The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

Wine Advocate (98+)

The 2018 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak barriques. The alcohol weighs in at just over 14.5%. Sporting a deep purple-black color, it needs a lot of swirling to begin to unlock a powerful nose of crème de cassis, stewed plums, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, star anise, tree and clove oil, plus a waft of charcoal. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with taut, muscular black fruits and earthy layers, framed by super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully earthy. A very impressive behemoth, this is going to need a good seven to 10 years to truly show its stuff and should drink for a good 40 years and beyond.

James Suckling (93)

Intense aromas of sliced mushrooms, blackberries and spices follow through to a full body, with sweet, ripe fruit, velvety tannins and a fresh clean finish. Tangy and fresh. Best ever from here and one of the values of the vintage. Best in 2016.

Wine Advocate (92)

Bottled in February 2021 (no, that isn't a typo), Defaix's 2009 Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet wafts from the glass with aromas of honeycomb, golden orchard fruit, apricot, spices and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, broad and satiny, it's a lively, saline wine that concludes with a delicately nutty finish.

Decanter (98)

What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition.

Wine Enthusiast (92)

This is a lightweight Cristal, floating and fresh, without the punch this great wine can have from Pinot Noir. It is also way too young. To taste, there is good balance, but the persistent grapefruit flavor shows the wine's youth.

James Suckling (99)

This shows incredible depth of fruit with strawberry, cherry and phenolics. Full-bodied and layered with an incredible, three-dimensional element to the wine. This is so transparent and dynamic with dark fruit, yet it remains vivid and bright. Refined and precise, it goes on and on. Really savory, fresh and incredibly pinot-noir-like. What a wine. 13 years of maturation in the bottle. So drinkable now, but it will age for many years ahead.

James Suckling (98)

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

Vinous (97+)

The 2013 La Tâche Grand Cru is dazzling. Bright and nuanced, the 2013 sizzles with energy right out of the gate. The 2013 is just starting to open. Ideally, a few more years in the cellar would be helpful, but the 2013 is so inviting at this stage. This late-ripening year produced a La Tâche that bristles with tension.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Charmes and Mazoyères. Barrel sample – taken from a new barrel (70% new for the grands crus though they are starting to reduce this). Sweet oaky spice adding to the fruit spice. Thick texture from the oak but under that is a well of lovely fruit. Chewy texture. Not notably fresh but balanced and likely to ‘stretch’ and freshen with longer élevage. A powerhouse.

Savour the exquisite Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019, an exemplary expression of craftmanship from the iconic estate of Domaine Leflaive. Hailing from Macon region in Burgundy, this wine is cultivated on a unique limestone and clay terroir in Le Clos Reyssier. The 2019 vintage captures the essence of the vineyard, with meticulous bio-dynamic farming and traditional vinification in oak barrels lending depth and complexity to this Chardonnay.

Under the visionary leadership of Brice de La Morandière and the winemaking prowess of Pierre Vincent, Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019 offers a harmonious blend of floral notes, stone fruit accents, and minerality. The palate presents a vibrant acidity balanced gracefully with a rich texture and a long, luxurious finish. Esprit Leflaive continues the Leflaive heritage of producing world-class wines, and this vintage is no exception. A heavenly experience undeniably awaits with each sip of the Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019.

Decanter (94)

Great purity of fruit and a silky elegance on the palate that consistently surpasses the already-elevated norm for this village. This wine is a selection of the best parcels among the 26ha Faiveley owns in Gevrey (over 30 parcels). The wines that don't make the cut are sold to other négociants; the average ripeness of the wines that do are 13% alcohol. The grapes are mostly destemmed and fermented with very little punching down before being aged in cask (20% new).

The Wine Independent (100)

Composed of 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, the 2019 Figeac is deep garnet-purple colored. It needs considerable swirling to coax out its alluring perfume of redcurrant jelly, juicy blackcurrants, and blackberries, with underlying suggestions of candied violets, chocolate box, fragrant earth, and lavender plus a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a mind-blowing array of layers with exceptionally ripe, fine-grained tannins and jaw-dropping tension, leading to a fantastically persistent mineral and floral-tinged finish that makes your heart stop. With its energy, structure, and incredible depth, truly, this is a towering triumph.

Vinous (95)

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet of mixed red and black fruit and a faint touch of tomato vine. It becomes more floral with aeration. The palate has fine structure, and there’s some clever stem addition apparent here, lending this Clos Saint-Jacques a subtle leafy character. Focused with fine weight toward the finish, this is very persistent and quite saline on the aftertaste. Reserved, but the pedigree is undeniable. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Lastly, the 2019 Côte Rôtie La Landonne is an absolutely jaw-dropping wine, and it doesn't – and won't – get any better than this magical elixir. A massive bouquet of black fruits, bloody meats, ground pepper, scorched earth, iron, and truffle all emerge from this dense, powerful monster of a Côte Rote that's flawlessly balanced, has perfect tannins, and sensational levels of concentration and extract. It should hit prime time in around a decade and evolve for 40-50 years.

Vinous (92)

The NV Esprit Nature is a fabulous introduction to this range. Creamy, open-knit and so expressive, the Esprit Nature captures all of the textural intensity that is such a Giraud signature, but in an approachable style. The Esprit Nature is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay done mostly in oak, with a bit of sandstone amphora. This release is based on 2017, 50% reserve wines. Readers should note that the "Nature" is used here as part of the wine name, rather than an indication of dosage, which is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: October 21, 2020.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2017 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru includes 20% whole bunches, matured in one-third new oak. It has a gorgeous bouquet of cranberry and raspberry fruit with veins of cassis; later, brown spices emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, good depth and fine grip, perhaps just missing a little precision toward the finish but still very fine.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2021 Marsannay Es Chezots has a lively, vibrant bouquet with pure Dorset plum and bilberry scents, light iris petal aromas. Very detailed. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiselled tannins, quite chalky in texture, perhaps a little compact but I feel this has something up its sleeve for later. Fournier's spiciest Marsannay. Great potential.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Despite being in its infancy, there is a lot to love about this already: perhaps the nose is reticent, but the palate has beautiful crunchy cherry and cranberry fruit with just a touch of black olive on the finish. There's dark chocolate and lovely hedgerow notes too, giving plenty of interest beyond fruit. Certainly not at its best just yet, but full of promise.

Experience the epitome of Beauijolais grandeur with the Jules Desjourneys Fleurie Chapelle Bois 2020. Produced in the spellbinding vineyards of Fleurie, in the heart of the French Beaujolais region, this exquisite wine is the brainchild of meticulous viticulturist, Fabien Duperray. Employing organic practices in the lush hillside vineyards, Duperray meticulously nurtures Gamay grapes, compromising nothing in the pursuit of impeccable quality. This exquisite Fleurie is aged in Burgundian barrels adding to its complex structure and enhancing the purity of the Gamay fruit.

The Jules Desjourneys Fleurie Chapelle Bois 2020 titillates with a profound bouquet of crushed black cherries, wild berries and spices, underpinned by subtle earthy undertones. On the palate, it boasts a silky yet generous body with a vibrant acidity and mineral-infused finish that elegantly lingers. This remarkable blend showcases the distinctive charm and meticulous craft that Jules Desjourneys wines are renowned for. Truly a quintessential Beaujolais indulgence.

Vinous (95)

(LD210008): Bright gold. Pungent aromas of candied orange, buttered toast, pear skin and vanilla, with a smoky nuance that gains power in the glass. Stains the palate with intense pear liqueur, citrus pith and brioche flavors, picking up notes of licorice and candied ginger with air. A bright mineral note adds lift and energy to the finish, which clings with superb tenacity and lingering smokiness. This complex, concentrated Champagne is showing very well right now but has the legs to age for years to come.

James Suckling (100)

The much-anticipated 2002 has impeccable detail and depth with a lot of chalky, stony and flinty elements on the nose as well as a very fresh edge. The nose is very complex and wound up tight but presents itself as very integrated and compressed. There are aromas of lemon rind, lime juice and a lime custard all at once, complemented in turn by a super-restrained hazelnut-like edge. Undertones of brown mushrooms, chalky minerals and lemon leaf. The palate has a core of sizzlingly intense, concentrated chardonnay framed whitin a powerful phenolic structure that will underpin the future of this Champagne. Flawlessly fresh and as perfect as it gets. Give this time as it needs to settle: best from 2020 and then for another decade beyond.

Vinous (97)

The 1988 Collection offers stunning interplay of vintage 1988 vibrancy with the complexity that has developed in bottle. Apricot, pastry, brioche, dried flowers, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes all infuse the 1988 with notable complexity and nuance. At 31 years of age, the 1988 Collection remains taut, classically austere and full of energy. It will drink well for another 20 years or more.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Based on the 2013 vintage and complemented by some 40% reserve wines dating back to 2000, Krug's newly released NV Grande Cuvée 169ème Édition is showing very nicely, unfurling in the glass with notes of citrus oil, buttered toast, dried apricot, warm biscuits and marmalade. Medium to full-bodied, deep and incisive, it's a tauter, more chiseled rendition of Grande Cuvée by comparison with the richer, more textural and more demonstrative 168ème Édition (based on the 2012 vintage) that preceded it; but its bright spine of acidity is nicely cloaked in fruit. Concluding with a long and sapid finish, this is a very classically balanced Champagne that will reward bottle age

Wine Spectator (96)

A mouthwatering rosé that wraps a racy spine of acidity in the plushly creamy, cashmere-like mousse, offering a fine frame for the rich and finely meshed range of flavors, with baked raspberry, passion fruit and Mandarin orange peel fruit accented by chopped hazelnut, fleur de sel, candied ginger and lime blossom notes that echo for days on the vivid finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged autumn 2019. Drink now through 2030.

Decanter (96)

Beautiful nose coconut cream, vanilla and mocha nose. Smooth and mellow on the rich and velvety palate with lots of sweet spices, dates and chocolate-covered currants. Long-lasting and utterly delicious.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2017 Labégorce is powerful yet nuanced, and wonderfully complete. Cedar, tobacco, mint, dried herbs and licorice grace this wine of tremendous complexity. While it is towering in its size, richness and intensity, the 2017 is also surprisingly elegant. Creamy, ample and flavorful, this is a very good wine with rather pretty floral notes that grace the exquisite finish.

Wine Advocate (100)

One of the greatest wines produced in Bordeaux this year is the 2019 Lafite Rothschild, an impeccably balanced classic of immense charm and grace. Wafting from the glass with arresting aromas of cassis, blackberries and cherries mingled with violets, cigar box and warm spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, concentrated mid-palate framed by exquisitely powdery tannins and ripe acids, and concluding with a long, perfumed finish. This rivals the 2010 and 2016 as the greatest Lafite of the decade, and of those three vintages, it's clearly the most sensual and demonstrative out of the gates. The blend contains fully 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and attained a modest 13.4% alcohol.