Decanter (92)

The Clos de la Barre is one of the highlights of the Jadot portfolio this year, wafting from the glass with a bouquet of raspberry, red cherry, candied peel and raw cocoa, elegantly framed by new oak. On the palate the wine is medium-full and supple, cool but open-knit. It's a giving and texturally refined Volnay.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)

Medium to deep purple, beautifully ripe, so much going on, plump lush raspberry but never losing its thread, more character in this warmer vintage rather than drying it. This is a very good Clos de la Barre, as good as I can remember. Tasted: November 2021

Dating back to 2015, the Alleno & Chapoutier Saint Joseph Croix Chabot 2015 is a luxuriously complex synergy of French artistry. Renowned Michelin starred chef Yannick Alléno and Rhône winemaker Michel Chapoutier immaculately craft this exquisite spirit. Sourced from a parcel on Saint Joseph's hill known as 'Croix Chabot,' the vineyard embraces an ideal geographic spot. This fertile land nurtures granitic soils that imbue the wine with a distinct minerality.

The features of Syrah grapes beautifully shine through their vinification in concrete tanks followed by an ageing process in oak barrels for a span of 12 to 18 months. This meticulous process ensures a harmonious blend of the wine's fruity and spicy characters.

The elegant full-bodied Alleno & Chapoutier Saint Joseph Croix Chabot 2015 unfurls flavours of dark fruit and undertones of liquorice and violet. With a delightful lingering finish, it offers a rich and inviting experience for the true wine connoisseur.

Vinous (91-93)

Shimmering violet color. Primary red and blue fruit aromas, along with suggestions of olive, smoked meat and cracked pepper. Offers fleshy, appealingly sweet cherry and blackberry flavors that turn spicier and firm up through the back half. Subtly chewy tannins add grip to a long, smoky finish that leaves cherry and spice notes behind.

James Suckling (95)

This a firm and pretty red with a solid tannin backbone to the medium body. Ripe fruit with some walnut, tobacco, and floral undertones. It’s long and flavorful. Balanced and firm. Classic style. Drink in 2025.

Wine Advocate (96+)

In complete contrast to the sexy, flamboyant les Granits, the tiny production 2012 Saint Joseph le Clos (which comes from a vineyard just a couple kilometers from the les Granits) is firm, tight and structured, with edgy notes of cassis, blackberry, powdered rock and ground herbs. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich, it needs 3-4 years in the cellar, and will have two decades of longevity. This is almost non-existent in the marketplace, but it's worth the effort to track down.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

I've loved every vintage of this cuvée and the 2018 Saint Joseph Le Clos is undoubtedly with the best of them. Incredibly complex notes of black raspberries, flowers, lavender, bouquet garni, and a terrific sense of elegance all emerge from the glass, and this full-bodied beauty has a silky, elegant texture, great tannins, and one seriously lengthy finish. It shows more spice and meaty nuances with time in the glass and this is more Hermitage than your classic Saint Joseph. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming 20 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

A more reductive, meaty, backward effort than normal, the 2018 Saint Joseph Les Granits is all Syrah that comes from unquestionably one of the top terroirs in Saint-Joseph. It was vinified in concrete tanks and aged in a mix of barrels and demi-muids, 20% being new. It blossoms with air and reveals an almost Hermitage-like class and minerality, with killer crème de cassis and black raspberry fruits supported by loads of smoked game, saddle leather, crushed stone, barbecue smoke, garrigue, and violet-like aromas and flavors. Just incredible on the palate as well, with medium to full-bodied richness, awesome tannins, and a liquid rock-like minerality, this tour de force from Saint-Joseph ranks with the finest vintage of this cuvée ever made and matches the 2015, although it shows a very different style. It should be snatched up by readers. It will need 3-5 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly over the following 20 years or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

A killer wine as always, the 2018 Saint Joseph Les Granits Blanc reveals a medium gold color as well as powerful notes of white currants, toasted spices, brioche, quince, and crushed rock. With beautiful richness, medium to full body, no hard edges and a great finish, it's consistently one of the great whites in the appellation.

Vinous (92)

The 2017 Volnay En Carelle Sous La Chapelle 1er Cru has a slightly disjointed bouquet that requires only a couple of minutes to gain focus and delineation, though the aromatics lack the vibrancy and purity of the succeeding vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with pretty red cherry and red plum fruit, coming across a little conservative toward the finish, but boy, does this meliorate with aeration! After a couple of hours it suddenly goes up through the gears, developing more precision and harmony than it had immediately after opening. My score reflects this Volnay in full flight.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Polished and velvety without the energy of the Auxey Premier Cru. Sort of splits the difference between its two stablemates but I’m not sure wholly satisfactorily for the price.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2021 Volnay Les Frémiets 1er Cru has exquisite definition on the nose: a mélange of red and black fruit, allspice and light iris flower scents. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, more red fruit developing laced with clove and a touch of cooked meats, quite complex towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. Classy and certainly with the substance to age.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

The 2019 Saint Joseph Silice Blanc is a gorgeous white based on 100% Marsanne. Loads of stony mineral notes as well as white flowers and white currants define this full-bodied, rich, concentrated beauty. Remarkably pure, it offers subtle background oak, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. This is another head-turning wine from this incredible estate. Enjoy bottles over the coming decade.

Vinous (93-95)

A highly fragrant bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-accented black/blue fruits, Moroccan spices, olive and candied flowers, along with a smoky mineral element that builds as the wine opens up. Juicy, energetic and focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet boysenberry, cherry preserve and violet pastille flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate. The floral note resonates on the impressively long finish, which features well-knit tannins and a smoky mineral quality.

Incredibly focused aromas of lifted black cherries and dark chocolate-coated violet creams dominate, before the concentrated, mouthcoating blackcurrant fruit pervades the palate. However, it is the pure energy of the wine, along with the harmonious concentration of fruit and freshness, and the fine yet pertinent tannins that is really impressive here. This is a truly lovely, powerful yet balanced Saint Joseph.

Experience the exquisite taste of Georges Lelektsoglou Saint-Joseph Trois Freres 2020, crafted meticulously from the prestigious vineyards of Rhône Valley, France. This compelling red is a product of authentic viticultural savoir-faire and passion. Renowned producer Georges Lelektsoglou has curated a blend coupling the intensity of Syrah bolstered by the delicacy of Marsanne Roussanne. This wine is a product of traditional vinification methods; the grapes are hand-picked, followed by partial destemming and careful ageing in both wooden vats and barrels.

The Georges Lelektsoglou Saint-Joseph Trois Freres 2020 emits an inviting aroma of dark fruit with an undertone of spice and licorice. It is well-structured, complex, offering an impeccable balance of engaging tannins and vibrant acidity; it culminates in an impressively enduring finish. This fine wine pairs harmoniously with robust dishes, greatly enhancing the dining experience.

From the renowned French vineyard, the exquisite Glantenay Volnay 1er Cru Les Ronceret 2020 is a testament to the exceptional terroir of Volnay in Burgundy. Hailing from the 2020 vintage, the fragrant, vivid red fruits of this Pinot Noir are beautifully complimented by its mineral nuances and velvety tannins. Predominantly grown in calcareous-clay soils, the grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed, then gently pressed, allowing extraction of sublime flavours and holding back excessive tannins.

This wine has spent 18 months maturing in oak barrels, crafted by the talented Glantenay family, who have been making wine in Volnay for several generations. With its deep ruby hue and the balance of fruit, spice, and earthy notes, Glantenay Volnay 1er Cru Les Ronceret 2020 is a captivating expression of its unique origin. Expertly crafted and reflecting the passion and dedication of its makers, this is a wine for true connoisseurs.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

One of the whites of the vintage in the appellation, the 2020 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph Blanc has awesome notes of quince, grilled peach, honeysuckle, and spicy wood. With medium to full-bodied richness, the balance is perfect, its oak is nicely integrated, and it has a great finish.

Wine Spectator (96)

This ripples with stunning raspberry and boysenberry coulis flavors, inlaid liberally with anise and apple wood notes and carrying through the well-defined finish. Lush in feel overall, with a mocha note draped over everything, keeping terrific energy in reserve. Best from 2020 through 2030.

Jancis Robinson (18+)

Tasted at the domaine. Beautiful nose with succulent pastille juiciness and purity with a strong smoked note. Such ripeness on the palate with beautiful depth and weight – the tannins are defined and sculpted – hard to believe it has 100% new oak. Plush and forward in a beautifully packaged, layered finish.

Wine Advocate (92)

The 2018 Volnay 1er Cru Les Chevrets is showing beautifully, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cherries, rose petals, cassis and violets. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with an ample chassis of powdery tannins, fine concentration and succulent acids. From a parcel of 58-year-old vines, this is a quintessentially elegant Volnay that should also drink well young.

Experience the exquisite taste of Hospices de Beaune Volnay 1er Cru Cuvee Blondeau 2014, an exemplary fine wine exemplary of the magnificent Burgundy region. Produced in the esteemed Hospices de Beaune, rooted in a tradition of charitable work and excellence in winemaking since 1443, this wine carries the allure of history merged with elite craftsmanship.

This magnificent Volnay 1er Cru, made from 100% Pinot Noir grape emanates an array of vibrant red fruits underpinned by fine-grained tannins complementing its complexity. Each grape was meticulously harvested by hand in the vintage year of 2014, ensuring optimum quality.

The Cuvee Blondeau is matured in French oak barrels, infusing it with silky texture and delicate spicy notes. A true testament to French viticulture, this fine wine is perfect for the discerning palate seeking robust flavours elegantly balanced with a buoyant finish. Truly, the Hospices de Beaune Volnay 1er Cru Cuvee Blondeau 2014 represents the epitome of luxury imbibing.

Vinous (91)

Opaque ruby. Primary cherry, cassis, peony and olive qualities on the perfumed nose, along with hints of cracked pepper and licorice in the background. Sweet and seamless in texture, offering concentrated black and blue fruit flavors that unfold slowly and turn spicier with air. The long, velvety finish features supple tannins and leaves behind a sweet dark berry note.

Vinous (95)

Deep magenta. Displays highly perfumed red and blue fruit preserve, floral, spice and mineral qualities on the expansive nose. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering ripe blueberry, black raspberry and candied violet flavors that tighten up slowly and become spicier with aeration. Blends the power of this vintage deftly with energy and finishes wonderfully long and precise, with the blue fruit and floral notes repeating.

Vinous (91-93)

(the Bouleys own a parcel of 50-to-55-year-old vines in the windy northern part of the cru that mostly avoided the frost in 2016; almost entirely destemmed): Full, deep red. Aromas of dark cherry and black raspberry are complemented by a musky oak element. Concentrated, rich and sweet, displaying an old-vines density to its flavors of cherry and saline minerality. This nuanced wine seems a bit less austere than usual but is nonetheless a more powerful style than the Carelles. Finishes with ripe tannins, subtle persistence and noteworthy grip.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru has a gorgeous fragrant floral bouquet with bunches of roses complementing the vibrant red fruit. Wonderful intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with gently grippy tannins, quite spicy towards the finish with a slightly confit towards the end. This is destined to age very well. Superb.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru les Fremiets has an elegant bouquet with scents of briary, woodland and red berry fruit. There is lovely purity of fruit here, great transparency. The palate is well balanced with fine structure, quite firm tannin, superb focus with red merging with black fruit towards the slightly saline finish. This is a great wine from Jean-Pierre Chalot.