firming up noticeably on the austere and much more mineral-driven finale.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes (Domaine Louis Jadot) reveals aromas of rich berries, orange rind, peonies and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, with a lively core of fruit, ripe but firm tannins and a nicely defined finish, it will demand some bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru comprises of one 456-litre barrel this year. It has a very well-defined bouquet with seamlessly integrated oak and impressive mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, just a little chewiness on the entry but there is tension interwoven into this Volnay from start to finish, plus great persistency. Superb.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

Mid lemon, a slightly subdued nose, competent if slightly lacking personality, middle weight and I like the quite generous finish. White fruit, good acid balance and relatively persistent. Tasted: October 2021.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Purchased grapes, picked on 28th August. Mid lemon yellow, clearly a riper bouquet, slightly pungent even, the reduction showing less strongly gunflint, a bit more vegetal maybe. Good flesh on the bones, and I like the way this follows through. Some pears. Not really in place but I suspect may have greater potential than today’s showing. Tasted: October 2021.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

The 2020 Meursault Blagny 1er Cru has a lively Alpine-fresh bouquet with lemon verbena, fern and touches of yellow plum. Very vivacious and nicely delineated. The palate is well-defined with good weight, not complex perhaps, though there is satisfying density towards the finish with veins of shaved almonds and stem ginger, the latter lingering on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

From vines purchased in 2011, towards the Truffière side of the vineyard. Pale lemon and lime. The bouquet is quite discreet though with some finesse. The oak shows much less here, and the fruit builds quite attractively towards the back of the palate. Some fresh but ripe citrus notes nicely integrated. Persistent. Tasted: November 2021.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne exhibits aromas of pear, peach, fresh mint, toasted nuts and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, ample and charming, with an open, giving profile and a bright, saline finish, it has turned out nicely.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPOnce again there is a smoky component to the pretty and cool aromas of ripe citrus confit, essence of pear and plenty of floral wisps. There is slightly better concentration to the palate coating middle weight flavors that exude more evident minerality on the youthfully austere, focused and nicely lingering finale. This too should amply repay mid-term keeping yet be reasonably approachable after only 2 to 3 years.Burghound | 91 BH

Aromas of stone fruits, citrus zest, toasted nuts and smoke introduce the 2020 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce Sous Le Bois, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and lively wine that’s bright and mineral, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPA background hint of smoke is present on the cool and fresh citrus-suffused aromas of mostly apple and pear that exhibit a floral top note. The moderately voluminous medium-bodied flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel while exuding a subtle bead of minerality on the dry, lemony and sneaky long finale. This too could easily be enjoyed after only 2 to 3 years of bottle aging.Burghound | 90 BH

Notes of green apple, citrus confit and a hint of resin lead to rich, delicious and generously proportioned flavors that are shaped by lemon-tinged acidity on the lingering and saliva-inducing if slightly warm finale.Burghound | 90-92 BH