Wine Ratings

wines

Deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena offers tones of cassis and blueberries, with slowly emerging accents of dark chocolate, aniseed, vanilla and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, it has lush fruits, a plush, rounded frame and bursts of fresh acidity highlighting its spicy accents on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is racy and expressive in the glass. Super-ripe red raspberry, spice, vanillin and a hint of chocolate add a pretty touch of flamboyance to this open-knit, silky Cabernet Sauvignon. Supple and inviting, with no hard edges, the 2018 will drink well right out of the gate. Best of all the 2018 is a fabulous value.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGNicely packed with plum, currant and blackberry purée flavors laced with black licorice and framed by a perfectly integrated alder note. Flash of sweet bay in the background, too. Drink now through 2026. 1,575 cases made. Wine Spectator | 92 WSWith a sumptuously inviting nose of nutmeg, clove and dark chocolate, this rich wine is blended with 14% Malbec and 2% Merlot. Dusty texture gives in to a core of soft, supple tannins that melt on the palate, finishing with length and breadth.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA very rich, opulent nose with aromas of sandalwood, nougat and grilled plum. It’s full-bodied with a firm tannin structure. Stewed fruit flavors lead to a warm, toffee and chocolate-infused finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSThe base appellation 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley checks in as 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, and the rest Petit Verdot. Solid mulberry and blackberry fruits as well as ample earthy tobacco and leather notes emerge from the glass, and it’s medium-bodied, with a rounded, elegant texture and ripe, polished tannins. I don’t think it’s going to make old bones, but it should deliver the goods for at least 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Aromas of blackberries, dried lavender, black olives, tobacco, herbs and some smoked meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Layered and concentrated with a sleek, savory finish. 85% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 3% malbec. Better from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSComing from the talented Thienpont team, the 2018 Château Puygueraud is a juicy, up-front, undeniably delicious 2018 offering lots of perfumed, floral, and violet notes, sumptuous blue fruits, medium-bodied richness, and a juicy, balanced, lengthy style that keeps you coming back to the glass. The balance is spot on, as is the purity of fruit, and it’s ideal for enjoying any time over the coming decade. The blend is 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is great stuff and highly drinkable with a wonderful richness on the nose and palate. It’s pretty fierce in fact and has real impact with the austerity of the mid palate quickly filled out by rich sweet black cherry fruit and a deeply spiced finish. The harvest took place between 24 September and 5 October. (Drink between 2021-2028)Decanter | 92 DEC

The Clos des Mouches made by Joseph Drouhin may be more famous, but Bichot’s parcel of 0.7ha, situated in the highest part of the Premier Cru, is pretty impressive in its own right. Bright, focused and chiselled, it’s the sort of white that wouldn’t look out of place in Puligny-Montrachet, combining citrus, wet stone and aniseed flavours.Drinking Window 2021 - 2028Decanter | 94 DECA creamy-textured white with sliced apples, pears, cream and some lemon and lime rind. Hints of morning yogurt and smoke. Medium-bodied, ready and delicious. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSCream and roasted hazelnut notes create an inviting, rounded nose on this wine. The palate has that same hazelnut richness and creamy flow, buttressed by freshness that recalls lemon and yellow pear. A lovely balance and a juicy, fresh finish do justice to the warm 2018 vintage. Drink by 2035.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Beaune "Clos des Mouches" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral nose combines notes of various white-fleshed fruit with those of lemon grass and spice wisps. The sleek, delicious and equally seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess very good depth and sneaky length. This balanced effort should drink well young as well as with a few years of bottle aging. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 91 BHMarked by vivid acidity, this white evokes lemon, apple, vanilla and clove notes. A tad disjointed, this could use a year to integrate, or decant now. Shows echoes of oak spice on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2029. 480 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The flagship red 2018 Rioja Reserva was produced with a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Cariñena) and 2% Garnacha selected from their 300 hectares of vineyards that exemplifies the character of the vintage and the place. 2018 was a year with good rain and a cool season that resulted in a late harvest, which started on October 1 and was slow and delivered grapes with good freshness. Each variety and plot fermented separately in stainless steel. and the wines aged separately in American oak barrels for 21 months and then settled in concrete until bottling. It follows the path of the 2016, where I noticed a change that is taken further in this, controlling the power and increasing the freshness. It’s very aromatic, a year completely different from the 2017; it has less structure and more freshness and subtler balance and enough oomph, concentration and power neatly compensated by freshness. I believe 2018 was a very good vintage to implement this change. It’s perfumed, fresh, elegant and medium-bodied, with a velvety texture. Superb! 960,000 bottles produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSavory cured-meat, tobacco and grilled-spice notes to the bright plum, red-date, cherry and green-olive aromas. Quite a juicy, medium-bodied Rioja with fresh and extremely silky tannins caressing the zesty orange and crunchy red-berry flavors. Nuanced, fluid and effortlessly drinkable. Long and extremely elegant. A vintage that highlights layering and freshness, rather than power and depth. 86% tempranillo, 8% graciano, 4% mazuelo and 2% garnacha. Delicious now, but will hold well.James Suckling | 94 JS(Rioja “Reserva”- Marqués de Murrieta (Rioja Alta)) The 2018 Reserva from Marqués de Murrieta has not been released yet, but the bodegas kindly sent me a sample for inclusion in this article. The wine is excellent on both the nose and palate, offering up a ripe and complex bouquet of black cherries, raspberries, cigar wrapper, clove-like spice tones, a beautiful base of soil, incipient notes of nutskin and cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a fine core of fruit, lovely mineral drive and grip, fine-grained, buried tannins and a long, ripe and well-balanced finish. The ripeness of the 2018 vintage is evident here, but it is handled seamlessly and the wine is really going to be lovely. I suspect it will age very much like a top 1982 Rioja. (Drink between 2028 - 2075)John Gilman | 93 JGFresh and elegant, with a mouthful of ripe, crushed cherry and red currant fruit, this medium-bodied red is framed by crisp tannins and a minerally underpinning. Enticing hints of eucalyptus, dried fig and cigar box play on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha Tinta. Drink now through 2028. 80,000 cases made, 14,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

José Luis Ripa has only started his own label recently, dedicated to solely making Rioja Rosado. He probably has plenty of red and white Rioja in his cellar to drink already, as his wife is Maria José López de Heredia! His 2018 Rosado is composed from a blend of eighty-five percent Garnacha and fifteen percent Tempranillo, with the wine is fermented and raised in older, French oak demi-muids for eighteen months prior to bottling. The wine offers up a refined bouquet of strawberry, blood orange, chalky soil tones, rose petals, a touch of oak from the older casks and a lovely array of Rioja spice tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with outstanding depth at the core, bright acids, lovely balance and grip and a very long, gently vinous finish. This is truly a stunning bottle of Rioja Rosado! It is delicious already, but is clearly built to age and will have little difficulty cruising along for twenty years or more! Great juice. (Drink between 2023-2050).John Gilman, A View from the Cellar | 94 JGThe rosé 2018 RIPA Vino Rosado follows the same path as the 2017, 60% Garnacha and 40% Tempranillo aged and matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels where the wine matured for 30 months. The vintage was quite cold, and the grapes were picked on October 20. The wine has a more vibrant palate and a lower pH, with more freshness. It’s quite marked by the long élevage, so it takes on a specific profile with more nutty and spicy notes and a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s spicy, vibrant, still round and lush, with a dark color, very different from the pale Provençal examples... 6,200 bottles were filled in December 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Argenina is a total knock-out. Bright, aromatic and silky, the 2018 is pure class. Crushed flowers, mint, spice, licorice, tobacco and incense are some of the notes that grace this exquisite Chianti Classico. When I taste the best wines here, I often wonder why more producers aren’t capable of this level of quality. Stellar.Vinous Media | 93 VMPreviously bottled as an annata, Palazzino’s Argenina has now been elevated to Gran Selezione, meaning the estate’s entire Chianti Classico production now falls into this category. It comes from a vineyard in the southern reaches of Gaiole on limestone-rich, fluvial terraces. An autumnal whiff of chestnut is followed by fetching heather and cinnamon stick. Elegant and fine framed, it presents as midweight and linear at first, then fleshes out across the palate. Tangy acidity persists throughout, and there’s a subtle yet confident grip of tannins on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Argenina is herbaceous with pine, damp soil, and dried cherry. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins, a soft stony texture, and notes of plum pit and tea leaf., it is a pleasantly savory wine to drink over the next 5-7 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino offers a full and generous personality with layers of dark fruit, cola, rosemary and balsam herb. This is a medium to full-bodied Sangiovese with lots of ripe fruit, soft tannins and rich texture. Like many of the Brunellos from this vintage, this wine offers an accessible side that makes it easy to drink without waiting too much longer. Production is 40,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA darkly floral bouquet of musky red currants and hints of savory spice wafts up from the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino. It’s silky and pliant, with herbal-tinged red and black fruits that flow across a core of saline-minerality. The 2018 finishes long and staining to the senses, with a web of fine tannins offset by hints of citrus-tinged blackberry. There’s an underlying power here seldom seen in the 2018 vintage, but patience will be required.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino is modest and elegantly styled, with raspberry liqueur, fresh herbs, and rose hip. Medium-bodied and driven by orange citrus pith, strawberry, cloves, and dusty tannins, it is a finessed and cooling example from the vintage. Drink 2024-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDPorcini mushrooms, cherry stones, iodine and some beetroot here. Savory and chewy, with a medium body and firm tannins. A little tight and austere at the finish. Should soften. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2018 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard is quite deep and heady in this vintage. Red fruit, iron, white pepper and savory herbs give the Ryan its distinctly incisive, feral personality. Hints of blood orange, raspberry and spice add an exotic flair. There is plenty of character here, that is for sure.Vinous Media | 94 VMComing from vines that provided less than one ton per acre, this concentrated bottling begins with aromas of blackberry, loamy soil and a hint of violet. The palate is wrapped in chalky tannins yet remains bright with black-raspberry and elderflower flavors. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WECalera’s highest elevation vineyard on Mt. Harlan, Ryan produced a powerful wine in 2018—rich, flavorful, broad in structure—all of it delivered with a compact texture that’s a marvel of control. It leads with scents of chocolate mint, black plum and beeswax, glossy, vinous and firm, the dark fruit flavors brushing up against sage-scented mountain scrub. A big wine; all of its weight is in the right place for skirt steak.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 93 W&SRipe and well-focused, offering gently mulled loganberry and black cherry fruit, with steeped black tea, incense and savory details. This is carried by a fine chalky spine through a lengthy finish. Solidly built and one for the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2033. 752 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2018 Barolo Perno is a wild, exotic wine. The bouquet alone is captivating. Leather, orange peel, sage, mint, dried flowers and mulling spices all soar out of the glass. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2018 packs a serious punch. Sinewy tannins play off a core of inner sweetness and bright saline notes. This heady, racy Barolo is an exotic beauty. The volatile acidity is on the higher side, but it works within the context of this very old-school style.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2018 Barolo Le Coste di Monforte is a dark, brooding wine. A blast of dark cherry, menthol, licorice, dried herbs, incense, tobacco and gravel hits the palate, conveying all of the virile intensity this site is so well-known for. There’s good depth and a fair amount of brawny tannins to wrap it all together. The 2018 is very nicely done.Vinous Media | 93 VM

This is tightly coiled now, but the range of juicy tangerine, white peach and white ginger notes should unfurl soon enough, carried by a mouthwatering quinine note and ending with a light orange blossom hint on the finish. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2026. 12,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTangy aromas and flavors of lemon zest, fresh green pear, yoghurt and hints of beeswax. It’s medium-to full-bodied with bright acidity. Flavorful and concentrated with a sleek, phenolic texture. Crushed stones on the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSBeautiful white peach, honeysuckle, white flowers, and a touch of toasted almond emerge from the 2018 Lune d’Argent Blanc, and it’s medium-bodied, with a balanced, elegant texture, nicely integrated acidity, and plenty of fruit and depth. A blend of 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon, it’s going to be even better with another year in bottle and keep for 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2018 Lune d’Argent has a perfumed nose of white flowers and honeysuckle, subtle frangipane scents patiently waiting in the background. The palate is well balanced with a slightly honeyed entry, plenty of tropical fruit (passion fruit and guava) and a concentrated, almost viscous finish that lingers in the mouth. Yes, it does come across as a bit heady, but it’s still thoroughly enjoyable.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The Poggio Landi 2019 Brunello di Montalcino (a certified organic wine) has a note of teak wood or Indian furniture shop that gives this wine a slightly exotic personality. To that, I would add dark fruit, dried currant and sweet blueberry. It ends with medium fruit weight and open-knit tannins that give the wine accessibility. This is a very ambitious release of 130,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA lean style, this red delivers a core of cherry and strawberry fruit shaded with earth, tobacco and mineral accents. Stiff tannins take over on the chewy finish. Best from 2027 through 2040. 10,500 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAromas of blackberries, dried dark mushrooms and forest floor follow through to a medium body with firm, polished tannins and a juicy finish. Lightly chewy at the end. From organically grown grapes. Needs a couple of years to soften. Best after 2026.James Suckling | 91 JSA blend of dusty flowers, cloves and crushed stones complement dried blueberries as the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino slowly awakens in the glass. It washes across the palate with mineral-laden red fruits and savory spices as brisk acidity maintains an energetic feel. This leaves a web of fine-grained tannins that clamp down hard, yet freshness is maintained as the 2019 finishes staining, long and full of youthful vibrancy.Vinous Media | 90 VMMade with organically farmed grapes, the Poggio Landi 2019 Brunello has aromas of lavender, red berry, leather and camphor. Lithe and straightforward, the palate suggests tart cherry, bitter orange, mocha and peppercorn accompanied by dusty, rather drying tannins. Drink 2025–2030. Drink 2026–2034. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 90 KO

In the bottle with the burgundy-colored label, the Tenute Silvio Nardi 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a layered and generous wine with black fruit, cherry, spice and a hint of Provençal mixed herbs on black olive. There are further hints of underbrush, crushed slate, petrichor from schistic soils, and toasted almond that adds some sweetness from French oak. The tannins are velvety and soft, but this wine is regularly balanced throughout. It’s well made in an ample production of 150,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA spicy version, whose black pepper and Szechuan peppercorn notes highlight the core cherry and strawberry flavors. Underbrush and iron accents also enter the mix, while this stays balanced and long as the tannins leave their grip on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2042. 12,000 cases made, 3,300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBlackberry, black-truffle and black-cherry aromas follow through to a medium body with juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Polished, pretty tannins here. Nicely crafted. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is dark in color and style, with a bouquet of dried berries and florals complicated by orange zest and a dusting of cocoa. It sweeps across the palate with racy acidity and sleek textures that usher in spicy cherry-berry fruits. The 2019 finishes with a mentholated freshness, edgy tannins and medium length, leaving a slightly bitter tinge to linger.Vinous Media | 90 VMAn assemblage of various plots throughout Montalcino, this spends 12 months in French oak tonneaux followed a further 18 in large Slavonian oak casks. Nutmeg, allspice and chocolate lead. Ripe but not rich, this is strapping in personality. Somewhat astringent tannins suggest a generous extraction. These need to catch up with the mature, mellowed fruit. Frisky acidity preserves freshness and tamarind introduces an enticing twist. It has plenty of personality, if not completely balanced. The Nardi family works with Bordeaux consultant Eric Boissenot for the final blend.Decanter | 90 DEC

The certified organic Col d’Orcia 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows ripe fruit, blackberry, earthy notes, licorice and, generally speaking, a much bigger and riper fruit profile compared to its peers. It offers full-bodied Brunello opulence to enjoy over the near or medium term, and the wine delivers dried fruit flavors of prune and fig to close. The tannins are velvety and add to the richness of the rather upfront and immediate mouthfeel. An ample 250,000 bottles were created.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis tightly packed version is resonant and persistent, with fine integration of all its components, despite being compact and austere today, revealing cherry, raspberry, rose, earth and mineral flavors. Give this the benefit of the doubt. Best from 2026 through 2042. 20,000 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2019 Chianti Classico has changed dramatically since I last tasted it, either because of more time in bottle, or because this is a later bottling. In any event, the 2019 is dense, ample and resonant in feel. Readers will find a serious, texturally intense Chianti Classico that delivers the goods, big time.Vinous Media | 94 VMCastell’in Villa’s 50 hectares of vineyards are scattered around the southern reaches of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Despite the zone’s warmth and generous sunlight, proprietress Coralia Pignatelli crafts firm, vertical wines rather than fruit-driven examples. The 2019 exhibits greater density than the cooler 2018 vintage but offers the same signature purity and precision. Fragrances of citrus, truffles and cherry expand to the palate. Layered and textured, with chalky tannins and pierced through by nervous acidity.Decanter | 93 DEC

Currants and flowers with just a whiff of lavender on the nose. Medium body, fine tannins and a bright finish. Vivid and very attractive. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Makes you want to drink it. Better in a couple of years.James Suckling | 93 JSThis is a blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that was first produced in 1992. The Castello del Terriccio 2019 Tassinaia hits a very attractive price point and offers lots of dark fruit concentration and richness along the way. Grilled herb, candied watermelon, tar and spice appear on the nose. The wine travels over the palate with some sharpness, good freshness and overall accessibility.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Only in its second vintage, the certified organic Gagliole 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva addresses the need for a category that sits between the entry-level reds and the high-end Gran Selezione wines. Fruit is sourced exclusively from Panzano for an intense ruby color shaded by elegant darkness. Aromas recall blackberry, graphite, flint and white pepper. This wine prizes freshness, a streamlined mouthfeel and those pretty mineral notes that drive a very long and polished finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva takes things up a notch for a more complete and robust wine, with a rich perfume of pure black cherry, anise, and dried lavender. The palate is equally more concentrated, with medium to full body, fine tannins, and a silky mouthfeel that is long with juicy fruit. This is a pure, clean, sunny wine that is hard to resist now. Drink 2023-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBeautiful aromas of roses and other flowers, together with fresh cherries and lemon rind, following through to a medium body with freshness and vivid intensity to the finish. Spicy at the end. From organically grown grapes.James Suckling | 93 JSThis red leads with black cherry, blackberry, mineral and oak spice flavors. Shows a solid spine of tannins and lively acidity for support, revealing a crisp, lightly astringent feel on the finish. Best from 2026 through 2045. 2,500 cases made, 850 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSNotes of licorice and black olive accent flavors of red cherry and tangy orange peel. High-toned and floral, with lingering spice notes on the finish.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 91 W&SThe 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva emerges from estate vineyards in Panzano. Sweet floral and spice notes add lovely inner perfume to this elegant, silky Riserva. This is an especially gracious, understated Riserva for Panzano. All the elements are nicely balanced in a Riserva that will drink well with minimal cellaring. The aromatics are especially expressive today. The 2019 spent 12 months in neutral oak followed by six months in cement. (Drink between 2023 - 2034)Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a very well defined, quite vivid bouquet with blueberry, loganberry, pitted black olive and light sea spray aromas. This is one of the best aromatics that I have encountered from this Grand Cru in 2019. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. It is actually quite "Mazis" in style thanks to the structure, though it closes down a touch towards the almost surly finish. This is a "serious" Charmes-Chambertin from Arnaud Mortet that deserves several years in bottle.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe holding is next to Griotte-Chambertin, with a soil full of small stones. 50% whole bunches here. This 2019 Charmes-Chambertin is remarkably stylish and not too obviously opulent. Instead it is beautiful, balanced, filling the mouth graciously with pure red fruit, and a lovely follow through, finesse throughout and very persistent. Tasted: November 2020.Jasper Morris | 94-98 JMServed after the Chambertin this year. A full crop unaffected by the frost. Full bright purple, less crimson than Chambertin. The nose has a toasty reduction. There is the expected intensity of fruit of but it is in a slightly undigested form at the moment, and the acidity is a little more prominent. This may show better a little further down the road. Tasted: October 2017.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA relatively high-toned array is composed of red cherry, pomegranate and raspberry along with oak and warm earth nuances. The mouthfeel of the middle weight flavors is less full-bodied but slightly finer before delivering outstanding persistence on the seductively textured and more mineral-driven finale. This is really quite lovely and fashioned in an understated style. Make no mistake though, this beauty should age just as well as the Mazoyères.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Very attractive cherry and dark berry aromas follow through to a medium body with medium round tannins, fresh acidity and a clean, fruity finish. The second wine of Sassicaia. So delicious now, but can age.James Suckling | 92 JSMade with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Sangiovese, this has enticing aromas of cassis, black tea, violet and wild herb. Savory and elegantly structured, the medium-bodied palate shows ripe blackberry, star anise and a hint of coffee bean framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink through 2025. Kerin O’Keefe | 92 KOMade with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Sangiovese, this has enticing aromas of cassis, black tea, violet and wild herbs. Savory and elegantly structured, the medium-bodied palate shows ripe blackberry, star anise and a hint of coffee bean framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink through 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2019 Sauvignon Voglar is simply stunning. Peter Dipoli decided to hold this vintage back due to its youthful intensity and bracing acidity. This is remarkably pretty, blending spring flowers with lime zest, crushed stone and traces of petrol. This is expansive and supple, with depths of saline minerals and piercing citrus fruits giving way to inner herbal tones. The 2019 finishes incredibly fresh and long yet on a note of refinement, leaving a tart lemon rind sensation that puckers the cheeks.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Beautiful, sweet cassis and blue fruits as well as lots of violet and floral notions emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied, rich, concentrated barrel sample with wonderful purity of fruit, a good sense of freshness, and serious length on the finish. This promising, elegant yet powerful wine is going to shine with short-term bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThis smooth, indulgent wine layers milk chocolate, blueberries, cocoa and blackberries over soft tannins and soft acidity for a sweet-tasting palate and lingering finish. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Aromas of sour red cherries, fennel and lifted floral notes of lavenders and potpourri. Medium-bodied and round textured with astringent tannins. Excellent length. Healthy and balanced. Try in 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe deep ruby-colored 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is more reserved on opening, with aromas of black cherry, leather, turned soil, and menthol starting to come through. Well-balanced and medium to full-bodied, its tannins are a touch firm, but it’s mouthwatering, with a more citrus-toned profile coming through to lift it along to its a salty finish. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Unfurling in the glass with aromas of red berries, rose petals, sweet soil tones and orange rind, the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles is medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit and a vibrant, seamless profile, concluding with a fragrant, peony-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPDe Montille has two parcels of Pézerolles totalling 1.35ha, located just above Petits Epenots, nearly at the northern limit of the appellation. The vineyard delivers a most un-Pommardian sort of wine; supple and approachable, with sweet cherry fruit and a tender, silky texture on the palate that recalls the wines of Volnay. It is fermented with 50% whole clusters and the wine is approachable now, yet should age well for years to come.Decanter | 93 DECThe vines are a mix of old and young, with replantings now on stream. The old vines have been vinified as whole bunches, around 40% overall. Medium depth of colour, and a slightly darker fruit, less sweetly sensual than the Grands Epenots. This is not a monster, but does stretch out beautifully to a fine long finish. Darker cherry and raspberry throughout. Tasted Oct 2020.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2019 Pommard Les Pézerolles 1er Cru is much more backward on the nose compared to de Montille’s other Pommards, offering brambly red berry fruit, clove and bay leaf. The palate is beautifully balanced, the 50% whole cluster contributing a light pepperiness but allowing the terroir to shine. Smooth on the finish. Vinous Media | 91-93 VMHere too there is a whiff of volatile acidity that plays at the edge of perceptibility on the mostly red berry fruit and spice infused nose. There is a lovely sense of refinement to the nicely rich and well-delineated flavors that exude a bracing salinity on the sneaky long, firm and youthfully austere finale. While not technically perfect, this is still really quite good.Burghound | 90-93 BH

Aromas of peonies, plums, red berries, potpourri, warm spices and orange rind introduce de Montille’s 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Les Taillepieds, a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that’s deep and concentrated, with lively acids and supple tannins that assert themselves gently on the finish. As usual, this will require some patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis 1.51ha parcel of Taillepieds is located at the top of the hill in gravelly soils. The grapes were entirely fermented as whole clusters and the result is wonderful. Initially somewhat closed, it opens with time to show lovely plummy fruit, with a hidden reserve of floral and garrigue aromas, plus a marked saline character. The texture at this stage is somewhat severe, with firm, slightly austere tannins, but the density suggests it will open up with time.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2019 Volnay Les Taillepieds 1er Cru has a riper nose than Buffet’s Taillepieds. Fleshy Morello cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, hints of orange peel and background black truffle nuances linger. The palate is medium-bodied, with finely chiseled tannins and a clever reduction at play here that lends edge toward the finish. Exuding good energy and becoming more peppery in the glass, this should age with style once it absorbs its patina of oak. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMA super-floral nose seems to have every floral element in the book including a perfumed hint of gardenia that adds a touch of elegance to the exotically spicy aromas of red and black raspberry. The pure and almost painfully intense flavors are like rolling tiny stones around in the mouth while delivering outstanding depth and persistence on the overtly austere, serious and compact finale that leaves zero doubt that this beauty is built-to-age. In a word, terrific.Burghound | 92-95 BHA light to medium red, attractively perfumed. There is a sterner structure on the palate, with some evidence of whole bunches adding a salinity to the finish. A little liquorice touch as well. This is relatively restrained and I suspect there may yet be more to develop. Drink from 2028-2036. Tasted Sep 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

The 2019 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru is laden with more new oak on the nose compared to its peers, and, as such, it doesn’t possess the same delineation and terroir expression. There is some reduction and Brettanomyces at play here. The palate is medium-bodied with plush tannins, but is a little chewy and rustic. There is a very slight but nagging vegetal edge on the finish that just detracts from the overall harmony, though that may resolve with time. It looks as if it has been overtaken by their Latricières-Chambertin. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMA riper and spicier but still appealingly fresh nose presents notes of poached plum, red currant and a plethora of floral elements that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The more voluminous and richer medium-bodied flavors are less mineral-driven but more caressing and seductively textured while offering excellent length on the ever-so-mildly warm and vaguely sweet finale. This too could use a bit more depth, but the underlying material appears to be present for that to gradually develop. With that said, the sweetness of the finish renders this a bit less attractive than its two grand cru brethren.Burghound | 91 BHThe sombre side of crimson. This is showing a slightly heavy and reductive nose. Better on the palate but still on the heavy side, freshened by some stems, but there might be a bacterial element too. Not on form today, to revisit. Tasted Sep 2023.Jasper Morris | 90 JM