Vinous (94)

The 2015 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru is bright, precise and crystalline - in other words, a classic expression of this great grand cru. White flowers, crushed rocks, mint and slate all run through this super-expressive, nuanced Chablis from Dauvissat. Even in this warm, radiant vintage, the personality of Preuses comes through loud and clear - and that is perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay to this wine.

James Suckling (96)

This is a Clos de Vougeot with a dense and velvety texture that shows richness and structured. Yet, there is a friendliness and polish to the palate. Hazelnut and cream undertones. Reserved and almost shy at this point. Savory and flavorful. Drink in 2021.

James Suckling (100)

This is very structured and framed with an almost red sensibility. Very phenolic. Full-bodied in a tightly wound ball with so much going on. Very pinot like. Mineral and stone. Shell and stone. Iodine. Vinous. The bubbles just fade into the finish of the wine, which goes on for minutes. Turns to toffee and salted caramel with time in the glass. One for the cellar. Great length. Blend of 53% pinot noir, 25% pinot meunier, 22% chardonnay. Disgorged in beginning of 2020. Drink or hold.

Vinous (93+)

The 2016 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru is extremely well defined on the nose with blacker fruit than its peers, wet limestone scents percolating through the red berry fruit, somehow sedate and effortless. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, nigh perfect acidity, a touch of fleshiness towards the finish. It is not the most ambitious Grand Cru, yet in terms of sheer pleasure, this hits the spot. Drink over the next 15 to 20 years. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2016 tasting.

Jancis Robinson (18)

60 m difference in height between the top and the bottom of the Clos. 50% new and 50% second-use barrel. 90% whole bunch (some years 100%). Will be racked to tank at the end of December. Once in cuve it is stable so there is no hurry to bottle. Must have at least a month in tank to stabilise so they will bottle February –April. Bottling best in March or October – never too cold or hot. No filtration. They bottle with descending moon when the wine is more still. Beautifully, darkly aromatic with plenty of peppery spice. Woody rather than oaky. There’s freshness from the tannins as well as from the acidity and the texture is so silky on the mid palate yet with power on the finish. Refined, flowing, dry and long. Handsome beauty and so easy to taste even with the underlying intensity and power. There’s just a very slight hint of stems but not OTT. Dark elegance.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (95)

Rch layer of damson and black cherry, raspberry coulis, saffron and white pepper, concetrated fruit while retaining the salinity of limestone, with grip and clear ageing-ability. 60ha estate with old vines on clay-limestone slopes, Nicolas Seillan winemaker, promoted in the 2022 ranking and this is the first vintage able to use it on the label. 52% new oak barrels (from 15 different forest. 3.6pH.

James Suckling (95)

Deep and dark berry aromas with a center of cedar and tobacco. Full-bodied, tannic and rich with a solid backbone and excellent structure. Plenty of fruit and flavor. It goes on for minutes. One hell of a second wine for Mouton. Try after 2025.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today.

James Suckling (95)

Juicy and spicy with fresh tobacco, redcurrants and crushed stone character. Medium to full body. Medium velvety tannins and a delicious finish. Will age beautifully as well. Better after 2026.

Decanter (96)

Open and pleasant nose showing pretty floral and ripe red berry fruit along with spicy oak. The palate is elegant and juicy with red apple, beetroot and dried cranberry flavours, crunchy, ripe tannins and a chalky undertone. Very fine, tasty and well handled.

Wine Spectator (97)

Rose, cherry and spice aromas introduce this light-bodied, saturated version. The flavors add wild strawberry, incense and kirsch notes, while remaining persistent on the kaleidoscopic finish. Feels tense now, yet should develop nicely over time. A mineral element lingers.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The 2015 Champagne Blanc De Noirs Cuvée Du Goulte Grand Cru Extra Brut pours a deep straw color, while the nose lifts to oceanic aromas of sea spray and crushed stones along with orange peel. As it opens, it reveals deep layers of apricot preserve. A bit reserved on opening, it deserves time to open and settle into itself, after which it becomes more profound as its mousse settles.

Vinous (95-97)

The 2018 Volnay Clos des Ducs 1er Cru, the famous 2.15-hectare monopole of the domaine, is matured in around 25% new oak, although Guillaume d’Angerville mentioned that he intends to use less new oak in the future. It has a very intense bouquet of raspberry preserve, kirsch, blood orange and sous-bois aromas, all displaying wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fabulous density and complexity, offering brambly red fruit, blood orange, orange peel, suggestions of dark chocolate and, of course, wonderful mineral tension on the persistent finish, which fans out beautifully. This is an exceptionally fine Volnay that will age for 30–40 years.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

Just beginning to mature, this balanced, ripe wine is complex, with bright acidity, toast and pear and green-plum fruits. It is rich, with a tight mouse that shows intensity as well as a stylish character. This is a fine wine just coming into its own but well worth aging further until 2020.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

Just beginning to mature, this balanced, ripe wine is complex, with bright acidity, toast and pear and green-plum fruits. It is rich, with a tight mouse that shows intensity as well as a stylish character. This is a fine wine just coming into its own but well worth aging further until 2020.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The second wine of Troplong Mondot and 100% Merlot, the 2016 Mondot reveals a deep, saturated purple color as well as a rocking nose of black cherries, graphite, chocolate, and scorched earth. Ripe, deep, and sexy, with sweet tannins, it’s a rocking entry-level wine to drink over the coming 10-15 years. There are under 2,000 cases.

The Wine Independent (99)

The Palmer 2019 is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs considerable shaking to unlock notions of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, leading to wafts of rose oil and espresso. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with rich, seductive black and blue fruit, supported by heart-thumping tension and very fine tannins, finishing with epic length and jaw-dropping fragrance. Stunning!

Revered universally for its superior quality, the Pierre Girardin Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2019 is a contemporary classic symbolising true French finesse. Nestled amidst the legendary Burgundy region, Pierre Girardin, a 13th generation winemaker, crafts this exquisite wine using meticulous methods. Beauteous blue clay and limestone-intensive soil replace additives, providing a distinct terroir.

The vinification process uses 100% destemmed grapes and indigenous yeasts, aged for 18 months in French Oak barrels. This careful crafting provides a full-bodied, richly layered spectrum of flavours from luscious blackberries to dark cherries, popping with undertones of well-integrated oak and earthy undertones. A surprising note of minerality and soft, rounded tannins leave a sumptuous, lasting finish.

The Pierre Girardin Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2019, boasting an alluring deep ruby hue, is a testament to the Burgundian tradition of winemaking and a superb reflection of its revered vintage.

In the fine world of Burgundy wines, Pierre Girardin Pommard 1er Cru Les Charmots 2019 reigns supreme. This prestigious wine is crafted with great acumen by Pierre Girardin, a 13th generation winemaker. Born and raised in the heart of French winemaking, Girardin employs traditional Cistercian monk techniques that date back to the 11th century. It's a unique wine born in the famous vineyards of Pommard, France.

The Pierre Girardin Pommard 1er Cru Les Charmots 2019 is a true masterpiece. A distinct concentration of red and dark fruit flavours, beautifully complemented by notes of spice and a touch of earthiness, encapsulates the terroir marvelously. This wine, rich with well-structured tannins and perfectly balanced acidity, is a testament to the stunning 2019 vintage of the Burgundy region.

Every bottle embodies the meticulous attention to detail and dedication inherent in Girardin's wine-making, and as such, the Pierre Girardin Pommard 1er Cru Les Charmots 2019 is an undeniable nectar of the gods.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.

Vinous (98)

We started with the 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, which is every bit as racy and seductive as it has always been. It’s a great, great vintage for Comtes.