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The Château Yquem 2014 was picked over 9 weeks this year, with one-quarter of the grapes picked prior to 15 September. It delivers 134 grams per liter residual sugar and 7.3 grams per liter tartaric acid, with a pH 3.60. It has a captivating bouquet (I know...I know...what else were you expecting) But it entrances with its pure, wild honey notes mixed with almond and white chocolate scents, bestowed with beguiling delineation and focus. The palate is very poised with the acidity nigh on perfect. Occasionally an Yquem only reveals its components parts at this early juncture, necessitates conjecture. However the 2014 has a sense of harmony and completeness already, as if the élevage is merely there to usher it on to its finished state. There is undeniably great depth here, perhaps less conspicuous than other vintages because of that silver thread of acidity: notes of lemon sherbet, orange zest, shaved ginger and again, a few "flakes’ of white chocolate. It is extremely long with tenderness rather than power on the finish. It’s not quite up there in the rarefied heights of say, the 2001 or 2009, but it is what we call in the trade, "the business."Robert Parker Neal Martin | 96-98 RP-NMA stunner, sporting tropical mango and papaya notes that glide along beautifully, while heather honey, pineapple chutney and toasted coconut flavors fill in through the finish. Delivers an amazing mouthfeel that is both creamy and intense, with a pretty inner floral brightness that contrasts with the fruit. Best from 2020 through 2045. 6,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSVery subtle Yquem on the nose with dried pineapple, lemons, green apples and hints of botrytis. The palate grabs you by the arms and shows you superb concentration of spices, dried fruit, phenolics and incredible energy. Nothing is like this from Sauternes this vintage! Drink whenever you like. Spellbinding.James Suckling | 98 JSApricot tones with lively acidity give this rich wine a vein of freshness. Pear and white peach notes offer weight, while a lime backbone brings levity. There is a richness from the botrytis that is lifted by this wines delicious freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2014 d’Yquem has a complex bouquet with buttered toast, almond, honey and peach skin aromas. It opens with greater zeal than its peers, there is more immediacy here. The palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity, a finely tuned and satisfying Sauternes with style and grace, evincing great tension and mineral drive towards the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VM(Château d’Yquem, Sauternes, White) Lively, pure and fresh aromas, pear and citrus notes. So rich and concentrated on the palate but with a flare of acidity that provides tension and draws the wine out on the finish. (Drink between 2020-2050)Decanter | 96 DEC

This white reveals richness and breadth, with a hint of spice framing the apple, melon, yellow plum and mineral flavors. The terrific finish keeps pumping out the fruit and stone notes. Drink now through 2020. 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2014 Chardonnay Los Alamos Vineyard is rich, flavorful and deeply expressive. Orchard fruit, mint, sweet spices and butter notes meld together in a creamy, beautifully layered Chardonnay endowed with marvelous texture. This is an especially racy, almost flamboyant wine from Gavin Chanin. The Los Alamos is usually a bit more reserved, but in 2014 it is very much on the extroverted side of things. Chanin told me the 2014 Los Alamos (at 14.5% alcohol) is the ripest wine he has ever made.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGLight but tropical notes touch on the fluffy nose of this bottling, with papaya-laced marshmallow, pineapple meringue, lemon curd and a sea salt caramel touch. Chamomile, yellow apple skins, yellow flowers, tight mango and lots of saltiness show on the mouth-watering sip. The buttery character grows as it warms up, but it’s delicious in all temperatures.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThere are 26 barrels of the 2014 Chardonnay Los Alamos Vineyard. It’s a terrific Chardonnay that’s from sandy and calcareous soils and spent 12 months in 30% new French oak. Offering lots of buttered orchard fruits, cream corn, white flowers and hints of brioche and oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, nicely textured and rich, with a supple, soft, ready to go feel.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

One of the most distinctive wines in the range, 2014 Chardonnay Dupratt Vineyard is a wine of phenolic intensity and power. Savory herbs, chamomile, mint and crushed rocks are pushed forward, while the fruit lies more in the background. The flavors are remarkably vivid. This is a gorgeous, nuanced Chardonnay from Copain.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

So much mineral and sliced apple character with hints of orange and apple peel. Turns to steely character. Full-bodied, racy and bright. So lively. Great finish. Drink or hold on release. On the market in 2019.James Suckling | 96 JSA bone-dry, racy white, with a lovely entry point of slate, petrol and brine aromas on the nose, plus a minerally profile that underscores notes of crunchy nectarine, kiwifruit, cherry blossoms, pink grapefruit pith and fresh thyme. Firm and linear, this graceful version exhibits seamless knit and definition. Drink now through 2039. 2,200 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is highly complex on the clear, intense and smoky, lemony nose. Clear, fresh, straight and very mineral on the nose, this is a pure but complex, intense, stony Riesling that is pretty austere at the moment. Provided with racy acidity, but concentrated and mineral on the palate, this is exceptional dry Riesling with great tension. To be served in 10, 20 and even in 30 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPVivid straw-green. Delicate nuances of jasmine and lemon verbena complicate aromas of green apple, lime and minerals. Pure and penetrating on the palate, boasting superb definition to the flavors of gin, mint, minerals, violet and lemon zest. The finish is remarkably crystalline and long. This Frédéric Emile is currently dominated by its Osterberg component (the cuvée is a blend of Osterberg and Geisberg grand cru grapes), which brings chiseled acidity, as opposed to the Geisberg’s ripe fruit personality and licorice quality. Despite the difficult year, this is likely to become a memorable Frédéric Emile. So much so, in fact, that it’s currently impossible to choose between it and the more famous Clos Sainte Hune.Vinous Media | 94+ VMComing close to a decade after the vintage, the 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is still vivid and racy, with a taut, focused, almost austere style in its ripe citrus, crushed stone, hazelnut, and smoky mineral-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated, with high yet integrated acidity, this needs another 4-5 years of bottle age, as it’s currently austere, firm, and inward. It will be an incredibly long-lived Riesling, but how much pleasure it will ultimately deliver might be questionable.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDA bit shy on the nose, this wine is taut and zippy with lemon juice at first—impressively fresh for its age. As it opens up, it offers notes of reed and a hint of smoke that add great interest and pairing ability. The finish is a long, refreshing lemon squeeze. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

This is beautully concentrated and full of great richness yet seems closed at the moment. Its apricot jelly and dried fruit flavors, acidity and botrytis are in perfect balance, developing intensity as it opens. A full, generous wine with a great future. Drink from 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis delivers wave after wave of piecrust, dried pineapple, warm marmalade, singed almond, glazed peach and apricot flavors, with a hint of brioche. Despite the heft, this has a breezy feel within, thanks to riveting acidity buried deep on the finish. Best from 2020 through 2040. 1,958 cases made. Wine Spectator | 97 WSIn the same ballpark as the 2011, the 2014 Château Climens reveals a similar gold hue as well as rich, powerful notes of honeyed almonds, caramelized peach, white raisins, toasted bread, and honeycomb. It’s more full-bodied and has a wonderful mid-palate to go with serious opulence and possibly more moderate acidity. Slightly softer and more seamless than the 2011 (and the 2015), it still has beautiful freshness and purity and another 25-30 years of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDOne extremely fine lot after another, all marked by an extremely pure lemony botrytis. Bright and crisp, with lovely sweetness and mind-boggling precision. Choosing between the various barrels to make the final blend will be even tougher than usual this year.Decanter | 96 DECA concentrated and finely nuanced wine that opens up a lot in the glass after starting out quite shy. The best thing about it is the great balance and the subtlety of flavor. It ends in a long, silky finish of serious complexity. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSPale lemon colored, the 2014 Climens reveals wonderful botrytis-inspired scents defining the nose with a core of ripe peaches, honeydew melon and lemon marmalade plus wafts of candle wax and orange blossom. The palate possesses an almost electric intensity with tons of layers and a lively backbone framing the generous fruit, finishing very long.Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2014 Climens has 141g/L residual sugar and was cropped at just 8.8hL/ha. It has a pure and elegant bouquet. Honey, quince and white peach mixes with chamomile - this is irresistible. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh with a bewitching tensile finish. Quite penetrating and a little more citrus-driven than the 2015. Superb. Tasted at the Climens vertical at the château in April 2022.Vinous Media | 94 VM

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

Dense and beautifully ripe, this is a rounded rich wine. It focuses on the tropical yellow-fruit spectrum. That gives a full wine with wood-spice hints and just the right amount of citrus acidity to give it a lift. Drink this finely structured wine from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEClear and vivid with sliced lemons and green apples on the nose. Flows through to a medium to full body, tangy acidity and a long and delicious finish. Give this super white at least two or three years to come together in the bottle.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is long and almost lush in feel, with creamed peach and yellow apple fruit taking the lead, but there’s plenty of verbena, honeysuckle and star fruit notes imparting lift and cut. A long finish of quinine and mirabelle plum imparts length. A beauty. Drink now through 2023. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2014 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc is now more expressive than when I tasted it from barrel. It offers engaging scents of citrus fruit, Mirabelle and orange pith that gradually gathers intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, finely tuned citrus fruit married with Clementine and yellow plum, seguing into a spicy finish that lingers in the mouth. It is a delicious, complex Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc that should age well over the next 12-15 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2014 Smith Haut-Lafitte Blanc has a lively, crisp bouquet with mineral-driven citrus fruit, fine chalk and flint-like scents, dare I say almost Chablis-cum-Bordeaux! The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, quite vibrant with good depth although the second half is missing the tension that I hope for, certainly what those splendid aromatics deserve. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMClear and vivid with sliced lemons and green apples on the nose. Flows through to a medium to full body, tangy acidity and a long and delicious finish. Give this super white at least two or three years to come together in the bottle.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDHighly successful across white and red in 2014, So much character and grip. Firm varietal definition, but with a touch lower acidity than some as picked late to balance acidity levels. Great persistency and potential.Decanter | 93 DEC

The citrus-colorerd 2015 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Brand offers a rich and intense, but precise and fresh, truly exciting nose. Tight and intense, this is a full-bodied, pure and mineral Gewurz with good freshness, lemon piquancy and fine tannin structure. It is rich and lush but also stunningly pure, finessed and full of tension—thanks to remarkable acidity for Gewurz from this spectacular vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPVivid dark yellow. Ripe apricot and guava aromas and flavors, complemented by cinnamon and nutmeg. Enters bright and juicy, then becomes more tactile and a tad warm in the middle and on the finish, but boasts lovely precision to the orchard fruit and spicy flavors. Closes long and rich. Just like the 2014 Brand Gewürz from Boxler, this is less showy and in-your-face than Boxler’s Gewürz Reserve of the same year, but is always the deeper and more refined wine. This 2015 is a beautiful wine that is head and shoulders above the 2014. These vines are all in the Kirchthal right next to Boxler’s Pinot Gris vines, on very rich soils that are not likely to suffer water stress.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The 2015 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is clear and intense but highly refined on the nose that perfectly blends mineral with concentrated lemon and smoky flavors. Round, concentrated and very elegant on the palate, this is a slightly sweeter than normal Riesling, but it is highly finessed, well-structured and perfectly salty with a long and tension-filled finish. Fine tannins reflect the limestone/marl terroir of the Geisberg Grand Cru with the southeast-facing Osterberg Grand Cru. The 2015 will not go on the market earlier than 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPVibrant straw-green. The penetrating, explosive nose offers yellow apple, musky ginger, flint and chamomile. Dense, sappy and highly concentrated; peach and balsamic flavors are complicated by a hint of crystallized citrus peel. Displays lovely balance from start to very long finish. This is a noteworthy step up in concentration and complexity from Trimbach’s Mandelberg and Schlossberg Rieslings, however delightful those last two wines are in 2015. In keeping with the hot, dry 2015 vintage, this strikes me as sweeter than usual for the Fréderic Emile, though by the time it goes on sale in seven or eight years, it will taste less sweet than it is today. Clearly, the berries and bunches were extremely small in 2015, and so the wine is especially concentrated, rich and glyceral, all of which contribute a dimension of sweetness. However, the small berries didn’t give much juice and only 26,000 bottles were produced in 2015, instead of the more usual 40,000. Always a blend of grapes grown in the Geisberg and Osterberg sites, the wine’s makeup in 2015 is about 60/40 in favor of the Osterberg, but not surprisingly, the Geisberg’s presence really comes through in a hot year like 2015. I personally like it more when the Osterberg stands out, but that said, this is a really outstanding wine in the making, one of the best young FEs I have memory of.Vinous Media | 95+ VMVery complex white with slate, stone, light petrol, and smoke aromas. Lemon fruit. Full body, yet vivid and intense. Shows some phenolic tension yet brightness and intensity at the end. A gorgeous 2015. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JS

The 2015 Dom Pérignon is terrific. Bright and poised, the 2015 shows terrific energy. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. There’s gorgeous tension and backbone here, with bright saline notes that extend the mid-palate and finish. This is a fine showing in a vintage that has proven to be tricky. I am intrigued to see how the 2015 develops in the coming years.Vinous Media | 96 VMDisgorged in January 2023, the 2015 Dom Pérignon shows a singular, ethereal profile with aromas of white pepper, iodine, ripe orchard fruits, toast, smoke, herbs and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and structured, it’s enveloping and round with a delicate phenolic mid-palate that underlines chalky dry extracts, concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish with gastronomic bitterness. This iteration of Dom Pérignon, though replete with the customary charm and vinous generosity that typify the label, distinguishes itself by its structural delicate austerity and a notably phenolic profile, giving rise to a remarkably linear and well-defined style that diverges markedly from the more familiar expressions of Dom Pérignon. This is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter; it will age wonderfully and can be enjoyed now or over the next 20 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPBurnished gold color with a fine, effervescent bead, the Grand Vintage 2015 shows abundant ripeness on the nose with notes of white peach, quince, butter pastry, elderflower and nougat. A 44% Pinot Noir 32% Chardonnay and 24% Meunier, it was disgorged in May 2022 and finished with a five gram per liter dosage. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses a straightlaced acid-line that lifts the rich orchard fruit core through the honeyed finish.The Wine Independent | 91 TWI

Bollinger’s 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Denis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There’s real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media | 96 VMEnticing, fragrant aromas of toast, lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear, mango, papaya, even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate, the wine keeps unfolding in toasted walnuts, honey and a dash of bitter marmalade. It’s mouth-filling, alive with acidity and full of finesse. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSA forward vintage for La Grande Année, with warmth evident in its roasted orange, Comice pear and Mirabelle plum, all polished with a sense of savoury maturity that is very Bollinger at heart. There’s a little more oxygen influence seemingly at play than in the 2014, with brine, nuts and a little dried leaf character already taking this far beyond fruit. The food-friendly chewiness of 2015 is there, but the mousse is supple and the Chardonnay brings the wine to a close with a fine, cooked lemon snap. This will start to show its best integration from 2025 onwards, although it is open for business now. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims, Grande Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs, all fermented in small oak barrels and disgorged in May 2023 after seven years on lees.Decanter | 94 DEC

Gorgeous aromas of persimmons and spices as nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peel, and hints of caramel. Honey and apricot. Full-bodied, dry and layered with dried fruits such as apricots and pears. Botrytis spice. Fine silky phenolic texture and a flavorful finish. Layered and fascinating. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees centigrade. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSGravner’s legendary wine – the most sought-after skin-contact wine of Italy – is released seven years after the vintage. It’s the result of the scrupulous, unconventional work of Josko, from the vineyard to the cellar, that makes the 2015 vintage a deep, golden wine with amber hue. Its intriguing nose is rich in aromatic components like dried apricot, orange peel and resin notes. Mouthfilling with great texture and delicate tannins, it shows lovely acidity with a sapid, mineral finish.Decanter | 94 DEC

Vibrant and harmonious, with a pleasing range of ripe pear and nectarine, toast point and salted almond, candied lemon peel and spun honey riding the finely detailed bead. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2030. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Champagne Millésime Brut is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The nose is fragrant with ripe peach and rose petal, and it has a rich texture, with a more viscous feel, and note of yellow flowers and Anjou pear. It speaks to the ripeness of the vintage, but it is long on the palate and has a light phenolic finish. I think this is ready to drink now.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis is a vivid Taittinger with notes of chalk, almond croissants, lemon curd and biscuits. Bright and linear, with a tight bead of bubbles. Focused with persistent pastry notes. 50% pinot noir and 50% chardonnay; 70% Grands Crus and 30% Premiers Crus. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2015 Cristal is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. No malo-lactic was employed, and 25% wine was aged in oak. The dosage is 7 grams per liter. An exquisitely delicate yet complex perfume of clover honey, freshly shaved ginger, marzipan, and jasmine slowly emerges from the nose, giving way to a core of pear tart, persimmons, and apple butter. The palate is an exercise in finesse, featuring very fine bubbles and fantastic intensity with a myriad of spice and floral nuances, finishing with impressive persistence and jaw-dropping poise. This is a style for those that embrace purity, soft-spoken expression, and impeccable crafting. It won’t disappoint those who love Champagne in its initial youthful perfume flushes, yet will undoubtedly reward the patient with a richer, toastier, more obvious and opulent style with 5-10 years+ of cellaring.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIFor the warm and dry vintage this has tremendous freshness and elegance. The complex nose of citrus blossom, mint, lemon and lime zest opens up slowly as this aerates in the glass. The wine’s ample structure is still quite firm, which is a vintage characteristic, the mousse very fine but also very lively for an eight-year-old champagne. Cristal fans will love this as it is, but a year or two more in the bottle will do a lot for the very long mineral finish of this youthful masterpiece. A cuvee of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, picked from all 45 Cristal vineyard plots. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink from release.James Suckling | 97 JSI have tasted the 2015 Cristal three times so far - once as part of an extensive vertical I will be reporting on shortly, and then later in my office. Those tastings paint a portrait of a complex Champagne that is still finding its center. Tasted at the maison, the 2015 is rich, dense and explosive, with tremendous textural intensity and also a good bit of energy to back it up. Citrus confit, spice, ginger, chalk and dried flowers abound in a Champagne endowed with tremendous aromatic presence in a style that offers notable richness, but lighter than vintages such as 2012. There is a bit of the savoriness that is such a signature of the year, but it is nicely integrated in the wine’s fabric. Two later tastings in my office strongly suggest the 2015 has already started to shut down a bit, which is a shame, as it may be hard to read for some time to come. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: November 2022.Vinous Media | 96 VMIf the 2014 vintage was especially open and demonstrative, the 2015 Cristal is going to require more patience. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, crisp stone fruits, white flowers, crushed mint and subtle hints of buttery pastry, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a deep, concentrated and rather introverted core of fruit framed by chalky extract and animated by a pretty pinpoint mousse. This is a serious, vinous Champagne that has considerable substance to age and may well evolve along the lines of the lovely 1985.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPAn open and inviting nose references cream, oatmeal and Amalfi lemon with the slightest edge of smoke. The palate immediately strikes with a mouthwatering lemon ripeness and a juicy, mouthfilling generosity reminiscent of yellow plum. It stays true to the trademark sleekness of Cristal and speaks of the concentration of 2015. Fine mousse accentuates the fullness and roundness of the wine while the long finish hints at chalky depth which, for now, is dominated by ripe stone fruit and more of that textured, rich notion of oatmeal. Definitely a Cristal to enjoy soon.Decanter | 95 DEC

Very complex nose with a wide spectrum of candied citrus, dried peach and mirabelle tart aromas. Bold and rich, particularly on the mid-palate, but with a great deal of subtlety and delicacy for the vintage. This is already delicious, but at the finish you really taste how this has been made for the long term. Great drive and persistence right at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill shows off the savory side of the vintage to great effect. Hints of dried pear, sage, mint, dried flowers, lemon oil and chamomile open gradually in this mid-weight, lithe edition of Pol Roger’s tête de cuvée. The 2015 unfolds nicely with time in the glass, but I wouldn’t think of opening a bottle anytime soon. Readers will find a nervy Winston Churchill marked by notable freshness and vigor more than size. This is a fine effort in a vintage that has proven to be far trickier than most observers originally envisioned. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged September 2022.Vinous Media | 95 VMA tightly meshed Champagne, with an up-front, broad feel that’s quickly reined in and well-defined by racy acidity. Creamy on the palate, with the fine mousse carrying flavors of crème de cassis, lemon-infused pastry cream, smoked almond and oyster shell. Long, harmonious finish. Drink now through 2038. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA strong effort in a less-acclaimed vintage, Pol Roger’s newly released 2015 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill opens in the glass with aromas of confit citrus, ripe orchard fruits and dried white flowers mingled with hints of honeycomb, freshly baked bread and anise. Medium to full-bodied, vinous and concentrated, with bright acids, chalky structuring extract and a pinpoint mousse, this inherently rather rich, gastronomic Champagne is quite tightly wound out of the gates and will reward a bit of bottle age. Stylistically, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day version of the 1985.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

94–96. Barrel Sample. This wine is packed with dry botrytis flavor, but also a bright freshness. Together they give an obviously sweet wine good structure as well as ripeness. The tension between the fruit and the mineral texture will allow this wine to age for many years. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEIntense, with candied lemon peel, glazed yellow apple and honey notes streaming through, picking up mirabelle plum and papaya accents through the finish, which is carried by a buried racy streak. This has a good bright feel overall. Best from 2020 through 2040. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe lemon colored 2015 Guiraud features beautiful lime juice and lemon curd scents with paraffin and honeycomb nuances plus touches of chalk dust, ginger and candied peel. It has gorgeous tension in the mouth with tons of citrus, mineral and savory layers, finishing on a zesty note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPNo heavy caramel here; rather, a lot of candied citrus on the nose ranging from lemon right across to bitter orange. On the palate this is both creamy and fresh. The sweetness and alcohol are already beautifully integrated. Drink or hold (and this has at least a couple of decades of ageing potential).James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Guiraud appears to have acquired quite a bit of body during its aging. Rich and deep in the glass, but with lovely nuance, it offers tons of immediacy. Orange peel, pineapple, mint, honey, chamomile and sweet French oak notes are nicely pushed forward. Best of all, the 2015 is ready to provide pleasure with minimal cellaring.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGBright apricot aromas and a touch of oak. Sleek, fresh and precise; admirable clarity of fruit. Zesty thanks to fine acidity. While not showing a lot of depth now, it has a welcome light touch (Drink between 2020-2040)Decanter | 93 DECOne of the few Sauternes I was able to taste, the 2015 Château Guiraud is well worth spending money on. Boasting tons of tangerine, caramelized citrus, honeyed peach and white flowers, this full-bodied beauty has good acidity, ample concentration, and a clean, balanced style on the palate that’s going to allow it to age gracefully. (Drink between 2018-2043)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

The 2015 Harlan Estate is a beast of a wine that shows the sexy, opulent style of the vintage married to the classic structure and depth of this estate. A downright smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, crushed rocks, graphite, smoky camphor, cured meats, and dried tobacco aromas all emerge from the glass, and it shows the deep, concentrated style of the vintage yet still has awesome complexity and nuances. Deep, powerful, and structured, yet opulent and incredibly sexy on the palate, it reminds me of the 2002. A brilliant wine from this estate, it's already approachable given its wealth of fruit yet has the tannic backbone and density to keep for 3-4 decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDBottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Harlan Estate is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal black cherries, crème de cassis and plum pudding with nuances of potpourri, baking spices and tilled soil plus wafts of garrigue and wild sage. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated with exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and fantastic poise and depth with a long, decadently fruited finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPIncredible aromas of fresh flowers, such as roses and violets, and blackcurrants. Full body and defined levels of fruit and tannins too. Love the brightness and texture. An excellent finish. Production was down by a third because of bad berry set. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Harlan Estate has developed into an arrestingly beautiful wine. Racy and sumptuous, the 2015 is already quite showy, with tons of dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice, spice and tobacco character. Today, the 2015 comes across as a bit brooding and hard to read, although some of the rougher edges in the tannins I saw last year have softened. Even so, I would prefer to cellar 2015 for at least a few years. There is so much to look forward to.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA huge red, with powerfully rendered dark fig, macerated black currant and steeped boysenberry fruit framed by a bittersweet chocolate note. With time in the glass, the fruit unwinds slowly, allowing anise and loam accents to fill in on the fleshy finish. There's some serious heft here through the back end too, with a long echo of smoldering tobacco and a great tug of dark earth. Best from 2022 through 2040. 1,839 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLike most Harlan vintages, this is about 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, with small additions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The nose displays a wonderfully refined blend of sumptuous blackcurrant fruit with stylish oak. Although rich and very concentrated, it's restrained and polished, showing excellent balance and length with no overbearing character and a discreet but present tannic structure. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DEC

Facing south and southwest, the Nyulászó vineyard features brown and yellow clay soil. Minerality sets the tone of this 2016 dry Furmint, with struck match, ripe peaches, honeysuckle and dusty dried apricot aromas. The palate is explosive, warm and spicy, with layers of citrus, dried apricot, fig, melon and hints of white pepper, refreshed by a solid backbone of acidity. The concentrated flavours follow all the way to the lingering finish, complex and sophisticated. Drinking Window 2020 - 2023.Decanter | 93 DEC

Vestiges of malolactic fermentation presently mask the underlying fruit. On the plus side there is more volume still to the attractively textured medium weight flavors that brim with dry extract on the mineral-inflected, dry and focused finish. This is at once powerful yet refined and should also age well but be enjoyable young.Burghound | 89-92 BHLumpp opines that the stony, southeast-facing slopes of this lieu-dit represent Givry’s best terroir for white wine, and his 2016 Givry 1er Cru Crausot is certainly impressive, revealing fragrant aromas of white peaches and spring blossom, followed by a medium-bodied, elegantly glossy palate, with lovely purity and stony depth. It has the structure to improve with a few years’ bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

A layered, fruity chardonnay with creamy, polished tannins, showing beautiful ripe-apple and lemon undertones, as well as hints of toasted oak and vanilla. It’s full-bodied with round, creamy texture and a delicious, complete finish. Minerally undertone. Best white yet from here. This still needs some time to come together. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSFresh and elegant, this medium- to full-bodied white offers pear and peach flavors, with a honey-tinged edge. Details of floral and baking spice emerge on the crisp, minerally finish. Chardonnay. Drink now through 2021. 3,554 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSPale gold colour. The wine is juicy and refreshing with an attractive depth of fruit. The nose and palate have floral and white fruit aromas with pear again to the fore. The oak is well integrated and the finish clean and dry. It’s a satisfying wine but there’s less depth and length than 2018. Drinking Window 2021 - 2023.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2016 Chardonnay Reserve is the stuff dreams are made of. Towering and statuesque in its pedigree, the Reserve shows why the Santa Cruz Mountains is such a special place. The 2016 is deep, powerful and intense, and yet it remains remarkably finessed as well. Tangerine oil, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes all develop with a few hours of aeration. The Reserve is a blend of 11 barrels (all neutral oak) that spends its second winter on its lees in tank, an approach that is common in Burgundy, but that is not often seen in California. All I can say is: Wow!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2016 Chardonnay Reserve improved over several days and is just beginning to hint at more to come with bottle age. The nose offers warm citrus and floral perfume with a deep core of orchard fruits. The palate is silky and expansive, with a streak of mineral-like undertones, a flush of juicy acidity and long, layered finish. It deserves more time in bottle. 231 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Grand-Pontet features bright, vibrant kirsch, warm redcurrants, blackberries and wild blueberries notions with hints of tobacco, tilled soil and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with firm, grainy tannins and a lively line lifting the fruit to a long minerally finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe deep purple-colored 2016 Château Grand-Pontet is a blend of 70% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers a pretty, lifted bouquet of black cherries, plums, violets, damp earth, and bay leaf. This gives way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, nicely concentrated wine that has beautiful purity of fruit, rock solid mid-palate depth, moderate tannins, and a great finish. Drink this ripe, powerful 2016 over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRipe and velvety with plenty of blackberry and cocoa-powder character, until you get to the bold, rather powerful, polished and handsomely tannic finish. A blend of 80 per cent merlot, 13 per cent cabernet franc and seven per cent cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 Grand-Pontet has come together impressively during its élevage. Espresso, chocolate, licorice, leather, new oak and smoke are generous in this deep, layered Saint-Émilion. Powerful, creamy and quite giving, the 2016 has a lot to offer. This is a decidedly extracted style, and yet all of the elements are very nicely balanced throughout.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

Harvested from a small parcel, less than four acres, this wine is in perfect condition. It is balanced, with white fruit and citrus coming together, led by the acidity. It is developing into a full, ripe wine. Wait until 2019.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Pouilly-Fumé “Clos des Chaudoux”- Domaine Serge Dagueneau et Fille) The 2016 Clos des Chaudoux Domaine Serge and Valerie Dagueneau is an outstanding bottle of Pouilly-Fumé. This is unique in the family’s lineup, as these fifty-five year-old sauvignon blanc vines are actually planted on terres blanches limestone, rather than flint. The wine is quite tropical in its fruit complexion in 2016, offering up notes of pineapple, tangerine, just a touch of damp grass, beautiful chalky minerality and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, focused and complex, with plenty of secondary development already showing, but coupled to a good girdle of acidity and plenty of cut and grip on the long finish. With the frosts of 2016, this wine may be just a touch idiosyncratically styled in this vintage, but it has depth, beaucoups complexity and impressive backend length. I decanted the wine to let it blossom and consume some of its initial aromatic oddities, and I really liked the wine after that. It is never going to make you forget a great vintage of Didier Dagueneau’s Pur Sang, but it is loaded with personality all the same! (Drink between 2019-2030)John Gilman | 91 JG