Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The EABA is more Syrah-dominated and checks in as 65% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, and the rest Viognier that saw plenty of stems and close to two years in 50% new French oak. Its inky purple hue is followed by a sensational bouquet of bloody blue fruits, black raspberries, iron, ground pepper, baking spices, and who knows what else. Incredibly complex and nuanced (yet intense) aromatically, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, and a finish that won't quit. It’s certainly one of the biggest, richest wines in the lineup, yet like all of Jim's wines, it remains light on its feet, has brilliant purity of fruit, and is as drinkable as could be.

Burghound (92-94)

Sweet spot Outstanding. Elegant if restrained aromas are cool and pure with notes of apple, acacia blossom, lemon-lime and a whiff of mineral reduction. The racy and wonderfully refined middle weight flavors are lacy, indeed almost delicate, with plenty of lovely underlying tension on the lingering and impeccably well-balanced finale. This is pretty much classic Bouchères that should age well over the medium-term. In a word, lovely.

James Suckling (96-97)

This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)

The 2020 Chapelle d’Ausone is 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Rich, deep and expressive, the Chapelle is loaded with class. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs, ginger, leather and dried flowers infuse the Chapelle with notable depth and complexity. This mid-weight, exotic Saint-Émilion is loaded with character. The clean, mineral-drenched finish is a thing of absolute beauty. The Chapelle is a blend of young vines and barrels that don't make it into the Grand Vin. In a word: dazzling.

The Wine Cellar Insider (98)

Flowers are the first thing you notice before discovering all the spice, cloves, kirsch, and dark cherries on the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, elegant, fresh, supple, and refined. The kirsch shows a beautiful purity and spicy character, along with its refined tannins and peppery strawberries that kick in at the end of the finish. The wine is a blend of 55% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah with the remaining 5% consisting of various, allowable grape varieties. The grapes are as always 100% destemmed. The production is quite low this year at only 25 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is 15.2% ABV, but you do not sense any heat.

Experience the essence of Burgundy with the David Duband Vosne Romanee 2020. Made by the expert hands of David Duband, a respected French vigneron who has been making wine since 1991. He embraces the concept of terroir viticulture, incorporating principles of organic and biodynamic farming.

This exquisite Pinot Noir originates from the acclaimed Vosne-Romanée appellation, renowned for producing world-class wines. The 2020 vintage enjoyed superb weather conditions, producing complex, elegant wines of remarkable balance.

David Duband Vosne Romanee 2020 showcases a radiant ruby hue, enamoured with harmonious aromas of violet, blackcurrant and truffle. On the palate, one can savour spicy notes of liquorice and clove, accentuated by a silky-smooth texture and long finish. It exhibits excellence in its purest form.

This is an extraordinary wine, encapsulating the famed elegance of Burgundy in a single bottle. A remarkable testament to the mastery of David Duband and the exceptional terroir of Vosne-Romanee.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is performing every bit as well in bottle as it promised to in barrel. Exhibiting a deep bouquet of dark berries, orange zest, rose petal, coniferous forest floor and spices, it's full-bodied, pure and perfumed, its velvety attack segueing into a deep, layered mid-palate of striking energy and intensity of flavor. This is often my favorite wine in the Dujac cellar, though it invariably takes the better part of two decades to attain a semblance of maturity, and the 2020 is a benchmark rendition.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Migan is a red from La Orotava and was produced with Listán Negro grapes from the village of La Perdoma, whose ancient name was Migan. It comes from four plots—Montijo (40% of the grapes), Tío Luis (30%), La Habanera (20%) and Las Suertes (10%)—on red volcanic soils and at different altitudes, between 350 and 600 meters above sea level, where altitude defines the character of the plot. In 2020, they didn't use the San Antonio vineyard that was used in previous vintages; it has been replaced by Montijo. 2020 was an early harvest, and the grapes fermented by plot, always with indigenous yeasts, and 70% of the wine matured in neutral 500- and 600-liter oak barrels, while the wine from Tío Luis matured in concrete. The change in vineyards (they abandoned the one with more clay at lower altitude and increased in higher altitude and with less clay) has given the wine an extra kick. These wines reward time in bottle, and they need at least one year. Right now, this feels a little closed and tight, but it has great freshness and finer tannins and, in the long run, should make a better wine than the 2019. 11,500 bottles and 300 magnums were produced. It was bottled in December 2021.

Emerging from the esteemed vineyards of Saarburger Rausch, the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 2009 offers an indulgent taste of superior German craftsmanship. Hand-harvested with meticulous precision, this outstanding wine reverberates with the expertise of the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken estate, revered for its dedication to viticulture since 1742. This magnificent Riesling Auslese exudes the distinct terroir of Saar Valley, a unique composition of weathered grey slate and iron-rich soil, delivering an indelible minerality in every sip.

Characterised by an aromatic bouquet of ripe apricots, candied lemon peel, and subtle hints of honey, it possesses a remarkable ageing potential. Its vibrant acidity and persistent sweetness yield perfect harmony, making the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 2009 a cherished addition to any discerning wine collector's selection.

James Suckling (96-97)

Very plush and tannic with full body and lots of structure and intensity. Top second wine. Very solid and quite muscular with fine tannins and texture.

Burghound (93-96)

Ripe aromas include those of plum, dark cherry, warm earth and a whisper of the sauvage. The supple, delicious and dense big-bodied flavors flash enormous power and drive that really builds from the mid-palate to the explosively long and sappy finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. Note that this is very firmly structured and in need of at least a decade of keeping and should reward almost two.

Burghound (93-95)

This too is firmly reduced. There is almost painful intensity to the beautifully delineated and mineral-driven broad-shouldered flavors that possess a highly refined textured before culminating in an almost crisp, moderately austere and wonderfully persistent finale that is quite firmly structured. This is a bit atypical but no less attractive for it and a Bèze that should amply reward a decade plus of cellaring. Lovely.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2020 Volnay Village is completely aged in used barrel. It has a transparent nose with lifted red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit with an underlying tertiary scent. The palate is more expressive than the aromatics with juicy ripe tart red cherries, quite citric in style with orange rind and a touch of bitter lemon enlivening the finish. This should drink well for up to 15 years, possibly more.

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2009 Pavie drifts effortlessly and profoundly from the glass with baked plums, spice cake, sandalwood, Black Forest cake and blueberry pie scents followed up with a fragrant undercurrent of potpourri, unsmoked cigars and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and plush, this is pure seduction in the mouth, offering a taut yet velvety texture and oodles of freshness to frame the opulent fruit, finishing very long and mineral laced.

Burghound (95)

(Outstanding) A more elegant and ultra-cool nose reveals its combination of floral, citrus zest, iodine and that briny sea water character the best examples of Chablis all seem to possess, all of which is trimmed in moderate but not invasive wood. There isn't quite the same volume on the palate as the Butteaux, but the middleweight flavors are notably more refined before terminating in a driving, chiseled and citrusy bone-dry finale. I very much like the focused power of the finish and this classy effort should also amply reward extended cellaring.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)

Pale colour with the lightest of lime tints. The bouquet is making me smile. Lemon scents on the palate and little white fruits and little white stones, with the citrus returning at the finish. Sensational persistence, just a joy all the way through. What is not to love? Tasted: June 2021

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.

Decanter (96)

It was a dry vintage up to August, which turned exceptionally wet and cool. September saved the vintage with the ideal weather conditions - low rainfall and cool nights. The graceful nose opens to white flowers, ripe apricot and citrus hints. It is tense and refined, with a vivid mineral core balanced by pristine acidity and some toasted notes on the finish. It's not the most expressive today, but wait for it to awaken. This is built for cellaring.

Wine Advocate (94)

The blockbuster 2004 Shiraz Springflat’s inky/purple color is followed by a wine that pushes concentration to the limit. Made from tiny yields of 1.5 to 1.8 tons of fruit per acre, aged in 50% new and 50% 1 and 2 year old oak (half American and half French) barrels, it is a huge, rich, backward Shiraz that still assaults the palate and olfactory senses. Forget this big, structured, intense 2004 for 2-3 years and drink it over the following 15 or more.