Vinous (86-88)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes has an earthy, undergrowth-scented bouquet of dark berry fruit, touches of tar coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a little chewy on the midpalate, with candied red fruit toward the slightly monotone and bitter finish. It's a bit "Faiveley of old" for my liking, big-boned and missing some finesse.

Presenting the Fougeray Beauclair Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2017, an epitome of French viticulture. Originating from the prestigious vineyards of Burgundy, this remarkable wine captures the essence of its prestigious terroir. Crafted by Patrice and Cathy Beauclair, known for their traditional approach to winemaking, this revered couple meticulously handpick their grapes. They then adopt a gentle extraction process, ageing the wine in oak barrels for a time-honoured flavour profile.

This particular vintage exhibits a complex, robust palate, with hints of ripe berries, alluring spice notes and velvety tannins. Its ruby hue is as inviting as its rich aroma, forming an alluring marriage of sight, smell and taste. The Fougeray Beauclair Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2017 surpasses expectations of even the most discerning wine enthusiasts, promising a sublime tasting experience. A quintessential addition to any fine wine collection, it stands as a testament to the Beauclair's commitment to excellence.

Vinous (84-86)

From purchased grapes in the Côte de Nuits, the 2018 Bourgogne Rouge has a slightly tarry bouquet of ripe summer fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, fine acidity and a slightly compact finish. Give it a year once in bottle.

As an exemplar of fine Burgundy Pinot Noir, the Frederic Esmonin Mazis Chambertin 2017 is a real triumph. An esteemed viticulturist based in the Gevrey-Chambertin region, Frederic Esmonin continues a family legacy, producing wines renowned for their depth and complexity. Showcasing excellence of the Mazis Chambertin terroir, Esmonin’s 2017 vintage is made meticulously, with manually-harvested grapes undergoing primary fermentation in open oak vat, before being aged for nearly two years in French oak barrels.

Bountiful fruit aromas with impressive ripeness and concentration are evident on the nose, mirrored on the palate with distinct savoury undertones of spice, tobacco and wild herbs. The tensile tannins and perfectly resonating acidity result in a wine of stunningly balanced harmony. Its longevity is equally impressive, ensuring it remains a delightful drinking experience for years post-uncorking. For true lovers of premium Burgundy, Frederic Esmonin Mazis Chambertin 2017 is a standout choice.

Vinous (89-91)

(25% new oak): Palish bright medium red. Nose dominated by musky, rocky, smoky calcaire. A step up in silkiness, sweetness and depth from the village Morey but a bit reduced, displaying very good intensity to its flavors of redcurrant, tobacco, spices and saline minerality. Finishes with very good spine and length, with a lingering note of dried flowers. This wine comes from vines on very poor subsoil below Clos de la Roche; Stehly notes that it is always strict when young and poor in color.

Vinous (94+)

(from a yield of about 28 hectoliters per hectare, according to Ghislaine Barthod): Good bright, full red. Very closed yet delicate nose offers scents of black cherry, licorice, fresh herbs and minerals. Soil-driven, saline and sweet, with powerful minerality accentuating the wine's superb concentration. Wonderfully tactile yet light on its feet, this taut, vibrant wine saturates the entire mouth and stains the front teeth. As with Barthod's other 2010s, the tannins are extremely refined. Barthod notes that the 1999 version of this wine is still young, and she believes that this 2010 will take even longer to reach full maturity.

Wine Advocate (90)

From vines in Corgoloin, the 2017 Côte de Nuits-Villages unfurls in the glass with a lovely bouquet of cherries, dark berries, rose petals, orange rind and cedar. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated for the vintage, with a fleshy core of fruit, finer-grained tannins than those found in the domaine's bottlings from the Hautes Côtes, and juicy balancing acids, concluding with an elegantly chalky finish. This is showing very well and is worth seeking out.

Wine Advocate (90-93)

The 2009 Charmes-Chambertin (from vines in Mazoyeres) shows gorgeous density and depth in a round, engaging style. This is a highly engaging, textured wine but it is also remarkably open for a grand cru, even in 2009. I am not sure it will make old bones, but it should drink nicely for a handful of years. The Charmes is made from partially purchased fruit that is used to augment the estate’s small holdings. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92-95)

Distinctly darker red-ruby color. Floral, highly perfumed aromas of strawberry, raspberry, spearmint and sappy spices. Big, rich and silky, but very fresh and delineated, with terrific cut. Very subtle, expanding aftertaste, with slow-building, very persistent fruit and completely enrobed tannins. Concentrated, classy and complete; a thoroughly ripe Musigny that has benefitted from the late harvesting.

Burghound (86-88)

Moderate reduction knocks down the fruit though there is good vibrancy and detail to the delicious flavors that exude a refreshing salinity on the focused and lingering finish. This is carrying enough structure to suggest that it will need a year or two to unwind and develop better depth.

Wine Advocate (88-90)

Offering up aromas of cherries and cassis, deftly framed by a touch of new oak, the 2018 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a rich core of fruit, powdery tannins and lively acids. Still primary and youthful, it had yet to be bottled when I tasted it.

Burghound (86-89)

A pretty and very fresh nose combines notes of both red and dark cherry with an airy array of floral nuances. Once again there is good intensity and vibrancy to the slightly bigger and richer flavors that possess a bit better depth and persistence on the mildly more structured finale. This is very good for its level and is worth considering provided you can allow it at least a few years of cellar time.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

The 2015 Bourgogne Chapitre Vieilles Vignes, which now includes a small parcel of younger vines, is one of the best generic red Burgundy wines that you can find. This does not disappoint. It has a beautifully defined bouquet with blackberry and raspberry aromas, real intensity, almost brooding in quality. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, quite rounded redcurrant and cranberry notes on the entry, wonderful acidity and genuine weight and presence on the finish. Never underestimate the quality of this wine.

Burghound (97)

There is the first whiff of secondary character to the gorgeously complex red, black and violet-infused aromas that are trimmed with a dazzling array of spice and sandalwood hints. The round, intense and overtly muscular broad-shouldered flavors possess real power and superb intensity that slowly builds from the mid-palate to the explosively persistent and robust finish. I really like the purity of expression here on the linear and stony backend that has a dusty quality from all of the dry extract that coats the palate and buffers the still notably firm tannic spine. This is a big wine but it remains impeccably well-balanced and it should live for decades, indeed it is still very much in need of more cellar time.

James Suckling (93-94)

Right on the border with Pommard. This wine is from a 7-hectare plot of chardonnay within this climat. There’s a spiced hazelnut edge across an array of white peaches and citrus fruits. It has a strong core structure with fleshy surrounds. Long, dense and smooth. Terrific. Drink or hold.

Burghound (93)

Much like the Musigny, this is really beautifully spicy but here there are intense earth and sauvage undertones to the mostly wild red berry fruit scents. There is excellent volume and plenty of minerality to the focused, energetic and overtly powerful large-scaled flavors that culminate in an austere finish that displays noticeable gas which accentuates the firmness of the tannins. Even so, this is clearly a long-distance runner and like the Griotte, I would strongly advise buying this only with the intent to cellar it for at least a decade.

Wine Advocate (92)

The 2011 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru is from a half-hectare located in the top right hand corner as you look at the climat on the map. It offers a charming and gentle, almost Charmes-Chambertin-like bouquet that unfolds in the glass. The palate has a slight reduction on the palate that smudges the overall effect and yet it is rounded and supple in the mouth with cranberry, raspberry leaf and a pinch of black pepper toward the tender finish. Fine. Drink 2015-2025.

Experience a taste of Burgundy with the sublime Julien Gerard Nuits-Saint-Georges 2015. Crafted in the renowned Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation, it's a quintessential product of meticulous Burgundian craftsmanship. Julien Gerard, a revered producer, employed traditional wine-making techniques to achieve exquisite complexity and layered nuances in this vintage. Expertly culled Pinot Noir grapes were manually harvested to ensure quality. In the cellar, fruit was destemmed, cold-soaked, and fermented in a open-top oak barrel, with moderate extraction for intensified aromas.

Julien Gerard Nuits-Saint-Georges 2015 displays an alluring ruby red hue, reflecting the serene beauty of its origin. It generously offers decadently complex aromas of ripe red fruits intertwining with undertones of earthy spice and elegant mineral characteristics. The palate unfolds with smooth tannins, a balanced acidity, and a lingering finish, encapsulating the essence of the Burgundy region. Endorse your wine collection with this exemplary French artistry.

Burghound (94)

A notably spicy, fresh, cool and floral nose displays mostly red berry fruit scents that are trimmed in discreet earth notes. There is excellent cut and definition to the nicely rich and attractively textured flavors that culminate in a presently austere finale though I doubt that austerity will persist. This is a relatively fine and forward vintage for Clos des Lambrays and one that should be approachable after only 7 to 8 years of bottle age. In a word, marvelous.

Vinous (91+)

Medium red. Enticing nose offers black cherry, flowers, red licorice and minerals. Suppler and broader but less refined on entry than the Taillepieds, with distinctly darker fruit flavors. Strong acidity ultimately gives this pure wine a youthfully austere character. Finishes with excellent length and spice character. This tight wine calls for five years of cellaring.

The Moron-Garcia Corton Baie Par Baie 2018 is an exquisite fine wine from the esteemed Moron-Garcia vineyard, renowned for their meticulous process of selecting and hand-picking clusters of grapes one by one. Nestled in the Côte de Beaune area of Burgundy, this prestigious winery prides itself on showcasing the unique terroir of the region. The resulting Pinot Noir is full-bodied and hearty, brimming with deep notes of ripe cherries, wild berries, and subtle hints of earthy truffles and oak.

Despite its relative youth, Moron-Garcia Corton Baie Par Baie 2018 showcases a sophisticated array of tones that are at once captivating and accessible, a quality that has earned it rave reviews from wine connoisseurs worldwide. This high-level balance between vibrant fruitiness and structured intensity is what sets Moron-Garcia's special wines apart, making the Moron-Garcia Corton Baie Par Baie 2018 a significant asset to any discerning wine collector's cellar.

Discover the exquisite Moron-Garcia Marsannay Clos du Roy 2018, a testament to meticulous winemaking emanating from the prestigious Marsannay region within Burgundy, France. Crafted by the highly respected winemaker Sebastien Moron and Patricia Garcia, this wine embodies the duo's revolutionary winemaking practices, combining traditional methods with bold innovation. Employing biodynamic practices, they handpick the grapes from the hallowed 'Clos du Roy' parcel, known for its highly valued limestone-clay soil composition. The wine undergoes meticulous selection, native yeast fermentation and prolonged ageing 'sur lie' in French oak for nuanced complexity.

The resulting wine teems with an exquisite blend of blackcurrant, cherry and captivating earthy undertones. Its concentrated fruit flavours are balanced seamlessly with vibrant acidity and firm, yet silky tannins. A bewitching expression of Pinot Noir, Moron-Garcia Marsannay Clos du Roy 2018 truly signifies an experience of sensorial delight for discerning wine enthusiasts.