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The 2018 Gandona is superb. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice, chocolate, menthol and licorice infuse the 2018 with striking layers of complexity, all with firm mountain tannins that give the wine shape, energy and drive. The 2018 is a real powerhouse. I can’t remember tasting a wine from this property with so much structure and tannin. Readers should plan on giving the 2018 plenty of air. I found the 2018 really only blossomed a number of hours after opening.Vinous Media | 97 VMBased on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 21 months in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Gandona is a sexy, powerful red offering lots of chocolatey dark fruits, notes of scorched earth, tobacco, and graphite, full-bodied richness, and a layered, impressively textured mouthfeel. There are only 400 cases produced, but it’s well worth seeking out.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 21 months in French oak, 60% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up gregarious notes of crushed blackberries, ripe black cherries and blackcurrant cordial with hints of mocha, bay leaves and black licorice plus a waft of cedar. Big, concentrated, full-bodied and jam-packed with black fruit flavors, it has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and layered. 400 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

I loved the 2018 Red Blend Pollard Vineyard from Robin Pollard, and this might be the finest wine I’ve tasted from this vineyard. A blend of 40% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a pretty, perfumed bouquet of red and blue fruits, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and spring flowers. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, elegant red with polished, fine-grained tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. All about finesse and elegance, it will evolve for 10-15 years if well stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDMade from a blend of 40% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Cabernet Franc, the fleshy and approachable 2018 Pollard Vineyard Red Wine offers aromas of crème de cassis with blackberry skin. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is delicious without being overly complicated by oak and displays complex layers of savory herbs that sway with a delightful expression of sweet red fruit before concluding with a persistent finish. The wine rested in 20% new French oak barrels. Only 555 cases were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPMedium red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and menthol are carrying a full load of dark-chocolatey oak; less green than the Merlot. Tightly wound, fine-grained and bracing but also shows subtle sweetness to its intense black cherry, dark berry and spice flavors. There’s an intriguing floral element here but the wine needs time to unwind. Finishes with firm-edged tannins and sneaky persistence. Even higher-pitched than the Merlot, and ultimately less sweet. These wines have not yet been released.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

The Gavarini Chiniera vineyard is shaped like an amphitheater with thick forests at the back (which protects from cold air currents) and sandy chalk soil at 380 meters in elevation. This is a special site, and the Elio Grasso 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is always one of Grasso’s most easily recognized wines. This vintage is exceptionally bright and vibrant with lifted tones of cherry, plum, blue flower and sweet blood orange. Those primary notes are framed by sensations of dusty white mineral. This mid-weight wine exhibits the deep elegance that was achieved in this vintage. Production is 12,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDried-cherry, strawberry and tar aromas follow through to a full body with intense, chewy tannins that frame the wine nicely. Flavorful finish. Juicy. Not a big wine, but shows structure and class for the vintage. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSA bright, cherry-laced red, with a fruity core framed by tobacco, earth, eucalyptus and iron flavors. Firm and dense on the finish, yet this remains elegant and vibrant through the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2042. 1,000 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera has shut down massively since I tasted it last year, which is probably a very good thing for its medium and longer term prospects. Time in the glass releases some of its inner sweetness, but this classically austere, young Barolo is going to need time. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Characterful, luscious and deftly balanced, this terrific, unfiltered LBV – ’the little brother of Vintage Port,’ says Dirk Niepoort – is irresistible now but will age brilliantly. Black pepper, esteva, bitter chocolate and spicy gingerbread bring lift and layer to the velvety sweet plum, cherry frangipane and kirsch palate. Ruffled tannins make for a long, controlled finish. Bottled with a driven cork after four- to six-years in large wooden vats.Decanter | 97 DEC

Under the leadership of Maria Flora Fuligni since 1971, along with her long-time right-hand Dr Daniela Perino - now the estate’s CEO - Fuligni is one of the denomination’s most consistent performers. The 2018 does not disappoint: it epitomises the elegance of the vintage. A captivating synthesis of florals and earth, the nose radiates pressed violet, lavender and rose with truffle and tobacco accents. It expands in the mouth with flavour rather than weight or brawn. Red currants and orange are amplified by piercing acidity, and well-formed, magnificently textured tannins are chalky and adequately padded, giving layers and profundity. Not pushed beyond its capacity, this will drink beautifully over the next decade.Decanter | 96 DECA fine Brunello with black cherry, hazelnut and chocolate aromas and flavors. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with a pretty texture and delicious finish. Lovely fine tannins. Not the most structured red but will improve with age while delivering wonderful pleasure now. Drinkable but better after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSIt takes a good amount of time for the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino to open in the glass, as a cloud of white smoke gives way to a sweetly scented mix of dried roses, sugar-dusted cherries and hints of exotic spice. This is a round and supple 2018, communicating elegance through its velvety textures, polished ripe red fruits and cascading inner violet florals. There’s opulence here, yet also the acidity to balance, as the 2018 tapers off long with classically refined tannins, yet leaves the palate perfectly reset for another sip. Frankly, it’s hard to put this glass down. There will be no Riserva produced in 2018, and so all of that juice was used to bolster this open-knit and seductive Brunello.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

Forest berry, spice, hay and menthol aromas mingle with whiffs of new leather on this stunning, fragrant Brunello. A top-scorer vintage after vintage, the 2018 combines elegance and a full body, delivering dried cherry, blood orange, licorice and ground clove alongside firm but refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized while a saline mineral note adds depth to the finish. Drink 2026–2038. Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KORoasted herbs, walnuts, olives, dried cherries and balsamic on the nose with a touch of leather and sage. It’s full-bodied with firm, finely-knit tannins. Creamy and so well integrated with depth and class. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThis 2018 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona in the Castelnuovo dell’Abate zone in the southeast of the appellation produces wines that combine power and elegance. The 2018 is medium ruby colored with plenty of sweet oak-spice and bright, red cherry fruit here and there. There’s lots of charm on the palate and it is a wine that is very gracefully melded together. There is a beautifully refined quality to the tannins. The finish is lingering, creamy and elegant. This wine has so much charm and drinkability. It is not huge wine but it accurately reflects the vintage and it is very appealing.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino turns out beautiful results if you choose to drink the wine now, or if you opt to age it a little longer. It offers immediate intensity and complexity with a prelude of red and purple berry fruits that follow to tarry spice, campfire ash, licorice and rusty nail. Those savoy tones are well measured against the wine’s elegant, mid-weight finish. And the tannins are integrated seamlessly. The winemaking team has worked well in a challenging vintage. This is a large production of 80,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPDense and brooding, revealing plum, cherry, earth, menthol and tobacco flavors. On the austere side today, with buried fruit and dominant tannins, yet this has fine equilibrium and extended length. Best from 2026 through 2043. 4,833 cases made, 2,383 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSSweet cherry, vanilla bean and orange zest are on the nose, which slowly opens to reveal quieter aromas of cured meat and graphite. The palate emphasizes the savory with more sanguine notes pointed up by crisp fruit flavors of red apple skin and Bing cherry, emphasized by well-articulated tannins. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is dark and brooding, taking its time to blow off a whiff of mocha before opening up with a mix of dried red fruits, cloves and rosemary. This is surprisingly pure and lifted in style while maintaining elegance, as ripe red and black fruits cascade across a core of vibrant acidity. The 2018 leaves the palate buzzing with residual tension, as fine-grained tannins penetrate deeply, and hints of tart wild berry and a dusting of cocoa slowly fade.Vinous Media | 92 VM

A unique blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique 11 has a gorgeous nose of black raspberries, cassis, acacia flowers, white chocolate, and graphite. With fabulous purity of fruit, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and loads of floral and sappy herb aromas and flavors, this is gorgeous Saint-Emilion and the finest I’ve tasted from this address. It needs 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDComposed of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Todeschini is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up broody notions of new leather, crushed stones and tar with a core of baked red and black cherries, mulberries and warm plums plus wafts of garrigue and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, firm and grainy in the mouth, it has loads of muscular fruit and a lively line, finishing perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2018 Distique 11 is laced with inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and mint. Pliant and supple, this inviting, mid-weight Saint-Émilion has a lot to offer. The racy style is undeniably appealing. The 2018 is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon taken from select parcels on the estate and aged in amphora. It is an undeniably intriguing wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMA balanced, pretty wine with firm, sleek tannins that are polished and refined. Blackberry, bark and chocolate undertones. Medium body. Delicious finish. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie is darkly alluring and brooding in the glass, with a dusting of confectionary spice and dried violets complementing wild blueberries and a lifting whiff of fresh mint. Soothingly round and surprisingly juicy in feel, this shows its minerality up front, as depths of tart wild berry fruits meet vibrant acidity, and an array of exotic spices emerges toward the close. It finishes tannic yet fresh and incredibly long, leaving a bitter blackberry crunch, violet inner florals and chalky concentration that boggles the mind. Bury the 2018 deep in your cellar, this is a long-distance runner.Vinous Media | 96 VM

This structured and concentrated wine is spot on for the vintage. It’s very dense in color and aroma, saturated with ultra dark chocolate, graphite and blueberries on a firm texture of taut tannins that will need time to evolve. Aged in 85 to 90 percent new American oak barrels, the wine should be approachable by 2028 and best from 2033.James Suckling | 97 JSThe lovely ruby red colour is translucent, revealing a heady wine of blackberry, liquorice, vanillin, spicebush, and dried floral notes with savoury, toasty oak spices. This 2018 offers one of the more restrained and pretty bouquets of Silver Oak’s Napa Cabernet in my memory. Very elegant on the entry, revealing a medium-bodied red wine with lovely cranberry fruit, plums, and currants, with a real depth to those fruit qualities framed by sculpted tannins that affix themselves onto the palate before giving way and resolving. Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant with trace amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Aged in 85% new American Oak from The Oak Cooperage in Higbee, Missouri, the Duncans have owned it outright since 2015. The other 15% are second-use American oak barrels. They’ve been using the same cooperage for decades. The barrels imbue the Silver Oak wines with a classic vanillin quality, a nuance they always want to retain, even as they experiment with various toasts to produce smoother tannins in the toasting process.Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2018 Schioppettino di Cialla is impossible to ignore. It’s profoundly floral and herbal with rose petals, wilted violets, wet stone and ginger-tinged blackberry aromas. It opens with a pleasant inner sweetness and richer than expected, yet perfectly balanced, with depths of ripe wild berry fruits contrasted by spiced blood orange. For all of its depth and concentration, fresh acidity lifts the experience through the finish, leaving a candied citrus and white pepper tinge while tapering off classically dry. What a beauty. The 2018 is the child of a cool vintage, yet there’s so much power and density here. Bury your bottles deep.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Bottled late in 2020, the 2018 Cornas is another exceptional vintage for this cuvée, drawn from the family’s older vines, largely in the lieux-dits of La Côte, Sabarotte and Reynard. Yes, it’s from a hot, sunny vintage, it’s rich and ripe, with plenty of red plum fruit up front, but there’s a solid underpinning of crushed stone to provide balance. Full-bodied and velvety in feel in the mouth, it lingers elegantly on the lengthy finish. Complete, balanced and fine, it should drink well through at least 2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2018 Cornas is a classic wine from this renowned estate that’s 100% Syrah, mostly from the Reynard lieu-dit, brought up all in ancient foudre and casks. This is as classic and old school as they come, and the 2018 is as Clape as it gets with its bloody blue fruits, liquid violet, smoked game, pepper, bay leaf, and iron-like aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it doesn’t have the sheer richness of the 2015 or 2017, and if anything, reminds me slightly of the 2016 with its incredible purity, balance, and finesse. The structure and tannins, which were more up-front and present from barrel, have a more round, seamless feel that gives this some up-front appeal. Granted, I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it certainly benefited from lots of air. This is a vintage that could certainly continue to offer pleasure over the coming decade and never really shut down, yet I suspect this will firm up quickly over the coming 2-4 years and require at least a decade of bottle age to really show its true potential. I promise, you will not be disappointed to have this in your cellar.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDBlueberry and liquorice on the nose at this stage, there’s a little touch of acetone that is typical of Clape, along with some thyme and rosemary. Full-bodied, but not massive, this has plenty of immediate impact and drive, it really packs a punch on the finish. Powerful ingrained acidity drives the wine forward, as does an inner salinity and ripe but sharply pointed tannins. Ripe and approachable for Clape but still very Cornas, this is delicious now, but will reward cellaring too. Harvest started on the 12th of September. No destemming as usual, fermented in concrete, aged in large old oak barrels.Decanter | 97 DECRemarkably fresh nose, considering that August 2018 was so hot in the Rhone. Stunning aromas of bitter chocolate and perfectly ripe wild blackberries. I love the generous but not expansive body, where there’s a sensational interplay of fine tannins and mineral freshness that drive the very long and exciting finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSSaturated ruby. Ripe, spice-accented blackcurrant, kirsch, olive paste, candied flowers and smoked meat on the expansive nose. Offers deeply pitched black and blue fruit, exotic spice, olive and licorice flavors and a strong mineral underpinning. Steadily building tannins add shape and grip to an impressively long, smoky finish that emphatically repeats the floral and mineral notes.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The most Vosne-Romanée-like of the Nuits-St-Georges Premiers Crus according to Etienne Grivot, with a character that he identifies as ’a little wild’, Aux Boudots often produces on my favourite wines at the domaine. It’s plush, smooth and glossy all right, with a sheen of aromatic 30% new wood, fine tannins and some underlying bounce and vitality.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECA well of black currant and blueberry mark this sappy, yet beefy red. It’s a tannic Titanic, with a dense, compact finish that echoes the dark fruit, spice and iron notes. The aftertaste is saturated with fruit. Impressive, yet will require time to resolve the tannins. Best from 2025 through 2047. 53 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSHalf the vines were ripped out 5 years ago and will come back into play in 2020 maybe. Bouncing concentrated dark red fruit, not too exuberant on the palate though, an excellent fine-grained tannic structure behind, and exceptional length. This has been picked at optimum ripeness. Tasted Nov 2019.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er Cru comes from the old part of the vineyard, half of which was replanted in spring 2017 (these young vines may reenter this cru next year, or more likely the Bourgogne Rouge until they reach maturity). The crisp, fresh, well-defined bouquet is probably the best among Grivot’s Nuits Saint-Georges this year, reflecting the pedigree of this vineyard. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive mineralité and tension, quite "strict" in style but boasting so much coiled-up energy on the finish that you could easily drink it now. This is a superb offering that should age with grace and style over many years.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThis too is quite firmly reduced to the point that it’s unreadable today. Otherwise the less concentrated but finer middle weight flavors exude evident minerality on the tautly muscular bitter cherry-inflected finish that is a bit leaner and less complex. The younger vines are in evidence though to be fair, and clear, this is still a very pretty effort.Burghound | 89-92 BH

This has been such an exciting addition to the Luciano Sandrone portfolio. The 2018 Barolo Vite Talin is a bigger-styled Barolo with dark fruit, ample oak shadings and generous concentration. Overall, it is a wine of considerable fruit weight, and that richness is reflected in the grippy nature of the young tannins and the very plump and primary nature of the fruit. There is a note of dried Mediterranean herb, or something like a dried chili husk. You need time to tame that bossy tannin. Production is limited to 2,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2018 Barolo Vite Talin is a sexy, opulent Barolo. Although the 2018 does not quite have the pedigree of the best years, it comes pretty close. Succulent dark fruit, clove, gravel, mocha and incense are all front and center. This dense yet mid-weight Barolo will drink well with minimal cellaring.Vinous Media | 96 VMA rich style for the vintage, this dense red exhibits cherry, raspberry, earth, leather and wild herb aromas and flavors. Ripe and spicy, with a vibrant structure and a wide swath of tannins on the energetic finish. Still needs time. Best from 2026 through 2043. 208 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSForest floor, new leather, blue flower and exotic brown spice aromas come to the forefront on the deeply-hued 2018 Vite Talin along with whiffs of crushed mint. Full-bodied and firmly structured, the still rather austere palate offers layers of dried cherry, prune, bitter orange, licorice and tobacco before closing on a note recalling almond liqueur. A backbone of tightly knit, fine-grained tannins provides support. Drink 2028–2038. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOGrown on the top of the Cannubi Boschis vineyard, this wine bowls out of the glass with aromas of black cherry, crushed raspberries, black tea and a melange of spices. Driven, polished and well-crafted, the palate is firm yet the generous fruit shines through as savory herbs and compelling hints of earth peek through, giving insight into how the wine will age. Drink now through 2045.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe aromas of dark fruit, mushrooms, tar and and asphalt come through clearly. It’s medium-bodied with integrated and polished tannins and a savory and juicy finish. Already open and very drinkable, but it will age nicely. Better from 2026 and onward.James Suckling | 94 JS

This has a fresh, floral aroma, with honeysuckle and elderflower notes leading the way, followed by a rather creamy, refined palate of kiwifruit, makrut lime and verbena flavors. As the finish glides through, this offers hints of quinine, acacia and white peach. Shows beautiful range and definition, with serious length. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2026. Wine Spectator | 95 WSFor the third time in its history, this was entirely harvested in August (mainly 23 to 28, but the first berries were picked on August 13 - the earliest date ever). Rich fruit, lovely acidity and salinity on the finish, shot through with honeysuckle and clear citrus. They harvest Y in the same way as Yquem, where it is grape by grape rather than vine by vine, and sometimes grapes from the same bunch goes on to make Yquem later. 3.15pH. Also tasted September 2020; same score.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECWhite pear, honeysuckle, elderflower, quince, rich lemon, with a bitter edge of orange peel. This is starting to deepen at three years old, and show a richer texture than when I last tasted it in November 2020. It’s unquestionably one of the great whites of Bordeaux, although extremely low yields in 2018. Harvest began on August 13, the earliest date ever, with the majority of the whites coming in from August 23 to 28, harvested grape by grape as per the main sweet estate wine - meaning that grapes from the same bunch can later go on to make Yquem. 3.15ph. Jane Anson | 94 JAThe 2014 “Y” has 5 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pale lemon-yellow color. Citrus aromas of lime leaves, fresh grapefruit, and lemon zest shoot from the glass, followed by gentle wafts of crushed stones and coriander seed. The medium to full-bodied palate gives a very dry impression, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the intense, youthful, citrus layers and with a silkiness to the texture, finishing with loads of zesty and mineral sparks. Impressive!The Wine Independent | 94 TWIThe 2018 Y de Yquem is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon bottled at the end of August. It offers light grass clipping and green apple scents on the nose, the Sauvignon Blanc defining the aromas. The palate is fresh on the entry, light and crisp with touches of pineapple and dried apricot, a hint of grilled walnut towards the finish. This actually improves with aeration, gaining some delightful praline and subtle white chocolate notes.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The flagship 2018 Château Phélan Ségur is a beauty based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot. This was a great vintage for the Médoc, and the 2018 reveals a dense purple hue to go with powerful notes of blackcurrants, iron, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and earth. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has beautiful tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and just does everything right. It has some up-front appeal today (no doubt due to the high Merlot content), yet it builds with time in the glass and shows more and more structure with air. It deserves 5-6 years of bottle age and will keep for 20-25. It’s every bit as good as the 2016, if not better.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDAromas of blackcurrants, spice and flowers follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a delicious, savory finish. So lovely to drink now, but will improve nicely with age. Very refined and balanced. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Phélan Ségur is just as convincing from bottle as it was en primeur. Deep and beautifully layered, with exceptional finesse and tons of personality, the 2018 delivers the goods big time. Dark blue/black fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice and dried herbs all build as the 2018 shows off its allure. There is plenty of vintage 2018 richness, but a good deal of supporting structure as well. The 2018 is just exquisite.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGBrilliant, succulent and luscious fruit. Blackberry, damson, chocolate and sage with a brilliant hold and muscular tannins. A yield of 48hl/ha. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2018 Phélan Ségur is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot, weighing in at 14% alcohol, 3.8 pH and has an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, blackcurrant jelly and kirsch, plus suggestions of menthol, Ceylon tea, forest floor and lavender. The medium-bodied palate delivers elegance and impressive vivacity with finely grained tannins and a refreshing line supporting the intense red and black berry layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThis is really well-built, with a core of dark currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by racy charcoal and bay notes while flashes of savory and singed sandalwood dot the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSNow on a roll, this estate is producing some fine wines. This latest release shows plenty of wood at this stage, but the bold black fruits are more than a match, giving the wine sumptuous richness. The wine needs time, so wait until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Easily the greatest example from this château that I’ve tasted, the 2018 Château Calon Ségur checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot aged 20 months in new French oak. This dense purple-hued beauty boasts a stunning nose of blackcurrants, crème de cassis, tobacco, baking spices, chocolate, and cedarwood. With full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, gorgeous tannins, and one seriously long finish, it hits that palate with 15% alcohol, yet you wouldn’t know it by tasting it, and the wine is perfectly balanced, has incredible purity of fruit, and stays fresh and lively, with a clean finish. This magical Saint-Estèphe can be drunk any time over the coming 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA distinctive bouquet with notes of iodine, flowers, fresh fruit and graphite, but its floral character takes on a dominant role with airing. Gorgeously juicy mouthfeel brimming with energy lengthening a finish that consolidates its profound substance but also reveals surprising subtlety and delicacy. This 2018 is perhaps an atypical Calon Ségur in the context of recent vintages, but it joins the ranks of the great ones and should gain in elegance over time. Cellaring may be required for up to twenty-five years. (Drink between 2030-2060)Decanter | 99 DECAromas of redcurrants and plums with blueberries and black licorice, following through to a full body that’s so refined and polished, the tannins integrated wonderfully into the fruit. Fresh, linear and persistent. Real clarity and purity to this. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is a dense, generous wine. Swathes of black fruits are packed with concentrated tannins. Its power is palpable, as is its luxuriously rich future. The wine will take plenty of aging, so don’t drink before 2027. .Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2018 Calon-Ségur is blended of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot (14.9% alcohol). It is anticipated to age for 20 months in barriques, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs just a little coaxing before it reveals seductive notes of baked cherries, warm cassis, licorice and smoked meats with nuances of hoisin, camphor, Chinese five spice and dried roses with a waft of cardamom. Full-bodied and completely packed with concentrated black fruit and spice layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and a wicked backbone of freshness giving an energetic lift to the very long finish. There’s lots of brightness coming from the Cabernet Franc component in here, but it is nonetheless a decadent expression.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPRipe, fresh and well-defined from start to finish, this lets cassis and dark plum notes race through, carried by a graphite edge and backed with dark tobacco, warm earth and chestnut accents on the finish. Has serious grip and drive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2018 Calon-Ségur has a classic Saint-Estèphe nose. Rather obdurate at first, it takes time to coalesce, revealing black fruit, charcoal and warm gravel scents, well defined but distant and not predisposed to charm the imbiber. In a funny way, I quite like that stubbornness. The palate is well balanced with firm tannins and fine acidity. Maybe this feels a little pinched compared to recent vintages; it does not possess the amplitude of the 2016 and 2017 and it is rather serious on the brine-infused finish. This is a fine and very typical Calon-Ségur, though it is not the most finessed in recent years.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Aromas of blackberries and black olives with grapey undertones. Graphite as well. It’s tight and full-bodied, yet very polished and refined. Creamy texture. Just a hint of tar on the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Tiny production. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Ferrière is a powerful, tightly wound wine. Inky dark fruit, gravel, cured meats, graphite, smoke and lavender all run through the 2018. Readers will have to be especially patient, as the 2018 needs time to unwind. Yields are down from an average of 45 hectoliters per hectare to just 26, which no doubt contributes to the wine’s natural intensity. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, in other words, the Cabernet Sauvignon is especially high, a recent trend here because of climate change. This is the first year in which a portion of the wine was aged in cement and amphora (20%), which according to Claire Lurton allows for lower SO2 in aging.Vinous Media | 94 VMThere has been a clear improvement in the sculpting and concentration of this wine over the past few years. 2018 was a difficult vintage in terms of low yields, (20hl/ha after mildew), but they have really done a good job of keeping a sense of uplift and freshness. 5% Petit Verdot gives a deep spice and eucalyptus. Jacques Lurton has been doing some consulting across these estates.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

Wild-strawberry, blackberry and blueberry aromas with some spices and herbs. It’s full-bodied with a balance of firm yet elegant tannins. The savory mid-palate leads to a clean finale with serious length. Hard not to drink this now, but it needs four or five years to show its true excellence. Second wine of Angelus. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Le Carillon d’Angélus is silky, pliant and wonderfully expressive. Dark red cherry fruit, mocha, cedar and dried flowers all flesh out. The Carillon benefits immensely from air, which really brings out its aromatic presence and layers. Silky tannins wrap around the finish. This is such a pretty wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMI loved the 2018 Carillon D’Angélus. This Merlot-dominated blend (there’s 15% Cabernet Franc) offers a healthy ruby/purple color as well as a complex, smoky bouquet of ripe black fruits, graphite, tobacco, and a kiss of earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, it has a sexy, seamless texture, polished tannins, and the class to drink nicely for 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDLifted and spicy on the nose with a splash of dark fruit, the wine affirms its style with freshness, clean lines and a lightness of touch. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of depth and the tannins have been finely worked, the 60% new oak well integrated. It has early appeal but will age. Produced from fruit from three separate parcels: close to Angélus, behind Figeac and at St-Christophe-des-Bardes.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECComposed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Le Carillon d’Angélus rolls out of the glass with upfront notions of baked plums, stewed black cherries and raspberry pie, plus suggestions of potpourri, Chinese five spice, tilled soil and tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate is generous and spicy, supported by soft tannins and just enough freshness, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPBright tobacco and herb notes sparkle out front until the black currant and blackberry compote flavors catch up. The solidly grippy finish shows a dark, slightly brooding profile. Distinctive. Merlot and Cabernet FrancWine Spectator | 90-93 WS

The 2018 Gattinara Riserva Borgofranco is superb. Black cherry, leather, spice, menthol, licorice, mocha and dried herbs are beautifully amplified. Layered and expansive on the palate, with striking textural resonance, the 2018 is seriously impressive. It is another exceptional wine in this range from Cantina Delsignore.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère was showing superbly, unfurling in the glass with scents of pear, citrus oil, orange blossom, dried white flowers, toasted nuts and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it’s concentrated and textural, with tangy acids, chalky extract and a long, saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe Clos de la Mouchère is a domaine monopole of nearly 4ha. The vines date to before the Second World War and have not been replanted since. It is located midslope and consistently provides a lovely wine of exquisite balance and elegance. Here the accent is on ripe apple, spice and buttery aromas. The texture is broad and rich, but superbly elegant and well balanced. The finesse of the results in such a warm year are reassuring. Drinking Window 2022 - 2034.Decanter | 95 DECIn contrast to the nose of the Pucelles, here it’s elegant, pure and airy with its layered aromas of essence of apple, pear and acacia blossom. There is excellent volume and mid-palate density to the mouth coating and caressing middle weight flavors that culminate in a lemony finish that is hugely long if perhaps not quite as crisp. This too is very stylish and a wine that should age gracefully for years. (Drink starting 2031)Burghound | 95 BHThe 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchère 1er Cru sports just a slight reduction on the nose, but it still manages to convey energy and mineralité. Maybe it just lacks a bit of personality? The palate is well balanced with good grip and substance. A little spicier than other Puligny 2019s, there is a touch of white pepper and bitter orange peel that lends tension and complexity on the finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

At Boillot they normally make a single, 350-litre barrel of Montrachet, lightly crushing the fruit before pressing in a basket press. The results in 2019 were absolutely beautiful. Ripe pear and fresh flowers dominate the initial attack. On the palate there is a lovely intensity and richness, with a dense, creamy, buttery texture and huge reserves of substance that will keep this wine ageing for years to come. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 97 DECInterestingly, here the nose resembles a grand cru Chablis with its oyster shell, iodine, quinine, lemon-lime and bee’s wax-scented nose. There is outstanding volume and concentration to the overtly powerful and muscular flavors that are supported by a citrus-tinged and markedly firm acid spine that also shapes the cuts-like-a-knife finale. As the length of my initial projected drinking window suggests, it would be pointless to open this beauty before it has at least a decade of aging as it should easily repay two of them. In sum, this is quite simply stunningly good. (Drink starting 2039)Burghound | 97 BHNotes of orange oil, pear, peach, yellow apples, fresh bread and nutmeg introduce Boillot’s 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru, a full-bodied, satiny and concentrated wine that’s textural and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and a long, expansive finish. More tightly wound than the demonstrative 2018, his is a superb effort that will reward bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

The 2019 Condrieu Chery is always a more steely, mineral-driven example of this appellation, but it packs a punch in 2019 and has powerful notes of buttered citrus, pineapple, honeysuckle, and a liquid rock-like minerality. These carry to a rich, full-bodied Condrieu with an opulent texture, moderate acidity, and a great finish. As with most 2019 Condrieu (and 2018s), it’s not going to be the longest lived, but who cares? Drink this brilliant wine over the coming 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFrom 70-year-old vines, the 2016 Condrieu Chéry is a bit more concentrated than Niero’s Les Ravines bottling, but otherwise, it’s similar in its aromas of crushed stone and pineapple. Like the other wines at this estate, it’s aged 12 months in a mix of stainless steel (60%) and oak barrels (40%), giving it a rich, slightly oily texture. It’s harmonious and long, with pineapple and melon flavors giving way to gingery spice on the finish. (JCRobert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

Very discrete on the nose at this early stage. Rounded, very generous on the palate, plenty of fat. This is balanced by great driving intensity, citrusy acidity and a seam of salinity. The overall effect is bombastic and flamboyant, but fresh and balanced. The oak use is also generous, but it works with the wine. The alcohol is just a touch on the high side, but it’s entirely forgivable in the grand scheme of things. Incredible length. Drinking Window 2021 - 2032.Decanter | 97 DECA tiny production, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Fontaine Blanc is beautifully done and certainly ranks with the top wines of the vintage. Based on 100% Roussanne, it has a smoking bouquet of buttered citrus, caramelized white currants, toasted bread, and a touch of nuttiness to go with a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated style on the palate. With bright acidity, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish, this serious Roussanne can be enjoyed now or cellared for 10-15 years, if not longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is 100% Roussanne vinified in oak. A perfumed, smoky sip, it balances notes of sweet spice, vanilla and tobacco leaf against a core of honeyed tangerine and apple flavors. Luscious and leesy on the palate, it’s held upright by a fresh streak of lemon and hints of white pepper on the midpalate. Inviting young, the wine should hit a second peak after 2030. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPlump and open, with warmed brioche, peach and melon notes backed by heather and salted butter on the finish. Shows a late hint of macadamia nut. This is for fans of the flattering style. Drink now through 2023. 15 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Like the Clos de Vougeot, here too there is an initial note of bourgeon de cassis though considerable eventually coaxes the intensely floral-suffused aromas of spicy jasmine tea, orange peel and dark berries to reveal themselves. There is stunningly good power and intensity to the backward broad-shouldered flavors that brim with an abundance of dry extract and an almost pungent minerality on the precise, dusty and gorgeously long finish that is just a bit more structured. This is seriously good juice with the potential to match. (Drink starting 2039)Burghound | 97 BHThe 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru is much more backward on the nose compared to the outgoing Romanée-Saint-Vivant, offering dark berry fruit, cold wet limestone, briar and hints of iris flower, but showing fabulous delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannins framing extraordinary pure black fruit suffused with even more mineralité than the aforementioned RSV. It fans out wonderfully on the finish and asserts its authority over the rest of Hudelot-Noëllat’s portfolio. Brilliant.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMA brilliant wine in the making, the 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru offers up aromas of wild berries, orange rind, plums, warm spices, licorice and incense. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it’s layered and textural, with a broad attack that segues into a deep, lively and multidimensional core, concluding with a bright, precise finish of notable duration. This will be well worth ardent pursuit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | (95-97)+ RPThe domaine owns 0.28ha of Richebourg in Les Richebourgs, between Grivot and DRC, that were planted in 1950, with this parcel making a magnificent and monumental wine. This 2019 is still a bit closed initially, but opens with some time on the palate to show great depth of fruit, despite a very firm structure and massive extract. Less exotic and forward than the wine made by the proprietors on either side, but equally compelling. Drinking Window 2024 - 2049.Decanter | 95 DEC