Wine Producing Countries

wines

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is very pure and harmonious on the nose with plush black cherry and cassis fruit, well-integrated oak and a floral aspect that becomes more prominent with time. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh, lightly spiced with quite a vivacious, mineral-driven finish that retains superb definition. This is very impressive and bloomin’ delicious (already!)Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThe wine is massive, with grippy tannins, full body and an interminable finish. ’A great vintage to taste in 20 years,’ according to winemaker Frédéric Barnier. The 0.27ha Jadot parcel (owned by the house itself) is in a strip that goes from the top of the vineyard to the bottom, and thus includes both terres blanches (white marl) and terres rouges (red clay). The fruit character is black plum and cassis, with a firm, mineral and earthy element. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECA wine with huge potential is the 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot). Unwinding in the glass with notes of raspberries, red cherries, vanilla pod, exotic spices and raw cocoa, it’s full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with an immensely concentrated core, powdery tannins and a tightly wound profile. This will be among the slowest to evolve of all the wines in the cellar, and also among the most long-lived.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96+ RP(Maison Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Red) Very generous wood and menthol nuances still allow the liqueur-like aromas of red currant, violet and range of spice elements to be appreciated. There is first-rate power and punch to the moderately dense and beautifully textured flavors that display superb length on the sappy finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. (Drink starting 2037)Burghound | 93-96 BH

The 2020 Chambertin from Trapet is sublime. It owns 1.85ha over three parcels in a variety of soils and 15% of the vines are trained high on stakes (’en echalas’). This diversity gives a complex fruit expression, from plum and black cherry to pomegranate and red currant, shot through with floral notes, spice and mineral. However, it is also a wine of power and depth, with the tannin and extract to live 80 years or more. One certainty: Trapet has mastered the art of Chambertin. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 99 DEC(Chambertin- Domaine Trapet Père et Fils) The Trapet family’s 2020 Chambertin is a great young wine. The bouquet delivers beautiful precision and purity in its constellation of black cherries, sweet dark berries, cassis, black minerality, cigar wrapper, grilled meats, just a touch of mustard seed, cedar and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly complete, with a rock solid core, superb soil signature, ripe, firm tannins and a long, vibrant and complex finish. Great juice in the making, but this will need plenty of cellaring time to unfurl. (Drink between 2037-2100)John Gilman | 98 JGThe king of the cellar is the 2020 Chambertin Grand Cru, a magical wine in the making that unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries, rich soil tones, espresso roast, rose petals, licorice, oyster sauce and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it’s seamless and complete, with huge concentration, lively acids and rich, velvety tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Well-connected and well-heeled readers will derive immense pleasure in comparing the 2020 with the 2019 and 2018 renditions several decades from now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2020 Chambertin Grand Cru was picked on 7 September and a small plot around five days later. It has a beautiful, quite ethereal bouquet with a complex mélange of red and black fruit, the 80-90% whole bunch completely assimilated with wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, harmonious and smooth, immense depth and elegance as it fans out towards the finish with perfect sapidity. Sublime.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMAn even more restrained nose timidly expresses slightly riper aromas of plum, dark currant, rose petal and plenty of sauvage character. There is both excellent volume and mid-palate density to the bigger-bodied to the sappy and intensely mineral-driven flavors that are blessed with a taut muscularity on the moderately austere, serious and very firmly structured finale. This is expressly built-to-age and a wine that is definitely going to need at least a decade before could be reasonably approached.Burghound | 93-95 BH

The perfumed nose is very pretty with a beautifully layered array of cherry, plum, spice and soft earth and sauvage nuances. The focused, intense and beautifully delineated medium-bodied flavors possess evident minerality that also suffuses the dusty and youthfully austere finale. This could use better depth but the balance is impeccable and overall, it should age gracefully for as long as anyone might reasonably want to.Burghound | 94 BH

A more floral and elegant nose freely offers up its slightly riper array of plum, black cherry and exotic spice nuances. The lilting and beautifully detailed middleweight flavors deliver outstanding length on the balanced, youthfully austere and stony finale. This doesn’t presently have quite the same depth as the Clos l’Audignac but the texture is more sophisticated and overall, this is class in a glass.Burghound | 93 BH

With 2.15ha, a blend from three plots in Chapelot, Montée de Tonnerre and Pied d’Aloup, with vines in the latter now 87 years old. As expected of Montée de Tonnerre, this will need a lot of time to come round. Powerful, primary and concentrated, with restrained mineral, stony notes. Great purity here, salty finish.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECLike the Vaillons, this is also quite firmly reduced though there is some wood influence present as well. The focused and beautifully refined flavors ooze minerality on the almost painfully intense, bone-dry and strikingly long but not especially austere finale. This is very stylish as well as classy. Well worth checking out.Burghound | 93 BHChapelot, Pied d’Aloue, Cote de Bréchain. Mostly tank. Very pretty lemon and lime colour. A clean, incisive bouquet, very pure and with class. Tension at the back, extremely youthful but definitely promising. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted Jun 2022.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

This is aromatically similar to the Bressandes though as is typically the case, there are more spice elements in play along with a variety of floral nuances. There is also a bit more mid-palate density to the vibrant and tautly muscular flavors that flash good minerality on the balanced, long and mildly austere finale. This too is a lovely combination of refinement and power.Burghound | 92-94 BH

A cooler and airier mix is comprised by notes of plum, red and dark currant that are trimmed in noticeable wood and menthol influences. The medium-bodied and vibrant flavors possess a positively gorgeous mouthfeel along with both good richness and minerality while delivering impressive power on the palate staining finish. The wood treatment aside, this is a classic Clos des Chênes.Burghound | 91-93 BH

An overtly floral-suffused and more expressive nose freely offers up elegant aromas of white orchard fruit, zest and a touch of spice. There is again excellent mid-palate density to the pretty middleweight flavors that exude evident minerality on the powerful, focused and superbly long finale. This is lovely and a wine that should generously repay extended cellaring.Burghound | 93 BH

From the upper part. More sensual perfume here despite the altitude. Fuller white fruit with salinity, tis sufficiently ripe but with a fresh edge. Quite nuanced at the back and with good persistence. Drink from 2025-2030.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JM

Pale colour. A light and elegant nose, some marine notes behind, gentle but showing well, with a little more volume behind, a wave of white fruit and an attractively nuanced finish. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted Jul 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

The 2021 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru, 80% aged in oak, has a delightful bouquet with orchard fruit, lemon verbena and orange pith scents that burst from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite precise with a welcome touch of bitter lemon that keeps the finish on edge. Not a long-term Bougros perhaps, but finely crafted. Tasted blind at the BIVB tasting in Chablis.Vinous Media | 93 VM

This delightful white from a single lieu-dit in Rully is a marvelous example of the solid quality possible in the Côte Chalonnaise. It boasts ripe apple and linden flower aromas with a hint of butter and spice. The fresh acidity feels fairly chiseled, yet there is enough extract to give the wine a rich texture and lingering finish. Chartron farms three hectares here on the border with Mercurey; the grapes are pressed as whole clusters and run into cask (10% new) for fermentation.Decanter | 91 DEC

Droin’s Montmains site is on a gentle slope with richer, deeper, kimmeridgian marl soils. A colder site, making the wine richer and with great density on the palate. Distinctly more weight than the Vaillons, giving the blend plenty of gravitas. 8-10 months ageing on fine lees adds a creamy character with acidity less pronounced than with the Vaillons. Classy.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2021 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru has a classic Chablis-like bouquet with scents of shucked oyster shell and light fumé notes emerging from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a saline, lemon rind infused entry, moderate weight, perhaps not quite as precise as the Vaillons yet with satisfying persistence. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMAn even more floral-suffused nose speaks of the pretty essence of pear and apple while offering better overall typicity. The palate impression of the middleweight flavors is also plump, round and fleshy with its reasonably persistent, dry and balanced finale that also could use better depth. This attractive effort should be approachable young yet also reward 4 to 7 years of keeping.Burghound | 89-92 BH

A weighty Les Clos which shows a fine balance between the intensity of minerality and acidity, melding with some juicy, confit-citrus fruit on the palate. Oak is restrained and in balance with the wine. A classy and refined example from this, the largest, part of the grand cru.Decanter | 94 DEC

In 2021, the domaine protected this site above all from frost but still lost half their crop, despite being surrounded by the also well-protected vines of Domaine Leflaive. Accessible almost even now, the aromas of green apple and passionfruit, coconut, butter, and baking spice are almost opening even now. There is a lovely freshness and silky texture, yet this is a powerful wine with impressive length and density at the end. This should open in five years and continue to improve for at least twenty-five more.Decanter | 96 DECA gorgeously fresh, airy and cool nose combines notes of green apple, a panoply of white flowers nuances, wet stone and a pretty array of exotic spice elements, especially jasmine. There is a notably more refined mouthfeel to the tautly muscular and overtly mineral-driven medium weight plus flavors that exhibit focused power on the impressively long, balanced, youthfully austere and very classy finale. This is exceptionally stylish and a wine that should easily reward a decade plus of keeping.Burghound | 94 BH

Droin’s Fourchaume is located in the Vaupulent sector, on deep, clay-rich soils. A warmer site, this is a;ready very appealing with nice touches of baked apples and stone-fruit on the palate, with softer acidity and concentration. Although accessible early, this has the concentration to age extremely well and will deliver more saline aspects with more bottle age.Decanter | 92 DECA whiff of mineral reduction is present on the nose of pear and apple compote where there is just enough Chablis typicity to be convincing. The succulent, round and palate coating flavors possess good underlying tension while delivering solid depth and length on the delicious finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth.Burghound | 90-92 BHThe 2021 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru shows a little more reduction on the nose compared to other cuvées but a pleasant flintiness develops with time. The palate is well balanced with a cohesive entry, fine weight although it doesn’t quite deliver the same precision as the Mont de Milieu at the moment. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

A markedly more floral-suffused and slightly cooler nose reflects notes of both white and yellow peach, citrus confit and a plenitude of spice elements. Here too the palate impression is seductive thanks to the superb concentration of the powerful and almost painfully intense broad-shouldered flavors that also display superb length on the balanced and equally tightly coiled finish. If you can find it, buy it.Burghound | 95 BHThis superb rendition of Bâtard has surprisingly ripe notes of quince and melon de Cavaillon, acacia flower, and spice. The texture is dense and rich but kept lively by the fresh acidity of 2021. The grapes come from three parcels totaling nearly a half hectare. Two are planted with vines more than fifty years of age, and all three are in Chassagne near the border with Puligny. This year Blain stirred the lees (not always done) to give the wine a bit more density and depth.Decanter | 94 DEC

An extremely subtle application of wood can be found on the cool if decidedly reluctant nose of spiced green apple, beeswax and citrus zest aromas. The palate impression of the medium weight plus flavors is quite interesting in that there is excellent concentration and power yet they are not massively scaled while maintaining impeccable balance on the palate etching and stunningly long finish, indeed I could still taste this 3 hours later. This is one extremely classy Montrachet and one of the jewels of the 2021 vintage.Burghound | 97 BHBeeswax and lime blossom, especially the latter, which Guillaume finds typical of Montrachet. The Montrachet shows both class and intensity over and above the Bâtard as indeed should be the case. Brilliantly racy despite the intensity. This year there is one 228 litre barrel instead of the usual 350, and made up in zebra fashion, half new wood with alternate dowels. Drink from 2030-2040.Jasper Morris | 95 JMThere’s only one 228-liter barrel of the 2021 Montrachet Grand Cru, so Boillot asked his favored cooper to assemble a special barrel, with alternating new and used staves. Delivering aromas of pear, honeycomb, freshly baked bread, spices and toasted nuts, it’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit and a long, nutmeg-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2021 Montrachet Grand Cru is incredibly airy and nuanced. Candied lemon peel, mint, tangerine oil and white flowers show effortless grace. This is an especially restrained, super-elegant Montrachet that shows Puligny’s finesse. The 2021 is absolutely exquisite. I doubt I will ever taste it again, though. Bright saline notes punctuate the super-expressive finish. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 93-95 VM